Radiant Blade of the Wilderness

Chapter 104: The Daring of Youth

Listening to Zheng Zhuxi, Xie Fengchao felt a sincere admiration well up in his heart.

She lives up to her reputation as daughter and personal disciple of Sword of Rectitude Tao Wenshu. That part about always keeping its word and seeing it through rang with real conviction.

He turned his gaze to the austere Pan Yunzhou.

As the Brightnight Sect’s guest adviser, Pan could not be held to the same standard as its disciples. The decision had to be his own.

At that moment, a part of Pan Yunzhou wanted to back out.

Had it been a chase within Dingjiang Prefecture, he would have agreed without hesitation. He had sparred with Zheng Zhuxi and knew her true strength. He had heard of the fearsome power behind Xie Fengchao’s five signature hidden weapons. Their side had numbers as well, with backup always within reach. But a pursuit into the deep mountains north of the river was another matter entirely. It was unfamiliar ground with no way out. The slightest misstep could send them into a dead end.

But he had worked so hard to become acquainted with Zheng Zhuxi and Xie Fengchao and be included in this pursuit. If he shrank back now, his standing with these two exceptional talents and that cavalry commander would plummet. Future ties would be near impossible to forge.

His thoughts went round and round, until he thought of Brother Ding—who had only just reached aperture refinement greater mastery—and yet dared take the risk. Pan Yunzhou steeled himself and said with a smile, ”It’s just venturing deep into the Gan and Yu Kingdom and tracking someone over a great distance. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Ding Songyan watched the scene quietly, fully understanding the hesitation and struggle in Pan Yunzhou’s heart.

When climbing socially and building connections, being ”put on the spot” like this was unavoidable. Only after a few hard lessons would one learn how to handle it.

Brother Pan reminds me so much of my own past... Ding Songyan gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head with a small smile.

Seeing that no one objected to continuing the pursuit north of the river, Zheng Zhuxi naturally took charge of the arrangements, reins still in hand.

She asked first, ”Does anyone know how to steer a boat?”

”I do.” Pan Yunzhou had roamed the jianghu for many years, and though his martial arts were unremarkable, he had plenty of other skills.

Cavalry Commander Xing Chang added, ”We Headless think every day of fighting our way back north to our homeland. Besides training in martial arts and studying military strategy, I spent my time learning to steer a boat.”

”Excellent.” Zheng Zhuxi smiled and pulled two heavy silver ingots from her purse. She said to Xing Chang, ”Commander Xing, would you mind borrowing a small boat? Consider this silver a purchase for now. If we bring it back in one piece, we’ll settle the difference as a rental fee.”

She then turned to Xie Fengchao.

”Young Master Xie, would you please go into the ford town and gather some provisions and fresh water? Four days’ worth.”

At that, Zheng Zhuxi looked around and said, ”If we haven’t caught up within two days, or if we confirm the Three Fiends have already entered Xinfu City, we turn back.”

Xing Chang and Xie Fengchao exchanged a glance and nodded slowly, accepting Zheng Zhuxi’s arrangement.

If it couldn’t be done, there was no point forcing it. That was a failure, not a retreat.

Youthful spirit and bold ambition were not the same as recklessly seeking death.

Ding Songyan, standing to the side, gave an approving nod.

Senior Sister is still somewhat inexperienced in navigating people and the world, but her character is open and magnanimous. She never shirks responsibility and habitually steps up to lead and make arrangements. In moments this urgent, when there is no time to bicker or argue, someone like her is exactly what’s needed—decisive and impartial.

After watching Xie Fengchao and Xing Chang ride toward the ford and pass through the gate, Zheng Zhuxi half-turned her horse and looked at Pan Yunzhou.

”Senior Brother Pan, why don’t you stay behind and report the details to the county and prefectural yamen on our behalf? We may need backup later.”

Pan Yunzhou was taken aback, then suddenly understood. Zheng Zhuxi had seen his hesitation and was deliberately giving him a way out, letting him bow out of this now-very-dangerous pursuit with his dignity intact.

Junior Sister Zheng truly knows how to put herself in another’s shoes without looking down on them... Pan Yunzhou let out a quiet sigh and said with a smile, ”Something like that can be left to the city garrison. There’s no need for me to stay behind specially.

”Our cultivation and strength are all a notch below the Three Fiends. We can only make up for it through superior techniques, signature hidden weapons, and numbers. I can’t speak to the other advantages, but I can at least give everyone a numerical edge.”

Instinctively, he discounted Ding Songyan, who had only just reached aperture refinement greater mastery, treating him as support only. His point was that without himself, it would be three against three; there would be no numerical advantage to overwhelm the enemy.

Seeing Pan Yunzhou insist, Zheng Zhuxi said no more. Instead, Ding Songyan said with a grin, ”Senior Brother Pan, I actually started aperture forging a month ago. I’m at the early stage of the Great Proliferation Realm now, more or less.”

Well... Every word Junior Brother says is true, yet put together, somehow it becomes a lie... Zheng Zhuxi was a little bewildered.

She had long known that her junior brother had been visiting Kindling Hall frequently since before the Mid-Autumn Festival, which must have been him exploring aperture forging. Given his situation, he had probably forged several alien apertures already. From that angle, calling himself ”early Great Proliferation Realm” was not wrong. Furthermore, he had carefully chosen his words: ”more or less”!

”Then we’re in even better shape!” Pan Yunzhou made no effort to hide his delight.

With Brother Ding’s martial talent, once he stepped into the Great Proliferation Realm, his strength could not be described by sixth-rank Anomaly Manifested alone. He likely rivaled fifth-rank Profound Discerned or approached fourth-rank Mortal Surpassed, not much below Junior Sister Zheng. He would surely be a great asset in this pursuit.

It was no longer four against three, but five against three!

”I only just advanced not long ago and haven’t told anyone outside yet. Senior Brother Pan, I’d ask for you to keep it quiet.” Ding Songyan thought of the realm he had told Xie Fengchao earlier to mislead him.

”Of course.” Pan Yunzhou visibly relaxed.

After a while, Xing Chang obtained a wooden boat that could seat six, with a stern oar and two paddle oars inside. Xie Fengchao returned as well, bearing water and provisions packed in leather pouches.

They stabled their horses, and Pan Yunzhou volunteered to work the oar. Xing Chang stood beside him, ready to take over. Ding Songyan and Zheng Zhuxi stood side by side at the prow, gazing out at the scenery on both banks. Xie Fengchao stood in the middle with his hands clasped behind his back, his robe swaying in the river wind.

The river was broad, the waves rolling. The sun had begun its descent, casting half the river in trembling dark water and half in deep red.

Xing Chang’s two eyes looked left and right. The bronze-toned skin of his chest showed nothing of his emotions.

He let out a soft sigh from his navel.

”Why so pensive, Commander Xing?” Pan Yunzhou asked.

The 2.1-meter-tall Xing Chang touched the raw, severed flesh at his neck and spoke with feeling.

”Over 260 years ago, we Headless were forced to leave our homeland and fled all the way south of the great river. Since then, not one of us has been able to set foot on northern soil, let alone return to where our ancestors rest. I never imagined I’d have a chance like this today. It doesn’t feel real. I feel like I’m floating.”

”An army might struggle to cross north, but for those of the jianghu, going back and forth is simple enough,” Xie Fengchao said with a smile. ”Commander Xing, you’re reading too much into it.”

As long as a martial powerhouse could secure a small boat and avoid the fortified checkpoints, fords, and garrison strongholds along the northern bank, crossing the great river was not particularly difficult.

Xing Chang had an easygoing temperament and said with a bitter chuckle, ”We Headless have unusual appearances. Once north of the river, we’d be hunted immediately if we didn’t hide in the deep mountains.”

”You could always find a Jiguren to travel with, stick a wooden head on yourself, and pass as one of his wooden coachmen or guards.” Ding Songyan made a joke.

Xing Chang was taken aback for a moment.

”That’s... actually not a bad idea...”

He had no face to show any expression. His navel opened and closed several times before he continued, ”I only hope that the next time I set foot on northern soil, it’s to slay their commanders, seize their banners, and be first to scale the city walls!”

”Good.” Xie Fengchao loved this kind of gallant spirit. ”The next time I set foot north of the river, I’ll measure the worth of the young talents in the Gan and Yu Kingdoms!”

”My hope will be to lead my clanspeople back into the ancestral land and pay our respects.” It was rare for Pan Yunzhou to show his feelings openly.

He was only around twenty-four, still quite young.

Zheng Zhuxi gave a slight smile and added, ”When I go north next time, it will be to search for our sect’s lost secret manuals.”

When the Brightnight Sect broke through and fled south, they were hunted the whole way. Several cultivation-teaching Elders either died or were scattered, and those scattered ones never had their deaths confirmed. After the sect’s restoration, disciples were sent north in secret, searching for these lost members and any hidden heritage they might have left behind.

Tao Wenshu had taken on the role of sect master early and could not easily make the journey herself. But her junior sister of the same master, Yan Jingxian, and fellow-generation senior brother, Sun Tie—both Grandmasters—had each made the trip north after entering the Dharma Realm, though neither had found any relevant leads.

Seeing everyone speak their hearts freely on the broad river, gazing toward the future, their spirits rising, Ding Songyan gave a laugh and said, ”When I go north next time, it’ll be to visit a friend.”

Pan Yunzhou, working the oar, didn’t care in the slightest whether the wish lacked ambition. He praised loudly, ”A simple wish like that will surely be fulfilled before any of ours.”

Visit a friend... Su Qingli of the Celestial Maiden School? Zheng Zhuxi paused, then glanced sideways at Ding Songyan.

Xie Fengchao offered no comment but sat down, watching the rushing river and the shore growing distant, his heart surging with feeling.

”On nothing more than a verbal promise, five of us set out alone on a single boat into enemy territory to pursue powerhouses. If word of this gets out, we’ll more than live up to the name of wandering heroes.

”The road ahead is uncertain and danger abounds. With a scene like this, how can we not sing?”

He beat his palm against the wooden gunwale and gazed at the orange-red sunset, reciting aloud, ”Chivalrous guest of Zhao with his tasseled helm, saber shining snow-bright!”

Pan Yunzhou, working the oar, was swept up in Xie Fengchao’s feeling and joined in, ”Silver saddle glowing against his horse’s white, passing swift as shooting stars in flight!”

”Ten steps, he kills a man; a thousand li—nought will stay his pace.” Zheng Zhuxi and Ding Songyan exchanged a glance before joining in with bright smiles.

Ding Songyan laughed quietly to himself and recited, ”Deed done, with a brush of his robes, he buries all and leaves no name, no trace!”

Their voices drifted slowly across the broad river, mingling with the rushing current, the cool evening wind, and the golden glow of the last light, intertwining without end.

Xing Chang seemed a little embarrassed, his navel opening and closing as he said, ”I’m not very familiar with poetry. I only remember a few lines of ’An Ode to Swordsmen.’”

”Then recite the one you do remember.” Pan Yunzhou encouraged him.

Xing Chang looked at Zheng Zhuxi, Ding Songyan, Xie Fengchao, and Pan Yunzhou beside him. His own spirit surged, and his voice rang out like thunder.

”In spite of death, heroes’ bones smolder in perpetual fragrance, leaving this world with no regrets!”

The voice was loud, reverberating outward into the distance. Beneath it and the last glow of the setting sun, the little boat like a single leaf drove toward the heart of the river, heading north.

Author’s Note: Verses quoted from Li Bai’s ”An Ode to Swordsmen.”