“Xiaochan… that’s not the belt…”
Shu Wuxi turned his face aside, his voice somewhat tense.
“It’s fine! It’s fine! I know where the belt is!”
Lu Xiaochan knew when to stop and took out some silver pieces from Shu Wuxi’s belt, throwing them to the young lady.
The young lady looked at it and immediately bowed to Lu Xiaochan. “Thank you, young master!”
At that moment, lines from the play script suddenly popped up, though the voice reciting them made Lu Xiaochan feel somewhat nauseated.
“Oh my, Chen Hua, are you short on money? Why didn’t you tell big brother? Whatever you want, big brother will give you! Such a pretty young man, yet you insist on dressing as a girl, what a waste!”
As soon as this voice rang out, the civilians who had been watching the performance suddenly dispersed.
As one elderly woman passed by Lu Xiaochan, she hurriedly left these words. “Young master, you’re too handsome, leave quickly!”
Lu Xiaochan touched his face, then lowered his head to ask Shu Wuxi. “Brother Wuxi, am I good-looking?”
Anyone could have guessed Shu Wuxi’s answer.
“Yes.”
“If something’s good-looking, isn’t it meant to be seen? Why hide?”
When the crowd had dispersed, Lu Xiaochan saw a corpulent man approach.
He wore a sword at his waist that emanated a hint of spiritual light, suggesting he was from an immortal sect.
However, among all the immortal sect disciples Lu Xiaochan had met, from the sword-wielding Ye Linshuang of the Nanli Jingtian to Jiang Wuchao of the Zhiwu Mountain Villa, each had been tall and pleasing to the eye.
Unlike this fellow, who was fat-headed and big-eared, unpleasant to look at, like a pig farmer!
Behind him followed four or five sword-cultivators. Though their swords’ spiritual energy wasn’t impressive, they were much better than this greasy pig-head.
“Brother Wuxi, I thought you didn’t like watching crowds.”
Lu Xiaochan lowered his head and whispered in Shu Wuxi’s ear.
“I don’t like crowds, but you want to watch. If I don’t let you watch, you’ll keep thinking about it. Better to watch it now and be done with it.”
Lu Xiaochan was happy, realizing Shu Wuxi was becoming more and more to his liking.
The fat man came before the performing “lady” and shamelessly pulled at their clothes. Lu Xiaochan was stunned – oh my, it was actually a young man, not a lady at all.
The young man was angry but dared not speak, only continuously backing away, while the greasy fat man kept advancing.
“Don’t touch me!”
“You should consider it your fortune that I, Zhang Wutian, fancy you! Yet you’re ungrateful, dressing as a woman to avoid me! I’ll deal with you today!”
Lu Xiaochan scratched his head and whispered in Shu Wuxi’s ear again. “From what this Zhang Wutian is saying… he likes this performing young man, so the young man dressed as a woman to avoid him? So this big fat pig likes men, not women?”
Shu Wuxi stood motionless by the wall, right where the moonlight couldn’t reach.
“Yes,” Shu Wuxi responded.
“Ugh, disgusting,” Lu Xiaochan clicked his tongue.
Shu Wuxi’s shoulders tensed, and he asked quietly, “You think men shouldn’t love men?”
“I think if you’re a man, being loved by someone as beautiful as you, Brother Wuxi, would be wonderful. But being forced by this fat pig… I’d rather choke to death on roasted peanuts like that old beggar!”
After speaking, Lu Xiaochan kicked his legs proudly.
Shu Wuxi thought he felt too low, so he bounced him up a bit higher.
At this point, Chen Hua’s father fell to his knees, about to grab Zhang Wutian’s leg, but was kicked away in disgust.
“This lord just wants your son to entertain me for a few days! He’s dressing as a woman and acting like some chaste widow – who’s he trying to impress! When I’m tired of him, I’ll reward you with ten taels of silver. Isn’t that better than performing these chest-crushing stone acts daily!”
Lu Xiaochan swayed again, and as Shu Wuxi turned his face, he heard him say, “Brother Wuxi, if someone asked me to entertain him for a few days and gave you ten taels of silver, would you agree?”
“I would curse him to never reincarnate.”
Hmm, this answer was very much in Shu Wuxi’s style.
“That’s right! If you wouldn’t allow it, parents would be even more unwilling!”
Sure enough, Old Chen immediately started kowtowing to Zhang Wutian, bang bang bang, until his forehead was bleeding.
The sight made Lu Xiaochan’s heart ache, reminded him of when he was a beggar.
“Immortal Lord! Immortal Lord! This old man had a son in his later years, just this one son! Please show mercy, Immortal Lord!”
“Having just one son makes offering him to this Immortal Lord even more sincere! Come, take Chen Hua away!”
Several immortal disciples behind Zhang Wutian rushed forward, two dragging away Old Chen, two subduing Chen Hua.
The entire street had quickly emptied since Zhang Wutian’s arrival, with vendors packing up and people heading home.
Lu Xiaochan scratched the back of his head. “What’s this Zhang Wutian’s background? How can he be so ‘lawless and defiant’?”
“If I’m not mistaken, he should be from the Zhang Mountain Sect. His cultivation isn’t high – though he carries a sword, he hasn’t even lit up his elixir core.”
“I knew it. If he had real cultivation, how could he look like this, without any immortal air? Yet he dares call himself Immortal Lord, truly laughable.”
Though Zhang Wutian had a greasy pig-like face, his ears were quite sharp.
Lu Xiaochan swayed his legs, this time telling Shu Wuxi he wanted to get down from his back.
“You’re going to meddle?”
“No, I want to test my skills. Besides, I really dislike his name.”
Lu Xiaochan’s feet touched the ground as he rolled up his sleeves.
“Dislike? What does his name have to do with you?” Shu Wuxi asked.
“He looks like a pig, yet dares to be called Zhang Wutian? That means ‘lawless and defiant’, right?”
“Correct!” Zhang Wutian hadn’t expected anyone in Zhang City to dare challenge him, and immediately got excited, wanting to see who would dare risk their life. “My father gave me this name, meaning ‘lawless and defiant’!”
“Haha!” Lu Xiaochan stepped out from the shadows.
More like stinking to high heaven!
Zhang Wutian was dumbstruck.
This youth under the moonlight was otherworldly, with bright round eyes and a clever, adorable smile.
Compared to him, Chen Hua, who had been somewhat good-looking, wasn’t worth a glance!
Zhang Wutian was almost drooling, looking like he wanted to pounce and devour Lu Xiaochan.
“This young master must be from out of town! Surely you don’t know who I, Zhang Wutian, am!”
“I am from out of town, but I know who you are. There’s only one sect under Zhang Mountain – the Zhang Mountain Sect. The sword at your waist is dim and lackluster, probably doesn’t even qualify as a basic immortal sword, you haven’t even formed your core yet, right?”
The mockery was evident in Lu Xiaochan’s laughter.
Zhang Wutian’s expression changed. Though he lacked immortal air, the youth before him was the most beautiful he’d ever seen.
He desperately wanted to lock this youth in his chamber for daily pleasure.
“Those behind you clearly have higher cultivation than you. Yet they follow your orders, so there’s only one answer – you’re the Zhang Mountain Sect leader’s son, right?”
“That’s right! I’m the Sword Master of Zhang Mountain Sect! Since you know who I am, why don’t you be friends with this lord? I’ll take you to enjoy all sorts of pleasures!”
Lu Xiaochan was trying hard to hold back his laughter.
He casually walked in front of Chen Hua, waving his hand behind his back, signaling Chen Hua to quickly leave with his father.
But Chen Hua didn’t leave, instead advising, “Young Master, we can’t afford to offend the Zhang Mountain Sect, you should…”
Lu Xiaochan suddenly felt Chen Hua was quite decent – though not capable, he wasn’t a coward either.
“In my life, I’ve had little luck with immortals, only meeting two Sword Masters,” Lu Xiaochan deliberately moved closer to Zhang Wutian, holding up two fingers.
From this distance, Zhang Wutian could almost count Lu Xiaochan’s eyelashes.
His skin was delicate, and upon closer look, his features carried a youthful vigor unique to young men. Zhang Wutian swallowed hard and was about to embrace Lu Xiaochan, but Lu Xiaochan easily stepped back to avoid him.
Shu Wuxi’s eyes narrowed and he stepped forward, but saw Lu Xiaochan wave at him, meaning “I’ll handle this fat pig, Brother Wuxi doesn’t need to step in.”
“No matter, as long as you come with me, I’ll take you to watch the Sword Master selection at Xiyuan Jingtian! By then, all the famous sects of the immortal realm will be there. Not just Sword Masters, you’ll see sect leaders too! Let you broaden your horizons!”
“Oh, really? Then I should be able to see Jiang Wuchao, the Sword Master of Zhiwu Mountain Villa? When I left home, I didn’t get to finish drinking and sharing stories with him!”
Hearing this, Zhang Wutian laughed. “Young Master, are you perhaps boasting? Zhiwu Mountain Villa is among the most prestigious sects, how could you have met their Sword Master Jiang Wuchao?”
“Why wouldn’t I have met him? He’s righteous and warm-hearted, his Minglang Sword’s power is like endless ocean waves.”
Zhang Wutian hesitated, thinking this youth spoke quite convincingly – could he really know Jiang Wuchao?
He had planned to take the youth by force if he refused, but if he really knew Jiang Wuchao, he’d have to be more careful. What if word got back to Jiang Wuchao and he came to make trouble at Zhang Mountain Sect?
“Oh, right! Will Ye Linshuang, the Sword Master of Nanli Jingtian, be there?”
Zhang Wutian paused. “You… don’t tell me you know Ye Linshuang too?”
“I do,” Lu Xiaochan nodded.
Zhang Wutian was now certain Lu Xiaochan was lying.
“Oh? Then tell me what sword Ye Linshuang uses?”
“Are you pig-brained? Ye Linshuang’s immortal title is Lord Linshuang, so naturally his sword is the Linshuang Sword! His sword formation takes the shape of six-cornered frost flowers! The Ninglong Sword Formation’s power can match even a Demon Lord’s.”
Zhang Wutian’s heart skipped a beat – this kid even knew the details of Ye Linshuang’s sword formation, who exactly was he?
“Kunwu should be going too! In that case, I’ll go find him at Xiyuan Jingtian – I lost the elixir he gave me.”
Lu Xiaochan sighed, touching the medicine bottle at his waist, looking very regretful about losing the elixir.
“You… you know the Medical Sage too?”
“Yes. He even begged me once.”
“Begged you… for what?”
“Begged me not to pull out his immortal herbs, not to bring cats and dogs to scratch up his medicinal garden!”
Zhang Wutian immediately burst into laughter. “This immortal friend! I get it now, you’re joking with me!”
Lu Xiaochan blinked. “I’m not joking. Why don’t you have your followers try to catch me?”
Zhang Wutian licked his lips, smiling. “If we’re playing, this lord alone is enough! They’re too rough – what if they hurt you?”
With that, Zhang Wutian pounced forward, his greasy face making Lu Xiaochan want to throw a rotten egg at him.
Lu Xiaochan casually stepped aside, nimbly avoiding him, and Zhang Wutian stumbled and fell face-first.
As his followers were about to step forward to protect him, Lu Xiaochan reached out toward Shu Wuxi.
Shu Wuxi understood Lu Xiaochan’s intention perfectly, immediately taking out the Wuhen Sword from his storage bag. With a flick of his wrist, it flew into Lu Xiaochan’s hand, who gripped it tightly.
Spiritual energy flowed from Lu Xiaochan’s hand along the sword body, forming a faint light ring at the sword tip, then a sword formation expanded, sending the Zhang Mountain Sect disciples flying several zhang away.
Chen Hua, who had been worrying about Lu Xiaochan, widened his eyes.
Zhang Wutian raised his head just as Lu Xiaochan lowered his hand, the Wuhen Sword’s tip at his cheek.
It was a sword that looked unfinished, not smooth but full of dents and marks, barely taking the shape of a sword.
Zhang Wutian never imagined that such an unremarkable sword could form a sword formation powerful enough to subdue the Zhang Mountain Sect disciples behind him.
Lu Xiaochan curled his lips, looking down at Zhang Wutian with a smile.
His eyes curved like crescents, appearing innocent, but his upturned lips carried a hint of wildness.
Like an unworldly evil spirit born of desire – Zhang Wutian couldn’t take his eyes off him.
“Do you know what you did wrong?” Lu Xiaochan held the sword, tapping its tip against Zhang Wutian’s cheek.
“What?” Zhang Wutian asked stupidly.
Moonlight fell along Lu Xiaochan’s hair, outlining his face. His features were tinged with the moon’s coolness, yet held an indescribable allure.
“Your name is really poorly chosen.”
“You… you dare question this lord’s name! You’re insulting the entire Zhang Mountain Sect!”
As Zhang Wutian tried to rise, Lu Xiaochan’s sword tip pressed against his back, terrifying the Zhang Mountain Sect members.
As they rushed forward, Shu Wuxi from afar simply flicked out a stream of spiritual energy like a snapped bowstring, directly striking their internal organs and making them spew blood – none could approach.
Lu Xiaochan snorted softly, sending a sword formation through the sword tip, pressing directly onto Zhang Wutian’s back.
“Stay like this! At least wait until you reach my cultivation level before daring to call yourself ‘this lord’.”
Zhang Wutian felt a mountain pressing on his back, unable to move, his bones nearly cracking, barely able to breathe.
Lu Xiaochan lifted his sword, looked toward Chen Hua, and tossed him a piece of silver.
Chen Hua caught it, staring at Lu Xiaochan with wide eyes.
“Payment for watching your father-son stone-breaking performance. You’re quite something, kid, dressing as a girl – I couldn’t even tell! Impressive!”
Chen Hua immediately knelt before Lu Xiaochan. “Thank you, Immortal Lord, for helping us! Please tell us your immortal title! We father and son will daily…”
“Burn incense daily? Please don’t! Those one-copper-for-nine incense sticks – this lord doesn’t want to smell them again!”
The choking incense from the Medical Lord Temple in Lushu Town still haunted Lu Xiaochan.
“Quickly leave here. My sword formation will only hold this pig down for an hour.” Lu Xiaochan lifted his chin.
Chen Hua gave countless thanks before helping his father leave.
Lu Xiaochan offered the sword to Shu Wuxi, who didn’t take it but asked, “Why meddle in this affair?”
“Because hearing Zhang Wutian’s name annoyed me.”
“That name is indeed poor.”
“Do you know why it’s poor?” Lu Xiaochan bumped Shu Wuxi with the sword handle.
“Too vulgar.”
“Not vulgar at all. I think it’s fine, but only one person in this world can be ‘lawless and defiant.'”
Lu Xiaochan moved closer to Shu Wuxi, showing a big smile.
“Who?” Shu Wuxi turned his face slightly, seemingly genuinely pondering this question.
Though his expression was calm as still water, it carried a hint of innocence that made Lu Xiaochan want to jump up and bite his face and body all over, preferably leaving his teeth marks!
“Me!” Lu Xiaochan opened the storage bag and put the sword in.
Shu Wuxi kept watching him.
Lu Xiaochan went behind him and jumped on his back. “Since Lu Xiaochan got Shu Wuxi, I get whatever wind or rain I want! The essence of sun and moon, thunder and dew, all serve me! Isn’t that ‘lawless and defiant’?”
Shu Wuxi paused, reached back his arms, and carried Lu Xiaochan.
“Mm.”
Lu Xiaochan lay on Shu Wuxi’s shoulder, watching his ear and the flutter of his eyelashes when he blinked. Feeling an unbearable itch in his heart, he directly bit Shu Wuxi’s ear.
At that moment, Shu Wuxi stopped walking, his shoulders about to rise again, but Lu Xiaochan deliberately kept his bite hold.
His once cold body warmed up. Lu Xiaochan deliberately flicked with his tongue tip, and before he could get angry, pretended nothing happened and turned his head away.
Shu Wuxi walked a few steps, then asked. “Xiaochan, are you hungry? Should I take you to get something to eat?”
“I do want to eat something! Let’s go!” Lu Xiaochan sniffed hard and pointed towards where food aromas were wafting from, “That way!”
“Mm.”
As Shu Wuxi walked, Lu Xiaochan lay on his back restlessly swinging his legs, tilted his mouth, thinking to himself: I don’t want to eat food. I wanted to eat you up just now!
After they had walked far away, Zhang Wutian, pressed down by Lu Xiaochan’s sword formation, face red and covered in cold sweat, was unable to move no matter how he struggled.
He grunted at the Zhang Mountain Sect disciples who were still sprawled on the ground coughing up blood. “You… useless things… hurry up and break this sword formation!”
The other disciples quickly finished coughing up blood and came to his side, jointly forming a sword formation trying to break Lu Xiaochan’s formation.
Though Lu Xiaochan’s sword formation wasn’t large, it was extremely solid. Half an hour passed and Zhang Wutian was nearly suffocating but still couldn’t get up.
At this moment, a man wearing plain clothes with a silver-blue phoenix leaf pattern belt came riding on his sword, leaving a pale blue trail of light in the long night.
It was the master of Zhiwu Mountain Villa, Ling Nianwu.
His bearing was refined and cultured, eyes like clear flowing springs, hair floating lightly. Looking down he saw Zhang Wutian sprawled on the ground along with the disheveled Zhang Mountain Sect disciples.
He suddenly halted, eyebrows lifting slightly.
A disciple following behind also stopped.
“Master, what’s wrong?” Following Ling Nianwu’s gaze, he said knowingly, “Those are Zhang Mountain Sect people. If I’m not mistaken, the one on the ground should be Zhang Wutian, the only son of the Zhang Mountain Sect leader.”
Ling Nianwu spoke. “I have no interest in Zhang Mountain Sect, but the sword formation pressing down on Zhang Wutian is extraordinary.”
“Is it?” The disciple turned his face to look carefully, “This formation’s structure is exquisite, I can’t tell what forces it borrows from, only that it combines softness with strength.”
“It’s a simplified version of the ‘Rushing Rapids’ Sword Formation,” Ling Nianwu’s eyes narrowed.
“Ru…Rushing Rapids Sword Formation? Isn’t that from the Wuyi Jingtian? Could it be Sword Master Yang Cang?”
“Yang Cang doesn’t put anyone in his eyes. Mere Zhang Wutian is no different from dust to him. Would you use a sword formation to flick away dust?” Ling Nianwu asked in return.
“Of course not. But besides Yang Cang, who else can use sword formations from the Wuyi Jingtian?”
“It seems… Yang Cang has taken a disciple. This formation appears unremarkable but contains profound mysteries. Without thousands of years of cultivation, it couldn’t be this stable.”
After speaking, Ling Nianwu rode his sword away.
The disciple hurriedly followed. “Master! Aren’t you going down to help break the formation for Zhang Wutian?”
Ling Nianwu smiled faintly. “Being able to experience the ‘Rushing Rapids’ Sword Formation is Zhang Wutian’s great fortune across three lifetimes. How could I diminish his blessing?”
The disciple was stunned for a moment before hurrying to catch up.
Meanwhile, Shu Wuxi carried Lu Xiaochan to a crowded restaurant. Just as he was about to enter, Lu Xiaochan patted his back saying, “Not here! Behind! Behind!”
Lu Xiaochan stretched his neck to sniff.
Shu Wuxi turned around, bypassing the restaurant to an alley behind it where there was a small stall.
The vendor was an old woman who had set up a few small tables selling pork blood soup noodles.
Lu Xiaochan got down from Shu Wuxi’s back and stood in front of the old woman’s soup pot, closing his eyes and sniffing hard. “This is the smell – smells amazing!”
The old woman saw his fair and handsome appearance and felt extra pleased, “Young Master looks unfamiliar, is this your first time here?”
“Yes! Yes! Granny, give me two bowls of pork blood noodles!”
“Coming right up.”
Lu Xiaochan and Shu Wuxi sat at a small table, with Lu Xiaochan waiting eagerly while biting his chopsticks.
“Granny, your pork blood noodles smell so good, why are there so few customers? Is it because this alley is too remote?”
“My old man and I used to cook pork blood noodles on the main street. Once Lord Wutian from Zhang Mountain Sect rode past on horseback and his horse’s hooves knocked over our soup pot… The hooves were scalded. Lord Wutian was furious and forbade us from setting up stalls on the main street. So we moved our stall to this alley.”
The old woman brought up the noodles.
Lu Xiaochan’s eyes crinkled. “What kind of Lord Wutian! If he were truly an immortal lord, he could ride a sword – why would he need a horse?”
