I, the military god of the Tang Dynasty, have risen since I destroyed the Turks

Chapter 783 Shadow Guard
"Yang Guo! Don't go!" Li Kan's voice boomed like thunder. He stood like a ghost in the middle of the road, his black battle robe stained with mottled blood, which appeared dark purple in the morning light. His right hand tightly gripped a jade pendant with a phoenix pattern. There was a fine crack on the edge of the pendant, which was almost identical to the one in Leng Qing Shuang's hand, except for slight differences in the pattern.

Yang Guo's pupils contracted sharply as memories from sixteen years ago flooded back. He remembered seeing his aunt wearing a similar jade pendant in the Ancient Tomb when he was a child, except that the pendant was carved with a dragon pattern. The two jade pendants were originally a pair; the dragon pattern represented Yang, and the phoenix pattern represented Yin. Together they could cultivate together, but separated they would both be harmed—this was the key principle of the Ancient Tomb Sect's highest cultivation method.

Leng Qingshuang's slender sword was already drawn, its blade gleaming with a faint blue light in the morning sun, clearly coated with deadly poison. "General Li, do you dare disobey the imperial decree?" Her voice was icy, her eyes filled with murderous intent.

Li Kan didn't answer, but stared intently at Yang Guo, his eyes filled with complex and unreadable emotions: "You really look like your mother." His voice was hoarse, as if suppressing immense pain, "especially those eyes."

Yang Guo was struck dumb, his whole body trembling. He had lost both his parents at a young age, and his memories of his birth mother, Bao Xiruo, were already hazy. At this moment, Li Kan's sudden mention of her stirred up a storm in his heart.

"Sixteen years ago, when your mother entrusted you to me..." Before Li Kan could finish speaking, Leng Qingshuang's sword pierced his throat like a venomous snake! This sword was as fast as lightning, with an extremely tricky angle. It was the killing move "Cold Moon Peeping" from the Ancient Tomb Sect's "Jade Maiden Heart Sword Technique".

Although Yang Guo was alarmed and suspicious, seeing Li Kan in danger, he instinctively dodged and drew his Gentleman's Sword with a clang. The two swords clashed, sparks flew, and Yang Guo felt a chilling internal force travel through the blade, making his entire left arm feel as if it had fallen into an ice cave.

"What insidious internal energy!" Yang Guo was secretly alarmed and hurriedly circulated the "Tendon Changing and Bone Forging Chapter" of the Nine Yin Manual to dispel the cold energy invading his meridians. Only then did he realize that the seemingly cold and beautiful woman in front of him actually possessed unfathomable martial arts skills.

The three instantly engaged in battle. Li Kan's palms flew, the force of his palms carrying the unique yin and softness of the Ancient Tomb Sect; Leng Qingshuang's sword took an unorthodox approach, each move aimed directly at vital points; Yang Guo, on the other hand, used the Gentleman's Sword to unleash the Dugu Nine Swords, the sword light as smooth as silk, deflecting the attacks of the two one by one.

Dust billowed along the official road, sword energy crisscrossing the landscape. Trees along the roadside were struck by the force of the energy, their branches and leaves snapping off one by one. The more Yang Guo fought, the more alarmed he became—Leng Qingshuang's swordsmanship was actually of the same origin as the Ancient Tomb Sect's martial arts, yet it also incorporated some of the ruthlessness of the Western Regions' unorthodox martial arts; while Li Kan's palm techniques were purely of the Ancient Tomb Sect's style, and there were even a few moves that he had only seen in his aunt's "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra".

"Who exactly are you people?" Yang Guo shouted sharply, his Gentleman's Sword drawing a perfect arc to force back Leng Qingshuang's attack.

Leng Qingshuang sneered without answering, her swordplay becoming even more ferocious. Li Kan, however, seized the opportunity to approach Yang Guo and whispered, "Your mother isn't dead; she's imprisoned..."

Before the words were finished, a rapid clatter of hooves suddenly came from afar. Amidst the rising dust, a troop of imperial guards, numbering over thirty, galloped in, led by none other than the Grand Eunuch Liu Jin! He held a bright yellow imperial edict, his shrill voice piercing the air: "Imperial edict! His Majesty orders: Yang Guo to be captured alive; all others to be executed without mercy!"

Yang Guo's heart sank; he finally realized he had fallen into a meticulously woven trap. But at this moment, only one thought occupied his mind: What did Li Kan mean by "Mother is not dead"? Where was Long'er? What secret did that dragon-shaped jade pendant hold?
The Imperial Guards arrived in the blink of an eye, surrounding the three. Liu Jin, seated high on his horse, swept his sinister gaze over them, finally settling on Yang Guo's face: "Young Master Yang, His Majesty sincerely invited you; why refuse him so coldly?"

Before Yang Guo could answer, Li Kan suddenly roared, "Go!" He unleashed both palms simultaneously, a powerful force that sent several Imperial Guards and their horses flying, tearing a gap in the encirclement.

Seeing this, Leng Qingshuang's swordplay suddenly changed, abandoning Yang Guo and aiming directly for Li Kan's back! This sword strike was extremely ruthless, clearly intended to kill Li Kan. Although Yang Guo harbored doubts about Li Kan, seeing him in danger, he instinctively swung his sword to save him.

With a crisp clang, the gentleman's sword clashed with the rapier once more. A flicker of surprise crossed Leng Qing Shuang's eyes, followed by a cold laugh: "Young Master Yang intends to protect this traitor?"

Yang Guo didn't answer, but secretly channeled the power of his Ecstasy Palm with his left hand, suddenly slamming it into the ground. A deafening boom echoed, dust billowing and obscuring everyone's vision. He seized the opportunity to grab Li Kan's shoulder: "Go!" The two broke through the encirclement and raced towards the dense forest beside the road. Behind them came Liu Jin's furious screams and the chaotic hoofbeats of the Imperial Guards.

Deep in the dense forest, Yang Guo pinned Li Kan behind an ancient pine tree, his gentleman's sword pressed against Li Kan's throat: "Speak! What did you mean by what you just said? Where is my mother?"

Li Kan gave a wry smile and took out the phoenix-patterned jade pendant from his pocket: "Do you recognize this?"

Yang Guo looked closely and saw two small characters engraved on the back of the jade pendant—"Nianci". He was shocked; it was his mother's name!
"Sixteen years ago, your mother, Bao Xiruo, did not die in Niujia Village," Li Kan said in a low voice. "She was secretly brought into the palace by the late emperor because she carried this jade pendant, which was related to a major secret of the royal family."

Yang Guo's mind was buzzing, and the tip of his sword trembled involuntarily: "What about Long'er and Xiaolongnü? Her jade pendant..."

"The dragon-patterned jade pendants were originally a pair." A look of pain flashed in Li Kan's eyes. "Your mother held one of the phoenixes, and her sister held one of the dragons."

"A younger sister?" Yang Guo was struck dumb. "Long'er has a younger sister?"

Li Kan was about to answer when his expression suddenly changed drastically, and he shoved Yang Guo aside, shouting, "Watch out!"

With a "whoosh," a poisoned crossbow bolt whizzed past Yang Guo's ear and embedded itself deeply in the tree trunk. Dozens of men in black surrounded him from all directions, each carrying a finely crafted hand crossbow.

“Shadow Guards,” Li Kan said, his face ashen, “we can’t escape.”

The leader of the men in black said coldly, "General Li, His Majesty has treated you well, why have you betrayed him?"

Li Kan suddenly burst into laughter, a laugh filled with sorrow: "Betrayal? I, Li Kan, have only ever been loyal to one person in my life, and that is..." He abruptly shoved Yang Guo into the depths of the dense forest, "Run! Go find the Tomb of the Living Dead in Zhongnan Mountain! The answers are all there!"

Having said that, he turned and pounced on the shadow guard, unleashing a barrage of palm strikes like a storm. Yang Guo knew this was no time to hesitate, so he gritted his teeth and darted deeper into the dense forest. Behind him came the sounds of fierce fighting and Li Kan's roar, followed by a piercing scream.
Yang Guo was filled with grief, yet dared not linger. He used his lightness skill to swiftly traverse the forest, Li Kan's words echoing in his mind: "The dragon-patterned jade pendant was originally a pair. Her sister held the dragon."

If Long'er truly has a younger sister, then who is imprisoned in the Cold Palace? Where did Li Zheng's dragon-patterned jade pendant come from? And is his mother, Bao Xiruo, truly still alive?

An autumn wind suddenly rose, swirling up a flurry of yellow leaves. Yang Guo decided to set off immediately for Zhongnan Mountain. The mystery of the past sixteen years might only be solved in the Tomb of the Living Dead.
(End of this chapter)