Murong Longtu’s words caused a slight change in Old Siming’s facial expression.
The Great Grandmaster of the Yin Yang Family blurted out, "Hmm? What do you intend to do?!"
Murong Longtu spoke gently, "It’s only right to return a courtesy."
Siming’s mouth twitched as he said, "There’s no need to mention the Sword Madman; everyone knows that the Kunlun Sword Sect is in the far north, on Kunlun Mountain; the Sky-reaching Sect is well-known in the northern regions of Jiangnan, and as for the Seventy-two Linked Villages, they are up and down the great river. The Yin Yang Reincarnation Sect, however, has been very careful to hide. What exactly are you planning to do?"
Old Siming felt a tingling in his scalp:
"Hey, hey, hey, you’re not seriously considering going to their doors and slaughtering them all, are you?"
Murong Longtu shook his head, smiling freely, "What are you thinking? There are many sects that merely practice martial arts. I am no longer the same man I was sixty years ago; not so bloodthirsty, nor interested in drawing my sword against the weak. I find no pleasure in such senseless killing."
The green-robed old man sipped his tea calmly before speaking:
"To take the mystical weapons and disband the sects is sufficient."
"Let the disciples who are not involved in this matter go and return to their homes."
Siming gasped in shock.
Isn’t this equivalent to crippling their legacies, smashing their signs?
This old rascal’s words are still so aggressive and overbearing. Won’t this bunch of martial artists be forced to fight him to the death? But then again, the Sword Madman’s arrogance was built upon breaking through the numerous sword sects and blade schools of Central Plains and Jiangnan.
Siming cracked a smile and asked, "When do you plan to go?"
Murong Longtu replied calmly, with a gentle smile, "There’s no rush."
"This matter naturally involves taking Guan Yi with me."
"It wouldn’t be interesting to go alone."
Understood, this is about taking the youngster to kick down doors and slap faces together.
The old rascal wants to show off his martial arts to his great-grandson.
The green-robed old man’s gaze was peaceful as he spoke with a smile, "I will visit each one of them in turn. As for the outcome of those sects, this time, I will leave it to my son."
"Life and death will not be for them to decide."
Siming looked at the aging Sword Madman and sighed. He knew the Sword Madman wanted to establish Li Guanyi’s reputation in the Martial World, and Murong Longtu added after some thought, "As for that one, whom Guan Yi seems to dislike, we need not bother with any martial world etiquette."
The Green Robed Sword Madman picked up the cup of tea Li Guanyi had poured for him.
He simply tossed it calmly outside.
Time seemed to freeze.
As the tea fell, each drop suspended in mid-air, the old man’s fingers reached out calmly, stirring the frozen droplets, then condensed them into a sword. He turned his wrist, bent his fingers, and lightly touched the sword.
The Sword Madman said indifferently:
The tea transformed into a sword and surged forth, vanishing from sight in an instant.
Siming was struck dumb, knowing roughly which unfortunate soul was about to fall.
The Sword Madman spoke again lightly:
"You’ve been listening for so long, come up."
Siming wasn’t surprised. He looked down to see a scholar-like strategist in a long robe with a gentle demeanor stepping forward. With a sword on his waist, he bowed slightly and said, "Pang Shuiyun, greets Mr. Murong. It’s been over a decade since we last met."
"Mr. Murong remains as ever, yet Shuiyun has aged from his prime to now, with white at his temples."
"Time is truly merciless."
The Sword Madman said blandly, "Were you looking for me?"
Pang Shuiyun smiled, "Before I came out, I heard that the Sword Madman had left the Jiangnan Eighteen States. With just a calculation, I knew where Mr. Murong would go and whom he would seek. The Young Master is valorous and has great fame. I knew Mr. Murong wouldn’t be able to resist and would want to see the Young Master."
This was also one of the reasons why he deliberately publicized Li Guanyi’s name.
It was to draw out the Sword Madman.
Murong Longtu lacked the sharp aggressiveness of the legends and simply said, "Since you have come, take a seat." Pang Shuiyun deeply bowed and then seated himself. The Sword Madman drank tea on his own and said, "Tell me, what do you want to do by seeing me?"
Pang Shuiyun’s expression was composed as he said, "I wish to inquire about getting backup from the Sword Madman."
Murong Longtu raised his brows slightly.
Pang Shuiyun spoke gently, "The Young Master is currently as popular as a raging fire, but I received information that Yuwen Tianxian has already escorted Yuwen Hua away from Zhenbei City. The three generals took the City Lord captive but did not want to break with Wen Lie, thus allowing Yuwen Hua and the others to retreat with ease."
"They even gave quite a generous gift."
"According to intelligence, Wen Lie left three hundred Heavy Cavalry for Yuwen Tianxian."
Pang Shuiyun laughed lightly and said indifferently:
"However, such deceptive tactics are something I would never believe."
"Three hundred Heavy Cavalry, in the eyes of people like us, should at least be doubled, plus a little more. My estimate is that Wen Lie left eight hundred iron riders, and among the world’s cavalries, those who excel in encircling, cutting, and dragging are the most crucial combat units."
"Yet no one will use Heavy Cavalry to charge directly against battle formations."
"Once caught in the surroundings of giant shields and Hooked Scythe Spears, such as the Heavy Infantry, cavalries will suffer huge losses without their high-speed mobility."
"Although I don’t understand the affairs of the Military School,"
"Still, the basis of a battle formation is to engage the enemy in the front with infantry, with cavalries flanking from both sides, executing encircling maneuvers, cutting off supplies, and opening up the enemy’s flanks from behind to segment their major forces. Thus, eight hundred Heavy Cavalry."
"There should be at least three times as many infantry to support them."
"This means that Yuwen Tianxian has at least three thousand men at his command, and the cavalries are likely not Ying Country’s top-tier corps but are definitely elite forces, while the infantry are probably individual soldiers."