Chapter 90: Man and Dog

From Gu Yourong, Lu Yuan learned of a past that Li Junxian had never mentioned.

It turned out that the woman from just now was Gu Yunsheng, daughter of the former Shengping Sect Chief Instructor Gu Kanshan; many years ago in Tianyun Prefecture, she and Li Junxian had once shared a romantic bond, and at the time, their feelings were so deep that they had nearly bowed in marriage to become husband and wife.

But the turning point came when Tianyun Prefecture was breached by the Jin Army; after the battle to break the city, Li Junxian was severely wounded, left with an incurable hidden ailment, and his Martial Arts consequently declined.

Under this double blow, he became disheartened and, unwilling to drag Gu Yunsheng down, left a letter after his wounds had mostly healed and departed without a word, completely severing that romantic bond.

Gu Yunsheng had also waited bitterly for several years, but finding no hope, she had no choice but to marry another; however, her fate was rugged, and the husband she married died in the pursuit of the Jin Army only a few years later, leaving her a widow once again.

Seen in this light, both of their experiences carried a sense of tragic fate.

"Junior Brother Lu."

Gu Yourong looked back with a hint of expectation and whispered:

"Auntie Sheng is all alone now, and from the look of it just now, Uncle hasn't forgotten their past affection either. Do you think it's possible?"

Xi Beichen scolded: "Junior Sister, don't talk nonsense!"

Lu Yuan's gaze shifted as well, and he laughed in spite of himself:

"This isn't easy to guess; it still depends on the thoughts of the two elders themselves."

Although no one had explicitly said it, he vaguely guessed that this master of his had likely been affected in his manhood or ability to carry on the family line due to his injuries, which was why he had left alone without a word back then, departing in sorrow.

However, now that Li Junxian had consumed the refined Healing Bait Return Pill, this hidden ailment should be cured, and with careful recuperation, he would likely recover as before.

If the biggest problem was resolved, it was not impossible for this pair to truly have a chance to rekindle their old flame.

"That's true."

Since it involved two elders, Gu Yourong found it difficult to say more and had to hold her tongue.

The three of them waited outside for quite a while.

After nearly an hour, the door opened, and Li Junxian finally walked out of the room with Gu Kanshan and his daughter.

Xi Beichen and Gu Yourong immediately went up to meet them: "Old Gu, Auntie Sheng, are you leaving now?"

Gu Yunsheng nodded gently: "Your master's injuries have just shown signs of improvement and he needs peace and quiet to recuperate, so we will head back first. We will buy some wine and food later and set up a banquet here to host your uncle and the others."

Xi Beichen said with shame: "You are right. Uncle and the others traveled thousands of miles to save Master yesterday, and they haven't even had a decent meal yet; I am truly sorry."

Li Junxian did not mind: "Matters have their priorities; no need to be so formal."

Meanwhile, that Chief Instructor of the Shengping Sect, Gu Kanshan, had his attention entirely on Lu Yuan at this moment, his gaze growing increasingly astonished:

"Li, I wanted to ask earlier, is this child really your disciple?"

Li Junxian laughed: "Old Gu, could this be fake?"

"Dragon Tendons and Tiger Bones, skin like white jade, divine light contained within—this is a rare genius for practicing Martial Arts."

Gu Kanshan leaned in to examine Lu Yuan as if looking at some rare treasure, saying with a mix of shock and jealousy:

"What kind of dog-shit luck did you have, kid, to run into such a good disciple? I still don't have a decent disciple myself; why don't you let this disciple go to me? Although I am old and frail, I am still a Martial Arts Master and should be qualified to teach him."

"Xingchao said someone rescued him from the palace; that must have been you, Old Gu, right?"

Knowing it was a joke, Li Junxian was not annoyed and laughed:

"It is A Yuan's good fortune that you think highly of him, Old Gu. As long as he is willing himself, I won't stop him from switching to your tutelage."

Gu Kanshan was clearly tempted, but he sighed nonetheless:

"Forget it, a gentleman does not take what others love. If such a disciple with rare natural talent were snatched away, you kid would vomit blood when you got back. But you ran all this way; are you really leaving tomorrow?"

Gu Yunsheng's melancholy gaze drifted over, and Li Junxian shook his head, slightly avoiding her eyes:

"Xingchao is no longer in danger of his life, and my staying here won't serve much purpose. The key is that there are still some matters in Fengyang Prefecture that haven't been dealt with, so it is better to hurry back."

Not yet aware of this situation, Xi Beichen was slightly startled:

"Uncle is leaving so soon? But you traveled from afar and have only stayed here for one night; you must at least let us fulfill our duties as hosts and treat you properly for a few days, and let you take a good look around Jinjin City!"

Gu Yunsheng also said softly: "Brother Li, we haven't seen each other in over a decade, and this is your first time in Jinjin; can you really not stay a few more days?"

Li Junxian was moved, but he hesitated:

"The main thing is that I still have a formidable rival in Fengyang Prefecture, and I am worried that if I stay too long, he will do something to Dahu and Erhu..."

Knowing that Lei Huating had long since become a dead ghost, Lu Yuan chimed in:

"Master, there is no need to worry too much. Lei Haojie is severely wounded and needs careful care, so that Lei Huating shouldn't be able to spare his hands in the short term. Plus, with Gang Leader Pang looking after them, it shouldn't be a problem to go back a day or two late."

Seemingly persuaded, Li Junxian could not help but look toward Gu Yunsheng, his gaze touching hers before retreating; he took a deep breath and said:

"That is true. Then we will stay one more day and return the day after tomorrow."

Although it was only one extra day, it was still more time to spend together, and the others had more or less achieved their goal; everyone was happy.

And so.

After Gu Kanshan and his daughter left.

In the afternoon, Li Junxian, no longer needing to monitor Lin Xingchao's condition every moment, returned to his room to recuperate, and Lu Yuan, finding it inappropriate to go out wandering alone, used his spare time to sit in meditation and practice in his own room.

And when evening came.

Gu Kanshan and his daughter arrived with two large food boxes, and then set up a rather sumptuous banquet before Lin Xingchao's sickbed, which served as a welcome and cleansing feast for Li Junxian.

That night, except for Lin Xingchao who could not drink, the old friends who had not met for many years were filled with mixed emotions, clinking glasses and recounting the events of the past.

The younger generation, including Lu Yuan, could not get a word in and sat by like background boards, but they gained a deeper understanding of the Shengping Heavenly Kingdom and that era of golden spears, iron horses, blood, and fire.

When the conversation turned to deep sentiments, let alone Li Junxian and Lin Xingchao, even that world-weary Old Gu felt his eyes redden slightly, moved by their past experiences and the fallen comrades and brothers.

And through this, Lu Yuan learned that although the Shengping Heavenly Kingdom had fallen, there were many who inherited the will or legacy of the Saint King Chen Kequan and even his Eight Great Heavenly Kings; these people were still active in places like Jinjin, Modu, and Liangguang, secretly developing and cultivating manpower in the hope of one day completely overthrowing the rule of the Jin Dynasty and restoring the Shengping Heavenly Kingdom.

Of course, as the years passed, these remnants of the Shengping Heavenly Kingdom had also diverged; some were merely grateful for the Saint King's grace and the plight of the common people, wanting to overthrow the Jin Dynasty; others were ambitious, merely using the banner of the Shengping Heavenly Kingdom remnants to seek private gain and act as local tyrants.

Having learned this information, Lu Yuan began to consider during the banquet how he should act to cultivate his own power while acquiring a large amount of Qi Luck.

After all, changing dynasties and recreating the world was not something that could be done simply by killing the demon empress Xici.

He first needed a set of concepts and a platform that could be accepted and desired by the vast majority of common people, and then use that to gather talent, manage territory, produce money and grain, develop industry, and so on.

Of course, even in a world with a modicum of extraordinary power, achieving this level would require great talent and strategy, as well as the consumption of a vast amount of time and energy.

Fortunately, Lu Yuan possesses the power of the Earthly Fiend Seventy-Two Arts, a unique method belonging to him alone, which gives him the opportunity to overtake others on a bend and establish a force capable of sweeping across the world faster than Zhang Jiao of old or Chen Kequan of this world.

Within his thoughts.

A simple banquet lasted until nearly the second watch before it ended.

Although they had all drunk several large jars of wine, this liquor meant nothing to those who practiced martial arts; in particular, Gu Kanshan, who had already reached the realm of a Martial Arts Master, was only slightly tipsy, his aged face full of satisfaction as he left with Gu Yunsheng.

After seeing the two off, Li Junxian also returned to his room with the support of Lu Yuan.

Although he saw that the relationship between Li Junxian and Gu Yunsheng was unusual, he did not point it out, acting as if he did not know.

Just like that, the night passed.

Early the next morning.

Gu Kanshan and his daughter came to visit again.

Today was the last day Li Junxian would stay here, and last night they had already agreed to have a good look around Jinjin today.

Of course, in Lu Yuan's view, this seemed to be Gu Kanshan intentionally trying to play matchmaker between Li Junxian and his daughter.

After the group finished breakfast together.

Gu Yourong remained responsible for staying behind to look after Lin Xingchao, while Lu Yuan and his master, along with Gu Kanshan, his daughter, and Xi Beichen, left the courtyard and arrived on the street, where a casual wave summoned many rickshaws.

Before getting into the carriages, Xi Beichen asked, "Uncle-Master, there are only a few well-known places in the city; where would you like to go first?"

Li Junxian pondered for a moment: "Then let's go to Dagu Fort first."

Dagu Fort was a defensive battery built by the Jin Dynasty after the first invasion war by the Holy Roman Powers to guard the port against the encroachment of their Iron-Clad Giant Ships, and it was guarded by heavy troops.

However, during the second invasion war by the Holy Roman Powers, this fort did indeed play a role in resisting the powers at the beginning, with cannon fire forcing dozens of the Holy Roman Powers' Iron-Clad Giant Ships to keep their distance.

But later, the Holy Roman Powers deployed more advanced Steam Airships, using absolute aerial superiority to bomb the fort to ruins, after which the main fleet drove straight in to control the port, and the invading army landed to press directly upon the capital of the Great Jin, creating the world-shocking humiliation of the palace being bombed.

After this war ended, the Jin Dynasty signed unequal treaties; the Holy Roman Powers not only established a Concession in Jinjin and expanded their missionary rights, but they also did not allow the Jin Dynasty to rebuild the Dagu Fort, which had already turned into ruins.

Therefore, this place became a humiliation and a scar for all Han people in Jinjin and even the thirty-six provinces of Shenzhou; anyone with a patriotic heart would surely come here to see it when visiting Jinjin.

Soon, several rickshaw pullers who were still quite strong and energetic were pulling Lu Yuan and the others along the alleys, while Lu Yuan silently observed his surroundings amidst the bumps of the journey.

Like in Fengyang Prefecture, after leaving the relatively bright and beautiful inner city, the streets and dwellings of the outer city were mostly dilapidated and chaotic, with beggars and hoodlums visible everywhere.

In addition, whether in the inner city or the outer city, there were quite a lot of martial arts schools with various signs; having traveled only a few miles in the carriage, he had already seen four or five martial arts schools of various sizes, showing that the custom of practicing martial arts in Jinjin was still very strong.

Besides this, he even saw scattered opium dens openly operating, hanging their plaques so ostentatiously that the smoke drifting from inside even wafted out onto the main street.

According to the rickshaw puller, the opium dens that dared to operate openly nowadays were basically those with connections to the foreigners in the Concession, and the government was also afraid of them, turning a blind eye.

Amidst such cold-eyed observation.

The rickshaw pullers ran for more than an hour before finally arriving near the estuary on the east side of Jinjin.

On a piece of high ground, several rickshaw pullers sat on the ground to rest, panting heavily.

Under the blowing of the humid sea breeze, Li Junxian stepped out of the carriage and walked forward to gaze into the distance, where one could see patches of fort ruins along the coast, as well as dense, charred craters, signaling the tragedy of the war back then.

"When the Dagu Fort was destroyed back then, it was exactly when we were attacking cities and seizing land under the leadership of the Saint King, in the midst of a raging fire, at the height of our power."

Gu Kanshan sighed:

"Who would have known that in just twenty or thirty years, things would turn out like this..."

Gazing at the line where the sea met the sky, Li Junxian remained silent, and only after a long while did he ask:

"I heard the Concession of the Holy Roman Powers is not far from here?"

"It's only about ten miles away."

Xi Beichen understood and beckoned, the extra reward of two Silver Yuan per person making the rickshaw pullers, who had not yet fully rested, burst out with great enthusiasm as they once again pulled the group toward the vicinity of the Concession.

The so-called Concession was actually an urban area separated by high walls and wire mesh.

The urban area was located on both banks of the Hai River that flowed through the city, which was the most prime location in the vast Jinjin, but now it had become a state within a state for the Holy Roman Powers.

It could be vaguely seen that the streets in the Holy Roman Concession were neat, and both sides were filled with various buildings possessing Western flair.

Outside every main entrance to the Concession, a large number of vendors and even beggars gathered; whenever a fair-haired, blue-eyed, and well-dressed Shenluo Person came out sitting in a rickshaw or a Steam Locomotive, they would swarm up to push their goods or beg.

At this time, Han patrolmen carrying guns and wearing chic uniforms would come forward one after another to shout and drive them away.

Including at this moment.

Lu Yuan and the others stopped across the street and looked from afar; after those patrolmen discovered them, they came forward arrogantly and shouted:

"Get lost, get lost, get lost! This is not a place for you to sightsee!"

"All of you, get far away for me! If you disturb the foreign masters inside, I'll make sure you suffer the consequences!"

The rickshaw pullers hurriedly carried Lu Yuan and the others forward; Li Junxian, who was seeing a state within a state like the Concession for the first time, had a slightly ugly expression.

Especially after walking another ten miles or so.

Outside the perimeter of another urban area, a large group of coolies with braided hair and skin and bones were piling up high walls and weaving wire mesh under the scorching sun.

At the same time, nearby, a squad of short and fierce-looking soldiers wearing new-style military uniforms were holding whips and shouting in an unknown language.

And on a tower that had been built not long ago behind them, a few crooked, large characters were clearly posted:

Jin Dynasty people and dogs, not allowed to enter!

(End of this chapter)