Chapter 9 - The Martial Alliance

Those old cowards still feared the Feng clan. Plain paranoid. They were waiting for any chances to drag it down without involving themselves in too deep. Those folks just need a bait so big that hey couldn't help taking a bite of it.

Feng Liuxie had interacted with many of the ministers. There were two major factions - the supporters of second son and the king, the third son. When the first prince returned, a balance of power served as a peaceful cover, calm before the storm.

The second prince's side was especially persistent, at least, the third imperial prince, Ren Liying was rational and stopped his ministers. The second prince was a fool, just like his dad, who longed for power and thought of his own father as a stepping stone. Like father like son. 

His twisted mind regarded the citizens' lives whom he ruled over only precious when it's used for him, a son of heaven. No matter how his backstory affected his growth, his core in the end was still rotten, inherited from his parents. Feng Liuxie was determined not to let such a person rule the country because a martial artist is still part of the government.

He would like to run away far from the protagonist and the troubles, but, if any of the characters, showed signs of sudden headaches, from the experience in novels, they were definitely bound to get back memories abruptly. Fortunately, the overseers sent him a system and beginner gift pack or else he would be done before he had started reforming the protagonist and the main characters he needed to meet.

He halted. The entrance was already in front of him while in deep thought about the game events. He gave a rapid nod back as the servants hastily bowed and left hastily to his sister. Even father could easily hear her with heightened senses. He sighed at the exhaustion before her hot-temper could be amended.

He entered in the room without permission, he couldn't waste more time for the desserts were going to lose their freshness. "I've got something you would like right now to calm your mind!"

"Get out!" Feng Li hollered. "I am not interested!"

She was unlike her mother, who was calm and organized. If she was still alive, could've scolded her badly, but now that she wasn't, the only person who could control her was Feng Wuying. The same Feng Wuying who would remain indifferent to her no matter what she did. Feng Liuxie could understand his small hate, blaming her for his wife's death, however, to be this unaffectionate to a child while they're growing up is fatal for their growth and their mindset.

Ughhh. He sounded like his elementary teacher just now. "Then I am going to take the desserts back." He smirked. She's going to come in 3...2...1...

Someone clung onto his sleeve tightly, in order to prevent him from going back. "Can I taste it?" She had big black eyes and straight long hair, with two thick buns on both sides of her head. The stubby hand held powerful strength, despite the fact that he found it particularly lovely. She was wearing a customized white laced gold hemmed dress, which made her chubby face stand out more.

He smiled. "The next time I come here, don't shout at servants. They will feel scared."

"Scared?" She was confused, "Why?" Feng Liuxie shivered staring into her dark black eyes, devoid of human emotions. Growing up without human affections, she had no one to control her or teach her the rights and wrongs of the world. This girl accidentally walked into the world of the villain by doing things that can't be taken back.

He explained calmly, "It's because you're the daughter of the master they're working for. They respect you, but if you continue to do this, you'll soon lose them."

"They're already my servants though. Why would they obey my father, but not me?" She crunched the cookies deliciously after she grabbed the bags out of her brother's hands. "Isn't it because I am small? I will grow up well and they will accept me, won't they?"

"What if they are dissatisfied with you?"

"I am the daughter of the prestigious Feng clan. What should I fear?"

"They can turn your reputation downwards, saying you abuse them under the guise of disciplining them. It will affect father and the Feng clan." Feng Liuxie didn't miss her slight reaction to the word 'father'. She blinked in surprise.

He realized it must have been the creator's idea that she stayed in the Feng clan or just left without doing anything bad to her father due to both her genuine guilt for killing her own mother and yearning for affection.

He would actually need his consent for this, he would just cross the bridge when we come to it since he would be seeing him tomorrow. "Father is worried about you."

"Really?"

"He just found it hard to express after mother's death. People say I am loved because they think expensive gifts are love, but in the end, he never visited me once."

"Don't talk bad about him! He's not that bad!"

He chuckled. "Yes, yes. How does the dessert taste?"

"Great! I wanted some cool plum candy to soothe my throat, but now that you brought my favorite, I am okay now!" She threw a genuine smile at him.

He was touched by her words, clearly not showing it on his face. "Just promise me to behave and not shout at the servants in return. I will bring you more next time."

"Okay!" She nodded her head as she chewed the desserts thoroughly. Brushing off the crumbs on her upper lip, he patted her head with his other hand. Feng Li easily allowed it only because of the bribe. "By the way, who that sword for?"

"My guest."

"Can I have it?" He immediately denied. "I wonder how important they are to make big brother Feng this nervous."

"I am not." He stared at her. "I picked him up so I need to be responsible for him." He stated, but Feng Li didn't believe him one bit.

"You love him?"

"Idiot." He thumped her head gently. "I don't love him, besides, he's a guy. I will take you to see him one day. Maybe you guys will make the perfect pair."

"Ew. No." She refused quickly.

"I mean you guys are roughly the same age, you will probably get along better than you think you will."

"Word play. I will see him, but only because of you." She was obviously curious about him, yet didn't admit it because of her pride. How cute, Feng Liuxie thought.

"You mean because of the food I brought." She lowered her head, her ears turned bright red in embarrassment.

Feng Liuxie stayed with her until she finished eating all the desserts. While touring around the tattered mansion, they chatted about what he did in her absence, what activities the other enjoyed, and boasted about how hard they studied.

Strangely, since the bout, he didn't see Yun Xialuo around anymore. In the morning, uninformed, the news that patriarch came to visit spread like wildfire. He had never visited someone else personally, even some big shots had to wait before being able to meet with him. It started from a disciple's witness of Feng Wuying coming into the mansion, rumors soon exaggerating.

Unbeknownst to him, Feng Wuying was sipping tea enjoying the fragrance after he was greeted formally by Feng Liuxie, planning to invite his son to the martial alliance. Last year, he also went along with him, and was by his side the whole time, like a dependable assistant. One thing he worried most about his son was that since he didn't act like peers his age, he could pile up more stress by hiding his concerns. A busy and tiresome life he led, but he didn't want his son to go through the same.

He hadn't seen Liuxie for a long time, the last time they spoke was 5 months ago when they had a big argument over the financial problem in the clan. At that time, he defended the second wife because his son was accusing her without evidence. He wondered if his son would take this chance to condemn him, but to his surprise, he didn't. "Patriarch, you're here to talk about the martial alliance conference, right?"

His son's usual way of speaking remains very familiar to him.

"Is it okay if I speak bluntly?" He gave a little nod, giving consent but barely noticeable. "Feng Li, she's turned 10." He seemed to be confused why he wasn't talking about the competition, rather an outsider irrelevant to the matter. "I visited her yesterday."

He caught on quick. "What did you guys talk about?"

"Nothing, just a few matters we have to handle daily." Feng Wuying continued sipping his tea, with indifference to what he had to say now. "Feng Li is different from when she was young. She's become aware of your stance towards her."

"So?"

"Even after this long, if you can't get over mother's death, that means you are just weak, father."

Feng Wuying gave a clear response to his question. "Don't you feel sad that your mother's gone?"

"Hmph." He scoffed, "Do I even have to? In my mind, I barely remember her. The only thing I remember was her gentle scent, what she liked to wear, how happy her expression looked when she heard you were coming to see her, and how devastated she was to hear you were forced to be in another marriage."

Feng Wuying despite putting on a poker face, for someone similar to him, he was easy to read. Clearly stricken with guilt, he couldn't answer him, but just listened on.

"It was interesting how she could make opposite reactions to me and you. We are both her family member. I tried to catch her interest, but time and again, I had a feeling she gave birth to me just to keep you beside her."

"..."

"Forgive me for prattling on. How's Yan Meixiu?"

"So far no good. There seems to be no mastermind, but ..."

"things may not be as simple as you may see." He sighed. "I know. Back in the days, our ancestors have certainly caused us a heap of trouble leaving us with many enemies in the nobles faction. Luckily, the commoners drew a liking to us or else we may have never survived their forces."

"She's under house arrest. We have all the time to make sure there's no other accomplice in this incident."

"Then, am I allowed to go visit her?"

"Yeah, I will inform the guards to let you in."

"What about Brother Yan?"

"Leave him be."

"How have you been?"

Feng Liuxie leaned on his palm, his elbow on the table, staring at his father out of curiosity. "Nothing out of ordinary. But honestly dad, have you ever thought I turned out this way because of you?"

After a long pause, he replied solemnly. "I have."

"Don't treat Feng Li the same as me." He proclaimed, half joking, half serious.

"The Feng clan members all grow up this way."

In a surge of anger, he raised his voice. "What if one day Feng Li realizes the truth!"

"I don't care."

"Even though you loved your wife."

"All the more I should hate her. Why should I give her the affection she doesn't deserve?" 

Feng Liuxie scoffed at his words. "Doesn't deserve? She's your blood daughter. The one that mother found so precious that she would rather save than her own life." His son uttering the word 'mother', Feng Wuying couldn't get used to hearing this.

"Let's make a deal. I will reconsider about her, in return, you go and participate in the martial arts conference." Although last year, Feng Liuxie's appearance was made known, because he didn't display his skills, he was branded a coward by his fellow peers. To be called that as a Feng disciple, it was intolerable.

That old man sure is sly, shooting three birds with one stone. "For the team fight, who do I go with?" Actually he already knew the members, which didn't change even in the game, but it will determine whether the future changed or not. 

He grinned. "Yun Xialuo, Si Runie, Que Xirou and Ren Liying."

Yun Xialuo and Ren Liying... Wait... How was Ren Liying here now? His character played a major role in the war three years later. Instead of Tang Zhong, the well specialized defender, Yun Xialuo was chosen instead. This is messed up. "Why is my guest chosen? He just finished a match."

"But didn't he say he had your permission?"

"My permit in what?"

"Allowing him the last slot of the conference."

What, that little..., even after I told him not to. Sensing turbulent waves in the calm air, Feng Liuxie got up. "I accept the deal, but I won't allow Yun Xialuo to participate. There's a person way more suitable than him." He bolted without hearing the answer, hoping his father would agree to this request.

There's no way father didn't sense anything wrong, he must have let it be because he trusted me to deal with some affairs of the clan to an extent. He wanted to applaud the past owner for going a good job gaining his trust gradually. 

He rushed one of the training rooms where two streams of internal energy were bursting spitefully, that it drew many other disciples' attention straight away. They were aware there's a fight, however, they minded their own business as a lesson from last time in the bout.

Most thought Feng Liuxie was going to lose the bet, nevertheless, it was proven wrong. The three were easily defeated, that they even had to resort to dirty tricks to take him down. This motivated the audience to try harder and focus on their training to beat the other students fairly and prove their strength. 

Unlike how gracefully he landed, his kick to the door created further din, similar to a robber's technique. Sure enough, it was Tang Zhong and Yun Xialuo. Seeing how his arrival didn't stop them from fighting, they must be in the zone. Looking at each other, the two stopped their attacks concentrating and focused energy around their dominant palm.

Tang Zhong struck fast, as he accumulated more energy, and Feng Liuxie could tell Yun Xialuo who fell behind in speed was in danger. Immediately, he pulled him towards his shoulders and countered the strike with a slightly stronger internal energy so as to not hurt him.

Tang Zhong fell to the ground, no better than Yun Xialuo. Unable to recover from the shock, he lay down on the ground for a while. His clothes were tattered, a bit of blood splattered in the middle.

Wait...blood..? Yun Xialuo didn't have blood stains on his sleeves which meant...! 

He turned back to Yun Xialuo as panic washed over him, hoping the protagonist wasn't badly injured. Feng Liuxie observed him, he had trouble clarifying objects in front of him and speaking fluently. He was panting heavily. Seeing a small needle penetrating deep into his stomach, Feng Liuxie realized he was poisoned. It wasn't too late, the veins hadn't turned dark purple around the area yet. Feng Liuxie glared at him, as if reprimanding him why he would attack Tang Zhong with blatant difference in power between them.

Yun Xialuo couldn't come up with a response, as he felt something hot on his cool skin. Feng Liuxie was sucking the wound, spitting as much blood onto the ground as he could hold. He repeated this action a few times until he deemed it was safe to hand him over to the doctors. Tearing his sleeves, he used them as a substitute for the bandage wrapped around the stomach.

Lifting him carefully so as to not wake him up, he turned to his junior's opponent. "You should ashamed, going all out against a junior." His last words struck Tang Zhong with guilt as he headed for the nearest clan clinic.