Dragon Canon

They were winding their way westward in massive numbers. It was inevitable that they would attract attention.

Wei Yuan had dispersed most of his men among the prisoners’ ranks, using them to help the ordinary soldiers move faster. His core group of fifty cavalrymen were standing guard on the periphery and patrolling the area.

They encountered numerous scouts on their way to the west—some were horse bandits, while others were Western Jin troops. The horse bandit scouts usually vanished the moment they spotted a masked rider, but the royal scouts were far more brazen. Some were even trailing them at a leisure pace from a few li behind.

The brazen scouts were typically border troops from the north. They operated in groups of two or three, and all of them were Dao Foundation-stage cultivators.

Although there wasn’t any real conflict between Wei Yuan and the northern frontier troops of Western Jin, that didn’t mean he would tolerate them riding roughshod over him. So, he dispatched three masked riders to engage them in a three-on-three confrontation.

True to form, the three Dao Foundation stage scouts were beyond brazen. Instead of fleeing, they defiantly charged toward his masked riders instead. However, they had clearly underestimated their opponents and were slain in an instant.

The masked riders tied the spies’ corpses to their warhorses and dragged them back. Consequently, no one dared to follow them anymore.

In truth, the two sides were roughly equal in cultivation and numbers. However, Wei Yuan was supporting his men from behind, empowering each of them with a wisp of fortune and doubling their strength. That was why the battle had turned into a one-sided rout.

Wei Yuan also used the corpses of the three scouts to warn the northern frontier troops to not cross the line, or he would surely chop off their claws.

The next day, as dusk approached, a small pavilion suddenly appeared ahead of the group. A scholar was sipping tea inside, accompanied by a maidservant and an elderly servant.

Wei Yuan clearly remembered there was no pavilion on this road, not to mention it was highly unlikely for such a structure to exist in the Shattered Realm. And yet one had suddenly appeared, and the people inside were clearly waiting for him.

Wei Yuan ordered his men to keep moving while he spurred his horse to the edge of the pavilion. He then dismounted and stepped under the roof.

The middle-aged scholar rose and smiled. “This marquis has been waiting here for some time. I have long heard of your fame, Realm Lord Wei, and seeing you today, I see that heroes really do emerge from youth[1]. On the other hand, we oldies have clearly wasted our years in vain.”

Wei Yuan bowed respectfully and said, “Your elegance is unparalleled and rarely seen in the world, marquis.”

The Xiang Marquis laughed heartily and said, “Let us spare each other the flattery, shall we? Please, take a seat so we may speak.”

Wei Yuan sat down at the table but positioned himself slightly askew to avoid having his back facing toward the elderly servant.

The Xiang Marquis asked, “Where is the item?”

Wei Yuan waved his hand, and two masked riders carried over a chest and placed it outside the pavilion. The elderly servant went over to open the chest, rummaging through it until he found an ink box. He then returned to the pavilion, set it on the table, and retreated behind the Xiang Marquis. Now Wei Yuan could finally sit up straight.

The marquis opened the ink box. Inside the box lay half an inkstone. Its surface was engraved with pine and bamboo and lacquered in gold. As soon as the box was opened, a wondrous fragrance wafted out and caused the Great Realm to tremble faintly.

The marquis closed the inkstone box and asked, “Do you know what this is?”

Wei Yuan replied honestly, “I do not.”

The Xiang Marquis stared at the ink box for a few moments—seemingly lost in old memories—before starting, “Ten years ago, the rebellion led by Wu Fuling, the Weiyuan[2] Marquis of Zhao, came to light, and hundreds were implicated. In the end, over one hundred and thirty people were imprisoned and convicted, and eight thousand family members were banished or exiled. Three years ago, General Wu and seven of his subordinates were finally executed.

“This marquis was present during the battle to capture General Wu. It was such a fierce battle that the heavens seemed to shatter, and the sun and moon had lost their light. Feel free to laugh at me, but General Wu had long since attained the rank of True Lord. Therefore, this marquis only dared to hide far on the fringes of the battlefield and offer minor assistance. In other words, I was just there to smooch some merits.”

Internally, Wei Yuan raised his estimation of the Xiang Marquis by a notch. Anyone capable of providing “minor assistance” in a life-or-death battle against a True Lord could not be an ordinary man. He did not interrupt, waiting quietly for the Xiang Marquis to continue his story. The man could not have suddenly recounted an episode from his past without a deeper meaning.

The Xiang Marquis placed his hand on the ink box and stroked it gently, continuing, “The Xiang Marquis’ seven subordinates have all fought in war for many years. Their Avatars were overflowing with bloodthirst and massacre. The essence and lifeblood of the Weiyuan Marquis, his seven subordinates, as well as all of the death row prisoners, are all contained inside it.”

His finger tapped the inkstone lightly.

Wei Yuan’s eyebrows shot up, and he was about to slam his hand on the table and rise to his feet. However, he stopped himself halfway and slowly lowered it again.

An approving look flashed in the Xiang Marquis’ eyes, and he continued, “This inkstone was crafted by the State of Zhao. The method of its creation is a closely guarded secret, known only to the royal bloodline. Any dictum and incantation inscribed using the ink of this inkstone will boast unimaginable power and manifest all manner of extraordinary phenomena. Of course, most importantly, it is an essential item for His Majesty’s cultivation of a certain secret art.

“Since this item has passed through your hands, the blame and karmic consequences have also fallen on you. But in doing so, you have also caught His Majesty’s eye—it is as if you had performed a service for him. Though this merit is small, it lies deep in His Majesty’s heart and will serve as the foundation of your standing in the court in the days to come.”

Wei Yuan understood that the Xiang Marquis’ offer to him to win him over, but for him, it was not enough.

The Xiang Marquis opened the ink box again, scraped off a grain-sized piece of ink with his fingernail, and handed it to Wei Yuan. He said, “Keep this safe. In time, an opportunity will present itself to you, and you will need this to unlock it. I noticed that your foundation is vast but impure. If you seize this opportunity well, you may gain a bit of foundation and origin qi.”

Wei Yuan put away the grain of blood-ink away before replying, “I won’t accept a reward without having earned it. What do you need me to do, marquis?”

“For now, there is no rush. You need only focus on developing your realm. If, within thirty years, you are able to become a feudal vassal commanding a powerful army, that will be the best reward for me.”

Wei Yuan nodded. “I’ll do my best not to disappoint you.”

With that, he prepared to rise and take his leave. Somewhat taken aback, the Xiang Marquis asked, “If you have anything else to say, please speak freely, Realm Lord Wei.”

Wei Yuan paused for a moment before replying, “I’d like something tangible, marquis.”

“Ask away.”

Wei Yuan answered, “My realm is short on grain, and people are already starving to death. So, I’d like some grain to address the emergency. I’m not asking for much—just five million catties is enough.”

The Xiang Marquis’ smile froze on his face, but he quickly regained his composure and replied, “The state’s harvests have been rather poor in recent years. The military rations are being closely monitored by all parties as well. Moreover, the Shattered Realm is a war-torn region that’s being subjected to even stricter controls. Even I would find it difficult to handle such a large quantity of military provisions.”

Wei Yuan said, “I understand. I’ll reduce the amount then. How does two million catties sound?”

The Xiang Marquis’ smile remained unchanged. He picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and set it back down.

Wei Yuan understood his meaning immediately and said again, “Okay, how about five hundred thousand catties?”

The Xiang Marquis gently stroked the white jade ring on his thumb and said, “What if I give you a sum of immortal silver to cover your military expenses?”

Wei Yuan sighed. “What’s the point if I can’t buy grain with it? How about two hundred thousand catties?”

The Xiang Marquis offered, “I shall give you ten thousand military ration pills. How does that sound?”

“Thank you, marquis!” Wei Yuan rose to his feet and gave the marquis a bow. He then left the pavilion, mounted his horse, and rode off into the distance without hesitation.

When Wei Yuan was out of sight, the old servant grunted unhappily and said, “That lad has no idea what’s good for him!”

Even the maidservant was asking, “Why on earth does he want those burdensome things? Twenty thousand catties of grain isn’t worth much at all.”

The Xiang Marquis replied slowly, “The state has suffered consecutive years of poor harvests, and grain is currently tightly controlled everywhere. In some places, the local officials have even come to blows over it. By insisting on obtaining grain from me, he’s testing whether we can handle the local authorities. Besides, even if we do have grain, we still need to get it through the Ningxi administration, and that world wholly belongs to the border troops at the moment.

“That is why he stubbornly demanded grain to test our influence among the local officials and connections within the military. Haha, he’s a cunning one for sure.”

The old servant said, “The lad has a voracious appetite and an unruly amount of defiance. I’m afraid he won’t be easy to tame.”

The Xiang Marquis smiled faintly and said, “The fact that he remained unmoved by the sight of the blood ink is already proof of his ambition and formidability. However, if he thinks this will stump us, he is greatly underestimating this marquis. In time, when the opportunity arises, he will naturally come to understand what we can offer him.”

1. An idiom. ☜

2. Meaning Imposing+Far. ☜