Chapter 652: North Liang Adds a Gun

We are constantly striving to improve user experience and speed up updates! If you enjoy our site, please recommend it to your friends.

To easily read the latest chapters, please remember the website address for "Otherworld Novels."

The tavern's business was booming. All the tables were filled with customers, bringing a wide smile to the Boss Lady's face—a rare sight in past days. She bustled about, shouting orders and serving wine and meat, her mind calculating the few bits of silver and copper coins she had earned today. She thought of her youngest child, learning at the private school, who always clamored for brushes and ink. In the past, her family could never afford such an expense. Otherwise, what respectable woman would willingly expose herself like this? They would rather toil under the scorching sun. But now, she could finally grant her child's wish. Even with all the tables occupied, people kept coming in for drinks, showing no sign of leaving soon. The Boss Lady had to bring out even the few remaining stools. Fortunately, the men didn't mind the lack of refinement; they were engrossed in drinking from large bowls and eating generous portions of meat. Usually, men settling down in a tavern would eye the Boss Lady and tease her a bit. Beiliang women were naturally bold and spirited, no less than men, and the Boss Lady wouldn't turn hostile as long as their hands didn't go too far, even if they pinched or grabbed her hand while she served drinks. But today, the customers all, by unspoken agreement, glanced towards the eastern road, as if waiting for someone. Before long, over twenty people had gathered at the tavern, making the handsome young man who had a table to himself exceptionally conspicuous. At first, some had considered sharing his table, but for some unknown reason, after seeing the young man's appearance and demeanor, they instinctively kept their distance. Now, the Boss Lady watched as more and more customers poured in, even some wealthy individuals dressed in fine silks. She began to worry about the young man. What kind of place was Beiliang? In other places, people might say a disagreement leads to fisticuffs; here, everyone had tempers sharpened by the knife-like winds and sand. A single glance might provoke a fight. It wasn't that the Boss Lady begrudged the young man for potentially costing her a few pots of wine or pounds of meat, but she feared he would get into trouble and suffer. Such a good-looking young man, she couldn't bear to see him beaten black and blue.

Just as the Boss Lady was about to force a smile and speak to the young man, her fears materialized. A group of burly men with sabers at their waists set their sights on the table with three empty seats. The woman truly feared the young man, ignorant of the dangers of the martial world, might feel insulted and speak rashly. At such times, swords and blades had no eyes. What good would family background be, even if he had some? Having lived in Beiliang for so many years, which year hadn't she heard of scholars being beaten half to death? Beiliang was unlike other parts of Liyang; wearing scholar's robes was useless here. Only young men wearing Liang blades could intimidate the martial artists. However, the Boss Lady had heard that the young King of Beiliang had issued a "royal decree" that now even generals' children dared not privately carry Liang blades, and it was rare to even see someone riding a horse in the bustling markets. The Boss Lady didn't understand matters of state, only felt that Beiliang's public order had indeed improved somewhat. The Boss Lady breathed a sigh of relief, because the young master, though young, seemed to possess considerable experience in the martial world. He proactively spoke a few words with the fierce-looking men, then smiled and asked her for another ten pounds of Green Ant wine. The five middle-aged men, who didn't look like they made an honest living, saw that the young man was sensible and cooperative, and even showed a few smiles. When traveling, unless one was a privileged descendant, no one dared to draw swords and provoke trouble within Beiliang. Moreover, even the children of generals were divided into ranks; the size of their father's official hat and the number of troops they commanded determined whether they could run rampant within a county or flaunt their power across a province. For martial artists in Beiliang, almost everyone had suffered at the hands of these privileged youths. Often, people would be targeted for no reason, and an arbitrary excuse would be made to kill them, with a report to the authorities afterwards, always saying something like, "A petty villain used his skills to commit violence. As descendants of Beiliang Iron Cavalry generals, how could we disgrace our family honor? It is our duty to right wrongs with our blades." When officials forced the people to rebel, the people had no choice but to rebel. But to rebel meant death. In the three provinces of Beiliang under the Butcher's rule back then, apart from Mount Wudang, a place of cultivation for immortals and true masters, which was renowned throughout the court and martial world and counted as a major sect, there was no one else who could call themselves a grand martial arts sect. The reason for this was precisely the countless households of general's descendants who had wreaked havoc. Truly skilled martial arts experts with profound abilities were hired as gatekeepers, turning around to oppress unaligned martial artists without connections. In Youzhou, there was a Sun family, compatriots of the Spear Sage Wang Xiu, whose family members were all skilled in spearplay. But because they were unwilling to side with the government or powerful generals' families, after the death of their family head, who was like a pillar of stability, they were quickly eradicated by an enemy family who had allied with a general. It was said that out of over forty family members, only two or three managed to escape.

The Boss Lady, who had seen countless customers come and go, would sometimes think that earning money by selling wine was hard for her, and those who roamed the martial world, though they might appear heroic, probably had it even harder.

Looking east towards Youzhou, a cloud of dust rose at the end of the post road. The Boss Lady merely glanced at it. Beiliang cavalry often passed by on the post road, and she had long since figured out how to discern them. It looked like about a hundred riders, which was nothing remarkable in Beiliang, a region famed for its iron cavalry and magnificent horses. The Boss Lady saw that everyone inside and outside the tavern, whether sitting on chairs or stools, stood up as if their bottoms were on fire, their eyes burning with an intensity even greater than when they glimpsed a woman's exposed skin. This puzzled the woman. Could it be the arrival of some important figure? She was just a village woman who could only afford to sell Green Ant wine. Whether it was the martial world or the imperial court, she never kept anything she heard in mind. A woman who was content counting a small pile of copper coins every day, should she also worry about the military affairs of the King of Beiliang? Lately, she had heard customers babbling about things like the Wu Family Sword Tomb, but she merely let it pass through her ears. She stared intently at all the customers who had left their seats, afraid they would seize the opportunity to slip away without paying for their wine. The Boss Lady had been busy for a long time and finally got a moment to rest. She turned her thoughts back to the young man who had ordered a lot of Green Ant wine. She pursed her lips and smiled. Who said only men were allowed to admire beautiful women? Women also enjoyed gazing at handsome men. At this moment, the man also stood up, standing under the shade of the large pagoda tree beside the tavern table, his hands tucked into his sleeves. She looked at his profile, envying his captivating eyes. And when he looked at her, there was none of the usual men's predatory gaze; his eyes were clean, like the ancient well in the village, whose water was always remarkably clear, good for quenching thirst, and even better for brewing wine. As the woman thought, she couldn't help but laugh aloud, wondering which young woman was fortunate enough to be stared at by such a handsome young man every day. If it were her, she would even eat less to save money to buy rouge and powder she had never used before to put on her face.

The Boss Lady's prediction was accurate; indeed, a hundred cavalrymen were passing through here towards Liangzhou. However, even she, a woman who knew nothing of the martial world, noticed something extraordinary about those hundred riders. The riders were all swordsmen, neither clad in armor and carrying crossbows like Beiliang cavalry, nor dressed in bright, showy clothes like the retinues of important figures. Each of their faces was as hard as stone. Many swordsmen appeared to be seventy years old or more, yet as they rode past, their backs were as straight as military spears, and they possessed a spirit utterly unlike that of village elders. Especially when these hundred riders almost simultaneously looked towards the tavern, not only did the Boss Lady herself recoil in fright, but almost everyone retreated. Yet, for some unknown reason, after the leading rider among the hundred or so swordsmen galloped past without a glance, none of the others stopped their horses. The Boss Lady breathed a sigh of relief; it was better if they didn't stop, otherwise she wouldn't have dared to charge them for wine.

The young King, deliberately ignored by the hundred riders of the Wu family, lowered his arm, finally not speaking. It was inevitable that he felt a little awkward. Xu Fengnian, of course, knew more than everyone present. Wu Liuding, the leading rider, deliberately chose to ignore him, and the sword slaves behind him could only follow their Sword Sage leader. Xu Fengnian wasn't angry. He sat down and asked the Boss Lady for another half-pound of Green Ant wine. Anyway, his gesture was made; whether the Wu family riders appreciated it or not didn't matter. He couldn't keep offering warmth to a cold shoulder, could he? If it weren't for the sake of the Wu family's elderly patriarch, whom he had only met once, he wouldn't have waited on the border of Liangzhou. Since Wu Liuding wanted to put on airs, let him. Xu Fengnian wouldn't make things difficult for him.

Xu Fengnian calmly drank his wine, pondering and weighing the combat strength of the Wu family's hundred riders. Wu Liuding and the six or seven individuals behind Cuihua, the second rider, could all be considered top-tier experts. If, during a critical moment in a stalemate, with victory hanging by a thread, these hundred riders and hundred swords were given a clear path directly to the enemy's commanding general, who could stop them? Tuoba Pusa was out of the question; that Martial God of Beimang, as long as he was on the battlefield, needed no one to protect him. Hong Jingyan should also be able to handle them, though Murong Baoding might have a tough time. However, in pitched battles, the legend of taking a general's head from amidst a myriad of troops was rare even during the Spring and Autumn period. Especially with the emergence of several easy-to-assemble and incredibly powerful large crossbows, it was hard for anyone to replicate the feats of fighting through battle formations multiple times, as depicted in fictional narratives. A single Fish-Fu Treading Crossbow, operated by several elite soldiers, was so powerful that it was dubbed "Fifty Flying Swords" by the martial world. Within fifty *zhang* (approx. 166 meters) of its effective range, before its momentum significantly decreased, a single Fish-Fu bolt was like a sword immortal's flying sword! It was difficult to dodge, let alone confront head-on.

If it weren't for Wang Xianzhi shattering Gao Shulu's physique... Xu Fengnian thought, then scoffed at himself. There are no "ifs" in this world.

Xu Fengnian exhaled. The adventurers who had come to the tavern hoping for a glimpse of excitement had their fill and left as pleased as they arrived. Many paid extra when settling their bills, giving the money to the wine-selling woman. Soon, the tavern was empty. Before leaving, the sabre-wielding strong men didn't forget to cup their hands in a gesture of goodwill to Xu Fengnian, who had treated them to drinks. Xu Fengnian remained seated, slowly sipping his wine. Although he occasionally chatted with the woman about trivial matters like crop harvests, he certainly harbored no improper thoughts toward her. The graceful woman was not so naive as to imagine the young man harbored any romantic notions. Taking advantage of the conversation, and with no business to attend to, she sat across from him, carrying a pot of Green Ant wine and a few dishes of homemade snacks, saying they were a gift for him, as they wouldn't cost much. As they chatted, three more guests finally arrived: an old man and two youngsters, all carrying travel bags and wooden poles. They sat at the table next to Xu Fengnian. They were not wealthy; the old man only asked for half a pound of Green Ant wine, while the two boys could only sniff the wine's aroma, eagerly watching their elder close his eyes and sip in delight.

A sturdy young man with a faint stubble on his chin whispered, "Grandpa, were those swordsmen we just saw truly swordsmen from the Wu Family Sword Tomb?"

The old man nodded.

The other clean-cut young man was quite refined, with red lips and white teeth, resembling a girl. If he had unfortunately met those general's sons who favored male companions years ago, his life would have been worse than death. Fortunately, many arrogant youths were now locked up in various provincial jails across Beiliang, eating prison food. Compared to the old Beiliang, things were much more orderly now. Besides, many wealthy people had moved out of Beiliang, and today, Beiliang Road had gained a Lizhou. It truly was a rare era of peace. After the Boss Lady attended to the three impecunious guests, she sat back down, glanced at the delicate young man, and then instinctively turned to look at the young master across the table. Hmm, the one in front of her was much more handsome. With that casual glance, she didn't expect to be caught red-handed by the young master. The woman saw that he seemed a little helpless. She couldn't help but laugh; there was nothing to be embarrassed about. She was a woman who would soon have a daughter-in-law; her skin wasn't that thin. The woman laughed heartily, "Young Master, you're even prettier than the prettiest girl in our village. Your parents must be good-looking too. I look at you a few more times, Young Master, please don't get angry."

Xu Fengnian smiled, "Boss Lady, look all you want, I can't control your eyes. But can we round down the copper coins when I pay later?"

The woman laughed heartily, "How could that be? I already gave you a pot of fine Green Ant wine for free. Not a single copper coin less for the wine later. If Young Master lets me touch you a couple of times, I might consider it."

Xu Fengnian said helplessly, "Boss Lady, the way you do business, you really never lose."

The woman laughed openly and unreservedly. Xu Fengnian looked at her smiling face and joined in the laughter. Women from the northwest frontier, compared to those who grew up in the misty rains of Jiangnan, naturally lacked that subtle gentleness, but they possessed a heroism that only this land could cultivate. Xu Fengnian liked the Boss Lady's smile, just as he liked Beiliang. For Xu Fengnian, who grew up in Beiliang, Liaodong, his ancestral home, had never truly felt like "home."

The refined young man next door frowned as he listened to Xu Fengnian and the woman's conversation. The tall young man secretly glanced at the Boss Lady's chest "bumping" against the table edge and swallowed. The old man, sitting beside Xu Fengnian, remained calm, holding his wine bowl. Before each sip, he would close his eyes and inhale the wine's aroma. If one observed carefully, the old man and the two boys had thick calluses on the web of their thumbs, clearly from handling objects frequently. Xu Fengnian had naturally noticed this long ago, but chose not to delve deeper. The poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts. These three were clearly lifelong practitioners of the spear. As for why they were so poor and destitute, with even their practice spears being the coarsest white wax poles, who didn't have a difficult chapter in their lives they wished they didn't have to revisit?

The refined young man lowered his voice, grinding his teeth as he spoke, "Grandpa, I heard the Xun family moved to the Central Plains. That devil surnamed He must have gone with them. What should we do?"

The old man's eyes were complex. He lowered his head, took a sip of wine, then looked up and said calmly, "First, perfect your spear techniques. Even if he stood before you now and let you two thrust a hundred times, you couldn't harm him in the slightest."

The young man was stunned, his eyes welling up.

The sturdy young man whispered, "Why did I hear that the one surnamed He joined the Fish Dragon Gang? And even became a gang leader? He's even harder to deal with than when he was with the Xun family."

The old man glared, and the sturdy young man immediately fell silent. The refined young man's eyes lit up. The old man immediately said in a deep voice, "Whether it's going to the Central Plains or joining the Fish Dragon Gang, your top priority is to practice your spears well. As long as Grandpa is still alive, if any of you dare to secretly go seek revenge on him, I will drive you out of the family!"

The tall young man grumbled softly, "A month for a staff, a year for a saber, a lifetime for a spear. With my talent, I wouldn't master the spear in ten lifetimes."

The old man slammed his wine bowl, angered, "Nonsense! Wang Xiu only practiced spear for forty years, and he became one of the Four Grandmasters, on par with the old Sword God Li! A year for a saber? Did Gu Jiantang become the world's foremost saberman after just one year of practice? Our King, who ascended to the throne of the world's foremost after Wang Xianzhi..."

At this point, the old man suddenly trailed off, because he abruptly realized that the young King truly hadn't practiced the saber for many years.

The tall young man secretly chuckled, and even the delicate young man was amused, the heavy gloom on his face lightening somewhat.

The old man shook his head and continued drinking.

"Grandpa, our Liang blade, and the Northern Barbarians' scimitar, plus the waist saber of King Yan Chi's army from the Southern Frontier, are known as the three famous blades under heaven. Can you tell us about them?"

"Practice your spear! No matter how famous a blade is, it belongs to someone else. Even if you only have a wooden spear, it's still in your own hands."

The tall young man was very curious and full of dreams about the Central Plains martial world. He said aggrievedly, "It won't cost us anything to talk about it."

The other young man, who had the appearance of a Southerner but was from the North, was much more well-behaved. He only asked, "Grandpa, last time you said our Beiliang army's spear training methods were not quite right. Why is that?"

The tall young man chuckled, "Grandpa is just bragging. Our Beiliang army has Xu Yanbing and Han Laoling, two Spear Sage disciples. It's not our grandpa's place to criticize."

The refined young man said angrily, "What about our grandpa? That Wu Jinling, who was even stronger than Wang Xiu back then, even consulted our grandpa on how to hold a spear when he first started practicing!"

The tall young man made a face, "Who knows if Grandpa is just bragging without thinking."

The old man wasn't angry. He drank heavily, lost in thought.

Finally, he slowly came back to his senses and quietly sighed, "Let's not even talk about Wu Jinling, who was considered the most talented in all of Beiliang back then. As for the three fellow disciples, Spear Sage Wang Xiu, Xu Yanbing, and Han Laoling, in terms of spear mastery and skill, Grandpa was far inferior to them in his youth, and the gap only grew wider with time. There's nothing to be ashamed of in admitting that. However, you must remember one thing: no matter what weapon it is, it's for people to use. Masters have their ways of using it, and ordinary martial artists have their ways of practicing. Take Wu Jinling, for example. He entered the martial arts ranks at nine, reached second-grade at twelve, and became a Vajra master at seventeen. The spear in his hands seemed to possess divine power; no matter how he wielded it, it had an innate spiritual quality. But even so, at fourteen, he encountered a bottleneck. It was then that Grandpa casually offered a few tips on holding the spear. After that, Wu Jinling had an epiphany and started practicing spear from scratch. What a pity, heaven envied his talent."

Xu Fengnian, who had been listening in, smiled and said, "Wu Jinling's untimely death isn't necessarily just heaven envying his talent. In the path of martial arts, too smooth a journey isn't a good thing. In the martial world, there's a saying about sworn enemies; often, two mutually antagonistic individuals can steadily advance in their martial arts realms, regardless of speed, but they always progress. Perhaps it's because they have a whetstone. If Spear Sage Wang Xiu hadn't gone to Beimang, he might not have achieved his later grandmaster status. And I've also heard people say that in martial arts, it's very taboo to be a chicken's head rather than a phoenix's tail. Whether practicing saber, sword, or spear, once you reach a certain realm, you don't talk about being among the top three swordsmen or the nth best saberman in the world. You go directly for the number one position in the martial world. Otherwise, if Wang Xianzhi hadn't presided over Martial Emperor City for sixty years, so many people wouldn't have gone there to humiliate themselves."

The old man smiled and said nothing. Such principles were commonplace for any martial family; which elder didn't utter them casually? In the old man's view, a hundred so-called "famous teachers" who were merely titular were no match for a single "enlightened teacher." Furthermore, at the old man's age, no matter how ambitious he had been in his youth, it had long since been worn away year after year. Especially when he heard about those ethereal "number one, number two" rankings in the world, he felt no interest. However, out of politeness, the old man still faced the young man, who had spoken with no small amount of self-assurance, and raised his wine bowl as a toast. The young man also raised his bowl, and each drank it down.

The tall young man, fearless like a newborn calf, saw that this young fellow had even heard of Wu Jinling and was filled with questions. After all, though Wu Jinling was often mentioned in their hometown as much as Spear Sage Wang Xiu, he had died young, moreover in such an inglorious manner—drunk in the streets—and several decades had passed, so few in other parts of Beiliang knew his name. The young man couldn't help but ask, "How do you know about Wu Jinling?"

Xu Fengnian smiled, "Heard it from a friend."

The delicate young man, perhaps because he had just seen this fellow flirting with the Boss Lady, was disgusted. He turned his head and stared blankly at the post road.

Xu Fengnian glanced at the three white waxwood poles of varying lengths, then suddenly remarked, "Old sir, your two juniors, one should have changed his pole six months ago to one three inches longer, and the other should increase his by six *liang* right now."

The two boys were utterly bewildered, but the old man's eyes lit up, then quickly dimmed. He said honestly, "No money."

Xu Fengnian nodded, "A single copper coin can stump a hero. Old sir, I still have some wine money left. How about I treat you to another two pounds of wine?"

The woman was naturally delighted for customers to drink more, especially this handsome young man. Without waiting for the old man to reply, she scurried off to fetch the wine. This subtly provided the old man with a way to accept. Perhaps trusting his judgment honed by years of wandering, he trusted this young stranger. He cupped his hands and smiled, "Then this old man thanks you."

Though the old man had experienced many hardships, he still retained a generous disposition. He had the tall young man move to a longer bench and invited Xu Fengnian to sit beside him. The Boss Lady added more wine and meat. The dishes were small, and the portions weren't large, but at least they were free, otherwise she would have been a wasteful woman.

The old man wiped his mouth with his sleeve and smiled, "This young master's observation is spot on, very accurate. Do you also practice spear? Generally speaking, without ten or twenty years of effort, one couldn't truly discern the depths of my two grandsons."

Xu Fengnian shook his head and smiled faintly, "I don't practice spear, but I have some friends who are masters of this art. After watching them for a long time, I've picked up a little knowledge."

The old man joked, "In that case, Young Master should be a master yourself."

Xu Fengnian also joked, "Perhaps just a little bit of a master."

The delicate young man snorted, while the tall young man stifled a laugh. They had never seen such a shameless person.

The old man didn't mind. When dealing with people, he wasn't afraid of those who displayed their minor flaws; he was only afraid of those with deep schemes. The old man sighed, lamenting, "Don't be fooled by how prevalent white waxwood spears are in the Liyang army these days. In fact, in spear manuals, this material has always been considered inferior, with a terrible reputation. It's too soft, and its resilience is superficial. An amateur might be able to make some pretty spear flowers with it, but those street performers who thrust spear tips against their throats or bend the spear shaft into a large arc—aren't they all using white waxwood spears? Let them try a Beiliang spear-blade; do they dare? Speaking of which, our Beiliang truly invested heavily. For famous spear woods under heaven, the first choice is the two-toned ox-tendon wood from Guangling Road, the sword-spine wood and red-ridge wood from old Southern Tang, and the slightly inferior *jietiao* and tea wood—all good materials, but none are found in Beiliang. In the end, our Beiliang rarely sees the white wax spears produced in the Yu East Plains. Instead, they are popular in other vassal states. Why? Because the materials are cheap, soldiers pick them up quickly, and they look good during drills and training. I've heard that our border army, not to mention the heavy iron spears of elite soldiers, whether cavalry or infantry, uses good, iron-strong wood. Just considering this expense, who knows how much real gold and silver was spent, especially since it has to be transported into Beiliang from other places to make spears, making it even more expensive. Maintaining a good spear is also a huge expense, as the countless gallons of tung oil for preservation likely can't be avoided annually. So, the might of our Beiliang Iron Cavalry isn't simply because Beiliang warriors are naturally strong."

Xu Fengnian fully agreed, taking a sip of wine and nodding, "Precisely."

The old man, now in full stride, drank quickly and spoke without much restraint. He drifted off slightly, saying, "The world knows the astonishing impact of a long spear during a cavalry charge, but often ignores the damage the charging technique inflicts on the cavalry themselves. If a clash between two armies is a one-off deal, then so be it. But our Beiliang faces the Beimang barbarians, who are not easy to deal with. This severely tests the cavalrymen's grasp and skill when wielding spears in battle. And this proficiency varies from person to person. Beiliang has no shortage of cavalry generals and spear masters who address this problem with targeted solutions, but in my humble opinion, what seems good enough is not truly perfect."

Xu Fengnian asked, "Old sir, what do you mean by that?"

The old man hesitated, seemingly worried about speaking too freely to a casual acquaintance. But then he thought, since they were just passing acquaintances, why be so cautious? Besides, he was drinking their wine, wasn't he? So he continued, "I once inadvertently saw four or five types of Beiliang spears. Their materials, weights, and lengths varied. They were indeed quite specialized, depending on the soldier's branch, height, arm length, strength, etc. This was much better than the armies in Liyang. However, there's still more to dig into. For example, the long spear nicknamed 'Shu Concubine' made of bamboo, even after being treated so it's not so easily cracked, in my opinion, its spearhead should be increased by one and a half *liang*. And the 'Iron Cicada' great spear used by infantry, two inches of its shaft is still not enough; it needs to be shortened by that much more."

Saying this, the old man extended two fingers and lightly gestured.

Xu Fengnian, who had only intended to chat casually, fell into contemplation and did not immediately jump to conclusions. Xu Fengnian couldn't definitively say what the ideal weight for the spearhead of the bamboo spear should be. But regarding the Iron Cicada spear, Xu Yanbing had indeed mentioned it once. In the past, this heavy spear was designed to counter the powerful armored cavalry of Western Chu during the Spring and Autumn conflicts, and it had notably distinguished itself in battles against the Great Halberdiers. Almost every Beiliang veteran who participated in the Jinghe campaign held deep affection for this spear. In that battle, which was second only to the Battle of Xileibi, in the middle and late stages of the fighting, the Xu family army could directly use the Iron Cicada spear as a club or hammer. Xu Yanbing's point was that while Beimang's army also had heavy armor, even after more than twenty years of strengthening their nation and military, in terms of armor-making foundation alone, they still couldn't compare to the Great Chu Dynasty of yesteryear. Moreover, Beimang predominantly used light cavalry, so the Iron Cicada spear didn't need to be so heavy. However, reforming it involved not only the intricate web of interests within the border army but also the most troublesome aspect: sentiment. Many old cavalry generals fiercely resisted a series of reforms concerning specific matters in the Wutong Academy. The Iron Cicada spear was one such issue. One old general flatly refuted it with a vulgar reason: "I'm used to embracing my plump old wife. If you give me a light, nimble woman, I'd rather not have her. Whoever likes it can take it; none of my soldiers are willing to accept it." At the time, when the Wutong Academy submitted a stack of approval documents for Xu Fengnian's review, upon seeing this entry, Xu Fengnian still regarded it as a rather refreshing little joke, thinking it best to let things take their natural course and having no intention of forcibly pushing it through.

As the old man spoke, his words wandered without restraint, and he didn't care if Xu Fengnian was interested. He just continued, "This year, I accidentally came across the 'Manual of Military Preparedness' compiled by the Little Butcher. It was two incomplete volumes circulating among the common folk. It wasn't expensive, only six *liang* of silver, but I still couldn't afford it, so I could only shamelessly look without buying. It's truly meticulous, over a hundred thousand characters. It's breathtaking to behold. I'm someone who's never been on a battlefield, but as I read, it gave me a chilling sensation, as if I were facing a top martial artist, and I broke out in a cold sweat. The esteemed White-Clothed Military Sage, a great figure favored even by His Majesty the Emperor, actually had rules for where to build latrines in military camps, and even wrote them into the book. His soldiers, for almost anything, only needed to follow the rules. No wonder Ye Baikui, the Military Sage of Western Chu, said back then: 'When facing this person, once you lose momentum, you can never regain it.'"

The tall young man blinked and asked, "Grandpa, what does that mean?"

The old man sighed, "It means that when fighting against this person, once you lose the initiative, no matter if you still have a numerical advantage, you can only wait to lose afterward. This principle is actually the same as in our martial artists' combat tests. It's just that you haven't reached that realm yet, so you won't understand."

The old man took a deep swig of wine, feeling stifled. "How could such a magnificent military treatise circulate among the common folk? Aren't they afraid the Beimang barbarians will get their hands on it? How many more of our Beiliang people will die then?"

The old man sighed, even losing his desire to drink. He muttered, "Chen Zhibao indeed lost to the current King of Beiliang and failed to become the ruler of Beiliang, but that's no reason for the Beiliang army to squander his hard work. Doesn't our new King of Beiliang care? Or is it personal vendetta, done on purpose?! If so, then I, an old man, will truly look down on him."

Xu Fengnian's expression subtly changed. This "Manual of Military Preparedness" had never been strictly forbidden in the Beiliang army; back then, Xu Xiao and Chen Zhibao had no objections to it. This was likely where the arrogance of Beiliang's high-ranking generals lay. Xu Fengnian also had no intention of slandering Chen Zhibao's military treatise just because Chen Zhibao had left Beiliang for the capital and was enfeoffed as king in Shu. In fact, even Chen Zhibao's former subordinates were still treated with great respect, and Xu Fengnian himself had severely dealt with several incidents of deliberate suppression of Chen Zhibao's former captains in promotions. However, among the nearly ten thousand, or at least eight thousand, official documents that Xu Fengnian had personally reviewed and red-penciled in the past six months, not a single person or document had ever mentioned the circulation of the "Manual of Military Preparedness" in the market. This still made Xu Fengnian feel very guilty. At this moment, he instinctively picked up his wine bowl, took a sip, then quietly said, "The King of Beiliang indeed bears great fault in this matter."

The old man dismissed it with a smile. Would ordinary folk like them dare to criticize that King? Were they tired of living? Besides, who was acknowledged as the world's foremost expert after Wang Xianzhi of Martial Emperor City? Even the most isolated villagers in Beiliang probably knew the answer.

Xu Fengnian looked up and asked, "Old sir, with your knowledge of spear techniques, why don't you join the border army?"

The old man's face revealed unconcealed pain, though he tried to keep his voice light. "It's true that my family has always used great spears, but even before our family declined, we disliked associating with the powerful. We only hoped that our elders and young ones could peacefully practice martial arts, and one day, make our family's spear techniques flourish. As for other matters, we never gave them much thought. My ancestor said: 'Practicing spear is about refining the heart. If the heart is impure, one cannot produce a good spear. For us spear users, that would be sacrificing the root for the branch.'"

Xu Fengnian said three words calmly, "Sun family spear."

The old man, who had been as gentle and kind as a neighboring elder, suddenly changed his entire demeanor. He lowered his hand and grasped the white wax pole resting on the bench. His cloudy eyes shone brightly, filled with killing intent.

The two young men also stood up almost simultaneously, clutching their wooden poles tightly.

This startled the Boss Lady, who had been cracking melon seeds, leaving her frozen in place.

Xu Fengnian gently held his wine bowl, not rushing to drink, and smiled, "I mean no harm. Since I have friends who are spear masters, of course I know the illustrious Sun family, compatriots of Spear Sage Wang Xiu. And since old sir has spoken so freely, I just made a wild guess. I've also heard a thing or two about the Sun family's misfortune. Years ago, a young man named He Wushu came to learn martial arts. The old master of the Sun family saw that he had excellent potential but was morally corrupt, so he ignored him. After He Wushu was rejected, he had several fortuitous encounters and rose quickly, becoming the training master for Xun Daniu, a former border army general. This man was naturally vindictive and had always held a grudge against the Sun family. After the old Sun master passed away, relying on the Xun family's background and years of accumulated official connections, he framed the Sun family with treasonous ties to the enemy. Out of over forty family members, only six escaped, including two infants. In the past decade, three of those Sun family members died by He Wushu's spear. Two were simply outmatched, and one secretly betrayed the Sun family, but afterwards, not only did he not gain wealth and glory, he was still betrayed by the vengeful He Wushu, who pierced him with a spear and pinned him to a wall. Sun Qingqiu, Old Master Sun, am I right?"

The old man's face was ashen, and he let out a cold laugh, his voice desolate. "Good, good, good. What a 'Tiger Head Spear' He Wushu. As expected, after joining the mixed bag that is the Fish Dragon Gang, he's like a tiger with wings. He actually chased you all the way here!"

As the old man spoke "good," he cast a look at the two young men, implicitly telling them to save themselves regardless of him, brooks no refusal. But how could the young men flee at this moment? They stood rooted to the ground, not retreating an inch. This made the old man unsure whether to feel happy or sad.

The Sun family spear, one does not retreat until death.

Xu Fengnian still held his wine bowl and said self-mockingly, "Old Master Sun, do I look like He Wushu's lackey? Or like an assassin sent to chase you? Is there anyone in this world who invites people for drinks before killing them?"

The tall young man angrily said, "You bastard must have poisoned the wine!"

The Boss Lady immediately became displeased. She had roughly picked up on some hints from the conversation, and she didn't believe for a moment that the young master was a bad person. How could he be, looking so handsome? She slammed the table, annoyed. "What are you talking about? Does this look like a shady establishment?! I personally served all your wine; it's newly opened. Which eye of yours saw the young master poison the wine?"

Xu Fengnian asked bluntly, "Old Master, do you really think your three generations can take me on alone?"

The old man remained silent, showing no signs of relaxing, but his expression was dejected.

Having roamed the martial world for most of his life, especially during his decade-long life on the run, the old man had developed keen eyes and a sharp intuition for danger. The moment he reached out and grasped his pole, the young man beside him, whose aura had previously seemed ordinary, had a fleeting surge of terrifying power that forced the old man to admit he was completely outmatched.

Xu Fengnian asked, "Old Master, I have an impudent request. I'd like you to go to the border army and become a martial arts chief instructor, but I will not meddle in the feud between your Sun family and He Wushu. I imagine, old sir, you wouldn't want others to interfere either."

The old man sneered, "This young master of unknown origin, don't think that just because you have some martial skill, you can talk as if you're above the heavens. This old man is not a naive child. I know that the chief instructor of our Beiliang army is a fourth-rank military official. If you were talking about a regular instructor position, I might believe you to be a scion of an extraordinary general's family, and trust you a little. Heh, a chief instructor? Is that something you can just hand out? Do you think you're Master Li Hanlin, the Commissioner's son?"

Xu Fengnian couldn't help but chuckle. He hadn't expected that fellow Li Hanlin to be so famous in Beiliang Road now. It sounded like a good reputation too.

The refined young man, standing opposite Xu Fengnian as if facing a formidable enemy, looked at his hateful smiling face, wishing he could beat him to death with a pole.

Xu Fengnian truly didn't know how to convince Sun Qingqiu, but this old man was very likely a huge treasure for the Beiliang army. If utilized well, he could advance the border army's combat strength even further. It could be said that a Sun Qingqiu who fully applied his lifelong mastery to Beiliang, even if he was only a third-grade expert whose skills were declining with age, would be even more beneficial to Beiliang than Han Laoling, Wang Xiu's junior brother, who was now a deputy general in Liangzhou! Of course, all of this was merely a possibility, but if missed, then even that possibility would be gone. Xu Fengnian raised his hand. This action quickly provoked a swift spear thrust from the old man. The wax pole, without any apparent preparatory movement, stabbed precisely and viciously downwards towards Xu Fengnian's throat, clean and decisive, imbued with the Sun family spear's essence of unwavering forward momentum.

As a result, the two young men saw the wax pole's "spearhead" stop several inches away from the man, and then the pole, which embodied the Sun family's unique "no return" spirit, instantly bent into a large arc before breaking on the spot!

A young woman in tight black clothes, after Xu Fengnian raised his hand, appeared like a ghost in the shade of the tree. Seeing this scene, her slender figure remained utterly expressionless.

She was Fan Xiaochai, an elite assassin who had recently left the Fushui Chamber.

Sun Qingqiu held the broken half of the wax pole, his palm split and covered in blood. Even though the old man had already confirmed that he was not this person's opponent, his spear thrust having no effect whatsoever still greatly shocked and horrified him.

He believed that even those second-grade masters who usually appeared and disappeared like dragons would never treat his spear thrust so lightly, let alone this young man who sat motionless, without even the slightest fluctuation in his *qi*!

Xu Fengnian didn't look at Fan Xiaochai, only saying, "You don't need to follow me for now. Take the old man to the Liangzhou border, find Lu Qiuer. I've already set the official position. As for how to specifically utilize the Sun family spear techniques, you can let Lu Qiuer decide himself."

Then Xu Fengnian smiled and asked, "Old Master, a business that guarantees profit with no capital, you really won't do it?"

The old man was ultimately a magnanimous person. After a brief thought, he sighed, "Anyway, I'm not in control of my own fate. It just depends on whether heaven intends to destroy my Sun family. Deep down, this old man doesn't believe that He Wushu, a mere Fish Dragon Gang leader, could command you, young master."

Xu Fengnian breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively asked, "How about we finish our wine, and then you all set off, Old Master?"

The old man plopped down, "Drink, why not drink!"

The two boys nervously sat back down, especially the refined young man, who was stunned. As for the simple-minded tall young man, his face was filled with admiration.

It seemed he had truly met a legendary reclusive master!

So, was this young master's earlier statement about being "a little bit of a master" actually true?

After settling down, the extremely excited young man eagerly asked, "Master Young Master, my grandpa always says I'm not very talented in martial arts. Your eye must be even sharper than my grandpa's. How about you take a look for me? Maybe I'm actually a martial arts prodigy?"

Xu Fengnian glanced at the young man and said flatly, "By rights, you'd still be far behind the old master at his age."

The young man's mouth hung open, still unwilling to give up. He asked with a mournful face, "What? Master Young Master, please don't misjudge me! Take a closer look, please?"

Xu Fengnian smiled and shook his head, "Misjudging is harder than not."

The young man sighed, his head drooping in silence.

The refined young man covered his mouth and snickered, but when the master, who was no longer as repulsive as before, looked his way, he instinctively glared back.

Xu Fengnian smiled, "Practice your spear well, and you will achieve great things. No one says women cannot develop formidable and invincible first-rate spear techniques."

The "young man"'s face flushed red.

The Boss Lady, who had been startled many times already, glanced at this "young man." No wonder he looked so much like a young woman.

The woman was truly bold and joked teasingly, "Master Young Master, you can't be a master and then not pay for your wine, can you?"

Xu Fengnian took out a small piece of broken silver and placed it on the table. The Boss Lady smiled, "Oh, you really didn't add an extra cent. Master Young Master, you're already a master, can't you be a bit more generous? Aren't you afraid of damaging your master's demeanor?"

Not far away, Fan Xiaochai recalled her own experiences and began to admire the village woman's courage and spirit.

Xu Fengnian smiled, "Only when managing a household does one know the cost of necessities. Now, I don't have the luxury of putting on a brave face."

Xu Fengnian suddenly saw the circling white hawk overhead. He slowly stood up and said, "Old Master, I have to go now. We'll find you for a drink at the Liangzhou border later. I believe there should still be a chance."

Sun Qingqiu stood up with him, nodding without saying much.

After Xu Fengnian finished speaking, he vanished in a flash.

This left the woman and the two Sun family boys thinking they had encountered an immortal or a ghost.

Fan Xiaochai then said curtly, "Finish your wine, and then immediately head to the border."

Sun Qingqiu acknowledged with a hum.

The tall young man looked at this older sister, his eyes wide, unable to tear his gaze away.

The girl disguised as a boy felt a hint of envy. What a beautiful older sister, but she felt too cold.

The Boss Lady, sitting at the next table, vigorously patted her chest and clicked her tongue, "Today was truly an eye-opener."

The old man took a sip of wine, narrowed his eyes, and said softly, "Indeed."

Fan Xiaochai stood in the green shade, resting with her eyes closed.

Her intuition told her that Beimang had likely sent troops.

She had no interest in the fate of the three Sun family members. As for that He Wushu of the Fish Dragon Gang, perhaps for the three of them, he was an enemy they would likely want to kill their whole lives but could never touch.

But the gap between herself and her own enemy was even wider, as vast as heaven and earth.

She knew she would never be able to personally kill that man in this lifetime.

After all, not even Wang Xianzhi had managed to kill him.

But that didn't mean that man wouldn't die.

Because he had to face all of Beimang.