The sword sacrifice was held as a separate ceremony, scheduled for the end of September. That day, we once again had to gather at the Taihe Palace Square early in the morning. We took our seats according to protocol, but the previous tedious formalities were stripped away, moving straight to the core of the event: summoning the Imperial Spiritual Sword of the Jing Kingdom, the national treasure known as Dake, to be consecrated with the dragon blood of the Crown Prince.
With a solemn expression on his small face, the Crown Prince slowly ascended the platform. He personally drew an ancient sword of dull luster and noble bearing, then resolutely cut a deep gash into his hand, lifting the blade toward the nine heavens.
Blood flowed steadily down the tip of the sword. Suddenly, the winds and clouds shifted violently. The autumn leaves across the mountains shook wildly as a powerful vortex of spiritual energy swirled around the national sword. A faint blue glow began to emanate from the Crown Prince, growing deeper and more concentrated until it was bright and translucent—the exact color of the fundamental spiritual energy of the Wujing Sect!
From the distance, a resonant hum erupted from Tianshan. A deep blue rainbow of light rose from the peach forests at the foot of the mountain, expanding into a massive ring of spiritual energy before suddenly bursting. A holy light enveloped heaven and earth. The spiritual ring drifted and shifted, eventually forming a colossal, perfect circle behind the peak of Tianshan, resembling a magnificent blue moon.
The entire sect knelt in worship, their voices thundering as they wished for the Great Jing to endure for ten thousand generations.
The scene was so overwhelming, possessing a grand and peerless beauty, that I stared in a daze. I forgot to kneel until Zhu Yixin pulled me down. We were both intoxicated by the splendor. After rising from the kowtow, I looked toward Wei Qingming from afar. Her expression was uniquely grim; her eyes held a look of shock, and her lips were slightly parted as if she were about to mutter something to herself, though she caught herself and pressed them thin.
What had happened? The ceremony was an extraordinary success, and the matter she had been busy with all season had finally reached its conclusion. Why was she unhappy instead?
Soon, I understood. Perhaps this was the source of her sorrow: after the sacrifice, the Crown Prince personally read an edict written in beautiful, high-spirited prose. Though it did not state it explicitly, it heavily implied that the Great Jing would raise its banners for a northern expedition against the Shiying Kingdom. The resonance between the national sword and the Tianshan defense line was framed as the will of Heaven!
It turned out that Wei Qingming’s efforts to keep the Crown Prince in the north were intended to delay the sacrifice and the conscription of troops. By dragging the matter through the summer, the short autumn and the frozen winters of the northern border would make warfare impossible, thus delaying the conflict until at least next spring...
As the ceremony ended, I didn't wait for the orderly exit. I gathered my skirts and ran to the group of Wujing Sect disciples, asking her in a low, anxious voice, "This is so sudden. How could this happen?"
The disciples of the Daoist sects were usually indifferent to worldly affairs, yet even they were stirred into a fervor by the declaration of war. One could only imagine how the common people would react when they learned of this heavenly omen!
Wei Qingming had already regained her composure. She silently turned the seal of the Emissary on her finger and said nothing. It wasn't until the crowds had dispersed and we reached a quiet, secluded spot that she spoke with cold melancholy. "An auspicious omen should not have looked like that."
I was jolted by the realization. This had all been a calculated move. The Emperor wanted a righteous cause for war, so he must have secretly instructed Feng Zhen to manufacture an omen. This was why this year’s national sacrifice had to be held at the foot of Tianshan. Judging by Wei Qingming’s attitude, her stance was highly aligned with Eunuch Feng’s—neither of them supported initiating border conflicts or lightly starting a war. They certainly would not have allowed the Tianshan omen to reach such a scale. The fact that the edict read by the Crown Prince only mentioned drifting clouds and singing birds—standard empty rhetoric—without a single word about the "Holy Light Blue Auspice" was proof enough.
Someone was pushing for war... Had the Emperor bypassed the Yingzhao Temple to make other arrangements, or was someone else pulling the strings entirely?
I finally understood why she had been so despondent on the day of the purification rite. I understood why she had said with such dejection that "reaching the Emperor's ears is fraught with a thousand obstacles," and I understood her feeling of watching a disaster approach while being powerless to stop it.
And so, the Tianshan Meet arrived. The holy light of Tianshan remained bright even at night, refusing to dissipate for a month. In addition to that pale blue full moon, a streak of white light gradually formed at the summit of Tianshan. It was like the piercing cry of a skylark soaring through the clouds, or like the national sword held by the Crown Prince that day, pointing straight into the sky. Set against the blue moon, it looked like a white-robed goddess of war pointing her sword toward the frontier.
The tournament grounds were set at Mount Yunchun, the western peak of Mount Tutai, not far south of the sect's borders. A grand fleet of twenty flying vessels carried the disciples of various sects toward the site. The Crown Prince personally requested that Wei Qingming and I ride with him. Seven or eight days had passed since the sacrifice, and news of the Holy Light Blue Auspice had spread across the fourteen provinces. Coupled with the edict—a portion of which the Crown Prince had written himself and which had been praised by the Hanlin scholars—his spirits were high, his pride evident in every gesture.
Seeing Wei Qingming, he asked with a smile, "Teacher, how long do you think it will take for the northern expedition to achieve total victory?"
Wei Qingming lowered her eyes and replied, "A victory would be a monumental achievement for His Majesty. However, since ancient times, the hegemonic ambitions of emperors are rarely fulfilled in haste."
"Oh." The Crown Prince seemed not to expect her to gently deflect the most exciting part of the topic. He paused for a moment, then laughed. "Even if we must wait three or five years, I will be an adult by then and can personally take to the battlefield!"
"What does Your Highness know of Shiying?"
The Crown Prince had naturally read a bellyful of policy essays and began to recite the old arguments of the court officials. Wei Qingming then asked, "Your Highness says that Shiying is divided by feuding lords, its trade routes are blocked, and banditry is rampant. Where did this information come from?"
"From the *Records of the Northern Embassy of the Tianshun Era*, of course," the Crown Prince answered instantly. "My father said it was the only large-scale embassy sent to both the northern and southern kingdoms during my grandfather's reign. This account was written by the Deputy Envoy, Qin Dianmao—the famous talent Qin Liangjing, known for his 'Rhapsodies on the Two Capitals.'"
"How many years has it been since that account was written?"
"That... roughly fifty years?"
"Sixty-two years," Wei Qingming said. "To highlight the hardships of his mission and glorify his achievements, Qin Dianmao described the situation with slight exaggeration, filling pages with mere rhetoric. Shortly after the embassy returned, Yan Shina, the Marquis of Gaozhen among the Shiying lords, annexed the four southern marquises, seizing a third of the territory. His sphere of influence reached the northern foothills of Tianshan. His son, the new Marquis of Gaozhen, Yan Yuqi, has thoroughly cleared the bandits. Today, the prosperity within their borders is no less than that of Qing and Han Provinces. Their capital, Bija City, though far from matching our two capitals, is not inferior to Jiangdu in Yue Province."
The Crown Prince was stunned. He subconsciously said, "The court officials never mentioned this..."
Because the three mountain defense lines of the northern border were impregnable, the Jing Kingdom had very little contact with the Shiying Kingdom. Compared to the massive annual trade with the Leitian Kingdom, the recent state of Shiying had become unknown to the people of Jing.
"The documents Your Highness mentioned from the Tianshun era are the most recent records. The older ones date back three to five hundred years," Wei Qingming said calmly. "The fortunes of the Great Jing are rising, but other nations are not standing still either."
The Crown Prince seemed momentarily discouraged, staring blankly toward the north through the Tianshan omen. Wei Qingming softened her tone and smiled slightly. "Besides, if Your Highness wishes to personally take the head of an enemy commander, you must work hard to master these eighteen forms of the Taichi Demon-Subduing Swordplay."
"Of course!" At the mention of this, the Crown Prince smiled with pride again. "The ceremony is over, and I have been practicing my sword for over five hours a day. Once we disembark, I shall show you, Teacher. Oh! You must also prepare for the competition, Teacher. I won't trouble you these next few days; we shall speak after the matches."
"It is no trouble," Wei Qingming replied with a smile.
The Crown Prince gave a solemn bow. "I am grateful for your teachings today as well. Cao Huan thanks you, Teacher. Only you speak to me with such sincerity. I wonder if my father is aware of the enemy's situation; I must write a letter to inquire. The other day, when you taught me Mozi, you said that for a state to govern is to seize the people's resources and discard their interests. I have taken it all to heart."
"There is no need to write and ask; simply say that all is well," Wei Qingming returned the bow. "Your Highness, there is no need for thanks."
The "little adult" left with a face full of joy and admiration, heading to the bow of the ship to watch how the immortals steered the vessel. I giggled and tugged at Wei Qingming’s sleeve. "Lord Wei certainly knows how to coax a child. The Crown Prince smiles so warmly whenever he sees you."
Wei Qingming smiled and said, "His Highness is indeed extraordinary. His soul is naturally powerful, nearly two minor realms higher than his own cultivation."
"No wonder! When the First Senior Brother cast his spell during the Sacred Birthday Festival, the Prince didn't fully lose consciousness. Otherwise, he wouldn't have witnessed Daoist Wei’s martial prowess."
"To be honest, I did have my doubts at first—wondering if the Tianshan omen was an accident triggered by the Prince's overly strong soul." Wei Qingming raised a hand to rub her temples. "But after searching through the records and discussing it with Martial Uncle Lyu several times, that possibility is almost non-existent."
As she spoke, a cold smirk touched her lips. "In all the years I, Wei Tian, have lived, the thing I believe in least is an accident."
Then someone had designed this from behind the scenes. I stood on my tiptoes to move her hand away and gently massaged her temples. She smiled again. "Does Azhi know the origin of the Dake national sword?"
"Hmm... The sword the Great Ancestor used to slay the white snake during the uprising? The Empress Dowager even ordered that play during the Sacred Birthday Festival."
"The white snake was a thousand-year-old great demon; it wasn't that easy to slay." Wei Qingming winked enigmatically. "Dake is actually one of the fragments of the Shoushan Sword. Every royal heir must touch this sword and undergo a trial. If their resonance isn't strong enough, they are not qualified to inherit the throne."
I was shocked. "No wonder it can resonate with Tianshan. The Shoushan Sword was practically the personal weapon of Founder Ni Tian!"
"Yes," Wei Qingming said. "Actually, this ability isn't exclusive to the royal family. Xu Xingze’s grandfather could also resonate with Dake, and his strength even exceeded that of the late Emperor."
So that’s why he lost his life... and why Xu Xingze wrote that play, *The Qilin Hunt*. But then I thought something was wrong—could a sword like that be touched just by anyone? Even if Xu Yingda grew up with the late Emperor, he wouldn't have been allowed to touch the national sword, would he?
It was late autumn, and Mount Yunchun was dyed in red leaves, looking like a basin of overturned charcoal. The arenas for the Tianshan Meet had already been set up. From a distance, thirty-two white jade platforms floated around Mount Yunchun like a freshly placed set of white Go stones, surrounded by a ring of eighteen black stones. I tugged at Wei Qingming’s sleeve repeatedly, loath to leave her for my own quarters. I even thought about turning invisible and sneaking into her room to sleep at night, but I was worried about her condition for tomorrow's match. In the end, I behaved and left.
I wandered absentmindedly through the bustling crowd disembarking from the ships, but she soon caught up and embraced me. I turned around and buried myself in her arms happily. "You must get a good night's sleep tonight," I said, resting my forehead against her shoulder.
"It's only the preliminary rounds. Why are you more nervous than I am?" she teased. "I'm not worried about you at all. Who knows, maybe we'll meet in the finals."
I couldn't help but laugh. "Me? Defeating all those experts at the peak of the late stage?"
"It's very possible." She nodded solemnly. "If I meet you, I'll drop my blade and surrender."
"Haha! For that scene alone, I'll have to give it my all, won't I?" After laughing, I clicked my tongue. Her tone was too sincere; I truly believed she would kneel and admit defeat to me. "But please don't. I'm afraid I wouldn't make it out of the Wujing Sect's territory alive... I'd either be assassinated by the Sect Leader for shaming him, or cursed to death by ten million love rivals!"
There were nearly three thousand participants. Disciples of the orthodox Daoist sects made up more than a third, and there were many rogue cultivators who followed the Dao as well. After all, the founding State Preceptor was from a Daoist sect! The preliminary rounds were simple and brutal: a king-of-the-hill style challenge lasting seven days. At the end, whoever stood on a white platform would enter the top thirty-two, and then they would duel in pairs to determine the champion. Those on the black platforms would be ranked thirty-third to fiftieth; the next round of matches would only be among them to settle their rankings, and they would be excluded from the finals. Experts of Wei Qingming and Yan Mingqiu’s level didn't even plan to step onto the stage for the first few days... Of course, the vast majority of people would be eliminated, but the duration of one's defense and the number of opponents defeated would be calculated into a comprehensive score. Based on this score, the top three hundred would all receive significant rewards.
The "big fish" wouldn't move for the first three days, waiting until the fourth day to start eating the "shrimp." From the fourth day onward, the situation would turn chaotic. Those remaining could only be at the late stage of Cloud-Swallowing or above. The goal for those in the middle stage was merely to break into the top three hundred. Since challengers could repeat their attempts, some platforms changed hands with terrifying frequency, shifting almost every two hours... Yes, the rules set by the refined Wujing Sect were surprisingly savage: the defense lasted seven consecutive days, including the nights.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
大克 | Dake | The national sword of the Jing Kingdom; also means "Great Conqueror" or "Great Restraint."
矢鹰 | Shiying | Literally "Arrow Eagle," a kingdom to the north of the Jing Kingdom.
英招 | Yingzhao | Likely referring to the Yingzhao Temple (英招寺), an imperial institution.
图泰山 | Mount Tutai | The mountain where the Tianshan Meet is held.
允春山 | Mount Yunchun | A peak of Mount Tutai.
太赤伏魔剑法 | Taichi Demon-Subduing Swordplay | A sword technique practiced by the Crown Prince.
首山剑 | Shoushan Sword | Literally "Sword of Mount Shou," a legendary weapon.
曹焕 | Cao Huan | The personal name of the Crown Prince.
秦典茂 | Qin Dianmao | A historical figure/scholar mentioned in the text.
秦两京 | Qin Liangjing | The courtesy name or alias of Qin Dianmao.
膏珍侯 | Marquis of Gaozhen | A title among the lords of the Shiying Kingdom.
焉时那 | Yan Shina | A former Marquis of Gaozhen.
焉虞齐 | Yan Yuqi | The current Marquis of Gaozhen.
毕迦城 | Bija City | The capital of the Gaozhen territory in Shiying.
