Chapter 269

The wind was clear.

The moon was cold.

Feng Yi leisurely caught up to the convoy of Liu Zhengfeng and the others.

Although it was late at night, the carriage jolted and no one could sleep; Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang wanted to play flute and zither to amuse themselves, but feared revealing their whereabouts, so they had to endure.

Qu Feiyan constantly worried about Feng Yi, feeling unhappy as well, but upon seeing Feng Yi lift the carriage curtain, she brightened and hurriedly asked what had happened.

Feng Yi was always lenient toward women; hearing her repeatedly call him 'big brother,' he thought of his own woman and proceeded to tell her everything he had just heard and seen.

Liu Zhengfeng's eyes flickered with a hint of dazedness as he said, 'I thought Mu Gaofeng, after taking a blow from Hero Feng, would have fled far away; I never expected he would still dare to take chestnuts from the fire.'

"What 'taking chestnuts from the fire'!" Qu Feiyan laughed and said, "I think he's just stupid; the Lin family's Evil-Repelling Sword Art is obviously sparse and ordinary; Lin Zhen'nan's own experience is clear proof."

Qu Yang shook his head and said, 'That's not necessarily true; Yu Canghai, Mu Gaofeng, and Yue Buqun are all eminent figures of the present age. Back then, Lin Yuan Tu, with his seventy-two ways of Evil-Repelling Sword Art, dominated the martial world, meeting no match. Although it's just jianghu rumor, it's certainly not baseless.'

After all, Yu Canghai's master Chang Qingzi also fell to him, so the true Evil-Repelling Sword Art is certainly not what Lin Zhen'nan and his son know; the meaning of Lin Zhen'nan's last words likely refers to the genuine Evil-Repelling Sword Manual.

"Ah!" Qu Feiyan exclaimed in surprise, "Then Lin Pingzhi joining the Huashan Sect is essentially walking into a trap, isn't it?"

Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang both sighed.

Qu Feiyan said, 'Big Brother Feng, why don't you stop it?'

She had a good impression of Lin Pingzhi, so while at Liu's manor, seeing Yu Canghai aiming at Lin Pingzhi, she had her grandfather seal the acupoints of two Qingcheng Sect disciples and throw them in to draw Yu Canghai's attention.

Feng Yi glanced at her and said, 'People are taking a master; how could I stop them? Or am I supposed to compete with Yue Buqun for disciples? If I felt like taking them, I would, but I'm in my prime and have no intention of taking on disciples.'

Feng Yi has seen too many disciples betray their masters.

Therefore he would rather leave his martial arts wherever, waiting for fate, and never thought of taking disciples.

Qu Yang said, 'Hero Feng has already done enough; Yue Buqun is called the "Gentleman Sword," although many say he is hypocritical, but after all this is just speculation, without proof.'

Hero Feng almost openly said in the Jade Pearl Pavilion that Yue Buqun also covets the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, yet Lin Pingzhi still wants to become his disciple.

This is his own choice; no matter what bitter fruit, he must endure it, just like me and you, Old Liu.

Qu Feiyan slightly nodded and said, 'But Big Brother, why aren't you willing to take Lin Pingzhi as a disciple? He's quite good—he has backbone, filial piety, and heroic spirit.'

Feng Yi said, 'This Lin Pingzhi comes from a wealthy family; he is essentially a spoiled young master, blindly confident, thinking his father's martial arts are the pinnacle of the age, and his own skills are also extraordinary, as if Fuzhou belonged to his family.'

But after suffering a great change, enduring all worldly cold and warmth, he became extremely insecure; later, hearing from the Huashan Sect about Lin Yuan Tu's might, he again felt the Lin family was still formidable, only his father was lacking.

This leads him to combine magnanimous bearing with petty spite in one person; no one knows when he will erupt.

And although Yue Buqun covets the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, he ultimately comes from a prestigious lineage, values status and decorum, and would not commit the brazen seizure that Yu Canghai and Mu Gaofeng would.

His becoming a disciple of Huashan is merely because he feels capable of dealing with Yue Buqun; learning of Lin Yuan Tu's heroic deeds only increases his fantasy about the family's martial arts; taking on such a disciple is too dangerous—perhaps one day he'll stab you in the back.

After hearing this, the group fell silent for a moment; Qu Feiyan suddenly said, 'Big Brother Feng, could it be that the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual is truly immensely powerful?'

She knew Feng Yi's martial arts were so formidable; he once had Lin Pingzhi give him the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, which allowed him to save his parents; hearing her grandfather say that, she became very curious.

Feng Yi, however, remained silent.

Qu Feiyan nudged his arm and said, 'Big Brother Feng, just say it.'

Feng Yi couldn't bear such treatment from a young lady; he smiled and said, 'The martial arts on the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual are indeed extraordinarily formidable!'

"What?" The three were all startled.

The weight of Feng Yi saying 'extraordinarily formidable' should not be underestimated.

Qu Feiyan's face turned ashen, and she said, 'Then Yue Buqun must nonstop rush to Fuzhou; how could Lin Pingzhi possibly obtain the sword manual?'

Feng Yi smiled and gave no definite answer.

Qu Yang said, 'Yue Buqun is the head of his sect and widely known as a righteous gentleman; the Lin family affair is already the talk of the town; going to Fuzhou now would be too conspicuous, which would change its nature and immediately give people grounds for criticism.'

Liu Zhengfeng added, 'Zuò Lěngchán wants to unite the Five Sacred Mountains; I don't know how many means he's used. I have retired from the martial world, and Mo Dàshīxiong not coming gives me an excuse.'

After all, the two of us have been on bad terms for a long time, yet none of my fellow sect brothers are present—obviously they among them...

Saying this, he shook his head.

Everyone present knew this was saying that they had long known the Songshan Sect would be unfavorable to them; coming to help would be seeking their own death.

Not helping would lose sect loyalty; better not come at all.

Then how could the Hengshan crowd know? There must be someone secretly defecting to the Songshan Sect.

If Hengshan is like that, does Huashan have no one secretly colluding with Zuò Lěngchán?

If Yue Buqun dares to act so openly, he will immediately give the Songshan Sect a pretext of violating the righteous way to deal with Huashan.

Just like his own collusion with the Demonic Cult.

Qu Feiyan sighed and said, 'Then I hope Lin Pingzhi can obtain the sword manual, master the family's secret art, annihilate the Qingcheng Sect, and make his name known under heaven.'

Feng Yi laughed and said, 'You're so young, what's with "annihilate completely"? That's not good!'

"How is it not good?" Qu Feiyan raised her eyebrows: 'The Qingcheng Sect wiped out the Lin family; shouldn't they be annihilated completely?'

Feng Yi smiled and said nothing.

Liu Zhengfeng said, 'Feifei, Hero Feng's meaning is that saying "annihilate completely" is easy, but doing it is hard. You're so young, constantly using such words, once heard by others, you'll inevitably invite trouble.'

Qu Yang also said, 'Indeed, some matters and some words shouldn't be spoken carelessly; speaking without restraint invites disaster.'

Qu Feiyan gave an 'oh,' looked at Feng Yi, bit her lip, and said, 'Big Brother Feng, just now I asked you, how sure are you about dealing with Dongfang Bubai, and you still haven't...'

Qu Yang coughed and said, 'Feifei, you should rest a while; Hero Feng is also tired.'

Qu Feiyan suddenly realized, always asking Feng Yi this question—if she had confidence, it would inevitably seem like boasting; if she lacked confidence, saying she'd invite Dongfang Bubai to a Huashan sword debate would also be boasting.

For a moment, gazing at Feng Yi, she felt inexplicably tense.

Feng Yi laughed and said, 'My saying I'd invite Dongfang Bubai to a Huashan sword debate was actually just a jest aimed at Yue Buqun.'

Qu Yang's expression turned solemn as he said, 'Hero Feng, you must not treat this as a joke, or say you're just teasing; but now it's no longer that.'

Feng Yi smiled and said, 'I know, given Dongfang Bubai's prestige, if I say that, your sect's disciples will surely not let me rest; but Dongfang Bubai may not even pay attention.'

Qu Yang wondered in his heart, 'Where does this come from?'

Feng Yi said: "What is Dongfang Bubai doing now?"

Qu Yang said: "Within the sect, rumors say he is painstakingly practicing the sect's treasured guardian, the Sunflower Manual; though until a month ago one could still see him several times, he now favors a man named Yang Lian Ting, purging some elders—if I didn't leave, I'd likely be on the purge list as well."

Feng Yi laughed: "So Dongfang Bubai has no time to compete with me, and I wouldn't be foolish to run all the way to the demon sect's main base, Black Wood Cliff, just to compare skills with him." He sighed.

Qu Feiyan said: "Then what are you sighing about?"

Feng Yi said: "As a martial practitioner, not being able to fight him is also regrettable; moreover, how superb the martial arts on the Sunflower Manual truly are cannot be witnessed firsthand, which is ultimately a pity."

He had endured many tribulations, seen through everything, only profound martial arts attracted him; originally intending to save the Lin couple, he planned to go to the Lin family's old residence to obtain the Evil-Repelling Sword Scroll to have a look.

But now the person wasn't saved, this deal fell through, so he won't go meddling with the Evil-Repelling Sword Scroll again, otherwise he'd feel guilty.

Regarding martial arts, the three were also keenly interested.

Liu Zhengfeng said: "It is an old saying in the jianghu that the Sunflower Manual and the Shaolin Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic are both supreme martial arts; while everyone knows the Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic, which is unmatched in internal energy, nobody knows just how superb the Sunflower Manual's method truly is."

Qu Yang said: "The Sunflower Manual has always been merely passed from the sect leader to the next leader; although I am an elder, I also do not know." He glanced at Feng Yi: "Hero Feng, a peerless talent of the age, you even know Feng Qingyang's Nine Swords of Dugu; surely you are well-informed—have you any understanding of it?"

Feng Yi thought, then said: "As far as I know, the martial arts on the Sunflower Manual are simply the character for 'speed'."

Liu Zhengfeng frowned tightly, saying: "In the world's martial arts, nothing strong cannot be broken, only speed cannot be broken. You can say that, so it seems Dongfang Bubai must be very fast."

Feng Yi solemnly said: "Yes, if comparing internal strength and might with Dongfang Bubai, I dare say I would not lose to him."

Feng Yi said: "Only this 'speed' character, never having seen it firsthand, is hard to judge."

"What's there to fear?" Qu Feiyan blurted: "Your palm force is so heavy; if you strike him so he can't get close, isn't that enough?"

"Childish talk!" Qu Yang glared at her, saying: "Could you make Hero Feng, such an expert, feel that a single 'speed' character would allow an easy hit? Making someone unable to approach might work for half an hour or an hour, but could it last half a day or a whole day? No matter how deep one's internal strength, wouldn't it exhaust?"

"In a duel between masters, a single mistaken move can be fatal; you think it's child's play?"

Qu Feiyan felt deflated, a bit unhappy, looking at Feng Yi wanting to speak but stopping.

Feng Yi pondered, then said: "Not bad. All superior martial arts in the world take internal strength as their foundation and techniques as their branches."

"If the foundation is solid, the branches flourish; if internal strength is insufficient, one cannot ultimately reach the pinnacle."

"The method of cultivating internal strength in the Sunflower Manual is also remarkable; thus Dongfang Bubai's speed is built upon his profound internal strength, making him absolutely difficult to deal with!"

Feng Yi thought of the original plot where Dongfang Bubai instantly killed Tong Bai Xiong, and Linghu Chong pointed his sword at Dongfang Bubai's vital point, only for him to rush in, stab Linghu Chong's cheek, then use a needle to deflect Linghu Chong's long sword.

"Such speed, perhaps onlookers only see the excitement,"

yet it made someone of Feng Yi's caliber feel terrified.

For at that time Linghu Chong's internal strength was already deep enough to be shocking to hear.

His body not only stored part of the true qi of the Six Hermits of Peach Valley, but also the overwhelming true qi that Monk Bujie used to suppress the six meridians' true qi. After being sent to Shaolin Temple by Ren Yingying, Fang Sheng further supplied Linghu Chong with three months of true qi, and at Plum Villa he also absorbed the full internal strength of the Black and White Children, all dispersed through his meridians via the Star Absorption Great Method.

These people are all masters of profound internal energy.

The Six Hermits of Peach Valley strike pressure points from afar; the Black and White Children turn water to ice, Monk Bujie's two streams of true qi suppress the six meridians' true qi, and Fang Sheng's sleeve wind snapped a patch of shrubbery—these people are all of deep internal strength.

In short, at that time Linghu Chong's internal depth was comparable to Duan Yu's, who had not absorbed Kumozhi's internal energy, and was not lacking.

But Linghu Chong is not a martial arts novice like Duan Yu; his fist and foot skills may not be top-notch, yet his Dugu Nine Swords is a peerless exquisite sword technique through the ages.

With such cultivation, plus such overbearing swordsmanship, seizing the initiative, pointing his sword at Dongfang Bubai's vital point, even deliberately provoking him into a rash attack—yet despite all this, he still got hit.

Feng Yi privately thought, Dongfang Bubai's attack speed—he might not really be able to match it.

If he faced such a Linghu Chong, all he could do was rely on strength and strike forcefully.

Qu Feiyan had never considered this; hearing this, she exclaimed solemnly: "Big brother, do you mean Dongfang Bubai's internal strength is also immeasurably deep?"

Feng Yi's expression turned serious: "That's natural!"

Using a fine embroidery needle to deflect Linghu Chong's, Ren Woxing's long sword, yet it suffered no damage whatsoever; to claim such internal energy isn't astonishing would be a joke.

Qu Feiyan thought again and said: "You clearly know he's formidable; even for Lin Pingzhi's sake, why must you provoke others? If you were to lose, wouldn't you become a laughingstock?"

Feng Yi glanced at her and said: "I said that not only for Lin Pingzhi."

"Why then?" Qu Feiyan reached up and touched her face.

Feng Yi's sword brows rose, two cold-light-like glints shot from his eyes, a faint arrogance showing on his face: "The stronger Dongfang Bubai is, the more I wish to witness him!"

Moreover, victory and defeat are common in warfare; if one never loses, it's easy to become self-complacent and unknowingly stagnate. If one could suffer a defeat in a fair contest, what's there to mind? Forget jokes—even death would be a self-chosen path, no one to blame.

Feng Yi isn't just boasting; after his divine skill was perfected, when he fairly sparred with others, there were few occasions, most facing group attacks, which truly makes one resentful.

Several people saw that on his handsome face, in the blink of an eye he displayed several different expressions, changeable and unpredictable; yet when speaking to them he always wore a smile, secretly thinking: "His heart is hard to fathom, but he's been very good to us; I don't know how to repay him later."

Liu Zhengfeng said: "Hearing your words is better than reading ten years of books!"

In principle, the way of martial arts builds upon predecessors' teachings; there should be creation and invention, so each generation ought to surpass the last.

But we haven't even fully mastered our sect's secret arts; compared to Hero Feng's attitude of 'victory brings joy, defeat also brings joy,' we are truly ashamed.

Qu Yang stroked his beard and said: "If Hero Feng lacked such breadth of mind and insight, how could he, at a young age, have reached such a marvelous martial arts realm?"

"Please don't call me Hero," Feng Yi shook his head. "If we talk purely about martial arts, there are still many talents today."

Your shortcomings are mostly due to the inheritance of martial arts,

Moreover, there are gains and losses; even if one's martial arts are peerless, they may not fully satisfy one's wishes. Take the Sunflower Manual: though exquisitely superb, it also has great flaws—this is the principle of endless calamity spoken of in Lin Yuan Tu's dying words.

"Huh?" Qu Feiyan wondered: "Calamity?"

"What connection does the Sunflower Manual have with Lin Yuan Tu's dying words?" Liu Zhengfeng puzzled.

Feng Yi pondered, then said: "The present Sunflower Manual and the Evil-Repelling Sword Scroll are fundamentally the same thing!"

"What?" The three stared at each other.

Feng Yi said: "The Sunflower Manual originally resided at the Shaolin Temple in Putian, Fujian; one day two Hua Shan seniors went as guests, secretly read the manual, but since they were stealing and feared they wouldn't have time, they decided to split it—each reading half, then return to Hua Shan to study together."

But when they tried to combine what they'd read, the parts didn't match at all—head and tail wouldn't fit.

They didn't know whether each believed the other had misread the text and only their own notes were correct, or whether the other was deliberately concealing errors; in any case, neither could master it.

Thus the two fellow disciples turned against each other, and the Hua Shan school split into the Qi Sect and the Sword Sect."

Liu Zhengfeng said: "These two must be the Hua Shan predecessors Yue Su and Cai Zifeng?"

Although Liu Zhengfeng is a Heng Shan master, he also knows that Yue Su is the founder of the Hua Shan Qi Sect, and Cai Zifeng the founder of the Sword Sect.

Qu Yang said: "Exactly—back then, our sect's ten elders attacked Hua Shan precisely to obtain the Sunflower Manual!"

Qu Feiyan said in a soft, lingering tone: "No wonder you, in the Jade Chamber, spoke of profound martial arts secret manuals that could turn sages into beasts, causing endless strife; it turns out you also know these martial arts anecdotes."

Feng Yi said: "I have also seen disciples kill their masters; soon you may hear of masters killing their disciples, hehe, human nature simply cannot withstand temptation and trial."

Several people fell silent in thought, all thinking he was referring to Yue Buqun and Lin Pingzhi, unaware that Feng Yi was speaking of Yue Buqun and Linghu Chong.

Feng Yi then said: "Later, the abbot of the Fujian Shaolin temple, Venerable Hongye, learned that the secret manual had been secretly copied, and he sent his favorite disciple, Venerable Du Yuan, to persuade Yue and Cai not to practice the martial arts in the manual."

"Ridiculous!" Qu Feiyan chuckled, "If they could listen, why would they sneak to learn martial arts! Isn't that pointless? This monk is truly foolish!"

"Feifei!" Qu Yang scolded her, "Do not be rude to your elders!"

Feng Yi, however, gave her an approving glance and said: "Venerable Du Yuan went to Mount Hua, and Yue and Cai admitted they had privately read the Sunflower Manual, even asking him for instruction on the martial arts recorded therein. Yet how could they know that Du Yuan himself did not know the manual's martial arts?"

"This old six Du Yuan neither exposed them, but instead listened to their recitation of the scriptures, casually explaining, while secretly memorizing them in his heart."

Qu Feiyan said: "Isn't this essentially Yue and Cai transmitting the Sunflower Manual to Venerable Du Yuan? And where is this monk pretending? This bald donkey disgraces the Buddhist clergy."

She did not know what "old six" meant, but she also knew it was not a nice term, so she felt no respect whatsoever for Venerable Du Yuan.

Feng Yi laughed: "Exactly so—once Venerable Du Yuan obtained this Sunflower Manual, he never returned to the Shaolin Temple!" Liu Zhengfeng raised his eyebrows: "Could it be that he fled with his skill? That's no different from us, committing a major taboo of the jianghu; how could Shaolin forgive him?"

Feng Yi chuckled: "Anyway, from now on, with Venerable Du Yuan gone, we have gained a chief escort who strikes terror across the jianghu!"

Qu Feiyan clapped her hands: "Du Yuan is none other than Lin YuanTu!"

Qu Yang nodded: "Therefore, our sect's Sunflower Manual and the Lin family's Manual of the Evil-Repelling Sword both originate from Yue Su and Cai Zifeng; thus Lin YuanTu's claim of endless calamity means our sect's Sunflower Manual is naturally the same…" Saying this, a wave of dizziness swept over him, faintly guessing the truth, yet it was too terrifying.

Qu Yang's face changed dramatically; he felt a fine layer of cold sweat break out across his back.

Seeing her grandfather's expression shift dramatically, Qu Feiyan hurriedly asked: "Grandfather, what's wrong?"

Liu Zhengfeng also said: "Elder Brother Qu, what have you realized?"

Qu Yang collected his thoughts and said: "Worthy brother, you do not know: more than ten years ago, our sect's former leader, Ren Woxing, grandiosely bestowed the Sunflower Manual upon the Eastern Sect Leader; we all thought it was a transmission of the leadership. But not long after, the Eastern Sect Leader claimed that Ren Woxing had suddenly died, and now it seems this whole affair was likely a conspiracy!"

Qu Feiyan laughed: "Never mind whether it's a conspiracy or not; anyway, we're not returning to Black Wood Cliff. Elder Brother Feng, you still haven't said what this calamity is."

Feng Yi gave Qu Feiyan a playful look and smiled: "Actually, the Sunflower Manual differs from the progressive ideals of traditional martial arts; its first step is a great ordeal. Ordinary people seeing it simply cannot believe it."

Qu Feiyan pursed her lips: "Don't keep us in suspense."

Here is the original text!

Feng Yi said: "This art is practiced by eunuchs."

"A eunuch?" Qu Feiyan gasped.

Liu Zhengfeng and Qu Yang were left speechless.

If it weren't for Qu Yang having already resolved to quit the sect, he would have to fight Feng Yi to the death—who is being insulted here?

I, the mighty leader of the Sun Moon Divine Sect, the world's foremost master, am a eunuch?

Feng Yi continued: "This manual takes its name from the sunflower; as the name suggests, it grows toward the sun."

But the body's yang channels can bear only so much yang energy; even ordinary internal arts require yin to balance them.

Moreover, this Sunflower Manual is an entry into internal cultivation, yet it makes one uncomfortably hot and restless; one must also take drying medicines while training to increase one's power. If one does not become a eunuch, it will inevitably stir the heart‑fire, the true qi will refuse to harmonize, the meridians will be thrown into chaos, and one will suffer deviation and die.

Qu Feiyan spat: "Why practice such a demonic art? Isn't that just asking for suffering?"

Feng Yi gave a faint smile: "The first line of the Sunflower Manual recorded by Yue and Cai reads, 'To cultivate divine skill, one must first become a eunuch.' Lin YuanTu, that old six, changed it to, 'To dominate the martial world, brandish your sword and become a eunuch.'"

"No wonder," Liu Zhengfeng exclaimed, "Yue and Cai, as masters of their own school, why would they distrust each other and trust only themselves? This wicked cultivation method is something they have never even heard of."

Thus it aroused suspicion in them; those who saw the first volume dared not try it lightly, were unwilling to follow it faithfully, and when those who saw the second volume saw that the first volume actually said…… how could there not be strife?"

Qu Yang said: "Worthy brother speaks the truth. Surely Lin YuanTu, following their words, became a eunuch and trained; that is how he achieved the extraordinary. Eastern Sect Leader…" He shook his head.

Liu Zhengfeng sighed deeply: "As the saying goes, 'The predecessors plant trees, the later generations enjoy the shade; the predecessors commit wrongdoing, the later generations must reap the retribution.'"

I nearly caused a family's utter destruction; Lin YuanTu, a great monk of his generation, a single thought's difference, yet also brought ruin upon his descendants, leaving their homes shattered and lives lost."

Qu Yang sighed and said: "In this world, there are far too many like you and me who, knowing it is a pit of fire, still jump in for personal gain and meet their doom. And this is also the root of endless strife under heaven."

Qu Feiyan said: "In my view, this is simply Lin YuanTu overreaching with his own schemes; he thought himself clever and flawless, utterly brilliant, stealing divine skill to glorify himself in the martial world."

Alas, the net of heaven is vast, the ways of heaven turn; he overreached with his cleverness, yet there are times when his cleverness led him astray.

I rather think that whether it was the Hua Shan folk sneaking a look at the Sunflower Manual, or Lin YuanTu being sent to Hua Shan, it was all done intentionally by the Shaolin Temple; otherwise, having stolen it and returned to Hua Shan, they would only then discover their belongings missing. Moreover, Yue and Cai never stole the original; they merely memorized it, so how could it later become known?

Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng exchanged a glance; though they said nothing, they felt it was correct.

Liu Zhengfeng said: "In the martial world, it has long been said that 'Shaolin produces fists, Hua Shan produces swords.' The strength of the Hua Shan School was once the foremost among the Five Sacred Peaks, but later it split into the Sword and Qi sects, with incessant internal strife; alas, a once‑flourishing Hua Shan School has fragmented to the point that only the couple Yue Buqun remains."

Qu Yang also nodded: "This is indeed extraordinary; logically, the Hua Shan School's covert study of the Sunflower Manual should have been extremely secret, yet our sect somehow learned of it, which led to the ten elders attacking Hua Shan, Yue and Cai being slain, and the Sunflower Manual being seized."

As they spoke, a flicker of fear appeared in their eyes, then gave way to relief; fortunately they had decided to retire from the jianghu.

These waters are truly too deep.

But the two said no more on the matter, for Shaolin Temple is the Mount Tai and North Star of the martial world; even if all the Five Sacred Peak sword schools were bound together, they could not compare.

Among the Shaolin monks of the Fang generation, twenty or thirty are exceptionally renowned, each a top‑tier master of the jianghu—who could provoke them?

The Sun Moon Divine Sect is so strong and overbearing; it has attacked Hua Shan many times, even Mount Wudang, where Zhang Sanfeng's sword and the Tai Chi Classic lie placed on Black Wood Cliff—yet it has never dared to strike Shaolin Temple.

It is simply that the opposing force is too strong, with too many masters.

This is only what is visible on the surface.

Feng Yi chuckled: "You two being able to think of this level is truly remarkable."

The essence of cultivation is to hope to restrain desire, yet the essence of the jianghu is to contend fiercely; the two are opposed.

Thus, throughout history, no sect can easily let go; even monks will drink blood and eat meat. Where do you two plan to retire into seclusion?

Liu Zhengfeng said: "Elder Brother Qu said there is a Purple Bamboo Island in the East Sea that ordinary people cannot reach; we intend to go there."

Life there will be austere, yet it will also keep us free from worldly turmoil; playing the zither and blowing the flute can be even more blissful than that of immortals." He gazed out the carriage window, lost in tranquil reverie.

Feng Yi said: "Hmm, being able to let go is also quite good."

Qu Yang suddenly straightened his face and said: "Master Feng, today's words between you and me must never be spread abroad."

The Shaolin Temple and our Sun Moon Divine Sect wield vast influence, encompassing all strata of society; once this becomes known, it will entangle the whole world…

Liu Zhengfeng laughed: "Master Feng once said the world is fickle and human hearts hard to read; the so‑called gentleman is easy to get along with, the petty person hard to guard against. My elder brother Mo also saw that Master Feng is not a reckless daredevil, which is why I felt reassured in parting; Master Feng, you must certainly be cautious!"

They know the secret of the Sunflower Manual and the Evil Resisting Sword Manual; once leaked, not to mention the Lin family, the Divine Sun Moon Sect and Shaolin Temple will surely not let it rest.

Feng Yi will never have peace; if spoken plainly, he fears arousing Feng Yi's arrogance.

Feng Yi laughed and said: "That's natural. To say that the renowned Lin YuanTu and Dongfang Bubai are eunuchs, and even to claim that the Fujian Shaolin Temple is the mastermind behind a conspiracy, with their followers numbering in the tens of millions, they would surely devour me raw; although I, Feng, am somewhat arrogant, I am not foolish."

Qu Feiyan suddenly realized: "No wonder you, knowing the Evil Resisting Sword Manual is a harmful thing, still didn't tell Lin Pingzhi."

Given that brat's temperament, if you told him, he would surely not believe you and would think you insulted his ancestors, making him hate you to death!

Feng Yi said: "Yes, but he already hates me to death."

If he learns the Evil Resisting Sword Manual, I fear his desire to kill me would surpass that of Mu Gaofeng and his ilk.

"Why?" Qu Feiyan startled, then suddenly realized: "Yes, if you hadn't killed Yu Canghai, his parents might still be alive."

Feng Yi sighed and said: "I must admit, my handling of this matter was indeed improper; I shouldn't have killed Yu Canghai, but I just couldn't hold back, and drinking led to this mistake!"

Liu Zhengfeng said: "This isn't your fault. At Lin Pingzhi's moment of danger, you upheld justice, far surpassing us. Yu Canghai, at his wit's end, still didn't forget to sow discord.

If you don't take decisive measures, he might stir up the righteous faction's emotions, possibly leading to an uncontrollable situation. If he can even blame you for this, it would be utterly indiscriminate of right and wrong."

Feng Yi smiled and said nothing.

I hope the current Lin Pingzhi can discern right from wrong; that is harder than letting him not seek revenge.

Qu Feiyan's heart suddenly jumped: "Elder Brother Feng, according to what you say, if Lin Pingzhi obtains the Evil Resisting Sword Manual, would he not become your adversary?"

Why not kill him outright to eliminate future trouble!"

"Future trouble?" Feng Yi sneered: "With his abilities, even if he obtained the Evil Resisting Sword Manual, without ten or twenty years of skill, how could he defeat me?"

"You just said the Sunflower Manual and the Evil Resisting Sword Manual are one secret manual?" Qu Feiyan became confused again.

Qu Yang laughed and said: 'Silly child, Hero Feng is wary of Dongfang Bubai, who has trained in the Sunflower Manual.'

You should know that more than ten years ago he was already an unrivaled master in the jianghu, and having also trained in the Sunflower Manual, he naturally gained wings like a tiger, making his impact extraordinary—not merely because of the Sunflower Manual itself.

Liu Zhengfeng interjected: "Lin Pingzhi's martial arts foundation is still far inferior to yours."

Qu Feiyan nodded, gave a faint bitter smile, and said: "If he had practiced the Bixie Sword Manual and came to cause trouble for Elder Brother Feng, Feng would likely flick his sleeve and send him to meet his parents—how pitiful that would be. It's all Lin Yantu's fault."

He couldn't restrain his greed; not wanting to harm people, burning it would have been enough, yet he deliberately kept it, claiming it couldn't be looked at!

Feng Yi laughed and said: "A person's life is nothing but constant choices; it all depends on how he thinks."

I have always preferred to mistakenly kill now rather than leave future troubles; being able to make an exception for him, though I have selfish motives, is also because of his backbone and filial piety.

After all, any youthful hero who might become my enemy, I have already killed!

"Selfish motives!" Qu Feiyan startled: "What selfish motives?"

Feng Yi solemnly said: "I just want to watch the excitement!"

"Again watching the excitement?"

Qu Feiyan didn't understand why Feng Yi liked watching the excitement so much.

Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng, however, understood.

Feng Yi's martial arts are like those of a celestial being, and he is an enigmatic person.

They originally thought Feng Yi was playing in a brothel, merely a lecher, but obviously not.

Because Liu Zhengfeng's daughter is lovely in appearance, Feng Yi doesn't even glance at her, while Yue Buqun's daughter and the Hengshan nun Yilin are even more beautiful, yet he still treats them as ordinary people.

After all, a man's fondness for beauty is commonplace, but being able to resist beauty shows that his wantonness in the Qingyu Institute is merely a facade.

He deliberately gives people this impression, which is certainly to present a weakness that isn't really a weakness; if someone wanted to deal with him, they might strike here, but it would surely backfire.

Yet such behavior also shows that the things in this world that can arouse his interest are already few.

Because he fundamentally doesn't care how others view him.

For an ordinary person, this is not worth mentioning.

But for such a master to act this way is truly frightening!

Naturally, it is also very boring.

Being able to observe the interplay of human nature is also a kind of relaxation.

As they chatted idly, dawn broke and they arrived at the Xiangjiang dock; Liu Zhengfeng's several disciples had long been waiting, and everyone boarded the twin-masted giant sail, heading downstream.

After entering the cabin, Feng Yi saw gold and silver brilliance, extraordinarily luxurious, giving him a new sense of Liu Zhengfeng's wealth.

Everyone, weary from travel, slept soundly on the boat.

When Feng Yi woke from his sleep, it was already dark, and he slowly entered the central cabin.

Liu Zhengfeng ordered his children to set out the banquet; shortly after, the food and drink were ready, he solemnly took his seat, and together with Qu Yang raised a cup to toast Feng Yi; for a moment, host and guest enjoyed themselves fully.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Feng Yi left the cabin; the river and sky were vast, and the river waves rose and fell with sound.

Feng Yi walked to the rail, hands behind his back gazing at the river moon; his silk robes rustled softly in the river wind.

It was truly white dew spanning the river, the water light meeting the sky, as if riding the wind through the void, yet unaware where it ends.

Suddenly a zither sound came from the boat; upon hearing the prelude, Feng Yi recognized it as the Laughing in the Jianghu melody, then the flute joined in, harmonizing with it.

Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng, having just escaped danger, could not restrain their urge to play music.

As the flute and zither sounded together, Feng Yi's heart felt refreshed.

Qu and Liu's musical attainment is extremely high; their zither and flute are extraordinary, their tone pure—sometimes like pine waves echoing in a ravine, sometimes like sounds drifting from an empty valley, grand and vast, with one note eliciting a hundred responses.

Feng Yi slightly closed his eyes, following the rhythm, lightly tapping the beat with both hands—sometimes joyful, sometimes gentle, sometimes exhilarated, sometimes sorrowful.

For a moment, Feng Yi was no longer an inscrutable martial arts master, but became an ordinary person, reminiscing about the past.

At that moment, Feng Yi's state of mind suddenly became ethereal; the lyrics of a song he had heard in a previous life, an interlude from 'Laughing in the Jianghu,' surged into his heart all at once.

Feng Yi couldn't help but chuckle; this thing had been over twenty years away from him.

Qu Feiyan asked: "What are you laughing at?"

She didn't realize when she had also come out.

Feng Yi laughed loudly: "I am not talented, but I dare to request a high song, to harmonize with the two masters' splendid zither and flute!"

Suddenly hearing the tune rise, Feng Yi raised his voice and sang: "Laughing at the vast sea, the boundless tide on both shores, rising and falling with the waves, we record this moment."

Heaven laughs, myriad worldly tides; who loses or wins, heaven knows.

Rivers and mountains laugh, mist and rain far away, waves wash away the mortal world's red dust—who knows how much?

Clear wind laughs, yet it brings loneliness; heroic spirit remains only a trace of evening glow.

La……

Laughing at the vast sea, the boundless tide on both shores, rising and falling with the waves, we record this moment.

Heaven laughs, myriad worldly tides; who loses or wins, heaven knows.

Rivers and mountains laugh, mist and rain far away, waves wash away the mortal world's red dust—who knows how much?

The myriad beings laugh, no longer lonely; heroic spirit still remains in foolish laughter.

Feng Yi is not a professional singer, but he uses internal force to articulate his words; his voice is like Huangzhong Dalu, echoing through the vast night sky—something no one can match.

As everyone knows, as long as the voice is powerful, the song's effect won't be too poor—for example, soldiers singing military songs need only momentum.

His singing made Qu Yang and Liu Zhengfeng also full of enthusiasm.

All three are deep in internal force; their melodies blend, expanding and contracting, waves rise and fall—sometimes like clashing metal and iron horses, sometimes like a whale rushing into the sea.

The song's sound stops, a vast emptiness for ten thousand li.

Suddenly hearing "pa pa pa…", Qu Feiyan clapped and laughed, saying: "Great!"

In the distance someone loudly said: "Fine zither, fine flute, fine lyrics!"

This person projects his voice with internal force, the sound carries over the water, lasting a long time. (End of chapter)