Seeing Feng Xiaonian lower his head in silence, Li Jing sighed and continued, "You originally worked under Gao Jineng, and three years ago, due to a mishap during the escort of provisions to Sanshan Pass, you should have been executed. However, Gao Jineng, considering your abilities, pleaded on your behalf. Thus, you escaped the capital punishment and came under my command at Chentang Pass. Am I right?"
Feng Xiaonian bowed his head to the ground and said, "My lord speaks with absolute accuracy. Although I am a general who slipped up, my lord has treated me no differently than others. The grace of meeting my lord is like being reborn, a favor I dare not forget."
"It’s good that you haven’t forgotten," Li Jing’s expression softened slightly, "Now that I think about it, ever since you arrived at Chentang Pass, there have been numerous reports about people disappearing in the area. Previously when we went to Wild Horse Ridge, on the fifth day, the family of three of the Sun couple at the foot of Wild Horse Ridge also went missing. Were all these your doing?"
Feng Xiaonian suddenly slammed his head on the ground, creating a muffled sound as the thick fallen leaves on the ground shattered.
He gritted his teeth and said, "I have failed the General!"
After speaking, he pulled out a palm-sized, shining short dagger from his waist. Li Jing’s pupils dilated, but he saw Feng Xiaonian turn the blade and press it against his own chest.
A fierce look crossed Feng Xiaonian’s face as he said, "General, rest assured, I am aware of my guilt and will now end my own life, making sure not to implicate you."
As he said this, he closed his eyes and slapped the hand holding the dagger with his other hand, ready to plunge the dagger into his heart. However, he found his right wrist seized, preventing him from following through.
He opened his eyes and saw the towering figure of the General of Chentang Pass, puzzled, he said, "General?"
Li Jing spoke, "It’s good that you admitted. Stand up."
"Yes!"
Feng Xiaonian stood aside.
The sun gradually set, and the dense forest became so dark that you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.
Li Jing sheathed his sword, stood in the wind for a long time before slowly saying, "Killing civilians goes against the law, but since it was done in pursuit of the Mystic Skill, it is somewhat understandable."
Hearing this, Feng Xiaonian was overjoyed, fell to the ground again, and said, "I will never forget the great kindness and great virtue of the General!"
Li Jing gave him another look, and a hint of pleasure flickered through his eyes for having successfully handled Feng Xiaonian, keeping his composure, he said, "There are too many backlog cases at main affairs Lord’s office, that is not good. Be more careful in your actions in the future. Eating people on the road like today, wouldn’t it scare people to death if they saw it?"
Feng Xiaonian understood the implication in Li Jing’s words. Having been appreciated by Gao Jineng and reused by Li Jing after coming to Chentang Pass, he was no fool in dealing with people and matters, he quickly said, "The General’s teaching is right, I will definitely be cautious in my actions in the future, and ensure that practicing the Mystic Skill does not disturb the people of Chentang Pass!"
The irony of a man-eater saying they feared scaring others might make anyone laugh, but these two in the woods were quite serious about it.
Li Jing looked again at the bloody darkness swallowed by the ground and asked, "Who is this man?"
Feng Xiaonian’s hands hung before him, his head lowered in a submissive manner that showed none of the horror of his bloodied face and flesh-tearing state earlier, and he said, "Replying to the General, before I went to Wild Horse Ridge, I had investigated, this person’s surname is Li, first name is Inch Heart, from Lizhu Village, he went out this afternoon to the sea to gather pearls. It’s common for fishermen to contest with the sea, often resulting in death or injury. It’s not uncommon for a soul to not return from pearl diving, no one will suspect me."
He continued, "Moreover, his family has no other capable adults to take charge, causing no great turmoil afterwards."
Hearing this, Li Jing sighed and said, "The only able-bodied worker in his family died, it must be even more difficult for his family now, you should give some money and grain to pacify them after this."
"Your Excellency is kind! I dare not disobey!"
"Hmm, continue eating."
Li Jing stood with hands behind his back and slowly walked into the dark.
Midnight, Li Jing returned home, first visited the ancestral hall, only to find it deserted. He slightly furrowed his brow, looking up at the late hour, the sky packed with dark clouds and lightning snaking across, he decided to rest for the night and look for Nezha the next day.
Passing through the back residence, he crossed a corridor, with paths to the left and right; to the left was Lv Ping’s room, and the right led to Lady Yin’s courtyard.
His footsteps faltered briefly, his mind flashing through the filled storeroom, Lv Ping’s charming face, his wife’s gentleness, his father-in-law’s wealth, and finally back to Nezha.
"Nezha is acquainted with Ao Bing, the Third Prince of the East Sea."
Muttering under his breath, Li Jing turned towards the right, entering the courtyard, where he happened upon Cui Yu carrying a lantern, the house pitch-black; he thus inquired, "Has the Lady retired?"
"Master?" Seeing Li Jing, who had not visited this courtyard in a long while, Cui Yu responded with slight surprise but respectfully, "Yes, milord, the Lady is at Nezha’s, scolding him, should I announce your arrival?"
Li Jing slightly knit his brows, waved a hand dismissing the idea, and walked back to his own dark, tranquil study.
He had just entered when a downpour began behind him.
...
At this moment, in Nezha’s room, several oil lamps and candles were lit. Lady Yin was sewing in front of the light, considering how her child, seemingly matured beyond his years, still had his moments of mischief.
Thinking this, Lady Yin glanced at Nezha, who was prattling on the bed, the corners of her mouth lifting in a tender, indulgent smile.
Lv Zhu’er was currently seated cross-legged on Nezha’s bed, as Nezha was instructing her on how to channel spiritual intuition through her body, wearing only a thin undergarment. Her brow slightly furrowed and her spirit directed upwards, the flimsy garment soaked by the light sweat caused by the heat, clinging to her yet unripe body.
Nezha, sitting behind her, his thumb pressing through the nearly negligible silk garment onto her smooth back, inching slowly downwards.
Frowning, he remarked, "What’s going on, almost there again. This is only the first step, if you can’t concentrate, I won’t assist you today."
After another attempt, the spiritual intuition flowing but dispersing, Lv Zhu’er moaned softly, panting heavily, finally saying reluctantly, "Young Master, maybe let’s stop for today. I feel rather restless."
Lady Yin, setting down newly mended clothes, approached and caressed Lv Zhu’er’s head, addressing Nezha, "What’s the hurry? Didn’t Mr. Fan teach you that haste does not bring success, and those striving for great deeds must first maintain tranquility?"
Nezha, upon hearing this, laid back on the bed lazily, saying, "Then let’s call it a day, Little Piggy, ponder it yourself. Mother is right, spiritual practice is indeed a long journey, not to be rushed."
"I am sorry, Young Master."
Nezha glanced at the guilt-ridden face of Lv Zhu’er, chortled and shook his head, thinking how truly she was a loveable, foolish little piglet.
The next morning, before dawn, Nezha had already left home.
He had taken the day off from Mr. Fan.
Recently, Nezha had used the money from Ao Bing’s Qiankun Bag to buy fine fabric and commissioned the best embroidery shop in Chentang Pass to create a brand-new, purple-red Daoist robe.
The robe had arrived at the manor just yesterday afternoon, and Nezha planned to present it, packed in a gift box, to Shi Ji at Skull Mountain White Bone Cave.
Using the Five Elements Style Technique, he traveled through the woods, reaching just above the waterfall, and gazed towards the East. Far away, the horizon began to brighten with a streak of dawn. Soon, a vast sea of clouds and mist cradled the rising sun.
Countless golden beams pierced through the clouds, casting a golden fringe on the waterfall’s cascading waters. Having enjoyed this rare spectacle, Nezha felt an epiphany, sensing a clear and unburdened mind.
As he arrived at the summit of Skull Mountain, before even landing, he saw Bi Yun, hands behind his back, already waiting there for a long while.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l