Chapter 815: Silence Like Cold Cicadas (Part 4)

Xu Fengnian leisurely stepped forward, the wide sleeves of his black and gold python robe swaying gently.

Not far away, Li Haoran, Qi Jiajie's foremost disciple, remained motionless. He was a master swordsman from the North, renowned for wielding the famous "Eight Sweet Dews" sword and for possessing eight Xuan-level sword techniques.

Spectators on both floors of the Xiamawei Inn’s annexes couldn't help but inwardly praise Li Haoran. He was indeed a young grandmaster capable of establishing himself in Tai'an City, maintaining such calm and composure even when facing Xu Fengnian, one of the world's four grandmasters. It was no wonder that many senior figures in the unfathomable martial arts world of the capital asserted that Li Haoran was expected to reach Grandmaster Qi's martial arts realm within a decade, and might even have a chance to ascend to the pinnacle of swordsmanship in his lifetime, to witness the realm of swordsmanship seen by only a handful like Li Chungang and Deng Ta'e.

Outsiders see the show, while insiders understand the true skill.

The "youth" with the horizontal saber, who had seemingly reversed aging, couldn't help but sneer. He believed the young man surnamed Li wasn't confident at all, but rather paralyzed with fear. More accurately, not paralyzed by fear, but simply unable to move. Xu Fengnian's seemingly ordinary step was actually a challenge, its powerful aura already extending throughout the entire street. The challenge was directed not only at the three Zhao Gou agents standing together, but also at some hidden figures within the buildings lining the street. The meaning of this step was simple: since they had arrived at Xiamawei Inn, all were guests, and the King of Beiliang, with his "vast domain and wealth," could afford to host them all. Unfortunately, Li Haoran was not included in that welcome.

Li Haoran, who was closest to Xu Fengnian, was acutely aware of his predicament. Although he hadn't reached the Xuan-level master realm, he could wield multiple Xuan-level sword techniques and possessed a keen perception of vital energy. Logically, when facing a formidable opponent in a narrow encounter, his "Eight Sweet Dews" sword, which was spiritually connected to him, should have vibrated eagerly and continuously. Instead, the longsword in its scabbard did not demonstrate any such eagerness; on the contrary, it acted like a cowering turtle, utterly lifeless, leading to a situation where the man and sword felt disconnected, as if separated by Yin and Yang. Li Haoran was exceptionally talented and had practiced swordsmanship for many years, experiencing smooth progress in his martial arts cultivation. Whether it was his annual sparring sessions with his master, Qi Jiajie, or when Tangxi Sword Immortal Lu Baijie was ordered to serve as an official in the capital, and Li Haoran, under Qi Jiajie's instruction, went outside the city to greet him with his sword, he had never encountered such a situation. It was at this moment that Li Haoran finally understood a truth: both his master, who had placed high hopes on him, and the extraordinary Tangxi Sword Immortal Lu Baijie, had been showing compassion for a junior swordsman, and thus had never exerted their full power.

The limping old man's expression was grim. He asked the Qi practitioner grandmaster, "Are there other masters nearby, besides Chai Qingshan from Dongyue Sword Pool?"

The Qi practitioner grandmaster, whose strength had surged to the Great Celestial Phenomenon realm, said bitterly, "Besides the three of us, I only detected six more emanations of aura from the King of Beiliang; four are inside this inn and tavern, while the other two are elsewhere. Like you, beyond Chai Qingshan, I don't know the identities of those five. In fact, if Xu Fengnian hadn't challenged us in this manner, I wouldn't have even noticed their presence before."

The limping old man frowned. "All the notable grandmasters in the capital had previously converged on the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Astronomy Bureau. If the old family head of the Wu Family Sword Tomb, who lives in seclusion in the city, came to Xiamawei to watch the battle today, that would be reasonable. But who are those five individuals?"

At this point, the limping old man couldn't help but look around, his face full of incredulity. He exclaimed, "A full five people! Five grandmasters whose allegiance is unclear?! If even one or two of them start fighting, wouldn't this capital be thrown into complete chaos?"

Suddenly, the limping old man and the foremost Qi practitioner of the North exchanged glances, seeing profound panic in each other's eyes.

They simultaneously considered a terrifying possibility: What if one of those five happened to be Cao Changqing? And what if the arrival of the "Great Official" was a tacit agreement formed between Beiliang and Western Chu, while the other three chose to stand by idly?

Originally, with Tai'an City's deep foundations, for the past two decades, only Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City might not be stoppable, even Cao Changqing couldn't achieve his desires. Although Han Shengxuan, Liu Haoshi, and Qi Jiajie were no longer present, which meant that among Tai'an City's four districts—the Imperial Palace City, Imperial City, Inner City, and Outer City—all had lost their crucial guardians, except for the limping old man who continued to guard the Outer City. However, Wu Jian, the sword grandmaster of the Wu Family Sword Tomb, had now effectively replaced Liu Haoshi. Coupled with the hidden talisman array layered with generations of Celestial Masters from Longhu Mountain, and the grand design meticulously crafted by Saint Zhang of the Yan Sheng Gong residence with the help of scholars Yuan Benxi and Xie Guanying, Zhao Gou dared to assure His Majesty the Emperor that if Xu Fengnian, the new Martial Emperor, entered the palace alone, he would still face a dismal outcome of being able to enter but not leave. However, Zhao Gou could not guarantee how many innocent bystanders would be affected at that time, whether a thousand, two thousand, or more.

But with an additional grandmaster of similar realm by Xu Fengnian's side, and with the northern Qi practitioners in Tai'an City having suffered heavy casualties, the two great formations were significantly weakened. If Wu Jian of the Wu Family Sword Tomb was unwilling to intercept with his full power, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The youth with the horizontal saber reached for the hilt of the short knife on his back and sneered, "What good is indecisiveness? Forget it! I'll lead the charge in this fight!"

Just as the limping old man was about to speak, the Zhao Gou leader, with his delicate youthful appearance, had already begun to charge forward. He was not in a hurry to draw his saber; instead, he leaned forward, each step as light and agile as a dragonfly skimming water.

Unbeknownst to them, the young feudal lord in the eye-catching python robe had already positioned himself beside Li Haoran, who had remained "motionless as a mountain." They stood shoulder to shoulder, one facing the main street, the other facing the entrance of Xiamawei Inn.

In the blink of an eye, everyone felt an involuntary moment of distraction, only to find that the previously unknown youth with the horizontal saber was standing foolishly in front of the young feudal lord, still maintaining his grip on the saber, its blade only half-drawn from the scabbard.

The spectators, eagerly anticipating a true peak battle, were completely bewildered.

"That scoundrel Wu Laifu, not long ago, at least managed to draw his entire saber against the King of Beiliang. But you, after charging forward so impressively, how could you suddenly stop moving once you reached the King of Beiliang?"

"You're a man, not some female martial artist or fairy from the jianghu who fancies the King of Beiliang. Why are you standing there like a stunned chicken?"

Hissing and jeering immediately erupted from both sides of the street, pouring scorn on him.

Outside Xiamawei Inn, aside from the limping old man and the Qi practitioner grandmaster, those who understood the deeper nuances didn't bother to crowd the windows. As for the heroes and heroines who had secured prime spots, eager for a quick glimpse, they wanted to witness a truly earth-shattering and spectacular exchange of blows, something that would astound heaven and make ghosts weep.

Almost no one noticed that the delicate youth's hand gripping the saber was already a mangled mess of flesh and blood; the bones were visible, especially where his palm met the hilt.

The sleeve of the arm holding the saber was also torn to shreds.

The Zhao Gou leader, facing the young feudal lord, had blood seeping from the corners of his mouth. His face was contorted in a grimace of disbelief and resentment.

Li Haoran, the "If the enemy doesn't move, I don't move; if the enemy moves, I still don't move" figure beside them, was drenched in sweat. He only heard the King of Beiliang say with a smile to the other man, "I know you have a trump card hidden, but the reason you're still alive right now..."

This "looks can be deceiving" Zhao Gou leader instantly dropped all pretense. At that moment, he stared blankly downwards.

A small, somewhat slender arm had pierced through his chest.

The arm slowly withdrew.

The Zhao Gou magnate, who had killed countless people, struggled to turn his head. He saw only an old sable hat, a delicate face, and a young girl gnawing on half a scallion pancake.

Killing and eating pancakes, both at once.

He knew her.

A top-secret Zhao Gou file contained a vague record: outside Xiangfan City in Qingzhou, she had killed the assassin of Wang Mingyin, the eleventh-ranked martial artist in the world.

She was a lunatic who had single-handedly blocked Wang Xianzhi's entry into Beiliang multiple times.

An assassin died at the hands of another assassin.

Xu Fengnian casually reached out and pushed the corpse away. Seeing the sable hat, which was slightly too large and obscured her eyebrows, he adjusted it higher, then gently patted it down.

Xu Fengnian smiled and said, "If you're really worried, just stand behind me from now on. You don't need to act. Just, well, stand a bit further back."

She said nothing, walked behind Xu Fengnian with a straight face, ten steps away.

Xu Fengnian turned, looking at the girl with a helpless expression.

Reluctantly, she glided to the Dragon's Claw Scholar Tree outside the inn and sat on a branch, rubbing her arm against the wood.

Xu Fengnian let out a soft breath, gazed into the distance, and called out clearly, "Cao Changqing, Chen Zhibao, Deng Ta'e, Xuanyuan Qingfeng, who among you will come first?"

His voice could be heard across half the city.

Li Haoran swallowed nervously and cautiously asked, "Your Highness, perhaps I should step aside?"

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "It's fine. Just stand behind me."

The limping old man said gravely, "We can leave."

The Qi practitioner grandmaster nodded, a hint of regret in his eyes.

The two vanished in a flash.

They couldn't wade into these troubled waters; those who could were few and far between in the entire world.

The fact that their Zhao Gou colleague's saber hadn't been drawn meant Xu Fengnian had revealed a cruel truth to them: below the Celestial Phenomenon realm, it took only one move.

The Qi practitioner grandmaster had no desire to risk his life to prove that "below the realm of Land Immortals, it also takes only one move."

Inside a certain tavern, the scholar in blue robes smiled and simply poured himself a cup of wine.

The white-robed man across the street frowned. A pale-faced, beardless man at the table next to him seemed about to speak, then hesitated.

On the city wall of Tai'an, a woman in purple robes hesitated for a moment, then glided across the rooftops as if on flat ground.

From the south of the city to Xiamawei Inn, thunder erupted from flat ground. Young Song Tinglu from Dongyue Sword Pool flushed crimson and indignantly said, "Master, that fellow is far too arrogant! Why didn't he include you, Master?!"

The girl carrying multiple longswords covered her mouth and giggled sweetly.

Her loyalty was clearly elsewhere.

Chai Qingshan said melancholily, "Since your master did not draw his sword in Wudang's Taoshu Town, he no longer has the qualification to draw it against him in this lifetime. There's nothing to be angry about. Tinglu, if you feel it's unfair to your master, then practice your swordsmanship diligently. Don't be like someone who fishes for three days and dries nets for two; in martial arts, talent alone won't sustain you for a lifetime."

The girl, adding insult to injury, made a face.

The youth snorted coldly.

From the inn window, the old family head of the Wu Family Sword Tomb chuckled and chided, "That boy!"

Inside, an old man with a thin, reedy voice reminded him, "Don't forget your duty."

This person was none other than the Grand Secretariat Director of Ceremonials, who had previously conveyed the imperial decree to the King of Beiliang.

Wu Jian did not turn around, but his smile faded. "Oh?" he uttered.

The Grand Secretariat Director of Ceremonials, not wearing his grand red python robe, instinctively took a step back.

Wu Jian's tone was indifferent. "The old man and the King of Shu are here to observe the battle, nothing more than to ensure that Cao Changqing doesn't seize the opportunity to go to the Imperial Palace. Don't push your luck."

The north-south imperial street was strictly hierarchical. A man leading a donkey, who could only walk obediently on the outermost royal path, saw a young sword-wielding knight jogging quickly and called out, "Young man, may I borrow your sword for a moment?"

The young man, rushing to Xiamawei Inn to watch the battle, impatiently retorted, "Why should I?!"

The middle-aged man replied in a bargaining tone, "Because I am Deng Ta'e?"

The young knight was first stunned, then burst into laughter. "Get lost! You're Deng Ta'e? Just because you're leading a donkey, you think you're the Peach Blossom Sword God? I'm the King of Beiliang! Buddy, how about we spar right here?"

The man leading the donkey sighed, "These young people nowadays."

The young man glared, "What? You unconvinced?!"

The man patted the old donkey's back. "Old fellow, wait for a moment, I'll be right back. I'm just going to use this sword to greet Cao Changqing, as a farewell."

In an instant, along the straight line from Tai'an City's main south gate to Xiamawei Inn, hundreds or thousands of swordsmen, regardless of gender, age, whether their sword was worn at the hip or on the back, or whether it was long or short, found an unassuming middle-aged man standing beside them, gripping their swords, which had been drawn from their scabbards at some unknown moment.

Cao Changqing finally put down his wine cup and stood up.

A long purple rainbow shot directly towards Xiamawei Inn, aiming to strike Xu Fengnian.

As if in an unending struggle.

Keyword: Myriad Swords