Chapter 457: Kill in the Simplest Way (I)

The lake surface was shrouded in drifting mist, resembling a dreamlike fairyland. At this moment, a melodious and pure sound drifted from the fog, like a cleansing breeze. Lin Hongyuan perked up her ears, listening intently to the flute music, which dispelled the lingering bloodthirsty aura left by Xu Fengnian’s shocking words. She became enraptured, closing her eyes completely, seemingly a connoisseur of flute playing herself. She murmured, “Down at the Deer Waist Ridge beneath Mount Gu niu of Huisan, where the purple bamboo densely surrounds, why is it that amidst all that purple, a single green bamboo grows? Its roots are entwined with moss, its shoots bitter and inedible, hence it is called bitter bamboo, but it is the finest for making flutes. This little tune is unfamiliar to me, yet it carries a bitter flavor in every note. I wonder how bitter the flute player’s heart must be. ‘Bitter green, bitter green’—this phrase perfectly describes both the bamboo and the player.”

Xu Fengnian, however, was not as sentimental as Lin Hongyuan. He spoiled the mood bluntly, “If you speak so highly of it, imagine the flutist is a dashing young man. If he stands by the riverbank with a bitter expression, blowing his flute, he’d surely attract the sympathy of passing female martial heroes. They’d probably want to pull him into their arms and comfort him.”

Sure enough, after Xu Fengnian’s crude interpretation, Lin Hongyuan leaned back against the railing, rubbing her forehead helplessly. Xu Fengnian idly twisted a strand of her dangling hair and asked, “Tell me, how many people in this world could kill everyone at Kuai Xue Manor in one breath?”

Lin Hongyuan’s brows twitched. After a moment of thought, she replied, “Wang Xianzhi, Tuoba Pusa, and Deng Tai’a—no more than that. Even Master Nalan said that in the past five hundred years, only Wang Xianzhi could rival Lüzu. No one else could accomplish such a feat. The Northern Liang’s war god ranks just behind him, but he surpasses the next eight by a wide margin. To be precise, it’s seven people after the Peach Blossom Sword Sage. Even if others reach sainthood in the three teachings—like the Grand Scholar Cao Changqing or the White-Robed Monk Li Dangxin—they still couldn’t do it. Because it would go against their inner nature. Their sainthood is too much in harmony with the heavens. Once they violate heavenly principles, their cultivation would plummet severely. Take Li Dangxin, for instance—he once stopped the Yellow River mid-flow, suspending hundreds of meters of water above the Daoist sect’s mountain. Yet he would never let it crash down on innocent people. To force a mountain over the sea—such a feat is neither their will nor their ability. Especially among the hidden sages of Buddhism and Daoism, no one has ever been seen on the battlefield. The priests of Longhu Mountain merely receive imperial edicts to set up rituals and accumulate spiritual merit. How would they dare to massacre innocents? As for someone like Deng Tai’a, who has reached the realm of a celestial immortal, he wouldn’t even deign to notice ordinary mortals. It’s like a strong man seeing a chick pecking at rice on the roadside—he wouldn’t bother to strike it with a stick. If he did, it would only prove he’s mad, like that lunatic monk who sings wordless songs. Such people will surely be struck down by divine retribution.”

Xu Fengnian sighed softly, “A fine sword, but not wielded by a noble hand.”

Lin Hongyuan, with her sharp wit, immediately caught the undertone and cautiously asked, “Could that monk have been a supreme swordsman before he shaved his head?”

Xu Fengnian leaned his elbow on the railing, gently tapping it with his other hand as he chuckled, “Let me give you a piece of advice for free: ‘Too clever by half, scheming too much, ends up ruining one’s own fate.’”

Lin Hongyuan smiled, “I take your lesson. But you’re just being generous with someone else’s money. After all, I’ve also bought a copy of ‘The First Snow.’ Speaking of which, the talented lady who said that line lives somewhere near the Spring Goddess Lake. If I’m lucky enough to survive your hands, I must go visit her and ask a few questions that have puzzled me for years. When I meet her, I’ll have to act more virtuous and proper, so as not to startle the literary idol I’ve long admired.”

Lin Hongyuan’s words were lively and warm, like a familiar neighbor girl. But suddenly, after Xu Fengnian’s gentle tapping on the railing, he struck it hard. Lin Hongyuan staggered, collapsing to the ground, clutching her chest, her face pale, her eyes filled with venomous fury at the man who had just been smiling moments ago. She felt both wronged and enraged. Xu Fengnian, still resting his chin on his hand, looked down at the noblewoman of the Dragon Palace, who seemed to have suffered an unexpected calamity, and said, “The flute player is Zhao Weishen. His music is clear and penetrating. To an outsider, it’s merely pleasant to the ears. But you and I both know that many listeners are unaware, while the player has intent. He uses the flute to sense the fluctuations of auras across the lake, thereby determining the cultivation levels of those present. Your flattery was merely a ploy to make me loosen my aura and listen closely. Even if your identity remains hidden, it would draw the attention of that young Daoist from Longhu Mountain. I kindly warned you not to be too clever, but you only pretended to understand.”

Lin Hongyuan, her internal energy in chaotic turmoil, endured the piercing pain and asked bitterly, “What strange technique is this? How can it take over my aura with just a simple rhythm?”

Xu Fengnian smiled, “I’ll tell you, no problem. It’s a technique I stole from a blind female lute player in the Northern Liang, imitating her ‘Eighteen Laments of the Hu Jia.’ Originally, I only had the form, not the essence. But after a life-or-death battle, I finally saw the broader view. And since you lacked the sense to stay out of trouble, I decided to test it on you.”

Lin Hongyuan screamed furiously, “Xu Fengnian, what connection do you have with that monster Han Diaosi, the ‘Cat Man’? That finger technique you used earlier, tearing at my aura like silk unraveling, is his signature move. And now this trick of seizing one’s pulse—it’s eerily similar to Han Diaosi’s soul-extracting technique!”

Xu Fengnian ignored the furious woman and turned his gaze to the misty lake, murmuring to himself, “That cat’s head was a real treasure. It’s far better than the head of Diwu Mo.”

A streak of red leapt silently through the mist, playful and unrestrained.

Still resting his chin on his hand, Xu Fengnian’s eyes softened. Lin Hongyuan, looking up at that moment, caught his gaze—those phoenix eyes—and was momentarily entranced.

“Horseback riding in autumn winds on the northern frontier, apricot blossoms in the misty southern rains—how can one have both?”

Could this demon she feared also have such a tender side? Lin Hongyuan didn’t know what he was seeing or thinking. At that moment, she only wished that, if she ever turned him into a mustache, she would keep his eyes.

Xu Fengnian stood up lazily, stretching his neck, then bent down to face Lin Hongyuan. “The Dragon Palace has several false finger techniques of the Zhi Xuan school. I taught you one. Now you owe me one in return.”

Lin Hongyuan seethed inwardly, thinking, *Then why don’t you just stand still while I mess with your aura until it boils? Let me beat you half to death!* But she only bit her lip tightly. Xu Fengnian’s fingertip touched her forehead without room for negotiation, and he smiled, “I’ve seen many Zhi Xuan secrets, but more is always better. You, Lin Hongyuan, are destined to be the future ruler of the Dragon Palace. With such a promising future, you shouldn’t die pointlessly at Kuai Xue Manor, becoming nothing more than a whispered secret over tea. I don’t ask much—just one technique. Then we’ll be even. After that, you can complete Master Nalan’s mission, and I’ll go kill my targets.”

Lin Hongyuan sneered, “So you’re not going to kill me—just this, then?”

Xu Fengnian had no patience for sentimentality. With a light flick of his finger, Lin Hongyuan was sent crashing through the railing and into the lake. Then, as if kicked by a water ghost, she was flung back onto the corridor, soaked to the bone.

Xu Fengnian crouched beside her, arms crossed. Lin Hongyuan spat out a mouthful of blood, clearly weakened. She muttered, “If you go back on your word and still kill me after getting what you want, what then?”

Xu Fengnian’s gaze was clear. He shook his head, “You needn’t worry about that. I have a message for your master, Master Nalan. Neither Zhao Weiping nor that sneaky Yang Maoliang is worthy of it.”

Lin Hongyuan steadied her breath, smirking bitterly, “Do you think grasping the subtleties of Zhi Xuan is as easy as memorizing a few lines of poetry? Are you really a once-in-five-hundred-years genius like Wang Xianzhi?”

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter.

Lin Hongyuan was puzzled.

Xu Fengnian pointed at her and said shamelessly, “I thought I was the biggest jinx, but you’re even worse. You were right!”

Lin Hongyuan wanted nothing more than to punch this bastard and break three of his legs.

Xu Fengnian finally stopped laughing. “Let’s get serious. First, explain the essence of the Dragon Palace’s Zhi Xuan techniques. If you only talk without demonstrating, it won’t help me. I don’t mind being your practice dummy. You can even take your revenge openly.”

Lin Hongyuan hesitated, clearly torn. Xu Fengnian mocked, “Lin Hongyuan, do you know that because you know too much about schemes and techniques, you end up blinding yourself with your own cleverness? Women who lack decisiveness and rely only on petty tricks can’t achieve greatness. Excessive wisdom brings harm—but that’s small wisdom, not true insight. The truly wise pretend to be foolish and willingly take losses. If it were that woman from Huisan instead of you, she’d have made a deal with me the moment she felt it in her gut. She has true wisdom. You? Too petty. I’ve always believed that a woman’s intuition is very close to the prophetic nature of Zhi Xuan.”

Lin Hongyuan didn’t disappoint Xu Fengnian. She got straight to the point, asking calmly, “Have you ever personally copied an inscription from a stele?”

Xu Fengnian shook his head.

Lin Hongyuan frowned slightly, then said, “Three hundred years ago, the Dragon Palace once saved a great Daoist immortal. He passed down a unique Zhi Xuan technique to our ancestor, similar to the art of replication.”

Xu Fengnian, who had been listening intently, suddenly smiled and said, “You’d better change clothes first.”

Lin Hongyuan, her figure fully revealed, did not refuse. She stood up to change. A woman’s love of beauty has nothing to do with martial prowess. The Dragon Palace is overflowing with treasures. If she wanted to be draped in pearls and jewels, she could wear so much that only the gems would be visible, not her body. Even the phoenix crown and embroidered robe that the Southern Tang empress had no time to retrieve from the embroidery workshop were kept in the Dragon Palace. As soon as Lin Hongyuan changed into a simpler outfit, the bearded swordsman Zhao Weiping respectfully reported at the door, “Master Yu Chi has arrived.”

Lin Hongyuan did not go out immediately. She first informed Xu Fengnian, who told her to attend to her duties while he leaned against the railing outside the inner hall, unseen. The master of Kuai Xue Manor, Yu Chi Liangfu, was as busy as a spinning top, with not a moment’s rest. The sudden arrival of Zhao Weishen from Longhu Mountain had brought great honor to the manor, making even Qing Yang Palace’s Wu Shizhen and Butterfly Sword Qiu Mian seem like mere embellishments. It wasn’t that Zhao Weishen was more important than those like Xie Lingzhen of the Cottage School in the eyes of the empire, but rather that the latter were expected, while Zhao’s arrival was a pleasant surprise.

Yu Chi Liangfu had personally received over thirty martial heroes in the past two days, most of them in their sixties or older. Among the younger generation, Li Yibai of Dongyue Sword Pond was like an unsharpened blade—gentle and easygoing. Li Huoli of Yanbao looked down on everyone, not even respecting the manor’s master. Only the young Daoist Zhao Weishen, dressed in Longhu Mountain’s robes, wearing straw sandals, and carrying a green bamboo flute at his waist, always looked directly into the eyes of whoever he spoke to, giving the impression of a long-lost friend rather than a mere acquaintance. This warm and sincere gaze made people feel naturally respectful.

Yu Chi Liangfu had just been humiliated by Li Huoli’s arrogance, but Zhao Weishen’s sincerity restored his pride. Comparing people to people, the middle-aged man’s favor toward Zhao Weishen grew even more. After personally showing Zhao to his quarters and engaging in pleasant conversation, he almost didn’t want to leave. If not for the chief steward’s repeated hints reminding him that the Dragon Palace’s big shot was still waiting at the lakeside courtyard, Yu Chi Liangfu would have gladly talked with Zhao until the stars fell from the sky.

Since the Dragon Palace’s representative was only a mid-ranking official, Yu Chi Liangfu had initially been unwilling and unsuitable to greet him formally at the main gate. But while he could deliberately ignore the official, he couldn’t afford to completely ignore the Dragon Palace. Etiquette must be mutual. Since the official hadn’t made the unreasonable request to enter through the main gate, Yu Chi Liangfu now hurriedly came in person to return the favor.

Yu Chi Liangfu waited a moment in the courtyard before seeing a plain-looking young woman step across the threshold and greet him with a smile, “Lin Hongyuan of the Dragon Palace greets Master Yu Chi.”

Yu Chi Liangfu, who had only heard of the arrival of the Dragon Palace’s official, was momentarily taken aback but quickly recovered, stepping forward with an even warmer smile, “I had no idea it was Lin Xiaogongzhu herself! Kuai Xue Manor has truly failed in its hospitality!”

Lin Hongyuan descended the steps and walked up with Yu Chi Liangfu, speaking softly, “Niece knows Uncle Yu Chi must be overwhelmed with today’s affairs, so I took the liberty not to reveal my identity, sparing you the trouble of unnecessary formalities.”

The “niece and uncle” address warmed Yu Chi Liangfu’s heart. As they crossed the threshold, Lin Hongyuan deliberately lagged half a step behind, clearly showing respect. Yu Chi Liangfu, dressed simply, laughed heartily, “If everyone were as considerate as you, niece, my life would be so much easier! Unlike now, where I feel like I need to split myself in two. Take that young man from Que Dun Mountain, who claims to be the greatest sect in the Southern Frontier. I’ve never even heard of him before, yet he demands the main gate be opened for him and insists we vacate the Spring Goddess Pavilion for his sect. What nonsense! Letting such an ignorant boy represent his sect at such a rare, once-in-a-century event—Que Dun Mountain has truly chosen poorly!”

Lin Hongyuan merely smiled. Que Dun Mountain was indeed the undisputed great sect in Lingnan, and had been in open conflict with the Dragon Palace for two hundred years. Que Dun Mountain controlled an ancient sea god temple on the southern coast of the former Southern Tang kingdom. In the past, whenever the Southern Tang emperor needed to pray for rain, stop an epidemic, or seek an heir, he would send high officials to worship there, each time erecting stone tablets to commemorate the event. There were now twenty-nine Tang-era tablets. After the unification of the Spring and Autumn Periods by the Liang dynasty, since Beiliang guarded the northwest, exiled officials had only two options: either go to the Two Liaos or to Lingnan, with the latter being more common. The court clearly trusted Prince Yanxi, Zhao Bing, more than Prince Jiaodong, Zhao Sui. Many exiled officials settled locally, and Que Dun Mountain, with its literary culture, often exchanged poetry with them, enhancing its prestige.

If the Dragon Palace was like a servant girl favored by Nalan Youci, then Que Dun Mountain was like a fisherman benefiting from the rivalry. The two sects had been competing for influence all these years.

Yu Chi Liangfu’s manner was merely a common strategy of praise and criticism, a subtle but effective social skill. Too much subtlety could confuse people, making them unsure whether you meant praise or blame. Lin Hongyuan did not respond, deliberately avoiding any further mention of Que Dun Mountain, which would only lower Yu Chi Liangfu’s opinion of the Dragon Palace.

They sat on the Huangli wood armchairs. Yu Chi Liangfu placed his hands on the smooth armrests, while Lin Hongyuan sat upright, her back never touching the chair, showing proper respect. Yu Chi Liangfu, noticing this, silently withdrew his hands from the armrests and asked warmly, “Niece, are you comfortable here? The spring winds by the lake are always cold in winter, and the snow has only just stopped. There’s a quiet, warm courtyard in the manor, originally my daughter’s boudoir. If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to move there.”

Lin Hongyuan smiled, “If Yu Chi Sister were to join the Dragon Palace, I’d gladly step aside.”

Yu Chi Liangfu waved his hand, laughing, “Her sword skills are nothing special. I just hope she finds a good husband soon.”

Lin Hongyuan’s eyes narrowed into crescents, “Yu Chi Sister will have no trouble finding a husband. I’m sure she’ll bring home a husband at the First Rank.”

Yu Chi Liangfu laughed joyfully, “May your words come true!”

Then his expression turned pensive, “That stubborn girl… the moment I mention her, my head aches. She’s heard some absurd rumors somewhere and is now completely devoted to that unknown Beiliang heir. She says he’s the most heroic man in the world. She speaks of him like a treasure, obsessed. Half my gray hair is thanks to her. Niece, in my opinion, although your sister Quan reads more than you, she’s still far behind you. I’d like you to move there and talk some sense into her. She won’t listen to me, but she’ll listen to you. If she truly changes her mind, I’ll personally take her to the Dragon Palace to thank you in person!”

A flicker of something strange passed through Lin Hongyuan’s eyes, but she replied smoothly, “I’ll move in with Yu Chi Sister alone. As long as she doesn’t chase me away, I won’t leave. Uncle can just give the servants a remote courtyard to stay in. No need to be too formal.”

Yu Chi Liangfu laughed happily, “No one else would dare say such things, but I’d never let my niece be treated poorly. This courtyard is yours to stay in. Kuai Xue Manor may not be as opulent as the Dragon Palace, but we certainly have a decent courtyard to offer. I declare from this day forward, this courtyard will always be reserved for you. Whenever you visit, you’re welcome to stay. When you’re not here, the maids will clean it regularly, and no one else is allowed inside. Come, come, I’ll take you to see Yu Chi Sister now.”

Lin Hongyuan stood up and shook her head, “Uncle, you go ahead. I still have some things to pack. I’ll find my way and enjoy the scenery along the way.”

Yu Chi Liangfu thought for a moment, then nodded, “That works too. I’ll have someone inform the girl in advance. I’m sure you two will hit it off.”

Lin Hongyuan joked, “Uncle, you go ahead. I still need to think about what gift to bring Yu Chi Sister that won’t embarrass me.”

Yu Chi Liangfu exchanged a few polite words, his face beaming with satisfaction, and quickly walked out of the courtyard with the silent old steward.

After walking a dozen paces, Yu Chi Liangfu glanced back at the courtyard and sighed, “If Quan had even half of Lin Hongyuan’s cunning, I’d be much more at ease.”

The old steward, nearly seventy years old, softly consoled him, “Master, it’s precisely the daughter’s innocence that is precious. As the saying goes, ‘Those who cherish blessings will find blessings coming their way.’”

Yu Chi Liangfu laughed and scolded, “What old saying? You probably made that up. Quan was right—you should publish a book called ‘Awakening Words.’ It wouldn’t be any worse than ‘The First Snow.’”

The old steward smiled like he had just drunk a pot of fine wine, stroking his beard, “A mind that seeks clarity will not deceive itself. Master, my half-bucket of knowledge is best kept hidden.”

Yu Chi Liangfu pointed at the old steward and said, “You, you, you…”