In the Pure Yang Longevity Palace, within mere moments, all the Spider Shadow assassins had withdrawn, leaving only Su Muyu standing alone in the courtyard. He gently adjusted his mask and spoke softly, "Come out."
The temple door creaked open as Xie Changze and Xie Jinke stepped inside.
"Truly worthy of the famed Umbrella Ghost. We were confident we made no sound, yet you still sensed our presence," Xie Changze remarked with a smile.
"The wind changed," Su Muyu replied impassively.
Xie Changze paused, then nodded. "Indeed extraordinary."
Su Muyu tilted his head slightly. "The Xie Family's Purple Boot Ghost and Blade Yama have no business being here."
Xie Changze took a step forward. "Our family head heard that The Head has suffered severe injuries and is deeply concerned. He wishes to escort The Head back to the main hall for treatment immediately."
Su Muyu extended a finger, drawing a faint line in front of Xie Changze. "Do not cross this line. The Head is unharmed and all is well. Please return and convey this to your family head—we appreciate his concern. The Spider Shadow guards The Head; his assistance is unnecessary."
Xie Changze glanced behind Su Muyu, having searched the temple's aura since entering yet detecting nothing beyond Su Muyu's presence. Frowning, he said, "To confirm The Head's condition, allow me to see him personally. Otherwise, returning empty-handed would be difficult to explain."
Su Muyu replied coolly, "Your difficulties are none of my concern."
Xie Changze's pupils constricted slightly as he hissed, "Could it be that The Head is indeed injured, and you, as his Puppet, are deliberately concealing it to prevent timely treatment—plotting treachery?"
"A plausible excuse. But for it to hold, there's only one possibility." A hint of killing intent laced Su Muyu's tone.
Xie Changze stepped forward, crossing the line Su Muyu had drawn. "Kill you!"
"Correct." Su Muyu spread his sleeves, his murderous aura erupting.
"Rumor has it you've revived the Eighteen Sword Formation created by the Su Family's first patriarch, Su Shiba. I've long wished to witness it!" Xie Changze drew the flexible blade at his waist and thrust it toward Su Muyu's chest.
"My sword array isn't for just anyone to see!" Su Muyu caught the blade between two fingers. With a flick, the entire weapon trembled violently. Xie Changze felt a sharp pain in his palm, his grip nearly failing. He tried to retreat, but Su Muyu was faster—his hand clamped around Xie Changze's throat.
Even before becoming a Puppet, Su Muyu had been hailed as the strongest among the Su Family's current generation. Though Xie Changze prided himself as one of the Xie Family's elite, he never imagined defeat in a single exchange. Fortunately, he hadn't come alone.
Blade Yama Xie Jinke stood behind Su Muyu, his golden-ringed broadsword raised high before slashing downward at Su Muyu's head. Su Muyu forced Xie Changze to the ground and bent low. A crisp clang rang out—Xie Jinke's blade struck the oil-paper umbrella but could advance no further."There's something wrong with that umbrella!" Xie Jinke shouted loudly.
Xie Changze drew a dagger from his waist and thrust it toward Su Muyu's chest. Su Muyu lightly tapped his toes on the ground, retreating three steps back. He said leisurely, "Even if the two of you join forces, you're not qualified to see my sword array."
Xie Changze retreated to Xie Jinke's side and said, "That umbrella is his sword!"
"Let me handle this!" Xie Jinke roared angrily, brandishing his golden saber wildly. The fierce saber aura shook the entire Taoist temple, and the statue of Lü Zu in the main hall swayed precariously, as if it might topple at any moment.
"The Xie Family's Wind-Dancing Saber technique," Su Muyu remarked as he took the oil-paper umbrella from his back. It clashed with Xie Jinke's long saber, forcing both of them to take a step back.
"You should regret not using the Eighteen Sword Formation from the start," Xie Changze said, appearing suddenly behind Su Muyu. He flicked his flexible blade forward, entangling Su Muyu's paper umbrella. Su Muyu tried to break free but found Xie Changze's blade several times stronger than before, making it impossible to escape immediately.
"You..." Su Muyu said in a deep voice.
"Against the Umbrella Ghost, one must always keep some tricks in reserve," Xie Changze sneered.
Xie Jinke steadied himself and charged at Su Muyu with large strides, golden saber raised high.
"There's a message for Elder Xie," Su Muyu said as he suddenly flicked his wrist. The paper umbrella snapped open, shattering Xie Changze's flexible blade into a dozen fragments in an instant. With a casual flick of his hand, Su Muyu sent the shards flying toward Xie Jinke, who hastily switched from offense to defense, swinging his saber to knock the fragments aside. Su Muyu spun around, pointing the tip of his umbrella at Xie Changze's throat.
"What message?" Xie Changze asked quietly.
"If you withdraw now, The Head can pretend none of this ever happened," Su Muyu said, retracting his umbrella. "You may leave now—just deliver the message."
Xie Changze exhaled softly. "You're not going to kill us?"
"All members of Dark River are family," Su Muyu replied indifferently.
Xie Changze scoffed disdainfully, exchanging a glance with Xie Jinke before leaping away and retreating from the temple.
Su Muyu turned back, folding his oil-paper umbrella and adjusting the crooked demon mask on his face as he waited for the next group of visitors.
"It seems the Xie Family's two are truly useless—they didn’t even force you to use your Eighteen Sword Formation," a mocking voice suddenly rang out from the courtyard.
Su Muyu sighed—a sigh of genuine weariness, for the person he least wanted to see right now was standing before him.
Su Changhe of the Dark River Su Family.
"Long time no see, my good brother," Su Changhe said as he stepped into the courtyard.
Su Muyu shook his head. "This is the worst time to meet you."
"The old man asked me to pass on a message," Su Changhe said lazily. "You are the leader of Spider Shadow, but above all, you are a disciple of our Su Family."
"A Puppet is a ghost among men. I belong to Dark River, but not to any single family," Su Muyu replied calmly.Su Changhe curled his lips: "You, always so serious, utterly devoid of fun. As one of the Nameless Ones, you practiced swordplay from dawn to dusk, a diligent and conscientious member. As an assassin, every mission was flawlessly executed without a single blemish. Now as a Puppet, you're still this dutiful—even when your Head is about to die, you stubbornly insist on following him to the grave?"
"The Head is fine. You shouldn't spread such rumors lightly," Su Muyu said solemnly.
"Don't give me that," Su Changhe impatiently cut him off. "The Head was struck by Second Master Tang's Snow Falling on a Plum Branch—he's already half-dead. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come seeking that little apprentice-uncle of Xin Baicao. Kill him, bring back the Sleeping Dragon Sword, and when our old man ascends as the Head, you can choose to remain a Puppet, return to the Su Family, or even obtain what you desire most—freedom."
"Freedom?" Su Muyu murmured.
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