Madam twisted her waist, which could carry infinite charm, spat out a mouthful of melon seed shells, and said indifferently, “Sui Song was once a wandering swordsman with a notable reputation in the martial world. Later, he got into trouble in Gusei Prefecture and was chased and hunted by young aristocrats like Murong Jiang Shen. By chance, Tao Qianzhi saved him, so the wild dog became a domesticated one. I wonder whether his ability to bite people now is worse than before.”
This auntie was a chatterbox who couldn’t keep still. She pinched a melon seed between her fingers and held it to her lips. Looking down, she noticed Sui Song blocking the doorway with his guards. She paused and mumbled, “Has this old man been hit by a door or kicked by a donkey? Why would he charge out like this and take the front line? Doesn’t he know there’s an unknown white-clad swordsman inside the inn? If that swordsman colludes with Murong Jiang Shen, that mother and daughter will be in grave danger.”
Xu Fengnian did not respond, letting Madam talk on. In the eight provinces and two capitals of Northern Wei, Xu Fengnian planned to circle through the outer provinces without entering heavily guarded areas. He would enter Gusei Prefecture from Longyao Prefecture and exit there, cutting down a few heads along the way. There were five or six Northern Wei generals like Tao Qianzhi who were not yet prominent but would become key military figures in the next two decades. Originally, he had no intention of paying attention to royal scions like Murong Zhangtai and Murong Jiang Shen, but in the small town of Yatoulu, he was genuinely surprised. Because the female emperor usurped the throne in Northern Wei, there were two royal surnames: Yelü and Murong. The former had lost their glory and lived under others’ roofs, trembling under the emperor’s skirts. The latter suddenly gained power, arrogant and oppressive, with a terrible reputation. Xu Fengnian initially thought of them as privileged nobles from the Liyang Dynasty’s aristocratic families, but that was a grave mistake. Even Murong Jiang Shen had such martial prowess and charisma. The Northern Wei were indeed a martial and warlike people to the bone, completely masking the effeminate airs of the privileged class.
Xu Fengnian slightly frowned, lost in thought. The door was quietly pushed open, and a blood-soaked brute entered, carrying a bronze axe. The man saw the stout Madam and acted like he had seen his own mother. After closing the door, he wiped his face, revealing bloodstains. Sitting down, he tore off a piece of lamb and stuffed it into his mouth, muttering with lingering fear, “Fatty Fan, the outside is blocked by Murong’s pretty boys. The horses in the stable were all killed. Let me hide here for a while, and I won’t owe any more debts. That guy wields an iron spear weighing fifty or sixty jin as easily as a sewing needle. His strength is terrifying. Lü Liang, that sonless bastard, tricked me into thinking Murong Jiang Shen and his Young masters were all useless cowards who feared blood when killing chickens. Well, enough, Lü Liang is dead already. When a man dies, his balls face the sky. I won’t curse him anymore.”
Madam turned her head and gave the man a glare, impatiently asking, “Where’s my husband? Drunk to death at that table?”
The man scratched his head and chuckled, “I ran too fast to notice Brother Xie. Fatty Fan, be careful your husband might be flirting with your girls. I know those little girls are devoted to Brother Xie, looking at him with eyes that are worlds apart from how they look at us.”
Madam, hands on her hips, angrily retorted, “Hmph! My old man can’t even handle his own field, how could he have the guts to plow elsewhere?”
The man, who had narrowly escaped death, was a shameless rogue who leaned into the conversation, “Brother Xie is indeed a weakling. Eight chi tall but as thin as a monkey, maybe not even a hundred jin. Fatty Fan, interested in a hundred-round match with me?”
Madam glanced sideways, disdainfully replying, “My man has no interest in women under two hundred jin, and I have no interest in men over a hundred jin. That’s a match made in heaven. What are you rushing in for? With your pathetic look, take off your pants and let me see. Does that little worm in your crotch weigh two liang? If it does, cut it off, and let Qin Wuzu stir-fry it for you. I’m afraid you won’t be able to eat it all.”
Even the thick-skinned man was defeated on the spot, silently chewing on the roasted lamb.
The dark-skinned waiter just happened to run to the door, finally finding the main person, his face full of resentment, “Madam, I do everything in this inn—wash clothes, cook meals, feed the horses, do odd jobs, even act as a procurer, working my ass off, and I only get one string of cash a month. The boss promised to raise my wage this year, but so far, you two are so heartless and stingy. When will I ever be able to redeem Cherry to make her my wife? Be careful, I might quit. Without me, Yatoulu will surely shut down. Also, that poor kid with the sword, I almost lost my life for your lousy horse. Deduct ten taels of silver from your deposit, it’s mine. If you, Madam, try to stop me, I’ll really get angry!”
Madam threw a handful of melon seeds and laughed, “What ambition!”
Xu Fengnian nodded, “No problem, ten taels it is.”
The waiter frowned and asked, “Madam, downstairs is a bloodbath, aren’t you going to let the boss do something about it? If the inn gets destroyed, it’s still me who has to do the hard work. Oh, and that The White-Clad Hero who looks like an expert also went upstairs. He’s probably after that mother and daughter. I think they’re quite pitiful.”
Madam mockingly exclaimed, “Qin Wuzu, you’re something! The little guy who used to hide girls’ undergarments and peek through broken window paper while they bathed, now has a sense of righteousness. Amazing! If you feel sorry for them, go hit that swordsman with a stool. If I stop you, I’m not your real mother!”
Exposed, the dark-skinned waiter’s face turned purple with embarrassment. He grabbed a stool and rushed out. Soon after, there was a loud bang. The man eating roasted lamb sneaked out, returning with a look of disbelief, his lips twitching, “Damn it, this kid actually knocked the swordsman down with a single stool. He’s lying in the corridor, foaming at the mouth, twitching all over. This kid picked up the sword and ran off.”
Madam wasn’t surprised, smirking, “This little brat only knows one trick. My husband was once so annoyed by him that he taught him that move. Dealing with soft eggs like you is a piece of cake.”
The man raised his thumb, flattering, “Yatoulu is indeed a place where hidden tigers and crouching dragons reside.”
As he spoke, the waiter Qin Wuzu was dragged into the room by a tall, sickly man holding his ear. The dark-skinned boy tightly clutched a precious sword with a white scabbard wrapped in silver wire, stubbornly saying, “I won’t give it back. Even if you kill me, I won’t return it! That swordsman is so weak, how can he survive in the martial world? He was knocked down by my one move, so he deserves to lose his weapon.”
The middle-aged man was very tall but weighed no more than a hundred jin, appearing even more frail than a delicate woman. His expression was dull, his eyes cloudy, probably still not sober. He merely looked at his wife, who glared at Qin Wuzu and angrily said, “Do you think you can rob things on your own turf? If you really want it, don’t you know to move far away from Yatoulu before you act? Who will dare to stay at this inn afterward? If you don’t return the sword, I’ll make Cherry refuse to speak to you for half a year. Let’s see if you don’t die of frustration, you little ungrateful brat. I’ll count to three. If you’re still in front of me after that, you’ll face the consequences! One!”
The boy, as dark as charcoal, immediately ran out of the house and threw the sword with all his might, accurately hitting the forehead of the white-clothed young master who had just begun to regain consciousness. The swordsman was knocked unconscious again, adding another layer of misery to his plight.
Madam burst into laughter, pointing at the boy who stood at the door with a resentful gaze, “Tsk tsk, still a hopeless romantic.”
The tall, thin man, who looked like he wouldn’t utter a sound even if hit with a stick, softened his gaze and smiled slightly. He nodded toward Xu Fengnian in greeting. Seeing that the commotion downstairs had settled, Madam noticed that the dead were already dead. Sui Song was holding his own against Murong Jiang Shen, but among the ten riders, there was a hidden expert who killed like picking grass. After a few rounds of charging and slashing, he had wiped out all of Tao Qianzhi’s former guards except for Sui Song. None of them died intact; most were torn apart alive, their arms ripped off. Sui Song was held back by Murong Jiang Shen, who rode a horse and wielded a spear, unable to rescue his comrades. The old man’s eyes turned red, surrounded by several riders who kept a few zhang distance, bowing but not shooting arrows, playing with him like a monkey. When Murong Jiang Shen retracted his spear, he revealed a flaw. The old man wanted to seize the leader, but suddenly blood spurted from his seven orifices. The military expert from behind grabbed him with both hands, and the two struck a strange posture, intertwining their roots. A sound of bones cracking echoed, chilling the spine. Sui Song, a martial artist with considerable internal strength, had his entire chest crushed and torn apart. Before his last breath, the military expert behind him struck his head with his own, knocking his eyes out of their sockets. The scene was horrifying.
The Northern Wei military expert, a killer like none other, turned his gaze toward the window where Madam stood, ready to leap into the second-floor room for a massacre.
Murong Jiang Shen, riding his horse and holding a spear, signaled with his eyes to the The yaksha guard from the Imperial Tent Attendants Bureau, telling him not to act rashly. In the royal court of Northern Wei, there were three elite groups of cold-blooded guards at the pinnacle of martial power: the The Office of Hidden Truths, the The Bell Herald, and the The gatekeeper died suddenly.. Together, they numbered no more than four hundred, each selected from tens of thousands. Murong Jiang Shen, a distant member of the royal family, had no right to command any of these elite guards as his personal escort. This first-class The gatekeeper died suddenly. was borrowed from his cousin Murong Zhangtai. The The gatekeeper died suddenly. had particularly distinguished themselves in battle over the past two decades. Tuoba Busa, the Northern Wei martial god, was himself a The gatekeeper died suddenly..
Murong Jiang Shen showed no concern for the people on the second floor watching him from above. He smiled and said, “Today, I have disturbed Yatoulu Inn, and I am deeply remorseful. I will personally compensate for all the damages at tenfold. May I ask where Master Xie is? My cousin Murong Zhangtai and I have long admired him.”
Madam turned to her husband and asked, “Old man, you only fought a single battle with the great devil Luo Yang and lost so badly. How did your reputation become so grand? Even the Murong brothers want to recruit you? So, were Sui Song and the others killed because of you?”
The man who had just been flirting with Madam stared in disbelief, a piece of lamb hanging from his mouth. He gazed at the thin, sickly figure and said, “Luo Yang, the number one in the martial sects, was invincible. Except for being stopped by Tuoba Busa at the palace gate, countless experts fought him, and few survived. I only heard of a man surnamed Xie among them, who became the tenth-ranked devil, right behind the old dragon king. Madam, Master Xie, don’t scare me like this, will you? My guts may be thick, but I can’t take this kind of shock.”
Madam ignored the stunned, rough man and looked at her husband, her face troubled. She asked, “Hey, old man, we’ve been roasted by Murong Jiang Shen. What should we do?”
The man, who was not good at speaking, calmly replied, “You decide, I’ll act.”
Madam sighed and looked at Xu Fengnian, who had been watching silently.
Xu Fengnian, sensing trouble, smiled bitterly and said, “Madam, why are you looking at me? Do you expect me to go out and challenge Murong Jiang Shen? Even if I wanted to, I can’t. I’m just a guest here, and I’ve paid every coin. Can’t you force me to become a righteous hero?”
Madam nodded and said, “That’s true.”
The guests at Yatoulu only knew that Master Xie was a drunkard named Xie Ling, a sickly man married to a fierce wife. They didn’t know he was the Xie Ling who had fought the martial sect leader Luo Yang and survived with serious injuries. This man stared at Xu Fengnian, his tone calm, slowly saying, “He who dwells like a corpse yet appears like a dragon, silent like the abyss yet thunderous in voice. Young master, your cultivation is extraordinary. Your appearance is aged, yet you guard the Jade Gate, clearly possessing the Taoist ability to rejuvenate. If you are not the disciple of the national master Qilin Zhenren, I cannot think of anyone else so young who could have such supernatural powers. However, Yatoulu Inn has always followed the rules. If you do not wish to act, Master Xie will have to force you to act according to the rules set by his wife. Young master, you need not be too troubled. Just ensure that the mother and daughter die outside the inn. If the soldiers dare to enter the inn and cause trouble, I will deal with them.”
Madam smiled with little sincerity, saying, “Young master, don’t blame me. My husband is not very reasonable. If it weren’t for him forcing me, I wouldn’t have married him and lived this poor life. The white-clothed swordsman lying in the corridor is probably Murong Zhangtai. Young master, carry him out and use him as leverage, and you can buy some time.”
Xu Fengnian saw the dark-skinned boy appear out of nowhere, slap the stunned man on the head, killing him instantly. He cursed, “I’ve always disliked this Fang guy. He never pays for his food, always running up tabs. Go and run up tabs with King Yama!”
Madam laughed, “Don’t make excuses. It’s because he slept with your Cherry sister.”
Xu Fengnian, feeling like he had fallen into a den of thieves, said bitterly, “Madam, Master, you two are playing good cop and bad cop, and you even dragged the young fellow in to play the villain and intimidate me. With such elaborate performances, your business must be thriving.”
Madam laughed heartily, “If I were twenty years younger, I’d definitely chase after you, young master.”
The waiter glared and said, “Poor swordsman, don’t talk nonsense, or I’ll smash you with a stool. Then you’ll lose both your life and your sword.”
Xu Fengnian asked, “Can I take a moment to weigh the pros and cons?”
“You have great skills, but you’re not decisive enough.”
Madam laughed, “Alright, alright, it’s our inn’s fault first. Old man, go outside and hold the line for this young master first. Qin Wuzu, stop showing off here. You’re just a dog’s meat that can’t be served at a banquet. As for me, I’ll go next door to have some private talk with the delicate little lady. Young master, come with me?”
Xu Fengnian followed Madam to the neighboring room. The mother and daughter were huddled in a corner, the woman weeping bitterly, her heart as cold as ashes, while the little girl, though unaware of the danger, cried along with her mother.
Madam clicked her tongue, “Truly a charming little lady. Young master, isn’t this exactly what men call ‘so pitifully beautiful’? It’s worth fighting Murong Jiang Shen and his gang for such a beauty. To prefer beauty over power is the mark of a true hero. Whether the beauty is someone else’s wife, isn’t that the case?”
Xu Fengnian remained silent.
Madam looked at the terrified young woman and pointed at Xu Fengnian beside her, smiling, “Don’t be afraid. This young master is here to save you, but the price is your body. If you refuse, well, since General Tao Qianzhi’s precious son didn’t come this time, I’ll have you kill this little girl to protect your chastity. You wouldn’t want Tao’s last heir to lose both father and mother, would you? How tragic would that be?”
The young woman was stunned.
Though the child was naive, she sensed the danger and cried out desperately, calling for her mother with heart-wrenching sobs.
Madam, with her vast experience, saw hesitation flicker in the young woman’s eyes. She laughed with her hands on her hips, then turned darkly, “A tiger doesn’t eat its own cubs. The girl is a piece of flesh torn from your body. How could you bear to do it? I’ve never been able to have children in my life, but I envy women like you who don’t appreciate their blessings. Every time I see a mother with her children, I want to chop them up and feed them to the dogs.”
The young woman, seeing her vile thoughts exposed, instantly became resolute, showing no weakness. A woman born to act, she stood up and pushed her daughter away, pleading to Xu Fengnian, “I beg you, young master, save me. I am willing to offer myself to you.”
Indeed, in Northern Wei, sons were valued, and daughters were as worthless as dogs.
Xu Fengnian helped the little girl up, avoiding the gaze of the once-general’s widow, and looked calmly at Madam, asking, “Your husband is severely injured. Even if he once reached the Zhixuan level, without the physical strength of the Jin Gang Realm, he’s just a show now. Do you really think he’s invincible?”
Madam was taken aback, as if she had heard a huge joke, “Young master, young master, even if what you said is true, my husband may have fallen to the bottom of the first level, but a dead camel is still bigger than a horse. It’s not that he’s not invincible, but young master, do you really think you’re a dragon crossing the river? I’m a woman who’s kindly offering you a warm bed, don’t mistake kindness for weakness. Young man, if you had the Jin Gang Realm, I’d let you have me, washed and ready. But do you? Below the Jin Gang Realm, in my husband’s eyes, you’re just an ant. He only praised you a little, and young master is already floating and losing his sense of direction. Last chance, if you keep puffing up your chest and refusing my kindness, I’ll beat you to death!”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “Except for this child, you can all die.”
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