Chapter 943 - 424: Every Great Battle Begins with a War of Words, Surging Qi, and a Letter from the Commandery Princess?

Chapter 943: Chapter 424: Every Great Battle Begins with a War of Words, Surging Qi, and a Letter from the Commandery Princess?

At this moment, Li Xian personally rode to Tongji Square to find the missing Wang Family, brandishing the Tiger Python Order of the Gold Appraisal Guard. The family was astonished; the head of the household was a middle-aged man in his forties, running a noodle shop on the street—a family healthy and secure, not wealthy but without want. The man never imagined that his minor incident would alarm the Gold Appraisal Guard. Learning that Li Xian was here specifically to investigate the disappearance left him even more anxious, speaking hesitantly, fearing that any mistake could lead to not only losing his young daughter but also embroiling the whole family in a larger case, endangering their lives.

Li Xian spoke gently, offering reassurance to ease the man’s anxiety. With his ability to avoid impurities and his cultivation of the Five Viscera Avoiding Dross and Gathering Yang Scripture, he naturally inspired closeness, swiftly calming the man’s emotions. Gradually, they were able to converse normally. It turned out that his daughter, around thirteen or fourteen years old, named Wang Xiaomian, had shown extraordinary talent in the Civil Dao, possessing a photographic memory since childhood. The family, recognizing her talent, exhausted their savings to send her to study at Jiyin Academy. Around early June, Wang Xiaomian left and never returned, disappearing completely. The family immediately reported it due to their Yu People background, and the case was quickly taken up by a Workshop Officer who investigated the surrounding neighborhoods and questioned the family’s enemies, using these as leads for inquiry, all to no avail. The case stalled for several days, but the Wang Family, unable to give up, knelt at the government office with their entire family.

The County Captain of the Ximen County Government Office, Kong Li, disregarded this minor missing case, rejecting it several times. However, the Wang Family, deeply loving their daughter, refused to relent, kneeling persistently. County Chief Tian Sanfang of Ximen County saw the prolonged matter risked creating a bad influence, hence ordered Kong Li to take over the case. Whether due to incompetence, intentional indifference, or other reasons, Kong Li found no leads and reported it to the Gold Appraisal Guard.

The matter should have concluded there. Such a Tier One Task was beneath the Gold Appraisal Guard’s notice, a mere waste of time with little benefit. The Wang Family, having abandoned hope, turned to praying. Coincidentally, with Li Xian’s promotion, it caught attention once more.

Once Li Xian clarified the situation, he rode back to the square representative, showing the Tiger Python Order to borrow the case files. Servants at the square promptly delivered them, treating him with respect. After a brief review, he had some ideas and mounted again toward the Ximen County Government Office.

Summoning Kong Li to review the records of the time, Kong Li saw Li Xian again, suspecting this was another demonstration of his authority, visiting frequently to flaunt his status. His anger burned like a volcano, thinking that though Li Xian was from the Gold Appraisal Guard, Kong Li himself was the County Captain of Ximen County, a reputable figure. In terms of status, he believed himself superior by many counts. This time, he would no longer tolerate it, directly saying: "You scoundrel, wait until you attain a mud rank before speaking to me like this!"

Li Xian produced the Tiger Python Order, and as a "Gold Commander" order, the tiger claws and python mouth bore a layer of gold lacquer. Startled, Kong Li realized Li Xian had become a Gold Commander involved in the investigation. Yet, he continued to suppress him with his status, refusing cooperation. If word spread, it would not bode well for Kong Li either. However, complying left him feeling vexed; his old injuries were healed, and he pondered that although the Kong Family was not a big clan, it had some power. Amidst it all, he proposed a demand: to duel Li Xian on the arena. If he won, Li Xian would be driven out of the government office. Should Li Xian prevail, they would discuss lending the files.

The outcome of the match was evident. Kong Li, all bluster, was indeed a blowhard, arrogant and conceited. Despite not truly losing, he consistently believed himself superior. As the duel commenced, Li Xian drew his Horizontal Saber, employing the Dubhe Saber Technique, overwhelming Kong Li who struggled to cope. Kong Li had commendable martial skills, but having lost the initiative, every attempt to counterattack was preempted by Li Xian, whose sword technique pressed fiercely upon him, allowing no reprieve. Before long, Kong Li was forced into a steady retreat.

No matter how adept his martial arts, when faced with Basic Knife Technique, he found no opportunity to unleash his skills. Li Xian’s reaction, strength, and observation far surpassed others, making even the simplest martial arts yield extraordinary results.

In the end, Kong Li was battered, old wounds reopened, new ones incurred. His arms broken, spinal bone shattered, he collapsed, unable to rise, his face slashed several times, two fingers severed. Were it not for Li Xian’s intention to investigate, he could have easily taken his life. Bloodied and enraged, Kong Li fainted, spitting up blood.

Li Xian then instructed a servant to bring the county office’s files. Upon perusing them, an understanding emerged on his face. Although Kong Li was incompetent, once assigned to the case, he did indeed conduct inquiries. However, leads broke off abruptly at one point, leading Li Xian to surmise an indispensable connection to Jiyin Academy.

Jiyin Academy, throughout the Great Wu, is a monolithic and majestic institution, home to numerous individuals with fortune. Whenever a great nation waged war, whether internally or externally, involving tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands in battle, a literary trial of fortunes was necessary, where both sides engaged in fierce debate, maligning the enemy. With arguments based on morality, public sentiment, the world, and societal norms, they rationalized the campaign as a divine mission, a righteous endeavor led by a legitimate army.

Victors would find fortune favoring them, granting mastery over time and space, capable of prevailing against greater numbers, transforming defeats into victories. Losers, devoid of fortune, suffered weakened morale, beginning the battle already disadvantaged.

Once, a Celestial Official of the Great Wu Dynasty, Fu Haoran, single-handedly repelled entire armies, personally gracing the battlefield, his words sharp as blades, wielding his fortune to instill panic in the enemy ranks, leading to their collapse and securing a grand victory for the Great Wu Dynasty.

The Great Wu Dynasty also once sought to invade and forcibly annex Jade City. Scholars and men of distinction from Jiyin Academy used fortune as a measure, vehemently condemning the Great Wu Dynasty. Having lost the literary battle, the dynasty’s subsequent forcible invasion met with no divine favor, finding fortune absent. Despite fortune being intangible, affecting vast armies of tens of thousands, the influence of unseen fortune transforms from the intangible, resulting in myriad misfortunes within the army.