Chapter 1426: Greatly Welcomed Outsider

“Let’s spar, but go easy on each other.”

“If I win, General Huyi will lose face. If I lose… what would I gain?” Sun Fuling instantly changed the subject. “Speaking of which, General, you’re a busy man. How do you have time to visit Shumin today?”

He Lingchuan had been busy training troops, practically living in Ximo Ridge, and only returned to Panlong City once every half month. Their last meeting was when Sun Fuling visited him at Ximo Ridge.

He Lingchuan conjured a bouquet of pink dahlias and presented them to the lady. “I missed you, so I had to come see you quickly, before someone takes advantage of my absence.”

Now, there were also shops specializing in flowers and plants in the streets and alleys of Panlong City.

“Someone?” Sun Fuling took the flowers, cradling them in her hands, and instinctively sniffed them. “Who?”

“The children outside said that Mr. Xin has been coming to see you often lately?” He Lingchuan asked, his tone perfectly justified.

“Mr. Xin has been visiting the academy more frequently recently, but he’s not here to see me. Dean Xu invited him. I’ve only guided him a few times.” Shumin Academy was very large, with many corridors and alleys, making it easy for newcomers to get lost even after three or four visits.

“Why did Dean Xu invite him?”

“Mr. Xin is very knowledgeable; he has corrected many old texts in the academy’s collection. Even scholars sent by Mount Ling consult him when they are unsure. That’s why Dean Xu invited him for exchanges,” Sun Fuling said with a smile. “Mr. Xin has a wide range of interests, and the academy’s instructors also like to seek his answers to their questions.”

He Lingchuan stroked his chin. “He’s that popular at Shumin Academy?”

Xin Yi hadn’t been in Panlong City for long, had he?

“It’s quite a scramble; Mr. Xin is very busy. Apparently, his greatest strengths are identifying rare artifacts and crafting magical implements. That’s why A’luo’s master, Mr. Helian, also frequently invites him,” Sun Fuling continued. “He’s also a distinguished guest of Commander Zhong. I heard Commander Qian has sought him out several times, and he even dined at Commander Qian’s home.”

He Lingchuan was surprised to hear this.

Frankly, Zhong Shengguang was not an easygoing or approachable person, and he kept his public and private lives strictly separate. For Xin Yi, a newcomer, to be invited to Zhong Shengguang’s home as a guest was truly remarkable.

What did Zhong Shengguang see in him?

Sun Fuling added, “You’ve arrived at a good time. Mr. Xin is giving a lecture in the Hall of Immortality in half an hour, and I plan to attend. What about you?”

“Let’s go together.” He Lingchuan had originally come to meet Madam Sun for dinner and shopping, but upon hearing about Xin Yi’s lecture, he wanted to gauge his expertise.

As they walked out of the academy, He Lingchuan suddenly remembered Mr. Qian.

“I just ran into Mr. Qian, and he looked unwell. What happened?”

“He packed his bags and left.” Sun Fuling plucked a broken-necked dahlia from the bouquet and hesitated over what to do with it. He Lingchuan took the flower and gently tucked it into the lady’s thick, cloud-like bun.

“Now that’s a true beauty.”

The woman and the flower complemented each other, creating a breathtaking sight.

Sun Fuling was pleased; her eyes sparkled as she cast a glance at him.

He Lingchuan then asked, “What did Mr. Qian do?”

“As you know, the situation in Panlong Wasteland is becoming increasingly tense. Mr. Qian told both other instructors and students at the academy that Panlong City should never become an enemy of the world’s strongest nation. He argued that we don’t have a deep-seated enmity with Beijia, and if we just humble ourselves and make concessions at the right time, Beijia wouldn’t make things difficult for us. This current standoff, he claimed, is just meaningless stubbornness.”

The citizens of Panlong City could sense the atmosphere of war preparations. For the past decade or so, the people of Panlong City had survived through hardship and conflict, developing an extremely keen sense for war.

Even ordinary people felt the tension of an impending, imminent war.

“Yesterday, Mr. Qian even said that Panlong City’s warlike nature would plunge its common people into suffering. He argued that we should actively seek reconciliation with external powers and maintain friendly relations with Xianyue and Baling.”

He Lingchuan couldn’t help but smile. “Mr. Qian isn’t from Panlong City, is he?”

“Of course not, otherwise, how could he be so naive? He came from the south and once traveled to Beijia’s Baoshu Kingdom. He always praised Baoshu Kingdom, saying it was a prosperous era, a land favored by heaven, unrivaled anywhere.” Sun Fuling counted on her fingers, “Whenever things didn’t go his way at the academy, he’d bring up his experiences in Baoshu Kingdom for comparison: the food here wasn’t as fragrant as Baoshu’s, the children here weren’t as intelligent as Baoshu’s; Panlong City even set off firecrackers randomly when there was nothing to celebrate, which was terribly noisy, unlike the peace and quiet of Baoshu Kingdom.”

He Lingchuan could tell that Madam Sun was displeased.

Indeed, Beijia did not allow commoners to set off firecrackers unless it was done by officials.

“If he loved Baoshu Kingdom so much, why did he come to Panlong City?” Sun Fuling scoffed. “This morning, he was again gossiping about the academy, and even Dean Xu, who is usually so good-tempered, couldn’t tolerate it anymore and asked him to leave immediately. He’s lucky, too; if he had said such things three years ago, Commander Zhong would have had his head chopped off without a word!”

“If he were a native of Panlong City…” He Lingchuan lightly patted her shoulder. “No, Panlong City doesn’t have people like that. Alright, alright, don’t be angry. The openness of Panlong City always has its pros and cons. Besides, with more people, there will naturally be more opinions.”

After securing the Maohe Plains, Panlong City also opened up to the outside world. While trade routes flourished and the economy grew, a large influx of outsiders poured in.

Inside and out, there were inevitably many clashes, both in thought and behavior.

Apart from that, Sha Wei and others who came with Xin Yi initially had conflicts with Panlong soldiers due to the city’s strict rules, which led them to participate in life-and-death duels.

He Lingchuan accompanied her for a stroll around the streets and bought some snacks, which helped Sun Fuling calm down.

The markets in Panlong City were now well-stocked with all kinds of goods. He Lingchuan bought a strangely flavored meat pastry that had been very popular recently. The filling didn’t taste like meat at all; there were no typical shredded or diced meat pieces. Instead, it was sweet and had an oily aroma.

He Lingchuan wasn’t used to this combination of salty, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors, and he couldn’t understand why so many people were lining up outside the shop, with each freshly baked batch selling out instantly. The business was booming.

But Sun Fuling really liked it. After a few bites, she said, “This filling is made of pork fat and winter melon candy. How unusual!”

As long as she liked it.

The two of them, carrying a basket full of snacks, got into a mule cart and headed towards Wuxian Terrace.

Wuxian Terrace was located in a large sinkhole. Panlong City would invite renowned masters from various fields to give public lectures, and people could choose to attend those that interested them. He Lingchuan had attended no fewer than forty or fifty lectures here before, but after becoming a general, he had been so busy that he hadn’t had time to attend classes at Wuxian Terrace for a long time.

Today, Wuxian Terrace was packed with people; even the areas above the sinkhole were crowded with listeners, who could easily fall in if they weren’t careful.

Vendors were even pushing carts and carrying baskets inside and outside Wuxian Terrace, selling snacks and drinks.

“Is Mr. Xin that popular?” He Lingchuan was a little surprised. “What is the topic of his lecture today?”

In fact, he was more surprised that Xin Yi was qualified to teach there.

Lecturing on Wuxian Terrace was a great honor. Although Panlong City had opened up for external exchanges, so far, only highly respected individuals had received invitations to give lectures.

Xin Yi’s ability to lecture here indicated that he had received official recognition.

“This is the first time a famous master from out of town has lectured at Wuxian Terrace. The topic seems to be ‘The Ancient Wars’.”

He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow, immediately understanding why Xin Yi’s lecture was so popular.

The people of Panlong City were particularly sensitive to the word “war,” and the external environment of Panlong City was currently on the verge of conflict.

People today were full of curiosity and imagination about the distant ancient times. Even if they didn’t know the full truth, knowing a little more about its secrets was still good.

It also provided more topics for conversation after meals.

Xin Yi’s chosen topic was very clever, firmly capturing everyone’s curiosity.

Before long, Xin Yi entered and sat calmly on Wuxian Terrace.

He was elegant and possessed the demeanor of a scholar.

He Lingchuan whispered to Sun Fuling, “He somewhat resembles City Lord Wen.”

Madam Sun smiled slightly. “He really does.”

Xin Yi’s gaze swept across the entire audience.

This was a large classroom with over a thousand people, bustling with activity. Yet, somehow, he managed to spot He Lingchuan and Sun Fuling in the crowd and even smiled at them.

He Lingchuan returned the smile.

Besides Xin Yi, Mount Ling had also sent several hundred skilled individuals to Panlong City, both human and demon. Many of them had already joined He Lingchuan’s army, such as Sha Wei and others.

He Lingchuan could see that they were truly passionate, eager to be on the front lines against Beijia.

However, He Lingchuan couldn’t help but pay extra attention to someone like Xin Yi.

He had previously sent people to the Sha River basin to investigate the history of the Xin family. The information they brought back confirmed that the Xin family was indeed a prominent local clan. In the generation of Xin Haiping, a venerable ancestor, there were forty-seven cousins; Xin Haiping himself had three biological brothers and was ranked third within his clan.

However, none of these forty-seven people were named “Xin Yi.” He Lingchuan roughly deduced that he might be Xin Haining, who was ranked second.

But there was very little information about Xin Haining; it was only known that he had entered a Daoist sect as a child, dedicated his life to cultivation, and rarely returned to Sha River.

He Lingchuan immediately realized that Xin Haining must have joined Mount Ling, known for its secrecy, otherwise his resume wouldn’t be so “clean.” Although he had little contact with his family, he had actually made significant contributions to the Xin family.

The Bailie Lu family, for example, drifted further and further from Mount Ling because their descendants became increasingly mediocre. In contrast, the Xin family of Sha River consistently produced talented individuals who served Mount Ling, which is why the Xin family’s status has remained strong and prosperous.

With three chimes, the public lecture officially began.

Xin Yi primarily spoke about the ancient entanglements between immortals and demons, the battles between gods, and dazzling magical artifacts.

Every detail was vivid and thorough.

The world he described—where one could ascend to the heavens, delve into the earth, and break countless spells with a single sword—not only stirred the audience’s emotions but also filled He Lingchuan with longing.

He still couldn’t quite figure out what kind of person Xin Yi was, but he had to admit that the man possessed profound knowledge and true expertise. All his arguments were presented coherently, fitting together perfectly.

Even Zhong Shengguang certainly didn’t possess such eloquence.

Sun Fuling looked at him and said, “Everyone regrets not being born in that era.”

Men were all hot-blooded. She was clearly asking if he, too, regretted not being born in that free era of unrestrained self-expression, where one could roam freely between heaven and earth.

He Lingchuan deliberately leaned in and whispered in her ear, “What about you?”