Peacekeeping Vanguard

"Seventh Master, you're in a good mood!" Feng Yunjie rode alongside Du Ge, glancing sideways at him with a smile.

"I think the earlier plan was a bit rough. I just came up with a new idea and couldn't help getting excited, but I didn't expect Third Young Master to see through me. Clearly, I'm still not mature enough to hide my emotions," Du Ge said, turning to look at Feng Yunjie with a chuckle.

"What new idea?" Feng Yunjie asked with a grin.

"The Qiao Family gave me the inspiration." Du Ge tugged on the reins, slowing his horse. "Back then, Qiao He roamed the land doing righteous deeds, always eager to help others, and perfected martial arts manuals for many schools. In the end, he carved out the title of the number one family in the martial world, enduring for a century. Why can't we learn from him?

The Feng Family's current scale is too small. Even if I protect it with all my might, it won't grow quickly. But if the Feng Family becomes a behemoth, that's different. With the family's strength to uphold chivalry and maintain peace in the martial world, my power would soar to unimaginable heights. With me guarding it, not just a century-old family—a millennium-old family is possible..."

"How do we learn?" Feng Yunjie was captivated by the beautiful blueprint Du Ge painted, but reality brought him down. "Qiao He was invincible the moment he stepped into the world. We don't have his strength."

"Third Young Master, that's not quite right. In a hundred years, there's only been one Martial Saint, and he can't be replicated. But one person's power is ultimately limited. We need to learn to rely on the strength of a team. We can take another path," Du Ge said.

"The strength of a team?" Feng Yunjie was stunned.

"Right." Du Ge nodded. "I plan to establish an organization—to rid the people of harm, punish evil and promote good, dedicated to crushing the dark forces in the martial world and upholding justice. This organization will recruit more righteous knights to join, and eventually grow big and strong. When the entire martial world recognizes us, the power base will be built. I've even thought of a name for it: the Peacekeeping Vanguard..."

"Peacekeeping Vanguard?" Feng Yunjie froze.

"Yes." Du Ge said. "Maintaining peace in the martial world, championing justice in the jianghu—shortened to Peacekeeping Vanguard."

"But where do we attract righteous knights from?" Feng Yunjie asked.

"Seventh Master, this so-called Peacekeeping Vanguard has nothing to do with the Feng Family anymore, right?" Feng Shiyi said.

The two voices rang out almost simultaneously.

One puzzled, one cold.

Feng Yunjie snapped out of it and frowned at Du Ge.

Zhang Han shot Du Ge a glance, silently steering his horse to block behind him.

The three Feng men formed a triangle around Du Ge, subtly sealing off all his escape routes.

Feng Shiyi looked at Du Ge and continued, "Seventh Master, you wouldn't be planning to use the Feng Family's power for your own gain, would you?"

"Second Head, you underestimate me." Du Ge seemed unaware of his predicament, smiling lightly. "For a martial family or school to stand or make a name in this world, what does it rely on? Martial arts?"

"Isn't that it?" Feng Yunjie asked.

"Of course, martial arts are the foundation—no denying that." Du Ge chuckled. "But besides martial arts, you need a unique edge. Let me ask you: why is the Beggar's Sect the number one sect?"

"Because there are so many beggars in the world?" Feng Yunjie said, puzzled.

"Right, that's one aspect." Du Ge gave them an approving look. "Low entry barrier—any beggar can join the Beggar's Sect; that's unity by profession. From no-bag to nine-bag, clear promotion steps—that's a proper advancement path. After joining, even a vagrant gets basic living and safety guarantees—that's solid logistical support..."

He paused. "That's the Beggar's Sect's unique edge. Anyone thinking of moving against them has to weigh whether they can afford to provoke such a behemoth. Other schools are the same—like the Taishan Sect, whose members are all Taoists, riding on religious prestige; or the Canal Guild, controlling water transport... What does the Feng Family have?"

Feng Yunjie sank into thought.

"Third Young Master, you don't even have a nickname worth mentioning in the jianghu, do you?" Du Ge asked with a smile.

Feng Yunjie shook his head awkwardly.

"Then have you found a common thread among these famous schools?" Du Ge pressed.

Feng Yunjie shook his head again.

"Unique edge, philosophy, faith." Du Ge said. "The Beggar's Sect maintains professional integrity; Taishan preserves religious integrity; Emei is all women, ensuring gender integrity; the Blood Sabre School has assassins, catering to those with special psychological needs. These traits naturally attract similar people to join.

So, the Feng Family must build its own unique edge. Only then can it take the first step toward becoming a century-old or even millennium-old family. Otherwise, even if I snatch manuals for the Feng Family and recruit many Heavenly Demons, we'll just be a nouveau riche in a county town. When a storm hits, nothing might be left."

"But what does this have to do with the Peacekeeping Vanguard? We could start from the Feng Family itself!" Feng Shiyi said.

"Second Head, a small family issuing such a call won't attract anyone. But a new organization is different." Du Ge's eyes sparkled. "This is called borrowing a shell to go public, splitting development. We start small, with no ties to any jianghu power. Once we build up our reputation and the martial world recognizes the Peacekeeping Vanguard, then we merge the Feng Family in—does that make it not the Feng Family anymore? Sometimes, a large force doesn't have to be out in the open."

"What's the Peacekeeping Vanguard's philosophy?" Feng Yunjie asked.

"Didn't I just say it?" Du Ge replied. "Justice. The jianghu is never short of hot-blooded young heroes."

"That does make some sense," Feng Shiyi said thoughtfully.

"Second Head, I won't harm the Feng Family." Du Ge looked at Feng Shiyi and shook his head with a smile.

That morning, seeing Feng Jiu narrow Taotie's path, Du Ge had reflected on whether he was narrowing the path of maintenance too.

Then.

He thought of maintaining peace and justice—broad, sweeping concepts that clearly yielded more than protecting a small family's interests.

He even considered maintaining national sovereignty, but this Simulation Field world was centered on the jianghu, with the concept of nation heavily diluted.

Unlike The Legend of the Condor Heroes or Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, where there was still family and national duty, there were no foreign invasions here. He had to reluctantly abandon the grand ambition of safeguarding national stability.

Otherwise, he would have insisted on being a great knight like Guo Jing!

Even so, Du Ge felt that maintaining peace and justice across the entire jianghu would secure his top spot in the Simulation Field.

The reason he hadn't revealed this plan within the Feng Family was that he preferred Feng Shiyi, the overthinker—after all, he was the one who proposed the Heaven's Mandate theory, patching a hole in Du Ge's story. Feng Shiren was too conservative and shrewd; talking to him was too much trouble.

"Seventh Master, where do we find people to join this Peacekeeping Vanguard?" Feng Yunjie asked the earlier question again.

"Aren't we looking now? If we can find other Heavenly Demons to join, great. If not, we start by doing things. Once we get moving and spread our name, knights will naturally flock to us." Du Ge said. "Weren't we just discussing the Beggar's Sect? Their disciples are everywhere, wielding the power of public opinion. We can use them to spread our fame. Third Young Master, don't worry about the details—I'll arrange the execution when the time comes..."

"But who do we fight?" Feng Yunjie said awkwardly. "The dark forces in the jianghu—none of them are ones the Feng Family can afford to provoke."

"Don't do evil because it's small; don't neglect good because it's small." Du Ge smiled. "Third Young Master, trickling streams merge into the sea; tiny grains of dust pile into a mountain. Bullying tyrants who rig markets and robbers who block mountain roads—aren't they dark forces too? Start small, work on them—it's the same."