Chapter 38: with translation of chapter title

Shui Dai gazed at the backs of his brothers, a sudden pang of sorrow rising in his heart, then turned to look at Feng Yi and spoke solemnly: "Young Hero Feng, I believe Old Master Mei surely said that divine skills are not passed to those lacking virtue; please act in accordance with Heaven's will and avoid creating more killing karma."

"We take our leave!" he cupped his fists and turned to go.

We need to keep line breaks as per input: each numbered line is separate. So we translate each.

Shui Dai gazed at the backs of his brothers, a sudden pang of sorrow rising in his heart, then turned to look at Feng Yi and spoke solemnly: "Young Hero Feng, I believe Old Master Mei surely said that divine skills are not passed to those lacking virtue; please act in accordance with Heaven's will and avoid creating more killing karma."

We need to keep the quote marks? Probably keep as is. We'll translate the quoted speech inside quotes.

We must not add explanatory words. Keep concise.

Let's produce: "Shui Dai gazed at the backs of several brothers, a sudden pang of desolation rose in his heart, then turned to look at Feng Yi and solemnly said, "Young Hero Feng, I believe Old Master Mei surely said that divine skill is not transmitted to those lacking virtue; please certainly act in accordance with heavenly will, avoid creating more killing karma!""

Check: we added "I believe". The source: "I think Old Master Mei surely said". That's "I think Old Master Mei surely said". So "I think" is okay. We added "I believe". Slight change but okay. Could use "I think". Let's use "I think". Also "act in accordance with heavenly will". We'll keep "act in accordance with heavenly will". "avoid creating more killing karma". Good.

"We take our leave!" he cupped his fists and turned to go.

Translation: ""We take our leave!" he cupped his fists and turned to go."

Note: The quote continues; the line should be translated as: "We take our leave!" he cupped his fists and turned to go.

We'll output: "【2】 "We take our leave!" he cupped his fists and turned to go."

But need to keep the opening quote? We'll include the opening quote as part of the line.

Before Ding Dian passed on the skill, he had repeatedly warned those four words: "those lacking virtue".

Translation: "The words "those lacking virtue" had been warned by Ding Dian several times before he transmitted the skill."

We need to keep quotes around the phrase. So: "The words "those lacking virtue" had been warned by Ding Dian several times before he transmitted the skill."

Note: Before Ding Dian transmitted the skill, he had also repeatedly warned those words.

But we need to keep the phrase quoted. Let's do: "Before Ding Dian transmitted the skill, he had also repeatedly warned, "those lacking virtue.""

Wondering whether he truly possessed this "virtue", Feng Yi felt a prickling unease, his ears burning, and he cupped his fists toward Shui Dai, saying: "Great Hero Shui, your compassion moves heaven and pities mankind; I, Feng Yi, humbly follow your instruction."

Translation: "Wondering whether he himself possessed this "virtue," Feng Yi felt a prickling discomfort, his ears heating, he cupped his fists toward Shui Dai and said, "Great Hero Shui, your compassion moves heaven and pities mankind; I respectfully follow your teachings!""

Note: The phrase means "Great Hero Shui, your compassion moves heaven and pities mankind".

Saying this, he waved his hand at the six jianghu people: "You may all go as well!"

Translation: "Saying this, he waved his hand at the six jianghu people: "You all go as well!""

These jianghu people didn't know why, but killing so many had not increased any achievement points in the system.

Translation: "These jianghu people also didn't know why, after killing so many, the system hadn't increased their achievement points at all."

He thought it was because the system had not issued any mission.

Translation: "He thought it was because the system had not released any mission."

In Jingzhou, when he killed someone, even a single pitiful point of achievement counted as being in a mission state.

Translation: "When he killed people in Jingzhou, even gaining a pitifully small amount of achievement points from each kill put him in a mission state."

Now, without a mission, killing is just pointless labor.

Translation: "Now, without a mission, killing is just wasted effort."

Moreover, letting these people spread rumors in the jianghu is far more meaningful than killing them.

Translation: "Moreover, letting these people spread rumors in the jianghu is far more meaningful than killing them."

These few instantly showed joy, leapt up, and were about to rush out of the inn when Shui Dai shouted: "Everyone, wait!"

Translation: "These few people instantly showed joy, leaping up and about to rush out of the inn, when Shui Dai shouted, "Everyone, wait!""

"Who wouldn't love such a rare treasure? But you have all seen Young Hero Feng's martial prowess. Please tell your friends in the jianghu that present wealth and honor are like flowers in a mirror or the moon in water—do not throw away your lives for them."

The four words "a person lacking virtue" had also been warned by Ding Dian several times before he passed on his skill.

Thinking about whether he actually possessed this "virtue", Feng Yi felt a prickling on his back, his ears grew hot, and he clasped his fists toward Shui Dai, saying, "Great Hero Shui, who sympathizes with heaven and pities humanity, Feng Yi respectfully follows your instruction!"

Saying this, he waved his hand at the six martial artists: "You all go as well!"

These martial artists also didn't know why, after killing so many, the system hadn't increased a single achievement point.

He thought it was because the system had not released a mission.

When he killed people in Jingzhou, even if it was just a pitifully small amount of achievement points for each kill, he was still in a mission state.

Now that there is no mission, killing people is just pointless labor.

Moreover, letting these people spread rumors in the martial world is far more meaningful than killing them.

These few people instantly showed joy on their faces, leapt up, and were about to rush out of the inn, when Shui Dai shouted: "Everyone, wait!"

"These rare and precious treasures, who wouldn't love them? But Young Hero Feng's martial skill is something you all have witnessed with your own eyes. Please also tell your friends in the martial world that the wealth and honor before your eyes are like flowers in a mirror, moon in water—illusory; do not, for this, throw away your lives in vain!"

"Next time, Shui Dai's title will also be useless!"

Shui Dai had already seen that Feng Yi was intentionally spreading news outward to lure all kinds of masters to come and vie for it. This would certainly be a calamity in the martial world, and it was also brewing disaster for himself.

Although he didn't know why Feng Yi was doing this, he also didn't want this scene to happen.

"I will respectfully obey your command!"

The several people all bowed in unison.

They also all understood that Falling Flowers Flowing Water had suffered a great defeat before Feng Yi; next time they would have no face to act as mediators. Someone picked up his family's corpse, one after another, and left the shop.

In a moment, only Shui Dai, Wang Xiaofeng, and Shui Sheng remained.

Shui Dai clasped his fists toward Feng Yi and said, "Many thanks, until we meet again!"

He knew that, according to the agreement, Feng Yi could choose not to release them.

But since he released these people, he ultimately gave Falling Flowers Flowing Water a dignified conclusion.

Later, when spoken of, the Southern Four Wonders, although they had lost to Feng Yi here, still managed to rescue the people from his hands.

The loss wasn't too terrible.

Hua Tiegan, for these people, being expelled from the martial world, is still an honorable defeat! Shui Sheng and Wang Xiaofeng also clasped their fists toward him in salute.

Feng Yi nodded slightly, watching the three about to leave, then suddenly sighed: "Great Hero Shui, with a chivalrous heart and benevolent nature, I hold you in the utmost respect; as we part, I have a word to offer you!"

Shui Dai and the three others paused in their steps, all turning back.

Shui Dai laughed and said, "Young Hero Feng, if you have something to say, speak freely; I, Shui, am all ears."

Feng Yi's gaze shifted, landing on Shui Sheng's face, sharp light flashing as he looked her up and down.

Wang Xiaofeng's veins bulged instantly; he was about to speak when Shui Sheng grabbed him and whispered, "Cousin, Father is here."

Wang Xiaofeng could only forcibly endure.

Feng Yi's eyes were clear and bright, as if they could see straight into a person's heart; Shui Sheng also felt embarrassed under his stare and snapped, "What are you looking at me for?"

But then she bit her fine white teeth, lowered her head, and even her ears turned red.

Seeing that Feng Yi possessed unparalleled divine skill, Shui Dai knew that his fame would surely rise like the midday sun thereafter; even though his daughter was beautiful, it wouldn't cause him to act this way.

Because Feng Yi now only needs to say that he likes beautiful women, and whatever kind of beauty he wants, someone will send it; thus he felt deeply puzzled.

The Shui father and daughter, together with Wang Xiaofeng, each tried to guess Feng Yi's intentions for a moment.

Feng Yi withdrew his gaze, looked toward Shui Dai, and said calmly: "Great Hero Shui, I and my senior brother Ding escaped from Jingzhou less than seven days ago, and now the news has only spread throughout the two lakes."

But this news will soon spread across the world, and the martial world will surely be stirred; you had better bring your daughter back home and not let her run about outside in the near future!

Shui Dai's heart jolted, and before he could speak,

Shui Sheng's lovely flower-like face immediately changed color, she was both ashamed and angry, and she shouted, "You're so arrogant and overbearing—aren't you afraid the martial world won't tolerate you?"

Upon hearing that Feng Yi directly ordered her father to confine her, she felt it was overly domineering—how could she not be angry? "Won't the martial world tolerate me?" Feng Yi laughed and said, "Do you understand the martial world? Or what is the martial world in your eyes?"

Although Shui Sheng was still angry, hearing this also lessened her anger by a third; she glanced at Feng Yi and thought, "He just won a match, so he's feeling proud."

Thinking, she pursed her lips and said, "Walking the martial world, if one cannot practice chivalry and righteousness, cannot suppress the strong and aid the weak, at least one should have some human feeling—unlike you, who acts so absolutely."

After pausing briefly, she sighed deeply and continued, "Although you defeated Uncle Liu, you exchanged over a hundred moves with him, yet against Uncle Hua you used only a few moves—what grudge do you have against him, that you need to employ such a vicious hand?"

He was defeated miserably; what face does he have to let Uncle Liu call him 'second brother'? Uncle Hua's reputation, built up over decades, is just gone like that—how can you bear it in your heart?

Feng Yi raised his thick brows and sneered, "Your martial world is far too childish!"

His tone was both arrogant and ruthless: "When I dueled with Great Hero Liu, anyone can see that I would not harm his life."

But Hua Tiegan insisted on stepping forward; he simply couldn't bear to lose the reputation of Falling Flowers Flowing Water having been defeated by me, Feng Yi.

Although his reputation is gone today, those who once lost to him and died under his spear—are they all just nameless nobodies?

Do they then have no reputation?

Shui Sheng was stunned.

Feng Yi continued, "Someone like you, a noble lady from a prominent family, forever sees only the success of great figures and the hardships of the small; do you understand? Have you ever considered that your father's and their current status is also achieved by stepping on countless corpses?"

Do you think Falling Flowers Flowing Water only practices chivalry and righteousness?

Today I am stronger than him, but if someday someone stronger than me appears, not only will my meager fame be gone, perhaps even my life will be lost! In this world, who doesn't become a ghost? Where on the green mountains are there no buried graves? You, born into a prominent family, still can't grasp this—hurry home, have a child to play with, and stop wandering the martial world!

Shui Sheng's face flushed crimson, tears swirling in her eye sockets.

Wang Xiaofeng couldn't help but say, "The martial world you describe is far too cruel—isn't this just the survival of the fittest, how is it any different from beasts?"

Feng Yi looked at Wang Xiaofeng, quite seriously, and said, "'Drawing a tiger's skin is easy, but drawing its bones is hard; knowing a person's face is easy, but knowing their heart is hard.' Do you know? In this world, how few are there who deceive the world and steal fame, wearing a human skin while actually being worse than beasts?"

Moreover, the martial world is just a great dye vat—what kind of person cannot be dyed? You think that today a great hero like Falling Flowers Flowing Water has stumbled, and everyone will curse me, Feng Yi? Let me tell you, who knows how many people in this world secretly wish for their death, let alone their downfall in reputation!

Isn't this cruel?

Moreover, a perfectly good person, under certain circumstances, can turn into a beast—it's not impossible!

For example, if you were in a place with nothing to eat, would you eat your cousin just to stay alive?

Before Wang Xiao Feng could speak, Shui Sheng gave a cold laugh and said, "Then, Hero Feng, in such a situation, would you eat your cousin?"

Feng Yi saw her stern expression and harsh words, and smiled, saying, "I say this only out of respect for Hero Shui's righteous heart—listen if you want, ignore if you don't; but if you bring trouble upon your father, don't regret it later."

He simply didn't want Shui Sheng to be captured by the Blood Blade Ancestor as in the original plot, causing Falling Flowers Flowing Water to be utterly ruined.

How could Shui Sheng know his good intentions? She saw Feng Yi leap with a single somersault, already vaulting out of the shop, laughing as he said, "Hero Shui, my senior brother Ding once crossed blades with the Blood Blade Sect; once this news reaches Qinghai, those people will surely come!"

Seeing him disappear, Shui Sheng suddenly felt an empty void in her heart. Upon hearing the three words "Blood Blade Sect," Shui Dai was instantly startled, murmuring, "So that's it!"

Shui Sheng asked dubiously, "What does the Blood Blade Sect do?"

After all, she had just entered the jianghu and was a young lady; she didn't even know about the Blood Blade Sect.

Shui Dai's eyes showed helplessness; he knew well that the people of the Blood Blade Sect lusted after beauty as if it were life itself, and if they encountered a daughter, with her looks, disaster would surely follow.

But such words were not suitable to say to a daughter, so he only said, "Xiao Feng, from today on, you and Sheng'er are not to step outside the gate."

I and your several uncles will work out a countermeasure to deal with the Blood Blade Sect's southern advance.

Although his tone was light, Shui Sheng felt a chill rise in her heart—just what kind of sect is the Blood Blade Sect, that it would make her father confine himself?

Wang Xiao Feng gave a cold snort and said, "Uncle, why bother with the Blood Blade Sect? Uncle Hua's lifetime of fame has been ruined in Feng Yi's hands—there must be an end to this."

Hearing this, Shui Sheng felt a surge of anxiety and stamped her foot, saying, "Then go ahead—he hasn't gone far; go vent your anger for Uncle Hua!"

These words were like pouring oil on fire, infuriating the young talent until his face flushed with jealous hatred; he gritted his teeth and said, "Sheng mei, I don't want to argue with you over a stranger."

But one day, I will surely have a showdown with him, Feng Yi!

Shui Dai's face hardened with frost as he gave a cold snort and said, "Feng er, as a jianghu hero, how can your mind be so narrow?"

With such intense jealousy, how could you ever master supreme martial arts? Throughout history, have you ever heard of a top expert who was petty?

He, worldly wise as he is, could hardly fail to see that Wang Xiao Feng was jealous.

Wang Xiao Feng clasped his fists and said, "As the master says!" He then rushed out of the shop, untied his horse, shook the reins, and galloped away.

Shui Dai sighed and said softly, "Sheng er, you know your cousin is naturally arrogant and utterly devoted to you, so why provoke him so much?"

Shui Sheng's lovely eyes blinked slightly, she raised her brows and laughed charmingly, saying, "Actually I just want to use Feng Yi's hand to knock down his arrogance!"

Shui Dai gave a slight nod: "Quite right—you, sheltered by me and several uncles, have grown accustomed to thinking only of yourselves and ignoring others; today you can experience what it means that there are people beyond people, mountains beyond mountains, how high the heavens and how deep the earth."

Shui Sheng sighed, recalling the battle between Falling Flowers Flowing Water and Feng Yi, which ended in such a miserable outcome.

Originally, the name Falling Flowers Flowing Water meant beating the enemy so badly they fled like falling blossoms and flowing water; who would have thought that today it would be the flowers that fell, leaving only water.

Shui Dai let out a deep sigh and said, "Perhaps what Feng Yi said is correct—this is the true essence of the jianghu: ten years in the jianghu, ten years of appearance; storms from all directions come from all directions."

Having said that, he only felt disheartened and listless, flicked his sleeve, and strode away.

Shui Sheng had wanted to comfort her father with a few words, but not knowing where to begin, she could only sigh helplessly, mount her horse, and follow after Wang Xiao Feng, who had gone on ahead a moment earlier.

……

As soon as Feng Yi stepped out of the shop, he untied the horse's stiff reins, leapt onto its back, and glanced toward a grove of trees some ten zhang off the road; he slightly tightened the reins, lifted the hooves, and set off.

Feng Yi rode leisurely along the official road for several li, entered a grove, then suddenly reined in his mount and said coldly, "Since you've been following me all the way, why skulk about?"

"Ah..."

Suddenly, a voice sighed from behind a tree: "Ah, your ears are sharp, sir—I have been playing the villain in vain."

A shadow shifted, and an old man in gray clothes, holding a wooden crutch carved with a dragon's head, walked out chuckling.

Feng Yi saw that he was thin and sharp-eyed, about fifty years old—indeed the very old man who, in the tavern, had stopped Shui Sheng from clashing with the Twin Heroes of Dongting.

Feng Yi chuckled lightly, "Old man, you're somewhat interesting. Why weren't you in the tavern just now, and how dare you stand in front of my horse now?"

The old man laughed, "I didn't come out earlier because I feared you'd strike me down without asking right from wrong."

Having said that, he paused and said, "Now there's no need to be afraid anymore!"

Feng Yi smiled, "Oh? Do tell!"

The old man's eyes lit up as he stared at Feng Yi and laughed, "If I announce my name, you too must dismount and bow properly; otherwise, how could you kill me?"

Feng Yi blinked, then laughed, "Well then, I'd like to hear who in the world is worthy of my dismounting to pay respects!"

The old man gave a cold snort and said, "I am surnamed Yan, known as the Earthly Divine Dragon—have you heard of me?"

Feng Yi's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "You are Yan Daping!"

The old man laughed heartily, "Exactly! How is it that you claim to be the closed-door disciple of my master, yet you don't even offer a greeting to me, his second senior brother?"

Feng Yi gave a slight smile, leapt off his saddle, and said, "Now I finally know what it means to wear out iron shoes searching in vain, only to find it effortlessly."

Yan Daping's face shifted slightly: "What do you mean?"

Feng Yi shouted, "Take this move!"

Suddenly shifting his stance, he lashed out with a claw aimed at the man's face.

Yan Daping instantly felt a pressing surge of energy; he gripped the lower end of his crutch with his left hand and the dragon-head top with his right, pulling them apart with a soft "click"—the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath.

As it turned out, the dragon head of the crutch was the sword hilt, the blade concealed within the shaft, and the lower end was the scabbard.

Yan Daping's long sword blazed with azure light, its shadow flickering as it aimed for Feng Yi's vital points on the chest and abdomen.

Feng Yi saw that his move was fierce and steady, seemingly without flaw. Given his current martial cultivation, when others attack, he naturally first looks for any opening in their technique—yet he did not dodge or evade, coldly laughing, "Your swordsmanship is not bad!" He flicked his left index finger like lightning toward the sword's edge, while his right two fingers pointed straight at the opponent's Chest Center and Qi Gate, two major vital points.

This move of his was merely spontaneous, yet it worked like magic—just hear a "ding," and Yan Daping's tiger's mouth grew hot; his long sword turned into a rainbow and flew up into the air.

From just that one move, Feng Yi could see that Yan Daping's swordsmanship was passable, but his inner strength was mediocre—far inferior to Falling Flowers Flowing Water; someone like him, worthless, wasn't worth wasting time on.

Yan Daping's heart shook violently; he hastily fled sideways, the wind brushing his shoulder, leaving him sore and numb, secretly wondering, "Why would this brat attack me? Could he know my purpose?"

Before his thought finished, Feng Yi suddenly appeared at his side, moving like lightning, snatched his right wrist with a swipe, grabbed his waist with the other hand, and lifted him up, shouting, "Earthly Divine Dragon, that's all you are—yet you dare to announce your name before me? Who gave you the courage?"

Saying that, he hurled him to the ground with a bang, dust flying up.

Feng Yi intended to make him look bad; Yan Daping, flung like struck by lightning, felt his whole body ache as if broken, his blood surged, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face turned ashen, and he glared at Feng Yi with endless resentment, cursing, "You brat, relying on your martial skill, do you disregard seniority and rank?"

Although Yan Daping knew Feng Yi's martial prowess was unmatched, he thought that as a second disciple of Mei Niansheng, he still had some karmic link with Feng Yi; if he relaxed his guard, he could seize the moment to unleash a technique from the manual.

But he hadn't expected Feng Yi to strike without a word, and just like the other patrons in the tavern, he was easily captured.

And since he became a disciple of Mei Niansheng, he has roamed the jianghu for several decades, never suffering such a humiliating defeat; Feng Yi's having this ability ultimately comes down to the fact that Mei Niansheng did not pass his divine skill to him, but instead gave it to an outsider, which naturally makes him feel doubly ashamed and angry.

Feng Yi coldly said, "You also know about seniority and hierarchy?"

Saying this, his face turned ashen, his sword-like brows raised, his gaze sharp as a knife fixed on Yan Daping's face, he said in a deep voice, "When the three of you murdered your benefactor, Old Master Mei, back then, where was this seniority and hierarchy?"

Yan Daping was greatly startled, and angrily said, "Bullshit, bullshit, you're talking nonsense…"

Pa-pa—

Feng Yi didn't let him finish; his body swayed, he seized Yan Daping's collar, lifted him up, and slapped him twice.

(End of chapter)