Chapter 256

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The master of ceremonies called out: “A pair of century-old, fully matured Shou Wu, a pair of century-old, fully matured ginseng…”

[TL_Note: A medicinal herb, also known as He Shou Wu, used for longevity and health]

Though the items were not many and did not include gold, silver, jade, or antique treasures, the immortal way had been lost for ten thousand years, and the world’s Yuan Qi had grown thin. This decline extended even to medicinal herbs, where even those of just a few decades were rarely seen. Yet, this man casually presented century-old herbs—fully matured, no less! How could this not shock everyone present? How could it not cause Master Ma and the master of ceremonies to momentarily lose their composure? Such things could not simply be bought with silver notes. Even if one were to offer an equivalent sum, where could one find something so utterly captivating?

No wonder Kong Rang was troubled.

Some things simply could not be purchased, no matter how much silver one had.

At the side, Old Master Ma, Ma Rulong, though appearing as vigorous as a gallant steed, had an unusual expression at this moment. The crowd assumed it was due to overwhelming joy, but he alone knew the bitter truth he could not voice. He was well aware of his own standing in the martial world—he was not someone deserving of such great favor from the Heaven’s Way Alliance. The reason they were bestowing such grand gifts was clearly to extend a favor in hopes of receiving one in return. Yet, how was he supposed to decide? Could such a lavish gift truly dictate his choice?

Qiu Xidao, seemingly out of nowhere, retrieved a folding fan and lightly fanned himself, his face brimming with satisfaction as he listened to the master of ceremonies’ slightly trembling voice announcing the gifts. He had the air of an elegant nobleman amidst a chaotic world. In truth, he was indeed worthy of such a reputation. While he might not be as refined as jade or exude an air of transcendence, the fact that he had married Old Master Ma’s direct granddaughter and had been accepted as a disciple by Chang Xin, the ninth deputy leader of the Heaven’s Way Alliance, meant that no one dared to say a word against him.

Unfortunately, just as Qiu Xidao was basking in the envious, jealous, and astonished gazes of the crowd, he sharply sensed a slight anomaly from a particular direction. In the distance, Qin Daren, his hair streaked with white, cast a look of disdain; Ying Fei, dressed in luxurious garments but with an unremarkable face, sneered mockingly; and Zhang Xiaohua, sitting stiffly atop a poor-quality horse, looking utterly vacant, as if his soul had been lost—though his expression had nothing to do with Qiu Xidao, it still felt like a sharp thorn piercing his proud heart.

However, Qiu Xidao at least remembered his own status. Moreover, those people were quite far away, and he had no good reason to lash out at them. So, with a swift flick of his wrist, he folded his fan shut and prepared to head inside. Yet, such a move was quite inappropriate—his grandfather was still standing there, honoring him by listening to his gift registry, and here he was, already about to leave. But Ma Rulong was no ordinary man. Immediately, he said: “Good grandson-in-law, are you feeling tired? Why don’t you go in and rest for a while? When the banquet begins, we’ll call you out to greet the guests.”

Qiu Xidao smiled and replied: “Thank you for your consideration, Grandfather. I am indeed a bit weary.”

Ma Rulong said: “Go on then. I’ve already had the servants prepare a quiet and elegant room for you—you’ll surely find it to your liking.”

With that, he gestured for Qiu Xidao to go ahead. But how could Qiu Xidao possibly enter first? Seeing this, Ma Rulong felt reassured and led the way into the courtyard, with Qiu Xidao following closely behind.

However, just as he passed through the corridor, Qiu Xidao seemed to recall something. He glanced at the chrysanthemums growing in the courtyard and suddenly exclaimed: “Grandfather, look! Your chrysanthemums are truly magnificent!”

Ma Rulong was momentarily stunned and stopped in his tracks, murmuring inwardly. These chrysanthemums were merely planted at random by the servants—what’s there to praise? Could there be some hidden meaning in his words? With that thought, he walked over to the flowerbed and accompanied Qiu Xidao in admiring the chrysanthemums. As they observed the flowers, he subtly probed for Qiu Xidao’s intentions, but the latter only responded absentmindedly while keeping his ears fixed on the sounds outside. His gaze frequently flicked toward the entrance, barely engaging with Ma Rulong’s inquiries. This left Ma Rulong utterly perplexed.

The Ma Manor was bustling with guests arriving to offer birthday congratulations, with traffic as dense as a flowing river. Each visitor bore lavish gifts, which the master of ceremonies had to announce one by one, a process that took considerable time. By the time Ying Fei led Qin Daren to the front of the residence, Qiu Xidao had already grown impatient from waiting inside.

In Ying Fei’s mind, considering the status of his lord and himself, there was no need to wait in line. He felt they should stride directly into the Ma Manor, where Ma Rulong would surely have to bow and personally welcome them. However, Qin Daren understood that the situation was no longer as it had been in the past. The congratulatory gifts from the Heaven’s Way Alliance spoke volumes, making it clear that the power dynamics had shifted. He preferred to observe from the sidelines, listening and watching more before making his move.

At times, traveling incognito had its own kind of amusement.

Yet, he failed to consider that with his head full of white hair, he was impossible to overlook no matter where he went. There was no way he could evade the Ma family’s scrutiny. Not to mention…

The master of ceremonies looked at the plainly average-looking man dressed in luxurious robes and asked in surprise: “Hero, are you sure you’ve come to the Ma Manor to offer birthday congratulations?”

“Yes, absolutely, without a doubt, and most certainly!”

“You have no invitation, nor have you prepared a gift, so you—”

And just like that, Qin Daren’s grand aspirations of traveling incognito were shattered on the spot! Never mind the striking white hair, never mind the conspicuous air he carried—at the very least, he should have prepared a token of sincerity. Even if he didn’t have silver notes, even if he was merely here to pay his respects out of admiration for Old Master Ma’s prestige, he should have at least brought a name card. Arriving empty-handed, not declaring his identity—who wouldn’t slap a label on his forehead reading either “Freeloader” or “Fool”?

To be fair, it wasn’t that Ying Fei or Qin Daren lacked worldly experience or didn’t understand social etiquette. It was just that, with their names and status, wherever they went among those who recognized them, they were treated with the utmost reverence and flattery. Yet here at the Ma Manor, not even their coattails were worthy of attention. How could they possibly lower their pride to present a congratulatory gift to what they saw as mere subordinates? If Zhang Xiaohua weren’t currently preoccupied with comprehending the [Earth Escape Technique], he would have certainly reminded them—arriving empty-handed to a birthday celebration was disgraceful even in the countryside. As for a name card? Ying Fei, as an envoy of the Divine Cult, considered his very identity to be the ultimate name card—why would he ever bother preparing another?

However, the master of ceremonies was well-versed in worldly affairs and had received prior instructions from the Ma family. They had been informed that there were many wandering heroes in the martial world—some eccentric, some unconventional, and others downright unpredictable. It was impossible to determine the backgrounds of every guest. Since birthday celebrations were meant to be lively and festive, and the Ma family hardly lacked food and drink, it mattered little if a few uninvited guests joined the feast. With a genial smile, the master of ceremonies asked: “Old Master Ma is known for his generosity and enjoys befriending nameless heroes such as yourself. However, I must still ask you to state your name so that I may record it in the annals of this grand occasion. Who knows? Your name might even be immortalized in history one day!”

“Pfft—” Ying Fei nearly burst into laughter, barely managing to hold it in. He turned to look at Qin Daren before saying: “Alright, just for that ‘immortalized in history’ remark, I’ll let you know. The distinguished lord behind me is none other than Qin Shiyue, Lord Qin, and I am Ying Fei.”

The master of ceremonies nodded. “Understood. As for the young man on horseback behind you, if he is merely a servant, there is no need to record his name.” Truthfully, the master of ceremonies was puzzled. If the youth were a servant, he should have been the one handling pleasantries on behalf of Ying Fei. However, if he was not a servant, then his attire was clearly inferior to that of the other two, and even his horse was of lower quality. This warranted further clarification.

Ying Fei considered for a moment before responding: “This young man is not our servant. He is merely accompanying us to broaden his horizons. His name is Ren Xiaoyao.”

The master of ceremonies chuckled. “Understood, Master Ying.”

Immediately, he raised his voice and announced: “Heroes Qin Shiyue, Ying Fei, and Ren Xiaoyao have come to offer birthday congratulations to Old Master Ma!”

The moment his voice fell, a figure shot out from within the courtyard like a lightning bolt. Even before the person arrived, his voice rang out first. “Haha! So the freeloaders have arrived! And they even have the audacity to announce their names! Qin Shiyue, Ying Fei, and some Ren-something Xiaoyao—how is it that I’ve never heard of such names in the martial world? Calling yourselves heroes? Do you even understand what shame means?”

The crowd turned their heads, and the speaker was none other than Young Master Qiu Xidao, who had long since entered the courtyard!

Qiu Xidao’s sudden appearance and loud, cutting words drew the attention of everyone present. Even Zhang Xiaohua momentarily paused his contemplation of the Earth Escape Technique to glance over in confusion.

Striding forward, Qiu Xidao sneered at Qin Daren and said mockingly: “This esteemed brother, whose skills seem rather extraordinary, is called Qin Shiyue, correct? A fine name, I must say—but not a renowned one. Where exactly does Brother Qin ply his trade? If you find yourself dissatisfied with your current circumstances, you could always come to the Heaven’s Way Alliance. I may not be much, but I can certainly find Brother Qin a proper position. At the very least, it would ensure that the next time you visit a senior’s home to offer birthday congratulations, you don’t arrive empty-handed and embarrass yourself so thoroughly!”

Qin Shiyue was being lectured right to his face, yet his gentle expression only deepened. He merely smiled without responding, displaying an unusual amount of restraint. However, Zhang Xiaohua did not see it that way. From what he had observed over the past two days, Qin Shiyue always maintained an amiable and kind appearance. If he furrowed his brows or showed dissatisfaction, that would be normal. But the more he smiled, the gentler his expression became, the more dangerous the situation was. After all, when he had sealed Zhang Xiaohua’s acupoints and subjected him to torture, he had done so with the same warm and spring-like smile.

Sensing trouble, Zhang Xiaohua glanced at Qiu Xidao, thinking it was a pity that such a well-dressed young master was about to suffer misfortune. Anxious, he quickly interjected: “Young Master, you are truly unreasonable! How could my lord be as you described? He merely holds a deep admiration for Old Master Ma. Our journey was hurried, and in our haste, we failed to make proper arrangements. That is the only reason for this oversight. Once we have paid our respects to the old master, I will personally ensure that my lord’s gifts are made whole.”

Qin Shiyue cast Zhang Xiaohua a sidelong glance, and for the first time, a hint of appreciation surfaced in his heart.

After all, who would willingly tolerate being lectured to their face? Even if he had already harbored the intent to kill.

Ying Fei also burst into laughter. “And who exactly are you? Since when does Ma Manor give you the right to speak here?”

Qiu Xidao grinned. “I knew you were ignorant. Let me enlighten you—this young master is the husband of Old Master Ma’s eldest legitimate granddaughter. Now, do you think I have the right to speak in Ma Manor?”

Ying Fei chuckled again. “Old Master Ma may be advanced in years, but he still has plenty of uncles and elder relatives in the family. I doubt it’s your place to speak on their behalf.”

Qiu Xidao laughed confidently. “The martial world concerns itself with martial affairs. My master is none other than Nan Fengyun, one of the nine grandmasters of the Heaven’s Way Alliance. Now, do you think I have the right to speak in Ma Manor?”

In Qiu Xidao’s mind, the moment he revealed the golden name of Nan Fengyun, these three backwater nobodies would surely be scared out of their wits. Even if they had never heard of Nan Fengyun, anyone who had spent time in the martial world would know of the Heaven’s Way Alliance. Among the three, two were dressed in fine garments and rode magnificent horses, so they surely had some level of knowledge about the martial world. It was impossible for them to ignore such an esteemed name.

Unfortunately…