C18 The City Lord Came to Visit

He had never encountered these weapons before, so he was unsure which one would suit him best.

Yang Xuan tested each weapon, gauging their weight before swinging them through the air. Ultimately, he found the slender and sharp longsword to be the most fitting for his style.

With the right sword in hand, he set out to find a martial skill that matched his needs. He intended to dedicate the next two months to mastering it, aiming to give his all in the upcoming clan competition. If he couldn't secure the top spot in the Yang family, avenging his father's enemies would be out of reach.

Upon his arrival on the first floor, the once-quiet loft buzzed with activity. The people there had either witnessed or heard about Yang Xuan's duel with Yang Xiao. Seeing Yang Xuan enter the Martial Hall piqued their curiosity, sparking conversations. Even those unfamiliar with him joined in, their chatter growing louder by the minute.

"This is a place of cultivation, and noise is not permitted. If the commotion continues, I will challenge you all to a match," declared the Third Elder of the Yang family, a stern figure in his fifties, clutching a book.

The crowd fell silent at once, the loft returning to its peaceful state.

Yang Xuan nodded in thanks to the Third Elder, who returned the gesture with a smile.

Surveying the loft's layout, Yang Xuan noted the various martial skills arrayed on the shelves. Ignoring the other volumes, he headed straight for the section dedicated to swords.

The array of swordsmanship books was overwhelming. The Yang family's profound heritage was evident in the sheer volume of texts...

Which one should he choose? As Yang Xuan pondered, a book tucked between the shelves caught his eye. He picked it up and began to read, furrowing his brow. The book's philosophy was that the less one remembered of the moves, the more potent the swordplay would become.

But if he forgot all the moves, how would he face his adversaries in combat?

He was about to dismiss the book when a sudden impulse seized him, and he withdrew his hand, holding onto the volume.

This book was the one!

Once he made up his mind, Yang Xuan immediately sat down cross-legged and delved into its wisdom right there and then...

Engrossed in the tome, Yang Xuan was oblivious to the turmoil engulfing the Yang family, all stirred up by the arrival of a single individual.

"The City Lord has arrived?"

Yang Dingshan peered at the guard and repeated, "Are you certain?"

The guard hastily responded, "The City Lord himself sent me to deliver the message."

With a dismissive wave, Yang Dingshan sent the guard away, quickly straightened his attire, and made his way to the Yang family's entrance to greet the City Lord.

Doubts swirled in his mind.

What could bring the City Lord to the Yang family so unexpectedly?

Was it the stolen treasure Yang Xiao had mentioned, or perhaps Yang Xuan's calligraphy?

He would surely find out upon meeting the City Lord.

Picking up his pace, Yang Dingshan caught sight of a spry elder, standing there with a warm, welcoming smile. "I trust you've been well?"

Having met the City Lord on several occasions, Yang Dingshan promptly bowed and greeted him, "Hello!"

The elder chuckled and gestured dismissively, "No need for such formalities."

"Please, City Lord, come inside!" Yang Dingshan urged, casting a quick glance at the two figures trailing behind the City Lord. One was a man nearing his sixties, showing signs of age, the deputy governor from the City Lord's Mansion. The other, a young man in his twenties, was Yang Xiao's colleague—Yu Xuezhong.

Once in the main hall, Yang Dingshan ensured the City Lord was comfortably seated at the place of honor before taking tea from the maid and setting it on the table within the City Lord's reach. "If there's anything you need, you could have simply sent for me. There was no need for you to come in person."

The City Lord stroked his beard, offering Yang Dingshan a smile. "Please, take a seat. Let's not stand on ceremony. My visit to the Yang Mansion is no grave matter. I was quite taken with Young Fellow Daoist Yang Xuan's calligraphy a month ago, and today, I've come to discuss the art and share insights with him."

Yang Dingshan was taken aback. As he turned to instruct the attendants outside to summon Yang Xuan, he caught sight of Yang Xiao and immediately commanded, "Yang Xiao, hurry and bring Yang Xuan to the hall."

He then directed the nearby maid, "Fetch my writing set from my room—the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone."

Yang Xiao, upon learning of the City Lord's visit to the Yang Mansion, saw an opportunity to make an impression. But he was stunned by the City Lord's remark. How could Yang Xuan possibly be considered a friend of the City Lord?

Determined, Yang Xiao vowed to strip away Yang Xuan's façade!

It wasn't just Yang Dingshan who was taken aback; Yu Xuezhong was equally astounded. Those deemed friends by the City Lord were invariably formidable.

It simply couldn't be true!

Yang Xiao scoured Yang Xuan's courtyard without success. Had Yang Xuan fled upon hearing the news? Just as he was about to report back to the main hall, he overheard a snippet of conversation:

"Is Yang Xuan really at the Martial Hall? The clan leader forbade him from going there."

"I went to the Martial Hall this morning to find a sword technique and saw Yang Xuan there too. I was so startled I nearly dropped the book I was holding. After inquiring with the guards, I learned the clan leader has given him permission to pursue cultivation."

Without hesitation, Yang Xiao interrupted the two men. Grasping the informant's arm, he demanded, "Are you certain you saw him at the Martial Hall?"

"Yes, I witnessed it myself. Yang Xuan was still selecting martial techniques when I left," the man replied promptly.

No sooner had the man finished speaking than Yang Xiao dashed off toward the Martial Hall.

The man, nursing the red swelling on his hand, spat disdainfully in the direction Yang Xiao had departed and grumbled, "Does he think his status gives him the right to push people around?"

The other man, overhearing the complaint, clamped a hand over his companion's mouth.

"Keep it down. Yang Xiao's temper is notorious within the Yang family. He believes himself to be the most gifted among them. Now that his brother, whom he dismissed as worthless, can match him, imagine how that must rankle."

"You're right. He really got under my skin!"