Chapter 34: Single Blade to the Banquet

Regarding the shopkeeper's question, Feng Zi answered candidly: "Yes, that is not any secret."

Hearing such a candid answer, the shopkeeper hurriedly pulled him aside and whispered: "Master Martial Artist, you must absolutely not say that you came from Wutai County."

"Oh? I would like to hear the details." Upon hearing this, Feng Zi raised his eyebrows slightly and moved away from the doorway with the other person.

The shopkeeper did not mince words and immediately said: "People all say that a few days ago, some Master Martial Masters from Wutai County came to this county.

"It is said that the masters of the Sun Family treated them with great hospitality and held discussions, but they did not reach an agreement, and the Master Martial Masters fought their way out the door.

"Although the Sun Family has not admitted to this matter, when you see the lintel of the Sun Family's gate, you will understand in your heart."

Although the shopkeeper's words were full of terms like "legend" and "it is said," since the other party specifically explained this matter, it should not be something created out of thin air.

Furthermore, in Feng Zi's memory, Lu Hanwen and Li Shou did indeed set out seven days earlier than him:

Whether starting from the timing or the identities of both parties, the information the shopkeeper provided matched up.

The only problem was... Feng Zi could not imagine, no matter what, the scene of Lu Hanwen and Li Shou disregarding decorum and coming to blows.

Of course, this was only a small problem; after all, he did not know the specific details in between.

After pondering for a moment, Feng Zi had a decision in his heart—in his mind, what the shopkeeper said had at least ninety percent credibility.

As for the remaining ten percent:

Half lay in the fact that one must always be on guard against others; the other half lay in the fact that the other party was, after all, just an ordinary commoner and could not see the full picture of the matter, fearing there might be a bias.

After musing for a moment, Feng Zi nodded slightly and said: "It was my lack of consideration; thank you for your kind reminder, shopkeeper."

Seeing this, the shopkeeper also hurriedly bowed and said: "You are a good man, Master, you must be extra careful!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Zi just replied casually: "Since you have injuries on you, just rest for a few days; there is no need to push yourself too hard."

Having said that, without waiting for the other party to respond, he pushed the door open and stepped out.

The not-so-bustling street scene came into view once again, and in front of this noodle shop, a carriage was parked.

Feng Zi looked up and saw a Martial Artist dressed somewhat meticulously, standing by the carriage door, holding a square box in his hands.

Seeing him walk out of the shop, that Martial Artist stepped forward quickly and said obsequiously: "I presume you are that Martial Artist who is visiting our county."

Feng Zi nodded slightly and said indifferently: "State your purpose."

Facing different people, one naturally must adopt different attitudes; he had long since become accustomed to this.

That Martial Artist handed over the box in his hands, his tone becoming even more obsequious:

"I am a guarding Martial Artist of the Sun Family. Hearing that a thug offended you, the Young Master specifically ordered me to invite you to a banquet to express his apologies—this is a small token of the Young Master's sincerity."

Sincerity? I'm afraid it's more of a show of force...

Feng Zi muttered in his heart and then casually opened the box:

Inside the box, there was only a head with eyes wide open in death—its owner was that thug who had provoked him earlier!

Forcing down the nausea in his heart, Feng Zi suppressed his anger and impulse, and glared at the other party: "Speak, what kind of trick is this again?"

Upon hearing this, the other party hurriedly said: "You have misunderstood; this is our Young Master's sincerity."

"He offended me, and I have already administered a slight punishment; this matter is already over. Are you questioning my decision?"

Feng Zi was clearly not satisfied with this answer; he stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes narrowed slightly.

The more it is a time like this, the less one can retreat; one must display an even tougher stance.

Sure enough, facing this stance of his, that Martial Artist sheepishly closed the box and said timidly:

"Please understand, commoners are not allowed to contradict Martial Artists; this is the rule of Daishan County."

"Is it the rule of Daishan County, or the rule of your Sun Family?" Even if what the other party said was true, Feng Zi clearly would not accept this kind of rhetoric.

He stepped past the other party and boarded the carriage first: "No need to explain; I have my own judgment on right and wrong. Lead the way."

From everything that had just happened, as well as the Sun Family's "sincerity," Feng Zi no longer held any expectations for the intelligence level of that Sun Family Young Master and the family head behind him:

No matter how stupid that thug was, he was still his own lackey; one could beat or scold him, but how could one just kill him directly?

Doesn't this chill the hearts of one's subordinates? Will anyone be willing to work wholeheartedly for them in the future?

A fool who couldn't even think of this layer, Feng Zi naturally did not expect the upcoming banquet to end peacefully.

"Sure enough, smart people like Lu Hanwen are still too few," he sighed in his heart.

Seeing that Feng Zi had already boarded the carriage, that Martial Artist then followed behind, lagging a beat.

As for that innocent thug who died in vain? Feng Zi did not care, and the other party did not concern himself with it:

No one cared about this person; his life wasn't even worth being a topic of conversation—the Martial Artist just tossed the box aside casually.

Just after sitting in the carriage, the other party couldn't wait to open his mouth and ask: "May I ask where you are from?"

Regarding this question, Feng Zi glanced at the other party as if looking at an idiot, then shifted his gaze away with a lack of interest: "Are we very familiar?"

For this kind of mindless question, he didn't even have the interest to answer.

The other party took a soft rebuff, touched his nose awkwardly, and changed the subject: "Seeing that you carry a bow and arrows with you, you seem to be very experienced in hunting?"

My god, is this person an idiot?

Feng Zi closed his eyes and answered with a lack of interest: "Yes, I originally intended to rest my feet here, but unfortunately, you have ruined my mood."

If it weren't for maintaining the most basic decorum, he would have rolled his eyes to the heavens:

Smart people should observe more, think more, plan before acting, and even more so, control their own mouths... It is just a pity that the Martial Artist before him was not a smart person.

But the other party's focus was clearly on the weapon Feng Zi carried, and he actually reached out his own hand and said:

"Sir, please hand over your weapon to me for safekeeping; weapons are not allowed during the banquet. This is the rule."

Heh, trying to pull a stunt on him? Feng Zi only felt the other party was childishly ridiculous.

Clang—

A flash of white light streaked by, and before the Martial Artist could see clearly what had happened, the tip of the hunting knife was already pressed against his throat!

"You are merely a Martial Artist who has just entered the path; what qualifications do you have to mention 'rules' in front of me?"

Feng Zi leaned against the carriage door, holding the hunting knife backhanded in his right hand, and said in a calm tone:

"Perhaps you think that because you are a Martial Artist and your master is a Martial Master, you dare to bark orders at me and spout nonsense about some bullshit 'rules'."

"Although I am only a Martial Artist at Great Accomplishment, I am a tough man who has crawled back from the gates of hell and survived under the claws of a fierce tiger—"

"Admittedly, I cannot kill your young master who is a Martial Master, but I can kill every single Martial Artist of your Sun Family and still manage to retreat unscathed; do you dare to bet on that?"

To act, one must naturally get into character; Feng Zi now regarded himself as an ordinary Martial Artist.

Was the gap between Martial Artists actually this vast?

Facing the hunting knife pressed against his throat, that Martial Artist was so terrified that cold sweat streamed down, and he could only nod repeatedly: "It... it was my rashness."