A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 152 The City Under the Rising Sun

Chang'an, Chang'an.

In this world, the most prosperous city under heaven. Millions of people, including members of the Li Tang imperial family, high-ranking officials, soldiers, commoners, Buddhist and Taoist monks and nuns.

Eight north-south main streets and fourteen east-west main streets divided the city into more than a hundred wards and markets. Almost every ward had teahouses, taverns, and general merchandise stores.

The East and West Markets were extremely prosperous. Famous goods from all over the Tang Dynasty could be found here. Foreigners, who looked very different from the Tang people, would also bring their unique customs and products to sell and perform here.

Envoys were dispatched from nearly three hundred countries at the farthest reaches of the world, from the sea to the desert, to live here, becoming a significant part of the prosperity of Chang'an.

A poem describes the founding of the nation as "Eastern Well, the city walls rise like the North Star," referring to the parallel arrangement of Chang'an's palace, imperial city, and outer city walls from north to south. The streets were wide, the neighborhoods were orderly, and the overall layout was uniform.

The palace symbolizes the North Star, which is the center of the universe. The imperial city and the offices of the officials symbolize the Purple Palace Enclosure surrounding the North Star.

The outer city wall symbolizes the stars that encircle the north.

Between the imperial city and the outer city, there was a city wall ten zhang high. Armored soldiers wearing heavy iron armor, carrying long spears and halberds, and wearing swords patrolled in shifts day and night, appearing on the top of the wall and between the city towers.

The area inside the walls was considered a forbidden zone that ordinary people could not access; there was no reason for ordinary residents of Chang'an to approach it.

Even in other parts of Chang'an, the desire to climb to a high place and enjoy the view could be seen as an attempt to spy on the forbidden areas of the imperial city, resulting in arrest and imprisonment.

However, while these things could restrain ordinary people, they could not restrain a dark red shadow that flew in from the clouds in the east when the fog was thick and the sky was just beginning to lighten.

That incredibly swift flying image was so fast that even the battle-hardened warriors on the city wall failed to see it for 99% of them. It wasn't until it entered the imperial city's territory that it attracted the attention of experts from all walks of life.

After the dark red light they were watching landed in a corner of the eastern part of the imperial city, some people remembered what it was.

—The Blood Eagle of the Inner Guard.

Those were not naturally born falcons, but rather a set of eagle-taming methods left behind by Xu Maogong, a man of great learning, who personally prepared medicines and used his true energy to regulate the eagle's meridians in the Tian Ce Mansion.

The process of taming each Blood Eagle requires at least a thousand gold pieces worth of medicinal herbs, and also requires someone with Blood Eagle True Qi to accompany it day and night, which is time-consuming and laborious.

Once the Blood Eagle is released, it can soar over 1,600 miles in an hour, carrying a load of ten pounds. Among the birds of prey in the sky, it has no natural enemies. Soaring high into the heavens, it is fearless of archers and can enter the imperial city without any restrictions.

The pigeon lofts of the Tang Dynasty's inner guard were scattered everywhere, even reaching as far as Nanzhao and Pyu, east to the coast, and west to the Sogdian Nine Clans. However, among these pigeon lofts, only twelve possessed Blood Eagles.

Unless it is an urgent matter such as a large-scale military expedition, a rebellion, or the sudden death of a member of the imperial family, such means of communication should not be used lightly.

The people of the Chang'an Imperial Guard Office haven't seen Blood Eagle's messenger for ten years.

When the raptor, with its blood-red wings spread and then folded its wings, leaving only black feathers, landed on the sundial in the courtyard, several guards immediately appeared in the surrounding corridors, but none of them made any rash moves.

The Blood Eagle hopped lightly, its feet bound with a red rope tinged with gold and silver, the end of which was tied to a large bamboo tube.

A bodyguard in tight-fitting clothes hurriedly retrieved the Blood Eagle's bait, poured a pill the size of a longan and the color of rouge into his palm, gently rubbed off a layer, and released a strange fragrance.

The lingering fragrance made the Blood Eagle's gaze sharpen. It watched as the guard in tight-fitting clothes approached, snatched the pill in one gulp, and then quietly waited for the person to untie the red rope on its leg and take the communication bamboo tube.

The bodyguard in his tight-fitting clothes did not leave immediately. He simply tossed the communication bamboo tube to his colleague and then channeled a wisp of reddish true energy, gently stroking the back of the raptor as it pecked at the pill.

Each message from a Blood Eagle consumes a significant amount of vital energy. Timely use of internal energy to heal and soothe it is a rule that the Blood Eagle keepers within the Inner Guard must always remember.

The bamboo tube carrying the message was quickly delivered to a study where the aroma of books and ink wafted in the breeze.

Inside the room sat a handsome man in a red robe with a slight beard and black sideburns.

The Inner Guard had two commanders, one on the left and one on the right. The commander of the left guard, Li Gong, was said to be a relative of the emperor. He had long been stationed at the Inner Guard office in Chang'an and was known for his composure, even in the face of a collapsing mountain.

He took out a piece of cloth that had been rolled up in the bamboo tube used for communication, and slowly unfolded it, covering almost half of the tabletop.

The words "Han Wengong", "Huoluodao", "Guan Luoyang", and "Yu Tu Zhenren" came into view one after another. Even the news of the death of Xu Miyuan, a master who had been famous in the martial arts world for decades, only made Li Gong frown slightly and his eyes ripple.

However, when he saw the part about "Shao Lingxiao destroying Lao Jun Mountain", his expression changed very obviously. He leaned forward slightly and pressed his fingers on the cold, stern words.

As if wanting to get closer, he ran his fingers over each word, reading the passage repeatedly until he understood it clearly.

He spent a full fifteen minutes reading this message. "Someone come here!"

"Commander."

"His Majesty went to Xingqing Palace yesterday; has he returned?"

"No."

Li Gong rolled up the cloth and immediately set off for Xingqing Palace to request an audience with the emperor.

Xingqing Palace was originally the former residence of the late emperor when he was king. After he ascended the throne, he carried out a large-scale construction project and expanded the palace into the imperial palace complex.

The current emperor had a very close relationship with the late emperor and often missed his father who died young, so he would move to Xingqing Palace to live for a period of time.

After Li Gong entered Xingqing Palace, he saw eunuchs attending him by a pond. Palace maids carried ceremonial canopies, and the emperor sat fishing leisurely in the morning mist, accompanied by the warmth of a brazier and the smoke of incense.

This emperor is extremely well-preserved. He looks at least twenty years younger than his actual age, as if he were just a young man. His skin is as smooth and lustrous as warm yellow jade, and his appearance is handsome. He sits by the water fishing in casual clothes, and his demeanor is also captivating.

Although the current emperor dared not pay too much attention to martial arts because the late emperor died from qi deviation during his practice, he still had some internal strength in his youth, and given his status, there was a group of people in the palace who were dedicated to exhausting his internal energy for him.

Every two weeks, he would perform the "Complete Nature Preservation and Meridian Cleansing and Form Strengthening Method" created by the Medicine King Sun Simiao to remove impurities from his blood vessels, tendons, and bones, ensuring that he would be free from all diseases and maintain his youth forever.

"My dear minister, you seem to be in a hurry, coming to see me before dawn. What urgent matter is it that you have to discuss?"

The emperor turned to look at Li Gong and smiled, saying, "You've come at the right time. The empress has given me another riddle, which I've been pondering for days. After you've finished reporting the matter, come with me to solve the riddle."

When he said this, he seemed a little annoyed, but his eyes were full of smiles, joy and peace. He was obviously enjoying the game he and the Empress were playing and was not dissatisfied with being stumped.

In the past decade, this emperor has become increasingly leisurely in front of his confidants. He often travels around, enjoys various entertainments and music, loves calligraphy, paintings and ancient books, discusses Taoism with Taoist priests, debates Zen with Zen masters, and sometimes finds joy in drinking wine while leaning on a railing in the misty rain, wasting half a day.

Although he still appeared youthful and vigorous, he was already middle-aged and increasingly understood that he could not be considered a great emperor of all time. Therefore, he no longer aspired to be compared with those of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong, and only wanted to live a peaceful and comfortable life.

Anyway, the Tang Dynasty is currently in its golden age, so his enjoyment of these pleasures cannot be considered extravagant. Moreover, he has the merit of pacifying the southwest ten years ago. After he passes away, the history books will surely give him the reputation of a wise ruler.

With this mindset in mind, the emperor's expression stiffened somewhat after Li Gong took out the silk scroll and explained the important matters on it.

"You're saying... the leader of the Demonic Cult has returned to the martial world?"

The emperor turned around, the bamboo pole in his hand rotating with his body, the fishing line already cutting a ripple on the water's surface, the hook dangling directly onto the shore.

He no longer cared about such trivial matters, and pressed on, "Is it the demonic sect that controlled the Six Zhao regions in the southwestern mountains ten years ago? Is this Shao Lingxiao definitely the same Shao Lingxiao from back then?!"

"The message was sent back by Master Yu Tu and the six generals of Xiushuo City together, so it cannot be false."

Li Gong said, "Shao Lingxiao has also colluded with the Western Regions evil sect, Huoluo Dao. Or rather, he has already controlled the entire Huoluo Dao and planned many events, such as assassinating General Han Wengong, seizing Lao Jun Mountain, and hunting down Master Yu Tu, etc."

"Ten years have passed, yet his hatred has not diminished in the slightest. He likely intends to allow the Demonic Sect to be reborn under its guise, to take revenge on those who besieged and killed it back then, and perhaps even... to harm His Majesty!"

The emperor gave a cold snort and threw his fishing rod into the pond: "Is there any need to speculate? He has already infuriated me and is very displeased. The Demonic Cult must not be allowed to rise again. Li Gong, tell me, how can we completely eradicate these remnants of the Demonic Cult and nip them in the bud?"

The evil cult must never be allowed to rise again!!

The emperor silently pondered, "Should we send troops again, mobilize a large army, and kill them?!"

"No."

Li Gong said, "To kill one's master, one must first cut off his wings. Back then, the six Zhao states in the southwest were all under Shao Lingxiao's control, enough to cover the Hundred Thousand Mountains, blotting out the sky and causing havoc in the region. Sending a large army to conquer them was the only solution."

"Now, the followers of the Huoluo Dao are his wings, but their influence is not as great as it used to be. Moreover, they have infiltrated our Great Tang territory through the Jade Gate Pass, and the followers are scattered. If we were to mobilize a large army, the food and supplies for the army and the people and horses would be a loss."

"Moreover, when fighting a master, quality is more important than quantity. The situation this time is quite different from the great battle that pacified the Six Zhao Kingdoms back then."

"Grandmaster..." The emperor calmed himself, took a deep breath, and slowly said, "Then what countermeasures do you have?"

Li Gong said, "The letter mentioned that we have actually made some progress regarding the situation of the various branch altars of Huoluo Road, but the communication from the various levels of government is too slow."

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that all intelligence related to the Huo Luo Dao be transmitted through the Imperial Guard. Local government offices should actively cooperate with the Imperial Guard's actions. I will lead the elite Imperial Guard to separately suppress the Huo Luo Dao branch altars."

The Inner Guard's influence extends throughout the land, and its members are all elites, including many experts. Their methods of communication and mobilization, as well as their ability to connect with righteous sects in the martial arts world, are far beyond the reach of ordinary government offices.

However, ever since Empress Wu Zetian came to power and used the Inner Guard to control the country, the Inner Guard became infamous. Later, after the Shenlong Coup and the restoration of the Tang Dynasty, many restrictions were placed on the power of the Inner Guard.

Ten years ago, when the army marched to the southwest, the Imperial Guards were not able to participate much.

"Furthermore, I request Your Majesty to transfer Cao Jisheng, Yan Miaoqing, and Ju Yongbu to accompany the Imperial Guard out of Chang'an, and have them follow my arrangements for the time being."

Cao Jisheng, Yan Miaoqing, and Ju Yongbu are known as the three great masters of Chang'an. They have intricate connections with the imperial court. Although they are not grandmasters, they possess divine weapons that can be dispelled and integrated into their bodies. However, they have no interest in officialdom and do not hold any official positions.

Only an imperial decree could force the three of them to give this face.

The emperor pondered, "It's not difficult to get the various regions to cooperate with the Inner Guard and have the three of them temporarily obey your orders. However, Cui Lingfang is dead, and many of Chang'an's experts were lost in the battle that year. You also want to take away the elite of the Inner Guard. What if someone takes this opportunity to assassinate us..."

"Your Majesty, I would never dare to put you in danger."

Li Gong said, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten that there is a grandmaster in the palace? Moreover, there are many civil and military nobles and families with a long history in Chang'an, such as Lu Gu'an, the Minister of Revenue. It would be very inappropriate to ask them to go to the Jianghu with me and fight bloody battles."

"But if they are asked to bring their children and family members and do their utmost to protect the palace, they will certainly not dare to fail to do their utmost."

After pondering for a long time, the emperor finally nodded and said, "Very well, everything will be as you say, my dear minister. I only hope to hear the good news soon that you have wiped out the entire sect, that the demonic cult has been reduced to ashes, and that even the last trace of them has disappeared from the territory of the Tang Dynasty."

"My lord, I obey your order."

Li Gong acted swiftly and decisively. After obtaining the emperor's permission, he sent messages to the Right Commander and the Imperial Guards in various regions, while personally delivering the imperial edict to invite the three people. He also spared no expense in sacrificing the Blood Eagles and sent a reply to Xiushuo City.

When the morning mist dissipates and the sun rises.

Hundreds of riders in black robes and soft armor galloped out of Chang'an City, their iron hooves thundering.

………………

The orange-red sun in the eastern sky turned into an unbearable, blazing white.

When the sunlight shone brightly throughout Xiushuo City, Guan Luoyang prepared to take a good bath.

Although the Thousand Illusion Robe has the miraculous effect of keeping one spotless, after he was injured during his nighttime raid on Lao Jun Mountain, he traveled all the way and fought with others using his depleted internal energy techniques, leaving him covered in sweat and blood, which inevitably made people feel somewhat uncomfortable.

The situation had been relayed to the six generals of Xiushuo City, and the entire city's soldiers were mobilized and placed on high alert, giving Guan Luoyang time to clean up his own mess.

Wu Pingqiang, Jiang Jiusi, and the others, who had been looking concerned with complex emotions—pain, gratitude, and a desire to say something but unsure how to comfort him—froze in place when they heard him ask the soldiers for a bath and a meal.

Guan Luoyang asked somewhat strangely, "Xiushuo City can be considered safe for now, right? You've been traveling all night, fighting fiercely and getting injured. Don't you want to take a bath?"

"Hmm, that's true to some extent."

Jiang Jiusi rubbed his face, feeling a layer of grime being rubbed off between his palms. He was a little at a loss. "But, Brother Guan, you..."

Wu Pingqiang put his arm around Jiang Jiusi and said, "It's time to take a bath. The Demonic Cult Leader is indeed terrifying, but they only made a fleeting appearance. Are we going to be scared out of our wits?"

He then called out to Qian Wanliang's men, "Everyone, go wash up. We should shake off our doubts and think about what to do next—stay or go?"

"Anyway, for me, it's not for anything else, but because he forced my Sword Forging Manor to flee in a sorry state. For the sake of the blood and guts from ten years ago, I must fight them again."

The gloom in everyone's hearts seemed to lessen slightly, and each of them showed a genuine smile, bowing with undiminished pride as they left.

After they all left, Wu Pingqiang took out the cyan-gold divine weapon, grabbed Guan Luoyang's hand, and made Guan Luoyang's fingers grip the handle of the weapon tightly.

"Luoyang, I was still a little hesitant, but a divine weapon should be given to a hero. Just for your one night and your casual remark about bathing, even if this sword has to wait for you for another ten years, you are fully worthy of it."

After he finished speaking, as if afraid of hearing Guan Luoyang decline, he used his lightness skill and left in a flash.

Guan Luoyang stood in the courtyard of the Duke of Zhuang's mansion and looked at the sword in his hand.

It's something I've wanted for a while now, and this is perfect, my wish has come true, but...

"What on earth is he imagining? I really just want to take a shower."

An Feiyu, standing next to him, smiled upon hearing this, picked up her armor summoner, turned on the music, and swayed as she walked away, saying, "I'm going to take a shower too, then we'll eat together later."

Soldiers brought hot water and large bathtubs to Guan Luoyang's guest room. Just as he was about to go in, he heard someone calling him.

"Master Guan!"

General Yin's voice came from the corridor, "We've almost finished talking with Master Yu Tu. He has important matters to discuss with you."

(End of this chapter)