Chapter 416: I Slayed the Evil Dragon Before Meeting Zhenwu

Beacon Fires for the Feudal Lords

The second day of the King's enthronement ceremony.

Tai'an City was a melting pot, and the city gate guards paid little attention to the young Taoist carrying a peach wood sword entering. Taoists from Longhu Mountain frequently came to the capital to draw talismans and perform rituals, and the capital's residents had also seen many high-ranking officials from the Celestial Master's Residence who shared the emperor's surname. What truly caught the gate guards' attention about this simple Taoist was that he was neither from Longhu Mountain, the ancestral home of Taoism, nor a disciple of a renowned immortal from a blessed land. Instead, he hailed from Mount Wudang, which had been relatively obscure for centuries. The Household Registry of Taoists throughout the land was administered by Zhao Danxia, the Feather-Clad Minister in charge of Taoist affairs, but Mount Wudang was a singular exception. After letting him pass, the gate guards couldn't help but glance at him several more times. They couldn't discern anything extraordinary about him, simply concluding he was an ordinary Taoist who couldn't endure Wudang's strict rules and had come to the capital seeking an easier path to spiritual advancement. After entering the city, the Taoist asked for directions to the Mawei Post Station. He walked directly, without taking a detour, and it took him nearly an hour to spot the Dragon's Claw Scholar Tree outside the station. He then informed the gate attendant of his identity: Li Yufu from Mount Wudang, seeking an audience with Xu Fengnian, the Prince of Northern Liang. The attendant, utterly perplexed, didn't dare delay and reported to the back courtyard. Li Yufu, who had walked all the way from Wudang to the capital on foot, showed no grand Taoist demeanor. He simply sat on the steps outside the post station for a brief rest, gently breathing according to the Jade Pillar Peak's cultivation method. The old scholar Liu Wenbao merely glanced at him and then ignored him. Xu Fengnian was in the back courtyard building the eighth snowman with the young lady, Li Zi. Upon hearing Tong Ziliang's report, he frowned and walked to the entrance. Li Yufu rose and bowed respectfully, appearing somewhat reserved. Xu Fengnian's brow relaxed, and he smiled, "Sect Leader Li, I'm not worthy of such a grand gesture from you."

Li Yufu of Mount Wudang was another Wudang Sect Leader, following Wang Zhonglou, who had cultivated the Great Yellow Court, and Hong Xiang, the reincarnation of Ancestor Lü.

However, Li Yufu seemed even more nervous than Xu Fengnian. He couldn't even manage polite greetings, blushing with embarrassment. He didn't resemble the revered Grand Master whom Wudang had placed its hopes in; instead, he looked like a young woman meeting a handsome man. This left Xu Fengnian utterly confused and bewildered. Xu Fengnian had visited the mountain several times. Aside from the young junior grand-uncle who rode an ox and some mischievous young Taoist boys, he had only met the very good-tempered Wang Zhonglou and Wang Xiaoping, who demonstrated the Shen Tu Sword Art. He had never even met Li Yufu, so there was no past grievance or kindness between them. Everyone said Hong Xiang had great expectations for this person, so why was he so timid and reserved? Xu Fengnian suppressed his curiosity and led Li Yufu towards the back courtyard. His initial displeasure stemmed from fearing the worst-case scenario: that Li Yufu's visit symbolized Wudang Mountain coming to the capital to pledge allegiance to the Zhao imperial family, effectively becoming another tool for the emperor. Northern Liang's foundations had already been undermined by the imperial court's constant meddling, and if Wudang Mountain were added to that, it would truly push them to the brink of despair. Furthermore, and crucially, Mount Wudang held a deeply special emotional significance for Xu Fengnian. His elder sister, Xu Zihuu, had met the cowardly ox-rider there, and he himself had practiced his blade there and received an immense favor from Sect Leader Wang. There was also a vegetable patch there, whose condition he didn't know, and the Great Geng Horn Blood Pledge, which had surely vanished without a trace. If Mount Wudang were to betray Northern Liang, even if Northern Liang could tolerate it, Xu Fengnian absolutely could not.

Xu Fengnian entered the courtyard and smiled at the little girl, Li Zi, who was using charcoal to dot the eyes of the snowman. "Li Zi, get a stool for the new Sect Leader of Wudang Mountain." The little girl quickly wiped the charcoal marks from the snowman with her hand and went inside to fetch a stool. Li Yufu, still reserved and shy, said, "Your Highness, this humble Taoist can stand." Xu Fengnian looked him over carefully, then took the lead by sitting in a rattan chair that was already placed under the eaves outside. He teased, "You're not like Hong Xiang at all. That fellow is hundreds of times thicker-skinned than you." Li Yufu hesitated, but finally gathered his courage and sat on the stool, sitting upright and looking straight ahead. There were two rattan chairs and one stool. Xu Fengnian sat in the middle, while Xuanyuan Qingfeng lay on the chair to his left, appearing lifeless, like a living dead person.

Xu Fengnian was not in a hurry to ask about the hidden circumstances. After settling back, he simply chuckled softly, "Your junior grand-uncle and I are old acquaintances, a case of 'one willing to hit, one willing to take the hit.' He still owes me several forbidden books he hasn't returned, always tricking me by saying your senior grand-uncle Chen Yao confiscated them all, like a clay ox entering the sea. I don't usually bother with him, but I don't know why I get annoyed every time I see him, and my hands and feet just can't be controlled. He also likes to shout, 'Don't hit the face when you strike, don't kick the groin when you kick.' I wonder where he heard that common saying from the martial world."

Li Yufu secretly wiped a bead of sweat. In the middle of winter, a mysterious mist emanated from the young Taoist, creating a mystical sight like an ethereal overseas immortal mountain. Even the well-traveled young lady, Li Zi, was dumbfounded and couldn't help but steal several more glances.

Xu Fengnian rocked his rattan chair and closed his eyes. "The old Sect Leader was truly a good man. Among the aged Taoists I've met in my life, only Sect Leader Wang truly resembled an immortal."

The rather warm atmosphere was unfortunately shattered by a cold snort from Xuanyuan Qingfeng. Li Yufu, already on edge, was so startled that he swallowed hard. Cultivating the Tao is like entering a golden mountain; how much gold one can retrieve depends on one's innate talent, inherent bone structure, and destiny. Li Yufu's talent was recognized by his master, Yu Xingrui, who was considered the foremost in internal energy on Jade Pillar Peak, and thus he was brought to Mount Wudang from the East Sea. Regarding his inherent bone structure and disposition, after he ascended the mountain, he was highly regarded by all his martial uncles and grand-uncles. As for his destiny, even Chen Yao and Song Zhiming dared not speculate, yet one person left behind an eight-character prophecy: "Wudang shall prosper, its prosperity in Jade Axe."

Li Yufu was actually quite courageous, but the person he most admired and revered in his life was his junior grand-uncle, the immortal who once rode a crane and used his sword to cut through fate. His admiration for him was boundless. After arriving at the mountain, from all sides, old and young alike spoke of how the Sect Leader's junior uncle and the Prince of Northern Liang were destined to clash. Several martial grand-uncles also said that his junior uncle had indeed been beaten in the capital and was endlessly afraid of the Prince of Northern Liang, despite his cultivation having reached the heavens. How could Li Yufu, whose life's endeavor was to catch up to his junior uncle, not feel apprehension?

Xu Fengnian turned and glared at Xuanyuan Qingfeng, who had let out an annoyed sound, disturbed in her absorption of luck. Li Yufu didn't even dare to turn his head to look at the woman in purple. He could only lament inwardly, "Women from the mundane world are all tigers, just as junior grand-uncle said."

Xu Fengnian asked with a smile, "I heard that Jian Qijin from Northern Mang visited Mount Wudang to challenge Ancestor Lü's flying sword technique, demanding that your Wudang Mountain answer the challenge on Ancestor Lü's behalf. He reportedly reached the summit of Great Lotus Peak with a single sword strike, but then you forced him all the way back down to the foot of the mountain."

Li Yufu murmured, "I was dizzy with anger and acted impulsively. In truth, my swordsmanship is still inferior to Jian Qijin's."

Xu Fengnian smiled faintly, "I estimate your swordsmanship truly isn't as good as Huang Qing's. However, the depth of one's sword path, while related to swordsmanship, isn't absolutely determined by it. It's not surprising that Huang Qing lost when he challenged for the 'Way of the Sword.' It's like a woman with a beautiful face; it adds a few coins to her allure, but how truly stunning and captivating she is depends on the most crucial factor: her demeanor and presence."

After pondering it carefully, Li Yufu sincerely said, "Your Highness speaks very truly. This humble Taoist has learned a great deal."

Xu Fengnian joked, "Do you really think I'm a highly enlightened master? You're so clever, even if I just idly broke wind, you'd be able to grasp a few profound insights from it. Li Yufu, don't be so suspicious. The reason I dared to beat Hong Xiang back then wasn't because my cultivation was truly higher or my Taoist principles deeper than his. It was simply because he was timid and had a generous spirit."

Li Yufu said earnestly, "Your Highness possesses excellent cultivation."

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter, "Oh, you! When you flatter, you're exactly like the ox-rider—exceptionally sincere. Truly from the same lineage."

Li Yufu's face reddened slightly.

Xu Fengnian asked, "You walked all the way to the capital on just two legs?"

Li Yufu nodded. "On the way, I made a trip to Difu Mountain."

Xu Fengnian said playfully, "My second elder sister once retrieved several bags of dragon sand from Difu Mountain. She said an evil dragon had appeared in that foremost blessed land of Taoism. Did you go there to slay an evil dragon?"

Li Yufu smiled faintly, neither denying nor admitting it.

Xu Fengnian felt a shock in his heart and glanced at the peach wood sword on the new Wudang Sect Leader's back.

Li Yufu scratched his head. "This humble Taoist indeed saw an evil dragon, but did not kill it. Someone interfered."

Xu Fengnian nodded and slowly said, "For yesterday's grand ceremony, Tai'an City specifically consecrated Emperor Zhenwu behind the three main halls on its central axis. His statue is immense, like a small mountain, unsurpassed by any other deity worshipped in the capital. The Emperor personally inscribed the four characters 'Unified Control of the Center' on a plaque, intending to elevate Mount Wudang's status in Taoism. You and I both know this."

Li Yufu took a deep breath and spoke frankly, "Wudang Mountain had no objection to the imperial court erecting a statue of Emperor Zhenwu in Tai'an City. However, according to Ancestor Lü's dying instructions, Taoists from the mountain are strictly forbidden from entering the capital to seek power or nobility. But for some unknown reason, after the statue of Emperor Zhenwu was completed, it swayed without any wind. Only then did this humble Taoist receive his master's command to enter the capital to investigate. As I traveled east, I noticed a connection to Difu Mountain, so I first went to that blessed land. Indeed, this humble Taoist found an evil dragon lurking there and then drew my sword to slay it."

At this point, Li Yufu stood up and stated gravely, "This humble Taoist's cultivation in this life is only to draw my sword to right wrongs for the common people."

Xu Fengnian smiled and looked up at the sky.

Such a young immortal.