“That’s right, Xie Xiaofeng is still alive,” Su Chen said with a light chuckle from the high platform, revealing the shocking truth.
“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” Guo Songyang immediately retorted, his face filled with indignation.
“This is getting more and more ridiculous. Xie Xiaofeng’s death is known throughout the world; how could it be false?”
“Furthermore, five years ago, I personally went to Shenjian Villa to mourn the Third Young Master, Xie Xiaofeng.”
“His memorial tablet is enshrined in the ancestral hall of Shenjian Villa.”
“Do you, a storyteller, truly believe you can twist black into white with just your mouth?”
As soon as these words were uttered, everyone echoed his sentiment.
Although Su Chen’s earlier account of the Forbidden City battle was already intricate and wonderfully mysterious, this current claim was simply too astonishing to be believed.
For a moment, all eyes turned to Su Chen, awaiting his response.
On the high platform, Su Chen calmly took a sip of clear tea, his gaze slowly sweeping across the audience, and said in a calm tone, “This session is about strange and wondrous tales from across the land. The foremost principle is truth. As for whether to believe or not, that is entirely up to each of you.”
“The Zijin Tower’s doors are open. Those who wish to listen may stay, and those who do not are free to leave.”
…
A silence fell over the Zijin Tower hall.
No one had expected Su Chen to adopt such an attitude when faced with skepticism—believe if you wish to listen, otherwise, please leave.
With these words, the once aggressive skeptics felt as though they had punched cotton, their faces turning crimson with frustration, yet they were helpless.
Of course, they could choose to leave in anger, but how could they bear to?
Ximen Chuixue not among the top five of the sword god ranking!
The former number one Sword God of Great Ming, Xie Xiaofeng, is not dead!
Which of these two pieces of news wasn't a shocking secret capable of shaking the Jianghu?
What if he was telling the truth? Wouldn't leaving midway be a lifelong regret?
After all, Su Chen wasn't some ordinary storyteller making up tales in a common tavern; he was the renowned first storyteller of Northern Liang, with a well-established reputation.
Moreover, Su Chen’s detailed account of the Forbidden City duel’s origins had already shown his unique insights.
But to ask them to immediately believe everything he said was truly difficult to do.
Guo Songyang’s face was flushed red. Feeling unable to argue with Su Chen, he could only turn and look towards Lu Xiaofeng on the third floor.
“Young Hero Lu, you have always been experienced and intelligent. Why don’t you judge for everyone?”
At these words, everyone seemed to find their backbone and turned their gaze towards Lu Xiaofeng.
Although Lu Xiaofeng was not a top-tier martial artist, he had extensive connections, was respected by both the righteous and unrighteous factions, and had always maintained an excellent reputation.
In a sense, his words carried more weight in the Jianghu than even Ximen Chuixue’s.
Standing by the railing on the third floor, Lu Xiaofeng felt a dilemma as he faced everyone’s gaze.
He admitted to having seen many situations, but this was the first time he had encountered such a profound individual as Su Chen.
Now that Guo Songyang had publicly questioned him, he was quite troubled.
After much deliberation, Lu Xiaofeng made up his mind and spoke, “Everyone, I have always been frank and honest. In my life, I have yet to see a swordsman superior to Ximen Chuixue.”
“As for Mr. Su’s claim that the former number one Sword God of Great Ming, Xie Xiaofeng, is still alive, I have not heard of it.”
“However, I, Lu Xiaofeng, am willing to guarantee with my personal reputation that Mr. Su is by no means an empty-talker or a Jianghu charlatan.”
“Furthermore, what Mr. Su has said is not impossible to verify. Why not listen to him finish, and let time prove the truth?”
These words, combining reason and emotion, immediately earned nods of agreement from many Jianghu figures.
Ultimately, this was just a storytelling session. Even if Su Chen’s words were false, everyone would simply treat it as an interesting anecdote and lose nothing.
Moreover, the events Su Chen spoke of were easy to verify. It wouldn't be too late to seek him out for an explanation later.
Thinking of this, the people in the hall gradually quieted down.
Lu Xiaofeng then turned to the high platform and said, “Please, Mr. Su, continue.”
“I am also extremely interested in matters concerning Xie Xiaofeng, our Great Ming’s former number one Sword God.”
“Since he is still alive, why has he not appeared in the Jianghu for a full ten years?”
“And why did Shenjian Villa announce his death to the outside world, even setting up his memorial tablet in the ancestral hall?”
“If he is truly still alive, where is he hiding now?”
These questions were precisely what everyone was thinking, and for a moment, they all chimed in, eager to get answers from Su Chen.
Since he said Xie Xiaofeng wasn’t dead, what was the deal with the Xie family setting up a memorial hall?
Furthermore, if Xie Xiaofeng, a peerless Sword God, was truly alive, why hadn’t he shown his face in the Jianghu for a full decade?
Even if all of this was fictional, there had to be a plausible explanation, right?
…
On the high platform, Yu Youwei, seeing the commotion gradually subside, couldn't help but let out a slight sigh of relief. She leaned closer to Su Chen and whispered, “Mr. Su, perhaps we should stop the storytelling for today?”
Su Chen calmly replied, “Since it is storytelling, it should have a proper beginning and end. At the very least, I must finish the section on Xie Xiaofeng.”
With that, he once again opened his folding fan, his gaze sweeping across the audience, and declared in a clear voice, “Since you all have no objections, I shall continue.”
“I believe there is no need for Su to elaborate further on Xie Xiaofeng’s background and origins.”
“He can truly be called a favored son of heaven, born into the renowned sword Dao Sect, Shenjian Villa. From the moment of his birth, he was met with immense attention and high expectations.”
“In terms of strength, ever since Xie Xiaofeng rose to fame in the Jianghu, he defeated countless masters, dominating the Martial Forest for a full decade, with no one able to contend against him.”
“Even Baiyun City Lord Ye Gucheng, who stood shoulder to shoulder with him, was defeated by him in the battle on the shores of the North Sea, truly making him unmatched under heaven.”
“In terms of prestige, at his Peak, Xie Xiaofeng’s reputation even surpassed Ximen Chuixue’s; almost everyone in the world knew him.”
“Even Shenjian Villa’s prestige greatly increased because of Xie Xiaofeng, its status in the Martial Forest comparable to top Sects like Shaolin and Wudang.”
“In terms of romantic entanglements, Xie Xiaofeng’s elegant demeanor, coupled with the prestige of ‘First Sword God,’ captivated countless beauties.”
“Even the Xie family had arranged a marriage for him early on; his fiancée was Murong Qiudi, the legitimate daughter of the Murong family from Jiangnan.”
“This Murong Qiudi possessed unparalleled beauty and extraordinary presence, no less capable than any man. Not only was she talented and beautiful, but she also possessed exceptional wisdom, truly a rare and remarkable woman in the world.”
“In the eyes of the world, Xie Xiaofeng’s life was almost perfectly complete, the ideal that countless people dreamed of achieving.”
“However, the truth was not so!”
“As the saying goes, ‘it’s lonely at the top.’ Being the First Sword God of Great Ming was not all glory and splendor, especially as the Sword God of Shenjian Villa, the pressure was even greater.”
“To protect the title of ‘First Sword God,’ and to uphold the dignity of Shenjian Villa, Xie Xiaofeng faced countless challenges every single day.”
“He had to accept challenges because he was the Third Young Master of Shenjian Villa.”
“He had to win because he was the Third Young Master of Shenjian Villa.”
“His identity did not permit the slightest defeat. One can imagine how heavy this immense pressure was.”
“Although Xie Xiaofeng had never tasted defeat, the internal pressure grew day by day, and his fear of failure deepened.”
“The identity of Shenjian Villa’s Third Young Master meant he could not lose; he could only face death.”
“Thus, Xie Xiaofeng chose to ‘die’.”
“He abandoned the glory of being the First Sword God of Great Ming.”
“He abandoned his identity as the Third Young Master of Shenjian Villa.”
“He abandoned Murong Qiudi, to whom he was already engaged.”
“He abandoned the astonishing sword art he had cultivated his entire life, ‘Stealing Heaven and Exchanging Sun, Seizing Sword Style’.”
“He abandoned everything that could be abandoned, disappearing into obscurity in Kuhai Town, Liuzhou, as the most humble of individuals.”
“Shenjian Villa searched for Xie Xiaofeng’s whereabouts in many places without success. In desperation, they could only announce to the outside world that he had passed away.”
“In reality, for the past decade or so, Shenjian Villa has been secretly tracking Xie Xiaofeng’s movements.”
…
Su Chen had finished speaking long ago, but the hall remained silent.
No one had expected the truth to be like this.
The reason Xie Xiaofeng had suddenly vanished from the Jianghu was that he had voluntarily faked his death and retired.
Everyone’s hearts were filled with doubt.
Just as Su Chen had said, Xie Xiaofeng had almost everything that martial artists pursued throughout their lives.
Identity, status, reputation, a beautiful woman… These goals, which ordinary Jianghu figures could hardly achieve in a lifetime, Xie Xiaofeng already possessed them all.
Because of this, everyone truly couldn’t understand why he would fake his death and retreat from the world.
Giving up being the Third Young Master of Shenjian Villa;
Giving up the title of the First Swordsman of Great Ming;
Giving up marrying the talented and beautiful Murong Qiudi;
Yet he chose to escape through death, living in seclusion in Kuhai Town, Liuzhou, willing to be the most humble of individuals.
Was he insane?
However, as time passed, more and more Jianghu figures gradually began to understand his choice.
“It’s lonely at the top.”
This is a familiar saying, but how many truly comprehend its profound meaning?
After all, most people live at the bottom, never having the opportunity to stand at the Peak.
Without being in Xie Xiaofeng’s position, one naturally cannot experience his pressure.
Now, after listening to Su Chen’s analysis, everyone finally woke up as if from a dream.
Xie Xiaofeng was, after all, a Mortal, not an omnipotent god!
People always self-servingly affixed countless glorious labels to him, yet forgot that he was also just flesh and blood.
Ordinary people fear failure, and Xie Xiaofeng would similarly feel fear.
Imagine someone who grew up under the spotlight from childhood, where no mistake was allowed.
Just thinking about that kind of pressure is enough to be suffocating.
And Xie Xiaofeng had endured such immense pressure day after day.
From this perspective, what others saw as glory became a heavy burden for Xie Xiaofeng.