Chapter 121: Chapter 81: Fivefold Cultivation of Secret Martial Arts, Wind and Moon, White Bones, Tempting Vajra
Alone in the world, moving forward and retreating with ease.
Jiang Zhenshan laughed and said, "I’ll wait for my junior brother at the inn."
...
...
In the following days, Li Xuan and Tian Yuan, Wei Yao, and Qiao’Er had a wild and tumultuous time together, filled with passion and intensity.
He was full of energy and strong in physique, how were the three girls his match?
In the midst of their passion, they soon surrendered, but were driven to fight harder even in defeat, growing braver with each battle, until they were utterly exhausted.
...
Three nights later.
Tian Yuan lay in Li Xuan’s arms, muttering about what gifts to prepare for him to take to the capital city tomorrow.
She counted on her fingers, item by item, afraid to miss anything, and equally afraid that the gifts wouldn’t be enough.
The way she was, she was even more nervous than Li Xuan.
Watching her think intently, frowning as she spoke, Li Xuan couldn’t help but laugh.
Tian Yuan said shyly and angrily, "What are you laughing at? Aren’t women all like this? When a husband is about to go out, as a wife, I naturally have to help you think about what to bring."
Li Xuan reached out with his left hand, pulling her closer to his chest, and then said, "Just take some bird-gold embroidery to the Prime Minister’s residence, nothing else is needed."
Tian Yuan’s pretty face showed a look of astonishment.
"Ah? Why? In the capital city, they’re all important people, even those walking on the road might be relatives of some high official.
My husband, are you being arrogant?
You... you must not slack off.
If you don’t attend to social norms, you might accidentally offend someone."
Li Xuan, looking at his worried wife, patiently explained, "In the past, I visited many places in the Hundred Flowers Mansion and Cyan Wood Province, but all I sought was to glimpse the world’s martial arts.
Now that my goal is achieved, how can I not prioritize?
It’s not worth delaying my cultivation for societal norms.
Now, the only ones worth visiting... are those who have shown me kindness, only the Prime Minister, the Grand General, and the royal family."
"However skilled you are in social affairs, how can it compare to having strength in your fists?"
Tian Yuan, feeling her husband’s strong body, was still somewhat worried and troubled, murmuring softly, "Strength in your fists, strength in your fists... But even fists are no match for many hands.
My husband, perhaps... we should prepare more gifts.
No one blames too much gift-giving."
Fists no match for many hands?
Hearing this, Li Xuan’s expression was somewhat odd.
Two years ago, he would have completely agreed.
But now, images of "Red Cloud Demon Fiend," "Demon Buddha," and those fearsome "young demons" and the "First Realm" on his status panel flashed through his mind.
The chaotic times of demon fiends may have already emerged for a while, but not too long.
However, with time’s progression, are two fists... really outmatched?
The veteran generals didn’t believe it.
Neither did Tian Yuan.
And the Prime Minister was somewhere between belief and disbelief.
After all, for thousands of years, the idea that "fists are no match for many hands" has become a fixed belief, and no one could imagine a scenario where one person wipes out an entire army.
Besides, if an entire army spat once, they could drown you, so why fight at all?
Yet, it’s like a pyramid.
With the advancing stages of demon fiends, and the progression of Secret Martial Artists, available resources for advancement will inevitably dwindle, leading the world to slowly become a pyramid of power, rather than an old power pyramid.
When strength replaces power, then no longer will the top be Sovereign, Prime Minister, Grand General... but, the strong.
Li Xuan always understands clearly; his social engagements are purpose-driven. Once reaching his destination, he never forgets to be grateful to those who’ve helped him.
However, he will no longer entangle in it.
One must not just look at the pointing finger and forget the moon it’s pointing to.
When sailing, one should disembark on reaching the shore, not remain on the boat.
Various thoughts flashed, and Li Xuan lifted Tian Yuan high, changing the subject, "Want to have a baby?"
Tian Yuan said bashfully, "Of course."
As the word "want" fell, she couldn’t help but exclaim, then quickly said, "Not... not... now."
She leaned down, softly saying, "My husband should now be single-minded, with no distractions of family affections."
Her soft hands brushed over his strong chest, resting on the powerful, beating heart.
Tian Yuan leaned her cheek against his heart, softly saying, "Since my husband has great ambitions, then here should temporarily hold no other things. If truly you wish to fill it, then wait until my husband has achieved something."
Li Xuan laughed, "Aren’t you afraid someone will take your place?"
Tian Yuan gently said, "Even without wings of a colorful phoenix, our hearts are connected with a mutual understanding.
I... am not afraid."
Li Xuan, feeling his wife’s understanding, also said softly, "No one will take your place."
"Hmm..." Tian Yuan responded softly.
The couple again snuggled closely for a while.
...
...
In the harsh winter, horse hooves splashed through snowy mud, heading north.
The fierce wind swept up frost and snow from the ground, like silver dust flying away; the mane of the splendid horse fluttered fiercely.
Li Xuan and Jiang Zhengxin rode side by side, leaving Half-Sky Gorge, bypassing Hundred Flowers Mansion, heading towards the capital city.
From a high vantage point, the two were but small black dots against the vast white expanse, no different from ants.
The vastness of the world often makes one feel insignificant, much like the impermanence of life’s affairs.
Li Xuan remembers, at this time the year before last, he had just encountered the Mist-Vermin Phantom Leopard, and then faced the mutated Monstrous Ape, akin to a lone boat on the sea, swaying and struggling desperately. It was his first encounter with demon fiends, and his first grasp of their cunning viciousness.
Last year at this time, a great plague surrounding the Hundred Flowers Mansion had just subsided, his painstakingly cultivated connections nearly consumed. Fortunately... he rushed back to Hundred Flowers Mansion to collect Cao Shuda’s remains and wrote a eulogy, gaining some fame. That time, despite planning everything thoroughly, seemingly under control, it was an unforeseen accident, wholly uncontrollable, that nearly wiped out his family. It taught him the terror of demon fiends, and beneath strength, schemes seem laughable, everything... is impermanent.
