Chapter 336 - 162: Not a Household Slave, Nor a Guest, but the Young Lady Heir’s Close Friend; Attending the Banquet of Hongmen, the Grand Lineage Bows Its Head

Ninth on the Juvenile Dragon Stele before the age of thirty!

How glorious must that have been?

'A person like that would have reached the Leakless realm in their youth, achieving a Sect Leader Level of power long ago. They would have slain the Red Dragon and subdued the White Tiger, preserving an ageless appearance.'

'Even after sixty years, as long as they wished it, they could still look as they did in their youth!'

'It was true. In this brilliant era, where Martial Artists who reached the pinnacle could even be bestowed titles akin to Immortals and Buddhas, the most ancient experts were paradoxically the least likely to appear old.'

While Ji Xiu was silently pondering this, Granny Shi continued speaking:

"Back in the day, a 'Realm Gate' connected to the Divine Dao opened up over the East Canghai. Unlike most, which were just fissures—as fleeting as a mirage that vanishes in an instant—it was suspected that this one, much like the Water Monarch's Mansion that had fallen into the Great Xuan, would permanently establish itself on Great Xuan territory."

"The only thing was, behind that 'Realm Gate' lay the consecrated domain of a Divine Dao Great Monarch, not the headquarters of some grand Immortal or Buddhist sect. As a result, the state mansions of Cangbei were thrown into a state of panic, on edge about everything."

"And the place where it was set to appear was the Chaotic Heaven Lake."

"The Chaotic Heaven Thieves of that era were led by the Red-Beard Celestial King, a master at the Peak of the Qi Realm. He and his nine sworn brothers had united a full seventy-two factions of water bandits, both large and small. They were colluding with forces from beyond the Realm Gate, and their influence was immense."

"And so, upon hearing this news, the Vassal Town of Cangdu personally issued an order, dispatching Government Soldiers to exterminate them."

"At the time, I was stationed right here in Jiangyin. Garrison Commander Luo Daocheng and I received the order together, and we dispatched nearly half of Jiangyin's young prodigies and Grand Lineage Members to attack that divine land."

"And your Ancestral Master, Wang Xuanyang, was a pivotal figure in that massive upheaval."

"When the campaign against the 'Water Bandits' first began, General Luo led three thousand Government Soldiers on warships, but he could only fight the forces of Chaotic Heaven Lake to a stalemate."

"But your Ancestral Master, just as the battle had reached a fever pitch and the Realm Gate was visibly solidifying..."

"...charged in all by himself with a single long saber, beheaded the Red-Beard Celestial King, and shattered the alliance at Chaotic Heaven Lake! He turned the seventy-two factions of water bandits into seventy-two clouds of dust, scattering them to the winds and securing victory in one fell swoop!"

"After the bandits of Chaotic Heaven Lake were crushed, Marquis Beicang himself arrived, his forces on high alert."

"As it turned out, the 'Realm Gate' that had been about to solidify just vanished. No Dharma Guardian Generals ever led Divine Armor Divine Soldiers into the Great Xuan. It was all just a false alarm."

"During that time, Xie Fuyao, a young lady from the Giant House Xie Family, was also there with her attendants, seeking to temper herself. It's just that..."

A strange look appeared in Granny Shi's eyes:

"Your Ancestral Master originally came from the 'Sword Dao Ancestral Court.' When it fell apart back in the day, it's said that several Giant Houses and Celestial Pillar Level behemoths were involved, so he never had a very good opinion of children from noble families."

"According to street rumors, when he saw Xie Fuyao back then, your Ancestral Master just up and kidnapped her. He declared that the Giant House Xie Family would have to send someone with a ransom, or he'd just keep her as a wife for his young disciple."

"That's just a rumor, of course."

"Later, during the campaign against Chaotic Heaven Lake, your Master, Xie Fuyao, and Ye Luan all interacted a great deal. That's the same Ye Luan who is now a Prefecture Official and an Instructor at the Mansion Courtyard, as well as an Elder of the Jinghong Sword Sect—one of Jiangyin's 'six great mountains.' The three of them had quite a few dealings with one another."

"I suppose if there was ever anything between them, it must have been a bond forged through the hardships and life-and-death situations they faced together back then."

"Of course, if your Ancestral Master hadn't tried to play matchmaker, Xie Fuyao probably would've never gotten involved with your Master. People from those Giant Houses, they have this innate air of nobility about them that's plain to see."

"Don't be fooled by how gentle she is and how well she takes care of you now. When she was twenty, she wasn't any better than that little girl, Xie Zhinan. She was incredibly spoiled and arrogant and didn't give anyone the time of day."

Recalling these old matters, Granny Shi sighed:

"That's why, when I saw her this time, I never imagined that she would be able to shed her youthful arrogance, attain such a high status, be officially entered into the Xie Clan Genealogy, and inherit the 'Human Immortal Ancestral Blood'."

"That said, I have no idea what grade or purity the 'Ancestral Blood' she inherited in the Xie Family actually is."

"But even if it's the most diluted kind..."

"...it's still enough to aim for the realm of a Titled Martial Saint. Truly enviable."

As the envy in Granny Shi's eyes flashed and then vanished, Ji Xiu finally gained a clear picture of the turmoil that had shaken Jiangyin Prefecture over the last several decades.

Xiao Mingli, however, clasped her hands, looking thoughtful after hearing the whole story:

"From the sound of it, that master of yours was no simple man."

"A man who had Wang Xuanyang as his master, who was able to produce a disciple like you, and who left such an impression on Xie Zhinan's aunt over a decade ago that she still can't forget him..."

"...even if he languished for more than a decade before finally making his mark, he must have had some great fortune on his side."

She blinked, a suspicious glint in her eyes:

"Could a person like that really have died so easily?"

Listening from the side, Ji Xiu couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.

'Everyone in all of Jiangyin Prefecture thought my master's situation was hopeless. Hunted by several Grand Lineages, the remnants of the Chaotic Heaven Bandits, a Divine Fiend from the Yellow Heaven Sect, and with a bounty from the Black Market on his head... they were all sure he was dead beyond a shadow of a doubt.'

'But to think this Young Lady Heir would hold him in such high regard, even finding his death suspicious.'

'If she doesn't know anything in advance and is just going on intuition, then her instincts are terrifyingly sharp.'

He was wondering if he should say something to cover for his master.

Just then, an attendant from the Marquis's Mansion knocked on the door and announced:

"Young Lady Heir, someone from the Fishing Trade has come to request an audience."

Hearing the report, Xiao Mingli's expression flickered, but otherwise remained unchanged:

"Oh?"

"Has another one of the fisheries or fishing boats caught a Spirit Fish?"