Chapter 212

Anyone who practices martial arts strives for the highest levels; they flock to wondrous skills and secret techniques, leading to frequent cases of master‑disciple enmity, spouses turning against each other, and brothers severing ties.

Although Feng Yi possesses many divine skills, he also harbors a desire to glimpse the martial arts of the Carefree Sect.

He was waiting for the other party to teach him, but Wuya Zi closed his eyes slightly and fell into deep thought.

This made him feel an itch in his heart, and he didn't know what this old man was thinking at the crucial moment.

Su Xinghe laughed and said: "Our Carefree Sect's martial arts are vast and profound, with many varieties. My master had three fellow disciples; my master ranked second, but his martial arts surpassed those of my master's elder brother, so he became the sect leader."

Later my master took me and Ding Chunqiu as disciples. He set a rule: since his learning was varied, anyone who wanted to become sect leader had to compete in all skills—not just martial arts, but also music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Ding Chunqiu knew nothing of the various miscellaneous studies; seeing that becoming sect leader was hopeless, he suddenly launched a sneak attack, striking our master down into a deep valley and badly injuring me. At that time, first, he could not break through the Five Elements Eight Trigrams and Qimen Dunjia formation I had set up; second, I said to him: "Ding Chunqiu, you sneak‑attacked our master, and though your martial arts surpass mine, you cannot grasp the deepest arts of the Carefree Sect. Would you like to read this volume of the Northern Dark Divine Art? Would you like to learn the lightness skill of Lingwei Microstep?"

Duan Yu secretly thought: "My luck is truly good!"

"What about the Heavenly Mountain Six Yang Palm? The Heavenly Mountain Plucking Plum Hand? The Everlasting Eternal Youth Longevity Skill?"

These are the highest martial arts of our sect; even our master, burdened with many duties, has not learned many of them.

Upon hearing this, Ding Chunqiu was so delighted his whole body trembled, and he said: "Hand over these martial arts manuals, and I will spare your life today."

I replied: "How could I have such manuals? I only know where our master keeps them hidden. If you want to kill me, go ahead."

Ding Chunqiu said: "The manuals are certainly beside the Star‑Sea; how could I not know that?"

I said: "That's right, they are indeed beside the Star‑Sea. If you have the ability, go find them yourself."

Ding Chunqiu pondered for a moment, knowing that the area around the Star‑Sea spans hundreds of li and that a few small manuals hidden somewhere are hard to find, so he said: "All right, I won't kill you. But from now on you must pretend to be deaf and mute, and may not divulge our sect's secrets."

A Zi said: "So you became a deaf‑mute! He's actually quite trustworthy."

Su Xinghe snorted: "He's not being trustworthy; he wants to keep me alive as a witness so he can extort information. Otherwise, if he killed me, no one in the world would know where these manuals are."

Actually, these martial arts manuals are not at the Star‑Sea at all; they have long been scattered among my master's uncle, master, and grand‑uncle.

A Zi nodded: "No wonder he's been loitering around the Star‑Sea Sect all this time."

Wuya Zi suddenly opened his eyes and said: "Feng Yi brother, let me be frank: although my senior and junior disciples and I were taught by the same master, our internal arts differ. My senior sister cultivates the Everlasting Eternal Youth Longevity Skill, I cultivate the Northern Dark Divine Art, and my junior sister cultivates the Minor Formless Skill."

But later, she passed both of their protective divine arts to me.

These three divine arts are vast and profound; I have not recorded them in any book. Even if you had a perfect memory, I could not explain all three internal arts in just a couple of sessions, and I no longer have that much time. Therefore I can only tell you the Northern Dark Divine Art, the Heavenly Mountain Six Yang Palm, and the Carefree Sect Plucking Plum Hand.

Feng Yi listened, saying nothing aloud but secretly admiring Wuya Zi. He had managed to learn the protective divine arts of both his senior and junior sisters, not relying on affection, and said: "Learning as much as fate allows is enough; I will not force it."

Before, he relied on a system; after hearing a martial arts manual once, he could record it. But later, when he fell out with the system, the martial arts it had recorded—such as the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill and the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra—vanished without a trace. Knowing this, he realized that merely listening once to memorize an internal art, as he used to do, no longer works.

Upon hearing this, Duan Yu realized they were about to impart martial arts and immediately rose to go out, but Feng Yi said: "Duan brother, no matter what, you have also trained in the Carefree Sect's martial arts and count as a disciple, so let's listen together. If you gain any insight, it will certainly benefit your Six Meridian Divine Sword."

Wuya Zi wondered: "Six Meridian Divine Sword? I have heard that the Duan clan of Dali possesses two supreme arts, the Yang Finger and the Six Meridian Divine Sword, but I have never had the chance to witness them. Please, sir, demonstrate so this old man may broaden his horizons!"

Duan Yu said: "Good!" He extended his right hand, intending to strike the board wall with the Six Meridian Divine Sword, but he could not manipulate the sword properly; his abundant internal energy merely circulated within his body and could not be emitted from his fingertips.

Wuya Zi saw that his right hand fingers were tapping and gesturing, the motion made sense, yet there was no internal power at all. He waved his hand and said: "All right, this child has deep internal energy but does not know how to circulate it. Today we have no time; later, when you ask our sect's leader for guidance, you will certainly be able to wield it as naturally as moving your arm."

Feng Yi solemnly declared: "It is righteous and unavoidable!"

Wuya Zi said: "Feng Yi brother, come here." He took off a gemstone ring from his left hand and placed it on Feng Yi's finger.

Su Xinghe immediately knelt: "Unworthy disciple of the Carefree Sect, Su Xinghe, pays respects to the new sect leader."

Feng Yi lightly flicked his sleeve, intending to pull him up, and said: "No, I will still need to rely on you heavily for sect affairs in the future."

Su Xinghe kept his posture low and said: "Sect leader, eliminating Ding Chunqiu was my master's wish; I lack the strength to do it, but I rely on you to accomplish it. Accepting these few kowtows from me is only proper."

Feng Yi had no choice but to accept.

Wuya Zi then proceeded to explain the Northern Dark Divine Art, the Heavenly Mountain Six Yang Palm, and the Heavenly Mountain Plucking Plum Hand in full.

Feng Yi's martial learning is extensive; he has dabbled in the arts of all schools. Although the Carefree Sect's martial arts are supreme under heaven, the Nine Yin True Classic, the Divine Foot Classic, the Divine Illumination Classic, and the Muscle‑Change Classic are the ultimate divine arts of past and present, and no one today can surpass Feng Yi's insight into martial arts. Many phrases in the Northern Dark Divine Art are obscure and abstruse; others hearing them would not understand, but Feng Yi grasps their meaning at once.

As for the Heavenly Mountain Six Yang Palm and the Heavenly Mountain Plucking Plum Hand, though exquisite, he has several supreme divine arts as his foundation; practicing them is as easy as building a high house or water flowing into a channel.

Although Wuya Zi is disabled and has little time left, his explanation could not be utterly perfect, yet when Feng Yi puts it into practice he can effortlessly fill in the gaps, performing smoothly and skillfully—his proficiency even exceeds that of Su Xinghe, who has practiced the Carefree Sect's martial arts for decades.

As for A Zi, she seemed to be listening to heavenly scriptures; Duan Yu possesses deep internal energy and astonishing comprehension, yet no one has instructed him in internal cultivation, so he does not know how to practice. However, when Wuya Zi demonstrates the Heavenly Mountain Six Yang Palm and the Heavenly Mountain Plucking Plum Hand with his hands, Duan Yu instinctively follows the moves, and his imitation is quite passable.

Wuya Zi spoke from noon until evening, and by then Feng Yi had already learned it; as for the timing, there was no need to rush.

Wuya Zi exhaled a long breath and said: "I can't continue; my spirit and mind are exhausted. I must quickly transmit my power. A Zi, come over."

A Zi looked at Feng Yi, and Feng Yi gave a slight nod.

A Zi stepped forward,

Wuya Zi said: "As Feng Yi brother said, your coming here is also a matter of fate. As the saying goes, "Do what you can and accept heaven's will." Having received my inner power, you must not do evil; otherwise heaven will not bless you, and there will be no good outcome."

A Zi pondered for a while before saying: "In life, everyone has their destiny; we all wander the jianghu, each exerting our strength, living and dying, suffering and joy—better than being entangled with mothers‑in‑law. You all think I'm a bad person, so I don't want this power!"

Wuya Zi knew she was angry, felt amused inwardly, and said: "As long as you do not actively bully the weak, I don't care about anything else."

A Zi said: "If others don't provoke me, I naturally won't provoke them; if anyone dares to provoke me, I'll deal with them regardless of whether they're strong or weak."

Wuya Zi laughed heartily, then suddenly seized A Zi's wrists with both hands; she felt a suction force drawing out her dantian energy, and she cried out in fright.

A Zi was originally a third‑rate fighter; since following Feng Yi her internal energy had improved somewhat, but only briefly and not yet first‑rate. Wuya Zi's internal suction was like spinning thread, continuously drawing out her energy; in an instant she felt her dantian empty and looked to Feng Yi for help.

Feng Yi said: "Don't worry, this is an inevitable process."

A Zi, however, did not know this; instead she gritted her teeth and tried to muster her internal energy to resist the suction of the Northern Dark Divine Art, but the art kept devouring her energy and making it its own.

After a while, A Zi felt her whole body warm and comfortable, as if soaking in a large tub of hot water; heat seemed to rise from every pore, an indescribable sense of ease.

Wuya Zi released her wrist and laughed: "The Northern Dark Divine Art of our sect clashes with other internal energies, so I have dissolved all of yours."

A Zi sucked in a cold breath and blurted: "No wonder you said my older brother is no good—it's because you can't dissolve his internal energy!"

Wuya Zi laughed: "The Northern Dark Divine Art most fears seawater flowing back into rivers; otherwise there is danger of death. Your older brother's internal energy is vast and surging, endless and unceasing, solid as a rock—dissolving it is hardly easy!"

Saying this, he again seized the wrist acupoints on both of A Zi's hands.

A Zi only felt two streams of scorching heat, like boiling water, rushing in from the "Meeting Ancestor" point on her wrists, and she could not help but cry out "Ah‑yo!"

These two streams of heat surged forward like the Yangtze River, unstoppable, flowing from her arms to her chest and rushing into the chest's "Sea of Tranquility" point.

The Northern Dark Divine Art stores its internal energy in the "Sea of Tranquility" point at the chest, unlike ordinary internal arts whose energy sea is in the dantian; therefore practicing the Northern Dark Divine Art puts it at odds with other internal arts.

And A Zi felt the accumulated heat in her "Sea of Tranquility" point transform into thousands of tiny threads of warmth, dispersing into all the meridians of her body; inside she felt like an inflating balloon, gradually expanding, yet when she lowered her head her body appeared normal, the sensation of swelling seeming like an illusion.

Heavenly Dao waxes and wanes, never bestowing favors without cause; Wu Ya Zi's Northern Darkness True Qi raged like a violent wind and huge waves, cleansing A Zi's entire body, yet her five viscera and hundred vessels had never been filled with such thick true qi, causing soreness and distension, her meridians trembling incessantly, giving rise to miscellaneous thoughts, a buzzing chaos in her head, she felt like jumping up, almost wanting to shout loudly.

Feng Yi, Duan Yu and others watched on, but saw A Zi's eyes tightly shut, her expression painful, as if flames flowed beneath her skin, a scorching qi issuing from within her, felt even several feet away.

Duan Yu had experienced this before; in the past he had absorbed others' martial power, suffering greatly, which led him to seek help at Tianlong Temple.

Feng Yi also faintly sensed that A Zi's mind was unsettled, she had fallen into an illusion; he thus lowered his body, sending his true qi from his back into her to stabilize her mind with his divine skill, saying: "Focus your energy, gather the true qi using the internal cultivation method I have transmitted to you."

Feng Yi's true qi was merely probing; in fact he used his mind's eye to observe A Zi, seeing Wu Ya Zi's true qi flowing in reverse into her twelve primary meridians.

Since ancient times, cultivating inner energy, the heart demon is the most fearsome; the so-called heart demon is nothing but the innate desires and miscellaneous thoughts of humanity; when miscellaneous thoughts arise, they naturally scatter essence and spirit. However, cultivating inner energy fundamentally requires wholehearted focus; only when essence and spirit coalesce can qi be generated, that is, internal force.

The heart demon seeks movement in stillness, while cultivating inner energy demands stillness in movement; they are fundamentally opposed, so as one's cultivation advances, the heart demon grows stronger, essence, qi and spirit become harder to gather, and one is more prone to deviation into demonic deviation.

This is just like deploying troops and forming battle lines, charging forward to break the enemy.

A squad's personnel are easy to allocate,

but a platoon, company, battalion, regiment, or division—the difficulty increases progressively.

If orders are not received or deployment is improper, not to speak of united effort to defeat a strong foe, even one's own morale will scatter and collapse without battle.

This is because as one's internal true qi grows stronger, it becomes prone to dispersal, hard to gather, and difficult to control.

Therefore, for those cultivating inner energy, once they deviate into demonic deviation, they either go mad or become paralyzed.

For example, Duan Yu, from the start of absorbing internal force, could never effectively control it until the story's end—a span of two or three years.

In the original plot, Xu Zhu, who possessed over two hundred years of internal force from the three supreme masters of Xiao Yao, still could not defeat Kumozhi.

This is solely because attempting to concentrate such profound internal force at will for combat is exceedingly difficult.

Once one tries to exert strong force, miscellaneous thoughts erupt, inevitably leading to deviation into demonic deviation—as exemplified by the monk who sweeps floors, called the Shaolin Temple's top martial artist of the past two hundred years, Master Xuan Cheng, who became a cripple overnight.

At this moment A Zi must endure the suffering of true qi flooding her body while also facing the heart demon; strange and wild thoughts pour forth incessantly—at first it feels like being hacked by an axe, but as Wu Ya Zi's transmitted power increases, she feels as if being sawed by a dull blade, unable to live, unable to die.

But as Feng Yi's and A Zi's internal forces unite, mind and spirit become one; having weathered many trials, his mind and spirit are steadfast, so even if A Zi's miscellaneous thoughts surge like waves, Feng Yi remains like a reef in the sea, unmoved.

Feng Yi's assistance thus bore the heart demon for her; following his words, A Zi focused her energy, wholeheartedly gathering true qi, feeling all sounds cease, heaven and earth suddenly still, as if she stood in the wilderness, a breeze brushing past, before her a tranquil lake with not a ripple.

After a long while, Feng Yi felt A Zi's entire body shudder; with his mind's eye he saw her true qi like a lake brimming over, bursting its dam, passing through the Ren and Du meridians, in an instant her whole aura surged like a river rushing into the sea, racing wildly, turbid waves towering.

Yet A Zi felt her body grow light, before her eyes a blinding white, as if she had pushed open some great door—this sensation was indescribably wonderful—when suddenly she heard Su Xinghe mournfully cry: "Master! Master!"

The cry had barely faded when Feng Yi loudly said: "Wake up quickly!"

A Zi's true qi stabilized, she awoke, opened her eyes, and saw Feng Yi with lowered brows and downcast gaze sitting beside her.

Wu Ya Zi leaned on Su Xinghe, sweat pouring from his entire body and face, from cheeks, neck, and hair roots, still oozing out.

Yet Wu Ya Zi's formerly pure and handsome face was now covered with deep, intersecting wrinkles; his thick head of hair had mostly fallen out, turning gray-white, and his once glossy black beard had become white.

A Zi was horrified, exclaiming "This—" and hastily turned her head to see Duan Yu's appearance unchanged.

Only Wu Ya Zi had suddenly become feeble and decrepit, appearing not a hundred twenty years old but certainly around a hundred.

Suddenly Feng Yi said: "Quickly kneel and kowtow to grandfather!"

A Zi immediately knelt and kowtowed.

Wu Ya Zi narrowed his eyes, gave a weak smile, and said: "You girl, your blessings are deep—try striking this plank wall with an empty palm!"

A Zi complied, throwing a feeble palm strike; hearing a crack, the solid plank wall instantly collapsed halfway.

Such a situation she had never experienced; looking at her own pale, tender palm, she was stunned.

Wu Ya Zi laughed: "The internal force you can muster now is less than ten percent; my seventy-plus years of diligent training are hardly ordinary."

Speaking, he fished out a painting from his bosom, shoved it into Feng Yi's hand, and said: "This is a painting I made for my junior sister; we were once enemies, circumstances forced it, and now I am about to die, free of worldly ties, only wishing to settle this grudge. Alas, she favored handsome youths."

Upon hearing this, Duan Yu's heart stirred: "Senior, what is this senior's name?"

"Her surname is Li," Wu Ya Zi said offhandedly, "her given name is Qiu Shui."

Feng Yi drawled: "Do you think Li Qiu Shui betrayed you merely because she fancied handsome youths?"

"Yes," Wu Ya Zi sighed, "back then she sought many handsome men, flaunting affection before my face, and later even seduced my disciples."

Feng Yi said: "Perhaps she merely wanted to provoke you?" Wu Ya Zi's cloudy eyes suddenly brightened: "Provoke me?"

Feng Yi sighed: "Could it be that she saw you infatuated with the jade statue, ignored her, and thus deliberately sought men to provoke you?"

Wuya Zi listened, became dazed, and unconsciously closed his eyes.

Feng Yi sighed and said: "Actually, between men and women, even if they deeply love each other, there will be a situation where one is angry and the other is calm."

If she really fancied handsome men, she should have done it secretly; why would she deliberately do it in front of you? Actually the meaning is quite clear: if you cannot bear this humiliation, or if you feel hurt in your heart, then with your martial arts, being superior to hers, you would naturally kill those people, and you could do it!

But you didn't; you simply left.

What does that mean?

A Zi said: "What?"

Feng Yi sighed and said: "This shows that you don't have her in your heart at all; the utmost indifference is not arguing, but coldness. For a woman like Li Qiu Shui, who is peerlessly beautiful and highly skilled in martial arts, this is the greatest harm."

Actually it's not hard to see; her heart from beginning to end has loved only you!

Duan Yu nodded and said: "Yes, a woman as pure and pristine as she, willingly doing things she dislikes for a man, shows deep love."

Wuya Zi opened his eyes, suddenly a smile appeared on his face, and he said: "I have accomplished nothing in my life; not only did I harm my senior martial sister, but also my junior martial sister. Now, before I die, learning that my junior martial sister … also treats me not poorly … I … I … I … am so happy…" His head suddenly sank to the side, and a generation of master thus closed his eyes and passed away.

=9+book_

"Master, master!" Su Xinghe burst into tears.

Feng Yi watched the generation of master possessing supreme skills breathe his last, his emotions extremely complex; in an instant, two lines that did not exist in this world rose in his mind: "Heaven's intent has always been hard to attain; moreover, human feelings are easily sad and hard to express."

All these myriad beings, in Heaven's eyes, are truly no more than ants; what mighty aura, what murderous spirit, what deep affection, what peerless martial arts, in the end are nothing but a spring dream, inseparable from the day of one's death.

In the original plot, Wuya Zi never knew until his death that Li Qiu Shui, out of love for him, deliberately lured men to his side; today, by telling him the truth, I suppose it counts as a kind of alternative comfort.

Next morning.

Behind Drum Mountain.

Pines and cypresses stood solemnly.

An additional yellow-earth new grave had appeared, its size not small, imposing and solemn; before the tomb stood a slab of white jade marble, bearing no inscription, while various fruits and foods were placed before the grave.

Su Xinghe, the Eight Friends of Hangu, Duan Yu, and the Four Guards of Dali all stood on both sides.

Feng Yi lit three sticks of sandalwood incense, placed them in the incense burner, A Zi knelt gracefully, bowed three times, rose, and stood to the side.

Feng Yi sighed and said: "Old brother, I originally wanted to hold a memorial for you, but when a person dies it's like a lamp going out; whether we hold a memorial or not changes nothing, so just go on your way. If in the next life I can still meet my senior sisters and junior sisters, tell them that I, Wuya Zi, am this affectionate—don't say just two, even ten or eight, I'd want them all!"

Whoever agrees, whoever disagrees!

If you agree, then we are deep in feeling and will go through together!

If you disagree, then we part on good terms, and nobody owes anyone anything!

Everyone was originally very sad, but upon hearing this, some almost laughed out loud, such as A Zi, Duan Yu, and the Four Guards of Dali.

Su Xinghe bowed and said: "Sect Master, I have erected this stone tablet before my master's grave, but it lacks an inscription; why not have you write it?"

Feng Yi nodded slightly, pondered for a long moment, stepped forward slowly, drew his sword with his right hand, waved it, and stone chips flew as he carved the large characters "Grave of the Late Master of the Carefree Sect, Wuya Zi".

Feng Yi was not versed in calligraphy, but these characters were vigorous and powerful, like swords, and he said: "The Carefree Sect was previously unheard of in the world; from now on there is no need for this! After all, the essence of the two words 'carefree' lies in being unbound by heaven and earth; you, the Eight Friends of Hangu, having returned to the sect today, remain disciples of Su Xinghe!"

The Eight Friends of Hangu were instantly overjoyed, all kneeling together: "Thank you, Sect Master!"

Feng Yi said to Su Xinghe: "You stay here to keep watch; I must go find your uncle and master's brothers to inform them of your master's passing."

"Yes!"

Su Xinghe let out a sigh, his mood sinking to the extreme.

Feng Yi took A Zi's hand and said to Duan Yu: "Young Master Duan, let's go together!"

Duan Yu said: "Good!"

"Seeing off the Sect Master!"

Su Xinghe and the others bowed and saw him off.

After Feng Yi and his group left the valley.

Feng Yi smiled and called out: "Brother Duan, look what this is!"

Duan Yu then saw that he was holding a hairpin, and remained silent for a moment.

A Zi involuntarily asked: "Little brother, what's wrong with you again?"

"Nothing." Duan Yu came to his senses and said: "This is Miss Wang's hairpin."

Feng Yi laughed and said: "I'm giving it to you!" as he tossed it to Duan Yu.

Duan Yu caught it and said: "How can I take this…"

Feng Yi said: "If you don't want it, I'll just throw it away."

Duan Yu hurriedly said: "That won't do! Although this is something you snatched, taking it would be improper."

Feng Yi laughed and said: "Even if it's improper, that's still me; what does it have to do with you?"

"If you want to keep it, keep it; if you want to return it to her, return it; it's none of my business!"

Duan Yu happily said: "Exactly, exactly, I should go return it to her! There's no delay; let's set off now."

Feng Yi said: "I'll accompany you."

"Well…" Duan Yu had not yet managed to politely decline,

Feng Yi spoke solemnly: "You are my older maternal uncle, and besides, the Murong family treats you extremely unfriendly—how could you handle that? Moreover, Master Wuya Zi said I must transmit to you the mental method of the Six Meridian Divine Sword; how could I go back on my word?"

Duan Yu gave a wry smile and shook his head: "Then I'll trouble you."

Feng Yi waved his hand: "No need to be polite!"

A Zi rolled her eyes and said to the Four Guards of Dali: "I and my little brother are going to play with my older brother; go report to my father."

Duan Yu also said: "Gentlemen, I am with A Zi sister; we will surely be fine—please let my father and Aunt Ruan rest assured."

The Four Guards of Dali hesitated a moment, then nodded reluctantly: "Young Master, please be careful in everything."

The four of them spurred their horses and left.

Feng Yi had Duan Yu explain the Six Meridian Divine Sword to him, so that he could devise a method of circulating qi.

Duan Yu didn't mind at all and laid out the Six Meridian Divine Sword in full.

Firstly, Duan Yu does not value martial arts highly and has few scruples; secondly, seeing that Feng Yi and A Zi have pledged lifelong commitment, he regards Feng Yi as his own brother-in-law.

Thirdly, Feng Yi makes those martial arts masters either not overly reverent or visibly fearful, and many even look down on themselves, which impresses him greatly.

Moreover, Feng Yi and A Zi's witty remarks, like pearls, make Duan Yu let down his guard.

Who would have thought that this convenient brother-in-law, from plucking Miss Wang Yan's hairpin, to having A Zi call him before Wuya Zi, to Wuya Zi teaching him martial arts, was actually all just a prelude to obtaining the Six Meridian Divine Sword?

Although the Six Meridian Divine Sword is exquisitely superb and its power unmatched, resulting in no one in the Dali Duan clan managing to master it, the only lacking factor is insufficient internal strength. Feng Yi's internal strength is profoundly deep; what he needs to study is merely how to circulate internal energy and concentrate it at the fingertips to emit it.

As Duan Yu explained it leisurely, he came to understand it thoroughly, as if already familiar. This speed left Duan Yu sighing in admiration.

Feng Yi naturally reciprocated the favor, wishing to teach Duan Yu a method of circulating qi that would allow free manipulation of true qi; who would have known that Duan Yu knows nothing about internal or external arts, which would require great effort to remedy.

Feng Yi could only first have him memorize the oral formula, waiting for the day when enlightenment dawns, perhaps then everything would become clear.

Speaking of memorization, Duan Yu is adept at it; after just two or three repetitions, he had the formula down pat.

The three arrived at a small town, which, though modest, lies on a route that merchants and travelers must pass through; thus they casually inquired and learned the whereabouts of Murong Fu and his entourage.

Feng Yi's body flickered and he darted out; A Zi also deployed her lightness skill, resembling a purple cloud drifting slowly behind Feng Yi.

Duan Yu also deployed the Lightning Wave Micro Step; the three advanced side by side and ran over a hundred li in one breath.

Having received Wuya Zi's lifelong power and several assists from Feng Yi, her absorptive ability is astonishing; possessing over seventy years of Northern Ice true qi within her, her internal strength is profound—few in the world can match it.

Using lightness to hurry, relying entirely on internal strength, the three felt exhilarated as they ran; unconsciously, evening arrived, and only then did they feel their stomachs empty.

Feng Yi spotted in the distance what seemed to be a few wisps of cooking smoke and said: "Young Master Duan and the Lady of the Prefecture are wealthy and extravagant, but gold and silver cannot stave off hunger or thirst; we still need to find an inn to offer sacrifices to the five viscera!"

A Zi said: "The hardship of dining on wind and dew is not pleasant!"

The three set out again, and shortly arrived at another town; while Duan Yu and A Zi chatted, Feng Yi noticed several people glancing at them, whispering together, with strange expressions.

Feng Yi also did not know who those people were; he immediately focused his guard, but seeing they made no move, he paid them no heed.

The three entered the town's largest inn; the proprietor immediately came forward, bowed with clasped hands, and said: "Please forgive my poor eyesight—are you Master Feng, Young Master Duan, and Miss Duan?"

The three exchanged a glance, feeling slightly puzzled.

Duan Yu smiled and said, "I am the humble Duan Yu; I wonder if you are the person the shopkeeper has in mind?"

The innkeeper laughed and said, "Exactly, your family has already arranged a room for you; I'll now lead the three of you to rest." Saying this, he led the way.

Feng Yi frowned and said, "Family?"

A Zi laughed and said, "It must be that Murong Fu fears you'll come to settle scores with him, so he's first making some appeasements to dissolve your grudge; otherwise, he'll likely have no peace in food or sleep for the rest of his life."

Feng Yi chuckled and said, "What do you mean?"

A Zi said, "Your... if it weren't that the timing isn't right, I wouldn't want to destroy you and such; who wouldn't be afraid?"

The speaker meant nothing, but the listener took it to heart; Feng Yi pondered, indeed that's the case, and said, "Perhaps, but we must also be wary of deceit." Deep down he felt something was off, after all Murong Fu is proud and arrogant, not the sort like A Zi who watches the wind, and he asked the innkeeper, "What does the person who arranged our rooms look like?"

The innkeeper turned his head and saw Feng Yi's solemn expression, which made his heart race; he hurriedly smiled and said, "Those two gentlemen: one has a square face, a formidable bearing, thick brows and big eyes, speaking Mandarin; the other is about thirty, with delicate eyebrows and clear eyes, speaking softly..."

A Zi let out an "aiyo", greatly startled, she pulled Feng Yi and headed outward, shouting, "Not good, hurry!"

Feng Yi saw her as if encountering a ghost, and laughed, "What are you afraid of? With me and your brother here, any enemy would have to kneel!"

Duan Yu revealed a strange smile, not yet speaking, when suddenly a cold snort was heard, someone saying, "Boastful!"

"Who?"

Feng Yi turned his head and saw several people walking out from behind the inn, both men and women; among them, one stared intently at Feng Yi, quite annoyed.

The leading man in purple robes appeared to be middle-aged, with a square face, his gaze wandering, sometimes resting on Feng Yi, sometimes on A Zi.

A Zi urged, "Stop with the cheap talk! Hurry!" She twisted her waist, leapt into a somersault, and darted out of the shop.

Feng Yi saw the several people, suddenly realized something, his heart pounding, he silently cried, "Oh no!" He also flashed out, calling, "Wait for me!"

Then came a fierce shout: "Bold!"

The purple-robed man suddenly lunged forward, aiming a palm strike at Feng Yi's back; the palm wind whooshed, with creaking noises, and the shop door kept rattling.

In the midst of his haste, Feng Yi swept his sleeve horizontally; with a thud, the purple-robed man let out a muffled groan, retreated three steps, and swayed as if about to fall.

(End of chapter)