The humid earth sweated, the very foundation stones weeping. The heavens were like a steaming cage, making one’s spirits inevitably sink.

On a long-abandoned tea horse road in the Kingdom of Five Mounds, five riders advanced slowly.

Suddenly, a torrential downpour erupted. Even cloaked in rain capes, the soybean-sized raindrops stung their cheeks. The group spurred their horses, seeking shelter, finally spotting a rest pavilion halfway up the mountain. They dismounted.

They found a young man in a blue robe sitting cross-legged on the pavilion bench. A large bamboo chest sat at his feet. Before him rested a chessboard and two small celadon chess piece jars. The board held over twenty black and white pieces. He showed no fear at their arrival, merely glanced up with a slight smile, then continued placing pieces on the board.

A burly man with a saber glanced at the young man’s robe and the soles of his shoes. Both were dry, indicating he’d been resting here long before the storm, waiting for it to pass before continuing his journey. He figured the man was simply whiling away the time with chess problems.

An elderly man of refined bearing stood at the entrance of the pavilion. The rain showed no sign of stopping, so he turned and asked with a smile, “With nothing to do, would this young master be willing to play a game with this old man?”

The young man in blue pondered, then swept up the pieces on the board, not returning them to the jars, but piling them between himself and the board. He nodded and smiled, “Very well.”

A young boy and girl exchanged a smile.

A woman wearing a veiled hat sat on the opposite bench, placing a handkerchief down before sitting.

The old man picked up a handful of white pieces and chuckled, “Since this old man is older, let the young master guess the color.”

Chen Ping An picked out a black piece. The old man placed his hand on the board, revealing seven white pieces. He smiled slightly, “The young master may go first.”

Imperceptibly, Chen Ping An changed his posture, no longer sitting cross-legged, but sitting sideways like the old man, one hand supporting his sleeve, the other placing a piece on the board.

The boy whispered to the girl, “Judging by his bearing, he seems like a chess master.”

The girl smiled, “Even if his chess skills are high, can he compare with our grandfather?”

The boy enjoyed arguing with the girl, “I think this person is not easy to deal with. Grandpa himself said that chess masters, as long as they’ve studied chess since childhood, are at their strongest around the age of twenty, excluding the immortals on the mountains. After thirty, age becomes a burden.”

The girl scoffed, “Grandpa’s words only apply to those young geniuses destined to become court chess players. Ordinary people are not included.”

The old man considered for a moment. Despite his great chess skills, renowned throughout the kingdom, he was not in a hurry to make a move. When playing against strangers, one must be wary of the new and the strange. The old man looked up at his two juniors, frowning slightly.

The boy chuckled, “We know, silence is golden when observing a game.”

After less than thirty moves on the board, the boy and girl exchanged bewildered glances.

It turned out he was just a pretentious player who had memorized some opening gambits!

Not to mention their grandfather, this great master, even they could defeat him even spotting him two or three pieces.

The old man suppressed a smile.

The old man didn’t care about the opponent’s skill level, and continued to patiently play the game with the young man in blue.

During the plum rain season, on a journey far from home, meeting a chess friend was a blessing.

The young man looked up at the rain outside the pavilion and conceded.

The old man nodded, helping to analyze the game. This foreign scholar was actually quite skilled in the opening moves, so much so that the old man thought he had encountered a true master. But he soon ran out of steam, collapsing like a landslide, which was a great pity. As they analyzed the game, the two chatted idly. The young man said his name was Chen, from the South. This journey northward was to go to the Kingdom of Green Oriole at the mouth of the Great River, and then travel upstream to have a look. The old man’s surname was Sui. He had resigned from his official post and was returning home. This time he was going to the capital city of Great Zhuan because the Great Zhuan Zhou emperor was holding a decennial Herb Gathering, allowing chess masters from a dozen countries, including the Five Mounds Kingdom and the Golden Gate Kingdom, to try their luck in the Great Zhuan capital. The Great Zhuan Zhou emperor had not only taken out a priceless set of nine inlaid treasure stationery, to be bestowed upon nine people respectively, but also a chess manual that every chess player dreamed of, as a reward for the winner.

Chen Ping An asked, “When does this Herb Gathering start and end?”

The grandson of the old man, the handsome boy, preemptively said, “It starts on the day of Autumn Begins. At that time, the court chess players and established experts who have entered the ‘Dan’ rank from various countries will gather in the capital. Under the arrangement of Great Zhuan’s Chess Sage Wei and his three disciples, they will select seed players from each country. The first three rounds are suspended. The remaining players will draw lots to compete in pairs, selecting one hundred people, plus the twenty seed players from various countries who are suspended for three rounds. The real masters will compete on the day of Winter Begins. The Great Zhuan capital welcomes the first snow every year at that time. By then, only ten people will be left playing. The Zhou emperor’s inlaid treasure set and the chess manual are what they are competing for. However, they still need to be ranked. The five winners, one of them can play a game with Chess Sage Wei. If they are extremely lucky, they can not only have the honor of playing against the Chess Sage, but even if they lose, they can enter the next round.”

Chen Ping An asked, “Is this Chess Sage Wei’s chess skill significantly higher than everyone else’s?”

The handsome boy nodded and said, “Of course. Chess Sage Wei is the guardian of the Great Zhuan Dynasty, invincible in chess. My grandfather had the honor of playing a game with Chess Sage Wei twenty years ago, but unfortunately lost to one of Chess Sage Wei’s young disciples, failing to reach the top three. It’s not that my grandfather’s chess skills are not high enough, it’s just that the young man’s chess skills were too strong back then. At the age of thirteen or fourteen, he already possessed seventy percent of Chess Sage Wei’s true inheritance. At the Great Zhuan Herb Gathering ten years ago, if this high-ranking disciple of the Great Zhuan national master had not been in seclusion and unable to participate, the Lanfang Kingdom’s Chu Yao would never have won first place. The Herb Gathering ten years ago was the most boring one. Many top court chess players didn’t go, and my grandfather didn’t participate.”

Chen Ping An asked, “Can cultivators from the mountains also participate?”

The matter of playing chess.

The mountains and the world below are worlds apart.

The so-called national masters and court chess players of the secular dynasties almost never have a chance of winning against true Qi refiners on the mountains who are proficient in chess. The most terrible thing is that some of the exquisite chess formations below the mountains are almost never recognized by the cultivators on the mountains, and the puzzle solving of those cultivators on the mountains often makes people feel inexplicable.

The old man Sui smiled, “Firstly, the mountains…”
Immortals are beings of mist and cloud, exceedingly rare to us mundane scholars. Furthermore, Daoists who enjoy the game of Go are even more uncommon. Therefore, in previous Grand Zhuan Capital Herb Gatherings, there were very few cultivators. However, Wei the Go Sage’s prized disciple, though also a Daoist, always played with lightning speed, as if unwilling to take advantage. I once had the honor of playing against him. Almost as soon as I placed a stone, the youth would follow suit, decisively. Even so, I lost with heartfelt admiration.”

Chen Ping An inquired, “Elder Sui, have you heard of any unusual occurrences in Grand Zhuan Capital recently?”

The old man looked puzzled, shaking his head and smiling, “I would be glad to hear the details.”

Chen Ping An chuckled, “Just some hearsay from the Jianghu, rumors of incessant flooding along a large river outside Grand Zhuan Capital.”

The young man scoffed, “Are they talking about the Jade Seal River? What’s there to worry about? With Wei the Go Sage, the Protector of the Realm, in charge, could a few abnormal floods possibly submerge the capital? Even if some aquatic demon were to cause trouble, I doubt Wei the Go Sage would even need to act. That Grandmaster with swordsmanship like a god would simply take a trip to the Jade Seal River, and all would be peaceful.”

Chen Ping An smiled. “Still, it’s best to be cautious. Elder Sui, are you heading there for a specific treasure inlayed item from the Hundred Treasures?”

The old man shook his head. “This Herb Gathering is teeming with experts, unlike the previous two. Though I may have a small reputation in our nation, I know I cannot reach the top ten. Therefore, my trip to Grand Zhuan Capital is simply to meet fellow Go enthusiasts and enjoy tea with a few old friends from other countries. I would be content with purchasing some newly engraved Go manuals.”

The veiled woman, who had been silent until now, softly said, “Father, I think this young master is right. The Jade Seal River’s floods are strangely timed. Under the very nose of Grand Zhuan Capital, if Wei the Go Sage and the Goddess of Martial Prowess could easily resolve it, why has it dragged on until now? I fear that the Jade Seal River is proving to be quite troublesome, but the Zhou Emperor, concerned with his reputation, is unwilling to cancel the Herb Gathering as a result. Should any unexpected events occur…”

The woman did not continue. If her father insisted on going, her words would become an ill omen.

In truth, she had initially disagreed with embarking on this journey to the Grand Zhuan Dynasty for the Herb Gathering. The old man, of course, was unwilling to miss the grand occasion. To ease the minds of his family, he compromised by hiring a close Jianghu Grandmaster as a protector, a lifelong friend who was a renowned martial artist from the Wu Ling Kingdom. He had indeed provided much care and support along the way. This sword-wielding man, named Hu Xin Feng, intended to escort them to Grand Zhuan Capital, and then, during the Herb Gathering, visit some Jianghu friends in the Golden Gate Kingdom.

The Grand Zhuan Capital’s Herb Gathering, a decennial event, was not only captivating due to the matches between national Go masters, but also for the city’s pervasive gambling on Go. Ministers, nobles, and wealthy officials favored wagering on the Herb Gathering’s top contenders, while the wealthy but unrefined bet sizable sums on unofficial matches outside the Gathering. Rumor had it that each Grand Zhuan Capital Herb Gathering involved tens of millions of silver taels. The capital’s common folk, following the upper classes’ preferences, also enjoyed a bit of gambling, throwing a few taels of silver on the street corners. Middle-class families with ample wealth would wager dozens or even hundreds of taels. Grand Zhuan Capital’s various Daoist temples and Buddhist monasteries were frequented by visiting tributary nobles and scholars, who, instead of directly offering money, wagered elegant items, which they would later sell for a handsome profit.

The young girl complained, aggrieved, “Auntie, if we don’t go to Grand Zhuan Capital, wouldn’t we have traveled all this way for nothing? It’s over a thousand li!”

The girl had a personal reason. She wanted to meet the closed-door disciple of the Grand Zhuan National Preceptor, the one who had defeated her grandfather years ago, a celestial being who followed the National Preceptor to cultivate Daoist arts. Now only in her early twenties, she was also a woman, said to possess a beauty that could topple kingdoms. Two Zhou imperial princes were even vying for her affection. Some of her Go-loving闺阁 (boudoir) friends hoped she could witness this young fairy firsthand to see if she was truly as captivating and divinely graceful as rumored. She had already boasted that, upon arriving at the Grand Zhuan Capital Herb Gathering, she would find an opportunity to exchange a few words with that fairy.

The sword-wielding man stood guard at the entrance of the pavilion. For a Jianghu Grandmaster to serve as an escort for an old man who had long lost his official position, a round trip taking nearly half a year, was something few could do. Hu Xin Feng turned and smiled, “The Jade Seal River outside Grand Zhuan Capital does have some strange and fantastical tales surrounding it, circulating in the Jianghu in recent years. While not entirely reliable, Miss Sui’s words are not without merit. Elder Sui, we should indeed be cautious on this trip.”

The old man looked troubled.

Even Hu Xin Feng, a great hero of the Jianghu, spoke thus. The old man could not help but feel apprehensive. However, to turn back now would be a great disappointment.

The woman with the veiled hat and a married woman’s hairstyle sighed softly. She always felt uneasy. Regarding this trip to Grand Zhuan Capital with her father and nieces and nephews, she had privately performed several divinations, all with strange omens, a mixture of great danger and intertwined good fortune, ultimately making it difficult for her to grasp the deeper meaning. Logically speaking, the Grand Zhuan Dynasty had long enjoyed peace and prosperity, its national strength on par with the southern Grand Vista Dynasty. The two imperial families were even bound by marriage, and the Grand Zhuan Zhou clan had the Goddess of Martial Prowess and the Protector of the Realm stationed in the capital. The odd rumors surrounding the Jade Seal River, even if true, should not pose a major problem. She believed that the Jade Seal River, never having been bestowed with a water deity or constructed a shrine, might indeed harbor a black flood dragon, but she did not believe that a water dragon could disrupt Grand Zhuan Capital.

Ultimately, she lamented that, over the years, she had only been able to rely on a small book left by an expert, merely speculating and haphazardly cultivating immortal techniques, never truly becoming an ordained immortal master with proper guidance and lineage. Otherwise, she would have already known whether or not to go to Grand Zhuan Capital.

The young man grinned.

His aunt was an extraordinary person. Rumor had it that, after his grandmother had carried her for ten months, she dreamed of a divine being carrying an infant into the ancestral hall and handing it over to her. Afterwards, she gave birth to his aunt. But his aunt had a strong fate, excelling in everything from qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age. In the past, a wandering expert had passed by the house, giving her three golden hairpins and a piece of plain gauze clothing called “Bamboo Garment,” saying it was due to her Daoist affinity. After the expert left, as his aunt grew…
Her beauty blossomed, and her reputation in the Wuling Kingdom’s court and especially among literary circles soared. However, her marital prospects were fraught with obstacles. Her grandfather had arranged two matches, one with a promising “Tanhua” (third-ranked scholar) who was the pride of the capital. Alas, he was soon implicated in a corruption scandal, deterring her grandfather from seeking scholarly suitors. He then sought a more rugged individual, a dashing hero from the martial world. Yet, disaster struck his family just before the wedding, forcing the young hero to wander afar, rumored to have become a local magnate in the kingdoms of Lanfang and Qingci, remaining unmarried and still cherishing her memory.

She was over thirty, yet still captivatingly beautiful, like a celestial maiden stepping out of a mural.

If not for her reclusive lifestyle, rarely showing her face, only occasionally visiting temples and monasteries on days less crowded than the first and fifteenth of the lunar month, and engaging in poetic exchanges with only a select few literary figures and long-standing friends, her doorstep would be worn through by suitors despite her age.

The refined youth harbored a different longing for the Da Zhuan capital than his sister. Besides the Herb Gathering event held by the Zhou Emperor, the Da Zhuan Dynasty also unveiled its list of the Top Ten Martial Artists and Four Beauties. Those listed and present in the Da Zhuan capital would be granted an audience with the Emperor and gifted a generous reward. Perhaps the capital was already teeming with newly ranked young grandmasters. The martial world rankings were updated every decade, and which old guard would be unseated, and which new faces would rise to the top was a topic of considerable betting in the capital.

Although this young man, surnamed Sui, from the Wuling Kingdom, was born into a family of scholars, destined to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, and elder brother, steadily climbing the ranks of Wuling’s bureaucracy, his heart yearned for the chivalrous heroes of the martial world. He had hidden dozens of martial arts novels in his study, each worn and memorized. He greatly admired Uncle Hu, who had made a name for himself, and if the heroic Hu hadn’t already had a wife and children, the young man would have sought to unite him with his aunt.

Chen Pingan, sensing the old man’s eagerness to visit the Da Zhuan capital, remained silent.

The review of the chess game concluded just as the rain stopped.

However, the muddy roads and the anxieties weighing on the minds of those in the pavilion kept them from immediately setting off.

Chen Pingan packed away the chessboard and pieces into his bamboo case, took up his walking stick, donned his rain hat, and bid farewell.

His earlier glance at the rain and his conceding the game served as a subtle reminder, whether the veiled woman could discern its meaning was her own affair.

The man with the sabre was a Fifth Realm martial artist, likely a regional grandmaster within the Wuling Kingdom.

As for the veiled woman, she seemed to be a dabbling Qi cultivator, not very advanced, perhaps only in the Second or Third Realm.

Chen Pingan had barely stepped outside the pavilion when he frowned.

What a coincidence?

Why would a Golden Body Realm martial artist be galloping along this remote mountain path? Given the old man’s status, he shouldn’t have such powerful enemies in the court or vendettas in the martial world.

Across the vast territories of the Da Zhuan Dynasty and its dozen vassal states, smaller kingdoms like Lanfang and Wuling might not even have a Golden Body Realm martial artist guarding their martial fortunes. Similar to the kingdoms of Caiyi and Shushui in the central Baoping Continent, martial artists like Senior Song, at the peak of the Sixth Realm, could dominate a kingdom’s martial world. However, ordinary people often fail to recognize immortals, while cultivators more easily recognize fellow practitioners. It was because Chen Pingan’s cultivation had improved, his insight deepened, that he could discern more cultivators, true martial artists, and spirits and ghouls. Otherwise, like when he was a kiln apprentice in his hometown, Chen Pingan could only differentiate people by their wealth.

But over the years of his travels, beyond places like Upside-Down Mountain and the ferry, he still encountered ordinary folk more often, though their stories were fewer.

However, the martial artist soon stopped his horse in the distance, seemingly waiting for someone.

There was another rider nearby, a cultivator.

Then, from the other direction of the pavilion on the Tea Horse Road, the sound of messy footsteps approached, a group of about a dozen people, their steps varying in depth and lightness, their cultivation levels naturally differing.

Chen Pingan hesitated, took a step, sank his boot into the mud, pulled it out, wiped the sole on the step, sighed, and returned to the pavilion, saying helplessly, “Might as well sit a while longer, let the sun dry the road, otherwise it’ll be a miserable journey.”

The young man, being of an unconstrained nature, optimistic and open, and on his first journey, spoke freely and laughed, “Brilliant!”

Chen Pingan smiled.

Hu Xinfeng felt helpless; he would have to caution the boy later that such unrestrained behavior was not acceptable in the martial world.

Unexpectedly, the veiled woman had already begun to admonish, “As a scholar, you must not be so rude! Apologize to Master Chen immediately!”

The young man quickly looked at his grandfather, who smiled and said, “Is it difficult for a scholar to apologize? Are the principles of the sages in books more precious, or is your face more precious?”

The young man, being good-natured, sincerely smiled and bowed to the man in the rain hat and blue shirt. The traveling scholar said nothing, standing there with a smile, not offering any polite words of refusal.

The young girl covered her mouth and giggled, finding pleasure in her mischievous brother being scolded.

The old man, surnamed Sui, smiled and said, “Master, we should continue our journey.”

Chen Pingan nodded with a smile, “May we meet again by fate.”

But as they were about to leave the pavilion to fetch their horses, they saw a group of martial artists swarming towards them, striding forward, splashing mud everywhere.

Hu Xinfeng stood with his hand on his sabre, not mounting his horse, while subtly signaling the four men beside him not to rush to mount, to avoid any impression of looking down upon the others.

Half of the approaching martial artists passed the pavilion and continued forward. Suddenly, a burly man with his collar wide open stopped, his eyes lighting up, and he shouted, “Brothers, let’s take a break!”

The veiled woman frowned.

Hu Xinfeng said softly, “Just let them have the path, try not to cause trouble.”

The old man, surnamed Sui, nodded, and the young man and girl tried to stay close to the old man.
The man in the bamboo hat and blue robes seemed to share the same sentiment, not daring to linger in the pavilion. He walked along the edge of the steps on the other side, mirroring their desire to leave the pavilion to this group of江湖 people who clearly weren’t benevolent souls.

But even though the young man with the back-mounted chess set was already being exceedingly cautious, one of the burly men who had deliberately entered the pavilion four or five at a time, still intentionally bumped his shoulder.

The young man in blue staggered backward, offering an apology. The stout man rubbed his shoulder and angrily retorted, “This is such a wide road! Even if you had twenty legs, there’d be enough room for us to walk our separate ways. Are you blind, boy, or are you just trying to show off your heroic spirit because you think I’m easy to bully and there are women here?”

The chess box on the young man’s back clattered, the chess pieces and board colliding. The young man’s face paled, and he continued to apologize, moving aside to clear the pavilion entrance.

The man with the scarred face followed, reaching out to shove the blue-robed scholar’s shoulder, causing him to fall on his rear into the muddy ground outside the pavilion steps.

The young scholar looked horrified, glancing at the group huddled on the pavilion steps, but Old Man Sui sighed and looked away. The young boy and girl were pale as ghosts, and Hu Xinfeng merely frowned. Only the veiled woman seemed about to speak, but Old Man Sui signaled with his eyes for her to stay out of it. After all, Hu Xinfeng had worked hard these past years to cultivate connections with an official, establishing a lucrative legitimate business. If he got involved in a senseless murder case, it would be very troublesome. Judging by their accents, these brash people were not from Wuling Country. Hu Xinfeng’s reputation in the underworld of his own country might not be worth much here.

In truth, Hu Xinfeng’s heart was heavy, far from the composed façade he presented.

Because among this group, although they appeared to be rowdy, low-level martial artists of Jianghu, that was merely a deception to fool ordinary martial novices. Once embroiled, they would bleed you dry. Take, for instance, the scar-faced old man. He might not recognize Hu Xinfeng, but Hu Xinfeng remembered him vividly. He was a heretical grandmaster who had committed several major crimes in Jinfei Country, named Yang Yuan, nicknamed “River Dragon,” his external martial arts skills were of an unbelievable mastery. His boxing techniques were extremely fierce. He was once one of the top villains in the Jinfei Country underworld, and he had been a fugitive for over a decade, rumored to be hiding in the border region of Qingci Country and Lanfang Country, where he had gathered a large group of vicious people, transforming from a lone 江湖 demon into a populous heretical sect. Lin Shu, the leader of Zheng Rong Sect, one of the four great orthodox masters in Jinfei Country, had once led a dozen orthodox figures to surround and kill him, yet he still managed to escape with serious injuries.

If it was truly the old demon Yang Yuan, even if the man was severely injured in the past and suffered from lingering effects, even if he was old now, and his energy declining and his martial arts had regressed instead of improved, he might not necessarily be a match for Hu Xinfeng now, but after all, the other party had a large and influential group of people. But if he had been recuperating and improving his martial arts over the years, Hu Xinfeng would be even more terrified. This ancient tea route was usually sparsely populated. Hu Xinfeng felt that his trip to send support was an attempt to repay the favor of the Sui family.

Hu Xinfeng was originally worried that Elder Brother Sui would be too bookish and insist on intervening, but now it seemed he had overestimated him. Even though he hadn’t revealed the identity and danger of Yang Yuan, Elder Brother Sui still had no intention of getting involved.

Sure enough, it was that River Dragon Yang Yuan!

The lean old man looked at Hu Xinfeng. Hu Xinfeng hesitated for a moment, then cupped his fist and said, “Hu Xinfeng, leader of the Hengdu Gang of Wuling Country, greets all fellow 江湖 friends.”

Yang Yuan thought for a moment, then rasped with a chuckle, “Never heard of you.”

The others erupted in laughter.

Yang Yuan glanced at the veiled woman, a glint of light flashing, then disappearing, in his otherwise muddy eyes. He turned to the stout man with the scarred face and said, “We rarely travel the 江湖. Don’t always be fighting and killing. If there are some accidental bumps, let them pay compensation and be done with it.”

The stout man hesitated. A young man with a sword on his back, standing beside Yang Yuan, said with a smile, “Fifty or sixty taels should be enough. Don’t make unreasonable demands and make things difficult for a fallen scholar.”

The young scholar sitting on the ground, afraid to get up, said in a panic, “I don’t have that much silver. There’s only a chess board and chess set in the bamboo box, worth about ten taels of silver.”

The young swordsman waved his folding fan. “This is a bit difficult.”

The handsome young man wanted to say something, but Old Man Sui grabbed his arm and glared at him fiercely.

The young man was frightened by his grandfather’s unfamiliar gaze and fell silent.

Old Man Sui quickly glanced at the pitiful scholar. Fortunately, he didn’t ask him for help or to borrow money. Otherwise, it would be attracting trouble, and he would have to curse a few words and quickly disclaim any association. That would be a bit uncouth, damaging his usual kind and amiable image in the eyes of the juniors.

For reasons unknown, the old demon Yang Yuan, who had resurfaced in the Jianghu, waved his hand, his voice still raspy like a knife being sharpened. He chuckled, “Forget it, scaring him is enough. Let the scholar scram. The kid has guts, some integrity. Better than some scholars who stand by with their hands in their sleeves, afraid of getting burned. If they had knives, and weren’t outnumbered, they’d probably stab the young scholar to death just to be done with it.”

The stout man with the scarred face was somewhat disappointed. He made a move to kick him, but the young scholar scrambled to his feet, avoiding the crowd, and ran away on the path, splashing mud everywhere.

Old Man Sui maintained a calm expression.

The handsome young man was flushed, feeling ashamed after understanding the old man’s implication.

The veiled woman saw the young man in blue robes stop at the end of the small path, turn around, and then offer a smile, whether it was her imagination or not. The man strode away.

At the entrance of the pavilion, Yang Yuan pointed to the young man waving his fan and said to the veiled woman, “This is my beloved disciple. He hasn’t taken a wife yet. Although you conceal your face with a veil and wear a married woman’s hairstyle, it doesn’t matter. My disciple doesn’t mind such things. Why not pick a day…”
“Might as well be today,” the elder declared, his eyes gleaming with avarice. “Let our two families be united by marriage! Rest assured, old sir,” he addressed the pale-faced elder, “though we are wanderers of the martial world, our wealth is considerable. The betrothal gifts will be more lavish than those for the sons of ministers and dukes! If you doubt me, ask your sword-bearing attendant; with such skill, he should recognize my identity.”

The old man with the surname Sui looked ashen.

Hu Xinfeng, with a touch of awkwardness, began to speak, having carefully considered his words. “Brother Sui, this esteemed elder, Yang Yuan, nicknamed ‘River Serpent,’ was once a grandmaster of martial arts in the Golden Canopy Kingdom.”

A youth, trembling like a leaf, whispered, “Yang Yuan, the River Serpent… wasn’t he killed by Lin Shu, the esteemed Master of the Soaring Heights Sect?”

Though the youth’s voice was faint, barely a murmur, it was a deafening “loud word” to the ears of martial experts like Hu Xinfeng and Yang Yuan.

Hu Xinfeng turned, scolding, “Sui Wenfa, speak no nonsense! Apologize to Elder Yang at once!”

The delicate youth bowed again, offering his apologies.

This was the second time he’d had to apologize today.

Yang Yuan extended a hand, chuckling, “Let’s talk inside. This bit of face, I trust the former Vice Minister Sui of the Five Ridges Kingdom will grant me.”

The elder with the surname Sui visibly relaxed, relieved that violence hadn’t erupted. He had often read about bloody scenes in books, but had never witnessed one firsthand.

Since his identity had been recognized, and he was addressed as the former Vice Minister, perhaps there was still hope for a peaceful resolution.

The two sides sat facing each other on the benches beneath the eaves of the pavilion, the elder Yang Yuan and his sword-bearing disciple facing the entrance. The former leaned forward, his hands clasped, belying any sinister aura, smiling at the veiled woman and the maiden beside her. “If Vice Minister Sui doesn’t mind,” he began, “we could make this a double blessing, a ‘marriage upon marriage.’ I have a well-behaved grandson, just turned sixteen. He didn’t follow me on this journey, but he is well-versed in the classics, a true scholar. He passed the imperial examinations in the Orchid Chamber Kingdom this year, earning a second-class degree. His name is Yang Rui; Vice Minister Sui may have heard of him.”

Then, turning to his disciple, he chuckled, “I wonder which of these fair ladies my Rui would favor. Fu Zhen, who do you think he would choose? Would it cause conflict with you?”

The sword-bearing disciple hastily replied, “Perhaps he could marry the elder one as his primary wife, and the younger as a concubine.”

The elder frowned. “That would be improper.”

The disciple smirked. “We are of the martial world; we don’t stand on ceremony. If necessary, these two young ladies can be wronged, change their names even. Marrying Yang Rui, who possesses both talent and lineage, is a stroke of great fortune! If the Orchid Chamber Kingdom had a suitable princess or county lord, he would already be a royal consort. These two maidens should be content.”

Hu Xinfeng barely contained his rage. “Elder Yang, don’t forget, this is our Five Ridges Kingdom!”

Yang Yuan chuckled. “If Wang Dun, the foremost figure of the Five Ridges Kingdom, were sitting here, I wouldn’t have entered this pavilion. Coincidentally, Wang Dun should be in the capital of the Great Seal Kingdom right now. Of course, our group passing through your territory so brazenly, if anyone were to die, the experienced constables of the Five Ridges Kingdom would surely find clues. But no matter, Vice Minister Sui will help clean up the mess. Scholars value their reputations; family scandals must not be aired.”

Hu Xinfeng sighed, turning to the elder with the surname Sui. “Brother Sui, what do you say?”

The elder with the surname Sui glared at the wiry old man, sneering, “I refuse to believe that you, Yang Yuan, can truly act with impunity in our Five Ridges Kingdom.”

Yang Yuan dismissed the threat with a smile, asking Hu Xinfeng, “What does Great Hero Hu say? Will you risk your life, your sect, and your family to protect these two women and prevent this alliance? Or will you be wise, attending my Rui’s wedding as an honored guest, bearing gifts and congratulations, and receiving a generous return gift?”

The sword-bearing disciple cackled. “Once the rice is cooked, the women will be much more obedient.”

Yang Yuan nodded approvingly. “Crude, but true.”

The elder with the surname Sui pleaded, “Great Hero Hu! In this time of crisis, you cannot abandon us!”

Hu Xinfeng’s expression was a mask of internal conflict.

Yang Yuan smiled. “It’s a pity that young scholar isn’t here; otherwise, he would surely scold you, our new family, with the rhetoric of you scholars. But it’s also fortunate he’s not, or I would never have allowed the dear family to lose face like this. Killing him would be the only way. My temper has improved considerably these past years, especially since Rui joined our family. I have great respect for you scholars, regardless of how many books of sages you’ve actually read.”

The veiled woman suddenly spoke. “I can stay, let them go. Then, I’ll immediately head to the Orchid Chamber Kingdom. Even if someone reports it to the authorities, once we cross the border into the Golden Canopy Kingdom, it will be meaningless.”

Yang Yuan shook his head. “The problem lies here: finding a wife for my Rui is just a convenient side quest on our journey to the Five Ridges Kingdom; we have other matters to attend to. Therefore, Great Hero Hu’s decision is crucial.”

Hu Xinfeng suddenly asked, “Even if I nod in agreement here in this pavilion, will you truly be at ease?”

Yang Yuan chuckled. “Of course not.”

Hu Xinfeng took a deep breath, twisting his torso, and unleashed a fist aimed at the head of the elder with the surname Sui.

Not only would the frail elder be unable to withstand such a blow, but even ordinary martial artists would find it difficult.

However, in the next instant, Hu Xinfeng’s fist was blocked by a flash of sword light. He abruptly retracted his hand.

Before the elder with the surname Sui, a sword lay horizontally.

The wielder of the sword was none other than Yang Yuan, the River Serpent’s, talented disciple, the young swordsman, one hand behind his back, the other holding his sword, a smile on his face. “Indeed, the so-called experts of the Five Ridges Kingdom are quite disappointing. Only Wang Dun stands out, managing to squeeze into the latest ranking of the Ten Greatest Martial Artists of the Great Seal Kingdom. Even though Wang Dun is only at the bottom, he is certainly far superior to all other martial artists in the Five Ridges Kingdom.”

Yang Yuan frowned. “Enough idle talk.”

Realizing his mistake, the young man’s face flashed with malice. He took a step forward, and with a flash of his sword, the air within the pavilion, already cooled by the post-rain breeze, became even more chilling.

Hu Xinfeng retreated step by step,

Roaring in anger, “Elder Yang, why is this?!”
Facing the crisscrossing, radiant sword light that illuminated the pavilion, Hu Xinfeng was still able to inquire, clearly demonstrating a skill superior to Yang Yuan’s disciple.

The young swordsman had needlessly lost a beautiful woman, unseen yet alluring. Just hearing her voice sent shivers down his spine, indicating she was undoubtedly a stunning beauty. Even if her looks were less captivating than her figure or voice, they couldn’t be far off, especially considering she was a cultured lady from a prominent family in Wuling Kingdom, likely possessing a unique charm. Yet, inexplicably, she would now belong to Yang Rui, that brat. The young swordsman already had a belly full of resentment, and now Hu Xinfeng dared to distract him with words, making his swordplay even more ruthless and swift.

The delicate-looking youth, Sui Wenfa, hid beside the elderly man with the surname Sui, while the young girl, Sui Wenyi, nestled in her aunt’s embrace, trembling.

The veiled woman softly consoled, “Don’t be afraid.”

Yang Yuan, nimble as a monkey, bent over, tapped his toes, and darted forward. Seizing an opening, his heavy fists slammed into Hu Xinfeng’s chest, who was barely dodging a sword strike. The blow sent Hu Xinfeng flying out of the pavilion, crashing heavily to the ground, vomiting blood. He struggled twice but couldn’t rise.

Yang Yuan sneered inwardly. It was the same as twenty years ago. These self-proclaimed righteous heroes of the martial world were all cunning. He was too foolish back then, leading to him being unable to gain a foothold in the Jinfei Kingdom’s martial world despite his abilities. But it was all for the best. Through misfortune, he had established a thriving new sect on the border between the two countries and infiltrated the officialdom of Lanfang Kingdom and the mountains of Qingci Kingdom, befriending two true experts.

The young swordsman was about to rush out, intending to deliver a few more strikes to Hu the Hero’s heart and head.

However, Yang Yuan reached out and stopped him. While Hu Xinfeng turned his head to wipe away blood, his lips moved slightly, as did Yang Yuan’s.

Just then, two riders slowly approached on the path, encountering this “martial dispute” without slowing their horses.

One rider was an elderly man in black, carrying a saber, and the other was a man in his thirties.

However, as the two riders passed the pavilion, the old man didn’t even glance at the crowd, merely urging his horse onward.

The old man with the surname Sui shouted, “Heroes, save us! I am Sui Xinyu, the former Minister of Public Works of Wuling Kingdom. These villains intend to murder us for our wealth!”

The younger man abruptly reined in his horse and turned around, asking in surprise, “Could it be Uncle Sui?!”

Sui Xinyu, more famous in Wuling Kingdom for his scholarship and chess skills than his official position, paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

Yang Yuan laughed, “Old in-law, you’re really not afraid of harming innocent bystanders. I’m starting to regret these two marriages. Who knows if I’ll be sold out by you, my in-law, one day.”

The man dismounted, bowed, and said tearfully, “Junior Cao Fu pays respects to Uncle Sui! Back then, I had to leave without saying goodbye to avoid implicating Uncle Sui. In the end, I still caused trouble for Miss Sui.”

Except for Yang Yuan, everyone, including his disciple Fu Zhen, changed their expressions. Everyone was terrified.

Cao Fu was a renowned figure in Lanfang and Qingci Kingdoms. He had inexplicably gone from a mediocre martial artist wandering in Lanfang Kingdom to a highly esteemed disciple of an old immortal on the mountains of Qingci Kingdom. Although the reputation of cultivators wasn’t particularly intimidating across the ten-odd kingdoms – commoners might not even have heard of them – martial arts sects with some foundation understood that cultivators who could stand firm in these territories, especially those with immortal residences and ancestral halls, were not to be trifled with.

In the past decade, Cao Fu had descended the mountain to travel the martial world several times, always accompanied by a legendary protector. Cao Fu rarely took action himself, but his name had spread throughout Lanfang and Qingci Kingdoms. It was said that the widely renowned Empress of Lanfang Kingdom was once his senior sister.

Thus, of the ten grandmasters and four beauties recently selected by the Great Zhuan Dynasty, two were related to Cao Fu. One was the “Orchid Beauty’s” senior sister, one of the four beauties. Of the remaining three, two were long-established beauties, the reclusive disciple of the Great Zhuan Grand Tutor, and a young girl from the marketplace of the northernmost Qingliu Kingdom, who was kept hidden away by a border general. It was even rumored that the neighboring country had provoked a border dispute with Qingliu Kingdom to abduct this femme fatale.

The other person connected to Cao Fu, this incredibly lucky chosen one, was the protector ranked higher than Wang Dun on the new Great Zhuan list, the saber master Xiao Shuye. He was not only a legendary grandmaster who had reached the Refinement of Spirit realm but had also learned a superb thunder technique from Cao Fu’s master, capable of slaying demons. The saber he wore at his waist, “Mist Dawn,” was an immortal blade that could cut through iron like mud and suppress evil spirits.

If there were no unforeseen circumstances, the elderly man in black who had stopped his horse and turned around with Cao Fu was Xiao Shuye.

The young girl raised her head, clung to her aunt’s arm, and asked in delight, “Aunt, is that really Uncle Cao Fu who Wenfa often mentions?”

The delicate-looking youth, Sui Wenfa, was even more tearful. He had long admired the stories of this Uncle Cao. He had just been unsure whether this immortal being in Lanfang Kingdom, Cao Fu, was the man who had nearly married his aunt but whose family had declined. However, the youth had been dreaming that Cao Fu, the banished immortal of Lanfang Kingdom, was the young martial artist who had almost married his aunt.

After straightening up, Cao Fu helped Hu the Hero to his feet.

Hu Xinfeng said with a bitter smile, “Young Master Cao, blame me, Hu Xinfeng. If you hadn’t arrived, I would have had to give up my life to protect Brother Sui. If a great disaster had occurred, I couldn’t have atoned for it even with a hundred deaths.”

Cao Fu quickly took a step back and bowed again, “Hero Hu is a man of noble character. Junior Cao Fu bows to you.”

Sui Xinyu snorted and waved his sleeve, “Cao Fu, you can know a man’s face but not his heart. Hero Hu almost accidentally killed your Uncle Sui when he was sparring just now.”

Cao Fu was stunned.

Sui Xinyu sighed, “Cao Fu, you are still too kind-hearted. You don’t understand the dangers of this martial world. It doesn’t matter. We see true friendship in times of adversity. I’ll just consider myself blind for knowing a friend like Hero Hu. Hu Xinfeng, you can leave. My Sui family can no longer afford to associate with Hero Hu. Let there be no more favors between us.”

Hu Xinfeng turned his head and spat out a mouthful of blood. He clasped his fist and lowered his head, “In the future, Hu Xinfeng will definitely go to Brother Sui’s residence to apologize in person.”

The saber-wielding man clutched his chest with one hand and pressed down on his saber with the other, staggering away, his back view desolate.

Yang Yuan stood in the pavilion.