The day after the young master of the Mu clan seized the position of sect leader, while the majority of the sect members were still celebrating, two swift horses carried a young man and woman hurriedly down the mountain, followed by a cart laden with heavy gift boxes.
As the Nether Bamboo Path behind them grew increasingly distant, Song Yuzhi couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile. His gaze fell upon the despondent girl beside him, and wisely avoiding any mention of "old acquaintances," he offered gentle words of comfort instead.
After half a day’s journey, Song Yuzhi felt it was time to pull Cai Zhao out of her sorrow. He changed the subject: "Junior Sister, when we stop to rest later, we should align our stories. We need to agree on what to say and what not to say, so we don’t give ourselves away."
"No need," Cai Zhao replied listlessly. "Just tell the elders everything."
Song Yuzhi was surprised. "Everything? Are you sure, Junior Sister?" When Cai Zhao had obtained the Snowscale Dragon Beast’s saliva before, she had been evasive and vague.
Cai Zhao sighed. "Just tell them. It’s wrong to deceive our elders."—Now, she no longer had any reason to hide Mu Qingyan’s involvement.
Song Yuzhi seemed to grasp her meaning. He frowned. "Junior Sister…" Just as he was about to offer advice, he suddenly spotted a group of riders standing in the swirling yellow dust ahead.
The three at the front were all too familiar—Qi Yunke, Song Shijun, and Cai Pingchun.
Their faces were dark with anger.
The senior and junior disciples exchanged a glance, their scalps tingling with dread—being caught after turning themselves in was a far cry from being caught in the act.
Qi Yunke’s voice was stern. "You two reckless fools, come here and kneel at once!"
Song Shijun roared, "Tired of living, are you? Think you’re invincible, do you? Daring to barge into the Nether Bamboo Path—why don’t you just fly up to the heavens instead!"
Cai Pingchun interjected, "Let’s find a place to rest first. Let the children catch their breath."
As he dismounted, Song Yuzhi whispered, "Your father is quite lenient."
Cai Zhao let out a dry laugh.
Qi Yunke and Song Shijun simultaneously shot Cai Pingchun accusatory looks for being too indulgent. Sensing this, Cai Pingchun added, "What I mean is, once they’ve regained their strength, we can properly discipline them with sect rules and family rules."
Song Yuzhi: "?!"
……
After Nie Zhe’s faction was overthrown, the Hanhai Mountains remained in chaos for about six or seven days.
Mu Qingyan ordered the exit of the Nether Bamboo Path sealed and dispatched Shangguan Haonan and You Guanyue with a heavy force to lay an ambush along the rear path of Paradise Palace. The Nie Clan members who had been defeated by You Guanyue at various passes, the opportunistic lackeys who had tried to flee when the tide turned, and the henchmen who had once harmed their fellow sect members under Nie Zhe’s orders—some were killed, others captured. The whole affair was a tumultuous mess.
Watching the weeping and wailing remnants of Nie Zhe’s faction, Hu Fengge sighed. "In Nie Hengcheng’s day, the four great disciples—Zhao, Chen, Han, and Lu—were illustrious and formidable, their followers fierce and unrivaled. What an indomitable force they were. Yet now, they crumble like clay chickens and straw dogs. Truly… ah…"
She turned and bowed to Mu Qingyan. "Sect Leader, how do you intend to deal with them?"
Mu Qingyan sighed softly. "Heaven favors the preservation of life, and I have no wish to wipe them all out. Let’s do this—turn them all into Corpse Puppet Slaves and send them to the back mountains for hard labor."
"What?!" Hu Fengge nearly thought she had misheard.
Mu Qingyan continued, "That was just a jest. Corpse Puppet Slaves are dangerous, and besides, they only last a few months. Better to sever their tendons first, then put them to hard labor."
He murmured to himself, "Ah, I’ve grown far too merciful lately."Hu Fengge: "Was it really a joke?! Or was it your true feelings blurted out without thinking!"
After learning of Cai Zhao's departure, Old Man Yan was so overjoyed he nearly fainted, repeatedly praising, "Well done, Young Master! Brilliant! The revival of our sect is within reach! What good could come from Cai Pingshu's niece? Nothing but violence and killing as easily as chopping vegetables! Being with such a woman, one couldn't even sleep peacefully! This old man will find you a gentle, virtuous, and obedient beauty..."
Shangguan Haonan scratched his ear, "Elder Yan, enough already. You're the Record Keeper, handling documents—don't encroach on the matchmakers' territory." He still wanted to introduce Cai Zhao to his circle of charming ladies.
"Shut up, you brat!" Yan Xu glared. "When you were a month old, I tossed several gold ingots into your copper basin at your celebration. How dare you speak to me so disrespectfully? Pay me back, pay me back!... Xiao Yue, tell me, am I right?"
You Guanyue looked skyward: "Well, most of those Cai Pingshu killed were Nie Hengcheng's men. When Elder Chou was around, he often secretly cheered her on." —What a pity Xing Er served Cai Zhao for so long, finally building a connection, only for it all to go to waste.
Yan Xu roared, "You brat, you lack vision! No wonder Chou Baigang was no match for Nie Hengcheng—utterly shortsighted! Xiao Hui, what do you say?"
Yu Huixin stood by with a troubled expression: "Elder, what do you want me to say? I don’t even know how the Young Master plans to deal with me and Seventh Sister’s child. Earlier, seeing how the Young Master obeyed Cai Zhao’s every word, I thought to ask her to plead for them. Who knew she’d leave so soon? Sigh."
Yan Xu was furious. "Cai Pingshu killed your sworn father, and you still wanted to seek her niece’s help? Have you no backbone? No shame?"
Yu Huixin smiled bitterly. "I think staying alive is more important." —In the Martial World, dying in a duel is nothing to resent. If you have a grievance, challenge Cai Pingshu and fight to the death.
Of course, he had no such intention.
Yan Xu clutched his chest, gasping, then turned. "Xiao Feng, say something!"
Hu Fengge remained expressionless. "You want my opinion? Fine, here it is—men who blame their failures or victories on women are all cowards."
Yan Xu nearly erupted, but suddenly, the guards at the door announced Mu Qingyan’s arrival. Everyone quickly straightened up to wait.
Once Mu Qingyan was seated, a tall, vigorous Taoist stepped forward. "Lü Fengchun pays respects to the Sect Master!"
Mu Qingyan glanced at him. "Ah, so it’s Elder Tianshu."
With the situation newly stabilized, the legendary fence-sitting elder had made a very timely appearance.
Lü Fengchun was nearly ten years older than Yan Xu, yet his hair was jet-black and glossy, his face ruddy and full, making him appear almost middle-aged. Standing beside the sallow, gaunt, and dusty Elder Yan, an outsider might mistake them for different generations.
Lü Fengchun immediately launched into a tearful performance before Mu Qingyan, pounding his chest as he wept, his tone and gestures reminiscent of a certain profession—
"Heaven has eyes! To bless us with such a talented young Sect Master, ensuring the revival of our Mu clan’s two-century legacy! Wuwuwu... This old man was fortunate to have met your father and grandfather. Seeing your heroic bearing today, the late Sect Master must be smiling in the afterlife..."
Yan Xu turned away, searching left and right. Lian Shisan asked curiously, "Elder Yan, what are you looking for?"
Yan Xu: "A backscratcher. This is making me itch."
After the tears came the flattery.Lu Fengchun gazed at Mu Qingyan with heartfelt emotion. "The Nie Clan's rebellion was like a raging storm, threatening to topple our sacred sect in an instant. In two hundred years, our family has never faced such peril. Yet despite your youth, Sect Leader, you maneuvered with unparalleled skill, strategizing effortlessly to quell the Nie rebellion. Truly, you stand as the finest of the Mu Clan in two centuries!"
You Guanyue was utterly amazed, turning his head left and right. Shangguan Haonan asked what he was looking for.
"Paper and brush. Elder Lü here is simply brimming with literary talent," You Guanyue whispered. "Such eloquent praise—I must jot it down for future use."
After the flattery came pledges of loyalty.
With an expression of utmost devotion, Lü Fengchun declared, "This old man once swore an oath: in life I belong to the Mu Clan, in death I remain its ghost. When Nie Hengcheng ran rampant, I lacked the strength to resist. When Nie Zhe acted against all reason, I was gravely ill..."
Hu Fengge couldn't resist interjecting, "Elder Lü doesn't seem ill now."
"Elder Hu has sharp eyes," Lü Fengchun laughed heartily. "Perhaps joy truly revitalizes the spirit—ever since hearing of the Sect Leader's righteous uprising, my ailments vanished. Ah, but cursed be this old man's deaf ears! By the time word of the Sect Leader's campaign reached me, the matter was nearly settled. Otherwise, feeble as I am, I'd have dragged these old bones to serve the Sect Leader with every last ounce of strength!"
The sycophantic praise flowed like a tidal wave until Lü Fengchun grew hoarse and the audience could bear no more. Yet Mu Qingyan listened patiently to the end, even summarizing: "Elder Lü is loyal. Elder Lü was gravely ill. Elder Lü wished to help but couldn't. Now he hopes to serve the sect again... Is that correct?"
Lü Fengchun boomed, "Sect Leader, though this old man is aged, do not disdain me! Command me in any task!"
Mu Qingyan said, "There is indeed a matter I'd entrust to you. Li Ruxin is Nie Hengcheng's adopted daughter, and Nie Sien is the traitor's descendant. I intended to eliminate them..."
Yu Huixin tensed, her heart leaping into her throat.
"But upon reflection, whatever faults Nie Hengcheng had, he never harmed my father in his youth. Besides, a weak woman and child can't stir great trouble—I can afford to spare them." Mu Qingyan continued, "Elder Lü, you are venerable and prudent. Entrusting Li Ruxin and her son to your care would put my mind at ease. Can you handle this?"
Lü Fengchun gaped. A shrewd man, he knew full well that Li Ruxin and her son were now hot potatoes.
Should anything befall them, Mu Qingyan—to showcase his magnanimity toward former enemies' kin—would surely hold him accountable. Yet if they were treated too well and allowed outside contact, they might conspire and rebel, leaving him guilty of negligence.
Accepting this duty would be like hanging a blade over his own neck—unable to advance or retreat, more torturous than any punishment.
Yu Huixin realized this too and stepped forward to plead, only for Hu Fengge to seize her sleeve.
Hu Fengge shook her head slightly, mouthing silently, "If you want them to live, don't say a word."
Lü Fengchun sought to decline, beginning with "This old man is frail—" when Mu Qingyan's piercing gaze fixed upon him.He said, "People outside say Elder Lu has a silver tongue and legs swift as the wind—full of sweet words when things are fine, but the first to flee when trouble comes. I suppose this rumor must be true. What do you say, Elder Lu?"
Though his tone was light, his eyes held an unfathomable, icy darkness.
Lu Fengchun wisely lowered his head and forced a smile in agreement.
Mu Qingyan waved his hand, dismissing him.
Burdened with two major troubles yet excluded from confidential meetings, Lu Fengchun felt bitterness deeper than coptis root.
Watching the opportunist depart, Yan Xu eagerly stepped forward to offer congratulations: "Brilliant as always, Sect Leader! Your handling of Li Ruxin and her son couldn't have been better. Ever since you sent that little girl Cai Zhao away, your management of sect affairs has grown even more—"
"What are you talking about?" Mu Qingyan suddenly lifted his eyelids, his gaze cold. "What Cai Zhao? Who is that?"
Yan Xu froze, but You Guanyue reacted quickest: "The Sect Leader is right—this subordinate has never heard that name either."
Mu Qingyan's face was unusually pale, like unyielding jade. He turned to look out the window. "Never mention it again."
Everyone clasped their fists in assent.
Though reprimanded, Yan Xu was so delighted he nearly danced, responding particularly loudly.
"Today, I have two matters. First—where is the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower from the treasury?" Mu Qingyan turned his head.
You Guanyue hurriedly replied, "This subordinate has thoroughly searched all storage vaults these past two days—the item is indeed missing."
"Has anyone here seen it?" Mu Qingyan pressed.
The others shook their heads, but Hu Fengge stepped forward: "This subordinate saw Nie Hengcheng playing with that treasure in my youth. Later, it was said to have been stolen."
Yan Xu stroked his sparse beard thoughtfully: "Is the Sect Leader seeking this item? This old man knows a little—it was indeed stolen back then, reportedly by the Big Dipper Six Sects, though it was later returned. Who knows what that thief was playing at. Nie Hengcheng executed over a dozen treasury guards in fury. Yet soon after, it was stolen again."
"Who would be so bold? Stealing once wasn't enough—they dared a second time?" Shangguan Haonan exclaimed.
Yan Xu twirled his thin beard: "This old man doesn't know who stole it the first time, but the second thief was Lu Chengnan."
This revelation shocked everyone.
"Why would that be?" Hu Fengge was especially astonished. "Fourth Brother Lu was utterly loyal to Nie Hengcheng!"
"That, this old man doesn't know," Yan Xu shook his head. "I only know Nie Hengcheng flew into a rage upon discovering it and severely injured Lu Chengnan. I was present—from what I saw, Nie Hengcheng struck to kill."
"Such a thing? How strange!" Hu Fengge marveled. "Nie Hengcheng was ruthless to outsiders but doted on his own disciples. He protected even that useless Chen Shu endlessly—let alone Fourth Brother Lu, his most favored among the four great disciples. In the Heavenly Fiend Camp, leaders often said Lu Chengnan would inherit Nie Hengcheng's legacy."
Mu Qingyan asked, "What happened afterward? Where did Lu Chengnan go?"
"That night, Nie Hengcheng acted strangely—agitated and frenzied. Had I not known better, I'd have thought he suffered a qi deviation," Yan Xu recalled. "Han Yisu also noticed his master's abnormality, desperately holding Nie Hengcheng back while urging Lu Chengnan to flee—so flee he did. He never appeared again, and none know where he went."Mu Qingyan nodded. "So the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower disappeared along with Lu Chengnan." He had many questions in mind and habitually tapped his fingers on the table.
"Let’s set this matter aside for now and move to the second issue," he continued. "Months ago, the Chang Family Fortress in Wu'an was massacred. Who was responsible for this?"
You Guanyue and Shangguan Haonan exchanged glances, while Yan Xu and Yu Huixin looked utterly confused.
Hu Fengge pondered for a moment before stepping forward. "I’ve heard some rumors about this. It should have been Nie Zhe’s doing."
"Why on earth would Fifth Brother wipe out the entire Chang Family?" Yu Huixin asked in surprise.
"I don’t know either," Hu Fengge replied gravely. "Nie Zhe was envious of talent and couldn’t retain capable people under him. He looked down on me as a woman, yet he often consulted me on many matters. But I knew he had other accomplices in the shadows. Just in the past few months, whether it was the massacre at Chang Family Fortress or the ambushes against the Big Dipper Six Sects along the way, I only found out afterward."
"When I questioned the brothers who participated in the Chang Family Fortress operation afterward, they were equally baffled. The fortress was extremely well-hidden—even Fourth Brother Lu couldn’t crack its concealment formation back in the day. Yet Nie Zhe found it effortlessly. The brothers said that on the night of the operation, someone had left markers along the way, allowing them to locate the fortress smoothly."
This revelation took Mu Qingyan by surprise.
He had always assumed Nie Zhe was solely responsible for the massacre, intending to kill Nie Zhe and his men as retribution for the Chang Family. But now, according to Hu Fengge, there was another mastermind behind it.
"Then we’ll have to ask Nie Zhe himself," Mu Qingyan decisively concluded. "A few days ago, Nie Zhe’s injuries worsened, and he’s now immobile. Let’s go see him."
The group rose together and followed Mu Qingyan to a side chamber filled with the bitter scent of medicinal herbs.
The guards at the door saluted solemnly and opened it for Mu Qingyan.
They filed into the sickroom, only to find Nie Zhe already dead—his wounds clotted with blood, his face ghastly pale and twisted, his body cold. He had been dead for at least several hours.
"Ah! Fifth Brother, Fifth Brother!" Yu Huixin rushed forward, crying out. "What happened? What happened?"
The guards at the door turned pale with fright and immediately knelt to beg for forgiveness, explaining that no one had entered the sickroom that day except for the servants delivering meals and changing dressings.
"His heart meridians were shattered by Inner Force," Mu Qingyan said after examining Nie Zhe’s chest. "Someone must have disguised themselves as a servant delivering meals or medicine and took his life." He had never intended to let Nie Zhe live, so the guards outside were mainly stationed to prevent any rescue attempts, overlooking the possibility of an assassin.
Yan Xu gasped. "Who could have killed Nie Zhe? Some master?"
Shangguan Haonan stepped forward to inspect the corpse and shook his head. "It wouldn’t necessarily require a master. Nie Zhe was already severely injured and barely able to resist. Even someone with ordinary cultivation could have killed him."
"One of the servants who delivered meals and medicine today hasn’t returned yet," You Guanyue reported after questioning his subordinates. "Likely met with foul play."
Yu Huixin stood up from the bedside, tears in his eyes. "Leader, I’ve long wanted to say something. Earlier, when you pointed out that your father was poisoned... I don’t know if Madam Sun was responsible, but I don’t believe Fifth Brother ordered it.""Fifth Brother has repeatedly said that your father is indifferent by nature and has no interest in power, while Fifth Brother's position is unstable and he needs someone like your father as a front. Whenever sect members questioned the legitimacy of Fifth Brother's position, he would retort, 'The rightful heir of the Mu family hasn’t said anything, what business is it of yours?' to brush it off. Fifth Brother wishes nothing more than for your father’s health and safety—how could he have instructed Madam Sun to poison him?"
"Damn it!" Hu Fengge's expression darkened. "Ruoshui!"
She turned and leaped out the door in a flash, with the others quickly following suit.
But it was already too late. Sun Ruoshui had also died in her sickbed—her face ashen, features twisted, body cold.
Shangguan Haonan exclaimed, "Her heart meridian was shattered."
Mu Qingyan walked in unhurriedly—the last to enter the room.
He said, "There’s no need to rush. Since someone is silencing witnesses, they wouldn’t stop at just Nie Zhe. Nie Zhe’s body has been cold for a while, so Madam Sun must have been killed long ago."
Yan Xu was utterly baffled. "What on earth is going on? Ah, Madam Sun is gone—don’t be too upset, Sect Leader."
Looking at Sun Ruoshui’s corpse, Mu Qingyan felt nothing inside.
Long ago, he had given up on his birth mother.
Weakness, longing, yearning—these emotions that ordinary children should have for their mothers, Mu Qingyan had long buried them in that decaying, dilapidated little dark room. That wretched feeling of licking the wounds inflicted by one’s own kin—he had not an ounce of it.
As he grew older, the more he learned about Sun Ruoshui’s past behavior, the more he felt nothing but contempt for the woman who had given birth to him. After discovering she had poisoned his father, he added hatred to that contempt.
The only regret was that, to spare his father’s feelings, he had never openly expressed his disdain for Sun Ruoshui, leading his father to mistakenly believe he still cared for his birth mother—thus giving Sun Ruoshui the opportunity to harm him.
Even if no one had silenced her, he wouldn’t have let someone who poisoned his father live. Sun Ruoshui was no exception.
But with the deaths of Nie Zhe and Sun Ruoshui, the trail of clues was severed, adding another layer of mist to the already thick fog.
First, if the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower was merely a trivial item for calming the mind, why was Nie Hengcheng in such a hurry?
Second, why did Lu Chengnan, Nie Hengcheng’s most trusted and loyal disciple, steal the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower?
Third, who was secretly aiding Nie Zhe? Hmm, most likely someone from the Big Dipper Six Sects. But who exactly?
Lastly, why did Sun Ruoshui poison Mu Zhengming? They had already separated, and Mu Zhengming posed no obstacle to her—what reason did she have to commit such a crime?
Mu Qingyan stood by the window, using the bright daylight to subtly scan the faces of everyone in the room—
You Guanyue deep in thought, Shangguan Haonan scratching his head in frustration, Yan Xu muttering incessantly, "Why, why?" Hu Fengge gently closing Sun Ruoshui’s eyes with a hint of sorrow, Yu Huixin comforting her with a light pat on the shoulder, and Lu Fengchun, the fence-sitter who wasn’t present now—could the person who silenced Nie Zhe and Sun Ruoshui be among them?
Or perhaps, someone else entirely.
Mu Qingyan’s brows furrowed deeply, his thoughts profound.
He turned and casually said, "Zhao Zhao, do you think it could be—"
His voice abruptly stopped.
The room fell silent, everyone’s expressions shifting.
Mu Qingyan stood motionless, staring at the empty space beside him.
"Don’t be afraid, and don’t worry. There’s always a way."Someone had once made such a promise to him, someone had gently kissed his cheek.
After Father, a bright and warm ray of sunshine had pierced through his otherwise resolute, cold, and lonely life.
She had a pair of extraordinarily beautiful eyes. She had once joked that relatives and elders often said she had inherited the best features from Cai Pingshu’s face—especially when she smiled. Her large, bright eyes resembled the rippling waters of a spring lake, pure and warm.
"Don't be afraid, and don't worry. There's always a way."
Since you made a promise, why not keep it?
Yet you left him alone in this fiery abyss of blazing flames.
[End of Volume]
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