Yuanshan: There’s right, son. What’s so good about being the Beggar Sect’s chief? Once we return to Liao, you can be a lord or general with your talents.
Yuanshan says as he watches Xiao Feng thrusts the green jade staff into the ground and walks away.
The green jade staff (Lu-yu-zhang) which is also known as the Dog beating Stick (Da-gou-bang), is a symbol of leadership in the Beggar Sect where only the chief can hold it. By throwing it aside, Xiao Feng shows that he resigns from being the chief.
When Yuanshan was happy about it, Shang was not happy about it.
Shang’s thoughts: All the things I did to make you stay as Beggar Sect’s chief seems to have gone to waste.
He thought with the support of the majority of the members of the Beggar Sect and Kangmin, Xiao Feng would continue to stay as chief. He did not expect Xiao Feng to just give up the position like that.
Shang’s thoughts: I even ask Kangmin to save the elders who supported Xiao Feng from being held back and help them to arrive earlier to the meet.
Shang looks at Yuanshan with a happy expression on his face.
Shang’s thoughts: Like father, like son I guess.
Shang looks back at the meet.
Shang: Looks like they are being surrounded.
Yuanshan: Who cares about them?
Yuanshan begins to walk off.
Shang: Where are you going to?
Yuanshan: To find my son.
Shang: Brother Shan.
Yuanshan: What?
Shang: Xuanku and the Qiao couple are considered family to Xiao Feng for thirty years when both you and your wife are presumed dead. I hope you let them go on the behalf of Xiao Feng.
Xuanku who is a high priest of Shaolin is also a martial arts teacher of Xiao Feng and the Qiao couple are the foster parents. These three people are considered the greatest benefactors of Xiao Feng's life.
Yuanshan stops in his tracks after he hears what Shang has said.
Yuanshan thinks for a while before he clenches his fist and lands a heavy blow to a nearby tree.
Yuanshan: Hmph! Count themselves lucky.
Yuanshan says before moving off.
Shang: I will see you at Hero-gathering Manor (Ju-xian-zhuang).
Shang shouts at the leaving Yuanshan.
Yuanshan: Got it
Yuanshan shouts back while moving ahead.
Shang approaches the tree where Yuanshan has struck.
Shang’s thoughts: Looks like his martial arts have advanced another level.
Shang looks away.
Shang’s thoughts: Time to meet up with my cute disciple.
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The cute disciple that Shang mentioned was Wang Yuyan. She is also the martial prodigy that Shang mentioned in the Katanagatari Arc.
Searching through the forest, Shang finds three presences inside a wooden house.
Shang’s thoughts: Found them!
Shang: Ojamashimasu!
Shang says while entering the house.
Shang sees a standing Western Xia soldier masked with cloth, a kneeling Duan Yu and a standing Wang Yuyan who is above the stairs near them.
Shang: What is this?
Soldier:...
Duan Yu:...
Wang Yuyan: Teacher!
Shang: Hello, my cute disciple.
Shang waves to Yuyan.
Shang turns to the soldier and Duan Yu before turning to Yuyan.
The soldier turns away from Shang’s gaze while Duan Yu looks at Shang with a curious expression.
Shang: What is this? A lover’s quarrel? A love triangle? My little disciple is so great that she managed to get the hearts of two men. As your teacher, I am proud of you.
Soldier & Yuyan: It’s not like that!
Yuyan shouts while being embarrassed when she hears what Shang had said.
Yuyan herself cannot believe the man who is in front of her is the teacher that she acknowledges when she was small and she did not expect the soldier to shout the same words as her. This nearly gives her a hint to his true identity.
Soldier: Excuse me, since you have business with the lady over there, I shall take my leave.
Before the soldier could leave, he was grabbed on the shoulder by Shang.
Shang: Chottomatte.
Soldier: Err… What can I do for you, mister?
Shang: Hmm…
Shang releases his hold and looks around the soldier.
Shang then looks up at the soldier and grabs him on the sides of his arms.
Shang: From your looks, I can see that you must be a one in a million natural-born martial genius. Do you want to be my disciple?
Yuyan’s thoughts: The exact same words…
Soldier’s thoughts: Which he has said to me…
Yuyan and Soldier’s combined thoughts: Before I accept to be his disciple.
Duan Yu’s thoughts: This man must have good eyesight for martial genius. I should ask him if I am one too.
Shang: So what’s your choice?
Soldier: I am very sorry. I already had a teacher.
Shang: Eh~ That’s too bad. I could teach you better martial arts than your teacher.
Shang releases his hold.
Soldier: I am very sorry.
The soldier attempts to exit the wooden house but Shang doesn’t move from his position.
Shang: Are you seriously not going to consider the offer?
Soldier: I am very sorry that I cannot do. If you don’t mind, I seriously have to go.
Shang: Oh, okay.
Shang moves from his original position.
Shang: Wait, don’t you have any second thoughts?
As the soldier exits the house, he hears Shang’s voice again.
The soldier decides not to hear anymore and immediately sprints for the road before Shang could stop him.
Shang’s thoughts: This Murong Fu. He really knows when to run.
Before Shang enters, he already knows the real identity of the soldier. He just pretends he did not recognize the soldier.
The soldier was indeed Murong Fu in disguise. He wanted to teach both Duan Yu and his cousin a lesson about dangers in the martial world before Shang happens to step in and play around.
Murong Fu has bad experiences with Shang when he was his martial arts teacher.
When Fu was small, he would get a severe hit on the head every lesson when he fails to meet Shang’s expectations.
As part of a noble family, Fu himself does not like to be treated like that, so he requests help from his four guards who are martial artists to handle Shang.
The four guards end up being beaten up instead.
His father, Murong Bo who is the instigator of the tragedy of the Yanmen Pass and the separation of Xiao Feng’s family, does not like the way how his son is treated and confronts Shang when he is alone.
Murong Bo did not expect to be beaten up by Shang when he is already using his Star Diversion (Dou Zhuan Xing Yi) skill on Shang. Apparently Star Diversion does not work on Shang when it supposed to deflect Shang’s attacks back at him.
Thinking Shang might have used Shaolin techniques to defeat him, he decided to stay longer in Shaolin Temple.
With no one to defend him, Murong Fu has no choice but to endure the torture which is known as the beating of love by Shang.
Back at the wooden house, Shang is looking around Duan Yu.
Shang then looks at Duan Yu face to face with a serious expression.
Duan Yu: Yes?
Shang: Young man, do you know you’re going to die?