Chapter 925: Respectful toast and penalty drink

A young swordsman staggered past the screen, about to loudly demand more jugs of Jiannanchun wine from the tavern waiter, when suddenly, as if a rope had tightened around his neck, he froze, staring intently at the woman standing only seven or eight paces away.

For a young man traversing the jianghu, meeting a Land Immortal is a matter of immense luck, as if smoke were rising from one's ancestral grave.

But to encounter a Land Immortal *and* a world-renowned fairy in the same day? That would require ancestors to practically climb out of their graves to sunbathe!

Yet, this very young swordsman, who had recently been kicked into the Longju River by a divine being, now truly beheld the jianghu's acknowledged fairy: Liu Nirong, leader of one of the world's top ten gangs and the preeminent figure in Beiliang jianghu.

He rubbed his eyes hard, his face instantly flushing crimson. He dared not take even half a step forward, as if a pool of thunder lay beneath his feet. Only after gathering his courage did he tremblingly ask, "May I ask if you are Gang Leader Liu?"

If fate were to grant him another opportunity, he vowed he would make sure his tongue was straight before speaking again.

The young woman, on her way to meet a group of distant dignitaries, paused at the sound. Her expression was calm as she asked, "Is something the matter?"

The young swordsman, a prominent figure in his hometown jianghu, blurted out, "Nothing at all!"

She merely offered a dismissive smile, then turned and departed.

Filled with self-reproach, he wished he could slap himself. Yet, emboldened by the wine, he slightly raised his voice, his eyes fixed on her graceful retreating figure, and stammered, "Gang Leader Liu, I am Song Guanxiang from Baling Commandery, a disciple of the Haoran Tower Master, the Azure Cicada Swordsman..."

The unattainable woman had already rounded the screen and entered the private room, quickly disappearing from his sight. He lacked the courage and audacity to shamelessly follow her. Perhaps, between men and women of similar age, only a mere ten-foot-tall Shu embroidery screen separated them. Yet, this highly skilled disciple of Haoran Tower in Baling Commandery knew full well that between himself and the seemingly close woman, there lay a chasm as vast as heaven and earth, as if yin and yang were truly separated.

Following the change of the Liyang era name from Yonghui to Xiangfu, a distinct watershed emerged in Liyang's jianghu. With the exception of the New King of Liang, who subtly bridged the gap between two generations of jianghu, the old and new eras of the jianghu became sharply defined. A vast cohort of senior grandmasters, including Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City, the Spring and Autumn Sword God Li Chungang, the Spring and Autumn Triple Scholar Huang Longshi, Human Cat Han Shengxuan, the Eleventh Under Heaven Wang Mingyin, and Song Nianqing of Dongyue Sword Pool, have all passed away. The fading from prominence of the Peach Blossom Sword God Deng Tai'a and the death of Grand Official Cao Changqing outside Tai'an City further sealed the fate of the Yonghui jianghu.

The current Xiangfu jianghu, in contrast, boasts a fresh spirit and widely celebrated figures. These include the purple-robed woman of Huishan, who, as a female, commands the heroes of the Central Plains, and the Twelve Xiangfu Champions and Four Sages under her leadership. It also encompasses the thriving new generation of sects such as Kuai Xue Villa by Spring God Lake, Jin Cuodao Villa, Jiagutai of Jiangnan Dao, and Youyan Villa. Prominent too is the young exiled immortal of the Taibai Sword Sect, who has made astonishing strides in swordsmanship, single-handedly propelling a second-rate sect into the top ten. And finally, there are captivating young beauties like Lin Hongyuan of the Southern Jiang Dragon Palace and Liu Hunxian of Jiagutai, who inspire countless heroes to fall at their feet.

Today's jianghu favors the new and forgets the old. When elders mention the Wu Family Sword Tomb, the source of all swordsmanship, younger generations dismissively claim that the exiled immortal of the Taibai Sword Sect, who broke through three martial realms in half a year, could surely level that 'thing' with just his sword. Similarly, when elders speak of Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City, who for sixty years proudly proclaimed himself the second greatest martial artist under heaven, the young might retort that the old man Wang was fortunate to die early. Otherwise, once martial arts prodigies like the Taibai Sword Sect's exiled immortal and the female master of Jin Cuodao Villa had refined their blade and sword skills for a few more years, even daring to call oneself the twentieth greatest would be seen as an act of extreme shamelessness.

Only the mention of the New King of Liang, who commands 300,000 iron cavalry, rarely elicits any doubt.

It's certain that if the young vassal king were to traverse the Liyang jianghu again, he would find it utterly unfamiliar.

This isn't a case of "thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river," but rather "three years east of the river, three years west of the river."

Liu Nirong had long grown numb to such inexplicable overtures. Initially, she would earnestly engage, adhering to her father's generation of jianghu elders who believed in treating others with sincerity and genuinely interacting with everyone as equals. However, after one painful lesson, she instinctively began to abandon those golden rules. Once, a talented young man from a Central Plains sect, whom she had only met once, publicly proclaimed he had fallen in love at first sight with her, the leader of the Fish Dragon Gang. This caused a massive uproar throughout Beiliang jianghu. Before she could even react, two secret enforcers from within her gang brutally murdered him, hanging his bloody head directly on a banner in the drill ground of the Fish Dragon Gang's Lingzhou headquarters. The sect of the young jianghu talent, punished for his words, not only refrained from seeking retribution but instead sent a secret letter to the Fish Dragon Gang, filled with carefully worded apologies. From that moment on, she truly grasped her standing.

Even if she trained in martial arts for another one or two hundred years, she would never make it onto the martial arts ranking. Yet, as long as the Fish Dragon Gang, with its membership numbers unrivaled in Liyang, continued to exist, she would remain one of the jianghu's most preeminent figures of power. This had nothing to do with her surname; the current jianghu was simply that snobbish. She knew her own beauty was far from being able to overthrow kingdoms, not comparing herself to enchanting beauties like Chen Yu or Jiang Ni, who graced the Rouge List, nor to Xuanyuan Qingfeng, the purple-robed woman of Huishan, whose appearance had transformed with her martial arts advancement. Even when compared to the other three women collectively hailed as the Four Fairies of Liyang – Lin Hongyuan of Dragon Palace, Tong Shanchan, the master of Jin Cuodao Villa, and Liu Hunxian of Jiagutai – Liu Nirong admitted her own looks and demeanor lagged far behind. Now, amidst her busy schedule, she occasionally found time to muse, realizing that those jianghu men, seemingly heroic and loyal, admired and coveted 'Liu Nirong' merely for her status. Even if she were less attractive or possessed a violent, unpredictable temperament, countless individuals would still eagerly become her devoted followers. Therefore, she increasingly longed for her younger self, the one who, out of sheer desperation, had become a caravan escort in Beiliang – that naive jianghu novice who was ignorant of everything.

After Liu Nirong rounded the screen, she quickly dismissed her whimsical thoughts. Facing the four distinguished guests from Southern Jiang who had traveled a long distance, she, as the undisputed local power, did not immediately take her seat. Instead, she offered a fist-and-palm salute and apologized, "I was delayed for two days on the road, making Palace Master Lin wait."

The man closest to the Fish Dragon Gang leader was precisely the bladesman who commanded the deepest respect from Commander Qian of the Imperial Forest Army. Though he had already detected the four distinct auras behind Liu Nirong when she ascended the stairs, and even as she now stood beside him, this bladesman remained seemingly oblivious, continuing to drink and eat. However, he did loosen his grip on his blade's hilt, presumably signaling that he was not a hostile presence. As for whether Liu Nirong understood or appreciated this gesture, the elderly man, despite his advanced age, with a full head of black hair, was entirely indifferent. Indeed, he had every right to be.

For he was Mao Shulang.

As one of the few contemporary grandmasters of blademanship, and an elder who had personally witnessed the glorious era of the Thirteen Spring and Autumn Armor, he was once, at his peak, known as "North Li, South Mao," alongside Li Chungang. Regrettably, he lost the two most crucial battles of his life. In the blade-versus-sword contest, he was defeated by Li Chungang – a battle many old jianghu figures considered a destined clash between blade and sword. Later, Gu Jiantang rose to prominence, challenging Mao Shulang as he advanced southward. In this contest for the title of the world's foremost blademaster, while Mao Shulang's physique remained largely unharmed, his once almost perfected, unblemished state of mind was shattered. From that day, he completely sealed his blade. Over the past two decades, while rising talents have bravely forged ahead in martial arts, Mao Shulang has seemingly trudged through mud, regressing from the young, peerless bladesman of Southern Jiang to a mere shadow, a figure so diminished that even the battle-hardened warrior Wang Tongshan dared to scoff at him. The old man never uttered a single word about his plight to the jianghu.

The woman, whom Liu Nirong addressed as Lin Hongyuan, smiled charmingly and slowly rose, saying, "Gang Leader Liu is too polite. The Fish Dragon Gang boasts tens of thousands of members, unlike my Dragon Palace, which at most has a mere three hundred. It's even difficult for us to find things to do. For Gang Leader Liu to spare time from her immense busy schedule to meet with us, Lin Hongyuan is already profoundly grateful."

Cheng Baishuang, widely recognized as Southern Jiang's top master after Mao Shulang, offered a helpless smile. He clearly knew that Lin Hongyuan, his proud protege, had always looked down upon Liu Nirong, the leader of the Fish Dragon Gang. He had heard that during their last expedition to the Western Regions with the purple-robed woman of Huishan to encircle and annihilate the six demon lords, Lin Hongyuan had already repeatedly displayed subtle hints of antagonism towards Liu Nirong in public. As for the underlying reasons for such unspoken feminine thoughts, Cheng Baishuang, who vaguely knew some inside information, naturally preferred not to meddle. Furthermore, both by sentiment and by reason, he felt compelled to protect Lin Hongyuan, whom he had practically watched grow up.

However, Ji Liu'an, the chief guest elder of the Southern Jiang Dragon Palace, frowned and said in a deep voice, "Palace Master, do not delay important matters. Our trip to Beiliang should, by rights, have taken us to Lingzhou first to meet Gang Leader Liu. It was the Palace Master who unilaterally altered our itinerary, insisting on personally seeing that eunuch in Tai'an City. How can you now, in turn, blame Gang Leader Liu?"

Lin Hongyuan glanced at Liu Nirong and said with a beaming smile, "Uncle Ji, Gang Leader Liu would hardly stoop to my level."

The four masters who had successively joined the Fish Dragon Gang as enforcers behind Liu Nirong all showed varying degrees of anger. After all, just as the imperial court upheld the principle of 'when the lord is humiliated, the minister dies,' the jianghu similarly observed the rule of 'don't strike someone in the face.' Lin Hongyuan had repeatedly used thinly veiled barbs to mock Gang Leader Liu Nirong, and the Fish Dragon Gang's masters had long harbored resentment. Moreover, the Fish Dragon Gang, especially those of superior status, also nursed a deep grievance. While the jianghu respected the numerous and powerful Fish Dragon Gang, they generally believed the gang lacked a truly formidable master. For example, the Southern Jiang Dragon Palace boasted two great masters, the old Palace Master and Ji Liu'an. Huishan Daxueping had a Heaven Elephant realm grandmaster like Huang Fangfo. The Taibai Sword Sect's astonishingly talented sword genius alone commanded universal respect. Jiagutai also had the Music Sage, one of the Four Sages, and the female master of Jin Cuodao Villa could single-handedly turn the tide. Though Youyan Villa lacked a top grandmaster to dominate the jianghu, the re-forging of the Dragon Rock Sword Furnace had allowed it to forge strong alliances with various heroes and cultivate deep ties within the jianghu – connections far superior to those of the Fish Dragon Gang, isolated in a remote corner of the northwest. As for the Spring Post Thatched Hut in Western Shu, merely imagining the white-clad man behind Xie Xie, a beauty ranked on the Rouge List, was enough to silence any potential criticism. It was, therefore, the Fish Dragon Gang's perceived lack of top masters that was its most fatal weakness. Back when the leaders of the Central Plains jianghu's righteous path joined forces to pursue six demonic figures who dared to steal secret manuals from Daxueping, many ridiculous incidents also arose amidst that stirring tide of justice. One notable instance involved Dou Changfeng, recently ranked among the jianghu's ten most talented individuals. After a confrontation with Fish Dragon Gang members, he famously declared a statement that subsequently spread throughout the Central Plains jianghu: "What's so impressive about the Fish Dragon Gang having so many people?"

Thus, when Lin Hongyuan "praised" the Fish Dragon Gang's tens of thousands of members in front of Liu Nirong, despite Liu Nirong's calm demeanor, a burly guest elder in his prime had already stepped forward from behind her. Even though Liu Nirong attempted to intervene, he disregarded her, strode to the table, and placing a hand on the surface, sneered, "I hear the Dragon Palace boasts a sword grandmaster named Ji Liu'an, whose swordsmanship is extraordinary, quite remarkable! Even Wang Tongshan, who was summarily slapped to death by our Lord, bragged that Ji Liu'an could be considered half a master?"

Ji Liu'an, who wore a heavy sword at each hip, suddenly narrowed his eyes. "I am indeed Ji Liu'an, the 'half-master'."

The burly man stared at Ji Liu'an, his smile not reaching his eyes. "So, it is you. A guest is a guest, so I, 'Stone-Splitting Hand' Zhao Shanhong, shall offer you a toast!"

With a light press on the tabletop, the table remained utterly still. Yet, the wine cup before Ji Liu'an, still half-filled with green ant wine, shattered with a sudden crack. The fragments did not scatter in all directions but fell simultaneously, remaining within an inch of the cup's original position. Astonishingly, the half-cup of green ant wine remained perfectly cohesive. This show of force left a profound impression.

Lin Hongyuan completely ignored the display. Her sideways glance at Liu Nirong held unconcealed schadenfreude, as if to say that Liu Nirong, as gang leader, was indeed nothing more than a decorative vase, unable to even control an enforcer who should have been a trusted confidant.

To Lin Hongyuan's silent, opportunistic provocation, Liu Nirong remained impassive.

After witnessing this scene, Cheng Baishuang, whose appearance was as refined as an aged scholar, secretly regarded Liu Nirong, who seemed as placid as a clay Buddha, with newfound respect.

Ji Liu'an chuckled, "Since it's a toast, I, Ji, cannot possibly refuse. I'll drink this cup."

Ji Liu'an extended two fingers held together and lightly tapped the table's edge. The fragments instantly floated, reassembling into a perfectly intact, brand-new wine cup. Ji Liu'an gently picked up the cup, raised it slightly, and then drained it in one gulp. After casually setting down the cup, Ji Liu'an smiled, "Having finished the toast, I now find myself rather keen on drinking a forfeit."

Before joining the Fish Dragon Gang as an enforcer, 'Stone-Splitting Hand' Zhao Shanhong had held the title of Jizhou's top underworld master for a decade. Had it not been for Yuan Tingshan, the 'mad dog' who then served as Jizhou's general, sweeping away his painstakingly accumulated fortune and over two hundred brothers—all skilled archers and horsemen, no less capable than Liaodong's elite cavalry—in a single night, how could Zhao Shanhong, who had enjoyed over ten years as a comfortable local despot, have been reduced to fleeing into Beiliang like a stray dog? Although he had been much more law-abiding over the past year, old habits die hard. Zhao Shanhong was notoriously unruly within the Fish Dragon Gang. While his seat among the more than thirty enforcers and guest elders was not prominent, he and several other influential figures of similar strength and temperament had virtually established their own factions within the Fish Dragon Gang, growing increasingly arrogant. Otherwise, Zhao Shanhong would not have so brazenly disregarded Liu Nirong's attempts to stop him in front of these outsiders from the Dragon Palace.

Zhao Shanhong grinned sinisterly, "A toast is merely a token. But a forfeit? That won't be so easy to swallow!"

Liu Nirong finally turned her head and said coldly, "Zhao Shanhong!"

Zhao Shanhong completely disregarded the nominal leader of the Fish Dragon Gang, merely twisting his wrist slightly and fixing his gaze on Ji Liu'an.

At that very moment, the youngest of Liu Nirong's four attendants made a move that neither the Fish Dragon Gang nor the Dragon Palace could have possibly anticipated.

Standing behind 'Stone-Splitting Hand' Zhao Shanhong, he delivered a swift punch to the back of the latter's waist. The immense 'inch-force' almost instantaneously permeated Zhao Shanhong's waist.

Although Zhao Shanhong was a notoriously wicked individual, he was undeniably a rare martial arts prodigy. In his early years, armed with merely a mediocre boxing manual, he painstakingly honed his external martial arts to a state of near perfection. Later, by sheer serendipity, he acquired a partial, lost cultivation method from Longhu Mountain, which led him to Daoist breathing exercises and body nourishment, cultivating both internal and external arts. Despite his outstanding talent, Zhao Shanhong's martial arts realm was limited to that of a second-grade minor grandmaster due to innate physical limitations. Nevertheless, he was considered a second-grade anomaly, largely embodying the Diamond realm with a touch of the Finger Profound, possessing formidable combat power. Thus, when the young enforcer behind him launched a sudden, unannounced attack, Zhao Shanhong instinctively tensed his back. Almost simultaneously with the punch striking his lower back, he swiftly took three small, almost imperceptible steps forward. Yet, even after exerting his utmost to dissipate the immense force, the burly Zhao Shanhong still swayed a few times. He bent down, pulled out a chair, and smoothly sat. He poured himself half a cup of wine and, as he lowered his head to drink, first discreetly spat out a mouthful of clotted blood into the cup, then swallowed both the blood and the wine.

It must be said that Zhao Shanhong, habitually ruthless towards others, was equally merciless towards himself.

Zhao Shanhong wiped his mouth, turned his head, his eyes bloodshot, and gritted his teeth. "After all, it's always one's own kin who are truly considerate; they made me drink a fine cup of wine!"

The young enforcer calmly replied, "I'll treat you to a few more drinks back at our place; there'll be plenty to go around."

Surprise flashed in Liu Nirong's eyes. She recalled that this taciturn young enforcer had always been a solitary figure within the Fish Dragon Gang, never forming factions, and thus his influence was far less than that of the more cliquish individuals like Zhao Shanhong. Currently, numerous factions existed within the Fish Dragon Gang. The two elders behind her were her trusted confidants, though this trust was relative, especially when compared to the young enforcer or 'Stone-Splitting Hand' Zhao Shanhong, who had maintained a detached stance until today. Otherwise, the two elders would not have stood idly by when Zhao Shanhong pushed his luck. Generally, however, on internal gang matters, the two elders were always in agreement with Liu Nirong as gang leader. Zhao Shanhong, meanwhile, led three factions, each comprising four or five enforcers and guest elders who were closely aligned and frequently challenged Liu Nirong. The remaining two groups had also formed alliances; though small in number, their influence was considerable. One was privately known as the 'Liang Blade faction,' maintaining strong ties with the local military families in Lingzhou. The other was jokingly referred to as the 'Civil Official faction,' previously loyal only to Song Yan, the former Lingzhou assistant governor. Now, after Song Yan's departure and promotion to Youzhou, they were on very good terms with the new Lingzhou governor Chang Sui.

Fish Dragon Gang, indeed a true mix of fish and dragons. The name Liu Nirong's father had chosen for the gang years ago had become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

However, having learned from past lessons, the Fish Dragon Gang had, in recent years, purged a large number of powerful figures. Consequently, ambitious and ruthless individuals like Zhao Shanhong still harbored some apprehension and dared not completely alienate Liu Nirong. While those currently holding power within the Fish Dragon Gang could ascertain that Liu Nirong certainly had no ambiguous relationship with the young vassal king, it was clear to anyone that for such a massive organization, boasting nearly thirty thousand members, not only the Longqing County government but also the Lingzhou Prefectural Residence and Qingliang Mountain likely had dedicated personnel monitoring the Fish Dragon Gang. This was the true reason why individuals like Zhao Shanhong lacked the audacity to act as they pleased. Should Qingliang Mountain, whom even the Liyang imperial court could only tolerate, be provoked – and not even by the young vassal king, one of the four grandmasters of the martial arts rankings, personally taking action, nor by mobilizing cavalry within Beiliang – simply a strike from the Fushui Chamber or Yangying Chamber would be enough. They wouldn't even need to deploy their full strength; a mere hundred elite members would suffice. It was widely believed that the Fish Dragon Gang would disintegrate in the blink of an eye, its members scattering like monkeys from a fallen tree, each going their own way – assuming, of course, they weren't already on the assassination list of those spies and assassins.

Ultimately, as the Central Plains said, the Fish Dragon Gang lacked a 'Sea-Stabilizing Needle' – a figure capable of subduing all other heroes. Indeed, shrewd individuals within the Fish Dragon Gang secretly pondered why Qingliang Mountain didn't simply find someone to replace Liu Nirong, whose cultivation was merely ordinary and whose methods lacked the necessary ruthlessness and strength.

Otherwise, that individual would only need to reveal their affiliation with Qingliang Mountain, and even if they were more useless than Liu Nirong, who would dare not obediently bow down and obey? Forget about undermining them or making things difficult; they wouldn't even have time to grovel.

This was a point Liu Nirong herself couldn't fathom.

She initially believed that individual desired an easily controllable underground dynasty in Beiliang. Yet, as the Fish Dragon Gang continued to flourish, that person never reclaimed what was essentially his own cultivated crop.

Therefore, Liu Nirong had no idea what that individual was truly thinking. Was it a long game to catch a bigger fish? But with the second Liang-Mang war looming, Qingliang Mountain showed no signs of forcibly conscripting the Fish Dragon Gang's able-bodied members from beginning to end. Did they truly hope the Fish Dragon Gang would stubbornly defend Beiliang after the Northern Mang cavalry broke through Jubei City?

Liu Nirong felt a touch of despondency.

Towards this jianghu, so vastly different from the one she had envisioned in her youth.