In the northwest, in a wild and abandoned village.
"Why did you send people to attack Beiji City! You've completely exposed our plan!" Chang Yu stood in the dilapidated house and shouted angrily, without the gentle and refined temperament he usually had.
"Why, is the Zhu Xie Society going to lecture us?" The man sitting opposite him was wearing a black robe. With a sneer, he lifted the hood. With this action, the strange demonic patterns on his face were fully revealed, making his appearance terrifying and frightening.
"Don't forget that we are in a cooperative relationship! Since we are cooperating, we must abide by the agreement!"
"Has Hero Chang forgotten that we are the Evil Cult, not your subordinates?" The member of the Evil Cult leaned back casually, his eyes revealing undisguised disgust and ridicule. "Hero Chang shouldn't really think that the leader of the Beilong Hall knows nothing about what you've done. You should be aware of your position. Don't try to put on airs, hypocrite."
"You...!" Chang Yu was so angry that he couldn't speak and could only sneer and say, "Now, the plan has been exposed, and you've also lost a group of people!"
"Why do you think we lost a group of people!" The member of the Evil Cult suddenly burst out, grabbed Chang Yu's collar, and threw him against the wall. "You talk to me about cooperation and agreements, but what about the supplies that should be given? Do you want our brothers to starve in this northwest?"
"Uh!" Chang Yu's neck was pressed, making it difficult to breathe, and his face immediately turned pale. He struggled painfully, trying to break the hand of the member of the Evil Cult.
"Hmph, hypocrite." The member of the Evil Cult didn't mean to kill him. He let go and let him fall to the ground. "Go back and tell your leader. We agreed to cooperate with you, but that doesn't mean we will listen to you in everything."
"Cough cough..."
Chang Yu sat on the ground and coughed a few times, gritted his teeth, and looked up at the member of the Evil Cult.
"Oh, and." The member of the Evil Cult suddenly remembered something and continued, "You are investigating the Tianwai Cold Iron, right."
"You! How do you know!" Chang Yu's eyes widened. He had only told the people of the Hanlong Hall about this. Could it be... "The Hanlong Hall is actually colluding with you...!"
"Hahaha! The word 'collusion' can come out of your mouth? How ridiculous!" The member of the Evil Cult laughed heartily.
Chang Yu's expression gradually became ugly. He realized how ridiculous what he had said was and could only glare at him with a flushed face.
The member of the Evil Cult was too lazy to bother with Chang Yu about this. He waved his hand and said, "You don't need to investigate anymore. We have investigated this matter clearly and also exchanged intelligence with the Hanlong Hall. As a return gift, we will give the Zhu Xie Society a surprise. It is a good thing for both of us anyway."
"What...?"
"Naturally, it is to clear the biggest obstacle of the Evil Cult - Liudu City."
In the red dust with soft curtains and faint echoes.
Feng Tingliu lay on the bed, unwilling to move anymore, allowing Yu Chi Feng to serve him by changing his clothes and wiping his body. Everything seemed to have returned to the time in Liudu City - it would be better if this place wasn't the Zui Hong Lou.
"When I first came in, I didn't feel anything, but now I realize that the incense burning in this room is quite unusual." Yu Chi Feng moved his nose and suddenly said.
"The incense in this kind of place is inevitably with some special effects. It doesn't have an effect when you don't move, but as soon as you do, it takes effect." Feng Tingliu lazily turned over. "Hurry up and put it out. It makes my waist hurt when I smell it."
Yu Chi Feng scratched his head, quickly climbed out of bed, and extinguished the incense. He also opened a small gap in the window to disperse the fragrance and other strong smells.
Yu Chi Feng returned to the bed and massaged Feng Tingliu's back and waist.
The bedsheets in the Zui Hong Lou were bright red, making Feng Tingliu's skin appear exceptionally fair. Even the scars on his body became an ambiguous pink.
Yu Chi Feng's Adam's apple moved slightly as he suppressed the urge in his heart, cursing when the smell of the incense would dissipate.
At this moment, the atmosphere and the environment were just right. Yu Chi Feng's heartstrings trembled, and he asked in a low voice:
"Did Young Master miss me when I wasn't in Liudu City?"
Feng Tingliu raised an eyebrow and snorted, not answering.
Yu Chi Feng's palm was warm, wandering on Feng Tingliu's back, gradually deviating from his original intention...
"Would Young Master think of me while..."
"That's enough!" Feng Tingliu's ears burned, and he angrily kicked Yu Chi Feng in the chest with a forceful kick. Yu Chi Feng was caught off guard and fell onto the bed.
Feng Tingliu was exposed of his thoughts and was somewhat embarrassed and angry. Feng Tingliu pressed Yu Chi Feng's shoulder, straddled his leg with his long legs, and pinched his cheek hard.
"Ouch...!" Yu Chi Feng was in pain and didn't dare to speak, looking up at Feng Tingliu with pitiful eyes, his hands supporting his waist for fear that he might fall due to a weak waist.
"You're pushing your luck. Have you forgotten who you are after being away from the Feng Mansion for so long?" Feng Tingliu raised an eyebrow and said angrily.
Yu Chi Feng didn't dare to speak anymore, but his eyes filled with love looked directly into Feng Tingliu's red eyes.
Feng Tingliu suddenly didn't know how to continue the "punishment". In the moment of his stunned, Yu Chi Feng pressed the back of his head, making him bend down, and then kissed him on the forehead.
"I'll listen to Young Master."
Feng Tingliu immediately softened and lay in his arms, leaning on his shoulder.
Feng Tingliu thought angrily in his heart that he didn't raise a dog, but a wild wolf that would pounce on people.
"For the sake of another separation, I'll spare you this time." Feng Tingliu said sullenly.
Yu Chi Feng couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. He stroked his back, pulled the blanket over both of them.
"Young Master, sleep. I'll see you off tomorrow."
"Hmph."
Feng Tingliu let out a light humming sound like a cat, and then fell asleep peacefully in Yu Chi Feng's arms.
Yu Chi Feng's embrace had a temperature that he missed extremely, calming his mind and allowing him to have a dreamless night.
The next day, Feng Tingliu's carriage left Beiji City.
Yu Chi Feng stood in the same place, looking into the distance until not even the slightest trace of the carriage could be seen, and then he returned to the Beilong Hall.
No one dared to be curious about Yu Chi Feng's overnight absence, except Qi Cheng, but fortunately, he wasn't in the Beilong Hall.
Yu Chi Feng returned to his residence, changed out of the clothes that smelled of incense, and then focused his attention back on his work.
During this period, someone came to find Yu Chi Feng and asked what to do with the member of the Evil Cult who was being detained. Yu Chi Feng thought for a while and decided to spare his life. He had the person taken down from the torture rack and simply imprisoned in the cell, and also ordered to send some food in to avoid starving the person.
That afternoon, Qi Cheng led the brothers who went out to investigate back to the Beilong Hall and brought back important news.
"Hall Master, they went towards the northwest. In the abandoned village in the northwest, there are freshly burned firewood remains. It seems they stayed there last night, and they shouldn't be too far away by now."
"If that's the case... There's no need to go too deep. With this information, it's enough. Send people to take turns to monitor the movements in the northwest. Report any situation immediately."
"Understood!"
"Also..." Yu Chi Feng had a sudden inspiration and thought of something. "Find a way to spread a message... Say that the member of the Evil Cult in the cell is about to talk."
Qi Cheng scratched his head, not understanding Yu Chi Feng's meaning, but still agreed and did as he was told, leaving the room.
Yu Chi Feng looked out the window and suddenly wondered where Feng Tingliu was at this moment, what kind of scenery he saw, and what kind of encounters he had.
After Feng Tingliu's carriage left Beiji City, it met with two other carriages.
Xia Yi considered himself the strongest in Liudu City. Hearing that there was a fight to be had, he excitedly followed. Besides him, more than ten experts, including Qin Qichao, followed to protect Feng Tingliu's safety.
The three carriages were not their entire force. After receiving the intelligence, Feng Che also sent many people to infiltrate the northeastern region. However, these members of the Evil Cult could not appear at the same time. Now, they are scattered everywhere, gathering towards the northeastern region.
The old leader of the Evil Cult has been hiding for most of his life. It's time for them to settle everything.
Xia Yi couldn't bear the boredom and disliked Qin Qichao's taciturnity. Carrying a large sword, he ran into Feng Tingliu's carriage.
"Brother Feng, where are we going?"
"There is an area in the northeastern region where resources are scarce and the population is sparse. It can be called a dead zone."
"Wow, the old leader is really out of his mind! Why would he run to such a place!"
"Heh, he's just a rat in the street. This kind of place is worthy of his status."
Xia Yi lifted the carriage curtain and saw that the scenery outside was gradually becoming desolate, indicating that the carriage was moving towards the northeastern direction. At first, the group could still see the prosperous towns of the northern country from a distance. When the carriage entered the rough path, only dry mountains and desolate fields could be seen outside the window.
"This is too remote..." Xia Yi muttered dissatisfiedly.
"We're not here to play." Feng Tingliu leaned against the carriage, half-closed his eyes. The road was bumpy, and after a series of jolts, he actually felt sleepy.
"I know -" Xia Yi replied. He gradually found the scenery outside the window too boring, so he put down the curtain and closed his eyes to rest with Feng Tingliu.
The carriage traveled for two days and camped for the night in the middle of the journey, continuing the journey the next day when it was light.
When the destination village was near, the sky also darkened, and the howls of wild animals could be heard outside the carriage.
"City Lord, should we camp and rest?" The subordinate driving the carriage asked inside.
"Well, entering the village at this time would also alert the enemy."
Just as everyone was looking for a place to camp, a figure suddenly jumped out from the grass by the roadside, spread their arms, and blocked the carriage.
"Whoa -!"
The carriage stopped abruptly, and the horses were startled, making a series of neighs, and the carriage also shook.
"What happened!"
Feng Tingliu opened the carriage curtain with anger, and the subordinate driving turned around and apologized repeatedly.
"City Lord! It's my fault! I don't know where this crazy woman came from to block the way, and the horses were frightened!"
"Blocking the way?"
Feng Tingliu narrowed his eyes and saw a woman in ragged clothes and disheveled hair standing in the middle of the road. The woman was very stubborn. When she saw Feng Tingliu, she was first startled and wanted to retreat, but then seemed to have made up her mind and stayed in place.
"Please, give me some food! Please, please!" The woman stammered and knelt on the ground, kowtowing to Feng Tingliu.
"Heh..." Feng Tingliu almost had the word "unhappy" written on his face. "Don't let her block the way."
As soon as the words were spoken, someone came forward to grab the woman's arm to drag her away, but they controlled their strength and actions, without the intention of harming the woman.
The woman looked up in terror, her face covered in tears, her eyes full of pleading.
Suddenly, the woman seemed to see something, her eyes widened as she looked at Feng Tingliu, and suddenly shouted: "It's you! It's you! You are Feng Tingliu!"
With the woman's shout, everyone involuntarily stopped their actions. The subordinate who was holding the woman didn't notice and allowed the woman to escape and run towards Feng Tingliu.
Feng Tingliu frowned, and his red eyes couldn't hide the killing intent. He asked coldly, "Who are you and why do you recognize who I am?"
"I am Feng Ying! I am your aunt! Your own aunt! I didn't expect you to still be alive! It's truly the heavens' will, the heavens' will!" The woman's face was covered in tears. She knelt in front of Feng Tingliu, and the pleading and pitiful demeanor in her eyes did not seem fake.
Feng Tingliu stared at her for a while, and the woman's face gradually overlapped with aVagueblurred face in his memory. Feng Tingliu also suddenly remembered that there was indeed such a person in the Feng family.
Feng Ying, the second sister of Feng's father and his aunt.
After Feng Ying reached adulthood, she was married into a wealthy family for an alliance. After giving birth to a daughter, there was no more news.
Feng's father said that this aunt of his was greedy. Seeing that her husband's family was richer than the Feng family, she was unwilling to return to the Feng family. For so many years after Feng Ying got married, she had not had any contact with Feng's father.
On the day the Feng Mansion was brutally massacred, it was also the Feng family's feast. And his aunt who no longer returned home, naturally did not attend the feast and thus escaped the disaster.
But how could this aunt who married into a wealthy family end up in such a situation?
"Why have you ended up here?" Feng Tingliu raised his hand to stop the subordinate who was about to step forward and asked.
"City Lord..." The subordinates looked at each other, not knowing whether they should step forward. But they saw Feng Tingliu's expression gradually becoming gentle, although his eyes remained vigilant.
Feng Tingliu lost his family early and was alone. Now that he has encountered another surviving relative, even if it is an aunt who did not want to return home, she is still a person related to him by blood.
Seeing his changed attitude, Feng Ying happily showed a smile and said repeatedly, "After I gave birth to my daughter, my husband took a concubine. Then I couldn't give birth to a son for a long time, but the concubine gave birth to a big, fat boy not long after! That concubine gave birth to a son but was not content. She pushed me around everywhere, whispered in my mother-in-law's ear, and even seduced my husband! I don't know what kind of charm she used, but my husband actually wanted to divorce me and abandon me along with my daughter!"
When Feng Ying said this, she couldn't stop crying, weeping pitifully.
Feng Tingliu felt a headache after hearing such a story and waved his hand for her to continue.
"I... I wanted to go home, but I heard that the Feng Mansion was in trouble because they offended someone in the imperial court... How dare I go back and take a look? I carried my daughter and fled all the way here..." Feng Ying covered her face and cried, her shoulders shaking non-stop, as if she had told all the hardships of half her life.
"Get up first." Feng Tingliu sighed and signaled his subordinates to help the person up.
But Feng Ying shook off their hands and heavily kowtowed on the ground. She knocked so hard that she broke a piece of her forehead, and blood flowed out.
"Please! Please save us, mother and daughter! My daughter has a strange disease! I have no money to save her! Please save her!"
Feng Ying, who once ignored the Feng family, now kneels in front of Feng Tingliu, desperately begging the person she once looked down upon, saying all kinds of good words.
Feng Tingliu frowned, but the special emotion towards his blood relative made it difficult for him to refuse Feng Ying's plea.
Even if Feng Ying was once ignorant, the child is innocent.
Feng Tingliu quickly ordered: "Quickly pull her up. Where is she? You lead the way."
Feng Ying's eyes were immediately filled with hope, and she happily said repeatedly, "Thank you! Thank you!"
Feng Ying walked in front of the carriage, leading the group into the quiet village. Every household in the village had their doors closed, and they even voluntarily closed the windows and doors, seemingly not interested in or willing to approach these outsiders, with a sense of avoiding them.
Feng Tingliu sat in the carriage, looking at this strange village, frowning.
This kind of place is really not suitable for living, but it is very suitable for escaping. The former leader of the Evil Cult is like this, and so is Feng Ying.
Feng Ying led the group to a dilapidated thatched house, wiped the tears from her face, and turned to look at Feng Tingliu: "This is it."
Feng Tingliu jumped out of the carriage and beckoned to Qin Qichao and Xia Yi. The two immediately understood and ran forward, walking towards the house with Feng Tingliu.
Feng Ying pushed open the dilapidated wooden door, making a harsh "squeak" sound.
The thatched house was narrow and dilapidated. As soon as they entered, they could see a wooden plank bed stuffed in the corner among theSundriesmiscellaneous items. A little girl was curled up on the bed, shivering. Presumably, this was Feng Ying's daughter.
Feng Ying ran to the bedside, turned her daughter over, so that Feng Tingliu could see her appearance.
Even Feng Tingliu was shocked by the scene in front of him -
The little girl's body was covered with strange blackness, which was the color of rotting flesh, and from it, stinky pus was flowing out...