In the human world, by April all the fragrant flowers have withered, yet in Guangling of Jiangdong, the late April still brims with colors and fragrances, as if competing in beauty, with the whole city immersed in leisure and ease.
Since the Wang Clan’s rise to prominence, this famed city has largely been spared from the disasters of war and fire, making it the most enduringly preserved city of today. Many streets still retain the rough-styled stone relics from the era of the Human Emperor, and stand as ironclad evidence of architectural style transformations since ancient times. Strolling through them, one often seems to “step across” an entire era within just a few paces.
The people of Guangling often take pride in this, and when entertaining guests, they will casually point to an object and elaborate on its history. Here, every brick, every tile, every seemingly ordinary and old item might possess an astonishing antiquity and background. In some corner, the names of great figures such as the Human Emperor, the Sage Emperor, the Overlord, and the Sages of the Middle Ages might suddenly emerge.
If some places can be described as “the city within a painting, the painting within the city,” then Guangling is “the city within ancient texts, the ancient texts within the city,” with a rich and heavy historical atmosphere rushing toward one’s face.
Even though Yuan Yang, a girl from the Southern Frontier, knows little about the history of the human race, upon entering Guangling, she also experienced a similar feeling, sensing that the people and scenery were unlike anything she had seen before, making her instinctively calm her mind while eagerly gazing around.
She had successfully lost weight and now had a slim and graceful figure, with snow-white skin. Her bright red dress was divided into two parts, revealing her flat abdomen, with a crimson gem embedded in her navel, presenting a charm quite different from the Central Plains, drawing many furtive glances.
“Lecherous eyes are everywhere!” Yuan Yang felt both disgust and pride.
Through the Six Gates, she had removed the red birthmark, no longer suffering from the “yin-yang face.” Her appearance was now quite attractive, though her forehead was still somewhat broad, it harmonized well with her facial structure and eyes.
After glancing at the sky and calculating the agreed-upon time, Yuan Yang leisurely made her way toward the “Taiping Pavilion.”
“Ayang!” As she approached this most famous tavern in Guangling, Yuan Yang heard a familiar voice. Raising her eyes, she saw Ouyu Lingyu wearing a light green dress, standing prettily under the eaves across from the tavern.
She was born in a small city in Jiangdong, and her journey to Guangling was shorter than any of her companions’, making her practically a local hostess.
“Ayu!” Yuan Yang raised her hand, her face beaming with the joy of meeting an old friend in a foreign land, and quickly walked over.
The two young girls met, chattering nonstop. Fortunately, both had experienced danger before and did not let their guard down around them.
“Ayu, when did you arrive?” Yuan Yang asked with concern.
Ouyu Lingyu smiled, “I set out a month ago, traveling along the way, and arrived five days ago. I’ve been waiting for you here every day.”
“Didn’t your parents try to stop you?” Yuan Yang widened her eyes in surprise.
Ouyu Lingyu pursed her lips slightly, “I’ve already opened four meridians, making me outstanding within the family. What reason do they have to stop me?”
As she spoke, Yuan Yang noticed a certain indescribable radiance on her face, making her, who was merely pretty, dazzlingly beautiful.
It was the light of self-confidence, the liberation of first being oneself, and only secondarily a daughter, a junior, a wife, and a mother.
Ouyu Lingyu often listened to stories from her father, a bodyguard, about the various places in Jiangdong, and she was filled with longing for the outside world. She did not want to be confined to a small city her whole life, living a dull life of waiting to come of age, getting married, having children, watching them grow up, worrying about their marriages, and eventually growing old and passing away.
Originally, with her talent and family martial arts, she had no way of breaking free from this life. But she encountered the Six Gates, and danger brought opportunity. Now, she could go out whenever she wanted, travel whenever she wanted, and her parents could no longer make decisions for her without her approval.
Yuan Yang was momentarily stunned, then smiled brightly, “Exactly!”
They looked at each other, and both saw the hidden confidence in the other’s eyes, the confidence they had previously lacked.
And confidence gives a person a unique charm!
“Alright, let’s go inside the Taiping Pavilion first. It’s one of the most famous taverns in Jiangdong, known for its refined cuisine that truly captures the essence of light and fresh flavors.” Ouyu Lingyu led Yuan Yang into the tavern with a smiling face, “Although this might not suit your taste, it’s still worth trying occasionally.”
Yuan Yang nodded lightly, looking at the waiter approaching and cheerfully said, “Give us the best private room!”
She was cheerful and generous, and in high spirits after meeting her companion, so she unhesitatingly chose the best and most expensive option without a second thought.
The waiter frowned slightly, “Young ladies, the best private room in our Taiping Pavilion is the courtyard at the back, which has already been reserved by Master Wang, the eldest son. Please choose another one.”
“Master Wang, the eldest son? ‘Calculating the Fate of All Beings,’ Master Wang?” Ouyu Lingyu’s expression slightly changed, blurting out.
Yuan Yang had heard martial artists from the Southern Wilderness discussing the Human Rankings, and had a vague impression of this name. She remembered that he was once among the top names on the Human Rankings, and had long since ascended to become an Outer Scenery cultivator, with Guangling being the ancestral home of his family.
The waiter lowered his voice and replied, “Exactly.”
The appearance of Master Wang, this Outer Scenery expert, at the Taiping Pavilion… Ouyu Lingyu slightly furrowed her brow, her thoughts in turmoil. Was this a coincidence?
Was the senior unknown figure a descendant of which branch of the Wang Clan of Jiangdong? Or was it Master Wang himself?
Yuan Yang did not notice her oddity and was not a domineering person by nature. Since the courtyard had already been reserved, she decided to choose another one.
“Actually, the courtyard isn’t that great. You can’t hear the rumors of the martial arts world… The main hall is too chaotic and not safe enough…” She muttered to herself for a while and finally chose a private room on the second floor, from where she could see the main hall downstairs and hear their conversations, thus obtaining useful information.
After entering the private room, the window was half open, letting in the scene from the main hall. Yuan Yang and Ouyu Lingyu first noticed a young man in green robes. He had a handsome face and a leisurely demeanor, sitting alone behind a square table in the center, with a teapot and a storytelling block in front of him. Around him were many martial heroes and idle onlookers, seemingly gathered around a storyteller.
He held the teacup, his hands not particularly clean or strong, but his joints were distinct, his fingers long and steady. Every move he made was without the slightest tremor—whether pouring tea or, seemingly, killing someone!
“What a land of hidden tigers and crouching dragons the Central Plains must be,” Yuan Yang sighed. Even a storyteller seemed to possess considerable strength!
She could almost feel the terrifying power hidden in those hands.
As Ouyu Lingyu was about to speak, she suddenly saw the storyteller pick up the storytelling block and strike it, the sound instantly capturing her attention.
“The tale goes that the ‘Demon Master’ Han Guang used the Secret Art of Deception to transform into the Abbot Kongwen of Shaolin, intending to secretly assassinate the ‘Chuyang True Immortal’ Daoist Chonghe during his attempt to seize the general outline of the ‘Buddha’s Palm.’ His ally, the Peacock Demon King, was also poised and ready, pretending to be entangled with the Great Asura, waiting for the moment to strike from both sides.” The young man in green robes spoke loudly.
He was telling this story? Ouyu Lingyu and Yuan Yang were momentarily stunned, then quickly showed great interest. Over a month ago, the event of various Law Bodies and experts from different sects vying for the general outline of the “Buddha’s Palm” had shaken the entire martial world, drawing widespread attention. Who wouldn’t want to know the details?
However, none of those qualified to participate in the competition were ordinary figures; they wouldn’t gossip carelessly, at most giving their disciples a few reminders. Only fragments of information had leaked out, letting people know that Daoist Chonghe had already mastered the supreme technique of the Pure Yang Sect, “One Qi Manifests Three Purities,” that the Abbot Kongwen appearing in the Western Regions was actually the “Demon Master” Han Guang in disguise, that the “Crazy Blade” Su Meng had the good fortune to stumble upon the opportunity and briefly seize the general outline, only to lose it again, and that the mysterious Lankai Temple intervened and quelled the conflict.
These were only fragments, each sentence concealing countless underlying causes and details, making people even more curious, yet no one could know the exact course of events, only catching glimpses through changes in the Heaven Rankings.
Yet now, this storyteller was narrating the details of the great battle!
Whether true or false, martial heroes were always willing to listen, using it as conversation material. Perhaps they might even guess correctly?
Yuan Yang and Ouyu Lingyu held their breath and listened intently, eager to hear what the storyteller could reveal.
The young man in green robes continued, “But what kind of person is Daoist Chonghe? He has been famous for over two hundred years, having crossed more bridges than Han Guang has walked roads. He had already sensed something amiss from Han Guang’s words and expressions, but pretended not to notice. When Han Guang suddenly revealed his Yama Emperor Body and launched a surprise attack with a palm strike, Daoist Chonghe suddenly struck back, pushing off his Taoist cap, releasing immortal energy, manifesting the Three Purities, luring Han Guang and Tai Li into a trap, and surrounding and killing them with a four-sword formation!”
“This sword formation has the power to destroy heaven and earth. Originally, it required four Law Bodies to form, but Daoist Chonghe managed to complete it single-handedly, forcing Han Guang and Tai Li to flee in disarray, displaying superior strength. Therefore, after this battle, the Six Gates listed him as the number one on the Heaven Rankings!”
“However, the might of a peerless divine weapon is no small matter. Daoist Shoujing used the ‘Time Blade’ to temporarily suppress the White Tiger Demon King. Gourdo might not necessarily lose if he faced Daoist Chonghe again in a new round of combat, but the two have yet to have another fight, so for now, he can only settle for second place.”
The Yama Emperor Body, forming a formation alone, the Time Blade suppressing the White Tiger Demon King… one explosive piece of news after another left everyone stunned, unsure of how to react.
“To return to the story, Han Guang was no easy opponent either. At the moment of near destruction, he revealed another identity—he was actually ‘Myth’s’ ‘Heavenly Emperor’!” The young man in green robes spoke with great enthusiasm, his eyebrows dancing. He struck the storytelling block again. “He used the Time Blade to enact the ‘Heavenly Emperor Treads Through Time’ move, and with the Yama hand, he unleashed the Six Annihilation Dao. Finally, he managed to create a slight flaw in the sword formation, then used up all his secret treasures to escape with Tai Li, who was suppressed by the formation.”
“Based on his demonstrated strength, cunning, skill, and depth of calculation, the Six Gates’ assessment of him as the sixth on the Heaven Rankings is relatively accurate. And purely in terms of strength, if the Abbot Kongwen had not fallen for the trap, and had been attacked by him and Tai Li while caught in the formation, he would indeed be stronger than Kongwen. Therefore, although his ranking dropped, fifth place is still appropriate. Of course, how much strength the escaped Abbot Kongwen still has is temporarily unknown. However, with the opportunity to grasp the general outline of the divine palm, it is believed that he turned misfortune into fortune.”
“As for Tai Li, though a demon race not on the Heaven Rankings, his Five-Color Palm is profound and mysterious. As long as he is not suppressed, he can fight against anyone within the top five of the Heaven Rankings.”
Yuan Yang and others listened in stunned silence; it no longer felt like they were listening to a storyteller!
The young man in green robes narrated with rich details and tight logic, each explosive piece of news leaving them speechless and incredulous, as if they were witnessing the reenactment of that great battle.
However, could a mere storyteller, seemingly a master, actually witness a battle between Law Bodies or divine weapon-level experts?
If it were purely a made-up story, then he would definitely be the best storyteller around!
“Haha, almost got me scared there. What Yama Emperor Body? What Demon Master being the Heavenly Emperor? What Peacock Demon King teaming up with the Demon Master to trap Abbot Kongwen and then impersonating him to go to the Western Regions? It’s so obviously fake!” A tall and muscular martial hero suddenly laughed out loud after “regaining his senses.”
Everyone quickly realized, how could they have been so immersed in a story as if it were real, letting it shock their very souls?
“This is just a storyteller, not a Law Body expert…” They chuckled or laughed at themselves, returning to their seats.
The young man in green robes didn’t seem to mind, casually playing with his teacup and smiling as he sipped his tea with his eyes closed.
Yuan Yang and Ouyu Lingyu exchanged glances, both wearing smiles.
“Even if it’s just a story, it’s still exciting. I really want to know what happens next.” Yuan Yang laughed, unfazed.
Ouyu Lingyu nodded slightly, agreeing with Yuan Yang’s suggestion. Just as the two were about to stand up to reward the storyteller, they suddenly saw a middle-aged man who looked like a steward walk into the main hall.
Instantly, the hall fell silent, so quiet that even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.
Because this steward was one of the Wang Clan of Jiangdong, not just a servant!
After identifying the man’s identity from his belt accessories and other items, Ouyu Lingyu signaled Yuan Yang to wait, secretly wondering why the Wang Clan’s steward had come to the main hall.
Under the gaze of countless eyes, the steward from the Wang Clan walked up to the storyteller, bowed respectfully, and said in a calm manner, “My young master invites Master Su to meet in the backyard.”
“Your young master?” The young man in green robes raised an eyebrow.
“My young master once discussed swordsmanship with Master Su at the Dongyang Villa.” The steward hinted.
The young man in green robes smiled, “So it’s Master Wang, the eldest son. It’s been a long time since we last met. I am delighted to meet him by chance.”
With that, he stood up and followed the steward.
Master Wang, the eldest son? Wasn’t that “Calculating All Beings” Wang Siyuan!
The storyteller and him discussing swordsmanship at the Dongyang Villa?
The surname Su?
Wasn’t that “Crazy Blade” Su Meng?
The one who managed to seize the general outline of the divine palm amidst the competition of various Law Body experts, even if he eventually failed to keep it?
Although he ultimately couldn’t hold on to it, he was still a legendary figure who managed to grasp the outline once and escape unscathed?
He was actually here, disguised as a storyteller!
Everyone in the hall opened their eyes wide, their breathing quickened, but not a single person spoke.
Yuan Yang and Ouyu Lingyu were no exception, completely unprepared for the fact that the previous storyteller was actually “Crazy Blade” Su Meng, who had recently shaken the martial world and was widely talked about across the land, a person who had ascended to the Outer Scenery after surviving four calamities!
If he was indeed “Crazy Blade” Su Meng, then the “story” he told earlier?!
Everyone was instantly stunned, desperately trying to recall the details from just now!
…
In a quiet courtyard, Wang Siyuan, whose face was whiter than his clothes, was intently looking at the Go board.
When Meng Qi entered, he slightly raised his head and said, “You really know how to have fun.”
He was referring to Meng Qi’s act of disguising himself as a storyteller.
Meng Qi sat down in a relaxed manner, lightly smiling, “In life, many things don’t need to be taken too seriously. Do as one pleases when the mood strikes, that’s freedom.”
Wang Siyuan merely opened the conversation and didn’t dwell on it. He then said, “No wonder I had a sudden urge to come here; it turns out I could meet you.”
“Tsk, no wonder you’re called ‘Calculating All Beings.’ Even this kind of sudden urge can be calculated and predicted.” Meng Qi smiled faintly, “So you set up a formation in advance, isolating this place from the outside world, preventing sound and movement from leaking out?”
Wang Siyuan nodded lightly, “Some things are better kept private from others.”
Meng Qi smiled and said, “Brother Wang, since you’re so good at calculations, can you calculate one thing for me?”
Wang Siyuan was slightly taken aback, “What is it?”
Meng Qi’s smile suddenly became radiant, “Calculate that I suddenly had the urge to beat you up.”
With that, he rolled up his sleeves.
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