One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Chapter 54 Wang Ai, Lu Ci

Just as tensions were rising and conflict was about to erupt—

"stop!"

An old yet powerful voice, carrying an undeniable authority, boomed like thunder at the end of the corridor!

The crowd parted like a tide, making way for the two elderly men, who walked slowly, accompanied by several imposing and clearly skilled attendants.

The man on the left is of a plump build, dressed in a dark red Tang suit with floral patterns, and leans on a sandalwood cane carved with a ferocious dragon head. He has a round face and always wears a kind and amiable smile, but his squinting eyes occasionally flash with a shrewd and sharp light—he is none other than Wang Ai, one of the Ten Elders.

The man on the right is tall and thin, wearing a blue robe. He has a gaunt face, a hooked nose, and thin lips. The most striking feature is the hideous scar on his face, which runs diagonally from his left forehead across his brow bone and cheek to the corner of his mouth, like a twisted centipede, adding a touch of ruthlessness to his already sharp temperament. He is one of the Ten Elders, "Mad Dog" Lü Ci.

It was Wang Ai who had just shouted the order. He walked up and glared fiercely at the bald, scarred man. He slammed his dragon-headed cane heavily on the ground with a dull thud: "You bastards! I told you to 'invite' Brother Nie and young Brother Zhang Chulan over for a chat, who told you to resort to violence?! What kind of work are you doing? Don't you know any manners?! Go back to the punishment hall and get thirty lashes!"

Upon hearing this, the bald man with the scarred face and the other three men in black broke out in a cold sweat, immediately bowing and repeatedly saying, "Yes, sir! We know our mistake!"

Lu Ci then spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and dry, like sandpaper rubbing together: "I am Lu Ci, and this is Old Master Wang Ai. We two old men wanted to have a chat with you two young men. What, you won't even give us this much face?"

He said "I'm giving you face," but his eyes and tone revealed a condescending and unyielding force. It wasn't a discussion; it was an announcement.

The whispers around them grew louder:

"Wang Ai! Lü Ci! Two of the Ten Elders have actually come in person?!"

"Just who are Nie Lingfeng and Zhang Chulan? They've managed to attract their attention?"

"Oh no, oh no, being targeted by these two, what good can come of it? Looks like I'm in deep trouble..."

"Shh... Keep your voice down, don't get yourself into trouble!"

Nie Lingfeng looked at the two old foxes in front of him, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop, and sneered inwardly.

The Feast at Hongmen. A classic Feast at Hongmen.

"Say what you have to say here," Nie Lingfeng said calmly, without the slightest hint of emotion. "The sunlight is just right, and the air is fresh; it's perfect for a chat."

Lu Ci's face suddenly darkened, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Brother Nie, what we need to discuss concerns Brother Zhang Chulan's grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi, the Jia Shen Rebellion, and the Eight Extraordinary Techniques! Are you sure... you want to announce this publicly here, in front of so many bystanders?"

"What?!" Zhang Chulan trembled violently, as if struck by lightning! He abruptly raised his head, looking at Lü Ci in disbelief, then at Wang Ai, and finally at Nie Lingfeng. His lips trembled slightly, his eyes filled with shock, longing, fear, and a barely perceptible pleading, "Brother Feng... I..."

Nie Lingfeng sighed inwardly.

He had known all along that this would happen according to the plot. But seeing Zhang Chulan's sudden loss of composure, as if grasping at a straw yet fearing a trap, he couldn't help but feel a little soft-hearted. This usually cunning and slippery guy, who was also loyal and righteous in crucial moments, ultimately couldn't let go of his grandfather's past.

"Alright." Nie Lingfeng finally nodded, his tone still calm. "Since this concerns Chu Lan's grandfather, then... please lead the way, gentlemen."

Lu Ci's expression softened slightly, and he stepped aside, saying, "Please."

The group, in a grand procession, left the bustling area under the watchful eyes of countless people, heading towards the more secluded and tranquil depths of the back mountain of Longhu Mountain.

Nie Lingfeng walked in the middle of the group, seemingly keeping his eyes straight ahead, but his right hand quietly slipped into his pocket and grasped the old Nokia phone. Relying on muscle memory and the feel of his fingertips, he silently and quickly typed a line of text in his pocket:

"Third and fourth brothers have been 'invited' by Wang Ai and Lü Ci to 'reminisce' about the past. The location is an unknown courtyard in the direction of the back mountain. Come quickly. —Ling Feng"

Press the send button with your thumb. Recipients: Xu San, Xu Si.

Hopefully they will see this message in time.

Lü Ci and Wang Ai led them to an extremely secluded and independent courtyard in the back mountain. The courtyard was not large, but it was very exquisitely decorated, with white walls and gray tiles, a moon gate, an exquisite rockery, a pool of flowing water flowing through it, several ancient pine trees, and flowers and trees providing shade. The environment was elegant and refined, clearly a place specially used to receive distinguished guests.

Upon entering the main hall, guests and hosts took their seats.

Wang Ai naturally took the main seat in the grand chair, with Lü Ci to his left. Nie Lingfeng and Zhang Chulan were seated as guests on the right. The four men in black stood like gatekeepers on either side of the hall entrance, completely blocking the exit. Several other attendants, with more restrained auras and sharper eyes, were silently scattered along the outer corridor.

A young boy dressed as a Taoist apprentice entered with his head bowed, offering four cups of fragrant tea. He then bowed again and withdrew, gently closing the door behind him.

With a creak, the heavy wooden door slammed shut, shutting out most of the light and sound from the outside world. The hall suddenly became dark and quiet, with only a few rays of light shining through the carved window, illuminating the fine dust floating in the air.

"Have some tea, have some tea." Wang Ai picked up her teacup first, smiling as she gestured. "This is 'Yunwu Lingya,' a specialty of Longhu Mountain. Only a few kilograms are produced each year. The Old Celestial Master specially brought it out to entertain our distinguished guests. Try it; the taste is refreshing and sweet, quite good."

Nie Lingfeng picked up the celadon teacup in front of him, brought it to his nose and took a gentle sniff. The tea's fragrance was delicate and refreshing. However, he only smelled it for a moment before putting it back on the tea table beside him without drinking it.

Zhang Chulan also picked up his teacup, but his fingers trembled slightly uncontrollably, causing ripples to spread across the clear tea inside. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"Gentlemen," Nie Lingfeng leaned back slightly, his gaze calmly fixed on the person in the main seat, "the tea has been served and the door is closed. What is it? Let's get straight to the point."

Wang Ai and Lü Ci exchanged a glance.

Lu Ci set down his teacup, the porcelain bottom clinking against the mahogany tea table with a crisp "ding." His hawk-like gaze fixed on Zhang Chulan, and he spoke slowly, his voice exceptionally clear in the silent hall: "Zhang Chulan. Regarding your grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi… how much do you… truly know about the events surrounding the Jia Shen Rebellion, the secrets he knew?"

Zhang Chulan gripped the teacup tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white. He raised his head to meet Lü Ci's gaze, his voice a little dry: "I know... he's one of the 'Thirty-Six Thieves.' I know... he possesses one of the 'Eight Extraordinary Techniques,' the 'Qi Body Source Flow.' Other than that... Grandpa... he didn't tell me anything."

"Then do you want to know?" Wang Ai continued, her round face beaming with a smile, but her eyes darted across Zhang Chulan's face like searchlights. "Want to know why your grandfather betrayed Longhu Mountain back then? Want to know what he went through? Want to know what kind of extraordinary technique the 'Qi Body Source Flow' really is? Want to know... why he ended up like that?"

Zhang Chulan's heart pounded wildly, and he almost blurted out, "Yes! Of course I want to!"

"We can tell you," Lü Ci's voice was low and seductive. "We'll tell you everything. We'll tell you the truth about the Jia Shen Rebellion, the secret your grandfather carried, and even... the whereabouts of the other 'Thirty-Six Traitors' descendants."

Zhang Chulan's breathing suddenly quickened, and a strong light of desire shone in his eyes.

But Lü Ci changed his tone abruptly, becoming cold and hard: "However, there are conditions."

"What are the conditions?" Zhang Chulan's voice trembled slightly.

"Hand over the complete inheritance of the 'Qi Body Source Flow'." Lü Ci spoke each word slowly and deliberately, like a heavy hammer blow. "And everything else your grandfather Zhang Huaiyi might have left you. Notebooks, tokens, even just a single sentence."

Zhang Chulan's expression changed drastically, and he shook his head violently: "I didn't... Grandpa didn't leave me anything! Qi Source Flow? I have no idea what that is! I..."

"You do." Wang Ai interrupted him with a smile, her voice still gentle, yet carrying an undeniable certainty. "Chu Lan, you're still young, some things can't be hidden. Who is Zhang Huaiyi? Since he chose to hide you for so many years, how could he leave you with nothing? That 'Qi Body Source Flow' is a miraculous technique that seizes the creation of heaven and earth. Even if he didn't have time to teach you everything, he must have left behind key clues or inheritance marks. And there are some 'souvenirs' that he took from certain places back then."

He paused, his smile deepening, but his eyes growing colder: "Chu Lan, listen to my advice. Some things are too heavy for a young person like you to bear or protect. Possessing a treasure is a crime! Your grandfather is a cautionary tale. Hand it over to our Wang and Lü families for safekeeping. We can guarantee your safety, allow you to live a peaceful life, and even… help you uncover all the grudges your grandfather committed. This deal is a sure win for you."

Zhang Chulan gritted his teeth, his face pale, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, and his hand holding the teacup trembled even more violently. He lowered his eyes, staring intently at the tea swirling in the cup, and said nothing more.

Nie Lingfeng, who had been silent all along, suddenly chuckled, leaned forward slightly, rested his elbows on his knees, and looked at Wang Ai and Lü Ci with a hint of amusement in his voice: "Gentlemen, your scheme is quite something... I could hear it coming from outside the mountains. Is this... a deal? Or... a threat?"

"Young friend Nie, your words are quite hurtful," Wang Ai shook his head, looking heartbroken. "We're helping Chu Lan, we're thinking of him, and we're trying to avert a potential death for him! Brother Huaiyi made quite a few enemies back then. What kind of situation will Chu Lan face if the news of him possessing the Qi Source Flow is confirmed? We're valuing talent, we're protecting a junior!"

"Oh? For Chu Lan's sake?" Nie Lingfeng's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes sharpened. "Then I'd like to ask, is it better for Chu Lan, for the spirit of Senior Huaiyi, or... for your Wang and Lü families to entrust the 'Qi Body Source Flow' and Senior Huaiyi's relics to your Wang and Lü families for safekeeping?"

A cold glint flashed in Lü Ci's eyes, and he slammed his hand on the coffee table beside him!

"Snapped!"

The hard rosewood coffee table made a crisp sound, and a tiny crack appeared on the surface! He shouted angrily, "Nie Lingfeng! This is none of your business! We're looking for Zhang Chulan to discuss his family's private affairs! What right do you, an outsider, have to interrupt?!"

Upon hearing the sound, the men in black on either side of the hall door immediately turned around with a "whoosh," their hands on their waists, their eyes fixed on Nie Lingfeng like knives, exuding murderous intent!

Zhang Chulan was startled by this sudden turn of events and instinctively tried to stand up and smooth things over: "Grandpa Lü, please calm down. Brother Feng didn't mean it that way, he..."

"That's what I mean." Nie Lingfeng slowly stood up. He was tall and straight, and standing in the somewhat oppressive hall, he exuded a profound and imposing aura. He calmly met Lü Ci's eyes, which were almost spitting fire, and then swept his gaze over Wang Ai's seemingly kind but actually cold face.