Chapter 180

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Chapter 180: The Past of the Martial Saint in His Prime (6k)

"What did our struggle bring us?" Hai Siyuan shook his head.

"Why so many questions? It’s just about survival."

"There are still women and children alive in this lonely city. That alone is worth it."

He didn’t say anything profound to the stranger, Storyteller Clairvoyance.

He was a soldier, skilled in battle, not dealing with the storyteller in front of him.

However, Clairvoyance wasn’t quite satisfied.

As the storyteller of Tide Listening Building, he keenly realized that if the story of this lone army spread, it would surely shake the entire Jiu Province.

Even the news of the Martial Saint’s brief appearance before dying may not be as shocking as this news.

After pondering for a moment, he asked again, "Captain Hai, do you know that these inhumans are not the barbaric foreigners who torture and peel the skin off the people of Jiu Province? If Captain Hai considers the overall situation and the lives of the people in this isolated city, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to surrender to the Immortal Gate sooner?"

"In that case, perhaps the residents of the city can live a little longer."

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of several soldiers around them changed immediately.

"What the heck is this damn person talking about?"

"I’ve been guarding the city for forty years, and finally someone comes through the desert, and the first thing they ask me is why I didn’t surrender earlier?"

If it weren’t for Qiao Mu standing next to them, who helped them in battle and saved some of their comrades from dying, they would probably have drawn their swords uncontrollably.

Even the leader, Captain Hai Siyuan, frowned and glanced back and forth between Qiao Mu and Clairvoyance.

He sensed that these two people were not on the same side.

"Mr. Qiao Shuangsen is a former soldier from Great Yan, and who are you?" He turned to Clairvoyance and asked.

"He is a storyteller from the Tide Listening Building, and I just happened to meet him," Qiao Mu also decided to keep his distance.

This Clairvoyance talks too much, and always brings up sensitive topics, making Qiao Mu, who is more straightforward, feel overwhelmed.

Does anyone speak like you?

Actually, Qiao Mu and the others misunderstood him.

His name is Clairvoyance, not Clueless.

There is a reason behind his sarcastic way of speaking.

The Tide Listening Building has eyes and ears everywhere, and if you want to obtain the most reliable and authentic information, you have to be very persuasive in your words.

We are all adults, not children.

Both have secrets and defenses, and understand the principle of deepening relationships through shallow conversations. It’s unlikely that a storyteller like you would come and share their innermost thoughts.

Clairvoyance is skilled at using the art of saying things that hit where it hurts.

Appears to have low emotional intelligence, but actually does it on purpose.

These seasoned soldiers have been guarding the isolated city for forty years, so they naturally have strong defenses.

Clairvoyance wants to break through their defenses, so intentionally uses provocative language.

The more these soldiers’ defenses are shattered, the angrier they become. They feel their passionate hearts are wasted, and this increases the likelihood of revealing their true thoughts due to emotional fluctuations.

Of course, this type of language technique has both advantages and disadvantages.

The biggest disadvantage is… being easily refuted by others.

"I seem to have heard of the Tide Listening Building’s storyteller before," Hai Siyuan pondered for a moment before remembering.

Forty years ago, Hai Wuya was already the Minister of Rites and he was also a martial artist from the rivers and lakes. That’s why Hai Siyuan is quite knowledgeable.

"I heard that within Tide Listening Building, there are two factions called ‘Real Events’ and ‘Curious Tales’. Which faction are you from?" Hai Siyuan looked at Clairvoyance with a meaningful gaze.

"Naturally, I belong to the ‘Real Events’ faction," Clairvoyance replied without hesitation.

"No matter how extraordinary the curious tales may be, they cannot compare to the power of true events that touch the heart."

This is a lie!

The two people from Tide Listening Building, Clairvoyance and Clairaudience, are both talented storytellers with extraordinary abilities. They are the pillars of the ‘Curious Tales’ faction and are inseparable.

Tide Listening Building is not an ordinary martial arts force. Being a pillar among the storytellers doesn’t necessarily mean their martial arts skills are exceptional. It simply represents their outstanding abilities in the art of storytelling.

In fact, it means they have superior eloquence, rhetoric, and even stronger imagination compared to regular storytellers. They can weave even more astonishing tales.

Although Clairvoyance claims to belong to the ‘Real Events’ faction, it is also because storytellers from the Fantastic Faction don’t have a good reputation.

After all, it’s not surprising that the reputation is good when you’re always doing strange things like the "Top 10 Bad Pants Crotch."

"As a practical storyteller, my purpose in venturing into the desert is to visit the ruins of Anxi City and uncover the true events of the Inhuman War," said Clairvoyance excitedly.

"Captain Hai, your answers are very important to me."

"If one day I can leave this desert, I will definitely share the story of the remnants of Great Yan with the outside world, spreading it throughout Jiu Province through the Tide Listening Building."

Clairvoyance almost believed the words herself.

His purpose in coming here wasn’t so noble and righteous. Originally, he only suspected that the secret of the Inhuman War was hidden in this desert, and it seemed to be related to the Immortal Gate… If he knew the secret was so big and involved the Immortal Gate so deeply, he would never come, even if you paid him.

The reason why the Tide Listening Building has survived until now is not because they are strong, but because they adhere to the principle of not causing trouble, only sitting high up in the building, listening to the tides rise and fall, and not personally getting involved.

However, seeing how excited the old soldiers were, Clairvoyance didn’t dare to push the conversation too far.

After all, Qiao Mu wasn’t on his side either. In fact, just a moment ago, he was Qiao Mu’s captive.

If the old soldiers are really angered and draw their swords to hack at him, perhaps no one here will be able to protect him.

I dare to ask, soldiers, please don’t be angry… It is likely that outside Jiu Province, nobody knows your whereabouts, nobody knows that you are still fighting, including the current emperor… So why are you still defending this lonely city? Why not surrender to the inhuman?

"If you surrender, more soldiers and civilians in this lonely city will be able to survive, which is better than everyone in the city perishing in the desert."

Hai Siyuan took a deep breath subconsciously, trying to calm himself down, restraining the urge to unsheathe his sword, and said in a low voice:

"In the past forty years, there have indeed been a small number of deserters in this lonely city, as well as people who fled… They disappeared in this vast desert, whether they are alive or dead, we don’t know the outcome either."

"If you are asking why our remaining three hundred soldiers refuse to surrender…"

Hai Siyuan looked at the old soldiers behind him, who also had gray hair.

"Zhao Dayong, why didn’t you surrender?"

This old soldier appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, older than Hai Siyuan. He replied:

"Captain, I am a person from Nan Province, Yan City. My wife and children are there. If even the last remaining elite soldiers of Great Yan surrender, how can the people of Jiu Province have any fighting spirit?"

"If a country doesn’t protect its people, how can it be called home? And what about the safety and well-being of my family?"

Hai Siyuan nodded and looked at another old soldier.

"Chen Zhi, why don’t you surrender?"

"If the inhumans become powerful, they will see ordinary people as insignificant. Surrendering may be easy, but afterwards, we might become nothing more than inhuman’s cattle and horses. It’s better to die in battle."

"Chen An?"

"We are already the most elite army of Great Yan, we can die, but we cannot surrender!"

"What about you, Guo Huaizhong?"

"Is there really so much reason to surrender?"

"Can I come up with a hundred or even a thousand reasons to surrender? Is it because the water is too cold?"

"There’s only one reason not to surrender, because I am a soldier! A soldier of Great Yan! A soldier of Jiu Province! Is this reason enough?"

These old soldiers gradually became excited in their speech.

In the past few years, very few outsiders have come to this isolated city. In front of Qiao Mu and Storyteller Clairvoyance, they couldn’t help but open up.

"They said a lot. So, let me share my thoughts." Hai Siyuan’s gaze was deep as he looked at the numerous gravestones of soldiers before him.

"Forty years ago, I was only twenty years old, and among the hundred thousand army, I was considered one of the youngest group of officers."

"Mr. Qiao, do you know why I have survived till now, while several generals with higher ranks than me have all perished?"

"Is it because I am the son of the Minister of Rites? Is it because I have excellent qualifications and high martial arts skills, that’s why I’m still alive?"

He smiled lightly and shook his head.

"My father’s reputation is not that great. The elite soldiers of the Great Yan army, totaling one hundred thousand, included individuals of even higher status and power than my father."

"But they all died."

"I was able to survive because those few generals sacrificed themselves and told me I was still young, not to rush into death…." Captain Hai, who has already reached old age, looked at the tombstones covering the mountainside, tears streaming down his face:

"The old soldiers and generals died for me in the past!"

"But now I, an old soldier, should die for the women and children of the lonely city, for the future generations of Jiu Province!"

Some thought about their families back home, some were filled with love for Jiu Province, some simply couldn’t accept the inhuman cruelty, and some carried on the will of the old soldiers.

Each soldier in this isolated army had their own thoughts, their own reasons.

But in the end, they all stood within this lonely city, or lay outside the solitary city in the desert, buried in graves.

The old soldiers and generals finished speaking.

Qiao Mu and Clairvoyance both looked at the silent desert with angry old soldiers, unable to say a word.

Especially Clairvoyance, who was a storyteller.

As part of the Fantastic Faction in the Tide Listening Building, he had heard many strange and absurd stories and had created many touching stories.

But those were all fictional stories, either exaggerated or embellished, not real.

What was in front of him now was the truth, the historical facts.

With white hair all over, they held onto their battle swords till death. They had fought for forty years, how could they forget Great Yan?

"Sacrificing oneself for the nation, seeing death as returning home. The power of a true story cannot be created by even the most skilled storyteller," Qiao Mu glanced at the storyteller beside him and said slowly.

Storyteller Clairvoyance was momentarily stunned, then nodded slowly.

In front of these brave Great Yan soldiers, who were willing to die for their country, he realized that he had used rhetoric to penetrate their defenses… and felt a sense of shame.

Between life and death, there is great terror!

Regardless of which era it is, those who dare to courageously sacrifice their lives and face this great terror are very few.

Very few, but never extinct.

In the vast Jiu Province, from ancient times until now, there has always been a group of true heroes who have faith and willingly give their lives.

The soldiers guarding the borders, the troops defending the territory.

The scholars who raised their coffins to advise against wrongdoing, the military commanders who died in battle.

Their names are recorded in history, and these figures have been passed down through the ages, running through the entire ancient history of Jiu Province.

This is the power of reality, a magnificent epic that even a skilled storyteller like Clairvoyance cannot compose!

"Storyteller of Tide Listening Building, are you satisfied with our answer?" Hai Siyuan asked again, his voice echoing in the desert.

"I have nothing more to say." The storyteller kept silent and bowed deeply towards Hai Siyuan.

He surrendered.

"Captain Hai, he has nothing more to say, but I still have something to ask," Qiao Mu spoke up at this moment.

"I want to ask Martial Saint… the former General Li, why he can live while you all can only wait to die in this lonely city?" Qiao Mu’s eyes were piercing.

He had witnessed and challenged Martial Saint before, and now, upon encountering the remnants of the Great Yan army, he felt it was unworthy for them.

"Martial Saint was the only survivor among the hundred thousand army of Great Yan who invaded Immortal Gate forty years ago. He even obtained General Li Changge’s ‘Spiritual Technique.’ Why was it him who survived and not you?"

As soon as these words were spoken.

The elderly soldiers’ gazes changed, becoming quite complicated.

Within Anxi City, there were indeed outsiders, but they were extremely rare.

And they have heard about the things that the former General Li, now known as the Martial Saint, has done.

They know very little about the outside world’s Jiu Province, but not nothing.

Especially when it comes to the Martial Saint.

"General Li is definitely not a deserter…." Captain Hai’s gaze turned deep as he recalled the events from many years ago:

"I happen to know the reason behind why he possesses General Li’s ‘Spiritual Technique.’"

"Back then, even though I was just a Sixth-ranked Captain in the army, I was the son of the Minister of Rites. So, there are some things that I know as well."

………..

In the vast desert forty years ago, outside a solitary city.

Inside a large tent, two generals erupted into a fierce argument.

"Li Changge, you are underestimating me, Martial Saint! I, Martial Saint, am not afraid of death. If you can die, why can’t I? Is it logical for soldiers to fight to the death while the marshal flees alone?"

The Martial Saint, in his prime, had a tall and sturdy figure like a tower, with eyes as cold as lightning, exuding an astonishing aura.

In comparison, Li Changge appeared more gentle, with starry eyes, sword-like eyebrows, fair complexion, and a scholarly air. However, her presence was no weaker than that of the Martial Saint.

"Brother Wu, stop acting tough here! Hurry, let’s go! What meaning is there to die at the hands of these inhumans? You are the strongest among the hundred thousand troops, with the greatest hope!"

"Why don’t you go? Li Changge, isn’t there a beloved wife waiting for you at home?"

"Do you think I don’t want to leave? If it weren’t for your superior martial arts aptitude and greater hope, why would I need to rely on you to escape? By that time, I’ll definitely run faster than you!"

Li Changge twisted her mustache and stared wide-eyed, leaving Martial Saint speechless for a moment.

"Brother Wu! I hope that Brother Wu will consider Jiu Province’s interests and the interests of the world," Li Changge clasped her hands and said again.

"To die is simple. It is much harder to endure humiliation and silently hide away…"

"The tactics and strategies of our army are not significant in the face of inhuman beings. In my opinion, the hope of Jiu Province lies in martial arts… not the martial arts of today, but the martial arts of the future."

"At 45 years old, you are already the eleventh best martial artist in the world. If you hadn’t been distracted by your official duties and studying tactics, your achievements in martial arts would have been even higher! In this respect, I am not as good as you."

"Great Yan needs a pioneer in martial arts, not a general who dies at the hands of inhuman beings. Among the hundred thousand troops, no one is more suitable than you to be the pioneer of martial arts."

Martial Saint remained silent for a long time.

"Even so, I cannot abandon the hundred thousand soldiers…" he hesitated.

Li Changge didn’t say anything, she just walked to the front of the large tent and lifted the curtain of the tent door.

Outside the door curtain, there were many military officers waiting in the tent, about a hundred of them. Among them was the young military lieutenant Hai Siyuan.

"Please, General Li, escape," said one officer.

"If the general stays in this place, he will surely meet his death. With the general’s talents, if he escapes and focuses on studying martial arts, perhaps many years later, there will be hope for martial arts in the world and Jiu Province will have a chance!"

"Here are 100,000 elite soldiers from Jiu Province, each willing to sacrifice themselves for our country!" The other soldiers also spoke up, causing a commotion in the tent.

"General Li, it’s fine if you leave, but please help the rest of us 100,000 soldiers to survive!"

"Please, General Li, save yourself!"

"Please, General Li, save yourself!"

Martial Saint’s face was met with hundreds of eyes. The soldiers’ words started off chaotic but gradually became unified and orderly.

Inside the tent, Li Changge also made a move. He took out a prepared package and handed it to Martial Saint.

"You even prepared the package? Keeping it a secret from your commander?"

"What’s inside this package… ‘Spiritual Technique’?"

Inside the package Li Changge gave him were not just water and food supplies, but a series of martial arts manuals with ‘Spiritual Technique’ as the leading one.

"This was gathered by the soldiers…it was urgent and there was not enough time to collect much. And no one had their secret manuals with them when they went on the expedition, so these are just recently transcribed parts, not very complete…"

"What does this mean?"

"This is a little bit of provisions for the pioneers of martial arts. Immortal cultivation is strong while martial arts are weak, if we martial artists want to progress, we can’t cherish our belongings!"

Martial Saint didn’t say anything else, he just silently picked up his baggage, mounted his horse, and rode off into the distance, with the gaze of the soldiers following him.

He was not a hesitant person, so once he saw the soldiers’ determination to die, he naturally wouldn’t let them down.

Before they even left the main camp, the sky to the west was covered in dark clouds, with lightning crisscrossing through the clouds, and a majestic voice came from the clouds, echoing through the sky.

The inhumans from the Nine Immortal Gates have arrived!

"The inhumans are attacking…" Li Changge mounted her horse, leading many soldiers, pointing their swords at the rainbow lights in the sky:

"The sons of Great Yan, follow me in battle, for General Li’s cause!"

"Take care, General Li!"

A Martial Saint rode a horse and thunderous roars followed him, shaking the heavens with cries of battle.

He didn’t look back, but silently took off his general’s helmet and threw it onto the sandy ground.

"Don’t call me ‘general’ anymore."

"From now on, there is no General Li in this world, only the Martial Saint," he whispered to himself, making a vow.

"Soldiers, when I return, I will already be a Martial Saint."

"If not a saint, then a beast!"

A fleeting flash of lightning illuminated the sky, as well as the solemn and sorrowful expression on the face of the Martial Saint.

"If being gentle and humble can deal with the inhumane, then I can also be a saint."

"However, the iron rule of this world is still survival of the fittest, with the strong overpowering the weak and disregarding the laws of civility."

"Survival of the fittest is not the path of a saint, but rather the path of a beast!"

Sheep eat grass, wolves eat sheep, and tigers eat wolves.

The weak can only be food, while the strong can enjoy a lavish life and be high above all!

From now on.

He wanted to become the most savage creature in the Jiu Province, treating the weak as food, and embarking on a path covered with blood and thorns.

…………..

After listening to the story about Martial Saint, Qiao Mu also pondered.

Clairvoyance sighed:

"Surprisingly, the Martial Saint had such a past… People might have thought that he was born a wicked demon who ate people whole."

"General Li in his prime and the Martial Saint in his old age were almost like two different people."

"Forty years is a long time, and it’s hard to say whether it was his strong determination or the despair of the long years that drove him mad…"

Clairvoyance didn’t hide her disgust towards the Martial Saint.

He had respect for the lone soldier guarding the deserted city for forty years, but his feelings towards the Martial Saint were completely different.

With forty years of bloody killings in the martial world, sacrificing a whole generation of martial arts heroes, this was a path stained with uncleanable blood.

Without a doubt, among those who died directly or indirectly at the hands of the Martial Saint, there were the relatives and loved ones of one hundred thousand elite soldiers from Great Yan.

The martial world and the royal court of Great Yan were not completely opposed. Among the one hundred thousand soldiers, many came from prestigious martial arts families that had already been wiped out by the Martial Saint.

Hai Siyuan remained silent. He didn’t comment on the Martial Saint, but instead recounted a past experience.

"The matter is finished." Hai Siyuan looked at the stone forest outside the city, lost in thought.

"Mr. Qiao, next, I would like to ask for your help." Hai Siyuan said.

Instead of bringing Qiao Mu into the city, he brought him to the stone forest outside the city to pay respects to the spirits and share their stories, satisfying Qiao Mu’s curiosity. Naturally, there was a reason for it.

At this time, Qiao Mu had not yet entered the city, but Hai Siyuan had already explained the situation of this lone army.

"Help with what? You can tell me." Qiao Mu said.

"I would like to ask Mr. Qiao to play a role." After pondering for a moment, Hai Siyuan said:

"I hope Mr. Qiao will pretend to be a current high-ranking officer of Great Yan, representing Great Yan entering the city, and deceive the residents by claiming that the Great Yan reinforcement army is coming and that you are the vanguard."

Qiao Mu was initially taken aback, then looked at Hai Siyuan in astonishment.

"Spread lies to the people of this isolated city? Are you trying to find solace in wishful thinking?"

Hai Siyuan was silent.

Before, he asked Qiao Mu if the Great Yan Emperor still cared about the soldiers and civilians trapped in this city, but the answer he received was silence.

He no longer held any hope for the Great Yan Imperial Court.

But this isolated city cannot be without hope.

The more difficult the times, the more isolated and helpless they become, the more precious hope becomes.

Of the initial 100,000 elite soldiers who managed to hold on until now, one source of hope was given by the Martial Saint.

"Out of the 100,000 elite soldiers, now there are only 300 elderly soldiers left. We have defended this city for forty years, but manpower is ultimately limited. How much longer can we hold on with just 300 elderly soldiers?" Captain Hai said in a deep voice.

"After forty years of isolation, we have no way out," he continued.

"If we are destined to die, and our time is near, then before the entire city falls, why not let the soldiers and civilians in the city have a little more hope?"