The copper flute was not raised to Liu Yan's lips. He did not look at the three attackers joining forces against him, but instead stared coldly at Tang Lici, as if silently questioning: Why do you never die? Why do you always win? Can you win in the end? The mountain wind lifted Tang Lici's silver hair as the three assailants struck simultaneously—blades and swords instantly grazed Liu Yan's robes. With a sharp clang , their weapons were repelled without effect, as though Liu Yan wore a thin layer of armor beneath his clothes, impervious to steel.
Just as their combined assault failed, Liu Yan raised the flute to his lips and blew. The sound was piercing and clear, soaring like wild geese across the northern skies. The surrounding trees trembled, and birds scattered in alarm. Cheng Yunpao, still recovering from Yu Qifeng's palm strike, felt his Inner Energy churn violently in his chest. A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips. His volatile temperament made him especially vulnerable to Sound assassination—his blood boiled, and a second gush followed. Shen Langhun sealed his ears with Internal Force, though the flute's notes still stabbed into his mind. Unlike Cheng Yunpao, he retained some control. Sensing the danger, he lashed his serpent whip toward Liu Yan's neck.
Shao Yanping and Chi Yun, shaken by the flute's resonance, staggered back three steps, hearts pounding. Could even their combined efforts fail to kill this demon? Liu Yan played on, his second high note slicing through the air like a blade aimed directly at Tang Lici. Before the note faded, a soft, seductive melody unfurled—transforming the killing sound into a tender, impassioned lament.
Cheng Yunpao coughed up a third mouthful of blood. Shao Yanping, alarmed, steadied him. Without even striking a blow, Liu Yan had them all at his mercy with this cursed flute. Desperate, Shao Yanping glanced at Tang Lici—if he had defeated Liu Yan at Green Peak Cliff, he must know how to counter Sound assassination.
Shen Langhun's whip lashed out, but Liu Yan flicked the flute's end, entangling the whip around its holes. Shao Yanping's heart leapt—until Liu Yan's strange, upturned eyes gleamed with eerie amusement. He covered the remaining holes, stepped back to tighten the whip, and blew hard.
A screeching, discordant noise tore into Shen Langhun's mind. His entire body convulsed, Inner Energy nearly spiraling out of control. His face paled—Liu Yan was using the whip to amplify the sound, far deadlier than mere air-borne notes. He tried to let go, but the flute's energy clung to the whip, trapping him. As the melody rose higher, his Internal Force boiled in his dantian, threatening to rupture his meridians and kill him.
Chi Yun and Shao Yanping shouted in unison. Cheng Yunpao, wiping blood from his lips, mustered his strength and slashed at Shen Langhun's whip!With a faint "snap," the snake whip broke in half. Shen Langhun staggered back seven or eight steps, his face deathly pale. The memory of that crushing defeat years ago flashed vividly before his eyes—how this very man had once used the strings of a pipa to inflict severe injuries upon him, then murdered his wife and disfigured his face. Even after three years of relentless training, he had still lost to this man's sound assassination. Though his nature was resilient and he remained composed in the face of his enemy, the deep-seated hatred and resentment within him erupted uncontrollably. After being forced back, he let out a furious roar and charged forward, throwing a punch aimed at Liu Yan's abdomen!
Cheng Yunpao, who had severed the snake whip with his sword, spat out his fourth mouthful of blood with a "wah." His heart pounded like a drum, his body felt as though it were falling apart, and the sword in his hand weighed as much as a thousand jun, nearly slipping from his grasp. Tang Lici stood to the side, holding Feng Feng, silent and unmoving. Then, his lips twitched slightly as he took a step forward to steady Cheng Yunpao.
Shen Langhun struck out like a mad tiger, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks at Liu Yan. Liu Yan's flute was still entangled with the remnants of the snake whip, and Shao Yanping and Chi Yun, wary of him raising the flute to play again, engaged him in rapid exchanges. For the moment, Liu Yan had no chance to play, and the battle between the four reached a stalemate. Tang Lici pressed a hand against Cheng Yunpao's back, channeling a steady, gentle stream of inner energy to aid his recovery.
"Why won't you fight?" Cheng Yunpao demanded angrily.
Tang Lici slowly shook his head, still silent. Shen Langhun, consumed by vengeance, had completely forgotten the presence of anyone else. His wife's killer stood before him—if he couldn't tear the man apart and feast on his flesh, there was no point in living. Chi Yun's Moon Crossing Ring shimmered with silver light as he pressed his attacks, but inwardly, he was baffled: Why wasn’t the white-haired fox joining the fight? What was the point of standing by while others risked their lives? Had his madness suddenly flared up, making him forget who he was?
Just as the three attackers gradually adapted to Liu Yan's techniques and began gaining the upper hand with their swift strikes, Tang Lici finished aiding Cheng Yunpao's recovery. Still refusing to join the battle, he leaned close to Cheng Yunpao's ear and whispered, "Pretend to be severely injured and weak. When I withdraw my hand, sit down cross-legged."
Cheng Yunpao, who had been deeply dissatisfied with him, was taken aback. Before he could react, Tang Lici exerted a force at his back, rendering him speechless. Shocked and furious, he realized the internal force of the Skill Exchange Great Art was truly bizarre, defying all logic.
"There's someone behind the two large boulders in the woods to the left," Tang Lici's voice murmured softly into his ear, warm breath brushing against his skin. "And another in the thicket to the right. Yu Furen is hidden two zhang behind that person..."
Cheng Yunpao blinked, and Tang Lici's hand left his back. He took the cue to sit down, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.Liu Yan swung his bronze flute, fending off the attacks from three opponents, his cold gaze fixed on Tang Lici all the while. Tang Lici stood to the side, the mountain breeze rustling his robes, their sleeves flowing like water. Suddenly, Liu Yan spoke in a low voice, "This is your perfect chance to kill me. What are you still hesitating for?"
Tang Lici did not answer immediately. After a long pause, he murmured softly, "If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t have saved you at Green Peak Cliff."
Liu Yan sneered, "Saving a wicked demon like me—aren’t you afraid of being drowned in scorn or cursed to death?"
Tang Lici replied indifferently, "To others, even ten thousand deaths wouldn’t be enough for you... A-Yan, I have a question for you."
Liu Yan’s lips curled slightly, "Even if I answer, it might not be the truth."
Tang Lici’s lips also curved, though not in a smile. "In Bodhi Valley... who stole the Ice Coffin? And who hacked Fang Zhou to pieces, tossing his remains into that broken coffin to be devoured by ants and flies... Was it you?" His voice was calm, almost patient, as if he were merely waiting for an answer.
Liu Yan stiffened, then whirled around, his voice sharp with shock, "What did you say?"
In that moment of distraction, Shen Langhun seized the opening—his fist struck Liu Yan’s abdomen with a heavy thud . A metallic clang rang out as the fabric at Liu Yan’s waist tore away, revealing a layer of silver armor-like undergarment. It was this silver armor that had protected him from blades and swords.
Though struck, Liu Yan paid it no mind. Swift as the wind, he lunged toward Tang Lici. Two sharp clangs echoed as Shao Yanping and Chi Yun slashed at his back with their weapons. Liu Yan ignored them completely, grabbing Tang Lici by the collar and snarling, "What did you say? What did you say? What did you say?"
In an instant, Shen Langhun punched the back of his neck, while Shao Yanping and Chi Yun pressed their blades against his throat. Yet Liu Yan remained unfazed, his blazing dark eyes locked onto Tang Lici. "What did you say?"Tang Lici's lips slowly curved into a desolate smile. "Was it you who poured him out of the Ice Coffin, hacked his body to pieces, and threw him into that broken coffin to feed the ants?" He didn't even care that Liu Yan was gripping the front of his robe, as if the hand clutching his vital chest area wasn't an enemy's, as if Liu Yan paid no mind to the blades pressed against his own neck.
"What hacked to pieces...?" Liu Yan's fingers tightened, and the fabric at Tang Lici's chest tore under his grip. He slowly spread his fingers before suddenly snarling, "What pieces? What ants? Who... are you talking about?"
Tang Lici replied softly, "Fang Zhou. I found his grave in Bodhi Valley. Someone had hacked him apart and thrown him into a broken coffin with a gaping hole. His body was covered in—" Before he could finish, Liu Yan abruptly clenched the hand he had raised against Tang Lici's chest.
"You're lying! I buried him properly with the Ice Coffin! When I buried him, he was intact—except for his missing heart, he looked just as he did when he was alive! Who would cut him to pieces? How could that happen? Who would do that? I buried him properly—I would never betray him like that—"
Tang Lici murmured, "But... the Ice Coffin is gone. He was chopped into eight pieces and left for the ants and flies."
Liu Yan roared, "You're lying! You're lying! That couldn’t have happened! You're deceiving me! You're at it again! You’ve loved tricking people since we were kids, and now you're lying to me again!"
Tang Lici's exquisitely beautiful eyes slowly welled up with moisture. When Liu Yan shouted "lying to me again," a tear from his left eye spilled over and splashed onto Liu Yan's shoe with a soft tap .
Liu Yan suddenly fell silent. He had seen that tear.
Tang Lici wore a smile, his hand resting on his abdomen. Apart from that single tear, his expression was eerily calm—his smile desolate, yet composed.
This man... almost never cried. In the twenty years Liu Yan had known him, Tang Lici hadn't shed a tear even when detoxing at thirteen, nor when he had tried to drag them all to their deaths three years ago. He was a man who... refused to show weakness, who would never admit to having any. So he never cried.
Was this tear part of some new deception? Had he grown so shameless that he could now weaponize tears?
Liu Yan's gaze slowly shifted from the tear to Tang Lici's face.
"Why are you crying?" he asked coldly.Tang Lici shook his head and smiled faintly. "Fang Zhou, he—" Liu Yan cut him off abruptly. "It wasn't me." He turned his face away coldly. "I buried him together with the ice coffin. Why the coffin disappeared and why his body was dismembered—I don't know." Tang Lici tightened his embrace around Feng Feng, who had been curiously studying Liu Yan with wide eyes, as if even his young mind found Liu Yan's appearance extraordinary. The child suddenly giggled.
"A-Yan... If someone destroyed Fang Zhou's body behind your back, knowing full well I would come looking... Then it's clear someone is trying to drive a wedge between us, hoping to deepen our rift completely," he said softly. "Do you understand?"
Liu Yan replied coldly, "What if I do? What if I don't?"
Tang Lici lowered his voice. "If you truly understand, then stop this and come with me." He slowly raised his head, his gaze unexpectedly sharp and chilling. "As long as you can return to the A-Yan you once were and hand over the antidote for the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill, no matter how many lives you've taken, I can guarantee no one will lay a finger on you. A-Yan, scheming and deceit aren't suited for you..."
Liu Yan suddenly laughed, his smile as radiant as a blooming flower, breathtaking to behold. "Do you even hear yourself? You're dreaming..." Before he could finish, a sharp slap struck his face.
Tang Lici said, "You can hate me all you want. But if your hatred makes you indifferent to someone dismembering your brother and feeding his remains to ants—then you're nothing but scum. And if you're scum, I'll make sure every sword in this world finds its way to you."
He neither pointed at Liu Yan's nose in fury nor trampled him underfoot, yet Liu Yan felt as if his entire body had been crushed. He staggered forward, and Shao Yanping and Chi Yun pressed their blades harder, drawing two thin trails of blood along his neck. Shen Langhun delivered a heavy punch to his abdomen— thud —the force so great that his silver armor cracked. As Liu Yan's wrist twitched, about to raise his flute, Shen Langhun moved like lightning, pinning his hands firmly.
Tang Lici slowly pried the copper flute from his grip. Liu Yan clenched his teeth, resisting fiercely, but the smooth surface of the flute slipped inexorably from his grasp, falling into Tang Lici's hands. Chi Yun struck like the wind, sealing over a dozen of Liu Yan's major acupoints in the brief moment he was restrained, then snatched up a broken whip from the ground and bound his hands tightly.
Just as everyone worked together to capture Liu Yan, a faint breeze stirred. From the woods on either side, two figures emerged simultaneously—one striking with a palm, the other with a flash of red silk—both aiming soundlessly for Tang Lici's back. The timing of this ambush was exquisitely calculated, striking when the group was exhausted from subduing Liu Yan, their guard lowered in momentary relief. It was as if Liu Yan's life meant nothing to them.
Cheng Yunpao, who had been biding his time, leaped into action almost at the same instant. His sword gleamed cold as he executed "Three Nights of Desolation," thrusting toward the green-clad assailant's back.The sudden turn of events left Shao Yanping, Chi Yun, and the others momentarily stunned. The green-clad figure moved with incredible speed, her palm strikes fierce and sharp. Yet Cheng Yunpao's sword was even faster, its gleaming light flashing like a ghostly wail. As their figures crossed, a soft "snap" was heard, and an arm flew into the air, blood spraying everywhere before it landed a zhang away.
The green-clad woman, caught off guard, had her right arm severed. But she was seasoned in battle and remained composed in the face of danger. Seeing Tang Lici already prepared, she immediately turned and fled.
Meanwhile, the red-clad woman flicked her red veil outward. Tang Lici spun, holding Feng Feng in his left arm while his right hand snatched the veil. A tearing sound followed as dozens of tiny red needles shot forth. The red-clad woman let out a delicate laugh and struck at his face with her palm.
At the same time, Cheng Yunpao's sword, having just severed the green-clad woman's arm, traced a bright arc and thrust toward the red-clad woman's waist. Tang Lici's sleeve swept through the air, sending the red needles clattering to the ground. With a sharp "smack," his palm met the red-clad woman's.
Feeling the immense force behind his strike—far from what one would expect from someone grievously injured—she let out a surprised sound before suddenly drawing a short blade from within her robes. With a sinister and unpredictable slash aimed at Cheng Yunpao, she sought to cut her way free.
The two assailants had struck with lightning speed—Cheng Yunpao's ambush, the green-clad woman's severed arm, the red-clad woman's drawn blade—all in the span of a breath. Just as the moment hung suspended, a streak of sword light shot forth, aiming straight for the red-clad woman's back!
Cheng Yunpao swung his sword in tandem. The red-clad woman's skill exceeded his expectations. Yu Furen, seizing the perfect moment, lunged forward, his blade piercing toward her back while Cheng Yunpao aimed for her chest's Danzhong point. Both were among the era's finest swordsmen, their twin strikes cutting through the air with a resounding whistle.
Yet the red-clad woman, undaunted, blocked with her short blade—front and back—before charging straight at Cheng Yunpao. A metallic "clang" rang out as her blade met his sword, the clash evenly matched. Cheng Yunpao felt a chill—the martial world was full of hidden talents, and his past victories had been mere luck. He hadn't accounted for his weakened state, his Inner Energy disrupted and his swordplay diminished.
At that moment, Yu Furen's sword abruptly shifted direction. The strike meant for the red-clad woman's back suddenly surged in power—aimed straight at Tang Lici!
The others gasped in shock. Shao Yanping, Shen Langhun, and Chi Yun still had their hands pressed against Liu Yan, guarding against his escape. Cheng Yunpao was locked in combat with the red-clad woman, unable to intervene.
In that split second, Tang Lici raised his wrist, shielding Feng Feng. With a sharp "clang," Yu Furen's sword struck the Marrow Cleansing Silver Bracelet on his wrist and rebounded.
Tang Lici spun lightly, closing the distance to Yu Furen in an instant. His elbow struck three times in rapid succession, sending Yu Furen's sword flying before he collapsed forward. Tang Lici sidestepped slightly, letting him lean against his body while his left hand caught the falling blade.
With three swift strokes, he thrust toward the red-clad woman. Seeing the tide turn against her, she let out a sharp cry and unleashed a flurry of slashes with her short blade. Cheng Yunpao's sword retreated slightly, and she seized the opening, vanishing into the forest in a flash.Yu Furen collapsed, and the crowd quickly gathered around. Chi Yun angrily demanded, "Has this guy gone mad? Why would he suddenly draw his sword to stab you for no reason?" Tang Lici smiled faintly, "Did you catch the scent of flowers? Like those women in red and white, he's been poisoned by the Dustless Flower..." Shen Langhun stood at a distance. Tang Lici, who had been watching Yu Furen, was about to continue when his eyes suddenly flickered. He abruptly turned around, "You—" Before the word fully left his lips, Shen Langhun seized Liu Yan—who had been immobilized by sealed acupoints—and vanished in a cloud of dust.
Chi Yun and Shao Yanping were stunned and immediately gave chase, but Shen Langhun's figure had already disappeared into the trees. As a trained assassin, his stealth far surpassed ordinary men's. In just a moment, the two lost all trace of Shen Langhun and Liu Yan. Chi Yun cursed furiously, "Damn that treacherous Shen Langhun! Where the hell is he taking him?" Shao Yanping shook his head with a bitter smile—no one could have predicted Shen Langhun would pull such a move. "Why would he snatch Liu Yan?" Tang Lici gazed in the direction Shen Langhun had fled. After a long pause, he sighed softly, "I overlooked it... Liu Yan is the man who murdered his wife and disfigured her. I suspect he intends to torment Liu Yan before throwing him into the Yellow River as an offering to her." Chi Yun sneered coldly, "Hmph! So much for your flawless calculations. If you hadn’t trusted Shen Langhun so blindly, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Now that he’s gone, what do we do?" Tang Lici smiled faintly, "He won’t kill Liu Yan immediately. There’s no urgent danger for now. First, let’s check on the situation at the Hall of Sharp Virtue." Shao Yanping lifted Yu Furen onto his back and nodded. "We’ll discuss this further after we return."
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