Chapter 172: His Highness's Surname Is Xu

Two opposing warships, having calculated the draft depth of Qinglong Stream, simultaneously slowed down. The Xuanyuan family's private ship intended to quietly increase speed, leaving the strikingly dissimilar brothers behind, but the ship ahead would naturally not allow this. Swords were drawn and knives unsheathed in an instant. However, Xuanyuan Qingfeng only saw the emaciated young man, with arms like dry bamboo, completely disregard the tension. He tightly embraced the person surnamed Xu, holding him close to a bunk, and refused to let go.

The Xuanyuan family was preeminent in the martial arts world of the Southeast, and all those allowed on board the warship were elite. Upon receiving Xuanyuan Qingfeng's signal, two swordsmen unleashed their sharp blades like swimming dragons, striking directly at the back of the formidable youth. Their aim was to impale both brothers with a single blow, pinning them to the ship's rail like candied haws, thereby giving a harsh warning to the outsiders who had angered Miss Xuanyuan. To the Xuanyuan family, two lives meant nothing. In recent years, how had Jianzhou Prefecture managed to operate smoothly despite being restrained by the Prince of Guangling? Was it not due to the full support of the Xuanyuan family, a powerful force that had dominated Mount Hui for five centuries? Otherwise, a scholar encountering a ruffian soldier would have long been suppressed to worse than a stray dog by the powerful Prince Zhao Yi. Since the Jianzhou prefect enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with the Jianzhou government and was under the wing of the Guangling army, he was no ordinary person. He granted the Xuanyuan family immense convenience and authority, secretly supporting their ruthless methods on Guniu Ridge to eradicate dissidents without reservation. How else could Mount Hui have cultivated a private cavalry of two hundred men right under the court's nose?

Xuanyuan Qingfeng frowned. She clearly saw that the person surnamed Xu was merely stroking the young man's head, seemingly oblivious to the two incoming swords. This behavior was inconsistent with his usual cowardly demeanor.

Although Huang Man’er was intellectually undeveloped, his sense for danger was likely superior to Yuan Tingshan's. When the two swords attacked, he displayed no subtle movements. He simply turned, then, bare-handed, gripped the sword tips with both hands. The swordsmen immediately exerted force, intending to crush the ignorant youth's palms. Huang Man’er's face became as ferocious as a wrathful Vajra. With a sudden twist, he effortlessly contorted the sword blades as if twisting reeds. Then, with a pull, he stepped forward, dragging the two swordsmen—who had hesitated just long enough not to release their weapons—right in front of him. He unleashed two punches, striking their chests. The swordsmen's chests exploded in a dense mist of blood, and they died instantly, their bodies plunging straight into the river like broken kites!

The remaining Xuanyuan assassins, who had initially been spectators, saw the turn for the worse. To protect Xuanyuan Qingfeng, who stood stunned at the bow, they had no choice but to brace themselves and advance. However, even as a sharp sword pierced the young man's brow, he grinned, raised his arms, and his clothes instantly billowed. Everyone watched as the sword bent into a large crescent between him and his attacker, yet it did not penetrate his forehead in the slightest. The gaunt youth took a short step with his right foot, lifted his left knee, shifted his weight to his right leg, pivoted on his right heel, turned his left knee inward, and extended his instep outward, then suddenly whipped out his lower leg mid-air, channeling power to his foot. The movement was executed flawlessly. The result was that when the youth landed after his kick, the assassin's body remained in a forward-charging posture, but his head soared several dozen feet into the air. The youth reached out, pushed aside the headless corpse, and stared at the pale-lipped Xuanyuan Qingfeng. The remaining assassins, who knew each other well, exchanged glances, seeing shock and terror in each other's eyes. No wonder this monster could shake the ship with a single step; his Dragon-Elephant strength was astounding, and his attack speed was incredibly fast. To make matters worse, did the youth possess the legendary Vajra-indestructible physique?

In the dead silence, the stalemate was broken by two monstrous, spiritual beasts that successively leapt over the river's surface. They were entirely crimson, covered in armor and scales, and dragged long tails. Leaping from the front ship to the Xuanyuan warship, their front claws just managed to grip the ship's rail. After several struggles, they finally squatted on the railing, baring their fangs and claws.

The youth leaned forward and let out a furious roar.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng stumbled backward in fright.

Outside the warship, a disheveled old Daoist priest was poling a raft when a head happened to fly towards him. He unceremoniously poked it into the river with his bamboo pole, remarking, "How can mere donkeys and nags endure the stomping of a dragon and an elephant?"

The old Daoist priest, straining his neck like a thousand-year-old turtle, called out, "Your Highness, my Free-and-Easy Temple is just ahead!"

Zhao Xituan hesitated for a moment, then chuckled, "Tell Xuanyuan Dapan to stop being a coward. If he doesn't come out, his old den will be torn down."

Xu Fengnian no longer paid attention to Xuanyuan Qingfeng. He led Huang Man’er, not returning to the large ship, but instead jumping onto the bamboo raft. The two Huxi beasts followed closely. Vajra’s eyesight was clearly not as good as his sister Bodhisattva's; he directly plunged into the water, creating countless splashes. Seeing her brother's joy in the river, Bodhisattva on the raft also jumped in. Xu Fengnian smiled, saying, "Old Daoist, I didn't say I was going to cause trouble at Mount Hui. Why are you stirring things up? Are you planning to divert trouble from the west to the east?"

The obscure old Celestial Master from the Celestial Master's Residence deliberately feigned surprise, fearing that the capricious Prince of Beiliang would suddenly turn hostile. To be honest, the old Daoist Zhao Xituan, as the Second Celestial Master of the Immortal Prefecture of the Daoist Capital, held a seniority and status in the world of Daoism that could be considered transcendent, beyond the 'thirty-three heavens.' Longhu Mountain was millions of miles from Beiliang, and the old Daoist had seen all sorts of storms. In Beiliang territory before, he hadn't minded associating casually with this junior, nor was he truly afraid of Grand General Xu Xiao. It was simply that he was by nature a free-spirited and unconstrained individual. In his youth, he was also remarkably wild and fond of wine, truly a rare talent with grand ambitions. Otherwise, he wouldn't have left his country, forsaken his family, and journeyed far with his sword, spending twenty years away from Longhu Mountain once he descended. Meeting a cynical and unconventional young prince like Xu Fengnian was quite to his liking. If it were his two nephews, Zhao Danxia and Zhao Danping – one a feathered-robe minister and the other a green-scroll prime minister – interacting with Prince Xu Fengnian, they would never have adopted such an attitude.

Xu Fengnian glanced at the simple-smiling Huang Man’er, then looked up at the old Daoist priest, saying in surprise, "You're not afraid of water anymore?"

The old Daoist nodded, "He hasn't been afraid for a while. Free-and-Easy Temple is right by Qinglong Stream. I told him that by following the stream to Longwang River at Mount Hui, then entering She River, and going north until it branches into the 800-li Spring God Lake, he would get closer and closer to Beiliang. I told him that his brother would come to Longhu Mountain in autumn, and if Dragon-Elephant had nothing to do, he could wait for you by the stream. By waiting, he eventually lost his fear of water."

Xu Longxiang struck the water with his palm, and a large fish was blasted out of the river, its five claws like hooks. Having caught the fish, he looked at his brother expectantly, with a simple, childlike grin.

Xu Fengnian patted Huang Man’er's head, shaking his head with a smile, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Vegetarian food will suffice. Release the fish."

Huang Man’er put the stunned fish back into the water, only for it to be snatched and devoured by one of the Huxi beasts chasing the raft.

Xu Fengnian suddenly asked, "Do you have an old Daoist priest named Zhao Huangchao on Longhu Mountain, a very ancient senior?"

Old Daoist Zhao Xituan thought for a moment, then shook his head, "There are quite a few centenarian True Masters in secluded cultivation of the Grand Yellow Court on the mountain, but none named Zhao Huangchao."

As one boat and one raft leisurely ascended the river, the Xuanyuan warship awkwardly turned around, returning to the Mount Hui dock.

Standing at the cabin window, Xuanyuan Qingfeng's lips were livid, and her body trembled, making it unclear whether it was from fear or resentment. She was not blind. Although her own martial arts talent was mediocre, her memory was excellent, and she was outstanding on Mount Hui, capable of remembering even the most complex techniques after a single glance. To put it nicely, Mount Hui was a place where talents of all sorts were gathered; to put it bluntly, it was a mixed bag, harboring both good and bad. The Xuanyuan family possessed an enormous collection of books. Secret manuals and texts considered treasures by other sects were countless in the Pavilion of Ascendant Power on Guniu Ridge, Mount Hui. In terms of sheer volume, their collection was only inferior to Beiliang's Martial Arts Repository, Listening Tide Pavilion. Yuan Tingshan's proposal to marry her implied he saw her as a shortcut to mastering martial arts. Even if he couldn't enter the Pavilion of Ascendant Power, with the eloquent Xuanyuan Qingfeng personally teaching him, all difficulties would be effortlessly resolved. How could Xuanyuan Qingfeng not recognize the terror of that emaciated youth? To shake a ship with two steps – perhaps no more than ten people on the vast Mount Hui could create such a mighty commotion. If you added the 'Vajra-indestructible' one, whose brow resisted a sword tip, the true number would be even fewer than that—a mere handful!

That would have been enough.

Your Highness!

This unfamiliar address sent a chill down Xuanyuan Qingfeng's spine. After the establishment of the Spring and Autumn Period, the title of 'heir apparent' had become common within the dynasty, extended to legitimate and even some illegitimate sons of powerful aristocratic families. However, the address 'Your Highness' had grown increasingly rare and precious, reserved exclusively for imperial princes and princesses of the royal family. In the southeastern part of the dynasty, by law, only the direct descendants of Zhao Yi, the great Prince of Guangling, could be considered 'Your Highness.' Zhao Yi had three sons and six daughters, with Zhao Biao being the heir apparent, though he had not yet inherited his fief. Strangely enough, perhaps as cosmic retribution, Zhao Yi, who was insatiably lustful, had abducted countless beauties and taken seven consorts—one official queen and six secondary ones, exceeding regulations—all of whom were stunning beauties. Yet, all the children born to him resembled Zhao Yi, each with a fat head and large ears, bloated like pigs, inheriting none of their mothers' good looks. Given this, who was this person the old Daoist from Longhu Mountain addressed as 'Your Highness'? The identity of 'Your Highness' was almost beyond doubt. If he were not a prince's son, who would dare to travel with elite armored soldiers, swords, and crossbows? Even the immensely powerful Prince Zhao Yi would not willingly give such leverage to the imperial court; his children, when venturing out of the princely mansion, traveled even more modestly than those of ordinary families.

Your Highness is surnamed Xu?

Xuanyuan Qingfeng's face turned ashen.

The Xuanyuan family was, after all, a top aristocratic clan with excellent intelligence. She had heard that the eldest legitimate son of Xu Xiao, the King with a different surname, had traveled for three years to avoid marrying into the imperial family before returning to Beiliang. For some unknown reason, he was traveling again. Not long ago, he had caused trouble in Jiangnan, and thousands of scholars from the Imperial Academy in the capital clamored for His Majesty the Emperor to issue a decree to Jiangnan, warning that otherwise the nation would be lawless and ungoverned. Unfortunately, the "Butcher," though stripped of his Grand General title, still enjoyed unparalleled imperial favor, protecting the young prince and ensuring he remained unharmed. As long as the King of Beiliang remained in the capital, no official above the fourth rank dared to impeach him. Only the common scholars from the Imperial Academy shed tears and wrote petitions in blood, merely becoming a laughingstock. Xuanyuan Qingfeng still remembered how the older generation on Mount Hui spoke of the arrogance of the Beiliang cavalry stationed below Longhu Mountain. At that time, her family was not acting out of righteousness; rather, after the iron hooves leveled Longhu, their own fate would be sealed, leaving Xuanyuan with no good outcome. They had no choice but to begrudgingly align with the Daoists of Longhu Mountain.

If it truly was the Prince of Beiliang, what should she do?

If she had to swallow this insult, that would be one thing. But what if the person surnamed Xu—that beggar turned prince—came to Mount Hui to demand accountability? How would her family handle it? Her father was weak and would certainly be too frightened to argue. The main branch, whose influence had waned in recent years due to her father's lack of power, would be left vulnerable. Wouldn't the other branches seize the opportunity to exacerbate their troubles? The family's intention to marry her to Zhao Yi's sixth son had quieted somewhat due to Song Keli's arrival. But if her uncle, Xuanyuan Jingyi, sensed an opportunity, how could he possibly show mercy? Who didn't know that this uncle had openly made suggestive remarks to her mother, comparing her favorably to delicious dumplings? And her father, who only knew how to read behind closed doors, had not uttered a single word of anger in response. Were such jokes uncommon?

As the ship docked, Xuanyuan Qingfeng emerged from the cabin, utterly distraught.

A lone small boat shot towards them.

An old Confucian scholar, with temples streaked with frost, swept across the great river and landed lightly on the ship's bow.

The small boat, seemingly imbued with spiritual energy, gently docked by the riverside.

Upon seeing the only elder in her family who genuinely cared for her, tears immediately welled up in Xuanyuan Qingfeng's eyes.

The old man, with an ancient sword at his waist, said kindly, "Who dared to bully my granddaughter? Which young lad was it? Grandpa will teach him a lesson."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng lowered her head and remained silent.

The old man smiled faintly, "It couldn't possibly be the Prince of Beiliang who has arrived in Jianzhou, could it? That would be troublesome."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng looked up, her face filled with astonishment.

The old man, who had just returned from a sword discussion at Dongyue Sword Pool, was Xuanyuan Guoqi. Rumor had it that he could control his sword to decapitate targets from ten zhang away, and his swordsmanship stood out in the Southeast. Even Dongyue Sword Pool, whose sword Dao prestige was second only to the Wu Family Sword Mound, regarded him as their foremost serious concern.

The old man declared proudly, "So what if he's the Prince of Beiliang? Does that mean he can bully my granddaughter? I'd like to see if that one-armed Li Chungang can still open the Heavenly Gate with his sword!"