Chapter 21: Feng Qian

At the foot of Sword Mound Mountain, a crowd gathered, buzzing with discussion. From midday until now, time had slipped away quietly. Fang Zhenghua and Xia Yi had both returned, but the figure of Lin Fei had yet to appear.

A trace of anxiety inevitably stirred within the hearts of the crowd.

Each of them had personally experienced the oppressive sword intent on the mountain. Even if Lin Fei possessed extraordinary strength, could he truly have climbed all the way to the summit?

Ye Xianghan stood at the very front of the crowd, a shadow of worry flickering across her brow. She was contemplating whether she should ascend the mountain herself to investigate.

Xia Yi sat at the back of the group, sighing and appearing somewhat sullen. However, her discontent was not due to worry for Lin Fei, but because she was hungry. In her mind, she had never once considered the possibility that Lin Fei might fail due to an inability to withstand the pressure of the sword intent.

In the distance at the foot of the mountain stood three or four figures. They wore cold, stern expressions and emanated an aloofness that forbade approach. From their attire, it was clear they were senior disciples from West Ridge Mountain.

Within the crowd, someone had mentioned their identities, and soon everyone learned that the handsome man in the front, wearing a tall crown and possessing an elegant demeanor, was none other than the personal disciple of the West Ridge Mountain Peak Master, the renowned Feng Qian of West Ridge.

More importantly, the West Ridge Mountain Peak Master held authority over the laws of the Sword Sect, and as his disciple, Feng Qian bore the heavy responsibility of overseeing younger disciples despite his youth. His future and cultivation were undoubtedly boundless. Yet, the sudden appearance of this favored son of heaven left everyone bewildered.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the crowd at the foot of the mountain as Lin Fei’s figure finally appeared on the steps, drawing everyone’s attention. But this uproar did not last long; instead, it grew even more intense, as if fuel had been added to a fire.

For following closely behind Lin Fei was a woman—a woman of breathtaking beauty. She held a white fox in her arms, her dark hair fluttering in the mountain breeze, revealing a profile of exquisite, peerless beauty that made it impossible to look away.

The disciples present, both men and women, were deeply captivated by the sight, as if struck by a paralysis spell. The women’s eyes were filled with longing and envy, while the male disciples turned their gazes toward Lin Fei, their eyes naturally revealing the kind of silent, masculine respect that needed no words.

Ye Xianghan, representing South Mi Mountain, was well-acquainted with Lu Shuli’s personality, and her surprise was undisguised as she witnessed this scene. The high-crowned man, with his handsome yet austere features, appeared even colder than before.

...

Lu Shuli witnessed the commotion and spoke softly, "It seems you are quite popular here."

Lin Fei replied indifferently, "The focus of their gaze is not on me."

Lu Shuli did not commit to this. Over the years, she had long grown accustomed to the stares of others, even becoming somewhat numb to them. She casually handed the young fox she was holding to Lin Fei.

Lin Fei took the creature, and the crowd at the foot of the mountain erupted into another wave of gasps.

"What was that just now? Senior Sister Lu actually gave Lin Fei a spirit fox?"

"Could this be a token of affection? This gift seems far too significant."

"I heard the Sword Sect does not forbid disciples from becoming cultivation partners; they even encourage it..."

Lu Shuli possessed profound cultivation, and these whispers naturally did not escape her ears. Although she was indifferent by nature, she could not help but feel a sliver of shame and annoyance at the gossip.

"As for today's affair, consider it a debt I owe you. If you have need in the future, you may come to South Mi Mountain to find me."

The two arrived at the foot of the mountain, and after leaving these words, Lu Shuli turned and departed without hesitation.

Lin Fei watched her sword-bearing back as she drifted further away. He lowered his head to stroke the soft fur of the white fox in his arms, musing for a moment before saying, "How about I call you Little Flying Hero from now on?"

"Awoo."

The young fox let out a dissatisfied cry, clearly unimpressed by the sudden naming.

"What a cute little thing!"

Xia Yi’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She impatiently took the fox from Lin Fei’s arms and lifted it up, rubbing her cheek affectionately against its soft fur. The fox, which had been resting quietly in Lin Fei’s arms, suddenly began to tremble, its fur bristling as if it felt extreme unease.

Lin Fei did not seem to notice this. He turned his head and looked around, finally realizing the strangeness of the atmosphere.

"Why are these people staring at me?"

"Why does Uncle-Master Ye Xianghan’s gaze carry a hint of encouragement alongside the admiration?"

"Why is that guy with the tall crown in the distance expressionless? Do I owe him something?"

...

Late at night on Sword Mound Mountain, the sword intent was piercing, and the chill became increasingly biting. A few had set up simple tents, but most chose to sit cross-legged on the ground, using the heavens and earth as their shelter.

To better cultivate, no one chose to return to Broken Sword Cliff.

Not far from the foot of the mountain, a flame flickered. It was Lin Fei roasting a chicken. He had not returned either—the reason was simple: he felt that walking was a bothersome task.

The aroma of chicken wafted through the foot of the mountain. Although those present had little need for worldly food, their gazes were involuntarily drawn to it. Watching the young man’s focused expression as he roasted the chicken, many thought to themselves that Lin Fei seemed even more serious about roasting his chicken than he was about his cultivation.

Xia Yi ran happily around the forest with the lively little fox. She had named it "Little White." This name was clearly more pleasing to the ear than "Little Flying Hero," and the fox accepted its new name quickly. After the initial fear, it was no longer afraid of Xia Yi, following her as she ran and played, though it would occasionally glance back at Lin Fei.

In the distance, the senior disciples from West Ridge Mountain had not yet left. Feng Qian watched Lin Fei; he had been observing him all afternoon. Seeing Lin Fei’s lazy demeanor now, and then the roasted chicken in his hand, Feng Qian’s expression turned icy. Finally, he loosened his clenched fist and strode over.

...

A dark shadow blocked the firelight. Lin Fei looked up; the first thing that caught his eye was the tall crown, nearly half a meter high, followed by the handsome, stern face beneath it.

Lin Fei felt the hostility radiating from the man—a familiarity that made him feel as if he had encountered this many times years ago. He thought, with some uncertainty, that the first sentence should be an inquiry about the other person's name.

The high-crowned man spoke, "You are Lin Fei?"

Lin Fei thought to himself that the next part should be four words.

The high-crowned man said in a deep voice, "You are not worthy of her!"

Lin Fei thought that the next part should be an introduction of one's background.

The man looked down from his height and said, "I am Feng Qian, Feng Qian of West Ridge Mountain, manager of the Law Enforcement Hall."

Lin Fei sighed and looked up at the sky, thinking to himself that this was truly the most clichéd and uninteresting scenario in a thousand years.