Hearing these words, Xiao Chengyan stood frozen in place, motionless.
The north wind swirled with specks of snow as it whipped past him, making his tattered clothes snap in the gale.
A long silence followed.
Xiao Chengyan suddenly chuckled.
“Brother Chen, the way you talk really leaves a man nowhere to hide.”
Chen Zui did not reply, merely handing over the wine flask.
Xiao Chengyan took it and gulped down a mouthful. The strong liquor burned his throat, sending him into a coughing fit.
Once he stopped coughing, he handed the flask back to Chen Zui and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“You’re right.
I am afraid.
I’ve been afraid for twelve whole years.
I’m afraid that after mastering all these skills, in the end, I still won't be able to protect anything.
I’m afraid of following in my father’s footsteps, becoming another useless wretch who possesses peerless martial arts yet can't even protect the person he loves most. And even more, I’m afraid...”
He paused, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“I’m afraid that once I truly become capable, I’ll find that everything my mother did back then was entirely in vain.”
He took a deep breath, his eyes burning bright.
“But now I’m not afraid anymore. Because of you, Brother Chen.”
“Me?”
Xiao Chengyan nodded.
“You never overthink things when you act.
If you feel an injustice should be addressed, you address it. If you feel someone deserves to die, you kill them.
You don’t care about their background, nor do you care about the consequences.
At first, I thought this was the behavior of a reckless fool.
But now I finally understand—to be able to keep everything so simple is a skill in and of itself.”
Chen Zui smiled. “Are you praising me?”
Xiao Chengyan didn't answer directly. Instead, he blurted out out of nowhere:
“Brother Chen, come with me to Grand Shuo!”
Chen Zui paused in his tracks and glanced back at him. “What?”
Xiao Chengyan looked at him earnestly, a solemnity in his eyes that had never been there before.
“I know you have no ties in Grand Zhao, just wandering wherever the wind takes you.
If that’s the case, why not come with me to Grand Shuo?
Though I may be a prince without power, securing an official post for you wouldn't be difficult.”
Chen Zui gave a slight smile.
“Is Your Highness the Prince trying to recruit me?”
“It’s not recruitment.” Xiao Chengyan shook his head.
“It’s... admiration.
“I admire the kind of man you are, Brother Chen.
This world is full of snobs who flatter the powerful.
It is also full of clever people who only look out for themselves.
Yet I’ve never seen anyone quite as detached from worldly wisdom as you.
Though to say you desire nothing doesn't seem right either.
What you seek is the conviction in your heart.
I believe the martial path you pursue will bring tremendous changes to this world.
So, I want to stay by your side and see just how far you can go.”
Chen Zui stared at him for a long moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.
His laughter echoed across the open snowy expanse, startling several winter crows into taking flight.
“Xiao Chengyan, oh Xiao Chengyan, you truly are something.
I’m just an Inquiry Realm Spearman, wandering the martial world without making so much as a ripple.
Yet you, a dignified Prince, are saying you want to follow me around?”
“Martial realms can be raised, but a person’s character cannot be changed.”
Xiao Chengyan said earnestly, “I’ve seen too many experts—Second Rank, First Rank, and even the top ten of the Martial Ranks like my father. But not one of them has ever made me feel... grounded the way you do.”
“Grounded?” Chen Zui raised an eyebrow.
“Yes. Because you live like a real person.”
Hearing this, Ye Zhibai, standing to the side, was also slightly moved.
She couldn't help but look at Chen Zui a few times more.
This man truly was an outlier.
There was no clear line between orthodox or unorthodox in him, yet he possessed an innate power that put others at ease.
Chen Zui remained silent for a moment, then shook his head in refusal.
“No.”
“Why?”
Xiao Chengyan grew somewhat anxious.
Chen Zui smiled slightly, took a step forward, and pointed toward the distant outline of the rolling mountain ranges.
“You must remember this.
The rivers and mountains of this world do not belong to the imperial house of Grand Zhao, nor do they belong to your Xiao family.
The eternal legacy you royalty pursue is, after all, merely a thousand autumns.
Many years from now, the mountains and the moon will remain unchanged, but who will still remember you?
As for me, I only wish to gaze upon the boundless wind and moon, the limitless realm.
As for Grand Shuo...
I suppose I will go there, but it certainly won't be because of your invitation.”
Xiao Chengyan let out a self-deprecating laugh.
“True enough. That’s the Brother Chen I admire.”
“All right, stop chattering. Let’s get moving. Before it gets dark, we need to find a place to stay.”
Chen Zui playfully scolded the high and mighty Prince, Xiao Chengyan, before vanishing from the spot with wind beneath his feet.
Ye Zhibai and Xiao Chengyan exchanged a glance, then reined their horses and hurried to catch up.
As dusk fell, the trio arrived at a town.
This town was much larger than the previous one.
There were three inns along the street.
The three of them chose the only three-story tavern grand enough to be called 'imposing.'
Two large red lanterns hung before the tavern entrance.
Their glow reflected upon the snowy ground, spreading two warm circles of light.
The light faintly illuminated the three characters on the horizontal plaque: 'Wangbei Tower.'
Tying their reins to the hitching posts by the entrance, the trio pushed the doors open and walked in.
The main hall was bustling with excitement.
Fully twenty or thirty martial artists were packed inside, some drinking, others playing drinking games, their flying spittle and the stench of alcohol mingling in a noisy uproar.
When the trio walked through the door, several pairs of ravenous, predatory gazes snapped toward them!
All of those eyes converged on Ye Zhibai alone.
“Yo, to think a remote backwater like this would have a woman with such an aloof beauty.”
A burly man with a face full of scowling flesh was the first to stand up.
Holding half a bowl of murky wine, he swaggered toward Ye Zhibai with unsteady steps.
“Little lady, you sure are pretty~”
The man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.
“On such a freezing day, wandering outside all by yourself must be awful. Why don't you come over and share a few drinks with your big brothers to warm up?”
At his words, a burst of uproarious laughter erupted in the tavern.
“Exactly! Our Boss Wang is a prominent figure in these parts. If you stick with him, you’re guaranteed to live the high life!”
“Don’t be shy, little lady! People of the martial world shouldn't fuss over minor formalities. What’s the harm in coming over and taking a seat?”
Growing increasingly smug, the man surnamed Wang reached out to lay a hand on Ye Zhibai’s shoulder.
Yet Ye Zhibai didn't even bat an eyelid.
The instant that coarse palm was about to touch her shoulder, a dazzling sword light flared abruptly.
No one saw how she drew her blade. There was only a clear clang, like crushed ice striking jade.
Immediately following was the man’s pig-slaughtering shriek.
A thread-thin line of blood had appeared on the back of his outstretched right hand.
Fresh blood dripped steadily down through the gaps between his fingers.
At the same time, the tip of that snow-white longsword rested against his throat.
A thin layer of frost coated the blade, and the cold seeped into his skin through the sword’s tip, sending shivers through every hair on his body.
“Take one more step, and it won't just be a few drops of blood you lose.”
Ye Zhibai’s voice wasn't loud, yet it was colder than the frost upon her blade.
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