"Oh? The General forbade you from revealing it? Just who among the martial world was his ancestor?"
Lin Yuxing and the others exchanged glances. Looking at Li Yan's seemingly genuine expression, they found it difficult to press him further.
"Hahaha, this little brother is quite interesting. I am Shi Ning, and this is my humble wife, Huang Sanniang. I hope we can all get along well in the future!"
For a moment, a brief silence fell over the hall. With just two sentences, Li Yan had managed to make the atmosphere somewhat chilly. At this moment, the purple-faced, bear-like man sitting at the head of Li Yan's side couldn't help but laugh. Though he looked rough, his words were incredibly warm, making one feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze. He also cupped his hands toward Li Yan, then smiled and gestured to the buxom woman beside him.
"So you are the esteemed couple. I have long admired your reputation!" Li Yan quickly returned the salute. Though he spoke the words, he had no idea who they were.
'It seems this couple is also quite famous in the martial world!' Li Yan thought. He had sensed from the start that Lian Pinghai and the others were suspicious of his so-called first-rate realm. He figured that, sooner or later, someone would seek him out to "test" his martial arts. People of the martial world were naturally competitive. If you didn't have a great reputation, they wouldn't care who you were. Seeing a newcomer suddenly appear and sit on equal footing with them, they would naturally want to test his mettle.
Li Yan had decided to simply use Cui Feng's name as a shield, letting them think he was a fox borrowing a tiger's might. In any case, Cui Feng wouldn't say anything about it.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from the distance outside the hall. Everyone knew it must be Duke Cui arriving, so they all fell silent. It was noticeable that apart from the Shi Ning couple, who maintained their smiles, the others' gazes toward Li Yan had grown colder, which was precisely what he wanted.
Soon, three figures appeared in the entrance of the hall amidst the flickering shadows. Leading them was the tall and sturdy Cui Feng, his hair and beard completely white. Behind him were a young man and a young woman, both looking to be only sixteen or seventeen, their faces still retaining the greenness and immaturity of youth.
The young man was a chubby little fellow, dressed in fine silks and brocades. The moment he entered, his eyes darted around, giving him a very shrewd appearance. The young woman had a delicate face with a hint of baby fat, dressed in a pale yellow gown. Her hair was styled into two looped, flat buns, tied with two light-green floral ribbons, making her look exceptionally cute and innocent. Her large, lively eyes also roamed over the people in the hall.
The gazes of the two youths mostly fell upon Li Yan and the other three newcomers. They only glanced briefly at Lin Yuxing's group of five before quickly looking away, as if they were already familiar with them.
Cui Feng wore a dignified expression, maintaining his usual stern and austere demeanor as he strode in with the gait of a dragon and the step of a tiger.
As soon as he entered the hall, Lin Yuxing and the others stood up. Li Yan and the other three new arrivals followed suit, bowing in salute.
Cui Feng gave a slight nod to the people in the hall. His gaze lingered on Li Yan for just a moment before he continued towards the head of the hall, showing no particular favoritism.
After Cui Feng took his seat, the young man and woman casually found two chairs to the side and sat down without speaking.
Cui Feng's tiger-like eyes swept across the room, and he began to speak slowly.
"Everyone, your presence in my manor to work for me is a matter of fate. As long as you serve with diligence, I, Cui, am not a stingy man. You will receive what you deserve. If you do your utmost to protect this manor, my rewards will only be greater than those of any other estate. However, let me be blunt: where there are rewards, there are also punishments. The veterans of the manor need no reminder; they have followed me for years and know my principles. But the new Courtyard Guard Instructors must understand that I, Cui, do not like sluggishness, and I certainly do not like insubordination. Following orders without question is the most basic requirement. Otherwise, if no incident occurs, you may leave the way you came. If an incident does occur, you will have to bear the consequences yourself!"
As Cui Feng spoke, his gaze swept over Li Yan and the other newcomers. He did not use his official title, referring to himself only as Cui.
Lian Pinghai and the others understood that Duke Cui had no intention of using his official authority to pressure them. Instead, he was laying out the terms of their relationship according to the normal customs of employment in the martial world. Otherwise, in this Imperial Dynasty, aside from the current Son of Heaven, the man before them was the one who truly held immense power over the court and the country. No matter how powerful your martial arts or how strong your sect, could you stand against the millions of soldiers of the court? With a mere wave of his hand, Cui Feng could turn any martial world sect to dust in an instant.
"We will do our utmost!" Lian Pinghai and the Shi Ning couple quickly rose again. Li Yan also stood up respectfully in agreement.
Cui Feng gestured for them to sit, his tone softening. "You are all masters of the martial world. I will not interfere with your daily methods. You will follow Yisheng's arrangements for all matters. Of course, Yisheng will only assign you your duties. As for how you carry them out, you may each display your own talents. No one else will interfere. Some of you may not be familiar with each other, so allow me to make a brief introduction…"
Soon, Li Yan learned the identities of the people in the hall. Besides Lian Pinghai, Lin Yuxing, and Song Duan, the thin old man next to Song Duan was named Bao Feiyu, known in the martial world as "Star-Plucking Flying Ape." He was a master from the "Divine Ape Sect," and his movement skill was bizarre and unpredictable. From his restrained aura, Li Yan could tell that Bao Feiyu was highly skilled in the art of assassination, a troublesome assassin who operated in the shadows.
Cui Feng's other two subordinates, a man and a woman, were also exceptional in their martial arts, both first-rate experts. The man was a wealthy-looking old man with the appearance of a merchant, a kind face, and small eyes that seemed to be perpetually squinting in a smile. Anyone who saw him would think him extremely amicable. But those who knew him knew that he was the most difficult to deal with among them, with a mind even more calculating than Lin Yuxing's. He had once been a general in charge of Cui Feng's grain and fodder, named Tong Buyou, with the nickname "Never Flows," implying that once something passed through his hands, it was nearly impossible for it to flow out again.
The other was an old woman in a loose black robe. Her face was heavily wrinkled and wore a gloomy expression. She rarely spoke, and her hands were always hidden in her large sleeves. The old woman's name was Huang Ruiying, nicknamed "Eagle Mountain Twin Fiends."
Hearing this name at first, Li Yan was a bit surprised. It was clearly a nickname for two people, which meant there should have been another. He initially thought the other person might be away on business, but he later learned that Huang Ruiying was originally a notorious figure from the northern border of the Imperial Dynasty. She and her husband had established a stronghold in a place called "Eagle Fly Gorge," gathering a large number of refugees and martial artists to live as bandits, frequently robbing passing merchants. Although they killed people, they were generally considered principled in the martial world, as they would let merchants go as long as they willingly handed over their valuables.
Because their stronghold was located near the border of the Imperial Dynasty's great enemy, the State of Mu, they eventually provoked the dissatisfaction of Mu. The local government dispatched a large army to suppress them. However, Eagle Fly Gorge had treacherous terrain, and with the "Eagle Mountain Twin Fiends" being exceptional martial artists, the government troops failed to eliminate the bandits even after several attempts, losing many soldiers in the process. This finally enraged the court of Mu, which dispatched General Xianyu Beifeng with siege crossbows and other heavy weaponry, leading sixty thousand men to annihilate them.
Against such a massive force and heavy siege equipment, Huang Ruiying's stronghold was swiftly crushed. Fewer than fifty people managed to escape. In that fierce battle, her husband was killed by Xianyu Beifeng's hand. After recovering from her injuries, Huang Ruiying began to lead her men in continuous assassination attempts on Xianyu Beifeng, seeking revenge for her husband and brothers. Unfortunately, Xianyu Beifeng was constantly in his military camp, a heavily fortified place. Not only was it heavily guarded, but he himself was a master whose martial arts had reached the Transformation Realm, one of the few top-tier experts in the world. Huang Ruiying organized four assassination attempts, but not only did she fail, but her remaining elite experts were almost all killed. She herself was severely injured twice and nearly lost her life. This showed how fierce and valiant Huang Ruiying was, capable of moving through an army of thousands.
After several failed assassination attempts, she realized that she could not kill Xianyu Beifeng with her own strength. She gradually fell into a state of depression, even becoming somewhat mad. At one point, she even contemplated storming the capital of Mu to capture their emperor and exchange him for Xianyu Beifeng's life, but she was painstakingly dissuaded by her few remaining subordinates.
Later, she heard that the Imperial Dynasty's army was stationed on the northern border, confronting the State of Mu, with Cui Feng as the supreme commander. After much consideration, she led her last few men to join Cui Feng, serving him ever since, hoping to kill Xianyu Beifeng in a direct confrontation. But even so, killing a great general of a nation was easier said than done. In a normal battle, unless one side was completely routed, it was impossible to even harm Xianyu Beifeng. Trying to use military operations for an assassination attempt was as difficult as the enemy nations trying to kill Cui Feng. In the heart of enemy territory, against a peerless expert, it had to be a one-hit kill, or there would be no second chance.
Thus, Xianyu Beifeng remained alive to this day. Cui Feng, well aware of her desires, had challenged Xianyu Beifeng to a duel according to the rules of the martial world several times, but the other party never responded. This left Cui Feng helpless, as the enemy disregarded his own reputation and ignored the challenge.
As for the Shi Ning couple, they were also highly renowned in the martial world, known as the "Flowing Cloud Flying Star." In their earlier years, they had been the masters of a manor. They too had roamed the martial world, gathering heroes from all directions, eating meat in big chunks, drinking wine from large bowls, and sparring, living a carefree life. But one day, their manor suffered a great catastrophe and was burned to the ground, with countless casualties. The couple had disappeared since then and had not been seen in the martial world for over a decade. Unexpectedly, when the Duke's Manor was hiring Courtyard Guard Instructors, the two of them had shown up.
After introducing these individuals, Cui Feng looked at Li Yan. "Zhang Ming, the descendant of an old friend of mine, a rising star of the younger generation. His martial arts may still be a little behind yours, but he is already a top expert among his peers. I hope that in the future, you will also treat him with kinship!"
Cui Feng's introduction was actually meant for Li Yan's ears. He knew how terrifyingly strong his marshal was; he himself was no match for Li Yan, let alone the people before him. He hadn't sought out Li Yan in the past few days, as he himself was carefully mulling over every word and action from that day. In the end, he could find no flaws. Especially when he observed Li Yan's martial arts that day—it was something that could absolutely not be faked. Who else in this world could wield that great lance so effortlessly, like a swirling wind? Although he hadn't fought Li Yan again, he sensed that his opponent's power was even more profound and unfathomable than it had been decades ago. Cui Feng felt that if Li Yan were to use a weapon, he might not even last fifty rounds. And he himself now stood at the pinnacle of martial arts, believing there were few in the world who could contend with him.
Cui Feng's simple introduction of Li Yan made everyone else hear the protectiveness and appreciation he held for Zhang Ming. This was especially true for the young man and woman sitting at the lower seats; their eyes sized Li Yan up and down again and again.