The dilapidated house, the bright moonlight, the cold and gloomy alley.
A martial arts grandmaster with a drawn sword, a sorrowful and gaunt young boy, a maiden gripping a whip, a sickly youth panting with a hand on his waist, and a stunning woman carrying a purple case on her back.
To all the sneaky night prowlers crouching on the rooftops, the scene unfolding beneath their eyes made their midnight trip to “drink the northwest wind” feel far less dull and tedious. The night prowlers were divided into several groups, each serving different masters. The largest group, exuding an aura of battlefield veterans, were the elite warriors from Liu Huaixi’s residence, who naturally occupied the two adjacent rooftops with the best vantage points. The weapons hanging at their waists were all battle sabers, though of various types—some slender like young rice shoots, others from the Southern Dynasty of the Northern Wastelands that had made their way to the Western Regions. Even one of the black-clad leaders carried an old-style Liang saber, its curvature more pronounced than that of infantry sabers, a detail only those familiar with the Northern Liang border army would recognize. As the Northern Liang tightened its control over blades and crossbows, these early Liang sabers scattered among the populace had skyrocketed in value, easily fetching exorbitant prices of seven or eight hundred taels of silver. In the martial world of Liyang, wearing a Liang saber at the waist—unless one was an obvious spoiled brat—instilled an involuntary sense of wariness in others.
One of the men sidled up to the black-clad warrior with the Liang saber and whispered, “Chief Qi, that woman with the purple case down there is truly stunning, even prettier than the Purple Bamboo Fairy who visited our mansion. Why don’t we just make our move? The entire Snow Lotus City is ours—once inside, their lives are in our hands! Chief Qi, didn’t the general say you need a wife? I think this woman would be perfect. The brothers have already agreed—we’ll send the snow lotus to the general’s residence, and this woman straight to your house. Tonight, we’ll throw you a wedding feast and celebrate all night—worth the freezing cold we’ve endured!”
The black-clad man, tempted by his subordinates to play the bandit king, instinctively caressed his scabbard but shook his head, reason overcoming desire. “Don’t ruin my adoptive father’s plans.”
He was Liu Huaixi’s trusted confidant, having followed the man in and out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains multiple times, earning him this cherished Liang saber. His mission was to keep an eye on the swordsman from the Central Plains. Liu Huaixi was determined to obtain that snow lotus, openly declaring he would present it to a certain woman in Western Shu—a breathtaking beauty, but one even Liu Huaixi dared not provoke. The snow lotus obtained by the mansion’s gatherers had another secret purpose. As one of Liu Huaixi’s adopted sons since childhood, he was privy to some inside information. Rumor had it that Liyang now had a new top ten sects, with the Southern Dragon Palace among them. Its new master, Lin Hongyuan, not only dominated the Southern martial world but also had close ties to the heir of the Yanchi King, Zhao Zhu. What his adoptive father truly sought, he didn’t know, but it certainly wasn’t limited to Snow Lotus City. Liu Huaixi had privately expressed his longing for the Central Plains more than once.
“Chief Qi, look—that guy seems to be foolishly trying to interfere. What do we do?”
The adopted son of Liu Huaixi frowned and spat out a single word through gritted teeth: “Wait.”
The sickly man who had appeared out of nowhere to stir trouble called the young boy and girl aside, whispering like a clumsy accountant. Sure enough, the boy looked skeptical, and the well-bred girl remained unmoved. Their backgrounds might differ, but in times of crisis, caution was natural. A stranger who could be toppled with a single finger suddenly offering grand promises—who would believe that?
When the adopted son on the rooftop stole another glance at the stunning woman, especially noticing her gaze toward the scholarly-looking young man, his usually ironclad resolve wavered. A surge of reckless courage overtook him, and he leaped down gracefully. His dozen or so lifelong brothers followed suit, except for three archers who remained on the rooftops, ready to support their chief for what they assumed would be a night of revelry. Smirks adorned their faces, as if they were already calling the woman “sister-in-law.”
Xu Fengnian, his throat dry from talking, was trying to convince the boy that if he handed over the snow lotus, he could ensure the girl wouldn’t be forced into marriage.
The boy was somewhat swayed, but the girl, from a prominent family outside Snow Lotus City, ruthlessly exposed the “lie.” When Xu Fengnian claimed he could protect them and leave the city safely, she retorted, “First fight that swordsman on the steps. Win, then we’ll talk.”
Xu Fengnian agreed, but she added, “General Liu’s mansion is full of experts, and my family’s Ma Fort has a hundred cavalry and two hundred archers. You’ll have to fight them too after beating the swordsman.”
Xu Fengnian, pretending to hesitate to avoid seeming insincere, casually asked how formidable Liu Huaixi was. The girl rolled her eyes, calling him a fraud trying to swindle the snow lotus and flee.
Exhausted, Xu Fengnian squatted down, only to be mocked further by the girl, who “kindly” suggested he lie down to talk—easier on his legs and back.
Xu Fengnian chuckled. “True masters in the martial world don’t flaunt their skills. They pretend to be weak, like me.”
The girl shot back, “You’re not pretending—you really are weak.”
The boy, stifling laughter, made a gleeful face at Xu Fengnian, who teased him, “Not even married yet, and she’s already ruling the roost. Aren’t you afraid of losing your authority as a husband?”
The simple but not stupid boy grinned, while the girl, furious, brandished her whip and told Xu Fengnian to scram.
But then Xu Fengnian said something that calmed her: “What, feeling guilty for dragging Hong Shuzhi into danger, so you’d rather two outsiders like me and that pretty sister stay out of it? Your heart’s too soft, girl…”
Just as Liu Huaixi’s hounds were about to strike, the man with the Liang saber raised a hand to stop them, whispering, “Something’s not right.”
Then, from inside the house came a wild laugh: “You fools, blind to the true Buddha before you—stop yapping!”
A figure burst through the paper-thin mud wall like a wild horse, leaping over the motionless swordsman, darting between Xu Fengnian and Jiang Ni, and crashing into Liu Huaixi’s elite ranks.
The battle-hardened adopted son roared, drew his saber, and charged with a complex, agile footwork blending Western Shu’s form and Southern Tang’s arm techniques. His strike was clean and fierce, aiming to cleave the intruder’s head.
But the figure flashed past, kicking him in the chest and snatching the saber mid-air. Without slowing, the intruder stabbed the blade into the wall and perched atop it, revealing himself as an old man with legs severed below the knees.
“Ho, young man, you’ve got some skill,” the old man boomed, “but against me, even twenty more years of training wouldn’t be enough!”
Glancing at the swordsman who hadn’t stopped him, the old man grumbled, “After waiting days in this dump, only to meet a sword with no killer’s heart—must I slaughter my way through before you fools recognize a living immortal in your midst?”
The local leader, surnamed Qi, spat blood and smirked coldly. “Old immortal, do you truly wish to oppose the general’s mansion?”
The old man cackled. “What rubbish mansion? Annoy me, and I’ll wipe you out in an instant!”
Xu Fengnian, amused, whispered to Jiang Ni, “Learn from this senior—see how he carries himself in the martial world. For us young masters, a wicked smirk is essential. For villains, that cackle is just the basics. For righteous figures, an air of transcendence is key—stand with hands behind your back, especially under moonlight. Staring at the moon adds gravitas. Daytime’s trickier—squint, stay silent. Words cheapen you.”
Jiang Ni huffed, “How boring!”
Xu Fengnian retorted, “This is wisdom earned through experience! Others would pay fortunes for it!”
The Ma Fort heiress eavesdropping scoffed, “A seasoned fraud indeed!”
The boy, fascinated, asked for more tips.
Xu Fengnian grinned. “Plenty. For instance, every city has a ‘Purple’ heroine—either in purple robes or with purple accessories. Right?”
The boy gasped in awe. “How’d you know? We’ve had three or four such ‘immortal sisters’ this year!”
The girl sneered. “Big deal. Our city’s also full of white-robed, twin-sabered ‘young heroes,’ all claiming to be some master’s disciple—either drunk on the streets, perched on walls ‘brooding,’ or reciting poetry under Snow Lotus Tower. My father says they’re decent but nowhere near the city’s best—probably kicked by a donkey as kids or hit their heads as adults. I avoid them.”
Xu Fengnian sighed. “Ah, youth. These aspiring heroes have bright futures—destined for greatness!”
Ignoring him, the girl glared at the boy. “‘Immortal sisters’?”
The boy, inspired, mimicked Xu Fengnian’s moon-gazing pose.
As the old man spoke, tensions escalated: “Tell Liu Huaixi—ten famed swords, a thousand taels of gold, and a mansion with a hundred maids, and I’ll be his chief guest. Even against the world’s top ten, he’ll stand tall.”
The young leader, bloodied, finally smiled and clasped his fists. “Defeat that swordsman, and I’ll arrange your meeting.”
The panicked boy cried, “Old man, you promised to teach me peerless skills!”
The old man laughed. “Fool! With your talent, even a library of manuals wouldn’t help. I needed you to break the cave’s formation.”
Then, eyeing Xu Fengnian, he said, “You’re passable. Join me, and rise to greatness.”
His gaze shifted hungrily to Jiang Ni. “But the girl comes with you. A top-tier cauldron like her—heaven’s gift! With supreme martial arts, what’s one woman?”
Xu Fengnian grinned, “Alright, alright. I was actually planning to chat with you a bit, to hear about the old days when that ragged sheepskin-clad geezer roamed the martial world. After all, you’re a veteran who once crossed swords with Dong Yuanrui of the Eastern Yue Sword Pool—though you got your legs chopped off by his ‘Six Dragonflies’ in a crushing defeat. Still, making it to this age isn’t easy. But since you’re determined to be stubborn, there’s nothing I can do. You should thank me, you know. If it weren’t for me, you’d already be a corpse by now.”
Jiang Ni snorted coldly.
Xu Fengnian’s smile vanished. “Speaking of which, if I’m not mistaken, you’re that infamous cauldron-forger, aren’t you? The one who specializes in using women as cauldrons to absorb their yin essence and boost your own cultivation—so vile even the Demon Sect of Zhulu Mountain wouldn’t take you in.”
Dong Yuanrui. Six Dragonflies. Cauldron-forger. Zhulu Mountain.
The old man, who had only recently escaped his prison in the snowy mountain cave, felt his heart shudder violently.
Xu Fengnian seemed to tire of talking and crouched down again, breathing lightly. But apart from Jiang Ni, everyone else soon froze in shock—even the swordsman from the Central Plains turned pale as his sheathed sword, despite his efforts to suppress it, suddenly flew out on its own.
The “flying sword” drifted slowly to Xu Fengnian’s shoulder, trembling faintly like a bird nestling close or an old horse reuniting with its master.
The old man was terrified out of his wits. Though he’d been away from the martial world for years, his sharp eyes remained. “The sword-control technique of the Wu Family Sword Tomb!”
He hastily raised his voice, “Young master, let’s talk this out—no need for violence! Both of us have worked hard to reach our current cultivation…”
The flying sword shot forth like thunder.
The old man abandoned his meditative posture and leaped several feet into the air, barely dodging the sword as it embedded itself into the wall. The sword’s tip twisted free, scraping off some yellow earth before retreating.
After gaining distance, it lunged again.
The old man, who had been posturing as a grandmaster since leaving the house, slammed his elbow against the wall, trying to vault over it. But the flying sword abruptly accelerated, angling upward to appear above his head. The old man had no choice but to channel his qi and drop like a stone.
The sword seemed to toy with him, each strike deliberately missing by a hair’s breadth—just enough to let him narrowly escape a fatal piercing, yet never allowing him to leave the wall.
The lecherous old man, trapped in the snowy mountains for decades, was now desperate, babbling incoherently in a dialect the locals couldn’t understand. “This isn’t just qi-controlled flying—it’s a higher-tier sword technique!” “Who the hell are you in the Wu Family Sword Tomb? How can you manipulate someone else’s sword with your will alone?” “Are you the current Sword Crown of the Wu Family? Is that woman your sword attendant?” “I admit I was wrong, young man—no, great master, have mercy! Spare me!”
To his despair, Xu Fengnian even had the leisure to raise his arm and pluck the saber from the wall, gripping it lightly in his hand.
Half an incense stick later, the exhausted old man, pierced over twenty times, was finally skewered through the mouth and pinned to the wall—the blade entering horizontally to create a grotesque, corpse-hanging effect.
Xu Fengnian glanced at the body, still unsatisfied. The flying sword shot out again, stabbing into the wall at blinding speed—thud after thud—until the corpse was reduced to a pulpy mess without even sliding an inch.
Xu Fengnian stood up. When his gaze landed on Liu Huaixi’s adopted son, the young man was sent flying backward as if struck, slamming into the wall and dying instantly. The wall collapsed, burying both corpses from sight—out of sight, out of mind.
After sheathing his saber, Xu Fengnian reattached it to his waist. Ignoring the terrified night wanderers—including those from the Liu residence on the rooftops—he made a playful face at the young boy and girl. “Well? Convinced now? A real expert like me doesn’t need to stand tall to look dashing. Crouching is plenty stylish. If I stood up, I’d be so devastatingly handsome I’d scare myself in the mirror. How could the world possibly have a peerless master as dashing as me?”
Jiang Ni rolled her eyes. “What a show-off.”
The boy shielded the girl, who peeked out from behind him, her teeth chattering as she whispered, “He’s strong, sure… but his head must’ve been squished by a door.”
The stubborn girl tugged the boy’s sleeve. “Right, Twig?”
The boy mumbled, “Right.”
But he quickly backtracked, adding sheepishly, “…Probably?”
Xu Fengnian willed the borrowed sword back into the swordsman’s sheath and smiled. “Thanks.”
The Central Plains swordsman, who had thought himself a top expert in this remote snowy town, stood and bowed solemnly. “It is I who should thank you, Senior, for the lesson in swordsmanship.”
Xu Fengnian waved it off, his demeanor shifting entirely—no trace of his earlier exhaustion remained. He turned to Jiang Ni. “Truth is, I’ve recovered faster than expected—even quicker than Tuoba Pusa. I could walk on my own two days ago. Now that he and Li Mibi are in the city… You’ve already saved me once. This time, I stand a chance. It’s not a guaranteed loss. Take these two kids and leave Snow Lotus City. Get them settled, then return to Western Chu.”
He paused, then winked playfully. “Maybe one day, I’ll come find you. Then you’ll see just how amazing I am—whether I’m the new Martial Emperor or not.”
As he walked alone into the alley, his right hand resting on his saber’s hilt, he called over his shoulder, “Back then, I couldn’t stop Cao Changqing from taking you away. But if I survive this time, no one will ever stop me again.”
Just then, the boy and girl saw him stumble, nearly falling flat on his face.
The girl, who had been oddly moved a moment ago, burst out laughing. “He’s handsomer when he’s crouching.”
The boy nodded vigorously.
Even the Central Plains swordsman, who now revered Xu Fengnian as a divine figure, couldn’t bear to watch.
But amid his sympathy, the swordsman suddenly froze.
Did he just hear… Tuoba Pusa and Cao Changqing?
This senior not only had ties to Cao Changqing but was also facing the world’s second-strongest, Tuoba Pusa? And Tuoba Pusa had teamed up with someone else to chase him all the way to Snow Lotus City?
Could this senior be a hidden terrestrial sword immortal?
But the next moment, that illusion shattered.
In the distance, Jiang Ni, her face stiff, dashed over and kicked Xu Fengnian square in the back, sending him sprawling.
“Enough with the ‘peerless master’ act!” she fumed.
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