Chapter 31

Wang Xiaofeng was fuming with resentment, nowhere to vent; seeing Feng Yi rush over, he immediately drew his sword.

With the move "Go with the Current, Push the Boat," hand level with chest, body following the sword, he swished a thrust at Feng Yi's shoulder.

This sword strike was extremely swift, truly inheriting Shui Dai's essence, its momentum agile, its form strict, bearing the demeanor of a master.

Feng Yi couldn't help but applaud; just this move alone far surpassed that of countless disciples.

But a thought crossed his mind; he merely curled his index finger and flicked it lightly, striking the sword's spine.

With a "clang," Wang Xiaofeng's tiger mouth heated, like wind blowing away fallen leaves, his sword drifted right, his chest fully exposed, and Feng Yi's left hand followed the motion to grab his chest.

But just as he was about to grab but hadn't yet, suddenly a loud call came from afar: "Fall one..."

The voice was extremely strong and powerful; Feng Yi's mind flashed: "Not good, I'd guess all four arrived together, this isn't great."

Although Feng Yi was confident, he wasn't so arrogant as to be foolish; he naturally knew the Southern Four Oddities were formidable in single combat, fearless, but if faced with a siege, he would certainly be no match.

Don't mess up and fail to draw, ending up fleeing! Feng Yi's hesitation in weighing advance or retreat made his hand pause; seeing Feng Yi's big hand reach for him, Wang Xiaofeng couldn't retract his sword in time, and in alarm he pushed off with both feet, leaping back over a zhang, though he hadn't yet landed.

Feng Yi suddenly turned, his right hand shot out, fingers spread, grabbing for Shui Sheng—swift as lightning.

Shui Sheng's martial skill was inferior to Wang Xiaofeng's, and she never expected Feng Yi to attack her; her face filled with alarm, apricot eyes wide, jade hand resting on the sword hilt to resist, suddenly her shoulder went numb, a heat surge flowed into her body, she involuntarily let out a soft moan, her face flushed crimson, her legs went weak, and Feng Yi had already seized her.

"Release my daughter!"

Feng Yi had just seized Shui Sheng in his hand, intending to flutter backward, when a fierce gust of wind slashed in from the side.

Shui Dai, being one of the Southern Four Oddities, had already billowed in his gray clothes and lunged when Feng Yi moved against Wang Xiaofeng, but due to distance he was a beat late; now he thrust both palms forward in the "Open Gate, Gazing at the Moon" stance, palm wind like waves, directly assaulting Feng Yi's waist and ribs.

Feng Yi casually swung a fist; before that palm force could land, with a "bang" he had already grabbed Shui Sheng and floated back several zhang, while Shui Dai retreated only three steps.

Feng Yi's speed of attack and change of moves, that resonant cry of "Fall one flower flowing water!" had just fallen.

Wang Xiaofeng exclaimed joyfully, "Master, Uncle Lu has arrived!" Preparing to thrust his sword again, Shui Dai pulled him back and shouted, "Hold on!"

Wang Xiaofeng could only check his form, gazing at Shui Dai in surprise, not knowing why his master stopped him.

Shui Dai knew his sworn brothers had arrived, his daughter was captured, yet he felt no worry; instead his mind puzzled: "Although Wind's martial skill is said not to match Feng Yi's, he certainly could not be defeated in a single move, but if Feng Yi hadn't changed his move just now, Wind would surely not have dodged that grasp."

Moreover, Mei Niansheng's martial arts once reigned supreme, looking down on the martial world, yet compared to him I am at most slightly inferior.

But now this Feng Yi is so young, his martial arts seem to surpass Mei Niansheng—utterly strange and marvelous!

Although Shui Dai's heart was full of questions, he didn't feel comfortable asking.

After all, it involves profound martial secrets; their friendship isn't that deep yet.

Shui Dai puzzled, it was only a moment, then another loud call from afar: "Falling Flowers one Flowing Water."

Before the two characters "flowing water" were finished, Wang Xiaofeng called out, "Uncle Hua has also arrived!"

From afar another person loudly called: "Falling Flowers Flowing one Water."

"Uncle Liu has also arrived!"

Wang Xiaofeng was almost crying with joy.

He knew no one in the world could defeat the Southern Four Oddities, and he was no longer in a hurry to fight Feng Yi to the death.

The surviving crowd cheered and jumped for joy.

"Falling Flowers Flowing Water! The Jiangnan Four Oddities have all arrived!"

"Haha..."

He hadn't finished laughing when he suddenly saw Shui Sheng captured by Feng Yi, and couldn't laugh anymore.

Feng Yi heard these three seemingly shouting from the same place, their voices either bold or lingering, different tones but all with full breath and deep inner strength, thinking: "These folks truly live up to their reputation! This is a good opportunity, but I must find a way to fight them one-on-one."

If the four join forces, I will surely not be their match; I cannot give them cause to talk, nor grant them a chance to gang up!

From the very first cry of "Fall," he knew "Falling Flowers Flowing Water" might all arrive together; to be safe, he decided first to seize Shui Sheng.

But as soon as he steadied his stance, he felt Shui Sheng limp and fall against him; through his clothes Feng Yi could sense her body soft as fluff.

Lowering his head, he saw Shui Sheng's gaze vacant, her jade cheeks flushed crimson; Feng Yi immediately felt his mouth dry and his heart pounding.

This was not him taking a liking to Shui Sheng, but a natural expression of his nature.

Between men and women, once bodies touch, many thoughts naturally arise; especially for a vigorous young man facing a beautiful woman, it's easy for heavenly thunder to stir earthly fire—this is the origin of male lust.

But many people hide these instincts, then cloak themselves in the garb of benevolence and righteousness.

Before everyone they put on a facade of righteous arrogance, the appearance of a virtuous gentleman, while inside they indulge in filth and petty greed.

Hua Tiegan of Snow Valley is the ultimate master of this path.

When his heroic vigor waned, he more than once thought of doing shameful things to Shui Sheng.

Although Feng Yi's views differ greatly from the ancients, the moment his body touched Shui Sheng's it was like an electric shock; he hastily grabbed her collar, lifted her from his chest, set her to the side, and said, "Although you're quite beautiful, please stand straight!"

Shui Sheng pointed at Feng Yi and stammered, "You... you..."

Her expression at that moment was rich—astonishment, shame, confusion, and more—but Shui Sheng's lips trembled violently, yet she could not utter what she wanted to say.

It turned out Feng Yi had seized Shui Sheng; the force in his palm penetrated her meridians, and regardless of her cultivation, her body naturally went limp, unable to stand, she could only involuntarily lean against him.

But Feng Yi acted too fast; by the time he steadied and she began to lean, he had already snatched her away like a chick, as if she had deliberately done so.

Shui Sheng is only sixteen, not the famed water heroine of the original tale; having never seen someone like Feng Yi, she felt wronged, angry, doubtful, and heartbroken, her eyes reddening as tears streamed down her cheeks.

But this scene made Wang Xiaofeng both shocked and angry; he pointed his sword at Feng Yi and shouted, "You shameless... you... you bully a weak woman, quickly release my cousin!"

As he spoke, Feng Yi's brows nearly knotted, yet he ignored him, turned to look at Shui Sheng, seeing her pear-blossom-tear visage, his mind stirred, thinking: "This girl's crying over nothing, old man won't eat you!"

He impatiently said, "Just now you said you wanted me to owe your family a favor? Now that skill fails you, what's there to cry about?"

Shui Sheng gave him a glare, and two lines of tears streamed freely, her sobbing grew more anguished.

At this point, no one knew why Shui Sheng was crying.

Having been shamed away by a word from Feng Yi, she went to find her nearby father, telling him some of the martial folk gathered for Feng Yi; then she said how profound a young man's inner strength was, and Shui Dai's grasp of Feng Yi's information was so complete that he instantly realized this young man might be Feng Yi.

Then a great battle was about to break; Shui Dai, cherishing chivalry, felt only he himself could resolve this calamity, so he exerted his lightness skill and rushed here via a side path.

Shui Sheng and Wang Xiaofeng also came afterward on horseback, happening to meet He Bizheng; hearing that Feng Yi pointed his sword at the Southern Four Oddities, they hurried over at once.

She didn't want her father to come to harm, nor Feng Yi to suffer; no one knew how delighted she would be to see both her father and Feng Yi safe.

Never expecting a few words to go wrong, Feng Yi, against his cousin and himself, acted rashly and struck out—his cousin almost got caught in one move, and he himself was captured in one move.

Heaven knows how long she and her cousin pondered before coming up with the name "Bell and Sword Twin Heroes", hoping to do a few deeds that would satisfy the public and fully establish their reputation.

But now? This black mark of being caught in one move—how can she ever establish the reputation of the "Bell and Sword Twin Heroes"? Isn't this cutting off her martial-arts journey before it even begins?

At this moment, Shui Dai stepped forward, his eyes flashing with divine light, his outer robe stirring without wind, making a sound as it fluttered, and he said in a deep voice: "Young Hero Feng, you have seized my daughter—what is your intention?"

Feng Yi gave a long laugh, flicked his sleeve, and said in a graceful tone: "Great Hero Shui, you have long held a reputation as a hero; wanting to save lives is only natural."

But such a heroic reputation is not easy to bear; you say you will save people, then save them, and you make good people do it for you. Although my name is not as renowned as yours, I still know what it means to keep one's word. Now I have saved two people for you, yet I have seized your daughter—had I just used a harsh hand, even your nephew could not have escaped.

Great Hero Shui, I dare to ask: you saved two strangers, yet lost your daughter and nephew—was it worth it?

Shui Dai heard his mockery, thinking he wanted to be a hero but dared not pay the price; he immediately raised his eyebrows and said loudly: "You say a heroic reputation is hard to bear—that's not bad!"

Although I am called a hero, I dare not consider myself as such.

But a true hero is measured by his heart and courage, by upholding justice and struggling against greedy, evil thoughts—not by weighing gains and losses, nor by comparing strength.

Having said that, he paused, looked around, and continued: "Because even among the common folk there are no lack of righteous men who value loyalty over life and keep a promise worth a thousand gold—do you dare say they are not heroes?"

Moreover, in my view, even if one's martial skill were the best in the world, it might not be worthy of the title 'hero'! Old Plum is nicknamed 'Iron Bone Ink Petal'—do you know what that name means?

Feng Yi raised his eyebrows: "Then I dare to ask."

Shui Dai said: ""Iron Bone" refers to his iron-like bones, firm and resolute, his righteous aura awe-inspiring; "Ink Petal" refers to the petals of an ink-wash painting, indicating his refined elegance."

Therefore, Old Master Plum is a paragon of virtue in our Jiangnan martial world, and even in the Central Plains—dignified, accomplished in both literature and martial arts, a righteous and heroic figure! He is the model for us martial practitioners! As you said, saving two people while losing daughter and nephew—was it worth it? I can tell you: for a martial practitioner, to practice chivalry, punish evil, and promote good is simply one's duty.

As for sacrificing one's kin in the process—if it is beyond one's ability, then having a clear conscience, what more is there to say?

His words were like throwing gold and stone—just and stern.

Upon hearing this, some felt admiration, some felt shame, and some felt contempt.

Feng Yi nodded and said: "What a Cold Moon Sword Great Hero Shui—I stand corrected!"

He thus realizes that in the original plot, Shui Dai's daughter had not yet escaped the devil's clutches, and yet he let Di Yun beat him to death.

He has already done his best; not dying would be helpless, he could only endure humiliation, so he sought only death.

Such a person deserves the title of 'hero'.

But then, with a solemn expression, he said: "Great Hero Shui, you practice chivalry, punish evil, and have sacrificed your daughter and nephew with a clear conscience—but what about these people? If I say that anyone who dares to step forward and block one of my palms will earn your daughter's return; otherwise, I will crush her with a single palm!"

Anyway, your sworn brothers will arrive any moment; if they disregard status, they will gang up on me.

I would surely be no match, and could only flee. But as I was about to leave, I pulled down your banner, tore up your insignia, and made a name for myself in the jianghu—more deterrent than killing them all!" Saying this, he placed his hand on Shui Sheng's head.

With his inner strength, a faint pulse from his palm—Shui Sheng stood no chance.

Shui Dai's face changed slightly; Wang Xiaofeng couldn't help but feel his heart race, and he blurted out: "I'll come, I'll come to block your palm!"

Shui Sheng trembled, tears streaming, and said in a hoarse voice: "Cousin, no."

Her voice was hoarse, and she didn't know whether she was startled or delighted.

"You can't!"

But seeing Feng Yi's expressionless face, he shook his head: "You, Great Hero Shui, and even the Southern Four Oddities who are about to arrive—none of you count!"

I want to see how this gang of profit‑crazed scoundrels and those who practice chivalry will react, watching this lovely beauty die here—what each will think.

Having said that, he burst into hysterical laughter, making everyone's ears ring.

It seemed he was quite pleased with how this affair turned out.

Their expressions flickered between light and dark, unsure what to think next.

Feng Yi's laughter faded, and he sneered: "Great Hero Shui, do you see? In this world, as long as there are people, there is greed."

Where there is greed, there is conflict; where there is conflict, there will be bloodshed; where there is bloodshed, there will be death.

Only with death does this jianghu exist.

Because the jianghu is cruel, your principles don't fit in this day and age—'let the Daoist friend die, not the poor Daoist' is the true truth!

His words had barely fallen when suddenly a voice shouted: "I'll come!"

Feng Yi glanced over and saw a man in his thirties, face full of grief and indignation, walking toward him, clasping his fists and saying: "Young Hero Feng, I'll come to block your palm—release Miss Shui!"

Shui Dai frowned slightly and asked: "Are you Moyun Blade?"

Everyone who heard it was astonished.

Moyun Blade Ou Peng, a notorious lone bandit from the Lianghu region, whose character was utterly depraved, now unexpectedly performed this act—truly beyond expectation.

Ou Peng clasped his fists toward Shui Dai and said: "Great Hero Shui, your fame spreads far and wide—you even know the name of a petty man like me; even if I die, I have no regrets!"

Having said that, he turned to Feng Yi and said: "Sir, with your skill, you surely would not go back on your word and invite ridicule—please release Miss Shui!"

Feng Yi glanced at him coldly and said: "I said one palm, but I did not mean merely a palm—and also a fist."

Moreover, I tell you, strictly speaking the Owl Daoist only took two punches and one palm from us; you'd be better off waiting for the Three Elders of Jiangnan to arrive—then you'd actually have a chance to survive!

Ou Peng gave a bitter smile and said: "Who would want to die if they could live!"

But a true man has things he does and things he does not; if today I had to rely on a young maiden's life to exchange for my own, I, Ou Peng, though alive would be as good as dead!

Upon hearing these words, everyone's hearts surged with great emotion, and all felt ashamed.

Then another person stepped forward and said: "Well said!"

If we die today, we die; how could we abandon our human dignity?

Stop!

Feng Yi let out a loud shout, and everyone fell silent.

Feng Yi let out a long sigh, then said to Shui Dai: "Hero Shui, today you have enlightened this greedy lot, causing the light of humanity to shine; it is truly boundless merit, I, Feng, admire you!" He clasped his hands.

Wang Xiao Feng said: "If that's the case, why not release my cousin!"

Feng Yi chuckled and said: "I, Feng Yi, still know what it means to keep one's word like an arrow!" He flicked his wrist and tossed Shui Sheng toward Shui Dai.

Shui Dai knew Feng Yi's inner strength was profound, fearing a trick, he lowered his stance and thrust both palms forward; he could touch his daughter's body, yet felt no force at all, and unconsciously felt ashamed of his petty heart.

Feng Yi smiled and said: "Ou, take this move!"

Having said that, he exhaled and thrust a palm forward.

Seeing the palm coming, Ou Peng neither dodged nor evaded; he closed his eyes, presenting a composed readiness to die.

(End of chapter)