Outside the silkworm chamber, Xu Du city, the Wei King's palace, was in chaos.
Countless maids and eunuchs, carrying basins of water and towels, shuttled back and forth in disarray… A group of high officials stood outside the door, looking on with anxious eyes.
Cao Pi was also there, biting his lip… At this moment, he was covered in sweat.
Just moments ago, according to the imperial physician inside the silkworm chamber, before the "axe to the skull" procedure, the once mighty Wei King had been extremely weak, so weak that his face was pale, his brow almost devoid of color.
Cao Pi's face was also terribly pale… He clenched his lips tightly.
From a human perspective, he did not wish for his father, the King, to suffer.
Yet, from a broader strategic viewpoint… he desperately yearned to control this vast empire.
"Father…" Cao Pi murmured in his heart, "Is the era that belonged to you and the Southern Hunting Marquis truly… truly coming to an end?"
Wu Zhi tugged at his sleeve from the side…
Cao Pi turned his head, and the two exchanged a knowing glance. They quietly withdrew to a deserted spot to converse.
"The troops at the Bronze Sparrow Platform can be mobilized at any moment… just waiting for Your Excellency's command, and the Wei King's palace can be completely sealed off!"
Wu Zhi's words were soft, yet they poured out like a rapid-fire volley. "As Your Excellency instructed, word has been spread. Many high officials, upon hearing that the Wei King was to undergo the 'axe to the skull' procedure, have rushed here to the Wei King's palace!"
Hearing this…
Cao Pi's feigned sadness instantly vanished, and the corners of his lips curved upwards slightly.
"It's perfect timing. Them being trapped within the Wei King's palace is even more advantageous to us!"
Speaking of this, Cao Pi's tone shifted… he inquired.
"Where is Lord Xun? Has he arrived as well?"
Clearly… among the officials, Cao Pi's greatest concern was Xun Yu alone.
He was worth a hundred thousand soldiers!
"Lord Xun was the first to arrive, and he even forced his way into the silkworm chamber…"
"And then?" Cao Pi was extremely anxious.
"He emerged with a flushed face, tears streaming down, and after coming out, he knelt outside the silkworm chamber door… He refused to be helped up by anyone, repeatedly pleading with the Wei King not to proceed with this 'axe to the skull' matter. However… the Wei King ultimately paid no heed to Lord Xun's words."
Wu Zhi reported everything that had happened at the back door of the silkworm chamber to Cao Pi.
The Wei King's palace was now full of their eyes and ears…
Except for the silkworm chamber, which was personally guarded by Xu Chu and the Imperial Guards, making it impossible to pry, every rustle and movement within the Wei King's palace could not escape Cao Pi's notice.
"Father is still too persistent," Cao Pi narrowed his eyes. He pondered for a moment before speaking, "Heaven is assisting me, Cao Zihuan!"
Upon saying this…
Cao Pi's gaze reopened, but it had returned to the extremely worried demeanor from before.
His depth of calculation was profound; he was even more adept at concealing his true feelings!
He had intended to return again…
Wu Zhi added another question, "Your Excellency, if the Wei King perishes, will we act immediately?"
This…
Cao Pi's eyes flickered. He pondered for a moment before speaking, "Tell our people that if the Wei King perishes, they are to seal off the entire palace, allowing no one to leave, nor any news to get out!"
"This is…" Wu Zhi seemed confused.
Cao Pi sighed lightly, "We need to wait for news from Xiliang. Whether Brother Chong is in trouble is no longer important, but Lu Yu, who went to 'Hidden Dragon Abyss'… I must hear news of his demise!"
Cautious… careful!
Even at this stage, Cao Pi maintained his usual demeanor.
Conceal…
He must conceal himself deeply! Until the very last moment, he could not reveal any flaws or weaknesses…
The closer he got to power, the more cautious he needed to be… Prudence sails the ship for ten thousand years!
…
…
Qinling Mountains, Hidden Dragon Abyss, Taiyi Mountain.
"Hahahaha…"
A mournful laughter echoed through the mountains and hills.
"Each man faces his destiny in life and death. You are the first to speak to me in such a manner; you have spirit." Wang Yue's eyes narrowed… "If you can injure me, I will respect you even more!"
As he spoke…
Wang Yue plunged his Zhongxing sword into the stone steps. He then lifted the black cloth covering another stone step, drawing out a sword that was embedded an inch into the step.
Its cold glint was like snow flying in the summer!
It sent a chill through anyone who saw it…
"This sword is named 'Seven Stars Dragon Abyss,' forged from heavenly falling profound iron. I have always been curious. They say the blades of your Dragon Soaring Camp can slice iron and break stone, but today, let us see who is superior!"
As he spoke…
The Dragon Abyss sword tilted… sunlight cast upon it, emanating a chilling aura…
"Begin. I shall let you have three moves!"
Wang Yue's voice rang out again.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yu's expression was one of disdain, "Who can't boast? Come, this young master will let you have thirty moves!"
Hmph…
These words caused a surge of anger in Wang Yue's chest. He raised the Seven Stars Dragon Abyss horizontally, its sharp sword aura dragging along the ground, leaving a shallow but distinct scratch on the stiff bluestone slabs beneath his feet.
Immediately after…
The sword moved upwards, its formidable edge pointing towards Lu Yu. Reflected in the sunlight, the Seven Stars Dragon Abyss… gleamed with a cold light.
"Take this sword from me!"
Above the clouds, Wang Yue was like a ferocious beast. The moment the sword separated from the ground, accompanied by a long streak of sparks and deep marks, this sword strike was aimed directly at Lu Yu!
This was the result of Wang Yue's fifty years of sword study, purifying the impure, clarifying the false… discarding all deceptive techniques. One strike, one kill!
Let alone Lu Yu…
In Wang Yue's view, even the most valiant of the Great Wei, like Dian Wei or Xu Chu… in terms of experience, they could not possibly see through the variations in this move and counter it… they would inevitably be at a disadvantage!
But, to Wang Yue's surprise…
"Lu Yu" drew his spear. A point of cold light arrived first, followed by the spear, as agile as a dragon…
His footwork was like a phantom, or like falling leaves in a fierce wind. Coupled with the agility of the red-tasseled spear… Wang Yue's intricate sword strike was easily dodged.
This was not the end…
Just as Wang Yue intended to change his move, Lu Yu's red-tasseled spear had already struck first… as fast as lightning!
On the battlefield, an inch longer is an inch stronger!
In a life-and-death struggle, an inch shorter is an inch more perilous!
The sword, which should have been more nimble and dangerous, found itself at a disadvantage in agility…
Every time Wang Yue's "Seven Stars Dragon Abyss Sword" attempted to attack, Lu Yu's spear had already struck at his intended point of transition…
Subsequently…
The onslaught, like a raging storm, left Wang Yue overwhelmed.
There was no defense at all…
And no defense was needed. Lu Yu's red-tasseled spear… every move was an attack, with no discernible pattern, always striking the opponent where they had to defend, and therefore… no defense was necessary!
This style of fighting…
Caused Wang Yue to lament endlessly.
He had practiced for over fifty years, and he had never encountered such an opponent, never encountered such a fighting style.
He couldn't understand it, couldn't see through it… Indeed, even with his fifty years of martial arts experience, he couldn't comprehend how the opponent achieved this swift, point-like execution, striking first with every move!
This was entirely different from the "strength conquers all" approach of Dian Wei or Zhang Liao.
This made Wang Yue extremely uncomfortable…
Inevitably, he soon fell into a disadvantage…
…
…
Within an安定 city, in a secret chamber.
Candlelight flickered faintly, and a chessboard was laid out on a desk…
Black and white pieces clashed incessantly…
The person making the moves had a wine gourd hanging from his waist. Every three moves, he would take a drink, as if the wine in the gourd was inexhaustible.
Born with the talent of Guo Fengxiao, who especially loved the wine in his cup…
This person was, of course, Guo Jia.
On the other side, a young, refined young master wore a thin veil, deliberately concealing his identity even in this secret chamber.
However, the corners of his mouth were always upturned, as if he was already confident of victory, like the chessboard before him.
"Fengxiao, why aren't you moving? Do you think this path is impassable?"
The masked man asked with a smile.
Guo Jia put down a black piece, shook his head, and took a drink of wine.
"My mind is not at peace; I cannot play against you!"
"Are you worried about Hidden Dragon Abyss?" the masked man asked again.
Upon hearing the words "Hidden Dragon Abyss," Guo Jia's brow twitched, and he slowly stood up, "I feel you are too confident. Wang Yue is known as the number one swordsman in the world, a fierce general from the Emperor Ling's era… the foremost expert in the imperial court…"
Guo Jia also seemed to be deliberately avoiding mentioning specific names…
In this secret chamber… everyone remained extremely cautious in their language and demeanor.
"Is he… a match for Wang Yue?"
Finally, Guo Jia posed his doubt.
Hearing this, the masked man also slowly stood up, hands behind his back, and walked to a corner of the secret chamber. "I once had a detailed conversation with Dian Wei about Wang Yue's swordsmanship. Wang Yue practices the art of lightness and agility, but… Dian Wei uses twin halberds, relying on immense strength, fundamentally practicing the art of brute force. Wang Yue's agile offensive swordsmanship is extremely effective against Dian Wei's brute force style, and… Zhang Wenyuan's loss to him back then was likely due to this reason."
"As for him… he uses a spear, a spear technique that is even lighter and more agile than Wang Yue's swordsmanship… This spear technique is profound and vast! He can compete with Wang Yue without falling into a disadvantage, this is not my saying, but Dian Wei's words… Dian Wei has sparred with both of them, and his words carry considerable weight."
This…
Guo Jia paused, "Is not falling into a disadvantage enough?"
"Naturally not, but…" the masked man's lips curved, revealing a faint smile, "Fengxiao, you don't understand martial arts, do you?"
This…
Guo Jia was startled. Was this man teasing him? Of course, he didn't understand martial arts.
"Do you… understand?"
"Although I don't know martial arts, I understand a little," the masked man explained with a smile. "For example, the highest realm of martial arts is not complex moves, but five words: 'Unfettered by form, superior to technique'!"
Uh…
Guo Jia felt shocked.
You… are lecturing me on martial arts? For a moment, Guo Jia felt as if they were both amateurs discussing martial arts, like "chickens pecking at each other"!
And… "Unfettered by form, superior to technique"…
At this moment, the masked man continued speaking.
"In the field of agile offense, mere swordsmanship or spear techniques are useless. More important is observation, observation that is not bound by original martial arts. As long as one can perceive the opponent's moves first, if the enemy moves left, we move left first; if the enemy attacks right, we attack right first, preempting the enemy's moves everywhere… Not to mention a great victory, at least one is in an invincible position!"
The masked man spoke very casually…
And the facts were indeed so.
The reason why the Six Harmonies Plum Blossom Thirty-Six Routes Yang Family Spear is powerful is that it was created by Yang Hui, the Golden Sabre King of the Late Tang and Five Dynasties, and then the second generation Volcano King Yang Gun integrated the 'Overlord Spear,' 'General Heng Spear,' 'Alligator Dragon Spear,' 'Seven Probing Serpent Spear,' 'Plum Blossom Spear,' and 'Fenyang Spear' into one, unifying them to form the profound Yang Family Spear technique.
The Yang Family Spear's prowess is not just in its fusion of six styles.
It is from this that the true meaning of "Unfettered by form, superior to technique" was comprehended, thus forming the invincible Yang Family Spear technique of later generations.
Moreover…
The so-called "If there is no woman in the heart, the spear naturally becomes divine" scripture… after years of practice, it is more than enough to deal with an old man!
Isn't it about agile offense?
Then let's compete in speed, stability, accuracy, and ferocity!
The masked man's lips curled, leaving behind a trace of fierce intent…
But Guo Jia remained unconvinced.
He even felt that this fellow, in terms of martial prowess… if it truly came to a fight, he might not even be as good as himself!
Preempting the enemy…
Heh heh…
It still feels like… strategic "attacking the enemy's mind" is much easier than martial "preempting the enemy's moves"!
…
…
Graceful and elegant, clumsy and bizarre…
At the peak of Hidden Dragon Abyss, Lu Yu's spear techniques were unpredictable, but without exception, each move was immensely powerful… and each move precisely suppressed the opponent's moves.
Wang Yue lamented his predicament…
He wanted to attack the upper route, but the opponent attacked the upper route first; he wanted to attack the lower route, and the opponent attacked from the lower route.
Thus, after more than fifty rounds…
Wang Yue retreated several steps, creating distance, and he was panting heavily.
This feeling of suffering a great loss, a hidden loss, was the first time in decades!
Hoo… hoo…
Wang Yue's entire back was drenched, and he felt a chill all over his body.
"Didn't you want to let me have three moves?" Lu Yu's voice echoed, still unusually cold… "What, you've fallen before I've even exerted myself?"
Conversely, in the stone pavilion at the mountain peak.
"Xiahou Yuan" blinked repeatedly.
"So powerful… so strong!"
She couldn't help but murmur, and for a moment, she felt as if she were looking at a monster…
To make Wang Yue so embarrassed was simply unheard of!
As for Wang Yue's disciples, they were all stunned…
Is this legendary Lu Yu… so… so powerful?
Fifty rounds… he has actually forced his master into a defensive stance, constantly retreating. Is this… is his master going easy on him?
It should be… right! Big wind novels
A few disciples, while everyone's attention was on Wang Yue, quietly approached "Xiahou Yuan."
The leading one among them murmured, "Miss Wang, everything is proceeding according to plan!"
Xiahou Yuan blinked slightly. She turned to look at these disciples.
Then she saw one of them hand her a black package…
"This is…"
"Miss Wang will know at a glance!"
…
Hoo… another heavy sigh.
After panting heavily, Wang Yue frowned and glared at Lu Yu, "Well done, Lu Yu. You like to 'preempt the enemy's moves' in timing; is this also the case in duels?"
His brows furrowed even tighter.
"Young man, what spear technique are you using! How do you manage to preempt me!"
Heh…
With a faint smile, "Lu Yu" retracted his spear stance, revealing a slight smile… "Spear technique? Why must one be bound by spear technique? As long as I can discern your sword technique's pattern, if you are fast, I am faster; if you move left, I move left first; if you attack right, I strike your right flank first. If you can't even execute your moves? Why must I be bound by spear technique?"
Speaking of this, "Lu Yu's" narrowed eyes slowly opened, their gaze still icy and piercing. "I don't need spear technique to deal with you; the words 'Break Sword' are sufficient!"
"Break Sword Style?" Wang Yue's brows furrowed again.
He felt insulted… a profound humiliation!
The Seven Stars Dragon Abyss sword in his hand trembled, and his aura continued to rise.
Good…
What arrogance!
Break Sword… Hmph, isn't it about speed? Then fine…
"Allow this old man to show you what lightning and thunder, a storm-like fast sword is!"
With a swing of his sword, Wang Yue's attack was like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, carrying a vast sword aura, cunning and vicious, yet as swift as lightning, he lunged towards Lu Yu's chest.
This sword strike sealed off all angles, leaving no room for evasion!
…
…