Chapter 55: Autumn Wind at Dusk, the Purple-Robed Swordsman, What’s Your Station to Drink the Same Wine as Me?
Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Autumn Wind at Dusk, the Purple-Robed Swordsman, What’s Your Station to Drink the Same Wine as Me?
Tiger and Leopard Hall.
Yang Daohan was dressed in a long cyan robe, its lapels flowing elegantly, giving him a refined and scholarly appearance.
"By my calculations, it should be about time, right?"
It was a cold winter, and night fell early.
Watching the dusk settle and illuminate the courtyard, he sat before a prepared banquet, waiting quietly. He spoke softly to the men beside him.
"Of course they’ll come!"
"In this five-hundred-mile territory of Anning County, when the Three Great Gangs summon someone, there’s no such thing as waiting overnight."
"Whoever we summon, if they aren’t here by sunset, they won’t even need to wait for King Yama to call their name at midnight!"
Zhang Liechen, the Dragon Head of Lion Hall, grinned.
"Hmph!"
"Golden Muscle and Jade Veins... I hear it’s a state that the Young Masters and Young Ladies from the Prefecture City spare no effort to achieve when tempering their bodies, a barrier they must break through with all their might."
"Once they achieve a breakthrough, their muscles tighten and lock their Qi and Blood within their pores, which is of great benefit to the Mercury Blood Rushing Bone Barrier."
"But in the end, it’s just the first step of the Power Barrier. With a Superior Pile Skill, a massive amount of silver, guidance from a renowned master, and three to five years of hard work, anyone can do it."
"High talent is one thing, but reality is another matter entirely."
"If he stubbornly chooses to go down with a sinking ship..."
"With Yang Yan and a few Bone Tempering Experts, we can still ’politely’ invite him over!"
Withered leaves and willow branches swayed in the courtyard. At the outdoor banquet, plates of rich meat dishes were arranged neatly on an oval wooden table.
The Three Great Dragons each sat before a jug of wine. Among them, Mad Lion Zhang Liechen slapped the table and said with a laugh:
"Of course, if the kid knows what’s good for him, our ’Seven Heroes Sworn in Brotherhood, Venturing to Central Yellow’ might just gain another promising member for the future..."
However, before he could finish, the one-eyed ’Cangying,’ Xu Xin, shot to his feet. His expression hardened, the veins on his claw-like hand bulging. "Old Fifth, watch your words!"
Yang Daohan’s expression also grew solemn. He glanced around and, after confirming there were no idlers from the hall near the courtyard banquet, leaned in and lowered his gaze.
"There are some things you don’t speak of carelessly."
"If we’re the reason the ’God Invitation Ceremony,’ which our Leader has planned for so many years, is ruined..."
"...you and I will be unable to escape the blame."
"That’s an opportunity to ascend straight to the rank of Qi Cultivation Grandmaster. How long has he waited for this?"
"Anning County is only so big. The County Magistrate, his County Guard Team, the four ’Fist, Spear, Saber, and Sword’ Instructors... they only occupy the most prosperous inner streets and markets. They don’t meddle much with our outer districts in the east, west, north, and south."
"But our power struggles never reach the Inner Street or the County Yamen."
"But colluding with powerful outside forces, dabbling in the ’Outer Dao,’ especially with the ’Divine Beings’ within it..."
"That kind of thing would scare them to death. They’d probably report it to their superiors overnight and have us eliminated along the way!"
He rapped his knuckles on the table and said in a low, stern voice.
This made Zhang Liechen shudder and sober up a little.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed. TAP, TAP, TAP...
The three men looked over at once.
Seeing Yang Yan emerge with figures behind him, Yang Daohan’s expression softened, and his amiable demeanor returned.
"This must be the young hero from the Wind and Cloud Association, Little Brother Ji?"
"Quickly, quickly..."
He was about to rise with a smile to welcome them, but he quickly noticed that behind Yang Yan, there was not only the black-clad youth in tight-fitting clothes, but also...
...a middle-aged man in a purple robe with a long saber at his waist, a scruffy beard, and one sleeve hanging empty.
His brow furrowed unconsciously.
"And this is..."
Hearing his father, Yang Yan scratched his head.
"Dad, didn’t you tell me to bring Brother Ji back?"
"This guy is Ji Xiu’s Master. He tried to stop me, and I thought, ’Do I not have any pride?’ I couldn’t just let him stop me, so I brought him along too."
"I think his name is... Duan Chenzhou?"
"That name... I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before. I think you were the one who told me. Can’t remember. Whatever."
His face was a mask of nonchalance. Now that his task was complete, he was ready to slip away.
And at that very moment.
The man in the purple robe with the long saber, however, was completely composed. Acting as if no one else was present, he led his disciple to the table and sat down directly across from the three Dragon Heads.
He then curled a finger and tapped lightly on the table.
"Weren’t we invited to eat?"
"I even changed into this outfit specifically for the occasion. It’s what I used to wear when I traveled. I figured that even in a new place, someone might still recognize it."
"Sit."
He gestured with his arm as if he were the host, a sight that made Ji Xiu click his tongue in silent amazement, his heart thumping in his chest.
Just a short while ago, his Master had put on such an imposing front, a display that had infinitely elevated his status in Ji Xiu’s eyes.
And yet now, after changing his clothes back at their residence, he had calmly followed Yang Yan back to the Tiger and Leopard Hall with him in tow.
This series of actions completely baffled Ji Xiu. He had no idea what his Master’s plan was.
"Sit...?"
Mad Lion Zhang Liechen’s brow knitted.
He sized up the seemingly unremarkable, one-armed middle-aged man.
He sensed the man’s restrained Qi and Blood, was silent for a long moment, then suddenly pushed himself up with his saber, his expression sinking.
"There’s no aura of Qi around him, so he’s not a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster."
"And if it’s not Qi Cultivation, then he’s merely stuck at the Power Barrier..."
"So with a severed arm, what kind of hotshot are you pretending to be? You..."
He gripped the hilt of his saber, about to unleash a harsh rebuke.
However, at the head of the table, Yang Daohan, who had been deep in thought with a furrowed brow, suddenly saw his pupils contract as if he were looking at someone beyond belief.
Especially—
When Zhang Liechen spoke, Yang Daohan felt the blood rush to his head, nearly fainting on the spot. He immediately circulated his Qi and Blood and roared:
"Shut your mouth!"
BANG!
He forcefully channeled his energy and slammed a palm down on Zhang Liechen’s shoulder!
He forced him back down onto his stool, putting a stop to his foolish impulse.
Then, face twitching, he forced a smile and turned to Duan Chenzhou.
"Mr... Mr. Duan?"
Yang Daohan looked Duan Chenzhou up and down, trying to confirm if this was the man from his memory.
And the more he looked,
the more a cold sweat broke out and streamed down his face.
The purple robe.
The severed arm.
The Crescent Saber.
It all matched. It all matched...
It was him!
There was no mistake. It was him!
"Yes, yes, yes, sit down, sit down!"
In that moment, Yang Daohan’s refined smile unknowingly took on a fawning quality. He hissed at Zhang Liechen:
"Just eat. We’ll offer a toast later. Do as I say!"
The Dragon Head of Lion Hall, known as ’Tomb Tiger’ for having refined the Jade Skin, watched as Yang Daohan of the Tiger and Leopard Hall—a man who had achieved Outer Gang and was far stronger than him—became terrified over a mere two words.
He, too, instantly realized the gravity of the situation.
’Maybe... this guy sitting across from me really is some big shot I don’t recognize!’
He then stood up awkwardly.
"Uh... Brother, I was the one who was out of line just now. I’m the poser, I’m the poser. Here, I’ll punish myself with a whole jug. You drink as you please..."
With that, he tipped back the jug and drank it all in one go. GLUG, GLUG.
But the purple-robed Swordsman across from him merely glanced at the wine, his sharp eyes filled with a faint mockery. The corner of his mouth hooked into a slight smile.
"What gives you the right to drink the same wine as me?"
SHING!
As the last rays of sunset spilled into the courtyard, something suddenly flashed, carving a snow-white arc of light. It was like a sliver of moonlight, vanishing in an instant like a flower blooming for a single night.
And in less than a single breath,
"AAAGH!!"
With a wretched scream, Mad Lion Zhang Liechen suddenly doubled over. A perfect line of blood appeared on his left ear...
SPLAT!
And then!
His left ear, cleanly severed and spurting blood, smacked against the grimy bluestone path!
"You...!"
Zhang Liechen stumbled back two steps, one hand clamped over the side of his head where his ear had been, blood gushing between his fingers. He gasped for air, his eyes wide with horror as he swallowed hard several times.
Skin Refining, Jade Skin!
’Even my eardrums... they’re supposed to be impervious to blades and spears! How could...?’