Great Li Martial God

Yun City.

Clouds stretched for a hundred li, and the sky rarely cleared for three days in a row.

The city’s people lived almost entirely shrouded in mountain mist, and it was one of the most celebrated martial cities in the Great Li martial world.

The reason was simple. Above Yun City stood a mountain called Yuming Mountain, and on Yuming Mountain lived a Great Li Martial Saint, Mu Tianxing.

A mountain may not be tall, but if the right person lives there, it will be renowned.

The number of those who could be called Martial Saints throughout the martial world did not exceed fifteen, and the entire Great Li martial world had only two.

As for the second, that one was said to still be only a rumor. It was only known that the person seemed to have some connection to the Great Li imperial family, but who exactly this second Martial Saint was and where they could be found was something no one in the Great Li martial world had been able to say with any certainty.

And so Martial Saint Mu Tianxing had become the only Martial Saint that the general public knew could actually be found.

People of the martial world held the Martial Saint in deepest reverence and admiration, and so Yun City drew martial world figures from every direction.

Some came hoping to become Mu Tianxing’s disciples and train under him in the supreme martial arts.Others went to great lengths to seek an audience with him, wanting to see the legendary Martial Saint in person.

And some came from a thousand li away with the specific intention of challenging Mu Tianxing to a duel, to compete for the title of Martial Saint.

...

”So Yun City has gathered martial world figures from every direction, and no shortage of truly formidable martial artists among them.”

”That said, Mu Tianxing closed the mountain to visitors quite a long time ago, and the entire martial world has seen no sign of him for nearly ten years. Almost everyone who has come to this city has gone away empty-handed.”

Inside the carriage, Shen Anran was filling Li Musheng in on Yun City’s background.

They had taken a different route back to the capital, and this journey happened to pass through the city.

Since they had been traveling continuously over the past days, eating and sleeping on the road without much proper rest, they planned to spend the night here to recover before continuing back to Shangyang City.

Li Musheng lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside for a moment. He had to admit it felt like fate, arriving without any particular intention at the domain of a Martial Saint.

The big black cat beside him had both paws propped on the carriage window and was also looking outside with its back arched.

The entire city of Yun City was thick with drifting mist. White fog poured into the carriage, causing the big black cat to narrow its green eyes and let out a meow.

In just that short time, its entire coat of fur had been dampened by the mist.

Li Musheng glanced at it, shoved it to one side, then let the curtain fall.

In the days since, he had given some thought to the big black cat and the Hidden Kill Order, but had yet to make any meaningful progress. For the most part the cat still served mainly as something to pet.

”Your Highness, I just had a look around. This appears to be the largest inn in Yun City. We could stay here for the night.”

Cao Gaoshan’s voice came from outside the carriage, and he drew back on the reins to bring the horses to a gradual stop.

At those words, Li Musheng and Shen Anran stepped down from the carriage.

The inn before them had ornately carved beams and was impressively grand, with a gilded plaque bearing the four characters ”Cloud Arrival Inn” above the entrance, and no fewer than three sets of doors for guests to pass through.

The people coming and going were almost all martial world figures with blades and swords at their sides, and most of them dressed in fine silk and brocade, clearly people who were not short of money.

The moment their carriage stopped, a sharp-eyed server came hurrying out of the inn to greet them.

It was obvious at a glance that Li Musheng and Shen Anran were a handsome young man and beautiful woman dressed in fine clothing, the kind of guests who would not be short of silver.

”Will the gentleman be dining or lodging?”

The inn server greeted them with a face full of smiles, going out of his way to be attentive.

At those words, Shen Anran, composed and composed, replied with crisp efficiency, ”Three of your best rooms, and a private dining room. Set out good food and wine.”

”Also, have someone feed the horses. Good feed, if you please.”

She pointed at the carriage as she finished, then produced a silver ingot and tossed it to the server.

At those words, the big black cat leaped out of the carriage behind them, and its green eyes moved from Shen Anran to Cao Gaoshan.

The look it wore seemed to be saying that if even the coachman got a room, surely a cat this large deserved one too.

Shen Anran, however, did not spare it a glance, and simply gestured for the server to lead the way.

The server caught the silver, gave it a squeeze, and broke into a broad grin, nodding and bowing repeatedly, ”You may rest assured, Miss. I will see to every detail.”

He then glanced at the big black cat with mild curiosity and led Li Musheng’s party of three inside the inn, calling to another worker to go and deal with the carriage outside.

At the same time, just as they entered, another figure stepped through the door of the Cloud Arrival Inn behind them.

But the reception this person received was quite different from Li Musheng’s group.

One of the inn’s servers darted forward with quick eyes and quicker feet, blocking the way with an expression of unmistakable distaste, ”Where do you think you are going? Out, out!”

The arrival was a young woman, carrying a small pack on her back. She wore green robes, but was dusty from travel, her clothing covered in dirt, and her face and hair equally filthy.

Yun City’s air was heavy with mist and moisture, and the dampness had mixed with the dust on the woman’s body, making her look even more unkempt, as though she had just crawled out of a mud puddle.

”I have money. I want something to eat.”

The green-robed woman stopped in her tracks, fixed the server who was wrinkling his nose at her with a steady gaze, and said plainly.

At those words, the server squinted at her appraisingly, clearly hesitating.

But for an inn in the business of serving guests, making money still came first.

And so the server endured his obvious disgust and said, ”The Cloud Arrival Inn is not cheap. Show me your money first.”

The green-robed woman had nothing to say to that. She swung her small pack down, reached inside with one hand, and rummaged around.

Very quickly she produced a small piece of broken silver and about ten copper coins, spread them flat in her palm for the server to see, and asked evenly, ”Will this be enough?”

At the sight, the server’s brow knitted tightly, and his expression shifted from disdain to outright irritation, ”Out, out, out! That will not even buy you a bowl of vegetables. Do not dirty our floors and chairs.”

He then moved to push the bedraggled woman toward the exit.

A brief flash of indignation crossed the green-robed woman’s face, but her eyes stayed cool and steady, and she said earnestly, ”I robbed several groups of bandits for this money. They just happened to all be poorer than each other, so this is all there was when you add it together.”

She then asked the server to make an exception for her.

This green-robed woman was, naturally, the Falling God Peak grandmaster’s martial uncle.

When she had fled Falling God Peak, she had felt a little embarrassed about taking things from the sect, so she had left empty-handed.

And so on her journey she had been eating one meal and going without the next, sustaining herself mainly by robbing the occasional bandit and thief she came across on the road.

But bandits these days were extremely lean pickings, and beyond that, she had given away most of what she took to help impoverished people she passed along the way.

This was all that remained of her savings.

The server, however, had no interest in Ji Qingcheng’s appeals, and just kept grumbling as he tried to push her back out the door.

Right at that moment, the big black cat walking ahead of Li Musheng turned its head and caught a barely perceptible glance at Ji Qingcheng, who was on the verge of being thrown out.

Then those green eyes began to spin, and it immediately reached out a paw and tugged at the hem of Li Musheng’s robe a few times.

Li Musheng glanced sidelong at the big black cat at his feet, narrowing his eyes, ”What is it? Is she someone you know?”

At those words, the big black cat let out a few meows and began making gestures with its paw.

Li Musheng studied it with a thoughtful look, then turned to look back.

At that moment the server was still pushing the filthy young woman repeatedly, having already shoved her halfway out the inn door.

”Put whatever she orders on our tab.”

Li Musheng turned back to the server leading them and said this casually.

At those words, the server immediately turned and looked at Li Musheng, then at Ji Qingcheng outside the door.

Though a flash of clear reluctance was visible in his eyes, he immediately assembled a pleasant expression, ”The young gentleman is most kind. I will see to it right away.”

He then walked briskly outside and said a few words to another server.

After that the other server’s manner noticeably improved, and he said coldly to Ji Qingcheng, who he had just pushed out, ”Lucky for you. Come around to the back courtyard and wash off that grime. Then I will get you something to eat.”

Having passed on the instructions, the server returned and continued leading Li Musheng’s group toward the private room upstairs.

”Young gentleman, is there something particular about that woman?”

Shen Anran had taken it all in, and her eyes shifted slightly as she asked Li Musheng with mild curiosity.

Li Musheng, however, simply shrugged, then gestured at the big black cat picking its way up the stairs ahead of them, ”That would be a question for the cat.”

At those words, the big black cat tilted its head and glanced at Shen Anran, but clearly had no intention of explaining itself.

And even if it did, the other party might not understand.

At that point, the server who had been observing the unusual grouping of three people and a cat for a moment tried to make polite conversation, ”Are the young gentleman and Miss also in Yun City on account of the Martial Saint?”

At those words, Shen Anran shook her head, ”Not at all. We are simply passing through.”

As she said this she glanced at the server, then thought for a moment and asked, ”Has there been anything significant going on in the martial world recently?”

At those words, the server’s face took on a faint air of pride. The question had hit right in his area of expertise.

After all, in a place like the Cloud Arrival Inn, dealing every day with martial world figures from every corner of the world, he had naturally picked up a great deal of information from their conversations.

”The biggest thing happening in the Great Li martial world right now would naturally be Falling God Peak...”

The server was just about to tell Li Musheng’s group about Falling God Peak’s destruction when, as the group arrived at the upper floor, they were interrupted by a thunderous voice booming from the private room next door, loud as a roar.

”Falling God Peak was wiped out in a single night by the Great Li Eighth Prince leading the Tianjin Guards! The battle was fierce enough to blot out the sun and moon! As for those nine peaks of Falling God Peak, His Highness the Eighth Prince personally slapped each one flat, one palm per peak, turning the whole lot to rubble in no time at all!”

At those words, sounds of astonishment came from within the private room, but there was also skepticism, ”Is that not a bit over the top? You speak as though you were there yourself.”

But then came a sharp crack as the big man slapped the table hard, making the nearby floorboards shake, ”What is that supposed to mean? My good sworn brother serves right there in the Great Li Tianjin Guards, and his sworn brother personally took part in the battle to destroy Falling God Peak.”

”My good sworn brother’s sworn brother sent word of it directly to my good sworn brother, and my good sworn brother told me in person. How is that any different from seeing it with my own eyes?”

At those words, the private room went briefly quiet, then erupted into noise, with people exclaiming one after another.

Everyone was surprised and envious to learn that the big man had some connection to the Great Li Tianjin Guards, and flattering remarks began to pour in from all sides.

The server who had been cut off by the big man made no attempt to continue his account. Instead he led Li Musheng’s group to their private room and got them settled while listening to the bluster going on in the neighboring room.

”Honestly, ever since the Great Li Tianjin Guards destroyed Falling God Peak, its reputation in the martial world has been enormous. You have all kinds of people trying to claim some connection to it.”

The server muttered this under his breath, then looked toward Shen Anran, ”If the young Miss is curious about any other news, please feel free to ask. Otherwise I will take my leave now, and the food and wine will be brought up shortly.”

Shen Anran glanced at Li Musheng. Li Musheng’s expression was perfectly normal. He rubbed his chin, looked at the server, and asked, ”You sound like you are not particularly fond of the Tianjin Guards.”

At those words, the server immediately waved his hands in denial, ”How could I dare? The Tianjin Guards wiped out even Falling God Peak. Crushing someone like me would be no different from crushing an ant.”

At that, Li Musheng raised an eyebrow and said, ”The Tianjin Guards is just the Tianjin Guards. What is there to be afraid of? From what I know, there are still three top-tier sects in the martial world, and they would certainly have come up with a response after learning that the Tianjin Guards destroyed Falling God Peak.”

At those words, the server studied Li Musheng carefully for a moment, and concluded the man did not look like someone from the court.

He glanced to both sides, then lowered his voice, ”The young gentleman is actually right. Just yesterday I heard some Alliance Under Heaven people talking over drinks. The three great sects are apparently close to forming an alliance to stand against the Great Li court together. They are also very likely to seek assistance from the other four nations.”

At that point the server seemed to feel he had said enough, and immediately fell silent, bowed, and withdrew.

Cao Gaoshan, sitting at the table, furrowed his brow slightly and looked at Li Musheng, ”Your Highness, from the sound of it, the other three sects are genuinely afraid now that the Tianjin Guards has destroyed Falling God Peak.”

His expression then turned grave, ”An alliance of three sects was predictable, but the three sects inviting the wolves in and seeking the other four nations’ involvement is a matter of real consequence. It cannot be taken lightly.”

At those words, Li Musheng glanced at Cao Gaoshan and waved a hand, ”Do not worry yourself this much. When the sky falls, the tallest person holds it up. What has that got to do with us?”