Wada Gensuke had reached the sect gates at the waning of the Chen hour ( 辰时 07:00–09:00); by the dawn of the Wu hour (午时 11:00–13:00), he had already emerged...
Though this samurai had vanquished and slaughtered a multitude of the Middle Kingdom's warriors, to face the "Celestial Sword Divine Eagle" while he wore the Divine Power Armor (Shenli Jia) was nothing less than hand-delivering his own life to the Grave!
The steel blade from the Land of the Rising Sun (Riben) could cleave iron as though it were cutting through banana stalks, having been forged through the arduous process of tempering and folding ten thousand times.Despite the ferocious, precise, and overbearing swordsmanship of its wielder, it failed to even graze the skin of Chen Shuyuan.Each time the keen edge of the blade drew near, the metallic scales of the divine regalia shifted and glided to shield his frame; thus, every stroke proved utterly futile.Worse still, the longer the battle raged, the more the samurai's strength was sapped, as he was compelled to resist the formidable rebound force of his own sword intent (Qi) crashing back upon him.In the heat of battle, it felt as though he was struggling against the combined might of both his own power and that of his adversary!
Critiquing the technique of the blade alone, Chen Shuyuan secretly felt a shiver of dread in his heart!He was forced to admit that his skills were clearly inferior; the samurai's swordsmanship possessed a speed and violence he had never before witnessed.Each strike resembled thunder from the highest heavens, a falling star from the firmament, the devastating power of a landslide, or even the fury of a raging ocean.Even the lethal Sky-Soaring Eagle Sword Technique could not hope to compare.
The stances employed by Wada Gensuke left a multitude of marks across Sect Master Chen's robes; had his frame not been protected by the Divine Power Armor (Shenli Jia), every wound inflicted would surely have been fatal!Yet, because he possessed the mystical regalia, the Master of the Divine Eagle Sect remained undefeated—a truly immortal, unslayable, and indestructible sovereign!Sect Master Chen remained without a single wound or even a hair-width scratch upon his skin; but... as for that foreign master from distant shores, his body was hacked asunder and his carcass split into สอง halves!Blood and viscera were strewn across the cavern floor as he breathed his last within the very chamber where the duel had been contested.
Thus, that brave soul from the Land of Riben (Japan), Wada Gensuke, entered as one body but emerged reduced to a multitude of scattered fragments!The remains were piled beside the walls of the Eagle Paradise Complex, with his own board of challenge placed atop the carcass; these fragments were left thus for two days for all the world to behold.On the dawn of the third day, retainers of the Divine Eagle Sect committed the remains to a grave at the rear of the sect's cemetery.A crude wooden tablet was staked upon the mound, inscribed in the simple script of Riben with the characters 和田源助—read in his native tongue as "Wada Gensuke," though the people of Zhongguo (the Middle Kingdom) pronounce them as "He-Tian Yuan-Zhu."Sect Master Chen once journeyed to this grave, raising a single cup of wine to drench the earth in libation before departing in absolute silence.
These two battles were sufficient to elevate the name of Chen Shuyuan, the "Celestial Sword Divine Eagle," to the rank of a supreme master, proudly standing among the top ten experts of the Jianghu.Yet, instead of indulging in boastful acclaim or publicly proclaiming his triumph over these two supreme experts, Sect Master Chen did the exact opposite.He grew increasingly reclusive, manifesting himself less frequently and strictly forbidding any within the sect to mention the duels—much less speak of his victory!
This was because he was acutely aware that to boast would only invite further trouble; moreover, the day would inevitably come when he might be exposed for having secured victory through the reliance on a mystical regalia.Once the truth were revealed, his hard-won renown would instantly vanish into mere dust.Most importantly, these triumphs were not what he truly sought from the power of the Divine Power Armor (Shenli Jia).He had no desire to don the regalia simply to seek victory over others or to become the number one martial artist in the world.Rather, what he required of this divine armor was to shield himself from the malice of others—particularly against hidden arrows and sneak attacks!That was the true virtue for which he intended to utilize the armor...
The last occasion upon which he was compelled to rely on the Divine Power Armor (Shenli Jia) to shield himself from a hidden assassination occurred approximately five years ago.It was a season in which he had reached the very zenith of his power and prestige, commanding a multitude of retainers at his beck and call.Personal combat had been a stranger to him for an age, yet on one particular instance, he journeyed to a grand banquet hosted by local gentry to welcome an Imperial Inspector dispatched from the capital, Kaifeng.
As it was an official affair of the state, it was inconvenient to mobilize a large escort; thus, he was accompanied only by the Chief Steward, Liang Jingtian, and a small squad of four or five elite experts.During the return journey, they encountered a figure clad in official robes, staggering from a palanquin to vomit upon the path, obstructing the steeds of their procession.Sect Master Chen perceived the man to be Zhao Wenzhong (赵文忠), the Provincial Commissioner (Buzhengshi : 政使) overseeing the Shansi treasury—a man of significant weight in financial matters and a member of the Imperial Zhao Clan.Seeking to curry favor with this local official to ensure the sect's future prosperity, the Sect Master halted his procession and dismounted to assist the man personally.But... his calculations were flawed!The one he reached out to support from behind was no noble of the Zhao Clan, but a lethal assassin dispatched by the Persian monks (Bōsī Sēng : 波斯僧) of the Fire-Worshipping Cult (Bai Huo Jiao :拜火教) from the Western Regions.They sought to eliminate Chen Shuyuan to erode the influence of the Divine Eagle Sect, which had usurped the authority of the Sect of the Celestial Steed Sect (天驷帮: Tiān Sì Bāng) in Shansi, thereby obstructing the cult's rituals and trade more than ever before.
The replacement of influence led to frequent clashes, in which the Fire-Worshipping Cult consistently found itself at a disadvantage.For as time waned, the Divine Eagle Sect grew in absolute power over the Jianghu and secured the firm backing of the authorities.Unable to engage in open combat, the Persian monks dispatched a supreme assassin, an expert in the arts of disguise from the city of Kangju (康居 : Samarkand), to Taiyuan to lie in wait for an opportunity to strike.
Having lain in wait for four months, the opportunity finally presented itself this night when Sect Master Chen emerged from the Divine Eagle Sect to attend an official banquet hosted by the local gentry.He and his cohorts donned disguises, orchestrating a scene as drunken officials to obstruct Chen Shuyuan's return path.
"Master, please withdraw!" the voice of Chief Steward Liang Jingtian thundered from behind.Chen Shuyuan was struck with alarm and his frame faltered, but as he was about to leap backward, it was already too late.That Sogdian (Suteren : 粟特人 ) assassin flicked both hands, releasing two palm-length iron spikes that tore through the void and struck the Sect Master's chest with precision!The remaining assassins, disguised as sedan-bearers and ten escort guards, pounced forward in unison to block Liang Jingtian and the retainers of the Divine Eagle Sect, preventing any aid from reaching the Master.
This weapon was known as the "Incinerating Fire Needles" (Lie Huo Zhen : 烈火針), an unorthodox hidden projectile.The metallic needles were not coated with poison as is customary for such lethal missiles, but were instead filled with "Infinite White Flame Powder" (Wu Jin Bai Yan San : 无烬白炎散).This fine white powder ignites spontaneously upon contact with the air, generating monumental heat.Once alight, this flame cannot be quelled; even plunging into water will not dampen its fury.It is a vicious weapon that stabs its victim to death and can reduce the carcass to minute dust and ash!
But... even with such a lethal weapon, it failed to slay Sect Master Chen upon striking the Divine Power Armor (Shenli Jia).The Incinerating Fire Needles rebounded without piercing his frame.Only the Sect Master's thick black fur cloak abruptly ignited, forcing him to brandish his Golden Blade and carve away the burning fragments of his garment.In the space of a blink, the assassin unsheathed a short-knife, intending to deliver a subsequent thrust.But as he lunged forward, he was suddenly struck by a monumental force that sent his frame flying through the air.It was the palm of the Chief Steward, "Iron Palm of a Thousand Solutions" Liang Jingtian, who had pounced through the fray to rescue the Master in an instant.He struck the assassin's frame, sending him crashing into a wall until a section of it collapsed; the man's chest was crushed, and blood erupted from his seven apertures as his life-breath ceased immediately!
This was the first occasion upon which Chen Shuyuan had revealed a glimpse of the Divine Power Armor (Shenli Jia) to his Chief Steward. Although it was but a small exposure through the tear made by a blade's tip—no larger than a pair of copper cash and shrouded by the deep silence of night—the Sect Master was convinced that, with the penetrating wisdom of Liang Jingtian, that "bookworm" would surely discern it to be the mythical regalia of legend. Despite this realization, Master Chen uttered not a word, and the Chief Steward likewise remained silent as the grave, offering no inquiry regarding the mail beneath the robes. Thus, they allowed the matter to drift into the past.
This was the true virtue Chen Shuyuan required of the Divine Power Armor: a final bulwark to shield his frame from the malice of others and to guard against hidden arrows and sneak attacks! He held an absolute, iron confidence in the preternatural strength of the mystical mail, yet he harbored a secret hope that the occasions requiring its use throughout his life would be few and far between.
Consequently, he strove to remain reclusive, choosing not to flaunt his prestige or issue challenges in search of the title of number one martial artist in the Jianghu. He was content to perform his duties as the sovereign of a sect overflowing with power, influence, and boundless wealth.
Naturally, despite his seclusion, there remained a multitude of warriors who viewed him as a prize; for those thirsting for illustrious renown in a short span, the only path was to overthrow a master of high standing. The reputation for martial prowess and the awe-inspiring prestige of Sect Master Chen Shuyuan of the Divine Eagle Sect served as a tempting test for the warriors of the world—a stepping stone upon which to trample as they climbed toward their own goals.
However, for any lone warrior to issue a challenge to the sovereign of such a mighty clan was no simple task. To reach the Master, one would first have to fight through the multitude of peerless masters who gathered beneath his banner at the Eagle Paradise Complex. Thus, for ordinary dwellers of the Jianghu, regardless of how much they desired to use Chen Shuyuan as a bridge to fame, the summit remained beyond their reach.
Even for the leaders of prominent camps or top schools, it was no easy feat to challenge him in a duel. For Chen Shuyuan was not merely the master of a grand sect and a supreme expert; he was a man of immense prestige —a prestige so formidable that even the high-ranking government officials and imperial ministers of the land were compelled to treat him with cautious respect and honor.
Thus, in this day, Chen Shuyuan could truly rest easy in his security, for he possessed not only the Divine Power Armor (Shenli Jia) as a mystical ward for his frame, but also a prestige (Barami) that was far-reaching and vast.The Old Sect Master heaved a soft, weary sigh as he reminisced upon the trials and tribulations of his past, and slowly released his hand from the scales of the divine mail he had been caressing.He raised his countenance and cast his gaze upward towards the Golden Imperial Plaque that hung with silent majesty upon the central beam.
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