"So it's the Thunder Gate Twins," Mu Qingyang stroked his chin. "I've long heard of your reputation."
"What's about to happen next might be even more interesting," Lei Yunhe said, looking up. "I hope your side won't disappoint me either."
With that, Lei Yunhe departed on his crane. Mu Qingyang chuckled, "What an interesting fellow indeed." He then quickly sealed several major acupoints on his body to stop the bleeding before staggering into the woods.
Tang Lingluo arrived at the cliff edge with five black-clad men but found no trace of Mu Qingyang.
"We definitely saw him run here just now," one of the black-clad men stepped forward, crouching to touch the sandy soil. "Did he jump down?" He glanced downward before retreating a step—even a single look at such height was terrifying.
"Impossible. He must have used some Mu Family's secret technique again," Tang Lingluo shook her head. "Perhaps he used Puppet Silk to hang from this cliff and descended."
"No way, this place is too high. No silk in the world could be that long," the investigating black-clad man disagreed.
Just then, another black-clad figure landed behind them. "Boss, someone else has entered the mountains."
"Who?" Tang Lingluo asked.
"A young man carrying a paper umbrella," the black-clad man replied.
"Carrying a paper umbrella," Tang Lingluo lightly adjusted her mask.
Su Muyu walked alone through the forest. The paper butterflies before him seemed to lose all vitality upon entering the deep mountains, falling lifelessly to the ground. He plucked a flower from beside him—its petals still stained with fresh blood.
"Umbrella Ghost of Dark River. Never thought I'd meet you here," Tang Lingluo appeared behind him.
Su Muyu slightly turned his head. "Tang Lingluo, one of the Five Heroes of the Tang Clan."
A breeze lifted Tang Lingluo's sleeve as two silver needles shot toward Su Muyu with the wind. Su Muyu turned, flicking his paper umbrella lightly—the needles fell harmlessly to the ground. "Is this how the Tang Sect greets distant guests?" he said coldly.
"Who would consider Dark River's Umbrella Ghost a guest? They say you often appear on cold, rainy nights, like a Netherworld Messenger collecting souls—a wandering spirit of the dead," Tang Lingluo raised her head as six black-clad figures landed on the branches behind her.
Su Muyu's voice deepened. "We were invited."
"I didn't send the summons, nor was I informed. So within Jin City, Dark River's ghosts are unwelcome," Tang Lingluo shouted sharply. "Attack!"
The six black-clad figures swung their sleeves, unleashing King of Hell Summons that flew toward Su Muyu.
Su Muyu spun rapidly, opening his umbrella—the deadly summons grazed past its surface. The remaining assailants leaped down from the trees, surrounding him. Though from the Tang Sect, their martial skills were formidable, forcing Su Muyu to retreat continuously while keeping his umbrella closed.
Tang Lingluo kept her hands hidden in her sleeves, gripping a hidden weapon. She had heard many tales about the Umbrella Ghost. Though her six subordinates seemed to have the upper hand at first glance, she knew the Umbrella Ghost could take their lives at any moment."Brother Lingluo, as I said, I came by invitation. I'm willing to give you twenty moves to reconsider." Su Muyu planted his paper umbrella in the ground, then pressed his right hand against its shaft and leaped up, kicking back the six black-clad assailants surrounding him. Upon landing, he flicked his right wrist and drew an extremely slender, elongated sword from the umbrella's handle, pointing it directly at Tang Lingluo.
Tang Lingluo's face darkened as he stared at the blade without speaking.
One of the six black-clad figures pinched a Bone-Penetrating Nail between two fingers and hurled it toward Su Muyu with a sharp flick. The tip of the nail bore a sinister crimson glow—clearly coated with deadly poison. Su Muyu's first move was to cleave the projectile into dust.
His second move deflected a Sleeve Arrow. Then came the third, the fourth, all the way to the thirteenth. Su Muyu remained purely defensive, neutralizing thirteen concealed weapons in succession. From the fourteenth move onward, he suddenly shifted to offense, each sword thrust aimed at vital points. By the nineteenth move, all six assailants lay wounded on the ground, unable to move.
Twentieth move.
Tang Lingluo abruptly raised his head to meet Su Muyu's sword gaze.
In the next instant, Tang Lingluo lifted his sleeve as a lotus bloomed in his palm—only to freeze mid-bloom when the slender Rain Sword came to rest three inches from his throat.
"Which do you think would be faster?" Tang Lingluo murmured. "My lotus in full bloom, or your blade finding its mark?"
"Many have sought that answer," Su Muyu replied calmly. "Knowing it proved meaningless for them all."
"Truly the finest blade the Dark River has forged in generations." A slow clap echoed behind them as a gaunt figure in crimson robes approached. The man stood unnaturally tall, his pallid face and sunken eyes giving him the appearance of a consumptive ghost.
"Tang Lingkui of the Five Heroes of the Tang Clan," Su Muyu acknowledged evenly.
Tang Lingkui coughed lightly. "How flattering that the Su Family head knows my humble name."
"I demand to see Tang Linghuang," Su Muyu stated grimly.
"That's easily arranged." Tang Lingkui stepped beside Tang Lingluo and suddenly flicked the frozen lotus into the air. "You can meet him in the underworld!" The lotus burst open midair, its petals shooting toward Su Muyu like shrapnel. Su Muyu retreated swiftly, his sword weaving a defensive pattern until he reached his planted umbrella. Kicking the shaft upward, he sheathed his blade and spun the umbrella violently, deflecting every petal to the ground.
Tang Lingkui's eyes gleamed with appreciation. "Impressive. Even this couldn't scratch the Su Family head."
Su Muyu steadied himself and demanded, "Have you killed Tang Linghuang?"
Another light cough. "What a sensitive question."
"Elder Brother, we can't let him escape," Tang Lingluo warned, emitting a sharp whistle. Shadows began moving through the surrounding trees, converging on their position.
"Deploy the formation," Tang Lingkui ordered calmly.
"Deploy the formation!" Tang Lingluo shouted.The approaching black-clad figures raised their hands in unison, and a dark mist began spreading from the forest, enveloping them like a shroud.
"Head of the Su Family, you may proceed as you wish," Tang Lingkui and Tang Lingluo said as they lightly leaped back into the mountain forest.
Su Muyu watched the encroaching dark mist and murmured thoughtfully, "It seems the Tang Sect has truly undergone a change of power."
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