novelapdf Chapter 3: The Inn
Chapter 3: The Inn
The world was shrouded in a hazy gray, with leaden clouds hanging low, seemingly within reach.
The official road had long been turned into a muddy mess by the accumulated snow and the carriages and horses traveling to and from the outside of the pass.
Only a faded wine flag hung listlessly on a crooked wooden pole by the roadside, fluttering in the wind.
Under its banner, this was the only place within a radius of dozens of miles where one could find shelter.
— An unnamed inn whose signboard is so blurry that the characters are illegible.
The inn was old but large, built with thick logs and heavy adobe bricks.
Dim, yellowish light shone through the cracks in the window, along with a warm, cozy aroma mingled with the smells of alcohol, cheap cosmetics, and stewed meat.
As dusk fell, the place naturally became quite lively.
It was almost packed with people.
There were fur merchants with weathered faces, whispering about prices around a brazier; there were bodyguards who never let go of their swords, even while eating; and there were many more, all sorts of wandering heroes, exuding a rough and untamed air.
They shouted loudly, played drinking games, and boasted about experiences, some true and some false, their voices almost lifting the low roof off.
The air was stiflingly hot, a stark contrast to the bitter cold outside.
Amidst this hustle and bustle, three individuals carved out their own world, attracting numerous gazes, both overt and covert.
The most eye-catching person was a woman sitting alone at a square table in the southeast corner.
She looked to be only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, yet she possessed a mature and refined beauty.
With almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, and skin as white as snow, she wore a perfectly tailored brocade jacket embroidered with peonies in gold thread, which outlined her breathtaking curves. The collar and cuffs of the jacket were adorned with pearls and lustrous jade the size of fingertips, which shimmered and sparkled with the gentle movement of her raising her cup.
She simply sat there, slowly picking up a salted peanut, and with a flick of her eye, she had already captivated most men.
But no one dared to come within three feet of her.
Because there was a person lying not far from her feet.
A richly dressed young man.
Not long ago, this young master tried to go over and say a few flirtatious words, but as soon as he raised his wine glass, he collapsed. He fell backward to the ground, a small, exquisite silver poison needle embedded between his eyebrows. The blood had already congealed, and a frivolous smile remained on his face, as if he didn't even know he was dying.
No one dared to touch the corpse, and an empty space was left around it, like an invisible boundary.
At this moment, everyone realized just how powerful the infamous Thousand-Handed Rakshasa truly was.
Her hidden weapons, like herself, were indeed beautiful and deadly.
Another focal point is the largest eight-immortal table in the center.
Sitting in the main seat was a middle-aged man in his forties, with fair skin, well-maintained appearance, and a clean-shaven beard. His eyes held a hint of excessive indulgence in wine and women.
He wore a crimson silk robe with floral patterns, and seven or eight large gemstone rings on his ten fingers. Even his belt was inlaid with gold and jade, making him look like a mobile bank.
The table was laden with chicken, duck, fish, meat, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and two unopened jars of Jiangnan Nu'er Hong wine.
He was flanked by two beautiful young women, who, though not as stunning as the Thousand-Handed Rakshasa, were still charming and lovely, and were pouring him wine and serving him food with giggles.
Few people in the martial arts world do not recognize him.
He is none other than Pan Xiaoan, nicknamed "Golden Jade Abundance," a notorious spendthrift in the martial arts world.
However, the vast wealth left by his ancestors seemed inexhaustible no matter how much he squandered it, especially since he was skilled in martial arts, particularly adept at using a pair of short, tattered silver spears over a foot long, which were both fast and deadly.
Sitting opposite him was a gaunt old man in his early fifties, with a pointed mouth and monkey-like cheeks, and a pair of small eyes that darted around, always revealing shrewdness and calculation.
His clothes were not as flamboyant as Pan Xiaoan's, but they were made of the finest Hangzhou satin, and his fingers were especially long, fair, and with prominent knuckles.
He ate very little and drank slowly, spending most of his time observing people's expressions and occasionally whispering a few words to Pan Xiaoan with a fawning smile on his face.
This person is Shi Yaoxian, known as "One Finger Soul Chaser".
He was a master of acupressure, and his internal martial arts skills were also quite proficient. He was also known for his love of money.
He had clearly latched onto the wealthy Pan Xiaoan, relying entirely on this patron for food, clothing, and daily necessities. However, he himself naturally had to act as a bodyguard, responsible for dealing with some noisy flies for Pan Xiaoan.
The three of them exuded such a powerful aura that, despite the inn being incredibly crowded, the tables around them remained empty, and no one dared to approach or disturb them.
The deafening noise in the inn seemed to subside a bit when it reached them.
Most people's eyes are always drawn to them involuntarily, with awe, envy, and jealousy.
Just then, the heavy cotton curtain was lifted.
A chilling breeze swept in, easing the room's heat and abruptly silencing the noise.
Everyone, including Thousand-Handed Rakshasa, Pan Xiaoan, and Shi Yaoxian, involuntarily looked towards the doorway.
Xue Bufeng walked in.
He stood tall and straight like a lone pine tree, wrapped in a fine cotton robe, with unmelted snow clinging to his shoulders.
His eyebrows were sharply angled, his eyes were bright and dark, and his face was so handsome it was almost razor-sharp.
What's most eye-catching is the knife at his waist.
—The scabbard was blood-red, and so was the hilt.
Xue Bufeng didn't look at anyone, but casually brushed the snow off his shoulders and glanced indifferently across the crowded lobby, as if searching for an empty seat.
But his undeniable aloofness and the blood-red demonic blade that sent chills down everyone's spines at first glance were enough to make everyone realize that an extraordinary person had arrived.
The Thousand-Handed Rakshasa paused slightly with her chopsticks, which were holding peanuts. A cold glint flashed in her beautiful eyes as she looked the young man up and down, lingering for a moment, especially on the knife.
Pan Xiaoan frowned.
It was only because the girl in pink beside him had a noticeable glint in her eye when the young man entered, and her gaze lingered on his face and body for quite a while.
This subtle gesture greatly displeased Pan Xiao'an, who always prided himself on being charming and handsome like Pan An.
He didn't mind being seen as a gigolo, but he was very bothered if someone had a whiter face than him!
He snorted, turned his head to give Shi Yaoxian a wink, and slightly raised his chin toward the door.
The meaning is very clear:
Go, let's test this kid's mettle.
A hint of displeasure flashed across Shi Yaoxian's face; he had been bossed around for far too long on this journey.
But looking at the table full of food and wine, touching his brand-new satin jacket, and thinking of Pan Xiaoan's bulging purse and his own plans, he finally gritted his teeth.
If you take someone's money, you're obligated to solve their problems.
The hall had become much quieter at some point, with many eyes darting back and forth between the newly arrived young man and Pan Xiaoan's table.
Everyone could see that one of them was bound to suffer.
Shi Yaoxian coughed lightly, remaining seated, and then spoke in a drawn-out, sarcastic tone:
"Oh, in this freezing weather, a handsome bird has flown in. It looks quite presentable, but I wonder if its skills are as flashy as its appearance? I hope it's not just a pretty face with no substance. That would be a waste of such a good-looking face."
As soon as he finished speaking, Pan Xiaoan let out an exaggerated sneer. The two girls beside him dared not linger on the young man any longer and immediately covered their mouths and giggled, their bodies shaking with laughter.