Chapter 177: Paying Respects to the Prince! Transmission of Power!
If it weren't for the fame of Guo the Chivalrous overshadowing everyone else, the title of "Number One Hero of the Martial World" would have rightfully belonged to Yan Nantian, given how the martial world revered him.
And since the title of "Number One Sword God" had already been claimed by Ximen Chuixue, the master of Plum Blossom Manor, people had no choice but to settle for second-best and call Yan Nantian the "Number One Sword Hero."
Yan Nantian himself didn't care about such titles. He never practiced chivalry for fame or glory; rather, it was the burning passion in his chest that compelled him to draw his sword.
So, when he sensed that Li Gexiao might have been wronged, how could Yan Nantian possibly suppress the fire in his heart?
Li Gexiao had originally not intended to reveal his past to anyone, but Yan Nantian held a special place in his heart.
"My enemy is the current Grand Councilor, the one known as the 'treacherous minister'—Yan Song..."
Li Gexiao slowly recounted the events of that year.
But Yan Nantian clenched his fists before even hearing half of it, his eyes bloodshot as if flames were about to burst out of them.
Jiang Feng was equally incensed.
When Li Gexiao finished, Yan Nantian turned around and struck the courtyard's mud wall with a palm, shattering it with a furious roar. "Such a villain, and the emperor still employs him? What a foolish sovereign!"
Jiang Feng shook his head with a bitter smile. "One could say Yan Song is indeed skilled in the art of officialdom. Though he does evil, the root cause lies with the emperor. After all, can an emperor punish a minister who acts in his interest?"
Yan Nantian sneered. "The founding emperor once said that if the emperor breaks the law, he should be punished just like a commoner. So what if he's the emperor? If he does wrong, does that mean he's not accountable?"
Li Gexiao lowered his head, his expression indifferent. No one knew what he truly felt hearing those words.
Jiang Feng said, "Big Brother, he's the emperor after all. Even if he's wrong, what can you do?"
Yan Nantian was instantly choked with frustration, as if ants were crawling all over his body—unable to scratch the itch, he felt incredibly uncomfortable.
"Lord Li, pack your things. We're going to the capital. If we can't go after the emperor, then we'll go after Yan Song. We'll settle whatever part of this debt we can. I, Yan, will lend you my strength!"
Yan Nantian was a man of his word. If he said it, he'd act on it. But Li Gexiao didn't want to involve him and shook his head. "Master Yan, this is a personal matter. I don't wish to trouble others. One day, I'll settle accounts with that old thief Yan Song myself."
Yan Nantian thought for a moment and nodded. "If Lord Li was able to defeat the Twelve Zodiac Stars and the Mistress of the Palace of Shifting Flowers, then your martial skills must be at an extraordinary level. Indeed, you don't need my help."
Li Gexiao paused, then slapped his leg and burst out laughing. "Master Yan, you're mistaken. At my peak, I could indeed eliminate the Twelve Zodiac Stars, but as for the Mistress of the Palace of Shifting Flowers—I couldn't hope to match her, not even with another twenty years of training."
Jiang Feng laughed awkwardly. "Big Brother, I wasn't talking about Lord Li—I meant someone else."
Yan Nantian scratched his head, confused.
Li Gexiao explained, "It was my young master who defeated the Twelve Zodiac Stars. The Mistress of the Palace of Shifting Flowers was also beaten by him. Shameful as it is to say, I, as a bodyguard, failed to fulfill my duty."
"Young master?!" Yan Nantian frowned, pushing aside the matter of who defeated the palace mistress, and instead questioned with disapproval, "A hero like Lord Li, and he's serving someone as a mere servant? What kind of nonsense is that?"
"I'd very much like to meet this so-called 'hero' who dares command a man like Lord Li."
To him, a righteous official like Li Gexiao, who had always stood up for the people, deserved the utmost respect from any wealthy household. Making him a bodyguard was practically an insult.
"Calling him a bodyguard is already showing him too much respect! This drunkard owes me a mountain of wine debt. If we're being honest, he'd have to sell his rear end to pay it off!"
Chu Yang yawned and lazily stepped out of the thatched cottage, his gaze unfriendly as he looked at Yan Nantian.
So what if you're the Number One Sword Hero?
Say one more word, and I'll twist your mouth crooked.
"Damn, my ass is worth that much?" Li Gexiao sidled up with a cheeky grin. "If worst comes to worst, I'll sell it! You and I go way back, right?"
"Scram, you bastard!" Chu Yang waved his hand dismissively, clearly irritated.
"You're the young master Lord Li mentioned?" Yan Nantian glared at Chu Yang, his voice heavy with dissatisfaction. "Lord Li served the people for years—how could a foul-mouthed brat like you disgrace him so?"
"The Embroidered Guards and the Two Secret Services are nothing but the emperor's hounds. The people avoid them like the plague, and you're talking about serving the people? If they aren't causing harm, that's already a blessing!" Chu Yang sneered.
Back when he and Li Gexiao were both living useless lives in the capital, they'd get drunk and insult each other daily, throwing barbs that pierced right to the heart. So what was there to be offended by now?
Li Gexiao didn't mind in the slightest. He nodded matter-of-factly. "That's indeed the common sentiment. The Embroidered Guards are the hawks, the Two Services are the hounds. But young master, after my teacher took over the Embroidered Guards, the term 'hawks and hounds' gradually faded. Of course, the Two Services are still dogs—there's no disputing that."
Seeing Li Gexiao flatter Chu Yang like this, Yan Nantian felt deeply disappointed. Was this still the same Li Gexiao who once stood up for the people and upheld justice?
He didn't hide his disappointment. Li Gexiao noticed and smiled, saying, "Master Yan, the greatest fortune of my life is serving at my young master's side. If you find my submissive demeanor unpleasant, just don't look."
"Li Gexiao is still the same man. Even if I hadn't taken off the uniform, I'd still bow to the young master without a second thought—and so would all of you."
Yan Nantian sneered, "After all these years, Lord Li, you still underestimate the backbone of Yan Nantian."
Li Gexiao roared with laughter. "Hahaha! Master Yan, this has nothing to do with backbone—it has everything to do with your family."
Yan Nantian looked at him in confusion.
Jiang Feng suddenly seemed to realize something. His body shuddered.
Li Gexiao turned to glance at Chu Yang, who curved his lips into an amused smile and gave a slight nod.
Li Gexiao brushed off his sleeves, face solemn. "Standing before you is the Emperor's younger brother, the virtuous prince personally conferred by the late emperor."
"Master Yan, failing to kneel before royalty is a capital offense in our court!"
The moment those words fell, Jiang Feng was already on his knees, his forehead pressed to the ground as he cried out, "This humble subject Jiang Feng pays his respects to the Prince! May the Prince live for ten thousand years! I was unaware of your identity and have offended you along the way—please forgive me!"
Yan Nantian looked at Chu Yang in disbelief. Though he was hailed as the Number One Sword Hero, at the core he was still a commoner—offending a prince was a capital offense.
What of martial prowess? If an army of a million trampled the martial world underfoot, even the greatest swordsman would die!
Li Gexiao shook his head with a laugh. "Master Yan, now do you believe my backbone is intact?"
Yan Nantian sighed bitterly and lowered his head in resignation, dropping to his knees.
"This humble subject Yan Nantian pays his respects to the Prince!"
This small, painless act of submission was a minor consequence for Yan Nantian's earlier insolence.
Only when his forehead touched the ground did he finally understand the mockery behind Li Gexiao's words.
"Countless people throughout history have defied the law with martial might. If one day you break the imperial code, being the Number One Sword Hero won't save you. Mind your path!"
Chu Yang looked down at Yan Nantian with lazy, sleepy eyes.
Yet Yan Nantian heard the killing intent behind the casual tone, and his heart clenched. Instinctively, his hand moved toward the heavy black iron sword strapped to his back.
If the prince pressed the issue, he was ready to fight—even if it meant turning against Li Gexiao.
He would not surrender, not even to a prince.
"I told you, stop having those foolish thoughts."
Chu Yang vanished from his spot in a flash and reappeared beside Yan Nantian, pressing down heavily on the black iron sword.
Yan Nantian felt a crushing weight descend on his back.
Just as he tried to resist, a terrifying force pressed down on him so hard he couldn't even lift his head.
Boom!
The ground beneath them collapsed, forming a ten-zhang-deep crater.
Yan Nantian knelt inside, his face flushed red, eyes bloodshot, with veins bulging from his neck and temples.
He was like the Monkey King under the Five Elements Mountain, crushed beneath the Buddha's palm, unable to breathe.
"To think he defeated the Mistress of the Palace of Shifting Flowers—so it wasn't luck after all. This terrifying strength is rare in this world, greater even than the natural-born might of battlefield generals."
Yan Nantian fully activated his Martial Garment Divine Art, channeling his true energy throughout his body. Without it, he would've already been crushed into pulp.
But since he hadn't yet grasped the true essence of the technique and hadn't destroyed his cultivation to start anew, the more vigorously he ran the art, the more wildly his domineering energy rampaged inside him, bringing excruciating pain.
In just a few breaths, Yan Nantian was soaked in cold sweat, his face twisted in agony.
Chu Yang had long since released the pressure and now stood to the side, observing his condition.
"Big Brother! What's wrong?!"
Jiang Feng rushed over in panic and held Yan Nantian, sensing the fierce energy churning within him, and couldn't help but gasp.
Was the Martial Garment Divine Art really this violent? How could one possibly calm such a force?
"Your Highness, has Master Yan gone berserk from energy deviation?"
Li Gexiao didn't know Yan Nantian practiced the Martial Garment Divine Art and assumed that he had forced his energy to counter Chu Yang's pressure and suffered internal damage.
"No. The martial art he practices is extremely domineering. It requires him to transfer all his power to another, destroy his foundation, and start over. Only by doing so can the sharpness within his true energy be tempered, allowing him to freely control and use it at will."
Amidst his suffering, Yan Nantian suddenly opened his eyes, staring intensely at Chu Yang as if provoked.
"You're looking at me like I want your internal energy or something." Chu Yang snapped impatiently. "The Martial Garment Divine Art is known as a Zen approach to martial cultivation—you're supposed to comprehend it on your own, awaken to your true nature, and let go of everything. It's perfectly natural to be unwilling to abandon the inner strength you've spent decades building. Whether you can come to terms with that is up to you."
"The meaning of the Martial Garment Divine Art is to make a wedding dress for someone else."
Yan Nantian's face was already as pale as gold paper from the pain, on the verge of passing out, but he still kept muttering Chu Yang's words: "To make a wedding dress… for someone else…"
Li Gexiao and Jiang Feng were both stunned. They had never imagined such a technique could exist in this world.
To martial artists, their martial arts were tied to their very lives. Giving up decades of hard-earned cultivation—this was even more agonizing than dying!
But Yan Nantian was a man of immense willpower. The decision to relinquish his power was made in the blink of an eye.
In this moment of crisis, he chose to trust Chu Yang—even though they had met only once. Judging from Li Gexiao's character, it was unlikely he would consort with evildoers, and besides, Chu Yang had saved Jiang Feng.
A flurry of thoughts passed in an instant. Yan Nantian grabbed Jiang Feng's collar, his eyes growing resolute.
Jiang Feng understood what he intended and nodded. "If Big Brother is willing, you may transfer your internal strength to me. We are one in heart and mind, inseparable as brothers."
Yan Nantian gave a grateful smile, then sat up straight, preparing to transfer his inner strength cultivated from the Martial Garment Divine Art into Jiang Feng.
Chu Yang's lazy voice rang out again. "Jiang Feng's cultivation method, the Shocking Dragon Codex, only reaches perfection when trained to the point of weakness, until all martial strength fades away and the body returns to its primal state. If you force your power into him, you'll only be reversing the process."
"If he survives at all, he'll end up crippled—bedridden for life."
Yan Nantian hurriedly pushed Jiang Feng away. The backlash from his disrupted true energy caused his blood to surge; a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"Big Brother, hold on! If I can't take it, someone else still can!" Jiang Feng cried out anxiously, turning to Li Gexiao. "Lord Li, you're the only one here who can handle Big Brother's power—please help him!"
Li Gexiao hesitated. Accepting another's inner strength went against his core beliefs. True martial cultivation should be earned, step by step.
Chu Yang kicked him squarely in the backside and barked, "Quit dawdling! If he doesn't transfer the energy soon, he'll be burned alive by his own true essence!"
Time was running out. Li Gexiao had no time to hold onto his philosophical pride. He hurried to sit down in front of Yan Nantian.
Yan Nantian formed a sword with his fingers and pressed them to Li Gexiao's lower dantian. The Martial Garment Divine Art surged into him, blazing like true fire.
The moment the energy entered his body, Li Gexiao immediately felt Yan Nantian's suffering. His meridians and flesh felt like they were being scorched—so painful he could hardly speak.
But Li Gexiao had lived a life full of hardship—he had endured every kind of torment. Compared to what he'd suffered in the imperial prison, this pain was tolerable.
Moments later—
The searing energy around Yan Nantian faded. His complexion returned to normal, and the agony on his face vanished. But as he sensed the emptiness in his dantian, a dazed look came over him.
The inner strength he had poured his life into… had just been handed away like a bridal dowry.
"No destruction, no creation. What's there to regret? Are you really the kind of man who can't even let go of this?"
"Weren't you just acting all fearless a minute ago?"
Yan Nantian let out a long breath and nodded with a smile. "Your Highness is right. I shouldn't be so sentimental. It's only through your guidance that I've truly understood the meaning of the Martial Garment Divine Art today. I have no way to repay you. If Your Highness ever needs me, I will follow you unto death without hesitation!"
"Save the dramatic loyalty oath for after you rebuild your strength." Chu Yang waved dismissively. He was starting to feel like he was always collecting fragments of noble heroes—Li Gexiao was one, now Yan Nantian too. Couldn't just one of them come without emotional baggage and be a perfect SSR for once?
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