"That's the mountain." Under the first stars of evening, a round-waisted woman in emerald green pointed at the mist-shrouded Good Cloud Mountain and giggled, clapping her hands in admiration. "Truly—such an inconvenient place to attack—" Another person asked coldly, "Inconvenient?" The green-clad woman hummed in agreement. "The mist is too thick. Poison powders and flames won't work well here." The other replied, "Can't we use poison liquids?" A third voice interjected calmly, "Their potency would be diluted by the mist. Though some powders turn toxic when wet—that might be worth trying." The green-clad woman laughed heartily. "No need. Facing the esteemed heroes of the Hall of Sharp Virtue, how could we be so petty? Su'er, bring those two forward. We'll enter through the front gate with dignity." With a wave of her hand, the white-clad speaker who had just spoken lifted Yu Furen and Jiang Wenbo, whose acupoints had been sealed, mouths stuffed with large rags, and hands tied behind their backs in a line. Jiang Wenbo wore an expression of shame, while Yu Furen's eyes were vacant, as if lost in a daze. Pushed by the white-clad woman, the two began ascending Good Cloud Mountain.
Behind these figures, dozens of white-clad women stood in formation. Beyond them were an equal number of women in vibrant red, wearing half-masks. These red-clad women were tightly wrapped in their garments, their curves accentuated, their exposed cheeks revealing peerless beauty—utterly different from their white-clad counterparts. Further back, several carriages followed slowly, curtains drawn, their occupants unknown.
This grand procession moved through the forest with only the rumble of carriage wheels breaking the silence. Occasionally, night crows took flight, only to be instantly struck down by hidden weapons. Along the way, several groups branched off into mountain hollows, not following the main party upward—all executed in perfect stealth.
The Hall of Sharp Virtue was dimly lit at night, its gates tightly shut. The sprawling dark complex gave no hint of how many resided within. The white-clad woman stepped forward and whispered, "Dong Princess." The green-clad woman giggled and waved her hand. "Release the snakes!" This was naturally Fu Cui, the "Dong Princess" of the Dissolute Shop, while the white-clad woman was Bai Suche. At Fu Cui's command, Bai Suche flicked her sleeve, releasing a faint white mist. As the mist spread, hissing sounds emerged from the last two carriages, followed by hundreds—perhaps thousands—of venomous snakes slithering out. Some had pointed heads with brown spots, others black bodies with silver bands, and still others bore bizarre, multicolored patterns. Among them slithered terrifyingly emerald-thin serpents.
As the snakes poured forth, a red-clad woman stepped forward holding a slender reed pipe. With a wave, she scattered black pellets. The snakes immediately swarmed toward where the pellets landed. She continued walking and tossing, softly blowing the reed pipe, until gradually the Hall of Sharp Virtue became completely encircled by the mass of serpents. Their flickering tongues and coiled bodies, their countless eyes gleaming in the deep night, created a momentarily horrifying spectacle.Fu Cui flicked her sleeves. "Su'er!" Bai Suche strode toward the entrance of the Hall of Sharp Virtue, dragging the ropes that bound Jiang Wenbo and Yu Furen. As she reached the door, her plain shoe lashed out, striking it with a loud crack as the bolt snapped and the double doors burst open. Fu Cui followed her inside, and the gathered crowd watched intently as two figures rushed out from within the hall. Startled by the sudden appearance of enemies at the entrance, the two drew their swords in unison. One let out a sharp whistle of warning before retreating two steps, sword raised defensively.
"Truly disciples of a renowned sect—calm and composed even in danger," Fu Cui praised with a click of her tongue. "I wonder if your Master Shao is currently bathing? How improper it would be for me to barge in now." She swayed her plump waist and took two mincing steps forward. The two Sword Association disciples, disgusted by her manner, couldn't help but retort, "You old hag! Don't you dare run wild here! The Central Plains Sword Association is no place for your nonsense!" Fu Cui sneered. "Oh? So it's not me being rude, but the two of you spewing insults—then don't blame me for losing my temper." With a flick of her sleeve, a blade-like gust swept toward their necks. The two disciples crossed their swords to block, only for a sharp snap to ring out as both blades shattered. They staggered back eight steps, blood gushing from their mouths before collapsing. Surprised they survived her strike, Fu Cui remarked, "Impressive skill!"
Bai Suche advanced, dragging her captives without sparing a glance at Fu Cui's violent display. After a few steps, the sound of chaos erupted from within the Hall of Sharp Virtue as Shao Yanping rushed out with several others, his clothes disheveled and hair in disarray—clearly just roused from bed. Behind him were Pu Kui Sheng, Shangguan Fei, Cheng Yunpao, and Dong Hubi. Fu Cui quickly assessed the situation: aside from Tang Lici and his servant, these four were the Sword Association's core strength. She laughed heartily. "Su'er, why isn't your little Chi Yun here?" Bai Suche drew the Severing Discipline Blade, pressing it against Jiang Wenbo's neck, and replied coolly, "If he's lurking nearby waiting to strike, I'll simply cut off Mr. Jiang's head." Fu Cui clapped her hands in delight. "Masked old man, the two of us will take on the Sword Association's five top fighters. Once we've slaughtered them all, the martial world will laugh tomorrow at how the Central Plains Sword Association deceived everyone—boasting about their so-called elite masters when they were nothing but frogs in a well, amusing themselves with delusions." As her wild laughter echoed, a figure shot out from the carriage—tall, broad-shouldered, and covered in scars, his face hidden beneath a black hood identical to Liu Yan's. In his hand was a dark, razor-edged longsword, and the moment he landed, a chilling aura of murderous intent swept over the scene.Shao Yanping's eyes twitched. Though the figure's face was obscured by a cloth hat, he was intimately familiar with this person—how could he not recognize him? "Yu Qifeng? You're actually alive..." The man remained silent, but someone like Cheng Yunpao, who had known him for years, recognized him at a glance—this was indeed Yu Qifeng. Following Yu Qifeng, another figure leaped out from the carriage and stood quietly beside him, also wearing a black hat and a face-covering black cloth, but no one could identify who it was. Without waiting for the newcomer to steady himself, Yu Qifeng thrust his sword forward with a swift strike, the wind of his blade aimed directly at Cheng Yunpao! Fu Cui let a long whip slip from her sleeve, gripping it as she giggled, lashing it toward Shao Yanping's head. Shao Yanping drew his sword to block, swirling it into a blur of white light. The black-clad figure unsheathed a curved blade and silently swung at Shangguan Fei's waist. In an instant, both sides clashed in a fierce and tangled battle.
Bai Suche held two captives in her grasp, standing quietly to the side. One of the women in red stepped forward leisurely, stopping beside her and laughing softly, "Hehe, I'm going to find your husband. Are you jealous?" Bai Suche replied indifferently, "Why should I be jealous?" The woman didn’t answer, merely covering her face with a light chuckle before walking away. Bai Suche observed the battle—the black-clad figure was steadily retreating under the combined assault of Shangguan Fei and Dong Hubi. Raising her voice, she declared, "I order you all to surrender immediately, or I’ll kill these two one by one!" Before Shao Yanping could respond, Bai Suche’s brows lifted, and with a single slash—a muffled groan—Jiang Wenbo’s head fell to the ground, blood splattering three feet as his body collapsed with a thud. Cheng Yunpao shuddered slightly. He had suspected Jiang Wenbo regarding the ambush on Snow Mountain—after all, no one else had known his whereabouts that day. But witnessing his sudden execution still sent a shock through his heart—a frail woman, killing without blinking an eye. The Dissolute Shop was truly despicable and brutal!
For a moment, the clamor of battle raged on, yet the women in red and white from the Dissolute Shop did not join the fight. Instead, they formed ranks, encircling the Hall of Sharp Virtue. Mist drifted, and the glint of serpentine eyes flickered intermittently on the ground. Behind the carriage’s curtain, someone lifted it slightly—a black arrowhead waited silently in the shadows.
Inside the Hall of Sharp Virtue, within a guest room.
Tang Lici still reclined on the bed, a lotus-colored outer robe draped over his shoulders, carefully reading the scroll of The Three Character Classic by lamplight. The distant sounds of fierce combat from multiple courtyards away seemed utterly unrelated to him. Feng Feng slept curled against his left arm, still sucking on Tang Lici’s little finger, drool soaking his sleeve. The room was serene and peaceful, as if existing in another world entirely.A figure flickered past, causing the candlelight in the room to waver slightly. Tang Lici turned a page of his book as the person spoke indifferently, "The well water is indeed poisoned." Without looking up, Tang Lici smiled faintly, "Have you discovered who poisoned it?" The one who entered was Shen Langhun. "Fu Cui attacked the front gate, and someone poisoned the rear courtyard—clean and efficient, leaving no trace behind." Tang Lici remarked, "She's employing a siege tactic. Without poisoning the water, what effect could a mere day and night achieve? But it's unexpected that even with our precautions and your usual vigilance, we couldn't trace the poisoner." Shen Langhun said, "No one approached the well. The poisoning must have been done another way." Tang Lici set down his book. "Having surrounded the Hall of Sharp Virtue and cut off our water supply, Dissolute Shop's plan is to wipe out the Sword Association, leaving no survivors." His rosy lips curled slightly. "Such a strategy doesn't seem like the work of the Martial Arts World—more like a military tactician. Has Dissolute Shop recruited some brilliant strategist?" Shen Langhun frowned. "Military tactics?" Tang Lici's smile widened. "If it's military tactics, then the commotion at the front is just a feint. They'll withdraw soon." As he spoke, the sounds of battle at the gate abruptly ceased, followed by Shao Yanping's loud shout, "Where do you think you're escaping to?" The clashing of weapons grew distant, indicating the fight had moved beyond the Hall of Sharp Virtue.
Shen Langhun grinned, revealing his teeth. "That old fox Shao Yanping is putting on quite the show." Tang Lici chuckled. "Isn't acting his favorite pastime? For this hastily staged battle, he's prepared thoroughly—how could he not give it his all?" As they bantered, light footsteps echoed from the corridor outside. Someone was crossing the courtyard, calling out in a soft, coquettish voice, "Little Chi Yun? My dear little Chi Yun, where are you?" The voice was sweet and alluring, but as it reached Shen Langhun's ears, his chest burned with sudden heat. He quickly steadied his breathing, his expression darkening. "Such potent seduction techniques!" Tang Lici remained unperturbed. Suddenly, a thunderous roar came from the tall tree outside, "What kind of old hag is pretending to be a ghost?" A white figure flashed, and a flying dagger shot through the air. The voice giggled. "Why are you hiding in that big tree? Sister misses you terribly. Since Miss Bai doesn't want you, I adore you. I'll cherish and pamper you—why are you so cruel to me?" The thrown dagger seemed to hit nothing, effortlessly deflected. After steadying himself, Shen Langhun strode out of the room. Outside, a red-clad woman wearing a half-mask twirled a red veil, gracefully catching Chi Yun's dagger. Impressive skill! Shen Langhun had fought countless battles, but this seductive woman was the most formidable he had ever encountered. From the tree, Chi Yun sneered coldly, "You're ancient yet still pretending to be young and beautiful. Think I can't see your wrinkles? If you want a pretty boy, go find one on the street—don't disgust your Chi Yun!" The woman flicked her veil, and Chi Yun's Moon Crossing Ring clattered to the ground. Both Shen Langhun and Chi Yun froze—the silver-coated steel blade had instantly twisted and warped, as if scorched by flames. Whether it was the woman's overwhelmingly yang Internal Force or poison laced on her red veil, the result was terrifying!Outside the Hall of Sharp Virtue, Fu Cui suddenly retreated upon seeing the tide turn against them. Shao Yanping and Dong Hubi immediately gave chase with their swords drawn. Cheng Yunpao and Yu Qifeng fought further away—though Cheng was slightly outmatched, Yu couldn't finish him off quickly either. Shangguan Fei and the black-clad figure grew more distant with each exchange; after loosing his arrows, the two had nearly vanished from sight. Pu Kui Sheng let out a sharp whistle, rousing the snake formations on the ground, while the red-clad woman holding a reed pipe stepped forward to engage him. They too soon disappeared into the woods.
The Hall of Sharp Virtue was gradually left unguarded. Facing the hundreds of women in red and white robes outside, the two Sword Association disciples slumped on the ground paled in terror. The Dissolute Shop had lured their forces away—if they attacked now, the Sword Association would be as defenseless as an empty city, facing certain defeat. Just as their hearts pounded with dread, someone slowly lifted the curtain of a carriage and stepped out.
This person's gait was casual, unlike martial artists who moved with caution, wary of exposing the slightest weakness. In just ten steps, they'd already revealed seventeen or eighteen openings. Yet as they walked, the hundred-strong crowd outside fell utterly silent. Under the faint starlight, their jade-white skin and long, curved brows that tapered into their hairline gave them a face shaped like a willow leaf—stunningly beautiful yet tinged with a sinister, eerie aura that was arresting, dazzling, and chillingly dreadful. The two immobilized men on the ground shuddered. Though they didn't know who this was, they couldn't help but wonder: Could this be Liu Yan?
This person was indeed Liu Yan. Today, he wore neither his face-covering black veil nor his hooded cloak, leaving his unsettlingly elegant features exposed. At first glance, he seemed peerlessly handsome; at the second, it became clear that to him, the world appeared utterly lifeless—as though he gazed upon hell itself while standing in the realm of the living.
Liu Yan carried nothing, entering the Hall of Sharp Virtue empty-handed. Though he spoke no words, everyone knew that with this single step across the threshold, slaughter would follow.
There was no purpose here but killing.
Who could stop him?
No one could stop him.
The Dissolute Shop needed only Liu Yan alone—let alone whatever other experts might lurk within those eerie carriages outside.
Two crisp pops later, the two men on the ground lay dead, their skulls shattered. As Liu Yan moved inward, a soft meow came from inside the hall, and a white-furred cat darted out. Liu Yan turned, crushing the creature's head underfoot. A pitiful shriek, then a bloody pulp beneath his sole. Step by crimson step, he advanced.
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