From the Qin Dynasty onwards, he eked out a living among the heavens.

Chapter Fourteen: A Month Passes By

The evening breeze swept through the courtyard, where the grass and trees were lush and green. A thin layer of moss had already sprouted from the cracks in the bluestone paving stones of the houses in the suburban river bend.

It was late spring when I went into seclusion, and early summer when I emerged.

Xu Huang pushed open the courtyard gate, and the morning light fell on his eyebrows and eyes, washing his angular features clean and gentle. His plain clothes had been washed until they were slightly faded, but on his tall and strong figure, they were still simple and unremarkable.

He locked the courtyard gate and walked slowly along the river bend path toward the city gate.

Having stayed indoors for a month, the streets and alleys of Xinzheng remained unchanged. The cries of street vendors, the muffled thuds of carts and horses rolling over the bluestone slabs, and the hushed chatter of passersby wove together a bustling scene of peaceful city life. But a few unfamiliar faces appeared at the corners of the streets and alleys. Several men with knives seemed to be casually squatting in front of a tea stall, but their eyes never left the flow of people on the main street.

Xu Huang glanced at it, but didn't stop walking.

He knew what had happened that month. Two major cases had been settled, the personnel in the court had been quietly reshuffled, the claws of the night had moved from the shadows into the light, and a new force, which would later be called Quicksand, was breaking free from this net.

He had foreseen these things before his seclusion, and this was merely a confirmation of them.

With unhurried steps, we passed through the most elegant area in the south of the city, and the upturned eaves of Zilan Pavilion gradually peeked out from the street corner.

The vermilion gate was ajar, and the area in front of it was quiet; it was not yet time to welcome guests. Xu Huang pushed the gate open and entered, passing through the bluestone corridor shaded by flowers and trees, and slowly ascending the wooden spiral staircase.

He stopped before he even reached the entrance of the main hall.

The sound of swords clanging could be heard in the hall.

A soft sound was followed by a series of rapid clashes of weapons, the crisp sounds echoing through the quiet hall. Xu Huang stood sideways in the shadows behind a pillar, peering through the half-open carved door.

In the center of the hall, Wei Zhuang stood with one hand behind his back, his posture straight as a blade, his pale profile expressionless. He calmly deflected the sword attacks from his opponent with only his right hand, his steps light and effortless, his movements fluid and unrestrained, yet his aura was chilling and intimidating, showing no sign of yielding an inch.

And the person he fought was none other than Nongyu.

The usually gentle and quiet Qin Ji, who sat quietly at her zither, now held a slender sword. Her swordplay was clean and precise, her advances and retreats measured and controlled. Her attacks were continuous, soft yet sharp, each strike carrying a resolute determination to succeed or die trying. Her golden skirt billowed like flowing clouds as she moved, and the fire feather agate at her waist swayed gently, reflecting the sunlight streaming in from the window and spreading a warm glow.

Han Fei and Zi Nu stood side by side on one side of the hall, watching the battle with bated breath.

After a few moves, Wei Zhuang's brows furrowed slightly, and his left hand, which had been behind his back, suddenly flipped out. The domineering power of the Horizontal and Vertical Sword Technique suddenly spread out, and the sword energy tore through the air, pressing down on Nong Yu's slender sword with a chilling whistle.

More than ten rounds passed in the blink of an eye.

Clang~~

A clear, resonant sword cry echoed through the hall. Wei Zhuang precisely gripped the sword's spine, releasing a slight burst of power. Nongyu's wrist went numb, her fingers lost strength, and the slender sword slipped from her grasp, falling to the ground and bouncing twice on the floor tiles, producing a series of crisp, resonant sounds.

The outcome is already decided.

"Your sword is fast." Wei Zhuang withdrew his hand and spoke coldly, "Unfortunately, it's still not fast enough."

Just as Han Fei was about to step forward to smooth things over, Zi Nu spoke first, her voice clear and calm: "Her sword may not be fast enough, but her heart is steadfast enough."

As soon as he finished speaking, a burly figure slowly walked in from outside the door.

She wore simple clothes, had straight shoulders, gentle features, and a faint smile on her lips.

The eyes of the four people in the hall all fell on this old friend who had been in seclusion for a month and had only just returned.

Han Fei was the first to react, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Brother Xu! You've finally come out."

Zi Nu nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on Xu Huang for a moment, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. This man, whom she hadn't seen for a month, had become even more composed, like a deep, still pool, its surface calm but its depths unfathomable.

Wei Zhuang remained silent. His gaze fell on Xu Huang, his brows lowered slightly.

Xu Huang's gaze first swept over the slender sword on the ground, then landed on Wei Zhuang's cold and stern face, and the smile on his lips deepened slightly: "I watched for a long time in the corridor just now. Lord Wei Zhuang is so meticulous with a girl playing the zither, not willing to go easy on her in the slightest."

He approached slowly, his tone relaxed and slightly teasing: "I noticed that your swordplay was quite tight, and you were retreating step by step. For a moment, I thought you were really struggling to keep up—but you were dodging with ease and composure, handling the situation perfectly. Everyone says that the disciples of the Strategists are unrestrained and free-spirited, but you don't seem to know how to cherish a beautiful woman at all."

Wei Zhuang pursed his thin lips and said coldly, "A trial is a trial, and there is no room for leniency."

"I know you follow the rules," Xu Huang said with a smile, raising his hand. His tone was so gentle it sounded like he was coaxing someone. "But you have such a cold face, it's like someone owes you a hundred taels of gold. You're clearly very capable, why pretend to be so serious?"

Wei Zhuang was speechless for a moment, his brows furrowing and then relaxing, and the chill around him lessened a bit. He was rendered speechless by these few lighthearted teasing remarks.

Han Fei chuckled softly from the side. Zi Nu's lips also curled up slightly.

Xu Huang didn't tease him any longer. He turned to Nongyu and said in a gentler tone, "In this competition, the young lady's willpower was truly remarkable."

Nongyu was slightly taken aback and looked up at Xu Huang. Her face was still pale from the competition, and her breathing was not yet fully even, but she stood upright and nodded slightly in greeting.

Han Fei stepped forward at the opportune moment and took over the conversation, briefly recounting to Xu Huang Nongyu's background, recent changes, and the reasons for her entry into the Flowing Sands.

Xu Huang listened quietly, his gaze lingering on Nongyu's face for a moment, without saying a word.

Seeing his silence, Han Fei asked, "Brother Xu, what are your thoughts?"

"We'll talk about it later." Xu Huang picked up the teacup that the servant had just brought him, took a small sip, and said calmly, "No rush."