Jue Sheng burst into tears, not knowing why he was crying, only feeling an unbearable ache in his heart that demanded immediate release.

Teng Yu Yi’s expression remained wooden as she reached out to close Peng Yu Gui’s eyelids, but those eyes remained stubbornly open, resisting her attempts. Her hand hung suspended in mid-air as she suddenly recalled how, in her previous life, her father had also died with eyes that wouldn’t close. Memories flooded her mind, and her throat began to tighten. Unable to distinguish whether she grieved for herself or Peng Yu Gui, she turned away, feigning calm while unable to dispel the profound sorrow in her heart.

Lin Chengyou pulled several cyan-colored talismans from his sleeve. Starting from Peng Yu Gui’s feet, he laid them in a path leading to the window. Then, crossing his legs, he sat down and chanted a sutra in a low voice. Finally, he extended his slender fingers and made a gentle gathering motion in the air.

His demeanor and movements were unprecedentedly gentle. With just a wave of his hand, the talismans on the ground ignited into a dragon of flame that reached the window, pointing decisively southward as if guiding something.

When the flame dragon disappeared through the window, the oil lamp on the table suddenly brightened.

Jue Sheng’s tears flowed even more fiercely. This was a soul-protecting ritual. Without proper ritual tools at hand, Senior Brother could only improvise a crude eternal lamp. This ceremony was essentially an announcement to the three realms that this wandering soul was returning home, beseeching the gods and Buddhas to show mercy and not obstruct its path.

He had seen Senior Brother perform this ritual before, but never with such solemnity. As long as the eternal lamp remained lit, there was no need to worry about Peng Yu Gui losing his way home.

After completing everything, Lin Chengyou reached out to close Peng Yu Gui’s eyes. Teng Yu Yi watched silently from the side. This time, as if Peng Yu Gui had finally released all his mortal burdens, his eyelids at last allowed themselves to be closed.

“Take it,” Lin Chengyou stood and handed the oil lamp to Jue Sheng. “Don’t let it go out.”

Jue Sheng wiped his tears and solemnly accepted the lamp, then stood to fashion a yellow shade from talismans, carefully protecting the lamp’s flame.

Chaotic footsteps sounded from outside, heading directly to the room across.

“It’s all your fault! Jian Xian and I said that wasn’t Miss Teng, but you insisted it was. Now look what’s happened—we’ve fallen for the corpse demon’s trick!”

“How was I supposed to know there was something wrong with Juan Er Li!”

“Young Master Wang, Jue Sheng—oh no! Where are they?”

“This is terrible, something must have happened!”

It was the voices of Qi Zhi and the others.

“Over here.” Lin Chengyou quickly went to open the door. The others, startled by the sound behind them, scattered in fear before recognizing him and hurrying over.

“Senior Brother, Jue Sheng, Young Master Wang, Uncle Cheng, Huo Qiu.” Qi Zhi was overjoyed, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room. “Thank goodness! You’re all safe.”

Wu Dao crowded at the doorway, clearly still shaken: “We were just trapped by the corpse demon in the front building. We barely broke through the barrier, fearing Young Master Wang and the others had been harmed by the corpse demon. We were scared half to death on the way here—this little Qi Zhi was crying the whole way.”

Each of their faces bore injuries as if they had just survived a fierce battle. As they spoke, they tried to enter, but Lin Chengyou blocked them: “Wait.”

He extended his finger beneath each person’s nose, only allowing them to enter after confirming their breath was warm.

As Jian Xian entered, he asked: “Young Master, how did you know there was trouble here? Weren’t you dealing with the Golden-Robed Young Master in the back courtyard?”

Qi Zhi wiped his sweat and pointed to Teng Yu Yi: “Young Master Wang has the Dark Sound Bell tied to her wrist. If it keeps sending warning signals, Senior Brother will hear it.”

The Daoists’ gazes fell on Teng Yu Yi’s snow-white wrist.

“What about the corpse demon and the Golden-Robed Young Master?” Jian Tian caught sight of Peng Yu Gui on the ground and exclaimed in shock, “Isn’t that Manager He? How did he—”

“Now is not the time to discuss this,” Lin Chengyou said gravely. “The two monsters just fled. The Golden-Robed Young Master had one wing burned off by the Nine Heavens Fire Ring and temporarily cannot fly. It has practiced some secret art with the corpse demon that allows instant recovery even from severe burns. Just now, it took the corpse demon and fled to heal quickly. They must be lurking somewhere in the building.

“Moreover, with Juan Er Li as its puppet spy, the corpse demon knows everything about the people and affairs in this building. It must have made many preparations before coming tonight. No one can predict who it will impersonate next. Our previous methods are no longer effective; we need to use different formations to trap them. From now on, no one is to separate. Later, no matter how strange my orders may seem, everyone must comply without question.”

“But—” Everyone exchanged surprised glances. “The corpse demon can disguise itself, and the Golden-Robed Young Master is no pushover. If they pretend to be Young Master, how can we tell true from false?”

“Just tie this to your wrists and it’ll be fine.”

Lin Chengyou tore off one of his sleeves, ripped it into strips, then took cyan talismans from his chest and wrapped them together with the fabric, distributing them to everyone.

“These talismans were soaked in peach wood juice, making their color different from ordinary talismans. I haven’t shown them to anyone before, so even if Juan Er Li told the corpse demon what clothes I wear, it couldn’t quickly forge identical talismans. Everyone tie these to your wrists—they’ll serve as proof when we set up the formation later.”

“Wait,” Teng Yu Yi suddenly said.

Lin Chengyou wore an ink-green garment, while the talismans were nearly cyan—the two colors together weren’t particularly eye-catching. The others in the room wore either black or grey robes, but she wore a red Hu-style dress.

“In the dark during combat, Young Master’s fabric won’t be visible enough.” Teng Yu Yi used the Xiao Ya sword to cut her narrow sleeve, tearing it into strips and handing them to Lin Chengyou. “Use mine instead—red and cyan mixed will be more noticeable.”

Lin Chengyou immediately accepted the suggestion, taking the fabric from Teng Yu Yi’s hand and wrapping it with the talisman around his wrist.

Jian Xi anxiously tied the fabric to his wrist: “Even the Great Exorcist Formation was broken—what formation could deal with them?”

Jian Tian also said: “Indeed, the two creatures have different natures. No formation, however good, can restrain both at once. Ah… this is so troubling.”

Lin Chengyou let the two Daoists chatter beside his ears, clearly deep in thought.

Qi Zhi couldn’t help asking: “Has Senior Brother thought of a good method?”

Lin Chengyou turned to look at Teng Yu Yi: “Actually, Young Master Wang reminded me of this method, though I’m not sure if it will work. We might as well try.”

Teng Yu Yi started: “Me?”

“I can’t say now,” Lin Chengyou smiled strangely. “The corpse demon is too good at peering into people’s hearts. If someone is accidentally bewitched by it, even the best method would be known to it in advance.”

Teng Yu Yi was burning with curiosity but then heard Lin Chengyou continue: “As long as the Golden-Robed Young Master’s wings are intact, we can’t trap it and the corpse demon. The urgent matter is to lure it out before its wounds heal.”

“If the Golden-Robed Young Master is focused on healing, how can we lure it out?”

“Don’t forget it’s a demon, and all demons have weaknesses,” Lin Chengyou smiled. “The ‘Demon Chronicles’ has so many records about the Golden-Robed Young Master. Its flaws are in its bones. As long as we grasp its preferences, we needn’t worry about it not taking the bait. Let’s go to the garden first. Although we set up the Pan Luo Golden Net at the small Buddha hall’s entrance, it’s not completely foolproof. Remember, whatever I do later, don’t be surprised—just cooperate.”

He walked to the door first, urging everyone to set out.

Teng Yu Yi followed with the group, wondering what brilliant strategy Lin Chengyou could have devised in such a short time.

She turned back thoughtfully to see Lin Chengyou returning to the room. Jue Sheng was muttering something, following Lin Chengyou’s instructions to place the eternal lamp at Peng Yu Gui’s feet.

Teng Yu Yi looked deeply one more time. Compared to other places in the building, this room covered in talismans was the most peaceful. Lin Chengyou must have considered this when deciding to leave both the eternal lamp and Peng Yu Gui’s remains here.

As she turned back, something suddenly struck her. Could Lin Chengyou’s new method be…

She looked back again at Peng Yu Gui on the ground. No wonder Lin Chengyou said the method was related to her. If it was truly what she thought, it would indeed be an unexpected turn of events.

When they reached the garden, an extraordinary silence prevailed. Even the small Buddha hall, bright with lamps, was completely quiet.

This eerie stillness inexplicably made people uneasy.

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi stood on tiptoes to peer at the small Buddha hall: “Thankfully we set up the Pan Luo Golden Net outside the hall. Everything seems fine.”

Lin Chengyou took an arrow from the quiver on his back, bent his bow, nocked the arrow, and shot a golden light. The scene before them rippled like spring water disturbed by wind, creating small waves.

In the blink of an eye, the deathly still garden came alive. Flowers and leaves rustled in the night wind, and noisy sounds drifted from the small Buddha hall—listening carefully, someone was crying.

“What have I taught you? You can’t even distinguish an illusion set by two monsters—you deserve to be treated as snacks by demons.” Lin Chengyou gathered his qi and leaped, his body flying several bounds toward the small Buddha hall.

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi were too ashamed to make a sound, running to catch up.

When everyone reached the small Buddha hall, it was packed with people. The courtesans and temple visitors huddled together trembling, while Yan Si Zhi and others also wore strange expressions. Though their gazes were scattered, they all looked fearfully at the door.

Upon seeing Lin Chengyou, E Ji burst into tears: “Young Master, something terrible has happened—Bao Zhu and the others were taken away by the demon!”

“And Lu Tao and Qing Qing.” Wo Ji’s face was tear-stained as she gestured shakily. “Before we could understand what was happening, they were taken away.”

Wu Dao was shocked: “How is this possible? With the Pan Luo Golden Net at the door, the two monsters wouldn’t waste strength forcing their way in before catching their prey.”

Lin Chengyou quickly inspected and confirmed the net was undamaged.

“Did Juan Er Li come?” he asked sharply.

“Yes.” Everyone nodded in fear. “If not for Official Yan stopping her, even more people would have been taken.”

Yan Si Zhi wiped his sweat and came forward: “We were staying inside, and there were constantly spirits trying to break in from outside, but they were all blocked by the golden net. But just a short while ago, Miss Juan Er Li suddenly came looking for us, saying Young Master said this place wasn’t safe and we should gather at the front. As she spoke, she pulled several young ladies toward the exit. I remembered she should have been with the Daoist priests and wouldn’t appear alone, so I became suspicious and tried to stop her. Then we heard a man laughing outside, and he took Juan Er Li and the young ladies away.”

E Ji cried: “Something’s wrong with Juan Er Li, she’s like a completely different person.”

“This problem probably didn’t start just a day or two ago,” Wu Dao said regretfully. “We just didn’t realize she was bewitched by the corpse demon last month. Though she’s now used by the corpse demon, she still has flesh and blood—this golden net can’t stop her.”

Lin Chengyou crouched down to examine and quickly found several fresh footprints at the door. He sneered: “Indeed, can’t change old habits.”

Then he returned to the small Buddha hall, stood before everyone, and looked around, finally saying to Wei Zi and Ruan Hong: “You two, come out.”

Wei Zi and Ruan Hong shuddered: “Us?”

Lin Chengyou then turned his gaze to several courtesans behind them, pointing casually: “You, you, you… all come out.”

He picked four at once, making six beauties including Wei Zi and Ruan Hong.

The beauties nervously stepped out from the crowd.

Others were surprised: “Young Master, this is—”

Wu Dao guessed what Lin Chengyou wanted to do, feeling somewhat uneasy. This was a risky move—if it failed, they would only find themselves in a more difficult situation.

But when they looked at the two beauties in front, they instantly gained more confidence.

Wei Zi had almost become the flower queen, possessing a voluptuous and bewitching beauty that completely matched Ge Jin and Yao Huang. The other called Ruan Hong, though not as outstanding as the top three in appearance, was still a highly-ranked madam at Cai Feng Tower.

Lin Chengyou asked them: “Can you sing and dance without instruments?”

The beauties nodded nervously.

“Do you know how to dance the ‘Celebration of Virtue’?”

Teng Yu Yi mentally exclaimed in surprise. The ‘Celebration of Virtue’ was a court dance that few commoners had ever heard. Why was Lin Chengyou asking about this—perhaps it wasn’t what she had thought.

As expected, the courtesans all shook their heads: “No, we don’t.”

Lin Chengyou showed slight disappointment, lowering his head in thought: “…Well then, later you’ll just—”

Suddenly someone spoke: “This humble one knows it…”

Teng Yu Yi looked toward the voice—it was E Ji, who raised her hand awkwardly, her expression full of unease: “This humble one learned this dance from a palace musician in my youth. I wonder why Young Master asks about this.”

Lin Chengyou started in surprise, then smiled: “If Madam E knows it, that’s perfect. Come out then.”

A flash of regret crossed E Ji’s face, but Lin Chengyou seemed to leave no room for refusal. E Ji wanted to say something more, but seeing Lin Chengyou already turning to leave, she could only part through the crowd and slowly edge her way out.

Wu Dao gaped in astonishment, catching up to Lin Chengyou to whisper: “Young Master, isn’t Madam E a bit too old? Though the Golden-Robed Young Master is notorious for his romantic pursuits, he’s not indiscriminate. I’ve heard he only favors young women and maidens, showing no interest in older women at all.”

“Stop chattering, let’s go.” Lin Chengyou was already outside the door.

Teng Yu Yi now understood—Lin Chengyou had something else in mind. As she stepped forward to follow, she found herself breaking into a sweat again, so she took out her handkerchief to wipe it away as she walked.

Uncle Cheng watched worriedly from the side. It seemed the young miss wouldn’t escape the heat rash after all. He could only regret that there was no energy to spare now for thinking about the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction—everything would have to wait until they safely passed through tonight.

Outside, Lin Chengyou followed the footprints from the door. The prints varied in depth, leading to the garden entrance, but beyond the garden, they vanished as if wiped away, leaving no trace to follow.

Everyone looked ahead to where the front building stood. Usually bustling with activity, it now stood as silent as a lonely grave. Apart from the occasional tinkling of bells at the eaves, the entire building was wrapped in silence.

Looking down, they saw the Great Exorcist Formation had been destroyed. The courtyard looked as if it had been ravaged by a violent storm, with banners and flags scattered everywhere.

Wu Dao stamped his foot in fury: “These two creatures are too arrogant!”

Jian Xi opened his Heavenly Eye to look around, then said hatefully: “It’s bad enough that the corpse demon is good at concealing its evil qi, but now the Golden-Robed Young Master is hiding with it, and hasn’t leaked even a trace of demon qi. This is troublesome—to find them quickly, we’d need to search the building separately, but if we split up, someone will surely end up being flayed alive by the two monsters. What can we do? We can’t just do nothing and wait for the Golden-Robed Young Master to heal!”

Wu Dao had no ideas and turned to look for Lin Chengyou, only to find he had already led E Ji and the others into the courtyard.

Lin Chengyou smiled as he distributed cyan talismans to the courtesans: “These are life-preserving talismans from the Azure Cloud Temple. As long as you have these on you, no demon or spirit can come near. Just focus on your singing and dancing, and pay no attention to anything you might see.”

E Ji and the others tremblingly agreed. When they received the talismans, they noticed the unusual color. Having never seen such strange talismans before, they assumed these must be extraordinary protective charms. Their initial anxiety eased considerably.

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi stood scratching their heads—Senior Brother was telling white lies again. These were just ordinary soul-protecting talismans, their color changed from soaking in peach juice. At most, they could ward off common evil spirits but would be useless against the two monsters.

“When I cough, proceed as I’ve instructed,” Lin Chengyou walked to the front. “Madam E will lead the dance. Though the rest haven’t learned the ‘Celebration of Virtue,’ I know you frequent the Book Chamber.”

“They can pick it up after one rehearsal,” E Ji had somewhat regained her composure, and out of habit, began arranging her skirts. “Half of these children were taught by me—they know the standard postures and techniques.”

“Even better,” Lin Chengyou said with a smile. “As for how to sing the song, there are some particular points…”

He spoke quietly to E Ji for a moment, and she nodded in surprise.

“Jue Sheng, Qi Zhi, quickly sweep away these scattered papers. Once Madam E and the others finish rehearsing, the formal dance will begin.”

As he spoke, Lin Chengyou lit a torch, preparing to light all the crystal lamps under the corridors.

Jian Xi watched E Ji posturing and preening, then quietly pulled Lin Chengyou aside: “Hey, Young Master, though the Golden-Robed Young Master is a bird demon, it’s not stupid. It’s focused on healing now and knows its priorities. Even with these six beauties singing and dancing, luring it out would be quite difficult. Adding Madam E might be counterproductive.

“Besides, this trick can only be used once,” Jian Mei’s expression was grave. “It must succeed on the first try. If it fails, we won’t get another chance to lure out the Golden-Robed Young Master. I urge Young Master to proceed with caution.”

Lin Chengyou replied unhurriedly: “I’ll be guarding the southwest corner of the eaves. Daoist Jian Tian has the deepest cultivation, so he’ll guard the northeast corner to support me at any time.

“Daoists Jian Xian and Jian Mei will remain under the eastern corridor, responsible for protecting the performers’ safety.

“Jian Xi and Jian Le, you two will reactivate the Nine Heavens Fire Ring to deal with the Golden-Robed Young Master. Though we used this method this afternoon and it may not work again, only the fire ring can burn through those blade-and-spear-proof feathers, so we must try.

“Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi, when the two Daoists activate the formation, they cannot be distracted—you’ll be responsible for helping them guard it.”

As he spoke, he walked a circle around everyone: “Including me, that’s eight people. Each person must guard their position well. Remember, no matter what happens, don’t lose your formation.”

The Five Daoists wanted to persuade Lin Chengyou to think of another strategy, but they had to admit this young man possessed a compelling force, and they couldn’t think of a better plan, so they could only silently agree.

Finally, Lin Chengyou’s gaze fell on Teng Yu Yi: “As for Young Master Wang and your servants, we don’t expect you to help—just don’t cause trouble. Later, stay by my side.”

After arranging everything, he looked back at the eerily quiet front building: “Time is of the essence. While Madam E and the others are still rehearsing, let’s get to our positions and wait.”

Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu led Teng Yu Yi up to the roof first, walking along the glazed tiles to the northeast corner where they sat down in sequence.

The others also took their positions.

Lin Chengyou lit all the lanterns under the eaves, then leaped up to the roof, lifted his robes, and sat beside Teng Yu Yi.

The courtyard was bright as day with lanterns, making the peonies on the steps appear especially enchanting. A bright moon hung in the sky, spreading silver radiance everywhere.

But that moonlight held a strange hue, like bright whey mixed with crimson blood, spreading across the courtyard as if covering the ground with a layer of purple gauze.

“Young Master hasn’t forgotten our previous agreement?” Teng Yu Yi’s eyes watched the courtyard. “I help you set a trap to lure out Cai Feng Tower’s killer, you help me neutralize the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction. While there’s time now, Young Master should quickly give me the antidote.”

Lin Chengyou leisurely wiped the golden arrows in his quiver: “What’s the rush? Since I promised you, I’ll naturally deliver.”

“But if I remember correctly, Young Master said it needed to be mastered before the Zi hour,” Teng Yu Yi felt heat surging within her body. “Time is running short—if we delay further, the heat rash will break out.”

Lin Chengyou smiled at this: “After all this talk, aren’t you just afraid of getting heat rash? I promised your appearance wouldn’t be damaged, and I’ll certainly keep that promise.”

A string seemed to snap in Teng Yu Yi’s mind as she whipped her head around to glare at Lin Chengyou. So, he had planned this all along.

That afternoon when negotiating with Lin Chengyou, his exact words were “Alright, I guarantee your appearance won’t be damaged by the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction.”

At first glance, the previous statement seemed fine, but examining it closely revealed two meanings. The so-called neutralization could be either active or passive—the former referring to neutralization through cultivation, which would not only prevent heat rash but also increase seven or eight years of inner force. Passive neutralization naturally meant letting the heat rash break out—once it appeared, the excess heat would disperse on its own, but any chance of increasing inner force would be lost.

As for Lin Chengyou’s the promise of “not damaging appearance,” he probably meant giving her some spiritual medicines for clearing heat and maintaining beauty, so even if she got heat rash, it wouldn’t leave scars on her face.

Such spiritual medicines existed, but she wanted more than just avoiding heat rash—she wanted those seven or eight years of inner force.

“Young Master did this deliberately?” she asked, suppressing her anger. It was obvious now—that afternoon she had used the trap as bait to force Lin Chengyou to help her neutralize the decoction, but unwilling to be coerced, he had decided to trick her while appearing to agree.

Lin Chengyou turned his head and was caught off guard by the peach-pink tinge showing through Teng Yu Yi’s delicate eyelids, probably caused by the internal heat. From a distance, she looked as if she had just been crying, but upon closer inspection, she seemed almost drunk. That faint hint of red made her eyes appear as black and bright as grapes. He even wondered if the moisture in her eyes was as sweet as grape juice.

“If the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction were so easy to neutralize, it wouldn’t be called a worldly spirit grass,” he smiled innocently, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight. “The so-called antidote is purely fictional. Neutralization can only be achieved through one’s cultivation. You don’t understand martial arts, and there’s no time to master it now. To prevent damage to your appearance, I can only get you some Jade Beauty Pills. You’ve heard of this medicine, right? There’s only one bottle in Chang’an, kept in the Imperial Palace. I haven’t figured out how to ask the Empress for it yet—I’m sure to get scolded, but since I promised Young Master Wang, I’ll get it for you even if I’m punished.”

Teng Yu Yi forced words through gritted teeth: “No need for such trouble. It’s fine without an antidote. Doesn’t your temple have a set of Peach Blossom Sword techniques? I heard it’s just a few moves, learnable in the blink of an eye.”

Lin Chengyou’s expression became somewhat strange. He looked at Teng Yu Yi twice before turning away, fiddling with the golden arrow in his hand while smiling: “So that’s what Young Master Wang had in mind. I advise you to give up early—this sword technique isn’t easy to learn, and I can’t teach it.”

Teng Yu Yi glared at Lin Chengyou. He didn’t want her to gain all the benefits of drinking the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction, so he would rather get the Jade Beauty Pills than teach her martial arts. Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi had personally said the Peach Blossom Sword technique was just a few moves, and there was still more than an hour until the Zi hour. With Lin Chengyou’s abilities, if he sincerely wanted to teach her, he could surely squeeze in some instruction.

If only she had thought to attach another paper that afternoon when negotiating with him, writing everything clearly in black and white, and getting his handprint as well.

Should she just let it go like this? She narrowed her eyes. After suffering for several days, would she get nothing out of it?

After a while, she calmed down. Fine, she would endure for one night—but he shouldn’t expect to provoke her again in the future. At least someone would get her the Jade Beauty Pills, saving her some trouble.

She snorted coldly, resting her elbows on her knees and propping her chin to watch the courtyard.

Lin Chengyou caught Teng Yu Yi’s movement in his peripheral vision. He had expected her to keep pestering him but hadn’t expected her to be so good at self-reconciliation.

That was good—if she knew how the Peach Blossom Sword technique was taught, she might not be willing to learn from him after all.

Just then, the performers finished rehearsing.

The courtesans arranged themselves in formation under E Ji’s guidance. E Ji stood at the front, one plump white arm raised high, the other hand forming an orchid finger position at her chest. Her waist and round hips were also at work, creating two alluring soft curves.

The night breeze passed by, making the emerald gauze float high in her arm’s crook. Combined with her proudly held neck and seductive expression, she looked like a celestial maiden about to take flight.

Teng Yu Yi watched without blinking—was this what they called an old blade staying sharp? With E Ji’s figure, she could easily outshine those young courtesans behind her. Never mind the romantically inclined Golden-Robed Young Master—even she, a woman, found her heart stirred by the sight.

It was only a pity that the moonlight was too bright, unable to hide the frost at E Ji’s brow and eyes. Though her makeup was thick enough, one could still tell she was not young—far from forty, she might even be fifty.

“Madam E must be lying about her age,” a voice drifted softly from some corner. “Didn’t she say she was just over thirty? This… this doesn’t look like it at all.”

E Ji’s mouth twitched, but Lin Chengyou applauded: “Wonderful! Madam E truly lives up to her reputation. In my opinion, she’s completely equal to that famous dancer Madam Yelü in the palace.”

E Ji’s expression became animated again. She twisted her waist, flinging the silk scarf from her arm across her chest, and her red lips parted to sing the first line of the song.

“Sacred beyond a thousand ages…” (Note)

As E Ji began her graceful dance steps, the courtesans behind her also started dancing. Some wore crimson, others emerald gowns, their movements weaving a brilliant tapestry. Their delicate singing voices began floating on the wind, stirring hearts like spring waters.

“The Way prospers through a hundred deaths…”

The second line came, and the courtesans smiled gently, their waists swaying left and right. Though a dance troupe of just seven couldn’t match the grandeur of palace performances, their graceful and alluring movements were still pleasing to the eye. Especially Wei Zi, standing behind E Ji—this woman had luminous skin and a voluptuous figure, and with each sway of her waist, the full curves of her chest were undulated.

Teng Yu Yi stole a glance and suddenly began worrying about others getting distracted. She looked askance at the corridor where, sure enough, several old Daoists’ faces had turned red.

She curiously peeked at Lin Chengyou and found him gripping his bow and arrow tightly while staring at the pavilion opposite.

E Ji knew Wei Zi’s dancing was outstanding and had planned accordingly. When singing the third line, she and Wei Zi crossed and turned, suddenly bringing Wei Zi to the front row. This made Wei Zi’s snow-white fullness even more eye-catching.

When Wei Zi began spinning quickly in the courtyard, the Dark Sound Bell that had been silent for so long finally stirred. The round bell rolled gently on Teng Yu Yi’s wrist as if someone were softly blowing on it.

Teng Yu Yi watched the Dark Sound Bell intently. Had she guessed wrong—was Lin Chengyou targeting the Golden-Robed Young Master? By the looks of it, the demon probably couldn’t hold back much longer. She quickly looked up at the opposite building, but it remained silent, and the Dark Sound Bell only rang once before quieting again.

Murmuring voices came from the courtyard—the Daoists were disappointed.

Lin Chengyou remained steady as a mountain. Not only did he not lower his bow, but he also took out a string of coins from his chest and scattered them in the courtyard.

The coins hit the ground with clear tinkling sounds.

“Well sung,” Lin Chengyou said in a deep voice.

E Ji and the others were encouraged, and their singing grew even more passionate.

“Ten thousand years to the Emperor…”

The joyful melody drifted into the air, then suddenly turned, unexpectedly revealing hints of sorrow.

“The royal fortune ever prospers… Mountains and rivers endure…”

Teng Yu Yi paid attention to her surroundings. Lin Chengyou’s coin-scattering seemed like a signal—once the coins fell, the song’s flavor changed. E Ji led the courtesans in transforming a celebratory dance praising virtue into one lamenting a fallen nation.

“Weeping at the western tower, all turn to emptiness…” The fourth line grew even more sorrowful.

“All turns to emptiness… all turns to emptiness…”

Not just sorrowful, but gradually revealing tones of bitter resentment. As soon as this line began, the Dark Sound Bell reacted, shaking violently and urgently as if about to burst. Then the night wind surged, bringing a bone-chilling cold. Teng Yu Yi shuddered, and before she could see what it was, Lin Chengyou’s golden arrow left the string, shooting out.

Something sprang from the dark pavilion, accompanied by sharp, urgent crying, flying straight across the courtyard toward Teng Yu Yi.

A young girl’s childish crying grew closer: “Wuu wuu… you’re all bad people, making me sad on purpose. I want you all to die!”

Teng Yu Yi’s hair stood on end—she knew that crying voice all too well. Lin Chengyou’s arrow not only failed to stop the corpse demon, but the demon had targeted her first.

“This is bad, why is it the corpse demon?” Jian Xian and Jian Mei drew their swords in shock, leaping into the courtyard to protect the courtesans.

When the corpse demon came closer, Teng Yu Yi’s eyes suddenly widened. She saw the corpse demon grab Lin Chengyou’s golden arrow, bare its teeth, and pull with both hands. With a “crack,” that exceptionally sturdy golden arrow broke into two pieces.

She grabbed Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu and ran. No wonder Lin Chengyou had tried every means to lure out the two monsters—who knew what secret arts they had been practicing, allowing their power to surge in such a short time. This golden arrow that could originally restrain the corpse demon was now useless against it.

Jian Tian stood shocked on the opposite eaves, moving to leap over and help, but constrained by Lin Chengyou’s order not to move rashly, he instead threw several flying talismans, shouting: “Young Master, be careful! This thing seems to have gone berserk!”

Teng Yu Yi looked back in her panic. Tonight’s moonlight was exceptionally bright, and she could see the corpse demon’s pair of snow-white fangs, which looked as if they had just emerged from the gums, not yet fully grown.

As the corpse demon drew closer, she cried out: “Lin Chengyou!” At such a critical moment, why wasn’t he responding? Just as she found it strange, an ink-green figure leaped across, and Lin Chengyou jumped over to shield her behind him.

“Why are you crying?” Lin Chengyou’s mocking voice suddenly rang out. “Did that song and dance remind you of your worthless parents? I heard your emperor’s father loved listening to the ‘Celebration of Virtue’ in the palace. What about your mother—did she like it too?”

His left hand gripped the golden bow while his right hand made a hollow grip behind his waist. At these words, the corpse demon’s fangs instantly grew several inches, hanging gleaming by its crimson lips, nearly half a foot long. Combined with its innocent, pretty face, it was unspeakably eerie.

It wailed sharply: “You’re horrible! You’re horrible! You did this on purpose—I’ll dig out your heart and crush it to pieces!”

Teng Yu Yi caught her breath behind Lin Chengyou. The corpse demon’s weak point was that pair of fangs, but unfortunately, the Xiao Ya sword was too thin and sharp—it would surely break if it met the fangs. Otherwise, she could have tried using it.

She wiped her sweat and looked down, only then noticing a glint of silver from Lin Chengyou’s right hand behind his waist. She was startled, then immediately delighted—it was indeed Peng Yu Gui’s hidden weapon. It seemed Lin Chengyou had decided to try using this silver wire.

Back then, when the Nanzhao Kingdom’s Corpse King’s fangs were broken, the Corpse King had turned to dust. Lin Chengyou’s efforts to enrage the corpse demon were probably for this moment.

When the corpse demon flew close, Lin Chengyou held Teng Yu Yi and leaped backward while swinging his right arm, shooting a snow-bright silver wire toward the opposite side: “Daoist Jian Tian, catch!”

“Good!” Jian Tian immediately caught it, finding it was a rain-thread-like hidden weapon with a paper ball tied to the end for leverage. He had no time to ask what it was and pulled it taut.

Lin Chengyou’s throwing force and timing were perfect. When Jian Tian caught it, the silver wire was exactly beneath the corpse demon’s fangs. If both men pulled the wire south simultaneously, the fangs would break.

The corpse demon paid no attention to such a thin thread, though it felt annoyed by it against its teeth. Crying, it raised its hand to break the wire, but Lin Chengyou’s eyes showed a hint of a smile as he secretly channeled all his inner force into the silver wire.

“Pull south,” Lin Chengyou shouted low. “Now!”

Jian Tian loudly agreed.

Teng Yu Yi’s heart raced—with this weapon’s sharpness, when the two men combined forces, the corpse demon’s fangs would surely not survive.

Click, click—two strange sounds came from mid-air. The corpse demon had been about to grab Lin Chengyou but stopped at these sounds. It turned its eyes downward and realized the strange sounds came from its mouth. Its preciously maintained fangs seemed to be cut by an invisible great force, showing signs of breaking.

Only then did it realize this inconspicuous silver wire was lethal.

“Ahhh!” Its beautiful features suddenly twisted together as it tried to pull the silver wire from its mouth with bare hands, but Lin Chengyou and Jian Tian had channeled all their inner force into the wire—before it could exert force, two of its fingers were sliced off.

Flesh could grow back, but it only had one pair of fangs. The corpse demon became thoroughly panicked and desperately jumped upward, but whenever it moved, Lin Chengyou and Jian Tian would also leap up, the silver wire following like a shadow, its force not diminishing at all.

“Bad guys! Bad guys!” it screamed indistinctly, but Lin Chengyou gave it no chance to escape. No matter how it leaped and struggled, the wire remained caught on its teeth. In the blink of an eye, the fangs were becoming increasingly loose.

Teng Yu Yi’s heart soared with joy—just a little more, just a little more and this evil thing would turn to nothing. But just then, a golden figure suddenly shot out from the dark window of the front building. Great wings spread in the sky, flying straight toward the corpse demon trapped in mid-air.

The Golden-Robed Young Master!

Lin Chengyou seemed prepared and shouted without thinking: “Nine Heavens Fire Ring!”

“Yes!” Jian Xi and Jian Le answered in unison from the courtyard.

Following Lin Chengyou’s arrangements, everyone in the courtyard had their assigned roles. Jian Xi and Jian Le had been setting up formation under the west corridor according to plan, successfully drawing the Nine Heavens Fire Ring, ready to strike.

At this command, they raised their swords toward the heavens: “Swift as the law commands, go!”

Two rings of fire rose into the sky, pursuing the Golden-Robed Young Master’s wings. But the golden bird was in no hurry to flee. Instead, it took the corpse demon into its embrace and then flapped its wings straight toward the heavens.

The wire had not been secured firmly, and with this upward pull, the corpse demon finally broke free. However, the delay allowed one of the Nine Heavens Fire Rings to catch up, setting the feathers of its left wing ablaze.

Jian Xi and Jian Le were overjoyed and hurriedly drove the other fire ring to burn its right wing, but the Golden-Robed Young Master, with its left wing blazing, dove straight down.

“After so many years, Chang’an’s Daoists still only know how to play with fire tricks.” It laughed coldly.

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi shouted in fear: “Seniors, run! Don’t fight it head-on!”

In their panic, Jian Xi and Jian Le couldn’t bring the other fire ring to the front and had to abandon thoughts of resistance. But before they could run far, the Golden-Robed Young Master swooped down and caught Jian Xi.

Jian Xi hurriedly swung his sword but couldn’t even touch the Golden-Robed Young Master’s feathers. Kicking his legs in mid-air, he screamed: “Senior Brother! Young Master! Save me!”

There came a whistling sound as Lin Chengyou leaped down from the eaves, releasing an arrow that struck the Golden-Robed Young Master’s right shoulder. The Golden-Robed Young Master’s grip loosened, and Jian Xi struggled free and rolled down.

“You little—!” The Golden-Robed Young Master swerved in the air, bringing its flames toward Lin Chengyou. “Just now I beat you to scattered petals, yet you dare provoke me again.”

“I’m still waiting to eat roasted bird meat. How can I let you escape before the meat reaches my mouth?” Lin Chengyou soared upward, shooting a second arrow while speaking, this time aimed at one of the Golden-Robed Young Master’s eyes. He felt great regret—just now they had been so close to sawing off the corpse demon’s fangs.

Jian Tian also jumped down from the eaves, brandishing his sword toward the Golden-Robed Young Master’s other eye. Those eyes were the Golden-Robed Young Master’s weak point—if they could strike true, its demon power would be lost. Combined with the sharp weapon that could be seen through the corpse demon’s fangs, subduing the two monsters was within reach.

He was delighted, focusing all his attention on killing the Golden-Robed Young Master, when he heard Lin Chengyou shout: “Watch out for the corpse demon!”

Before Jian Tian could react, an arm unexpectedly reached out from under the Golden-Robed Young Master’s wing, its fingernails red as cherries, suddenly growing several feet to grab at his collar.

Jian Tian’s face changed as he turned his sword toward the corpse demon, but this left an opening. The Golden-Robed Young Master seized the opportunity to swerve in the air, barely dodging Lin Chengyou’s arrow. Its claws reached down to catch Jian Le, who hadn’t run far, grabbing his collar and soaring skyward.

Lin Chengyou immediately shot another arrow, but the Golden-Robed Young Master’s wings were as large as blankets—when fully spread, they could block the courtyard’s moonlight. This arrow, shot in the darkness, was successfully avoided.

Lin Chengyou simply curved his fingers into a ring and let out a whistle, sharp and high-pitched, clearly trying to summon something. However, the rooftop remained silent—not even a ghost appeared.

Lin Chengyou cursed under his breath, having no choice but to leap onto the treetops, shouting sharply: “Stop them quickly!”

The front building had become the two monsters’ lair for cultivating inner force—once they went in, it would be difficult to lure them out again.

His lightness skill was outstanding. As he spoke, he stepped rapidly up the tree trunk, reaching the crown in one breath. The Five Daoists used all their strength to follow, but they were still a step too late. Before they could mount an attack, the two monsters took Jian Le through an open window.

The window was pitch black inside—entering would surely lead to disaster. Jian Xi, worried sick, desperately dove in after them: “Le Le!”

“Don’t go in!” Lin Chengyou’s expression changed, but he couldn’t stop him in time.

“Jian Xi!” Jian Xian and the others landed on the treetops, anxious as ants on a hot pan. “Senior Brother, what should we do? Think of something quickly!”

Lin Chengyou remained grimly silent. With two Daoists down, dealing with the two monsters would be even more difficult. Fortunately, the Golden-Robed Young Master’s wing was still burning, so its power couldn’t recover quickly. Moreover, being indoors, it couldn’t fly properly. They needed to rescue the others quickly before the monsters got too far.

“Too many people will get in each other’s way. I’ll go in and find the two Daoists,” he said, his expression frosty. “You return to your original positions, ready to support me at any time.”

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi shouted anxiously from below: “Senior Brother! We agreed not to separate—you can’t go in alone!”

Lin Chengyou leaped to the window: “Senior Brother knows what he’s doing. You two shouldn’t stay in the courtyard—go to the eaves and protect Young Master Wang and his servants.”

But before he could enter, another window suddenly burst open, and two dusty figures darted out. Lin Chengyou immediately threw two flying talismans, but heard one of the grey figures shout: “It’s me!”

Looking closely, it was Jian Xi and Jian Le.

“Jian Xi! Jian Le!”

Jian Xi awkwardly held Jian Le, stumbling as they landed in the courtyard.

“That was close! So close!” he gasped for breath. “At least I got him back!”

Jian Le seemed unconscious. Jian Xi laid him on the ground: “The Golden-Robed Young Master was injured and dropped Le Le.”

Jian Tian and the others were overjoyed, jumping down from the treetop to rush over, but Lin Chengyou blocked them: “Beware of tricks!”

Teng Yu Yi, watching clearly from the eaves, also shouted: “Daoist Jian Le has no cloth tied to his wrist! He’s fake!”

Jian Xi jumped up in fright, only now noticing that Jian Le had opened his eyes at some point, wearing an eerie smile as he stared strangely at him.

He screamed and turned to run, but unfortunately was caught by the fake “Jian Le” before he could turn around.

Jian Mei had just run close and couldn’t stop in time. The fake “Jian Le” attacked Jian Xi with his left arm and Jian Mei with his right. However, before it could dig their hearts from their chests, a flying talisman struck.

Its face suddenly hurt, making it instinctively loosen its grip. In that moment of distraction, Jian Xi and Jian Mei were pulled away.

“How many sets of equipment did you prepare for tonight?” Lin Chengyou gave a meaningful look at the corpse demon disguised as “Jian Le,” putting his right hand behind his waist and walking unhurriedly toward it. “I understand now—this habit formed when you were in the palace. Did your parents ignore you? Is that why you spent all day pretending to be others, never willing to be yourself?”

The corpse demon’s eyes seemed soaked in poison, shooting forth a bone-chilling hatred. It suddenly burst into silver bell-like laughter and flashed into the front building.

“You’re very handsome, but unfortunately you’re a bad person. I won’t play with you,” it laughed as it ran. Having learned its lesson earlier, it would neither be easily provoked nor easily show its fangs again.

Jian Xi and Jian Xian groaned on the ground.

Having learned from their previous lesson, Jian Tian and the others didn’t dare act rashly. Only after confirming their junior brothers had a red and cyan cloth tied to their wrists did they swarm over to check their injuries.

Both were wounded. Jian Xian had been stopped by Lin Chengyou in time but still suffered flesh wounds. Jian Xi was more severely injured—that claw had nearly torn out his heart, and though it hadn’t succeeded, a large chunk of flesh was missing from his back.

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi jumped down from the eaves, while Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu helped Teng Yu Yi down.

Jian Xi’s face was pale with pain as he whimpered to everyone: “I… I… I deserved this.”

He had rushed in recklessly to save Jian Le, but not only failed to rescue his junior brother, he had also gotten himself hurt.

“This isn’t your fault,” Jian Tian said furiously, trembling as he applied medicine powder. “Who could have guessed the corpse demon could pull so many tricks in such a short time?”

Lin Chengyou gave them pills to counter demon poison, frowning as he said: “Now there’s no other way—I’ll have to go in and lure the two monsters out. The Golden-Robed Young Master is not afraid of the Nine Heavens Fire Ring, showing it knows it can heal quickly. The corpse demon, after just some cultivation, isn’t even afraid of my Heaven Lord Demon-Subduing Arrow anymore. We can’t give them more chances to heal. When I go in, you be ready outside—one group responsible for the Nine Heavens Fire Ring, another ready to help me saw off the corpse demon’s fangs. We have experience now—we can’t let them escape again.”

“But Jian Le was taken, and Jian Xi and Jian Xian are injured,” Jian Tian said tearfully. “The corpse demon did this on purpose—injuring more people means we’ll have even fewer hands to deal with them.”

Lin Chengyou pondered for a moment before speaking: “The Nine Heavens Fire Ring is essential. Now that we’re short two seniors, Daoists Jian Tian and Jian Mei can fill in. Qi Zhi is careful—he can look after the wounded and the performers. Jue Sheng will guard against other ghosts the two monsters might summon.”

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi counted on their fingers: “But Senior Brother, if Daoist Jian Tian has to handle the fire ring, who will catch the silver wire you throw? Sawing off the fangs is crucial.”

This calculation showed they were still short of people.

“Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu are first-rate martial artists and quite experienced with hidden weapons,” Teng Yu Yi suddenly spoke up. “Since we need to saw off the corpse demon’s fangs, why not have them support Young Master?”

Lin Chengyou looked at Teng Yu Yi with a strange expression.

“No, no,” Jue Sheng shook his head like a rattling drum. “Don’t forget about the Golden-Robed Young Master. It won’t watch idly as the corpse demon’s fangs are sawn off—it will surely interfere. Uncle Cheng and Brother Huo aren’t like Daoist Jian Tian earlier. If the Golden-Robed Young Master attacks them, they have no Daoist arts and will surely be injured.”

“Don’t forget about me,” Teng Yu Yi smiled. “I once wounded the Golden-Robed Young Master—it seems to fear the Xiao Ya sword. With me guarding the formation, you needn’t worry about interference.”

The Daoists were so surprised they forgot their tears: “Young Master Wang, you don’t know martial arts. Even with the Xiao Ya sword, you’d be defeated in one or two moves.”

“There’s no other way now,” Teng Yu Yi said righteously. “As long as I can neutralize the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction, none of this is a problem. With my divine sword and the many sword moves I’ve learned, if I could gain seven or eight years of inner force, guarding the formation would be more than enough.”

She turned to look at Lin Chengyou: “Young Master, what do you think?”

Lin Chengyou stared at her silently.

Teng Yu Yi’s expression was serious: “Time is of the essence. Please quickly teach me that set of Peach Blossom Sword techniques.”

“Young Master.”

“Senior Brother.” Jian Tian, Jue Sheng, and Qi Zhi couldn’t help speaking up.

This was indeed a good solution. The Peach Blossom Sword was easy to learn, and teachable in just a few moves. They had lost fighters and urgently needed more hands—even if she couldn’t help eliminate the demons, having another defender would be good.

Lin Chengyou still hadn’t agreed.

Teng Yu Yi looked at him sincerely: “I truly want to help.”

After a moment of silence, Lin Chengyou finally made a sound of agreement: “It’s a good idea.”

Teng Yu Yi quickly said: “Since Young Master also thinks it’s a good idea, please quickly teach me the Peach Blossom Sword technique.”

Lin Chengyou thought to himself, “Well, I’ll teach it—hope you don’t regret it later.” Looking at the front building, he knew further hesitation would mean missing the chance to lure out the two monsters. Despite his reluctance, he had to stand up and walk to one side, then turn to tell Teng Yu Yi: “There are only seven moves, but we only have half an incense stick’s time, so you must memorize them in one go.”

Teng Yu Yi kept the joy in her heart from showing on her face, nodding seriously: “Don’t worry, Young Master. I’ll learn diligently.”

Lin Chengyou then said to everyone else: “Azure Cloud Temple forbids others from watching when teaching martial arts. Please turn your backs, Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi, you shouldn’t watch either.”

Everyone complied, turning around. Even E Ji and the others dared not peek.

Lin Chengyou turned his gaze back to Teng Yu Yi’s face. She wore a slight smile, unable to hide the secret excitement in her eyes.

He sighed, looking up, then took out the Soul-Locking Beast from his chest. He cast a spell to transform this creature into a short sword in his right hand, put his left hand behind his waist, and with his right hand wielded the sword in a beautiful flourish, turning and pointing it cleanly to his side.

“Did you see the first move?”

“Yes, I did.” Teng Yu Yi nodded and was about to circle behind Lin Chengyou to practice.

But Lin Chengyou stopped her: “Practice like this.”

“Like this?”

How could sword techniques be taught face-to-face? When Uncle Cheng and the Five Daoists taught her, they would demonstrate in front while she followed from behind, copying their movements.

Now Lin Chengyou faced her directly—how could she learn? His left hand faced her right hand, his left foot her right foot. Wouldn’t this make learning confusing?

Lin Chengyou naturally knew what puzzled Teng Yu Yi. He too felt uncomfortable.

The Peach Blossom Sword technique, also known as the Husband-Wife Sword technique, was specially created by that senior master of Mount Zhongnan to teach his wife. It could only be taught by husband to wife—having anyone else teach it would never work.

During instruction, husband and wife must maintain eye contact, every move filled with tender affection.

In the past, no matter what great matter he faced, he could always maintain a smiling face. But now, facing Teng Yu Yi’s jade-like face with peach-tinged cheeks, he couldn’t even force the slightest smile.

Though puzzled, Teng Yu Yi quickly understood. She thought this sword technique must be unusual, with a different learning method. With master and disciple face-to-face, mistakes could be corrected immediately—no wonder it only took seven moves to neutralize the spiritual herb’s effects.

With this understanding, she maintained her face-to-face position with Lin Chengyou and practiced the sword move she had just seen.

“How was that?” she looked eagerly at Lin Chengyou.

After a moment, Lin Chengyou made a sound of acknowledgment: “Three inches below the navel is the sea of qi. When using the move, subdue your qi below the navel, guard your spirit within your body. This is the first move heart method.” (Note 2)

As he spoke, his sword tip trembled. He first circled the sword hilt before his chest, then thrust toward the left. Unlike his usual swift sharpness, his movements were gentle, free, and easy as floating clouds.

“This is the second move,” he said, withdrawing his sword to look at Teng Yu Yi. “This move’s heart method is: Spirit and qi follow each other like shadow follows form. Remember, when spirit moves, qi moves; when spirit stays, qi stays.” (Note 3)

Teng Yu Yi silently memorized this. When she began moving, she discovered this sword technique was not only gentle but had a sense of restraint. When wielding the sword, great care was taken—the sword tip never pointed directly at the person opposite. This differed from Uncle Cheng’s “Conquering Adversity” sword technique and East Bright Temple’s “Wearing Coarse Cloth” sword technique, which, though not particularly fierce, still focused on defeating and attacking the enemy.

Watching Teng Yu Yi practice once, Lin Chengyou’s brow slightly relaxed. It seemed her previous days of hard study had built a good foundation—at least her posture was correct, and she learned quickly.

He tossed the sword to his left hand and unhurriedly demonstrated another move. When he turned back, his sword tip raised a gentle breeze that stirred the loose hair by Teng Yu Yi’s cheeks, like a young man deliberately teasing his sweetheart, full of playful intimacy.

Teng Yu Yi vaguely felt something strange—eh, this move seemed somewhat flirtatious.

Lin Chengyou just watched his sword tip: “‘Heart unmoved by thought, the wind comes without leaving’—the third move’s key lies in ‘qi,’ transforming true qi into sword qi, making the formless take form.”

Teng Yu Yi suppressed her doubts and began practicing. At the end of the sword move, her sword tip also floated lightly upward past Lin Chengyou’s side.

Lin Chengyou felt a gentle wind brush his temple, like a woman breathing by his ear, creating a tickling sensation that reached deep into his heart.

This feeling was extremely unfamiliar. He struggled to ignore the strange sensation in his body and withdrew his blade with an expressionless face.

Next, he held the sword in his left hand, kicked his right foot into the air, and as he turned, the side of his ink-green robe revealed the white silk pants underneath. His long arm extended in an indescribably graceful and nimble movement. Finally, his body fell backward as if drunk, and he thrust out another sword strike: “The fourth move’s emphasis is on the lower body. Remember—left foot treads yin, right foot treads yang.”

“What is yin? What is yang?” Teng Yu Yi asked puzzled.

Lin Chengyou rose and thrust his sword tip forward, lifting her Xiao Ya sword. Before Teng Yu Yi could retreat, he used his sword to entangle hers, using his inner force to draw her before him.

“I am yang, you are yin,” he said softly.

Teng Yu Yi’s heart skipped a beat—they were far too close, their clothes nearly touching, their faces barely half an inch apart.

She looked down at their entangled swords in surprise, then back up at Lin Chengyou. He wasn’t looking at her, but gazing distantly at some point behind her.

“This…” her brow furrowed slightly as she instinctively moved backward, but with the slightest movement, she found the true qi that had just gathered in her Danden showing signs of scattering. Startled and uncertain, she froze again.

Lin Chengyou noticed her change and turned his eyes to her: “Don’t move. Do exactly as I do. Don’t be distracted, or you’ll never master the true qi.”

Teng Yu Yi looked at Lin Chengyou suspiciously. Though his tone was calm, his expression showed slight discomfort—very different from his usual demeanor. He didn’t seem to be teasing her. Moreover, by just the fifth move, the wild-horse-like true qi in her body showed signs of submission. Lin Chengyou wasn’t teaching wrong—this Peach Blossom Sword technique was indeed the key to neutralizing the spirit herb.

Her expression relaxed and she nodded: “Alright.”

Lin Chengyou released her sword: “These are the fourth and fifth moves. Try them yourself. The key lies in ‘qi’—what’s called ‘original qi born within, harmonizing yin and yang.'”

After completing the fourth move, Teng Yu Yi entangled her sword with Lin Chengyou’s, imitating his earlier movement to draw him before her. Thus, with just a glance up, she could see Lin Chengyou’s noble nose in her peripheral vision.

She guardedly looked around the courtyard. Fortunately, Lin Chengyou had ordered everyone not to watch. The Five Daoists were either busy helping their injured junior brothers or discussing how to deal with the two monsters—none had looked back. Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi were busy attending to everyone, clearly too preoccupied to pay attention.

Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu stood on either side, apparently not having turned around either.

Seeing she had learned it, Lin Chengyou immediately stepped back to demonstrate the sixth move. His movements were extraordinarily nimble as he rose and fell, but unexpectedly, as he turned, the sword suddenly slipped from his hand, falling straight toward Teng Yu Yi’s feet.

Teng Yu Yi thought he had merely lost his grip and was about to help pick it up when Lin Chengyou suddenly bent his knee upward, catching her off guard. Her arm was forced upward, and the Xiao Ya sword fell from her hand. Before she could catch it, another object landed in her hand—looking closely, it was Lin Chengyou’s short sword. Meanwhile, Lin Chengyou smoothly scooped up her Xiao Ya sword into his hand.

Teng Yu Yi looked at the sword in her hand in surprise. This move was more intimate than the previous ones—it seemed less like teaching swordplay and more like husband and wife flirting, their swords ending up in each other’s hands during instruction.

Before she could think further, her elbow suddenly went numb. Lin Chengyou seemed to have used the force of passing the sword to strike one of her right arm’s acupoints. Heat surged endlessly from her heart to her fingertips. In just the blink of an eye, the burning heat in her body had lessened considerably. Her heart soared with joy—it seemed she would soon neutralize the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction.

Lin Chengyou held Teng Yu Yi’s sword, his expression growing increasingly strange. This seventh move had a particularly intimate name—”Thinking of You.”

This “thinking of you” naturally referred to the mutual thoughts between husband and wife. The husband’s sword in the wife’s hand, the wife’s sword in the husband’s hand—like the wedding night’s sharing of nuptial wine, symbolizing hearts joined as one forever.

The sword in his hand was made of jade, normally ice-cold, but having been held in Teng Yu Yi’s hand for so long, it was now warm throughout. Holding this sword felt like holding Teng Yu Yi’s hand—indescribably strange. Fortunately, her scent was sweet, and her palm had been free of sweat, making it not unpleasant.

He glanced at her sideways: “Did you see clearly?”

Teng Yu Yi was busy experiencing the changes in her abdominal true qi. Hearing him, she said happily: “Yes, I saw clearly.”

Lin Chengyou tossed the sword back to Teng Yu Yi: “This move’s key lies in the word ‘heart’—meaning: where the heart focuses, spirit and qi merge. Alright, now you try it.”

Teng Yu Yi copied the sixth move exactly, though she regretted being considerably shorter than Lin Chengyou. When she bent her knee to lift his arm, her technique was far less nimble than his. Fortunately, Lin Chengyou deliberately let his sword drop, allowing them to exchange swords smoothly.

For the final move, Teng Yu Yi paid special attention to Lin Chengyou’s technique. However, Lin Chengyou didn’t teach a sword move—instead, his form moved gracefully as his sword suddenly thrust toward her.

Teng Yu Yi was secretly startled—the first six moves had been full of gentleness, why was the last one so fierce? Before she could dodge sideways, there was a clear ring as Lin Chengyou’s sword tip lifted to meet her Xiao Ya sword’s tip precisely.

The sword tips touched quietly, like husband and wife’s fingertips meeting.

Then Teng Yu Yi felt a shock in her chest as a surge of heat force came through Lin Chengyou’s sword tip, flowing precisely into her heart. She could barely withstand this heat, almost losing her footing.

“Don’t move,” Lin Chengyou said expressionlessly. “This is called yang aiding yin.”

Teng Yu Yi struggled to maintain her stance, gradually understanding. The Peach Blossom Sword technique could be learned quickly not just because it had few moves, but mainly because in the final move, the master directly transmitted true qi to the disciple.

No wonder Lin Chengyou had been so reluctant to teach her—why would he want to use his inner force to help her neutralize the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction?

She endured silently. Her internal true qi had already become quite smooth, but when Lin Chengyou’s transmitted inner force stirred it, it suddenly became chaotic again, like turbulent whirlpools racing through her organs. She sweated more profusely, her emotions extremely agitated. Fortunately, the chaos didn’t last long before a powerful inner force suppressed it, gradually gathering it toward her Danden, storing it quietly in her sea of qi.

Teng Yu Yi’s limbs felt warm, her pores pleasantly relaxed. She slowly unfurrowed her brow—so this was what neutralizing the Fire Jade Spirit Root Decoction felt like. Her mind was now peaceful, and even her hearing and vision seemed somewhat improved.

Lin Chengyou looked at her bright eyes while secretly regulating his breathing, withdrawing his sword without a word.

She was very clever—learning all seven moves in less than half an incense stick’s time.

Teng Yu Yi steadied her breathing and smiled, bowing to Lin Chengyou: “Now I finally know what having inner force feels like. Thank you, Young Master, for teaching me this Peach Blossom Sword technique.”

Hearing the words “Peach Blossom,” Lin Chengyou’s chest tightened again. He transformed the Soul-Locking Beast back into a small snake and returned it to his chest, not looking at her as he said flatly: “I’m glad Young Master Wang found it useful.”

Feeling no need to say more, he turned and walked toward the courtyard.

Used to being unrestrained, he tasted for the first time the flavor of bitterness he couldn’t express. His true qi, transmitted into Teng Yu Yi’s body, would tenderly protect her for life, adhering to her heart meridians, organs… and even her feminine palace, like a husband protecting his wife. It naturally formed a barrier within her body. In the future, when she married, even if her husband wanted to transmit true qi to her, he couldn’t break through this barrier Lin Chengyou had laid first—as it was said: “One qi congeals, the heart receives no other. Thoughts must be devoted to this one person alone.”

He remembered when he first saw that Peach Blossom Sword manual, not knowing it could only be taught by husband to wife. Seeing just seven moves, he had curiously learned it himself. After learning the technique’s mystery, he hadn’t taken it to heart, throwing the manual into the temple’s treasury and never thinking of it again.

Who knew that one day—

Ah, if Teng Yu Yi understood the truth later, she would surely regret it bitterly. He regretted being unable to explain but with the urgent situation and no better way to help her neutralize the decoction…

Hmph, no matter. Tomorrow he would burn that sword manual, or simply rename the technique. In any case, no one could know he had taught Teng Yu Yi the “Husband-Wife Sword technique.” As long as no one in the world knew the truth, neither of them would feel awkward.

As for her future husband noticing the tenderly protective yang force within her body… well, she was clever and good at arguing—she could find a suitable explanation herself.

Hearing footsteps behind them, Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi couldn’t help looking back to see Senior Brother and Miss Teng approaching one after another.

Senior Brother’s face was like still water, while Miss Teng’s complexion was like spring peach blossoms. Judging by her footsteps, she had neutralized the Fire Jade Spirit Root—her walk no longer showed the previous days’ floating recklessness, but carried steadiness within its lightness.

They knew this was a sign of internal qi being fixed. The first hurdle of martial arts training, Miss Teng had successfully passed, and with the Fire Jade Spirit Root’s true qi as aid, her starting point was higher than most people’s.

“Senior Brother,” they happily went to meet him. “Did you finish teaching Young Master Wang?”

Lin Chengyou looked at them sternly—if not for these two carelessly giving Teng Yu Yi the decoction, tonight’s events wouldn’t have happened.

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi didn’t know Senior Brother’s unspoken bitterness. Seeing him staring at them unblinkingly, they felt inexplicably uneasy: “Senior Brother?”

Fine, you little brats, remember this.

Lin Chengyou arranged the quiver on his back with a blank face and said to everyone: “I’ll go in shortly to lure out the two monsters. Take your positions again according to my earlier arrangement. The northeast corner of the eaves where Daoist Jian Tian was before will now be guarded by Young Master Wang and his servants.”

Teng Yu Yi said spiritedly: “I’ll follow Young Master’s arrangements. Uncle Cheng, Huo Qiu, and I will work together to support Young Master.”

Lin Chengyou glanced at her, then looked straight ahead: “Though you now have inner force, you haven’t practiced orthodox sword techniques. Don’t imagine taking the initiative—just use the Xiao Ya sword for defense.”

Teng Yu Yi nodded repeatedly.

Lin Chengyou continued: “Daoist Jian Tian, you have the highest cultivation. Though responsible for the Nine Heavens Fire Ring, you must also oversee the courtyard.”

Jian Tian responded: “Young Master, rest assured.”

Worry flickered in everyone’s eyes. Though Lin Chengyou was clever and skilled in Daoist arts, the opponents were the corpse demon and Golden-Robed Young Master. Entering the building alone to lure the monsters—the slightest mistake could…

“Senior Brother…” Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi began anxiously.

But Lin Chengyou had already leaped to the treetop. Before jumping into the third-floor window, he looked up toward the pavilion’s peak.

Teng Yu Yi also looked up—Lin Chengyou seemed to have looked there more than once, but there was only cold moonlight above the pavilion, without even a shadow.

Not knowing what Lin Chengyou was watching for, she pondered as he silently entered the window. The others dared not delay, hurrying to their positions.

Teng Yu Yi felt light as a swallow. Though she hadn’t formally practiced lightness skills, she still needed Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu’s support to reach the eaves, but she could feel her body was much lighter and more agile than usual.

Reaching the eaves, Teng Yu Yi figured Lin Chengyou wouldn’t lure out the two monsters so quickly, so she said to Uncle Cheng: “Last time I only learned half of the Conquering Adversity sword technique. Now that I have inner force, while we wait for Lin Chengyou, why not teach me the remaining moves?”

Uncle Cheng had been worried about this too. The young miss had only learned one set of Daoist sword techniques for neutralizing spirit herbs—her defensive skills were still far too lacking. To face the Golden-Robed Young Master, she needed at least a few offensive sword moves. He drew his dagger and flourished it in the air: “Young Miss, watch carefully.”

Teng Yu Yi nodded, holding her breath. Uncle Cheng taught seven moves in succession, each one a fierce and swift technique of thrusting, chopping, and striking. Previously she had found these very difficult to grasp, but with Lin Chengyou’s Peach Blossom Sword technique as foundation, Uncle Cheng’s sword techniques now seemed clear and enlightening. What had taken half an hour to learn before, she could now practice in one smooth flow.

After practicing once, she practiced again, quickly grasping the essentials.

Uncle Cheng sheathed his sword, unable to hide the smile in his eyes: “Young Miss has truly entered the gateway now.”

Teng Yu Yi slowly regulated her breathing while raising the Xiao Ya sword before her eyes to examine it. No wonder Xiao Ya had felt strange earlier—could tonight’s encounters be considered accidentally opening a door?

Suddenly, a flash of white light crossed through the building, and the three servants fell silent.

Teng Yu Yi listened intently. Earlier she could hear the night wind rustling the treetops, but now even the wind had stopped. Yellow lamplight shone through the front building’s panels, casting an eerie color over the lush tall trees in the courtyard.

It was too quiet. Lin Chengyou wouldn’t move without making any sound. Her heart pounded—surely he hadn’t been ambushed? If he too had fallen into a trap, there would be no hope of subduing the two monsters tonight.

Unconsciously, sweat rolled down her forehead. Then a woman’s scream came from the deathly quiet building, accompanied by chaotic footsteps. Several figures darted out of the building—looking closely, they were women, seemingly terrified out of their wits, screaming as they ran.

Everyone in the courtyard instantly tensed. E Ji and the others shrank into a group. When they recognized the women’s faces, E Ji cried out first: “Bao Zhu!”

Wei Zi and others were also extremely surprised: “Lu Tao, Qing Qing!”

It was indeed the courtesans who had been taken by the Golden-Robed Young Master earlier. Bao Zhu’s voice trembled as she cried loudly: “Madam E!”

E Ji and the others hurried to meet them.

Qi Zhi stopped them: “Don’t move!”

Another person ran out immediately after, moving extremely fast, expressionlessly pursuing and reaching to grab Bao Zhu.

Teng Yu Yi’s heart jolted—it was Juan Er Li. Though dressed as usual, her expression showed she was a different person.

Bao Zhu screamed while running wildly through the courtyard: “Juan Er Li! Don’t you even recognize me?”

Before her words faded, a talisman flew over, landing precisely on Juan Er Li’s forehead. Her arm froze in mid-air, completely immobilized.

“Hmph, we may not be able to handle the corpse demon, but we can certainly deal with a puppet like you,” Jian Tian chuckled. Though he had immobilized Juan Er Li, he dared not approach to check, fearing it might be the corpse demon in disguise.

Qi Zhi seized the opportunity to test all three women with talismans, confirming they were genuine before approaching: “Did Senior Brother rescue you?”

Before he could get close, a huge black shadow swooped down from above. The flapping sound brought a cold wind that made the treetop leaves rustle violently.

Qi Zhi’s face showed terror—the Golden-Robed Young Master!

The Golden-Robed Young Master dove down, targeting Bao Zhu. Qi Zhi raised his sword to strike, but another figure shot out from the building like an arrow, following the Golden-Robed Young Master like a shadow.

Lin Chengyou shouted: “Nine Heavens Fire Ring!”

“Rise!” Having learned from their previous lesson, Jian Tian and Jian Mei used all their inner force. Two fire rings instantly soared into the air, accurately engulfing the Golden-Robed Young Master’s wings.

The Golden-Robed Young Master’s speed didn’t diminish at all as it laughed loudly: “Lin Chengyou, I know you deliberately released them to lure me out of the building. But don’t think these tricks can stop me—I’ll still catch them all back one by one.”

Lin Chengyou sneered: “Your feathers are about to burn away—what use is it capturing these women? You’re a heartless demon, fit only to keep company with the cold, rigid corpse demon. I advise you not to waste effort absorbing women’s yin essence. Tonight, you can be buried underground with your good friend.”

The Golden-Robed Young Master let the fire rings ignite its feathers, laughing as it circled the courtyard: “You’re the one truly wasting effort. Don’t you understand? Even if you burn all my feathers, I can still recover completely.”

Lin Chengyou laughed coldly: “That depends on whether you can return this time.”

As he spoke, he pretended to draw his bowstring fully, shooting an arrow at the Golden-Robed Young Master’s back. Having cultivated recently, the Golden-Robed Young Master moved more nimbly than before, dodging the arrow with a sideways swerve.

The Golden-Robed Young Master laughed more proudly, gliding toward Bao Zhu with its burning wings. Bao Zhu and the others grew more terrified, scattering in panic.

Lin Chengyou nocked another arrow, but seemed to hear something. He reduced his force, landing on a tree branch to listen carefully, a smile suddenly appearing on his lips as he whistled with curved fingers.

The Golden-Robed Young Master paid no attention. Good—even Lin Chengyou was useless now. Since emerging, it had been busy practicing secret arts with the corpse demon. After being pent up for so many days, it hadn’t properly enjoyed any beauty yet. Now, as if entering unguarded territory, the most important thing was to capture these beauties and enjoy them one by one. After playing enough, it could slowly drain their yin essence.

While contemplating this, it reached Bao Zhu’s back. Bao Zhu couldn’t help screaming: “Help! Young Master, Daoists, save me!”

To maximize the Nine Heavens Fire Ring’s power, Jian Tian and Jian Mei had nearly exhausted their inner force. Now they stood sweating behind the formation, unable to spare strength to save anyone.

Teng Yu Yi and her servants anxiously watched from the roof. They were ready to catch Lin Chengyou’s silver wire—moving rashly could get them injured by the Golden-Robed Young Master, further reducing their numbers, so they couldn’t leave their positions to help.

Thus, Qi Zhi and Jue Sheng were closest to the Golden-Robed Young Master. They shouted and thrust their swords together at the monster, but after just one block, the Golden-Robed Young Master’s wings created a heat wave that sent them flying.

The Golden-Robed Young Master laughed wildly, its crimson claws extending to grab Bao Zhu’s shoulders. Suddenly, a black shadow appeared on the rooftop, swooping down like lightning, so fast it reached the monster’s back almost instantly.

The Golden-Robed Young Master sensed the wind behind it and felt great alarm. The newcomer’s aura was extremely unusual—neither human nor demon nor ghost, but hot and bristling, emanating an extremely dangerous presence. A chill ran down its neck as it suddenly recalled its early years before attaining human form when it spent each day hiding in the mountains—

Its pupils contracted as it hurriedly looked back, meeting a pair of phosphorescent green eyes.

A leopard! It blanched, dodging sideways with its wings.

Why would there be a leopard here?! It fell to the ground in shock, supporting itself with both arms as it crawled backward screaming.

In that moment of distraction, Lin Chengyou shot another arrow, striking the Golden-Robed Young Master’s abdomen.

But the Golden-Robed Young Master couldn’t feel the pain, its whole body trembling uncontrollably.

As a bird, it naturally feared beasts. Even though it had attained human form, even though its magical powers were now strong, facing this black leopard’s fierce aura, it still felt bone-deep terror.

After shooting that arrow, Lin Chengyou said to the black leopard: “You little beast, if you’d come any later, there’d be no one left to play with you.”

The black leopard responded with a “wooo,” sounding somewhat coquettish.

“Jun Nu!” Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi exclaimed joyfully. “What took you so long!”

Watching clearly from the eaves, Teng Yu Yi realized why Lin Chengyou had repeatedly looked up at the roof—he had been waiting for his black leopard. Strangely, though fierce beasts should naturally fear demons, this black leopard showed no fear. She wondered whether it naturally possessed spiritual power or if this was a special ability trained by Lin Chengyou.

The black leopard exchanged a few woofs with Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi, then silently approached the Golden-Robed Young Master. With a sudden leap, it pounced on the monster again.

The Nine Heavens Fire Ring could only burn demons, not affect other things. It caught the Golden-Robed Young Master’s still-burning wing in its mouth and tore violently.

The Golden-Robed Young Master regained its senses and, ignoring the pain of torn flesh swung its giant claws at the black leopard’s eyes. However, the leopard’s speed was astonishing—it dodged with one leap, then immediately pounced again, tearing at the other great wing.

Teng Yu Yi watched fearfully—in such close combat, the demon actually couldn’t match the black leopard.

Having lost its wing advantage, the Golden-Robed Young Master was quickly covered in wounds. Not daring to fight longer, it desperately tore away half a wing and forced itself skyward. But unlike the Nine Heavens Fire Ring that only burned feathers, the leopard’s bite had damaged its tendons and bones, destroying its ability to escape.

It barely managed to reach the eaves before falling from weakness. When it rose again, it released all its killing energy throughout the courtyard, transformed into human form, and rushed at the nearest person—Teng Yu Yi.

Already defeated tonight, escape was its only path to survival. If it could rejoin the corpse demon, even severe wounds could heal. But in the current situation, escape wouldn’t be easy. If it could capture this young woman as a hostage, Lin Chengyou would have to comply.

Its killing energy was extraordinary, enough to obscure vision. Lin Chengyou would surely be distracted—it had to seize this chance to capture Teng Yu Yi. However, before it could knock away the small sword in her hand, Teng Yu Yi had already thrust forward with fierce momentum, piercing straight through its palm.

The Golden-Robed Young Master froze, staring at Teng Yu Yi’s eyes, still as a cold pool.

Wasn’t this young woman supposed to be unable to use martial arts?

Teng Yu Yi smiled slightly and increased the force in her hand. Her two guards, anxious to protect their master, also swung their weapons, striking the Golden-Robed Young Master’s shoulders.

“You ambushed me.” The Golden-Robed Young Master’s eyes flashed with a strange light as it smiled through gritted teeth. This sword was extraordinary—leaving it in too long would damage its inner essence. It used force to send Uncle Cheng and Huo Qiu flying, then reached for Teng Yu Yi’s slender shoulders with red eyes. At this moment, Teng Yu Yi glanced behind it, seeing something that made her nod slightly. She withdrew her sword of her own accord and retreated.

The Golden-Robed Young Master knew something was wrong behind it and cursed inwardly—had Lin Chengyou been constantly watching Teng Yu Yi’s position?

It bent to dodge when suddenly the back of its head exploded in pain. The hot liquid flowed from its right eye, flowing extremely quickly, dripping down to stain the roof tiles beneath its feet red. It stared in shock—the color seemed wrong. Touching with its good hand, it found it covered in blood.

It screamed.

“My eye… my eye!”

That was its weak point! The arrow from behind had pierced through its brain—Lin Chengyou had shot out its eye!

Author’s Note: Character dances were popular in the Tang Dynasty. Part of this dance lyrics comes from Wu Zetian’s “Sacred Longevity Dance.” Dancers could form different characters through formation changes.

It’s said there were 140 dancers, creating quite a spectacular scene. The dance contained sixteen characters total, in sequence: “Sacred beyond a thousand ages, the Way prospers through a hundred deaths, ten thousand years to the Emperor, royal fortune ever prosperous.” See “Tang Tong Dian” for details.

Notes 2-3 are from “Yun Ji Qi Qian.”