The day after Mu’s young lord seized the position of sect leader, while most disciples were rejoicing, two horses carrying a young couple hastily descended the mountain. Behind them followed a cart laden with heavy gift boxes.
As the Youming Huang Road grew distant behind them, Song Yuzhi couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile. Noticing the sorrowful expression of the young woman beside him, he wisely refrained from mentioning the ‘old friend’ and instead offered words of comfort.
After half a day’s journey, Song Yuzhi felt it was time for Cai Zhao to stop grieving. He changed the subject, “Sister apprentice when we stop later, we should coordinate our story. We need to agree on what to say and what not to say to avoid suspicion.”
“No need to coordinate,” Cai Zhao replied listlessly. “Everything has already been arranged with the elders.”
Song Yuzhi was quite surprised. “Everything? Have you thought this through, sister apprentice?” He recalled how Cai Zhao had been vague and evasive when obtaining the saliva of the Snow-scaled Dragon Beast.
Cai Zhao responded wearily, “Let’s just tell them everything. It’s wrong to deceive our elders.” Now, she no longer had any reason to conceal Mu Qing’an’s involvement.
Song Yuzhi seemed to grasp her meaning. He frowned, “Sister apprentice…” Just as he was about to offer advice, he suddenly spotted a group of riders emerging from the rolling yellow sand ahead.
The three at the forefront looked familiar—they were Qi Yunke, Song Shijun, and Cai Pingchun.
All three wore thunderous expressions.
The apprentice siblings exchanged a glance, both feeling their scalps tingle—turning themselves in voluntarily was quite different from being caught.
Qi Yunke’s face darkened. “You two reckless fools, get over here and kneel!”
Song Shijun berated them, “Are you tired of living? Do you think you’re invincible now? How dare you trespass on Youming Huang Road! Why don’t you just fly to the heavens while you’re at it?”
Cai Pingchun interjected, “Let’s find a place to rest first and let the children catch their breath.”
As Song Yuzhi dismounted, he whispered, “Your father is quite lenient.”
Cai Zhao chuckled dryly.
Qi Yunke and Song Shijun simultaneously shot disapproving glances at Cai Pingchun, accusing him of being too indulgent. Noticing this, Cai Pingchun quickly added, “What I mean is, once they’ve regained their strength, we can better impress upon them the rules of our family and sect.”
Song Yuzhi: ?!
…
After the downfall of Nie Zhe’s faction, chaos reigned in the Hanhai Mountain Range for about six or seven days.
Mu Qing’an ordered the sealing of Youming Huang Road’s exit and commanded Shangguan Haonan and You Guanyue to lead a large force to set up an ambush behind the Palace of Ultimate Bliss. Nie’s troops, who had been defeated by You Guanyue at various checkpoints, along with Nie’s lackeys who had fled at the first sign of trouble, and the henchmen who had harmed their fellow disciples for Nie Zhe, were either killed or captured, causing quite a commotion.
Watching the weeping and wailing Nie faction followers, Hu Fengge sighed, “In the days when Nie Hengcheng was alive, the four great disciples—Zhao, Chen, Han, and Lu—were illustrious, and their subordinates were brave and formidable. How invincible they seemed then! Now they crumble like clay chickens and pottery dogs. It’s truly… ah…”
She turned to Mu Qing’an and cupped her hands, “Sect Leader, how do you plan to deal with them?”
Mu Qing’an sighed softly, “Heaven values all life, and I’m reluctant to execute them all. How about this: turn them all into corpse puppets and send them to the back mountain for hard labor.”
“What?!” Hu Fengge almost thought she had misheard.
Mu Qing’an explained, “I was just joking. Corpse puppets are harmful and only last a few months. It’s better to cut their hand and foot tendons and then send them for hard labor.”
He muttered to himself, “Sigh, I’ve become increasingly soft-hearted lately.”
Hu Fengge: Was that a joke?! Wasn’t it his true intention that slipped out?!
Upon learning of Cai Zhao’s departure, Old Man Yan was so delighted he almost fainted. He repeatedly praised, “Young Lord has done well! The young Lord is wise! The revival of our sect is just around the corner! What good could come from Cai Pingzhu’s niece? She’s nothing but a ruthless, domineering woman who kills as easily as cutting vegetables! Sleeping next to such a woman, one couldn’t even rest easy! Let this old man find you a gentle, virtuous, and obedient beauty instead…”
Shangguan Haonan picked his ears and said, “Elder Yan, give it a rest. You’re the Recording Officer, pushing paper. Don’t try to outdo the matchmakers who make a living selling words.”
“Shut up, you brat!” Yan Xu glared at him. “When we celebrated your full moon, I threw several gold pieces into your copper basin. How dare you speak to me disrespectfully? Pay me back, pay me back!… Little Yue, tell him I’m right!”
You Guanyue looked to the sky and said, “Well, Cai Pingzhu mostly killed Nie Hengcheng’s men. When Elder Chou was around, he often secretly cheered Cai Pingzhu on.” He thought to himself, “What a pity. Xing’er served Cai Zhao for so long and finally established a relationship, all for nothing now.”
Yan Xu cursed, “You ignorant brat! No wonder Chou Baigan was no match for Nie Hengcheng. How short-sighted! Hui’er, what do you think?”
Yu Huiyin stood nearby, frowning worriedly. “Elder, what do you want me to say? I still don’t know how the Young Lord plans to deal with my seventh sister and her child. I had hoped to ask Miss Cai to put in a good word for them, given how the Young Lord seemed to follow her every word. Who knew she’d leave so quickly? Alas.”
Yan Xu was nearly apoplectic. “Cai Pingzhu killed your adoptive father! How could you even think of asking her niece for help?! Do you have any pride left? Have you no shame?”
Yu Huiyin laughed bitterly, “I think staying alive is more important.” He thought to himself, “For people of the jianghu, what’s there to be indignant about dying in a duel? If you have a problem, just challenge Cai Pingzhu and kill her.”
Of course, he didn’t say that out loud.
Yan Xu clutched his chest, gasping for air, and turned to say, “Little Feng, say something!”
Hu Fengge responded expressionlessly, “You want me to speak? Well, then I’ll say this—men who blame their successes and failures on women are all cowards.”
As Yan Xu was about to make a scene, a guard at the door suddenly announced Mu Qing’an’s arrival. Everyone quickly stood at attention, waiting.
Once Mu Qing’an was seated, a tall, vigorous-looking Taoist priest stepped forward and said, “Lü Fengchun pays respects to the Sect Leader!”
Mu Qing’an glanced at him, “Oh, it’s Elder Tianqu.”
After the initial situation settled, the legendary fence-sitter elder appeared at a most opportune moment.
Lü Fengchun was nearly ten years older than Yan Xu, yet his hair was black and shiny, his complexion ruddy and full. He looked almost like a man in his prime. Standing next to the sallow and scrawny Elder Yan, one might think they were from different generations.
Lü Fengchun immediately began wailing to Mu Qing’an, beating his chest as he cried. His tone and gestures were reminiscent of a certain special profession:
“Heaven has eyes! Our sect leader is a young talent, born to revive our Mu clan’s two-hundred-year legacy! Wuwuwu, this old man was fortunate to have seen the Sect Leader’s ancestors, and now to witness the Sect Leader’s vigor, the old Sect Leader must be smiling in the afterlife…”
Yan Xu turned around, searching for something. Lian Shisan asked, “Elder Yan, what are you looking for?”
Yan Xu replied, “A back scratcher. I’m getting goosebumps.”
After the crying came the praising.
Lü Fengchun gazed at Mu Qing’an with emotion-filled eyes. “During Nie’s rebellion, when storms raged and our sect’s foundation was shaken, we faced an unprecedented crisis in two hundred years. Yet you, Sect Leader, though young, displayed remarkable strategy and foresight. You effortlessly quelled Nie’s rebellion, truly becoming the pride of the Mu clan in two centuries!”
You Guanyue sighed in admiration, looking around. Shangguan Haonan asked what he was searching for.
“Paper and brush,” You Guanyue whispered. “This Elder Lü is truly a master of words. Such excellent phrases should be noted down for future use.”
After the praise came the pledge of loyalty.
Lü Fengchun, with a face full of devotion, said, “This old man once swore to live and die for the Mu clan. When Nie Hengcheng ran rampant, I lacked the strength to resist. When Nie Zhe acted perversely, I was struck with grave illness…”
Hu Fengge couldn’t help but interject, “Elder Lü doesn’t look seriously ill now.”
“Elder Hu has keen eyes,” Lü Fengchun laughed. “Perhaps it’s the joy of recent events that has invigorated me. Since hearing about the Sect Leader’s righteous uprising, my illness has vanished. Alas, this old man’s ears aren’t what they used to be. By the time I heard of the Sect Leader’s actions, everything was almost settled. Otherwise, even in my frail state, I would have dragged these old bones to serve the Sect Leader!”
Lü Fengchun continued his flattery and exaggeration until his mouth was dry and everyone else had grown weary of listening. Surprisingly, Mu Qing’an patiently heard him out and even summarized, “So, Elder Lü is very loyal, very frail, willing but unable, and now hopes to continue serving our sacred sect… Is that correct?”
Lü Fengchun exclaimed, “Please don’t dismiss this old man for his age, Sect Leader. Whatever the task, feel free to put me to use!”
Mu Qing’an said, “I do have a matter to entrust to you. Li Ruxin is Nie Hengcheng’s adopted daughter, and Nie Si’en is Nie’s descendant. I considered eliminating them…”
Yu Huiyin tensed his heart in his throat.
“But then I thought, despite Nie Hengcheng’s faults, he never harmed my father in his youth. Moreover, a weak woman and a child can’t cause much trouble, and I can afford to be merciful,” Mu Qing’an continued. “Elder Lü, with your age and wisdom, you can handle matters prudently. I’d be most at ease entrusting Li Ruxin and her child to your care. Elder Lü, can you manage this task?”
Lü Fengchun was speechless. With his shrewd mind, he knew that Li Ruxin and her child were now hot potatoes.
If anything were to happen to Li Ruxin and her child, Mu Qing’an would surely hold him responsible for demonstrating his magnanimity towards his former enemy’s orphans. Yet if he cared for them too well and allowed them to make outside connections, potentially causing trouble, he couldn’t escape the blame for lax supervision.
Once he accepted this task, it would be like having a sword hanging over his neck, unable to move forward or back. It was even more uncomfortable than receiving punishment.
Yu Huiyin, realizing this, was about to plead desperately when Hu Fengge grabbed his sleeve.
Hu Fengge shook her head slightly, mouthing, “If you want Li Ruxin and her child to live, don’t say a word.”
Lü Fengchun wanted to decline, but as soon as he opened his mouth to say “This old man is frail and weak,” Mu Qing’an’s clear, piercing eyes turned towards him.
He said, “People outside say Elder Lü has a clever tongue and swift legs. Usually eloquent, but once trouble arises, he runs faster than a rabbit—surely these rumors must be false. What do you say, Elder Lü?”
Though his words seemed light, his eyes held an unfathomable, chilling darkness.
Lü Fengchun wisely lowered his head and forced a smile, accepting the task.
Mu Qing’an waved his hand, dismissing him.
Having taken on two major burdens without being able to participate in confidential meetings, Lü Fengchun felt more bitter than Coptis chinensis.
Watching the fence-sitter leave, Yan Xu gleefully stepped forward to “congratulate”: “Sect Leader is wise and brilliant. This arrangement for Li Ruxin and her child couldn’t be better. Since driving away that little girl Cai Zhao, the Sect Leader’s handling of sect affairs has become increasingly…”
“What are you talking about?” Mu Qing’an suddenly raised his eyelids, his gaze cold. “Who is this Cai Zhao you speak of?”
Yan Xu was stunned. You Guanyue reacted quickest, “The Sect Leader is right. This subordinate has never heard of such a person either.”
Mu Qing’an’s face was unusually pale, like hard jade. He turned to look out the window, “Don’t mention this again in the future.”
Everyone bowed and agreed.
Although Yan Xu had been rebuked, he was inwardly dancing with joy, responding especially loudly.
“I have two matters to address today. First, where is the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower from the treasury?” Mu Qing’an turned back.
You Guanyue quickly replied, “This subordinate has carefully searched all the storehouses these past two days, and indeed, this item is not present.”
“Has anyone here seen this object?” Mu Qing’an asked again.
The others shook their heads, but Hu Fengge stepped forward and said, “This subordinate saw Nie Hengcheng playing with this treasure in my youth. Later, it was said to have been stolen.”
Yan Xu seemed to recall something: “Does the Sect Leader wish to find this item? This old man knows a bit about it—it was indeed stolen back then, reportedly by the Northern Chen Six Sects. However, it was later returned, though the thief’s motives remain unclear. Nie Hengcheng, in his anger, executed over a dozen treasury guards. But not long after, it was stolen again.”
“What? Who was so bold as to steal it not once, but twice?” Shangguan Haonan exclaimed.
Yan Xu stroked his sparse beard: “I don’t know who stole it the first time, but the second thief was Lu Chengnan.”
This statement shocked everyone.
“But why?” Hu Fengge was particularly surprised. “Fourth Brother Lu was fiercely loyal to Nie Hengcheng.”
“This old man doesn’t know the reason,” Yan Xu shook his head. “I only know that when Nie Hengcheng discovered this, he flew into a rage and severely injured Lu Chengnan. I was present at the time, and from what I saw, Nie Hengcheng’s strike seemed intended to kill.”
“Such a thing happened? How strange,” Hu Fengge marveled. “Nie Hengcheng was known to be ruthless to outsiders, but he deeply cared for his disciples. He even protected Chen Shu despite his incompetence. How could he do this to Fourth Brother Lu, the most valued among his four great disciples? I often heard the leaders in the Tiangangsha Camp say that Lu Chengnan was destined to inherit Nie Hengcheng’s mantle.”
Mu Qing’an asked, “What happened after that? Where did Lu Chengnan go?”
“That night, Nie Hengcheng was acting strangely, agitated and frenzied. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought he had gone mad from cultivation gone wrong,” Yan Xu said. “Han Yisu also noticed his master’s unusual state. While desperately trying to stop Nie Hengcheng, he shouted for Lu Chengnan to run—and so Lu Chengnan fled. He hasn’t been seen since, and no one knows where he went.”
Mu Qing’an nodded, “So, the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower disappeared along with Lu Chengnan.” Many questions arose in his mind, and he habitually tapped his fingers on the table.
“Let’s put that matter aside for now and discuss the second issue,” he continued. “Several months ago, the Wu’an Chang family fortress was completely massacred. Who did this?”
You Guanyue and Shangguan Haonan exchanged bewildered glances, while Yan Xu and Yu Huiyin looked utterly confused.
Hu Fengge pondered for a moment before stepping forward. “I’ve heard some rumors about this. It should have been Nie Zhe’s doing.”
“But why would Fifth Brother wipe out the entire Chang family for no reason?” Yu Huiyin asked, puzzled.
“I don’t know either,” Hu Fengge replied gravely. “Nie Zhe was jealous of talent and couldn’t keep capable people around. He looked down on me as a woman, so he was willing to discuss many things with me. But I know he always had other helpers in the shadows. Just in these past few months, whether it was the massacre of the Chang family fortress or the ambushes on the Northern Chen Six Sects along the way, I only learned about them after the fact.”
“I later asked the brothers who participated in the Chang family fortress operation, and they were quite perplexed too. You see, the Chang family fortress was hidden extremely well. Even Fourth Brother Lu couldn’t break through their concealment formation back then. Yet Nie Zhe found it easily. The brothers said that on the night of the operation, someone had left marks along the way, allowing them to smoothly infiltrate the fortress.”
This information caught Mu Qing’an by surprise.
He had always assumed it was Nie Zhe who wiped out the Chang family fortress, and by killing Nie Zhe and his subordinates, he would have avenged the Chang family. Now, hearing Hu Fengge’s words, it seemed there was another culprit.
“Well, we need to question Nie Zhe about this,” Mu Qing’an decided swiftly. “A few days ago, Nie Zhe’s condition worsened. He can’t move now, so let’s go see him.”
Everyone stood up together and followed Mu Qing’an to a side hall, entering a room filled with the bitter scent of medicinal herbs.
The guards at the door bowed respectfully and opened the door for Mu Qing’an.
The group filed into the sick room, but no one expected to find Nie Zhe already dead on the bed—his wound’s blood had congealed, his face was ashen, his features twisted, and his body cold. He had been dead for at least several hours.
“Ah! Fifth Brother, Fifth Brother!” Yu Huiyin rushed forward, crying out, “What happened? What happened?”
The guards at the door turned pale with fright, quickly kneeling to beg for forgiveness. They stated that throughout the day, only the servants bringing food and changing medicines had entered the sick room.
“His heart meridians were shattered by internal force,” Mu Qing’an said after examining Nie Zhe’s chest. “Someone must have disguised themselves as a servant bringing food or medicine to take his life.” He had never intended to let Nie Zhe live, so the guards outside were more focused on preventing rescue attempts rather than watching for assassins.
Yan Xu exclaimed, “Who could be the skilled martial artist who killed Nie Zhe?”
Shangguan Haonan stepped forward to examine Nie Zhe’s corpse, shaking his head. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a highly skilled person. Nie Zhe was already severely injured, almost defenseless. Even someone with ordinary martial arts skills could have taken his life.”
“Among the servants who brought food and changed medicines today, one hasn’t returned yet,” You Guanyue reported after questioning the subordinates. “It seems the worst has happened.”
Yu Huiyin rose from the bedside, tears in his eyes. “Sect Leader, there’s something I’ve wanted to say for a long time. Regarding your father’s poisoning… I don’t know if Madam Sun was behind it, but I don’t believe Fifth Brother ordered it.”
“Fifth Brother mentioned more than once that your father was indifferent to power and had no interest in authority. Fifth Brother’s position was unstable, and he needed someone like your father as a figurehead. Whenever disciples questioned Fifth Brother’s legitimacy, he would retort, ‘If the legitimate Mu clan heir doesn’t object, what business is it of yours?’ to deflect criticism. Fifth Brother wished for your father’s health and longevity more than anyone else. How could he have ordered Madam Sun to poison him?”
“Oh no!” Hu Fengge’s expression suddenly changed. “Ruoshui!”
She leaped back and rushed out the door, with the others hurrying after her.
But they were too late. Sun Ruoshui was also dead in her sickbed—with the same ashen face, twisted features, and cold body.
Shangguan Haonan exclaimed, “Her heart meridians were also shattered.”
Mu Qing’an walked in unhurriedly—he was the last to enter the room.
He said, “There’s no need to panic. If someone wanted to silence them, they wouldn’t have killed only Nie Zhe. Nie Zhe’s body has been cold for a while, so naturally, Madam Sun was killed long ago as well.”
Yan Xu was utterly confused. “What on earth is going on? Oh, Sect Leader, don’t be sad about Madam Sun’s death.”
Looking at Sun Ruoshui’s corpse, Mu Qing’an felt no emotional stirring.
Long ago, he had given up on his birth mother.
Tenderness, longing, desire—these normal feelings a child should have for their mother had been buried by Mu Qing’an in that decaying, dilapidated little black room long ago. He didn’t have a shred of that despicable emotion that would make one still cling to a close relative who had hurt them mercilessly.
As he grew up and learned more about Sun Ruoshui’s past behavior, he was left with only contempt for the woman who had given birth to him. After learning that she had poisoned his father, that contempt turned to hatred.
The only regrettable thing was that to avoid hurting his father’s feelings, he hadn’t clearly expressed his disdain for Sun Ruoshui. This led his father to misunderstand that he still cared for his birth mother, ultimately allowing Sun Ruoshui to harm him.
Even if no one had silenced her, he wouldn’t have let the person who poisoned his father live. Sun Ruoshui was no exception.
However, with Nie and Sun’s deaths, the trail of clues was cut off, adding another layer of mist to the already thick fog of mystery.
First, if the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower was just a trivial item for concentration, why was Nie Hengcheng so desperate for it?
Second, why did Lu Chengnan, Nie Hengcheng’s most valued and loyal disciple, steal the Purple Jade Golden Sunflower?
Third, who was secretly helping Nie Zhe? Most likely someone from the Northern Chen Six Sects. But who?
Finally, why did Sun Ruoshui poison Mu Zhengming? They were already separated, and Mu Zhengming wouldn’t have been in her way. What reason did she have to take such a drastic action?
Mu Qing’an stood by the window, using the bright daylight to discreetly scan the faces of everyone in the room—
You Guanyue lost in thought, Shangguan Haonan scratching his head in confusion, Yan Xu incessantly asking “Why, why,” Hu Fengge closing Sun Ruoshui’s eyes with a hint of sorrow, Yu Huiyin comfortingly patting her shoulder, and the absent fence-sitter Lü Fengchun… Could the person who silenced Nie and Sun be among these people?
Or was it someone else entirely?
Mu Qing’an’s brows furrowed deeply, his thoughts profound.
He turned his head and casually said, “Zhaohzao, do you think it could be…”
His voice abruptly stopped.
The room fell silent, with everyone wearing different expressions.
Mu Qing’an stood motionless, staring at the space beside him.
“Don’t be afraid, and don’t worry. There’s always a way.”
Someone had once made this promise to him, someone had once gently kissed his face.
After his father, in his determined, cold, and lonely life, a beam of bright, warm sunlight had once shone through.
She had a pair of extremely beautiful eyes. She used to joke that her relatives and elders often said she would grow up to look like Cai Pingzhu, especially when she smiled. Her bright, large eyes were like the rippling surface of a spring lake, pure and warm.
—Don’t be afraid, and don’t worry. There’s always a way.
Since she made a promise, why didn’t she keep it?
Instead, she left him alone in this fiery, intense abyss.
[End of Volume]