An uninvited group of guests arrived outside the city walls of Wudu.
A squadron of cavalry in black iron armor galloped toward the city gate, when suddenly a long spear shot down from the ramparts. With a massive cloud of dust, the spear planted itself squarely in front of the vanguard. The palpable aura of killing intent forced the cavalry to rein in their mounts abruptly.
The riders maintained perfect discipline, slowly parting to either side to reveal a red-brown stallion at the very front of the formation.
Atop the horse sat a youth of around twenty years, standing roughly nine feet tall. He wore Jinling brocade and wielded a massive black axe.
He possessed the blooming vigor of a young man, except for one striking detail: he did not have a single hair on his head.
"Wudu is the sacred martial city designated by the Holy Dynasty, and the very characters for 'Wudu' were inscribed by the Founding Emperor himself. His Founding Emperor Majesty once decreed that no court officials are permitted to disturb this place. Turn back at once!"
A resonant voice rang out from the ramparts, imbued with powerful Internal Energy that caused the cavalry's mounts to take a step backward in fright.
"I'm no disturber of the peace; I'm here for the Martial Arts Tournament." The youth on the red-brown stallion waved a hand, and the entire cavalry unit fell back a few paces.
"No riding horses into the city!"
The voice from the ramparts rang out again.
Unfazed, the youth flipped down from his saddle, and a cavalryman immediately stepped forward to lead the red-brown stallion away.
"Will this suffice now?"
No further sound came from the ramparts. Instead, the spear planted deep in the ground was suddenly recalled straight up to the city walls.
Aside from the deep crater left in the earth, it was as if nothing had happened at all.
The youth waved his hand, and his cavalry quickly withdrew. Wielding his massive axe, he strode alone through the city gates.
Before long, word spread through every tavern in Wudu: a ruthless powerhouse had arrived.
……
"Having that name is awfully dangerous," Xia Yun said after a moment of silence, offering a suggestion. "Would you consider changing it?"
"Aren't you afraid I might actually be that Chen Xiaofei?" Chen Xiaofei looked at Xia Yun with curiosity.
Confident, Xia Yun patted her chest and analyzed: "Of course you aren't! That Chen Xiaofei wields a saber, and I see you carrying two blades. Besides, he's already been dealt with by my master. It's just that having that name brings bad luck."
The corner of Chen Xiaofei's eye twitched. "You make a lot of sense. Next time, don't say anything."
"Hey, you've been traveling the jianghu for many years, haven't you? Tell me about my master. What does he look like? I heard he's never married—could it be that he's terribly ugly? Otherwise, how could such a chivalrous hero fail to find a wife?" Like an inquisitive child, Xia Yun reeled off a string of questions all at once.
Chen Xiaofei suddenly stopped in his tracks, his shoulders beginning to shake.
"What are you doing? Don't tell me you have a crush on my master?" Xia Yun was startled.
"First of all, my name isn't 'Hey', it's Chen Xiaofei. I've already told you my name, yet you keep calling me 'hey, hey, hey'—where's your manners? Second, I'm only going to tell you this secret, and you absolutely must not breathe a word of it to anyone!" Chen Xiaofei spun around, his eyes gleaming with mischievous gossip. "The sword technique Baili Chengfeng practices is called the Sunflower Sword Classic. By the time you reach his level of mastery, marrying is completely out of the question. Hahahahaha."
Xia Yun stared at him in utter confusion, then waved her hand in dismissal. "What do you mean? Do you have to give up marrying to practice this sword manual? If that's the case, I won't learn it. My clan still counts on me to carry on the family line!"
"Not just marrying—a man can't do any of the things a man is supposed to do anymore!" Chen Xiaofei was laughing so hard he couldn't stand straight.
"Anyone named Chen Xiaofei must be out of their mind. You are so bizarre."
Xia Yun left the man behind, who was clutching his stomach with laughter, and marched straight ahead on her own.
"Hey, it's this way."
"Oh."
Xia Yun slunk back in defeat.
"I was just messing with you! It really is that way—you can't even remember to keep walking straight?" Chen Xiaofei collapsed with laughter all over again.
"Chen Xiaofei! I'm going to kill you! I'm furious!"
Xia Yun completely snapped, her anger soaring to the heavens. With a flick of her right hand, a cloud of powder came flying straight toward Chen Xiaofei.
Chen Xiaofei twirled the blade in his hand, using a burst of Qi Armor to block the powder, and cried out in alarm, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Little grandma, are you playing for keeps?!"
"That'll teach you to tease me!" Seething with rage, Xia Yun launched several more poisoned needles from her sleeves.
Chen Xiaofei pivoted on his heel to dodge the needles, defending himself, "Don't talk nonsense! When did I tease you? I was just trying to liven up the atmosphere."
Ignoring him entirely, Xia Yun flicked her sleeves, looking ready to hurl something else. Chen Xiaofei hurriedly stepped forward to block her. "Big sister! I'll call you my real older sister! I know Baili Chengfeng—I'll go help you ask him to take you as a disciple!"
"Do you think I need your help to become his disciple? I could stand right in front of him, and he wouldn't turn me away. My mother told me no one can say no to Yunyun."
Seeing that Xia Yun was finally ready to drop the matter, Chen Xiaofei let out a long sigh of relief before cautiously asking, "Is that really how everyone in Miaojiang teaches you?"
"Mind your own business! Go pick up my poisoned needles!" Xia Yun said with a spoiled pout.
"No way, I'm afraid my hands will rot off," Chen Xiaofei refused without hesitation.
……
Chizhou, inside an unassuming inn.
The Chizhou branch, one of the eight major divisions of Qingming Pavilion.
A young man was idly toying with a disc in his hands, looking with amused interest at the middle-aged man standing before him.
"Lord Zhang Sheng, wasn't it just a few days ago at the Grand Morning Assembly in the Holy Capital that you were cursing us in Qingming Pavilion as a bunch of sewer rats not fit to be seen in polite company? How is it that today, you've walked right into our filthy rat nest of your own accord?"
The young man wore a smile at the corners of his eyes. He was strikingly handsome and bore a pleasant-sounding name: Gu Chenwan.
He also held a distinguished moniker—one that was renowned across the Holy Dynasty, albeit rather chilling.
Wheel-Turning King—one of the eight Helmsmen of Qingming Pavilion.
Zhang Sheng's expression remained completely blank, entirely unfazed by the Wheel-Turning King's mockery.
Gu Chenwan asked again, "Might I ask what brings Lord Zhang Sheng here today?"
With extreme economy of words, Zhang Sheng spat out two syllables: "To kill."
"Kill whom?"
"Niu San of the Northwest Army."
"Who?"
"Niu Wanbao's son."
"Not taking it." The Wheel-Turning King refused flatly.
"Why not?"
"I don't dare," Gu Chenwan answered honestly.
"Just a bunch of rats not fit to be seen in polite company, as expected," Zhang Sheng sneered.
"Lord Zhang, Grand Secretary Zhāng, I haven't the foggiest why you want him dead, but our Qingming Pavilion doesn't take just any contract—leaving aside whether you can even afford the price."
Zhang Sheng, having prepared for this, named a staggering price: "I won't pay coin for this contract. I'll trade an entire province—Qingzhou."
Gu Chenwan's playful expression vanished, for Qingzhou was precisely where Qingming Pavilion's headquarters was located. "Grand Secretary Zhāng, Lord Zhang, what is the meaning of this?"
"Kill Niu San, give me a name, and I'll make him the Commander of Qingzhou."
Gu Chenwan slammed his palm onto the table and roared toward the back room, "Damn it! Who poured the tea? Serving Lord Zhang such swill—bring out the Dahongpao!"
"No, wait, bring me all my tea leaves right now and let Lord Zhang pick to his heart's content! A bunch of blind-eyed fools!"
With that, Gu Chenwan sat back down. The mocking demeanor from their initial meeting was entirely gone; his eyes were filled with unreserved reverence for Zhang Sheng.
"Niu San should have already entered Wudu by now. After the Martial Arts Tournament, I want to hear news of his death."
Without another wasted word, Zhang Sheng turned and left.
Watching Zhang Sheng's retreating figure, Gu Chenwan began spinning the wheel in his hand once more. "The Holy Dynasty's only Prince of a Different Surname, the sole heir of the Great Pillar—this isn't going to be an easy kill."