Li Yan sat in his chair, completely at a loss. One moment his mind raced with ideas about escaping; the next, he was consumed by thoughts of his parents, elder siblings, and younger siblings at home. After a long while, he suddenly stood up, his face growing grim and fierce as he muttered to himself,
> "Even if I do manage to escape, whether my family ultimately ends up well or ill is uncertain. Perhaps it's because I am destined to bring calamity upon them—in that case, why force myself to search for an escape when I could simply put an end to everything?"
After a pause, his expression gradually softened as his composure returned. He then sat back down and began to ponder his situation in earnest.
Far away—in a dense forest several million li from the Qing Mountain Pass, where towering peaks merge with the clouds and a magnificent palace, perched upon a vast plateau, vanishes into deep white mists—inside this hidden palace, an elderly man in a dark-green robe (known as the Eagle Elder) was briefing a scholarly man clad in blue.
"Master of the Peak," the elder said, "today one of our enforcer disciples has sent word by courier. After a long investigation, they have uncovered some clues."
"Oh? Do tell," replied the blue-robed scholar as he relaxed in a giant armchair intricately carved with fierce beasts, his tone even and detached.
The elder continued, "They scoured the area around where that traitor met his fate—yet in a radius of several thousand li no mortal town could be found. Instead, only a few solitary cultivators roamed the wilderness. After eliminating a handful of short-sighted lone cultivators, someone reported that about six or seven years ago, an individual from the 'Xunxian Sect' had appeared in that vicinity. He lingered near the herbal grounds for a time, and further investigation revealed that the herbs he sought were exactly those specified in the introductory body-tempering manual I had dispatched."
"If that is so," the blue-robed scholar remarked, his long fingers drumming rhythmically on the armrest, "this person might very well be the one who absconded with the traitor's belongings."
A surge of dark aura swirled about the Eagle Elder as he replied in a harsh tone, "That is indisputable. Followers of the 'Xunxian Sect' are always scouring the land for auspicious opportunities. Once they secure a divine technique, they care about nothing else and usually start cultivating on their own. Yet the messenger also noted that in recent years no one has seen this man in that region—perhaps he has hidden away somewhere to continue his cultivation. If we locate him, we must ensure he suffers the full torture of the soul-entangling silk worms."
"So, what is your next course of action?" the scholar in blue asked.
"Master, I have ordered our men to disperse and broaden the search in several directions. I expect we'll hear further news soon."
In the days that followed, Li Yan secluded himself for intensive training. Ever since his last trip into the city, his heart had seemed steadier, and even though each session of cultivation only yielded minute increases in his aura, his ever-sensitive divine sense still twitched at every detection.
Yet, after about ten days of relentless practice, his mood began to turn volatile again. He found that he could only train for half a day before he had to stop. Sometimes, he would spend the better part of a day soaking in a cold pool. Even though this southwestern region never got extremely cold—even in winter—the chill of the pool in late autumn was almost unbearable by ordinary standards. Other times, he would shut himself indoors and scribble madly, sending scattered papers flying and staining the room with ink. Throughout these bouts, Chen An and Li Yin kept their distance, never quite knowing when Li Yan might suddenly call them over and launch into a barrage of admonishments.
Fortunately, after each session in the frigid water or after an outburst of furious writing, his temper would settle enough to avoid being dragged into a scolding session in the valley.
Time passed—and in the blink of an eye, more than a month had gone by. During this period, Li Yan made two more trips into the city. Although Master Ji remained in seclusion throughout, each time Chen An and Li Yin accompanied Li Yan on his outings, and every return was marked by fresh purchases of new clothes, belts, boots, and other accoutrements. Master Ji's ever-watchful divine sense would inspect these items, finding nothing out of the ordinary, so he paid them little mind.
Interestingly, each time Li Yan came back from the city, his spirits lifted noticeably—and in the days that followed, his cultivation seemed to progress steadily. As a result, Master Ji's periodic scans of him began to grow increasingly lax.
One day, Li Yan summoned Chen An and Li Yin, announcing that he intended to make another trip into the city. The two, ever careful, agreed and set out with him along with their horses.
They soon reached the north gate of the city. Today, the man on duty was not Liu Chengyong as before but rather the squad leader from Zhan Bing Camp, accompanied by his men. (For your information, the north gate was always guarded on a rotating basis by teams from Zhan Bing Camp; the south gate by units from Zhan Yi Camp; and patrols along the city wall by squads from Zhan Jia Camp.) On his previous two city visits, Li Yan had met with Liu Shouyong and even shared a meal with him at the "Natural Wine Lodge," a gesture that had strengthened their bond considerably. This had earned Li Yan some notoriety within Zhan Bing Camp—many soldiers in other squads had come to recognize or at least hear of "Lord Li."
At the gate stood a squad captain from Zhan Bing Camp—a man of about thirty, of average height but robustly built—named Zeng Wen. He had seen this "Lord Li" from afar before; in casual conversations over tea and meals with Liu Chengyong's group, the name was familiar.
"Hey, Lord Li—off to the city on official business today?" Zeng Wen greeted him.
Li Yan's memory, honed by his cultivation of celestial techniques, was indeed sharp. He recalled how, on his last visit to the military camp, he had seen this very man from a distance when Liu Chengyong casually greeted him. Without wasting another word, Li Yan inquired directly, "Ah, Captain Zeng—where is Captain Liu now?"
Clearly pleased that Li Yan recognized him, Zeng Wen replied, "Captain Liu is off duty today. He should be at the camp."
"Very well, then I'll go seek him," Li Yan said with a smile. He tugged at his horse's reins and strode into the city, while Chen An and Li Yin gave a respectful nod to Zeng Wen and followed behind.
As they neared the gate, a soldier from behind remarked in a sarcastic tone, "Captain, that little rascal Liu Chengyong has been riding high lately—boasting to his comrades about how Lord Li treated his squad to drinks. Even his underlings, those idiots, chatter about it nonstop, all excited as if they'd just scored a lucky break."
Unaware of this gossip, Li Yan and his two attendants entered the city on horseback and headed straight for the military camp located by the training area—a route he knew well from his previous visit to see Liu Chengyong. Although they rode slowly through the city streets, Li Yan's eyes remained half-closed in a self-assured manner atop his horse, while Chen An and Li Yin rode a little behind on either side, speaking little.
While riding, Li Yan mulled over his plan. Since his first return from the city, he had made two more trips, and Chen An and Li Yin had been shadowing him very closely—whether it was during the time they had invited Liu Chengyong for drinks (even deliberately gathering extra tables by having the squad join in) or when they had momentarily parted ways (when a drunken Li Yan had forced his companions to stand still with a clumsy kick). In those moments, they'd managed to discreetly inquire about Liu Chengyong, from which Li Yan had roughly deduced that Liu was indeed on Marshal Hong's side. Although Liu admired Master Ji greatly, his loyalty was unmistakably to Marshal Hong.
Li Yan's objective on this trip was twofold. First, he intended to gauge whether Liu Chengyong had any new inclinations—after all, according to Dong Fuyi, Marshal Hong was eager to obtain Master Ji's "secret martial arts manual." Second, he wanted to signal to Marshal Hong that there was a chance for him to make contact.
Yet, even as he rode, Li Yan's mind was in turmoil. These schemes and speculations were his own, and whether the reality would match his assumptions still remained uncertain. If Liu Chengyong showed no reaction on Li Yan's next city visit, he would have to consider another approach. In recent days, he had toyed with alternative methods—but after much deliberation, he still agreed with Dong Fuyi that only by leveraging Marshal Hong's power did he stand the best chance of realizing his plan.
So, with his eyes half-closed and his form swaying as his horse trotted steadily, Li Yan arrived at the entrance to the military camp.
At the camp's gate, dozens of armed soldiers had already taken note of their approach. One soldier stepped forward from the group, raising his hand and shouting, "This is a military stronghold! Unauthorized persons are not permitted to enter!" Though he did not recognize Li Yan himself, something about Chen An and Li Yin struck a familiar chord, and so he addressed them politely.
By the time Li Yan and his companions reached him, they had already dismounted. Li Yan raised his hand and sent a waist token flying toward the soldier. The soldier caught it, inspected it carefully, and then stepped forward to bow deeply, returning the token with both hands.
"Your Lordship, may I ask what business brings you here?" the soldier inquired.
"Oh, I'm here to see Liu Chengyong of the third squad in Zhan Bing Camp," Li Yan replied softly as he took back the token. He now understood his official standing—it meant he was considered an officer, and entering the camp was acceptable as long as he avoided the central headquarters or other sensitive military zones.
"Understood. I'll immediately go and inform Captain Liu," the soldier said as he turned toward the camp's inner gate. He paused briefly to relay a few words to another soldier before dashing off inside.
Li Yan, in no hurry, stood outside and waited patiently.
Meanwhile, Liu Chengyong had been rather agitated recently. Ever since that day he had drunk with Li Yan, upon returning to the camp he was unexpectedly summoned by men sent from Marshal Hong. He was completely baffled—even though drinking was generally forbidden in the camp, as a veteran with no pressing military duty at the time, the higher-ups'd often turned a blind eye to such matters.
Now, having been ordered by Marshal Hong to report, Liu Chengyong couldn't help but feel uneasy, wondering if this incident would land him in trouble. Bitterly, he thought to himself, "That snake in the grass is already whispering behind my back. Damn it—there are plenty of drinkers in this camp, but if I ever find out who's stabbing me in the back, I'll skin him alive and tear his bones apart."
In his drunken haze, Liu Chengyong arrived at Marshal Hong's residence and was immediately ushered into the rear hall of the mansion. There, finding only Marshal Hong present, he quickly knelt and kowtowed.
"Grand Marshal, your humble subordinate pays his respects. May I ask what commission summons me today?" he stammered.
Marshal Hong, his bald head gleaming with a cold light and his piercing eyes fixed on Liu Chengyong, replied curtly, "Ha! What commission do you think you can handle in this condition? I have matters to attend to—can you possibly be trusted to carry them out?"
"Sir… Your humble subordinate happened upon a friend and simply felt obliged to accompany him. He—er—ended up drinking more than he should…" Liu Chengyong tried to explain with a sheepish grin, knowing all too well that their Grand Marshal, though severe, was kind toward those who had fought alongside him. As long as serious military business wasn't compromised, leniency was usually granted.
For a long moment, Marshal Hong said nothing but stared fixedly at him. When no further words came, Liu Chengyong looked up and saw those relentless, piercing eyes still locked on him. A chill ran down his spine as he mumbled, "G–Grand Marshal, please speak plainly. If I have erred, then do as you must—take me away and administer your punishment."
After a while, Marshal Hong suddenly asked, "Who did you drink with today?"
"Uh… today I drank with the disciple of Master Ji—Lord Li," Liu Chengyong replied. "But truly, it was solely my own doing—I practically dragged Lord Li along."
Marshal Hong paused, then said, "So you are quite familiar with Lord Li?"
"Somewhat, sir. The first time Lord Li entered the city, I encountered him briefly, and later we had further contact. We got along quite well. But, Grand Marshal, this drinking incident is really none of Lord Li's doing; it was entirely due to my inebriated foolishness," Liu Chengyong explained.
"Very well. You may rise now."
Hearing the more measured tone in his Grand Marshal's voice, Liu Chengyong's heart relaxed. He had been bracing himself for a severe beating—and planning to investigate who might have leaked the news so that he could set them straight later—but now he felt relieved.
After rising, he stood with his hands hanging at his sides, silently awaiting further instructions from the Marshal.