Chapter 463 - 269: The Evil Eagle King Wang Xuan Shocks the Li Family!

Far North of Qing Province, Yuguo Pass, Evil Eagle Rear Camp.

On the eve of departure beyond the pass, a raging wind carried the chill of the outer ice plains through the gap in the tent flaps, making the coals in the brazier flare and dim.

Inside the tent, a man was bowing his head, wiping the long saber in his hands; the blade reflected the firelight, casting back a rough yet resolute face.

"My home is in Sanshan County, Zhuhe River, Sanliu Village..."

He paused, and in his resolute eyes there flickered a trace of confusion and gentleness.

"My father died early, at home there’s still my old mother and two little sisters. I joined the army so they could live better lives... They’re still at home waiting for me to return."

Opposite him, a thin man was putting on his Armor; the clatter of iron plates was crisp and cold, and there was no ripple at all on his delicate face.

"If you die in battle, I will... collect your body."

Hearing this, the man grinned, gratitude showing on his face as he reached out to clasp hands.

"Good! Wang Xuan, then it’s agreed. A true man’s spit is as good as a nail; from this day on, it’s the same... If I go after you, I’ll collect your body too!"

The man called Wang Xuan shook his head and began to wipe his blade.

"No need."

His eyes were black as ink, reflecting the boundless wind and snow outside the tent. A trace of imperceptible strange light flashed in them; unlike the oppressive air in the camp, he seemed quite looking forward to the upcoming mission beyond the pass.

"I have no family, nor any place to return to." After cleaning the saber, Wang Xuan sheathed it, then stood and walked toward the outside of the tent.

Outside, the north wind howled, and the faint sound of drums reached his ears—that was the lingering echo of the Barbarian Race’s human-skin war drums, mixed with the wails of countless Great Yan dead souls.

"You have family... so stay alive."

The rough man didn’t think too much of it, just grinned again, simply taking Wang Xuan for being sentimental and unwilling to see him die first and then have to collect his corpse. Thinking that this cold fellow would care about him, he couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart, believing he hadn’t befriended the wrong person after all.

"Wang Xuan, brat, you better not die before me."

"I’m not that easy to kill."

Wang Xuan strode out, murmuring in a voice only he could hear. In his pitch-black eyes, a figure wreathed in cyan smoke surfaced.

"Besides, I’ve already died once..."

...

At the end of Huai’an Square.

Li Lu’s excited voice rang out.

"Listen: ’Within Donglai County, laurel-list talents ride cranes to ascend the ranks’—how’s that for a lower line?"

"Hm?"

Hearing this, Su Mu’s eyes lit up. He himself had actually thought of a few lower lines, but they could only be called neatly paired; Li Lu’s lower line, on top of tidy parallelism, carried a perfectly fitting layer of meaning.

Qingyue Tower matches Donglai County, and this is the autumn provincial exam. When the lists are posted, it’s precisely when the osmanthus blooms, hence in ancient times autumn postings were also called the "laurel list." In addition, "ascending the ranks" points directly to the auspicious meaning of one’s name appearing on the golden list and placing high, which fits the theme of the Deer Cry Banquet extremely well.

Looking at Li Lu leaning close, her face full of pride and expectation for praise, Su Mu gave a slight nod.

"This couplet is good."

Receiving Su Mu’s praise, Li Lu beamed. She had been with Su Mu for some time now; the two had come all the way from the Land of Cyan Clouds to Donglai County City.

Li Lu well knew Su Mu was not one for glib compliments. He devoted himself single-mindedly to Cultivation and was somewhat taciturn by nature. To get a single "good" from him was already an extremely high evaluation.

"This is the entry-level assessment to enter the building for tomorrow’s Deer Cry Banquet. Do you want to go?"

"The Deer Cry Banquet Hai’an mentioned?!" Li Lu’s face immediately showed delight, full of eagerness, but soon she shook her head. "I’m brewing a new batch of wine; I’d better not go... If you run into Hai’an and Lu Sandao, Master, help me say hello."

"All right."

Su Mu nodded in agreement, inwardly a bit surprised.

The long night passed without further words. This night, Su Mu did not Refine any Qi and Blood Pill, but instead sat cross-legged beneath the locust tree in the small courtyard, as in his ears there faintly echoed the gentle ancient zither notes he’d heard in the day.

Pitter-patter.

Then, another ancient zither melody from not long ago entered his ears: pleasant to hear, yet carrying three parts heroic spirit and sharp edge. As the strings wound around his ears, Spiritual Light flashed within his mind.

Su Mu’s terrifying Comprehension of a staggering one hundred and seventy-four points now came into play. In these past days, having heard in turn the Vice Whale Master’s zither and the zither of Qingyue Tower, Su Mu gained some insights.

The Vast Qi at his Dantian began to grow restless, stirring violently.

The two zither melodies descended from above, flowing from the outside inward, seeping into his heart and lungs and moistening his Dantian.

Blade shaves the surface, rain cleanses within,

The already pure Vast Qi, under the repeated soaking of the zither sounds, shed trace after trace of gray impurity, becoming a few degrees more refined. The black-and-white "heart" in his chest now shone brilliantly, pulsing in time, and the first point upon it seemed a touch clearer.

Before Su Mu’s eyes, one small dark shadow after another, each identical in outline to himself, was playing the zither.

Before long.

Musical Arts (entry-level 1%)

It didn’t stop upon reaching entry-level, but instead soared forward, only slowing when it broke past twenty percent, finally settling at twenty-three percent.

Musical Arts (entry-level 23%)

Comprehension: 175 (Dragon-and-Phoenix Level)

As always, Su Mu directed the warm current of Comprehension to feed the Vast Qi in his Dantian. The Vast Qi, slightly weakened by being washed by the two zither melodies, quickly filled back to its former fullness, then suddenly broke through.

After swallowing this wave of Comprehension’s warm flow as well, the Vast Qi within Su Mu reached as many as three hundred and seventy-three strands. Su Mu extended a finger.

Three Vast Swords condensed at his fingertip. Compared to the rough little swords from before, these were already beginning to take shape; one could even faintly sense a trace of sharpness from them.

With a thought.

The three Vast Swords danced in the air above his fingertip, moving as flexibly as his own arm. With a casual point, the three Vast Swords instantly shot out from three different directions.

With another thought, one Vast Sword suddenly wheeled about, turning into a streak of white light that shot back toward him.