By the time they returned to the Azure Tower Sect, lanterns had already been lit. Chang Ning and Cai Zhao had just managed to catch the last Iron Chain extension of the day at Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff before the gates were sealed for the night—no one could cross the cliff after dark without special permission.
Cai Zhao skipped ahead, her small hands clasped behind her back.
Seeing her so carefree, Chang Ning asked, "What were you and your father discussing behind closed doors earlier?" He had been specifically invited to drink tea in the inn's main hall, yet all he got was half a bowl of cold well water.
Cai Zhao turned back with a bright smile. "Father said he’d come up the mountain tomorrow morning to see Master."
Chang Ning frowned. "Just that one sentence?" He had endured half a bowl of cold water for this?
Tilting her head, Cai Zhao added, "Father also said that with things escalating like this, the Martial World is bound to be thrown into turmoil again. He told me to slip back to Fallen Blossom Valley and hide at the first sign of trouble. Infinite Life Buddha, mercy and compassion."
Chang Ning burst out laughing. "Valley Master Cai is truly an honest man. I thought you’d follow your aunt’s example and stubbornly uphold righteousness, refusing to retreat. Well, this is good—thankfully, you’re not like her."
"Not all juniors resemble their elders," Cai Zhao replied with a smile. "You’re not much like Great Hero Chang either."
Chang Ning’s pupils abruptly constricted. "What did you say?"
Cai Zhao spun around, skipping backward along the path. "Exactly what I said."
Chang Ning stopped in his tracks, his expression dark as still water.
Cai Zhao halted as well, noticing a large lake beside them. She glanced around. "You’ve picked quite the spot—no one around for miles, perfect for talking."
"Speak your mind, Zhao Zhao." The young man in flowing robes stood by the water’s edge like an exiled immortal… or perhaps a demon masquerading as one.
Cai Zhao’s eyes were clear as water. "Brother Chang, you’ve never been good at pretending. Ever since Nine Conch Mountain, you’ve deliberately acted vicious and driven away everyone who cared for you—whether sincerely or not—so no one would notice anything amiss."
Chang Ning: "What’s amiss about me?"
"At first, I thought your erratic temperament was due to your lifelong illness," Cai Zhao said. "But the longer we spent together, the more I realized you’re not just moody—you’re reckless, acting without regard for consequences. When you seek revenge on those who wronged you, you throw all caution to the wind, prioritizing your own satisfaction above all else."
"Great Hero Chang has upheld righteousness and kindness for decades. No matter how much he doted on his frail son, he would’ve taught him properly—the real Brother Chang wouldn’t act so wildly. Am I right, ‘Brother Chang’?" Cai Zhao fixed her gaze on him.
Chang Ning’s lips curled slightly. "Well said. But you forget—I’m no longer the Chang Ning of before. After my family’s massacre, is it so strange that my heart has changed?"
Cai Zhao nodded. "I considered that too. But while one’s heart may change, combat experience can’t materialize out of thin air."
She continued, "That day at Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff, you deduced the circumstances of those dozen corpses’ deaths just from their wounds and uncovered the Demonic Cult’s scheme. That kind of insight isn’t something you can theorize in isolation—it takes seeing countless corpses and surviving countless battles to develop."
"Great Hero Chang’s son was frail for over a decade and only began recovering in the last two years. He’d be too busy secluded cultivation to make up for lost time—where would he have gained so much ‘experience’? Even my father must’ve noticed something off. How could your internal energy be nearly fully restored while your face remains covered in toxic sores?""Then there's your 'Chang Family Swordplay'—I don't use swords because I'm only accustomed to my own blade, which I often don't carry with me, so I just pick up whatever sword is handy. It's not that I'm hiding anything. But Brother Chang, why do you wield the sword with your left hand instead of your usual right?"
Chang Ning fell silent. "...What does Zhao Zhao think is the reason?"
"Because the power of your right hand is too great. If you couldn't restrain it while using swordplay, it might raise suspicions." Cai Zhao continued, "Even if Chang Ning were a prodigy, he's only been practicing martial arts for a couple of years. If 'Brother Chang' swung his sword with unstoppable force like thunder and lightning, wouldn't that be strange?"
"Paired with your temper that can't stand being wronged and your arrogant disregard for consequences—'Brother Chang,' you must have lived a very privileged life before." The girl smiled brightly.
Chang Ning didn't return the smile. "Then, who does Zhao Zhao think I am?"
Cai Zhao replied casually, "I don't know. As my father said, how could anyone guess just by guessing?"
Chang Ning gazed quietly at the girl. "Then why hasn't Zhao Zhao reported me to Sect Leader Qi and had me arrested for interrogation?"
Cai Zhao sighed. "Even if your identity might be fake, many of the secrets you've spoken about are true, and the 'Willow Catkin Swordplay' you use is genuine."
"Especially the stories from my aunt's youth—unless Great Hero Chang willingly shared them, I can't imagine any reason he would recount them in such exhaustive detail without holding back. And the Chang Family's internal energy techniques—with Great Hero Chang's skill, if he were truly coerced, it wouldn't be hard to tamper with them while teaching."
The girl paused, her eyes fixed on Chang Ning. "To have Great Hero Chang teach you the Chang Family's inherited martial arts with such dedication and gradually share his past over a long period—I think you must be someone he trusted deeply."
After a long silence, 'Chang Ning' exhaled slowly. "I underestimated Zhao Zhao."
Cai Zhao said sincerely, "You didn't guard against me much."
The young man pondered for a moment. "Do you want to know who I am?"
"Tell me if you want to, don't if you don't. You're not ready to say it yet, are you?" Cai Zhao met his gaze. "Right now, I only want to know one other thing—is Great Hero Chang's son still alive?"
The young man spoke very slowly. "He's alive. But you might as well consider him dead."
Cai Zhao's heart trembled. "What do you mean?"
The young man shook his head. "Two or three years ago, when his recovery seemed possible, Great Hero Chang was overjoyed and began teaching his son the internal techniques. But when Madam Chang saw this, she went mad, fearing her son would follow the same tragic path as her father and brothers. One day, while the young master was in seclusion, Madam Chang suddenly burst in, screaming and trying to stop him from practicing. This caused him to suffer a qi deviation, severing his meridians and leaving him unable to practice martial arts for the rest of his life."
"He was unconscious for days. When he woke, he remembered nothing. After long deliberation, Great Hero Chang decided this might be for the best. He had a loyal old servant take his son away to live in obscurity, far from the martial world. From then on, there was no Chang Ning of the Chang Family."
The young man looked up at the moon. "Not long after the young master left, the Demonic Cult attacked. In hindsight, Great Hero Chang was almost glad, saying heaven had taken pity on the Chang family by sparing Chang Ning's life, allowing him to live as an ordinary man, to marry and have children. That, too, was a blessing."
Cai Zhao said sorrowfully, "...But with something as major as the Chang family's massacre, surely the old servant would have told him?"“Even if I told you, there’s nothing you can do,” the young man said. “Before leaving, Great Hero Chang repeatedly instructed the old servant to never look back on the Martial World or the Chang family’s affairs, even if he died. As long as the old servant took good care of his son, that would be enough. The old servant swore a blood oath to obey.”
Cai Zhao sighed deeply. “Perhaps it’s for the best. High status brings danger. Being an ordinary wealthy man isn’t so bad.”
The young man waited for a while, but the girl didn’t ask any questions. Unable to resist, he said, “Aren’t you even a little curious about who I am?”
Cai Zhao smiled, her delicate little face youthful and charming. “Can I really trust what comes out of your mouth?” If he could pretend to be someone else, he could just as easily lie.
“Aren’t you worried about not exposing me?” The young man was still astonished.
Cai Zhao started walking again. “Worried or not, it is what it is. Anyway, Great Hero Chang trusts you, and Master personally entrusted you to me. What would a new disciple like me, who’s only been here half a month, know?”
The young man took a long stride and blocked her path. “I thought you aspired to follow in the footsteps of Heroine Cai.”
Xiao Cai Guniang’s face darkened. “My father doesn’t want me to be like Auntie… My mother says nice things, but I know deep down she feels the same as Father. Auntie is the person I admire most, but I’m afraid I can’t be like her.”
She looked up. “Tomorrow I’ll move to Camellia Longevity Abode. ‘Brother Chang’… I’ll still call you Brother Chang. Take care of yourself.” With that, she walked away without looking back.
Chang Ning watched the girl’s retreating figure, not moving for a long time. Logically, he should have felt relieved, but instead, he was inexplicably frustrated.
…
Perhaps because seeing her father had given her confidence, Cai Zhao fell asleep quickly that night.
But she dreamed.
In the dream, her aunt was very young, just as her mother had described—rosy-cheeked, radiant, with lively, ever-smiling eyes, fearless and bold. She leaned close to her little niece’s ear and whispered, “Little Zhao Zhao, don’t be afraid of the dark. Monsters will always be defeated, and the dawn will always come…”
The little girl cried uncontrollably, sobbing, “Auntie, don’t leave me, I’m scared.”
Then she woke up.
Cai Zhao sat up, drenched in cold sweat, the nightmare-like darkness still pressing outside.
She stared blankly—why was she afraid?
Her father was back. Her mother and younger brother were safe at the Ning family’s home. Everyone was safe.
Even if the Martial World outside was tearing itself apart, as long as Fallen Blossom Valley’s gates were closed, none of it would touch her family.
She flopped back onto the bed in frustration, determined to sleep even if she couldn’t. She wasn’t a child anymore—being unable to sleep because of a nightmare was too embarrassing.
Another half-hour passed in a daze before the ink-black sky began to lighten. Suddenly, noise erupted outside—Furong’s startled cries, Feicui’s calm reprimands, and a flurry of panicked footsteps.
Then came the sound of Chang Ning throwing open his door, his voice incredulous as he snapped, “What nonsense are you spouting? What do you mean, ‘gone’?”
And then, she was roused from bed and told—Cai Pingchun was missing.
…
A long line of people filed through the pitch-black abyss, the Iron Chain swaying under the weight of the torches held high by the crowd.
The matter was grave enough that even Qi Yunke, still weakened by lingering poison, was carried down the mountain on a stretcher by his servants.In the darkness, the flickering firelight made everyone's faces appear surreal—Zeng Dalou's hurried busyness, Dai Fengchi's schadenfreude, Song Yuzhi's anxiety, Fan Xingjia's astonishment—all seemed like actors on a stage with painted faces.
Cai Zhao could neither see nor distinguish anyone clearly. Only Chang Ning, who supported her with his warm, strong arms and firm muscles, made her feel grounded.
When they arrived at the Yue Lai Inn, the perimeter was already surrounded by Azure Tower Sect disciples holding torches, with an outer ring of unfamiliar faces Cai Zhao had seen earlier that day.
Then, a trembling, terrified old farmer was pushed to the front.
This farmer was responsible for delivering fresh provisions to the inn. Though business was slow, the innkeeper and staff still needed to eat, so he arrived before dawn every day with baskets of live fish, meat, and vegetables.
But today, no one answered no matter how long he knocked, even though slivers of light seeped through the door cracks—clearly, someone was inside. He had been delivering goods to this inn for years. Though the innkeeper was half-dead and terrible at business, he never defaulted on payments, so their rapport had deepened over time.
Knowing there was a door at the inn that was never locked, the farmer circled around with his carrying pole, entered through the kitchen, and stepped into the main hall—only to find the floor strewn with bloodied corpses. He nearly died of fright on the spot and immediately reported it to the sect's overseer.
The inn's main door was wide open, the counter overturned, with inkstones, brushes, ledgers, and copper keys scattered everywhere. Even the bamboo room plaques hanging on the wall had all fallen. The innkeeper's corpse lay facedown among the mess, the warming brazier beside him long extinguished.
Everyone rushed to search for Cai Pingchun, hurrying to the second floor, where they encountered five more corpses along the way.
In Room No. 1 on the second floor, the tables, chairs, and bed curtains were neatly arranged, and the teapot and cups were placed in a plum blossom pattern—as if no one had ever stayed there.
Cai Zhao hurried to check the bed, but the folded quilts showed no trace of disturbance.
The room was empty and cold, a stark contrast to the lively conversations she and her father had shared there not long ago. There were no signs of a struggle—it had clearly been deliberately cleaned.
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances as an eerie atmosphere filled the room.
"Where is my father?" Cai Zhao murmured numbly.
Zeng Dalou tried to comfort her. "Don't worry, let's keep looking."
Qi Yunke, leaning on someone for support, coughed lightly.
Pushing open the door of Room No. 1, they immediately found the first staff member's corpse curled on its side by the entrance.
At the stairway landing lay the second, sprawled over the railing.
On the middle steps was the third, facedown on the stairs.
In the main hall, two more corpses lay curled up—one on the left, a burly figure clutching a cleaver mid-swing, clearly the cook.
"How many people worked at this inn?" Zeng Dalou asked.
A disciple answered, "One innkeeper, one cook, and four staff members... all accounted for here."
"How many guests were staying?"
This time, Cai Zhao replied, "Tonight, only my father was staying."
—Another unsettling silence followed.
"Go examine the bodies first," Qi Yunke said weakly, leaning on someone as he sat down to rest.
Zeng Dalou obeyed.
Cai Zhao's legs gave way as if half her strength had drained away, and she clung to Chang Ning's arm for support.
Numbly descending the stairs, she pushed Chang Ning away with effort, forcing herself to stand composedly by a pillar in the main hall. Yet her entire body was cold, her hands and feet trembling uncontrollably.The innkeeper's corpse was turned over, revealing his familiar sallow face. Everyone gasped in shock—his chest had a bloody hole, his heart had been extracted, hanging coldly outside his body with strands of flesh, and his limbs hung limply.
Zeng Dalou froze for a moment before shouting, "Turn over the other corpses as well!"
The disciples immediately complied—sure enough, the other five also had bloody holes in their chests, their hearts torn out and hanging outside their bodies, their limbs broken.
Dai Fengchi exclaimed, "This is the Thousand Blossom Petal Capturing Hand of Fallen Blossom Valley!"
The crowd was stunned, then turned their gazes toward Cai Zhao in unison.
The Thousand Blossom Petal Capturing Hand was Fallen Blossom Valley's signature technique, consisting of twenty-one moves. The first twenty were for subduing enemies, while the final move, 'Flower Picking Leaf Plucking,' was used to kill.
When executed, it first shattered the opponent's limbs before striking directly at the heart. Those with profound skill could tear out a living heart, while those with lesser skill could still rupture the chest cavity and kill.
Because this technique was excessively cruel, many past valley masters had refrained from using it.
However, eighteen years ago during the Battle of Mount Tu, Cai Pingshu lost all her cultivation, leaving Fallen Blossom Valley in turmoil. To intimidate the demonic rabble, Cai Pingchun deliberately used 'Flower Picking Leaf Plucking' to wound dozens in the Battle of Green Gauze River, staining the riverbank with blood and shocking all who witnessed it.
"Second Senior Brother, isn't that too hasty? Just based on this one wound, you're concluding it's Fallen Blossom Valley's technique?" Fan Xingjia noticed Cai Zhao's pale face by the pillar and felt a pang of pity.
Dai Fengchi sneered, "What do you know? Look at the wound's location and the force behind it. All six were killed in one strike—except for the innkeeper, who showed slight resistance, the other five didn't even fight back. Such a formidable technique can only be 'Flower Picking Leaf Plucking'!"
"Second Senior Brother is mistaken," Song Yuzhi suddenly interjected. "The Heart Extraction Hand of Guang Sect is equally deadly."
Dai Fengchi paused, then retorted, "The Heart Extraction Hand only takes the heart, but 'Flower Picking Leaf Plucking' also shatters limbs. Look at these six corpses—aren't their arms and legs broken?"
The crowd examined them and saw it was true.
Chang Ning spoke coldly, "I don't know Fallen Blossom Valley's techniques, but I could still break Senior Brother Dai's limbs and tear out his heart. Would you like to test it, Senior Brother Dai?"
Dai Fengchi choked, "Are you threatening me?!"
"Not at all. I'm merely pointing out that there are many techniques. Once one's cultivation reaches a certain level, they can kill however they please." Chang Ning's tone was indifferent.
Dai Fengchi angrily fell silent.
"What's that on the ground?" Fan Xingjia spoke up again.
Following his finger, the crowd saw that beside the toppled counter, the innkeeper's right fingertips were stained with blood. Beneath where his corpse had lain, a short vertical line was drawn in blood.
"A vertical line—what does it mean?" Zeng Dalou was puzzled.
Fan Xingjia bent down to examine it. "It looks like an unfinished character. What could it be?"
Dai Fengchi opened his mouth again. "Maybe it's not a vertical line but a short horizontal one."
"A horizontal line?" Fan Xingjia was confused.
Cai Zhao's voice was icy. "The first stroke of the character 'Luo' in 'Fallen Blossom Valley' is a horizontal line."
She turned to Dai Fengchi. "Second Senior Brother, if you have something to say, say it outright. Speaking half-truths is cowardly, and no one understands you anyway."Dai Fengchi was provoked. "Fine, I'll speak plainly! The situation is crystal clear now. Late last night, an inn attendant accidentally witnessed your father engaged in some unknown activity inside his room. Startled, the attendant made noise. Upon discovery, your father came out and took the attendant's life. Then, deciding to go all the way, he slaughtered everyone in the inn to keep his secret from leaking!"
"I don't think so," Chang Ning mocked. "Yet Young Hero Dai here managed to uncover the hidden truth? Clearly, this method of silencing witnesses was completely useless."
Dai Fengchi stiffened his neck. "Perhaps Valley Master Cai acted in haste and didn't think it through carefully."
"If even a fool like you could see through it, then it wasn't just careless—it was outright brainless." Chang Ning sneered. "Since Valley Master Cai undoubtedly has brains, the situation couldn't have been as you described."
Dai Fengchi's face flushed red.
"Second Senior Brother," Cai Zhao suddenly smiled. "You're aware that the Big Dipper Six Sects have been repeatedly attacked by the Demonic Cult these past few days, right?"
Dai Fengchi was startled. "Y-yes, I know. So what?!"
"I've been wondering—how can the Demonic Cult succeed so often unless they have spies within the Six Sects?" Cai Zhao's expression turned grave as she glared. "Second Senior Brother, are you a spy for the Demonic Cult?!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?! Don't you dare slander me!" Dai Fengchi was so agitated he nearly jumped onto the rafters.
Cai Zhao stepped forward, pressing closer. "Old Sect Leader Yin once said that the Big Dipper Six Sects share the same breath and are as close as limbs. As long as we remain united and free of suspicion, the Demonic Cult can never defeat us."
"And now look at this. Second Senior Brother first insisted that the wounds on the corpses matched the martial arts of Fallen Blossom Valley. Then, based on a mere trace of blood, he claimed my father was up to no good in his room—ha! Second Senior Brother, with skills like yours, it's a shame you're not earning coppers as a storyteller in teahouses!"
Dai Fengchi was left speechless by the scolding, sweat beading on his forehead.
Cai Zhao took another step, her presence overwhelming. "My father has been away for half a month. He could have conducted his so-called secretive business anytime, anywhere. Why would he rush back to Qingque Town, openly check into an inn, and then frantically carry out his clandestine activities before the attendants even went to sleep—is he mad or just stupid?!"
"Second Senior Brother, are you trying to sow discord among the Six Sects? Are you truly not a mole planted by the Demonic Cult?! Otherwise, how could you use such absurd and laughable reasoning to hastily condemn my father?!"
Dai Fengchi was frantic, sweat pouring down his face, veins bulging on his neck.
Zeng Dalou interjected sternly, "Fengchi, you're in the wrong this time. Zhao Zhao is already distraught over her missing father. As her senior brother, instead of comforting her, you've been spouting nonsense without restraint! Fengchi, apologize to Zhao Zhao!"
Swallowing his indignation, Dai Fengchi noticed the disdainful looks from the other disciples in the inn. Reluctantly, he bowed and cupped his hands in apology to Cai Zhao.
"Forget it." Cai Zhao waved her hand. "We're all fellow disciples. As long as Second Senior Brother doesn't take it to heart, it's fine."
She added, "To dispel Second Senior Brother's doubts, everyone can examine the six corpses closely. The wounds on their chests are slightly slanted, clearly indicating the attacker was standing directly in front of the victims."
When two people face each other and one strikes a blow to the chest, the wound's angle cannot be perfectly vertical. It will always slant slightly depending on whether the attacker used their left or right hand."The second senior brother is young and lacks experience, so he's not familiar with the moves of the Thousand Blossom Petal Capturing Hand. You might as well go ask Outer Sect's Li Shibo or Medicine Hut's Lei Shibo—they'll both tell you that 'Flower Picking Leaf Plucking' involves a sideways palm strike. Any wound made by this move would definitely be straight!"
The girl's expression was disdainful, her words sharp as a blade, leaving Dai Fengchi utterly humiliated, unable to even lift his head.
A soft murmur of disapproval rippled through the disciples in the hall, directed at Dai Fengchi.
No one knew that beneath Cai Zhao's calm facade, her heart was in turmoil.
She suddenly recalled the dream she'd just had.
"Little Zhao Zhao, don't be afraid. Dawn will always come..." Her aunt's voice had been so gentle yet brave. No matter how dark the night or how terrifying the nightmare when she was young, hearing her aunt's voice would always banish her fear.
Three years ago, her aunt had passed away, and it felt as though half her world had collapsed.
Now, with her father missing and her mother unable to help, she had to drive the monsters away herself and wait for the dawn.
"I'm cold," she suddenly said. "Light the brazier."
OpenNovel