Jin Wanliang stood stunned in place, almost thinking he had encountered mountain spirits or ghosts. He hurriedly looked at that person’s shadow, which stretched long across the mountain path. He caught his breath, and when he looked carefully, he saw the woman had one hand pressed against the cliff face, slightly lifting her skirt, with a pained expression on her furrowed brow.

Jin Wanliang unconsciously walked over. After taking two steps, he became alert that something was wrong—a woman appearing in the dead of night didn’t seem like a good omen.

But the woman called out softly, “Young master, could you help this humble woman? I was hurrying home and carelessly injured my foot. Now I cannot move…”

Her voice was delicate, and beneath her brows her eyes held flowing waves, naturally full of emotion. In his daze, Jin Wanliang thought that if the old monster saw this one, he would surely be very satisfied.

Looking at this woman’s clothing again, it was just ordinary mountain woman attire, but her bearing was so excellent that even in plain cloth and simple hairpins, she seemed like a celestial concubine.

Beside her lay an overturned basket containing some mountain goods.

Jin Wanliang looked at her extended hand—fair with some calluses, but with slender joints, not like the hands of a martial artist.

After all, he couldn’t fight and had never encountered any dangerous people. Most of his suspicions had already dissipated, so he stepped forward to support the woman. He only felt a faint fragrance assailing him, and for a moment his heart was restless and his fingers wouldn’t obey, pinching the woman’s waist.

The woman giggled softly.

Jin Wanliang was delighted, thinking this mountain woman was actually quite loose, so perhaps…

His hand restlessly moved upward, touching something high and prominent, and gave it another squeeze.

But he heard a soft “pop” sound.

That sensation…

Jin Wanliang was stunned.

Unconsciously turning his head, he saw the originally flower-like smiling beauty suddenly raise her eyebrows, her face full of murderous intent.

In the next instant, Jin Wanliang’s throat tightened as he was lifted off the ground by his throat.

Both shocked and afraid, he desperately clawed at the air with both hands but couldn’t reach the woman—her arms were longer than his.

A grown man held in midair, with the cliff not far behind him—if the other party swung forward, his life would be over.

Jin Wanliang dared not struggle anymore, fearing that if he struggled too much and the other party couldn’t hold him, he’d be finished. He went limp, showing pleading in his eyes while reaching for his belt to reveal the gold leaves inside.

The beauty looked delicate and weak, but her fingers were like steel, motionless. She glanced at those gold leaves, laughed once, and put him down.

Jin Wanliang was just about to sigh in relief when he heard her whisper, “Walk back. Whatever I say next, you repeat.”

She handed Jin Wanliang the jade cup already filled with water. Jin Wanliang took it and walked back, with the beauty following closely behind him.

When they walked close to the cliff top but still some distance from the old monster, the beauty whispered, “Tell him you’ve prepared a surprise for him.”

Jin Wanliang called out loudly, “Venerable One, I’ve brought the water, and also, I’ve prepared a surprise for you.”

“Tell him to close his eyes.”

“Please close your eyes. I guarantee that when you open them, you’ll see exactly what you want most.”

“Say you won’t disturb the fun yourself.”

“I won’t come over to disturb you. Please enjoy yourself at your leisure, Venerable One!”

Jin Wanliang looked back at the beauty.

The beauty nodded with satisfaction, approving of Jin Wanliang’s cleverness and compliance.

Then she reached out and once again gripped Jin Wanliang’s neck, gripping and twisting.

Crack.

Jin Wanliang’s neck bent at a bizarre angle.

The beauty casually tossed him aside, and Jin Wanliang’s corpse rolled down the mountain path.

The beauty raised her hand to undo buttons. The mountain woman’s cloth robe fell away, revealing underneath a thin, soft, snow-white silk garment.

She stood in the wind, her robes fluttering like a spirit condensed from mountain mist.

Then she softly walked to the cliff edge.

She was upwind, and her fragrance drifted faintly to the old monster’s nose as he sat with his back to her.

The old monster sniffed and nodded with satisfaction.

From this fragrance alone, he knew she must be absolutely beautiful.

That Jin fellow was quite sensible, saving him a beauty.

Otherwise, how lonely it would be in these desolate mountains at midnight.

He didn’t mind adding some atmosphere and slowly closed his eyes.

Footsteps were light, fine gauze fell across his face, and fragrance filled the air. The old monster took deep, intoxicated breaths.

But at this moment, he heard an extremely subtle sound, like something scraping against something soft.

Alarm suddenly arose in his heart!

He jerked his eyes open!

Just in time to see brilliant blade light cascading down like a waterfall!

That blade light was like snow, like silk, dense and solid, sealing off all directions around his body—wherever he dodged would be death!

The instincts of a top expert remained. In an instant, he stamped hard, and the protruding cliff tip crumbled under his foot as his body fell.

The blade light sank then rose, carrying away a spray of blood as a withered black arm flew skyward.

The old monster let out a shriek like a night owl. His other hand slapped his wide sleeve against the cliff stone where the beauty stood. Cracks split the cliff face like lightning, and that piece of mountain stone also fell into the deep valley. But the beauty was prepared—her sash flew out and wrapped around an old tree at the cliff edge.

Suddenly there was weight below. The beauty looked down to see the old monster had grabbed her ankle and was swaying in midair with her.

The beauty took a breath and let her blade drop, aimed at the old monster’s crown.

The old monster dared not hang onto her anymore. Using the momentum of one swing, he suddenly lunged at the cliff face. His remaining hand grabbed the cliff and created a deep hole. His sharp, long fingers gripped tightly in that hole, and his boot tips kicked to make two more holes. He climbed this way, boring holes as he went, moving along the cliff face like a demonic shadow, instantly disappearing around the corner.

Before his form disappeared, he looked back once. In the night his face was ghostly pale, his gaze eerily frightening.

The beauty raised her hand and the long blade shot out like lightning, but missed its mark. The man passed around the cliff corner like smoke, and the long blade struck the cliff wall beside him with a clang, sending out a string of sparks.

Only blood stains remained on the cliff face, dripping down and glowing faintly in the night.

This Poison Maniac—even his blood was poisonous.

The beauty raised her head. In the moonlight her complexion was slightly pale, yet still couldn’t hide that enchanting beauty.

If Tie Ci were here, she would probably sigh, “Top courtesan, how did you appear again?”

Feiyu, who had changed identities and started over, climbed up from below the cliff with some difficulty and sat on the ground with a sigh.

Legendary figures were indeed formidable.

Leaving Qingyang Mountain, she had rushed to a small town a hundred li away, originally planning to disguise herself there and wait for Tie Ci to arrive. But she accidentally discovered traces of this old monster.

Because this figure had been absent for many years and suddenly appeared, she felt uneasy and secretly followed.

Jin Wanliang acted quite cautiously. She followed for two days, and only during one risky approach did she hear Jin Wanliang and the old monster mention Ye Shiba’s name.

The implication seemed to be that Jin Wanliang had hired this old thing as an assassin to eliminate Ye Shiba.

Then she had even more reason to follow.

To avoid discovery, she left all her people far away, a hundred li distant, and lurked alone following this old monster, circling all the way back.

Entering the mountains, the terrain was complex and she could lose the old monster’s trail at any moment. For this reason, she didn’t eat or sleep, hiding in tall grass.

In the distance in the mountains there seemed to be movement. She lay on the ground, and once even faintly heard what sounded like thousands of troops and horses galloping across the ground.

Had something happened at the academy that triggered military siege?

However, she couldn’t leave to investigate.

She had to first solve this most deadly crisis for Ye Shiba.

Otherwise, if they encountered each other, it could cause regrets lasting a lifetime.

She had been waiting for a chance to strike.

But those two were very cautious.

To deal with such a figure and succeed in one move, she had to find the best opportunity.

Seeing that if she didn’t act soon the other party would act first, she had no choice but to move tonight.

However, after following for so long and making so many preparations—even finding a specially made fish-skin sheath for her blade to avoid any suspicious sounds—she was still discovered.

Despite having every advantage and using all her strength, clearly aiming for the neck bone, the old fellow shifted bone and changed position at the last moment, only losing one hand.

For someone skilled in poison, one hand wouldn’t affect his combat ability too much.

This person was said to be vindictive by nature—there would likely be more trouble in the future.

Thinking of the old monster’s cold glance before leaving, Feiyu rolled up her trouser leg and indeed saw five pitch-black finger marks on her ankle.

She was poisoned.

Checking her qi circulation, she had been trained with rare medicines since childhood to strengthen her tendons and bones and build her constitution. Ordinary poisons wouldn’t affect her, but Poison Maniac’s poison was obviously much more troublesome. Now she only felt her internal organs sluggish and her vision blurred. Though not fatal, she had temporarily lost her fighting ability.

What an inauspicious start.

She turned to look toward the foot of the mountain and faintly saw firelight in the direction of Yueli Academy.

She slowly stood up and made her way down the mountain, supporting herself against the cliff wall.

…