Chapter 1007: Riding the Sword with the Wind, Exorcising Demons Between Heaven and Earth

Upon hearing these words, the hall immediately erupted in whispers, with many asking who Xiao Yao was. He belonged to a previous generation, and after so many years, many had forgotten his existence.

Nevertheless, quite a few still remembered, gazing at the drunkard with a mix of surprise and uncertainty, while recounting to their colleagues the astonishing talent of the Sword Immortal from years past.

Sang Hong looked at Zu An in surprise, thinking, 'Even I couldn't discern this man's background, yet he saw through him at a glance? Oh, how I wish Ah Zu were my son. Well, being my son is out of the question now, but there's still a chance for him to be the father of my grandson.'

Gao Ying and Pei You were still too young to recognize Xiao Yao's name. They remained captivated by the scene where the man had effortlessly deflected a sword with a wine cup, thinking, 'Brother truly lives up to his reputation. When will I be able to showcase such brilliance in front of others, just like Brother Zu did?'

At this moment, the drunkard's expression also betrayed surprise; he clearly hadn't anticipated being recognized. As if old memories had been stirred, he fell into a strange silence. After a long moment, he finally spoke: "The Sword Immortal Xiao Yao of yesteryear is long dead. All that remains is a useless drunkard."

Upon hearing his words, everyone present knew he had implicitly admitted his identity, and the hall immediately erupted. The Third Disciple of the Libationer—even without mentioning his past achievements, this status alone commanded respect. A group of people rushed to greet him and curry favor, but he simply drank, ignoring them completely.

The others' expressions immediately soured, as they thought, 'What's so impressive about you? No wonder you met your downfall back then.'

Noticing the awkward atmosphere, Xu Yu quickly stepped forward to smooth things over: "Brother Xiao is not very sociable; please forgive him…" His intervention helped to slightly ease the tension in the hall.

Having been rebuffed by Xiao Yao, the conversation quickly shifted back to Zu An. Unlike the earlier polite compliments, this time everyone's admiration was genuine. After all, to possess such cultivation at such a young age was a talent plain for all to see. Without a doubt, he would become a star of the empire in the future.

No family influence? What did that matter? A person like him could establish a glorious family on his own. Especially after learning he was already a Viscount, their gazes towards him grew even more earnest.

Some even inquired if he was married, eager to introduce their daughters to him. This immediately made Sang Hong bristle, and he fiercely fended off those people like a protective parent.

Then, someone found a new angle for flattery: "I've heard that Lord Zu not only possesses profound cultivation but also unparalleled poetic talent, earning him the reputation of a Poet Immortal. He once composed several timeless masterpieces in the capital, and even here in Yunzhong Commandery, many places sing his verses. Why not compose a poem for us today and let us witness your skill?"

In fact, some had previously investigated the delegation members' backgrounds and knew Zu An was skilled in poetry. However, at that time, no one considered him a significant figure, so his poetic talent naturally went unnoticed. But now that he had become a hot commodity, it was completely different; everyone suddenly became a poetry enthusiast.

Zu An smiled but remained silent, easily discerning their intentions. Just as he was about to decline, Sang Hong, standing beside him, said with a smile, "Ah Zu, since everyone is so earnestly requesting it, why don't you compose one?"

At the same time, he secretly transmitted a message: "Ah Zu, using this opportunity to spread your reputation will also benefit our investigation. We've just arrived, and many in Yunzhong Commandery are surely observing. The more renowned you become, the more confidence people will have in the imperial delegation. More local officials will unconsciously lean towards us; this is how influence is built."

Zu An felt a little helpless, but he trusted Sang Hong's judgment regarding the ways of officialdom. As he pondered what kind of poem would be suitable, his gaze suddenly fell upon Xiao Yao, who was drinking from a wine gourd not far away. His eyes lit up. "Perfect," he declared, "I just had a sudden inspiration."

Hearing him say this, everyone sat up straight, curious to hear what kind of poem he would compose. Gao Ying hurriedly called a maid to fetch paper and brushes. Pei You thought, 'Here we go again?' and immediately told a nearby servant boy to bring a set for him as well. Each previous time, he had been the one to grind the ink, which he felt wasn't very glorious; this time, even if his calligraphy was messy, he wanted to leave behind a piece of his own work. Sang Hong stroked his beard, his eyes glinting, already pondering what title to give the poem.

Unfortunately, before any of them were ready, Zu An had already begun:

"Riding a sword on the wind,Banishing demons from heaven and earth.With wine, I find joy and freedom;Without it, I'm still wild.One drink empties rivers,Another swallows sun and moon.A thousand cups won't fell me—Only I am the Wine Sword Immortal."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's gaze turned to Xiao Yao. Even Xiao Yao himself couldn't help but put down his wine gourd, standing motionless, clearly deeply moved.

"Wonderful!" everyone applauded, praising the poem. It was perfectly apt to describe Xiao Yao. Crucially, it subtly referenced Xiao Yao's name (which contains the character '逍遥,' meaning 'free and unfettered'), and 'Wine Sword Immortal' suited him better than just 'Sword Immortal' now; it was as if it had been custom-made for him.

The people from the Governor's Mansion glanced at Xiao Yao, feeling a pang of jealousy. They thought, 'Literati are truly amazing. He's clearly a drunken slob, yet with a few words, he makes drinking seem like a profound art.'

Sang Hong, however, stared at Zu An, thinking that choosing names was too childish. He wondered when he could get Zu An to compose a poem specifically for him. He wrote one for Xiao Yao, an outsider; since Sang Hong had even offered him his daughter, asking for a poem seemed perfectly reasonable, right?

Everyone expected Xiao Yao to be grateful, but to their surprise, he seemed to fall into a state of confusion and disorientation. He murmured to himself, "Riding a sword on the wind, banishing demons from heaven and earth... banishing demons from heaven and earth, but what is human, and what is demon..." By the end, his voice seemed to be a roar, and Zu An even keenly noticed something glistening in the corners of his eyes.

"He's crying?" Zu An was dumbfounded, thinking the man's reaction was perhaps too extreme.

Xiao Yao stood up and stumbled out. As he passed Pei Shao, he suddenly stopped, looking at him with red-rimmed eyes. Pei Shao was somewhat surprised: "Does Third Master have any advice?" Clearly, for those in officialdom, his identity as a Libationer's disciple was more highly regarded.

Xiao Yao merely stared at him silently, then after a moment, he swayed and walked out, as if completely drunk, without saying a single word.

Seeing this, Xu Yu moved to stop him, but the man merely waved his hand casually behind him, eventually disappearing from everyone's sight.

"How inexplicable!" Pei Shao's son, Pei Xing, said indignantly. Pei Shao stopped his son's complaining: "He's not someone you can afford to provoke. In the future, avoid him if you see him." Pei Xing mumbled in acknowledgment, clearly unconcerned, thinking, 'I have no dealings with such a person; how could I possibly provoke him?'

This small interlude did not affect the atmosphere in the hall, as the main focus today was Sang Hong, and now also Zu An. The group clinked their cups, and the atmosphere quickly grew lively again. However, facing these insincere pleasantries, Zu An felt no ripple in his heart. He kept wondering why someone like Xiao Yao would attend this evening banquet; it didn't make sense. He found an opportunity to ask Xu Yu, who replied: "We met by chance during a bandit suppression earlier. It's thanks to Lord Zu today that I finally learned Brother Xiao's true identity; I never imagined he was the famed Sword Immortal of the past." Seeing that his expression seemed genuine, Zu An knew there was nothing more to ask.

At the end of the banquet, Acting Governor Jian Taiding sent people to escort Sang Hong and his group back to their residence. Sang Hong gathered Zu An, Gao Ying, Pei You, and others, saying: "Jian Taiding specifically sent an escort; I'm not sure if it's surveillance or a threat. Tomorrow morning, go visit the Yu Mansion. I highly suspect Lady Yu has been placed under house arrest."

"That's impossible, isn't it?" Gao Ying and Pei You couldn't help but say. "She is, after all, the Duchess and the head of the Yu family. Jian Taiding might control her for a day or two, but he can't keep her under house arrest indefinitely, can he? Otherwise, word would have spread long ago."

"We'll know for sure after visiting the Yu family tomorrow," Sang Hong said gravely. "Our influence in Yunzhong Commandery is still too weak. We are unclear about many things happening here, which is why I wanted Ah Zu to gain recognition today. At the very least, we need to display our strength to sway some fence-sitters to our side..."

The group discussed for a long time, then each returned to their rooms to rest. Zu An was pondering whether to take advantage of the night to visit the Pei family. However, as he pushed open his door, he suddenly froze, for he saw a person sitting on the windowsill inside his room.

The unkempt stubble, the hesitant eyes, the green wine gourd, and the strikingly worn-out straw sandals—all profoundly betrayed the person's identity.

"Xiao Yao!" Zu An was somewhat wary, unable to understand what he intended by appearing in his room late at night.