Xu Fengnian, for reasons unknown, did not enter the Bull-Taming Mansion brimming with treasures. Instead, he sat idly on the steps beneath the eaves, with his younger brother Xu Longxiang and the maid Qingniao standing behind him. The Prince was murmuring to himself, and Xuan Qingfeng couldn’t quite catch what he said. Naturally, she couldn’t guess that this heir of Beiliang was sighing and lamenting inwardly. After leaving Liangzhou, first came the reappearance of the Fujiang Red Armor, then the pair of swordsmen from the Wu Clan’s Sword Tombs inexplicably blocked his path. Not to mention the eleventh strongest under heaven, Wang Mingyin, who wanted his head. Soon after came the great master Cao Changqing from Jiangnan, who took Jiang Ni away. Continuing eastward, at Kuanglu Mountain he even encountered Zhao Huangchao, a celestial being who had left his body. Finally arriving at the Daoist capital of Longhushan, even at Daxueping he encountered Confucian sages and sword immortals. Life had become unbearable. Xu Fengnian considered himself diligent in his saber practice, but among these people, even the chance to fight to the bitter end was beyond his reach.
Even Wen Hua had said that no one who wandered Jianghu could escape being stabbed forever. Yet when faced with these foes, it was impossible not to get cut. At this moment, Xu Fengnian finally understood why the Taoist boy had been so timid, and it was indeed wise not to descend the mountain. If Hong Xixiang came down casually, it would be like carrying a big sign saying, “Come hit me!” In this Jianghu, every expert had someone to contend with. A Jinguang Realm warrior might seem invincible, but what if someone at the Zhixuan Realm took offense? The Zhixuan masters might seem mighty, but then the Tianxiang Realm old turtles, who had lived for millennia, would rise from their ponds to teach them a lesson. Even at the Tianxiang Realm, which seemed unbeatable, wasn’t Xuan Daopan defeated by his grandson Xuan Jingcheng, who had become a terrestrial immortal simply through reading? After a century of painstaking cultivation, not only was his body lost, but even a handful of ashes could not be preserved.
Xu Fengnian lay on the ground, sighing again and again.
Jianghu was indeed perilous.
Xuan Qingfeng waited for quite some time, but the Prince did not seem to return to his senses. Finally impatient, she said, “Your Highness won’t enter the Bull-Taming Mansion? The things here are too sordid for Qingfeng to take anything, but you may take whatever you wish.”
Xu Fengnian still showed no reaction. After a long while, an unfamiliar young girl emerged from the mansion, her demeanor exactly like that of the boy who had earlier delivered the silk pouch. Softly, she said, “My master instructed me that if the Prince does not enter the Bull-Taming Mansion, I should deliver this silk pouch.”
Finally, Xu Fengnian snapped back to attention, rolling his eyes and muttering, “Not this again.”
Yet, as he spoke, he hurriedly took the silk pouch, opened it, and only after the young girl had returned to the Bull-Taming Mansion did he quietly ask Xuan Qingfeng, “Your father said the Bull-Taming Mansion has a treasure vault, its door crafted by the Mohist master from Shangyin Academy, so solid it cannot be breached. It uses a male and female water monitor as internal and external handles. To enter, one must drip the blood of a legitimate descendant of the Xuan family onto the male monitor’s mouth. The male monitor will drill through the vault door, navigate the mechanisms, and reunite with the female monitor to open it. If the Xuan bloodline were to end, wouldn’t no one be able to open it?”
Xuan Qingfeng frowned and replied, “What are you implying? Let me tell you the truth—the male water monitor died last year. I once went to Yunjin Mountain seeking a new one but could not find one. Since the young prince is apprenticed to Longhushan, I’m sure your relationship with the Celestial Master’s Mansion is excellent. I’ve heard that the Celestial Master’s Pond contains several water monitors. Perhaps the Prince could request one to be gifted to Huishan. Whatever treasures the vault contains would be Xuan family’s way of thanking you for the trouble of coming up the mountain.”
By the end of her words, Xuan Qingfeng’s expression clearly bore mockery, as if she were watching a spectacle. She clearly had hold of the Prince’s weak point—his words, relayed through the old swordsman, that had insulted the Celestial Master’s Mansion.
Lying on the ground, Xu Fengnian cast a sidelong glance at Xuan Qingfeng and lazily said, “What? You think I wouldn’t dare to ask for a water monitor? If the Celestial Master’s Mansion won’t give it, I’ll take it by force. If I can’t steal it, I’ll politely ask again.”
Xuan Qingfeng’s lips curled into a subtle curve, half-smiling as she said, “Your Highness is indeed unconcerned with minor etiquette. When you inherit the Beiliang King’s title, if you apply this method against the Northern Barbarians, you will surely achieve victory with strategic brilliance and be remembered in history.”
Xu Fengnian stood up, deliberately ignoring her sarcasm, and said, “Thanks for the good wishes.”
Then, his expression changed, and with a warm smile, he continued, “The silk pouch not only mentions a few treasures in the vault that catch my eye, but also something outside the martial arts collection that is more precious than the entire Bull-Taming Mansion. It says I should treasure it well, using eight words: ‘far away in the sky, yet right before your eyes.'”
Xuan Qingfeng’s expression subtly changed.
Xu Fengnian laughed and leaped off the steps, saying, “Stupid woman, do you think your father would dare give you to me? Even if he were willing, I wouldn’t accept. You’ve got no chest, no hips, and you wear a sour face all day. Looking in the mirror would make you think you’re a female ghost.”
Xuan Qingfeng stared at Xu Fengnian’s retreating figure, her gaze complex.
Approaching the edge of Daxueping, Qingniao softly called, “Master.”
Xu Fengnian, sharing a deep understanding with her, smiled and explained, “It’s not that I deliberately want to trouble Xuan Qingfeng. But this woman doesn’t listen to kind words. If I were truly sincere with her, she would misinterpret my goodwill. If she thinks I’m after her beauty or her family’s wealth, then I’m truly wronged.”
Ignoring Xuan Qingfeng’s darkening expression, the Prince descended Daxueping. As he did, he saw a sea of kneeling figures ahead—no fewer than thirty people. Xu Fengnian quickly understood the situation. He placed his hands on Xiudong and Chunlei, and with a smile, looked down at them and said, “Oh, you all know how to change sides quickly. You’re here to serve me and hope to go to Beiliang to enjoy power and prestige? That’s fine by me, but let me make one thing clear: those with real talent, I won’t treat like beggars. Whether you were a wanted criminal or a petty thief before, I have a big enough table to feed not just dozens, but hundreds! But if you’re here just to freeload without any skill, whether you’re a Huishan guest or some martial hero from elsewhere, scram! If I catch you, I’ll take your heads and trade them to the authorities for a few silver coins.”
Most of the martial artists who had relied on Huishan were stunned.
Was this heir of Beiliang too ignorant? How could he speak so bluntly, like a common highway robber?
At that moment, about a dozen fence-sitters cautiously stood up, trying to take back their allegiance. Half of them were too proud to endure such humiliation, while the other half were frauds merely seeking better opportunities elsewhere. These people had always been lowly at Niu-Taming Ridge, ignored by everyone, never reaching the coveted guest positions. In the past, they couldn’t even get a whole martial arts manual—just a single page would spark fierce competition. Even among those with relatively good relationships, betrayal and deceit were common. Those who weren’t noble guests could only borrow manuals from the Wending Pavilion for limited periods and couldn’t take them outside. If anyone were caught making copies, they would be expelled from Huishan. Many martial heroes, if their styles were similar, would memorize manuals and exchange them later. Some with ill intentions might add or misstate a few crucial words—not enough to cause internal injuries, but enough to mislead others and make them take the wrong path. The guest seats in Huishan numbered only in the dozens, each one occupied, with many competing for few spots. The full range of human nature was vividly displayed.
Even at this moment, Xu Fengnian’s thoughts wandered.
Because once he finished hastily dealing with the aftermath at Bull-Taming Ridge, he wouldn’t linger long at Longhushan but would head northeast toward Jianzhou.
Wudi City.
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