The next day, early morning.
In the spacious and luxurious Yingmei Pavilion, Fuxiang stirred from her slumber on the opulent couch, letting out a sweet and languid moan. Her thick, curled eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Xu Qi An’s high nose and handsome profile. He was already awake, silently gazing at the ceiling.
“Good morning, Lord Xu,” Fuxiang murmured, reaching out from under the covers to wrap her arms around Xu Qi An’s neck while simultaneously pressing down on his hand that was caressing her chest.
“What’s so good about the morning? In the morning, you should say: ‘You were amazing last night!'” Xu Qi An yawned, then asked, “What time is it?”
“Oh, stop it. I can’t say such things,” Fuxiang pouted, nuzzling Xu Qi An’s face. “The water clock is at the foot of the bed. Why don’t you check yourself, Lord Xu?”
Xu Qi An leaned over the edge of the bed to look. In the next moment, he sprang up. “It’s already 7-9 AM? You are a little temptress! I need to get to the magistrate’s office right away, or I’ll lose my salary for the next half year too.”
Fuxiang propped herself up on her elbow, smiling coyly. “Yesterday, it was Lord Xu who was the tempting one. Don’t try to pin this on me, hmph!”
Xu Qi An left Yingmei Pavilion and headed to the stables, where he retrieved his mare. As expected, the Second Young Master’s horse was gone, indicating he had already left the courtesans’ quarters.
Riding his mare back to the Xu residence, Xu Qi An looked left and right along the way but didn’t see anyone selling green tangerines.
“Zhong Li seems to still be at the Imperial Observatory. I should go pick her up,” Xu Qi An muttered to himself, changing course towards the Imperial Observatory.
…
“Clank, clank, clank…”
Xu Qi An pulled down the lever, opening the stone door leading to the underground chamber of the Imperial Observatory. He called out loudly, “Zhong Li, I’m here to pick you up!”
His voice echoed in the vast underground space.
After a moment, footsteps could be heard coming up the straight staircase leading to the depths. The glow of an oil lamp illuminated a human silhouette, gradually becoming clearer.
Zhong Li, her hair disheveled, ascended the stairs. Her clear voice, tinged with excitement, came from behind her mess of hair: “You’re here!”
“Let’s go home,” Xu Qi An said, turning to leave.
Zhong Li turned back and called out to the dark depths below: “Senior Brother Yang, reflect on your actions well. Don’t anger Master again!”
With that, she pulled the handle, closing the stone door.
As they walked out, Xu Qi An asked curiously, “Did Senior Brother Yang do something wrong?”
Zhong Li glanced at him and said in a low voice, “Yesterday, Senior Brother Yang went to the Meridian Gate and blocked the path of the civil and military officials. He recited that poem of yours. The officials and His Majesty were furious. They sent people to reprimand Master and demanded severe punishment for Senior Brother Yang. Master had Senior Brother Yang strung up and flogged, then confined him to the underground chamber to reflect for ten days. Only then did the officials and His Majesty let the matter rest.”
Xu Qi An was stunned, his face frozen in disbelief that someone would go to such lengths just to show off.
Yang Qian Huan was strung up and flogged by the Observatory Master. What a shame I didn’t get to see that!
While inwardly lamenting, he didn’t forget his main purpose. Looking around the main hall and seeing that the Ninth-rank Physicians had all fled, he could only ask Zhong Li beside him:
“Do you have any powder that can mask bodily scents? I drank some wine last night. You might not know, but my aunt and sister dislike it when I drink…”
“Oh,” Zhong Li nodded obediently and said, “Masking the scent of cosmetics is simple. Wait a moment, I’ll find some incense for you.”
This was a bit awkward… Xu Qi An’s mouth twitched.
Upon returning to the Xu residence, he saw Li Na and Su Su playing chess at the stone table in the courtyard, while Xu Ling Yin was practicing horse stance not far away.
“Big brother…” the little girl pretended to greet him happily, taking the chance to rest from her training.
Li Na was not a diligent teacher, as she was fully focused on the chessboard, her beautiful face filled with seriousness and concentration.
This is quite rare… It’s like watching two academically challenged students discussing calculus… Xu Qi An walked over curiously to take a closer look.
It turned out they were playing Five-in-a-Row!
Time to leave…
Since Xu Qi An had already warned Zhong Li on the way, the Fifth Junior Sister from the Imperial Observatory didn’t find it strange to see a ghost sitting in the courtyard playing chess. She just looked several times.
“That’s a Mei spirit, very rare,” she said softly.
I know, the characteristic of Mei spirits is that they’re beautiful and like to seduce travelers in deep mountains and old forests, then drain their essence. Well, by essence, I mean the proper kind of essence… Xu Qi An nodded, indicating he understood.
Seeing this, Zhong Li didn’t say more.
Then, Xu Qi An noticed that Li Miao Zhen was missing. Alarmed, he ran to the courtyard and asked Su Su, “Where’s your mistress?”
Su Su didn’t even look up, focusing intently on the chessboard as she replied in a sweet voice, “She went to Lingbao Temple!”
…
Outside the Imperial City gates, Li Miao Zhen, dressed in Daoist robes, was stopped by the Tiger Guards.
She didn’t rush or get angry, but turned and walked back a short distance. Then she patted her back, and with a “clang,” her flying sword unsheathed.
The nearby Tiger Guards, seeing this, thought she was going to force her way into the Imperial City. They were shocked and quickly drew their weapons.
Li Miao Zhen gracefully leaped onto the blade of her sword. The flying sword carried her straight up, hovering at a height of about 200 feet. From this height, she could see Lingbao Temple in the far distance.
The Tiger Guards on the city walls drew their bows and aimed their ballistas and cannons at Li Miao Zhen. At their commander’s order, they would unleash a barrage of arrows.
The Tiger Guard Commander didn’t give the order to attack. He squinted, scrutinizing Li Miao Zhen, and suddenly had a realization.
Daoist robes, a woman, wanting to enter the Imperial City… Could it be Li Miao Zhen, the Heavenly Sect’s Holy Maiden? One of the key figures in the Heaven-Human Dispute?
However, if Li Miao Zhen insisted on forcibly entering the Imperial City on her flying sword, she would face the counterattack of the Imperial Guards and the Night Watchers.
Li Miao Zhen, of course, knew she was being targeted, but it wasn’t a big problem. She had no intention of forcibly entering the Imperial City.
Gazing at the distant Lingbao Temple, she gathered her qi in her dantian and spoke in a clear, resonant voice: “Li Miao Zhen, disciple of the Heavenly Sect, has come on my master’s orders to engage in scholarly debate with the disciple of the Human Sect. The time and place shall be decided by the Human Sect.”
Her voice carried far, neither deafeningly loud nor faint, clearly audible both inside and outside the Imperial City.
The nobles, royal clan members, and officials residing in the Imperial City all heard Li Miao Zhen’s “challenge” at that moment.
Outside the Imperial City, the residents of the inner city adjacent to the red city walls were also startled by the voice. Pedestrians stopped in their tracks, and vendors ceased their calls, all turning to look toward the Imperial City.
At Lin’an Palace.
Lin’an, dressed in a layered red palace gown, was playing kickball with her palace maids when she suddenly stopped, tilting her head to listen. She asked, “Did you hear something?”
Several palace maids tilted their heads, silently looking towards the Imperial City.
“We heard it. It seemed to be some Heavenly Sect disciple named Li Miao Zhen…” replied the palace maid whose bottom had been patted by Xu Qi An.
Just as she finished speaking, a cool and melodious voice came from the opposite direction: “Three days from now, at 5:45 AM, by the Wei River in the outskirts of the capital, Chu Yuan Zhen, the registered disciple of the Human Sect, will meet in combat.”
Biao Biao’s small mouth opened slightly, recalling the strange tales Xu Qi An had told her, one of which was about the Heaven-Human Dispute!
“Three days from now, I want to go see it. I want my dog slave to take me to see it,” Biao Biao thought excitedly, wishing she could immediately send guards to summon her dog slave.
At the Huai Prince’s Mansion.
In the lush flower garden at the back, a woman in a long lotus-colored dress stood among the flowers, gazing towards the city gates. She murmured, “Three days from now, at 5:45 AM, by the Wei River on the outskirts of the capital…”
Her eyes curved in a smile as she said happily, “There’s another good show to watch.”
There was no wind, but all the flowers in the garden swayed gently as if responding to her.
…
Li Miao Zhen had arrived in the capital and would duel with the Human Sect disciple Chu Yuan Zhen by the Wei River three days later.
This news spread rapidly, reaching almost every corner of the capital within half a day.
The first to be stirred were the jianghu martial artists who had arrived early in the capital. They had waited a full month and finally witnessed the Heaven-Human Dispute.
They had come to see the duel between the most outstanding disciples of the Human Sect and the Heavenly Sect of the Dao School.
Although many faced the embarrassment of depleted funds, no one complained. They felt that coming to the capital early was an incredibly correct and fortunate decision.
Because before the Heaven-Human Dispute, they had witnessed a magical battle rarely seen in a hundred years.
This was fully evident from the regretful attitudes of those jianghu heroes who had arrived late and missed the magical battle.
Even without the subsequent Heaven-Human Dispute, for most jianghu martial artists, the trip had already been worthwhile.
In a certain restaurant, Enchanting Hands Rong Rong, the beautiful matron, Young Master Liu, and Young Master Liu’s master, four of them found an empty seat by the window. As they ate their lunch, they discussed the Heaven-Human Dispute.
The two main characters naturally became the focus of their conversation.
Rong Rong poured wine for the beautiful matron but turned her head to look at the middle-aged swordsman, saying in a crisp voice, “I heard from you, senior, that this Chu Yuan Zhen seems to be the top scholar from the year 27 of the Yuanjing era?”
Hearing this, the middle-aged swordsman’s face showed a hint of emotion. “Yes, that year I was traveling in the capital, and it happened to be during the imperial examinations. I saw him become the provincial top scorer, and then the national top scholar… I never expected that he would resign from his official post and become a registered disciple of the Human Sect. And now, he represents the Human Sect in this battle.”
“Master, I’ve heard that Li Miao Zhen is a celestial beauty of unparalleled grace. What do you think her rank is in the Dao School?” Young Master Liu asked, his attention fully on the words “celestial beauty.”
Regarding his disciple’s question, the middle-aged swordsman shook his head, “That Heavenly Sect Holy Maiden rarely moves in jianghu circles, so her reputation isn’t well-known. I don’t know her rank either. However, there’s another rumor in the jianghu that the Flying Swallow Heroine who emerged two years ago is the Heavenly Sect’s Holy Maiden.”
“The Flying Swallow Heroine is the Heavenly Sect’s Holy Maiden?” Rong Rong was surprised.
She had heard of the Flying Swallow Heroine’s fame. This woman robbed the rich to help the poor, upheld justice, and was either doing good deeds or on her way to doing good deeds. Her exploits were widely praised and admired by the wandering heroes of the jianghu.
However, a year ago, she suddenly disappeared from the jianghu, and her whereabouts became unknown.
The middle-aged swordsman smiled and said, “These are all jianghu rumors, and we don’t know if they’re true. But the Flying Swallow Heroine has been absent from the jianghu for a year now, and no one knows where she went.”
At this moment, a jianghu man in blue robes from the neighboring table interjected mockingly, “How ignorant! The Flying Swallow Heroine went to Yun Province to suppress bandits. That’s why she disappeared for a year.”
Suppressing bandits in Yun Province?
Before the middle-aged swordsman could ask, the surrounding jianghu martial artists all turned to look.
“How do you know the Flying Swallow Heroine went to Yun Province to suppress bandits?”
“Not only do I know she went to Yun Province, but I also know she is the Heavenly Sect’s Holy Maiden, Li Miao Zhen.” The blue-robed jianghu man took a sip of wine and spoke confidently:
“I have a brother from Qing Province who suddenly returned home at the beginning of the year. He said he had been in Yun Province for the past year, following the Flying Swallow Heroine to suppress bandits everywhere, greatly improving his skills. It was he who told me that the Flying Swallow Heroine is the Heavenly Sect’s Holy Maiden.”
The middle-aged swordsman’s eyes flickered, full of doubt about the blue-robed man’s words. He asked, “If she was suppressing bandits in Yun Province, why did she suddenly return home?”
The blue-robed jianghu man sneered, “Naturally, because the bandit suppression ended. At the end of last year, the court sent two Gold Gong Beaters and several Silver Gong Beaters to Yun Province to uproot the mountain bandits there. That Silver Gong Beater Xu from the Night Watchers’ Office was among them. It’s said he almost died once?”
Immediately, a knowledgeable jianghu man spoke up, saying, “Not almost, he died once.”
“Nonsense, how can someone come back to life after dying?”
“Heh, I can tell you poor fellows can’t afford to visit the courtesans’ quarters. That Silver Gong Beater Xu is a regular at the courtesans’ quarters. Just pick any courtyard and ask the girls inside, and you can find out a lot about Silver Gong Beater Xu.” The knowledgeable jianghu man said:
“It’s said that at that time, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Yun Province led a rebellion with tens of thousands of troops surrounding the Governor’s party. Just when everyone was in despair, it was Silver Gong Beater Xu who, along with a sword, held off tens of thousands of rebel troops, just as he recently held off the civil and military officials.
“He fought until the sky darkened and the sun and moon lost their light, finally dying from exhaustion. But he held out until reinforcements arrived, turning the tide of battle.”
The hall was in an uproar. Both jianghu martial artists and ordinary citizens were stunned.
“Can one man hold off tens of thousands? Are there such experts in this world?”
“I think it’s possible. Didn’t you see the magical battle? Silver Gong Beater Xu is a heaven-sent talent. Even Buddhist arhats willingly conceded to him.”
“But I heard it was the Observatory Master who was helping him.”
“Shut up! It was Silver Gong Beater Xu who defeated the Buddhist sect with his strength. What does it have to do with the Observatory Master? I won’t allow you to slander the hero of Da Feng.”
…
At Lingbao Temple, in a quiet courtyard.
Emperor Yuanjing stood with his hands behind his back by the pond, gazing at the beautiful Daoist priestess meditating in mid-air above the water.
“Alas, Imperial Preceptor, after this battle, be it three months or a year, the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Sect will come to the capital. By then, you’ll be in danger,” Emperor Yuanjing sighed. “The Observatory Master is unlikely to intervene in this matter.”
If the Observatory Master could offer protection, along with Luo Yu Heng’s strength, it would be more than enough to deal with the Heavenly Sect Leader.
Of course, Emperor Yuanjing knew this was wishful thinking. Among First-Rank experts, without special reasons, they rarely intervene. Moreover, the Observatory Master’s attitude towards the Human Sect was indifferent. Counting on him to resist the Heavenly Sect Leader was highly improbable.
“If the Imperial Preceptor cannot reach the First Rank, even if Chu Yuan Zhen wins, it won’t mean much,” Emperor Yuanjing shook his head.
The two sects of Heaven and Human had a rule: before the Sect Leaders’ battle, disciples from both sects would compete first. The losing side would have to allow the opponent three moves in the real Heaven-Human Dispute.
But Luo Yu Heng was only Second Rank, too far below the Heavenly Sect Leader. Even if Chu Yuan Zhen won, giving her a three-move advantage, she would still lose in the end.
“Is there any way to postpone this Heaven-Human Dispute?” Emperor Yuanjing asked.
He didn’t say prevent, because that was unrealistic. Even as emperor, he couldn’t influence the doctrinal dispute between a Second-Rank and a First-Rank expert.
Luo Yu Heng opened her eyes, a glimmer of intelligence flashing, and said softly, “As long as there’s no clear winner, it will do.”
No clear winner… Emperor Yuanjing pondered these words and said helplessly, “Unless Li Miao Zhen agrees.”
Luo Yu Heng thought for a moment and said, “There’s a simpler way…”
…
At the Xu residence.
As Xu Qi An was playing with his little sister in the courtyard, he suddenly heard a sharp cat’s meow. Turning his head, he saw an orange cat sitting on the wall.
“Ling Yin, go play with your teacher for a while. Big brother has something to do,” Xu Qi An patted his sister’s head.
“Okay, big brother. I want to eat from Guiyue Tower tonight,” Xu Ling Yin held onto her brother’s finger.
“Alright, I’ll buy it for you when I go out later. Now scram,” Xu Qi An poked her forehead.
Xu Ling Yin ran off happily, skipping along.
The orange cat leaped into the courtyard, walking gracefully towards him, and spoke in human language: “Li Miao Zhen has issued a challenge.”
Xu Qi An nodded, “I know.”
The orange cat showed a human-like smile and said, “There’s something I need your help with.”
Xu Qi An didn’t answer, silently looking at him.
Man and cat stared at each other for a long time before Xu Qi An said softly, “Daoist Master, are you trying to set me up again?”
The orange cat shook its head, “Lord Xu, when have I ever set you up?”
This… Xu Qi An sighed, “You coming to find me at this crucial moment gives me a bad feeling.”