Book 14: Chapter 80
Meeting at Night
“How did this happen?” Song Chi had his brows knitted as he looked at Ling Shaoxuan lie unconscious on a bed.
While the five families shared a common goal, it was Song Chi’s idea for the five of them to visit the imperial palace, so he was duty-bound to take responsibility for Ling Shaoxuan’s current state.
“Bai Ju, Che Gulu’s uncle, is here.”
Song Chi recognised the name associated with fearsome whip skills in Beijiang for the last two-plus decades. Bai Ju would’ve been significantly more famous if he was active in the Central Plain. Considering the gap in Bai Ju and Ling Shaoxuan’s skills, on top of Ling Shaoxuan not recognising him, the outcome wasn’t surprising.
“Why has someone of his calibre returned to the Central Plain?“
Ever since Song Chi withdrew from the idol competition, he spent his days reading in populated places to avoid criticism down the road. He would’ve continued ignoring the idol competition and wouldn’t have visited if Ling Shaoxuan didn’t get hurt.
“He said he’s here to help his nephew.”
“You believe that nonsense?”
Smiling, Xun Feng shook his head. “I don’t believe nonsense.”
“How are you still smiling when Brother Ling is in this state? I thought nothing could go wrong with you watching over, but your lack of investment has resulted in the operation falling apart. Do you have any excuses?”
“What do you mean I haven’t invested?”
“Let’s not feign ignorance with each other. I consider myself passable in martial arts; I’m unanimously considered among the top five in our generation in Jiangnan. I’ll shamelessly say they’re not far off, and I’ll go as far as to claim there aren’t many who’d argue otherwise. Still, I have no confidence I could beat you.”
Xun Feng tacitly agreed with a smile.
“Moreover, you have obtained the ‘Venerable’ title. Cold Mountain Temple entrusted you to reach out to the Western Regions’ Lotus Cult because you’re clever and strong. You alone are more than enough to dominant this competition.”
Xun Feng sighed. “Brother Zi Li, as your elder, allow me to say this first: if you were with us today, Bai Ju would not have had any hope.”
Song Chi couldn’t argue. “I… do admit that is my mistake.”
“It is true that I held back on purpose today. Although Tang Ye and Su Xiao are decent, in a one-on-one contest, it would be easy to crush them without breaking a sweat. Che Gulu, on the other hand, is not someone to be underestimated, much less Bai Ju. You know as well as I do that Sister Bai and Brother Ling cannot hold their own weight in a real fight.”
“I can agree with Brother Ling, but Brilliant Broadsworder personally taught Sister Bai, not to mention her internal energy rivals ours, yet you claim she wouldn’t be helpful?”
Xun Feng wagged his hand gently. “You know what I mean. She lacks experience in spite of that. She loses in a real fight solely on the mental front. As well, have you forgotten why Ming Feizhen questioned her? If Bronze Mask isn’t her, then it’s Brother Ling. Is Brother Ling still a suspect in his current state?”
“That’s absolutely ridiculous! Bronze Mask is an assassin with Six Blades. Would Elder Brilliant Broadsworder’s disciple work as an assassin? That’s preposterous!”
“Relax. I don’t think there’s any validity to that now, either. In summary, though, the two of them don’t cut it. How am I meant to win without you?”
Song Chi waved his hand. “The idol competition is a trivial matter. It doesn’t matter if we lose.”
“I may be laid back, but I do know there is a time and place to take things seriously. If the idol contest is a trivial event, what does that make our alliance? We swore to go through all the ups and downs together. You are our leader; what are we supposed to think if you back out now?”
Song Chi shook his head. “I admit I didn’t think things through enough before bringing you all with me to the capital, consequently putting us between a rock and a hard place. In saying that, I have my reasons. I did, however, say that I wouldn’t continue participating in the operation. You can take my spot. Why would you go as far as hurting Su Xiao?”
“So that’s what you’re unhappy with me about.”
“I do believe I stressed multiple times that we can’t make enemies out of Liu Shan Men. Why would you make such a foolish decision?”
“I cannot be blamed for this.” Xun Feng wiped away his smile. “Today, Su Xiao performed a broadsword technique that broke my true qi as smoothly as a hot knife through beef grease.”
“Broadsword techniques that generate violent winds is nothing rare. That is your reason for hurting Su Xiao?”
“Would I care if it was a martial arts’ skill? That attack is arguably the nemeses of all internal disciplines. Regardless of your internal energy potency, it can break through in one go.”
“That would make it a voodoo technique, then. Why would you exaggerate like that?”
“I don’t recognise the discipline myself. With that said, I can say with unshakeable confidence that it will be a breakthrough in martial arts that will shake up the concepts of martial arts. I do not have a passion for martial arts, but the survival of us seven is inevitably linked to martial arts. Even if it is not my desire, I have to get to the bottom of it.”
“If what you say is true, then Su Xiao’s background is nothing to scoff at, yet you dared to hurt him?”
“My intention was to find out the source of Su Xiao’s martial arts. For some reason, she has learnt Buddhism’s most advanced internal discipline, and her counters become even more dangerous once external threats trigger her. I, therefore, had no choice but to go heavy handed.”
“What did you do while she was unconscious.”
Xun Feng wore on a hapless smile. “Don’t look at me like that. Although I like to drink, eat meat and admit Su Xiao is pretty, I have never had an interest in women. I would rather not be the victim of a woman. Plus, did you know that the internal discipline she practices is Shaolin’s Yijin Jing?”
Song Chi widened his eyes reactively. “She’s a direct disciple of Shaolin? It’s said that there are few students of Yijin Jing. Shaolin thinks so highly of her?“
“Right? That is why I would never accost such a powerhouse when we are no longer fighting with the imperial court even if you dared me.”
Song Chi understood the reason and believed the justification. It had nothing to do with confidence but everything to do with stance. As a disciple of Cold Mountain Temple, if Shaolin wanted an explanation for the attack, then Shaolin would take issue with all of Cold Mountain Temple, not just Xun Feng. There was no way Xun Feng would drag his entire sect into a conflict. Song Chi was glad to know that.
“So, you leveraged it to provoke Tang Ye so that you could kill him?”
“Indeed. To be specific, I just need to injure him bad enough so that he has to withdraw from tomorrow’s contest, which would reduce the number of opponents we have to face. In turn, we would have more energy for Che Gulu and Bai Ju.”
“But you did not kill Tang Ye.”
“There were two things I did not expect.” Xun Feng raised a finger. “First, Sister Bai is surprisingly quite fond of Tang Ye. I could not do anything because she kept sheltering him, though I did manage to test her. You will be glad to know that she is not Bronze Mask.”
“What does that have to do with me?” coyly responded Song Chi. “Stay on topic. What is the second thing?”
Xun Feng shrugged. “Second, I thought Tang Ye was not a worthwhile opponent, but he has changed my mind after today.”
“It is rare to hear you praise someone. You think he is a worthy foe now?”
Xun Feng shook his head with a long face. “He is a foe who must be exterminated.”