Chapter 42

Xu Fengnian went to Wudang, thinking that the eleventh-ranked martial artist in the world was one of the ten most formidable killers. However, upon reaching the mountain, he learned that true experts often hid in the mountains and forests, some were too proud to be listed, and others kept their skills well-concealed. Thus, when Xu Xiao said that the old demon suppressed in Tingchao Pavilion was among the few top-notch experts, Xu Fengnian knew that once this great demon was released, no one could stop him from causing chaos. Xu Fengnian pondered and concluded that perhaps only Old Huang and the old sword master from the lake bottom together could stand a chance, but Old Huang was dead, and his sword case stood mocked atop Wuding City. The white-haired old sword master had left, and with his temper, he would never serve as a vanguard for the young lord. How much could Xu Fengnian alone do to subdue the demon?

Counting on his fingers, he recalled the experts he had personally witnessed. The Wudang Sect leader Wang Chonglou definitely counted as one, Wang Xiaoping the sword enthusiast counted as half, and the cow-riding youth could count as half? The guardians in the Wang residence probably only counted as a small half.

Xu Fengnian looked at Tingchao Pavilion, speculating about the identity of the old demon, but had no leads. He smiled and asked, "What other treasures does the Wang residence have? Don't hide them from me, tell me everything."

Xu Xiao took a sip of scalding yellow wine, wiped his mouth, and said, "There's not much left. They are the fruits of my lifelong efforts. Isn't it enough for you to play with?"

Xu Fengnian chuckled, "No heirlooms?"

Xu Xiao sighed, "There are, but I can only give them to you after I die. Unless we are in dire straits, I won't easily bring them out."

Xu Fengnian softly said, "It's almost the New Year. Say something auspicious."

Xu Xiao looked at the calm lake, seemingly finding it dull, and threw a handful of bait, creating a vivid scene of colorful koi fish leaping. He then sighed, "My body isn't as strong as it used to be. In my youth, I could eat three or four pounds of beef with wine without feeling a thing, and finish half a roasted sheep in one go. Now, I can't even chew, and the sight of greasy food makes me nauseous."

Xu Fengnian laughed, "Good people don't live long, but villains last a thousand years. You, a notorious villain, should live at least a hundred years, right?"

Xu Xiao remained silent.

Xu Fengnian sat up straight, grabbed a handful of bait to throw into the lake. Hundreds of koi fish had already gathered around the pavilion due to Xu Xiao's first throw. As soon as the young lord raised his hand, a hundred or so greedy koi leaped out of the water. In the past, when Xu Fengnian was bored, he would hold several large boxes of bait and row a boat, creating a breathtaking scene of koi fish covering the water. Yesterday, he had a great time with the little girl, who was both frightened and amazed, her expression vivid and interesting. Over the years, the young lord and the wealthy young men of Beiliang had competed for courtesans and entertainers, but if they were lucky enough to enter the Beiliang residence, Xu Fengnian would only give them a small box of fish bait and watch from the side, not joining in.

At the end of the year, after ringing the bell at Jiuhua Mountain and having a lukewarm New Year's Eve dinner, Xu Fengnian went to the banana courtyard. Yu Youwei was sitting by the window, playing with Wu Meiniang, the white cat that had grown fatter and cuter, like a snowball.

Xu Fengnian extended the sheath of Xiudong, and Wu Meiniang obediently hugged it.

Xu Fengnian lifted it and said, "She must weigh ten pounds now. From now on, she'll be called Wu Panniang."

Yu Youwei, holding the adorable Wu Meiniang, glared at the young lord.

After sitting down, Xu Fengnian took a piece of osmanthus cake and threw it into the air, catching it in his mouth. The cake was made by Yu Youwei, with a unique flavor that was well-received by everyone in the residence. In the clear autumn, she would pick fresh osmanthus flowers, extract the juice, remove the residue and bitterness, and soak it in honey, carefully sealing it for storage. When making the cake, she would take it out, and the osmanthus cake would melt in the mouth, soft and smooth, with a delicate sweetness. Xu Fengnian loved the taste, and his gaze towards Yu Youwei became more meaningful. She, no longer a courtesan or Yu Xuanyi, felt nervous and hugged Wu Meiniang tightly, inadvertently squeezing her ample chest, creating a very alluring curve.

Xu Fengnian asked ambiguously, "Are you impatient?"

Yu Youwei raised an eyebrow and made a soft, sultry sound, "Hmm?"

Xu Fengnian laughed, "I knew it."

Yu Youwei was confused by Xu Fengnian's self-talk and asked, "Knew what?"

Xu Fengnian leaned towards her, smiling, "It's getting late."

Yu Youwei didn't blush or panic like a young girl. She just stroked Wu Meiniang's head and said softly, "If I stay here overnight, the entire Wutong Garden will look at me unfavorably. You can eat this osmanthus cake because I begged a maid to get it for me under the osmanthus tree. If I stay here, Wu Meiniang and I will have to go hungry."

Xu Fengnian laughed, "Is the maid Lu Yi or Huanggua? I'll talk to her later."

Yu Youwei smiled, a smile with a hidden edge, but she didn't stab him in the back.

Xu Fengnian gently tapped Yu Youwei's forehead, smiling, "Why are you sulking with those little maids? It's not good. A woman should be broad-minded to be truly charming."

Yu Youwei was taken aback.

Xu Fengnian stretched and yawned, stuffing the remaining half box of cake into his mouth, and left with Xiudong.

Last year, the heavens were particularly stingy, only giving two light snowfalls, which were unsatisfying.

So in the courtyard where Jiang Ni lived, only the smallest snowman was built.

Xu Fengnian entered the quiet courtyard and glanced at the small snowman, relieved that its head was still intact.

The young lord looked for a while but couldn't see anything special, so he turned and left.

After the New Year, Xu Fengnian was still unsure who to take on his journey. He wouldn't lack guards, and with his status, taking over a hundred iron cavalry wasn't a problem. Xu Xiao would arrange it properly, leaving no room for criticism. Adding a few capable hounds from the residence, the cross-protection would make it nearly impossible for ordinary martial artists to assassinate him. However, Xu Fengnian, who was extremely afraid of death and had learned from past experiences, still felt it wasn't enough. White Foxface? He might not leave Tingchao Pavilion. Their friendship was always a matter of give and take, and Xu Fengnian couldn't think of any martial arts secrets more attractive to White Foxface than the arsenal.

Could he really go to the half-sage, half-demon under Tingchao Pavilion?

Xu Fengnian unknowingly walked to the "Majestic and Grand" Nine-Dragon plaque and was startled.

The imperial plaque, though not domineering in its meaning, was, in Xu Fengnian's eyes, simply... unbearable to look at.

He suddenly thought of his second sister, Xu Weixiong, who was often more vengeful than the young lord but was clear-sighted in big matters and petty in small ones. Xu Fengnian should have called her "Second Sister," but she found it grating and insisted he call her "Sister," dropping the "Second." Xu Fengnian didn't understand why his second sister and eldest sister, Xu Zhihu, fought over this, as birth order was predetermined. Xu Fengnian and Xu Longxiang had a good relationship, but Xu Zhihu and Xu Weixiong's relationship was average. The younger sister thought the elder was frivolous and a mere ornament, while the elder, being the elder, was more tolerant but enjoyed praising Xu Weixiong's beauty and calligraphy...

Women's thoughts were deeper and more unfathomable than the heavens. The young master believed the young uncle on the mountain would agree wholeheartedly.

Xu Fengnian mocked himself, "After coming down the mountain, I actually miss the cow-riding youth."

He laughed, "A few days ago, I sent a box of erotic books up the mountain. I wonder if the cow-riding youth was beaten by his second elder brother."

"Xu Beggar, you are still so boring."

The cold voice of White Foxface drifted from the pavilion.

Xu Fengnian pushed the door open and saw White Foxface standing under the white jade relief of "Dunhuang Flying Apsaras."

Xu Fengnian laughed, "I haven't heard that nickname in over a year."

The young lord carried the delicate Xiudong, while White Foxface wore the simple Chunlei.

Xu Fengnian shamelessly said to himself, "We actually make a good pair."

White Foxface slowly turned his gaze from the mural to Xu Fengnian, his eyes filled with killing intent.

Xu Fengnian helplessly said, "I meant Xiudong and Chunlei!"

Of course, no matter how beautiful White Foxface was, the young lord wouldn't fall for a man.

White Foxface turned back to the sixty-four apsaras, each as tall as a person, wearing five-jeweled crowns, some with Daoist crowns, some with round buns, their figures slender and graceful, smiling. They were bare-chested, draped in colorful ribbons, holding various instruments like flutes, pipes, and lutes, floating in the clouds, almost like immortals.

What a heavenly scene of flowers falling from the sky.

When the young lord was small, he would ride on Xu Xiao's shoulders to touch the bare chests of the apsaras. Wasn't this a sign of extraordinary talent? But as he grew older, he did it less often. Xu Zhihu, who loved sleeping with Xu Fengnian, didn't let him go until he was twelve or thirteen. Xu Fengnian's habit of hugging and touching earlobes while sleeping was a result of her influence.

White Foxface moved a few steps and stared at an apsara in the northwest corner, adorned with celestial armlets and holding a phoenix-headed lute. Upon closer inspection, she had only one eye.

Xu Fengnian was not paying attention, but he was still wary, "Xu Xiao said an old monster is suppressed in the bottom of Tingchao Pavilion. White Foxface, be careful."

White Foxface seemed to have an epiphany, drew Chunlei, and struck the apsara's eye, causing Chunlei to bounce back into the sheath.

The apsara remained still, but the other sixty-three began to slowly drift.

A door appeared before them.

Xu Fengnian was stunned, muttering, "Is this adding the finishing touch?"

White Foxface walked straight in.

Xu Fengnian tried to pull him back but failed, hesitated, and followed into the dark, using the moonlight from the hall to see a staircase leading underground.

White Foxface drew Chunlei, using its bright blade to light the way. Xu Fengnian followed suit with Xiudong.

When Xu Fengnian counted to sixty-three, the staircase gradually became clear and bright.

It was a large hall with four night pearls embedded in the walls.

A tomb-like place!

Spirit tablets!

Filled with the spirit tablets of fallen Beiliang generals and officers!

At least six hundred.

In the center was a straw mat for kneeling and worshiping in all directions.

Under the mat was a larger Yin-Yang fish diagram.

Xu Fengnian looked at the spirit tablets, recognizing only a few, all meritorious generals of the Beiliang army who died in the chaotic wars of the Spring and Autumn period.

One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand.

This was just a scholar's saying.

Here, in this scene, it was truly the underworld.

White Foxface was unafraid, only asking, "Do you want to exchange Xiudong for Chunlei?"

Xu Fengnian, sensing something amiss, shook his head, "No."

White Foxface, clearly annoyed by the young lord's lack of understanding, narrowed his eyes and stared at Xu Fengnian, as if sizing up a spirit tablet.

White Foxface had already seen that Chunlei was currently more suitable for the young lord's sword practice.

Xu Fengnian pretended not to notice, knowing that a world-class expert was lurking underground, suppressed for twenty years. White Foxface, being curious, would likely investigate, and Xu Fengnian didn't want to be a lamb to the slaughter. His second journey into the martial world wasn't desperate enough for such a risky move.

White Foxface frowned and, unusually, compromised, "I want to go down one more level, but this is your home. If you agree, I will not only exchange swords with you but also grant you one more favor."

Xu Fengnian agreed without hesitation, "Deal."

White Foxface was even more straightforward, directly throwing Chunlei to Xu Fengnian.

Xu Fengnian caught Chunlei but didn't rush to exchange Xiudong, instead asking seriously, "Can I claim my favor now?"

White Foxface nodded.

Xu Fengnian said earnestly, "The favor is that we don't go down now! If you go back on your word, kill me! No, knock me out!"

White Foxface, without a sword, widened his eyes, looking at the young lord holding both swords.

Suddenly, White Foxface smiled.

Compared to the apsaras, he lacked the divine aura.

Xu Fengnian was captivated but remained cautious.

The first time White Foxface smiled in front of him, it seemed like a playful scolding, slowly saying, "This time, you win, Xu Scoundrel."

Xu Fengnian finally breathed a sigh of relief, the feeling of being on the brink of death was truly unbearable.

White Foxface extended his hand.

Xu Fengnian was puzzled.

White Foxface angrily said, "Give me Xiudong! Go upstairs, and when you're brave enough, we'll go down!"

Xu Fengnian obediently threw Xiudong to White Foxface, a bit reluctant, as they had been like "sisters" on Wudang Mountain.

Back upstairs, White Foxface used Xiudong to strike the apsara's eye, and the mural magically returned to its original state.

Xu Fengnian, having gained an advantage, was about to leave but was surprised that White Foxface wasn't angry, only saying softly, "Have a drink with me."

Xu Fengnian ran to Wutong Garden and brought back two good bottles of wine.

They sat on the edge of the grand base of Tingchao Pavilion, White Foxface cross-legged, Xu Fengnian with his feet dangling in the air.

White Foxface took a big sip of wine, "The Beiliang King is the most heroic man I've ever seen, but I still don't understand how, even with his Legalist and authoritarian methods, he became the second most powerful man in the world. Seeing over six hundred spirit tablets, I seem to understand. With six hundred people willing to die for you, even if you are a fool, you can rule a state. If these six hundred are heroes, willing to lay down their lives for you, what then? Everyone knows the Beiliang King started with six hundred elite cavalry. How many are left? Probably most are there."

Xu Fengnian looked at the night sky.

White Foxface softly said, "Having such a father, isn't it tiring?"

Xu Fengnian shook his head.

White Foxface shook the wine bottle, mocking, "Your father's methods and patience are top-notch, but you are a scoundrel."

Xu Fengnian bitterly smiled, "Don't mock me, a fool. I just used Xiudong to trick you into giving me Chunlei. If you're not satisfied, we can exchange back."

White Foxface's smile was charming, and he took another big sip of wine, drinking so boldly, "Speak, what favor?"

Xu Fengnian softly said, "Forget it. If you want to go down, just let me know. I'll have Xu Xiao arrange more people for you."

White Foxface suspiciously asked, "When did you become so kind?"

Xu Fengnian mocked himself, "I don't have many friends. Last year, I lost one because of the loyal official in Lingzhou. No matter how you see me, I consider you a friend."

White Foxface's expression was blank, only drinking.

The bottle was soon empty.

He reached out for more wine from Xu Fengnian.

Xu Fengnian shook the wine bottle, laughing, "I've already drunk from it, do you still want it?"

The slightly tipsy White Foxface loudly said, "Give it to me!"

Xu Fengnian handed it over.

Half surprised, half disappointed, he was surprised that White Foxface, so proud, was now more relaxed with him, but disappointed that White Foxface was definitely not a woman.

White Foxface said something that almost made Xu Fengnian vomit, "If you were a woman, I would marry you."