Just as everyone was in a daze, filled with suspicion, a deep voice suddenly inquired. The newcomer, who had appeared at the doorway unnoticed, was strikingly handsome with a hint of nonchalance in his demeanor. He led a robust white horse, exuding an aura of untouchable majesty. The waiter was momentarily stunned before quickly scurrying over, “Oh! This way, young master!” He took the horse’s reins, tethered the white steed at the entrance, and seated the black-clad young master at a table.
The black-clad young master cast a deep glance at the old man by the door before turning to the waiter, “Bring me a jar of Zhong Ba wine, a few of your signature dishes, and a pot of bitter fragrant tea.”
The waiter nodded, “Young master, Zhong Ba is quite strong. If you drink a whole jar, you’ll either end up dead or need to stay the night. Shall I arrange a room for you?” His question carried genuine concern, as Zhong Ba’s potency was notorious, typically consumed diluted and rarely ordered by the jar.
The black-clad young master furrowed his brow, giving the waiter a sidelong glance without further comment. The waiter shuddered, suddenly realizing the guest’s noble air and inscrutability. He nodded and hastily retreated, accustomed to all sorts of patrons in his line of work, recognizing that some were extraordinary—this young master was surely one such case.
The black-clad young master looked up at the old man by the door, smiling mischievously and beckoning him with a meaningful gesture. However, the old man merely stood at the entrance for a long while, seemingly unwilling to approach. Just as he was about to leave, the waiter returned with a pot of tea and a jar of wine. The old man glanced at the tea on the table, hesitated for a moment, and finally, unable to resist his craving, shuffled over to the black-clad young master’s table as if marching to his doom.
The black-clad young master smiled and poured a cup of tea for the old man, and a cup of wine for himself.
The two sat in silence, sipping their drinks without conversation.
Other patrons in the tavern occasionally glanced at them, unsure of what was unfolding.
Ding-a-ling—after a while, the wind chimes at the door jingled. The entering guest must have been tall, over five feet, to have brushed against the chimes. The waiter looked towards the door and saw a man with a dust-covered face, looking exhausted but slightly excited.
“Big brother, this way please!” The waiter seated him at a table behind the black-clad young master, a rather secluded spot in the corner.
The newcomer was Zhan Bie. As soon as he sat down, he said, “Give me a bowl of noodles and a jar of Sha wine! Quick, I’m in a hurry.”
“Right away, sir,” the waiter responded and hurried off.
Zhan Bie felt the letter in his pocket and breathed a small sigh of relief, but remained vigilant. Until he reached Yun Pei, he couldn’t relax. He glanced around the noisy tavern, filled with travelers from all walks of life, many in exotic attire. Those who had drunk too much were causing a ruckus. However, what caught Zhan Bie’s attention most was the neighboring table—the dignified black-clad young master and the raggedly dressed old man.
The young master drank steadily, his movements graceful yet firm, his breathing even, exuding a faint killing intent that Zhan Bie couldn’t quite place. The old man focused solely on his tea, ignoring the curious glances around him.
“Old man, now that you have your tea, speak up! What’s this ‘heavenly secret’ of yours?”
“Yeah! Don’t just drink tea, or you might piss out that little secret of yours!”
“The young master has treated you to tea, stop playing coy! Out with it!”
“That’s right! Tell us something to drink to!”
Several outspoken patrons began to provoke the old man, and soon more joined in. Zhan Bie watched curiously, wondering about the old man’s background.
“Very well! This old man will speak today! Who knows, it might be my last time.”
After finishing his tea, the old man hobbled to a platform near the south wall of the teahouse. His body seemed frail, but his face, unlike his earlier disheveled appearance when begging for tea, now glowed with vitality and spirit.
The crowd fell silent, watching this strange old man.
The old man’s right hand trembled as his left hand slowly stroked his beard. His eyes blazed as he looked at the audience below, his voice rising and falling.
“I’ll tell you who will dominate this chaotic world! Know this: the vast desert is home to over 300 ethnic groups, with a total population of about 99 million. The largest group numbers no more than 10 million, while the smallest has only a few hundred. The five major political powers form a king-shaped distribution across the northern, central, and southern deserts. Yun Pei and Tian Du occupy the two ends, while Gu He, Ma Sui, and Mi Zan form a horizontal line in the middle.”
“Nonsense! Old man, who doesn’t know this?”
The crowd erupted in murmurs, seemingly dissatisfied with the old man’s speech. Undeterred, he stroked his beard again and asked, “Well then, among the five major powers, which is the strongest?”
“It’s Yun Pei!”
“Which is the most conservative?”
“Well… probably Mi Zan. They are a religious state, after all.”
“Hmm… Then, which is the most absurd?” The old man leaned forward, nearly falling off the platform, startling the audience.
“Easy there, old timer, don’t fall to your death,” the waiter muttered.
“There’s no ‘most absurd’ to speak of,” the crowd pondered briefly before realizing they thought the old man was just trying to scam a meal. They waved their hands, indicating boredom.
The old man let out a dry laugh, “Haha, you foolish youngsters! You probably haven’t left this snowy plain in months. How much can you know about the outside world?” He energetically berated the young man who had complained the loudest, then turned his gaze to Zhan Bie in the corner. “You there, don’t just focus on your noodles. You’ve just entered the city, right? Tell these fools what it’s like out there now.”
Zhan Bie was taken aback, realizing all eyes were on him. Reluctantly, he wiped his mouth and stood up, “Well… it’s not very peaceful now. The bandit army from the north has reached the central desert. A few days ago, they surrounded Ma Sui. If there are any officials from Ma Sui here, they’d better not go back—it’s chaos there.”
As he finished speaking, the crowd fell silent. The old man, however, jumped on the platform, “My friend, your news is already outdated.”
Zhan Bie was shocked, the noodles falling from his mouth. He stared at the old man, who continued to laugh, “Nothing in this world is more absurd than this. In all my years, I’ve never seen the like, and some in this tavern must know too. Now… Ma Sui has fallen!”