Chapter Thirty: Southeast of the Phoenix Residence (Part One)

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The course of events unfolded in a manner no one had anticipated. Within just two days, the envoy from the Ministry of War, Xu Xiaoxiao, publicly acknowledged that the true identity of the murderer had been uncovered: a one-armed thief known for stealing miraculous elixirs. The target was none other than the sacred pills held by the esteemed lords, the coveted elixirs from the Wa People’s nation.

This statement was backed by a dozen generals from the Southeast. Moreover, the next announcement came directly from the Wa People’s delegation themselves. With their assistance, the assassin who killed General Liu had been identified—a rebel monk from the Arhat Temple, forced to flee the Central Plains due to the Arhat Temple incident, and once a sword student alongside the foremost wandering swordsman of their half-country.

This assassination was a deliberate act of provocation, designed to strain the friendship between the Wa People’s nation and the Central Plains.

Meanwhile, another rumor spread widely in the market: the real perpetrator behind the attacks on officials was none other than Princess Feng. Her motive was her disdain for the incompetence of the Southeast officials who fawned over the Wa People. This noblewoman from the capital, like a mighty dragon crossing the river, swept away all the monsters and demons, earning her the title of “Woman Hero” among the Southeastern commoners. It was said that the assassin was her chief general, reputed to rival the great masters of Yue Boxing.

Of course, these rumors did not come without their own negative consequences.

For example, the Wa People’s delegation’s “Rejuvenation Elixir” began to be viewed with suspicion—those who took it and died reportedly grew green hair. No miraculous pill should have such a side effect, and gradually, the elixir lost favor within official circles.

Princess Feng’s reputation in the political arena also deteriorated rapidly. She had earned the nicknames “Female Butcher” and “Demonic Phoenix.” Though she appeared unperturbed on the surface, behind the scenes, she faced increasing suppression.

For certain Southeastern officials, secretly taking the Wa People’s “Demonic Pill,” concealing the deaths of loyalists, and accepting bribes had cast a great shadow over what should have been a proud tribute from the Wa People’s nation. Rumor had it that a special envoy from the capital was already en route.

In short, no one had come out looking good.

Among all parties, the Wa People’s delegation was the most innocent, subjected to heavy surveillance and barely able to act, yet unfairly smeared with numerous ill reputations.

Powerful families such as Xichuan, Owari, Bichu, Shinyan, Yagyu, and Honda were compelled to discuss new strategies for the Central Plains.

“I originally intended to use the sacred pills of the incense Shinto monks to win favor with these Central Plains officials, but now, with infighting among the Central Plains people, the strategy has been utterly ruined. Shinyan Zhai, do you have any words?” Xichuan spoke fiercely.

“Brother Xichuan, what do you mean by that?” Shinyan Zhai grasped the hilt of his sword, his tone cold.

“Among the ten great powers of Kansai and Kanto, only the Shinyan family has supplies from the notorious Central Plains pirate Zhu Baozi. Are you perhaps deliberately sabotaging this mission to cause us heavy losses and ultimately benefit your own family?”

“Despicable! Xichuan, do not slander. Apart from myself, the Shinyan family has no skilled swordsmen capable of assassination. Or do you think the one you saw was a fake?” In Shinyan Zhai’s one-eyed glare shone a fierce light. His blade pointed outward, and his body leaned forward, concealing his sword-drawing technique. This was the secret draw method of the Kunoichi assassin group.

“Xichuan, Shinyan, this is hardly the time for internal conflict,” spoke the only young monk among the ten family representatives.

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Though called a monk, he was nothing like the monks of the Central Plains. Clad in pure white hunting robes, wearing a crow hat atop his shaved head and eyebrows, he radiated a corpse-like pallor.

The incense Shinto sect and the Shingon school represented two spiritual paths—one worldly, the other ascetic. Their status in the Wa People’s nation was akin to that of the Arhat Temple in the Southeastern martial world. It was only through the alliance of the ten great powers that these monks, who never left their country, were invited out.

“Incense Monk Maru, why did your medicine fail?” one representative from a family voiced dissatisfaction. “It is because your sacred pill malfunctioned that we find ourselves in such dire straits. If the sacred pill turns into a ‘demonic pill,’ how can it benefit the Dharma?”

“Indeed, how could the sacred pill go wrong? Even if the user dies, only after ten days buried underground does the body revert to its true form and return to the embrace of the gods. Hee hee hee hee, quite strange indeed,” Incense Monk Maru smiled like a woman, hiding his mouth behind a small fan.

“You—” The family representative was about to explode in anger when he suddenly noticed the eyes of the other party. They were unmistakably not human eyes but pale yellow vertical pupils—cat eyes.

Like a spell, those eyes blinked incessantly. Each blink felt like a layer of flesh was being ripped from his body. The agonizing pain surged through him, yet he could not scream. Sweat poured down in heavy beads. The excruciating torment peeled away his skin until only the white skeleton remained. Then the torment ceased.

But the figure before him was no longer human. Instead, it was a towering black-furred demon cat, as high as a rooftop, mockingly staring at him. An eerie, malevolent aura filled the air, compressing him like rubber.

“Lord Tsuchiya, you seem a bit uneasy?” the figure teased.

The Tsuchiya family representative suddenly regained his senses, finding his body unharmed but drenched in sweat, as if just pulled from water.

“Hee hee hee hee, Lord Tsuchiya, do you have anything else to say?”

The Tsuchiya representative straightened up sharply, no longer daring to speak recklessly.

“Incense Monk Maru, what are your wise thoughts?”

Incense Monk Maru fanned himself lightly. “Since the sacred medicine has failed, the only way to assert Dharma is through martial prowess. Gentlemen, prepare your invitations.”

………………

“The delegation wishes to exchange boxing techniques with our Central Plains fighters?” Young Master Huang murmured as he turned over the invitation.

“And they chose the sealed Nine-Story Buddhist Pagoda in Yue as the venue,” Feng Wei lowered his head.

“Besides us, who else was invited?”

“Almost all well-known boxing schools, sects, and martial halls in Yue received invitations, but few have confirmed attendance,” Feng Wei replied. “The Five-Element Fist and the Che Family Gully have not responded yet.”

“Is that so,” Young Master Huang’s beautiful eyes flickered. “Apart from the assassination, Central Plains boxing has always been far superior to that of the Wa People’s nation. For them to openly challenge us now, they must have some trump card. Since this concerns Yue’s martial world, let’s let them test the waters first. By the way, where is the chief general?”

“The chief general followed the Seven-Star Taoist up the mountain to train. He said to notify him if you need anything.”

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“That man truly is—” Young Master Huang covered her face in frustration. A few days ago, he brazenly killed over a dozen local officials, plunging the political arena into panic. Now he seemed as calm as ever. She was curious to see how fearless he truly was, and when he might finally feel fear.

“Forget it, let’s just watch and see how capable Yue’s boxers really are.”

Elsewhere, at the Five-Element Hall—though equal in name to the Five-Element Pavilion, both in terms of equipment and size, it was ten times larger than the Burning Body Hall.

After all, the hall owner, Lu Wangshen, was not as aloof as Master Lin Xianshi. He maintained close ties with major merchants along the Southeast coast, counting dozens of financial backers, and had deep connections across all social strata. In terms of foundation, his power was second only to the local great boxing village of Che Family Gully, and far stronger than the Burning Body Hall.

At this moment, Lu Wangshen’s beloved daughter, Lu Yao, leaped wildly like a mother leopard atop a tree stump. Each step produced explosive sounds, clearly marking her progress in boxing. Her movements were fierce and sharp, embodying the essence of the art.

Turning to strike, she performed a horizontal and vertical chop. This time, executing the “Tiger-Leopard Combined Strike,” her sinews taut like bows, bones like arrows, she summoned two gusts—the tiger wind and leopard wind—which merged as she pounced like a fierce beast descending the mountain. Nothing could stop her; with each strike, the ground formed two small craters.

When she rose, her fingertips were covered in stone dust and sand.

“Senior sister, your tiger and leopard forms have both reached their essence. Mastery of one art is equal to mastery of two. Besides senior brother Baihe, perhaps even senior brother Xiong is no match for you,” her junior brother admired.

“Hmph, just a little progress,” Lu Yao replied nonchalantly, though her lips curved upward, betraying her excitement.

“By the way, I heard the Wa People’s brats have been rampant lately, challenging us in the Southeast. I’m going to practice with them. Who wants to come?” Lu Yao beamed with excitement.

“No!” A stern voice came from nearby. The Taoist-dressed Baihe’s face was grim.

“Senior brother, what’s your problem? I’m a Yue boxer—it’s only right to deal with these Wa People. Otherwise, what’s the point of learning boxing if I can’t fight?” Lu Yao protested.

“You don’t understand. Sometimes, in the martial world, it’s not as simple as just wanting to fight,” Baihe’s expression softened. “Our master hasn’t returned yet. If something happens, our hall’s reputation will be ruined.”

There was one more thought he kept to himself: many wealthy merchants and officials funding the hall had openly and covertly expressed they did not want the hall involved. Moreover, Lu Wangshen had exceeded the agreed return time and was still missing, leaving Baihe under immense pressure.

“But if we don’t go, won’t the martial world look down on us? What if Che Family Gully—”

“So Che Family Gully won’t go either.”

“Then who will defeat the Wa People?” Lu Yao was stunned.

“Exactly, who will?” Baihe smiled wryly. If the Burning Body Hall still existed, with their personalities, they would have acted without hesitation.