At the summit of the snow-capped peak.
Chaotic footprints in the snow, several bloodstained trails, and the massive black boulder stripped of its icy cover to reveal jagged rock—everything had happened so swiftly, yet it all felt as though it had occurred an eternity ago.
Bai Suche ascended the mountain with her blade in hand, followed by two women in white. Upon reaching the peak, they found only the howling wind and snow, with no trace of anyone. Yet amidst the gale, the faint cry of an infant could be heard, distant yet near. She frowned, then spotted a corner of a swaddling cloth peeking out from a crevice in the rocks. A baby, no more than a few months old, was wedged between the stones, its face blue from the cold, crying weakly. Without immediate rescue, the child would perish within moments.
"Elder Sister Bai, what—" one of the white-clad women behind her said sweetly, "whose child is this? How did it end up here?" Bai Suche shook her head. "I don’t know. It’s unbelievable. The Revered Master and Tang Lici were supposed to duel here—how could a baby suddenly appear?" The other woman behind her spoke up, "I know. Before coming up the mountain, Sister Yan'er took this child from a hunter’s family in the snowy mountains. It seems the Revered Master values this child greatly."
"If the Revered Master values it, Elder Sister Bai, kill it!" the white-clad woman exclaimed sharply, unsheathing her sword with a shing . "Or let me cut it in half with one strike." Bai Suche pulled the infant from the crevice and touched its face with a finger. The skin was colder than ice itself. It was a miracle the child had survived such harsh conditions. "You want to kill it?"
"Exactly! The Revered Master has too many attachments in his heart. I want him to one day care only for me!" The woman’s killing intent was palpable. The other added, "Let it die here on its own. Since the Revered Master isn’t here, let’s hurry back." Bai Suche sighed softly. "You... you’ve truly been thoroughly trained by Xiao Hong, haven’t you? Killing an entire family without hesitation... and now you really want to kill this child?" She cradled Feng Feng in her right arm. "Whoever kills this child first, I’ll teach them a swordplay technique. How about that?"
"Deal!" The two white-clad women cried out in unison. Their blades flashed like lightning, striking straight at Feng Feng in Bai Suche’s arms. Two crisp clangs rang out, followed by a mingled scream. Two white figures were sent flying, grievously wounded, plummeting down the cliff—these two were not Tang Lici, and there was no Floating Red Silk to save them mid-fall. They were as good as dead.
Bai Suche had slain two in a single move. She flicked her sleeve and stood composed, her expression as serene as ever, still holding Feng Feng in her arms. She channeled her inner energy into him, dispelling the cold.
"What a heroine among women." Amid the raging blizzard, someone chuckled softly. "Miss Bai, that was a splendid strike."
Bai Suche whirled around. Beneath the massive boulder behind her stood a man who hadn’t been there moments before. Dressed in gray robes with wide sleeves, half his body was stained with blood, yet his bearing was unshaken, his sleeves fluttering in the wind without a trace of exhaustion. It was Tang Lici. "Tang Lici..." She raised her Severing Discipline Blade, pointing it diagonally at him without a hint of fear. "What do you want?"Tang Lici lightly pressed his right hand against his abdomen. "Tonight's battle had two very strange aspects... First, Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace are clearly two of Dissolute Shop's greatest combat forces, so why couldn't they take action? Second, Hong Guniang is exceptionally intelligent and skilled in the String-Pulling Soul-Seizing Technique, so why didn't she appear on the battlefield? This led to Dissolute Shop having no leadership when the situation at Green Peak Cliff suddenly changed, making it difficult to respond. Of course, there could be countless reasons, but I think the most likely one... is that there's a traitor within Dissolute Shop. This person not only infiltrated the organization but also holds a high position, capable of influencing Hong Guniang's battle arrangements and even secretly manipulating Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace, preventing them from following orders to act." He smiled at Bai Suche. "Miss Bai's combination of wisdom and courage, along with her great self-sacrifice, truly puts many men in the martial world to shame."
On the snowy peak, Bai Suche stared intently at Tang Lici, the cold glint of her Severing Discipline Blade still shimmering. She gripped the hilt tightly before finally letting out a soft sigh after a long moment. Tang Lici took a step forward and reached out for Feng Feng in her arms. Bai Suche handed the child back to him. As dawn approached behind them, she watched Tang Lici holding the infant, her gaze gradually softening. "You really... are different from him."
"Chi Yun still has a child's temperament—he only sees the surface of things," Tang Lici said. "But though his words may be venomous and his thoughts simple, he isn't a heartless person."
Bai Suche sighed faintly. "Whether he's heartless or not, Bai Suche will never marry him in this lifetime." She brushed aside the strands of hair fluttering at her temples. "When my father betrothed me to Chi Yun, I was deeply unwilling—my escape from the marriage was no pretense... Now that I'm with Dissolute Shop, marriage is out of the question. Young Master Tang need not plead Chi Yun's case for him. In this life... matters of love and marriage are no longer worth mentioning."
Tang Lici studied her closely. "Graceful as a lotus, yet with a spine of steel. The Bai family is truly honored to have a daughter like you."
Bai Suche arched her willow-like brows. "Thanks to my father's teachings, I strive to uphold righteousness in the martial world. Even if I die amid endless condemnation, I will have no regrets." Her tone was detached, and her face showed not a trace of regret—her unyielding integrity surpassed that of many men.
Tang Lici fell silent, his eyes meeting Bai Suche's. Suddenly, the corners of his eyes curved slightly, revealing a smile of admiration. As dawn broke, the crisp mountain air filled the snowy peaks. Bai Suche saw it clearly, and her heart skipped a beat. Though delicate in appearance, she was proud and decisive in action, surpassing many men. Yet never before had she been gazed upon so intently by a man. "When I fled my marriage and left the Bai household, I encountered formidable enemies on the road and was severely injured," she said. "Xiao Hong saved me. From then on, I joined Dissolute Shop and took charge of its thirty-six White-Clad Servants. Though Dissolute Shop reveres Liu Yan as its master, the true leader overseeing everything is Xiao Hong. The Revered Master is capricious—aside from concocting the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill, he hardly involves himself in affairs. Above Xiao Hong are the Eastern and Western Princesses. Those two are not women but practitioners of a strange and immensely powerful martial art. At the ninth level, men transform into women, and once the technique is perfected, they revert to their original forms, remaining ageless thereafter.""What are the positions of Plum Blossom Numerology and Raging Orchid No Trace within the Dissolute Shop?" Tang Lici pondered. "Also, is the remaining member of the Seven Cloud Traveling Guests, 'One Peach Three Colors,' also within the Dissolute Shop?" Bai Suche shook her head. "They are all secretly deployed by Xiao Hong and are rarely seen. As for One Peach Three Colors, I don’t know if Xiao Hong has recruited them—I’ve never seen them." Tang Lici shifted his gaze from her face to the black rocks bearing traces of battle. "So, the Dissolute Shop is a den of hidden talents, and we must not act rashly or provoke them lightly... Although the Dissolute Shop is nominally under Liu Yan’s control, it’s hard to say who truly holds the reins. Xiao Hong, the Eastern and Western Princesses, and even those unseen figures within could all be key players." Bai Suche arched her willow-like brows. "Exactly so."
Tang Lici studied the snowy ground for a while before slowly returning his gaze to Bai Suche’s face, speaking softly, "You’ve worked hard." Bai Suche paused, then turned her head away. "I haven’t. Once this matter is settled, if Bai Suche is still alive, I will surely slit my own throat before Chi Yun’s blade. Farewell!" She turned and left, swift as a flying crane in her movements.
The Feng Feng in his arms had gradually warmed up. After crying for half a day, exhausted, she had fallen into a deep sleep against his chest, her face still streaked with dried tears. Tang Lici gently patted her, his eyes following Bai Suche’s departing figure. In terms of cunning, Chi Yun was far inferior to his betrothed. Otherwise, with their talents and beauty, they would have made a perfect pair. What a pity, what a pity.
The morning sun rose, its crimson light reflecting off the snow, dazzlingly bright. Holding Feng Feng, Tang Lici leaped away into the distance.
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