Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 561 Inescapable Trap

Imperial Wind.

Thales chewed on the word for a moment.

A style that rivals the "Temple".

Is it the style of an empire, or the style of an emperor?
"Now, do you understand?"

Marius gently stroked the hilt of his sword at his waist, his eyes displaying a complex and unreadable expression.

"Imperial Wind, what is the significance of this martial art, which has been passed down since the imperial era, for the Star Kingdom, for the Starry Royal Family, and especially for you?"

The training ground was sparsely populated, and the courtyard was silent. Only the main stone hall behind them stood majestically, unchanged under the gray sky.

Thales pondered for a long time before speaking.

"So, 'Imperial Style' not only represents martial arts, but also history, making it exceptionally significant, equivalent to the family tradition of the Starry Sky royal family..."

So this is another story about how reading history and observing the world made me "study hard"...

At this thought, Thales' words caught in his throat.

and many more.

The royal family's legacy...

Thales' expression changed slightly, while Marius remained silent.

"Doyle of the Mirror River..."

The prince suddenly blurted out this surname out of the blue.

"Last night, DD and Bailar fought..."

Thales looked at the Watcher and spoke with surprise and doubt:

"Although the weapons and styles are different, I have a recollection that DD's swordsmanship style may also belong to the Imperial Wind lineage?"

Marius narrowed his eyes slightly.

A few seconds later, the Watchman nodded.

"Danny Doyle was the last squire to be recruited by Knight Joaquin. Before his death, Knight Joaquin was the chief swordsmanship instructor hired by the Starry Sky Royal Family for their private army, and could be considered a master of Imperial Wind martial arts."

Swordsmanship instructor for the Starry Sky Private Army.

With his doubts confirmed, Thales' eyes lit up, and he immediately followed up with another question:

"What about the others?"

"Besides Toledo and DD? Golova? Bastia? And you?"

Thales stared intently at Marius.

The Watchman smiled faintly, confirming his guess:

"Yes."

"Glov, Morgan, Vladimir, Oscarsen from the Vanguard Wing..."

"Bastia, Franzuc, Ferri, Kusta, and others in the guard wing..."

"Including Tangsin and Tsuifanov under my command."

Marius's hand remained on the hilt of his sword, as if he were sighing:

"Not only that, the vast majority of people in your Star Lake Guard, or more precisely, the entire Royal Guard, are practitioners of Imperial Style."

The vast majority of the royal guard.

Thales initially seemed to understand something, then frowned and pondered deeply.

"As for me, the teachers who taught me martial arts are also knights of the Imperial Wind."

The watchman slowly said:

"Thanks to the private army of Canxing, even the royal standing army, which has only been organized and established for a few decades, has been more or less affected by it, with many officers and soldiers practicing it."

Thales remained silent for a long while.

He quietly pondered the reasoning behind it.

Marius didn't urge him, but patiently waited for the prince's reaction.

"Marius."

A few seconds later, Thales spoke softly, somewhat dazed:

"Tell me, when people choose their school of thought between the Temple and the Imperial Wind, are there any considerations?"

At that moment, Marius's gaze was unfocused.

He easily loosened the hilt of his sword.

"I think that in times of great power and upheaval, the skills taught at the Tower of the End will often become popular, spread, and become a prominent field of study in the eyes of the world."

The watchman shook off the confusion in his eyes and regained his composure:

"In times of peace and prosperity, when the country is at peace and the people are safe, the orthodox imperial style becomes a trend that people strive to pursue."

Marius looked at Thales, his composure unchanged, but the pauses in his speech were noticeably different:

Do you understand?

Thales took a deep breath.

He sat upright, facing his personal guard captain and martial arts instructor with solemnity.

"Marius."

"What exactly do you want to talk about in today's lesson?"

Marius's smile widened slightly, but he shrugged, looking innocent and helpless.

"Of course, they are the two most representative schools of thought in the world..."

But Thales interrupted him.

“You could have been more direct; there was no need for such subtlety and caution,” the Duke of Starlake said, staring at him sternly.
"I don't do keyword review."

Marius paused slightly.

He scoffed softly.

"Then, as intelligent as you are, what do you think I want to say?"

The two stared at each other silently for a moment.

Until Thales took a deep breath, gently closed his eyes, and then opened them again.

"South Bank Territory, that big oaf of the Karabyan family... cough cough, I mean, esteemed young master Cohen."

Thales stared at Marius, his tone solemn:

"As far as I know, he is a student of the Tower of the End."

"According to you, you are a disciple of the 'Temple'."

Marius raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying.

"Miss Miranda of the Arend family in the North."

“And last night, in the Western Wilderness, in the town of Ravencry, Anke Bailar.”

"And Nehi, as you said, lived in Blade's Edge before he moved to Central Territory."

Thales spoke with certainty, advancing step by step:

"Oh, and the Exter people too."

Thales remembered what Wyman had told him:
"As far as I know, the once-famous 'Earthshaker' Kaslan Rumba also learned his skills from the Tower of the End when he was young."

Upon hearing the name, Marius stirred slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

He raised his head and calmly responded to the prince:

“You do know quite a lot, Your Highness.”

Thales frowned:
"And last night, when you said that the assassins' martial arts originated from the Tower of the End, your old nemesis—excuse me, I mean, the deputy captain of the guard, Lord Vogel—first thought: that's a noble from out of town."

Telston paused for a moment, but Marius remained calm.

"As for the Imperial Wind..."

Thales felt he had grasped that line, pulling it tighter and tighter until he was close to the key:
"In my guard, DD and Golov both come from the Central Territory, or more precisely, from the Seven Stars."

"And you said that Toledo is a branch descendant of the Seven Households."

“Even you, Tormund Marius, are a descendant of the Seven.

Marius's breathing became slightly sluggish.

"And also, 'the vast majority' of the other members of the Royal Guard."

Thales said earnestly:
"The Temple and the Imperial Style".

"Is it a coincidence that their practitioners are so different?"

But Marius still didn't respond to his question, instead asking:

"what do you think?"

Thales frowned, thinking to himself that this guy was being unusually taciturn at this moment, definitely retaliating for the prince interrupting him earlier.

"I guess……"

Thales tried to deduce:
"At least in the Star Kingdom, local nobles tend to send their children to the Tower of the End to learn the martial arts of the Holy Temple?"

"The lords in the central government, on the other hand, follow the imperial tradition more closely to align with the preferences of the Starry Sky royal family?"

"Is that right?"

Marius smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

Thales let out a breath.

"Go a little deeper..."

The prince frowned and said:
"The art of the Tower of Endings has spread throughout the kingdom, especially among long-established local families who are accustomed to separate governance."

"The Emperor's Wind stands at the center of the stars, with Eternal Star City as its base, and is highly revered by the knights surrounding the throne."

Thales' eyes lit up.

"The Temple and the Imperial Wind, martial arts styles, I think I understand now."

Thales ignored Marius's reaction and began to think for himself:
For thousands of years, especially during the imperial era, the Temple and the Imperial Winds stood in opposition and competed with each other.

But this is not like the sectarian differences or sword energy conflicts between different schools in the martial arts novels of the past.

“Like the power of termination,” Thales repeated unconsciously, recalling what Ricky had said in the dungeon:

"They are not just themselves, but warriors themselves."

Marius frowned slightly.

Thales spoke faster and faster:
"The Knights' Temple originated in the ancient North, and its martial arts spread among wandering knights and warriors, reaching all parts of the world."

"Their adversaries—the Imperial Wind—started from an ancient empire, benefiting from the legitimacy of imperial power, inherited from the Legion Knights, and favored by the central court."

“From the very beginning, these two were born in different people, and they developed and grew stronger in the struggle between these people.”

Thales said in a daze:
"Until a thousand years later, they have changed their appearance and formed the two major martial arts within the Star Realm, surrounding the throne and the power of the king."

"temple."

"Imperial Wind".

Marius stared intently at the prince.

Thales ignored him.

He was lost in thought at that moment:

Yes, just like Ricky said:

The power of termination is closely related to the warrior himself, reflecting each person's experiences and personality...

Martial arts styles are closely related to the real world, reflecting each person's inclinations and choices.

Thales said absentmindedly:
"Because they are not just two major schools of thought, and their competition is not just a battle for honor and disgrace, a battle for fame, but also naked realpolitik."

“In ancient times, those who used them were entangled in the distinction between the imperial center and the local areas.”

"In contemporary times, practitioners of both are focused on the distinction between stellar monarchy and the division of power among vassals."

Thales raised his head and looked confidently at Marius:

"This is not just about martial arts."

"It is more about politics and power, history and change."

"This is the truth and significance of the two schools of thought being passed down to this day."

"Is this what you really want to tell me?"

Marius smiled, a smile of satisfaction.

He gazed at the distant courtyard, sparse and desolate from the transition between autumn and winter:

"To be honest, I'm not good at interpreting politics, and I don't want to mislead Your Highness..."

Thales shook his head, interrupting him:

"Nonsense, your mind is as clear as a mirror, perfectly transparent."

The prince no longer looked at Marius; his eyes were distant and unfocused.

Thousands of years ago... a mighty force surged forth, converging into a tide.

The human race will prosper, and thus the temple will shine.

If there is something good on the top, it will be great on the bottom.

Where imperial power is directed, the imperial style naturally takes shape.

Marius looked at the prince, who was deep in thought, and fell silent.

Thales glanced into the distance and saw Neshi and Toledo wiping their sweat and drinking water after the battle—the former seemed to still be holding a grudge, while the latter seemed completely unconcerned.

The sound of their swords clashing just now seemed to echo in his mind once again:
clang.

Thales was stunned.

Neshi's lightning-fast sword strikes, Toledo's unwavering defense.

It was not just a duel between two people, or even just a clash between two major schools of thought.

In that battle, he glimpsed a landscape from a thousand years ago:

The emperor and the feudal lords.

Empire and Rangers.

Unity and chaos.

Iron-blooded and flamboyant.

And now, a thousand years later...

Thales' thoughts drifted away:

In times of chaos and division, war is difficult to break out.

Thus, the tower was erected, and its students flourished everywhere.

With the stars restored, royal power is restored.

Knights will inherit the throne, and the imperial spirit will endure forever.

Local nobles chose the Tower of Ending, while the Seven Stars chose to approach the Imperial Wind.

Central and local governments.

Centralization and division.

The king and his vassals.

Thales pondered all of this, and the realization dawned on him.

There is nothing in this world that exists; it is all illusory, a castle in the air that fell from the sky.

Even seemingly innocent and independent external objects or tools, such as martial arts and swordsmanship, which are merely related to personal interests and choices, are no exception.

The emergence of the Temple and the Imperial Wind was closely related to the times. Their competition was by no means isolated or static, but rather the result of the combined effects of history and politics, reality and power.

The opposition between these two is a faithful reflection of human relationships in terms of martial arts inheritance and real-world violence.

The times made them what they are.

They reflect the times.

This applies to martial arts skills, and even more so to people.

Thinking of this, Thales sighed:
"It seems the Gray Sword Guard was right."

"Swords and blades from ancient times have never escaped their sheaths."

Gray Sword Guard?
Upon hearing this assessment of the masters of the previous generation, Marius was taken aback, seemingly puzzled.

But Thales just shook his head.

"For every martial art, every school, no matter how powerful, glorious, powerful, or illustrious it once was..."

Thales breathed a sigh of relief:

"The background of the times and the social environment, and even the people who use them, are the true 'sheaths' that they cannot escape."

Marius fell into deep thought and nodded slightly.

At this point, Thales suddenly recalled what Maester Bonner had said in his grammar class:
Language is a tool, a result, but also its master, its cause. It is the best example of how language can transform from a passive to a active tool, profoundly influencing its users through change...

Thales was startled instinctively.

Whether it's martial arts or language.

They are not merely tools devoid of awareness or consciousness.

On the contrary, they were incorporated into their own scabbards by the users, branded with their own mark, and endowed with the characteristics of the era and society. From then on, they became an inseparable whole, even possessing... humanity.

They take the initiative, influencing more people through inheritance and practice, and continuing to strengthen and advance the trend of the times.

Theology, in essence, is the study of humanity.

Megan's words echoed in his mind.

"Like the temple and the imperial wind."

Thales subconsciously said:

"The meanings of their opposition to each other have been passed down through countless practitioners from ancient times to the present, taking root, sprouting, and blossoming, whether they are aware of it or not."

They constantly shift and intertwine across countless realities and political landscapes.

They clanged and rang out in every clash of weapons, their echoes lingering long afterward.

In that instant, Thales recalled the scene of Neshi and Toledo's duel just now.

But the next moment, he saw the banquet hall from last night again, and DD and Anke's angry confrontation.

No, it's not just them.

Marius, Doyle, Golover...

Kaslan, Cohen, Miranda...

"They live in every warrior, every weapon, and every battle."

Thales said absentmindedly:
"They rise and fall in succession, competing for a thousand years without a result."

"Even now."

It has never left, never diminished, never declined.

People are simply caught up in it.

We use it every day without realizing it.

Over time, people become unaware of this.

It is impossible to escape its sheath.

Marius pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed:

"It seems I don't need to say anything more."

Thales smiled too.

He glanced at the weapon racks on the training ground, then looked up at the gloomy, oppressive sky.

At that moment, he felt as if everything in the air enveloped him.

Perhaps, this is the melody of our times.

Thales sincerely remarked:
It is the syllables it plays in every detail of history.

Tiny and invisible, yet its shadow is endless.

It seems to exist but is actually quite heavy.

“Martius, those schools of thought you mentioned before…”

Thales sighed slowly.

"I went back and checked the information."

Marius looked at the Duke of Starlake and sensed the heaviness in the latter's expression.

Thales slowly said:

"The offensive and defensive faction, or the Northern faction, arose from the years-long conflict between the Stars and Exter on the border."

"The martial arts school inherited its skills from the once-powerful church armed forces during the imperial era, who were once the protectors of the temple of faith."

"It is trendy, as seen in modern mercenaries and adventurers."

"These martial arts all have their origins, right?"

Thales stared intently at Marius:
"Just like we talked about today, the Temple and the Imperial Wind."

Marius looked back at him for a long time before finally saying quietly:
"War and chaos, peace and prosperity, can give rise to different martial arts and martial artists, some colorful and incredible, others orthodox and uniform."

The watchman gazes at the distant horizon:

"I've heard that in the distant lands of the Eastern Continent, the martial arts are different the further away from us they are."

Thales chuckled softly, somewhat relieved.

"The changing times have influenced and shaped everything," the prince remarked.
"Cause and effect follow one another, and the past and the future are connected. No one can escape it, and nothing can be free from it."

As for those technological means that transcend history and can still develop smoothly...

A martial arts manual that transcends its time and can dominate all directions...

Thales sighed.

Sure enough, it can only appear in rebirth and time-travel novels.

"But no matter what, one thing will never change."

Marius stood up, his face serious and his tone cold.

"All martial arts, in the final analysis, are violence."

"All violence, once the mask is removed, can kill."

The Watchman said profoundly:
"Your Highness, it is best to be careful."

Thales frowned.

Power originates from violence.

Is it?

"why?"

Thales lowered his eyes:
"Why are you telling me all this, and even demonstrating it?"

Marius took a breath and slowly exhaled.

"Because this is the lesson you will be taking today."

He looked at the main building of the Mindis Hall, his eyes dim, his thoughts unknown.

"Are you ready?"

Are you ready?
Thales did not answer immediately.

But what he was thinking about at that moment was something else entirely.

Since martial arts styles are like this, so are the finishing powers. They both bear the imprint of humanity, are marked by the times, and reflect the power shifts in reality.

So……

Thales's eyes sharpened.

Before the magic tower collapsed, before the mages became extinct, in an era when knowledge was not taboo and was still the supreme learning in the world...

What does magic actually look like?
How does it intertwine with people, become closely related to the times, and become entangled with reality?

Just as Thales was engrossed in his work.

"Sir, Your Highness!"

In the distance, following the sound of footsteps, came the tense, deep voice of the guard officer, Bastia, echoing across the training ground:

"Someone from Fuxing Palace has arrived!"

At that moment, Thales and Marius both fell silent.

Bastia's massive body stepped onto the training field, stirring up endless dust:
"By His Majesty the King's personal order!"

"Summon Duke Xinghu immediately to the palace for an audience!"

Thales remained silent for a long while.

Marius remained completely still.

They ignored the guards' anxiety.

Finally, just as Bastia was about to repeat it, Thales slowly stood up.