"Who are you, daring to play that hideous suona outside my residence?!"
Liu Zhengfeng's face was livid. Hearing that racket hurt worse than taking a sword through the gut.
"Hideous? The man who taught me said I was a suona prodigy!" Lin Lang looked as though Liu Zhengfeng simply had no appreciation for music. "Listen to how well I play this 'Grand Funeral.' It brings tears of sorrow to everyone who hears it."
Liu Zhengfeng tightened his grip on his sword. "What did you just say that tune was called?!"
"'Grand Funeral.' Everyone in the Capital City plays it when there's a death in the family. Don't you do that in Hengshan City?" Lin Lang looked thoroughly curious. "How about teaching me another funeral tune, then?"
"As the saying goes, when the suona sounds, the whole family goes into the ground. In a couple of days, they'll be playing this outside Liu Mansion."
Liu Zhengfeng drew his sword with a swish. "Who sent you?!"
Playing "Grand Funeral" outside Liu Mansion—was this fellow cursing his entire family to die?!
Lin Lang casually tossed the suona aside. "I came to see the whole Liu family off. What are you drawing your sword for? I'm telling you, stay away from Liu Mansion. When his whole family gets slaughtered in a couple of days, you don't want to get caught up in it."
Liu Zhengfeng sneered at Lin Lang. "The master of Liu Mansion is an elder of the Hengshan School, and a peak Martial Arts Master at that. Who in Hengshan City could slaughter his entire family?!"
Where had this brat come from, spouting such outrageous nonsense right to his face?
Lin Lang lowered his voice. "I'll tell you, but don't tell anyone else. Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang, an elder of the Sun Moon Demon Cult, share the bond of Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya... er, of Boya and Ziqi, kindred souls in music. That's why Zuo Lengchan of Mount Song plans to wipe out his entire family."
Liu Zhengfeng's expression changed sharply. "Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting?!"
He thrust his sword at Lin Lang, intending to capture him first and then question him about how he knew.
Lin Lang instantly drew his sword. Though his blade moved second, it arrived first, slashing toward Liu Zhengfeng's wrist.
Liu Zhengfeng's perfected Thirteen Forms of the Ever-Changing Cloud and Mist had defeated many skilled swordsmen, yet against Lin Lang's uncanny swordplay, he found himself unable to gain even the slightest advantage.
Who exactly was this young man? He had the strength of a Martial Arts Master, ghostlike footwork, and astonishing swordsmanship. Who had sent him?
In the blink of an eye, they exchanged more than thirty moves. Liu Zhengfeng still could not gain the upper hand, and he discovered that Lin Lang's swordsmanship was improving at a startling pace.
He knew he would not be able to subdue Lin Lang if they kept fighting. Given the footwork Lin Lang had displayed, he could not stop him from leaving, either.
He had to calm Lin Lang down and ask how he had learned of this matter.
Liu Zhengfeng suddenly withdrew his sword and stepped back. "I am Liu Zhengfeng, master of Liu Mansion. How did you learn of this?"
Only then did Lin Lang put on a look of sudden realization. "So you're Liu Zhengfeng. Tsk, tsk. You really do have the face of a man destined for an early grave."
"I'm not the only one who knows about you and Qu Yang. Zuo Lengchan knows, and so does the Sun Moon Demon Cult. Right now, people from the Sun Moon Demon Cult are hunting down Qu Yang and his family."
"If you want to save your entire family, you have only two paths left. Just tell me this: do you want to live or die?!"
Liu Zhengfeng's expression was grim. He asked heavily, "What two paths?"
"The first is to kill Qu Yang. Naturally, that would make you a hero of the Five Mountains Sword Alliance."
Liu Zhengfeng refused outright. "Impossible! Qu Yang is the only man who truly understands my music. I would never harm him."
Lin Lang nodded. "Then only the second path remains. Find a stronger power to back you, one that will make the Five Mountains Sword Alliance afraid to touch you."
Liu Zhengfeng smiled bitterly. "The Five Mountains Sword Alliance may not stand at the very pinnacle of the martial world, but it is still a major, first-rate power. No school would disregard the rules of the martial world to shelter me."
Even Northern Shaolin would not take him in. Perhaps the Sun Moon Demon Cult would, but he would never join them. If he did, he would never be able to clear his name.
Lin Lang glanced at Liu Zhengfeng. "Liu Zhengfeng, you need to broaden your horizons. Are the leading schools of the martial world really the greatest powers out there?"
A power stronger than the leading schools of the martial world?
Liu Zhengfeng asked tentatively, "Are you suggesting I seek protection from the imperial court?"
He had considered doing that before-buying an official post to serve as a protective talisman-but he was not sure it would work.
Besides, if he became one of the court's hunting hawks and hounds, what would his fellow martial artists think of him?
That was a last resort.
"I've already informed my fellows in the martial world that I will soon wash my hands in a golden basin and retire. From then on, the affairs of the martial world will have nothing more to do with me."
Lin Lang looked at Liu Zhengfeng as though he were an idiot. "Are you sure Zuo Lengchan will let you wash your hands of it all? If you actually retire successfully, Zuo Lengchan will lose every shred of face. If you were Zuo Lengchan, what would you do?"
Could someone leave the martial world just by saying so? Which great figure who retired from it had ever met a good end?
Liu Zhengfeng slumped dejectedly into a chair. In other words, even if he successfully retired, Zuo Lengchan would still find an excuse to kill him!
"Seeking the court's protection is your only way out. You may not fear death, but does everyone in your family feel the same? If you die, your name will still be infamous, your reputation ruined. You might even drag the Hengshan School down with you. Can you accept that?"
"Besides, all you and Qu Yang did was discuss music. You haven't betrayed the Five Mountains Sword Alliance. At the very least, you've kept an elder of the Sun Moon Demon Cult occupied. Why should you have to die?"
Liu Zhengfeng felt that Lin Lang truly understood him. All he had done was make music with Liu Zhengfeng. Why did it have to be so difficult?
"Can you protect my entire family without implicating the Hengshan School?" He had already realized that Lin Lang was a man of the imperial court.
Lin Lang casually tossed out his Jinyiwei Hundred-household waist token. "The Five Mountains Sword Alliance has plenty of men, but I have even more brothers in the Jinyiwei."
"The Jinyiwei has fourteen Thousand-household Offices, with ten Hundred-household Offices under each Thousand-household. Work out how many experts that means."
"Behind me, there are also tens of thousands of Eastern Depot experts, hundreds of thousands of imperial troops, and firearms and explosives."
"The Jinyiwei is currently making a major effort to recruit martial experts with clean backgrounds, so we will certainly protect your entire family. That's how we get more people to join us."
Seeing Liu Zhengfeng wavering, Lin Lang continued selling his story. "I know you're concerned about your reputation. I can promise that once you've done three things for the Jinyiwei, we'll let you leave."
The first thing will be to promise me another three things.
Once he's under my command, does he really think he can get away?
"I won't make you kill Qu Yang, nor will I make you act against the Hengshan School."
This time, Liu Zhengfeng was genuinely persuaded. "All right. I agree."
A Martial Arts Master as young as Lin Lang was only a Jinyiwei Hundred-household. According to Lin Lang, there were more than a hundred other Hundred-households like him. To think the Jinyiwei was so powerful!
Little did he know that even other Jinyiwei Thousand-households might not possess Lin Lang's strength. Ordinary Hundred-households were merely first-rate fighters in the martial world.
Lin Lang nodded in satisfaction. "Go ahead with your retirement ceremony. The Jinyiwei only takes ordinary citizens with clean backgrounds."
"Don't worry. With me here, you'll definitely be able to wash your hands of the martial world."
"Oh, right. Once you've washed your hands, could you give me that golden basin?"
Liu Zhengfeng said, "...Lord Hundred-household, the basin used in the ceremony is gold-colored copper. But since you like golden basins, I'll have a few made of real gold and delivered to your residence."
He owned plenty of farmland and shops in Hengshan City. What were a few golden basins to him?
"My lord, what official post will I hold after joining the Jinyiwei?"
Lin Lang casually tossed him the waist token he had prepared. "You'll serve as a Small Banner for now. If you perform well, you could hold a Hundred-household post, too."
A distinguished peak Martial Arts Master serving under him as a mere Small Banner-he was certainly the only man in the Jinyiwei who could claim that.
"Thank you, Lord Hundred-household."
Liu Zhengfeng caught the Small Banner waist token and carefully tucked it into his robes.
He only wanted official status. The rank made no difference, and he had no intention of climbing higher.
In any case, once he completed those three tasks, he would leave the Jinyiwei and live as a wealthy gentleman, traveling through mountains and rivers and making music with his brother Qu Yang.
"My lord, please stay at my home for the next few days. I'll have the kitchen prepare food and wine right away."
After eating and drinking his fill, Lin Lang waited in his room for ages, but Liu Zhengfeng never arranged any other entertainment.
"And he calls himself a big shot in the martial world. He hasn't got a shred of social sense. You like music, and I like listening to little songs, too."
"Forget it. I'm here on important business this time."
"Qu Yang should come for Liu Zhengfeng's retirement ceremony, which means Ren Yingying and her people will surely follow him here."
"I wonder how Ren Yingying's preparations are coming along."
Three days later.
Many martial artists arrived in Hengshan City, including quite a few whose names shook entire regions. All had received Liu Zhengfeng's invitation and come to witness him wash his hands in a golden basin.
Aside from the Hengshan School, people from all four other schools of the Five Mountains Sword Alliance had arrived.
After entering the city, the Mount Song Thirteen Guardians headed straight for the Liu residence.
This time, they had orders from Zuo Lengchan to take Liu Zhengfeng back to Mount Song and await the alliance leader's judgment!
He had colluded with an elder of the Demon Cult, and now he wanted to wash his hands of it all and retire from the martial world?
Dream on!
Before you continue