The Sword Strider Saga

Xu Fengnian didn't superficially read the hundreds of books he had managed up the mountain. For parts he didn't fully understand, he would ask Hong Xixiang for an explanation. During this time, Xu Fengnian used "Ursus Strikes", which spoke of fierce moves, as a classic book to train his body. Meanwhile, on the advice of Hong Xixiang, he asked for a set of anonymous punch skills from Wudang Mountai...

Xu Fengnian ignored Jiang Ni and opened the package, which contained a Luminous Pearl, several ink brushes, and secret guidebooks from dozens of sects. He planned to pick one or two adaptable skills from each book and apply them in blade drills, drawing strength from all the sects.

Wang Chonglou was tall. Turning around, he saw his sullen junior fellow apprentice and joked, "Did Brother Chen take your private collection of banned books again?" Hong Xixiang shook his head as if to speak but then stopped. Wang Chonglou patted him on the shoulder before leaving in the moonlight.

Xu Xiao asked, "Do you really intend to keep practicing?" Xu Fengnian wondered, "Or what?" Xu Xiao said, "Then go to Wudang Mountains. Someone's waiting for you." Xu Fengnian asked in surprise, "To see Hong Xixiang?" With a faint smile, Xu Xiao replied, "No. To see Wang Chonglou, High Priest of Wudang Mountains."

In the Tingchao Pavilion, the Grand Consul witnessed the two riders leaving the palace. He asked gently, "Li Yishan, do you think he's fooling around with the Yan’s girl or saving the sixty-nine people of Yan Chiji's family?" Li Yishan said flatly, "Both."

All too quickly, it was lunar January again. Today, the Grand Consul personally received two state governors, Yan Jiexi and Li Gongde. Li Hanlin was unable to sit still, so the Grand Consul waved him off with "Get out". Then Li Hanlin immediately took his best friend Yan Chiji and ran out.

Xu Fengnian wanted to practice blade skills from the old ogre. The old ogre asked, "Why should I teach you?" Xu Fengnian replied, "I'll ask Xu Xiao to invite Wei Beishan, the man with the blade Horse Slayer, to Northern Liang. You can fight with him. And we'll invite one master every year till I can use a blade."

After Xu Fengnian woke up in the morning, Hong Shu, the eldest servant girl in Sycamore Garden, came in to help him dress. She softly reminded him of a secret letter on the table. Xu Fengnian freshened up. Then he gently opened the envelope, upon which was a small seal script of "Yin".

The woman named Fan Xiaochai was the daughter of a lineage holding a grudge against Xu Xiao. Master Lin, meanwhile, was a doofus being used to bring the assassin into the palace. Taking the chance of sightseeing, Miss Fan drew a map of the palace and a portrait of Xu Fengnian, awaiting a chance of assassination. Xu Fengnian had no mercy for those people. After all, he had learned quite a lot about...

Xu Fengnian snapped, "Cattle-riding boy! If you hide again, I'll lead my men to destroy Serenity Palace and throw you off Lesser Lotus Peak along with the Turtleback Stele!" The young Taoist said, "Greetings, Your Highness." After some intriguing eye contact with Xu Fengnian, the Taoist turned around and just walked ahead, followed by Xu Fengnian and the old ogre. The three of them went to a seclu...

Xu Fengnian led a group of cavalry back to the palace and came to the courtyard where the old ogre was in. On seeing Xu Fengnian, the old ogre asked, "Boy, has Swordmaster Huang left for City of the Peerless to settle with Old Wang Xianzhi?" Xu Fengnian nodded and sat down on a stool opposite the old ogre without a word.

The great battle came to a swift end. Old Huang wielded three swords in the end, unleashing six moves in total. Surprisingly, the old ogre no longer put up a fight after that. Back then, it was indeed Old Huang who beat that ogre down the lake bottom. The ogre shouted at Xu Fengnian, "Hey kid, gimme some meat and booze!"

Once they reached the center of the lake, Xu Fengnian threw down the purple-colored Tonitrusword with all his might. A long uneventful silence followed. Old Huang slowly stepped toward the bow of the boat and remained motionless. It happened in a flash. The lake waters surged with intense undulations, as if the world was about to topple over.

Spring came knocking, awakening insects in hibernation. It was noontime, and Xu Fengnian ventured alone to the lakeside, plunging into the tranquil emerald waters. The lake water was fluid, as if having a life of its own. It reached substantial depths, and a huge Luminous Pearl lay embedded in its lakebed, illuminating its surroundings with radiance as bright as daylight.

All around the palace, there were lights and decorations, the place enveloped in a glorious celebratory mood. It was lunar January, and there seemed to be an endless line of guests bearing precious gifts. Then came the Lantern Festival. Xu Fengnian took Yu Youwei and a slew of burly guards to Valedictorian Alley to revel in the festivities.

Once again, white fox-face had gone into seclusion. Xu Fengnian went to the center of the lake with Jiang Ni, Yu Youwei and Old Huang in tow, to make mulled wine while admiring the snow.

Before long, wisps of snow had ushered in the onset of winter. White fox-face had now spent five days inside the first floor of the Tingchao Pavilion, while Yu Youwei and Empress had settled down as well.

Xu Fengnian flung the tightly bound Yu Youwei onto the grand bed in the inner chamber, then proceeded to feed her the Yuni Powder. The drug would revive an unconscious female, while making her body supple and devoid of strength, like an amorphous resin. She would not even be able to bite her own tongue in despair, though still perfectly capable of moaning and purring.

The Zijin Mansion possessed a tremendous reputation, and Yu Youwei was its the Oiran. She once performed a sword dance which mesmerized and scared Xu Fengnian out of his wits all at once. The procuress here was all dolled up today, personally welcoming the three loaded scions.

White fox-face entered the palace, one of the three great forbidden fortresses along with City of the Peerless, where the "World No. 2" resided, and Wu's Shrine of Swords. City of the Peerless had an old freak who belittled all the world's masters. Wu's Shrine of Swords housed a large horde of wizened swordsmen who spent all their lives honing their sword skills. Whereas Northern Liang Palace, asi...

News of a beauty with peerless elegance coming to Dragon Inn had been the hot topic of the capital city of Ling Province for the past two days, second only to Prince Xu's return in terms of buzz. Rumor had it that this lady was even more alluring than the top courtesan of Ling Province, Yu Youwei.

Xu Fengnian left the Tingchao Pavilion and came to the stable, where there was a lone russet-colored horse with a lame leg. Old Huang was grumbling at the horse when he spotted Prince Xu. He grinned from ear to ear, his two missing front teeth in full view, painting an altogether goofy scene.

By all accounts, Xu Fengnian was quite a handsome and striking casanova. Several popular courtesans in Ling Province had been fighting tooth and nail over him in jealous fits. If anyone in the castle dared to shoot daggers at Xu Fengnian and displayed their hatred of him unreservedly, that would be the maid who at this moment was distancing herself from several servant girls who were smiling coyly...

The Northern Liang Palace lay nestled in Qingliang Mountain, surrounded by lush vegetation and presiding over thousands of households. As the Lord of Northern Liang, Xu Xiao ruled over the three northwestern provinces, and was the sole monarch in the kingdom who came from a different lineage. Both within the royal court and the realm of fighters, he invoked condemnation and acclaim in equal parts.