The Falling Nine Skies Inn.
Su Zhe lay on the bed, yawning and already feeling drowsy. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew open the window, causing the Golden Ring on the Buddhist Staff leaning against the table to jingle. He pursed his lips, climbed out of bed, and walked to the window to close it. As he glanced down absentmindedly, he spotted a figure wearing a bamboo hat stepping out of the inn.
"Oh?" Su Zhe's lips curled slightly as he shut the window and returned to bed.
"You kill me, I kill you, the song ends only when death comes." Su Zhe hummed an unfamiliar tune softly before closing his eyes and falling into a deep sleep.
Inside the Spider Nest, The Head sat bare-chested, his body covered in Silver Needles. Though the sight seemed gruesome at first glance, his complexion had improved significantly compared to earlier in the day. He spoke gravely, "Are you planning to use the Soul Transference Technique on me today?"
"Not today. You’ve just been through a fierce battle and are mentally exhausted. The Soul Transference Technique drains the spiritual energy of both the caster and the recipient. If we force it now, neither of us may survive," Bai Hehuai shook her head slowly.
The Head sighed lightly, "Very well, we’ll wait another day."
"Rest well today. As long as the Spider Nest is truly as impenetrable as you claim, we have nothing to worry about." Bai Hehuai smiled, then lit a calming incense stick. "Just sleep soundly, Head."
"Good." The Head nodded, closed his eyes, and almost instantly began snoring softly.
"I’ll take my leave to rest and return to check on you tonight." Bai Hehuai, now thoroughly exhausted herself, yawned and bowed to The Head before stepping out. The corridor outside was empty. She glanced around—there was absolutely nowhere for anyone to hide. She felt puzzled. Previously, no matter where The Head went, assassins lurked in every shadow. Why, upon entering the Spider Nest, were only the two of them left inside? Could it be that The Head suspected a traitor among the Spider Shadows and no longer trusted those outside, keeping only her by his side?
"Being The Head is truly exhausting," Bai Hehuai shrugged helplessly. She walked down the corridor to the veranda, gazing at the moon in the sky and stretching. "The moon is so beautiful tonight."
"Yes, the moonlight is indeed lovely," a voice tinged with amusement sounded beside her.
Bai Hehuai broke into a cold sweat instantly. She had interacted with everyone in the Spider Shadows these past days, yet this voice was entirely unfamiliar. Instinctively, she stepped back.
The figure, wearing a bamboo hat, saw her retreat and flicked his wrist—a dagger flashed coldly as it shot toward Bai Hehuai.
"Damn it!" Bai Hehuai halted abruptly and flicked a Silver Needle from her hand, aiming straight at the dagger. The two collided midair—the needle shattered instantly, but the dagger’s trajectory was diverted, barely grazing past her temple. Seizing the brief respite, Bai Hehuai shouted urgently, "Hel—"Before the words had even faded, the bamboo-hatted man had already flashed in front of Bai Hehuai, striking a palm toward her chest. Bai Hehuai exhaled lightly, sidestepped, leaving only an afterimage as she dodged to a spot ten feet away. The bamboo-hatted man's palm struck empty air, and he paused momentarily before leaping forward to retrieve the dagger he had thrown earlier. Turning, he said, "Ghost Shadow Steps. That's the martial art of the Dark River Su Family."
"You're mistaken. I just dodged casually," Bai Hehuai wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Interesting." The bamboo-hatted man twirled his dagger once. "I thought a little girl like you would die in one move, but you've surprised me."
"Surprises will only keep coming," Bai Hehuai retorted, flicking three Silver Needles toward him.
"That, however, is boring." The bamboo-hatted man used a movement identical to Bai Hehuai's earlier evasion, effortlessly dodging the three needles, which embedded themselves into the doorframe and wooden railing.
"Take off that hat—your eyesight's terrible!" Bai Hehuai yanked her hand back, then lunged forward, darting past the bamboo-hatted man.
Only then did the bamboo-hatted man realize that the three Silver Needles were connected by nearly invisible threads. By the time he tried to dodge, it was too late. As Bai Hehuai passed him, she sharply pulled the threads, tightening them around him in an instant. Landing, she spun and retreated three steps before looking up at the bamboo-hatted man—his arms were now tightly bound, leaving him rigid as a pillar.
"Three Needles Threadwork—a skill even many top-tier assassins of the Su Family haven't mastered," the bamboo-hatted man remarked, his tone still calm.
"Don't move, or I'll kill you!" Bai Hehuai warned coldly.
"I can't move now. A single needle from you would finish me," the bamboo-hatted man said indifferently.
"I'm not that stupid," Bai Hehuai sneered. "Who knows what tricks you have? Someone—"
"Silence!" The bamboo-hatted man kicked off the ground, charging at Bai Hehuai again. In a panic, she yanked the threads, only to find them snapping apart. How was this possible? These threads were woven from heavenly silk—unbreakable by ordinary blades. How had he freed himself? Looking down, Bai Hehuai saw a spinning dagger rising—somehow, the bamboo-hatted man had managed to wield it even with his arms bound. He caught the dagger firmly. "Though I'm growing more curious about you, it's better to just kill you now!"
Those idiots—how had they not noticed the commotion yet? Bai Hehuai's mind raced to the Wooden Bird in the room. Even without it, waking The Head to fight was better than dying here. She spun around and bolted down the corridor toward the room.
"Killing like this is the most fun," the bamboo-hatted man mused, kicking off the roof and flipping downward, striking at Bai Hehuai from above.
Feeling the chill at her back, Bai Hehuai leaped forward with all her strength, tumbling several times as the bamboo-hatted man's dagger smashed a gaping hole into the floor behind her.Bai Hehuai climbed up from the ground. At this moment, he was still ten steps away from The Head's room, but the straw-hatted man had already landed before him, slowly raising the qi in his hand.
With a sharp "snap," the straw hat split in two instantly, flying off to either side, revealing a young and arrogant face beneath.
"It's you," Bai Hehuai exclaimed in surprise.
The straw-hatted man glanced slightly backward, spotting the figure holding an umbrella. Stroking his thin mustache, he remarked, "So you've come."
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