Chapter 965: Unwilling to Grow Old in This Martial Arts World

Looking at the leader of the Fish-Dragon Gang, Xu Fengnian said softly, “Take a seat.”

Liu Nirong gave a quiet “Mm” and sat across from him.

Xu Fengnian smiled and asked, “Feeling exhausted?”

Liu Nirong chuckled, her expression weary but her eyes bright. “Probably a bit lighter than you.”

Xu Fengnian poured her a cup of wine and teased, “I won’t pressure you to drink. Truly, take it easy. Just the two of us here—if either of us gets drunk, it wouldn’t be appropriate.”

Liu Nirong laughed it off, not pretending to be bold by downing it in one go. She merely took a small sip—enough to convey the gesture, and the sentiment was there.

Xu Fengnian didn’t drink. Instead, he tucked his hands into his sleeves and spoke slowly, “Heat and vexation turn to coolness—it’s all in the mind. Thus, in the Buddha’s realm, there is no distinction between cold and heat; in the land of immortals, it’s always spring. But we mortals can hardly attain such a state. Even if we do occasionally, it’s fleeting. In the end, there are two kinds of people who live the easiest lives. One is the truly magnanimous—when someone curses them, they simply say, ‘Good.’ When someone strikes them, they just lie down and sleep. The other is the truly petty—they repay every slight, insisting on returning kindness with kindness and vengeance with vengeance, even feeling justified in repaying kindness with malice. The former keeps retreating, while the latter keeps climbing.”

Liu Nirong asked, “And what about you?”

Xu Fengnian grinned. “I’m the former among the latter—not quite a true villain, nor a convincing hypocrite. Stuck in the middle. So, I’m quite melancholic right now.”

Liu Nirong wasn’t amused. Instead, she lowered her head, her voice subdued. “The Fish-Dragon Gang…”

Xu Fengnian cut her off. “Do you know why I wanted you to lead the Fish-Dragon Gang? You might think I needed an extra source of soldiers or that I’ve had my eye on you for a long time.”

Liu Nirong, torn between laughter and tears, looked up—only to find his expression utterly serious.

Xu Fengnian said calmly, “Neither. My initial thought was simple: I felt that the martial world of Northern Liang needed one or two heroines like the ones I admired in my youth. It didn’t matter if her martial skills were exceptional—what mattered was that she was righteous, spirited, bold, and unyielding, with a natural sense of justice, always ready to draw her sword against injustice. And after searching high and low, I found only one woman in a small gang—Liu Nirong. Coincidentally, she loved the martial world and had once faced hardships with me. See? It’s that simple.”

Liu Nirong suddenly smiled. “I believe you.”

Xu Fengnian teased, “Because you’re naive—you’ll believe anything anyone says.”

Liu Nirong gave a self-deprecating laugh but didn’t deny it.

At that moment, Xu Fengnian realized she was truly exhausted.

If this were the Liu Nirong from back then, the one who escorted caravans through the Northern Wasteland, she would’ve already clashed with him, stubbornly arguing even when she knew she was wrong.

Xu Fengnian said, “I’ll find someone to replace you as the leader of the Fish-Dragon Gang. Please apologize to the old leader for me—after all, the name ‘Fish-Dragon Gang’ was his life’s work.”

Liu Nirong nodded.

As if finally unburdened, she seemed like a different person. Curious, she asked, “What exactly happened tonight? Can you tell me? Overlord dragons, lake serpents, wild pythons, cave snakes, pond carps—it feels like they all showed up.”

Xu Fengnian chuckled. “Why not? Back when I was still the heir to Northern Liang, before inheriting the title, there were already few fools willing to march up to Qingliang Mountain to seek trouble. After I became the prince and earned a spot on the Martial Rankings, most of the remnants of the Spring and Autumn era who harbored grudges against me grew desperate. Since they couldn’t assassinate me at Qingliang Mountain, nor could they throw their lives away under the watchful eyes of Northern Liang’s cavalry outside the pass, what could they do? They could only seethe in frustration and wait to die. Then the Fish-Dragon Gang rose rapidly, and rumors about you and me spread. Naturally, many saw it as a last resort and infiltrated the gang, waiting for an opportunity. The second manager of this tavern, Guo Xuan, was one of them. His real name is Guo Xuanxiang, a descendant of the loyalists of the fallen Northern Han. His father and Fan Xiaochai’s grandfather were pillars of their nation, one civil, one military, renowned during the Spring and Autumn era. But even the Fushui Bureau didn’t expect that the youngest son of the Guo family, whose corpse had been confirmed dead, was still alive—right under our noses.”

“As for the Fish-Dragon Gang’s elder who tried to crush the eunuch’s skull with a single palm, his disguise was even deeper. Even the falconry assassin who stayed by your side under the alias Qi Hanshi couldn’t uncover his true origins. Now that he’s dead, it’s even harder to trace the threads.”

“The middle-aged man who claimed to be from the Chongshan Song family was from a prominent Southern Tang family. Though Southern Tang’s fall was orchestrated by Gu Jiantang, why they’d pin the blame on me—well, the Song family must have their reasons.”

“The four assassins likely came from the Deer-Slaying Pavilion. Their style is distinct, and they’re not to be underestimated. I doubt the Spring and Autumn remnants could afford the Pavilion’s elite assassins—only their regular killers. So, how deep this goes is hard to say, but it’s certainly not shallow.”

Here, Xu Fengnian smiled faintly, as if noticing some leftover peanuts on the plate. He pulled his hands from his sleeves, picked one up, and tossed it into his mouth. “Others aside, since the Deer-Slaying Pavilion dares to establish itself in the martial world and swagger into Northern Liang to challenge me, I’ll take it as a declaration of war—one where they’ll bear the consequences.”

Liu Nirong asked, puzzled, “Are you going to confront them personally?”

Xu Fengnian laughed dryly. “With the war between Liang and Mang imminent, why would I go to the Central Plains? But back then, the Wu Family Sword Mausoleum sent a hundred riders and a hundred swords to Northern Liang, all under my command. Not all swordsmen are willing to die beyond the pass—many want to return home. About twenty riders remain. Originally, I planned to have them symbolically fight once or twice outside Hulu Pass, each killing a hundred enemies as a face-saving measure for both sides. But now…”

Liu Nirong bent over, picked up a peanut, and popped it into her mouth. “Have those twenty Wu Family riders go after the Deer-Slaying Pavilion?”

Xu Fengnian raised an eyebrow. “Of course not. They’ll kill a hundred Northern Mang barbarians first, then march to the Central Plains and wipe out the Deer-Slaying Pavilion!”

Liu Nirong rolled her eyes. “You sure know how to strike a bargain.”

Xu Fengnian snorted. “This is called ‘swallows gathering mud’—a thrifty way to manage a household!”

After smugly delivering this line, the mighty Prince of Northern Liang tossed a peanut high into the air, catching it in his mouth as he tilted his head back.

Liu Nirong was truly speechless.

The small plate of peanuts was soon emptied between them. After a long silence, Liu Nirong finally couldn’t resist asking, “Those people clearly don’t even dare to think about assassinating you anymore. Why resort to such extreme measures? Don’t they realize that if Northern Liang and Liyang clash, it won’t just be Northern Liang’s cavalry that suffers—even the common folk of the Central Plains…”

Xu Fengnian waved his hand dismissively. “Like I told Guo Xuanxiang earlier—some things are a matter of perspective. There’s no reasoning with it.”

Liu Nirong’s face darkened. She wanted to say more but could only sigh.

Xu Fengnian thought for a moment, then said slowly, “Some people truly have nothing left. They cling to life by sheer will. Asking them to swallow that anger is worse than killing them. So what can you say? You haven’t lived through the Spring and Autumn wars—some things are hard to grasp. As for me, I only understand a bit more because I’m my father’s son. Regardless, the grudges of our fathers’ generation are there. A son repaying his father’s debts is only natural. But if anyone truly has the skill to kill me, I’ll accept it. If they come at me without the ability, don’t blame me for being swift with the blade. Delving deep into principles is good, but solving problems simply isn’t bad either.”

Liu Nirong asked, “You can talk about these things so calmly?”

Xu Fengnian retorted, “What else can I do? If someone’s coming at me with a knife, should I ask them to put it down first and lecture them about reconciliation? It’s a waste of effort and energy—why bother? I figured this out long ago. Getting angry over this isn’t worth it. Otherwise, with my petty temper, I’d have gone mad from all those self-righteous bastards who died one after another!”

Liu Nirong’s expression turned odd.

Xu Fengnian looked somewhat sheepish. Suddenly, he blinked and patted the saber at his waist. “Xu Xiao left this for me. Who do I have to fear? Even if I were to die of anger one day, I’d outlive those people by at least a hundred years!”

Liu Nirong yawned.

Xu Fengnian stood up and said with concern, “Get some rest. Otherwise, you’ll get more wrinkles.”

Liu Nirong smiled sweetly. “Please! Get! Lost!”

Xu Fengnian gave her a thumbs-up. “This heroine truly has a fiery temper…”

Before he could finish his flattery, Liu Nirong had already stood, hands behind her back, and walked away with light steps.

Just like in the old days, she still wore her hair in a ponytail.

It swayed gently, like ripples on a tranquil lake.

Like the faint undulations of the martial world.

※※※

Xu Fengnian left the tavern and walked down the street. The farther he got from the taverns and brothels, the quieter and lonelier it became.

Then he saw her.

He knew she’d be waiting for him—yet he wished she hadn’t come.

His briefly lifted spirits grew heavy again.

But when Lin Hongyuan saw the young prince, he was still the same man who’d haunted her nightmares by Spring God Lake—seemingly carefree but shrewd and cunning to the core.

They walked together, chatting idly. But given their statuses, their conversation couldn’t be trivial. They discussed the recent trends in the Guangling Dao conflict, the Liyang Zhao spies’ infiltration of the martial world, and the latest deployments of Gu Jiantang’s border armies in the two Liao regions.

In the end, they parted neither happily nor unhappily.

It was simply lukewarm.

Xu Fengnian would leave Bei’an Town that night, while Lin Hongyuan would return to her inn before attending the Wudang martial discussions as the Dragon Palace’s master.

So, for the first time ever, Xu Fengnian escorted Lin Hongyuan to her inn. She was both flattered and wary, her pretty face clearly asking, “Are you trying to get me into your bed?”

Xu Fengnian, of course, had no such intentions.

He turned and left.

Lin Hongyuan almost called out to him but ultimately stayed silent.

She watched his tall figure grow distant.

His hands were clasped behind his head, strolling leisurely.

Earlier in the tavern, Xu Fengnian had been frank with Liu Nirong about many things.

But some things he left unsaid.

Like why Lin Hongyuan and the others had suddenly chosen Bei’an Town as their meeting place, why it coincided with the eunuch’s stay at the Green Horse Post, and why Liu Nirong had conveniently been delayed by a day on the road.

Little beggar, you want to be emperor. I know.

So why didn’t you come to Northern Liang yourself, share a drink with me, and say outright: “Brother, I, Zhao Zhu, am taking that throne. What do you say?!”

But he didn’t bring wine.

Instead, Lin Hongyuan came to Northern Liang.

No feast in this world lasts forever.

※※※

After leaving Bei’an Town, Xu Fengnian soared westward.

Xu Ying and Hehe Girl followed at a distance.

He flew like a rainbow through the desolate wilderness before suddenly landing, raising his arm high, and forming a sword with two fingers.

“Two Sleeves, Green Snake!”

A brilliant sword aura coiled like a dragon, dazzling against the night sky.

Xu Fengnian shouted the phrase again and again.

Between Bei’an Town and Liangzhou City, the heavens and earth were filled with endless green arcs.

Sword energy pierced the heavens.

I have a sword—it exhales the sun’s glow, swallows the river, and rinses the moon!

I have a sword—it shakes the earth and roars at the sky!

I have a sword—it topples mountains, shakes cities, and repels armies!

※※※

As Xu Fengnian neared Liangzhou City, the sweat-drenched young prince lay on his back, gasping for breath.

Staring at the sky, he grinned.

“No fine wine or beauties—I’d rather not come to this world. No swift swords or true friends—I’d rather not grow old in this martial world. Old Man in Sheepskin, you said it well.”