Passing the long-deserted Snow Mountain Inn, Mu Qingyan and Cai Zhao rode the Golden-feathered Giant Peng day and night, returning to the Bamboo Grove Hermitage in just two days. After a brief rest, Cai Zhao was about to set off for Nine Conch Mountain when Mu Qingyan unexpectedly said, "I won’t be going with you."
Cai Zhao was surprised. Throughout the journey, he had clung to her like sticky candy—why the sudden change?
Mu Qingyan smiled. "Cheng Bo has already informed me of everything that happened these past ten days. After breaking through the barriers and descending the mountain that day, though no one dared to kill the impostor to verify the truth, no one acknowledged him as the sect leader either. Song Yuzhi and Li Wenxun joined forces to surround Dusk Micro Palace, allowing entry but no exit."
"Sect Leader Qi and your father had good reputations. Song Shijun and Zhou Zhizhen actually put aside their own sect affairs and arrived at Nine Conch Mountain one after the other two or three days ago. The situation within the sect has now reversed—the impostor and his followers are effectively under house arrest. But the Body Transformation Art is flawless, and the impostor insists he is Sect Leader Qi, so no one is willing to play the villain."
"Now that there’s a way to expose him, Guangmen and Jade Pendant Mountain Manor will back you up. Whether I go or not doesn’t matter. If I accompany you up the mountain and people recognize my identity, it might actually hinder you—you’ve probably turned this over in your mind hundreds of times already. In truth, you don’t want me to go with you either, do you?"
Cai Zhao’s face flushed. "I did think that."
Mu Qingyan leaned quietly against the bamboo window. The sun was setting, casting a soft reddish glow on him, his features elegant and gentle. He said, "You’ve already decided what to do, haven’t you?"
Cai Zhao nodded. "I’ve been thinking about it the whole way. I’ve made up my mind."
Mu Qingyan’s lips curved slightly. "You’re clever and decisive. I believe you’ll achieve your goal."
"Mm." Cai Zhao rested a hand on the doorframe. "Well… I’ll be going now."
"Go ahead. Take care."
Cai Zhao lowered her head, dragging her feet as she slowly turned away.
"Zhao Zhao." Mu Qingyan suddenly called out. "Is there anything you want to ask me?"
Cai Zhao tilted her head against the doorframe, pausing before replying, "...Why did you ask whether Snow Woman’s master was a man or a woman?" In truth, she had nothing to ask.
Mu Qingyan chuckled. "Because I thought Snow Woman’s master might have been your aunt’s beloved."
"Nonsense! My aunt was betrothed! She and Uncle Zhou grew up together, deeply in love—don’t spout such baseless claims!" Cai Zhao scoffed.
"I know there’s no proof. But I just feel your aunt loved someone else," Mu Qingyan said.
Cai Zhao frowned. "Why would you think that?"
Mu Qingyan gazed at her calmly. "Anyone with a shred of pride wouldn’t so easily let their beloved marry another. If it were me, the day I truly let go would be the last day of my life."
Cai Zhao slowly averted her eyes, finding the sunset unusually harsh today.
Mu Qingyan tilted his head with a light laugh. "Yet your aunt not only urged Zhou Zhizhen to marry her childhood rival but also maintained a cordial relationship with them for over a decade—does that make sense?"
Cai Zhao bit her lip. "Don’t judge others by yourself. My aunt was an exceptionally magnanimous woman. What others saw as a big deal, she dismissed with a laugh."
Mu Qingyan’s expression suddenly darkened. "What’s so great about magnanimity? I prefer the petty ones—the pettier, the better! Hurry up and go, or it’ll be dark soon!"Originally planning to leave with a carefree demeanor, Cai Zhao ended up being practically chased out of the Bamboo Grove Hermitage. She thought Mu Qingyan was truly unpredictable to the extreme.
Angry as she was, she didn’t dare delay the important task. She sprinted all the way and finally entered the gates of Azure Tower Town before nightfall. Then she slipped into a secluded alleyway, sneaked into a vacant storage room in the backyard of a civilian house, pried open three wall bricks, and retrieved the Disguise Kit Feicui had left there before slipping out like a fish.
Wind Cloud Peak was heavily guarded, and disciples coming and going not only needed tokens but also had to be visually identified.
After observing secretly for a while, Cai Zhao knocked out a disciple from a broad sect who was about to cross the cliff, dragged him into the woods, stripped off his outer robe, and then, under the moonlight, disguised herself to look about seventy to eighty percent like him before putting on his outer robe and taking his token.
This level of disguise could only fool people temporarily—anyone familiar with the disciple would see through it immediately. Fortunately, a large number of disciples from the broad sect and Jade Pendant Mountain Manor had arrived in recent days, and the guards on Wind Cloud Peak had only interacted with the disciple Cai Zhao knocked out a few times. Plus, it was already dark, so they let her cross the cliff.
Once on the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff, Cai Zhao moved like a fish in water, easily sneaking into the various kitchens. She found the chefs preparing late-night snacks. From their complaints, she learned that ever since Sect Leader Song had come up the cliff, he had practically spent every waking moment staring at the impostor, trying to spot flaws, which meant late-night snacks and refreshments were being served frequently.
It was like a pillow arriving just as she was about to doze off. Cai Zhao smoothly poured a large amount of saliva into the water vat meant for the late-night snacks, added a bit more to the water vat in the tea room, and then slipped off to Hanging Dock to find her reliable Third Senior Brother Song.
Song Yuzhi was reading a book by lamplight, draped in a sleeping robe. When a strange man suddenly climbed in through the window, he was startled at first but didn’t call for guards. Instead, he stood up calmly with a faint smile. "...Zhao Zhao, junior sister?"
Cai Zhao was first delighted, then immediately deflated. "Is my disguise really that bad? You recognized me at a glance."
Song Yuzhi’s smile deepened, softening his usually stern and handsome face. "The way you prepared to break through the checkpoint and descend the mountain, climbing out of Hanging Dock through the window—it was the same posture."
After a pause, he added, "Your disguise is very good. Junior sister is quite talented."
Cai Zhao was overjoyed by the praise, but she didn’t have time to bask in it. She quickly explained her plan to Song Yuzhi—the urgent task now was to seal off Azure Tower Sect and Azure Tower Town tightly, allowing people in but not out.
Song Yuzhi nodded calmly, not even asking a single question about the origin of the Snowscale Dragon Beast saliva. He simply threw on an outer robe in the inner room, slung his sword over his back, and left—his movements crisp and decisive, like a sharp sword cutting through chaos.
Cai Zhao greatly admired Song Yuzhi’s demeanor and was about to turn around and laugh, saying, "Look at Young Hero Song—this is what you call a true prodigy, upright and bright, not like that suspicious and paranoid—" only to find the space beside her empty.
She froze.
Leaving Hanging Dock, Cai Zhao headed straight for Dusk Micro Palace, slipping into the inner hall like a shadow.
The inner hall was brightly lit. Just as the chefs had said, the energetic Sect Leader Song was in a standoff with the impostor, while Zhou Zhizhen sat nearby with a grave expression and Li Wenxun remained silent. Around them were two clearly divided factions.
Seeing Zhou Zhizhen’s composed and steady demeanor, Cai Zhao felt half her worries ease.On the way back from Snow Woman's place, Qian Xueshen revealed that although he didn’t recognize the eight half-men he had transformed, he could confirm that Zhou Zhizhen and Yang Heying were not among them—because he had sought revenge against Zhou Zhiqin and Jin Baohui but feared the influence of Jade Pendant Mountain Manor and Four Stallions Gate. Thus, he had secretly observed the sect leaders of these two factions from the shadows.
In other words, among those he had handled, there were no traces of Zhou or Yang.
—Eight half-men. Excluding the one who failed to transform completely, and excluding the fake Qi Yunke and fake Zeng Dalou, that left six people.
Sect Leader Song’s forehead glistened with sweat as he gulped down a strong sip of tea, only to nearly choke on the leaves, coughing several times.
Upon receiving his son’s urgent message, he had initially felt a secret thrill, thinking Qi Yunke was indeed nothing special—how could the leader of the world’s foremost sect be replaced? The position of sect leader might as well be his. But then his heart tightened—if the leader of the North Star’s premier sect had been swapped, how could the Big Dipper Six Sects ever hold their heads high in the Martial World again?
Though he disliked Qi Yunke’s mild and unassuming temperament, he knew the gravity of the situation when it came to life and death.
“I’ll say this one last time—whatever schemes you had initially, at this point, all your plans have failed! A wise man knows when to yield. Disperse your power and reveal your true forms now, and we can still negotiate!” Song Shijun glared fiercely at the other party.
The fake Qi Yunke smiled calmly. “Brother Shijun, if you’re so certain I’m an imposter, why not strike me down with a single palm? Just like that fake Zeng Dalou—once the person dies, the Body Transformation Art will dissipate immediately.”
Song Shijun turned away angrily.
What nonsense! If he could kill someone with a single palm, he would have done so long ago.
The fake Qi Yunke chuckled. “Brother Shijun, I also advise you not to be deceived by the Demon’s tricks. They’ve deliberately sown confusion, hoping to pit the North Star sects against each other.”
Song Shijun didn’t believe a word of this, but he also didn’t dare take the risk. After all, this was the leader of the world’s foremost sect. Even a one-in-a-thousand chance of being wrong would mean eternal damnation.
“Stop bluffing,” Zhou Zhizhen said coldly, addressing the gray-robed man behind the fake Qi Yunke. “Ambushing the North Star sects on their return journey, attacking Azure Tower Sect, replacing key figures in the Martial World—only Demon Nie Zhe could muster such resources. But if Nie Zhe truly had such formidable capabilities, he wouldn’t still be stuck with the ‘acting’ in ‘acting leader.’”
“I don’t know what help Nie Zhe has enlisted, but the remaining members of his Heavenly Fiends and Earthly Demons Corps are few. The North Star sects have already sent urgent messages, and reinforcements are on high alert. You can forget about any backup. It’s better to abandon the darkness and embrace the light. On the honor of Jade Pendant Mountain Manor, I promise that as long as you truthfully reveal the whereabouts of Sect Leader Qi and Valley Master Cai and allow us to rescue them safely, we will let all of you go without punishment.”
Song Shijun’s lips twitched. Though he didn’t entirely agree, he remained silent.
The argument was reasonable, balancing threats with incentives. Cai Zhao, hidden in the shadows, nodded repeatedly in approval, while even the gray-robed man in plain sight seemed swayed.
Yet the fake Qi Yunke remained unmoved, steadfastly insisting he was the real Qi Yunke and that this was all a Demon conspiracy.
Song Shijun’s forehead veins bulged as he shouted furiously, ordering his men to draw their swords and threaten to chop the table. The fake Qi Yunke fired back with equal venom, and the two sides clashed once more.
Just then, a disciple from Guang Sect behind Song Shijun suddenly cried out, “Uncle Qian, what’s wrong!?”Everyone turned to look as the middle-aged guardian's lips turned pale and his complexion grew ashen. His muscles and bones twisted and trembled violently, and within moments, his appearance had completely changed into that of another person.
Song Shijun was momentarily dazed, but Zhou Zhizhen decisively drew his sword. Seizing the moment of the man's stunned hesitation, he swiftly struck several vital points on his body. As the man collapsed weakly to the ground, Zhou Zhizhen said coldly, "The Body Transformation Art has been revealed."
No sooner had he spoken than another middle-aged man behind Li Wenxun began to convulse similarly. This time, before he could fully revert to his original form, Li Wenxun struck like the wind, incapacitating him with precise strikes and having him restrained. Moments later, this man too revealed an entirely unfamiliar face.
The fake Qi Yunke, caught off guard by this turn of events, stood up in a daze, his face ghostly pale. A chilling energy slowly rose from his meridians, his skin and blood vessels growing cold as if lifeless. He glanced at the half-drunk cup of tea and realized the situation had taken a dire turn.
"Ah!" Li Wenxun suddenly exclaimed, pointing at the fake Qi Yunke, who was gradually reverting to his original form. "It's... it's Qiu... Qiu..."
"Qiu Renjie!" Song Shijun shouted in disbelief. "It's actually him!"
The fake Qi Yunke (Qiu Renjie) attempted to raise his hand to end his own life, but Zhou Zhizhen swiftly pierced his acupoints with his sword, causing him to collapse weakly to the ground.
At that moment, the sound of many footsteps echoed from outside the hall. A handsome young man led a dozen guards into the hall in an orderly procession, his sword raised before him. "There's no need for any of you to hold onto false hopes. Zhao Zhao has already found the antidote to the Body Transformation Art and has administered it into the water sources. Ordinary people will be unaffected, but you can no longer hide—Zhao Zhao, come out now."
Cai Zhao wiped away her disguise and leaped out from the shadows.
Zhou Zhizhen's face lit up with joy. "Zhao Zhao, where have you been? Your mother was so worried about your disappearance that she was about to come looking for you herself! Come here and let me see you!"
...
Inside the Bamboo Grove Hermitage, the flickering lamplight cast shifting shadows. Mu Qingyan, having bathed and changed, sat alone in the quiet dimness.
Cheng Bo entered softly and reported, "Young Master, they have all arrived."
Mu Qingyan gave a slight nod.
Outside, a group of black-clad figures knelt in a semicircle. The one at the forefront, hidden beneath a large cloak, spoke clearly, "Congratulations on your recovery and return, Young Master. We have waited anxiously for over a year, and finally, this day has come."
Mu Qingyan stepped out of the hermitage, his wide black robes trailing across the ground, the dark golden embroidery faintly visible, like the black tides of a hidden sea demon slowly engulfing the mortal world.
He said, "You are the men left behind by Elder Quan. Four years ago, I did not seek you out because I believed that as long as Nie Zhe was dealt with, the Divine Path would naturally return to its rightful course. For that, I alone was enough."
"A year and a half ago, I did not seek you out because I could barely protect myself and did not wish to drag you down with me."
"Now that you have answered my summons, you should understand my intent. Nie Hengcheng and his faction have usurped power for three generations, their influence deeply entrenched. Killing one or two will not right the world. Therefore, this path ahead will be paved with corpses and blood, with life and death uncertain. Have you all considered this?"
The man at the front raised his head, revealing a delicate yet cunning face, and declared loudly, "We pledge our lives to serve you, Young Master. Whatever you command, we will obey!"
"Since that is the case, you know the rules." Mu Qingyan gently raised his left hand. "Whether you seek to rise in rank or remain loyal to Elder Chou, I will not treat you unfairly once our goal is achieved."
Cheng Bo brought out a tray holding dozens of vermilion pills, red as blood, their brilliance enough to make one's heart tremble.
The man at the front gritted his teeth and was the first to swallow one.
The others followed suit, some resolute, others hesitant, but all ultimately complying.Mu Qingyan watched silently as everyone swallowed the pills, offering no comment.
His father had tamed rare and exotic beasts, yet what he most needed to tame was a pack of demons. His father possessed the skill to concoct medicines for healing, yet he used it to brew deadly poisons that controlled life and death.
Mu Zhengming had lived a life of kindness and indifference, yet he was perpetually constrained by others, never free, and passed away far too soon.
Where was the Dao in this?
Perhaps the Dao only stands with the strong.
As a child listening to myths, he was particularly drawn to the tale of Gonggong—who, in his rage over losing the throne, smashed into Mount Buzhou, breaking its pillar and severing the earth’s axis, tilting the northwest and displacing the sun, moon, and stars...
He deeply respected and loved his father, but he would never allow himself to be trampled upon for the sake of compromise, as his father had.
If things could not go his way, he would overturn them all.
"All of you, return," the Golden-feathered Giant Peng descended, its vast wings stirring the chilly night wind. He mounted the Giant Peng's back and left one final remark before taking flight: "We shall meet again on the Nether Bamboo Path."
Pale moonlight draped over him like ethereal silver gauze, the coldly handsome young man indistinguishable from god or demon as he vanished into the night sky.
...
Cai Zhao had been busy all night.
The fake Qi Yunke turned out to be Qiu Renjie in disguise—no wonder he knew the Myriad Waters, Thousand Mountains Cliff so well and was skilled in Azure Tower Sect’s martial arts. He was determined to die, refusing to speak, but others were far more eager to live.
Within an hour, the remaining six who had undergone the Body Transformation Art with Qian Xueshen were all exposed: two had infiltrated the Azure Tower Sect’s outer branch, two were from Guang Sect, and two were from Jade Pendant Mountain Manor.
Truly impartial, distributing favors evenly.
Though it was the dead of night, Song Shijun showed no signs of fatigue when it came to interrogation and torture.
With six spies and a large group of gray-clad men captured before they could escape, the water dungeon and torture chamber left by the late sect master Yin Dai—along with the infamous "Pipa Hooks"—finally saw use.
In less than an hour, confessions began pouring in. They didn’t know where Qi Yunke and Cai Pingchun were, but they knew the two were nearby.
Finally, someone revealed that they had a hidden outpost in Azure Tower Town—a coffin shop that had opened there the previous year.
Song Yuzhi had already dispatched men to seal the town’s gates. Zhuang Shu personally led the raid, capturing the coffin shop owner overnight. To the surprise of many, Qi Yunke, Cai Pingchun, and even Zeng Dalou were all imprisoned in the shop’s underground chamber, their major acupoints pierced by Soul Confusion Needles, leaving them dazed and powerless for days.
After an examination, Lei Xiuming declared that the three were unharmed—they simply needed the needles removed gradually to dispel the toxins. Cai Pingchun was in the best condition, even mustering the strength to laugh and tweak his daughter’s ear.
Cai Zhao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Watching her father being taken into the medicinal hut for a Medicinal Bath, she saw the elders all occupied—some investigating whether their sects harbored other spies, some continuing to interrogate the gray-clad conspirators, others cleaning up the mess left by the battle...
Quietly slipping away, Cai Zhao borrowed a fine steed from Song Yuzhi and galloped down the mountain, heading straight for the Bamboo Grove Hermitage.
But the person she wanted to reassure was no longer there.
"Young Master has returned to attend to business," Cheng Bo said with a smile. "He said the accounts of three generations of the Mu family are due to be settled."
Cai Zhao sulked. "I knew it. With his temperament, he’d never let go of reclaiming his rightful position. If that’s the case, why did he accompany me up the snowy mountain? It was a waste of time and effort, nearly costing him his life."Cheng Bo looked kindly at her. "The Young Master said he couldn't bear to leave you alone and helpless outside, nor let you risk your life alone in the snowy mountains. Only after seeing you return safely to Nine Conch Mountain could he leave with peace of mind. Delaying just over ten days in exchange for your safety was well worth it."
"He... I'm actually quite grateful to him," Cai Zhao murmured, lowering her head.
Cheng Bo replied, "Didn't you also protect and take care of the Young Master for many days?"
Cai Zhao sat down blankly. "...That's nowhere near the same."
Noticing her expression, Cheng Bo changed the subject. "You've been busy all night, haven't you? Are you hungry? Would you like a bowl of wontons?"
The sudden shift left Cai Zhao puzzled, but she nodded. "Oh, yes, please. Thank you."
When the wontons arrived, the familiar aroma of chicken broth and the shape of the dumplings made Cai Zhao pause. "...He made these."
Cheng Bo answered, "The Young Master prepared the wontons before leaving. The chicken broth has been simmering on the stove—just needed to cook the dumplings."
Gazing at the translucent milky broth, Cai Zhao struggled but finally couldn't hold back. "Cheng Bo, there are no scallions."
Cheng Bo chuckled and shook his head before bringing over a small dish.
Sprinkling the fresh green scallions into the soup and stirring, Cai Zhao suddenly looked up. "Cheng Bo, there's someone... I mean, a friend of mine who gets upset every time they eat wontons without scallions. Would you say that person is petty?"
Suppressing a smile, Cheng Bo said, "By common standards, yes, that would be considered petty."
Cai Zhao seemed lost in thought. Cheng Bo called her name a few times, but she brushed it off.
After Cheng Bo left, she glared at the bowl and muttered resentfully, "Taking the chance to mock me before leaving—now that's petty! The whole family is petty!"
Blinking hard, she picked up her spoon and began eating.
The wonton filling was tender, the scallions fragrant—only the broth was a bit too salty.
[End of Volume]
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