Chapter 692: A Great Battle Before the Great War

Activating the crossbow formation not only failed to intercept that streak of purple aura coming from the east, but also led to the tragic death of the esteemed sword master from the Chess Sword Bureau, who was protecting General Liu Gui, pierced by a crossbow bolt.

Though martial experts of extraordinary prowess may quickly attain glory and wealth once they step onto the battlefield, their military status is like drifting duckweed—unstable and uncertain, perhaps vanishing before it even warms their hands.

An unremarkable officer in armor swiftly approached Liu Gui, bowed with deep apology, and bitterly smiled while clenching his fists: “I have failed, my lord. I let you down.”

In the Northern Desolate army, there exists an unshakable iron law: if the commander falls in battle, all ten-thousand-man commanders and thousand-man commanders under his command will be ordered to commit suicide. Except for Liu Gui himself, who showed no sign of alarm, everyone else must have sweated coldly in fear.

Liu Gui waved his hand dismissively with a smile. This middle-aged armored soldier hidden within the crossbow formation was no ordinary man. He was the youngest disciple of the Qilin Immortal of the Moral Sect, possessed the ability of the Finger Heaven Technique, and was fully in charge of the crossbow formation. It was only natural, for tools are lifeless. Even if the crossbow bolts possessed the might of flying swords, without the ability to sense an opponent’s energy, thousands or tens of thousands of bolts would still be in vain. The foresight of energy cultivators lags behind the real mastery of the Finger Heaven Technique. In fact, during the rain of arrows, the final shot from this Moral Sect disciple posed the greatest threat. However, the Prince of Beiliang grew furious and filled with killing intent. He not only caught the hundred-pace crossbow bolt with his bare hands but also retaliated by hurling an arrow straight at Liu Gui within the formation. Unfortunately, the expert from the Chess Sword Bureau became the scapegoat. Liu Gui was puzzled—what was the Prince of Beiliang truly after? If not to assert dominance through murder, then why travel alone to the desolate western regions of Liuzhou? At this critical moment when war between Beiliang and the Desolate loomed, what could he possibly hope to find in that barren land? True, there was a Qiang cavalry force that might stir up trouble, but with only ten thousand riders, swift and sharp though they might be, they could not alter the outcome.

As Liu Gui pondered, an elderly energy observer pushed through the protective circle of mounted guards and hurried to Liu Gui’s side, whispering, “My lord, a supreme expert has abruptly appeared from the west. His aura rivals that of the Prince of Beiliang. They will soon clash. It seems he intends to intercept the Prince’s westward journey.”

The Qiang cavalry surged forward, and the Longxiang cavalry split without reason.

Liu Gui suddenly burst into laughter: “How intriguing! Even with me as bait, the Prince of Beiliang refused to bite, yet now a mere Qiang cavalry force might unintentionally succeed?”

He quickly regained his composure and summoned the leader of the Black Fox Scouts, Lin Fu, issuing a stern command: “Divide the energy cultivators into three groups. The first group will advance westward with the crossbow formation, while the other two will guide the five hundred personal riders of Huyan Keqin and Yelü Zongtang. As for you, Lin Fu, take all the Black Fox Scouts, plus two hundred heavy cavalry and ten thousand light cavalry. Ignore the Prince’s movements entirely—your sole objective is to locate and engage any Longxiang soldiers who have strayed from their main force. Spare no cost to crush them!”

After a moment of surprise, Lin Fu cautiously asked, “My lord, what if the defenders of Qingcang City and the deputy general of the Longxiang cavalry, Li Mofan, choose this moment to launch a full-scale attack on Gudong Beach?”

Liu Gui snorted coldly, “Even if they had the courage, do they have the stomach for it?”

Lin Fu shrank back, wisely choosing silence.

Amidst the battlefield’s constant dangers, opportunities are fleeting. Whether one becomes a mediocre nobody or a legendary general often hinges on a single decision from the commander.

Liu Gui noticed hesitation in the young but highly revered Taoist of the Moral Sect, likely fearing a ploy to lure him away. Should Liu Gui fall to an assassin from Beiliang in Liuzhou, the Emperor might vent his wrath upon the Moral Sect. The old general chuckled softly, “There’s no need for you, Master, to waste your time guarding me, an old man. You won’t gain anything from this. If we succeed in crushing the Longxiang cavalry, I promise to personally petition the Emperor for your recognition.”

Though the Taoist, dressed like an ordinary officer, was in fact the younger brother of the National Master Yuan Qingshan, he still showed deep respect to Liu Gui. He felt a growing fondness for this general. Most Northern Desolate aristocrats and martial elites were arrogant and condescending. Inwardly, the Taoist decided that regardless of the outcome of the Liuzhou campaign, he would urge his seniors to place their bets on Liu Gui rather than gamble everything on Hong Jingyan, the master of the Rouran Iron Cavalry. The Northern Desolate’s suppression of Buddhism had been even more brutal than that of Liyang. Daoism, especially the Moral Sect, had risen steadily in power, especially after the elder brother’s ascension to heaven in a rainbow of light. It was believed that forging a bond with Liu Gui before his rise would serve the sect well when the Northern Desolate unified the realm and consolidated the Daoist sects of the Central Plains. Even the revered Longhu Mountain, currently regarded as the ancestral home of Daoism, would find it hard to rival the Moral Sect, which stood closer to the source of power.

Standing still and watching the dust rise in the distance, Liu Gui suddenly chuckled, “Surely the battle hasn’t even begun, and Beiliang is already finished? It seems before the great battle, there’s an even greater one. Taiping Ling, your calculations are indeed precise.”

The purple aura, coming from the east, now moved westward.

A golden copper giant, towering like a celestial deity, strode forward with massive steps, kicking up dust greater than a thousand cavalry charging.

The purple aura seemed reluctant to engage this figure, maintaining its course even as it passed over the crossbow formation and Liu Gui’s army. Yet the golden giant shifted sideways, stomping a crater into the earth, blocking the path once more.

Still unwilling to clash head-on, the aura did not slow, but its trajectory shifted slightly.

The Grandmaster of the Chess Sword Bureau, the copper giant, seized the advantage relentlessly, choosing once again to confront the aura head-on.

The road stretched boundless before them, yet the copper giant refused to let the aura pass unchallenged.

Three times makes a rule.

In the blink of an eye, the aura, no longer holding back, stood face to face with the copper giant.

This was the first time the Grandmaster had seen the young man up close.

Flowing with purple-gold energy, a Jujube-shaped mark stood between his brows, like a third eye turned upright.

Those icy eyes bore a striking resemblance to Hong Jingyan, a junior within the sect who had been born “with eyes but no pupils.”

Was this truly the Prince of Beiliang, Xu Fengnian?

The copper giant opened his mouth, but no words came. Instead, his abdomen swelled like a great bell tolling, and he extended a palm with a seemingly gentle push—yet the force could split rivers and shatter mountains.

Xu Fengnian suddenly accelerated, brushing past the giant. Behind him, the earth collapsed into a palm imprint ten feet long.

The copper giant retreated like thunder rolling across flat ground, his speed surpassing even Xu Fengnian’s. One advanced, the other recoiled, yet they remained side by side.

The giant reached out, attempting to hook Xu Fengnian’s neck.

Xu Fengnian raised his elbow to block the hook, and the two separated instantly, maintaining their forward motion with a one-meter gap between them.

The copper giant planted his left foot firmly and spun his right, halting first. In that brief moment of turning, Xu Fengnian’s back had already vanished half a mile away.

The giant, as mighty as a Kunlun immortal from legend, took a deep breath after stopping. His mouth opened wide, drawing in the primal energies of heaven and earth, radiating invisible ripples of energy in concentric circles.

The ground quaked and cracked, forming a web-like pattern. The golden titan leapt skyward, rapidly closing the distance. In midair, he raised his arm high and struck downward toward Xu Fengnian’s head.

But Xu Fengnian suddenly halted. The punch from the copper giant struck empty air six feet above the ground, while Xu Fengnian maintained his posture, like a lion striking a rabbit with full force.

Xu Fengnian’s foot touched the ground, and he sprang upward diagonally, lightly tapping the giant’s shoulder to gain momentum and continue forward.

The copper giant straightened and roared, “How bold!”

A palm strike from the sky summoned a whirlwind in the heavens.

At the same time, his other hand rose from below, stirring a whirlwind from the earth.

Heavens above, earth below—both forces converged, trapping Xu Fengnian between them.

Xu Fengnian twisted his body lightly, narrowly avoiding the collision that shook the heavens and earth.

But his advance was finally halted. The copper giant stepped forward, employing a technique that shrank the vast heavens and earth into a single point, reaching out to seize Xu Fengnian’s ankle midair, swinging him in a half-circle before hurling him away.

Xu Fengnian spread his left hand, fingers splayed, gently brushing the air. His body halted abruptly. For the first time, he stood still, facing the copper giant of the Chess Sword Bureau, a figure long overshadowed by Hong Jingyan and little known beyond the sect.

The copper giant sneered, “Trying to flee?”

Xu Fengnian remained expressionless, offering no reply. His gaze leapt past the golden titan toward the distant west.

The copper giant glanced at the young Prince’s waist, where his saber hung, and said evenly, “Without drawing your blade, it will be difficult.”

This was no idle boast.

Though others might not know the full extent of this man’s celestial might, Xu Fengnian did. The Chao Pavilion held a secret dossier, including early records of the Six-Pearl Bodhisattva from Lanta Mountain. Yet the hidden power of the copper giant clearly surpassed even that female deity.

The dossier contained only two phrases that sent chills down the spine:

“Banished Immortal.”

“Dharma King Body.”

Xu Fengnian indeed had no certainty of breaking free and continuing westward.

But that did not mean he had no chance of slaying this foe if he fought without restraint.

He inhaled deeply, his left thumb resting lightly on the hilt, and said gravely, “As you wish.”