The day of the final assault arrived as scheduled. In the center of the council hall, a massive sheepskin map measuring five square feet was spread across the table. Mu Qingyan stood behind it, while five men fanned out opposite him: Lian Shi, You Guanyue, Wang Tianfeng, Tang Qing, and Liu Jiangfeng.
"...You will set out at the beginning of the You hour this evening and reach the Moonlit Pass by the end of the hour, launching the attack during the Xu hour. Beyond Moonlit Pass lie Retreat Pass, Taiqing Pass, Yangxu Pass, and finally the Gate of Ascension—leading directly to the main hall of Paradise Palace."
Mu Qingyan pointed to each strategic pass on the map. "Nie Zhe is fierce in appearance but weak within. He’s surely concentrated his most elite forces around himself, meaning the farther from Paradise Palace, the weaker the defenses. Moonlit Pass and Retreat Pass will likely have no more than two Tigers and two Leopards guarding them—breaking through shouldn’t be difficult for you. But Taiqing Pass and Yangxu Pass will be tougher. I’ve been considering going ahead to clear the strongholds of their toughest defenders for you..."
Though young, Mu Qingyan carried himself with cold, imposing authority. His meticulous planning and decisive actions had led to unbroken victories, earning him unwavering loyalty from his followers. Hearing him hesitate now, as if doubting his new subordinates, stirred a fire in their chests.
Wang Tianfeng spoke first: "In the previous assaults on the four main strongholds, you always stood by to support us, eliminating any formidable enemies the moment they appeared. That’s why we’ve suffered no casualties so far. Now, with our ranks swelling daily and our forces stronger than ever, if we can’t even break through the first few passes, we’d be too ashamed to claim we’re serving you—might as well go home and nurse babies!"
Laughter rippled through the group.
Liu Jiangfeng added, "Rest assured, my lord. I’ve already deployed scouts, and all reports are favorable. That coward Nie Zhe stayed silent during our attacks on the four strongholds, hoping to wear us down. He doesn’t realize that the will of the people matters more than the strength of fortresses. He abandoned even loyalists like Xiong Qianjin to their fate, letting all four strongholds fall. Now, aside from those half-human, half-ghost freaks, who’d still fight for him?"
Tang Qing chimed in, "Nie Zhe has clung to the sect leader’s position for years without talent or virtue, relying solely on scheming and bribery. Tonight’s battle will prove it—just wait and see."
Mu Qingyan nodded.
Wang Tianfeng nudged You Guanyue. "What’s with you today? Usually, you’re the chattiest one. Now you’re silent as a ghost—did you run into spirits last night?"
You Guanyue forced a smile.
As a diligent mid-ranking officer, he’d risen before dawn to inspect the premises. But as he passed the eastern stairwell, he looked up to see his young, strikingly handsome lord emerge from Feng Xiaozhao’s room—wearing plain sleep robes, his inky hair loose, carrying a pillow.
You Guanyue’s jaw dropped. He’d always thought his new lord was the epitome of solemn dignity.
Mu Qingyan, however, showed no embarrassment. He even greeted You Guanyue before gliding past in his long sleeping robes, leaving the man unsettled ever since.
"Yes, Guanyue does seem distracted today," Mu Qingyan remarked, one hand behind his back, his gaze dark and penetrating.
Meeting those piercing eyes, You Guanyue hurriedly replied, "This subordinate simply believes our victory is beyond doubt! I was just recalling an amusing thought..."
Lian Shi asked, "What thought?"
You Guanyue pointed to a spot on the map. "The first pass is called Moonlit—isn’t it just waiting for me to arrive?"
The group burst into laughter, Wang Tianfeng even punching his shoulder. "Always with the nonsense!"Mu Qingyan smiled faintly, while You Guanyue didn’t even dare to look at him.
The group was discussing matters in the front hall. Several yards behind Mu Qingyan stood sixteen pearwood lattice doors, behind which was a small rear hall. Seated inside were Cai Zhao, Song Yuzhi, and Shangguan Haonan.
After listening for a while, Song Yuzhi asked in confusion, “What are these ‘two tigers and two leopards’? And what’s this about ‘half-human, half-beast livestock’?”
Cai Zhao shook her head, indicating she didn’t know. Shangguan Haonan explained, “These are nicknames for Nie Zhe’s close confidants—they’re called the ‘Ten Tigers, Six Leopards, and Four Heavenly Hounds.’ These ten were either notorious bandits who killed and plundered or bloodthirsty madmen who hid in the shadows with countless debts of blood.”
Cai Zhao caught on quickly: “The strongest must be the ‘Four Heavenly Hounds,’ right? And the ‘Ten Tigers’ are the weakest?”
Shangguan Haonan laughed heartily. “Miss Feng is truly clever—you’re absolutely right. Most of the ‘Ten Tigers’ are stationed at various strategic passes. As for the ‘Six Leopards and Four Heavenly Hounds,’ Nie Zhe is reluctant to deploy them. By now, they’re probably sticking to him like shadows.”
Song Yuzhi pondered. “I’ve never heard of such people in your sect.”
Shangguan Haonan sighed. “Though our sect’s methods may be unorthodox, we’re not as vile as those ten beasts. Nie Zhe gathered them over the years to eliminate his enemies.”
Song Yuzhi nodded. “No wonder your sect has struggled to accomplish much in recent years—it’s been bogged down in internal strife.” He had been concealing his identity, even avoiding certain terms in his speech, but his words still inadvertently revealed some implications.
Shangguan Haonan’s brows lifted, his expression displeased. “The Big Dipper Six Sects haven’t had internal strife, yet they haven’t exactly flourished these past years either! In a large sect, it’s inevitable to have a few rotten elements. Once we root out those parasites, everything will be fine.”
Cai Zhao sighed inwardly. Young Master Song truly was a nobleman—terribly tactless, always touching on sore points.
But noblemen had their strengths too—they never cared about others’ reactions. Oblivious to Shangguan Haonan’s displeasure, Song Yuzhi continued, “If I were Nie Zhe, I’d gather all my forces in one place for a decisive battle. Wouldn’t that give me a better chance of winning? By scattering his men across various passes, isn’t he just making it easier for the enemy to pick them off one by one?”
Cai Zhao interjected, “You said ‘if.’ But there are no ‘ifs’ in this world. Senior Brother, you’re brave and skilled in battle, fearless of death—but is that old fox Nie Zhe the same? As sect leader, he’s timid and overcautious, praying the fighting stays far away from him. He hopes his opponents will exhaust themselves breaking through each pass, so by the time they reach the gates of Paradise Palace, he can take them on fresh and rested.”
Shangguan Haonan’s expression softened slightly. “Well said, Miss Feng.”
Song Yuzhi frowned. “If that’s the case, wouldn’t attacking pass by pass play right into Nie Zhe’s hands?”
Cai Zhao glanced at the ceiling beams. “Not necessarily. I believe Lord Mu must have a trick up his sleeve.”
“How can you be so sure, Junior Sister?”
Cai Zhao gestured toward Shangguan Haonan with her chin. “Senior Brother, why don’t you ask our esteemed guest his name?”
Song Yuzhi turned. “May I ask your name, sir?”
“Shangguan Haonan,” he announced proudly.
Song Yuzhi was stunned. “What did you say?! You’re actually—”
Before he could finish, the discussion in the front hall concluded. You Guanyue pushed open the doors and invited Cai Zhao and the others to leave. By then, Wang Tianfeng, Tang Qing, and Liu Jiangfeng had already received their orders and departed.
Mu Qingyan looked up from the map. “I trust you’ve all heard. The final assault begins at dusk. We should set out as soon as possible to reach Paradise Palace before the hour of Xu.”Song Yuzhi raised his long brows slightly. "Thank you, Lord Mu, for allowing me to contribute my modest efforts. But at this point, shouldn't you explain things clearly? These past two days, I've heard noisy rumors outside claiming 'Chief Shangguan Haonan of the Black Tortoise Hall is dead, slain by Lord Mu's own hand.' There's even a mortuary set up in the western courtyard where a certain lady wept for half a day—yet Chief Shangguan is clearly still alive. What exactly is going on here?"
You Guanyue sighed. "Tsk tsk, I told you so. We should have kept those ladies Yingying, Yanyan, and Honghong in the dark, letting them truly believe Chief Shangguan was dead. Then their weeping would have been more convincing. Only crying half a day for a dead man shows no sincerity at all."
"You dare frighten my beloved wives, You!" Shangguan Haonan nearly jumped up. "Yingying and Honghong are timid, and Yanyan is stubborn. If they truly believed it and something happened to them, I'd skin you alive and feed your flesh to the dogs!"
"Oh ho, 'beloved wives'—such profound affection," You Guanyue sneered sarcastically.
Shangguan Haonan was so angry he lunged to strangle him.
No one could blame You Guanyue for disliking Shangguan Haonan. Though their martial skills and talents were comparable, their life circumstances were worlds apart.
You Guanyue had been sold into the sect as a child slave, an orphan with no one to rely on. Shangguan Haonan, however, was a pampered young master, doted on by his parents and protected by the remaining factions of Yaoguang and Kaiyang.
You Guanyue had resorted to using his looks to climb the ranks, only to lose in the battle for favor by sticking to his principles. Shangguan Haonan, with his pristine demeanor, had been promoted to the position of Black Tortoise Altar Lord—the highest rank—without Nie Zhe so much as laying a finger on him.
You Guanyue felt inferior, only daring to approach his beloved as an elder brother or master. Shangguan Haonan, meanwhile, enjoyed the company of multiple women, praised by all as a man of deep sentiment.
—This world was just too damn tragic!
Mu Qingyan had been watching the spectacle with amusement, arms crossed, until Cai Zhao nudged him. Snapping back to attention, he immediately put on a stern face and stopped the argument between You Guanyue and Shangguan Haonan.
"Before the enemy, we must stand united and work together. Guanyue and Haonan must not turn on each other." After delivering this lofty speech, he paused, then leaned closer to Cai Zhao and whispered, "But they won't be fighting side by side in this battle, so a little squabble won't hurt."
Cai Zhao whispered back, "Just because they're not fighting together doesn't mean you can sit back and enjoy their argument. Aren't you going to be sect leader someday?"
Mu Qingyan shrugged indifferently, then turned to the group and said solemnly, "The assault on the passes will be led by Guanyue and Shi. Guanyue will take command, with Shi as his deputy."
Even Shi accepted the order without hesitation, clasping his fists.
You Guanyue was both surprised and delighted. "Lord Mu honors me. I dare not refuse. However, I worry for your safety. Perhaps I should accompany you instead?"
Mu Qingyan shook his head. "Shi is straightforward and won't overthink things. You'll need to handle the details. Your task is to stall the enemy at the first few passes, advancing slowly to keep them occupied."
You Guanyue nodded firmly. "Understood. The goal is to make Nie Zhe believe victory is within reach—that we're on the brink of exhaustion, locked in a stalemate with the defenders."
"Exactly," Mu Qingyan said approvingly. Then he turned to Shangguan Haonan. "Hao'nan, take the risk and come with me."
Shangguan Haonan responded loudly, "At your command, my lord." But then he hesitated. "I do know the secret passage into Paradise Palace, but the entrance is west of Taiqing Pass. Do we need to advance with the main force first?"Mu Qingyan said it wasn't necessary, then pointed at the map: "I have a way to reach this spot directly. Then we can bypass the sentry posts and beacon towers, going through here..."
Song Yuzhi quietly retreated several steps, murmuring to himself: "So that's how it is."
Cai Zhao also stepped back slightly, whispering: "Has Senior Brother finally understood?"
Song Yuzhi nodded: "No wonder he insisted on frontal assaults against the four main altars before. No wonder he spread the news of Chief Shangguan's death. It was all preparation for today's surprise attack."
—People are creatures of habit. Mu Qingyan had persistently advocated frontal assaults while loudly proclaiming his intention to defeat Nie Zhe openly and reclaim his position as sect leader. This kept Nie Zhe's attention focused on the front lines.
Song Yuzhi turned his head. "Zhao Zhao, did you just learn about this yesterday, or did you know earlier?"
Cai Zhao smiled bitterly: "As for me... I knew quite early."
"How did you deduce it? Or did you ask Brother Mu?"
Cai Zhao hesitated. She couldn't very well say she hadn't deduced anything at all, but rather that she knew his fundamentally eccentric nature—even if he pretended to be steady and upright temporarily, he could never maintain that facade permanently.
Her understanding of Mu Qingyan told her he would eventually deploy unexpected tactics. While frontal assaults were slow, they could eventually reach Paradise Palace. But what if Nie Zhe escaped or committed suicide before then?
Mu Qingyan would absolutely refuse to give Nie Zhe a quick death—he wanted to capture Nie Zhe alive to torment him slowly...
After struggling for words, she finally answered: "Actually, I guessed."
Having endured Mu Qingyan's passive-aggressive behavior these past days, and seeing his junior sister's peculiar expression, Song Yuzhi seemed to realize something. He lowered his voice: "Have you always known Brother Mu isn't exactly... an upright and honorable person..."
"What are you two talking about?" Mu Qingyan suddenly turned around.
Cai Zhao immediately put on a bright smile: "Senior Brother has finally understood your thoughtful planning these past days. I was just telling him how we must trust in your character and capabilities."
Song Yuzhi stared expressionlessly at Cai Zhao, who pretended not to notice.
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