In the guest room of Good Cloud Mountain, Chi Yun was quietly meditating and regulating his breath. His originally sturdy frame, though lean, had been sharp and agile, but the torment of recent days had left him visibly haggard. Tang Lici and Xifang Tao had spoken in the bamboo pavilion and now walked slowly to Chi Yun’s room. Although they had administered the Serum to him once, one dose was likely insufficient—to ensure absolute safety, at least three doses were needed.
Standing at the door, Tang Lici observed Chi Yun quietly for a moment. His eyes were closed as he circulated his internal energy, but a faint shadow of black qi lingered between his brows. Beneath the bed, several spiders spun their webs, while two scorpions tore the silk into tatters. A few small centipedes lay dead on the floor.
It seemed the Gu Spider Poison had not been fully purged. Tang Lici’s red lips parted slightly, his snow-white teeth lightly biting his lower lip as he exhaled slowly. Someone approached from behind, stopping at the doorway upon seeing Tang Lici’s back. “Tang… Brother Tang, I heard Chi Yun has regained consciousness?” The man who had corrected himself from “Young Master Tang” to “Brother Tang” was none other than Yu Furen.
Tang Lici nodded. “But the Gu Spider Poison hasn’t been completely neutralized.” Yu Furen stepped into the room. “Are you very worried?” Tang Lici smiled faintly. “Well… Chi Yun’s rescue and recovery must have been unexpected for those who plotted against him. But now that he’s back at the Hall of Sharp Virtue, those clever schemers will naturally adjust their plans accordingly.” Yu Furen frowned slightly. “Adjust their plans? What kind of adjustments?” Tang Lici’s gaze shifted, his eyes revealing an inscrutable emotion. “That is—” Before he could finish, he suddenly looked up, spotting a flock of egrets taking flight in the distance. Yu Furen followed his gaze and paled. “Who dares intrude upon Good Cloud Mountain?”
“If I’m not mistaken, those are the iron cavalry of Plum Blossom Mountain,” Tang Lici said calmly, yet his words sent waves of shock through Yu Furen’s heart. “What? The iron cavalry of Plum Blossom Mountain?”
Plum Blossom Mountain lay in the northern borderlands, named for its rocks streaked with crimson patterns resembling plum blossoms. Atop the mountain stood the Blazing Cloud Stronghold, led by its chief, “Heavenly Cloud” Chi Yun. Under him were the masters of its three halls: “Three Blades to Reave the Soul” Yin Dongchuan of the Lianxiao Hall, “Elegant Qilin” Xuan Yuanlong of the Gazing Sun Pavilion, and “One Sword from the East” Jin Qiufu of the Yingfeng Hall—all renowned figures. Even before joining Chi Yun, they had been infamous bandits, and their strength only grew after entering the stronghold. Over the past three years, they had pulled off over a dozen major heists, one of which involved the rare treasure Tang Lici himself coveted: the Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Goblet. The stronghold boasted nearly two hundred fierce and battle-hardened men, who typically kept to their northern territory and rarely ventured into the Central Plains. Their sudden appearance at the foot of Good Cloud Mountain—could it be because Chi Yun had left Plum Blossom Mountain to investigate the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill and had been away too long, unsettling the stronghold and prompting them to search for him? But even if Chi Yun’s absence had stretched on, it shouldn’t have provoked such a massive mobilization… For them to pour out en masse from the north—wasn’t that excessive?"Master Shao has already gone to Shaolin Temple, and Cheng Daxia just left. Now in the Sword Association, there are only the two of us and sixty-six disciples. If Blazing Cloud Stronghold is coming to attack, how can we possibly withstand the forces of Plum Blossom Mountain's Blazing Cloud Stronghold?" Yu Furen's expression shifted as he pressed his ear to the ground, sensing faint tremors—riders were approaching along the mountain path. Judging by the vibrations, their numbers were vast. "Are they here for Chi Yun? With so many coming, their intentions are likely hostile."
"The news that Chi Yun was poisoned and locked in his room by Master Shao has probably been spread by certain parties for a long time," Tang Lici said without taking his eyes off Chi Yun. "Blazing Cloud Stronghold is fiercely loyal to Chi Yun. Hearing their leader is injured and trapped, it’s no surprise they’ve mobilized their entire force." Yu Furen exhaled slowly. "If this is just a misunderstanding, then inviting the Third Hall Master of Blazing Cloud Stronghold in to speak with Chi Yun should resolve it." Tang Lici smiled faintly. "If it can be resolved that way, naturally, that would be best." His tone was light, but his gaze remained fixed on Chi Yun. Yu Furen followed his line of sight and saw the dark aura between Chi Yun’s brows growing denser. The air in the room carried a strange, indescribable scent—neither sweet nor foul. A thin streak of pitch-black blood slowly trickled from the corner of Chi Yun’s mouth, his once-handsome face now etched with eerie, unfathomable patterns.
"You stay and watch him," Tang Lici instructed. "He’s expelling the poison. The scent in this room attracts the Five Poisons to fight each other—it’s dangerous. Don’t let him be disturbed by venomous creatures, or his energy may deviate." Yu Furen nodded. Though he didn’t know what method Chi Yun was using to expel the poison himself, the situation clearly couldn’t be disrupted. If his energy strayed, the poison would follow, with severe consequences. Tang Lici turned and left. A cold breeze brushed past, causing his gray robes to cling slightly to his frame, revealing his well-proportioned figure. Yu Furen glanced at him, momentarily lost in thought as he recalled stabbing him with a sword.
The tremors in the ground gradually lessened and soon disappeared entirely. Tang Lici walked through the garden, where the peach-clad woman still stood in the bamboo pavilion, holding a pale purple lined jacket and smiling at him gracefully. He stopped and asked calmly, "Did you send a letter to Blazing Cloud Stronghold?" Xifang Tao beamed. "Indeed." Tang Lici suddenly raised his head to look at her, his gaze murderous. "What did you tell them?" he asked, each word deliberate.
"Nothing much..." Xifang Tao was slightly startled by his ghostly stare but patted her chest and curled her lips into a delighted smile. "I only said Chi Yun is about to die." Tang Lici’s eyes were deep and cold, yet within that icy darkness burned a dazzling, almost radiant intensity. "Chi Yun is about to die—and it’s my fault?" Xifang Tao tilted her head, sleeves draped behind her, her expression coy and amused. "Isn’t it? I didn’t lie. He’s about to die, and it’s because of you." She met Tang Lici’s gaze. "If you hadn’t sent him alone to chase after someone, how could he have ended up like this? Wasn’t it your oversight? Your underestimation of me? Your selfish disregard for his life? Your belief that Liu Yan’s life was worth more than his? Or perhaps—you’ve always treated him as nothing more than a dog?""Truly, it's like peeling skin... revealing bones..." Tang Lici flicked his sleeve with a sharp "whoosh" as he turned, his retreating figure strikingly elegant. "Even if I truly treated him as nothing more than a dog, so what?" he asked darkly. "Can I not?"
Xifang Tao was momentarily taken aback before letting out a soft, amused laugh. "Can you? As the esteemed guest supreme of the righteous path in the martial world, uttering such words—wouldn't it chill the hearts of the heroes who supported you in pacifying the realm and vanquishing demons? Wouldn't it disappoint those who revere Tang Lici?" Tang Lici turned his head slightly, the sinister aura still lingering at the corners of his lips as he smiled gently. "Even if I treated him as a dog, he didn't care. Whose heart are you trying to chill, whose disappointment are you trying to provoke?" With leisurely grace, he turned to face Xifang Tao, his smile refined. "Peach Girl, forgive my rudeness, but I have matters to attend to. I shall take my leave." With that, he departed unhurriedly, his steps measured and demeanor composed, showing no trace of anger.
It seemed this young master, though deeply sentimental and righteous, harbored a truly ruthless heart. Xifang Tao smiled faintly, her expression coy. With just a little provocation, this innate cruelty and cunning, no matter how well hidden, would inevitably be exposed.
And as long as there were those who distrusted Tang Lici, those who refused to submit, she would have her opportunity.
Outside the gate.
The mountain path was choked with dust. Despite the thick mist shrouding Good Cloud Mountain, it couldn't obscure the swirling clouds of yellow sand and gravel. Trees toppled with thunderous crashes, their branches swaying violently—likely felled for obstructing the path of the approaching riders. Leading several dozen disciples of the Sword Association, Tang Lici flung open the gates to see a uniformed host of red-clad figures, their heads wrapped in ceremonial bands, clad in tight-fitting attire, galloping forth on horseback. The steeds were all black, their hooves snow-white, strikingly majestic and formidable. The thunderous sound of a hundred warhorses charging shook heaven and earth, like clouds rent asunder, their momentum terrifying.
"Clouds bow, rainbows fade, the martial plum's fierce soul reigns supreme!" Suddenly, the hundreds of voices roared in unison, sending tremors through the earth and dispersing the mist. The Sword Association disciples exchanged horrified glances, their chests constricted, the world spinning around them, their spirits crushed under the overwhelming pressure, their will to fight utterly extinguished. At the forefront of the black steeds, one rider took the lead. As his furious mount reached the gates, he reined in sharply and dismounted, his robes billowing, his expression unperturbed. "So this is the famed Central Plains Sword Association. It appears rather unimpressive."
"Only those who dare not show their faces would hide in such a shady, dubious place..." a sinister voice called from among the riders. "Second Brother, tell the brats at the gate to hand over the stronghold's master. We'll take him and leave at once. Otherwise, our two hundred men will storm in, sweep the Central Plains Sword Association clean, and burn it all to the ground."
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