The Head of the Confucians, Kong Qiu

The night was enchanting, and the person even more so.

By the lake, a breeze brushed gently past. Dressed in red, Hongzhu sat quietly there, her flawless profile utterly captivating.

Li Ziye sat beside Hongzhu, breathing in her refreshing fragrance, his mind drifting for a moment.

Sister Hongzhu had grown up too.

They had first met as children on the streets of Yuzhou City. Back then, Sister Hongzhu had worn little clothes full of rips, with holes even in her shoes. She had looked terribly pitiful.

He had brought Sister Hongzhu back to the Li Residence. He had just turned seven then, while she had been only ten.

Who would have thought that ten years would pass in the blink of an eye?

"Sister Hongzhu, have you ever thought about going home?"

Li Ziye asked softly. He had asked about Sister Hongzhu's background before, but she had not wanted to speak of it then, so he had not pressed further.

"I have no home." Hongzhu fell silent before speaking a moment later.

"As long as you wish it, Sister Hongzhu, the Li Residence will always be your home," Li Ziye said gently.

Hongzhu froze at his words, then a brilliant smile spread across her beautiful face. "Little Ziye really has grown up. You even know how to sweet-talk girls now."

Li Ziye smiled too. "You saw right through me, Sister Hongzhu."

"All right, it's getting late. You should go back to your room and rest."

Hongzhu stood, brushed back the long hair beside her ear, and said softly, "Early tomorrow morning, I'll take that Yin Kuang back to the capital."

"So soon?" Li Ziye rose in surprise and asked.

"Your second brother needs people right now. Our foundations in the capital are still too shallow. If we want to accomplish anything, we must hurry to get our people into place."

After saying this, Hongzhu added crossly, "Isn't all of this to pave the way for you when you come to the capital? Make something of yourself and cultivate properly. The waters run deep there. If anything happens, even your second brother and I might not be able to protect you."

"Don't worry, Sister Hongzhu."

Li Ziye nodded vigorously. "I'll make sure our Li Residence produces a Sword Immortal whose name shakes the world."

"Big words."

Hongzhu said this with a smile, then said no more, turning to return to her room.

By the lake, Li Ziye watched her retreating figure. After a long while, he picked up the sword beside him and continued practicing.

Beneath the moonlight, sword light gleamed like frost. Again and again, Li Ziye flew through the air, fell to the ground, then climbed back up.

The footwork for the first form of the Flying Immortal Formula had only nine steps. It looked simple, but practicing it was exceedingly difficult.

Li Ziye had practiced day and night for many days, yet he still could not take that final step.

Who knew how long he had practiced? The bright moon traveled west across the sky, and the night had grown very deep.

Clang!

The blade plunged into the ground. Li Ziye knelt, gasping for breath. Even in the chilly autumn, his face was drenched in sweat.

He refused to believe he couldn't master this final step!

The boy's stubborn heart refused to admit defeat. Li Ziye struggled to his feet and began practicing again.

The night deepened. A streak of white appeared in the east, heralding the approaching dawn.

The door of a nearby room opened, and Hongzhu walked out.

From the room next to hers, an unfamiliar man also emerged, his appearance and build completely different from before.

Just then, Li Ziye's figure flashed through the rear courtyard, like a startled swan, like thunder, crossing eight steps in an instant.

For the final step, Li Ziye planted his foot in midair. The force sank downward, leaving a footprint an inch deep in the ground. In that instant, his sword shot out, drawing a single line between heaven and earth.

Boom!

Ahead, the ancient sword swept past, and the rockery shattered with a crash. Broken stones flew, falling like rain.

"Hah! Hah!"

After that strike, Li Ziye landed, gasping with exhaustion, barely able to stand.

Hongzhu stepped forward to support him and said softly, "Practicing your sword is important, but don't push yourself too hard."

Creak!

On the other side, doors opened. Having heard the commotion outside, Qin Enuo and Zhang Lata emerged from their respective rooms at the same time.

He succeeded?

Qin Enuo looked at the shattered stones strewn across the ground ahead, surprise on her face.

"Not bad."

Zhang Lata grinned, showing a mouthful of large teeth.

Under their gazes, Li Ziye straightened and looked at the woman beside him, asking wearily, "Are you leaving now, Sister Hongzhu?"

"Yes." Hongzhu nodded.

Li Ziye looked at the unfamiliar man nearby, an unusual look flashing across his face. "Once you reach the capital, follow all of Sister Hongzhu's arrangements. Understood?"

"I understand."

Yin Kuang answered in a low voice.

"Sister Hongzhu, I'll see you off."

With that, Li Ziye walked toward the front courtyard with the two of them.

Outside the residence, Hongzhu and Yin Kuang boarded the carriage. Li Ziye watched it recede into the distance, then stood in silence for a long time before turning back inside.

In the rear courtyard, Qin Enuo was already waiting. Seeing him return, she looked at Zhang Lata beside her and said, "Sword Maniac, you teach him the second form."

"All right."

Zhang Lata nodded. "Boy, watch closely!"

As his words fell, Zhang Lata swept up his sword. Wine entered his mouth, and his body shot forward like a roaming dragon.

His footwork defied prediction, the direction of each step impossible to foresee. After eighteen steps, his sword intent reached its peak. Zhang Lata gripped the sword with both hands and cleaved the firmament with a single strike.

Boom!

An earth-shaking crash rang out. Ahead, a towering tree fell, split in two down the middle, a sight that struck terror into the heart.

At the sight of this astonishing strike, Li Ziye was too stunned to speak.

"I've grown old."

Zhang Lata withdrew his sword with a sweep of his hand and took another drink, sighing. "If I were a few years younger, this old man could split half the Li Residence with one strike. That would make for a more impressive demonstration."

"Let's not."

Li Ziye came back to his senses. Looking at the wreckage throughout the garden, he smiled wryly. "You're already plenty fierce as you are."

"Practice hard."

Carrying his sword, Zhang Lata walked back to the lake and patted Li Ziye's shoulder. "The Flying Immortal Formula has nine forms in total, and the difficulty increases manyfold, especially for the last three moves. Even Qin Enuo and I can't teach you those. I hope that before this old man is laid in the earth, I can see you recreate the earth-shaking Three Ultimate Flying Immortal Forms of old."

"I'll do my best."

Li Ziye gave a dry laugh.

"Go practice your sword."

Qin Enuo spoke from beside them.

"Mm."

Li Ziye answered softly, then carried his sword off to practice.

"Sword Maniac, this can't go on."

By the lake, Qin Enuo said softly, "It's too slow. The first two forms are manageable, but the third has twenty-seven steps, and the fourth has thirty-six. At his current pace, who knows how many years he'll need?"

Zhang Lata fell silent. After a long while, he sighed. "He's already working hard enough. It's just that he's only opened one meridian. Both his cultivation speed and his control over his body are limited."

"I'll go to the capital."

Qin Enuo said gravely, "I'll leave things here to you."

Startled, Zhang Lata asked, "You really mean to go to the Imperial Academy?"

"I have to try."

Qin Enuo said solemnly, "So far, this is the only Medicine King whose whereabouts we know. We have no choice."

"When do you plan to leave?" Zhang Lata asked with a soft sigh.

"Today," Qin Enuo answered.

Zhang Lata frowned, but did not try to persuade her further. He nodded. "I'll look after things at the Li Residence."

"Thank you."

With that, Qin Enuo reached out and drew the Azure Frost Sword beside her, then strode out of the rear courtyard.

In the distance, Li Ziye, still struggling with the first three steps of the second form, clambered awkwardly up from the ground. Seeing Qin Enuo leave, he asked in confusion, "Where's Old Qin going?"

"The capital," Zhang Lata replied.

"The capital?"

Li Ziye started. "What's she going there for?"

"To get medicine for you."

Zhang Lata answered flatly, "Enough nonsense. Keep practicing your sword."

Li Ziye glanced in the direction Qin Enuo had left, then gathered his thoughts and continued practicing.

Why hadn't Old Qin even said goodbye before leaving?

Outside Yuzhou City, the carriage carrying Hongzhu and Yin Kuang had only just left the city when a graceful figure bounded up from behind. Holding an ancient sword, her movements as light as an immortal's, she overtook the carriage within a few breaths and continued into the distance.

Two days later, in the capital of Great Shang.

Qin Enuo entered the city with her sword.

At the Imperial Academy, flowers and plants flourished in a modest little courtyard. Vegetables filled the grounds, and chickens and ducks came pecking for insects from time to time, making it a lively place.

In the courtyard, an old man in plain Confucian robes scooped up a dipper of water and carefully watered the vegetables in the garden.

The old man truly looked very old. Wrinkles covered his face, and even his eyes seemed clouded.

Yet even so, no one in the world dared underestimate him.

Kong Qiu, the Head of the Confucians, was the embodiment of faith in the hearts of Confucian scholars throughout the world. People even hailed him as a living sage.

No one knew how strong the Head of the Confucians was, for he rarely left the capital, and within this capital of Great Shang, he had never been defeated.

The world was vast, with countless powerful figures, but only the Head of the Confucians dared call himself undefeated.

Thus, as long as the Head of the Confucians remained in Great Shang's capital, no one dared challenge this living sage.

"Since you're here, show yourself."

Autumn leaves fell. In the little courtyard, Kong Qiu spoke as he watered the vegetables.

"Qin Enuo pays her respects to the Head of the Confucians."

Outside the courtyard, Qin Enuo appeared and bowed courteously.

"What brings the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal here in person?"

Kong Qiu asked without raising his head.

"I've come to ask for something."

Qin Enuo said solemnly, "The Imperial Academy's Medicine King, the thousand-year-old fleeceflower root."

"Seeking medicine."

Kong Qiu said calmly, "Is it to save someone?"

"No."

Qin Enuo shook her head and answered truthfully, "It's to open meridians."

"Isn't the Li family's third son a martial arts prodigy?" Kong Qiu continued asking.

"No."

Qin Enuo shook her head again.

"Heh."

Hearing this, Kong Qiu chuckled. "I thought as much. This old man shouldn't have calculated wrong."

At his words, Qin Enuo narrowed her eyes. Everyone said the Head of the Confucians could divine all affairs beneath heaven. Now it seemed those claims might not be empty.

"Our Imperial Academy does indeed have a thousand-year-old fleeceflower root, and we can give it to the Li family's third son."

At this point, Kong Qiu's tone shifted. "But not now."

"What does the Head of the Confucians mean?" Qin Enuo asked gravely.

"When the Li family's third son comes to the Imperial Academy, I will tell him myself," Kong Qiu answered.

"I'm afraid he won't come to the capital."

Qin Enuo frowned. She could guess something of Li Ziye's thoughts. He was deeply resistant to Great Shang's capital and unwilling to come.

"Whether he comes or not is not something his wishes can decide."

Kong Qiu set down the dipper in his hand. "Shall we make a wager? If the Li family's third son comes to the capital within ten days, the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal will lecture at our Imperial Academy for a year. If he doesn't, this old man will offer up the thousand-year-old fleeceflower root with both hands."

An unusual light flashed through Qin Enuo's eyes. After a moment's thought, she nodded. "Very well. I'll take that wager against the Head of the Confucians."