The Legend of the Condor Heroes: From Being Expelled from Peach Blossom Island

Chapter 485 Clever Words and Flattering Appearance
Compared to her initial arrogance and haughtiness, Fang Yaning now seems like a completely different person.

She had lost a lot of weight, her face was pale and bloodless, and she looked extremely haggard. Her arrogance had vanished, and she had completely lost her energy and spirit, with only her red and swollen eyes and even her lips turning white.

A phoenix with its feathers plucked is no better than a chicken. When she left Bright Peak, she was the eldest daughter of the Ming Cult, doted on by her father and cherished by the Ming Cult's higher-ups. The lower-ranking disciples even called her a saint.

She came from a distinguished family, possessed stunning beauty, and had martial arts skills far surpassing those of her peers; she was practically the pinnacle of a female knight-errant in the world of martial arts.

In just a few days, her father, the cult leader, died, and she fell into the hands of her enemies. With no one to rely on, Fang Yaning, though young, suffered the biggest blow of her life and was already somewhat despondent.

If it weren't for her hatred for Yang Xu and her desire to find an opportunity for revenge, she wouldn't have lasted this long.

Fang Yaning saw Zhou Dao walk in carrying a tray with a bowl of porridge and two kinds of pickled vegetables on it, which was much simpler than the meals that had been delivered before.

Zhou Dao, with a touch of eagerness, placed the porridge and pickled vegetables in front of Fang Yaning: "Senior sister, the kitchen prepared mutton soup for you. I told them that you have a weak stomach and can't eat such greasy food, so I specially used this year's new rice to slowly cook a bowl of porridge."

I was worried you might have no taste in your mouth, so I went out and bought two kinds of pickled vegetables, which are said to be very famous in Jiming Village.

Look at these cucumbers, they're pickled perfectly, crisp and sweet-salty, very refreshing. And these pickled vegetable shreds, finely cut, sprinkled with a few drops of sesame oil, are just right with white porridge. Have some."

Fang Yaning glanced at the porridge and pickled vegetables on the table, then stared intently at Zhou Dao, who acted as if they were old friends. She had only met Zhou Xuancheng a few times and had never met Zhou Dao before, but Zhou Dao's appearance was indeed 60-70% similar to Zhou Xuancheng's.

However, Zhou Xuancheng, who is known as the Fox King, always has a simple and honest look on his face, which makes people feel that he is very wronged. He is very good at pretending.

This thoughtful man was somewhat handsome, but he had a smart look on his face, and his eyes were very bright, but they were always darting around.

However, when he saw Fang Yaning, his eyes seemed to hold a hint of pity and reluctance, unlike other young men who were always tempted by Fang Yaning. This alone made Fang Yaning have a very good first impression of Zhou Dao.

Of course, Fang Yaning still sees herself as the great beauty she used to be, completely unaware that her current state can no longer be described as beautiful.

Given Fang Yaning's current state of being controlled by others and her heartbroken loss of support, she naturally felt more favorably toward Zhou Xuancheng's son, whom she regarded as a loyal subject. This was also the reason why Yang Xu and Wu Du sent Zhou to comfort Fang Yaning.

However, having experienced betrayal, Fang Yaning has become somewhat wary, and she finds it difficult to trust anyone anymore.

“I have never seen you before, how can you prove that you are the son of the Fox King?”

"Senior sister, I look so much like my father, we're practically cut from the same mold, what proof do I need?"

Fang Yaning didn't respond, staring intently at Zhou Dao without uttering a word, leaving Zhou Dao with no opportunity to make a joke.

"Alright, my father learned the divine skills from the previous leader of the sect, who is also our grandmaster. Senior sister should know about them too."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Dao extended his right hand, and the edge of his palm gradually showed a metallic texture. At the same time, a light golden layer covered his face, just like the state Zhou Xuancheng was in every time he exerted his power.

"This Taibai Xuanjin Qi was only passed down to my father by my grandmaster, and he only taught it to me. It is a unique skill of my Zhou family."

I've only achieved a minor level of mastery in this skill. My father didn't actually master it when he was alive; at most, he earned the title of Golden-Faced Fox King.

It's said that if one masters this technique, their entire body will be a pale gold color, capable of breaking through an opponent's true energy and defending against internal martial arts palm strikes. It sounds very mystical, but I've always thought it was just boasting. If it were truly that powerful, how could it have died at the hands of Nangong Luan?

Seeing Zhou Dao's face change color, Fang Yaning put aside her doubts. Zhou Dao was right; the Taibai Xuanjin Qi was indeed a unique martial art passed down to Zhou Xuancheng by the previous leader, and Fang Yu had explained it to her before.

But when Zhou Dao mentioned the already dead Nangong Luan, Fang Yaning's eyes were filled with hatred.

"They launched their attack too quickly that day. The Snake King suddenly attacked and subdued me. The three Ghost Generals surrounded my father. Nangong Luan, Tiger King, and Bear King joined forces to attack Fox King. Fox King was already injured from exchanging blows with Wu Chengyu, so he could only use up 70% of his martial arts skills. In the end, he was outnumbered."

Finally, they used me as a hostage and forced my father to take the "Rejuvenation Pill," a poison that would kill him within three days. Everything happened so fast, we didn't even have time to react before Nangong Luan usurped the throne.

As she spoke, Fang Yaning's breathing became increasingly rapid, her hands, thin as bones, clenched tightly, veins bulging.

Zhou Dao listened as if he were listening to a story that had nothing to do with him, even though it involved his father's tragic death. His expression remained calm, and he even poured Fang Yaning a cup of tea, his movements unhurried, just to help her catch her breath.

After Fang Yaning calmed down, Zhou Dao said, "Although the old leader and my father are dead, it is fortunate that the leader of the Ming Cult has rectified the situation in time, killed Nangong Luan, and restored the orthodoxy of our Ming Cult."

If it were anyone else, saying such words would surely have earned them a furious rebuke from Fang Yaning, who would have kicked them out immediately. Zhou Dao was speaking entirely in favor of Yang Xu, but remembering that this was the son of Zhou Xuancheng, who had died for his country, she barely suppressed her anger.

"Junior Brother Zhou has probably been deceived. It was actually Yang Xu who conspired with Nangong Luan, but in the end, he betrayed Nangong Luan. He was also a traitor who plotted to seize power. He was even my father's personal disciple, and he is even more despicable than Nangong Luan."

"Do you know that Father has been ill for many years and must take medicine every night at midnight? After taking the medicine, he is weak for a period of time and unable to fight. Only Yang Xu and I in the entire Ming Cult know this, yet Nangong Luan rebelled precisely at midnight."

Unfortunately, she still didn't see any expression from Zhou Dao. At most, Zhou Dao wrinkled his nose, as if he didn't care at all. "You, how could you do this? Uncle Zhou is your biological father. He died tragically and you can be indifferent, even siding with your enemy and speaking up for him."

Zhou Dao picked up the tea that was poured for Fang Yaning and poured it directly into his own mouth.

"Senior sister, why get so angry? Would you like to hear a story?"

"You are the daughter of the leader of the Ming Cult, which is a privilege. In terms of status, I am not as good as you, but I am also the son of one of the four great protectors of the Ming Cult. So the difference is not much. If we were in the Ming Cult, I would be considered a young master."

Although the Ming Cult is hiding on Bright Peak, it still has nearly ten thousand followers and dominates the area. So, I, as the young master, should have been born into a life of luxury, with servants to wait on me, delicious food, and a warm bed.

But my father was willing to infiltrate the Beggars' Sect. I was born in a beggar's den. At that time, he did not have a high status in the Beggars' Sect and did not even join the Clean Clothes Faction at first.

In order to gain the trust of the Beggars' Guild, I had to be a real beggar. So, from the time I can remember, I ate leftovers and slept on haystacks. In winter, I could only huddle by the fire and shiver. Do you know what it feels like to be hungry?
I am actually very smart, and I have known since I was a child that I am good-looking. So even in winter, I would wash myself with water every day until I was clean, so that when I begged for food, those burly servant women could put their hands inside my collar and give me an extra half a steamed bun.

From that time on, I learned one thing: whoever provides the benefits is the mother; everything must have some kind of advantage.

It wasn't until I was a teenager that he told me his true identity. I learned that I could have enjoyed everything in the Ming Cult, but because of his loyalty to the Ming Cult and its leader, I was born a beggar.

He called himself the Fox King, cunning as a fox, yet utterly loyal to the Ming Cult. How contradictory, how laughable! Having listened to storytelling since childhood, I've never understood how there could be such a blindly loyal fox in this world. I think he's hopelessly stupid.

So, senior sister, what I hate most in this life is blind loyalty. I will never do anything that doesn't bring me any benefit.

It's even better now, because of that loyal father, I can't even be a beggar anymore. I've become a traitor to the Beggars' Clan. The Beggars' Clan's influence extends throughout the Song and Jin dynasties. My martial arts skills are mediocre, so I have no chance of surviving the Beggars' Clan's encirclement and capture.

Therefore, I had no choice but to seek refuge with the Ming Cult. With the Ming Cult's protection, I could survive. This was an immense benefit, and it was also the benefit that Leader Yang gave me.

Moreover, my father ultimately died at the hands of Nangong Luan, and Nangong Luan was indeed killed by the Yang Cult Leader. I don't think there's anything wrong with siding with the Yang Cult Leader. Sometimes it's unnecessary to be so clear-cut.

Senior sister, "It's wise to sometimes play dumb," what do you think?

Zhou Xuancheng's thoughtful words left Fang Yaning speechless for a moment. Zhou Xuancheng was Fang Yu's junior brother and one of the Four Great Protectors. His son could indeed receive the best treatment in the Ming Cult. She couldn't imagine what it was like to be hungry and beg for food.

"But you know perfectly well that the hatred for one's father is irreconcilable..."

"Senior sister, let's put aside the matter of the murder of your father for now. Let me ask you, as the leader of the Ming Cult, did your father also sincerely hope that the Ming Cult would become better?"

Fang Yaning nodded; there was no doubt about that.

"Then why did the old cult leader pass on his position to the Yang cult leader before he died? Was it merely to save your life?"

Nangong Luan was the Left Envoy of Light, with a powerful force under his command. He was executed for his rebellion. The leader of the Yang Cult had conspired with him, but then turned around and killed him.

At this moment, when you return to Bright Peak, the Ming Cult may fall apart at any time, and the foundation passed down by the ten generations of Ming Cult leaders may be destroyed.

You know the Western Regions very well, and I've heard my father talk about it too. There are many powerful forces in the Western Regions, each with considerable strength, and the Esoteric Sect is also eyeing the Ming Cult covetously.

If the Ming Cult were to split, those nearly ten thousand followers would likely become like eggs in a collapsed nest, their lives hanging by a thread. This is something the old leader would not want to see, and I imagine my senior sister would not want it either.

Therefore, only Yang Xu, in terms of martial arts, seniority, prestige, and even cunning, is currently ranked first in the Ming Cult. Only he has the potential to lead the Ming Cult and prevent the sacred flame on Bright Peak from being extinguished.

I'm not very old and don't know much. I only know that whoever feeds me is my mother, and I also know that people admire the strong. If you don't have the ability, you have to rely on the strong. And right now, Master Yang is that strong person.

"Senior Sister, if you continue to oppose Leader Yang and ultimately cause the Ming Cult's downfall, I wonder if the old leader will resent you in the afterlife."

Fang Yaning felt that Zhou Dao was just using flattery and sophistry, but she lacked the eloquence to refute him.

He had said enough, but appeasing Fang Yaning was no easy task, so Zhou Dao decided to stop while he was ahead.

He slowly stood up, and under Fang Yaning's complicated gaze, he dipped his finger in the remaining tea in the teacup and drew a simple picture on the table.

A thick vertical line, with an ear on one side and two little figures on the other. After Fang Yaning saw it clearly, he quickly erased the drawing.

"Senior sister, don't forget to drink your porridge. Even if you don't agree with what I said and still want to take revenge on Sect Leader Xiangyang, you should take care of your health first."

(End of this chapter)