Chapter 80: I Forged My Body

The young man's fingers stopped plucking the guqin, yet the music still lingered in everyone's ears, echoing through the teahouse, as if even the rain outside had grown distant; his melody was free and graceful, and when people came to their senses, they saw him seated there, sipping tea.

He lifted his tea and offered it over; the brew was pale, perfect for the girl beside him to eat dried figs with—fruit abundant in the Western Regions, dried by sun and harsh winds, yet still sweet, while the coarse tea of Jiangnan perfectly muted that sweetness.

"How's that? Better now, right?"

"One salty, one sweet—never wrong."

The boy raised his eyebrows proudly, dressed in black robes with white trim—plain to the point of austerity, yet adorned with a flower tucked behind his ear, instantly infusing him with liveliness and vigor; he sat there explaining the eating method to the Young Lady.

On a nearby table, a young woman blushed and lowered her head.

The Young Lady savored the poem in her mouth, struck by its brilliance, thinking this fellow would surely say he'd heard it recited by some great scholar during his ten-year flight from disaster—but the poem was exquisite, and suddenly her face flushed crimson.

She widened her eyes, as if finally realizing, muttering the poem's line several times.

Her fair, jade-like face visibly flushed red.

She couldn't help but lift her leg and lightly kick Li Guanyi.

Her face burned red, stammering:

"Y-you y-you!"

"Huh? What's wrong with me?"

The Young Lady, face aflame, whispered: "Why did you write such a poem—and sing it out loud?"

Li Guanyi smiled: "I didn't write it. On my flight from disaster, I met a great scholar named Liu Sanbian—he recited it once by a well. I have a good memory, so I remembered it."

Xue Shuangtao snapped: "Then why did you put my name in it?"

"What?"

"'Furious waves roll frost and snow!'"

Li Guanyi froze. He'd played the qin with pure abandon, never realizing the line could be parsed as 【Frost Waves like Jiangnan snow】. Now, seeing the girl's face blazing red, the blush seeming to bleed into her eyes, yet filled with shy indignation, he was speechless.

Snow rarely falls in Jiangnan—Jiangnan snow is as rare as this world.

Li Guanyi, who prided himself on his wit, now could barely speak:

"I… I…"

Around them, everyone burst into laughter; the girl stamped her foot and turned to run out.

Suddenly, something flew through the air; Li Guanyi caught it in his hand—it was a silver ingot, like the coins thrown in appreciation to storytellers and singers; the boy had none of the scholar's haughty pride, took the silver, and bowed slightly with a faint smile.

Then he grabbed an umbrella and stepped into the rain.

The person who had thrown the silver sat on the teahouse's second floor, where occasional raindrops still splashed in; few sat there, since the second floor cost extra, and most seeking shelter were children and vendors nearby, who preferred to get soaked rather than spend ten cash to enjoy the view upstairs.

The one who threw the silver wore a straw hat and murmured softly:

"Furious waves roll frost and snow, a boundless natural moat—what a fine melody."

"The spirit of Chen is different from Ying's, yet Jiangnan still produces such youths."

The speaker's voice was feminine; she wore a mask, her gaze clear and luminous, opposite a man who said: "I never expected the Lüzhou Sword Immortal would care so much for such a poem and tune."

The woman replied coolly: "Poetry and verse bring me no benefit."

"I merely saw in his qin-playing the spirit of an old friend from my youth."

"I haven't heard her qin in a long time."

The man sensed the martial elder before him had no wish to elaborate.

He smiled faintly: "Earlier, I'm grateful the Sword Immortal intervened—alongside my Great Chen's Guardian General Xiao Wuliang—you shattered Yue Qianfeng's aura, exposing his weakness with your piercing sword qi."

"The Lüzhou Sword Immortal—your reputation is well-deserved."

"This is my thanks."

The man pulled a box from his sleeve and placed it on the table, sliding it forward; the box was made of golden sandalwood, a wood that takes a thousand years to mature—just this box was priceless, let alone its contents.

The woman called the Lüzhou Sword Immortal did not glance at it, only said coolly:

"No need for words."

"I only kept my promise to Dantai—we once agreed I would act for him thrice."

"After the third, our past debts are erased."

"That last time was the second."

The man smiled gently: "You're still a figure of the Jianghu, true to your word. This third summons to Jiangzhou was still for the same matter—yet now the world is in upheaval: Tuyuhun is meat, all nations are knives; Chen's grand sacrifice is the curtain rising."

"On the surface, flowers bloom in splendor; beneath, it's oil poured onto fire."

"Domestically, there's Yue Pengwu's affair, the courtiers, the two newly appointed Silver-Green Light-Lord Physicians, plus Xiao Wuliang and Yue Qianfeng's matters; abroad, Tujue, Tangxi, and Ying all come knocking—such a grand matter, if Yue Qianfeng, that brute, acts recklessly, won't Chen lose face before the world?"

"I beg the Sword Immortal to restrain that man."

The Lüzhou Sword Immortal said: "... Yue Qianfeng is strong."

The man nodded, praising: "Thirty-fourth on the Divine General List—naturally strong. But you, Sword Immortal, have roamed the Jianghu with peerless sword qi; stopping him isn't difficult."

The Lüzhou Sword Immortal replied: "Only a fifty percent chance."

"You should seek someone stronger."

The man laughed, yet with deep regret:

"Those stronger than you in the Jianghu no longer easily tread the mortal world."

"Forget the four legendary martial sages—do you expect me to seek out the Ten Grand Masters?"

"Jianghu wanderers fight for fame; most gain renown only to be recruited as generals and commanders—many of the nations' famed generals once roamed the lands as wanderers."

"But the Ten Grand Masters—each could rank on the Divine General List—refuse to be controlled by anyone."

The man's eyes suddenly sharpened:

"Only because the world remains unsettled do they still have room to exist."

"When the world unifies, they will be trampled under horse hooves."

The Lüzhou Sword Immortal said nothing, gazing outside—on one side of the Divine General List, the Jianghu had its own Master List: cultivators outside court and schools, who fought in the Jianghu, entangled in grudges and passions, winning fame in their regions, eventually coalescing into factions.

The grudges and passions of the Jianghu are no less intense than those of the court.

The man added: "The Sword Immortal seems unwilling to act. Then those ten Weida Sect masters—you just mentioned them. Tell me, which one do you think is the strongest, capable of easily calming this scene of our Chen State's Grand Sacrifice? I will report to my teacher and spare no effort to invite him back."

He was merely placating this Sword Immortal.

The Sword Immortal wearing a silver mask said:

"That one—you all know him."

"But only him—you cannot invite him back."

The man's smile vanished.

He knew who the Sword Immortal meant.

The one and only Jianghu master who could, on foot, utterly crush Yue Qianfeng in direct combat.

Outside, the rain gradually ceased, dripping from the eaves one by one onto the pottery jar, crisp and clear. The Luzhou Sword Immortal lifted his sword, gazing at the scenery beyond, and said: "Twelve years ago, when Tai Ping Gong was trapped in Jingcheng, the Ying State's Hu Man cavalry invaded the Eighteenth Province of Jiangnan. That man rode forth with ninety-seven dark weapons, personally blocking the pass beyond the border."

The man said: "Tai Ping Gong remained in Jingcheng to drink wine—not trapped there."

The Luzhou Sword Immortal said coolly:

"I would very much like to ask: what was Tai Ping Gong doing in Jingcheng, in the two years before his death?"

"The border troops of Chen State retreated, as if deliberately allowing the Ying State to invade. The Murong clan defended the city; three hundred and seventy-two direct descendants died in battle. Murong blood flowed into the city's rivers. In the end, it was the people of that city who defended it themselves, forcing back thirty thousand troops."

"He personally slew one thousand seven hundred Hu Man heavy cavalry, charged through their lines seven times, and shattered the second-best heavy cavalry in the world—ten years before they regained their strength."

"He killed two gods on the divine general list."

"Among all Jianghu masters of the Central Plains, he was the strongest."

"Among all sword-wielding warriors in the world, none was more ruthless than he. But can you invite him back?"

The man's eyes flickered with dread, but he lowered his head and sipped his tea.

The Luzhou Sword Immortal lifted his sword, held his umbrella, and walked out of the teahouse, murmuring softly:

"One flute, one sword—my life's purpose; I've spent two hundred years bearing the weight of reckless fame."

"The Divine Weapon Murong Mansion of Jiangnan."

"The Sword Madman, Murong Longtu."

Sword in hand, riding astride, he slashed through rain of blood; white bones piled like mountains as birds took flight in terror.

Longtu's hegemony—Qiushui leaves no trace.

Jiangnan's misty rain—the Divine Weapon Murong.

It is the only lineage among the great Jianghu clans to wield both weapon and music, equally accomplished in civil and martial arts.

The man sipped tea in the teahouse, as if recalling the bloody scrolls, the hidden struggles among factions. Finally, he closed his eyes, listening to Jiangnan's wind and rain, hearing the fierce blade-song within the wind, and whispered:

"Not ninety-seven—but ninety-six."

"Among the weapons of the Divine Weapon Murong Mansion, one is missing."

He realized the person ahead had left; he fell silent, then raised his head to gaze at the distant sky:

"Grand Sacrifice—no matter what, it must not fail."

"For the sake of the world."

………………

Li Guanyi found the Young Lady beneath a tree. The spring rain of Jiangnan was fine, so she was not wet. Li Guanyi held his umbrella over her and said: "The rain is about to stop. If you stay out now, the old master will scold us."

"Have you had your fill of fun, Young Lady? Shall we return?"

Xue Shuangtao had calmed down. She thought for a moment and said: "Then, one last thing."

She pointed shyly at the tree and said: "I want to climb up and see the view."

Li Guanyi stared, dumbfounded.

Xue Shuangtao said: "Since childhood, only my younger brother was allowed to climb trees. Grandfather always said a young lady of a noble house shouldn't climb trees. I've always wanted to see what Jiangnan Dao looks like from the very top."

Li Guanyi laughed. "Alright. Need help?"

Xue Shuangtao rolled up her sleeves. "Don't underestimate me. Though I haven't entered the realm, I've made some progress in my family's Jade Arm Divine Bow Art."

She shifted her body, leapt upward, her right foot pressing against the trunk, internal Qi exploding—her body shot up five or six feet. Then she adjusted her breath, took only a few steps, and landed firmly on the branch.

The girl widened her eyes, gazing at the Jiangnan city as the rain ended. Jiangnan's rain differed from the desert's or the Central Plains'—fine, endless, like mist, shrouding the stone slabs and buildings in beauty like a painted scroll. But Xue Shuangtao felt more exhilarated breathing deeply from up high!

Li Guanyi said: "Want to shout?"

Xue Shuangtao said: "No way—that wouldn't be proper."

The boy laughed and shouted loudly: "Who cares about propriety now? Xue Shuangtao, are you stupid?" His internal Qi surged, his voice booming, startling birds. The Young Lady's eyes widened, then she laughed, cupping her hands to her lips and shouting: "Li Guanyi, you're the big fool!"

After shouting several times, she suddenly felt utterly free.

Then she laughed.

After gazing at the scenery for a long while, Li Guanyi called for her to come down. "Be careful descending—the tree's harder to climb down than up. I'll catch you."

Xue Shuangtao said: "I'm a cultivator—I don't need to worry!"

She leapt down sharply, using the branches for leverage—when suddenly, a spinning top rolled past.

A child, five or six years old, came charging after it without care.

Like the children Li Guanyi had seen in his past life darting across roads, children often lacked awareness of danger. The Young Lady's Jade Arm Divine Bow Art was unmatched in the Jianghu—if she struck him, the child would be severely injured by her released internal Qi.

Li Guanyi stepped forward; Xue Shuangtao instantly altered her internal Qi.

She shifted her step, landed elsewhere, then stepped again, avoiding the child.

The child holding the top froze in fright. Li Guanyi grabbed the fleeing boy and scolded him sternly, to prevent future recklessness. The Young Lady, seeing no harm done, said: "You don't need to be so strict."

Li Guanyi raised an eyebrow. "Otherwise, this brat will do it again."

He pinched the child's nose and growled:

"If you do it again, I'll come to your house at midnight and take your nose—then you'll have nothing but two holes." The child turned pale and ran off. Xue Shuangtao burst out laughing: "Why do you do such childish things?"

Li Guanyi didn't mind, but as he and the Young Lady walked back, Xue Shuangtao could walk normally at first; later Li Guanyi noticed her brow furrow and her steps begin to drift to the left. He sighed, told her to stop, and said: "You twisted your ankle, didn't you?"

"You haven't Forged a Body yet. This kind of explosive Wu Gong easily injures you, and you even changed direction at full speed… No, I still have to teach that kid a lesson."

Xue Shuangtao couldn't tell whether to laugh or cry: "Fine, stop being ridiculous."

Li Guanyi said: "This isn't being ridiculous."

"Can you still walk?"

Xue Shuangtao hopped a little and said: "I can."

"Like hell you can."

Li Guanyi rolled his eyes. The boy crouched down, saw the Young Lady's ankle already swollen, and could only turn around, saying: "Get on."

"Ah?"

Li Guanyi said: "If you don't get on and walk back, you'll probably have to lie in bed for another five days." The girl hesitated, thinking that since he'd already touched her ankle, being carried on his back was nothing, so she gently draped herself over Li Guanyi's back.

Li Guanyi laughed: "You're really light."

Carrying the Young Lady on his back, he walked back along the misty, drizzly road of Jiangnan. He bought a stick of candied hawthorns along the way. The Young Lady's arm hooked his shoulder. The boy moved quickly the whole way, and at this point began to complain that this world had no public transit—a public horse carriage would be nice.

He joked the whole way, and the Young Lady let out a snort of laughter.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

Xue Shuangtao said: "I was just thinking—before, I only played the qin and practiced gong; every day seemed the same. Today was strange. I think, even a long time from now, I definitely won't forget this day."

She thought softly: "No matter how far in the future, no matter how old I am."

"I will certainly recall today's events with a smile, over and over."

Li Guanyi carried her through the little alleys of Jiangnan, through the misty rain and fog, a smile at the corner of his ear.

It was just that when they returned, the Xue family members were all dumbfounded.

The old man had heard earlier that Li Guanyi had taken Xue Shuangtao out to play and had only laughed heartily. But when he saw them return, the old man suddenly couldn't laugh anymore.

The corner of his eye twitched. He had a maid take the girl—who had suddenly realized what had happened and whose face was flushed crimson—away to be treated, then glared viciously at Li Guanyi and said: "Stinky kid, get over here!"

"If you don't give me an explanation today, this old man will hang you up and give you a beating!"

Li Guanyi said: "Because I was a little happy today, I got carried away. Seeing the Young Lady in a bad mood, I took her out for a stroll."

"Happy? Oh? Kid, tell me, how happy?"

The old man bared his teeth, his expression dangerous:

"If you can't say it, I'll make you happy."

Li Guanyi smiled slightly, brought his fists together, and struck them against each other.

The sound was like Jin Yu striking against each other.

The expression on the old man's face froze bit by bit.

Li Guanyi said:

"I've Forged a Body."