The young man in black on the carriage shaft laughed and said, "Old man, next time you are lost in thought, please don't stop in the middle of the road."
With a flick of his right hand, the horsewhip traced a curve in the air, gently sweeping over the horse's body. Startled, the steed picked up its pace, pulling the carriage forward.
"Ding Song? What happened just now?"
A gentle female voice came from inside the carriage. A delicate hand as white as jade lifted the pale blue silk curtain, revealing half a cheek with affectionate eyes, dressed in turquoise robes, her bearing exceptionally extraordinary, seemingly not of this mundane world. The young man in black laughed heartily but didn't turn back, saying merely:
"It's nothing, an old man seemed to be deep in thought, standing in the middle of the road, so we stopped."
"It's windy outside, Mistress, please lower the door curtain."
The lady nodded, let down the pale blue silk curtain, and caught a fleeting glimpse of another eye, shining with the brilliance of a peerless jade, emitting a verdant light. The full visage was as blur as looking at flowers through the fog, indistinct, but the glimpsed contour was quite soft, suggesting extreme beauty.
The young man raised his whip again and called out softly.
The spirited horse neighed, and beneath its hooves, clouds and mist seemed to rise, as its speed increased by several notches, yet the carriage remained remarkably stable, speeding away and disappearing amidst the vast expanse of Fufeng County City.
Wang Anfeng and others, of course, had no knowledge of the exchange between the young man and the lady. Having finally returned to Fufeng County City, everyone felt a sense of relaxation, even Xue Qinshuang showed a noticeably slack expression on her face as they all rode towards the direction of Fufeng Academy.
They had set out from Fufeng County City at the beginning of June when the weather was hot, but now they had entered July.
The Book of Poetry says: "In July, the fire flows."
With the great stars moving westward, summer gives way to autumn, cooling the air.
But no matter the changing seasons, Fufeng County City remained as ever, and Fufeng Academy stood quietly in its original place, watching the world change.
Before stepping into the Academy, Wang Anfeng turned to look west.
The hundred-zhang-tall tower stood tall in his view, with golden bells and red silk hanging under the eaves, swaying in the wind. Because of the direction, he couldn't see the other side with the character "Fu" inscribed, but its grandeur remained undiminished.
The Great Qin's Fufeng, Fu Character Tower.
Wang Anfeng squinted slightly, and in his mind, he again recalled that time at Qingfeng Edge when senior Jiu Zizai held a giant wine pot in one hand, and with the other, he stretched out three fingers and waved them seriously in front of him.
'The third condition, the Great Qin's Fufeng County, the hundred-layered Fu Character Tower.'
'If you can reach the thirtieth floor, I will agree to it!'
In Fufeng County, there are two towers named Fu, each a hundred zhang tall, soaring into the sky.
The Wind Character Tower, taking its name from the idea of ascending with the wind.
The Fu Character Tower, on the other hand, symbolizes the principle of supporting the world under heaven.
During his travels, he had often pondered what might be inside the Fu Character Tower? What could support this world of Great Qin?
Baili Feng was already calling for him. Wang Anfeng closed his eyes, setting aside the distractions in his mind, turned, and entered the Fufeng Academy without another glance towards the towering Fu Character Tower. His steps were steady, without a trace of longing.
In an age where martial arts flourished, what could possibly support the world?
The young man asked himself.
Nothing but the single word – martial.
Combining what senior Jiu Zizai had said, it was clear that the Fu Character Tower contained some form of assessment for martial artists.
Being able to enter directly into the thirtieth floor must represent a kind of affirmation of a martial artist's strength.
If it had been before the mission to Qingfeng Edge, he might have been somewhat curious, wanting to see for himself how strong he had become, to witness the depth of Great Qin Fufeng's foundation, and discern the extent of his own abilities, but now he no longer harbored such thoughts.
In the short span of one month, he had rushed for thousands of miles and escaped from the claws of death.
He had faced the pursuit of Seventh Rank Martial Artists with trepidation in his heart.
He had also experienced the profound and unpredictable swordplay of the Sword Saint, watched the white-clad maiden play her sword and produce a clear whistle, causing a hundred swords to resonate in long, clear echoes.
He had seen Jiu Zizai, an Upper Third Rank Grandmaster, dispatch a move casually, his martial arts cultivation immeasurable.
He had witnessed the Scholar carrying a coffin with a blood saber, and the Great Elder waving his sleeve to drink wine, flicking his finger casually.
And with that, he shattered the sky and the radiance of clouds for three thousand miles.
A year ago in Great Liang Village, he had just begun his cultivation, swallowing elixirs while sitting in meditation, practicing Inner Strength, carrying a weight of a thousand pounds, and breaking trees with his fists. He had diligently practiced daily, thinking himself hardworking, believing that perfecting Shaolin Changquan to an endless cycle and cultivating his Inner Strength to flow through all meridians was already quite formidable.
In his eyes at that time, these seemed like towering peaks.
But after climbing the mountain with much difficulty, what he saw from the peak were towering mountains and high snow plains, clouds steaming and mists rising, presenting a new world, grand and boundless. The high mountain he originally considered was merely a low hill.
The storms of Jianghu are fierce.
The responsibility is heavy, and the path long.
Wang Anfeng pursed his lips and resolved in his heart that he must cultivate to the rank of a Seventh Rank Martial Artist before he would enter the Fu Character Tower again.
After entering the Academy, they walked together for about seven or eight minutes. Master Fu Mo stopped, said a few words to encourage frequent visits to him, and then, unable to wait any longer, took hold of his magnificent horse and headed eastward.
The steed from Qingfeng Edge was originally impressive, with not a single stray hair on its body, pristine as the accumulated snow of Heavenly Mountain. Ordinary disciples of Qingfeng Edge traveled the world with beautiful ladies and exceptional horses enhancing each other's presence, a truly complementary sight.
But at that moment, both sides of the horse were bound with thick hemp ropes laden with materials, and a slovenly old man led it by the reins. From behind, it seemed no different from the cart horses used by ordinary families to carry firewood.
Wang Anfeng and the others watched Fu Mo disappear into the distance and then went their separate ways. Tuoba Yue and Xue Qinshuang returned to their lodgings at the Academy, while Baili Feng had to visit his Master.
Wang Anfeng first took the Green-Maned Horse back to his own cabin, filled the manger with fine fodder, soybeans, and eggs, before heading towards the Wind Character Tower to report to Elder Ren that the books had been delivered.
Looking at the scenery around him, he felt a sense of nostalgia and relaxation.
Fufeng County City, Great General's Mansion.
Under Emperor Qin's command, Yu Wenze, one of the Seventy-Two Pillars of the States, stationed to quell Fufeng County, was at this dwelling. He held a weapon in hand, casually practicing a set of spear techniques. With his level of martial arts cultivation, he no longer cared for the specifics of techniques, simply following his heart's desires, his prowess no less than those of superior martial skills in Jianghu.
Suddenly, an armored man strode into the courtyard. He stopped outside, knelt on one leg, cupped his fist in salute, and kept his eyes lowered, not daring to look at Yu Wenze, but spoke loudly:
"Reporting to the General, the group from Fufeng Academy has returned to the County City."
At these words, Yu Wenze's eyes slightly narrowed.
PS: Here is today's second update.
Thanks to fisher the slow fisherman for the generous reward...
I will definitely repay the additional updates (shout out).