A Decade of Nightscape Lights

Early in the morning, Situ Hui felt something was terribly wrong. His old wounds, healed for years, throbbed incessantly as if foretelling disaster.

Yet all the iron chains crossing the cliff had been severed, and the defiant original Azure Tower Sect disciples had been imprisoned. The Demonic Cult had failed to breach the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff for two centuries—what threat could the remaining five sects, now mere remnants of their former strength, possibly pose?

As Situ Hui rubbed his twitching eyelids, the sudden tolling of alarm bells shocked him—it was the signal of an attack on the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff.

His heart pounded, his head buzzing. He hastily gathered a large force and rushed toward the cliff. Along the way, his men discovered groups of unconscious patrol disciples lying in the dense undergrowth.

When they finally reached the cliff, Situ Hui nearly staggered at the sight—figures were swarming up the iron chains one after another. Several renowned martial artists, led by Jueyuan Zen Master and Yunzhuan Daoren, guarded each iron chain winch.

Situ Hui immediately understood: a traitor had drugged the patrol and guard disciples. Once they were unconscious, the culprit dragged them into the grass, then extended the chains to the opposite side. No one would report the anomaly until the next patrol arrived.

Without hesitation, he ordered his men to seize the winches. But with every expert leaping down from the chains, the enemy's forces grew stronger, plunging them into chaos.

Seeing the dire situation, he shouted, heedless of reprimand, "Someone! Fetch Li Wenxun at once!"

Meanwhile, Mu Qingyan, Cai Zhao, and Yang Xiaolan crouched atop the high palace beams, watching the guards below hurry away, shouting, "Enemies are climbing the cliff!"

Yang Xiaolan frowned. "It seems Zhou female knight and the others have arrived. Should we go assist them?"

"No need," Mu Qingyan replied. "When I flew over Nine Conch Mountain on the Golden Winged Roc, I saw them on their way. They’d be at most half an hour behind me. If they’re only being discovered now, many must have already crossed. Our priority is finding Qi Yunke."

His gaze shifted to Cai Zhao. "You’ve been searching Dusk Micro Palace for so long—found anything?"

Cai Zhao bit her lip. "The sect has stood for two hundred years. There are too many hidden chambers and secret passages—and this is just Dusk Micro Palace. If Master is hiding elsewhere in this vast sect, who knows how long it’ll take to find him."

Mu Qingyan scoffed. "After all this time, you’re still this incompetent. Have you spent all your cunning just guarding against me? Searching room by room will take forever. Why not just ask someone?"

"You think I haven’t considered that?" Cai Zhao snapped back. "Master is at the final stage of cultivating his Demonic Art—he must be hiding in an extremely secluded place. Likely only Li Wenxun knows. But should I just go ask Li Wenxun? Not only is he heavily guarded, his own skills are formidable. It’d take half a day just to capture him alive!"

"Li Wenxun has been renowned for years. Even after half a day, we might not succeed," Yang Xiaolan added pragmatically.

Cai Zhao flushed but quickly defended herself. "Besides, he has highly skilled guards. Even if I exhaust myself capturing him, given Li Wenxun’s stubbornness, how could we force him to reveal Master’s location? Would we really have to resort to torture?"Yang Xiaolan nodded repeatedly. "Right, right, Sister Zhao Zhao makes a good point. Even if we're willing to risk our lives, there isn't enough time. So going to question Li Wenxun won't work."

Cai Zhao's wounded pride was somewhat soothed, and she looked at Yang Xiaolan with gratitude. "Little Sister Xiaolan is so sensible!"

Mu Qingyan watched as the two girls grew increasingly close and intimate, inexplicably feeling displeased. He snapped, "If you two saved the time you spend flattering each other, you might realize there's another person in the Azure Tower Sect who might know Qi Yunke's hiding place."

Cai Zhao sneered. "This foolish girl dares to ask for the esteemed Sect Leader Mu's brilliant opinion."

"Who else?" Yang Xiaolan was baffled.

"Song Yuzhi."

The battle at Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff was raging fiercely.

Currently, there were three main factions within the Azure Tower Sect: Qi Yunke's Shadow Guards in gray robes, Yang Heying's lackeys from the Four Stallions Gate, and the newly recruited followers of the Vast Heaven Gate under Song Xiuzhi. Regardless of their cultivation levels, their numbers were considerable.

The forces attacking the Azure Tower Sect also came in three groups: the disciples led by Zhou Zhixian from Jade Pendant Mountain Manor, the martial monks brought by Juexing Zen Master, and the martial heroes gathered by Yunzhuan Daoren. In truth, Yunzhuan Daoren had also sought help from Grand Beginning Temple, but he was rebuffed. Li Yuanmin coldly declared that Grand Beginning Temple had severed all ties with the North Star.

Juexing Zen Master was so furious he began cursing, while Shangguan Haonan burst into laughter. You Guanyue couldn't resist mocking the Big Dipper Six Sects for their current disunity.

Zhou Zhixian comforted the group, explaining that Grand Beginning Temple was now severely weakened and its reputation in tatters. Li Yuanmin's martial skills and talents were mediocre at best, and he was barely managing to keep his disciples in line, let alone lead them to assist in the battle.

Though this was true, in the heat of the bloody battle, the martial heroes still silently resented Grand Beginning Temple.

Fortunately, due to the suddenness of the conflict, Situ Hui's subordinates hadn't all arrived yet. As Juexing Zen Master's iron staff swung closer and closer, and the situation grew increasingly desperate, someone suddenly shouted from behind, "Reinforcements are here!"

Shangguan Haonan slashed through his opponent with a single stroke. Being tall, he was the first to spot the familiar lanky figure and inwardly cursed. Turning to the others, he said, "Damn it, Li Wenxun has brought a lot of people with him!"

Hearing this, Zhou Zhixian stepped forward instead.

Her delicate face filled with anger, she raised her sword and declared loudly, "Li Wenxun, my cousin had no grudge against you! Why did you collude with Qi Yunke to kill him? You... you're utterly vile!"

Li Wenxun smirked coldly. "Zhou Zhizhen was someone Qi Yunke wanted dead. I merely lent a hand. If you're unhappy, go settle the score with him yourself."

Juexing Zen Master, burning with righteous fury, slammed his Buddhist staff down and roared, "And what about my master? Li Wenxun, you despicable cur! My master was virtuous and revered, having performed countless good deeds in his lifetime. How could you bring yourself to harm him?!"

Li Wenxun suddenly burst into wild laughter. "Countless good deeds? Hahaha! Virtuous and revered? Hahahaha..."

His eyes brimmed with bone-deep hatred. "Back then, Senior Uncle Cheng and my master died under suspicious circumstances. Though my senior brothers had their doubts, Yin Dai was the leader of the foremost sect in the Martial World. When our master and Senior Uncle Cheng were buried, none dared to question Yin Dai. That day, thousands of heroes gathered at Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff, yet only one person—a young girl named Cai Pingshu—dared to speak up and say, 'This is strange.'"

Yunzhuan Daoren, though known for his fiery temper and hatred of evil, found himself unable to speak on this matter.On the day Cheng Hao and Wang Dingchuan were laid to rest, he was also present. The master of Clear Wind Temple, who had a close personal friendship with Yin Dai, naturally wouldn't say a word about it. But afterward, the senior brother had privately muttered to him, "Actually, that little Cai girl wasn't shooting without a target."

The two elders of Qingque had been renowned for years, having fought countless battles large and small, with incomparably rich combat experience. Even if Kaiyang's demonic skills were unparalleled and he exhausted all underhanded tricks, it shouldn't have led to their immediate deaths in a three-against-one situation.

Yin Dai's explanation for this was: to extract Nie Hengcheng's secrets, they had resolved to capture Kaiyang alive. Killing is easy, but capturing alive is difficult—that's why the two martial brothers made mistakes.

Li Wenxun stepped forward, crushing a blue stone brick beneath his foot with a sharp crack.

He said bitterly, "After the funeral, my senior brothers secretly went to find that old bald donkey Fakong, hoping he would stand up for justice. But who would have thought, who would have thought... hahaha..."

Li Wenxun threw his head back and laughed, his laughter filled with venomous hatred. "Who would have thought that old bald donkey would immediately report it to Yin Dai? From then on, Yin Dai grew wary and decided to eliminate all the direct disciples under Senior Uncle Cheng and my master! Afterward, under the pretext of revenge, Yin Dai constantly incited my senior brothers to fight head-on with the heretical villains of the Demonic Cult. Sometimes, even when they clearly knew it was a trap, clearly outnumbered, he still forced them to their deaths. Refusal would mean ingratitude, a betrayal of their master's profound kindness!"

"I was the youngest and weakest in cultivation, so Yin Dai didn't even spare me a glance. In just a few short years, I watched helplessly as my senior brothers went to their deaths in waves, with no one standing up for our two branches of disciples... until only I remained!"

Shangguan Haonan frowned. "Venerable Fakong's actions were hardly honorable. Not helping is one thing, but to actually inform on them..."

Daoist Yunzhuan said disapprovingly, "Hold your tongue."

The monks of Evergreen Temple turned pale with anger. Master Juexing roared furiously, "Li, you're spouting nonsense! My revered master was no such vile man. Don't you dare slander him!"

Zhou Zhixian pondered briefly and added, "Back then, Old Sect Leader Yin had eyes and ears everywhere. He likely would have learned of your senior brothers' intentions even without Venerable Fakong's report."

Li Wenxun sneered. "Yin Dai's favoritism was known to all, but Fakong had a grand reputation—everyone praised his benevolence and righteousness. If he was so benevolent, so righteous, why did he stand by and watch as Cai Pingshu alone went to Tu Mountain to slay Nie Hengcheng?"

"Where was he when Cai Pingshu fought to the death? Safely hiding in a cellar, protecting his disciples! What kind of scripture was he reciting, what kind of Buddha was he worshiping? All that pretense of compassion—nothing but selfishness, caring only for himself!"

Master Juexing was momentarily at a loss for words. Daoist Yunzhuan gaped, and even Zhou Zhixian fell silent.

"Save your breath," Li Wenxun said coldly, shaking his head. "Back then, the three elders of Qingque had exactly twenty-eight direct disciples, renowned throughout the Martial World as the 'Twenty-Eight Constellations Under Heaven.' Now, they're dead, crippled, or scattered. Let Venerable Fakong descend and chant scriptures for my senior brothers..."

"You're utterly deranged!" Master Juexing bellowed.

Li Wenxun ignored him. "Men, first push all the mechanisms at the cliff edge down and seal off the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff!"

"Third Senior Brother?" Cai Zhao clung to the beam, incredulous. "You're lying, right? How could he have known?"Mu Qingyan said, "Do you think a hiding place is so easy to find, just any random cave will do? The final stage of cultivating the Purple Star Sutra is extremely perilous—the slightest mishap could lead to a deviation. Any disturbance, be it birds, beasts, wind, or rain, could disrupt the practice and cause one to lose control. So, those old, dilapidated tunnels and secret chambers that aren’t sturdy enough can’t be used."

"So..." Cai Zhao mused, "Master could only look for a well-maintained, structurally sound secret chamber. That is to say, he could only use one that had been maintained in the past decade or so?"

Her eyes flashed with realization. "Yin Dai’s secret chamber?"

Mu Qingyan nodded. "Yin Dai presided over the Azure Tower Sect for thirty years. Whether it was reusing old sites or newly expanded ones... he meticulously drew detailed maps and handed them to his eldest daughter, Qinglian Furen. And now, all of that has been passed down to Song Yuzhi."

Cai Zhao was skeptical. "Of course, Qinglian Furen would pass all the secrets to Third Senior Brother—I already knew that. But... would Master really use Yin Lao-tou’s secret chamber?"

Mu Qingyan said coldly, "Are you hoping Qi Yunke used it, or are you hoping he didn’t?"

Cai Zhao didn’t understand the deeper meaning behind his words. "What do you mean?"

Mu Qingyan’s expression darkened. "Are you reluctant to drag Song Yuzhi into this? Are you reluctant to make him betray his own master?"

Cai Zhao was momentarily speechless. Furious, she wanted to turn and leave immediately, to get as far away as possible from this petty, narrow-minded Demon with a hole in his head, then bury herself under a thick blanket and never come out. Only halfway through did she remember she was perched on a roof beam, forcing her to suppress her anger.

Yang Xiaolan seemed to sense the tension between them, like a flood about to burst its banks, and couldn’t help shrinking even smaller.

Cai Zhao took three deep breaths. "Mu Qingyan, I’m now speaking to you with the magnanimity of the Three Pure Ones and the compassion of the Buddha..."

She struggled to keep her voice from rising. "At such a critical moment, can’t you think about something more dignified, strategic, and insightful instead of obsessing over trivialities?!"

Seeing the veins bulging on the girl’s forehead, Mu Qingyan wisely backed off. "I know you didn’t mean it that way—it just slipped my mind. Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. Rage can lead to a deviation."

Cai Zhao pressed a hand to her heaving chest. "If I suffer a deviation, it’ll be all your fault..."

Yang Xiaolan couldn’t hold back any longer and interjected, "Perhaps we should first think about where that Young Hero Song is now?"

Cai Zhao groaned. "Oh no, Third Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Brother are hiding outside right now, waiting for me to meet up with them. I thought this battle would be too dangerous, and since they’re both injured, I didn’t call them."

"Our Zhao Zhao is so devoted to her martial brothers, so protective of them, afraid they’ll even scrape a knee," Mu Qingyan said with a mocking smile. "But don’t worry, Little Heroine Yang—Song Yuzhi is currently at the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff."

Under Li Wenxun’s expressionless command, the previously chaotic defenders quickly regained order. One group held off Zhou Zhixian and the others, while another desperately rushed toward the cliff’s edge, pushing the massive Iron Chain Winches over the edge one after another.

Ding Zhuo fought fiercely to protect the last few winches. "Let’s hope they didn’t destroy the spare winches in the storage. Otherwise, even if we wipe out the intruders, how will we get out?"Shangguan Haonan reassured, "Don't worry, we’ve long since forged several Iron Chain Winches under the sect leader’s orders. Once the enemies are wiped out, we’ll send a whistle signal from here, and the Iron Chains will be shot from Wind Cloud Peak. We just need to catch them."

Yunzhuan Daoren frowned. "Why would you need to forge Iron Chain Winches for no reason?"

You Guanyue wore an expression of sincere innocence. "Isn’t this an essential tool for outings, visiting relatives, and crossing mountains and rivers?"

"Hmph, still scheming!" Yunzhuan Daoren flicked his horsetail whisk toward the enemy.

Mu, Cai, and Yang left Dusk Micro Palace and swiftly arrived near an elegant mansion outside the Crimson Scale Sect.

"How did you know they were imprisoned here?" Cai Zhao asked in confusion.

Mu Qingyan smiled. "While searching for you earlier, I first went to the guards' quarters. A few 'helpful souls' told me where Song Yuzhi and the others were being held."

Cai Zhao was expressionless. "Heh, I wonder if those 'helpful souls' are still alive."

"Well, if heaven had feelings, even it would grow old. Each life has its own fate."

"..."

The three of them charged toward the mansion. The guards were no match—some were knocked down with pressure points, while others met their end.

Cai Zhao lifted the floorboards and descended, revealing a vast, cavernous cellar. Deep inside, they found rows of clean, dry prison cells and eventually located Zhuang Shu and the others.

When Song Yuzhi saw Cai Zhao, he froze momentarily before his face flushed with shame. "Zhao Zhao, I’m sorry you had to see this. Not long after we parted that day, my master’s men came for me and took me and Fifth Brother back."

Fan Xingjia scrambled over, clinging to Cai Zhao’s leg and wailing. "It’s all my fault, Junior Sister! Hit me! I didn’t know Master would do this! I had no idea about the Purple Star Sutra! Aaaaaah! I shouldn’t have given him the Blood Orchid sapling…"

Lei Xiuming snapped impatiently. "Zhao Zhao, do you have—Xingjia, stop howling, you’re making a scene! Zhao Zhao, we’ve all been hit with your family’s Drizzle Paralysis Powder and have no strength left… Xingjia, shut up, I can’t even hear myself! Zhao Zhao, do you have the antidote?"

Cai Zhao did have the antidote, but the small vial she carried wasn’t nearly enough for dozens of people.

Lei Xiuming scratched his head. "Xingjia and I can forget about it—we wouldn’t be much help anyway. Give the antidote to Yuzhi first. His cultivation is high, and his previous injuries have mostly healed. Three cycles of energy circulation should restore him."

In the end, the small vial only sufficed to neutralize the paralysis in Song Yuzhi, Zhuang Shu, and a few others.

Mu Qingyan watched coldly as Song Yuzhi completed three energy cycles before impatiently pulling Cai Zhao away. He bluntly ordered Yang Xiaolan, "Miss Yang, please assist Third Young Master Song here. Be careful—he’s frail."

Song Yuzhi’s face darkened as he insisted he didn’t need help, then followed Mu and Cai with Yang Xiaolan in tow.

The four arrived at the foot of a mountain. After Mu Qingyan briefly explained the situation, he directly asked Song Yuzhi if he knew the safest, most secluded place within the sect for secluded cultivation.

Song Yuzhi pondered carefully before looking up. "My grandfather feared the dangers of the Martial World and had many enemies. Worried they might one day threaten my mother and aunt, he built an underground fortress filled with mechanisms for them."

"Where is it?" Cai Zhao pressed.

"Beneath the Twin Lotus Pool Palace."Cai Zhao let out an "oh" as she leaned back, realizing this place was unexpected yet made perfect sense.

Daoist Yunzhuan staggered back several steps, pointing at the Vajra Finger master before him and cursing, "Ouyang Kexie, you were one of Yin Dai's Shadow Warriors back in the day. Now that Qi Yunke wants to harm the Yin mother and daughter, why are you still helping him?"

Ouyang Kexie withdrew his palm and smiled faintly. "Have we met before, Daoist?"

Daoist Yunzhuan froze. As a Shadow Guard, of course they'd never met.

Ouyang Kexie continued, "I had an elder brother. Though born into poverty without any master's guidance, he achieved modest success through self-cultivation. Determined to make his mark in the Martial World, he left home for years. Finally, we received a letter saying a great hero of the martial arts had recognized his talent and offered him a chance to rise above his station. He vowed to work hard and make a name for himself."

Even as he spoke, his battle with Daoist Yunzhuan never ceased.

"After that, we never heard from him again. When I grew older, I searched the Martial World for news—only to find no one had ever heard of my brother."

Daoist Yunzhuan seemed to understand. "He... your brother..."

Ouyang Kexie said calmly, "That 'great hero' was Yin Dai. He wanted to build a team of Shadow Guard death warriors. But no disciple from reputable sects would dirty their hands with such work. So Yin Dai resorted to recruiting either notorious bandits who'd hit rock bottom or naive but talented country boys like my brother."

"Later, I pretended to be recruited and infiltrated Yin Dai's Shadow Guards. That's when I learned a dozen foolish boys like my brother died every year—all dreaming of glory, only to end as nameless mounds of earth hastily buried. Yin Dai strictly forbade them from revealing their identities, so even their families rarely knew what became of them. This conveniently saved him from paying compensation."

Ding Zhuo, who was fighting nearby, froze upon hearing this. "My... my father..."

Ouyang Kexie sneered, "Your father was another country boy 'recognized' by Yin Dai. But he was luckier—being distantly related to the Yin family, Yin Dai at least shed crocodile tears after his death before taking you in as an orphan to bolster his benevolent reputation!"

Ding Zhuo's face paled, his limbs going weak. He nearly got slashed before You Guanyue pulled him aside with a warning.

Zhou Zhixian's heart stirred as her gaze shifted to Chen Qiong, who was battling Zen Master Juexing with Great Compassion Hand. She wondered if this man shared the same tragic past.

Zen Master Juexing roared, "Fine! We all know Yin Dai was a scoundrel. So what exactly do you want?"

Chen Qiong struck out with a palm, his voice dripping with venom. "I want Yin Dai's name ruined for eternity! I want the Azure Tower Sect torn apart and turned upside down—all to avenge my nephew's cruel death!"

"Bullshit!" Daoist Yunzhuan spat.

Shangguan Haonan glanced around and shouted, "Lady Zhou, the situation looks dire! While there's still one last Iron Chain Winch operational, let our sect brothers cross the chasm now!"

Zhou Zhixian replied, "It's not yet time."

Shangguan Haonan snapped impatiently, "Hey, auntie, enough already! With things this critical, stop being so stubborn!"Though Zhou Zhixian was past thirty, her grace and charm remained undiminished. This was the first time in her life she had been called "auntie." Despite her usual composure, she couldn't help but snap angrily, "Chief Shangguan, please calm down—"

At that moment, a firework exploded in the sky ahead. Though it was daylight, the golden-red arrow-shaped burst was strikingly vivid.

Shangguan Haonan's expression turned grave. "The Sect Leader has found Qi Yunke. We must hurry over!"

"Alright!" You Guanyue retracted his Ghost Head Hook and immediately summoned seven or eight capable subordinates. Grabbing the absent-minded Ding Zhuo along the way, he and Shangguan Haonan dashed toward the direction indicated by the firework arrow.

You Guanyue and his group raced toward the Twin Lotus Pool Palace, encountering Zhuang Shu along the way, who was gathering fellow disciples.

"We collected the medicinal herbs for Uncle Lei and escorted them back to the herb hut. Then Uncle Lei told us to go out and find something to do. We found these hiding junior brothers, and then, and then..."

Zhuang Shu was torn with anguish. As Li Wenxun's direct disciples, their emotions urged them to stand with their master, yet reason reminded them it was wrong.

You Guanyue, ever the sociable one, immediately pulled Zhuang Shu aside with warm concern. "Ah, I understand the dilemma you young heroes face. It's like choosing between two sides of the same hand—both are dear! In this situation, one can only say fate plays cruel tricks. Though Master Li has his faults, you are still his disciples. Leading others to fight your own master isn't right. But standing by idly would also betray the path of chivalry. Don't you agree...?"

With his silver tongue and a face full of empathetic sorrow, You Guanyue spun his words skillfully, weaving back and forth until he finally convinced Zhuang Shu and the others to join them in rescuing Qi Lingbo. After all, while Qi Yunke was the sect leader, he wasn't their direct master.

Striking the ox through the mountain—the ox feels the pain, not the mountain.

After pressing forward for a while, they finally caught up with Mu Qingyan and the others.

The four of them had been stopped in the courtyard of the Twin Lotus Pool Palace by none other than Song Xiuzhi. Though he had sent most of his men to guard the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff, those remaining were all elite fighters.

Song Yuzhi calmly drew the Qinghong and Baigong twin swords from his back, their gleaming blades radiating a chilling aura. He spoke slowly, "Second Brother, it's time we settled things between us."

Song Xiuzhi smirked. "Oh? The four of you plan to fight against overwhelming odds?"

The words were infuriating.

Cai Zhao sighed and reached for the clasp at her waist. Mu Qingyan cracked his knuckles and smiled. "The Vast Heaven Gate is truly a remarkable place—full of talent and vigor, especially among the Song family. Later, you can choose your own manner of death."

Yang Xiaolan frowned. "With greater enemies still ahead, fighting now will cost us much energy."

"What else can we do?" Cai Zhao said helplessly. "If we don't defeat them, do you think they'll just step aside?"

Just then, reinforcements arrived.

"Don't worry, Sect Leader! Zhao Zhao, look who I've brought!" You Guanyue grinned from ear to ear.

Cai Zhao spotted Zhuang Shu and Ding Zhuo behind You Guanyue and instantly grasped his intention.

She stepped forward with a smile. "Senior Brothers Zhuang and Ding, come quickly! That pretentious fellow up ahead is Song Xiuzhi. Not only did he harm his father and brother to seize power, but he's also trying to take advantage of our sect's crisis. It's absolutely intolerable!"

Zhuang Shu's face darkened as he slowly unsheathed his sword. "Fine. Leave this group to us!"

—This was perfect. They wouldn't have to fight their master or the sect leader—just their fellow disciple's brother. No psychological burden at all.

Ding Zhuo silently raised his sword, ready for battle.

Seeing the enemy's numbers grow, Song Xiuzhi began to panic. He was about to order his men to hold the line while he slipped away when Song Yuzhi blocked his path with his sword."Second Brother," Song Yuzhi said, "Father remains unconscious to this day. And for our eldest brother's tragic death—shouldn't you give an explanation?"

Song Xiuzhi gritted his teeth and swiftly drew his sword. "Fine! If you insist on fratricide, then let us duel one-on-one, and let heaven decide our fates."

A flash of anguish crossed Song Yuzhi's eyes.

Mu Qingyan watched with gleeful malice. "What bravery from the two Song young masters! Now, show your skills and settle this once and for all!" With that, he quickly grabbed Cai Zhao's hand and dashed forward, followed by You Guanyue, Shangguan Haonan, and their subordinates.

Cai Zhao shook her head and sighed. "Ah, fratricide... why must it come to this? I could have handled it myself."

"You don't understand. Sometimes, family matters must be settled within the family." Mu Qingyan tightened his grip on Cai Zhao's small hand. "Don’t be fooled by Song Yuzhi’s harsh words. I bet you he won’t have the heart to kill Xiuzhi. He’ll probably just cripple his cultivation and maybe even keep him under comfortable house arrest. Tch—such soft-heartedness! He’ll never be able to control those old foxes of the Vast Heaven Gate in the future!"

As they entered the Twin Lotus Pool Palace, sudden flashes of blade-light forced them to retreat. Two rows of murderous guards, wielding long sabers, blocked their path.

Yang Heying stepped forward with a sinister chuckle. "Young Master Mu, it’s been a while!" His eyes flicked to Yang Xiaolan, and his face darkened. "You wretched girl, what are you doing here?!"

Without a word, Yang Xiaolan pushed past Cai Zhao and walked forward. Slowly, she untied the bundle strapped to her back and placed two objects the size of melons side by side on the ground.

The crowd gasped in unison—they were unmistakably human heads. The faces were still recognizable: one belonged to Sha Zuguang, the other to Madam Sha.

Even Shangguan Haonan and his men, no strangers to bloodshed, were stunned. Yang Xiaolan had always appeared frail and timid, exuding meekness and docility. Yet here she was, calmly carrying two severed heads—enough to make jaws drop.

Mu Qingyan tilted his head. "Did you know about this?"

Cai Zhao shuddered at the thought of Yang Xiaolan carrying those heads all this way. "I knew she killed the Sha siblings, but I didn’t know she kept their heads with her!"

Yang Heying staggered back in horror. Upon closer inspection, the face of his beloved concubine stared back at him from the ground.

His eyes bulged with rage. "You—you dare kill your own uncle?! You’re worse than a beast! Even if Sha Zuguang acted improperly, your aunt was just a helpless woman! And you slaughtered them both! How is this any different from the ways of Demons?!"

"Spare us the hypocrisy, you old fool! Don’t choke on your own sanctimony!" Despite her unease, Cai Zhao immediately leapt to Yang Xiaolan’s defense.

"The Sha siblings were vile, ruthless killers who harmed countless innocents! Xiaolan was delivering divine justice! Especially that delicate Madam Sha—I’ve heard the stories. Whenever she saw a woman with even a hint of beauty, she’d set her vicious dogs on them, tearing them apart until they were unrecognizable. She deserved death a hundred times over!"

Yang Heying’s face twisted with fury. "Even if elders err, they are still elders! For a junior to raise a hand against them—I’ll cleanse this disgrace myself!" He struck out at Yang Xiaolan with a palm strike. She met it head-on, blocking the blow with a resounding bang .Father and daughter both stepped back several paces, though Yang Xiaolan remained composed while Yang Heying's expression froze, inwardly wondering when this wretched girl's cultivation had advanced so much.

Yang Xiaolan said calmly, "Heaven above, earth below—who is truly worse than beasts, the whole world knows. There's no need for Father to bluster with empty threats."

She shook open the leather pouch at her waist and drew out a pair of silver-glinting weapons. Their simple, ancient patterns doubled as blood grooves, exuding a chilling aura, their cold edges flickering as if thirsting for blood—who knew how many lives they had claimed in the past.

Yang Heying's pupils contracted. "The Wind and Thunder Twin Axes!"

"Indeed. Grandfather's famed weapons," Yang Xiaolan tossed the pouch aside, gripping an axe in each hand, their blades slightly crossed, poised to strike. "After he was injured and retired, he secretly had them delivered to me."

As his son-in-law, Yang Heying knew all too well the might of Old Hero Huang in his prime.

In single combat, Old Hero Huang's martial prowess nearly rivaled that of the Three Elders of Qingque. But born from humble origins and burdened by loyalty to his roots, he had expended too much effort protecting the common folk. Not only did he lack support from major sects, but he was also constantly weighed down by the needs of his hometown, preventing his cultivation from advancing further. In the end, he met a bleak and lonely twilight.

Yang Heying narrowed his eyes. "Daring to raise your blades against your own father—it seems today you truly intend to become worse than swine." With a wave of his hand, guards behind him surged forward, forming layers between father and daughter.

Mu Qingyan gave a signal. Understanding, You Guanyue and Shangguan Haonan led their men into the fray without hesitation.

Though outnumbered, You Guanyue, Shangguan Haonan, and the few followers they had brought were hardened warriors who had fought through mountains of corpses. Taking on ten foes each was nothing to them, and soon the Twin Lotus Pool Palace echoed with the clamor of battle.

Seeing the situation turn against him, Yang Heying turned to flee—only for Yang Xiaolan to block his path.

"Father, let us proceed. Today, only one of us will walk away alive."

A faint scent of pine seemed to drift into Yang Xiaolan's nostrils, like countless dawns when the first light touched the sky, the breeze carrying the fragrance of pine trees beyond the walls. After her usual rigorous training, sweat dampened her inner robes as she stretched, savoring the ache in her muscles.

In the humble little courtyard, no one else had yet awakened. She sat alone on a stone slab, unfolding the letter her grandfather had secretly sent her, reading it in the quiet of the morning.

The letter brimmed with warmth and tenderness—her grandfather's bold encouragement, her uncle and aunt's earnest care, and the eager anticipation of her young cousins to meet and play with her someday.

The only warmth in her short life had already vanished like the wind.

"Grandfather, Mother, Uncle, and Aunt—they're all watching us from the heavens."

Calmly, she raised the Twin Axes, their blades gleaming like snow, thirsting for blood like ravenous beasts.