Li Qingxian

The night rain had ceased, and the eastern sky was turning pale.

The cool breeze of early summer soaked Divine Capital and swept across Night Guard Street.

The Night Guard Yamen was encircled by red walls, their faintly black eaves curving upward.

Bang... bang bang bang bang bang...

Within the red walls, the watchman's call of one slow strike followed by five rapid ones rang out.

Early-rising pedestrians heard the distinctive sixth-watch call of Night Guard Street, glanced over from afar, and hurried on.

Flutter, flutter...

A gray sparrow took flight in alarm, flapped its wings around the bright blue bracket sets of the Night Guard Grand Hall, skimmed past the vermilion-lacquered corridor pillars outside the main hall of the Divine Capital Office, then stretched out its straw-thin legs and landed on the blue tiles of the Street Patrol Office quarters. It gave itself a shake, extended its pointed beak, and tucked it beneath its wing to preen its feathers.

"Get up already. Wash up early and go patrol the streets..." A hoarse voice sounded from Room Nine of the First Courtyard beneath the blue tiles.

The quarters fell silent.

"I'm treating everyone to mutton soup!" The hoarse voice brightened somewhat.

"Ah, you should've said so earlier..."

The quarters became lively.

"Li Qingxian, how are you feeling? Can you patrol the streets today?" Zheng Hui asked with concern.

The clamor stopped.

The thick paper pasted over the windows blocked most of the morning light, leaving the room dim.

Five beds stood side by side, but there were only four people in the room.

Three sat up and looked toward the young man in the innermost bed.

"I can!" The youth yawned and answered lazily as he slowly got up.

"Haha, good. We'll head out to wash up first. We'll eat mutton soup together afterward."

The three dressed and left. Wearing only a white undershirt, Li Qingxian slipped into his shoes and slowly walked over to the bronze mirror.

Li Qingxian looked at himself in the mirror.

He was fifteen or sixteen, recovering from a serious illness. His complexion was pale, making him look somewhat more handsome than usual.

The eyes beneath his fine, dark brows seemed veiled in shadow, dull and lifeless.

His straight nose was covered in cold sweat. Beneath his faint, downy stubble, his thin lips held not a trace of color.

On the left side of his chin lay a faint scar about an inch long, appearing and vanishing in the dim room.

Li Qingxian lowered his head and looked at his hands.

Dark yellow calluses protruded from his palms, and his palm lines were a tangled mess. Yet when he turned them over, the backs of his hands were fair, blue veins clearly visible beneath the skin.

"Here, wash your face. I'm going outside to rinse off." Team Leader Zheng Hui placed a washbasin on its stand, patted Li Qingxian's shoulder, and strode off in a gust of energy.

After washing his face, Li Qingxian got dressed, fastened on his long saber, and returned to the bronze mirror.

He was thin, his hair disheveled, and he still looked like someone just recovering from a grave illness.

He removed his bamboo hairpin, picked up a wooden comb, and awkwardly combed his hair. He twisted it, inserted the pin, tied it up, secured it, then smoothed his clothes. In an instant, he seemed like a different person.

In the bronze mirror, his pale face looked faintly handsome. The childishness between his brows had not yet faded, but his eyes now gleamed sharply.

He wore a dark teal, round-collared, narrow-sleeved shirt, with a short dark teal outer skirt covering his black trousers.

The cuffs and hem of the outer skirt were embroidered with inch-wide brocade bands in red, blue, and green.

White socks and black boots covered his feet, while a long, narrow Goose Feather Saber hung at his waist.

Near the hilt, the black scabbard bore an engraved character for "Night," most of its red lacquer already worn away.

A red cord hung from his black cloth belt, and a pristine Deer-and-Crane Jade Pendant swayed softly at its end.

Li Qingxian rested his left hand on the saber hilt, straightened his back, and lifted his chin. He cut a gallant figure.

A youth in blue, a saber-bearing lad.

Looking at himself in the mirror, a complicated expression surfaced on Li Qingxian's face.

Li Qingxian was not from this world.

He had originally lived in a world of towering skyscrapers, where others drowned themselves in extravagant pleasures.

In that world, Li Qingxian had lived an ordinary life, like most people.

School, exams, then... being single.

Watching dramas, movies, playing games, then... being single.

After becoming an adult, he left his parents, went to a big city, joined a self-media company, and then continued being single.

Later, he died of illness.

That famous doctor had said it was only a minor illness and nothing to worry about, but he had failed to pull through.

Before his death, Li Qingxian had been unwilling to accept it.

Perhaps his fate had not yet run out. The moment he opened his eyes, he had arrived in this world and taken over someone else's body.

That person had also been ill and was also named Li Qingxian.

Li Qingxian had lain in the room for three days, gradually gaining the memories of this new body. Some were clear, while others were blurred.

The mysteries of this world surpassed imagination.

This was the Qi Kingdom. Its founding ancestor had originally been the martial alliance leader, whose power alone had cowed the world.

In the Qi Kingdom, civil officials could cleave a river with a single breath of Righteousness Sword, military officials could destroy a city with one punch, and even eunuchs could crush mountains with a palm strike. There were also Daoists, Demonfiends, puppets, evil entities, and countless other forces.

I don't want to die a second time...

In a world like this, he could not afford to let his guard down.

First, he needed to find a chance to go out and look around, observe the situation, then find a safe place and figure out how to cultivate and strengthen himself.

At that thought, a massive object resembling an armillary sphere appeared in Li Qingxian's mind.

A gray-silver base, with bronze rings intertwined.

Li Qingxian's maternal grandfather had come from a minor Destiny Arts Master sect called the Fate Measuring Sect and had left him a method of cultivation.

Li Qingxian had been fortunate enough to enter the gate of Fate Cultivation. First, he obtained the mysterious Heaven's Mandate Instrument, then mastered the Qi-Gazing Technique—only to die a few days later.

As Li Qingxian pondered, footsteps drew near.

"Feeling better?" Team Chief Zheng Hui stood at the doorway.

"Much better. I was just getting ready to head out," Li Qingxian said.

"Good!" A warm smile bloomed across Zheng Hui's dark face, and delight shone in his eyes.

Li Qingxian looked at his captain. The brawny man was over forty and a full two heads taller than him, with shoulders so broad he was like a wall blocking the doorway. His skin was dark, and his left ear was entirely gone.

Zheng Hui sighed, walked over, and handed him a coarse porcelain cup. "Have some water first. I ran into Doctor Sun on the road. He said this illness was the root of the last one."

Half a year ago, after his father Li Gangfeng died, Li Qingxian had fallen seriously ill.

"I understand that too." Li Qingxian took the cup, lowered his head, and drank slowly.

"Mr. Gangfeng... sigh! If he hadn't been driven to the brink, who would ram into a court pillar? This is already the third crown prince Emperor Taining has deposed during the Taining Era. Back in the chaos of the previous Taikang Era, only one crown prince was captured by the Demon Race."

Li Qingxian continued drinking as certain memories gradually became clearer.

Half a year ago, the crown prince had been the Commander of the Guards, holding authority over the Night Guard. He was accused of plotting rebellion and defiling the imperial harem.

Though the evidence was insufficient, the ministers were enraged and demanded severe punishment.

As a Censor, Li Gangfeng had insisted that evidence come first. Yet without conclusive proof, Emperor Taining decreed that the crown prince be confined.

Perhaps filled with righteous indignation, Li Gangfeng gathered in his civil qi and hurled his flesh-and-blood body against the Baolong Grand Red Lacquered Court Pillar, dying before the court.

"Well, now Mr. Gangfeng is gone, and the crown prince was so furious he vomited blood and followed him. Half a year has passed—has the court improved? Only the Night Guard has suffered. If you ask me, His Majesty has been hoodwinked by treacherous ministers." Zheng Hui silently sat down.

"Are we Night Guard really so much worse off than before?" Li Qingxian asked.

Zheng Hui's eyes lit up. Sitting upright, he said, "Do you know what people used to call our Night Guard? The Little Cabinet! We supervised all civil and military officials, commanded the martial sects, dealt with demons, monsters, ghosts, and strange beings. We were glorious beyond measure! But now... sigh, the Night Guard's main gate hasn't opened for over half a year. The Mounted Patrol who once strutted through the streets with red silk hung from their mounts haven't been seen for over half a year either. His Majesty is wise, but treacherous ministers fear our Night Guard. What can we do?"

"Is the disbandment of the Night Guard real?"

"Speaking of that, we have to thank Lord Gangfeng. Everyone in the Night Guard remembers his kindness now. By rights, once the crown prince died, those treacherous ministers would surely have pressured His Majesty to disband the Night Guard. But Lord Gangfeng died remonstrating by crashing into that pillar. The civil officials, especially the censors, remembered Lord Li and put the matter aside for now. That is the only reason the Night Guard has been able to cling to life. Even so, Night Guard personnel keep getting transferred away. There were originally five people in our room. Xiao Zhao has left, and it'll be good enough if three of us remain."

Li Qingxian sighed along with him.

Zheng Hui slapped his forehead. "I'm muddleheaded again. I meant to comfort you, but I ended up grumbling on and on."

"We're family. A little grumbling is perfectly normal." Li Qingxian smiled warmly.

"Isn't that the truth! Oh, right, how are things at home? Things aren't awkward with your aunt and uncle, are they?"

"My aunt's family has lived next door to mine for more than ten years. We've always been close," Li Qingxian said.

"Good. It's good that your family is looking after you. If anything comes up at home in the future and you need help, just call for me. Oh, right—are you still studying Fate Arts?" Zheng Hui grinned mischievously.

"I won't talk about that with you lot. Every time I say I want to become a Destiny Arts Master, you all make fun of me." Li Qingxian looked helpless.

"Haha, then we won't talk about it. Don't force yourself. If you can't manage, lie down for a few more days. Once you're well, you can patrol the streets with me." Zheng Hui rose as he spoke.

Li Qingxian raised an eyebrow at an angle. "Captain Zheng, who are you looking down on? Am I, Li Qingxian, someone who stays lying down?"

Zheng Hui laughed and cursed, "You little bastard, you're just as cheeky as when I first met you. I still remember what you were like back then. You played the part of a scholar quite convincingly and had us fooled silly."

"I really am a scholar." Li Qingxian put on a solemn expression.

"Pah!" Zheng Hui laughed and cursed. "What can stay hidden in the Night Guard? Later, I looked into it and found out you brat had run wild in the streets for who knew how many years. Only after Lord Li returned to the capital did you obediently enter an academy. And what happened? Your classics and essays were a complete mess. Lord Li got so furious he had no choice but to make you switch to Martial Cultivation. They tested your aptitude, but no great clan or prominent family would take you. You trained at a small martial hall for half a year without any progress. Lord Li then sent you to cultivate the Dao, but your aptitude didn't meet the minimum standard of any sect. Your father was a dignified orthodox scholar of the Confucian School—he couldn't exactly send you to cultivate evil puppets or demons. He also disliked you studying Fate Arts. In the end, with no other choice, he found someone to arrange for you to enter the Night Guard. And you still pretend to be a scholar? Come on, write a few characters for me. With that chicken-scratch handwriting of yours, you're worse than I am."

Li Qingxian chuckled, utterly unflustered. "That's the rule of the streets: bragging isn't illegal, but it can bolster your courage."

"Come on, Li the Bold. Let's take a walk in the courtyard." Zheng Hui laughed.

Li Qingxian nodded, stepped over the threshold, and entered the courtyard.

Morning light shone down. The sky was azure, and the courtyard enclosed by green trees was filled with fresh air.

Hard-packed yellow earth spread across the courtyard. Ten sets of quarters stood along its north and south sides, while the gate lay to the east.

Stone locks, stone shoulder poles, long staffs, and other items lay scattered on the western side. Six or seven people shouted and grunted as they tempered their bodies.

By the well mouth ringed with white stone, someone splashed loudly, lifted a wooden bucket, and overturned it, pouring cold water over his head. With a casual flick, he tossed the bucket back into the well, where it made a hollow sound.

Four or five others gathered nearby, wiping themselves down with towels as they chatted and laughed.

Others were fully dressed and stood at the courtyard gate, talking idly.

Li Qingxian turned to look at Team Chief Zheng Hui.

Zheng Hui's clothes were completely different from his own.

Li Qingxian's clothes only had inch-wide brocade patterns embroidered along the edges, while Zheng Hui's official uniform was brocaded all over. Its green ground and linked-branch pattern made it particularly eye-catching among the dark teal garments.

The square rank badge on his chest bore the embroidered image of a white horse crossing a river.

The rank badge of a Subordinate Tenth Rank military official.

Zheng Hui rested his right hand on the leather belt at his waist and said, "Qingxian, if you patrol the streets today, follow me properly. Even if the sky falls, you are not to make a move. Don't be like last time, understand?"

Li Qingxian reached up and touched the pale scar on the left side of his chin, smiling. "All right. This time, I'll listen to Captain Zheng."

"Li Qingxian was really fierce last time." Yu Ping, tall, broad, fair, and plump, tossed him an orange. Wiping his mouth, he said, "I risked this handsome face of mine to beg it from Chef Wang, all to help you recover. There were two, but a cat snatched one on the way."

"Thanks, brother." Li Qingxian caught it with a smile. In the morning light, the orange gleamed bright and vivid.