In February's cool morning air, a group exercised in the courtyard of an inn. On one side, Ning Yi practiced Tai Chi, chatting with Zhu Biao, who brandished a spear. A little ahead on the steps, Xiao Chan held the squirming Ning Xi, watching them with a smile, occasionally whispering to the child.

"...Speaking of Jiangning, the Qinhuai River is quite famous. When we get there, Zhu Biao, I can find someone to show you around... By the way, I heard you met some of the Wang family's daughters and were quite impressed. Am I messing up your chances by calling you out like this?"

Ning Yi slowly performed Tai Chi, with moves like "Grasping Sparrow's Tail," "Raise Hands," and "Single Whip," projecting the air of a grandmaster. In contrast, Zhu Biao's spear work looked more like a mere extra.

"A true man shouldn't let romantic affairs delay important matters. Brother Ning, I am curious about the Qinhuai River, but is there any chance to meet some impressive masters during this trip south?"

"All muscle, Zhu Biao, don't say things that only side characters say... There might be some low-life street fighters in Jiangning, but the truly powerful ones are usually in government service. Those who wanted to make a name for themselves were swept up in Fang La's rebellion. You went to Hangzhou more than a year ago. A few random guys could beat you senseless back then, but now... tsk."

"Martial artists should spar with experts to improve. Zhu Biao is not afraid!" The young man raised his chin. "But Brother Ning, you were trapped in Hangzhou and saw those masters. Were they really that powerful?"

"Of course. Fang La's Seven Buddhas in Hangzhou taught disciples like Chen Fan. The other Four Marshals—Shi Bao, Deng Yuanjue, Li Tianrun, and Si Xingfang—originally wandered the martial world before joining the army. Their martial skills were only higher than Chen Fan's. Then there was Minister Wang Yin. I never saw him fight, but I heard his skills were close to Fang La's, mainly because he was clever and resourceful. As for the Eight Tigers, Twelve Gods, and Twenty-Four Generals, although their battlefield reputations might be exaggerated, their martial skills were certainly formidable. Now, it's all gone—poof!"

Ning Yi sighed, recalling the events in Hangzhou with a sense of melancholy. Of course, that was because those people had lost, while he was still doing well. Fang La's uprising in Jiangnan was far grander than the Liangshan bandits with their hundred-odd leaders. It swept up at least half of Jiangnan's martial world.

Some of the Eight Tigers, Twelve Gods, and Twenty-Four Generals had been tricked by him. But to be honest, few of the Liangshan minor leaders could match them. And that great force had crashed like a wave on the beach while he was dealing with Liangshan last year, then shattered into snowflakes.

"...Shi Bao was defeated and surrounded after leaving Hangzhou. Li Tianrun died in Qingxi. Si Xingfang was killed by Xin Xingzong. Wang Yin was both literate and skilled in martial arts, but like Deng Yuanjue, he lacked leadership. After the great battle, both disappeared, presumed dead or crippled. Fang Baihua, although a remarkable heroine, is still a woman. With her brothers and family dead, she has no spirit left... Even if we really want to help Wen Ren'er and the others on this trip south, you won't see any experts. Maybe you'll see Fang Qi Fo, but I heard he's crippled..."

As Ning Yi spoke, the others training nearby listened. These were all guards or servants affiliated with the Secret Intelligence Division. After returning from Liangshan, Ning Yi had about forty or fifty people he could use. About twenty of them were in Muyuan County this time. Some were original servants of the Su family, some were江湖 mercenaries who were trustworthy, and others were agents assigned to him by Qin Si'yuan from the Secret Intelligence Division. Beyond that, he could also mobilize many more members who were usually working elsewhere.

For a mere advisor to gather fifty-odd guards solely for personal safety was highly questionable. Even Right Chancellor Qin Si'yuan had only a dozen guards, both overt and covert, when he went out. But Ning Yi's situation was unavoidable. After the "Heart Demon" moniker spread, even in the capital, people sought him out for fights every few months. Although most were insignificant wannabes, who knew if a master would suddenly appear, like the grudge-bearing and still-alive Monk Tunyun? He had to be prepared.

Gathering these people required money, but Ning Yi wasn't careless. The Su family's original guards were trustworthy. Among the江湖 mercenaries, he chose those who were simpler and more honest, adding reliability through selection and screening. The Secret Intelligence Division agents had all worked with Ning Yi before.

After bringing them in, Ning Yi treated them well, mostly as family. He arranged for masters like Yan Qing, Lu Junyi, and Zhu Biao to train them. While Ning Yi treated them very well in all aspects, the rules and regulations were still quite strict. Managing people was one of Ning Yi's strengths, and because these people mostly knew what Ning Yi had done, despite the familiarity, no one dared to show him any disrespect.

The name "Heart Demon" had spread throughout the martial world. He was considered a truly powerful demon. Everyone had heard about the events in Hangzhou, and many had participated in the subsequent annihilation of Liangshan. Ning Yi could be warm and friendly, but he also possessed an ever-present authority. No one wanted to face him when he truly lost his temper. Moreover, he had the great master Lu Hongti behind him.

Working for Ning Yi was also a continuous process of training and cultivating loyalty. This was the foundation that Ning Yi would arrange around himself in the future. But although their loyalty was somewhat trustworthy, they couldn't provide much help with Fang Qi Fo. Even Zhu Biao, as audacious as he was, couldn't be asked to help rescue Fang Qi Fo. This was why Ning Yi refused Chen Fan—he didn't have anyone capable of participating in that kind of thing. Of course, just going to meet him was fine.

If they were truly willing to obey Ning Yi's orders to rescue a rebel like Fang Qi Fo, it would be at least three to five years later, when Ning Yi's control had completely penetrated every aspect of this group...

As he pontificated, Zhu Biao occasionally asked about the former Fang La faction, sighing at the demise of those masters. However, such sighs from a young man shouldn't be taken too seriously. After a moment, Zhu Biao perked up, wielding his steel spear like a dragon, howling and swirling.

This display delighted little Ning Xi under the eaves, who even clapped his hands, looking towards Zhu Biao. He didn't have many pronunciations yet, shouting "Ah ah... Ba ba..." and laughing randomly. Ning Yi abandoned his Tai Chi stance, somewhat annoyed, and came over to pick him up. "You can clap, but don't shout 'Papa' randomly. I've taught you for so long, and you still can't say it properly, you little rascal..."

He picked up Ning Xi. Seeing his father coming, the child, who could now recognize people well, waved his hands more happily, reaching his little mouth towards Ning Yi's face and smearing him with drool. "Ba ba ba... Ba!" Ning Yi laughed again.

During their respective exercises, many people whispered about the current situation in Jiangnan, and some joked with Zhu Biao that the Heart Demon's reputation in the martial world was now comparable to that of the Holy Duke, and could scare a lot of people. Zhu Biao echoed the sentiment with a smile. In fact, this wasn't just wishful thinking. Many in the Secret Intelligence Division had contact with江湖 figures. After the annihilation of Liangshan, the name Heart Demon indeed carried great weight in the martial world.

Some might place Heart Demon in the evil category, but the people in the Secret Intelligence Division didn't care. Many were deliberately spreading the word that the Heart Demon had high-ranking government connections and was even directly in charge of them. The victory over Liangshan, coupled with a deep government background, made this title more terrifying than several heads of the Ministry of Justice in the hearts of江湖 people.

Amidst the laughter, the morning exercises came to an end. Soon after, Ning Yi, holding the child, also went over and chatted with them, laughing. "My martial skills are low, this Heart Demon title is fake, and I don't even want it if I could. Everyone knows what Ning is like. Those people are slandering me, which is really not right... And look, Xiao Xi is so cute. How could he be some little demon? Right, Xiao Xi?"

His martial skills were not low at this point, though not top-notch. However, many who had witnessed Ning Yi's actions thought: Fang La in Hangzhou was tricked, and Liangshan was reversed at its peak, with tens of thousands dying for no reason, mostly killed by their own people. Song Jiang was disemboweled in front of the lines. If you really talk about what's scary, calling you a demon isn't really slandering you... Of course, being so friendly in everyday life is also his charm.

These people had been trained by first-class masters for half a year. They had a foundation to begin with, and after half a year of training, they had also dealt with several assassination attempts, so they could all be considered skilled fighters. They were all quite confident at this point. After resting for a while, they were called to eat breakfast. Everyone was not too worried about going to Jiangning this time. They are on a simple trip, even if someone wanted to provoke, they could easily deal with it.

At about the same time, hundreds of miles away, the camp where the team escorting Fang Qi Fo north was being held was lively and chaotic. People were gathering at the camp. There were dead, wounded, a dozen newly captured prisoners, and all sorts of clanking weapons collected after the battle.

The morning breeze was cool, and there was mist in the mountains. Zong Feixiao glanced over at the seemingly sleeping Fang Qi Fo in the prison wagon as he watched the batch of prisoners pass by.

But he was naturally not asleep.

This was the second batch of prisoners to arrive after dawn. The first batch was at night, the first prisoners captured after the官兵 surrounded them. As for the dozen or so captured in the second batch, they were mostly experts. It was not 官兵 who escorted them, but they handed them over at the entrance of the camp.

Fang Qi Fo's hair was disheveled in the prison wagon, but he seemed to be paying attention to the whole situation. The capture of this group meant that most of those who came to rescue him had been destroyed. But Zong Feixiao did not come over to remind him of this to show off. Neither did Tie Tianying. The two gathered together, frowning and talking in low voices.

"...She wants to see Fang Qi Fo."

"...Not all the people have been caught."

"...I heard almost all of them have been caught. Only a few dozen escaped, and Fang Baihua has been seriously injured... They value them more than we do and won't let go of the last few people..."

"...I haven't dealt with her before. If the other party has other ideas..."

"...We should be careful. Their background is hard to say now. Who knows what will happen if we fall out?"

The call of a cuckoo broke through the mist in the mountain valley in the early morning. The surrounding fine noises entered the prison wagon, the movement of the camp, the movement of the wind, and the movement of the whole world seemed to be felt in the small prison wagon. Fang Qi Fo sat there, quietly feeling these, and also quietly feeling the strange situation of the other party, until not long after, Tie Tianying and Zong Feixiao gathered experts like they were facing a great enemy and surrounded the prison wagon. He knew that someone was coming.

Yes, the other party was able to truly disperse Baihua and the others. There were more powerful people involved... He slightly opened his eyes in the prison wagon. Not long after, a small green palanquin came into view from the other side, moving slowly but actually fast, and yet seeming quiet in this world.

Someone lifted the curtain.

In the prison wagon, Fang Qi Fo's eyes, which had been slightly narrowed, as if everything had been placed outside of himself, trembled slightly.

After a long time, a sigh disturbed the air in the morning mist.

"Ah..."

*****************

The morning wind blew through the mountain cliff, ironing over the wide robe. He stood on this mountain cliff, looking down at the continuous mountains and the homes of people.

"Demon Buddha" Lin Echan, as a person who returned after more than ten years of silence, he still seemed serious and silent at this time, but there was also the aura of a grandmaster like a deep pool and a mountain peak shrouded on his large body. He was now the new leader of the 明教(Ming Cult).

Generally speaking, the peak of a normal person's body usually comes around the age of thirty.

But for a martial artist, the age of thirty is when their own outlook on life and philosophy have just matured, and they are just beginning to see the world with more in-depth eyes. The peak of an internal expert usually comes between the ages of forty and fifty, when they are omnipotent.

After that, even masters like Zhou Tong, who could continue to push their cultivation to new heights, would still see their physical qualities decline uncontrollably. Even if Zhou Tong at this time was more terrifying than Zhou Tong at the age of fifty, every punch he threw was with the power of his life.

Lin Echan was forty-seven years old this year.

Before the 明教(Ming Cult) was split and Fang La and others had not launched a rebellion, he was already a protector in the 明教(Ming Cult), one of the top figures in the martial world. But at that time, Fang La and others were really like the sun in the sky. When time came, the heavens and the earth would help. At that time, Fang Qi Fo and Fang Baihua had already been quite powerful in martial arts. Because Fang La and others had wide social circles, there were also a large group of other experts gathered around them, including Deng Yuanjue, Shi Bao, Bao Daoyi, and Liu Dabiao, the number one person in刀道(blade art) at that time, and the entire 霸刀庄(Overlord Blade Manor). Although Liu Dabiao, who was comparable to masters like Sikong Nan and Zhou Tong in that great chaos, did not take action, the 霸刀庄(Overlord Blade Manor) still showed great deterrent power behind Fang La.

In that case, no matter how high his martial arts were, he could only retreat in despair.

In the beginning, Fang La and others had guarded against their comeback, but as Sikong Nan said, if Fang La could succeed all the way, they would never appear. Even if Fang La focused on rebellion and he focused on martial arts in these years, as long as Fang La was in control of the situation, they would not be able to appear again.

Even ten 铁臂膀(Iron Arm) Zhou Tongs could not have killed their way out of Fang La's military forces later. The experts he had gathered were really too many.

But God was finally fair. When his martial arts reached its peak, this small force of the original 明教(Ming Cult) hidden underground could finally come out. Presumably, God also wanted him to do some things.

Looking at the scenery below, someone came from behind, Wang Nantuo. He had bandages wrapped around his arm. After standing on the edge of the cliff for a while, he turned around and spoke.

"Leader, what's next?"

Wang Nantuo's voice was a bit rough, but this was the first time he had asked him this way, and there was a hint of joy in his tone. Lin Echan glanced at him.

"Is your injury okay?"

"A few scratches, what does it matter?" Wang Nantuo raised his head. "Of course, I'm just asking casually. If you and Eldest Senior Sister have decided on something secret, you don't have to tell me."

"There's no secret." Lin Echan carried his hands on his back. "Fang La and others have destroyed the 明教(Ming Cult) almost completely. We have agreed with that adult that we will clean up the mess. As long as the brothers in the sect who have not died should not die again. Eldest Senior Sister, you and I are also members of the sect after all, and we don't want to see this centuries-old inheritance cut off."

Wang Nantuo looked at the distance, without

Speaking, he had not been in charge of matters much in these years, but now that he had asked, Lin Echan, who was already the leader, would not fail to say. He paused slightly: "But debts always have to be repaid. The top priority is naturally to kill these last dozens of people. Then reorganize the scattered members of the sect from scratch. I want to do a few things to bring back the reputation of the 明教(Ming Cult). Of course, on the surface, the words 明教(Ming Cult) cannot be used."

The mountain wind howled, Wang Nantuo nodded, and Lin Echan's sleeves fluttered in the wind: "Of course, I want to challenge Zhou Tong."

He carried his hands on his back, his figure like a mountain. He said this sentence simply, Wang Nantuo still turned his head to look at him. The two did not speak for a long time afterwards. After this silence, Lin Echan smiled:

"The challenge letter will be released soon. His body is not at its peak, and I will not deceive him. I will determine the outcome within ten moves. Before that, you and I can visit some old acquaintances. After solving the matters of Baihua and the others, there are still some things... The accounts that are causing a stir in the south now, they want us to help... There is a group of heroes in Chi Qiugang, I want to meet them, and I also intend to meet Tian Hu... The recent 心魔(Heart Demon) that appeared in the martial world has caused a great loss to the martial world of Qi and Lu. If I have time to go north, I will deal with it. Then the martial world of Qi and Lu will naturally return to our hearts... These are all small things..."

In the gust of wind, he casually told Wang Nantuo about the plans in his mind, his tone indifferent, only after a moment, looking at the world in front of him, he sighed.

"The 明教(Ming Cult) has been around for so many years, and it is impossible to get this world now, but we can't lose our reputation... We still need the綠林(Green Forest)..."

He was not the leader of the 明教(Ming Cult) during its most prosperous years. Now that he had reached his peak, the entire frame had collapsed. He could only collect some of this frame. In his lifetime, being the number one person in the 綠林(Green Forest) would be it. That huge body stood proudly in the wind, closed his eyes, and sighed, but he was also quite lonely.

****************

The small green palanquin walked away in the slight morning mist, but that touch of green seemed to be still reflected in his vision.

Fang Qi Fo sat in the prison wagon, and not many people knew what he was thinking, but the Ministry of Justice experts who had been guarding around finally breathed a sigh of relief, and then it was time to break camp. A car of swords and swords rattled past next to them, and the cloth covering it fell down. Among the swords and swords, the most conspicuous was a huge 镔铁(Meteorite Iron) blade.

Fang Qi Fo's gaze swept over it and then stopped.

Tie Tianying, who was walking beside him, bent down to pick up the cloth, noticed his gaze, and glanced at it, then smiled slightly.

"佛帅(Buddha Commander), what are you looking at?"

……

"I guess it's the 霸刀(Overlord Blade)."

……

"Don't think about it, the刀(blade) is here, so of course the person is already dead."

……

"The body is in the car over there, but the bodies of the dead are all stripped naked. That's a woman, 佛帅(Buddha Commander), it's not good for you to look at it."

……

"It's all like this, don't think too much. I think 佛帅(Buddha Commander), you've seen through it these days, that's good... It's good to have no worries."

……

He threw the cloth onto the car, but did not cover the weapons, just followed the car forward, and told the people next to him: "No need to cover it, most of them recognize whose weapons are on it... It's good to take a look."

He walked forward all the way, his tone indifferent, and his back was quite unrestrained.