Dusk.
The crowd still gathered outside Beauty Abode, but Liu Yan had yet to appear. Those assigned to patrol and stand guard began to slacken, and even esteemed seniors like Wenxiu Shitai and Dacheng Chanshi grew restless. No one knew whether Liu Yan would truly show up—and even if he did, would he bring the antidote? Was Liu Yan even still alive? If he were dead, and if there was an antidote, had it been seized by someone else? If there was no antidote, and Dissolute Shop threatened them with the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill, would the sect leaders refuse outright for the sake of their disciples, or reluctantly yield? Some began considering retreat, but the moment they withdrew a few hundred feet, shadowy figures emerged from the woods—numerous Dissolute Shop operatives lying in wait. While the gathered forces had not eaten or rested all day, their enemies were well-rested and full of energy. Though they had yet to strike, the threat alone sent chills down their spines.
The sky darkened bit by bit, and the crowd’s energy waned with it. The encirclement tightened, yet Liu Yan remained missing. By now, even the usually composed Tian Xunzi and Hongmen Jian showed faint signs of unease. They had been lured here under false pretenses, now trapped in a deadly siege—what were they to do?
Suddenly, the gloomy sky flashed bright, followed by a deafening thunderclap. As everyone looked up, torrential rain poured down, stinging their skin and obscuring their vision.
Cheng Yunpao called for the group to tighten their formation, but morale had already crumbled. Though they retreated, their steps were uneven. From the woods came the sound of arrows being nocked—countless dark arrowheads glistened in the rain, aimed at the huddled crowd. Though Wenxiu Shitai, Dong Hubi, and their followers were numerous, they had no shelter, exposed to both the downpour and the arrows. If the bowstrings loosed, casualties would be devastating. In an instant, the more skilled fighters—Cheng Yunpao, Tian Xunzi, Hongmen Jian, Wenxiu Shitai, and Dacheng Chanshi—rushed to the outer edge, ready to intercept the arrows.
Yet no arrows flew. The encirclement held firm. The heavy rain blurred their sight, making it impossible to gauge the enemy’s numbers. The dim, flickering lamplight from Beauty Abode’s second floor wavered in the storm. Soaked to the bone, everyone shivered violently—winter rains in the south, though not freezing, chilled them to the marrow. Dong Hubi was the first to lose patience. With a furious shout, he cried, “Let’s just charge out together! Damn this cold—if we don’t freeze to death, we’ll—”
Before he could finish, an intoxicating aroma—spicy, savory tripe—wafted from Beauty Abode. A low chorus of “Ah!” rose as many of the younger disciples salivated, their resolve wavering. Hearing Dong Hubi’s cry to “charge out,” a few drew their swords and dashed forward."Hold it!" Cheng Yunpao shouted coldly, pulling back those who had stepped forward along with Wenxiu Shitai. "Calm down! Keep your composure! Acting now would be too disadvantageous. Everyone dig a large pit in the center of the circle. Hide inside and pile the dirt outside to block the arrows!" His command had an effect—those who had stepped out retreated again. Those with higher martial skills shielded the perimeter from arrows, while the weaker ones dug furiously. Soon, a large pit was formed, significantly reducing casualties from the incoming arrows. Wenxiu Shitai, Tian Xunzi, and others admired Cheng Yunpao's quick thinking, and the panicked martial artists were somewhat soothed. Yet, Cheng Yunpao remained deeply troubled. The area offered no cover, and with no food or water, their encirclement was dire. If they waited for the rain to stop before charging out, casualties would be heavy. Moreover, the intentions of the Dissolute Shop members overlooking them from above were unknown. If anyone were captured, the repercussions would be severe.
"Su Su, the people below are digging a pit," Fu Cui said cheerfully from the second floor, happily munching on tripe. "A pit big enough to bury hundreds of corpses." Bai Suche stood by, watching indifferently. "If the Dong Princess strikes a few blows, it would be like wind sweeping fallen leaves—most of those ants would perish." Fu Cui shook her head repeatedly. "The Ghost Lord hasn't arrived yet. Those death warriors are just standing there with their arrows—what’s the point? If they want to kill, they should do it quickly. All this waiting is killing my mood for slaughter."
"He must have encountered something urgent," Bai Suche murmured, her gaze fixed on the dark sky and heavy rain outside. "Don’t you think that in this weather, while those in the circle can’t break out, anyone approaching from outside could slip past unnoticed?" Fu Cui laughed heartily. "Are you suggesting there might be a twist?" Bai Suche replied coolly, "I’m just thinking… with such a major event today, would Tang Lici really not come?"
At the mention of "Tang Lici," Fu Cui's expression shifted. The silent black-clad figure suddenly spoke coldly, "The Ghost Lord is here." A shadowy figure, ghostlike, rose from the valley behind Beauty Abode and floated soundlessly into the second-floor private room. Bai Suche, Fu Cui, the black-clad figure, and their subordinates all bowed. The newcomer, clad in black embroidered with flowers, was none other than Gui Mudan.
"Why so late, Ghost Lord?" Fu Cui asked with a smile. "Who was causing trouble below earlier, burning all those tents?" Gui Mudan replied ominously, "Fang Pingzhai." Fu Cui looked surprised. "How bizarre. Why would he oppose you?" Gui Mudan raised a hand. "The sixth brother values loyalty. It’s no surprise he came looking for someone. Don’t worry—I have plans for him." He glanced briefly at the crowd below. "Who’s leading down there?"
"Seems like Cheng Yunpao and that old nun Wenxiu are holding things together. People like Dong Hubi are already restless," Fu Cui said with a grin. "If the Ghost Lord orders us to kill, I’ll jump down and take out that old nun first." Gui Mudan shook out an object from his sleeve. "Of these hundreds, I only want the leaders of each faction—alive. No killing." What he revealed was a piece of human skin. Bai Suche stiffened slightly at the sight. "This is—""This is Liu Yan's skin," Gui Mudan laughed wildly to the heavens. "Hahahaha! Listen well, all below—Liu Yan is now in my hands! The antidote to the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill is also in my possession, as is his flayed skin. Who dares doubt me?" The gathered martial heroes exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale with shock. If the antidote had fallen into the hands of the Dissolute Shop, what were they to do? Gui Mudan's sinister voice dripped with malice, "I know each of your sects has members who need the antidote to survive. Here's my offer: let every sect leader cripple their own martial arts and come with me. When the poison takes effect a year from now, I will deliver the antidote to each sect as promised—no lies. How does that sound?"
"Nonsense!" Wenxiu Shitai snapped furiously. "Even if my Emei disciples perish from the poison, we will never yield to your demonic threats!" Gui Mudan cackled shrilly, "Hahaha! So Wenxiu Shitai fears death, yet would sacrifice her disciples' lives? I invite you as my honored guest—treated with utmost respect. You won’t die or suffer if you come with me. But if you refuse, your disciples will endure the agony of spreading sores, unbearable itching, and rotting flesh until only bones remain! If you have the courage, take the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill yourself and suffer alongside them. Otherwise, don’t stand there pretending to uphold Emei’s righteousness!"
Wenxiu Shitai’s rage flared, her sword drawn in an instant. Yet the gathering of elite fighters above made Gui Mudan’s words difficult to refute. Unskilled in debate, she fell silent. Swallowing the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill to retreat with her disciples was unthinkable, and crippling her martial arts for some vague promise of an antidote was even more absurd. But if she turned away now, she would be abandoning her disciples to their fate. The crowd exchanged uneasy glances—those poisoned watched with desperate hope, while sect leaders frowned deeply, trapped between impossible choices.
"Well? What say you, revered heroes of the martial world—paragons of virtue, humility, and righteousness? What is your decision? What is your true nature? Let everyone see today whether the Dissolute Shop is more vile, or the so-called righteous path uglier!" Gui Mudan’s maniacal laughter cut through the pouring rain, growing more distorted and grating as the storm intensified. Under a starless, moonless sky, the world seemed to shrink beneath an immense ghostly net, with an invincible demon king howling in triumph. With each laugh, the rain fell harder, the night grew darker, as if dawn would never come.
"Does seizing a skin mask—real or fake—prove you’ve captured Liu Yan?" A voice, elegant and composed, pierced through the downpour and dense forest as though spoken face-to-face, each syllable crisp and lingering. Wenxiu Shitai stiffened, then blurted out, "Tang Lici…"
The crowd encircling the digging pit rose as one. Though Wenxiu Shitai had never met Tang Lici before, in this moment, hearing those words, she knew without doubt it was him.
No one but Tang Lici could speak like this—with such a tone, on such a stormy night.Cheng Yunpao was both shocked and delighted, straining his eyes to peer into the dense forest. Yet in the darkness, nothing was visible—only the blinding rain reflecting the lights of Beauty Abode. Tang Lici’s whereabouts were unknown. But how had he suddenly appeared? Wasn’t he supposed to be at Good Cloud Mountain discussing important matters with Peach Girl? Where was Peach Girl? Why hadn’t she come?
Gui Mudan burst into laughter upon hearing the voice. "To think you arrived just in time—I truly admire your timing! However… judging by your tone just now, are you implying that I didn’t capture Liu Yan? Or are you claiming you did? Hahahaha…" Amid the wind and rain, someone replied with a faint smile, "Neither of us captured Liu Yan."
Gui Mudan froze, and the crowd turned toward the source of the voice, hearts racing, hoping every word Tang Lici spoke was true. Under their collective gaze, a figure emerged gracefully from the depths of the forest. Clad in white robes as if painted by celestial clouds, he glided effortlessly through the air before landing lightly in front of Cheng Yunpao. The torrential rain seemed to have no effect on him, his silver-gray hair shimmering brilliantly in the downpour. It was Tang Lici.
An involuntary gasp escaped someone’s lips, and everyone unconsciously exhaled in relief. Tang Lici held a folded white oil-paper umbrella in his right hand and a white cloth in his left, his expression calm. "Gui Mudan of the Yin-Yang Duet, neither of us captured Liu Yan. Why deceive others with talk of an antidote? You know as well as I do—you don’t have the antidote, and neither do I. The only one who possesses it is Liu Yan, and he has already left, leaving behind a human skin and a letter. You merely obtained a piece of skin, while I received a letter. That’s all there is to it."
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the Dissolute Shop members in Beauty Abode darkened. The gathered martial artists buzzed with discussion, while esteemed figures like Wenxiu Shitai sighed in relief, gathering around Tang Lici to quietly inquire about the situation.
Tang Lici raised the white cloth in his hand—on it were the words Liu Yan had left behind. As it was passed around, though many were puzzled by Liu Yan’s sudden demand to "exchange techniques for medicine," they felt even more relieved.
Liu Yan had no intention of using the antidote to control any sect or faction—he only sought peerless martial arts.
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