Chapter 210: Wind and Clouds Scatter

Everyone was shocked by Feng Yi's profound inner strength, which instantly shattered a huge boulder, and also shocked by his rudeness toward Su Xinghe and the others.

A perfectly good game of chess, just destroyed like that?

Su Xinghe and the Hangu Eight Friends' eyes went dark, and they nearly fainted.

This isn't just about the chess game—it's the painstaking three‑year work of Su Xinghe's master!

For a moment, the vast valley was filled only with the sound of the piercing wind whistling in everyone's ears, and each person thought: "Either Feng Yi has lost his mind, or he holds nobody in esteem!"

"Feng Yi!" Su Xinghe leapt to his feet and bellowed, like a thunderbolt striking from mid‑air, making everyone's hearts pound; seeing his eyes blazing, his face frosted over, a stark contrast to his former modest and courteous demeanor, each felt a jolt.

Su Xinghe snapped, "You're going too far!" and thrust out a palm with a whoosh.

His gaze was sharp and steady; just moments ago, when pursuing Ding Chunqiu, his movements were smooth, light, and agile—every gesture bore the bearing of a master—and now his palm strike was swift and vicious, its force immensely powerful.

Feng Yi raised a hand to block—*pfft*, like striking rotten leather—Su Xinghe's body swayed, and he felt a cold surge pierce his heart and lungs, shivering slightly.

Feng Yi said lightly, "Sir, what do you mean by this?"

Su Xinghe's eyes blazed, and he said in a deep voice, "My master set up this game to invite the world's experts to solve it. If they can't, that's fine, but you're wrecking the board, desecrating my master's lifelong effort—even if your martial arts are superb, heh heh, though I am deaf and mute, I will still fight you to the death."

He is called the "Deaf‑Mute Old Man," though he is neither deaf nor mute; by now he has already opened his ears to hear and his mouth to speak, yet he still calls himself "deaf and mute," merely when he talks his beard bristles and his expression turns fierce, so no one dares to mock him.

Suddenly footsteps sounded, and more than twenty men brandishing weapons rushed out from the rear of the house—the very deaf‑mute laborers who had just carried Gongye Qian and the others up the mountain—all disciples of Su Xinghe.

Jiumozhi smiled faintly and said, "Hero Feng, a peerless talent of the age, your actions ought to make sense. Since you cannot solve the game, you shouldn't destroy the board. If merely doing this counts as solving it, surely you're not the only one here capable of that?"

His words are not wrong—using inner force to shatter stone, he can do it, Xuannan and Su Xinghe can do it, and Murong Fu can too; the only difference is how long it takes.

Thus Feng Yi's way of "solving" the game is nothing but shameless cheating!

Murong Fu's eyes flashed, and he let out a long sigh: "Sir, with your conduct, where do you place Master Su, the Great Wheel Ming King, the Shaolin monk, Brother Duan, and these other experts?"

Or do you claim to be the world's foremost martial artist, bringing a lovely maiden along, yet still regard all heroes as nothing?

Since Feng Yi appeared, he has acted wildly yet calmly, subduing the situation with his own strength; only now do the others feel they have finally matched him.

After all, Feng Yi has now offended everyone who tried to solve the chess game; even if his martial arts are supreme, facing the six of them united, even if he could barely escape, he would surely flee in disgrace.

"Not bad!" Feng Yi gave a slight smile: "Although I am confident, facing your combined forces I have no certainty at all of killing you."

He actually spoke of killing, and everyone flared up again.

Feng Yi's face showed no panic; he spoke calmly: "Although Master Murong wants to gang up to win, that's fine, but you say I have a maiden beside me—what are you trying to do?

Are you threatening me? That Miss Wang is hardly not a lovely maiden either."

Suddenly he laughed ha‑ha, his form flickered like a mountain specter, and in a flash he darted through the gap between Murong Fu and Deng BaiChuan—but hearing Duan Yu's cry of surprise, one saw Feng Yi still seated, now holding a gleaming silver hairpin in his hand.

Feng Yi's eyes shone sharp; he said arrogantly, "If I, Feng Yi, wanted to kill you while you are united, perhaps I cannot do as I please, but if I am determined to leave, who in the world could stop me?"

"Whoever regards himself as a heartless, unprincipled loner like Ding Chunqiu, with no one dear to him, and tries to threaten me with A Zi—let him give it a try!"

Everyone's hearts were greatly shaken; for a moment they all stood frozen in place.

Wang Yuyan saw the hairpin, felt it familiar, reached out to touch it, and exclaimed in surprise— the silver hairpin that had been inserted in her hair had been silently taken by Feng Yi without her noticing.

Several people saw no sign of Feng Yi gathering his qi, yet he could execute a movement as swift as lightning; they thus knew his words were no empty boast.

Given his ability to strike without any prior sign, if he had not taken Wang Yuyan's hairpin but instead launched a sudden attack, likely just now Murong Fu, Deng BaiChuan and the others would have suffered injury.

Jiumozhi and the others also thought, even if the few of them joined forces they might overcome Feng Yi, but trying to detain him is pure fantasy.

Although A Zi is Feng Yi's weak point, none of these people are free of attachments; who would dare to harm her?

Ding Chunqiu just now merely acted out of knowing he was doomed, reluctantly striking at A Zi; they are not like that.

Now that A Zi is present, Feng Yi still has a hold.

Without her, that would truly be a formidable foe!

A Zi sneered, "You see my elder brother is invincible under heaven; afterwards there's no place for us in the jianghu. Now you want to join forces to make things difficult for him, yet you can't set aside your own pride as experts—just now, after he shattered the chessboard, you act all innocent here, truly laughable!"

Su Xinghe's beard and hair bristled as he shouted, "I don't care about grudges or fame—you destroyed my master's painstaking work, I will certainly not let you off, let's fight!"

He raised both palms to his chest, his old face suddenly flushed red, his bones crackled throughout his body, his white hair flew up, and his presence was formidable.

Jiumozhi and Murong Fu also moved their bodies, seemingly making space for the two of them, but in fact they closed in on Feng Yi's left and right, their eyes fixed on him.

Feng Yi's smile did not fade; his eyes locked onto Su Xinghe, as if he were blind to Jiumozhi and Murong Fu.

The situation suddenly became urgent, ready to explode at a touch; judging by this, as soon as anyone makes a move, blood will surely be shed before it stops.

"Wait a moment." Duan Yu stepped forward and said, "Master Su, isn't this Zhenlong already broken?"

Su Xinghe caught the hidden meaning in his words and asked, "What do you mean?"

Duan Yu said, "What was this chess game originally for?"

Su Xinghe stared blankly.

"Amitabha!" Xuannan sighed lightly, palms together: "No self, no others—breaking through foolishness, one sees the true nature; Master Feng, you are indeed profound!"

Duan Yu smiled, "Exactly so—the Buddha said there is no person, no self, no beings; this board being destroyed is none other than breaking the game, removing the obstruction."

In Dali, Buddhism is revered; Duan Yu, who from childhood disliked martial arts and loved reading sutras, has, under that influence, long become a great authority on Buddhist doctrine.

Yet despite all the theory, knowing full well that Wang Yuyan is a beauty like a flower‑skull, even if she is a skeleton she remains the loveliest of bones, and this makes one's thoughts linger endlessly.

Feng Yi laughed ha‑ha and said, "Indeed, 'even without form, it is still non‑form'; how laughable that you all claim to be exalted in Buddha and Dao, yet you fall far short of the Dali heir!"

Su Xinghe stared dumbfounded, saying nothing.

Jiumozhi smiled and said, "True as that may be, however this is a game of chess, not a debate on Buddhist law!"

Everyone nodded.

Feng Yi looked around and said, "Playing chess is originally for the wise, often seen among scholars and poets, yet Master Su has invited martial arts heroes.

What those martial arts people rely on most is their martial skill.

Especially when masters clash, they do not rely solely on sight; they also depend on perception. But if one cannot discern an opponent's form and qi, there is danger of defeat— is that not exactly the purpose of the Zhenlong?

The essence of Buddhist martial arts lies in the character 'emptiness': the eyes see nothing, yet the mind embraces all things.

Whereas Daoism seeks to merge the body with heaven, earth, and all things, to harmonize with nature, thus being able to be everywhere, to reach everywhere, to encounter no obstruction, to be invincible.

The so‑called 'break the cauldrons and sink the boats,' 'place oneself in a deadly situation to then live,' 'a trapped beast still fights'—clearly this is the helpless recourse of the weak against the strong; why is it worthy of admiration?

It is because, even having reached this point, how many people could have their great courage? Most would just kneel and surrender!

A Zi suddenly realized they were talking about their Star Constellation Sect!

"To overcome the strong with weakness requires wisdom, but if one has the strength to oppose Mount Yue yet is blocked by the mountain, isn't that a joke?"

Everyone present is a martial arts master, yet they don't even understand this principle, and they need Lord Duan to explain it to them—truly laughable!

Buddhist martial arts take 'emptiness' as their ultimate goal, while Daoist internal cultivation proceeds from 'unobstructed and unhindered' to the 'state of nondiscrimination'; yet the martial arts of the masters present, though already at an extremely high level, lack Feng Yi's daring to look down on everything and act without restraint.

Furthermore, they cannot comprehend the notion of all things merging into one, unobstructed and unhindered leading to a state of no distinction; how then could they apply it in practice?

A single state of no distinction explains everything!

In Feng Yi's eyes, a stone is a precious gem, and broken stone is the way to break it!

Kumarajiva's heart surged: 'This brat, though relying on martial force and twisting logic, speaks the truth—by merging with all things, he can be omnipresent and unobstructed...'

He felt his Minor Formless Skill was likewise.

Formlessness, is it not simply not caring about form, seeking only the true essence of the Dharma?

Kumarajiva was greatly excited, turned his head, and saw Murong Fu and Su Xinghe also closing their eyes and pressing their lips, evidently deep in thought.

Feng Yi's martial prowess and insight are the pinnacle of the present age; his every word and deed conform to the Dharma. Ordinary people notice nothing, but for masters like Kumarajiva, Murong Fu, and Su Xinghe, even a slight understanding benefits their own martial studies.

Feng Yi then pointed to the three wooden huts nearby and said, 'Mr. Su, I now wish to enter the hut—how shall I do so?'

Only then did everyone notice how strangely the wooden hut was constructed—it had no doors at all, causing astonishment and much discussion.

Seeing this, Su Xinghe suddenly understood, burst into a long laugh, raised both hands high, and with old tears streaming down his face said, 'Master, master, the disciple finally does not disappoint your trust...'

A Zi then could not help but cheer, while only Bao Bu Tong remained unconvinced, speaking angrily: 'No matter how exquisite the chess game, facing a barbarian like you is like forcing everyone's daughters to marry a rough husband—though they may be utterly unwilling, they have no choice but to submit!'

Feng Yi suddenly turned, his eyes flashing with divine light like an arrow shooting toward Bao Bu Tong.

Bao Bu Tong, stubborn and unyielding, did not dodge or avoid; upon meeting Feng Yi's gaze, his old face turned pale, he spat a mouthful of blood, and Deng Bai Chuan reached out to support him, but the latter had already fainted,

Murong Fu and the others, grief and indignation rising, moved their bodies, grasped their weapons, and glared at Feng Yi and A Zi.

Feng Yi raised his eyebrows, and a killing aura rose on his face.

Deng Bai Chuan felt Bao Bu Tong's pulse and said, 'Young master, the third brother won't die.' He then transmitted internal energy to him.

Even so, Kumarajiva, Xuan Nan, and the others were also greatly shocked; having immersed themselves in martial arts for decades and achieved some accomplishment, they were regarded as first-rate masters of the jianghu, and they clearly understood that although Feng Yi merely glanced at Bao Bu Tong, he benefited from his profound internal energy and the wondrous variability of its application, enabling his gaze to be as sharp as a sword, stirring Bao Bu Tong's true qi and worsening his injury!

Such an operation is simply inconceivable!

When facing such a person, if one lacks equal strength and the resolve to perish together, one must absolutely not provoke them!

Feng Yi's gaze and spirit locked onto the few individuals full of momentum; after a long while, he finally drew a deep breath, his fierce and murderous eyes gradually fading, and he said leisurely, 'Lord Murong, Feng Yi would not do this unless absolutely necessary; I truly do not wish to destroy you just like that.'

Murong Fu remained silent, while Wang Yuyan snorted, clearly displeased that Feng Yi bluntly said his martial skill was inferior.

Yet Feng Yi continued: 'Your dissatisfaction with me is nothing; wanting to kill me is also irrelevant—just you must control Bu Tong's foul mouth; otherwise I would rather not quarrel with him, but sometimes, to set an example for the world, I have no choice but to kill!'

Wang Yuyan could not help but say, 'Bu Tong is merely blunt-spoken; what crime does he have, how could you harm his life?'

Feng Yi lightly replied, 'If only the guilty deserve death, then the Duan clan at Man Tao Villa, who were made into flower fertilizer—what sin did they have?'

Besides Duan Yu, everyone was momentarily stunned.

Wang Yuyan's stance immediately fell into disarray, her pretty face flushed as if stained with rouge, her eyes seeming ready to spit fire.

As it turned out, the mistress of Man Tao Villa, Lady Wang, would kill any Duan from Dali on sight, without distinction, and bury them under the flowers as fertilizer.

Well, some of the Song dynasty Duans also count.

According to Lady Wang's logic, who let you get so close?

When Duan Yu first arrived at the villa, he personally witnessed that, merely because Lady Wang learned he was surnamed Duan, he almost got killed; he escaped only by relying on his skill in growing flowers.

After a year had passed, Duan Yu, upon recalling it, trembled with fear—yet he did not expect Feng Yi also to know!

Feng Yi laughed: 'Miss Wang, you love Murong Fu and even his crows, thinking everything about him and his followers is good, so no matter what they do, they should not die. Outsiders have no relation to you, have done nothing, yet if they died you wouldn't even glance at them!'

Likewise, Bu Tong has no relation to me; in my eyes, he is no different from an ordinary person.

He has mocked me repeatedly, yet I have ignored it; for now the timing is not right, I do not wish to go too far, but I, Feng Yi, cannot tolerate others repeatedly provoking me—do you understand?

Upon hearing this, everyone was again stunned,

Duan Yu scratched his head and said, 'What does that mean?'

Then a deep, aged voice, seeming both far and near, drifted leisurely from within the house: 'Xinghe, quickly invite Sir Feng to enter!'

Everyone was again startled—there was actually someone inside the house?

Moreover, several masters could tell the speaker possessed extraordinarily deep internal cultivation, absolutely not inferior to them.

This Lei Gu Mountain chess gathering is truly full of strangeness everywhere!

Thus Su Xinghe walked to the three wooden huts, extended his hand to usher the guest, and said, 'Please, sir, come in!'

Feng Yi slowly rose, took A Zi's hand, strode to the hut, pointed at it, and said, 'Smash it!'

A Zi, with a childlike nature, intending to show off, gathered qi in her palm and lightly slapped out a palm.

As soon as her palm touched the roof, a continuous 'ge-ge' sound was heard; the hut was shattered in a piece by her. To the many masters present, her palm's power seemed hardly worth a smile, but with Feng Yi's help and A Zi's light, floating touch—seeming effortless—she broke through the hut, creating an opening, her technique and force being quite exquisite.

This also matched what Feng Yi had just said: having the strength to oppose Mount Yue, naturally one meets a mountain and breaks it; Duan Yu hurriedly clapped and praised.

A Zi was even more excited, her face beaming, continuously clapping and shouting without cease.

Since following Feng Yi, she has practiced the Muscle‑Tendon Changing and Bone‑Forging art with notable success, and thus felt this palm was almost her own strength.

Feng Bo'e was about to say that Feng Yi had broken the chess game, and how A Zi figured into it, but Gong Ye Gan stopped him.

After all, Su Xinghe and the others had not spoken; as family, there was no need to seek discomfort.

Feng Yi acts recklessly and lawlessly—he is certainly not one to reason with!

Feng Yi bowed his hands to Su Xinghe, took A Zi's hand, and walked into the hut; sunlight slanted faintly inside, but the two figures instantly vanished, evidently the hut still had plank walls—who knows what they were doing in there?

Although several people were curious, they dared not listen in.

Murong Fu circulated his energy to help Bao Bu Tong heal; he had already awakened and asked anxiously, 'Is it all right?'

Bao Bu Tong looked listless and shook his head.

Murong Young Master

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He spoke gently and softly from beginning to end, showing no hostility at all, yet he constantly gave people an uncomfortable feeling, because anyone who isn't stupid could hear what he meant.

Bright King

Deng BaiChuan

Jiumu Zhi showed no joy or anger, his expression unchanged: "Evil arts? Hehe, what's so special about Feng Yi harming people with his gaze?"

He took advantage of Murong Fu's shaken state to sneak in, while Baobutong directly clashed with Feng Yi; hearing that, Baobutong's anger flared: "Feng Yi isn't a good person—what kind of good person are you, monk? All of this is heretical!"

Mr. Bao

Murong Fu nodded, yet his face remained bewildered, thinking: "He looks younger than me, so how could I possibly compare to him?"

Jiumu Zhi looked at Su Xinghe and asked: "Please, Old Su, tell us—given your superb medical skills and deep inner strength, surely you couldn't be rendered unable to move after just one strike?"

Su Xinghe looked at Jiumu Zhi: "And how did the Ming Wang feel just now?"

Jiumu Zhi sighed dejectedly: "Although Feng Yi had his back to me just now, I felt his essence, energy, and spirit completely locked onto me, as if tangible; I could only exert my utmost to defend, constantly on guard against his thunderous strike."

Su Xinghe looked at Murong Fu: "I'm afraid Young Master Murong is no different!"

Murong Fu remained silent for a moment, then said: "A voice inside me tells me not to strike, as if striking would surely mean my death! That feeling is unprecedentedly intense!"

Wang Yuyan exclaimed: "Cousin, being with you, how do I feel nothing at all?"

Xuannan, palms together, said: "This is actually a profound and mysterious feeling, as if someone could sense killing intent; the higher one's martial arts, the more they can sense it. An ordinary person who knows no martial arts would naturally find it hard to detect!"

They all understood that, with Feng Yi's level of martial arts, what he cared about was only those capable of threatening him; someone like Wang Yuyan could be killed with a wave of his hand, and he wouldn't care at all.

For example, if Jiumu Zhi and the others stared at Feng Yi, he would immediately notice; but someone like Wang Yuyan might not. It's just that his gaze lacks a certain aura, making him easier to conceal.

Jiumu Zhi said: "Young Master Murong is in danger!"

Murong Fu knew that mentioning Feng Yi at that moment was premature; he immediately felt uneasy and said: "Don't blame me, gentlemen—when Feng Yi moved against Third Brother Baobutong, I was on full alert, having gathered all my strength, yet I discovered…… I seemed unable to pinpoint Feng Yi's position, not knowing how to strike; he seemed to have vanished into nothingness."

everyone (everyone) generic.

Jiumu Zhi, Xuannan, and Su Xinghe frowned, pondering Murong Fu's meaning, while Duan Yu, Wang Yuyan, and the others were more or less perplexed.

Jiumu Zhi let out a long sigh: "Young Master Murong is right—the essence of martial arts lies in finding the opponent's weakest point and striking it fiercely. Thus, when Feng Yi moved just now, I first sought his opening, but I only felt he was like an intangible shadow; despite the five of us masters standing nearby, his aura showed no change at all."

Xuannan exhaled a long breath: "This is the supreme path of our Buddhist martial arts, the Way of Emptiness."

Su Xinghe added: "Exactly, it is also the Daoist truth of refining the spirit into emptiness, unobstructed and unhindered, reaching a state of no distinction."

Everyone drew a cold breath—Feng Yi's martial arts had already reached such a level.

Duan Yu said: "Young Master Murong, I still have one thing I don't understand."

Murong Fu smiled: "Brother Duan, please ask; I will hide nothing."

Duan Yu pondered and said: "As you say, he is so formidable, yet he claims he does not wish to utterly finish the matter—what does he mean by that?"

Murong Fu gave a wry smile: "Perhaps he wants to settle Miss A Zi first, then later have a showdown with me, so he changed his mind and gave me a way out."

Mr. Bao Three

Duan Yu

Murong Fu

Su Xinghe continued: "Young Master Murong shares deep bonds with his subordinates, and Miss Wang's wholehearted affection is entirely fixed on you—anyone can see that. To avoid trouble, the only way is to eradicate the root once and for all!"

But if he were to kill you all, he'd likely suffer retaliation from that gray-clothed person, and also face condemnation from fellow martial artists; thus, unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn't want to kill.

Duan Yu exclaimed in alarm: "Ah ya, Mr. Baobutong, you almost caused so many deaths!"

"You seem to be looking out for me?!" Baobutong laughed loudly, his heroic spirit bursting forth: "What is Baobutong? Death is nothing to regret, but to make me stay silent and praise his smelly feet—that's extremely difficult!"

Murong Fu

As he spoke, another mouthful of fresh blood spurted out, trailing wisps of white vapor, bitterly cold.

Murong Fu clasped his hands: "Please, Mr. Su, exercise your benevolence and save my brothers!"

Su Xinghe said slowly: "This matter, I am unable to help despite my willingness."

Murong Fu was greatly startled, hurriedly saying: "Old Sir, this is a matter of life and death; if I have offended you before, please forgive me."

Su Xinghe shook his head: "This matter has nothing to do with offending me..."

Before he could finish, Wang Yuyan suddenly said: "Mr. Su, I know the person was injured by Feng Yi; you're reluctant to heal him lest you offend him. But someone as proud as he, if he truly wanted to take the lives of the Murong family, would surely not deign to ask others for help!"

Xue Muhua bowed: "Senior, when Feng Yi was down the mountain, he once had me treat a few people's injuries; I'm just not skilled enough."

Su Xinghe

Divine Doctor Xue

"All right!" Su Xinghe nodded and said: "These brothers of yours have been struck by a palm carrying the poison of the ice silkworm, yet you held your breath and purely exerted your inner strength to resist; however, that cold poison is not an ordinary toxin—it carries dense inner energy, having form but no substance, impossible to dispel or withstand."

Su Xinghe went on at length, explaining everyone's injuries and their causes.

Everyone listened, greatly astonished; he was wholly absorbed in the chess game, not even glancing at them more, nor did he go to treat the injured, yet he knew all this so clearly.

They had no idea—let alone that Su Xinghe struck Feng Yi with a palm; in an instant, an arm lost sensation, the cold current still dense and unceasing, flowing elsewhere; even without that palm, for Su Xinghe, this injury would not be hard to treat.

Su Xinghe then, for those few, circulated qi through their meridians to dispel the cold poison, first striking a palm under Baobutong's left rib.

Baobutong only felt as if a hole had been pierced beneath his rib, with fresh blood, essence, and qi streaming out continuously; in an instant, his whole body felt hollow, as if having nothing to rely on, but the numbness, itching, and soreness caused by Feng Yi's icy poison palm vanished in a moment.

Su Xinghe's method of healing was not to use inner strength to help Baobutong expel the cold poison, but to strike his rib with deep inner strength, opening a vent for the poison—just as one bitten by a venomous snake would cut the wound and squeeze out the venom.

However, this "qi blade cutting the body" method only works if the spot is correct; if one's true qi and inner strength are insufficient, the strike cannot pierce the meridians, and the poison gas will not only fail to be vented but will be driven deeper into the organs, causing the patient to die instantly.

Su Xinghe

Murong Fu muttered to himself again: "Just what kind of martial arts has Feng Yi practiced to attain such mastery?" No one could answer that question.

Xuannan pondered for a long time, then said slowly: "Although Feng Yi's nature is hard to judge as good or evil, what he cultivates is orthodox martial arts!"

Jiumu Zhi sighed again: "Although I once lost to Feng Yi and still felt a bit unwilling, seeing the situation just now, if Feng Yi were to go all out, even if we joined forces, we would likely still be on the losing side."

He has already regarded Feng Yi as an unparalleled enemy, vigorously promoting the other's formidable abilities, with ulterior motives.

Bao Butong retorted: "No, no, in my view, if the masters truly attacked together, Feng Yi might not get away unscathed; he's still afraid!"

Duan Yu smiled slightly and said: "Mr. Bao, I have a feeling that Brother Feng was merely being cautious just now, with no intention to strike and hurt anyone, so it's not a matter of fear!"

Duan Yu had separately seen these masters: Duan Yanqing, Jiomo Zhi, Qiao Feng, Ding Chunqiu, Su Xinghe, Xu Nan, Xu Tong, Murong Fu, and Feng Yi.

Among them, Qiao Feng and Murong Fu are the most renowned masters under heaven, and he had even compared lightness skills with Qiao Feng.

If judging solely by martial prowess, he feels Jiomo Zhi could match the five top-tier masters of the Duan family at Tianlong Temple, plus the Withered Glory Grand Master, whose battle record is the most formidable.

His sworn brother Qiao Feng, relaxed and at ease in the Apricot Forest, displayed his divine prowess—also extraordinary—although he doesn't know whether Jiomo Zhi or Qiao Feng is superior.

But Qiao Feng's unbothered, magnanimous bearing so deeply impressed him that they became sworn brothers.

However, Feng Yi's composed demeanor, alternating between movement and stillness, also made him aspire to it.

So he feels such a person would never be afraid.

Before Bao Butong could speak, Jiomo Zhi chuckled: "Lord Murong, do as you please! Gentlemen, I, the humble monk, will take my leave first."

He then leapt up, jumped onto a large tree, lightly tapped the branches with his right foot, sprang again, and darted into the forest…

Seeing him leap a few times, Murong Fu opened a distance of over ten zhang, thinking his own lightness skill could not surpass him; he secretly admired him and said, "Your Majesty, if there is any fault, please come to the Yanziwu of Gusu for a meeting; I will surely welcome you with my shoes reversed."

Jiomo Zhi had vanished, but his voice still came as usual: "Lord Murong, you're too polite! If fate wills it, we will surely meet again."

"Mr. Su, we old monks also take our leave."

The Shaolin monks led by Xu Nan also bade farewell and departed.

Su Xinghe cured the cold poison for Gongye Qian and others; after Murong Fu thanked him solemnly, he flicked his sleeve and departed, with Wang Yuyan and others silently following behind, whereupon Duan Yu couldn't help but say, "Miss Wang, where are you headed?"

Wang Yuyan didn't know if she hadn't heard or what, and remained silent; the four Dali guards exchanged a glance, their gazes deep.

Su Xinghe sighed, "My father was amorous, but my son is so infatuated—unlike his father, utterly unfilial!"

Duan Yu gazed at Wang Yuyan's back, his heart in turmoil, and unconsciously followed her again.

Bao Butong gave a cold chuckle, turned his head, and said, "Lord Duan, your sister is right; if you're a man who values the Dali state, don't follow us!"

His words were already blunt, surely meant to deter Duan Yu from following.

Upon hearing this, Duan Yu fell into doubt; he had intended to follow Wang Yuyan, but now what should he do?

Should he really follow her at all costs?

For Miss Wang, he could even forego his dignity.

But thinking of Murong Fu's nobility, Wang Yuyan's aloofness, A Zi's disdain, and Bao Butong's sarcasm, his worries only grew.

In the blink of an eye, amidst the pine forest on the ridge, only he, the four Dali guards, and the Eight Friends of Hangu remained.

He couldn't help but let out a long sigh: "What should I do?"

Suddenly, a clear, crisp voice came from behind: "Is Miss Wang Yuyan really that good?"

(End of chapter)