Chapter 24#

The bustling main street had been blocked by Futu Fortress at some point, with no idle people or merchants coming and going. The street was paved with a fragrant vermilion carpet, and on both sides stood rows of maids in bright red attire, holding palace lanterns, bowing slightly, guiding the way for Hua Jinian, sprinkling clear water and petals on the path ahead of him.

The young abbot of Jiaye Temple looked out from the window of Suyun Pavilion and saw a figure in white, unstained by dust, moving forward amidst the crimson sky, surrounded by thousands of red clouds. In the flower rain and on the vermilion carpet, the color of fire, that solitary white figure appeared lonely and abrupt. Even though his back was as straight as an unsheathed sword, there was an illusion that he had lost his direction.

The abbot sighed faintly, withdrew his gaze, and whispered to the master of Danxia Temple: “This poor monk is powerless to ferry him. If the Temple Master has no objection, why don’t we… follow Young Master Shen’s plan.”

On the day of the assembly, stars of the Jianghu gathered, sects were lined up, and the dark mass of people surrounded the Hero Tower like an iron bucket.

A grand event once every twenty years, a grand occasion hard to come by in twenty years. Martial arts heroes rushed from all over, exhausting countless fine horses to death, surrounding the Hero Tower so tightly that not a drop of water could trickle through. In the end, only the most influential people from each sect were allowed to take seats in the tower. The rest waited eagerly outside the tower under the scorching sun, without a single complaint.

Inside the Hero Tower, regardless of righteous or evil, everyone had a place. But presumably, no sect would be as extravagant as Futu Fortress, occupying an entire floor of the grandstand. The empty tables and chairs were filled with food and fruits, only for a few people to enjoy. Looking at the empty grandstand of Futu Fortress, the abbot of Jiaye Temple couldn’t help chanting a Buddha’s name and whispered: “Presumably, Fortress Master Hua will be the same this year and won’t come.”

Yan Yong sneered: “When has he ever put us in his eyes! It’s better if he doesn’t come! If he comes, we will turn this assembly into a demon-slaying assembly, making sure he comes but never returns!”

Before his voice fell, a light laugh was heard not far away: “Don’t speak nonsense.” Immediately, the crowd, tight as an iron bucket, dispersed in unison. A group of people walked slowly, like a red cloud falling from the horizon. In the scorching summer heat, when cicadas and birds were exhausted, they didn’t show a trace of sweat. The stunning beauties all had long-painted emerald eyebrows, their lotus-root-like arms wrapped in long red gauze, gracefully surrounding a tall man in vermilion formal attire.

Long fans of peacock feathers swayed gently behind Hua Qianjue. Emerald bamboo supported the precious yellow canopy umbrella, blocking the bright sun overhead. Seeing the vermilion carpet being paved wherever he walked, the abbot couldn’t help frowning slightly at this extravagance. Hua Qianjue sneered: “Monk, haven’t seen you for twenty years.”

The abbot bowed and said: “Fortress Master Hua is too polite. My late master has passed away. This poor monk, with the Dharma name Buchi, took over the position of abbot ten years ago.”

Yan Yong, the master of Danxia Temple, couldn’t help slamming the table and standing up, scolding angrily: “Demon, presumably you didn’t see me, Yan, when you ventured into the Jianghu twenty years ago. Today I will let you see!”

Hearing the word “demon”, Hua Qianjue paused. The beauties beside him all turned pale. Everyone knew that this word was Hua Qianjue’s death spot, and those who uttered it never died well. Just as they were preparing to watch a bloody storm, unexpectedly, Hua Qianjue just exchanged a palm strike with Yan Yong across the air, and then sneered: “Even your master didn’t have the qualification to let me see! Danxia Temple, a fine mansion for cultivating immortality, has now degenerated into a Jianghu sect, full of morality and benevolence, which makes me sick.”

Yan Yong exchanged a palm with him and felt a strong force pushing him back to his chair. Hearing Hua Qianjue’s words, he couldn’t help raging: “You are talking nonsense…” Before he finished, he heard Hua Qianjue warning him word by word using secret sound transmission: “Today, seeing your loyalty is commendable, and it is a big day for my son to establish his career, I spare your life. If you delay the assembly again… I will…”

Yan Yong’s eyes were about to split, but looking left and right, no one noticed Hua Qianjue’s private warning to him. He had to suppress his anger and sit peacefully in his seat. With this interruption, the beautiful maids of Futu Fortress had already decorated the surroundings of the seats like a cluster of flowers. The man narrowed his eyes slightly in the cool breeze, with wide sleeves and a tall crown, like a king in the darkness, chuckled low, flicked his sleeves, and sat down.

The grandstand had been enclosed by wooden fences and covered with a large red velvet carpet. All sects were ready. The abbot nodded to the drill ground, so the golden gong sounded suddenly. Young heroes leaped onto the grandstand together, fists coming and swords going, a chaotic fight. For a time, everyone below the stage sweated for them, and involuntarily stood up to watch.

Hua Jinian was still dressed in white as usual, with peony patterns outlined in dark silver flashing threads on the sleeve corners and hem, making the brocade robe look graceful and luxurious. Coupled with his handsome face, standing on the stage attracted more than half of the attention. He never moved half a step on the grandstand full of swords and shadows, facing every opponent attacking him with only a pair of bare palms.

After about the time it takes to burn two or three incense sticks, people began to be knocked off the stage from time to time. The abbot’s face gradually became solemn. Yan Yong and a group of martial arts leaders couldn’t help following his gaze. On the grandstand, Hua Jinian was fighting with a disciple of a famous sect. In the blink of an eye, three moves passed. Hua Jinian scolded lightly: “Three moves.” Reaching out and brushing, the disciple of the famous sect crashed into the low fence and fell off the stage in embarrassment.

A disciple of the Qingluan Sect couldn’t help shouting from the side: “Good skill!” and rushed over to fight with Hua Jinian. In just an instant, Hua Jinian pursed his lips and shouted: “Seven moves.” At this time, the disciple had just finished using the Qingluan Sect’s unique skill, the Seven Forms of Luan Soaring, when he felt a strong force rushing towards him. His body flew into mid-air, fell out of the field, and immediately vomited blood incessantly.

Seeing this, the faces of several martial arts seniors changed. They stood up in unison, just about to shout to stop, but inadvertently glanced at the person on the main seat of Futu Fortress on the second floor. The abbot sighed, sat down again, and persuaded those around him: “Fists and feet have no eyes. Casualties in martial arts competitions are common. That young man didn’t really kill anyone. Just carry them down to rest well. Let’s continue watching.”

Yan Yong snorted coldly and looked up, just in time to see Hua Qianjue’s sharp eyes, lips with a bloodthirsty smile, sipping the fine wine in the golden cup with one hand, staring fixedly at the grandstand.

Yan Yong kept sneering and was about to speak sarcastically, but unexpectedly a sudden change occurred on the grandstand. The young man seemed to have figured out the details of all opponents. Only Hua Jinian’s continuous shouts were heard: “Seven moves! Two moves! Five moves! Nine moves! …” Looking over, more than ten contestants on the grandstand were thrown into mid-air one after another, falling off the stage in embarrassment like blooming fireworks. Only the young man in white remained on the stage, straightening his back proudly. Amidst the uproar on the stage, his black hair by his ears was blown high by the wind, with a bloodthirsty and satisfied smile on his face.

The giant incense stick in the censer just finished burning the last trace of ash. The copper gong was struck in the drill ground, the sound resounding through the entire Hero Tower. He shouted loudly: “The first round of the competition—ends—”

With the sound of the gong, Hua Jinian leaped down from the stage. There were no less than two or three hundred martial arts rookies participating in the assembly, divided into three groups, which were the first, second, and third rounds of the competition. In other words, the highlight of this assembly was the struggle between the three winners of the competition. By the time Hua Jinian had roughly used some tea on the Futu Fortress grandstand, the second round had already ended.

Hua Qianjue looked at him sideways and asked with a low laugh: “Can you guess the winner of this assembly?”

Hua Jinian replied faintly: “Presumably, the winners of the next few rounds will be none other than people from the Golden Saber Ruan family and Huanzhen Villa. However, since I participated, who else can be the winner but me.”

Hua Qianjue laughed loudly: “Silly boy, that Shen family kid didn’t participate in this competition at all. He just inherited the title of Villa Master not long ago, what name does he have to compete with the younger generation.” After finishing, seeing the young man slightly displeased, he patted his shoulder and comforted with a low laugh: “The Ruan family kid seems to have some tricks, but he abstained after winning the first round just now, so you don’t need to compete with him. The trouble is this one in the third round—”

As he spoke, he pointed to the stage. The copper gong for the third round of competition struck, and disciples from various sects came on stage one after another. Among them, a graceful figure was particularly eye-catching. Hua Jinian’s breath hitched, looking at the woman in white in astonishment. After a long time, he whispered: “She… is representing Huanzhen Villa? …I have to compete with her?”

Hua Qianjue sneered: “She must be the one that green-clad kid desperately protected back then. Competing with a woman, there are always some people unwilling to make a move, not to mention she is not ugly.” After he finished, the beauties around him almost simultaneously whined coquettishly. Hua Qianjue was slightly stunned, then laughed low: “Ah, she is naturally inferior to you.”

Hua Jinian frowned, turned his face away not to look at their various lewd postures. He inadvertently saw the clear and beautiful face of the woman in white looking up from below the stage, and his eyes stayed for her. What a pair of distinct black and white watery pupils, yet rippling with sharp killing intent and sword light. The young man felt a slight pain in his heart. Three years of mutual support and confiding in each other, it turned out it really hurts when becoming strangers.

This remaining humanity and affection were only because the young man had not yet practiced the Flower Heart Mantra deeply. It was precisely this introductory stage that made practicing kung fu more painful, delaying him from going deeper. For the past month, he watched helplessly as his seven emotions and six desires gradually faded. Even with delicious food, he couldn’t swallow; even with beauty, he couldn’t enjoy; even with that person by his side… his heart was like dead wood. The unspeakable taste in his heart, all kinds of pain, also gradually faded with this martial art. For a time, he always felt that he was dying. When the kung fu was achieved, Hua Jinian would die, but this martial art would also create a stronger him. He would be loveless, hateless, fearless, and carefree.

Maybe that would no longer be him, but so what? At that time, no one would block his view, no one would disturb his heartstrings.

Should he turn back to the shore and embrace suffering, or should he go his own way with a heart like iron? He had thought about this question many times, and knew even more that thinking too much was useless. That man had already decided everything for him, selfishly, arbitrarily, despicably.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Looking at the woman’s murderous gaze, he just smiled like that. She’s thinner, he thought. Her Xiao Fang is gone, she must be sad. Fang Kai is gone, she is sad. However, when this bit of humanity is instantly annihilated and in imminent danger, when Hua Jinian is gone—at that time, will she still be sad? Will anyone be sad?

Soon there was an uproar below the stage. Yi Xinchou’s Cloud Mara Gauze was invincible. No one expected that the soft white gauze would wrap around people’s necks, break their necks, and be dyed into a red Asura blood weapon. The young abbot sighed deeply, jumped down and grabbed the white gauze with his bare palms. The copper gong rang in advance in the drill ground. He sighed: “I didn’t expect this competition assembly to become an Asura field. Female benefactor, if you don’t stop now, this poor monk will have to make a move.”

Yi Xinchou chuckled: “Abbot is joking.” The abbot looked at the corpses all over the ground and shook his head: “Those still alive, carry them all down the stage. This poor monk will treat their injuries with internal energy. Jiaye Temple brought a large amount of wound medicine this time, which can be put to use.”

As soon as Abbot Jiechi said this, the Jianghu people who were originally full of resentment also felt slightly relieved. This abbot understood heaven and earth through Buddhism, opened the altar to praise Buddhism in his childhood, and attained enlightenment in his youth. He took over the position of abbot after Abbot Jiechen’s nirvana, and it has been ten years, although he is only twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old. Yet no one dared to despise him. His internal energy and Buddhist cultivation were superb. With his words, the lives of the injured could almost be considered saved.

The scene stabilized at this time. The drill ground finally caught its breath. The casualties were all moved away, leaving the grandstand stained with blood. He struck the copper gong again, watching the outstanding figures of a man and a woman, like a golden boy and jade girl, jump onto the grandstand, sighed, and avoided them far away like avoiding the plague god. Yi Xinchou stared at the young man and grinned hideously: “Die!”

Hua Jinian watched him silently and quietly. Under his clothes, a piece of entirely green jade was hot. He could already understand the bone-deep infatuation and vicious hatred in the girl’s eyes, but couldn’t think of a way to resolve it. Behind him, the young man heard the man’s ambitious laughter when he raised the golden cup to sip. The laughter rippled. The young man could imagine what a bloodthirsty smile it was without looking. Hua Jinian suddenly smiled at this moment. That’s right—although she has become a demon, isn’t he the same!

Why resolve her bitterness? If he lets her go, who will let him go!