Sky-Supporting Swordsman (Part 1)

Li Feng's body was convulsing wildly, his target a young girl he didn't seem to dislike. The girl's body trembled desperately from Li Feng's monstrously fast and powerful thrusts, her moans muffled and indistinct, it was impossible to tell if she was experiencing pleasure or pain. Her two clear, moist eyes were slightly narrowed, as she cautiously, sneakily, gazed at Li Feng's handsome but devilishly charming face.

Li Feng's mind, however, was nowhere near her. His body was merely moving due to a primal human instinct; his divine sense had already enveloped the entire 'Drunken Fragrance Tower'. All he could sense from the girl beneath him was a trace, an insignificant wisp of life force. Her spiritual energy had long since been depleted from frequent sexual encounters. Apart from a beautiful shell, there was nothing within her that interested Li Feng.

Holding the woman, who felt like an empty shell, his flesh in the most intimate contact, Li Feng poured all his divine sense into communing with heaven and earth. He could simultaneously sense every movement within the 'Drunken Fragrance Tower' courtyard: the falling snow, the whistling cold wind, the watchman shivering in the corridor, and in the woodshed behind the courtyard, the unlucky soldiers freezing until their skin turned blue. Right next to the woodshed, the portly cook was engaged in the same activity as Li Feng with his wife, the two bickering amidst a strange, harmonious joy.

Li Feng's divine sense turned upwards, gazing at the dark, ethereal sky, watching the snowflakes drift down in clumps, possessing an almost eternal beauty. His divine sense then descended, looking down. The sky was like a canopy, the earth like a chessboard. He felt an almost complete unity with heaven and earth, and a surge of incredibly pure primordial energy 'whooshed' into his body through his Baihui acupoint, merging with his True Essence. Li Feng's entire body trembled.

At that very moment, all of Li Feng's energy erupted. He let out a final tremor, a torrent of release. His consciousness instantly blurred, dissipating powerlessly, wisps of it scattering towards the surrounding sky. It was precisely as his body and soul were experiencing immense pleasure that Li Feng, for the first time, truly connected with heaven and earth. 'Desireless, pure, and natural' – for the first time in his life, Li Feng had stumbled into this profound state.

A powerful, terrifyingly pure primordial energy poured down, even more potent than the energy condensed within the 'Nine Yang Gathering Yuan Array'. Unknowingly, Li Feng had reached the true state of 'Unity of Heaven and Man'. The True Essence within his body was increasing at a speed he could clearly feel. Large amounts of sweat poured from his body, cleansing his meridians and marrow. Every cell rejoiced and leaped within this supremely pure primordial energy, being infinitely strengthened. In the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, his muscles had expanded by another circumference.

Li Feng opened his eyes. He had no idea how fortunate he was. A virgin who had never touched a woman in his life, after completing the momentous act of procreation for the first time, due to the tremor in his mind and the exhaustion of his body, had, in his communion with heaven and earth, reached a level that even Xie Yuezi and the others had not attained. This already predestined Li Feng's future cultivation path to be faster than that of Xie Yuezi and the others. This true state of 'Unity of Heaven and Man' was a realm only achieved by the Five Elders of Yiyuan and the muddled Ling Guangzi.

Li Feng, however, had no such realization. He looked at the girl beneath him, who had fainted, and a sense of boredom suddenly welled up within him. He got up and stood naked by the window, opening it to let the fierce cold wind buffet his bare upper body. He looked down at his lower body and let out a cold laugh, "Is this procreation? Trading a moment of pleasure for someone to inherit my bloodline? Heh heh, life is only a hundred years. After a hundred years, if you still want people to remember you, you can only rely on your descendants, right?"

"That's why emperors desire countless descendants, hoping their dynasties will last for eternity. It's because they are unwilling for their grand ambitions to vanish into thin air, unwilling for their illustrious names to be extinguished. That's why Qin Shi Huang sought immortality in the East Sea, and Emperor Wu of Han cultivated the Golden Core. It's all the same. They are too great, so great that they cannot bear their own disappearance, they wish to remain in this world forever."

Li Feng clenched his fists tightly, his muscles rippling. He roared silently at the dark sky, "I am also unwilling, I am also unwilling... If I were just that little rogue from Suzhou Prefecture, I would only ask for enough to eat and wear, and have no other desires in this life. But now, I am not. I am a disciple of the Yiyuan Sect, a cultivator of the Yiyuan Sect."

Li Feng roared madly in his heart, "Why? All the gods and Buddhas in the sky can sit on their clouds and look down upon all beings, while I, Li Feng, can only struggle and roar in this world? Why?"

Gritting his teeth tightly, Li Feng cast a glance at the girl lying on the bed, gasping softly. He slowly put on his clothes, grabbed the Dragon Spring Sword, left two gold ingots on the table, and slowly opened the door to walk out. On his face, there was a resolute understanding. He tilted his head back to look at the sky, a wicked smile appearing on his face. Humming a local Suzhou folk tune, Li Feng staggered downstairs, kicking a watchman warming himself in the corridor, and asked, "The matter I asked your madam to handle, is it done?"

The watchman, seeing it was Li Feng, quickly bowed and said, "My lord, please rest assured, the matter has been handled. The lower parts of their bodies have been smeared with filth, and anyone with experience can tell they've just had sex. Moreover, we made them each drink over a pound of Northeastern Erguotou, ensuring they reek of alcohol and won't arouse suspicion."

Li Feng tossed a piece of silver over and nodded, "Very good, very good. If anyone comes to investigate this matter, you will tell them the story I gave you. If anything goes wrong, I will take responsibility. If you mess up my plans, I will settle the score with your 'Drunken Fragrance Tower'. In Yanjing City, it's not difficult for the Second Prince to shut down a brothel and arrest a few people, is it?"

The watchman's face turned ashen, and he inwardly lamented, "Your lordships fighting for power and profit is really hurting us common folk. Is it easy to make a living in this brothel business?" But how dare he complain in front of Li Feng? He could only subserviently say, "Yes, you are right, my lord. It's as easy as eating for the Second Prince to arrest us. Please rest assured, how would we dare not follow your instructions? We will definitely pin the blame on them."

Li Feng let out a cold laugh, "Good. When Master Dugu wakes up, tell him I've returned to the manor. Hmm, that's all."

Li Feng's body moved like a phantom across the more than two feet of thick snow in the courtyard, leaving not a single footprint. The watchman, witnessing this scene, was so startled he stuck out his tongue and whispered in awe, "Trace-less Snow Step! This is a skill only heard in storytellers' tales. I never thought anyone in the world could actually do it. No wonder he can be the Deputy Commander of the Prince's manor. I can only be a turtle here, alas... It's fate, no one can be blamed." He shook his head, contentedly rubbing the two taels of silver Li Feng had tossed him, grinning as he squatted by the small charcoal stove, warming himself.

Li Feng floated out of the 'Drunken Fragrance Tower' and slowly headed towards Zhu Xi's manor. He mused inwardly, "You, Zhu Geng, are after all a prince and don't know the ways of the martial world. You think beating me up can drive me away? What a joke! This kind of framing and slander, I'll teach you how to play slowly. Heh heh, Zhu Geng, Murong Tian, they are ultimately just warriors, it's not a fair fight." For a moment, Li Feng felt a surge of arrogance. But he quickly slapped himself, whispering, "What am I being proud of? Am I stronger than the Right Saint, or stronger than the master they speak of? In front of them, I'm nothing but a pile of dog shit, what is there to be proud of?"

The patrolling soldiers on the road saw the golden plaque hanging from Li Feng's waist and didn't question him. They let him wander alone through the streets in the dead of night with a long sword. Li Feng had forgotten the way to Zhu Xi's manor. When he came, there were many people and much noise, so he hadn't paid attention to the path. Now, alone, the streets and alleys of Yanjing City were numerous, and he was immediately lost. Helplessly, he had to grab a patrol of soldiers, and after stuffing their captain with a silver ingot, he was led by the soldiers to the front of Zhu Xi's manor.

Several guards on duty at the main entrance quickly ran down and asked familiarly, "Head Li, why are you back so soon? Was the young lady not satisfactory?"

Li Feng chuckled, "Tsk tsk, I fought three hundred rounds, non-stop for over an hour. Later, I was too tired, so I just came back for a bath and some sleep, damn it." Heaven and earth as his witness, his cultivation had just advanced greatly, his body was filled with surging energy, and his physique had just been cleansed. He was at the peak of his vitality; the so-called tiredness was just an excuse.

The guards chuckled, "Head Li, you're truly amazing, over an hour? Heh heh." Their faces showed knowing smiles; after all, this was something that could only be understood and not spoken. The patrol soldiers, seeing that Li Feng was indeed from Zhu Xi's manor, quickly bid them farewell, busy as they were, and continued on their way through the thick snow.

Li Feng chuckled, "Tonight, all you brothers can go along. Let those who exhausted their energy and strength earlier stay on duty. Heh heh, this time I'm going all out. The pretty girls at 'Drunken Fragrance Tower' weren't enough, I've summoned the best girls from four or five nearby establishments. Tonight, as long as you have the stamina, you can have as many girls as you want, all on me, hahaha."

The guards immediately showered him with flattery and escorted Li Feng into the main gate. They assigned a quick-witted fellow to lead Li Feng towards the guest quarters arranged for him. As Li Feng looked around, he couldn't help but shake his head. Indeed, his first impression yesterday was correct; Zhu Xi's manor was far inferior to the courtyard of a wealthy merchant in Jiangnan, let alone the famous gardens of the realm. Li Feng suddenly asked himself in surprise, "No matter what, the Prince of Yan's fief has so much income every year. Where did all that money go? To make his son's manor look so simple?"

However, Li Feng was quite satisfied with his guest quarters. Although not luxurious, it was very clean, with everything he needed. His room even had a small bookshelf with some books on it. Li Feng walked a few steps in the room and then fell onto the bed, sighing comfortably.

As dawn broke, Li Feng jumped out of bed. After a night of Qi cultivation and a little over half an hour of sleep, his body was practically bursting with energy. Like a wisp of smoke, he glided out of the window, lightly descending from the second floor and landing by a small pond. Li Feng casually plucked three bamboo leaves from a bamboo stalk by the pond, channeled a bit of energy, and flicked his hand, shooting the leaves out. With three soft 'swishes', the three bamboo leaves embedded deeply into a rockery stone in front of him. Li Feng nodded with satisfaction, "The storytellers weren't just spouting nonsense. Flying flowers and falling leaves can indeed injure people, it's true."

He clapped his hands and walked through the snow towards the courtyard ahead. He still hadn't figured out how to solve his three meals a day. He supposed Zhu Xi was responsible for the food and drink for everyone in the manor? Otherwise, feeding hundreds of people would be a huge problem; the nearby restaurants couldn't accommodate so many.

Just as he stepped out of his courtyard, Li Feng saw Zhu Xi standing in the courtyard with a livid face, roaring loudly, "What? The Second Prince sent people to arrest Dugu and the others? Saying they attacked Lei Zhenyuan? What's going on? When did it happen? Huh? He sent people to arrest my guards, what does he take me for? Huh? Does he think he can bully me as he pleases? Am I not his elder brother? Is he not my second brother? I, I, Little Li, prepare the carriage, I'm going to see Father King right now."

Li Feng deliberately heavy-footed his steps, causing the snow to crunch. Zhu Xi suddenly turned around and, seeing Li Feng, exclaimed with joy, "Li Feng, you're here? Good, accompany me to see Father King. I want to ask if this Yanjing City belongs to the Second Prince. If he can act so recklessly about everything, I, I might as well go directly to Ying Tian Prefecture."

Seeing Zhu Xi's anger, Li Feng added fuel to the fire, "Shopkeeper... Ah, Your Highness, I know everything about this matter." He recounted the events at the 'Drunken Fragrance Tower' to Zhu Xi, hiding nothing. He said indignantly, "This Second Prince is truly bullying you. Think about it, if he arrests our manor's guards this time, and Your Highness doesn't react at all, and can't even get an apology from the Second Prince, wouldn't Your Highness lose all face in the future?"

Zhu Xi's eyes darted around, and he nodded, "So that's how it is. Hmm, your plan to frame Lei Zhenyuan is a good idea, but unfortunately, Murong Tian has already arrested everyone. What else can we say?"

A cold glint flashed in Li Feng's eyes, and he sneered, "Murong Tian dares to lead people to arrest them, plainly because of these two reasons: First, he believes Your Highness has no one under him who can defeat him. Second, Your Highness has fewer troops than him. Therefore, he dares to spit on Your Highness's head. This matter, if blown up, is an attack on a military officer, if played down, it's just a drunken brawl. If we can't get justice this time, we won't be able to stay in Yanjing City."

Zhu Xi frowned and ordered, "Alright, tell me what to do."

Li Feng stomped his foot fiercely and roared, "Your Highness, you must show your might this time and give the Second Prince and Murong Tian a good lesson. This matter must be escalated. I have already arranged the testimony at the 'Drunken Fragrance Tower', and Elder Dugu and the others have also unified their statements. It's best to make this matter so big that it alarms the Prince, and when the Prince personally handles it, we will insist that Lei Zhenyuan assaulted a brothel girl and refused to pay, and then randomly beat people when drunk. Our brothers from the manor intervened out of righteous indignation. As long as we stick to this, they will have no chance to turn the tables."

A pleased expression appeared on Zhu Xi's face, "That makes sense. How do you plan to proceed?"

Li Feng, fearing the world wouldn't be chaotic enough, said coldly, "First, Your Highness should issue an order to mobilize a guard unit under your command. We will attack Murong Tian's military camp. Meanwhile, send someone to report to the Prince, saying Murong Tian is abusing his power and raising troops in rebellion." Li Feng racked his brain, recalling various schemes of framing and slander from the books he had read, and proposed them one by one. Little Li, standing beside them, shivered, looking at Li Feng as if he had seen a ghost.

The princes of the Great Ming Dynasty had a peculiar habit, perhaps inherited from their Emperor Taizu. They all seemed to have rather short tempers, especially the feudal lords in various regions. Once angered, they would dare to mobilize troops and kill people. Especially now, Zhu Xi was already furious. Hearing Li Feng's words, mixed with a bit of 'Mind-Illusion Technique', he immediately threw a token from his sleeve without a second word and shouted, "Good, it's settled. Li Feng, I grant you full authority to handle this matter. Little Li, go inform Eunuch Lü, and say exactly what Li Feng said. Hmph, I'll go with Li Feng to confront Murong Tian and see if Murong Tian dares to be presumptuous in front of me."