The Road Beyond the Door Is Jianghu

Sha LiFei's heart skipped a beat. "What is it?"

He knew better than anyone that the boy before him was no easy target.

The first time he had come years ago, he had thought, What trouble could a lame old man and a half-grown kid possibly cause?

Showing up to say a word was already giving them face.

No one would have had anything to say if word got out.

So that time, he had been careless and overbearing, making a noisy fuss.

Not only had he neglected proper manners, he had also barked orders, relying on his status as a senior to make Li Yan prepare food and wine for him, hoping to mooch a meal.

Li Yan had still been young then, but he had not been one to swallow losses.

The food and wine had indeed been prepared, and quite lavishly too, but there had been some Croton Powder mixed in. Li Yan had even controlled the dosage so that Sha LiFei only started violently purging after leaving the village.

It had infuriated Sha LiFei.

But because he was leading the wheat harvesters, Seizing Grain from the Dragon's Mouth was no joke. He could only press onward, intending to teach the brat a lesson when he came again the next year.

He had not intended to kill him, though.

He had plenty of ways to deal with a greenhorn kid.

For instance, using a sparring match as an excuse to give him a solid beating.

Yet he had never expected Li Yan to train like a mad demon with the help of the Substitute Divine Statue. By the following year, he had already achieved a small measure of success.

Though he still lacked experience, he was no longer so easy to handle.

From then on, Sha LiFei became much more polite.

Now that Li Yan had suddenly stopped him, could it be that he wanted trouble, or intended to snatch back the job of Wheat Harvester Leader?

At that thought, Sha LiFei wore a smile, though inwardly he remained on guard.

These wolf cubs newly entering the jianghu were the fucking cruelest. They acted without restraint and would dare anything for fame.

He had better not stumble here today...

Just as unease churned in his heart, Li Yan asked, "I heard Uncle Sha has connections among Xuan Gate People. Could you introduce me to some?"

Sha LiFei froze, then secretly let out a breath. At the same time, his love of gossip rose up, and he asked curiously, "What's the matter? You run into something?"

"Spirit Possession, or bad Feng Shui?"

Li Yan did not answer directly. "Nothing much. I'm just curious. Uncle Sha, tell me honestly—do you really have such connections?"

"Of course I do!"

Sha LiFei immediately patted his chest and laughed loudly. "You should ask around. I'm Sha LiFei, and my friends are everywhere under heaven."

"On this Guanzhong Road, there's nothing I can't settle!"

Seeing Li Yan remain expressionless, he widened his eyes. "What, you don't believe me? I really do know one Xuan Gate person."

"He's a Fire Dwelling Daoist, skilled in the Mysterious Gate Evasion Technique, Character Divination, Yin and Yang House Feng Shui, Catching Ghosts and Subduing Demons—he's proficient in every one of them. Wealthy families in Chang'an City all compete to invite him..."

Sha LiFei spoke with spittle flying, but the more Li Yan heard, the less reliable it sounded.

Though he was an outsider, he had known a little about folk customs in his previous life.

Numerology Arts alone included Eight Characters, Six Lines, Plum Blossom Numerology, Six Ren Divination, Mysterious Gate Evasion Technique, Taiyi Divine Numerology, Purple Star Astrology... there were countless schools.

Learning even one required a great deal of effort.

Those lacking talent could not even get through the door.

Not to mention Catching Ghosts and Subduing Demons. That sounded like a complete scam.

Unaware of this, Sha LiFei continued boasting. "That man is called Wang Dao Xuan. I heard he has ties to the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect in Chang'an City, and he once helped someone write a Calamity Placard in Xianyang..."

Li Yan's eyes immediately lit up.

The Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect was a true orthodox Xuan Gate sect.

And Writing Calamity Placards was not something just anyone was qualified to do.

A Calamity Placard was a document used during funerals, recording details such as the deceased's birth and death dates, the exact dates for cremation and burial procession, and so on.

Only with a Calamity Placard would the authorities permit burial in the ground.

Du DaYa had mentioned that those who wrote Calamity Placards were generally Xuan Gate People.

Li Yan guessed that writing Calamity Placards also served as a coroner's role.

For those whose cause of death was unclear or who had been poisoned, Yin Yang Masters had the authority to refuse to write the placard and report the matter to the authorities, including corpses that might have "problems."

No matter what, this Wang Dao Xuan should be an insider.

At the very least, he could ask how to enter the Tai Xuan Orthodox Sect and cultivate there.

At that thought, Li Yan smiled, and his tone became much more courteous. "Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Sha. There will certainly be a reward afterward."

"Easy enough!"

Sha LiFei laughed, then shook his head. "But there's a complication. You'll have to come with me. You can follow the group tomorrow."

Li Yan frowned slightly. "Why?"

Sha LiFei clicked his tongue. "That Daoist Wang is busy. He values rules and etiquette in all things. We can't exactly make him come see you, can we?"

"As it happens, we're heading to Xianyang. We can handle your matter along the way!"

"Oh."

Li Yan considered it for a moment. "All right."

Sha LiFei's words were half true and half false, and he loved to boast, but Li Yan could tell that he probably only knew Wang Dao Xuan and was not particularly close to him.

No matter what, it was at least a path in. Perhaps he would gain something after meeting him.

Entering the Xuan Gate was urgent.

His Yang Six Roots had opened. If something else set its sights on him, there would be no Chuma Xian to teach him how to ward off evil.

Xianyang was neither too far nor too near. He could make the round trip in five or six days.

He could ask a neighbor to look after his grandfather. There was no harm in making the trip.

Seeing him agree, a flash of satisfaction passed through Sha LiFei's eyes. He waved his hand. "Fine, it's settled. We leave early tomorrow morning!"

With that, he hurriedly took his leave.

Watching him depart, Li Yan shook his head slightly, then returned indoors to pack for tomorrow's journey.

The next day, before dawn had broken, hoofbeats approached from afar outside the door.

"Yan XiaoGe, time to go!"

Sha LiFei's booming voice rang out as well.

Li Yan had long since prepared everything.

It was nearing Grain in Ear, and the weather was scorching. He wore only a black short-sleeved outfit, a straw hat to shield him from the sun, a pack on his back, and the Guanshan Knife slung across his waist.

He came to the door of his grandfather Li Gui's room and knocked. "Grandfather, I'm leaving."

Yet no one answered from inside.

Li Yan felt somewhat helpless.

He had mentioned this yesterday, and naturally his grandfather had not wanted him to go.

Unfortunately, this concerned his future life and death. He had to make this trip.

Just as he turned to leave, an aged voice came from inside. "The jianghu is dangerous. Keep a few extra eyes open when trouble comes."

"Yes!"

Li Yan immediately grinned and strode away.

Creak~

The moment he left, his grandfather Li Gui pushed open the door. Watching the youth's receding figure, he gave a quiet sigh and inexplicably thought of Li Hu from years ago.

"Father, what is the jianghu?"

"The jianghu?"

"The moment you walk out this door, that is the jianghu..."

Li Yan had once believed that, having lived two lives, there was nothing left that could excite him.

After all, he had seen the dazzling lights and lavish pleasures of his previous life, the towering wonders of the world. Even the most prosperous capital in this world would seem to him like nothing more than a place with some antique charm.

Yet the moment he walked out of the mountain village, he realized he had been wrong.

The shadow of Li Family Fortress gradually vanished behind him. Yellow earth ravines, golden wheat fields, emerald mountain forests, blue skies and white clouds... the grandeur of Guanzhong crashed over him head-on.

This was a world untouched by pollution.

Everything between heaven and earth seemed especially clear.

Coupled with the unknown Xuan Gate, Li Yan felt in a daze that he had become that youth once more, filled with curiosity and yearning for the world beyond.

"Yan-ge, why are you going too?"

Hei Dan came over, interrupting his thoughts.

The dark-skinned boy was just as excited.

Unlike Li Yan, aside from going to Lantian County for temple fairs, this was the first time he had traveled so far. Where was his usual steadiness now? He chattered endlessly along the way.

"Xianyang, huh? I heard it's really far away..."

"I wonder if we'll get to see Chang'an City on the road..."

Of course, he soon came to understand the hardships of traveling.

They walked along the Official Road beneath a blazing sun. Dust seemed to billow from the earthen path, while golden wheat fields on both sides surged like waves in the scorching summer wind.

Their coarse black cloth clothes absorbed heat, and beneath the sun it felt as though they were being roasted over fire. Before long, Hei Dan's face had turned red, with sweat dripping down in streams.

Sha LiFei had gathered wheat harvesters from several villages around Li Family Fortress, about fifty men in all. Each carried a pack, with sickles and whetstones hanging at their waists.

When they had set out, their clothes had still been reasonably neat.

But now, most had opened their shirts. Some had simply taken off their tops entirely, bare torsos revealing bronze skin beneath the sunlight.

Though Sha LiFei rode a horse, he was suffering badly from the heat as well.

From time to time, he removed the water flask at his waist and secretly glanced at Li Yan.

Unfortunately, Li Yan only traveled in silence, occasionally looking at the scenery around them.

The group had set out early in the morning and kept walking without pause until noon.

By then, Hei Dan was already drenched in sweat, his vision darkening, his soles aching, his ankles weak. Every step felt as though he were treading on cotton.

Li Yan was likewise covered in sweat, but his expression remained calm.

After all, he practiced martial arts year-round, and his stamina far surpassed that of ordinary people.

At last, Sha LiFei looked at the sky. Seeing that the sun stood directly overhead, he said, "Find somewhere to rest. We'll wait out the poisonous sun before moving on."

They still had to travel continuously for another two days.

Walking at midday consumed more energy, and there were quite a few elderly men in the group. It was better to conserve their strength and travel farther at night when it was cooler.

As for staying at inns, Sha LiFei had not even considered it.

Even if he were willing, these poor bastards would not bear to spend the money.

Finding a place to rest was easy. Not far ahead along the Official Road stood several large locust trees, their shade covering the ground, enough for everyone to lie down.

Hearing Sha LiFei's command, everyone hurried over, found places to settle, pulled out hard mixed-grain steamed buns, and swallowed them down with cold water.

Li Yan likewise sat with his back against a tree, eating dry provisions.

His will was tough. He regarded this stretch of road as nothing more than training for his legs.

When they returned, he could look around Xianyang's Mule and Horse Market and see whether the money he carried would be enough to find a good horse.

Clop, clop, clop...

As he pondered, a string of hoofbeats sounded in the distance.

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and looked up, instantly becoming alert.

There were more than twenty newcomers, all riding Fast Horses and wearing Bamboo Hats. Some carried long sabers, while others had short swords on their backs. They were clearly jianghu people.

Suddenly, Li Yan's expression changed slightly, and he pressed a hand to his knife hilt.

He smelled blood on them...

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