Chapter 15: Mountain Rider on the Hill

Xu Fengnian returned to his residence with a troop of elite cavalry. Upon entering the courtyard where the old giant resided, he saw a table laden with delicacies. It was clear the old giant was a man who couldn't be happy without meat or satisfied without wine. His frame was like a small mountain, and even seated, his aura was astonishing, especially with the two chains and two blades he carried. The servants hid in the courtyard, not daring to approach. When the old giant saw Xu Fengnian, he immediately asked, "Boy, did Old Huang go to settle things with that Old Immortal Wang from Wudi City?"

A despondent Xu Fengnian nodded and sat silently on a stool opposite the snow-haired old giant. The old warrior chuckled, "Little boy, I didn't expect you to be so sentimental. You're far more decent than your father. That butcher Xu Xiao is not only full of tricks but also outwardly virtuous, honey-mouthed yet malicious. He's fine for sharing hardships, but if you want to share wealth, that's just wishful thinking. Hey, little boy, are you angry? With your pathetic skills, do you really think you can fight me? Without Old Huang, unless the Prince of Beiliang's Residence calls out all the remaining hidden masters, no one can fight me."

Xu Fengnian pouted and muttered, "Only now that Old Huang is gone do you dare to act like a king when the tiger is away."

The old giant's hearing was sharp, but he wasn't angered. He said nonchalantly, "If you can't beat someone, you can't beat them; there's nothing to be ashamed of. Old Huang's swordsmanship was on par with Deng Tai'a, who likes to wield peach branches for no reason. There are countless swordsmen in the world, even at the Wu Family Sword Mound, but in the last thirty years, not one has emerged who could make Old Immortal Wang fight with both hands. I'm completely convinced by my loss to Old Huang. Since I was born, among sword users, only Deng Tai'a fought Old Immortal Wang to a draw, and Old Huang was just slightly inferior. In the whole world, you can count them on one hand."

The old man's words somewhat endeared him to Xu Fengnian, who thought, "A true master lives up to his name. Look at his magnanimity – ordinary people could never possess such a thing. No wonder there are so few masters in the world. It's perfectly excusable that I can't become one." But just as Xu Fengnian was beginning to admire him, a single sentence from the old giant shattered the image of a dignified master that had inadvertently formed. "Boy, where's a spacious latrine? I'm not used to these gold and jade-encrusted toilets here. I've been holding it in at the bottom of the lake for years; I can't even relieve myself properly. Hurry up and find me a 'feng shui' spot where I can let loose completely. I bet people miles away will smell it, haha!"

Seeing the old giant, his mouth still full of roasted meat, talk about wanting to "fumigate" the latrine, Xu Fengnian's face twitched stiffly. He got up and called a servant to lead the old man, whose chains and giant blades dragged on the ground, to the outhouse. Prince Xu Fengnian himself quickly scurried far away, muttering curses about masters under his breath with a disgusted expression the whole way.

The Wutong Courtyard was where Xu Fengnian grew up, named after the ancient saying, "A phoenix does not alight on anything but a parasol tree." Grand Marshal Xu Xiao always liked to earnestly tell him, "Son, when your mother bore you, she dreamt of a divine phoenix entering her belly. You are a born genius; if your father doesn't dote on you, who will?" Initially, Xu Fengnian would retort, "Then why didn't any reclusive masters say I had a unique physique and was a martial arts prodigy?" Xu Xiao would then explain, "True masters are those who stay rooted in one place and refuse to move. Look at Wang Xianzhi and those old swordsmen from the Wu Family Sword Mound; which one of them casually claims to be a master? Those who come out to show off are all charlatans. How could they recognize my son's innate talent?" After hearing this countless times, Xu Fengnian simply ignored it, believing that as the heir to the dynasty's only non-imperial prince, with countless formidable servants, he wouldn't need to roll up his sleeves and fight people himself. Yet, deep down, he still somewhat envied those chivalrous heroes who came and went like the wind, capable of scaling walls and roofs, and often sparring on city walls or rooftops. Now, having witnessed the extraordinary abilities of Old Huang the stableman and the white-haired old giant, he couldn't help but feel a little regret. He had heard that the few "divine couples" in the martial arts world usually had a man with unparalleled skills and a woman of stunning beauty. When had he ever heard of a man with dashing looks and a woman with unparalleled martial arts?

As Xu Fengnian entered Wutong Courtyard, his gloomy mood quickly dissipated. The head maid, named Qingniao, came forward to greet him. On her slender arm, adorned with exquisite Shu embroidery, perched the "Six-Year Phoenix" gyrfalcon. Seeing the young master, she smiled charmingly and said, "Young Master, Hongshu has already warmed the bed, and Luyi is waiting by the chessboard for you to play a game with her."

Xu Fengnian extended a finger to tease the gyrfalcon and entered the room with a smile. In the outer room, two graceful maids were already waiting to help him remove his outer robe. The Wutong Courtyard originally had about two dozen maids and female servants with elegant names like "Red Musk" and "Parrot." However, after the young master returned from his travels, most of them, except for the fortunate Qingniao, had their names changed. Even Hongshe, the head maid who was always the most favored by His Highness due to her subtle fragrance, was not spared and was renamed the vulgar "Hongshu" (Sweet Potato). Others were even unluckier, such as Baigan, named after a strong liquor, and the most unfortunate, a maid who liked yellow clothes and was thus called "Huanghua" (Cucumber).

Inside the inner room, Xu Fengnian jumped onto the bed and snuggled under the covers, embracing a lovely maiden of sixteen. The entire comforter was fragrant. In a few more days, it would be even more magical: the maid in his arms, simply by stepping outside, would attract bees and butterflies. She was Hongshu, the head maid. The maid skilled in Go, mastering its nineteen vertical and horizontal lines, was named Luyi. She was known as the Beiliang Prince's Residence's female national Go master; even some refined scholars skilled in the game would get headaches when playing against her. Normally, Go boards have seventeen lines; changing seventeen to nineteen was another impressive feat of Xu Fengnian's second sister. This change had once caused a great stir within the dynasty but was eventually adopted and promoted by the Shangyin Academy, thereby becoming mainstream among scholars.

Xu Fengnian played a game with Luyi, but being absent-minded, he naturally lost badly. He wasn't actually a bad player; even his master, Li Yishan, commented that his "vision was exceptional, but he lacked strength in intricate tactical arrangements." While this didn't sound like a compliment, coming from Li Yishan, it was a considerable honor. Of course, to call Xu Fengnian a Go master would be an overstatement. The true national master was Xu Fengnian's second sister, Xu Weixiong, a formidable figure who made even the so-called "Wood Fox" scholars feel inferior. Xu Fengnian pushed away the already concluded endgame and lay back on the bed, letting Hongshu, the head maid, massage his temples as he stared blankly into space. Luyi, the second-tier maid, seeing her master in a bad mood, dared not disturb him. When Xu Fengnian sat up, he said, "You all go out first. Without my permission, not even Xu Xiao is allowed in."

Hongshu was curvaceous, with fair and delicate skin. Combined with her natural fragrance and graceful demeanor, she never deliberately sought favor but was instead the most favored. As she got off the bed, Xu Fengnian playfully patted her bottom. Her pretty face flushed, and she turned back with a captivating smile.

Once the maids had left, Xu Fengnian immediately sat up straight. From his embrace, he pulled out a silk scroll that could be called a sword manual. This was Old Huang's life's work. Even if Xu Fengnian had no interest in martial arts, he had to treat it with solemnity. He hid it in a secret compartment under the bed, inside a mysterious mechanism box of unknown material. To open the box, one had to move seventy-two small squares precisely. The box was incredibly sturdy; even a knife or sword strike wouldn't get to its contents. Xu Fengnian's movements were practiced; he could open his mother's relic with his eyes closed. After placing the sword manual inside, he pushed the box back into the hidden compartment under the bed before lying back on the large bed.

Xu Fengnian estimated the time; the white-haired old giant must have finished using the latrine and gotten up from the inner room by now. He donned his embroidered robes and called out "Huanghua!" The maid, who wished she'd never have to wear yellow clothes again in this life, immediately went to the other courtyard and brought back three cucumbers. Xu Fengnian held one in his hand and tucked two under his armpit, munching on them as he walked. Initially, he was worried that the old giant's courtyard would stink for a mile around, but as he approached, he realized his fears were unfounded. The Prince's Residence's latrines were equipped with countless spices; even if the old giant defecated as domineeringly as he wielded his blades, the smell wouldn't spread far.

The old giant had not only finished his business but also taken a bath and changed into clean clothes. He sat on the steps, head lowered, stroking the blade of his knife, and asked without looking up, "Boy, are you really not afraid?"

Xu Fengnian sat beside him and chuckled, "Old Huang said you're not only the best swordsman in the world, but you've also never wantonly killed anyone in your life. That's why I'm not afraid."

The old giant burst into laughter, shaking his head. "That's half true and half false. It's true I don't kill indiscriminately, but I'm not the best with a blade. Boy, your tongue is far too glib. I don't like it."

Xu Fengnian grinned playfully, "As long as the girls like me, that's enough. If you don't like it, old man, then you don't. Anyway, once we've beaten up that tortoise from Mount Wudang, we'll go our separate ways. But if you still fancy the Prince's Residence's food, feel free to stay and eat and drink your fill. You're most welcome."

The old man chuckled and asked, "Roughly what rank is that Wudang grandmaster?"

Xu Fengnian thought for a moment and said, "Probably not high. It's just that his seniority is wildly off the charts. A Wudang Taoist under thirty, how high could his rank possibly be? Besides, he doesn't even have a name in the martial arts world."

The old giant nodded in realization. "Oh, that must be the younger martial brother of Wang Chonglou, the Wudang patriarch who cultivates the Great Huangting Passage. I heard something about him when I first came to Liang. His martial arts aptitude is mediocre, but he specializes in profound Taoist arts, which are quite mystical."

Xu Fengnian asked the question that concerned him most, "Can you beat him, old man?"

The old giant said nonchalantly, "Little boy, I'll give you a saying: whether you can beat someone or not, you only know after you've fought them, don't you?"

Xu Fengnian couldn't help but inwardly grumble, "Those words sound so heroic, but what was the outcome? Didn't he spend over a decade at the bottom of a lake?"

The old giant rapped Xu Fengnian on the head with the flat of his blade. "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking."

Xu Fengnian grinned, "So, shall we go make some trouble at that darned Wudang Mountain?"

The old giant abruptly stood up, his figure towering over Xu Fengnian, casting him entirely in shadow. His two chains clanked together. "Ruckus!"

Wudang Mountain boasted two ponds, four pools, nine wells, twenty-four deep ravines, thirty-six cliffs, and eighty-one peaks. Every five li, there was a hermitage, and every ten li, a palace. Vermilion walls and emerald tiles created a delicate panorama. Centered around Taizhen Palace on Jade Pillar Peak, the eighty-one peaks bowed and tilted towards it, forming the famous "Eighty-One Peaks Facing the Grand Summit." For thousands of years, countless seekers of immortality had retired to Wudang, some meditating on cliffs, others hiding in "immortal coffins," listening to the clashing of jade and metal, the sounds of Buddhist chants and celestial music, and gazing at mist rising from clouds, lush mountains, and clear waters, leaving behind countless legends.

Wudang was the Taoist holy land of the previous dynasty, consistently outshining Longhu Mountain. After the Liyang Dynasty was founded, Longhu Mountain was promoted and Wudang suppressed, making Longhu the ancestral temple of Taoism. Wudang remained dormant for centuries, yet no one dared to underestimate the mountain's millennia-old heritage. Although the current patriarch, Wang Chonglou, holds a place among the top ten masters, legend has it that he once used a "Celestial's Finger Guidance" to split the entire raging Canglang River. Whether it's exaggeration or rumor, he is, in the end, a highly respected Taoist immortal. Especially as he cultivates the most obscure and time-consuming "Great Huangting Passage" of Taoism, it gives the entire Wudang Mountain a long-lasting, profound aura, an eloquence in silence.

Two hundred Beiliang iron cavalry advanced majestically.

A burly old warrior in a black robe ran with his long blade dragging on the ground, kicking up dust.

The earth seemed to shake and split.

The group charged straight towards the "Xuanwu Flourishes" archway at Wudang Mountain's gate.

The lead rider actually spurred his horse directly through the archway before reining in.

In a hundred years of the Jianghu world, it seemed only Xu Rentu, who struck fear into the hearts of the older generation, dared to openly disrespect a martial arts sect in such a manner.

Like father, like son, then?

Prince Xu Fengnian, riding a sturdy Beiliang warhorse, scoffed inwardly. Looking at the group of Taoist priests attracted by the grand display, he grimly called out, "You have half an hour! Get that old man riding the green ox out here!"

The Wudang Taoists were in a difficult position. They knew there was a martial grand-uncle on the mountain, whose seniority was as high as Jade Pillar Peak, who enjoyed riding a green ox backward. However, they were just ordinary sacrificial priests of Yuqing Palace at the foot of the mountain. Not only would it be troublesome to summon that grand-uncle, but even if he was amenable, it would take a full half-hour to reach Taizhen Palace at the fastest, making a round trip an hour. The newcomers were aggressive; would they wait?

Jade Pillar Peak was flanked by two Lotus Peaks, large and small. The large Lotus Peak contained over a dozen blessed cave dwellings for secluded cultivation. The smaller Lotus Peak, a sheer cliff, was tacitly reserved for one individual. This person had been brought to the mountain at the age of five by the previous Wudang patriarch, taken in as a secluded disciple, and thus became a martial brother to the current patriarch, Wang Chonglou, at a young age. Among the thousands of yellow-robed Taoists across Wudang's nine palaces and thirteen temples, most had to respectfully address this young man as "Martial Grand-Uncle." The younger ones even had to call him "Great Grand-Uncle." Fortunately, this young ancestor had never descended the mountain. He had only seen the "Xuanwu Flourishes" archway upon entering the mountain and had not approached it since, not even glancing at it from afar. For most of the past two decades, he had either been in Taiqing Palace on Jade Pillar Peak or riding a green ox backward with his hat reversed on the Lotus Peaks. Those fortunate enough to have seen his true face would return and tell others that the martial grand-uncle had an excellent temper, profound knowledge, and exquisite grace.

While the mountain gate was bustling, it was very quiet by the turtle-borne stele on the steep cliff edge of Small Lotus Peak. A serene-looking young Taoist priest lay sunbathing on the stone turtle's back. With a wave of his hand, a green ox grazing in the distance walked over. Several ancient Taoist texts hung from its horns. He took one down, and just as he was about to read it, he quickly calculated with his fingers, jumped off the turtle's back, found a dry twig, and drew a dense pattern of heavenly stems and earthly branches on the ground. His expression subtly changed, and he murmured to himself repeatedly, finally sighing heavily. He meticulously straightened the sleeves and collar of his Taoist robe, then climbed onto the ox, riding it backward with books hanging from its horns, and descended Small Lotus Peak, half-chanting, half-singing, "Straight as a bowstring, dies by the roadside. Curved as a hook, becomes a marquis. Who drags their tail in the path, who leaves their bones in the hall…"

After leaving Small Lotus Peak, he released the green ox and carefully took down a Taoist scripture whose cover read "Song of the Great Dao of Lingyuan." He read it with great interest as he walked, heading straight for the foot of Wudang Mountain.

Along the way, occasionally, Taoists would stop and call him "Martial Uncle" or "Martial Grand-Uncle," and he would always greet them with a smile, proving quite approachable.

Everyone merely thought this young elder was truly diligent, worthy of being the martial grand-uncle who had annotated countless ancient seal script unique editions in Yuqing Palace. No wonder the patriarch praised him with the words, "He shall bear the martial arts and Taoist traditions of the world on his shoulders."

Little did they know, this highly esteemed martial grand-uncle was currently poring over an erotic novel, a type of book most disdained by Taoist scholars, its cover simply disguised as "Song of the Great Dao of Lingyuan."

The Taoist kept rereading just one page because he cherished it so much. This was the only "supreme classic" on the mountain, and he had borrowed it years ago from that ill-intentioned Young Master. As he approached the foot of the mountain, he read the same page dozens of times, back and forth, before reluctantly putting it away, his face radiating righteous indignation, "Even if you beat me black and blue, I absolutely will not return this book!"