Chapter 47: Public Rupture (1)

Chu Du has many peach blossoms. Whether in mountain villages or royal mansions, once spring arrives, there is rich, bright crimson everywhere. When the wind passes, they flutter and scatter, as brilliant as clouds, lightly brushing and painting this elegant and prosperous capital, setting off a unique romance.

The inner city of Chu is divided into two major districts, East and West, with the palace city as the center. In the East City, besides the two large mansions of the Shao Yuan Jun Mansion and the Helian Marquis Mansion, there are countless mansions of dukes and marquises. Near the palace city are distributed various levels of Chu government offices. Crossing the Du Xian Bridge, which spans the moat and is wide enough for several carriages to pass side by side, one enters the West City, where bustling markets greet you.

Along the long street that runs through the two cities, from both sides of the road to the riverside docks, inns and shops stand in rows, with colorful banners waving everywhere. Merchants and travelers from various countries come and go, with light carriages and horses, and the diverse styles of clothing are dazzling. Among them, the Chu women wearing patterned silk long robes and half-veiling their faces with veils are the most eye-catching. The loose robes are elegant and gorgeous, with light gauze slightly waving; whether walking or standing, they are almost like flying immortals, which is very pleasing to the eye.

At a restaurant at the mouth of the long street, Ye Xuanshang sat alone, drinking, having nothing to do, looking at the boats passing on the river from afar. His deep eyes were dark, as if he were lost in thought. Due to the influence of the war, the number of Mu merchant ships on the river had decreased significantly compared to the previous few months. The only ones that could successfully enter and exit the two countries were the ships of the Yue Ma Gang. In fact, all merchant ships entering Chu that could be seen along the river had the unique logo of the Yue Ma Gang painted on the side of the hull. This Jianghu gang, which was as rich as a country and controlled nearly half of the trade in Chu, Mu, and surrounding countries, was a massive force that could rival the Mingyi Tower. Among the assassins who appeared at Feng Shui Du some time ago, there were their people, but after that, no further actions were seen, which was quite strange.

His thoughts were random, and Ye Xuanshang did not take this matter to heart, raising his wine again to drink, looking entirely like a dissolute person with nothing to do. Because it was still early, there were only a few guests on the floor drinking tea and chatting, and no one noticed him in the quiet corner. Soon, a jar of wine was almost finished, when suddenly a figure flashed before his eyes, and someone sat in the seat opposite him.

Ye Xuanshang was not surprised, raising his hand to fill a cup of wine. "You are late."

That person was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a well-proportioned and thin figure, long hands and feet, a pair of flexible and changeable eyes, and a face full of cleverness and cunning. He sat down and grabbed the wine jar on the table to take two gulps without ceremony. "I happened to meet that auntie from the Yue Ma Gang on the road. A very fierce woman, but considering she offered a good price, I won't argue with her."

Ye Xuanshang was not interested in other people's affairs, only asking, "What about the matter I entrusted to you?"

The person smiled. "Rest assured, in the Nine Domains, there is no news that I, Yan Ling, cannot find." He took a scroll from his arms. "The thing you are looking for is in the Chu Gong. This is the map. It took me a lot of effort for this. If it weren't for you, the Third Young Master, speaking, I wouldn't bother with this thankless task."

Ye Xuanshang said, "It's really in the Chu Gong, not in the Shao Yuan Jun Mansion?"

Yan Ling said, "The Hengyuan Hall in the Chu Gong is separated from the Shao Yuan Jun Mansion by a wall, so it's about the same. See for yourself."

Ye Xuanshang did not take the thing he handed over. "You keep it. Anyway, you have to go with me to get it when the time comes."

Yan Ling was shocked, and a mouthful of wine almost sprayed out. "I go with you? You didn't say that before!"

Ye Xuanshang lowered his head to drink. "If you don't go, that's fine. Next time you are hunted by the little fairy maidens of the Magic Cloud Sect, it might not be such a coincidence that I am free."

Yan Ling's face changed, but he said, "A few stinky Taoist nuns, could I be afraid of them?"

Ye Xuanshang had known him for many years and knew his background well. Hearing this, he said unhurriedly, "There is one thing you must have heard about. Xuan King Ji Cang is currently in Chu. Back then, you exhausted his 100,000-strong army to defeat them at Shao Chong Mountain. If you happen to run into him, it might not be very good."

Yan Ling's face looked even worse. "Meeting the ambush of the Liefeng Cavalry at Shao Chong Mountain was his own bad luck. What does it have to do with me?"

Ye Xuanshang smiled. "The Shao Yuan Jun offered 5,000 Chu Gold for that military intelligence. I heard that the Xuan King ordered to buy your head, Yan Ling, for double the price. I don't know if it's true or not. I never thought your head was worth so much. In the future, whatever you ask me for, prepare 10,000 Chu Gold first before talking about anything else."

"What kind of talk is this!" Yan Ling yelled, causing two tea guests by the window to look over. He hurriedly lowered his voice and said resentfully, "Your head is worth 20,000 to Tai Zi Yu, exactly double mine. We are even. The Hengyuan Hall is where Chu keeps its heavy treasures. Besides heavy troops guarding the surroundings, there are several layers of mechanisms inside, and several copper listening tubes leading directly to the Shao Yuan Jun Mansion. That thing is equivalent to being placed under Huang Fei's nose. Wanting to get it out is harder than ascending to heaven. If I fall here, it will ruin my reputation of never failing."

Ye Xuanshang said, "Oh, so you are afraid of Huang Fei."

Yan Ling said angrily, "Provoking the Shao Yuan Jun in Chu is simply looking for a dead end. Having some scruples is nothing shameful. Come to think of it, if it were me, I wouldn't ask for trouble. That thing should be left to Tai Zi Yu to worry about. Why should you take this risk?"

Ye Xuanshang said, "Are you going or not?"

Yan Ling scratched his head and thought for a while, finally saying, "Sigh! I'm afraid of you. In the future, my head will be worth another 10,000! But I have a condition."

Ye Xuanshang had long expected this reaction, his lips curling slightly. "Let's hear it."

Yan Ling pressed his elbows on the table and leaned over. "I know you went to Wangliang Valley a few days ago."

Ye Xuanshang nodded. Yan Ling said, "You should know the whereabouts of the Zhu Jiuyin snake gall, right?"

Ye Xuanshang raised his eyes. "That's right. Why ask about this?"

Yan Ling threw a broad bean into his mouth and said while chewing, "It's that auntie from the Yue Ma Gang. It's a pity she's willing to spend 2,000 Chu Gold to entrust me to find this snake gall."

"Yin Xiyu?" Ye Xuanshang asked. "What does she want the snake gall for?"

Yan Ling said, "For emergency. Her younger brother, the young leader of the Yue Ma Gang, is seriously injured and waiting for this spiritual medicine to save his life."

Ye Xuanshang remembered meeting the subordinates of the Yue Ma Gang in Wangliang Valley that day. He thought about it while holding his cup, and later said, "Tell her later that you couldn't find it. That 2,000 Chu Gold will not be short for you."

Yan Ling was surprised. "Why is this? If even I, Yan Ling, can't find it, her precious brother will only have to wait for death. If she finds out I deliberately concealed it, won't she take my life?"

Ye Xuanshang said, "There is only one snake gall, and it can only save one life. To tell you the truth, the person using that snake gall, let alone you, even Huang Fei would have to retreat three points. If you insist on doing this for the Yue Ma Gang, and get into trouble, even I won't be able to save you."

Hearing such words from his mouth, Yan Ling couldn't help but ask, "What kind of person are you so wary of?"

Ye Xuanshang smiled and did not answer. "2,000 Chu Gold, come find me in ten days to take it. If you secretly have ideas about that snake gall, don't blame me for turning against you!"

He suddenly changed his lazy demeanor, his tone stern and majestic. Yan Ling was stunned for a long time, scratching his head inexplicably. "Forget it, forget it. Today is all a losing business. I still owe you a lot of favors, what Chu Gold." He drank a mouthful of wine in frustration, threw down the empty jar, "I'm leaving first! If I want to get that thing with you, I have to be fully prepared. I don't want to lose my life in Huang Fei's hands. See you another day!" He didn't even stand up, flipped over the railing of the building, landed lightly on the street, flashed into the corner, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Ye Xuanshang did not stay long either, casually threw down a piece of broken silver, walked down the building leisurely, and headed out of the street.

Just after walking not far, he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves behind him. Unexpectedly, a cluster of cold light shot from the end of the long street, accompanied by a sharp whistle, turning into several sharp points and shooting toward his back!

Amidst the exclamations all around, Ye Xuanshang turned around like a whirlwind, and the Guili Sword was unsheathed like lightning!

Under his sword edge filled with innate True Qi, the first three white-feathered arrows were broken and flew away, cut off by him head-on. At the same time, he moved horizontally to the side, and the remaining sharp arrows brushed past his body and nailed into the door of the shop opposite. A whole hard wooden board was torn apart, scaring the surrounding pedestrians to hug their heads and flee.

The sound of hooves arrived suddenly, and more than thirty fast horses appeared at one end of the long street. The warriors on the horses were all bound in strong armor. The few people in front held hard bows, and when they arrived, they shouted fiercely to both sides, "Those who want their lives, get out of the way!" Most people in Chu Du recognized them as warriors of the Helian Martial Arts Hall, and they avoided them for fear of being too late, not daring to stay, fleeing and dodging one after another. The originally bustling street was suddenly left with a large open space.

In the center of the cavalry formation, a man in blue and white warrior clothes with a frivolous and exaggerated expression rode out. It was Helian Qi, the eldest son of the Helian Marquis Mansion.

Those who come are not good, and those who are good do not come.

In the chaos, Ye Xuanshang rested the Guili Sword on his shoulder, watching the opponent form a half-moon-shaped encirclement with cold eyes. Except for a trace of sarcasm at the corner of his lips, his face was as cold as an iceberg. The woman from the Freedom Hall who was good at charm techniques returned without success, and the Helian Martial Arts Hall taking action was within expectations. But acting openly in public was truly arrogant to the extreme.

"Third Young Master, long-heard name!" Helian Qi sat high on his horse, his face full of arrogance. "I have always wanted to see the Young Master's Guili Sword Technique, but there has never been a suitable opportunity. Last time at Feng Shui Du, I couldn't return because of important matters, which was truly a great pity. I wonder if the Young Master is willing to give me face today?"

Ye Xuanshang raised his eyebrows. Helian Qi used the excuse of a sword duel to issue a challenge, acting entirely in the capacity of the Jianghu. Even if he killed him in public, no one could say a wrong word, and it would not involve the diplomatic relations between Chu and Mu. Such a grand challenge was to force him to fight. He sneered inwardly, with a thin smile on his lips. "To be able to receive instruction from the master of the number one martial arts hall in Shangying, Xuanshang is more than happy to."

"Haha! Third Young Master is indeed straightforward!" Helian Qi leaped off his horse and came to the center of the long street. "Everyone in the martial arts world knows that my Heart-Piercing Sword never shows mercy. Young Master, be careful!"

Ye Xuanshang responded calmly: "The sword in my hand once drank blood before Feng Shui Du, and the murderous aura is still strong to this day. Master, you had better keep the word 'careful' for yourself."

A fierce light flashed in Helian Qi's eyes, and a clear murderous intent flashed by. Someone nearby heard a few words and couldn't help but show unbearable expressions. Although Helian Qi was a playboy, he had quite a cultivation in martial arts and was a master firmly ranked in the top three in Chu, below Huang Fei and Helian Yiren. If it weren't for this, he wouldn't have given up assassination and openly led the crowd to challenge, because he had the certainty of victory.

Helian Qi waved his hand, and the people behind him led their horses back, leaving enough space for the two of them, also indicating that this was a one-on-one duel.

"Swords have no eyes, life and death are determined by fate!"

Ye Xuanshang shrugged his shoulders carelessly, and the Guili Sword was held horizontally. "Please!"

Just at this moment, a clear voice suddenly came from the center of the street. "There are no rules without a bet. How about I, the Lord, act as a witness for the two of you in this duel?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound. Not far away, on a vermilion carriage pulled by six horses, someone stepped down slowly.

"It's the Shao Yuan Jun!" "The Shao Yuan Jun is here!" Seeing the court dress with vermilion bird patterns embroidered in gold on a jade-white background, which symbolized the status of the Shangqing of Chu, whispers suddenly arose in the crowd, but they immediately quieted down, and even the slight noise just now disappeared.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 48 =====