"Fairy Qin is coming to Yuzhou City!"
In the Great Shang Dynasty, in Yuzhou City, a piece of news from an unknown source instantly ignited the entire city!
"Fairy Qin? That Plum Blossom Sword Immortal? What's she doing in Yuzhou City?"
"Of course, it's to recruit disciples!"
For days, storytellers and the city's powerful and wealthy have been talking about one person.
Qin Ena!
There's so much to say about Qin Ena that you could talk about her for three days straight.
Simply put, she is beautiful, powerful, and invincible in the world.
Now that such a god-like figure is taking on personal disciples, how can people not go crazy?
However, to become Qin Ena's disciple, one would need to be a genius, a talent that appears only once every ten or even a century; otherwise, they wouldn't even dare to dream of it.
For the past three months, Qin Ena has traveled to more than a dozen cities in the Shang Dynasty, but still has not found a suitable candidate.
This trip to Chongqing is solely for one person: the legendary genius.
"In this land of nine provinces, if we were to talk about the peerless geniuses of the younger generation, there are five people who must be mentioned: the Buddhist disciple Sanzang, the divine son Yan Xiaoyu of the temple, the holy maiden Huo Lin'er of the Vermilion Bird Sect, and the fourth prince of my Great Shang Dynasty, Mu Bai.
Unfortunately, all four of them already have a master."
In the largest restaurant in Yuzhou City, a storyteller with a folding fan was speaking with great enthusiasm. At the surrounding tables, many customers listened with great interest. Most of them were merchants who had come to the restaurant for a short rest and wanted to hear about the local customs and culture.
"Storyteller, didn't you just say there were five people? There are only four here," a man at a nearby table asked.
"Don't rush."
The storyteller took a sip of tea and said,
"Do you know who the largest merchant
family in our Great Shang Dynasty is?"
"Everyone knows that. The Li family of Yuzhou is known as being richer than a
country. What does that have to do with what you're saying?" the man said unhappily.
"Of course it's related, and it's very related."
The storyteller revealed a meaningful smile and said, "The head of the Li family, Li Baiwan, has a son named Li Ziye, who is a peerless genius who is no less than the Buddha Sanzang and the divine Yan Xiaoyu."
"Keep bragging."
At the other table, a scholar scoffed, "What kind of people are Buddhist monk Sanzang and divine son Yan Xiaoyu? How can Li Ziye from the Li family be compared to them?"
"I'm not making this up, Sword Maniac, do you even know that?"
The storyteller glanced at the scholar with disdain and said, "It is said that when the Sword Maniac came to Yuzhou City a few days ago, Li Baiwan wanted his son to become his apprentice. However, after seeing Li Ziye of the Li family, the Sword Maniac refused directly and only said one sentence."
At this point, the storyteller deliberately paused, keeping the audience in suspense. The surrounding listeners were immediately intrigued.
Jian Chi and the others knew that he was a famous swordsman in the Shang Dynasty, who was fond of wine and swords and had a great reputation.
The man at the next table was getting impatient and shouted, "Stop keeping me in suspense! What did that sword fanatic say?"
On the other side, the scholars also pricked up their ears, waiting for the answer.
Seeing that everyone's appetite had been whetted, the storyteller took a satisfied sip of tea and slowly said, "The Sword Maniac said that the Li family's son has the potential to become a sword immortal, and my foolish sword is not worthy of being his master."
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding crowd erupted in uproar.
In front of the restaurant, a young man dressed in brocade clothes stopped in his tracks after hearing what was being said inside.
"Young Master, these storytellers are all just
attention-seekers. The Li family is a
merchant family; how could they possibly
produce any sword prodigy? Once Sword Immortal Qin arrives in Yuzhou City, with your martial arts skills, you will surely be able to become his disciple." A servant beside the young man in brocade robes flattered him.
The young man in brocade shook his head and said, "He wasn't lying. That sword fanatic did say those words. That's why I came to did say those words. That's why I came to Yuzhou City. One reason is to try my best to become Qin Jianxian's apprentice. The other reason is to see if this only son of the Li family is really as amazing as the rumors say."
Inside the restaurant, the storyteller spoke eloquently, and the same words, which had been spreading from Yuzhou City to all directions for several days, were becoming more and more bizarre.
"Did you know that the Li family has a son named Li Ziye, who is said to have the potential to become a sword immortal? Even the sword fanatic dares not take him as a disciple, for fear of ruining a great talent of our time?"
"What do you know about that? I heard that Li Ziye was born with a sword in his hand. When he was born, there was a strange phenomenon in the sky, with purple clouds stretching for thousands of feet and sword energy soaring straight into the sky."
"Really? Is it that weird?"
"It's true. I've heard about it too. Li Ziye is arguably the strongest prodigy of our time. At the age of ten, he created a peerless sword technique called Tai Chi. It is said that when the sword technique was first completed, wind and thunder surged and strange phenomena soared into the sky."
"You know these points are too ordinary. I heard that Li Ziye recently comprehended the peerless sword intent and leveled a mountain with one sword. Even those peerless experts who had never been in the world were alarmed. The Plum Blossom Sword Immortal entered the world because of this and went to Yuzhou City to take him as his disciple."
"That's nothing. I heard that Li Ziye is about to ascend to immortality and attain the supreme sword path soon."
One person spreads a rumor, three people make a wolf, five people make a tiger. In just three months, the rumors that spread from Yuzhou City became more and more outrageous. From Li Ziye having the appearance of a sword immortal, it was spread to Li Ziye about to ascend to heaven. The uninformed masses were stunned.
However, no matter how absurd the rumors are, they cannot change one fact.
Li Ziye has become a sensation.
Fire!
At the very heart of the rumors lies the Li Mansion in Yuzhou City, a magnificent residence comparable to a royal courtyard. It is more like a city than a mansion.
The Li residence was so large that it was difficult to fun one's way around once inside.
The Li family of Yuzhou is said to be as wealthy as a country, and this is not just a saying.
It is speculated that the wealth controlled by the Li family even exceeds that of the Shang Dynasty's national treasury.
Although the Li family has been in business for generations and has astonishing wealth, it is only in the last ten years or so that the Li family has truly transformed into what it is today.
Perfume, glassware, mirrors, soap-over a decade, one novel yet highly popular item after another appeared in the Li family's shops across the country, allowing the Li family's wealth to accumulate rapidly, truly reaching a level of wealth comparable to that of a nation.
Few know why the Li family was able to develop these novel items, but the Li family members do.
This is all because of the birth of the young master.
Young Master Li Ziye was born different from others, inventing many strange gadgets that did not exist in this world, and also taking the Li family's business empire to a new level.
However, Li Ziye, who should have been carefree after growing up with a silver spoon in her mouth, does not seem to be very happy.
There was even some worry.
In the backyard of the Li family mansion, a boy of sixteen or seventeen sat in a pavilion in the middle of the lake, fishing while feeling melancholy.
The boy was very handsome and dressed very elegantly, with gold and silver threads, and adorned with gold and jade. He was clearly from a wealthy family.
To put it bluntly, they are nouveau riche.
The young man is none other than Li Ziye, who is now famous throughout Yuzhou City and even the entire Shang Dynasty.
"Old Li, you won't go back on your promise of ten jars of Drunken Flower Wine, will you?"
On the riverbank, a drunken, disheveled old man glanced at the pot-bellied middle-aged man beside him and asked.
Beside the disheveled old man lay a sword, which was quite nice, resembling a famous sword.
The disheveled old man was the sword fanatic, surnamed Zhang, but his given name was unknown. Those who knew him called him Old Zhang, or Zhang the Sloppy.
Although the sword fanatic's appearance is
not very appealing and he is addicted to alcohol, no one can deny that this disheveled old man is a world-renowned powerhouse.
Beside the disheveled old man stood a middle-aged man with a large belly, dressed in a wealthy manner. This man was Li Ziye's father, Li Baiwan.
If Li Ziye's image still retains some of the air of a noble young master, then Li Baiwan is nothing short of a nouveau riche.
Li Baiwan wore brocade from the southern border, jade from the north, sat on a tiger bone chair from the western regions, and carried a black pearl from the East China Sea.
The entire outfit was worth no less than ten thousand taels of gold. If he hadn't already run out of clothes, Li Baiwan would have loved to wear all the gold and jade on his body, as if he was afraid that others wouldn't know he was rich.
"Of course not."
When Li Baiwan heard the disheveled old man's question, he smiled and replied, "Old Zhang, do you think Qin Ena can believe those rumors circulating in the city?"
"I don't know, don't ask me."
Zhang the Sloppy picked up the wine jug, took a sip, and said, "I've done what you asked me to do. Whether you believe me or not is none of my business."
"Why."
Upon hearing this, Li Baiwan looked at his only son in the pavilion in the lake, his face filled with worry, and said, "Old Zhang, do you really think my son has no talent for martial arts?"
"No."
This time, Zhang the Sloppy answered quite decisively.
In the center of the lake, inside the pavilion, Li Ziye seemed to have heard something. He turned around and looked at the disheveled old man on the lake shore, saying, "Old Zhang, you've lived a long life and seen a lot. Is there any heaven-defying cultivation technique or elixir in this world that can transform a person and turn them into a martial arts genius?"
"Oh."
Upon hearing Li Ziye's question, Zhang the Sloppy put down his wine jug and said, "I don't have the cultivation technique, but I do have a method. Do you want to hear it?"
"What method?"
Upon hearing this, Li Ziye and Li Baiwan both perked up and asked.
"dream!"
Zhang the Sloppy said indifferently.
Li Ziye was speechless.
"Kid, you don't need to worry."
Zhang Lata glanced at the former and said,
"Just because I can't teach you martial arts doesn't mean Qin Ena can't. Her skill level is higher than mine, and her knowledge is no less than mine. Maybe she can find a way. Of course, the premise is that you can find a way to get her to take you as her disciple."
"That makes sense."
Li Ziye nodded in agreement and said,
"She's a sword immortal now, she must have
some skills that others don't have."
"I've failed as a father!" Li Baiwan said with great remorse.
In the center of the lake, Li Ziye sat on a small boat, standing with his hands behind his back at the bow. Behind him, a beautiful maidservant rowed the boat. The handsome man and beautiful woman created a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
On the shore, Zhang Lata looked at Li Ziye on the small boat and shook his head.
This kid is only good-looking.
He now regrets whether it was worth saying those things for the sake of ten jars of Drunken Flower Wine.
His reputation is ruined in his later years!
The small boat docked, and Li Ziye went
ashore, patted Li Baiwan on the shoulder, and said softly, "It's alright."
Hearing Li Ziye's words of comfort, Li Baiwan felt even more guilty and sighed, "Your father is useless. I'm so sorry for you. I can't give you anything except money."
"Dad, it's not your fault."
Li Ziye looked at the lake with melancholy eyes and said, "Money can make the devil
turn the millstone. Didn't Lao Zhang compromise? Now that Lao Qin is here, we'll give her whatever she wants. If that doesn't work, we'll throw mountains of gold and silver at her. I don't believe she won't be tempted."