Love Beyond the Grave

Logically speaking, the position of general in the Snow-Treading Army should have gone to Wu Lang Jiang, Wu Shengliu.

Born into a poor family and the sixth child, he had joined the military out of sheer desperation when there wasn’t enough food to go around. Over the years, he had built a reputation for his ferocity—undefeated in martial contests and fearless in battle. Before he turned thirty, he had risen to the rank of lang jiang and was on the verge of leading his own army, fulfilling a long-cherished dream.

Then out of nowhere came a noble brat from the Southern Capital, who became a lang jiang before even turning twenty. When General Xu of the Snow-Treading Army fell in battle, he entrusted the army to this greenhorn in front of tens of thousands of soldiers. Wu Shengliu was convinced that Duan Xu’s powerful family had pressured General Xu into making such an insincere decision.

He had swallowed his anger when the enemy was at their gates. But now that Liangzhou had been retaken, he saw no reason to hide his disdain for Duan Xu, hoping the young lord would hurry back to the Southern Capital. After all, the brutal frontier was no place for a pampered noble.

At this moment, Wu Shengliu stood in the courtyard of the prefect’s residence, arms crossed and face stern, refusing Meng Wan’s offer to sit. “I’ve got drills to run. Spit it out if you’ve got something to say!”

Duan Xu strode into the courtyard with a charming smile, exuding warmth. Behind him followed Han Xiaowei, the officer in charge of the city’s defenses.

“Lang Jiang Wu has been busy training the troops these days. Hard work,” Duan Xu said, clapping Wu Shengliu on the shoulder as if oblivious to the man’s scowl. He stood half a head taller, effortlessly overshadowing Wu Shengliu.

Wu Shengliu only grew more stifled.

Ignoring Wu Shengliu’s rigid stance, Duan Xu took a seat and picked up a teacup from the table, smiling. “Now that Xiaowei Meng, Xiaowei Xia, Xiaowei Han, and Lang Jiang Wu are all here—to put it plainly, both my men and Lang Jiang Wu’s are present—I’d like to propose promoting one of the xiaowei to lang jiang while the army is relatively stable.”

Wu Shengliu uncrossed his arms, glancing at Meng Wan and Xia Qingsheng with displeasure. “Who does the general want to promote? Xia Qingsheng?”

“Indeed. What does Lang Jiang think?”

Wu Shengliu’s anger flared. Did this Duan Shunxi really think the Snow-Treading Army was his personal property? Barely after retaking Liangzhou, he was already rushing to plant his own people in key positions?

He slammed the table, making the teacups jump. “How many battles has Xia Qingsheng even fought in the Snow-Treading Army?”

“Four. With three thousand cavalry, he killed over ten thousand enemies. Not a single soldier under his command retreated, even to the death,” Duan Xu replied.

The Great Liang army had seen no major battles in years, its discipline lax. When facing the Danzhi forces, they often fled in disarray—the Snow-Treading Army had been no exception early on. Under Duan Xu’s command, military law became ruthless: any soldier who avoided battle or retreated was executed without mercy. Hundreds had died under his orders. Even soldiers caught taking bribes during grave allocations had been flogged forty times.

This response struck a nerve. “That’s because you gave him the most elite troops!” Wu Shengliu shouted. “Besides, all his battles were fought under your—”

He caught himself before he started praising Duan Xu. After all, the retaking of Liangzhou was undeniably Duan Xu’s greatest achievement. He stopped mid-sentence, tilting his chin up defiantly. “I won’t accept this! My brother Han has served in the army for three years with outstanding merits. Let me be blunt—that lang jiang position of yours should’ve been his from the start. Now that you’ve been promoted to general, you want to hand the rank to someone else? I won’t stand for it!”Duan Xu turned to look at Han Xiaowei, the tall, taciturn man with a scarred face standing in the wind. Though barely in his early twenties, he was as steady as a black stone. Duan Xu smiled and asked, "Han Lingqiu, are you convinced?"

Han Xiaowei seemed surprised to be addressed. He clasped his fists in salute, unsure whether to admit defeat or not, and finally lowered his gaze, saying, "Lingqiu will defer to the decisions of both esteemed officials."

Duan Xu studied him for a moment before turning his attention to the spacious courtyard. In the depths of winter, the trees were sparse and withered, scattered along the edges, making the already grand courtyard appear even larger. The ground was paved with blue bricks, and weapon racks stood on either side. The late governor of Liangzhou had clearly been a martial enthusiast.

"I heard Wu Lang Jiang is fond of duels and has never been defeated. Would you care to spar with me?" Duan Xu stood up, stretching his arms and smiling at Wu Shengliu. "If I win, I’ll recommend my candidate. If you win, you recommend yours. How about it?"

Wu Shengliu couldn’t have asked for a better wager. He laughed heartily and said, "A man’s word is his bond, General. Don’t go back on it."

Renowned in the Snow-Treading Army for his immense strength and martial prowess, Wu Shengliu had observed Duan Xu’s skills in previous battles. While the nobleman knew some techniques, they were likely just flashy moves with no real substance.

Wu Shengliu took up his long blade, chest puffed out, and strode confidently into the center of the courtyard.

Perched on the roof of the governor’s mansion, Chen Ying watched the scene unfold with growing concern.

"Why is Brother General fighting that uncle? That uncle is so much bigger and scarier—he looks like he could win easily! Isn’t Brother going to lose?"

He wore the veiled hat Duan Xu had given them, its black gauze covering most of his small frame. He Simu sat beside him, a dish of melon seeds resting on the ridge between them. The two lounged lazily on the rooftop, cracking seeds and enjoying the show.

He Simu had enchanted the veiled hat so that whoever wore it would be invisible to ordinary people. As for herself, she had a hundred ways to remain unseen. Though they sat atop the roof, no one in the courtyard below could spot them.

She had told Chen Ying this was just another magic trick, and the gullible child believed her without question.

"Wu Lang Jiang is going to lose," He Simu remarked casually, nibbling on a seed.

Chen Ying turned to her, baffled. "Why? Wu Lang Jiang looks so much stronger!"

"His skull is ugly."

"…Skull?"

"Exactly. Listen, Chen Ying, judging people starts with their skull. Look at him—flat at the back, flat forehead, low cranial vault. Far inferior to Duan Xu’s skull."

"What does a nice skull have to do with martial arts?" Chen Ying asked, utterly confused.

He Simu grinned and beckoned him closer. Chen Ying obediently leaned in as she whispered conspiratorially, spinning nonsense: "People with well-shaped skulls have tough fates."

Chen Ying nodded slowly. "Oh… I see."

"Wu Lang Jiang, I’d appreciate your guidance," Duan Xu said, standing in the courtyard and offering a relaxed salute.

Wu Shengliu returned the gesture half-heartedly before raising his long blade and adopting a fierce stance, eyes blazing like a tiger poised to strike.

Duan Xu, however, remained perfectly still, holding the Illusion-Breaking Sword—still sheathed.

"Draw your sword!" Wu Shengliu roared."I'll draw my sword when the time comes."

"Then I won't hold back!" Before the words had even left Wu Shengliu's mouth, he raised his blade and charged at Duan Xu with thunderous momentum, bellowing, "Take this!"

Duan Xu remained completely still until Wu Shengliu was just a step away. Then he subtly shifted his right foot half a step back.

He Simu narrowed her eyes.

The wind around Duan Xu underwent a subtle change—those sparse, spider-silk-like currents twisted momentarily, just for an instant. Using that half-step retreat, Duan Xu darted away with impossible speed, evading Wu Shengliu's blade. In a whirl of fluttering robes, he appeared behind Wu Shengliu.

He drove his knee viciously into the man's waist. Wu Shengliu instinctively arched backward, and Duan Xu raised his sword past the other's neck, gripping the hilt with his other hand and yanking back sharply.

A clean, decisive throat lock—explosive in its execution, over in a flash, like the shadow of a diving hawk.

Wu Shengliu's long blade clattered to the ground.

Had the Illusion-Breaking Sword been unsheathed, it wouldn't have been the blade on the ground—it would have been Wu Shengliu's head.

After a moment of silence, Duan Xu released him. Wu Shengliu clutched his throat, coughing violently.

"My thanks for your mercy." Duan Xu clasped his hands with a smile, his breathing steady. That lethal move had cost him no effort at all.

He Simu's melon seed remained in her mouth; she'd only just remembered to bite down.

Chen Ying jumped up in shock, nearly toppling over. He Simu reached out to steady him, her eyes fixed on Duan Xu in the courtyard.

Staggering to regain his footing, Chen Ying rubbed his eyes, then rubbed them again, muttering in disbelief, "What just happened? I... I didn't see anything, and Brother General already won?"

Mortal eyes truly struggled to keep up.

He Simu chuckled dismissively. "What happened? Imagine a six-year-old charging in with flailing limbs, only to be slapped flat by a grown man."

The gap between Wu Shengliu and Duan Xu was vast—not in the brute strength Wu prided himself on, but in reflexes, speed, strategy.

And experience.

This young general must have killed many people.

Far more than Wu Shengliu ever had.

Wu Shengliu, still sitting on the ground clutching his throat and gasping for air, stared dazedly at the supposedly delicate, pampered noble before him. "You... how...?"

"Commander Wu thinks all highborn youths from the Southern Capital are idle wastrels. A fair assumption—there are plenty of those among us. But..." Duan Xu bent down, helping Wu Shengliu up with a smile. "I'm not one of them."

By the time Wu Shengliu steadied himself, his gaze toward Duan Xu had shifted. Though he still clung to a shred of defiance, there was now a spark of curiosity.

Duan Xu returned the Illusion-Breaking Sword to his waist. "I know you've never accepted me, Commander Wu, yet you never opposed me on the battlefield. Because with the enemy at our gates, you understood priorities and acted honorably. You resent my strict discipline because you care for your soldiers and deem me too harsh. But Commander Wu, you know how outmatched we are against Danzhi's elite. Without strict discipline, we'll only die faster."Wu Shengliu's face flushed red and then paled. After a moment of silence, he gritted his teeth and said, "A win is a win, no need for so many words. I lost. I’ll ask for Lang Jiang Xia’s guidance from now on."

He gave Xia Qingsheng a perfunctory salute while rubbing his neck and added, "Whenever the general announces this matter, I’ll have no objections and will support Lang Jiang Xia. If there’s nothing else, this humble officer takes his leave."

This was the most polite sentence he had spoken since Duan Xu entered, especially since he referred to himself as "this humble officer."

Han Lingqiu glanced at Duan Xu a few times before also clasping his sword and taking his leave alongside Wu Shengliu.

Duan Xu crossed his arms, watching the two depart, and remarked, "Lang Jiang Wu is truly straightforward. But with his temper and style, if he goes to the Southern Capital, he’ll be devoured without even leaving bones behind."

The afternoon sun was bright and warm. Chen Ying looked at Duan Xu, whose smile shone brilliantly in the sunlight, and whispered, "Brother General is amazing."

He Simu, resting her chin on her hand, smiled and said, "Not just a fine skull, but also excellent bones. Marvelous."

Chen Ying then touched his own head and asked eagerly, "Sister Simu, what about my skull? Is it good?"

He Simu chuckled, tapping Chen Ying’s forehead. "Full and well-proportioned—you’ll grow up to be someone remarkable."

Suddenly, Meng Wan exclaimed from under the eaves, "Are those melon seed shells falling from the sky?"

He Simu laughed, grabbed Chen Ying, and silently dashed away.