[Wuxia] Wandering Freely in the Tang Dynasty (Complete) - 20

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Chapter 67 Moonlit Night Murderous Intent
Inside the room, another young man's voice rang out: "Mr. Xi, you've worked hard. I'm determined to conquer Bashu this time. I will remember your merits."
The first voice rang out again: "Xi Feng wouldn't dare, Prince Qi, you're too kind."
Song Shidao had met Li Yuanji before, so he recognized the speaker as Li Yuanji. And that 'Xi Feng,' the one who slaughtered all the monks of Da Shi Temple, not only had similar skills to Xi Ying, but also shared the same surname, so they must have some kind of relationship.
Another pleasant, gentle voice asked: "How confident is Prince Qi about the success of this operation?"
Li Yuanji replied: "Before coming here, I was only 50% confident, but later, I was 90% confident."
The gentle voice then said: "Oh?"
Clearly, they wanted to know the details.
Li Yuanji said, "Miss Shi has already personally gone to Duzun Fortress. With her sharp tongue and the influence of Cihang Jingzhai, I believe she can definitely have a profound impact on Jie Hui. Heh!"
Upon hearing the words "Miss Shi," Song Shidao was startled. He didn't know that Shi Feixuan had already taken the lead in persuading Jie Hui. Now, the only thing they could rely on was Song Que's letter, because Song Shidao could tell from Jie Hui's expression that Song Que's letter would definitely not have a minor effect. As soon as
Li Yuanji finished speaking, two disdainful snorts rang out simultaneously in the room.
Li Yuanji hurriedly said, "Gentlemen, you are overthinking this. I have absolutely no intention of praising Miss Shi. You should know that she supports my second brother. This time, I will use her to gain all the credit."
He paused and then sighed, "As for how to win over the Sichuan Gang, it really is giving me a headache."
Xi Feng grunted and said, "Prince Qi, please don't think that I am your subordinate. I am only cooperating with you to avenge my master."
After these words, the room fell silent.
Song Shidao guessed that Li Yuanji inside must be feeling embarrassed. His thoughts were beginning to clear. This Xi Feng was likely Xi Ying's disciple, and his cooperation with Li Yuanji was simply to deal with Yuan Yueze. If that was the case, why didn't he choose Li Shimin? Song Shidao
couldn't figure it out.
The meaning behind Li Yuanji's words was also very clear. It seemed that Duzun Fortress and Ba Alliance, two of the three major powers in Bashu, were no longer under Li Yuanji's control. Duzun Fortress was another story, with Shi Feixuan acting as a persuader. The Ba League was an alliance of local ethnic minorities to counter the power of the Han Chinese. It was primarily composed of the Qiang, Yao, Miao, and Yi ethnic groups, with four leaders: Feng Zhen, the "Monkey King" of the Qiang; Sina, the "Beautiful Lady" of the Yao; Jiao Luofeng, the "Elder" of the Miao; and Chuan Mouxun, the "Wind General" of the Yi. It was not surprising that the Li Tang dynasty colluded with the Ba League, as Sichuan was a highly coveted prize. Shared interests were the best basis for their alliance. So why didn't the Sichuanese choose to submit?
Li Yuanji's voice rang out again: "Sir, your criticism is well-deserved; it is my fault."
This man's ability to be flexible and adaptable impressed Song Shidao, who was outside. When he met Li Yuanji several years ago, he had only thought the man was narrow-minded and petty; he hadn't expected his personality to change so much.
Another gentle voice said, "Your Highness is too kind. How about I bring Fan Zhuo to you tomorrow night?"
Li Yuanji hesitated, "I am deeply grateful for your offer, but will it displease the people of Bashu?"
The voice said coldly, "Those who do great things cannot be bound by trivial matters. How about this, I will bring his precious daughter to you as a hostage? If Fan Zhuo dares to resist, I will be the first to kill him."
Li Yuanji said with delight, "Your idea is excellent, sir. I will trouble you tomorrow night."
Song Shidao was secretly alarmed. Fan Zhuo was a highly respected figure in the Bashu martial arts world, yet this person did not take him seriously at all. Could this person be the 'Grandmaster Uncle' that Xi Feng mentioned, Xi Ying's grandmaster uncle? How come he had never heard of such a person before?
The voice continued, "There is no need for further politeness. Your Highness, just remember what you promised us."
Li Yuanji hurriedly agreed.
Afterward, the five of them left separately.
To be on the safe side, Song Shidao hid in the shadows for another quarter of an hour before daring to emerge, pondering what the man meant by "the promise he made to us," while cautiously searching for Hou Wenqing.
※※※※※ Yuan Yueze, seeing Li Xiuning's discomposure upon seeing him, followed by a deep look before leaving, felt his unease intensify.
When he first left, he not only tied up his long hair but also changed out of his long purple robe, which he hadn't worn for years. With guidance from Shan Meixian and the other women, he had altered his aura, a process naturally achievable by changing the flow of his true energy. A change in aura alters one's entire demeanor; even his deep, dark, slightly blue pupils became ordinary. Therefore, to those familiar with Yuan Yueze's refined气质 (qi zhi - inherent quality/temperament), he was now a complete stranger. During the ten days he spent communicating with Xiang Yutian, Xiang Yutian had also instructed him on how to further alter his aura, so Yuan Yueze, upon arriving in Chengdu, had no worries about being recognized.
But upon closer reflection, he began to understand.
His back view and his movements.
Yuan Yueze's physique was already quite outstanding, and for Li Xiuning, who liked him and was very perceptive, his back view must have been unforgettable. Add to that Yuan Yueze's occasional unconscious gestures, such as gazing at the scenery with his hands behind his back—a signature move of his—and these two key elements combined with his back view told him that Li Xiuning must have recognized him. As for why she hadn't greeted him, Yuan Yueze couldn't understand. But he knew that in the future, when he disguised himself, he had to change those habitual gestures; he shouldn't be easily recognized just by his back view.
Having lost interest in continuing to admire the lantern festival, Yuan Yueze turned to return to the inn to wait for Song Shidao.
In a flash, passing through a crowd of children setting off firecrackers, his sharp eyes spotted a large, spherical object rolling out of a distant temple. Just as he was about to be surprised at the size of the object, a closer look revealed it to be a large, obese man. His arms seemed unusually short, perhaps due to excess fat, and he had a protruding belly. His flat head, as large as a round meat pie, looked as if it had grown directly from his broad shoulders. His ruddy face had narrow eyes that gleamed with a sinister light as he glanced around. Combined with his thick lips, it was clear he was a man who indulged in pleasure and entertainment.
Yuan Yueze's perceptive abilities further indicated that he was actually a highly skilled cultivator, merely disguising himself as a martial arts expert.
Beside the obese man nestled a woman whose eyes and brows still held a hint of spring. This woman was well-proportioned, beautiful as a flower, and every movement she made exuded a captivating allure. But her face was flushed, and her eyes were brimming with spring water; even without a close look, it was clear she was a woman of loose morals.
The man and woman walking together looked utterly mismatched; to call them an adulterous couple would be an insult to the term.
Yuan Yueze turned to the noodle shop waiter, who was excitedly admiring the lantern festival, and asked, "Excuse me, do you know the name of that temple? Do you recognize those two?"
The waiter glanced at the couple slowly walking away from the lantern festival and replied, "That's Qingyangsi, one of Chengdu's famous scenic spots. Legend has it that Laozi once made an appointment to meet someone here, and Qingyangsi became renowned, becoming a Taoist holy site. The man is none other than An Long'an, the big boss of Chengdu, known in the underworld as 'Fat Jia.' The woman should be Zhu Jie's daughter, known as 'Poisonous Spider,' Princess Zhu Mei. They're always seen together; who in Chengdu doesn't know them?"
Yuan Yueze secretly realized it was An Long and Zhu Mei. Zhu Mei's father, Zhu Can, called himself "King Garuda," and reportedly commanded 100,000 troops, with Champion as their central stronghold, roaming Huainan and the vicinity of the Han River. Since his men did not participate in labor, the entire army relied on plunder for sustenance. Initially, this satisfied their needs, but after several raids, the people's food supplies were nearly depleted. Zhu Can then ordered that in each city he conquered, all women and children be captured, boiled, and eaten—a cruel and inhumane act that horrified the entire world. The people spontaneously organized several resistances against Zhu Can's army, but Zhu Can's men were all cruel and bloodthirsty, like wolves and tigers. How could ordinary people be a match for them? The result was predictable: each time, Zhu Can slaughtered them with bloody methods. The powerful warlords in the south, like Xiao Xian, naturally didn't want to provoke this fiend and needlessly lose their troops, especially since Zhu Can wasn't running rampant in their territories. Over time, Zhu Can became increasingly unscrupulous; no one in the Huainan and Han River regions dared to challenge him, and any able-bodied civilians fled to other places.
Seeing Yuan Yueze deep in thought, the noodle shop waiter approached and whispered, "Let me add something, sir. Don't be fooled by her alluring and seductive appearance; she's actually incredibly ruthless. Rumor has it that Zhu Mei, that poisonous woman, turns on men when she's tired of them, determined to kill them to prevent them from being taken by other women."
Yuan Yueze chuckled, "Young man, do you think I'd be interested in such a woman?"
He casually slipped the waiter another silver ingot and, to the waiter's astonishment, leaped after him.
※※※※※ It was almost midnight. Following Hou Wenqing's instructions, Song Shidao had been waiting for Yuan Yueze at the inn for over two hours, but he hadn't returned.
After a slight noise, Yuan Yueze's figure climbed in through the window.
Removing his mask, he glanced at Song Shidao, then sat down at the table and gulped down a cup of tea, asking, "How long have you been here, Second Brother?"
Song Shidao quickly recounted his experiences, and Yuan Yueze followed suit, sighing, "I followed An Long and Zhu Mei for over an hour, but found nothing. They both went to sleep, so I had to come back."
Song Shidao asked, "Why did you follow An Long?"
Yuan Yueze replied, "You Niaojuan and his companion came to Chengdu. Although we don't know their purpose yet, they might go back to An Long."
Song Shidao nodded thoughtfully.
Since its inception, the Demonic Sect has reached its most prosperous generation in nearly a century, with the reign of "Empress Yin" Zhu Yuyan and "Evil King" Shi Zhixuan. However, decades ago, due to differences in personality and methods, the "Empress Yin" and "Evil King" broke up after falling in love. Subsequently, their hatred deepened, and members of the Demonic Sect chose to support those they deemed worthy. An Long was one of those who supported Shi Zhixuan. For many years, An Long had always been cautious in his actions, always following Shi Zhixuan's lead and obeying his orders. As one of the few people in the world who had gained Shi Zhixuan's trust, An Long never really paid much attention to Zhu Yuyan. As disciples of "Evil Emperor" Xiang Yutian, You Niaojuan and his three companions were personally taught by Xiang Yutian a skill that allowed them to sense the location of the Demonic Sect's treasure, the "Evil Emperor's Relic." Decades ago, Zhu Yuyan had hunted down You Niaojuan and his companions in order to learn about this skill, ultimately causing a bitter feud between You Niaojuan and the Yin Gui Sect. If Yuan Yueze wanted to find You Niaojuan and Ding Jiuzhong, then Anlong was definitely a clue he couldn't afford to miss.
The two pondered for a long time, and Yuan Yueze said, "How did Li Yuanji know Yuhua was in Luoyang? Very few people know this. Could it be that he made it up by mistake?"
Song Shidao sighed, "This matter is too bizarre, and judging from Jie Hui's expression, he doesn't doubt Li Yuanji's statement at all. I don't understand it either."
Yuan Yueze said, "Forget it, let's talk about this later. At worst, I'll personally explain it to Jie Hui later. As long as I don't admit it, who can do anything about it?"
Song Shidao gave a thumbs up and chuckled, "Speaking of being a liar, you're absolutely the best."
Yuan Yueze chuckled and then said, "I was wondering why I saw Shi Feixuan leaving Chengdu outside the city..." She had already met with Jie Hui, and her departure from Sichuan now was likely to persuade Du Fuwei. Du Fuwei's attack on Jiangdu had failed, and he no longer had the resources to contend for the world. She was truly sparing no effort for the sake of the Li Tang dynasty.
Song Shidao also nodded and said, "Your guess is correct. According to you, could Xi Feng be Xi Ying's disciple? And who is Xi Ying's uncle?"
Yuan Yueze shook his head and said, "According to your description, Xi Feng should be Xi Ying's disciple. I haven't heard of Xi Ying's uncle. The person I know with the highest seniority in the Demonic Sect is Yu Yan's uncle, Bi Shouxuan..."
Suddenly, a clue flashed through Yuan Yueze's mind, but it was not very clear and disappeared in an instant.
Song Shidao continued, "They're planning a sneak attack on the Sichuan Gang tomorrow. Should we help them?"
Yuan Yueze replied, "We can help, and it'll also help us confirm their identities. I'll continue searching for You Niaojuan and the other two tomorrow."
Song Shidao asked, "Do you think Li Xiuning might betray you?"
Yuan Yueze turned to look out the brightly lit window and shook his head, "I don't know."
After a long silence, Song Shidao broke the stillness, stood up, and patted Yuan Yueze's shoulder twice, saying, "I'm going to sneak out now. Let's split up tomorrow."
Watching Song Shidao's figure quickly disappear outside the window, Yuan Yueze also leaped out, put on a mask, and pretended to go upstairs again from the main entrance of the inn.
The next evening.
Song Shidao was meditating and circulating his qi in an inn in the east of the city when there was a rapid knocking at the door.
He got up to open the door and found that it was Fang Yimin, the steward of Duzun Fort. He was breathing heavily, clearly having rushed there. Upon seeing Song Shidao, he said, "Excuse me, Second Young Master. The Lord of the Fortress has urgent business to discuss with you and sent me to invite you."
Song Shidao quickly prepared himself and, together with Fang Yimin, hurried towards Duzun Fortress.
Entering the main hall, Xie Hui, his eyes bloodshot and face solemn, dismissed the other servants and said to Song Shidao, "I just received accurate information that Yuan Yueze has arrived in Chengdu!"
Song Shidao was stunned, then coldly snorted, "Where is he? I'm going to find him and ask him about my elder sister's whereabouts. If he doesn't tell me, then I'll fight to the death!"
Xie Hui sighed, "We don't know where he is either, because he's disguised. This news was only given to me by Prince Qi this afternoon. All we know is that he caused trouble with a woman at a gambling den in southern Sichuan yesterday. This man is truly arrogant."
Song Shidao ... He secretly rejoiced that he and Hou Wenqing had always traveled separately, even when staying at the same inn, they would pretend to be strangers and check in separately. Otherwise, someone would definitely speculate about his relationship with Yuan Yueze. So he asked, "What is he doing in Chengdu?"
Jie Hui sneered, "He simply doesn't want us to submit to the Tang Dynasty!"
Song Shidao tentatively said, "Whatever he does, leave it to me. Uncle, just continue to support the Tang Dynasty."
Jie Hui gave a bitter smile, took out Song Que's letter from his pocket, and handed it to Song Shidao.
Song Shidao opened it with a puzzled look.
There were only four lines of text.
The first three lines were: "The fish trap is for catching fish, the snare is for catching rabbits, and words are for conveying meaning." The last line was: "
Da Zi died, and the King of Qi fled to Ju.
" Song Shidao understood the key point in a moment and secretly cheered for his father.
The first three lines of text are from the "External Things" chapter of Zhuangzi. The original text reads: "The fish trap is for catching fish; once you have caught the fish, you forget the fish trap. The rabbit snare is for catching rabbits; once you have caught the rabbit, you forget the snare. Words are for conveying meaning; once you have grasped the meaning, you forget the words."
The first story tells of a fisherman who went to the river to fish. He cast his bamboo fish trap into the water and intently watched the bobber. Finally, a red carp was caught. Overjoyed, he removed the fish, tossed the trap aside, and hurried home to boast of his success. His wife said it was the trap's doing and asked where it was. Only then did the fisherman realize he had forgotten to bring it home. The moral of the story is that after achieving success, one forgets what one relied on.
The last line, however, comes from the *Lüshi Chunqiu* (Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals), specifically the story of Quan Xun. The original text reads: "Da Zi led his remaining troops to fight against Qin and Zhou. Having no reward, he sent someone to request gold from the King of Qi. The King of Qi angrily said, 'How can you give gold to such a wretched fellow?' He fought against the Yan people and suffered a great defeat. Da Zi died, and the King of Qi fled to Ju. The Yan people pursued him into their country, and they fought over gold in Mei Tang. This is an example of someone who, greedy for small gains, lost a great one."
It means that for the sake of small benefits, one causes great losses, losing the big for the small.
Song Que deliberately omitted three sentences in the first three lines, leaving much to the imagination: Was he warning Xie Hui to carefully choose a wise ruler who wouldn't betray him after using him, or was he warning Xie Hui not to forget how he himself got to where he was today? Considering the last sentence, the latter interpretation seems more plausible. This letter was indeed ruthless. If Xie Hui chose the Li Tang dynasty, which had Hu (non-Han) ancestry, then Sichuan's foreign trade would suffer an unprecedented blow. Given Song Que's methods, he could naturally foresee this. He would then shift the blame onto Xie Hui, not only affecting the lives of the people but also completely ruining Xie Hui's reputation.
Xie Hui said helplessly, "I know Brother Song's determination to glorify the Han Dynasty, but his move is truly ruthless. What's the point of all this?"
Song Shidao said, "Alas, my late father's thinking has always been the same. Fortunately, I don't get involved in these matters, otherwise it would be very difficult. What are your plans, Uncle?"
Xie Hui said sadly, "I spent the whole night reading these four lines, but I still can't figure out what to do next."
Song Shidao said, "Uncle, there's no need to rush. You can think about it slowly. I need to go out and find Yuan Yueze first. We should settle our scores."
Xie Hui nodded and didn't say anything more, watching Song Shidao bow and leave the hall.
Standing on the streets, which were packed with people and filled with a festive atmosphere, the sound of firecrackers was deafening, and one Kongming lantern after another was launched into the sky, vying with the bright moon. Using his Bone-Contraction Technique, Song Shidao, now transformed into the 'Overlord Blade' Yue, had no time to ponder these matters. He understood that Li Xiuning must have informed Li Yuanji about Yuan Yueze's situation, who then relayed it to Xie Hui. The purpose was obvious: to use outsiders to eliminate Yuan Yueze in Chengdu. However, he was puzzled. According to Yuan Yueze, Li Xiuning was supposed to favor Li Shimin. Why would she tell such crucial information to Li Yuanji, who was currently engaged in internal strife with Li Shimin? Furthermore, Song Yuzhi had also stated that Li Xiuning loved Yuan Yueze; how could she possibly harm him?
But the facts were undeniable.
Song Shidao suddenly stopped, remembering his mission to help the Sichuan Gang. Since the news about Yuan Yueze had leaked, informing him now wouldn't matter much. Besides, with Yuan Yueze's abilities, who could kill him?
With this thought, Song Shidao turned back and headed towards Taicheng.
Eastern Chengdu was Taicheng, the residential area for prefects, officials, and people of high status. As high-ranking guests from outside the Li Tang dynasty, the people there naturally had to stay in prominent residences within Taicheng.
This was Song Shidao's only option; he hadn't been able to find out where Xi Feng and his companions were staying last night, and he dared not follow them, otherwise, if discovered, he would surely be killed by several skilled fighters.
Tonight, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, he was lucky.
After lurking outside the VIP guesthouse for just over an hour, he saw a handsome, elegant, and graceful middle-aged scholar emerge from a heavily guarded courtyard, carrying a bronze flute. Judging from his light breathing, swift and effortless gait, and refined demeanor, Song Shidao immediately concluded that this man was highly skilled in martial arts. He instantly recalled the man from last night who had spoken softly, offering to capture Fan Zhuo's daughter for Li Yuanji. Just
as he was about to slip out of the alley to follow him, Song Shidao suddenly felt a sense of unease and stopped in his tracks. A figure, seemingly ethereal and otherworldly, flew out from the courtyard—it was Xi Feng, clad in black and carrying a leather bag.
Xi Feng and the middle-aged scholar sped away, one after the other.
Song Shidao cautiously followed.
Halfway there, the two suddenly separated. The middle-aged scholar went east, while Xi Feng went west, towards Shaocheng, where the Sichuan Gang's headquarters were located.
Was the middle-aged scholar returning to the courtyard? Or had they discovered Song Shidao was following them and were using a ruse?
Song Shidao had no time to think. He could only follow one person at a time, and following Xi Feng was the best option. Even if they were using a diversionary tactic, Song Shidao had no choice but to accept it. Otherwise, if Xi Feng really was going to attack the Sichuan Gang, everything would be over.
The two, one after the other, quickly arrived at the outskirts of Shaocheng.
Under the dark night sky, many Kongming lanterns rose above the bustling city, vying for brilliance with the stars, creating a beautiful spectacle.
Xi Feng suddenly stopped.
Song Shidao had been following Xi Feng for several dozen feet, confident he wouldn't be discovered. When Xi Feng suddenly stopped, he immediately halted and hid behind a tree.
Xi Feng stood tall and imposing, hands behind his back, and said calmly, "Still not coming out? You think you can hide from me?"
※※※※※ Yuan Yueze had been tracking An Long all day. When he felt nauseous, he finally followed An Long to his old liquor shop, 'Longhexing,' in the South Market.
An Long cautiously entered the courtyard behind the shop, looked around, and then disappeared into an inconspicuous room in the east wing.
Yuan Yueze's perception was far superior to Song Shidao's. Using the golden moonlight, he focused his hearing, instantly gaining a complete grasp of everything within the small courtyard, spanning several dozen feet.
A strange laugh echoed from inside the room, followed by You Niaojuan's voice: "Fatty An, do you think that guy surnamed Feng is trustworthy?"
An Long replied, "Of course he's trustworthy, but not entirely. Don't forget we're all only together because we each have our own agendas."
Ding Jiuzhong chuckled sinisterly, speaking slowly and leisurely, "We encountered this person before we even left the mountain, realizing his immense power. Even after twenty years of hiding, he still managed to find us. But if he wants to scheme against me, he's still a bit lacking."
An Long let out a pig-like laugh and said, "You'd better be careful. He just wants to trick you into knowing how to investigate the Sacred Relic. His promise to hand it over after the cooperation is just a deception."
Yuan Yueze then understood why he hadn't seen You Niaojuan and the others at Qiyun Temple; they had been intercepted beforehand. So who was this 'Feng' they were talking about? From An Long's words, Yuan Yueze guessed that their cooperation revolved around the 'Evil Emperor's Relic.' Unfortunately, they were unaware that the 'Evil Emperor's Relic' had been in Yuan Yueze's possession for several years.
You Niaojuan sneered, "His skills are indeed superior to any one of us, but the three of us combined are confident we can defeat him."
An Long sighed, "If Brother Shi had no flaws, why would I need to cooperate with that Feng fellow!"
Yuan Yueze knew that An Long harbored an almost fanatical worship for Shi Zhixuan, a belief that had remained unchanged for decades. He had always hoped that Shi Zhixuan could unify the demonic path. For him, the obstacle in the past was Bi Xiuxin, and now it was Shi Qingxuan. So, was his cooperation with outsiders this time an attempt to restore a flawless 'Evil King' to the demonic sect, or had he lost faith in the 'Evil King'? The latter was unlikely. If it were the former, Shi Qingxuan would be in danger, because An Long's cooperation with that Feng fellow might very well require the other party to kill Shi Qingxuan. If it were an ordinary opponent, Yuan Yueze wouldn't have to worry. But judging from You Niaojuan's tone, it would take An Long, You Niaojuan, and Ding Jiuzhong to defeat that guy surnamed Feng. This kind of strength was definitely not something Shi Qingxuan could withstand.
The three chatted for a while longer, their conversation revolving around the matter of joining forces to deal with the Yin Gui Sect. Yuan Yueze couldn't hear anything else of value.
Half an hour later, You Niaojuan and his companion left first, while An Long stayed behind. This was undoubtedly good news for Yuan Yueze, who wanted to kill You Niaojuan and his companion.
Following You Niaojuan and his companion, who were heading northeast, for a long time, they reached a sparsely populated area on the edge of the region.
"Stop!"
Yuan Yueze shouted coldly, his figure suddenly transforming into a ghostly apparition, vanishing instantly.
The next moment, he appeared behind Ding Jiuzhong, silently throwing a punch at Ding Jiuzhong's back. The surrounding air seemed to be pulled away by his fist, instantly transforming into a surging, turbulent wave of air that swept towards Ding Jiuzhong like a tidal wave.
Ding Jiuzhong had experienced many battles, large and small. Before Yuan Yueze's voice rang out, he suddenly sensed the impending danger, turning around and raising his hand to block.
"Ah!"
"Bang!"
Ding Jiuzhong's shrill scream rang out as he staggered back several steps. Before he could regain his footing, his left arm, which had been blocking Yuan Yueze, suddenly exploded, turning into blood essence.
Yu Niaojuan, the instant Yuan Yueze threw his punch, leaped away from the battlefield, fully demonstrating his selfish and unethical nature.
Having landed a successful blow, Yuan Yueze didn't pause, leaping forward to punch Yu Niaojuan, who was preparing to abandon his companion and flee.
Yu Niaojuan, already reflexively taking down the one-legged bronze figure he carried on his back, met Yuan Yueze's powerful punch head-on.
"Bang!"
Yu Niaojuan was shaken by the force of the counterattack, his blood surging, and he staggered back a step.
The instant his left arm exploded, Ding Jiuzhong's face suddenly turned a strange crimson, and he spat out a jet of blood, aiming straight for Yuan Yueze's left shoulder. Simultaneously, his right hand drew a giant iron mace, smashing it down on Yuan Yueze's head. This attack, at first glance, seemed like a simple and direct assault, but in reality, it was not only profound in technique but also incredibly varied. The broad mace swayed continuously, its true energy increasing with each strike, its speed also rising—the mace technique had reached a divine level.
Yuan Yueze launched a fierce attack with his right fist at You Niaojuan, while his left hand formed a sword shape with his fingers, drawing a beautiful arc of tangible yet intangible true energy along a mysterious angle, perfectly covering the path of the blood arrow and the giant iron mace.
After a muffled thud, Yuan Yueze flew back and stood still, calmly looking at the terrified You Niaojuan and his companion.

Chapter 068 Life Hangs by a Thread
Song Shidao gasped, calmly walking out and standing five zhang behind Xi Feng.
Xi Feng remained silent, not even moving, still with his back to Song Shidao.
In Song Shidao's eyes, Xi Feng suddenly became like a towering mountain, his aura surging, putting immense pressure on Song Shidao.
The moon is there, the sky is not there, there is illumination of nothingness, brightness returns to the moon, darkness returns to emptiness.
Song Shidao slightly closed his eyes, quickly entering a supreme state of mind where there is something yet nothingness, inaction yet action, and all thoughts are still.
Xi Feng was clearly somewhat surprised and slowly turned around.
His appearance was exactly the same as what Yuan Yueze had seen through his 'mind's eye' at the Great Stone Temple. However, seeing with his own eyes those eyes, surrounded by a strange and terrifying purple light, radiating an evil and cruel sharpness, still made Song Shidao's heart
skip a beat. Before the battle even began, Song Shidao was already at a disadvantage.
The one who strikes first gains the upper hand, the one who strikes later is controlled.
After a hoarse, maniacal laugh, Song Shidao coldly asked, "What is your relationship with Xi Ying?"
This was the beginning of his counterattack; he could also use it to test when Xi Feng had realized he was being followed.
Xi Feng was taken aback. After carefully examining Song Shidao for a few moments, he said in a deep voice, "Xi Yingzheng is my master. You have such profound Buddhist cultivation, sir. May I ask your name? Why were you secretly following me?"
Song Shidao already understood that Xi Feng must have only realized he was being followed halfway through. Just as he was about to reply, a soft and pleasant voice suddenly came from behind him: "This person is your master's mortal enemy, the 'Overlord Blade' Yue Shan, who was famous forty years ago in northern Shaanxi."
Song Shidao was startled. From the voice, he recognized that the person behind him was the one who had called himself "this one" last night and wanted to capture Fan Zhuo's daughter, the leader of the Sichuan Gang. However, he showed no reaction and did not move at all. He simply said calmly, "So it's you. I didn't expect you to still be alive!"
Although Yue Shan spent his later years in a secluded valley, he had never left the valley for decades. In addition, he had never been to Chengdu after he became famous, so it could be said that no one recognized him. But Song Shidao's words were incredibly clever. From the other person's words, Song Shidao had already vaguely discerned that the other person knew Yue Shan, so he simply uttered an ambiguous statement, leaving the question to the other person's response.
The voice behind him sneered, "Young Yue, remember to respect your elders! Even if you die a hundred times, I, Bi Shouxuan, will still be alive and well! Yes, you've been hiding for decades, what makes you dare to come out? And you even have people spreading the news for you so openly. Do you really think my Holy Sect is so easy to bully?"
Song Shidao was startled, thinking to himself, "As expected!" But how could Bi Shouxuan be involved with Xi Feng? According to Yuan Yueze, the Yin Gui Sect had slowly begun to get back on the right track in the past five years. Was Bi Shouxuan so bold, not afraid of Zhu Yuyan's punishment?
Time didn't allow him to think further. He laughed again, saying, "I, Yue, have certainly mastered the 'Sun-Changing Technique.' And where is Zhu Yuyan? I have no interest in trash like you."
Xi Feng and Bi Shouxuan simultaneously slapped their thighs and laughed, as if they had heard the most ridiculous thing.
After the laughter subsided, Bi Shouxuan said, "Yuyan is no longer in this world, and you, tonight you will also die at our hands, so that you will know that the 'Sun-Changing Technique' is nothing but a trinket of unorthodox Indian magic."
Song Shidao turned around, looking at Bi Shouxuan, who held a bronze flute, with a puzzled expression.
Bi Shouxuan seemed to be in a good mood, saying with a mix of melancholy and excitement, "How painful it is for me, as your uncle, to personally kill my own niece. But since Yu Yan mastered her divine skill, she has changed completely. My Holy Sect will be destroyed by her sooner or later, so for the future of the Holy Sect, I must kill her."
Song Shidao was shocked, but coldly said, "I heard that she has already reached the supreme realm of the Heavenly Demon Art. How can you possibly kill her?"
Xi Feng interjected, "I must say, Zhu Yu Yan's talent is rare in my Holy Sect for a thousand years. With a non-pure Yin physique, she has actually reached the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Demon Art. However, old man, don't think that Zhu Yu Yan is invincible. With the combined power of me and Uncle-Master Bi, what difficulty is there in dealing with a Zhu Yu Yan who is not in her best condition?"
Song Shidao suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice seemingly capable of shaking the heavens and the earth, containing an indescribable sense of misery and desolation. The laughter, fueled by his true energy, carried Buddhist mantras capable of subduing demons and monsters, reaching the ears of Xi Feng and Bi Shouxuan. His true energy was the nemesis of Xi Feng's demonic arts. Yet, neither of them felt uneasy, demonstrating the high level of their demonic cultivation.
Bi Shouxuan shook his head and sighed, "I didn't expect that after all these years, Yue Xiao'er, you still can't let go of your love and hate for Yu Yan. You should know she doesn't love you. Alas, love is a terrible thing. Tonight, you can go to the underworld to see her!"
Bi Shouxuan mistakenly thought Song Shidao was mourning Zhu Yu Yan, unaware that Song Shidao was grieving for Yuan Yueze. Song Shidao knew very well how intense Yuan Yueze's feelings for Zhu Yu Yan were, and wondered how Yuan Yueze would react to this news.
But since Bi Shouxuan was so certain he was Yue Shan, Song Shidao disregarded everything and prepared to go all out. His gaze instantly became tangible, bright as lightning, full of divine light, and incomparably sharp. He coldly said, "Are you two coming at me together, or what?"
Pi Shouxuan shook his head and said, "Alas, when I last saw you forty years ago, you were at least two inches taller and much stronger than you are now. But looking at your current thin and frail appearance, if I were to make a move again, wouldn't it damage my reputation? You and Xiao Feng should settle your grudges with Xi Ying once and for all!"
After saying that, he lightly leaped back several feet and sat down on the spot.
Song Shidao, of course, didn't believe Bi Shouxuan's words. He didn't believe the other party would let him go. The only explanation was that Bi Shouxuan wanted to observe Yue Shan's strength after his return to the martial world.
Without time to think further, Song Shidao turned to Xi Feng and said, "Come, come, let me see what skills you've learned from Xi Ying!"
Xi Feng's eyes blazed with purple light. He disdainfully patted the leather pouch on his back and chuckled, "To deal with you, I don't need my treasure. I'll settle your grudges with my master's 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net'."
※※※※※ Yuan Yueze stood with his hands behind his back, three zhang away from You Niaojuan.
By the moonlight, You Niaojuan saw his face clearly, his pupils contracting sharply. He said in a sinister voice, "So it's you, Yuan brat! Why are you so despicable as to resort to ambush us?"
Yuan Yueze was taken aback, then smiled slightly, "I am Yue Siyan. Have you mistaken me for someone else?"
You Niaojuan chuckled, "A small number of people in Chengdu now know that Yue Siyan, who caused trouble at the gambling den in southern Sichuan, is Yuan Yueze. What are you pretending for?"
Yuan Yueze's face darkened. The first person who came to mind was Li Xiuning.
Although Wanwan knew Yuan Yueze had come to Chengdu, Yuan Yueze absolutely did not believe she would betray him. Li Xiuning, however, was different. She was struggling between love and family interests. No one could be more certain which side she would lean towards at this moment, or the next. Perhaps even she herself didn't know.
So she told Li Yuanji about Yuan Yueze's arrival in Chengdu, and then the malicious Li Yuanji spread the word. The target audience was the "small group" that You Niaojuan had mentioned. This group naturally consisted of powerful and influential people who had no friendly relationship with Yuan Yueze. This was the best way to kill someone using someone else.
Yuan Yueze didn't blame Li Xiuning; it was his own fault for not knowing how to shrink his bones! Yuan Yueze
smiled faintly and said, "That's right, it's me, Yuan. Today I'm here to take your lives!"
You Niaojuan and Ding Jiuzhong, who had already stopped the bleeding by acupuncture, exchanged a glance and nodded secretly.
Yuan Yueze's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he sneered, "You Niaojuan, you mustn't hold back! Next, could you let me witness the thirty-seventh move of Emperor Ding's 'Five Emperors' Mace,' 'Xiang Wang You Meng'?"
'You Niaojuan' was a name invented by Zhu Yuyan, which You Niaojuan deeply despised, but his face was cold, because the meaning of Yuan Yueze's words was all too clear: the next move could very well be a life-or-death one. Ding Jiuzhong's face flushed red. His strength lay in using the opponent's force to deflect it, but he hadn't had time to release the dense true energy that Yuan Yueze had suddenly poured into his body, resulting in the force of his arm bursting. He let out a cold snort but didn't speak.
Suddenly, You Niaojuan rushed forward like lightning, delivering a punch from afar without warning.
This punch was indeed extraordinary; the fierce energy surged forth like a tidal wave, containing a hidden pulling force.
Yuan Yueze shook his head in disappointment, his right hand pointing a finger at You Niaojuan from afar.
"Bang!"
The finger struck the fist force.
You Niaojuan realized something was wrong and immediately changed his fist into a palm, drawing a circle, changing his move on the spot, withdrawing his energy, and switching from a direct confrontation to a dodge, flying backward with extreme skill.
The moment Yuan Yueze withdrew his finger and withdrew his energy, a black shadow flashed above You Niaojuan's head, bringing with it a sky full of mace shadows—it was Ding Jiuzhong, who was attacking in coordination with You Niaojuan.
Yuan Yueze, having retracted half of his sword-like fingers, suddenly clenched his palm into a blade, slashing left and right. No matter the angle from which Ding Jiuzhong's iron mace attacked, he struck it with his palm first.
You Niaojuan only retreated one step, and the one-legged bronze figure in his right hand, after two rapid spins, unleashed its full power at a moment of overflowing momentum, striking out with all its might from about half a zhang away from Yuan Yueze. The one-legged bronze figure brought with it a howling sound like a storm sweeping into a canyon, seemingly filling the heavens and earth. Even over a short distance, the bronze figure subtly changed its speed and angle, making it impossible to predict when it would strike or what part of the body it would target. This showed that this fierce figure, listed among the eight great masters of the evil path, truly lived up to his reputation.
Their teamwork was already quite exquisite.
Unfortunately, their opponent was Yuan Yueze.
"Good! You are worthy to witness the power of my sword!"
With a roar, a white streak of light flashed behind Yuan Yueze. The tip of his sword hissed through the air, drawing a series of irregularly shaped energy balls, gradually shrinking in size. No matter how the two men changed their moves, the final circle always enveloped the point where their swords struck.
While You Niaojuan and his companion's moves were predictable, Yuan Yueze moved with effortless grace, casually unleashing four simple sword strikes.
You Niaojuan and his companion were drenched in sweat, barely having a chance to cry out. They felt each sword strike was faster than lightning, its angles so tricky that they couldn't meet it with their full strength. What terrified them even more was that when they blocked the first strike, they felt the sword weighed over ten thousand pounds; before even blocking the second, they sensed its power was several times greater than the first.
"Clang!"
The streak of light vanished abruptly.
Yuan Yueze's figure appeared three feet behind You Niaojuan and his companion.
Ding Jiuzhong was lifeless, lying stiffly on the ground behind him. The Emperor's Crown fell to the side, a small hole the size of a finger on his forehead, from which blood was gushing. You Niaojuan was unharmed, but the one-legged bronze figure in his hand had fallen to the ground, and he stood trembling.
Yuan Yueze turned and walked to him, asking, "Did you have any last words? Where are Zhou Laotan and Jin Huanzhen?"
You Niaojuan stared blankly at him, slowly saying, "Killed by that Feng guy..."
"Thump!" He
collapsed to the ground, instantly dead.
His internal organs and meridians had long been shattered by Yuan Yueze's vast true energy.
Yuan Yueze curled his lip, muttering to himself, "That's for the best, saves me the trouble of killing them again."
Suddenly, a faint shout of battle came from afar.
Yuan Yueze hesitated slightly, then ran towards it.
※※※※※ When Yue Shan became famous, Xi Ying was still a newcomer. Xi Ying, harboring some minor grudges with Yue Shan, challenged him to a duel, losing by a single move. Filled with resentment, he brutally murdered Yue Shan's entire family while Yue Shan was away, thus sowing the seeds of deep hatred.
The 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net' is a domineering demonic art created by Xi Ying, drawing upon the strengths of various schools in the Western Regions. It is hailed as the most brilliant self-created technique of the outer demonic sect, Shi Zhixuan's 'Undying Seal Technique'. The 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net' consists of twelve levels, each more difficult than the last. Even with Xi Ying's exceptional talent, it took over thirty years of arduous training to reach mastery, highlighting its immense difficulty. The 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net' emphasizes internal energy cultivation, with techniques secondary. It employs only four basic methods: spreading, gathering, strangling, and cutting. It gathers without releasing, and each strike is deadly, ruthless and deadly. When unleashed, the 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net' weaves layers of qi around the enemy like a woven cloth. The higher the level, the denser the net, binding the opponent like a fish caught in a net, with no escape. Upon reaching the twelfth level of peak cultivation, one's eyes turn a strange purple, known as 'Purple Fiery Eyes'.
Judging from Xi Feng's 'Purple Fiery Eyes', Song Shidao knew that his 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net' had reached its peak. However, Song Shidao's gaze fell on the leather pouch on his back. What exactly was this 'treasure' Xi Feng spoke of?
Xi Feng took two steps forward, a disdainful smile playing on his lips. His eyes shone brightly with purple light, and he spoke calmly and slowly: "Since you are called 'Overlord Blade,' why don't you have a blade in your hand?"
Sensing the powerful and sinister aura emanating from the other party, Song Shidao knew that the other was testing his strength and weaknesses. However, his sword had already been hidden in a secret place outside the city. Even if he had brought it, he couldn't use it, otherwise his identity would definitely be exposed. Although he didn't form a hand seal, his internal energy had actually formed the Great Vajra Wheel Seal, as stable as Mount Tai. Though he neither attacked nor defended, he revealed no flaws. He then said blankly, "My 'Sun-Changing Technique' is complete; whether or not I use a knife is no longer important."
Xi Feng nodded in sudden understanding, but Bi Shouxuan, not far away, sneered disdainfully.
"Heh, I think you're older than Xi Ying, how come you want to become his disciple? Take this first!"
While distracting Xi Feng, Song Shidao slowly raised his hand, his five fingers first spreading wide, then slowly closing into a fist, instantly generating a wild and powerful aura like a condensed river.
Xi Feng was stunned for a moment, then immediately showed a solemn expression. Even Bi Shouxuan's face was stern.
Such skill was something he had never seen before, let alone heard of.
Xi Feng's expression grew colder and colder; only he understood that every move his opponent made was a surprise attack aimed at him. The Purple Qi Heavenly Net could be compared to a spider web woven from qi; any prey that hit the web would struggle and become more tightly bound, extremely eerie and evil. If his opponent launched a preemptive attack, Xi Feng would lure them into a frenzied assault, then unleash his inner strength, using softness to overcome hardness, until the opponent was bound hand and foot, unable to exert any force, before finally killing them in one fell swoop.
However, Yue Shan, seemingly transformed into a different person, appeared to have seen through his intentions, employing a seemingly offensive yet defensive move—a move that appeared utterly ineffective—completely threw Xi Feng off balance, leaving him unsure how to respond and forced to wait and see.
This was a unique move devised by Song Shidao based on his own understanding, combined with various methods Yue Shan had imagined within the scrolls for breaking through the 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net'.
Seeing the move's effectiveness, a profound and unfathomable smile appeared on Song Shidao's lips. Suddenly, he roared, clenching his fists. True Qi flowed like water through the thousands of rivers and streams of his body's meridians, converging into a torrent. Although he didn't throw a punch, the immense and sharp force penetrated through his fist, striking Xi Feng's invisible yet tangible Heavenly Net's strongest point with surprising accuracy.
Pi Shouxuan stared dumbfounded at Song Shidao. He finally dared not underestimate the 'Sun-Changing Technique' anymore. No matter how he tried to guess, he could never have imagined that Song Shidao could channel his energy so powerfully, launching massive boulders of true energy like a catapult.
After a muffled clash of energies, Xi Feng's shoulder swayed slightly, and he took a step to the side.
Song Shidao's slight sway wasn't due to superior power, but rather the difference between concentrated and dispersed energy, between fist and net energy, which gave him the upper hand.
Xi Feng's expression grew even colder. He knew that if he allowed his opponent to continue attacking like this, he would only end up in a one-sided beating. With a sharp whistle, Xi Feng used a strange step, his face turning purple. After several erratic movements, he rushed to Song Shidao's left side, his left hand slashing swiftly. It seemed unremarkable, but the palm strike was so fierce that it could rout a thousand troops, leaving no room for resistance.
Song Shidao suddenly closed his eyes, shifting his body to the side as if anticipating Xi Feng's attack. With a premonition, he brought his palms together vertically, his fingers making exquisitely precise movements, like a blooming flower, meeting Xi Feng's earth-shattering palm strike head-on. In the instant Xi Feng dodged the punch and shifted his weight, Song Shidao clearly grasped the movement of the entire Heavenly Net Qi and the shift in the center of gravity. He simply closed his eyes, unfazed by Xi Feng's footwork, and met the attack head-on with its fierce and unparalleled power.
"Bang!"
Xi Feng grunted, flying back three steps. With a slight sway of his shoulder, his figure completely disappeared from Song Shidao's sight.
Song Shidao merely swayed his upper body backward, regaining his rock-solid posture. While feeling reassured, a strange sense of fear immediately gripped his heart.
Xi Feng suddenly appeared before Song Shidao as if emerging from the ground. His palms danced like butterflies, creating a myriad of palm shadows in the air. With each step forward, he launched a devastating attack on his opponent, his wispy energy enveloping a three-zhang radius, its power reaching its peak. His exposed skin radiated a purple aura, further emphasizing the eerie and wondrous nature of his Heavenly Net Demonic Art.
Despite the overwhelming onslaught, Song Shidao, his hands forming the Vajra Seal, entered a state of utter stillness, a 'state of no-thought,' completely unmoved by his opponent. Just as the wisps of energy struck his body, he swiftly shifted sideways, unleashing three palm strikes and a punch into the void.
Neither Xi Feng, who was fighting, nor Bi Shouxuan, who was watching, could have imagined that he would deal with the 'Purple Heavenly Net' in such a way.
The most powerful aspect of the Heavenly Net Qi is that the wispy true qi can attack the enemy from any angle in a winding manner. Song Shidao's three palm strikes, seemingly hitting unrelated points in the void, actually severed Xi Feng's three strands of wispy qi. The final punch slammed into the strongest point of Xi Feng's palm strike, sealing off all his follow-up moves.
"Bang!"
The longevity true qi that had been gathered in his palm suddenly erupted, slowly but quickly drilling into Xi Feng's meridians. This move was completely unexpected by Xi Feng, and his palm strike, which was difficult to concentrate on defense due to the activation of the Heavenly Net Qi, was immediately broken.
"Swoosh!"
Xi Feng staggered back several steps, grass and dirt flying everywhere, and a pit appeared under his right foot.
This person was indeed skillful. If it were anyone else, they would have been severely injured by Song Shidao's attack. However, he could use his internal organs as conduits to channel the longevity true qi, ultimately releasing it under his feet. This move was extremely risky; one wrong move and his internal organs would be shattered.
The moment Xi Feng frowned, Pi Shouxuan, not far away, had a different thought: as someone who had personally fought Yue Shan, he realized he could no longer fathom the depth of this 'old friend's' skill. Yue Shan had never used such creative, unrestrained, impromptu moves before.
The invigorated Song Shidao gave Xi Feng no chance to recover, closing in and launching a full-scale attack. In an instant, the force of fists and palm strikes filled the entire arena. Having lost the initiative, Xi Feng was forced into a defensive position, unable to deploy his Heavenly Net of Qi, and struggling to survive in a confined space, passively parrying his opponent's seemingly clumsy yet skillful, subtle, and prescient attacks.
The sounds of clashing energies echoed incessantly, adding to the perilous nature of the battle. The two figures advanced and retreated, locked in a relentless struggle.
In close combat, both fought with lightning speed, reacting to each other's moves. Under these circumstances, Xi Feng was at a greater disadvantage. A key reason was that his opponent's moves were completely unpredictable, each movement seemingly improvised and tailored to the situation. Furthermore, his true energy was highly variable, preventing Xi Feng from unleashing even half the power of his 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net' and thus preventing him from turning the tide of battle.
"Boom!"
After another muffled thud, the two figures who had clashed suddenly separated.
Before Song Shidao could regain his footing, he had already formed the Great Sun Wheel Seal, unleashing a tremendous burst of energy that slashed towards Xi Feng.
"Roar!"
Just as Song Shidao's palm, infused with twelve percent of its power, was about to strike Xi Feng's chest, a sudden change occurred.
A golden dragon, seemingly real yet ethereal, bared its fangs and claws, charging towards him with ferocious fury.
The dragon seemed to carry the power of the Nine Netherworlds, its momentum exceeding anything a human could withstand!
"Lin! Bing! Dou! Zhe! Jie! Zhen! Lie! Zai! Qian!" In
this life-or-death moment, Song Shidao recited the 'Nine True Words' mantra, his hands moving with lightning speed. The Immovable Fundamental Seal, the Great Vajra Wheel Seal, the Outer Lion Seal, the Inner Lion Seal, the Outer Binding Seal, the Inner Binding Seal, the Wisdom Fist Seal, the Sun Wheel Seal, and the Treasure Vase Seal—in a flash, the nine seals cycled endlessly, forming a wondrous, perfect whole, perfectly aligned with Song Shidao's mind and spirit. The True Qi of Longevity, following the hand seals, gathered in different ways within Song Shidao's eight extraordinary meridians, condensing into a tangible yet intangible, radiant circular wall of energy.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar shook the heavens and earth, forcing Song Shidao to retreat nine steps before regaining his footing.
Calm returned to the surroundings, and the image of the golden dragon vanished without a trace.
Song Shidao looked intently and saw that several feet in front of him, Xi Feng's leather pouch had been opened, revealing a spear gleaming with an eerie golden light in his right hand, his eyes filled with astonishment as he stared at him.
It was a golden spear made of some unknown material, about eleven feet long. A lifelike dragon coiled around the spear, spiraling upwards, its head perfectly connected to the spearhead. Its appearance was ferocious and terrifying, almost as if it were alive. The spearhead, gleaming in the moonlight, was a full one and a half feet long, and at the end was an exquisitely crafted blood groove.
What attracted Song Shidao's attention most was the deathly aura emanating from the gun, a power so terrifying it could frighten even ghosts and gods. It must have absorbed the blood of at least ten thousand people to unleash such a terrifying deathly aura and ferocity.
Xi Feng slowly said, "Old man, you actually withstood two of my 'Eight Strikes of the Gale' in the blink of an eye without batting an eye. Even in death, you have no regrets. Please take the remaining six strikes."
Song Shidao inwardly groaned. In reality, his meridians were disordered, his true energy surging, and his blood flowing backward. His handsome face beneath the mask was pale with pain, and his whole body felt like it was about to fall apart. Let alone taking another strike from Lie Feng, even a lowly nobody could easily kill him in his current state.
Lie Feng sneered, gathering his aura again, and said, "Old man, are you ready?"

Chapter 69 A Bolt from the Blue
Yuan Yueze ran for a short while before seeing a group of figures appear ahead.
Leading the way were two women, wielding long swords, fleeing in a disheveled state, their hair in disarray and their clothes torn.
One of them was Dugu Feng, who should have been outside the city, and the other was none other than Zheng Shuming, the leader of the 'Yangtze River Alliance'.
At least several dozen men and women were relentlessly pursuing them; it was obvious they were after Dugu Feng and Zheng Shuming.
Yuan Yueze transformed into a wisp of green smoke, inserting himself between the two groups, standing proudly with his hands behind his back.
Dugu Feng was overjoyed to see Yuan Yueze, but she remained silent, still believing his identity hadn't been exposed. The panting Zheng Shuming, upon seeing Yuan Yueze's back, a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes. Seeing Dugu Feng's joyful expression, she immediately remembered that this familiar figure was the stranger who had helped her in Shangyong half a month ago.
The pursuers were quite aggressive, and the sudden blockade caused a commotion.
Yuan Yueze glanced around coldly and realized they were from the Yin Gui Sect, most of whose experts were present.
Standing at the forefront were several women, some of whom Yuan Yueze recognized: Wanwan, Bai Qing'er, Wen Caiting, and the silver-haired woman he had met when he killed Bian Bufu. There were also two other women around thirty years old, radiantly beautiful, their faces veiled. So many beauties standing together, even the stars and moon seemed to pale in comparison. Behind these women stood dozens of heavily armed, burly soldiers, each with imposing physiques and prominent temples, clearly no weaklings either. Once the
group had steadied themselves, Bai Qing'er, upon seeing Yuan Yueze, was immediately stunned, then smiled sweetly, "Qing'er greets Young Master. It's been a while since we parted in Xiangyang. How have you been?"
Yuan Yueze frowned deeply.
According to the information he had received from You Niaojuan, the number of people who knew Yue Siyan—his true identity after the disguise—was still relatively small. Now that You Niaojuan, the Yin Gui Sect's greatest enemy, knows, it means Li Yuanji has colluded with An Long's group. This prevents Li Yuanji from further colluding with the Yin Gui Sect. So, how did Bai Qing'er recognize him? Could it be Wanwan?
This suspicion is certainly reasonable, after all, Wanwan's ultimate ideal is to revive the Demonic Sect.
Yuan Yueze ignored Bai Qing'er, instead turning his intense gaze to Wanwan. Wanwan
, her light gauze dress fluttering in the night wind, her graceful figure and alluring curves fully revealed, stared at Yuan Yueze, her beautiful eyes filled with melancholy and resentment, a far cry from her usual composure.
Yuan Yueze frowned, about to think further, when Bai Qing'er said again, "Qing'er knows that you, young master, cherish women, but the two behind you are people we must kill. Please don't meddle in other people's business, lest you bring trouble upon yourself."
A cold smile appeared on Yuan Yueze's lips as he slowly said, "Do you know who they are to me?"
Then he suddenly burst into loud laughter, "There are actually people who dare to threaten me, Yuan Yueze! This is utterly ridiculous and absurd!"
The dozens of people opposite him stared at Yuan Yueze with cold expressions, as if they wanted to devour him.
Bai Qing'er then said softly, "We all know that you, young master, are incredibly capable. So, Qing'er will take the liberty of saying that as long as you agree to the cooperation we proposed in Xiangyang, we will not pursue these two people today. How about it?"
Yuan Yueze suddenly understood. It turned out that Wanwan had not betrayed him after all. Because if Wanwan were to betray him, Bai Qing'er couldn't possibly be unaware that the 'Evil Emperor's Relic' was already in Yuan Yueze's hands. Otherwise, why would she have made a deal about allowing them to take something from the treasury after going to Chang'an?
Yuan Yueze looked apologetically at Wanwan and said, "Wan'er, it's my fault. I suspected you of betraying me just now. I'm sorry."
Wanwan forced a bitter smile but remained silent.
The other members of the Yin Gui Sect found Yuan Yueze's behavior inexplicable. Why was he flirting right before the battle?
Yuan Yueze didn't answer Bai Qing'er's question but asked again, "One last question: who ordered you? Where is the Yin Empress?"
This was a question that had been lingering in his mind. Zhu Yuyan could never have ordered them to do such a thing.
Suddenly, Wanwan burst into tears and vanished into the night in a flash.
Yuan Yueze was completely baffled.
Yet, an unprecedented sense of unease inexplicably arose in his mind.
The women opposite remained silent.
Dugu Feng suddenly said, "Brother, they are the ones who want to kill Master Zheng. Don't let them get away with it. If they hadn't come to the city tonight to find you, Master Zheng would probably have been killed by them already."
Yuan Yueze turned his head and asked, "What exactly happened?"
Zheng Shuming had just heard Yuan Yueze introduce himself and stood there dumbfounded, looking at his back with a blank expression. Suddenly startled by Yuan Yueze's question, she quickly snapped out of her reverie and said, "I was about to leave Chengdu when I encountered a family of three outside the city who were chasing me. The head of the family, Han Zenan, gave me an account book and told me to leave quickly, but they caught up with me. All my men were killed, and I don't know where the account book went, but they still won't let me go."
Yuan Yueze rested his chin on his hand and muttered to himself, "Han Zenan, Han Zenan, why does that name sound so familiar?"
After a long while, Yuan Yueze exclaimed, "I remember now! Han Zenan manages all the accounts for the Xiang family. What was his wife's name again? She was originally from the Yin Gui Sect, and even more so..." The Gui faction designated those who dealt financially with the Xiang family. Most of the two factions and six paths of the Demonic Sect had close ties with the Xiang family. The Xiang family needed their support in terms of force and politics, while the various Demonic Sect factions relied on the Xiang family's financial support, forming a mutually beneficial relationship. The Xiang family also served as the Demonic Sect's eyes and ears, helping the various factions gather intelligence from all sides. The two men, due to frequent contact, developed feelings for each other. When his wife became pregnant, a major taboo for the Yin Gui faction, they had no choice but to immediately flee and hide in Bashu.
The members of the Yin Gui faction looked horrified. Such a confidential matter was unknown even to those of low rank within the sect; they never expected Yuan Yueze to casually reveal it.
Wen Caiting interjected, "Since you are a member of our Holy Sect, why are you opposing us at every turn? Wouldn't it be better if we cooperated to glorify the Holy Sect?"
Yuan Yueze laughed, "I, the 'Evil Emperor' of the Demonic Sect, am certainly not a member of the righteous path, but I also disagree with your methods. As the saying goes, those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. By the way, you haven't already captured Han Zenan and his wife, have you? As far as I know, the Xiang family has long severed ties with you, so why are you still working for the Xiang family?"
No one answered him.
Yuan Yueze smiled helplessly, "I have a favor to ask: please hand over Han Zenan and his family to me. I will definitely repay you handsomely in the future."
Han Zenan held such a crucial position in the Xiang family that Yuan Yueze could grasp the truth of the Xiang family's entire scheme and then dismantle the Xiang family in one fell swoop. Hou Wenqing's great revenge could also be avenged. Such a good opportunity was hard to find even with a lantern.
The masked woman beside Bai Qing'er sneered, "Young Master, don't push your luck."
Yuan Yueze said, "Then what do you want?"
The woman said, "If you can withstand our combined attack, how about we agree?"
Yuan Yueze smiled and said, "I won't fight back. Please, everyone, don't hold back!"
The woman was overjoyed. Although Yuan Yueze was rumored to be powerful, with so many experts attacking together, if they could eliminate him, the Yin Gui Sect would have one less major enemy in the future.
Bai Qing'er, however, frowned slightly. She believed that Yuan Yueze would never make such a promise so easily, especially since she had personally witnessed five of the world's top experts besiege Yuan Yueze and be utterly defeated by him. But since the matter was already settled, they had no choice but to act.
Amidst a series of shouts, the women and the group of experts behind them leaped forward, unleashing palms, fingers, fists, belts, swords, knives, and axes, all at once, upon Yuan Yueze, who stood with his hands behind his back, leisurely gazing at the moon.
Zheng Shuming closed her eyes in unbearable pain, while Dugu Feng watched with great interest.
The deafening explosions continued unabated. After a barrage of bombardments, everyone was thrown back, standing frozen in place.
Yuan Yueze remained in the same leisurely posture, unchanged except for his tattered clothes.
Yuan Yueze shrugged and said, "Please take me to the place where Han Zenan's family is being held."
Left with no other choice, the Yin Gui Sect members had to lead Yuan Yueze towards their secret stronghold. Seeing Yuan Yueze's strength, they dared not resist!
The Yin Gui Sect members walked ahead, while Yuan Yueze, Dugu Feng, and Zheng Shuming followed behind, chatting idly.
When asked about her trip to Chengdu, Zheng Shuming hesitated before replying, "In this chaotic world, everyone wants to latch onto a powerful patron. I originally came to see my longtime friend, Miss Yuhua of the Song Clan, hoping she could help me put in a good word for me, bringing the 'Yangtze River Alliance' to serve you, young master. However, Lord Jie has refused me time and again, citing Yuhua's illness. I had no choice but to return, and then this happened."
Yuan Yueze chuckled inwardly and said to her, "How could you possibly want to serve me, Master Zheng?" "My current strength isn't actually that great,"
Zheng Shuming said. "Young master, you can just call me Shuming. I just believe that you will eventually rule the world, but I don't know why I have this idea."
Yuan Yueze whispered in her ear, "Then thank you for your kindness. To be honest, Yuhua is in Luoyang right now. To prevent the news from leaking out, Jie Hui has spread false information to prevent you from seeing her."
Zheng Shuming turned her head in shock, her cherry lips brushing against Yuan Yueze's large mouth.
Both of them were stunned.
The atmosphere immediately became awkward. Zheng Shuming blushed and lowered her head, walking forward without saying a word. Yuan Yueze scratched his head awkwardly. Fortunately, Dugu Feng, who was monitoring the Yin Gui Sect members ahead, took a few steps back and changed the subject.
A short while later, the group arrived at an abandoned house in the eastern suburbs of the city. In one of a series of secret rooms underground, Yuan Yueze saw Han Zenan and his family being imprisoned.
Bai Qing'er opened the prison door, and a family of three emerged. The man appeared to be a scholar, the woman was beautiful and dignified, and both were in their early twenties, with a four- or five-year-old boy. The child was handsome, with bright eyes and clear features, very clever and bright. His large, clear eyes, untouched by the cloudiness of adulthood, sparkled with curiosity as he looked around. Judging from their appearance, they had clearly only been captured for a short time; otherwise, they would have been in a much worse state.
Yuan Yueze gave a few brief instructions, and Dugu Feng, not daring to cause trouble, had no choice but to follow his wishes, first escorting Han Zenan's family and Zheng Shuming to the Flying Horse Ranch, and then heading towards Luoyang. When Han Zenan's family heard that Yuan Yueze had saved them, they immediately kowtowed in gratitude, making Yuan Yueze quite embarrassed.
After everyone left, Yuan Yueze pulled the bewildered Bai Qing'er to a corner of the prison and whispered, "Where is your master now?"
Bai Qing'er's large, clear eyes were filled with confusion; she clearly didn't understand the specific meaning behind Yuan Yueze's question.
Just as Yuan Yueze was about to speak again, shouts of battle erupted from the corridor entrance. Bai Qing'er, her face frosty, remained silent and leaped out.
Upon reaching the ground, she saw a large open space ahead illuminated by starlight, moonlight, and lamplight. Figures moved about, swords flashed, and chaos reigned; it was impossible to tell how many enemies were attacking. Looking closer, Yuan Yueze realized that the attacker was only one person. Upon closer inspection, this man possessed a robust physique yet exuded elegance. His long, flowing hair shimmered with golden light, and as he leaped and moved, it resembled a golden cloud, a truly captivating sight. From this vantage point, his face was obscured, only his prominent features suggested he was not from the Central Plains. This man was engaged in a fierce battle with the four elders of the Yin Gui Sect, and dozens of his henchmen lay dead on the ground.
Bai Qing'er's face was cold and stern, her eyebrows furrowed. She said sharply, "Please stop, fellow martial uncles! May I ask who this extraordinary person is?"
The four demons of Yin Gui all withdrew, and the few remaining henchmen also retreated immediately.
Yuan Yueze finally saw the other person's appearance clearly: he was the kind of person who could be unforgettable at first sight. He was not yet thirty years old, not particularly burly, but tall and handsome, exuding extraordinary power and noble temperament. But what was truly captivating about him were his deep, gentle, slightly blue eyes, which contrasted sharply with his high-bridged aquiline nose and resolute lips, giving the impression that he possessed both ruthless methods and a passionate heart.
The man, as if looking down on everyone else, stared intently at Yuan Yueze beside Bai Qing'er with gleaming eyes, and coldly shouted in fluent Mandarin, "Commander Yun of the Western Turks, I have come to seek justice for my daughter."
Yuan Yueze was also staring intently at the man, thinking to himself, "So this is Commander Yun. "
Yun Shuai's homeland was Persia, an ancient civilization with a long history, profound culture, and brilliant achievements. However, under the interference of theocracy and the rule of corrupt nobles, Persia gradually declined. Dissatisfied with the status quo but powerless to change anything, the young Yun Shuai left his homeland in despair. After years of wandering, his footsteps traversed almost the entire world. The profound culture of China particularly fascinated Yun Shuai: Sun Tzu's Art of War, Mozi's strategies, the doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought, and various martial arts styles all inspired his tireless study and practice. Yun Shuai excelled in lightness skills and leg techniques, combining the strengths of various schools to create unprecedented and unparalleled techniques. Furthermore, he was also quite skilled in swordsmanship, establishing himself as a master.
After years of wandering, Yun Shuai finally settled in Western Turkic Khaganate, where he met the love of his life. With his vast knowledge and exceptional skills, Yun Shuai quickly became a legendary figure known throughout Western Turkic Khaganate. The Great Khan, Tong Yabghu, personally visited and, with the utmost respect, invited Commander Yun to serve. The opportunity to realize his ambitions and put his knowledge to use was before him, and Commander Yun readily agreed. Indeed, with his assistance, the Western Turkic Khaganate grew increasingly powerful, and within a mere decade or so, it was able to rival the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.
Tong Yabghu's ambition swelled, and he resolved to expand his territory. At this time, the Central Plains were in chaos, and Commander Yun and his daughter came to the Central Plains to explore this possibility.
Hearing his words, Yuan Yueze finally understood that it was the Yin Gui Sect that had offended Commander Yun.
Bai Qing'er approached Yuan Yueze and whispered, "If you can eliminate this person for me, I will tell you about my master."
Yuan Yueze was overjoyed, so much so that he completely failed to notice Bai Qing'er's cunning gaze.
But he wasn't stupid. He cupped his hands and said, "My name is Yuan Yueze. May I ask what you mean by seeking justice?"
Upon hearing him introduce himself, Yun Shuai's eyes flashed with surprise. After scrutinizing him again, he said, "These vixens have captured my daughter. Do you think I should seek justice?"
Yuan Yueze pondered for a moment, then turned to Bai Qing'er and asked, "Have you allied with the Eastern Turks?"
Yuan Yueze's deduction was absolutely reasonable. Both the Eastern and Western Turks harbored ambitions to invade Zhongshi, but the real enemy was the other side, not any of the Zhongshi's territorial rulers. In the chaotic times of the Central Plains, figures like Liu Wuzhou and Shi Du were only fit to submit to the Turks. Even powerful figures like Li Yuan, Dou Jiande, and Du Fuwei dared not confront the Turks directly, adopting a strategy of respect and distance.
To gain the support of Sichuan, the Tang dynasty was forced to sever ties with the Eastern Turks. This meant the Eastern Turks would inevitably seek new allies. Given that Zhu Yuyan was likely no longer in charge, it would be perfectly natural for the Yin Gui faction to ally with the Eastern Turks; such alliances based on mutual benefit were commonplace. Only under these circumstances would the Yin Gui faction risk offending the Tong Yegu and Yun Shuai by capturing Lian Rou, who was lurking in Sichuan, and handing her over to Tuli Khan of the Eastern Turks as a gesture of goodwill.
Bai Qing'er's delicate body trembled slightly, clearly not expecting Yuan Yueze to know so many secrets, but she still calmly said, "This is a matter of our sect, and has nothing to do with you, young master. If you want to know what you want to know, please take action."
Yuan Yueze resolutely said, "Although I am not a gentleman, I never do anything that harms others for personal gain. Forget it, you can handle your own affairs. Farewell."
Wen Caiting hurriedly interjected, "He has already rescued the person, but he still wants to come back for revenge. He killed so many of us, isn't that enough?"
Yun Shuai said coldly, "Of course not. I want all of your heads."
Yuan Yueze, who was about to leave, frowned and grunted, "Such arrogance! If you want to fight, I'll accompany you!"
"Very well! Let me see what kind of power this legendary person is really capable of!"
Yun Shuai raised his right hand, and a strange weapon appeared in his hand, shaped like a crescent moon, shining with golden light, neither a knife nor a sword, and looked up at Yuan Yueze.
Yuan Yueze's aura also locked onto Yun Shuai. Then, he slowly extended his left hand, suddenly curled his fingers into a claw, and the long sword wrapped in thick cloth on his back burst through the cloth, flying from its sheath to his left hand as if it had a life of its own.
Yuan Yueze said, word by word, "I've heard that you possess a trump card sword technique called the 'Radiant Sun Sword Technique,' meaning a sword technique as bright as the sun, reigning over the earth, illuminating the world with its brilliance and unstoppable light. The entire technique consists of 1003 moves, each with a unique combination of mental, physical, and footwork techniques. Since you created this technique at the age of forty, you have never encountered an opponent. The most unique aspect is that you unleash ten consecutive strikes with each breath of true energy before exhaling, making the sword technique swift as the sun. Even if your opponent's skill surpasses yours, they will be defeated because they cannot match your speed. Today, I, Yuan, am fortunate to witness this 'Radiant Sun Sword Technique,' how fortunate I am!"
Yun Shuai's expression darkened. He hadn't expected Yuan Yueze to know so much about his sword technique, but he still calmly said, "I've also heard that Brother Yuan's unarmed swordsmanship is unparalleled. Today, I'd like to experience it for myself."
With that, he leaped up and attacked first.
After exchanging ten swift moves in mid-air, the two landed on the ground and engaged in close combat. Even with Yuan Yueze's skill, he was still somewhat overwhelmed by Yun Shuai's ghostly and unpredictable movements and techniques. Yun Shuai was not only highly skilled, but his unpredictable movements were the most difficult to deal with. Combined with his crescent-shaped blade, he could create unexpected variations, making him extremely difficult to handle.
The crescent blade was like deadly golden clouds, a sudden storm of attacks, swaying left and right, forward and backward, leaving Yuan Yueze no chance to breathe.
But what was even more surprising was Yun Shuai. He was a Persian martial arts master who, after joining the Western Turkic Khaganate, had also adopted the strengths of Turkic martial arts; he was no ordinary opponent. Although the Central Plains spoke of Yuan Yueze with great renown, Yun Shuai was an atheist. He realized that Yuan Yueze's initial struggles stemmed from a lack of combat experience and unfamiliarity with the strange weapons of the outer realms. However, in the first ten moves, he clearly felt Yuan Yueze's increasing ease in dealing with the situation. What terrifying learning and comprehension ability! This young man was already a hegemon in the Central Plains; if he were to gain control of the Central Plains in the future, what good would it do to the tribes of the outer realms? Thinking of this, Yun Shuai's killing intent intensified, and he resolved to kill him with all his might.
In a flash, Yuan Yueze's longsword, as heavy as a thousand pounds, slashed down.
Yun Shuai's crescent blade transformed into a golden light as swift as lightning, meeting the attack diagonally.
"Clang!"
Yun Shuai was violently shaken, staggering back two steps.
Yuan Yueze, however, didn't even move.
A chill ran down Yun Shuai's spine. His previous strike, seemingly a direct clash, was actually a masterful deflection, using the opponent's force against him to force him back. Unexpectedly, Yuan Yueze's breathing speed was so fast that he forcefully absorbed the true energy of both men into the ground. Yun Shuai, however, due to his hasty borrowing of strength, was overwhelmed by Yuan Yueze's vast true energy, taking four breaths to dissipate the invading force.
After Yun Shuai dissipated the energy within him, Yuan Yueze said, "Please take another move from me."
With that, he thrust his sword through the air.
No words could describe the speed of this sword strike; even with Yun Shuai's cultivation, he could only rely on his years of honed senses to perceive the location of the sword energy. He felt Yuan Yueze's force surge towards him like a raging torrent. In the instant he drew his sword to block, he was shocked to find that Yuan Yueze's longsword, which had been brimming with energy and weighed over ten thousand pounds, had suddenly become ethereal and insubstantial. Not only was it powerless to deflect, but it also caused him to misdirect his force. Terrified, he quickly retreated, attempting to dodge Yuan Yueze's next sword strike. However, in the instant he withdrew, Yuan Yueze, though moving slowly forward, suddenly extended his longsword to several zhang (approximately 33 meters), relentlessly pursuing Yun Shuai.
Yun Shuai was utterly horrified. Yuan Yueze's sword strike had reached the highest level of swordsmanship, the 'Innate Sword Qi,' where the sword moves at will and objects are manipulated according to one's will. This was the pinnacle of swordsmanship that countless martial artists dreamed of, and yet such a young person had mastered it. This person might very well become a great enemy of the Western Turks in the future.
With no time for sentimentality, Commander Yun transformed his crescent blade into a myriad of golden swirling lights, unleashing a relentless, mercury-like onslaught to neutralize Yuan Yueze's seemingly simple yet incredibly dangerous sword strike.
Sparks flew, and the clash of weapons echoed incessantly.
The figures vanished in a flash.
Yuan Yueze's longsword was already at Yun Shuai's neck. Yun Shuai was quite disheveled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his arms hanging limply, his sleeves and trousers covered in wounds, yet he still coldly stared at Yuan Yueze and said, "There's a saying in the Central Plains, 'Heroes emerge from among the young.' I, Yun, admit defeat."
Yuan Yueze smiled faintly and was about
to sheathe his sword when a scream came from behind Yun Shuai: "Stop!" Yuan Yueze looked in the direction of the sound and saw Lian Rou appear at some point. The beautiful woman gripped a sharp, gleaming short dagger tightly in both hands, the tip pressed against her throat. She stared fiercely at Yuan Yueze, her high, shapely chest heaving, and coldly said in Mandarin with a foreign accent, "If you dare touch my father, I will immediately commit suicide. My godfather will definitely not let you off."
Yuan Yueze's expression turned cold, his gaze fixed on her. The longsword he was about to sheathe suddenly pointed to the sky, and with tremendous force, he slashed at the top of Yun Shuai's head, who had not yet recovered.
Lian Rou hurriedly threw away the dagger and knelt down sadly, saying, "This servant admits defeat, please don't hurt my father."
Yuan Yueze sheathed his longsword and turned to look for Bai Qing'er again, only to find that she was nowhere to be seen. He cursed inwardly. Then he said to Commander Yun, "I have offended you greatly today, Grand Preceptor Yun."
Commander Yun smiled bitterly. No matter how he thought about it, he never expected to lose so miserably in his first battle upon entering the Central Plains.
Lian Rou stepped forward to support Yun Shuai, her long eyelashes fluttering as she scrutinized Yuan Yueze. Suddenly, a smug smile appeared on her face, her expression charming and endearing. She said, "Why are you so fierce? Don't we know each other? So you're the person I've been longing to see in the Central Plains. I heard you're in disguise. Can you show me your true face?"
Yuan Yueze ignored her completely, only bowing to Yun Shuai and saying, "I have urgent business to attend to. Farewell, Grand Preceptor Yun."
Lian Rou frowned, displeased, and said, "Isn't she beautiful? Why don't you even look at her?"
Seeing Yun Shuai nod, Yuan Yueze turned and left. When he was about ten feet away, he spoke, "Miss, you seem innocent, but you are actually as cunning as a fox. We are not of the same ilk. Farewell."
He left Lian Rou standing there in a daze and Yun Shuai still catching his breath.
Normally, Yuan Yueze might not have acted this way, but for some reason, the unease in his heart was becoming increasingly unbearable, making him more and more impatient, and speaking without any regard for others. Judging from tonight's events, he had already realized that something must have happened to Zhu Yuyan; otherwise, the Yin Gui Sect would not be behaving so abnormally.
This location was very close to the inn where he was staying; in less than a quarter of an hour, Yuan Yueze entered the inn.
The innkeeper hurriedly greeted him, handing Yuan Yueze an envelope, saying, "Sir, you've been busy all day; you're finally back. This was entrusted to you this afternoon by a young lady I didn't know."
Yuan Yueze found a table and sat down. The waiter poured him tea, and Yuan Yueze opened the letter while drinking it.
Inside was only a slip of paper exuding a faint fragrance. Opening it, he saw a line of familiar, elegant handwriting: "Your whereabouts have been exposed; beware of Li Tang, Duzun Fort, and Ba Meng."
Holding his teacup, Yuan Yueze pondered who might have written to him as he walked upstairs.
Just as he reached his room, he faintly heard a woman's sobbing, the intermittent cries coming from inside.
Yuan Yueze took a deep breath, tucked the letter into his robes, and gently pushed open the door.
Gentle moonlight streamed in through the east-facing window, illuminating half the bedroom, while the other half remained shrouded in darkness. Wanwan sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face, her shoulders heaving, sobbing uncontrollably, her expression one of profound sorrow.
Yuan Yueze's hand, holding the teacup, trembled slightly.
Wanwan noticed his entry, cried out in anguish, and threw herself into his arms, her voice hoarse as she sobbed, "Master is dead!"
"Smash!"
Yuan Yueze shuddered violently, his handsome face drained of color, turning deathly pale. The teacup slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor. His voice trembled as he said, "What did you say?!"

Chapter 70 The Cold-Blooded Evil Emperor.
Yuan Yueze's mind went blank.
Wanwan's shoulders continued to tremble in his arms.
Tears soaked Yuan Yueze's chest.
After a long while, Wanwan's sobs subsided, and she looked up at Yuan Yueze.
He was pale, his eyes staring blankly out the window, devoid of any spirit.
Wanwan didn't understand why Yuan Yueze was behaving this way, and could only stare blankly at him.
Yuan Yueze said softly, "Wanwan, can you tell me in detail?"
A strange feeling welled up in Wanwan's heart; she realized she no longer understood Yuan Yueze. His tone was unusually calm, calm to the point of being ruthless, cold to the point of being chilling. But she still wiped away her tears, nestled in Yuan Yueze's arms, raised her wrist, and said sadly, "You should remember the night a few months ago when I came to see you, the night you gave me this necklace, right?" Yuan Yueze
remained motionless, like a cold statue.
Wanwan continued, "Just a few days before that night, Master fought with Yan Shuai because he didn't want to cooperate. After parting from you for more than ten days, Wan'er went to a deserted village on the west bank of the Luo River to meet Master. Wan'er spent her childhood in that beautiful village. When she was fifteen, Master abandoned the village and moved elsewhere. But a few years ago, Master started living there again. When I saw Master, Wan'er noticed that he was injured. The injury could not possibly have been caused by Zhao Deyan; he didn't have that ability. But Master didn't tell Wan'er." Wan'er dared not ask who had injured her. Less than two days after taking care of her master, Bi Shouxuan and a man wielding a golden spear came to their door. Later, Wan'er learned that the man with the golden spear was named Xi Feng, a disciple Xi Ying had taken in during his time in the Western Regions. Xi Feng's skill was profound; even her master, in his most powerful state
, might not be able to win. Therefore, her master pushed her away at the crucial moment, and later…” The Demonic Sect always placed great importance on hierarchy and distinctions of rank. The fact that Wan'er addressed Bi Shouxuan by his given name instead of calling him her grand-uncle revealed the depth of her hatred for him.
Yuan Yueze stiffened. His reason for asking in detail was that he didn't believe Zhu Yuyan was dead, but Wan'er's words chilled him to the bone.
Suddenly, a hint of joy flashed in Yuan Yueze's eyes. “So that means you didn't witness Yuyan's death?”
Wan'er stared at him curiously, unable to understand why he addressed Zhu Yuyan so affectionately. After a pause, she continued, "Wan'er hadn't gone far when Xi Feng and Bi Shouxuan caught up with her. She didn't even have a chance to use 'Jade and Stone Burn Together' before they captured her, and they also took half of the 'Heavenly Demon Technique.' Luckily, Wan'er had hidden the other half, so they didn't dare kill me. Otherwise, I would never have gotten the complete 'Heavenly Demon Technique.' Later, Bi Shouxuan used threats and inducements, and almost all his disciples became his masters. But Wan'er later secretly went to that deserted village to see the traces of the fight, and saw the unique chaotic scene after using 'Jade and Stone Burn Together.' To save me, Master didn't hesitate..."
Wan'an broke down in tears, unable to continue.
Yuan Yueze was struck dumb, his body trembled again, and he stumbled back three steps, sitting on the ground in a daze, muttering, "No! No!"
But his actions betrayed his thoughts. He had indeed held onto a sliver of hope, but after hearing Wanwan's account, he was certain of Zhu Yuyan's death. Wanwan, having mastered the seventeenth level of the Heavenly Demon Technique, wouldn't be mistaken.
He finally understood the true reason for his months of unease.
Those who have read *The Great Tang Dynasty* will have different preferences for different characters; some might like Shi Qingxuan, some Wanwan, some Song Yuzhi, and even some Shi Feixuan. Yuan Yueze, however, uniquely loved Zhu Yuyan. As for the reason, even he couldn't explain it. He only knew that initially, he even disliked the character of Zhu Yuyan, but after countless rereads atop Mount Tian, he couldn't help but come to like her.
The news of Zhu Yuyan's death was a devastating blow to him, far greater than others could imagine.
He wanted to ask Wanwan why she hadn't told him sooner, and why Bi Shouxuan was so vicious, killing his own nephew. Suddenly, a figure flashed in through the window—it was Hou Wenqing in a tight-fitting outfit. She rushed to Yuan Yueze, crying out, "Quickly save Shidao! He's dying!"
Yuan Yueze was startled again, almost dropping his longsword in his left hand.
Led by Hou Wenqing, Yuan Yueze and Wanwan sped along, leaping and bounding.
Tonight was supposed to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time when almost everyone in Chengdu was enjoying the festive atmosphere, but Yuan Yueze and his group had neither the fortune nor the time to enjoy it.
Along the way, Hou Wenqing gave a brief explanation: Ga Duo had found Song Shidao unconscious in the wilderness, his meridians shattered, but they didn't know who had injured him to such an extent. Yuan Yueze still had many questions for Wanwan, so he asked her to stay with him for the time being, and Wanwan didn't refuse.
Following Hou Wenqing, they darted and jumped until they arrived at a secluded little house. Inside the bedroom, Yuan Yueze saw Song Shidao, pale and unconscious.
Thankfully, he was still breathing, so with the unique power of Yuan Yueze's family, they were sure they could save him.
Nodding to Ga Duo, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, who was sitting by the bed, Yuan Yueze forcibly suppressed the heavy blow from Zhu Yuyan's tragic death and began to concentrate on channeling his power.
Half an hour later, Song Shidao opened his eyes, his body completely recovered, as if he hadn't suffered any injuries at all, leaving everyone in the room astonished.
Song Shidao got out of bed, glanced deeply at the exhausted and weak Yuan Yueze who was meditating with his eyes closed, a deep sorrow flashing in his eyes, and then turned to chat with Ga Duo and the others.
An hour later, it was nearly midnight, and Yuan Yueze was still meditating. Ga Duo left first, glancing reluctantly at Wan Wan, who was anxiously watching Yuan Yueze. Ga Duo's face darkened, and he turned and left.
It wasn't until early in the morning, when Yuan Yueze had recovered about 10% of his strength, that he emerged from the bedroom. Song Shidao and the other two were still awake, waiting for him.
Upon seeing Yuan Yueze, all three wore expressions of disbelief.
In the past two hours, half of Yuan Yueze's long black hair had turned white, his graying hair cascading over his shoulders. Combined with his bloodless, handsome face and empty eyes, he resembled a demon reborn, giving off a chilling and terrifying aura.
Song Shidao, after a moment of shock, said guiltily, "It's all my fault. If it weren't for saving me, how could Xiaoze have become like this?"
Seeing the three staring at his hair, Yuan Yueze reached behind him, grabbed it, and glanced at it before telling Song Shidao, "This has nothing to do with Second Brother. To recover, I only need to use my special power again."
Only Wanwan believed him, because she vaguely sensed that Yuan Yueze's abnormal behavior only began after hearing the news of Zhu Yuyan's death. What exactly happened between him and his master? Wanwan frowned, pondering silently.
Seeing Song Shidao's strange expression, as if he had something to say but didn't know how to start, Yuan Yueze asked, "Second Brother, is there something you want to say?"
Song Shidao waved his hand guiltily, "No...no!"
He quickly lowered his head to drink his tea.
He had also noticed that Yuan Yueze was acting strangely. He had just wanted to tell him about Zhu Yuyan, but fearing that Yuan Yueze wouldn't be able to handle the shock, he decided not to tell him for the time being. After taking a sip of tea, Song Shidao looked up and found the atmosphere in the hall somewhat heavy. Yuan Yueze was staring straight out the window, his eyes reflecting a deep sadness. Hou Wenqing and Wanwan were both staring at him silently. Song Shidao asked, "Xiaoze, is there something difficult you've encountered?"
Yuan Yueze's shoulders swayed, and two streams of tears welled up in his tiger-like eyes. He murmured as if in a dream, "Yuyan is dead."
Song Shidao's hand slipped, and the tea spilled directly onto him. He exclaimed, "So you already knew?"
Yuan Yueze turned his head.
Song Shidao gave a bitter smile and recounted his ordeal.
It turned out that after taking the first two strikes of the "Eight Strikes of the Gale," Song Shidao was powerless to resist. When the third strike was about to hit him, Xi Feng, at Bi Shouxuan's shout, forcibly withdrew half of his force, thus saving Song Shidao from certain death. However, Bi Shouxuan was no good person. After stopping the Gale, he personally used his inner energy to shatter all of Song Shidao's meridians—this was undoubtedly worse than death for a martial artist, especially for someone as aloof and arrogant as Yue Shan. Bi Shouxuan's psychology was indeed quite twisted. Fortunately, a passerby named Ga Duo kindly brought Song Shidao back.
Yuan Yueze understood why Bi Shouxuan wanted to kill Zhu Yuyan, but frowned and said, "Bi Shouxuan's skills shouldn't be this powerful, right?" Wanwan
shook her head and said, "I thought so too at first, but he has rarely ventured into the martial world for decades, always practicing martial arts in seclusion. Judging from what the Second Young Master just said and what Wan'er witnessed that day, he may have been secretly colluding with Xi Feng for a long time, and Xi Feng may have passed on some advanced martial arts to him. But this Xi Feng is really hard to understand. He is at least seventy years old, and in terms of martial arts alone, he can be compared with the 'Three Grandmasters,' yet he has been able to remain silent for so many years."
Song Shidao interjected, "Miss Wan, have you forgotten that he is Xi Ying's disciple? I think his..." " His appearance is that of someone from the Western Regions; his trip to the Central Plains must be for ill intentions. If your speculation that they've been colluding for decades is correct, then this person's cunning has reached a terrifying level."
Yuan Yueze shook his head and said, "According to what Second Brother said, I suddenly have a realization. With such high cultivation and wielding a spear, I recall what Wang Shichong said. Under the Great Ming Holy Venerable are two Holy Envoys and two Divine Generals. One Divine General wields an axe; I've sparred with him before. His name is Kuang Lei, and his cultivation is indeed terrifying. The other Divine General wields a spear; could it be this person? Since his skill is called 'Eight Strikes of the Fierce Wind,' could his real name be 'Fierce Wind,' echoing 'Kuang Lei'?"
Song Shidao nodded but remained silent.
Yuan Yueze then said to Wanwan, "This isn't something we should discuss right now; let's talk about it later. Why did you only tell me this so late, Wanwan? Why didn't you come to me sooner?"
Wanwan shook her head with a complicated expression and said, "Wanwan doesn't know either. At first, Wanwan also thought that if the Holy Sect continued like this, it might be destroyed by Master. But Bi Shouxuan and the others went so far as to attack Master. Master is Wanwan's only family, and Wanwan absolutely cannot allow her to die at the hands of others. After dealing with my fellow disciples for months, I still couldn't retrieve that half of the 'Heavenly Demon Technique.' I happened to meet you on this mission, and I thought of Master again, so I told you."
Yuan Yueze sighed deeply, his voice filled with desolation, "Who exactly could have hurt Yuyan?"
Without thinking, Wanwan replied, "Judging from Master's expression that day, Wanwan deduced that it was very likely that the 'Evil King' who hurt Master."
She had no idea how much trouble this sentence would cause in the future.
Yuan Yueze, who had been lost in thought, suddenly sharpened his gaze, his killing intent blazing. He said hatefully, "Fine! Shi Zhixuan! Xi Feng! Bi Shouxuan!"
With that, he got up and leaped out of the window without saying another word.
This left Song Shidao, Hou Wenqing, and Wanwan in the room, all stunned.
After a moment, Wanwan came to her senses and said, "So, Second Young Master and my nemesis were just putting on an act all along. If I hadn't witnessed your relationship tonight, I wouldn't have believed it either."
Song Shidao smiled bitterly, "Please keep this a secret, Miss Wanwan. I would be extremely grateful."
Wanwan nodded and said, "For my nemesis's sake, I won't speak carelessly. By the way, Second Young Master, could you tell me what exactly happened between my nemesis and Master?"
The quick-witted Wanwan had already discerned from the expressions of the others that Song Shidao knew about Yuan Yueze and Zhu Yuyan's affair, which was why she asked this question.
Song Shidao shook his head, saying sadly, "Go ask him yourself. I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Wanwan nodded helplessly.
Hou Wenqing said with slight worry, "I'm afraid a great disaster will strike Chengdu in a few days."
A few days later, naturally, would be the day Yuan Yueze fully recovered his power.
Song Shidao said coldly, "Blood debts must be repaid in blood. No one can stop this catastrophe. Xiaoze will prove everything with facts."
The three looked out the window. The bright, clear full moon made the night seem extremely desolate, and the brilliant starlight also became slightly eerie. A gentle breeze brushed against the window frame, making a faint but piercing sound, like the wailing of tortured ghosts in hell.
All signs seemed to indicate that things would not be peaceful in a few days.
※※※※※ August 22nd.
Noon.
Yuan Yueze, who had recovered for seven days, appeared outside the luxurious villa where the Li Tang VIPs were staying in Taicheng, Chengdu. Wanwan followed behind him on the left.
For the past seven days, Wanwan had spent every moment with Yuan Yueze, yet he hadn't uttered a single word, relentlessly practicing his martial arts. All Wanwan could do was stay by Yuan Yueze's side.
Following Yuan Yueze to his right rear was a middle-aged man of imposing stature, with a purplish-gold complexion, striking features, and piercing eyes, wielding a long black spear.
This man was Fan Zhuo, the leader of the Sichuan Gang, one of the three major forces in the Sichuan martial arts world, known as the 'Spear King'.
News of Yuan Yueze's arrival in Chengdu first leaked on August 15th. The following day, thanks to someone's propaganda, the entire city knew, and countless people came to visit. However, Hou Wenqing, who was responsible for protecting Yuan Yueze, only received Fan Zhuo. Song Shidao, unable to reveal his true identity, practiced his martial arts while dealing with Xie Hui. From Fan Zhuo, Hou Wenqing learned the reason why the Sichuan Gang still did not choose to align themselves with the Li Tang: more than half a year ago, Fu Junyu, leading Shan Wanjing and two other women, passed through Chengdu. After killing Xi Ying, they prepared to continue south, but by chance, they rescued Fan Zhuo's wife, who was suffering from a terminal illness, and even revealed their identities to Fan Zhuo. Fan Zhuo, being a righteous man, immediately vowed to repay Fu Junyu's kindness with all his might, which led to the Sichuan Gang's decision not to align themselves with the Li Tang. Upon hearing of Yuan Yueze's arrival, Fan Zhuo naturally came to pay his respects. After hearing some information from Hou Wenqing, Fan Zhuo also revealed his family's troubles: on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, his only daughter, Fan Caiqi, went missing while out playing. Hou Wenqing immediately mentioned the collusion between Qi Feng and Li Yuanji. Sure enough, that afternoon, Fan Zhuo received news from Li Yuanji's side: Fan Caiqi and Princess Pingyang had hit it off and were currently guests in Taicheng. Fan Zhuo was furious. How dare the Li Tang be so arrogant in Chengdu! Unfortunately, the other two major powers ignored it. Fan Caiqi's situation was somewhat related to Yuan Yueze. After comforting Fan Zhuo, Hou Wenqing told him the day Yuan Yueze would recover his strength. Therefore, Fan Zhuo, to save his beloved daughter, naturally came along.
Yuan Yueze, now dressed normally, gripped his sword in his left hand and slowly walked towards the main entrance of the villa.
This villa had at least three hundred guards, some brought by Li Yuanji, and others sent by Duzun Fort and Ba Alliance.
"Stop..."
The eight burly men at the gate, seeing the three men about to force their way in without a word, immediately shouted angrily to stop them. But the man who spoke only managed to utter one word before his head was severed.
The remaining seven men were horrified, for the three men hadn't even moved, yet their men were already dead. How could they, mere lackeys, possibly contend with such martial prowess? But duty called, and they had to grit their teeth and stop them.
One of them bowed respectfully and said, "May I ask how the three of you are addressed? This is the villa where Prince Qi of the Great Tang and Princess Pingyang reside. Please allow me to announce your arrival."
The name of the Li Tang dynasty might intimidate others, but it certainly wouldn't frighten Yuan Yueze.
Fan Zhuo coldly said, "I am Fan Zhuo of the Sichuan Gang. Do I have the qualifications to see your Prince Qi?"
The guards were immediately startled. They were all men brought by Li Yuanji and were unfamiliar with the famous figures of Chengdu. Just as they were about to answer, Yuan Yueze suddenly shouted loudly, "Li Yuanji, Xi Feng, Bi Shouxuan, come out and see me, Yuan Yueze!"
His voice was infused with supreme true energy, echoing throughout the entire villa. The seven guards at the gate were instantly stunned, coughing up blood. Upon hearing Yuan Yueze's name, their legs went weak with fear.
Fan Zhuo sighed inwardly at Yuan Yueze's profound inner strength. With such a powerful figure by his side, what was there to worry about?
A moment later, a similarly strong voice, brimming with inner strength, echoed from inside the courtyard: "Please come in!"
The shrewd Fan Zhuo was about to stop Yuan Yueze, warning him to be careful not to fall into a trap. Once inside, he might find himself trapped like a fish in a barrel. But Yuan Yueze didn't hesitate, stepping directly into the courtyard, Wanwan following closely behind. Fan Zhuo could only follow helplessly.
After entering the courtyard and walking several dozen feet, the once quiet and spacious courtyard was suddenly filled with soldiers on the walls and rooftops, various weapons, bows and arrows everywhere. The gleaming swords and the arrows nocked on the bowstrings emitted an eerie blue light, clearly poisoned.
A chilling atmosphere instantly filled the entire space.
The three stopped. Yuan Yueze, hands behind his back, scanned the room, a chilling smile creeping across his lips.
A flurry of footsteps sounded, and a group of a hundred men emerged from the main building, each exuding murderous intent, ready to fight at the slightest provocation.
The leader, clad in silver armor and carrying a long spear, stood out prominently among the Li family warriors. His face bore a striking resemblance to Li Shimin, making it clear he was Li Yuanji. He was more robust and imposing than Li Shimin, but possessed a sinister and ruthless air that Li Shimin lacked. Though handsome, he was unappealing. His composed demeanor was impeccable, his stance with spear held high revealing the bearing of a true master. Li Xiuning followed beside Li Yuanji, head bowed.
The two groups stopped ten paces apart, coldly scrutinizing each other.
Yuan Yueze scanned the area. Based on Song Shidao's description, he recognized the middle-aged man standing to Li Yuanji's left, carrying a leather pouch, as Xi Feng. The pouch was only three feet long, suggesting his spear was likely segmented and chained together for quick deployment. Bi Shouxuan was absent. Yuan Yueze vaguely guessed that Li Yuanji might be secretly colluding with Bi Shouxuan to avoid gossip, given the Yin Gui Sect's notorious reputation. Judging from the aura of the people behind Li Yuanji, Yuan Yueze estimated that at least ten of them were top-tier experts.
However, none of them posed a threat to him; the only one worth noting was Xi Feng.
Seeing Li Yuanji's gaze fixed on Wanwan, clearly captivated by her stunning beauty, Fan Zhuo laughed loudly and said, "I, Fan, have met Prince Qi. My daughter is deeply honored to be entertained by him. Today, I have come to personally escort her back. May I ask where she is?"
Fan Zhuo emphasized the word "entertained," his tone carrying obvious disdain. Li Yuanji's men all looked displeased.
Li Yuanji's face turned cold as he said, "Chief Fan, you are too kind. Your daughter wishes to stay a few more days!"
Fan Zhuo feigned surprise and asked, "So, are you inviting her in, or are you arresting her?"
"How dare you! Fan Zhuo, a mere gang leader, speak so disrespectfully to His Highness Prince Qi!"
Arguing with Fan Zhuo was simply overestimating one's own abilities. Sure enough, someone among Li Yuanji's men couldn't bear his sarcasm any longer and erupted.
Fan Zhuo remained unperturbed, glancing at Yuan Yueze before smiling and saying, "When did this world become the world of the Li Tang?"
His implication was that Li Yuanji, the Prince of Qi, was completely disregarded by Fan Zhuo.
Li Yuanji had already guessed that Fan Zhuo had likely decided to support Yuan Yueze, and sneered, "Chief Fan had better think things through before making a decision, otherwise… heh!"
He was merely threatening Fan Zhuo, trying to instill a sense of unease, given that his daughter was still a hostage.
"Hahaha!"
Yuan Yueze coldly stared at them, then suddenly burst into wild laughter, the sound propelled by his full inner strength, spreading outwards in a fan-shaped area.
"Pfft pfft pfft pfft!"
Most of the opposing force collapsed instantly, unable to withstand Yuan Yueze's overwhelming internal energy; many were either dead or seriously injured. The soldiers on the walls and rooftops were mostly either injured or unconscious from the shockwave, their fighting strength drastically reduced!
Only Li Yuanji and a dozen others remained standing. Li Xiuning, bleeding from all seven orifices, collapsed into Li Yuanji's arms.
After spitting out a mouthful of blood, Li Yuanji, gritting his teeth, was suddenly overwhelmed by an indescribable fear: the proud, expressionless man standing opposite him was as terrifying as a demon reborn from hell. He had brought Li Xiuning to the courtyard this time, naturally intending to use her to restrain Yuan Yueze, but unexpectedly, Yuan Yueze showed no mercy. Li Xiuning was probably already halfway to her death.
Yuan Yueze's laughter stopped abruptly, and he shouted loudly, "Miss Fan, don't panic! I, Yuan Yueze, guarantee with my life that no one can hurt you! Otherwise, Li Yuanji and Li Xiuning will be buried with you!"
This shout could also be heard throughout the entire courtyard. Even if Yuan Yueze didn't know where Fan Caiqi was being held, it could at least reassure her.
Pale-faced, with her beautiful eyes slightly closed and barely breathing, Li Xiuning heard this and finally two lines of clear tears slid from the corners of her eyes, mingling with the blood at the corners of her eyes, like tears of blood, a heartbreaking and shocking sight!
"Snap!"
Xi Feng's face was cold and stern. His right hand shot out, and the golden spear had already coalesced into a single unit, its imposing aura locking onto Yuan Yueze.
Even before the battle began, he had already sensed the terrifying power of his opponent.

Chapter 71: The First
Meeting of Two Evils. Xi Feng coldly said, "What a despicable person! You truly live up to your name, 'Evil Emperor.'"
This was naturally a sarcastic remark directed at Yuan Yueze's ruthlessness even towards women.
Yuan Yueze calmly replied, "In my eyes, there are only friends and enemies, no distinction between men and women."
His expression then grew even colder, "Besides, for someone who betrayed me, not killing her with my own hands is already a stroke
of good fortune for her!" Li Xiuning, lying in Li Yuanji's arms, stiffened, a bitter smile appearing on her pale and haggard face. Just
as Xi Feng was about to retort again, his gaze suddenly sharpened.
Yuan Yueze's right hand moved with an almost imperceptible speed, every inch moving at the same constant pace, steadily and steadily moving towards the hilt of his sword.
This was precisely the essence of Song Que's 'Drawing Sword Style.'
With cultivation as high as Xi Feng's, how could he not see the profound mystery within?
The moment Yuan Yueze grasped the sword hilt, his movements abruptly stopped. This was a huge blow to Xi Feng's psyche, for he had already predicted that Yuan Yueze's movements were as if they were one with heaven and earth, and with a deeper, eternally hidden essence, inherently full of the ever-changing nature within the constant. There was no gap or flaw to be found; the first move following this stance would surely be earth-shattering, a sword strike without beginning or end!
Who knew that Yuan Yueze would suddenly stop like this? Xi Feng's qi, which had become disordered, suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.
Yuan Yueze casually asked, "Who is Kuang Lei to you?" Xi Feng, who was
concentrating intently, was taken aback, then replied, "What Kuang Lei? I've never heard of him."
A smug smile appeared on Yuan Yueze's lips. Judging from Xi Feng's expression just now, he had deduced that Xi Feng must have some kind of relationship with Kuang Lei. If Yuan Yueze hadn't seized the opportunity to draw the enemy's full attention and then caught him off guard with a verbal attack, he probably wouldn't have noticed Xi Feng's weakness.
"Clang, clang, clang!"
After a series of sounds, Li Yuanji's men, armed with their weapons, surrounded Yuan Yueze and his companions. Li Yuanji, his face grim, retreated several feet with Li Xiuning in his arms, disengaging from the battle.
Wanwan drew her Heavenly Demon Twin Blades from her waist, assuming a fighting stance against Fan Zhuo.
"Stop!"
A powerful voice suddenly rang out from outside the courtyard. After a flurry of footsteps, a formation of nearly fifty skilled fighters entered.
Leading them was Xie Hui, flanked by several men and women; their imposing presence alone indicated that they were all top-tier experts.
Jie Hui gazed at the retreating figure of Yuan Yueze, his hair now gray, a chilling glint in his eyes. He cupped his hands and said, "Jie Hui of Duzun Fort greets His Highness Prince Qi and Mr. Xi Feng."
His words made no mention of Yuan Yueze, and he didn't even glance at Fan Zhuo, revealing his arrogant nature and Duzun Fort's choice.
The men beside him also bowed.
Yuan Yueze, without turning his head, asked, "What brings you here today, Lord Jie?"
Jie Hui scoffed, "Please, young master, do not push your luck. This is Chengdu, and Prince Qi is a distinguished guest of Chengdu. If you intend to harm Prince Qi, Duzun Fort and the Ba Alliance cannot stand idly by!"
Yuan Yueze turned around and scrutinized the leading men one by one.
Jie Hui pointed to the other five people and said, “These are the four leaders of the Ba Alliance. This is Feng Zhen, the ‘Monkey King’ of the Shi tribe; this is Sina, the ‘Beauty’ of the Yao tribe; this is Jiao Luofeng, the ‘Elder’ of the Miao tribe; this is Chuan Mouxun, the ‘Wind General’ of the Yi tribe; and this is Xia Miaoying, the ‘Grandma Tongtian’ of the Unity Sect.”
Yuan Yueze glanced at them, and amidst their gritted teeth, he turned his back to them and said, “If you don’t want to get into trouble, you’d better not interfere. I’m here today only for Li Yuanji.”
After a few disdainful snorts, Xia Miaoying spoke with a powerful voice. The woman, with a stern voice, asked, "May I ask you a question, young master? Did you come to Chengdu more than three years ago, and did you kill a young man in the 'Yixiang Pavilion' restaurant?"
Yuan Yueze answered directly, "Yes."
Xia Miaoying said hatefully, "Do you know that was my adopted son, Huo Qingqiao's biological son, Huo Jitong, whom you injured a few days ago?"
In recent years, the Huo family had spent considerable resources searching for the murderer of Huo Jitong. After questioning the restaurant owner who had seen Yuan Yueze's appearance that day, and after much further investigation, the Huo family finally learned the truth: the murderer of Huo Jitong was not someone from the Yuwen Clan, but Yuan Yueze! After being injured that day, Huo Qingqiao, upon hearing the news the next day that Yue Siyan was actually Yuan Yueze, immediately chose to submit to the Li Tang, intending to use the Li Tang's power to take revenge. In the following days, they all sent people to assassinate Yuan Yueze, but were repelled by Wanwan and Hou Wenqing. While discussing matters at Duzun Fortress today, they suddenly received a message from Li Yuanji's side, so the group rushed over.
Yuan Yueze coldly said, "Enough nonsense, come at me if you dare!"
With that, he raised his left hand to the sky, his longsword held horizontally above his head, and slowly drew his sword with his right.
A deathly silence fell over the surroundings.
Yuan Yueze's longsword gradually came out of its sheath, yet without making a sound.
The more than twenty experts around him were all terrified. Although they hadn't made a move, they had already launched their most powerful offensive, unleashing waves of internal energy towards Yuan Yueze. They had even sacrificed Wanwan and Fan Zhuo in their attempt to kill him. But Yuan Yueze stood there casually, his entire body seemingly becoming one with heaven and earth. The sword energy he gathered as he drew his sword grew stronger and stronger, turning the tables and invading the surrounding crowd.
Everyone sensed something was wrong. They couldn't keep releasing their true energy indefinitely. When the energy flow stopped, if they didn't launch a new attack, under the subtle influence of the energy, Yuan Yueze's sword, which was already gaining momentum, would reach its peak in the interplay of strength and weakness. The final strike would be unstoppable. The only solution was for everyone to seize the opportunity and attack with all their might, aiming to shatter Yuan Yueze's sword momentum in one fell swoop. In this straightforward, unadorned close combat, where strength was the deciding factor, victory or defeat could hinge on just a few moves.
Most of these people harbored grudges against Yuan Yueze, so they didn't hold back at all.
Xi Feng, undoubtedly the strongest among them, understood that if Yuan Yueze drew his sword, everything would likely be over. His eyes flashed with divine light, and with a roar, his golden spear instantly transformed into a ferocious beast capable of devouring the heavens and earth. The spear tip trembled, emitting a sharp, piercing whistle, becoming a sky full of spear shadows that enveloped Yuan Yueze. The spear thrusts were relentless and continuous, their momentum earth-shattering!
At the same time, more than a dozen other experts rushed forward.
Wanwan faced Jie Hui and Feng Zhen, while Fan Zhuo fought against Xia Miaoying, Sina, Jiao Luofeng, and Chuan Mouxun. But it was clear that Wanwan and her companion were no match for their opponents. In just one exchange, Feng Zhen, Sina, Jiao Luofeng, and Chuan Mouxun turned their attack on Yuan Yueze.
Yuan Yueze, who had drawn most of his sword, suddenly stopped, his eyes filled with intense sorrow.
He seemed detached from the situation, his gaze fixed on Li Xiuning, who was also watching him from afar.
Li Xiuning, barely clinging to life, appeared to Yuan Yueze as Zhu Yuyan.
Everything in the world vanished, leaving only Yuan Yueze and Li Xiuning.
Yuan Yueze closed his eyes, his heart filled with an unprecedented peace and tranquility.
Just when everyone thought that the motionless Yuan Yueze was surely dead under the hail of bullets, a sudden change occurred.
Yuan Yueze's long robe fluttered without wind, the hem billowing upwards, his long, gray hair flying against the wind.
Suddenly, Yuan Yueze opened his eyes, and everyone was shocked.
Just moments before, his empty, lifeless eyes suddenly turned blood red, the whites and pupils indistinguishable. These were eyes that should never have existed in this world; their eeriness and terror were beyond description.
"Clang!"
A sound like the lament of a demon or the wrath of a vengeful ghost rang out, and the longsword was fully drawn.
Everyone's vision blurred.
A graceful, ethereal, dreamlike, veiled woman flashed by.
Yuan Yueze's longsword slashed haphazardly, appearing as if someone who knew nothing of martial arts was wielding a sword. Yet, each swift, almost imperceptible strike appeared in an incredibly precise position, perfectly blocking every attack aimed at killing him.
Having successfully blocked an attack, Yuan Yueze didn't stop; a chilling sword aura suddenly erupted.
Everyone felt their blood and qi begin to stagnate as the true energy emanating from Yuan Yueze's weapon invaded their bodies, but then Yuan Yueze's next strike was equally terrifying.
Instantly, sword energy surged, shooting forth across the sky.
After a series of screams of varying degrees, the crowd retreated.
Xi Feng, however, used his spear as a shield to block Yuan Yueze's sword strike. He then slightly swayed his shoulder, took a step back, and his golden spear once again conjured multiple waves of energy, thrusting upwards towards Yuan Yueze's dantian.
Yuan Yueze narrowed his eyes, casually slashing twice at the tip of the spear with his longsword before flashing forward, the blade sliding along the spear towards Xi Feng. His keen eyesight and swift swordsmanship far exceeded Xi Feng's expectations. Cold
sweat broke out on Xi Feng's forehead. His right hand jerked, and the spear instantly split into three sections. The first two sections coiled around Yuan Yueze's neck like pythons.
Yuan Yueze remained unfazed, continuing his forward slash. No matter
how Xi Feng thought about it, he couldn't have imagined Yuan Yueze would resort to such a suicidal attack. Releasing the spear with his right hand, he delivered a vicious kick to Yuan Yueze's groin.
Yuan Yueze pressed down with his left hand, meeting Xi Feng's seemingly simple yet unpredictable kick.
The figures split in an instant. Xi Feng,
having snatched back the golden spear still in mid-air, vanished like a ghost in a flash. Just as Yuan Yueze was about to give chase, he heard Wanwan's rapid breathing. Turning around, he saw that the men who had been forced back by Yuan Yueze's attack had all switched their focus to Wanwan and Fan Zhuo. The two had only held on for a short while before falling into a disadvantageous position, looking increasingly disheveled. "Roar!" Yuan Yueze roared, leaping forward and thrusting his sword at Jie Hui and the other three who were besieging Wanwan. His deep, powerful roar seemed to touch the deepest part of Jie Hui and the others' souls; they were struck as if by lightning, their bodies trembling, and their attacks abruptly halted. What horrified Jie Hui and the others even more was that within a distance of less than two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), Yuan Yueze's sword displayed several different variations. Not only were the angles unpredictable, but the force also shifted dramatically, sometimes as heavy as a ten-thousand-pound iron hammer, sometimes as light as a feather. This rapid shift in power over such a short time and distance left them feeling so suffocated they wanted to vomit blood. After the sword, which had stunned the four, swept across a space of one and a half zhang (approximately 3.3 meters), it suddenly vanished, leaving behind a sky full of dazzling specks of light. Completely demoralized, the four could only muster all their strength to meet this bizarre and indescribable sword technique. The clanging sounds were incessant. "Clang!" The longsword returned to its sheath. Yuan Yueze, with Wanwan's slender waist in his arms, stared expressionlessly at Jie Hui. The four, barely able to stand five zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) away, were ashen-faced. Fan Zhuo was also lucky, because none of the opponents dared to kill him on the spot. Xia Miaoying and the others who were besieging him were stunned for a moment when they saw Yuan Yueze's divine power, and they all retreated to Xie Hui's side. Xie Hui forced a bitter smile and said, "If we consider it from Brother Song's perspective, it wouldn't be too much for me to call you my nephew, would it?" Yuan Yueze brought Wanwan to Fan Zhuo, who was breathing heavily and had disheveled hair. He put his other hand on Fan Zhuo's shoulder and used his vast true energy to regulate their blood and qi. He said to Xie Hui, "Of course, but since you provoked me first, don't blame me for being ruthless. Huo Jitong had improper thoughts about my beloved wife in the restaurant that day, so I took action to eliminate him. I, Yuan Yueze, only act according to one sentence, which is 'I will not offend others unless they offend me. If they offend me, I will repay them a hundredfold.' Have you ever heard of anyone doing anything against their conscience?" Xie Hui's face darkened and he said, "In that case..." "Ah!" Before Xie Hui could finish speaking, a shrill scream came from afar. Everyone looked over. They saw Li Yuanji, who was about to abandon his sister and sneak away, pinned to a large tree in the courtyard by Yuan Yueze's sword, which seemed to have a life of its own. The sword was piercing his left shoulder blade. Wanwan and the other girl had mostly recovered. Yuan Yueze affectionately stroked her delicate cheek, revealing a smile he hadn't shown in days, and walked towards Li Xiuning, who lay collapsed in the distance. Wanwan was filled with mixed emotions. Just moments ago, she felt the old Yuan Yueze had returned—the one who could play and tease her. Unfortunately, all of this happened in an instant. The moment he turned around, Yuan Yueze reverted to his lifeless state. After channeling his inner energy into Li Xiuning for a while, Yuan Yueze released her, her face pale and tearful, and turned to walk towards Li Yuanji. Li Yuanji, already drenched in cold sweat from the pain, felt each step of Yuan Yueze's approach like a death knell as he pleaded, "Brother Yuan... I was wrong! I'll release Miss Fan right now and leave Chengdu tomorrow, please spare me... Ah!" Before he could finish his pleas, Yuan Yueze drew his longsword, deliberately twisting it halfway through, shattering Li Yuanji's shoulder blade. The left arm of Prince Qi of the Li Tang dynasty was thus crippled. Yuan Yueze didn't even glance at the groaning Li Yuanji on his knees, saying indifferently, "Someone who even uses his own sister, and who disregards her life in a crucial moment, losing an arm like this is truly a blessing from your past life." Fan Zhuo scooped up Li Yuanji and, led by the now numb Li Xiuning, went to find Fan Caiqi. Yuan Yueze approached Xie Hui and the others, then addressed the white-haired Xia Miaoying, saying, "If you are interested in revenge, you are welcome anytime." Ignoring the complex and incomprehensible gazes of Xia Miaoying and the others, he turned to Xie Hui and asked, "Uncle Xie, what do you wish to say?" This address of "Uncle Xie" immediately established a familial connection, leaving even Xie Hui somewhat bewildered. After a long pause, he awkwardly stammered, "I heard from the Prince of Qi that my daughter-in-law, your wife's elder sister Yuhua… in Luoyang… has… already… consummated her relationship with you, so…" Having roamed the martial world for decades, he had never felt so embarrassed. Family scandals should not be aired in public, but he felt that although Yuan Yueze was rumored to be a member of the Demonic Sect, his actions were indeed not at all sinister or cunning. Therefore, after much deliberation, he decided to ask. Upon hearing this, Yuan Yueze immediately feigned surprise. Even the surrounding leaders of the Ba Alliance wore expressions of disbelief. Yuan Yueze asked in surprise, "Uncle Jie, how could you so easily trust someone like Li Yuanji who colludes with thieves?" Seeing the puzzled looks on their faces, Yuan Yueze pulled Wanwan aside and said, "This is the direct disciple of the Yin Empress. Let her explain it to you." Jie Hui revealed a look of sudden realization, thinking to himself, "No wonder she was so powerful just now; she cultivates an unparalleled demonic art." Wanwan sighed and sadly recounted that Zhu Yuyan was dead, the Yin Gui Sect had fallen into the hands of Bi Shouxuan and Xi Feng, and that the two of them had colluded with Li Yuanji. Jie Hui and the others listened in stunned silence.

Finally, Yuan Yueze added, "I, Yuan Yueze, swear to heaven that if I abducted my elder sister, may I be struck by lightning! Uncle should be able to guess that this is just a tactic Li Yuanji used to win you over!"
This oath was more effective than a thousand words.
In the end, Song Yuhua wasn't abducted by Yuan Yueze, and besides, Yuan Yueze scoffed at oaths!
Jie Hui pondered for a long time before saying, "I understand. What brings you to Chengdu, young master?"
He certainly didn't want Yuan Yueze to be like Li Yuanji, here to persuade them to surrender.
Yuan Yueze said calmly, "I was just passing through Chengdu. I was originally going to Huanglong to visit an old friend, but who would have thought I'd encounter these things! Don't panic, gentlemen. I'm not here to persuade you to surrender. Chengdu's final choice of allegiance is none of my business. I only want to assure you all not to trust people so easily again. Otherwise, if you make a hasty decision in such a situation, it could bring great suffering to the people of Sichuan!"
Feng Zhen scoffed, "So you're saying that you, Young Master Yuan, are someone worth relying on?"
Yuan Yueze was taken aback. "Since you can't stand it, then forget it. I'll be returning to Luoyang tomorrow after visiting my friend. Farewell!"
At this moment, Fan Zhuo had already brought Fan Caiqi out.
Yuan Yueze was stunned when he saw her. It turned out she was the woman You Niaojuan and Ding Jiuzhong had noticed on the street that day. Fan Caiqi was startled when she saw him; his gray hair was indeed frightening. Then she looked him over carefully.
After bidding farewell to Jie Hui and the others, Yuan Yueze and Wanwan headed towards Song Shidao's hiding place outside the city.
Wanwan said with slight nervousness, "My dear, you were so impulsive, crippling Li Yuanji's arm. What if the Li Tang dynasty launches a fierce attack on Luoyang in a fit of rage?"
Yuan Yueze chuckled, "If Li Yuan were as impulsive as I am, he wouldn't be qualified to be the ruler of a country."
Wanwan nodded thoughtfully.
This operation yielded very little; not only did they fail to find Bi Shouxuan, but Xi Feng also escaped. Yuan Yueze sighed helplessly and prepared to continue with the next step.
※※※※※ Late afternoon.
West wing of the courtyard behind 'Longhexing'.
Soft, lewd sounds emanated from the bedroom, only subsiding after a long while.
Zhu Meimei laughed, "Brother An, you're so amazing! You always drive me crazy."
An Long let out a strange laugh and said, "Hehe, my skills, An Long's..."
Suddenly, An Long, who had lived a life of constant danger, felt a sense of alarm and leaped off the bed, shirtless.
Zhu Meimei was about to ask a question when she saw a figure leaning against the doorway, with long, graying hair, a purple robe, and a transparent longsword.
The identity of the newcomer was obvious.
An Long laughed loudly, "So it's Young Master Yuan. I didn't expect you to have such a hobby."
He was naturally implying that Yuan Yueze had come uninvited and was getting a free show of eroticism. But Yuan Yueze stood there motionless, emitting no aura whatsoever, yet he exerted immense mental pressure on An Long.
After a long silence, Yuan Yueze turned to An Long and said, "Please inform me of Shi Zhixuan's whereabouts, Boss An. I would be eternally grateful."
Even Zhu Mei, nestled in bed, shivered at the mention of Shi Zhixuan's name, demonstrating the immense power of the 'Evil King's' reputation.
A flash of sinister light crossed An Long's eyes, and he groaned, "What Shi Zhixuan? I've never heard of him."
Yuan Yueze smiled slightly and said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony."
With that, his empty eyes flashed with light, and he threw a punch.
This seemingly simple and slow punch was soft and weak, even less powerful than fancy footwork, yet it produced a chilling hissing sound as it passed through the air. Its trajectory was unpredictable, and although An Long clearly sensed where the punch would land, he felt a strange, utterly helpless feeling.
Just as the punch was about to strike his heart, An Long raised his hand to block.
"Bang!"
A muffled sound followed, and An Long was forced back two steps.
With a strange cry, An Long lunged forward, spinning like a top. He formed a lotus flower shape with his hands, and his energy exploded in the air with a deafening roar, like countless invisible lotus flowers blooming, imprinting themselves on Yuan Yueze. The technique was mysterious and captivating, extremely strange and unpredictable. Such a miraculous skill truly lived up to the reputation of the demonic art recorded in the "Heavenly Demon Strategy." One could imagine that in a group battle, no matter how many experts the opponent had, they would all have to deal with his attacks alone.
Yuan Yueze had been waiting for this moment when he unleashed his full power.
The surrounding air became incredibly hot. The first lotus flower energy, the origin of the 'Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring,' curved around his body and imprinted itself on his back.
The Heavenly Lotus Sect's "Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring" is actually a unique type of innate true energy. Its key lies in focusing on the heart meridian, believing that "the heart is the sovereign of the body, from which the spirit emerges," and that "the heart is pointed and round, shaped like a lotus stamen, with a unique orifice within, possessed only by those of superior wisdom." Hence the name "Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring." Combined with over ten incredibly complex finger techniques—moving, shaking, advancing, retreating, rubbing, coiling, flicking, twisting, following, touching, grasping, pressing, clawing, and cutting—it releases scorching true energy resembling a lotus stamen through the Taiyin, Yangming, Shaoyang, Taiyang, and Jueyin meridians of both hands. This energy can burn and destroy the opponent's meridians, causing immense damage. It is unique in the demonic path, unparalleled elsewhere.
However, while its power is fierce and domineering, it is extremely taxing on true energy and difficult to sustain. Therefore, even someone as strong as An Long would not use the "Heavenly Heart Lotus Ring" demonic technique unless absolutely necessary, and only when absolutely certain of victory would he use it to kill his enemy in one fell swoop.
If even one of the steps worked, An Long would press his advantage, using other assassins to deal with the wounded enemy. In an instant, An Long's plump, lotus-like hands unleashed five bursts of lotus-like energy, targeting five vital points on Yuan Yueze's head, back, chest, and sides.
Yuan Yueze countered with five swift, slashing blows.
An Long was horrified; these five strikes targeted the strongest points of energy at the heart of the lotus blossom. How could his decades of internal energy be so fragile?
After five explosive sounds, the energy dissipated.
An Long had no time to be surprised. He swiftly performed a somersault, his fat body, which could easily be called a 'Flying Divine Pig,' leaping onto Yuan Yueze's head with an agility that would leave anyone speechless. His hands moved with a series of skillful and exquisite techniques, sometimes fists, sometimes knives, sometimes claws, sometimes palms, attacking Yuan Yueze like a whirlwind sweeping away fallen leaves. Combined with his unpredictable, fluctuating force, the attacks were ever-changing and extremely fierce.
Each strike was a deadly, ruthless move.
Yuan Yueze's eyes narrowed, and in the blink of an eye, he flashed out five fingers in quick succession.
His sword-like fingers opened and closed, blocking and intercepting from above and below, always perfectly deflecting An Long's overwhelming barrage of hand strikes, each coming from an unexpected angle.
"Boom!"
After five consecutive strikes, An Long let out a muffled groan, spitting out blood and staggering back several steps, his obese body smashing a small table on the ground to pieces.
When An Long regained his senses, a sword was already at his neck.
Yuan Yueze coldly asked, "Will you talk or not?"
An Long retorted defiantly, "Talk about your grandmother... Ah!"
Before he could finish his curse, Yuan Yueze's longsword had already sliced off at least a pound of fat from An Long's shoulder.
An Long let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered.
But the nightmare wasn't over yet. Before he could beg for mercy, Yuan Yueze's longsword spun, piercing An Long's palm and pinning him to the ground.
Blood gushed out, and even Zhu Mei, who was used to seeing murders in bed, couldn't bear to watch any longer.
An Long was in excruciating pain and hurriedly said, "I'll talk, I'll talk, sir, spare my life."
Yuan Yueze curled his lip in disdain.
An Long grinned and said, "Judging from the timeline, Brother Shi should be near Huanglong right now, but I really don't know where he is. He's always been elusive."
Yuan Yueze knew, of course, that Shi Zhixuan was a secretive person, and even Yuan Yueze wouldn't believe An Long if he gave a specific location.
Watching Yuan Yueze's figure disappear into the night like a ghost, Zhu Mei bandaged An Long's wounds while complaining, "So you know Shi Zhixuan? Why didn't you tell him? Aren't you afraid of the 'Evil King' retaliating by so easily revealing the 'Evil King's' location to outsiders?"
An Long sneered, "No matter how powerful he is, he's no match for Brother Shi. Telling him is like sending him to hell ahead of time. If he doesn't die, I'll definitely 'repay' him properly! Ouch, be gentle!"
※※※※※ Phoenix Mountain is located west of the Duofu Plain in northeastern Chengdu. Its main peak rises over a hundred feet, its majestic and beautiful scenery stretching for dozens of miles, surrounded by towering peaks. The main peak rises abruptly from the ground, resembling a phoenix spreading its wings, hence the name 'Phoenix Mountain'.
Traveling south through Phoenix Mountain, the ancient trees and withered wild grasses covered the mountains. A stream meandered from the northwest, flowing southeast, its banks lined with maple trees. In this height of autumn, the maple leaves were turning red, creating a rich tapestry of red, yellow, and green hues, a truly beautiful sight.
Wandering through the woods, Yuan Yueze bid farewell to Song Shidao and the others. Having traveled for several hours, he had no time to appreciate the extraordinary natural beauty of Sichuan. He released all his energy, probing for any unusual activity in his surroundings.
Song Shidao and the other two understood his intentions and did not stop him.
Unbeknownst to him, he had followed the route Shi Qingxuan had told him and entered a small valley.
He had often imagined what a secluded valley must be like, but now, experiencing it firsthand, he knew it was beyond mere imagination.
He stopped and looked around.
Nestled in a tranquil valley surrounded by mountains, a stream meanders through the woods. A few small stone houses are hidden among the old trees along the stream. If his deduction is correct, the stream should flow past the houses, reaching the valley entrance to form a clear pool before flowing out of the valley.
The valley is filled with towering maple trees, densely packed, lush and verdant, blocking out the sun. The cliffs are steep, the rocks are beautiful, and the springs are clear. To live a secluded life here, what more could one ask for? As the sun rises, the valley is bathed in the morning light, the mountainsides ablaze with red leaves, the forests dyed in vibrant hues. A gentle autumn breeze carries the songs of birds, and the refreshing air is invigorating.
Large rocks rise from the bottom of the pool, some resembling millstones, others square tables. Clear spring water flows over the rocks, and small fish swim in groups, creating a scene of free and untouched beauty, untouched by worldly concerns.
Yuan Yueze listened to the babbling brook, walked along the stream, past a clear pond, and trod on a gravel path strewn with maple leaves. A profound tranquility washed over him; everything seemed both real and unreal, as if he were deepening into a beautiful dream.
The forest path wound its way through the woods, then suddenly opened up to reveal a small stone house. A gravel path extended forward beside the house, winding and turning until it disappeared into the depths of the forest, obscuring the entrance to the valley.
Yuan Yueze abruptly stopped.
His purpose in coming here was naturally to kill Shi Zhixuan, but killing him in front of Shi Qingxuan was something Yuan Yueze couldn't bring himself to do. After all, Shi Zhixuan was related to Shi Qingxuan by blood; no matter how much Shi Qingxuan hated him, it couldn't change the fact that they were father and daughter—something no one could change.
Detecting the flow of energy, Yuan Yueze discovered that Shi Qingxuan wasn't in the house; she must have gone off somewhere to play again.
The weather changed suddenly, and a light drizzle began to fall.
The misty autumn rain added to the desolate and melancholic atmosphere, amplifying Yuan Yueze's sense of loneliness.
Standing by the pool, Yuan Yueze remained completely dry within a half-zhang radius around him; with his internal energy, achieving this was incredibly easy.
He casually pulled out the guitar that had been with him on the top of Tianshan Mountain and began to play and sing to himself: "This is a lonely sky with a sad rain, this is a me who cares a lot and an indifferent ending. I once tried for love, I once ran away for love, running away from the familiar past, running away from you who is gone. This is a lonely sky with a sad rain, this is a me who cares a lot and a painful ending, I no longer know your news, I no longer know your secrets, only the sweet past, only you who are no longer here. In those black and white dreams, there are no more blue and purple memories, at this age when I couldn't grasp things, only the traces of rain and wind remain. For the continuation of that love that is no more, for the beauty that was gained and lost, let these tears that are wiped away and flow again turn into rain of longing all over the sky..."
Completely immersed in his memories of his beloved, Yuan Yueze forgot himself and his surroundings. When he came back to his senses, he suddenly realized that there was a figure beside him.
The man stood two zhang away from Yuan Yueze, gazing at the pond as if lost in thought. He wore a scholar's robe with a long cloak, his figure tall and straight, handsome and dashing, with a touch of gray at his temples, exuding an indescribable, eerie charm. Yet his gaze was sometimes tender and affectionate, sometimes icy and cold, seemingly devoid of any human emotion. His hands, hanging down, were long and slender, white and translucent, as if containing boundless magic.
From the fact that he could approach him silently, and from the fact that the man's profile bore a striking resemblance to Shi Qingxuan, Yuan Yueze immediately recognized this man as the 'Evil King' Shi Zhixuan he had been searching for.
Truly, 'what you seek is often found without effort!'
Yuan Yueze stood up, put away his guitar, and with his left hand retrieved his longsword, saying each word clearly, 'Shi Zhixuan, Yuan Yueze has come to take your life!'
Shi Zhixuan turned around, facing him directly.
The look of reminiscing disappeared, replaced by a cold, emotionless gaze.

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