C30 Chivalry

"Just hand it over to me!" Fei Liang's voice boomed as he materialized.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he saw a figure dart into the fray, deftly snatching the iron piece from a little beggar's grasp.

"Drop it!"

"What are you doing?"

"How dare you!"

"Scoundrel!"

A chorus of angry shouts filled the air as nine longswords and a golden blade lunged toward the intruder.

Words like 'Vigilante Xing,' 'Mystic Iron Token,' and 'Xie Yan Ke' surged through Fei Liang's mind, and he pieced together the situation. "Could that little beggar be the 'mongrel'?" he wondered. Nodding to himself, he mused, "That must be it. The duo wielding the black and white swords has to be Shi Qingmin and his wife. The man with the golden blade is certainly An Fengri. And the seven in white robes wielding swords are undoubtedly disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect. The last one, the man in the green robe with the short beard, about fifty and with a lean face showing a glint of joy—he's got to be Master Mo Tian, Xie Yan Ke."

Why had he suddenly been caught up in the scramble for the Mystic Iron Token? He wasn't sure if it was fortune or folly. Given his slight stature, there weren't many here he could take on in a fight—not even the Snow Mountain Sect disciples.

Without thinking, Fei Liang retreated a few steps, signaling he had no interest in vying for the Mystic Iron Token.

But something was off. They were only about twenty yards away, yet it was as if he was invisible to them—not a single glance in his direction. One or two not noticing him would be one thing, but all of them? That was beyond strange.

"It's just a few wooden barriers; what's the big deal?" Fei Liang puzzled over the situation before querying inwardly, "Meier, what's happening here?"

"Mr. Fei, to avoid altering the main storyline of 'Vigilante Xing,' you've been placed in stealth mode," Meier explained.

"Ah, got it. So, no major disruptions allowed, but I can still make minor ripples," Fei Liang nodded in understanding.

"Of course," Meier nodded, "Once you're part of the Wuxia civilization, it's inevitable that you'll cause some changes in the process. The key is to not disrupt the main storyline."

"Got it," Fei Liang replied. He watched as Xie Yanke knocked down a female disciple from the Snow Mountain Sect and then vanished into an alley with a young beggar in tow. The woman was unmistakably Hua Wanzi.

Fei Liang decided to follow them.

Xie Yanke moved swiftly. When Fei Liang caught up, he saw him commandeering a sedan chair and making off with the black and white swords belonging to Shi Qing and his wife.

Fei Liang kept on their trail and soon overheard Xie Yanke grilling the little beggar about the origin of the Black Iron Token. Shaking his head, Fei Liang doubted Shi Potian knew anything of value.

"Meier, what's Xie Yanke's level of cultivation?" Fei Liang inquired telepathically.

"Xie Yanke is among the elite in the Wuxia world. He's at the early stage of Wood Sword level, which is comparable to the Heaven Level Early Period. There are few who can match him in the 'Wuxia' universe," Meier informed.

"Heaven Level Early Period," Fei Liang mused with a frown. Xie Yanke's prowess was impressive; among those Fei Liang had encountered, even Mao Ningyu, at the Earth Level Late Period, might not stand a chance against him.

Later, Fei Liang observed an elder with fiery red hair engaged in combat with three others. From their conversation, it was clear that the elder was the renowned Great Agony Old Man.

Fei Liang assessed their skills. All four were heavy sword experts, but the Great Agony Old Man was at the late stage, while the other three varied between late and middle stages.

Fei Liang had no interest in the spectacle of their duel, as the outcome was predictable. Yet, he meticulously cataloged their sophisticated techniques in his mind. To Fei Liang, a novice, these techniques seemed intricate, but a Heaven Level Expert would easily spot the flaws in their execution.

At last, the Old Man of Great Sorrow met his end at the hands of the Master of Rice Fragrance. Once the little beggar retrieved the clay figurine from the fallen elder, Xie Yan whisked the child away.

Fei Liang no longer felt compelled to follow them, certain that Xie Yan was taking the little beggar to Sky Reaching Cliff. The unfolding events would stick to the script, making any further pursuit pointless—not to mention the risk of being detected.

Once he reached a secluded spot, Fei Liang turned off his body's invisibility feature. Striding forward, he encountered two woodcutters. After a brief exchange, he set off toward the town.

Unbeknownst to Fei Liang, Xie Yan had sharply turned, peering back at the direction he had departed. The sensation of being watched had vanished. With no further sign of it, Xie Yan shook his head and continued toward Sky Cliff.

As Fei Liang walked, he mused over his current status. At the Profound Level Middle Period, he was on par with a Middle Period Soft Sword practitioner. Yet, in less than half an hour on the road, he had already come across more than ten Soft Sword experts. This Wuxia world was indeed a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

"Halt! I own this mountain, and I planted these trees. If you wish to pass, leave behind half your wealth!" Suddenly, as Fei Liang made his way, two figures leapt from the hillside, blocking his path. The man in front confronted Fei Liang, "We brothers are men of our word. Hand over half your possessions, and you may proceed. Refuse, and prepare to stretch your limbs in a way you won't enjoy."

Fei Liang chuckled at the sight of the two. He had barely set foot in the Wuxia realm before running into these so-called bandits. Their aura betrayed them as mere novices at the Sharp Sword Stage. Did they really think they could rob him with such meager skills? Naive was an understatement—they were practically courting death.

"Are you certain?" Fei Liang asked, a wry smile playing on his lips.

"Enough talk, hand it over now!" the robber barked with impatience. Despite his bravado, Fei Liang's eerie grin had unnerved him. But reminding himself that he was a robber, he mustered up some bravado.

"Fine, if you're so eager to meet your end, I'll oblige," Fei Liang said, his face hardening as he swiftly struck at the pair.

"Bang!" The two were knocked back, hitting the ground simultaneously.

"Holy smokes, run for it!" To Fei Liang's surprise, the bandits scrambled to their feet not to retaliate but to flee.

Fei Liang shook his head, uninterested in pursuing the fleeing bandits, and pressed on. He had sensed they weren't the type to be cruel or ruthless; otherwise, he could have ended their lives in an instant, leaving no opportunity for escape.

Having dispatched the two hapless bandits, Fei Liang encountered no further trouble on his journey and arrived at the town with ease.