No Choice But to Act Part 1

After leaving Feng Rugu in the care of Chang Boning, Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu went together to prepare medicinal tonics and tea snacks.

The elixirs refined in Jianchuan were considered a unique treasure of the Dao Sect. Just as Luo Fuchun was trying to ask the young servant for a few more pills, Sang Luojiu, who had been following behind him carrying the medicinal meal, tugged at the corner of his robe.

He softly called out, "Senior Brother?"

Luo Fuchun turned his head to look, and was startled to discover that in the glazed medicine bowl Sang Luojiu was holding, the liquid medicine was spreading outward in ripples, as if a hundred-foot giant was strolling nearby, shaking the water's surface.

The disciples remaining in Jianchuan all exited their dwellings and looked up at the sky in astonishment.

Two sword intents that reached the heavens intertwined as they emerged from the guest house in the valley, rising straight into the vast sky.

In the boundless azure expanse, one sword intent resembled the white teeth of a long whale, like a collapsing snowy mountain; the other was like listening to the howling sky, like cloudy mountains and sea towers. They entangled with each other, occasionally colliding. It was like the raging tides of Qiantang, splashing up shattered snow foam. But in just a moment, the long whale still leaped and the attentive steed reared up its hooves. In an instant, the surrounding deep waters boiled, and half of it rose into the sky, transforming into a vast spiritual mist, like silk threads, swirling around the sword intents, as if the Yellow River was descending from the heavens in a celestial waterfall.

A disciple from Qingshuang Sect hurriedly went to find Yan Wufu, "Overseer... this, this, how did the two honored guests suddenly start fighting?"

Yan Wufu, with his staff sword in hand, appeared calm, "Young one, don't make a fuss. Open your eyes and look. How is this fighting?"

Facing the disciple's shocked face, he tapped the ground with his crutch, "...It's just an ordinary sword testing, that's all."

By the time Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu heard the commotion and rushed over, Ruyi and Chang Boning had finished their sword testing.

Chang Boning's cultivation was only one step away from the Void-Returning Stage. But what he didn't expect was that in terms of sword cultivation alone, Ruyi was actually able to match Chang Boning.

The illusions of the long whale and attentive steed faded away, leaving only flying flowers and leaves. The ghostly figures vanished, but the rustling bamboo leaves stirred by the remnant sword wind floated in the air, refusing to fall.

Ruyi sheathed his sword. His monk's robe was blown by the wind carrying bamboo leaves, vaguely revealing a missing corner at the hem.

He respectfully said, "Adoptive Father, is this the Tasha Sword Technique?"

When his adoptive father practiced the sword, he never told Ruyi the name of the sword art he used.

Chang Boning sheathed his sword and turned around, bowing slightly. His sash flew with the wind, giving off an immortal elegance. However, the end of his sash had also been cut off by the "Nature of All Beings" sword, "It's not yet perfected."

Upon hearing this, Luo Fuchun couldn't help but stomp his feet in great regret.

He had entered the mountains for many years but had never seen his senior uncle use the Tasha Sword Technique, let alone the Guixu Sword Technique.

These two young prodigies of the Dao Sect's sword world had both inexplicably abandoned their swords after the disaster ten years ago. One indulged in flower cultivation, while the other became lazy and idle.

The twin heroes of the sword dao had vanished without a trace, their brilliance rarely seen.

Every time he thought about this, Luo Fuchun couldn't help but wonder what had happened in the Forgotten World back then that could cause such a change in their temperaments.

But Sang Luojiu wasn't as enthusiastic about their sword testing as Luo Fuchun.

He held a jade bottle of medicinal pills he had obtained and muttered, "...Master."

Both Ruyi and Chang Boning turned their heads.

They saw Feng Rugu, who had put on his clothes at some point, kneeling by the window with his arms resting on the windowsill, poking his head out and smiling as he watched the two of them sparring.

After Ruyi regained his clarity, he thought about the faint hostility towards his adoptive father that he had to forcefully suppress during their sword testing. He became even more puzzled about where this hostility came from.

After glancing at Feng Rugu, Ruyi's heart suddenly trembled, as if he was about to arrive at a certain answer.

But he instinctively felt that he should avoid that answer.

So he immediately averted his gaze, pretending not to see.

Seeing Feng Rugu get up, Chang Boning hurriedly stepped forward to the window and stood in front of him, chiding, "Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"

As he spoke, he carefully picked off a half-fallen bamboo leaf from Feng Rugu's hair.

This bamboo leaf was the one he had cut off, still carrying the sword qi of the Tangdi Sword.

Feng Rugu looked up at him with a smile, "Senior Brother and Little Hongchen were having such a lively match outside, yet you still wanted to keep Rugu from watching. How stingy of you."

Chang Boning had no way of dealing with him. He could only half-push, half-embrace him back inside through the window, like holding a cat trying to slip outside to play, "You, ah."

Seeing how familiar their every move was, Ruyi felt a bitter taste in his mouth. The double sense of loss made him only grip his sword hilt tightly, not uttering a word.

..."Not yet perfected"?

The adoptive father from ten years ago would never say such words.

He was young and possessed great talent. The words "self-deprecation" were never meant for someone like him.

His adoptive father was a celestial being, a romantic figure "entrusted by the heavens to the unrestrained". What he loved most was boasting about his own swordsmanship, priding himself on his sword talent, wildly unrestrained.

"In terms of sword talent, after my master, it's me."

"What high blue sky and thick yellow earth?"

"I am the heaven beyond heaven, the peak of peaks!"

These were wild words, drunken words, but also true words.

Ruyi thought, had ten years as the Lord of Fengling eroded his temperament like this?

As for the other layer of loss, Ruyi didn't know where it came from, so he simply chose to ignore it for now.

But until he walked to a secluded spot, he still hadn't realized that he couldn't help but repeatedly caress his lips that Feng Rugu had kissed, feeling them burning hot, with a faint sweet taste.

After instructing Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu to fetch cool water and apply it to Feng Rugu's forehead, Chang Boning entered the room and closed the door. He also confirmed from the half-open window that Ruyi had left before letting out a long breath and patting his chest, looking quite nervous.

...He was never good at deceiving others.

Feng Rugu, who was wrapped back in the quilt, lazily praised, "Senior Brother has excellent swordsmanship."

"You told me to hide it from him, so I did." Chang Boning sat down beside the bed, his cheeks slightly flushed, "Fortunately, the Tasha and Guixu sword techniques share the same origin, and the true form of the Tasha Sword Technique has never been revealed to the world. I've also seen you perform the Guixu Sword Technique... Did I imitate it well just now?"

"Senior Brother, it's not good to be overly modest." Feng Rugu was also a bit curious, "Senior Brother, how did you learn the Guixu Sword Technique so accurately?"

"Watching it, thinking about it, it just became similar." Chang Boning also showed a gentle and helpless look of distress. He wanted to touch the little mole on the tip of Feng Rugu's nose, but as soon as his fingertips emerged from his sleeve, he felt it was improper and immediately retracted his hand, "...I don't know why either."

Saying that, Chang Boning became worried again and asked, "Does it really look very similar?"

Feng Rugu: "Eighty percent."

Chang Boning: "That's still not enough."

"Fifty percent is enough." Feng Rugu rested his chin on the back of his hand and said with ease, eyes closed, "Little Hongchen despises me and is unwilling to have me as his adoptive father. Just a little bit of evidence will be enough to convince him."

"Nonsense." Chang Boning tidied Feng Rugu's loose hair and said softly, "I don't think he dislikes you at all. Perhaps it's just that he has a stubborn personality and doesn't know how to express what's in his heart."

Feng Rugu laughed at him, "In Senior Brother's eyes, the world is so simple, without a single bad person."

From his tone, Chang Boning could tell that Feng Rugu's spirit was extremely fatigued and in urgent need of rest.

Since leaving the mountain, Feng Rugu had hardly rested at all.

Chang Boning coaxed Feng Rugu to sleep with a soft voice, half comforting and half serious, "The bad people have all been killed by Senior Brother. Rugu, rest assured and sleep."

Feng Rugu clicked his tongue twice, "If others heard Lord Duanrong say this, they would surely be shocked."

Chang Boning patted his shoulder, "Senior Brother rarely goes out, so I don't care how others see me. To Senior Brother, Rugu is just Rugu. There is only one Rugu in the world. You think others don't like you because they can't see how good you are, but that's because they can't see you through my eyes."

Hearing this, Feng Rugu let out a low chuckle. The hand hidden under the covers slowly slid across his waist. A hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes. Finally, he pursed his lips and revealed a carefree smile, saying, "Senior Brother, I'm going to tell you something, don't be angry. Actually, I..."

"...Is Lord Yunzhong here?"

Outside the door, Hai Jing's timid voice interrupted Feng Rugu's words.

If it were his own disciple disturbing him at this time, Feng Rugu would have probably thrown out a "scram".

But since it was Ruyi's little junior, Feng Rugu's attitude was much gentler, "What is it?"

Hai Jing pushed the door open and entered. He first saluted Chang Boning, "Lord Duanrong." Then he said, "Lord Yunzhong, someone outside Jianchuan requests to see you."

Chang Boning intended to stop him, "If Rugu is unwell, even if there are important matters, they should come in to see him."

"It may be a bit inconvenient..." Hai Jing looked troubled and hesitated for a while. Then he took out something wrapped in a handkerchief from his bosom and handed it to Feng Rugu, "You'll know who it is when you see this."

...It was the love testing jade that Feng Rugu had handed to Uncle Sa Si a few days ago.

Uncle Sa Si had come?