A Decade of Nightscape Lights

Inside a noisy eatery, people of all ages gathered in small groups, eating and chatting animatedly. With the Martial World recently abuzz with major events, the atmosphere was thick with tension, as if a storm was brewing. The patrons whispered excitedly, their voices hushed yet brimming with urgency.

"Didn’t I say it two years ago? Didn’t I? After more than a decade of peace, bloodshed was bound to return! Back then, you all laughed at me, mouths wide open. And now? Look what’s happening!"

"But what’s the deal with the Demonic Cult—"

"Shh! Shut your filthy mouth! You might not care about living, but the rest of us do!"

"Fine, fine. What’s going on with the… ahem … Sacred Cult? Out of nowhere, they slaughtered Master Zhou of Jade Pendant Mountain Manor and Fakong, then massacred the entire Min Family. And now, they’ve turned the Yin Family of White Reed into a river of blood. Tsk, tsk. Who knows who’s next?"

"Seems like the Sacred Cult is avenging their former leader, who died tragically at Mount Tu over a decade ago!"

"That can’t be right. I heard their former leader was surnamed Nie, while the current one is surnamed Mu. No relation."

"What do you know? Whether it’s Mu or Nie, they’re still part of the same cult!"

"Still doesn’t add up. I heard the one who killed the former leader was from the Cai Family of Fallen Blossom Valley. If revenge is the motive, the Cai Family should’ve been first on the chopping block. Yet, while other sects are in chaos, Fallen Blossom Valley remains untouched."

"Uh… I can’t figure that out either…"

A rough-clothed youth with a low-brimmed hat silently bought his food and left the eatery, sticking to secluded paths. As he turned into a quiet alley, two figures suddenly dropped from above, blocking his way.

The young man on the left was refined and scholarly, dressed elegantly, while the one on the right was tall, robust, and exuded an imposing aura. Ding Zhuo, a firm believer in action over words, wasted no time—he hurled his bundle of food at the refined man with his left hand and clashed palms with the burly one on the right.

All three held back, testing each other’s strength. After a brief standoff, they retreated several paces, maintaining a safe distance.

You Guanyue ignored the stains of meat and vegetables splattered across his robes, waving his hands frantically. "Young Hero Ding, please calm down! Fakong and Master Zhou weren’t killed by us, and the Min Family massacre wasn’t our doing either. We’re good people—truly good people!"

Shangguan Haonan scoffed. " Good people ? You think our ancestors would agree with that?"

Ignoring him, You Guanyue continued softly, "Young Hero Ding, you may not know us, but your junior sister, Miss Zhao Zhao, is a very, very close friend of ours…"

Shangguan Haonan interjected again, " Very close ? You think the cult leader would agree with that?"

Ding Zhuo seemed indifferent to You Guanyue’s gentle persuasion. Instead, his gaze swept over Shangguan Haonan, scrutinizing him until the latter bristled, instinctively tightening his robes. "What the hell are you looking at, brat?!" Shangguan Haonan snapped.

You Guanyue muttered under his breath, "Really? I don’t see what’s so special about this oaf."

Ding Zhuo countered, "Are you naturally born with a Pure Yang constitution?"

Shangguan Haonan paused, then puffed up proudly. "Indeed! I was born with a Pure Yang physique—a rare gift!"

Ding Zhuo frowned. "If you have such a constitution, why aren’t you cultivating the most Yang-aligned internal arts? You’d achieve twice the results with half the effort, reaching celestial mastery in no time."Shangguan Haonan looked somewhat awkward. "Well... you see, my family has had only one son for generations, so I married early."

"And took three wives at once!" You Guanyue quickly added.

Upon hearing this, Ding Zhuo suddenly flew into a rage, pointing at Shangguan Haonan's nose and cursing loudly. "A natural pure yang constitution is one in ten thousand, extremely rare in this world! And you—you squandered such a gift, breaking your purity at such a young age! Utterly foolish! You—you have no self-respect, no virtue, you're nothing but rotten cabbage!"

With that, he stormed off in fury, as if his own father had been stripped naked and humiliated in public.

A cold wind blew past, lifting the greased paper wrapper from the ground and sending it spinning gracefully through the air before drifting down to land at their feet.

"......" Shangguan Haonan blinked. "What did he just say?"

You Guanyue: "He said you've lost your purity, abandoned virtue, and are now rotten cabbage."

Unable to hold back any longer, You Guanyue turned away, pounding the wall in uproarious laughter. "Bwahahaha... rotten cabbage! Ohahahahahahahaha—!"

Shangguan Haonan, furious, slammed his palm against the wall—shattering half of it and leaving You Guanyue with nothing to pound. "Had enough? If you're done laughing, go after him!"

An hour later, in a secluded small room.

Dai Fengchi lay on the bed, his entire body wrapped in bandages, his face as pale as gold paper, his breathing faint.

Ding Zhuo carried out the bloodstained bandages, and You Guanyue, standing in the courtyard, eagerly took them. "Young Master Ding, rest for now. Leave these menial tasks to us. Ghost Doctor Lin Shu will arrive in a couple of days... Don't listen to the nonsense about him sending people to the afterlife—his medical skills are excellent. Young Master Dai will surely recover."

Ding Zhuo cupped his hands politely. "Then I thank your sect for your kindness."

Shangguan Haonan stood nearby, his face as dark as a pot, radiating murderous intent. Unfortunately, Young Master Ding was oblivious to social cues and simply walked off toward the western wing.

Shangguan Haonan muttered resentfully, "If not for Miss Zhao's sake, I'd strangle that Ding brat even if it meant severe punishment from the sect leader!"

You Guanyue grinned from ear to ear. "Oh, don't be so petty! He was just lamenting how you wasted your natural gifts, falling from a delicate flower to rotten cabbage. It was all out of kindness, haha, hahaha—!"

"Say one more word! I swear I'll arrange a marriage for Xing Er when we get back!" Shangguan Haonan raised a threatening fist, and only then did You Guanyue shut his mouth.

Shangguan Haonan exhaled deeply. "Miss Zhao is perfect in every way—except for having too many senior brothers!"

By the time the two finished bickering and entered the western wing, they found their noble and dignified sect leader seated at the table, scrutinizing Ding Zhuo with a critical gaze.

The two silently took their places on either side of Mu Qingyan.

Ding Zhuo rolled down his sleeves and sat across from Mu Qingyan. "Sect Leader Mu, there's no need to repeat yourself. My junior sister has already told me everything. I've been hiding outside all this time, never returning to the Azure Tower Sect, because I trust Zhao Zhao." His words were straightforward, carrying an air of familiarity and trust.

Mu Qingyan's thick brows furrowed in suspicion. "Such an unbelievable tale, and you believed it just because Zhao Zhao said so?"—He despised all young men who were overly familiar with Cai Zhao."Of course I believe it," Ding Zhuo said. "With so many matters in the sect these past two years, few noticed—Master hasn't personally instructed our martial training for a long time. I initially thought his old injuries hadn't fully healed, but who would have thought..."

He emphasized, "Once, I sneaked into Master's training chamber to look for manuals and found that the center of the green jade Lotus Platform he meditated on had evenly sunken in."

Mu Qingyan slightly frowned: "Green jade is extremely hard and rigid. Even the Bright Sun Blade might not shatter it in one strike. It seems Qi Yunke's Inner Force has surged dramatically."

Ding Zhuo poured some cold water into a rough clay bowl and drank it in one gulp: "Junior Sister has a generous nature. After exposing Qiu Renjie as a fraud, she distributed the Snow Scale Dragon Beast Saliva everywhere—Lei Shibo's medicine hut alone received a large bottle. Thinking back now, Master stopped instructing our training right after Junior Sister obtained the saliva, and I sneaked into his chamber two or three months later."

Mu Qingyan narrowed his eyes: "Qi Yunke's cultivation was already near its peak. How could his Inner Force inexplicably soar so rapidly in just two or three months? Unless he started practicing the Purple Star Sutra."

Ding Zhuo nodded: "At the time, I didn't pay much attention, assuming Master had encountered some fortuitous opportunity for his sudden improvement. Unfortunately, I never had another chance to sneak into his chamber. Over the past year, Master has pretended his cultivation remains unchanged in public. I was deeply puzzled until Junior Sister's words made everything clear."

He sighed, "Junior Sister practices gentle and righteous martial arts and is exceptionally bright. I must learn more from her in the future, not just focus blindly on training. A clear mind leads to greater progress in cultivation."

Mu Qingyan's long eyebrows arched as mischief bubbled up. He smiled: "Young Hero Ding is truly noble and self-reflective, a blessing to all righteous people. But I wonder why Young Lady Knight Cai left you behind and departed alone. Could it be she secretly looks down on you as her senior brother?"

Ding Zhuo remained unfazed and replied bluntly: "Junior Sister Zhao Zhao isn't that kind of person. When we parted, we agreed—Second Senior Brother's injuries were too severe to leave unattended, so she told me to find a place to settle him first. She said she'd come find me after finishing her task."

Mu Qingyan felt a sour pang and pressed further: "A young girl like her is hardly as capable as you when handling matters outside. In my opinion, if she truly valued you, she should have taken care of Second Senior Brother herself and let you handle the task."

Ding Zhuo answered earnestly as ever: "You flatter me, Sect Leader Mu. Though Junior Sister is young and a girl, her cultivation far surpasses mine, let alone her lightness skills. We once sparred—if she hadn't held back, I'd have been eating dirt. Afterward, she patiently advised me several times... Ah, Junior Sister has truly been kind to me."

Failing to sow discord, Mu Qingyan only angered himself further, growing to despise the man before him—and by extension, all senior brothers in the world, wishing they'd all perish. He even contemplated the possibility of 'killing Ding and Dai in this courtyard, framing Qi Yunke, and keeping it hidden from Cai Zhao.'

You Guanyue noticed his master's darkening expression and immediately guessed Mu Qingyan's murderous intent. Though he had no friendship with Ding Zhuo, recalling Cai Zhao's consistent kindness toward him and Xing Er, he couldn't help but want to play the good guy this once.He turned his body sideways with his back to Ding Zhuo, silently mouthing: [Lord, this guy is just a reckless fool. Don’t take it to heart.]

Shangguan Haonan, originally seething with resentment, took a moment amidst his busy thoughts to observe the situation. He sighed and also turned to face Mu Qingyan, speaking bluntly with silent words: [This subordinate has three wives and knows a thing or two about women’s minds. That Ding fellow is foolish and can’t keep his mouth shut—he’s not even fit to polish your boots. Even if Miss Zhao were blind, she wouldn’t take a liking to this blockhead.]

This straightforward remark lightened Mu Qingyan’s heart. Before he could respond, the foolish Ding Zhuo unwittingly saved his own life.

“Ah, my junior sister is perfect in every way, except she’s too attached to worldly ties, which inevitably distracts her from training. For martial practitioners, it’s best to sever all thoughts of love,” Ding Zhuo lamented, shaking his head. “I’ve already resolved never to marry in this lifetime. But I can see Junior Sister Zhao Zhao is deeply attached to the mortal world—she’ll surely marry and have children someday. Ah, what a pity, truly a pity.”

His expression of heartfelt regret instantly pleased Mu Qingyan, dissolving all prior grievances.

You Guanyue and Shangguan Haonan inwardly sighed in relief, knowing the crisis had been temporarily averted.

Then, Ding Zhuo suddenly rolled his eyes and stared directly at Mu Qingyan, demanding, “Junior Sister said you also intended to cultivate the Purple Star Sutra , which is why you stood by and let our master take the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower .”

Mu Qingyan’s mood was unpredictable, and his expression darkened at these words. “The Purple Star Sutra has always been a treasure of our sect. As its leader, why shouldn’t I cultivate it?! If your junior sister was unhappy, she could have gently reasoned with me. But who knew she’d be so heartless? I worried about her endlessly, yet she cast me aside without hesitation. A true man in this world cannot tolerate such humiliation!”

You Guanyue and Shangguan Haonan inwardly groaned—this was bound to escalate into another standoff.

To their surprise, Ding Zhuo actually nodded. “That’s a fair point. The Purple Star Sutra is so powerful—it’s like placing a mountain of treasure before a greedy man. Few in this world could resist it. It’s only natural that Lord Mu would want to cultivate it. But this technique is truly sinister, violating the natural order. Ah, it’s better left unlearned.”

He added, “Lord Mu, try to be more open-minded. My Third Senior Brother would give anything to be slighted by Junior Sister. During her period of seclusion, no matter how close he tried to get, she always remained polite and distant.”

Mu Qingyan haughtily lifted his lashes. “I know. That’s why I’ve already decided to abandon the Purple Star Sutra . If Young Hero Ding doubts me, I can swear upon my late father’s remains.”

Ding Zhuo studied him for a moment before suddenly revealing Cai Zhao’s plans. “Junior Sister went to Evergreen Temple. She said she was looking for her uncle, Juexing Zen Master.”

Mu Qingyan’s fingers trembled, and the rough clay bowl clattered onto the table. His eyes gleamed with joy. “We’ll go find her immediately, lest anything happen to her.” He paused, then magnanimously declared, “As long as Zhao Zhao is willing to apologize to me, I’ll forgive her completely!”

“...” Ding Zhuo replied, “Alright.”

—I doubt Junior Sister will ever apologize. More likely, you’ll be the one to yield in the end. But matters of love are beyond me—as long as you’re happy, Lord Mu.

After settling Dai Fengchi, Ding Zhuo mounted his steed and rode swiftly with Mu Qingyan and the others for several days, heading straight for Qingxi Valley.

Upon arriving at Evergreen Temple, they found the temple in disarray, with corpses of gray-clad masked men scattered everywhere."Just as Junior Sister predicted, Master wouldn't spare Evergreen Temple." Ding Zhuo was both shocked and furious. "But where have all the venerable monks gone? Where did they hide?"

Mu Qingyan said solemnly, "Don't worry. They couldn't have gone far with the corpses."

"What corpses?" Ding Zhuo was puzzled.

Mu Qingyan pointed at the bodies of gray-clad men strewn across the ground. "With so many of Qi Yunke's men dead, it's impossible that Evergreen Temple suffered no casualties. Yet there isn't a single monk's corpse here—clearly, they took them when they fled."

At that moment, Shangguan Haonan arrived in haste on horseback, urgently reporting, "Sect Leader, You Guanyue sent a carrier pigeon from ahead. The monks of Evergreen Temple have been spotted twenty li from here."

Mu Qingyan's gaze sharpened. "After them!"

Traveling light, the group pressed on through the night and finally caught up with the Evergreen Temple monks taking shelter in a mountain god's temple late at night.

Juexing Zen Master stood blocking the entrance with his Buddhist staff, exuding an imposing aura. "What do you want?!"

With Abbot Fakong recently murdered and the temple suffering a massacre, the monks were both frightened and enraged, each as jumpy as a startled bird.

You Guanyue, relying on his charming smile, quickly said, "Zen Master, please don't be angry, venerable monks, we're good people!"

"Good people?!" Juexing Zen Master felt his intelligence had been insulted.

Undeterred, You Guanyue continued persuading, "Actually, we're all good friends of Miss Zhao Zhao!"

Under the monks' stares that clearly regarded him as a fool, Shangguan Haonan felt utterly humiliated and snapped, "You Guanyue, shut up!"

Fortunately, Ding Zhuo and Mu Qingyan arrived just then, dismounting one after the other.

Ding Zhuo hurried forward and shouted, "Zen Master, it's me! We're looking for Junior Sister Zhao Zhao—have you seen her?"

Juexing Zen Master tilted his bald head. "This temple doesn't accept nuns. Go elsewhere to find your junior sister."

Ding Zhuo planted his hands on his hips. "Zen Master, stop pretending! We already saw wounds from the Bright Sun Blade on the gray-clad corpses in Evergreen Temple. Junior Sister must have been here—where is she now?"

"I don't know!" Juexing Zen Master said impatiently. "Your Azure Tower Sect is so capable—go find her yourselves!"

Ding Zhuo pressed urgently, "Didn't Junior Sister explain everything to you? Don't you know who the real murderer of Fakong is? At a time like this, Zen Master, please don't be stubborn!"

Juexing Zen Master swept his gaze over the group, finally landing on Mu Qingyan, who had just approached. "...So you're Mu Qingyan?"

Mu Qingyan wore a black brocade robe woven with gold, cinched only by a white jade belt. Under the shimmering moonlight, he looked truly dashing and elegant.

He respectfully performed a junior's bow. "Greetings, Juexing Zen Master."

Juexing Zen Master thumped his Buddhist staff heavily. "All of you, get out! You—come with me!" The first half was directed at the Evergreen Temple monks, the latter at Mu Qingyan.

The monks withdrew as instructed, and Mu Qingyan followed Juexing Zen Master into the mountain god's temple.

Juexing Zen Master stopped before the weathered statue of the mountain god and turned to face Mu Qingyan, his gaze sharp as lightning. "Zhao Zhao took seven lashes for you! It took her two full months to recover enough to leave her bed—did you know that?!"

Mu Qingyan replied softly, "This junior knows."

Juexing Zen Master had been hot-tempered since youth, and age had only made him fiercer. "Those damned whips of the Azure Tower Sect cause the worst suffering! Those struck are left with torn flesh and bloody wounds—did you know that?!"

Mu Qingyan whispered, "I know."Zen Master Juexing raised his voice even louder: "After the punishment, Zhao Zhao passed out from the pain, biting her lips until they bled. She woke up again when the medicine was applied, yet from start to finish, she never spoke a single ill word about you. Do you realize that?!"

Mu Qingyan's heart ached, "...I know."

Zen Master Juexing grew angrier the more he thought about it: "I don’t care what grievances or entanglements you have with Zhao Zhao, but after that whipping, she owes you nothing anymore. Do you understand?!"

"...So what?!" Mu Qingyan suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp as two swords, fierce and unyielding.

Zen Master Juexing thought he had misheard, "What did you say? Zhao Zhao suffered so much for you, and you dare say 'so what'?! Do you even have a conscience?"

Mu Qingyan's jaw tightened as he coldly replied, "What I hate most is her bringing up 'gratitude' and 'duty.' She’s always fixated on the life I saved, the help I gave, as if without those debts, she could sever ties with me completely!"

"I know she endured much for me, but I don’t feel I owe her anything! Even if she hadn’t risked her life for me, hadn’t taken those lashes, would I have denied her anything she wanted? Would I have refused to help her in anything she wished to do?!"

"What gratitude? What debt? Between her and me, such words are unnecessary! She is mine, and I am hers—yet she just doesn’t understand!" Mu Qingyan’s fury surged, his breath erratic, his sleeves billowing as the tiles beneath his feet cracked under the force.

—Their voices grew louder, and the factions outside the temple caught fragments of the heated exchange, silently bracing themselves.

After a long stare, Zen Master Juexing suddenly softened his expression and calmly said, "In my youth, I wandered the mortal world and witnessed many lovelorn souls. After years of detached observation, I arrived at one conclusion..."

Mu Qingyan waited for the monk’s wisdom.

Zen Master Juexing slowly declared, "The conclusion I reached is—monastic life is quite good."

Mu Qingyan froze.

Zen Master Juexing sighed, "The tranquility of the Buddhist path leads to longevity. Take my master, for instance—he outlived four generations of your Mu family. When my master first entered the world, your great-grandfather hadn’t yet lost his wife. Back then, he was surrounded by countless experts and loyal followers, swaggering about, full of arrogance. Who could have guessed that after your great-grandmother’s passing, he would retreat into seclusion, his vitality utterly drained?"

The monk gazed blankly at the temple rafters and murmured, "My master once said that when your great-grandfather grew sentimental and lost his heroic spirit, the righteous sects secretly rejoiced. Yet who could have foreseen that it would allow the Demon Nie Hengcheng to rise in power? Ah... My master often lamented that if only that Lady Mu had lived longer and healthier, many tragedies might have been avoided, and many lives spared..."

The dilapidated mountain temple stood cold and desolate, its melancholy past now irretrievable.

Mu Qingyan drifted into thought before asking, "Venerable Master, where exactly has Zhao Zhao gone?"

Zen Master Juexing replied, "Zhao Zhao asked me to first escort the wounded to Xiaoyue Temple ahead. She said she would meet me there so we could expose Qi Yunke’s misdeeds together. Before leaving, she mentioned she had already guessed the agents you secretly placed around Qi Yunke and Zhou Zhizhen."

A light flashed in Mu Qingyan’s eyes as he hastily bowed. "I understand now. Thank you for your guidance, Venerable Master!"

Zen Master Juexing turned his head away in annoyance.

Before leaving the mountain temple, Mu Qingyan couldn’t resist turning back to ask, "Venerable Master, what are your plans now?"Zen Master Juexing said angrily, "First, take care of the injured, then find some helpers. We'll go to Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff together to settle the score! Damn those bastard scoundrels! The world has barely known peace for a few days, and they're already causing trouble again. They all deserve to be caught and burned alive! Amitabha, to hell with them!"

Mu Qingyan smiled gently and said, "Zen Master, in some ways, Zhao Zhao is quite like you."

The monk stomped his foot and cursed, "Nonsense! Haven’t you heard the saying ‘a nephew resembles his uncle’? Hurry up and find her!"

Outside the mountain temple, Ding Zhuo looked bewildered. "Where should we go?"

"Jiangnan," Mu Qingyan replied, taking out a small golden whistle. "To avoid missing her again, you and I will ride the Giant Peng ahead this time."

He turned his head, his face bright with joy. "Once we find her, as long as she doesn’t provoke me again, I won’t hold it against her."

Ding Zhuo: "..."

—I think she’ll definitely provoke you again, and you definitely won’t stay angry for long. But I still don’t quite understand matters of the heart. As long as you’re happy, I suppose.

Jiangnan, Jade Pendant Mountain Manor, a quiet meditation room in a secluded courtyard on the northern side.

Zhou Zhixian lit three sticks of incense in the burner and clasped her hands in prayer.

On the altar stood a solitary memorial tablet inscribed with the words: ‘Spirit Tablet of My Late Husband, Shao Tengyun.’ Her gaze was tender and affectionate, as if the departed still lingered.

After reciting her usual eulogy, she rose and went next door, where Mu Qingyan and Ding Zhuo stood to greet her.

Zhou Zhixian returned the courtesy and gestured for them to sit.

The three gathered around the table, and Zhou Zhixian spoke softly, "Twenty years ago, heroes and warriors were abundant, and my late husband, Shao Tengyun, was hardly among the most notable. Not only was his cultivation mediocre, but he was often mocked for being overly cautious. When Ping Shu went to uphold justice, he didn’t join. When Wu Yuanying rallied heroes to storm Cauldron Peak Mountain, he declined. I thought someone so averse to trouble would live to a ripe old age, but who would have thought..."

Mu Qingyan continued, "Who would have thought Nie Hengcheng, in his pursuit of the Purple Star Sutra, would slaughter Shao Daxia’s sect? Shao Daxia watched as his master was abducted by the Heavenly Dipper Earthly Fiend Camp. To save his defenseless shiniang and junior brother, he died at the hands of Zhao Tianba."

Hearing this for the first time, Ding Zhuo was moved. "To repay his master’s kindness and protect the weak, Shao Daxia gave his life without hesitation. Truly a hero we should all admire!"

Zhou Zhixian shook her head gently. "Being a hero doesn’t matter. But as his widow, I cannot disgrace his name."

She looked up. "A month ago, Sect Leader Mu suddenly sent me a secret letter, revealing the truth about Nie Hengcheng’s abduction of my late husband’s master. He asked me, if someone were to cultivate the Purple Star Sutra again today, would I stop them? I answered that if it were true, even if it cost me my life, I would prevent it."

Ding Zhuo understood. "No wonder Zhou female knight was willing to cooperate with the Demonic Cult..."

He blurted out "Demonic Cult" without a second thought, paying no heed to Mu Qingyan beside him. Zhou Zhixian chuckled lightly.

Mu Qingyan raised his teacup. "Zhou female knight’s righteous courage is admirable." —Though at the time, his plan had been to have Zhou Zhixian administer the Seven Insects Seven Flowers Powder to Zhou Zhizhen to gain control, he couldn’t help but respect this middle-aged woman.

Zhou Zhixian sighed. "Now it seems the one cultivating the Purple Star Sutra isn’t my cousin but Sect Leader Qi. He first killed Fakong and my cousin, then slaughtered the Min Family—his methods are undeniably ruthless. What are your plans now, Sect Leader Mu?"

Mu Qingyan’s gaze was sharp. "What did Zhao Zhao tell you?"

Zhou Zhixian smiled. "She told me about your plan—the one where you wait for someone else to master the Purple Star Sutra before you act."

Even Mu Qingyan, who prided himself on having a face as thick as diamond, couldn’t help but feel awkward under Zhou Zhixian’s clear and gentle gaze.He whispered, "I was mistaken. I've abandoned that notion now. May I ask, Zhou female knight, where has Zhao Zhao gone? Surely she wouldn't charge alone into the Azure Tower Sect?"

Lately, he kept recalling Cai Pingshu's resolute act of employing the Celestial Demon Disintegration Art to slay Nie Hengcheng. The thought of Cai Zhao doing something similar made him break out in cold sweat.

Zhou Zhixian countered, "Didn't you also plant someone by Qi Yunke's side?"

"This junior did make arrangements, but..." Mu Qingyan frowned. "According to reports, Qi Yunke has recently gathered his forces and withdrawn into his sect. Yang Heying and Song Xiuzhi also led a large contingent of trusted followers to the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff. Afterward, all the Iron Chains crossing the cliff were severed."

Ding Zhuo exclaimed, "Ah! Then what about Lei Shibo and our martial brothers?"

Mu Qingyan replied, "Nine out of ten, they've been imprisoned."

Zhou Zhixian's eyes showed concern. "It seems Qi Yunke has reached the final stage of his cultivation, completely isolating himself from the outside world and surrounding himself with heavy defenses to prevent interference. Now, you can't even contact your planted agent, can you?"

"...Correct." Mu Qingyan was somewhat frustrated. Although he hadn't planned to intervene midway—his scheme was to act when Qi Yunke completed the Purple Star Sutra—this turn of events was truly humiliating.

Zhou Zhixian suddenly smiled. "Actually, Zhao Zhao has already guessed. She guessed about your planted agent by Qi Yunke's side, and she also anticipated that Qi Yunke would surround himself with protection and isolate himself when cultivating the third stage of the Purple Star Sutra."

"So what?" Ding Zhuo was clueless. "What does our junior sister plan to do?"

Mu Qingyan stood up abruptly, having fully understood. "We must go immediately to—"

"No need." Zhou Zhixian gently interrupted. "If you rush there now, you'll miss Zhao Zhao again, just like the last two times."

Mu Qingyan calmed down. "In that case, let's gather our forces and head straight for Wind Cloud Peak."

Zhou Zhixian suddenly fixed her gaze on him. "I've long known your Demonic Cult is strong and numerous. How many men does Sect Leader Mu plan to bring to the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff?"

"I know Sect Leader Mu wishes to help us stop Qi Yunke's evil deeds. But to the world, it will appear that after two centuries of stalemate, your cult has finally breached the seemingly insurmountable Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff and massacred the Azure Tower Sect. In the end, the Big Dipper Six Sects will be humiliated, and your cult will rule the land."

Mu Qingyan understood and said coldly, "You want my help but also wish the Demonic Cult's influence wouldn't extend to Nine Conch Mountain. Zhou female knight, you ask for too much."

Zhou Zhixian didn't back down. "In this matter, though Qi Yunke is the primary villain, the root cause lies with Nie Hengcheng and your uncle, Mu Zhengyang. For personal gain, he opened the Avici Hell and unleashed demons to wreak havoc upon the world. As the head of the Mu clan, shouldn't you bear some responsibility?"

Mu Qingyan couldn't help retorting, "For two hundred years, you've called us 'Demonic Cult fiends.' Aren't we supposed to unleash demons and bring chaos to the world?"

Ding Zhuo earnestly added, "This disciple finds that statement quite reasonable."

The gentle middle-aged woman said, "Mu Zhengyang and Nie Hengcheng brought chaos to the world, so Ping Shu killed these two fiends, severing all ties thereafter. You are not like them, which is why Zhao Zhao loves you."Ding Zhuo added, "I don't see anything wrong with that statement."

Mu Qingyan's face was taut, and he remained silent.

Zhou Zhixian sighed, "Zhao Zhao is young, but she understands everything. That's why she's been trying her best to stop these atrocities with her own strength."

"The last person who did that ended up with all their meridians severed, becoming a cripple. Does Sect Leader Mu want Zhao Zhao to suffer the same fate?"

Mu Qingyan still said nothing, seemingly choked with anger.

Ding Zhuo couldn't help but praise, "Lady Zhou, you're truly formidable."

Azure Tower Sect, Dusk Micro Palace.

Yang Heying widened his eyes and said, "You'd better keep your word. Once you've mastered this divine skill, you'll really teach it to us?"

Qi Yunke replied, "One hero needs three helpers—why else would I have called you here? Without you, I could simply sever the Iron Chain at Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff and practice in peace."

Song Xiuzhi took a step forward. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Believe it or not, that's up to you," Qi Yunke said indifferently. "Sect Leader Yang, word has already spread through the Martial World about you refining Corpse Puppet Slaves and slaughtering Old Hero Huang's family. Yunzhuan Daoren is now rallying heroes with summons, vowing to settle this blood debt with you."

"And Young Master Xiuzhi, your position as sect leader isn't very stable either. With Song Shijun severely injured and Song Yuzhi missing, those old fools at Vast Heaven Gate no longer have any reservations and naturally refuse to submit to you. They have plenty of promising sons and grandsons—all descendants of the Song family. Who among them couldn't become sect leader? And after you disbanded and expelled Song Shijun's faction, you've also been left isolated."

"To deal with these chattering weaklings, no amount of talk compares to possessing peerless divine skill and overwhelming force. And for me, I gain two more allies. From now on, our three factions can support each other, forming a united front to dominate the world. How does that sound?"

These words stirred excitement in Yang and Song.

"Fine, it's a deal!" Yang Heying declared first. "In that case, we'll guard you while you train. Once you succeed, you must share the secrets of this skill with us!"

Song Xiuzhi's gaze darkened. "If you break your word, I might as well give up being Vast Heaven Gate's leader—but I'll make sure the entire world knows what you've done!"

"Rest assured, both of you," Qi Yunke said without flinching. "Even Nie Hengcheng nearly lost control cultivating this technique back then. It's not a bad thing for me to test it out for you first."

Yang and Song thought this reasonable and left satisfied.

Li Wenxun emerged from the shadows and sneered, "These two fools. Why don't they consider that you're already the leader of the six sects? Going through all this trouble just to create two powerful rivals for yourself—are you insane?"

Qi Yunke replied, "They're not stupid, just greedy. When greed takes hold, nothing else matters." He turned to a respectful figure in the corner. "Dalou, what do you think?"

Zeng Dalou kept his head bowed and said firmly, "I was once an orphaned beggar, left to die by the roadside. It was only through Master and Lady Cai's kindness that I have this life today. Whatever Master intends to do, this disciple knows it must be for Lady Cai's sake. Dalou will remain loyal unto death."

Qi Yunke sighed. "So you still remember Ping Shu. I thought you'd long forgotten."

Zeng Dalou: "This disciple could never forget Lady Cai's kindness."

Qi Yunke nodded.

Li Wenxun asked, "How is your second layer of cultivation progressing?""The trial has been passed," Qi Yunke said. "After a few days of meditation, I can begin cultivating the third heavenly layer."

After Li Wenxun left, Qi Yunke strolled alone into the dungeon.

Passing cell after cell filled with former Azure Tower Sect disciples, he indifferently endured their layers of scornful or fearful gazes until he reached the last one. This cell was not only spacious but also clean and well-ventilated, holding only three people.

The moment Lei Xiuming saw Qi Yunke, he threw himself against the iron bars and cursed, "Qi, have you lost your mind? You were the leader of the world's foremost sect, yet you chose to walk the path of demons! Ever since you took the Snowscale Dragon Beast's saliva that Zhao Zhao gave me, I knew something was wrong with you..."

His limbs were maimed, and he couldn't stand steadily even while clutching the bars. Fan Xingjia hurried forward to support him.

Ignoring them both, Qi Yunke walked straight to the third person and said softly, "Yuzhi, your injuries must have healed by now. If you need anything, just tell your master."

Song Yuzhi sat alone in the corner and replied coldly, "You are not my master. I have no master like you!" After a pause, he added, "I heard Song Xiuzhi brought many people here. What evil are you two scheming together now?"

Unperturbed, Qi Yunke smiled faintly. "Song Xiuzhi and Yang Heying are both cruel and despicable villains. Such people do not deserve to live. Once my divine skill is perfected, I will first use them as sacrifices, then march to the Nether Bamboo Path, crush the Demonic Cult, and kill Mu Qingyan. By then, the world will be clean and pure, and I can finally rest in peace to meet my old friends."

Song Yuzhi couldn't comprehend, "What exactly are you trying to do?!"

Qi Yunke gazed at Song Yuzhi with affection. "You came to Nine Conch Mountain when you were six or seven. I raised you with my own hands, and I know you've always been a righteous child. Zhao Zhao should marry a young hero like you—noble in birth, profound in cultivation, upright in character, and handsome in appearance..."

His eyes grew distant, as if seeing someone else beyond the dark dungeon walls. "Zhao Zhao loves to laugh and play, with no patience for the trivialities of the Martial World. Yuzhi, you must be patient with her and not constrain her. In the future, treat her well, and it will not have been in vain that I raised you."

Song Yuzhi stood up and shouted, "My father never wronged you! Why did you sow discord in the Song family and cause chaos in Vast Heaven Gate?!"

Qi Yunke replied, "Ping Shu once said that after two hundred years, the Big Dipper Six Sects have become stagnant, clinging to outdated traditions, obsessed with pomp, and favoring nepotism. Many ambitious youths, simply because of their humble origins, not only miss opportunities for advancement but are even repeatedly suppressed."

"Now, Grand Beginning Temple is defunct, Four Stallions Gate is nearly gone, Jade Pendant Mountain Manor is on the brink of chaos, and Fallen Blossom Valley has always kept to itself. Vast Heaven Gate cannot be left behind. The Big Dipper Six Sects have long needed change—whether merging into one sect or vanishing entirely, either is acceptable. Still, I’ve left Azure Tower Sect for you and Zhao Zhao."

Song Yuzhi found this absurd. "After all the evil you’ve done, how do you think the Martial World will view our sect in the future?!"

"After I die, you may do as you please," Qi Yunke said indifferently. "Expose my crimes, sever ties with me, whip my corpse, leave no remains—let me be reviled for eternity. Do whatever you and Zhao Zhao deem necessary to restore the sect’s honor."

His voice calm, he clasped his hands behind his back and leisurely walked out of the dungeon."He's gone mad... completely mad..." Lei Xiuming gaped in shock. "I've heard of people seeing others as dead, but he's treating even himself as a corpse!"

Song Yuzhi and Fan Xingjia had no words to respond.

Qi Yunke walked from the dungeon back to the secret training chamber within Dusk Micro Palace.

One exquisitely carved door after another opened, revealing dim, misty light filled with the bitter and serene scent of incense, like the three cycles of the underworld. With each door opened, he seemed to see another hated enemy who had died horribly—

Yin Dai, Yin Qinglian, Yang Yi—they deserved death the most and died the earliest.

Mu Zhengming, Nie Zhe—one surnamed Mu, the other Nie, blood relatives of Mu Zhengyang and Nie Hengcheng—they all deserved to die.

Zhou Zhizhen treated Ping Shu poorly, and the old monk of Evergreen Temple was a hypocrite—they too deserved death.

What a pity about Chang Haosheng. He seemed to have noticed something, so he had to be silenced prematurely.

Morality is a lie, benevolence a weapon. Passion is killed by foolishness, ideals vanish into nothingness.

In the end, what is truly worth loving and fighting to protect? He could no longer tell.

If Ping Shu were alive, she would know.

She would always tell him what was right and what was wrong.

Qi Yunke slowly sat before the desk, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.

A single hot tear fell.

Thirty miles west of Four Stallions Gate, a small residence was draped with long white mourning banners.

Yang Xiaolan knelt before the spirit tablet in mourning attire, holding incense sticks in prayer. After placing three sticks into the incense burner, she suddenly stood up and tore off the cumbersome hemp cloth and mourning cap, leaving only a plain white mourning sash tied around her waist.

The servants around her gasped in shock, exclaiming, "Young mistress, you mustn't! The lady has just passed—"

Yang Xiaolan ignored them and turned directly to the radiant young woman in the corner of the mourning hall. "Thank you for accompanying me in sending off my deceased mother. My duty is done, and I have no more reservations. Those who shouldn't die have died, while those who should are still alive. If the heavens are blind, I will see for them. If justice is absent, I will deliver it."

The radiant young woman smiled. "Just don't slaughter the messenger pigeons."

Yang Xiaolan wore a chillingly cold smile. "Don't worry. One by one—none will escape."