Inside Gualu Hall, Su Xun, who was supposed to be in seclusion, held a letter in his hand and tossed it in front of Liu Xiaolou, motioning for him to read it himself.
It was a formal challenge, sent from Dong Wei of Qishan. He called Liu Xiaolou out by name, declaring that they should settle their feud in a duel, set for tomorrow.
Since Dong Wei named the day, by custom the place would be chosen by Liu Xiaolou.
“What kind of grudge do you two have, that it has to be solved by a duel?” Su Xun asked.
That day, Liu Xiaolou had used Bewildering Fragrance to bring Dong Wei down without ever showing his face. By rights, Dong Wei shouldn’t have known it was him. For him to show up now with such a formal letter of challenge meant either Elder Cai had let it slip, or Tu Er had. One way or another, the two of them had sold him out.
As for Dong Wei, Liu Xiaolou felt no fear at all. True, Dong Wei’s cultivation was at the sixth level of Qi Refining, two levels higher than his own. In a straight-up contest, Liu Xiaolou wouldn’t stand a chance. But real battles were never that straightforward. With his formation and bewildering fragrance, he could easily hold his ground for a hundred rounds and still come out on top.
“He didn’t say why himself?” Liu Xiaolou flipped through the letter. Not a single word about the cause of the feud was written. Most likely, Dong Wei didn’t dare put it in black and white; otherwise how would he save face? And he probably counted on Liu Xiaolou not daring to bring it up either, since what Liu Xiaolou had done was something that could never be spoken of openly.
Besides, this even involves Elder Cai. Who would dare speak carelessly about it?
“He didn’t say, that’s why I’m asking you.” Su Xun fixed his eyes on Liu Xiaolou, trying to catch some hint of the truth.
Liu Xiaolou, of course, couldn’t say. He dodged with a vague answer: “In the end, cause and effect come full circle. At the wedding banquet, I crossed him, and he probably thinks he lost the chance to marry into the Su family because of me.”
Su Xun wasn’t convinced. He snapped, “If that were the reason, he’d have challenged you long ago. Why wait until now? You must have done something else to offend him! Qishan is tied to the Mao family. Couldn’t you have thought through the consequences before stirring up trouble? If you really wronged him, I can write to Qishan myself and you can offer an apology. Remember, he’s two layers higher than you. If it comes to a fight, you won’t come out well!”
Liu Xiaolou replied, “It’s fine. I’ll talk things through with him. If we can turn hostility into peace, that would be best. If not, I won’t be afraid of him either.”
Su Xun found his careless attitude unbearable. What confidence could a fourth-layer Qi Refinement possibly have against someone at the sixth layer? Back at the wedding gathering, Dong Wei had already shown his skill. He might not be exceptional, but at least he had the courage to step onto the stage. Liu Xiaolou hadn’t even dared do that.
As head of the Su family’s second branch, Su Xun knew a bit about the agreement the main branch had made to take Liu Xiaolou as a son-in-law. Thinking it over, though, Liu Xiaolou had already been married into the Su family for half a year, and the match was common knowledge by now. Fifth Lady’s marriage was settled beyond doubt. With or without him, the overall situation would hardly change.
If that was the case, why bother worrying? Let him accept the challenge. If he died, all the better. Otherwise, people would keep mocking the Su family for marrying in a thief cultivator from Wulong Mountain, which was nothing but a stain on their reputation.
With that thought, Su Xun said no more, only left him with a cold, “Do as you see fit.”
He was about to leave when Liu Xiaolou suddenly spoke up:
“Uncle-in-law, please wait. I’ve heard that Meiling was once called Liangling. It was only renamed back then because of the situation at the time. Now, decades later, things have changed again. Shenwu Mountain is trying to rally its vassals and unite against outside threats. It makes no sense for the families under it to keep fighting each other.”
Su Xun looked at him. “And so?”
Liu Xiaolou said, “Everyone in the family knows about the rivalry between Meiling, Moon Mountain, and Tiger Mountain. Why not resolve it quickly? It’s always best to start with the easy things first. We could begin by changing the names of the three mountains. If old traditions make it hard to alter, then why not let me, as an outsider, take the initiative…”
Su Xun cut him off impatiently. “Who doesn’t understand that reasoning? You think you’re the only one who sees it? And you call yourself an outsider? Remember your place. You’re not just an outsider, you’re a son-in-law by marriage. What right do you have to take the lead? This concerns the future of the whole region. It’s not for a son-in-law like you to meddle in. Better spend your thoughts on tomorrow’s duel!” With that, he flicked his sleeve and left.
The attempt at probing had failed. It looked like he’d have to resort to abduction instead. The trouble was, such a move would be far too obvious. Anyone would know it was his doing. He’d need to think carefully about how to cover his tracks, at least enough to keep himself clear on the surface.
It was, after all, a trivial matter. Even if suspicion did fall squarely on him, surely they wouldn’t go so far as to kill him for it… right?
The moment he thought of concealment, Liu Xiaolou’s mind turned to Dong Wei. Why not set the duel for seven days later? By then, he could have Brother and Brother Wei take action on one front, while on the other he clashed with Dong Wei in a grand battle, raising enough dust and noise to cover everything neatly.
Yes, perfect.
The Qishan messenger was still waiting in the guest quarters. Having made up his mind, Liu Xiaolou drafted a new challenge letter to send back. He had just finished writing it when a servant came to report that someone at the foot of the mountain was asking to see him.
“Who wants to see me?”
“He asked for the young master by name. Says his surname is Tu, and that the young master will know as soon as he hears it. He won’t enter the manor, though. He’s waiting outside the gate.”
Tu Er? Liu Xiaolou felt his head ache at once. Could it be that Dong Wei had grown bored and now wanted him to find them another victim?
When he arrived outside the mountain gate, sure enough, Tu Er was standing by the roadside, hands clasped behind his back, waiting.
Tu Er beckoned. “Brother, over here!”
Liu Xiaolou felt nothing but distaste, yet he had no choice but to greet him with a smile. “Brother Tu Er, you’re here? Why not come into the manor and talk inside? At least let me show a bit of hospitality.”
Tu Er shook his head and lowered his voice. “This isn’t something to discuss indoors. Come on, let’s find a quiet spot.”
They turned off the path into a hollow beside the mountain, slipping into the dense forest. There, Tu Er blurted out without delay, “That fellow Dong has run off.”
Liu Xiaolou was speechless. He simply tossed over the challenge letter Dong Wei had sent him. “Run off? He’s gone further than that; he’s come looking for trouble with me. I just got this. The man from Qishan who brought it is still at the manor waiting for my reply.”
Tu Er glanced at the letter, then gave an awkward laugh. “The scoundrel’s sly. He tricked Elder Cai and me into letting down our guard, then slipped away.”
“So what’s Brother Tu Er’s plan now?” asked Liu Xiaolou.
Tu Er replied, “Elder Cai’s wish is still the same. He’d like you, brother, to step in again, try to persuade him, and bring him back around.”
Liu Xiaolou was speechless. “And how exactly am I supposed to persuade him? Don’t you already know the method? Why don’t you do it yourselves? Why must I be pushed to the front? And when I am, you don’t just send me out; you shove me right into the spotlight…”
Tu Er sighed. “Of course we tried persuading him. But it doesn’t work as well. It just doesn’t have the same… fire that you bring. The emotion isn’t there. Without it, dual cultivation, or triple cultivation, ends up dry and dull, with no pleasure in it at all.”
He pointed at Dong Wei’s challenge letter. “But look here, isn’t this perfect? Dong Wei’s called for a private duel, something he doesn’t want others to know about. When the time comes, you can persuade him properly, and I’ll take him back to the cave to recover. Wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone? So you’d best choose a spot near Danxia Mountain.”
Liu Xiaolou laughed. “So you two really have your eyes fixed on him alone?”
Tu Er laughed as well. “You don’t know, brother. This one is exceptional. Elder Cai and I have both tasted it, and once you do, it’s unforgettable. If you’re interested, you could join us too.”
Liu Xiaolou shook his head. “Sorry, that’s not my path.” Then, after a moment’s thought, a new idea struck him. “I can persuade him, but… what’s in it for me?”
Tu Er said, “Name whatever you like. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll do my best.”
“This isn’t something you can help with, Brother Tu. Elder Cai himself will have to step in.”