Chapter 439: Magic Soars Higher

A large fire on Longwei Slope burnt the humble inn and the armored soldiers' bodies to cinders. Xu Fengnian squatted nearby, lazily spreading his hands to warm himself. Looking at the ashes scattered everywhere, it reminded him of Gu Dazhu's military treatise, 'Collection of Ashes'. This extensive sixteen-volume work meticulously discussed various elements of ancient and modern military strategy, geographical features, crucial terrain, and riverine warfare. It was also the first to propose that geography is fundamental to statecraft and military operations, providing profound overviews of various regions across the land. Xiangfan as the 'backbone of the realm' and Beiliang as a 'lion's mighty hunting ground' both originated from this 'Collection of Ashes'. Secondly, it emphasized that strategy and state politics are mutually supportive and indispensable, with a particular focus on the exploration of mountains and mineral deposits. Its comprehensiveness was undeniable. Even Li Yishan, with his extraordinary insight, was genuinely impressed by 'Collection of Ashes', praising it as opening a new heaven for future military strategists. Unfortunately, with the fall of Southern Tang, half of the sixteen volumes of manuscripts were confiscated by the national treasury, most of which were acquired by Gu Jiantang, who had a keen passion for collecting books, through various means. The remaining eight volumes were lost among the populace, and Beiliang only managed to obtain three. As a youth, Xu Fengnian was often punished by Li Yishan to transcribe miscellaneous books, and these three volumes of 'Collection of Ashes' undoubtedly made him suffer greatly. How capricious life is; back then, who would have thought he would be drinking at the same table today with the very person who wrote the military treatise, and would soon return to Beiliang with him? Had they met earlier, his master might have gained another drinking companion.

Hu Chunya stared blankly at this scoundrel. Not only had he ordered his retainers to slaughter people until Longwei Slope ran red with blood, but he even had the audacity to slowly roast himself by the fire and daydream. Why wasn't he scrambling to escape? She harbored not even a fingernail's worth of goodwill towards this man dressed in white. After narrowly escaping death, she felt no gratitude, much less any desire to repay him. She simply found him repugnant, wishing she could trample his pristine white clothes with her feet, leaving behind dirty, ash-black shoe prints. However, Hu Chunya instinctively glanced at the nine-foot-tall man not far away. It was this man who had emerged from the inn, and within the time it took to drink a few sips of wine, the outside had become completely quiet. He had dragged the body of the 'Divine Archer General' from Tielu City like a dead dog and tossed it into the roaring inferno of the inn, a sight that had nearly made her vomit from her hiding place in the outhouse. As for the naive young Li Huai'er, he had stared with wide eyes the entire time, foolishly watching the bodies being dealt with, firmly believing that these elite armored soldiers had suffered divine retribution and refusing to believe they had been killed by humans.

The outhouse had not been burned. Gu Dazhu and Huang Shang, the two elders, stood inside the shed, looking south together, each with a sigh.

People naturally gravitate towards their own kind, so Ning Zong, Xu Zhan, and the woman surnamed Zhou naturally gathered together. The woman took advantage of the fire to retrieve her treasured sword. Her hands were a bloody mess, but thankfully no bones were broken. After applying her exclusive homemade wound medicine and wrapping them in clean silk cloth, she no longer worried about them. Whether traveling alone or with companions, gold, silver, and valuables are essential for wandering the martial world, and exquisitely crafted bottles for medicinal pastes are even more indispensable. The woman surnamed Zhou was young, but already an experienced Jianghu practitioner. She relied on herself for everything and was approaching third-grade strength. For a woman with no family or master's lineage to speak of, this was nothing short of a miracle.

Hu Chunya always spoke bluntly, and this time was no exception. She lightheartedly asked a question that made Ning Zong's eyelids twitch: "Will this guy kill us to silence us?"

The woman surnamed Zhou placed her palm on her sword hilt, remaining silent. For a swordsman, a sword is both a beloved companion, inspiring affection, and sometimes a strict elder. To look upon a sword is to see a person, reminding one constantly that Li Chungang once wielded the wooden horse-ox sword, Deng Ta'a twisted peach branches as if holding a sword, and the nine swords from the Wu family's sword tomb were gripped until their wielders died on the barren plains of Beiman. Many blade users in Jianghu switch to practicing swordsmanship, but few swordsmen switch to other weapons. From childhood to old age, they remain dedicated to the sword, countless individuals never abandoning it mid-way, even if they achieve nothing in their lifetime. Xu Zhan was always stern. Unlike Zhou Qinhu, whose name was unusual and who had no family or connections, Xu Zhan's family had fallen on hard times, but a 'dead camel is still bigger than a horse,' and his family's assets were still substantial. His father, Xu Daqiu's 'Observation of Techniques', was a comprehensive work on staff methods. When the Xu family of Lianghuai was mentioned, even ruthless bandits and lake pirates would give a thumbs up. This was because it was said that when Xu Daqiu was young and traveling the martial world, he was fortunate enough to encounter the 'Spear Immortal' Wang Xiu. At that time, the highly renowned Grandmaster saw Xu Daqiu's excellent bone structure and imparted a secret verbal formula. In the eyes of Lianghuai martial artists, this was akin to forging ties with a genuine terrestrial immortal. However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. After Wang Xiu was killed by Chen Zhipao, the Xu family's foundation, which had long relied on the Spear Immortal's prestige, began to decline, never recovering its former glory. Xu Daqiu died in depression. Having witnessed the coldness of human nature, Xu Zhan's temperament became increasingly cold and aloof. Toward that enigmatic young master, Xu Zhan harbored not just Hu Chunya's instinctive pure aversion, but also a hidden mix of jealousy and reverence. Yet, he didn't want Zhou Qinhu to notice, making him feel stifled.

Zhou Qinhu said calmly, "I only heard that Elder Huang won't be going to the capital for now, but will detour to Shangyin Academy to visit a friend. I don't trust these people, so I will accompany him. What are your plans, Uncle Ning and Young Master Xu?"

Ning Zong shook his head, truly not daring to bite off more than he could chew. Over a hundred Tielu armored soldiers had died, and all his assets were there. He could leave the monk, but not the temple. He had to return quickly to salvage the situation. Since Elder Huang was temporarily safe and sound, Ning Zong was not so chivalrous as to disregard his family's survival. Ning Zong didn't hide his intentions and stated bluntly, "Qinhu, with such a major incident happening, I definitely cannot go to Shangyin Academy."

Xu Zhan said in a deep voice, "Uncle Ning, please rest assured. I will do my best with Qinhu to protect Elder Huang."

Ning Zong breathed a sigh of relief and patted Xu Zhan's shoulder.

Hu Chunya cheered, "Sister Zhou, Young Master Xu, then you can come visit my home!"

Ning Zong smiled. The reason he brought this girl along was partly because she insisted on joining, and partly because Ning Zong had his own calculations. Hu Chunya was the only daughter of the Master of Caishi Mountain. Caishi Mountain held extraordinary prestige in the Lianghuai region, being the foremost sect and gang in the Wine River area. Zhao Hongdan, the Master of Caishi Mountain, was skilled in 'Drunken Swordplay'. In combat and sparring, he loved to drink heavily; the more intoxicated he became, the more unpredictable and elusive his swordplay became, rarely meeting a match. His true third-grade strength was equivalent to one of the Six Ministers of the Jianghu. What's more, Hu Chunya did not take Zhao Hongdan's surname because the true head of Caishi Mountain was Zhao Hongdan's wife, Hu Jingxia, a notoriously fierce woman. Hu Chunya's maternal grandfather was a retired veteran from Southern Tang, who had once commanded several thousand fierce warriors during the Spring and Autumn Wars. He was violent and a prolific killer. Zhao Hongdan was essentially a son-in-law to the Hu family of Caishi Mountain.

After a hasty burial for the old servant who had served Huang Shang for many years, Ning Zong clasped his fists and bid farewell to everyone at the foot of Longwei Slope, riding directly south. Duan Chun'an, meanwhile, rode north in haste to report the news. Previously, Yuan Zuozong had intentionally left a few warhorses alive, not sending them all to the King of Hell. They were now put to good use. Xu Zhan, Zhou Qinhu, and Hu Chunya rode three horses. Xu Fengnian, Gu Dazhu, and Yuan Zuozong rode three horses, accompanied by two carriages. Huang Shang and the young Li Huai'er shared one carriage, with Lu Song acting as their driver. Deadsman Wu drove the other. Wang Lin preferred not to be inside the carriage, so he sat behind the young man, muttering about how the woman surnamed Zhou had a full moon-like backside and upturned eyebrows, indicating she would not only be a good mother but also an alluring woman, capable of bearing a large brood of male children once brought home, and excellent in the bedroom. Young Man Wu had been squabbling with Wang Lin since outside Shenwu City, but on the topic of women's figures, they uncharacteristically stood on the same side. Children are like this; on such topics, they are most unwilling to show weakness, lest they be considered naive youngsters who haven't 'tasted meat'.

Just as they left Longwei Slope and before turning onto the post road, a group of about twenty riders blocked their path. Clustered together, they exuded an imposing aura. The twenty riders blocking the road were dressed in an assortment of styles. There was an alluring woman in a thin, colorful dress despite the winter cold, nestled against a handsome, delicate young boy. There was a crude man with a bare, exposed chest, his waist cinched by a live snake as a belt. An elderly man in brocade robes was dozing, his head nodding like a pecking chick. There was a handsome young man holding a folding fan and wearing a fox fur cloak. There was a giant, tower-like man ten feet tall, holding a bronze sphere. And a hopping dwarf, perched on a tall horse disproportionate to his size, his long robe nearly dragging on the ground. Their bizarre appearance made one feel as if they had stumbled into the Ghost City of Fengdu. Hu Chunya stared blankly, truly uttering a truism this time: she was seeing ghosts in broad daylight. Xu Zhan and Zhou Qinhu exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of shock in the other's eyes. Although all twenty riders were blocking the road, their positions were distinct and well-defined. Both recognized one of the riders towards the back: a bald man with a scarred head like a monk, but wearing a rare Daoist robe that resembled neither Longhu Mountain's nor Wudang's. On his shoulder sat a parrot with vibrant feathers. This man was considered the greatest hidden danger in the Lianghuai martial world, killing indiscriminately based on whim. Even old Master Liang had suffered greatly at his hands. When the women of Caishi Mountain were humiliated and killed by him, the entire sect launched a full-scale assault, mobilizing a hundred light cavalry retainers. Even with Zhao Hongdan and several other Jianghu grandmasters collaborating, they failed to successfully encircle and annihilate him.

Yet, even such a troublesome demon was positioned towards the rear among the twenty riders. In Jianghu, seniority is always respected; one's seating position is determined by one's strength, and those lacking power must humbly stay aside.

The leader of the twenty riders stood alone, a distance ahead of the others. He was an unremarkable, sturdy man, inconspicuous in both appearance and attire. The seductive woman behind him, whose colorful thin dress revealed much, clicked her tongue and feigned surprise: "There's wailing on Longwei Slope, and over a hundred more bowls of Meng Po soup have been delivered at Naihe Bridge. This young master possesses quite the skill; he's no worse than our demonic cult!"

Xu Fengnian frowned. "Demonic cult?" Sixty years ago, the Grand Celestial Master Qi Xuanzhen single-handedly annihilated six demonic fiends on the Demon-Slaying Platform, a truly earth-shattering feat. The once-flourishing demonic cult suffered a crushing blow, becoming like rats scurrying in the streets, only daring to act stealthily. How did such a large group of disciples and followers appear today? Could it be they're trying to recruit me into their demonic cult? Could it be that they heard that Hong Xixiang, the reincarnation of Qi Xuanzhen, had self-dissolved his body, and these guys actually believe that 'the devil is one foot taller than the Dao' and it's time for their resurgence?

Xu Fengnian gently spurred his horse, its hooves moving lightly, and asked with a smile, "What, do you want me to be your demonic cult's leader? Good eye!"