Why do I have so many masters?-Chapter 590 - 214: The Combination of Yin and Yang, The Blending of Kings and Tyrants (6602 in 1) _4

The unpredictable interplay of yin and yang is known as the domain of the divine.

To cleanse the world of demons is hailed as the essence of the martial path.

Yuchi Jie's pupils constricted, his expression already greatly stirred.

Wang Anfeng, however, merely chuckled and said,

"Indeed magnificent! It doesn't seem like an ordinary Taoist temple."

"Let's go!"

Qing Yun and Qing Yan escorted the group all the way to the mountain gate, watching as Wang Anfeng and his companions departed before turning to ascend the mountain path. Qing Yun nearly revered Wang Anfeng and Yuchi Jie as heavenly beings, but felt some discomfort regarding the old Observatory Master's behavior.

Even as an elder, he needn't have come down the mountain, but at the very least, he should've shown his face.

Qing Yan offered gentle consolation, yet he too harbored some puzzlement.

Within the closed chamber of the Guardian of Ruins, there was a secret door. The old Taoist, criticized by the younger generation for his mysterious ways, held a copper lamp and descended step by step. After thousands of steps, one would expect deep darkness below, yet it was not dark at all.

It was bright, astonishingly bright.

The numberless long-burning lamps fired up, row upon row like candles before ancestral tablets, illuminating the darkness. Beyond the flames, stood row upon row of stone sculptures, each several feet tall, some smiling, others angry, with varying expressions, but all adorned in armor and wielding weapons.

The armor was solid, the weapons frigid—none were a mere façade.

Without a word.

Inanimate objects, naturally silent.

Yet, an astonishing aura of iron-blooded sternness lingered, as if the thousands of stone sculptures might awaken in the next moment, transforming into an iron cavalry sweeping the lands, roaring anew with the military family's dread spirit sufficient to silence the common folk.

The old Taoist leisurely strolled forward, placed his copper lamp beside him, and unapologetically took a seat in an empty spot on the second row to the right. He exhaled deeply in the grim, ghostly place that the Guardian of Ruins found quite comfortable.

He stretched his limbs and, patting the stone sculpture beside him, he reminisced with a sigh,

"It's been a long time since I've been here..."

"I fear coming once may mean never leaving again."

In this ghastly and eerie place, the Taoist's laughter was warm and soothing.

Alone, his laughter resonated amongst the statues.

"Guess who I've seen in the past few days?"

"You'll surely never guess. It was the Great Marshal's son and Yuchi the old thief's grandson. Back in the day, Yuchi the Elder was unreconciled, and now, his grandson is still being thoroughly subdued. Watching them is quite satisfying..."

"One excels in overt strategies, upright and honorable, while the other, just like his grandfather, is full of cunning schemes inside..."

"Watching the two of them compete, I almost felt as if I was witnessing the old days, haha..."

Surrounded by over two thousand seven hundred statues, the white-haired old man laughed heartily, his mirth echoing off the stone walls, warm yet tinged with a melancholy loneliness.

The Guardian of Ruins patted the back of a statue in front of him and said with regret,

"It's just a shame I couldn't meet your descendants."

"Otherwise it would have been complete. Back then, you three were secretly called the 'Three Scourges of the Great Qin' by scholars from other states. But now, only two remain. Such a pity..."

"By the way, have I told you?

"In the Northern Lands, the Northern Hun have been testing the waters again, and our Protectorate General took care of them with just three men. If you were still around back then, you'd have gone to great lengths to recruit them, haha..."

"It's said they even chopped down a prince, hahaha, what a relief! Such satisfaction!"

"Back in the day, killing a Hun prince wouldn't have been possible without fighting several tough battles."

The old Taoist's palm slapped the stone, laughing with great delight.

More than two thousand stone carvings stood around, with everlasting lamps lit, their laughter lonely and isolated.

Tired of laughing, Anfeng rested his head on a stone carving, silent for a long time, then whispered,

"Our Great Qin is strong enough now... none of the neighbors dare to provoke us."

"Having seen the descendants of our Divine Martial Mansion these past few days, this old Taoist has no more regrets."

"Seeing the two of them, I knew the lineage of our Divine Martial Mansion would not fade."

"Three thousand iron cavalry, your armor will surely be passed on by your descendants, and the sound of hooves will rise again in the future world."

"Good, very good..."

"Really very good."

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The old Taoist closed his eyes, his head resting on the stone carving, murmuring softly.

Yet tears could not stop flowing from his eyes.

"Very good indeed..."

At the foot of the mountain, in front of the carriage, Yuchi Jie turned around to look at the Candle Dragon Rest, and suddenly spoke,

"The name Candle Dragon Rest has a story behind it. Do you know it?"

Lin Qiaofu, well-versed in various texts, was a bit puzzled and said,

"Isn't it because it resembles a candle dragon?"

Wang Anfeng shook his head and said, "There is indeed such an interpretation, but an elder of mine said the name 'Candle Dragon Rest' comes from a poem."

Lin Qiaofu was clueless, "A poem?"

Wang Anfeng nodded, somewhat puzzled by Lin Qiaofu's ignorance of this poem, his mind recalling that afternoon, the drunken Li Qidao beating his cup, his voice rough and mournful.

Yuchi Jie led the horse forward, chanting softly; Wang Anfeng joined in.

At Candle Dragon Rest, by the cold gate, the light still shines as if dawn has just broken.

Why do the sun and moon not outshine it? Only the north wind shrieks furiously from the heavens.

The snowflakes of Yan Mountain are as large as mats, fluttering down upon the Xuanyuan Platform.

Leaning on the gate, I long for the travelers; thinking of you by the Great Wall, enduring the bitter cold brings such sorrow.

At parting, I took up my sword to save our borders, leaving behind this tiger-embossed golden quiver.

Inside are a pair of white-feathered arrows, over which spiders spin webs, gathering dust.

The arrows remain,

but the man who fought is never to return.

By that time, Li Qidao's face was already streamed with tears.

Below the stone chamber, the white-haired and weathered old Taoist wiped away his tears, stood up shakily, carrying his lamp as he walked upwards, muttering,

"Enough said, enough..."

"This old Taoist can't join you down there just yet."

"But it will be soon. My Master once said that my vitality was like that of dragons and tigers, a visage fit for a great True Master of the Taoist Sect, able to live for two or three hundred springs and autumns. Heh, do you believe it? I certainly don't."

"Human efforts can do much, but fate is hard to defy."

"Yet, ah, Tiance, you, Xin'er girl, and the old Tao... we've all defied it..."

PS: Today is a two-in-one... A massive 6600-word chapter; I'm afraid I seriously need to revise the outline tomorrow, so the update might be a bit late.