Xuanyuan Lige played the zither while the representatives of the various families performed a sword dance, surrounding him at the center, their movements following the rhythm, their blades tracing the melody.

What Xuanyuan Lige played was none other than the very piece he’d once played atop the cliffs of Wuxie Ravine, for the war among the three kingdoms—”The Rising of Battle.” The music alternated between deep and resonant, and sorrowfully soaring.

At first, the piece was simply a piece, and the sword dance was simply a sword dance.

Viewed from the high vantage of the viewing platform, it was a truly magnificent, sweeping sight, like a grand opening performance—both the dance and the music were deeply stirring!

But this was merely the beauty before the coming storm!

No one present had the leisure to appreciate this brief moment of beauty. Everyone kept every nerve taut, listening intently, not missing a single note, watching closely, not missing a single movement from Bai Feiyao or Han Ziqing.

Everyone speculated anxiously, wondering who would make the first move.

At this moment, Jun Beiyue had already risen to his feet, his handsome brows drawn slightly together, his gaze never leaving Ziqing.

Suddenly!

The music shifted abruptly, and everyone instinctively sat up straighter, tension gripping the crowd!

But the moment the melody shifted, the music suddenly soared to an ear-splitting pitch. No one had the presence of mind to keep watching—everyone clutched their ears, and many, unable to defend themselves in time, were left stunned by the sheer force of the sound!

On the zither platform, more than half the participants collapsed instantly, and more continued to fall!

At this moment, Ziqing stood to Xuanyuan Lige’s left, Bai Feiyao to his right. Both of them, in both footwork and swordplay, remained remarkably steady!

But Bai Feiyao’s expression clearly betrayed growing anxiety!

He redirected his blade, striking straight at Xuanyuan Lige, and immediately, many of the men behind him followed suit. Ziqing, representing Liuxian Island, naturally had to join in and swing her sword forward as well!

Xuanyuan Lige made no move to defend himself, his hands still flying across the strings. Just as everyone drew close, suddenly, countless frenzied vines erupted from the ground all around Xuanyuan Lige at once!

Utterly terrifying—like the tentacles of some enormous octopus—instantly enveloping Xuanyuan Lige and everyone around him!

A massive green ball of vines formed, countless tendrils dancing wildly in the air, baring their claws and fangs. No one could see what was happening inside; only the music could still be heard, proof that at least Xuanyuan Lige remained safe!

But the music had noticeably dropped in intensity, no longer as piercingly high as before, capable of shattering hearts!

Xuanyuan Lige’s sound-based attack had failed!

What in the world was going on in there?

Just as everyone stood in bewildered astonishment, suddenly, a vine whipped violently up out of the dense tangle, and the crowd drew a sharp collective breath!

Wrapped within the coiled vine was none other than Han Ziqing!

Before anyone could recover from this shock, the top of the gathered mass of vines suddenly burst open, and a white figure shot skyward—none other than Bai Feiyao himself!

He crooked a finger slightly, and a thick vine immediately extended, providing him a perch, lifting him high above—far above Ziqing’s head.

“Han Ziqing, the music hasn’t stopped yet—why aren’t you dancing?”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but laugh triumphantly. His sword, meanwhile, was far from idle. Standing at the tip of the vine, he danced gracefully, every stroke of his blade aimed straight at Ziqing, and every stroke conjured another vine, all of the tendrils flying straight toward her!

Yet Ziqing didn’t move at all. Only her body was trapped—her feet and hands were still perfectly free to move!

What was she planning to do?

Jun Beiyue had faith in Ziqing, but given how perilous the situation was, a flash of displeasure still crossed his eyes. His face already concealed, his figure flickered, instantly clearing countless rooftops to appear out of nowhere on the viewing platform closest to Ziqing.

But just as everyone’s attention was fixed on the vine tendrils rushing toward Ziqing from the front, suddenly and without warning, an enormous vine shot out from behind her—its tendril, like the suction cup of an octopus’s arm, unexpectedly latching directly onto her back!

How could this be!

How cunning of Bai Feiyao—his true target had been from behind, not from the front!

Amid the crowd’s shock, Bai Feiyao, perched atop the towering vine, laughed wildly and triumphantly. “Han Ziqing, why still not dancing? If you can’t dance, what did a woman like you come out here for? To sell smiles?”

The moment these words left his mouth, a razor-sharp hidden weapon suddenly sliced across Bai Feiyao’s lips, instantly cutting his mouth open!

“Who’s there!”

Bai Feiyao was stunned—someone present had actually dared to attack him, and had managed to wound him without a sound!

Jun Beiyue was just about to step forward when, at that very moment, the vine clinging tightly to Ziqing’s back suddenly withered in an instant. No—

Not withered, but instantly reduced to ash. There was no fire, yet it looked as though it had been burned, turning charred black in an instant!

Bai Feiyao hadn’t even had time to process what was happening before that blackness spread with lightning speed, engulfing every single vine!

Bai Feiyao stood frozen, mouth agape, unable to make a sound, let alone speak.

In the blink of an eye, what had once formed a gathered mass like a great green flame, encircling Xuanyuan Lige and everyone else, what had once danced wildly through the air, baring its fangs as arrogantly as its master—all of it turned charred black, leaving nothing but a skeletal framework hanging in the air for a mere instant before crumbling apart entirely, scattering into ash.

This… how was this possible!

This was just like when the vine had pierced Xuanyuan Lige’s flesh earlier—no, it was even more terrifying than that!

Could it be that Han Ziqing had used poison as well?

But how could she and Xuanyuan Lige possibly both carry poison in this way! To act so instantaneously!

Could it be that their very blood carried poison!

Bai Feiyao couldn’t make sense of it, nor did he have time to think it through further, let alone pay attention to the now-freed Ziqing. He spun around to look toward Xuanyuan Lige!

But it was already too late!

Everything that had been hidden by the vines was now laid bare before the crowd. The two elders of Qinse Valley slammed their palms down and rose to their feet almost simultaneously!

Xuanyuan Lige and the Bloodstring zither were both spattered and streaked with blood. Three young masters lay collapsed and lifeless beside the zither, while the survivors sat slumped on the ground, apparently in shock, their faces etched with terror, retreating step by step.

No wonder—no wonder Xuanyuan Lige’s sound-based attack had failed. A sound-based kill never drew blood; these deaths must have been caused by Bai Feiyao’s vines, his true purpose being to stain the Bloodstring zither with blood!

The Bloodstring’s dark power lay in drawing blood, absorbing the essence within it. Once the Bloodstring had drunk its fill of blood, the sound-attack would temporarily fail!

Bai Feiyao—such scheming, such crooked methods, such cruel tactics!

How could such a person possibly be fit to become the ruler of Liuxian Island?

Seeing his scheme exposed, Bai Feiyao pursed his lips, paying no heed to the two elders’ fury. Very well then—let this truly become a proper contest of strength!

But who could have known—the moment he turned around, he found Han Ziqing had already landed silently beside him, without warning seizing him by the throat, her nails poised to pierce his skin! Bai Feiyao, recovering his senses, immediately swung his hand up to break free. A close-quarters fight? He wasn’t afraid of that.

But Ziqing’s other hand moved with a speed he simply couldn’t block—with a single casual swipe, she carved a long gash across his arm!

This woman was a master of close combat as well!

Bai Feiyao immediately retreated. As he did, a vine sapling suddenly sprouted from the flesh of Ziqing’s hand.

Ziqing froze slightly, halting all movement, watching it with a frown.

Bai Feiyao laughed triumphantly. “You’re not qualified enough to fight me!”

No sooner had he spoken than the vine… instantly withered!

The corner of Ziqing’s lips curved into a cold smile. She wiped it away lightly, not even sparing the blood on the back of her hand a second glance, and said flatly, “Young master Bai, we haven’t yet finished listening to young master Xuanyuan’s music—let’s continue.”

With that, she moved gracefully past him, sword in hand, resuming her dance!

What did she mean by that?

Bai Feiyao, suspicious and on guard, landed after her, but the moment his feet touched the ground, his legs suddenly went weak, and he collapsed to his knees.