Lulai Town, Chenghua Inn.
A gaunt man sat in the room, leisurely brewing tea.
Xie Changze and Xie Jinke stood before him, their backs drenched in cold sweat, not daring to make a sound.
“You fought Su Muyu?” The man raised his head. His dark circles were heavy, and his entire appearance resembled a skeleton draped in skin.
Xie Changze replied softly, “Yes.”
With a snap , the man placed a teacup on the table.
Xie Changze and Xie Jinke both shuddered.
“It’s our incompetence—we were no match for him and let him escape!” Xie Jinke hurriedly explained.
“Ridiculous.” The man poured tea into the cup at a leisurely pace. “Your opponent was Su Muyu. What are you two compared to him? If you could defeat him, then the Puppets of Dark River would be a joke. I’m not angry that you lost to him—I’m angry that you let the Miracle Healer meet with The Head!”
Xie Changze sighed lightly. “The Miracle Healer had already left by the time we arrived at White Crane Medicine Manor.”
“Utter fools.” The man took a slow sip of tea and exhaled deeply. “The young woman you let go— she was the Miracle Healer.”
“Impossible! That woman looked no older than twenty. How could she be Xin Baicao’s junior uncle?” Xie Changze frowned. “Moreover, Su Zhe of the Su Family examined her—she wasn’t wearing a disguise.”
“If Su Muyu and the others had already met the Miracle Healer, why would they have stayed in that temple waiting for you? Based on the timeline you described, the only possibility is that the woman found them, told Su Muyu about your movements, and Su Muyu arranged for them to leave first while he stayed behind to delay you.” The man shook his head helplessly. “I suppose this is my fault. For such an important mission, I should have acted personally.”
Xie Changze and Xie Jinke both exhaled quietly. The man’s tone had clearly softened—it seemed they might escape severe punishment today.
“Right now, The Head is gravely ill. The leaders of the three families all want that position—it’s a race to see who moves fastest. Whoever obtains the Sleeping Dragon Sword first will become the new Head. At such a critical moment, I won’t punish you. But the next mission—you cannot fail. Otherwise…” The man suddenly turned, flinging his teacup with such force that it shattered the wooden door beside him into splinters.
Su Changhe appeared at the doorway, one hand still cupped near his ear in a listening pose. Now that the door had been obliterated, he awkwardly withdrew his hand and scratched his head. “Ah, caught red-handed.”
“Su Changhe.” The man frowned slightly.
Su Changhe clapped his hands. “Brother Fanhua, your analysis just now was absolutely brilliant! Changhe is thoroughly impressed! I used to say the Xie Family had the least brains—I take it back, I was wrong!”
The man stood up, his sunken eyes fixed on Su Changhe, his lips twitching slightly. “Su Changhe, are you provoking me?”
“I wouldn’t dare provoke you , Xie Fanhua, the Sickly Ghost.” Su Changhe tapped his foot and vaulted over the railing, landing in the main hall below.
Xie Jinke rushed out after him and looked down, only to see Su Changhe waving up at him from below. Enraged, he prepared to give chase."No need," Xie Fanhua said sharply. "You're no match for him. Going would only invite humiliation."
Watching Su Changhe's taunting grin, Xie Jinke seethed with anger but knew Xie Fanhua was right. In his fury, he smashed the wooden railing to splinters with a single palm strike.
"Why do you always provoke the Xie Family for no reason?" Su Zhe stood beside Su Changhe, sighing helplessly.
"The Xie Family is the most fun to mess with," Su Changhe stroked his small beard. "Uncle Zhe, let's go."
Su Zhe lifted his Buddhist staff and walked out, chewing betel nut as he went. "The old man sent me to help you this time, said I should follow your lead. So what's the plan?"
"The Head is heading north simply to buy time, letting that Miracle Healer cure his illness. Once he recovers, with his methods, returning to Dark River would mean safety for the elders, but us foot soldiers will inevitably face reckoning. So our primary goal this time—the Head must die!" Su Changhe raised an eyebrow.
Su Zhe nodded. "And then?"
"Who wants to bear the blame for killing the Head? If the Xie and Mu Families are willing, I’ll gladly hand them this chance for fame. Even if the knife is handed to me, I won’t strike. I’ll just kill that little girl. Once the Miracle Healer is dead, the Head can live however many days fate grants him." Su Changhe stretched lazily. "After the Head dies, we’ll fight those fools for the Sleeping Dragon Sword. With Su Muyu, Uncle Zhe, and me working together, who could outmatch us?"
"Wait, wait—since when are you and Su Muyu allies? You nearly came to blows earlier today." Su Zhe spat out the betel nut residue and lit his pipe.
"Just planning ahead," Su Changhe chuckled. "I sent a team to intercept Su Muyu. They’re not particularly skilled, but they’re all surnamed Su and have worked with him before. Su Muyu won’t kill them, but Uncle Zhe, you know pushing back a group is harder than slaughtering them. So Su Muyu won’t catch up to the Head anytime soon. We’ll seize the chance to kill the Miracle Healer!"
"The Head and that Miracle Healer are under the protection of the Twelve Earthly Branches. You that confident?" Su Zhe exhaled a slow smoke ring.
Su Changhe smirked, gazing into the distance. "I sent a message north to that imperial city. There’s someone there from the Tang Sect, now holding high office, once renowned in the martial world. At the Jiujiang Pipa Pavilion, three hidden weapons shook the world—a peerless master spoken of alongside Baili Dongjun and Sikong Changfeng."
"Tang Lingyue." Su Zhe’s hand trembled slightly on his pipe.
"Second Master Tang doesn’t live in the Tang Sect’s Sichuan stronghold but bought a secluded house in Liaoluo City because he’s eccentric and clashes with the Tang Sect. Aside from Old Master Tang’s brotherly bond, only one person in the entire sect is close to him—Tang Lingyue. I don’t know why the Head wants to kill Second Master Tang, but I do know his death would make Tang Lingyue thirst for revenge." Su Changhe smiled.
Su Zhe frowned deeply. "Chang He, this move of yours... is very dangerous.""The royal family can change dynasties at the cost of the entire world, so why can't our Dark River take some risks in our own succession?" Su Changhe's originally somewhat mocking eyes suddenly revealed a trace of ferocity.
OpenNovel