https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-175-Original-Characters-Gather-Around-Me/12536213/
Chapter 176: Yan Nantian
Chapter 176: Yan Nantian
The World's Number One Divine Sword!
Yan Nantian!
A towering figure, standing eight chi tall with arms that hung past his knees. His hair was unruly, his build broad, and his features were accentuated by a pair of bold, bushy eyebrows and a pair of sharp, tiger-like eyes. He wasn't overweight, and one could even make out the sharp angles of his cheekbones, but he exuded an air of solidity and strength.
Upon seeing Yan Nantian, Jiang Feng couldn't help but laugh heartily.
In the story of The Peerless Double Pride, there weren't many characters one could confidently interact with, but Yan Nantian was undoubtedly the foremost heroic figure and a great hero, not to mention the original protagonist's older brother.
He was a man of strong morals and loyalty, steadfast and upright, with a deep passion for chivalry and aiding the weak while punishing the strong.
However, his downfall was his excessive skill in martial arts and his penchant for direct confrontation. Whenever he paused to think or his heart softened, he would inevitably fall prey to the schemes of others.
Despite being capable of crushing Evil Valley single-handedly, he insisted on playing mind games.
Venturing deep into the enemy's lair, he was nonetheless careless about those closest to him.
If it weren't for Wan Chunliu, whom he had spared and who later reformed, he would have perished in Evil Valley.
Speaking of which, the topic of Evil Valley warrants further explanation.
Don't be fooled by the appearance of the valley's top villains, who seemed as insignificant as chickens in front of Yan Nantian. In reality, they were formidable opponents, ranking among the best in the martial arts world. It was only because they had made too many enemies that they were forced to hide in Evil Valley after being exposed and faced with a joint attack.
For example, although Xuanyuan Sanguang might not have been the strongest among the Ten Great Villains, he was only a notch below Jiang Biehe in terms of skill, capable of matching the Emei Sect's leader!
So, even when Yan Nantian found himself trapped in Evil Valley, no one in the martial arts world was surprised. In fact, they considered it a normal occurrence.
..."What are you thinking about?" Yan Nantian asked, laughing heartily as he patted Jiang Feng's shoulder.
"I'm just glad you finally remembered me!" Jiang Feng replied with a smile. "What brings you to Jingzhou this time?"
Yan Nantian scratched his head awkwardly. "Can't I just be here to see you?"
Jiang Feng remained silent, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Yan Nantian could only laugh aloud. "Alright, alright. I was on my way back from Lingnan when I happened upon the Three Caverns of Dongting Lake causing havoc among the people. So, I took care of the problem and beheaded two of the caverns."
Jiang Feng's eyebrows arched. "Did the other cavern escape to Jingzhou?"
Yan Nantian nodded. "That kid has good water skills. I followed the trail here, knowing he must have disguised himself to enter Jingzhou City, but then I lost track of him."
Jiang Feng spread his hands helplessly. "I'm not good at finding people."
"You don't need to," Yan Nantian said with a smile. "If he keeps moving forward without stopping, I don't plan to pursue him anymore."
"Why?" Jiang Feng asked.
"Because he's heading west, likely toward Evil Valley," Yan Nantian explained, still smiling. "Once one enters Evil Valley, there's no coming out again. Since he won't be causing any more harm, why not spare his life?"
Jiang Feng understood, and at the same time, he also grasped the basis and reason for Evil Valley's existence.
It was like a giant prison, self-imposed by the villains of the martial arts world. Although its origins were now obscure, the world had come to accept that those who entered the valley would no longer be pursued.
After all, Evil Valley was located in a remote border area, far from the Central Plains, and it housed almost half of the most vicious and evil people in the martial arts world. It would be impossible for a single family or sect to eradicate them, and the various major forces couldn't work together to tackle this issue.
If someone wanted to pursue a villain, they would intercept them before they entered the valley, like the Kunlun Four Eagles and the Chuanzhong Three Righteousness did with Sima Yan outside the valley.
However, if a villain wanted to leave the prison, it wouldn't be easy, as evidenced by Li Dazui in the original story, who, unable to bear the valley's monotony, decided to leave but ended up returning with injuries all over his body.
However, Jiang Feng didn't hold unrealistic expectations of Yan Nantian. After all, Yan Nantian had shown utmost loyalty to the original protagonist, going so far as to venture alone into Evil Valley with an infant in his arms and two corpses in tow, in search of Jiang Qin to avenge him. It was a valiant effort, albeit slightly undermined by the unusual company he kept, which made his mission seem less than serious and showed a certain degree of arrogance toward Evil Valley.
How could he possibly think that anyone would mistake him for Sima Yan with such an odd getup and baggage?
...
Changing the subject, Jiang Feng said with a smile, "Brother, it's been too long. You must stay a while so we can catch up properly."
Yan Nantian nodded in agreement.
After instructing the kitchen staff, Jiang Feng led Yan Nantian to the dining hall, where they were served braised meat and dried fruit, along with a jar of bamboo leaf wine.
"I made a new friend during my trip to the two provinces—a heroic and skilled warrior named Lu Zhongyuan. I'll introduce you two sometime."
Taking a hearty gulp of wine, Yan Nantian began to share his experiences, "The landscape and climate of Lingnan are quite different from those of Jiangnan, with its miasma and unusual cuisine..."
He paused, a slight frown on his face as if recalling an unpleasant memory, "There were some dishes even I found hard to swallow."
Jiang Feng burst into laughter, "Is there anything in this world that you can't eat, Brother?"
"Go there yourself," Yan Nantian challenged with a smile, "If you can stomach everything they serve, I'll be impressed."
"I've heard similar accounts from merchants who traveled to Lingnan. They serve all sorts of insects, snakes, and rodents. I don't think I could bring myself to try them," Jiang Feng shook his head, laughing.
As they conversed, the servants brought in more dishes, showing no hint of disdain for the disheveled warrior dining with their master. In fact, the young maids couldn't help but sneak glances at the rare visitor.
After all...
They saw Young Master Jiang Feng every day, but this was their first glimpse of the elusive Yan Nantian, a legendary figure rarely seen by ordinary folk.
Even the Jiang family's martial arts guards, who should have been above such things, couldn't resist sneaking peeks as they passed by, their curiosity getting the better of them.
"Your charm truly knows no bounds, Brother," Jiang Feng teased.
"In a few months, you've become quite the smooth talker," Yan Nantian laughed.
"The family legacy must continue," Jiang Feng shrugged, "Fortunately, I've mostly wrapped things up and can finally take a break."
"Oh? Last time I visited, you said you were too busy to leave," Yan Nantian remarked, "Now that you're free, let's take a trip to the north."
"Where to?"
"Beijing!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
