Chapter 187: Rivers and Lakes Are Dangerous

**Across the Martial World: Beacon Fires for Feudal Lords**

Chapter Serialization Master Post: Please refrain from posting comments before the main text is released. Your patience is appreciated.

Appendix: Baidu Tieba QQ Group Arbitration Team: 11043035; Monster Club YY: 1655

For some reason, Xu Fengnian did not enter the treasure-filled Guniu Drop. He simply sat absentmindedly on the steps under the eaves, his younger brother Xu Longxiang and maid Qingniao standing behind him. The Young Master muttered to himself, his words unclear to Xuanyuan Qingfeng. She naturally couldn't guess that the Young Master of Beiliang was sighing deeply. After leaving Liangzhou, he first encountered the Rune General Red Armor reappearing in the martial world. Then, the Sword Crown and Sword Servant from the Wu Family's Sword Mound inexplicably blocked his path. Not to mention that Wang Mingyin, the eleventh strongest in the world, wanted his head. Immediately after, the Grand Official Cao Changqing took Jiang Ni away in Jiangnan Province. Continuing eastward, he encountered Zhao Huangchao, who had achieved out-of-body celestial ascension, on Mount Kuanglu. Finally, he arrived at Longhu Mountain, the Daoist capital, only to find the Great Snowfield populated by Confucian Sages and Sword Immortals. "Life is impossible to live like this," Xu Fengnian thought. He considered himself diligent in practicing his blade, yet any one of these individuals could easily defeat him; he didn't even qualify for a fight to the death against them.

Even that boy Wen Hua said there's no reason to always get beaten up when you're roaming the martial world, but encountering these people, it's impossible not to take a hit. At this moment, Xu Fengnian finally understood why the Cow-Rider was as timid as a mouse. It was right not to descend the mountain. In Hong Xixiang's position, easily descending the mountain would be like carrying a large signboard with the words "Come and hit me" emblazoned on it. In this martial world, experts are challenged by other experts. A Vajra Realm martial artist might seem to stride unchallenged, but what if a Zhixuan Realm master takes offense? A Zhixuan master might be awe-inspiring, but then a Celestial Phenomenon Realm master, like a thousand-year-old tortoise or ten-thousand-year-old turtle, might emerge from their pool to teach you a lesson. Is the Celestial Phenomenon Realm truly invincible? Xuanyuan Dapan, despite his power, was still turned into a Land God by his grandson Xuanyuan Jingcheng's scholarly cultivation. After a hundred years of arduous cultivation, not only was his body not intact, but not even a handful of ashes remained.

Xu Fengnian lay on the ground, sighing repeatedly.

"The martial world is truly treacherous."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng waited for a long time, but the Young Master remained unresponsive. Finally, she said impatiently, "Your Highness, are you not entering Guniu Drop? The items here are too filthy; Qingfeng will certainly not take anything. Your Highness may take whatever you wish." Xu Fengnian still showed no reaction. After a moment, an unfamiliar young girl walked out of the mansion, bearing the same demeanor as the boy who had delivered the brocade pouch earlier. She softly said, "My Lord has instructed this maid to deliver a brocade pouch if Your Highness does not enter Guniu Drop." Xu Fengnian finally came to his senses, rolling his eyes. "It never ends," he muttered.

Despite his grumbling, he eagerly took the brocade pouch and opened it. After the young girl walked back into Guniu Drop, he quietly asked Xuanyuan Qingfeng, "Your father said Guniu Drop has a treasure vault, its door crafted by the Mohist Grand Master of Shangyin Academy, making it indestructible. It uses a pair of male and female Jiao Ni (dragon salamanders) as inner and outer guardians. To enter, a direct descendant of the Xuanyuan family must drip blood into the male Jiao Ni's mouth. Then, the male Jiao Ni will burrow through the vault door, navigate the mechanisms, and meet the female Jiao Ni, only then will it open? If your Xuanyuan bloodline dies out, wouldn't no one be able to open it?"

Xuanyuan Qingfeng frowned. "What does Your Highness want? To be honest with you, that male Jiao Ni died last year. I went to Yunjin Mountain to search for a new one, but I couldn't find any. Since the Young Prince is studying under a master on Longhu Mountain, I believe Your Highness must have a good relationship with the Celestial Master's Mansion. I hear the Celestial Master's Mansion raises several Jiao Ni in its dragon pond. Perhaps Your Highness could request one as a gift to Huishan. In return, the Xuanyuan family will consider the treasures within the vault as a reward for your arduous journey up the mountain." As she spoke, a clear sneer appeared on Xuanyuan Qingfeng's face, her intent to mock strikingly obvious. She clearly had the Young Master cornered, having him say "bullshit" to the Celestial Master's Mansion through the mouth of the Old Sword God, hitting him at his most vulnerable point.

Xu Fengnian, still lying on the ground, cast a sidelong glance at Xuanyuan Qingfeng. Lazily, he said, "What's wrong? You think I wouldn't dare to ask for a Jiao Ni? If the Celestial Master's Mansion won't give it, I'll seize it. If I can't seize it, I'll steal it. If I can't steal it, then I'll talk nicely and beg for one."

A subtle curve formed at Xuanyuan Qingfeng's lips, a smile that wasn't quite a smile. "The Young Master acts without restraint. When you inherit the throne of Beiliang King in the future, simply applying this method against the Northern Mang Dynasty will surely guarantee strategic victory, swift success, and eternal renown."

Xu Fengnian stood up, deliberately feigning ignorance of her sarcasm. "I'll take that as a blessing," he said.

Xu Fengnian then changed his expression, smiling warmly. "The brocade pouch not only mentions several good items in the treasury that would catch my eye, but also something outside the armory that is more precious than the entire Guniu Drop. It instructs me to cherish it well, using eight characters: 'Far away in the sky, yet close at hand.'"

Xuanyuan Qingfeng's expression subtly changed.

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter and strode away, jumping down the steps. "Foolish woman! Your father would be willing to give you to me? Even if he were, I wouldn't want you. No chest, no butt, just a perpetually sour face that makes you look like a female ghost in the mirror!"

Xuanyuan Qingfeng stared at Xu Fengnian's retreating back, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Approaching the edge of the Great Snowfield, Qingniao whispered, "Young Master." Xu Fengnian, sharing a tacit understanding with her, knew what she was thinking. He smiled and explained, "It's not that I intentionally make things difficult for Xuanyuan Qingfeng. It's just that this woman won't listen to reason. If I were truly frank with her, my good intentions would surely be mistaken for ill will. If she truly believed I coveted her beauty or family fortune, wouldn't I die of injustice?"

Ignoring the sullen-faced Xuanyuan Qingfeng, the Young Master had just descended the Great Snowfield when he saw a large group, no less than thirty people, kneeling before him. Xu Fengnian quickly understood the situation. Holding Xiu Dong and Chun Lei, he smiled condescendingly and said, "Oh, you're all quite adept at shifting with the wind, eager to serve me so you can lord it over others in Beiliang, huh? This is fine, but let me be clear first: for those with actual skill, I will never dismiss you like beggars. Whether you were a wanted criminal or a petty thief before, my rice bowl is large enough to feed not just dozens, but hundreds! However, for those without talent who just want to freeload, whether you're a Huishan retainer or a martial arts hero from some other path, get out! Once caught, I'll take your heads to the authorities for some silver coins."

Most of the martial artists affiliated with Huishan were stunned by his words. Was this Young Master of Beiliang too uneducated? How could his words be more blunt and direct than a highway robber's?

Immediately, about a dozen opportunists cautiously stood up, attempting to renege and leave. Half of these were proud and unwilling to endure insults. The other half were merely imposters, hoping that a change of scenery would bring them better fortune, specifically the luxurious life of a noble's retainer under the immensely wealthy Young Master of Beiliang. This group's status at Guniu Ridge was already low; they were insignificant figures, unloved by anyone, unable to secure the lucrative positions of guest retainers. In daily life, let alone a whole manual, even a single page of a secret technique could lead to fierce competition and bloodshed. Even those with relatively good relationships engaged in deceit. For guest retainers who weren't from distinguished backgrounds, the secret manuals in the Wen Ding Pavilion could only be borrowed for a limited time and not taken out. Any unauthorized copying, if discovered, would lead to expulsion from Huishan. Many martial arts experts with similar fighting styles would memorize as much as possible, then exchange what they had memorized later. Those with slightly malicious intentions would deliberately add or omit a few words at crucial points, not enough to cause cultivation deviation, but certainly enough to lead others astray. There were only a few dozen guest retainer positions at Huishan, a limited number of spots for too many aspirants—a classic case of too many monks and too little porridge. Such was the full spectrum of human nature displayed.

Xu Fengnian actually got distracted even at this moment.

This was because after hastily dealing with the remaining affairs at Guniu Ridge, he would not linger long at Longhu Mountain but proceed northeast to Jianzhou.

Wudi City.