“In... Inquiry Realm...”
The legs of the man surnamed Wang gave out, and seventy to eighty percent of his drunkenness evaporated on the spot.
People like them were merely minor figures in the Candlelight Realm; how could they possibly afford to offend someone like this?
Meanwhile, the companions behind him who had been egging him on seemed as though their throats had been seized. Every last one went as silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to breathe too loudly.
“Scram!”
As if granted an imperial pardon, the man surnamed Wang stumbled, tumbling flat on his back before scrambling and crawling his way back to his table.
Seeing this, Ye Zhibai sheathed her sword in a crisp, clean motion, looking as if nothing had happened at all.
The surrounding diners bowed their heads one after another, pretending to be utterly absorbed in the food in their bowls. Not a single person dared to spare her another glance.
Leaning against the doorframe, Chen Zui watched the scene with a slight upturn of his lips.
Although this girl practiced the “dead sword,” scaring off a few street thugs was still child’s play for her.
Right then, a middle-aged man dressed in a padded cotton robe of green cloth hurried out from behind the counter to welcome them.
The man appeared to be in his forties, with a kindly countenance and a goatee. Judging by his attire, he was likely the shopkeeper of this tavern.
He first cupped his hands toward the table of men surnamed Wang and lowered his voice. “Gentlemen, this humble shop still has business to conduct. Please show some consideration.”
Though his tone was polite, anyone could hear the intent to see them out.
How could those men dare linger any longer? Tossing down a few pieces of broken silver, they scuttled out the door in disgrace, not even daring to look back.
Only then did the shopkeeper turn around and make a deep bow toward Ye Zhibai and her companions.
“Honored guests, I am truly sorry that these blind fools disturbed your pleasant mood.”
He raised his eyes, the smile on his face deepening.
“This humble one is surnamed Zhou, the shopkeeper of Wangbei Tower.
“One look is enough to tell that the three of you are no ordinary figures. The private rooms upstairs are quiet. I shall have the staff prepare a table of fine dishes, take it as an apology to you three.”
Chen Zui and Ye Zhibai exchanged a glance; this shopkeeper certainly knew how to handle people.
“Shopkeeper Zhou is too courteous. We are merely passing travelers, staying for a night before moving on,” Chen Zui said, cupping his hands.
“Oh? Are you travelers headed for Luoyan City?” the shopkeeper asked, furrowing his brows.
Luoyan City was the final city stationed at the border.
“Indeed,” Chen Zui replied readily.
Shopkeeper Zhou lowered his voice. “Please follow me, honored guests.”
Chen Zui and the other two found it baffling.
Yet, sensing that the man had a kind face and did not seem wicked, they followed along.
Led by Shopkeeper Zhou, they arrived at a secluded private room upstairs.
“If the shopkeeper has something to say, please speak frankly,” Ye Zhibai said, placing her longsword down.
Shopkeeper Zhou said hesitantly:
“My Wangbei Tower has been open here for over ten years.
“I have seen all sorts of figures from the martial world.
“Naturally, I also understand propriety in speech and conduct.
“Yet today, I cannot help but speak out of turn.
“I advise you all not to head to Luoyan City, but rather turn back the way you came at once.”
“Why is that?” Xiao Chengyan asked, puzzled.
The shopkeeper surnamed Zhou did not look down on Xiao Chengyan simply because he was clad in tattered rags.
How could someone traveling alongside an Inquiry Realm expert merely be a street beggar?
This person was very likely disguising his identity.
Shopkeeper Zhou turned toward Xiao Chengyan.
“Just two days ago, the Young Sect Master of the Jinyang Sect passed through here with an entourage.
“I happened to overhear the words they spoke.
“It seemed they were going to Luoyan City to wait for someone.”
“Wait for someone? Wait for whom?”
Shopkeeper Zhou shook his head.
“I am not certain either. However, I heard words like ‘Sword Attendant’ and ‘servant’ from that young master’s mouth.”
“Senior Sword Attendant?”
Ye Zhibai reacted quickly.
“For the Jinyang Sect to mobilize in such great force, could it be they want to win over Senior Sword Attendant?
“If Senior Sword Attendant truly joins them,
“then the Jinyang Sect breaking into the ranks of first-rate sects will be only a matter of time.”
The shopkeeper was thoroughly mystified by this, but he continued nonetheless.
“I am merely a businessman and rarely pry into the affairs of the martial world.
“Though I do not know who this Senior Sword Attendant you speak of is, I could tell that their attitude toward that Sword Attendant was nothing like your respect.
“I also heard that their trip to Luoyan City is to set an ambush and intercept that Sword Attendant.
“That is why I advise the three of you not to press onward.”
“Intercept Senior Sword Attendant?” Ye Zhibai said in fury. “Where does the Jinyang Sect get the gall?!”
At this moment, Shopkeeper Zhou added with deep worry:
“If it were only the Young Sect Master of the Jinyang Sect, that would be one thing.
“The trouble is, among their entourage are three renowned martial arts experts.
“If I guess correctly, they were likely dispatched by the imperial court to assist that Young Sect Master.”
“Oh? What kind of people are they?” Chen Zui asked with keen interest.
He had not expected that an old Sword Attendant unsheathing his sword for the first time in over thirty years would cause such a massive stir.
Chen Zui grew increasingly intrigued by this martial senior he had never met.
Shopkeeper Zhou took a deep breath and lifted a tea bowl to moisten his throat.
“The first is a Fist Grandmaster, He Bailou.”
Hearing this, Ye Zhibai’s expression shifted slightly, her fingers gripping her sword tightening faintly as well.
“He Bailou? Is he very formidable?”
Xiao Chengyan asked, frowning.
Why had he never heard this name before?
Ye Zhibai nodded gently.
“Grand Zhao is not like your... like Grand Shuo over there; very few people concentrate on training in fist arts here.
“Let alone a Fist Grandmaster.
“Although Grand Zhao holds the upper hand over Grand Shuo in the Way of the Sword, when it comes to fist arts, we fall far behind.
“And this He Bailou can be said to be the undisputed number one in the Way of the Fist across our Grand Zhao.”
Seeing Ye Zhibai treat the matter with such solemnity, the shopkeeper surnamed Zhou let out a helpless sigh.
“And that is only the first person. The origins of the remaining two are even more terrifying.”
“Who else is there?” Ye Zhibai pressed anxiously.
The shopkeeper glanced at Ye Zhibai, his gaze lingering for a moment on her snow-white longsword.
“Miss wields a sword, so you surely know of the Liu Family of Jiangnan.”
Ye Zhibai nodded.
“Of course I know them. One of the Four Great Families of Jiangnan, a prominent clan of a hundred years.
“Could it be... the one coming is that person?”
“Indeed, the one coming is none other than Liu Yinsheng, Sword Saint Liu.
“This man gained fame in his youth, possessing both civil and martial prowess, having mastered both literature and the sword.
“Although he was once defeated beneath the blade of Sword Immortal Shen, for him to ascend to the ranks of Grandmasters through the Way of the Sword in Grand Zhao—where swordsmen are as abundant as carp crossing a river—one can imagine how profound his swordsmanship is.”
Hearing up to here, Ye Zhibai was struck speechless.
Yet Chen Zui still maintained an air of nonchalance, asking unhurriedly:
“So, who is the third?”
Shopkeeper Zhou’s gaze slowly swept across the three faces before finally resting upon the boundless night outside the window, his voice dropping extremely low.
“Indeed.
“He Bailou is the peak of the Way of the Fist.
“Liu Yinsheng is a towering mountain in the Way of the Sword.
“Reasonably speaking, with these two presiding over the affair, this journey would already be enough to make the vast majority of people under heaven flinch and turn back.”
Shopkeeper Zhou’s voice suddenly paused for a few seconds.
“Yet there is still that third person.”
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