Chapter 281 - Tales of Xiangxi

Far to the southwest of Xianlong Port, Ye Beizhi and his companions had arrived at the borders of Western Hunan, Xiangxi.

The rugged mountains and treacherous rivers of Western Hunan matched the lawless and unrestrainable atmosphere of the area; this was a place far removed from imperial oversight. The people were bold and aggressive, and the locals even had a habit of carrying knives.

During Fang Dingwu’s years as a courier escort, he did his best to avoid missions to Western Hunan. Not only were these trips prone to robberies along the way, they also had a high risk of being ultimately double-crossed by the recipients of the deliveries themselves.

The trio were sitting down in a roadside tavern for dinner, and Fang Dingwu began passionately recounting the customs and tales of the region to Ye Beizhi and Chi Nanwei.

"The people of Hunan are naturally brave, and none more so than the Miao tribe," Fang Dingwu said, slurping his wine and exhaling the heavy scent of alcohol. "The most troublesome folks in Western Hunan are the Miao. They’re hostile to outsiders and stick to their own ways. They rebelled several times but were suppressed by the imperial court each time.

"Although they’ve supposedly submitted to the court now, they still don’t respect its authority. Even officials don’t want to be posted here. If someone gets sent to Western Hunan, it’s a clear sign they’ve fallen out of favor. A position here is akin to exile."

Chi Nanwei’s wide eyes were filled with curiosity and a hint of fear. She turned her head to take a closer look at the people walking down the street. True to Fang Dingwu’s words, most of the passersby carried blades at their waists. The weapons came in all shapes and sizes. Some were curved, others were straight; some were long and others were short, but all were meticulously crafted. A few of the fancier ones were even adorned with gemstones or gilded edges.

Fang Dingwu noticed the concern in Chi Nanwei’s eyes and waved nonchalantly. "Don’t worry, little sister. It’s true the people here are fierce, but they’re not unreasonable. They won’t usually pick fights for no reason.

"But if things go sour, never show weakness. If you do, you’re sure to suffer. You have to be bold. The tougher you act, the more hesitant they’ll be to provoke you."

Ye Beizhi, seated by the window, had been silently gazing outside during Fang Dingwu’s animated explanations. When Fang Dingwu paused to take a drink, Ye Beizhi suddenly remarked, "Many people here belong to the jianghu."

Without looking up, Fang Dingwu replied, "That’s right. There’ve always been many jianghu folks here. Unlike other places, the imperial court doesn’t have much influence in this region."

"No..." Ye Beizhi narrowed his eyes. "There are far too many."

"Uh?" Fang Dingwu froze for a moment before turning to look out the window. After a while, his brows furrowed, and he lowered his voice. "I hadn’t noticed until you mentioned it... Compared to usual, it does seem like there are a lot around... enough to be noticeable."

Chi Nanwei, clueless, glanced between Ye Beizhi and Fang Dingwu. Following their lead, she lowered her voice and asked, "What’s going on? What’s the situation?"

Fang Dingwu sniffed and said, "Most of them are just small fry from the jianghu, the kind that doesn’t move unless there’s money to be made. Something must have drawn them all here."

Ye Beizhi nodded in agreement with Fang Dingwu’s assessment.

"I’ll go find out," Fang Dingwu said as he got up from his seat.

Ye Beizhi, knowing Fang Dingwu to be a meticulous man despite his rough exterior, wasn’t worried and watched him go.

Chi Nanwei tugged on Ye Beizhi’s sleeve, asking anxiously, "Is it something serious? Should we call Brother Dingwu back and just leave?"

Ye Beizhi patted the back of Chi Nanwei’s hand and shook his head. "It’s fine. Asking around won’t hurt... At least we’ll be prepared."

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Fang Dingwu returned. Ye Beizhi looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

Fang Dingwu drained his cup in one gulp before saying, "I think I’ve figured it out... Have you heard of the Five Gods Summit?"

Chi Nanwei shook her head cluelessly, while Ye Beizhi thought for a moment and nodded.

Fang Dingwu winked at Chi Nanwei and explained, "Even though the Five Gods Summit has a terrible reputation, it is a fairly well-known sect in the jianghu. It’s not too far from here either. A while ago, well, more like last year, it’s said there was either an earthquake or a landslide. The main peak completely collapsed and killed everyone on the mountain. From the sect master to the gatekeeping disciples, not a single person survived."

Chi Nanwei couldn’t help but cover her mouth and exclaim in shock, while Ye Beizhi raised an eyebrow.

Fang Dingwu glanced around cautiously before lowering his voice and continuing, "The thing is, everyone agrees that the disaster was heaven's wrath upon the Five Gods Summit. And honestly, it’s not surprising. Five Gods Summit use their techniques to desecrate the dead, so it’s no wonder they met such an end."

At this point, Ye Beizhi roughly understood why so many jianghu people were appearing on the streets, but Chi Nanwei still didn’t get it. She chased after him, asking, "What does that have to do with all these people from the jianghu?"

Fang Dingwu swallowed his saliva and explained, "You might not understand matters of the jianghu because you're not part of it. Think about it, the Five Gods Summit might not be one of the major sects, but it’s still been around for over a century. It’s got some real history. Can you really say their sect has no hidden treasures?"

Chi Nanwei suddenly understood.

Fang Dingwu turned his head to glance out the window, deep in thought. "So, all these people are here hoping to pick up a bargain, hoping to find some treasure that might make them soar to the top."

Fang Dingwu poured himself another drink and looked at Ye Beizhi. "The news, I heard, spread before the new year. It was such a big deal that it couldn’t be hidden. Back then, some people went to Five Gods Summit to try their luck, but only a few made it back alive."

Ye Beizhi turned to Fang Dingwu and asked, "How?"

"Those greenhorns just had bad luck." Fang Dingwu chuckled. "They didn’t gather enough information and went up the mountain without preparation. The path to the Five Gods Summit is filled with toxic mists and the fierce beasts they raised.

"Five Gods Summit has collapsed, but those things are still there... But after all this time, without the sect members managing things, most of the toxic mists should have dissipated, and the beasts have either run away or died. So, it’s only now that jianghu people are starting to gather here."

Ye Beizhi nodded and continued staring out the window. "It’s none of our business... The jianghu has too many troubles. We shouldn’t stay long."

Fang Dingwu pursed his lips and nodded. "That’s what I think too."

At this point, Fang Dingwu seemed to remember something. He looked up and asked, "By the way, we’re heading to Xuanfeng Valley... Brother Ye, do you have some history with the Valley Master?"

Chi Nanwei also raised her head, looking at Ye Beizhi curiously. When they had left Liangzhou, Ye Beizhi had taken out a note to show everyone. The note mentioned that since the beginning of spring, many prominent figures in the jianghu had been assassinated, including the Valley Master of Xuanfeng Valley, Shi Wufeng. The assassins were likely from the Qihuang Society of Northern Qiang.

This was the reason why Ye Beizhi had decided to go to Xuanfeng Valley. The note mentioned that Shi Wufeng had been severely injured and had barely escaped with his life. At the time, Chi Nanwei had thought Ye Beizhi must have known Shi Wufeng personally, but there hadn’t been an opportunity to ask until now. Fang Dingwu's reminder, she couldn't help but grow even more curious.

Ye Beizhi didn’t answer. He simply stared out the window, lost in thought.

In fact, if it hadn’t been for the incident with Baili Gucheng and Yang Lu, Ye Beizhi had intended to visit Xuanfeng Valley after the assassination attempt on Qi Zongbi. He clearly remembered that back then, Frigid Dawn Lin Jiulao had said that Shi Wufeng had had his arms severed by him and was now a cripple. How could a cripple fight off several rounds of assassins and still prevail?

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Emotionally and logically, Ye Beizhi felt that he had to visit Xuanfeng Valley to see for himself.