Chapter 101: Speculations on the Truth Behind Yi Da Jing's "Coercion" Incident
Chapter 101: Speculations on the Truth Behind Yi Da Jing's "Coercion" Incident
At Heng Mountain, Plum Blossom Temple.
Amidst a heavy snowfall, the branches were laden with white fluff.
You Longsheng, clad in a white outfit and a dark green cloak trimmed with dark blue fur, walked alongside Ding Baiyun, who wore a yellow shirt and a white fox fur cape.
The two approached Cuiping Peak, stopping at the foot of Meihua Slope. Their horses trotted alongside them, their shoulders nearly touching.
A breathtaking vista unfolded before them: the mountain peaks blanketed in snow and the ten-li plum forest glowing with vibrant reds.
Indeed, the beauty of Heng Mountain was even more captivating in winter.
"So beautiful!"
"More enchanting than the flowers themselves!"
A smile played at the corners of Ding Baiyun's mouth as she allowed You Longsheng to take her hand, strolling leisurely through the plum forest.
"I heard from Master Huiming that the plum wine brewed at Plum Blossom Temple is unparalleled," You Longsheng said, his hands fiddling with something small. "Many people come here during winter to enjoy the wine and admire the snowy landscape."
A hint of a smile appeared in Ding Baiyun's eyes, but she still asked curiously, "Plum Blossom Temple is a serene place for Buddhist nuns. Why would they brew their own wine?"
"Even monks and nuns need to eat," You Longsheng shrugged. "And Plum Blossom Temple doesn't own any fields or lands. Their only notable possession is this ten-li plum forest, which they open up for visitors to enjoy."
As they drew closer, they noticed several horses tied outside the temple's main entrance, indicating a bustling gathering within.
"Looks like they have quite a few guests," You Longsheng remarked.
Among the guests at Plum Blossom Temple were some familiar faces: the head of Baiyun Manor, Yuan Qiuyun, and his wife; the Swordmaster of Flower Protection, Liu Donglai, accompanied by two beautiful women; and the Gentleman with the Iron Hands, Yi Da Jing, who had a strikingly beautiful young woman by his side. They appeared to be a couple deeply in love.
"Cousin!" The young woman exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Ding Baiyun.
"Cousin?" Ding Baiyun was equally intrigued by the unexpected presence of her relative.
Ding Baiyun recognized the young woman as Lu Feifei, who was distantly related to the Ding family. Ding Chifeng's second uncle had married a woman from Lu Feifei's family.
Lu Feifei, barely seventeen or eighteen years old, was already betrothed to Yi Da Jing, and their wedding date was soon to be decided.
The rules of the martial arts world were not as strict when it came to social norms, hence their open display of affection.
Ding Baiyun explained her relationship with Lu Feifei to You Longsheng.
You Longsheng nodded. Although the Lu family was considered a martial arts clan, their influence was relatively small. Located between Shanxi and Hebei, at the foot of the Taihang Mountains, they maintained connections with the martial arts circles on both sides.
This could explain why, in the original story, Ding Chifeng sent his third son to be raised by the Lu family, and a daughter of the Lu family ended up marrying Yi Da Jing.
With their limited power and influence, no one paid much attention to an extra child.
While Yi Da Jing would gain considerable fame two decades later, he was only beginning to make a name for himself at this point. He had no notable background, and his "Cangjing Wanjuanzhuang" was just taking shape.
The group eagerly invited You Longsheng and Ding Baiyun to join them, calling for warm wine and dishes from Plum Blossom Temple. Only then did they continue their conversation.
The topics of choice among martial artists often revolved around the beauty of nature and the latest happenings in the martial arts world.
And the biggest news in the martial arts world at the moment was undoubtedly the conquests of the Jin Qian Gang.
"I heard that many masters ranked on the Weapon Rankings have joined the Golden Coin Gang," someone said.
"Not just the eighth-ranked Zhuge Gang, but also the sixteenth-ranked Huang Fei, the 'Moonlight Fox,' and the nineteenth-ranked Xiang Song, the 'Wind and Rain Twin Meteorites,'" another added.
"With four of the top twenty masters in their ranks, Jin Qian Gang is truly a force to be reckoned with!"
"Even the Shaolin Temple's seven greatest masters might not be able to match them in a head-on confrontation."
"Yang Da Huzi, the 'Water and Land Wharf Master of the Seventy-two Rivers in Jiangnan,' who had intimidated Jiangnan for thirty years, also met his end at Huang Fei's hands."
"But the most terrifying of all are still Shangguan Jinhong and Jing Wuming. Fortunately, they haven't been making many moves lately."
Yi Da Jing suddenly asked, "By the way, Brother You and Miss Ding also went to Jiangnan this year, didn't you? Did you happen to come across Jin Qian Gang?"
Taking the initiative, he steered the conversation, "The Shendao Hall also entered the pass this year. Bai Tianyu wields a divine blade, and none can withstand three of his strikes. He's quite formidable!"
Yuan Qiuyun and Liu Donglai nodded gravely. As Bai Tianyu's powerful entrance affected their interests in the Shanxi martial arts world, they couldn't help but feel concerned about this rising star.
However, Yi Da Jing's eyes flickered with hesitation before he spoke up, "Since entering the pass, Bai Tianyu has ventured into the Taihang Mountains. The Taihang bandits have suffered greatly at the hands of the Shendao Hall. In just a year, they've accomplished more than Marshal Xue Bin has in his decades of fighting them."
Yuan Qiuyun and Liu Donglai chuckled, "Although Marshal Xue Bin's martial arts are extraordinary, he only targets the outlying strongholds. He wouldn't dare venture deep into the mountains to provoke those formidable bandits."
There was no comparison between the Shendao Hall established by Bai Tianyu and the Hero's Manor founded by Xue Bin.
You Longsheng nodded. It seemed that Yi Da Jing had already established a connection with Bai Tianyu.
It made sense; as a newcomer, Yi Da Jing would benefit greatly from associating with the rising Shendao Hall.
Hmm? You Longsheng's eyes narrowed as a realization dawned on him, and he understood the dynamics between Bai Tianyu and Yi Da Jing.
Although Yi Da Jing currently worked for Bai Tianyu, he wasn't officially part of the Shendao Hall. He still maintained his own Cangjing Wanjuanzhuang, technically making him a downstream partner of the Shendao Hall.
Perhaps Yi Da Jing's growth and rising fame were attributed to the support he received from the Shendrao Hall.
During this process, Bai Tianyu had also recognized Yi Da Jing's capabilities and wanted to bring him into the Shendao Hall.
Most likely, Bai Tianyu had promised Yi Da Jing an important position, offering him the opportunity to shake the martial arts world alongside the Shendao Hall.
This aligned with Yi Da Jing's earlier statement about Bai Tianyu's promise to help him gain fame.
If Yi Da Jing were to be absorbed into the Shendao Hall, there would be no need for him to maintain his own Cangjing Wanjuanzhuang. By disbanding it, he was also displaying his loyalty.
This was similar to how large modern corporations acquire smaller companies. Bai Tianyu wasn't a petty person; in his eyes, Yi Da Jing would benefit far more by joining the Shendao Hall and sharing in its future glory than by holding onto a locally-focused Cangjing Wanjuanzhuang.
From Bai Tianyu's perspective, this was for Yi Da Jing's own good!
In the modern world, if a business giant like Pony Ma offered to merge a startup into Tencent, offering a stake in the company and a leadership role, You Longsheng believed that 99% of people would agree enthusiastically!
But Bai Tianyu never expected Yi Da Jing to be the type who preferred being a big fish in a small pond, lacking vision, ambition, and foresight.
In Yi Da Jing's eyes, Bai Tianyu was attempting to seize his property, and he saw himself as a puppet under Bai Tianyu's control. What use was fame if he wasn't his own master?
This was the difference in perspective and ambition.
Given Bai Tianyu's personality, he was unlikely to patiently explain the pros and cons to Yi Da Jing or act as a confidant.
So...
Perhaps this was the truth behind Yi Da Jing's claim that Bai Tianyu had "coerced" him, leaving him with no choice?
You Longsheng raised a hand to his forehead, speechless.
Trying to understand Golden Dragon's (Chinese author)
writing and fill in the gaps in his story was truly challenging!
(End of Chapter)
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