C6 The Four Seas Were Home

A woman's hand brushed the snow off the city gate; it was bitterly cold. Sighing deeply behind her veil, she felt a chill in her heart, one even colder than the snowflakes swirling around her.

"So, it has come to this... Will the last person betray me too?"

Her voice was barely audible against the blizzard outside the gates, quickly swallowed by the howling wind. It was unclear to whom she was speaking. She straightened her plain white garment and turned, her gaze icy as it fell upon the three elders standing beneath the city gate.

"I gave him a chance, but he squandered it. Now you know what must be done—no matter life or death! This time... show no mercy!"

The three old men shivered under her piercing stare, cupped their hands in respect, and then stepped into the snowy night...

"Lord Ye, please hold!"

A booming voice scattered the falling snowflakes, echoing like thunder.

The three quickly caught up to Ye, who hadn't gone far. Standing side by side in the moonlit snow, Gu Changsong and his companions wore complex expressions, a mix of helplessness and shame etched on their faces...

Three hundred meters from the city gate, they had repaid their debts. The upcoming clash was a matter of life and death. Three seasoned warriors, well-versed in the ways of fate, were set to confront a gravely injured youth. The outcome seemed inevitable.

Even if this youth could fight his way out of Chang'an City, his strength now so depleted that he struggled against even a common man, how could he possibly contend with these three venerable figures?

Stopped in the snowy wind, the young man slowly parted his parched lips and addressed them.

"Go back, this place is no longer Chang'an City."

"I apologize, Lord Ye. We have failed you, but we cannot allow you to proceed any further."

Gu Changsong steadied himself and exhaled a heavy breath. Resolute, he was determined to bring this man back to Chang'an City. With their plea for mercy, perhaps the old ties would spare him a fatal end.

"Forgive me!"

Hands shot out from within his robe, and in a flash, Gu Changsong was upon the young man, his hands glowing in the moonlight as he reached for his shoulders.

The elder's palms, now glistening like jade, belied his age. Proficient in the Stalactite Scripture, Gu Changsong was confident that he could whisk the young man back to the city in the blink of an eye.

However, in the next moment, a searing pain erupted in his palm. As Gu Chang Song's hand neared the target, mere inches away, it was bizarrely repelled.

"How can this be?"

He stared at his hand, where a long sword wound slowly opened, oozing blood. All that surrounded the young man was the drifting snow. What could possibly harm him through the Stalactite Scripture?

Gu Chang Song was baffled. The Daoist Scripture of Hengsha was among the most sophisticated methods in the world, capable of manipulating the subtle currents of time. What sword in all the world could penetrate the Hengsha Scripture? If such a sword existed, it would have to be faster than time itself.

Suddenly, a glimmer of understanding flashed in Gu Chang Song's puzzled gaze. As he retreated, he called out a warning to Mo Zhong.

"Director Mo, use the Guardian Character Technique!"

Prompted by Gu Chang Song's words, Mo Zhong and Bei Duqi sprang into action. The rosewood brush swiftly traced the character for 'guard' in midair. Instantly, the rich qi of heaven and earth formed a barrier against the snow under the moonlight, shielding the trio.

Beneath the Guardian Character Technique, their robes were found to be riddled with numerous tears, blood seeping from the fresh wounds. Observing the snowflakes landing on the protective qi and realizing their peril, the three elders inhaled sharply in fear.

The snowflakes, seemingly soft as they danced in the wind, became lethal when they touched the qi condensed by Mo Zhong's brush technique.

The delicate snowflakes burst upon impact, transforming into tiny swords in the wind that sliced a small gash in the protective qi.

"Sword Intent hidden within the snow, a blade that kills without a trace of blood... Such mastery of the sword is possessed by no more than three people in the world!"

The thought of having been amidst the deadly snow sent a shiver down Bei Duqi's spine—these were swords meant to kill!

"I warned you, this place is no longer Chang'an City..."

A pleasant smile graced the young man's lips as he stood serenely amidst the blizzard. The bloodied cloth over his eyes fluttered in the wind, and he faced the distant snowstorm as if awaiting something.

Amidst a pot of wine, I sit alone. I raise my glass to the bright moon, and together with my shadow, we become a party of three. I sing to the moon as it lingers, I dance with my shadow in disarray.

Through the whispering wind and snow, the faint sound of poetry approached. A white horse emerged, its hooves crunching the snow, carrying a figure who recited verses. Clad in a white fox fur coat as pure as the driven snow, the alluring scent of wine carried by the breeze reached far and wide.

This was a young man of unparalleled nonchalance.

On this night, he recited poetry amidst the snowstorm, drank under the moonlight, and rode his white horse into Chang'an, the epitome of ease. Was there anyone else in the world who could match his effortless grace?

"The solitary drink beneath the moon from the 'Collection of Taibai's Poems'... Indeed, it is he... The one who walks the path like an immortal, Lee Taibai!"

Gu Changsong, upon hearing the poem, gazed at the white horse advancing through the snow and the young man astride it, his brow furrowed in silent contemplation.

A poet, a swordsman, a celestial in wine – such titles belonged to Lee Taibai alone, a man with three immortal names, unparalleled across the land.

"Clad in a blood-stained robe, you come through the wind and snow. Hahaha, you possess the same spirit I once had. Little Ye, it's been too long."

After a swig of exquisite wine, the young man dismounted with a flourish. He removed his snow fox coat and draped it over the shoulders of the youth.

"Brother Taibai, I am deeply grateful for your presence tonight."

The snow fox coat shielded them from the biting cold, and the youth exhaled a sigh of relief. He adjusted the fur, wrapping the infant in his arms even more snugly.

"Think nothing of it. The debt I owe you from the past is too great to ever fully repay. Besides, I've only had a drink outside the walls of Chang'an. If I could enter the city, I would surely join you in a visit to the palace tonight..."

With a slight smile, Lee Taibai adjusted his brocade robe. His eyes squinted slightly as he donned a white jade crown, his ink-black hair somewhat tousled at his waist, yet he exuded a distinct charisma.

His handsome face bore a mischievous grin, as if there was nothing in this world beyond his reach.

Lee Taibai, a man whose beauty in poetry, swordsmanship, and character was legendary.

This individual had captured the hearts of countless young women in the throes of springtime infatuation. Now, having seen his true visage, he seemed even more like a celestial being, a figure straight out of a painting!

"Mr. Lee, what brings you to Chang'an tonight? Could it be that you're here to celebrate the Great Tang's recent reforms?"

Gu Chang Song performed a respectful bow, his sleeve raised in a traditional gesture. He was acutely aware that he and his two companions were no match for this man. In all of Great Tang, there were but a handful who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

And now, those individuals were unable to intervene. It was no surprise that Lord Ye had warned him that this place was no longer the Chang'an City they knew.

Indeed, outside the bounds of Chang'an City, there were precious few who could contend with Lee Taibai...

"Gu Chang Song of the Dao Sect, the world is vast. Must I really report my comings and goings to the Dao Sect? And you, Lord Gu, why not return to your residence to celebrate the new instead of braving the snow outside the city?"

Lee Taibai smiled as he lifted the luminescent cup in his hand, savoring half of the rare Western Region wine in a single gulp.

"I lead a weary life, unlike you, sir, with your carefree spirit. But since you're here, why not join us in the city for a gathering? It would be our pleasure to offer you hospitality."

Gu Chang Song turned and gestured towards Chang'an City behind him, suggesting that a lavish banquet awaited within its walls to honor their guest.

"Enter the city? I value my freedom, but I'm not without sense. There are many in the city who are eager for my presence. No need to enter—I'll just collect someone and be on my way."

Lee Taibai squinted as he observed the woman standing in the snow and the small building shrouded in darkness. In a swift motion, he leapt onto his horse, pulling the young man up behind him.

"Do you know who has given the orders? Whether I enter the city or depart, you shall not hinder me. However, Lord Ye must remain; we cannot justify his absence otherwise."

With a helpless shake of his head, the strategist from the north tugged at his goatee, caught between a rock and a hard place.

"I'm well aware of who it is, but I've never been one to curry favor with that person."

"I must take Xiao Yezi with me. Drinking alone under the moonlight fills my heart with bitterness. If I don't find someone to share a drink with soon, I might as well be toasting the moon's reflection. As for giving instructions... that's for Lee Taibai to handle!"

With a sudden spur, his white horse let out a piercing neigh. This was a rare steed, capable of covering vast distances in a single bound. As the white horse charged into the snowy night, a heroic song rose above the howling wind.

"Don't you see, the waters of the Yellow River come from the heavens!"

The song echoed powerfully, transforming the swirling snowstorm into a mighty river before their eyes. The river, like a sword, was majestic with the force to surge for thousands of miles!

The Sword Intent, unsheathed amidst the snowstorm, struck with such force that it pierced Mo Zhong's painting and sent the three men reeling back into Chang'an City.

"Cough, cough..."

Expelling mouthfuls of blood, the three elders appeared utterly disheveled. The sword strike had not reached their core, but it had shattered more than a dozen ribs, leaving them severely weakened.

Lying in the snow, they looked up at the woman on the city gate with a bitter helplessness. Such a task could only be expected from someone like Lee Taibai.

"Let's return. Lee Taibai's Green Lotus Sword Song is renowned throughout the world. There's no shame in your defeat..."

The woman watched the white horse vanish into the blizzard, sighing softly as her breath turned to frost in the wind, blending into the snowy night.

"We shall... take our leave."

Rising from the snow, Gu Chang Song and his companions bowed towards the city gate and quietly withdrew from the street.

...

The city gate of Chang'an City was eerily silent. The woman gazed into the snowstorm, lost in thought beneath the moonlight.

"You still can't let go."

A cold, mocking voice suddenly cut through from the small building.

"Ridiculous, what is there for me to hold onto!"

Facing the shadowy small building, the woman regained her composure, her demeanor once again that of a sovereign ruling from on high.

"If you can bear to let him go, how could they ever leave Chang'an? And if you can bear it, what does it matter if they leave the city? What difference does it make if Lee Taibai arrives? Haha, how pitiful, truly pitiful. In the end, you're still left alone..."

After downing a jar of wine, silence fell upon the small building, leaving it eerily quiet.

"Alone?"

Lifting her gaze, the woman quietly watched the snow fluttering beneath the moonlight, her figure the very picture of solitude. Then, in a swift motion, she turned to face Chang'an, threw back her sleeves, and burst into laughter.

"What of being alone? Even if I am alone, I... I am still the supreme ruler of this land... the highest of all..."

...

The city lay blanketed in snow, and at some point, the gates of Chang'an City had regained their usual calm.

The woman had departed, and the small building was now shuttered.

Amidst the blizzard, only the relentless snow continued to pile up on the ancient city walls.

...

In the vast snowy night, a white horse braved the wind and snow. The blindfolded youth sat quietly atop the horse, gently rocking the infant in his arms and humming an unintelligible lullaby.

Ahead, Li Bai led the way, trudging through the snow. The fine wine in his Night Light Cup had long been finished.

Now, he held a string of candied fruit, taken from the sleeping infant's grasp. The sugar coating had vanished, leaving the treat dry and brittle in the cold. Yet, he savored it with great pleasure.

"Ye-zi, what do you plan to do after we leave Chang'an? Will you bring this little one to stay with me?"

"No..."

Atop the white horse, the youth stroked the infant's cheek. He smiled and spoke softly into the distance.

"Once we leave Chang'an City, the vast world becomes our home... the four seas are all within reach!"

...

On the first day of the first month of the Tang calendar, a new era dawned for the Great Tang. That night, Chang'an City saw its first snowfall.

Beneath the initial snow, flowers wilted overnight...

...