Chapter 115: Chapter 115
“Ding Ning, Wang Lin — what brings you back this time? Is it the Longxiang Martial Feast?”
“You misunderstand, Master.”
Wang Lin, dark-clad and sharp as a blade, rose and clasped his fists.
“Your disciple’s return to Changyun is not for any martial competition. We’re here under orders — tracking a traitor.”
“A traitor?”
Mei Shuangfeng set down her teacup, one brow arching. Surprise flickered in her eyes.
“Who could have driven the two of you to pursue them all the way here?”
Ding Ning shed her playful air and answered with solemn gravity.
“The man’s name is Tian Ping’an, Master. His cultivation is nothing remarkable — Manifest Strength at Perfection, no more. But as it happens, he’s from Changyun County. One of ours, so to speak.”
Across the way, Jiang Qinghong spoke up with curiosity.
“A fellow local? Then why did he desert? Isn’t he afraid of dragging his family into it? Military law is unforgiving — unauthorized abandonment of post is a capital offense.”
“There’s more to it than that, Junior Sister…”
Wang Lin shook his head slightly and took over.
“Ten-odd days ago, Great Qi and the State of Yue clashed along the Bianzhou border. This Tian Ping’an was a centurion in the Pathfinder Camp — specialized in scouting, reconnaissance, and ambush. A sensitive post. Under military law, he could not leave his station.”
“Yet for reasons unknown, he insisted on petitioning for leave to return home. When his deputy commander refused, he conspired with a handful of confidants to steal military treasures and classified manuals, wounded several comrades, and deserted in the dead of night.”
Here Wang Lin’s voice dipped.
“My senior sister and I tracked him as far as the Nanxiang territory, where we became certain his final destination is Changyun County.”
“So we brought Senior Brother along on the way back to investigate. We learned that Tian’s parents are both dead. His only remaining kin is an elder brother who used to run with an outer-city gang — hasn’t been seen in ages. Most likely dead.”
Ding Ning sighed, shaking her head.
“So our best guess is that Tian Ping’an’s determination to come home is driven by a desire to avenge his brother.”
“Hmph! Vengeance, I can understand…”
Wang Lin’s tone turned cold, his eyes glinting like frosted steel.
“But killing fellow soldiers, inciting others to desert, stealing military treasures and classified manuals — that I cannot understand. No matter how deep his grievance, this time, the matter will be pursued to the end.”
The atmosphere in the hall turned heavy.
Ding Ning moved to lighten the mood.
“On the subject of the Longxiang Martial Feast, Master — I’ve heard a few things.”
“This feast was personally planned by the Zhendong General himself. He’s dispatching the Zhenyue Colonel to bring the spirit artifact — the Imperial Dragon-Binding Lock — and oversee the event. Word inside the army is… the General takes this feast very seriously.”
Mei Shuangfeng’s eyes narrowed in thought.
“Who is this Zhenyue Colonel? What’s his cultivation?”
Ding Ning answered.
“The Zhenyue Colonel hails from Qingzhou. Surname Zhao, given name Zheng. His cultivation has reached mid-Transforming Strength, and he commands the Zhenyue Battalion as its colonel. He’s known in the ranks as a fierce general.”
The Longxiang Army’s regular forces comprised five great battalions, each commanded by a colonel — and the minimum cultivation required to hold that rank was Transforming Strength.
The so-called three refinements of Transforming Strength were: refine qi, refine essence, refine spirit.
Zhao Zheng’s mid-Transforming Strength placed him at the second stage — refine essence.
Mei Shuangfeng pondered for a moment.
“It seems… the Wang clan is playing for real this time. I can’t fathom what they’re up to, offering the Dragon Blood Essence Pool for outsiders to use…”
Wang Lin and Ding Ning exchanged a glance. Wang Lin shook his head.
“Master is right — I’m baffled as well. The Pool is immensely precious, always reserved for the army’s own regulars. There’s never even enough to go around — men line up for ages and still can’t get a turn.”
“Take Tian Ping’an, for instance. He’d long since reached the right moment for a Hidden Strength breakthrough, but his seniority was too low. If he wanted to rely on the Pool, he’d have had to wait three to five years just to reach the front of the queue.”
“And now, the General has ordered the Pool opened to outsiders. Quite a few officers have been grumbling behind closed doors — they just don’t dare say it openly.”
At this, Zuo Guangshu spoke up from the right, curiosity piqued.
“Master, with prizes this generous, are any of the junior brothers and sisters in the hall planning to give it a try?”
Mei Shuangfeng nodded.
“Qinghong and Xu Chuan both intend to compete and test themselves.”
“As for Xiang Yunting, Shen Huai… and Xiuhan — they haven’t yet broken through to Sinew Tempering. Going would be futile. But if any of them wish to, they may attend and try their hand.”
“Xiuhan?”
Ding Ning’s fine brows rose in surprise.
“Master’s letter didn’t mention this person. Is he a new disciple who just entered Blood Tempering?”
“That’s right…”
Jiang Qinghong took it upon herself to fill in the details.
“Junior Brother Xiuhan’s surname is Shen. He joined the hall a little over three months ago. At the time, he’d never trained a single day. If he hadn’t been lucky enough to catch a treasure fish, he couldn’t even have afforded the tuition.”
“But then — sixteen days after entering the hall, he sensed his qi-blood, broke through to Manifest Strength, and was promoted to the inner court.”
Here Jiang Qinghong drew a deep breath, her voice laced with wonder.
“That alone would have been remarkable enough. But barely a month later, he charged straight through… and broke into Bone Tempering.”
“What?!”
“Three-odd months! Blood Tempering and Bone Tempering — both barriers broken?!”
The revelation sent a shockwave through the hall.
Wang Lin and Ding Ning stared at each other, the same disbelief mirrored in both their eyes.
Zuo Guangshu’s fan froze mid-stroke. He recovered quickly and resumed fanning — but the rhythm had gone noticeably erratic.
“Extraordinary… truly extraordinary.”
“With talent like that, even at my Bixia Mountain Estate, the elders would be tripping over each other to claim him.”
Ding Ning chimed in.
“Same in our Longxiang Army. He’d be offered a centurion’s commission on the spot — no combat record required.”
Just then, a clear voice rang out from beyond the door.
“Master — your disciple Shen Xiuhan requests an audience!”
The voice passed through the closed panels.
Inside —
Mei Shuangfeng blinked, then a smile crept onto her face.
“Speak of the man and he appears… Come in!”
Outside, Shen Xiuhan pushed the door open and strode into the hall.
Before entering, he had already heard from Xu Chuan that the two Longxiang Army seniors had returned to the hall. He was mentally prepared.
So when every pair of eyes in the room turned to appraise him — some scrutinizing, some curious, some astonished — he showed no fluster. His expression was perfectly composed.
Shen Xiuhan straightened his collar, stepped forward, and offered a deep bow.
“Your disciple Shen Xiuhan. A few days ago, I was fortunate enough to gain some insight and broke through to Sinew Tempering. I have come today to report to Master… and to declare that I intend to compete in the Longxiang Martial Feast.”
“…”
The instant the words landed.
The rear hall seemed to lose all its air. Silence fell — absolute, pin-drop still.
Jiang Qinghong’s face froze. Her long, lovely eyes blew wide with disbelief. Her red lips parted, but for a long moment, no sound came.
CLATTER!
Zuo Guangshu’s folding fan hit the floor. He didn’t bother picking it up. His head snapped toward Shen Xiuhan, staring at him as though he were some kind of creature. Shock was written across every line of his handsome face.
Ding Ning’s breath stopped. Her wrist gave a violent jerk.
SPLASH!
The teacup tipped, spilling across her hand. She didn’t even notice. She stood frozen, gaze darting to Wang Lin beside her.
Wang Lin — whose face was habitually carved from stone — now wore an expression of undisguised astonishment. His brow knotted tight, and he looked instinctively toward Mei Shuangfeng at the head of the hall, as though seeking confirmation.