Chapter 263: Chapter 222: A Tree of Plum Blossoms, a Challenge at the Gate
「East City, Plum Blossom Alley.」
Almost overnight, the century-old plum tree at the entrance to the alley had bloomed.
Pristine white plum blossoms burst forth from the old, gnarled branches, making the ancient tree radiate with vigorous life.
A faint fragrance drifted through the air, compelling passersby to stop and take a deep breath.
This ancient plum tree had become one of East City’s famous sights and, more importantly, a major landmark for the Broken Sword Sect.
Legend had it that Gu Yi had taken a liking to this very plum tree, which was why he chose to establish the Broken Sword Sect right beside it.
As for whether this legend was true, no one could say for sure.
After all, no one would be foolish enough to bother a Martial Arts Grandmaster over such a trivial matter.
The presence of the Broken Sword Sect had another benefit: local ruffians and gangsters didn’t dare cause trouble in the vicinity.
This, in turn, led to the prosperity of the area.
Old Gao sold steamed buns.
The business had been in his family since his grandfather’s time at least, making him the third-generation owner.
His bun shop wasn’t large, but its location next to the ancient plum tree meant that whenever the blossoms bloomed in winter, many cultured patrons would come to visit.
In addition, the disciples of the Broken Sword Sect were frequent customers, so business was more than decent.
Today, Old Gao opened his shop as usual. The tempting aroma of large, steaming-hot meat buns filled the air. Paired with a bowl of savory tofu pudding he made himself, it was enough to make one temporarily forget the biting cold.
But today was different.
Not long after he opened, a young man walked in.
Ordinarily, this would be nothing strange.
After all, countless young people came to the Broken Sword Sect every day, hoping to become disciples and learn the martial arts.
But this young man was different.
First, he was tall—remarkably so, even among the men of the Imperial Capital.
Yet he didn’t appear clumsy in the slightest. On the contrary, his posture was as straight as a sword. Combined with his gentle and handsome face, even Old Gao, who had seen his fair share of handsome youths, couldn’t help but inwardly applaud.
Second, he was carrying a long, wrapped bundle on his back.
Although Old Gao didn’t practice martial arts himself, having run his shop here for the better part of his life, he’d seen plenty of Martial Artists. His eye was sharp.
He could tell at a glance that the long bundle likely contained a blade.
This wasn’t surprising, either. Although the Imperial Capital had a clear ban on carrying weapons in the streets, these people from the martial world never listened.
"Shopkeeper, three steamers of beef buns and a bowl of tofu pudding."
His voice was calm and refined, like that of a scholar.
Old Gao found himself wondering about the man’s origins, but then inwardly laughed at his own meddling thoughts. ’What business is it of mine who he is? I should just stick to selling my buns.’
Then he called out loudly, "Right away! Just a moment!"
Three steamers of piping hot beef buns and a bowl of tofu pudding were quickly brought to the table, and the young man began to eat with large bites.
He wasn’t devouring his food like a wolf, but his pace was incredibly fast.
In the blink of an eye, one steamer of buns was empty.
Old Gao watched with a touch of envy, feeling a wave of emotion.
’Ah, it’s good to be young. I remember when I was young, I could put away two steamers of beef buns and two bowls of soy milk in one sitting. But not anymore. Now, I feel uncomfortably full if I eat just a little too much.’
Just as he was lost in his nostalgic thoughts, two playful and lively female voices called from outside the door.
"Old Man Gao, are our buns ready yet?"
"Yes, yes, they’re ready! Keeping them warm in the steamer for you!" Old Man Gao replied hurriedly.
At the same time, two pretty young women walked in.
It was Da Jiao and Er Lan from the Broken Sword Sect.
After the incident the other day, even though their Eldest Brother hadn’t said anything, the two of them felt guilty and had stayed put for a few days, not daring to go out.
It wasn’t until today, when their craving for Old Man Gao’s buns became too much to bear, that they finally came out together to buy some.
The shop was quite full, with many customers who had come to see the plum blossoms. When these people saw the two pretty young women, their eyes lit up.
Da Jiao reveled in the attention, lifting her head with satisfaction and exposing her proud chin.
Er Lan, on the other hand, was more reserved. While Old Man Gao was packing the buns, she scanned the room.
Suddenly, she caught sight of a familiar back and couldn’t help but shudder.
’How could it be? Did I see that wrong?’
Refusing to believe her eyes, she looked toward the corner again. This time, she confirmed she hadn’t been mistaken—it was really him. Her face instantly turned deathly pale.
’Why is he here?’
Gripped by terror, she couldn’t help but quietly tug on Da Jiao’s sleeve.
"What’s wrong?" Da Jiao asked, confused. But when she followed Er Lan’s gaze, she froze on the spot as if struck by lightning.
"Young ladies, here are your bu—"
Old Man Gao walked over, holding the buns. But before he could finish his sentence, Da Jiao and Er Lan turned and fled as if they’d seen a ghost.
Old Man Gao was completely bewildered.
’What on earth happened to make those two heroines from the Broken Sword Sect so terrified?’
Just then, the young man drank the last of his tofu pudding, picked up the long bundle from the table, left a handful of copper coins, and turned to walk out.
Just as he reached the door, the young man suddenly turned his head and spoke to Old Gao.
"The buns were delicious!"
"Thank you for the compliment, sir!" Old Gao hurriedly replied with a smile.
But before he could finish speaking, the young man had already walked out the door and disappeared behind the plum tree.
’Strange. Why have I run into so many strange people and situations today?’
Just as Old Gao was wondering if he’d opened the shop at an inauspicious hour and offended the gods, a sudden commotion erupted outside.
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