Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 299 308 The Immortal Skirt, the Water Cloud Sword

"A man should be like this!"

The drill on the training ground was not concealed, and such a grand spectacle naturally attracted disciples from all over the sect to watch.

Among the crowd, Ye Chengxiao stared wide-eyed as he watched the four hundred soldiers transform into a military formation. The clash of armor, the gleam of swords and spears, and the resounding shouts stirred his blood and made him unconsciously clench his fists.

"One day, I will be like Senior Brother Li, commanding the three armies and galloping across the battlefield, so that I will not have lived in vain!"

Wei He was also watching from the side. At first, he nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, but when he heard the last sentence, he looked suspicious:
"Like Senior Brother Li? That's impossible. You and I have only been practicing for a year, and we've only just entered the realm of internal organs. To be like Senior Brother Li..."

"I was just using a metaphor!"

Ye Chengxiao nearly fainted; his face turned bright red.

"Senior Brother Li is a genius, who can compare to him? If you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth!"

Back in Chuqiu County, Ye Chengxiao only felt that Li Cunxiao was slightly better than himself;
When they arrived in Songzhou, the other party's talent not only did not dim, but instead shone brightly, like gold being panned from the bottom of the sea.

Now, in Louguandao, in the capital region where geniuses gather, he shines like the sun, unmatched among his peers.

The longer you follow someone and the more you learn about them, the more you'll find Li Cunxiao to be unfathomable.

To this day, the two boys from Chuqiu are now die-hard fans.

"Moksha, what realm is Senior Brother Li at now?"

Wei He watched as the four divine beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and others—transformed and soared in the training ground, launching a series of attacks. He was amazed and subconsciously asked a question.

Ye Chengxiao immediately tugged at his sleeve, his expression tightening.

"No respect for elders! Call him 'Senior Brother.' Besides, this isn't something we should be doing."

Li Mucha paid no attention to the two men's actions, or rather, he was oblivious to everything around him at that moment.

In his eyes, there was only his elder brother, clad in the Azure Phoenix Armor, commanding the Dao soldiers, and wielding his power amidst the Chaotic Red Silk.

After a long while, he finally came to his senses and uttered words that were almost identical to Ye Chengxiao's:
"This is how a true man should be!"

Not only him, but most of the inner and outer disciples watching also thought the same thing.

From a humble countryman (for Xijing, everything outside the capital region was countryside), he rose to become the second-best among the contemporary disciples, second only to the chief disciple Xue Tianyun, in just one year.

To those around Li Cunxiao, everything about him seemed like a legendary tale, a miracle only seen in dreams.

Judging from the attitude of Guo Zhao and other true disciples today, Li Cunxiao may have already reached the same level as his senior brother.

If the disciples were like this, the Dao soldiers, whose futures were already limited, couldn't help but have all sorts of wild thoughts.

It is not easy to command a hundred soldiers, let alone to dominate the Four Symbols and Four Formations.
Within the Louguan sect, only elders specializing in battle formations and the sect leader's lineage, who possess an advantage in cultivation techniques, can achieve this.

To be precise, only Yan Daotong and Xue Tianyun were capable of doing it.

The number of Dao soldiers that a Xuan Guan can command is no more than a thousand; while a Grandmaster can command around ten thousand.

However, those who can do this are all people who have reached the pinnacle of their cultivation and have turned their attention to military campaigns.

But this was Li Cunxiao's first time leading troops in formation, and he was able to easily control the blood and qi of four hundred people. What kind of terrifying willpower must he have been to do that?

"It's not as difficult as you imagine; it's just a matter of using the vajra."

Li Cunxiao felt quite pleased as he observed the shocked gazes around him.

Since breaking down the door, he has found his mind to be more active than before.

Being able to enjoy everything that comes with strength, without being overly concerned about the potential risks behind each choice, is the confidence and composure that strength brings him.

After all, they are already martial artists of the seventh realm, and they are not unknown figures in the world.

If one continues to live in constant fear and anxiety as in Chuqiu, then all one has learned martial arts in vain.

"The most important thing in controlling the army is morale, or in other words, unity of purpose and cohesion."

"In this way, the soldiers can maintain a state of synchronization, with their qi and blood rising and falling in harmony, which naturally allows them to mobilize the strength of hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people."

"If the superiors and subordinates cannot share the same desires, some want to attack while others want to flee, and the army is in disarray, it will naturally collapse without a fight."

"Therefore, martial artists with strong primordial spirits have an advantage when fighting in formation. The stronger the primordial spirit, the better they can grasp the state of their soldiers, and even take the initiative to influence and adjust it."

"I possess the Vajra Pestle, so firstly, I am not afraid of the complicated thoughts of hundreds of people, and secondly, with the help of the divine weapon, I can establish a connection with each person, so I can easily control the Four Symbols Formation."

"Ordinary martial artists don't have the resources I have, so they have to 'raise soldiers for a thousand days' to cultivate their military spirit. In this way, they can achieve a similar effect by uniting their thoughts and desires."

After reviewing his findings, Li Cunxiao did not remain in the main position. After practicing for a quarter of an hour, he handed over control of the formation to Guo Zhao.

The latter, led by the Vermilion Bird Formation, also practiced the Four Symbols Formation, but the condition of the Dao soldiers in the formation was clearly not as good as before.

When it was Qin Sixing and Cheng Ruoshui's turn, they declined immediately.

"Are you kidding me? They haven't even reached the Xuan Guan realm yet. If they encounter a battle in the future, Li Cunxiao and his companion will definitely be in charge. Why bother making a fool of themselves now?"
"Junior brother, what do you think of the effectiveness of the Four Symbols Formation?"

After the Taoist soldiers were dismissed, each of them was given pills as a reward. Guo Zhao walked to Li Cunxiao's side with a complicated expression.

"It lives up to its reputation. With the Four Symbols Formation of four hundred people, I feel that even if I were to fight my senior brother, I could win without a doubt."

Li Cunxiao smiled slightly.

"That's true. Although Senior Brother is powerful, he is still only at the Enlightenment Realm, not a Grandmaster."

"If he faces four hundred martial artists, Senior Brother will definitely win; but against a formation of four hundred soldiers, the outcome is hard to say."

Cheng Ruoshui and the others laughed in response, and the atmosphere relaxed.

But what Li Cunxiao was thinking was that now that he possessed four divine weapons—the Wind and Fire Wheels, the Azure Phoenix Armor, the Chaos Ribbon, and the Mysterious Dragon Spear—he was confident that he could defeat Xue Tianyun even without relying on the grand formation.

If there were a powerful formation to support them, then not only Xue Tianyun, but also the elders in the sect who were only one step away from becoming a Grandmaster of the Eighth Realm, and the Five Ming Envoys and Five Mingzi of the Ming Cult, could all be put to a fight.

As for the Grandmaster
"It would probably take a formation of several thousand people to barely escape."

Li Cunxiao recalled the battle that had taken place in the Dragon Palace Secret Realm and shook his head inwardly.

The eighth-stage Grandmaster, having undergone embryonic transformation and physical refinement, is already like an immortal or Buddha. With every gesture, the power of heaven and earth is bestowed upon him, which cannot be achieved simply by increasing the number of people.

As for Grandmasters, they are walking natural disasters, completely beyond his current understanding.

"Big brother!"

"Senior Brother Li!"

"Senior Brother Li!"

Li Cunxiao bid farewell to his disciples and was about to leave when he glanced around and spotted a few of his underlings.

After the three people surrounded him and greeted him, seeing the fervor in their eyes, he couldn't help but laugh:

"You all saw it just now?"

"I see! Senior Brother Li is so dashing and heroic. If I am fortunate enough to become one of his vanguards and fight for him across the world, that would be the most joyful thing in my life!"

Ye Chengxiao has suffered the most losses, and he is also the most mature and quickest to react in terms of interpersonal relationships.

Wei He had originally intended to say something, but upon hearing this, he paused, his mouth moved, and finally he quickly blurted out:
“Me too!” “You guys,” Li Cunxiao shook his head.

"Those Dao soldiers practice martial arts that are merely a watered-down version of the Four Symbols True Skill. Their potential has already been reached. How can they compare to you?"

"How can being my vanguard compare to being a general or a military governor, commanding an army and standing alone in command?"

“That makes sense,” Wei He said, suddenly realizing, while Ye Chengxiao’s body trembled and he subconsciously lowered his head.

If Senior Brother Li were to command the army, I would naturally be the vanguard. But if I were to become a general or a military governor, leading an army independently, would that be...?
Senior Brother Li actually has the ambition of an emperor?
Thinking of this, Ye Chengxiao lowered his head even further, his heart pounding uncontrollably like a drum.

Li Cunxiao didn't need to look to sense the other person's excited emotions. He was a little confused, but he didn't ask any questions.

"Things have been a bit chaotic outside lately, and we might have to go to the battlefield at any time. You two must go back and practice your martial arts diligently, without slacking off."

"Yes!"×2
"Mocha, come back with me, your elder brother has a gift for you."

Li Mucha's eyes lit up, but he held back from asking further questions. It wasn't until they returned to the courtyard, and Ye Shuyi came out and the three of them sat down, that he finally couldn't help but ask:

"Big brother, what are you going to give me?"

"Something to save your life," Li Cunxiao said without keeping it a secret, pulling a hairpin from his pocket.

The material is like bone or porcelain, and the design is very simple with no patterns.

Ye Shuyi could tell at a glance that it was made from the scraps of the seventh-tier dragon tiger bone.

"This hairpin contains my true essence, which can actively protect the body and is enough to withstand a full-force attack from a Xuan Guan martial artist."

"However, because my cultivation level is not yet high enough, the true essence left inside will gradually dissipate over a month."

"So, bring the hairpin every two weeks, and I'll replenish my true energy once a week, understand?"

"Thank you, brother!"

Li Mucha happily accepted the hairpin and immediately replaced his old one with the one he had used, inserting it into his lotus crown.

"Shuyi, this is yours."

Li Cunxiao took out a dress and a sword, and Li Mucha exclaimed in surprise, while Ye Shuyi's eyes lit up.

"This Liuxian skirt was made from the fur of a seventh-tier Chihu."

"It's called a skirt, but it's actually not much different from divine armor. Besides protection, its main function is to enable flight."

This Liuxian skirt is the most typical style of the Qin Dynasty, consisting of a blouse and a skirt.

A red blouse with wide sleeves and a pale yellow long skirt, like autumn leaves falling on maple leaves.

There are also specially added feather sleeves at the elbow and forearm positions.

Ye Shuyi immediately refined it, and with a surge of true essence, it covered the outside of her Taoist robe, condensing into a semi-transparent shawl that surrounded her, making her look like a fairy.

“It’s still not quite right,” Li Cunxiao looked Ye Shuyi up and down, and then, on a sudden inspiration, he immediately tidied her hair and styled it into a double-looped bun.

Ye Shuyi blushed with embarrassment at these actions, but under the expectant gazes of the two men, she managed not to flee in panic.

With a flick of the toes, one can dance lightly in the air, like a flying crane or a wild goose, moving freely and without restraint.

"Swift as a flying duck, elusive as a god. With light steps on the water, her silk stockings stir up dust, she is truly a fairy descended to earth."

Li Cunxiao chuckled and joked, but he was quite satisfied with the divine robe.

Not everyone is like him, leveling up so quickly it's like taking a plane.

Not to mention the twelve-story entrance hall, just the twenty-four steps of the heavenly ladder alone represent a long and arduous process.

Even with his full assistance, it would take Ye Shuyi two or three years to break through the barrier.

But with war looming, Li Cunxiao had to ensure that his only two family members had a means of self-defense.

The ability to escape is paramount, which is why this "Fairy-Leaving Skirt" exists.

Her body was swift as a flying duck, elusive as a god. She moved with light, graceful steps, her silk stockings stirring up dust.

These few sentences are both praise and description of the functions of this fairy-keeping skirt—flight, water travel, and earth travel.

With this divine garment, even if she wasn't by his side, Ye Shuyi could still help Li Mucha escape danger.

Of course, the ability to escape alone is not enough.

"Shuyi, take the sword."

With a wave of his hand, a ripple of light flew out from Li Cunxiao's sleeve, like a river bursting through a dam, with the sound of a clear spring flowing.

Ye Shuyi spun around like a butterfly, drew her sword, and the air in the courtyard became moist. Faint clouds swirled around her, making her figure appear hazy for a moment.

Li Mucha reacted even more strongly, his eyes widening as he couldn't see his sister-in-law anywhere.

A moment later, the mist dissipated, and Ye Shuyi held the sword, reluctant to put it down. She was both surprised and delighted.

"This sword?"

This sword is in the shape of an ancient eight-sided sword, with a blade as smooth as a mirror, resembling a bull's horn and made of bone, so smooth it reflects light. Upon closer inspection, one can see the roaring and surging waves within it.

Its sword was only three feet long, but its scabbard and hilt were extremely long. After it was sheathed, it was five feet and five inches long, and when placed on the ground, it almost touched Ye Shuyi's cheek.

The pommel, guard, and other fittings are black with red patterns, maintaining the same simple and elegant style as the delicate scabbard.

"This sword is named Shuiyun, which means 'clouds in the blue sky and water in a bottle'."

"It can transform between reality and illusion, summoning a dragon-tiger to aid in battle; at the same time, each sword strike contains the power of rivers and seas."

"I specially chose tortoise shell and hawksbill turtle shell for this sword fittings. They won't clash with your Vermilion Bird True Essence, Shuyi. On the contrary, they can complement each other, making the attack even more fierce."

When Li Cunxiao spoke of his masterpiece, he became eloquent and radiant.

In Li Mucha's view, it was just like when they were at the training ground;

In Ye Shuyi's view, it was just like when the three of them competed in alchemy.

The saying that a person is most attractive when they are focused is probably true.

While Li Cunxiao's family was enjoying themselves, things were quite different for Gao Pian's side.

Zhu Quanzhong occupied Luoyang, which was only a few days' journey from Xijing. Anyone in the court with a bit of insight had been losing sleep for the past month, fearing that the Prince of Liang's army might attack one day.

But it wasn't just the Prince of Liang; the Prince of Jin and the military governors of other regions also smelled the blood and were itching to make a move.

Even though Zhu Quanzhong had previously proposed a military exercise before the emperor, which was countered, it only slightly eased the situation.

Gao Pian knew that the current situation was like a frog being slowly boiled in water; the longer it dragged on, the more unfavorable it would be for the court.

So, after consulting with the young emperor, one night in the Hall of State Affairs, the Grand Secretary summoned his confidants and made a decisive decision:
"The Qin Dynasty is in grave danger; we can no longer allow the Zhu traitor to run rampant."

"There is no other way to deal with traitors and rebels; it's time to strike hard!"

(End of this chapter)