The imperial capital of the Da Xia Dynasty, Luo Shui, has stood for six hundred years, as old as the dynasty itself. It was originally built alongside the founding of the Da Xia Dynasty by its first monarch. Its name was said to be inspired by the childhood name of the founding emperor’s queen; however, whether this is true has long been lost to history, leaving behind only a tragic and beautiful love story among the common folk.
Standing beneath the ancient and towering city walls of Da Xia, before the wide gates that could accommodate eight horse-drawn carriages side by side, the autumn wind blew coldly, gradually chilling one’s entire body.
“I’m back again,” Li Tan murmured. Countless memories from his past life flashed through his mind like a slideshow. He raised his head, gazing blankly at the tall city walls lined with guards, his hand unconsciously gripping tightly onto his rusty sword.
All those familiar faces were still alive.
All his old enemies remained, none missing.
Back then, he could only watch helplessly as his master was murdered by treacherous hands, powerless to intervene. This time, he vowed, he would never allow history to repeat itself! Yet, even the faces of his enemies had become blurred with time, as had most of his dear ones—time truly could wash away most traces of joy and sorrow.
But there were some things that could never be forgotten, no matter how much time passed.
His master’s face and every word he had spoken remained vivid in his memory.
Thinking of his beloved master, warmth filled Li Tan’s heart, and a sense of anticipation slowly grew.
“Brother Li, what are you thinking about? We should head in now.”
Zhang Cong’s shout pulled him back to reality.
“Nothing much. Let’s go.”
Li Tan lowered his gaze, urging his horse forward toward the city gates.
“I wonder what Brother Li was thinking about. I’ve never seen him smile like that before.”
Zhang Cong muttered to himself.
“Boy, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and follow!”
Zhang Xiucai shouted from ahead.
Zhang Cong quickly slapped his horse’s rear and hurried after him. “Coming, coming!”
This was the South Gate, also known as the Zhu Que Gate. Looking inside, one could see the neat and wide Zhu Que Street paved with blue stone bricks. The street bustled with merchants, travelers, and scholars, yet surprisingly never felt crowded.
Soldiers clad in leather armor stood at the entrance, holding long spears and asking simple questions of those entering and exiting. These were mostly symbolic inquiries, just enough to satisfy their superiors’ demands. With millions of people entering and exiting daily, thoroughly questioning each person down to their eighteen ancestral generations would result in a line so long it would resemble a siege outside the city walls.
Zhang Xiucai was a merchant, so after a brief inspection of his goods, they were quickly allowed through. Inside the city, Li Tan bid them a reluctant farewell, exchanging heartfelt parting words before finally receiving his payment and parting ways.
He expected he would likely meet them again in the future, especially since he had promised to teach Zhang Cong cultivation techniques. Li Tan suspected Luo Shui would soon become unstable, and he was already considering using Zhang Cong’s apprenticeship as an excuse to get the family to evacuate temporarily.
As he aimlessly wandered along Zhu Que Street, thinking about these various matters—important or otherwise—familiar feelings long buried began to resurface.
Luo Shui was in a completely different league compared to places like Fan Cheng, both in terms of infrastructure and population. As the political center of the Da Xia Dynasty, aristocratic descendants and officials’ sons were commonly seen strolling the streets. Yet beneath this glamorous surface lurked a deeply dark underbelly.
For example, shortly after entering the city, Li Tan had witnessed a street vendor being trampled and humiliated under the foot of a rich young noble dressed in fine silks, simply because the noble was in a bad mood. The merchant had to keep praising the noble while enduring the abuse.
Enough digression—the hidden dangers behind Da Xia’s grandeur were not what Li Tan truly cared about. From the perspective of an emperor, what concerned him most was the happiness of the people.
If Da Xia fell, another great power would eventually rise to replace it. But if the people suffered, and rebellions broke out everywhere, it would directly result in a sharp decline in the number of young cultivators—this was what truly mattered to him.
However, from a personal standpoint, he couldn’t help but get involved in Da Xia’s tangled affairs. Thus, Li Tan found himself in a state of inner conflict. On one hand, he longed to find a quiet place to cultivate, occasionally hunt for treasures or monitor the movements of the Black Robe Organization. On the other hand, thoughts of his beloved master kept him from turning a blind eye.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Li Tan began to feel thirsty. He entered a tavern and took a seat. Since it was nearly evening and the lanterns were about to be lit, the place was quite crowded. He ended up sharing a table with a remarkably handsome and dignified young man. Beside the youth stood a stern-looking young man in his mid-twenties, whose expression clearly warned others to keep their distance.
Li Tan called for a waiter and ordered some simple drinks.
However, instead of the waiter, a timid young girl brought his wine. She couldn’t have been more than fifteen. Her poor background was evident; otherwise, her family wouldn’t have sent her to work serving tea and water in a tavern.
“Brother, are you a traveler from afar?”
The handsome young man initiated the conversation.
Li Tan nodded absentmindedly. “You have a sharp eye.”
“You carry a sword on your back. Might I ask which esteemed master you are a disciple of?”
The young man raised his wine cup with both hands.
Since the other party was polite, Li Tan couldn’t afford to be impolite either. He also lifted his teacup.
They both drank their cups dry before Li Tan replied, “My master isn’t particularly well-known. You wouldn’t recognize his name.”
The young man immediately understood Li Tan’s reluctance to elaborate and laughed heartily, quickly changing the subject. Just then, a sharp scream suddenly pierced the air.
The cold-faced young man remained unmoved, but both Li Tan and the handsome youth turned their heads immediately.
They saw a well-dressed nobleman grabbing the girl’s hand with a lecherous grin, shouting for her to entertain him. The girl, terrified, kept crying out, begging him to let her go as she desperately tried to pull away.
“Daring to commit such a vile act in broad daylight!”
The handsome youth angrily rose to his feet, but Li Tan suddenly placed a hand on his arm, shaking his head slightly. “Don’t interfere.”
Disappointment flashed across the young man’s face. “I thought you were a man of integrity, but it seems not! Hmph! Move aside!”
He shook off Li Tan’s hand and strode over in two quick steps, grabbing the nobleman by the collar like a chicken and hurling him outside with force. “Get lost!”
“How dare you hit me! At least tell me your name! My father is—”
Before he could finish, the nobleman suddenly met the cold gaze of the previously motionless stern young man. He shuddered in fear, ignoring his pain as he scrambled up and fled in disgrace.
“Miss, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
The young man helped the girl up and returned to his seat, turning his head away in disapproval.
Li Tan sighed helplessly and glanced outside. “Look over there.”
The young man casually looked in that direction—and froze.
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