The Smiling, Proud Wanderer: From the Moment He Picked Up Qu Feiyan

On an autumn morning, as dawn breaks, a ray of golden light shines over the majestic outline of the seventy-two peaks of Mount Heng, illuminating the ancient city of Hengyang. The slumbering city gradually awakens, while the Shigu Academy, located at the confluence of the Zheng River and the Xiang River, is already bustling with activity, its noise almost drowning out the rushing river.

Since Li Kuan of the Tang Dynasty built a hermitage here to study, and after a thousand years of wind and rain, Shigu Academy has long been a symbol of the cultural heritage of Hunan. This place has always been filled with the sound of reading aloud and discussing classics and literature. Never before has it been a place like this.

The area in front of the academy was congested with carriages and horses, and teeming with people.

Street vendors also gathered in front of the academy along with the crowd, blocking every alley leading to the academy, creating a lively atmosphere reminiscent of the bustling scene in front of a school before dismissal in a previous life, with the sizzling sound of boiling oil, the steam of boiling water, and the aroma of food all mixed together.

Shen An led Qu Feiyan and Wang Xiaocao through the crowd, passing countless vendors selling rice noodles, steamed cakes, fried foods, and wontons.

His gaze swept across the area and he spotted a familiar figure—He Sanqi from Yandang Mountain, hunched over, busy tending his wonton stall.

Just as Shen An was about to step forward, the sharp-eyed old man spotted him. He raised an eyebrow, waved his long-handled ladle in the air, and made a "get lost" gesture. Then he turned his head and called out in a hoarse voice to add soup to the customers, as if looking at Shen An would delay him from earning a single copper coin.

Shen An was somewhat amused and exasperated, but having anticipated the old man's temperament, he wasn't surprised.

At the invitation of the group from Bailianfang, Shen An led the two women into the academy.

Yes, Shigu Academy is only about three or four thousand square meters, which is not enough to accommodate so many spectators.

Only the people from Bailianfang and two or three invited guests were allowed to enter.

The real stage was set up in front of the Hejiang Pavilion outside the academy. It was a huge water platform built directly on the middle of the river, so that people of all social status could watch the battle from both banks with a clear view.

At this time, the riverbank was packed with people, making the entire riverside area completely impassable.

There were local wealthy merchants and gentry, fanning themselves with folding fans, trying to appear refined; there were traveling merchants from afar, their faces weathered, just to catch a glimpse of this extraordinary tale of the martial world; there were local people who were simply there to watch the spectacle, standing on tiptoe and craning their necks, ready to see something new; and there were many more, with swords at their sides, exuding a fierce aura, gathered in small groups, discussing animatedly, their faces full of excitement and anticipation, as if this was not a martial world duel that could end at any moment, but a grand temple fair that was a once-in-a-century event.

"Hey, have you heard? In the betting market in the west of the city, betting on Shen An to win gives you 5 to 1! Betting on Tian Boguang to win gives you 1.1 to 1!"

"One to five? Heh, the bookmaker is really underestimating us! It should be at least one to ten!" Laughter erupted from the crowd.

"Haha, who is Tian Boguang? He's been roaming the martial world for over a decade. Is his title 'Lone Wanderer' just for show? Countless elders from prestigious sects have been helpless against him! And Shen An? A mere twenty-year-old brat. Even if he started practicing swordsmanship in the womb, how much skill could he possibly have?"

"That's right. I heard that young master Shen is fair-skinned and looks like a scholar; he'd probably be blown over by a strong wind. A 'one-sword pact'? I bet he won't even be able to deliver a single sword strike before Tian Boguang's swift blade dislocates his arm!"

Discussions rose and fell, with the vast majority viewing the battle as a farce. A young man, ignorant of his own limitations, was engaging in a ridiculous gamble for empty fame. They hadn't come to witness any skillful martial arts competition, but to see how Shen An would handle the situation and how Hundred Refinements Workshop would become a laughingstock throughout the martial arts world.

This brought the lofty Five Mountains Sword Sects down from their pedestals and into the mortal world.

This kind of depraved drama is truly the best to appreciate.

In a corner of the crowd on the riverbank, under the cover of a tea stall awning, Yan Shiqi stood on a stool, his face trembling slightly with excitement. His triangular eyes were narrowed as he scanned the scene, as if he could already see Shen An's utter defeat and humiliation.

"Boss, look at this scene, it seems like all the martial arts practitioners in Hengyang have come!" The trusted aide beside him fawned over, handing over a bowl of cool tea.

Yan Shiqi spat out the tea leaves in his mouth and sneered:

"The whole of Hengyang? I'm afraid every idle martial artist from Huguang has come! Good! The more the better! I want the whole world to see how that brat surnamed Shen makes a fool of himself! Wasn't he very arrogant when he cut off our source of income? I want to see if Master Zuo will still entrust this Huguang territory to this young master after he's taken down by Tian Boguang in one move!"

He had already foreseen that after today, Shen An would be summoned back to his sect to be punished, while Yan Shiqi, relying on his shrewd methods and deep connections, would continue to run his gray-market business in Xiangtan and enjoy boundless glory.

In the distance, Sha Xihe, who came from Changsha, had a furrowed brow and a solemn expression.

Unlike Yan Shiqi, who was foolish and short-sighted, he saw further ahead. Today's events were no longer just about the honor or disgrace of Bailianfang, or even just about Shen An's future; they were about the reputation of the entire Songshan Sect.

If Shen An wins, he will soar to great heights and gain both fame and fortune; if he loses, the prestige of the Songshan Sect will be completely destroyed, and he will become a laughing stock in the martial arts world.

Moreover, he couldn't see through Shen An, this young senior brother.

Whether it was the inexplicable killing of Zhao Da Kui, the shutdown of the gray industry, or the subsequent uproar over Qingyin, none of these were things he had ever seen or anticipated.

"Sigh, this Senior Brother Shen is ultimately too young and impetuous." Sha Xihe picked up his teacup and sighed inwardly. He really couldn't understand what gave Shen An the confidence to issue such an arrogant challenge.

Surely he can't be... truly confident that he can defeat Tian Boguang?

The only explanation is that he has a powerful backer.

"Hopefully he can actually persuade that person to come."

If Master Mo Da of the Hengshan Sect, known as "Xiaoxiang Night Rain," were willing to intervene, not to mention one Tian Boguang, even ten of them would have been dead by his sword long ago. But this matter concerns the internal affairs of the Five Mountains Sword Sects, so why would Master Mo Da easily stand up for a junior disciple of the Songshan Sect?

In any case, he had given away his chips, which was like sending charcoal in snowy weather, and it was charcoal without any cost.

If this senior brother Shen wins, everyone will be happy; if he loses, it won't affect him at all.

Having made up his mind, Sha Xihe calmly sat on the fishing platform, waiting for the wind to rise.

At the third quarter of the hour of Chen (7:45 AM), as the sun rose higher, a sudden commotion arose among the crowd.

"They're here! They're here! The people from Bailianfang are coming out!"

Everyone immediately looked towards the middle of the river, where a group of people walked out of the academy and slowly stepped onto the much-anticipated platform in the middle of the river.

Leading the group was Shen An, dressed in a moon-white long robe. He walked with composure and remained calm, as if the clamor of the crowd around him and the thousands of scrutinizing gazes from both banks were nothing more than a gentle breeze.

Everyone saw him walk straight to a grand chair that had been prepared in the center of the platform, sit down calmly, and stroll leisurely with a composed demeanor.

Li Qingde and Feng Changrong followed closely behind. Once on the platform, the two began directing the staff and busily setting things up.

Most eye-catching is an antique weapon rack standing beside Shen An. On the rack, from left to right, four swords are quietly displayed—a sharp sword, a flexible sword, a heavy sword, and a wooden sword. The four swords are different in shape, but all are exquisitely forged, clearly showing that great effort has been put into recreating the legend of the "Sword Demon" Dugu Qiubai.

Shen An's composure beyond his years did not earn him respect, but instead provoked more ridicule.

"That's Shen An? He really is a pretty boy!"

"With his handsome face, I'm afraid that if the sword doesn't satisfy Tian Boguang, he'll have to pay with a person."

"Hmph, just sitting there without moving, what a spoiled young master attitude."

Foul language and undisguised mockery came from all directions.

One really can't have any expectations of the average quality of people in the martial arts world.

Inside the academy, in a secluded pavilion by the window, two young girls sat, nervously watching the scene unfolding on the platform.

On the left, dressed in a light green silk dress, with bright eyes and white teeth, her gaze sparkling, was Qu Feiyan. Her small face was tense, her bright eyes filled with vigilance and resentment, and she gripped the sword in her hand, which was slightly larger than her.

The woman on the right, dressed in an elegant white dress, with her head bowed, is Wang Xiaocao. Although she is silent, her clenched fists and tightly pressed lips reveal her inner emotions.

Hearing the foul language coming from outside the window, Qu Feiyan's face flushed red with anger, her knuckles turning white from gripping the sword hilt so tightly. She turned to Wang Xiaocao beside her and whispered angrily, "Sister Xiaocao! Listen to what they're saying! A bunch of snobbish bastards! I really...I really want to chop their stinking mouths off with my sword!"

"Feiyan, don't be discouraged." Wang Xiaocao, her gaze fixed on the figure not far away, gently tugged at her sleeve. Her voice was soft but unusually firm. "Young Master... he can definitely do it. It's enough that we believe in him."

Qu Feiyan looked up and saw Wang Xiaocao's clear, trusting eyes. For some reason, the anger in her heart subsided somewhat. She nodded firmly: "Yes! We believe him!"