Chapter 376 - 185: They Started It
Chapter 376: Chapter 185: They Started It
"You all saw it. They made the first move."
Everyone nodded eagerly, afraid Fang Shuwen might get the wrong idea if they hesitated.
Still, he wasn’t wrong... While Fang Shuwen had been rather blunt, he hadn’t, in fact, been the one to attack first.
On the contrary, it was the old man who had struck at Fang Shuwen first, even wanting to take him back to the Thousand Snow Pavilion to face punishment.
That was a... creative take.
Young Master Tingfeng had clearly said that what Fang Shuwen did was right and that the Thousand Snow Pavilion should be grateful to him.
So how did that turn into the old man saying Fang Shuwen had to go face punishment?
It was clear the Thousand Snow Pavilion was just as Fang Shuwen had described: inconsistent and two-faced.
In that case, Fang Shuwen’s actions today were completely faultless.
He saw through their plot to ambush him, and the Thousand Snow Pavilion attacked first. So what was wrong with him fighting back? If someone wants to kill you, you can’t just stretch out your neck and wait for the blade, can you?
There was no sense in that.
Fang Shuwen walked over to Long Qingzhi and sat down. She let out a long sigh of relief.
"Brother Fang, that scared me to death."
"Are you really that timid?"
Fang Shuwen asked, amused.
"I didn’t see you this scared in Anyue City, or on Celestial Martial Peak. Why are you suddenly so frightened now?"
"I was afraid you’d agree to go with them and they’d harm you," Long Qingzhi said softly.
Fang Shuwen couldn’t help but let out a soft, dismissive laugh.
"Don’t worry. Their little tricks can’t fool me. Since there was nothing better to do, I just considered it a bit of entertainment."
"But Master Wangxing is an eminent monk of the Buddhist Sect. Would he really just stand by and watch them court death like that?"
"Amitabha Buddha."
A figure emerged from the crowd. He was dressed in gray robes, his hair less than an inch long. With his palms pressed together, he slowly walked up to Fang Shuwen.
"Indeed, nothing escapes Donor Fang’s discerning eye."
Long Qingzhi remembered this monk. Back in the town, he had shielded a child from a panicked horse.
She immediately stood up as well.
"Greetings, Master."
"No need for such pleasantries, Donor Long."
Master Wangxing returned the gesture before turning to Fang Shuwen.
"First you killed Young Master Tinghua, and now Young Master Tingfeng. I’m afraid there is no longer any room for reconciliation with the Thousand Snow Pavilion."
"When I struck earlier, Master, I felt a flicker of your energy for a split second."
"Were you trying to stop me?"
Fang Shuwen took a fresh teacup and filled it with hot tea.
"Thank you."
After thanking him, Master Wangxing sat down across from Fang Shuwen.
"You are correct, Donor..."
"Donor, do you know the current stance of the Five Great Forces regarding you?"
"Do tell."
"There is no need to elaborate on the Sword God Palace. You killed Ye Bai and Ye Wucheng, earning Ye Wufeng’s mortal hatred."
"The Saintess Sect’s position is ambiguous; even I cannot discern their intentions."
"The Zhao Clan of the Heaven-Slaying Sect minds its own business. In their eyes, there is only the way of the blade. Everything they do, they do for the blade. Thus, they’ve taken a hands-off approach to your affairs. As long as the fire doesn’t spread to the Heaven-Slaying Sect, they won’t interfere."
"As for the Ascetic Sect... while we focus on our own arduous cultivation, seeing the roiling dust of the Jianghu as a series of trials..."
"...we also harbor compassion and cannot bear to see the common people suffer."
"We originally intended to participate in the Celestial Martial Grand Assembly for much the same reason as the Cyan Sheep Sect."
"But on our way, we witnessed you, Donor Fang, kill Young Master Tinghua. We then abandoned our plans for the Grand Assembly. My intention was to travel to the Thousand Snow Pavilion to give an account of the matter. I didn’t expect the news to travel so quickly; before I could arrive, Young Master Tingfeng had already caught wind of it and taken action."
"And so, I followed him here."
Fang Shuwen pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
’It felt like I’ve already offended more than half of the Northern Domain’s Five Great Forces.’
’Though so far, it’s only two of them.’
’Sword God Palace and the Thousand Snow Pavilion.’
’As for my relationship with the Zhao Clan, I’ll have to wait until I reach Cold Valley Town to find out.’
’The story about Zhao Wuji trapping himself in Cold Valley Town for love might have become a joke...’
’...but his opinion of Long Qingzhi, and his answers to the questions I’m about to ask... that will determine whether the Zhao Clan and I become friend or foe.’
’If they’re enemies... then out of the Five Great Forces, besides the Saintess Sect, with whom I have deep connections, only the neutral-leaning Ascetic Sect would be left without a grudge against me.’
Thinking of this, Fang Shuwen pursed his lips.
’I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I came here to settle a score with the Sword God Palace, so how have I inexplicably ended up with more scores to settle?’
’But on second thought, even though I’ve offended quite a few people, it doesn’t seem like it was my fault.’
’Young Master Tinghua was arrogant and shameless; he deserved to die.’
’If Zhao Wuji is connected to that incident from all those years ago, then he deserves to die too.’
’It’s a hassle, but if worst comes to worst, I’ll just kill them all one by one.’
Glancing at Master Wangxing, Fang Shuwen smiled.
"What do you think the Thousand Snow Pavilion will do next, Master?"
A hint of worry flickered in Master Wangxing’s eyes.
"If you hadn’t killed Young Master Tingfeng, this matter could have been delayed."
"That was why I wanted to stop you. Letting them think they’d succeeded would have kept the Thousand Snow Pavilion placated."
"Once your business with the Sword God Palace was concluded, you could have simply ignored the Thousand Snow Pavilion’s invitation and returned directly to the Eastern Domain."
"I imagine that no matter how capable the Thousand Snow Pavilion is, they wouldn’t have pursued you all the way to the Eastern Domain."
"But... now that you’ve killed Young Master Tingfeng, the situation is entirely different."
"Young Master Tinghua had a poor reputation; you killed him, and it was his own fault."
"But with Young Master Tingfeng’s death, the conflict will escalate dramatically. I am concerned that if you go to the Thousand Snow Pavilion, you will have to face a joint attack from them and the Sword God Palace."
Fang Shuwen nodded.
"Master Wangxing, you speak of harboring compassion. Why, then, when my hands are stained with the blood of so many, are you so concerned for my safety?"
It was a pointed, cutting question.
Master Wangxing, however, glanced at Long Qingzhi and said softly:
"The Buddha is compassionate, seeking to guide all living beings to salvation. You and Donor Long are among those beings."
"Though your hands are stained with blood, Donor Fang, you have never killed without provocation."
"You are not a follower of the Buddhist path, Donor, so I cannot expect you to perform acts of supreme sacrifice, like cutting your own flesh to feed a hawk, or vowing to empty the hells."
"When a blade is swung at you, how can you be denied the right to strike back?"
"HAHAHAHA."
Fang Shuwen suddenly burst into laughter, rising to his feet and giving a slight bow.
"Thank you, Master."
With that, he called out to Long Qingzhi.
"Let’s go."
"Farewell, Master."
Long Qingzhi quickly got up. Once outside, she mounted Fang Dabao. The pair, along with their beast, gradually vanished into the wind and snow.
Master Wangxing was left standing alone, letting out a soft sigh.
’Things have progressed to a point that is now beyond my power to change.’
’The upheaval in the Western Domain is imminent, and I fear the Northern Domain will also soon face an unprecedented transformation.’
’What path should the Ascetic Sect take now?’