Chapter 164: Jianghu Drifts Always Taking Hits

The Chang'an Escort Agency, located in Jianzhou—a province so reliant on escorts it was dubbed "No Escort, No Province"—was a medium-sized operation. Its strength lay in the well-balanced mix of veteran and junior escorts. Though numbering only fifty to sixty, many of the veterans were former martial artists from the pugilistic world or retired elite soldiers, making their fighting force formidable. The former, having grown weary of a life of bloodshed, became escorts, retaining their martial arts prowess and their ability to fight effectively even in old age. More importantly, they maintained their connections. As escorts, they frequently had to pass through local bandit strongholds. By displaying their flag and announcing their old names from the martial world – perhaps even recalling shared past exploits like abducting maidens – they could often secure a degree of respect. The veterans who had served in the military, though perhaps less agile in solo combat than reckless pugilists, were much more effective and intimidating when fighting in formation with blades, bows, and on horseback. Under the veterans' hands-on tutelage over the years, the junior escorts of Chang'an were no less skilled than the disciples of the larger, top-tier escort agencies. Their only lamentable deficiency was the lack of high-level secret martial arts manuals within the agency. The ultimate measure of an escort agency's standing was the number of exceptionally skilled masters it employed. The Chang'an Escort Agency could only rely on its chief, Shi Qingfeng, and Yu Hanliang, the martial arts instructor leading this particular mission. Unlike several long-established agencies in Jianzhou, which boasted dozens, or at least a dozen, renowned guest martial artists, Chang'an had none.

Han Xiangma was an orphan, abandoned as a baby in the snow by his parents during the late Spring and Autumn War, only to be found by the passing instructor Yu Hanliang. He grew up at the Chang'an Escort Agency. From a young age, Han Xiangma was quick-witted and diligent in martial arts training. Yu Hanliang, a notorious bandit who had since retired from his old ways, treated him like his own son. Among the young escorts, Han Xiangma and Shi Xiangyang, the chief escort's son, were the respective leaders of two separate factions. There was a girl, their childhood friend, whom Shi Xiangyang adored desperately. Yet, she only exchanged flirtatious glances with the smooth-talking Han Xiangma, who, for his part, felt nothing for her. This only intensified Shi Xiangyang's deep-seated resentment. Han Xiangma found it perplexing that they, who had once innocently played with mud and urine as children, had grown into such bitter rivals.

The Chang'an Escort Agency, whose name meant "long life and peace," had been operating for over thirty years without ever losing an escort. This success had allowed it to firmly establish itself in Jianzhou, a province renowned for its countless escort agencies. Typically, escort missions involved a mix of veteran and junior escorts, with the ratio determined by the cargo's value. However, Han Xiangma found this particular mission rather unusual; he was the sole junior escort, accompanied by the agency's most seasoned veterans, with Old Man Yu himself leading the charge. Before leaving Jianzhou, the Chang'an Escort Agency's reputation held some sway, but after more than ten days outside the province, things had clearly become more difficult. Old Man Yu was a habitual drinker, usually taking a few sips at familiar inns after closing on regular missions. But this time, he hadn't even brought his wine flask. Han Xiangma rode his horse, saber at his side, diligently guarding the escort box. The box was not large. Old Man Yu had privately revealed that when the chief escort accepted the mission, he mentioned it was a family heirloom jade. An expert at the agency had appraised it, his hands trembling as he declared it was worth at least half the entire Chang'an Escort Agency! Han Xiangma glanced at the box, then turned to the heavily curtained carriage, which held two local Jianzhou girls disguised as men. Despite their thick, face-concealing veiled hats, Han Xiangma, who had accompanied Old Man Yu to brothels to visit "aunties" and "sisters" since the age of eight or nine, possessed an incredibly sharp eye. A few fleeting glimpses when they occasionally dismounted for a late-night stroll were enough to confirm his suspicions. Having learned to observe people and make a living in brothels since childhood, Han Xiangma was convinced these two young women were absolute beauties. One time, passing by, he caught a whiff of their enchanting fragrance. When he wasn't on night duty, Han Xiangma sometimes lay awake, thinking that just getting a clear look at their faces would make the entire escort mission worthwhile. Instructor Yu Hanliang, with a large horn bow on his back and a ring-pommel saber at his waist, rode around the escort team. Spotting Han Xiangma grinning absentmindedly, he kicked him and cursed. Han Xiangma patted his backside and replied with a cheeky grin, "Old Man, when are you going to pass that bow on to me? My hands are itching!"

Old Man Yu was an illiterate, rough-and-tumble man. He had even spent several jin of wine to get a scholar at the agency to name his adopted son, Han Xiangma. Though he had raised Han Xiangma as his own, and naturally hoped for his success, Yu Hanliang had no idea how to guide him. His parenting philosophy was simple: if the boy misbehaved, he'd beat him with a whip; if he showed promise, he'd give him money to hang out with his cronies, whether it was drinking or visiting brothels. "We're real men," he'd declare, "why pretend to be scholars?" He found Shi Xiangyang, the chief's son, particularly irritating. Despite being a martial artist, the boy constantly recited poetry and engaged in scholarly pursuits. "Are you reciting poems for deaf people?" he'd scoff. "No wonder Miss Liu doesn't like you." For the older generation, no matter how ruthless they had been in their youth, their greatest pleasure in old age was comparing whose descendants were more promising. Old Man Yu considered Han Xiangma excellent. With a few more years of refinement, he'd become a true man, with no worries about food or finding a wife. In good spirits, Yu Hanliang pointed to the saber at Han Xiangma's waist and chuckled, "Don't be ungrateful. Including the Chief Escort's two, there are only six Qijia Sabers in the entire agency!"

Old Man Yu affectionately caressed the large horn bow on his back, as if stroking a lover's soft skin. Seeing Han Xiangma's disgusted shudder, he glared and stated, "You won't get this until I'm in my coffin! If you mess up this escort mission, I'll take this bow with me to the grave. You'll get absolutely nothing!"

Han Xiangma gathered his reins, making their horses walk side-by-side. Hooking an arm around Old Man Yu's shoulder, he said flatteringly, "Old Man, why are you talking like a stranger? We're toiling like oxen and horses to save money for your old age and funeral. How can I roam the martial world without any assets? You know I'm one of the strongest in the agency; even the chief escort doesn't dare compete with me in archery anymore. A good horse deserves a good saddle, Old Man. It would be a heavenly curse to dishonor this treasure bow."

Old Man Yu rolled his eyes. "Go on, go on! Keep a close watch ahead. We're taking a less-traveled path this time, and it's not safe. Whatever you do, don't tarnish the agency's reputation, which we've painstakingly built over decades."

Han Xiangma laughed and said, "Understood!" before spurring his horse forward. Old Man Yu's gaze was tender. It was hard to imagine that this young man was once a ruthless bandit. Looking at his adopted son's back, his heart swelled with pride. The fact that this boy was permitted to carry a Qijia Saber wasn't simply because he was Yu's adopted son; he had truly earned his place in the agency through his genuine skill. Every weapon in the escort agency had to be meticulously reported to the authorities; every addition or loss had to be recorded. The Chang'an Escort Agency possessed only six Qijia Sabers. These sabers, modeled after the Beiliang-style blades, were forged through a hundred refinements, resulting in a narrow, lightweight, yet incredibly sharp blade, making them excellent weapons for both mounted and foot combat. Several retired Guangling Army veterans worked at the agency. Han Xiangma was naturally restless, but when it came to learning saber techniques from the Guangling veterans, he was absolutely dedicated. As long as he held a saber, he would sit rooted and practice tirelessly all night without complaint. In truth, this adopted son's archery skills were even better. Even the veteran escorts who had served in the military said Han Xiangma had a "monkey arm" and was an excellent archer, a truly promising talent. However, compared to practicing with the saber, Han Xiangma was never truly dedicated to archery. This frustrated Old Man Yu, who had exhausted all his persuasive efforts, and thus he stubbornly refused to hand over his horn bow to this "little rascal."

Yu Hanliang was extremely cautious when escorting the goods out of Jianzhou. Firstly, the cargo was exceptionally valuable; losing it would not only incur immense losses for the Chang'an Escort Agency but also likely prevent them from ever securing another mission in the highly competitive Jianzhou region. Therefore, in addition to himself, the martial arts instructor, and Han Xiangma—a sharp-witted and capable young escort—the rest were all seasoned veteran escorts. This force of over thirty individuals was essentially their elite, and including the porters and miscellaneous staff, the contingent numbered close to fifty. Such an imposing force, even when taking less-traveled paths instead of official roads, usually deterred ordinary bandit camps from daring to ambush them. While stability and peace were paramount in escorting goods, if negotiations failed, they would have to rely on brute force.

Old Man Yu frowned, thinking about the two individuals inside the carriage. This escort mission was not simple. Ostensibly, they were transporting a priceless jade pendant to Songzhou, which was a common enough cargo escort. But in secret, it felt more like a "human escort." The two occupants of the carriage kept a low profile. Old Man Yu had spent most of his life as an outlaw before finding stability at the escort agency. He had never met high-born ladies, nor even many modest, beautiful young women. But even if he hadn't "eaten pork, he had seen the pig run." The two in the carriage certainly didn't seem like women from ordinary households. Their departure from Jianzhou under the guise of a cargo escort looked very much like they were fleeing trouble. The leaders of the Chang'an Escort Agency had initially deliberated together, and Yu Hanliang had been quite reluctant to accept the mission. However, Chang'an Escort Agency's business had been slow for the past two years, heavily squeezed by larger agencies. Furthermore, the clients were exceptionally generous: a deposit of six hundred taels of silver, with a promise of sixty taels of gold upon arrival in Songzhou! The chief escort gritted his teeth and took the job.

At the front of the escort team, Han Xiangma raised a hand, and the veteran escorts immediately drew their weapons halfway, as if facing a formidable enemy. Drawing the blade only halfway out of its scabbard was an unwritten rule of escorting. Since the opposing side had not launched a sneak attack but openly blocked their path, as long as they hadn't truly broken relations, for the escort agency to fully draw their blades first would be considered an affront to the bandit camp, an act of great disrespect. When traveling in the martial world, "sentiment, righteousness, and propriety" were paramount and could not be neglected.

From the dense woods on both sides of the narrow path, seventy to eighty figures burst forth, their blades and spears glinting brightly. On a side road, over twenty mounted bandits charged out, all strong men on sturdy horses. Yu Hanliang, with twenty years of escort experience, could tell that these highwaymen were no ordinary rogues; they were likely from a large stronghold, the kind that "cast a small net to catch a big fish." Yu Hanliang was puzzled. He had never heard of such a formidable bandit chief on this mountain before. He had been here last year and remembered that Qin Yaozi and his familiar gang occupied the mountain. Qin was skilled in the "Three Emperors Cannon Punch" and "Sixteen-Way Whip Kicks," and in a one-on-one fight, Yu Hanliang had no chance. However, Grand Bandit Qin Yaozi's subordinates were ineffective, mostly old and weak remnants. So, in the past, when escorts passed through, they would just offer some silver as "Tribute to the Grand Duke of Jupiter money," which allowed both sides to save face. Over time, Yu Hanliang had become somewhat acquainted with Qin Yaozi. According to Chief Escort Shi Qingfeng, this mission was an opportunity to try and recruit Qin Yaozi as a guest martial artist for Chang'an Escort Agency. But who would have thought that the mountain's ruler had changed, and the new force was so aggressive? Twenty mounted bandits—that was not a resource ordinary mountain bandits could possess. Horses were not only expensive but often unavailable, and maintaining them was even harder. This was truly a tricky situation!

Old Man Yu exhaled a long breath, tightened his grip on the ring-pommel saber at his waist, and spurred his horse forward. First, he ordered the reckless Han Xiangma, who was "a newborn calf unafraid of tigers," to fall back. Facing the well-equipped mountain bandits, he cupped his fist and announced loudly, "Yu Hanliang of Chang'an Escort Agency in Jianzhou, seeking passage from you brave heroes!"

The opposing group remained motionless. Old Man Yu, steeling himself, pulled out two bags of silver fragments and announced, "Twenty taels as tribute to the Grand Duke of Jupiter!"

The twenty horsemen remained unmoving on the narrow path.

Han Xiangma, who had been ordered by Old Man Yu to stay at the rear, flew into a rage. Ten taels was already considered a generous payment for "Tribute to the Grand Duke of Jupiter" from an ordinary escort agency. These bastards were shamelessly abusing their numerical superiority. He turned his horse around, ready to fully draw his saber. Old Man Yu, knowing the boy's volatile temper, feared he would jeopardize the mission. He turned and cursed, "Xiangma, don't act recklessly!"

Han Xiangma reluctantly sheathed his saber. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he cried out, his eyes red, "Old Man, be careful!"

A figure leaped down from a tree by the roadside, dressed in black and carrying a saber. He charged forward rapidly. Yu Hanliang felt a chill, but before he could even draw his saber to block, the attacker drew his own blade and cleaved both man and horse in two with a single swipe.

Everyone was utterly terrified.

All that was seen of that strike was a sudden, semicircular gleam of the blade. Such a cold, silent killing method was truly terrifying.

On the narrow path, blood flowed freely; both the man's and horse's bodies lay severed in two.

Han Xiangma, who had depended on Old Man Yu for over twenty years, was consumed by rage, losing all reason. He spurred his horse, drew his Qijia Saber, and galloped forward.

The young saber master standing on the narrow path subtly flicked his wrist, and blood on the blade splattered a crimson line on the ground. He angled the blade directly at Han Xiangma, who was charging with the momentum of his horse amplifying his saber's force, and instead of retreating, he advanced, rushing to meet him head-on.

The two adversaries passed each other in an instant. After swinging his saber, Han Xiangma was shocked to realize he hadn't struck his cursed foe. The next moment, he fell from his horse, rolling onto the road. Only then did he realize that his horse's four hooves had been cleanly severed by the saber master. He looked down at himself: his legs below the knees were already gone. The blade had been so sharp that only now did Han Xiangma feel the excruciating pain. Even as resilient as he was, he let out a wail. His fingers instinctively curled into hooks on the ground, digging into the mud, his nails tearing back unnoticed. Han Xiangma, who had harbored a dream of roaming the martial world and becoming famous since he could remember, looked up, saw Old Man Yu not far away, and slowly began to crawl towards him. At that moment, all thoughts of a carefree life in the martial world and renown vanished from the young escort's mind; he only wanted to see his old man one last time.

The attacking saber master didn't even spare a glance for the insignificant Han Xiangma. Facing the escort agency's hastily formed battle array, he strode forward with ease, effortlessly deflecting several incoming arrows. His blade gleamed like snow, and his saber technique was grand and imposing. The Guangling veterans who formed the front line could not withstand him at all. With a stony face, the young saber master delivered swift, decisive blows each time, slaughtering the Chang'an Escort Agency's veterans in pools of blood as if carving up melons and vegetables. Apart from Han Xiangma, who was not instantly killed, everyone else he faced was killed immediately without exception. In less than half an incense stick's time, the escort convoy was scattered and decimated. The veteran escorts desperately tried to protect the carriage, while the porters and miscellaneous staff, lacking courage, fled in all directions. The saber master didn't pursue them; naturally, the twenty fierce mounted bandits did, striking them down with ease, leaving fatal, bone-deep wounds on their backs with every swing. The powerfully built young man pulled the saber tip from the heart of the last veteran escort, wiped the blade clean of blood on the slowly collapsing corpse, then used the tip to lift the carriage curtain. He said indifferently, "Chosen by Ancestor Xuanyuan, where could you possibly run?"

As the curtain was lifted, a dagger thrust out.

The young saber master caught the dagger between two fingers, casually twisted it until it broke, and tossed it onto the road. Then he reached out and gripped her slender, pale neck. He dragged her out of the carriage first, then lifted her into the air. Her veiled hat had fallen off, revealing a cold, peerless face. But the cold-blooded saber master showed no interest in her beauty. He merely lowered his gaze slightly, seeing her feet dangling high above the ground, trembling violently, and her hands futilely slapping his thick arm, her face turning from red to purple. The other person in the carriage emerged, saw the scene, and removed her veiled hat. Her face was identical to that of the woman clinging to life. She said with a cold voice, "Release my sister!"

He glanced out of the corner of his eye, finding it amusing. Someone actually wasn't afraid of death?

She suddenly pulled out a dagger hidden in her sleeve, pressed it against her own neck, piercing her delicate skin, and drawing a line of blood. She said coldly, "If I die, let's see how you'll explain it to that old pervert Xuanyuan!"

The young man, a prolific killer, frowned. To him, this secret affair was nothing out of the ordinary. Having pledged himself to his master on Mount Hui's Guniu Peak, he naturally had to repay his benefactor's kindness with his life. Ancestor Xuanyuan's depraved preference for "no women, no happiness"—especially his fondness for keeping catamites and torturing young girls—was common knowledge in Jianzhou. The old man was also a master of the esoteric "Joyful Dharma" of bedroom arts, having practiced yin-supplementing yang for decades, achieving profound internal cultivation. He was also a grandmaster of saber techniques. The young saber master had been ordered over half a month ago to intercept a pair of "celestial-grade cauldrons" favored by Ancestor Xuanyuan. He had turned Jianzhou's escort agencies upside down in his search, rushing all the way here, delaying his saber practice at Liudie Waterfall. This made the martial arts fanatic extremely annoyed. Facing the woman's threat, holding her by the neck with one hand and his saber with the other, he pressed the saber tip against his captive's heart. He said coldly, "Suicide? I won't stop you. But I can guarantee your sister will die before you do. With one stab, if I aim for the heart and tear it apart, I can leave your sister half-dead, wishing for death, a hundred times more miserable than your quick slice across the throat."

She bit her lip hard with her white teeth until it bled, her eyes burning with etched-in-bone hatred. Slowly, she asked, "Who are you?"

The young saber master said indifferently, "Remember my name: Yuan Tingshan. If you want revenge, come back with me obediently to Mount Hui. Serve Ancestor Xuanyuan well, whisper in his ear for a few years, and then perhaps you'll have a chance to cause me some trouble."

She indeed dropped the dagger and smiled sweetly, "You just wait."

The saber master, who called himself Yuan Tingshan, casually threw the older sister onto the ground. The twenty horsemen had already slaughtered all the 'small fry' from the escort agency, leaving no one. The saber master twisted his neck towards the genuine bandits behind him. The horsemen, their blades still dripping blood, all grinned maliciously and spurred their horses forward.

With cold eyes, she watched her sister, who was clutching the saber master's leg and begging for mercy, remaining unmoved.

The young saber master quietly waited for the cavalry to finish their work. When he saw that most of the 'heads' had been harvested, he looked down. "I heard it's hard to tell if you two are male or female. I'm very curious which one of you is the man."

As he spoke, a figure on a white horse, dressed in brocade robes and carrying two sabers, appeared at the end of the road.