Chapter 1048: Chapter 167: Eight Thousand Miles to the Western Regions (7,000 Words)

The disciples of the Huangfu Family were ordered to search the city for seven days.

Yet still, they could not find the newly risen Blade Madman. Upon asking other martial artists, no one seemed to have any impression of him—as if this young pinnacle expert was nothing more than an illusion, completely vanishing from Xiong City.

Within the Huangfu Clan.

The white-clothed Huangfu Tian sat at the top, leisurely sipping tea, listening to the steward’s report. He showed no sign of surprise on his face, placing the tea cup aside, and calmly said:

“If that’s the case, summon the disciples back from the city.”

“With the Blade Madman’s skills and martial arts, if he does not wish to be found by you, even if he stands a foot away, shoulder to shoulder, you would not notice him.”

The steward responded respectfully, accepting the order and left.

After the steward walked out, Huangfu Tian fell silent, gazing at the sky outside.

Peerless…

The world of martial arts is vast, with tens of millions who practice.

However, throughout Great Qin and beyond, fewer than a hundred made it onto the peerless list at the height of martial arts—not just the word of Great Qin, as it’s judged by achievement, making it universally recognized across the Four Seas.

Even himself, relying on the power of the Divine Weapon, only at the age of thirty-five, could barely enter the end of the peerless list, qualifying to bear the family burdens.

A noble family in Jianghu, looks not only at ambition and tactics.

Personal martial arts are the most crucial.

Otherwise, even if one harbors ambitions to conquer the world, it would just be a joke, unable to withstand the tumultuous Jianghu, leading to disgrace and possibly dragging the family into ruin.

Beside Huangfu Tian was an elder, around sixty years old, dressed in brown, with long and powerful hands, showing strength. Although called an elder, there were almost no wrinkles around his eyes, face, or mouth, only that his hair was somewhat withered.

The elder held a tea cup, gently chewing tea leaves, lost in thought, when the family head suddenly began to speak, asking:

“Is the Blade Madman still young?”

The elder raised his head, but Huangfu Tian seemed lost in thought, not looking at him.

The elder almost thought he misheard.

Huangfu Tian returned late that day, only seeing the Blade Madman’s last strike and his departing silhouette. At that time, the Blade Madman was already injured heavily, and even with his ocular power, he could not discern much.

The elder thought for a moment, responded:

“Reporting to the family head, although I’ve always been there that day, except for initially pointing out Chaozhou’s Ma Yihong, the Blade Madman rarely made a move, even if misunderstood as lacking courage, he remained unmoved.”

Huangfu Tian chuckled and said:

“He certainly keeps his composure, indeed worthy of…”

The elder added:

“At that time, my eyes were dull, not perceiving the Blade Madman’s prowess, thus paid him little mind. Later when he acted, it was extremely fierce and swift, perhaps not accurately seen, though many martial arts indeed have the effect of halting age, with my poor insight, the Blade Madman should be under thirty.”

“Under thirty…”

Huangfu Tian fell silent, then said:

“Our ancestor, was he also under thirty before achieving peerless status?”

The elder respectfully replied:

“What the family head said is correct. The Grand Ancestor is over a hundred and fifty now, he entered the Fourth Rank Realm when he was twenty-seven.”

As Huangfu Tian was about to speak, he suddenly couldn’t help but cough, his complexion paling slightly. Below, the elder’s expression changed, quickly standing up, expressing concern:

“Family head?!”

Huangfu Tian raised his left hand, gesturing not to worry, as his breath steadied, suppressing the discomfort, allowing the elder to finally relax, saying:

“Family head, you still have some injuries unhealed, do not forget to take your elixir…”

Then frowned again, saying:

“Already heard of Sima Cuo, known for extraordinary brutality and killing ferocity, unparalleled among Seven Kingdoms, thought twenty years would change him, yet he remains unchanged in arrogance, unexpectedly striking at you…”

“A towering Great General of the Imperial Court, the first man of Military Family, is this his demeanor?!”

Huangfu Tian shook his head and said:

“This matter cannot be blamed on him.”

The elder seemed about to speak further when Huangfu Tian said:

“This time, that ‘Miss Li’ is the last child of the Empress back then. The Empress defied family will in her youth, traveling three thousand miles to find him at the military camp, known to all the world. After the Empress passed, the Emperor had not taken another empress for over a decade, and this last princess is greatly favored.”

“If something happened to her in the Huangfu Family, any harm or mishap, even with Sima Cuo as Great Qin’s Grand Commander, with illustrious war achievements, he wouldn’t bear the wrath of the Emperor, thus his shock and anger led him to strike… Nevertheless, Great Qin’s first man of Military Family, truly remarkable.”

He smiled wryly.

The elder fell silent upon hearing this.

……

The snow from that day had completely melted, the temperature of Xiong City returned to the normal level of early winter. A group from the west gate of Xiong City set out, stopped by the City Defense Colonel, verifying identity and documentation.

The vehicles were few, carrying goods unlike traders from the Central Plains who carried porcelain, silk, and spices, heading towards the Western Regions’ royal city for gold and wealth. The carts contained distilled spirits from the Central Plains’ border, some coarse salt blocks, daily ceramic items, medicine for livestock, filling the rear of the wagons.