Chapter 92: Defying Heaven's Net, I trample my benefactor-teacher underfoot — that's just who I am

Mother!

Miss Fu!

Kou and Xu, along with Song Shidao, shouted in succession, then hurried forward to check on Fu Junruo's condition.

The blue-clad youth spoke calmly:

In the martial world today, the most renowned are none other than the Four Surname Clans, but if we talk about who wields the most influence, it must be the Song clan among them.

The Song clan is the most powerful aristocratic family in the south, and its chief, Heavenly Blade Song Que, is renowned as the greatest swordmaster under heaven.

Among the Four Surnames, the other three are mixed with barbarian blood, but this sole remaining southern great clan that maintains its prestige has always upheld tradition, strictly forbidding its members from marrying anyone outside the Han people, and thus is considered orthodox in the martial world.

He paused, then continued:

The clan leader's favored young son actually takes a liking to a foreign woman—truly, hearing is false, seeing is believing.

"Master of the Pure Abode, please watch your words." Song Lu stepped forward:

"Shidao only felt compassion; no matter what, he has at least made the acquaintance of Miss Fu."

"Heh, upon first meeting, the seeds of love were already deeply planted."

The blue-clad youth said leisurely:

"It appears so: love is something only outstanding individuals can afford, and true passion is born only in wealthy families—only they can afford to give it freely, willingly, without calculating gains and losses."

"After all, ordinary people exhaust themselves just to survive, scheming and calculating for their own gain; where would they find the strength to give true love, or the time and energy to be a lover?"

"Whether you are a worldly disciple of the Cihang Pure Abode or its abbot, you are ultimately one who transcends the world with a compassionate heart."

Song Shidao rose, his face showing reluctance:

"Don't you know that saving a life beats building a seven-story pagoda?"

"Leaving aside that she is an assassin specially trained by Goguryeo, intending one day to sacrifice herself for the Dao, the mere fact that she has revealed the treasure she obtained from Yang Gong's Vault in the martial world shows she wishes to plunge the Central Plains into chaos so they may destroy each other."

The blue-clad youth questioned:

"An assassin from foreign lands with a heart deserving death—should he not die?"

""This" Song Shidao was at a loss for words, and Song Lu hastily said:

"Master of the Pure Abode understands the greater good; such a person indeed meets a fitting end."

Zhuang Buran suddenly laughed:

"Mr. Song bears the demeanor of a great family, and is moreover modest and courteous, so why is his vision always so poor?"

"If you mistake me for a woman, that's forgivable, but why do you consort with heretical demons?"

As Song Lu wondered what was going on, the blue-clad youth flickered and appeared beside the ever-silent Liu Jing, chuckling lightly:

"Even if I have never seen a Yinkui demon, I have been taught since childhood how to discern the martial arts of the two schools and six paths of the Demonic Sect; your enchanting illusion techniques are truly familiar to me."

"Master of the Pure Abode, you jest; I am merely a fallen gentleman, reduced to wandering the dust, making a living by singing and laughing for coin."

Liu Jing trembled, seeming frightened, and looked pitifully at Song Lu:

"My lord!"

Song Lu felt a pang of distress and urged anxiously:

"Master of the Pure Abode, could this be a misunderstanding? How could Jing'er be a demonic temptress?"

"Impudent, you dare to recklessly use your enchanting techniques."

The blue-clad youth gave a low shout; his profound power shook Liu Jing, disrupting her internal energy, injuring her five viscera, causing a trickle of blood to spill from her lips as she stumbled and fell.

"My lord, save me." Liu Jing pleaded pitifully.

Song Lu could bear it no longer, gripping his Silver Dragon Crutch tightly, he said:

"Master of the Pure Abode, you have no proof; to wound my concubine without cause—are you not bullying my Song clan for having no one?"

"Uphold the righteous, repel evil, exterminate demons, protect the Way—nothing more."

Zhuang Buran lowered his gaze, a tremor in his foot released a surge of force, shaking Liu Qing to death.

"You"

Song Lu, his anger flaring, poured domineering power into his Silver Dragon Crutch, as if infusing it with overwhelming force capable of shattering a boulder in a single strike, and swung it at the blue-clad youth.

Zhuang Buran dodged lightly, causing Song Lu's strike to miss, yet seeing that he refused to give up, he repeatedly chopped, smashed, and swept with great force, each time to no avail.

He then demonstrated his newly created crutch technique, a harmonious blend of hardness and softness: it can be used as a short staff for heavy blows, or as a judge's pen to strike pressure points; within its hardness lies hidden softness, truly embodying the principle of concealing strength and appearing clumsy.

"Bang!"

The blue-clad youth suddenly struck out, as if Song Lu had willingly left an opening; he was slapped in the chest with a palm and sent flying backward.

"If the Song clan were all like you, lovestruck or blind, then once Heavenly Blade enters the grave, the clan will surely decline."

On the great vessel, the Song clan's retainers, seeing Song Lu wounded, all brandished their weapons, and Song Shidao shouted loudly:

"Stop."

As they retreated, Song Lu also rose, clutching his chest; it was clear he had suffered only some internal injuries.

At this moment, seeing that his paternal uncle was unharmed, Song Shidao retained the composure he had cultivated since youth and said calmly:

"Your conduct bears no resemblance to that of a disciple of the Pure Abode of Compassion."

"Oh, is that so." The blue-clad youth chuckled.

"By rights, given your age, you should never have seen a disciple of my Pure Abode."

Song Shidao raised his voice:

"Although I have never seen one, I have heard that the disciples of the Pure Abode of Compassion are all understanding and kind, extraordinary women with a bodhisattva's heart."

"Although I am no extraordinary woman, I am still not sufficiently understanding and kind, nor do I possess a bodhisattva's heart."

The blue-clad youth said nonchalantly:

"Even assassins who seek to wreak havoc in the Central Plains will set aside some time to return to their homeland, and they still bear the duty to defend the righteous martial world, slaying the demonic heretics they encounter."

"In doing all this, I only feel that I am being overly good."

"To take and give away others' lives at will, and also bear the appearance and demeanor of a man's body with a woman's visage." Song Shidao frowned tightly:

"Rather than saying you are a successor of the Compassionate Vessel Quiet Studio, it would be more accurate to say you are a successor of the Yin Water Sect of the Demonic Sect; that would actually make people more convinced."

"Whether you believe it or not makes no difference; my senior sister has already descended the mountain to enter the world, you can go ask her herself."

Zhuang Buran's gaze looked toward Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling who were helping Fu Junruo sit up:

"If I haven't miscalculated, you two have only spent a few days with this foreign woman, yet you wear an expression as if you're dying to live."

At this moment, Xu Ziling naturally understood that the peerless beauty before him, whose decisiveness in killing was extreme, if he gave a wrong answer, something unexpected might happen, so he said:

"She is our adoptive mother, now on her deathbed; if we don't feel grief and sorrow, wouldn't we be heartless and cruel?"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had grown up together since childhood, already developing an extraordinary tacit understanding; often, a single glance was enough to know each other's meaning, and they also spoke up, saying:

"That's right; Zi Ling and I lost our parents when we were young, and after great difficulty we gained this familial bond, not expecting to lose it so soon, naturally we feel great sorrow."

"Indeed, since I have killed your adoptive mother, why not acknowledge me as your master?"

Zhuang Buran's eyes flashed with a strange light:

"My new Quiet Studio has yet to receive fresh blood; I see your talent is outstanding—would you be willing to shoulder the righteous path of the mortal world together with me?"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stood frozen in place, simultaneously seeing the shock in each other's eyes, feeling that this white-haired, blue-clad youth of roughly their age might have something wrong with his head.

Even Song Lu's uncle and nephew nearby couldn't help but show astonished expressions; killing someone's kin and then taking them as disciples—no matter how you look at it, it feels somewhat familiar.

This is exactly the Dark Kui Sect's consistent modus operandi, known as severing worldly ties.

The blue-clad youth said lightly:

"Your talent is good, but you are already old; without a tremendous stroke of luck, you will only end up as the most mediocre part of the mundane world."

"Take me as your master, and I will teach you the true teachings; the so-called realm of a grandmaster is also not unattainable."

"Aren't you afraid we'll come to you seeking revenge for killing our mother?" Kou Zhong couldn't help but ask.

The blue-clad youth, hands behind his back, said indifferently:

"To overturn the heavens and trample one's benefactor underfoot is simply the tradition of our lineage."

(End of chapter)