Cai Zhao slowly regained consciousness from the depths of the dense forest of sleep, as reluctant as a lazy donkey dragging a broken cart.
It had been a long time since she'd slept so deeply, ever since her father disappeared.
The room was scented with expensive incense—Cuiping Dianxi, worth ten taels of gold per ounce—infused with a hint of bergamot, exuding opulence without sacrificing elegance. The bedding and pillow covers were made of the finest cloud-patterned brocade and fine linen, the bed piled high with embroidered quilts as if she were lying atop a cloud.
Cai Zhao really wanted to drag Furong and Feicui over to see how other people decorated their rooms. Ever since Xiajiao got married, those two had become increasingly unrestrained, often mocking her with cold remarks—utterly lacking in propriety!
Oh, they weren't here right now.
As long as they were safe, a little less propriety didn’t matter.
Cai Zhao was born amidst great expectations.
It was said that Cai Pingshu had initially refused medicine, intending to let nature take its course and meet her end. But the moment she saw her little niece’s red, wrinkled face, she was overjoyed and resolved to live long enough to hear the child babble and call her "Aunt." So Cai Pingshu took her medicine diligently, practiced her breathing exercises, and miraculously prolonged her life.
When little Cai Zhao began to speak, Cai Pingshu worried her niece might be bullied in the future and decided to pass on her martial arts. Once the girl showed promise in martial arts, Cai Pingshu fretted that her carefree, naive nature might make her vulnerable to deception, so she sought to impart wisdom about navigating the world.
Thus, day after day passed until Cai Zhao turned twelve, when Cai Pingshu finally departed this world.
For this, Cai Pingchun, Ning Xiaofeng, and even Qi Yunke and Zhou Zhizhen deeply cherished and were grateful to little Cai Zhao.
They often said that because of her, Cai Pingshu had lived two extra years.
Ning Xiaofeng hoped her daughter would be like Cai Pingshu—heroic, forthright, free-spirited, and fearless as the blazing sun. Cai Pingshu, however, wished the girl would take after Ning Xiaofeng—clever, witty, charming, and adept at the finer things in life.
Cai Pingchun, meanwhile, hoped... Valley Master Cai had no opinion.
Yet Cai Pingshu and Ning Xiaofeng were polar opposites. Cai Pingshu was decisive and disciplined, rising at dawn to practice martial arts regardless of wind or rain. Ning Xiaofeng, even with accounting ledgers piled half a person high, would sleep until she woke naturally, claiming that sharpening the axe too much delayed chopping wood.
In the end, Cai Zhao took half from each—her aunt and her mother. Every morning, she wrestled with herself in bed. The half from her aunt reminded her that time was gold and she ought to rise and gather it, while the half from her mother tempted her to sleep a little longer, whispering that in old age, she’d sleep less and regret not savoring it now.
Cai Zhao opened her eyes and sat up slowly, realizing it was nearly dusk again outside.
She smiled wryly—these days, she worked at night and slept during the day.
Two beautiful maids approached with freshly pressed clothes, helping her dress and put on her shoes before holding up a mirror to style her hair.
After sending away the fake Chang Ning last night, dawn had begun to break. Knowing Qingjing Zhai was now empty and countless eyes were likely watching her from the shadows, she didn’t dare return there.
She had planned to spend the night at Lei Shibo’s medicine hut to rest and recuperate. But just as she returned to her room to fetch the bundle prepared by Furong, she found Song Yuzhi standing in the courtyard, inviting her to rest at Hanging Sky Dock.
At first, Cai Zhao hesitated. "This isn’t appropriate, is it? Your reputation—"
"This time, apart from a few of Uncle’s guards, the Vast Heaven Gate also sent along a master chef."Cai Zhao immediately declared—as children of the Martial World, they should be open and forthright, unbothered by trivial matters.
From the outside, Hanging Sky Dock appeared serene and elegant, but who would have guessed the interior was adorned like a den of extravagance, with gold and jade at every turn, and brocade under every step.
Song Yuzhi had no choice but to explain that this was all his father Song Shijun’s taste.
Cai Zhao expressed admiration: “Actually, most people in the world would love such lavish decorations—they just can’t afford them. Your father is truly fortunate, possessing mountains of gold and silver while also having a taste for them.”
Song Yuzhi: “……”
After spending so much time together, he had come to realize that Cai Zhao often didn’t mean to provoke. If he didn’t learn to appreciate her unique way with words, he might just die of frustration.
So he replied, “Indeed. Fortunately, the mountains of gold and silver met my father, or they would have been sorely disappointed.”
After freshening up, Cai Zhao sat down at the table to eat. Having slept from sunrise to sunset, she wasn’t sure what meal this even counted as.
A few bites in, she sighed inwardly—this was lethal .
The white jade bitter melon soup had miraculously transformed bitterness into sweet, savory deliciousness. The eight-treasure duck was tender and flavorful, the meat falling apart perfectly. The stir-fried crispy delights were cooked to perfection, and even the rice seemed to have been steamed in bamboo, leaving a lingering fragrance.
Between bites, Cai Zhao sighed—should she go discuss with Qi Lingbo? Let Lingbo marry into Jade Pendant Mountain Manor while she switched to the Song Family?
No.
She shook her head inwardly. Martial artists valued their word above all—how could she even think of breaking her betrothal over a few dishes? Besides, she hadn’t even tasted the Zhou Family’s chef yet—perhaps they were even better.
Two beautiful maids stood by, attentively serving dishes and refilling her bowl.
Cai Zhao gazed at their delicate faces, filled with envy. “Do you serve Third Brother like this for every meal?”
Unexpectedly, the maids both looked aggrieved.
One said, “We’d love to, but the young master refuses and even shoos us far away.”
The other added, “Miss Qi is too fierce—she threatens to beat or kill us whenever she sees us. The young master said he’d send us back to Vast Heaven Gate soon.”
Cai Zhao was indignant. “Senior Sister Lingbo doesn’t know how lucky she is! Having gentle, attentive beauties like you serving her is such a blessing—how could she still complain? Absolutely unreasonable!”
The two maids exchanged glances.
One coughed lightly. “Perhaps Miss Qi doesn’t like it when we assist the young master during his baths.”
Cai Zhao: “But you need help bathing—how else do you scrub your back?”
The maids: “……”
The other looked slightly embarrassed. “Maybe Miss Qi dislikes us sleeping in the young master’s room at night.”
Cai Zhao: “Wow, you even keep watch for Third Brother at night? I thought diligent maids like you didn’t exist anymore—you two are truly dedicated!” Furong and Feicui slept more soundly than she did, sometimes even snoring. Asking them to fetch tea or water in the night was out of the question—if there were a fire, she’d have to wake them up. Infuriating!
The maids: “……”
By the time the meal ended, dusk had fallen. The two maids were almost reluctant to let Cai Zhao leave, lamenting why the Song Family hadn’t arranged a marriage with the Cai Family back then.
After bidding farewell to the beauties, Cai Zhao strolled leisurely toward Song Yuzhi’s quarters.
As she approached the main residence, sword-wielding guards emerged subtly from the surroundings. A middle-aged man with a short beard and a square face stood at the door, smiling. “Ah, it’s Xiao Cai Guniang. Well-rested and well-fed, you look much more spirited now.” Without asking her purpose, he let her in.Song Yuzhi was reading by the lamp, draped in an outer robe. When Cai Zhao entered, he hurriedly put it on properly. "Uncle Pang Liu, why didn't you tell me to dress properly before letting my junior sister in?"
Pang Xiongxin grinned. "It's not like you were naked. No need for such formalities." With that, he left.
Cai Zhao waited until Song Yuzhi had fully dressed before lifting the beaded curtain to enter the inner chamber.
"You should add a shawl. The collar of that robe is too wide—your collarbones are showing," she remarked, observing the sternly handsome young man before her with thoughtful concern.
Song Yuzhi resisted the urge to adjust his collar. "...No need."
"Let's talk," Cai Zhao said, seating herself at the table. "There's much I want to say to Third Senior Brother... Hmm, no tea here?" She lifted the empty teapot—having eaten a heavy dinner, she craved a sip of tea.
Song Yuzhi had no choice but to retrieve the purple copper teapot from the nearby warmer and personally pour tea for Cai Zhao.
"How are things on the mountain now?" Cai Zhao blew lightly on her cup—premium Yun Ding Xiang tea, expensive enough that a few cups could buy a shop.
Song Yuzhi sat down slowly. "Lei Shibo openly admitted his fear and retreated to the medicine hut, keeping Junior Brother Fan and the other disciples confined. Li Shibo seems half-convinced, ordering Senior Brother Zhuang and others to intensify patrols, guarding against threats both outside and within. Senior Uncles Ouyang and Chen still follow Dusk Micro Palace's orders but maintain clear boundaries with the newcomers. The... Sect Master has ordered strict vigilance over the stone prison, allowing no slack."
Cai Zhao asked again, "And the Sect Master's wife?"
"Twin Lotus Pool Palace remains tightly shut."
Cai Zhao hesitated. "When you brought me back to Hanging Sky Dock, didn't Senior Sister Lingbo come to scold us?"
Song Yuzhi poured himself a cup. "She wanted to, but the Sect Master's wife restrained her. So she sent a maid to berate you instead—I chased her away."
"Seems Senior Sister Lingbo doesn't like Third Senior Brother that much?" Cai Zhao cradled her cup. "If Zhou Yuqi dared to bring a pretty young woman he fancied back to his own courtyard, she'd surely..."
Song Yuzhi's eyes flickered. "You'd surely call off the engagement?"
Cai Zhao: "...Why break off an engagement over something like that? A couple of beatings would suffice."
Song Yuzhi set down his cup. "Seems you don't like Young Master Zhou much either."
—In truth, he had always known Qi Lingbo didn't necessarily like him much. It was just that since childhood, she had insisted on having the best, even if she didn't truly want it—as long as no one else could have it.
Under the gilded emerald-inlaid lampstand, the tea-drinking girl's lips were flushed red from the steam, her skin luminous like snow, glowing with a pearl-like radiance.
Song Yuzhi stood abruptly, agitated, and moved to the window. "It's getting late. If you have nothing else to say, junior sister, you should return—"
"No, no, no, I have something important!" Cai Zhao dared not linger over the tea any longer and hurried to the main point—
"They say two hundred years ago, only Dusk Micro Palace stood here. The rest was built gradually over time." She continued, "For instance, the high frame suspending the Mystic Iron gong in front of Dusk Micro Palace was erected by the second Sect Master. The vast training grounds in the back mountains were built by the third. The elegant lakeside residences were the sixth Sect Master's work..."
Song Yuzhi frowned. "What exactly are you getting at?"
"Don't rush, Third Senior Brother. I'm getting to the point." Cai Zhao raised a small hand placatingly. "In short, it seems every Sect Master has added something to the sect. Even our master, for all his troublemaking, built Jade Exquisite Abode for Senior Sister Lingbo and renovated Camellia Longevity Abode for me...""The Jade Exquisite Abode was built by our master's wife for Lingbo," Song Yuzhi corrected meticulously—he had deliberately waited until Qi Lingbo moved into the Jade Exquisite Abode before requesting to reside in the farthest Hanging Sky Dock.
"Oh, it's all the same," Cai Zhao said. "The late Old Sect Leader Yin also made significant contributions—that well-equipped water prison was his idea. However, the stone-walled dungeon currently holding the Thousand Faces Sect disciples probably wasn't built by Old Sect Leader Yin. Judging by the chisel marks and wear on the steps, it must have been constructed about six or seven years ago."
Song Yuzhi turned to face the girl. "What are you planning?"
Cai Zhao looked up at him, her gaze clear and resolute. "Senior Brother doesn’t need to worry about what I’m planning. I just need you to help me with a few things."
...
At the second quarter of the Yin hour, outside the stone-walled dungeon, the night wind howled mournfully, and the grass and trees thrashed wildly.
Several guards patrolled back and forth, while two sect disciples stood shivering atop a high rock in the outer perimeter, scanning their surroundings from above.
"Ugh, what rotten luck—drawing the night watch shift. I was sleeping so soundly, and now I’m stuck here freezing in the wind!"
"The first half of the night was even colder, and the wind was stronger! Li Shibo said that troublemaker from the Thousand Faces Sect should be transferred to the outer sect for stricter supervision—there are braziers and proper rooms there, much more comfortable. But those newcomers absolutely refused to hand him over! Do you think they don’t trust us? Afraid they’ll lose control once he’s in our territory?"
"Obviously. We don’t trust them either, but Li Shibo insisted on having us work together to guard the place. But in this pitch darkness, who’d even try to break him out? We’re just suffering for nothing!"
"Are you really clueless or just pretending? Who else could it be?"
"You mean Junior Sister Cai? No way—I heard she was deceived by that guy pretending to be Great Hero Chang’s son too."
"Whether she was deceived or colluding with the Demonic Cult—that’s hard to say."
"Hey, hey—do you think our sect leader might really have been replaced?"
"Of course not! That Body Transformation Art—it sounds like some tall tale. This morning, Li Shibo made that Thousand Faces Sect troublemaker try to transform into someone else, but he claimed his energy was depleted and he couldn’t do it for now. Clearly, that impostor posing as Great Hero Chang’s son was just spouting nonsense to smear our sect leader!"
"Sigh… does a divine skill that can turn one person into another even exist in this world?"
"It does," a soft girl’s voice answered.
The two disciples froze, first exchanging glances. By the time they realized what was happening, a numbing sensation spread through their bodies, and they collapsed unconscious.
Cai Zhao slowly withdrew her two fingers.
She looked at the dry, overgrown grass before her and muttered helplessly, "Never thought I’d have to imitate that guy."
...
The wild grass caught fire instantly, and the wind fanned the flames, sending golden-red light soaring into the sky.
The patrolling disciples in the distance squinted and shouted in alarm, "Damn it, the stone-walled dungeon is on fire!"
Just as they were about to rush over to extinguish the flames, they spotted a faint figure dragging something in the shadows to the side. They immediately raised their torches and barked, "Who goes there? Identify yourself!"
The girl lifted her head, her dark hood falling back to reveal a bright, delicate face. "Couldn’t sleep again, so I went for a walk."
...
A sharp, urgent silver whistle pierced the air—four long blasts followed by one short. Any nearby patrolling disciples who heard it immediately blew their own silver whistles, spreading the alarm.
Zhuang Shu, hearing the whistle, knocked on his master’s door before entering. "Master..."Li Wenxun had already dressed and stood up, his face as dark as water: "I heard. Have all sword-bearing disciples of three years or more rise and assemble at the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff."—No matter how much Cai Zhao stirred up trouble, she would ultimately have to pass through the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff to leave.
Zhuang Shu clasped his fists in acknowledgment.
...
Fan Xingjia frantically pulled on his sleeves as he rushed into the room: "Uncle Lei, Uncle Lei! The alarm sounded four long and one short—someone’s breaking into the prison! It must be Zhao Zhao! Let’s go check it out!"
Lei Xiuming scowled. "What are we going to do, get beaten up? With your level of skill, who could you possibly save?"
Fan Xingjia looked miserable. "Then what should we do? Zhao Zhao might—might die!"
Lei Xiuming turned his head and caught sight of the embroidered robe draped over the clothes rack. Another vivid face flashed through his mind—"Wow, I’ve never seen embroidery like this on your clothes before! It’s so beautiful and unique. Can I trade something for it?"
He hadn’t agreed, so the girl had stolen it under the cover of night, leaving behind two snow lotuses in exchange.
Priceless snow lotuses from the icy mountains, traded for nothing more than an ordinary, albeit exquisite, robe and a mediocre jade crown.
He had stood there dumbfounded for a long time.
—There would never be another girl foolish enough to trade snow lotuses for his clothes and crown again.
After a long silence, Lei Xiuming sighed deeply. "Wake the guards and have them escort us there. If Zhao Zhao gets injured, we might still be able to save her."
Fan Xingjia was overjoyed.
...
Qi Lingbo’s face flushed with excitement. "I knew it, I knew it! That little wretch Cai Zhao would never stay quiet! Did you hear that? It must be her breaking into the prison! Second Brother, let’s go watch the show!"
"Of course we’re going!" Dai Fengchi was practically grinning from ear to ear. "I want to see her beaten half to death!"
"Go where? Who said you could go?" Yin Sulian stepped out from the inner room, her face cold. "Are my words just wind in your ears? The situation outside is unclear—what business do you have meddling in it? Stay put right here!"
Qi Lingbo panicked. "But—Mother, we’re not meddling! We’re just going to watch!"
Dai Fengchi also pleaded urgently, "Exactly! We won’t interfere—we just want to see Cai Zhao suffer and vent some anger!"
Yin Sulian remained unmoved.
In desperation, Qi Lingbo threatened to draw her sword and fight her way out.
At that moment, Grandma Mao stepped in to mediate. "We’ll watch from a distance. I won’t let the young lady and young master get hurt."
Yin Sulian relented reluctantly. "Fine, Grandma Mao will go with you. Take more skilled guards, and make sure they don’t get too close."
...
Pang Xiongxin entered the room with his sword, his voice grave. "Young Master, there’s trouble outside. Should we go?"
Song Yuzhi stood by the window in neat attire, as if he hadn’t slept at all—how long he had been standing there was unclear. He replied, "Of course we’ll go, but our people are not to intervene."
Pang Xiongxin was taken aback. "But I heard it’s Xiao Cai Guniang who’s breaking into the prison..."
Song Yuzhi turned around. "Uncle Pang Liu, please trust me on this."
Pang Xiongxin looked at the resolute young man before him and nodded with full confidence. "As you command."
...
About three or four li away from the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff, on the western open ground of the Dusk Micro Palace’s second hall.
The girl dragging the water bucket cart was already surrounded. Layers upon layers of torches and lanterns illuminated the night as brightly as day, their flickering light casting eerie shadows. The hurried footsteps and overlapping voices created a tense yet bizarrely lively atmosphere.
The fake Qi Yunke stood on higher ground and called out to Li Wenxun in the distance, "See? I told you she’s been colluding with that little Demon from the Demonic Cult all along."
Li Wenxun’s face was black with fury, but he said nothing.The fake Qi Yunke let out a loud, cold laugh. "Cai Zhao, we knew you'd try to rescue someone! You really are colluding with the Demonic Cult!"
Still holding the rope of the water bucket cart, Cai Zhao looked up with a smile. "Enough with the 'Demonic Cult' nonsense—let's hear something fresh. Nie Zhe, you spineless, two-faced, shameless coward! If it weren't for the reputation of the dead Nie Hengcheng propping you up, you'd have been squashed like a bug long ago!"
After shouting this, she grinned at the fake Qi Yunke and the gray-clad men. "You there, why don't you try cursing him too? Shouldn't be too hard, right?"
The fake Qi Yunke's face turned livid, while the gray-clad men pressed their lips shut. Several even made as if to lunge at Cai Zhao.
She turned to the sect disciples. "Would any of you dare to shout that? Anyone who does might just be accused of colluding with the Demonic Cult."
A few disciples immediately took up the challenge, hurling insults at Nie Zhe, some even embellishing further.
Cai Zhao then turned back to the fake Qi Yunke. "See that, Master? No true North Star disciple would dare insult the Demonic Cult's leader."
Li Wenxun's suspicious gaze drifted toward them.
Under the urging of the short, hook-nosed man, a few gray-clad men were pushed forward to stammer out some half-hearted curses at Nie Zhe, their lack of conviction making it seem as though they were being forced into disgrace.
The fake Qi Yunke waved a hand dismissively. "Enough of your nonsense. Whether or not you're colluding with the Demonic Cult, you did abduct a prisoner from the Thousand Faces Sect. Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Ouyang, Senior Brother Chen, what say you?"
Li Wenxun, grim-faced, gestured sharply, and outer sect disciples began encircling Cai Zhao.
Ouyang Kexie and Chen Qiong exchanged a glance before directing the inner sect disciples to join in.
Seven or eight gray-clad men also moved forward, but the short, hook-nosed man stopped them with a crooked smile, whispering, "Let them fight among themselves first. Let's see what the Azure Tower Sect's skills are like—though we can always seize the chance to snatch that Qian kid back."
He jerked his chin toward the water bucket cart.
The gray-clad men nodded in understanding.
With the plan set, everyone's attention returned to the open space below.
A grinning disciple stepped forward. "Junior Sister Cai, forgive me—this might hurt a little." He flourished his sword and advanced, intending to lightly wound and capture her.
"No need to hold back," Cai Zhao replied, deflecting his blade with a single stroke before kicking him flying like a snapped kite string.
A brief silence fell over the scene.
Wielding a half-blunt sword, Cai Zhao used it like an extension of her finger, swiftly tapping the two foremost disciples into unconsciousness with two sharp thuds .
Finally taking her seriously, the disciples shouted and charged.
Cai Zhao swung her arm wide, the dull, unremarkable sword in her hand proving unstoppable. The first ring of disciples was swiftly subdued and left sprawled on the ground.
Those in the rear, initially reluctant to gang up on a young girl, now had no choice but to step forward as their comrades fell. They attacked in groups of three or five.
Unfazed, Cai Zhao shattered the first attacker's stance with a single stroke, then slapped his face with the flat of her blade, knocking him out. The second man had his wrist flicked, striking a pressure point that left him half-paralyzed on the ground. She then redirected the third man's sword into the fourth, leaping up to bring her blade down and take both out simultaneously.
With each slash and strike, another group of disciples fell.
Fortunately, Cai Zhao was using a blunt sword—though the disciples groaned in pain, no blood was shed.
Seeing the group assault failing, Zhuang Shu barked, "Form sword formations! Seven to a group!"The Big Dipper Sword Formation was different from ordinary brawls. The seven disciples stepped into their star positions, forming a sword net to attack Cai Zhao. Unfortunately, Ping Shu had already devised a way to break this formation two years ago.
Cai Zhao observed clearly that during the Seven Stars Sword Formation's assault, the Tianxuan position was always the most constrained. This was because he had to yield the main offensive role to Tianji while also supporting the Yaoguang position. With several clanging strikes, Cai Zhao parried the three attackers before her. As she swung her sword toward the Tianji-positioned disciple, her left hand flicked out a streak of silver light, which shot past the disciple's armpit and tightly coiled around the Tianxuan-positioned disciple.
While continuing to wield her sword, Cai Zhao yanked the silver chain—instantly breaking the formation.
Simultaneously, two gray-clad figures attempted to sneak toward the Water Bucket Cart, only to be sent flying two zhang away by a swift slash of her sword and a whip of her chain.
The girl moved like a phantom shadow, flitting unpredictably across the battlefield. In the blink of an eye, she had already felled two more groups of Seven Stars Sword Formation disciples.
Zhuang Shu and the remaining disciples were aghast.
Cai Pingshu had once said, "Martial artists must never grow complacent. Even the finest techniques, if overused, will inevitably be deciphered—one must constantly seek innovation." She had repeatedly warned the Azure Tower Sect that their Seven Stars Sword Formation had a critical flaw and had even devised a remedy. Unfortunately, no one had listened.
Back then, she had already been formidable, yet she still held little sway in matters of discourse.
Cai Zhao thrust forward decisively, striking down the last disciple of the third Seven Stars Sword Formation group.
By now, three or four sect disciples had already fallen beneath her blade.
The crowd erupted in disbelief.
The young woman stood at the center, sword in hand, her snow-white skin and delicate features contrasting with her icy demeanor.
Surrounded by fifty or sixty disciples, not a single one dared to step forward first.
From a distance, Qi Lingbo watched, a strange and complicated feeling rising in her heart. Yet she scoffed, "Look at her—she's at the end of her strength. It won't be long before she's beaten into the mud!"
Dai Fengchi gritted his teeth in agreement, insisting that was exactly the case.
The fake Qi Yunke grew impatient and shouted, "Forget the formations! Disciples, unleash your skills and subdue this troublemaker!"
At the sect master's command, the disciples abandoned any pretense of coordinated tactics, resolving to overwhelm Cai Zhao with sheer numbers.
Several of them lunged forward in unison, their swords all aimed at Cai Zhao.
Her left hand lashed out with the silver chain, cracking sharply as it sent them reeling. Her right hand wielded her sword with precision—slashing, hacking, and striking pressure points.
Then, from behind, a figure burst forth, violently scattering the attacking disciples with a flurry of strikes while roaring, "Have you no shame? Ganging up on one is disgraceful enough! Now you resort to such dishonorable tactics? Why don’t I just go down the mountain and round up a hundred common laborers—they could swarm Cai Zhao just as well! Why bother training in martial arts? Just scram down the mountain and live as ordinary folk!"
The disciples yelped and fled, clutching their heads.
The crowd turned to see—it was Ding Zhuo.
Zhuang Shu chuckled. "You actually showed up?"
Ding Zhuo scowled. "With all this commotion outside, how could I hide? These days, martial artists have lost all sense of discipline—resorting to every petty, underhanded trick imaginable!"
His scathing rebuke left the disciples red-faced. Too ashamed to continue their human-wave tactics, they could only engage Cai Zhao in small groups, wearing her down slowly.
After all, with nearly two hundred people present, Cai Zhao would eventually exhaust herself.
Yet she moved like a scythe through grass—unstoppable.
Zhuang Shu could no longer stand by and prepared to intervene, but Ding Zhuo grabbed his arm. "You're Li Shibo's head disciple. If Junior Sister Cai beats you into a lifeless dog, what will that do to Li Shibo's reputation?"
Reluctantly, Zhuang Shu backed down.
Then Zeng Dalou arrived, rushing frantically into the fray. "Zhao Zhao, stop this madness!" he cried. "With so many people, you can't possibly escape! Let me plead with Master on your behalf—"At this moment, Cai Zhao had just incapacitated two disciples with Pressure Point Strikes when she turned to find Zeng Dalou blocking her path.
Seizing the opportunity, two gray-clad men whipped their ropes around the hands of the Water Bucket Cart and swiftly pulled it away, giving it a hard push. The person inside the bucket, unconscious from the Pressure Point Strike, immediately tumbled out. His eyes were tightly shut—it was Young Master Qian.
The short man with the hooked nose was about to burst into laughter upon seeing Young Master Qian retrieved, but his laughter abruptly choked in his throat—
The entire area fell into silence.
It turned out that the moment Cai Zhao turned and saw Zeng Dalou, she had thrust a swift and fierce sword strike straight at his chest.
Zeng Dalou stared blankly downward, watching as the blunt sword plunged deep into his chest, warm blood already gushing out.
Because it was a blunt sword, the pain was all the more excruciating.
Cai Zhao slowly twisted and withdrew the sword, a faint smile playing at her lips. "Senior Brother, you finally showed up."
Lei Xiuming shrieked, "Zhao Zhao, have you lost your mind?!"—If Zeng Dalou was dead, how could he plead for her now?
The disciples were stunned into silence. No matter how difficult the fight had been earlier, Cai Zhao had never once killed anyone, so they had gradually let their guard down. Who could have guessed the girl would suddenly unleash a lethal move, taking a life in an instant?
And it was Zeng Dalou’s life at that!
Li Wenxun gritted his teeth, preparing to step in himself.
Ouyang Kexie and Chen Qiong also strode forward with grim expressions, but after two steps, they halted.
Cai Zhao had swiftly unraveled a coarse rope coiled around her left shoulder, looping one end around Zeng Dalou and flinging the other high into the air, where it caught on the bare branches of a century-old pine tree. With a forceful tug, Zeng Dalou’s corpse was hoisted high into the air.
Fan Xingjia wailed, "Zhao Zhao, have you gone mad? Put Senior Brother down now!"
Just as everyone was convinced Cai Zhao had descended into madness, the suspended corpse of Zeng Dalou began to change. Someone noticed and cried out—"Look! What’s happening to Senior Brother?"
Though it was dark, the hundreds of torches illuminated the area brightly.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the swaying corpse twisted rapidly, as if writhing like maggots. The skin and muscles of his forehead, cheeks, hands, and feet undulated grotesquely, turning purple one moment and black the next, even oozing corpse fluids.
Faced with such a bizarre sight, everyone froze, their movements ceasing as they stared fixedly.
Soon, the corpse stopped twisting.
But this was no longer Zeng Dalou—instead, it was the face of a stranger, thick with coarse flesh.
Hundreds stood in stunned silence.
Finally, someone cried out—"So the Body Transformation Art really exists!"
The words seemed to break a spell. Instantly, the crowd erupted into murmurs—some shocked, some terrified, some panicking helplessly, while others exchanged meaningful glances.
Fan Xingjia’s jaw dropped.
Qi Lingbo gaped foolishly. "Who is this? Where’s Senior Brother?"
Dai Fengchi muttered, "So Cai Zhao wasn’t lying after all."
Even someone as composed as Li Wenxun was rendered speechless by the sight.
After a brief pause, he raised his voice. "Outer Sect disciples, heed my command—withdraw at once!"
In truth, the disciples who had been besieging Cai Zhao had already stopped fighting. At his order, the Outer Sect disciples hastily retreated behind Zhuang Shu.
Ouyang Kexie and Chen Qiong stood dumbfounded for a moment before slowly ordering their disciples to cease their attacks. The Inner Sect disciples also withdrew.The fake Qi Yunke was furious. "What do you mean by this?! Even if the building was swapped, does that mean you should suspect us? I told you, this is all a scheme by the Demonic Cult—they replaced a few people deliberately to sow distrust among us!"
Li Wenxun cupped his hands respectfully. "The Sect Leader speaks wisely. However, this matter is too bizarre and should be discussed carefully." He then turned to Cai Zhao. "Zhao Zhao, we understand your stance. Let’s deliberate this properly. You don’t need to be afraid or worry about being misunderstood."
Cai Zhao switched her blunt sword to her other hand, shaking out her sore right arm behind her back while smiling. "I’m not afraid, nor worried about being misunderstood. You elders can discuss among yourselves. I’m going down the mountain to find my father, and no one can stop me."
At this point, Li Wenxun and the others no longer intended to forcibly restrain Cai Zhao.
The short man with a hooked nose glanced at the fake Qi Yunke and, receiving a signal, stepped forward with a cold laugh. "Since sect disciples hesitate to act out of camaraderie, let us handle it."
With that, seventy to eighty gray-clad men arrayed themselves in an orderly formation, blocking Cai Zhao’s path.
Unlike the sect disciples earlier, this group clearly exuded a dense killing intent, their eyes brimming with bloodlust.
"Gahahaha, don’t be scared, little beauty," a gap-toothed man cackled as he lunged forward first. Each of his index fingers bore a steel finger guard, their sharp tips aimed straight at Cai Zhao’s face.
Cai Zhao caught a whiff of a foul stench and immediately felt dizzy.
At that moment, Fan Xingjia unknowingly stepped forward, pointing at the gap-toothed man and shouting, "That’s the Poisonous Scorpion Finger! This man is—"
The gap-toothed man flicked his left hand, sending two poisoned needles shooting from his sleeve toward Fan Xingjia.
The attack was too sudden—some couldn’t see it clearly, while others had no time to intervene.
Cai Zhao swung her blunt sword backward in a reverse grip. The sword spun twice midair, knocking down the two needles—"Senior Brother Fan, get back!"
As the man’s poisoned right finger thrust toward her, Cai Zhao leaped high into the air, simultaneously slapping her waist. With a sharp shua , she drew a radiant Arm Blade and brought it down in a sweeping slash.
A loud clang rang out as the man clutched his blood-gushing right hand and retreated with a howl.
Everyone stared intently—the blade in Cai Zhao’s hand was about three to four fingers wide, slightly shorter than a typical sword by seven or eight inches. When sheathed in her belt, it was as thin as a cicada’s wing, yet when fully extended, it seemed indestructible.
"That’s the Bright Sun Blade," came a familiar, clear, and cold voice.
The disciples turned to see Song Yuzhi approaching slowly, surrounded by guards from Vast Heaven Gate.
"The Bright Sun Blade should belong to the heroine Cai Pingshu," Song Yuzhi said. "To this day, no one knows who forged this blade, but back then, Heroine Cai wielded it across the land, unmatched by any foe."
Song Yuzhi wasn’t the only one who recognized it. Amid the gap-toothed man’s screams, exclamations of "Bright Sun Blade!" rose in waves across the scene.
"Mhm." Cai Zhao gently stroked her beloved blade.
The blade was as if coated in a thin layer of rouge, its surface adorned with intricate, vivid patterns—truly breathtaking in its beauty.
It was hard to imagine someone as free-spirited and unrestrained as Cai Pingshu wielding such a peerlessly exquisite weapon.
The short man with the hooked nose pointed at the Bright Sun Blade, his voice trembling. "Th-this is…"
"Correct." Cai Zhao held the blade horizontally before her. "This blade is stained with Nie Hengcheng’s blood! You’re in luck—you get to experience it firsthand."
—The girl holding the blade seemed like a completely different person, her eyes alight with eager battle intent, anticipating the arrival of formidable foes.
The short man with the hooked nose yelled, "Everyone, attack—!"After his shout, Cai Zhao was the first to charge into the gray-clad crowd. With two clangs, she severed an Eighteen-foot Serpent Spear and a sword, then swept her blade horizontally—two throats sealed with a single stroke!
The two gray-clad men clutched their necks, collapsing without even a sound.
A surge of fervor pulsed through Cai Zhao’s heart, her vision narrowing until only enemy after enemy remained.
She lunged forward, her blade rising in an upward slash before descending diagonally. “Left arm!” she declared coldly.
A gray-clad man’s left arm flew into the air, blood spraying wildly.
“Right leg!” She pivoted, striking low.
Another gray-clad man’s leg was severed at the knee, staining the yellow sand crimson.
She flipped beneath an opponent’s armpit. “Abdomen!”
A third gray-clad man’s belly split open, entrails spilling onto the ground.
As her fervor gradually cooled, Cai Ping Shu’s words echoed in her mind—
“When you reach the pinnacle of combat, you may even forget life and death. All you see is flaw after flaw.
Enemies cease to be enemies, lives cease to be lives—they become nothing more than openings for your blade to cleave through.”
The short-nosed man with the hooked nose saw his forces falling one after another and realized he could no longer afford reckless, scattered attacks. He quickly organized his men into formation, advancing with measured precision.
By now, Cai Zhao had also become acutely aware that she was killing. Her hands no longer trembled, her mind settling into icy focus as she faced her foes.
The gray-clad crowd rolled forward like an unstoppable landslide, threatening to engulf everything in its path.
Yet a single blazing light split through the dark tide. Where the girl’s blade danced, the glow of dawn shimmered, radiant and dazzling.
For a time, the two sides were locked in an inextricable struggle.
The sect disciples watched, awestruck—
Zhuang Shu gaped, turning to Ding Zhuo. “You were right. Thanks.”
Ding Zhuo, engrossed in the spectacle, didn’t catch it. “What?”
“Earlier, you told me not to step in to avoid getting beaten like a dead dog. Turns out you were right—thanks,” Zhuang Shu said. “Oh, and didn’t you always say you wanted to spar with her? How’d that go? What was the outcome?”
Ding Zhuo: “…”
—Damn it, I saved you, and this is how you repay me?
Fan Xingjia watched, his mouth dry, and slowly retreated to Lei Shibo’s side. “Uncle Lei, I was wrong.”
Lei Shibo frowned. “What nonsense are you spouting?”
Fan Xingjia: “Back when you told me how Heroine Cai Pingshu, even as a child, dominated the Grand Beginning Temple’s tournament, leaving the best fighters battered—how you couldn’t even tend to your wounds fast enough—I didn’t believe it. But now I see… you were telling the truth all along.”
Lei Shibo: “…Brat!”
Qi Lingbo bit her lip hard, inwardly chanting, ‘This isn’t impressive, this isn’t impressive…’ Yet deep down, she knew—this was undeniably impressive.
Dai Fengchi clenched his jaw. “Useless fools! I’ll deal with Cai Zhao myself!” He barely took a step before Grandma Mao restrained him, confiscating his sword and handing it to a guard.
“What’s going on here?!”—a sudden shout rang out.
It came from the two gray-clad men who had retrieved Young Master Qian. They realized the person in their grasp was ‘distorting.’ Moments later, Young Master Qian’s face morphed into someone else entirely.
A disciple nearby recognized him. “Huh? Isn’t that Cui Sheng?”
Furious, one of the gray-clad men jabbed a finger, unsealing Cui Sheng’s pressure points.
Cui Sheng woke with a start, yelling incoherently, “Ow ow ow! Where am I? Who knocked me out?...”The fake Qi Yunke and the short man with the hooked nose exchanged bewildered glances. The stone-walled dungeon was heavily guarded. Cai Zhao setting a fire to rescue someone was one thing—after all, it would be discovered quickly—but when and how had she managed to swap the person?
Song Yuzhi’s mind flashed back to a previous scene—
“The first favor I ask is for Third Brother to tell me about a secret passage.”
“What secret passage?”
“The one leading to the stone-walled dungeon.”
“…”
“The first time I entered the dungeon, I noticed that one of the three or four iron racks on the wall was fake. Behind it should be a hidden door. What lies beyond that door? If not a secret chamber, then a passage. Building a secret chamber in a dungeon would be redundant, so I guessed it’s a passage.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
“Because this passage was likely built by your maternal grandfather. The dungeon was constructed six or seven years ago, but the three-leaf flower engravings on the iron racks bear the mark of the Duan father and son—Old Man Duan only entered the scene three years ago.”
“…”
“Old Sect Leader Yin didn’t just build the water prison; he also created a secret passage to the stone-walled dungeon. Through this passage, he could interrogate Kaiyang in private to his heart’s content.”
“…”
“A man like Old Sect Leader Yin, who values bloodline so highly, wouldn’t trust just anyone. Madam Sulian was unreliable, so he likely only told his eldest daughter, Qinglian Furen. Third Brother, did your mother ever mention this passage to you?”
Song Yuzhi remembered the tea growing cold before he finally answered—
Of course, there was a passage. Its entrance lay behind an inconspicuous boulder, but he had never been there and didn’t know where it led. He never imagined he’d reveal it under such circumstances.
“Sect Leader, what should we do?” The short man with the hooked nose grew anxious.
The fake Qi Yunke was equally flustered. Their entire plan hinged on Young Master Qian’s Body Transformation Art. If he was gone, all their efforts would be for nothing.
“Find him, now!” he ordered. “Search every inch of the dungeon, inside and out!”
Cai Zhao had long known she was being watched outside Hanging Sky Dock, but few knew she was skilled in disguise.
Before midnight, she disguised herself and left the dock, knocking out a disciple roughly Young Master Qian’s size and taking him away.
When Young Master Qian saw Cai Zhao leap out from the hidden door behind the iron rack, he nearly fainted from shock.
Cai Zhao ordered Young Master Qian to transform Cui Sheng into her likeness. At first, he protested, claiming his energy was depleted. Cai Zhao coldly retorted, “I don’t believe you’ve exhausted even a few hours’ worth of energy. This is your last chance to escape those people’s control. Take it or leave it.”
Reading her expression, Young Master Qian realized this girl was no less formidable than the man covered in festering sores. He promptly complied, transforming Cui Sheng into her image.
Afterward, Cai Zhao immobilized Cui Sheng with a Pressure Point Strike and left him on the stone bed, then departed with Young Master Qian.
By the Hour of the Tiger, she set a fire outside the stone-walled dungeon but re-entered through the secret passage to retrieve Cui Sheng, making it look like a jailbreak.
“You know disguise techniques well enough to fool ordinary people. You could’ve sneaked away with that Qian fellow quietly. Why cause such a huge commotion?” Under the dim lamplight, Song Yuzhi fixed his gaze on Cai Zhao.
The girl’s tone was resolute: “To expose the Thousand Faces Sect’s scheme before everyone, to make sure the world knows the Body Transformation Art is real, to ensure this matter can’t be covered up or hidden—this can’t rely solely on a few words from someone like Chang Ning, whose origins are unclear, or on a couple of maids shouting outside.”"To prove that the sect leader of the world's foremost sect has been replaced, we need solid evidence. Mere words won’t suffice."
Song Yuzhi asked, "What is your evidence?"
"Zeng Dalou," the girl replied.
"Their original plan was to replace him easily after Master was severely injured. But I ruined their scheme—Master only suffered minor injuries, so they had to resort to the Soul Confusion Needle—just like with my father."
"Once the Soul Confusion Needle is deployed, its pungent odor would immediately alert anyone. So, who could get close enough to both Master and my father without raising suspicion and successfully attack them?"
"Only Zeng Dalou."
"Especially my father—he was never particularly close to anyone outside our family, not even Master, let alone disciples from other sects. Only Zeng Dalou, whom he had known since their youth, and whose martial skills were far inferior to my father’s. People tend to let their guard down around those much weaker than themselves."
Song Yuzhi fell silent for a moment. "The Body Transformation Art can only be undone by the death of the impostor. What if you’re wrong and end up killing the senior disciple by mistake?"
"After we rescue my father, I’ll pay with my life for Senior Brother’s death," the girl said calmly.
Song Yuzhi looked up—the fake Qi Yunke and his group were indeed in disarray.
They couldn’t find Young Master Qian.
"Seize Cai Zhao! Force her to reveal Young Master Qian’s whereabouts!" the fake Qi Yunke snarled through gritted teeth.
The short, hook-nosed man no longer held back, his gaze dark as he advanced toward Cai Zhao.
Song Yuzhi glanced at Pang Xiongxin.
Understanding, Pang Xiongxin led a team of guards onto the field.
Moments later, a clanging of metal erupted as Pang Xiongxin roared, "You spineless cowards! What kind of scum resorts to hidden weapons? Since when does the Big Dipper Six Sects condone such treachery?!"
He had charged into the crowd preparing to ambush Cai Zhao with concealed weapons, hacking and slashing to disrupt their formation.
The fake Qi Yunke shouted, "Why are you obstructing me from apprehending this traitorous disciple?!"
Pang Xiongxin laughed heartily. "Apprehend? More like brutalize! Beat her half to death first, then interrogate her slowly, is that it?"
Li Wenxun, observing the scattered hidden weapons on the ground, looked equally displeased. "Sect Leader, using such underhanded tricks against a fellow disciple—wouldn’t this bring shame upon our sect if word got out?"
The fake Qi Yunke suppressed his anger. "Senior Brother Li, you saw it yourself—that disciple from the Thousand Faces Sect knows where this traitor hid him. If the Body Transformation Art spreads through the Martial World, the consequences would be disastrous! If Cai Zhao would just cooperate and reveal the disciple’s whereabouts, we wouldn’t need such measures. Senior Brother Li, perhaps you could persuade her?"
Cai Zhao overheard this. With a swift slash along her opponent’s Parting Water Emei Piercers, she replied with a laugh, "Oh, I do know where that Thousand Faces Sect disciple is. I just happened to break someone out of prison—who knew it’d be a fake? I haven’t even asked Master where the real one is hidden yet. Unless... he’s keeping him for some other purpose?"
Her answer was brilliantly ambiguous—blurring truth and falsehood until they became indistinguishable. The fake Qi Yunke was livid but powerless.
From a distance, Song Yuzhi studied the man, wondering who he truly was to impersonate his master Qi Yunke so convincingly.
"Rather than taking such risks, why not find a way to capture the fake sect leader quietly and interrogate him properly?" Song Yuzhi found the girl’s plan utterly hair-raising."Does Third Senior Brother really think that by catching that impostor, we can find out where Master and Father are?" Cai Zhao smiled with a hint of sorrow. "That impostor is just a pawn, a piece that could be exposed at any moment. Why would they let a pawn know such crucial secrets?"
Song Yuzhi, with years of experience in the Martial World, knew the girl spoke the truth and remained silent.
Cai Zhao said calmly, "They went to such lengths to capture Master and Father alive—I doubt they’d kill them so easily. So, when would they no longer have any use for them? When the impostors have completely taken their place. That’s why I must escalate this, make it irreparable, make it impossible for the impostors to stand firm."
"And then?" Song Yuzhi pressed.
"This is the second favor I need from you, Senior Brother," Cai Zhao smiled faintly. "After I leave, Nine Conch Mountain will rely on you to stabilize the situation. As long as the impostors stubbornly refuse to admit the truth, Li Shibo and the others will hesitate—they might detain or interrogate them, but at most, it’ll end in house arrest. But Vast Heaven Gate is different—"
Song Yuzhi understood the deeper meaning in the girl’s eyes. "You’re certain?"
"Yes," the girl shook her head. "Aunt once told me, when you’re trapped in a dilemma and don’t know what to do, stop worrying about everything else. Just do what you most want to do in your heart—right or wrong, don’t regret it. I want to go down the mountain. I feel the answer lies there."
Song Yuzhi snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the impostor’s shouting again.
"Since Senior Brother Li is powerless to act, please step aside. Once we’ve captured this rebellious disciple, we can discuss matters slowly," the fake Qi Yunke said darkly. "After all, I am still the sect leader. Any sect disciple who dares to defy orders and refuses to apprehend Cai Zhao must already be under the Demonic Cult’s schemes, plotting to betray their master and overthrow the sect."
At these words, Li Wenxun and the others hesitated, unable to act.
Pang Xiongxin chuckled. "Sect Leader, don’t glare at me. I’m timid and easily frightened. Besides, we’re not from the Azure Tower Sect."
The fake Qi Yunke snarled, "If you’re not a sect disciple, why are you meddling?!"
Pang Xiongxin put on a righteous face. "We of Vast Heaven Gate have always been upright and honorable—supporting the weak, upholding justice, hating evil… er, hating evil… cough —in short, we can’t stand underhanded behavior." His limited education forced him to cut short his grand speech.
He spread his hands helplessly. "What can I say? Vast Heaven Gate disciples are just so righteous—the integrity in our dantian can’t be contained and just spills out. We can’t help it even if we tried."
Ouyang Kexie and the others barely stifled their laughter.
Pang Xiongxin not only prevented the gray-clad men from using hidden weapons but also stopped them from ganging up on Cai Zhao.
—Truthfully, Cai Zhao wasn’t afraid of a human blockade now. Earlier, she had held back out of concern for her fellow disciples. But with her treasured blade in hand, she could slash through flesh and blood without hesitation.
After fighting through most of the night, the sky began to lighten.
Cai Zhao raised her head, the indigo dawn casting a weary glow on her face—her limbs were growing weak. She knew tonight’s battle was nearing its end. It was time to leave.
Gathering her energy, she activated the Flower-Fluttering Crossing technique, leaping swiftly toward the direction of Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff.
The short, hook-nosed man saw her intent to escape and shouted, "Everyone, after her! She’s running!"
The gray-clad men surged forward like a muddy tide. This was exactly what Cai Zhao had been waiting for—their formation was now in disarray, packed tightly in their haste to pursue. She spun around abruptly, her blade gleaming crimson like sunset clouds. In an instant, blood and flesh flew everywhere.
By the time Song Yuzhi arrived, he saw the girl’s delicate face pale and tinged with blue, speckled with blood—a stark and harrowing sight.
The night before, just as Cai Zhao was about to leave, he had asked her one last question—"Ordinary girls would wait for their elders to handle such difficult matters. Why won’t you wait?"
Her hands resting on the door latch, the girl turned back with a smile. "Wait? Wait for how long? Until your father arrives in a month or so, and then everyone argues in circles while the impostor still refuses to admit the truth? Would your father dare to subject him to severe torture?""Wait another month or so—or even less—until Uncle Zhou arrives, then after another round of endless bickering, the two elders finally reach an agreement with Li Shibo and the others to interrogate the impostor thoroughly. But in the end, the impostor truly knows nothing."
"After more than a month like this, with my father and master still missing—knowing this outcome, should we still wait?"
Song Yuzhi found it hard to answer, because he knew the girl’s words were the most likely outcome.
"In life, one inevitably encounters moments of extreme misfortune. She will realize that while she can rely on her father and brother, she cannot depend on her elders or even her closest friends. When the mountains crumble and the seas dry up, what can one do? There’s no choice but to rely on oneself." The girl forcefully pulled open the door, letting a fierce gust of cold wind rush into the room.
Then, for the first time, she left.
At Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff, a fierce battle erupted. The gray-clad men desperately tried to stop Cai Zhao, but she fought her way through with relentless slaughter.
By the time Song Yuzhi caught sight of her, she had already reached one of the iron chain boxes, activating both the launching mechanism and the chain-release mechanism in quick succession.
With a deafening roar as the massive iron chain launched, a straight silver chain shot from Cai Zhao’s left hand, firmly coiling around the chain’s head.
Those at the cliff’s edge could only watch helplessly as she leaped into the air, gracefully soaring toward the opposite shore with the powerful force of the mechanism. Behind her, the newly risen sun cast golden-red rays, dispelling the eerie emptiness of the night.
Dawn had broken.
The fake Qi Yunke was still roaring, "Chase after her, now!"
But then everyone discovered that, apart from the iron chain Cai Zhao was using, the mechanisms in the other six chain boxes had been tampered with—none could be launched.
A heavy clang echoed from the opposite shore, signaling Cai Zhao’s arrival.
Meanwhile, the chain on their side had already detached from its mechanism, hanging limp. They would have to wait for disciples on the other side to slowly reel it back through the locking mechanism before it could be returned.
The short, hook-nosed man was dumbfounded: "Did they all go down there?"
"Of course it can be repaired. Even if it can’t, we have spare mechanisms to replace it," Li Wenxun said, looking at him as if he were an idiot. If they hadn’t prepared for such contingencies, the Azure Tower Sect would have been doomed long ago.
The hook-nosed man perked up: "How long will it take?"
"Two hours to repair, an hour and a half to replace, then another half-hour of stabilization before it can be used."
The hook-nosed man: "..."
Damn, what’s the difference?
Two hours later, Cai Zhao would have long escaped Qingque Town. She could go in any direction—north, south, east, or west—and with Young Master Qian in her grasp, she could transform into anything. How could they possibly find her then?
"Why didn’t you just cut all seven iron chains during the fight earlier? That would’ve settled it once and for all," Pang Xiongxin mused, utterly baffled.
Li Wenxun replied expressionlessly, "Because no one expected Zhao Zhao to fight her way all the way out." Everyone assumed she’d be stopped before even reaching the cliff’s edge.
Pang Xiongxin nearly burst into laughter, but seeing the grim expressions on the faces of everyone in the Azure Tower Sect—the gray-clad men despondent, the sect disciples filled with doubt—he held back. After all, not even knowing whether their own sect leader was real or fake was truly pitiable.
Suddenly, Pang Xiongxin felt that the Vast Heaven Gate wasn’t so bad. At least before he left, Song Shijun had definitely been the real one—the farewell wine had been drunk at the Crimson Pavilion, where his sect leader had sat with the madam on one side and the courtesan on the other, a habit unchanged for decades. There was no mistaking that.Once Third Young Master's carrier pigeon message arrives today, Song Shijun will learn about the Thousand Faces Sect and the Soul Confusion Needle. With strict precautions in place, there shouldn't be any replacements—Amitabha!
...
Upon reaching Wind Cloud Peak, Cai Zhao amiably kicked over several patrolling disciples who attempted to stop her, then descended halfway down the mountain to a secluded hollow.
This hollow was quite level, hidden from view by a dense row of pine trees, making it difficult for ordinary people to discover.
A light rain began to fall again. Neatly parked in the clearing were seven or eight garbage carts.
Every night at the end of the You hour, the Azure Tower Sect's waste manager would lead a team to collect kitchen waste from various locations. The carts would then be sent to Wind Cloud Peak via the last regularly scheduled operation of the Iron Chain that day. The disciples of Wind Cloud Peak would then push the carts to this hollow halfway down the mountain.
At dawn the next day, waste collectors from the town would push empty carts up to the hollow, take away the full ones, and leave behind the cleaned and empty carts.
Day after day, this routine continued.
At this moment, the town's waste collectors had not yet arrived.
Braving the drizzling rain, Cai Zhao walked straight to one of the marked garbage carts, lifted the lid of a wooden barrel, and found Young Master Qian curled up inside—the very person the gray-clad men had been desperately searching for.
After unsealing his acupoints, Young Master Qian slowly regained consciousness. Looking around and realizing he had spent the night in a garbage barrel, he let out a horrified scream and nearly fainted.
"If you're fine, let's go. They'll come down to hunt us in two hours. The farther you run, the better," said the girl, her voice thick with the bloody aura of battle, her body covered in marks of fierce combat.
Not daring to protest, Young Master Qian scrambled out of the garbage cart and obediently followed her.
"Are you really going to the Great Snow Mountain? That place is deserted, with no trace of birds or beasts!"
"To be honest, I have a chronic cough. I could just tell you what the Snowscale Dragon Beast looks like—no need for me to go, right?"
"That's no place for humans! All sorts of wild beasts will eat you alive. A young girl like you won't survive!"
Cai Zhao suddenly turned and struck the air with her palm toward Young Master Qian.
Young Master Qian froze in terror. A boulder behind him shattered instantly, and the flying debris struck him painfully.
"Now do you think I can go there?" she asked coldly.
"Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely!" Young Master Qian nodded frantically, practically prostrating himself on the ground.
Cai Zhao withdrew her energy and continued descending the mountain.
At the summit, the morning sun rose in the east, but below the waist of the mountain, it remained gloomy, with intermittent drizzles.
She had always hated rainy days because even when it rained, her aunt would make her continue training.
She remembered one year when she cried from exhaustion during training and angrily shouted that she had no intention of wandering the Martial World or upholding justice—why did she have to train so hard?
Her aunt gently massaged her sore muscles and told her—teaching her skills wasn't about forcing her to do anything, but ensuring she would never have to wait in fear and helplessness.
In just over a month, she could accomplish many things.
The foot of the mountain was now in sight. Without warning, a figure silently emerged from behind a tree—
Cai Zhao immediately halted.
The tall, slender young man wore wide sleeves and long robes, his features as exquisite as a painting, radiant and indescribable. He held a black-and-white paper umbrella, his jade-like fingers long and elegant around the handle. The pale blue hem of his robe fluttered delicately in the slanting wind and rain.
Cai Zhao didn't recognize him.
Young Master Qian did.But both of them were staring dumbfounded—in this desolate wilderness, had some alluring ghost escaped from a grave?
"Zhao Zhao." The handsome young man's eyes sparkled with amusement.
The moment he spoke, Cai Zhao's expression changed.
She recognized that voice.
"Mu Qingyan," he said slowly, "I've been waiting for you for a full day and night."
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