"So it's Miss Lin," the peddler said with an incredibly innocent smile. "This painting is a gift for you. I am Zhao Da-yan, and I will keep my name the same as before. Until we meet again."
The vendor vanished in an instant, as if his feet had been greased.
Several vendors nearby whispered among themselves, "The real Zhao Daye is usually a decent person. It's just that his portrait of Shangguan Guangtou is ten coins cheaper. Is it really necessary to treat him like this over ten coins? They're both counterfeits. Fair competition is the norm. He has absolutely no professional ethics."
Xuezhi blinked and looked back at the vendors.
Two of the vendors ran away with their goods, while the rest left their goods behind before fleeing.
Xuezhi looked at the pile of things and sighed, "Huang'er is really famous."
Liuli said, "Your second father is an unethical person."
Xuezhi punched Liuli on the nose: "No one is allowed to speak ill of Huang'er except me!"
Zhu Sha leaned closer to look at the bald portrait: "This face is quite handsome. But these vendors are really unethical. They won't sell any of Shangguan Tou's other portraits, they're only interested in this one."
The person in the portrait is a boy of thirteen or fourteen. He stands ramrod straight, and his expression exudes confidence and charm. The painter has also captured the unique rebellious spirit of youth to the fullest.
Xuezhi said, "I know when this portrait was made."
She had heard many rumors about this person.
In the martial arts world, if you want to praise someone for being good-looking, most people will mention Chong Lian; if you want to express your admiration for someone's good fortune, it's most likely Shangguan Tou.
Old Master Shangguan was the Imperial Preceptor of the current dynasty, holding the highest rank of official, and it was said that he was related to the Emperor. His mother was the daughter of a wealthy cloth merchant in Luoyang. She had an older sister, Abbess Ciren, who was the head of the Emei Sect, and a cousin, Fengcheng, who was the head of the Huashan Sect and the leader of the martial arts alliance. Situ Xuetian, the richest man in the capital, was also their sworn brother. In short, when Shangguan Tou was born, he was a baby with a halo and a lucky star above his head.
This boy had a handsome face from a young age, and everyone anticipated the birth of another elegant and refined gentleman twenty years later. Unfortunately, only one prediction was correct. To this day, many wives of officials in the court still remember one incident: at their father's birthday banquet, four-year-old Shangguan Xiaotou was playing wildly with other boys in the garden, but the Marshal's youngest daughter kept pestering him to play embroidery. Everyone could see that he was extremely unhappy, but he didn't refuse her. He simply picked a flower and put it on her head, his big eyes sparkling with endless light, before turning and running away. The young lady blushed and never looked for him again. Everyone present looked at each other in dismay, thinking, "Oh no, this child will be a disaster." The Imperial Advisor grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in front of him, his face full of regret and disappointment: "You brat, you're only four years old—four years old!" Shangguan Xiaotou tilted his little body, without even turning his neck, and his collar automatically turned around, so that his watery eyes were facing the group of ladies. Needless to say, his father's birthday banquet was filled with sorrow.
In fact, given his wealth and background, a bright and promising future had already been paved for him. But he was too lazy to even take a single step.
The refined gentleman everyone had hoped for grew up in such a privileged environment into a spoiled brat.
When Shangguan Tou was eight years old and attending a private school, one of his best friends came to him and said he had been bullied by the son of a high-ranking official. The next morning, he picked up a brick and smashed it over the head of the son, and sure enough, his friend was never bullied again. Like most children, Shangguan Tou was going through a rebellious phase in his early teens, but his rebellion was much faster and more intense than that of ordinary people.
Led by the martial arts trend, children in the capital also began wearing long robes, growing long hair, carrying swords, and drawing patterns on their necks and around their eyes. After a long period of endurance, Shangguan Tou finally had enough of everyone's monotonous attire and quickly shaved his head, which still shone brightly. Many people were shocked by him at the time. His cronies praised his courage, and his parents simply didn't want to see him again. He was not only extremely satisfied with his hair, but also told everyone that his baldness was also unconventional, and even had someone draw a picture of his silly appearance.
Years later, Shangguan Tou has become a model of a romantic playboy, and that exquisitely bound portrait of his bald head, like his romantic escapades, has been passed down through the ages.
Author's Note: 3 chapters on July 21st
7 8 9
7
After Shangguan Tou's bald head suddenly appeared, infuriating his parents, he wasn't satisfied. At thirteen, he saw the sixteen-year-old Grand Tutor's son wearing a white robe that dragged on the ground, with lotus patterns painted around his neck, carrying a fake sword, and surrounded by a group of people who idolized him. Without a word, he attacked him. The Grand Tutor's son, feeling deeply humiliated by being defeated by someone younger than himself, secretly led a group to beat up Shangguan Tou. Although Shangguan Tou had practiced martial arts since childhood, he was still at a disadvantage against so many people. So he pounced on the Grand Tutor's son, biting his face and refusing to let go. To this day, a very clear ring of teeth marks remains on the Grand Tutor's son's fair face; to the uninitiated, it looks like an artistic tattoo.
At the age of fourteen, Shangguan Tou volunteered to serve in the army beyond the Great Wall. The boy was somewhat rebellious, but he endured hardship immensely; the Imperial Advisor and his wife didn't hear him complain for a whole year. However, just a year later, news of Shangguan Tou's astonishing actions—raising bugles and raising his troops without a fight—reached the capital. He was subsequently assigned to a deserted island in the East China Sea for a month.
Upon returning, Shangguan Tou not only didn't develop depression, but he also became so adventurous that he couldn't bear to stay at home any longer and declared he wanted to roam the martial world. The Imperial Advisor had long wanted to send him away, so he arranged for someone to contact Wudang Mountain. However, Shangguan Tou refused, insisting on joining Chonghuo Palace, arguing that "the martial arts of Chonghuo Palace have reached the true realm of martial arts." The Imperial Advisor only knew that Chonghuo Palace was a notorious evil sect and was skeptical. His mother, upon hearing the name Chonghuo Palace, nearly had a heart attack. Knowing she couldn't keep her son any longer, she decided to send him to Lingjian Manor. The master of Lingjian Manor was Lin Xuanfeng, and it was an open secret that Lin Xuanfeng was a prince. With Lin Xuanfeng watching over him, Shangguan Tou should be safe.
But things didn't go as planned.
Within a year of joining Lingjian Manor, his name was already known throughout the martial arts world. Unfortunately, a few years later, he was expelled from the sect for unknown reasons. Everyone was curious about the truth behind this unknown reason, because given Lin Xuanfeng's character and his relationship with his parents, they would never easily take away their son.
To this day, many people still cannot figure out how Shangguan Tou's personality was formed.
In the martial arts world, men with flamboyant personalities are easy to find, but men with flamboyant attire are rare. It seems that only Shangguan Tou possesses both a flamboyant personality and flamboyant attire.
When he was a teenager, he got into a fight and got a tiny, almost invisible cut on his face. He felt that scars on his body gave him a masculine look, while scars on his face made him look like a brute. So he had someone tattoo red on the small cut, and then added two red dots below it. If you didn't look closely, you would think he was shedding three drops of blood tears. He already had an unusual face—a straight nose with nostrils completely hidden from the front, paired with a pointed chin, and perpetually "blood-stained" gem-like eyes. Even if someone thought he was handsome, they wouldn't want to talk to him if he just sat down next to them.
Shangguan Tou's hairstyle has always been a topic of discussion. Since ending his bald period, his hair has gradually returned to its original jet-black and glossy state. He is tall and has long hair, which appears much longer than others. His hair is of excellent quality and naturally straight, but when he ties it up in a bun on top of his head, while others use hairpins or headscarves, he uses three horizontal peacock feathers. He prefers to wear a white hooded long cloak, and in winter, the brim of the hood and the edges of the cloak are covered with snow-white down. If he were to wear the hood while walking in the wind and snow, it would easily remind people of Wang Zhaojun, the woman who went beyond the Great Wall. Therefore, Shangguan Tou also has a nickname: Shangguan Zhaojun. However, the physique of the young master Shangguan is completely different from the petite and graceful Zhaojun. A man who has served in the army, his behavior is on a completely different level from ordinary men. Almost everyone who witnessed him in action remembers most clearly his swift and decisive movements, his flowing hair, and his swirling white cloak.
Because of her exceptional skills, beautiful appearance, and father who was a first-rank official, Shangguan Zhaojun also had a nickname: "First-Rank Infiltrator".
The above rumors are only a small part of the most basic rumors about Shangguan Tou. Chong Xuezhi has heard far more versions than these.
Chong Xuezhi really couldn't understand why everyone else was famous since childhood, so why was her life so unlucky?
Not only is he hated by many people, but he is also harassed by that persistent and vengeful girl, Lin Fengzi.
The next day, the people from Chonghuo Palace arrived at the venue of the Heroes' Assembly.
All participants have the right to challenge anyone. However, challengers only have one chance, and if the challenged person loses, they can challenge anyone except the one who defeated them. The rankings are then determined by wins and losses.
As soon as Chong Xuezhi entered the venue with five protectors and two maids, she quickly became the focus of everyone's attention. Although she debuted very early, there were not many young people who had actually met her in person.
As soon as she found her usual spot in Chonghuo Palace and sat down, she heard a very gentle voice: "Xuezhi, you've come too?"
This person is honorably listed as the second most hated person in her list.
Sure enough, upon turning around, she saw a rather astonishing group of disciples from Lingjian Manor, ranging in age from fifteen to thirty, led by a handsome man in his thirties. In Chong Xuezhi's eyes, he had the same dead fish eyes and mole as her daughter, making him repulsive.
Even so, Chong Xuezhi reluctantly stood up, forcing a stiff smile:
"Uncle Xuanfeng."
Chong Xuezhi had no choice; this was something both her fathers had instructed her to do: she must be polite to Lin Xuanfeng.
Lin Xuanfeng was as happy as if she were seeing her own daughter: "That's great! Xiao Zi talks about you every day. I'll go and call her over right now."
"No. I have other things to do."
"Alright. Get ready so you can go on stage later."
Xuezhi gasped for breath, and just as she turned around, Lin Xuanfeng called her back again:
"By the way, has your second uncle returned?"
8
Xuezhi did not answer Lin Xuanfeng's question, and Lin Xuanfeng did not press the matter further.
She didn't want to mention Lin Yuhuang. Towards Chonglian, she always showed undisguised admiration and respect. But towards Lin Yuhuang, she was constantly rebellious and rude. Perhaps it was because of Lin Yuhuang's easygoing personality; even when she felt sorry for her second father, she would be rebuffed by his silly smile. Lin Yuhuang once put his arm around Chonglian's shoulder and sighed deeply, saying, "These days, the only daughter who dares to hit her father and does it with such righteous indignation is our Lin Xuezhi." Chonglian didn't correct him, letting him have his way, except for Xuezhi, who defied him by saying her surname was Chong.
The year Chonglian passed away, it seemed like nothing was going well.
Chong Xuezhi looked at her left elbow and forearm, where there was a long scar. Her skin was fair, making the scar even more noticeable and unsightly. She had never believed in fate, but the grief this scar brought her far outweighed the physical pain.
She had a solid foundation in martial arts from a young age and was quite talented, rarely suffering injuries. However, at the age of eleven, she tripped over a rock while going down the mountain to buy red bean porridge, falling down a slope in the Chonghuo Realm. Her right arm was caught in a vine, and without any chance to recover, she bled profusely. Fortunately, the red bean porridge didn't slip from her right hand. Xuezhi breathed a sigh of relief, placed the porridge on the rock, and then gritted her teeth to tear off a piece of cloth to bandage herself. But while bandaging, she accidentally knocked the red bean porridge off.
Xuezhi was so anxious she almost cried. She stopped bandaging the wound and ran down the mountain while pressing on it.
Chonglian slept for many days. When she woke up again, the first thing she did was ask for red bean porridge sold at a small shop at the foot of the mountain. Everyone in Chonghuo Palace knew that Chonglian's favorite thing to do when she was a child was to go down the mountain and have a bowl of red bean porridge after practicing martial arts.
A man who lived to be thirty-two years old, when he was seriously ill, suddenly asked his daughter to buy the porridge he loved to drink as a child.
Although a child in her early teens is rather naive, Xuezhi's intuition tells her that her great-uncle is not in good condition.
But as soon as she reached the foot of the mountain, a disciple came running down crying and saying that the palace master had passed away.
When Xuezhi rushed back, some of the disciples cried, some shouted, and some remained silent.
Finally arriving at Xinlian Pavilion, it took a great deal of courage to step inside. Unexpectedly, it was eerily quiet. Chonglian was still lying on the bed in the same position. Lin Yuhuang sat beside him, silently holding his hand, tears streaming down her cheeks, soaking her entire collar.
Half an hour ago, Chonglian smiled at Lin Yuhuang with a smile on her face and said, "Actually, when you and Zhier just went out, I was still very scared."
Lin Yuhuang forced a smile, which looked rather unpleasant: "You think I came back to keep you company? I was just too lazy to buy your bean porridge."
"Actually, at this moment, I still hope you'll be with me... Won't you think I'm too cowardly?"
"You've been a coward for so many years, and it's all thanks to me protecting you."
Chonglian smiled gently: "Huang'er, I just heard from Haitang and Zhusha that the Fu family cloth merchants in Chang'an recently imported a lot of ice silk. I think it would look very nice if we made new clothes for you."
"Are you kidding me? How many times have I told you not to dress me up like a girl? Stop mentioning those flowers and hairpins in front of me, it makes me uncomfortable."
"No, I mean, make it into new clothes."
Lin Yuhuang then realized what was happening and gritted her teeth, saying, "Those are things women like to do, not for men. I'm more interested in the new knife Wei Yin'ang made. He claims it's even sharper than the Heavenly Ghost Blade, but I don't believe it."
"You still have no sense of romance." Chonglian tightened her grip on his hand slightly. "Some say that five hundred glances in a past life are exchanged for a mere brush in this life. I wonder if, after five hundred lifetimes, Huang'er will stay by my side a little longer?"
"I never say mushy things or make promises, you're forcing me. You've ruined so much for me in this life, you could never repay me in the next, the next, and the next, and the next, and the next, and the next, and the next, even if you added them all together. Have some decency, can't you say something happy?"
"I will wait for you for five hundred lifetimes." Chonglian was still smiling, but she was extremely tired, her eyes barely open. "When that time comes, I will take you to tour Fengtian, attend the Heroes' Gathering, visit the weapon shops in the capital, ride a white horse, and wander through the streets and alleys of Chang'an, letting everyone know that we are happy together. Letting everyone know that I, Chonglian... will love Lin Yuhuang deeply for all eternity..."
It is early summer, the season when red lotuses are in full bloom.
Chonglian lay on the edge of the bed, looking as if she were fast asleep, with even a faint smile on her lips.
Even at the very end, he held Lin Yuhuang's hand tightly. Even after that hand had lost all warmth, Lin Yuhuang still wouldn't let go.
Xuezhi had never seen her second father cry like this before. But she knew that Lin Yuhuang hadn't shed a tear before Chonglian breathed her last.
Everyone in Chonghuo Palace attended Chonglian's funeral. After she was placed in the coffin, Lin Yuhuang dug the grave with her bare hands, but just before the burial, she opened the coffin again, held the lifeless body, and cried for several hours before letting go.
Xuezhi never expected that the first time she would experience the pain of separation from a loved one would be with her eldest uncle.
For the next few days and nights, Lin Yuhuang did not eat. Wearing a white coat and a white headband, she stood guard in front of Chonglian's grave until she finally fainted in front of the tombstone.
Not long after Lin Yuhuang woke up again, she completely disappeared.
This is also why Xuezhi didn't dare to ask him where he went.
If one day she heard the news that her second uncle had also passed away, she really didn't know how much strength she would have left to bear such a blow.
As for her wound, the doctor said it hadn't been treated in time and had become infected. It might fade a bit over the years, but it will never disappear completely.
9
Back in his seat, he heard Liuli talking to Mu Yuan: "Since the Heroes' Tournament has changed its competition system in recent years, there have indeed been more participants, and it's a bit fairer. However, it doesn't look as exciting as before, and it takes longer. Look at that kid in front of you, his martial arts are so bad, yet he still went up to fight. In the past, it would probably have been a contest between experts."
Mu Yuan said, "The person you mentioned uses very strange and unskilled moves, but his aptitude must be very good."
Just then, someone behind her suddenly stood up and yelled at Liuli, "How dare you talk about our junior brother like that! You're asking for it!"
Liuli turned to look at the man and sneered, "Which sect are you from? I was talking about him, not you."
A group of men stood behind him, watching the young men sparring on the stage from afar. This prevented those behind them from seeing the arena, and they all complained. Most strangely, these men, despite their somewhat ill-mannered behavior, were dressed like demons. Upon closer inspection, however, they were all quite handsome, just lacking in refinement.
Zhu Sha said, "What kind of sect is this? It feels really strange."
Mu Yuandao said, "It should be the Xuantian Hongling Temple. Each of them had a poison gourd hanging from their waist."
“Ah, right.” Zhu Sha lowered her voice and said, “I heard that this entire sect is like a male concubine harem. The sect leader, Man Feiyue, is a perverted woman. She is ruthless and uses poison to win. She likes to have her subordinates dress up like monsters and raise poisonous creatures and release poisonous Gu together. Although their poison is not as strong as Poison Prince Tianya, and their Gu nature is not as good as Gu Lady Guimu, they will cause trouble everywhere as long as they get the chance, and they are quite ruthless in taking lives.”
Xuezhi leaned over and whispered, "This is the real cult. Why are they all pointing the finger at us?"