Zhu Yan was truly formidable, a prodigy born for martial arts. In his eyes, nothing existed beyond martial arts and Xue Tao. It was this very focus that allowed him to cultivate skills bordering on the unbelievable. Yet the cost was horrifying—countless innocent lives had fallen to his hands, and he never once believed himself at fault.
A man like Zhu Yan was a miracle in this world, and wherever this miracle went, corpses piled in his wake.
Zhu Yan’s entire body trembled faintly as that eerie black aura around him slowly gathered, his complexion darkening bit by bit. The Essence of Demon's Pearl Spit trickled into his hands, then flowed along his halberd to its blade. He intended to kill Yu Konghou, while Yu Konghou was scheming how to manipulate Zhu Yan into killing Tang Lici.
Everyone was playing their own game. Foes, dear friends, brothers—here and now, they all boiled down to one word.
Life and death.
Tang Lici moved with effortless grace, still elegant even as Yu Qifeng, Qingxuzi, and Gui Mudan encircled him. But Yu Qifeng’s swordplay grew fiercer, Qingxuzi’s palms exuded an increasingly viscous force, and Gui Mudan merely skirmished, holding back his full strength. A prolonged battle would spell Tang Lici’s defeat, especially with Yu Konghou watching like a tiger from behind.
How could he win? As Tang Lici parried, his gaze flickered. With the Seven Cloud Traveling Guests present, an outright victory was impossible—but he couldn’t leave empty-handed either. At the very least, he needed to learn A Shui’s whereabouts… His eyes swept past Fang Pingzhai, who stood nearby fanning himself with a resigned expression. A faint smirk curled Tang Lici’s lips as he suddenly retreated, appearing beside Fang Pingzhai in an instant.
Fang Pingzhai’s attention was mostly fixed on Zhu Yan, and he bore no hostility—nor any wariness—toward Tang Lici. Caught off guard by Tang Lici’s abrupt movement, Fang Pingzhai’s mind raced before he decided to feign helplessness and let himself be seized. A soft chuckle sounded in his ear, as though Tang Lici saw right through his half-hearted resistance.
The two turned, startling Gui Mudan and Yu Konghou. Tang Lici’s hand clamped firmly around Fang Pingzhai’s throat, a trickle of blood sliding down his neck.
“Peach Girl,” Tang Lici murmured, “take one step, and I’ll snap one of his bones. Say one word, and I’ll break his neck.”
Yu Konghou’s expression darkened, fury rising. Before he could speak, Zhu Yan’s Essence of Demon's Pearl Spit reached its peak. Distracted, Yu Konghou barely dodged as Zhu Yan roared and swung his halberd in an unstoppable strike! Staggering back, Yu Konghou found himself relentlessly pursued—Zhu Yan’s halberd lashed like a staff, sweeping horizontally and vertically with unparalleled momentum, blending techniques of both staff and spear.
Though Yu Konghou’s True power had doubled after taking the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill , he paled in comparison to Zhu Yan’s overwhelming force. Resentment burned in his chest—Tang Lici’s provocation had exposed his weakness, drawing Zhu Yan’s attack and leaving him in such a wretched state. Though Zhu Yan was the one striking now, the true culprit was Tang Lici!Tang Lici watched as Zhu Yan and Yu Konghou began their fight. His eyelashes lifted slightly as he glanced at Gui Mudan and the other two, smiling faintly. "Do you want his life or not?" He shook Fang Pingzhai, truly treating him as a human shield. Whether it was Yu Qifeng's sword thrust or Qingxuzi's palm strikes, he would use Fang Pingzhai to block them. Gui Mudan glared at Fang Pingzhai with extreme fury, while Fang Pingzhai wore an expression of helplessness. Tang Lici's fingers dug painfully into his throat, and he was already regretting provoking this calamity. Now, if Yu Qifeng's sword came at him, he would indeed serve as nothing more than a target.
"Release the Sixth Brother!" Gui Mudan's face darkened. "Let him go, and I'll allow you to leave."
Tang Lici's complexion, originally somewhat haggard, suddenly bloomed with radiance, his cheeks flushed with a rosy hue, making him breathtakingly beautiful. "I want to say one word to Qingxuzi." Gui Mudan sneered, "You two are strangers—why should he speak to you?" Tang Lici chuckled, "I only need to say one word to him. After that, I'll leave immediately." Gui Mudan stared at Tang Lici's fingers—those fair, delicate digits were slowly sinking deeper into Fang Pingzhai's throat. Fang Pingzhai's face turned purple. With just a bit more force from Tang Lici, the carefree wanderer known as Layered Petal Grandeur would meet his end.
"Qingxuzi! Go and speak to him!" Gui Mudan's rage burned fiercely, yet he couldn't bear to watch Fang Pingzhai die on the spot. He had other expectations for Fang Pingzhai, and besides, the bond between the Seven Cloud Traveling Guests, forged over more than a decade, was no illusion. Brothers were still brothers—they could kill each other with their own hands, but they couldn't let outsiders do it.
The black-cloaked, masked Qingxuzi stepped forward cautiously. Tang Lici, still gripping Fang Pingzhai, took a step closer and whispered something. Qingxuzi froze. Tang Lici smiled at him—then, with a sudden "bang," dozens of palm shadows flashed past. Qingxuzi let out a cry as he was sent flying backward, a palm strike landing squarely on his chest. Blood gushed from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground. Gui Mudan and Yu Qifeng were stunned, never expecting Tang Lici to dare strike at such a moment. Yu Qifeng raised his sword to give chase, but Tang Lici had already retreated into the tunnel with Fang Pingzhai in tow. Gui Mudan roared in fury, "Don't pursue! Come back!"
Qingxuzi coughed violently, blood spilling from his lips. Yu Qifeng stood coldly to the side, seemingly taking pleasure in the misfortune. Earlier, Shen Langhun had fought against two opponents, and it was Qingxuzi who had delivered the fatal blow. When Tang Lici barged into the passage, aside from searching for A Shui, he had deliberately sought to avenge that palm strike for Shen Langhun. Even while surrounded by formidable enemies in the dark tunnel and at a disadvantage, he had still managed to wound his foe and retreat unscathed. Gui Mudan's gaze shifted to Zhu Yan and Yu Konghou, locked in their life-and-death struggle, and his fury only intensified. With a sharp cry, he drew his blade and slashed toward Zhu Yan.
Yu Konghou, unarmed, was gradually losing ground under Zhu Yan's halberd strikes. The lingering poison of the Essence of Demon's Pearl Spit was terrifying, and he dared not provoke it recklessly. Though he saw Tang Lici abduct Fang Pingzhai and slip away, he had no attention to spare. When Gui Mudan's blade came slashing down, Yu Konghou bellowed and unleashed a flurry of palm strikes—thirty-three in succession—aimed at Zhu Yan's neck. Zhu Yan spun his halberd in a sweeping arc, its edge gleaming like snow. The Essence of Demon's Pearl Spit erupted violently, and with a series of explosive sounds, both Gui Mudan and Yu Konghou were forced back, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.Zhu Yan stood tall with his halberd planted firmly on the ground, still exuding an imposing aura. Yet he wielded the weapon single-handedly, its blade now bearing a gleaming notch from Gui Mudan's strike, while Yu Konghou's palm strike had also found its mark, leaving a vivid red imprint on Zhu Yan's neck.
But he remained unyielding, his fury bristling like a battle god forged in flames, seemingly indomitable.
Yu Konghou covered his mouth, suppressing a cough, finally seizing the chance to ask once more, "Cough... What did you do to her?" Zhu Yan twisted the blade, its gleaming edge pointing at Yu Konghou. "She's dead." Yu Konghou coughed twice, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "How did she die? By your side, how could she have died?" Zhu Yan replied coldly, "I killed her."
Tang Lici withdrew from Wangting Manor with Fang Pingzhai in tow. Outside, the sky had brightened, the clouds clear and the wind gentle. As Tang Lici emerged, a figure rustled down from a nearby tree, drenched and faintly crusted with ice—Shen Langhun. While Tang Lici had been entangled with the members of Dissolute Shop, Shen Langhun had quietly infiltrated through another route, scouring the manor inside and out. Finding no trace of A Shui, he had climbed out through the water dungeon's passage and waited outside for Tang Lici. Now, seeing Tang Lici not only escape unscathed but also capture someone, Shen Langhun froze momentarily before recognizing Fang Pingzhai and spitting in disdain.
Tang Lici released Fang Pingzhai, who clutched the wound on his neck and shook his head. "You're utterly heartless. I helped you escape, yet you clawed five wounds into me. And not only that—you coated your fingers with poison, ensuring I’ll be left with scars, ruining my body and wounding my soul. You—arrogant, conceited, cunning, and heartless—no wonder my master is so obsessed with you, unable to forget you."
Tang Lici replied softly, "I saved you. Shouldn’t you be grateful?" Fang Pingzhai pointed at his nose. "You—you—you saved me? I have hands and feet, whole and unharmed. I can walk sideways, upright, crawling, however I please. Where exactly did you get the idea that you saved me?" Tang Lici seized the finger aimed at his nose. "Without me, you’d have had a far harder time leaving Wangting Manor today." Fang Pingzhai sighed. "But you can’t claim all the credit. Didn’t I save you too? Staying in Wangting Manor wouldn’t have killed me, but you’d have certainly died. So in that sense, you saved me once, but I saved your life. You’re the Myriad Apertures Studio Master, the adopted son of the Imperial Father-in-Law, the sworn brother of Yunfei. Your life isn’t like others’—it gleams with gold, silver, bronze, and iron, with auspicious auras and divine phoenixes trailing behind you. So—"
Tang Lici chuckled, slowly releasing his hand. "So?" Fang Pingzhai extended his red fan toward him. "Hand it over." Tang Lici raised an eyebrow. "What?" Fang Pingzhai said solemnly, "Money, of course. Saving your life must be worth at least ten thousand taels of silver. I’m broke right now, utterly destitute. You owe me, and as a great hero, you ought to rob the rich to aid the poor and support the weak. So—pay up." Shen Langhun snorted in amusement. Tang Lici lifted a hand to smooth his gray hair. "I’ll give you one sentence."Upon hearing this, Fang Pingzhai swiftly retreated to a safe distance. Earlier, Tang Lici and Qingxuzi had exchanged "a single sentence," which left Qingxuzi severely wounded and collapsed on the ground. Fang Pingzhai had no desire to hear such words himself. Seeing him flee, Tang Lici smiled faintly. "At the foot of Fengming Mountain, within the Jihe Valley, there lies an estate." Fang Pingzhai hummed in acknowledgment. "Yours?" Tang Lici's eyes gleamed with amusement. "The estate spans ten li, with fields, orchards, rivers, and wells—enough to be self-sufficient." Fang Pingzhai fanned himself leisurely as he paced a couple of steps. "And then?" Tang Lici continued, "And then... in this vast jianghu, few would ever find you—unless—I reveal it." Fang Pingzhai hummed again. "Good. I’ll accept this favor. The jianghu is boundless; perhaps we’ll meet again." With a wave of his fan, he sauntered off.
His yellow robes and red fan stood out vividly against the winter forest. The thin snowflakes carried by the westwind made his fan’s sway all the more carefree. A man of the jianghu, living freely—how many could truly match his unrestrained grace? Tang Lici watched Fang Pingzhai’s retreating figure. "You didn’t ask him about Liu Yan’s whereabouts?" Shen Langhun replied indifferently, "He wouldn’t have told us." Tang Lici chuckled. "If you see Liu Yan again, are you still resolved to kill him?" Shen Langhun’s tone remained cool. "The murder of my wife is an unforgivable debt." Tang Lici shifted the topic. "A Shui isn’t at Wangting Manor?" Shen Langhun shook his head, lifting a torn piece of fabric. "I found this scrap of her clothing at the exit. She must have already returned." Tang Lici raised his gaze as the first rays of sunlight emerged. "You owe me a blade." Shen Langhun hummed in agreement, his eyes drifting toward another stretch of forest. "I can pledge my life for that debt until you deem it repaid." Tang Lici asked slowly, "Can that blade not offset the one you intend for Liu Yan?" Without looking at him, Shen Langhun replied flatly, "No." Tang Lici pressed further, "Not even with the Spring Mountain Beauty Hairpin?" Shen Langhun answered, "No."
Tang Lici turned his gaze to the forest Shen Langhun was observing. "There will come a time... when you feel it’s enough." Shen Langhun scoffed. "When it comes to Liu Yan, you never give up." After a brief rest, the two swiftly resumed their journey, retracing their steps back to Chengfeng Town.
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