Chapter 1003: Riding the Sword with the Wind, Exorcising Demons Between Heaven and Earth

Upon hearing these words, the venue immediately filled with whispers as many people asked who Xiao Yao was. After all, he belonged to an older generation, and many had forgotten his existence over the years.

However, quite a few people still remembered. They looked at the drunkard with a mix of surprise and uncertainty, while recounting to their colleagues how astonishingly brilliant the Sword Immortal had been in his prime.

Sang Hong looked at Zu An in surprise, thinking, 'Even I couldn't discern this person's background, yet he saw right through him at a glance? Oh, how wonderful it would be if Ah Zu were my son.' He then mused, 'Well, being a son isn't possible now, but there's still a chance for him to be the father of my grandson.'

Gao Ying and Pei You were still too young to be familiar with Xiao Yao's name. They remained engrossed in the recent scene where the man had effortlessly parried a sword with a wine cup, thinking, 'Big Brother truly lives up to his name. When will I be able to display such prowess in public like Brother Zu just did?'

At this moment, the drunkard's expression was also somewhat startled. He clearly hadn't expected anyone to recognize him. As if old memories had been stirred, he fell into a strange silence. After a long pause, he finally spoke: 'The Sword Immortal Xiao Yao of yesteryear is long dead. All that remains is a useless drunkard.'

Upon hearing him say this, everyone in the hall understood that he had tacitly admitted his identity. The place instantly erupted. The third disciple of the Libationer—even without mentioning his past achievements, this status alone was enough to command respect.

A group of people hastily tried to curry favor and greet him, but he merely drank, ignoring them completely. The others' expressions immediately soured, thinking, 'Who do you think you are? No wonder you fell from grace back then.'

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Xu Yu quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. 'Brother Xiao is not very social; please forgive him…' With his interruption, the atmosphere in the hall finally eased a little.

After getting nowhere with Xiao Yao, the conversation quickly returned to Zu An. Unlike the earlier perfunctory compliments, this time everyone was genuinely sincere. To possess such cultivation at such a young age was a talent obvious to anyone. He would undoubtedly be a future star of the empire. No family power? What did that matter? Such a person could establish a glorious family on his own.

Especially after learning he was already a viscount, people's gazes toward him grew even more eager. Some even inquired if he was married, wanting to introduce their daughters to him. This instantly ruffled Sang Hong's feathers, and he pushed all those people away like a protective parent.

Someone then found a new angle for flattery: 'I've heard that Lord Zu not only possesses profound cultivation but also unparalleled poetic talent, earning him the title of 'Poetic Immortal.' He once composed several timeless masterpieces in the capital, and many places here in Cloudridge Commandery even sing his verses. Perhaps you could compose a poem for us today, so we might witness your skill?'

In fact, some had previously investigated the envoy's personnel and knew that Zu An was skilled in poetry. However, back then, he wasn't considered a main figure, so naturally, no one cared about his poetic talent. But now that he had become hot property, it was completely different; everyone suddenly appeared to be poetry enthusiasts.

Zu An smiled without speaking, easily discerning their intentions. Just as he was about to decline, Sang Hong, from the side, said with a smile, 'Ah Zu, since everyone is so insistent, why don't you compose one?'

At the same time, he secretly transmitted a message: 'Ah Zu, taking this opportunity to promote your reputation will also benefit our investigation. We are new here, and many in Cloudridge Commandery are undoubtedly observing. The louder your name, the more confidence people will have in the imperial envoy delegation, and more local officials will subtly lean towards us. This is leverage.'

Zu An was a little helpless, but he trusted Sang Hong's judgment regarding these bureaucratic maneuvers. As he pondered what kind of poem would be suitable, his gaze suddenly fell upon Xiao Yao, who was drinking from a wine gourd not far away. His eyes lit up: 'Perfect, I just had a sudden inspiration.'

Upon hearing him say this, everyone sat up straight, curious to see what kind of poem he would compose. Gao Ying immediately called for a maid to fetch paper and brushes. Pei You thought, 'Here we go again?' and quickly had a nearby servant boy fetch a set as well. Previously, he had always been the one to grind the ink, which he felt wasn't very prestigious. This time, even if his handwriting was poor, he wanted to leave behind a piece of his own calligraphy.

Sang Hong stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming, already contemplating a suitable title. As a court minister, his desire to leave his mark on history was stronger than anyone else's. Unfortunately, before any of them were ready, Zu An had already begun:

"With sword I ride the wind, purging evil 'cross the land.With wine, I revel freely; without it, still I sway.A single sip drains rivers; another swallows sun and moon.A thousand cups can't fell me; I alone am the Wine Sword Immortal."

As these words were spoken, everyone's gaze turned to Xiao Yao. Even Xiao Yao himself couldn't help but put down his wine gourd, standing motionless, clearly deeply moved. 'Marvelous!' everyone applauded, praising the poem. It was perfectly apt to describe Xiao Yao. Crucially, it even mentioned Xiao Yao's name (Xiaoyao, meaning free and unfettered), and 'Wine Sword Immortal' suited his current self even better than 'Sword Immortal,' truly tailor-made.

The people from the Governor's Manor glanced at Xiao Yao, feeling a pang of envy. They thought, 'Literary folks are truly impressive. He's just a drunken bum, but with such a poem, his drinking takes on a whole new level of profound meaning.'

Sang Hong, meanwhile, stared at Zu An, thinking that merely naming things was too childish. He wondered when he could get Zu An to compose a poem specifically for him. He wrote one for an outsider like Xiao Yao; surely it was reasonable for Sang Hong to ask for one, given he had even offered his daughter to him?

Everyone expected Xiao Yao to be grateful, but to their surprise, he seemed to fall into a state of confusion and disorientation. He muttered to himself, 'With sword I ride the wind, purging evil 'cross the land… Purging evil 'cross the land, but what is human, and what is demonic…' Towards the end, his voice seemed to be a roar, and Zu An even keenly noticed a glint of moisture in his eyes.

'He's crying?' Zu An was dumbfounded; wasn't the man's reaction a bit too extreme? Xiao Yao got up and staggered outwards. As he passed Pei Shao, he suddenly stopped, gazing at him with red-rimmed eyes.

Pei Shao was a little surprised: 'Does Third Master have any advice for me?' Clearly, for those in official circles, his identity as the Libationer's disciple was what they valued more.

Xiao Yao just stared at him silently, then, after a moment, stumbled out as if drunk, not uttering a single word from beginning to end.

Seeing this, Xu Yu moved to stop him, but the man merely waved his hand casually behind him, eventually disappearing from everyone's sight.

'How inexplicable!' Pei Shao's son, Pei Xing, said indignantly. Pei Shao stopped his son's complaint: 'He's not someone you can afford to provoke. Avoid him if you see him in the future.' Pei Xing merely uttered an 'Oh,' clearly unimpressed, thinking, 'I have no dealings with such a person, so how could I possibly provoke him?'

This small interlude did not affect the atmosphere in the hall. After all, today's main figure was Sang Hong, and now Zu An had joined him. The group raised their wine cups, and the atmosphere quickly grew lively again.

However, facing these hypocritical courtesies, Zu An felt no ripple of emotion in his heart. He kept wondering why someone like Xiao Yao would attend this banquet. It just didn't make sense.

He found an opportunity to ask Xu Yu, who replied: 'I met him by chance during a bandit suppression campaign sometime ago. And today, thanks to Lord Zu, I finally learned Brother Xiao's true identity. I never imagined he was the once-famous Sword Immortal.'

Seeing that his expression seemed genuine, Zu An knew he wouldn't get any more information.

At the end of the banquet, Acting Governor Jian Taiding sent people to escort Sang Hong and his party back to their temporary residence. Sang Hong gathered Zu An, Gao Ying, Pei You, and others. 'This Jian Taiding specifically sent escorts; I don't know if it's for surveillance or a threat. Tomorrow morning, you all go and visit the Yu Manor. I strongly suspect Lady Yu has been placed under house arrest.'

'That's impossible, isn't it?' Gao Ying and Pei You couldn't help but say. 'She is, after all, a Duchess and the head of the Yu family. Jian Taiding might control her for a day or two, but he can't keep her under house arrest indefinitely, can he? Otherwise, word would have spread long ago.'

'We'll know for sure after visiting the Yu family tomorrow,' Sang Hong said gravely. 'Our strength in Cloudridge Commandery is still too weak. We are unclear about many things happening here. That's also why I wanted Ah Zu to gain renown today – at least to demonstrate our power and make some fence-sitters lean towards us…'

The group discussed for a long time, then each returned to their rooms to rest. Zu An was contemplating whether to take advantage of the night to check on the Pei family, but when he pushed open his door, his movements suddenly froze. He saw a person sitting on the windowsill in his room.

The scraggly beard, the hesitant eyes, the green wine gourd, and the highly conspicuous worn-out straw sandals—all unmistakably revealed the person's identity. 'Xiao Yao!' Zu An was somewhat wary, unable to understand what he intended by appearing in his room so late at night.