The Central Plains Sword Association issued a letter declaring that Tang Lici posed a threat to Pu Zhu, the newly appointed abbot of Shaolin Temple, and called upon heroes across the land to eliminate this menace by intercepting and killing Tang Lici on the road. The letter meticulously detailed Tang Lici's expertise in hidden weapons, palm techniques, and the Sound Assassination Technique, as if fearing the recipients might overlook his weaknesses. It also noted that he was the Myriad Apertures Studio Master, fond of carrying priceless jewels and curios, and notorious for using pearls and jade as lethal hidden weapons.
This letter spread widely through the martial world. On one hand, hatred for the Dissolute Shop and the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill ran deep; on the other, many were enticed by Tang Lici's wealth. Gradually, more and more martial artists began appearing near Mount Song.
As the number of those plotting against him grew, rumors about Tang Lici proliferated. Some claimed he had already reached Shaolin Temple and even wounded Pu Zhu. Others insisted he was still slaughtering people west of Mount Funiu. A few boasted of surviving his attacks, displaying the pearl hidden weapons they had supposedly retrieved. Still others declared they had killed Tang Lici themselves and obtained the antidote for the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill.
The martial world buzzed with unverifiable claims. Where Tang Lici truly was remained known only to himself.
Beyond the shocking revelation that Tang Lici was the mastermind behind the Dissolute Shop, another major concern gripping the martial world was the impending decisive battle between the Central Plains Sword Association and the Dissolute Shop.
Now, everyone knew the Central Plains Sword Association had gathered a thousand men to march into Soul Prayer Mountain for a final showdown against the remnants of the Dissolute Shop hiding in Piaoling Mei Yuan. Even the imperial court was said to be involved, with Princess Langya leading one faction of the Sword Association.
The court dispatched Minister Jiao Shiqiao with 180 imperial guards to participate in the battle against the Dissolute Shop. Though not an official military campaign, this move signaled the court's stance—the Dissolute Shop was universally condemned, and Tang Lici was the epitome of wickedness.
Yet the Sword Association's campaign against the Dissolute Shop did not proceed smoothly.
Piaoling Mei Yuan lay deep within Soul Prayer Mountain, a place dense with trees, teeming with venomous snakes and insects, and overgrown with previously unseen toxic flora. The treacherous terrain made progress difficult. After advancing fifty li into the mountain with initial fervor, over three hundred of the thousand-strong ragtag force found excuses to desert.
The remaining six hundred were divided into twenty groups by Hong Guniang, with ten groups alternating between scouting and resting. After three grueling days, they finally reached Bodhi Valley behind Piaoling Mei Yuan.
Clutching the rough map of Piaoling Mei Yuan compiled from days of reconnaissance, Hong Guniang frowned deeply. With Yu Konghou present among the Sword Association ranks, she couldn't strategize freely about breaching Piaoling Mei Yuan without his interference. In such densely wooded terrain, numerical superiority meant little. The landscape made it impossible to deploy formations or grasp the bigger picture, and a rash attack would only descend into chaos.
Given the poisonous creatures, toxic plants, and hidden traps, the outcome of such chaos was predictable.
Thus, she pondered: if they couldn't penetrate deeply, could they lure Gui Mudan and his men out?
Or—force them out?
That day, Hong Guniang issued her first command since setting up camp in Bodhi Valley: cut down and dry the surrounding trees to clear open ground, drench the logs in oil, and prepare to roll them toward every exit of Piaoling Mei Yuan—to burn it to the ground!She also collected toxic powders from various poison experts that could create smoke, intending to throw them into the fire once it was lit. Additionally, over a dozen masters of the Splitting Air Palm with profound internal force would assist her in controlling the wind direction.
The plan seemed promising—everyone worked together to chop down trees and blow poisonous smoke into Piaoling Mei Yuan. However, after two full days of effort, no one emerged from within.
Piaoling Mei Yuan was deeply underground, and mere poisonous smoke couldn’t shake it.
Hong Guniang wasn’t discouraged. She ordered people to continue cutting trees, lighting fires, and releasing smoke, eventually adding another tactic—pouring water. While the poisonous smoke couldn’t harm Gui Mudan, the walls of Piaoling Mei Yuan couldn’t withstand the alternating assault of scorching flames and freezing water. Large sections collapsed with a thunderous crash, revealing a gap wide enough for four people to enter side by side.
Bricks crumbled and shattered as hidden arrows and concealed weapons shot out from within, clattering noisily for a long while before finally quieting down. The arsonists outside peered in and saw furniture still intact—a zither among them—revealing what appeared to be a young maiden’s chamber.
As the poisonous smoke dissipated, a figure clad in black robes stood before the gap, letting out a sinister chuckle.
In a chilling voice, he said, “Xiao Hong, you’ve always been so loyal to me. Did you bring these people here to die this time?”
From a distance, Hong Guniang couldn’t see Gui Mudan clearly. She whispered something to Cheng Yunpao, then smiled brightly and led Yu Konghou, Zhang Hemo, Liu Hongfei, Wenxiu Shitai, and the others forward.
The moment they stepped forward, a deafening explosion shook the earth. Gui Mudan hurled an object that burst amidst the crowd, releasing thick, fragrant smoke. Almost instantly, the expressions of some in the group twisted—many members of the Central Plains Sword Association had come seeking a cure for the Ape-Demon Nine Hearts Pill poisoning they suffered from. The smoke triggered the pill’s toxicity, causing many to scream and collapse, writhing on the ground.
Gui Mudan sneered from within the smoke, “Your lives are in my hands. To defy me is to seek death!” With a wave of his hand, arrows shot from the smoke, while figures in red and white robes flickered amidst the haze. Explosions erupted continuously, generating even more smoke.
At that moment, Hong Guniang barked an order: “Rolling logs! Burn it again!”
The unaffected members of the Sword Association worked together, pushing massive, flaming logs toward the gap in the wall, completely ignoring the smoke that could trigger their poison. The thick smoke obscured not only Hong Guniang but also Gui Mudan. The logs rolled forward, crushing and igniting the medicinal triggers before crashing into the walls, reigniting the flames. One after another, the logs gradually sealed the breach. Contrary to Gui Mudan’s expectations, the Sword Association members weren’t trying to enter Piaoling Mei Yuan—they were simply burning it down.
By the time Gui Mudan realized something was wrong, Hong Guniang raised her hand and said coolly, “Enough! Retreat!”
The Sword Association members who had been writhing in agony suddenly stood up, dusting themselves off as if nothing had happened, and swiftly retreated to the camp alongside those handling the logs, putting distance between themselves and Piaoling Mei Yuan.
The earlier agonizing poison outbreak had been an act—Hong Guniang had trained her people for this very scenario. She had anticipated Gui Mudan’s tactic of using smoke to trigger poison and deliberately brought unpoisoned individuals to set the fire.When the group returned to the camp, even Yu Konghou was surprised by Hong Guniang's actions, when several figures swiftly entered the camp.
As they landed, drops of blood rolled to the ground.
Hong Guniang urgently asked, "Are you injured?"
Cheng Yunpao shook his head. The blood on his sword was still dripping, evidence of a recent fierce battle. Following him were Bi Lianyi, Gu Xitan, Fu Zhumei, and others. Bi Lianyi, also covered in blood, said calmly, "We killed twenty-two in total."
Hong Guniang nodded.
Yu Konghou frowned slightly. Only now did he understand the series of tactics Hong Guniang had employed—not only did she intend to burn down Piaoling Mei Yuan and eradicate Dissolute Shop right under his nose, but she also sought to achieve this with minimal sacrifice and the safest means possible!
She used fire, rolling logs, and water to dismantle the above-ground structures of Piaoling Mei Yuan, lured Gui Mudan's attention with herself as bait, cleared the surrounding woods to eliminate obstacles and set up an encirclement, then dispatched several top-tier experts to suddenly storm Piaoling Mei Yuan from other entrances. Whoever they encountered—anyone from Dissolute Shop—they killed as many as they could. Once the sound of rolling logs ceased, they retreated immediately, using the thick smoke and flames as cover to escape effortlessly.
This was the strategy of boiling a frog slowly.
No matter how many forces Dissolute Shop had, trapped within, each death reduced their numbers.
No matter how many mechanisms Piaoling Mei Yuan possessed, burning one corner meant one less.
Gui Mudan might not fear the loss of a single wall in the vast Piaoling Mei Yuan, nor care about the deaths of twenty-two servants.
But if one corner was burned each day, and twenty-two died daily—what if this continued for two days, three days... or even a whole month or two under Hong Guniang's relentless assault?
Piaoling Mei Yuan would eventually be reduced to ashes, and how many lives could Dissolute Shop afford to lose?
Yu Konghou was startled. This was entirely different from his initial estimation.
This woman, Xiao Hong, actually sought to trade a single feather for the death of his entire mountain and city!
A siege strategy must rely on supplies for protection—Yu Konghou immediately realized that the top priority now was to cut off the Central Plains Sword Association's retreat.
But the Central Plains Sword Association's retreat lay with Princess Langya and Jiao Shiqiao.
The most effective way to sever this retreat—was to have the Central Plains Sword Association kill its own lifeline, such as—killing Princess Langya.
Yu Konghou gazed at the gradually dying flames in the distant forest, pursed his lips, and smiled faintly.
The righteous factions of the martial world couldn’t harm others without evidence. For the Central Plains Sword Association to kill someone... they must ensure her guilt was irrefutable, leaving her no room for defense—then summon a sage to declare her crimes, and finally execute her in a just and honorable manner.
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