Chapter 266: and translation of chapter title

Feng Yi slept straight through until midnight; upon waking, he turned his head and, seeing a large candle lit on the table, its faint yellow light revealed a round face—Qu Feiyan.

She sat at the table, chin resting on one hand, her expression wavering; obviously she was pondering something.

Feng Yi stretched lazily and smiled: "What are you thinking about?"

Qu Feiyan tilted her head, thought, then giggled: "You're really handsome." A blush rose to her cheeks; though young, her shy manner was no different from that of a blossoming maiden.

She had just been roused to indignation and challenged Feng Yi, ready to fight to the death, but upon learning that all his actions were to save people, her thoughts changed instantly.

In the subdued light, Feng Yi saw clearly and thought: "Girls are fickle—just moments ago she was shouting for battle!" He said: "Where are your grandfather and the others?"

Qu Feiyan gave a little "hee" laugh: "They're putting on a big show!" and darted away.

"A play?" Feng Yi, puzzled, walked out of the bedroom.

Only then did he carefully examine the room: the furniture was exquisite, calligraphy and paintings hung on the walls, the side table displayed some jade ware; though the hall was not large, its arrangement was extremely elegant. He thought: "Liu Zhengfeng is a country landlord who also likes music—this is quite normal."

"But who knows who will benefit from all this now that I've walked away?"

Bored, he heard footsteps; two maidservants entered carrying tea and washing utensils.

"Please, sir, freshen up before your meal."

Feng Yi said: "Thank you!"

After the two maidservants attended to him and he changed clothes inside and out, he headed toward the front hall, faintly hearing the sound of weeping.

Feng Yi flashed to the hall's entrance and saw a memorial hall set up inside, white cloth draped high, both sides piled with paper funeral carts and horses,

he saw the Liu family's children seated in a row, all in mourning garb, plus a few disciples of the Liu household, illuminated by the swaying old man's candlelight, appearing especially bright and glaring.

Feng Yi was full of questions, about to ask, when suddenly someone called out: "Big Brother Feng!"

In the blink of an eye he looked over—Qu Feiyan stood not far away, waving at him.

"What's going on?" Feng Yi frowned and walked over.

Qu Feiyan said mysteriously: "Come with me!"

Leading him down the corridor to the left, he saw in the distance a bamboo grove; deep within the thicket, a modest lodge could be faintly seen, its lights glowing warmly, standing out sharply against the night.

Qu Feiyan pointed to the lodge and smiled: "My grandfather and Master Liu are inside."

Suddenly there was a creak; the door opened, and Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang stepped out side by side.

Liu Zhengfeng clasped his hands and said: "Thank you for your trouble, Sir Feng; I have been remiss."

Feng Yi said: "What is the purpose of this performance of yours?"

Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang exchanged a glance and smiled.

Qu Feiyan said: "Master Liu says, since you, Sir Feng, have beaten them to death, they can't just let the matter drop; even putting on a show must be done in full."

Feng Yi immediately understood and smiled: "Why go to such trouble, gentlemen? I don't care about this empty fame in the jianghu."

Liu Zhengfeng said: "You may not care, but we two owe you our lives, so we cannot be indifferent."

"Moreover, I and Elder Qu are as good as dead."

Feng Yi smiled: "All right!"

Liu Zhengfeng gestured invitingly: "Please!"

Feng Yi entered the house with the two, and saw a banquet laid out on the table; he helped himself without ceremony.

After eating and drinking, Qu Yang's face grew solemn and he suddenly said: "Sir Feng, do you know Dongfang Bubai?"

Feng Yi replied: "The world's greatest martial artist, the leader of the Demonic Cult."

Qu Yang nodded: "If you wander the jianghu, you'll surely have dealings with our cult, and even more inevitably a battle with him."

Feng Yi, lost in thought: "How so?"

Qu Yang sighed: "You once told Yue Buqun you wanted to invite Dongfang Bubai to a sword debate on Mount Hua; that news will surely spread, and our cult will certainly hear of it."

Feng Yi stared blankly, then heard Liu Zhengfeng apologize: "Members of the Demonic Cult revere Dongfang Bubai as a deity; if they learn of this, Sir Feng will face endless troubles."

"And all this stems from me, which truly unsettles me."

Feng Yi said these words were originally meant to mock Yue Buqun, but now he realized it was true: "The Sunflower Manual is hailed as the supreme martial art; even without you, I would still seek a meeting with Dongfang. If the Demonic Cult comes looking for me, I would welcome it!"

His demeanor was humble and gentle, yet he possessed an innate aura of world‑spanning dominance.

Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang guessed his mind was set, thinking: "He clearly knows the danger posed by Dongfang, yet to avoid implicating us he acts nonchalantly—such a rare hero of chivalrous spirit; we wonder what lifetimes of cultivation it took to meet him."

Qu Feiyan, however, listened with brows dancing; she nudged Feng Yi and whispered: "You also know the Sunflower Manual?"

Feng Yi laughed: "Many in the jianghu have heard its name; what's so strange about that?"

Qu Feiyan asked: "Then what martial art do you cultivate?"

"Feiyan, don't be rude!" Qu Yang's face hardened.

He knew asking others about their martial arts was a major taboo in martial study.

Qu Feiyan pouted her little lips; Qu Yang forced a smile: "This granddaughter of mine has been spoiled by me."

Feng Yi chuckled: "A child—understandable."

Qu Feiyan added: "Grandfather, I've decided—I'm not going with you; I want to watch Sir Feng's great battle against Dongfang Bubai!"

Qu Yang shouted angrily: "Nonsense!"

Qu Feiyan, pampered since childhood, rarely saw her grandfather treat her so sternly; she puffed her lips, ready to act coquettish and defy him.

Liu Zhengfeng's brows furrowed slightly as he said slowly: "Feiyan, Sir Feng has already been drawn into the jianghu vortex; following him would only burden him."

Qu Feiyan stared, then said hoarsely: "So you mean I'll never see him again?"

Feng Yi smiled: "If fate wills, we'll meet again; you've already done me this favor, so let's set out now."

Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang fell silent for a moment, thinking: "The Song Mountain Sect members have left; perhaps they left spies behind. Even if we travel all night, we might still be tailed. They had originally planned to wait two days, let Liu Zhengfeng's disciples and themselves investigate personally, then depart."

But since Feng Yi had spoken, they could hardly refuse; as they pondered, they suddenly heard a plaintive, desolate piano melody drifting in—though not loud, it was crystal clear to the ear, as if coming from just three feet away.

Liu Zhengfeng blurted: "Senior Brother!" and went out to meet him.

He moved with extreme swiftness; in the blink of an eye he was outside the door, where he saw a gaunt figure in green robes standing there, who hastily bowed and said: "Junior Brother pays his respects, Senior Brother!"

While speaking, Feng Yi and Qu Yang also came out; Qu Yang walked respectfully up to Mo Da and made a deep bow to show respect.

Mo Da, however, stepped aside and would not accept the salute.

Qu Feiyan, seeing his disrespect toward her grandfather, also snorted.

Feng Yi wondered, "Sect Leader Mo, how did you come here?"

Mo Da squeezed out a smile on his old face and said, "Hero Feng bears the burden of the martial world's calamity; how could I dare not come?"

Feng Yi smiled and said, "Sect Leader Mo, you overpraise me."

Mo Da shook his head: "No."

As soon as the heroes left Liu's manor, they began to say that it was still unknown whose martial arts were superior, yours or Dongfang Bubai's, but Fang Zheng Master, Chongxu Daoist, and the Left Alliance Leader would certainly not be your match; this news would spread across the jianghu in an instant.

The Left Alliance Leader wants to unite the Five Sacred Peaks, relying solely on his superior martial arts; not only does no one in the Five Sacred Peaks Sect match him, but even Shaolin and Wudang may not have anyone who can defeat him.

With this move of yours, it remains uncertain whether the Left Alliance Leader still wishes to unite the peaks; isn't that averting a great catastrophe in the jianghu?

Feng Yi smiled and said, "You overpraise me. The struggles among martial artists won't change just because of one person. After all, if one cannot win by martial arts, one can use poison; if poison doesn't kill, one can use explosives; I am merely a mortal of flesh and blood—how could I possibly avert a jianghu catastrophe?"

Mo Da gave a slight smile and said, "Hero Feng, being able to say that puts my mind at ease. However, the Songshan Sect's troops have withdrawn without pause."

Liu Zhengfeng's thoughts turned several times, and he said, "Could it be because of Fei Bin?"

Qu Yang interjected, "Could it be that the icy true qi within Fei Bin cannot be suppressed even now?" Mo Da gave a slight nod: "Exactly. I secretly followed the Songshan Sect and saw that Fei Bin was afflicted with the cold qi; Ding Mian and Lu Bai Ben said that even with their combined strength they could at most not fully remove the poison, but after struggling until nightfall, Fei Bin's cold qi had not been dispelled in the slightest; they were at a loss, all speculating about Hero Feng's origins."

They said his internal energy was orthodox, yet the chill in his palm was utterly evil, containing good within evil and evil within good, vastly different from the yin-cold arts such as the Ice Palm and Black Wind Finger known in the jianghu.

Ding Mian said that the yin-cold qi afflicting him was somewhat similar to the Left Alliance Leader's 'Icy True Qi', but his cultivation was deeper; for now he could only hurry back to Henan to report to his senior brother and treat Fei Bin, then decide on the next steps. Therefore, no one has been sent to watch Liu Shi-di's home; you may travel in peace.

Having spoken, Mo Da's wide sleeves fluttered as he walked out through the woods.

"Many thanks, elder brother, for your kindness; Liu Zhengfeng respectfully sees you off!"

Liu Zhengfeng bowed respectfully, and Qu Yang and Qu Feiyan also performed a respectful salute.

They all knew that Mo Da's words sounded easy, but to follow the Songshan Sect and eavesdrop on their conversation was to court great danger.

What courage this is; moreover, Feng Yi is the reinforcement he brought—how could they not show respect?

Qu Feiyan suddenly said, "Brother Feng, the Ice Palm is powerful but not a rare supreme skill; there are plenty of such experts in the Sun Moon Divine Sect, so how can you be so formidable?"

Feng Yi smiled and said nothing.

Although many people cultivate Ice Palm and Finger techniques, what Feng Yi harbors within him is not true qi or divine skill at all, but rather the transformation of a heavenly treasure, the ice silkworm.

The ice silkworm burns like fire upon contact, yet harbors a yin cold poison within; Feng Yi has integrated it throughout his body, and the silkworm's poison is already potent, combined with his own true qi and inner strength, making the yin-cold toxin accumulated within him supreme under heaven.

!.

Not only does it render all other poisons ineffective against him, making him immune to all toxins, but once he channels his true qi through the yin meridians, the cold poison he emits, upon striking a person, is unbearable even for the most formidable expert.

It is only because Feng Yi acts with thorough consideration that he did not simply freeze Fei Bin to death; he wanted the Songshan Sect to be occupied with treating his injury, leaving them no spare attention, thus creating an opportunity for the Liu family to escape—hence his remark that they would leave that very night, to see whether the Songshan Sect sought Liu Zhengfeng's life or the rescue of their own junior brother as the priority.

Feng Yi fell silent for a moment, then said softly, "Let's go then! I'll accompany you for a stretch."

Liu Zhengfeng said, "Having a hero escort us is something I could hardly hope for, but I fear it would delay your time."

Feng Yi waved his hand and said, "Zuo Lengchan harbors great ambition and deep scheming; he has long since subdued some notorious black‑road masters and uses them for shady deeds. Since I have intervened, I cannot simply walk away, lest I lose face."

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhengfeng knew Feng Yi was not speaking without basis; combining it with his own experience, he recognized the words as true, and gave a wry smile: "The Left Alliance Leader is a generation‑high person, lofty and revered—how has he come to this?" He shook his head, strolled out, and went to greet the departure.

The others followed suit, and Qu Yang pondered, "Zuo Lengchan is truly formidable; he likely intends first to unite the Five Sacred Peaks, stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Shaolin and Wudang, then greatly expand his disciples—this power will surely grow like a snowball, leaving no peace in the martial world!"

Feng Yi said, "Martial artists spend their lives striving for superiority; how could the jianghu ever be tranquil? Without Zuo Lengchan, there would still be a You Lengchan."

Qu Yang nodded and said, "Indeed, this competitive spirit cannot be eliminated; over these years Dongfang Bubai has basically neglected sect affairs, yet the turmoil has continued unabated."

Suddenly hearing the sound of carriages and horses, Feng Yi said, "Let's go!"

Upon stepping outside, they saw several large wagons parked at the gate; the Liu family's household had already boarded, and Liu Zhengfeng entrusted everything to his disciples Xiang Dianian and Mi Weiyi.

Liu Zhengfeng said, "Hero Feng, we are setting out now; we can take the water route tomorrow morning."

Feng Yi nodded, got aboard at once; Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang followed, boarding and sitting side by side; Qu Feiyan also climbed up, sitting beside Feng Yi, her gaze complex and inscrutable.

Feng Yi lifted the curtain, glanced out, and the carriage headed south all the way; as it jolted, everyone's mood rose and fell uncertainly, not knowing whether they could peacefully retire to the countryside.

"Brother Feng!" Qu Feiyan suddenly said, "How is it that you bear no hostility toward me and my grandfather, these heretical outsiders?"

Feng Yi smiled and said, "The founder of Wudang, Zhang Sanfeng, once said that so‑called right and wrong are not a matter of name or status, but of heart and conduct."

Of course, this principle is not unknown to others; moreover, they have already established such a pattern, just like the partisan struggles in the imperial court—same‑party attacks, different‑party defense.

"Same‑party attacks, different‑party defense?" Qu Feiyan poked her cheek with a little hand, looking somewhat puzzled.

Feng Yi said, "What this means is that, whether you belong to the orthodox sect or the demonic cult, as long as you share my stance, whatever you do will have its own justification."

For example, Yu Canghai slaughtered the Lin family; to prevent Lin Zhen nan and his wife from leaking the news that had fallen into his hands, they could kill everyone who ran a wine shop to silence them.

Such wanton slaughter of the innocent is something the orthodox path ought not to commit, yet orthodox‑sect people not only turn a blind eye but also give them tacit approval, finding a plausible excuse, saying things like, "It's just a feud between their sects; I shouldn't interfere."

But if demonic‑sect people commit such acts, those who proclaim themselves righteous among the prestigious orthodox clans will magnify the offense without limit, subjecting them to verbal and written condemnation.

They would say that there is no distinction between right and wrong, that wanton slaughter of the innocent is the deed of a demonic master, and so on.

Qu Feiyan burst out laughing and said, "Brother Feng, you sound just like a member of the Divine Sect, speaking exclusively for them."

Feng Yi shook his head and said, "This is not speaking for anyone; rather, as I see it, since they style themselves as the orthodox sect, proclaiming the upholding of martial virtue as their duty, and enjoy the people's esteem."

Then they ought to act rightly, walk uprightly; when encountering injustice, they must blunt their sharpness to settle disputes, uphold justice, and assume responsibility without shirking.

This applies regardless of whether the person is from the orthodox path or the demonic sect.

Yet the orthodox path simply cannot do so.

This is typical: their slogans shake the heavens, yet there is no corresponding action.

Moreover, the demonic sect are originally seen as devils in the eyes of the world, bearing all kinds of curses and ill reputations; if they were to behave like orthodox‑sect people, how could they still be considered devils? That would be sheer fantasy.

Of course, you demonic‑sect people call yourselves the Divine Sect, so you ought to possess divinity, should have strict precepts to bind your followers, yet you have failed to do so.

Thus the orthodox and demonic sects are essentially the same sort of beast; they certainly have good people and gentlemen, as well as villains and petty individuals.

Qu Feiyan interjected, "And there are hypocritical gentlemen!"

Qu Yang suddenly waved his hand and said, "Don't talk nonsense!"

Qu Feiyan pursed her lips and said: "In the martial world, who doesn't know that Yue Buqun is a false gentleman..."

Seeing Liu Zhengfeng's bad expression, she closed her mouth and said nothing.

Feng Yi secretly chuckled: "Yue Buqun has spent his life cultivating the reputation of a gentleman, but even Qu Feiyan, a little girl, knows he's a hypocrite; it's also laughable."

As for this, he was not surprised.

Ren Woxing was imprisoned at the bottom of West Lake; to those who claimed to be the successors of Feng Qingyang's lineage, the "Wind Two Middle", he said that Yue Buqun of the Mount Hua Sect was a hypocrite; he hadn't had time to tear off his mask before being imprisoned. Yet he greatly praised Ning Zhongze, saying she was a true heroine among women, a flower inserted in cow dung.

Also, a nun from the Mount Heng Sect, in front of Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong, scolded Yue Buqun as a hypocrite.

Given the nun's habit of never leaving the main gate, let alone the second gate, to say this—even if the few old nuns of the Mount Heng Sect had never discussed it behind their backs, she must have heard others talk about it, so she blurted it out.

Thus, Yue Buqun's reputation as the "Gentleman Sword" seems to be believed only by the Mount Hua Sect's people; how could this not be a kind of sorrow for him?

Qu Feiyan, by nature lively, also said: "Big Brother Feng, you say, in your battle with Dongfang Bubai, how confident are you?"

As soon as he said that, Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng also looked curious.

"What is that?" Feng Yi gazed outside the carriage, hesitated slightly, wanted to speak but stopped: "You all listen, what sound is that!"

Everyone stared, "Sound?" Qu Feiyan shook her head: "I didn't hear anything!"

Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang gave a wry smile without speaking, deeply knowing that Feng Yi's inner strength was too profound, able to hear what ordinary people cannot.

Suddenly, a long whistle came from far away at the northwest corner; the whistle was heavy and muddy, and its tail was extremely faint.

Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang are both experts in martial arts; upon hearing it, they knew this person had suffered internal injury, hence his vital energy was insufficient.

Several people leaned out the window to look; a figure flashed past like flying; in the faint starlight and moonlight, it was vaguely the "Northern Frontier Bright Camel" Mu Gaofeng.

Don't look at him just because he is a hunchbacked camel-like figure, his movements seem very inconvenient; who would have thought his body is actually extremely swift—only to hear him hoarsely shout: "Brother Yue, do you really want the camel's life?"

At that moment, a person several zhang away shouted: "You commit murder and harm people; how could Yue not see it?" His voice was full of dignity—it was Yue Buqun.

Mu Gaofeng laughed loudly: "As a Mu, I've lived so many years; to see someone with as thick a face as Brother Yue, today is still the first time." Although these words were still spoken with extraordinary arrogance, his voice already trembled, revealing his inner fear.

Yue Buqun shouted: "Brother Mu, my Mount Hua Sect has always been kind to others; you have repeatedly insulted me; today I cannot tolerate you."

While they were speaking, both of their movements were not slow; before the echo faded, both of their figures had already vanished.

Qu Yang sighed: "Mu Gaofeng has been famous for many years; indeed, he is impressive—after receiving a blow from Hero Feng, he can still display such lightness."

Liu Zhengfeng said: "Brother Yue also got injured from exchanging a palm with Hero Feng; otherwise, Mu Gaofeng probably wouldn't have had a chance to escape."

Feng Yi suddenly clapped his hands: "Oh no!"

Qu Feiyan laughed and said: "You hands-off shopkeeper, you only just now remember that Lin family kid!" (End of chapter)