"Damn it! What the hell is Feng Tingliu? How dare he act arrogantly in the martial arts world!"
The man's voice was extremely loud, scaring the several people traveling with him to hurriedly press him down, telling him not to be impulsive.
When the people of Jianyachi saw this, they all showed vigilance. It seemed that as long as Feng Tingliu gave an order, that person could be beheaded. However, Feng Tingliu just silently drank his tea without any intention of speaking. Several people looked at each other and decided to wait and see.
"Keep your voice down... If someone hears you, your life will be in danger!"
"I'm not afraid. What can he do to me! Liuducheng is in collusion with the demonic sects, bringing disaster to the martial arts world. They should be eliminated!"
"Speaking of which, wasn't the Beilong Hall Master of the Zhuixie Society killed by him?"
Feng Tingliu drank a cup of tea and then filled another cup by himself. Hearing this, he actually cast a glance over there, his face obscured by the veil of his hat, making it impossible to see his expression clearly.
The discussion over there continued, and even some passing guests joined in. None of them were not indignant about Feng Tingliu's actions, as if they could attack Liuducheng together in the next second, using their words to express their so-called justice.
"That Feng Tingliu killed more than a hundred people of the Zhuixie Society in the northwest! He's even more terrifying than the demonic sects!"
"I heard that their Liuducheng is a place that eats people! Saying that they accept martial arts people is just a lie. They are really cruel and merciless!"
"That's right! Someone should get rid of him! Alas, it's a pity for the Beilong Hall Master. He was a kind and upright person! He made many contributions to the martial arts world!"
"Both are martial arts people, but how can Feng Tingliu be so different from the Beilong Hall Master?"
Feng Tingliu seemed to have heard something funny and suddenly let out a suppressed low laugh. He lowered his head, his shoulders shaking, looking as if he was enduring something.
This laughter attracted people's attention, and they all looked towards him.
"Hey! Over there, what are you laughing at!" The strong man who initially cursed at Feng Tingliu stood up, pointing at Feng Tingliu with one hand, and asked fiercely.
Feng Tingliu suddenly stopped hiding. He looked up and laughed loudly. The black veil of his hat spread out, revealing his fierce red eyes and showing a wild demeanor.
Feng Tingliu stood up, pulled off his hat with one hand, and casually threw it into the arms of a servant. Then, he slowly walked towards the strong man.
The strong man seemed to have a sense of something and shivered, taking a step back. He accidentally bumped into a bench, making a harsh screeching sound.
"You said - the Beilong Hall Master is dead?" Feng Tingliu suddenly spoke, his eyebrows and eyes carrying a wild smile, with the ending tone rising, as if he were a fierce ghost walking out of hell.
The strong man shivered and nodded. Not understanding why he was afraid of a person thinner than himself, he gathered his courage and shouted loudly, "Yes! Killed by that Feng Tingliu! Everyone in the martial arts world knows about it!"
Feng Tingliu sneered and said again:
"Oh? Then do you know what the Beilong Hall Master looks like?"
"Well..." The man stammered for a long time, frowned, and really couldn't say anything definite.
The Beilong Hall Master did things extremely low-key. He never showed up in public or claimed credit. He always mysteriously appeared in Beiji City, guarding the peace of the martial arts world in the north and eliminating evil. Except for some people of the Zhuixie Society, no one knew his real identity or what he looked like.
It was often said in Beiji City that when you walk on the street, every person who passes by you could be the Beilong Hall Master.
Feng Tingliu seemed not to mind and smiled. He continued to ask:
"Then do you know what Feng Tingliu looks like?"
The strong man's face became even more ugly. He stared at Feng Tingliu's face for a while. Suddenly, he understood something and fell to the ground with a terrified scream: "You...! You...!"
Feng Tingliu's smile on his face grew even wider. He took a step forward, and the other guests also stood up and looked at him warily. Some even drew their weapons, but their hands were trembling and their faces were filled with fear. However, Feng Tingliu casually leaned against a nearby table, with his legs crossed and the long sword on his back, looking relaxed and showing no intention of fighting.
But as long as Feng Tingliu wanted to, the lives of these people in front of him could be taken in an instant.
"You don't know the name or appearance of the Beilong Hall Master, nor do you know why he died. But I know that you all have a mouth that only chews pig food and barks randomly."
Feng Tingliu smiled contemptuously, and his sarcastic words were like thunderbolts in everyone's ears, but they dared not speak out.
"Yes, that's right. The Beilong Hall Master is dead. It was the Zhuixie Society, which you claim to be righteous, that killed him."
"The Zhuixie Society that you place your hopes on is just a rotten deadwood that has been eaten by termites!"
"Oh, by the way, let me tell you. What's the difference between Feng Tingliu and the Beilong Hall Master - "
Feng Tingliu paused for a moment, suddenlyHe suppressed the smile on his face, walked forward and stepped on the sturdy man's chest, feeling the man trembling with fear under his feet.
He suddenly exerted force with his foot and kicked the strong man fiercely!
The strong man was kicked several feet away, knocked over tables and chairs, and then hit the wall hard. He painfully spat out a mouthful of blood and his face turned pale.
Feng Tingliu stared at a bit of dirt on the tip of his shoe that was rubbed when kicking the person. He opened his mouth to call for something but suddenly realized that Yu Chi Feng was not by his side. So, he frowned and withdrew his gaze, his face turningGloomy, and said:
"The Beilong Hall Master is just a fool. I'm different from him. I won't protect you bunch of martial arts losers."
Feng Tingliu waved his hand, and the servants all stood up and walked out of the teahouse with him. The carriage that came had already been waiting outside.
There was a lot of silver left on the table of the teahouse to compensate for the damaged tables and chairs - although the proprietress didn't seem to care, and her expression didn't even change. Only a group of trembling martial arts stragglers were left. Some were frightened, and some were cursing, but no one dared to chase after them.
"The Zhuixie Society isn't doing anything! If Feng Tingliu isn't eliminated, the martial arts world will be in chaos!"
"It seems that the Zhuixie Society doesn't have much ability either!"
Feng Tingliu returned to the carriage and listened to the words in the teahouse, laughing scornfully. The current martial arts world is like this, rotting from the inside out, making people lose their yearning for it.
"Master, where to?" The servant asked outside the carriage.
"To Zuihualou."
"Yes."
The sound of the carriage started again, traveling on the busy street towards the busiest place in the city center.
Zuihualou is located in the busiest part of Beiji City. The magnificent building is filled with the smell of money, wine, and meat.
It's not yet dark, just evening. The setting sun falls on the golden plaque, giving this place of pleasure a dazzling color. The red lanterns at the entrance haven't been lit yet, but there are already people waiting at the entrance, just waiting for it to get dark to meet the gentle women in the building.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of Zuihualou. The servant lifted the curtain, and Feng Tingliu stepped out with one foot, attracting the attention of the people around. Even though he was wearing a hat, he still had an outstanding figure. Not to mention he was holding a jade and gold tobacco pipe, and had an icy and unfathomableTemperament. How could people not be attracted?
The woman selling her smiles at the door saw Feng Tingliu, and her smile became even more charming. She tidied her hair at the temples and walked forward with an elegant posture. She naturally recognized this master. Although she didn't know his name, she knew how to receive him.
"Master has come to play again~ Is it the same as before?" The woman came forward and just wanted to put her arm around Feng Tingliu's, but Feng Tingliu avoided her without a word. To outsiders, it just seemed that she had brushed past him and just grazed his arm.
Feng Tingliu nodded without making a sound.
"Why can he enter the building early!" A guest waiting nearby was dissatisfied and couldn't help but ask angrily.
"This master is different~" The woman flattered, glanced at the guest, and showed a charming smile. But Feng Tingliu had no interest in the woman and walked straight inside.
"Our Ruo Lan is really lucky to be favored by a man like you, master~" The woman didn't lose heart. Instead, she puffed out her chest and twisted her hips, following Feng Tingliu inside. She knew that the man in front of her came to Zuihualou only for Ruo Lan, but she still didn't give up, hoping that this rich master could also take a look at her.
Unfortunately, her wish didn't come true until Feng Tingliu walked into the top-class guest room.
The door closed, and the sound of the woman stomping her feet in annoyance outside the door reached Feng Tingliu's ears, but he didn't care. He took off his hat and placed it aside, lifted his robe, and sat on the redwood chair in the room. The quality of this redwood chair was naturally not as good as the ones in the Feng Mansion, but Feng Tingliu had already sat here many times.
Feng Tingliu lifted the tobacco pipe and took a puff. Amidst the smoke, suddenly, a sound of the zither rang out from behind the mandarin duck screen. The sound of the zither gradually rose, as light and smooth as a mountain stream, and as rhythmic as the beating of pebbles.
The setting sun gradually set, dyeing the screen as red as blood. The candlelight grew brighter, making the slender hands plucking the strings behind the screen seem to pluck away the fading sunlight.
Where the strings stopped and the fingers stilled, there was a deep and profound emotion.
The trembling sound gradually subsided, the setting sun faded away, leaving only an ambiguous candlelight.
"You have something on your mind." Feng Tingliu suddenly spoke, his tone certain but showing no emotion. "Why did you play this piece? What were you thinking?"
The woman behind the screen slowly stood up and walked out from behind. A charming woman in a purple orchid dress appeared. The orchids on the hem of her dress gently swayed with her elegant steps. She walked to Feng Tingliu's side, poured a cup of hot tea for him, and then sat on a small stool, lowering her eyes and sighing.
She was beautiful but didn't have the strong fragrance of this place. Instead, she was as elegant as the orchids on her dress.
She was the most popular zither player in this Zuihonglou, and the lingering sound of her zither was worth a thousand taels of gold.
"I just heard some news about an old acquaintance. I felt a bit melancholy for a moment, but instead, I spoiled the master's mood."
"There is melancholy in the piece, but it adds a flavor. How can it be said to spoil my mood. That old acquaintance of yours, his bones can't even be recognized. What kind of news could there be?"
Feng Tingliu seemed to be able to relax in front of Ruo Lan. He leaned back in the chair, crossed his legs, and looked natural. He didn't care what piece he had just heard, nor did he care how beautiful the woman in front of him was. He seemed to just come here to stop and rest.
Ruo Lan had a smile on her face and said softly, "It doesn't matter. I just heard some things about his daughter. I heard that his daughter is living a good life now. A few days ago, she even came to Beiji City to visit her lover."
"Do you still feel guilty towards his daughter?" Feng Tingliu gave her a sideways glance, seemingly displeased.
"That girl is also a pitiful person... Let's not talk about this. Master, this is the situation of the demonic sects that have appeared in Beiji City recently. The number of them has tripled compared to three months ago."
Ruo Lan's expression became serious. She took out a stack of names that had been prepared long ago from her sleeve and handed it to Feng Tingliu.
She was the zither player here and also an excellent spy that Feng Tingliu had placed in Beiji City.