"I didn't even use the Eighteen Sword Formation, yet you've already lost." Su Muyu didn't continue discussing Swordless City, merely stating this lightly.
Mu Bai froze for a moment before letting out a cold laugh. With a slight wave of his hand, his last remaining puppet stepped forward, sword raised to block in front of him. Then, several white figures descended one after another. Seeing them, Su Muyu's expression grew slightly solemn—each of them was a top-tier assassin from the Mu Family, all well-known names. As he pondered, a cold gust of wind suddenly swept toward the back of his head. Su Muyu swiftly turned, and a copper coin flew past his temple, shooting straight toward Mu Bai and the others. Mu Bai flicked his wrist, and the puppet lunged forward, deflecting the coin with a single slash.
Mu Qingyang, clad in Daoist robes, landed and caught the coin, grinning. "A Peach Blossom Coin—great fortune indeed."
Mu Bai's voice was low. "Qingyang, you're late."
"My apologies, my apologies. Xuewei couldn't see this killing game—it took quite some effort to trick her away." Mu Qingyang pocketed the coin and turned to Su Muyu. "Lord Puppet, long time no see."
"It's you." Su Muyu subtly twisted his sword hilt. Before he became the Puppet, Su Changhe had once mentioned this fake Daoist from the Mu Family, saying that while he seemed idle, his true strength was unfathomable.
Mu Qingyang raised an eyebrow slightly. "Me? So Lord Puppet knows of me? What an honor, what an honor."
Su Muyu swept his gaze over the group before him. Aside from Mu Bai and Mu Qingyang, there were seven other Mu Family assassins. If Su Muyu were uninjured and still had the Eighteen Sword Formation, he might have had a thirty percent chance of fighting to the death. But now, with only a single sword left, even dealing with Mu Qingyang alone would be a struggle... Su Muyu quickly made a decision—to lure them away and carve a path of survival for Bai Hehuai hidden in the secret passage.
"Damn it, that brat Su Changhe ain't no good thing." A voice thick with a non-standard dialect suddenly rang out from behind them.
Su Muyu paused, then smiled. "Uncle Zhe is here."
The Mu Family members also turned their gazes. Mu Bai's previously smug expression suddenly darkened.
Su Zhe of the Su Family—someone no one wanted to provoke.
"That brat went to Spider Nest for formalities and left me here to guard someone. Not only did I find the person, but I also got nine extra Mu Family ghosts!" Su Zhe slammed his Buddhist staff into the ground with force, then pulled out a betel nut from his pocket and chewed it aggressively, as if venting his anger.
Mu Bai said coldly, "Uncle Zhe, what do you mean by that?"
"Did I let you speak?" Su Zhe picked up the golden smoking pipe at his waist and casually flicked it, sending a golden ring flying from his staff. The ring pierced straight through the chest of the last remaining puppet, its momentum unbroken as it spun rapidly, shredding the invisible Puppet Silk before returning to Su Zhe's hand. With an indifferent flick, he reattached the ring to the staff.
The entire sequence was fluid, carrying an air of disdain and arrogance.
"Let me smoke a pipe and think for a bit." Su Zhe lit the tobacco in his pipe and began puffing leisurely.Mu Bai's expression grew even more unpleasant. He clenched his fists but did not voice any resistance. Su Zhe was no longer a Puppet, and his presence here likely wasn't to rescue Su Muyu. Given that, there was no need for conflict. Mu Qingyang continued to play with the Peach Blossom Coin in his hand, said to have been passed down from Zhao Yuzhen of Qingcheng Mountain, grinning at Su Zhe without saying a word.
The atmosphere in the room grew awkward for a moment.
Ironically, the one who now looked the most at ease was Su Muyu—the man who usually wore an unnatural expression...
"Uncle Zhe, you still love creating that 'I'm so formidable' aura," Su Muyu said, taking a few steps toward Su Zhe despite knowing he wasn't here to save him. He exhaled slightly in relief.
"No need to create it—I am formidable," Su Zhe replied leisurely, puffing on his pipe. If not for his painfully awkward official dialect, he might have truly seemed like a master.
Hidden in the secret passage, Bai Hehuai listened to their exchange and immediately guessed who had arrived. Her heart raced, and she instinctively moved to rush forward—but Su Muyu's steps blocked her path. Though he didn’t believe Bai Hehuai was Su Zhe’s daughter, he feared there might be some connection between them. If she suddenly appeared, the Mu Family wouldn’t hesitate to act.
"What is Uncle Zhe thinking about?" Su Muyu asked slowly.
Su Zhe’s attitude toward Su Muyu was noticeably gentler. Not only did he not mind the interruption, but he also answered patiently: "Thinking about how to complete the Su Family patriarch’s task without killing you."
"That might be difficult," Su Muyu sighed softly.
"Indeed, quite difficult. But the two of us—we’re like mud stuck together!" Su Zhe tapped his pipe lightly against the Buddhist staff, shaking off some ash.
" Unbreakable bond?" Su Muyu smiled faintly.
"Where’s that Miracle Healer? I’ll kill her and leave. As a bonus, I’ll take care of these seven ghosts for you too," Su Zhe said, looking at Su Muyu.
"If Su Muyu is willing to hand over the Miracle Healer from Medicine King Valley, we can leave immediately," Mu Bai suddenly interjected.
"I’m talking with the Su brothers—who asked you to butt in?" Su Zhe frowned, flicking his pipe. Another Golden Ring shot out.
"Bring it on!" Mu Qingyang tightened his grip on the Peach Blossom Coin and leaped forward to meet the Golden Ring. A sharp metallic clang rang out as the coin collided with the ring. Mu Qingyang was forced back three steps, while the Golden Ring rebounded onto the Buddhist staff, sending a gust of wind that set all the rings jingling loudly.
"Well now, among the Mu Family’s seven ghosts, there’s actually one who can fight," Su Zhe remarked with mild surprise.
Mu Qingyang’s hand trembled slightly around the coin. "After hearing so much about Uncle Zhe, even if I couldn’t fight, I’d have to pretend I could."
Su Zhe took one last drag from his pipe and glanced at Su Muyu. "This is getting tricky. What do you say?"
Su Muyu lowered his head slightly. "I’m willing to fight alongside Uncle Zhe."
"Oh?" Su Zhe’s lips curled faintly. "I don’t believe you.""Then you can take my life, Uncle Zhe, and no longer inquire about the Miracle Healer. With my head, the Su Family patriarch should no longer trouble you." Su Muyu's tone was utterly sincere, as if he were earnestly making this deal.
"You're an assassin, not a hero," Su Zhe said somewhat helplessly. "Chang He was right—if only your mind worked as well as your swordplay."
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