Chapter Forty-Two: The Grand Ceremony of the Five Nations Alliance (Part Twenty-Two)

Changsun Chengmin’s lips moved silently, yet in the end, he uttered not a single word. He pinched the bridge of his prominent nose with his slender, pale fingers, then lowered his head deeply, sinking into contemplation.

The appearance of Linghu Changeng was clearly beyond his expectations. By reason, he should have known in advance about every figure who would appear, but this time, it was entirely outside his realm of knowledge. For the first time, it seemed he was merely a bystander.

After several minutes, Changsun Chengmin dropped his hand and tilted his head slightly to glance at Chengjue in the audience. Chengjue’s expression likewise betrayed surprise at Linghu Changeng’s sudden arrival, which eased Chengmin’s mind somewhat; it appeared their doubts were aligned.

At that moment, the five people in the audience turned to look back, their eyes filled with incredulity.

Gu Nanyuan, inspired, slapped his left hand against his right and exclaimed loudly, “Excellent! Superb archery!”

Immediately, thunderous applause surged like a tidal wave, voices rising in admiration, and the scene erupted. All seemed to have forgotten the earlier terror and dread; what remained was a shock that struck straight to the soul.

Linghu Changeng was thoroughly satisfied with this reaction. Though his face remained impassive, a fleeting, proud smile curled at the corner of his mouth. Yet this ambiguous smile sent a chill through those who caught it, a coldness unfathomable, so much so that the bright sunlight seemed only to mask the underlying cruelty and frost.

His hand, which had been tightly gripping the silver bow, loosened deliberately for a moment. Then, with shining and intimidating eyes, he swept his gaze over the crowd.

At once, they fell silent as cicadas in winter. Most dropped their eyes, gazing at their noses, their noses at their hearts, not daring to make a move. Only a handful, curiosity piqued, dared to steal a glance at him.

Soon, whispers began to ripple through the crowd.

“Who is this person, really?”

“Look at his arrogant bearing—clearly, he holds everyone in contempt!”

“Indeed. To show no fear before so many princes and nobles, he must be extraordinary.”

The murmurs were just loud enough for all present to hear, including the subject of their gossip. Yet Linghu Changeng paid them no mind, fixing his gaze boldly and challengingly upon Fuhua.

Fuhua met his eyes, face cold and unflinching, showing no fear. It was curious—both their gazes were like sharp blades, probing each other.

Perhaps they sensed the same restraint and ambition in each other’s eyes. Unable to tell friend from foe, they were compelled to remain wary.

---

The Minister of War’s astonishment was no less than anyone else’s. Faced with this “man of mysterious origin,” he was at a loss for how to approach him. After all, there were heavy guards outside the Kunshan training grounds; no matter how powerful this man was, it seemed impossible for him to appear so openly and confidently before the crowd.

Unless it was with the Emperor of Baixi’s tacit approval, or perhaps a prior arrangement… Whatever the case, this was not someone he could afford to underestimate.

After considering for a while, the Minister of War walked to the area below the platform, closer to the Emperor of Baixi. Standing straight, he pressed his hands together and bowed, choosing his words with utmost caution: “Your Majesty, may I presume this is the assessor of archery? Or perhaps…”

“Indeed, as all present can see, this is the great Linghu Changeng.” Before the Minister could finish, the Emperor of Baixi waved his hand and smiled.

Though Changsun Chengjue and Changsun Chengmin had already guessed his identity, hearing those four words come from the emperor’s lips made their faces instantly pale.

What was this man’s intent in appearing here? Who was behind him, and for what purpose? These questions were truly vexing…

At these words, the crowd below gathered closer in small groups, voices lowered as they discussed.

Among those present, there were some who had heard the name, and all began to speculate.

The Minister of War did not know whether inviting Linghu Changeng as the assessor was solely the Emperor of Baixi’s idea or a decision of all five emperors. But as a diligent and loyal minister, he never questioned the ruler’s decisions.

Thus, he replied respectfully, “Yes, Your Majesty,” then moved before Linghu Changeng and bowed, introducing the details of the assessment and the five princes who would participate.

Linghu Changeng nodded coldly, stepped before the five, and said, “If a white arrow is released and its tip fails to turn white, there will be no need for you to use arrows in the future. It would disgrace both the bow and yourselves.”

These words, spoken in a strange, guttural voice, echoed across the vast, silent training ground.

The field fell utterly quiet.

“All five at once. One by one would be tedious,” Linghu Changeng said, seemingly absent-mindedly stroking the silver bow in his hand, then raised his head to look at them.

From his eyes, they saw disdain, but ultimately, he was their senior, so they answered respectfully.

Soon, the five stood side by side, each checking their own bows and the arrows handed to them by the guards for any faults.

---

Once everything was verified, they lined up at the starting line, left shoulders facing the target, holding bows in their left hands, feet shoulder-width apart, weight evenly distributed, bodies inclined forward.

Each took an arrow with white feathers as the main fletching and yellow feathers as auxiliaries, the primary feather pointing left. They nocked the arrows on the rest, the tail fixed precisely against the bowstring’s corresponding point, then straightened their bows to aim directly at the target, pulling back with force.

This movement was carried out nearly simultaneously, their actions uniform, as if well-rehearsed. The moment Linghu Changeng uttered “Release!” the five arrows flew from the strings with a whistle.

Amid the crowd’s cries of amazement, three of the arrows struck dead center, their tips buried deep.

Linghu Changeng first drew out the two arrows that had slightly missed the bull’s-eye, one in each hand. Though their tips were not fully buried, they had turned white.

He let out a cold laugh, turned his head, and asked, “Whose are these?”

At his words, Shen Xinang and Changsun Chengjue stepped forward, unable to conceal their embarrassment.

“Barely passable, but your strength still lacks refinement. Practice more,” Linghu Changeng said, tossing the arrows aside.

“Yes,” the two replied, heads bowed.

Linghu Changeng turned to inspect the remaining three arrows. His eyes narrowed slightly, and after a few seconds of thought, he said unhurriedly, “Penetrating three inches into the wood—well done.”

Though his tone was one of praise, it was still chilling to hear.

As his words fell, aside from Fuhua, Gu Nanyuan and Wan Qi Lu bowed in thanks. To receive recognition from a senior like Linghu Changeng was already a great honor.