Martial King's Retired Life

“It’s still as sickening as I remember from the first time no matter how many times I hear it.” The man in black sitting opposite Feng Jiutian picked up his cup for a drink.

“You hurt my feelings.”

“Hmph.” The man pointed to monster less than twenty metres away from them. “That’s the ace up your sleeve?”

Besides sporting a humanoid physique, his arms were triple the size of an adult’s arms, while his legs resembled tree trunks. His striated muscles tore off the bones and then regrew at set intervals, growing visibly larger following each cycle. The stench of blood came from himself, the animals he ripped apart to gnaw or bit straight into.

“It’s disgusting to see that you can read in this environment. He has already surpassed his limit, hasn’t he? I don’t know where you got this idea of mutation, but he’ll be unable to maintain human form in a few days’ time.” He seemed to have a understand the monster’s circumstances, but it was unclear why. “It’s much quicker to just stick a blade in someone than spend so much time and money just to kill someone.”

“I know right. It must be awful to be unable to remain human, yet still be unable to die. I believe you know this best.” Feng Jiutian wasn’t intimidated by the piercing gaze on him. “I don’t want it to suffer, either. I have never intended to humiliate it. I have also ensured he has had enough flesh to eat. It can’t give up any opportunities to grow stronger when the battle is right around the corner, right?”

The sarcastic tone and complete lack of emotion for the monster disgusted the man. He didn’t take issue with Feng Jiutian’s words or manners; it was Feng Jiutian’s way of life that irked him. There was nothing weird about Feng Jiutian’s decision considering what he stood to gain and his status, but he showed no hesitation in his deeds and had no problem pretending to care whilst being ruthlessly brutal in his actions without batting an eye. At some point in time, his principles and morals had been altered into what it was now. He was now able to shed tears and give a sad speech whilst stabbing someone through the heart; perhaps he might’ve felt upset afterwards, but it wouldn’t have had any bearing on when he chose to thrust the blade through their heart. He was the type to firmly stick to his beliefs no matter what and would believe he was right in spite of him losing time and time again. He would say things he didn’t mean – though others might’ve taken it to heart. In a way, he had mutated just as the monster had.

Feng Jiutian wiped the blood off his face and courteously held his hands in a cupped-fist salute. “If we can retrieve Nirvana’s bloodmarrow, the mutation will last. Thank you in advance for assisting on this front.”

“You sought out Night Sparrow, yet you are seeking my assistance at the same time. Are you trying to make me clash with Shadow Phoenix? Feng Jiutian, when you will do something about your temperament?”

Feng Jiutian smiled. “Shadow Phoenix is His Majesty’s personal bodyguard. As if he would leave His Majesty’s side to do something. I know how much men you have lost.”

“I have already sent a search party. Combined with Night Sparrow’s team, it has taken months, yet we still haven’t found the kid. Are you certain he’s in the capital?”

“Anyone who covets Nirvana’s bloodmarrow would be aware that this is the perfect time to throw a big event, so they wouldn’t leave. Moreover, Night Sparrow encountered him just a few days ago.”

“… If he dares to show himself in the capital while Night Sparrow and my men are around, he will not leave in one piece.”

“He should be honoured to hear that from General Qu Ji.”

General Qu Ji knocked back a drink, then threw the cup at the ground, littering the ground with porcelain fragments. “How much longer are you going to drag out this pointless topic? Why is he still not here? Or do you have so much free time on your hands that you wanted me to keep you company?”

“It’s not easy to summon him. You know who I sent to deliver the message. It’s reasonable for it to take them a while.”

“Don’t you think it’s arrogant of you to send the two of them?”

“Not at all. Those two will switch sides.”

General Qu Ji narrowed his eyes.

“Mount Daluo, Beggars Sect, and Shaolin are like different limbs on the same body. The two of them work for me against their wishes. If they find out Ming Feizhen’s identity, they’re guaranteed to switch sides.”

“Then why did you send them on the job?”

“The goal of summoning someone is to summon them. As long as they come, what does it matter if the messenger switches sides?”

“… Are you confident he will come?”

Feng Jiutian flashed a corner of his pearly whites. “Of course. Everyone has confidence, especially when they’re strong and rarely have any challengers. Wouldn’t you come if you were in his shoes?” ɽ

“No.”

“That’s your prejudice towards me speaking. Ask Uncle Chi if you don’t believe me. Uncle Chi, would you come if you were in his shoes?”

Gan Fengchi, Feng Jiutian’s bodyguard, answered with a smile, “If it was your invitation, this one would have to bring along dozens of elites even if he dared to accept your invitation.”

“You have learnt to be sleazy, Uncle Chi.”

Gan Fengchi shook his head as he wagged a hand. “With age comes greater fear in the pugilistic world.”

“I bet he will come. He does not view me as any more threatening than an ant, if even that.” Feng Jiutian subsequently continued mumbling, “Who do you think the master of Night Fortress is? South Ember Five Palaces claims to be on par with the Seven Champion White Princes when they only consist of five sects. You think that’s an easy claim to make? There’s bound to be plenty of bloodshed behind that, far more than what I am shedding now by thousands and tens of thousands of folds. You never hear Night Fortress’ master killed so and so scores of people, but you hear of how respected he is. When Mount Lu tried to conquer Hangzhou, Night Fortress drove them off; Ming Feizhen was only twenty-three at the time. He’s probably even scarier now.” Wearing the smile of someone thrilled, he added, “The scarier he is, the sooner he will bite the bait. What do you think?”

“I told you.” General Qu Ji paused for a moment, then stood up, making his metal armour rattle. “You businesspeople make my stomach turn no matter how many times I see you.”

***

“You’re worried about your shifu, right?”

Zizi was going to shake his head until Bu’s gaze prompted him to bob his head.

“I’ll help you find your shifu, then.” Bu dragged Zizi out from the corner of a street onto the busy main street, but he felt resistance again. “How many times is this now?”

Bu released his hold on Li Zizi’s hand to poke the latter in the head as he reproached, “You’re concerned for your shifu, so why do you refuse to search for him with me? It’s annoying watching you bottle up your concern. Say something… Say something!”

Despite his forehead turning red, Li Zizi kept his head down and lips sealed, so Bu stopped poking.

“Say something. Why do you keep acting as though I’m bullying you?”

Li Zizi glanced up, then back down and sighed. “I am worried about Shifu, but you’re…”

“What? Are you criticising me? You despise me for being a thief, don’t you?”

Li Zizi initially went to nod, but he ended up timidly bobbing his head in the end.

“You want to catch these hands, Li Zizi?! I bring you back to the capital as a friend, and this is how you see me?”

The duo sneaked back to the capital before daylight and sneaked back in once daylight broke. Bu carried Li Zizi off a kilometre while the two adults were asleep and then woke his friend up. Had Li Zizi not heard about Bu’s involvement last night, he would’ve appreciated Bu’s aid.

“That’s not it! They’re guaranteed to send people after you for stealing something so important to them. If they find out, they’ll capture us before we even save Shifu.”

“Oh, so you’re jinxing me now?!” Bu pinched and rubbed Li Zizi’s cheeks, only stopping once the latter surrendered. “I appreciate you worrying about me, but I know how to take care of myself, so stop getting involved with that. Feng Jiutian isn’t just any run-of-the-mill guy. I… tsk. You a prophet or something?!”

Li Zizi wasn confused until he noticed the busy street emptying out; in particular, people around them were gradually moving away from them. In no time at all, there was only the two of them left.

Still remaining cool, Bu clicked his tongue again. “Tsk, Night Sparrow is here.”

The men in black, including the individual Li Zizi had a brief clash with, from last time emerged again. However, he didn’t realise that Bu didn’t say, “Night Sparrow’s members” but only, “Night Sparrow”. A tall and lanky maiden stood at the forefront of the group. This time, all four members showed up.

***

“This is the place? That’s a wealthy family for you,” remarked Ming Feizhen.

Lian Hua and Fu Dalong exchanged eye contact before making up their minds. “The two of us have decided to entrust our lives to you. Leave the vanguard t-”

Ming Feizhen had already pushed open the main doors to the manor and started praising its architecture. He then looked over his shoulder and told the two, “You two should turn around now.”

“We cannot do that,” the two replied.

“This is the devil’s den. Nobody knows what sorts of traps have been set up inside. You cannot take the risk,” asserted Fu Dalong.

“You should not be impulsive,” urged Lian Hua.

“Relax. I am just going to have a word with him. By the way, I have something I need your help with.” Smiling, Ming Feizhen requested, “Please send my greetings to Dongpo’s boss and ask him to slow cook two braised pork shoulders in soy sauce. I will be visiting afterwards.”

The sound of the doors closing behind Ming Feizhen felt akin to bars of legato thunderclap in Lian Hua and Fu Dalong’s minds.

“… What do we do?”

“Mm…” After thinking it through, Lian Hua responded, “Let’s go buy pork shoulders.”

“… Okay.”

The two were spot on. And the traps within would’ve killed them instantly. For that reason, Ming Feizhen asked them to turn around.

“Man, he’s ruthless,” Ming Feizhen commented upon seeing the dozens of tables of drool-inducing food and drinks.

There were also servants serving up items for the dozens of socialites and nobles, some of which were people he had investigated previously or met in court before. Nobody noticed his arrival, though, as he traversed the manor using qinggong. After pinching a few dishes to eat on his way, he started exploring the property. It was a pretty edifice with everything expected in a rich family’s mansion, but there was nothing special about it. Due to the guests and Feng Jiutian’s own people being present simultaneously, it was impossible to discern who was who.

Ming Feizhen licked his greasy fingers, then pulled over an official offering up a drink. Due to the official vanishing out of sight in front of them, the crowd freaked out. As for the official who saw pitch black for a second, he only discovered he was in the same pose, spoke to nobody, wasn’t in the garden anymore, and had his drink stolen, after the fact.

“Where’s the entrance?” questioned Ming Feizhen.

“Who are you? Wh-what entrance?” Before he could make sense of what happened, the official was already immobilised, so he couldn’t even look up high enough to see Ming Feizhen’s face.

“The entrance to the underground path.” Ming Feizhen yawned prior to crushing the cup in his grip. “I’m not a fan of drivel talk. This will be you in a moment if you don’t talk.”

The official was tasked with welcoming Ming Feizhen and leading him to the underground zone, including activating the contraptions to trap Ming Feizhen underground. He just never expected to be on the receiving end instead.

“So it is you, Duke Ming. Y-”

“You like to use your mouth for pointless reasons, huh?”

The official felt his mouth shut solid. Next, he caught an overpowering smell invade his nose. Since he couldn’t breathe through his mouth, he had no choice but to inhale the smell.

… Ming Feizhen cast aside the official who had spilt everything and located entrance. Despite the bottomless passage being pitch black, Ming Feizhen sauntered down without a moment of thought.

***

Feng Jiutian always had two people beside him: Gan Fengchi and Liang Wusheng. Ming Feizhen often saw both big men. Unlike Gan Fenchi, who had served Feng Clan for dozens of years, Liang Wusheng climbed to his post through his own hands.

Liang Wusheng learnt his “Six Paths Prodigy Cudgel Art” from Luoyang’s Liutong Sect and built his reputation around his mastery of the discipline. He was blessed with a great teacher from a young age, but he also dedicated himself to his training. As soon as he graduated, he started adventuring every corner of the land, improving himself over the next two decades through building experience. It was then that Feng Clan took notice of him and employed his services. Nevertheless, the primary reason Feng Clan valued him was his cautious personality; without it, Feng Jiutian wouldn’t even have let him carry his shoes.

“Stay focused. He will be here any moment. As soon as we hear from the main doors, we will have to be combat ready immediately,” Liang Wusheng stressed for the dozenth time today, still sounding as serious as the first time he said those words. He lived by the refrain that a lifetime of cautiousness wasn’t enough to counter a moment of carelessness. “The main doors have opened.”

Everyone rushed toward the same destination without a second wasted, with Liang Wusheng, armed with his signature Six-horned Ironwood, leading from the centre. It was erroneous to call their action interception as they were likely going to be disposing of corpses more than they fought.

“Once the doors open and someone enters, the contraptions within will activate.”

There were arrows, poisonous liquids, scalding-hot metal, metal nets laced with poisonous spikes, and even huge boards that fired enormous sharpened logs. Liang Wusheng never felt sorry for any of the so-called adepts who perished to Feng Jiutian’s traps, nor did he think it was a pity that they never had the chance to display their abilities. His reasoning was simple: they were too arrogant for their own good. In his opinion, deciding on supremacy through martial prowess was silly.

“Stay quiet. If he truly makes it here, there’ll likely only be a pool of blood remaining. We need to watch.”

Those who followed Liang Wusheng didn’t see the need for them to wait for the contraptions to activate, but they followed him because of his order. Every single time someone had tried to overcome the traps, they never made it across before becoming a corpse. They had witnessed it so many times that even Liang Wusheng had grown numb to it, and he was sure history would repeat itself this time, too. Once the waiting time exceeded the typical wait, though, his numbness turned to vigilance.

“Why isn’t he entering the underground passage?”

The only explanation for why the mechanisms were still dormant was that the person above didn’t enter the passage. Although it wasn’t the first time they encountered this sort of situation, the person assigned to the ground floor would’ve tricked the target into descending or activate the floor trap to drop the target down. This time, however, there wasn’t a sound from above.

“… Did the door really open?”

“Yes, there is light shining in.”

“Where is he?” grouched Liang Wusheng.

“Behind you.”

As his hairs stood erect, Liang Wusheng swung his cudgel in a horizontal arc. Despite them being in a small and narrow space, his cudgel just swung through thin air.

“Aren’t you the one who’s careless? What makes you think that nobody can reach here?”

“Show yourself!” No matter which way he turned, Liang Wusheng didn’t see any traces of his opponent. “H-how did you get here? Didn’t the contraptions activate?”

The man behind him replied, “Activate contraptions? How far away were you? All I had to do was jump across? You people can’t jump that far?”

Ming Feizhen came face to face with Liang Wusheng. This time, Liang Wusheng performed his best swing since he could see his foe, but it was stopped dead in its tracks.

“You’re good, but I don’t have time to play with you.”

Ming Feizhen snatched the cudgel from Liang Wusheng, then thrust at the latter’s face in a crude fashion. Owing to Ming Feizhen’s strike looking as amateurish as someone untrained, Liang Wusheng scoffed at it and felt ashamed for worrying a moment ago. Liang Wusheng only needed to deflect Ming Feizhen’s arm upwards with his cudgel and then press down to counter, but he heard a “clang”, and then the weight of his cudgel felt asymmetrical. He had yet to catch on to what happened when he saw himself holding two halves of his cudgel whilst his arms were still in motion.

Ming Feizhen continued reaching forward after snapping the cudgel, grabbed Liang Wusheng by his collar and singlehandedly hoisted him off the ground. “I’m an advocate of manners. I came to attend a banquet, so I must see the host.” Smiling, he questioned, “Where is your master?”

“His instructions were to lead you to him if you could get past the traps and me.”

“Nice to know he can think. Even if you refuse to speak, he won’t be able to leave. Rather than waste manpower, why not just show me the way. Brother Liang, you saved yourself, hahaha.”

Sweating, Liang Wusheng responded, “Thank you. Thank you.”

It only just occurred to Liang Wusheng that the person he thought he was leeching off was actually a clever individual.

Upon entering a spacious stone room, Liang Wusheng gestured for Ming Feizhen to head in. “Please enter alone.”

“Oh? Not accompanying me? More traps within?”

“The fact that you are able to attend the banquet proves that you are courageous and capable. You must already be aware of the answer without the question.”

Ming Feizhen smiled. “I like it. Although you were hostile, you brought a cudgel instead of a bladed weapon, which goes to show you have honour. I shall not make life hard for you. I shall see you again.”

As he watched Ming Feizhen amble in, Liang Wusheng had an urge to call out to Ming Feizhen; not because he wanted to give a warning but to explain he was a cudgel user to begin with…

Entering the stone room felt the same as winter suddenly walking in. While he was trying to figure out how the room was so chilly when it was summer, Ming Feizhen spotted an elder. There was nothing in the area besides the old man and stone caskets.

Smiling, the elder said, “There have been few men who have come this far in the ten years I have served the young master. You are the only one so young to have made it this far. May I ask for a name?”

“My plain name is Ming Feizhen.”

“Plain?” The elder frowned.

“Yes.” Smiling back, Ming Feizhen explained, “As plain as you.”

“If I don’t crush you, I’ll be bringing shame to myself!”

“You have a fierier temper, but based on your appearance, I do not see you being stronger than Brother Liang back there. How do you intend to crush me at your level?”

“Once you get past me, the door behind me will lead to the young mast-”

“This door?” Ming Feizhen, having zipped past the elder before the elder caught on, knocked on the stone door behind the elder whilst grinning. “Is it your defeat if I open this door?”

The elder’s hands instantly turned clammy. Even if he didn’t want to admit defeat at this point, he didn’t have an alternative. Before he could speak, though, Ming Feizhen returned to his original spot.

With both hands behind his back, Ming Feizhen conveyed, “That was just a joke. I respect special people the most. Show me what you have. I will not interrupt you.”

The elder took a step back to stand side by side with a stone casket. “Your martial prowess is incredible, and you have a big heart. I am grateful to have the opportunity to display my humble skills.”

Somehow, the twenty-plus stone caskets moved. They started with small movements, and then the lids popped off violently, allowing each person within to sit up. They all had ghastly-white appearances, and, despite their different attire, it was self-evident that they were martial artists.

“Are those Valley of Villains’ Combat Monsters?”

Smiling confidently, the elder answered, “Correct.”

“I had heard Valley of Villains could develop mindless and emotionless puppets that could keep fighting until they were killed, and they were nimble and strong. Word out there is that even capable warriors struggled to get them off.”

Ming Feizhen heard soft breaths and heartbeats before the lids came off, but he was confounded as they didn’t resemble symptoms of an ill patient. Therefore, it was quite a surprise for him to learn they were the old man’s weapons.

A Combat Monster leapt out from the casket, covering fifteen metres and landed on all fours on the ground. Ming Feizhen aimed a thoughtless palm strike at it, only for it to get straight back up.

To produce a Combat Monster, they erased the person’s self-awareness using a combination of their proprietary drug and method. Although taming human beings into slaves was considered evil, they weren’t the only people to do so. The strength of a Combat Monster that similar methods couldn’t replicate was the Combat Monsters’ impervious nature to pain and fatigue. In addition, they were able to complete the process in mere days.

“These twenty-odd Combat Monsters are just common folks that I have turned most recently. Are you, an orthodox sect disciple, ruthless enough to harm them? I’m curious.”

As the Combat Monster charged at Ming Feizhen again, the latter disappeared at the same time the Combat Monster’s head levitated off its shoulders and a geyser of blood sprayed.

“You think too highly of me, Elder.” As he retracted his arm, Ming Feizhen zipped past the elder. “I’ll kill whoever tries to kill me. That’s a rule of the pugilistic world that never changes no matter the setting. I am not so arrogant that I would try to change that. Besides, I didn’t kill them; you did. I’m not foolish enough to make that mistake.”

Once someone was converted into a Combat Monster, there was no hope of restoring their original personality; all they had remaining was an instinct to kill. Keeping them lying in caskets was just a means of preserving their combat energy because they’d die in a few days regardless from lack of sustenance.

“So? You kill the innocent just as we do. What makes you any different? In all the years I’ve been alive, the majority of heroes I came across just pretended to be against murder at first, but they won’t hesitate to kill once they’re surrounded. You people sicken me. Kill him!”

The elder was aware that Ming Feizhen had no qualms killing people, yet he tried to catch Ming Feizhen off guard. It gave the impression that he was testing Ming Feizhen’s resolve.

“I see,” Ming Feizhen muttered under his breath while every single one of their attacks. Then, in a louder voice, he asked, “You want them to get close to me to trigger an explosion?”

“Blow him up!” The elder commanded upon being exposed.

“Kneel.”

All the Combat Masters dropped to their knees as if they were before their ruler. Standing in the middle of them, Ming Feizhen looked over to the elder and said, “I now understand how you’re still alive when you suck at fighting. You killed all the heroes you encountered by blowing them up.”

“Get up! Get up! Kill him!”

Try as they may, the Combat Masters couldn’t rise.

“Besides using drugs, you people rely on thought to control them. Are you sure that your link with them is strong enough?”

The Combat Monsters stopped shaking.

“Wait, wh-what are you doing? What are you doing? Why are you looking at me?!”

“Kill him.”

Notwithstanding his best efforts, the elder’s creations soon overran him.

“What goes around comes around. I hope that’s a lesson you’ll remember if you reincarnate,” voiced Ming Feizhen, walking past the ripped corpse that couldn’t hear him. “Don’t harm innocent people if you’re going to try and make a living in the pugilistic world.”

Once he opened the last door, Ming Feizhen learnt that all of the chilling sensation came from behind the last doors. The last area was winter in the middle of summer. This one was a land of snow. On one of the four odd walls, there was a gap as large as a door to enter. The walls emitted a chill even colder than ice iron. As an avid reader of Black and White Reflection, it took him no time to figure out they were the walls that Bright Mirror Palace constructed.

“Brother Ming, you sure have made me wait for ages,” Feng Jiutian hollered from somewhere.

“Brother Feng, why did you make it so hard to see you if you were going to invite me?”

“While I am an exceptional strategist, I am no expert in fighting. If I were to stand face to face with you, your aura alone would be enough for my lower body to offend your nose. That would be inelegant, would it not?”

Ming Feizhen pinpointed Feng Jiutian hiding behind the back of the last wall based on the direction of his voice. The fact that Feng Jiutian’s voice could be heard from a neighbouring room meant that Feng Jiutian was speaking through a small hole for airflow.

“Are you just going to hide behind a wall after preparing so many surprises?”

“Thank you for the kind words. I knew that the three tests would not be enough to challenge you. I have a bad habit of making sure both hands are prepared whenever I do something. As such, I have prepared a big surprise for you. If you can pass it, then…”

Flames suddenly burnt more intensely. A big entity doused in flames descended from above. Even though the walls were frigid, the entity was comparable to a fireball that could kill just by generating gales. Upon roaring, not even Feng Jiutian’s voice was audible any longer.

“Kill! Ming Feizhen, kill…”

“I’m having a conversation here, you noisy moron!”

Smack! Ming Feizhen sent the fire creature reeling into a wall that bounced off instantly due to the impact. Paying no heed to what he sent to the ground, he voiced, “Sorry, Brother Feng, but I didn’t catch the last part. What were you trying to tell me?”

“…”

Ming Feizhen looked down to the creature on the ground. “Eh? Ham, didn’t I smack you once already? Why are you acting up again?”

“… Please take a seat at the table, Brother Ming, for a few drinks with me.”

“You better honour your word. Serve up your surprise for me, then.”

“… You may need to wait a moment.”

While Ming Feizhen was waiting, “Ham” got to its feet. It took Ming Feizhen a while to identify that the creature he just smacked wasn’t the one he smacked around a few months ago but the “Bu Xusan” he met not too long ago. Had he not met him prior and identified the unique venom of Nirvana, Ming Feizhen wouldn’t have recognised him. It was obvious that he was transformed against his will based on the heals that couldn’t heal or be erased in the short time frame.

“Brother Feng, do you need to go to such lengths to kill me?”

“What might you be talking about, Brother Ming?”

Feng Jiutian’s tone was that of an audience member watching an entertainment show.

“I’m talking about turning your cousin into this.” Pointing to the creature in front of him, Ming Feizhen continued, “Feng Qizhi is part of Feng Clan at the end of the day. I can’t believe you actually did this to him.”

“It would be better for you to worry about your safety, Brother Ming.”

The creature roared as it rose up, flashed its sharp claws, dilated its green pupils, and spreads limbs to appear larger.

Smack! The creature bounced off the wall again in the same fashion for a second time thanks to Ming Feizhen’s kick.

“What safety?”

“… Please worry about my cousin’s safety. Please do not kill him.”

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Martial King’s Retired Life (Manhua) – 99March 13, 2020In "Martial King\'s Retired Life"

Martial King’s Retired Life (Manhua) – 002December 28, 2018In "Martial King\'s Retired Life"

Martial King’s Retired Life (Manhua) – 003December 28, 2018In "Martial King\'s Retired Life"