Lord of the Desert

Chapter 575 Unrivaled in Primordial Form, Supreme Among Those in the Same Realm

At 9:00 AM, a messenger from the Commandant's Office came to the inn to confirm the meeting time.

At noon, Hou Jinshuang burned incense, bathed, tied her hair in front of the mirror, put on gorgeous clothes and jewelry, and made sure that her whole outfit was flawless.

This time, instead of carrying a large bow, he took out a straight knife with a wooden sheath from a wooden box wrapped in black cloth.

The knife was drawn three inches from its sheath with a resounding clang, revealing the silver-plated inscription at the base of the blade.

Three feet of water.

Afterwards, Jin Shuang calmed herself down, returned the sword to its sheath, and hung it at her waist.

A quarter of an hour later, he followed the guards into the Beacon Tower Commandant's residence.

The buildings inside the mansion were old and unremarkable, just like the outside. They were mostly crudely constructed from heavy, thermally inert materials such as bricks, stones, and adobe bricks. The doors and windows were narrow, and the roofs were steeply sloped, making them far less magnificent and beautiful than the capital city of Zhaohua in Hejian.

After racking her brains, Jin Shuang could only come up with one good phrase: "occupies a large area".

After all, the northern Xinjiang region lacks everything except space.

After passing the drill ground, the main hall came into view.

Afterwards, Jin Shuang's expression turned slightly serious, and she couldn't help but activate her Heavenly Eye.

Compared to other places, the layout here is quite unique.

The stone path underfoot is newly renovated, using black gold sand quartz produced in Canglang Mountain, Liangzhou. At first glance, it is nothing special, but upon closer inspection, one can discover that the deep black is dotted with countless dark gold stardust.

In front of the hall, two small flowerbeds were arranged with three kinds of flowers characteristic of Xijing: pink and purple bitter sea dahlias, golden and purple lover peonies, and red and gold-edged celestial chrysanthemums. The climate of Fengsui City is very different from that of Xijing, and the continuous maintenance of these delicate flowers is indispensable for the wood element warriors to keep them alive.

Besides the flowers and stones, the courtyard floor is paved with pure red soil, a specialty of Kuaiye Mountain, which corresponds to the surname "Hong" of the owner's family; and the newly replaced nanmu pillars outside the hall have iron cores inserted inside, presumably to enhance their performance.

Later, Jin Shuang learned more about Hong Fan and discovered that he was extremely wealthy and his business spanned the entire Liangzhou region.

But these things couldn't possibly be his work.

First, it would be difficult for a crude and uncouth local strongman to cultivate such a low-key and elegant aesthetic; second, designing and implementing these details would not only be expensive but also require a lot of effort, and it is hard to imagine that a military and political leader with outstanding martial arts skills would have such leisure and refined taste.

[This must have been the work of the Shen family's daughter, right?]

Later, Jin Shuang thought to herself.

[It is said that this "most beautiful woman in the world" abandoned the prosperous Xijing in pursuit of Hong Fan and moved to the desolate Fengsui City.]

He couldn't suppress his envy, but forcibly held it back.

"Reporting to the captain..."

The guards called out the names loudly.

Jin Shuang then strode into the hall and saw Hong Fan rise from his seat to greet her.

"I have long heard of the great name of 'Shooting Sound' from Hejian, and indeed he is a man of imposing stature!"

Its sound is like the tolling of a bell, cheerful and natural.

When Jin Shuang looked up, she saw that the person who came was tall and upright, with beautiful eyebrows and a sculpted nose and forehead. He was dressed in a bright red brocade robe, and a dark blue jade hairpin was inserted in his black hair. When he walked, the dark patterns on his clothes flowed like water ripples, which was very beautiful.

[He's already at the top of the list of geniuses, yet he's still so handsome. It's unbelievable...]

Later, Jin Shuang secretly thought to herself.

Young men from noble families value etiquette above all else; even if their hearts are aching, they must force a dignified smile.

"I am overjoyed to see my elder brother in person today!"

He strode forward, solemnly shook hands with Hong Fan, and nodded to Lü Yunshi, who was accompanying him.

"The arrival of the young master should have been a grand banquet hosted by all the city's elites. The simple tea served was not an intentional neglect."

Lu Yunshi explained with a smile.

"The great battle has just ended, and our army is extremely busy. The captains are working non-stop, and they are still reviewing documents during their lunch breaks."

"It's alright, I just arrived unexpectedly."

Then Jin Shuang smiled and waved her hand.

"When I arrived in Lin Yuan City, I saw a joyous atmosphere in the streets and alleys. I asked around and learned that the Chi Sha Army had won a great victory at Xuan Dan Fort. It is said that firearms played a key role in this battle?"

"Exactly! Under the barrage of our artillery fire, ordinary giants are utterly powerless to resist. In the past few days, all the armies of the Left Guard have sent messengers to convey their intention to purchase, and the military officers of the Shengyu Army and the Liangzhou Camp who previously accompanied our army have all rushed back to report!"

This question hit Lü Yunshi right where it hurt, and he answered with great enthusiasm.

[Sheng Yujun, by the way, Princess Xiande is also said to favor Hong Fan.]

Then Jin Shuang suddenly remembered a well-documented rumor, and felt even more uneasy.

[Damn it, this person is outrageous...]

After exchanging pleasantries, Hong Fan inquired about the war between Hejian Kingdom and Juling.

The strategies and tactics of both sides, the giant spirit's formation, the recent advance of the battle lines, and even the details of the battle between Zhi Qiu and Tie Zun a hundred years ago before Zhi Qiu became a Martial Saint... Jin Shuang answered them one by one. Seeing the other party's relaxed smile, she was puzzled.

I was clearly carrying a weapon during my visit; surely he could guess my intentions?

[Impossible. We're both top-ranked talents, why would I travel all the way to Fengsui City to find him?]

Does he not consider me a rival at all?

Jin Shuang's posture tightened slightly afterward.

[No, my heart is in turmoil again... How can Hong Fan, a mere figurehead, put so much pressure on me?]

But he quickly cut off these useless emotions.

Something big is about to happen.

Later, Jin Shuang recalled her arduous cultivation since childhood, her ambition at the age of fifteen, and the resounding reputation she earned after being listed on the Heavenly Pride List at the age of nineteen.

The term "shooting sound" signifies "the sound of the arrow being heard when it is released, and the target being hit even when it is not seen," which is an extremely high praise for archery skills.

After that, he abandoned his bow and switched to a sword, secretly practicing the top-tier swordsmanship that his clan had acquired at great expense.

Ten years of sharpening a sword, Frost Blade has never tried.

The fighting spirit, like water, hangs on the tip of the blade, condensed but not dripping.

All that remains is for the silver bottle to shatter.

Hou Jinshuang sat upright, her hand on the hilt of her sword, intending to reveal the truth and request a fight, but then a series of chaotic footsteps came from outside.

"Captain, Lord Kou Yongkou, the Sima of the Central Guard General's Office, has arrived!"

The guard announced loudly.

[So it turns out the top scorer from seven years ago has arrived; no wonder they had to announce it now.]

Later, Jin Shuang thought to herself.

[It would be perfect to have him witness this battle.]

"I am seeing a guest, please wait a moment, Brother Kou."

Hong Fan frowned slightly.

The name of Liu Yun Kou Yong doesn't work so well for him.

"Captain, Lord Kou said he brought a message from the General and a stone plaque personally carved by him."

The guard, sweat beading on his forehead, forced a smile and said.

Jin Shuang was secretly alarmed.

There is only one general in the Northern Frontier without a prefix, and that is "Tian Zhao Hai" Kou Fei.

It would be presumptuous of us not to receive the messages and gifts from the celestial beings of the Three Realms.

The guards came and went.

Soon, a large group of people followed Kou Yong over, all there to watch the spectacle—after all, they had brought the plaque, which was clearly an award.

If we don't gather more people at this time, how can the captain feel at ease?
A huge stone plaque, more than six meters long, was carried in by Kou Yong himself, with eight large characters written on it.

[Unrivaled in its innate nature, supreme among its peers.]

The handwriting is simple and profound, with fingerprints faintly visible in the strokes, indicating that it was indeed personally carved.

Then Kou Yong recited Kou Fei's message in a melodious tone.

"The beacon fires signal that you have led your elite troops to break through the Xuan Dan Fortress. You have achieved this feat in twenty-four years, enough to chill the enemy's heart. Looking at the banners, I think of the young heroes. Take good care of yourself and wait for further news."

[No equal, yet revered...]

The word "respect" has always been reserved for Grandmasters of Yuan Magnetic Arts.

After repeatedly reading the inscription on the plaque, Jin Shuang realized that it was created by celestial beings from the Three Realms, and her heart swelled with even greater emotion.

[This is what a man should do! 】

If I defeat him this time, all the glory and praise will come my way...

"Commander Kou, I have received your letter. Please take this plaque from the General back with you."

Hong Fan laughed.

He knew that Zhenbeiwei was not wealthy, and that Kou Fei, the old man, probably wanted to save on material rewards by making this plaque.

These words stunned everyone present.

(End of this chapter)