"Wow! He actually dodged it." Everyone in the stands was utterly stunned. That blow should have been fatal; the fact that he evaded it earned Ye Xiu looks of pure adoration.

"What!" Xiang Yu was equally shocked. He spun around abruptly to face Ye Xiu, his gaze sharp. "You actually possess such skill, boy? Remarkable. You truly deserve to be called a hero."

Damn, he looked so cool!

Ye Xiu rose, head slightly bowed, gazing at the Zifeng Lian with excitement. Could this artifact truly slow down time? With such a treasure on his person, what enemy would he ever need to fear? Forget men; he could probably catch every bullet fired at him! Thinking of this, he let out a hearty laugh. "Bring it on! Hack at me however you like!"

Xiang Yu, an inherently proud man, could not tolerate a mere youth stealing the spotlight. He lunged forward again, swinging his weapon wildly, but Ye Xiu easily slipped away from every strike. Soon, Xiang Yu was left panting heavily. "What else can you do besides dodge? Face me head-on if you have the guts!"

Ye Xiu dismissed his challenge with disdain. Against a brute-force tank like Xiang Yu, dodging was the only sensible tactic. Who would be foolish enough to engage him directly? The man was clearly cheating with some sort of reflective skill, and Ye Xiu's legs were starting to ache from constantly moving.

"Hold, hold, both heroes!" Just then, Chief Wei hurried onto the dueling platform, clasping his hands in supplication. "Stop immediately! You are both peerless talents of this age. If I am fortunate enough to have the aid of both of you gentlemen, we can surely achieve great things. There is no need for further fighting."

"Hmph! I will certainly take you down," Xiang Yu grumbled, deeply dissatisfied with Ye Xiu's tactic of only defending. He snorted, breathing heavily. "Just dodging—what kind of skill is that?"

"Hero Xiang possesses innate divine strength, and his martial arts are truly miraculous. He is a master!" Chief Wei's flattery was exceptional. "To have the honor of meeting Hero Xiang is a fortune spanning three lifetimes."

Ye Xiu remained unimpressed by this praise, thinking that if this man truly was the Hegemon-King of Chu from historical texts, he was bound to achieve greatness, not waste time brawling here.

Chief Wei then turned respectfully to Ye Xiu. "Young Hero, your agility is also remarkable. I am incredibly fortunate to have made the acquaintance of both of you. Please, accompany me back to my residence for a gathering."

"Hmph!" Xiang Yu, whose face had been set in anger, relaxed slightly upon hearing the invitation to a feast. He bumped Ye Xiu with his shoulder and walked off.

Ye Xiu was also irritated by the man, but he dusted off his clothes, summoned Hong'er, and followed them.

"I didn't realize your movements were so swift!" Hong'er couldn't help but whisper in amazement. "Going to Chief Wei's place might be good; with many retainers, perhaps he can help us find Sister."

Ye Xiu remained silent, walking steadily, his thoughts consumed by where Wan'er might be. "That is precisely what I intend."

"Come, come, please take your seats, both heroes! And the young lady as well!" Chief Wei was quite generous. Though his secondary residence wasn't overwhelmingly opulent, it was certainly spacious enough.

Ye Xiu wasn't particularly interested in the Chief's pleasantries, but the spread of delicacies before him made his mouth water uncontrollably.

"Please!" Chief Wei gestured politely again, inviting them to sit. Just as he was about to begin socializing, a loud stomach rumble startled him. "Brother Ye seems hungry. Please, eat freely."

Ye Xiu glanced over. There, at the opposite table, that brute Xiang Yu already had his head down, tearing into a steak while downing wine, his manner of eating utterly repulsive.

"Haha!" Chief Wei was delighted by their hearty appetites. "Hero Xiang is truly a straightforward man; he eats with such gusto!"

Xiang Yu offered no reply, simply continuing to devour his food, as if nothing existed in his world besides eating.

Ye Xiu, however, pulled Hong'er along, offered a slight bow to the Chief, and sat down properly. He raised his wine cup. "I am Ye Xiu. Today, having earned the Chief's appreciation, I must toast you first."

Chief Wei visibly relaxed upon hearing this, raising his hand to gesture toward Xiang Yu as well, and they both drank deeply.

Ye Xiu was beginning, reluctantly, to admire the man before him. He himself was starving and truly wished he could devour his food as ravenously as Xiang Yu. He raised his cup, intending to toast Xiang Yu. "Great Hero, shall we share a drink?"

"Share!" Xiang Yu seemed to take offense at the word. "Boy, are you itching for another three hundred rounds with me?"

"..." Ye Xiu turned his head away, utterly speechless, before replying patiently, "I merely wish to offer you a cup of wine, Hero. Where did your mind wander? How could I possibly be a match for you?"

"Good! Drink!" Xiang Yu downed the offering in one gulp, stating arrogantly, "I’ll allow it, as you lack the nerve to challenge me. I am the greatest under heaven."

"Hahaha, excellent!" Chief Wei, seeing the two seem to reconcile their differences, became more enthusiastic. "Let us drink together! We shall not stop until we are drunk tonight!"

Ye Xiu finished his cup, and a slight heat began to spread through his head. Was becoming a retainer simply about eating meat and drinking wine?

"Chief Wei, I have a question," Ye Xiu nodded slightly. "What exactly can the two of us do for you?"

"That is not urgent. Heroes, eat and drink well first," Chief Wei proved to be quite seasoned. "Drink more, drink more."

At this moment, Xiang Yu suddenly stood up, tossed his wine bowl aside, and roared, "Chief, just state your business plainly! As long as it doesn't involve attacking the weak or women, I, Xiang, will handle it immediately. Why all the preamble!"

"Hero Xiang speaks truly. Please, Chief, tell us clearly," Ye Xiu added, though he privately held a strong contempt for Xiang Yu's boorish display.

"This matter, I confess, brings shame," Chief Wei shook his head and drained another cup of wine. "In the city, the Cuihong Tower has a new courtesan, Wan Meng. She was already destined to be mine, but the Chief of the North District, relying on superior numbers and possessing a top-tier hired blade named 'Thieving Dog,' forcibly took her away from me. I have lost all face, which is why I rely on the two of you."

"Oh, a 'Top-Tier Blade'! I must meet him!" With that, Xiang Yu stood up, ready to storm out the main gate. Chief Wei quickly intercepted him. "Hero Xiang, this requires careful planning! I know you are divinely martial, but the North District Chief's territory is not ordinary territory."

"Hmph! There is nothing I cannot solve!" Xiang Yu's temper flared higher upon hearing the warning. He glanced at Ye Xiu and bellowed, "Grandpa can wipe out his dog den single-handedly."

Ye Xiu had expected the Chief to have some grand strategic need, but hearing it was about fighting over a woman deflated his enthusiasm somewhat. However, Hong'er, standing nearby, was more attentive and inquired, "Chief, what is the name of the courtesan at the Cuihong Tower?"

"Wan Meng," Chief Wei managed to persuade Xiang Yu back into his seat before turning around. "Wan Meng is truly a peerless beauty. I have resolved to take her as a concubine, but..."

"May I ask about this Miss Wan Meng's background?" Hong'er pressed on. "Do you have any information about her? Hong'er immediately thought of her older sister."

"I don't know much. The madam said she is not a local," Chief Wei admitted, frustrated by his lack of knowledge.

Hearing Hong'er's persistence, Ye Xiu also grew suspicious. Could this Wan Meng be Wan'er? In these times of popular suffering, these local chiefs were still squabbling over women.

"Chief Wei, we promise to help you retrieve Miss Wan Meng," Ye Xiu said, nodding toward Hong'er while glancing at Xiang Yu opposite him, who maintained a look of arrogant indifference.

"With the aid of both heroes, there will surely be no problem now. I can rest easy, haha," Chief Wei was naturally pleased to secure two formidable warriors.

"Why fear that fellow? I can deal with him alone," Xiang Yu's personality was simply rash; he never listened to advice.

Although Ye Xiu was also self-assured, he was capable of listening to others. He lowered his head and asked Chief Wei, "I wonder what kind of figure this man called 'Thieving Dog' is?"

Chief Wei looked up at the sky and stated coldly, "This man specializes in hidden weapons. His weapon is two short iron rods connected together; it is quite peculiar."

"Two connected short iron rods? Isn't that Nunchaku?" Ye Xiu burst out laughing. "Haha, what is there to fear about that thing!"

"Young Hero Ye has truly seen it before?" Chief Wei instantly gained confidence, bowing his head in reverence. "That is excellent. Tomorrow, I implore both heroes to help me reclaim my honor and my woman. I shall reward you handsomely."

"No problem," Ye Xiu bowed, thinking he absolutely had to go see if it was Wan'er. Meanwhile, Xiang Yu had already drunk his fill and fallen into a deep sleep.

Just as dawn broke, Ye Xiu was awakened by noises outside the courtyard. He listened closely and realized it was that fellow Xiang Yu making a ruckus. He felt a strange flicker of respect; perhaps the man did have inexhaustible energy.

"Good morning, Chief Wei," Ye Xiu greeted the Chief politely with a scholarly bow, then glanced at Xiang Yu. "The Great Hero is making such a noise so early. What on earth is he doing?"

"You slept like the dead, boy!" Xiang Yu remained just as domineering before tossing out another remark and striding away. "But I don't need you; I can handle it myself."

Ye Xiu found his personality utterly grating but dared not confront him directly. After bowing to Chief Wei, he saw that Hong'er was still asleep and silently followed Xiang Yu, like a dutiful attendant.

Xiang Yu never once looked back to acknowledge Ye Xiu during the journey; he clearly held the young man in contempt. Conversely, Ye Xiu's mind filled with contemplation. The Hegemon-King of Chu, Xiang Yu, was indeed supremely capable but undeniably stubborn and unwilling to heed advice. It was a marvel that such a person could thrive in this era.

The North District's Tianxia Tower was the stronghold of Chief Zhang. This Chief Zhang was already known for his misconduct, relying on his military connections to oppress the common people and widely recruiting ruffians and villains to garrison the place.