Chapter 88: The cross-dressing Mr. Cult Leader (5)

Translated by: Niladri

self-edited

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Lu Heng heard the sound and turned back to see Duan Feiqing sharply turn in the other direction. It seemed like the other person had realized it? Lu Heng wasn’t too alarmed, and instead, a sense of relief washed over him. Anyway, the little brother of Han race was not one of the Miao people, so it was OK for him to know his real appearance.

Lu Heng was used to being treated as a woman by outsiders since he was a child. He didn’t want to hide anything from Duan Feiqing. He didn’t feel anything was wrong with it, since Lu Heng was too lazy to explain. And besides, what could he possibly say to the other person? I always dressed as a woman, but I am a man. It was weird.

Lu Heng grabbed the clothes and put them on. He walked barefooted. “Hey, did you see that?”

Duan Feiqing slightly turned his face, exposing his reddened ears: “ah Heng, I will be responsible.”

“What responsibility?” Lu Heng was a bit perplexed.

“I have seen your body, and so I will marry you.” Duan Feiqing said.

“When I turned around, you didn’t see clearly?” Lu Heng asked incredulously.

“Even if I had already given you offence, how could I dare to continue doing so?”  Duan Feiqing still dared not look back. After thinking about it, he added, “no matter what, it’s natural to talk about it after getting married.”

“I am a……” unsure why, he couldn’t say the word “man”. Lu Heng recalled that ah Niang had given him the muting prohibition, so he had no choice but to give up. But when he saw the man’s red ears saying that he will be responsible, his heart kept feeling uncomfortable.

“You didn’t find any difference between me and ordinary women?” Lu Heng thought about it and asked in a roundabout manner.

Duan Feiqing’s ears were so red that they were about to drip blood, but he still replied seriously: “ah Heng, you are only sixteen years old, it doesn’t matter.”

Lu Heng’s mind was thrown into turmoil by Duan Feiqing’s words. He kicked him hard, and went back to the village angrily. Only Duan Feiqing, wondering what he said wrong, was left standing on the side of the spring with a dazed expression.

The next day, Lu Heng returned to Crescent spring as usual.

“What strange mental skill do you practice to turn these “three corpse” Gu into nourishment?” Lu Heng didn’t beat around the Bush, and just asked.

Duan Feiqing no longer mentioned yesterday’s event.

Last night, Duan Feiqing had been sitting by the crescent spring for half a night. He remembered previously reading in the ancient books that the Miao people never intermarried with the Han people. Among the Miao people, ah Heng’s position should be very high. In his current situation, that person could not marry a Han dog with a dead family.

Young Master Feiqing, who has always displayed the image of picturesque scenery, didn’t feel inferior even in his most depressed state. Since ah Heng didn’t like it, he didn’t mention it anymore. But no matter what happened in the future, he only recognized this person.

Hearing what Lu Heng asked, Duan Feiqing didn’t think of hiding a single thing, so he began recounting everything that had happened in the past four years. His so-called master, his father’s close friend, and the highly respected leader of Taichu school, Feng Weifang, was a bully.

After Duan Feiqing entered as a student, Feng Wei fang tried to inquire about the secret affairs of Duan family from his mouth. Although Duan Feiqing was young, he has always been prudent. Even if Feng Weifang was a good friend of his father, he did not disclose anything. After realizing the change in attitude of the Taichu leader, Duan Feiqing didn’t leave, but tried to find out the identity of those people backing him through this.

However, just when Duan Feiqing uncovered some clues, he was discovered by Feng Weifang. The hypocrite directly tore open his mask and imprisoned Duan Feiqing in a secret dungeon in the forbidden area of the back mountain of the sect.  Three long years passed. Duan Feiqing was brutally dressed in a chain piercing his shoulder bones, and his martial arts were destroyed. In order to force him to reveal the secret affairs of Duan family, he broke his meridians inch by inch.

“Then how did you escape?” When Lu Heng heard this, he had some admiration for Duan Feiqing. The man in front of him was imprisoned in a dark dungeon. His pride was broken and he was tortured for more than a thousand days and nights. After all this, he was able to escape from that desperate situation. It couldn’t be done if he was not a man of resolute mind.

Hearing Lu Heng say this, Duan Feiqing shook her head slightly: “no, I’m not as firm as you think. I accidentally became demonized. ”

Duan Feiqing’s mother was a mysterious woman. His mother had once dictated a mental skill to him. Duan Feiqing was born with extraordinary intelligence. He only listened once and remembered the mental skill.

His mother warned him that this mental skill should only be used as a last resort when he is in a desperate situation, and that he should never practice it unless his life is in danger. Although the power of this mental skill was so great that it could be called the supreme martial art, each and everyone who practiced it couldn’t withstand the massive changes in their mental state and became demonized in the end.

This mental skill was called the 《mind Sutra of demons》. Those who practiced it would be eventually demonized.

Duan Feiqing’s situation was different. He first became demonized, and then spontaneously practiced the 《mind Sutra of demons》. He was originally a martial arts prodigy and then he was demonized. With his high comprehension, his progress with this 《mind Sutra of demons》 went a thousand miles a day. It’s just that he couldn’t use his internal power even if he practiced the Heart Sutra.

There was an article in the 《mind Sutra of demons》, which is called soul devouring. There was another one, called soul assimilating. Duan Feiqing, who was demonized, relied on these two articles and killed all the guards in the dungeon and escaped. It was not until he escaped to Miao, fell beside Crescent spring and saw Lu Heng that he recovered his mind.

Lu Heng’s brow didn’t move after hearing all this, including the bloody events in the dungeon. Gu utilization, which Miao people are good at, was originally regarded as an evil skill by the Wulin in Central Plains. Moreover, the process of refining the poisonous insects was cruel. In Lu Heng’s eyes, this 《mind Sutra of demons》 was a good mental skill among martial arts.

“That day, after eating the three corpse insects, I felt that the uncontrollable desire for killing caused by practicing the 《mind Sutra of demons》 had been reduced a lot.” Duan Feiqing explained.

Lu Heng’s eyes brightened instantly, not because he was interested in this martial art. Nadolo forced Lu Heng to practice some life-saving Kung Fu. He was only a little skilful in light Kung Fu, and the rest was just horrible. Only in Gu utilization, he kept a high enthusiasm. As his mother said, Lu Heng was born to be the king of Gu utilization.

The strange appearance of Feiqing completely aroused his interest.

Another half year passed. Now it was time for the Spring Festival, but all four seasons in Miao area were like spring. At the moment, the crescent spring was still full of birds and flowers. Duan Feiqing asked Lu Heng to secretly bring flour and pork from the village, saying that according to the customs of the Central Plains, dumplings were to be eaten this day.

Lu Heng, who could only cook poisonous insects, was sitting on a cane chair and watching the busy Duan Feiqing. In front of him, even if he was kneading the ingredients, he seemed to be doing something elegant. His movements were as pleasant as flying clouds and flowing water.

“Don’t you Han people have a saying that a gentleman should be far away from cooking?” Lu Heng saw this man’s action was neat, and soon the dumplings were bobbing up and down in the boiling water in the pot.

“In the previous years, at the time of the Spring Festival, our family would gather together to make dumplings and have a reunion dinner. All of it was done by us, instead of delegating it to others. ” Duan Feiqing’s expression turned a little nostalgic, but his actions were still continuous.

Lu Heng saw him immersed in the past and didn’t speak. He just stared at the dumplings.

A moment later, Duan Feiqing spoke in a low voice, “in the future, only you can eat the dumplings I made by myself.”

Lu Heng wanted to say that your wife and children should eat them in the future, but he saw Duan Feiqing’s clear expression. In the end, he said, “Fine.”

After eating the dumplings, they went to Crescent spring to enjoy the scenery. Duan Feiqing said that the Han people didn’t sleep at night on this day. They had to remain awake till dawn. Lu Heng decided to stay with him. Anyway, it was common for him to not return to the village for a few days in order to catch Gu.

“At this moment, it should be snowing in Central Plaines.” Duan Feiqing looked at the lush forest and said.

“Snow?”

“The Miao area is like spring all the year round. Haven’t you seen the snow? Ah Heng, how about going to the Central Plains with me to see the snow? ”

“I haven’t achieved great success in Gu utilization. I can’t leave the Miao area.” 1 In fact, Lu Heng also wanted to leave the Miao area to have a look at other landscapes, but some of the rules in the cult could not be broken at will.

“Also, as of now, I can’t protect you.” Duan Feiqing felt that he was impulsive just now, which was totally different from his prudent self.

“I saved you two times when you were in danger. Almost always, I am the one protecting you.” At this moment, Lu Heng completely forgot about his kung fu.

“Ah Heng, I will leave for the Central Plains tomorrow.” Duan Feiqing used the words “leave for” instead of “return to”, because in his heart, this crescent spring was where his heart belonged.

In the past half a year, with the help of Lu Heng’s Gu utilization, he achieved a little success* in cultivating the 《mind Sutra of demons》, and the desire for violence and killing caused by this skill has almost been resolved. These negative emotions were firmly locked in the deepest part of his heart. As long as the lock was not opened, Duan Feiqing didn’t have to worry about that he will be possessed by the demonic mind Sutra and fall into demonization.

And that lock was the person in front of him.

*[T/N:  unsure if “little success” is a benchmark or simply adjective+noun. Either way the implication is same].

“As a Han, you should return back to the Central Plains. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to leave my Miao area.” Lu Heng didn’t know the dark places in Duan Feiqing’s heart. He raised the corners of his mouth and gave a look of derision.

“When I have resolved my affairs in the Jianghu, I’ll come back to the crescent spring and never leave.” Duan Feiqing reached out to touch Lu Heng’s cheek.

” Han people cannot stay in the Miao area for a long time except for the medicine men.” Lu Heng glanced at him and said softly.

“Then I’ll be your medicine man.” Duan Feiqing, who always abided by men’s and women’s keeping distance, saw Lu Heng dodging, but he still reached for him. His fingers gently tucked back the sideburns on the other person’s face and then he took it back.

The next day. Duan Feiqing left. Lu Heng didn’t send him off.

Five years passed.

NILADRI: I hope all my readers are safe and sound in these troubled times. I pray everyone and their families and friends remain well…

Now, coming to the novel, I loved this chapter. The pacing was very good. There were relaxing moments, sad moments, happy moments. I rarely heap praises on chapters, but this was indeed very wholesome and satisfying chapter. What did you guys think?