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Chapter 772: The Unsettling Calm
Chapter 772: The Unsettling Calm
Yao Zhiyi spoke, "These six words encapsulate the essence of cultivation in this realm. What is the True Form? It is the fundamental shape of the self. Some believe that as long as one retains self-awareness, that is the self. Others believe that the unity of the divine and physical bodies is the self. Regardless, it is crucial to preserve the self, something that must not be discarded."
"As for the Spirit Form, it is the manifestation of your spiritual fire, the external appearance you use to fight. It can also be called the outer form. You must first have the self, and then the outer form. You cannot stray; you must find ways to protect the fundamental self before figuring out how to manifest the external appearance."
"Currently, there are roughly three paths: the human, the divine, and the anomalous forms."
"The Human Form emphasizes the self, with an unchanging physical body and a fundamental spirit. This is the most mainstream approach. The Divine Form, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. It treats the body as a vessel, with the unity of the self and the divine as the primary focus. This path was not common in the past, but with the rapid development of biological technology, it is now gaining momentum."
"The last is the Anomalous Form, which we used to call the Demon Form, but that is somewhat biased. While we may disdain someone's character, it's best not to have preconceived notions when discussing cultivation. Doing so only blinds oneself, and one might suffer if faced with genuine skill."
"Wei Guozhen practices the Anomalous Form. To illustrate, remember when you entered the Jinbei Dao Wu Yi Academy, you must have seen the two golden-armored divine generals standing at the gateway through the World Gateway, right?"
Chen Chuan nodded. "I did." Those two generals had left a deep impression on him.
"Yes, Wei Guozhen's path, when cultivated to its peak, is akin to transforming into those divine generals, becoming a Guardian Divine General."
Yao Zhiyi paused, then continued, "I don't know if you've visited the famous Lotus Light Temple in Jinbei Dao. There are eighteen lifelike guardian deity statues there, and Wei Guozhen corresponds to the eighth god, the eight-armed, three-headed one. However, he has only cultivated six arms so far, and the three heads are still a distant dream."
Wan Yunshan interjected, "My fellow student, many in the Old Imperial House follow the Anomalous Form path because they are not entirely human. But we shouldn't underestimate the anomalies in the Fusion Zones, either. These are the natives of the Fusion Zones. Before the World Ring, they often entered our world through rifts, and some were even worshipped as deities. Others were formed through long-term possession and fusion with beings from the other side, or they are their offspring. Some are simply 'devolved' beings, each with a bizarre form. Once..."
Yao Zhiyi interrupted, "That's a story for another time. But you'll eventually face the situation on the other side, and after returning, a specialist will brief you on these matters." He lifted the cup, took a sip, and then placed it before Wan Yunshan, "Pour the tea."
"Yes, sir."
Much later, after the airship carrying the three had long departed, a group of cavalry from the Old Imperial House rushed into the battleground. The riders were startled by the ground, which seemed to have been bombarded by artillery.
The scene undoubtedly indicated a fierce battle between fighters, explaining the extensive destruction. However, they had seen the Datong airship leaving with the radiant relic, which sparked unsettling thoughts. So, after the commotion ceased, they hurried over to investigate.
Upon arrival, they couldn't find Wei Guozhen's figure. Had the General left?
One of the military officers tried to remain calm, "I believe the General defeated the enemy and departed using their airship."
Everyone agreed, as this was the outcome they were willing and able to accept. As for other possibilities, they dared not even think about them at that moment.
Just then, a startled cry came from a short distance away, causing everyone's hearts to skip a beat. They immediately rode over.
They discovered a deep pit, seemingly created by a massive cannonball, with a headless, shattered body at the bottom.
The black shadow revealed multiple arms, and some broken armor fragments attached to it, faintly outlining the original armor's design.
Seeing this, the cavalry's bodies trembled involuntarily.
They were all too familiar with Wei Guozhen's armor design; it was unmistakably the one before them, with its distinctive multiple arms, a feature unique to the General. The General had demonstrated this ability many times before the troops.
Considering all this, they realized that this must be...
Their faces turned pale, and they were unwilling and afraid to accept this outcome.
After a while, someone finally spoke, "It's the General..."
The others glared in anger, "Nonsense! How could it be the General? Impossible!"
The rest joined in, cursing, and some even drew their swords, ready to strike him down.
The man ignored the crowd and dismounted from his horse, walking down to the remains. He picked up a jade seal from the side and held it up for everyone to see.
"This... this is the General's personal seal..." The person who recognized it trembled, for this was the General's private possession, and it was impossible to fake.
"It's... it's really the General."
"Has the General fallen? How is this possible...?"
Most of the cavalry felt as if the sky was falling. The scene instantly became chaotic. Some shouted in disbelief with bloodshot eyes, while others swayed and dismounted helplessly, eventually breaking down in tears.
After about half an hour, someone managed to say through chattering teeth, "Quick, send a telegram to the rear. Say that the General... the General has been attacked and is already deceased..."
"No, we can't say that!"
Someone immediately shouted to stop them. Wei Guozhen held an extraordinary position in the hearts of the tens of thousands of troops in the Convergence Zone. He was their spiritual pillar, and if this news got out, morale would collapse instantly.
Although Datong would undoubtedly spread this news later, as long as they didn't acknowledge it and fabricated a reasonable excuse, they could still maintain some morale.
But as for what to do next, they had no idea. After discussing, they decided to first bring the General's remains back and let the higher-ups decide on the next steps.
Meanwhile, Chen Chuan and his group received Xu Chan and his party on the airship after half an hour. They then headed back and, by afternoon, approached the forward position of the Datong military base.
At that moment, they heard the distant rumble of artillery fire, indicating a massive-scale battle with at least hundreds of cannons booming.
Wan Yunshan's spirits lifted. "Is this a full-scale offensive?" He turned to Yao Zhiyi. "Principal Yao, does this mean Scholar Xue has made his move?"
Yao Zhiyi found it odd. Logically, after receiving the news, Scholar Xue should have waited for them and launched a joint attack, which would have been more prudent. However, he couldn't fathom Xue's capabilities, so perhaps Xue had his reasons.
"Report!"
A communication soldier outside reported, and the adjutant took a telegram, glanced at it, and handed it to Yao Zhiyi. "Principal Yao, Scholar Xue's telegram says he didn't find Gai Shuhe in the Old Imperial Household Army."
"He's not there?"
"Yes, the flag is still there, but the person is gone."
Yao Zhiyi frowned. "Could he be hiding somewhere?"
A voice spoke up, "He left early."
Chen Chuan turned to see Scholar Xue leaning against a chair nearby, though he wasn't sure when he had arrived. But upon closer inspection, he realized it was just a strand of psychic energy. Still, he greeted him, "Scholar Xue."
Scholar Xue smiled and nodded in response.
"He's gone?"
Yao Zhiyi and Wan Yunshan weren't surprised by his appearance.
"Scholar Xue, didn't you stop him?" Wan Yunshan asked.
Scholar Xue explained, "After receiving your message, I prepared to go and keep an eye on him. But when I arrived, I found that he had only shown himself briefly before leaving. So, I notified the Defense Department, urging them to launch the offensive during this window of opportunity to avoid missing a golden chance."
Yao Zhiyi's expression turned solemn. "Has Gai Shuhe guessed something?"
He knew that outside their recent battlefield was an Old Imperial Household Army unit, which they shouldn't have seen. However, the sight of the downed airship would be hard to conceal. If Gai Shuhe had been cautious, he could have indeed withdrawn earlier.
Scholar Xue said, "Perhaps, but I can confirm that he has indeed left."
Yao Zhiyi scoffed, "As the defending general, he abandoned tens of thousands of troops and left alone. Should we call him decisive or cowardly?"
Scholar Xue smiled, "He's a noble and a fighter himself, so it's different. Even if he abandoned tens of thousands of troops, as long as he can find a reason, nothing will happen to him when he returns."
"That's right. Wasn't the Old Imperial Household Army like that in the past?" Yao Zhiyi's voice turned grave. "They've never changed. No matter what, we won this battle. This victory will solve many problems," Scholar Xue said with a smile.
Yao Zhiyi nodded repeatedly, "And we have to thank Scholar Xue for his help."
Scholar Xue smiled, "You're too kind. This is also my duty." He turned to Chen Chuan, "Also, night is approaching. To maintain the army's momentum, we need to retrieve the relic and ensure the Old Imperial Household Army can't escape under the cover of darkness."
Chen Chuan immediately took out the relic and placed it on the table.
Yao Zhiyi picked it up and tossed it to Wan Yunshan, "Xiao Wan, you take care of this."
Wan Yunshan turned his neck, making a cracking sound, and said excitedly, "Leave it to me!"
...
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(End of Chapter)
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