Martial King's Retired Life

Book 15: Chapter 97

Fu Dalong frowned and cried, “What does that m-, Lian Hua, shut the doors! Shut the doors!”

Lian Hua just stood in place as stiffly as his face. The only sign of life coming from him were his breaths.

When did he seal Lian Hua’s major acupoints?!

As soon as Fu Dalong went to close the doors, he heard Lian Hua yell, “Elder, shut the doors! Hey, what do you m-, Elder?”

This time, Fu Dalong had been turned to stone.

“Wh-what sorcery was that?!” the two veterans of the pugilistic world shouted simultaneously upon being liberated.

Ming Feizhen, watching the duo with amusement, kindly adjusted the stools for the duo who didn’t know what to do. In a flick of his hand, the two stools spun to the back of their knees without as much as breeze generated. Warm external energy then made them go limp and forced them into the chairs. Next, the chairs moved them back to their original spots in the same position as they started, except in a totally different frame of mind. They no longer had any courage to even challenge the man who could control them without direct contact purely using his internal energy.

“You don’t need to be so tense. I don’t offer tea to my enemies.” Smiling, Ming Feizhen poured the two a drink of tea each. “Both Beggars Sect and Shaolin are sects I’ve admired for the longest time. If I’m not wrong, you are Elder Fu, Hundred Legs Snake, and you are one of the new Arhats, Shifu Lian Hua.”

Neither Fu Dalong nor Lian Hua were established individuals in the pugilistic world. Fu Dalong was only promoted to an eight pouch elder because the last one passed away from illness, and Fu Dalong happened to be old enough and contributed enough. Lian Hua had worked as Bronzeman at Wooden Alley, which was an obstacle disciples had to pass to leave the temple, for ten years. His shifu allowed him to join the 18 Arhats Formation, allowing him to become one of the eighteen Arhats. Both of them had accomplished a number of things, but they weren’t famous. Therefore, they were taken aback when Ming Feizhen identified them.

“There’s no need to drop your jaws and eyes. I already identified your backgrounds in our first meeting. While you can fool people with your techniques, Beggars Sect’s ‘Snake Washer Hands’ and Shaolin’s ‘Indestructible’ can’t fool people. There aren’t many people who can even learn those disciplines. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that I could identify you after some further investigation.” Ming Feizhen proceeded to smugly share where he gained his information on them. “Are you two going to deny it to the end?”

“Beggars Sect’s Fu Dalong pays his respects.”

“Shaolin’s Lianhua pays his respects.”

The two reversed their personalities once they were no longer in character.

“Mount Daluo’s Ming Feizhen pays his respects.”

The two of them were exasperated once again. The two of them exchanged eye contact, then lowered their heads.

“Forget it. We have no excuses. It is our fault for being foolish enough to fall for another’s scheme.” Fu Dalong let out a long exhale. “We will be upfront with you. This old man courted death for trying to challenge you. Please do not take it out on Beggars Sect. He will erase his training to apologise.”

Before he could raise his hand, Ming Feizhen had stopped him again without direct contact.

“This old one is a fool. Please do not take your anger out on Beggars Sect.”

“You are mistaken, Elder Fu. Beggars Sect and Mount Daluo have been friends for two generations. Furthermore, your young master and I am brothers. How could I possibly see you as an enemy over a small misunderstanding?”

Ming Feizhen executed a palm strike in the air, unsealing Lian Hua’s acupoints. Lian Hua was a stubborn bull in the truest sense. After he heard Ming Feizhen was a disciple of Mount Daluo, Lian Hua started using his own qi to wreck his meridians and erase his training. If he wasn’t stopped, he probably would’ve taken his own life, too. Had Ming Feizhen not covertly blocked Lian Hua’s meridians with his celestial spider silk, Lian Hua would’ve perished while Ming Feizhen was conversing with Fu Dalong.

Making eye contact with the confused monk, Ming Feizhen held his hands up in salute. “Shifu Lian Hua, Abbott Kongxu is the most respected man in the martial world. It was he who showed me the right way when I was on a self-destructive path. No matter what you have done, it would be my honour to carry any burdens you have. Monks are taught to practice benevolence and tolerance. Please do not be too harsh on yourself.”

Following comprehensive contemplation, Lian Hua softened his expression.

Crying, Fu Dalong expressed, “You put this old one to shame. It is so embarrassing to have been fooled by Feng Jiutian at this age.”

Losing the product was an unexpected accident, but plotting everything subsequent to it around it was what made it believable. Had the target not been Ming Feizhen, it would’ve likely succeeded.

“I had no idea there were so many twists and turns. I was wondering why two people of your backgrounds would serve Feng Shanshan.”

Fu Dalong and Lian Hua lowered their heads in shame.

“You two need not worry. If you truly want to make amends, I have a favour to ask of you.”

The two responded, “We are at your service.”

“You need not make it sound like that. My request is simple. Please take me to the banquet.”

The two replied, “We cannot do that.”

“Why?”

Fu Dalong explained, “This old one does not know what designs Feng Jiutian has in mind, but none of his traps would be something to scoff at. This old one heard he has set up an inescapable trap to capture you. He has met the one posing as Bu Xusan, and he has morphed into something that can no longer be called human. While exterminating evil is important, the risks must be weighed out.”

“You are exceptionally strong, but two hands are hard to beat four. How about you bring your colleagues at Liu Shan Men? We can bring our brothers, as well.”

“The more convoluted, the better. If it is too straightforward, I would complain about his lack of creativity,” asserted Ming Feizhen. However, he had trouble convincing them to take him to the banquet, but then he had an idea. “It is reasonable for you to doubt my abilities. Test me.”

They didn’t dare to test Ming Feizhen when they knew he was stronger than them, not to mention the fact that he was a disciple of Mount Daluo.

Ming Feizhen picked up a pair of chopsticks. “You both displayed impressive skills that day. Allow me to provide you with some entertainment.”

Ming Feizhen plunged the chopsticks into the table. The table remained as smooth as it originally was. Lian Hua already did that, so it wasn’t miraculous by any means. Ming Feizhen then pulled the chopsticks out, which Fu Dalong already did, as well.

Ming Feizhen ran his hand over the table surface and smiled. “Please lead the way now.”

The two of them were so shocked that words failed them. He did what they did, but they wouldn’t have been able to retrieve the chopsticks from the table without bringing any of the table’s timber along, yet Ming Feizhen restored the table to its original state with a simple swipe of his hand as though it was magic.

Glossary

Wooden Alley – A place Shaolin disciples train.

Bronzeman – They are considered formidable monks from Shaolin Temple. There’s a very old movie on them if you’re interested titled 18 Bronzemen.

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