Una sonrisa puede derribar una ciudad

Capítulo 21

In the city of Jicheng tonight, many people are staying up late.

In a courtyard in the south of the city, a lamp was still lit, and Lan Qi was carefully flipping through the book in his hand under the lamp. Three steps away, a person stood bowing.

"Lan Wei, you've done a good job these past six months." Lan Qi put down the booklet after reading it.

Lan Wei secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I will obey Seventh Young Master's orders without fail."

"Hmm." Lan Qi nodded, opened his jade fan, and looked at Lan Wei. "You've been with me the longest, and you know my principles. If you do a good job, you'll be rewarded; if you do a bad job, you'll be dismissed..." He trailed off, not saying anything more, but just smiled faintly. After a moment, he said, "Lan Min came with me this time, so she can stay here and help you."

Upon hearing this, Lan Wei abruptly raised his head, looking at his master with a mixture of surprise and disbelief, "Seventh Young Master!"

Lan Qi seemed oblivious to Lan Wei's excited expression. He put down his jade fan, picked up the teacup on the table, blew away a tea leaf, took a slow sip, and then spoke softly, "I heard that Fifth Brother came to Xicheng?"

Lan Wei's heart skipped a beat, and the ecstasy he felt a moment ago vanished instantly. He straightened up, looked at Lan Qi, and said calmly and serenely, "Lan Wei has only ever had one master, and that is Seventh Young Master."

"Heh..." Lan Qi chuckled softly, a faint smile floating in her emerald eyes, "I was just asking you a question, why are you so nervous?"

“Seventh Young Master.” Lan Wei lifted his robe and knelt down on both knees. “Six years ago, Lan Wei swore to be loyal to Seventh Young Master, and that vow will never change in this lifetime.”

"Lan Wei." Lan Qi tapped her jade fan in her palm, then reached out to help Lan Wei up. "Get up."

Lan Wei stood up.

"Once I use you, I won't doubt you." Lan Qiyi smiled wickedly, but there was no hint of jest in her blue eyes. "However, I don't like your self-righteous, well-intentioned deception, understand?" That "understand" already carried a hint of coldness.

"I understand." Lan Wei lowered his head.

"Hmm." Lan Qi nodded in satisfaction.

There was a moment of silence in the room. Lan Wei stood with his head down, while Lan Qi sat in a chair holding a jade fan in his hand. His green eyes were fixed on the lamp burning on the table. After a while, he seemed to mutter to himself, "There are only a few people left, but they are still restless. Do they have to be wiped out before they will behave?"

The voice was soft, even gentle, yet the cold indifference in its tone sent a chill down Lan Wei's spine. Having followed him for six years, what kind of methods hadn't he witnessed? Wasn't that child sitting before him now, graceful and composed, only possible because she had trod a path strewn with blood? Without that blood, how could that child have survived?

"Lanwei".

"Hmm." Lan Wei quickly snapped back to reality.

"Go to the accounting office tomorrow and fetch three thousand gold leaves. Since Lan Min is staying, we should certainly make some preparations," Lan Qi said with a faint smile.

9. Together We Ascend Ying Mountain (Part 2)

Lan Wei finally dared to accept this pleasant surprise and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Seventh Young Master."

"No need to thank me." Lan Qi waved his hand, not caring much. "I never do good deeds. This is just payment for your service."

Lan Wei felt grateful, but said nothing more.

“Tomorrow…” Lan Qi spoke again.

"Seventh Young Master has given instructions and everything is ready," Lan Wei replied.

"No." Lan Qi shook her head.

Lan Wei looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Don't move for now." Lan Qi's eyes darted around. "I have other plans."

"Well..." Lan Wei had doubts but dared not ask any more questions.

"We'll talk about it after I go down the mountain." Lan Qi slowly opened his jade fan, a strange smile playing on his lips. "I've met a very interesting opponent this time. I'll have to play with him properly."

"Lan Wei will obey Seventh Young Master's orders."

"Okay, that's all. You can go now." Lan Qi waved her hand.

"Yes." Lan Wei withdrew.

Lan Wei's footsteps gradually faded away, and then the entire mansion fell silent. Inside the room, Lan Qi traced the edge of a jade fan with her fingertips. Under the lamplight, her emerald eyes shimmered with a dark light, like the sea under midnight, beautiful yet fraught with unpredictable danger.

"Yingshan...it should be quite exciting, hehe..." The self-talk and soft laughter quietly dissipated into the night.

A large courtyard in the west of the city was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

A sumptuous feast was laid out, with servants attending to the guests. Seated in the main seat was a young woman of ordinary appearance and dignified demeanor, while seated in the guest seat was the handsome and refined Second Young Master Ming.

"These dishes and wine were specially prepared for my second brother. Do you like them?" The young woman poured Ming Er a full glass of wine.

"Thank you very much, elder sister," Ming Er said gracefully.

"Why are you being so polite with family?" Ming Yueci, the eldest daughter of the Ming family, gave Ming Er a reproachful look.

Ming Er smiled and asked, "How have you been, eldest sister?"

"Not bad." Ming Yueci put down the wine pot, picked up her chopsticks and served food to Ming Er. "With a brother like you, the Xie family practically treats me like a goddess."

"That's good." Ming Er picked up his cup and took a sip of wine.

Ming Yueci looked up at him and slowly said, "Knowing that I'm doing well means you've finally gotten rid of a burden, right?"

Upon hearing this, Ming Er looked up at her, his face full of confusion.

Ming Yueci smiled faintly, "I'm just very fortunate that we were born of the same mother, and that my mother was willing to ask you for a promise before she died, which is why I have the good fortune I have today."

Ming Er raised his long, dark eyebrows in surprise. "Big sister, why do you say that? We are born of the same mother, of course I, your younger brother, will protect you."

Ming Yueci shook her head, looking at Ming Er with a half-smile, half-sigh, "Hua Yan, you are the most heartless person in this world."

Ming Er looked at his elder sister with some helplessness, "Big sister, are you upset that your little brother hasn't come to visit you for so long?"

“Haha…” Ming Yueci laughed, “Hua Yan… only someone like you can live so leisurely in the Ming family.”

“My eldest sister hasn’t been back to her parents’ home since she got married. The family misses her very much, and Father and Mother often mention her.” Ming Er looked at his eldest sister with a warm expression.

"Longing? That's a huge joke." Ming Yueci sneered. "The Ming family, that's a place I never want to return to in this lifetime."

Ming Er simply smiled and said nothing more, focusing on his meal. After all, he had been on high alert day and night to deal with the ever-unpredictable Lan Qi Shao, and it had been a long time since he had enjoyed a meal so comfortably and easily.

Ming Yueci looked at her younger brother, who was hailed as a "banished immortal," watching him eat, picking at his food, drinking... From a single hair to a hem of his clothing, everything about him was so composed, elegant, and otherworldly. She and he were actually siblings from the same parents? How unbelievable! They... were so different.

"Is the Ming family still as lively as ever?" Ming Yueci suddenly asked, a hint of sarcasm on her face. "Is it still as lively as a theater?"

Ming Er swallowed the last mouthful of rice, drank a small bowl of soup, and then calmly put down his chopsticks. He looked at his elder sister and smiled gently. "The house is still very lively. Last month, Father gave us another eighteenth brother, but unfortunately, he passed away after only two days."

"Oh?" Mingyue raised an eyebrow. "Only two days? You didn't even let him live for ten days?"

"Alas, how pitiful." Ming Er sighed deeply, his face full of regret and sorrow. "We finally gained another relative, but it's only been two days... Alas!"

“That’s not enough,” Ming Yueci shook her head. “If it were me, I wouldn’t have let him out at all.” She glanced sideways at Ming Er, “What if it were my second brother?”

“Of course, I hope there are as many people in my family as possible.” Ming Er smiled gently. “Over the years, there have been fewer and fewer people in my family. It’s been too quiet.”

“With fewer people, it won’t be as lively, and there will be less fun to play, right?” Mingyueci stared at her younger brother with a smile.

Ming Er remained silent, but the mist in his empty eyes deepened, and the smile on his face became more ethereal.

“There are a lot of people on Ying Mountain, that must be a lot of fun, right?” Ming Yueci poured him another glass of wine.

Ming Er picked up the wine cup, slowly brought it to his lips, and then slowly put it down, saying, "Sister Yingshan, please don't pay any attention to her."

"Hmm?" Ming Yueci's eyebrows twitched.

“Because…” Ming Er twirled the cup in his hand, a faint, elegant smile slowly spreading across his face, “I’ve met someone who is not simple at all. This time… it might be more fun than ever before.”

The next day passed uneventfully. Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang stood by the window of their room, watching the people coming and going on the street. Because of the Yingshan Tournament, there were countless martial arts masters in Xicheng. Anyone walking on the street could be a renowned hero. Yuwen Luo pointed out each person he knew who passed by the window and introduced them to Ning Lang, also explaining many anecdotes and stories about strange people and events in the martial arts world. The day was not boring at all.

August 10th.

On this day, Xicheng woke up very early. As dawn broke, many people were already walking on the streets, all heading towards one place—the West Gate—which leads to Yingshan.

The Yuwen family didn't need to get up so early. As one of the six great families, the Yuwen family had a place reserved for them on Mount Ying. They only needed to arrive on time. Therefore, when they finished getting everything ready and left the inn, most of the martial arts practitioners in Xicheng had already left.

After leaving the west gate of Xicheng, standing at the foot of Yingshan Mountain and looking up at the mountain, all I could see were layers of trees, some green, some yellow, and some red. I couldn't see the top of the mountain or the Shouling Palace.

Looking at the scenery, Yuwen Luo said, "I heard that in the previous dynasty, Ying Mountain was originally called 'Luoying Mountain'. It was barren, covered only with reddish-brown soil and boulders. Its shape was very peculiar, resembling a double-flowered reddish-brown blossom when viewed from afar, hence the name 'Luoying' (meaning 'fallen blossoms'). In the Battle of Luoying Mountain, the Eastern General's 70,000 Imperial Guards were completely wiped out, and the Wind and Cloud Cavalry suffered heavy casualties. It was a truly tragic battle. Yet today, it is a place where vegetation covers the mountain and heroes gather... Time may be the only omnipotent force in this world; it can change everything."

"Hurry up and go, why do you have to have these pointless thoughts?" Yuwen Feng walked past him and followed his father.

“Yingshan wasn’t actually that high,” Ning Lang said from behind. “Our Qianbishan is much higher.”

The Ying Mountain, which the martial arts world yearns for, is actually neither tall and magnificent nor scenic; it is just an ordinary mountain.

“As the saying goes, ‘A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the immortals who dwell there.’” Yuwen Luo said as he walked. “In the eyes of martial artists, Ying Mountain is equivalent to Cangmang Mountain, the ‘King Mountain’ that is irreplaceable in everyone’s heart!”

"Hmm." Ning Lang didn't care much about these things, turning his head to look back as he walked.

"What are you looking at?" Yuwen Luo glanced at him sideways.

"I..." Ning Lang's face suddenly felt hot. "She...they didn't see it."

"You mean Seventh Young Master and Second Young Master?" Yuwen Luo looked around. "Maybe they've already gone, or maybe they haven't even set off yet."

"Oh." Ning Lang turned around.

“Ning Lang, you don’t need to worry about their affairs.” Yuwen Luo felt it necessary to remind his overly honest sworn brother. “They will handle things well on their own. You just need to take care of yourself.”

"Hmm?" Ning Lang blinked.

"Sigh, never mind." Yuwen Luo sighed, feeling that he had almost turned into a little old man since he met Ning Lang. "Even Lan Qi would find it hard to bear someone like you, right? Let's go."

"Oh." Ning Lang took a step to catch up, but saw that Yuwen Feng and the others were already far ahead. "Big brother, let's hurry up, Uncle and the others have gone quite far."

"Don't rush." Yuwen Luo pulled Ning Lang back, blinked, and smiled smugly, "I did it on purpose."

"Huh? Why?" Ning Lang looked at Yuwen Luo.

“When we get to the top of the mountain, who is my father? He’s the head of one of the six great families. There will definitely be a lot of people greeting him. He will definitely introduce his ‘son’ to everyone, and then he will be glanced at by every martial arts person. How can that feel good?” Yuwen Luo wrinkled his nose and said, “So let’s stay behind and not go with them. Let’s find a good spot and just watch the show.”

"That's fine too." Ning Lang thought about it and realized it made sense; he didn't like being stared at by many people either. "But won't they look for us if they can't see us later?"

"Don't worry, my father has my older brother by his side, why would he think of me?" Yuwen Luo said nonchalantly.

"Oh." Ning Lang nodded and didn't say anything more.

"Also, if Seventh Young Master and the others don't call us when we're on the mountaintop later, we shouldn't go to greet them, understand?" Yuwen Luo instructed him.

"Why is that?" Ning Lang asked, puzzled. They'd traveled together for so long, getting along like friends; how could they not greet each other upon meeting? Besides, Lan Qi even…

“There are even more people on Ying Mountain.” Yuwen Luo snorted. “Do you want the scene at Changtian Manor to repeat itself here? There’s nothing that Seventh Young Master wouldn’t dare to do. He’d probably be even happier doing things that no one else would dare to do.”

Ning Lang suddenly shivered.

"Think about it, haven't you been toyed with enough by him along the way?" Yuwen Luo glanced at him sideways. "You want the whole world to..."

“I don’t know him!” Ning Lang quickly waved his hand to acknowledge.