The location of the Zhao family, one of the six major families in Guanzhong, was the Zhao Family Mint in the northwest. It was only natural, as they made a living from minting. I ran about seven li to the Zhao Family Mint. Seeing the signboard of the Zhao Family Mint, I thought it wasn't as far as I had imagined. After all, seven li was a short distance if you rode a horse.
In front of the Zhao Family Mint, four guards stood. They immediately raised their spears when they saw me appear suddenly with fast lightness of body. They also seemed to be trained in martial arts.
"Who are you?"
I felt a bit playful for a moment but restrained myself. There was no need to complicate things unnecessarily. Instead, I politely clasped my hands and said,
"My name is Baixiong, a disciple of the Qinglong Martial Hall. I heard that my senior brother, Chief Instructor Zhen Shaoqing, visited the Zhao Family, so I came here to deliver a message."
"Hmm..."
They exchanged glances for a moment.
"Please wait a moment."
"Sure."
"Is there anything to prove your identity? No one with an uncertain status can enter the Zhao Family."
"This is the instructor's badge of the Qinglong Martial Hall."
I took out the instructor's badge from my robe at the guard's request. The badge had a coiling Qinglong (Azure Dragon) engraved on it, made of high-quality bronze. It was given to me by Sanjie Li Guang to prove my identity. They gasped when they saw the badge.
"Oh... an instructor of the Qinglong Martial Hall at your age?"
"Remarkable!"
"Please wait a moment."
One of them, who had already used formal language, rushed inside, while the other three relaxed their spears and said,
"Baixiong, are you a young hero? A new star has appeared in the Guanzhong martial world."
"How old are you?"
"......"
I was speechless at the guards' sudden friendliness. They didn't seem to consider whether the badge was fake or forged.
Of course, mine was genuine, but it also indicated that the Guanzhong martial world was relatively peaceful and stable. At the same time, it proved how highly respected and honored the Qinglong Martial Hall was in Guanzhong. The Qinglong Martial Hall, like the Shuangmen Temple in Luoyang, was a major force in the region.
"Ah... just a moment... I need to see my senior brother."
I gave a vague answer. However, the guards seemed to accept it and chuckled.
"Haha. Please wait."
After about a quarter of an hour, the guard who had gone inside returned with a perplexed look.
"Um... I'm sorry, Baixiong. You'll have to wait a bit longer."
"What's going on?"
"......"
He remained silent, clenching his lips. I sensed that something was happening inside. Perhaps they had refused to see me, or Zhen Shaoqing wasn't there.
I said curtly,
"I'm here on my master's orders. He instructed me to bring my senior brother back as soon as possible. Are you going to keep me waiting outside for no reason?"
The guards looked flustered at my outburst. My words were impatient but accurate. The guard who had gone inside quickly tried to explain.
"Right now, Instructor Zhen Shaoqing is having an important conversation with the head of the Zhao Family. If you're from the Qinglong Martial Hall, you should understand."
"Of course, I understand. But can you take responsibility if you block me?"
"......!!"
The word 'responsibility' made the guards' faces pale. It was the most feared word for them. They quickly thought about who would bear the responsibility and urged the guard inside to hurry.
"Zhai! Just ask one more time!"
"It's not that urgent. Just ask one more time."
Zhai, the guard, burst out in anger.
"Damn! Am I your servant? Why do you only yell at me?"
"But you're in charge of reporting."
"Ah..."
He seemed to be suppressing his anger. Then, he reluctantly said to me,
"Just now, I couldn't get a direct message from your senior brother or the head of the family. This time, I'll make sure to get it."
"What do you mean? Did someone tell you to turn me away?"
"Well, the Chief Administrator said not to even approach the guest room. This time, you don't have to worry."
With that, Zhai rushed inside again. The other guards muttered about him being a fool, but I didn't care. Instead, I intensely analyzed the current situation.
'An important conversation between the head of the Zhao Family and my senior brother? Didn't my senior brother plan to meet his friend, Changtian Jianlong Nangong Huan, here? Was this place not just a meeting point?'
It seemed more complicated than I had thought. I suspected that the head of the Zhao Family might be detaining or threatening my senior brother, but even the six major families wouldn't dare do such a thing. First, my senior brother's martial skills were far beyond the level of being detained, and second, the Qinglong Martial Hall's influence was as strong as that of two or three of the major families combined. I dismissed the absurd thought.
I asked the guards if Changtian Jianlong Nangong Huan and his fiancée, Murong Yan, had come here. They looked wary.
"Why are you asking?"
"I heard they were heading this way from the market."
"That's something we don't know."
They denied it, but I was certain that Nangong Huan and Murong Yan had indeed come here. If they truly didn't know, they wouldn't have reacted so defensively. The guards seemed to have made a mistake in their judgment.
'Should I just barge in?'
I felt standing here was a waste of time. However, I clenched my fists and waited again. I had learned from experience that patience often led to better outcomes. Overthrowing the Zhao Family would be easy, but the aftermath would be unbearable.
I waited for about half an hour. Finally, Zhai and a middle-aged man walked out together.
"Welcome, Baixiong. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."
"Who are you?"
"I am Chief Administrator He Jun of the Zhao Family."
He treated me with respect, knowing I was an instructor-level member of the Qinglong Martial Hall. He was treating me strictly as a martial world figure. The middle-aged man, who introduced himself as Chief Administrator He Jun, continued apologetically.
"Instructor Zhen Shaoqing had a conversation with the head of the family, but they couldn't reach an agreement, so he decided to stay longer. He said he would return to the Qinglong Martial Hall later, so please don't worry and go back."
"... What exactly did they talk about?"
"That's a secret of this mint. If you really want to know, ask your senior brother later."
I bared my teeth in a threatening smile.
"Do you take me for a fool? Making me wait here and telling me to wait for him to return later? When exactly? I can't see even a glimpse of my senior brother. How can I trust you?"
"A, ah, no..."
Chief Administrator He Jun looked flustered.
Rumble
His reaction was understandable. My words were sharp, and the aura I unconsciously emitted was pressuring him, making him shrink back. He had martial skills, but he trembled when faced with my internal energy.
Even the four guards standing beside him flinched and took a step back. They looked pale, clearly intimidated by my internal energy. I pressed him further.
"Let me make this clear. If you don't show me my senior brother or at least give me detailed information, I'll do things my way."
"Are you planning to disgrace your senior brother? Are you threatening the Zhao Family Mint as a mere instructor of the Qinglong Martial Hall?"
Chief Administrator He Jun was a strong-willed person. Despite the pressure, he stood firm and spoke his mind. I smiled and spoke logically.
"Is this a threat? I received an order from my master to bring my senior brother back. That order must be followed absolutely, even by my senior brother. Don't make excuses. Refusing this order is my senior brother's responsibility."
"......"
"Which do you think takes precedence in the martial world: the will of a senior brother or the order of a master? I'm just stating the principle."
"Ugh..."
I pressed on with a stern face.
"Whatever you and my senior brother discussed is his personal matter. To me and the Qinglong Martial Hall, my master's order is more important!"
Chief Administrator He Jun looked troubled.
He must have realized that I was implying, "If I have to, I'll break into the Zhao Family Mint to find my senior brother, and it won't be a problem in the martial world." As a chief administrator, he was intelligent enough to understand the implications. If I broke in, the Zhao Family Mint would suffer the consequences, not me.
Of course, I wouldn't really attack them. Doing so would put me in great danger. However, the reason I was threatening them was to make them believe that I could do it, thus making my threat credible. The possibility that I might do something crazy if things went wrong was a powerful deterrent.
Finally, He Jun sighed and glanced at the Zhao Family behind him.
"There's no choice. I'll tell you where Instructor Zhen is."
"Where? Isn't he inside the Zhao Family Mint?"
"He left about half an hour ago."
"......!!"
I knew my intuition was right. The reason He Jun had blocked me and made excuses was to hide the fact that Zhen Shaoqing had already left. I confirmed that my intuition was correct, but there was nothing I could do. I had to weigh the situation and the righteousness of my actions to choose the best course of action.
I asked He Jun,
"Why did you hide where my senior brother went?"
"Because he asked the head of the Zhao Family to do so."
"What...?"
"I can't give more details. But we only did as requested, so even the head of the Qinglong Martial Hall can't blame us for this."
He Jun's words were sharp, tinged with annoyance at being involved in someone else's affairs. I didn't provoke him further. It seemed that Zhen Shaoqing had asked the head of the Zhao Family to hide his whereabouts for some reason, and the deadline was until tomorrow. He Jun had only given him the time he requested.
However, why?
Finally, He Jun said,
"He's heading to Hangu Pass. If you hurry, you might catch up with him since he's riding a horse."
"You're doing your best to cover your tracks."
He Jun frowned.
"Don't mock me. We don't like getting involved in others' affairs either."
"Hmm."
"I won't see you off. Please leave now."
He Jun instructed the guards to close the gate and went inside. The gate slammed shut, and the guards, looking embarrassed, started their duties, lighting the torches. It was getting dark, and I needed to hurry to catch up with him.
Clatter
I knew where Hangu Pass was. Having lived in Guanzhong for three years, I had a general idea of the geography. Hangu Pass was a gateway from the eastern Zhongyuan to the western Guanzhong, located near Lingbao on the southern bank of the Yellow River. I had never been there, but it was a well-known and historic fortress, so I thought I could follow the main road.
' There's a relay station nearby. I'll borrow a horse there.'
Riding at night was dangerous, but holding a torch in one hand would provide enough visibility. Of course, my horsemanship wasn't that good, so I would have to control the horse's speed. I preferred to conserve my strength.
Neigh
There were fire towers along the main road with torches. Fortunately, they were visible enough, so I started riding slowly.
The relay station keeper said that Hangu Pass was about five li away after crossing a mountain. I estimated it to be about 25 li from here, a considerable distance, so I was glad I had a horse.
While the horse's hooves clattered, I thought,
'No doubt. Senior Brother Zhen Shaoqing met Nangong Huan and Murong Yan at the Zhao Family Mint and is now heading to Hangu Pass with them.'
The only possible purpose was clear:
Protection!
During the day, not only were there many first-rate martial artists searching for Nangong Huan and Murong Yan, but they were also patrolling the streets. Nangong Huan must have known about this, so he took his fiancée to the Zhao Family for refuge and asked his friend, Zhen Shaoqing, for help. Zhen Shaoqing must have told Sanjie Li Guang he was meeting a friend and then accompanied Nangong Huan to protect them.
Rustle
I leaned close to the horse, dodging branches, and muttered,
"This is getting complicated."
I was right.
If I followed my senior brother to Hangu Pass, I would likely encounter a group of first-rate martial artists. They were obsessed with Murong Yan, and it was unlikely that first-rate martial artists couldn't find Nangong Huan. They might have refrained from attacking while he was at the Zhao Family, but now, with the sun setting and the night growing dark, they were likely to make their move.
My suspicions were soon confirmed.
While riding and crossing the mountain, I sensed a strong reaction. It was a massive wave, likely from powerful techniques colliding. A faint sound, inaudible to ordinary people, pierced my ears, clearly indicating a confrontation between experts.
"Damn... I hope I'm not too late."
I urged the horse to go faster, despite the danger of the downhill path.
"Come on, you."
I placed one hand on the horse's neck and gradually infused it with energy, making the horse, which was tired, start running faster. At the same time, I synchronized with the horse's senses to prevent it from stumbling.
Neigh
Most experts couldn't do this. Infusing energy into another being was highly inefficient, so they usually infused their energy into specific acupoints to minimize waste. However, my internal energy was so abundant that even without targeting specific acupoints, I could still provide enough energy, though inefficiently.
After rushing for about a quarter of an hour, I arrived at the confrontation site.
Rustle
I emerged from the grass into a wide plain with large trees scattered around. In the middle of the plain, Hangu Pass was visible on a distant hill. Torches were planted like in a training ground, and about a dozen figures were standing there.
I dismounted and shouted,
"Instructor Zhen Shaoqing! Are you alright?"
Clang
Zhen Shaoqing, who was fighting two experts with his spear, looked at me. Surprisingly, he was holding his ground, moving his spear like an extension of his body, and even overwhelming them.
Clang!
"Oof."
With a thud, Zhen Shaoqing raised his spear, and one of the experts, wielding a long sword, was thrown back with a scream. Simultaneously, Zhen Shaoqing used the Thunder Spirit Eight Techniques, causing a strange shockwave that tore the glove off the other expert and ripped his shoulder.
In an instant, he defeated both experts and looked at me in surprise.
"Who are you? Why do I sense the aura of Thunder Spirit?"
He must have detected the thunder energy emanating from my body. Even at first glance, he could discern the level of the Thunder Spirit technique, showing he was a more formidable expert than I had thought.
The experts' attention turned to me.
I bowed and clasped my hands, saying,
"I am a new disciple of the Qinglong Martial Hall, Baixiong, and I have been granted the rank of instructor. I was ordered by the head of the hall to serve my senior brother."
"Instructor...? Senior brother?"
"I also learned the Sanjie techniques for personal reasons and joined the hall."
Zhen Shaoqing, who seemed confused, laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! I see! I'll count on you, Baixiong!"
"Yes."
He must have deduced that I was a disciple of Sanjie Li Guang, a master of the Thunder Spirit technique, and that I had joined the Qinglong Martial Hall. He was indeed a genius, both in intellect and martial skills.
'After all, he will be one of the Ten Great Experts of the future...'
Behind Zhen Shaoqing stood a man and a woman.
The man was incredibly handsome. While Zhen Shaoqing was also good-looking, this man's appearance was like a dragon, perfectly chiseled without a single flaw. Even a light smile from him could captivate many maidens.
The woman standing beside him was equally beautiful. She was comparable to Sangu Lin, but it was hard to say who was more beautiful. If I had to compare, Sangu Lin was more refined, while this woman was more enchanting. Regardless, she was a beauty that any man would risk his life to obtain.
They greeted me.
"Welcome, young hero. I am Nangong Huan of the Nangong family, Changtian Jianlong."
"I am Murong Yan, daughter of the Murong family."
"Yes. Nice to meet you."
I was confident about their identities, so I accepted their greetings without further words. My suspicions were correct.
At that moment,
A man in black stepped forward, mocking me and Zhen Shaoqing.
"Putting on a show, are you? Just because you have a new young expert, you won't survive today, Zhen Shaoqing and Changtian Jianlong!"
Standing behind him were about seven to eight experts, each wielding unique weapons. I recognized the aura of the four first-rate experts I had sensed earlier. At the back, a young man with a wooden sword was Wei Zhong, whom I had defeated earlier.
As expected, Wei Zhong shouted in shock upon seeing me.
"Ah! You're the young man from the open square!"
I said curtly,
"Open square? I'm a disciple of the Qinglong Martial Hall."
"Don't joke! You were dripping with filth like a crow!"
"Don't bark, damn it."
Was he comparing me to a crow?
That was an insult.
I was annoyed and immediately lunged forward. The experts, seeing my attack, laughed derisively, thinking I was a mere fly. They soon launched their weapons to kill me. However, I stopped before entering their attack range and performed a sudden downward thrust, infusing all my internal energy into the ground.
'Feel this.'
Boom - !!!!
Massive destruction!
A loud explosion echoed. It was as if dozens of barrels of explosives had detonated, sending a cloud of dust up to the mountain's mid-slope.
A wall of darkness rose, and the sky and earth were enveloped in the explosion's roar. An invisible shockwave tore through the air, and the ground beneath the thrust crumbled, seemingly endless. Nearby trees lost their branches to the shockwave.
Human bodies were no exception.
"Aaaaaah!!"
"What, what is this?!"
"Damn, damn! Ahh!!"
The first-rate experts were thrown back, screaming. Some tried to regain their balance by planting their weapons in the ground or using lightness techniques in mid-air, but none could withstand the force within five paces. One expert with weaker internal energy was thrown over ten paces, blood trickling from his mouth.
I had simply infused all my internal energy into the ground with a thrust.
But the result was so overwhelming that I was surprised.
Did I really do this?
What level had my internal energy reached?
At that moment, Senior Brother Zhen Shaoqing smiled and said,
"Good job, Baixiong! Take Murong Yan and flee quickly."
"Flee? Why?"
"They are all formidable experts. A direct confrontation wouldn't be wise."
Whistle
Murong Yan mounted the horse I had ridden in on. Nangong Huan said to her,
"Hurry to Hangu Pass. Don't worry about us."
"Understood, Elder Brother."
Clatter
As Murong Yan's horse started to run, Zhen Shaoqing and I followed. We could easily catch up to the horse, but we needed to conserve our energy and stamina, so we kept a distance where we could see the horse's tail.
While running, Nangong Huan glanced at me and said,
"To think there was a young expert like you in Guanzhong... The balance of power in the world will surely change."
"Ahaha..."
I laughed awkwardly, knowing that Nangong Huan would be one of the Ten Great Experts and the Sword King of the Nangong family in the future. It was a bit embarrassing to receive such praise from a future great figure.
At that moment, Zhen Shaoqing sent me a mental message.
[Did you inherit the Thunder Spirit technique from another lineage?]
I wasn't skilled at mental communication, so I whispered,
"Yes. My former master passed away, so I came to find the head of the hall."
[Hehe. Your future training will be interesting. I'll count on you today.]
Surprisingly, Zhen Shaoqing showed no suspicion or jealousy. Even if I had joined from another lineage, it was normal to be suspicious or angry. I felt his sincerity and was a bit heavy-hearted.
Zhen Shaoqing was a true genius!
'If he had been a bit more arrogant, it would have been easier to handle.'
I wondered if I could surpass a genius acknowledged by Sanjie Li Guang.