Building a Harmonious Song Dynasty

Chapter 38

The hairband fell to the ground, and two figures, one in red and one in white, transformed into two streaks of light, making it impossible to discern their exact moves. Finally, with a clang, a piece of jade fell to the ground. Ji Wuhuan coldly sheathed his sword and said, "Your jade pendant is gone. Eighteen moves were all it took."

Su Mufei said, slightly out of breath, "No, no, the jade pendant isn't my body or skin, so it doesn't count. You still have twelve moves left."

"you!"

Ji Wuhuan had not expected Su Mufei to be so shameless, but he could not explain himself, so he had no choice but to continue to attack with his sword. Unfortunately, in the end, he did not manage to harm Su Mufei in the slightest.

After thirty moves, Su Mufei stopped in relief. In terms of skill, his martial arts were no match for Ji Wuhuan's, but he had excellent lightness skills, making it difficult for Ji Wuhuan to injure him.

"Alright, Master Ji, it's my turn to play a tune."

Ji Wuhuan dared not be careless and concentrated his mental energy to fight against Su Mufei's "Clear Sound Technique". This person was able to defeat the entire martial arts world with this martial art, so he must have his own unique skills. Ji Wuhuan naturally dared not be careless.

After a cheerful flute melody, Ji Wuhuan was surprised. It was clearly an ordinary tune, with no trace of internal energy attack or seduction in it.

"A miscalculation, a miscalculation! It looks like I'm going to lose tonight. I suddenly forgot how to blow the flute. What am I going to do!"

Ji Wuhuan ignored Su Mufei's mutterings, looked up at the moon that was gradually setting in the west, and thought to himself that he should get rid of this troublesome person as soon as possible and get on with his business.

After several rounds of competition, Ji Wuhuan only managed to cut off a section of Su Mufei's hair on his last attack out of three attempts, while Su Mufei's two attacks did not cause any damage to Ji Wuhuan.

"Su Mufei, you can't win tonight no matter what. Even if you succeed in your third attack, we'll be even. I don't have time to waste with you today. Let's settle this once and for all another day!"

"Master Ji, please wait. No matter what, I still have one more chance. A competition is all about fairness. Regardless of who wins or loses, you have to wait until I finish playing my third piece. How can you leave now?"

Su Mufei kept testing Ji Wuhuan's patience. After suppressing his anger several times, Ji Wuhuan gritted his teeth and said, "Hurry up! I've never seen such a slow man!"

Su Mufei wasn't annoyed. He carefully examined his white jade flute for a while, then played an extremely sorrowful melody. Although the style was different, the tune was still as ordinary as ever. Ji Wuhuan was just waiting for him to finish playing before leaving, but as the climax of the melody approached, a horrific image of his parents' tragic death and dismemberment suddenly appeared in Ji Wuhuan's mind!

After finally managing to banish those bloody memories, the images that filled my mind were those innocent civilians who were killed and the villages that were burned down.

Blood and flames rushed towards him, and cries of grief and despair swirled around him. Ji Wuhuan felt as if he were trapped in hell, unable to escape the torment. Screaming in agony, Ji Wuhuan collapsed to the ground, clutching his head in excruciating pain. He finally succumbed to the splitting headache and fainted.

Putting down the white jade flute from his lips, Su Mufei's expression was very serious. He walked to Ji Wuhuan's side, and looking at the lingering pain and tear stains on Ji Wuhuan's face, he said apologetically, "I'm sorry for reminding you of painful things."

He picked up the hairband that had been lying to the side and tied up his disheveled hair. Then he carried the unconscious Ji Wuhuan on his back. In the next instant, the two disappeared from the silent wilderness, as if no one had ever been there.

Su Mufei won this time with great cunning. The illusionary music he used was called "Hell Transformation," which consisted of three different styles of music. He attacked the enemy's mind through the subconscious attacks of the first two pieces, and then attacked the weakest point of the enemy's mind when playing the third piece. In this way, breaking through the mental defenses was very easy.

However, Ji Wuhuan unknowingly fell into Su Mufei's trap.

Side Story 2: The Two Stunning Beauties (Part 3)

Su Mufei carried Ji Wuhuan on his back and flew swiftly, traversing mountains and valleys, and arrived at a courtyard in the Shu Mountains a few days later.

When Ji Wuhuan awoke, he was like a wary hedgehog, glaring at everything. However, all he saw was a simple and tidy wooden house and the scent of sandalwood.

He discovered he wasn't bound, so he got out of bed and looked around, but still couldn't find anyone guarding him. Just as he was wondering about this, a slightly hunched figure walked from afar outside the courtyard. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was an elderly monk, none other than the wandering monk, Master Huiyuan.

"Amitabha, the benefactor has awakened."

Ji Wuhuan remained wary of Huiyuan, but seeing Master Huiyuan's kind and benevolent appearance, he relaxed slightly and asked, "Who are you? Why are you here? Where is the young man who captured me?"

Huiyuan placed one palm in front of his chest and said, "This humble monk Huiyuan, this is my humble abode, so it is natural for me to appear here. The person who brought you here is my disciple, who has already left the mountain."

"What!"

Upon hearing Huiyuan say that Su Mufei was his disciple, Ji Wuhuan's murderous intent surged. Huiyuan sensed this, but still calmly said, "Don't be nervous, benefactor. This humble monk only noticed that you have too much malevolent energy and wanted to help you neutralize it."

Ji Wuhuan said coldly, "Hmph! Your disciple Su Mufei falsely claims to be the leader of the martial arts alliance and actually uses schemes and tricks to deceive me. What a despicable person! Moreover, I don't need you to resolve any of my anger. Farewell!"

"The donor stays..."

Ji Wuhuan ignored Huiyuan's words and walked directly into the courtyard. Unexpectedly, the seemingly ordinary courtyard was actually a maze set up by the fence. As soon as Ji Wuhuan stepped in, his senses were as if they were blinded, and he could not distinguish east from west, north from south, and he could not even use his lightness skill.

"You wicked monk, let me out of here!"

Hearing his shout, Huiyuan said from outside the formation, "Benefactor, your heart is like your body right now, trapped in a maze and unable to extricate yourself. If you remain obstinate, you will only be ensnared by your own cocoon. Please come out and have a heart-to-heart talk with this humble monk."

As Ji Wuhuan destroyed the fence in front of him as much as possible, he said, "It's none of your business, let me out!"

“If it were just you alone, this humble monk might truly be powerless to intervene. However, you command tens of thousands of Beacon Fire Cult members, and I cannot stand idly by and watch their lives perish. Benefactor, turn back before it's too late; do not let hatred cloud your heart.”

"Hmph, my followers of the Beacon Fire Cult are all willing to sacrifice themselves for the cult, and they have no need for your concern!"

Huiyuan remained calm and continued, "You've sacrificed so many lives for your own selfish desires. Whose family should they seek revenge against?"

Ji Wuhuan didn't answer, but instead focused on attacking the surrounding fence, but the power he unleashed was like water absorbed into a sponge, gone without a trace. Huiyuan's admonitory and lecturing voice echoed endlessly within the formation, assaulting Ji Wuhuan's eardrums and his soul.

From day to night, Ji Wuhuan still couldn't escape the situation. He sat slumped on the ground in the center of the formation, listening to Huiyuan's increasingly hoarse voice without any response. Gradually, he couldn't help but begin to ponder the questions Huiyuan had posed.

"What were the original tenets of the Beacon Fire doctrine?"

What is the future of the people who survived the Bohai Kingdom?

"Do you really have the right to decide the life and death of your followers?"

"All things in the world change and rise and fall, so why be obsessed with pursuing things that have already passed?"

...

That night, Ji Wuhuan pondered many questions, some of which he had never considered before. In the past, his thoughts had been nothing but revenge, but now a flood of questions was gradually engulfing him.

The next day, he couldn't help but question himself: had all these years of living for revenge really been meaningful? If he were to get his revenge, what would he do then? Would he die?

Three days later, Su Mufei returned from outside the mountain. He was surprised to see Ji Wuhuan sitting upright with his master, the two of them arguing incessantly.

Ji Wuhuan noticed Su Mufei's arrival, frowned and turned his face away, unwilling to see him. He could not easily forget the humiliation of being deceived by him five days ago!

Huiyuan said kindly to Su Mufei, "Come and meet your new junior brother."

Su Mufei exclaimed in amazement, "Your disciple admires you to the point of prostration! You actually managed to persuade such a stubborn person. Master is truly amazing!"

Huiyuan stood up and said to Ji Wuhuan, "You have been away from the sect for more than five days. Since you have decided to formally become my disciple, there is no need to rush. Go back and take care of the sect's affairs first, and it will not be too late to come back."

Ji Wuhuan was nodding when Huiyuan said, "Mufei, Wuhuan doesn't know the way into the mountains yet. Why don't you go with him?"

"Yes, Master!"

Su Mufei happily agreed, but Ji Wuhuan frowned deeply. Considering that Su Mufei was his senior brother, he held back.

Just as Huiyuan had predicted, the Fenghuo Sect was already in chaos. The frail Ji Wushuang spent her days in tears at the sect altar, hoping to receive news of her brother soon.

After crying for several days, her eyes were swollen like two peaches, and finally she received news that her brother was coming back.

She rushed to the main hall, and when she saw Ji Wuhuan return unharmed, tears streamed down her face again. She threw herself at him, crying, "Brother, don't leave me! If you're going to leave, take me with you..."

Seeing his sister crying like this, Ji Wuhuan said with pity, "Alright, I won't go, I won't go..."

Ji Wushuang was wiping away her tears when she suddenly heard a hearty laugh: "Such a pretty little sister, why are you crying like a little kitten? It's such a pity to ruin such beautiful eyes."

Wu Shuang looked over in surprise. Standing next to Wu Huan, who else could it be but Su Mufei, so handsome and elegant? Seeing his face and hearing his words, her heart pounded wildly.

Wu Huan and Su Mufei stayed at the Beacon Fire Sect for more than ten days. Ji Wu Huan was busy with the handover of sect affairs, while Su Mufei took on the task of clearing away the interference, which was to take away Wu Shuang, who was pestering Wu Huan.

At first, Wushuang was a little hesitant to go with Su Mufei and insisted on sticking with her brother. But later, she would forget Ji Wuhuan when she saw Su Mufei and could hardly tell which one was her real brother. She only panicked when she heard that Ji Wuhuan was leaving the teaching platform to go to the mountains for meditation.

Wushuang thought her brother was going to abandon her again, and cried her heart out. It was only thanks to Su Mufei that she was able to calm down, and Ji Wuhuan promised to come back to see her once a month that she finally stopped crying.

After explaining everything, Ji Wuhuan returned to the mountains with Su Mufei. To his surprise, he chose to learn medicine from Huiyuan, who turned out to be extremely talented and learned it incredibly quickly.

A month passed quickly. Ji Wuhuan was studying medicine with great eagerness and was too exhausted to travel thousands of miles back to visit Wushuang. So he asked Su Mufei, who was always on the go, to help him visit his sister.

This situation happened a second time after the first one. It wasn't until the New Year that Ji Wuhuan realized he hadn't been back to see Wushuang for a long time. In order to thank Su Mufei for taking care of his sister, he invited him to come back to the sect to celebrate the New Year together.

Ji Wushuang was overjoyed to see her long-lost brother. Wuhuan's mood also became more cheerful during the months of training. Su Mufei's carefree personality was another story. So on New Year's Eve, the three of them drank all night and had a great time.

As dawn broke, the three of them fell asleep sprawled out on the couch in the room. Ji Wuhuan suddenly felt the urge to urinate and got up to use the toilet. Just as he stepped out of the room, Su Mufei, who was suffering from a severe headache, woke up.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a face that looked exactly like Wu Huan appear beside him. In his dazed state, he actually mistook Wu Shuang lying next to him for the absent Wu Huan!

Although Ji Wushuang had drunk a lot last night, her brother hadn't let her drink too much, so she was still relatively sober. She had only fallen asleep because she was too tired from staying up all night. Therefore, when Su Mufei gradually approached her, she was immediately awakened by his presence.

Ji Wushuang was too nervous to open her eyes. She felt a coolness on her cheek. He had actually kissed her! Her heart was pounding like a deer. She was so nervous and happy that she almost fainted. Just as she was at a loss, Su Mufei's voice gradually rang out.

"I'm going crazy... I'm really going crazy... I like you, I've liked you since the first time I saw you... But... I know this is wrong, what should I do... What should I do? Wuhuan... Tell me, what should I do?"

Even being struck by lightning wouldn't have such an effect. Wushuang stood there with her eyes tightly closed, dumbfounded when she heard her brother's name from Su Mufei's mouth.

At this moment, Ji Wuhuan, who appeared at the door, was also dumbfounded!

Su Mufei looked at the person beside him, then at the person standing by the door, and realized with embarrassment that he had mistaken the person for someone else. He immediately climbed down from the bed, feeling at a loss for what to do for the first time in his life!

The New Year passed by strangely. In the new year, Ji Wuhuan moved from Mount Shu to Mount Yiwulü and never saw Su Mufei again; in the new year, Ji Wushuang lost the two men closest to her at the same time...

Volume Two: Eagle Soars Through the Sky 071 Princess Dingguo Bestowed by Imperial Decree

If Yelü Chun, who was enfeoffed as King of Qin and Jin, was appointed to the throne in a time of crisis, then Ao Lugan, as emperor, was constantly struggling in dire straits. Internal strife and external enemies rose one after another, and palace intrigues and coups followed one after another. The still young emperor felt that the burden on his shoulders was too heavy!

Since Yelü Yanxi fell ill with poison and was bedridden, Ao Luwo had no choice but to take over the administration of state affairs at the suggestion of his regents. For this, he suffered a lot of slander and unfounded rumors. Fortunately, he now had his father's imperial edict, which allowed him to legitimately oversee the country and manage state affairs. Those long-stalled issues could finally be resolved.

That day, he had just finished reading about the lives of the rioters in the Bohai region in his study and was deep in thought when he heard a guard report that General Chenglie had arrived.

Ao Luwo stood up in surprise and hurriedly went out to greet him. Yelü Huan was not wearing armor today, but only a black tight-fitting military robe. He was still exceptionally handsome, which made Ao Luwo admire him greatly. He sighed in his heart: "My second uncle truly deserves to be the god of war in the hearts of all the generals!"

"Second Uncle, please come in. What brings you here today?"

Yelü Huan patted his nephew on the shoulder and walked into the study with him, saying, "Yesterday your mother went to serve your elder brother, and she said you've lost a lot of weight recently, so I came to see you. How are you managing?"

Ao Luwo said, "Mother is making a fuss over nothing. I'm fine. Thank you for coming to see me, Uncle!"

Hearing this, Yelü Huan gave a bitter smile. Ao Luwo's sallow face was a far cry from how he looked when they met at Xiangguo Temple last year; he hardly looked well. He looked over Ao Luwo's shoulder and saw the piles of documents on the table behind him. He sighed inwardly, "Another honest, hardworking, simple-minded boy!"

"The world is in turmoil now, and your father is seriously ill. You have indeed suffered a lot. But don't bear everything alone. Your great-uncle has been ordered by the emperor to assist you. If you need anything, just go to him. And your second uncle will not abandon you. This court has been rotten for so many years. It's time to clean it up."

Ao Luwo said gratefully, "From the day my second uncle returned, I knew that the world was saved! The news of your return to the court has reached the northern front, and the morale of the soldiers was greatly boosted. They finally stopped the tens of thousands of troops personally led by Aguda on the east bank of the Hun River!"

Yelü Huan nodded and said, "Once my brother's condition stabilizes, I will personally go to the battlefield and we will definitely reclaim the territory we have lost!"

"Um!"

Ao Luwo's spirits lifted, and he nodded heavily. He suddenly remembered something else and said, "I saw my second uncle today and there's something I need to discuss. The Emperor wants to bestow the title of princess upon Mingzhen. This morning, I discussed it with several ministers and came up with a few titles. It's up to you, my second uncle, to decide which one to choose!"