Chapter 235: Chapter 224: Nan Luo City
The sixth of the third month was the day of departure.
The Xingyun Sect’s contingent for the Martial Arts Assembly was a grand affair. Sect Leader Lu Chaohuan personally led the group, which included over forty disciples from the inner court and its head, Yang Lin, as well as five elders from the Wuxiang Institute and two grand elders who had been reclusive for many years.
For the past few months, the top twelve disciples of the inner court had all been training arduously.
Zhao Lin was no exception, training to the point of neglecting food and sleep. ’It’s like I’m back in my past life, cramming for the college entrance exams.’
After all, the stakes were high. The Martial Arts Assembly was not only about one’s personal future, but was also inextricably linked to the rise and fall of the sect, and even the fate of the Great Yue nation.
Five powers participated in the assembly: Great Yue of the Central Plains, Wuzhu of the north, Wuche of the northwest, Weizi of the Western Regions, and Xiu Zhao of the south.
In terms of past results, Great Yue was historically the strongest, but its power had declined in the last two hundred years. Now, Wuzhu and Weizi were in the top tier.
Great Yue and Wuche were in the next tier, while Xiu Zhao was the weakest.
However, Xiu Zhao had the smallest territory and the fewest people. Since the Martial Arts Assembly distributed resources based on results, they actually ended up with a surplus.
In the early days, the Martial Arts Assembly was always held in Great Yue. Later, the participating nations began taking turns hosting, and this year’s host was Xiu Zhao.
The Great Yue court had long since mobilized manpower and resources to make proper arrangements for their food, clothing, lodging, and transport along the way. In every province they reached, local officials were there to receive and see them off.
Traveling south, the weather gradually grew warmer, and by the middle of the third month, they arrived at the border between the two nations.
At the border, there was a white marble platform, upon which stood a massive bronze pillar about thirty feet high and so thick it would take two people to wrap their arms around it.
The bronze pillar looked ancient, its mottled surface carved with archaic seal script characters.
"What a huge pillar. Is it a border monument?"
"Doesn’t look like it. Who makes a border monument this big?"
"Maybe it’s a watchtower..."
The disciples discussed it curiously among themselves.
Lu Chaohuan said nothing. He rode his horse to the front of the stone platform, dismounted, ascended the stone steps, and bowed three times to the bronze pillar.
Yang Lin, the five elders, and the two grand elders also walked forward to pay their respects, their faces solemn.
The disciples didn’t understand why, but since their sect seniors were doing it, they all followed suit and bowed as well.
When everyone had risen, Lu Chaohuan asked, "Do you know what this bronze pillar is?"
"We do not know, Sect Leader."
"It must have an extraordinary origin, right?"
The disciples replied one after another.
"This bronze pillar does indeed have an extraordinary origin..."
Lu Chaohuan stroked his beard, a look of reminiscence on his face, and slowly began to tell its story.
It turned out this bronze pillar was erected by the renowned General of the South from the Central Plains’ history, Ma Ling.
More than two thousand years ago, the Central Plains were in turmoil, and Xiu Zhao took the opportunity to launch a rebellion.
The rebel army invaded the border, burning and killing as they went. They conquered over thirty cities in a row, their arrogance knowing no bounds, and declared that the two provinces of Guang and Nan now belonged to Xiu Zhao.
The emperor ordered Ma Ling to lead an army south and quell the rebellion. Ma Ling led his forces on a swift march of over a thousand li, crushed the rebel army, and beheaded more than ten thousand. Countless others surrendered.
Ma Ling pressed his advantage, pushing all the way to the Xiu Zhao Royal Court. He executed the rebel leader, sent the head back to the Central Plains, and was subsequently enfeoffed as Marquis Pingyuan by the imperial court.
Twenty years later, Xiu Zhao rebelled again. Marquis Pingyuan, now in his sixties, donned his armor and went on the punitive expedition. He once again stormed the royal court, causing heads to roll and rivers of blood to flow.
When returning to the imperial court in triumph, Ma Ling erected a bronze pillar at the border, with the inscription: "Bronze pillar falls, Xiu Zhao is destroyed."
After hearing the story, the disciples all went forward to look. Sure enough, they saw those six words carved at the base of the pillar and were filled with awe and respect.
"The old general was mighty."
"Amazing. He brought glory to our Central Plains."
Zhao Lin remained silent. Whenever he heard such heroic tales, his heart would swell with emotion, and he couldn’t help but feel stirred.
"The people of Xiu Zhao hate this pillar to death, but no one dares to touch it."
Lu Chaohuan said lightly, "With such a heroic predecessor, we descendants cannot tarnish his glorious name, can we?"
"Yes!"
The disciples responded in unison, then spontaneously bowed to the bronze pillar again.
According to regulations, when Primordial Realm martial artists crossed the border, the other side had to be notified in advance. The officials stationed at the border sent a message, and in less than half a day, an elder from Xiu Zhao’s Lotus Sect came to receive them.
"Sect Leader Lu, it’s been a few years. You’re as dashing as ever."
Elder Ruan of the Lotus Sect was an old acquaintance of Lu Chaohuan, Yang Lin, and the others. After they met and exchanged some pleasantries, he led the group on their way.
Upon entering Xiu Zhao territory, Zhao Lin observed silently, noticing that the people of Xiu Zhao bore some resemblance to the people of the Central Plains in Great Yue.
The differences were their flatter faces, low, broad noses, large mouths, and wide faces with prominent cheekbones. Their builds were generally slender and short, and most of them had darker skin.
Aside from these few differences, their appearances were more or less the same.
Their language and customs were also mostly consistent with those of Great Yue.
This was not surprising. Xiu Zhao was originally a vassal state of Great Yue and had been under its rule for thousands of years, once even referring to itself as the "Little Central Plains."
Ever since the resurgence of Primordial Qi and the great rise of the martial path, Xiu Zhao had finally broken free from Great Yue’s control and become its own nation.
But it was also because of this history that, compared to nations like Wuzhu and Wuche, Xiu Zhao’s hostility toward Great Yue was actually the strongest.
「A few days later.」
The group arrived at the capital of Xiu Zhao: Nan Luo.
"I must trouble you all to stay here for a few days. Once the people from the other two sects from your esteemed country have arrived, we will all proceed to Lotus Mountain together."
Elder Ruan said very politely as he led the group to a mansion in the southern part of the city.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Elder Ruan."
Lu Chaohuan smiled at his words. "To think that our Xingyun Sect, despite being the farthest away, is the first to arrive."
The mansion was exquisitely and luxuriously furnished. Its pavilions and towers had the antique style of Great Yue’s previous dynasty, and there was even a training ground and practice rooms for martial artists to cultivate.
The servants and maids had all been rigorously trained. They were attentive in their service, never spoke out of turn, and the food was prepared in the style of Great Yue cuisine and was quite delicious.
It was the disciples’ first time in Xiu Zhao. During the day, they could barely manage to focus on their training, but being young and restless, they couldn’t hold back their curiosity by nightfall.
A few of the bolder ones stepped forward to ask Lu Chaohuan and Yang Lin if they could go out and explore.
Lu Chaohuan was accommodating and agreed to let them go, but he gave them a warning: "Don’t go looking for trouble, and whatever you do, don’t get into a fight. Come back early."
"Yes!"
"Thank you, Sect Leader!"
Overjoyed, the disciples swarmed out of the mansion. They broke into groups of three and five and fanned out to wander through the city.
Zhao Lin, Xiang Bao, and Zhong Yewu, along with Li Liang from the outer court, had all entered the inner court in the same year and knew each other relatively well, so they stuck together.
Xiang Bao suggested, "I hear Sword Lake Street is the liveliest place in Nan Luo. Let’s go check it out."
The Xiang family was a martial arts clan, and its elders knew a great deal about the lands beyond the Central Plains. Xiang Bao had already gathered information in advance.
Zhao Lin and the others had no objections, so they asked for directions and headed for Sword Lake Street.
Nan Luo was a thousand-year-old city. In terms of prosperity, it was slightly less impressive than Yongning City, but its exotic atmosphere had a charm all its own.
The climate in Xiu Zhao was hot, and in the third month, the busy farming season had not yet begun. Although dusk was falling, the streets were crowded with people, brightly lit, and extraordinarily lively.
Zhao Lin, Li Liang, Xiang Bao, and Zhong Yewu were all tall, powerfully built, and imposing. Walking through the crowd, they stood out like cranes among chickens.
Such heroic-looking men were a rare sight in Nan Luo. Many young women stopped to watch them, and the bolder ones even cast flirtatious glances their way.
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