At the foot of the Nameless Mountain.

Mu Qingyang leaned against a tree, his body covered in more than a dozen wounds of varying sizes. Clutching several still-bleeding injuries, he grimaced. “Never thought I’d find myself in such a sorry state.”

“Mu Qingyang of the Mu Clan, compared to your predecessor Mu Zizhe, you’re still too young,” said a masked man who landed before him. The man’s mask was peculiar, appearing to be made from a withered leaf.

“You knew Mu Zizhe?” Mu Qingyang asked gravely.

The man nodded. “He once nearly killed me.”

Mu Qingyang gave a cold laugh. “I know who you are—Tang Linglu of the Tang Clan’s Five Champions.”

“Yes.” The man adjusted his mask. “Though he didn’t kill me in the end, he left a scar on my face that will never heal. So I must spend this life accompanied by this mask.”

Mu Qingyang quickly raised his hand. “Brother Tang, though I’m the current head of the Mu family, I’m not on the same side as Mu Zizhe! I even helped when he was killed—we’re on the same side. Please don’t be rash!”

“The Dark River and I, on the same side?” Tang Linglu gave a cold laugh, already gripping a Rouge Face Arrow. “How amusing.”

“We have an agreement with Tang Linghuan! We were invited to Tang Family Castle to discuss important matters!” Mu Qingyang said seriously. “Are you certain you want to kill me?”

“Forget that name.” Tang Linglu flicked his wrist, sending the Rouge Face Arrow flying toward Mu Qingyang’s brow.

Mu Qingyang gritted his teeth and pushed off, leaping up in an impossible posture. The Rouge Face Arrow passed beneath his feet and embedded itself in the tree trunk. After dropping down, Mu Qingyang lightly stepped on the arrow and sprang forward. “Is this truly where I meet my end?” He flung a paper butterfly from his sleeve and shouted, “Go! If any Dark River disciples remain in Brocade City, come save me!”

As his words fell, the paper butterfly passed through the dense forest, fluttering its wings toward Brocade City.

“More of the Mu family’s unorthodox techniques.” Tang Linglu frowned slightly, waving his hand to send a withered leaf flying from his sleeve toward the paper butterfly. But the butterfly moved like a living creature, twirling in the air so that only the corner of its left wing was cut by the leaf. In the end, the butterfly only wavered slightly before continuing toward Brocade City.

Tang Linglu glanced at the butterfly, then at the fleeing Mu Qingyang. After a moment’s hesitation, he leaped up to pursue him.

In the Silent Thoughts Teahouse.

Proprietor Mu suddenly lifted his head and quickly walked to the door, looking skyward.

Su Muyu frowned beside him. “What is it?”

Proprietor Mu spoke gravely. “A soul-summoning butterfly?”

“Soul-summoning butterfly?” Su Muyu was startled. “Then isn’t that the Mu family head…”

“Yes. Only the Mu family head possesses the soul-summoning butterfly,” Proprietor Mu explained. “When this butterfly appears, the gates of the underworld open, and ten thousand butterflies follow!” He swept both sleeves, and over a dozen paper butterflies flew out. Without making any gestures, the butterflies began circling him.

Watching nearby, Mu Yumo was quite surprised. “Mu Qingyang used the soul-summoning butterfly, it seems…”

“There’s good news—Mu Qingyang isn’t dead yet. But there’s also bad news…” Su Changhe raised an eyebrow. “Mu Qingyang is about to die.”

Su Muyu picked up her paper umbrella and headed for the door. “Let them guide us.”

“Very well.” Proprietor Mu waved his hand lightly, and all the butterflies flew out.

“You all stay here and await my news.” Su Muyu leaped up and followed them.

Outside Brocade City, Mu Qingyang fled to the edge of a cliff. Looking down at the bottomless abyss below, he smiled bitterly. “It seems heaven truly wants me dead.”

Just then, he suddenly heard a crane’s cry. Startled, he turned to see a yellow crane flying from afar. The crane was enormous, like the immortal cranes in New Year paintings carrying celestial beings. The crane bore a rider, though he looked nothing like an immortal. He was a handsome young man with clasped hands and a commanding presence between his brows. He rode the crane to the cliff’s edge, where it hovered with beating wings, showing no intention of landing.

The man bowed his head. “It seems you’re being pursued by enemies.”

Mu Qingyang was startled by the crane. “You… you’re from Mount Qingcheng?”

“Mount Qingcheng?” The man laughed. “Do I look like a Taoist priest to you? Ali, do I look like a priest?”

The yellow crane let out another sharp cry, circling near the cliff.

“Brother, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda,” Mu Qingyang clasped his hands. “I have many treasures I can trade you.”

“Not interested. Just tell me, who are your enemies?” the man asked.

After only slight hesitation, Mu Qingyang answered truthfully. “The Tang Clan!”

“I see you have considerable martial arts skills. To be forced into such a situation here, I thought it must be the Tang Clan. You’re in luck—I won’t ask your name or background. Simply because the Tang Clan wants to kill you, I’ll save you.” The man lightly moved his foot, and the crane turned around. “Come up.”

Mu Qingyang rejoiced and immediately leaped onto the crane’s back.

“Let’s go, Ali.” At the man’s command, the crane dove sharply downward.

Mu Qingyang caught his breath. “Thank you for saving me, brother!”

The man smiled. “You’re not going to ask why I chose to save you upon hearing the words ‘Tang Clan’?”

Mu Qingyang shook his head. “I won’t ask. If you don’t wish to say, I naturally shouldn’t ask. If I say too much and displease you, brother, you could have this crane brother give a slight shake, and wouldn’t my soul scatter to the winds?”

The man nodded. “A clever one indeed. My surname is Lei.”

Mu Qingyang was startled. “Lei Family Castle.”

“I have business here but don’t want to enter Brocade City—if the Tang Clan saw me, they might think I’ve come for them. But I’ve always disliked them, so causing them some trouble isn’t bad. You’re their enemy, so I’ll save you,” the man replied.

Mu Qingyang gave a thumbs up. “Then you’ve saved quite a lot, brother. If I survive, I’ll cause them big trouble!”

In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, the yellow crane carried the two men to another forest. Mu Qingyang stepped down from the crane’s back. “May I ask your full name, brother? I must remember this debt of gratitude.”

“My name is Lei Yunhe. You should have heard of me.” The man swept his sleeve. “Ali, let’s go.”