Chapter 58: True and False

Murong Xing was listening in utter bewilderment as Shi Fei claimed his own father was the mastermind behind the murder of Qiao Feng. Hearing this now, Murong Xing could not help but angrily ask, "Murong Fu, aren't you his son?"

Shi Fei let out a sigh and said, "Actually, I am not. I am merely a dreamer. I am nobody's son."

Who would ever claim to be a dreamer? Who would disown their own father?

Qiao Feng felt that the person before him was probably out of his mind.

Shi Fei then turned to Qiao Feng and said, "Back in the day, Murong Bo murdered your parents. Now that you have killed him and left Murong Bo without heirs, wouldn't that be quite fitting?"

Qiao Feng looked with suspicious eyes at Shi Fei, as well as A Zhu and Wang Yuanyan by Shi Fei's side, along with the indignant Murong Xing and the completely baffled Duan Yu.

Could this person be trying to use a borrowed knife to kill, having me kill his own brother?

Do these brothers harbor a grudge against each other?

It was no wonder suspicion arose in his heart, for far too many things had happened today.

First, he was betrayed by the elders of the Beggar Sect, then his true identity was exposed by others, and finally, a person suddenly appeared claiming to know the true murderer of his parents.

This same person casually pointed at a young man and claimed he was the son of his parents' killer.

Could he possibly believe this?

Right now, he found it somewhat difficult to distinguish right from wrong.

"To my shame, Qiao's origins are shrouded in much doubt!" Qiao Feng looked at Shi Fei and the others and said, "Although many seniors have given testimony, Qiao must do his utmost to uncover the truth!"

"As for the matter Your Excellency mentioned, Qiao cannot simply take your word for it. Once Qiao has investigated and ascertained the truth, I shall come to pay my respects to Your Excellency!"

"If what Your Excellency says is true! Neither heaven nor earth shall prevent Qiao from avenging his parents!"

By the end, Qiao Feng's tone was resolute and decisive!

He refused to blindly trust what others said; he needed to investigate for himself. When the situation remained unclear, acting rashly for revenge could easily lead to tragedy.

Having wandered the pugilistic world for so many years, he was no longer a reckless youth.

Watching the composed Qiao Feng, Murong Xing could not help but applaud him in his heart.

Reasonable and grounded, refusing to be led by others, and capable of telling right from wrong on his own—he was far superior to some rambling lunatic.

How could a man like this not be his own sworn elder brother!

"What a pity! Murong Xing is the heir of Canhe Villa, well-versed in the Skill of Moving Stars with the Universe since childhood. Given time, he will surely become a renowned master across the realm!" Shi Fei continued to fan the flames relentlessly.

"If you do not eliminate him now, the next time you meet, you might no longer be able to defeat him!"

Ah, right, right, right. What good is it that I am proficient in Moving Stars with the Universe?

Who on earth can I defeat in Canhe Villa?

I can't even beat mute Bao!

Murong Xing muttered inwardly, only to hear Qiao Feng reply, "Then that would simply mean Qiao's skills are inferior to his! Qiao shall simply practice his martial arts harder!"

"Besides, Qiao is confident enough in his own martial arts to exact revenge!"

Qiao Feng remained extremely confident in himself.

Seeing that his provocation had failed, Shi Fei said, "Very well then! Since you do not believe me, let me tell you another secret."

Qiao Feng was half-sceptical of Shi Fei's words, sensing that there were hidden implications and ill intentions behind them.

However, seeing A Zhu by Shi Fei's side give him an encouraging look, he had no choice but to politely cup his hands and say, "Please enlighten me, Your Excellency."

"Your late father, Xiao Yuanshan, is not dead!" Shi Fei said.

"!!!"

Qiao Feng was greatly shocked and said, "What is Your Excellency talking about?"

Shi Fei pointed his finger at Zhiguang and Zhao Qiansun—the very men who had explained Qiao Feng's ancestry to him—and said, "You have heard the first half of the story from their mouths, but you never heard the second half."

"Back then, your father fell off a cliff, but he was fortunate enough not to die! Since he survived, he naturally sought to continue his revenge."

Shrugging, Shi Fei continued, "As for why he has not acknowledged you, go ask him yourself when you finally meet him."

Qiao Feng was no longer just half-sceptical; he was now deeply suspicious that Shi Fei was merely putting on a gimmick and spouting nonsense.

Everyone else claimed his father was dead, yet Shi Fei insisted his father was alive.

If his father was alive, why hadn't he come to look for him?

"Many thanks..." Qiao Feng had no desire to listen to Shi Fei's nonsense any longer and prepared to take his leave politely, only to hear Shi Fei say, "Your mother's killer, Murong Bo, is also not dead."

"Ah?"

Now it was Murong Xing's turn to cry out in astonishment.

Since childhood, he had neither father nor mother, having only one eccentric elder brother.

And now, this very elder brother was telling him that their father was not dead!

Shi Fei glanced briefly at Murong Xing, then looked back at Qiao Feng and said, "Back then, Murong Bo instigated the chief leader, Abbot Xuanci, and was subsequently suspected by him."

"Xuanci investigated Murong Bo in secret, forcing Murong Bo to fake his death in order to escape. Afterwards, Xuanci left Shaolin Temple, established the New Shaolin Temple, and became the renowned Fanci in the pugilistic world."

Fanci was far more than merely renowned; he was practically a legend within the martial arts world.

A single man who founded the New Shaolin Temple and cracked the seventy-two supreme martial arts of Shaolin.

If he was not a legend, what on earth could be?

"The moment Fanci discovers that Murong Bo is still alive, Murong Bo will surely die!"

"That is why Murong Bo is hiding everywhere! If you can find him and kill him, it will also be considered avenging your mother's murder," Shi Fei finished recounting this past event.

Was what he said true?

After listening to Shi Fei's words, this thought arose in Qiao Feng's mind.

His father was not dead, and the murderer of his mother was not dead either!

Was this a good thing, or a bad thing?

Of course it was a good thing!

Yet he felt that what Shi Fei had said sounded somewhat like a fantasy.

"Does Your Excellency have any evidence?" Qiao Feng looked seriously at Shi Fei, hoping to read something from his face.

Shi Fei sighed and said, "Many people in the pugilistic world are born to bear the mistakes made by their forebears. Their destinies are beyond their own control, and they struggle in agony."

At this, he glanced at Duan Yu, leaving the latter feeling baffled.

"Some burdens can be carried, while others must be cast aside in order to truly reclaim oneself. To live a lifetime, one must still manage to live well for oneself."

"Once you meet your esteemed father in the future, you will understand," Shi Fei said to Qiao Feng.

He truly appreciated Qiao Feng; in this world, Qiao Feng was one of the few people he held in high regard.

Qiao Feng felt that Shi Fei was utterly eccentric. At this moment, the questions in his mind were simply too numerous to count, and he desperately wished to verify them one by one.

Thus, he cupped his fists toward Shi Fei and the others and said, "Many thanks, Your Excellency! Green mountains remain, green waters flow on, we shall meet again in the pugilistic world!"

With that, he turned to leave.

Ahu watched Qiao Feng's slowly departing figure, then suddenly said to Shi Fei, "Young Master, forgive me!"

Shi Fei merely waved a hand at her.

Light as a swallow, A Zhu flew to the side of the departing Qiao Feng and said softly, "You are still injured; let me assist you!"

"Ahu..." Seeing A Zhu right before him, Qiao Feng suddenly felt somewhat at a loss.

He had never encountered such a proactive young woman before.

Watching this scene, Wang Yuanyan felt her nose twist in utter anger.

She thought A Zhu was truly utterly brazen!

However, she remembered that Qiao Feng still owed her a favor, and she would find an opportunity later to hold that over him!

Duan Yu watched as Wang Yuanyan stared fixedly at Qiao Feng and A Zhu, a bitter smile forming in his heart.

Just now, he had sensed that his fairy-like sister had never stopped looking at Qiao Feng!

Indeed!

Such a towering, heroic man—who could not possibly love him?

Compared to a person like him, no wonder his fairy-like sister...

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Shi Fei say to him, "Prince Duan, Duan Yanqing is your paternal uncle. Why don't you go kill him?"