CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35: COMBAT KILL ORDER

After Cai Zhang left, Lu Chengfeng continued to sit in the teahouse for a long time, silently pondering many things.

Currently, the sect is not peaceful. The death of Zhao Changzhen is entangled with many secrets, even the master he now serves most likely has ulterior motives.

To others, he appears to be a newly risen genius within the sect, stunning everyone by being personally accepted as a disciple by an Elder, ensuring a promising future.

But only he knows the precariousness of the current situation he is in.

"This is the best opportunity; only by marrying that woman can I have the confidence to turn the tides in this turmoil and chaos."

Lu Chengfeng downed the tea in his cup in silence, placed the tea money on the table, turned, and left with a flick of his sleeve.

When he reached the foot of Bixiao Peak, he saw a disciple from the Fighting Hall, clad in black armor and carrying a sword on his back, hurrying toward him, whose eyes lit up upon seeing him.

"Are you a disciple from Jade Immortal Peak, Lu Chengfeng?"

Lu Chengfeng stopped in his tracks, his expression serious: "Yes, I am."

"Lu Chengfeng, hear the order." The disciple from the Fighting Hall, clad in black armor, took out an iron order inscribed with the words "Combat" and "Kill", shouting loudly, "From this day forth, you are under the command of the Fighting Hall, to participate in clearing the beast tide. Without orders, you must not leave the sect. Disobedience will result in execution!"

Lu Chengfeng’s heart trembled, he hurriedly responded, "Lu Chengfeng receives the order."

After speaking, the Fighting Hall disciple handed him the iron order, "Junior Brother Lu, tomorrow morning, meet me at the Dragon-breaking Stone at the entrance of the Enchanted Swamp. I need to deliver the order to others. Farewell!"

With that said, the figure moved swiftly like lightning and soon disappeared into the distance.

Holding the cold iron order in his hand, Lu Chengfeng suddenly felt the storm’s impending sense, reminiscent of the beast tide he experienced five years ago.

At that time, he was still young and his martial arts skills were low, so he wasn’t dispatched by the sect. However, Zhao Changzhen, who participated in the beast tide clear-out then, was seriously injured and took more than half a year to recover.

For an Elder from the Outer Peak, whose inner strength is accomplished, to need half a year to recover shows how severe the injury was.

He put away the iron order and turned to walk up the mountain, knowing that as a true inheritor of the sect, he cannot escape from this. It’s impossible to only enjoy the benefits of the sect without bearing the responsibilities.

"Li Mo and Su Wanqing are likely to be dispatched by the sect too. Even if they don’t directly confront the beast tide, there will be other tasks."

"I’ll go back and ask them to see if there’s any way we can look out for each other."

With this thought, Lu Chengfeng became somewhat anxious and hurriedly used his lightweight technique to rush back.

However, upon reaching his courtyard gate, he saw Luo Suyi standing anxiously outside, looking out into the distance. Upon seeing him, she hurriedly rushed over.

"Husband, something has happened..."

Seeing her fair and anxious face, Lu Chengfeng’s heart sank, but seeing she was unharmed, he was able to calm down and said gently, "Don’t rush, tell me slowly what happened. I am back now, I am here."

Luo Suyi grabbed his sleeve tightly with both hands, "Wanqing has been taken away by her family."

Lu Chengfeng was momentarily stunned, suddenly recalling the group of people he saw on his way down the mountain, realizing now that they might have been from the Su Family, which explained why their clothing was completely different from the sect’s disciples.

He reconsidered that since the beast tide was erupting in the sect, Su Wanqing’s return to her family was actually a good thing. After all, during such times, deaths are inevitable, and even he could not attend to everything.

Luo Suyi, upon seeing his indifferent expression, felt a multitude of emotions. She hadn’t had the chance to discuss what she had planned with Su Wanqing with Lu Chengfeng yet.

This man simply didn’t understand Su Wanqing’s feelings toward him, nor did he know that she and Su Wanqing had agreed to let Lu Chengfeng take her as a concubine.

Although Su Wanqing hadn’t explicitly agreed, her attitude clearly indicated consent.

Such a twist of fate was truly frustrating.

Especially since, after returning to her family, Su Wanqing was to be arranged into an alliance marriage, one could only imagine how heartbroken she would be.

Thinking about how Su Wanqing kept glancing back countless times as she left, Luo Suyi also felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.

Remembering this, she hurriedly took out a handkerchief embroidered with mandarin ducks from her pocket, "Husband, this was left by Wanqing before she left."

Lu Chengfeng, somewhat puzzled, took the handkerchief and asked confusedly, "What is this?"

Only then did Luo Suyi recount all the agreements she had made with Su Wanqing, "Wanqing couldn’t resist her family’s orders. She’s just a concubine-born daughter in her family, and her mother has a low status. If she disobeys, it will definitely implicate her mother, so she could only leave."

"However, before she left, she privately entrusted me to give this handkerchief to you and to pass on her message."

"If you do not despise me, I wish to remain pure, even as a concubine, without complaint or regret. I give this mandarin duck handkerchief as a promise for life."

Lu Chengfeng was completely stunned upon hearing this. He never expected this private matter. It took him quite some time to react, bitterly smiling as he said, "You, why did you do such a thing?"

"It is usually said that a wife is naturally jealous, yet you took the initiative to arrange for me to take a concubine, haven’t you felt sad?"

Luo Suyi saw that his first concern was for her, and her heart filled with sweetness, though worried about Su Wanqing, she could not help but show a bright smile.

"Husband, I know myself well, I am a flawed person, and in this life, I cannot bear children for you, cannot be a mother, which is my greatest regret."

"You married me and treat me with genuine affection, I cannot be selfish and consider only myself. It is said that among the seven grounds for divorce, one is childlessness. Logically, someone like me does not deserve to be your main wife."

"But I cannot bear to let you go to others, so I had this thought to let Wanqing, this lady from a noble family, marry you as a concubine."

"Both of us know her character and temperament well, getting along will not cause conflicts. Let her bear you some children eventually, wouldn’t that be perfect?"

Lu Chengfeng sighed softly, holding her gently in his arms, "To have a wife like you, what more can I ask for?"

"As for Wanqing, I fear we are destined but not fated."

Luo Suyi was taken aback, raising her head to ask, "Husband, what do you mean by this? Do you truly not want Wanqing any more? Are you going to watch her marry someone else?"

Lu Chengfeng smiled bitterly, "It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I can’t. There’s something you don’t know, a beast tide erupted in the sect, and just now at the foot of the mountain, I already received a Combat Kill Order, which orders me to follow the Fighting Hall to clear the beast tide. From today onwards, I cannot leave the mountain."

Luo Suyi shivered involuntarily upon hearing the name "Fighting Hall". The Yuncang Sword Sect dominates the Northern Lands, exerting pressure over Qingzhou, but it is not without enemies. The Fighting Hall is responsible for dealing with enemies within the sect.

In the Northern Lands, Fighting Hall’s reputation is enough to make children stop crying. They are known worldwide for their bloody methods and decisive killing, causing fear wherever they go.

Even within the sect, there are few disciples who aren’t afraid of them.

"Indeed, this is truly fate making a fool of people!" Luo Suyi couldn’t help but sigh, her eyes dimming. The decree of the Fighting Hall is something no disciple of the sect dares to defy, otherwise, there’s only a path to death.

Lu Chengfeng held her and said, "We can only discuss it after the beast tide is over. No matter what, I will find a chance to meet her; regardless of the outcome, there must be an ending to not let down this acquaintance."

"Okay!" Luo Suyi nodded silently, yet tightly wrapped her arms around his waist, saying with some fear, "Husband, I am so worried about you."

Lu Chengfeng remained silent and suddenly remembered his intention to take a concubine, momentarily unsure of how to speak.