Su Xiaoxiao, the Green Ivy Blade

Master's Wife's words fell, and the hall sank into an oppressive silence.

"Pardon me."

Red-Browed Ji Chuan suddenly rose. In two steps, he was in front of Lu Chen. His right hand darted out, and his five fingers rapidly pressed and probed several points on Lu Chen's shoulder, neck, ribs, and spine. Wherever his fingertips passed, Lu Chen felt his muscles and bones tremble faintly, and the wisp of force in his dantian stirred in response.

It was an exceptionally refined method of examining bones and feeling the pulse.

In only two or three breaths, Ji Chuan withdrew his hand and stepped back. He fell silent for a moment, then looked up at Zhou Lan and the others and gave a slow, weighty nod.

It was true.

Lu Chen's natural constitution was ordinary, yet he had truly broken through to External Force.

The folding fan in Young Master Zhou's hand stopped. Lin Wei'er's skepticism faded, and the black-faced man sat up straight.

The silence in the hall, so deep that a pin could be heard dropping, lasted several breaths.

At last, Master's Wife's gentle voice broke it.

"What are you all standing there stunned for?" Her gaze swept across the four seated guests. Smiling, she turned to Lu Chen and spoke warmly. "Come, Lu Chen. Let me introduce you. These are your senior brothers and sisters. Though they aren't often at the hall, they're all of the Plum Blossom lineage."

She first pointed to the brocade-robed young man waving his fan. "This is Zhou Lan, the eldest son of the Zhou Family of West City. You may have heard of his family."

Lu Chen's heart stirred. He naturally knew of the Zhou Family of West City. They were one of the city's truly wealthy and powerful families.

He immediately cupped his hands and said respectfully, "Senior Brother Zhou."

Zhou Lan had already resumed his usual mild smile. He folded his fan and returned the greeting. "Junior Brother Lu, there's no need for such formalities. I didn't expect the hall to gain another promising talent while I was away. Congratulations."

Master's Wife then looked toward the short-haired woman. "This is your senior sister, Lin Wei'er. She's now an inner disciple of the Iron Sword Sect."

The Iron Sword Sect! It was one of Wen'an's three great sects, alongside the Green River Sect and the Flying Cloud Sect. Its influence ran deep and wide, far beyond that of an ordinary martial hall.

Lu Chen became even more respectful and bowed. "Senior Sister Lin."

Lin Wei'er's lively eyes lingered on him for a moment. She had put away her earlier disdain and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, but said nothing more.

"This is your Senior Brother Zheng Tie." Master's Wife's gaze moved to the black-faced man, built like a small mountain.

Lu Chen noticed that Senior Brother Zheng had dark skin, yet he was clad entirely in black from head to toe—black robe, black trousers, black belt, black boots. Sitting there, he looked like a shadow formed from a pool of thick ink.

He hurriedly saluted. "Senior Brother Zheng."

Zheng Tie gave a deep "Mm," his voice rich and resonant.

Master's Wife smiled. "Your Senior Brother Zheng is a well-known hero in the Northern Lands. He has a nickname: Ink Mountain Hero."

Lu Chen understood. No wonder he was dressed in ink-black and spoke so little, yet carried the imposing bearing of a deep pool and a towering mountain. The name "Ink Mountain" suited him well.

At last, Master's Wife looked at the red-browed man, her expression growing more solemn. "This is Senior Brother Ji Chuan. He serves in the Red Ghost Army, personally commanded by the Flame King."

Lu Chen understood. Those two red eyebrows were indeed no natural feature; they had been deliberately dyed.

The Red Ghost Army served under the Flame King, and its soldiers customarily dyed themselves red. The higher their rank, the more prominently they dyed themselves. Ji Chuan had dyed only his eyebrows, so he was probably just a low-ranking officer in the army.

Lu Chen greeted him according to proper etiquette. "Senior Brother Ji."

Ji Chuan merely gave a slight nod, rather aloof.

Among Master's Wife's four direct disciples, Zhou Lan came from a wealthy family in West City, Lin Wei'er belonged to one of the three great sects, Zheng Tie was renowned in the martial world of the Northern Lands, and Ji Chuan was connected to the royal household's personal army.

This little Plum Blossom Martial Hall truly was a place where dragons and crouching tigers gathered!

The direct disciples had all formed a favorable first impression of Lu Chen.

The young man was neatly dressed and steady. Facing senior brothers and sisters with powerful backgrounds, he was courteous without being fawning, calm in conversation and not the least bit timid. His candid, unbowed bearing was quite unlike the rumored "aloof and hard to approach" impression. Instead, it revealed a solid foundation.

Master's Wife blinked her beautiful eyes and parted her vermilion lips. "Lu Chen, now that you've broken through to External Force, you've truly stepped through the gate of martial arts. I'd like to take you as my direct disciple. Are you willing?"

Lu Chen didn't hesitate for a moment. He immediately lifted his robe and knelt.

"This disciple is willing."

"Rise," Master's Wife said gently. "Come find me in the rear courtyard tomorrow morning. Now that you've joined my school, you should learn the rules of my lineage. I should also teach you the last two forms of Plum Blossom Fist."

Lu Chen rose and bowed respectfully once more. "Thank you, Master's Wife."

At lunchtime, Master's Wife didn't let Shuan Hu cook. She simply sent him to Golden Goblet Pavilion in East City to order a fine feast and have it delivered straight to the residence.

Less than half an hour later, several attendants in blue robes filed in carrying multi-tiered food boxes. They spread dishes and bowls across the round table in the main hall.

In the Northern Lands, a proper feast called for the customary "Eight Big Bowls."

The first bowl was red-braised pork knuckle, the second a whole chicken, the third lion's head meatballs, the fourth a foot-long carp in red-braised sauce, the fifth pork belly with preserved vegetables, the sixth tofu boxes, the seventh mixed stewed vegetables, and the last sweet rice, steamed until glossy with red dates and red beans.

There were also four plates of cold dishes, a basin of milky-white lamb soup, and an unopened jar of osmanthus wine.

Their master didn't show up for this meal. He wasn't part of the martial world and found such occasions tedious.

The two young ladies had gone out early as well. The Lantern Festival was tonight, and who knew how lively it would be outside?

Only Master's Wife and several disciples remained at the table.

They chatted over drinks, mostly about rumors from the martial world and old tales of the jianghu.

Lu Chen had only just squeezed into this circle. He listened more than he spoke, quietly committing everything to memory.

The wine was halfway finished.

Zhou Lan suddenly set down his cup, his expression turning serious. "Have you heard the big news from yesterday? Su Xiaoxiao, the Green Ivy Blade, went alone, armed with nothing but her blade, to storm the Witch Sect's branch altar outside the city. She slaughtered every witch and follower inside."

Lin Wei'er exclaimed in surprise, "The Green Ivy Blade? That notorious female assassin, famous for her ruthlessness and exorbitant fees?"

"That's her." A trace of solemnity crossed Zheng Tie's dark face as he continued in a muffled voice. "They say she looks pure and innocent, yet loves to dress seductively. Her conduct is capricious and ruthless, too. She's sent no fewer than a hundred souls beneath her blade, and she's one of the most dangerous assassins in the Northern Lands these past few years."

Lu Chen's heart gave a jolt as he listened.

The Witch Sect's branch altar had been slaughtered?

He had visited that temple just yesterday and had indeed encountered a strikingly beautiful young woman dressed in an eye-catching manner on the mountain.

Could she have been Su Xiaoxiao, the Green Ivy Blade?

Lin Wei'er furrowed her brows. "This was probably a hired job. Who would dare provoke the Witch Sect like that? Could it have been the Red Pill Sect?"

The Red Pill Sect was a foreign religious sect that had risen recently. It had surged into the Northern Lands and spread through many counties and towns.

The two sects had been fighting over followers and territory. Their clashes had grown increasingly open, and they had long been at each other's throats.

Zhou Lan, however, said, "It doesn't seem like the Red Pill Sect. They want to spread their faith, not make enemies for life. Doing this would be too stupid."

Master's Wife asked with curiosity, "They say the Witch Sect's branch altars are guarded by protectors who can command strange beasts, making them hard for ordinary people to approach. If Su Xiaoxiao could break through the altar alone, how many Seals of External Force has she reached?"

Black-faced Zheng Tie replied in his deep, rumbling voice, "According to jianghu rumors, seven."

Lu Chen stared at him in surprise and couldn't help asking, "Seals... what does that mean?"