The triennial Martial Arts Assembly was originally a grand feast for jianghu people. However, somehow in these past two sessions, it had gradually transformed into a battlefield for those in power to seize authority and consolidate influence. To say the martial arts community welcomed this development—that was impossible.
Setting aside the century-old martial arts families and renowned orthodox sects who mostly refused to become running dogs for official households, those wandering merchants and laborers of the jianghu had always been accustomed to their freedom. They couldn’t get a share of the sweet rewards offered by the court and were even more unwilling to be constrained.
On one hand, both courts inserted their own people into the Martial Arts Assembly. On the other hand, jianghu figures also secretly formed alliances and factions, wanting to gather enough resilience to strike back. Even if they couldn’t succeed, as long as they could take this opportunity to make a name for themselves, it was better than pathetically looking at the faces of those official martial artists.
Regardless of anyone’s motives, this grand martial arts gathering was held as scheduled. With several days still remaining until the tenth day of the eighth month, the Dragon Gate Mountain area was already crowded with people. More and more sects arrived in succession at Xiaoyao Valley. Fortunately, the Xiaoyao Sect had prepared early. Although guests arrived continuously, from reception outside the valley to housing and food arrangements inside, everything was organized in an orderly and proper manner.
In truth, this wasn’t the first time the Martial Arts Assembly had been held at Xiaoyao Valley. Firstly, Yuzhou was located at the border between Eastern Xia and Western Xia, convenient for people from both sides to travel. Secondly, the Xiaoyao Sect had always been neutral, uninvolved with any political factions of either nation. Even within the martial arts world, they were known for “carefree contentment.” Thirdly, and most importantly, the territory was large enough—even if a thousand people engaged in a chaotic battle, it wouldn’t easily cause any disturbance affecting ordinary people’s lives.
This time, Changling came with the team led by Elder Academician Shu. As the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, Mo Daoyun, even though he was about to step down, was still an important member of the alliance. Thus he had arrived several days early to discuss assembly details with the Ten Elders of the Martial Arts Alliance.
However, since they were people dispatched by the Eastern Xia court, the Xiaoyao Sect naturally didn’t dare to be negligent. They specially sent their first disciple, Lu Yazi, to guide them—this Lu Yazi appeared to be only in his early thirties, wearing flowing Daoist robes, quite possessing the bearing of a pine-like crane.
Presumably seeing that the Qingcheng Academy students who came were similar to his own age, he developed a sense of kinship. After only a few steps, he proactively struck up conversation with Mo Chuan, Wang Xun, and others. Zhou Qin and the new generation of martial students followed behind, their gazes lingering on the valley’s beautiful mountain and water scenery. From time to time, they saw jianghu martial artists coming and going, all with swords at their sides, looking stern—naturally inspiring awe.
“Second Senior Brother said the Xiaoyao Sect is the largest sect in Central Plains martial arts. I didn’t understand at first—doesn’t everyone say the Beggar Gang is the number one gang?” After walking for quite a while, Zhou Qin quietly moved close to Fu Yanyang and sighed with emotion. “Only after making this trip today did I understand what that word ‘large’ means. We’ve been walking for nearly half a shichen, haven’t we? And we still haven’t reached the accommodations… This Xiaoyao Valley can hold several thousand people, right?”
As an official of the court, although Fu Yanyang couldn’t compete, he could still attend the assembly representing Fu Yangui. Along this journey with his former academy students, especially being able to see Zhou Qin day and night, his heart seemed to leap joyfully back to those carefree days at Qingcheng Academy. “More than several thousand—even tens of thousands would be no problem. I heard Xiaoyao Valley hired over a hundred cooks this time, with all kinds of flavors. We can feast to our hearts’ content this time.”
Zhou Qin exclaimed, “With so many people, how will we live?”
Fu Yanyang scratched his head. “I don’t really know about that… Squeeze together and we’ll manage somehow?”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qin quickly went forward and took Changling’s arm. “I want to stay in the same room with Mas… I want to stay with Sister Ting.”
Seeing this, Fu Yanyang smoothly put his arm around Ye Qi’s shoulder. “Then I’ll share a room with the Young Marquis.”
“As Deputy Academician of Qingcheng Academy, I naturally have a single room.” Ye Qi glanced at Fu Yanyang. “As for you, thanks to your brother’s influence, you probably also won’t need to share with anyone.”
Fu Yanyang said “Ah” with regret. “Wouldn’t that be very lonely, very isolated, and very dangerous?”
Zhou Qin asked strangely, “Why dangerous?”
Fu Yanyang raised his palm and muttered quietly, “At this assembly, numerous heroes gather together, all competing for a title that will make them famous throughout the world. There’s no guarantee some people won’t play dirty tricks in secret… Someone like me who looks like a particularly fuel-efficient lamp—anyone might come and blow me out, right?”
Fang Zhuyi, who had been silently keeping quiet all along, couldn’t help but sneer coldly upon hearing this. “Who has time to give a second glance at someone with no competitive ability?”
Although Fang Zhuyi hadn’t passed the martial examination, the Fang family was a martial arts family and still had a nomination slot to recommend their daughter to attend the Martial Arts Assembly. As a Qingcheng Academy student traveling with everyone, no one would criticize her. Moreover, in everyone’s eyes, the great beauty Miss Fang’s failure to be selected that day was truly unlucky. Now that she could rejoin the team, it was naturally like adding wings to a tiger. At the very least in terms of appearance value, with two peerless beauties in the Eastern Xia camp, that alone was enough to attract attention.
Fu Yanyang had been accustomed to Fang Zhuyi’s mockery since childhood. Hearing her expose him to his face, he didn’t mind. However, Lu Yazi of the Xiaoyao Sect, upon hearing this, interjected, “Young Master Fu worries too much. For this Martial Arts Assembly, our Xiaoyao Sect specially constructed over two hundred wooden houses in Hundred Flowers Forest to welcome the heroes of the jianghu. With the slightest movement, people all around can hear clearly. The safety concerns the Young Master worries about won’t occur.”
As he spoke, he led everyone to the Hundred Flowers Forest he mentioned—they saw ahead a green grass carpet spread out, flowers blooming in profusion, wooden houses one after another ascending from the slope. Everywhere were jianghu people of all kinds. This scene at first glance was extremely lively and extraordinarily spectacular.
Everyone was dumbfounded, especially the youngsters attending the Martial Arts Assembly for the first time. They couldn’t help but nervously straighten their backs.
Changling wasn’t intimidated by this spectacle. It was just that in her impression, the Martial Arts Assembly was merely a venue for martial artists to fight—arrange a time, have a few matches, and that was about it. Since the Xiaoyao Sect was only a neutral host, their suddenly investing such capital this time really made one question their motives.
Ye Qi discerned the puzzled expression in her eyes and couldn’t help but lean close to her ear. “The cost of these houses must be at least a thousand taels. The Xiaoyao Sect has always been frugal. This time, there must be someone providing financial support behind the scenes.”
These two-story wooden houses could be divided into about seven or eight small rooms, accommodating a dozen or twenty people—just right for one building per sect. Below were mostly minor miscellaneous sects and small gangs. Just from their clothing and appearance, one could tell what school they belonged to. Most of these people only knew some superficial kung fu. They squeezed into Xiaoyao Valley with the mindset of freeloading food, drink, and excitement. But upholding the spirit of “heroes are not judged by their origins” and “there are always masters among the common folk,” the Martial Arts Alliance didn’t refuse their participation.
This group of rough-skinned, thick-fleshed jianghu grassroots, watching the approaching “dignitaries,” couldn’t help but show a few traces of contempt—in their eyes, these delicate-skinned young lords and delicate young ladies had all come through back doors and couldn’t possibly have any real ability. That they could live at the heights of this mountain was simply by relying on the court’s power. Thinking that their jianghu would be intruded upon and dominated by these people born with golden keys in their mouths—whose heart could be balanced?
Thus, after being surrounded and teased with whistles several times, some of the martial students inevitably blushed with anger, while others were at a loss. Changling was completely oblivious in this regard. It was just that along the way up, she vaguely felt something seemed discordant somewhere, but she really couldn’t put her finger on it. When they reached the mountainside, the level of the sects gradually increased. The number of rough men decreased, while refined scholars became more numerous.
Lu Yazi led them to accommodations at a high elevation. Not only were the houses larger, but there was even a separate elegant courtyard. This Eastern Xia martial student group of eighteen people—even if they paired up, there would still be several single rooms left over. Inside the rooms, bedding and mosquito nets were all complete. After Lu Yazi settled them properly, he left to receive other people.
Zhou Qin got her wish to share a room with Changling. She pushed open the window and saw an identical building directly opposite theirs. Seeing it was still empty, she couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Who’s living over there?”
Changling put down her bundle and the long sword wrapped in cloth strips. “The Xiaoyao Sect has divided Central Plains martial arts so meticulously. We’re living on the east side, so naturally the west side is for people from the Western Xia court.”
Zhou Qin made a sound of surprise. “Eastern Xia and Western Xia are already like fire and water. The Xiaoyao Sect even arranged us as neighbors—aren’t they afraid something will go wrong?”
“People afraid of trouble wouldn’t voluntarily take on this work. The Xiaoyao Sect has their own intentions. If we really wanted to fight, there are plenty of opportunities at the assembly. The more we live across from each other, the more we’ll avoid suspicion.” Changling’s gaze lingered on the opposite building for a moment, then she said to Zhou Qin, “By the way, did you give your fragrant sachet to Academician Shu?”
Zhou Qin shook her head and took the sachet out from her cloth pouch. “Master Jiaye said to give it to him on the day of the Martial Arts Assembly—not earlier, not later.”
Changling furrowed her brows, finding this requirement truly strange. She had also opened the sachet her master gave Zhou Qin—it only contained a few kinds of spices and didn’t seem to have any hints. “Alright then, keep it safely. On the day of the assembly, give it to him first thing when you wake up. Also, go out and walk around more when you have time. If my master comes looking for you, remember to tell him I’m here too.”
Zhou Qin nodded repeatedly, then said with some hesitation, “But this place is a mix of dragons and snakes. If I run around everywhere, will it be safe? How about… Master, you accompany me?”
Just as Changling was about to speak, someone knocked at the door from outside. It was Ye Qi coming to find them. “Changting, can you accompany me out for a bit?”
“Alright.” Changling responded, strapped the sword on her back, then turned to Zhou Qin. “If you’re afraid to walk alone, take Second Young Master Fu along. If you see Master, just knock him unconscious.”
Zhou Qin: “…”
Changling followed Ye Qi downstairs. After walking some distance, she asked, “We just arrived—where are we going?”
Ye Qi said in a low voice, “Senior Mo sent someone over asking us to come. It seems that person who fought with you last time has also appeared here.”