Crouching Tiger Manor, Dean Chen (4k)

The voice was gentle and unhurried.

Yet to Hong Yuan, it was unmistakably familiar. It belonged to his former role model, Chen Huanshan, the former dean of Qingxu Academy who had fled with a wife, two concubines, and his sister-in-law!

Hong Yuan had never imagined that a whim would bring him face-to-face with an old acquaintance here.

Judging by the conversation inside, after fleeing, Dean Chen seemed to have joined some faction and was now serving a villa master.

Hong Yuan had originally come under cover of night to exchange blows with Yue Feng, observe his martial arts, and absorb their essence.

Now, however, he was in no hurry. He might as well listen to what the two had to say.

Hong Yuan's eyes flickered.

Then Yue Feng's voice sounded from inside. "It'll be difficult! I challenged their halls using the ways of the martial world, forcing Zuo Lie and Shi Meng to fight me. If I try to forcibly bring them under my command, they'll gather their apprentices and disciples to attack us together."

"Besides, those two have been rooted in Wushan County for years. Plenty of their disciples come from wealthy households. Even if we force them to submit for now, we'll still have to watch for them conspiring with those households to turn on us. That would be even more trouble."

Chen Huanshan sighed as well. "The villa has many skilled fighters, but there's even more work to be done. The master's plans encompass far more than a mere Wushan County..."

He paused, apparently thinking for a moment, then continued, "I'll write a letter and send it back to the villa later. Hopefully, the master can send us another three to five capable fighters."

"Then thank you, Mister Chen." Yue Feng's delight was plain in his voice.

"We're both working for the master. What need is there for thanks?"

Chen Huanshan laughed. "You're the one doing the hard work, young Yue. All I do is wag my tongue. Fortunately, we've already made headway in Wushan County."

"I'm just a rough fellow who knows a little fighting. Without your planning, Mister Chen, how could I have gathered our forces so quickly? I'd probably still be tangled in a thousand loose threads, with nowhere to start!"

Both men burst out laughing.

Hong Yuan smiled too.

Though Yue Feng and Chen Huanshan had not named that "villa" or its "master," he had a few suspicions.

With the realm in turmoil, wealthy households and powerful clans liked to build villas and fortified estates to protect their lineages. Thus, titles such as villa master were quite fashionable.

Huang Guiling was one such example.

But an estate with so many capable fighters and such a strong martial-world flavor? The answer was practically leaping out at him.

Even at the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall in Yangquan County, Hong Yuan had often heard apprentices speak of a great hero in Linjiang Prefecture named Song Yinglong.

Rumor had it that this man valued loyalty and scattered his wealth freely, loved befriending heroes of the martial world, and had spent an enormous sum to establish a "Crouching Tiger Villa." Any brave fellow who came calling would be treated to wine and meat.

Over the past dozen years, Crouching Tiger Villa's reputation had grown steadily. Supposedly, it now housed a thousand retainers, every one of them a fine fellow who trained diligently and possessed considerable skill.

It was not that Hong Yuan disbelieved in the existence of men whose righteousness reached the clouds.

He simply did not believe that someone who called hundreds or thousands of men his brothers was necessarily such a paragon. Keeping so many martial artists supplied with wine and meat—never mind anything else—the daily food and drink alone would cost an astronomical sum.

Where did the money come from?

When the apprentices mentioned Song Yinglong, Hong Yuan had taken notice and remembered his name.

Nothing more than that. He merely suspected the man might be in the same line of work as himself.

To unlock [Taisui Blessed Land], he had to climb to the pinnacle of power.

With Song Yinglong spending so extravagantly, surely he was not doing it purely for charity?

Next, Yue Feng and Chen Huanshan discussed how to crush Wushan County's remaining gangs, whether to kill their leaders or intimidate them into submission, and how to absorb their businesses and manpower.

They also discussed how to handle retaliation from the wealthy households.

After all, no wealthy household wanted to see the gangs united into a single force. Many gangs were themselves black gloves cultivated by those households specifically to do their dirty work.

Suddenly, the heated conversation inside stopped dead.

Oh! They've noticed? A little slow, aren't they?

The two guards in the courtyard had been pacing about; there ought to have been footsteps, at least. Either man inside would have noticed something amiss if he had glanced outside.

Clearly, they had become engrossed in their discussion and let their caution slip, believing themselves protected by a crowd of enforcers.

At that moment, the two men inside suddenly resumed speaking loudly.

Hong Yuan chuckled. Uninterested in listening to their performance, he bent a finger and tapped the window frame.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Good evening, gentlemen. Forgive the presumption of calling so late at night!"

Hong Yuan smiled as he spoke.

The instant his voice fell, every light inside went out. A faint hiss sounded, like a summer cicada beating its wings, and a chill, razor-sharp gleam pierced the window, thrusting toward Hong Yuan's chest with astonishing speed.

An ordinary martial artist who had developed force would have found it difficult to escape such a nearly silent, lightning-fast thrust while his eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden darkness.

But as the thrust came, Hong Yuan had already pushed off with his feet, retreating to the middle of the courtyard.

Crash!

The cold gleam missed, then swept outward, tearing through the doors and windows across the front of the room. Amid the crashing, a tall, ordinary-looking young man emerged with a longsword in hand.

Shielding Yue Feng behind him, Chen Huanshan stared at Hong Yuan and asked grimly, "Who are you? When did you get here?"

As a former outstanding student of Qingxu Academy, Hong Yuan had naturally had dealings with Chen Huanshan, but the man failed to recognize him now.

For one thing, it was late at night. Even with torches burning around them, the courtyard remained dim. For another, Hong Yuan had his face covered.

Indeed, even if he removed the cloth, Chen Huanshan might still fail to recognize him, given his increased height and the dramatic changes in his physique and bearing.

That did not matter.

Hong Yuan had not come to reminisce.

"Just arrived, just arrived..."

Hong Yuan waved a hand and chuckled. "I heard a talented young fellow recently appeared in Wushan County, so I came to learn a thing or two. Don't worry, I didn't hear a single word about that 'Crouching Tiger Villa' you mentioned..."

He baited them with those words, then glanced over. Both Yue Feng's and Chen Huanshan's faces immediately darkened.

A cold gleam flashed in Yue Feng's eyes in particular. The sound of the shattered windows had already stirred the residence into an uproar. Footsteps thundered as a host of enforcers surged toward them.

"Seize him!"

Yue Feng shouted fiercely and lunged first. His longsword quivered with a swish, swish, its blade seeming to split light into shifting shadows in the darkness. One moment it appeared aimed at Hong Yuan's face, the next at his chest, its course impossible to read.

Dozens of enforcers charged behind him, shouting as they came. The first dozen had already entered the courtyard, drawn their weapons, and rushed in to surround Hong Yuan.

Hong Yuan flicked up his toe, sending the corpse of a guard he had killed earlier flying sideways into Yue Feng's oncoming sword.

They were already too close for Yue Feng to dodge. He hastily reined in his sword, turned sideways, and kicked the corpse away.

A tremendous force surged through him, driving him several steps backward.

Meanwhile, Hong Yuan hurtled backward into two charging enforcers. He ducked beneath their slashing sabers, reached back with both hands, and clamped down on their throats.

With a powerful wrench, he swung the two enforcers upside down into the air, as though dunking a basketball, then slammed their heads into the blue bricks. They died instantly.

Hong Yuan snatched up a saber. Force coursed through his right hand, and the blade danced into a whirlwind.

Sharp hisses rang out without pause. His saber slipped through gaps like a clear breeze, never once striking the weapons in the other enforcers' hands. Suddenly, heart-rending screams erupted.

Seven or eight enforcers either had their heads sent flying, their hands severed at the wrists, or their legs cut off. They collapsed, howling on the ground.

At the sight, the charging dozens abruptly checked their advance, terror spreading across their faces.

Yue Feng had only brought these men under his command a few days ago. What loyalty could they possibly have?

Had Hong Yuan killed more elegantly—slitting throats with his saber and leaving only a thin line of blood—they might not have been so terrified.

But with heads leaving shoulders and hands and legs being severed, merely watching made their hearts pound with dread. Who still wanted to charge in and fight?

When they joined this new gang, Yue Feng had promised everyone a higher monthly allowance. But how many coins was that? Why risk their lives for it?

Those frightened out of their wits fled with a shout. The cleverer ones quietly fell to the rear and slipped into the shadows.

"A rabble!"

The corners of Chen Huanshan's eyes twitched as he shook his head.

Yue Feng steadied himself. Seeing his dozens of enforcers on the verge of scattering after only a few breaths, when barely more than ten had actually died, filled him with fury as well.

He was about to roar when a chill struck his face, and a cold shout reached his ears. "Sweep Away a Thousand Armies!"

Instinctively, Yue Feng lowered his longsword to guard. In a flash, a freezing arc of saber light soared upward, wrapped in howling wind, then cleaved down toward his head.

"Despicable!"

What happened to sweeping away a thousand armies?

Yue Feng shouted angrily and hurriedly raised his sword to block. Caught unprepared, however, he could muster little strength. The moment their weapons met, the saber crashed down like a hammer weighing a thousand jun. His longsword creaked and cracked, as though about to shatter beneath the load.

Yue Feng's body shook violently, his legs buckled, and with a thud, he was forced straight down onto his knees, which struck the blue bricks hard.

Agony shot through both knees, as though the bones had split.

Still more painful was the humiliation of being driven to his knees by a single slash.

The saber pressed down thunderously, forcing the longsword against the crown of Yue Feng's head.

Bang!

Hong Yuan suddenly withdrew his saber and kicked Yue Feng in the chest, sending him tumbling several times and flinging his sword from his hand.

Despicable? A gutter-rank gang leader like you has the nerve to call me despicable? Do you even understand the true worth of the Nie-style application of Seven Waves-Breaking Slashes?

Chen Huanshan's expression changed drastically.

Even among Crouching Tiger Villa's many capable fighters, Yue Feng ranked among the best. Who would have thought he would fare so poorly against this black-clad man? Chen Huanshan discreetly backed into the shadows, already planning to make himself scarce.

Unfortunately, Hong Yuan might forget anyone else, but never this master of running away!

He flipped through the air, landed beside Chen Huanshan, pressed down on his shoulder, and set the saber against his neck. Chen Huanshan's knees went weak, and he knelt.

"Spare me, noble hero!"

Hong Yuan was somewhat speechless. Memories of discussing the classics with Chen Huanshan rose in his mind. Back then, he had thought the man possessed such integrity.

"Mister Chen, you look rather familiar. Were you once the academy dean in Qingxu County?"

Chen Huanshan's face grew even paler, not merely from fear but also from shame that left him wishing the earth would swallow him. Yet the blade still glittered coldly before his eyes. However ashamed he was, he dared not rise.

"Y-yes, that was me. May I ask your honored name, noble hero? How do you know me?"

Hong Yuan adopted a delighted tone. "So it really is Dean Chen! You should have said so sooner!"

He hauled Chen Huanshan upright and used the back of his saber to pat the dust from the hem of his clothes, frightening the man into even greater stiffness. Hong Yuan, however, sounded warmly familiar. "Dean Chen, do you know how hard I searched for you after you left Qingxu so suddenly? To tell you the truth, I once met your sister-in-law. It was love at first sight, and I admired her greatly... Dean Chen, you haven't taken your sister-in-law for yourself, have you?"

Humiliated, Chen Huanshan flew into a rage. "Utter nonsense! I am, at least, a scholar. How could I commit such a shameless act?"

His words came rather hastily. Then, remembering the ferocity of the man before him, he hurried to amend them. "Since you are so fond of my sister-in-law, noble hero, why not let me serve as matchmaker and bring about a happy union?"

"Then thank you, Dean Chen!" Hong Yuan smiled, then abruptly changed tack. "I'm rather fond of those two pearls in your palm as well."

"You! You! Absurd! My elder daughter is only twelve, and the younger only eight! You... you bandit! Just kill me!" Chen Huanshan stiffened his neck, mustered his courage, and shouted a rebuke.

"I'm only teasing, Dean Chen."

Hong Yuan chuckled. Chen Huanshan did indeed have two daughters, and when Hong Yuan was at the academy, they had often liked to gather around him. The elder, being a little older and understanding something of relations between men and women, had been more reserved. The younger, however, had practically wanted to stick to him wherever he went.

They had even often shared the Chen Family's finest pastries and meals with him, making Chen Huanshan stare wide-eyed, distinctly jealous.

Hong Yuan turned toward Yue Feng, who had risen in the courtyard. "Finished resting? If so, pick up your sword. Let's keep fighting."

Yue Feng looked wary. "What exactly are you after?"

"After? Didn't I tell you already? I came specifically to seek instruction in martial arts."

Yue Feng could not tell whether that was true, but he could neither advance nor retreat now. He could only take a deep breath, retrieve his sword, steady his breathing, and say coldly, "Come on!"

Half an hour later, Yue Feng was covered in injuries, his face swollen and bruised. His legs trembled so badly that a gust of wind seemed enough to topple him.

Coming from Crouching Tiger Villa, Yue Feng had spent years exchanging martial skills with its many retainers. In breadth and variety, his knowledge far surpassed Zuo Lie's and Shi Meng's.

Hong Yuan had first sparred with him using weapons, then switched to fists and feet, then returned to weapons. After repeatedly grinding him down and practically squeezing him dry, Hong Yuan was thoroughly satisfied.

If a single Yue Feng offers this much, what about Crouching Tiger Villa itself?!

Anticipation stirred in Hong Yuan's heart.

"How many people at Crouching Tiger Villa have martial skills like yours?" Hong Yuan asked.

Yue Feng panted heavily, his throat hoarse, but his eyes remained wide. "Heh! Crouching Tiger Villa harbors hidden dragons and crouching tigers. People like me are beyond counting. Plenty have reached the second stage of force transformation, 'receive-and-release-at-will,' and there are even those at Subtlety... Since you enjoy sparring so much, do you dare visit the villa? You'll certainly leave satisfied."

Hong Yuan naturally knew he was exaggerating, but judging by his expression, there was probably some truth to it. He changed the subject. "Your Crouching Tiger Villa has grand ambitions. You must know something about all the skilled fighters in Linjiang Prefecture. Why not tell me a little..."

A long while later, Hong Yuan leaped onto the roof and vanished into the distance.

Chen Huanshan and Yue Feng, who had recovered a fair amount of strength, exchanged looks. Both appeared embarrassed, with a hint of fellow sufferers' sympathy.

Both of them had knelt!

One had been beaten to his knees, the other frightened onto them.

After a moment's silence, Yue Feng spoke. "Mister Chen, what do you think that man really came for?"

Chen Huanshan gave a bitter smile. "Perhaps it truly was as he said. He simply came to spar with you."

Yue Feng nodded slightly, then suddenly recalled something and asked, "Mister Chen, that man recognized you at a glance and even knew about your household. Has anyone come to mind? Could he be an acquaintance of yours?"

Chen Huanshan's face darkened. After a moment of silence, he shook his head and asked instead, "Young Yue, I know nothing of martial arts. In your judgment, what level has that man reached?"

Yue Feng stiffened too, then sighed. "To defeat me so easily, he must at least have reached receive-and-release-at-will. Even the villa's experts at that level probably fall short of him. Perhaps only someone at Subtlety could beat him..."

They exchanged a few more words, both feeling that tonight's fight had been utterly absurd. Soon, neither had any inclination to talk. One went to rest, while the other went to clean up the mess left among the enforcers.