Qing Xia was slightly startled, her mind immediately conjuring images of herself entangled with him in a state of confused passion. Her cheeks flushed red as she withdrew her hand.
The person who could ambush her and get close enough to poison her unknowingly could only be the Penglai people or that enigmatic and unpredictable demoness Lie Yun Ji. Although Qing Xia was skilled in martial arts and assassination techniques, compared to such an inscrutable demoness, she was still at a slight disadvantage, never knowing when she might fall into her trap.
Rage blazed in her heart as she thought darkly that once the immediate crisis passed, she would definitely settle accounts with her later.
This kind of humiliation—she, 003, would not swallow it easily!
“Ah!” A sudden scream interrupted Qing Xia’s thoughts, causing her to jerk her head up toward the source of the sound. She saw Master Mu suddenly widen his eyes, his wrinkled old face grotesquely trembling, then cry out loudly and rush forward. Following his figure, Qing Xia turned to look and was instantly struck as if by lightning, her face pale as she stumbled and nearly fell to the ground.
A naked woman lay limply on the ground, her snow-white body covered with purple bruises and blood stains, blood streaks between her legs, her face pale as paper. Her eyes stared wide in terror, filled with anger and grief, tears still present, despair and agony evident—it was shockingly Mu Shiyan, the Penglai wise woman they had just met hours earlier.
Master Mu cried out in anguish and immediately rushed into the still-burning inner chamber, lifting Mu Shiyan’s body. Feeling her ice-cold to the touch, he realized she had been dead for some time!
Tremendous wailing arose as Master Mu wept bitterly, his voice shrill and mournful like a wronged spirit crying in the night.
“Mm…”
A low groan suddenly sounded. Everyone quickly looked toward the inner room to see a man lying on a chaotic, disheveled bed, his clothes scattered on the floor, bare-chested wearing only trousers, his long hair loose, his face unclear.
Master Mu immediately jumped up like a lit firecracker and rushed toward the bed.
Fearing for his safety, everyone followed suit.
With a thunderous crash, a massive pillar suddenly crashed down, landing horizontally in front of the bed, nearly crushing Master Mu’s head. Several Penglai disciples leaped over, grabbed the still-sleeping man, and threw him roughly to the ground.
“Rapist!” Master Mu’s eyes were bloodshot, his face flushed red as he suddenly kicked the man, shouting loudly.
The man lay on the ground, seemingly just awakening groggily, slowly shaking his head before crawling up and turning around. His eyes swept over the crowd in confusion. When he saw Qing Xia, he suddenly cried out: “Ah? How are you here?”
Turning to see a room full of people all glaring at him menacingly, the man was startled. His handsome face showed confusion as he asked doubtfully: “In the middle of the night, instead of sleeping, why are you all gathered in my room? What’s the matter?”
“Lecher!” Master Mu suddenly drew a long sword from a Penglai disciple’s waist and struck down viciously at the man on the ground, shouting harshly: “I’ll kill you to avenge my daughter!”
With a dull clang, Qing Xia’s dagger flashed coldly as she deflected Master Mu’s sword, saying gravely: “Master, don’t be impulsive. There must be a misunderstanding!”
“Shut up!” Master Mu shouted and charged forward again.
“Qing Xia! What’s happening?”
Qing Xia parried the sword with her blade, protecting the man as they retreated from the crowd to a corner. She turned back and shouted harshly: “You’re asking me? I want to ask you! Lin Mubai, if you don’t give me an explanation today, not just them—even I won’t spare you!”
Strong winds stirred, heat waves rolled, and suddenly a beam above cracked with a sharp sound, crashing down thunderously!
Just then, the sound of gongs and drums suddenly erupted outside like a mountain cry and sea roar, sweeping in like waves, finally gathering into a tremendous torrent. Countless voices shouted in unison: “The Great Emperor of Southern Chu is coming! The Southern Chu people have invaded!”
Qing Xia was shocked and pale, exchanging glances with Chu Li in the crowd. Overwhelming terror swept over them in this stormy night with raging flames—crisis after crisis struck ferociously!
Firelight flickered, all sounds fell silent!
Everyone’s gaze instantly focused on Qing Xia. In the crowd, Chu Li raised an eyebrow and slowly moved toward Master Mu, seeking an opportunity to subdue the enemy leader, but was stopped by Qing Xia’s cold, stern look as her eyes swept the surroundings icily.
Qing Xia stood before the half-dressed Lin Mubai, her mind racing rapidly. Everything tonight was too strange—Lin Mubai’s character made it impossible for him to do such a thing. The Penglai people wouldn’t resort to such vicious means against their spiritual leader either. With both sides ruled out, only the mysterious Balou City Lord Lie Yun Ji and the half-dead Chu Zheng imprisoned in the dungeon remained.
Just then, earth-shaking shouts and howls arose outside. Master Mu’s eyes were bloodshot, his grief over losing his daughter destroying his sanity and reason as he roared at Qing Xia: “Those not of our race must have different hearts! Come, dismember these two treacherous villains!”
Mu Shiyan had always held an almost divine status in Penglai, far more influential than the other six sects’ saint Ousi Lanya sent to oversee the new valley master’s ascension. Now, this otherworldly fairy-like woman had been killed in such a cruel and humiliating manner. The Penglai people were already burning with rage, and hearing Master Mu’s call, they immediately swarmed forward, surrounding Qing Xia and Lin Mubai completely!
Qing Xia raised an eyebrow and said gravely: “Master Mu! There’s a misunderstanding here. Please give me a chance to explain! Don’t fall into others’ traps, causing pain to loved ones and joy to enemies!”
Master Mu’s eyes were bloodshot, showing immense grief and hatred as he said coldly: “The greatest mistake in my life was actually believing you!”
“Kill them!” A harsh shout suddenly rang from the crowd, followed by many Penglai people shouting in unison with tremendous momentum, their voices shaking like thunder. Bright blades instantly unsheathed, light and shadow flickering as they struck down at Qing Xia’s head!
Qing Xia raised an eyebrow, noticing a precious sword hanging on the ornate bedpost. The woman in blue with flowing hair and fierce eyes suddenly leaped into the air, using her knees for power, jumping up and drawing the sword angrily, parrying the incoming blade. Her moves were fierce, striking like lightning. In an instant, she flashed and half-crouched, blocking in front of Lin Mubai, saying gravely: “Don’t force me to act!”
Master Mu snorted coldly and said gravely: “Use firearms!”
Swishing sounds immediately arose as dozens of long guns pointed their dark muzzles at Qing Xia and Lin Mubai’s heads. Qing Xia frowned, greatly alarmed. She grabbed Lin Mubai’s hand, ducked and rolled under the large bed. Simultaneously, gunshots rang out with choking wood chips and dust flying toward them. Qing Xia kicked the clumsy Lin Mubai into a corner under the bed against the wall. Her form like a wildcat, taking advantage of the reloading time after the first round of gunfire, she immediately flew out, grabbed the nearest Penglai disciple, her fingers instantly gripping the trigger as she seized the weapon. Almost in a flash, the woman’s body was agile as a leopard, her feet kicking hard against the approaching Penglai disciples’ chests. Her skills were so high she moved as if in an empty realm, flashing past everyone, weaving through flowers and brushing willows. Suddenly, a series of uniform gasps sounded almost simultaneously.
Qing Xia held a sword in one hand and gripped a hunting rifle-like gun barrel in the other, its dark muzzle pressed firmly against Master Mu’s jaw. Her eyes were cold and fierce like an eagle’s as she said gravely to the surrounding crowd: “If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t need to use such despicable methods. The people outside aren’t Southern Chu forces. If you don’t calm down, today will be Penglai’s day of extinction!”
With that, she threw the gun barrel to the ground with a bang. Seeing her release Master Mu so easily, the other Penglai people were greatly encouraged, raising their guns and immediately pulling their triggers.
A series of crackling sounds rang out almost simultaneously as the firearms in everyone’s hands fell apart like broken toys, components scattered across the ground.
Qing Xia’s lips curved in a cold smile. Close combat and weapon disassembly had always been her specialties. For such crudely manufactured, roughly made firearms, she could destroy them in less than a second.
Horrified gasps immediately arose as everyone was shocked by Qing Xia’s supernatural skills.
“Southern Chu forces have broken through the prison!”
Qing Xia raised an eyebrow as a thought suddenly struck her mind. No longer caring about friend or foe, she said gravely to Master Mu: “Quickly send people to defend the prison. If Chu Zheng is rescued, Penglai’s hundred-year foundation will be destroyed in an instant!”
Cries shook the heavens, screams continued unabated. When Qing Xia, Lin Mubai and others rushed out of Tianji Pavilion, all of Penglai had already fallen into a sea of flames. The panicked crowds fled in terror while various fierce beasts usually kept in the outer valley roared and shrieked, rampaging wildly. These Penglai people, who possessed the world’s most advanced craft techniques, were ultimately just a group of highly skilled carpenters. Sitting on a treasure mountain without recognizing treasure, they had no idea what tremendous power they wielded. Years of comfortable living had worn away the seeds of pioneering spirit their ancestors had left in their blood, making them timid as mice and short-sighted. When danger came, they only knew to flee like rats, not knowing to raise weapons to defend their homeland. Even without Qing Xia, such a group couldn’t accomplish anything in these chaotic times. Even if given an atomic bomb, Qing Xia doubted they would have the courage to launch it!
Cutting down an armored man with one slash, Qing Xia picked up a crying child of only five or six years old and said to the crowd behind her: “Everyone take up weapons and follow me!”