Chapter 629
Chapter 629
And so, the great ship of the Xuan Kong Temple brought Shen Lang to a port in Tiannan Province.
This was the territory of the State of Yue, the domain of its king. By the rules, neither the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion nor the Heaven's Will Pavilion could lay a hand on Shen Lang here.
Of course, they could break the rules, but doing so for a single person like Shen Lang was not a worthwhile trade.
After his experiences with the transcendent powers over the past few days, Shen Lang had come to vaguely understand the rules established by the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty—the extent of influence secular royalty and transcendent martial powers had over one another, and where their boundaries lay.
"Sir Shen, we must part ways here. Please visit our Xuan Kong Temple when you have the time!"
"I most certainly will. Thank you for the invitation, Great Master."
Soon, the great ship of the Xuan Kong Temple departed, and the three of them disembarked, walking over ten *li* north.
A carriage was waiting for them there. The Sword King, Li Qianqiu, skillfully drove the carriage, urging it onward.
Unable to hold back, Li Qianqiu asked along the way.
"Sir Shen, why did you choose to help Floating Buddha Mountain open the ancient ruins instead of the Xuan Kong Temple?"
Shen Lang replied.
"First, I only just now felt the friendship of the Xuan Kong Temple. Second, during this excavation of the ancient ruins, the Xuan Kong Temple was merely an observer! The Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion was the first to discover these ruins, followed by Floating Buddha Mountain, and finally, the Heaven's Will Pavilion. The Xuan Kong Temple came only in response to an invitation. Regardless of how things turned out, the only powers with the authority to develop the ruins this time were the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, the Heaven's Will Pavilion, and Floating Buddha Mountain. The Xuan Kong Temple had no chance."
Upon hearing this, Wu Daozi was startled.
*Even I, an elder of Floating Buddha Mountain, didn't know that. Shen Lang, how do you know in such detail?*
Of course, Shen Lang knew.
He had incredible ears that were good at picking up rumors.
By listening to the conversations on the black island, he had been able to clearly grasp their relationships concerning the ruins.
Li Qianqiu said.
"The Xuan Kong Temple had been in decline for several hundred years, but a little over a decade ago, they appointed a complete stranger as their abbot—Great Master Ji Kong. At the time, no one in the world knew who he was, but it was he who restored the Xuan Kong Temple to its position among the Six Great Transcendent Powers."
"That Great Master Ji Kong sounds like a formidable figure. Have you met him, Master?"
Wu Daozi said.
"No. This is the first time I have left Floating Buddha Mountain."
*Ugh! You're incredible. A complete homebody?!*
"Senior Sword King, do you know Great Master Ji Kong?"
"No! In fact, no one in the world has ever met Great Master Ji Kong. The Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion repeatedly invited him in an attempt to see through that great master."
Shen Lang suddenly asked a question.
"Between Senior Sword King and my master, whose martial arts are superior?"
Wu Daozi answered.
"His."
Shen Lang was taken aback by her words.
*The Senior Sword King's martial arts are still greater?*
But it wasn't strange.
Wu Daozi had grown strong due to her incredible innate bloodline; she had never really trained in martial arts, spending her days conducting experiments.
Where would she find the time to practice martial arts?
"Senior Sword King, your martial arts are so profound, and you even have the imposing title of Sword King. Why are you so afraid?"
Li Qianqiu answered without getting angry.
"My title of Grandmaster and my nickname were both given to me by others."
Ugh! That was true.
The Six Great Transcendent Powers had formed a committee and set a quota for the number of Grandmasters in the world.
Six in the State of Yue, six in the State of Chu, and five in the State of Wu.
Unless they bestowed the honor of Grandmaster, even if one's martial arts reached that level, they could never be called a Master.
These six powers had completely monopolized the say in the world of martial arts.
Shen Lang asked again.
"During the excavation of the ancient ruins this time, why was no one from the White Jade Capital present?"
Wu Daozi asked in return.
"You don't know the saying?"
"What saying?"
"In the Eastern world, any place where it does not snow is unrelated to the White Jade Capital. But any place where it does snow falls within their sphere of influence."
*Wow, that's quite a saying.*
"Among the six powers, is the White Jade Capital the strongest?"
Wu Daozi answered.
"How can one know who is the strongest without fighting? But the White Jade Capital is the most mysterious."
"More mysterious than Floating Buddha Mountain?"
Wu Daozi answered firmly.
"Floating Buddha Mountain is not mysterious."
*Alright! If my master thinks so, then I have nothing more to say.*
To the people of the world, Floating Buddha Mountain was the very embodiment of mystery and terror.
But from Wu Daozi's words, he could tell that the White Jade Capital was even more mysterious than Floating Buddha Mountain.
* * *
The next day.
Shen Lang passed through Tiannan City, the administrative capital of Tiannan Province.
It was the third-largest city in the State of Yue, with a population of over three hundred thousand and city walls stretching more than thirty *li*.
But now, like everywhere else, a thick air of war hung over Tiannan City.
The city gates were firmly shut, with only a small gap open. Soldiers stood densely packed on the walls, while patrols marched in succession outside.
From a distance, Shen Lang saw the Grand Governor of Tiannan Province, Zhu Rong, personally overseeing the city's defenses from atop the wall.
Furthermore, a long line of supply wagons was moving along the main road to the southwest, all carrying provisions for the State of Nanguo.
By his calculations, Prince Ning's army of one hundred thousand should have already entered the territory of Nanguo.
A great battle was either imminent or had already begun.
Once the battle started, Tiannan Province would become Nanguo's rear, making Tiannan City the largest fortress in that rear.
The one hundred and fifty thousand troops currently stationed in Nanguo all belonged to factions of the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince's faction was burning with the will to win at all costs, and the Zhu Clan had poured everything they had into it.
Shen Lang headed east without a moment's delay.
The State of Nanguo was more than three hundred *li* from Tiannan City, which meant it was over a thousand *li* from Xuanwu City.
So, even if war broke out there, the flames of battle would not reach his home in an instant.
The three of them rushed onward like an arrow, reaching a post station where they exchanged the carriage for horses and continued to gallop.
They changed horses every two hundred *li*, pressing on day and night without rest or sleep, covering a thousand *li* in just two days.
Finally, they arrived at Xuanwu City.
"Giddy-up, giddy-up!"
A contingent of soldiers poured out from the gates of Xuanwu City.
About a thousand men marched in orderly fashion toward the southwest.
The one leading them was a familiar face: City Lord You Wu'yan.
He was still in Xuanwu City?
Shen Lang had almost forgotten about him.
You Wu'yan showed a flicker of surprise upon seeing Shen Lang but quickly averted his gaze and continued to lead his troops forward.
It was truly a war that could topple a nation.
Even Xuanwu City had mobilized a thousand soldiers, with its city lord personally leading them to the battlefield.
The State of Yue had mobilized one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers for this war, but including indirectly mobilized forces, the number would exceed two hundred and fifty thousand.
The Zhu Clan had squeezed Tiannan Province to its absolute limit, sending all its soldiers to the battlefields of Nanguo.
Shen Lang furrowed his brow slightly.
This situation was unsettling.
If the Zhu Clan was frantically drafting soldiers from all over Tiannan Province like this, their rear defenses would be completely empty.
If the Nanguo front fell, all the pressure of the war would shift to Tiannan City.
But what if Tiannan City also fell?
Then there would be no city left in Tiannan Province capable of defending against the enemy.
What would happen then?
The mere thought was terrifying.
The Crown Prince's faction had truly bet everything they had.
The Sword King, Li Qianqiu, also seemed to sense something was amiss and spoke up.
"Even if the State of Nanguo falls, the defensive line of Tiannan Province won't be breached, will it?"
Shen Lang did not reply.
The situation in Nanguo was important, but that was a matter to be discussed after saving Mulan.
* * *
"Giddy-up, giddy-up!"
Shen Lang's party spurred their horses on, arriving at the Marquis of Xuanwu's Estate.
He was finally home.
"The Young Master has arrived! The Young Master is back!"
Shen Lang was not one to delay a rescue mission until the last possible moment.
According to his calculations, there should be about three days left until Mulan's final moment, so nothing terrible should have happened yet.
The atmosphere throughout the Marquis of Xuanwu's Estate was heavy, but it didn't seem as though the sky had fallen.
The main gates swung wide open while they were still several hundred meters away.
After entering the estate, Shen Lang's party immediately dismounted.
A moment later, everyone in the estate came running.
His parents, his younger brother, Bing'er, his father-in-law, his mother-in-law, Jin Mucong, and the others.
They all looked at Shen Lang with eyes full of expectation, yet also fraught with anxiety.
The hope of saving Mulan this time rested entirely in the hands of one person: Shen Lang.
Shen Lang nodded, and everyone let out a small sigh of relief.
Then, without delay, Shen Lang swiftly ran toward his own courtyard.
His father-in-law, mother-in-law, Xiao Bing, and Shen Lang's mother followed him.
Upon entering the courtyard, he saw the Old Demon of the Snowy Mountain, Lin Shang, still standing guard at the entrance to the house.
"You're finally back. If you had been a few days later, Mulan would have..."
Lin Shang didn't finish her grim sentence, and for that, Shen Lang's favor toward her rose significantly.
This supreme master, whom he had never defeated in battle, had grown fond of this family and couldn't bring herself to use such cruel words about Mulan.
Shen Lang rushed into the room.
After more than a month, he was finally back by Mulan's side.
Physician An Zaishi was in the room, looking half-withered.
From his appearance alone, he looked completely exhausted.
An accident had befallen Mulan, and he had been powerless to help.
After Shen Lang left, the responsibility of keeping Mulan alive had fallen to him.
Mulan was, in a way, half his master, and someone he regarded as a daughter.
If something unexpected had happened to Mulan in Shen Lang's absence, An Zaishi truly would have had no choice but to take his own life.
"Everyone, please leave. My master and I are all that's needed!"
At Shen Lang's words, everyone filed out of the room in an orderly fashion.
Outside, they all silently held their breath and prayed to the heavens, gods, and Buddha.
* * *
"Master..."
"Take off Mulan's clothes!"
At Wu Daozi's command, Shen Lang approached Mulan and removed her clothes.
My beloved Mulan was so thin.
She had been in a deep sleep for nearly fifty days, and she had truly wasted away to half her size.
The fullness from her pregnancy had now completely vanished.
Moreover, her complexion was so pale it was almost like Wu Daozi's.
Her breathing and heartbeat were already extremely faint, almost inaudible.
Fortunately, Shen Lang had arrived just in time.
Thanks to not delaying at all on his journey, and after traveling over ten thousand *li* back and forth in a month, he had finally returned on time.
Shen Lang took out a jade vial.
"The needle!"
At Wu Daozi's word, Shen Lang took out the needle tube (syringe).
Wu Daozi was startled when she saw it.
*There's such a needle tube?*
This was a modern syringe that Shen Lang had crafted.
A needle that could extract and inject liquid.
"Very good. How peculiar."
Then, she took out a Marrow Cleansing Essence.
The Marrow Cleansing Essence was a red pill.
In truth, it wasn't a pill but something coated in a very special substance.
Wu Daozi held the pill and infused it with her internal energy.
Instantly, the pill brightened, and the contents within awakened.
As if she had figured it out on her own without ever being taught, Wu Daozi inserted the syringe into the pill and extracted the Marrow Cleansing Essence from within.