Chapter 247: All Love Is Karma

Feng Yi first asked Xiao Feng about his wish; he also said that, amid the clouds and mist, they wanted to tell a story. Everyone was somewhat at a loss, but fortunately these few girls all enjoyed lively gatherings.

Especially A Zhu, she immediately said: "Great, I love listening to stories, but Brother Xiao is so stiff, he tells them poorly; let sister hear you tell a story—can you let people enjoy themselves?"

Feng Yi smiled slightly and said: "Although the story I tell is fictional, the grudges and emotions within are truly sad and lamentable."

Xiao Feng laughed heartily, clapped his hands, and said: "For that very sadness and lament, you and I must drink a bowl!"

"Yes, yes!" Duan Yu, also a man of feeling, hastily raised his bowl.

Feng Yi took a sip and leisurely said: "Long ago there was a youth who was a Xiongnu, but due to some special circumstances, he was not only raised by Han people, but also taught martial arts by an eminent person of a righteous sect. He was naturally intelligent, and with diligent hard work, he completed his training in ten years."

At that time he was only sixteen or seventeen; shortly after he joined a prominent sect, he strove to excel, gradually standing out in the sect, and within a few years his name shook the martial world—everyone knew him—and he also gained the recognition and trust of the sect's elders.

Xiao Feng felt something was off in his heart,

"Ah!" Duan Yu blurted: "This person's experience is not the same as my elder brother's……"

A Zi seemed somewhat annoyed: "If you want to listen to the story, don't interrupt."

Yet Feng Yi continued: "That youth did not know his own origins; as he grew older, he rode across the martial world, settling grudges with gusto, made many friends there, not only bringing glory to his master's sect but also achieving fame and success himself." Saying this, he let out a long sigh: "In life there are ups and downs; where there is glory, there must be lows."

Hearing this, Xiao Feng's heart raced uncontrollably and his breathing became hurried.

His martial arts were peerless, he was sharp and capable, unmatched in the world. His elders passed the sect leadership to him, but they feared that if he ever learned his true origins, he would become an enemy of the Han.

So they left a last will: if this person favored the Xiongnu and distanced himself from the Han, they would use any means to take his life—poisoning and assassination would be considered meritorious and blameless—but this will was kept secret, merely written as a letter and left to a trusted confidant, only……

Saying this, A Zhu interjected: "Only this will fell into the hands of someone with ulterior motives."

Feng Yi nodded and said: "Later, a brother's wife in his sect took a liking to this man, but he never gave her a place in his heart."

This woman was strong-willed and inherently vicious; loving him but unable to have him, she turned love to hate through jealousy, using several of her admirers to reveal the man's Xiongnu identity to the world.

Thus the man fell from being a great hero revered by thousands to a rat that everyone shouted at.

As soon as he said this, everyone present turned their gaze to Xiao Feng.

Even Xiao Feng trembled, involuntarily tightening his grip, his eyes flashing with a menacing light.

"Hehe..." A Zi burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.

Feng Yi asked seriously: "What are you laughing at?"

A Zi stared blankly and said: "I just find it rather ridiculous—such a heroic figure ruined by a woman's hand, and moreover by a woman who likes him."

Huang Wan'er couldn't help but say: "Is that really laughable? She likes someone—does that mean the person must also like her?"

If she can't have him, she destroys him; that's not love at all—it's nothing but resentful karma.'

"Yes, Miss Huang is right!" Feng Yi nodded: "But love, as a thing, often deceives the world; it does not distinguish between resentful love and true affection, for lovers being able to become a family is not a certainty!"

Huang Wan'er blinked: "Is it because of parental orders and matchmaker's words blocking the way? Or is it that the timing of their meeting is wrong?"

"Such reasons also exist in the world." Feng Yi smiled faintly: "After the great hero's identity was exposed, he was abandoned by all, yet he refused to believe it, thinking someone had framed him; he traveled a thousand miles, investigated everywhere, and finally realized that all of this was indeed the truth."

He was a Xiongnu, not a Han.

He fell into despair, but fortunately he had a female confidante by his side who cared nothing for who he was and followed him wholeheartedly. Yet the great hero's birth parents were not only killed, even his foster parents and teachers who had instructed him were slain; everyone thought he had done it and all wanted to kill him swiftly.

But he sought to uncover the truth, find that great villain, and avenge those people.

That woman also helped, but their inquiries only led to some deaths with no clues. She said, "Let's go to the frontier to graze horses and herd sheep, and spend the rest of our lives there!"

A Zi couldn't help but interject: "I know—finally the man's heroic spirit waned, and he fell into the gentle village!"

Feng Yi laughed heartily: "That man bears a deep, bloody hatred; how could he just give up? He said he would find the woman who framed him and investigate one last time; if still no result, they would go to the frontier together, hand in hand, to grow old—who knew…" He reached for the wine bowl.

"How so?" A Zhu hurriedly poured Feng Yi a bowl of wine.

Feng Yi took a sip of wine: "Effort is not wasted on the devoted; this young couple actually learned the name of that great villain from the mouth of the woman who had framed them, and after many inquiries they finally found the enemy."

But who would have thought that this enemy was actually the woman's own birth father.

The woman, who had never known who her parents were, suddenly saw them—needless to say, how overjoyed she was—and she also knew how much effort her lover had expended to take revenge.

But all of this, the man knew nothing; following the martial world's customs, he openly arranged to meet that enemy at midnight, intending to…

A Zhu exclaimed in surprise: "Did that enemy go?"

Feng Yi said: "That man is famous in the martial world; how could he break his word? Naturally he went, but he did not anticipate one thing."

A Zhu hurriedly asked: "What thing?"

A Zi said: "Sister, don't interrupt, just listen properly, okay? Was that enemy killed by that great hero?"

A Zi had heard half the story and was very curious, but she knew Feng Yi's actions had a purpose; unlike his earlier excitement, he now showed greater focus.

Feng Yi said: "The woman did not want her father to be killed by her lover, nor did she want her lover to feel wronged because of her and give up seeking revenge. She painfully made a decision." He turned to look at A Zhu: "A Zhu, if it were you, what would you do?"

At that moment, upon hearing his question, A Zhu's heart suddenly pounded; the phrase "this ground has no three hundred taels of silver" popped into her mind, her face flushed crimson, and she stammered: "I, I would pretend to be that enemy!"

Xiao Feng stared, then exclaimed in astonishment: "How could that be possible?"

Feng Yi said: "And why couldn't it be done? That woman, like A Zhu, disguised herself as her father's likeness and went to meet her lover."

When the man met the supposed enemy, he asked why he had to resort to lethal force; the woman, believing her father truly was the enemy, spoke in her father's voice, admitting she had made a grave mistake, and in order to conceal the truth, she killed to silence.

The man, suspecting nothing, said: "You have killed so many of my family; one life for one palm," and immediately launched an attack!

His palm strike landed squarely on the woman!

"Ah!" A Zhu's body trembled: "What was the result?"

Feng Yi slowly said: "His fury drove the strike; though not his full strength, it was aimed at taking a life. The woman could have little cultivation, so naturally the lovers were separated by yin and yang."

Although Xiao Feng was merely listening to the story, he also felt a great pain in his heart, tears streaming as he lamented: "What is this?"

Feng Yi said: "However, when the great hero struck the person, he only then realized something was wrong; upon examination, he discovered it was his beloved, and also understood her intention to shield him from disaster for her father's sake."

He was grief-stricken to the point of despair, intent on finding the woman's mother to beg for death, but suddenly realized he had been deceived by that vicious woman; he slapped himself repeatedly, beating his face into a pig's head, blood flying.

Having vented enough, he went to confront that poisonous woman to avenge his lover, only to learn that she had actually done it out of revenge, deliberately fabricating lies!

Duan Yu interjected: "Has that great hero already been ruined by her in reputation and stature? Isn't that enough?"

Feng Yi smiled: "This time she wanted to use the great hero's hand to take revenge on that woman's father!"

"Ah!"

Everyone who heard it was shocked; why is that?

Huang Wan'er said: "Then isn't this great hero utterly wronged?"

A Zi pursed her lips and said: "That person is really terribly unlucky, but why would that venomous woman seek revenge on the girl's father?"

Feng Yi said: "Because the two once had a relationship, that woman's father is notorious as a sentimentalist; all over the jianghu are his lovers, and everywhere are his daughters."

Not only does it cause endless feuds in the jianghu, but it also makes his son encounter, wherever he goes, those who like him and those he likes; however, the most tragic thing is……

Duan Yu said in a trembling voice: "Could it be…… that they're all…… my sister?"

Feng Yi gave a slight smile, gave him a look, letting people understand on their own.

A Zi, Huang Wan'er, and the Plum Orchid Bamboo Chrysanthemum slightly opened their mouths; they never expected such a laughable yet tearful result, both funny and sympathetic.

A Zhu and Xiao Feng were immersed in the story, forgetting to speak,

In the first half, Xiao Feng and A Zhu could still relate, feeling their own experiences, but later the twists and turns were somewhat unclear; hearing Feng Yi's meaning, all this tragedy stems from a single "love" character, truly sigh-inducing.

Moreover, Huang Wan'er felt that many things between people are originally simple, yet precisely because of so-called love, they have come to this point, truly hard to understand.

Duan Yu originally felt some sympathy for that man's son, thinking that the amorous fellow was rather like his own father; fortunately, the one who likes him is his sister, and what he likes has not yet become his sister, which is quite good, and heaven still looks favorably upon him.

Feng Yi asked: "What are your thoughts after hearing this story?"

Huang Wan'er said: "Don't worry, even if I cannot have my way in the future, I will not turn love into hatred and do such foolish things."

"If you understand my meaning, that's best." Feng Yi nodded: "But this tragedy, while appearing to be fate and coincidence, is also a matter of character."

If that hero were not bold and passionate, utterly devoted, how could he not heed his lover's dissuasion, insist on uncovering the truth, and upon acting, immediately think of killing someone to settle it quickly?

And if his lover were not supremely confident in her own cleverness, constantly deceiving others, how could she have imagined that even while hunting geese all day, she would be plotted against?

Of course, if this woman did not love the man deeply and did not wish to see him suffer, she need only tell him the truth that his enemy is her father; given his nature, he would surely not harm her.

Including the amorous man and the venomous woman, all their actions are likewise determined by character.

The amorous type actually loves all his women, but love is selfish; those women, although knowing he is married, still wish to possess him exclusively, and he cannot choose, so in helplessness he only avoids.

Therefore his lovers are grief-stricken to the point of despair, then turn from sorrow to hatred; some want to kill his other lovers, some women wish to revenge themselves on him, ultimately not only triggering this series of tragedies, but the amorous man himself also meets an untimely death!

"Ah!" Duan Yu exclaimed in shock: "He died? Killed by his own lover?"

Feng Yi shook his head: "Related to the lover, but also caused by others taking advantage."

Upon hearing this, A Zi couldn't help but think: that amorous man is Feng Yi; facing such a predicament, I would want to kill someone—would that also lead to Feng Yi's untimely death?

Her thoughts wandered, she was immersed in imagination, when suddenly Feng Yi said: "A Zi, what are you thinking about?"

A Zi startled, yet seeing Feng Yi gazing at her, she involuntarily blushed and huffed: "All right, stop beating around the bush; you're just going to say again that I shouldn't meddle in your flirtations, right?"

Feng Yi smiled and said: "You thinking this way shows your cleverness; I am relieved and can rest a bit easier."

However, worldly affairs shift with fortune and misfortune, success and failure; although they often depend on opportunity and luck, with fortunate and unfortunate distinctions, ultimately they are still determined by personal character.

Xiao Feng thought: "The onlooker sees clearly; the participant is confused. If it were me, what would I do?"

He couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile; back then he was no different—toward the villain who killed his adoptive parents and murdered his teacher, his hatred and resolve were not so different from this great hero's.

Upon striking, one must kill him!

A Zhu also didn't expect that the loving couple would not only fail to become family, but end up thus; she sighed: "After the great hero killed his lover, did his hatred lessen much, and is his later life happy?"

Feng Yi said: "The great hero killed his lover, later realizing that everything was because a woman liked him."

He also reflected, wondering whether his hatred was worth it; in utter despair, he wanted to leave his homeland, but his younger sister-in-law followed him.

"Younger sister-in-law?" A Zi and A Zhu looked at each other.

Feng Yi continued: "Originally, that woman's mother, having conceived out of wedlock, sent both her and her sister away, awaiting future recognition."

The woman, on her deathbed, made only one request of the great hero: that he take good care of her own younger sister.

The great hero, feeling guilty, naturally agreed at once, but this younger sister-in-law is a little devil, acting recklessly, cruel and ruthless, often speaking out of turn and coming to blows with people.

The several women immediately looked at A Zi, feeling the two were very alike.

"The great hero's discipline also fell on deaf ears, and he grew weary. But when the younger sister-in-law was seized by enemies, the hero had no choice but to act. Thus, the younger sister-in-law came to admire her brother-in-law dearly, yet the tale of Xiang Wang's dream and the goddess's indifference is not an isolated case."

This brother-in-law had eyes only for his older sister, had killed his lover, and vowed never to marry.

Her love was like the moon in the mirror, the flower in the water—fruitless, and all she got was a shattered body, buried together in the same grave!

Everyone's hearts sank; if so, it would truly be a great tragedy.

Thinking of this, they couldn't help but look at A Zi.

A Zi truly staggered, imagining if she were the "younger sister-in-law" and Xiao Feng the "brother-in-law", what would she do then?

Xiao Feng's peerless heroism makes the younger sister-in-law fall for him, which is understandable; but Feng Yi is graceful and unrestrained, and though I am steadfast, I cannot even imagine the younger sister-in-law's feelings.

She did not want to think more about it, and smiling at Feng Yi said: "Why would they end up shattered to pieces?"

Feng Yi smiled and said: "Brother Xiao, this story is somewhat like some of your experiences; you must listen carefully to take it as reference."

Xiao Feng nodded: "I have also noticed."

Feng Yi said: "Let us say that the younger sister-in-law, seeing that the brother-in-law's heart holds only the older sister, and that even her multiple helps are all for the sister's sake, with nothing for herself; feeling ashamed and angry, she resolved to take another path to win the brother-in-law. After much thought, she conceived of injuring the brother-in-law severely, then caring for him herself, unafraid that the plan might fail."

Huang Wan'er objected: "Isn't this just like that venomous woman, using any means!"

A Zi, intending to oppose her, gave a hehe laugh: "Brother-in-law helped the younger sister-in-law; isn't it natural for the younger sister-in-law to want to care for the brother-in-law?"

Feng Yi gave a light smile: "She thought it and did it; the result was that her scheming against the brother-in-law failed, and instead she was struck heavily by his palm, nearly losing her life."

This frightened the brother-in-law, who had personally killed his lover, only to end up beating the lover's sister to near death.

He desperately tried to save her, hearing that there was ginseng on Changbai Mountain that could prolong life.

He went there, and as a result not only did he cure the younger sister-in-law, but through circumstances he became sworn brothers with the Xiongnu great chanyu, and even helped him suppress the rebellion.

A Zhu couldn't help but ask: "And then? And then?"

Feng Yi said: "The great chanyu favored this brother, granting him the title of Left Virtuous King, second only to himself, commanding half the troops; yet the great chanyu was intent on invading Han lands, plundering their wealth and women."

The great hero, raised in Han lands, naturally unwilling; after repeated remonstrances, who would have known that the great chanyu not only refused but flew into a rage—yet he feared the hero's martial prowess, so that should they turn against each other, his own safety would be unguaranteed, and thus he could only remain silent.

The great hero, seasoned in the jianghu, rough yet meticulous, knew that letting the chanyu grow dissatisfied and not withdrawing would invite disaster; he therefore intended to take the younger sister-in-law and resign his post, but who knew……

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Huang Wan'er's heart stirred, and she blurted out: "Could it be that the Chanyu started with his younger sister-in-law?"

Originally, seeing that Feng Yi had previously told Xiao Feng to strike at those close to him, she had this guess.

A Zi, however, had a sudden thought: "How could that be? Since the younger sister-in-law deeply loves her brother-in-law, she would certainly rather die than let her beloved suffer."

She felt her understanding was better than Huang Wan'er's, and she was excited to the point of waving her arms and kicking her legs.

"When one thinks, it shows in one's countenance!" Feng Yi smiled slightly and said: "You can think like that; how could others not know?"

Duan Yu said in a hoarse voice: "Is it deceiving the younger sister-in-law and forcing him to submit?"

A Zi said softly: "Her younger sister-in-law is truly useless, able to be deceived!"

Feng Yi laughed: "The Great Chanyu's woman, seeing that her husband intended to deal with his brothers, offered him advice, saying that the younger sister-in-law likes the great hero but cannot have him, so why not start from here?"

Then give that younger sister-in-law a bottle of poison, tricking her by saying that she could obtain the Chanyu's favor, lasting prosperity, all because of this.

The younger sister-in-law had always wanted to replace her sister in her brother-in-law's heart; hearing this, she was overjoyed and hurriedly inquired. The woman said this is holy water; after a man drinks it, he will be wholly devoted to him for life, never changing.

This younger sister-in-law is also an expert in poison, but this poison is colorless and tasteless; moreover, she never anticipated the tumultuous twists of the court situation, and also did not know what 'the emperor's ruthlessness' means.

She immediately begged this consort; the woman, in order to make this girl firmly believe, deliberately raised objections, saying, "If I give it to you, what will I do?"

This younger sister-in-law, like her sister, is arrogantly smart, not regarding other women; she became even more convinced, repeatedly asking, and finally obtained the holy water.

She quickly put it into her brother-in-law's wine; although this brother-in-law was shrewd, he knew the younger sister-in-law's feelings for him and never expected she would harm him, so he drank the poisoned wine in one gulp.

Zhong Ling's face turned ashen, her expression dazed, she said: "Is he just going to be poisoned to death?"

Feng Yi said: "No, this poison merely prevents one from using internal energy. This brother-in-law, together with the younger sister-in-law, had not yet left the city when the poison took effect. Knowing he could not escape, he let the younger sister-in-law flee."

The younger sister-in-law then realized she had been tricked, crying and wanting to die with him, but hearing the brother-in-law say his life was fine, and that she excelled in water, she jumped into the water to escape.

Xiao Feng's brows sank: "If even poisoning didn't kill him, this Great Chanyu probably doesn't want to kill him directly either."

Feng Yi nodded: "He naturally didn't directly kill his lifesaver; he merely imprisoned him. After the younger sister-in-law escaped, she immediately sought to rescue her brother-in-law and told the Han heroes that her brother-in-law had been captured by the Great Chanyu for refusing to invade south."

Upon hearing this, the Han heroes immediately responded, all wanting to rescue the great hero; thus they sneaked into Xiongnu territory and rescued the great hero.

The Great Chanyu, upon hearing the news, felt shame and rage, and dispatched armored troops to pursue.

Although the heroes were many, they were no match for a great army; they fought and retreated, but the Great Chanyu happened to take the opportunity to launch a southern campaign, leading hundreds of thousands of troops all the way into Han lands.

The heroes endured successive bloody battles; upon reaching Han territory, they could not pass the gate, because the Han dynasty's troops saw them as strange-looking, and with a large army following behind, they suspected them of being spies and refused to open the gate.

The heroes were at a loss; seeing this, the great hero stepped forward to speak with the Great Chanyu.

The Great Chanyu, confident in his protection by countless troops, came out to meet him, but the great hero had two brothers beside him whose martial arts were peerless under heaven; they immediately captured the Great Chanyu alive.

The great hero then demanded that the Great Chanyu agree to withdraw troops and never again launch a southern campaign; otherwise he would perish together with the Great Chanyu.

The Great Chanyu immediately yielded, breaking a blade as an oath, saying he would not undertake southern campaigns in his lifetime." After saying this, Feng Yi let out a long sigh, showing regret."

Huang Wan'er said: "If so, there must certainly be some further twist."

Feng Yi slightly nodded: "That is natural. Before the Chanyu departed, he not only ordered troops to retreat, but also forbade the great hero from ever setting foot in his country's land again, and moreover mocked him, saying he could henceforth enjoy high office and generous salary, riches and honor in Han lands."

Xiao Feng's heart shuddered; he lifted his head to gaze at the sky, his expression solemn.

The several women saw his expression and felt uneasy.

Duan Yu sighed: "Given the great hero's nature, he probably cannot bear such suffering!"

Feng Yi said in a deep voice: "The great hero said: 'I am a Xiongnu, and once I swore brotherhood with the Chanyu; today I have coerced the Chanyu, becoming a great sinner of the Xiongnu, disloyal and unjust—what face do I have to stand between heaven and earth?' As soon as his words fell, the great hero committed suicide."

Huang Wan'er complained: "Why must it come to this?"

A Zi pouted: "Just because of this, he could also commit suicide; isn't he letting down the younger sister-in-law's arduous efforts? And what became of her?"

Feng Yi let out a long sigh: "Upon seeing her brother-in-law dead, the younger sister-in-law immediately gouged out her eyes, embraced his corpse, and leapt into a ten-thousand-zhang abyss."

A Zi felt great astonishment: "Jumping off a cliff is just jumping off a cliff, you can also call it dying for love; gouging out one's eyes—isn't that sick?"

Feng Yi chuckled and said: "Because this young aunt's eyes had been poisoned blind by someone, there was a person who admired her, who gave his own eyeballs to her; his brother-in-law once said, this person could even give you his eyeballs, showing his true love for you, so he wanted to match them up."

But this young aunt was stubborn and refused to comply, so before she died, she dug out her eyeballs and returned them to him, saying she owed him nothing!

Several women hearing this all shuddered, each thinking: "This woman is truly extremely wicked."

Zhong Ling said softly: "She dug out her eyeballs; that person can't possibly put them back in—what kind of repayment is this?"

Feng Yi sighed and said: "No need to repay, because when that person heard the young aunt had jumped off the cliff, he himself immediately jumped off the cliff."

Apart from him, everyone else's faces changed; Duan Yu was especially as if sitting on pins and needles.

Who would have thought that love, this thing, could weary people to such an extent?

Thinking of Feng Yi's earlier prophecy at the Shaolin Temple: "All affection is calamity; no one is free from grievance." Indeed, it was not false at all.

After a while, Feng Yi then said: "Brother Xiao, after hearing this story, what are your thoughts?"

Xiao Feng said: "I also pondered this problem just now. I also feel that this great hero's conduct is extremely strange, making it incomprehensible."

As Miss Huang and A Zi said, why would he die?

If it were said he died for love of his beloved, then having accidentally killed someone he ought to have sought death, but he did not.

How could he commit suicide over a single provocative remark from the Chanyu? That makes no sense.

Moreover, he mistakenly killed his beloved due to the grudge of his parents and teachers; the true culprit has not yet been found, so how could he willingly just die?

His way of dying, to speak frankly, has nothing to do with the nature of a hero; on the contrary, he seems like a ——

A Zhu interjected: "Coward!"

Xiao Feng nodded and said: "A Zhu is absolutely right!"

Feng Yi laughed and said: "What you say is not wrong; he has lofty aspirations reaching the clouds, and harbors deep hatred and great grudge, determined to take revenge—how could he willingly just die?"

Unfortunately, the great enemy he painstakingly sought was his own biological father!

Xiao Feng's eyes flashed with a sudden gleam, then immediately dimmed.

The several women looked at Xiao Feng, then at Feng Yi.

Duan Yu said: "How can this person's experience be so similar to that of my elder brother, yet he seems even more tragic than my elder brother."

Feng Yi nodded and said: "That great hero, upon learning that his enemy was his own father, felt ten times more despair than Xiao Brother did when he learned the same."

Because when Xiao Brother learned that his father had framed him, A Zhu was still by his side; but when he learned the enemy was his own father, not only had his beloved been killed by his own hand, he also had to repay the kindness of his adoptive parents and master before the world's heroes—only to find his father saying the villain was himself.

The great hero realized that his single-minded desire for revenge could not be fulfilled; he then said that those people were all killed by his father, with no difference from his own killing.

He said this, but few knew the pain in his heart.

What's more infuriating is that, upon learning of his mother's death, this Xiongnu-born tragedy in Han lands—caused intentionally by one who dreamed of restoring the nation—led him to shout, "The vengeance for killing my mother must be reported!"

A Zhu trembled as she said: "Could it be that he was unable to exact his revenge?"

Feng Yi said: "Naturally not; the opponent is also a master not weaker than him and his father, with friends and sons assisting, but this great hero and his father are both stalwart men who, knowing the odds are low, fear nothing and swear to avenge—yet..."

A Zi shouted: "I know!"

"Oh?" Feng Yi asked: "Why?"

A Zi's eyes were mischievous as she extended a finger: "Because an unparalleled master has appeared!"

Xiao Feng said: "Could it be that he too was blocked?"

Feng Yi nodded: "Exactly! His father and enemy both turned to the Buddhist Dao, hoping that master would accept them as disciples."

Duan Yu suddenly felt enlightened and said leisurely: "That great hero endured a hundred hardships, yet remained ignorant, killing his beloved with his own hand; after finally learning the truth, his wishes remained unfulfilled, so he could only return glumly to the Xiongnu."

Yet his peace proposals were again rejected, he fell out with his elder brother, his life had nothing left to seek, all thoughts turned to ash, seeing himself unwelcome in his homeland, he ended it all—how unsatisfying!

"Oh?" This time Feng Yi didn't understand: "Satisfying? How so?"

"Because..." Duan Yu's face showed a solemnity never seen before, speaking word by word: "Because he attained great enlightenment, having already achieved the True Fruit, he became a Buddha!"

A Zi pouted: "What True Fruit? I think you should just go become a monk and become a Buddha!"

Duan Yu gave a bitter smile: "I haven't yet cultivated emptiness, and besides, Dali has a tradition of withdrawing to become monks—my becoming a monk is nothing special."

Feng Yi clapped his hands and laughed heartily: "Good lad, it seems my story wasn't told in vain."

In this life, a person actually lives for the value of life.

That great hero stopped a war, saving who knows how many lives—truly a case of myriad families giving rise to Buddhas.

To die without dying, letting one's personal charm be exalted; a foreign barbarian, even after a hundred years, is still remembered by mighty descendants—perhaps this is what it means to live toward death.

His loud laugh burst forth, his heroic spirit fully displayed; those who heard the story felt their sorrow lessen a bit.

A Zi still had doubts and wanted to ask more, when suddenly Feng Yi rose and said: "I tell this story to tell everyone that in this world, no matter how profound one's wisdom, how miraculous one's martial arts, how high one's status and power, or how deep one's feelings, once one involves personal desire, one will ultimately make a grave mistake."

All talent and martial arts will become weapons that harm oneself, ultimately leading to deviation into demonhood, unable to extricate oneself.

Only when something is lost does one realize how precious it is, yet by then it's too late to turn back, leaving lifelong regret.

Feng Yi said this, then sighed: "Therefore, to avoid tragedy befalling oneself, one must understand the way of yielding and harbor a forgiving heart—as the saying goes, 'The proud dragon has regrets; fullness cannot last; step back, and the sea becomes wide, the sky vast.'"

Duan Yu deeply agreed, repeatedly saying yes.

Feng Yi walked to the door, paused slightly, turned his face with a faint smile, and softly said: "A Zi, I also forgot to say this: being able to keep a bowl of water level for a lifetime already tests one's ability greatly."

"I am just a lecher; being able to be with you is also a great fortune for me, Feng Yi—this is heaven giving me face."

"If my woman bears resentment due to affection, treating each other as enemies, hehe, creating killing karma, I fear even heaven cannot look away; the retribution will surely fall on me, just like the amorous seed in the story—hahahaha..."

Having said that, he left the room.

(End of chapter)