Su Muyu turned around and faced the members of the Mu Family. "I'm no hero, just an assassin. But even assassins have principles."
Su Zhe's lips twitched slightly. "Brat, stop copying the way I talk."
"After the battle of the Demon Sect's eastern campaign, I haven't fought side by side with Uncle Zhe again." Su Muyu pointed his sword at Mu Qingyang.
Mu Qingyang toyed with the Peach Blossom Coin in his hand, his smile stiffening slightly.
Su Muyu and Su Zhe fighting together—were the people they brought enough?
But Su Zhe remained silent, gripping the Buddhist staff beside him as he gazed thoughtfully at Su Muyu's back.
"Young Master..." someone from the Mu Family couldn't hold back any longer and called out softly.
"Su Zhe hasn't spoken yet. Don't rush to act," Mu Bai whispered.
Mu Qingyang pocketed the Peach Blossom Coin and flicked his wrist. The Peach Wood Sword on his back unsheathed and landed in his hand. He then took out a Yellow Talisman, flicked it, and swiped it along the blade. Instantly, flames erupted, transforming the sword into a blazing weapon. He grinned. "They say I'm a fake Taoist, so let me show you a little trick."
Su Muyu frowned slightly at the sight of Mu Qingyang's Peach Wood Sword. This was no mere trick—it was the orthodox Taoist sword technique "Talisman-Blade Flame," a secret art passed down exclusively within the Directorate of Astronomy in Heaven Revelation City. It seemed this Mu Qingyang truly had some skill. But Su Muyu wasn't worried about the Peach Wood Sword itself. What troubled him was that Su Zhe behind him still hadn't responded to his words.
That meant Su Zhe hadn't made his decision yet.
"Uncle Zhe," Su Muyu called again softly.
"That title carries too much weight," Su Zhe sighed. "Muyu, you're standing on a stone door, aren't you?"
Su Muyu's heart skipped a beat, his grip on the sword tightening.
Bai Hehuai, hidden in the secret passage, was equally startled.
Mu Qingyang raised his head slightly, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "Oh? So that's how it is. No wonder Su Muyu hasn't moved from that spot since Su Zhe appeared."
"Uncle Zhe!" Su Muyu turned and snapped.
"Forgive me. I never received orders to kill you." Su Zhe swung the Buddhist staff, sending the Golden Rings flying toward Su Muyu's feet. "The one I must kill is only her."
"Ha!" Su Muyu raised his sword to block, but the barrage of Golden Rings struck with such force that his blade nearly flew from his grasp. One ring shot straight for his face, forcing him back three steps. Su Zhe gripped the staff and swept it upward, scattering the dust and revealing the stone door beneath.
"So this is where it was hidden," Su Zhe sneered.
"Uncle Zhe, no!" Su Muyu knew that once Su Zhe made up his mind, he would act without hesitation. He lunged forward immediately.
Mu Bai barked, "Stop him!"
"As the Young Master commands!" Mu Qingyang flicked his Peach Wood Sword, sending a dazzling arc of sparks to repel Su Muyu. "Lord Puppet, let me play with you first."
"Get out of my way!" Su Muyu snarled. In an instant, he thrust over a dozen lethal strikes at Mu Qingyang, each one ruthless and deadly, as if resolved to kill.Mu Qingyang swiftly dodged, sucking in a cold breath. It was widely known that Dark River's Umbrella Ghost, though exceptional in swordsmanship, was gentle and courteous—even leaving opponents intact during missions. So why was every strike against him so ruthlessly relentless?
Meanwhile, Su Zhe slowly approached the stone door, gazing down at it while pondering: Should he open it first, or simply hurl a dozen Golden Rings down to crush whoever was inside? After a brief deliberation, he shook the Buddhist staff in his hand and made his decision: Just crush them.
"Miracle Healer, come out!" Su Muyu shouted in warning.
Bai Hehuai, completely unaware that her father above was contemplating how many Golden Rings to use to kill her, reacted instantly at Su Muyu's yell. With a forceful push, she flung open the stone door and leaped out, directly facing Su Zhe's slightly surprised expression.
"Little Miracle Healer, we meet again." Su Zhe grinned.
Just as Mother described... He looks quite handsome—until he opens his mouth. First, his Mandarin is thick with a rural accent, and second, his perfectly good teeth are stained yellow from tobacco and betel nut. Bai Hehuai frowned and cursed, "You dog!"
"Huh?" Su Zhe's face twitched. He understood why the Miracle Healer would curse him—after all, he was here to kill her—but the term "dog" sounded oddly familiar, and the tone was strikingly similar to that person's.
Bai Hehuai jumped clear of the stone door, glancing at Su Muyu before fixing her gaze on Su Zhe. "You're here to kill me?"
"By the old master's orders, to send the little Miracle Healer to her grave." Su Zhe lazily swung his Buddhist staff, sending a Golden Ring flying toward Bai Hehuai. However, this move was clearly more of a probe than an attack, much slower than before.
"Get out of the way!" Su Muyu parried Mu Qingyang's strike and turned to intervene, but it was already too late.
"Truly a dog." Bai Hehuai cursed again, then swiftly shifted her footing, sidestepping the Golden Ring with ease.
"Su Family's Ghost Shadow Steps!" Mu Bai exclaimed. "Su Muyu, you actually taught an outsider the Su Family's techniques!"
Su Muyu was equally stunned. Bai Hehuai had indeed used the authentic Su Family Ghost Shadow Steps to dodge the Golden Ring. But this technique was notoriously difficult to master—even the most talented Su disciples needed three or four years to become proficient. There was no way Bai Hehuai could have achieved that level in just a few days without prior training.
"Who are you, really?" Su Zhe's voice turned grave, his expression more serious than ever.
"I'm Bai Hehuai, the Miracle Healer of Medicine King Valley." Bai Hehuai replied with a faint smirk.
"Is your mother's surname Wen?" Su Zhe pressed.
"Yes." Bai Hehuai raised an eyebrow. "What of it?"
Su Zhe fell silent, studying Bai Hehuai's face intently before finally murmuring, "I didn't realize it at first..."
"Watch out!" Su Muyu warned sharply.Bai Hehuai was stunned and spun around abruptly to see seven white figures suddenly appear before her. While she had been conversing with Su Zhe earlier, she had completely overlooked the Mu Family members in the pavilion, so their presence had escaped her notice entirely. She tried to summon the Ghost Shadow Steps to flee, but found herself unable to move an inch. Looking down, she saw nearly imperceptible threads coiled around her feet.
"Kill her," Mu Bai said coldly from the pavilion.
Simultaneously, the seven figures hurled white silk ribbons toward Bai Hehuai.
At that moment, Su Zhe, gripping his Buddhist staff, stepped in front of her. With a fierce swing, he whirled the staff, shattering the seven ribbons into pieces and sending the seven assailants flying backward.
"Get the hell out of here!"
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