A Decade of Nightscape Lights

The snow-covered mountains stretched endlessly, with undulating ridges of snow and numerous dark spots and lines of varying shades.

Cai Zhao was curious: "Isn't snow supposed to be white? Why are there black parts?" Having grown up in the perpetually spring-like Fallen Blossom Valley, where winter only brought occasional scattered snowflakes that quickly melted into puddles, she had never seen such towering snowdrifts before.

Lan Tianyu turned back to answer: "This is just the foothill area, frequently traversed by people. The snow doesn't accumulate well here, exposing the rocks and soil beneath. Also, the forests on the mountains appear black from afar when the snow blows off the trees."

Leading at the front of the group, Lan Tianyu seemed completely transformed from his wary demeanor at the inn. Facing the snow-laden mountain winds, his eyes sparkled with vitality as he moved with relaxed confidence, as if returning home.

Mu Qingyan asked with a smile: "Senior Lan speaks so knowledgeably. Did you grow up around these snowy mountains?"

Lan Tianyu's face glowed with enthusiasm as he replied: "Indeed, I was born in the western snowlands. As a child, I crawled all over these mountains, even developing my lightness skills by practicing on snowdrifts. Back then, I—"

A delicate exclamation came from the rear of the group—not too loud, but just enough to be heard. It was the seductively beautiful concubine who had twisted her ankle.

The handsome middle-aged man supported her: "Qi Nong, watch your step. If it's too difficult, you should return downhill."

Qi Nong's eyes brimmed with affection. Though speaking normally, her tone carried a coquettish lilt: "Thank you for your concern, master. But wherever you go, Qi Nong will follow."

More than half the men in the group envied the handsome man's good fortune with women. Yet like a block of wood, he simply released Qi Nong and continued forward, utterly indifferent to her bone-melting charms, much to the men's collective sigh.

After more than two hours of travel—around the time Furong and Feicui would normally bring Cai Zhao tea back at Azure Tower Sect—the mountain dusk had deepened into gloomy darkness.

According to local advice, nighttime travel in snowy mountains was dangerous. One misstep into an ice crevice or snow cliff could mean instant burial under avalanches, with no hope of recovery.

Lan Tianyu scanned the distance until his brow relaxed, pointing at several dark spots ahead: "There—our lodging for tonight."

Jin Baohui panted like an ox, nearly collapsing with relief. Fortunately, he'd brought enough attendants to take turns dragging and carrying his two-hundred-pound bulk.

Next in poor condition was the silent master with two servants. The master's pale face and trembling legs betrayed his depleted Inner Force.

After another half-hour of jolting travel, the group finally reached their destination.

Cai Zhao looked around in amazement before exclaiming: "Now I understand why we set out in the afternoon!"

The sheltered mountain hollow contained five or six brick-and-tile Hunter's Cabins arranged in a plum blossom pattern. Towering snow pines encircled the buildings, each tree's upper branches tied with dozens of red silk ribbons. When mountain winds blew, snow shook loose while the red ribbons fluttered brightly against the monochrome mountainscape—impossible to miss.The mountain night was bitterly cold with wind and snow, making tents insufficient for warmth. Decades ago, several wealthy patrons pooled their resources to hire hundreds of craftsmen to build small cabins along the southern slopes of the snow-capped mountains, allowing herb gatherers and hunters to venture farther and gather more. Local residents only needed to maintain these shelters annually.

The first resting point happened to be half a day's journey from the inn.

Upon arrival, the group dispersed to choose their lodgings.

Jin Baohui had the largest entourage and naturally took the biggest cabin, with Lan Tianyu following him inside.

Zhou Zhiqin and Dongfang Xiao, being just two people, occupied the smallest one.

The remaining nine split naturally into groups of three, casually selecting cabins as they pleased.

Whether intentional or not, Mu Qingyan deliberately chose the cabin farthest from the cluster.

Seeing Mu Qingyan and Qian Xueshen unloading firewood and provisions from the snow sled, Cai Zhao dutifully rolled up her sleeves to help—only to be pushed aside by Mu Qingyan. Annoyed, she lowered her voice, "Since we’ve agreed to travel together up the mountain, I’ll pull my weight without hesitation. Don’t give me that ‘protect the delicate’ nonsense."

Mu Qingyan’s eyes held a mocking glint. "Protect the delicate? Don’t make me laugh. After trudging through snow for half a day, half the men in the group are exhausted—Fatty Jin nearly collapsed. Yet Young Lady Knight Cai isn’t even flushed or out of breath, still full of energy and eager for heavy labor. Is this really my delicate, non-martial little sister?"

Cai Zhao flushed. Oops. She’d forgotten.

Mu Qingyan stared at her pointedly.

She held her ground for a moment before surrendering.

Slumping her shoulders weakly, she feigned frailty. "Brother, I feel so dizzy all of a sudden." How humiliating!

Mu Qingyan gently steadied her, smiling benevolently. "You’re still young and don’t understand. The altitude here is thin—don’t overexert yourself. Now you’ve worn yourself out."

—Leaving Qian Xueshen behind to bitterly haul the supplies needed for the next few days for all three of them.

The hunter's cabin had stood empty all winter, cold and damp. Mu Qingyan removed his cloak, had Cai Zhao tie up his sleeves, and set to work cleaning. He bundled dry grass to sweep the floor, lit a torch to scorch the walls and corners, driving out the frost that had seeped into the cabin.

Inside, Cai Zhao no longer needed to pretend and rolled up her sleeves to help. But her amateur efforts paled in comparison to Mu Qingyan’s tall, efficient movements. She sighed in admiration, "I should thank your father for raising you so well."

Mu Qingyan looked up with a smile. "Actually, I’d like to thank your aunt too."

By the time Qian Xueshen dragged in the heavy supplies, the cabin was already clean and tidy, with a warm fire blazing in the center. His resentment instantly melted away, silently acknowledging that despite their sharp tongues, Mu and Cai were ten thousand times better than those arrogant men outside.

That night, the three sat around the fire roasting dried meat, melting snow in a copper pot to soften their rations.

Qian Xueshen couldn’t resist asking, "Who do you think really killed the innkeeper?"

"You’re really hung up on this," Cai Zhao murmured lazily against the straw pile.

Qian Xueshen nearly dropped his meat skewer in agitation. "Heavens above! If I hadn’t coincidentally gone to the kitchen for food, the blame for murder would’ve fallen on the cook and the innkeeper’s wife! The killer could be among those people outside—just thinking about it makes me too scared to sleep. How can I not care?""Go ahead. I'll keep you safe until we find the Snowscale Dragon Beast." Cai Zhao bit her lip. "What concerns me more are the words of those waiters and cooks."

Qian Xueshen was taken aback. "Waiters? Cooks? What did they say?"

Mu Qingyan suddenly spoke up. "The waiter said the innkeeper went to sleep right after receiving Fatty Jin's group. The cook noticed Fatty Jin's party and realized the number of people going up the mountain tomorrow exceeded what the innkeeper had initially told him, so the prepared rations wouldn't be enough."

"So you noticed it too." Cai Zhao looked up. "The innkeeper seemed to know many people would come last night, so he instructed the cook to prepare enough rations in advance. When Fatty Jin's group arrived, everyone was accounted for, so the innkeeper could sleep peacefully."

Qian Xueshen blinked. "Someone sent word in advance for the innkeeper to prepare for the mountain trip. What's strange about that?"

Cai Zhao glared. "Look at someone like Fatty Jin—spoiled, pampered, living in luxury. Why would he suffer in this godforsaken place without reason? What could possibly be on the snowy mountain that would make him come? Medicinal herbs? Animal pelts... No matter how precious, they can be bought with money. Besides, the Four Stallions Gate has never been particular about such things—wealth comes easily to them. So what is Fatty Jin really doing here? When something's abnormal, there must be something fishy going on!"

Qian Xueshen blurted out, "Could there be priceless treasure on the mountain?"

Cai Zhao threw a branch at him. "Idiot! I just said the Four Stallions Gate has plenty of money!"

Qian Xueshen shielded his head. "Then it must be martial arts manuals!"

Cai Zhao threw another branch. "After Old Ancestor Bei Chen, the most powerful martial arts in the world are either with the North Star or the Demonic Cult. What other remarkable martial arts manuals could be out there?"

Qian Xueshen had no choice but to shrink back.

Cai Zhao turned to Mu Qingyan. "Why aren’t you saying anything?"

Mu Qingyan's expression was indifferent. "Rather than guessing their purpose for going up the mountain, we should first figure out how many of them there are. We don’t have to care about their reasons, but we must guard against them harming us. After all, they outnumber us, and even that concubine Qi Nong is quite skilled. Meanwhile, we only have two and a half people." He was accustomed to preparing for the worst.

Qian Xueshen protested, "Hey, hey, am I the half...?"

"Don’t interrupt. Move aside." Cai Zhao turned back. "I’ve thought about this too. First, we definitely weren’t part of the innkeeper’s calculations. Second, Uncle Zhou must have stumbled here by accident—though his only son died here years ago, no one could’ve predicted he’d come now, even skipping Old Ancestor Bei Chen’s memorial ceremony just to see where his son perished. As for the rest, Fatty Jin is certainly part of the plan, since the innkeeper went to sleep after seeing him, meaning the group was complete. As for Lan Tianyu..."

"I think he was also part of the innkeeper’s calculations," Qian Xueshen interjected. "Earlier, I saw him enter the room with Fatty Jin’s group—they must’ve known each other beforehand. I mean, the Four Stallions Gate is part of the North Star. Shouldn’t a righteous sect avoid associating with thieves?"

Cai Zhao sighed. "Actually, aside from the Demonic Cult being our mortal enemy, we don’t shun associating with gray or white figures or sects in the Martial World. My granduncle Cai Changfeng almost swore brotherhood with a fake medicine peddler in his youth—luckily, someone talked him out of it."

She added, "Besides, Lan Tianyu sharing a room with Fatty Jin’s group might just mean they struck up a friendship on the road, not necessarily that they knew each other before. As for the others, we don’t even know their names, let alone their intentions for going up the mountain."

Mu Qingyan looked up at the rafters. "True. Who exactly is that silent master with his two servants? I still can’t figure it out."Cai Zhao blinked her eyes. "And there's also Qi Nong's master. We don't know who that is either."

"I know," Mu Qingyan said.

Cai Zhao: "?"

The firelight flickered across the young man's handsome face, half in light and half in shadow. "His surname is Hu, named Hu Tianwei. He was the chief disciple of Elder Tianji, Duan Jiuxiu, back in the day. Nie Hengcheng's chief disciple was called Zhao Tianba, so Duan Jiuxiu named his chief disciple Hu Tianwei—just to compete with Nie Hengcheng."

Cai Zhao was stunned for a long moment before speaking. "But that was during Duan Jiuxiu's time, so long ago. How could you have seen his chief disciple?"

Mu Qingyan lifted his gaze slightly. When Qian Xueshen met those icy eyes, it was as if he'd been pinned by a wild beast in a desolate cave. Shivering, he quickly made an excuse to step out to relieve himself.

Cai Zhao waited silently until Qian Xueshen had left before asking softly, "Was it related to your father?" She had noticed that Mu Qingyan disliked mentioning his father in front of others.

Mu Qingyan gave a faint hum. "After Nie Hengcheng died, the sect was in chaos for many years. First, Zhao Tianba and Mou Yisu went on a rampage like mad dogs. Not long after, during the battle at Green Gauze River, both were severely injured. Then Nie Zhe took control of the remaining forces of the Heavenly Dipper Earthly Fiend Camp and declared himself acting sect leader. The last two of the Seven Stars Elders initially had objections, but just then, my father emerged from seclusion after his injuries had stabilized..."

"Your father was injured?!" Cai Zhao exclaimed.

Mu Qingyan's dark eyes fixed on her.

Cai Zhao suddenly understood. "Your father passed away from his injuries... I thought it was from illness."

Mu Qingyan lowered his thick lashes. "He was fine at first. The year I was born, he was suddenly ambushed and severely injured. At the time, many thought he wouldn't survive. Fortunately, his temperament had always been indifferent, unaffected by joy or sorrow, which allowed him to turn adversity into opportunity. During years of quiet recuperation, he developed a method to nourish qi and protect meridians, stabilizing his injuries. Sadly, that method only prolonged his life by a dozen years—it couldn't cure him completely. Four years ago, he still..."

Cai Zhao's heart surged with emotion. After a long silence, she asked, "...Who injured your father?"

Mu Qingyan frowned. "Father never told me. Only that the person was already dead. I suspect it was someone within the sect, because shortly before I was born, Elder Tianquan, Chou Baigang, died."

"Who was he?"

"The eldest of the Seven Stars Elders, only ten years younger than my great-grandfather. He was also the leader of the faction within the Divine Sect that remained steadfastly loyal to the Mu family."

Mu Qingyan slowly stirred the firewood, his expression eerily calm. "Elder Chou's death was suspicious. Everyone suspected Nie Hengcheng was behind it, but there was no evidence. If I'm not mistaken, it was likely Nie Hengcheng's trusted subordinates who saw that Elder Chou was growing old and, fearing my father would seek revenge, decided to strike first."

"After Elder Chou died, my father was severely injured and disappeared. The Divine Sect founded by the Mu family was on the verge of falling into Nie's hands. Ironically, Nie Hengcheng didn't get to enjoy his victory for long—less than a year later, your aunt killed him at Mount Tu. All his ambitions and schemes vanished like smoke in an instant. Quite amusing, really."

Cai Zhao's head jerked up as a thought struck her. "How many years did your father hide to recover from his injuries?"

Mu Qingyan stared at the flames. "Five years."

Cai Zhao felt she was on the verge of uncovering something. "Who raised you before you were five?"

Mu Qingyan gazed at her silently.

"Was it your mother?" Cai Zhao pressed.

The corner of Mu Qingyan's lips curled into a mocking smile.

Cai Zhao's breathing quickened. "You... you..."

Her flustered, helpless expression was utterly endearing. The young man found himself captivated, unconsciously reaching out to her. Just as his hand was about to brush her cheek, the girl abruptly turned her face away and whispered, "When exactly did you meet Hu Tianwei?"Mu Qingyan gave a mocking laugh before continuing, "It was when I was about six or seven. Hu Tianwei came to see Father under the cover of night. Nie Zhe was incompetent and begged Father to return. The faction under Duan Jiuxiu pledged their full support."

Cai Zhao: "Someone as detached as your father must have refused—but does Duan Jiuxiu still have any remaining forces?" According to her aunt, all the villainous factions from that legendary tale had been completely eradicated.

Mu Qingyan continued stoking the fire: "You might not believe it, but your aunt's reputation is far more renowned in our Demonic Cult than among your Big Dipper Six Sects."

"Why wouldn't I believe it? Before the old sect master Yin Dai passed, he naturally didn’t want anyone to surpass his prestige. No matter what remarkable deeds my aunt accomplished, he surely suppressed them vigorously. As for your Demonic Cult, you suffered real and bitter losses at her hands—how could you not remember them vividly?"

Mu Qingyan chuckled. "True. Even today, many elders in the cult speak of your aunt as if she were a harbinger of doom descending upon the world. Especially after the tragedy of Clear Wind Temple’s destruction. Your aunt, furious beyond measure, was determined to hunt down the Tianji faction. Duan Jiuxiu’s so-called seven great disciples and eight mighty guardians were slaughtered left and right by your aunt and her followers. The rest of Duan’s faction also met gruesome ends… Only Hu Tianwei, having mastered the art of turtle-like retreat, hid deep in the mountains and refused to emerge, thus escaping with his life."

He smirked. "So, what ‘faction under Duan Jiuxiu’ could possibly remain? Hu Tianwei was just blowing hot air in front of my father."

His gaze drifted downward, noticing the girl silently resting her hand on her belt. His eyes flickered. "What are you planning?"

Cai Zhao looked up. "A fish that slipped through my aunt’s net shouldn’t have lived this long. Let me finish the job."

Mu Qingyan stopped her. "First, we need the Snowscale Dragon Beast’s saliva. Your father’s condition is more urgent—we shouldn’t complicate things. As long as Hu Tianwei is alive, you can always kill him later. Right now, you’re still a delicate young lady."

"...Fine." Cai Zhao slowly withdrew her hand.

As the firelight danced, a sudden thought struck her. "Wait, wait!"

She looked up excitedly. "Even if I manage to deceive Uncle Zhou now, when I marry Brother Yuqi, Uncle Zhou will recognize me the moment he sees me!"

Mu Qingyan blinked innocently. "Really? How clever of you, Zhao Zhao. I hadn’t thought of that."

Cai Zhao smacked her thigh in regret. "I should’ve asked Qian Xueshen to disguise me. Now I’m in trouble!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. In a fit of frustration, she declared, "Then why bother pretending? I’ll just come clean to Uncle Zhou tomorrow morning."

"Better not." Mu Qingyan stretched his palm toward the fire, his expression calm. "No matter how fallen Duan Jiuxiu’s faction is now, Hu Tianwei was once a key figure in the cult, not to mention that mysterious master and his two servants. If your identity is exposed, unless you kill every one of them before leaving the mountain, they’ll surely contact their cult brethren afterward. That won’t just endanger your father—it’ll be disastrous."

"So, keep up the act. With the current situation unclear, the more we conceal, the safer we’ll be."

Cai Zhao’s heart tightened, and she fell silent.

Mu Qingyan smiled faintly at the sight of her biting her cheek. Then, with a flick of his right hand toward the door, it creaked slightly open.

He teased, "Da Qiang, come in."

Qian Xueshen shuffled into the room, trembling, his hair and eyebrows dusted white like a little old man. Cai Zhao couldn’t help but giggle. Qian Xueshen cautiously explained, "This house is made of brick and tile, and the door is thick wood. I didn’t hear a thing."Mu Qingyan said, "I thought I'd already checked when I was tidying up earlier."

Cai Zhao noticed Qian Xueshen's sleeve twitching oddly and asked curiously, "What's in your sleeve?"

"Just something I grabbed while relieving myself in the woods earlier." Qian Xueshen quickly pulled out the object from his sleeve—a large gray rabbit kicking furiously. "I'm still a bit hungry. How about we roast it?"

Cai Zhao's eyes lit up. "Sounds good! Before we left, I took some salt and spices from the inn's kitchen. But I'm not much of a cook—will you handle the roasting?" She was used to fine dining, and tonight's dry rations had left her nearly in tears.

Qian Xueshen waggled his eyebrows and grinned. "Not to brag, Young Lady Knight Cai, but you're in for a treat... Hey hey, what are you doing?!"

As they were talking, Mu Qingyan moved like lightning, snatching the large gray rabbit in one swift motion. His voice was grave. "Until we confirm the identities of that master and his two servants, I won't feel at ease."

Qian Xueshen stared at the rabbit, more agitated than when he'd been caught himself. "Then go figure it out! Why take my rabbit?!"

Cai Zhao also tried to reason with him. "Brother, calm down. Don't be impulsive. Let's talk this through. Just put the rabbit down first... Hey, wait—"

With a flutter of his robes as he stood, Mu Qingyan strode straight out the door, forcing Cai Zhao and Qian Xueshen to scramble after him in a flurry.

Mu Qingyan's method of "figuring it out" was simple and brutal. He raised his palm and began pounding on the door of the master and his two servants with thunderous force.

In the dead of night, amidst the silent mountains, the racket was especially startling.

Soon, people emerged from their rooms, even Jin Baohui peeking out from behind his guards to watch the commotion.

The master and his two servants slowly opened the door, standing there bewildered.

Zhou Zhiqin frowned. "Everyone was exhausted today. What's the meaning of this disturbance, Young Master Yan?"

Mu Qingyan laughed brightly. "The moon is clear and the stars are bright tonight. I'm in high spirits and wish to spar with these three gentlemen."

At the last half of his sentence, the master's mouth fell open in shock, his eyes filled with panic. Before he could turn to flee, Mu Qingyan had already sent a light palm strike his way. The two servants rushed to block—one wielding a blade, the other a sword—their martial skills notably impressive.

Mu Qingyan sidestepped with a single palm, exchanging seven or eight moves with the trio in an instant. By the ninth move, he found an opening and swiftly incapacitated both servants with precise strikes. He then closed in on the master, engaging him in close combat.

The onlookers could clearly see Mu Qingyan wasn't using his full strength. Instead, he circled the master with alternating palm strikes, forcing him to reveal his true skills. Zhou Zhiqin had initially moved to intervene but stopped after Dongfang Xiao held him back and they observed a few more exchanges.

After about thirty moves, the master's face flushed crimson with rage, his eyes burning. "I was minding my own business! Why must you provoke me like this? This is beyond insulting!"—With that, he mustered all his strength and angrily thrust out his right palm.

Mu Qingyan timed it perfectly, tossing the squirming gray rabbit toward him at just the right moment.

A loud thud echoed as the master's right palm struck the rabbit squarely.

The rabbit fell to the ground, its legs twitching in pain a few times before going still.

Under the exceptionally bright stars and moon of the snowy night, a faintly glowing green palm print was clearly visible on the rabbit's corpse—like the sinister gaze of a venomous snake or the eerie glow of ghostly flames. The sight sent chills down Cai Zhao's spine.

Zhou Zhiqin paled at the sight of the palm print. "This... this is..."

"It's the Five Venoms Palm," Mu Qingyan said coolly.The tranquil silver glow of snow climbed up the fluttering robes, his gaze calm and resolute. "You are Chen Fuguang, Chen Shu's younger brother."