Martial King's Retired Life

Zhuo Fengru washed his face at dawn with cold water and called it his bath.

At the end of Zhuo Fengru’s discussion with Miguo Branch’s apostle, they settled on tackling Liu Shan Men. In regards to strengthening the sarira, Zhuo Fengru couldn’t say the decision was remotely ideal. The apostle said, “Seeing as the boy is the thorn in your side, instead of searching and selecting from adepts in the martial world, just use him. With his developed internal energy, he’s the perfect charger. Don’t let me down.”

Easy for him to say when he wasn’t the one who would have to take down Ming Feizhen. Putting aside the challenge of countering Ming Feizhen’s unorthodox fighting style, even if he could apprehend Ming Feizhen, the commotion they’d cause would put a bull’s eye on Zhuo Fengru. Zhuo Fengru wouldn’t be Wudang’s match even if there was a magic pill that instantly multiplied his abilities by ten folds. Unless he could catch Ming Feizhen off guard, covertly subduing him would only happen in fiction.

Zhuo Fengru: Yes, you must catch the enemy off guard.

Should Zhuo Fengru proceed with the intent of capturing Ming Feizhen, then he’d need to reconsider what he told his son last night. After all, Ming Feizhen already had his guard up, so informing him that his son had been selling them out would only compel Ming Feizhen to fortify his guard. For that reason, he rose early in order to dissuade his son from apologising to them. Knowing his son’s temperament, though, he might’ve already been too late.

Zhuo Fengru kept simulating different scenarios in his head if he were to cross fists with Ming Feizhen, trying to find a counter for every technique in Ming Feizhen’s arsenal. No matter how he thought, unfortunately, he couldn’t identify a pattern to Ming Feizhen’s style.

Maybe I can find something to exploit if I can watch him in action again.

Suddenly, a gust of hot wind propelled a dark silhouette at Zhuo Fengru’s face. Whilst it felt as if his face would be squashed, there was an inexplicable energy holding it back. Whatever it was, he needed to squat and roll before worrying about that. He expected only half of the door behind him to remain – if not launched metres away from its hinges – yet the violent gale ceased once he rolled to safety.

Startled upon looking up, Zhuo Fengru blurted, “Young Hero Ming?”

Ming Feizhen, drying pole racked over his shoulder and dangling a green foxtail from his mouth, responded, “Hero Zhou, I’d like to seek some cudgel pointers from you.”

“That’s fine. Why did you come at me so suddenly, though?”

“Hahaha, you must catch the enemy off guard.”

“Uh, ahaha.”

“Here I come!”

Ming Feizhen’s quick flick left afterimages. Zhuo Fengru formed used swordplay in his left hand and palm techniques in his right hand to cancel Ming Feizhen’s attack.

“Beggars’ Sect’s Dog-Beating Staff techniques?! Do you know Chief Hong?”

“Of course. Catch this.”

“Brilliant Green Dragon Cudgel.”

“How about this?”

“That shouldn’t count, should it? That’s Desert Brotherhood’s Eclipse Spiked-Mace technique, not a cudgel technique.”

The wind explosions they generated extended several metres.

Despite correctly identifying every school’s techniques, Ming Feizhen never utilised the same school’s techniques more than once.

“That was Shaolin Temple’s Demon Subjugation Staff Technique!”

Ming Feizhen pulled his weapon back and laughed. “Correct! Do you have anything to say about it?”

“Your knowledge is vast. However, uh, why do I have to have a unique viewpoint?”

Following a brief silence, Ming Feizhen consigned the pole to the ground. “Forget it. Let’s go have breakfast,” he said, then strolled off.

Zhuo Fengru, baffled, followed along. The first thing to enter his sights upon entering the hall was his son’s swollen face. Basing his judgement on Hua Qing, Su Li and Xu Yanran’s stoic expressions, he immediately voiced, “You all know now? This old one promises it is the last time.”

Hua Qing inquired, “The last time what, Hero Zhuo?”

“Huh? Pin’er, did you say something to them?”

“Eee, oo, woo, awu.”

Su Li expressed, “Young Master Zhuo has just been mumbling something similar ever since he came in. He has yet to say one complete sentence.”

“It’s probably because of his facial muscles.”

Zhuo Fengru quickly pulled his son away. “This old one and his son have some business to attend to. Please enjoy breakfast without us.”

Once they were gone, Hua Qing questioned, “How’d it go?”

Ming Feizhen took a seat, then sighed. “I thought he’d react if I used Shaolin skills, but he didn’t budge. Even I’m starting to question if he killed the Shaolin disciples now.”

“Is your Shaolin legit, though? Did he recognise it?”

“Of course it is. My shifu personally taught me each technique by the hand.” Ming Feizhen took a bite out of a sesame cake. “I just couldn’t remember which move it was, so I went through a series of moves beforehand. Can’t believe he didn’t react after all that effort.”

Su Li whispered, “Do you two still suspect him?”

Ming Feizhen: “Very. Still don’t know whether he’s good or bad, nevertheless… Wait a second. If he won’t show his skills, I’ll just have to make him fight me.”

Hua Qing: “What’s your bright idea this time?”

“Watch and see. Yanran.”

Oblivious to what the conversation entailed, Xu Yanran brightly turned around to them, “Yes, Brother Mieba?”

Su Li pulled Xu Yanran over. “Sister Yanran, he’s several years younger than you. Why do you let him have his way?”

“It’s fine. He’s helping my family and protecting Brother Hua. I admire him from the bottom of my height, so it’s okay.”

“See how nice she is? Lass Su, shut your trap. Yanran, Zhuo Yupin is engaged to you, right?’

Xu Yanran hid her flush cheeks. “Uhm… Yeah.”

“Okay, cancel it for now.”

“Hmm?”

“For the reason, just say it’s because of me.”

“Huh?”

Ming Feizhen sneered. “I need everyone’s help. I’m going to hold a bouquet throwing event.”

Glossary

Cudgel flick – It’s where your hand closer to the base acts as an axis that lowers vertically while the hand further up the cudgel pulls the end pointed towards the target upwards simultaneously (degrees is context dependent). Imagine a seesaw, where you have one hand roughly at the middle point and another hand at one end.

Bouquet throwing event – It’s where a red wedding bouquet is thrown off the house (from the balcony or whatever means is appropriate) of a girl. Whoever it lands on will become her groom. The bouquet isn’t an actual flower bouquet but usually just fabric in the shape of a flower.