As winter approached, a strange, elusive old man appeared at Xiamawei Inn. His two white eyebrows were long and flowed like weeping willows. Xuanyuan Qingfeng only knew that a few days prior, this old man had entered the courtyard, spoken a few words to Xu Fengnian, then left and returned. Since then, Xu Fengnian had seemed different. He still ate, chatted, and slept, but Xuanyuan Qingfeng felt something was off. The heavy snow gradually ceased. Young Wu moved the snowman, which had been placed in the corridor, back into the courtyard. Today, the clouds parted slightly, and light suddenly flooded the world. Xu Fengnian lay in a rattan chair, while the mysterious white-browed elder remained elusive.
The snowman stood beneath the Dragon Claw Pagoda tree, and Xu Fengnian gazed at it, lost in thought. Xuanyuan Qingfeng moved a rattan chair next to him, lay down, and swayed gently, murmuring. A woman's chest looks impressive when she stands, but it's truly magnificent when she lies flat, revealing its true splendor—like a mountain range viewed from different angles. It's the same principle as Zhang Xi's unevenness. Xuanyuan Qingfeng asked, "Who is that old man?"
These days, Xu Fengnian answered every question, no longer putting on a stern face for anyone. His temper seemed to improve. "He only said he exchanged an arm with Li Chungang."
Xuanyuan Qingfeng began to provoke him again. "Isn't Old Sword God Li half your master? An enemy is right in front of you, and you're not drawing your blade?"
Xu Fengnian chuckled softly. "Vengeance by the sword ends with the sword. Why would Li Chungang need someone else to avenge him? Besides, Old Huang is still his disciple."
Xuanyuan Qingfeng frowned. "Sword Huang, the one with the missing front tooth, is this old man's disciple?"
Xu Fengnian nodded.
Xuanyuan Qingfeng hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, "What exactly happened?"
Xu Fengnian stared intently at the snowman. Just before Xuanyuan Qingfeng reached her limit of patience, he said, "Xuanyuan Qingfeng, is your ultimate dream to become a martial artist like Wang Xianzhi? To become the Empress of the Liyang Jianghu? But I know that's what you decided after the Battle of Guniu Dagang. What was your dream before that?"
Xuanyuan Qingfeng calmly replied, "That my father could walk into my mother's courtyard, for us to have a reunion in autumn, and drink home-brewed osmanthus wine together."
Xu Fengnian reciprocated with a smile. "My childhood dream was to be a great hero who punished evil and championed justice, whether with a saber or a sword. I wanted to avenge my mother first, then make a big name for myself in the pugilistic world, and ideally find a woman as good as my mother there. At that time, I never considered becoming the King of Northern Liang, because I never thought Xu Xiao would grow old."
Then he pointed a finger at the snowman. "A true dream is like that little snowman. It can't be sold for money; only children treasure it, believing no amount of gold or silver could replace it. But by our age, most people don't like to talk about dreams, finding it pretentious or unrealistic. Like me, I no longer harbor any hope for a chivalrous life in the pugilistic world. With you, it's all about deception and transactions. In the future, those martial artists who pledge allegiance to Northern Liang will merely be weighed by their abilities, bought with money and sold for official positions. What I said on the Imperial Road earlier wasn't a dream; it was responsibility. Your current aspiration isn't a dream; it's ambition. Among everyone I know, only two people truly have dreams that haven't changed over the years. Our dreams, once exposed to the sun, melt away like the snowman. But their dreams, if the snowman melts this year, they'll wait for next year's heavy snow to build another, year after year."
Xuanyuan Qingfeng smiled. "One is Jiang Ni, who wholeheartedly wants to kill you, and the other is Wen Hua, who only wants to become a swordsman and afford an iron sword."
Xu Fengnian nodded. "Precisely. When we grow up and think our childhood dreams were childish, those weren't true dreams."
Xu Fengnian calmly said, "Wen Hua is a fool who values his dream more than his life. He possesses something precious that I lack, which is why I admire him. Clever people often mock others for not shedding tears until they see the coffin, but Wen Hua has always been that mocked fool. When he carved bamboo swords as a child, his family probably laughed at him. When he grew up and still carried a wooden sword, his villagers laughed. After I met him, I would also mock his stubbornness every now and then, thinking he deserved to achieve nothing. After we parted, sometimes I would think of Wen Hua and feel that if he ever got killed while wandering the pugilistic world, I would definitely avenge him and exterminate his enemy's entire clan. When that Wen Busheng appeared in the capital this time, I actually hoped it wasn't Wen Hua. It's not that I'm afraid of my brother stealing my thunder; it's because I also train with the saber and practice martial arts, and I understand better than anyone what it takes to achieve something. I, Xu Fengnian, am from a prominent family in Northern Liang; many seemingly terrifying sacrifices are manageable for me because of my strong family background, so I won't be ruined. But who is Wen Hua? He's just an ordinary commoner. What more could he possibly sacrifice besides a dream more important than his life? Northern Liang's foundation is already coveted by Liyang and Beiman; it cannot afford a single defeat, let alone Wen Hua."
Xuanyuan Qingfeng said indifferently, "So Wen Hua is Wen Busheng."
Xu Fengnian stood up and walked to the old pagoda tree, crouching down. Xuanyuan Qingfeng, as if by an inexplicable impulse, followed behind him. Xu Fengnian reached down, scooped up a handful of snow from the ground, piled it onto the snowman, and patted it gently a few times. "Wen Hua's two swords were taught by Huang Sanjia on his behalf—Huang Sanjia is the great benefactor who helped Wen Hua achieve his dream. Huang Sanjia wants him to kill me. If it were you, killing me, whether successful or not, would offer a great chance to escape unscathed, gain immense fame, and even have a woman from the 'Rouge List' as your wife. Xuanyuan Qingfeng, what would you do?"
Solid-colored clothes are extremely difficult for ordinary women to pull off; black and white are fine, but red or purple can be nearly impossible. That Xuanyuan Qingfeng could carry off a deep purple showed how outstanding her appearance and temperament were. She thought for a moment, then smiled. "Nonsense, I would definitely kill you, without hesitation. Even if that Imperial Seal was a transaction between us, giving me a huge advantage, if Huang Longshi stood before me today and said he could make me a Land Immortal within a few years with no future worries, I would kill you cleanly and decisively. At most, I'd out of old sentiment, leave your corpse intact."
Xu Fengnian smiled, looking up. "We still have old sentiments to remember?"
Xuanyuan Qingfeng, as if the sun had risen from the west, did not rub salt into his wounds. However, in this situation, "adding frost to snow" would be a more fitting description.
Xu Fengnian continuously added handfuls of snow to the snowman. For some unknown reason, Xuanyuan Qingfeng felt a surge of unidentifiable anger and kicked the snowman apart.
Xu Fengnian stood up. On his rattan chair lay the weathered old man who had delivered the message that night. Xuanyuan Qingfeng waved her hand, signaling Xu Fengnian to leave the courtyard, and she began rebuilding the snowman.
Xu Fengnian lay down on the lounge chair next to the old man. One old, one young, with such a vast age difference, it was as if four or five generations separated them.
With his eyebrows fluttering, the old man gently stroked his white brows, appearing perfectly at ease. "Throughout my life, I've had only one hobby: challenging swordsmen, and only their strongest sword techniques. The Wu Family Sword Tomb boasted the finest swordsmanship in the world, with peerless techniques. I made Sword Tomb Su Wang feel utterly ashamed. When Deng Taia was young, he barely survived on Sword Mountain. I didn't teach that child a single sword move; I only told him not to pick up a sword. But ultimately, Deng Taia still pursued sword arts—it was a stubbornness he had from birth, and I couldn't do anything about it. Beneath the Demon Slaying Platform on Dragon Tiger Mountain, I challenged Li Chungang's sword dao. We exchanged one sword dao, and in doing so, we each lost an arm. We were enemies, yet also half-confidants. My second disciple, your stableman from the Northern Liang King's residence, Huang Zhengtu, who traveled with you, in terms of extraordinary talent, compared to my first disciple, was like their status: one a blacksmith, one an imperial uncle of Western Shu—a world of difference. Yet, deep down, I valued Huang Zhengtu more, because his sword was closer to the Dao. In fact, my first disciple defended the nation's gates with his sword, but even before his death, he failed to deliver a truly impressive strike. It was my second disciple, whose sword you named 'Thousand Miles' – his first sword – that deeply resonated with me."
Xu Fengnian asked, "Elder, was Old Huang collecting sword hilts just to make side dishes for your drinks?"
The old man's mood brightened, and he nodded, smiling. "That foolish boy isn't bound by status, so his sword practice, no matter how he does it, is all about 'sentiment.' The slow bird flies first, and he has actually achieved more than his senior brother. He visited Martial Emperor City twice: the first time he wanted the world to know his master's name, and the second time he hoped that I, his master, would know that taking on such a 'foolish' disciple was not shameful."
Xu Fengnian remarked, "He practices the sword, but repays kindness."
The old man smiled. "In my lifetime, I've made three wagers with Huang Longshi. He bet that the Princess of Northern Liang would achieve the Sword Immortal realm in the Imperial Palace battle; he bet that Li Chungang, confined to the Tide-Listening Tower, would re-enter the Land Immortal realm; and the third wager was about Wen Hua—I bet Wen Hua wouldn't practice the sword. I finally won one at the last moment, otherwise I'd have been nicknamed 'Sui the Loser.'"
Without looking at Xu Fengnian, the old man spoke directly, "Don't bother trying to figure out who I, this immortal old man named Sui, truly am; even Huang Longshi doesn't know my real name. It's strange, but even after several exchanges with Huang Longshi, I still can't see through what he truly wants. Back during the Capital White Robe case, the Zhao family wanted to sever your Xu family's lineage. Yuan Benxi and the old Zhao emperor were the masterminds, and Yang Taisui was a half-accomplice. Huang Longshi bet on your mother, Wu Su, reaching the Sword Immortal realm. He still used a famous sword to persuade me to leave seclusion, just in case, to protect your mother and you. I'm revealing these heavenly secrets not because I want you to forgive Huang Longshi; that old man should have died long ago, constantly stirring up trouble. It's just that I don't want him to die at the hands of petty individuals."
The old man sighed deeply. "In my opinion, all techniques in the world fall into two categories: practical and aesthetically pleasing. Li Dangxin hanging a Yellow River above the Daoist Sect's peak is an example of the latter—there's no helping it, because he is, after all, a man of the Three Teachings. The Wu Family Su Wang's 'Starry Chessboard' is also beautiful but impractical. To truly explain it: facing ten thousand enemies, a single sword move that kills three hundred and wounds one hundred is inferior to a single strike that directly slays five hundred. Li Chungang's 'Two Sleeves Green Snakes' is somewhat different; it's both beautiful and practical. When I challenged Li Chungang's sword back then, I initially wanted to inquire about 'Sword Opening the Heavenly Gate,' not 'Two Sleeves Green Snakes.' But Li Chungang's mental state was damaged at the time, so he couldn't open the heavenly gate. Yet, in terms of the power of sword techniques, 'Two Sleeves Green Snakes' was still at its peak. My visit to challenge and exchange swords with him, even though it resulted in the loss of an arm for each of us, still left me feeling content both when I went and when I returned. There was no enmity to speak of."
Xu Fengnian asked curiously, "So Wang Xianzhi calls himself the second greatest in the world?"
The old man laughed heartily. "That's a humble way of putting it. Even Lu Zu reincarnated as Longhu Qi Xuanzhen and Wudang Hong Xixiang could only achieve a draw against him. Only if Lu Zu himself, who crossed the Heavenly Gate and returned eight hundred years ago, were to appear, would there be a seventy percent chance of victory."
Xu Fengnian remained silent.
The old man softly said, "The pugilistic world we're in isn't one where things go backward. It's always pushing for higher tides."
The old man gently extended a hand, and the Spring Autumn sword, which Xu Fengnian had thrown outside the city and was subsequently confiscated into the imperial palace, flashed and instantly appeared in the old man's hand. "Li Chungang and I never had a clear victor back then, and it's been a knot in my heart. Since you possess the essence of Li Chungang's two swords, especially that 'Sword Opening the Heavenly Gate' technique, I will teach you a sword move. Later, when you've surpassed him, tell him about it when you toast at his grave. As for this sword, I'll only take the scabbard; you keep the sword for me. I need to make a trip to Martial Emperor City. When Spring Autumn returns to its scabbard, that's when I will have taught you that sword move."
The old man tossed the scabbard into the air, then rode his sword and departed from the capital.
His hearty laughter echoed throughout Tai'an City.
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