The Imperial Palace of the Great Xia Dynasty.

　　Wang Wanru, dressed in a magnificent golden gown, was practicing calligraphy in the palace. As she wrote, her handwriting became crooked. She sighed and put down her brush. At that moment, she was clearly preoccupied with something.

　　She was originally the owner of this palace, and although she is still the owner of this palace now, things are different. Before, she was a princess of the Daqian Dynasty, but now she is a guest invited by Xia Yushu. It was Xia Yushu who gave her this palace. It’s really a joke.

　　Just as she was lost in thought, a palace maid suddenly entered and said, “Your Highness, the Divine Nun has arrived!”

　　Wang Wanru frowned slightly: “I’ve told you many times, don’t call me that!”

　　”Yes, yes.” The palace maid lowered her head. “But this is His Majesty’s order.”

　　Wang Wanru didn’t say much to her, knowing that making things difficult for her would be pointless.

　　After Xia Yushu restored his kingdom, he invited her and the Snow Mountain Nun into the palace and directly made her a Noble Consort, second only to Empress Liu Ling’er. He treated her very well, but this was not what Wang Wanru wanted.

　　So far, Wang Wanru has not truly agreed to Xia Yushu’s proposal, nor has she consummated her marriage with him. Therefore, although she lives in this palace, she still feels extremely uneasy. However, this is originally her palace, so she cannot leave or stay, which puts her in a dilemma.

　　Upon hearing that the Snow Mountain Goddess had arrived, Wang Wanru hurriedly went out to greet her.

　　After the master and disciple met, Wang Wanru dismissed the palace maids and brewed a pot of tea for the Snow Mountain Nun. The two drank the tea and chatted.

　　”Wanru, what are you thinking?” Snow Mountain Nun looked at Wang Wanru.

　　Wang Wanru poured a cup of tea for the Snow Mountain Nun, put down the teapot, sighed softly, and said, “Although Xia Yushu seems gentle and refined, I always feel that he is hiding something deep, which makes me uneasy. As for this matter, I… I don’t know what to do…” She suddenly thought of Feng Jianqing. That day, Feng Jianqing told her that she would marry her and bring her back to Kun Kingdom. At the time, Wang Wanru thought it was utterly absurd, but now, thinking about it, she felt that Feng Jianqing was many times more approachable than Xia Yushu.

　　The Snow Mountain Nun asked, “Then what is your opinion of the Kun Kingdom?”

　　Wang Wanru thought for a moment and said, “Kun Kingdom defeated Gan Dynasty, and Da Xia occupied the imperial palace that originally belonged to Da Gan… Sigh, I don’t know how to put it.” Objectively speaking, both Da Xia and Kun Kingdom were Wang Wanru’s enemies, but she just couldn’t bring herself to hate them.

　　She knew that Wang Tianlong and the others weren’t good people either, but they were very kind to her. The problem was that Da Gan, Da Xia, and Kun Guo were all kind to her, and she was caught in the middle, torn between them.

　　The Snow Mountain Nun said, “After all, Feng Liyao killed your father…”

　　Wang Wanru shook her head and said, “That was just a power struggle between factions. The people who killed my father were from the Great Zen Temple and the Shaoyue Sect. In turn, the Great Zen Temple and the Shaoyue Sect killed the two seniors, Xuantian Daoist and Kongming Zen Master, because my father had stolen their martial arts manuals… These grudges and entanglements are impossible to explain.” She thought of Qi Tingqin. Her mother was now in Kun Kingdom and should be doing well.

　　The Snow Mountain Nun seemed to remember something, and suddenly her beautiful face flushed slightly. She said, “That lad Xia Yushu, although he’s become emperor, is still a good person. I never thought that someone as old as me would think so highly of me…”

　　Upon hearing this, Wang Wanru’s expression suddenly changed slightly. She looked at the Snow Mountain Nun carefully and saw that her pretty face had turned red. She instantly understood something and stood up, saying, “Master, you… could it be that he also wants to take you into his harem?”

　　The Snow Mountain Nun said somewhat awkwardly, “He only mentioned it briefly, he didn’t really mean it… Don’t overthink it.”

　　“Master, you…” Wang Wanru was stunned, her mind in turmoil, and she didn’t know what to say.

　　The two faced each other in awkward silence for a moment, their minds in turmoil. Wang Wanru thought to herself, “Xia Yushu is indeed up to no good. No wonder he treats me and my master so well. He had planned this all along.”

　　The Snow Mountain Goddess was thinking that although she had lost the support of the Great Gan Dynasty, the current Great Xia Dynasty was not bad either. Moreover, this young and handsome emperor thought so highly of her, saying that he wanted to take her as a virtuous concubine. He respected her even more than Wang Tianlong had done before. It was just that she didn’t know how to explain this to her disciple…

　　Wang Wanru said with a solemn expression, “Master, Xia Yushu is a very cunning person. We should leave the palace as soon as possible, otherwise it may cause a lot of trouble if we stay!”

　　The Snow Mountain Nun frowned and said, “My disciple, you’re living here so well, why do you want to leave? Besides, this is your home! Wandering around isn’t a good life…”

　　Wang Wanru said, “Master! The world is so big, surely there is a place for us to go? We can always go back to the Thousand Mountains Sect. Besides, the Great Xia Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom are still at odds, so there is no need for us to get involved.”

　　”This…” Snow Mountain Nun frowned slightly, feeling somewhat troubled. She had been bombarded with Xia Yushu’s sweet talk and was almost losing her composure. Now, Wang Wanru’s wake-up call had brought her back to her senses.

　　After thinking for a moment, the Snow Mountain Nun said, “How about this, let’s all calm down for the next few days and think carefully about what to do next. We’ll talk about it again in three days.” Then she turned around.

　　”Alright, take care, Master.” Wang Wanru watched her leave.

　　…………

　　In the season when the grass grows and the orioles fly, willow catkins drift along the official road.

　　A series of hoofbeats rang out, accompanied by billowing dust. Seven riders galloped past on the official road. There was one man and six women, all teenagers and young women in their late teens and early twenties. The man was short, only a little over four feet tall, while the women were all tall and slender, with curvaceous figures and especially beautiful faces. They were all rare beauties.

　　Colorful gauze skirts fluttered in the breeze, pairs of beautiful legs in stockings gripped the horses’ bellies, and the girls, each with superb horsemanship, left the boys far behind.

　　”Slow down, wait for me…” Although Qi Fei was highly skilled in martial arts, his horsemanship was really poor. He had to exert all his strength to barely keep up with Feng Jianqing and the others in front of him.

　　”It’s getting dark soon, hurry up… Are you planning to camp out in the wild?” Feng Jianqing slowed down and shouted to Qi Fei behind her.

　　”How far is it from here to the capital?” Qi Fei caught up.

　　”We’ll be there soon, in about half an hour we’ll reach the capital,” Zuo Meihong’s voice came from ahead.

　　”Alright…” Qi Fei spurred his horse and chased after the women at full speed.

　　After leaving the Five Immortals Sect, Qi Fei, Feng Jianqing, and the others left Kun Kingdom and entered the territory of the Great Xia Dynasty. After many days of travel, they were about to enter the capital.

　　Although the road ahead was fraught with danger, Qi Fei was not afraid at all. On the one hand, he was highly skilled and daring, having ventured into the capital many times before. On the other hand, he knew that Fang Huaxian had sent people to follow him in secret, and that Feng Liyao would arrive soon.

　　The group rode at full speed and finally entered the capital city before nightfall when the city gates closed.

　　”Can you hurry up… Never mind, we’ll go first. We’ll meet at the Five Flavors Inn later. It’s an inn run by our people.” Kazami Haru couldn’t stand watching Qi Fei sluggishly behind her.

　　Qi Fei was sweating profusely, saying, “It’s not that I’m slow, it’s just that there’s something wrong with my horse, it won’t move… Hey, wait for me…” He simply dismounted and led the horse forward.

　　However, Kazami Haru and the other beautiful girls soon disappeared into the streets.

　　As night fell, the shops on both sides of the city streets lit up. Even at night, there were still many vendors setting up stalls on the streets, and people strolling around the streets in an endless stream. It truly deserves to be called the most prosperous place in the world.

　　Qi Fei rubbed his belly, which was starting to rumble.

　　”I wonder where that inn my sisters were talking about is… Oh well, let’s find somewhere to eat first!”

　　Qi Fei strolled around the street for a while, then stepped into a restaurant and found it full of customers, many of whom were from the martial arts world.

　　Left with no other choice, Qi Fei had to share a table with two of the burly men with bushy beards.

　　After sitting down, I ordered a bowl of beef noodles.

　　While waiting for the waiter to bring the noodles to the table, the two burly men with bushy beards at the table glanced at Qi Fei a few times. Both of them carried long swords, which were placed on the table. Their eyes were sharp, and they exuded a rough and ruthless aura that made people feel intimidated.

　　In comparison, Qi Fei’s slender frame made him look much easier to bully.

　　One of them, seeing him carrying a long sword, sneered and said, “Shorty, you think you’re a martial artist? With your size, can you even lift a sword?”

　　Qi Fei was taken aback by this. He hadn’t expected that someone would cause trouble while he was having a meal. However, he didn’t care and just laughed, “I can take it.”

　　”Haha…” The two burly men with bushy beards laughed.

　　The surrounding diners also laughed and cast disdainful glances at Qi Fei. Seeing the tense atmosphere, the restaurant owner quickly stepped forward to speak to him kindly.

　　At this moment, Qi Fei’s beef noodles were served. He ignored everyone else and picked up his chopsticks to eat.

　　The shop owner exchanged a few polite words with everyone, and then said, “I hope you will not cause trouble in this shop. We have connections in the palace.”

　　The diners burst into laughter upon hearing this. The burly man with a thick beard at the same table as Qi Fei slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and said, “Is that so? Who do you have in the palace? The Great Gan Dynasty has been destroyed. What use are your connections?”

　　The shopkeeper said, “You may not know this, but now that the Great Xia Dynasty has been restored, I happen to have a past connection with the Great Xia royal family…”

　　”Pah!” The burly man with the bushy beard spat a mouthful of saliva onto the shop owner’s face. “Stop bragging. My brother Biao isn’t afraid of any Great Xia royal family!”

　　The shop owner wiped the saliva from his face, which was flushed red and looked ready to explode at any moment. Just as the two were about to clash, a voice suddenly came from outside the door:

　　”Who is not afraid of the Great Xia royal family?”

　　Hearing the sound, everyone looked over and saw a group of golden-armored soldiers enter first. After entering, they split into two groups and stood on either side of the door. Then, a young man dressed in imperial robes walked slowly in. This man wore a flat-topped crown, a nine-dragon robe, and sage boots. He had jade pendants around his waist and was very luxurious. He was handsome and had a warm smile. He looked to be under thirty years old and was a sight to behold.

　　Behind the young man followed another young man dressed in fine clothes. This young man was tall, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, his hands reaching past his knees, and his eyes revealing a resolute look.

　　”Your Majesty the Emperor!” The people in the restaurant were immediately terrified upon seeing this.

　　It turned out that the person who came was none other than the current emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty, “Emperor Xia” Xia Yushu!

　　The shop owner, waiters, and all the diners, including the two burly men with bushy beards sitting at the same table as Qi Fei, all knelt down, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.

　　Before the emperor, the slightest carelessness could be a capital offense, with no room for argument.

　　The young man following behind Xia Yushu was none other than Wang Hongyu, the former crown prince of the previous dynasty. Now he had pledged allegiance to the Great Xia and held a high position.

　　Xia Yushu didn’t even glance at the people in the restaurant, but focused his gaze on Qi Fei. He walked over with a smile and said, “Brother Qi, it’s been a long time!”

　　”Hey, Brother Xia? Oh, and Brother Wang is here too, what a coincidence!” Qi Fei looked up at Xia Yushu and Wang Hongyu, without stopping eating his noodles.

　　Upon hearing this, everyone in the restaurant exchanged bewildered glances. Brother Qi? Brother Xia? Who is this person? Not only did he not kneel before Emperor Xia, but he also dared to address him as a brother.

　　Xia Yushu stepped forward, sat down opposite Qi Fei, laughed heartily, and said with great enthusiasm, “Brother Qi, why didn’t you tell me you were coming to the capital of my Great Xia? I could have sent someone to pick you up! Come on, come on, I’ll immediately have someone prepare a feast of delicacies for you at the palace!”

　　”Thank you for your kindness, Brother Xia, but it’s a pity I’m not used to such delicacies.” Brother Qi put down his chopsticks, glanced at Xia Yushu, and then looked at Wang Hongyu beside him. “Brother Wang, why aren’t you sitting down?”

　　Wang Hongyu glanced at Xia Yushu, and seeing Xia Yushu nod in acknowledgment, he sat down, forcing a smile, and said, “Brother Qi, how have you been?”

　　”I’m eating well and sleeping soundly, but I wonder how Brother Xia and Brother Wang are doing?”

　　”Looks like the three of us brothers are doing quite well.” Xia Yushu chuckled. “Shopkeeper, bring the wine! I want to drink three hundred cups with Brother Qi!”

　　Upon hearing this, the shop owner immediately brought out several jars of Zhuangyuanhong and Nuerhong wines, and then tactfully withdrew.

　　The surrounding diners listened for a long time before they finally understood that this short man was none other than Qi Fei, the famous “hero” of the martial arts world and the “King Qi” of Kun Kingdom.

　　The diners remained kneeling on the ground, and Xia Yushu ignored them. They dared not make any other moves, not even leaving.

　　Xia Yushu poured a large bowl of wine for Qi Fei and Wang Hongyu, then poured one for himself. He picked up his bowl and said, “It’s been a long time since the three of us brothers have drunk and eaten heartily together. Thinking back to when we first met, how carefree it was to sing and drink together in the Yin-Yang Sect! Now, time flies, things have changed, it’s truly heartbreaking!”

　　Qi Fei recalled how he met Xia Yushu and Wang Hongyu, how they broke into the Yin Yang Sect together, played with the women of the Yin Yang Sect, and ate the wine and meat of the Yin Yang Sect. Just thinking about it made him feel amused. It’s just a pity that things are unpredictable and the two sides were always enemies rather than friends.

　　”Dry!”

　　”Dry……”

　　”Brother Qi, I salute you!”

　　Qi Fei, Xia Yushu, and Wang Hongyu picked up their wine bowls and drank the wine in one gulp.

　　This wine is indeed fine; after just one bowl, my blood and energy were boiling.

　　The three of them drank several large bowls of wine in succession, and as they drank, they became quite tipsy. At the same time, they picked up their chopsticks, banged their bowls together, and began to sing loudly:

　　When did the world become a martial arts arena?

　　Every step is fraught with uncertainty.

　　When is it better to bleed than to shed tears?

　　Everyone calls themselves a hero

　　What is black and white distinction?

　　Who can truly understand right and wrong?

　　What’s there to be afraid of?

　　Keep the romance of nature in your heart

　　I will walk my own path without regrets.

　　The road to the ends of the earth is endless

　　He was a man of the martial world, yet he was carefree and at ease.

　　Because I don’t care

　　Chasing each other amidst the winds and clouds

　　Who will end this feud…?

　　After the song ended, the three looked at each other and saw that the other’s face was flushed and he smelled of alcohol. They then pointed at each other and burst into laughter.

　　After laughing, Xia Yushu took out a gold handkerchief and wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth. Then, his eyes narrowed, and he looked at Qi Fei indifferently, saying, “No matter how Brother Qi sees me, I will always consider you a brother. I truly admire you, Brother Qi.”

　　Qi Fei said calmly, “I also admire Brother Xia and Brother Wang.”

　　Xia Yushu gazed at Qi Fei and said slowly, word by word, “I sincerely wish to invite Brother Qi to join my side. Let the three of us brothers do great things together and create a lasting legacy. What do you think, Brother Qi?”

　　”I don’t think so,” Qi Fei said casually.

　　Xia Yushu continued, “Brother Qi, don’t be so quick to refuse. I am a man of great magnanimity. Look at Brother Wang. Back then, he defied the court and killed my father, Hua Zhenbei, and caused the destruction of Uncle Ye’s family at Red Leaf Manor. Yet I still respect Brother Wang and treat him like a brother. Brother Qi, it’s the same…”

　　”Thank you for your kindness, Brother Xia. I’m doing very well in Kun Kingdom.” Qi Fei wasn’t going to listen to his nonsense.

　　”Brother Qi, are you sure you don’t want to join me in this great undertaking?”

　　”I’m absolutely sure.”

　　Xia Yushu stared at Qi Fei, and Qi Fei stared back at Xia Yushu. The two looked at each other, one with sharp eyes, full of majesty and domineering presence, and the other with pure and innocent eyes, looking like a naive young man.

　　”That’s such a pity…” Xia Yushu sighed. “In my eyes, there are only two kinds of people in this world: my servants and my enemies!”

　　As he spoke, Xia Yushu stood up, looked down at Qi Fei, and said in a chilling tone, “Since Brother Qi is unwilling to be my servant, then there’s nothing I can do. I hope Brother Qi will take care in the future and be prepared to be targeted by me.”

　　These words sent chills down the spines of those around them, making them shudder and feel a truly biting cold.

　　However, Qi Fei remained unmoved, showing no unusual expression or behavior, and simply said, “Alright, I’ll wait for Brother Xia to come at me.”

　　“Well, we’ll see…” Xia Yushu turned around, his back to him. “No one can stop me, Xia Yushu, from doing what I want to do. Whether it’s Da Gan, Kun Kingdom, the surrounding foreign states, or even you, Qi Fei… they can only be stepping stones on my path. I hope that when I trample Kun Kingdom underfoot and make the Empress submit to me, Brother Qi, don’t cry.”

　　Qi Fei gave a cold laugh, stood up and said, “When I sleep with your mother and your wife one day, please don’t cry, Brother Xia. Oh, by the way, I heard that Brother Xia recently had a daughter, she must be very cute, right?”

　　Xia Yushu narrowed his eyes and said indifferently, “Brother Qi, empty words are useless. Since that’s the case, don’t blame me for being ruthless when we meet again in the future.”

　　”Okay, I’m waiting.”

　　”We’ll see.”

　　We’ll see.

　　Xia Yushu walked to the door, about to leave, but then paused, turning his back to Qi Fei, and said calmly, “Oh, right, I forgot to tell you, Brother Qi, the Snow Mountain Nun and her disciple Wang Wanru are currently in my palace. I plan to make them concubines, taking both of them as my own. I suppose Brother Qi’s trip to the capital this time was for Wang Wanru, right? Haha…”

　　Xia Yushu laughed loudly as he left.

　　As Qi Fei watched Xia Yushu and Wang Hongyu leave with their group of golden-armored soldiers, he clenched his fists and thought to himself, “Bastard, Wang Wanru belongs to me, Qi the Hero. If you dare to touch her, I’ll make sure to fuck your mother and your wife right in front of you.”

　　Qi Fei threw a silver ingot on the table and walked out of the restaurant.

　　Behind him, the group of diners watched Qi Fei’s departing figure before daring to stand up, wiping the cold sweat from their foreheads. The two burly men with bushy beards were even more terrified from the start, and now they were soaked in sweat.