The Peacekeeping Vanguard

"Seventh Master, you seem to be in a good mood!" Feng Yunjie rode beside Du Ge, glanced at him, and said with a smile.

"I think my earlier plan was a bit crude. I just came up with a new idea, and I was so pleased with myself that I couldn't hide it. I didn't expect Third Young Master to notice. I suppose I'm still too green to keep my emotions off my face!" Du Ge turned to look at Feng Yunjie and smiled.

"What's the new idea?" Feng Yunjie asked with a smile.

"The Qiao Family gave me some inspiration." Du Ge tugged on the reins, slowing his horse. "Back then, Qiao He championed justice and helped many sects improve their martial arts manuals. In the end, he established the reputation of the greatest martial family in the land, and it flourished for a hundred years. Why can't we learn from him?

"The Feng Family is too small right now. Even if I do everything I can to protect it, it won't grow very quickly. But if the Feng Family grows into a colossus, that'll be different. With the Feng Family's strength, I could uphold justice and peace in the martial world. Who knows how powerful I'd become? With me protecting it, the Feng Family might last not just a hundred years, but a thousand..."

"How would we do that?" Feng Yunjie was captivated by Du Ge's beautiful vision, but when he thought of reality, his spirits sank. "Qiao He was invincible as soon as he entered the world. We don't have his strength."

"Third Young Master, that's not quite right. There's only ever been one Martial Saint in a hundred years, and no one can replicate him. But one person's strength is limited. We need to learn how to harness the power of a team. We can take a different path," Du Ge said.

"The power of a team?" Feng Yunjie was taken aback.

"Exactly." Du Ge said, "I plan to establish an organization to rid the people of harm, punish evil and promote good, fight the dark forces in the martial world, and uphold justice. Our organization will welcome more righteous heroes, and eventually grow stronger and stronger. We'll earn the recognition of the entire martial world, and once people recognize us, we'll have built our influence. I've even thought of a name for the organization: the Peacekeeping Vanguard."

"The Peacekeeping Vanguard?" Feng Yunjie was stunned.

"Exactly," Du Ge said. "We'll uphold peace and champion justice in the martial world. In short, the Peacekeeping Vanguard."

"But where will we find righteous heroes to join us?" Feng Yunjie asked.

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

Their voices rang out almost simultaneously.

One sounded puzzled, the other cool and distant.

Feng Yunjie came to his senses and frowned at Du Ge.

Zhang Han shot Du Ge a sidelong glance, then silently rode behind him, blocking his way.

The three members of the Feng Family surrounded Du Ge in a triangle, subtly cutting off every escape route.

Feng Shiyi looked at Du Ge and continued, "Seventh Master, you're not planning to use the Feng Family's influence for your own gain, are you?"

"Second Master, you underestimate me." Du Ge smiled as if he were unaware of his predicament. "What does a martial family or sect need to establish itself in this world or make a name for itself? Martial arts?"

"Isn't that the answer?" Feng Yunjie asked.

"Of course, martial arts are the foundation of one's standing. There's no denying that." Du Ge smiled. "But you also need to stand out. Let me ask you: why is the Beggar's Sect the largest sect in the land?"

"Because there are so many beggars?" Feng Yunjie asked, puzzled.

"Exactly. That's part of it." Du Ge gave them an approving look. "The barrier to entry is low; any beggar can join the Beggar's Sect. They all share the same profession. Members progress from having no pouch to having nine, with clear ranks and promotion paths. And once they join, even the homeless have basic living and safety guarantees. Their support system is well established..."

He paused. "That's what makes the Beggar's Sect distinctive. When people consider taking them on, they have to ask themselves whether they can afford to provoke such a colossus. The same goes for other sects. The Taishan Sect, for instance, is made up of Taoist priests and carries the prestige of a religion. The Salt Gang controls water transport... What does the Feng Family have?"

Feng Yunjie fell into thought.

"Third Young Master, you don't even have a nickname in the martial world that people would recognize, do you?" Du Ge asked with a smile.

Feng Yunjie shook his head awkwardly.

"Have you found anything these famous sects have in common?" Du Ge asked.

Feng Yunjie shook his head again.

"Distinctive traits, ideals, beliefs," Du Ge said. "The Beggar's Sect preserves the integrity of a profession; the Taishan Sect preserves the integrity of a faith; everyone in the Emei Sect is female, preserving the integrity of gender. The Blood Sabre School has assassins, meeting the needs of people with a particular mindset. These traits naturally attract people who share them.

"So the Feng Family has to establish something distinctive of its own. That's the only way to take the first step toward becoming a family that lasts a hundred—or even a thousand—years. Otherwise, even if I snatch manuals for the Feng Family and recruit many Heavenly Demons, it'll still just be a nouveau riche family in some county town. One storm could sweep through and leave nothing behind."

"But what does that have to do with the Peacekeeping Vanguard? We can start with the Feng Family!" Feng Shiyi said.

"Second Master, a small family making this kind of call won't attract anyone. A new organization is different." Du Ge's eyes shone. "It's called a backdoor listing and a split-off development. We'll start small and stay independent of every power in the martial world. Once we've built up our reputation and the martial world recognizes the Peacekeeping Vanguard, the Feng Family can merge into it. Wouldn't it still be the Feng Family? A large power doesn't always have to operate in the open."

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

"Didn't I just say?" Du Ge replied. "Justice. There's no shortage of passionate young heroes in the martial world."

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

"Second Master, I would never harm the Feng Family." Du Ge looked at Feng Shiyi and shook his head with a smile.

That morning, after seeing Feng Jiu narrow Taotie's path, Du Ge had reflected on himself. Had he narrowed the path of maintenance, too?

Then...

He'd thought of upholding peace and justice—broad, far-reaching ideals that would clearly earn him more than protecting the interests of one small family.

He'd even considered upholding national sovereignty, but this Simulation Field was centered on the martial world, and the idea of a nation had been heavily diluted.

Unlike The Legend of the Condor Heroes or Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, there was no grand duty to family and country here, nor any foreign invasion. He could only regretfully abandon his grand ambition of maintaining national stability.

Otherwise, he would have insisted on becoming a great hero like Guo Jing!

Even so, Du Ge believed that upholding peace and justice throughout the martial world would be enough to secure his achievement as the Simulation Field's top contestant.

He hadn't revealed this plan to the Feng Family because he preferred Feng Shiyi, the master of wild conjectures. He was the one who had come up with the idea of Heaven's Mandate, filling in the holes in Du Ge's story. Feng Shiren was too cautious and shrewd; talking with him was exhausting.

"Seventh Master, where are we going to find people to join this so-called Peacekeeping Vanguard?" Feng Yunjie asked again.

"Aren't we already looking? It would be best if we found other Heavenly Demons to join us. If we can't, we'll just start doing things first. Once we've made a name for ourselves, heroes will join us of their own accord." Du Ge said, "Weren't we just talking about the Beggar's Sect? Its disciples are everywhere, and they control public opinion. We can use them to spread our reputation. Third Young Master, don't worry about that. I'll make the arrangements when the time comes..."

"But who are we supposed to fight?" Feng Yunjie asked awkwardly. "There isn't a single dark force in the martial world that the Feng Family can afford to provoke."

"Don't do evil just because it's small, and don't refuse to do good just because it's small." Du Ge smiled. "Third Young Master, trickling streams become an ocean; specks of dust pile up into mountains. Aren't bullies who dominate the markets and bandits who block roads and occupy mountains dark forces too? We'll start with small things. They'll do just fine as our first targets."