I can’t bear to see beauties grow old or heroes fall into decline. So long as Xu Xiao does not die, I will not march south, absolutely refusing to let Xu Xiao’s lifelong reputation be tarnished in his twilight years!
Hmph.
When Xu Fengnian opened his eyes at dawn, seeing the pale white sky, for some reason he thought of the remote conversation between the Northern Liang Empress and Xu Xiao. It couldn’t even be called an exchange of insults, and he found himself chuckling silently. The Northern Liang court always occasionally let slip some rumors and whispers, and that middle-aged Empress never tried to hide her special feelings for Xu Xiao. There were rumors that in her youth, the Empress had secretly visited the Liyang Kingdom, met Xu Xiao once, and even had a fleeting romance that shook heaven and earth. The officials of both kingdoms were skeptical about the former, and few believed the latter, where it was more commonly spread among the common folk. Regardless of how much the officials of the imperial court disliked Xu Xiao, they all scoffed at these rumors. Of course, Xu Fengnian himself didn’t believe them either. He slowly stood up, stretched lazily, shook his head, and turned to see Wang Dashi running toward him, secretly following a boxing form, circling his arms around his chest, creating a continuous loop. Unfortunately, it was still a crude prototype, far from reaching mastery. Seeing Xu Fengnian, Wang Dashi whispered, “Master Gongsun said that Master Xiao discovered some horse bandits last night and went to attack them with his sword, ignoring all attempts to stop him. No one knows when he’ll return. Miss Liu said we’ll wait half a day more, and if he doesn’t come back, we’ll have to head to Liuxia City first.”
Xu Fengnian smiled and asked, “You left all the dry branches for me last night. Aren’t you cold?”
Wang Dashi’s sincerity and simplicity were immediately evident. Embarrassed, he replied, “In the martial arts schools back home, there are so many rules for apprenticeship, and the master might not even teach you real skills. Usually, they say they’ll decide after watching your character for a few years. But then they just forget about it. Later, if you ask them about it, the master will say you haven’t accomplished anything in those years and aren’t worthy of being taught, so they just leave you hanging. In the end, it’s because the apprentice hasn’t paid enough silver.”
Xu Fengnian couldn’t help but laugh, “You’re not stupid at all, kid.”
The boy scratched his head, blushed, and bravely said, “Master Xu, you’re different from those masters who only care about collecting money.”
Xu Fengnian, who never refused flattery, laughed heartily, “Good taste.”
The members of the Yulong Gang gathered in small groups, looking at them with various expressions. Some despised Wang Dashi for being too servile, some envied the young apprentice for getting on the boat of the General’s Mansion, and others were puzzled why the son of a martial family would willingly chat happily with Wang Dashi. Generally speaking, the younger ones didn’t have good feelings toward this Xu Young Master, while the older ones, who had experienced the ups and downs of the martial world, seemed reserved but actually hoped that Xu Fengnian would take the initiative to greet them politely and give them a chance to get closer. Unfortunately, the young Xu was too proud and still didn’t acknowledge anyone even when they were almost at Liuxia City, which made many members of the gang who hoped to establish good relations with the General’s Mansion feel angry and humiliated.
Xu Fengnian glanced at the Yulong Gang and said, “Once we return to Linzhou, you won’t have an easy time anymore.”
The boy forced a smile, his expression slightly bitter but no longer as lost and fearful as before. This young man, who was the only one to fight alongside Liu Niran at the final moment in Daoma Pass, didn’t know whether he was comforting Xu Fengnian or himself. He pursed his lips and softly said, “It’s okay.”
Young people are like a new bow; one won’t know their potential until life has pulled the string to an exaggerated extent. Standing on a high slope, Xu Fengnian looked northward. Between Daoma Pass and Liuxia City lay a solitary fortress called Yanhui Pass. This isolated city had an ambiguous allegiance, neglected by both kingdoms, and both empires had tacitly agreed not to send officials to govern it. Instead, it became a rare and prosperous marketplace. The residents of the city had long since developed keen ears and sharp eyes. When military activities increased between the two empires, they scattered; when the military activities ceased, they gathered again, enjoying their carefree lives. Further north of Yanhui Pass was undeniably Northern Liang territory, with strict defenses, watchtowers every five miles, signal towers every ten miles, and fortified cities every hundred miles, gradually improving over the years to form a complete and distinctive military defense system.
Gongsun Yang, who stood beside the Prince and looked northward, lifted his wine pouch. There was not much green ant wine left, so he awkwardly put it back on his waist. He introduced the complex situation of Yanhui Pass to Liu Niran beside him, saying, “Miss Liu, we still have two days’ journey to Yanhui Pass. This place is a melting pot of all kinds of people, many villains who committed crimes in the southern regions of our empire have moved here, and it’s the same on the Northern Liang side. Some soldiers and officers who were stationed at the border for various reasons have left the military register, either as spies or secret agents, or simply taken their brothers and turned to dangerous trades. Many more are escaped convicts fleeing from forced labor, as well as refugees from the eight kingdoms of the Spring and Autumn Period who would rather be homeless dogs than peaceful citizens of the Liyang Kingdom. Those who dare to stay in Yanhui Pass basically don’t have clean hands. Even the children there can be described as ruthless and cunning, far more experienced than the grown men outside. Although we need to replenish our water and food supplies, I think the main group should not enter the city. Instead, I will take a few clever people to purchase supplies. We can’t afford any turbulence; the Yulong Gang simply can’t withstand any storms anymore.”
Liu Niran nodded and said, “Then I will go into the city with Uncle Gongsun. We’ll do things as stably as possible.”
Gongsun Yang felt a sense of old satisfaction and said, “I can’t keep my mouth shut, Miss Liu. Please don’t get angry after hearing this. Although you are a woman, you also have the natural virtues of a woman and do not insist on showing off. To be honest, when the old leader initially wanted to hand over the Yulong Gang to you, I was still worried. Not being able to command respect from the members was only one reason. The main concern was that you might have too high expectations, thinking that the Yulong Gang’s current achievements were only natural, and that you would be determined to push forward, inevitably hitting a wall and possibly suffering setbacks. After taking over, it would be difficult to maintain the stability that is essential for establishing oneself in the martial world. After this journey, I must admit that I underestimated your abilities and wisdom.”
Liu Niran blushed and said, “Uncle Gongsun, I’m just timid, not as eloquent as you say.”
Gongsun Yang laughed heartily, “Miss Liu, being timid is good. A young calf that fears nothing can be dangerous. If you have a strong background, it’s not so bad; if you suffer hardships and injustices, you can always go back to your parents for help, and there’s no way you can’t make a comeback. Our Yulong Gang is awkward, neither here nor there, far from having a large enterprise. Once we suffer significant losses, who will give us a hundred days to recuperate? The rival gangs that have been watching us will surely take the opportunity to attack. So being timid is a good thing, a blessing for the Yulong Gang. If, as Master Xu said, the power was taken over by Xiao Qiang and handed to Xiao Ling, who is ambitious but incompetent, I dare to say that the Yulong Gang would only prosper for eight or nine years before a disaster strikes, and everything would collapse instantly. Rushing things won’t yield good results; it’s simply not acceptable.”
Liu Niran didn’t expect the usually silent guest to be so humorous. She was suddenly amused, feeling much lighter, and her eyes sparkled with a bit more clarity. Gongsun Yang secretly nodded, feeling a sense of affection and hope for the younger generation. This journey to Northern Liang was not just about transporting goods worth 30,000 taels of silver; it was equivalent to placing the heavy burden of the Yulong Gang’s future plans and strategies entirely on her shoulders. Being arbitrarily attacked by government troops at Daoma Pass and then being pursued by horse thieves after leaving the pass, with the original pillar Xiao Qiang now missing and presumed dead, this was indeed a heavy burden for Liu Niran, who had not yet reached the age of twenty. Gongsun Yang glanced at the somewhat likable Xu Young Master. For Liu Niran, who was already on edge, wasn’t this person an additional burden? Sighing in his heart, Gongsun Yang told himself to think positively, believing that this experience would inevitably become an invaluable asset in Liu Niran’s life.
Liu Niran hugged her knees and bit her lip, gazing into the distance. She unknowingly attracted many admiring glances from the young men of the Yulong Gang, but she remained indifferent.
After noon, they set off northward once their bellies were full, with only Xu Fengnian, Liu Niran, and Gongsun Yang knowing that Xiao Qiang, who had gone to fight alone, would definitely not appear. As they went downhill, Xu Fengnian noticed the complex look Liu Niran cast his way but chose not to respond. In the past, he would have offered a polite smile, but his kindness had always been misunderstood, so why bother with a warm face meeting a cold backside? With nothing better to do, Xu Fengnian thought about this and, falling behind, couldn’t help but glance a few times at Liu Niran’s backside. Her years of martial arts practice had hidden her natural feminine charm, but upon closer inspection, Liu Niran’s figure was quite appealing, especially her long, tight, and elastic legs. However, Xu Fengnian only took the opportunity to feast his eyes when no one was looking. In this vast desert, where there was not a village in front or behind for a thousand miles, any woman was a priceless treasure, let alone a woman like Liu Niran, who was exceptionally beautiful and had inner grace.
The sun was scorching, and the heat waves were overwhelming. The members of the Yulong Gang were all drenched in sweat, and Liu Niran, riding on her horse, had sweat dripping from her cheeks from time to time.
Only Xu Fengnian, with his long and steady breathing, possessed a precious Dahuang Pavilion cultivation that made his entire body cool. Wang Dashi, following closely behind Xu Fengnian, felt much less heat but didn’t realize he was benefiting from it. He was too focused on silently reciting the martial arts mantra. Master Xu had said that the early bird catches the worm and that hard work can make up for lack of talent. If the mind isn’t sharp, one must rely on the most tedious methods to walk the martial path. Although Xu Fengnian appeared relaxed while riding his horse, he was never lax internally. Others practiced martial arts by seeking shortcuts to quick success, but the Prince did the opposite, deliberately choosing the most complicated meridian flow diagrams from the sword manual to regulate his breath. Others sought simplicity, while he sought complexity. Unless his energy flow was blocked, causing unbearable chest tightness, he would slowly exhale a mouthful of stagnant, turbid air.
Strangely enough, at this moment, the essence of the sword manual Xu Fengnian was practicing was meticulously describing Li Chungan’s sword energy, the “Rolling Dragon Wall,” named “Kai Shu Shi” in the sword manual.
What a remarkable sword energy! The energy within Xu Fengnian’s body surged wildly, as if hundreds of sword energies were twisting through his heart and lungs, causing unbearable pain. Fortunately, the Prince maintained a calm expression.
Xu Fengnian’s energy flow did not stop, but he narrowed his eyes, gazing into the distance.
A nimble figure suddenly appeared from a high slope, leaping down and kicking up a cloud of dust upon landing. Then, using the momentum, he rushed forward rapidly, paused briefly, slightly turned, and charged toward the Yulong Gang’s procession on the road. Everyone watched in astonishment. Even more shocking was that a few seconds later, dozens of figures followed suit, jumping down from the high slope. The first dozen or so landed gracefully, while the later ones, whose kung fu was not as good, fell flat on their faces but, disregarding their dignity, continued to charge forward. It seemed that these thirty or forty individuals were all chasing the man who was about to charge into the Yulong Gang’s formation. In the confusion, Liu Niran and Gongsun Yang dared not act rashly. They only saw that the figure was an old man with a hooked nose and gray robes. He touched the ground several times with his feet, quickly approaching the Yulong Gang’s horse team. He leaped high into the air, pulling out a yellowed book from his bosom and throwing it toward a member of the Yulong Gang riding a horse. The old man laughed heartily, “Grandsons, grandpa isn’t going to play with you anymore. This ‘Qingfu Sword Embryo Classic’—whoever has the ability can take it!”
What Qingfu Sword?
The Yulong Gang member who was suddenly hit by a secret manual couldn’t help but catch it, completely confused and at a loss. But as the old man soared past, the member turned around and saw a sea of martial artists with bloodshot eyes and fierce momentum rushing toward him. Several impatient ones in front wielded their weapons, creating a dazzling array of light, and the guy shivered involuntarily. Finally realizing that what he held was a hot potato, he didn’t say a word and threw it to a fellow gang member beside him. Damn it, what a sudden disaster! The guy who was caught in the crossfire was a bit more clever. He shouted, “Wang Mazi, you catch it!” and tossed it away without hesitation. The third person to catch it followed suit, not even glancing at the secret manual before throwing it backward with all his might.
Liu Niran, feeling utterly ashamed, couldn’t bear to watch anymore. It was really embarrassing.
When the young Wang Dashi saw the secret manual flying toward him, he hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to catch it. Suddenly, the sky darkened above him, and then he saw the manual land in Master Xu’s hand, who then threw it back to the crowd.
The secret manual soared high into the air.
The thirty-odd frenzied individuals were all skilled, each displaying their unique martial arts techniques. Those who jumped into the air fought each other mid-air, while those on the ground who couldn’t ascend in time didn’t remain idle either. They immediately engaged in fierce combat nearby, creating a cacophony of sounds that was quite a spectacle. The members of the Yulong Gang watched in awe, marveling at how they had the chance to witness so many martial arts masters in one go. This trip to the Northern Liang was worth it. Within moments, several people were already lying on the ground, motionless. They had truly resorted to lethal force. After the initial chaos, a young and refined swordsman successfully grabbed the coveted martial arts manual. Immediately, six other sword-wielding allies retreated, forming a strange sword formation with this young man, who had the appearance of a refined gentleman, to defend against external threats.
Xu Fengnian narrowed his eyes. It turned out to be the rare and obscure “Jiangqi Tou Sword Formation,” which could transform into a cone-shaped array for attack or a solid central array for defense. It was highly likely that these were swordsmen from the Northern Liang’s prestigious Qijian Le Fu.
Xu Fengnian originally intended to warn these martial artists that the manual was probably fake, but he hesitated and decided against it. He was about to signal Liu Niran to continue forward and avoid getting involved in this mess.
The young swordsman, wearing white robes and jade ornaments, looked at the cover carefully and indeed threw the manual to the ground in anger, exclaiming, “It’s fake! It’s actually the ‘Gongyang Commentary’!”
The old man with the hooked nose, as cunning as a fox, had already fled. His martial arts skills were superior to the others, and with this delay, he had plenty of space to escape.
After witnessing the spectacular scene, Liu Niran finally came to her senses and wanted to leave the trouble behind, but the situation had already determined that the Yulong Gang couldn’t leave. Those martial artists who had gone through great hardships to chase after the manual all glared at them, clearly wanting to take out their anger on the Yulong Gang.
The young swordsman from the Qijian Le Fu, who was leading the group, maintained his composure and did not immediately attack the Yulong Gang, at least preserving the basic decorum of a prestigious sect.
Liu Niran was carefully choosing her words when, unexpectedly, Xu Fengnian spoke first, saying, “Heroes, the blame lies with the culprit, not us. We’ve also suffered an unexpected disaster. There’s no need for swords to be drawn against each other, right?”
Liu Niran’s heart was in her mouth, fearing that all these people would turn their spearhead against the Yulong Gang.
The swordsman from Qijian Le Fu smiled brightly, held his sword upside down, and bowed slightly with his hands clasped, fulfilling the basic etiquette of the martial world. He said generously, “Indeed, let’s part ways here.”
A man who had been looking at the book under the Qijian Le Fu swordsman’s feet recognized the cover and angrily said, “It really is the ‘Gongyang Commentary’! That old rogue is too cunning! Brother, let’s continue the chase!”
The Yulong Gang quickly opened up the front and back of their formation, making way for a clear path.
Except for the few who had lost their lives, the remaining thirty or so passed through in a line, including the Qijian Le Fu members. However, a young man holding a sword with a green blade hesitated for a moment and smiled at Liu Niran on her horse, asking, “Might I ask the young lady’s name?”
A few unruly martial artists ahead, hearing this, kept moving but muttered, “He came to fight for the manual but still can’t resist flirting with any girl he sees. What a scoundrel!”
“When did Qijian Le Fu produce such a disgraceful fellow!”
“One bad apple spoils the barrel. The moral standards are declining.”
The swordsman, who introduced himself as Wang Weixue, ignored their remarks and continued to smile at Liu Niran. The other six disciples and the rest of the group rushed forward.
Xu Fengnian smiled, “That manual is real.”
Liu Niran, out of politeness, calmly replied, “Liu Niran from Linzhou.”
The swordsman, Wang Weixue, caught sight of the others moving away and stopped smiling. He walked slowly toward the manual, picked it up, and put it into his robe. Before leaving, he smiled at Liu Niran, who was shocked, and said, “Young lady, your legs are so beautiful. I must have the chance to touch them someday. That would make this life worthwhile.”
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