(One)
Torrential rain poured down, mingled with flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder, as if wantonly trampling all creation, treating it as meat on a chopping block.
Bean-sized raindrops, driven by the fierce wind and storm, pierced through the window like sharp swords, pounding the roof of this mountain inn as densely as popping beans.
Several large candles, thick as a child’s arm, stood in the corners of the room, yet they flickered and trembled under the chilling, murderous aura brought by the storm.
In the wavering firelight, the sweat on Ge Yun Fei’s square face appeared alternately bright and dark, and it also reflected the gleaming blades of the three black-clad men before him.
Ge Yun Fei’s hands were white from gripping his pair of short halberds tightly. “Friends, why do you hide your true faces? What grudge do you hold against our Prosperous Cloud Manor?”
“Leave your belongings, and we’ll spare your life.” The icy words seemed to drown out even the roar of the storm.
“This belongs to our Prosperous Cloud Manor and has nothing to do with you. Why are you so determined to take it? Aren’t you afraid of damaging the harmony in the martial world?”
“Leave your belongings, and we’ll spare your life.” The same cold, menacing words repeated.
“Who are you people? How dare you forcibly seize something from Prosperous Cloud Manor? This is beyond insulting!” The burly Zhao Da Hai beside Ge Yun Fei could no longer restrain himself. Shaking his broadsword, he shouted fiercely.
A sudden clap of thunder rumbled across the sky, shaking dust and debris from the inn’s walls, which fell with a rustle. As if synchronized with the thunder, a blade flashed, and amidst the swirling dust, a spray of blood flew. Zhao Da Hai’s head was sent flying several yards away, startling the people hiding in the corners into a collective gasp of horror.
Zhao Da Hai’s head rolled to the corner of the room, coming to a stop beside a pair of delicate deerskin boots.
Beside these boots, a large, square dog’s head suddenly appeared, its black nose sniffing at the bloody head.
A sharp voice suddenly rang out, “San’er! How dare you sniff that filthy thing? I’ll beat you to death!”
The owner of the deerskin boots lifted a foot and nudged the dog.
The people in the inn, who had been terrified into silence by the swift blades of the three black-clad men, were jolted by this clear voice. Everyone turned to look at the speaker.
Black hair was tied into a topknot, wrapped with a silk crown. A round face featured a pair of large, bright black eyes. Thin lips clearly belonged to someone naturally sharp-tongued, and when they opened, white Rabbit Teeth were revealed. The youth wore a short yellow jacket, its lapel adorned with a large pearl. He sat leisurely at a long table near the corner of the room, one leg crossed over the other.
The large dog, with its glossy yellow fur, stood guard beside the youth.
Noticing the gazes of everyone in the room, the youth rolled his eyes. “What’s there to stare at? Isn’t a fight and killing more entertaining than watching me?!”
Ge Yun Fei’s sweat finally dripped down.
Zhao Da Hai’s corpse lay beside him, blood still flowing steadily from the neck.
A chill crept up Ge Yun Fei’s spine. He didn’t know what his chances of victory were.
“Leave your belongings, and we’ll spare your life.” The three blades pressed forward another step.
Ge Yun Fei involuntarily retreated a step. His subordinates followed suit.
The youth in the yellow jacket scrutinized the group. He noticed that Ge Yun Fei’s hands still tightly gripped his short halberds, but on his back was a blue cloth bundle with a floral pattern.
Whatever it was the other side wanted, it must be inside that bundle.His dozen or so subordinates, each wielding weapons, advanced and retreated with practiced coordination—clearly seasoned in battle. Yet amidst this forest of blades, there was actually a child.
The child appeared to be twelve or thirteen years old, thin and frail, dressed in a blue cloth garment. His face was covered in freckles, and he was hiding behind the group. His complexion was unusually pale, appearing almost corpse-like in the flickering firelight, making the freckles on his face even more conspicuous.
The youth in yellow noticed that the child’s bone structure was entirely ordinary, bearing no resemblance to a martial artist. He couldn’t understand why the child was mixed in with this group from Prosperous Cloud Manor. Though the child’s face was plain and unremarkable, his indifferent expression in such a perilous situation made the youth take a few extra glances.
Blades flashed once more.
Under the lightning, the edges of the blades emitted a brilliant blue glow—the distinctive blue of the Tang Sect from Sichuan.
Ge Yun Fei’s face had already changed color.
“So... so... it’s... I don’t... don’t know... what it is... you all... want?” His throat had tightened, and he didn’t even notice his own stuttering.
Another flash of lightning, followed by a rolling clap of thunder.
Amid the flickering firelight, three blue blade lights attacked Ge Yun Fei and his group.
There was no response.
Where words ended, blades began.
A series of sharp clangs, fiercer than the storm raging outside the inn, erupted. In an instant, the three blue blade lights shattered Prosperous Cloud Manor’s defensive formation of swords and blades. Severed limbs and broken sword hilts flew in all directions, accompanied by agonized screams and the overwhelming stench of blood.
The metallic scent of blood instantly filled every corner of the inn. Some of the cowering guests had already begun to vomit.
The frail boy, having stumbled and fallen beneath the window, was now splattered with bloodstains. The youth in yellow, who had initially been watching with detached amusement, frowned at the Tang Sect’s ruthless slaughter.
Finally, Ge Yun Fei realized he was the only one left standing.
The three brilliant blue blades still sealed his upper, middle, and lower paths, as if they had never moved.
Ge Yun Fei’s eyes were bloodshot. His killing intent surged, and his hands trembled violently!
With a sudden roar, Ge Yun Fei released his twin halberds, sending them spinning in a furious sweep!
This was his signature, life-or-death technique, the one that had made him famous in the martial world. Once the twin halberds left his hands, if they failed to defeat the enemy, his own death was certain. The sheer force of his attack was so overwhelming that even the Tang Sect assassins dared not confront it head-on. The three blades rose together, their edges emitting a piercing shriek under the vibration of internal energy.
A deafening crash echoed as all three blades shattered simultaneously!
Blocked by the combined internal energy of the three assassins, the twin halberds’ momentum barely diminished as they flew backward. The left halberd shot toward the youth in yellow, while the other hurtled toward the cowering guests with terrifying speed.
The youth in yellow swiftly retreated, his long sleeve swirling as he intercepted the halberd. With a deft twist, his hands seized the halberd’s handle. Tch— The force of the halberd tore through one of his sleeves!
He only managed to stop one halberd. Helplessly, he watched as the other halberd shot toward the huddled crowd, unstoppable. Knowing it was too late to intervene and that lives would surely be lost, he couldn’t suppress a cry of alarm!
At this critical moment, a hand suddenly emerged from the crowd.
It seemed to gesture faintly.In the flickering candlelight, an infinite warmth seemed to surge from that single move. Yet it vanished as quickly as it appeared, instantly dissipating into the cold of the storm and thunder.
The halberd was already in hand!
The yellow-robed youth’s mouth hung wide open, his two rabbit teeth gleaming even brighter in the wavering candlelight. Who was hiding among the crowd with such skill? And since they possessed such ability, why had they stood by and watched as the Tang Sect assassins slaughtered the people of Prosperous Cloud Manor without intervening?
In the darkness, only a glimpse of a black sleeve covering that hand could be seen, suggesting the person wore black clothing. A wide bamboo hat concealed most of their face, revealing only their lips and chin. In the dark of night, it was even more indistinct.
Just as he was about to step forward for a clearer look, another dull thud echoed.
Three broken blades had already pierced Ge Yun Fei’s chest.
(2)
The Tang Sect assassins still stood like nails, but Ge Yun Fei had already fallen!
A pair of black boots slowly moved to his side. A hand clad in black leather gloves unhurriedly untied the blue cloth bundle with scattered floral patterns.
Blue blood, along with profound despair, flowed from Ge Yun Fei’s eyes.
From beginning to end, the three Tang Sect assassins had only spoken one sentence.
"Leave your belongings, and we’ll spare your life."
Ge Yun Fei did not leave his belongings, and naturally, he could not keep his life.
He likely never knew, even in death, that he had faced assassins from the Tang Sect’s "Wuning Hall." The assassins of Wuning Hall were not only renowned for their expertise in poison but were also a source of pride for the Tang Sect and a cause for caution in the martial world.
Perhaps, to his last breath, he never realized just how precious the treasure hidden in that bundle was.
The three Tang Sect members turned around, their six icy gazes sweeping over the yellow-robed youth.
Earlier, while fending off Ge Yun Fei’s desperate technique of throwing his twin halberds, they had only caught a glimpse of the youth’s extraordinary skill in catching the flying weapon.
The yellow-robed youth chuckled lightly, crossing his legs as if completely at ease, making it difficult to guess his origins. His large yellow dog, however, bared its teeth and let out a low growl.
As the standoff remained unresolved, several more flashes of lightning lit up the inn as bright as day.
With a sharp crack, an old locust tree outside was split in two, its broken branches catching fire briefly before being extinguished by the torrential rain.
Before anyone could recover from the shock, they turned back to find that the three Tang Sect members, who had been standing like nails in the inn’s main hall, had vanished!
The gruesome scene of corpses strewn everywhere and the nauseating stench of blood made the inn feel as though it might collapse at any moment. After a long while, the plump old innkeeper mustered his courage and cautiously peered around. The other guests, trembling, slowly followed suit.
The yellow-robed youth frowned, lost in thought. Distractedly, he overheard the hushed whispers of the crowd.
—"So many people dead!"
—"Innkeeper, shouldn’t you report this to the authorities immediately?"
—"Yes, yes! With so many dead, hurry and inform the officials!"
—"No need to report it? The prince’s personal troops have been inspecting for wanted criminals every day lately. They’ll probably show up without waiting for the officials."
—"Who do you think that young man in the yellow robe is?"
—"Hey, hey! That kid who came with the Prosperous Cloud Manor group isn’t dead!"
—"He doesn’t seem injured either, just frightened."Suddenly, the crowd scattered outward as if seeing ghosts, retreating behind the yellow-robed youth.
The yellow-robed youth was startled by the commotion. He looked up and saw Ge Yun Fei.
Ge Yun Fei was covered in blood. The blood flowing from him was tinged with a faint blue. He wasn't dead yet! He was crawling!
Using both hands and feet, he crawled on the ground, heading toward the freckle-faced boy!
His face was contorted, and drool spilled from his mouth, which was missing several front teeth.
The frail boy seemed paralyzed by his twisted, ugly face, sitting slumped beneath the window, motionless, letting the storm-driven rain pour in through the window and soak him thoroughly.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Ge Yun Fei lunged forward and grabbed the boy's arm!
The boy let out a cry, his voice hoarse as a howl.
Ge Yun Fei had no strength left, but in this life-or-death moment, there was no time to think. He raised his dagger and stabbed at the boy!
The boy screamed "Ee-ah!" as blood gushed from his arm like a spring. Ge Yun Fei gripped his arm and pulled him close, dragging the boy to the ground.
The yellow-robed youth couldn't help but gasp in surprise. He hadn't expected Ge Yun Fei to still be alive, nor that he would be so ruthless as to attack this frail child. Ge Yun Fei's first strike had caught him off guard, making it too late to intervene, but he could still prevent the second blow.
In that split second, the yellow robe fluttered, and by the lightning's glow, he swiftly closed in on the two. Just as he raised his palm to rescue the boy, he saw Ge Yun Fei's eyes wide open and unmoving—he had already breathed his last.
The yellow-robed youth shook his head gently and murmured, "The Tang Sect's poisoned blades—are they truly this lethal?"
He turned and crouched beside the boy, asking softly, "Little brother, what's your name?" As he spoke, he lightly pressed acupoints on the boy's arm to stop the bleeding, then took out a handkerchief to bandage the wound. His dog, named San'er, came wagging its tail, sniffing around the child.
The child only made "ee-ah" sounds but couldn't form words. It turned out he was mute.
Seeing the child interact affectionately with San'er, even seeming to forget the pain in his arm, the yellow-robed youth smiled and asked, "Do you like him?"
He seemed to have a natural ability to put anyone at ease. His cheerful demeanor effortlessly dissolved all strangeness.
The child shyly nodded.
The yellow-robed youth said, "Ah, so you can't speak, but you can understand me. You're mute but not deaf."
The child nodded again.
The yellow-robed youth grinned and pointed at the yellow dog. "Do you want to know his name? He's called 'Three Wolves'—if he doesn't like someone, he bites worse than three wolves combined." As he spoke, he rolled up the child's sleeve to dress the wound.
Another flash of lightning streaked across the sky, instantly illuminating the world as bright as day. In that momentary brilliance, the yellow-robed youth gasped in shock.
The boy's arm was covered in scars, old and new. Crisscrossing lines, dense and varied in depth, showed he had been stabbed countless times.The youth in the yellow tunic furrowed his brows again as he finished bandaging the wounds, then asked thoughtfully, "Who inflicted so many wounds on you? Who exactly are you?"
(3)
Upon hearing the youth's question, the boy suddenly shrank back as if shuddering, instinctively pulling his hand away and adopting a guarded expression.
The youth smiled, revealing his gleaming rabbit-like teeth, and said cheerfully, "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. Poor child, so young—who put you through such suffering? Tell me, and I'll help you get justice."
The boy turned his face away, shook his head, and resumed an indifferent demeanor. The three wolves circled him, sniffing and occasionally whining, seemingly more interested in him than in their master.
Unfazed, the youth grinned, his rabbit teeth shining, and asked, "Then where are you headed? Should I take you back to Prosperous Cloud Manor?"
At these words, the boy's face paled dramatically, as if he had heard the most terrifying thing. He instinctively grabbed the youth's sleeve, shaking it desperately while babbling incoherently and shaking his head vigorously.
Now that they were close, the youth in yellow caught a faint whiff of herbal medicine from the boy. However, the boy was thinly dressed and didn't seem to be carrying anything unusual. Before he could ponder further, he asked in surprise, "Aren't you with the people from Prosperous Cloud Manor? Don't you want to go back? So many of your companions died—shouldn't you inform your manor lord?"
The boy continued shaking his head desperately, his eyes pleading.
The youth's large, dark eyes rolled thoughtfully before lighting up with sudden understanding. "Ah! Did you cause some major trouble there? Is that why you're so afraid?"
The boy hesitated, first shaking his head, then nodding.
The youth immediately frowned. "What should we do then? Little brother, do you have any other family?"
Seeing the boy shake his head, the youth stood up and mused, "This place is too dangerous—sooner or later, you'll lose your life here. Considering everything, Xiangyang City is the closest. How about having this old innkeeper take you to the city and have the authorities send you home?"
No sooner had he spoken than the plump old innkeeper began trembling all over.
He cautiously approached the youth, forcing a smile, and said, "Young master, aren't you making things difficult for this old man? With so many people from Prosperous Cloud Manor dead here tonight, not only would the officials refuse to let this boy leave, but even Lord Jiao from Prosperous Cloud Manor wouldn't let this matter rest without questioning. How could I dare take him to Xiangyang? I can't afford to offend either side!"
As he finished speaking, another thunderclap boomed, causing the candlelight to flicker and dim before flaring up again.
When the hall brightened once more, the plump old innkeeper blinked hard, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him.
Three black shadows had appeared on the wall.
The three members of the Tang Sect had returned!
The skinny boy immediately hid behind the youth in yellow. The onlookers among the guests instinctively retreated several steps. The three wolves growled low, straightening up as they glared fiercely.
The inn's hall fell so silent that only the sound of wind and rain outside could be heard.Six icy gazes slowly swept across the hall. Realizing everything remained exactly as they had left it, they immediately split into three directions and began meticulously searching the corpses on the ground as if no one else was present.
The boy in the yellow robe found this utterly baffling. His pitch-black eyes widened as he observed everything from head to toe.
Could it be that the treasure wasn’t in the bundle? Otherwise, why would these three return after leaving?
What kind of rare and precious item could catch the eye of the Tang Sect in Shu?
And if it was something worthy of the Tang Sect’s attention, how did it end up in the hands of Prosperous Cloud Manor?
The corpses on the ground were quickly searched!
Even on their three cold faces, disappointment was unmistakable.
They had returned without much delay, already suspecting that if the treasure wasn’t in the bundle, it must still be on the people from Prosperous Cloud Manor.
Yet, despite searching every corpse, they found nothing.
A thought flashed simultaneously in the minds of the three: the item had likely been taken by someone in the inn.
As this thought crossed their minds, six pairs of eyes abruptly converged on the boy in the yellow robe and the child beside him.
As if by prior agreement, the three took a step forward.
The one at the front slowly extended a hand.
It was a hand twice the size of an ordinary person’s, deathly pale, as if no longer made of flesh and blood.
The palm had taken on a faint blue hue, shimmering in the flickering candlelight.
At this moment, the boy actually managed to laugh.
"San’er, San’er, look, they’ve truly suspected us."
Before his laughter faded, the hand suddenly grew even larger.
It turned out the man’s bones had abruptly elongated, and his hand shot out with lightning speed, aiming to seize the child beside him!
In that split second, the yellow robe fluttered upward. The man suddenly realized the distance between his hand and the child had instantly widened! The boy in the yellow robe gracefully pivoted halfway, carrying the child several steps away, perfectly evading the strike that seemed to dim even the storm outside.
His movement was utterly ordinary, without a hint of cunning or mystery, yet it was incredibly soft and fluid. It was hard to fathom how such a gentle, unhurried motion could have dodged that lightning-fast attack.
The three wolves let out furious barks, ready to pounce.
"San’er, stay!" The boy in the yellow robe sharply called his dogs to a halt, then slowly turned around, his round face still wearing an unruffled expression.
"What a fine display of the Cattail Palm technique! But using it against a child who knows no martial arts—doesn’t that tarnish the Tang family’s reputation?"
The three cold faces darkened in unison, and a name simultaneously crossed their minds.
Could it be him?
Under their icy glares, a question finally burst from their lips: "Who are you?"
"You may not know me, but I know you. I’ve seen your portraits on the Dragon Tiger Ranking in Wuning Hall. And you should know what kind of person gets to see your Tang Sect’s Dragon Tiger Ranking. How dare you kill in front of me?"
At the mention of "Dragon Tiger Ranking," the Tang Sect assassins’ expressions shifted.
"What belongs to the Tang Sect must be reclaimed. Since you are a friend, not a foe, how can you not know that those who overreach themselves will meet their doom?!"
"Who cares for your Tang Sect’s belongings? Besides, what does this ‘Tang Sect item’ look like? What marks does it bear? Why not describe it?—Do you mean to say this child took your ‘Tang Sect item’?" The boy’s thin lips had not grown in vain; his tongue was as sharp as his wits.
The three were left speechless.The boy was thin and frail, his clothes thin and tattered, with no apparent place to conceal anything.
"The item is not elsewhere—it is on your person. If you take it away, the entire Tang Sect will ensure you never know peace. It would be best for you to hand it over."
Baring his rabbit-like front teeth, the yellow-shirted youth looked up at the roof and said in a sharp voice, "Nine times out of ten, anything the Tang Sect takes a fancy to is something deadly enough to kill without compensation. So just because the Tang Sect wants something doesn't mean I have to want it too. But if you insist it's me, pinning it on me would make it easier to explain to the Tang Sect, right? You'd rather offend Tang Tianhao than let me go, isn't that so?"
He still wore a smiling expression, but a murderous glint had appeared in the corners of his eyes. Staring at the three men, he asked word by word, "So now I'm genuinely curious—what exactly is this thing?"
He grinned again, his two irresistibly charming rabbit teeth flashing between his thin lips.
"I'm dying to know."
The Tang Sect assassins suddenly realized they had made a mistake.
They had said too much.
The youth across from them seemed to know far too much about the Tang Sect's secrets.
Just then, a sinister voice suddenly spoke. Though not loud, everyone in the inn felt as if the words were whispered right beside their ears.
"You really want to know?—But those who know must die!"
Two more figures had appeared in the inn's main hall without anyone noticing. Two men drenched from the heavy rain.
(4)
Both were middle-aged men around forty, one tall and one short, with sharp eyes and slightly bulging temples.
The tall one seemed perpetually hunched over, while the short one stood chest-out proudly.
Though their robes were soaked through, they were clearly expensive—made of costly silk from Bianliang's "Baishengxiang" tailor shop. The hilts of their long swords were inlaid with pearls.
Their demeanor was that of wealthy landowners possessing vast estates, yet their faces looked as if someone in their family had just died.
The plump innkeeper was trembling like a leaf, his teeth chattering, his fleshy face scrunched into a ball as he nodded frantically.
"L-Lord Jiao, Lord Mu."
In the martial world, the saying "Golden Overlord, Silver Xingyun, Jade Exquisite" referred to the influential Hangzhou's Overlord Villa, Dongting's Xingyun Villa, and Jiangzhou's Exquisite Mountain Villa.
The newcomers were, of course, Jiao Chao Gui, master of Dongting's Xingyun Villa, and his second-in-command, Mu Xiu Quan.
—Jiao Chao Gui and Mu Xiu Quan had actually come without any attendants, condescending to visit in person.
"Who killed Ge Yun Fei?" the tall man asked slowly, word by word. His voice was so sinister it sent chills down one's spine. His sharp gaze swept over everyone before finally settling on the three Tang Sect members and the yellow-shirted youth. The plump innkeeper was already too terrified to speak.
The short man had kept his eyes narrowed since entering, as if he hadn't even noticed the people before him.
The yellow-shirted youth seemed even more amused, smiling as he asked, "Might you be Mu Xiu Quan, second master of Xingyun Villa? Why must those who know about this thing die?"
The tall man replied, "I am indeed Mu Xiu Quan. And who might you be, to show such interest in our Xingyun Villa's property? Did you kill our third master, Ge Yun Fei?"The youth in yellow curled his lips, then pursed them, extending a slender, pale finger to point as he couldn't resist a gloating laugh: "How could I have such ability? The death of your Third Chief and the whereabouts of that blue-flowered bundle—they know best."
As soon as he finished speaking, three dark shadows lunged swiftly toward Mu Xiu Quan.
Since a confrontation with Prosperous Cloud Manor was inevitable, striking first was only natural.
Every assassin from the Tang Sect's Wuning Hall was trained to possess sharp judgment.
Jiao Chao Gui's perpetually narrowed eyes suddenly flew open.
He seemed transformed—steady as a deep abyss, imposing as a mountain, a fierce killing intent instantly enveloping his entire being.
Amid the flickering shadows, the gleam of sword energy already filled the room. In just a few exchanges, the clash of sword and palm produced metallic sounds.
The figures abruptly separated again.
Jiao Chao Gui's short stature remained upright and unmoving, as if he had never moved. Yet, his complexion had changed.
—"Are you from the Tang Sect's Wuning Hall in Shu?"
No answer.
Only the thickening aura of killing intent.
Several figures lunged forward once more. A sky full of palm shadows and a sky full of sword shadows intertwined again.
In the midst of the fierce battle, between the dark blue palm shadows and white sword gleams, a swift and agile yellow figure suddenly leaped up! The yellow dog that had been staying by the frail boy, for some reason unable to restrain itself, let out a low growl and pounced, snapping at the Tang Sect assassins.
The youth in yellow had been intently watching the fierce fight, but catching sight of the yellow blur, he couldn't help but cry out in alarm: "San'er, come back! Don't bite!"
But it was too late. The agile yellow dog twisted mid-air and sank its teeth into a black-clad assassin's arm.
The assassin's arm involuntarily dropped.
The killing formation, once seamless with palm shadows, now revealed a flaw.
A fleeting opportunity.
With a "clang," sword and palm met again!
The three Tang Sect members swiftly retreated. The last one staggered, clearly severely injured.
Mu Xiu Quan and Jiao Chao Gui also retreated rapidly. Clasping hands, their faces darkened ominously. With a sudden roar, they struck the long table beside them. The table splintered like withered leaves, and a faint blue smoke rose from the scattered fragments before being swept away by the wind.
They naturally knew the formidable, insidious nature of the Tang Sect's poisons and martial arts. During the fight, they had not only held their breath but also carefully avoided any physical contact with the trio. With so many precautions, they couldn't gain the upper hand. Yet, even when sword and palm clashed, they were still too close; the sinister energy of the Pútuán Palm had seeped through the sword. Had they not immediately combined their strength to expel the poison, they would have ended up just like San'er now. Even so, exchanging a glance, they felt a chill of fear and broke out in cold sweat.
—Meanwhile, San'er let out a groan and collapsed to the ground. Its limbs twitched once, then fell still. In an instant, the poison devoured its yellow fur, leaving it completely bare! The thin boy sat dumbfounded beside the dog, speechless, his narrow eyes brimming with tears.
The yellow figure trembled, and a scream erupted, as if from the depths of hell.
"You—dare—kill—my—San'er—"The originally smiling, round face had contorted. The thin lips trembled slightly. In the large, dark eyes, tears now welled up, swirling and nearly spilling over.
"You indiscriminately killed people of Prosperous Cloud Manor—you deserved to be taught a lesson! And now you dare kill my San'er!"
Reaching into his robe, with a sharp "clang," the sword was in his hand.
The veins on the back of his sword-holding hand bulged faintly. His sword hand slowly rose. Everyone caught sight of this blade.
The sword was two feet long, entirely ink-black.
The hilt was crimson, like blood from a lover's tear.
People only vaguely saw a flash of black sword light as the yellow-clad figure advanced and retreated swiftly. Suddenly, the sword had pierced the palm of the foremost person.
The Tang Sect assassin's palm had just lifted to block his own throat. Had he been a moment slower or misjudged the sword's trajectory, the short sword would have surely pierced his throat.
That man's palm was twice the size of an ordinary person's. When clashing with Jiao Chao Gui and Mu Xiu Quan, it emitted metallic sounds upon impact, as if not made of flesh and blood. Yet, when pierced by the youth's short sword, there was not a single sound. The sword's thrust and withdrawal produced no whisper of sword wind, and not a drop of blood stained the blade.
The Tang Sect assassin remained standing rigidly, still staring in disbelief at his own palm.
Only he knew that from this moment on, this once-proud hand would never again unleash the Tang family's Cattail Hassock Palm.
—Having encountered this sword, his hand, ranked third on the Dragon Tiger Ranking, was permanently crippled. His life as an assassin had come to an end.
He seemed to hear that familiar yet chilling sigh. He seemed to see that hand wearing a green jade thumb ring slowly remove a portrait from the Dragon Tiger Ranking.
—His portrait.
The youth in yellow seemed stunned as well. He had actually drawn this sword. He had actually injured someone with it!
—What kind of sword was this?
The sole uninjured Tang Sect assassin seized this moment of his distraction. With a flick of the hand, iron caltrops scattered across the sky like a downpour.
In the blink of an eye, the youth leaped upward, his yellow sleeves fluttering. With a single move of the short sword and its swift retraction, a series of dense, rain-like "ding-ding-ding-ding" sounds echoed as the iron caltrops clattered to the ground.
When he looked up again, the three Tang Sect members had vanished without a trace. Only the wind and rain outside remained undiminished, howling like demons from hell, eager to burst into the hall.
A "sizzle" sounded as faint blue flames flickered on his yellow robe.
The short sword flipped and sliced, severing half a sleeve that fell to the ground. The blue flames, touched by the ink-black tip of the sword, extinguished without even a wisp of smoke.
—What kind of sword was this?
Focusing intently, he examined the fallen half-sleeve, which had been torn earlier by the wind of Ge Yun Fei's ultimate technique, "Thrown Halberd." A single iron caltrop had stealthily slipped through his previous sword stance and lodged itself in the torn edge of his sleeve.
His two sword strikes finally made Jiao Chao Gui, standing nearby, understand.
It wasn't his swordsmanship, nor even his internal energy—it was his movement technique and his short sword!
—What was astonishing wasn't his swordplay, but his seemingly impossibly soft and light footwork.
—The reason he could strike the Tang Sect assassin wasn't due to the speed of his sword, but the extreme swiftness of his movements.The reason he could draw and sheathe his sword without making the slightest whisper of blade wind was that when qinggong was pushed to its limits, even the slowest sword could still kill!
Jiao Chao Gui and Mu Xiu Quan exchanged a glance before finally asking in a deep voice, "What is your relationship with Exquisite Mountain Villa?"
The youth in the yellow robe seemed dazed, as if he hadn't heard the question.
With the formidable enemy gone, his eyes were filled with sorrow, his thoughts completely consumed by his beloved dog lying dead on the ground. Slowly, he turned and walked toward the corpse of his cherished companion.
He gazed at his dog but failed to notice Mu Xiu Quan's movement.
—Mu Xiu Quan, who had been standing motionless all this time, suddenly lunged forward, thrusting his sword toward the youth's back!
Prosperous Cloud Manor ranked fourth among the martial world's great clans, and Mu Xiu Quan was its second master. His sword was far from slow, and the youth never expected him to launch a sneak attack—after all, he had just helped Prosperous Cloud Manor resolve the crisis. Shouldn't everyone in the manor be grateful to him? Not only was Mu Xiu Quan a top-tier martial artist, but he was also renowned for his cunning strategies. Why would he want to kill him?
Mu Xiu Quan's sword was still coated with the Tang Sect's poisonous aura, and it seemed this thrust would surely pierce through the youth's back!
Yet, at that very moment, a swift gust of wind seemed to sweep past everyone in the inn, causing the candle flames to flicker violently and dim!
Mu Xiu Quan suddenly let out a furious roar, his sword seemingly shaken from his grip and sent flying straight into a roof beam.
The tassel on the sword hilt trembled incessantly, a section of it cleanly severed as if by some sharp blade, fluttering down in scattered pieces onto Mu Xiu Quan's face and shoulders.
A large spark burst with a "pop," and everyone finally saw Mu Xiu Quan's face.
His eyes bulged as if staring at something, nearly popping out of their sockets. His mouth hung open, but no words came out.
A short halberd, flown from who knows where, was embedded in his throat.
—Ge Yun Fei's lost right halberd, the one that had been caught so effortlessly before disappearing!
Blood trickled slowly from the halberd's tip.
The wolf head carved into the iron halberd remained as ferocious as ever.
As Mu Xiu Quan's body thudded to the ground, the last strands of his sword's tassel drifted down, brushing against his face.
Among the onlookers hiding nearby, someone vomited again!
Jiao Chao Gui's face was as pale as a corpse's!
Just moments ago, he had been domineering and arrogant, but now he looked like a ghost freshly risen from the grave.
—He was all too familiar with this short halberd.
—The very halberd of the deceased third master of Prosperous Cloud Manor, Ge Yun Fei, had mysteriously appeared to kill the second master, Mu Xiu Quan.
The hand holding his sword trembled, and soon his entire body shook uncontrollably.
With a loud "bang," a fierce gale blew the inn's door wide open, and torrential rain, with drops as large as beans, lashed against everyone.
Jiao Chao Gui let out a sharp cry, leaped up, and shot out the door like an arrow, vanishing from sight in an instant.
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