◎It was Xie Heng who learned bone molding◎

After Zhang Yiran finished his notification, he rode to the city gate. At the gate closest to Purple Cloud Mountain, he didn’t dare get too close and waited in an alley holding his horse.

At this time, Luo Wanqing had just climbed out of the water. She lay on the ground listening to sounds, and after confirming hoofbeats were approaching, she quickly got up and hid behind a large boulder by the roadside.

This gate was the fastest route from Purple Cloud Mountain into Eastern Capital, and also where the water route ended. If Zhao Bing pursued her, he would come here.

She waited for a moment, and sure enough, she saw a group of people charging toward the Eastern Capital city gate, led by Zhao Bing and Wang Nan.

She hid behind the rock. When Zhao Bing ordered his men to charge past, she suddenly leaped up from behind in a surprise attack, slashing Wang Nan’s neck with one stroke!

Blades immediately stabbed toward Luo Wanqing from all sides. Luo Wanqing kicked Wang Nan away. Seeing this, Zhao Bing’s eyes filled with rage: “Fourth brother!”

Luo Wanqing spoke calmly: “Fifth one, Wang Nan.”

“I’ll kill you!”

Zhao Bing charged at her like a madman. Luo Wanqing frowned slightly, watching Zhao Bing’s spear sweep like thunder, each move devastating as if he was fighting with all his strength.

The long spear kept her at a distance, making it impossible for her to get close. Luo Wanqing dodged while seeking opportunities, but Zhao Bing moved too fast, leaving no openings.

More and more people surrounded her from all sides, trapping her in the middle. Knowing she couldn’t kill anyone here, Luo Wanqing decided to retreat first. She raised her blade to cut open an escape route, gritted her teeth, and leaped through the air to force a breakthrough!

Just as she jumped out of the crowd, a poisoned wire net suddenly descended from above, while blade lights surged from all directions.

Luo Wanqing spun her blade in the air. Just as she was about to be caught by the net, at the critical moment, an arrow shot from behind her straight at the net. The arrowhead lodged in the net’s gap and, with thunderous force, carried the net along with the four people holding its corners, crashing heavily into the city wall nearby.

Luo Wanqing’s blade wind had just cut down the surrounding people. Through the crowd, she saw Cui Heng holding a bow, smiling as he looked at her: “What kind of wedding dress does the Chief Inspector like?”

Luo Wanqing knew he was mocking her for being trapped. With blood surging from the intense fighting, she couldn’t help cursing: “Get lost!”

Then she slashed one person’s throat, channeled all her internal energy into the blade, and chopped violently toward the city gate direction, blasting open a path to rush out.

Zhao Bing stepped forward to pursue, but suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck.

The youth who had shot the arrow appeared behind him like a ghost, seemingly from nowhere.

Under the absolute pressure of superior skill, Zhao Bing didn’t dare move.

“General Zhao,” the youth’s voice carried laughter, “let’s talk.”

As soon as he spoke, Cui Heng hurled him violently toward the nearby river. Water splashed half a zhang high. Luo Wanqing looked back in surprise to see Cui Heng gesture for her to “go.”

Luo Wanqing knew Cui Heng wanted to take personal revenge and didn’t dare delay. With countless assassins in pursuit, she ran wildly toward the city gate!

At that very moment, Luo Wanqing suddenly saw a person.

In the early morning with high city walls, a young man stood before the gate in fine blue brocade robes, wearing a white jade mask, holding a sword pointed at the ground, eyes closed beneath the mask as if waiting for something.

His movements were composed, sword tip casually pointing at the ground, but martial artists could see this was a flawless starting stance.

This starting stance required thousands of repetitions to achieve such perfect form.

Luo Wanqing gritted her teeth, sensing trouble, but didn’t reduce her speed. The young man ahead felt her charging over, suddenly opened his eyes, and shouted fiercely: “Stop!”

It was Li Guiyu!

The instant he spoke, Luo Wanqing immediately recognized his voice, then saw him thrust his sword forward in a direct attack!

That sword could split mountains and cleave seas. Luo Wanqing felt the overwhelming sword intent and urgently shouted: “Cui Heng!!”

The moment her voice fell, a figure swept urgently from her side, landing at her ear with some laughter, light and carefree: “Here!”

A soft sword emerged from his sleeve like a snake, but at the moment it met Li Guiyu’s sword wind, it transformed into cold iron and stone mountain, colliding violently with Li Guiyu with a thunderous crash.

Luo Wanqing took the opportunity to leap over. Li Guiyu instinctively reached back to grab her sleeve, but at that moment, the person behind him had already placed a long sword at his neck.

“Don’t speak,” Cui Heng’s cool voice came, “don’t disturb my Chief Inspector.”

Li Guiyu looked at the sword at his neck and turned back with surprise and uncertainty.

His talent was exceptional, inheriting the Sword Saint’s techniques. By the time he was in Jiangnan, he had already entered the ranks of top-tier masters. Now he might even surpass Jiang Feng’s former abilities.

Very few people in this world could place a sword at his neck, yet this person had done it.

Li Guiyu studied him carefully.

Cui Heng smiled as he watched Luo Wanqing’s departing direction: “I don’t take advantage of others, so I won’t hurt you today. But, Jiang Shaoyan,” Cui Heng turned to look at him, speaking coldly, “don’t dream of keeping her in your world forever.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Guiyu flicked toward Xie Heng’s sword with one hand while bending and twisting to escape from Xie Heng’s control, spinning back with a downward strike. Xie Heng joined two fingers in a sword gesture, creating invisible sword qi aimed directly at Li Guiyu’s abdomen. Li Guiyu hastily returned his sword. The two exchanged several rapid moves, fighting their way up the distant mountain.

Upon reaching the mountains, Li Guiyu’s expression grew stern as his aura surged powerfully.

Like a hanging river, sword intent poured down. Xie Heng’s gaze sharpened as he pressed two fingers against his sword body. The soft sword immediately transformed into a steel blade, clashing with Li Guiyu’s sword. Both were shaken back three zhang by each other’s sword force.

“Does Your Highness want to fight me here?” Xie Heng smiled lightly. “Are you certain?”

“Formless Sword—formless and shapeless, using the body as a sword, controlling all things as swords,” Li Guiyu straightened up, staring at Xie Heng. “Very few in the current Dao Sect can cultivate the Formless Sword. Those who can are all enshrined as Dao disciples. Instead of staying well in your sect, why come down the mountain to meddle in these worldly affairs?”

“Naturally, to cultivate my way.”

“Descending the mountain to cultivate?” Li Guiyu sneered. “If your heart is too scattered, I fear you’ll never reach the end in this lifetime.”

“The highest good is like water, following the heart wherever it goes. When knowledge and action unite, that becomes my way.” Xie Heng smiled. “The one with a scattered heart isn’t me—it’s Your Highness, right? Wanting everything,” Xie Heng’s expression turned slightly cold, “where is there such a good thing?”

“I can’t compare to you,” Li Guiyu said, staring at him. “Refusing to be a Dao disciple, scheming so elaborately to stay by my family’s young lady—what exactly do you want to do?”

Xie Heng didn’t speak. Hearing that phrase “young lady,” he lowered his head to caress the sword in his hand.

Li Guiyu’s gaze fell on his hands, unconsciously gripping his sword hilt as he pondered Xie Heng’s intentions: “Are you coveting that face, or do you have other plans?”

“Three swords.”

Xie Heng looked up at Li Guiyu: “I’ll give you three chances. If you can defeat me today regarding the Eastern Palace Six Commands’ position, I’ll let Xie Heng yield to you. If you lose,” Xie Heng raised his sword, pointing at the ground, protecting his whole body, “call her Chief Inspector Liu from now on.”

Upon hearing this, Li Guiyu yanked off his cloak and turned his sword hilt, revealing the silver blade of his white jade sword.

“Court matters don’t need Xie Heng’s yielding—do as you please. But if I win,” Li Guiyu held his sword horizontally, brushing over the blade and looking up coldly, “stay three zhang away from her—don’t come near.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Guiyu moved like a ghost, already at Xie Heng’s side.

Xie Heng held his sword motionless. In the deep night before dawn, wind rustled through the forest leaves, but the airflow around him seemed to be completely still. The moment Li Guiyu’s sword arrived, the airflow gathered at one point, meeting Li Guiyu’s blade like a hanging waterfall rushing down with roaring force!

A thunderous crash exploded instantly. Luo Wanqing felt the ground shake. She glanced back at the distance but had no time for further thought.

She was surrounded by assassins—densely packed assassins. The city gate was only a hundred zhang away, but those soldiers merely watched from a distance.

Luo Wanqing knew these soldiers had been given instructions and didn’t count on them. She fought her way forward with difficulty, but the people around her only grew more numerous, like ants climbing an elephant, determined to kill her here.

Time passed bit by bit as the sky gradually brightened. Luo Wanqing gritted her teeth, letting her internal energy surge to its limit, and slashed with full force!

Her meridians trembled with pain, but finally she carved out a bloody path. She swept out urgently and then ran wildly toward the city gate.

Seeing her charge up, the soldiers immediately widened their eyes and met her with weapons raised.

Looking at these people, Luo Wanqing held her breath, clearly realizing that if these soldiers delayed her even briefly, she would be caught by the pursuing assassins.

She couldn’t stop! Couldn’t slow down!

She gripped her long blade tightly, facing the soldiers, and decided to fight with all her strength.

At that very moment, a horse charged toward her from behind the city gate!

That dark red horse was like dawn breaking through the night. Luo Wanqing joyfully rushed toward the horse, leaped onto it, and immediately charged through the crowd toward the city interior.

Passing the city tower, she saw Zhang Yiran standing in a corner and knew the horse’s origin. She smiled broadly and called out loudly: “Thank you!”

Zhang Yiran saw that brilliant smile and relaxed somewhat, then felt a chill at his side as wind swept past him. He turned to look and saw a blue-clothed youth wearing a mask urgently sweeping onto the rooftops from behind him, coldly glancing at him in passing.

That youth moved extremely fast, running on the rooftops, always maintaining a neither distant nor close distance from Luo Wanqing, secretly accompanying her.

Luo Wanqing sensed Cui Heng pursuing and turned to look, seeing Cui Heng also looking over with a silent smile.

Though he didn’t intervene, she knew he was always protecting her.

He didn’t act to ensure that in the future, when others mentioned it, they wouldn’t say this battle wasn’t her achievement.

But his presence meant he would never let her die here.

Xie Heng hoped she could become famous throughout the world.

Cui Heng hoped she would be safe and sound.

Realizing why he was here, Luo Wanqing felt a seed fall, take root, and sprout in her heart.

She suddenly felt so urgently wanting to prove herself, wanting those who had expectations of her to see that their choice wasn’t wrong.

What they expected of her, she could achieve.

She looked ahead and turned onto the main road.

The sky gradually brightened as morning rain fell like pursuing pearls. From the moment she turned onto the main road, countless people came slashing from both sides alley.

Luo Wanqing raised her hand to activate her Qianji mechanism, and the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles created a path through the overwhelming coverage. She leaped on horseback over the crowd, seized a long spear from someone, swept it across to clear an area, and broke through toward the front.

She left people behind her, letting them catch up wave after wave. She fought and slashed all the way, seeing nothing but blood everywhere.

After fighting through the main road, she turned into the narrow alleys most suitable for ambushes—the perfect place to hide archers for arrow rain attacks.

She prepared herself, raised her crossbow, and charged into the alley, but the alley was eerily silent.

Luo Wanqing looked up in surprise to see a woman crouching on the wall—it was Xing Ling.

She wasn’t carrying the Qianji mechanism that Chief Inspectors brought on missions, just quietly crouching on the wall, gesturing for her to “go.”

Then Luo Wanqing saw Fang Yuan, Fang Zhi, and Fang Shun crouching not far away.

None of them carried Qianji mechanisms. They had cleared the alley in advance and crouched on the walls, watching Luo Wanqing pass through safely.

Luo Wanqing rushed through the alley in a daze. When she looked back, she saw they had already leaped away from the rooftops.

Seeing them surprised not only Luo Wanqing but also Cui Heng.

He stopped abruptly in the alley, watching Luo Wanqing ride away.

Only then did Xuanshan, who had been following behind Cui Heng, show himself and respectfully said: “Young Master, it’s time for court. This subordinate will watch the remaining path.”

“No need,” Xie Heng stopped in his tracks, watching the distant figure and smiling. “She’s fine now.”

“Those Chief Inspectors came on their own just now, without notifying the Department.” Xuanshan pursed his lips, hesitating: “This subordinate will punish them when returning.”

“If they were willing to come, that’s Liu Xiniang’s ability.” Xie Heng turned around, saying gently, “Let’s go.”

With that, Xie Heng left with Xuanshan.

When Luo Wanqing looked back, she discovered Cui Heng was already gone.

But it didn’t matter much. Having passed through the most dangerous stretch, the majestic imperial city was not far ahead.

She just needed to get through one last alley, and she would appear within the Imperial Guards’ sight.

Everyone knew this was the last chance. As Luo Wanqing charged into the final alley, all threw themselves forward with everything they had.

One person charged straight at Luo Wanqing’s blade, and as she severed his head, he chopped down at the horse’s legs. The wounded horse tumbled forward. Luo Wanqing leaped up, sweeping her blade horizontally at her surroundings, charging forward without hesitation, and thrusting her blade straight down.

The blade split through the rain curtain as Luo Wanqing shouted: “Move!!”

When heavy rain poured down, the court officials had already entered the hall, and the morning court officially began.

Many officials arrived unusually late on this day, such as Xie Heng and Li Guiyu. When they arrived, the ministers had already filed in. Both looked rather unwell, exchanged a glance, then coldly separated.

However, Li Zong noticed none of this.

The weather was changeable, and Li Zong had some coughing. After sitting down, he first routinely asked about the weather in the great hall and handled daily affairs. Finally, Li Zong looked up at Xie Heng with some fatigue: “Minister Xie, how goes the investigation into the deposed Crown Prince’s remaining faction?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty,” Xie Heng turned and spoke calmly, “the verdict has been issued and is ready for the Ministry of Justice to copy and take effect.”

“No need to copy it—just read it directly.” Li Zong waved his hand, saying flatly, “Call the chief investigating officer to the hall. Let’s settle this matter today and not drag it out any longer.”

Hearing this, those present showed various expressions. Li Guiyu quietly watched outside the palace, as if waiting for something. The great families felt tense but said nothing.

The summons was sent out, but for a long time, no one responded from outside.

This result somewhat surprised Li Zong. He turned to Xie Heng: “Where is she?”

“Please wait a moment, Your Majesty.”

Xie Heng did not explain. Li Zong frowned: “What’s wrong?”

Xie Heng remained silent. Zheng Pingsheng, watching from the side, smiled and spoke: “Director Xie, is the chief investigating officer perhaps unwell? If she cannot come, perhaps we should discuss this another day?”

As soon as he spoke, people in the hall showed various expressions. Everyone involved in today’s events knew what had happened. With Zheng Pingsheng asking this, Liu Xiniang most likely couldn’t come.

Li Zong sensed something amiss, looked up ahead, and lowered his voice: “Minister Xie?”

Xie Heng said nothing, only quietly watching the palace gates.

Li Zong frowned: “Xie…”

Before he could finish, a clear voice suddenly came from the entrance: “Your subject Liu Xiniang pays respects to Your Majesty!”

The voice was cold and clear, exceptionally loud. Everyone looked up to see a woman in the Supervision Department’s black robes with gold trim and a golden official crown appearing outside the great hall.

Many present showed shock, looking at Luo Wanqing with surprise.

She still bore blade wounds on her face, but her expression was clear and bright, her eyes spirited.

Heavy rain pattered torrentially outside. She walked steadily into the hall, knelt on the ground, and respectfully said: “Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live!”

Seeing her walk steadily into the hall, Wang Shenfeng’s expression changed slightly. Zheng Pingsheng was also somewhat panicked. Both looked toward Li Guiyu, whose face had turned deathly pale.

Li Guiyu saw the two men, raised his hand to cover his abdomen, and shook his head.

Wang Shenfeng’s gaze moved downward to see that Li Guiyu’s hand over his abdomen seemed soaked with blood.

His gaze paused slightly, then, understanding the result, he turned his head away.

Undercurrents surged in the court hall, but Li Zong seemed oblivious to everything, only saying: “Rise. Read the results of the Eastern Palace case.”

“Yes.”

Luo Wanqing calmly rose. Qingya stepped forward to hand her the verdict. Luo Wanqing controlled her breathing and began reading everything one by one.

She first read the verdicts for the lowest officials. Many of these officials’ families couldn’t even attend court, so the hall remained quiet. When she began involving noble family children, the hall became noisy with many elderly officials wailing. Finally, Luo Wanqing glanced at Duke An’guo and said coldly: “Duke An’guo’s heir Lu Lingchan: bribery and corruption, participation in trafficking of innocent citizens, private lending, using the Eastern Palace’s name for personal gain, murdering innocent citizens Zhang Mazi, Qiao’er, and others—over fifty people in total. By law, he should be sentenced to capital punishment, but—”

As she spoke these words, everyone felt something was wrong. Wang Shenfeng and others looked over to hear Luo Wanqing say: “Lu Lingchan was poisoned by someone during the search and has already died in prison. Therefore, Duke An’guo is only ordered to organize Lu Lingchan’s remaining assets to compensate and comfort the victim citizens.”

At these words, the hall erupted in uproar. Duke An’guo stumbled, then rushed to the front of the hall, wailing: “Your Majesty! She killed my son! It must have been her!”

Wang Shenfeng closed his eyes as his last hope completely vanished.

Lu Lingchan was dead. The news Liu Xiniang released was false.

Li Guiyu had warned them repeatedly about this, but they hadn’t believed him.

The surroundings were chaotic as Duke An’guo knelt on the ground, crying bitterly. Others quickly came forward to comfort him. Luo Wanqing acted as if she heard nothing. After reading all the verdicts, she knelt again, holding the verdict, and respectfully said: “Your Majesty, all results of the Eastern Palace remnant faction case are here. Please review and decide.”

“In the Eastern Palace case, you’ve dealt with so many people,” Li Zong listened to her results but wasn’t very satisfied, only saying, “Did the Eastern Palace Six Commands have no participation at all?”

“Regarding the Eastern Palace Six Commands, your subject has one more matter to report.”

“Speak.”

Li Zong was somewhat impatient, clearly dissatisfied with the results Luo Wanqing presented today.

Luo Wanqing said respectfully: “Regarding Eastern Palace corruption, though your subject investigated suspicions of the Six Commands’ participation, due to insufficient evidence, your subject dared not make random accusations. However, on your subject’s way to morning court today, the Eastern Palace Six Commands joined with other assassins to attempt assassination, trying to take your subject’s life to prevent today’s public trial.”

Hearing this, Li Zong flew into a rage, slapping the table: “There was such a thing? Where are they?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty.” Luo Wanqing raised her hand, answering calmly, “Though your subject is humble and insignificant, she bears Your Majesty’s grace. To ensure she didn’t disgrace Your Majesty’s reputation, facing such rebellious, treacherous ministers, your subject, in self-defense, has already executed them in the streets.”

At these words, the court hall fell silent. Wang Shenfeng closed his eyes to calm himself.

Li Zong was stunned for a moment, then asked in shock: “What did you say? You alone killed them all?”

“Your Majesty!”

An elderly minister could bear it no longer. He rushed out angrily: “Liu Xiniang, borrowing Your Majesty’s name, forced Young Master Lu to death and executed the Eastern Palace Six Commands in the streets—utterly brutal! Setting aside that the case has no final verdict, even if there were one, Duke An’guo has merit in court, and the Eastern Palace Six Commanders were distinguished heroes who once guarded Heyu Pass, blocking foreign enemies. How could a mere Sixth Rank Chief Inspector kill them in the streets?! This old minister begs Your Majesty to execute Liu Xiniang and restrain the Supervision Department to calm the people’s hearts!”

As soon as he finished speaking, more than half the court knelt, all shouting: “Execute Liu Xiniang, restrain the Supervision Department, to calm the people’s hearts!”

The sounds of everyone calling for killing and fighting echoed like waves throughout the great hall. Li Guiyu turned to look at Luo Wanqing, his fingers curling slightly.

But Xie Heng stood in the front position, expression unmoved. After listening to the ministers shout for a long time, Li Zong shouted: “Silence!” Only then did the hall quiet down.

After a moment, Li Zong thought, then raised his hand: “First detain Liu Xiniang. Yang Chun,” he called to a eunuch standing nearby, saying coldly, “Take people outside the palace to see what happened.”

Yang Chun responded and immediately descended from the high platform, leading people out.

Guards also came forward, putting shackles on Luo Wanqing. Knowing she had completed what she needed to do, Luo Wanqing relaxed and let them lead her out of the hall.

She had killed the Eastern Palace Six Commanders, and Xie Heng had prepared the personnel list. Seeing that the Emperor also supported this matter today, barring accidents, the positions of the Eastern Palace Six Commands should fall to the people Xie Heng recommended.

This way, she had satisfactorily helped Xie Heng complete obtaining military authority over the Eastern Palace.

As for afterward—whether to live or die, stay or be killed—that depended on Xie Heng.

Luo Wanqing let out a heavy sigh of relief. Only now did she slowly become aware of the pain in her body.

She was covered in wounds now, mostly external injuries. What hurt most at the moment were her bones throughout her body.

She felt as if all her bones had cracked, bringing a drilling, cold pain. Fortunately, it was nearly June now, the hottest time, unlike winter when the cold made bones ache.

She endured the pain following the soldiers to the heavenly prison, where she was casually brought into a cell and locked up. The jailers seemed to fear her status, even though she was a prisoner; they were especially respectful, only saying: “Chief Inspector Liu, please stay here temporarily. Call us if you need anything.”

“Thank you.” Luo Wanqing nodded and bowed.

After the jailers left, she gasped and leaned against the wall to sit down.

After a moment, she heard an elderly voice from the next cell: “Another person came?”

This startled Luo Wanqing. With her current keen senses, not only would she notice if there was someone next door—even if there was an extra person in this cell, she would detect it.

Yet from when she entered the cell until he spoke, she hadn’t sensed his presence at all, showing this person’s martial skills were clearly superior to hers.

Luo Wanqing didn’t dare speak immediately. The elder chuckled: “What, is the newcomer mute?”

“This junior is temporarily staying here,” Luo Wanqing came to her senses, knowing this was no ordinary person, and spoke politely, “disturbing senior.”

“Oh, it’s been so long since I’ve seen such a polite young person.”

The sound of iron shackles came from next door as the other seemed to sit up: “What did you do?”

Luo Wanqing knew people who had been in prison cells for a long time loved to chat, but she didn’t want to say much, only vaguely answering: “Killed some people.”

“Killing some people won’t get you in here.”

The other laughed, speaking leisurely: “Who did you kill?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t answer, but the other didn’t mind either. After thinking, he only said: “Won’t say? Then let me guess… Chief Inspector Liu… oh, someone from the Supervision Department?”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing paused, detecting intimacy in the other’s tone, and hesitantly said: “Does senior have a history with the Supervision Department?”

“A little,” the other laughed, “Six years ago, your Director Xie Heng lived here.”

With that, Luo Wanqing saw a withered hand reach out from the cell, pointing toward the cell opposite him: “Right across from me. When he came, he carried a qin. Every night he’d sit there like a fool.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing was somewhat surprised and couldn’t help asking: “Why would the Director be here?”

“Hm?” The other seemed strange, “Don’t you know about what happened five years ago?”

“This junior was only fourteen then,” Luo Wanqing answered truthfully, “living in a civilian household, I don’t know of this matter.”

“Oh,” the other understood, “a young lady.”

The elder finished speaking and laughed: “Then you indeed don’t know. Six years ago, Xie Heng’s mother, Cui Muhua, died in the palace, said to have committed rebellion. I heard that day happened to be the Qin Music Festival, and he had just won first place. When he returned home happily carrying his qin, he heard his mother had trouble in the palace. He didn’t even have time to put down the qin and rushed to the palace, fighting his way through the palace gates, but only saw his mother’s final moments.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing’s mind suddenly flashed to the Qin Music Festival—the young master on the high platform playing the qin strings under the sunlight.

That time was brilliant and beautiful beyond compare.

That year, he was probably the same, perhaps even more spirited and distinguished than what she had seen.

However, the Qin Music Festival six years ago wasn’t like today’s.

There, he had bright spring sun, Qin music as a companion, everyone celebrating, but elsewhere, his mother’s blood splattered the palace court, unable to die peacefully.

No wonder he never played the qin again afterward.

But why was Xie Heng willing to make an exception to help her at the Qin Music Festival?

Could it be that too much time had passed, and Xie Heng had let go? Or was official duty more important in his heart?

Luo Wanqing couldn’t figure it out for the moment, only listening to the elder continue with emotion: “Cui Muhua, like her brother Cui Qingping, studied under the Dao Sect. Her martial arts were said to be quite good. When Xie Heng arrived, she was covered in arrows but still held her sword. They said that when she saw Xie Heng, Cui Muhua stopped him, not letting him approach. That day, heavy rain poured down. Cui Muhua raised her sword and told everyone that from that day forward, she severed all relations with the Xie family—the husband was no longer her husband, the son her son. Cui Muhua would bear her own life and death.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing was somewhat surprised and couldn’t help asking: “Then what?”

“Then?”

The elder laughed: “With Xie Heng’s temperament, how could he endure his mother dying for no reason? He insisted on getting to the bottom of it, killing until rivers of blood flowed in the palace. But he was young then—no matter how high his martial arts, it was only so much.”

The elder sighed: “So Yang Chun, Wang Qingfeng, and Zheng Daochu—three grandmasters—joined forces, along with the Six Ghosts, Heaven’s End Four Blades, Fate’s End Eight Musicians, and so on, all together to suppress him. They severed his tendons, crushed his bones, then threw him in here to destroy his will and extinguish his spirit, to eliminate future trouble.”

Heaven’s End Four Blades, Fate’s End Eight Musicians—Luo Wanqing found the names somewhat familiar, then slowly realized these were the Fengyu Pavilion assassins who came to surround Cui Heng when she and he left Yangzhou for Eastern Capital.

At that time, she was trapped by silver snakes. By the time she arrived, Cui Heng had already killed most of them clean. Later, when she gained knowledge of the martial world, she learned that those who died were the so-called Heaven’s End Four Blades and Fate’s End Eight Musicians.

“Who are the Six Ghosts?”

Luo Wanqing was curious.

The elder smiled mockingly: “The martial world called them Six Ghosts then, but they were just Wang family death warriors. Later, they went to the Heyu Pass battlefield, earned military positions, and have now become the Eastern Palace Six Commands—people called generals.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing was startled. She suddenly realized that the people she had just killed all seemed connected to Xie Heng’s past.

“I’ve told you so much, but you still haven’t said how you got in here?” The elder remembered, dissatisfied: “Now that we’re acquainted, if you still won’t say, that’s not very loyal, is it?”

This left Luo Wanqing speechless.

She very much wanted to remind him that they’d been talking for less than a quarter hour—hardly enough to be called acquainted.

But considering he had shared such secrets, and what she did wasn’t shameful, she only said: “I killed the Six Ghosts you mentioned.”

The elder was stunned at this, then laughed incredulously: “You, a young lady, could kill them?”

“Not only could I kill them,” Luo Wanqing curled up her legs, somewhat indignant, emphasizing: “They brought quite a few people too, outnumbering me, but still got counter-killed.”

“Your temperament is somewhat like that child.”

The elder sighed. Luo Wanqing was startled, instinctively asking: “Like who?”

“Xie Lingsu.”

The elder laughed: “He’s also one who won’t admit defeat.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t know how to respond for a moment. She didn’t dare comment carelessly on Xie Heng. After thinking, knowing her time here wouldn’t be long, she hurriedly asked: “Senior, what happened next?”

“Hm?”

“You said the Director was ‘severed tendons, crushed bones, destroyed will, extinguished spirit,'” Luo Wanqing repeated his words, “but the Director is very powerful now. What happened?”

“Oh, he was lucky,” the elder wasn’t very concerned, saying casually, “he met me. I happen to be skilled in a rare technique—you probably don’t know, but I can mold bones and fuse tendons.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing exclaimed in surprise: “Young master also had bone molding?”

“What do you mean by ‘also’? Have you had it?”

The elder was exceptionally sharp. Luo Wanqing was momentarily speechless.

Fortunately, the elder didn’t dwell on it, only saying: “At that time his bones were crushed and tendons severed. Even if he recovered, he’d be a cripple. So I offered to teach him bone molding. Initially, he was unwilling—after all, this method was do or die. If he failed, he could only die. As a noble young master, even if he couldn’t practice martial arts, he could still live in wealth and honor. But later, somehow, he was taken out once. When he returned, his face was covered in tears, and he asked me if I could teach him bone molding.”

The elder’s voice also carried emotion: “To mold one’s bones requires talent, luck, and ability—lacking any one means failure. I couldn’t touch him, could only teach him the method. Bone molding requires first cultivating inner techniques, learning to use true qi to nourish tendons and bones, making them heal quickly. First, crush the bones, reshape them as desired, then use true qi to promote healing. This process is extremely painful, and one must ensure the crushed bones don’t damage internal organs while maintaining unbroken true qi—otherwise, death or permanent disability. Normally, others do the work, with true qi protection plus medicinal assistance, but he was different.”

Luo Wanqing understood the elder’s meaning and was somewhat dazed, listening to his description: “He had only himself, so he could only crush his bones, reshape them himself, then command them to heal. Because he couldn’t guarantee whether jailers might come to disturb him during the process, he couldn’t complete it all at once. So he could only crush one part each day, repeating like this for a full two months. Daily drilling pain is worse than torture. Fortunately…” The elder hesitated slightly, then said, “Can’t say fortunate, but anyway, someone kept bringing him mandala powder then.”

“Mandala?”

Luo Wanqing was even more shocked hearing this. This was an addictive drug from the Western Regions, completely different from Five Stone Powder.

Five Stone Powder could be used for pain relief, but generally wasn’t addictive; mandala incense was said to be highly addictive, even having hallucinogenic effects. Just smelling the incense could cause addiction, let alone direct consumption.

After long-term use, people would lose their sanity entirely and eventually die from an overdose.

Luo Wanqing couldn’t help frowning: “Then… then wouldn’t the young master’s life be short?”

“Not necessarily.”

The elder chuckled: “Those people gave him mandala powder to humiliate him. He was handsome and played the qin well. Every time his drug craving hit, those people would deliberately delay giving him medicine, making him play the qin and sing as a humiliation. Of course, I didn’t think this was serious. Normal people couldn’t endure mandala addiction and would have surrendered long ago, but not him. No matter what those people said, he remained unmoved. So they thought they hadn’t gotten him addicted enough and gave him more drugs.”

The elder smiled as he spoke: “Then he would use the mandala’s effects to crush his bones for bone molding. The boy was too resilient. After two months, he had molded the best bone structure I’d ever seen!”

The elder became excited, proudly saying: “I knew then this child was extraordinary and would achieve great things in the future. So you needn’t worry—mere mandala, he can definitely overcome.”

Hearing the elder’s words, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help feeling happy, thinking of the current Xie Heng with some reverence.

She had always thought Xie Heng’s life was smooth sailing.

He was born into a great family. Even if his maternal clan had problems, he was still the Xie family’s legitimate eldest son, still noble. His talent was extraordinary—a once-in-a-century genius of the Dao Sect, the youngest inheritor of the legendary Formless Sword. He was supremely intelligent, almost demonic in his cleverness. Whatever he wanted, nothing seemed beyond his reach.

He was different from her and Li Guiyu. She and Li Guiyu were both forced onto desperate paths, forced to climb upward.

But all of Xie Heng’s choices were his own.

He chose to abandon his Xie family identity to establish the Supervision Department, chose to give up his path to high office to create the “Great Xia Code” for the people.

She had once thought these choices were not necessarily easy for him, but at least they were choices made from strength. However, now she discovered that Xie Heng had once been no different from them.

He, too, had fallen from grace, had reached desperate straits.

But he still climbed back step by step.

The current Xie Heng showed no signs of being destroyed by the mandala. He commanded the Supervision Department with strategic brilliance, second only to one person but above ten thousand others, sitting high in the clouds without any weaknesses.

His maternal clan’s downfall couldn’t defeat him, mandala couldn’t crush him, and rumors couldn’t slander him.

He was like a deity who had fallen to earth—powerful and perfect.

And such a person, who could live only for himself, was willing to use his flesh and blood to become mountains and rivers, nourishing the mortal world.

Such a person was destined to be remembered in history, and all his sufferings would become his achievements and glory.

Including death.

Thinking of Xie Heng’s final fate, Luo Wanqing gained some understanding.

She thought someone like him was probably born to walk such a path.

He was born different from ordinary people. Perhaps life and death had long lost much meaning for him. Becoming a magnificent stroke in history and returning to heaven—this was Xie Heng’s proper destiny.

Only…

Luo Wanqing’s mind suddenly flashed with Cui Heng’s smiling face behind his mask, and her heart trembled.

She suddenly gripped her sleeves tightly, realizing—

It was Cui Heng who had molded her bones.

Xie Heng learned bone molding in prison, but the one who molded her bones was Cui Heng.

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Luo Wanqing: “Li Guiyu threatened me.”

Xie Heng: “Li Guiyu provoked me.”

Li Guiyu: “No, I just wanted the young lady to remember that you once loved me.”

Luo & Xie: “Then that’s right.”