With a "thud," the last person fell to the ground. Tang Lici turned his blade with a faint, mocking smile as he surveyed the scene—over a dozen bodies lay scattered across the ground, including Wenxiu Shitai of Emei. After an hour of skirmishing, he had seized the opportunity to strike everyone's acupoints, achieving a flawless victory without shedding a drop of blood.
It seemed he was determined to drag out the fight until Hong Guniang returned. How could they let him have his way? Yu Konghou pondered silently. Trying to stall for time without harming anyone—since when did the world offer such conveniences? If you want to delay, I’ll make sure you earn the enmity of the entire martial world. Having settled on his plan, he gave a light cough, flicked his sleeve, and spoke softly, "Young Master Tang, enlighten me."
Tang Lici smiled faintly. As Yu Konghou drifted gracefully onto the field, many couldn’t help but feel protective of the delicate "Peach Girl." Zhang Hemo cleared his throat loudly. "How could Peach Girl, so frail and gentle, face such a villain alone? Let us handle this!" He led a group forward, encircling Tang Lici and Liu Yan. Yu Konghou gave a radiant smile. "I shall fight alongside Brother Zhang."
With thirty or so disciples from Songshan surrounding Tang Lici, Yu Konghou’s eyes gleamed with calculation. Tang Lici shot him a cold glance as Yu Konghou curled his fingers into an ambiguous stance—neither fist nor claw—undoubtedly some bizarre technique. Zhang Hemo, stirred by the words "I shall fight alongside Brother Zhang," resolved inwardly to ensure "Peach Girl" suffered not a scratch. With a roar, he unleashed a palm strike—"Splitting Mountains and Shattering Stones"—directed at Tang Lici.
Tang Lici flicked his fingers, dispersing Zhang Hemo’s force, then sent a gust of finger-wind straight at Qu Zhiqiang, a Songshan disciple behind Zhang. Qu raised his sword to block, but with a metallic clang, the blade was knocked from his grip, striking his fellow disciple Fu San beside him. Fu collapsed instantly, while Qu, still holding onto him in confusion, froze in bewilderment. The crowd paled—Tang Lici’s skill was terrifying. Without a coordinated effort from multiple masters, capturing him would be impossible. Immediately, Dongfang Jian of Qingcheng, Huo Chunfeng of the Nine Blades Sect, and Li Hongchen of the Flying Star Moon Hand leapt forward, encircling Tang Lici completely.
Cheng Yunpao frowned. These three were stronger than Zhang Hemo. Though Yu Konghou was disguised as Xifang Tao and couldn’t fully utilize his signature techniques, the combined force of the four, along with Zhang, made this no longer a matter of mere stalling. Meng Qinglei and Yu Furen exchanged uneasy glances. Given how events had unfolded, they no longer believed Tang Lici was a spy for the Dissolute Shop. Yet with Abbot Puzhu’s letter as evidence and the crowd’s fervor, Tang Lici’s calm admission and drawn sword left them unsure whether to intervene or wait for the outcome.
Dongfang Jian’s sword traced intricate circles, swift and elusive. Huo Chunfeng’s "Ten Directions, Nine Blades" embodied sheer ferocity, while Li Hongchen’s finger techniques were peerless. The three closed in, their coordination seamless. In an instant, blade, sword, and finger-winds surged, enveloping Tang Lici entirely. Yu Konghou’s eyes flickered with malice. Seeing the Songshan disciples also charging forward, he glided closer, sleeves swaying, his meticulously manicured hand drifting toward Tang Lici—only for beads to suddenly shoot from his sleeve mid-strike, scattering in all directions.
"Ah!"
"Sect Leader—!"Only the sound of screams was heard as three disciples of the Songshan Sect suddenly collapsed, blood gushing from their chests. Zhang Hemo was greatly shocked. He leaped back to support one of them, patting his chest and extracting a pearl. Instantly enraged, he roared, "Tang Lici, your hands are ruthless!" Tang Lici, already under the assault of a blade, a sword, and a finger strike, let out a loud shout and swung his sword in retaliation. The deafening clangs of metal were accompanied by the crisp sound of something breaking, and blood splattered everywhere. As the four figures retreated gracefully, everyone saw that Dongfang Jian's long sword had snapped, Huo Chunfeng's blade now bore a notch, and all three had blood trickling from the corners of their mouths. Li Hongchen even had a long wound on his arm, bleeding profusely.
Earlier, Tang Lici had fought without shedding blood, but now he had drawn blood. Cheng Yunpao's expression changed—though his keen eyes hadn't caught Yu Konghou's pearl attack from his sleeve, he had vaguely glimpsed the shadow of a pearl and could guess that Yu Konghou had played a trick. But Tang Lici's act of injuring others would surely provoke righteous indignation among the crowd, only making things worse for himself.
Why would he do this?
Was he unable to control his strength?
Or did he have another scheme?
"Impressive skill!" Dongfang Jian's sword was broken, yet he showed no anger. His profound cultivation made him hard to perturb. Huo Chunfeng, however, was furious, while Li Hongchen, wounded on the arm, realized Tang Lici could have severed his arm just now and felt a chill.
Why had he shown mercy?
Tang Lici remained standing with his sword, his posture lazy despite holding a sword stance. Zhang Hemo radiated killing intent, yet Tang Lici remained utterly composed.
Liu Yan, still unable to move due to his sealed acupoints, watched in horror as Tang Lici fought alone against the crowd. Regret, anger, worry, and anxiety flooded his heart. A-Li must truly not realize how severe the injury in his abdomen is—otherwise, he would never do something like this. If this fight continued and something went wrong... if something went wrong...
If something went wrong, everything A-Li had sought in life would be lost.
The familial love he had pursued all his life, his father's approval, his mother's doting, even the glory of being the center of attention, his lofty status—all would collapse. Even the women who adored him would regret it, for at this moment, he bore the name of a Dissolute Shop spy, he had wounded renowned figures of the Martial Arts World, and he tacitly accepted being the mastermind behind this upheaval in the jianghu.
Why did he tacitly accept it? Why did he prolong the fight? Whatever plan he had in mind, he must not realize his body was on the verge of death—he couldn't afford such intense exertion. If he died, any plan would be meaningless. How could Liu Yan warn him? How could he tell him to stop fighting? Liu Yan watched in terror as Tang Lici's sword light flashed, still locked in combat with Dongfang Jian, Huo Chunfeng, Li Hongchen, Zhang Hemo, and the others. If he told him now that the injury in his abdomen was incurable, given A-Li's temperament, he would be deeply shaken and might do something reckless. But if he didn't speak up, what if something went wrong?
"Hold!" Cheng Yunpao, who had been observing the fight, called out sternly. Dongfang Jian, Huo Chunfeng, and Li Hongchen paused and leaped back. Cheng Yunpao raised his sword and strode forward, the blade ringing as it left its sheath. Calmly, he addressed Tang Lici, "Are you truly a spy of the Dissolute Shop?"
Tang Lici's gaze flickered, but he did not answer."Very well." Cheng Yunpao lifted his sword sheath and tossed it backward. "The grievances of Chi Yun and Shao Yanping, the half-year of deceit—today, they shall all be settled beneath the icy frost sword!" His tone was cold. Dongfang Jian and the others were already injured, and knowing Cheng Yunpao's formidable sword skills—perhaps not inferior to Tang Lici's—they retreated one after another, waiting to see how the Central Plains Sword Association would purge its own traitor.
Tang Lici glanced at Yu Konghou. While Dongfang Jian and the others withdrew, Yu Konghou did not. Instead, she smiled sweetly. "I shall join forces with Cheng Daxia." Cheng Yunpao paused slightly but did not object. With a resonant hum of his sword, he launched the "Icy Frost Sword" technique at Tang Lici. Yu Konghou's long sleeves fluttered, her delicate jade-like palms appearing soft and weightless. Yet as Cheng Yunpao thrust his sword beside her, he sensed an anomaly in the air—as if the invisible space before him had suddenly thickened several times over. The force behind this palm strike was beyond ordinary imagination.
"Icy Frost Sword" was the strongest of Cheng Yunpao's many sword techniques. Yu Konghou, observing it closely, knew Cheng Yunpao would show no mercy with this strike. Though she couldn't be certain whether Cheng Yunpao truly believed Tang Lici was a traitor, she needed to ensure he held nothing back.
The overwhelming palm force swept through the air. If Cheng Yunpao did not strike with full power, his blade might not even straighten. With a loud shout—"Ha!"—the icy frost sword erupted in brilliance, its tip unleashing dozens of cold glints aimed at all the vital points on Tang Lici's upper body. Yu Konghou smiled faintly, matching the momentum of the "Icy Frost Sword" with a sweeping palm strike, sealing Tang Lici's retreat below.
The combined assault of the two unleashed such overwhelming force that the onlookers could only watch as sword light surged like a rainbow, its radiance dazzling—a stark contrast to the earlier joint attack by Dongfang Jian and the other two. It was a storm of relentless fury, as if intending to swallow Tang Lici whole. Tang Lici flicked his fingers lightly, sending three strands of finger-force toward Cheng Yunpao's blade, then stepped forward to meet Yu Konghou's seemingly delicate palm strike with his own.
The crowd was stunned to see Tang Lici disregard Cheng Yunpao's brilliant sword strike entirely and instead confront Yu Konghou. Zhang Hemo and Huo Chunfeng, assuming Tang Lici intended to kill Yu Konghou, both shouted and launched their own attacks at him.
With a sharp "snap," Tang Lici's palms clashed with Yu Konghou's first. Their true power collided at full force. Tang Lici, already slightly disadvantaged and having diverted three fingers' worth of energy to block Cheng Yunpao's sword, felt his qi and blood thrown into chaos. Yu Konghou smiled sweetly, withdrew her hand, bit her tongue lightly, and spat blood as she staggered back, retreating into the crowd.
Tang Lici's three fingers met the icy frost sword—a crisp metallic ring echoed as the blade trembled violently from the impact. Yet its momentum did not diminish in the slightest, still thrusting straight toward his chest. Cheng Yunpao knew Tang Lici was at a disadvantage in this chaotic fight, but at this moment, he could not afford to hold back. If Yu Konghou grew suspicious, the tasks Tang Lici had yet to accomplish would become far more troublesome.With a "whoosh" of a blade cutting through air, Huo Chunfeng and Zhang Hemo saw Yu Konghou retreating injured, their protective instincts flaring as they struck with renewed vigor. Tang Lici first intercepted Yu Konghou's palm strike, then blocked Cheng Yunpao's sword—yet before his blade could reset, another slash and palm strike came hurtling toward him. In an instant, steel pressed against flesh, and the onlookers gasped, certain at least one of the three attackers would land a hit.
Suddenly, a crimson shadow blurred across their vision. Zhang Hemo and Huo Chunfeng's strikes collided with the red barrier—Huo's blade rebounded violently, while Cheng Yunpao's sword slashed down with a faint "hiss," leaving only a bean-sized hole in the red fabric, failing to sever it.
As the crimson veil fluttered down, the crowd finally saw Tang Lici holding a scarlet silk ribbon—this strange, blade-defying fabric had been concealed within his robes. The moment blades descended, he had swiftly drawn it out, spinning to parry the attacks. The indestructible silk drifted to the ground, forcing the weapons back, and Tang Lici remained—unbroken!
Cheng Yunpao, his first strike thwarted, leaped back, toes barely touching the ground before launching a second technique: "Flute Song in Fine Rain." Tang Lici, still recovering from Yu Konghou's palm strike, raised his sword to block. A crisp "clang" rang out as Qingxuzi's Blue Steel Sword chipped. Yu Konghou staggered back, nudging Zhang Hemo's shoulder lightly—a silent signal Zhang understood instantly. He lunged forward with another palm strike.
Tang Lici's sword shattered in his grip. With Liu Yan behind him, he could neither advance nor retreat. Facing the renewed assault from Cheng Yunpao, Zhang Hemo, Huo Chunfeng, and Li Hongchen, he flicked his wrist—the crowd gasped as the sword light reversed course toward his own neck, thinking he meant to slit his throat.
The blade halted.
His red lips and pearly teeth gleamed coldly in the light.
Tang Lici pressed the sword to his lips. Cheng Yunpao's face paled as he leaped back, but Zhang Hemo and the others, still uncomprehending, charged forward. Yu Konghou's eyes widened in alarm—he immediately sealed his meridians.
A piercing sword cry erupted like a phoenix's call through the clouds. Zhang Hemo, caught at the forefront, felt thunder roar in his ears as his inner energy churned violently. With a choked "ugh," he spat a mouthful of blood. Raising his head in horror, he saw Huo Chunfeng, Li Hongchen, and the others similarly bleeding from their lips. Tang Lici had merely blown across his blade—yet the force was devastating!
The encircling attackers retreated slowly. Tang Lici kept the sword at his lips, fingertips brushing the edge as the sound shifted—now a melody. With nothing but a Blue Steel Sword, he conjured the five notes of the pentatonic scale, infused with razor-sharp inner energy. Among the spectators, those with weaker cultivation couldn't endure it, stumbling back before finally fleeing in panic.
Yu Konghou resisted the musical assault, seething. He had anticipated Tang Lici's Sound Assassination Technique and resolved to deny him any chance to play an instrument—yet here he was, producing lethal music with just a blade pressed to his lips.
The shrill, piercing notes reverberated across the mountainside, driving away the less skilled. Soon, only a dozen or so remained, encircling him while fortifying their defenses. Yu Konghou whispered orders to Zhang Hemo: deploy men to block the mountain paths and escort the wounded Emei and Songshan disciples back to the Hall of Sharp Virtue for treatment. Zhang Hemo nodded fervently, his admiration for "Peach Girl" deepening. Without delay, he, Huo Chunfeng, and Li Hongchen led their group away.Tang Lici continued to play his sword flute. Surrounding him were Yu Konghou, Meng Qinglei, Yu Furen, Cheng Yunpao, Dongfang Jian, Qi Xing, Zheng Yue, Dong Hubi, Gu Xitan, Wen Baiyou, Xu Qingbu, and others, forming a tight encirclement. The white mist of Good Cloud Mountain drifted ethereally as the sharp, piercing notes of the sword flute reverberated through the fog, carrying far into the distance like the eerie song of mountain spirits and forest demons in the depths of the wilderness.
The surroundings grew deathly silent. Apart from the haunting melody of the sword flute, only the sound of the wind could be heard between them.
Yu Konghou's gaze shifted. If this continued and Tang Lici managed to play for several days, he might indeed delay until Hong Guniang's return. Although he had already crushed the token, there was still a chance the girl might return despite her sealed acupoints, altering the situation. He couldn't allow Tang Lici to play for days on end. But with the Sound Assassination Technique in play, taking action would be difficult. Moreover, with so many people present, he couldn't reveal abilities beyond those of "Xifang Tao." How could he break Tang Lici's Sound Assassination Technique? Suddenly, an idea struck him. He quietly retreated a few steps and approached Fang Pingzhai, who sat watching the spectacle with his acupoints sealed. Channeling his inner energy to transmit his voice, he whispered, "Sixth Brother."
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