Building a Harmonious Song Dynasty

Chapter 37

“Your heart is like a clear mirror covered in dust, contemplating evil, turning into hell. You have been here for forty-nine days to mourn your deceased daughter, that is enough!”

Mentioning his deceased daughter, Yelü Huan trembled violently. He had left in despair with her, intending to rely on each other and wander the world together, but even he couldn't escape her untimely death. He had spent forty-nine days here, his mind filled with thoughts of his mother's cruelty, his father's infidelity, and the betrayal of his brother and wife!

He hates, he resents, he is suffering!

His daughter's untimely death plunged him into despair, and despair gripped him like a giant whirlpool, from which he could not escape!

"Your heart is entangled with anger and resentment, giving rise to afflictions of hatred. You are so deluded that you do not even realize it. You do not see that the clear path is already beneath your feet, and the way out is right before your eyes!"

"A way out?" Yelü Huan chuckled. "Where is my way out?"

A giant wave swept over, ripping the old monk's rain hat off and soaking him from head to toe. Yelü Huan couldn't bear to see him suffer with him and said, "Master, you should go."

The master earnestly advised, "You are constantly troubled, unable to transcend life and death, and your mind is unclear. I, this old monk, am willing to light the lamp in your heart and lead you out of the sea of suffering. Come with me!"

A wise and clear gaze pierced through the turbulent waves and into Yelü Huan's heart. He looked at the old monk before him as if facing a Buddha or deity, and bowed devoutly: "Please, Master, guide me to take refuge in Buddhism!"

"Foolish child, if you have Buddha in your heart, you are in the temple. Come with me south, and you shall decide for yourself what the future holds!"

The gloom in the sky was gradually blown away by the strong wind, and the golden autumn sunset smiled on the horizon, reflecting a path of light.

May I ask, where does the road lead?

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Side Story 2: The Two Peerless Beauties (Part 1)

He was Ji Wuhuan, who succeeded his father at the age of eight and became the leader of the Feng Huo Sect. From then on, he regarded expanding the territory as his own responsibility.

She is Ji Wushuang. When she was three years old, her brother carried her to the throne of sainthood, watching the ants-like people worship and cheer for her.

"Brother, I'm scared..." Ji Wushuang's soft little hands gripped Ji Wuhuan's clothes tightly as she huddled in her brother's arms, frightened by the wave of shouts.

Ji Wuhuan, with a stern face, put his arm around his younger sister's shoulder. The two of them leaned on each other as they sat on the throne, looking down at the mangled corpses of their parents below the steps.

"Brother, why are Father and Mother sleeping downstairs? Quickly call them up..."

Ji Wuhuan held back his tears and gently patted Wushuang's back, saying, "Shuang'er, don't be afraid. Your brother is here. Your parents are too tired and they've fallen asleep."

After the enthronement ceremony, the cheers of thousands of believers turned into roars of anger. They denounced the oppression of the Liao people and condemned the killings committed by the Liao soldiers.

"Master!" an elder said, tears streaming down his face. "The Liao dogs stole our grain, plotted to kill you and your wife, and now they call us rioters. How can we sleep peacefully if we don't avenge this!"

Ji Wuhuan stood up and said in a firm voice, "The Liao dogs and my sect are mortal enemies, and this blood feud must be avenged! However, my sect has suffered heavy losses and is weak and powerless this time. As the saying goes, 'One must endure hardship and bide one's time.' Ten years later, I will definitely turn the Liao kingdom upside down and wipe away the shame for my parents and for everyone!"

The young Ji Wuhuan, with his slender back straight, uttered such a vow, greatly inspiring the followers below. The elders, in particular, knelt down with satisfaction and exclaimed, "With such a wise leader, the Divine Cult has hope for the future!"

The next ten years were a period of hard work and self-improvement for Ji Wuhuan. The masters in the sect took turns teaching him martial arts, and even risked their lives to steal the secret manuals of various martial arts schools in the Song Dynasty for him to practice. As a result, the Feng Huo Sect became an evil sect that everyone in the martial arts world wanted to "kill"!

Deep hatred, heavy burdens, and rigorous training shaped Ji Wuhuan's cold personality. The only person in the sect who was fortunate enough to receive his smile was his younger sister, Wushuang.

Wushuang was well protected by Ji Wuhuan. Because the reputation of the Feng Huo Sect was getting worse and worse, Wuhuan was worried about Wushuang's safety, so he never let her leave the area controlled by the sect. Wushuang was extremely dependent on her brother and naturally obeyed his every word, staying obediently by his side for ten years.

Ten years passed quietly, and the nature of the Beacon Fire Sect gradually changed due to hatred. The elusive "demonic sect" members swept through one Liao village after another, killing, stealing, and committing all sorts of evil deeds!

When Ji Wuhuan looked up at the village engulfed in flames and the land stained with blood, he would repeatedly convince himself: This is what the Liao people owe us; we are just taking back what is rightfully ours.

The intense unrest in Tokyo Prefecture naturally attracted the attention of the imperial court. However, by the time the garrison arrived, the Beacon Fire Cult had vanished completely, leaving them with nowhere to turn. Just as the Liao army was searching desperately, their leader was found dead in his own tent, shocking the entire army.

Ji Wuhuan glanced with disgust at the blood-dripping head in his hand, then tossed it high into the air and drew an arrow from his back, firing it with such force that it pierced through the head, carrying it towards the flagpole of the Liao army's banner, where it became firmly embedded!

The brutal massacre instilled fear in the remaining soldiers. Coupled with the turmoil caused by the death of Emperor Daozong of Liao and the ascension of a new emperor, the army hastily retreated, and no one dared to intervene in the chaos in Tokyo.

As the power of the Beacon Fire Sect expanded step by step, Ji Wuhuan's blood grew colder and colder. He encountered nothing that could be called an obstacle wherever he went, which made him gradually feel that another mission of the Beacon Fire Sect could be launched, which was the great task of restoring the Bohai Kingdom! Ji Wuhuan's ancestor was the king of the Bohai Kingdom a hundred years ago. Since the Bohai Kingdom was destroyed by the Liao Kingdom, the Bohai people have gathered under the leadership of the Beacon Fire Sect and lived a hard life.

When he heard that the new emperor of Liao had sent a very powerful general to attack the Feng Huo Sect, Ji Wuhuan sneered. He never took those so-called "generals" seriously, and only thought about how to humiliate the Liao army.

Thinking of the hatred of national annihilation a hundred years ago, and the hatred of killing his family ten years ago, Ji Wuhuan's blood boiled. He thought to himself: Let me avenge the national and personal grievances!

Immersed in hatred and desire, Ji Wuhuan was completely unaware of the immense difficulties he was about to face. Not to mention that General Cheng Lie was leading the troops, even the newly appointed leader of the martial arts alliance, Su Mufei, had secretly arrived in Liao Kingdom and was lying in wait somewhere, just waiting for his appearance.

To humiliate the Liao army, Ji Wuhuan planned to storm their camp alone upon their arrival, capture General Chenglie alive, and hang him in front of the camp. Of course, all of this was just Ji Wuhuan's idea; everything was thwarted by Su Mufei's intervention, and it never even had a chance to begin.

As the army quietly approached Tokyo, Ji Wushuang's fourteenth birthday arrived. Ji Wuhuan decided to take advantage of the time before war broke out to celebrate Wushuang's birthday properly. So, on his sister's birthday, he booked a lavish banquet at a famous restaurant in Liaoyang Prefecture, intending to take Wuhuan, who rarely had the opportunity to go out, out for some fun.

Wu Shuang, who is usually as quiet as a kitten, was unusually excited by her brother's unexpected arrangement. In the past, the siblings would just get together for a simple meal to celebrate their birthdays, and they had never taken it so seriously before.

Wushuang happily led her two playmates and brother out of the main altar and went to the restaurant like ordinary children, where they ate very happily.

Sitting by the window, Ji Wuhuan looked at his sister's smiling face with great relief. At the moment his parents died, he vowed to take good care of Wushuang and not let her suffer any pain. He would take care of everything.

A sharp, piercing sound caught Ji Wuhuan's attention. It was an emergency contact signal from the Beacon Fire Sect. Had something happened? Because he was concerned about the impending war, Ji Wuhuan decided to go and see what was going on. He figured it would be better to wait until they returned to the headquarters after a day of sightseeing. If they missed a crucial opportunity, things would be very bad.

"Shuang'er, I'm going to the street to buy something. You wait for me here."

"Okay, brother, hurry up!"

The obedient Wushuang didn't notice anything unusual, but her two playmates who came with her did. These two were an orphaned brother and sister, assassins adopted and trained by Ji Wuhuan many years ago. When they weren't on missions, they were used to play with Wushuang and also to protect her.

Before leaving, Ji Wuhuan instructed the siblings, "Take good care of the young lady and make sure nothing goes wrong."

After the siblings nodded, Ji Wuhuan quickly left the restaurant and headed in the direction from which the signal came.

As he was leaving the shop, he bumped into a young man in his haste. He hated being bumped into, so he brushed off his sleeves in disgust and gave the man a cold look.

The person he collided with was none other than Su Mufei, who, at only twenty years old, had overpowered all others to become the leader of the alliance. At this moment, Su Mufei was dressed like a dissolute playboy, dressed in brocade robes and a jade crown, his whole body adorned with "jewels and jade," and he was sizing up the "beauty" beside him while fanning himself, saying, "Forgive me, forgive me, I acted rashly and disturbed you, miss!"

With her plain clothes, delicate features, and long hair reaching her waist, Ji Wuhuan could easily be mistaken for a woman, which was exactly what he hated most! He gathered his true energy in his palm, intending to teach this person a lesson, but considering that Wushuang was still in the shop and he couldn't attract attention, he suppressed his anger, snorted coldly, and left.

Su Mufei watched Ji Wuhuan with a smile from behind, but in his heart he wondered why the Liao Kingdom was so full of hidden talents. A woman with such profound true energy could not help but wonder who was superior.

He thought for a moment and then remembered the long cry he had just heard. According to the investigation, it was a code from the Beacon Fire Sect. He had to go and check it out quickly.

Ji Wuhuan found the cult's messenger before him, and only then did he learn that the messenger had just received news that the martial arts alliance leader, Su Mufei, had entered the Liao Kingdom, but his exact location was still unknown.

As Ji Wuhuan was pondering this matter, he suddenly sensed someone behind him. He threw a hidden weapon, and with a cry of "Ouch!", the person who fell from the wall was the very person he had just collided with.

While pretending to cry out in pain, Su Mufei sighed inwardly, "What a pity that such a beautiful young lady is a member of the Demonic Sect!"

"Who are you, daring to follow me!" Ji Wuhuan's cold voice made Su Mufei tremble. He quickly smiled and said, "I really had no choice. Just now, I caught a glimpse of you, and my heart was captured by you. You can only blame yourself for being too enchanting. My feet followed you without my noticing!"

Ji Wuhuan's murderous aura surged, forcing the messenger to hastily retreat. Su Mufei inwardly cried out in alarm; he still had duties to fulfill and could not afford to fight this formidable woman head-on. Thus, he decided to flee, saying as he ran, "Miss, we are destined to meet again someday. Farewell..."

After chasing for a couple of steps, Ji Wuhuan was worried about Wushuang, who was still waiting for him at the restaurant, so he decided to let the man go for now and take revenge on him later!

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Side Story 2: The Two Peerless Beauties (Part 2) - Updated on April 22nd

Night, a bright moon.

Ji Wuhuan galloped across the plains. Even though he was assassinating someone in the dark of night, he didn't mind wearing white and choosing a night with a bright moon.

As if a gentle breeze were blowing by, Su Mufei, who was resting behind the boulder, felt the fluctuation of true energy. He was invigorated and excitedly thought, "The legendary leader of the Demonic Sect has finally arrived."

Ji Wuhuan was riding the wind towards the Liao camp in the suburbs. He was already imagining the scene after capturing the Liao general alive and was feeling a little smug when a very powerful burst of true energy, accompanied by a sudden flute sound, attacked him and quickly disrupted his breathing.

He staggered to a stop, quickly adjusted his breathing, and then turned around coldly, looking at the owner of the flute with considerable displeasure.

On the vast plain, the moonlight was as clear as if it had been washed, and the soft, frost-like light poured down on Su Mufei's bright red brocade robes, making him appear unusually eerie. On the boulder, Su Mufei calmly played the white jade flute in his hand, his expression extremely focused, which also stirred Ji Wuhuan's heart.

Startled, Ji Wuhuan scoffed, "What a 'Pure Sound Technique'! Using such a bewitching art to seduce people, and yet you dare to call yourself the leader of the martial arts world!"

Su Mufei looked up at Ji Wuhuan and said in surprise, "Your skill is superb, young lady. You saw through my petty tricks in such a short time. I am truly ashamed! I just never expected that you would be the leader of the Demonic Sect. It is truly regrettable!"

As Ji Wuhuan watched Su Mufei walk out of Huahui, he was furious to discover that this legendary martial arts leader, Su Mufei, who was said to be able to play the "Qingyin Technique," was none other than the纨绔公子 (playboy) he had met on the street the day before yesterday!

"It was you? Perfect, I'll settle all my old and new scores tonight!"

In an instant, a burst of light appeared on the plain, the sword light reflecting the moonlight, forming halos that enveloped the two flying figures. Su Mufei had no other weapon besides the jade flute, but he cherished it greatly and would never use it to resist Ji Wuhuan's attack.

Seeing that he kept dodging and seemed unwilling to fight, Ji Wuhuan stopped angrily and glared at him: "Didn't you come to Liao to kill me? Why don't you make a move now?"

Su Mufei didn't answer but instead moved on to the other things: "Hey, hey, those twenty-eight martial arts manuals have finally found a patron! For so many years, they've been kept by those old geezers in the Central Plains, such good skills have been wasted. Now, seeing you use them, you're several times stronger than them!"

Ji Wushuang scoffed disdainfully. Although twenty-eight of the thirty skills he had learned were indeed secret manuals stolen from the Central Plains martial arts world, his martial arts skills had already reached the highest level, integrating the strengths of various schools. In some places, he had even made significant modifications through his own research.

It wasn't that he was arrogant, but even if the leaders of those sects studied him for a few more years, they probably still wouldn't be able to deal with him.

However... the fact that Su Mufei could dodge his fierce attacks with ease made Ji Wuhuan feel somewhat hurt.

Perhaps sensing Ji Wuhuan's hidden anger, Su Mufei smiled even more brightly and said, "Actually, I didn't come here to kill you. I just heard that the leader of the Beacon Fire Sect is also a young hero, proficient in various martial arts, so I wanted to come and have a match with him. Today, I didn't expect that you would be such a beautiful girl. I must have a contest with you to see who is better!"

"You, you..." It would have been better if he hadn't said anything, because Su Mufei kept calling me "girl," which had already made Ji Wuhuan so angry that her internal organs were about to break. "If you dare to humiliate me again, I will definitely tear you to pieces!"

"Huh? I didn't humiliate you, young lady?" Su Mufei said stupidly.

Seeing his naive and foolish face, and knowing that the other party had said he wanted to spar, Ji Wuhuan was caught in a dilemma: whether to fight or not. Furious, he slammed his sword into the ground and then pulled his shirt open from the inside out.

With a sharp "rip," Su Mufei exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, please have some self-respect..."

"Look carefully, I am an upright man. If you continue to spout nonsense, I will cut out your tongue and cook it!"

His smooth chest, aside from its firm muscles, lacked any woman's graceful curves. Su Mufei's gaze lingered between Ji Wushuang's face and chest in surprise. Finally, he swallowed hard and awkwardly said, "Brother, you are truly handsome. Forgive me, forgive me..."

"Hmph!" Ji Wuhuan straightened his clothes, picked up his sword from the ground, and asked, "How do you want to compete? I have important matters to attend to tonight and cannot entangle myself with you."

Upon hearing the suggestion of a contest, Su Mufei said with great enthusiasm, "We are both people who care about appearances. I really don't want to fight to the death; it wouldn't look good for either of us. How about we have a contest like this..."

Ji Wuhuan's expression was very strange. He had never seen such a strange person before. What was he thinking?

Su Mufei continued, "We'll have six rounds of competition. You and I will each have three opportunities to attack and three opportunities to defend. For example, when you attack me, I can only run away. Within thirty moves, if you manage to touch any part of my body, I will lose. When I attack, I only ask that you listen to me play a tune. If you lose consciousness, then I win. After six rounds, whoever wins the most will be the final winner. How about it?"

"What kind of strange way of fighting is this?" Ji Wuhuan said impatiently.

Su Mufei, however, said with a grin, "Isn't this great? There's no bloodshed, and no enmity is formed. Everyone can use their skills, and no one is afraid of winning by chance. It's the fairest way."

Ji Wuhuan listened to his explanation and found it reasonable. From what he knew, Su Mufei had inherited the Pure Sound Technique of the Illusionary Music Sect, but he didn't know what other skills Su Mufei possessed. If Su Mufei caught him off guard, he would be greatly overconfident. However, if he had multiple opportunities to attack, he wouldn't be afraid of losing once or twice.

So the two stood five zhang apart. Su Mufei pulled off the red ribbon from his head and threw it out, saying, "The moment it lands will be the start of the match. You will attack first this time. Be quick, you only have thirty moves."

Ji Wuhuan glanced coldly at the falling hair ribbon and chuckled, "Enough nonsense, take this."