As dawn broke, the four rushed back to Shanfeng Hall. The people in Shanfeng Hall had already quietly evacuated to a secluded cave on Haoyun Mountain after last night’s dinner. Halfway there, Tang Lici went directly toward the cave where everyone was hiding. Everyone was safe and sound. Seeing several people return safely, several maidservants wept with joy. Everyone then gathered together and returned to Shanfeng Hall.

The mountain path was completely peaceful. They saw neither corpses scattered everywhere, nor messy footprints, torn clothing, abandoned weapons, and so forth. Shao Yanping breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed no intense conflict had occurred. Those red and white-clothed women appeared to have withdrawn, and they hadn’t encountered Shangguan Fei or Dong Hubi either.

Chi Yun was troubled by Shen Langhun’s seizure of Liu Yan. He suddenly glanced sideways at Tang Lici and saw that the closer they got to Shanfeng Hall, the fewer traces of fighting there were, the more melancholy his brow became. When Shen Langhun left, there had still been a smile on his face, but by the time they reached Shanfeng Hall, not a trace of smile remained on his face. Though one couldn’t say he was worried sick, it was a heavy-heartedness Chi Yun had rarely seen. The white-haired fox… what was he thinking?

As Chi Yun ran wildly, a question he’d never considered suddenly arose in his mind. Like having ten thousand worries—damn it! Was living in this world really so difficult? Just encounter gods and kill gods, encounter ghosts and kill ghosts. Deal with things one at a time as they come—that should be enough. Being so heavy-hearted, was he showing off how smart he was, how he could think of many problems others couldn’t think of?

Or—did he really have some thorny difficulties? No! For someone like the white-haired fox, one difficult problem couldn’t stump him. How many were there? Eight? Ten? Twenty? Just as he was estimating exactly how many it would take to cause Tang Lici’s expression, Tang Lici glanced sideways at him and smiled slightly. Bah! This guy was definitely still messing with people! Chi Yun flew into a rage. Everyone paused for a moment. Before he could explode, Shanfeng Hall was already before them.

Shanfeng Hall was silent as the grave, but even Shao Yanping had never seen so many people inside. Those white and red-clothed women brought by Fengliu Shop hadn’t left a single one—all had been struck at pressure points and tied up with ropes. Dong Hubi was standing at the gate, and behind him stood a person in black clothes with long hair, a long sword at his waist—it was Master Puzhu. Behind Master Puzhu was a person in peach clothing, graceful and slender, her face covered with light gauze—a young woman.

Seeing Tang Lici and the others returning, Master Puzhu stepped forward two paces. “Fengliu Shop’s red and white servants total one hundred thirty-eight people, all here.” Shao Yanping said joyfully, “Haha, when Master Puzhu takes action, it’s truly extraordinary. Fengliu Shop left these one hundred thirty-eight red and white servants, thinking they were more than sufficient to deal with Shanfeng Hall, not expecting that Master would come from afar, becoming a surprise force for us.”

Puzhu pressed his palms together, his expression still cold, eyes slightly closed. “It was Benefactor Tao who informed me that Fengliu Shop would attack Haoyun Mountain. I also happened to receive an invitation letter from the Sword Society. When I arrived here, I saw the battle was intense—this is not my achievement.” Shao Yanping’s gaze turned to the white gauze-masked woman in peach clothing behind Puzhu. His curiosity couldn’t help rising greatly. “Young lady is…”

That woman in peach clothing raised her hand to remove the white gauze, smiling lightly at Tang Lici. “Young Master Tang, have you been well?” The face beneath the white gauze was delicate and softly beautiful. Everyone felt their eyes brighten, an indescribable comfort and joy. She was an incomparably beautiful young woman. This woman was naturally Fengliu Shop’s “West Palace Master” Xifang Tao.

Chi Yun stared at this woman who had revealed her true face. “You—” He really couldn’t understand why this Xifang Tao looked exactly the same as “One Peach Three Colors” from the “Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers.” But this person was indeed an incomparably beautiful woman, while “One Peach Three Colors” was a man.

Tang Lici returned her smile. “Miss Tao, it’s been a long time. I am well. Master Shao,” he raised his sleeve, “this is the female hero ‘One Peach Three Colors’ from the ‘Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers,’ who was also one of Fengliu Shop’s East and West Princesses, Miss Xifang Tao.”

When Tang Lici said this, Chi Yun was full of doubts, looking Xifang Tao up and down. The person who had fought with him on the Ningjiang boat over two years ago—was it really this delicate woman before him? He considered his temperament hot-tempered, but not so much that he couldn’t tell if his opponent was male or female. But this woman’s facial features were indeed exactly the same as that person from years ago, except that “One Peach Three Colors” back then was far from being this beautiful.

Hearing this, Shao Yanping was also greatly surprised. How could “One Peach Three Colors” also become Fengliu Shop’s “West Palace Master”? This “Xifang Tao” name was clearly also one she had chosen herself. This young lady had a peculiar background. Coming with Puzhu, the two seemed to have a deep friendship. Had the monk Puzhu, besides not observing precepts against killing and drinking, also stopped observing the precept against lust?

Under everyone’s puzzled and astonished gazes, Xifang Tao remained perfectly composed. Her beautiful cherry lips always held a light smile, her bright eyes focused entirely on Tang Lici’s face. That infinitely tender smile was undoubtedly blooming for Tang Lici alone. Tang Lici’s lips curved slightly, his expression seeming to smile yet settled. He raised his sleeve, and Shao Yanping immediately laughed heartily. “So it’s Miss Tao—my apologies, my apologies. Please come inside for detailed discussion.” Everyone immediately stepped through the gate, chattering about today’s battle.

The white-haired fox had heavy matters on his mind. Chi Yun appeared unusually quiet at this moment, staring intently at Tang Lici’s back. Strange—the red and white servants had been captured, Master Puzhu and that odd Xifang Tao had come to Haoyun Mountain. Could this be more troublesome than Fengliu Shop’s night attack on the Central Plains Sword Society? The white-haired fox had always been paying attention to Puzhu’s movements. Why? Puzhu absolutely couldn’t be one of Fengliu Shop’s people.

She had come with Puzhu. Indeed, on the night of the courtesan competition at Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise Terrace years ago, the masked man who had taken Xifang Tao away was Master Puzhu. Tang Lici’s lips curved upward even more, smiling at Xifang Tao. That woman in peach clothing smiled sweetly, walking behind Puzhu like a dependent little bird. Puzhu walking before her had a cold and stern expression, his steps calm, his brow still carrying both killing intent and Buddhist aura, without the slightest appearance of being infatuated with feminine beauty.

The mountain wind was fierce, and before dawn broke, the night was exceptionally dark.

Shen Langhun carried Liu Yan deep into the forest, circling around for a long while. After confirming there were no pursuers, the two landed on a tree with dense branches and leaves. He then roughly built a shelter with branches. With his swift and practiced technique, constructing a room-like tree nest took only the time of a meal. This large tree had dense foliage, and a shelter in the treetop would rarely attract attention.

Then he struck Liu Yan’s mute acupoint, pulled a thorny vine from the tree, and bound Liu Yan tightly coil by coil. The thorns pierced deeply into Liu Yan’s skin. He made no sound, coldly watching Shen Langhun. Shen Langhun also coldly watched him. Those sparkling eyes showed neither joy nor anger, lacking their usual composure, instead carrying a ghostly, sinister aura. By the time Shen Langhun finished binding him, Liu Yan was bleeding all over his body. The blood flowing around the thorns on his black clothes wasn’t visible.

After a long while, Shen Langhun sat down across from him, took out a hard steamed bun from his bosom, bit into it, and chewed slowly. “Do you still remember who I am?” In the dark night, the red snake mark on his cheek was hidden in darkness and couldn’t be seen.

Liu Yan said indifferently, “I didn’t gouge out your eyes back then—haven’t you ever been grateful to me?” He actually still remembered Shen Langhun. Shen Langhun said coldly, “Grateful? Of course I’m very grateful, so rest assured—falling into my hands, you won’t die quickly.”

Liu Yan’s willow-leaf-shaped eyes moved slightly. “Death… is about the same as living.” Shen Langhun said indifferently, “Can’t tell that you, this madman who kills like hemp and harms countless people, would find life worse than death.”

Liu Yan said coldly, “There are many things in this world you don’t know.” Shen Langhun reached into his bosom and pulled out a hairpin. The pearl on the pin emitted a faint glow in the night. “Scum like you who treats human life as child’s play and deceives young women should have been killed with one stroke long ago. But you’ve killed countless people and harmed countless women… letting you die like this would be too unfair.” He said indifferently, “Haha, having someone like me become an executioner punishing evil—heaven’s arrangement is truly ironic.” Liu Yan closed his eyes and didn’t answer.

Shen Langhun extended his arm, and the hairpin in his fingers pierced deeply into Liu Yan’s cheek. Liu Yan trembled slightly but still made no sound. Shen Langhun followed the contours of his face, the pin’s tip moving down bit by bit. Fresh blood flowed down the pin, dropping onto the tree. Time passed in silence. A full half hour passed, blood winding down the tree trunk. Shen Langhun’s eyes grew brighter in the darkness as the sound of flesh and blood continued. He suddenly said indifferently, “You’re quite good at enduring pain.”

Liu Yan said indifferently, “Likewise.” Shen Langhun’s pin tip moved across his face. Liu Yan’s face was covered in blood, his appearance extremely horrific. The two continued their conversation without a ripple. After another moment, Shen Langhun slowly peeled something from Liu Yan’s face, looking again and again at Liu Yan’s bloody, mangled face. “Hehe, if Tang Lici knew I skinned your face, I wonder what he’d think…” Liu Yan said indifferently, “He wouldn’t think anything.”

Shen Langhun gently placed the skin he’d just peeled from Liu Yan’s face into a leather pouch he carried, then took out wound medicine powder from his bosom and carefully applied it to Liu Yan’s face.

That handsome, bewitching face that had captivated countless women instantly became incredibly horrifying. Liu Yan didn’t close his eyes, and even toward Shen Langhun’s inhumane actions, he showed little hatred. As Shen Langhun applied medicine, he asked, “You don’t hate me?”

Liu Yan’s face was covered in wounds. Moving the corners of his mouth caused blood to flow continuously, yet he still smiled. “I killed your wife.” Shen Langhun slowly exhaled. “Rest assured, I won’t let you die. I’ll make your skin into a human face mask, cripple your martial arts, break your legs, then let you go.” His tone remained indifferent. “I want to see how you’ll use that face to deceive people in the future. Perhaps one day you’ll need to wear this human skin mask for leftover food, and eventually… the person giving you food will discover your true face under the mask… Haha, rest assured, if you encounter passionate women who don’t mind your ugly appearance, however many you meet, I’ll kill that many.”

Shen Langhun’s tone was cold, his meaning filled with bone-deep venomous hatred. He must have planned all this for a long time, now implementing it all on Liu Yan. If he didn’t make Liu Yan live miserably, suffering a hundred times worse than death, what meaning would his own life have? He lived only for revenge. After capturing Liu Yan, what jianghu, world, common people, justice, friends, greater good… all had nothing to do with him.

He only wanted this man who had senselessly killed his wife to live in hell, unable to survive like a wild dog yet having one more breath than the dead.

But Liu Yan showed no terror or horror, nor hysteria. Listening, he seemed somewhat indifferent. That face which could drive hundreds of women mad was destroyed by Shen Langhun’s hands, leaving only bloody flesh, yet he seemed to feel no pain. Shen Langhun’s technique was extremely fast. With two “crack” sounds, he crushed Liu Yan’s leg bones. His finger strength was formidable—this crushing turned bone segments to powder, different from simple bone breaking. These were leg injuries that couldn’t heal.

Liu Yan trembled slightly but still made no sound, taking it all silently. Then Shen Langhun punctured his dantian qi sea, and Liu Yan’s lifetime of shocking, heretical martial arts immediately flowed away.

But he still said nothing, showing no hatred toward Shen Langhun, not even hostility. Shen Langhun sat calmly across from him. After a moment, the bleeding on Liu Yan’s face slowed, but ants from the tree slowly crawled to the wounds on his face, whether from curiosity or actually feeding on his wounds.

“You do have admirable moments.” Shen Langhun said indifferently. He had never seen anyone who could remain composed, even indifferent, after such injuries. Especially since this person had just moments before held great power—with just one step difference, he would have been today’s martial arts overlord, a demon lord ruling the world.

“I don’t quarrel with dead people.” Liu Yan also said indifferently. “I only hate the living, not the dead.” Shen Langhun said, “In your eyes, is only Tang Lici alive in this world?”

Liu Yan’s eyes half-closed. Even with his fortitude, the severe pain on his face, body, and legs was real after all, making him somewhat mentally confused. “Heh.” Shen Langhun said slowly, “But I think… in this world, only Tang Lici treats you best…”

Liu Yan laughed coldly in a low voice. “You know nothing…”

“I know you think he killed Fang Zhou.” Shen Langhun said. “But the person who really killed Fang Zhou was actually you yourself.” Liu Yan immediately opened his eyes, saying harshly, “What did you say?”

Shen Langhun said indifferently, “Tang Lici preserved Fang Zhou’s body in ice springs, dug out his heart and buried it in his own abdomen. When Fang Zhou’s heart injury healed, he would move the heart back into Fang Zhou’s abdomen—perhaps he would have a chance at resurrection. Though I don’t know if such an absurd method could save someone, at least it was hope. But you sent white-clothed women to steal Fang Zhou’s body from the National Uncle’s mansion, causing Fang Zhou to be chopped to pieces and rot in a grave. Tell me, isn’t the person who killed Fang Zhou you?”

He looked at Liu Yan contemptuously. “Tang Lici taught Fang Zhou to practice the ‘Rebirth Manual’—besides wanting peerless martial arts, it was also to leave Fang Zhou a thread of life… You hate him to the bone because of Fang Zhou’s death, not knowing how much effort he put in for Fang Zhou to come back to life—and all his painstaking efforts were destroyed by you.”

Liu Yan’s bloody, mangled face trembled. When Shen Langhun had skinned his face earlier, he hadn’t cared, but now his whole body shook as he gritted his teeth and said word by word, “You’re—lying—to—me! There can’t be such a thing—absolutely impossible—hahahaha, would you drive someone to death to save him? Hahahaha, to save someone, you first drive them to death—how is that possible? Complete nonsense—do you take me for a fool?”

Shen Langhun said, “Tang Lici saved your life at Azure Mountain Cliff, and you gave him a palm strike. He went to Bodhi Valley to rescue Fang Zhou’s corpse, and you incited Zhong Chunji to give him a needle. If he were really someone who could betray brothers for martial arts, why would he save you or tolerate you? He could have just let you jump down at Azure Mountain Cliff—regardless of grievances or hatred, not only would everything be settled, he could also achieve heroic fame, right?”

He said coldly, “How much criticism and suspicion would saving your life bring him—don’t you know? If he valued martial arts and fame more than brotherhood, he would have killed you long ago.”

Liu Yan laughed miserably. “Hahahaha, nonsense! You’re also spouting nonsense! You’re just a dog he bought with money—everything you say is dog talk! What kind of person Tang Lici is, don’t I know clearly? You think he’s what? A hero who values loyalty and righteousness? Ridiculous! Twenty years of friendship with him—Tang Lici is sinister, vicious, and commits every evil. Next time you see him, ask him how many unconscionable things he’s done in his lifetime. See if he can answer, if he can count them all! Haha… what brotherhood! Brothers are just stepping stones on his path to success…” He said viciously, fresh blood and wound medicine mixed on his face, his expression horrifyingly fierce.

“He may not really be a good person,” Shen Langhun said indifferently, “but he really treats you well.” Liu Yan spat blood, spitting saliva on Shen Langhun’s shoulder. “Someday I’ll chop him into eight pieces, throw him in two wells, and burn them!”

Shen Langhun ignored him, sneering. “When your face heals, I’ll release you. Let’s see how you chop Tang Lici into eight pieces.” Liu Yan slowly breathed out. As long as they weren’t talking about Tang Lici, he remained very calm. “Even if you release me now, I won’t die.”

Shen Langhun stared at that bloody, mangled face. Even he felt nauseated looking at it, but this person didn’t care. He had thought that someone like Liu Yan, who could attract so many women to fight desperately for him, must care greatly about his grace and appearance. Liu Yan’s indifference was indeed somewhat beyond his expectations.