“The Holy Maiden of Tianzong and my elder brother are friends. They met during the Yunzhou incident last year. The Holy Maiden of Tianzong fought bravely alongside my brother, slaying rebel troops and bandits. They shared hardships and formed a deep bond,” Xu Xinnian explained while taking a sip of tea.
These were the words his elder brother had told him. His mother had also mentioned that this Holy Maiden of Tianzong had formed a private army to eliminate bandits in Yunzhou over the past year… His mother knew this because the Holy Maiden of Tianzong had told her personally.
The Holy Maiden of Tianzong and Xu Yinluo had formed a deep bond… Wang Simu suddenly realized this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Her face lit up with a gentle smile as she said, “I heard from the guest officials in your mansion that the Holy Maiden of Tianzong, Li Miaozhen, has the strength of the fourth rank, and since Chu Yuanzhen is dueling with her, his strength must be comparable. In the capital, those who have reached the fourth rank at such a young age can be counted on one’s fingers.”
Chu Yuanzhen is not young at all… Xu Xinnian nodded and said, “The two protagonists of the Heaven-Human Duel are indeed outstanding individuals.”
Wang Simu continued, “However, in a few more years, Xu Yinluo will surely be able to stand shoulder to shoulder-with these two. After the duel, everyone in the capital was saying that Xu Yinluo’s talent is no less than that of the Northern Frontier King.”
Xu Xinnian raised his chin slightly and spoke in a nonchalant tone, “My elder brother’s cultivation still falls short. These rumors are just excessive flattery.”
He seems quite proud… Indeed, praising Xu Qian seems to please Xu Ciqiu… Wang Simu analyzed in her heart.
As the carriage slowly moved forward, they encountered the entourage of Huaiqing and Lin’an at the inner city gate. Two carriages made of golden silk nanmu wood were stopped at the gate.
“Your Highness, isn’t that Miss Wang’s carriage?” the maid who had lifted the curtain to view the scenery asked Lin’an excitedly.
“It is Sister Simu’s carriage,” Lin’an leaned over to look, her face beaming with joy. She instructed, “Go inform her, I want to ride with her.”
The maid immediately called out loudly.
On the other side, Wang Simu, who was in the carriage, heard the call and lifted the curtain in surprise. She saw the words “Lin’an” embroidered on the yellow silk cover of the golden silk nanmu carriage opposite.
She immediately responded with a smile, “Princess Lin’an.”
Lin’an pushed aside her maid and lifted the curtain with her delicate hand, smiling as she said, “Sister Simu, are you also going to Weixiang River to watch the Heaven-Human Duel?”
Wang Simu sweetly responded with an “Mm-hmm.”
Lin’an became excited, her peach blossom eyes curving into crescents as she beckoned, “Come, join me in my carriage.”
Wang Simu was about to speak when suddenly her brows furrowed tightly. She covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and coughed violently several times.
Lin’an asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”
Wang Simu explained helplessly, “I caught a cold a few days ago. I’ve taken some medicine and it’s not serious anymore. However, even though it’s just the remnants of the illness, it wouldn’t be good if I were to infect Your Highness.”
Lin’an looked regretful and advised Miss Wang to rest well.
Wang Simu smiled and agreed. At that moment, she noticed the curtain of the carriage in front suddenly lift, revealing a pair of eyes as clear and cold as a winter pond, which swept over her indifferently.
In that instant, Wang Simu felt as if all her little thoughts and intentions had been seen through completely.
She forced a smile and lowered the curtain.
After the carriage had traveled some distance, Wang Simu breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and said to Xu Xinnian, “I’m most afraid of interacting with Princess Huaiqing. She’s too clever.”
Xu Xinnian smiled.
When one’s thoughts are open and one’s will is firm, one can face all situations calmly. Even if one’s inner thoughts are seen through, it doesn’t matter.
This point was something that Xu Erlang had developed after experiencing several social deaths, tempering his composure.
Life is the best teacher.
The two golden silk nanmu carriages waited at the inner city gate for a long time, finally welcoming eight Silver Gongs leading more than ten Silver Gongs and over thirty Bronze Gongs, arriving on horseback in an orderly formation.
The last Gold Gong had been on duty at the yamen for several days and couldn’t leave.
Seeing the arrival of the Nightwatchmen, Lin’an looked enlightened. She had always felt that there were too few guards to ensure her and Huaiqing’s safety in such a mixed environment.
Trusting Huaiqing, Lin’an hadn’t raised this issue.
“With so many Gold Gongs and Silver Gongs accompanying us, even if we face thousands of troops, Huaiqing and I will be safe,” Lin’an felt extremely reassured.
Huaiqing lifted the carriage curtain, swept her gaze over the Nightwatchmen, and frowned, “Where’s Xu Ningyan?”
Jiang Luzhong shook his head and laughed, “That kid sits in court three days fishing, two days sunbathing. Most of the time, no one knows where he’s gone off to.”
Huaiqing nodded and lowered the curtain. The procession set off, passing through the outer city. After traveling on the official road for more than half an hour, the carriages slowly came to a stop.
“Your Highness, we can only proceed on foot from here,” the head guard said.
Huaiqing and Lin’an each emerged from their carriages, both dressed in tight-fitting clothes. The former’s chest was full, her figure curvaceous, fully displaying a woman’s voluptuous physique.
The latter had a cloud-patterned ribbon accentuating her wasp-like waist, and as she walked, she swayed with charm. Although she hadn’t made any deliberately alluring gestures, she appeared even more seductive than her sister Huaiqing.
Under the protection of the Nightwatchmen and palace guards, Huaiqing and Lin’an left the official road and entered an overgrown wilderness. After walking for a quarter of an hour, Lin’an’s trouser legs and small cotton boots were covered in dew and grass tips.
“So many people…” Lin’an suddenly stopped and exclaimed.
The Weixiang River was twenty zhang wide, and during the flood season, the width of the river surface could even expand to thirty zhang. At this time, both banks of the Weixiang River were packed with people. There were jianghu martial artists carrying sabers and swords, as well as common folk from the capital who had come to watch the excitement.
There were also idle young nobles from the capital, officials who had taken leave to watch the Heaven-Human Duel, as well as aristocrats and other members of the noble class.
Of course, there were also students from the Imperial College and Yunlu Academy, as well as young ladies from prominent families like Wang Simu.
These people all brought dozens of guards, clearing space forcefully to occupy their areas.
“Clear the area,” Huaiqing waved her hand, ordering the guards to work after choosing a good spot.
“Another big shot has arrived.”
“That woman is so beautiful, hiss… She has so many Gold Gong guards!”
The jianghu martial artists who were being driven away seemed used to it, grumbling as they changed positions, while also gossiping about Huaiqing’s identity.
“She is our Great Zhou’s eldest princess, with the title Huaiqing,” a person from the capital said.
“I remember now, she was sitting in the imperial booth during the duel that day.”
“To think our Great Zhou’s princess is such a beauty of heavenly countenance, is she married? Who is the consort?”
“None of the four princesses of the royal family have married yet, they’re all still waiting to be betrothed. The one beside her is the Second Princess Lin’an. I think Princess Lin’an…”
He was about to comment further, but remembering that the Gold Gongs had a keen hearing and might overhear their discussion, he immediately shut his mouth, not daring to casually discuss the princesses.
Lin’an looked around in the crowd, frowning as she said, “Where’s that dog slave, Huaiqing, where’s that dog slave?”
Huaiqing ignored her.
“Make way, make way…”
At this moment, a loud shout came. Lin’an and Huaiqing turned to look. Dozens of heavily armed soldiers were waving their scabbards to disperse the crowd.
The soldiers were escorting a woman wearing a veiled hat. The hat had a light gauze hanging down, and inside there was another face veil. Even martial artists with the highest cultivation couldn’t see through the two layers of protection to glimpse the woman’s true appearance.
“The King’s Consort has arrived, let’s go greet her,” Lin’an looked at Huaiqing.
Huaiqing coldly turned her face away, disdainful.
The Gold Gongs all turned their heads, scrutinizing the King’s Consort who was surrounded by manor guards, their eyes full of curiosity.
The Northern Frontier King’s Consort was renowned as the first beauty of Great Zhou, but very few had ever seen her true face. The Gold Gongs present weren’t seeing her for the first time, but each time she was heavily protected, and they had no chance to glimpse her countenance.
“Even she has come. The last duel didn’t even attract the King’s Consort,” Jiang Luzhong sighed.
“What’s so interesting about watching a mystical duel? The Heaven-Human Duel of the Dao sect happens once every sixty years, it’s been brewing for over a month, and everyone is curious,” Zhang Kaitai said.
It was now the Hour of the Rabbit, with just three-quarters of an hour left before the Heaven-Human Duel.
Hundreds, even thousands of people had gathered on the banks of the Weixiang River, eagerly anticipating the upcoming battle. The common folk wore expressions of excitement as if attending a lively market.
Outside the crowd, canopies had been set up selling tea and breakfast foods, with prices even higher than the stalls in the inner city.
The jianghu martial artists wore expressions of anticipation and excitement. The Heaven-Human Duel happened once every sixty years, and each time it was a grand occasion for the jianghu of Great Zhou, second only to the Martial Arts Grand Meeting held every thirteen years.
“Hey, look, Liu Yun from the Double Saber Sect has arrived. Is that the sect leader Cheng Hensheng beside her?” someone called out.
Looking in the direction of the voice, a group of jianghu martial artists in tight-fitting clothes approached. Their distinguishing feature was the pair of curved sabers on their backs, their skin tanned dark, and their eyes sharp.
Among them was a particularly beautiful young woman carrying double sabers. Her skin was a wheat color, her eyes bright and piercing, like an agile leopardess, exuding a wild charm.
She followed behind a middle-aged man whose aura was contained, seemingly less conspicuous than his disciples behind him.
…
“The people from Luya Sword Pavilion have arrived too. The Butterfly Sword, Lan Caiyi, is so beautiful, living up to her reputation.”
“What cultivation level is Pavilion Master Lan Huan at now? I remember last year there were rumors he had broken through to become a fourth-rank martial artist.”
“I see Miss Rongrong from Wanhua Tower, hehe, she’s indeed an alluring little enchantress.”
“Are those monks from the Azure Dragon Temple?”
As the time of the decisive battle drew near, more and more high-level experts from various jianghu sects arrived. Unlike lone cultivators, they were “big shots” with their territories and reputations.
The Pavilion Master of Luya Sword Pavilion, Lan Huan, chose a spot with a good view, then turned his head to examine the Double Saber Sect’s leader nearby. He cupped his hands and said:
“It’s said that the Double Saber Sect’s leader’s cultivation is unfathomable. Seeing you today, the reputation is well-deserved.”
A plain and ordinary opening remark.
The dark-skinned, stern-faced leader of the Double Saber Sect looked over and said flatly, “Pavilion Master Lan is too kind. I’m not as good as you.”
He hadn’t reached the fourth rank yet.
What? The Double Saber Sect’s leader wasn’t as good as the Luya Sword Pavilion’s leader.
The surrounding jianghu martial artists’ eyes lit up, excited to have caught such juicy gossip. In the future, when bragging to friends and relatives, they could use this “inside information” to grab attention.
Lan Caiyi, the Butterfly Sword with a sweet face and lively demeanor, looked towards Liu Yun, the wheat-skinned female warrior of the Double Saber Sect. As their gazes met, Lan Caiyi proudly thrust out her chest.
Liu Yun narrowed her eyes and looked away disdainfully.
Lan Huan continued, “Sect Leader, between the two factions in the Heaven-Human Duel, which do you think has a greater chance of victory?”
“The two factions of Heaven and Human have been dueling for thousands of years, with victories on both sides. We shouldn’t comment on who is superior. However, between Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen, I think Chu Yuanzhen has a higher chance of winning,” the Double Saber Sect leader said.
“Why is that?” Lan Huan asked with a smile.
“Six years ago, Chu Yuanzhen was already praised by Wei Yuan as the top swordsman in the capital, while at that time, Li Miaozhen was not yet of age. Based on this foundation alone, he already surpasses Li Miaozhen,” the sect leader said.
However, Lan Huan had a different view. He said, “What you don’t know is that Chu Yuanzhen is a nominal disciple of the Human Faction, following the path of a warrior and cultivating the Human Faction’s sword techniques. His path is flawed, while Li Miaozhen is a pure-blooded Holy Maiden of the Heaven Faction.”
To think there was such inside information… The spectators listened with great interest.
Suddenly, a commoner from the capital asked loudly, “How do these two compare to our Xu Yinluo?”
Hearing this, Lan Huan smiled and didn’t answer.
The Double Saber Sect leader snorted derisively.
“Hey, you two brutes, what’s that supposed to mean?”
The capital’s commoners were displeased.
Lan Caiyi, the Butterfly Sword, looked around at everyone and said in a clear voice:
“Although Xu Yinluo is a heaven-sent talent, with potential comparable to the Northern Frontier King, he is only a seventh-rank martial artist. The Human Faction disciple Chu Yuanzhen and the Heaven Faction Holy Maiden Li Miaozhen, the former could fight evenly with a fourth-rank Gold Gong many years ago. Although he lost, after so many years, his strength is probably not inferior to the fourth rank. Li Miaozhen dares to come to the capital to issue a challenge, so she must also be of the fourth rank.”
The common people of the capital didn’t understand cultivation, but they could grasp simple rank distinctions. So the hero of Great Zhou they admired, Xu Yinluo, was only a seventh-rank martial artist? While the two protagonists in the Heaven-Human Duel were indeed fourth-rank.
“You’re talking nonsense! How dare you slander Xu Yinluo? Everyone, throw stones at her!”
“The little wench may look pretty, but her mouth stinks. Ptui!”
The common people were very disappointed, and then became angry, directing their anger at Lan Caiyi, the Butterfly Sword.
“Hmph, that dog slave is sixth rank now,” Lin’an spat.
She felt a bit unhappy. In Lin’an’s mind, her family’s dog slave was a great hero who had single-handedly held off thousands of rebel troops in Yunzhou and defeated the Buddhist Arhat in front of the Stargazing Tower.
These were feats only great figures could accomplish.
She had always believed that the dog slave was the most outstanding, but now, when people compared and analyzed him, she suddenly realized that the dog slave’s rank was only seventh.
This huge disparity made her very uncomfortable.
“In the capital of Great Zhou, those who are young and have reached the fourth rank can be counted on one hand,” a jianghu traveler wrapped in a black cloak said in a deep voice.
“Yes, Xu Yinluo will certainly become a fourth-rank martial artist, but he’s still too young now. The gap between him and Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen is very large,” another jianghu martial artist added.
Bang!
A stone was thrown, shattering against an invisible barrier.
That jianghu martial artist became furious but didn’t dare to retaliate. This was the capital’s territory, surrounded by officials, nobles, and government experts. If he dared to harm civilians, he would surely face severe punishment from the government’s powerful cultivators.
“Nonsense! Xu Yinluo broke through a Golden Body with one slash, how impressive is that! How could he be only seventh rank?”
“That’s right, if this Chu Yuanzhen is so powerful, why doesn’t he go duel and break the little monk’s Golden Body?”
“I think among the young experts in the capital, only Xu Yinluo is the most powerful. You brute just can’t stand to see Xu Yinluo shine.”
Curses erupted, and the common people reacted intensely, filled with righteous indignation.
But as they cursed, seeing that no jianghu martial artists spoke up for Xu Yinluo, and even the government officials and Nightwatchmen remained silent, they gradually began to believe this fact.
A great disappointment welled up in their hearts.
Just then, a whooshing sound came from overhead, and a figure riding a sword flew through the air, condensing above the Weixiang River.
This person wore a green robe, had a handsome face, and wasn’t very old, but not young either. A strand of white hair falling over his forehead spoke of his experiences.
“Chu Yuanzhen!”
Below, excited calls rose from the crowd.
As soon as the words fell, another whooshing sound was heard. In the distance, a woman riding a flying sword approached rapidly, stopping opposite Chu Yuanzhen.
The Holy Maiden of the Heaven Faction wore a simple Daoist robe, her hair bound with an ebony Daoist hairpin. Her oval face was fair and delicate, her eyes like black pearls, her lips thin. Just as rumored, she was a beauty that caught the eye.
Seeing this scene, the capital’s commoners who had been angry just moments ago suddenly fell silent.
Riding flying swords, and standing in midair, these were godly figures that only existed in storybooks and storytellers’ tales. In comparison, Xu Yinluo, who often traveled on horseback, indeed lacked this impressive display.
“Today’s battle, we’ll give it our all,” Li Miaozhen stared at the green-robed swordsman opposite her.
“Agreed,” Chu Yuanzhen nodded.
The duel between Dao leaders was the leaders’ affair. Now, the Heaven-Human Duel was their affair.
Chu Yuanzhen knew that if Luo Yuheng couldn’t break through to the first rank, the Heaven-Human Duel would likely end badly. If he avoided this battle, the Human Faction would still send other disciples to fight.
Rather than losing to Li Miaozhen and bringing shame to the Human Faction, he might as well fight himself. At least he could win the advantage of the first three moves.
It was also a way to repay the Human Faction for bestowing him with a sword.
“Everyone, retreat ten zhang!” Chu Yuanzhen shouted.
On both banks of the Weixiang River, the spectators retreated with a rustle.
The Heaven-Human Duel was about to begin. Countless eyes were fixed on the two figures in midair, both nervous and excited.
Suddenly, a melodious zither sound rang out, extremely penetrating, echoing above the Weixiang River and across the fields in the dim morning light.
This zither sound was so discordant that it disrupted Chu Yuanzhen and Li Miaozhen’s rhythm, causing their rising momentum to falter.
Chu Yuanzhen saw Li Miaozhen’s face suddenly stiffen, and he couldn’t help but turn to look… Then, the expression on Scholar Chu’s face also froze.
The spectators looked in the direction of the zither sound. In the distance, a boat with a black awning was drifting over. At the bow stood a tall young man, leaning on a sword, his gaze fixed on the rippling river surface, his expression refined.
He had arrived, slowly approaching his exclusive background music.