The Hanhai Mountain wasn’t a single peak, but a vast mountain range. As far as the eye could see, layers of peaks and undulating ridges stretched out. Lush green by day, the mountains transformed at night, filled with eerie lights and shadowy figures that blurred the line between human and ghost.
Two hundred years ago, the first Sect Leader, Mu Xiujue, chose this location to establish the sect. He initially built the Bliss Palace and the Nine Provinces Treasure Pavilion. Subsequent leaders added important sites like the Celestial Sacrifice Cliff and the God-Devouring Platform. Centered around these locations, countless secret passages and hidden doors spread like a spider’s web beneath the majestic mountains.
The only outward-facing path lay within a dense, ink-black bamboo forest. Riddled with traps and mechanisms on both sides, it earned the name ‘Ghostly Bamboo Path’ among martial artists.
Now, the Ghostly Bamboo Path was eerily quiet, without even a single ghostly light visible along the way.
At the eastern edge of the dense, dark bamboo forest stood a brightly lit mansion. Three layers of armed guards, both inside and out, remained vigilant. You Guanyue presented his token and hurried into the study, where a tall, handsome figure was bent over a desk.
“Come in,” said the beautiful yet cold youth, not even lifting his head. His long eyelashes cast deep blue-green shadows on his exceptionally pale skin.
You Guanyue prostrated himself. “Greetings, Young Lord.”
Mu Qing’an asked, “Is everything prepared?”
You Guanyue replied, “Wang Tianfeng has gathered all the young men from villages around Vermilion Bird Altar. Liu Jiangfeng waits outside, ready to act. Tang Qing leads the remaining forces under Tianquan. We await your orders, Young Lord.”
“Rise,” Mu Qing’an said, lifting his head with a soft sigh. “Elder Chou was unwaveringly loyal to the Mu family, as clear as day. But after his death, his followers either died or joined other factions. Few remain now.”
His gaze turned to You Guanyue standing before the desk. “Among them, you hold the highest rank. From now on, I’ll be relying on your talents, Lord You.”
You Guanyue bowed. “I’ll gladly die for the Young Lord!”
Mu Qing’an asked, “Thirteen, have the swords been retrieved from the Sword Cave?”
You Guanyue startled as a thin youth emerged from the shadows. He had been so quiet, like a ghost, that You Guanyue hadn’t noticed his presence.
Lian Thirteen reported softly, “I counted the men outside. Fifty or sixty swords should suffice.”
Mu Qing’an chuckled lightly. “Thirteen, you’re so frugal. Elder Cheng taught you well. Give the order: when they see ‘that thing,’ don’t engage in prolonged combat. Use the swords to sever its neck and spine. Go distribute the swords.”
Lian Thirteen obeyed and left.
You Guanyue, excited, said, “I heard that over a century ago, a Sect Leader passionate about forging swords gathered master craftsmen from all over. They forged hundreds of swords sharp enough to cut through iron over twenty years, hidden somewhere in the mountains—so it’s true!”
Mu Qing’an replied self-mockingly, “Even a broken boat has some nails. At least the Mu family still has some assets the Nie family doesn’t know about.”
You Guanyue, carefully observing Mu Qing’an’s expression, ventured, “Young Lord, we don’t need to attack head-on. It’s so troublesome. I know several secret passages in Vermilion Bird Altar. We could sneak in through them. With your skills, Young Lord, you could kill that Xiong Qianjin with one strike. Wouldn’t that be easier?”
Mu Qing’an pondered, then nodded. “Indeed, you were the Vice Leader of Vermilion Bird Altar for a few years, so you would know a lot. But I already tried the easy way over a year ago. This time, I want to try a different approach—do you know the best way to clean a filthy, disgusting room?”
You Guanyue laughed awkwardly. “Please enlighten me, Young Lord.” Inwardly, he thought, “We’ve all staked our lives on you. Don’t do anything rash.”
Mu Qing’an stared at the dim lamplight. “Before, I thought changing the room’s owner would be enough. Later, I realized this room wasn’t just dirty—even its pillars were infested with vermin. The best way to clean such a room isn’t to clean it at all, but to burn it down and rebuild.”
“Over a year ago, thinking my skills were sufficient, I rashly challenged Nie Zhe. I ended up surrounded and fled with severe injuries. This time, I won’t seek out Nie Zhe. I’ll push from the Ghostly Bamboo Path, inch by inch, all the way to the Bliss Palace.” He looked at the large map on the wall. “The first target is Vermilion Bird Altar.”
You Guanyue were shocked. “Young Lord, you mean to conquer each place one by one? That’s extremely difficult! Besides the Vermilion Bird Altar, there are Azure Dragon, Bai Tiger, and Black Tortoise—three main altars. I barely know anything about Vermilion Bird Altar, let alone the other three!”
“Yes, it will be challenging. Do you still wish to serve me?” Mu Qing’an’s eyes were like icy springs—utterly cold yet brilliantly beautiful. When his gaze fell on You Guanyue, the man felt a chill run down his spine.
He hastily replied, “Of course!”
Mu Qing’an watched him silently. “You Guanyue, were sold to the sect at six by a slave trader. Elder Chou saw your quick wit and talent, choosing you from many children as his alchemy apprentice. After Elder Chou’s passing, you escaped the Nie family’s purge due to your youth. Later, your efficiency and capability earned you a position as a branch altar leader.”
“Five years ago, you managed to befriend Xiong Qianjin, leader of Vermilion Bird Altar. His ‘love and trust’ promoted you to Vice Leader. Unfortunately, your good fortune was short-lived. Xiong Qianjin soon found two new favorites. Zhang Xun and Li Zhang replaced you as left and right Vice Leaders, and you were relegated to an outer branch altar.”
You Guanyue crouched on the ground, cold sweat pouring down his face, filled with humiliation and resentment.
Mu Qing’an continued, “I don’t care if you truly cherish Elder Chou’s kindness or if you’re just seeking to regain power. Remember only this—now that you serve me, you do exactly as I say. After Xiong Qianjin’s death, you’ll be the new leader of Vermilion Bird Altar.”
You Guanyue’s eyes gleamed, his blood heating up.
He rose and knelt beside Mu Qing’an’s chair, deliberately loosening his collar to reveal his handsome, slender collarbone. Smiling, he was about to speak when he noticed Mu Qing’an’s eyes turn cold as lightning, chilling him to the bone.
He shuddered and quickly pulled his collar closed.
Mu Qing’an spoke slowly, “I’ll say this only once: I dislike anyone coming within three steps of me.”
You Guanyue hastily knelt further away, resolving to maintain a ‘pure and untouchable’ image from now on.
Lian Thirteen returned after distributing the swords and reported, “Young Lord, it’s almost time.”
Mu Qing’an said, “Guanyue, take a sword as well. We’re about to begin.”
…
The night seemed to burn with the color of blood. Sounds of slaughter erupted throughout the valley, leaving corpses strewn everywhere.
Mu Qing’an’s figure flashed through the night sky like a sword cutting through the heavens. With two consecutive palm strikes, he shattered the massive iron-reinforced wooden gate at the entrance of Vermilion Bird Altar.
You Guanyue, eager to impress Mu Qing’an, led the charge with his sword, cutting down enemies left and right, unstoppable.
Lian Thirteen was slightly surprised. “It seems You’s martial skills are quite good.”
Mu Qing’an replied, “He’s always been one of the best among the younger generation in the sect. His cultivation and talents are top-notch, but Nie Zhe refused to use him regardless.”
As one of the four main altars, the Vermilion Bird Altar should have been filled with experts. However, Nie Zhe’s jealousy meant that the more talented someone was, the more likely they were to be sidelined. Xiong Qianjin, promoted by Nie Zhe himself, likely followed the same approach in selecting his subordinates.
You Guanyue led the charge at the front, while Mu Qing’an held the rear. Whenever a formidable enemy appeared, Mu Qing’an would step forward to eliminate them. After killing seventeen or eighteen experts, the tide of battle turned in their favor.
Seeing You Guanyue approaching, Zhang Xun’s beautiful face contorted as she gave a decisive order: “Release the corpse puppets!”
As an eerie, twisted flute melody sounded, a group of people with grayish-blue skin marched out in unison.
These ‘people’ had no eyes, with dry, sunken skin, emanating the aura of death. They made grating sounds from their throats, like otherworldly ghosts invading the mortal realm.
Under the moonlight, a horrifying scene unfolded.
Suddenly, the flute melody changed, becoming shrill and urgent. The desiccated corpses that should have been buried long ago began their assault. Though they lacked refined martial skills, they possessed immense strength and felt no pain.
When a corpse’s arm was severed, no fresh blood spurted out—only a viscous, dark red liquid slowly dripped.
You Guanyue shouted, “Don’t slash randomly! Aim for their necks or spines!”
Everyone followed his advice.
The corpses’ bodies were cold and rigid. Fortunately, Mu Qing’an had distributed sharp swords beforehand, or else they might have suffered greatly.
However, the sheer number of corpses gradually pushed You Guanyue and his group back.
Mu Qing’an listened intently, finally locating the source of the flute sound. He leaped suddenly, shouting mid-air: “Go!”
A short, thin man screamed and stumbled out from behind the crowd. Thin streams of blood flowed from his mouth, ears, nose, and eyes before he collapsed, dead, still clutching a short iron flute.
Zhang Xun hurriedly had someone else take over, continuing to control the corpses with the flute. However, those who use sound as a weapon fear having their dantian shattered by an opponent’s qi. Once broken, their life is forfeit.
Mu Qing’an followed the sound, infusing his internal energy into his shouts, breaking the dantian of two more flute players.
Zhang Xun hadn’t anticipated this situation. In previous attacks using corpse puppets, opponents were either panicked and disorganized or clueless about how to counter them. She never expected to encounter an expert like Mu Qing’an who knew exactly how to deal with them.
As the flute music stopped, the numerous corpse puppets lost their direction, collapsing like kites with cut strings.
“Thirteen, we can bring in the villagers now,” Mu Qing’an suddenly instructed.
Lian Thirteen immediately went to summon them.
Seeing no strong opponents left on the field, You Guanyue retreated to Mu Qing’an’s side, fawning, “So Young Lord was prepared all along. Your shouts just now carried such far-reaching qi and powerful energy, far superior to any lion’s roar!”
“Shut up,” Mu Qing’an said coldly. “The day you all came to pledge loyalty to me, two others had deeper cultivation than you. Do you know where they are now?”
You Guanyue froze. “…Is Young Lord referring to Brothers Han and Wu?”
“Han had already allied with Nie Zhe, trying to infiltrate as a spy. Wu was fickle, attempting to extract information about the Nine Provinces Treasure Pavilion from me—I’ve eliminated them both.”
Mu Qing’an spoke dispassionately as if he had merely crushed two insects. You Guanyue trembled, “Y-Young Lord did the right thing.”
“You’ve switched sides several times yourself, serving many masters. Do you know why I kept you?” Mu Qing’an seemed unusually patient with him. “It’s because you still remember the rules Elder Chou taught you.”
“The people of Hanhai Mountain—peddlers, farmers, weavers—are either descendants of sect members or ordinary folk who’ve chosen to follow us. Year-round, they diligently pay their dues without fail. In return, the sect protects them—this is the rule set by the Mu family.”
Like Mount Jiuli, the Hanhai Mountain range contained numerous rivers, swamps, hillsides, and fields, allowing for self-sufficiency.
When Mu Xiujue first established the sect, he was surrounded by his trusted generals. But like the Six Northern Sects, after one or two decades of propagation, the population inevitably grew. Moreover, when sect members died in battle, their families needed support; when new talented individuals were recruited, they needed accommodation. A community of over a thousand people required provisions for clothing, food, shelter, and transportation.
Over two hundred years, Hanhai Mountain developed complete markets, towns, and villages.
“Even the domineering Nie Hengcheng followed this principle. Nie Zhe, however, for his selfish interests, has greatly corrupted our sect rules—someone needs to teach him a lesson.” Mu Qing’an turned to You Guanyue. “Nie Zhe doesn’t dare capture people from the Six Northern Sects or outsiders to make corpse puppets. He can only target our people.”
“Your fall from Xiong Qianjin’s favor wasn’t due to lack of skill, but because Zhang Xun and Li Zhang could consistently provide him with dozens of young villagers to make corpse puppets, while you could only offer a few. Over time, Xiong naturally came to value Zhang and Li more.”
Mu Qing’an’s gaze was clear and penetrating as if he could see through everything.
You Guanyue trembled, unsure whether he was afraid that Mu Qing’an had investigated him so thoroughly, or moved that someone had finally noticed the small bit of conscience he had kept hidden.
“Cai Pingshu once said, ‘To judge a person’s character, don’t look at how good they can be at their best, but how bad they can be at their worst.'” Mu Qing’an gazed at the horizon, seemingly thinking of someone.
“Throughout your ups and downs, you’ve never truly crossed the line. That’s why I kept you.”
You Guanyue didn’t dare to act frivolously with Mu Qing’an anymore, standing attentively and properly at his side.
At this moment, villagers poured in like a tidal wave. Few formidable opponents remained on the field. They recognized familiar faces among the motionless corpse puppets, some even family members, and heart-wrenching cries filled the air.
Wang Tianfeng, a kind-faced, chubby middle-aged man, saw that the time was ripe. He immediately rallied the young villagers to storm the Vermilion Bird Palace and seize Xiong Qianjin for revenge.
When Mu Qing’an and You Guanyue entered the Vermilion Bird Palace, it was already in chaos.
Xiong Qianjin and a dozen of his followers were surrounded.
Seeing Mu Qing’an from afar, Xiong’s dark, fat face stretched into a broad grin. “Well, if it isn’t our little Lord Mu! When you fled in disgrace over a year ago, everyone thought you were dead. The Sect Leader even set up a cenotaph for you—you ought to be grateful! Why turn against us now?”
Mu Qing’an ignored Xiong Qianjin, ordering the huge windows to open on all sides. Pointing to the pitch-black outside, he said, “The weather is warming. I remember my father saying that around this time, every household would start preparing for the spring festival. The area around the Vermilion Bird Altar should be bustling with lights. Why is it so quiet and lifeless now?”
Xiong Qianjin’s fat face quivered, but he remained silent.
“Have you forgotten the sect’s rules, Altar Master Xiong?” Mu Qing’an asked.
Xiong Qianjin gritted his teeth, forcing a smile. “This wasn’t my decision. I couldn’t disobey the Sect Leader’s orders. I didn’t dare touch our sect brothers; I only used ordinary people without cultivation. They’re mere insects, Young Lord. Why bother with them? If you spare me, I’ll pledge my loyalty to you!”
The surrounding villagers glared at him with deep hatred, which he ignored.
Mu Qing’an chuckled, “Someone like you is too foul even to feed livestock.”
You Guanyue respectfully said, “Please, Young Lord, execute this villain yourself.”
To everyone’s surprise, Mu Qing’an shook his head. “Xiong Qianjin deserves death, but not by my hand. You will kill him, You Guanyue. Face him one-on-one in a fair fight. If you survive, you’ll be the next Vermilion Bird Altar Master.”
You Guanyue were shocked. “This… this…” Despite Xiong Qianjin’s repulsiveness, he had held his position for years, indicating formidable skills. You Guanyue weren’t confident in victory.
He forced a smile. “Young Lord, whether I become Altar Master is trivial. I fear I might embarrass you.”
Mu Qing’an gave him a cold glance, whispering, “Do you know how others see you? As someone who climbed to your position by becoming Xiong Qianjin’s plaything. If you want to be Vermilion Bird Altar Master, and later an Elder or Guardian, you can’t always carry this taint.”
“You can get by with flattery and schmoozing, but can you earn your subordinates’ genuine respect that way? Go, kill Xiong Qianjin yourself. Consider it your grand opening.”
Then, he announced loudly, “Altar Master Xiong, if you can defeat You Guanyue, I’ll let you go today.”
All eyes turned to You Guanyue, making him feel like an ant under a magnifying glass.
The crowd silently parted, creating a path for You Guanyue. He knew he couldn’t back down now.
Xiong Qianjin laughed heartily. “My little Yang Yue is so delicate, I’d hate to rough him up.”
You Guanyue gritted his teeth and advanced with his sword.
Xiong Qianjin’s punches were powerful and swift. His body, trained to be as hard as steel, was impenetrable even to sharp swords. You Guanyue could only circle, seeking openings to strike vital points. Knowing Xiong Qianjin’s weaknesses were his lower body and face from years of proximity, You Guanyue repeatedly attacked these areas. Xiong Qianjin roared angrily, counterattacking fiercely. You Guanyue barely dodged several close calls, breaking into a cold sweat.
After several exchanges, You Guanyue had identified Xiong Qianjin’s weak spots. However, each time he was about to strike a vital point, Xiong Qianjin would swiftly counterattack, forcing You Guanyue to abandon his offensive to dodge.
This put You Guanyue at a disadvantage. Xiong Qianjin, naturally strong, saw You Guanyue’s energy waning and laughed as he intensified his assault.
At this moment, Mu Qing’an’s calm voice drifted over: “The Vermilion Bird, also known as the Phoenix, sheds its flesh to be reborn from the ashes.”
A flash of inspiration struck You Guanyue.
Meeting Xiong Qianjin’s lustful gaze, he instinctively flinched. As he leaped to avoid a sweeping punch, he saw the Vermilion Bird carving on the palace beam, red as fierce flames, fearless in the face of death.
He understood everything.
When Xiong Qianjin’s next punch came, You Guanyue didn’t dodge. He let out a roar from deep in his lungs and decisively thrust his sword at the vital point.
In a desperate situation, the brave prevail. There was no room for hesitation.
Bang, bang, bang! You Guanyue’s shoulder, chest, and face were hit by three consecutive punches from Xiong Qianjin. His vision blurred, ears ringing. His nose felt dislocated, blood flowing freely. His shoulder and chest made cracking sounds, and even his internal organs were affected.
However, he had also struck Xiong Qianjin’s Tanzhong acupoint and slashed diagonally along his ribs, piercing his abdomen.
Xiong Qianjin bellowed like a wild bull. You Guanyue, enduring excruciating pain, swiftly severed Xiong’s arm and leg tendons with several sword strikes before staggering back, holding his nose.
He shouted, “Xiong Qianjin has committed numerous atrocities, harming the community for years. I’ve now disabled him but left him alive for you all to vent your anger. Everyone, step back!”
He looked towards Mu Qing’an.
The cold, aloof, handsome youth smiled genuinely for the first time, briefly saying, “Well said.”
Meanwhile, Lian Thirteen directed the crowd to attack Xiong Qianjin’s followers and the two vice altar masters, wounding them critically before handing them over to the enraged villagers.
Xiong Qianjin and his men finally felt fear as the villagers they had treated like animals pounced on them, tearing their limbs apart and biting into their flesh…
You Guanyue, gravely injured, stumbled towards Mu Qing’an.
The crowd parted respectfully to make way.
You Guanyue sensed a change in the gazes fixed upon him. The previous wariness, contempt, and mockery were replaced with solemnity and admiration. He knew that establishing authority wasn’t an overnight task; from this day forward, he would have to start anew.
You Guanyue knelt before Mu Qing’an, touching his forehead to the ground, letting his nosebleed flow freely.
He spoke earnestly, word by word: “From now on, I am at Young Lord’s command, ready to face death without hesitation!” Then he laughed heartily, despite the pain coursing through his body. “Where to next, Young Lord? Just say the word, no matter how difficult!”
“You still don’t understand,” Mu Qing’an smiled faintly. “This time, I’m not just aiming for the position of Sect Leader. I intend to reclaim the entire sect.”