Chapter 66: Hell on Earth, Martial Arts Legend

Feng Yi leapt onto a high building, exerted his inner strength and shouted loudly: "The treasures of Tianning Temple are all poisonous; under no circumstances should they be touched directly!"

His inner power was immeasurably deep; his voice sounded like a tremendous thunderclap, echoing throughout the city, startling everyone into holding their breath, infants wailing.

After Di Yun and Qi Fang felt their hearts tremble and spirits shaken, they were both greatly shocked, staring at Feng Yi, utterly astonished.

Seeing Feng Yi lightly descend, Di Yun released Qi Fang and asked, bewildered: "Then why did you tell them to go loot the treasures?"

Feng Yi laughed carelessly: "It's only because Ling Tui Si has too many troops under him, plus archers and poisonous liquids; if we don't strip his armed forces, killing him outright would be too risky—I'm afraid of death too."

Saying this, his face flushed slightly, then he immediately said: "But now, my purpose has also been achieved.

Heaven values life; it's better to create less killing karma—only then can one's heart be at peace."

Di Yun had no such thoughts in his mind; he didn't know what to say.

Qi Fang, however, had drained all color from her face, her heart turned cold; she secretly thought that while Feng Yi's martial arts were secondary, his intellect was extraordinary, truly possessing unfathomable schemes.

He had already, back in Wan Jia, spoken loudly, planting the seed of the Liancheng Treasure in the minds of Ling Tui Si's troops; thus, with just a few words now, he sowed chaos among the army, leaving Ling Tui Si isolated and deserted.

Thinking of this, Qi Fang gently touched the severed arm hanging before her chest, glanced at Di Yun, and thought again: "My father and several martial uncles have no power to resist him; my senior brother is upright, but if we were to oppose him, even ten of us wouldn't be enough!"

Di Yun also looked at Qi Fang again; the two exchanged a glance, each able to see the worry on the other's face.

"Senior brother!" Qi Fang's face flashed with a hint of anguish.

Di Yun let out a long sigh and said softly: "My junior sister said that you saved her life, so she will not seek revenge!

Whether you admit it or not, I was indeed saved by you; I have no face to seek vengeance against you."

Feng Yi burst into laughter: "Come on, let's go see the excitement!"

As he spoke, his pair of hands had already seized their wrists, leading the two toward the southern Tianning Temple of the city.

His inner power was profound, his lightness skill supreme; the two seemed to ride clouds and mist, and soon they exited the South Gate.

The South Gate stood wide open, with not a single city guard left; only a few scattered civilians had fled out.

Evidently, the Liancheng Treasure had also aroused greed among some ordinary folk.

Feng Yi sighed inwardly; his feet were swift, and as soon as he left the city gate he saw flames shooting up far away—Jingzhou soldiers and martial-arts heroes alike, all brandishing torches, rushing toward the ancient Tianning Temple.

Feng Yi followed them, bringing Di Yun and Qi Fang up a large tree, where they watched everything that was about to happen.

This Tianning Temple lay in a desolate spot, long neglected, its doors rotted and walls crumbled, with no monks or caretakers inside. A crowd surged in, and under the glare of dozens of torches, the temple interior was as bright as daylight.

They then searched everywhere, truly digging three feet deep, yet found nothing.

Suddenly someone cried out "ah-ah" in a shout filled with disappointment, anger, and helplessness.

They suspected they had been deceived by Feng Yi.

Looking again at the statue in the temple—a Tathagata Buddha over three zhang tall, with a compassionate countenance—it seemed to be mocking them,

someone, in fury, lost all reverence for the Buddhas, leapt onto the altar, and hacked repeatedly at the Buddha's belly with a knife, shouting while cursing: "Let you laugh at me, let you see my joke!"

Ordinary Buddha statues are made of clay and wood, but when he struck this one, it rang out with a metallic clink-clink-clink.

The crowd followed the sound and saw deep knife marks revealing brilliant golden light; someone poked at the earth between the marks, peeled it away, and saw glittering—inside was pure gold.

Unable to hold back, they shouted: "This is gold, this is a golden Buddha!"

This Buddha statue is stout and bulky, far surpassing ordinary statues; as if cast entirely of gold, it surely weighs at least fifty or sixty thousand catties—could it not be the great treasure!

All together they shouted and surged forward, seven hands and eight feet, beginning to chop away the clay coating on the Buddha.

Each wielded knives and swords, and soon the Buddha's body glittered with golden light everywhere.

Someone, behind the Buddha's waist, discovered a small hidden door, then struck hard, chipping away the clay around it.

The hidden door, too, was cast of gold; after prying it open, the Buddha's belly glowed with pearls and jewels, a misty radiance drifting within—no one could tell how many pearls and treasures lay inside that great belly.

At this moment, everyone wanted to crawl into the belly,

but soon they heard a miserable "ah-ah" cry.

The front-line strugglers for the treasure had already been cut down by those behind, while the rear crowd surged forward like a wave.

Just moments ago they had spared no effort seeking the treasure, even hacking the Buddha; now they fought each other outright over the loot.

In an instant, flesh and blood flew, heads and limbs rose and fell, wails, screams, and the clashing of weapons intertwined.

Occasionally, jadeite platters several feet square flew through the air, as did large, round pearls…

Wave after wave of people collapsed like weeds, while another wave pressed on relentlessly, heedless of death, striving to burrow into the great Buddha's belly.

Those gems, gold vessels, white jade, coral, emerald, cat's-eye, blood-red coral, mutton-fat jade Buddha, crimson-gold steeds—countless, priceless treasures worth a city—along with severed limbs and fresh blood, began to intone a dirge to the god of death.

A Buddhist holy ground instantly became a true hell on earth.

Feng Yi had just proclaimed the poisonous nature of the treasure to all, yet now no one paid it any heed.

Some also wrapped a few pearls in their clothes and slipped away secretly, but compared with those fighting over the loot, they were pitifully few.

The overwhelming majority thought only: "Mine, mine, all mine!"—so that killing one person meant one less rival.

Moreover, the stream of people flowing from Jingzhou City toward Tianning Temple was endless; when one died, another simply joined the frenzy to seize the treasures littering the ground.

Feng Yi, too, was a man who killed like hemp; this scene also made him shudder involuntarily.

Di Yun and Qi Fang felt even more chilled to the bone; they could now comprehend what it means for human life to be as cheap as grass, and what it means for people to behave like beasts.

Di Yun let out a long sigh: "My master said the rights and wrongs of the jianghu are fearsome, but this greed is even more terrifying!"

Having said that, he glanced over and saw Qi Fang staring blankly into the distance, dull-witted, her soul unsettled.

Feng Yi also let out a long sigh, saying: "There is a saying that fame and territory breed hatred and greed. But I ask, when can obsessive affection ever be cut off?"

He had killed Ling Tui Si, and his sorrow stemmed from knowing that by revealing the secret of the Liancheng Treasure to the world, he would surely invite catastrophe, causing many to die unjustly.

Therefore, he originally did not wish for this.

Earlier, in Wan Jia, he had spoken of karmic retribution, hoping that when he subdued Ling Tui Si he would expose this secret, letting him die in remorse.

But this time things did not go as he had imagined; thus, after killing Ling Tui Si, he felt neither the satisfaction of slaying a wicked man nor the desire to continue tormenting him, and simply cleaved him in two with a single sword stroke.

It was precisely because this great calamity was of his own making.

In short, Feng Yi killed Ling Tui Si, his mind was enlightened, yet killing him in this way left him feeling meaningless, devoid of any satisfaction! Perhaps Di Yun and Qi Fang present were also truly mired in a quagmire of trouble.

Because it wouldn't be hard for someone to guess that, relying on my martial arts, if I were determined to leave, Ling Tui Si could not keep me even with tens of thousands of troops.

And since he captured Di Yun and Qi Fang but didn't leave himself, it can only mean that Di and Qi are very important to him.

In reality, Feng Yi knows he's just overcome by a wicked impulse, he must kill Ling Tui Si no matter what, and his grudge has little to do with Di and Qi—because when he left and returned, it was before Ling Tui Si had pulled Di Yun and Qi Fang out.

But others might not see it that way.

Just like the Blood Blade Old Ancestor and Ling Tui Si both want to capture them.

Moreover, once my deeds spread throughout the jianghu, everyone will understand: dealing with me is a near‑certain death; dealing with Di Yun and his ilk is as easy as lifting a hand.

Di Yun fell silent for a while, then suddenly said: "You clearly know about those gold, silver, and jewels, yet you don't take them—truly remarkable!"

Feng Yi gave a hollow laugh, shook his head: "What's so remarkable about me? You two are the truly remarkable ones."

"Is that so?" Di Yun grew puzzled: "How are we remarkable?"

Feng Yi said leisurely: "As for my past self, that's another story; now I carry an unparalleled skill, I dare not claim invincibility under heaven, but I can bestow or take away life and death as I wish upon everyone. I have no desire to raise an army and become emperor; I have no money to loot government offices or raid wealthy households—such material needs mean nothing to me. What I pursue are spiritual needs."

"Spiritual needs?" Di Yun still didn't understand: "What do you mean?"

Feng Yi glanced at him and Qi Fang: "This spiritual need is hard for me to explain, because everyone's is different.

For example, you—just being able to stay with your junior sister, even if you see a beautiful butterfly while farming, you want to share it with her; that is a spiritual need."

Upon hearing this, Di Yun immediately understood, nodding repeatedly: "Yes, yes, as long as I'm with my junior sister, practicing sword, speaking, planting vegetables, farming—I'm utterly happy; I just wish no one would disturb me for the rest of my life."

Although he likes his junior sister, people of this era never easily reveal their feelings; Di Yun, upon Feng Yi's words, had the love hidden in his heart drawn out.

Qi Fang, however, was made to blush by this straight‑laced senior brother's words—she couldn't argue, nor could she stay silent.

Feng Yi chuckled: "Exactly, so someone like you who knows contentment is happier than most people; sometimes I even envy you."

Di Yun said: "What's wrong with you, all these sighs? In the jianghu, when people mention your name, they tremble with fear, their souls nearly leave their bodies—what do you envy in me?"

Feng Yi shook his head: "No matter what I do, no one can share my joy; I must constantly guard against the schemes and plots of the jianghu, I can enjoy none of life's pleasures, so I can only seek spiritual satisfaction. It's rather meaningless." His tone was utterly desolate.

Feng Yi spoke from the heart—he too has the seven emotions and six desires, but in this world he dares not like anything.

He fears that if people discover his flaws and weaknesses, they will target him.

Even if he were to indulge in the feudal era's dregs—visiting pleasure quarters, listening to music, gambling, idling to pass idle time—he dare not.

In this regard, he lives worse than his original self.

Feng Yi knows he has come on too strong this time.

In the eyes of jianghu people he is a master who achieved fame in half a month; in the eyes of the Longsha Gang members he is one who achieved it in seven days.

The hope placed in the Divine Illumination Classic is too great; dreaming of replacing it is not frightening, but making everyone believe they can replicate this miracle is terrifying.

In fact, people have had differences since the moment they were born, yet they never acknowledge them.

Others can do it; I come, I can do it too.

Especially martial artists, who by nature refuse to submit to others, make Feng Yi fear poisoning while eating and drinking, constantly walking the road of killing and fighting; this perpetually tense spiritual life leaves him truly unable to bear it.

He understands Ding Dian's idea back then of simply running to the frontier to herd cattle.

And this time, he needs to find a place where no one knows him, to rest properly.

Seeing Feng Yi's expression, Di Yun and Qi Fang both felt a chill, secretly thinking that Feng Yi's abilities are so profound that even the jianghu treats them as taboo; they therefore resolve never to wander the jianghu again—this is truly terrifying.

Suddenly they heard someone in Tianning Temple howling like a dog; turning their heads, they saw someone suddenly lunge at the golden Buddha, clinging to the statue and biting wildly, others slamming their heads into it, already having lost their normal minds. Among them were the righteous heroes from Jingzhou Street who had said they'd follow Feng Yi to destroy the Blood Blade Sect's lair, and also the martial arts elders who had attended Wan Zhenshan's birthday banquet.

They generally were biting and snatching wildly, stuffing jewels into their mouths, making a clacking sound; some swallowed the jewels, and all turned into beasts.

The three of them held their breath, afraid to make a sound and disturb these mind‑less people.

But at that very instant, a tremendous boom rang out, the earth shook violently, and a mushroom cloud rose over the direction of Tianning Temple; the huge temple collapsed entirely.

In the ruins, people had their legs crushed and were wailing; some panicked and screamed for help, their voices terrifying and desperate! Yet the one who had first shouted, causing the soldiers to break formation, quietly ran out of Tianning Temple and came to stand beneath the tree where Feng Yi and the others were.

As he walked he pulled the black cloth from his face, threw it to the ground, and while walking spat curses: "Damn it, they've all gone mad! Feng Yi was right—these treasures are poisonous; luckily I had a careful mind, otherwise I wouldn't even know how I died!"

Speaking with feeling, he said: "Feng Yi, you're truly vicious! You intend to let all the greedy die without a burial place!"

This person was tall and thin, with deep, sharp eyes—none other than Yan Daping.

Qi Fang suddenly flashed her eyes, bit her lip, and shouted: "Second Uncle!"

Yan Daping's body trembled, and he saw three people descend from the tree.

Yan Daping saw Feng Yi and said with a quivering voice: "I, I didn't say…"

Feng Yi gave a hehe laugh and said loudly: "You're right! The Liang Yuan Emperor smeared poison on the treasures—what else is that but telling the world that the greedy will meet retribution!

I warned everyone beforehand that the treasures are poisonous; if everyone just picked up one or two pearls and were satisfied, this outcome wouldn't have happened."

Saying this, his voice softened: "But you didn't die—I didn't expect that!"

Yan Daping gave a bitter smile: "When I heard you say the treasures are poisonous, I covered my mouth and nose with a handkerchief; if it weren't for our brothers dying for this thing and killing our master, giving me a chance to look once and die without regret, I wouldn't dare come after hearing you speak like this."

Feng Yi gave a slight nod.

Qi Fang again asked: "Second Uncle, where's my father?"

Di Yun also said: "Right?"

Yan Daping glanced at Feng Yi, then said: "I placed him in a farmhouse outside the city, originally intending to sneak into the city to rescue you when the chance arose."

When Ling Tui Si seized Di Yun and the others, Yan Daping saw the situation was bad and directly carried Qi Changfa away on his back.

Ling Tui Si had no interest in those two wicked disciples, nor did he pursue them further.

"Let's go, quickly take Qi Changfa and leave this place of right and wrong!" Feng Yi saw another crowd arriving at the ruins of Tianning Temple and immediately said.

The others also responded in agreement.

Following Yan Daping for seven or eight li, they reached the farmhouse where Qi Changfa was staying; Feng Yi requested a set of hemp clothes and burned the blood‑stained garments.

Di Yun carried Qi Changfa on his back; the group hurried to the dock overnight, tossed down a silver ingot—money can make ghosts push millstones—and boarded a boat to cross the river.

At dawn, with the rooster crowing three times, they arrived on the opposite bank of the river.

Yan Daping said: "Everyone, we part here! I intend to live in a reed hut by my master's grave, guarding his tomb for the rest of my life to atone for my past sins."

【Ding, cleanup mission completed, reward achievement points 100.】

"Go ahead."

Feng Yi spoke calmly: "If it could be so, Old Master Mei would also find some comfort in the afterlife."

Di Yun and Qi Fang, together with this second uncle, felt rather reluctant to part, and at that moment they shed tears and bade farewell.

Feng Yi understood that to save someone you must see it through, and to send off the Buddha you must see them to the West; he also stayed with Di Yun and Qi Fang until they reached their old home in Maxi Pu.

Qi Changfa returned to his native place, then breathed his last; Di Yun and Qi Fang wore mourning clothes and buried him.

Feng Yi also had Di Yun and Qi Fang leave this place and start life anew elsewhere.

Di Yun and Qi Fang also realized that the commotion Feng Yi caused in Jingzhou was so great that it was inevitable for some to consider themselves his weakness.

They lived in Maxi Pu; the disciples of Wan Zhenshan knew this place, so it was not safe.

They had no choice but to pack their luggage and head from western Hunan to Sichuan; along the way Feng Yi said he would teach Di Yun the Divine Illumination Skill.

Di Yun naturally refused, but Feng Yi said, this is Mei Niansheng's divine skill; his disciples have improper hearts and are unworthy to receive it, but the granddisciple is most deserving!

Di Yun also didn't understand why Feng Yi treated him so well, saying: "You say human hearts are treacherous; this divine skill is coveted by everyone; we are mere acquaintances, why give it to me?"

Feng Yi merely sighed: "What kind of person am I, Feng Yi, that I could be judged by the warmth or coldness of worldly friendships?"

Otherwise, how could I have passed my divine skill to Hero Ding after knowing him for only seven days?

Di Yun still did not believe.

Feng Yi also said: "People can have white hair yet feel like new acquaintances, or meet by chance and feel like old friends; human hearts can be more perilous than mountains and rivers, yet sometimes they are like a clear bay, letting you see to the bottom at a glance."

If you do not learn the Divine Illumination Skill, one day when I am gone, perhaps this school of divine skill will be lost, and I would be unworthy before Hero Mei and the others!

Di Yun's eyes showed a dazed look; after thinking, he suddenly said: "Then if one day I seek revenge against you, will you teach me?"

Feng Yi was somewhat surprised at first, but the more Di Yun acted this way, the more he liked him; he smiled slightly and said loudly: "If you seek revenge against me, that is human duty; as long as we fight fairly, even if I die at your hands, it is merely my inferior skill, and I die without resentment. How could I refuse to teach you just because of that? You are underestimating me!"

Feng Yi now has no rival in the world; dealing with him involves only scheming or ganging up, which is meaningless. If someone could defeat him in single combat, that would be wonderful.

Therefore he devised a "raising wolves" plan.

But this wolf cannot be raised casually; only Di Yun can be trusted with it.

He will neither become a bad person nor forget his gratitude.

Even if I were truly defeated, I would have no worry for my life.

Moreover, Di Yun has not suffered the sins of the original plot and can also obtain this divine skill, which gives me inner satisfaction; after a few years, if I have nothing to do I can still go find him to spar, to scratch that itch—this win-win situation, why not? Besides, Feng Yi does not believe he could lose to Di Yun.

Di Yun stared at him, his face flushing and paling repeatedly, before slowly saying: "What my second uncle said is right; my ancestral divine skill will not be buried only if it falls into your hands, so I will not learn it!"

Feng Yi however said: "Along our journey, do you think everything has been an age of peace?"

Is it truly that no one lusts after your junior sister's beauty? If I were to bully her in front of you now, what could you do? Besides gritting your teeth, do you hope I am a good person, or are you trying to scare you, or do you think that by staying out of the jianghu, these farming folk have no ill intentions?

After hearing this, Di Yun thought it over; Feng Yi is not a bad person, but back in the village there were many youths who liked his junior sister, only their martial arts were inferior to his; so upon moving to a new place, his uncle also said his martial arts had been twisted by his teacher and were utterly useless, whereupon he began to study.

After all, practicing martial arts not only protects oneself but also protects those most important to one.

After they reached the outskirts of Chengdu, they bought several mu of land, spent several months, and Feng Yi transmitted the Divine Illumination Skill, the Liancheng Sword Technique, and the Blood Saber Classic to him before departing.

The road ahead was vast and seemingly endless; Feng Yi did not know where to go. He chose to travel through sparsely populated desolate places, sometimes resting in deep valleys and caves to practice his martial arts.

Sometimes, when he passed by and encountered some ruffians or bullies, he would casually kill them.

Now he, without relying on system reward points, when teaching Di Yun, the Divine Illumination Skill and Blood Saber Classic were already utterly proficient, having reached the stage of polished mastery.

Because the hardest part of divine skill is always achieving completion.

Before achieving it, aside from personal factors, there are external ones; one's strength is not guaranteed, and perhaps one could be killed midway.

But once divine skill reaches perfection and polished mastery, the difference is merely subtle control proficiency; it does not substantially increase one's strength.

For example, if I strike with ten units of force to kill someone, the person actually needs only eight units to kill; there is not much difference.

Just as Feng Yi now possesses both the Divine Illumination Skill and Blood Saber Classic, the orthodox and heterodox superior martial arts, his strength is far less than the leap he made from minor to major accomplishment in the Divine Illumination Skill.

Just as Wang Zhongyang's martial arts were number one under heaven, and even after seizing the Nine Yin True Classic he remained number one, aside from putting on a Versailles display before the disciples of his old lover, there was nothing else to do.

Feng Yi now appears to be the same.

He knew there were the "Four Northern Oddities" in the north, but he did not want to seek them out, because his fame was now too great.

One must take it easy; one cannot sweep through the martial world in just a few months, for then there would be no place to stand under heaven.

But although Feng Yi is not in the jianghu, his reputation is widely spread.

Some say he is a murderous demon by nature, committing slaughter under the banner of justice, a hypocrite seeking fame.

Because the Jiangling treasure caused the deaths of thousands, including civilians, jianghu folk, and government soldiers.

Yet others say he is the most venerable hero!

Because he made those hypocritical officials and jianghu bigwigs, who wear a beast's heart beneath a human face, unable to hide, and they all received punishment.

Moreover, he left the corpses of the Blood Saber Sect's disciples strewn across Jingzhou; the Blood Saber Sect's crimes piled up—something countless jianghu people could not achieve! And Feng Yi, from his debut to achieving all this, took only half a month!

Of course, some also think he used only seven days.

Because of this, arguments never cease, even coming to blows.

Because those seven days Feng Yi spent with Ding Dian in that solitary cell—whether they count toward his rise to fame—are disputed.

Feng Yi, far away a thousand li, also heard the aftermath of the Jiangling affair, but he merely gave a faint smile.

What matters is neither killing in the name of justice nor justice in practice; he himself only seeks a clear conscience.

As the saying goes: "Fortunate is the one who understands me; alas, none understand my solitary path!" Regardless of Feng Yi's reputation, no one dares deny his legend.

One person, with a single sword, in half a month destroyed a prefecture, swept through southern jianghu, and slew the members of the Blood Saber Sect.

He is the contemporary martial arts legend! Ancient to modern, none can match him.

Compared to Bodhidharma, Zhang Sanfeng, Feng Yi pales in comparison; what he lacks is founding a sect! If he wished, a single call would summon followers like clouds; who would not want to become his disciple? Alas, after the Jiangling battle, Feng Yi seemed to have vanished from the world.

No one anymore announces himself before a fight, his voice carrying for miles, fearing others won't know what Feng Yi is doing! All that remains is a single saying: "The more greed, the greater the retribution!"

This is Feng Yi's final words left to the jianghu.

With his disappearance, combined with the fates of the Blood Saber Sect monks, Mei Sect disciples, the Jingzhou prefect, and those who lost their lives for treasure, this saying spread widely.

But in this world, there are plenty of people who, for profit, for desire and insatiable greed, have no fear of karma! Even if many people, even whole families, have already died on this road, they still keep coming, one after another.

Interpretation: "But in this world, there are many people who, for profit, for desire, for insatiable greed, are not afraid of retribution! Even if many people, even whole families, have already died on this path, they still keep coming one after another."

We need to keep tone. Use natural English.

Because when doing these things, everyone harbors a hopeful, wishful attitude.

Whatever, don't reach out—reach out and you'll be caught; it's all nonsense.

Being caught is just one's own inability! Don't believe it? Just look at Feng Yi! (End of chapter)