With the Blade

"Hoo..."

After reading the note, Du Chengfeng let out a long breath.

Although Wu Zhao left a lot of nonsense, at least the information conveyed was clear enough — from the contents of this note, it was obvious that a tribe living before the Yin people was discovered by Wu Zhao, who was adventuring through various worlds. Wu Zhao, a natural battle fanatic, went up to spar with them but failed, and then wrote this letter to inform him.

Perhaps there was a hint of luring him over with strong enemies, but what concerned Du Chengfeng the most were those final sentences.

He didn’t know whether the letter was intercepted, or Wu Zhao himself was killed, but this letter had ended up in the hands of Wu Zhao’s enemies. These enemies, referred to as "Ascenders" by Wu Zhao, added some notes to it, and then sent it using the channels left by Wu Zhao, as a beacon to lock in on their location.

Although those words did not explicitly mention fighting, Du Chengfeng could still smell the unmistakable malice.

These so-called Ascenders might have taken this world as their territory, with the junior Yin man Wu Zhao clearly marked for removal — and even as the recipient, Du Chengfeng himself received this bloody warning.

Their intentions were not good.

"So since you’re here, come out and have a go then."

Thinking of this, Du Chengfeng turned his head and scanned the surroundings.

"Why don’t you come out? Are you afraid?"

...

Du Chengfeng didn’t get any response.

After waiting for a while, Du Chengfeng finally confirmed, maybe they weren’t afraid, they hadn’t arrived at all.

Perhaps there was a delay on the road, or maybe Wu Zhao bought him some time; anyways, as of now, these so-called Ascenders haven’t arrived yet.

But this doesn’t mean they won’t come.

"You really know how to cause me trouble..."

Du Chengfeng thought about it and still put the note in his pocket.

No matter what, he had found himself an opponent, albeit not one he wanted — he wasn’t lying earlier; he actually had a pot on the stove, and having a strong enemy come to fight him at this time, what about the stew he was cooking?

As a pacifist, a simple villager, Du Chengfeng just wanted to live his life well, occasionally find some little hobbies, or sleep like a plant on a recliner under the afternoon sun, everything he wanted was certainly not this.

But unfortunately, heaven does not fulfill people’s wishes.

Even though he had become strong enough to have the power to protect this peaceful life, there would always be stronger enemies appearing before him.

Such a never-ending cycle, Du Chengfeng couldn’t see the end at a glance.

"Really..."

Putting away the sling and the remnants that had been broken into two halves, Du Chengfeng stood up and left.

He indeed had to hurry, as he still had a pot on the stove.

It’s just that when he followed the old memories and left Peach Blossom Town, then flew back to Forget Sorrow Village, he realized that he had been away for over a month. The people of Forget Sorrow Village even thought that something had happened to him — if there was any good news, it was that the stew he left earlier hadn’t gone to waste. Everyone smelled it and went to his house to take and share it.

Of course, with good news, there would also be bad news.

"Who are you?"

Looking at the figure in front of him, who looked exactly like him and was even carrying two large swords, Du Chengfeng was momentarily speechless.

"Why do you look exactly like me?"

"I should be asking you."

Another Du Chengfeng also furrowed his brow before Du Chengfeng.

"Why do you look exactly like me?"

"Hmm?"

"Hmm?"

The two Du Chengfengs stared at each other, neither willing to give an inch.

It was at this moment that Du Chengfeng finally knew what kind of bloody situation the villagers had concocted during the month he was away.

The first ten days were fine; everyone just thought he had gone off sightseeing. Though he seldom went out normally, it wasn’t unusual to occasionally have travel needs — but by the second ten days, everyone felt something was off since Du Chengfeng wasn’t someone who liked to travel, he rarely went away for so long.

Perhaps something had happened, something strong enough that even someone like Du Chengfeng couldn’t resolve it.

So in the third ten days, they used some of their methods to try and bring Du Chengfeng back.

They used Ruan Shantao’s ashes.

After scattering the ashes onto the ground, they sincerely prayed to Ruan Shantao, hoping this benevolent elder would protect Du Chengfeng, who was somewhere unknown, allowing him to return soon — fortunately, the elder’s protection really worked, the ashes were scattered at the door in the morning, and that day they saw Du Chengfeng walk in.

Then came the current situation.

Five days after Du Chengfeng returned to Forget Sorrow Village, Du Chengfeng returned again.

"I must kill you today."

Facing the impersonator, both Du Chengfengs drew their swords simultaneously.

Neither of the Du Chengfengs would allow a fake to stand beside them, only one real Du Chengfeng can exist in this world, and it must be himself.

However, the villagers managed to dissuade the confrontation, mainly because the people of Forget Sorrow Village themselves couldn’t tell who was real and who was fake — if the two started fighting and the one who survived turned out to be the genuine one, that was fine, but if the survivor wasn’t real...

Then this matter is a bit too terrifying.

So fighting it out won’t work, at least not for now. If there’s really no other way, that’s when they’d need to fight it out to decide who’s the real Du Chengfeng.

What they need to do now is to figure out that "other way."

"I’m the real one."

Du Chengfeng spoke decisively.

"If you don’t believe it, I can spill all your secrets. For example, Liu Bolun, you like wearing crotchless pants, and Brother Li, you and your wife late at night..."

"What do you mean, crotchless pants! That’s called elegance!"

Before Du Chengfeng could finish, Liu Bolun and the wooden man Li Carpenter hurriedly rushed out to shut his mouth.

"Forget it, maybe we should just beat him to death."

Though that’s what they said, judging by their affectionate demeanor, it was clear Du Chengfeng’s words had an effect — being able to reveal everyone’s behind-the-scenes stuff, that’s clearly something only the real Du Chengfeng could do.

Only, Du Chengfeng didn’t expect that at this moment, the other Du Chengfeng also spoke up.

"So what? I’m the real Du Chengfeng. How could I not know these things?"

Saying this, the other Du Chengfeng looked at the wooden man Li Carpenter.

"Brother, isn’t your wife saying you turned into a wooden man, and your bones are too stiff and prickly? What’s there to hide?"

"You..."

The wooden man Li Carpenter was about to kick over, but that action ultimately froze mid-air.

On one hand, it was naturally because the privacy between him and his wife was exposed, making him feel a bit embarrassed. On the other, he also couldn’t tell which one was the real Du Chengfeng.

Both could reveal everyone’s secrets, both looked exactly like the real Du Chengfeng, so how could they tell them apart?

"You..."

Du Chengfeng also hadn’t expected that this imposter had such a move.

But soon, he realized the key to the matter.

The other him emerged because of the longing of the people in Forget Sorrow Village; it was a reality formed by collective imagination. How could such a concentration of people’s wishes not know everyone’s secrets?

In a certain sense, this Du Chengfeng was even more like the real deal than the genuine article himself.

After all, this Du Chengfeng was the ideal Du Chengfeng in everyone’s mind, the one the villagers wanted to see.

But...

A fake is ultimately a fake.

"Since you put it that way, then I can only use some other means."

Saying this, Du Chengfeng went to the village academy to retrieve some of Ruan Shantao’s ashes.

"These are the ashes left by Master Ruan, who has always been protecting us...we’ve troubled Master Ruan too much, we need to live our own lives and let him rest."

"This... seems valid."

The people present thought for a while, then nodded together.

Using old man Ruan’s ashes was just an accident for them. Even though Ruan Shantao’s protection was magical, using it too much would still make them feel a bit guilty towards the deceased old man — and now, with this unpredictable danger appearing, it was clear some things just shouldn’t be done.

So the people present agreed with Du Chengfeng’s approach.

Only the other Du Chengfeng’s face changed dramatically.

"What are you going to do! Are you going to destroy Master Ruan’s protection! Are you cutting off Forget Sorrow Village’s resources, leaving everyone with nothing to eat or drink! You’re a fake! You’re going to destroy this place!"

As he spoke, the other Du Chengfeng pushed aside Li Carpenter and Liu Bolun in front of him, about to draw his sword to fight with Du Chengfeng.

But before the sword was drawn, the gaze of the people pinned him in place.

"That’s the difference between us."

Du Chengfeng sighed.

"Maybe in everyone’s imagination, I’m the kind of person who gets angry and fights... but in reality, that depends on the situation."

Du Chengfeng stepped forward and patted the other version of himself on the shoulder.

"I never get angry with my own, I never fight my own, and I definitely know when to be content."

Even though it was just a casual pat, the other Du Chengfeng’s form gradually dissipated.

Along with Forget Sorrow Village’s mines, crops, and all sorts of resources and products related to Ruan Shantao’s ashes.

When they no longer needed the old man’s protection, this protection naturally vanished into thin air.

"If it’s gone, it’s gone, it’s no big deal. We’ve already stocked up... Besides, nothing’s missing from the warehouse, right? Master Ruan’s protection is still there."

Looking at the fellow villagers who were saddened by the disappearance of specialty products, Du Chengfeng offered words of comfort.

"No matter what, this is our home."

"And it’s my home too."