Zhan Zhao Adventures

(One)

The boy's freckled face showed no expression, revealing a gravity that didn't match his apparent age.

It was unclear whether he had heard what Zhan Ri Fei said.

Yet, after all, he was too young. His face couldn't conceal the look in his eyes, and his eyes couldn't hide what was in his heart.

His eyes were filled with wariness—perhaps his heart was equally guarded?

Only then did Zhan Ri Fei notice his eyes. Though narrow and small, they appeared rather striking on his thin face. When Zhan Ri Fei looked into the boy's eyes, he felt exactly what Huo Xiao Di had felt back then—contradiction.

At this moment, those eyes were full of vigilance, yet there was also a faint trace of indifference.

But Zhan Ri Fei, after all, wasn't Huo Xiao Di. Seeing the boy's eyes, a thought crossed his mind, and he ultimately held back the words he had intended to say next.

Zhan Ri Fei's gaze remained calm, yet the boy shuddered. Under Zhan Ri Fei's penetrating stare, he felt as if he had been stripped bare, seen straight through to the depths of his soul. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't escape those all-knowing dark eyes.

So he turned his head, seemingly intrigued, and stared into the darkness veiled by the drizzling rain.

Could it be that his heart already held too many secrets?

Since he had escaped the clutches of Cold Water Palace, and Zhan Ri Fei now lacked even the strength to stand, why hadn't he left? Who was he waiting for?

Zhan Ri Fei lightly pressed several acupoints on his body to stop the bleeding on his back. While circulating his inner energy, he pondered what to do with the boy.

For some reason, the spot on his back where he had been struck felt as if something were embedded there. His inner energy would surge and then retreat, unable to flow smoothly. The foremost divine artifact of Cold Water Palace, passed down for centuries, indeed held unfathomable mysteries unknown to others. With his inner energy obstructed, if they encountered a powerful enemy again, he wondered how much certainty he had of protecting the child.

Inexplicably, he suddenly wished for Huo Xiao Di to arrive quickly.

Huo Xiao Di always seemed to have a way of handling such matters.

Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives.

Only this time, before the man himself appeared, his clear, bright voice rang out first.

"I never expected the Hua brothers to become so useless."

"Why is Xiangyang's Black Fox as slow as a black snail this time? Though if we changed it to 'Ever-Changing Black Snail,' Little Shao would probably be furious to death."

Softly and gently, the "Cao Cao" in a yellow robe was already standing before them.

Zhan Ri Fei looked up and, as expected, first saw Huo Xiao Di's two sparkling, bouncing rabbit teeth, followed by his eager, round face reminiscent of Cao Cao.

Huo Xiao Di looked immensely pleased with himself, his small mouth quirking as if he were a little fox that had just stolen eight chickens.

The moment he entered the woods, his eyes fell on the two figures—one sitting, one standing.

Two people he knew.

Then he saw Zhan Ri Fei's face, and his heart sank.Zhan Ri Fei's face had turned deathly pale in the twilight. Faint bloodstains still lingered on his face and clothes. The drizzling rain that had diluted these stains continued to soak through his black outer robe.

His hand still gripped his sword. The sword was sheathed.

The scabbard was old and worn, yet the moment Zhanlu entered it, its brilliance turned inward, its spirit withdrawn. No one could have imagined that within this ancient scabbard lay a divine weapon of unparalleled excellence.

Huo Xiao Di had never once noticed his sword during their time together.

The only thing that remained unchanged was his smile. Yet even this smile seemed weary upon seeing him.

Huo Xiao Di frowned.

Beneath that smile, he could sense the pain carefully concealed behind it. Perhaps it was because the pain was so intense that even his smile now appeared somewhat forced.

Huo Xiao Di's triumphant air vanished without a trace. He felt as if struck by lightning, momentarily breathless.

"How were you injured?"

What he failed to notice was a gaze from beside him—one that was both fervent and shy.

The boy looked at him, eyes filled with tenderness, an impulse to grasp his hand rising within.

Seeing him, he was reminded of Huo Xiao Di's concerned face under the bamboo umbrella in the courtyard of the Little Hammer Mountain Inn, and his warm hand. Back then, he had just been knocked to the ground by Captain Feng's horse—the same Captain Feng who now likely strutted proudly before the halls of the underworld.

The mute boy let out two soft "ah, ah" sounds, as if greeting him.

Only then did Huo Xiao Di notice his gaze. His own eyes softened as he looked at the boy.

"You didn't drink the medicine from Cold Water Palace after all?"

The boy shook his head.

Huo Xiao Di finally felt relieved. His gaze lingered on the boy for only a moment, just long enough to confirm he was unharmed, before his dark, brilliant eyes turned back to Zhan Ri Fei.

"Did the people from Cold Water Palace injure you? Was it that bewitching woman or that lifeless monster?"

Huo Xiao Di detested the Moon-Grasping Envoy most of all. Or, to be more precise, he detested women of her kind.

Zhan Ri Fei's expression remained calm. "I doubt it was anyone else. But even if they managed to injure me, they likely didn't fare well themselves."

Though his face was still alarmingly pale, and though his voice remained weak, a faint, spirited smile slowly surfaced at the corners of his lips. Against the boundless night, it seemed to shine.

He appeared severely injured, yet he could still smile as if nothing were wrong! A strange expression crossed Huo Xiao Di's face, and a layer of amusement glimmered in his eyes.

He asked a peculiar question—one whose answer even a blind man could see.

"Were your injuries not serious? If not, why are you still sitting on the ground instead of leaving?"

Zhan Ri Fei's reply was equally enigmatic: "Because if I can sit, I will never stand."

This was the fourth sentence he had spoken since the Sun-Grasping and Moon-Grasping Envoys of Cold Water Palace had departed.

His first and second sentences had been spoken to the boy. When he uttered the first, his chest felt as if weighed down by lead, so much so that he could not even cough. That single sentence had drained all his strength.When he spoke his second sentence, his words remained fragmented, his voice so hoarse it barely formed sounds.

Yet by the time he uttered this fourth sentence, his voice had astonishingly returned to normal.

—Was this man forged from iron?

Huo Xiao Di pursed his lips, thinking inwardly: "Clearly too weakened to rise, yet still stubbornly putting up a front! How differently he carries himself compared to him!"

His large eyes rolled again—this had become his signature gesture for "I'm thinking."

—Such fluid, expressive eyes seemed almost wasted on a man's face. Yet whenever they rolled like this, it always seemed to foreshadow someone's impending misfortune.

Zhan Ri Fei watched him with mild amusement, hoping this time the misfortune wouldn't befall him.

Huo Xiao Di's large eyes finally settled in their sockets, and he finally spoke. What Zhan Ri Fei never expected was that his first words would be: "Do you never accept help from others? Getting you to ask for assistance seems harder than scaling the heavens."

Without waiting for Zhan Ri Fei's response, he began theatrically counting on his fingers: "I merely helped you remove a few poultices from Xiangyang Royal Mansion, yet you not only dealt with the Cold Water Palace operatives for me but also rescued this child. Don't forget—our original agreement was to remain mutually unindebted."

Drawing out his words leisurely, he declared: "I, Huo Xiao Di, never allow myself to owe others favors."

Then he stood there beaming, waiting!

Zhan Ri Fei couldn't help sighing: "But don't you rather enjoy having others indebted to you?"

Huo Xiao Di's nose seemed to glimmer. He actually acknowledged this silently.

Zhan Ri Fei sighed again: "Your Exquisite Mountain Villa certainly has a unique accounting system for favors. It appears I have no choice but to incur another debt to you this time."

What he left unspoken was: "How remarkably similar you are to him?"

The rain continued its fine, dense permeation of the earth. The air brimmed with fresh yet damp loam fragrance.

Huo Xiao Di's yellow robe with its shortened sleeves fluttered gently beneath the flowing clouds' shadow.

He kept waiting!

In the night, he watched Zhan Ri Fei wordlessly.

His expression remained resolute.

He still waited!

From the distant valley suddenly came dull thunderclaps, as if pressed out from beneath the flowing clouds.

"Boom—boom—"

"Boom—boom—"

—No, those weren't thunderclaps, but drumbeats!

Each strike, each impact, wrenched the heart. The slow, heavy drumbeats echoed endlessly through the valley.

Though distant, the drumming remained distinct.

—Whose drums were these?

—Or were they the drums of pursuing forces?

The three figures by the forest edge all changed expressions.

Zhan Ri Fei glanced at the boy, hesitated briefly, then finally smiled and spoke the words Huo Xiao Di longed to hear.

"Might I trouble you for another favor?"

(2)

Night deepened.

Wind and rain gradually ceased.

Miles away, a small fire kindled inside a tiny temple.

The flames burned dim and small—the dilapidated shrine offered little combustible dry material.

Beyond the temple, night birds awakened by the evening rain occasionally cooed "hoo-hoo" from the woods.

The mysterious drumbeats from earlier had vanished.

Zhan Ri Fei gently covered the child with the now-dried outer garment, gazing upon his sleeping face.The flickering slender flame cast shifting light upon the child's gaunt face. Even in slumber, his expression remained guarded and fearful, as if tormented by nightmares.

This child was thin and small, physically disabled, and possessed no martial skills. Huo Xiao Di had saved him multiple times—why did he still harbor such wariness? Had his tender years already been filled with so much abuse that he could no longer trust anyone?

──What made him so extraordinary?

──Was bringing him along a blessing or a curse?

Huo Xiao Di also sighed. He realized he had been frowning and sighing more frequently lately.

"Before entering the martial world, it seemed vast and boundless. Only after stepping into it did I understand it was endless strife."

──Lately, he had encountered too much trouble and suffered too many grievances. First, he unintentionally became entangled in the conflict between Prosperous Cloud Manor and Tang Sect. Now, he was forced to share this temple with a mysterious man in black. Unable to return to Exquisite Mountain Villa, he had even lost San'er, who had accompanied him for years. And now, this child had also become entangled with him.

People say when fortune comes, it cannot be stopped. It seems when trouble arrives, even a door bolt cannot hold it back.

"This child is so pitiful! So young, yet wounded by countless blades for some unknown reason, and now hunted with nowhere to hide because of Tang Sect and Prosperous Cloud Manor's secrets—everyone wants him."

Gazing at the child, Huo Xiao Di first lamented his own grievances, then his eyes drifted into the distance as if recalling something.

Zhan Ri Fei said, "Don't you want to know his secret too?"

Huo Xiao Di glared, as if arguing with him: "Would anyone from Exquisite Mountain Villa care about his secret?"

Zhan Ri Fei laughed. "Though Brother Huo may not care, you must not forget—you are no longer part of Exquisite Mountain Villa. Moreover, if even Tang Sect desires this knowledge, how could Brother Huo not want to know?"

──Perhaps this is the nature of those in the martial world? Human curiosity must always be teased—sometimes, the more you prevent someone from knowing, the more they crave the knowledge. Yet once they learn it, they regret ever wanting to know.

──Huo Xiao Di hailed from Exquisite Mountain Villa, born a competitive young master from a prominent family who refused to admit defeat. How could he allow Prosperous Cloud Manor and Tang Sect to overshadow him? If they both knew something, how could he not seek to know it as well?

Huo Xiao Di couldn't help retorting, "I drew my blade to help him because I saw him wandering alone, isolated and helpless. Such a young child has already endured so much suffering—don't you think it truly reflects how 'fate treats each person differently, and destiny plays cruel tricks'?"

Seeing his youthful face suddenly take on a scholar's world-weary demeanor, Zhan Ri Fei felt an urge to laugh.

But Huo Xiao Di remained oblivious. His gaze fixed on the dilapidated roof, clearly lost in thought.

──Thoughts long buried deep in his heart.

He sighed and murmured, "Both are homeless children, but his fate is far harsher than Zhao Zhi'er's."

"Perhaps we should take him to the capital. If Zhao Zhi'er saw him, she might be very fond of him."

Zhan Ri Fei, who had been leaning against the fire, raised an eyebrow at these words: "Are you speaking of that Zhao Zhi'er from Young Prince Zhao's residence in the Eastern Capital?"

At the mention of him, Huo Xiao Di's face instantly brightened."How could it not be him! Little Zhao's character and temperament are known to everyone in the Eastern Capital. His attendants naturally share the same eccentric cleverness. I've heard he has a nickname called 'Feared Even by Gods'—don't you know, the famously notorious pair of monkeys in the Eastern Capital, even the Emperor has heard of them—one of them is him! The other I haven't seen, only heard he's called Ming Zhur, from the residence of that Imperial Guard Zhan, with the nickname 'Dreaded Even by Ghosts.' Speaking of which, these two are truly a perfect match, an unadulterated pair."

As if recalling something, Zhan Ri Fei couldn't help but smile.

"Have you met Imperial Guard Zhan?"

Huo Xiao Di shook his head. "I've only often heard Little Zhao mention him. Don't think Little Zhao doesn't say it out loud—I know he admires him deeply. Everyone in the martial world says that Zhan Zhao, the Southern Hero of his generation, is an outstanding figure among men. His swordsmanship is already the best in the world. One day, I must meet him and see if my 'Yin Yang An' can handle his 'Ju Que' sword."

Zhan Ri Fei smiled faintly. "Actually, when you think about it, he's nothing extraordinary. How can his swordsmanship be called the best in the world?"

Huo Xiao Di glared. "How can someone Little Zhao admires be called nothing extraordinary? When has Little Zhao ever misjudged anyone? If Imperial Guard Zhan were an ordinary person, how could Little Zhao be such close friends with him? Look, even their attendants share the same rotten tastes."

Zhan Ri Fei smiled wryly. "I never thought you'd be such a confidant of Young Prince Zhao—no wonder you're just like him, always enjoying having others owe you favors."

Huo Xiao Di's face actually flushed red again. This time, he surprisingly didn't argue.

Zhan Ri Fei smiled. "It seems the one you're going to the Eastern Capital to find is him. So that's it, so that's it."

His gaze also held a smile, as if he had seen through everything.

Huo Xiao Di's face was as red as a piece of red cloth, though in the dim firelight, others couldn't tell.

"I, I—what, what do you mean 'so that's it'?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "So the 'backing' you mentioned yesterday, Brother Huo, is the Southern Pure Palace. No wonder you don't even care about Ma Zhaoxian, who oversees the Four Treasuries, or the Xiangyang Royal Mansion."

—"But what I don't understand is, since you know Zhao Zhier from the Southern Pure Palace, how come you don't know Ming Zhur from Imperial Guard Zhan's residence? Those two are inseparable."

Huo Xiao Di's face finally returned to normal. He shook his head vigorously. "One Zhao Zhier is already giving me a headache—how could I handle another 'Dreaded Even by Ghosts'? I heard the most sensational thing they did was, behind their masters' backs, they tricked Old Miser Chen from the Southern City's Charity Hall into sending fifteen nanmu coffins to Grand Tutor Pang's mansion in a single day!"

At this point, a faint smile had unknowingly appeared at the corner of Huo Xiao Di's mouth.

Hugging his knees, even his eyes were filled with laughter.

"The first time I saw Zhao Zhier was because of this incident—Little Zhao had him tied up and beaten severely with a plank, crying as if the sky had fallen. Grand Tutor Pang came to demand an explanation, sitting to the side with a face as dark as iron. They say ever since that tactless servant of Old Miser Chen stopped his grand sedan chair to demand payment for the coffins, his expression hadn't been pleasant for the entire day."Slowly recounting this unforgettable past, another figure had already surfaced in his heart. Hesitating, those words ultimately remained unspoken—that day was also the first time he met Little Zhao.

"So I met Zhao Zhi'er that time, but didn't see Ming Zhu'er. However, I later heard from Little Zhao that Ming Zhu'er was also detained by Constable Zhan in the residence, not allowed to leave for over thirty days. I wonder if Grand Tutor Pang eventually gave Constable Zhan any trouble."

Zhan Ri Fei smiled faintly: "If he didn't first secure the main target—Young Prince Zhao—why would he go looking for trouble with Constable Zhan? I'm afraid in the end, Grand Tutor Pang was still fooled by that little rascal Zhao Zhi'er."

Huo Xiao Di asked: "What do you mean by that?"

Zhan Ri Fei explained: "That Zhao Zhi'er is known as 'Feared Even by Gods,' and was personally trained by Young Prince Zhao. This matter was most likely an act put on by the master and servant for Grand Tutor Pang's benefit. When you heard him wailing and crying, that was because he had rubbed chili powder under his eyelids beforehand, so the tears came on command."

Huo Xiao Di found this even more amusing, laughing and cursing: "That little monkey even fooled me. So Constable Zhan ended up owing Little Zhao a favor because of this?"

Zhan Ri Fei shook his head: "The favors Constable Zhan owes him are already far too many."

Huo Xiao Di couldn't help tilting his head to look at him, "It seems you and Little Zhao must be quite familiar, otherwise how would you know about Zhao Zhi'er's little trick?—Why have I never heard Little Zhao mention you?"

Zhan Ri Fei smiled wryly: "Only because I know Ming Zhu'er much better than Zhao Zhi'er. How could Zhao Zhi'er not know about tricks invented by Ming Zhu'er?"

Huo Xiao Di leaned forward curiously, like Magistrate Bao of Kaifeng presiding over a case. With a mix of schadenfreude and a glimmer of hope, he asked: "Then how did you come to know Ming Zhu'er?"

—"Did those two play tricks on you too?"

—"How could they possibly have tricked you?"

Zhan Ri Fei laughed: "Those two never played tricks on me, but they certainly caused plenty of trouble. The children of the Eastern Capital have even composed nursery rhymes about their various exploits. That business of tricking people into delivering coffins isn't even their most famous one."

A flicker of pride crossed Huo Xiao Di's face, as if hearing praise for these matters was enough to satisfy him. Faintly, he murmured: "Even the servants under him are already this remarkable." Then he looked at the sleeping boy and said to himself, "If I sent you to Southern Pure Palace, wouldn't you be bullied to death?"

It was unclear whether this "he" referred to Young Prince Zhao or the "Feared Even by Gods" Zhao Zhi'er.

A faint smile seemed to touch Zhan Ri Fei's lips, though he appeared not to notice Huo Xiao Di's concerns. Lost in thought, he changed the subject: "Brother Huo, what do you think—what exactly is this child's background?"

(3)

The night birds outside the dilapidated temple cooed a few times before falling silent again.

When the night birds called, a flicker of alertness had crossed Zhan Ri Fei's face, but it quickly relaxed.

The crackling campfire flickered, casting dancing shadows on Huo Xiao Di's thoughtful face.

The frail boy remained deep in dreamland, but Huo Xiao Di's thoughts had already turned to Zhan Ri Fei's question.

For the first time ever, he sat quietly for a long while before speaking.

Zhan Ri Fei suddenly noticed that when he wasn't speaking, his frowning expression strongly resembled that of Huo Feng, the young master of Exquisite Mountain Villa.Though Huo Xiao Di often frowned, it seemed harder than scaling the heavens for him to frown without speaking.

Huo Xiao Di finally admitted candidly, "What I originally wanted to know was indeed the secret that child possesses."

He couldn't help but glare at Zhan Ri Fei, wearing an expression that seemed to say "so you guessed it." Under that profound, seemingly all-seeing gaze, his tone had unconsciously shifted to self-justification.

──"First Prosperous Cloud Manor and Tang Sect, now adding Cold Water Palace—they all seem extremely interested in the secret this child knows. Can't I be curious too?"

──"Ge Yun Fei is dead, and all the people from Prosperous Cloud Manor who came with him have been completely wiped out by Tang Sect. Now, the whereabouts of what Prosperous Cloud Manor and Tang Sect are fighting over might truly only be known by this child."

He sighed softly and added, "But thinking about it now, everything seems to have become a tangled mess."

Zhan Ri Fei pondered and slowly said, "Actually, this matter was strange from the very beginning. I've thought it over and over, and it seems like there are two threads here, but they don't connect."

Huo Xiao Di asked, "Which two threads are you talking about?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "The first thread is the one involving Prosperous Cloud Manor and Tang Sect. Since this child is disabled and doesn't know martial arts, how did he end up with the people from Prosperous Cloud Manor in the first place? What I couldn't figure out along the way is that Prosperous Cloud Manor has always followed the principle of keeping what's useful and discarding what's not—why would they bring a child who doesn't know martial arts along everywhere? According to what Brother Huo said, this child knows the secret of that treasure, but how would the location of Prosperous Cloud Manor's treasure be revealed to this child?"

Hearing this, Huo Xiao Di also found it hard to dismiss the matter. He tilted his head and said, "When I first saw this child, I wanted to find someone to send him to Prosperous Cloud Manor. But when he heard it was Prosperous Cloud Manor, he was terrified. If this child is an enemy of Prosperous Cloud Manor, or the child of an enemy, that might explain it. ──The people from Prosperous Cloud Manor would either take him back to the manor or use him as a hostage. After spending time with these people along the way, he unintentionally discovered their secret!"

Zhan Ri Fei shook his head and said quietly, "If he were an enemy, then at the inn on Little Hammer Mountain, when Ge Yun Fei was dying, killing the child would have been easy. Why would he only stab the child's arm instead of delivering a fatal blow?"

Huo Xiao Di said, "Right, that's what I found strange too. Brother Zhan, the child's arms are covered with scars, both old and new cuts everywhere. Could it be that he originally had nothing to do with Prosperous Cloud Manor, isn't their enemy, but was abused by his own clan, so he ran away from home and happened to meet the people from Prosperous Cloud Manor on the road?"

As soon as he spoke these words, he remembered what Zhan Ri Fei had just said about Prosperous Cloud Manor and immediately realized his inference was full of holes.

Zhan Ri Fei shook his head again. His face, illuminated by the campfire, remained pale and now looked even more exhausted. As if feeling cold, he slowly moved closer to the fire.

"If it were his clan's doing and had nothing to do with Prosperous Cloud Manor, why would Ge Yun Fei stab him before dying?"

Huo Xiao Di's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "Most likely, his clan are the people from Prosperous Cloud Manor! Otherwise, if it weren't done by Prosperous Cloud Manor, why would he be unwilling to go back?"Zhan Ri Fei said, "Brother Huo, didn't you notice when Jiao Chao Gui entered the inn, he only glanced at this child briefly? Clearly, the two of them are not acquainted. Prosperous Cloud Manor is highly renowned in the Central Plains and has Ma Zhaoxian backing them in court. That Jiao Chao Gui is meticulous in all matters and skilled in calculations. The cuts on this child are both old and new, indicating he has endured such suffering since childhood. If he were from Prosperous Cloud Manor, how could Jiao Chao Gui not recognize him?"

His deep gaze drifted into the night as he murmured, "The Tang Sect's Wuning Hall actually dispatched three assassins, clearly determined to obtain that item. They obviously seized the bundle but then returned, which means the object wasn't inside. Earlier in the main hall, they thoroughly searched all the corpses but found nothing—could it be that the thing is truly hidden on this child?"

Huo Xiao Di frowned and said, "But this child is thinly dressed; there's nowhere to hide anything."

Zhan Ri Fei replied, "Exactly! The bundle on Ge Yun Fei was likely a decoy to divert attention. But if he intentionally wanted others to believe the treasure was in his bundle, he would have to make it convincing. His bundle wasn't small, so by that logic, the Tang Sect's Wuning Hall should also know that what they're looking for isn't too small either. Moreover, since this item has caught the Tang Sect's covetous eye, it must be extraordinary. Whether this child is an enemy of Prosperous Cloud Manor or a chance encounter, as the third-in-command, Ge Yun Fei, why would he place the treasure on him?—Unless—"

He suddenly fell into deep thought.

Huo Xiao Di asked, "Unless what?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "Unless I'm mistaken. There might be a third thread in this!"

Huo Xiao Di's head was already spinning from thinking. Upon hearing there was a third thread, he quickly waved his hand and said, "Wait! First, tell me, what is the second thread?"

Zhan Ri Fei pondered and said, "The second thread is related to Cold Water Palace."

Huo Xiao Di asked, "What clue is from Cold Water Palace?"

Zhan Ri Fei replied, "It's something the Moon-Grasping Envoy of Cold Water Palace said."

Huo Xiao Di curled his lip and said, "What did that bewitching woman say?"

Zhan Ri Fei explained, "What the Moon-Grasping Envoy said was about this child. She once stated, 'He is the lifeblood our matriarch thinks of day and night.' She also said, 'As for this medicine, he has been drinking it since he was a child.—If he didn't drink it, how could he have survived until now?'"

Huo Xiao Di lowered his head and began to ponder these strange words.

Zhan Ri Fei said calmly, "I saw with my own eyes that what they forced this child to drink was indeed a bowl of deadly poison. This child is so young; why would he willingly drink poison every day? If he has been drinking this poison since childhood, how could he have endured until now without dying?"

Huo Xiao Di frowned and blurted out, "I've heard of some unorthodox sects that practice poisonous palms or toxic techniques—perhaps it's for his training?"

Zhan Ri Fei responded, "If that were the case, he should at least have some martial skill, but look at his bones and meridians; he has never practiced martial arts."Zhan Ri Fei continued, "But one thing is quite clear—the poison this child was forced to drink since childhood, Cold Water Palace at least knows its formula. So either this child has deep ties to Cold Water Palace, perhaps even being one of its members, or Cold Water Palace knows him extremely well!"

"Perhaps Cold Water Palace also knows what his secret is, but cannot locate where the secret is hidden, to the extent that even someone like Grandma Han Shui thinks of it day and night, concocting this poison to threaten him into revealing the secret's location."

At this point, he shook his head as if he himself felt this reasoning wasn't very convincing.

—"What exactly is this child's relationship with Cold Water Palace?"

—"If the child truly is from Cold Water Palace, then no matter how overbearing Prosperous Cloud Manor's people are, they likely wouldn't dare offend Grandma Han Shui at Cold Water Palace over this child."

Huo Xiao Di chimed in, "Exactly. I've also heard that everyone in Cold Water Palace possesses extraordinary skills—even the servants who sweep floors and cook meals all have remarkable abilities. Looking at it this way, at the very least, this child shouldn't be from Cold Water Palace. Otherwise, why doesn't he know any martial arts? And why would Grandma Han Shui force him to drink this poison since childhood?"

Zhan Ri Fei seemed not to hear him, yet also seemed to understand what he said. He murmured, "Indeed, everyone in Cold Water Palace receives Grandma Han Shui's favor and is taught martial arts; naturally, Grandma Han Shui wouldn't use poison to coerce her own followers."

As he spoke, the muscles on his face twitched, as if his wounds were acting up, and he couldn't help but take a sharp breath. "However, sometimes things that seem unreasonable turn out to be the most powerful explanations."

His words suddenly stopped—because with a light "tap," a small porcelain bottle was thrown across the campfire and landed in his lap. Huo Xiao Di's deliberately casual voice also came across the fire.

—"Your wounds hurting again? Take another pill of Exquisite Honey then."

—"Why do you always tough it out when your wounds hurt? If it were Little Zhao, he'd be moaning and groaning, rolling around in bed, crying to high heaven. And I've never heard anyone say that makes him less of a hero and more of a coward."

Though his voice was stern, his gaze was warm, because the person across the fire also had warmth in his eyes. This warmth, perhaps because of that person they both knew, had begun to gently permeate the space around the campfire, between the two men sitting beside it.

Huo Xiao Di's eyes remained fixed on him as he took the pill, almost as if he were standing by with a whip to supervise.

Zhan Ri Fei couldn't help but laugh, "I never thought people from Exquisite Mountain Villa could be more meticulous than girls sometimes."

As soon as these words left his mouth, he wished he could take another kind of medicine: the medicine of regret.

—Because Huo Xiao Di immediately jumped up as if he'd been stepped on like a tiger. His two Rabbit Teeth were already bared, just like a tiger whose tail had been stepped on. His hands went to his hips. His posture was already set for an argument.

But at that moment, Zhan Ri Fei said something. Something that suddenly turned the tiger into a cat.

—"Why do you keep mentioning Little Zhao so much tonight?"Upon hearing these words, Huo Xiao Di glared fiercely at him, then actually sat back down in his original spot with a wronged expression. Though seated, he muttered under his breath, "If not for your injury and my need to hear your reasoning, I wouldn't endure your temper!"

(IV)

The pine torch emitted a greasy, choking smoke.

Beneath the torchlight, Yan Zi Qing's face appeared glossy as well.

The guards standing respectfully beside him raised the torches overhead, allowing him to clearly examine the ground before him.

Yan Zi Qing merely crouched lightly, picking up a handful of the damp soil.

When he stood up, the mud on his fingers remained sticky.

It was soil stained with blood.

He turned back, "It seems there was a struggle here, and someone bled!"

"At least four people were here! One of them barely moved from start to finish; his martial arts must have been the weakest!"

"Judging by their footprints, deep and shallow, their fight was intense!"

Mo Dao, behind him, had been staring at the fallen leaves scattered across the ground.

The tender, originally loose green leaves, soaked through by days of heavy rain, now shimmered under the flickering torchlight like withered autumn blossoms.

—But autumn had not yet arrived, so why were there fallen leaves everywhere?

Mo Dao's wide, old Taoist robe flapped sharply in the night wind, his Taoist topknot casting a long shadow on the ground.

His face, under the torchlight, appeared even more somber.

Yan Zi Qing had also noticed the scattered leaves on the ground. His pupils suddenly contracted, "Could it be him?"

Mo Dao's voice seemed to grind out from between his teeth, "Who else could execute the 'Thousand Jun Dragon-Slaying Twist'?"

Yan Zi Qing said, "But Cold Water Palace hasn't been active in the martial world for over twenty years. Why would they suddenly appear here? Could they also be targeting our Xiangyang Royal Mansion? And who was their opponent?"

—Soaked leaves, even if sliced off one by one with a sword, would be extremely difficult. Only the boundless masculine energy of the "Thousand Jun Dragon-Slaying Twist" could shred a swan's feather and tear all living beings.

—And who could withstand such a boundless strike?

Mo Dao's voice was low and heavy.

Several times, Yan Zi Qing almost mistook it for Shao Jizu speaking. In Jinshi Hall, he feared Shao Jizu and him the most. Whenever he saw this grim-faced Taoist, he would be reverent, never speaking an unnecessary word. Now, seeing Mo Dao's expression in the torchlight, he understood his current role was only to listen!

Mo Dao spoke slowly, for he never wasted a single word.

—"Their opponent used a sword, not a blade!"

—"If not for the fact that he's already under my 'Like Old Friends at First Sight,' I'd almost think it was him!"

Yan Zi Qing cautiously said, "In his current state, why would he provoke a powerful enemy without reason? Even if he crossed paths with someone from Cold Water Palace, how could he withstand that 'Thousand Jun Dragon-Slaying Twist'?"

Mo Dao seemed not to hear him. His gaze seemed to merge with the night itself.

The night was deep. His eyes were even deeper than the boundless darkness.

Everyone in the forest waited in silence!For a long time, the silent Taoist in old robes finally slowly uttered two sentences. Two sentences that sounded inexplicable to others, yet were perfectly understood by everyone present.

—"Whether it was him who received the 'Thousand-Jin Dragon-Slaying Snare' or not, the hour of Zi is almost here."

—"Our second chance today is at the hour of Zi."

(V)

The firelight in the dilapidated temple grew dimmer.

By the firelight, Huo Xiao Di seemed to have forgotten his earlier anger. This was only because he still couldn't figure out what was so mysterious about the boy sleeping nearby.

Zhan Ri Fei had returned to the original topic.

He pondered and said, "Let's set aside the first and second leads for now. The third lead I mentioned is the boy himself."

—"Who cut so many scars on his arm? These scars are both old and new, varying in shape, clearly inflicted by different people at different times. And who could bear to be so cruel to such a child?"

—"Since he can hear others speak but cannot speak himself, he clearly wasn't born mute. How did he become mute, or who caused it?"

—"When we came from the edge of the forest to this temple, did you notice any fragrance on him that followed us all the way?"

Huo Xiao Di nodded. His nose had always been sharp: "Yes, there was a faint herbal fragrance. This fragrance was already present in the inn, but now it's even fainter than yesterday's. If I'm not mistaken, it should be coming from this child."

—"But what about this fragrance? It can't be used as medicine!"

This remark reminded Zhan Ri Fei. A sparkle flashed in his eyes. His pale face suddenly became radiant, making others dare not look directly at him, and his usually calm voice actually carried a trace of impatience.

"Exactly. In fact, these three leads might ultimately be just one lead. I've been overlooking one person, and this person is likely the key connecting these three leads!"

Huo Xiao Di asked, "Who is this person you're talking about?"

Zhan Ri Fei said word by word, "This person is Ge Yun Fei!"

Huo Xiao Di said in surprise, "But isn't Ge Yun Fei already dead?"

Zhan Ri Fei said meaningfully, "But sometimes, even the dead can speak."

Huo Xiao Di stared at him with his mouth open, as if suddenly discovering that this gentle, calm man in black had started talking nonsense. His curiosity was immediately piqued: "Then what exactly did this dead person say to you?"

Zhan Ri Fei smiled slightly, "Before he died, he indeed hinted at the secret of Prosperous Cloud Manor."

Huo Xiao Di was even more confused: "Him? When did he hint at that secret? I was right beside him at the time, how come I didn't see it?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "Ge Yun Fei's actions before death were very strange. — Brother Huo, do you remember what he was doing right before he died?"

Huo Xiao Di's face flushed slightly in the darkness, and he said somewhat defiantly, "Wasn't he trying to kill this child? What was so strange about that?! If the Tang Sect's poison hadn't taken effect quickly, and if I hadn't arrived by his side in time, this child would have long become a ghost under his blade!"The smile at the corner of Zhan Ri Fei's lips deepened. He asked Huo Xiao Di a strange question, one that Huo Xiao Di couldn't answer immediately.

"If he intended to harm this child, why didn't he strike a second blow immediately after stabbing him, but instead pulled the child toward himself?"

Huo Xiao Di was taken aback.

Everything that had happened yesterday at the inn on Little Hammer Mountain seemed to replay before his eyes.

—Blood splattering everywhere.

—The pain on the boy's thin, freckled face. The pain of being wounded. The pain of being unable to speak, only able to make hoarse sounds. The pain of helplessness.

—Himself leaping forward to prevent Ge Yun Fei from striking a second blow.

—But in the end, he never saw that expected second strike!

In his memory, he only recalled Ge Yun Fei's rough, mud-stained hand tightly gripping the boy's bleeding arm.

—His wide-open eyes before death.

—His unyielding grip.

—His head hanging over the boy's arm.

Could it be, could it be—

Huo Xiao Di looked at Zhan Ri Fei in disbelief: "Could the hint you mentioned about Ge Yun Fei be referring to this child?"

—"The treasure the Tang Sect has been killing so many people for is actually this child?"

—"The thing the Prosperous Cloud Manor members risked their lives to escort is also this child?"

—"The one Grandma Han Shui of the Cold Water Palace has been longing for day and night is still this child?"

Zhan Ri Fei smiled, slowly rising to his feet. Gazing at the boundless night sky visible through the broken temple window, he spoke softly yet firmly: "Exactly. The treasure the Tang Sect and Prosperous Cloud Manor desire is indeed this child, though aside from Ge Yun Fei, they remain unaware. The Cold Water Palace, however, knows everything clearly."

Huo Xiao Di suddenly found his own and Zhan Ri Fei's wild imagination laughable: "This child is weak and mute, nothing extraordinary about him except for the faint medicinal scent on his body. Even if you're right, since he's the treasure both the Tang Sect and Prosperous Cloud Manor are determined to obtain, why would Ge Yun Fei try to kill him before his own death?"

—"Could it be that he knew since Prosperous Cloud Manor could no longer have him, he wouldn't let the Tang Sect get him either?"

Zhan Ri Fei smiled as he turned back, enunciating each word clearly: "Because Ge Yun Fei had already discovered the true secret—that this child is the treasure. His dying act of stabbing the child wasn't to kill him, but to save his own life!"

—"He wounded his arm, just like others who had harmed this child before, to drink the blood flowing from his arm."

—"The common man's crime is not his own, but the jade he carries. All because this child is the Chang Hong Bi of the Cold Water Palace!"

—"As ancient legends tell, the century-old Cold Water Palace treasures the rare gem Chang Hong Bi, which emanates fragrance near water, nourished by 'Azure Flame Three Lives Water', and has never been shown to others."

—"The value of this Bi lies in its ability to neutralize any poison in the world. Who could have imagined that this Chang Hong Bi is actually a person, not a piece of jade!"

The [Ming] dynasty text "Night Boat" by Zhang Dai records: "Chang Hong's tomb is in Yanshi. Hong was a virtuous minister of King Ling of Zhou, executed though innocent. His blood was stored and after three years turned into jade."

(6)

A "swish-rustle" sound, like a night bird startled into flight, fluttered upward through the air.

Looking up, he realized that unknowingly, a crescent moon had emerged from behind the clouds, likely what had awakened the night bird.The dark clouds among the mountain ranges could trap the crescent moon, but they could not lock away the moon's pure radiance. For a moment, even the small temple in the mountains was inexplicably bathed in a layer of pale, lingering light.

The mottled moonlight made Zhan Ri Fei's face appear even paler. However, at this moment, the expression on Huo Xiao Di's face across from him was no better.

Huo Xiao Di's face was filled with astonishment. Upon hearing Zhan Ri Fei's words, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Are you saying... are you saying this child is Chang Hong Bi of Cold Water Palace?"

——The legend that Chang Hong Bi of the Cold Water Palace can neutralize any poison has persisted unchallenged in the martial world for generations. Countless mysterious tales have circulated about the appearance of this jade, yet no one has ever witnessed its true form.

Zhan Ri Fei remarked, "I'd rather it weren't true. I fear all those rumors we've heard in the martial world are merely decoys deliberately spread by the Cold Water Palace."

Huo Xiao Di, still reeling from shock, murmured, "'Fragrance emerges by the water, nourished by the Azure Flame Three Lives Water'—"

"Then... the liquid those women from the Cold Water Palace forced him to drink was the 'Azure Flame Three Lives Water'?"

"I could smell the medicinal scent on him—it was at the Little Hammer Mountain Inn after that heavy downpour!"

Zhan Ri Fei gazed at the slumbering boy and nodded faintly, sighing softly. "Perhaps in Grandma Han Shui's eyes, he isn't a child at all, but merely a precious antidote cultivated by the Cold Water Palace. Though born there, he was never treated as human."

Huo Xiao Di's brow quickly furrowed again. "I've heard Chang Hong Bi has belonged to the Cold Water Palace for over a century. If this child is Chang Hong Bi, wouldn't he be over a hundred years old? If so, why does he still look like a child?"

Zhan Ri Fei replied, "Don't forget—the 'Azure Flame Three Lives Water' is a poison that corrodes intestines and bones. If, as the Moon-Grasping Envoy said, this child has been drinking it since infancy, perhaps he was born with extraordinary traits. Moreover, though Chang Hong Bi has been a treasure of the Cold Water Palace for centuries, it doesn't necessarily mean it's the same person. Even in your Exquisite Mountain Villa, hasn't every generation's eldest daughter been named Huo Ling Long?"

Hearing "Huo Ling Long," Huo Xiao Di shuddered visibly. He stared at Zhan Ri Fei in astonishment, silent for a long moment, before finally sighing deeply. "Sometimes I truly wonder—are you human or ghost? You know so much about our Exquisite Mountain Villa!"

Zhan Ri Fei smiled faintly. "Perhaps it's not that I know much, but that your Exquisite Mountain Villa is far too renowned."

——It was common knowledge in the martial world that half of Exquisite Mountain Villa's prestige stemmed from Huo Ling Long. Each generation, when the Huo family's eldest daughter married, it became a sensational event, and while she remained unmarried, suitors would wear out the villa's threshold.

For the first time, a flicker of pain surfaced in Huo Xiao Di's eyes. Was everything about Exquisite Mountain Villa, like its master, growing frail with age?

Zhan Ri Fei's eyebrows twitched slightly, but he didn't press further.

Huo Xiao Di seemed satisfied with this response.

——Perhaps deep down, he understood this was the best answer Zhan Ri Fei could give. Besides, his heart was already clouded with too many questions about this child named Chang Hong Bi.

"Since Ge Yun Fei already knows this child's secret, could Jiao Chao Gui, the master of Prosperous Cloud Manor, really be unaware that he is Chang Hong Bi?"

Zhan Ri Fei pondered and said, "Perhaps Jiao Chao Gui learned that Chang Hong Bi was in Ge Yun Fei's possession and received his message to rendezvous, but Ge Yun Fei didn't have time to reveal Chang Hong Bi's secret before...""Perhaps the Tang Sect had already learned that Ge Yun Fei possessed the Chang Hong Bi by then, immediately shadowing him relentlessly, not allowing him to write any more messages."

"This might explain why Jiao Chao Gui was so overconfident, bringing only Mu Xiu Quan to meet him at the inn on Little Hammer Mountain. They simply didn’t expect the struggle for the Chang Hong Bi to escalate so quickly, and then you, a sudden disruptor, appeared halfway."

Huo Xiao Di also pondered in the same manner and retorted, "Among all those contending for the Chang Hong Bi, only the Tang Sect’s purpose stands apart. They want to seize the Chang Hong Bi only to destroy it! That child, having grown up in Cold Water Palace, should at least be well-informed. Knowing about the conflict between Prosperous Cloud Manor and the Tang Sect, he ought to be pleased. Why, then, did he tremble in fear the moment I suggested sending him to Prosperous Cloud Manor?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "I’m afraid he already knows that whether it’s Prosperous Cloud Manor or the Tang Sect, both are formidable forces. The Tang Sect wants to destroy him—would Prosperous Cloud Manor treat him any better? Given his circumstances, though he’d rather fall into the hands of Prosperous Cloud Manor than the Tang Sect, no matter which side captures him, his secret will eventually be uncovered. Rather than resigning himself to fate, he chose to take a desperate risk. That’s why he incited your San’er’s dog to strike during the fierce battle between the Tang Sect’s Wuning Hall assassins and Prosperous Cloud Manor."

Huo Xiao Di felt as if struck by thunder, his voice trembling, "What are you saying?"

Zhan Ri Fei knew he had understood and continued, "If you think carefully, during the fight between the Tang Sect’s Wuning Hall members and Jiao Chao Gui and Mu Xiu Quan, if your San’er hadn’t suddenly joined the fray, Prosperous Cloud Manor might not have prevailed."

Once prompted, Huo Xiao Di’s mind raced: "At that time, San’er was indeed the only one beside him. My San’er is highly intelligent; since I had already commanded him to stop, unless someone else incited him, he would never have disobeyed my order and acted on his own."

As he thought this, his eyes widened in shock. Still, he refused to believe it: "You’re lying! My San’er has been with me for so long—how could he possibly obey someone else’s commands?"

But how much of this denial did he truly believe himself?

A complex glint flashed in Zhan Ri Fei’s eyes: "If your San’er wouldn’t obey anyone else, why did he show no hostility toward him from the start, always circling around him? Given San’er’s nature, don’t you think your dog was inexplicably and excessively affectionate toward him from the very beginning?"

His profound gaze drifted toward the moonlight streaming through the broken door, as if merging with the moon’s glow.

"I, too, wish these speculations were entirely wrong. But judging by the circumstances, it seems your San’er was under a spell of heart bewitchment. According to ancient lore, this art must be cultivated by one who preserves their chastity, and at a certain stage, it requires internal energy to sustain it. That child knows no martial arts; even if he truly learned heart bewitchment, he could never master it fully. Yet, dealing with your clever dog would likely be more than sufficient."

—"The only thing I don’t understand is, if he was raised in Cold Water Palace, where did he learn this heart bewitchment?"

—"Could this be the reason he left Cold Water Palace?"He gazed at the boy's small face, still tense and guarded even in sleep, and gently shook his head. "I'm afraid only you would know the reason behind this."

Huo Xiao Di finally lowered his head. "No wonder San'er, who was perfectly fine, suddenly lunged to bite someone. So it was... so it was actually him—"

When he raised his head again, his eyes held a firm resolve. "I never thought he would harm San'er. If it truly is him, I will not let it slide!"

Zhan Ri Fei sighed softly. "Brother Huo, so far, we are only speculating and cannot draw conclusions. Everything we have points to the most likely answer, but we cannot convict someone based on that alone."

Huo Xiao Di gritted his teeth. "What if our speculation is correct?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "If you were in his place, would you not do the same?"

Huo Xiao Di was taken aback.

Though spoken in a low, measured tone, Zhan Ri Fei's words struck Huo Xiao Di's ears like resounding bells, each one reverberating deeply in his heart.

—"If our speculation is correct, and he indeed grew up in Cold Water Palace since childhood, then who would have taught him right from wrong? What would he have been exposed to day in and day out?"

—"If you were him, living each day knowing the price of survival is endless, helpless suffering and the daily torment of being forced to swallow poison; if everyone around you saw you not as a person but as an object—who would you trust?"

—"If our speculation is correct, and he is indeed Chang Hong Bi, then why should he, alone and adrift in the martial world, believe that you mean him no harm? How could he know that you're saving him not because he is Chang Hong Bi?"

—"Even someone younger than him would understand that once his secret is discovered, it would attract everyone's greed. With no martial skills to protect himself and being a target for all in the martial world, what means would he not resort to in order to survive?"

—"For the sake of a dog, would you really want a person's life? Is his life truly worth less than a dog's?"

For the first time in his life, Huo Xiao Di was left speechless. Born and raised in the world's foremost Exquisite Mountain Villa, accustomed to giving orders, he had never considered that a human life could be as light as a feather or as worthless as worn-out shoes.

After a long while, he finally let out a deep sigh. "I understand. I don't blame him."

Zhan Ri Fei's furrowed brow relaxed. He also sighed softly. "I was not mistaken—Brother Huo truly has a magnanimous heart. Exquisite Mountain Villa's dominance in the martial world is indeed due to its profound righteousness and exceptional..." Before he could finish the word "exceptional," he suddenly choked on his breath and coughed!

The fire crackled softly. In the faint, flickering flames, Huo Xiao Di noticed that Zhan Ri Fei's voice had been growing weaker for some time.

With this cough, he realized Zhan Ri Fei's complexion was worsening.

Under the pale, mottled moonlight, his lips seemed to have turned bluish-purple. The muscles on his face twitched faintly, and a layer of fine sweat had broken out on his forehead.Huo Xiao Di's brows were slightly furrowed. "Even after taking two Exquisite Honey pills, why is your wound still hurting?"

Though Zhan Ri Fei hadn't let him see the wound on his back, Huo Xiao Di knew the Exquisite Honey from his Exquisite Mountain Villa was a renowned healing medicine, precious and hard to come by. Now he had casually given Zhan Ri Fei two pills to take, yet they still couldn't last. Could it be that there was some dark magic on Cold Water Palace's "Chang Xiang Si," which even the Exquisite Honey couldn't counteract?

Zhan Ri Fei forced a smile and was about to speak when a surge of bloody taste rushed up from within, rendering him unable to utter a word. His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.

Only then did Huo Xiao Di realize that ever since his encounter with the two from Cold Water Palace, Zhan Ri Fei had been sustaining himself with an unending flow of inner energy. Now, the wound had flared up, and he could no longer hold on. Huo Xiao Di couldn't help but gasp in alarm, leaping to his feet and rushing to his side.

Zhan Ri Fei took a deep breath and finally recovered. Seeing the concern on Huo Xiao Di's face, he still wore a relaxed expression. "Don't worry, I won't die. I just need your help with one more thing."

Though Huo Xiao Di hadn't known him for long, he was aware that despite Zhan Ri Fei's gentle and refined exterior, he possessed a resilient and enduring nature. At this critical moment, Huo Xiao Di had no time for banter about favors or debts. Anxiously, he asked, "What do you need me to do?"

Zhan Ri Fei's eyes were squeezed shut from the pain, and his words had become slurred. Huo Xiao Di had to lean close to his lips to barely make them out: "Fire overcomes water. There's no other choice. I'll have to trouble your 'Yin Yang An.'"

Huo Xiao Di said, "My 'Yin Yang An'?"

Zhan Ri Fei replied, "Yes, it's a long story. A fragment of that 'Chang Xiang Si' was lodged in my back—"

(7)

The pale, curved moon by the mountain swiftly traversed the dark clouds. The night after the rain slowly deepened, approaching midnight.

Midnight is when a person's life force is at its weakest, when yin energy is at its peak, and thus, according to legend, when the patrolling spirits are most active.

A gust of night wind blew through the gap of the half-open temple door, and Huo Xiao Di couldn't help but shiver. His hand trembled slightly. Because he was gripping "Yin Yang An" tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulged.

The black blade of his "Yin Yang An" seemed like a spirit of the night. Whether it was due to the surge of his inner energy or not, it emitted a faint, demonic hiss.

Zhan Ri Fei forcibly drew a breath, circulating his inner energy. Though pain and exhaustion weighed on him like a mountain, about to crush him, his expression remained serene. It was as if Huo Xiao Di weren't about to cut open his own body.

In the midst of his contemplation, Huo Xiao Di behind him said, "Aren't you afraid I might take this chance to stab you in the back?"

Zhan Ri Fei asked, "Brother Huo wants to try?"

Huo Xiao Di didn't deny it.

Zhan Ri Fei smiled—at a time like this, he could still manage a smile. "Aren't you afraid that if I owe you this favor, there'll be no one left to repay it?"

Huo Xiao Di chuckled as well. "Even if you didn't mention it, would I forget? Don't worry. It's not easy to make someone like you, who never likes owing favors, indebted to me. How could I let you die so easily?"As he spoke, his right hand had already lifted his "Yin Yang An."

Silently, the "Yin Yang An" sliced through the clothing on Zhan Ri Fei's back, then cut open the wound there.

The wound wasn't deep, but the blood suddenly flowed very slowly. Could this black short sword possess some strange magic?

When the sharp blade entered the body, because the blood flowed so slowly, the pain brought by the black short sword should be unbearable for an ordinary person, yet Zhan Ri Fei didn't even utter a groan.

Huo Xiao Di pressed around his wound, using the "Yin Yang An" to part the bloody opening, but no matter how he looked, he couldn't see any foreign object inside the wound.

Only his hand quickly became stained with Zhan Ri Fei's blood. The blood that flowed out actually felt cold.

Huo Xiao Di's pupils suddenly contracted; his heart began to beat violently. He could even hear his own breathing, which had suddenly become heavy.

Zhan Ri Fei felt the hand pressing on his shoulder trembling slightly. Then, a drop of something warm fell onto his neck.

Opening his eyes and turning his head, Huo Xiao Di's large, darkly beautiful eyes and bright white rabbit teeth were almost touching his face.

He looked at him with some curiosity. Pain and exhaustion prevented him from reacting clearly immediately. In his daze, it seemed as if a layer of moisture veiled those large eyes.

"People from your Exquisite Mountain Villa actually cry so easily?"

Huo Xiao Di gritted his teeth without making a sound. It seemed he was unwilling to answer Zhan Ri Fei's question.

The "Yin Yang An" in his hand, for some reason, began to grow warm, as if seeking something, trying to break free from his grasp.

With an extremely faint "ning" sound, his peerless extraordinary weapon seemed to have encountered something.

Quickly, he saw it—a very small silver segment, as if it had suddenly emerged, originally embedded in the flesh and blood of the wound, instantly attaching itself to his "Yin Yang An."

The black blade thus seemed to suddenly grow an eye—a silver eye! In his daze, this eye even appeared to blink at him.

The small silver segment had been extracted and placed on the ground, still emitting a sinister glow.

Huo Xiao Di felt the "Yin Yang An" in his hand tremble again. The silver object seemed to possess a sinister attraction, summoning this mysterious divine weapon in his hand.

"What is this thing?"

Zhan Ri Fei's complexion had improved significantly. His gaze grew calm.

"What you see is a fragment of the Cold Water Palace's number one divine weapon in a hundred years. It has a strange name—'Chang Xiang Si.'"

Huo Xiao Di looked left and right and said, "I don't see anything special about it."

Zhan Ri Fei explained, "The uniqueness of 'Chang Xiang Si' lies in its forging from heavenly silk and the mysterious iron beneath the Cold Water Palace. When wielded, it has a shadow but no form. If driven by the Cold Water Palace's 'Tenderness Around Fingers,' it can seize the initiative, leaving enemies defenseless."

Huo Xiao Di asked, "Since it's mixed with mysterious iron, why is there no trace of black?"

Zhan Ri Fei replied, "This mysterious iron is extraordinary—it originates from rare stones found beneath the cold pool of the Cold Water Palace. Viewed in water, it appears black. But the moment it leaves that cold pool, it immediately becomes colorless."He continued, "Its true color is transparent. If not for Brother Huo's 'Yin Yang An' being forged with yin-yang fire, 'Chang Xiang Si' wouldn't change upon contact, and you wouldn't have been able to see it."

Huo Xiao Di said slowly, "So it seems this 'Chang Xiang Si' is indeed a divine weapon, one that only a formidable figure from the Cold Water Palace could wield."

Zhan Ri Fei replied, "Exactly. This was originally the famed weapon of the Moon-Grasping Envoy, one of the four envoys under Grandma Han Shui."

Huo Xiao Di rested his chin in his hand, gazing at the moonlight flooding the ground, clearly lost in thought. Under the glow of the moon and firelight, something seemed to flicker in his eyes.

After a long silence, he slowly raised his head.

"There have been many things I couldn't figure out, but don't think for a moment that I haven't guessed."

—"I must ask you, why did you block the Cold Water Palace's people for me?"

—"Who exactly were those two from the Cold Water Palace that you intercepted for me?"

—"We agreed to owe each other nothing, yet you sent me to deal with the Hua family brothers. Was it because you already knew in your heart that I couldn't handle those two from the Cold Water Palace?"

—"You yourself are capable of handling the Hua family, aren't you?"

Zhan Ri Fei seemed unprepared for this line of questioning. Instead of answering directly, he smiled faintly and said, "Perhaps I anticipated that I might need your help many times in the future."

Huo Xiao Di said, "That reason doesn't seem very convincing."

Surprisingly, Zhan Ri Fei admitted, "You're right, it's not very convincing at all."

Huo Xiao Di continued, "Fortunately, I just removed this piece of 'Chang Xiang Si' embedded in your back. Does that mean I no longer owe you anything?"

Zhan Ri Fei asked, "What do you mean, Brother Huo—?"

But Huo Xiao Di cut him off, "What I mean is, your wound is still bleeding."

As he spoke, he reached out as if to stop the bleeding, covering the torn fabric on Zhan Ri Fei's back.

But that outstretched hand had, at some unknown moment, transformed into a finger technique!

Suddenly, Zhan Ri Fei felt a numbness shoot up his spine. A force as fine as silk, yet utterly silent, pierced through his entire body like lightning. He could no longer hold on and finally collapsed to the ground!

—Who had ambushed him?

—And why had they ambushed him?

Even as he fell, Zhan Ri Fei already knew the answer. It was as obvious as lice on a bald man's head—even if he couldn't see it, he could figure it out with his feet.

—"Coming like a spring dream, how long does it last? Going like morning clouds, nowhere to be found." These two lines of poetry described two supreme martial arts of the Exquisite Mountain Villa: the internal-to-external "A Night's Flower Language in the Small Tower," and the external-to-internal "A Startling Glance."

—Even if he couldn't deduce that the finger technique came from the internal energy of "A Night's Flower Language in the Small Tower," he should have seen that besides Huo Xiao Di's exquisite deerskin boots, something else had appeared before his eyes.

—Huo Xiao Di's "Yin Yang An" was now pointed at his throat!

The "Yin Yang An" emitted a soft, sigh-like hum. Its black blade, under the firelight, seemed like a grinning black devil. And the devil's breath was already cutting faintly into his throat.

Huo Xiao Di's voice came from above, as if he were sighing.

"You never, ever should have let me see your back."At this point, his voice had turned stern, yet his hand inexplicably began to tremble slightly.

—"Who exactly are you?"

—"Is your goal also 'Chang Hong Bi'?!"

His voice had unconsciously risen to a high pitch. Zhan Ri Fei slightly closed his eyes, his expression remaining calm. Yet fatigue and pain had momentarily robbed him of speech.

──"Why aren't you speaking?"

Just then, a hoarse voice, like that of a child learning to talk, came intermittently from beside the fire: "You──, you──!"

Though restrained by Huo Xiao Di, Zhan Ri Fei had maintained his composure throughout. Even with Huo Xiao Di's "Yin Yang An" poised to slit his throat at any moment, his expression hadn't faltered. But upon hearing this faint, raspy voice, a spark flashed in his eyes, and his face finally betrayed a change.

(8)

Huo Xiao Di also heard this dry, eerie sound. Before the voice even faded, he had already reached its source. His sword had shifted from his right hand to his left, and without turning his head, he pointed it toward the speaker.

Pressed by his ghostly speed and chilling sword aura, the person who had spoken let out a startled "Ah!" and collapsed to the ground with a thud!

Huo Xiao Di was taken aback. Who was behind him? Who possessed such martial skill to approach so close without his notice? If they were truly skilled, why would they collapse like this?

It wasn't until he noticed a faint smile tugging at Zhan Ri Fei's lips that he realized the voice behind him had been weak and breathless, lacking inner strength.

Finally, he turned his head.

No sooner had he relaxed than he froze completely.

──Even if a green-faced, fanged monster had been behind him, he wouldn't have flinched. But at this moment, his face truly looked as if he'd seen a ghost. His eyes, already large, widened into perfect circles, nearly bulging from their sockets. His Rabbit Teeth were bared unabashedly.

──The one who had collapsed was actually that frail boy!

The boy had clearly been startled awake from sleep. His gaze, too, was filled with shock.

──Though no one could tell whether his astonishment stemmed from Huo Xiao Di's deliberately fierce glare or from hearing his own earlier words.

Just then, the fire on the ground flickered, making the boy blink. In the next instant, Huo Xiao Di appeared to be sitting right beside Zhan Ri Fei, his posture unchanged, as if he had never moved. His sword was back in his right hand, still pointed at Zhan Ri Fei's throat!

The boy gasped sharply.

──Had he just seen a ghost?

──This youth's martial arts and movement truly lived up to the phrase "A Startling Glance"!

The only difference was that although Huo Xiao Di's sword targeted Zhan Ri Fei, he hadn't turned his head back.

──His gaze remained fixed on the boy, clearly filled with bewilderment.

──"So it was you? You can speak? Were you pretending to be mute before?"

Whether stunned by his own voice or frightened by the gleaming sword, the boy remained silent for a long moment before stammering, "N-No, I'm n-not──"

His voice was still hoarse and stiff, choked and labored, but this second attempt flowed slightly smoother than the first.

Huo Xiao Di's heart sank abruptly.Every word the boy spoke seemed to require all the strength he could muster, yet his speech remained halting and broken—even a babbling infant would likely find it a hundred times easier. Still, had he not witnessed it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that this mysterious child had been mute just earlier that day.

──Yet this wasn’t what he most wanted to know right now. At this moment, what he most desired to uncover was the unbelievable puzzle Zhan Ri Fei had unveiled.

──“Are you Chang Hong Bi of Cold Water Palace?”

The moment the name “Chang Hong Bi” was uttered, the boy flinched as if struck by a whip. His mouth opened, but no words came out. The muscles on his face trembled uncontrollably, so violently it seemed the freckles might shake loose.

Huo Xiao Di’s eyes shifted, and surprisingly, he waited with patience.

After a long while, the boy slowly shook his head. It was a slow but resolute gesture.

“I—am not—Chang—Hong Bi.”

His voice held determination, yet it was also filled with anguish.

Huo Xiao Di said softly, “Even if you don’t say it, your expression has already spoken. If you don’t wish to admit it, I won’t force you.”

A flicker of surprise appeared in the boy Chang Hong Bi’s eyes.

Huo Xiao Di continued, “But whether you speak or not, your secret will be revealed sooner or later.” His gaze finally turned to Zhan Ri Fei—Zhan Ri Fei, whose acupoints he had sealed.

Were these words also directed at Zhan Ri Fei?

Zhan Ri Fei seemed not to have heard him; by the look on his face, he appeared to be deep in thought. Seeing his nonchalant demeanor, Huo Xiao Di felt a surge of anger rise in his throat.

Staring at Zhan Ri Fei, he repeated once more, “In this world, there are no secrets that can remain hidden forever!”

His heart suddenly became as clear as crystal. His voice had grown hoarse.

──“If you hadn’t asked me to retrieve this half of ‘Chang Xiang Si’ for you, I probably wouldn’t have discovered your secret so quickly! Now, even if you want me to believe you have no ulterior motives, it’s impossible.”

Zhan Ri Fei finally lifted his head.

“Does Brother Huo think that I, too, wish to lay hands on Chang Hong Bi?”

Huo Xiao Di said gravely, “No matter how well you pretend, traces will always show—I should have realized it long ago!”

──“When Ge Yun Fei of Prosperous Cloud Manor brought Chang Hong Bi to the Little Hammer Mountain Inn, weren’t you there as well?”

──“Just as I was about to intervene to rescue this child from Cold Water Palace’s clutches, who was it that proposed we switch roles, sending me to deal with the Hua brothers?”

His eyes fixed intently on Zhan Ri Fei, he said, “Did you also not expect that Cold Water Palace’s men would be so formidable, causing you to get injured? Otherwise, by beating me to it, this child would have rightfully fallen into your hands. I truly misjudged you!”

His voice turned icy and strained in an instant, sending an involuntary shiver through Chang Hong Bi beside him.

Zhan Ri Fei said, “Has Brother Huo forgotten that I, too, only just learned that Chang Hong Bi is this child?”Huo Xiao Di let out another cold laugh. His voice now carried an indescribable disappointment: "Though you only just realized Chang Hong Bi is this child, it doesn’t prove you were unaware that Chang Hong Bi is the object of contention between Prosperous Cloud Manor and Tang Sect! As for your attempt to lay hands on Chang Hong Bi—is it because of the 'Like Old Friends at First Sight' poison you’ve been afflicted with?"

When he uttered the words "Like Old Friends at First Sight," his tone was unbearably strained, as if each syllable had been forcibly wrenched from his lips.

Zhan Ri Fei said, "I never imagined Brother Huo would also know of the Asura Sect’s 'Like Old Friends at First Sight.'"

Huo Xiao Di replied, "I’ve encountered quite a few of the world’s renowned poisons."

Zhan Ri Fei continued, "Since you know the potency of this Asura Sect poison, you must be aware that upon infection, death is instantaneous—"

Huo Xiao Di cut him off: "The world knows that the Asura Sect’s 'Like Old Friends at First Sight' brings instant death, but few realize that if, at the moment of poisoning, one reverses their inner energy and uses the 'Iron Chain' technique to seal the opposing acupoints, they can hold on for over ten days."

—"When I cut open your robe earlier, I saw three greenish marks on your back, spreading outward—clear evidence of using the Iron Chain to resist this very poison. Aside from 'Like Old Friends at First Sight,' no other poison in the world leaves marks of this shape!"

—"Judging by the appearance of these marks, I deduce you must have encountered someone from the Asura Sect five days ago! And the location of the 'Like Old Friends at First Sight' poison should have been your chest!"

Zhan Ri Fei finally sighed, "I never expected you to be so thoroughly familiar with the Asura Sect’s secret, closely guarded formula!"

Surprisingly, he stopped questioning further.

But Huo Xiao Di said leisurely, "You’re mistaken. It wasn’t me who studied 'Like Old Friends at First Sight'—it was Tang Tianhao. To uncover the origins of this poison, he spent nine consecutive days without rest, dissecting and examining forty-one corpses."

Zhan Ri Fei didn’t seem surprised by his words.

—How could the Tang Sect tolerate another sect possessing a poison superior to their own?

—As the hope of the Tang Sect, though Tang Tianhao was proud, he understood his responsibilities.

Huo Xiao Di added, "But don’t forget, I know Little Tang of the Tang Sect. If not for him, I wouldn’t have recognized this world-famous poison."

He didn’t continue beyond that. The rest of his words remained unspoken.

—The reason he recognized the traces left by this poison was that he had personally witnessed Tang Tianhao examining all the corpses collected by the Tang Sect and heard Tang Tianhao recount each of his discoveries in meticulous detail, as if listing family treasures.

For a moment, he had forgotten that was also the first time he had met this foremost figure of the Tang Sect’s main branch. Yet, in his heart, he clearly remembered that night’s drunken revelry with Little Tang.

It was during that time, when both of them were thoroughly drunk, that he heard Tang Tianhao discuss the poisons of various sects. This arrogant scion of the Tang Sect looked down upon any poison outside his own sect, yet he praised the Asura Sect’s "Like Old Friends at First Sight" unreservedly.

The heavily intoxicated Tang Tianhao, with his impeccably clean hands, lightly tapped the long table, his eyes bleary but still critiquing his findings with keen insight.

Even now, Tang Tianhao’s words still echoed in his ears."The Iron Chain can only suppress the dispersal of the poison, but each time you circulate your inner energy to reverse the Iron Chain, it drives the toxicity deeper. From now on, whenever the poison flares up—especially at noon and midnight, when the balance of yin and yang in the blood is at its extreme—the pain will become increasingly unbearable. So, operating the Iron Chain is no different from drinking poison to quench thirst; it’s a desperate measure you can’t stop! This poison is called 'Like Old Friends at First Sight,' likely because once you’re afflicted, it stays with you day and night, never letting go."

Huo Xiao Di’s heart tightened abruptly, unsure whether it was due to Tang Tianhao’s words still echoing in his ears or the sheer viciousness of the poison.

Then, he heard Zhan Ri Fei say, "Even if I am afflicted with 'Like Old Friends at First Sight,' it has nothing to do with you, Brother Huo."

Huo Xiao Di replied, "Exactly! It has nothing to do with me, but it has everything to do with Chang Hong Bi! Even if the Asura Sect has come after you, they’re just one faction among the underworld—that might be excusable. But what about the 'Great Compassion Palm' strike on your left flank?!"

"The supreme martial art of Shangqing Temple—surely it didn’t just find its way onto you by itself!"

Zhan Ri Fei was taken aback once more.

Huo Xiao Di’s expression grew increasingly grim.

"One of the Asura Sect’s deadliest enemies is Shangqing Temple. Even young children know that despite their peculiar name, they are a renowned orthodox sect leading the martial world."

He continued, "Shangqing Temple’s rules are strict. Their 'Great Compassion Palm' is never taught to outsiders, and for over two hundred years, they haven’t even accepted lay disciples. Shangqing Temple is a famous monastic chivalrous sect. For generations, they have eliminated evildoers and punished the wicked—countless villains have met their end at their hands."

His eyes fixed intently on Zhan Ri Fei, he said, "Shangqing Temple’s reputation stems from their fairness and restraint; they never kill indiscriminately. Every time they act, it’s only after receiving the 'Chivalry Token' circulating in the martial world. And those pursued by the Chivalry Token—aren’t they all heinous scoundrels?"

His lips trembled: "If you hadn’t provoked the 'Chivalry Token,' how could you have been struck by Shangqing Temple’s ultimate technique, the 'Great Compassion Palm'?"

Zhan Ri Fei sighed softly. "How can you be so sure that the injury on my left flank is from the 'Great Compassion Palm'?"

Huo Xiao Di sneered coldly. "If it were anyone else, you might have fooled them, but you can’t deceive me! Although it’s called 'Great Compassion Palm,' its force is ruthlessly vicious, capable of shattering hearts and lungs without a trace—a direct violation of Buddhist principles. Its name serves as a reminder to the user to always hold compassion in mind and never harm others lightly. For years, Shangqing Temple has only heeded the Chivalry Token’s summons, fearing they might mistakenly harm the innocent in ambiguous situations. Once struck by such a domineering palm technique, one’s entire bloodstream boils. Even if the victim doesn’t die, their body will be marked with dark red spots from the scorching heat. The red spots on your back are darkest and heaviest near your left flank—what else could that be but the mark of the 'Great Compassion Palm'?"

Growing more agitated, he couldn’t help raising his voice. "These two factions—righteous and evil—have always been incompatible as fire and water. Yet both have injured you. Could it be that your lofty talk of benevolence and morality masks a demon hunted by both the righteous and the underworld? I must have misjudged you!"In an instant, words heard since childhood suddenly echoed in his ears: "In this world, there are smiling bodhisattvas, and there are smiling tigers." Accompanied by that familiar sigh.

Without even knowing why, his eyes had already reddened. The hand gripping Yin Yang An showed bulging veins.

His eyes held a trace of resentment, disappointment, and pain: "You've deceived me so bitterly. In the end, you're also someone who wants to seize Chang Hong Bi. Was I wrong about you?!"

Zhan Ri Fei's eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp light—a glint that seemed slightly angry, but the brilliance vanished as quickly as it appeared. He finally let out a soft sigh and said, "The people of Exquisite Mountain Villa are truly learned and profound, truly admirable! Hearing you say this, even if I weren't, it seems hard to deny."

He glanced sideways at Huo Xiao Di and said, "If you're convinced I'm an utterly wicked villain, why haven't you made your move yet?"

His deep eyes held a bottomless calm, so still it stirred no waves. Reflected in those pitch-black pupils were Huo Xiao Di's flushed red face and the eyes of the boy standing behind him.

—At this moment, Chang Hong Bi's narrow eyes actually shone with immense excitement.

Yet Huo Xiao Di's hand trembled, and even his body couldn't help but shake slightly. His face alternated between pale and ashen, the veins on his forehead throbbing incessantly.

Slowly, his short sword was finally raised. Lifting it felt as if the blade weighed a thousand pounds. The Yin Yang An in his hand actually emitted a "hissing" sound, like a black venomous snake coiling up in an instant to deliver a kiss of death to its target.

—The Yin Yang An seemed to carry a malevolent force. Beneath its venomous kiss, a faint, foul stench could be detected, carried along with the "hissing" sound.

The black blade reflected Zhan Ri Fei's face. Surprisingly, Zhan Ri Fei's expression remained calm.

After a long moment, Huo Xiao Di gritted his teeth and suddenly kicked with his toe, releasing the sealed acupoint on Zhan Ri Fei.

This move took Chang Hong Bi completely by surprise. His questioning gaze was already fixed on Huo Xiao Di.

But Huo Xiao Di didn't look at him at all.

Only his gritted words could be heard, spoken one syllable at a time: "Draw your sword!"

Chang Hong Bi almost thought he had misheard.

Even Zhan Ri Fei couldn't help but ask, "What?"

Huo Xiao Di's gaze remained filled with anger and pain, his teeth still clenched tightly. His words seemed to leap from between his teeth: "I caught you off guard and subdued you—you must be unconvinced."

With that, he lifted his foot and kicked Zhan Ri Fei's longsword over from the ground, continuing, "The reputation of our Exquisite Mountain Villa cannot be tarnished by my hands. If you have the guts, draw your sword!"

A warmth suddenly surged in Zhan Ri Fei's eyes, yet he ultimately did not rise from the ground.

—Could it be that he no longer had the strength to stand?

"Unfortunately, Zhan's sword is not meant for friends."

Huo Xiao Di said sharply, "Who is friends with a devil like you?! Why haven't you drawn your sword yet?!—The people of Exquisite Mountain Villa do not kill unarmed men!"Zhan Ri Fei glanced at Huo Xiao Di and continued, "If you insist on labeling me as a demon, then there's no need to adhere to the rules of the jianghu. To be honest, at this point, I don't even have the strength to draw my sword."

Huo Xiao Di rasped, "Why are you telling me this?! Do you think by revealing this, I'll soften my heart, and you'll find an excuse not to fight me?"

Zhan Ri Fei did not answer his question. Instead, he looked out the window, and his face instantly turned ashen. His lips trembled, clearly wanting to say something, but for a moment, he could no longer speak.

Huo Xiao Di followed his gaze outside. The crescent mountain moon hung directly overhead. Its pale light cast a slanted reflection on the "Yin Yang An," which now emitted a sharp "hiss" and twitched in his hand.

—Midnight had finally arrived.

Huo Xiao Di's face turned as pale as the moonlight.

—"So it's already midnight."

—"So your 'Like Old Friends at First Sight' is taking effect now."

Zhan Ri Fei still couldn't speak. His face contorted in agony, and he had bitten his lips until they bled. The torment of surging blood and energy within him, the sensation of being sliced by thousands of blades—to Huo Xiao Di, it seemed like a nightmare. A nightmare he was all too familiar with! For a moment, memories of Tang Tianhao flashed before his eyes, vivid and clear, as if they were happening right beside him. He didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, his sleeve moved. Looking down, he saw Chang Hong Bi involuntarily clutching his sleeve tightly, her face as pale as death.

Huo Xiao Di comforted her, "Don't worry, as long as I'm here, he won't harm you!"

His words calmed Chang Hong Bi, but the sword in his hand grew even more hesitant. He raised it, then lowered it, unable to bring himself to strike.

Though tormented by the effects of "Like Old Friends at First Sight," Zhan Ri Fei's eyes remained unchanged as he looked at Huo Xiao Di. Those eyes still seemed capable of seeing through everything—Chang Hong Bi wished she could gouge them out!

Huo Xiao Di's head felt heavy and confused: "Do you think just because your 'Like Old Friends at First Sight' has taken effect, I won't dare to kill you?"

—Even he didn't understand why the thought of Zhan Ri Fei deceiving him filled him with such indescribable sorrow. He had only known Zhan Ri Fei for two days. A chance encounter, like a fleeting meeting of strangers or water flowing past in an instant, was utterly ordinary in the jianghu.

Yet, the corner of Zhan Ri Fei's mouth twitched slightly. Though he was weak, though the pain from "Like Old Friends at First Sight" pierced his heart and lungs, the corner of his mouth still lifted.

—Huo Xiao Di wasn't mistaken. It was indeed a smile—a proud smile.

With a "hiss," dirt flew as the "Yin Yang An" plunged straight into the ground before him!

Only Huo Xiao Di's voice was heard: "My Exquisite Mountain Villa never kills unarmed men. If I encounter you again, I will show no mercy. Those who commit evil deeds will inevitably meet their doom, so don't let me see you again, and don't even think about laying a hand on this child!"

As his words fell, his short sword was sheathed. Taking Chang Hong Bi by the hand, he strode out of the temple door.—But once he left, he never looked back. Was he afraid that if he turned around, he would change his mind?

The mountain wind blew in gusts, carrying with it an endless sense of rain. Occasionally, the low calls of night birds could be heard, like a chaotic, broken elegy that unsettled the heart. Huo Xiao Di’s figure vanished into the night.

(9)

The massive manor stood dark and silent. Deep halls and temples stretched one after another.

Sparse lantern lights dotted the forest like scattered stars. The wind still carried the thick scent of rain and a faint floral fragrance. Layer upon layer of bamboo curtains hung deeply, shutting out the bustling mortal world beyond, yet trapping the pervasive rain-soaked atmosphere deep within the temple halls.

Amidst this desolate moonlight, Hua Zifeng once again carefully prevented the fervent palpitations stirred by the night breeze from affecting his emotions. He walked slowly, deliberately allowing the hidden masters lurking in the surroundings to recognize his footsteps and identify him. Even though he knew this place as intimately as the back of his hand.

As the eldest of the Hua Fengzi family, he differed from Yan Ziqing, who also served in Jinshi Hall. His caution stemmed from reverence for his master, not fear.

A long corridor led straight to the innermost part of the estate. In the distance, the night watch drum sounded—it was already the third watch.

Hua Zifeng’s pace remained unchanged. His dry, firm face, clean and tidy, and his neatly trimmed hands all indicated he was a man of efficiency.

Suddenly, a lamp lit up in a heavy, solemn hall, as if anticipating his arrival.

Hua Zifeng approached the hall and stopped respectfully, hands hanging at his sides.

Before the hall, layers of bamboo curtains still hung, allowing only piercing rays of light to filter through sparsely, yet concealing all the secrets within.

"A secret letter has arrived from Commander Shao."

The bamboo curtains lifted, and a young page emerged to receive the message. A faint scent of sandalwood drifted out with the raised curtains.

Amidst the swirling wisps of incense smoke, a bony, gaunt hand took the letter from the page. The face that read the message showed no expression whatsoever.

Perhaps any attempt to decipher his expression would be futile.

The hall was dark, with only the flickering light of a dying candle casting dim shadows. Was it because the master of the hall preferred darkness, preferring to observe his opponents from within it?

A somber voice, belonging to someone standing respectfully to the side, broke the silence and darkness of the hall.

Weighing his words carefully, the attendant said, "Today is already the fourth day. If that item is not recovered in time and ends up in the capital, even slaughtering everyone in Xiangyang would be irreparable."

—"I wonder if Commander Shao has found any trace of that person by now?"

Finally, a trace of displeasure flickered across the expressionless face. "Shao Jizu mobilized the royal mansion’s imperial guards and half the manpower of Jinshi Hall, yet he has achieved nothing so far."

The attendant standing to the side spoke cautiously, "Your Highness, Commander Shao’s opponent is, after all, a man of great reputation and noble status. Moreover, I have deduced that, to conceal his tracks, he must have adopted an alias and taken shortcuts directly to the capital. Even with his portrait, the gravity of the matter and the inability of Xiangyang Royal Mansion to publicize it openly have undoubtedly constrained our actions. Commander Shao’s lack of progress is, therefore, to be expected."

A cold glint finally flashed in the eyes of the seated figure. A sinister voice erupted abruptly, "The longer he delays, the greater the chance of escape. How can this not trouble me?"After a moment of contemplation, the person standing nearby with hands at his sides said, "Your student believes that even if Your Highness is displeased, you should not blame Commander Shao. Commander Shao has received great favor from Your Highness and is a rare talent. He will surely devote all his efforts to this matter. Moreover, Your Highness should know that he remains the key to obtaining the Huo family's 'Exquisite Eyes' for you. We shouldn't let him harbor resentment."

The person seated in the temple hall sneered coldly, "If not for this prince obtaining the imperial decree for the marriage, how could the eldest daughter of the Huo family from Exquisite Mountain Villa be so easily betrothed to him? Shao Jizu should be falling over himself with gratitude toward this prince—how could he possibly bear resentment?"

The person beside him said, "Your Highness has waited a long time for the marriage of the Huo family's eldest daughter from Exquisite Mountain Villa. However, Commander Shao seems deeply devoted to that young lady of the Huo family. He is a clever man—if he were to guess Your Highness's intentions, I'm afraid—"

The person in the temple hall slowly interrupted him, "Haven't you heard? A man in love with the woman he adores, even if he once had nine apertures in his heart, becomes a fool. No matter how brilliant Shao Jizu was before, he must now obediently remain within this prince's grasp!"

Amid the swirling incense smoke, that person's face momentarily became indescribably sinister. With a cold laugh, he murmured, "Huo Ling Long, oh Huo Ling Long, if it weren't for the tradition that the eldest daughters of the Huo family only open their 'Exquisite Eyes' on their wedding day, why would this prince have waited for you until now!"

(10)

Huo Xiao Di felt his head swelling with confusion, his turbulent thoughts like the gusts of night wind. He walked rapidly without purpose, unknowingly covering over ten li.

The hand of Chang Hong Bi beside him had been gripped until it ached, his face stung by the mountain wind, yet this strange youth stubbornly endured without making a sound. Simply having Huo Xiao Di holding his arm seemed to satisfy him greatly.

As they moved forward, Huo Xiao Di suddenly stopped. He had blurted out: "Wrong! This is wrong!"

His abrupt halt caused Chang Hong Bi, who possessed no martial arts skills, to stumble and pitch forward uncontrollably.

Only then did Huo Xiao Di realize he was still holding Chang Hong Bi's arm. He quickly steadied him and said gently, "Be careful!"

In the darkness, what he encountered were Chang Hong Bi's eager eyes. Those small eyes, though still carrying traces of fear, for the first time held no wariness or suspicion.

Huo Xiao Di suddenly felt reluctant to cause him distress. He crouched down and spoke softly, "I know you are Chang Hong Bi from Cold Water Palace. My name is Huo Xiao Di. Don't be afraid—I won't hurt you."

Chang Hong Bi nodded, still speaking with some difficulty, "I know—"

Huo Xiao Di asked curiously, "What do you know?"

Chang Hong Bi said, "I—know you—won't hurt me—"

Huo Xiao Di couldn't help smiling, "And how do you know that?"

This question seemed to stump Chang Hong Bi. After hesitating for a long time, the unusual boy stammered, "I don't know—why, I—just—know."

Hearing this completely unreasonable statement, Huo Xiao Di couldn't help laughing again. He said, "Don't worry, I will definitely take you to a safe place, somewhere the people from Cold Water Palace can't find you."His expression turned serious as he continued, "But before we depart, you must tell me—how did you regain your speech? You couldn't have been pretending to be mute all this time to deceive me, could you?"

Chang Hong Bi gave an embarrassed smile and replied slowly, "I—didn't—deceive—you. Just now—I felt an intense itch—in my throat, and my—whole body was unbearably—restless. When I saw you confront that black-clad gentleman, I—unconsciously cried out."

At the mention of Zhan Ri Fei, Huo Xiao Di began staring blankly again, muttering to himself, "This doesn't add up!"

Chang Hong Bi looked at him, curious yet cautious, and asked, "What—did you say—doesn't add up?"

Somehow, his words echoed in Huo Xiao Di's ears like the roar of a thousand people. As if struck by a whip, Huo Xiao Di suddenly leaped to his feet and exclaimed, "I mean something felt off about what just happened here!"

Chang Hong Bi asked, "What felt off?"

Huo Xiao Di's face had already changed. A thought began pressing down on his chest like a massive stone, suffocating him, and his hands turned icy cold.

His voice grew strained and bitter: "I—must—go back—to ask—him!"

Without waiting for Chang Hong Bi to respond, he grabbed him and shot out like an arrow loosed from a bow.

An arrow turning back.

By the time Huo Xiao Di burst into the dilapidated temple, his heart was pounding wildly. Even he didn't understand why he felt so tense.

Only when he saw Zhan Ri Fei's face did the tightness in his chest ease.

Zhan Ri Fei's complexion seemed much improved. More precisely, looking at him now, it was as if the man who had been tormented half to death by "Like Old Friends at First Sight" moments earlier had nothing to do with him.

It was then that Huo Xiao Di realized how little he truly knew about this black-clad man's martial prowess.

—Every time he had struck, Huo Xiao Di seemed to have missed the moment.

—Before encountering him, Zhan Ri Fei had clearly been afflicted by the Asura Sect's "Like Old Friends at First Sight" and the Shangqing Temple's "Great Compassion Palm," yet he had still subdued Mu Xiu Quan earlier and fought the two envoys of Cold Water Palace afterward.

—Just how many secrets lay hidden within this black-clad man?

Strangely, Zhan Ri Fei showed no surprise at seeing him and Chang Hong Bi. Huo Xiao Di, however, suddenly felt like a rabbit chased back by seven wolves, so recklessly had he returned.

The two men stared at each other, neither speaking.

Finally, Huo Xiao Di couldn't hold back: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Zhan Ri Fei replied, "I wonder what Brother Huo wishes me to say?" A hint of amusement slowly surfaced in his eyes.

Huo Xiao Di stamped his foot. "You—! Must you force me to say it outright?!"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "Brother Huo's thoughts are too intricate for me to decipher. —Is what Brother Huo hopes I'll ask perhaps, 'Didn't Brother Huo already leave? Why have you returned?'"

Huo Xiao Di exclaimed, "Exactly! I returned because I couldn't figure it out!"

—"If you truly killed Mu Xiu Quan for Chang Hong Bi's sake, you could have waited until after he killed me to make your move. Wouldn't that have eliminated any future concerns for you? With Mu Xiu Quan and me gone, who among those present could have stopped you?""If you wanted to compete with Cold Water Palace for Chang Hong Bi, you could have waited until both Cold Water Palace and I were weakened from fighting each other, instead of intercepting me beforehand."

"If you were after Chang Hong Bi, why would you tell me that Chang Hong Bi is this child, thereby creating an additional enemy for yourself?"

He said angrily, "All the flaws I just pointed out are obvious—why aren’t you defending yourself? Are you deliberately trying to make me look bad?"

—As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he had never given Zhan Ri Fei a chance to explain.

—Even so, he couldn’t help feeling aggrieved, as if all of this was Zhan Ri Fei’s fault.

Zhan Ri Fei, however, smiled and said, "Even without my defense, didn’t Brother Huo see through everything? Haven’t you returned after all?"

He continued slowly, "I know deep down you don’t truly believe your own deductions. If you did, that finger strike just now would have been enough to kill me. If you believed your deductions, you would have stabbed me with your sword long ago. How could we be standing here talking so calmly?"

Huo Xiao Di said, "Don’t celebrate too soon! Just because my deductions had flaws doesn’t mean you’re completely above suspicion. If you’re innocent, how did the unique technique of Shangqing Temple, the 'Great Compassion Palm,' end up striking your ribs?"

Zhan Ri Fei hesitated for a long time before replying, "If I don’t tell you, I fear there will be no peace. Since you’ve already made an enemy of the Xiangyang Royal Mansion, you’ll find out sooner or later anyway—to be frank, those who can use the 'Great Compassion Palm' are no longer limited to Shangqing Temple alone."

Huo Xiao Di said, "Aside from Shangqing Temple, who else could possibly know this palm technique? Shangqing Temple has stood for a hundred years, producing countless talented masters. How could someone have stolen the manual for the 'Great Compassion Palm'?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "Actually, there has never been a manual for the 'Great Compassion Palm.' The technique has always been passed down orally through the generations. There’s no way to steal it."

Huo Xiao Di said, "Then how could others have learned this technique? Are you saying that Shangqing Temple has submitted to the Prince of Xiangyang?" He shook his head and frowned. "But that would violate their temple rules."

Zhan Ri Fei said, "Although Shangqing Temple hasn’t submitted to the Prince of Xiangyang, the 'Great Compassion Palm' has indeed been transmitted outside the temple. The monks of Shangqing Temple have always kept this secret."

He sighed softly and added, "Sometimes, reputation really is important."

Huo Xiao Di said, "Who exactly is this person who learned the 'Great Compassion Palm'?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "This person who knows the 'Great Compassion Palm' has deep connections with the Prince of Xiangyang. Brother Huo has likely met him at the Xiangyang Royal Mansion."

He stared intently at Huo Xiao Di and said, word by word, "This person is the 'Thousand Transformations Black Demon Fox'!"

Huo Xiao Di could hardly believe his ears: "You mean Zhi Hua?"

Zhan Ri Fei said, "If not him, then who?"

Huo Xiao Di said, "That fox has never been a monk. Even if he were, how could he have joined Shangqing Temple? If he has no connection to Shangqing Temple, how could he have secretly learned the 'Great Compassion Palm'?"Zhan Ri Fei said, "Although he never became a monk, he does have connections with Shangqing Temple. His learning of the 'Great Compassion Palm' shouldn't really be considered stolen knowledge. It's just that not many in the martial world know about this matter. Although I knew the 'Great Compassion Palm' had been passed outside the temple, I wouldn't have known he was the one who mastered this technique if he hadn't struck me with it on my left flank!"

Huo Xiao Di asked curiously, "Since the monks of Shangqing Temple know this matter is of great importance, and they pride themselves on being aloof with strict temple rules, never dealing with government officials, how could they sit back and do nothing if they found out Zhi Hua learned this palm technique? Since when have they been afraid of government authorities?"

Zhan Ri Fei replied, "Only because they truly had no choice. The person who transmitted this palm technique, though deceived into letting Zhi Hua learn this martial art, did so through proper channels, leaving no room for objection."

Huo Xiao Di's eyes lit up, "From this perspective, the sudden illness and subsequent passing of Shangqing Temple's abbot the next day six years ago probably had something to do with the 'Great Compassion Palm' being learned by an outsider."

Zhan Ri Fei said, "The truth behind this matter is likely something no one will ever know." Though he said this, his eyes already showed appreciation.

But Huo Xiao Di pressed, "Are you saying this to preserve Shangqing Temple's reputation? Haven't you already guessed the mystery behind this yourself?"

Zhan Ri Fei didn't answer his question, instead changing the subject: "After all, Brother Huo and I are merely passing acquaintances. Since you doubt me, I had no intention to elaborate on the details. Brother Huo, you've achieved your purpose, let us part ways here."

Huo Xiao Di rolled his eyes, "You say we part, so we part? Do you think it's that easy to leave without making things clear?"

Only then did Zhan Ri Fei realize that when people from Exquisite Mountain Villa stop reasoning, they become more troublesome than women.

So even though he knew Huo Xiao Di was about to jump up, he had to say: "If Brother Huo doesn't leave quickly with Chang Hong Bi, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave soon."

This time, contrary to his expectations, Huo Xiao Di didn't jump up. He said leisurely, "As long as Little Shao isn't here, I don't need to leave immediately."

Zhan Ri Fei said, "Brother Huo, don't forget that if the pursuers discover our trail, Commander Shao will quickly catch up."

At this point, his expression changed, and he smiled bitterly, "They're coming so fast! I'm afraid it's already too late to leave now."

Huo Xiao Di, possessing the skill "A Night's Flower Language in the Small Tower," faintly heard countless subtle sounds coming from beyond the temple gate, from within the heavy mountains.

—The sound of night travelers' clothes brushing against branches in the thickets, and the faint noise of boots occasionally sinking into mud due to consecutive rainy days.

However, these subtle sounds were soon overwhelmed by another kind of commotion!

The moonlight suddenly disappeared.

No, the moonlight didn't disappear—it was the night birds startled into flight, their wings beating densely, covering the entire sky.

Black wings flapped against the rain-filled air.

Beneath the sky formed by these black wings came the sound of approaching hoofbeats, splashing mud everywhere.

—The pursuers had finally arrived!

Zhan Ri Fei smiled and said, "This time, even if you want to leave, you won't be able to."[Note] The section title "Partridge in the Sky" was chosen because ancient poets used the partridge's cry—which sounds like "Brother, you cannot go!"—to express the sorrow of parting. Here, it depicts Zhan Ri Fei repeatedly constrained and suspected, finding no path to leave and unable to free himself.