Chapter 214: Favourites Numbering Three Hundred

People in the martial arts world are straightforward. The person named Xu immediately faced the consequences. Besides getting a mouthful of spit, he was also assigned to the cheapest, cramped side room in the inn, sharing it with the lowest-ranking gang member. Xu Fengnian remained silent about this and offered no objections. The man sharing his room was named Wang Dashi. Unfortunately, his physique and character were the complete opposite of his name, which means "big stone." Not only was he short, but he was also as thin as a bamboo pole. Far from being as tough and unyielding as a stone, he was remarkably timid and gentle. However, his father had died in a gang fight years ago, a loyal sacrifice for the Fish Dragon Gang. Out of respect for this loyalty, Old Gang Leader Liu disregarded all objections and accepted Wang Dashi into the gang, despite his poor physical aptitude.

Although this young man had no talent for martial arts, he was willing to endure hardship and was exceptionally diligent in his work, always giving his all and never slacking. Within the gang, he often performed dirty tasks like cleaning latrines or washing clothes for his senior brothers, never complaining. Over the years, he had endured countless instances of bullying. However, this kid was naturally optimistic, always cheerful, and never complained or held grudges. Once, Liu Nirong happened to see him being severely bullied within the gang, so she paid extra attention and offered Wang Dashi some slight protection, which improved his situation somewhat. On this trip, among the many cliques in the Fish Dragon Gang, only Wang Dashi was willing to offer Xu Fengnian a smile, perhaps out of shared sympathy. This time, sharing a room with Xu Fengnian, Wang Dashi didn't have to worry about the expressions of his senior brothers and uncles. After closing the door, he proactively called out "Young Master Xu" and took out the Xiqizi pastries, a specialty of Daomaguan, which he had just bought in the bustling market. He had actually bought two portions: a visible one weighing over a pound, and a secret one of less than three ounces. The larger portion was, of course, taken by his senior brothers. If not for this trick, Wang Dashi, who loved pastries, wouldn't have even gotten to eat these three ounces of delicacies, despite paying for them. This was Wang Dashi's small cleverness in finding joy amidst hardship.

In front of the taciturn Young Master Xu, Wang Dashi clearly felt a strong sense of inferiority, so intense that he didn't know how to hide it. He took out all the thin chess-piece pastries, wrapped in oil paper, and with a red face, asked, "Young Master Xu, would you like to try some?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head. Wang Dashi wasn't surprised and sat down at the table to eat by himself. Just as he took a bite, several senior brothers pushed the door open without knocking. Wang Dashi turned around in astonishment, instinctively swallowing the pastry in his mouth, knowing he was doomed. His senior brothers had found out about his hidden pastries, and he would definitely be forced to crawl under their crotches again.

Three burly senior brothers entered the room and searched the dumbfounded Wang Dashi, but didn't find what they were looking for. One of them, disheartened, took his frustration out on Wang Dashi, slapped him on the forehead, and cursed, "You little brat, you didn't even secretly stash away a few pastries! Are you stupid or what?! You made me lose half a tael of silver to that little firecracker Li Dou! It's settled, you have to pay for this half tael. When you get your allowance in a few days, hurry up and pay your senior brother back, understood?!"

A bewildered Wang Dashi nodded blankly. Before leaving, that senior brother didn't forget to slap him again, then cursed and slammed the door shut, "Bad luck!"

Wang Dashi waited until his senior brothers had gone, then stealthily bolted the door and pressed his ear against it. Hearing no footsteps, he finally let out the fear in his heart. He wiped his mouth, a foolish grin of secret relief on his face. He had no awareness whatsoever that those pastries, which he paid for, should rightfully be his. For such a helpless person, it seemed perfectly normal to be bullied; it would be a true anomaly if his fortunes were to suddenly change. Wang Dashi looked at the empty table, dumbfounded. Just then, Xu Fengnian raised his hand and placed the missing pastries, which he had deftly taken in the nick of time, back onto the table. Wang Dashi rushed back to the table and sat down, so overwhelmed with gratitude that he didn't know how to speak.

Xu Fengnian, who had implicitly done a good deed, remained expressionless and did not engage with Wang Dashi. He simply pulled his chair to the window, closed his eyes, and rested, appearing as serene as an old monk in meditation.

In a first-class room, Liu Nirong sat with her master Xiao Qiang, guest elder Gongsun Yang, and a steward named Hong, each at one side of the table.

Xiao Qiang, whose table was adorned with a scabbard containing twin swords, chuckled softly, "Nirong, tell me in detail about the white-robed swordsman's technique. Those young rascals were so vague, they couldn't describe anything clearly." Liu Nirong had practiced swordsmanship with Xiao Qiang for many years. Moreover, since childhood, she had been exposed to her grandfather, Old Gang Leader Liu, fighting against various masters, including many skilled swordsmen, giving her a unique discerning eye. She recounted the details, not forgetting to use her finger as a sword to slowly trace several exquisite moves in the air.

Xiao Qiang was no mere swordsman seeking empty fame. His twin swords, housed in a single scabbard, were most formidable because once drawn, the two blades could, with momentum, spin like a pair of swallows within a radius of one *zhang*, providing both offense and defense. This was, of course, not the sword-controlling divine ability of a top-tier swordsman, but rather a clever sword technique. Xiao Qiang self-deprecatingly claimed he was not even considered by true sword masters, but in the Fish Dragon Gang's view, it was an incredibly profound skill. Even the well-traveled Liu Nirong sincerely admired it. After more than a decade of diligent practice, she could only manage to make a single sword revolve within a three-foot radius, and it was more for show than practical use, offering no real benefit in combat.

Xiao Qiang was one of the few masters in the Fish Dragon Gang who could be ranked among the top second-tier experts in Lingzhou martial arts. He was actually not far from Old Gang Leader Liu's top tier, and was the undisputed number one swordsman in the gang. Liu Nirong's apprenticeship under him was certainly not a waste of her talent.

After Liu Nirong finished describing the martial arts contest, Xiao Qiang smiled faintly and said, "If I'm not mistaken, that white-robed swordsman is Cheng Yiche, who is quite prominent on the border these days. I originally thought his skills were just for fooling ordinary people, but I didn't expect him to have some genuine ability. It's a pity he left so quickly; otherwise, we could have truly discussed swordsmanship as friends. It would have been even better if he could have joined our Fish Dragon Gang as a guest elder."

Liu Nirong sighed softly, "What a pity." Xiao Qiang glanced at the expressionless Gongsun Yang and chuckled, "This Cheng Yiche's skill is high indeed, but compared to our old taciturn friend, he still lacks some finesse. Nirong, back then your Uncle Gongsun..."

Gongsun Yang laboriously raised his eyelids, his expression as calm as an ancient well, and interrupted his old friend Xiao Qiang's attempt to reveal his past, waving his hand and saying, "Don't mention things that never happened." Xiao Qiang helplessly replied, "I haven't even said it yet!"

Gongsun Yang bent over and stood up, saying softly, "Miss, I'll return to my room first." Liu Nirong rose to see him off, but Gongsun Yang stopped her with a shake of his head, and he walked out of the room alone. Everyone in the Fish Dragon Gang knew that this chief guest elder suffered from a damp-heat toxin in his right big toe, which made walking difficult. It was even said he couldn't pull off his shoes when sleeping, which was why he walked with a slight limp and rarely appeared in public. Among the older generation figures in the Fish Dragon Gang, he was the only one who had not taken a single apprentice. It was only rumored that the old man could perform the unique skill of "five arrows in a string," but no one had ever had the chance to witness it firsthand. The large horn bow hung on the wall, perpetually covered in dust, and it was unknown if it was merely for show. After Gongsun Yang left, Xiao Qiang revealed some secret past events. Liu Nirong then learned that Gongsun Yang once had the extraordinary feat of grabbing the city gate with both hands and lifting a fierce horse into the air while riding into the city. If that were true, Uncle Gongsun at his peak was no less skilled than her grandfather. She just didn't know if his cultivation had regressed over the years. Liu Nirong deeply understood that the path of martial arts was like rowing against the current; a single moment of slackening would waste a month of effort. Just as a pearl covered in dust for too long, even after being polished, would never regain its original luster and smoothness — this was the meaning behind the saying "an old woman loses her youthful beauty." Pearls also had a lifespan, and martial arts cultivation similarly possessed an ineffable essence that could not withstand any squandering.

Xiao Qiang hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Nirong, today I saw a familiar back on the street." Liu Nirong's heart skipped a beat, and she asked softly, "Is it your master's enemy?" Xiao Qiang nodded, "One is not difficult, but I'm afraid several of them have gathered together."

Liu Nirong's tone was calm as she smiled faintly, "What's there to fear? The inn is so close to the pass; do they dare to openly cause trouble? Besides, with Master and Uncle Gongsun here to back us, these rats — if one comes, we'll kill one; if two come, we'll kill a pair; if three come, we'll kill them all."

Xiao Qiang was also inspired by Liu Nirong's tone, and a heroic spirit that had been obscured by his declining years surged within him. He chuckled, "Those of us who practice swordsmanship should possess this kind of boldness. Nirong, your future cultivation will definitely surpass mine by more than just a bit!"

Liu Nirong smiled faintly.

However, when night fell, the Fish Dragon Gang could no longer smile.

Their original intention was to stay in the bustling market to make those shady characters hiding in the dark hesitate, but unexpectedly, they found themselves trapped like turtles in a jar.

Liu Nirong stood at the window, her face pale. Outside the inn, torches illuminated the night as if it were day. There were surprisingly three factions with designs on the Fish Dragon Gang. One faction consisted of Deputy Gang Leader Xiao Qiang's enemies, five or six people, who were not on horseback. Clearly, they intended to exact their revenge before Xiao Qiang's final journey in the martial arts world, prior to his retirement. The martial arts world had its own unwritten rules, roughly three of them. The first golden rule was that grudges spanning generations could be settled by descendants, but generally, women and children were not harmed, nor were entire families annihilated. Such acts, besides being pursued by the authorities, would be scorned by martial artists, and righteous individuals might even intervene to teach a lesson. Secondly, a master was like a father for life. Aside from those "three-surname slaves" who casually changed allegiances, even changing a single master, regardless of the reason, would be a lifelong stain. Therefore, the act of taking a master was almost the most important event for people in the martial arts world, no less significant than a scholar's capping ceremony. The third rule was that once the retirement ceremony was completed, the golden basin presented, and the water poured out of the bowl, then ordinary grudges would all be nullified.

The second faction was not unexpected: the woman with the mink fur covering her forehead from earlier in the day, everyone riding fine horses.

The last faction caused the Fish Dragon Gang to feel utter despair, as if struck by five bolts of thunder. It was none other than Zhou Ziru, the eldest son of the Frontier Pass Deputy Commander, followed by cavalry and over twenty armored foot soldiers.

Zhou Ziru's handsome face gleamed under the torchlight. He met Liu Nirong's gaze from the second floor and slowly said, "We are apprehending bandits. All bystanders should withdraw."

The woman with the mink fur covering her forehead spoke without restraint, not caring if the Fish Dragon Gang in the inn would hear her. She said playfully, "Young Master Zhou, it's agreed. The woman surnamed Liu is yours, but the young man under her, who carries a single saber, must not be harmed in the slightest."

Zhou Ziru frowned, but gave no reply.

The vaguely displeased woman twitched the corner of her mouth, suppressing the disrespectful words on the tip of her tongue. She sat seductively and languidly on her horse, one hand resting on her waist, her index finger rhythmically tapping the pattern on her jade belt buckle.

"In this border region, who can escape my grasp?"

"Why can men have three thousand beauties in their harems, but we women are not allowed to have three hundred male companions?"

"I, for one, will have them!"