Chapter 5: Old Friends

  Days passed.

  During this time, Lin Feng continued to visit The Immortals Shopping Mall every day and had his breakfast at the Street Food Shop. Alongside bagel, he sometimes had tea, and sometimes ayran…

  One midday, in the Rising Sky Forest;

  The Rising Sky Forest—the source region where Qi Energy concentrated that lent its name to Rising Sky City—was an area where the treetops stretched as if to touch the heavens, their leaves emitting a silvery glow under the moonlight. Even the outer layers of the forest posed a threat to ordinary cultivators, while its depths were suitable only for the strong or desperate cultivators.

  Spiritual plants, stones, and rare materials abounded in the forest, yet the most valuable among them revealed themselves only as one ventured closer to its heart. Similarly, the beasts roaming there were exceedingly deadly. For this reason, low-level cultivators typically wandered in the outer layers of the forest, gathering treasures that were less valuable and commensurate with their abilities.

  Lin Feng was one of these low-level cultivators. He was merely at the 9-Star Martial Novice level. With an old black leather bag hanging at his waist and a rusty sword on his back, he would come to the outer layers of the Rising Sky Forest every day to collect spiritual plants, which he then sold in the bazaar of Rising Sky City. The only reason he could purchase bagel, ayran, or tea each day was the money he earned from selling these treasures.

  Today, as the sun began to set, he advanced deeper into the forest. The surroundings were misty and humid. Amid the whistling winds, the chirping of birds could be heard, and occasionally the roar of a beast from afar echoed.

  Lin Feng carefully scrutinized his surroundings. When he discovered a “Moonflower Root” in the hollow of a tree, his face brightened slightly. Although this plant was intended for Martial Novices, it was used in medicine-making and fetched a reasonable price. After tucking it into his bag, he continued on his way.

  A little further ahead, he made eye contact with a group of cultivators. They were clad in blue robes, and their weapons gleamed. A momentary exchange of glances suddenly tensed the atmosphere.

  No one spoke. After a brief look, everyone went their separate ways. In the forest, silence meant survival. It was never wise to attract other cultivators without cause. Besides, one must not forget the beasts—enemies to all.

  As hours passed, Lin Feng ventured a little deeper into the forest. He normally would not come to this area, but today he had decided to take a risk. Right behind a boulder, he spotted a golden-hued plant vibrating with spiritual energy: the Star Seed Herb.

  ("Hahaha. I caught you off guard. With this, I can eat bagel and ayran every day for a year!")

  Just as Lin Feng reached out for the herb’s roots, a pair of laughs echoed behind him.

  ("How lucky we are, this is a Star Seed Herb... How lucky we are, right, brother?")

  Lin Feng quickly turned toward the source of the voice. Standing before him were two individuals of the same height and bearing similar facial features.

  ("Fuck, these are the Wei Twins; Wei Yun and Wei Lei!")

  Wei Yun and Wei Lei were the infamous twins dwelling in the remote corners of Rising Sky City. Each was at the 10-Star Martial Novice level. This was an entire minor realm above Lin Feng’s current xiulian level. Moreover, while Lin Feng was alone, they were two. To make matters worse, these identical twins had lived their entire lives trusting each other implicitly, their coordination flawless.

  Lin Feng gritted his teeth. The ruthlessness of the Wei Twins was no secret. They never hesitated to bully those they found alone in the forest. Rumor had it that they had even been responsible for a man’s death in the past, though the matter had been closed due to a lack of evidence.

  To kill…

  In the world of xianxia, was killing an abnormal act? Of course not. It was quite commonplace.

  However, killing arbitrarily was not the work of virtuous cultivators but of evil cultivators. Thus, virtuous cultivators would attempt to resolve their issues either through discussion or combat. (!)

  Those who solved their problems by killing were evil cultivators, and such individuals were regarded as enemies of the entire Path of Virtue.

  There was no issue with killing evil cultivators. In fact, not only was it acceptable, but there was even a reward for it.

  Thus, those who did not wish to bear the stigma of being labeled an evil cultivator, if they intended to commit an arbitrary murder, had either to leave no trace behind or use their influence to cover up the incident.

  The Wei Twins had no backers. They were stray cultivators—like Lin Feng, unaffiliated with any power center and having embarked on the xiulian path by chance.

  In other words, if they wished to kill someone, they had to leave no trace behind.

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  But were they skilled enough to hide all traces?

  Of course not.

  But was Lin Feng valuable enough to warrant a detailed investigation into his death?

  Once again: of course not.

  Thus, all the Wei Twins had to do was to kill Lin Feng and then present the murder as a beast attack (!).

  This was by no means a difficult task; after all, beasts attacking humans was a fairly common occurrence.

  Both Lin Feng and the Wei Twins were well aware of this fact. They were no fools. That’s why Lin Feng was at a significant disadvantage at that moment.

  If he were to fight the Wei Twins to the death, he would most likely perish.

  So, was the Star Seed Herb worth it?

  Once again: of course not.

  This was not a unique, coincidental encounter; there was a chasm between risk and reward. The risk far outweighed the reward.

  Moreover, the worst part for Lin Feng was that the Wei Twins had read the situation perfectly.

  Wei Yun stepped forward, a sly grin appearing on his face:

  "So you've found the Star Seed Herb, Lin Feng. What a coincidence—we were just looking for it. What do you say, brother, shall we reward you for your troubles?"

  Wei Lei slowly unsheathed his sword from its scabbard.

  "Absolutely. We can prepare a fine grave for him. This plant will serve our purposes much better."

  Lin Feng stepped back and pressed his back against a rock.

  ("Fuck, these damn thieving bastards!")

  At that moment, Lin Feng was in a predicament. Both sides knew that this herb was meant to be handed over to the Wei Twins.

  But there was a major problem.

  If Lin Feng handed over the herb quietly, he would be compelled to surrender everything to the Wei Twins every time he encountered them in the future. For once one yields, one always yields.

  It was crucial to react appropriately at the right time—even if it meant deliberately walking into death!

  Because people would rather kick someone down than lend a hand to those who had fallen. They preferred to trample the crushed instead of supporting them.

  Even if you got beaten by bullies when trouble found you, your face must not betray pain, doubt, or fear. If they even caught a whiff of fear, they would never let you go.

  If you found yourself in an utterly insurmountable situation, you had to take the beating with pride and retreat into a corner. A tear shed in the wrong place could lead to forty years’ worth of tears in the future.

  Right now, Lin Feng had to maintain a stern demeanor no matter what. Otherwise, this incident would spread through the remote corners of Rising Sky City and jeopardize his entire future.

  Everyone would soon see him as an easy target for bullying!

  "I found it, it's mine!" Lin Feng declared, chin held high, his voice steady as he quickly assumed a defensive stance.

  Wei Yun lunged forward, swinging his sword like lightning.

  "Then show me!"

  Lin Feng barely sidestepped the attack. At the same time, he raised his right hand and employed the Wind Slash Technique. A thin, sharp gust of wind burst forth from his hand, slicing through the air like a knife as it advanced toward Wei Yun.

  Wei Yun quickly recoiled and held his sword crosswise to deflect the attack. His smile vanished.

  "Hmph! I almost forgot you have some talent. But that's not enough!"

  At that very moment, Wei Lei appeared behind Lin Feng with the Earth Step Technique, brandishing his sword with a sneer:

  "What do you say to this?"

  Lin Feng, at the last moment, bent to evade Wei Lei’s attack, but the tip of the sword grazed his shoulder. A searing pain rapidly spread through his body, and blood dripped from his shoulder onto the ground.

  Lin Feng gritted his teeth. Resisting two opponents on his own was already a struggle; facing identical twins with a higher xiulian level than his—moving in perfect unison—made things even more difficult.

  Wei Yun and Wei Lei continued their synchronized assault. As Lin Feng retreated, he repeatedly used the Wind Slash Technique, but the twins’ impeccable coordination nullified his maneuvers. While one attacked, the other covered his openings.

  Finally, with his eyes blazing with anger, Lin Feng turned his attention to the Star Seed Herb.

  "Fuck!"

  Wei Lei swiftly charged toward the herb. If this attack struck the plant, the herb would lose all its value!

  At that moment, Lin Feng seized the opportunity. He immediately unleashed another Wind Slash Technique and attacked as Wei Lei turned his back.

  Wei Yun cursed as he lunged forward to block Lin Feng’s attack. As he watched Lin Feng’s escape with keen eyes, he thought to himself:

  ("Fuck, this bastard is more skilled than I thought. Even though he’s at a lower level than us, if he gives it his all, he might even kill one of us…")

  Lin Feng had seized the opportunity and managed to escape successfully.

  But why had Wei Lei turned his back? Didn’t he foresee that Lin Feng would attack him from behind? Didn’t he know that Lin Feng would make his escape?

  Of course he did.

  There were three main reasons for his action:

  First, his unwavering trust in his brother—he knew that Wei Yun would protect him.

  Second, it was to prevent any damage to the spiritual plant. If they failed to secure the Star Seed Herb, what would be the point of this struggle?

  Third, it provided an excuse for Lin Feng’s escape.

  With this maneuver, Lin Feng had fought against two powerful opponents and yet had not yielded. Now he had a reason to flee.

  It was a win-win situation.

  This was what they called politics—a scenario that might seem absurd but was, in reality, laden with meaning.

  Some might think that the Wei Twins would be remembered for their failure. After all, despite being of a higher level and moving in perfect unison, they hadn’t completely defeated Lin Feng.

  But that notion was mistaken.

  Most people would not think so. Even though the Wei Twins had a notorious reputation, they were, after all, cultivators of the Path of Virtue. Committing arbitrary murders was unacceptable for a virtuous cultivator.

  Moreover, killing Lin Feng was risky. What if he had a secret technique for escape and then publicized the incident? What if the matter escalated?

  It was easy to extinguish a burning piece of paper—one could just crumple it up and put it out.

  But if you failed to put out the paper, first the table, then the room, and then the house would catch fire. That was when things would get out of hand; the incident could no longer be easily concealed!

  Furthermore, one must not forget that the Wei Twins had successfully injured Lin Feng and, without a scratch on themselves, had seized the treasure that had sparked the conflict.

  In return, Lin Feng had fought valiantly against two foes stronger than himself and had managed to extricate himself from this dire situation with only a minor wound. Moreover, he hadn’t been completely robbed—his bag was still with him.

  Thus, this could be seen as a win-win situation for both sides in the politics of power.

  "I swear, one day I will make you pay for this!" Lin Feng vowed to himself as he sprinted at full speed toward Rising Sky City…