The carriage continued forward amidst the howling wind and blizzard.
“Am I dreaming?”
Inside the warm carriage, as cozy as spring, Lin Xinlan cradled the infant in her arms while glancing outside at Li Fengyu, who had taken over the reins in her place. She found it hard to believe.
In her mind, the young master had always been someone who detested trouble, aloof and cold-hearted, yet he had actually agreed to take on a disciple?
Looking at the peacefully sleeping Situ Che in her arms, Lin Xinlan was at a loss for words.
“Although it’s only an honorary apprenticeship without any formal ceremony or title, for the young master, this is already extremely rare…”
“Could this child truly be a once-in-a-thousand-years martial prodigy? Or is the young master actually warm-hearted beneath his cold exterior, a truly kind person? Tsk tsk… What am I thinking? The young master has always been a good person!”
She glanced at the infant’s rosy cheeks, then stole a peek at Wu Ming. For some unknown reason, a blush suddenly rose to her face, and she quickly lowered her head.
Several hours later, a massive city loomed in the distance.
“Xunfeng Holy City, we’ve arrived!”
Li Fengyu’s respectful voice came from outside. Wu Ming lifted the carriage curtain and immediately saw a colossal beast-like structure stretching across the distant horizon.
It stood tall and proud, covered in a thick layer of frost, yet defiantly enduring atop the snowy peak, standing firm for a thousand years.
The thick city walls seemed to block out all wind and snow. After the carriage entered the holy city, the temperature even seemed to rise a few degrees.
“Master, where shall we go now?”
Li Fengyu, once a fugitive, now found himself somewhat at a loss in this large city.
After all, with the power of his former mistress, it was entirely possible she had traced them here and even laid spies in advance.
“Let’s find a place to stay first!”
Wu Ming replied indifferently. Through the carriage window, he could see many warriors clad in thick fur coats, all gazing at the carriage with reverence.
After all, in a snowstorm so fierce that the snow had piled up several feet high, anyone still capable of traveling like this must be extremely formidable martial artists—worthy of respect wherever they went.
Li Fengyu simply chose a random inn, yet the innkeeper and staff rushed out enthusiastically to welcome them and quickly prepared a fine courtyard residence.
“Master!”
Inside the room, charcoal burned in the stove, heat surged, making one’s nose sweat.
Lin Xinlan cradled the wailing Situ Che, clearly anxious: “He… he’s crying again…”
This Situ Che usually only knew how to eat and sleep, and would cry loudly at the slightest displeasure, greatly troubling Lin Xinlan. Yet when near Wu Ming, the child was unusually obedient and well-behaved, which astonished her.
“Hmm…”
Wu Ming chuckled lightly, took the child into his arms, and casually emitted a stream of Xuan Shui Zhen Qi, condensing it into mist, which transformed into spiritual dew to feed young Situ Che.
“Giggling…”
After being well-fed and content, the little one wore a silly grin, leaving Lin Xinlan both amused and exasperated.
“Li Fengyu!”
Wu Ming allowed Situ Che to grasp his arm while calling Li Fengyu into the room.
“Master, how may I serve you?”
Knowing that this was a moment that would decide his fate, Li Fengyu quickly bowed deeply, adopting a posture of utmost humility.
“I have agreed to take him as a nominal disciple and will impart some knowledge, but I have not officially established a master-disciple relationship… Do you understand? If I discover he ever dares to act on my behalf, whether for good or evil, I will kill him without hesitation!”
Wu Ming smiled coldly, and his words sent a chill down Li Fengyu’s spine.
He had his suspicions about Wu Ming’s true identity. Though disappointed that the young master had not gained recognition from this person, he could only bow again and say, “I understand!”
“Good… My time is limited, and I won’t be traveling with him indefinitely. First, find a wet nurse to care for him for a while. I will make proper arrangements for him later…”
In ancient times, teachers were revered as fathers.
Since the young master had already accepted Wu Ming as his teacher, Li Fengyu could only watch helplessly as Wu Ming decided Situ Che’s fate, raising no objections.
“Very well, you and Xinlan shall act together. She can also protect you both. I’m going out for a walk!”
Having said that, Wu Ming immediately left the room, hands clasped behind his back, disappearing into the snowy landscape outside.
“Miss Lin…”
Li Fengyu smiled awkwardly. For some reason, he felt the young woman’s gaze carried a chill.
He hadn’t forgotten how Lin Xinlan had awakened her bloodline and killed Ping San Zhi. He broke into a cold sweat just thinking about it.
“Let’s go. The master has given orders; we must complete this task as soon as possible!”
Lin Xinlan’s face was cold, entirely because she was disappointed at not being able to accompany Wu Ming. Poor Li Fengyu was caught in the crossfire. He understood that her mood was likely not very good.
After all, she was the personal maid of the young master’s teacher—someone he couldn’t possibly dare to offend. He lowered his posture even further and began to think of ways to improve their relationship.
…
“Alone I walk through wind and snow…”
Wu Ming wore a cloak and a wide-brimmed bamboo hat, the edge pulled low over his eyebrows, instantly blending into the vast, hazy landscape.
The world was pure white, vast and majestic, making Wu Ming feel even more deeply the unfathomable nature of fate!
In this wondrous state of mind, his grasp of both the world and himself reached a new level.
“The Xuan Ming Zhen Gong is a martial art passed down from the Martial Emperor, evolved from the Eight Divine Techniques, yet surpassing them in power… While others would seek it desperately, I obtained it effortlessly. It offered itself to me, yet I still find it unworthy…”
“As for everything else, mere trivialities. In short, one point remains: I must not gain any benefit from Situ Che, but instead bestow upon him a bit of kindness…”
“When heavenly fate is set in motion, it merely uses people as its instruments. As long as I fulfill my duty and remain unmoved by external temptations, what is there to fear?”
Wu Ming smiled. Suddenly, the wind and snow in front of him ceased, revealing a massive octagonal pavilion.
This pavilion stood at the heart of the holy city, its eight sides each opening with grand vermilion wooden doors. A constant stream of martial artists entered and exited through these doors, creating a bustling scene.
“The Octagonal Heaven Insight Pavilion!”
A faint smile played on Wu Ming’s lips as he spoke the name of the octagonal pavilion.
This building was constructed by the Tianfeng Holy Land. This was merely a branch location; the main headquarters was elusive and mysterious. Most martial artists believed it was hidden deep within the Tianfeng Holy Land’s mountain gate.
He stepped forward, and the octagonal pavilion appeared even more magnificent.
On the four walls beside it hung four enormous scrolls, cascading down, filled densely with records of martial artists’ deeds.
The first scroll was deep purple, tinged with black, clearly not having been replaced for a long time. In large characters at the top, it read: “Number One of the Divine and Demonic List—The Martial Emperor!”
Below were a few more names, all terrifying martial artists who had briefly appeared in history—Du Gu Kuang Fu and Feng Dian Da Shi were among them.
“Pity… This list is the most incomplete. Not a single living Divine or Demonic level martial artist is recorded here. It’s practically useless…”
Wu Ming inwardly scoffed and turned to another wall.
This scroll was much more detailed than the first, black background with red characters, highly visible. It was the Heaven Manifestation List.
“Number One of the Heaven Manifestation List! ‘Prince Ao’ of the Tianyuan Holy Land, excelling in the Dual Extreme Martial Art, a genius beyond compare…”
“Number Two, Bo Feng Martial Sage…”
…
“Number Eight, Tian Can Elder, from the Tianyuan Holy Land!”
“Number Nine, Di Que Child, from the Di Ji Holy Land…”
Besides rankings, this list contained relatively detailed biographies. Wu Ming scanned through it quickly and spotted his own entry: “The Immortal Descendant, name unknown, origin unknown, his moves graceful and extraordinary, like hidden dragons and veiled tigers, his whereabouts unpredictable, as if a celestial being exiled to earth…”
He shook his head, no longer bothering to look at the more frequently changing Earth Manifestation List and the Heroic List, and strode inside.
“This Octagonal Heaven Insight Pavilion has branch locations in every major city. It employs secret training methods to cultivate a group of ‘Wind Messengers’ who can fly and vanish without a trace, connecting the entire continent. It is recognized as the most well-informed intelligence organization in the world. With covert support from other Holy Lands, its four martial artist rankings are universally acknowledged. Any martial artist in the jianghu considers it an honor to be listed!”
“Welcome, young master!”
Inside the pavilion, four copper pillars emitted steaming heat, their hollow centers clearly circulating hot water, keeping the entire room warm as spring.
The wool carpet beneath his feet was soft yet firm, making one instinctively want to sink into it.
As soon as he entered, a smiling maid greeted him with graceful courtesy. Though not particularly beautiful, her charm was evident in her demeanor.
“Hmm… I’m just browsing…”
Wu Ming glanced around and saw shelves filled with all kinds of divine weapons—swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and even exotic weapons. Occasionally, martial artists would approach to gently stroke the blades, as if caressing a lover’s skin.
“This is the Divine Weapon Pavilion. May I ask what kind of weapon interests you, noble guest?”
The maid smiled and said, “If you have other needs, you may visit other pavilions, where other sisters will serve you…”
“I see!”
Wu Ming looked at the doors connecting the various pavilions and thought of the eight passageways in the octagonal pavilion, immediately recalling the comprehensive commercial buildings from his past life.
He imagined that entering through other passageways would reveal pavilions offering services like pills, martial arts manuals, armor, and more.
“And if I wish to purchase information, where should I go?”
Wu Ming asked.
“If the guest wishes to buy intelligence, then you should go to the Drizzle Pavilion! Please follow me!”
Though she had lost a potential sale, the maid’s expression showed no disappointment as she led the way.
Inside the Octagonal Heaven Insight Pavilion, interconnected corridors and walkways crisscrossed in a maze-like fashion, bustling with people, like a vast and orderly beehive.
An ordinary martial artist without a maid’s guidance would likely become dizzy and lost immediately.
The Drizzle Pavilion was located in the southeast of the octagon, and the martial artists passing through tended to conceal their figures, giving the place an air of mystery.
As soon as Wu Ming stepped into the pavilion, the outside noise instantly diminished, making him realize that the Drizzle Pavilion must have been constructed with special sound-dampening materials to ensure maximum privacy for its customers—a truly thoughtful design.
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