Status: Updated to Chapter 2512: Rotting Away
A mysterious youth bursts into the city, wielding golden needles in his left hand to save the world and a long sword in his right to defeat enemies. His mind is clear and unrestrained while various factions arrive in succession, and dark undercurrents surge.
Chapter 1: Chen Feiyu
In the scorching heat of summer, police sirens wailed fiercely as three police cars sped down the road on what was clearly an important mission.
Yet, oddly enough, sitting inside one of the cruisers was a young man dressed in a hybrid of civilian and Taoist attire. A lazy smile hung on the corners of his mouth, completely out of step with the tense atmosphere among the other officers.
"The old man said life down the mountain is colorful and full of beautiful women of every shape and style, vying for attention. I hope he wasn't lying to me, or when I head back up the mountain, I'm going to eat all his pills refined from the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus like they're jelly beans!"
The mere thought of the city's countless beauties sent a surge of excitement through him.
He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen. On his upper body, he wore a blue Taoist robe patched with cloth, while his lower half consisted of jeans and cloth shoes. This half-civilian, half-Taoist ensemble made him look somewhat mismatched, but his refined features more than made up for it, especially his pair of dark, deeply expressive eyes that shone with spirited vitality.
Chen Feiyu was an orphan. Ever since he was a child, his master had lured him deep into the mountains with a lollipop to learn martial arts and medical skills.
Blessed with extraordinary natural talent, his cultivation had progressed by leaps and bounds. Despite his young age, he had already become a top-tier martial artist.
His medical skills, in particular, were nothing short of miraculous. Having far surpassed his master, he was praised by the old man as Bian Que reborn and Hua Tuo living again.
This time, acting on his master's orders, he had descended the mountain to fulfill an arranged marriage set in his childhood.
"Speaking of which, I've been down the mountain for several days now. Among all the women I've laid eyes on, the policewoman right next to me is easily the prettiest. Hehe, I wonder who looks better—my wife or this policewoman?"
Chen Feiyu glanced sidelong at the policewoman beside him. She was exceptionally lovely, with fair skin, red lips, white teeth, and a long ponytail. Her poised and heroic demeanor was enough to make anyone's heart skip a beat.
Next, he pulled a photograph from inside his tunic. Pictured on it was an exquisitely beautiful woman dressed in a white professional suit—his very own fiancée, Su Yingxue!
Finally, he made a difficult mental calculation: although the policewoman was gorgeous, his own wife was naturally prettier. Haha!
"What are you squinting and stealing glances at?" Liu Shengnan shot Chen Feiyu a look. Seeing his utterly dowdy getup, her natural germaphobia made a trace of disgust flash in her eyes, and she deliberately shifted closer to the window, putting some distance between them.
Her name was Liu Shengnan, and she had become a criminal police detachment captain at a remarkably young age. Having received a tip-off about a fugitive on the run today, she had immediately mobilized a team to intercept him.
What Liu Shengnan hadn't expected, however, was that halfway there, Chen Feiyu had recklessly flagged down their car, brazenly demanding a ride to Mingji City and refusing to leave no matter how hard they tried to shoo him away. With time pressing, she had simply been forced to let him climb aboard.
"Officer, you're very pretty, so I took a couple of extra looks," Chen Feiyu said with a grin, slipping the photo back into his tunic.
Liu Shengnan was rather pleased by the remark, and the corner of her mouth even curved into a breathtaking smile. But Chen Feiyu's next sentence instantly made her blood boil.
"It's just that you're a tiny bit worse than my wife. Don't worry, really, only a tiny bit." As if deliberately trying to stir up trouble, Chen Feiyu even emphasized the point.
As the resident beauty of the police force, Liu Shengnan had always been fiercely confident in her looks. Hearing this, she naturally refused to take it lying down and couldn't help huffing, "Stop bragging. For someone looking like you, it's a toss-up whether you can even find a wife. I seriously doubt she could be that pretty."
"Tch, you don't believe me? My name is Chen Feiyu, and my wife is Su Yingxue. I've come to Mingji City this time specifically to find her. I'll let you catch a glimpse of her when I get the chance, and then you'll know I'm not blowing smoke," Chen Feiyu said with a smile.
Liu Shengnan and the tall officer driving the car in front both froze slightly, exclaiming in unison, "Su Yingxue?"
"Yeah, Su Yingxue. What's wrong?" Chen Feiyu asked curiously.
Liu Shengnan ignored him, exchanging a glance with the tall officer instead.
"Captain Liu, are there any other people named Su Yingxue in Mingji City?" the tall officer asked.
"Probably," Liu Shengnan replied with a cold, indifferent expression. Rather than wondering if there was another Su Yingxue, she was far more inclined to believe Chen Feiyu was simply talking nonsense.
Who was Su Yingxue? She was a woman so dazzlingly accomplished that even Liu Shengnan felt a twinge of jealousy—the crown jewel of Mingji City's upper class. How could someone like that ever take a liking to a bumpkin like Chen Feiyu?
Chapter 2: Hostage
Unfazed by Liu Shengnan's attitude, Chen Feiyu spoke up again, "Right, just drop me off outside the Chaoran Group building later. I'll get out there."
"Are you out of your mind? We're on official duty here, not running your personal taxi service. You think you can— wait, Captain Liu, isn't Chaoran Group Su Yingxue's company?"
The tall officer seemed to have realized something monumental and asked in utter shock.
Liu Shengnan was equally astonished.
Could this kid actually not be joking?
Could it be that inside the Chaoran Group, aside from President Su Yingxue, there was another employee named "Su Yingxue"?
Or perhaps, the "wife" Chen Feiyu kept talking about really was Su Yingxue? The peerlessly graceful and stunning president of Chaoran Group, Su Yingxue?
No, that was completely impossible! The kid had to be lying!
Liu Shengnan detested liars above all else. Her impression of Chen Feiyu instantly plummeted to rock bottom, and her eyes filled with undisguised contempt.
"Captain Liu, let's just dump him on the streets of Mingji City later and not let him hold up our case," the tall officer suggested.
Liu Shengnan was about to nod in agreement when a sudden thought crossed her mind. "No need. Time is tight and we can't afford a single second of delay. We're going straight to the destination."
"Huh?" The tall officer dropped his jaw in surprise.
"What do you mean 'huh'? We're on an urgent mission here. If the suspect gets away, I'll write you up for a disciplinary report!"
A mysterious, smug little smile played at the corners of Liu Shengnan's mouth.
She was already picturing the look of sheer terror on Chen Feiyu's face when she pulled out her gun to handle the case later. Oh, it would be immensely satisfying.
Naturally, Chen Feiyu had no inkling of Liu Shengnan's scheme. He was still busy pondering what he should do if Su Yingxue didn't look as good as her picture.
Should he just ditch that idea and make Liu Shengnan his wife instead? After all, she was gorgeous enough that taking her as a reluctant wife wouldn't be a bad deal at all.
With this thought, Chen Feiyu looked at Liu Shengnan, finding her more pleasing to the eye the longer he stared, and nodded in satisfaction.
"What are you staring at?"
Feeling his burning gaze, Liu Shengnan frowned in displeasure.
Chen Feiyu smiled. "You're so pretty, why don't you be my wife? Of course, you'll only be the minor wife, because my main wife has already been spoken for."
This statement was so shockingly bold that the tall officer instantly turned to stone.
He had seen daring people in his life, but never anyone as brazen as Chen Feiyu.
Mind you, Liu Shengnan had risen to the position of criminal police detachment captain at a young age entirely through her own formidable strength. She was acknowledged as the number one martial artist in the police department, and no one had ever dared to flirt with her to her face.
Yet Chen Feiyu had just done precisely that.
Through the rearview mirror, the tall officer gave Chen Feiyu a sympathetic look and silently said a prayer for him.
Liu Shengnan was positively fuming. This bumpkin didn't even bother to look in a mirror, yet he dared to suggest she become his wife—and a minor wife at that! It was pure bullying!
"If you don't speak up, I'll take that as a yes. This is simply wonderful! To think that on my very first day down the mountain, I've managed to find such a pretty minor wife. Heaven has truly been good to me, haha." Chen Feiyu declared happily.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!" Liu Shengnan snarled fiercely.
Chen Feiyu chuckled. "Don't worry, even though you're just the minor wife, I'll still dote on you properly. After all, a wife isn't as good as a concubine, and a concubine isn't as good as a stolen thrill."
Liu Shengnan felt like she was losing her mind. She realized that letting Chen Feiyu into her car was the biggest mistake of her life. Furious, she snapped, "Little bastard, keep running your mouth and see if I don't kick you right out of the car!"
Chen Feiyu was just about to retort when the tall officer suddenly called out, "Captain Liu, we're almost at the location."
Liu Shengnan was startled. This arrest operation was no trivial matter; not a single mishap could be permitted. She pushed Chen Feiyu's gibberish aside, reined in her emotions, and regained her composure.
By now, the police car had arrived outside the Lakeside Residential Compound.
Seeing a police cordon already strung up across the road ahead, a bad premonition welled up in Liu Shengnan's heart.
This was completely outside the operational plan.
Could the operation have been leaked?
She glared viciously at Chen Feiyu. "If you don't want to die, stay put in the car and sit quietly. If you lose your little life, don't expect me to care."
"Minor wife, seeing you looking so grim, what are you planning to do? Do you need me to help? Your husband here is very formidable. With me stepping in, any fugitive will be caught in the palm of our hand."
Chen Feiyu volunteered himself readily. Since his minor wife had a mission, it was only natural for him, as her husband, to step up.
"Idiot, I don't have the time to deal with you right now. Just you wait, I'll settle accounts with you later, hmph!" Liu Shengnan ground her teeth.
After stepping out of the vehicle, an officer who had arrived earlier ran over, out of breath. "Captain Liu, it's bad! The suspect spotted us, took a hostage, and is in a standoff with us. He specifically demanded that you go in."
"What?!" Liu Shengnan gasped, hurrying forward.
Inside the cordoned area, a scar-faced man was holding a knife to a young girl's throat, a cruel grin plastered across his face as he treated the surrounding police officers with utter contempt.
Only when Liu Shengnan arrived with her team did the scar-faced man's expression shift. Hatred flared in his eyes as he sneered, "Captain Liu, long time no see. The debt for you killing my brother is something we need to settle today."
With a grave expression, Liu Shengnan knew the situation was extremely tricky. She shouted authoritatively, "You can't escape now! If you know what's good for you, release the hostage and surrender immediately to seek leniency!"
"Haha, what a joke! Five years ago, I wiped out all seven members of my enemy's family, and since then I've committed nine more crimes, traveling across most of China and running circles around you cops. You think a few cops like this are enough to make me surrender?"
The scar-faced man sneered triumphantly, "Cut the crap! You killed my brother a year ago, and this blood feud is irreconcilable. Don't you want to save the hostage? Fine, come over here right now and trade places with her. Well? Do you dare?"
The surrounding officers all paled.
"Captain, you can't!"
"A murderer like this has no humanity at all, Captain! Don't jump into this fire pit!"
Liu Shengnan was locked in an internal struggle, but with a hard bite of her lip, she prepared to agree.
Suddenly, a slightly familiar voice came from behind her: "Hey, hey, hey, who do you think you are, trying to make my minor wife act as a hostage? Careful or I'll step in and cripple you!"
Chapter 3: Hero Saves the Beauty
Liu Shengnan and the others turned back to see Chen Feiyu, dressed in cheap street stall clothes, looking lazily at the suspect.
"Didn't I tell you to stay in the car? What are you coming over here to make trouble for?!" Liu Shengnan was so angry she almost coughed up blood.
Chen Feiyu walked right up to Liu Shengnan and whispered softly in her ear, "If I help you catch him, will you be my minor wife?"
"Stop messing around! What if you provoke the suspect and he straight-up kills her?" Liu Shengnan asked anxiously.
At the same time, she silently regretted why on earth she had brought Chen Feiyu along.
Chen Feiyu just smiled, said nothing, and strode straight ahead, prompting Liu Shengnan to let out a startled gasp.
"Get lost! What if you push the suspect into killing someone?" a policeman cursed aloud.
Chen Feiyu said disdainfully, "What a joke. A piece of trash like that could kill someone right under my nose?"
"Stop right there!" The scar-faced man hadn't taken Chen Feiyu seriously at all, sneering, "Liu Shengnan, get over here right now, or I'll really kill her!"
The dagger in his hand pressed another fraction closer to the hostage's neck, scaring the young girl into immediate tears.
Only then did Chen Feiyu notice the hostage's appearance.
She was a young girl of about seventeen or eighteen with fair skin, delicate facial features, and a ponytail—an absolute beauty.
Right now, her tear-stained, nervous, and terrified expression made her all the more pitiful.
"Damn it, she's actually this pretty? What a beast!" Chen Feiyu cursed loudly.
Everyone around was rendered speechless. Was this really the time to be judging the hostage's looks?
Liu Shengnan clenched her teeth, already stepping forward to execute the hostage exchange.
Cruel amusement was already surfacing in the scar-faced man's eyes.
Suddenly, Chen Feiyu's gaze sharpened. Three silver needles materialized between his fingers, and with a flick of his wrist, they shot out with incredible speed, piercing straight into the scar-faced man's body.
In the next instant, amidst the shock of everyone present, a heavy "thud" echoed as the scar-faced man collapsed limply to the ground.
Terror flooded his eyes as he screamed, "W-Why can't I move?!"
The situation flipped instantly. Everyone, including Liu Shengnan, stood frozen in stunned disbelief, unable to process what had just happened.
They never would have guessed that the menacing fugitive would be subdued by Chen Feiyu using three simple silver needles.
Even more shocking was that none of them had been able to see how Chen Feiyu pulled it off.
Liu Shengnan's eyes were filled with sheer disbelief.
She drew a sharp breath, sensing for the first time that Chen Feiyu was shrouded in deep mystery.
Chen Feiyu walked up, casually patted the hostage on the head with a bright smile, and said, "Such a pretty little girl, remember to be careful when you go out from now on. You won't always be lucky enough to run into someone as awesome as me."
Lin Yujia, the young hostage, felt that Chen Feiyu's image had instantly grown infinitely tall and heroic.
Her pretty face turned red, and she whispered a soft, "Mn."
Chen Feiyu smiled leisurely, picked up the dropped dagger, and patted the suspect's face. "Such a pretty girl—what if you'd scratched her face? You really have no appreciation for romance."
Liu Shengnan hurried over with quick, hurried steps, arriving just in time to see three silver needles on the scar-faced man's body, though before she could look closely, Chen Feiyu had already snatched them back in a flash.
"What's wrong with him?" Liu Shengnan asked in shock.
Chen Feiyu smiled. "Don't worry, in two or three hours, he'll be able to move on his own."
This only heightened Liu Shengnan's sense of mystery regarding Chen Feiyu, and astonishment returned to her eyes.
"Don't forget what we just said: I caught him, so you have to be my minor wife. You can't go back on your word now, right?" Chen Feiyu grinned.
Liu Shengnan rolled her eyes, a breathtakingly alluring smile blooming on her face.
Chen Feiyu's eyes lit up. He had to admit, this minor wife's charm was truly irresistible.
Liu Shengnan smiled. "You were just talking to yourself the whole time. I never agreed to anything. However, issuing you a certificate for bravery is totally fine."
"You... you're reneging on the deal!"
Chen Feiyu was speechless. On second thought, this chick really hadn't agreed. To think his lifelong reputation would take a hit right here.
Watching Chen Feiyu's expression of frustration, Liu Shengnan felt an immense sense of satisfaction, the smile at the corner of her mouth deepening. Out of curiosity, she asked, "By the way, how did you subdue him? It felt a bit unbelievable."
"That's my exclusive secret technique. Want to know?" Chen Feiyu said mysteriously, "Bring your ear over here and I'll tell you alone."
Tempted, Liu Shengnan couldn't help leaning in. The warm breath from Chen Feiyu's mouth tickled her neck, making her blush instantly...
Chapter 4: Looked Down Upon by a Security Guard
Gazing at her snowy-white skin, Chen Feiyu teased, "It's simple. Just call me a good husband, and I'll tell you."
"Go to hell!"
Realizing she had been tricked, Liu Shengnan felt an itchy irritation and threw a punch straight at Chen Feiyu's face.
Chen Feiyu dodged to the side while simultaneously reaching out with lightning speed to grab Liu Shengnan's delicate hand.
Her hand really was smooth and fair.
Unable to resist, he planted a kiss on the back of her hand and said in a daze, "So fragrant. As expected of my minor wife."
"Detestable!"
Furious, Liu Shengnan jerked her hand back and followed up with a fierce side kick.
Chen Feiyu had already slipped away to the side. As he bolted into the distance, he burst out laughing, "Minor wife, thanks for bringing me to Mingji City! Now I'm off to find my main wife, but I'll come back to dote on you later."
"Little hooligan! Don't let me catch you, or I'll castrate you for sure!"
Liu Shengnan was fit to be tied. To think he dared talk about going to find his main wife right in front of her—wasn't that a clear statement that her charm wasn't enough?
Pthui! What kind of random nonsense was she thinking? Truly inexplicable.
Catching herself, Liu Shengnan spat mentally, her face flushing crimson.
It was the first time the tall officer had ever witnessed Liu Shengnan acting like this, and he stood rooted to the spot in a daze.
He thought to himself: Could Captain Liu, this tigress, have taken the wrong medicine today?
Only then did Liu Shengnan notice the tall officer's weird stare. Embarrassed and enraged, she snapped, "What are you staring at?! Get in the car right now and escort the suspect back! If he gets away, can you take responsibility?!"
The tall officer instantly fell silent out of fear.
Glaring in the direction Chen Feiyu had vanished, Liu Shengnan felt her chest heave with rage as she swore a silent oath to make Chen Feiyu pay.
Of course, Chen Feiyu was blissfully unaware that he had been blacklisted by the policewoman. But even if he knew, he wouldn't have cared.
For his master had taught him that when dealing with disobedient women, one must conquer them with force. If once wasn't enough, do it twice; if twice wasn't enough, do it thrice.
Women, after all, would always end up completely docile, just like obedient little wives.
After asking a few passersby, Chen Feiyu finally located the exact address of Chaoran Group.
"Not bad. As expected of my main wife—she certainly has good taste."