Chapter Eight: Lu Baichuan, Journeying Alone Across a Thousand Miles

The elder of Yellow Crane Sect, seeing that the man was alone, cupped his hands and said, “Yellow Crane Sect is conducting business here. May I ask which sect you hail from, esteemed one?”

The man laughed, “Elder, are you worried I’ve set up an ambush to kill and rob you all, ruining your plans? Rest assured, I am merely a rogue cultivator with no sect or affiliation.”

Hearing him reveal his background so readily, the group felt his intentions were friendly and began to lower their guard, but then the man continued, “I simply cannot stomach your actions. Frankly, I pay you no mind at all.”

Fury erupted among them. One shouted, “Don’t meddle, or you’ll die with them.”

He laughed, “Meddle I shall!” With that, he leapt straight into the formation. Noticing Lu Baichuan barely holding on, he asked, “My name is Mei Daoqing. Brother, can you still fight?”

Lu Baichuan was deeply moved to see someone come to his aid, but this man was so reckless—rather than coordinating from outside, he’d entered the fray. He kindly cautioned, “I thank you for your help, Brother Mei, but this formation is subtle and intricate. If we acted inside and out, we’d be more than enough; you shouldn’t have entered.”

But Mei Daoqing laughed heartily, “No matter! I’ve already seen the flaw in their array. Together, we’ll slaughter them like chickens and dogs.”

Lu Baichuan found this man’s boldness and generosity much to his taste. Lifting his spirits, he laughed, “Good! To join hands with Brother Mei is a fortune of three lifetimes; why fear death?”

Seeing the two so nonchalant, chatting and laughing while surrounded, the Yellow Crane Sect was enraged. At their elder’s command, they launched a fierce assault.

Mei Daoqing recited a sword incantation, his longsword shining and splitting into countless sword shadows lashing out in all directions. The Yellow Crane Sect could only defend in haste. Lu Baichuan seized the opportunity to attack one of them.

A fierce battle ensued—sword energies flashed, weapons clashed, screams echoed without end.

Although Lu Baichuan and Mei Daoqing had only just met, they fought back to back, relying on each other to cut down three elders. The wounded disciples left groaning on the ground were spared; the two, considering themselves men of principle, would not take unnecessary lives.

Mei Daoqing searched the fallen elder, retrieving several life-and-death tokens. Noticing a few had dulled, he said, “Brother Lu, those of Yellow Crane Sect outside the secret realm already know these men are dead. Before they arrive, let’s leave at once.”

Lu Baichuan nodded. With the sword in hand and wounds upon him, there was no reason to linger. Seeing several tokens still usable, Mei Daoqing wiped them clean of blood essence and kept them, then hurried away with Lu Baichuan.

Passing the entrance to the secret realm, they ignored the stares of many, flying tens of miles on their swords before finding a secluded spot to rest.

Once Lu Baichuan had recovered, he saw Mei Daoqing had guarded him all the while and was deeply moved, his life saved by this man. Not one to owe favors, he offered the celestial-grade sword to Mei Daoqing, as it had not yet been refined and claimed.

To his surprise, Mei Daoqing, though his own sword was ordinary, refused the gift, insisting he acted only out of justice and harbored no covetous intent.

Lu Baichuan could not persuade him after repeated attempts. Resigned, he invited Mei Daoqing to Xidu, where they found a tavern and spent several days in lively conversation. Lu Baichuan found in Mei Daoqing a generous, heroic spirit in battle and a gentleman’s humility among friends—so much like himself that he proposed a sworn brotherhood. Mei Daoqing did not demur; by age, Lu Baichuan was elder brother, Mei Daoqing the younger, and they swore an oath to become brothers unto death.

For a year thereafter, the two roamed the martial world together, braving dangers and saving each other time and again, true to their brotherly bond, until they reached Zhongdu.

Lu Baichuan, rootless and carefree, had no home; but Mei Daoqing had a beloved wife and son, and after two or three years away, wished to return home when they reached Zhongdu. They parted with the promise to meet again after the New Year.

During their travels, they had together acquired a mysterious jade token in another secret realm. The token shimmered with a profound purple light, with the words “Break the World” and “Enter the Void” inscribed on either side. They pondered its secret for days to no avail, but as it was indestructible, Lu Baichuan let Mei Daoqing take it for his nephew to play with.

Lu Baichuan journeyed alone for half a year more. Then one day, he felt an anomaly from the life-and-death token he carried. Taking it out, he was struck with unspeakable grief—it was the one Mei Daoqing had left him when they parted, both leaving blood essence on each other’s tokens for safekeeping. The token in Lu Baichuan’s possession, now dull and lifeless, signified Mei Daoqing’s death.

After his sorrow abated, Lu Baichuan resolved to brave thousands of miles to Wuzhou City—for two reasons: to discover the cause of Mei Daoqing’s sudden death, and to see if the widow and orphan needed his support.

Traversing rivers and mountains with his cultivation at the Golden Core stage, he pressed on for over three months. At last he reached Wuzhou City, without rest, and began to inquire everywhere. After several days, he found Mei Daoqing’s widow, Su Yunxue.

As Mei Daoqing had often said, Su Yunxue was wise and capable, skilled in business, and had single-handedly supported their family for his pursuit of the Dao, making them comfortably well-off.

But when Lu Baichuan found her, the widow and orphan dwelled in a single shabby room, the house dilapidated, all signs of former prosperity gone. Though Su Yunxue was still beautiful, she wore threadbare clothes and was thin and exhausted, a picture of utter destitution.

Lu Baichuan, heedless of her astonishment, saw in the room a memorial tablet inscribed “The Late Lord Mei.” Tears welled in his tiger eyes as he stepped forward to pay his respects.

When Lu Baichuan explained his purpose, Su Yunxue burst into tears. Clearly, she knew of this sworn brother; months of stoic endurance crumbled before him.

Once her grief had poured out, she recounted the events in detail, leaving Lu Baichuan boiling with wrath and thirsting for vengeance.

After returning to Wuzhou, Mei Daoqing had stayed home teaching his child, not venturing out for over a month. But in a city of hundreds of millions, Golden Core experts were rare; Mei Daoqing had once been courted by many powers and had numerous acquaintances. Though he kept to himself, word got out, and many called on him to reminisce.

In the southern district, a deputy military governor, once also a rogue cultivator and an acquaintance of Mei Daoqing from his humble days, had since become a Golden Core master and was recruited by the city lord, Tong Meng. Rising to deputy governor, one of twelve, with thousands under his command, he could be considered a friend. He sent for Mei Daoqing, who, unable to refuse, agreed to meet.

At their banquet, they drank and reminisced. Mei Daoqing mentioned the mysterious jade token he’d acquired, which had no apparent use, so he’d given it to his son to play with. The deputy governor seemed very interested, repeatedly asking to see it. Out of courtesy, Mei Daoqing promised to bring it another time.

They set a date. Mei Daoqing retrieved the token from his son and went to the next meeting, only to find several military experts present. After several rounds of wine, the deputy governor impatiently demanded to see the token. After playing with it for some time, he insisted on keeping it.

Mei Daoqing was angered—how could his friend be so shameless? The token was no ordinary object, and he’d already given it to his son. Refused, the deputy governor gave a signal, and his subordinates stood up, surrounding Mei Daoqing. It was then he realized the extra guests were there not for company, but for a fight. Proud as ever, Mei Daoqing stood his ground and would not yield.

Words failed, wine cups were overturned, and battle erupted. The deputy governor’s men included six or seven Golden Core fighters; the rest were of lower rank but numerous. With a flight-restriction array in the city, there was no escape by sword. Outnumbered, Mei Daoqing was finally hacked to death.

The deputy governor sent his corpse back to the Mei household without explanation. The widow and orphan, struck by this calamity, could only weep and make funeral arrangements.

Later, only because one of the deputy’s servants drunkenly let slip the truth, did Su Yunxue and her son learn what had happened. But as outsiders in Wuzhou without connections, and with the boy only thirteen or fourteen and weak in cultivation, they had no one to turn to. Moreover, when officials commit murder, excuses and false charges are easily made, and there was nowhere to seek justice.

The Mei household’s servants, fearing implication, all resigned. Business partners, not wishing to offend the deputy governor, cut ties as well. After suffering heavy losses, Su Yunxue could only move out, finding a small house and taking odd jobs to eke out a living for herself and her son.

Hearing all this, Lu Baichuan’s fists clenched and rage filled his chest—he wished he could kill the deputy governor on the spot. His sworn brother’s strength was not inferior to his own, yet he had perished; clearly, this would be a deadly undertaking.

After a moment’s thought, Lu Baichuan, always upright, realized he might have to resort to unsavory means. Life and death were minor matters—what mattered was that vengeance must be had. His resolve was set.

But he worried for the widow and orphan; best they knew as little as possible to avoid later trouble. He did not tell Su Yunxue of his plan, only urging her to endure, raise her son well, and promising that if he survived, he would return to care for his nephew.

He left all his valuables on the table, though he’d never cared much for money and had little to give. With a heavy sigh, he departed. Su Yunxue, wise and perceptive, saw that Lu Baichuan’s nature was much like her late husband’s and guessed his intentions, but he had already gone too swiftly to dissuade.

Lu Baichuan lingered near the deputy governor’s residence for days, looking for an opportunity. He kept to himself, rarely interacting with others, determined to leave not a trace, whether he succeeded or failed, so as to make the case a mystery and shield the widow and orphan from harm.

At last, the household began hiring guards. Concealing his cultivation, Lu Baichuan secured a position as a guard. Using his patrols, he familiarized himself with the estate’s layout. After two more months, he discovered that the deputy governor often entered his study alone.