Yu Furen's entire body trembled uncontrollably. Never in his life had he witnessed anything as cruel as the scene before him. Glancing at those around him—whether they were brothers from the Blazing Cloud Stronghold or disciples of the Central Plains Sword Association—all were deathly pale, their eyes filled with sheer terror and dread.
Scorching blood splattered onto Chi Yun's face as well. He gripped tightly the Moon Crossing Ring stained with Xuan Yuanlong's blood, watching Tang Lici, who carried Xuan Yuanlong on his shoulder. Tang Lici supported Xuan Yuanlong with calm eyes, slowly turning him over and laying him on the ground. Chi Yun, holding the blade, suddenly threw his head back and laughed wildly, "Hahahaha... hahahaha..." Amid his maniacal laughter, Xuan Yuanlong's blood dripped from his cheek. Chi Yun wiped it away with a sweep of his sleeve, and in that same motion, the Moon Crossing Ring shot forth like thunder—bypassing Tang Lici entirely—and lunged straight for Yu Furen behind him.
Tang Lici flipped his hand, and the copper flute in his fingers flashed like a startled swan. With a resounding clang , everyone clearly saw silver light swirling as the Moon Crossing Ring was deflected and sent spiraling back. The cold gleam coiled around the flute, nearly shaving a layer from Tang Lici's right arm. The onlookers paled in shock. Yet, in the instant the cold light coiled, Tang Lici let out a clear shout, his left hand suddenly striking out in a baffling motion—as if splitting into three distinct movements mid-air, each transforming further into three more. In a flash, dozens of pale palms executed various techniques—grabbing, intercepting, locking—blooming like a flower before retracting. By the time the motion ceased, the Moon Crossing Ring was firmly grasped in Tang Lici's left hand, pristine and untainted by blood, gleaming coldly.
"Hunt the Ephemeral..." Yu Furen's face drained of color, his lips turning blue as he stared unblinkingly at Tang Lici's left hand. If there were a ranking for lethal martial techniques in the jianghu, that move would undoubtedly be infamous! It was the same technique Bai Nanzhu had used to slaughter dozens at the Thousand Blossoms Workshop—originating from the Rebirth Scroll of Kaputibala . How many Bai Nanzhu had killed with this move was beyond counting, and its reappearance after the Shaolin Temple battle still sent shockwaves through the martial world.
"Ah—ah—" Chi Yun's mad laughter, provoked by this move, abruptly twisted into a bestial roar. The last Moon Crossing Ring was in his grasp, and with a sweeping motion, he drew a circle in the air. The blade's radiance mirrored the brilliance of the sun, spinning like a mirror reflecting scorching light. Then, with a faint zing , the spinning blade shattered into countless silver shards, dazzling like a burst of sunlight surging toward Tang Lici! The crowd gasped involuntarily—such destruction from a single blade proved Chi Yun's skill had reached godlike levels.
Tang Lici, holding the blade in his left hand, slightly lowered his eyelids. "Hunt the Ephemeral" flashed through the air once more as he met Chi Yun head-on. Both moved with lightning speed, and in the blink of an eye, they had already passed each other.
A splat —a spray of blood scattered, splashing three feet across the ground.
Tang Lici stood quietly, his sleeves fluttering in the wind, his back towering and solitary. Only the blood on the blade in his left hand dripped steadily down the edge—one drop... two drops... three drops... into the dust.Chi Yun stood seven paces behind him, equally upright. After a long while, he turned to glance at Tang Lici, his lips trembling. "Hahahaha..." His dry, forced laughter continued manically as his body swayed before he suddenly collapsed backward. Even as he fell, his body twisted toward Tang Lici's direction, his right hand lifting with fingers splayed—then pausing slightly before he slumped to the ground, dead. His eyes remained wide open, stubbornly refusing to close.
Blood slowly seeped from the crown of Chi Yun's skull. Yet in that fleeting moment when they had crossed paths, no one had clearly seen how Tang Lici had shattered Chi Yun's skull with his silver blade and copper flute.
What people always see is the outcome—one lives, one dies. That is all.
After a long silence, Tang Lici turned around. His silver blade still dripped with blood, but that blood... did not belong to Chi Yun.
Inside and outside the Sword Inquiry Pavilion, the air was thick with a chilling cold. The survivors stared blankly at the corpses strewn across the ground, at Chi Yun's unseeing eyes, feeling their blood boil with waves of sorrow, suffocation, and heart-wrenching desolation. Before they knew it, hot tears had already spilled from their eyes.
Tang Lici lifted Chi Yun's body into his arms and turned to look back at the Sword Inquiry Pavilion. Through the eerie, bone-chilling mist, across the distant bridges and pavilions, someone clad in peach-colored robes—unstained by dust—seemed to smile at him, radiant and vivid.
The news of Chi Yun's death, the "Heavenly Cloud," sent shockwaves through the martial world within days. Countless rumors spread, but with so many eyewitnesses, the remnants of the Blazing Cloud Stronghold spread the tale relentlessly on their retreat to Plum Blossom Mountain. Everyone soon learned that Chi Yun had been ambushed by his own men, poisoned with Gu Spider venom, and driven to slaughter his sworn brothers and allies before being slain by Tang Lici.
Though Chi Yun's death was not Tang Lici's fault, the act of killing a close friend with his own hands still invited hushed whispers behind his back. Many felt that this young master was ruthless beyond measure—how could he strike down a companion who had followed him for years? It was simply too terrifying.
Yet rumors were just rumors. Ordinary folk, who rarely crossed paths with martial artists, found even the most sensational tales of the jiangliang distant from their lives of farming, weaving, fishing, and herding.
Apricot Sun Bookstore, Luoyang.
A Shui was organizing the bookstore's inventory while Feng Feng sat nearby, his dark eyes darting around curiously, grinning at anyone who passed by. After being brought back to Luoyang by A Shui and cared for meticulously, the already plump infant had grown even chubbier. A faint, tiny dimple had begun to form on his left cheek—so shallow and small it was barely noticeable. As A Shui cleaned and shelved the books, she glanced at Feng Feng and couldn't help but smile. The joy of motherhood had revitalized her entirely. In just a few days back in Luoyang, the affairs of the martial world already felt far removed—perhaps she would never encounter them again in this lifetime. Maybe she and her son could truly live out their days in peace.
Yet one thing nagged at her. Neither she nor Hao Wenhou had dimples—so why did Feng Feng...? Was it simply because he was too chubby? Or did Hao Wenhou's parents have them? Or was it just a rare coincidence? Such fleeting doubts often vanished as quickly as they came. Feng Feng had started crawling, and A Shui was constantly preoccupied with making sure he didn't fall off chairs or beds—though he never had."A Shui, Old Man Liu is sick. I heard there's an important guest coming to the tavern today, and we can't afford any delays. Could you help Granny Liu deliver this basket of white jade mushrooms? If we're late, the manager will scold us." Granny Liu from next door came knocking. At sixty-seven, she was still quite spry, but with two three-year-old grandchildren to look after, it was hard for her to go out. She had a son who, a few years ago, drunkenly stumbled off a stone bridge and died, leaving behind a widow and orphans. Now, the whole family depended on Old Man Liu digging up mushrooms in the mountains. And Old Man Liu had a knack for it—he was the only one who could find these rare white jade mushrooms, which the famous Silver Horn Tavern in Luoyang required daily.
"Alright, Granny Feng Feng, could you keep an eye on Feng Feng for me? I'll be right back." A Shui turned with a smile. She had a good relationship with Granny Liu's family. After being abducted by Hao Wenhou, Granny Liu had thought A Shui would never return. When A Shui came back to Apricot Sun Bookstore holding Feng Feng, Granny Liu had nearly thought she was seeing a ghost, then ended up hugging her and crying, which moved A Shui deeply. Now, hearing Old Man Liu was sick, she handed Feng Feng to Granny Liu and shouldered the basket of mushrooms, heading straight for the Silver Horn Tavern.
The Silver Horn Tavern was the largest in Luoyang, usually bustling with activity, but today it was unexpectedly quiet. She glanced up at the gilded sign—perhaps some dignitary had reserved the entire place for a banquet. Carrying the mushrooms, she slipped in through the back door, placed them in Old Man Liu's usual spot, and signed a receipt before turning to leave. Suddenly, someone emerged from the courtyard and nearly collided with her.
A Shui sidestepped lightly, taking a step back, and looked up—only to be startled.
It was a young man with tousled black hair and large eyes, dressed in white robes splattered with garlic paste and scallions, clutching a bundle of greens in his arms. She bowed slightly and stepped aside, waiting for him to pass. The young man nodded and hurried past her into the kitchen. A Shui turned back, casting a glance at the kitchen door, and sighed softly. This person... this was the one she had secretly admired since she was fifteen.
Four or five years had passed, yet his face hadn't changed at all—neither had his mannerisms. He was still as taciturn and impulsive as ever, enough to make one smile. She started toward the exit. If she hadn't been born with innate charm, if she hadn't been abducted by Hao Wenhou as a household courtesan, if she hadn't been taken as a maid by Liu Yan, if she were still the pure, innocent girl she once was... perhaps she would have found a way to speak to him. But now... she only wanted to turn and leave as quickly as possible.
Life was unpredictable. Seeing the dreams of her youth again only made her feel all the more unworthy.
"You..." A voice called from behind—unfamiliar yet pleasant, entirely unlike Tang Lici's refined, measured tones or Liu Yan's cold, willful, brooding cadence. This voice carried a peculiar warmth, instantly comforting, utterly sincere without a hint of pretense. She turned in surprise to see the white-robed youth emerging from the kitchen once more. Was there something he needed?"Are you... called A Shui?" The young man in white asked hesitantly, looking somewhat awkward as he raised his hand to scratch his head and then ruffled his hair. "I... I'm not very good with words. Please don't be angry if I'm disturbing you."
She could hardly suppress a laugh. He truly said whatever came to mind—though it was rather abrupt, she wasn't angry at all. "That's right. May I ask... is there something you need?" She had never seen him speak to anyone before, nor did she know his name. Now that he had suddenly stopped her, she was genuinely surprised.
"Ah..." He ruffled his hair again, making his already messy black locks even more disheveled. "My surname is Fu. You can call me A Fu, or Xiao Fu. Actually, my real name isn't very pleasant... Sorry, I wanted to ask you... ask you something."
This person's speech was truly all over the place—or perhaps he hadn't spoken to anyone in so long that his words weren't very clear. She smiled at him. "What is it?"
"He..." This person was either rambling or stammering. After hesitating for a long while, he still only managed to say, "He..." A Shui waited patiently, though for some reason, her earlier urge to laugh gradually faded. She faintly sensed that what he was trying to ask might very well be something entirely unexpected.
After a long pause, the young man in white finally stammered out, "Is he... doing well now?"
He? Who? She stared into the young man's eyes—they were sincere and clear, reflecting pure concern... Could it be—"You... you..." she asked softly, "who are you asking about?"
He opened his mouth to answer, but just then, someone from the kitchen roared like thunder, "Xiao Fu! Where the hell is that damned Xiao Fu? Get in here and peel the radishes! Someone call him in to work—where the hell did he go?" He ruffled his hair again and gave an awkward smile. "A Shui, I'll come to your place tonight to talk. Sorry, I have to go now." With that, he hurried back to the kitchen, moving so fast he nearly slammed into the doorframe.
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