Xu Fengnian caught up with the Yulong Gang, where a young and handsome swordsman from the Qijian Leifu, who looked impressive when silent, was riding his horse casually without any awareness of usurping another’s place.
Xu Fengnian did not bother to quarrel with this young noble whose identity had been revealed by the old man with the hooked nose, and instead walked along the sandy road with Wang Dashi. Soon, the martial artists who had previously chased after the secret manual realized that Wang Weixue had not followed them. After some deliberation, they regretted their actions bitterly, turned back, and galloped away. This triggered a chain reaction, and even the six swordsmen from Qijian Leifu pursued them closely. After exchanging glances, they all saw the same concern in each other’s eyes. The corpse was still there, and indeed, a book wrapped in the cover of “Gongyang Commentary” lay on the ground. One of them picked it up, flipped through it, and then tore it into pieces while cursing furiously. The others, seeing that this chase had ended in vain, scattered like birds and beasts. The six swordsmen from Qijian Leifu were even more puzzled—could it be that Wang Weixue had guessed wrong? Then why hadn’t their highly regarded junior brother followed along?
The six confused swordsmen rushed along the road and caught up with the Yulong Gang. Seeing Wang Weixue riding closely beside the young lady from Beiliang, they were both amused and exasperated. The eldest son of the Wang family from Bottle Province was indeed hard to change his ways. Within the Leifu, he had always been frivolous, fond of flirting with senior and junior female disciples, not even sparing a female martial aunt. He wouldn’t stop unless he had been stabbed a few times. This time, they were chasing the demon who held the “Qingfu Sword Manual,” and their sect was determined to capture him. Their group of seven was merely the weakest faction in this operation. Their senior master, Wang Weixue’s teacher Wu Miaozai, and the highly skilled Huang, a master swordsman, along with several other experts from the sect, were the main forces. However, the demon’s movements were unpredictable, and they had just happened to encounter him first. Now, a vast net had been cast at the border, and it all depended on who could catch this big fish first.
Wang Weixue pulled the reins and stopped. In front of his fellow disciples, he removed his usual air of decadence and showed no signs of being a spoiled noble. After dismounting, he said, “The manual was indeed real, but that demon was extremely slippery. He doubled back, so I had no choice but to hand it over. I had secretly torn off a page to use as bait later, but he saw through it.”
The six swordsmen from Qijian Leifu did not suspect Wang Weixue of secretly keeping the manual—not because they were so broad-minded, but because they all knew his prestigious identity. He had entered the Qijian Leifu not for martial arts, but because he had already been a famous Go player since childhood, and only came to the Leifu to play Go when he had free time. He had always been inconsistent in his sword practice, and even his master lamented his wasted sword talent.
A firecracker exploded in the distant sky. Using firecrackers to send messages was not unusual in the martial world, but only Qijian Leifu could create such an artistic and commanding sound with their firecrackers. Without needing reminders from his seniors, Wang Weixue led his horse to Liu Nicong and smiled, saying, “May I borrow some food and water from Miss Liu? If you encounter trouble in Beiman, just say you are guests of Qijian Leifu. If anyone still dares to harass you, no worries—just mention my name, Wang Weixue. Nine times out of ten, that will settle it. Whether you say I am your brother, cousin, or even your husband, it doesn’t matter—I’ll take responsibility either way.”
Liu Nicong did not respond but silently signaled her gang members to bring water and food. Wang Weixue and the two swordsmen accepted the supplies with smiles, even bowing respectfully with their swords. They did not show any arrogance because of their sect’s prestigious status, nor did they act high-handedly toward the Yulong Gang. Not only Liu Nicong was surprised, but the gang members were also delighted, feeling greatly honored. Though they were in Lingzhou, Beiliang, they had heard of Qijian Leifu’s reputation—it was one of the top five sects in Beiman. More importantly, it was known for its discipline and etiquette, and many noble families sent their children there to study. Compared to them, the Yulong Gang was not even worth a sneeze from the Leifu. Wang Weixue then led his horse to Xu Fengnian, who was beside the young Wang Dashi. He released the reins and then took off a priceless jade pendant from his waist, smiling, “This young master never minds sharing. I borrowed your horse for a while, so consider this She You Bi as a reward. Don’t sell or wear it carelessly—shops can’t afford the price, and it might attract thieves. Do you understand what I mean by ‘a commoner bearing a treasure invites disaster’?”
Xu Fengnian gently took the jade, which felt cool in his palm, and smiled without speaking.
As Wang Weixue passed him, he whispered, “Nice knife you have.”
After Qijian Leifu had departed, Liu Nicong sharply cracked her whip, and the Yulong Gang finally snapped out of their daze. The gang members who had the privilege of riding horses were now regretting not offering their mounts earlier. The She You Bi jade was clearly valuable—everyone knew that in Beiman, only the imperial family could wear dragon and phoenix jade ornaments, while nobles and officials preferred snake and python designs. They weren’t fools; when that flamboyant swordsman had mentioned his sect and family, he had placed Qijian Leifu before his own name—Wang Weixue! This She You Bi jade might be worth hundreds of gold coins! How much silver had the Yulong Gang earned after traveling a thousand miles? And yet, the man surnamed Xu had just accepted it with a calm, pretentious smile. Everyone wanted to slap him across the face.
Xu Fengnian looked down at the jade. It depicted six snakes slithering along a wall. According to the official regulations, such a design was reserved for officials of the third rank or higher. Wang Weixue was indeed the son of a first-tier official in Beiman. Compared to the Xianbei Head belt clasp of the woman with the sable headdress, this jade was equally valuable. Xu Fengnian couldn’t help but smile—this guy really had his old flair. But if they were to compare family backgrounds, who would be more worthy?
Seeing Xu Fengnian finally showing a hint of satisfaction, the Yulong Gang members who had been secretly watching him sneered. “You little bastard, you only show your smug face now that Miss Liu is looking forward on her horse. How despicable!” But Wang Dashi, the simple-minded boy, didn’t think that way. He was just curious and asked, “Master Xu, is Wang Weixue really from a powerful family? How come he can just hand out a She You Bi jade like it’s nothing, as if his family has endless gold and silver?”
Xu Fengnian put the jade away and smiled, “More or less.”
The boy whistled in amazement.
Xu Fengnian suddenly asked, “Have you ever ridden a horse?”
The boy, jogging behind the horse, shook his head and chuckled, “No way. When I was little, I got trampled by a horse at the lantern festival. Since then, I’ve been afraid of horses. Even if someone gave me one, I wouldn’t dare ride it.”
In Beiliang, weren’t the sons of noble families always parading around in fine clothes on horses? Not doing so was considered shameful for the wealthy. Xu Fengnian frowned slightly. The boy, though simple-minded, had developed a sharp sensitivity to his surroundings through hardship. He asked with concern, “Master Xu, what’s wrong?”
Xu Fengnian shook his head. “Just thinking of something. Whether it can be done or not, I’ll have to try it later.”
The boy, who had shifted from awe to deep respect for Xu Fengnian, grinned and said, “Then it must be something big.”
Xu Fengnian’s lips curled slightly as he gazed into the distance, murmuring to himself, “Too bad no one will know who to thank.”
The boy was running under the scorching sun, drenched in sweat, panting heavily, “Master Xu, I’ve heard that Qijian Leifu holds a high status among the Beiman tribes. Their disciples are skilled in Go, swordsmanship, and music. Even an ordinary person who enters the sect will emerge looking like a nobleman.”
Xu Fengnian teased, “You envious?”
The boy quickly waved his hands, “Even if they’re powerful, they’re still Beiman tribesmen. I wouldn’t join even if they begged me.”
Xu Fengnian chuckled, “Big words.”
The boy, panting hard, said bitterly, “Master Xu, I can’t talk anymore. If I do, I won’t be able to run.”
Xu Fengnian nodded and began recalling everything he knew about Wang Weixue and Qijian Leifu. Beiman had far fewer provinces than the unified Spring and Autumn Kingdom of Liyang, only eight in total. The traditional province names had all been changed by the Beiman Empress. They were Gusai, Longyao, Dongjin, Xihé, Jinchan, Yuchan, Bottle, and Juzi.
Wang Weixue’s father should be the Jie Shi Ling of Bottle Province, a high-ranking official who completely controlled the province. Unlike the current Liyang Dynasty, which divided power between military governors and civil administrators, Beiman did not split the authority of the Jie Shi Ling. Therefore, in Beiman, if someone became a Jie Shi Ling but still lacked influence, they would be mocked. Such cases were extremely rare. The eight Jie Shi Lings were all powerful and capable officials, and the Beiman Empress never denied her trust in them, openly stating that they were far more reliable than the ungrateful children born in the palace. Among the current eight Jie Shi Lings in Beiman, only one was from the royal family, and even that was the last one—Juzi Province. Bottle Province was the only fertile land in Beiman comparable to Jiangnan, and though its territory was not large, the power of its Jie Shi Ling was immense.
The boy Wang Dashi saying that Wang Weixue’s family was rich was indeed spot on. Thus, a She You Bi jade worth hundreds of gold coins was nothing more than a trifle to the son of the Jie Shi Ling of Bottle Province.
Beiman’s martial world was similarly limited in number, far less diverse than Liyang’s, where dozens of high-ranking sects monopolized most of the resources, leaving the smaller sects to survive on scraps.
For Qijian Leifu to rank among the top five sects in Beiman and even compete for third place was no small feat. The Leifu was filled with talents, and each Grand Master was a genius with unparalleled versatility, often serving as the Emperor’s Teacher in Beiman’s official system, a position even more respected than that of a Jie Shi Ling.
What made Qijian Leifu especially interesting was that no matter how many people it could support, it always accepted disciples according to the number of known Ci tune titles in the world. At present, there were 612 recognized Ci tune titles, meaning the Leifu had at most 612 members. Only when a new Ci tune was created by a literary master and became famous would the Leifu add a new member. However, 64 Ci tune titles were already abandoned or forbidden, and many others were rarely used. Unless a suitable person emerged to take the title, they would remain vacant.
In total, the current number of members in Qijian Leifu should not exceed 500. No wonder the children of Beiman’s nobility rushed to enter this sect like fish crossing a river. The last time, Hong Jingyan, who ranked seventh in the martial world, came from Qijian Leifu, bearing the Ci tune title “Geng Lou Zi.” Though this title was not particularly prominent in the Leifu, ranking in the middle fourth tier, after Hong Jingyan’s emergence, “Geng Lou Zi” would surely become one of the most coveted titles in the Leifu’s future. The next person to claim it would have to be a talent no less than Hong Jingyan.
Xu Fengnian calculated, “The top five Ci tune titles have remained unchanged for centuries. Among two-character titles, ‘Han Gu’ is the best. Among three-character titles, ‘Tai Ping Ling’ and ‘Jian Qi Jin’ are equal. Among four-character titles, ‘Bu Suan Zi Man’ is first, followed by ‘Tong Ren Peng Lu Pan.’ Throughout history, the holder of ‘Tai Ping Ling’ was always the Grand Master, and the holder of ‘Jian Qi Jin’ was the head of the sword division. The heads of the Go and Music divisions had no specific requirements for Ci titles. However, the previous and current holders of ‘Tai Ping Ling’ failed to become the Emperor’s Teacher, because the Beiman Empress once directly scolded the holder of ‘Tai Ping Ling’ with the words, ‘Since ancient times, sacrifices have been ranked as heaven, earth, ruler, parents, and teacher. I have no parents to bow to. If you consider yourself equal to heaven and earth, then you can be my teacher.’ That was a line truly worthy of an emperor, sounding mighty. Although the ‘Tai Ping Ling’ did not become the Emperor’s Teacher, the current ‘Han Gu’ became the Crown Princess, a slap followed by a sweet plum.
Among the top martial experts in Beiman, Liyang’s Martial Rankings had four pillars, far more than Qijian Leifu. However, the sect closest to the Beiman royal court was still Qijian Leifu.
Taking advantage of the southern Wudang Mountain’s young abbot cutting the dragon’s luck and Li Chungan’s sword breaking two thousand armors, a new martial ranking list including experts from both dynasties was released. However, these two were excluded from the rankings due to one’s death and another’s severe injury, which seemed like a betrayal. The Liyang Dynasty had always criticized its own martial rankings, but this time, most people accepted the rankings given by the Beiman tribes. At the top was Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City, followed by Tuoba Bodhisattva, the undisputed top military figure in Beiman, then the Peach Blossom Sword God Deng Ta’ao. Next were Hong Jingyan of Qijian Leifu, who had finally emerged after twenty years of hiding, Cao Changqing, who entered the imperial palace three times as easily as walking through a corridor, General Gu Jiantang, the newly crowned leader of all swordsmen, the great demon lord Luo Yang, who dared to openly enter the Beiman imperial city, Murong Baoding, the Jie Shi Ling of Juzi Province, Deng Mao, who had once lost to the spear immortal Wang Xiu but later improved greatly, and Han Diaosi, nicknamed “Human Cat,” ranked eleventh.
Each dynasty had five representatives, truly dividing the world equally between north and south. Obviously, Beiman’s rankings were relatively lower, which was why Liyang accepted this evaluation. Such a balanced ranking had less exaggeration.
It was worth noting that the list also specially mentioned two sages from the three teachings: the head of the Daoist sect, Qilin Zhenren, who also served as the national teacher of Beiman, and the abbot of Liangchan Temple.
Among them, Hong Jingyan, who did not use a sword, alone upheld the prestige of Qijian Leifu.
“I wonder what Ci tune title Wang Weixue has. I remember there was one called ‘Phoenix Terrace Remembering the Flute,’ wouldn’t that mean he has to introduce himself with such a long title every time he meets someone? Moreover, this title is both elegant and vulgar. I wonder who is brave enough to leave Qijian Leifu with such a name.”
After Xu Fengnian raised his head and laughed, he glanced at the blazing sun and murmured in a melancholy tone, “Master Li, your name isn’t on the list. Are you upset with this forgetful Jianghu? You’ll see the stubborn Jiang Ni now—just try to persuade her to learn swordsmanship from you. And that ox-riding fool, why didn’t you stay a little longer? You, the greatest martial artist in the world, were always saying at Wudang Mountain that no matter what title you held, you’d always earn one. That one time you weren’t a coward, you tricked my sister away, and I haven’t even settled the score with you yet. At least let me, your humble brother-in-law, travel the martial world and boast a little, right?”
As the young Wang Dashi wiped his sweat, he accidentally caught a glimpse of Xu Fengnian’s profile. Then, straining to stand on tiptoe, he sneaked a peek at the woman’s back, his heart suddenly filled with a sense of longing. His reason for melancholy was simple—he hadn’t even grown as tall as her yet.
※※※
Perhaps the Young Lord wasn’t an expert in military strategy, but he was certainly no novice. As he gazed upon Yanhui Pass, now reduced to a discarded pawn in the warfare between two dynasties, he felt a sense of disbelief. Rather than the desolate ruin of crumbling walls and broken ramparts he had expected, the fortress appeared even grander than the markings on an old map he had seen back at the mansion. From a distance, he roughly calculated that the newly rebuilt square fortress had expanded its circumference from six to nine miles. Its earthen walls had been reinforced with bricks and stones, and countless horse-blocking parapets faced outward, sheathed in blue bricks. Even a general’s reviewing platform had been erected, giving the eerie illusion of a miniature version of the Fishing Terrace at Xiangfan. Originally not planning to enter the city, Xu Fengnian immediately volunteered to go in after seeing the city walls. He entered alongside Liu Nicong, Gongsun Yang, and three young men from the Yulong Gang. Without city guards or the need for travel permits, Xu Fengnian walked into the city, instinctively narrowing his eyes. His gaze didn’t first fall upon the bustling crowd filled with both vigor and ruffian spirit, but instead fixed upon the unusual inner barbican built inside the city rather than outside, as was customary. According to ancient military texts, barbicans were typically constructed outside the city walls. Moreover, this inner barbican featured holes carved into the city walls, seemingly for hiding soldiers. Xu had once overheard Li Yishan and Xu Xiao discussing military strategy, and the idea of modifying barbicans to include hidden soldier compartments had been mentioned. However, inner barbicans were usually reserved for large cities preparing for desperate last stands. How could a small fortress like Yanhui Pass, sandwiched between two warring states, possibly withstand the ravages of several thousand cavalry even if it prepared for a determined defense?
In the barren desert, isolated and without support, Yanhui Pass was like a chewy chicken rib—no matter how much seasoning was added, it would never become delicious. Yet someone had poured immense resources into it. Who was the mastermind behind this, and what could their intentions possibly be? A sudden urge surged within Xu Fengnian—to rip this nail out by force.
Gongsun Yang, who had fled to Beimang as a boy, wore a look of deep nostalgia.
Several dusty children, chasing and playing, approached their group seemingly by chance. Gongsun Yang stepped forward, pretending to accidentally bump into two of them as they passed. The two children, appearing six or seven but actually older by three or four years, didn’t fall but instead slipped past Gongsun Yang like fish. Seeing Liu Nicong’s surprise, Gongsun Yang chuckled lightly, “Just lost a few taels of silver. On the border, this is called ‘paying tribute to the local gods.’ It’s common practice. If you don’t pay, these kids have a network of local bullies behind them, and you’ll end up offending them. Then you’ll be swindled by a whole gang. But you shouldn’t give too much either. Few travelers carry too much gold or silver, and if you’re seen as an easy target, it’ll bring more trouble.”
Following Gongsun Yang’s subtle gaze, Liu Nicong indeed spotted a burly middle-aged man with a thuggish air at the street corner. He took the purse the child had just lifted from them and weighed it in his hand. Meeting Liu Nicong’s eyes, the tattooed man’s expression remained unchanged, but he impatiently gestured for them to move along.
Liu Nicong couldn’t help but smile wryly and whispered to Gongsun Yang, “In Yanhui Pass, even thieves are this bold?”
Gongsun Yang, limping slightly, chuckled, “Here, officials and soldiers are like rats crossing the street. Thieves and bandits are the real masters.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Gongsun Yang continued, “Miss, this place isn’t safe for long. Last time at Daoma Pass, I thought I was going to die, and I didn’t want someone else to draw my hornbow, so I snapped the string myself. The string is specially made, and the materials can only be found on the border. It won’t be easy to find the shop.”
Liu Nicong nodded, “It’s fine, Uncle Gongsun. You go ahead and look for the string. Let’s meet at the city gate in an hour, okay?”
Gongsun Yang considered for a moment and warned, “Miss, remember not to enter any shops with few customers. Those stores usually have powerful backers to survive in Yanhui Pass, and they deal in big money. Ordinary people shouldn’t get involved. Also, buying things here will naturally cost much more than elsewhere. Don’t be stingy with your money—haggling will only make those sharp-eyed merchants raise the price even higher. They won’t flinch even if they shout the price to the sky. And in a place like Yanhui Pass, though you should try to endure when big problems arise, never walk with your head down or show weakness. On this border where fists rule, showing fear will attract the cowardly bullies. These people have noses sharper than dogs and eyes keener than eagles.”
Liu Nicong took his words to heart. Before Gongsun Yang left, he added, “If I’m not back in an hour, don’t wait.”
Without that final warning, the several young men from the Yulong Gang, though bold at first, immediately grew cautious and wary after hearing all the advice, which only made Liu Nicong more annoyed. Only Xu Fengnian stood calmly beside her. He had the knack of attracting trouble, like the time he caught the attention of that woman with the Marten forehead covering hairstyle, but he also had the ability to intimidate the petty villains. After all, a nobleman daring to enter Yanhui Pass couldn’t possibly be a frail scholar who came here out of boredom. Not long ago, a famous poet known for his border ballads had visited the frontier with only a servant, but within half a month, his kidnappers had sent a severed finger to his family demanding a huge ransom. Fortunately, his family was wealthy enough to pay, and the border bandits, surprisingly honest, returned him safely—though his servant had been torn apart by horses out of impatience while waiting for the ransom.
The true frontier had a simplicity to its customs.
As Liu Nicong and Xu Fengnian walked, a woman approached them wearing revealing clothes, her white thighs exposed. Her thin garment barely covered her, and her small frame was even shorter than Liu Nicong. Yet this woman, whose every step seemed to threaten a forward tumble, suddenly delivered a swift crotch kick to a muscular man who had carelessly crashed into her chest. In one clean motion, she turned him into a eunuch. She lifted her leg and retracted it without even glancing at the man, three times her weight, now writhing on the ground. Apparently annoyed by his cries, she turned and kicked another hairy-chested man square in the chest, her embroidered shoe sinking into his ribs. Without a trace of emotion, she lifted her foot, leaving a trail of blood.
There were loud cheers and teasing remarks, but not a single person intervened to stop the killing.
After seeing Xu Fengnian, the woman smiled seductively. As they passed each other, she slapped his butt with a loud smack.
Behind Xu Fengnian, the three Yulong Gang members stood with mouths agape.
Liu Nicong turned to look at the woman, who had cast a flirtatious glance back at Xu Fengnian while walking away. Then she glanced at Xu himself, who continued walking straight ahead, eyes lowered. Sensing Liu Nicong’s irritation, Xu Fengnian said helplessly, “What? Should I shout ‘assault’? Then you’ll be the only female hero on the street rushing to my rescue. Sounds fun, right?”
Liu Nicong turned her head away, her lips subtly curling upward.
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