Book 9: Chapter 15

“Brother Feizhen.” Yu Feiyuan charged into Ming Feizhen’s chest, forgetting to hold back her strength. As a result, Ming Feizhen, Yu Feiyuan and Su Xiao plummeted into the lake.Instead of lashing at Ming Feizhen for seeing her body through her wet golden robe, Yu Feiyuan clung to his arm. “Brother Feizhen…”Fast to catch on upon feeling the pull on his sleeve, Ming Feizhen quietly assured, “Don’t worry. I’ll always be back to see you regardless of where I go or how large the world may be.”A smile bloomed on Yu Feiyuan’s lips until she noticed Su Xiao and her blunder, prompting her to switch to a frown. “He owes this great one money.”The people watching on could understand Su Xiao behaving the way he did due to his young age, but Interim Patriarch Yu throwing herself at a man… Therefore, her explanation prompted “ahs” and “ohs” around.Su Xiao, sensing the same danger as when Bai Lian shows up upon seeing Yu Feiyuan’s arms around Ming Feizhen’s, grabbed Ming Feizhen’s arm.“Xiao?!”Cheeks searing, Su Xiao stuttered, “I-I’ll help you up.”Yu Feiyuan didn’t know what Su Xiao was playing at, but she did know that she had to do something. Hence, she pulled Ming Feizhen’s arm into her valley. Su Xiao clicked his tongue and copied. Ming Feizhen only had one thing he wished to shout: “Let me get the flying flip up! You trying to freeze me to death in here?!”Upon receiving Ming Feizhen’s visual distress call, Shen Yiren tugged up a corner of her lips.Boss, don’t do this to me! Don’t sell your comrade out now of all times!Ming Feizhen was too busy to notice the wrathful disciple who joined Yu Feiyuan to welcome him, though the disciple would’ve preferred to do something on the opposite spectrum of welcoming him.Ming Feizhen already forgot about his promise to announce his engagement to Yu Feiyuan on the thirteenth. When Huofeng found out the two were involved in a fight, she was worried upon hearing he went missing. All that worry was for nothing because he was alive and kicking! So much for good news that would help Matriarch Zi’s depression – courtesy of Ming Huayu.The old one is an old dastard, and the young one is a young dastard! Mount Daluo is a bunch of liars! News of their engagement should’ve reached Hangzhou by now. If they don’t get married, I’d be surprised if Shifu doesn’t devolve into a worse condition! Ming Feizhen, you’re finished now!Seeing Ming Feizhen and Shen Yiren communicate using their eyes, Long Zaitian ranted, “Why do all the girls like that dimwit?”Tie Hanyi chortled: “Brother Long, don’t be so petty. Besides, two girls don’t count as ‘all’.”“How do you know about me and Vice-Captain Shen?”“Huh? Vice-Captain Shen? What does this have to do about her? Su Xiao and Interim Patriarch Yu, that’s two.”“… Somebody is a little too loose…”Xiao Huangquan, a freestyle sixty-year-old man notorious for always reeking of alcohol, strapping two flags to his back all the time and edging on unpredictably crazy, griped, “Patriarch Luo, you do not mean to tell us that you called us here in this cold weather just to watch him flirt with women, did you?”Luo Ming had summoned pretty much everybody on the island to the dock Ming Feizhen arrived at. They wouldn’t be there, otherwise. The reason Luo Ming called everyone there was to avoid “Abels” slipping in under the guise of one of the groups’ members.Xiao Huangquan ignored the irate reactions of Luo Clan’s descendants, which was him being his usual self, blithely doing whatever he pleased with no regard for anyone, and continued, “Patriarch Luo, what is an alcoholic supposed to do here? I would assume that drinking while watching spring chickens flirt is not your cup of tea.”“Who are you? Do you realise you have trespassed?” Luo Ming’s snark smile was more informative than his words. “You were the one who conquered all four formations? You are quite brave to show up here after that.”“I am afraid there is a misunderstanding, Patriarch Luo,” Shen Yiren voiced. “He is my subordinate, not a criminal.”Even though Luo Ming already met Ming Feizhen when posing as Abels, he found Ming Feizhen’s advent to be at a suspicious time. More explicitly, he speculated Ming Feizhen might know where Abels was hiding.“Criminal or not, for him to have conquered Four Seasons Sword Formation, he is no ordinary man.”“That is impossible!” Emperor Yuansheng’s escort asserted at once.“His martial arts skills?” Shen Yiren couldn’t pull the corners of her lips down. “His martial arts skills are…”Everyone behind Shen Yiren and Emperor Yuansheng: “Sheet!”Emperor Yuansheng jovially conveyed, “Brother Luo, he really is my subordinate and is an average martial artists, at best. Claiming he could overcome Four Seasons Sword Formation is a joke so far-fetched that it is not funny. Young Ming, explain yourself to Patriarch Luo. Honestly, I’m also curious how you found your way here.”Ming Feizhen shrugged: “It was not easy to escape Evil Spirits’ stragglers; I even got hurt. I hid in a cavern for two days and then came here when I heard where they were. I did not encounter any obstacles on the way in. I never saw Four Seasons Sword Formation or what you call it. I have heard of Lotus Root Ground’s sword formation, but I thought I could notify Luo Sword Manor since my master is a guest of Luo Sword Manor. I mean, there is no reason for me to storm in if I can legitimately enter the easy way.”“You did not encounter any obstacles? That is absurd,” Luo Ming disputed.“Abels” blitzed through the four gates, leaving Lotus Root Ground in disarray. Therefore, it was reasonable to assume that someone sneaked in during the fiasco. Luo Ming had trouble believing Ming Feizhen given the timing of events.Ming Feizhen smiled: “But it is not just me. Take a second look.”Luo Ming couldn’t see through the fog, but frustration festered between his eyes. It took a while for a large boat carrying, at least, eighty people in frayed clothing unlike the exuberant boat.“It’s Beggar Sect!”There shouldn’t be any surprise that Luo Sword Manor invited Jiangnan’s biggest and, arguably, most famous group in Jiangnan. The thing was, Beggars Sect never replied to clarify if they would be coming or not.“More are coming,” Ming Feizhen informed.There was somebody engaged in verbal warfare with Beggars Sect on a plain boat behind them until a loud bell on the plain boat chimed over their voices.Luo Ming elucidated, “That’s Cold Mountain Temple’s unique internal style – Dawn Bell Dusk Drum. The style is akin to Lion’s Roar, capable of snapping one out of illusions, albeit not so peacefully.”As a fellow orthodox sect, Cold Mountain Temple, the second Champion White Prince, shouldn’t have been slamming Beggar’s Sect.“They aren’t arguing with each other. Beggars Sect is arguing with someone, while Cold Mountain Temple is merely using their bell sound to stop them.” Luo Ming saw another small boat by the side of Beggar’s Sect boat, and the passengers on the small one were the ones arguing with Beggars Sect.“You thief, give it back!” someone from Beggars Sect fired.The maiden, dressed in green, responded from the small boat, “If you want it, come take it.”The seventeen year old maiden then vaulted onto shore, yet none of the guards attempted to stop her. When she ducked behind Luo Ming, he just smiled without any airs. Despite still sounding as one would expect of him, his undertone was different when he said, “Mingzhu, stop being naughty.”The maiden poked her tongue at Beggars Sect and stated, “Talk to my dad if you have something to say.”