A Night at the Inn

Li Ping'an fell silent again.

Pei Zhuxuan went on talking to herself. "That family were my enemies. Thirteen years ago, my father was an official at court. He discovered that their son had taken bribes, twisted the law, and treated human lives like weeds.

"They came to my father, hoping he would leave a gap in the net and let their son slip through.

"But my father was a stubborn scholar who thought himself above the common herd.

"He insisted on handling the case impartially. This world has no room for people like that.

"It was a crime punishable by beheading, but after all their maneuvering, their son got off with exile.

"Within two years, even that was over.

"My father, on the other hand, was framed by them.

"Our family was ruined, and my mother and I were exiled too.

"Later, my mother died, and I did everything I could to escape that place.

"You know, I originally had a chance to kill their whole family.

"But I thought of something crueler. Letting them die just like that would have been letting them off far too easily.

"I killed their only son and left them to live in agony every single day."

At this point, she paused.

"Hey! Are you even listening?"

Li Ping'an made no sound. There was no telling whether he had fallen asleep.

Or whether he was still awake and simply pretending not to hear her.

Pei Zhuxuan huffed, stared at the ceiling, and continued.

"Actually, dying like this wouldn't be so bad.

"Once I had my revenge, I didn't know what to do anymore.

"Hatred gives people strength. Before, I always felt as though I had an endless supply of energy.

"Thinking of avenging my parents, I endured every hardship.

"I lived for the day I could finally avenge them. But when I actually did, instead... I felt something strange that I couldn't put into words.

"Ah, well. Once I'm dead, at least I'll have an answer for my parents."

The moon outside the window lent its warmth to the night sky.

A bird perched on a desert poplar beneath the moonlight and let out a piercing, mournful cry.

"Hey, I've been talking all this time. Don't you have anything to say?"

Pei Zhuxuan spoke with displeasure.

"Shouldn't you be feeling sorry for me right about now, then letting me go in a fit of righteous indignation?"

Li Ping'an still gave no answer, as though he truly had fallen asleep.

"Tch. Boring."

Pei Zhuxuan grumbled and pulled the quilt tighter around herself.

The fierce roar of windblown sand rose, battering the walls wildly.

Li Ping'an opened his eyes. Mingled with the wind and sand were other, much fainter sounds.

"Innkeeper, these people are all paupers. Put together, they've barely got any money."

The speaker was one of the inn's serving boys.

"Damn it, we finally get a big haul, and they're each poorer than the last."

"Innkeeper, I reckon that blind man today definitely has something in his pockets. It's just... he might be a bit hard to handle."

Remembering how Li Ping'an had shattered a saber with one finger that day, the workers all felt a little uneasy.

"Hard to handle? One packet of knockout powder, and I'll have him calling me Granddad!"

The innkeeper snorted.

They had yet to realize that Li Ping'an had heard every last word of their scheme.

The footsteps drew closer and grew clearer.

Only a door separated them now. Then came a faint puncturing sound.

A tube as thick as a finger poked a small hole through the door's paper covering and released a wisp of smoke.

Li Ping'an dipped a fingertip into the water in his bowl.

He solidified a droplet with his true qi, curled his finger against his thumb, and flicked lightly.

The droplet traced a straight arc and shot into the tube.

Thud!!

A muffled sound came from the darkness-the sound of someone collapsing.

"Get lost."

Li Ping'an's voice was quiet, yet it sent a shudder through the people outside.

Hearing their footsteps retreat swiftly, Li Ping'an returned to his meditative state.

The next day.

After having breakfast with Pei Zhuxuan, Li Ping'an prepared to leave.

"Innkeeper, the bill."

The innkeeper managed a shaky smile, not daring to look at Li Ping'an.

The moment he heard Li Ping'an ask for the bill, his expression changed drastically.

He hurriedly said, "Even a chance meeting means fate has brought us together. How could I take money from a guest?"

Li Ping'an smiled faintly.

The innkeeper brought out a jar of fine wine. "A fine vintage I've treasured for over ten years. Please accept it."

Only at the mention of wine did Li Ping'an's expression shift slightly.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

A young man stood behind Li Ping'an, watching his departing figure in puzzlement.

This... is this inn really that generous? Not only do they waive the room charge.

They even give you fine wine.

After Li Ping'an left, the young man walked over with a smile.

The innkeeper immediately changed his expression. "A hundred wen for the room, twenty for the food, and two more for the cup you broke yesterday."

"What the hell?!" the young man blurted.

"Why do I have to pay for my room?"

"You trying to freeload?"

The innkeeper glared at him.

With considerable resignation, the young man pulled a money pouch from inside his clothes and paid.

Then he said, "Give me the wine."

"What wine?"

"That vintage that's over ten years old."

The innkeeper's eyelid twitched. "You're here to make trouble, aren't you?"

The young man keenly noticed the change in the atmosphere around him, along with the saber hilt tucked inside a worker's clothes.

He drew a deep breath, turned, and ran.

"Farewell!"

When he left the inn, Li Ping'an had not yet gone far.

Watching Li Ping'an's retreating figure, the young man grew even more curious.

Riding an ox? What on earth?

The young man's surname was Su, and his given name was Yun.

He had just turned eighteen that year and loved the worlds depicted in martial arts novels.

He loved the martial world's heady freedom to repay kindness and settle grudges.

So he had left a letter behind, mounted a swift horse, and left home.

He planned to roam the martial world alone, dreaming of the novels' unrestrained encounters and romantic adventures, following his heart wherever he wished to go...

Su Yun immediately took an interest in this blind man and rode after him.

The horse beneath Su Yun was an Ink Dragon Steed.

There was not a single stray-colored hair on his body, and he looked imposing and majestic.

Anyone could tell at a glance that he was a rare, magnificent horse.

Traveling a thousand li a day was nothing to him.

Su Yun had originally intended to slow down, but soon discovered that Li Ping'an was nowhere in sight.

Clear hoofprints remained on the ground, yet no matter how much Su Yun increased his speed, he simply could not catch up.

"Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!!"

Su Yun rode the Ink Dragon Steed at a wild gallop.

He had no idea how long he had been riding. Just as despair set in, he finally spotted figures a short distance ahead.

Li Ping'an leaned against a sand dune, holding the fine wine the innkeeper had just given him.

Su Yun wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The long, frantic gallop had left even the Ink Dragon Steed beneath him exhausted.

Then he looked at the ox the other man rode. It was over there... drinking wine??

Su Yun's eyes widened. What was this all about?

Pei Zhuxuan was complaining that the wretched sun had tanned her delicate skin.

Only after catching his breath did Su Yun approach and say, "Might I trouble you for a cup of wine?"

"Please, help yourself."

Su Yun also practiced martial arts, so it did not take him long to recover.

The wine, aged for over ten years, did indeed taste excellent.

Su Yun tipped back his head and gulped it down.

It went down even more easily than water. He drained half a wineskin of fine wine in one go.

Whoosh!!

He was just about to speak when he suddenly heard a sharp whistle cutting through the air.