“Mo Xiuyao?!”

Murong Xiong was both shocked and enraged. Though he had never met Mo Xiuyao before, he knew that Prince Ding had white hair. Throughout the realm, those who could block his full-force attack with one hand could be counted on fingers. The white-haired man before him could be none other than Prince Ding Mo Xiuyao. The Prince of Zhennan gazed at the white-robed swordsman with complex emotions, but he couldn’t deny that Mo Xiuyao’s sudden appearance brought him secret relief.

Turning his head toward Xu Qingchen in the distance, he said, “Well calculated, Young Master Qingchen.” For Mo Xiuyao to arrive at such a perfect moment, he hadn’t just arrived in An City. His absence from public view until now was a hidden card that Xu Qingchen had kept. No wonder Xu Qingchen, despite having no martial prowess, dared to provoke someone who could be called the world’s strongest master.

Xu Qingchen responded with a faint smile but said nothing. The Prince of Zhennan’s heart sank, and he turned to Mo Xiuyao: “Prince Ding certainly knows when to make an entrance. Had you come any later, wouldn’t it have been better to let both sides destroy each other?”

Mo Xiuyao replied calmly, “Over a hundred masters were heading this way earlier. It took some time to deal with them. My apologies for almost being late.”

Only then did everyone notice the fresh crimson spots on the hem of Mo Xiuyao’s white robes. The blood stains hadn’t darkened yet, clearly recent. Ren Qining, still entangled with four Qilin warriors, heard Mo Xiuyao’s words and his expression changed, nearly losing an arm to an attack.

“Good that you’re here,” Ling Tiehan said as he stood up. Xu Qingchen frowned, “Were there many who came?” He knew Ren Qining must have made other arrangements, which was why he had asked Mo Xiuyao to cut off the routes to the Murong family estate. A few hundred guards would be manageable, but anyone Mo Xiuyao would consider a “master” had to be extraordinary.

Mo Xiuyao smiled, “No need to worry. A’Li and Mo Jingli are handling it. I came ahead to check on things. Master Ren, why not stop this?”

Ren Qining frowned and leaped back from the battle circle. From the first exchange, he knew these seemingly ordinary opponents were extraordinarily difficult to deal with. If he had Murong Xiong’s ability to kill in one strike, there would be no concern. But without such power, he could only be entangled by them, slowly depleting his internal energy and strength until defeat. As he retreated, the four Qilin warriors didn’t pursue, moving in unison back to Xu Qingchen’s side to form a tight protective formation around him.

Ren Qining surveyed his surroundings, his smile turning bitter, “I was blind not to recognize Prince Ding and the Princess Consort in our previous encounters. Such a defeat is not undeserved.” This confirmed that Mo Xiuyao had indeed arrived in An City earlier.

Mo Xiuyao smiled insincerely and nodded, “This prince merely wanted to travel around and join in the excitement. Unexpectedly, Master Ren surprised me, forcing me to stay a few more days. Isn’t it fortunate that led to today’s events?” In other words: if you hadn’t been so clever sending people to follow me, I would have left long ago. So today’s failure is of your own making. Ren Qining understood Mo Xiuyao’s implied meaning, his expression growing even darker.

“You are Prince Ding?” Murong Xiong stared at Mo Xiuyao and asked in a deep voice.

Mo Xiuyao lifted his head proudly, “Indeed I am.” While Murong Xiong might be someone of note in the jianghu, Prince Ding’s mansion had never lacked extraordinary talents throughout its generations. Every Prince Ding had been a brilliant figure, so how could Mo Xiuyao place any importance on someone like Murong Xiong who knew nothing but martial arts?

Murong Xiong gave a cold laugh, “Some Prince Ding you are. Let this old man see what abilities you possess!”

Mo Xiuyao’s sword gleamed as he smiled faintly, “Feel free to try. Master Ling, can you still move?”

During their exchange, Ling Tiehan and the Prince of Zhennan had taken the opportunity to recover somewhat. Hearing Mo Xiuyao’s words, they immediately shifted positions, forming a triangle with Murong Xiong at the center. At this point, none of them was foolish enough to duel Murong Xiong one-on-one. Moreover, except for Ling Tiehan, the other two could hardly be considered jianghu people, so naturally they weren’t bound by jianghu rules. Killing the enemy was all that mattered.

Ren Qining suddenly inserted himself between them, blocking the Prince of Zhennan’s path with a smile, “My lords, two against one is acceptable, but three against one seems unsightly. Why don’t I exchange a few moves with the Prince of Zhennan?”

Mo Xiuyao smiled, “Master Ren, as you wish.” With that, he paid no more attention to the others, his sword sweeping out a screen of bitter-cold silver light toward Murong Xiong. Ling Tiehan also ceased being polite, his sword sending out crossing sword qi. These two worked together far better than with the Prince of Zhennan, making even Murong Xiong unable to remain as relaxed as before. Meanwhile, Ren Qining naturally engaged the Prince of Zhennan in combat.

On the essential path to the Murong family estate, another bloody melee was taking place. One side wore common civilian clothes and wielded various weapons, but each fighter was extraordinarily skilled. This caused even Mo Jingli’s guards to show signs of being overwhelmed.

Mo Jingli killed an enemy with his sword, then sensed an attack from behind. He tried to dodge but was too late. Just as a long sword was about to pierce his chest, a white figure floated past. The sword thrust toward his chest hesitated, allowing Mo Jingli to leap away. Looking back, he saw the attacker collapse lifelessly. Not far away, a woman in plain clothes moved like a startled phoenix, yet her methods were fierce, her techniques simple and deadly. In the blink of an eye, three or four corpses lay before her. Mo Jingli stared at Ye Li, his expression complex and indecipherable.

Ye Li slashed across someone’s neck, then turned to see Mo Jingli standing behind her in a daze. She frowned, “Prince Li, can you even become absent-minded on the battlefield?”

Mo Jingli finally came to his senses, looking at Ye Li strangely, “How can you be like this?” Ye Li wordlessly rolled her eyes skyward, completely unable to understand what Mo Jingli meant. Turning back, her dagger flashed with cold light as she severed an enemy’s wrist, only to be grabbed again by Mo Jingli from behind.

Ye Li frowned and turned back angrily, “What exactly do you want?” Nearby, Prince Ding’s secret guards and Qilin warriors, seeing their Princess Consort entangled by Prince Li, intentionally moved closer to isolate any enemies around them. Seeing this situation, Ye Li took a deep breath and shook off Mo Jingli’s hand, saying sternly, “Prince Li, can’t whatever you have to say wait until this is over?”

Mo Jingli looked at her in silence, thinking: After this is over, will this prince still have a chance to speak with you? Mo Jingli had never believed that as a prince he needed to charge into battle like common soldiers, so he felt no shame standing here making idle conversation while his subordinates were still fighting.

Mo Jingli stared at Ye Li, “You never told me you had such excellent martial skills.” Hearing these words of implicit reproach, Ye Li silently rolled her eyes. She was truly tired of Mo Jingli’s repeated complaints as if he had to bring up similar topics every time they met, as though she had greatly wronged him. “What does my martial skill level have to do with you, Prince? Not even a copper’s worth of connection.”

During their confrontation, Prince Ding’s people and Prince Li’s forces finally dealt with all their opponents together. Ye Li, tired of dealing with the occasionally erratic Mo Jingli, turned to head toward the Murong estate.

Before she could turn around, she saw a contingent of troops approaching majestically in the distance, causing her to frown slightly. Ren Qining couldn’t have hidden so many people near An City without a trace. Mo Jingli glanced over, “It’s Imperial Brother.”

Indeed, it was Mo Jingqi leading his elite guard contingent. Ye Li’s brows furrowed. They hadn’t brought many people this time, which was why they had chosen to cooperate with Mo Jingli when intercepting Ren Qining’s forces. This was partly because Mo Jingli had opportunistically acquired quite a few of the Murong family’s businesses in Da Chu, and partly because although Mo Jingli was somewhat unreliable, compared to Mo Jingqi who alternated between calm and madness, Ye Li felt this man at least had some bottom line. She hadn’t expected that Mo Jingqi, who valued his life extremely, would not only stay in An City when chaos was breaking out but even lead people toward the Murong estate. “What is he coming here for now?”

Mo Jingli laughed coldly, “What else? Naturally to take advantage of the chaos.”

Ye Li’s smile turned cold, “Take advantage? With his abilities, who could he possibly take advantage of?”

As they spoke, Mo Jingqi approached with his men. Seeing Mo Jingli, his originally smiling face turned completely dark and twisted upon seeing Ye Li, “Princess Consort Ding? Why are you here?”

Ye Li smiled indifferently, “An City is Western Ling’s territory, and Western Ling’s people haven’t said they’re unwilling to host this princess. Why shouldn’t I be here?”

Mo Jingqi’s eyes held a probing look, “Since Princess Consort is here, Prince Ding must be present as well?”

Ye Li smiled, “Does the Emperor of Chu wish to invite my prince for tea?”

Mo Jingqi looked at Ye Li and the dozen or so guards beside her, his gaze flickering before turning to Mo Jingli, “Why is Imperial Brother here?” Mo Jingli replied solemnly, “I came to join the excitement and happened to meet Princess Consort Ding. Didn’t Imperial Brother come as well?” Mo Jingqi said, “Is that so?” His tone clearly showed he didn’t believe Mo Jingli’s explanation. Mo Jingli knew Mo Jingqi suspected he might be in league with Mo Xiuyao, but he didn’t explain further, just nodding seriously, “Indeed.”

“This princess must go ahead to the Murong estate now. If Prince Li and Emperor Chu still have an unfinished conversation, this princess will take her leave first,” Ye Li said with a slight smile.

Mo Jingli said, “This prince also needs to go to the Murong estate, so let’s go together. Imperial Brother…”

Mo Jingqi said in a deep voice, “Of course, I must go see as well.” As he spoke, his gaze kept lingering on Ye Li. She paid no attention, walking carelessly beside Mo Jingli, ignoring Mo Jingqi’s expression as she chatted with Mo Jingli while heading toward the Murong estate. Mo Jingqi walked alone on the other side, his glances toward the pair dark and fierce, sending chills down one’s spine.

Ye Li cast a faint glance at Mo Jingqi, who kept staring at her. She knew exactly what he was thinking – wondering if he could seize her when she was unguarded to threaten Mo Xiuyao. Unfortunately… she wouldn’t give him that chance. Looking at Mo Jingli just one step away from her, she knew that if Mo Jingqi tried anything, Mo Jingli and his guards would become her perfect shield.

Moreover, given Mo Jingqi’s personality, he wouldn’t dare make a move when uncertain of where Mo Jingli’s loyalties truly lay.

Arriving at the Murong estate, the large-scale fighting had already ended. On the open ground before the estate, only Mo Xiuyao’s group remained locked in fierce combat. Powerful sword qi and palm force crisscrossed through the air, shattering surrounding trees and breaking roof eaves into a mess.

“Big Brother,” Ye Li said softly as she walked to Xu Qingchen’s side. Xu Qingchen glanced at Mo Jingli and Mo Jingqi following behind Ye Li, then noticed the blood splattered on her clothes and sighed lightly. After carefully examining Ye Li, he asked quietly, “A’Li, are you hurt?” Ye Li shook her head, “Don’t worry, Big Brother, I’m not hurt. How long have they been fighting?”

Xu Qingchen pondered, frowning, “About two hours.” Ye Li said, “Xiuyao has encountered Murong Xiong before. Since he said he and Master Ling together could handle Murong Xiong, there shouldn’t be any problems. However, we must prevent the Prince of Zhennan from taking advantage after the battle.” Xu Qingchen nodded with a smile, “I had the same thought, so… let’s let the Prince of Zhennan and Ren Qining fight a while longer.”

The Prince of Zhennan had already been injured when fighting Murong Xiong earlier, and his wounds were even more severe than Ling Tiehan’s. After another bout with Ren Qining, he would be thoroughly exhausted, too drained to attempt anything else. Thus, Xu Qingchen had watched the battle for a long time without showing any intention of having the Qilin warriors help the Prince of Zhennan. While Mo Xiuyao’s situation remained unclear, the battle between Ren Qining and the Prince of Zhennan was approaching its conclusion.

As Xu Qingchen and Ye Li spoke, both combatants simultaneously struck out with all their might, then each retreated seven or eight steps before steadying themselves. Ren Qining’s face was pale, and after frowning, he finally coughed up blood. Though the Prince of Zhennan didn’t cough blood, blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his body seemed about to collapse. Lei Tengfeng quickly stepped forward to support him. Ren Qining was nearly twenty years younger than the Prince of Zhennan, and although the Prince had been injured first, their near-draw was enough for Ren Qining to feel proud.

“Father, how are you?” Lei Tengfeng asked concernedly while supporting the Prince of Zhennan. The Prince waved to indicate he was fine, then looked up at Ren Qining, “Master Ren has excellent skills.” Though seriously injured, Ren Qining managed a smile, “Your Highness is too kind.”

Seeing Ye Li standing beside Xu Qingchen, he smiled bitterly with resignation, “I was truly blind not to recognize Prince Ding and his Princess Consort. This has all been for nothing.”

This goes to show that being too transparent isn’t good, as everything is visible to others, but being too mysterious isn’t good either. Hiding too deeply while completely avoiding understanding from others also means losing opportunities to connect with people. If it had been Lei Tengfeng, Mo Jingli, or Tan Jizhi, any of them would have recognized Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li upon meeting them on the road, even if not immediately then after careful consideration, as disguise techniques weren’t advanced enough to completely change a person’s appearance. Unfortunately, Ren Qining had never seen Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li before, and even with portraits, the era’s paintings were particularly abstract and interpretive. Without identical clothing, one might not recognize someone even face to face. Had Ren Qining known earlier that he’d encountered Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, he absolutely wouldn’t have underestimated them and acted so rashly.

Ye Li had no particular reaction to Ren Qining’s frustration, smiling gracefully, “You’re too kind, Master. Neither this princess nor my prince expected to encounter someone of your caliber. It’s been an honor… Master Lin.”

Ren Qining’s eyes contracted as he stared intently at Ye Li. She smiled faintly and turned her gaze to Mo Xiuyao and the others still fighting.

The battle had reached its critical moment, and the observers unconsciously held their breath. Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan exchanged a glance amid the fighting, simultaneously leaping up, one before and one behind, thrusting their swords at Murong Xiong.

Caught between them, Murong Xiong felt immense pressure. Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan’s combined attack was many times more difficult to handle than the Prince of Zhennan’s. Both were swordsmen – Ling Tiehan’s style was steady and grand with a master’s bearing, while Mo Xiuyao’s was sharp and unconventional, forcing constant vigilance. Even Murong Xiong had to admit these two were heaven-blessed talents who, had they been of his era, might have achieved even more than himself. More importantly, as they fought, when one attacked full force, the other would take the opportunity to recover, and vice versa. Murong Xiong knew they aimed to prolong the fight and drain his power, but he couldn’t break this pattern. As these two swords struck simultaneously, Murong Xiong felt a hint of fatigue. Unwilling to let these arrogant juniors off easily, he twisted aside and struck out with both palms at full force toward them.

Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan gritted their teeth and, instead of retreating, advanced without hesitation, thrusting their swords at Murong Xiong. Of course, Murong Xiong’s palms also struck them, sending both flying back, their swords slipping from their hands.

“Xiuyao!”

“Big Brother!”

Ye Li and Leng Liuyue cried out simultaneously, leaping forward to support the falling Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan. From a distance during the fight, it hadn’t been clear, but now they could see Mo Xiuyao was drenched in sweat, even his silver hair somewhat damp. Similarly pale-faced, Ling Tiehan’s blue robes had darkened completely across the back, and the hand that had held his sword trembled slightly.

Ye Li called out repeatedly, “Xiuyao, Xiuyao… how are you?” Mo Xiuyao caught his breath before giving Ye Li a reassuring smile, “I’m fine, my sword struck him first.” If their swords hadn’t struck Murong Xiong first, causing him to release some internal force, their injuries would have been far worse. At least now Mo Xiuyao still had the energy to look provocatively at Ling Tiehan and say, “You won last time, this time this prince won.”

Ling Tiehan smiled helplessly, “You won this time.”

Everyone looked toward Murong Xiong, who had also fallen to the ground. His injuries were far worse than Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan’s. Mo Xiuyao’s sword had pierced straight through his chest, while Ling Tiehan’s sword had cut across his waist, his entire upper body stained dark red with blood. Ye Li saw clearly that Mo Xiuyao’s sword had pierced directly through the heart – that Murong Xiong could still breathe was already astounding, but he clearly wouldn’t survive.

Thinking back to Mo Xiuyao’s sword strike, if it hadn’t pierced Murong Xiong’s heart, even with Ling Tiehan’s strike, Murong Xiong would likely have been injured more severely. Afterward, though Murong Xiong might have lacked the strength to kill both, killing one would have been more than possible. Realizing this, Ye Li broke out in a cold sweat. However, what Ye Li didn’t know was that Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan had been forced to use such a risky move. They had indeed planned to drain Murong Xiong’s internal force before killing him, but his power, accumulated over nearly fifty years more than theirs, was not to be trifled with. While Murong Xiong had been considerably drained, they had been drained even more. If they hadn’t succeeded in one strike, it was unclear who would have worn down whom.

Murong Xiong coughed continuously, bloody foam flowing from his mouth, his eyes fixed unresignedly on Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan as he said fiercely, “Well… well played, Prince Ding, well played, Master of Yama’s Palace. Never thought… never thought this old man would…” The supreme master who had once dominated the world would die at the hands of two juniors. Murong Xiong couldn’t finish his words, dying with eyes wide open, unable to rest in peace.

All present fell silent. Murong Xiong could be said to be one of the highest martial artists in the world today. The fall of a generation’s master always brings a sense of melancholy.

Standing to the side, Ren Qining’s expression changed at this sight. He suddenly leaped toward the Murong family head hiding in a corner, and under everyone’s gaze, unhesitatingly slashed his throat. The family head hadn’t yet recovered from his uncle’s death before losing his own life. After killing the family head, Ren Qining’s expression improved somewhat, and he smiled at Mo Xiuyao and the Prince of Zhennan, “Prince Ding, Prince of Zhennan, how do you plan to acquire the Murong family’s assets?”

The Prince of Zhennan frowned, “What do you mean, Master?”

Xu Qingchen sighed helplessly, “I suppose the gold and silver accumulated by the Murong family over dozens of generations is already in Master Ren’s hands?” While Ren Qining couldn’t touch the Murong family’s shops, trade routes, and properties, which had already been largely divided among them, what remained were the countless treasures accumulated over more than ten generations.

Ren Qining smiled, “Young Master Qingchen is indeed wise. As it happens, this was my luck – without this… I likely wouldn’t have survived leaving An City today.” Having killed the family head, only he knew the whereabouts of these treasures, which had become his lifeline.