Volume 1, Chapter 7: Xin Qiji, a Man of Both Literary and Martial Brilliance

After several days on the road, Bai Chou and Zhao Yun had grown quite familiar with one another. Bai Chou possessed a wealth of knowledge and unique insights that Zhao Yun had never heard of before. What puzzled Zhao Yun most, however, was how Bai Chou knew his brother’s name was Zhao Lei and that his master, the venerable immortal, was named Tong Yuan. Whenever Zhao Yun questioned him on these matters, Bai Chou, restricted by the system’s rules from revealing his identity as a transmigrator, would always brush the questions aside with evasive answers. Seeing that Bai Chou would not give a straight answer, Zhao Yun eventually assumed there were things his companion could not speak of and stopped pressing the issue.

As Bai Chou was twenty-four in his original universe, and Zhao Yun was two years his junior, they addressed each other according to their age: Zhao Yun called Bai Chou "Brother Chou," and Bai Chou called Zhao Yun "Zilong."

While traveling, a hazy outline of a city wall gradually appeared in the distance. Qizhou City, the second-largest city in the Tang Kingdom, boasted a population of nearly a million. With the constant stream of travelers and merchants, it was bustling with activity. Central Avenue served as the city’s main thoroughfare, lined on both sides with restaurants and shops. Among these, one building stood out: it was over three stories high, and the pair of stone lions at the entrance alone stood taller than a man. Inside, the hall was brightly lit and luxuriously decorated. The sweet singing of songstresses, the melodic sounds of lutes, and the laughter of guests drifted out, while the plaque above the main entrance bore the three characters "Yongxing Tower" in bold, sweeping calligraphy.

As a former special forces soldier, Bai Chou understood the importance of intelligence. To complete his mission successfully, he had to gather accurate information on his adversaries beforehand. The annihilation of the Xia Long Special Forces unit had been due to Zhao Chen leaking their operational plans; had the enemy not known the time and place of their raid, they never could have mustered dozens of times their force to set an ambush. Places like restaurants, with their complex crowds and high turnover, were prime sources of information. After a few cups of strong liquor, people often lost their inhibitions and spoke without restraint. Thus, Bai Chou wanted to try his luck at the grandest establishment, Yongxing Tower, to see if he could glean any intelligence regarding Wei Tianpeng.

"Zilong, do you have enough money on you?" Bai Chou asked, looking toward Zhao Yun. "Since we’ve arrived in Qizhou, if we want to learn about Wei Tianpeng of the Black Tiger Gang, this Yongxing Tower looks imposing enough to be our best bet."

Zhao Yun looked at the tower and sighed. "Well, I suspect the few coins in my pocket would barely cover a dish or two in there. If we spend them, we’ll be reduced to eating wild fruit and gnawing on tree bark on our way back to Wolong Mountain."

Bai Chou sighed as well; truly, a lack of money could humble even a hero.

Just as they were feeling stumped, a sudden commotion arose ahead. A crowd had gathered, and more people were flocking toward the scene. The two followed the flow of the crowd, listening to the murmurs around them.

"Master Scholar Xin is holding his arena again!"
"Indeed, Young Master Xin has been holding this arena for half a year now, and no challenger has ever defeated him. He is truly the pride of Qizhou!"

"Exactly! Let’s go see what kind of riffraff tries to challenge Young Master Xin today!"

As they drew closer, they saw a platform ten yards square erected in the middle of the street. On the pillars at either side were two scrolls: "In literature, there is no first; in martial arts, there is no second," and "Meeting friends through literature, stopping conflict through martial arts." In the center of the platform sat a desk with brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. Behind the desk sat a young man dressed in fine silk robes with a long sword at his waist. He had refined features and a sharp, composed demeanor, looking every bit the cultured scholar.

*This man has quite the ego,* Bai Chou thought. *"No first in literature, no second in martial arts." I wonder what kind of skill this so-called Young Master Xin truly possesses.*

With that, he activated his "See Through" skill.

Martial Arts: Thunderbolt Sword Technique, Six Harmonies and Eight Desolations Technique;
Weapon: Zhanlu Sword (Epic);
Power Level: 40th Heaven;
Battle Intent: Imperial Grade.

Seeing the stats, Bai Chou’s jaw dropped. This was incredibly powerful! Even the "Twin Spear General" Dong Ping was two levels below him! Who on earth was this guy?

Just then, a young man in coarse linen clothing stepped onto the platform and announced loudly, "Fellow citizens, the rules remain the same as always: one round of literature, one round of martial arts. Whoever wins in either discipline against our Young Master Xin shall receive a reward of one hundred gold coins."

At the mention of the reward, the crowd erupted. One hundred gold coins was enough to buy a mansion in Qizhou City.

"Brother Chou, should I give it a try? I’m sturdy enough; perhaps I can win those hundred gold coins," Zhao Yun said, eager to test himself.

Bai Chou hurriedly shook his head. "This guy is far too strong. Even that fellow Dong Ping might not last a few rounds against him!"

"What?!" Zhao Yun was shocked. Dong Ping had left a deep impression on him, yet Bai Chou claimed this young man’s martial prowess far exceeded Dong Ping’s. How could he not be stunned? But since the man hadn't fought yet, how could Bai Chou know? Zhao Yun couldn't help but ask, "Brother Chou, how do you know this?"

"Uh, it’s a man’s intuition, perhaps..." Bai Chou replied, making up an excuse, regardless of whether Zhao Yun believed him.

"I’ll go first!" A brawny man shouted, pushing through the crowd. Carrying a ghost-head saber, he leapt onto the platform.

Young Master Xin stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "I presume you wish to challenge the martial arts portion?"

"Ha! Looking at him, he doesn't look like the type to handle a brush," the crowd jeered.

The brawny man turned and glared at the crowd, which immediately quieted down. He then said, "Indeed. Today, I wish to seek some guidance from Young Master Xin in martial arts."

Young Master Xin drew the sword from his waist and gestured for him to begin.

The brawny man laughed. "In that case, I won’t hold back!" He let out a roar and charged with his saber.

Young Master Xin moved with fluid grace. There was a faint sound of steel cutting through the air, followed by a dazzling flash of light. When it cleared, the tip of his sword was pressed against the brawny man’s throat. Another inch, and the man would have been dead!

The man turned pale. After a moment, he stepped back, bowed deeply to Young Master Xin, and said, "I previously thought you were just a boastful youth relying on a prominent family name. Today, I see your reputation is well-earned. Please forgive my insolence!"

"Ha! Imagine thinking Young Master Xin was a fraud! What arrogance!"
"Exactly! Everyone knows Young Master Xin’s 'Thunderbolt Sword Technique' is unrivaled in this age. To be so overconfident just because he’s built a bit big—what a joke."

The crowd erupted in laughter again, but this time the brawny man did not retort. He pushed through the crowd and slunk away. Several others challenged him after that, but none could last even a single round.

Zhao Yun sighed in admiration. "Brother Chou, I have to say, your intuition is incredibly sharp. This Young Master Xin is fast, precise, and ruthless; he is truly beyond the reach of ordinary men. His strength is indeed far above Dong Ping’s."

Bai Chou nodded, thinking to himself: *There is always someone better, and a mountain beyond every mountain.*

"Let’s go. There’s no point in staying here," Zhao Yun said, looking dejected.

Bai Chou didn't answer. Instead, he turned to a young man nearby who was watching with envious eyes. "Excuse me, friend. Since the martial challenge is a test of combat, what exactly does the literary challenge entail?"

The young man glanced at Bai Chou with disdain. "The literary challenge is simple: Young Master Xin and the challenger each propose a line of a couplet. If the other cannot match it within seven steps, they lose. If both match, a random passerby provides a topic, both write a poem, and the audience decides whose is better."

"I see," Bai Chou nodded.

"Heh," the young man sneered at Bai Chou again. "I advise you to give up on the literary challenge. Young Master Xin has been holding this arena for over half a year. In the martial challenge, a few experts have managed to survive three of his moves, but in the literary challenge, I have yet to see anyone even make it to the poetry portion."

*A master of both pen and sword!* Bai Chou marveled. A figure as formidable as this must have a place in Chinese history. He couldn't help but ask, "May I ask what this Young Master Xin is called?"

The young man shot him a look of pure contempt. "Xin Qiji! His father is Xin Yanbo, the Lord of Qizhou City!"