Chapter 913: Noble Lords, Rolling Yellow Sand (Part 5)

Due to Xu Fengnian’s gaze, everyone inside and outside the lakeside pavilion focused on the two Kheshig guards. This caused the burly man in the pavilion, wearing an imperial golden saber, to suddenly launch an attack, so swiftly that even Fan Bainu, seated behind him, had no time to show any surprise.

The situation changed too quickly.

The momentum of that saber strike was overly fierce, like an intense blizzard suddenly descending upon the grasslands in winter.

It was as if an immortal had cast a stasis spell, freezing everyone inside and outside the pavilion.

Mr. Bai Lian, who had descended from Longhu Mountain and then ascended Qingliang Mountain, still habitually looked outside the pavilion with a smile in his eyes. Bai Yu held a cup of green ant wine, a little less than half full, its surface showing faint ripples in the white porcelain cup.

Yang Shenxing and Yang Huchen, father and son, leaning slightly forward, also focused their attention on the young Kheshig guards outside the pavilion. These seasoned generals were truly watchful, exuding the unique authority of battle-hardened warriors.

Meanwhile, Princess Qingluan of Beimang maintained her posture, back straight, turning her head to look back, her slanting shoulders round and alluring.

The tea-making maid continued to watch the charcoal fire, careful not to ruin the heat. The flickering firelight reflected on her delicate face, subtly adding to her charm.

In fact, the attacking Kheshig guard in the pavilion had drawn his saber silently, and even as he brought it down, it showed no obvious sharpness. Therefore, this saber strike should not have unleashed such a powerful aura just as it approached the young prince’s head.

It was like two armies clashing, cavalry charging; naturally, before breaking the formation, the sound of hooves would be thunderous. How could it be like a gentle spring rain?

Yet, this saber strike managed just that.

Consequently, everyone was caught off guard. Even Song Yu, the chief steward and gatekeeper of Qingliang Mountain, possessing various profound martial arts, with his naturally keen senses, was a step slow in reacting. A slight dust cloud rose from where he stood; this martial arts master, perhaps the foremost among the Second Rank Minor Grandmasters, was about to leap into the pavilion.

But the next moment, for some unknown reason, Song Yu rooted himself to the ground, his body unmoving. He no longer paid attention to the situation inside the pavilion, his chilling gaze slowly sweeping over the two young Kheshig guards, like a snake observing a mouse.

This private meeting, by all accounts, should have been Beiliang’s opportunity, as the local power, to assert dominance over these Beimang figures "seeking favors." For instance, like in historical novels, a thrown cup signaling hundreds of swordsmen behind a screen to swarm in, or setting up a boiling oil pot in an open space with the host holding chopsticks. Unexpectedly, the young prince remained cordial throughout, while Beimang was the first to attack.

These few Beimang barbarians, only four of them, knowing full well they faced Xu Fengnian, one of the four greatest martial grandmasters, still dared to attack on Xu’s territory, separated from Beimang’s Southern Court by the Beiliang Iron Cavalry. Their audacity and courage alone were truly commendable.

Mr. Bai Lian’s gaze remained fixed outside the pavilion. The wine in his cup rippled violently as he let out a soft sigh.

When Princess Qingluan looked back again, she did not see a head falling or blood splattering.

She only saw the Beiting Kheshig Guard Deputy Commander, who shared her surname, maintaining his posture of bringing the saber down. His entire being exuded power, like a fierce eagle that had just swooped down from the clouds, its talons suddenly gripping a wooden frame.

In contrast, the young prince appeared relaxed and at ease, holding his cup with two fingers of his right hand. He slowly raised it, and after lifting the cup, gave her a faint smile, an ordinary gesture, like a friendly toast between two friends.

However, the young prince’s left hand was raised high, four fingers naturally curved, with only his index finger precisely blocking the blade of the White Rainbow Saber in its golden peach-skin sheath.

This saber strike, with its unstoppable force, could not advance even a hair’s breadth after touching the young prince’s finger.

Perhaps the only proof of the saber’s formidable momentum was the tea-making maid’s hair, which wafted backward from beside the young prince.

Her slightly wavering hair was like a lotus flower in a pond.

After delivering what was arguably the most martial and meaningful strike of his life, this deputy commander, whose bravery was unrivaled among the Kheshig Guards of the grasslands, turned pale, his eyes filled with despair, and his lips trembled slightly.

Xu Fengnian’s finger, which had blocked the imperial saber of the Beimang royal family, flicked lightly. The White Rainbow Saber, now unsheathed from its golden peach-skin scabbard, flew out of the commander’s grasp with a thud, swiftly embedding itself into a pillar of the lakeside pavilion.

This Kheshig master, who intended to die yet was confident of success, disregarded whether the young prince understood the Beimang language and stammered, “Weren’t you severely wounded by Tuoba Pusa? And then, at Huaiyang Pass, you fought against Chen Zhibao again. Why are you completely unharmed now?!”

Fan Bainu’s hands were tightly clenched into fists on her lap, clear blue veins appearing on her snow-white skin. She looked up and angrily rebuked, “Yelu Canglang! Are you mad?! Why would you dare to assassinate the King of Beiliang without authorization?!”

The burly Kheshig guard was distraught and completely ignored the princess’s almost frantic reprimand, mumbling “This is impossible” over and over again.

He was confident that his saber strike had crossed the threshold of the Celestial Phenomenon realm. Against Xu Fengnian at the peak of his martial arts, it would, of course, be a laughable childish act. However, intelligence clearly indicated that the young prince’s current situation, while not precisely life-threatening, had left his divine physique almost shattered. Physically, he was arguably worse off than even ordinary martial artists who had entered the Finger-Profound realm, let alone a Buddhist Grand Vajra who had forged an indestructible golden body. He was like those Taoist masters who took shortcuts to ascension, seemingly possessing endless mystical arts, yet utterly vulnerable against pure martial artists who painstakingly advanced step by step.

After the Kheshig Guard Deputy Commander’s actions were exposed, one of the young Kheshig guards outside the pavilion could no longer bear the torment in his heart. His eyes immediately turned red, and with a roar, he brazenly drew his saber. However, his action lacked any momentum and instead conveyed a sense of sorrow.

But before the young Beimang death warrior could take four or five steps forward, Song Yu, who had already darted over, delivered a powerful kick to his waist from the side.

The body, instantly killed, flew sideways, remarkably giving onlookers the impression of drifting willow catkins.

Next, everyone present simultaneously looked towards the sole remaining Kheshig guard.

Song Yu’s gaze was cold, Yang Shenxing and Yang Huchen’s eyes were sharp, and Mr. Bai Lian, whose eyes were strained from reading, seemed to know better than to fruitlessly look outside. Instead, he put down his empty wine cup and smiled at the tea-making maid, who looked like a startled deer, as if asking her for a cup of tea.

The young Kheshig guard wore a pitiful expression, as if on the verge of tears.

Strange phenomena occurred.

Still not outside the pavilion, but inside, within arm’s reach of the young prince.

Xu Fengnian leaned back, barely dodging a vicious hand-chop.

The arm, with a section of its Shu embroidery sleeve exposed, was slender and beautiful, possessing a rounded ivory luster. But when her palm became a knife, it was filled with lethal intent.

Had that seemingly unassuming hand-chop struck the neck, it surely wouldn’t have been any gentler or more pleasant than being decapitated by the White Rainbow Saber.

Princess Qingluan, with a bewildered expression, stared at the seemingly harmless tea-making maid, who wore a faint smile. The elegant lingering charm in her eyes still carried the subtle fear she had deliberately feigned after the earlier incident.

With a twist of her wrist.

The hand-chop swept horizontally towards the young prince’s throat.

The next moment, Xu Fengnian grasped two arms, simultaneously blocking two hand-chops.

One hand-chop came from the tea-making maid, whose identity was mysterious.

And the owner of the other arm, even Song Yu, who knew Qingliang Mountain inside and out, probably hadn’t anticipated.

The Beimang princess’s eyes widened in disbelief. Unbeknownst to her, a young girl was standing beside her, one foot on the low table, her hand-chop seemingly a hair’s breadth from the temple of the maid sitting sideways.

Xu Fengnian didn’t look at the tea-making maid, who concealed murderous intent. Instead, he tilted his head back and smiled helplessly at the young girl, whose figure still held a childish innocence, saying, “In front of so many distinguished guests, a scene of blood splattering everywhere wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?”

The girl let out a mirthless chuckle, retracted her hand, darted backward, then leaped, grabbing onto the eaves of the lakeside pavilion with one hand. After a light flip, she disappeared from sight.

Only then did Xu Fengnian turn to the maid and ask, “What is your relationship with that ‘Little Thought, Half-Mask’ from Princess Tomb?”

This young maid, whose appearance was actually quite pleasing, still had gentle and graceful eyes, devoid of the usual sinister brutality of a typical assassin from the jianghu. Her gaze shifted, seeing the young prince’s hand gripping hers, and from the tips of his five fingers, drops of ink-black blood oozed.

She raised her pointed chin again, then noticed a purplish-gold mark appearing between the young prince’s brows, like an immortal opening their heavenly eye.

With a soft, mellow voice that sounded like the most authentic Jiangnan dialect, she chuckled softly, “Your Highness has impressive skills.”

Xu Fengnian simply smiled.

Dark blood, identical to that on Xu Fengnian’s fingertips, seeped from the corners of her mouth. With a look of relief on her face, she slowly closed her eyes.

After releasing her arm, Xu Fengnian supported her shoulder, letting her lie sideways on the huanghuali low table.

Like an ordinary maid, lazily asleep.

Xu Fengnian then took the place of the tea-making maid and handed Bai Yu a cup of fragrant Chunshui Lake tea.

Mr. Bai Lian took the teacup, sighed again, and drank it all in one gulp, as if drinking wine.

The Kheshig Guard Deputy Commander coldly observed all this. When the maid, whose true identity was very likely a female death warrior from Princess Tomb, made her move, he never had any intention of profiting from the chaos.

At this moment, he wore a look of proud defiance, showing no signs of begging for mercy. He spoke clearly, “Your Highness, will you take my life yourself, or have someone else do it?”

Xu Fengnian gestured for him to sit, then, with a Beimang official tone tinged with Gusei Province’s accent, he chuckled, “This time, I’m genuinely curious. Your family, Yelu Canglang, has always considered itself the legitimate branch of the Yelu surname. Haven’t you always regarded Yelu Hongcai and Yelu Dongchu, that grandfather and grandson, as enemies? You resent Yelu Hongcai, who served three emperors, for betraying the late emperor. And since you’re able to sit here now, you’re clearly a confidant of the Beimang Crown Prince. So why would you help them turn around and stab the Crown Prince in the back this time?”

Yelu Canglang, his expression fluctuating, hesitated before finally sitting down. He asked, puzzled, “Why does Your Highness think I allied with Yelu Hongcai and them? Isn’t it more reasonable to assume the assassination attempt on Your Highness came from the Beimang Crown Prince?”

Xu Fengnian avoided the question, asking instead, “Before drawing your saber today, had you not drawn it for at least two years?”

Yelu Canglang nodded.

Xu Fengnian’s lips curved upward. “And I also know that this unconventional saber technique, which emphasizes intent over brute force, must have been secretly taught to you by Tuoba Chunshun.”

Yelu Canglang’s mouth slightly agape, it was clear that the young prince, who seemed able to predict everything, had guessed correctly once more.

Xu Fengnian chuckled as he explained, “When I traveled the Liyang jianghu years ago, I often acted as a fortune teller. Not every time was I conning people.”

Yelu Canglang’s mouth twitched.

Xu Fengnian took a small sip of the green ant wine, narrowing his phoenix eyes, which now appeared even longer and more alluring. He smiled and asked, “Don’t believe me?”

The Kheshig Guard Deputy Commander, renowned across the grasslands, remained silent, half-believing, half-doubting.

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter, pointing a finger at himself. “Actually, it’s quite simple. The ancestor of your saber technique is not far, but right before your eyes.”

Perhaps no one noticed that when it came to jianghu matters, which were irrelevant to the grand affairs of the world, this young prince seemed much more unconstrained.

Yelu Canglang let out a surprised laugh. So that was it.

It was well-known throughout the grasslands that his family was close to Tuoba Pusa, the God of War, and he, in particular, had become a sworn brother to Tuoba Chunshun.

Yelu Canglang exhaled heavily and asked with a smile, “Your Highness still hasn’t told me how you knew my journey south was actually Yelu Dongchu’s intention?”

Xu Fengnian replied solemnly, “I only just learned it myself.”

Yelu Canglang’s expression froze, his chest heaving with indignation.

Yelu Canglang suddenly smiled, clasped his hands, and said in a deep voice, “This rash assassination attempt on Your Highness has nothing to do with Yelu Dongchu. It’s just that I, from afar on the grasslands, greatly admire Your Highness’s reputation as the foremost master of this age, and I simply couldn’t resist the audacity to draw my saber. That saber strike was originally intended for the competition for the Kheshig Guard Grand Commander position early next year, so I hope Your Highness will be magnanimous! I trust Your Highness understands the mindset of a martial arts enthusiast like me. If this trivial matter causes misunderstanding between the two princes and delays their grand ambition of dividing the world, Yelu Canglang would die ten thousand deaths without absolution!”

Xu Fengnian’s eyes held a playful look. Just as Yelu Canglang instinctively began to ponder the young prince’s hidden meaning, the burly man suddenly turned his head with difficulty, looking at the woman he considered insignificant.

Fan Bainu, the top horse-drummer of Beimang – none of that mattered. If he had succeeded in this endeavor, there would be no Princess Qingluan in the world; she would merely become a plaything in his bed.

Did that good-for-nothing Crown Prince dare to say no?

If Yelu Canglang were truly angered, once the Beimang court was turned upside down in the future, even the Crown Princess, who had won acclaim at the Qi Jian Le Fu with the poem title “Han Gu,” would be seized and taken!

But at this moment, Kheshig Guard Deputy Commander Yelu Canglang was clearly a dying man; a dagger had pierced his thick neck.

And the Beimang Princess, holding the dagger with both hands, swiftly pulled it out after successfully striking.

Her movements were swift and decisive, without any hesitation.

Yelu Canglang desperately clutched his gushing neck with one hand, while the other trembled as he pointed at the woman who shared his surname, even more ruthless than himself.

Fan Bainu gently put down the dagger, not even looking at Yelu Canglang. She gazed at the young prince across the low table. “Your Highness, now you and I can continue our original discussion! I will still facilitate that transaction between the Crown Prince and Your Highness, and now, it seems Your Highness has no other choice!”