diymy Chapter 542 The City Lord of Canglan City in the East Sea! Defeating all enemies under heaven!
Chapter 542 The City Lord of Canglan City in the East Sea! Defeating all enemies under heaven!
Qin Mu put down his wine glass.
The bottom of the celadon cup touched the table, making a very soft "tap".
His gaze remained fixed on the pale white figure outside the window.
Qin Mu watched as the young man who called himself Bai Yujing walked off the stage. His steps were as light as if he were walking on water, each step landing without a sound, as if he did not exist in this world at all, transcending the mortal world and as ethereal as an immortal.
Qin Mu slowly ran his fingers along the rim of the cup.
He recognized the person, but wasn't familiar with him.
Because he had never seen this person in any portrait or heard of him from anyone.
Instead, I found a record of this person in a volume of "Records of Talented and Extraordinary People in the World" that was kept in the secret collection of the Qin Dynasty royal family.
That scroll of books was hidden in the library deep within the Qin Dynasty's imperial palace.
When he turned to that page, it was afternoon, and sunlight streamed in through the cracks in the window, falling on the page.
"Chen Wangbei, the city lord of Canglan City in the East Sea. He learned swordsmanship from a young age, left the city at the age of sixteen, and returned three years later. Since then, he has remained secluded. Canglan City is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and most of the people in the city make a living by fishing. Chen Wangbei has governed the city for more than a few decades, never asking about the affairs of the martial world or getting involved in court disputes. He only guards the city, his sword, and his land."
Legend has it that his swordsmanship had reached the pinnacle of celestial skill, only a hair's breadth away from becoming a terrestrial immortal. Yet, he sought neither fame nor fortune, and no one in the martial world knew his true level of mastery. Occasionally, a well-meaning person would come to challenge him, but all would be defeated within three moves. However, Chen Wangbei never took a life, only stopping when the opponent had been sufficiently provoked. For many years afterward, no one dared to enter Canglan City to cause trouble, and Chen Wangbei's name gradually faded from the martial world, leaving only an old book recording his life, with no further news.
Qin Mu remembered that after reading that page, he closed the book, casually put it back on the shelf, and didn't think much of it.
At that time, he felt that people who had lived in seclusion for many years and did not care about worldly affairs would not appear in front of him.
But at this moment, "Chen Wangbei" was sitting in the martial arts seats below the arena, wearing a moon-white robe, with several empty seats around him.
No one dared to sit near him; he was like an isolated island, a world unto himself, cut off from the world, and unreachable.
Qin Mu's gaze lingered on him for a moment, then shifted back to the training ground outside the window.
He didn't rush to speak, but poured himself another glass of wine, picked it up, and took a small sip. The wine was warm and smooth, melting on his tongue with a faint aftertaste.
Then he put down his wine glass, leaned back in his chair, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, making a very soft sound, as if he were talking to himself, or perhaps to the person opposite him.
"Interesting. This is getting more and more interesting."
Jiang Zhaoyue sat opposite him. Upon hearing this, she followed his gaze to the window before looking away and softly asked, "Young Master, do you know that person?"
Qin Mu smiled but didn't answer directly. He simply held the wine glass in his palm and twirled it around.
"I don't really know him. I only read about him in a book. His name is Chen Wangbei, the city lord of Canglan City in the East Sea. He has been living in seclusion for many years, and I don't know what brought him here."
His tone was casual, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.
But Jiang Zhaoyue could tell that beneath that casualness lay a hint of seriousness.
Having served His Majesty for so long, she has learned to tell when he is genuinely speaking casually and when he says he doesn't care but is actually plotting something.
She didn't press him further, but simply sat there quietly, waiting for him to continue.
Qin Mu's gaze was still fixed on the window, on the figure sitting below the arena, surrounded by empty space within a ten-foot radius, like an old tree standing alone in the wilderness.
He tapped his fingers twice on the edge of the table, then put down his glass, crossed his hands on the table, leaned forward slightly, and still looked away.
"Canglan City in the East Sea is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Most of the people in the city make a living by fishing. They are simple and honest and live a peaceful life. Chen Wangbei served as the city lord there for decades and never left that coastline. The martial arts tournament in the Northern Border, the horse farm in Xiliang, the court of Qin, and the palace walls of Liyang are all irrelevant to him."
He paused slightly as he spoke, as if he were retrieving those words from his memory and confirming them word by word.
"He stopped getting involved in the affairs of the martial arts world a long time ago. I originally thought I would never see him in person in this lifetime."
His voice paused, and the smile on his lips deepened, carrying a hint of amusement that even he himself didn't realize.
"I never expected him to appear here. And he's even using the alias Bai Yujing."
Jiang Zhaoyue's eyes flickered slightly.
"Young master, are you saying... that Bai Yujing is hiding his identity?"
Qin Mu nodded, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the moon-white figure outside the window, as if looking at something interesting. He wasn't in a hurry to get closer or to expose it.
"I just watched his swordsmanship. The way he used it, which was both soft and powerful, was exactly the same as described in the records. The Meridian Severing Sword, a technique that has been lost for nearly a hundred years, is something I can't think of anyone else in the world who can use it in this day and age except him."
He paused, his voice becoming even softer, as if he were talking to himself.
"Moreover, he is very strong. He is really only a hair's breadth away from becoming a terrestrial immortal."
A hint of interest appeared in Qin Mu's eyes, like a cat seeing a mouse. It didn't pounce, but just watched, its gaze carrying an indescribable interest.
"This is getting quite interesting. This martial arts tournament is getting more and more interesting."
Jiang Zhaoyue didn't reply, but listened quietly until he finished speaking, then asked softly, "Young Master, do you still want to go on stage?"
Qin Mu turned his head and looked at her, a hint of a smile in his eyes.
"Go, of course I'll go. Otherwise, all this journey would have been for nothing. I came all this way to experience the martial world. What kind of experience is it if I don't participate in a match? And not only do I have to fight, but I also have to become the best in the world. Otherwise, wouldn't my trip have been in vain?"
Qin Mu spoke these words with great nonchalance, as if becoming the best in the world was something within easy reach.
Of course, that is indeed the case.
Jiang Zhaoyue did not hesitate at all. She nodded slightly, a faint smile on her lips, and said in a soft but firm voice, "Then when you make a move, young master, you will surely be the best in the world."
Qin Mu smiled but didn't reply. He simply picked up his wine glass, took another sip, and turned his gaze back to the sunlight-lit training ground outside the window.
In the shadows of the corner, Xu Fenghua sat quietly, holding a cup of tea that had gone cold. The tea was clear, and her reflection was visible on the surface.
She didn't drink it, nor did she put it down; she simply held it, her gaze fixed on the cup of tea, as if looking at something very far away.
She had just overheard Qin Mu and Jiang Zhaoyue's conversation, heard the words "go on stage" and "number one in the world," and heard the horns of the martial arts tournament coming from outside the window in waves, like invisible threads wrapping around her wrists and pulling her towards the training ground.
If Qin Mu is going to play, then she will most likely have to go with him.
If that's the case, then she's very likely to meet Xu Longxiang.
Her younger brother, the younger brother she watched grow up.
At that moment, Xu Fenghua suddenly remembered something from many years ago.
That winter, the North was blanketed in heavy snow.
Xu Longxiang was only seven years old when his father punished him by making him stand in a horse stance in the yard. His lips turned purple and his fingers became stiff from the cold, but he didn't utter a sound. He stood there with gritted teeth, like a small tree that was bent over by the wind and snow but had not yet broken.
She secretly ran out and brought him a bowl of hot soup. His hands were trembling when he took it, but he didn't drink it. Instead, he looked up at her and said, "Sister, why are you here? Go back inside, it's cold outside."
His eyes were bright then, like the stars in a winter night in the North that were not obscured by clouds.
She never imagined that one day she would sit by a man's window, listening to the sound of horns, unsure how to face him, the man who was once closest to her but is now a terrifying stranger.
Xu Fenghua's hand trembled slightly, causing a series of tiny ripples to spread across the surface of the teacup.
Her lips moved slightly, but the words lingered in her throat and ultimately remained unspoken.
She simply lowered her head, placed the teacup on the table, and looked down without saying a word.
On the training ground, the fourth match had ended quite some time ago.
The people in the stands were still talking amongst themselves, some whispering, some arguing loudly, and some pondering the details between the two sword strikes.
Meanwhile, on the arena, a new match had begun. Fan Li announced the name of the fifth match, and two figures leaped onto the stage. The clash of swords and the flash of blades ignited once more, like a play that would never end.
However, on the high platform, Xu Longxiang's gaze did not fall on the two people who were fighting.
He leaned back in his chair, tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest twice, and then stopped.
His gaze fell on Bai Yujing's back, on the figure sitting below the arena, surrounded by empty space within a ten-foot radius, like an isolated island.
He saw it clearly just now.
He knew about Yan Shisan's sword strike; he knew how heavy that ink-black sword was, and how troublesome Yan Shisan was.
But when Bai Yujing received that sword, he didn't even move an inch, as if a mountain was taking a stone.
Xu Longxiang turned his gaze back to Fan Li behind him, his voice low:
"Mr. Fan, this Bai Yujing... is he really from Penglai Island? Why have I never heard of him before?"
Fan Li stood behind him, his gaze also fixed on Bai Yujing. He remained silent for a moment before speaking, his voice equally low, as if afraid of being overheard by a third person:
"Your Highness, I suspect that Bai Yujing is an alias."
Xu Longxiang frowned slightly: "An alias? Then who exactly is he? I've never heard of such a person on Penglai Island in the East China Sea."
Fan Li's gaze also fell on that moon-white figure. After watching for a while, he continued, "Has Your Highness ever heard of the name 'Chen Wangbei'?"