Chapter 119: Head

Upon hearing that Xu Fengnian had insulted the Princess of Jing'an, who was second only to one person in Qingzhou, the two maids and the palace guards were furious. Although Pei Nanwei and the Prince of Jing'an had an unusual way of interacting, in the eyes of outsiders, they truly respected each other like honored guests, a rare loving couple among imperial and noble families. The servants in the palace had heard many rumors about the Prince of Beiliang, but most were uncouth, absurd behaviors and playboyish acts, finding them more ridiculous than fearful. Furthermore, Prince Jing'an in Xiangfan, Qingzhou, was not just a local figure, but a legitimate, authoritative regional power. Immediately, the guards drew their swords in a show of force. One spirited maid, eager to protect her mistress and gain favor, even angrily shouted, directly calling Xu Fengnian by his name.

Unexpectedly, Xu Fengnian merely looked down at the few words on the secret letter, his eyes briefly glancing at the prayer beads in Princess Pei's hand. The principal remained still, but that didn't mean the several Beiliang retainers behind him were blind or deaf. Lu Qiantang of Dongyue, a sinister grin on his face, spurred his horse forward and brought his great sword down. Before the blustering Jing'an guards could react, he bisected the head of the arrogant maid with a single swing. The head fell to the ground, rolling several times, blood mixing with dust.

Especially striking was the maid's pretty face, which still held a vivid expression of shock, a horrifying sight to onlookers. Not only did the Jing'an Prince's guards freeze, but even Pei Nanwei was startled. The priceless prayer beads in her hand felt burning hot and dropped to the ground; she dared not pick them up again. After Lu Qiantang killed a person in front of Princess Jing'an, he pressed forward. Yang Qingfeng and Shu Xiu, unwilling to be left behind, instantly chopped down everyone except Pei Nanwei as if dicing vegetables. One guard, in particular, was sliced into two halves by Lu Qiantang, sword and all.

Pei Nanwei turned her head, swallowed, and squatted down, dry heaving. Seeing how easily the Jing'an Prince's guards were defeated, Xu Fengnian frowned and asked, "Why are these guards so useless? Is Prince Zhao Heng afraid you won't die?"

Pei Nanwei, however, was only concerned with vomiting, unable to imagine such an undignified sight from a high-ranking princess. She wondered if Prince Zhao Xun, were he to see this, would still be so hopelessly infatuated. Xu Fengnian dismounted, walked to Pei Nanwei's side, squatted down, and gently patted her back, softly asking, "Do you know Zhao Heng's subsequent arrangements?"

Shaking, Pei Nanwei turned her back to Xu Fengnian, wiped her mouth with her sleeve, and sneered, "Even if I knew, why would I tell you? How Prince Zhao Heng treats me is a family matter. Xu Fengnian, what do you take yourself for?! Don't think a few words can make me obey you. No matter how cold-blooded Zhao Heng is, he's still better than a scoundrel like you!"

Xu Fengnian lightly stroked the ineffably graceful curve of Princess Pei's back, seemingly taking advantage, yet his expression was blank and his heart calm as still water. His tone, however, was gentle and smiling as he said: "Don't you want to return alive as Princess Jing'an? Pei Nanwei, you should know, if I truly die, I will definitely drag you down with me. Otherwise, wouldn't that just benefit that crooked father-son duo? Let me tell you, if Zhao Heng's scheme succeeds this time, Prince Zhao Xun will inherit the title without impediment. Even if you manage to survive my blade, won't you live in even greater fear upon your return? Princess Pei, are you truly willing to be manipulated by a man like Zhao Xun?"

Princess Pei slowly stood up, stumbling slightly. Xu Fengnian tried to help her, but she fiercely shook off his hand with disgust. Xu Fengnian didn't get angry; he merely bent down and picked up the dropped prince's prayer beads. Given his rascally and rogue nature, if he could retrieve the cinnabar inkstone that Jiang Ni had thrown into the lake, then retrieving a satisfactory string of beads was perfectly reasonable.

Xu Fengnian looked up at the lush reed marsh and began to strategize in his mind. On Prince Zhao Heng, that old fox's side, what was currently known was Wang Mingyin, the eleventh-ranked martial artist. The four Red-Armored Talisman Generals, whether they belonged to Zhao Heng's power or not, were definitely enemies, not friends. The only difference was whether they would coordinate their attack with Wang Mingyin. Without a doubt, Zhao Heng would soon use his princely tiger tally to mobilize over eight hundred armored cavalry from the Xiangfan East Suburb camp, heading straight for the reed marsh. Fortunately, before the two tigers finished their fight, this army wouldn't intervene. After all, with as many as eight hundred men, Prince Zhao Heng couldn't guarantee there wouldn't be spies. It was already a perfect "mantis stalks cicada" situation; if someone were to secretly sling a stone from behind, it would truly be a net loss. He believed that, given Zhao Heng's character, he was confident he could eliminate Xu Fengnian in the reed marsh.

Xu Fengnian's expression was somewhat solemn. Not to mention the four retainers, including Wei Shuyang, there were also a hundred Beiliang cavalry led by General Ning Emei behind him, and the old Sword God Li Chungang was also present. In the open struggle between the two sides' pieces, by common sense, Li Chungang, ranked eighth in the world, fighting Wang Mingyin, ranked eleventh, and Wei Shuyang and others with Ning Emei's hundred light cavalry fighting the four Red-Armored Talisman Generals, the odds were largely in his favor no matter how one calculated. Of course, Zhao Heng definitely had backup plans. But Xu Fengnian also had Qingniao and a group of hidden Beiliang death warriors. So where did Zhao Heng get the confidence to send him to the underworld here?

At some point, Princess Pei had taken off her shoes and held them in her hand, her white-socked feet on the ground, staring blankly at the dirt path obscured by green reeds. Every cold autumn, she would dismiss her guards and, in a manner unbecoming of her status, walk down this muddy path. The path would be covered with dense, small brown cones – the sharp tips of reeds that had been crushed into the mud. Walking barefoot, the sharp points would prick the soles of her feet. Her skin was as white as snow, and each round trip would leave her soles bloody. Yet, Pei Nanwei strangely enjoyed this act of self-mutilation. She preferred even more to lie alone in a small boat, letting the "snow" of autumn reeds fall and cover her.

Should I just stab this woman to death? Xu Fengnian's eyes flashed with murderous intent. Who cares who she is? What if she's the Princess of Jing'an? Even if an imperial concubine from the palace stood in his way, when it was time to kill, Xu Fengnian would not hesitate to finish them off with a single blow. In this world, lives may be divided by nobility and lowliness, but whose life under heaven is more valuable than one's own? Just as Xu Fengnian was contemplating giving Pei Nanwei a quick end and Zhao Heng a great deal of distress, a young man and woman, both appearing exceptionally spirited at such a moment, walked along the path. The young man carried a bamboo pole on his shoulder, and about ten paces behind him followed a graceful woman with a sword on her back, her eyes closed, exuding a cold and detached aura.

The one who appeared first wasn't the Eleventh-ranked? The young man, unarmed with a sword, didn't look at Xu Fengnian. He smiled at the carriage and declared loudly, "Old Sword God Li, I am Wu Liuding, a junior of the Wu family. Today, I come with the Plain King Sword, seeking only a battle!" As soon as his voice fell, the reeds on both sides of the sword crown swayed wildly without wind, highlighting the otherworldly presence of this future pillar of swordsmanship.

Invisible sword qi instantly permeated the air. Pei Nanwei swayed. Xu Fengnian drew his Embroidery Winter sword with one hand to support her, while raising his other hand to catch a remarkably magnificent green-and-white peregrine falcon as it swooped down, settling it on his arm. He then turned to Wei Shuyang and others, saying, "You follow the falcon into the reed marsh and stall the Red-Armored Talisman Generals."

Xu Fengnian lightly swung his arm, and the peregrine falcon soared into the sky once more. Seeing Xu Fengnian's gaze, the old Daoist Wei Shuyang of Jiudoumi sect subtly nodded and was the first to dart into the reed marsh. Apart from the two major factions of inner and outer alchemy, the Daoist sects of the world also had many branches, each with their own unique abilities. Among them, the Talismanic sect's exorcists, skilled in summoning spirits, were prominent, as were array mages proficient in Qimen Dunjia. These arrays were not military formations but relied on human effort combined with favorable timing and terrain, capable of turning decay into wonder. It was even rumored that top mages could "scatter beans to form soldiers." Daoists in the Imperial Palace's Bureau of Astronomy were mostly adept at observing celestial phenomena, interpreting qi, and researching earth veins, revered as geomancers who studied the earth's meridians.

Wei Shuyang's martial arts cultivation wasn't outstanding; otherwise, he wouldn't have been struck down by the white-haired old man outside Tingchao Pavilion. But the old Daoist was an array mage. Even if the Red-Armored Talisman Generals were formidable and invincible, they ultimately belonged to a category of Daoist divine weapons. Wei Shuyang's Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Peachwood Sword Array would be remarkably effective. Furthermore, Xu Fengnian had spent considerable effort recently studying the talismanic cloud patterns on the water armor, gaining significant insights. Those peachwood swords, imbued with Daoist demon-slaying power, could naturally be used with precision. Moreover, ancient Daoist patriarchs explicitly stated that reed ropes could serve as demon-warding spiritual artifacts, and the Jiudoumi sect had a long-standing technique of hanging reed ropes to ward off evil spirits. And let's not forget that Shu Xiu originated from the Southern Border Witch Sect, and Yang Qingfeng had been asked by His Royal Highness to prepare well after the battle on the rainy path that day.

"Zhao Heng, since you can invite the Sword Crown Wu Liuding to lead the charge, I, the Prince, will use Grandpa Wei and the other three, who have a natural advantage, to counter your Red-Armored Talisman Generals, who are weak against water elements."

Xu Fengnian tapped Princess Pei's slender waist with Embroidery Winter, whispering, "Princess, if you don't want to die, retreat with me." Pei Nanwei remained silent, unable to bring herself to look at the dismembered limbs on the ground, and followed Xu Fengnian away from the audacious man and woman who had challenged them. She naturally knew that this ruthless playboy had a world-renowned old Sword God protecting him. Since the newcomers dared to challenge with swords and were qualified to appear in the reed marsh today, they were certainly not nobodies. When she saw Xu Fengnian retreating, he always faced the man and woman, unwilling to turn his back, and a cold sneer arose in her heart. "Is this guy really Xu Xiao, the Human Butcher's son? So timid and afraid of trouble!" At that moment, Xu Fengnian slowly retreated, his gaze meeting Princess Pei's. Seeing her mocking, disgusted expression, he guessed her thinly veiled thoughts and smiled, "What, you think I'm afraid to die? Princess, if you truly welcomed death, why would you be willing to follow me? You could very well stay where you are and let the sword qi tear you to pieces. Heh, that would be a rather ugly death, quite unfitting for a princess of your noble status."

From the carriage came a lazy voice, "Young Xu, this old man will need to borrow a sword again today." Xu Fengnian shouted back irritably, "Borrow it, borrow it! This prince wishes he could lend you a hundred swords, a thousand swords!"

Pei Nanwei looked bewildered. This scoundrel was, after all, the Prince of Beiliang; he truly lacked heroic spirit. Couldn't he even pretend to be calm and composed like a great general?

Xu Fengnian paid no mind to Princess Pei. He glanced at the sword-bearing woman behind Wu Liuding. The Plain King Sword? Goodness, that was the second-ranked legendary divine weapon in the world. According to his aunt Zhao Yutai, "Plain King" was the title and personal sword of the current Sword Tomb clan head. How did it end up in that woman's hands? Did Wu Liuding defeat the Wu family's Sword Master? That didn't seem right. His master Li Yishan, who lived in seclusion on the top floor of Tingchao Pavilion, was one of the commentators for the previous generations of the Civil and Military Rankings and the Generals and Ministers Rankings. He had also mentioned some secrets: there was an unwritten rule for the Civil and Military Rankings not to include reclusive masters from places like Longhu Mountain, Liangchan Temple, and the Wu Family Sword Tomb. This was partly out of respect, partly out of caution. These individuals, whom one couldn't distinguish between old immortals and old monsters, had unpredictable temperaments. For instance, Qi Xuanzhen, whose Daoist arts and swordsmanship were undeniably the world's best, and who subdued all demons with a single sword, explicitly stated that he should not be ranked. Who would dare defy that? But since Wu Liuding had emerged from the Wu Family Sword Tomb as a "sword crown," if he had defeated the Plain King to come out, he should have been ranked among the top ten masters. Could it be that the one who defeated the Plain King wasn't Wu Liuding, but that female sword attendant?!

Xu Fengnian looked at the woman.

Unexpectedly, she seemed to sense his gaze and immediately opened her eyes to look back.

Xu Fengnian's heart jolted, but he still smiled.

The woman, however, closed her eyes again, seemingly having gauged Xu Fengnian's abilities and dismissed them with disdain.

Xu Fengnian didn't mind. He cast a glance at Qingniao, who held a good sword, signaling her to lend the sword to the old Sword God.

Although the sword in Qingniao's hand could also slice a hair lengthwise, it was slightly inferior to Lu Qiantang's Chixia, let alone the Great Liang Dragon Sparrow in the Zitan sword case. Originally, Xu Fengnian was still somewhat worried, but when Qingniao tossed the sword into the air and Old Man Li burst out of the carriage, grasping the hilt with a loud laugh and flying towards Wu Liuding, Xu Fengnian immediately calmed down. The old Sword God was ranked eighth in the world. Was eighth really a low ranking? Among the millions of swordsmen in the world, weren't only this old man in sheepskin and Deng Tai'a truly standing above them all?! And who would dare say that Li Chungang, once he truly returned to his peak, would stop at eighth?

The Old Sword God had just soared into the air like a flood dragon.

A simple farmer then emerged from the reed marsh, coming unnoticed. He said, "Prince, allow me to borrow a head."