"Watch out!" Bai Hehuai shouted in a low voice, pulling out a smoking pipe from her medicine box. She blew sharply into it, and a thick mist dispersed from the pipe, gradually spreading throughout the courtyard.
Tiny, nearly transparent insects, their bodies covered in frost, fell to the ground one after another.
"So, it's you who can protect an entire courtyard within my Flower Poison formation," a seductive voice rang out from beyond the yard. "A member of the Wen family, no less—not only setting up the No Escape formation but also carrying Heavenly Brocade Smoke."
"Heavenly Brocade Smoke? The legendary smoke that can intoxicate for three days with just one puff." Su Zhe licked his lips. "My dear daughter, why didn’t you tell your old man about such fine goods?"
"I know quite a few from the Wen family. In my youth, I was even close friends with the two Wen sisters. And that Wen Hujiu, who now claims to be the world's foremost in poison arts, once coveted my beauty." A woman clad in black, her face veiled with a purple scarf, stepped into the courtyard.
"It's you." Su Zhe froze.
The woman looked at Su Zhe and also paused. "You?"
"Hahahaha! Wen Hujiu coveted your beauty!" Su Zhe burst into laughter. "He merely accidentally lifted your veil, and you demanded he marry you. Then you secretly slipped him Drunken Spring Breeze, tricking him into—"
"Shut up!" The woman hurled a poisoned dart at Su Zhe.
"Facing me head-on, do you really think you can win?" Su Zhe sneered, flicking his Buddhist staff lightly. A golden ring shot out, slicing the dart cleanly in two.
The woman glared hatefully at Su Zhe, then glanced at Bai Hehuai, suddenly realizing. "She’s your daughter with the second Wen lady?"
Bai Hehuai scoffed. "My mother never mentioned having a close friend like you."
The woman threw her head back and laughed. "Hahaha! Of course not. Our Five Venoms Sect long ago lost the right to stand alongside your Wen family. How could she have ever regarded me? A pity, though—her lover and her daughter will both die by my hand today."
"You’re as naive as ever." Su Zhe raised an eyebrow. "Since you’ve seen me here, you should know that once you failed to poison me, you lost any chance you had."
"Is this woman the Poisonous Woman, Luo Yandie?" Su Muyu asked.
"Legend says she loves seducing handsome young men, spending a passionate night with them. Afterward, her beauty flourishes, while those men turn to withered bones." Su Changhe chuckled. "I wonder if my friend here is worthy of the Poisonous Woman’s favor for a night?"
Hearing this, Luo Yandie turned her gaze to Su Muyu, her eyes indeed lighting up. "Such a rare gem—only one night would be a waste."
Su Muyu narrowed his eyes slightly. Beside him, Ge Xiu’s True Qi surged, his fury barely contained. Su Muyu raised a hand to stop him. "You’re no match for her. I’ll avenge your sect brothers for you."
"But this young master’s words are rather cruel, aren’t they?" Luo Yandie swayed her hips, her voice dripping with even more allure.
"Must you twist like that?" Su Muyu said coldly.
"Pfft." Bai Hehuai covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.
Luo Yandie froze. While many in the world could resist her Bewitchment Art, few could remain so utterly indifferent."You came for me after all. I prefer older women, Auntie Luo!" Su Changhe leaped forward, dagger in hand, charging straight at Luo Yandie.
Luo Yandie was furious: "Who are you calling 'auntie'!"
Su Changhe's dagger descended toward Luo Yandie's head, but her long sleeves shot out, wrapping around the blade. With a sharp tug, she yanked Su Changhe face-to-face with her. A red glint flashed in Luo Yandie's eyes as she locked gazes with Su Changhe. She had used this Bewitchment Art on many, including true top-tier experts, all of whom had died from that single glance.
Su Changhe was no exception—he stared intently at Luo Yandie, unable to look away.
Luo Yandie sneered inwardly. Though this man wasn’t bad-looking, she had always detested men with beards. Might as well kill him now.
Then, the supposedly "bewitched" Su Changhe suddenly winked at her.
"Huh?" Luo Yandie froze, then felt a chill down her spine. She hastily retreated.
Su Changhe's dagger grazed her throat—just an inch away from ending her life.
Luo Yandie skidded to a stop, panting heavily. "Who are you?"
"Only now do you think to ask my name?" Su Changhe stroked his short beard. "I always thought I was famous enough. Fine, Auntie, I’m Su Changhe."
"The Undertaker!" Luo Yandie gasped.
"Mm-hmm." Su Changhe nodded cheerfully.
Luo Yandie drew a sharp breath. How naive she had been to think her Bewitchment Art would work on Dark River’s Undertaker. Surviving this encounter was sheer luck. But why would three of Dark River’s top experts—no, that handsome man in the corner must also be one—why would they all appear in Sihuai City at once?
"Are you also…" Luo Yandie guessed the possibility.
"Friends from afar arrive!" Su Changhe declared loudly.
Luo Yandie blinked. "Wh-what?"
"Friends from afar arrive!" Su Changhe frowned.
Bai Hehuai glanced at Su Zhe in confusion. Su Zhe leisurely puffed on his pipe, smiling silently, while Su Muyu sighed and shook his head.
Luo Yandie caught on. "Is this the new code phrase? I... I haven’t received this order yet."
"Who gave you the last code phrase?" Su Changhe pressed.
Without hesitation, Luo Yandie answered, "The Flying Tiger General, Dian Ye."
Dian Ye!
Su Muyu and Su Zhe exchanged a glance, their expressions shifting slightly before nodding.
The Flying Tiger General Dian Ye, though not comparable to supreme commanders like Ye Xiaoying, was still a renowned general of Northern Li, guarding the eastern border with formidable martial prowess. And this general had long been the powerful backing of a certain noble.
"No wonder. You report directly to General Dian. If His Highness trusts the Flying Tiger General so deeply, codes are unnecessary." Su Changhe exhaled lightly.
Luo Yandie nodded. "Exactly. Between His Highness and the Flying Tiger General, why would they need codes?"
"How amusing." Su Changhe’s lips curled slightly. "Then let me tell you the next line. Friends from afar arrive…"
"Yes?" Luo Yandie listened intently.
"Shall be slain!" Su Zhe lunged forward, dagger flashing as he struck at Luo Yandie again."Stop!" A figure clad in golden armor descended from the sky, swinging a golden axe that carved a long trench in the ground, forcibly pushing Su Changhe back.
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