Chapter One: The Capital of Yan

Leaving Feiling County, the carriage began to jolt violently as soon as they entered the wilderness. However, Li Linliu’s carriage was not only drawn by extraordinary horses, but its craftsmanship was clearly superior—sturdy and robust. The travelers, skilled as they were, paid little mind to the rough road.

Chen Fan had always held a deep respect for the untamed wilds, and after hearing whispers of the existence of monstrous beasts, his caution had only grown. Yet their journey went unexpectedly smoothly. When he asked about it, Li Linliu burst into hearty laughter. “I’ve traveled between Feiling County and Yandu City dozens of times. We’ve run into bandits on a few occasions, but never once have I seen a monstrous beast. Do you really think we’d be so lucky as to encounter one?”

Chen Fan smiled awkwardly. After all, this was still within the borders of the Great Qian Empire; if monstrous beasts roamed unchecked, that would indeed be excessive. Still, the occasional run-in with bandits was proof that the world was not entirely at peace.

Feng Yuancheng glanced at Chen Fan, then remarked, “If we’d headed west after leaving Feiling County, perhaps our chances of meeting a beast would have been higher.”

Chen Fan’s curiosity was piqued. “Why is that?”

Feng Yuancheng produced a map from within his robes, handed it to Chen Fan, and pointed to the location of Qinghe Commandery. “Qinghe is already on the border of the Great Qian Dynasty, right next to the Western Wilds—a vast, mysterious region said to harbor many powerful beasts.”

On the map, to the west of Qinghe Commandery, aside from a single great river, the land faded into a vast, uncharted blank. Clearly, even the maps kept in Feng Yuancheng’s family held scant detail of those lands.

“So that’s how it is,” Chen Fan murmured in understanding.

Li Linliu yawned. “Actually, every year in Yandu City they hold the Monster-Slaying Tournament. Martial artists from all around gather, and the younger generation—those who have reached the third tier of martial cultivation—are given the chance to fight beasts. It’s held in the latter half of the year. You’ll get your chance to see it.”

Chen Fan’s anticipation grew. Yandu City was indeed extraordinary. Yet he still had not begun true cultivation; reaching the third tier would take him time.

The carriage rolled on. As they neared Yandu City, signs of human presence grew more frequent.

Suddenly, a thunderous rumble rose from the earth, approaching rapidly—a sound that sent a wave of unease through them. The two-horned horses grew restless and fearful, sensing some looming threat.

After a while, Chen Fan saw a troop of heavily armored soldiers clad in blue, riding black warhorses, approaching from the direction of Yandu City. There were about a hundred cavalrymen, all burly and muscular, exuding a chilling aura that made it hard to breathe.

Even Li Linliu, usually unflappable, quickly ordered the driver to halt. Only after the armored troops thundered past did Chen Fan finally exhale, still shaken. “These men aren’t ordinary soldiers, are they? Who are they?”

“They’re the Azure Python Army,” Li Linliu replied, his gaze solemn.

Chen Fan was stunned. “And who are they?”

Feng Yuancheng, seemingly unfamiliar with the Azure Python Army, looked to Li Linliu for answers.

Li Linliu explained, “Our Qinghe Commandery holds a strategic position beside the Western Wilds. The current Emperor of Great Qian places immense importance on Qinghe and has stationed the Azure Python Army here, led by General Fan Lin, to guard the frontier. There are three thousand of them—most are garrisoned at the border, but some are stationed in the major cities of Qinghe.”

The proximity to the Western Wilds made Qinghe a place of great significance.

Chen Fan nodded in realization.

Li Linliu continued, “To join the Azure Python Army, even as a common soldier, one must at least possess a second-class foundation and have reached the third tier of martial cultivation. Higher ranks include those at the fifth and sixth tiers, and even masters at the grandmaster level. All are trained and deployed uniformly. When their three thousand troops form a killing formation, they are mightier than an army of a hundred thousand ordinary men—even a grandmaster at the tenth tier could be surrounded and slain!”

Those who reached the third or fourth tier were formidable, at least having trained in a second-class force technique.

“That squad of a hundred cavalrymen just now—its leader was likely at the sixth tier, and together, even a true grandmaster would have had to take them seriously.”

The seventh tier marked a tremendous threshold, granting the title of grandmaster—a realm entirely different from those below the sixth.

Chen Fan’s heart surged as he gazed at the distant, fading dust. He had thought himself a prodigy, the top under-eighteen talent in Feiling County, someone of significance. Yet here was an entire army whose members all boasted a second-class foundation and the third tier of martial cultivation; any one of them could easily overpower his current self. And the higher levels were out of reach for those lacking talent.

Beside him, Feng Yuancheng was equally shaken, staring in awe at the trail of dust left by the soldiers. Though he had heard tales of the Azure Python Army, this was his first time seeing them.

Seeing the two so affected, Li Linliu smiled and shook his head. “Don’t be discouraged. Your talents are exceptional—even in Yandu City, you’re among the elite, with the potential to become grandmasters yourselves. If you truly break through, defeating a hundred men would be nothing. The Azure Python Army is impressive, but in terms of talent, few among them could hope to match you.”

Chen Fan turned his gaze back, nodding repeatedly, eyes filled with determination. Monstrous beasts, the Western Wilds, the Azure Python Army—what he had witnessed in a single day surpassed nearly everything he had encountered in his year since arriving in this world. Truly, traveling a thousand miles is as enlightening as reading a thousand books. Only by stepping onto a broader stage could one witness such sights. In the past, he had been nothing more than a peripheral disciple at the White Cloud Branch Hall, never imagining he would see such things.

The carriage moved on, and before long they entered Yandu City.

Despite its name, Yandu City owed its title to the ancient Yan Dynasty, predating even the Great Qian. The city, steeped in history, kept its old name, and as a relic of a bygone era, it was filled with ancient sites, its walls grand and imposing.

The city sprawled vast and magnificent. Its population exceeded ten million within the urban area alone, not to mention the many counties under its jurisdiction. Trade flourished on a scale far beyond anything Feiling County could compare with.

Even possessing memories of a previous life, Chen Fan found this city—so full of history and grandeur—both fresh and exhilarating.

Special carriage lanes ran through the city, and the roads teemed with strange horses and livestock, adding to the city’s bustle. After another half-hour, the carriage finally came to a halt.

“This is the main hall of the White Cloud Dojo,” Li Linliu announced.

Chen Fan turned to gaze at the enormous complex before him, feeling a touch of melancholy. The main hall shared the style of the branch he knew, but on a far grander scale, occupying a vast expanse of land.

Inside, disciples moved briskly through the halls—far more numerous than at the Feiling branch.

Li Linliu provided them with identification tokens and had someone lead them to their rooms, before taking his leave for the time being.