Chapter 21: The Day of Fame

Chapter 21: The Day of Fame

"Agh!"

Another bloodcurdling scream rang out. Everyone turned woodenly toward the source. Once again, that familiar green figure darted through the trees with serpentine agility—but this time, no one bothered chasing him.

Why waste effort on someone you can’t catch?

People die easily when they become killable.

Xing Xuan gave pursuit anyway. The forest was dense with towering trees, but halfway through his chase, the target vanished in a blink.

Green everywhere. Green upon green. Li Chaofeng’s layered green garments blended seamlessly into the foliage.

Camouflage reigns supreme in mountainous terrain precisely because it deceives the eye, making wearers indistinguishable from their surroundings. No one notices a tree, but everyone notices a person.

This boy was no ordinary man.

Xing Xuan’s heart quivered. For the first time, he felt helpless—because he knew he couldn’t kill this youth.

Seeing Xing Xuan abandon his search, Hua Ruyu closed his eyes briefly before shouting into the forest:

"You’ve won. Your blade—or rather, your life—I, Hua Ruyu, relinquish all claim to them."

Hua Ruyu’s voice echoed, and Li Chaofeng’s reply soon followed from the woods:

"Excellent. Truth be told, I’m rather afraid of your Azure Dragon Society’s might."

"How flattering", Hua Ruyu muttered, unwilling to believe yet unable to doubt.

After all, those words came from someone capable of slaughtering them all if they lingered.

Xing Xuan remained silent as Hua Ruyu conceded. Li Chaofeng’s speed and strength impressed him—enough to escape any ambush in town, unless cornered indoors. Earlier, they’d only intercepted his horse on the main road.

Nameless heroes still face ridicule.

Losing to a martial master meant Azure Dragon Society’s punishment would be severe, but not fatal.

As Hua Ruyu surrendered, his men gathered around him. On a distant hilltop, Li Chaofeng appeared, nodding politely. His plain cotton robe mixed green and blue hues, his hair adorned with colorful leaves—hardly the image of a refined swordsman.

Hua Ruyu clenched his fists, resisting the urge to signal Xing Xuan for another attack. But he knew better; they’d only glimpse another retreating back.

A follower discreetly raised his arm, but Hua Ruyu shook his head.

At this distance, even projectiles would fail. Li Chaofeng’s senses surpassed theirs—a truth he’d just learned the hard way.

Hunting a slippery beast in the wild? A fool’s errand.

With a respectful bow, Hua Ruyu called out:

"Apologies for today’s rudeness. Azure Dragon Society shall deliver compensation. We humbly request the Little Gourmet God’s leniency."

Recognizing Hua Ruyu’s sincerity, Li Chaofeng warned:

"I need no gifts, but please leave the forest. Lingering here unsettles me—it makes me feel like a beast again."

The crowd tensed. Hua Ruyu paused, startled by Li Chaofeng’s self-deprecation.

Was this battle not man versus beast, but a clash of monsters?

This "Little Gourmet God" was intriguing.

Hua Ruyu chuckled bitterly, waved his men out, and departed without further ado.

True surrender.

"Compensate me with a horse, then leave. I must rest—I’ve slaughtered enough beasts today."

Li Chaofeng’s weary voice drifted from the woods. Hua Ruyu glanced at his restless men and sighed.

He recognized the exhaustion—not physical, but the soul-deep fatigue of someone who hated killing. Push him too far, and he’d become the beast they feared.

Half his men lay dead. Hua Ruyu knew punishment awaited him, but defeat was defeat. He’d calculated every possibility and still found no path to victory.

A monster.

That blade wasn’t merely the "Yuchang Dagger"—it was viper venom, tiger fangs.

To pluck teeth from a tiger’s mouth or poison from a snake’s bite, one must first conquer the beast itself.

Hua Ruyu left without hesitation. Li Chaofeng stared at the corpses, grimacing.

He’d overdone it—forgetting to let them retrieve their dead.

As a modern man, he couldn’t stomach leaving bodies to rot. Personal ethics and public health demanded burial.

For an hour, he dug graves, interring each fallen foe.

At sunset, he emerged from the forest. A pure white horse awaited, bearing his belongings.

Hua Ruyu had left his finest steed—but Li Chaofeng preferred black. Black hid dirt better.

——

In the Capital City, within Money Gang Sect’s headquarters, a towering man with tiger-like eyes listened to a report. Nodding, he strode through a series of hidden doors into a dim corridor. After winding turns, he emerged into a sunlit study lined with scrolls detailing martial secrets.

A scholar sat writing.

The giant spoke directly:

"Baixiaosheng, what’s your take on Li Chaofeng’s Mulanshan battle?"

Baixiaosheng, author of the famed Weapons Chart, paused. He’d been pondering a title for Li Chaofeng.

"Oh? Has the Sect Leader taken interest in this 'Yao Long'?"

Shangguan Jinhong’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You’ve given him such a grand title? Fear not his wrath?"

Baixiaosheng smiled, unshaken.

"Compiling the Weapons Chart requires boldness. After all, my patron is Sect Leader Shangguan himself."

Indeed, the Weapons Chart gained credibility through Shangguan’s silent endorsement. Without it, who would respect a lone scholar’s rankings? Even if the chart claimed to rate only weapons, its authority stemmed from Money Gang Sect’s power.

The chart’s fame began with Ti Ji’s staff and Li Xunhuan’s blade—masters whose feats earned them renown, not mystical arms. The rest? Opportunistic publicity.

Though Ti Ji and Li Xunhuan tolerated their free publicity, Shangguan’s inclusion rankled. A sect leader ranked second? Who dares judge such a mighty figure with a mere silver medal?

Yet Baixiaosheng dared because the chart served as Money Gang Sect’s recruitment tool. Seventeen of the top fifty hailed from their ranks. The rest? Lone wolves or recluses. The bias was obvious.

Seeing Shangguan’s interest, Baixiaosheng elaborated:

"Li Chaofeng moved like a dragon evading a hundred men at Mulanshan, but his True Qi is weak—a toothless dragon."

"A dragon without teeth lacks true power. Once he sharpens his fangs, he becomes a true dragon."

"His blade parts gold and jade effortlessly. His strikes leave no trace—a ‘demon blade,’ his teeth and claws."

Shangguan nodded, intrigued.

"Where does he rank?"

Baixiaosheng hesitated.

"A toothless dragon ranks among commoners. A dragon with teeth? Among elites. Where would you place him?"

Shangguan considered. The Weapons Chart invited challengers. Two madmen—Guo Songyang and Lü Fengxian—already roamed as top-ranked duelists.

"Could he defeat them?"

"Impossible. His True Qi fails to match theirs. Even if he closes in, his ‘dragon fangs’ might pierce their defenses—but he’d die first."

"Then rank him tenth."

Baixiaosheng blinked.

"Donghai Yuxiao, the East Sea Jade Flute, already holds the tenth rank—a sinister master."

Shangguan smirked.

"If he’s ‘Yao Long,’ he needs worthy challenges, doesn’t he?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end