Mu Zi Zhe manipulated the Puppet Silk in his hands as five puppets—one wielding a sword, another raising a blade, a third holding a spear, a fourth brandishing a Judge's Brush, and the last wielding a silver hook—surrounded Xie Ba and Xie Qidao.
"Five Kill Formation," Xie Qidao scrutinized the five figures. "These people are..."
"Su Juexing and Su Kuishou of the Su Family, Xie Luoze, Xie Fei, and Xie Kai of the Xie Family—the legendary Five Kill Formation, directly under The Head himself, a force surpassing even the Twelve Zodiac Shadows." Xie Ba frowned. "After the Heavenly Fire Campaign, all five should have been dead."
Xie Qidao stared at Mu Zi Zhe. "They say you're a madman, and it seems the rumors are true. Not only did you retrieve their corpses, but you also turned them into puppets?"
"Though they are dead, their muscles still retain memory. If I merely controlled ordinary puppets, the Five Kill Formation would only mimic its form, devoid of its true killing intent," Mu Zi Zhe said solemnly.
Xie Ba sniffed. "These five have been dead for years. By now, they should be nothing but bones. What vile method did you use?"
"You, too, can become my puppet after you die." Mu Zi Zhe planted the Sleeping Dragon Sword into the ground and raised both hands to manipulate the Puppet Silk. The five puppets simultaneously swung their weapons, slashing toward Xie Ba and Xie Qidao.
"Life Gate, rise!" Xie Ba swung his long blade.
"Death Gate, close!" Xie Qidao followed with another swing.
Two overwhelming blade energies erupted, blocking the puppets' assault.
"What is there to fear from the Puppet Assassination Art? No matter how strong the puppets, they are still controlled by a single pair of hands." Xie Ba leaped into the air. Xie Qidao instantly understood, leveling his blade horizontally. Xie Ba lightly stepped on the blade's edge, propelling himself upward before flipping midair and thrusting toward Mu Zi Zhe. Their seamless coordination proved why they were once the most fearsome dual-blade duo in Dark River.
Mu Zi Zhe frowned slightly, his fingers trembling rapidly. The five puppets immediately turned to intercept Xie Ba, but Xie Qidao suddenly swung his blade, repelling all five puppets single-handedly. Mu Zi Zhe hadn't anticipated his Five Kill Formation failing to restrain them even for a moment. As Xie Ba's blade descended, he had no choice but to release the Puppet Silk, yank the Sleeping Dragon Sword from the ground, and swing it skyward.
A series of crisp metallic clashes rang out.
Mu Zi Zhe and Xie Ba exchanged five moves in an instant.
Meanwhile, without Mu Zi Zhe's control, the five puppets collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Xie Qidao sheathed his blade, watching the two from a distance.
Confident of victory, Xie Ba unleashed lethal strikes with every move. "Is this the swordplay of the Mu Family? Why do you only dodge like a coward? Where is your killing intent?"
Mu Zi Zhe remained silent, brandishing the Sleeping Dragon Sword as he retreated, just as Xie Ba had said. He truly wasn't skilled in swordsmanship, and his Butterfly Dance Secret Art and Puppet Assassination Art had both been countered by Xie Ba and Xie Qidao. His only chance now was to kill Xie Ba in an instant before Xie Qidao could intervene. A thought flashed through Mu Zi Zhe's mind—he deliberately left an opening, allowing Xie Ba's blade to pierce his left shoulder before collapsing to the ground.Xie Ba was overjoyed at his success and swung his blade down, but just as the longsword was about to strike Mu Zi Zhe between the eyebrows, he suddenly stopped. His expression turned extremely peculiar in an instant as he lowered his head slightly to look downward.
A wooden hand extended from Mu Zi Zhe’s waist, gripping a short blade pressed against Xie Ba’s chest.
“So this is the Mu Family’s Thousand Machine Hand?” Xie Ba sneered. “A crooked path.”
Mu Zi Zhe narrowed his eyes slightly. “Would you like to test whether your blade is faster or my ‘crooked path’?”
“Perhaps we’re equally fast. But unfortunately, I have another blade.” Xie Ba glanced back and saw Xie Qidao slowly approaching. He smiled—victory was already decided.
But Xie Ba’s smile soon froze on his face.
Because a longsword had pierced straight through his chest.
The one holding the blade was Xie Qidao, who had swung it without the slightest hesitation.
“I was never your blade.”
“Why?” Xie Ba’s eyes widened as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Xie Qidao pulled out the blade and took three steps back. “You once said that position in the Xie Family should have been mine.”
Xie Ba turned around, lifting his sword with effort, but ultimately lacked the strength. The blade clattered to the ground, and he collapsed as well. “I told you… if I became The Head, the position of Xie Family’s leader would be yours.”
“I never cared about that position. Years ago, I intended to yield it to you.” Xie Qidao bent down and said slowly, “But you didn’t trust me. You married our junior sister and forced Master to pass the leadership to you.”
“You resent me… for marrying Wan’er,” Xie Ba rasped.
“Wan’er could marry whomever she pleased, as long as she was happy. What pains me is that she was deeply unhappy in those years… and died under suspicious circumstances.” Xie Qidao’s gaze was icy as he stared at Xie Ba. “All these years, you still called me brother, but you never realized—every time I practiced my blade swings, the one I imagined was you.”
“You—!” Xie Ba roared in fury.
“Die!” Xie Qidao swung his blade, cleanly severing Xie Ba’s head.
Seizing the moment, Mu Zi Zhe withdrew his Sleeping Dragon Sword and retreated beside the five Puppets, sneering, “If I were Xie Ba, I wouldn’t have spared your life back then.”
Xie Qidao wiped the blood from his blade with his sleeve. “He was a fool. He thought all his deeds could be erased simply by yielding the Xie Family’s leadership to me now. For someone of his caliber to aspire to be The Head was nothing short of delusional.”
“Still, to endure for so many years—you’re a terrifying opponent,” Mu Zi Zhe replied.
Xie Qidao turned away. “I won’t fight you. I’m taking the Xie Family disciples at the gate with me.”
“You have no interest in the position of The Head?” Mu Zi Zhe glanced at the Sleeping Dragon Sword in his hand.
“I dislike the cold. That seat… is too high.” Xie Qidao pushed open the door and walked back into the courtyard.
Mu Family disciples were still locked in battle with the Xie Family’s, and many corpses already littered the ground. Xie Qidao raised his longsword and brought it down with a mighty slash, carving a deep trench between the two factions. Everyone stopped fighting and turned to look at him.
Xie Qidao declared loudly, “Xie Ba is dead. From now on, I, Xie Qidao, will lead the Xie Family. Anyone who objects—step forward and face me.”
The Xie Family members exchanged uneasy glances. They were well aware of Xie Qidao’s strength, and no one dared to challenge him now."If there are no objections, then follow me and leave this place. The struggle for the position of The Head shall no longer concern the Xie Family from this moment onward." Xie Qidao walked out, the entrance still shrouded in thick mist. He slightly turned his head to glance at Mu Zi Zhe inside the room.
Mu Zi Zhe raised his hand lightly and said, "Disperse the formation."
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