“Hey! Little Bi?” Fu Zhumei saw him spit out that strange blood and knew it must have burned his lungs and windpipe. He frantically helped him sit up. Fortunately, the twelve silver needles that Wen Renhe had inserted took effect. After sitting quietly for a moment, the bleeding gradually stopped. Bi Lianyi breathed extremely weakly but couldn’t say a single word.

Little Bi was saved. Fu Zhumei let him lean against the wall with eyes closed to rest, carefully getting down from the bed, afraid of disturbing even a single hair on Bi Lianyi’s head.

Everything would slowly get better—Little Bi’s feelings for Miss Hong, Biluo Palace’s future, the martial world’s future, A’Li’s future… He rubbed his hair. He always believed everything would improve, yet actually not everything truly got better! But regardless of whether the future would really get better and better, he still looked forward to it just the same.

Ri’ai Residence.

After Bi Lianyi was severely wounded, Wanyu Yuedan had stayed in his room for a while, then quickly returned to his own dwelling. Tie Jing followed behind him, watching as he felt around to take a set of clothes, a few taels of silver, several medicine bottles, and packed them into a bundle. Having just experienced Zhu Yan’s palace intrusion, Tie Jing was especially cautious. Seeing him pack a bundle, he asked in alarm, “Is the Palace Master going out?”

Wanyu Yuedan smiled. “I’m going out for a few days.”

Tie Jing frowned. “I’ll go notify Yan’er. Where is the Palace Master going?”

“This time I’m going out, I won’t take any personnel.” Wanyu Yuedan picked up the bundle he had just packed, straightened his clothes. “I also can’t say when I’ll return. Before I return, palace affairs will be managed by Big Brother Bi. If Big Brother Bi is weak after his injuries, you and Yan’er can first consult Elder Bi, then seek Elder Wen Ren’s opinion.”

Tie Jing was shocked. “Palace Master, you won’t take any personnel? How is that possible? No matter who in the palace, none would be at ease with the Palace Master going out like this. Let Tie Jing and Yan’er accompany you.”

Wanyu Yuedan turned around and beckoned to Tie Jing. Tie Jing approached with concern. “What orders does the Palace Master have—” Suddenly he felt numbness at his waist. Wanyu Yuedan’s right hand released from his waist. Tie Jing collapsed in horror. The Palace Master had struck him down with the “Qilin Thorn” at his waist—why? He saw Wanyu Yuedan show him an apologetic yet gentle smile, using both hands to drag him with effort, pulling him all the way beside his own bed. He had wanted to lift Tie Jing onto the bed to lie properly, but lacking strength in his hands, he ultimately couldn’t lift him. He could only let Tie Jing lie on the ground, taking the brocade quilt from the bed to cover him, and moving the jade pillow down to place under Tie Jing’s head. He carefully arranged everything to make Tie Jing completely comfortable before standing up.

Watching him arrange the brocade quilt, Tie Jing’s heart grew more and more alarmed. Wanyu Yuedan making such preparations truly intended to leave alone, but with his blindness, how could he leave by himself? And where could he go? Just as he was puzzled and worried, a stifling breeze blew in from outside the door, bringing a familiar heat. He saw a figure’s shadow cast on the wall—the person was tall with disheveled hair. When the breeze came, it seemed to faintly carry the scent of blood.

Could it be—Tie Jing saw that the figure was missing its right arm, his horror reaching an indescribable level. Could it be—Kuanglan Wuxing? Impossible! He had just retreated in defeat, just had an arm severed by Fu Zhumei, just been severely wounded—how could he suddenly return? How could anyone be so fierce and brave?

“You came very quickly.” Wanyu Yuedan’s voice sounded. Compared to the hot wind blowing in from outside, his voice was delicate and gentle, slightly tinged with excitement, like a child who had guessed a riddle correctly. “A brave warrior who can wield an eight-chi sword and zhang-long halberd surely wouldn’t retreat when facing difficulty, but should become more courageous with each battle. I expected you would certainly come again, though I didn’t think it would be this soon.”

Zhu Yan’s voice showed no trace of weakness after severe injury, as if he had never had that right arm. “You packed a bundle—are you confident I won’t kill you?”

Wanyu Yuedan’s eyes slightly lifted at the corners, his distinct black and white eyes opening somewhat seriously. “I’ve always been very confident.”

The stump of Zhu Yan’s right arm was already dressed and bandaged—who knows how he managed it with only his left hand, but it was very properly done. His left hand grasped a bamboo pole, and though it was just a bamboo pole, in his grip it was no different from a long halberd. “Killing you requires no effort at all.”

“Biluo Palace has no grievances with you, sir. If you want to kill me, there should be some reason, shouldn’t there?” Wanyu Yuedan carried that somewhat messily packed bundle, appearing like a clean, delicate, gentle youth. “Does sir have some wish that cannot be fulfilled, and someone has promised you something?” He said softly, “Killing me, even with your supreme bravery, will inevitably bring much trouble. If you trust in Wanyu Yuedan’s abilities, could you tell me what someone has promised you? What must be exchanged for my head, with no other alternative?” He looked toward Zhu Yan’s direction, his expression very gentle. “Biluo Palace has never intended harm toward you, sir.”

Zhu Yan’s gaze shifted. If Wanyu Yuedan could see, that gaze was extremely sharp, full of savage brutality like drinking blood and eating raw flesh. Such demonic eyes continued for quite a long time before he said in a low voice, “I’m looking for someone.”

Wanyu Yuedan slowly raised a scroll from his robes. “Is the person you’re looking for this young lady?”

Zhu Yan’s gaze swept over. In an instant, the bamboo pole in his left hand exploded, the bamboo joints burned to ash. He asked word by word in a low voice, “This portrait—where did you find it?”

Just then, someone spoke in a voice neither high nor low, neither fast nor slow: “This portrait is mine.” Wanyu Yuedan smiled. A person floated down from the roof beams—handsome in appearance, with a memorable scar across his face. It was Shen Langhun disguised as “Pan Ruo’an.”

It turned out Shen Langhun had arrived at Biluo Palace just this morning, hastily explaining Tang Lici’s predicament and giving Wanyu Yuedan the portrait that Tang Lici had taken down at Wangting Villa. That portrait looked very similar to Xifang Tao, hanging in Fengliu Shop’s secret stronghold as an object of worship—it must be related to someone of great importance, very likely already seriously ill or deceased. Tang Lici hoped Wanyu Yuedan could investigate who the woman in the portrait really was. If the woman in the portrait had died, the missing ice coffin from Fang Zhou might have been taken by Xifang Tao for this woman’s use. This woman must be connected to some major secret within Fengliu Shop.

Wanyu Yuedan naturally couldn’t see the woman’s appearance in the portrait, but he had already heard in detail from Meihua Yishu that both Kuanglan Wuxing and Yu Konghou (under the false name “Xifang Tao”) had feelings for Yu Konghou’s cousin Xue Tao. If the woman in this portrait looked very similar to “Xifang Tao,” who else could it be but Xue Tao? And with Kuanglan Wuxing’s martial arts, what else in the world besides the word “love” could make him brave fire and water, even obliterating gratitude without care?

When Kuanglan Wuxing suddenly arrived earlier, he hadn’t brought this portrait with him, but now he was fully prepared.

Indeed, once the portrait appeared, Kuanglan Wuxing’s aura changed dramatically. Shen Langhun appeared at the right moment. Wanyu Yuedan’s confidence grew, and he smiled. “Is this young lady Xue Tao?”

Zhu Yan stared fixedly at the portrait. The person in the painting looked almost identical to Xifang Tao, but to him there was obviously a world of difference. “Where is she?” The brilliant light in Zhu Yan’s eyes grew brighter and brighter, sharp and terrifying. “Speak!”

Shen Langhun said calmly, “This portrait is mine.”

Zhu Yan suddenly looked up at him. Shen Langhun said faintly, “This portrait was found by Young Master Tang Lici and me at Wangting Villa. Wangting Villa is Fengliu Shop’s secret stronghold. If the painting is there, I think the person might be there too.” He didn’t mention that the person in the portrait had a strange posture, as if not alive.

Wanyu Yuedan’s fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes slightly relaxed, relaxing very clearly. “Yu Konghou…” As soon as he mentioned “Yu Konghou,” the killing intent on Zhu Yan intensified greatly. Wanyu Yuedan acted as if he didn’t notice, continuing, “…also has feelings for Miss Xue. With his character, even if you take my head back to him today, would he truly return Miss Xue to you?” His eyes were bright, faintly containing sorrowful meaning, though the corners still smiled. “Or rather—what kind of Miss Xue—would he return to you?”

Zhu Yan stood with hands behind his back, quietly pondering. He was supremely brave in martial arts but not a reckless man. Yu Konghou was sinister and vicious—anything he couldn’t obtain, he would never release easily. “You’re saying—he would return a corpse to me?” He said in a low voice, “Would he dare?”

Wanyu Yuedan asked back, “Wouldn’t he dare?”

Zhu Yan gave a cold laugh. “Your meaning is that I should go to Wangting Villa to find her, rather than wait for Yu Konghou to hand her over, lest he become utterly mad and kill Xue Tao. Hmph! You think I don’t know your intention—both you and he want to destroy Wangting Villa, only you lack the ability—”

“Correct.” Wanyu Yuedan smiled slightly, frankly admitting, “I hope you can raze Wangting Villa to the ground. You want to save Miss Xue Tao, I also have someone I want to save. You want to kill Yu Konghou, I also want to kill Yu Konghou. That’s all.” He said slowly, “I don’t want to see a corpse in Wangting Villa, nor do I want you to see another corpse in Wangting Villa. Our martial arts are insufficient to shake Wangting Villa, but to find Miss Xue’s whereabouts, you also need our assistance, don’t you? If this trip cannot rescue Miss Xue, Wanyu Yuedan will still be at your fingertips—kill or flay as you please.”

Zhu Yan abruptly flicked his sleeve, saying grimly, “Agreed!” He didn’t care who he cooperated with, nor who he spoke with. Any method would do, as long as it let him see Xue Tao quickly.

He had to see Xue Tao—he had a sentence to say to her!