Chapter 142: Tell Me, Why? First Installment

Yuzhou nestled against the mountains and leaned against the waters. Outsiders only knew of its two great scenic wonders, yet they remained ignorant of its supreme spectacle: gazing down upon the sprawling, luminous dragon of city lights from the summit of Mount Yandang.

Zheng Xuan sat in low spirits at the foot of the mountain, her hair disheveled by the night breeze.

Beside her sat Zhang Yuan, a native of Yuzhou.

He spoke fluently and at length: "Our Yuzhou is hailed as China's miniature mountain city. Tonight, I shall escort our great beauty Zheng up Mount Yandang for a grand tour."

Tonight, Zheng Xuan wore her long hair draped over her shoulders, paired with a short white skirt that revealed her slender, well-rounded legs, prompting Zhang Yuan to steal frequent glances.

He sighed inwardly. Ever since the wedding in Jincheng, the young woman before him had not worn a single smile. She seemed like a completely different person, growing far more dejected compared to her former bright and lively self.

Another girl with pretty features attempted to comfort her: "Xuanxuan, are you still thinking about Jiang Yu?"

That former fiancé, once regarded as utterly useless, had undergone a miraculous transformation on her grand wedding day, emerging as the northern-Jiangsu adolescent hero revered by countless tycoons and magnates. How could Zheng Xuan possibly endure such a heavy blow?

Jiang Shaoqi, who styled himself the true dragon of the Jiang family and was renowned far and wide as the genius of Yuncheng, paled into absolute insignificance before Jiang Yu.

This girl had misjudged her man.

"Xuanxuan, although Jiang Yu possesses some capability and is treated as an honored guest by the magnates of northern Jiangsu, his status will forever remain confined to the grey underworld. Step outside northern Jiangsu, and those who refuse to humor him are as numerous as crucian carp in the Yu River."

Disdain flickered across the girl's face.

Just a youth named Jiang Yu—how could he possibly compare to the vast, boundless world?

The world was immense, teeming with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Take tonight in Yuzhou, for instance, where countless sects and aristocratic families had gathered, and even the hidden gates had mobilized in their entirety. Merely the grandmasters of internal energy—existences akin to divine dragons soaring through the skies—numbered more than a dozen.

Compared to tonight's Yuzhou, what significance did that youth Jiang Yu hold?

Possessing some minor family background within the Yu River region, this girl naturally knew a thing or two about the secular martial arts world.

Zheng Xuan tucked a stray lock of hair from her forehead behind her ear and said desolately, "Zhou Ting, is Jiang Yu truly just a secular martial artist?"

With her hands clasped behind her back and her figure exuding a sensual allure, Zhou Ting let out a cold laugh. "Naturally, he is a secular martial artist. Otherwise, why would the tycoons of northern Jiangsu willingly bow their heads to a mere youth? His strength is likely that of a Qi-condensation Grandmaster. The world is simply too vast; there are far too many people more talented than he is."

Standing at the foot of the mountain and gazing toward Yuzhou, Zhang Yuan frowned and said, "What on earth is happening in Yuzhou tonight? My old man warned me repeatedly tonight not to step outside under any circumstances. It feels as though some earth-shattering event is about to take place."

Hearing this, Zhou Ting shook her head. "I have no idea. My dad told me the exact same thing. But since our great beauty Zheng wanted to come to Yuzhou to clear her mind, how could I possibly dampen her enthusiasm?"

Zheng Xuan stood up in silence, utterly devoid of vitality like a walking corpse. Even her smiles of old were now a rare sight.

Jiang Yu had dealt her far too many heavy blows.

"How strange. Why are there so many people halfway up Mount Yandang tonight?"

Along the way, they had encountered no fewer than a dozen groups of people. It was neither a holiday nor any special occasion. Did people nowadays suddenly harbor such wonderful leisure?

Coming to Mount Yandang in the dead of night to admire the night view of Yuzhou—they had already run into at least thirty or fifty people.

Stranger still, some were even dressed in retro long robes, with hoary hair and white beards, resembling immortals straight out of television dramas. Zhou Ting soon rationalized the sight: it must be some film crew coming to Mount Yandang to shoot location scenes.

Yuzhou boasted abundant scenery, with warm breezes surpassing the misty southern rivers, capable of intoxicating any traveler. In recent years, the number of people coming to Yuzhou for location shoots had multiplied.

The further they climbed, the heavier Zheng Xuan's heart grew. She could not pinpoint the reason, yet it felt as though she had lost something vital. Ever since the wedding banquet in Jincheng, Zheng Xuan had searched the entire world for Jiang Yu's whereabouts, only to meet with continuous failure.

She still harbored numerous questions that she needed to ask him in person to clear the air.

"Lass, I advise you not to climb any higher."

At that moment, a middle-aged man in a business suit stepped into their path, offering a well-intentioned warning.

Zhou Ting asked with curiosity, "Why can't we go up? What kind of night view can one possibly see from halfway up the mountain?"

Everyone wore an expression of utter perplexity.

The middle-aged man let out a cold chuckle. "Night view? We are certainly not here on Mount Yandang to admire the night view of Yuzhou."

The moment Zhou Ting spoke, the man instantly guessed what these youngsters were up to. Most likely seeking romance and taking advantage of the deep night to come to Mount Yandang for the scenery—wasn't that typical of the youth nowadays?

Waving his hand impatiently, the man said, "Forget about it for today. The summit is extremely dangerous, so hurry back home. Didn't your elders tell you not to wander about casually tonight?"

Zhang Yuan and Zhou Ting, who were already suspicious, grew even more curious upon hearing the middle-aged man reiterate this point. Why was everyone repeating the exact same stern instruction: do not casually step outside in Yuzhou tonight?

Moreover, over the past couple of days, numerous fully armed young recruits had appeared on the streets of Yuzhou, claiming they were conducting military drills.

Even Zhou Ting refused to believe it.

Lowering her voice, she asked, "Mister, could you tell us what on earth is going on?"

This matter was hardly a state secret anyway, so the middle-aged man casually replied, "Tonight, immortal masters are engaging in a decisive battle at the summit of Mount Yandang, and we are all here to watch the duel. Hurry home. Once the fighting starts, it will shatter the heavens and split the earth—make sure you aren't collateral damage."

Immortals fighting a decisive battle on Mount Yandang? Upon hearing this, how could it not sound like the legendary duel between Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng at the Forbidden City? Zhou Ting, Zhang Yuan, and the others stared at each other with wide eyes.

Were they going to unleash a flying immortal from beyond the heavens next?

Zhang Yuan immediately curled his lip in utter disdain.

He figured it was simply a film crew shooting a scene and fabricating such an excuse to prevent external interference. The thought processes of the younger generation were realms the middle-aged man could never dream of guessing.

Further up, several young recruits with live ammunition stood guard along the mountain path.

Everyone was forced to halt right here.

"We can't go any higher. What should we do?"

Zhou Ting glanced at Zheng Xuan and bit her lower lip fiercely. "No way! Tonight, no matter what, I must accompany Xuanxuan to clear her mind. My heart aches just looking at this girl."

Zhang Yuan pondered for a moment and waved his hand. "I know a small path leading up the mountain. Follow me in a moment."

Turning around, the group followed Zhang Yuan, and a little over ten minutes later, they indeed discovered a narrow trail leading directly to the summit. Moving stealthily, they slipped into the woods. Zhou Ting gripped Zheng Xuan's small hand tightly and said, "Xuanxuan, stop dwelling on it. Brilliant though Jiang Yu may be, he isn't worth letting you spiral into despair and wander about like a ghost every single day."

After walking for more than ten minutes, the surrounding woods gradually thinned out, bringing them close to the summit.

Suddenly, Zhang Yuan, who was walking in the lead, came to a halt. Taken by surprise, Zhou Ting bumped squarely into his back and snapped angrily, "Zhang Yuan, have you got a death wish? Why did you stop?"

Zhang Yuan's expression shifted drastically as he pointed ahead. "Look over there. Someone is standing."

A dozen yards away stood a solitary figure viewed from behind, radiating an aura of utter heartbreak, crowned with a full head of white hair. In his arms, he held a woman whose long hair hung limp without the slightest movement.

Influenced by the atmosphere, a wave of profound sorrow welled up in everyone's hearts.

Zhou Ting hurriedly shook her head. "What is going on? I actually feel a pang of sadness in my chest."

Zhang Yuan and the others also narrowed their eyes, staring fixedly at that slender, lonely silhouette.

As for Zheng Xuan, her delicate body began to tremble violently. She covered her mouth with both hands, her emotions running on the verge of collapse. Even in death, she would never forget that familiar silhouette. The man she had searched the entire world for in vain was right here on Mount Yandang tonight.

And cradled in his arms was a woman. Zheng Xuan instantly recognized her as Gu Feifei. Most shocking of all, Gu Feifei's hands were completely gone, her entire body stained with blood, presenting a desolate and tragic sight.

Before Zhou Ting and the others could even process what was happening, Zheng Xuan dashed forward, running toward that solitary silhouette.

The surrounding world was utterly silent—no chirping of insects, no cries of beasts. Everyone stared dumbfounded as Zheng Xuan bolted out. They tried to pull her back, but it was already too late; she had already reached the back of that figure, her delicate frame shivering uncontrollably.

"Jiang Yu, why are you here?"

"Gu Feifei, she..."

Jiang Yu turned around, his bloodshot eyes startling the group.

On that face, murderous intent surged. His eyes were as red as pools of blood, captivating and soul-rending. That head of white hair stood out most conspicuously against the pitch-black night; though he appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen years old, his hair had turned entirely white.

Two trails of tears stained his cheeks.

"Jiang Yu, I don't believe you."

After taking in Jiang Yu's face clearly—though it differed somewhat from before—Zheng Xuan recognized him instantly.

Jiang Yu spoke, his voice low and heavy. "Why do you not believe?"

Zheng Xuan's emotions finally shattered completely. Separated by half a year and meeting Jiang Yu once more, the accumulated resentment of these past six months erupted all at once. "Why?"

"Why do the magnates of northern Jiangsu and Mobei revere you like a god? Who on earth are you? Jiang Yu, you owe me an answer, you owe me an explanation. My entire life was nearly ruined that day, Jiang Yu!"

"You just brushed off your hands and walked away. What was I supposed to do?"

"In terms of social skills, erudition, character, methods, or talent, you belong firmly in the mediocre tier. I could never perceive a single trait in you that warranted so many tycoons bowing down in submission."

"Jiang Yu, who on earth are you?"

Zheng Xuan cried out at the top of her lungs.

She desperately wanted to clear the matter up in her mind, regardless of the cost.

Jiang Yu placed the unconscious Gu Feifei in his arms down onto the ground. The crimson glow in his eyes intensified drastically, and his voice turned colder than the frost and snow of the cosmos. "After witnessing so much, why do you still refuse to believe?"

Clenching her fists tightly, Zheng Xuan said in a piercing tone, "I don't believe it. I simply don't believe it."

Jiang Yu smiled—a smile of incomparable complexity.

Standing upon Mount Yandang, he turned to gaze at the distant lights of Yuzhou and spoke indifferently: "You wish to know? Very well, today I shall tell you why the magnates of northern Jiangsu revere me as a god!"

The next instant, Jiang Yu uttered a soft cry: "Chen Shanhe, I borrow your treasured sword!"

He extended his hand, grasping into the distant void, and spat out two words:

"Sword, come!"

Humming reverberated through the heavens and earth, resembling the cry of a sword.

A long rainbow soared into the sky from within the city of Yuzhou, trailing a tail of brilliance dozens of meters long as it pointed straight toward the summit of Mount Yandang.