At the gate of the mountain hideout, the remaining guards intercepted the youths who had fled in disarray behind Monkey. From their words, the full story became clear.
"The Master already said, 'Do not loot, do not harm,' but the Leader insisted. Well, now look—he's hit a brick wall, hasn't he?"
"Don't say that. The Leader only acted for the safety of everyone. Who could have expected such bad luck? They just happened to run into the nobles here for their trial. Truly unfortunate!"
"Alright, alright… what should we do now?"
"Didn't they say their swords weren't drawn? That means they had no intent to kill. If we surrender, these noble-born youths, protective of their reputation, certainly won't harm us."
"Sigh… I guess that's the only way."
…
Qin Wei and Qin Yi arrived at the gate, overhearing the discussion among the bandits.
They exchanged a glance, deciding not to hide anymore. To make their presence known, Qin Yi even cleared his throat.
Seeing two youths boldly approach the mountain hideout, the bandits froze. All eyes turned sharply toward them.
Qin Yi and Qin Wei straightened, puffed their chests, and strode confidently toward the gate.
The bandits, after a brief glance at each other, bowed in unison: "Greetings, young masters. We, Hutou Village, surrender. Please spare us."
Qin Yi grinned at Qin Wei, quickly waving his hand: "Don't call me 'young master.' I am not one. If the Master hears, it would be terrible!" Then, pointing at Qin Wei, he added, "Only this one is the young master."
Qin Wei shook his head: "I wouldn't dare claim such a title. I'm too young, still uninitiated—how could I be called that?"
But with his talent, when he steps into the world fully trained, it could very well be possible.
As the bandits hesitated over how to address the two youths, a disheveled middle-aged man suddenly appeared, scrutinizing Qin Yi and Qin Wei. Raising a brow, he asked: "From the Changping Hou Mansion?"
Qin Yi blinked, assessing this wine-scented yet elegant man, then glanced at Qin Wei and realized the reason: "Qin Wei, your sleeve carries the Changping Hou Mansion insignia."
Qin Wei rolled his eyes. What a country bumpkin.
All garments of the mansion's disciples bore such marks—Qin Wei, the Master, Elder Huang, and even Qin Yi's training attire. This mark was precisely for instant recognition. No need to act surprised.
Ignoring Qin Yi, Qin Wei gave a polite bow typical of noble-born youths meeting an elder: "Greetings, sir. May I ask which family you belong to?"
The disheveled man evaluated them in his mind—at least a preeminent martial artist. One must not offend him.
"I… hehe," the man shook his head, "I'm not from any noble house. Call me 'Mr. Wine.'"
This wine-scented, unorthodox middle-aged man offered a false name without ceremony, clearly signaling insincerity.
Qin Wei exchanged a look with Qin Yi, who winked and gestured toward the mountain hideout.
Understanding, Qin Wei decided to drop the issue and again requested: "Sir, this is our trial. We ask for your indulgence."
The man suddenly produced a wine gourd, tilted his head, and drank deeply. He savored it, then shook his head: "This hideout has a connection to me; you cannot kill freely here. You've already won, your trial is complete. Return to where you came from."
Qin Wei glanced helplessly at Qin Yi—this man might be a preeminent martial artist. They could not defeat him, and he would not step aside. What could they do?
Qin Yi shrugged. Nothing to do.
Just then, a flash appeared, and Qin Xu and Elder Huang stood before them.
"All right, we've arrived. From here on, this is no longer your concern."
Qin Xu smiled gently at the two boys before turning, a teasing glint in his eyes, to the wine-scented man drinking from his gourd: "Mr. Wine? I wasn't aware that Luojing had someone bold enough to meddle in Changping Hou Mansion affairs."
Startled by Qin Xu and Elder Huang's sudden appearance, the man quickly put away his gourd and hesitantly asked: "Young Master Qingyu?"
"Oh, you recognize me?" Qin Xu raised a brow, studying him.
"It really is Young Master Qingyu in person? You've changed greatly!" Mr. Wine remarked, eyes distant, murmuring a line in recollection: "Nature like the clear sky, character like fine jade."
He sighed: "Never thought the once fearless, justice-driven Young Master Qingyu would become so gentle. Perhaps your title should now be 'Gentle Jade Young Master.'"
Qin Xu's gaze instantly turned sharp. His martial aura exploded outward, aligning the dust into a one-foot-wide clear path ending at the man who had mocked him.
Mr. Wine felt an overwhelming pressure hit him.
His subordinates behind him fainted from the residual force. Even the entire hideout fell silent.
Yet Qin Xu himself remained unaffected.
The mastery over his martial aura alone left Mr. Wine awestruck.
Moreover…
Mr. Wine's mind trembled like a candle in the wind. His body involuntarily shivered under Qin Xu's power. He stared in astonishment—Qingyu, thought to have lost all strength, how could he still possess such formidable skill?
This aura was not achievable by a preeminent martial artist. Then, could Qin Xu's true realm be…? Impossible.
Sensing Qingyu's killing intent, Mr. Wine could no longer resist. He forced control over his body, performing a deep bow: "Li Yang Academy, Zhou Boyuan, greets Young Master Qingyu."