Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 220 A Changing Circumstances, Old Friends on the Ox-Cart
The head of the Khan of the Jieli Khan flew high into the air and then crashed down.

Along with his head, several psychic hawks with sharp beaks and claws also fell to the ground.

The people of the grasslands tame hawks, which soar high in the sky to scout enemy positions. They are out of reach of humans and cannot be shot by arrows. Hawks have always been the pride of the grassland people and are also used to describe the most powerful warriors of the grasslands.

However.
The fallen hawk, reeking of burnt flesh under the thunder, had lost all its former glory.

No matter how high it flies, or how spiritually powerful it becomes, it is still just an ordinary creature.

Even with extraordinary methods, it remains vulnerable.

The Golden Wolf guards who had miraculously survived were already sore in the knees and collapsed, their scimitars and bows scattered all over the ground.

Anger and fighting spirit turned into fear.

In their eyes, the blood gushing from the Great Khan's neck was far less shocking than the single glance from that white figure.

The people of the grasslands admire strength, and the Martial Venerable has always been a 'god' in their hearts.

However, the Martial Venerable's 'godhood' is merely stronger than mortals; he is the person with the highest martial arts skills on the grasslands, but he cannot escape the category of 'human.'

At this moment, however, a true god appeared.

To alter the heavens and control thunder—what else could it be but a true god?
Amidst the extreme chaos, some of the steppe army fled outwards, while a significant portion looked towards the center of their formation.

The wolf pack on the grasslands, having lost their will to fight, had become a docile flock of sheep, and none of them dared to charge forward.

They didn't even dare to point their weapons at the white figure.

Fear and awe instantly filled the entire venue.

"Are you Tuli?"

Upon hearing these four words, the bloodlust that had been burning in Tuli Khan's eyes vanished completely.

But he had his own pride, and he tried his best to suppress the shameful fear that his body instinctively reacted to, gritting his teeth and staring at Zhou Yi: "That's right, I am Tuli!"

He finished speaking and waited for Zhou Yi to continue.

Before I could hear anything, I suddenly saw a hand gesture that vanished in an instant.

The sword wind howled, and Tu Li's eyes widened. Then, his head felt light, and in the blink of an eye, his body was separated from his head.

The people in the Khan's tent were all pale.

The Great Khan is dead, and the Little Khan is dead too!

King Ayeruode of the Tiele tribe trembled all over. Zhou Yi noticed his abnormality immediately and stared at the man with a hooked nose who looked to be around fifty years old: "Which tribe are you the king of?"

"me."

Ayernod stammered, not daring to speak.

The Khitan chieftain Mo Hui shouted, "He is the Tiele king Aye Ruode!"

Thump~
Ayerod knelt down and shouted:
“I am willing to pay my debt, I am willing to pay my debt! If I cannot pay back the million gold, I will have my son, Ayedkan, pay it back. If he cannot pay it back, I will have my grandson, Rocco, pay it back. My sons and grandsons will surely pay back the debt.”

Just as he was about to speak again, he suddenly saw Zhou Yi raise his hand.

"No!!"

The Tiele king cried out urgently, his head still showing a look of horror as he flew into the air.

In his final moments of consciousness, he saw all the warriors from the Tiele throw down their weapons and surrender on the ground.

After slaying three people, the divine sword Zhanlu remained unstained by blood, its light shining on the face of Mo Hui, the great chieftain of the Khitan.

Seeing that he was quite sensible, Zhou Yi asked, "Which department are you from?"

“I am Mo Hui, the chieftain of the Khitan,” he said, pointing to another Khitan chieftain with a wolf’s head tattooed on his shoulder. “He is Abaojia. We two represent the various Khitan tribes and are willing to offer you young women, wealth and territory.”

A motorcycle meeting?

Very familiar name.

Zhou Yi thought of the East Sea Alliance, the Khitans who were plundering the coastal areas, and the Khitan "Ku Ge" who was causing trouble for his cousin. He was the son of Mo Hui.

Thinking of this, a flash of sword light appeared, and the sword slashed through the air without any further explanation.

Mo was caught off guard and his head was severed. Almost simultaneously, Abaojia cooperated with him to complete the scene of both heads flying off at the same time.

Abaojia turned his head in mid-air and looked at Mohui.

The two had been mortal enemies for a long time, but unexpectedly, even in the final moments of his life, Mo Hui did not forget him.

When introducing myself, I didn't forget to bring him along.

Two Khitan chieftains also died, and like the Tiele tribe, the Khitan people knelt down and surrendered.

next moment.
Both the Mohe people and the people of the Bohai Kingdom lost all their weapons amidst the splattering blood, unable to muster any will to resist.

The three leaders of the Mohe and Bai Ziting, the Dragon King of Bohai Kingdom, tried to struggle, but were enveloped by dazzling sword energy and died even more spectacularly.

The grassland people who were still on the north bank could no longer be seen standing.

Liang, Western Qin, Liu Wuzhou, and the soldiers under Liang Shidu who dared not flee followed closely behind, kneeling and awaiting trial.

Li Gui and Liu Wuzhou, along with their gang of traitors who had surrendered to the foreign tribes, were retreating in a panic.

Zhou Yi approached, sword in hand.

Liu Wuzhou was so frightened that he collapsed in a pool of blood belonging to the Mohe leader.

"Master, I know I was wrong, please don't kill me~~"

He bowed his head and knelt on the ground, adopting a pleading and crying expression. Seeing this, Master Liang, who was standing to the side, thought to himself, "No wonder we're brothers; we're both lackeys and both good at acting."

Master Liang knelt down as well, adopting a posture of utter remorse and weakness in an attempt to gain sympathy.

He was about to recount his tragic experiences in tears.

Zhou Yi, anticipating this, and not wanting to hear such foul language, swung his sword at the two men.

As if killing two vicious dogs, accompanied by two shrill screams, Liang Shidu and Liu Wuzhou were both beheaded.

Emperor Li Gui of Liang, who had been retreating, froze in place, seemingly at a loss for words. He suddenly began muttering to himself as if possessed:

"Willow catkins fall, plum blossoms bloom. Peach and plum fruits bring the world."

"Hahaha! Peach and plum trees, the world is won!"

Li Gui also had the surname "Li," and when this prophecy reached his ears, he actually took it seriously.

His maniacal laughter abruptly stopped, a moment of pain struck, his consciousness blurred, and he uttered "gain the world" again before his eyes widened, dying under Zhou Yi's sword with a dreamlike, maniacal laugh.

Xue Ju, the Hegemon-King of Western Qin, drew his long sword from his waist and pointed it straight forward.

His facial muscles twitched incessantly as he hissed, "Master, what skill you've got!"

Seeing that he could remain calm, Zhou Yi was somewhat impressed and did not rush to draw his sword: "What do you have to say?"

Xue Ju said:
"I have a question for you, Xue. If I do not go south with Jieli this time, but instead lead the people of Western Qin to surrender directly, will the Celestial Master kill me?"

He looked at Zhou Yi, wanting to know the answer.

I will spare your life.

Xue Ju frowned: "Really?"

"Do you consider yourself a threat?"

Xue Ju felt an immediate surge of nameless anger at being slighted, but he quickly followed it with a sigh of regret.

"The victor is king, the loser is villain. I'm not entirely unjust to lose to someone like you."

After saying that, he raised his eyebrows and glared, letting out a sharp shout from his throat.

Raise the knife and sever his throat.

Then his body fell backward, and the Hegemon-King of Western Qin was buried on the banks of the Wei River.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers fought on both sides of the river, and countless spectators watched along the river.

However, this scene fell into a brief silence, with only the noisy south wind and the neighing of horses.

Along with the Khan, all eight leaders of the steppe army were beheaded.

The Liang Emperor and the Western Qin Emperor, both border Khans, also ended their sinful lives.

In the late years of the Daye era, there were countless people who claimed to be kings and emperors. The nine provinces were in disarray, foreign tribes coveted the Central Plains, martial arts battles raged endlessly, and the struggle between different sects was incessant. The turbulent world seemed to have no end in sight.

But at this very moment.
Everyone understood that not only had the conquest of the Nine Provinces ended, but the various tribes and foreign clans no longer needed to fight.

A new era is about to begin.

Weapons littered the ground, horses were in disarray, and surrendered soldiers stretched as far as the eye could see.

As if the thunderclouds in the sky had been drawn away, the rolling dark clouds parted, and golden sunlight streamed down through a gap in the clouds, shining directly on the road in the very center of the army.

The charred corpse was still emitting wisps of smoke, which rose in the sunlight and were scattered by the wind.

Zhanlu shone with gold, then disappeared into its scabbard.

As Zhou Yi walked along the sunlit road, the surrendered Turkic soldiers around him constantly shifted their direction of worship, displaying their utmost respect.

This is a level of respect that the Turkic Khan and the Northern Warriors could never attain.

A sense of awe that comes from the heart, like looking up at the boundless sky.

As Zhou Yi walked towards the south bank of the Wei River, he made a deliberate move, and Li Jing and the others all came to greet him.

The soldiers on the south bank also all knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

They were all waiting for orders.

The people on the north bank were trembling with fear, yet dared not get up.

The lives and deaths of hundreds of thousands of people depend on the king's single thought.

If Zhou Yi were to order the southern army to charge at this moment, it would be a brutal massacre.

"Gather the surrendered soldiers according to the previous rules."

"As ordered!"

The generals all accepted the order, knowing full well what the rule was: none of the most wicked and villainous soldiers among the surrendered troops would escape.

Standing on the temporary bridge over the Wei River, Zhou Yi glanced back at the north bank.

An indescribable emotion lingered in my heart.

Just then, Bu Tianzhi from the Giant Kun Gang suddenly came to report, bringing important intelligence from within the city.

Zhou Yi was slightly surprised upon hearing this, but then felt a surge of energy. Calming himself down, and thinking that he no longer needed to worry about this place, he used his lightness skill to head straight for Chang'an.

The martial arts enthusiasts on the south bank, their minds wavering, noticed his unusual behavior.

I wonder what could have made the Celestial Master so concerned.

Chai Shao and Li Xiuning stared at the direction Zhou Yi had gone, and when his figure disappeared, they stared at him for a long time.

"Second Brother, why are you even calmer than before?" Li Xiuning turned her gaze to Li Shimin's face and noticed a slight smile on his face: "Did you know in advance that the Celestial Master could control thunder?"

Upon hearing the last four words, Chai Shao, who was standing beside him, shook his head repeatedly.

I never imagined that I would be discussing such a bizarre and astonishing topic in such a serious manner in my lifetime.

Li Shimin said, "Of course I don't know."

"I just realized that his level of martial arts is beyond what ordinary people can define."

He looked up at the thinning clouds in the sky, his eyes filled with longing.

He is young enough compared to those martial arts veterans.

There is plenty of time to explore that never-ending road.

Although Chai Shao and Li Xiuning understood his words, they could not fathom his inner thoughts. Only the silent Empress Zhangsun knew everything.

Like many onlookers on the south bank of the Wei River, the commotion on the north bank drew their attention.

A large number of surrendered soldiers are obediently accepting their assignments.

Faced with an irresistible force, surviving is already a stroke of luck; there is simply no one to resist.

Chai Shao sighed, "The chaos is over. It seems that the northern desert and western regions will be incorporated into the map of China. From now on, there will be no more distinction between the interior and exterior of the border."

"Goguryeo was also reduced to a single prefecture."

Erfeng speculated, "I'm afraid it's more than that."

"Oh?"

Before Chai Shao could ask any more questions, he suddenly heard the sound of wind breaking behind him. He turned around and saw that it was a master of light-footed skills that they had left in the city.

"Second Young Master, the Patriarch and the Eldest Young Master are in trouble!"

The panicked voice instantly disrupted Li Shimin's thoughts.

"what happened?!"

The messenger kept his story brief, repeatedly mentioning one place: "Daxing Palace"!
"Second brother, what should we do?"

"We have to find a way to save Dad and my older brother."

Li Shimin remained relatively calm. Not knowing where Zhou Yi had gone, he led the Li clan to Ning Daoqi, who was located downstream.

Ning Sanren was easy to talk to and immediately accompanied them.

Not long after they left, the martial arts practitioners on the south bank also heard about the changes in the city.

Thinking that the Celestial Master's return to Chang'an might be due to this matter, he hurriedly headed towards the capital, afraid of missing the excitement.
……

The northern part of Daxing Palace.

Xuanwu Gate.

After returning to Chang'an, Li Shimin quickly gathered the elite of the Li clan and stormed Xuanwu Gate to rescue Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng, and Li Yuanji.

Many martial arts practitioners have gathered here.

The events at Daxing Palace were quite bizarre. Chai Shao and his companions searched for Zhou Yi but found nothing.
……

"Are you sure you read that correctly?"

"Rest assured, Celestial Master, I would never dare to make a mistake!"

Near the eastern suburbs, Yun Shuai polished his eagle eyes and patted his chest, saying, "Even if this guy were reduced to ashes, I would still recognize him."

At this point, Yun Shuai became quite excited.

The feeling of relief and ease that comes with transferring debt is something most people can't understand.

Zhou Yi stared at the alley ahead, somewhat incredulous that the biggest debtor would be hiding here.

Not wanting to be disappointed, I confirmed it again.

Fortunately, Yun Shuai seemed quite reliable.

"Okay, lead the way."

"Yes!"

Yun Shuai walked ahead, seemingly sensing Zhou Yi's thoughts, and explained from the side.

"I was keeping an eye on Yang Wengan earlier. He went to several of the Xiang family's secret locations, including Xiang Gui's. I saw all of them. Later, he made his way here through a maze of twists and turns, and that's when I realized that the person you're looking for is right here!"

“At first I thought they were colluding with each other, but then I heard Yang Wengan asking him for something, which he refused to give.”

“This must have been Yang Wengan’s first time here. Since he didn’t get what he wanted, he didn’t linger and turned to leave.”

Just then, a faint, unusual sound came from ahead.

then
"Moo~~~!"

The sound of an old ox came from in front of a peeling gate. There was an oxcart parked there, and half a tattered book was hanging from the ox's horns.

Zhou Yi walked expressionlessly toward the dilapidated courtyard behind the gate.

With a creaking sound.

The inner door opened, and a figure stepped out with unsteady, uneven footsteps, and came forward to greet them.

He was a disheveled middle-aged man with square eyebrows, a unkempt beard and hair, and half a scroll in his hand.

Upon seeing Zhou Yi, the middle-aged man clasped his hands in a respectful greeting:

"Liu Zhiyuan greets Your Majesty."

Zhou Yi stared at him coldly: "Since you address me as Your Majesty, why don't you bow?"

A slight smile appeared on the middle-aged man's pale face: "You have not yet ascended the throne, and I am not your subject. This ceremony is already quite proper."

“Li Mi, when you escaped from Xingyang, you didn’t have this much courage.”

Li Mi's smile vanished instantly: "Back in Xingyang, I used every means at my disposal and felt I still had a sliver of a chance of winning, so of course I had to be eight parts afraid of you in order to prolong my life."

"Now that I have been utterly defeated and know that I am doomed to die, why should I be afraid of you?"

At this point, he looked Zhou Yi up and down carefully, clicking his tongue: "You haven't changed at all, you're still the same as when I used to take you in an oxcart."

Zhou Yi countered, "If you've already made up your mind to live or die, why wait until today?"

"I just want to see you one more time."

Li Mi's tone didn't sound like he was lying. He spread his hands, clenched his fists, but had no strength.

"I have lost all my skills, and I am only able to survive thanks to a rumor from back then, otherwise I would be dead long ago."

Zhou Yi didn't respond; he continued:

"The Grandmaster and Yang Xuyan deceived me, but if you hadn't put so much pressure on me, they would never have been able to trick me. Once you've practiced that martial art, there's no turning back."

"So I destroyed all my Earthly Fiend power so that they could not absorb any true essence from me."

"I'm always the one using others; no one else can use me."

He gave a self-deprecating smile:
“Xu Kaishan was about to kill me, but Yang Xuyan asked me about the Taiping Hongbao. I had someone spread the news about this precious book. I claimed that I had seen the true treasure of the book, and they actually believed me, so they couldn’t bear to kill me.”

"Yang Wengan obeyed their orders and came every now and then. Unfortunately, I didn't have any Hongbao."

"These two probably knew the truth, but they still harbored a sliver of hope, which shows how much they longed for and admired the martial arts you practiced."

Zhou Yi finally understood.

Li Mi frowned, then suddenly asked, "Do you really have Hongbao?"

Zhou Yi said calmly, "No, but I can create my own."

"This"

Li Mi paused, sighed, and tapped the half-rolled book in his right hand against the palm of his left hand with a "smack".

"Li did indeed choose the wrong opponent."

He then revealed a look of regret: "When I first met you, I had the chance to kill you; I should have been ruthless!"

"Stop dreaming," Zhou Yi said coldly. "Where are Yang Xuyan and Xu Kaishan?"

"At Daxing Palace, Li Yuan is far less lustful than I am. He took Yang Xuyan's woman into his room, unaware that the other party was using him to practice his skills. He's probably already drained dry by now."

"With the deaths of several members of the Li clan, the 'Gu worm' has been nurtured to its fullest extent."

Li Mi was quite familiar with this evil art: "If you go to Daxing Palace now, you should only be able to see one person."

Zhou Yi seemed to be deep in thought, then glanced at Li Mi with the same look one would give a dead man.

When this moment arrived, Li Mi was not as composed as he had claimed.

He took a deep breath and asked:
"If I, Li, had truly wanted to recruit Young Hero Zhou back then, would I have had even the slightest chance?"

Zhou Yi's eyes were deep and unfathomable: "If you hadn't come to bother me, I might have already shattered the void and vanished. If you come to recruit me, then you will surely die."

"Because I look down on you, and you lack the magnanimity to tolerate others, what else can we do but become enemies?"

Li Mi nodded: "That makes sense."

"Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, I leisurely gaze at the Southern Mountains. This is what you told me on the oxcart back then, and now that I think about it, it makes even more sense."

After saying that, he pointed towards the door:
"Young Master Zhou, the oxcart is a gift for you."

"Li Mi will go first."

He could be heard grinding his teeth, and soon black blood gushed from his mouth.

The poison came from the Great Ming Sect. At this moment, he had no martial arts skills left. The instant he took the poison, his body stiffened and he died instantly.

Seeing him breathe his last, Zhou Yi felt a sense of peace and a smile appeared on his lips.

Yun Shuai bent down to examine him and confirmed that Li Mi was dead.

Zhou Yi turned and walked out the gate, looking at the oxcart parked at the entrance.

Yun Shuai seemed to understand something and lifted the carriage curtain.

"Your Majesty, please."

"You can drive?"

Yun Shuai said confidently, "Riding horses, oxen, sheep, lions, tigers, eagles, and pythons are all within my capabilities."

Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Let's go to Daxing Palace."

"Yes!"

Yun Shuai responded loudly, then leaped onto the ox. Strangely enough, the ox, initially startled and bellowing wildly, immediately became docile after Yun Shuai pressed it down with his true energy. Yun Shuai, becoming one with the ox, used ox-riding skills surpassing even Li Mi's, heading straight for the Daxing Palace.
……

(End of this chapter)