Chapter 967: Lu Qiuer

The sky was vast, the clouds hung low, and the setting sun cast a particularly brilliant evening glow. Less than a hundred horsemen galloped north, beneath a sky that seemed draped in the most magnificent and vibrant Shu brocade.

As the cavalry neared Chongzhong Military Town, scattered groups of Northern Barbarian scouts could be seen stopping their horses on elevated ground. After sizing up the vast disparity in numbers, none of them initiated a charge. The Liangzhou rangers had genuinely instilled fear in the Northern Barbarian scouts. Three elite scout units had been almost entirely wiped out, and two key generals, Hong Jingyan, co-leader of the Rouran Iron Cavalry, and Yelü Chucai, an imperial relative, had fallen in battle. Although the southern border command was aware that all ranger units had been redeployed to the Liuzhou battlefield, the principle of 'once bitten, twice shy' held true, and they dared not be complacent. Murong Baoding, Governor-General of Orange State and a principal commander in the Northern Barbarian southern campaign, had issued strict orders to his scouts: retreat immediately upon encountering the enemy, with no penalty for withdrawing without a fight. However, any who dared to engage in unauthorized combat faced severe consequences: if a single scout in a squad was killed or wounded, the squad leader would be immediately executed; if three or more scouts in a company were killed, both the squad leader and company commander would be put to death!

The hundred-plus riders, not clad in the iron armor of the Beiliang border army, paid no heed to the Orange State scouts who had approached cautiously before reluctantly retreating. They pressed on relentlessly northward, bypassing Chongzhong Military Town and continuing along its outer perimeter.

In this peculiar cavalry formation, advancing northward two abreast in a long line, the vast majority—around eighty riders—were armed with swords, clearly not Beiliang border troops, who would never casually draw their sabers. One rider, spurring his horse, drew alongside the only knight ahead who wore a Liangzhou saber at his waist, and remarked irritably: "Xu, even mosquito legs are meat! We've sporadically encountered numerous groups of Northern Barbarian scouts along the way. If you'd allowed us to engage, we could have easily taken out forty or fifty of them. What's the matter? Has your Qingliang Mountain truly become so destitute that you've sold everything and can't even afford the rewards for such military achievements? Even if we owe the silver, killing forty or fifty Northern Barbarian scouts might save lives among your Liangzhou cavalry outside the pass. How can you possibly be the King of Beiliang?!"

Xu Fengnian gazed straight ahead, continuing to scan the northern horizon. Without slowing his warhorse, he patiently explained: "Dong Zhuo's main army is on the verge of attacking Huaiyang Pass. Even a brief delay here could mean Beiliang..."

Wu Liuding, the current Sword Master of the Wu Family Sword Mound, cut off the young prince bluntly: "Even if you arrive at Huaiyang Pass sooner, can you actually move the entire pass to Jubei City? Huaiyang Pass and the Protectorate General's office don't have legs; they aren't going anywhere. Ultimately, it seems that after becoming a Grandmaster of Martial Arts, you've grown too arrogant, looking down on those scouts. You only have eyes for the likes of Tuoba Pusa and Hong Jingyan, otherwise, you wouldn't be bothered to intervene, would you?"

Not far behind them, a Wu Family swordsman remarked with a sneer: "A Grandmaster should indeed possess a grandmaster's demeanor. The Prince holds himself high, and he has every right to. What's amiss with that? Would a Land Immortal stoop to crush hundreds or thousands of ants, even if it meant dirtying the soles of his shoes?"

Wu Liuding rolled his eyes, deeming it beneath him to contend with the fierce individual behind them. There was no helping it; even within the Wu Family Sword Mound, a place where their family's sword arts were considered paramount, only their Ancestor had ever managed to somewhat subdue that Demon Zhu. Though Wu Liuding was supremely confident that he would one day become the greatest swordsman, he had to concede that, compared to Zhu Huang, he still had some way to go in both cultivation and mastery. The Wu family ancestors had long ago decreed a family rule: the power of one's sword qi determined the weight of one's arguments. While Wu Liuding was not easily offended, he wouldn't stoop to a verbal spat with Zhu Huang. However, if Cuihua, who carried the ancient sword Suwang, were to team up with him, Wu Liuding truly believed he could beat that Demon Zhu into a pulp. Regrettably, as a sword attendant, Cuihua was strictly forbidden from participating in duels between the Sword Master and other martial artists, a rigid rule of the Wu family for eight hundred years. To put it bluntly, a sword attendant's primary role was to retrieve the Sword Master's body should he fall.

Xu Fengnian smiled and shook his head, offering no further explanation. Attempting to explain certain internal Beiliang affairs to these austere Wu family swordsmen—whose ancestors' legacy was 'not seeking city-linking jade, but only swords that kill'—would be futile, like talking to a brick wall.

Xu Fengnian's mood was far heavier than it appeared. Chu Lushan refused to abandon Huaiyang Pass, sending Jubei City a single message: "Whether I, Chu Lushan, am present at Huaiyang Pass or not, the situation on the battlefield beyond Liangzhou Pass will be completely altered."

Xu Fengnian understood the implication, but he still wished to make one final appeal, to persuade him in person. He sought to meet Lu Qiu'er, the adopted son of 'The Butcher,' not as the prince commanding three hundred thousand Beiliang Iron Cavalry, nor to see the Beiliang Protector-General, but simply as Xu Xiao's eldest legitimate son. His relentless journey stemmed from Xu Fengnian's acute awareness that once Dong Zhuo personally appeared outside Huaiyang Pass, Chu Lushan would be even less likely to depart. Xu Fengnian couldn't simply knock Chu Lushan unconscious and forcibly return him to Jubei City; such an act would be utterly pointless.

As for why he hadn't left the eighty riders from the Wu Family Sword Mound behind to rush to Huaiyang Pass alone, the reasons were somewhat complex. Amidst life's myriad complexities, true peace of mind is the most elusive. As they neared the arduous and winding southern entrance to Huaiyang Pass, it wasn't just the seemingly bored Wu Liuding by the young prince's side, nor merely Nalan Huaiyu, the 'Rouge Ranking' beauty who occasionally stole glances at the prince's back; even Cuihua, a woman whose pure sword heart had reached the realm of spiritual insight, sensed Xu Fengnian's unusual emotional state. Huaiyang Pass was renowned as the most perilous strategic point outside Liangzhou Pass, largely due to the narrow, winding, and rugged mountain paths of its southern entrance, which effectively secured its rear.

Perhaps sensing an issue with his own mental state, Xu Fengnian suddenly turned to Wu Liuding and asked with a smile: "I've heard that over the past twenty years, your family's Ancestor assessed the Sword Mound swordsmen. He said that besides Deng Tai'a having the strongest innate killing aura, Zhu Huang harbored the deepest murderous intent, and Cuihua possessed the profoundest killing will. So what about you, Wu Liuding, as the Sword Master?"

Wu Liuding shamelessly declared: "Me? Clearly, I possess the finest constitution and the greatest talent!"

Zhu Huang, sitting astride his horse with his arms crossed, scoffed and let out an impolite, derisive laugh.

Xu Fengnian chuckled: "Wu Liuding, don't presume I'm inexperienced. Putting aside others, I've encountered several natural sword embryos myself, such as the charcoal vendor from Guanyin Sect and Chen Tianyuan from Taibai Sword Sect; their innate constitutions are clearly superior to yours."

Wu Liuding simply 'Oh-ed' and said nonchalantly: "I still possess the highest talent, what is there to fear? My Ancestor told me when I was very young that a once-in-a-century sword genius like myself, whose sword path ascends, cannot be measured by conventional theories and doesn't adhere to gradual progress."

Xu Fengnian chuckled softly.

Wu Liuding glared at the young prince, then said earnestly: "Xu, think back. When you and I first met on the Great River, what cultivation realm was I in? Merely a passable pseudo-Finger-Profound. Yet, even then, I was already making a name for myself in the martial world as the Sword Master. What do you think I relied on?"

Xu Fengnian smiled teasingly: "Your looks?"

Wu Liuding paused for a moment, then his face broke into a radiant smile. He reached up and rubbed his cheek, saying, "That's true!"

Cuihua, the sword attendant who had remained with her eyes closed in contemplation, sighed softly.

The elderly man named Helian, whose hair and beard were white as snow, chuckled softly: "My Lord, our young master isn't exaggerating about this. There was once a strange, unknown physiognomist at the Sword Mound who 'read the bones' of young Liuding to foresee his future. He claimed Liuding would experience three 'carp leaps over the dragon gate' in his life. The first occurred when Liuding was young and first entered Sword Mountain. At the time, almost everyone doubted this lazy, lackadaisical child could even draw a sword. Yet, to their astonishment, he not only drew one but also caused twelve swords to simultaneously acknowledge him as their master—a rare phenomenon in the Wu family's long history. After this, Liuding, who was already inconsistent in his sword practice, became even more perfunctory. It wasn't until the Sword Mound was choosing a new Sword Master that Liuding, who had been stuck at the third rank, not even reaching the minor grandmaster realm, suddenly comprehended several Finger-Profound sword techniques..."

Wu Liuding burst out laughing: "Now that's what I call genius, isn't it? If I truly applied myself to sword practice, just imagine what I could achieve!"

Xu Fengnian, for once, acknowledged him with an 'hmm,' but his next remark completely deflated Wu Liuding: "If I'm not mistaken, Great Sword Master Wu still has one more 'carp leap over the dragon gate' opportunity. Currently, you're at the 'half-baked' Finger-Profound realm. So, it's possible you might awkwardly stumble into the Heavenly Manifestation realm then. That's not bad; you might even be able to contend equally with your peer... Xuanyuan Qingfeng from Huishan, who supposedly achieved longevity enlightenment by watching snow overnight. Of course, that's assuming she only uses one hand."

Wu Liuding flew into a rage: "Even if I only manage to break through to the Heavenly Manifestation realm, and can't directly reach the Great Heavenly Manifestation realm in one go, I'll still definitely be able to unleash a move or two of a Land Sword Immortal by then!"

Xu Fengnian 'Oh-ed' and casually added insult to injury: "One or two moves, hmm, that's quite impressive. I, for my part, only have a few dozen."

Wu Liuding looked utterly miserable, turning to Nalan Huaiyu: "Auntie Nalan, this fellow is such a bully!"

She smiled sweetly and, twisting the knife, retorted: "Your aunt isn't your mother; complaining to me won't help."

Xu Fengnian smiled: "Exactly, Sister Nalan, don't bother with him."

Nalan Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, her smile deepening further. The charm in her expression was like the soft mist rising from the waves.

Wu Liuding instantly perked up, looking radiant. He turned and whispered to Cuihua, the sword attendant: "Listen to this guy's tone. He truly is a seasoned veteran, having climbed his way through the world of romance, isn't he, Cuihua?"

Unexpectedly, Cuihua, ever one for startling honesty, replied with an indifferent expression: "No."

The young Sword Master, as if struck by a Land Sword Immortal's fatal blow, immediately felt his heart turn to ashes, finding all joy drained from life.

Xu Fengnian took a deep breath.

They reached the south gate of Huaiyang Pass's outer city. If this Northern Barbarian assault on Liangzhou Pass had been led by Murong Baoding's forces attacking Huaiyang Pass, Xu Fengnian wouldn't have needed to come here at all. But circumstances were unpredictable; Dong Zhuo had arrived. What's more, Dong Zhuo's private army, whose size was well-known to both Liangzhou and the Northern Barbarians, had now doubled in number!

During the first Liang-Manchuria conflict, while Dong Zhuo's private army wasn't utterly crippled, it had sustained considerable losses. Furthermore, the very existence of Dong Zhuo's private army had long been a source of amusement in the Northern Barbarian southern court. It was rumored that after the old empress first met the chubby young man who liked to call her 'Imperial Sister,' she had personally told him with a smile: 'Chubby Dong, you may have your private army in the Southern Dynasty, but don't let it exceed one hundred thousand. If it crosses that threshold, it's still fine; I'll simply promote you to Grand General in Beiting.' The truth of this rumor was unknown, but thereafter, Dong Zhuo's combined cavalry and infantry forces generally hovered around sixty thousand, never surpassing eighty thousand even at their peak.

This time, simultaneously with Dong Zhuo's memorial to the Northern Barbarian Empress volunteering to attack Huaiyang Pass, his private army camp seemed to have been flooded overnight with a uniform eighty thousand grassland cavalry! Adding to this, the old empress later bestowed upon him over ten thousand Rouran Iron Cavalry. The sheer size of Dong Zhuo's private army now far eclipsed that of all other great generals, including Tuoba Pusa, Huang Songpu, and Liu Gui, making him preeminent throughout the Northern Barbarian lands! The two courts in Xijing and Beiting must now be simultaneously terrified and utterly bewildered. This chubby Dong, who secretly amassed such a terrifying private force, was he planning a rebellion or not?

At this very moment, the Wu family swordsmen outside Huaiyang Pass saw it. A corpulent man with a fawning expression stood at the gate, resembling a small mountain towering at the entrance.

Throughout the twenty years of border conflicts in Beiliang, amidst both civil and military officialdom, there emerged an anomaly in each sphere, uniquely adept at flattery. Li Gongde's flattery towards Xu Xiao was an art perfected to effortless mastery, as subtle and pervasive as a spring breeze turning into rain. Then there was the corpulent man, whose poetic prowess earned him the moniker 'Chu Ba Cha,' who, in contrast, flattered the Crown Prince in the most utterly repulsive manner.

Xu Fengnian dismounted, and Chu Lushan naturally took the reins, his movements practiced and fluid. In the twilight, the two were the first to enter the city.

Xu Fengnian remained silent. Lu Qiu'er remained silent for a moment, then slowly said: "My heart is at peace, and I humbly ask Your Highness to likewise find peace."

Xu Fengnian looked straight ahead and murmured: "That's difficult."

Chu Lushan stopped, muttering to himself: "To be honest, this world, this very realm, has always made me, Chu Lushan, profoundly unhappy."

Inside the city gate arch, visibility was dim. Chu Lushan stopped, turned his head, and smiled faintly: "Because this world makes my most respected adoptive father and mother—and their son—unhappy."

The young prince also halted, remaining silent. Chu Lushan couldn't discern his expression, nor did he wish to, so he turned his head back. They both remained motionless in the darkness.

Chu Lushan suddenly said in a deep voice: "No need to see me off. I, Chu Lushan, have fought countless battles in my life. Each time I led men to their deaths, no one saw us off, and I certainly don't wish for anyone to collect my body."

Chu Lushan strode forward, and after stepping out of the city gate arch, he gazed up at the sky. He had flattered that young man countless times in his life, uttering innumerable sycophantic words. This corpulent man, at this moment, recalled many years ago, letting that young child ride on his shoulders while he himself rode atop the Xu family's warhorse. Two brothers, though of different surnames, once rode their horses together, whistling into the west wind.

The corpulent man, his back to the young man, murmured softly in his heart.

Little Nian, my brother, there is no need for us to meet again.