Tan Sect, Chen Sect

"No matter how old Changshou gets, he will always be a junior before Old Master."

Lu Changshou spoke from the heart.

Though Old Master Chen looked young, he knew his true age. Moreover, Chen had shown the Lu Family a heaven-shaking favor and had also taught him martial arts.

Lu Changshou was more than willing to kneel and pay his respects to him.

"That's enough."

"Get up."

Seeing Lu Changshou's utmost respect, Chen Jichuan smiled and stepped forward, raising a hand in a gesture to help him up.

"Thank you, Old Master."

Only then did Lu Changshou rise with the motion. The excitement on his face remained undiminished as he respectfully said, "Now that Old Master has returned, Father, Eldest Uncle, and Third Uncle will certainly be overjoyed. Changshou will have someone notify them at once. We will hold a banquet tonight to welcome Old Master home."

Lu Changshou was utterly sincere and warm.

Yet Chen Jichuan still noticed a trace of hesitation on Lu Changshou's face when he mentioned his elders. Thinking of how Lu Changshou had been practicing the Golden Blade Exchange Palm Technique in the shed just now without even noticing his arrival, it was clear that something weighed on his mind.

So Chen Jichuan waved a hand and said, "No hurry. I have been in seclusion for a long time and know little of what has happened. Tell me about it first."

"Yes."

Lu Changshou did not dare delay. He hurriedly led Chen Jichuan indoors to escape the wind and snow, explaining as they went, "Less than two years after you left Langning City, Great-Grandfather passed away."

Thirty-five years had passed.

Long enough for a chaotic age to play out and for one dynasty to replace another.

The old acquaintances Chen Jichuan had once known—Lu Xiong, Lu Rong, Yang Qing, Tan Jinxuan—had all passed on. Even those of a younger generation, such as Lu Zijian, Lu Xiong's son, and Lu Zikang, Lu Rong's son, had grown old and died one after another over a decade ago.

Time was merciless.

It could only make one sigh.

"The current Emperor of Great Yan indulges in beauty and neglects state affairs, plunging the court into chaos and making the world ever more unsettled in every direction."

"As the court has grown turbulent, the martial underworld has flourished instead. Over these years, masters of every stripe have emerged one after another."

"While Old Master was still around, he and Grandmaster Tan Jinxuan of the northern Scattering Flower Legs were recognized as the strongest in the world. After Old Master departed, Grandmaster Tan also fell silent for a long while. Then, twenty years ago, he founded the Tan Sect, widely accepted disciples, and taught the Ten-Route Tan Legs that he had created through painstaking effort. His name shook the martial world, and masters emerged in endless succession. The Tan Sect became the foremost sect of the northern martial world."

Lu Changshou was obsessed with martial arts. He only had a half-baked understanding of court affairs, but he knew the ins and outs of the martial world perfectly. "The Tan Sect has grown powerful and acts with great fanfare. News came from the north a few days ago that the Tan Sect's Thirteen Guardians had all set out, splitting into thirteen routes to challenge the masters of every sect under heaven. They have already crossed the Ji River. At the earliest, they will reach Lingnan in three to five months; at the latest, no more than a year."

The Tan Sect had risen to power.

It commanded the northern martial world.

By comparison, Chen of the Southern Dynasty, once known alongside Tan Jinxuan as Southern Chen and Northern Tan, had vanished without a trace. Lu Changshou called himself Chen of the Southern Dynasty's successor and was known as Little Southern Chen. Faced with the present situation and the aggressively advancing Thirteen Guardians of the Tan Sect, he could not help but feel pressured.

He worried about victory and defeat.

His own reputation was secondary. What he feared was people saying that Southern Chen was inferior to Northern Tan, tarnishing the prestige of Chen of the Southern Dynasty. On top of that, the Lu Family was now entangled in a whole mess of vexing affairs, and he himself was deeply involved—indeed, he was one of the crucial figures. Thus, he had simply hidden himself away in the Chen Residence to ponder martial arts alone.

Over these years,

Whenever Lu Changshou was troubled or unhappy, he would come here. Remembering how Old Master Chen had once cultivated with no distractions in his heart, he too settled his mind.

"The Tan Sect."

"The Tan Legs."

Only then did Chen Jichuan understand why Lu Changshou had been so distracted.

When all was said and done,

He was merely burdened by reputation. There was the reputation of Chen of the Southern Dynasty, and there was also Lu Changshou's own reputation as Little Southern Chen.

Chen Jichuan was quite interested in martial-world affairs. He also wished to witness the splendor of the Ten-Route Tan Legs created by Tan Jinxuan.

But Chen Jichuan had no interest in the Lu Family's private matters.

Looking at Lu Changshou, Chen Jichuan said, "Reputation is like floating clouds to me. I would ask for nothing more than to trade blows with masters. I will remain in the residence these next few days and wait for the Thirteen Guardians to arrive. Send someone to find me then. It will be a fine chance to see what these younger talents can do."

Thirty-five years ago,

Chen Jichuan had swept through Lingnan without an equal. After all these years, as one generation replaced another, he did not know whether the masters of this generation were stronger or weaker.

Judging from Lu Changshou, though he was called Little Southern Chen and was weaker than Chen Jichuan, he was hardly unrivaled throughout all Lingnan. There were three to five people comparable to him in strength, and there were others who faintly surpassed him.

Cultivation in reality had to proceed step by step, in proper sequence.

But a martial artist's strength

Was partly determined by mastery of martial arts and the force of one's blows. The other part lay in experience fighting others, adaptability, and mental fortitude. The former could not be rushed, but the latter could be tempered in this Great Yan World.

Chen Jichuan hoped the Great Yan martial world would have more masters, and that they would be stronger.

"Old Master—"

Lu Changshou was startled upon hearing this and hurriedly said, "Though the Tan Sect's Thirteen Guardians have a resounding reputation, they are, in the end, merely the granddisciples of Grandmaster Tan Jinxuan. With Old Master's status and seniority, how could you need to act personally? Changshou can handle them himself."

Martial artists valued reputation above all else.

They also placed immense importance on seniority.

Given Chen Jichuan's status, fighting people of the granddisciple generation would truly be beneath him.

"It does not matter."

Chen Jichuan was utterly unconcerned.

Seeing this, Lu Changshou gave a bitter smile. "But even if Old Master does not begrudge giving them instruction, I fear the Thirteen Guardians may not dare act rashly."

Chen Jichuan had, after all, once been as famous as Tan Jinxuan.

His seniority stood there.

How could the Thirteen Guardians dare offend him?

Moreover, if the Tan Sect lost this battle, people would say Chen of the Southern Dynasty truly lived up to his name. If they won, others would say that Chen of the Southern Dynasty was already ninety-four years old. Even if he had methods to preserve his youthful appearance, his qi and blood and physical strength must have waned, and a decline in strength was inevitable. The Tan Sect's victory would be dishonorable.

Either way, the Tan Sect would lose face.

The people of the Tan Sect would not be so foolish.

"That makes sense."

Chen Jichuan felt the same after hearing this. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Then let us do this. Only you know my identity, so there is no need to tell anyone else. Publicly, simply say that I am Chen Jichuan's descendant and of your generation. Then there will be no issue with fighting the Thirteen Guardians."

Since he could not reveal his identity, it would not be convenient for him to remain at the Chen Residence either.

Chen Jichuan looked again at Lu Changshou. "Is there somewhere suitable for me to stay?"

"..."

A bitter expression surfaced on Lu Changshou's face. He wanted to persuade him again, but seeing how eager Old Master Chen was, he set the thought aside for now and replied, "On Taiqing Mountain, I established the Chen Sect under Old Master's name. The Taiqing Eighteen Ridges are blessed with beautiful mountains and clear waters, an excellent place for practicing martial arts and cultivating one's spirit."

Taiqing Mountain.

It lay at the junction of Wuyuan County, Jinxing County, and Fengling County in Langning Prefecture. The mountain was divided into eighteen ridges, and so it was also called the Taiqing Eighteen Mountains, the Taiqing Eighteen Bends, and the Taiqing Eighteen Ridges.

Several decades ago,

Mountain bandits had entrenched themselves there, only to be crushed by the imperial court. In the decades afterward, several more groups of mountain and river bandits had howled together in gangs, occupying the mountains and living as outlaws.

But they had all fallen apart.

More than a decade ago,

Little Southern Chen, Lu Changshou, had completed his studies and come to Taiqing Mountain, where he founded a sect and established the Chen Sect. Relying on the Lu Family's wealth and influence from White Jade Capital, he easily gained a firm foothold.

From then on, it became one of Lingnan's notable major sects.

Yet compared with the northern Tan Sect, it was still far inferior. Within the Chen Sect, only its sect master, Lu Changshou, could match the Tan Sect's Thirteen Guardians. Beneath him were the Three Heroes and Five Tigers. Though they were younger and bore impressive titles, their strength was mediocre; they were merely ordinary men. They could not compare with the Tan Sect, where talent gathered like clouds.

Chen Jichuan did not arrive at Taiqing Mountain with great fanfare.

He merely settled down on the rear mountain.

There, mountains and waters leaned against one another. It was secluded and peaceful, and the Chen Sect's disciples rarely came by. It could not have been more suitable.

Lu Changshou also had people set up a blade shed, archery targets, wooden dummies, and other training grounds.

They busied themselves for three days straight.

Only then was everything properly arranged.

During this time, Lu Changshou stayed with Chen Jichuan, speaking with him and introducing the Chen Sect, Langning, and the many changes in Great Yan. Once the arrangements were complete, he remained for several more days before finally bidding Chen Jichuan farewell and leaving.