Martial Cultivator

Ying Prefecture, Suining Mountain.

The difficulty of establishing the Morning Dew Sect actually exceeded Feng Liu’s expectations. This man, now firmly recognized as the number one among itinerant cultivators, had sufficient realm and cultivation, but when it came to how to run a sect, it was somewhat difficult for him.

It was not that he truly lacked the ability; rather, Feng Liu had long been used to a carefree life. If he really had to worry about everything, it would be nothing short of torment for him.

But fortunately, because Feng Liu’s name was renowned enough, once news spread that the Morning Dew Sect was being established, and that he himself would serve as the first sect master, many independent cultivators soon came upon hearing his reputation, seeking to join the Morning Dew Sect. Over these days, the mountain conducted selection after selection, and in the end, more than eight hundred people remained on the mountain.

These eight hundred people were not like young disciples who had yet to begin cultivation; they all genuinely already possessed realms, only differing in level.

It could be said that with these eight hundred people, the Morning Dew Sect leapt in a single bound into becoming a first-rate sect of the present age. Moreover, with Feng Liu and another powerhouse at the end of Nepenthe present, the Morning Dew Sect would never be easily provoked thereafter.

However, while Feng Liu could rely on his reputation to gather itinerant cultivators from across the world, once they came up the mountain, how to arrange them, what positions they should hold, and how to allocate their monthly stipends, all of this painstaking work was handled by the vice sect master, Xu Fuchen.

Fortunately, there was him; otherwise, this Morning Dew Sect would probably just be an empty shell, a loose and disorganized group.

Feng Liu set up a thatched hut at the summit of the back mountain. It was not large, but it served as the sect master’s residence. Precisely because Feng Liu himself lived in such a simple dwelling, the independent cultivators who later came up the mountain, even those with some reputation, did not dare to make excessive demands. After all, the dignified number one independent cultivator, the sect master of the Morning Dew Sect, lived in such a crude hut; if they still made demands, it would simply show a lack of awareness.

Today the sun was pleasant, so Feng Liu moved a bamboo chair outside the door and lay on it, basking in the sunlight. Feng Liu was actually extremely good-looking; if he were more proper in his usual demeanor, he would undoubtedly resemble an immortal exiled from the heavens into the mortal world. Unfortunately, this number one itinerant cultivator had long been accustomed to a lax and careless manner, and never quite had a proper bearing.

However, that red robe of his was highly distinctive.

Feng Liu dozed under the sun, idly fanning himself with a large palm fan that had not the slightest trace of elegance.

Half-asleep.

But soon, hurried footsteps sounded, somewhat rudely dispelling his drowsiness. Feng Liu narrowed his eyes, and after seeing who it was, smiled and said, “Old Xu, why so hurried? Look at the sweat all over your forehead. Come, come, let me wipe it for you.”

He sat up and reached out to touch the visitor’s forehead, only to have his hand slapped away without courtesy. Xu Fuchen, the vice sect master of the Morning Dew Sect, said irritably, “Feng Liu, if you still remember that you’re the sect master and actually do some of the work, I wouldn’t be running around like this.”

Feng Liu chuckled. “Old Xu, the capable work harder. Look at you, holding the title of vice sect master while doing the work of the sect master, and you’re still not satisfied? How about I just hand the position of sect master over to you. We’ve known each other for so many years. You take the main role, I’ll be the deputy, it’s not like there’s any issue between us.”

Xu Fuchen sneered. “Oh yeah? If I were the sect master and told you to do something, would you do it?”

Feng Liu pretended not to understand, let out an “ah,” and began playing dumb.

Xu Fuchen naturally knew what kind of temperament his old friend had and could not be bothered to argue further over such matters. He went straight to the point. “The north has gone to war.”

Hearing this, Feng Liu lay back down again and said weakly, “So soon?”

Both he and Xu Fuchen knew that once war broke out in the north, then the deal they had previously negotiated with Chen Chao, it was time to pay up.

Xu Fuchen glanced at Feng Liu and said irritably, “It’s not that urgent. News just came from the north, the demon race sent a two hundred thousand strong vanguard army to fight Great Liang in the desolate north, and it was completely wiped out. The battle ended quickly; it’s already over.”

Feng Liu glanced at Xu Fuchen and said with an annoyed laugh, “You don’t think this is a good thing for the Morning Dew Sect, do you?”

Although he had never fought on a battlefield, he still understood some basic principles. Since the demon race’s southward advance was an inevitable trend, they would not give up just because they lost two hundred thousand troops. On the contrary, after this battle, the real main course would begin.

Xu Fuchen did not answer Feng Liu’s question and only said, “In that battle, the sword cultivators of the Sword Sect had already appeared on the battlefield. That demon great general Liu Xiang had his head cut off by Gan Tang with a single strike.”

“Gan Tang? Oh... I remember that sword immortal. Sixty years ago, I had dealings with him. We discussed the Dao for three days, it was quite enjoyable.”

Feng Liu spoke with a smile.

Xu Fuchen asked curiously, “Only discussed the Dao? He didn’t press you down and stab you seven or eight times?”

He knew clearly that although Feng Liu looked harmless in recent years, back then he was far from easy to deal with. Otherwise, he would not have so often fought fierce battles with the chief enforcer of the Infatuation Daoist Temple.

“Old Xu, looking down on me? Gan Tang’s swordsmanship is barely passable, do you think he could stab me?”

Feng Liu shook his head and rolled his eyes.

Xu Fuchen did not refute this. Feng Liu was indeed a genuine genius. Although he had caused trouble in past years, it was not easy for anyone to gain the upper hand against him.

Counting on one’s fingers, there were only a handful of such people.

And those few were all truly great figures, people of that level would rarely make a move against him.

Feng Liu thought for a moment and asked, “Did Great Liang deliberately release the military report?”

Xu Fuchen nodded. “Not exactly deliberate, but they definitely didn’t conceal it. Otherwise, we would have learned the news later. By now, it has probably only just reached the Divine Capital.”

Feng Liu narrowed his eyes, somewhat puzzled. “I heard that the Lord Warden Commander is in secluded cultivation in the Divine Capital. He definitely didn’t interfere in the northern affairs. That means there must be another expert in the north. There aren’t many who would think to do something like this.”

Xu Fuchen thought for a moment and said, “Could it be that woman surnamed Xie? It’s said she’s exceptionally intelligent. Furthermore, her relationship with Chen Chao...”

“Then it must be her. Birds of a feather flock together. That pair, neither of them is easy to deal with.”

Feng Liu sighed and rubbed his cheeks. He considered himself to be someone with meticulous thoughts and deep schemes, but when facing Chen Chao, he truly felt that not only in fighting, but even in scheming, he was inferior by a measure.

“Who knows what the young people nowadays ate growing up, their brains work so well.”

Feng Liu muttered, then continued on his own, “Forget who made the decision. Since this matter has been made public, it’s time to collect the debt. It’s not that I want to renege on my debt, but how am I supposed to repay it now? Send this group that just came up the mountain to the Northern Frontier? If I really did that, what would the world think of me, Feng Liu? What would they think of the Morning Dew Sect? Wouldn’t they secretly stab at my spine behind my back, saying I don’t treat lives as lives, saying that following me only leads to such an end? ”But if I send the old brothers we originally brought to the northern frontier, then damn it, the sect has just been established, and the people we rely on will die in droves. What happens after that?”

The more Feng Liu spoke, the more troubled he became. He grabbed a handful of his hair and sighed repeatedly.

Xu Fuchen only looked at Feng Liu without speaking. Some matters he, as vice sect master, could decide, but many others could only be decided by Feng Liu.

After thinking for a long time, Feng Liu cautiously asked, “Old Xu, how about we just be shameless once, pretend we don’t know, and ignore it?”

Xu Fuchen looked at Feng Liu, pondered for a long time, but before he could speak, Feng Liu added somewhat lacking confidence, “Old Xu, if we do this, that Lord Warden Commander... wouldn’t really come trample Suining Mountain, right?”

Xu Fuchen frowned, hesitated for a long time, wanting to give a definite answer, but in the end shook his head and sighed. “I’m not sure.”

Feng Liu said, “He’ll definitely be too busy with the coming battles to take care of this. It’s not like we’re really defaulting, just delaying a bit. We’ll definitely send people later. That way, it still makes sense.”

As he spoke, Feng Liu kept staring at Xu Fuchen. Seeing that the other party remained silent, he said irritably, “Old Xu, say something!”

Xu Fuchen shook his head honestly. “I don’t know what to say. It just feels like you’re deceiving yourself.”

Hearing this, Feng Liu immediately deflated, losing all energy.

Xu Fuchen smiled. As vice sect master, he naturally understood what Feng Liu was troubled about. He also wanted to nod and agree, but he simply could not bring himself to do so.

Feng Liu sat up and gave a bitter smile. “Forget it. After all that talk, I couldn’t even convince myself. Damn it, if that damned Lord Warden Commander had been a bit harsher from the start, it would’ve been better. Who told him to be so damn righteous.”

Taking a deep breath, Feng Liu stood up, rubbing his cheeks, and said softly, “If I can’t do something unrighteous, then I’ll just have to go risk my life.”

Xu Fuchen was startled. “You’re going to the Northern Frontier?”

Feng Liu narrowed his eyes and smiled. “Shows sincerity. Besides... if the sect master himself goes, what else is there to say?”

Xu Fuchen fell silent.

Feng Liu looked north and smiled. “Killing people has always been the fastest way to gain fame. I, Feng Liu, haven’t killed many in my life, yet my reputation is already not small... But once I kill a few demon lords, my reputation should grow even greater.”