Betrayal

Xingyu Tower was an inn. Du Ge and the others were staying in the back courtyard, some distance from the main inn. But the commotion they had caused was so great that the guests who had been startled awake feared being caught up in it. One after another, they fled into the street in the middle of the night.

Fighting between factions was commonplace in the martial world, but when so many people fled at once, it was bound to draw the attention of anyone looking for trouble.

Speed was of the essence.

So Feng Shiyi and the others didn't take long to regroup. They treated their wounds, changed into dark clothes, then called for Du Ge and Wang San to head to the Iron Palm Sect's headquarters.

Feng Yunjie's injuries weren't serious, but wherever Wang San was, his combat ability took a sharp dive. Bringing him along would only be a burden, so Feng Shiyi sent him back to the Feng Family to report what had happened.

Du Ge and Wang San changed into dark clothes too.

The Feng Family wasn't large, but it was a genuine martial arts clan. Xingyu Tower served as their base, so naturally it had no shortage of weapons. It didn't have any renowned weapons, though, so Du Ge picked two relatively high-quality Fine Steel Longswords and replenished his throwing-knife pouch.

Wang San chose a Willow Leaf Knife. For a novice with no martial arts training, a knife was clearly easier to use than a sword. Du Ge had chosen a sword because thrusting was easier and faster than slashing.

Feng Shiyi and his two disciples hardly spoke along the way. They kept their faces grim, with all the solemn heroism of warriors marching to their deaths.

Du Ge and Wang San, who had already planned their escape route, were as carefree as if they were going on vacation.

Du Ge especially had watched so many scenes of heroes fighting at night in movies and television that now, finally getting the chance to take part himself, he could barely contain his excitement.

The Iron Palm Sect's headquarters was a manor outside Luyang City, not far from the docks. It nestled between mountains and water, making it an ideal location: if enemies attacked, they could escape by boat in front or flee into the mountains behind.

Beneath a plaque bearing the three forcefully written characters "Iron Palm Sect," the vermilion gates stood open. Five or six guards stood outside with knives in their arms, chatting idly. Every so often, one of them yawned. They were clearly taking their duty lightly.

That was only natural.

Luyang City was the Iron Palm Sect's base. They were the ones who bullied others, and unless something unusual happened, who would be foolish enough to attack them? Besides, the martial world hadn't seen any major events in over ten years.

If an expert came to the sect seeking revenge, they'd scale the walls and slip inside. No one would use the main gate. In the end, the guards were little more than decorations.

Usually, even the main gate was shut. But the Dark Dragon Hall had gone out on a mission today, so they had specifically left it open for them. The guards never imagined that tonight, a few people who didn't do things the usual way would show up after all.

"Seventh Master, we're really attacking through the main gate?" The night was chilly, but Feng Shiyi's forehead was sweating. He looked at Du Ge with an expression of sheer disbelief, one no man his age ought to have worn.

When Du Ge said they would enter through the main gate, Feng Shiyi suddenly felt like an idiot for believing Feng Qi's foolish plan could work. Why had he let himself get carried away and actually come along to raid the Iron Palm Sect?

Five men?

Three of them wounded, launching a frontal assault.

Even a five-year-old wouldn't come up with a plan like that!

"Then what?" Du Ge looked at Feng Shiyi as if he were an idiot. "You didn't tell me the Iron Palm Sect's walls were more than four meters high!"

"I..." Feng Shiyi stammered, unable to find an answer. He couldn't really blame Feng Qi. He was the Heavenly Demon, new to this world, and had no idea what the Iron Palm Sect was like.

But Feng Shiyi had been so stunned at the time that he couldn't possibly have thought of every detail.

Wang San's mouth twitched as he struggled to hold back a laugh.

"Your Lightness Skill is no good either. Carrying someone, you can't even jump four meters." Du Ge regarded Feng Shiyi with disdain. He silently resolved to build up his Internal Energy and find himself a good Lightness Skill. Since ancient times, heroes had soared over rooftops. Who ever heard of one needing a ladder to get over a wall?

"Seventh Master, if there's no other way, we should return to the Feng Family and come up with a plan," Feng Shiyi urged, watching Du Ge get ready to charge. "There are only five of us. A frontal assault would be little different from suicide."

"What does it matter if we give our lives for the Feng Family? We're already here, so we might as well try. Maybe it'll work!" Du Ge drew a deep breath, pulled out his sword with one hand, and took three throwing knives in the other. "San'er, lure them out..."

"Seventh Master, don't!" Feng Shiyi hurriedly tried to stop him, but it was too late.

"My dearest brothers, are you waiting for someone? Aren't you cold? Everyone else is asleep, but you still have to stand guard here. My heart aches for you..." Wang San had already decided that staying with the Feng Family was a dead end, and he was ready to surrender. His eerie voice quickly rang through the night.

The guards on duty immediately panicked. They drew their knives and looked around for the source of the voice, their faces pale.

"Who's there?"

"Who's playing tricks in the dark?"

"Come out!"

"It's me!" Wang San let out a strange, cackling laugh and slowly stepped out from the shadows. Dressed in black with his hair hanging loose, his face smeared with blood, he held a bloodstained saber. His expression was blank. "My little darlings, let's play a game. I'll chase you, and you run. When I catch you, big brother will give you a nice, loving hug..."

Wang San took one step forward at a time.

The guards took one step back at a time.

As Wang San kept talking, fear finally overcame what little courage they had left.

"A ghost!"

"It's a ghost!"

With several shrill screams, they dropped their knives and fled in a panic.

The instant they turned around, Du Ge, sword in hand, shot forward like a hare.

He was a streak of black lightning in the night. In the blink of an eye, he was behind them, cutting down their lives with brutal efficiency.

Watching Du Ge and Wang San really charge out to attack through the main gate, Feng Shiyi's mind went completely blank. A moment later, he closed his eyes in despair. "It's over."

"Second Master, what do we do?" one of his direct disciples asked, at a loss.

"Go. We can't make two outsiders stand in front while the Feng Family faces disaster alone." Feng Shiyi gave a bitter smile, gripped his knife, and started after them. But after walking a couple of steps, he realized the two disciples hadn't followed. He frowned. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want to die." One of them hesitated, then said haltingly, "Second Master, Feng Qi is a madman. His wounds heal quickly, but ours don't. We might as well risk assassinating Qiu Yuanlang for the Feng Family, but charging in openly like this is just throwing our lives away!"

"Let's retreat, Second Master. There's no point in dying like this," the other said. "Haven't you figured it out? All the Feng Family's troubles came from the Heavenly Demons. If we keep getting tangled up with them, things will only get worse. Abandon them and hurry back to the Feng Family. There's still time to run..."

"..." Feng Shiyi looked at Du Ge fighting ahead, then at the two behind him. He hesitated. "If we quit now, everything we've done so far will have been for nothing. Feng Qi's getting faster and faster, which proves he's grown a lot. And we have Wang San with us now."

"Second Master, don't be a fool. Think of the Third Young Master. Even if they're strong... just look at Wang San. Does the Feng Family really want to get mixed up with someone like that?" One of them pointed ahead, his eyes filled with terror. "They're devils! Cut our losses, Second Master. We can't keep making mistakes. If we do, the Feng Family will be ruined!"

Feng Shiyi turned around and saw something that made his blood run cold.

Wang San sliced off the hand of a guard Feng Qi had killed and picked it up. As he wiped the blood off it, he said, "There, there. Don't be scared. You got your hand all dirty. Let me wipe it clean for you, then we can hold hands..."

Feng Shiyi's pupils contracted.

At that moment, he finally understood.

After one last look at Du Ge, Feng Shiyi called to his two disciples. "Let's go."