Nightwatcher

# 332. Minor Accomplishment

The waters of the Wei River surged, and under the dawn sky, a tall figure, leaning on a sabre, sailed towards them. The background was filled with the melodious and captivating sound of a zither.

The native people of the Great Feng had never seen such a dramatic entrance, complete with its own BGM, and they were momentarily stunned. Squinting their eyes, they tried to make out the man's features amidst the intertwining light and shadows of dawn.

Just then, a ray of morning light fell upon the man at the bow, illuminating a handsome and masculine face.

“It’s Silver Gong Xu!”

Finally able to see clearly, one of the nearby commoners shouted.

“Is he here to watch the fight too? As expected of Sir Xu, his entrance is unlike that of those Jianghu ruffians.”

Although the remarks of the Jianghu figures earlier had left them both angry and disappointed, many of the common folk remained loyal.

“Running Dog has finally arrived.”

Standing on her tiptoes, Biaobiao lifted her chin and peered into the distance, muttering, “Always trying to steal the spotlight—he’s already taken the stage from the two main characters. Huaiqing, call him over.”

As a princess, she certainly wouldn’t be shouting at the top of her lungs, so Lin'an pushed this task onto Huaiqing.

Huaiqing frowned slightly, gazing at Xu Qi'an, who stood at the bow of the slowly approaching boat. She was puzzled.

Xu Ningyan was a flamboyant man, but only when the situation required it—like during the examination fraud case, or the Buddhist duel.

The main characters of this Conflict of Heaven and Man were Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen. This had nothing to do with him. Given his usual personality, he should be standing beside her and Lin'an, or perhaps beside another woman, grinning while enjoying the spectacle.

“Haha, the kid’s come up with something new, sailing in on a boat with the accompaniment of a zither—a truly unique entrance that effortlessly outshines Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen.”

Lyuzhong chuckled, shaking his head. “If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was here to take part in the Conflict of Heaven and Man.”

*If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was the main character of the Conflict of Heaven and Man...* The princess consort stood on tiptoe, peering at the man proudly standing at the bow, her heart muttering complaints.

She really didn’t like Xu Qi'an—too flamboyant and licentious, chasing after any woman he saw, and his conduct was too brazen, lacking any sense of moderation or restraint.

Among the crowd, Xu Xinnian’s face looked a bit dazed. He quickly cleared his throat and mumbled quietly, “My brother... well, he likes to play around, a child at heart…”

In his view, his elder brother’s high-profile entrance was utterly embarrassing. A spectator should know their place as a spectator. The more attention he attracted now, the more embarrassing it would be later when he had to slink back into the crowd.

At that moment, a low, poetic voice filled the air, drowning out the noise of the crowd.

“Crossing the river Wei, sabre in hand; Not for love, nor for hate.”

*Eh, is Silver Gong Xu going to recite another poem? Is he here to add a poetic touch to the Conflict of Heaven and Man? No wonder he arrived by boat.* Many people looked suddenly enlightened.

Amidst the crowd, the scholars were the most excited. Yes, how could a Conflict of Heaven and Man, which only occurred once every sixty years, go without poetic embellishment? Sir Xu’s mind was as sharp as ever.

*Was Xu Ningyan here to dedicate a poem? Not bad…* As a scholar himself, Chu Yuanzhen nodded slightly in approval.

*Why recite poems and disrupt my fight…?* Li Miaozhen grumbled inwardly, but her face showed a faint smile, knowing that her fellow Heaven and Earth Society member, Xu Ningyan, was trying to add some flair to the Conflict of Heaven and Man.

Xu Qi'an surveyed the crowd and continued his recitation:

“Born with eyes that disdain all foes; Myriad battles, yet I draw not my blade.”

_Born with eyes that disdain all foes, Myriad battles, yet I draw not my blade.…_ Chu Yuanzhen couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. The poem did seem a bit like flattery, but as a scholar, he found it satisfying and pleasing.

Li Miaozhen, however, felt that the lines were meant for her, resonating with her experiences of quelling bandits in Yunzhou.

Sir Xu’s poetry was, as always, filled with grandeur.

The crowd recalled the scene from the contest against the Buddhists when he had recited a poem with every step, advancing into the Buddhist domain—each verse a rare masterpiece, inspiring hot-blooded excitement.

As everyone’s thoughts raced, Xu Qi'an suddenly shifted his tone. There was a hint of righteous anger and pride in his voice as he raised it:

“To watch mere youths become new elites; I step into the ring, ready to strike.”

The zither music followed his lead, suddenly becoming more intense, like a war drum before battle, or the call of a clarion.

Chu Yuanzhen’s face froze instantly. He stared wide-eyed at Xu Qi'an.

Li Miaozhen, less versed in literature, took a few seconds to grasp the meaning, her expression stunned. She wondered if she had misheard or if Xu Qi'an had misspoken.

Instinctively, she glanced at the spectators on both sides of the river and found many wearing the same expression—surprise and confusion.

_To watch mere youths become new elites; I step into the ring, ready to strike…_ The meaning of the verse was clear: I have stood by and watched two upstart youths steal the limelight, becoming the new darlings in everyone’s eyes. Now, I am not content—I intend to step forward and teach them a lesson.

_How Arrogant!_

Li Miaozhen fumed inwardly. This man wasn’t here to celebrate the event; he was here to provoke.

The zither music climbed higher and higher, reaching a peak, and with a piercing “twang,” Xu Qi'an’s tone was firm, filled with supreme confidence, as he slowly said:

“One blade I cleave life and death; Two hands subduing both Heaven and Man.”

*Roar…*

The chatter grew uncontrollable, and the murmuring crowd exchanged opinions, trying to confirm if they had interpreted the poem correctly.

“Is Silver Gong Xu going to step in? Does he want to intervene in the Conflict of Heaven and Man and challenge the young elites of the two sects?”

“‘Two hands subduing both Heaven and Man’… Even a fool like me can grasp the meaning. It’s as clear as day.”

In an instant, the Jianghu onlookers felt a shiver run down their spines, electrified by this sudden twist.

“Sir Xu wants to fight—he wants to join the Conflict of Heaven and Man! Now, let’s see those who looked down on him realize that our the Great Feng hero is truly invincible.”

Realizing that Xu Qi'an was about to participate in the Conflict, the common folk were first stunned, then brimming with excitement, shouting their support for him to enter the duel and defeat the young talents of the Daoist sects.

To fiercely slap the faces of those Jianghu critics who had disdained him.

Besides all this, they also hoped that Silver Gong Xu could prove himself, dispelling their earlier “doubts” about him and reaffirming their faith.

This feeling was easy to understand — it was what Xu Qi'an would have called a fangirling mentality in his own time.

Their idol was facing questions and repeatedly being humiliated by so-called “experts” who had jumped out of nowhere. The fans (the capital's common folk) were furious but powerless to refute them, so they could only curse or throw stones in frustration.

“Father, didn’t you say that the power Xu Qi'an showed during the duel was due to the Jianzheng's secret assistance?” Lan Caiyi looked up at her father and asked in a soft voice.

“I only said it was a possibility. Regardless of whether the Jianzheng intervened or not, Xu Qi'an alone couldn’t have delivered those two strikes during the duel. He’s just a Seventh-Rank warrior... Even if he’s mastered the Vajra Body technique, he might have reached Sixth-Rank, but he’s still far from the two main figures of this Conflict of Heaven and Man,” Lan Huan said calmly.

*So... then where does he get the confidence to claim he can overpower the two Sects of Heaven and Man? Has the smooth path he’s walked made him so arrogant?* Lan Caiyi thought, wondering if this was all just because Xu Qi'an’s journey had been too easy so far.

She glanced at the cheering crowd and thought: _The more passionate you are now, the greater your disappointment will be soon._

“Running Dog certainly knows how to dress. Handsome as ever, not bad for someone I single-handedly raised up...” Lin'an Princess watched, satisfied, until the poem concluded. Then, a sudden realization dawned on her.

*Was Running Dog about to involve himself in the Conflict of Heaven and Man, challenging the two main figures?*

Her eyes widened slightly, and she quickly turned to Huaiqing for confirmation, “Running... Running Dog wants to fight them?”

Huaiqing's eyes showed both surprise and a sudden understanding as she calmly replied, “What else did you think?”

“But, he’s only Sixth-Rank... Could it be... that Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen aren't actually Fourth-Rank?” Lin'an felt a sudden surge of hope.

If that were the case, Running Dog might just stand a chance.

“No, Your Highness. Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen are genuine Fourth-Ranks,” Jiang Lyuzhong said gravely.

The other Gold Gongs nodded in agreement.

That overwhelming aura they had just felt was a clear indication of the level of these two main figures in the Conflict of Heaven and Man.

“Then, how- how could he...” Lin'an was left baffled and looked to the “professionals” for their insight.

Nangong Qianrou snorted coldly and spoke first, “Xu Qi'an stands no chance.”

Yang Yan slowly nodded. “He might have another purpose.”

None of the other Gold Gongs spoke, but their opinions aligned with Nangong Qianrou’s. They clearly remembered that Xu Qi'an had been “specially recruited,” and his cultivation was only at the peak of Refining Vitality when he joined the Nightwatchers.

The minimum standard for a Bronze Gong was Refining Qi.

It hadn’t even been a year. If Xu Qi'an could compete on equal footing with two Fourth-Rank experts, it would mean he could actually take one on. That was simply impossible.

Maybe in the future, but certainly not now.

If it did happen, they'd gladly chop of their heads and use them as footballs.

In the Nightwatcher ranks, Li Yuchun, Song Tingfeng, and Zhu Guangxiao felt a surreal sensation — the world suddenly seemed illogical, an ungraspable illusion.

Last year... had that young Bronze Gong really grown to the point where he could stand against Fourth-Rank experts?

Under the wide-brimmed hat, the princess consort turned to look at Chu Xianglong beside her and asked calmly, “How much of a chance does this Silver Gong have?”

Despite her neutral tone, her delicate, intelligent eyes remained focused on Chu Xianglong.

Chu Xianglong scoffed, “No chance at all. Although he’s mastered the Vajra Body technique, his rank is a clear limit. At best, he might be stronger than an average Sixth-Rank, perhaps even on par with a Fifth-Rank, but to a Fourth-Rank martial artist, he’s still insignificant.”

“Heh, the Princess consort does not need to worry. The gap between Fifth-Rank and Fourth-Rank is a chasm no one can leap.”

The Princess Consort believed him and gave a slight nod.

At this moment, the boat Xu Qi'an stood on had drifted closer, within just thirty feet of the two main figures.

Chu Yuanzhen spoke in a deep voice, “Sir Xu, this is a matter between the Human Sect and the Heaven Sect. It has nothing to do with you. Don’t recklessly interfere and bring unnecessary trouble.”

He was giving Xu Qi'an a veiled warning.

Li Miaozhen remained silent but secretly transmitted her voice to him, “You idiot, get out of here. This isn’t a place for your antics. I know Daoist Jinlian encouraged you to disrupt the situation, but with your current strength, do you really think you can match my and Chu Yuanzhen’s skills?

“Don’t think just because we were evenly matched before, you can really compete with me now. I wasn’t even using my full strength.”

“How do you know I was using my full strength?” Xu Qi'an replied telepathically. Ignoring Li Miaozhen’s puffed-up cheeks, he raised his voice:

“The Conflict of Heaven and Man is a grand event for the martial world, and both of you are among the elite of our generation. Though I am unworthy, I also wish to join in and test my martial path.”

After a brief pause, he gathered his energy in his Dantian and let his voice roll like thunder: “I, Xu, hereby challenge Chu Yuanzhen, honorary disciple of the Human Sect, and Li Miaozhen, Holy Maiden of the Heaven Sect. If the two of you can defeat me, you may proceed with the Conflict of Heaven and Man as planned.

“But if you cannot, perhaps it would be wise to return and cultivate for a few more years. Of course, you may choose not to accept my challenge — given my reputation, it would be understandable if you were afraid.”

Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen’s eyes widened as they wondered if this madman had lost his mind, intending to make a name for himself at their expense.

Chu Yuanxian scanned the audience on both riverbanks and transmitted his thoughts, “What should we do?”

At this point, anyone who valued their reputation couldn’t back down. Besides, they were representatives of the Sects of Heaven and Man.

“Accept his challenge, and then kick him out,” Li Miaozhen replied with a humph. “I was looking for an excuse to teach him a lesson.”

It would humiliate him, but he was bringing this upon himself.

Their discussion concluded, and both main figures nodded, replying in unison, “Very well, we accept your challenge, Sir Xu.”

Xu Qi'an’s face lit up with a dazzling smile. He stepped off the bow of the boat and landed gracefully on the riverbank.

Three auras rose in tandem, clashing and sending waves of wind that lifted the hems of the spectators’ robes in the distance.

The black-canopied boat drifted farther and farther—thirty feet, fifty feet, a hundred, two hundred... In the cabin, Fuxiang peeked out her pretty face, waving goodbye with a bright smile.

Suddenly, Chu Yuanzhen struck, pointing a finger at the river's surface. With a thunderous roar, the Wei River exploded, sending a water pillar surging over a hundred feet high.

The water did not fall back down but instead transformed into countless tiny swords, descending on Xu Qi'an like a storm of arrows, as if he were facing an army of thousands.

From the very first move, it was a display of divine power.

The crowd watched, dazzled and terrified; they knew that if it were them in Xu Qi'an’s place, they would be torn apart by that rain of swords.

Xu Qi'an didn’t dodge. Instead, he brought his palms together above his head.

Whoosh... A pale golden barrier suddenly expanded, and the dense rain of swords shattered upon hitting the shield, turning into a misty spray.

This was the change that came with the near-perfection of Xu Qi'an's Vajra divine technique. At this stage, it could generate a protective barrier, so he no longer had to rely solely on his body to withstand attacks.

Of course, the barrier's defense was slightly weaker than his physical form, but once the technique reached true perfection, the barrier would match his body's resilience.

*What incredible defense...* It wasn’t just Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen who were shocked; the onlooking Jianghu experts and the Gold Gongs were also stunned by Xu Qi'an’s formidable golden body.

Especially the golden barrier—something not even the monk Henghui had shown.

*Indeed, this was the Vajra technique. He wasn’t lying...* Chu Xianglong suddenly felt a surge of excitement. He recognized Xu Qi'an's stance, having seen the exact same pose during his own failed attempt to learn the Vajra technique. After his meridians were shattered, he had suspected Xu Qi'an had given him a fraudulent manual. But without evidence and with no real knowledge of the technique to draw upon, he couldn’t be sure. Now, seeing the familiar stance, he was more inclined to believe that it was his own lack of Buddhist foundation that led to the backlash.

Chu Yuanzhen stretched out his hand, pressing down, then pulling up slowly. The turbulent river raised a massive thirty foot long sword made of water.

The huge water sword lifted, aiming at Xu Qi'an.

Chu Yuanzhen’s azure robe billowed as he thrust his sword fingers forward.

The giant sword flew forth with a roar, crashing into the golden barrier. The sound of the impact echoed like thunder, causing the barrier to tremble violently.

At that moment, Li Miaozhen’s eyes transformed into semi-transparent crystal, cold and detached.

“Ding!”

The sabre at Xu Qi'an’s waist suddenly unsheathed itself, slashing at the barrier from within, working in concert with the giant sword to shatter the protective shell of the Vajra technique.

The giant sword continued its charge, sending Xu Qi'an flying dozens of metres away away, tumbling in a chaotic mess.

The two of them had combined their efforts to break the barrier.

The commoners were dumbfounded. The awe-inspiring Silver Gong Xu had barely made his entrance, only to end up in such a sorry state. They couldn’t help but start to believe what the Jianghu folk had been saying—there was indeed a significant gap between the Seventh-Rank Silver Gong Xu and the two protagonists of the Conflict of Heaven and Man.

“What a powerful protective golden body—it took both of them working together to break through.” The Shuangdao heroine Liu Yun squinted her eyes in surprise.

Even though she didn’t understand why Silver Gong Xu’s sabre had “betrayed” him, she could tell that it had taken the combined efforts of Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen to breach his barrier.

“But it’s still not enough.” The leader of the Shuangdao Sect shook his head.

Being able to take a beating wasn’t a winning strategy; it only meant he could last a bit longer. Silver Gong Xu lacked any decisive means of victory.

Biaobiao’s gaze had been fixed on Xu Qi'an the entire time. Seeing that he was battered but unharmed, she let out a sigh of relief and silently cheered him on.

In mid-air, Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen resumed their fierce battle. Neither of them chose to continue attacking Xu Qi'an’s golden body, as it was simply too difficult.

Breaking the barrier had required a cunning maneuver; to break the golden body itself was another matter entirely—there were no sabres to aid from within.

Their plan was to whittle him down bit by bit during the ongoing duel, wearing him out gradually.

“Was that the Heaven Sect’s ‘Union of heaven and man’ technique just now? Impressive, and very difficult to guard against,” Chu Yuanzhen asked with genuine interest.

“The Human Sect’s swordsmanship isn’t bad, either,” Li Miaozhen replied coolly.

“There’s even better.”

Chu Yuanzhen raised his arm, his sword fingers pointing to the sky.

In an instant, every martial artist present felt their weapons begin to tremble, the vibrations growing stronger until, suddenly, the weapons wrenched themselves free from their owners' grasps and flew skyward, swarming toward Chu Yuanzhen.

Hundreds of weapons floated in the air, forming a grand spectacle.

Far from being angry at losing their weapons, the martial artists displayed excited expressions, like children thrilled by a surprise.

“Whew... I almost lost you,” muttered Young Master Liu’s teacher as he held onto the Sitianjian’s artefact with all his might, narrowly preventing Chu Yuanzhen’s forceful acquisition.

“Whew...” Young Master Liu, seeing this, also sighed in relief.

Chu Yuanzhen’s sword fingers danced, manipulating the mass of floating weapons into a sword formation that shifted gracefully in the air. Suddenly, they all pivoted sharply, crashing down in a series of clashes against the Silver Gong, sending him sprawling once more.

*What the hell, do you think I’m a pushover? Believe me, I’ll reveal the weak points in your formation if you keep this up...* Xu Qi'an’s irritation grew.

He had faced this technique before during a battle in Luo Yuheng’s courtyard. Back then, Chu Yuanzhen had used this very formation, and the flaw was simple: a focused strike with the Human Sect’s Heart Sword would disrupt the rhythm.

However, Li Miaozhen did not know the Human Sect’s Heart Sword, so she couldn’t exploit this weakness.

After striking Xu Qi'an, Chu Yuanzhen directed the sword formation towards Li Miaozhen. Yet within the formation, some of the swords turned traitor, suddenly reversing to strike at their “ally.”

The two halves of the sword formation clashed fiercely in mid-air.

“Clang!”

Xu Qi'an’s saber flew from its sheath. He soared into the sky, his blade aimed ferociously at Chu Yuanzhen as he joined the battle with a fierce attack.

At that moment, both halves of the sword formation seemed to come to an understanding and simultaneously converged, raining down upon Xu Qi'an in a relentless assault.

Amid the sounds of “bang, bang,” one weapon after another shattered, and gold lacquer spattered from Xu Qi’an’s body. As the lacquer flaked away, it revealed normal skin beneath—only for a fresh layer of gold lacquer to immediately cover him once more.

*Good strikes...* Xu Qi’an fended off the blows in a dishevelled manner, while simultaneously pushing his potential to ensure a steady flow of gold lacquer enveloped his body. He needed a fight like this to temper his Golden Body, much like forging iron—each heavy blow would refine him further.

As his strike missed its mark, Xu Qi’an inevitably began to fall, turning him into an exposed target. Hundreds of shattered weapons rained down upon him, reducing him to a weathered, mottled statue resembling an ancient golden Buddha.

Li Miaozhen seized the moment, her pupils once again transforming into a translucent glaze, devoid of emotion and filled with an icy coldness. The black-gold sabre in Xu Qi’an’s grasp rebelled once more, wrenching free from his hand and slashing fiercely at his chest. This slash finally breached his Golden Body, carving out a bone-deep wound.

Man and blade plummeted into the river.

Splash… Water sprayed in all directions.

“That strike will be enough for him to bear, but it won’t be fatal,” Li Miaozhen said in a calm tone.

“Indeed. Better for him to suffer a little now than for Heaven Sect to order you to eliminate him,” Chu Yuanzhen nodded.

The two were no longer holding back, throwing themselves fully into their battle in mid-air. Sometimes sword qi cut through the air, while at other times, water dragons soared. The clash was fierce and evenly matched.

…

“Si… Silver Gong Xu has lost?”

The gathered crowd struggled to accept this fact—the rapid defeat of Xu Qi’an was too hard for them to reconcile.

A wave of disappointment swept over them. They were beginning to realize that their idolized Xu Silver Gong was genuinely no match for the two main figures of the Conflict of Heaven and Man.

“He shouldn’t have lost like this. Those two slashes during the magical duel were so powerful—why didn’t he use them just now?”

“I heard... I heard that the Jianzheng was helping him during that duel.”

The onlookers looked at each other, momentarily unable to find words to rebut.

“Better than I expected,” Lyuzhong praised.

The other Gold Gongs nodded. To hold out this long under the full force of two Fourth-Rank experts’ assault was a remarkable feat. Xu Ningyan’s physical defence was, in fact, only slightly inferior to theirs.

The gap between a Sixth-Rank and a Fourth-Rank was truly immense—he had done extraordinarily well. Huaiqing gazed at the river with a silent sigh.

“Running Dog should be fine, right?” the Princess asked anxiously.

“After all, he’s a Sixth-Rank martial artist; that kind of injury isn’t too serious,” Huaiqing comforted her. After some thought, she added, “This is already very good. Most Sixth-Ranks couldn’t reach this level.”

“Mm,” the Princess nodded, though she still felt a slight pang of disappointment. Who wouldn’t wish for the man they admired to be a one-in-a-million hero?

For those deeply versed in martial arts, like Butterfly Sword Lan Caiyi and Twin-Blade Heroine Liu Yun, the outcome was unsurprising. Xu Qi’an’s meteoric rise in the duel naturally drew interest, and information about his true strength and history became easily accessible. It was simple to deduce his capabilities—or even obtain accurate intel.

How could a Seventh-Rank martial artist contend with two Fourth-Ranks? That he had lasted this long was already remarkable.

*He’s exceptionally talented. In a few more years, breaking through to Fourth-Rank is inevitable,* mused Rongrong from Wanhua Tower. *But for now, he’s not yet ready to face the best disciples of Heaven and Human Sects.*

“Foolish showoff!” The Princess spat lightly, her voice a barely audible whisper.

Chu Xianglong was momentarily stunned, then frowned. “What did you say?”

The Princess coolly replied, “None of your concern.”

Chu Xianglong sensibly remained silent.

Xu Xinnian unconsciously took a few steps forward, wanting to rush to the river to retrieve his elder brother, but he quickly regained his composure and let out a helpless sigh.

*With my brother’s cultivation, these wounds are far from life-threatening... Foolish. Clearly lacking strength, yet determined to make a grand show of himself. The fame earned during the contest has now dissipated completely.* Xu Xinnian inwardly scolded his brother’s foolishness, his gaze fixed intently on the river surface. As soon as his brother emerged, he would take him back to the capital and get medicine from the Sitianjian.

…

In the darkness of the riverbed, turbulent currents surged as Xu Qi’an steadied himself in the water. He sat cross-legged, his hands cupped at his Dantian. Crimson blood oozed from the gash on his chest, spreading like a cloud in the inky depths.

At that moment, he felt as if his blood was boiling, and every meridian throbbed with burning pain—a sensation he’d experienced before when he swallowed the Azure Pill. Now, the latent medicinal power within his body, mingling with the residual essence blood of Monk Shenshu, was boiling all at once.

The wound on his chest healed rapidly, and a spot of gold lacquer appeared between his brows, swiftly spreading across his entire form. The lacquer emitted an intense glow, illuminating the dark waters. Xu Qi’an looked like a figure sculpted entirely from pure golden light.

*Such incredible power... I’m going to dazzle them until their damned eyes burn.*

With a powerful kick, the murky water churned like ink. Radiant Xu Qi’an shot upward like an arrow.

Above, as the crowd was just engrossed in the fight, the two Daoists both abruptly ceased and distanced themselves, looking down at the river’s surface in uncertainty.

“Why did they stop fighting?”

The audience, completely engrossed in the spectacle, was baffled by the sudden halt.

But the Gold Gongs among the Nightwatchers, the Jianghu elites like Lan Huan, and other strong practitioners seemed to sense something. One by one, their gazes shifted to the river.

A faint gold glow emanated from the river, rapidly intensifying, turning the water into a golden soup.

*Boom!*

The river’s surface exploded in a towering column of water, and a radiant figure burst forth—brighter than the blazing sun, forcing everyone to squint.

That glowing figure emerged from the waves and landed heavily on the riverbank, scattering stones like flying darts.

On both sides of the Wei River, every eye locked onto him.

As the golden light faded, Xu Qi’an stretched his waist and leisurely said, “Allow me a little stretch...”