Chapter 1003: Sword Immortal

After numerous twists and turns, Zu An used his extraordinary movement technique to shake off his pursuers and returned to the Pei mansion. He had just been interrupted by the mysterious swordsman, which prevented him from seeing his beloved Mianman. He wanted to try again.

Unfortunately, after the recent incident, patrols at the City Lord’s residence had been significantly increased, with guards visible everywhere. In such a situation, even with the highest cultivation, it would be impossible to slip in unnoticed in broad daylight, unless one were truly invisible.

"Who was that swordsman?" Zu An silently cursed the mysterious figure while simultaneously wondering about his identity. Initially, he assumed the man was from the Pei family, but the way he evaded the guards after they were alerted made Zu An dismiss that notion. If he wasn't from the Pei family, why would someone with such high cultivation be near Pei Mianman's residence? From what the person said earlier, it seemed he was protecting Mianman. Yet, Mianman had never mentioned anyone like him before.

Just then, movement came from the side gate. Zhao Zhi, wrapped in a large cloak that concealed his features, boarded a waiting carriage. Han Fengqiu cautiously glanced around, then donned a straw hat and drove the carriage away.

Zu An's heart stirred. He followed them to a residence several miles away, which appeared to be the manor of a wealthy merchant in the city. Though the manor was unassuming, its heavy guard indicated it was clearly a secret stronghold of the Prince of Qi’s residence. Not wanting to alert them, Zu An circled the area, made a mental note of the surroundings, and then quietly departed.

Upon returning to the guesthouse, he immediately changed into his Gold Medal Eleven attire and went to Xiao Jianren’s room. Seeing him, Xiao Jianren visibly relaxed. "Lord Eleven, we've been quite worried not hearing from you for so long." After all, he had been out of sight in the vast desert and grasslands, and they hadn't known if he’d even reached Cloud City. Now they finally had their pillar of support.

"I came here ahead of time to investigate. I've discovered that the Prince of Qi's heir has secretly arrived in Cloud County. I'll tell you their stronghold; send people to monitor it and report any unusual activity immediately," Zu An instructed. "Han Fengqiu is also there, and they are highly vigilant, so be careful not to get too close and alert them."

"Understood, tailing these Embroidered Uniform Envoys is our specialty," Xiao Jianren affirmed with a serious expression, patting his chest. He then looked at Zu An with admiration. "Sir, you are truly unfathomable, to have uncovered such vital information so quickly."

Zu An’s face warmed; the discovery was entirely coincidental. However, seeing the admiring look in Xiao Jianren's eyes, he naturally offered no explanation. "Also, one more thing: are there any renowned sword experts in Cloud County who have reached the Grandmaster level?"

Observing that Zu An seemed entirely unconcerned about having located the Prince of Qi's heir, Xiao Jianren thought, *Our leader truly is something else; his composure is utterly beyond compare.* Hearing the inquiry, he quickly listed several candidates. "While they are considered sword masters, none seem to have reached the Grandmaster level," he said. "Could the person you're referring to be from outside the county?"

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. He quickly described the man's appearance, recalling, "He also recited a poetic phrase, something like, 'Today has wine, today's drunk; tomorrow's sorrow, tomorrow's sorrow.' I'm not sure if it's the name of his sword art or just a personal motto."

Xiao Jianren’s eyes lit up. "Sir, your description actually reminds me of someone who seems to fit perfectly."

"Who?" Zu An was highly curious, as it concerned Mianman.

"The Libationer's third disciple, Sword Immortal Xiao Yao," Xiao Jianren replied.

"He's the Libationer's third disciple?" Zu An was completely surprised that he was connected to the Libationer. He had heard much about the Libationer's disciples when chatting with Jiang Luofu, Xie Daoyun, and others on the academy's back mountain. The Libationer had a total of twelve personal disciples, each a leading expert in their respective fields. For instance, the eldest disciple excelled at runes, Shen Xuzi at alchemy, and Hei Baizi was passionate about chess.

Besides those he had previously met in the capital, there were others he hadn't. Among the remaining disciples, some had confirmed identities and were stationed elsewhere, such as the tenth disciple, a master of military strategy, who was posted at the border. Others held mysterious identities; the outside world knew little about them, not even their names or backgrounds. For example, the second disciple was a healer, the sixth a painter, and the ninth a singer, but no one knew their specific details, not even their gender. Beyond these, the third disciple was unique. Everyone knew his name, Sword Immortal Xiao Yao, but no one knew his whereabouts. For at least the past twenty years, he hadn't returned to the academy or even the capital. The Imperial Academy couldn't locate him for any major events, almost as if the Libationer had never had such a disciple.

At this point, Xiao Jianren said with a sigh of wistfulness, "Back then, Sword Immortal Xiao Yao was an astonishing talent. He reached the peak of the ninth rank at a young age, and everyone believed he would be the youngest person in history to break through to the Grandmaster realm. Even the Libationer himself said that Xiao Yao had the highest talent among all his disciples, and that becoming a Great Grandmaster was a natural progression for him."

"Xiao Yao was also full of vigor, traveling the world with his long sword and defeating heroes everywhere. As the war between humans and demons had only recently concluded, many demon remnants still lingered within the Great Zhou territory, so he journeyed, slaying demons and eradicating evil."

"However, something unknown happened later, and he suddenly became unusually dejected. His cultivation suffered significantly, and even the Libationer publicly reprimanded him."

"In a fit of anger, he had a major argument with the Libationer, then left the academy's back mountain, never to return."

"Later, many people sighted him across the country. He no longer possessed his former image as a handsome and unrestrained Sword Immortal; instead, he spent his days immersed in drunkenness. It was even rumored that he wouldn't fight back when bullied and beaten by members of minor sects."

"From that point onward, it seemed no one saw him again."

"Some believed he was dead, others that he was crippled, but everyone agreed that a rising star had simply fallen."

Zu An frowned upon hearing this. "Then why do you say the person I encountered could be Xiao Yao? After all, he was only at the ninth rank back then; his cultivation had regressed, and everyone considered him crippled."

Xiao Jianren's voice suddenly rose. "Because I don't believe he was truly crippled!"

Zu An stared blankly. It was rare to see Xiao Jianren so emotional. What could be the reason?

Xiao Jianren realized his lapse in composure. He took a deep breath and explained, "Back then, before I was chosen as an Embroidered Uniform Envoy, I once encountered mountain bandits while traveling. My skills were unrefined at the time, and I was on the verge of death when a white-clad swordsman passed by and effortlessly dealt with the bandits."

"To this day, I can't forget the splendor of that single sword stroke." His eyes, somewhat clouded by nearsightedness, now shone with an unusual brilliance.

Zu An blinked, finally understanding. "So, you're a fan of his?"

Though Xiao Jianren didn't understand the term "fan," he generally grasped its meaning. He said with a hint of embarrassment, "Actually, I'm an orphan and don't know my birth surname. It was after I saw him and admired his bearing that I chose 'Xiao' as my surname."

Zu An was speechless. He never imagined that the usually calm and composed Xiao Jianren could be such an fervent admirer.

Xiao Jianren continued, "Later, I joined the Embroidered Tower, and with the numerous duties there, we lost touch. Then one day, when I learned that something had happened to Xiao Yao, I refused to believe that someone like him could truly fall. So, I deliberately investigated information about him through various channels."

"Unfortunately, he seemed to vanish from the world afterward."

"It wasn't until a few years ago that I suddenly came across mentions of a mysterious drunken swordsman in some case files. Although the descriptions varied significantly from the Xiao Yao of old, for some reason, I always felt it was him."

Xiao Jianren’s expression suddenly brightened with excitement. "From your description, Sir, it further confirms my suspicion. May I ask where you encountered him? I would truly like to see him again..."

Observing his fervent "fan" behavior, Zu An felt a momentary discomfort. He gave a few noncommittal replies and then retreated to his room.

Was that person truly the Libationer's third disciple, Xiao Yao? But how could Mianman be connected to him?

As night fell, Sang Hong led Zu An, Gao Ying, Pei You, and others to attend the evening banquet. Xiao Jianren and the other Embroidered Uniform Envoys, whose identities made their presence inconvenient, remained behind to guard the guesthouse.

On the way, Sang Hong asked Zu An about his afternoon's findings. Upon learning that the Prince of Qi's heir had also arrived, his expression subtly shifted. "The Prince of Qi truly harbors malicious intent, to be willing to send Zhao Zhi here," he remarked. "Clearly, his ambitions are vast."

Zu An thought, *We are clearly here to sever the Prince of Qi's power; it would be abnormal if he remained indifferent.*

Sang Hong said in a deep voice, "A'Zu, this journey to Cloud County is fraught with peril. One misstep, and we could be utterly destroyed."

Zu An replied calmly, "It's merely a matter of adapting as circumstances dictate."

Sang Hong was initially taken aback, then chuckled. "Haha, indeed, the older one gets, the more timid. You're right; we arrive with overwhelming force. They should be the ones who are afraid." His admiration for Zu An grew. He thought, *This young man would make an excellent son-in-law. When we return, I must encourage Qian'er to cultivate a stronger bond with him.*