The Affairs of the Martial World - Vol 3: Chapter 8

Xi’an Prefecture, by the Weihe River.

Zhu Que, Yin Tianyun, Han Jinsong of the Wudang Sect, Meng Daohai of the Taishan Sect, and Li Yunshou of the Huashan Sect sat solemnly in the main hall of the Dual Ring Sect.

Meng Changling, the sect leader of the Dual Ring Sect, was surrounded by a group of people, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

Ever since he learned that people of the Wudang and Taishan Sect had been killed one by one, he knew that his own life would not last much longer.

Sure enough, he soon received a letter from Qian Yan.

The weapons used by the Dual Ring Sect were the double rings, which were unique weapons in the martial world. They were not classified among the eighteen conventional weapons, but the masters of this sect once made a name for themselves in the martial world.

During its peak, the previous generation masters of the Dual Ring Sect even had a faint reputation as the top experts in the Northwest.

However, later on, several major sects produced even more talented masters, and the subsequent leader of the Dual Ring Sect preferred to keep a low profile, so their reputation gradually faded from public knowledge. Yet, the old-timers who had long been in the martial world still dared not underestimate the Dual Ring Sect.

Thirty years ago, Meng Changling was still a newcomer in the martial world, admiring the bustling scene of the Central Plains, so he ventured alone into the heart of Zhongzhou.

People in the martial arts world mostly value silver and money. Although Meng Changling’s family was not said to be wealthy, they certainly had some money.

Since it was a rare opportunity to come out this time, he naturally spent money lavishly. Some who were unaware of his background regarded this outsider as easy prey, attempting to take advantage of him several times. Meng Changling easily dismissed these people, but he couldn’t help feeling a sense of superiority, thinking that the martial world of the Central Plains was nothing special.

One day, he arrived at a tavern in Luoyang called Drunken Country Tavern, where he met Qian Yan.

At that time, Meng Changling passed by and had no intention of going in for a drink, but upon seeing a couplet at the entrance of the tavern: ‘The affairs of the world drift like flowing water, counted as a fleeting dream of life,’ he felt a stir of thoughts. He mused that this tavern had some refinement and the wine must be good. So he walked in.

The first floor was full, and the waiter led him to the second floor.

At that time, Qian Yan was sitting by the window, facing a burly man, and Meng Changling had not yet noticed her.

He took a seat and asked the waiter to bring four signature dishes, along with a jar of good wine, preparing to enjoy a hearty meal.

Soon, the food and drinks arrived. Meng Changling was halfway through his meal when he suddenly heard a commotion. Turning his head, he saw a few drunken men standing in front of Qian Yan’s table, making lewd remarks and asking her to join them for a drink.

Qian Yan and the burly man sitting across from her ignored them. At this moment, Meng Changling finally saw Qian Yan’s appearance and was immediately captivated by her unparalleled beauty. However, he did not take action to drive those men away, as the burly man opposite Qian Yan also looked quite formidable.

Little did he know that he had misjudged the situation. One of the men splashed wine in the burly man’s face, and although his face turned red, he did not stand up to retaliate.

When this man reached out to grab Qian Yan again, Meng Changling could no longer hold back. He took out his double rings, leaving indelible wounds on this group of men, and threw them down from the building.

Qian Yan stood up and bowed to him, expressing her gratitude, leaving Meng Changling somewhat flattered and surprised.

The man who had wine splashed on his face said, “There’s been such a commotion, we should leave quickly; otherwise, it will be troublesome when the officials arrive.”

Qian Yan nodded, signaling Meng Changling to walk with her.

Meng Changling agreed without hesitation, escorting the two down the stairs and onto a horse-drawn carriage.

Only then did Meng Changling realize that the seemingly formidable man was just a cart driver and did not possess any martial skills. However, Qian Yan did not look down on his humble status; instead, she shared a table with him for a meal. This made Meng Changling feel that Qian Yan was not lowering herself in status but rather being genuine.

The two sat together in the horse-drawn carriage after leaving the Drunken Country Tavern.

Meng Changling and Qian Yan were only about a foot apart in the carriage, but for some reason, the self-assured and charming Meng Changling felt shy and did not dare to get any closer.

Qian Yan told Meng Changling her name, and Meng Changling also shared his name, but neither said anything more.

For many years afterward, Meng Changling often thought of the intoxicating scene of sharing a carriage with Qian Yan. It was an unforgettable memory.

At that time, Meng Changling hoped the carriage would continue forever, but the burly man urged the horses to go quickly as if someone were chasing them from behind. They rushed the carriage from the east of the city to the west. Qian Yan asked him to stop the carriage in front of another tavern and said to Meng Changling, “I’m sorry to disturb your drinking mood, and I feel quite uneasy. Let me treat you to another meal.”

Meng Changling, feeling anxious and fearful, drank with her. As they became tipsy, he heard Qian Yan say she had been framed and hoped Meng Changling could stay with her for a while to prevent her from being killed.

Meng Changling’s blood surged with excitement, and he immediately agreed. After that, he accompanied her as her follower for more than three months, over a hundred days.

It wasn’t until he realized that Qian Yan’s martial arts far surpassed his own that he understood she didn’t need his protection at all. He felt like a ridiculous fool; every man associated with Qian Yan had superior skills than he was. Not only could he not protect her, but there was one occasion when he had to rely on her to step in and take care of him.

He felt he was a burden to Qian Yan, and finally, one night, heartbroken and despondent, he left her.

Over thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Meng Changling had transformed from a novice to a prominent sect leader.

He held Qian Yan’s letter in his hand, memories flooding back as if those events happened just yesterday. However, he later understood that Qian Yan was merely using him at that time, taking advantage of his youthful exuberance, impulsiveness, and background in the Dual Ring Sect to accomplish certain things.

Yet, despite everything he experienced during those days, he never felt a shred of regret. 

In the letter, besides expressing gratitude for the help received back then, she also invited him to meet at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda under the Ci’en Temple.

Although Meng Changling no longer harbored the romantic fantasies of his youth, he couldn’t seem to forget her for some reason. However, when he learned that the Shadowless Sword Yin Wuxing and Ying Hua had been killed, he finally awakened. During the time he spent with Qian Yan, she interacted with both of them.

From Zhu Que’s side, it was learned that they had all received letters from Qian Yan before their deaths, so there was a desire to find out why Qian Yan did this. When she was with him back then, did she only see him as a tool, or were other feelings involved?

Zhu Que and the others also believed Meng Changling should attend the appointment. They would hide nearby in advance, waiting to come out and rescue Meng Changling when he was in danger. Meng Changling slowly nodded.

On the appointed day, Zhu Que, along with Yin Tianyun, Han Jinsong, and others, arrived at Ci’en Temple, waiting for Qian Yan and Meng Changling to meet.