Wei Xun took his seat at the head position, remained silent, and glared sternly at Tuoba Sanniang. The latter gave him a charming smile, raised her human sinew pipa with one hand, and handed it to her subordinate behind her, taking the lead in surrendering her weapons to show weakness.
Chen Shigu was free-spirited, unrestrained, and unconventional, never setting any sect rules for his disciples. The tacit understanding of strictly forbidding violence during gatherings was a rule that everyone had spontaneously agreed upon after suffering great losses from past brawls.
Since Tuoba Sanniang had already submitted and yielded, he couldn’t be overly aggressive. Wei Xun gave a cold laugh, removed the meteoric iron dagger from his waist, and slapped it on the nearby table. When the Fish Intestine Sword was placed down, it was like a sect command.
The others quickly followed suit in laying down their weapons. Xu Baozhen handed both his whisk and long sword to his disciples; Qiu Ren, nicknamed Ghost Hand Vajra, practiced the Remnant Lamp Hand technique and typically fought empty-handed without weapons; Luo Tuotuo turned and thrust his tin staff forcefully into the ground, the staff’s end driving directly into the floor tiles and standing upright like a flagpole, which counted as surrendering weapons.
When it came to Huo Qi Lang, she spread her hands to show she had brought nothing.
Xu Baozhen frowned and said, “I’ve been wanting to ask—where is your blade?”
Huo Qi Lang replied helplessly, “I owed someone money recently and was short on funds, so I temporarily pawned it at the pawnshop.”
Everyone stared at her upon hearing this, thinking this person was so dissolute that she had even pawned the personal weapon that was vital to her survival—even among this group of reckless individuals, this was somewhat inexcusable.
Seeing the disdainful looks from her senior brothers and sisters, Huo Qi Lang smiled awkwardly: “Don’t be so serious. Look how magnanimous and carefree Eldest Senior Brother is—he’s never once asked me where my blade went.”
Xu Baozhen said coldly, “He regards all of us as transparent. Even if you lost both your eyes, he wouldn’t notice at all.”
Huo Qi Lang said, “I’ve already received Sixth Brother’s payment. I’ll redeem it when I return to Chang’an, so stop glaring at me.” Wanting to redirect the trouble, she added, “Actually, I’ve always felt this weapon surrender rule is very unfair. Clearly Eldest Senior Brother is most formidable when empty-handed. Abandoning weapons just makes the gap between us even greater, doesn’t it?”
Wei Xun raised one corner of his mouth with an extremely arrogant expression and said contemptuously, “Even if I removed one arm, I’d still be stronger than all of you, so there’s no need to fret over such trivial matters.”
Everyone was so irritated by him their teeth itched, but since it was the truth, there was no way to refute it. Everyone thought: Chen Shigu left the Fish Intestine Sword to Wei Xun, yet he uses it as an ordinary dining knife—what can be done about that?
In this sect, strength was the law of heaven. Wei Xun had long declared that whoever could defeat him would become the new eldest senior brother and could take the Fish Intestine Sword at any time. Except for Tuoba Sanniang, who had challenged him once and returned seriously injured, no one dared try since. It seemed they could only wait for him to die of illness to confirm the next owner of this divine weapon.
“Enough idle chatter? Let’s get to the main topic.”
Wei Xun seriously questioned his sect members: “Why did people who weren’t invited by Pang Liangji appear at his wedding?” He glared at the one-armed Taoist behind Xu Baozhen and said, “Start with you.”
The young Taoist was suddenly called upon and became panic-stricken. Only after seeing his master nod in permission did he stammer, “Replying to Grand Senior Uncle, at that time Master had us watch the wedding carriage in the crowd to prevent enemies from causing trouble. When Senior Uncle raised the flag, I saw a figure crawling under the wedding carriage, so I rushed forward…”
Wei Xun sneered, “So you’re saying I wronged you by breaking your arm.” He questioned Xu Baozhen: “I don’t recall you ever being so righteous, sending disciples to protect wedding proceedings. Aren’t you embarrassed to say such nauseating words? What did you come down from the mountain for?”
Xu Baozhen said, “I’ve already abandoned the Huashan sect grounds and plan to travel the famous mountains and rivers of the Central Plains to find a new place to settle. I just happened to pass through Lingbao County and heard that Sixth Brother was getting married, so I helped keep watch.”
Xu Baozhen had violently driven away the original martial arts sect from Mount Hua, occupied the Taoist temple to establish his own Louguan Sect, but unexpectedly abandoned it so quickly. Everyone knew he was a person of deep schemes and ruthless poison who wouldn’t give up easily, so they all found it strange.
Xu Baozhen continued, “I originally thought Mount Hua had beautiful scenery and was the Western Sacred Mountain with good feng shui, but didn’t expect it to be too close to Chang’an. From time to time, eunuchs from the palace would come up the mountain seeking Celestial Masters with deep cultivation. I certainly don’t want to enter the palace to serve His Majesty—it’s too bothersome, so I simply abandoned that temple.”
Tuoba Sanniang said, “Second Senior Brother is deliberately lying with such words. Dong Zhenzi has lofty ambitions. Now that the sage believes in Taoist methods, you’re the only one in our sect who also cultivates astrology. Starting to gain fame from the imperial palace would be a good beginning.”
Xu Baozhen remained calm and composed: “It’s precisely because I learned astrology that I know I can’t go. In the middle of this year’s inauspicious month, Princess Wangshou suddenly died. I observed the celestial phenomena at night from Luoyan Peak and saw the aspect of ‘Mars violating the Purple Forbidden Star.’ Purple Forbidden is the emperor’s star—when the imperial star suffers calamity, it’s an omen of great misfortune. I guess the sage on the dragon throne won’t live much longer. Entering the palace now would be poorly timed.”
When Dong Zhenzi spoke these mysterious words, everyone felt ghostly winds stirring, knowing that imperial succession inevitably meant heads rolling in bloody storms. They were all startled.
Wei Xun quickly glanced up at the second floor, confirmed that Bao Zhu was staying in her room and hadn’t heard, then temporarily spared Xu Baozhen and turned to ask Fourth Brother Qiu Ren: “And why did you come to Lingbao County?”
Tuoba Sanniang laughed, “Why does Eldest Senior Brother deliberately skip over me? Third Sister also has things to say.”
Wei Xun had no intention of acknowledging her at all. Tuoba Sanniang spoke to herself: “First matter—I heard in Chang’an that the Blue Shirt Guest had been captured by a beautiful young woman…”
Wei Xun abruptly cut off her words: “If you say one more word, I’ll beat you to death. Anyway, I was the one who initially established the no-fighting rule, so I can break it anytime.”
Tuoba Sanniang snorted resentfully and said, “Fine then, I’ll only speak of the second matter. I’m planning to move to Luoyang and came this trip to scout the situation first, buy a residence to settle down. Passing through Lingbao County via Tongguan is the necessary route.”
This was the second person among the Seven Absolutes of the Setting Sun planning to leave the Guanzhong region. Everyone sensed something strange. Qiu Ren hesitated for a moment and asked, “Third Senior Sister’s business couldn’t also be affected by those rumors?”
Tuoba Sanniang met his gaze, her expression dark, and slowly nodded.
“Master’s dying words somehow leaked into the jianghu. Though Chang’an is vast, it’s not easy to dwell there anymore.”
Even “Pipa Demon,” such a renowned assassination leader, was unwilling to continue staying in Chang’an. Everyone secretly felt moved.
Qiu Ren said, “Master has already plundered all the valuable imperial tombs and noble family graves in Guanzhong—there’s nothing good left. On the contrary, my medicinal herb business is thriving. I originally planned to abandon my main profession and gradually transition to legitimate business, but who knew that dying statement would become known to outsiders. People keep inquiring directly and indirectly, which doesn’t seem like a good omen, so I’m also planning to develop in the Central Plains.”
Seeing Wei Xun frowning silently, Tuoba Sanniang said, “Eldest Senior Brother apparently doesn’t know about this yet. Because your martial arts are the highest and you have no established sect, no one dares ask you directly to your face. I’m thoroughly annoyed—because of these rumors, many wealthy family businesses have flown away like ducks at the mouth.”
Before Chen Shigu died, he entrusted his mantle to Second Brother Dong Zhenzi to manage, but everyone knew that in their sect, fists were law. Since Xu Baozhen couldn’t defeat Wei Xun, this so-called mantle was just a broken courtyard and a pile of old books—no one would follow Xu Baozhen’s orders. What remained were also a few young disciples who hadn’t completed their training, which wasn’t really inheritance but burdensome baggage that was immediately divided among the top three.
Chen Shigu never hoarded his lifelong skills, whether martial arts or various miscellaneous studies. His mantras and mental techniques were always public—whoever could learn them could have them, so there were no secret manuals to inherit.
But before his death, he left behind one confusing dying statement. At the time, everyone found it absurd and unbelievable, but now that several years had passed, it had gradually spread, leaving the disciples with enormous hidden dangers.
Huo Qi Lang said, “Could it be that relic capable of ‘overthrowing the Tang Dynasty and bringing chaos to the world’?”
Hearing these eight words again, everyone’s hearts skipped a beat. Qiu Ren shushed her: “Don’t speak so loudly.”
Luo Tuotuo, who had been silently listening, suddenly boomed: “What’s to fear! Except for Sixth Brother, our sect has twelve people who couldn’t assemble one set of nine generations of family. We have this damn thing in our hands—are we afraid the court will come to exterminate whose clan?!”
These words were truly soul-stirring. Everyone was stunned for a moment, then laughed—some with cunning, some with resentment, some with self-mockery. Suddenly everyone was giggling and laughing, the atmosphere in the inn becoming cheerful and lively while simultaneously eerie and grim.
Huo Qi Lang laughed until she wiped away tears: “I still have a distant cousin several times removed who might still be alive.”
Luo Tuotuo generously said, “Then we’ll count that as half for you.”
Wei Xun laughed, “When I heard those words then, I knew his mind was addled by phlegm and he was about to expire. Who knows if he was serious?”
Everyone simultaneously recalled that scene. After Chen Shigu spoke of having this greatly inauspicious object, all the disciples competed to decline it. After all, no one had ever considered something as troublesome as rebellion—what use would this thing capable of “overthrowing the Tang Dynasty and bringing chaos to the world” have except to attract disaster?
Wei Xun was first to speak evasively: “I won’t live much longer and don’t have time to overthrow anything. Master should give it to someone else.”
Xu Baozhen wore a fake smile: “I’m a monk who can’t lead troops in battle. Better to yield it to junior brothers and sisters.”
Tuoba Sanniang joked: “I do have the heart to bring chaos to the world through beauty, but unfortunately I’m old and lack the vigor to be Baosi or Daji.”
Qiu Ren persuaded: “Master plundered so many tombs but only gave the Fish Intestine Sword to Eldest Senior Brother. Leave us some practical real goods too.”
Everyone declined and argued until they thought to ask what exactly this thing was and where it was located, but Chen Shigu had already expired.
Tuoba Sanniang laughed until she coughed repeatedly, covering her chest: “When I was learning martial arts, I was already nearly thirty and wouldn’t be deceived by men anymore. If Old Chen really had that weapon capable of overthrowing the Tang Dynasty, he would have used it himself long ago.”
Xu Baozhen said, “It might not necessarily be a weapon—perhaps ancient tomb military texts or supremely strange poisons.”
Qiu Ren suddenly said, “Perhaps treasure for recruiting soldiers and buying horses? Master excavated countless graves in his lifetime yet always lived in that small courtyard, wearing patched robes and sleeping in an old coffin. Where did he hide all that gold, silver, and antiques? Eldest Senior Brother accompanied him most often—you must know.”
Wei Xun said, “He actually didn’t care about gold, silver, and treasure at all. His main purpose was desecrating corpses—messing up the dead into complete chaos, crushing bones and scattering ashes satisfied him. Sometimes he took nothing at all.”
Xu Baozhen said calmly, “I knew that long ago. Master equally hated all living and dead people in the world. Honestly, when he died of illness so early, I was somewhat incredulous, fearing it was turtle-breath feigned death technique. I honestly kept vigil for seven days, then secretly stabbed his heart once before feeling assured enough to bury him.”
Huo Qi Lang was stunned: “Second Senior Brother is truly… truly thoughtful and thorough.”
Everyone thought: No wonder Xu Baozhen suddenly became respectful and filial at the funeral, insisting on personally keeping vigil. We thought he had received Master’s mantle and considered himself the sect leader—at the time everyone found it amusing, not knowing he had this backup plan.
Given Chen Shigu’s perverse ruthlessness and harsh ingratitude, he deserved to have such a group of heretical disciples. After the initial surprise, no one felt anything was amiss.
Author’s Note: Exploring the income sources of ancient knights-errant