Lord of the Desert

Chapter 578 Bondage
The tenth day of August.

Thirty li north of Fengsui City.

The vast sky and meadows stretch out; the mountains at the horizon hold up the blue sky, wearing white-topped hats.

Hong Fan had not ridden a horse for two months since the Battle of Xuandan Fort. He was so busy with affairs that he didn't even have time to go to the stable. Today, he and his servant were out together for the first time. He listened to the light snorting sound and kept stroking the short and soft fur on Hongqi's neck.

Silky smooth to the touch, a gentle swipe across the skin;

Just like the bygone days in Jinhai and Xijing.

The tiger-eating beast strolled along the green path, and a few steps away was a dragon-horse with an even more magnificent physique.

Xiao Chu, reunited with his family after a long separation, rode on his horse.

She wore a sky-blue military uniform after the rain, casually holding the reins. Her long hair was combed and braided into a thick braid, which was then coiled upwards and secured at the top with a plain silver hairpin, forming a neat bun.

Longma was slightly faster and was half a body length ahead.

Hong Fan turned his head and gazed at her, noticing that there was nothing superfluous or untied behind her neck, except for a few strands of new hair that stood out from the others, shimmering with the faint golden light of the sun.

In the thirty-fourth year of Zhenghe, Xiao Chu was thirty-one years old. He was more composed and reserved than when the two first met, but martial arts had preserved his youth, and he still looked young and vigorous.

The maximum lifespan of a Xiantian martial artist is 120.

[By fifty, or sixty? People always get old...]

Hong Fan's thoughts wandered.

As the horses traveled deeper into the grassland, Hu Zhuang and the others, who had been ordered to wait in place, were already far out of sight.

The two exchanged a glance and dismounted in unison.

"You two are free to do as you please."

Xiao Chu waved his hand.

Longma and Hongqi went their separate ways. The former followed the tender and juicy grass, while the latter sharpened its teeth and rolled its eyes, eyeing the wild rabbit dozens of meters away.

The sky is clear, and the wind blows across the fields.

The grass carpet ripples gently, a truly delightful sight.

"This is my first time in Hezhou, northern Xinjiang. I was always worried that it would be cold and barren here."

Xiao Chu stretched, tiptoed around, and lifted her skirt.

"But I never expected the scenery to be so beautiful."

She smiled in the wind, her skin dazzlingly white.

"August is the best time for beacon fires."

Hong Fan replied that he felt relaxed after getting out of the busy schedule.

"But the winters here are truly harsh and merciless. In the months around the Lunar New Year, it's very difficult for every household to get water."

"Anything new happening in Shenjing?"

Seemingly not wanting to talk about anything too heavy, he changed the subject.

"too much."

Xiao Chu's smile widened.

"The capital city concerns the affairs of the world, and the affairs of the world converge in the capital city. There is never a moment of rest throughout the year."

"Speaking of which, there are many things related to you."

She walked with her hands behind her back, stepping on the soft grass.

"First, you gained great fame by conquering Xuandan Fortress two months ago, and then the Martial Arts Academy pressed the Qingheng Mo family step by step. This time, not only did the Central Plains Red Ribbon Cavalry mobilize in full force, but even the Three Star Lords such as Tai Su Yan and Su Ming Tong also joined the fray. Several core figures of the Mo family were exposed, and there were also collateral branches within the clan that spoke of splitting up the family and cutting ties. It was a huge uproar."

Hong Fan nodded.

He certainly knew about the passing of Mo Gong in February—Da Hua only had a few dozen Celestials, and any increase or decrease would inevitably cause a bloodbath—and taking advantage of someone's weakness to kill them was exactly Guan Qimai's style.

“The powerful families in Zhongzhou and even other states have many complaints about the headmaster, and there are countless memorials in the court impeaching him for his position in the Martial Academy.”

Xiao Chu sighed.

Hong Fan shook his head and chuckled.

The Martial Saint was unassailable; he could even imagine the old man Guan's reaction upon seeing those memorials.

"A bunch of useless trash, try crying yourself to death if you dare."

The red flag, which had stood frozen like a statue for a long time, suddenly accelerated and snatched the unsuspecting wild rabbit into its mouth, its sharp teeth grinding the flesh into a paste.

Tiger-eating beasts can eat grains, but they ultimately prefer meat.

"In addition, many of the top talents on the list have gathered in the capital. I had already counted more than ten before I came here."

Xiao Chu glanced at the contentedly wandering red flag and continued, "Is something important happening?"

Hong Fan asked.

"Because you're turning twenty-four soon."

Xiao Chu paused for a moment before replying with a smile.

"Have you forgotten yourself? You've held the top spot on the Prodigy Ranking for a full year and four months. In previous years, the top spot would have changed hands three times. Which young talent in the Nine Provinces doesn't covet the top position? It's just that your blazing star is too dazzling, making others feel it's superfluous to even try. When September 11th arrives, you, this annoying Yuan Magnetic Venerable, will finally leave. Aren't those below eager to try?"

"I see."

Hong Fan then realized what was happening.

He couldn't help but think of Hou Jinshuang, and the way that kid looked tense at first and then blank when he came to visit him.

Hong Fan knew all too well how important the list of outstanding talents was.

Li Heming, Hong Sheng, Su Peifeng, Cao Hanhai...

Countless talented individuals have striven for this cause, been swayed by it, and given up everything; they have risen and fallen because of it.

I was like that back then.

Hong Fan had seen the announcements posted many times—from Jinhai City, Xijing City, Duanli City, and Shenjing City—and every time the yellow notices were displayed, countless ambitious eyes would be fixed on them like daggers.

To compete for these one hundred positions, they racked their brains and exerted all their efforts, crawling along in a cocoon of honor, expectations, fame, and money, refusing to give way to one another.

As for the top of the list of geniuses, they are as high as the clouds and as heavy as mountains.

"Ah."

Hong Fan thought of this and laughed at the absurdity of it.

"So, is there anyone on the list that you particularly like?"

Xiao Chu inquired with great interest.

"The Hejian 'Shooting Sound' visited you two months ago?"

"Do not."

Hong Fan shook his head listlessly.

"I just feel that these kinds of ring fights don't really prove anything."

"You've certainly got the air of a master now."

Xiao Chu rolled her eyes, which was quite cute.

“You, the dignified Venerable Yuanci, can refer to yourself as ‘this seat’ to everyone you meet, and you’ve been sitting at the top of the list for a whole year and a half. You’ve gotten so used to it that you can’t just say whatever you want to me.”

Hong Fan smiled but did not reply.

In the distance of the grassland, flocks of white sheep drift like clouds, followed by shepherds and sheepdogs.

The distance was too great; the barking was barely audible.

[I'm going to be off the list, and so is Xiao Tang, right?]

He inexplicably thought of Tang Xingqing, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

Although they are separated by three thousand miles and each is pursuing their own affairs, they still receive updates on each other's lives from time to time.

Tang Shengwang was over eighty years old and had been stuck at the Innate Three Harmonies for a very long time, his path in martial arts was over.

Tang Shaoyou is 110 years old this year and is still the pillar of the clan; unfortunately, among the four generations down from him, there is only one person with extraordinary talent.

Tang Xingqing, nicknamed "Thousand Stars," has now reached the fourth level of the Innate Realm and ranks nineteenth on the list of prodigies. She carries all the hopes of the elegant Tang family for the next hundred years and gathers the essence and resources of the entire prefecture. Within the clan, she is treated like a crown prince.

With the deliberate support of several elders, she not only surpassed Tang Shengwang in prestige, but also gained increasing power and influence, sometimes even influencing Tang Shaoyou to change his mind.

Is it not good?

【Isn't that great?】

To outsiders, the three women who had deep entanglements with Hong Fan all came from wealthy and influential families.

But Tang Xingqing is different.

She rose to power as a concubine's daughter, determined to climb the social ladder, prove herself, and repay her hardworking mother with the best material life. In contrast, Shen and Xiao enjoyed a life of luxury and pampering from a young age, showing no particular attachment to power and not having to bear any special responsibilities due to their powerful families.

Xiao Chu established the Shengyu Army, but even without the Shengyu Army, she would still be Princess Xiande.

Shen Tiexin cultivated to the Innate Realm, but even without practicing martial arts, she remained Shen Moye's beloved daughter.

When Tang Xingqing knelt in the snow, determined to enter the clan school, she could never stop.

Power can also be a constraint; this is not just an empty phrase.

(End of this chapter)