At the turn of summer into autumn came the hottest time of the year.

When Song You had previously passed through Zhaozhou and Hanzhou, the temperatures had been pleasant. Even in the height of summer, most areas there were not particularly hot, making the journey quite comfortable. But now, entering Guangzhou, the heat grew more intense.

The upside was the increasing density of settlements and signs of prosperity. Traveling had become much easier; food and lodging were more convenient than ever.

Sometimes, he didn’t even need to cook or search for water himself. Along the official roads, tea stands appeared every few dozen li. These stands not only sold tea but often offered simple food like buns and flatbreads, enough to fill one’s stomach. On occasion, he’d come across vendors selling dumplings or noodle soup, which felt like a stroke of luck that could brighten the whole day.

The weather was so warm that, as long as it didn’t rain, any flat spot was sufficient for a good night’s rest. No blankets or thin covers were needed—just a woolen mat spread out on the ground would suffice.

Under the unique clarity and brilliance of the stars of this era, one could sleep peacefully. Often, though, there were temples along the way, where one could find shelter and exchange tales with wandering martial artists for the night.

The experience brought back memories of his early days traveling through Yizhou after leaving the mountain. It was, coincidentally, also a summer turning to autumn back then.

Yet, Song You was a much-changed person now.

He had seen and experienced far more than he had in those days.

On the official road, the towering green trees cast cool shadows, creating a stark contrast of light and dark. The branches and leaves formed intricate patterns on the ground. As one man, one cat, and one horse walked through, the shifting light and shadows on their bodies gave the scene an almost dreamlike quality.

There were quite a few travelers on the road: merchants, couriers, wandering martial artists. While the traffic wasn’t incessant, every so often a group would pass by.

The jingling of bells on horses and mules mixed with the steady rhythm of hooves. Occasionally, there were shouts from handlers or the sound of snorting animals.

As the Daoist walked, he suddenly heard a soft voice from behind.

“Excuse me, sir...” The voice was unmistakably that of a child.

Song You turned to look and saw a group of wanderers leading donkeys. A boy was sitting on one of the donkeys, and the voice had come from him.

One of the adults leading the donkeys glanced back at the boy and glared, as though chastising him for making a fuss, or perhaps warning him not to disturb Song You or draw unwanted attention that might bring trouble.

“Greetings,” Song You said with a smile.

The adult shifted his gaze from the boy to Song You. Seeing his gentle and courteous demeanor, he returned a polite smile, not wanting to appear disrespectful. Holding the reins tightly, he cupped his hands in greeting.

“Sir, greetings to you as well.”

“Where are you all headed?” Song You asked.

“To Mount Wu.”

“You're also heading to Mount Wu?”

“Sir, are you as well?”

“I am,” Song You replied with a bright smile.

He glanced again at the group. The adults all carried weapons—either swords, knives, or staffs—marking them as wanderers of the

jianghu

. Almost every one of them led a donkey, and where two people shared one, they appeared to be couples. Each donkey carried a child on its back, mostly boys of varying ages, all at the ideal age to begin martial training.

It was said that Shu Yifan had established a sect at Mount Wu in Guangzhou for two purposes: to preserve his family’s swordsmanship and to ensure the Thunderstrike Sword Dao, which he had cultivated and mastered, would not be lost to time.

He was, after all, a living Sword Dao grandmaster.

Given Shu Yifan’s current fame, the idea of him accepting disciples was an irresistible lure to martial artists everywhere. The appeal was self-evident.

These travelers were most likely bringing their children to seek discipleship under him.

Yet, the sheer number of people heading to Mount Wu along this journey had far exceeded Song You’s expectations.

“And what business do you have at Mount Wu?”

“I’m visiting an old friend,” Song You replied.

“Oh? You have a friend at Mount Wu?”

“I do.”

The group exchanged glances, their expressions suddenly turning more eager and curious.

“Is your friend a new disciple of the Thunderstrike Sword Sect, or perhaps one of its managers?”

“Neither.”

“Oh...”

“Are you heading there to study martial arts?”

“Yes...”

The martial artist nodded. Though there was a hint of disappointment in his expression, it wasn’t tinged with arrogance.

Since the two groups moved at roughly the same pace, they gradually caught up with Song You and ended up walking alongside him. It seemed they would be traveling together for a while. Likely to pass some time on the road, they began chatting with him, their tone friendly.

“Not sure if you’re involved in the

jianghu

, sir, but I wonder if you’ve heard of an extraordinary figure who’s risen to fame in recent years. People call him the

Thunderstrike Sword

. Well, now they’ve upgraded that to

Thunderstrike Swordmaster

. Last year, he single-handedly swept through the demons of Guangzhou with his sword.

“The prefect even issued a special decree granting him Mount Wu and permitting him to establish a sect there, with the capacity to recruit up to a thousand disciples. Ever since that news spread, countless

jianghu

martial artists have been flocking there with their children, hoping to apprentice under him.”

Someone nearby chuckled and added, “It’s only because the news hasn’t reached the Western Regions yet. If it does, I bet martial artists from ten thousand li away would come rushing to study his swordsmanship!”

“That many people, huh...”

Song You found it quite amusing.

It felt like the scene of a great sage opening his doors to accept disciples far and wide.

Yet, this was happening in the

jianghu

. Such a phenomenon was probably rare indeed.

The calico cat that had been faithfully following alongside raised its head high, staring intently at the group with its wide, curious eyes.

“Unfortunately, martial sects in the jianghu can’t grow too large. The Thunderstrike Sword Sect has strict limits on recruitment, and I’ve heard their standards are extremely high. Most people end up being sent back,” the first martial artist explained, shaking his head as he patted his son’s back. “Who knows how many of us will actually make the cut.”

The child sitting on the donkey turned his head to look at the Daoist.

His bright, black eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“By the way, I’ve also heard that all those sent to apprentice have to go through a seven-day selection process on the mountain. Not only is it crowded up there, but parents also have to wait at the foot of the mountain. Even if their children are selected, they only get to train for three months.

“If, after three months, they’re deemed too untalented or slow, they’ll still be sent back. I hear the inns and stables at the foot of the mountain are completely full. Sir, since you’re visiting a friend, I wonder if finding a place to stay will be easy. You might want to plan ahead.”

The martial artist offered this kind advice.

“No trouble at all,” Song You replied with a warm smile. “I’m just a wandering Daoist. Any spot will do—heaven as my blanket, earth as my bed. Besides, the weather isn’t cold enough to bother anyone.”

“That’s true enough,” the man agreed.

The group, walking faster than Song You, didn’t slow down to match his pace. After catching up and chatting for a while, they soon moved ahead.

Before parting, several of the martial artists turned back to cup their hands in farewell.

Just a few dozen li ahead lay Mount Wu. The swallow that served as their guide never led astray.

As the martial artists had said, the area at the foot of the mountain was already packed with people. Most were martial artists or wealthy locals who had brought their children to apprentice at the sect and were now staying below, awaiting news.

On the mountain itself, construction was ongoing, with workers building houses nonstop.

Such a scene was something most martial sects in the

jianghu

had likely never experienced before.

As Song You walked, he observed everything around him, as though catching a glimpse of the future—decades from now, when this might become another prominent sect in the

jianghu

.

Reputation was paramount in the Jianghu. With the sole martial grandmaster of this era presiding over it, transforming a barren mountain into a renowned sect might only take a little effort and time.

Along the way, numerous martial artists glanced at him.

Some looked on out of simple curiosity or confusion. Others seemed to have heard rumors and noticed that this Daoist’s attire and demeanor bore a resemblance to the immortals from the stories they’d heard. However, uncertain of the connection, they whispered amongst themselves.

When Song You reached the mountain, he saw people registering children under the supervision of a steward.

It was true that when Song You had parted ways with Shu Yifan, Shu Yifan had been a lone wanderer. But a man like him, though inclined to travel alone in his youth, would naturally attract followers once he reached his prime. Now in his thirties and having achieved enlightenment through martial arts, with the desire to establish a sect, wealth and people had inevitably gravitated toward him.

The steward likely looked up to Shu Yifan’s reputation, having sought him out on his own initiative.

The sect also included several seasoned martial artists, mostly wandering experts who had long been acquainted with Shu Yifan in the

jianghu

. Attracted by his fame, they had come seeking him, and Shu Yifan, recognizing their good character, had retained them to help manage the sect.

Before long, Song You reached the gates of the mountain.

The gate was newly built, and from beyond it, the shouts of young disciples practicing martial arts and swordplay could be faintly heard. A steward, who had just finished instructing two youths to escort a few newly registered children, turned around and immediately caught sight of Song You.

“Sir, may I ask your purpose here?”

“My name is Song You, an old acquaintance of Shu Yifan, Sir Shu,” Song You replied. “I happened to pass through Guangzhou and heard he had established a sect here, so I’ve come to visit. Would you be so kind as to inform him of my arrival?”

“Mr. Song!”

The steward froze in place, his eyes widening in surprise.

Quickly recovering, he handed his register to someone nearby and immediately greeted Song You with the utmost respect, ushering him inside.

“Master had given us instructions long ago! He said that if you, sir, were to pass through Guangzhou during your travels and hear of his sect, you would most likely come to see him. He specifically ordered us to treat you with the highest courtesy,” the steward said, sneaking glances at Song You.

He had clearly heard the rumors of the Daoist and the swordsman, and in his heart, he regarded the Daoist as a figure akin to a divine immortal. When Song You’s gaze met his, the steward quickly lowered his head.

“Sir, my surname is Luo, I’m a steward from Master’s extended family. Admiring Master’s brilliance, I offered my service to him. I am currently in charge of mundane tasks like managing meals, expenses, new disciples, and guest registrations.”

“So it’s Steward Luo,” Song You replied with a slight bow, following him further into the sect.

Out of the corner of his eye, Song You caught sight of a familiar face—the boy he had encountered on the road earlier. The boy was standing in the courtyard while an older martial artist inspected him rather roughly. The boy turned his head, meeting Song You’s gaze.

“And where might Sir Shu be now?”

“Ah, unfortunately...” Steward Luo’s face immediately showed unease, though he didn’t dare imply that Song You had arrived at a bad time.

Instead, he said carefully, “Not long ago, we received reports of demon activity in two areas of Guangzhou. It seems that some demons escaped during last year’s purges—perhaps they were in hiding or the timing wasn’t right. Now they’ve resurfaced. When Master heard this, he immediately set out to deal with them.”

After a brief pause, he added, “It was just... four days ago. He left four days ago.”

“He’s not in the sect, then?”

“Indeed not.” Luo didn’t dare meet Song You’s gaze directly, his head lowered as if wary of offending. In the past, he had heard stories in the teahouse about people whose

bazi

were not strong enough, getting their eyes injured or their lifespan shortened from improperly gazing at immortals.

“Mr. Song, you may not be aware, but our sect leader spent half a year eradicating nearly all the demons in Guangzhou before establishing this sect. He even made a solemn vow: as long as he and this sect remain here, Guangzhou will be free from demonic disturbances.”

“I see.” Song You nodded, understanding.

For Shu Yifan, achieving enlightenment through martial arts and then safeguarding the region’s peace aligned perfectly with his steadfast nature and the swordsmanship he had forged through his comprehension of Divine Thunder.

“And where has Sir Shu gone to exterminate demons this time?”

“There are two places in Guangzhou currently troubled by demons,” Luo explained, looking even more uneasy. “One is Jiyan County to the north, about 400 li from here. It’s said to be plagued by insect demons that are ruining the crops. The other is Jinhe County to the west, near Hezhou, about 600 or 700 li from here.

“There’s a tiger demon in the mountains there, said to have killed countless people, with bones piled into mounds. The sect leader packed lightly, mounted his horse, and set out with his sword. He didn’t specify which place he’d go to first, only that he’d return after dealing with the demons.”

“Heh...”

Song You couldn’t help but smile.

It had been about a year and a half since they had last parted. Even with a sect to manage, Shu Yifan’s personality hadn’t changed in the slightest.

Still, this did present a bit of a dilemma.