Chapter 47: The Great Swine and the Long Serpent

In the capital, there were academies established specifically for scholars traveling to take the imperial examinations, and Liang Yan resided in one of them. Spending his days composing poetry and engaging in literary duels with like-minded scholars, debating the past and present, he lived a rather carefree life.

He was exceptionally talented. Consequently, some scholars and old Confucianists within the academy, who believed they had no hope of passing the exams themselves, flattered him incessantly. Their words were filled with sycophancy, all hoping that once he achieved fame on the golden list, he would pull them up with him.

Though Liang Yan initially felt disdain, as time passed, he gradually grew accustomed to the surrounding flattery and began to take it for granted.

Until the day the imperial examination results were posted.

Liang Yan stood blankly before the imperial bulletin, staring at the list in disbelief, the color draining from his face.

"No! It's impossible! I answered every question in this exam flawlessly! How can this be? Why am I not even at the bottom of the list!"

His heart trembled violently. With a "waah!" he spat out a mouthful of blood, stammering, "I have studied hard for many years, only for this to be the result... How can I ever face my father again..."

From that day forward, the scholars and literati who used to surround him every day in the academy began to distance themselves. Some even hurried to sever ties, pointing fingers at him with looks of utter contempt.

Witnessing the fickleness of the world, Liang Yan's heart turned to ash. He began to drown his sorrows in wine every day, living in a state of drunken stupor.

One day, Liang Yan was drinking himself into oblivion at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. He drank until the world turned dark, and as the night grew silent, a sudden commotion of footsteps echoed outside. Suddenly, over a dozen men in black, wielding blades, surged into the room.

The owner of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was a man of experience; he immediately ordered his servants to move the tables and chairs and close the doors, while he and the others fled outside, clearly seeking to protect themselves.

Liang Yan also knew things had taken a turn for the worse. He stood up drunkenly and pointed at the crowd, asking, "I, Liang, am but a destitute scholar. I wonder who intends to make such a grand spectacle just to deal with me?"

One of the men in black sneered, "You foolish, penniless scholar, you know nothing of the world. You offended Young Master Li and still thought you could participate in the imperial exams? I'll tell you the truth: your exam papers were swapped in secret long ago. No matter how much talent you possess, don't dream of claiming a spot on the imperial list!"

Liang Yan's eyes nearly burst with rage. "So it was you bastards manipulating things from the shadows! I'll fight you to the death!"

Without thinking, he charged toward the men in black. However, the moment he raised his fist, his strength vanished, leaving him limp. His punch landed on a man in black, but it felt more like a mere tickle.

*Damn it! The wine was poisoned!* he thought to himself. Then, his legs gave way, and with a thud, he collapsed to the ground, his consciousness gradually fading.

"Hahaha!" the man in black laughed loudly. "A mere mountain brat, dreaming of fighting against Heaven!"

When he woke up again, he found himself lying in an exquisite little room.

"Is this the underworld? It's quite charming!"

He grinned and struggled to sit up, only to be met with a tearing pain. It was then he realized his entire body was wrapped in bandages.

Suddenly, the door opened and a maid entered, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup. She was pouting, looking quite reluctant.

Seeing that Liang Yan was awake, she set the soup on the table and said bluntly, "Your life was saved by my Young Mistress; from now on, you are a servant of our Prince's Manor. Our manor does not support idlers. Drink your medicine, then report to the management office."

Without waiting for a reply, she gave him a brief direction to the management office and turned to leave.

Liang Yan gave a bitter smile and downed the medicinal soup in one gulp. Then, following the maid's directions, he made his way to the management office.

Inside sat a middle-aged man with a square face. Upon hearing Liang Yan's introduction, the man threw a waist token toward him without even looking up. "From now on, you are a low-level guard of the Prince's Manor, responsible for patrolling the manor's security. Check the duty roster in the main hall yourself. Patrols continue day and night; if you dare to slack off, you will be punished by the house rules!"

Liang Yan thought to himself, *I failed the imperial exams, only to end up a guard in this manor through sheer confusion. Very well, since this life was a gift, I should serve here.*

With that thought, Liang Yan nodded respectfully, took the waist token, and from then on, became a patrol guard for the Prince's Manor.

Spring passed and autumn came; time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, Liang Yan had been in the Prince's Manor for three years.

During the first year, relying on his high martial arts skills, Liang Yan achieved numerous feats and was quickly promoted to the position of Guard Commander. This even caught the attention of the Prince himself. After a family sacrificial ceremony, the Prince praised him for being young, capable, and handsome, and unexpectedly promoted him to his personal guard unit.

Afterward, everything went smoothly, and his position within the personal guard rose higher and higher. Particularly during a mission to escort the Prince, Liang Yan fought desperately to save him, earning the Prince's absolute trust. Not only was he gifted a precious sword that could slice through iron like mud, but he was also given the position of Vice Captain of the personal guard.

The personal guard was essentially the Prince's direct unit, with a status far higher than other subordinates. The position of Vice Captain was even more prestigious.

Furthermore, rumors circulated that the Prince's daughter frequently interacted with him and seemed to have a special affection for him. Thus, it wouldn't be surprising if he became the Prince's son-in-law one day.

At this point, Liang Yan was at the height of his glory, filled with self-satisfaction. The shadow of his failure in the imperial exams three years ago had long since vanished.

One evening, Liang Yan, his face glowing with health, walked through the woods outside the city carrying a jar of distilled liquor. He had just returned from a secret tryst with the Prince's daughter in the forest. In high spirits, he had bought a jar of liquor from a tavern outside the city and was drinking as he walked.

Suddenly, he saw a figure standing ahead. The man had a tall, upright build and a Seven-Star Saber at his waist, currently standing with his back to him.

"Captain Lu?" Liang Yan asked in surprise. "What brings you here? Do you have business with me so late at night?"

The man in front sighed and turned around. "Little Liang, you have followed me for nearly a year. Tell me the truth, in this past year, has I, Lu Chong, ever mistreated you?"

"Captain Lu is a man of profound loyalty and righteousness, treating subordinates with great gallantry. I, Liang Yan, do not admire many people, but you are certainly one of them!" Liang Yan said sincerely.

"Good!" Lu Chong seemed quite moved, his tiger-like eyes glistening with tears. He stepped forward, pulled Liang Yan into a tight embrace, and patted his shoulder. "It is rare for a lad like you to be so thoughtful. Actually, brother came here today because I need your help with something!"

"Whatever it is, Captain Lu, just say the word. As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse!"

"Good! It's actually nothing major. I just want to borrow something from you."

"Oh? What does Captain Lu wish to borrow?" Liang Yan asked curiously.

"I wish to borrow the head from your shoulders!" As soon as these words were spoken, Liang Yan felt a sudden, sharp pain in his abdomen. Looking down, he saw a sharp blade embedded in his body.

In his panic, Liang Yan struck out with a palm toward Lu Chong, but Lu Chong drifted backward gracefully. Having landed the blow, he did not greedily pursue the kill, instead quickly retreating to maintain a distance of two zhang between them.

Liang Yan pulled the blade from his abdomen and gritted his teeth. "Lu Chong! I have no grievance or enmity with you! Why do you do this to me?"

"No grievance?" Lu Chong said coldly. "Hmph! Our enmity is massive! Do you know that ever since you, Liang Yan, took this Vice Captain position, my position has been precarious, leaving me unable to sleep at night? You are young and capable, and you've even seduced the Princess. The Prince could replace me with you at any moment! Do you know that before you arrived, all of this belonged to me!"

Lu Chong grew more agitated as he spoke, eventually nearly shouting the words.

At that moment, two figures suddenly emerged from the forest. One of them clapped and laughed, "Captain Lu is ruthless and efficient. He will surely be a man of great consequence in the future!"

The other said coldly, "Why so much nonsense? Just kill this Liang Yan quickly so we can return and report!"

Liang Yan turned to look and saw that both were dressed in unusual attire. One held a saber and the other a sword; their steps were light, and their internal energy was concentrated and steady. They were clearly rare experts of the martial world.

*It seems Li Xun won't let me go either!*

The cold-faced man with the saber said, "At least you're a sensible one!"

The other, a swordsman in green, chuckled, "If you want to blame someone, blame your own brilliance. Originally, you were just a bug; even if he hadn't stepped on you, Young Master Li wouldn't have bothered looking for you. Who knew you would thrive so much these past few years? Seeing as you're about to become the Princess's husband, how could Young Master Li possibly tolerate you?"

Liang Yan gave a tragic smile. "So, I am standing in your way!"

By now, Lu Chong had lost his patience. He drew the precious saber from his waist and charged at Liang Yan. Simultaneously, the two assassins sent by Li Xun also struck.

Though Liang Yan possessed martial arts, his abdominal wound was severe, and he was now fighting three opponents at once—all of whom were top-tier experts. Within thirty moves, he was in grave danger, suffering several new wounds.

*Puchi!* A sound erupted as Lu Chong slashed Liang Yan's back, leaving a long, narrow wound that bled profusely. Liang Yan stumbled, only to be struck in the chest by the green-clad swordsman's blade.

"Ah!" Liang Yan staggered backward.

"I am unwilling! I am unwilling!"

Blood gradually blurred his vision. Memories flashed through Liang Yan's mind like a revolving lantern: his father's kindness, the Princess's tenderness, the joy of becoming Vice Captain, and the pride he felt before his subordinates.

*Everything I worked so hard to obtain... I am unwilling!* Liang Yan roared internally.

"Since you are unwilling, then take back everything that belongs to you!" A sudden voice rang out from the depths of his soul.

Liang Yan snapped his eyes open, only to find himself in a boundless darkness.

"Since you are unwilling, then demand it from these people! Those things were always yours; they owe them to you. Go and take them back from them!"

"Take what back? What are you saying?" Liang Yan was filled with terror, not knowing how to deal with this eerie phenomenon.

The voice did not respond to him, but instead gave a low command

"Kill, kill, kill! Kill all living beings under heaven, and enjoy wealth and glory!"

"Kill, kill, kill! Kill all living beings under heaven, and enjoy wealth and glory!"

Gradually, Liang Yan's eyes grew vacant. His mouth moved as if he were chanting something in a low voice, the sound growing louder and louder until it became clearly audible.

"Kill, kill, kill..."

"...Kill all living beings under heaven, and enjoy wealth and glory!"

With a great roar, Liang Yan woke from the darkness. At that moment, the cold-faced saber wielder's blade was only an inch from his neck. It was predictable that in the next instant, his head would be severed!

But that did not happen. Liang Yan's eyes were icy. With a swing of his precious sword, a flash of black light erupted, slicing the saber wielder's blade into two pieces.

The saber wielder turned pale with shock, clutching the broken half of his blade as he retreated frantically. But Liang Yan gave him no chance. With a wave of his hand, the long sword suddenly became distorted. Then, the sword vanished, replaced by an eight-foot-long red giant python, its head held high, hissing.

As Liang Yan swung the red snake, it grew with the wind, reaching over two zhang in length in the blink of an eye.

*Puchi!* The snake's head plunged into the cold-faced saber wielder's chest, beginning to chew voraciously. As the red snake fed, Liang Yan's wounds actually began to heal at a visible speed.

"You!" The green-clad swordsman and Lu Chong watched in stunned silence. Someone shouted, "This guy isn't human!" and they immediately turned to flee.

Liang Yan gave the two a cold glance and waved his hand. The long snake darted out, instantly merging into the night. Before long, two screams echoed through the woods; clearly, the two were dead.

Once the long snake had devoured the internal organs of both men, Liang Yan's injuries were mostly healed. He retracted the red snake, which transformed back into the ordinary precious sword, and without a single glance at the corpses, he turned and vanished into the night.

Shortly thereafter, news spread within the Prince's Manor that the Captain of the Personal Guard had died suddenly while being pursued by enemies. Naturally, the vacant position of Captain was filled by Liang Yan, who was deeply trusted by the Prince.

A year later, news arrived that the Prince was marrying his daughter to Liang Yan. During that time, the entire manor was decorated with lanterns and streamers, filled with festive joy. Liang Yan took this opportunity to return to Yongle Town and brought his father, Liang Xuan, to the capital. However, he had completely forgotten the woman named Xiao Cui from four years ago.

By marrying into the Prince's manor, Liang Yan had leaped over the dragon gate. Later, he participated in suppressing a rebellion and earned merit, gaining the favor of the Emperor. He was granted an official rank in the military, beginning his life of martial service.

Liang Yan repeatedly achieved extraordinary feats in the military. Legend has it that once, in his eagerness for glory, Liang Yan led a small, elite force deep behind enemy lines. They were surrounded by the enemy army, and just as the rear troops believed he had perished...

A scout returned to report that he had led his remaining few hundred men out of the encirclement by sheer force.

According to the scout that day: A god of slaughter suddenly charged out from the enemy ranks, wielding a crimson serpent. His mount was no ordinary warhorse, but a large grey pig.

The red serpent sprayed venom everywhere; with every strike, a hundred men would die. If an enemy general stepped forward to block it, he would be eaten alive, his internal organs devoured without a trace. As for the large grey pig, it was even more brutal and frenzied; with a single stomp or kick, enemies would often have their brains burst or their guts torn out.

When the main force eventually caught up and repelled the invaders, the battle was a bloodbath, with mountains of corpses everywhere. The enemy's army of nearly a million was thrown into total chaos by Liang Yan's force of only a few thousand, leading to a complete rout.

From then on, Liang Yan's prestige in the army soared, and neighboring enemy nations viewed him like a tiger or a wolf.

In the private rumors of the enemy troops, he was described as a demon god. It was said that he held a long snake and rode a large grey pig; the snake ate the organs, and the pig sucked the brains. Whenever the two armies faced each other, the mere knowledge that Liang Yan was on the opposing side caused the enemy's morale to collapse into total disorder.

Gradually, Liang Yan's position in the military rose higher and higher, until he finally became the Grand Marshal. Those who had offended him in the past, such as Li Xun, were all punished under various pretexts, eventually resulting in the execution of their entire families. Not only those who had offended him, but anyone in the imperial court who opposed him was also purged through various means.

Now, he was second only to the Emperor. To be precise, even the high and mighty Emperor had to watch his expressions. Because Liang Yan held sole command of the military, if he were to raise an army to rebel, no one would be surprised.

However, today, he was about to face his first truly evenly matched battle since joining the military. For his opponent was an undefeated general of a rival nation—a legend, and a female general in white.

(End of Chapter)