Chapter 934: Nowadays There Are Also Fools in the Jianghu

Fan Xiaochai's hand, gripping the saber, trembled slightly.

Even when facing Mi Fengjie, who surpassed her in both martial arts prowess and combat experience, Fan Xiaochai had never felt such a profound sense of dread. The crucial point was that she believed herself to be fearless of death.

The enigmatic young swordsman didn't seize the opportunity to attack. Instead, he turned to the tea stall owner and called out, "Three more bowls of calming soup, please."

Xu Fengnian smiled, "Impressive."

Xu Fengnian told Fan Xiaochai, "There's no need to be nervous; this young man means no harm."

Fan Xiaochai's face was pale, and her eyes grew even more somber.

Once the tea stall owner placed the three bowls of calming soup on the table, the man nodded and said, "Of course, I mean no harm. Ever since I entered the martial world, I've always imagined marrying Xuanyuan Ziyi of Huishan's Daxieping and becoming an immortal couple. But after seeing this young lady, I realize that woman is certainly destined to miss out on a good match like me."

Xu Fengnian found himself repeating, "Impressive."

The man then turned to Fan Xiaochai, speaking considerately, "If you wish to kill me, young lady, that's fine. But it would be best if you drink your tea first, then we can find a quiet, spacious place. I promise I won't resist; you can strike me with your saber as you please."

Fan Xiaochai took a deep breath, her fingers tightening their grip on the saber hilt. She gritted her teeth and snarled, "Are you looking for death?!"

The man then gave an utterly unexpected and absurd answer. With an incredibly serious expression, he declared, "I'm looking for you."

Fan Xiaochai's eyes flashed with a fearless resolve, and she recklessly drew her saber from its sheath. Just as the tip of the blade fully emerged and her aura reached its peak,

The young swordsman, whose face had been impassive until now, unprecedentedly offered a slight smile. He leaned forward slightly towards Fan Xiaochai, holding two fingers of his left hand together. In a flash, he pointed them at the center of her forehead, stopping about an inch away.

This quiet motion carried profound significance.

Fan Xiaochai rapidly leaned back, attempting to evade the impending threat.

But after he relaxed his fingers, his palm gently pressed on her shoulder.

A shocking trickle of scarlet blood seeped from the corner of Fan Xiaochai's mouth.

Xu Fengnian narrowed his eyes.

The man's technique was truly remarkable. Its brilliance lay not in a surprising move or overwhelming aura, but in the profound depth of his intent.

Fan Xiaochai raised her arm and casually wiped away the blood.

The young swordsman still held her shoulder, his smile gone, and spoke earnestly, "Young lady, when it comes to grand auras, whether it's noble righteousness or malevolent viciousness, both are powerful. The difference is that the former is like this post road, where several riders can go side by side without issue, while the latter is a narrow plank bridge with barely enough room to stand, making it difficult to turn back. When a person's inner turmoil accumulates, it becomes difficult to resolve. Why do people say one must 'speak out what's on their mind'? This is the very principle. Our martial cultivation, whether with saber, sword, or fist, is a long-term endeavor. How can one reach the summit in a single burst? Even if you are a Land Immortal, in a life-or-death battle, you still need to draw a fresh breath."

Fan Xiaochai's lips were tightly sealed.

In fact, her mouth was already full of clotted blood at that moment; she couldn't even utter the word "scram."

Yet, she refused to spit it out.

If Xu Fengnian, the King of Beiliang, was the person she most wanted to kill in her life, then this fellow standing before her, whose brain seemed to have been kicked by a donkey more than once, could easily rank second – surpassing even Chu Lushan, who had personally turned her into a Fushui House assassin years ago!

Xu Fengnian sighed. He picked up one of the freshly delivered bowls of calming soup, poured more than half into the previously emptied bowl, and then offered it to Fan Xiaochai.

She hesitated for a moment before taking the white bowl, shaking off the man's hand from her shoulder. She turned away, lowered her head, and spat blood into the bowl before drinking the tea soup, blood and all, in one gulp.

Perhaps, apart from Xu Fengnian, among the martial artists at the nearby tables, only Li Houzhong, the Spear Saint of Xuelu, grasped some of the hidden meaning.

Even to Lu Jiejun of Misty Peak and the boxing master Feng Zongxi, the young swordsman's move appeared to be nothing more than mere speed, without any particular marvel to it.

As for everyone else, they were utterly bewildered.

The young swordsman watched Fan Xiaochai's retreating back, about to speak but then holding back, ultimately saying nothing.

He turned to Xu Fengnian and asked, "You are either an ordinary person who has never practiced martial arts, or a master of qi cultivation. Otherwise, I wouldn't fail to detect the unique flow of your inner energy. But since you have the audacity to openly carry a Liang saber and are accompanied by... this young lady, I presume your identity is not simple. So..."

Xu Fengnian quietly awaited his next words.

This time, however, the young swordsman once again did not disappoint. "Then, may I be so bold as to ask for this young lady's esteemed name?"

Xu Fengnian smiled faintly. "Her former name was Fan Xiaochai, using the character for 'hairpin.' Now she is called Fan Xiaochai, using the character for 'firewood.'"

The man nodded. "Just as I suspected, both are excellent names!"

Xu Fengnian was speechless.

After all these years wandering the martial world, had he finally met an opponent with a comparable level of shamelessness?

Back in his own most destitute days in the martial world, at least he had relied on his looks, in addition to his shamelessness, when charming village women for water — a tactic that was virtually undefeated. But this man before him relied solely on his audacious thick skin.

The man thought for a moment. "Never mind, I originally wanted to ask you something, but I don't need to now. It doesn't matter anymore whether I go to Wudang Mountain or not."

Xu Fengnian, who already knew the young swordsman's identity, smiled and asked, "Why doesn't it matter? Are you really not going to compete with the King of Beiliang?"

The young swordsman's face was filled with surprise. "You know who I am?"

Xu Fengnian nodded.

He rubbed his chin and then, enlightened, said, "It's truly not easy that you could guess my identity just from my appearance. But then again, it's also quite reasonable."

Xu Fengnian began to somewhat understand Fan Xiaochai's feelings.

Fan Xiaochai had already turned back around, placing the white bowl on the table. She glared intently at the man. "I will kill you!"

The man showed neither mockery nor annoyance. He simply grinned, a bright, sunny expression on his face. "As you wish."

Xu Fengnian asked curiously, "You're not joking?"

The man sat up straight and said solemnly, "I never joke with anyone! Shouldn't truly liking someone be a matter of love at first sight? I believe it's not about enduring together that makes one fall in love with someone, but rather, one falls in love first, and then endures together. What, you don't believe me?"

Xu Fengnian looked at the young man's face, feeling a little dazed.

He thought of the old man in the sheepskin coat and the Green Robed Old Man of Fengdu.

It seemed that even in the current martial world, there were still such infatuated individuals.

Irrational, and no need for rationality.

Xu Fengnian smiled and said softly, "I believe you."

Fan Xiaochai asked expressionlessly, "Who are you?!"

Xu Fengnian couldn't help but rub his forehead. Sure enough, the man opposite him had once again begun to wound others with his words. "Miss Xiaochai, I like you, and whether you like me or not is irrelevant."

Then he winked at Fan Xiaochai. "If one day I stop liking you, don't be surprised."

Fan Xiaochai's emotions were on the verge of collapse. She roared, "Who exactly are you?!"

It was only then that the young swordsman finally placed his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist. With clear eyes, he looked at her and smiled, "Chen Tianyuan, from the Taibai Sword Sect!"

He paused for a moment, then declared loudly, "Therefore! The only time I will stop liking you is when Chen Tianyuan's sword breaks!"

At the nearby tables, every young man and woman who happened to be drinking tea or chewing on pastries instantly spat them out.

The Taibai Sword Sect's Banished Immortal, Chen Tianyuan!

In the martial world of the past century, with countless talents emerging, Chen Tianyuan was still the undisputed individual with the highest swordplay talent since Li Chungang, the Spring Autumn Sword Armor! He also achieved breakthroughs the fastest!

Lu Jiejun and Feng Zongxi both quietly glanced at Li Houzhong, the Spear Saint of Xuelu, who subtly nodded in confirmation.

It must be the one from the Taibai Sword Sect.

Toad Face and Thin-lipped Beauty, sitting at the same table as the three seniors, exchanged glances.

Hadn't it been said that the Banished Immortal of the Taibai Sword Sect, upon his first appearance in the martial world, became famous throughout the land with his white robes, white horse, and white-sheathed long sword?

And wasn't it said that this Banished Immortal's bearing was like that of a celestial deity?

Xu Fengnian slowly raised his tea bowl, not rushing to drink. He gazed into the distance, lost in thought.

This person, at this moment, in this setting.

And the scenes when others had departed.

He remembered a grumpy old man who liked to pick his feet, grumbling, "What 'old' Sword God! He's *the* Sword God!"

He remembered a penniless young wandering swordsman with a wooden sword, who had grandly declared, "If one day a peerless swordsman named Wen appears in the martial world, have no doubt, that will be me!"

Some were no longer in this world.

Some were no longer in the martial world.

And some were still right before his eyes.

Snapping back to reality, Xu Fengnian set down his tea bowl and called out to the trembling tea stall owner, "Do you have any Green Ant Wine? Bring two pots!"

Brewing alcohol was now forbidden within the Beiliang territory, so freshly brewed Green Ant Wine was unavailable at any tavern or restaurant, big or small. Most of what was served was aged cellar stock from previous years. This particular tea stall, seizing the opportunity to cater to visiting martial artists – as a bowl of calming soup only cost a few coppers, far less profitable than selling wine – had specially purchased some relatively crude aged Green Ant Wine from a restaurant. Four or five jars remained, and two were brought over for their table. Currently, one jar cost about as much as four jars of Green Ant Wine did in previous years. Fortunately, Beiliang had no tradition of watering down their wine; while the quality of Green Ant Wine varied, it was always authentic. As martial artists from the Central Plains flocked to Wudang Mountain, someone had started the saying, "If you don't drink Green Ant Wine, you've come to Beiliang for nothing."

Chen Tianyuan asked, "Are you treating?"

Xu Fengnian nodded. "You treated me to calming soup, and I'll treat you to Green Ant Wine in return. What's wrong with that?"

Chen Tianyuan replied seriously, "Nothing wrong, except I don't drink alcohol."

Xu Fengnian said, surprised, "Are there swordsmen in this world who don't drink?"

Chen Tianyuan pointed to himself, stating with an air of absolute certainty, "I am."

Xu Fengnian looked at the two jars of Green Ant Wine on the table, feeling a little awkward.