He Heng left the Great Desert and traveled east. Along the way, he came to an ancient city, a bustling place whose streets were packed with all kinds of people—men and women, young and old, some supporting the elderly, others carrying infants...
Most people seemed happy. After a hard day's work, they were now dressed in clean clothes and comfortable shoes, with at least a little money saved from their frugal lives in their pockets. They could finally enjoy their leisure to the fullest.
He Heng did not care where this place was or what the city was called. None of that mattered. Right now, the most important thing was to find a restaurant and have a good meal.
Because he had been "detoxing," he had not eaten a thing during the ten days he spent returning from the Great Desert. Naturally, he needed to make up for it now.
And so, in a restaurant somewhere in the city, a strange sight appeared: a rather handsome young man sat alone at a table covered with dozens of dishes, devouring them as if he were a starving ghost who had not eaten in hundreds of years.
In less than half an incense stick's time, he had swept the entire table clean. Under the astonished gazes of everyone in the restaurant, he licked his lips and called out, "Waiter, bring me another tableful!"
Another... tableful?!
Was this young man the incarnation of a gluttonous monster?
That was what everyone in the restaurant was thinking. They could hardly believe that someone so handsome could eat more than an elephant.
He Heng was surrounded by people pointing and whispering, yet his expression did not change as he kept devouring one table of food after another, paying them no mind.
As if! Why would he care what these ordinary mortals thought? An elephant never cared about the existence of ants. Would a true dragon care about a python?
Just as He Heng continued his gluttonous feast, a young man in green suddenly walked toward him.
The young man had been sitting at a nearby table. He was not only handsome, but also looked refined and gentle. His clothes were not especially ornate, but they were impeccably tailored and made of fine material. He was clearly a well-bred young master from an aristocratic family.
A man like that would draw attention wherever he went.
Now, the young man had suddenly come over. He Heng neither knew nor cared why. The young man in green reached him, cupped his hands, and said with a smile, "I would not normally dare disturb you while you were enjoying your meal, but seeing your appetite, I couldn't resist coming over to meet you."
"Oh? Have you had your look, then?" He Heng did not even raise his head. He was chewing on a huge ham and mumbled, "If you're done looking, hurry up and leave. Don't disturb me while I'm eating."
If anyone else had been so plainly told to get lost, they would surely have been furious and either cursed him out or walked away.
But this young man in green was different. He was not offended; instead, he smiled. "You're a man of genuine character, nothing like those hypocrites. I'm all the more eager to make your acquaintance."
He Heng ignored him and kept eating. Just then, the young man's wife came over and toasted He Heng, downing half a jar of wine in one go.
She was a dignified, graceful woman of exceptional bearing, with a beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky. Her brows were lightly drawn, and she wore no makeup; she was so beautiful that she seemed untouched by the mortal world.
There was, however, always a hint of sorrow between her brows, and her complexion was unnaturally pale. She looked ill, and seriously so. Yet her fragile beauty was all the more captivating.
Of the ten men in the restaurant, nine were staring at her.
Whenever her eyes shifted, the men around the room stared in a daze. Anyone who did not look at her must already have been dead drunk.
Still, no one would have guessed that such a seemingly delicate woman could hold her liquor so well.
He Heng glanced at her. It was dusk, and lamps lit the restaurant, dispelling the darkness and gloom.
The lamplight slanted across the room and fell upon her face.
He Heng's gaze fell on her face at the same time.
Her face was almost flawless, its contours and lines as perfect as a finely wrought sculpture.
But something was missing from her beautiful face.
From where He Heng sat, he could see her brows clearly. Yet she had no eyebrows at all. They had been entirely painted on.
"How interesting. I think I know who they are." He Heng abruptly looked up at the pair and feigned indignation. "What exactly are you two after? Why did you come looking for me? Don't try to fool me with talk of friendship."
The young man and his wife exchanged a glance. He cupped his hands and smiled. "I'm Li Yuhan, and this is my wife, Liu Wumei."
He Heng suddenly smiled at them. "Wumei? Wouldn't 'painted brows' be more fitting?"
"Just a joke, my friend." Li Yuhan's expression stiffened for a moment, then returned to normal, his smile still in place.
Liu Wumei, however, smiled sweetly. "Actually, my name wasn't Wumei to begin with. I fell gravely ill as a child. I survived, but all my eyebrows fell out... I paint them on now. Surely you can tell?"
If this had happened to most people, they would have concealed it and done their best to keep it secret. They would have been angry if anyone brought it up. But she was different—she had volunteered the truth herself, which was truly surprising.
Li Yuhan stepped forward and asked, "Could you be Bai Yu Jing, wielder of the Longevity Sword?"
"You know Bai?" He Heng feigned surprise.
"Of course." Li Yuhan seemed excited. "When my father once appraised the famous swordsmen of the world, he said that Brother Bai's Longevity Sword was unlike any other. Its moves, intent, and momentum blended perfectly into one, reaching a wondrous state of natural creation. It shared the same origin as the White Cloud City Lord's Flying Immortal Beyond the Heavens, yet had less loneliness and desolation, and more harmony with all things and transcendence beyond the mortal world. It was truly one of the finest sword arts of this age. I never imagined I'd have the chance to meet you today, Brother Bai. I'm blessed beyond measure."
He Heng hesitated. "May I ask which senior your father is?"
"My father is Li Guanyu of Yongcui Mountain Villa." A rare trace of pride appeared in Li Yuhan's eyes.
"So it's Senior Li Guanyu, the Number One Sword under Heaven. My respects, my respects." He Heng seemed solemn, too.
To his surprise, Li Yuhan waved his hands repeatedly. "Ah, you flatter him, my friend. My father did once have a reputation as the Number One Swordsman under Heaven, but Young Master Xie San took that title twenty years ago. These days, the martial world is flourishing with swordsmanship. Swordsmen of rare talent appear one after another—Xue Yiren, Ye Gucheng, Ximen Chuixue, and you, Brother Bai, all once-in-centuries swordsmen. My father is no longer the Number One Sword under Heaven."
He Heng shook his head. "Brother Li, there's no need to be modest. Everyone knows that back then, Senior Li invited the thirty-one most famous swordsmen in the world to the Sword Pool, where they brewed tea and tested their skills beside the sword-testing stone. With an ancient Fish Intestine Sword and his eighty-one forms of the Wind-Riding Sword, he won the admiration of all thirty-one renowned swordsmen, who acclaimed him the Number One Swordsman under Heaven. How could juniors like us compare with Senior Li?"
To his surprise, Li Yuhan seemed sorrowful. "Brother Bai, you don't know the whole story. Many years ago, my father contracted an incurable illness. He has been bedridden for years and hasn't touched a sword in a decade. That's why he believes that, in the present age, Young Master Xie San is the greatest swordsman. He has been famous for decades, defeated the Demon Cult Leader atop the Qilian Mountains, and fought the peerless swordsman Yan Shisan. He has now secluded himself in the Hidden Sword Hut for more than ten years, returning from brilliance to simplicity. His swordsmanship has advanced to an immortal, godlike realm. Even my father admits he has not reached that level. The title of Number One Under Heaven is rightfully his."
"And beneath Young Master Xie San, Xue Yiren, Ye Gucheng, Ximen Chuixue, and you, Brother Bai, are no less skilled with the sword. One day, you will surely challenge Young Master Xie San." Li Yuhan gave He Heng a long, meaningful look.
He Heng smiled. "Senior Li thinks too highly of me. How could my meager swordsmanship compare with his?"
"Brother Bai, there's no need to be modest. Though my father can no longer wield a sword, his eye remains sharp, and his understanding of the Sword Dao grows deeper by the day. If he says you're his equal, he can't be wrong." Li Yuhan smiled faintly, then continued, "Brother Bai, I'd like to invite you to Yongcui Mountain Villa. My father would be delighted to meet a swordsman as exceptional as you."
"I, too, hope you'll grant us this honor, Young Master Bai." Liu Wumei smiled warmly, her eyes shimmering as she made the request.
He Heng pretended to consider it, then said, "I would certainly like to meet Senior Li. And with the two of you being so gracious, I can hardly refuse."
Hearing this, Li Yuhan laughed heartily. "Ha ha! Brother Bai, you're certainly forthright. No wonder you're a renowned swordsman. Come, let's drink our fill together tonight, then set off for Yongcui Mountain Villa tomorrow."
As he spoke, he took He Heng by the hand and led him up to the third floor, into a room. He called for the waiter to bring several large jars of wine and another tableful of food. Then he and Liu Wumei sat together on one side and drank with He Heng. He Heng had his own reasons for going along, and the two men each harbored their own designs. Still, they drank merrily, and the evening ended with everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves.
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