Chapter 284: A Challenge Comes Calling

Linghu Qiu glanced at the stack of papers. If they really contained information about the Qi capital, that was perfectly understandable. He knew that sects like Tianyu Sect already had people stationed here. Gathering some local intelligence in advance was nothing unusual.

Niu Youdao, however, was staring at the three white porcelain wine bottles Linghu Qiu carried. He asked, "Wine?"

Linghu Qiu lifted the bottles and smiled. "Made in your Qingshan Commandery. Expensive enough to scare a man. I wouldn't be willing to buy it myself, but someone just gave me a few bottles. Want a couple of cups?"

"Good!" Niu Youdao nodded and gestured.

Black Peony immediately removed the teapot, cups, and other things from the stone table. The other side had plainly come prepared. Hongfu set down a small food box and arranged several dishes of snacks on the table.

After they had each taken a sip and exchanged a few idle words, Linghu Qiu came to the matter he had actually wanted to discuss.

"I just heard some news. Someone leaked the fact that you secretly came to the Qi capital. This residence has been exposed as well."

Niu Youdao said, "I just heard."

Linghu Qiu said, "This isn't Tianyu Sect's sphere of influence. You're probably going to run into some trouble."

"Every capital attracts cultivators looking for a future. Some have no reputation and nowhere to turn. But Little Brother, your name is famous beneath Heaven. If one of them can defeat you, fame and profit both fall into his hands."

Niu Youdao said, "There are plenty of famous men beneath Heaven. Take Elder Brother, for example. Why are they fixated on me? Are they just picking the soft persimmon?"

"Everyone knows your cultivation is only at the Foundation Establishment Realm," Linghu Qiu replied.

In other words, he was indeed agreeing that they were choosing the soft persimmon.

Niu Youdao chuckled. "The moment I arrive in the Qi capital, someone sends me a welcoming gift. What a warmhearted place. Does Elder Brother know who sent this gift?"

Linghu Qiu had a good idea and a likely suspect in mind, but shook his head. "If you have a whole crowd staring at you wherever you go, it will be disadvantageous to whatever business you're trying to handle."

"A trivial matter. Not worth mentioning. Drink!" Niu Youdao raised his cup in invitation.

Linghu Qiu drained a mouthful, set down his cup, and let out another long sigh.

Niu Youdao looked up. "Why the sigh, Elder Brother?"

Linghu Qiu seemed overcome by nostalgia. "Coming to the Qi capital with Little Brother inevitably makes me think of your master, Dong Guo Haoran. Back then, your master and I met here in the Qi capital as well..."

He rambled on, reminiscing about the past. Niu Youdao simply listened without saying anything. He was thinking about the man instead. This was already the third time Linghu Qiu had brought up Dong Guo Haoran in front of him.

While they were still talking, Duan Hu hurried over and reported, "Master Dao, Elder Feng Entai of Tianyu Sect has arrived."

Linghu Qiu could only stop. Niu Youdao fell briefly silent. He knew of Feng Entai. This was the Tianyu Sect elder dispatched here to take responsibility for the warhorse affair.

He raised a hand. "Invite him in!"

Linghu Qiu could not help taking another look at Niu Youdao. They had only just settled in, and disciples from the three sects stationed here had already gathered over. Now even an elder of Tianyu Sect had personally come to visit. It appeared the sects around Qingshan Commandery truly had high hopes for this conveniently acquired sworn younger brother of his. Before long, a plump old man with a genial face and smiling eyes arrived. It was Feng Entai. Two Tianyu Sect disciples followed behind him.

Niu Youdao and Linghu Qiu had already gone to the moon gate to receive him.

Linghu Qiu was the first to cup his hands and smile. "Brother Feng, many years have passed."

"Oh! Brother Linghu." Feng Entai returned the greeting warmly.

So the two knew each other.

Niu Youdao thought about that, then cupped his hands. "Niu Youdao greets Senior Feng. I should have gone to pay my respects to Senior, yet instead I caused Senior to come see me personally. Truly discourteous."

Feng Entai looked him up and down, then stepped forward, pressed down Niu Youdao's formal greeting, and took him by the wrist.

"Tsk, tsk. No need for all that ceremony. Who visits whom makes no difference. I've heard your great name for a long time. Truly, the young are formidable."

"Calling me 'Senior' is too formal. If you don't mind an old man taking advantage of his years, just call me Elder Brother."

Niu Youdao said politely, "How could I presume?"

Feng Entai patted the back of his hand. "Too distant. We're all on the same side. It's settled."

And so another wine cup was added in the pavilion, and the three men sat together.

After only a few pleasantries, Feng Entai said, "Little Brother, after receiving word from the sect, I've been waiting for you to arrive all this time. Unfortunately your itinerary was kept secret, and you certainly traveled slowly enough. You had me waiting a long time!"

"If I hadn't heard some rumors this time and learned where you were staying, I still wouldn't have known you'd already arrived. By the way, some of the news outside is unfavorable to you..."

He rattled off the situation. It was nothing more than the same matter: someone had leaked that Niu Youdao had secretly reached the Qi capital, and now people wanted to challenge him.

The words had barely left his mouth when Duan Hu hurried in from outside again and reported, "Master Dao, a woman outside calling herself Xuan Zichun wants to see you. She has also issued you a written challenge!"

He offered a card with both hands. Everyone's eyes fell on it at once. Written prominently across the front were the words: Challenge Letter. They looked at one another. They had only just been talking about this, and someone had already arrived. Niu Youdao held his wine cup near his lips for a moment, then slowly lowered it. A mocking curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"They certainly move fast. I only just arrived. The rumor only just spread. And already someone's at my door."

He reached out and took the challenge letter to read it.

Feng Entai frowned. "It isn't difficult to understand. They're afraid someone else will get there first. If they think they have a chance, naturally they'll move as early as possible."

Linghu Qiu said, "Looks like quite a few people really have their eyes on Little Brother."

"Tch!" After reading the challenge letter, Niu Youdao gave a cold laugh.

Seeing the other two look over, he casually handed it to them, then turned and asked Duan Hu, "Is she alone?"

Duan Hu replied, "She brought two friends to act as witnesses."

Niu Youdao said, "One travels roads and makes friends. Since friends have come to the door, invite them in. Bring all of them."

"Yes!" Duan Hu hurried away.

Feng Entai and Linghu Qiu read the challenge letter in turn and both shook their heads. There was little inside beyond some words of challenge and a couple of taunts. If he did not dare accept a challenge from a woman, then he was less than a woman. If he did not dare, then he should publicly admit he was inferior to her. It was called a challenge letter, but all of them could see the thick hunger for fame behind it.

She wanted to step on Niu Youdao and rise. Before long, Duan Hu led three people inside. One woman and two men.

The woman was tall, with looks that could be called reasonably attractive. She was presumably Xuan Zichun, the one who had issued the challenge. Niu Youdao and the others remained seated in the pavilion. None showed the slightest intention of standing to receive their guests. Duan Hu pointed toward the ground and had the three stop outside the pavilion.

The three glanced at the many cultivators half-hidden around the area and plainly grew tense, though they forced themselves to remain calm.

"You're Xuan Zichun?" Niu Youdao lifted his chin toward the woman and asked with a faint smile.

"I am!" Xuan Zichun thrust out her full chest, summoned her courage, and asked in return, "You're Niu Youdao, the man who killed Zhuo Chao?"

Niu Youdao gave a slight nod. "That's me."

Xuan Zichun asked, "Did you read the challenge letter?"

Niu Youdao said, "What if I did? What if I didn't?"

Xuan Zichun said, "I'll ask only one thing. Do you dare accept my challenge?"

Niu Youdao said, "I don't even know who you are. What sect or school do you come from? What is your cultivation? Did your elders approve you challenging me? Explain each point clearly before we discuss anything else."

The condescension in his tone made Feng Entai and Linghu Qiu exchange amused looks. They raised their cups to one another and drank slowly.

Xuan Zichun put on a fearless expression. "Golden Core Realm cultivation. No sect, no school. I'm an independent cultivator. I don't need anyone else's permission. I can decide for myself."

Niu Youdao raised the wine cup in his hand and pointed toward the two men behind her. "Who are those two?"

Xuan Zichun said, "My friends. They came to serve as witnesses."

Niu Youdao said, "This isn't a place just anyone can barge into. State your identities and backgrounds clearly."

Xuan Zichun said, "Same as me. They're independent cultivators. What, you look down on us?"

Niu Youdao said, "I have no grudge with any of you, and we've never met before. Yet you suddenly come here looking for trouble with me. Do you think I should look up to you?"

Xuan Zichun said, "Why drag in all these irrelevant things? I only want one answer. Do you dare accept the challenge?"

Niu Youdao asked in return, "Then let me ask you one thing. Why should I agree? What the hell are you?"

Xuan Zichun's face darkened at the contempt, but she still tried to provoke him. "So you don't dare."

Niu Youdao said, "I can understand how badly people desire what they don't have. But you'd be better off keeping some sense."

"I'll remind you one last time, and call it giving you another chance. If you leave now, there's still time. Once I truly accept your challenge, you won't keep your life. You are not my match."

She thought he was trying to frighten her into retreating.

Xuan Zichun immediately pressed him. "Whether I'm your match or not can only be known after we fight!"

Niu Youdao drained the wine in his cup and set it aside, allowing the faintly smiling Linghu Qiu to refill it for him.

"If you want me to agree, that's fine. I'll give you the chance to borrow my name and make yourself famous. But I want to know what I gain from it. Why should I agree if there's nothing in it for me?"

Xuan Zichun asked, "What benefit do you want?"

Niu Youdao looked her up and down. "You don't look like you have much to offer me."

"Fine. If you lose, your person is mine to dispose of as I please."

Xuan Zichun answered, "Good. It's settled!"

Niu Youdao said, "Anyone can make promises with nothing but red lips and white teeth. How do I know you won't break your word afterward?"

"Let's do this. Leave those two friends of yours here as hostages."

"This..." Xuan Zichun hesitated and looked left and right at her companions.

The two men looked at each other. Neither had expected Niu Youdao to turn his attention onto them.

Niu Youdao said, "If I lose, you can take me hostage and exchange me for the two of them. You don't need to worry about me breaking my word."

"If you won't agree, then this place isn't somewhere people can come whenever they please and leave whenever they please either. Leave your lives behind!"

As soon as the words fell, Black Peony waved one hand. Ten cultivators immediately appeared around them and surrounded the three. The three quickly moved back-to-back and stared outward warily.

Xuan Zichun shouted, "Niu Youdao, this isn't Qingshan Commandery in the State of Yan. This is the Qi capital! Private fighting that disturbs the public is strictly forbidden. If you alarm the cultivators guarding the city, you'll suffer the consequences too!"

Niu Youdao slowly raised his wine cup toward his lips.

"I can crush the three of you as easily as crushing three ants. And you think the likes of you can make me suffer consequences?"

"A brain is a useful thing. It's a pity you don't have one. I genuinely wonder how you managed to survive all the way to the Golden Core Realm."

"I'll ask you one last time."

"Do you agree or not?"

[End of Chapter 284]