The North Liang royal palace sits atop Qingliang Mountain, with thousands of doors and windows, a grandeur that can only be seen in the most magnificent of buildings.
As the only surviving royal of a different surname, the North Liang king Xu Xiao is a renowned military hero, wielding immense power and influence in the three provinces of the northwest. He is both praised and criticized in court and amongst the people, with some calling him "Xu the Barbarian" and others even going so far as to label him the "Second Emperor."
Today, the palace is bustling with activity as the powerful North Liang king himself welcomes an immortal-looking old man from the Taoist holy land of Mount Longhu. The servants only know that the old man has taken a liking to the foolish young prince and wishes to take him as his disciple to undergo closed-door training. This is considered a great stroke of luck for the North Liang royal family, given that the young prince has never cried since birth, cannot read or write, and only started speaking at the age of six. Despite all this, he bears an imposing name, Xu Longxiang, bestowed upon him by the Old Immortal from Mount Longhu himself, who promised to return in twelve years to take him on as a disciple. And as fate would have it, the time has finally come.
In a courtyard within the palace, the founder of Longhu Mountain Daoism, an otherworldly man with a snow-white beard and furrowed brow, stands bearing an unusual small peachwood sword reminiscent of Zhong Kui. His appearance alone elicits admiration from anyone who sees him, and he is undoubtedly a true transcendent.
However, he has encountered significant obstacles in his disciple-taking this time around. Not because of any objections from the palace, but rather because his future disciple is being stubborn and refuses to budge from his spot under a pear tree. With his bottom planted firmly on the ground, he is using it to resist his prestigious future master, who is ranked among the top three in the world of martial arts, not to mention the world of Tao. As for his own martial prowess, well... he is at least among the top thirty.
Even the mighty North Liang king himself has to squat down and coax him gently, using both sweet talk and temptation to persuade him. "My son, go learn some skills on Mount Longhu. When you return, anyone who dares to call you stupid, just punch them. You don't have to be afraid to fight against any official or general ranked below third grade. Daddy will back you up."
"Son, you have great strength. It's such a waste not to learn martial arts and become one of the top ten masters in the world. When you return, Daddy will give you a position as a cavalry captain, riding a five-color horse, wearing heavy armor, and looking very impressive."
The young prince pays no attention to any of this, staring fixedly at the ground with relish.
"Huang Manyi, don't you like to eat candy-coated haws? Well, there are so many wild hawthorns on Mount Longhu that you can pick and eat as much as you want. Right, Master Zhao?"
The old immortal forces a smile, nodding repeatedly. If all this had happened during an ordinary disciple-taking ceremony, it would be considered extremely embarrassing and shameful. But even after receiving such favorable treatment, the young prince still seems disinterested. He is probably tired of his father's constant chatter, lifts his bottom, and lets out a resounding fart, even adding a grin in his father's direction.
The North Liang king raised his hand as if to strike his son, Xu Longxiang, but eventually gave up after a brief moment of hesitation. He couldn't bring himself to hit him, and even if he did, it would be pointless.
Xu Longxiang lived up to his name, which meant "as powerful as a dragon and an elephant" - a testament to his incredible strength, despite his appearance as a hapless fool. He was illiterate, his skin had a sickly yellow tint, and he was thinner and weaker than other boys his age. But his raw power was unrivaled.
Xu Xiao, the king, sighed quietly. If only his son were a bit smarter and more alert, he would become an unstoppable warrior in battle.
He rose slowly and turned to the Taoist master from Mount Longhu, giving an awkward smile. The master's eyes signaled that it was no big deal, but he couldn't help feeling sad about taking on this disciple. How could he justify such a foolish pupil, especially when his reputation was already so high? He would be the laughingstock of Longhu Mountain.
The North Liang king had an idea. "Xu Longxiang, your brother is returning from his parade. He should be arriving in the city soon. Do you want to go see him?"
The young prince suddenly looked up, his expression blank and motionless. But there was a rare glimmer of light in his otherwise dull eyes, which drew attention. He grabbed his father's hand and ran outside.
Unfortunately, the North Liang palace was known for its labyrinthine corridors and twisting paths, so it was almost impossible to fit in the "Listening to the Tides Pavilion," which had been a target of criticism from court officials and scholars. Xu Xiao's hand was sore from holding onto his son, and he had to remind him several times that they had taken a wrong turn. It took them the better part of an incense stick's time to reach the palace gates.
Behind the father, son, and Taoist master were a group of servants carrying boxes of items for the journey to Mount Longhu. The North Liang king was wealthy, and he doted on his children, not wanting them to suffer any hardship.
Upon reaching outside the palace, the young prince was disappointed to find the streets empty without a sight of his brother. He became angry and let out a roar, hoarse and vehement. Initially, he thought about directing his anger towards Xu Xiao, but he knew better than to do so since he was his father. Otherwise, Xu Xiao would have met the same fate as the black leopard that Xu Longxiang had torn apart during a recent autumn hunt. With a fierce glare at his father, the young prince turned and walked away.
Not wanting his efforts to go to waste, Xu Xiao gave Taoist Master from Mount Longhu a pleading look. The Taoist master smiled slightly and extended his arm, thin as a bamboo, but only two fingers grasped onto the young prince's wrist. He spoke softly and kindly, "Xu Longxiang, do not waste your extraordinary talents. Come with me to Longhu Mountain, and in no more than ten years, you will have established yourself both on the battlefield and in your character."
The young prince did not hesitate and snorted before continuing on his way. Strangely enough, he realized that he couldn't break free from the seemingly inconspicuous restraint of the old Taoist. Despite moving forward, the step that he took never seemed to touch the ground.
Xu Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that this senior figure in the hierarchy of Taoism was indeed quite capable. Knowing his son well, he was afraid that any servant or maid might inadvertently be hurt by the young prince's strength, which was so overpowering that the tables and chairs in the palace had been broken many times over the years. Fortunately, the North Liang royal family had deep pockets, or they would have been bankrupt long ago.
The young prince was stunned for a moment before becoming angry and shouted, taking the old Taoist along with him, one step, two steps, three steps forward. The real Taoist, with a yellow cap on his head and a Daoist robe draped over him, only let out a soft grunt of surprise and delight, adding a few pounds of strength to still the young prince's continued forward movement.
Furious, Xu Longxiang's face twisted like that of a wild animal. With one hand idle, he grabbed the old Taoist's arm with both hands, sank his feet into the ground, and with a "click," he left two pits in the white jade floor. He then flung the old Taoist out.
Grand General Xu Xiaomir narrowed his eyes, not in the slightest afraid of causing a murder. If that Taoist didn't have this ability, it would be better for him to just die from the fall. Even the arrogant Western Chu Dynasty had been crushed by the Lanzhou Iron Cavalry under his command. When had he ever shown any respect to martial arts sects? What about the leader of the world's martial arts, Dragon Tiger Mountain? Although several major sects within its jurisdiction were not as good as Dragon Tiger Mountain, they were still first-class in scale within the dynasty. For example, Wudang Mountain, which had been vying for the martial arts leadership position with Dragon Tiger Mountain for hundreds of years, was quite detached in the martial arts world, right? Didn't they voluntarily send three or four furnaces of rare and precious elixirs every year?
The old Taoist floated gently up to the white jade lion statue at the entrance of the palace, exuding an air of immortality. With just this move, if he were in the market, he would surely receive thunderous applause.
In accordance with the popular saying of the Northern Liang Crown Prince, Xu Xiao, this "deserves a reward, the job is not easy, it's a technical job" probably earned him several hundred or even thousand silver notes. Before the Crown Prince had caused trouble for others in Northern Liang, how many courtesans or martial arts frauds had enjoyed his generous rewards?
The highest record was set by a wandering swordsman from another province who fought with local swordsmen on the street. The fight started at a vegetable stall and ended up on the rooftop of a restaurant overlooking the lake near the Lanzhou city gate, waking up the licentious Crown Prince Bai Riyi from his slumber. He immediately forgot about the young and beautiful courtesan at his side and cheered loudly at the window. With the Crown Prince's intervention, the government not only did not investigate, but almost awarded the wandering swordsman with the prestigious Lanzhou Hero plaque. He even sent a pile of ten thousand silver notes to be delivered by his servant via a fast horse.
It was really lonely in the prosperous Lingzhou without the Crown Prince, who had no interest in falconry or dog fighting. Respectable young ladies could finally dare to show off their beauty in public, and the second-rate wastrels could no longer act like hooligans and bully men and women. The big and small brothels could no longer wait for the top playboy's lavish expenditure.
General Xu Xiaomir had two daughters and two sons, all of them extraordinary.
The eldest princess had married and defeated three husbands, becoming the most beautiful widow with the most dowry in the empire, with her fame spreading throughout the five counties of Jiangnan.
Although the second princess was not particularly beautiful, she was knowledgeable and talented in many fields, especially in geography, having studied under Han Guzi from the Shangyin Academy. She became the junior sister of military strategist Xu Huang and the art of war master Sima Can, among other famous scholars of the empire.
Xu Longxiang was the youngest son of the Northern Liang King, relatively unknown in reputation, while the eldest son was a notorious figure even in the capital. Whenever Grand General Xu Xiaomir was mentioned, his son, Crown Prince Xu Fengnian, would inevitably be brought up, with the proverbial saying "Like father, like son" attributed to him. Unfortunately, while Xu Xiaomir was heroic on the battlefield, his son was only infamous for his squandering of money on luxury and pleasure.
Three years ago, there were rumors that the Crown Prince Xu Fengnian was forced to leave the palace with a sword at his neck, and was sent to learn from young descendants of influential families in the Guanzhong region, as well as to embark on the customary pre-crowning journey. He disappeared for three years and was never heard from again. The people of Lingzhou still remember the touching scene of over a dozen dandies and dozens of courtesans shedding tears as they watched the Crown Prince depart from the city walls. However, there were insider reports that after the Crown Prince had left, the Red Sparrow Tavern held an all-night banquet with an abundance of fine wine pouring into the river, the aroma spreading throughout the city.
Back in the royal residence, the young prince, whose heart was closed off, ran towards the jade lion statues, intending to throw an old man out along with the so-called "thousand-pound" lions. But as soon as he began to shake the lion, the venerable Daoist from Mount Longhu floated down and grabbed the boy's hand. Using the subtle "move mountains" technique of Taoism, he skillfully lifted the kneeling boy to his feet and chuckled, "Huang Manyi, don't be naughty, come with me."
The boy held onto the base of the lion with one hand, gripping the corners deeply into the jade stone, refusing to let go, and stretched out his arms like an ape, shouting hoarsely, "I'm waiting for my brother to come back. He said he would bring back the most beautiful woman in the world to be my wife. I'll wait for him!"
Grand Minister Xu Xiao, who held great power, could only sigh helplessly and look towards Huang Guan, the Daoist. He said, "Forget it, let's wait a little longer. It won't be long anyway."
The Daoist smiled strangely at the words, but still released the young prince's arm. He was amazed in his heart, for this boy was not only born with incredible strength, but was also like a divine being descending to earth.
However, the news that the little bastard named Xu Fengnian was actually coming back was not good news. When he first came to the royal residence years ago, he suffered enough. He was first mistaken for a con artist who tricked people into food and drink, and then when he was only seven or eight years old, he sent a pack of vicious dogs to bite him. After finally explaining himself and gaining admittance to the residence, the mischievous little prince played another trick and sent two beautiful girls to knock on his door in the middle of the night, pretending they needed warmth. If it weren't for the Daoist's extraordinary self-control and cultivation, he would have fallen for their scheme. Now, he occasionally regretted not staying up all night chatting with the two young ladies about "The Great Hole Scripture" and "The Yellow Court Scripture." Even if they didn't talk about that, talking about "The Classic of Southern Immortals" would have been nice too.
In the twilight, an old man and a young man could be seen on the official road, their figures stretched out by the setting sun. The old man carried a long, cloth-wrapped package that looked like a rolled-up mat, dressed in tattered clothes with white hair mixed with some pieces of straw. He was so impoverished that he could squat on the ground with a broken bowl and beg for food. He led a thin, lame horse. The younger man was not actually young, with a face full of stubble and dressed in ordinary market clothes, looking like a refugee from a famine.
"Old Huang, hold on a bit longer. When we get into the city and back home, we'll have big chunks of meat and bowls of wine. Damn it, I never thought wine and meat were anything special before, but now I crave them so much, I dream about it every day." The young man, whose actual age was hard to tell, spoke weakly.
The servant-like old man chuckled, revealing missing front teeth, making him look quite foolish.
"Laugh all you want, I can't even cry anymore." The young man rolled his eyes, clearly lacking the energy to joke around.
Over the two-thousand-mile journey, they were reduced to searching for food in the water, playing hide-and-seek with rabbits in the mountains, and climbing trees to find bird nests. As long as there was some meat, once it was cooked, whether or not there was any salt, it was the most delicious meal in the world. Along the way, they tried to steal chickens and ducks from villages several times, and were chased by strong men with hoes and sticks, running dozens of miles, almost exhausting themselves.
Which pampered offspring isn't resplendent in their new clothes and snorting horses?
But look at oneself, clad in tattered hemp clothes, a pair of straw sandals, and a lame horse, not willing to slaughter it for meat, not even willing to ride it and instead having to scrounge for food.
The wicked slave had even less stamina. This old Huang, who had lived his small frame for decades, made him nervous just looking at him. He was afraid that after the two-thousand-mile journey, one day he would go silent, leaving him without even a companion to talk to, having to exert effort to dig a hole in the wilderness.
They had not yet entered the city, but not far outside the city walls was a stall hanging with apricot blossom wine. He was really exhausted, smelling the wine, closing his eyes, sniffing, and looking intoxicated. He made a decision and walked over to find the only empty chair and sat down with all his might, gritting his teeth and shouting, "Waiter, bring me wine!"
The nearby drinkers who stopped for rests on their way in or out of the city all avoided the shabbily-dressed duo and deliberately sat far away.
The busy shopkeeper originally intended to nod and say "okay" to the voice, but upon seeing the attire of the two people, he immediately frowned. Being in business requires a keen eye. These two customers did not look like the type who could afford to pay for the wine. However, the shopkeeper was still kind enough to not immediately kick them out, instead he held a fake smile on his face and reminded them, "Our signature apricot blossom wine costs twenty coins per pot. It's not expensive, but it's also not cheap."
In the past, if someone looked down on him like this, the young man would have sent his dog or servant to teach them a lesson. However, after three years of experiencing the harsh reality of being penniless, he had learned to suppress his temper and adjust his attitude. Gasping for breath, he said, "It's okay. Someone will come to settle the bill. You won't miss out on your tip."
"A tip?" The shopkeeper raised his voice and showed contempt on his face.
The young man forced a bitter smile, put his thumb and index finger together and blew a whistle with all his remaining strength before lying on the simple table and snoring, falling asleep. The shopkeeper felt bewildered and only those with sharp eyes could vaguely see a shadow passing over his head.
A bird of prey flew over the city like an eagle or falcon.
By the time the wine drinker finished his cup of apricot blossom wine, the earth suddenly shook without warning. The table shook and the customers widened their eyes, holding their drinks carefully and looking around cautiously.
Only to see a group of iron cavalry rushing out of the city gate, extending into two black lines that seemed to have no end. In the dust, the high-headed horses were all heavy armored elite riders of the Beiliang dynasty, known throughout the world as one of the bravest warriors, who could fight against one hundred enemies. Looking at the flag carried by the leading general, which was bright as blood and read one word "Xu," it was clear that they were the regular troops under the command of the King of Beiliang.
In the past, the Western Chu dynasty believed that its 120,000 axe-wielding soldiers could withstand the Beiliang army's fierce attacks. However, the result was that in the Battle of Jinghe River, the entire army was wiped out, and all the surrendered soldiers were killed pitilessly, wailing like thunder.
Two hundred elite iron riders charged out, imposing, like a rainbow.
A magical eagle or falcon soared over their heads, leading their way.
The two hundred iron riders instantly stopped, with the same movements as if rehearsed a thousand times. This skill had already exceeded the category of ordinary soldiers who have fought countless battles.
A fourth-rank military official, Zhe Chongdou Wei, dismounted and immediately ran to the front of the wine shop, kneeling down to pay his respects and respectfully said, "Your Highness, Qidan Guo, I, Zhe Dangguo, pay my respects!"
Meanwhile, the poor young man who boasted he would give a tip was still asleep, murmuring in his dreams, "Waiter, more wine."