Chapter 160. Heavy Snow
On the viewing platform,
Shangyang Qingyu watched Shangyang Qingzhen’s departure and suddenly said, "It seems your position as Family Head should be secure now."
"Oh?"
One of Shangyang Qingcheng’s brows arched as he asked with a smile, "And what makes Eldest Sister say that?"
Shangyang Qingyu shook her head, her tone calm as she said,
"Our Third Brother has still lived a smooth life. When trouble comes, he has not the slightest composure. He truly lacks the bearing of someone who can take charge of a household."
Shangyang Qingcheng’s gaze shifted slightly, but he did not respond.
Shangyang Qingzhen was different from the two of them. He had been born to a secondary wife, yet thanks to the power of his mother’s clan, he was still held in considerable regard by the Family Head.
Because of that, he had never gotten along particularly well with them, and ever since childhood, their relationship had been full of open and hidden struggles.
That atmosphere had only eased later, after Eldest Sister displayed her talent in the martial path and was taken away by a Great Grandmaster.
Even so, their relationship had remained lukewarm, for the two sides still had entanglements of interest.
As for why Shangyang Qingcheng had been able to stand on equal footing with the other man, one reason was that he himself was quite capable, and the other was that he had this Eldest Sister backing him.
And now, another Xu Yuan with exceptional aptitude has appeared...
After pondering for a moment, Shangyang Qingcheng smiled and asked, "Eldest Sister, are there any particularly outstanding figures in the whole arena?"
Shangyang Qingyu’s expression remained indifferent. "Those Extraordinary Meridians martial artists seem acceptable enough, though whether they can go far after entering the Organ-Nourishing realm remains to be seen."
"And what of that young man?"
Shangyang Qingcheng asked again, then briefly recounted some of Xu Yuan’s deeds.
Hearing that, Shangyang Qingyu seemed somewhat surprised. She swept a glance toward the ring ahead and said,
"From what you have said, this man truly does have some potential. If nothing unexpected happens... then becoming a Great Grandmaster is not entirely impossible for him."
When he heard that, a strange look appeared on Shangyang Qingcheng’s face.
Everyone knew that after the Organ-Nourishing realm, a martial artist had to temper and refine the five internal organs. The tempering of each organ was exceedingly difficult.
And when one reached a bottleneck, there would be a life-and-death tribulation. One either broke through it in a single breath, or died and vanished from the path.
Because of that, many martial artists became fearful and never again dared take another step upward, spending their entire lives wandering in the lower realms.
And to become a Great Grandmaster, one had to be at least at the third stage of Organ-Nourishing, having passed through three life-and-death tribulations. Such people were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.
That was already an extremely high evaluation.
Shangyang Qingcheng glanced at Xu Yuan, inwardly rather surprised.
Back then, when some of the higher-ups proposed allowing menial workers to practice martial arts, he had been the one who pushed it through with all his strength. He had never expected that they would really uncover a treasure.
...
By the afternoon, wave after wave of coldness rolled in. The dusk was heavy, and flakes of snow began to drift down.
On the rings, the martial arts tournament continued.
But after that battle, no one dared challenge Ring B ever again.
Those martial artists who drew that ring could only choose to forfeit one after another.
What a joke. Even an Extraordinary Meridians martial artist had been dropped in a single strike. If they went up, other than humiliating themselves, what else could they possibly achieve?
So Xu Yuan simply stood there steadily and securely until every match had ended.
The steward looked around and finally announced the result:
"The martial arts tournament is now concluded. Five people have successfully defended their rings. They are Jiang Hai, Wu Qian, Yan Wuguan, Xu Yuan, and Cai Kun!"
"By Eldest Miss’s order, these people will depart in two days and return with her to the mountain gate!"
At once, thunderous applause erupted below the stage.
Countless people wore expressions of envy, yet none of them had anything to say.
After all, the ring matches had all been fought. These people undoubtedly represented the highest standard of the younger generation in the Shangyang Residence’s outer courtyard.
Xu Yuan and the others cupped their hands toward the surroundings, then turned and stepped down from the stage.
"Brother Xu."
At that moment, a rough voice called out.
Xu Yuan turned and looked. It was the Extraordinary Meridian martial artist who had taught Kong Wei a lesson earlier. He had already learned the man’s name during the matches. It was Yan Wuguan.
"I have long heard your great name. I never expected that you would already possess such battle strength just after entering the Extraordinary Meridians level." Yan Wuguan cupped his hands toward him, his tone full of feeling.
"It was only because Sun Ba underestimated me."
Xu Yuan shook his head and exchanged a few polite words with him.
Before long, the few of them would be heading into a completely unfamiliar land. It was only natural to build some ties in advance and leave one another a little room for mutual support.
"Heh, next time, I hope the two of us can properly exchange pointers."
Yan Wuguan was the very image of a martial fanatic. Although he knew Xu Yuan’s strength was far from ordinary, a thick fighting spirit still showed on his face.
After he left, the others also came forward one by one and exchanged a few polite words with Xu Yuan.
With battle strength like Xu Yuan’s, he was worth befriending no matter where he went.
After parting with the others, Xu Yuan prepared to go report the news to Feng Xiao, Zhao Qiusheng, and his elder brother.
After all, once he left this time, he would not be back for at least half a year, or perhaps a full year. He had to make arrangements in advance.
"Though this snow is truly growing heavier and heavier..."
As the people around him gradually dispersed, Xu Yuan looked up at the sky, pulled his robe tighter around himself, and strode into the howling wind and snow, leaving behind a trail of footprints.
The snow fell harder and harder, like goose feathers, like reed blossoms, boundless and endless, rustling and whispering through the air, every flake seeming to reflect one shadow after another.
...
The news that Xu Yuan and the others were about to go to the mountain gate where the Eldest Miss resided struck the Shangyang Residence like a great stone thrown into a pond, instantly causing an enormous uproar.
Countless people discussed it without end, and the excitement was unprecedented.
The names of those five men had also become the most frequently mentioned names of recent days.
And among them, the name Xu Yuan surfaced again and again.
Quite a few people spoke with relish about the story of how he had risen from a mere menial worker to one of the high-ranking figures of the Extraordinary Meridians level. The tale had even gradually spread into the Outer City.
...
On Changshun Street, at a roadside stall,
"Street Guard Wang, I heard you have some old connection with Lord Xu?"
One man rubbed his hands together and filled a cup from the warm wine pot for him, smiling with both curiosity and fawning eagerness.
Wang Huan, unshaven and ragged, looked much more weathered than before. Slightly drunk, he was now boasting to his colleagues:
"Ha, all you know how to do is pry. What do you understand about matters like ours? That is the thinking of lower-level folk!"
"Just talking about those days when Lord Xu was still in the Level Three zone, I could already come and go from that ward master’s office all the time. We were very familiar!"
"But since you all want to hear it, I will reluctantly tell you a little."
"Back then, Lord Xu and I even lived in the same dormitory. Do I really need to explain the kind of relationship we had? You probably would not believe it if I told you, but Lord Xu even called me Brother Wang once. In those days, our conditions were nowhere near as comfortable as yours are now..."
...
On another street in the same Level Three zone,
"And you, what can you possibly accomplish all day long?"
Father Li was pointing at Li Shan’s nose and scolding him. "Back then, your relationship with Lord Xu was perfectly fine, and you still managed to ruin it! And you still have the nerve to say I did not teach you properly?"
"And now that marriage arrangement with the Liu family girl, you managed to wreck that too!"
Even though Li Shan had already become a Third Meridian martial artist, in the face of his father’s anger, he could only nod submissively, lower his head, and accept the scolding.
As for his relationship with Xu Yuan, he often regretted it, yet he also knew that there was no going back.
And as for that young woman of the Liu family...
A figure unconsciously surfaced in his mind. Although it had already begun to blur, and although he had once deeply disliked her, now he could neither let go nor forget.
Li Shan had never told anyone about this matter.
Back then, it had been because he had been determined to win battle merits and charged forward so fiercely that the Bai Family’s attention had fallen on him...
...
On Changning Street, at the Qin Family residence,
After Qin Yang returned to the Level Three zone and reconnected with Xu Yuan, he moved his whole family here.
"I heard that Xu Yuan has become extraordinary now. They say he is going to follow the Shangyang Residence’s Eldest Miss to some immortal sect?"
A bright light shone in Mother Qin’s clouded eyes as she said excitedly, "Was it not he who helped arrange matters for you the last time your family settled down here?"
"Now that he is doing so well, would it not be effortless for us to ask him to help us secure a place for a stall?"
"Mother, heavens above, last time he already helped us in secret. It was obvious that he did not want to have anything to do with us. How could I possibly still have the face to go beg him again?"
"But you were classmates once. What is wrong with asking for a little help?"
Qin Yang’s face filled with difficulty. Suddenly, with a thud, he dropped to his knees.
"Mother, please stop bringing this up. I did something that wronged him, and I know I was at fault. Please stop talking about it. We can still do other kinds of business, can we not...?"