No Fighting Allowed in the Inn-Chapter 137

◎By Xu Sanzuo, Hermit Jiuyi◎

Finding someone based on a portrait would take time, so Lu Jianwei decided not to linger any longer. After handing Sun Lei and his men over to the Mystic Mirror Bureau, she and Pei Zhi set off for Liaozhou.

Xu Sanzuo, the bearded elder, happened to be traveling the same way.

Before leaving, he deliberately filled his gourd with wine and remarked carelessly, "You drugged me, so taking a bit of your wine shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

Sun Lei and the others remained silent.

After passing through several villages, the trio reached the borders of Liaozhou.

Xu Sanzuo rode a short, scrawny horse that had been struggling to keep up with the other two for half a day. Patting the horse’s head, he sighed dramatically, "Young people these days have no respect for their elders."

His voice was just loud enough to reach Lu Jianwei and Pei Zhi ahead.

Neither of them responded.

"I can’t go on, I just can’t! Poor old horse, suffering under this old man’s care. But alas, I can’t let you rest, or we’ll fall behind."

Lu Jianwei found his theatrics amusing and reined in her horse, turning to say, "If you truly cared for your horse, Elder, you wouldn’t ride it all over the place."

The horse looked ancient, long overdue for retirement.

"This old man would love to let it live out its days in peace, but after years together, it just stares at me with tears in its eyes whenever I ride another horse. How could I bear that?"

Lu Jianwei: "…"

"Young friends, you saved this old man last night, and I haven’t even thanked you yet." Xu Sanzuo rummaged in his sleeve and pulled out two small iron tokens, tossing them over.

Pei Zhi caught them. On one side of each token was engraved a sword, and on the other, the flowing character "Xu."

"So it’s Master Xu."

"Indeed, it is I! You’ve got a decent eye, young man." Xu Sanzuo stroked his beard proudly. "I noticed your swords are rather plain, so consider these tokens a token of gratitude. Each one entitles you to a custom-made weapon, free of charge."

Countless martial artists in the jianghu would kill for such an opportunity—these two had stumbled upon incredible luck.

Lu Jianwei and Pei Zhi were traveling incognito, so they’d bought ordinary swords to wear at their waists, keeping their real weapons wrapped in cloth inside their packs.

This had led Xu Sanzuo to misunderstand.

"Thank you for your generosity, Master Xu. We’ll take our leave now." Lu Jianwei clasped her hands and prepared to ride off.

"Wait!" Xu Sanzuo called after her. "What business do you have in Liaozhou? Since you two seem decent enough, this old man might be able to help."

Lu Jianwei smiled. "We appreciate the offer, but what we seek is something you may not have heard of."

"Not heard of? Impossible! I’ve roamed the jianghu for decades—there’s nothing I haven’t seen. Go on, try me."

"Have you heard of the Seven-Step Swamp?"

"Of course! It’s just—" Xu Sanzuo’s beard twitched, and he squinted. "Why do you ask?"

Lu Jianwei: "We’re hardly going for a stroll."

"Young lady, you’re not being very forthright. But let me warn you—there’s no benefit in going to that swamp."

"Why not?"

"Why? Because who knows how many skeletons are buried beneath it! It’s a death trap."

Lu Jianwei asked, "Have you been there yourself, Master?"

"No, no, never."

"Then how do you know about the skeletons?"

"…" Xu Sanzuo waved a hand impatiently. "Bah! I won’t argue with you. Go wherever you like—it’s none of my concern. Those tokens are wasted on you two."

He uncorked his gourd, took a long swig, and urged his horse forward at a leisurely pace, clearly done with the conversation.

Lu Jianwei and Pei Zhi exchanged a glance, then leisurely followed behind him.

Now, the positions were reversed.

Xu Sanzuo snapped his gourd shut and grumbled, "Why are you two following me?"

"This is our first time in Liaozhou. We’re strangers here and don’t dare venture blindly. Would you be willing to guide us, Master?" Lu Jianwei asked bluntly.

Xu Sanzuo’s eyes bulged. "Guide you to your deaths? No, no, I won’t do it!"

"Ah, as outsiders, we’re easy prey. Who knows if we’ll stumble into a den of thieves?" Lu Jianwei feigned worry.

Xu Sanzuo scoffed. "You? Prey? Don’t take me for a fool! Last night, you two were the ones beating up that Sun Lei. He even called you ‘Innkeeper’—you’re clearly no ordinary travelers."

"A mere coincidence. Their incense happened to be something I could counter." Lu Jianwei flattered him. "We’re nowhere near as renowned as you, Master, after decades in the jianghu."

Xu Sanzuo’s lips twitched, but he quickly schooled his expression. "Hmph! If that’s the case, you should listen to your elders. Don’t throw your lives away. Just because you’re skilled doesn’t mean you’re invincible. Without caution, you’ll regret it."

"Wise words, Master." Lu Jianwei smiled. "Which is precisely why we need your guidance—to avoid such regrets."

Xu Sanzuo: "…"

He wagged a finger at her, sighing. "I should’ve known you’d be a tricky one. It seems I’ve been out of touch too long—I didn’t even realize the jianghu had produced such a crafty youngster."

"And which youngsters do you know, Master?"

"Me?" Xu Sanzuo slapped his thigh, laughing. "The ones I knew can hardly be called ‘young’ anymore. They’re probably all shriveled up by now, hahaha!"

Lu Jianwei chuckled. "The masters you know must be top-tier experts. Experts know how to preserve their youth—it can’t be as dire as you say."

"Old is old. What’s the point of pretending? Though, some I knew died young—didn’t even get the chance to shrivel." Xu Sanzuo waved a hand dismissively. "Enough of that. I still don’t know your names. What, do you look down on this old man?"

Lu Jianwei clasped her hands. "This junior is Lu Jianwei."

"Pei Zhi."

Xu Sanzuo thought for a moment. "Lu Jianwei… never heard of you. But Pei Zhi sounds familiar. Can’t place it, though. Never mind."

The trio chatted as they traveled, arriving at a rustic cottage as dusk fell.

The cottage appeared humble on the outside but held surprises within.

"This is where I stay. Aside from the main room and the forge, pick any room you like. It’s been a while since anyone’s lived here, so don’t expect cleanliness—look at all this dust!"

Lu Jianwei raised a brow. So, he’d brought them along to tidy up for him.

"It is rather filthy. Pei Zhi, let’s find somewhere else."

Pei Zhi stifled a laugh. "Agreed."

"There’s not a soul for miles around here. Where do you plan to stay with this blockhead?"

Lu Jianwei: "Under the open sky—a unique experience."

"…"

Xu Sanzuo was thoroughly exasperated. "If I hadn’t pitied you two with nowhere to go, I wouldn’t have brought you here. Don’t you youngsters know how to respect your elders?"

"If I truly respected you, wouldn’t you find it dull?" Lu Jianwei grinned. "Plenty already revere you—two more won’t make a difference."

Xu Sanzuo pouted with an aggrieved expression, "...This old man can't even win an argument against youngsters these days."

"I don’t think you’ve ever won against anyone," a clear, resonant voice suddenly rang out from beyond the courtyard. "You returned without even notifying me. If not for my servant spotting you on the road and sending word, I wouldn’t have known you finally deigned to crawl out of your mountain hideaway."

A man strode in, his robes loose and elegant, exuding an air of effortless grace. Behind him trailed two young servants, both around seventeen or eighteen years old.

"Your servant’s eyes are too sharp," Xu Sanzuo grumbled. "What are you here for? I’m not in the mood to argue with you."

"To while away the time, of course," the newcomer replied, waving a feathered fan. His features were refined, his expression relaxed. He turned to his servants and instructed, "You’ve offended Master Xu, so you’d better tidy up his place properly. Only when he’s pleased will you have done your job."

The two servants bowed respectfully and set about cleaning the house without another word.

Xu Sanzuo stroked his goatee. "That’s more like it. But there’s nothing entertaining here."

"Who says there isn’t?" The man turned his gaze toward Lu Jianwei and Pei Zhi. "Aren’t there two young friends right here? Fine, if I can’t bother you, I’ll bother them instead."

His appearance was striking, his bearing extraordinary. His cultivation level was outwardly at the eighth rank, yet his face remained youthful, as if frozen in his twenties—a clear sign of remarkable talent.

Once a martial artist reached the fifth rank, they could halt the aging process. As their internal energy grew stronger, their youthful appearance would persist longer.

Though martial artists could usually sense each other’s true ages, Lu Jianwei found it difficult to pin down this man’s years at first glance.

Her initial impression placed him around fifty, yet her instincts told her she was mistaken.

Moreover, his level was far beyond the eighth rank—he might as well be a quasi-Grandmaster.

Interesting.

"You’re an old man—what could you possibly have to say to youngsters?" Xu Sanzuo pulled out a cloth from who-knows-where, dusted off a rocking chair in the courtyard, and plopped down. "They’re not your kind of people."

"I wouldn’t be so sure." The man arched a brow and smiled. "Where do you two hail from, young friends? How did you end up keeping company with this old drunkard? You both carry an air of refinement—don’t let him taint you. Why not come with me instead? We can play a game of chess, paint a scroll—wouldn’t that be far more elegant?"

Lu Jianwei cupped her hands in salute. "May I ask for your esteemed name, Senior?"

"‘Senior’ is too much. Though I can’t discern your cultivation levels, I know you’re no ordinary folk. Such deference is unnecessary." He fanned himself lightly. "You may call me Hermit Jiuyi."

Xu Sanzuo snorted. "Pretentious."

"I’ve been dreadfully bored lately—couldn’t find anyone to play a game of chess with," Hermit Jiuyi said. "Do either of you know how?"

Lu Jianwei: "No."

Before Pei Zhi could respond, Hermit Jiuyi cut in, "A gentleman’s six arts—if you can’t even manage this, how do you expect to win a fair lady’s heart?"

"..."

Lu Jianwei replied bluntly, "Winning my favor doesn’t require mastery of chess."

"Then what does it require?" Hermit Jiuyi asked, intrigued.

"That’s between him and me. What concern is it of yours?"

Hermit Jiuyi chuckled. "Oh-ho! A moment ago, you called me ‘Senior,’ and now it’s ‘What concern is it of yours?’ You change your tune quickly, young friend."

"Hahahaha! Serves you right!" Xu Sanzuo rocked in his chair, legs crossed. "Someone ought to put you in your place. Always spouting nonsense."

Hermit Jiuyi sighed dramatically. "I still don’t know your names, young friends. Surely you won’t refuse to share that much?"

"Lu Jianwei."

"Pei Zhi."

Hermit Jiuyi paused, then exclaimed, "Could it be? The proprietor of the Eight Directions Inn, Lu Jianwei, and the Commander of the Mystic Mirror Bureau, Pei Zhi?"

The two servants, who had been cleaning, froze mid-task, their eyes burning with sudden interest.

"You know of them?" Xu Sanzuo uncrossed his legs, startled. "Seems you two are even more renowned than I thought—if even this pretentious scholar recognizes you. Where is this Eight Directions Inn? Is it fun? And you—no wonder your name sounded familiar. So you’re the head of that ‘Bureau’ or whatever."

Hermit Jiuyi tapped Xu Sanzuo with his fan, sighing. "You’ve been holed up in the mountains too long if you haven’t heard of the Eight Directions Inn. The rumor in the martial world is that the artisans of Lu Jianwei’s sect surpass even Master Xu’s craftsmanship."

"What?!" Xu Sanzuo leapt to his feet, pointing at the swords at their waists. "You’re saying these blades are better than mine?"

Hermit Jiuyi rolled his eyes. "Fool. They’re clearly in disguise. Everyone knows Proprietress Lu is peerlessly elegant, and Commander Pei is strikingly handsome. Look at them now—do their current faces match?"

"This is a fake face?" Xu Sanzuo frowned. "Has my eyesight worsened?"

Lu Jianwei clasped her hands. "For convenience while traveling the martial world, we had to conceal our identities. Our apologies, Master Xu. Though I hadn’t expected word of my humble inn to reach Liaozhou."

"Exactly." Xu Sanzuo turned to Hermit Jiuyi. "Since when do you care about martial world gossip? Weren’t you always obsessed with your ‘gentlemanly arts’?"

Hermit Jiuyi waved a hand. "I couldn’t care less about the outside world’s chatter, but my two servants are quite fond of it. They’ve bought stacks of those cheap martial arts novels and chatter about them endlessly at home. It’s not like I can plug my ears."

The cleaning servants flushed and ducked their heads, no longer daring to look at Lu Jianwei.

"Whatever. I don’t care who you two are—you helped me back in Jizhou, so you’re my honored guests." Xu Sanzuo paused, then added awkwardly, "But if your sect’s forging skills truly surpass mine, then those two tokens I gave you must be useless. Just... throw them away where I won’t see it."

Lu Jianwei couldn’t help but laugh. "Master Xu, your reputation spans the land. There’s no need for such modesty. Those rumors are just young martial artists boasting—they’ve never seen your work. Please don’t take it to heart."

"Really?"

"​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‍Really."

Xu Sanzuo squinted at her. "You’re not being sincere. I don’t believe you—unless you show me one of your weapons."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!"

"Very well." Lu Jianwei feigned reluctance, walking over to her horse and retrieving a cloth-wrapped long blade. She placed it on the stone table.

"I knew it was a blade! You’re too stingy, wrapping it up so tightly." Xu Sanzuo personally unwrapped the coarse fabric and drew the weapon from its sheath. "Let’s see just how—"

His voice died abruptly.

The Frost Coiling Blade was considered a top-tier treasure even in the system’s marketplace—let alone in the Qi Dynasty.

Even Xu Sanzuo, the world’s foremost weaponsmith, was utterly entranced by it.

He forgot what he had been about to say, his entire being consumed by the blade in his hands.

The gleaming steel reflected his awestruck face, his eyes alight with an almost fanatical fervor, as if kindled by an inner fire.

He stood motionless, as though trapped in an inescapable dream.

And he wasn’t the only one. Hermit Jiuyi and his two servants were equally captivated, their eyes wide with wonder.

"Truly a peerless divine weapon," Hermit Jiuyi murmured, the first to recover. He exhaled deeply, his gaze darkening slightly. "Proprietress Lu’s sect is indeed extraordinary."

Lu Jianwei smiled faintly. "You flatter me, Hermit Jiuyi."

"You are too modest, Innkeeper Lu." Hermit Jiuyi waved his feathered fan lightly. "To become a ninth-rank Martial King at such a young age—this is an achievement most warriors could never reach in their entire lives. With your youth, you may yet ascend to the realm of a Grandmaster."

"Your kind words are appreciated." Lu Jianwei had little interest in further conversation and reached for the Frost Coiling Blade, only for Xu Sanzuo to jerk it away.

"Don’t touch my treasure!"

Lu Jianwei: "…"