THE SMILING PROUD WANDERER by Jin Yong

Hand-Washing Part 4

Liu Zhengfeng continued, "For the last one hundred years, the Demon Cult and our chivalrous side have been fighting with each other back and forth. It would be impossible to go over the reasons behind all these fights. All I want is to stay away from such violent and fierce fights, and live my remaining years in a quiet place, playing the flute and teaching some kids, just like an average law abiding citizen. I think this wish of mine does not violate my school rules and the alliance treaty of the Five Mountains Sword Alliance."

"If everyone thinks like you do, and desert on the eve of a battle, then do we just let the Demon Cult control the Martial World and harm everybody? If you wanted to stay out of this, then why didn't the Qu-named devil stay out of everything?" Fei Bin sneered.

With a slight smile, Liu Zhengfeng answered, "Big brother Qu had vowed to the ancestors of the Demon Cult right in front of my eyes a while back, promising that no matter how the Demon Cult fights with the chivalrous side, he would always stay out of it and never interfere. As long as no one attacks him, he will not attack anyone!"

"Huh, how wonderful!" Fei Bin sneered again. "What if someone from the chivalrous side does attack him?"

"Big brother Qu said that he would try his best to endure and never fight anyone for fame and victory. He would even try his best to mend the gap of misunderstanding between the two sides. Just this morning, big brother Qu sent me a message saying that Huashan apprentice Linghu Chong was wounded terribly by others, and was on the verge of dying. It was him who took the initiative and saved Linghu Chong."

Noises broke out in the crowd again, especially among ones belonging to the Huashan Sword School, Heng-Shan Sword School, and Qingcheng Sword School, who immediately started whispering to each other's ears. Yue Lingshan from the Huashan Sword School could not help asking, "Uncle-Master Liu, where is my big apprentice brother? Is it really...that Qu-named...Qu-named senior master who saved his life?"

"If big brother Qu said so, then of course it's true," Liu Zhengfeng answered. "When you see nephew Linghu later, you can ask him yourself."

"What's so strange about that?" Fei Bin mocked. "Demon Cult members always try to foment discord, using any means they could get their hands on. If he could use every possible means to draw you in, of course he would use every possible means to draw a Huashan apprentice. Maybe Linghu Chong would feel so grateful and want to return the favor. Then we would have another traitor in our Five Mountains Sword Alliance." He then turned to Yue Buqun and explained, "Apprentice brother Yue, I am just using this as a way of analogy. Please don't mind."

"I don't mind," Yue Buqun answered with a smile.

"Apprentice brother Fei," Liu Zhengfeng raised his eyebrows and asked loudly, "you said another traitor. What do you mean by 'another'?"

Fei Bin sneered, "You understand it very well. Do I still need to explain?"

"Humph, so are you calling me a traitor of my own school?" Liu Zhengfeng yelled. "It's my private matter who I want to make friends with. It's none of other people's business. Liu Zhengfeng does not dare to betray my Master and my Hengshan Sword School. I'll send the word 'traitor' right back to you."

Before, he had acted with good manners, just like a local gentleman, rich yet rustic. But now, he had shown a quite different image – one filled with vitality and heroic spirit. Seeing his tit for tat argument with Fei Bin and not giving away any ground, everyone admired his courage.

"I suppose apprentice brother Liu is not interested with this option, right? Are you sure you don't want to rid the evil and kill that big devil Qu Yang?" Fei Bin asked.