Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chen Zhan changed the subject, his tone becoming colder: "However, Duan Yanqing, as a member of the Duan family, has been stirring up trouble within the Song Dynasty. He has joined the Western Xia First-Class Hall and colluded with the Murong family of Gusu, attempting to use the Western Xia's military strength to rebel and cause chaos."

"Is Emperor Zhengming aware of this matter?"

Duan Zhengming and Duan Zhengchun were tense all over, their minds were buzzing, and they were only focused on frantically digesting these words.

They didn't even bother to ask Chen Zhan how he knew the secrets of the Duan family.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.

Chen Zhan's attitude couldn't be clearer: he was too lazy to get involved in the internal strife within the Duan family, but once the interests of the Song Dynasty were touched, he would not tolerate it in the slightest.

Both of them knew that Chen Zhan's martial arts skills were so outstanding that he must hold a very important position in the Song Dynasty court.

With the three powers in a tripartite balance of power, the Western Xia and Liao dynasties might not be afraid of the Song dynasty, but the Dali kingdom, located in the southwest, had weak national strength and simply could not afford to fight it out.

Most of the country's income came from trade along the Tea Horse Road, relying entirely on the exchange of goods with the Song Dynasty.

If relations sour, the Dali treasury will be empty within six months, with unimaginable consequences.

Moreover, Chen Zhan and his companion dared to venture alone into Tianlong Temple to cause trouble, so they must have something to rely on.

Duan Zhengming composed himself, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and asked, "Does Lord Chen mean that Dali should send men to arrest Duan Yanqing?"

Chen Zhan slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the two men: "The likes of the Four Evils have long since died at my hands. Emperor Zhengming need not worry about this; your throne is as secure as Mount Tai."

"Huh? Duan Yanqing is dead?"

Duan Zhengming and Duan Zhengchun were both taken aback, their faces full of astonishment.

The amount of information they received during this period was overwhelming. They were previously unaware that the former Crown Prince Duan Yanqing was still alive and had even become the leader of the Four Evils.

They had largely believed what Chen Zhan had said before, and were somewhat taken aback when they heard that Duan Yanqing was dead.

Duan Zhengming suppressed the turmoil in his heart and cupped his hands again: "Then what exactly does Lord Chen want to do?"

Although he was the ruler of a country, he was quite self-aware. The strength of Dali was vastly different from that of the Song Dynasty, so his respectful attitude was not a sign of weakness.

"Cooperation," Chen Zhan uttered.

"Cooperation? How can we cooperate?"

Duan Zhengchun's tone was tinged with anger. Duan Yu in his arms was weak and on the verge of death, and it was also related to Chen Zhan's disciple. He really couldn't calm down.

"Prince Zhennan need not take it to heart."

Chen Zhan said calmly, "The suffering that Young Master Duan is enduring now may well be a blessing in disguise."

"What does Lord Chen mean?" Duan Zhengchun asked hastily, his eyes filled with urgency.

"Young Master Duan was struck by the Xuanming Palm, which is extremely yin and cold. If he is not cured within seven days, or if there is no pure yang technique to suppress it, he will freeze to death."

"But every cloud has a silver lining. After this experience, he will develop a unique true qi constitution. When he cultivates true qi in the future, it will have an inherent icy attribute."

Chen Zhan paused for a moment, then smiled faintly, "Once the Six Meridians Divine Sword is mastered, it will become the Six Meridians Ice Sword, with even greater power than before. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Hearing these words, Duan Zhengchun's lips twitched. His mind was filled with concern for his son's safety, and he had no time to plan for the future consequences.

But Duan Zhengming keenly sensed a clue and stroked his beard with a smile, "Lord Chen is willing to detoxify his nephew?"

"Yes, this is not difficult. Grain Rain."

Gu Yu nodded in agreement, and in a flash, she appeared in front of Duan Zhengchun, saying crisply, "Mr. Duan, please help your young master up and make sure his back is to me."

Duan Zhengchun dared not delay and quickly helped Duan Yu sit up, carefully supporting his shoulders and back.

Gu Yu's gaze fell on Duan Yu's back, where Shuang Jiang had struck him earlier. She raised her hand and lightly placed it on his back, her Xuan Shui True Qi transforming into a cool stream of energy that slowly entered Duan Yu's body.

Duan Yu was unconscious when two different types of internal energy suddenly clashed within his body, and excruciating pain instantly swept over his entire body.

He suddenly opened his eyes, clenched his teeth, and struggled violently.

However, he had no martial arts foundation and could not break free from Duan Zhengchun's restraints at all, and could only let out suppressed groans.

Two different types of true energy clashed and intertwined in Duan Yu's meridians. Both were of the yin and cold nature, yet one was hard and the other soft.

Grain Rain continuously channeled its Xuan Shui True Qi, steadily suppressing the Bing Ming True Qi left by Frostfall, gradually disintegrating its power like warm water melting ice.

A moment later, the Ice Nether True Qi could no longer hold on and collapsed in the meridians.

Gu Yu withdrew his hand, and Duan Yu suddenly opened his mouth, spitting out a mouthful of bluish-black blood that landed on the bluestone slab. Instantly, the slab cracked with fine lines, and the cold air lingered around it.

But the paleness on his face gradually faded, his body warmed up, the chill surrounding him dissipated at a visible speed, and his breathing gradually became steady.

"He will recover in half a month, and will be able to cultivate ice-attribute techniques with twice the results with half the effort in the future." After Gu Yu finished speaking, she flashed back to Chen Zhan's side.

Duan Zhengchun quickly checked Duan Yu's pulse and felt that although the pulse was weak, it was steady and strong. The huge weight in his heart was finally lifted.

He and Duan Zhengming bowed to Chen Zhan in unison, their tone earnest: "Thank you so much, Lord Chen, for saving us. We are deeply grateful."

Chen Zhan chuckled lightly: "The Song Dynasty and Dali have been trading together for many years, so they have some sincerity. If we reach an agreement, the Six Meridians Divine Sword will be returned intact to Tianlong Temple. What do you say?"

Duan Zhengming shifted his gaze slightly, already guessing the details of the cooperation, but still slowly nodded: "Please speak, sir."

"I want Dali to guard the southwestern gateway. When Tibet sends troops to Western Xia, you will tie down Western Xia's southern forces and cut off their retreat."

Chen Zhan spoke calmly, but every word exuded control: "Once I lead my army into the territory of Western Xia, they will only have two paths to take: either flee to the Western Regions, or go south to join Dali, or simply annex you and establish themselves there."

He paused, then added, "So it's not really about sending troops from Dali, it's just about deploying defenses in advance."

Duan Zhengming hesitated for a moment before speaking carefully: "Why wouldn't Western Xia go north and ally with Liao? Logically speaking, allying with Liao to resist Song is the best strategy. My Dali is just a small border country, and in the tripartite balance of power, it is really not worth mentioning."

This was not a self-deprecating remark; everyone present was a discerning person, and Dali's national strength was indeed no match for the Liao, Xia, and Song dynasties.

Chen Zhan nodded in agreement: "That's how it should be according to common sense. But I will wage war against both Liao and Xia at the same time, and take Liao first. Liao is in dire need of its own defense, so Xia will naturally have no way to ask for help."

"what?"

Duan Zhengming's body suddenly stiffened.

The Liao army was the strongest, while the Song army, though well-supplied with money and provisions, was slightly weaker. Chen Zhan's insistence on fighting on two fronts suggested either madness or a genuine confidence in overwhelming both nations. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he was speechless for a moment.

"I said we could act simultaneously, and I was absolutely certain of success. Emperor Zhengming only needs to cooperate as agreed."

Chen Zhan was unwilling to explain further, and his tone was devoid of any extra emotion.

Duan Zhengming remained silent for a moment, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. Now that things had come to this, he dared not and could not refuse.

"it is good."

He gritted his teeth and agreed, "Dali will fully cooperate. Once the war breaks out in the north, I will immediately mobilize troops to deploy along the border."

He had his own plans. He would only send troops when the war between Song and Liao broke out. He absolutely could not be a pawn for the Song Dynasty. Dali's small military force could not withstand the attrition.

"Guyu, you're gone."

"The signal will be sent by carrier pigeon, and war will break out within two months. If Emperor Zhengming dares to disobey, even though Diancang Mountain is large, it may not be able to accommodate a member of the Duan family."

As soon as he finished speaking, without needing to sign a written agreement, he tossed the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual to Elder Ku Rong and vanished in a flash.

Gu Yu followed closely behind, her toes barely touching the eaves before disappearing into the clouds in an instant. Ku Rong steadily caught the sword manual, his fingertips tracing the pages to confirm its authenticity, but his expression was somewhat dazed, his gaze fixed on the direction Chen Zhan had left, as if pondering the profound meaning of his last words.

Just a few breaths later, Duan Yu in his arms suddenly spoke softly, his voice weak but clear: "It seems... there's someone at the top of the tower."

Duan Zhengming, Duan Zhengchun, and all the monks of Tianlong Temple looked up at the same time.

Three ancient pagodas stood majestically side by side, piercing the clouds, and on the top of the middle pagoda, indeed stood a figure in a green robe.

It was Chen Zhan.

His once smooth arms were now covered with a layer of dark red scales, the patterns of which were ferocious and exuded an eerie and malevolent aura.

Ku Rong's expression changed drastically. His withered fingers gripped the prayer beads tightly as he murmured, "It really is him, it really is him!"

Ku Rong recalled the past. Back then, when Chen Zhan defeated him and his senior brother with his last move, he also had some scales on his arms, and he didn't use true qi!

Just as Duan Zhengming was about to press for more information, Chen Zhan had already made his move.

He stood atop the tower amidst the raging wind, his blood and qi surging wildly, all of it gathering and compressing into his palm.

The scales on his arms crackled and shattered from the surge of blood and qi, and even the blood armor that was faintly visible around his body seemed unable to withstand this immense force.

The vital energy was compressed infinitely, eventually condensing into a red glow the size of an infant's fist, its color as refined as a gemstone.

It bears some resemblance to the Buddha's relics.

However, relics are physical Buddha essences, while this blood-coagulation technique is purely the condensation of qi and blood, making it even more domineering.

Chen Zhan glanced down the mountain, selected a ridge, and threw out the ball of qi and blood.

The red light flashed through the air and struck the mountain ridge precisely.

Immediately afterwards, his figure completely merged into the clouds and mist, leaving no trace.

While everyone was still stunned and had not yet figured out what was happening, three earth-shattering explosions rang out in succession.

"boom!!!"

"boom!!!"

"boom!!!"

The earth shook violently, as if an earth dragon were turning over; the beams and pillars of the Zen temple creaked, and dust fell in rustling sounds.

The eminent monks quickly used their internal energy to stabilize themselves, and Duan Zhengming carried Duan Yu onto the roof. Everyone looked in the direction of the loud noise.

On the northern slope of Zhongyue Peak, where Tianlong Temple is located, a stone peak with an area of ​​nearly 100 zhang (approximately 50 meters) to the south had disappeared by more than half.

The peak was abruptly erased, and rolling rubble mixed with dust poured down, tumbling down the ravines of Diancang Mountain with terrifying force.

The courtyard fell into a deathly silence, the silence deafening.

After a long silence, Duan Zhengming finally spoke, his voice filled with lingering fear and understanding: "No wonder he wasn't afraid of us going back on our word, no wonder he said that although Diancang Mountain is vast..."

Elder Kurong gazed at the damaged stone peak, his expression solemn, and remained silent for a long time.

Duan Zhengchun held the gradually waking Duan Yu in his arms, his back soaked with cold sweat.

Dali really has no right to refuse.
-
After leaving Dali with Gu Yu, Chen Zhan sped north without delaying their journey.

The two abandoned their light-footed skills and switched to two excellent horses with superb stamina. They traveled day and night, drinking from mountain springs when thirsty and eating dry rations when hungry, only resting briefly at post stations.

Upon reaching the border post station where Tibet and the Song Dynasty met, Chen Zhan reined in his horse, went inside to find pen and ink, and wrote two secret letters.

They summoned the carrier pigeons, which were responsible for delivering messages, and sent them to the capital city of Kaifeng and the Yan-Yun region respectively.

The letter sent to Kaifeng was addressed to Zhao Qingtan.

He was certain that Zhao Qingtan had finished dealing with matters in Jiangnan and was returning with the money and provisions seized from the Murong family and Putuo Temple. The two had a tacit understanding over the years and needed no further explanation.

The letter, in just a few words, outlined the specific plans for attacking Liaodong, and included the names of several capable generals and their deployment methods.

Although Zhao Qingtan had no experience in leading troops, he knew how to recognize and appoint capable people, and this plan was enough.

Another letter was sent to Yanyun, addressed to Xun Jingzhe and others.

Those men lost contact after they went to Yanyun. Chen Zhan's whereabouts were uncertain and difficult to coordinate with. It was assumed that they would send a message to the Twenty-Four Towers headquarters in the capital. This secret letter was to inform them of the subsequent movements and to instruct them to secretly set up defenses so that they could coordinate an attack from within and without when the army arrived.

Seven days later, in Kaifeng city.

Zhao Qingtan stood beneath the palace wall, holding the secret letter.

The new emperor, though young, was decisive and impatient with the old faction in the court. Upon seeing this, he immediately ordered that all those who opposed the two-front war be dismissed from their posts.

Instead of executing them, they were allowed to remain in the capital to witness firsthand how the army would recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and how it would crush Liao and Xia.

As instructed by Chen Zhan, Zhao Qingtan immediately summoned the three men.

Liu Changzuo, the deputy commander of Yongxing Army Road, was stationed on the border for many years, confronting the Western Xia. He was most skilled at using infantry to defeat cavalry and was extremely strict in disciplining his troops.

Wang Guangzu, the general of Dingzhou Road in Hebei, was a descendant of Wang Shenqi, a famous general who helped found the country. He was skilled in both civil and military affairs and was particularly adept at flanking maneuvers.

There was also Li Xian, the former eunuch who commanded troops in the Northwest. He was dismissed from his post because the old party opposed the eunuchs' command of troops. He was familiar with the geography of the Hehuang region and the deployment of cavalry from the Tibetan tribes. His logistical coordination was also exceptional.

The three men, some having long resided on the frontier and others having been demoted and sidelined, were suddenly reinstated with ample funds and provisions. Grateful for the trust placed in them by the young emperor and Chen Zhan, they all vowed to serve him to the death.

Although the Northern Song Dynasty had few famous generals, it was by no means without capable people. The few people Chen Zhan pointed out were all good at taking charge of their own affairs.

Five days later, Chen Zhan and Gu Yu finally arrived in the capital of Western Xia.

Xingqing Prefecture.

This city is located in the area of ​​Yinchuan, Ningxia in later generations. It was originally Huaiyuan Town in the Song Dynasty. After being captured by Li Jiqian, the leader of the Dangxiang people, it was expanded by Li Deming after he built a palace and established the capital, and by Li Yuanhao after he became emperor. It has long been a powerful city in the northwest.

The city was rectangular, with a circumference of over eighteen li. The moat was ten zhang wide, with rippling water, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

There were two gates on the north and south sides, and one gate on the east and west sides. Banners fluttered on the gate towers, all bearing totem patterns of the Western Xia Tangut people.

The city has more than twenty neighborhoods arranged in a well-organized manner, with high-platform temples such as Chengtian Temple standing side by side, pagodas soaring into the clouds, and lights twinkling, exuding a strong Buddhist atmosphere.

Yes, it's another Buddhist kingdom.

Buddhism is practiced in most parts of the country.

The situation was slightly better in the Song Dynasty, but there were still many Buddhist temples and a large number of followers.

The Western Xia dynasty adopted Buddhism as its state religion.

Emperors used Buddhist teachings to numb the people and appease them with promises of "blessings in the next life," which was merely a common tactic of governance.

Chen Zhan glanced at the Buddhist pagodas in the city, his eyes indifferent.

The entanglement with "Buddha" is not the time to settle things now; let's deal with the Liao-Xia war first.

Night had fallen, and the streets were deserted, save for patrolling Western Xia soldiers carrying torches, their clashing armor ringing out clearly in the silence. (End of Chapter)