The Young Swordsman of Dalu

When Wenjie and his group emerged from the secret passage, they were also amazed by the scene before them.

"Look! What a beautiful place!" Shangguan Xingyun exclaimed excitedly.

“We’ve arrived at Kunlun Mountain,” Wenjie said.

"Where did they take the Fourth Young Master?" Changsheng asked anxiously.

“Let’s keep going, maybe they’re somewhere ahead,” Wenjie said.

The three of them climbed up the mountain. The sun was already high in the sky. Although the wind was strong on the mountain, they ignored the cold and just kept moving forward.

Inside the Snowmelt Cave, Wenfei carefully examined his mother.

Why is my mother lying here?

"She died because of your father and you."

With tears streaming down his face, Wen Fei said, "Tell me everything you know, I want to know the truth."

Feng Yumian recounted the whole story to Wen Fei, embellishing it with extra details. Wen Fei frowned deeply after listening.

"My father forced my mother to commit suicide in order to protect himself."

"You can say that."

"No wonder he's disliked me all these years." Wenfei felt a surge of resentment.

“Child, you are my sister’s son, so you are my son. We must avenge your mother.” Feng Yumian added fuel to the fire.

"I will." Wen Fei stood up and walked towards the cave entrance.

“There are some evil arts in the Western Regions that are said to be able to bring the dead back to life. Go and look for them; they might really work,” Feng Yumian said.

“No need. My mother’s suffering in this world should end. Burn her and let her rest in peace.” Wenfei looked at the blue sky outside and felt that he should make a decision for the other Wenfei.

“No! We’ve preserved this for so many years, we can’t give it up.” Feng Yumian disagreed.

“You only burned them all to seek solace for your own soul, and that's how you all found liberation,” Wenfei said.

"Burn it, that's fun!" Feng Kuo clapped his hands and said with a grin.

"Feng Kuo, we're already here, stop pretending. You lied to your father and your aunt, you lied to everyone, but I bet you're not stupid." Wen Fei turned to look at Feng Kuo.

"You're the fool! I'm going to fight my way back to my homeland, defeat the Great Lu Kingdom, and revive the Great Yuan!" Feng Kuo shouted, raising his arms.

“He was scared out of his mind when he was eight years old and almost died. Later, a doctor from Da Lu came and pulled him back from the brink of death. In the end, he became like this,” Feng Yumian said.

"Feng Kuo, if you're a man, be brave and tell the truth!" Wen Fei stared intently at Feng Kuo.

Feng Kuo tried his best to avoid Wen Fei's sword-like gaze. He didn't want to admit it; he just wanted to stay foolish like this forever. Eight years had passed, and he had gotten used to it.

Back then, the Feng siblings lived as dependents on others on the grasslands. Anyone from any tribe in the Western Regions could bully them. In order to survive there, they did not hesitate to betray their own people. Every year, they would send the most beautiful women in their tribe to the leaders of various tribes in the Western Regions.

Once, a minor chieftain of the Kara tribe took a fancy to Feng Kuo's mother and led his men to abduct her. Feng Kuo's mother refused to submit and was brutally murdered by the chieftain. Eight-year-old Feng Kuo witnessed his mother's tragic fate and was so frightened that he fainted and remained unconscious. Fortunately, a doctor from the Great Lu Kingdom traveled there and saved Feng Kuo's life.

The doctor learned of their plight from Feng Kuo and told him before leaving that a person who becomes mentally unstable will forget their pain. From then on, Feng Kuo became mentally unstable, sometimes calm and sometimes not. Over the years, everyone had gotten used to it, but who could have known that for eight years, Feng Kuo had been pretending to be mentally unstable?

"How did you know I was faking it?" Feng Kuo's eyes were filled with murderous intent.

“Just now, when we were going up the mountain, in a dangerous spot, you followed closely and grabbed my hand, and you were shaking the whole time. A fool wouldn’t be afraid of danger, so I guess you have acrophobia,” Wenfei said confidently.

What is acrophobia?

"You don't need to know that."

"Wenfei, you're so smart. We could be friends if we weren't on opposite sides," Feng Kuo said with a smile.

"Forget it, let's think about what you'll do in the future!" Wenfei said.

"Kuo'er! You've been pretending to be stupid all along!" Feng Yumian asked in disbelief.

"Aunt, my father and I have been oppressed by you for so many years. I have endured you for so long!" Feng Kuo retorted angrily.

“Is it my fault? Your father is weak and incompetent, and you pretend to be stupid. You’re all good-for-nothings. If I’m not strong, how can I control the people below me?” Feng Yumian accused.

"Stop arguing about your family's trivial matters. People are coming from outside. We need to find a place to burn my mother's body quickly," Wenfei said.

Wenfei walked to the ice bed, picked up Feng Yuwan, and carried her out of the cave.

"Where are you going?" Feng Yumian asked.

“There’s a forest down there; there should be timber there.” Wenfei leaped down and flew down.

Wenfei carried Feng Yuwan's body and ran quickly into the forest. He found a wide open space and gently placed Feng Yuwan's body on the ground. He chopped a lot of wood with his hands. Feng Yumian wanted to come forward to help, but Wenfei stopped him, saying, "This is the first and last thing I will do for my mother. I will do it myself."

Feng Yumian and Feng Kuo stood to the side, silently watching Wen Fei do everything.

Soon, Wenfei built a wooden bed with wood, piled it high with timber, picked up Feng Yuwan's body and placed it on the bed. He then reached out to straighten her clothes, took out a tinderbox from his sleeve and lit it. Soon, Feng Yuwan's body was engulfed in flames.

Wenfei knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times.

"Mother, may you rest in peace!"

“Someone’s coming!” Feng Kuo said.

"Kuo'er, you go with Wenfei, I'll stay behind to cover the rear!" Feng Yumian said.

"It must be my second brother and the others who have caught up with us," Wen Fei said calmly.

"Wenfei! It really is you here!" Wenjie said with surprise.

"Fourth Young Master! Are you alright?" Changsheng asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'm fine!" Wenfei walked over to Wenjie and the others and hugged Wenjie and Changsheng.

"Feng Yumian, you must stop running away and come back with us," Shangguan Xingyun said.

“Where can we go back to? We have no home anymore,” Feng Yumian said in despair.

"How is my father?" Feng Kuo asked.

“Prince Wen is already preparing to escort him back to the capital,” Shangguan Xingyun replied.

“I’m going back with you too. I want to be with my father. He’s had such a hard time all these years,” Feng Kuo said.

"Are you not stupid?" Shangguan Xingyun asked doubtfully.

"I'm perfectly normal," Feng Kuo said with a self-deprecating laugh.

“Come back with us! I will have my father plead with the emperor on your behalf,” Wen Fei said to Feng Yumian.

"I'm not going back. I can't leave my sister here alone. I'm going to be with her. This is my end. This ring is the keepsake Yu Wan left for you. I'm returning it to you." Feng Yu Mian said, then placed the sword against his neck and with a forceful pull, ended his life.

"No!" Wenfei shouted.

Feng Yumian is dead. Wen Fei walked to her body, closed her eyes with his hands, picked up the green thumb ring, and was unable to calm down for a long time.