Chapter 42: Sights and Sounds of Jiangnan Prefecture
"Lu Ren!" Wang Yue called out from behind him.
Lu Changfeng stopped in his tracks. "Lu Ren is just an alias. My real name is Lu Changfeng."
"You see? I was never sincere with you. You’re only just now learning my real name."
After he finished speaking, Lu Changfeng strode away. It wasn’t that he had no feelings for Wang Yue.
But right now, Lu Changfeng had no intention of marrying and having children, not even with Chunzhu. How could he possibly get involved with Wang Yue, who carried the heavy burden of her family?
To Lu Changfeng, marriage and children meant responsibility and burdens.
His sole focus now was to advance further on the path of Martial Arts; he didn’t want to be tied down by such responsibilities.
’Since he couldn’t commit, it was better not to begin.’
A man with nothing to lose is the most terrifying kind of man.
"You bastard!" Tears streamed silently down Wang Yue’s face. She tried to run after him, but Wang Shou grabbed her arm, leaving her to watch through reddened eyes as Lu Changfeng slowly walked away.
...
"So, where to next?" Zhao Xingtian asked, clasping his hands lazily behind his head.
"We’re going to pick someone up. Then, we’ll head to Jiangnan Prefecture," Lu Changfeng said.
Jiangnan Prefecture was the most powerful region overall. Throughout history, its core had been largely untouched by the rise and fall of dynasties.
There, Lu Changfeng should be able to cultivate in peace.
As for Feng City, Lu Changfeng knew he would return someday.
If for no other reason, he had to settle the karmic debt with the "Giant Elephant Woman" in the Crystal Coffin beneath Fengtian Lake. He would have to return sooner or later to figure it all out.
Lu Changfeng didn’t say goodbye to Uncle Wen, not wanting to bring him any trouble.
Zhao Xingtian’s eyes lit up. "Jiangnan Prefecture? Awesome!"
Jiangnan Prefecture wasn’t just wealthy; it was also steeped in a rich Martial Arts tradition. Its thirty-six cities were home to the Eight Great Martial Arts Families of Jiangnan, the Top Ten Sects of Jiangnan, and the Four Great Escort Agencies of Jiangnan...
It boasted world-renowned Martial Arts rankings and the legendary Jiangnan Misty Rain Tower—a place every man dreamed of visiting. This journey was exactly what Zhao Xingtian had hoped for.
Lu Changfeng first returned to their small courtyard in the Outer City.
He and Chunzhu carefully packed the two Celestial Silkworm Seeds to take with them.
These two Celestial Silkworm Seeds had a lifespan of at least seven or eight more years and could supply Lu Changfeng’s cultivation for a long time to come. Their value was immense.
Then, the group of four rode out of Feng City under the cover of night, heading southeast.
...
In Jiangnan Prefecture, it wasn’t just the Martial Arts scene that was vibrant. There was also a strong culture of learning, and the general populace was highly literate.
This led to a peculiar consequence.
The Martial Artists of Jiangnan loved to give people nicknames.
Every Martial Artist in the Tendon Transformation Realm, or even any practitioner with exceptional Talent, had a well-known moniker.
The list was endless: the Jiangnan Seven Stranglers, the Dongting Lake Elder Immortal, the Thief Saint and Thief God, the Saber Mad and Saber Extremist, and countless others.
To outsiders, the Martial Arts culture of Jiangnan Prefecture seemed bizarre and chaotic, but once you immersed yourself in it, you could appreciate its unique merits.
Take now, for instance. After riding all night, Lu Changfeng’s group of four was just about to reach a county town within the borders of Jiangnan Prefecture.
Suddenly, a bald Saber Master and a dozen of his men leaped out to block their path. He proclaimed himself "Mountain Bandit King Mad Axe Wang Liu."
He was robbing them according to established custom, demanding ten taels of silver per person. If they handed over a total of forty taels, he would let them go.
Back in Feng City, bandits would have just started swinging their blades without a word.
For even mountain bandits to be so principled, wanting only wealth and not lives, showed just how strictly the Martial Artists of Jiangnan Prefecture adhered to the local rules of Martial Arts.
But even if this "Mountain Bandit King," this Mad Axe Wang Liu, followed the rules, it didn’t change the fact that he was still a bandit.
And Lu Changfeng had no intention of playing by his rules.
Already exhausted from riding all night, Lu Changfeng couldn’t be bothered with pleasantries. He drew his Autumn Water Sword and, without even channeling his Sword Intent, cut down several bandits at the front with a few swift strikes.
Seeing he had run into a ruthless man who didn’t play by the rules, Wang Liu turned and fled without a second thought.
His horsemanship was decent and his steed was a fine one, so he made a quick getaway.
His unfortunate brothers, however, were all but wiped out by Lu Changfeng, who left none of them standing.
"Let’s go. We’ll rest for a day in Xing City, then take the river to the capital of Jiangnan Prefecture—Jiangzhou."
The other three had no objections.
Following the county road, the group of four soon arrived in Xing City, the city in Jiangnan Prefecture closest to Feng City.
Xing City was named in honor of a great general from a past generation, Grand General Wuu Xing.
Among the thirty-six cities of Jiangnan Prefecture, Xing City was the least prosperous.
Still, compared to the cities in other prefectures, it was undoubtedly one of the most prosperous.
It was even more prosperous than Feng City.
Even early in the morning, the city gates were bustling with people.
The four of them dutifully lined up, paid the entrance fee, and entered the city.
Fortunately, since it was so early, the inns were still quiet. They found one shortly after entering the city and were able to secure rooms immediately.
After washing up, Lu Changfeng went down to the main hall and ordered some food and wine.
"Waiter, what’s the news on the war in Jiangnan Prefecture?"
Lu Changfeng asked, sliding a few coins across the table as a tip. This was one of his primary concerns at the moment.
The waiter swiftly pocketed the money, then paused for a moment as if recalling something. "Oh, you mean the war with the Profound Nether Sect from Cyan Mountain Prefecture?" he said nonchalantly.
"Hah! That’s hardly a war."
"You must be from out of town. You don’t know the real story."
"Truth is, those three cities the Profound Nether Sect captured? Geographically, they belonged to Cyan Mountain Prefecture in the first place."
"They were just jealous of Jiangnan’s wealth, so a few decades ago, they forced their way out of Cyan Mountain Prefecture to join Jiangnan Prefecture."
This was the first Lu Changfeng had heard of it, and a look of surprise crossed his face.
Seeing his reaction, the waiter continued, "And now? The Profound Nether Sect Master took those three cities, but does he dare push any further south?"
"Of course not! If he dared, the Jiangnan Martial Arts World would teach the Profound Nether Sect a lesson they’d never forget, without the Jiangnan Prefecture Lord even having to lift a finger!"
"Pah! All this talk about chaos ruling the land... whenever the world falls into turmoil, Jiangnan always comes out just fine."
"We people of Jiangnan have no desire to conquer the world. We’ll just wait for a true, enlightened ruler to emerge and then pledge our allegiance. Less conflict that way, wouldn’t you agree? It’s a much happier life."
The waiter’s perspective represented the feelings of most people in Jiangnan.
That was why hardly anyone with real power had participated in the Jiangnan Martial Arts Tournament hosted by the Jiangnan Prefecture Lord last year.
There were two reasons the Jiangnan Prefecture Lord wanted to reclaim the lost territory.
First, the Jiangnan Prefecture Lord isn’t a local!
Second, the Jiangnan Prefecture Lord’s surname is Hongg. He is of the Song Country’s royal bloodline—a genuine Prince!
Unfortunately, the Song Country’s time had passed. Never mind that he was the Emperor’s own brother; it was doubtful that even a direct imperial edict from the Emperor himself could rouse the people of Jiangnan to action.
However, while few powers answered his call, the Jiangnan Prefecture Lord, Hongg Zai, had governed Jiangnan Prefecture for over twenty years, and he was widely respected for his personal character and charisma.
The people of Jiangnan might not support his involvement in conflict, but when Hongg Zai was injured last year after his great battle with Profound Nether Sect Master Lii Tianxing, figures from all corners of the Jiangnan Martial Arts World had sent countless Spiritual Pills and Medicines.
Furthermore, Jiangnan’s number one Swordsman, Lu Qingshan, had vowed to make Lii Tianxing pay, proclaiming he would cut off whichever hand Lii Tianxing had used to injure the Mansion Master.
The waiter spoke with such confidence and knowledge, like a seasoned Martial Artist, and Lu Changfeng learned a great deal from him.
But when Lu Changfeng discreetly probed him, he found the waiter had an E Class Root Bone, no Talent, and unremarkable vitality. He was just an ordinary person.
’How could an ordinary person know so much about the inner workings of the Martial Arts Realm?’
It wasn’t until a child entered holding a stack of various newspapers that Lu Changfeng truly began to appreciate the rich and vibrant nature of the Martial Arts Realm in Jiangnan Prefecture.
Unlike in Yunyang Prefecture, where the Martial Arts Powers were fragmented city by city, the Martial Arts Powers in Jiangnan Prefecture had countless ways of sharing and integrating information. No wonder the Martial Arts of Jiangnan Prefecture thrived.