This person killed and burned, deceived innocent young women into evil, created harmful poisons, and attempted to dominate the Central Plains martial world, stirring up bloody storms. His crimes were truly monstrous and countless, yet observing the man himself, he didn’t seem to have such a sense of evil. Shen Langhun stared at this mortal enemy for a long time, feeling that this person actually still possessed a kind of innocence. Tang Lici had said he wasn’t suited for scheming—indeed. He suddenly asked, “Why did you kill my wife back then?”

“Wanted to kill, so killed. What reason is there?” Liu Yan turned his head away, saying coldly, “I was happy to kill her and willing to spare you. Isn’t that enough?” Shen Langhun said, “Did someone tell you to kill my wife?” With his keen perception, even in the darkness he could see through Liu Yan’s intention in turning his head away. “Who told you to kill my wife?”

Liu Yan didn’t answer, meeting this with silence. Shen Langhun suddenly felt nameless rage surge up. “Speak! Someone told you to kill my wife, didn’t they? Why won’t you say? Are you trying to take the blame for someone?” Liu Yan looked up at him coldly and kept his mouth shut. Shen Langhun raised his hand and slapped him. With a “slap,” his hand was covered in blood. Liu Yan’s face streamed with blood, yet he didn’t move. After a long while, he coughed lightly. “No one told me to kill your wife.”

Shen Langhun’s second slap stopped in mid-air. His heart was both angry and amused. This evil demon was like a stubborn yellow-haired boy, insisting there was nothing no matter how much torture was inflicted on him. There must be hidden circumstances behind Liu Yan’s killing of his wife. Shen Langhun slowly withdrew his palm. This person was biased and credulous, only listening to what he wanted to hear, with such a stubborn temperament that he was easily deceived and used by others.

Tang Lici must understand him very well, which is why he repeatedly refrained from killing, wanting to save him, wanting to redeem him, wanting to forgive him… But he had already committed unforgivable great wrongs. Even if it wasn’t his original intention, there was already no way back. If there really was someone behind the scenes using him, sending him down this path of no return, that would be a thousand times more detestable and terrifying than Liu Yan—that would be the true demon of the martial world.

Liu Yan closed his eyes again. Blood slowly covered his eyes, and with pain throughout his body, he couldn’t open them even if he wanted to. In his confused state of mind, he wanted to laugh loudly and cry loudly… He hated Tang Lici! So… no one should speak well of him, no one should come tell him that Tang Lici saved him or was good to him… Everything… was very simple. He was a bastard, and he wanted to kill him!

As for who told him to kill Shen Langhun’s wife, in his confusion, he dimly saw again the shadow of a person in pink clothing, radiating a strange fragrance throughout their body. That fragrance… so strong it made one want to vomit—the most unpleasant smell he’d ever encountered in his lifetime, stinkier than a cesspit!

The whole world was full of dead people. If he didn’t hate Tang Lici, what would he do? Everyone was dead—what was the point of him living?

Inside Shanfeng Hall.

Dawn was breaking.

In the time of one meal, Shao Yanping remarkably quickly settled those one hundred thirty-eight women into fourteen guest rooms in Shanfeng Hall. Bai Suche was nowhere to be found—presumably escaped during the chaos. Those mysterious carriages had also vanished without a trace, obviously having retreated upon seeing the unfavorable situation. Most of Fengliu Shop’s main force had been captured, Fu Cui’s arm was severed, the red-clothed woman had retreated. This battle could be called unexpectedly smooth, and remarkably, their own side hadn’t lost much manpower—truly amazing.

This was certainly due to the great strategy Tang Lici had set and the smaller strategies he had arranged, but Master Puzhu and Xifang Tao coming from afar as surprise forces also deserved great credit. Shangguan Fei hadn’t returned yet. Shao Yanping sent additional people to search while ordering tea to be served, inviting everyone to discuss the next phase of the situation in the main hall.

Shen Langhun’s unexpected abduction of Liu Yan was surprising, but since he had irreconcilable hatred with Liu Yan, presumably Liu Yan being captured by him was fine—it wouldn’t cause great trouble. After last night’s great battle, everyone looked weary, only Master Puzhu, who walked the path of asceticism, appeared normal. That Xifang Tao sat quietly to one side, still elegantly beautiful beyond compare.

Tang Lici sat beside Shao Yanping, his expression calm. “How is Senior Shangguan’s whereabouts?” Shao Yanping shook his head. “No news yet, but with Nine Turns Divine Arrow’s cultivation, what could mere fleeing soldiers of Fengliu Shop do to him? Presumably he’s fine.”

Tang Lici smiled slightly, glanced at Xifang Tao, then turned his gaze to Master Puzhu. “How did Master Puzhu and Miss Tao become acquainted? Tang is very curious.” Master Puzhu calmly narrated. Originally, he and Xifang Tao had met several years ago. Xifang Tao had been severely injured and her martial arts crippled before being sold to a brothel. Master Puzhu had rescued her. The two became friends through chess, developing a deep friendship. As for Xifang Tao being a beautiful young woman, in Master Puzhu’s eyes she was like grass, trees, stones, or clouds—completely unnoticed by his eyes or heart.

Chi Yun stood behind Tang Lici. The white-haired fox really paid unusual attention to Puzhu. His gaze kept watching Xifang Tao. Though this woman was extremely beautiful, in Chi Yun’s eyes she was just a “woman,” but due to some beast-like instinct, he found this woman disagreeable no matter how he looked at her. There seemed to be something particularly wrong about her, though he couldn’t say what for the moment.

Pu Kuisheng had finished capturing the poisonous snakes outside the gate. Regarding them as treasures, he locked them all in the dungeon, fumigating them with realgar while counting them one by one. Discussing future situations, without Tang Lici saying much, Shao Yanping knew that the Central Plains Sword Society’s great victory over Fengliu Shop would certainly cause Biluo Palace to respond to the Sword Society’s momentum, delivering the finishing blow to a drowning dog. The jianghu situation was set. Since ancient times, evil cannot prevail over good—truly a wise saying.

As several people talked, suddenly a Sword Society disciple hurried over, saying mournfully, “Reporting to Master, we discovered Senior Shangguan’s… Senior Shangguan’s remains on the mountainside…” Shao Yanping was greatly shocked and stood up. “What?” Everyone rose together. That Sword Society disciple’s face was pale. “Senior Shangguan was shot through the heart by a foot-long dead branch—killed with one strike. It appears… appears he didn’t suffer much.”

Pu Kuisheng’s expression changed as he lost his voice. “Who in the world could kill Shangguan Fei with one strike? Where is this person?” “Amitabha, when I came up the mountain earlier, I passed Senior Shangguan. He said he was going to deal with the ambush forces Fengliu Shop had set on the mountainside. Could there have been other masters among the ambush forces?” Puzhu closed his eyes, his tone low and deeply mournful.

The Sword Society disciple said, “But Senior Shangguan didn’t die at the location where Fengliu Shop had set their ambush. He died in the forest among the mountains.” Shao Yanping’s expression was grave. “I’ll go look immediately. Who could kill Nine Turns Divine Arrow with one strike using a dead branch? If Fengliu Shop had such a master, how could last night’s battle have been lost so easily? At least he should have taken some capital back with him. What could killing just Shangguan Fei change?”

“Master, Senior Shangguan’s remains have been brought back.” That Sword Society disciple hurriedly withdrew. Not long after, Shangguan Fei’s corpse was carried in. His eyes were wide with anger, his right hand still tightly gripping his long bow, few arrows remaining on his back, a dead branch protruding from his chest, his whole body bathed in blood. Everyone fell silent. Though they had won the battle, someone had still died in blood. No matter how glorious and honorable the victory, for the dead it was ultimately irreparable, leaving only guilt and grief.

After a long silence, Tang Lici suddenly said, “Senior Shangguan’s death… was due to unequal combat strength.” “What unequal combat strength?” Shao Yanping sighed, murmuring, “Who killed him? Who…”

Tang Lici’s sleeves were clean. In last night’s battle, only he remained unstained by dust, his weapons unblooded, having barely taken action personally. “If in last night’s battle there were actually not just three parties’ interests involved, but a fourth party participating, then Fengliu Shop’s strangely great defeat and Senior Shangguan Fei’s sudden death can be explained.”

He looked around at everyone. “Calculate and you’ll know—the Central Plains Sword Society has seven great masters: Hero Cheng, Master Shao, Senior Shangguan, Senior Dong, Snake Venerable Pu, Master Jiang, and Yu Furen. The others also have considerable skills. Adding Shen Langhun, Chi Yun, and Tang Lici, our strength is formidable.” After a slight pause, he continued, “But Tang Lici was severely injured beforehand, while Fengliu Shop’s masters were all masters among masters. Liu Yan alone would require at least three people from the Sword Society to handle. Fu Cui and Lady Hongchan would need two people working together to deal with. Yu Furen and Jiang Wenbo were captured by Fengliu Shop. So calculating, originally the Sword Society had ten great masters available, but now ten minus two equals eight, exactly a draw—but—”

He looked at everyone calmly. “But Tang Lici’s severe injury was feigned. Once battle began, our side immediately had one more available person than the other side, breaking the balanced combat strength.” “So the fourth party force that was originally waiting for our Sword Society and Fengliu Shop to fight to mutual destruction had to maintain combat balance. When the Sword Society had one extra person, they killed Shangguan Fei.”

Shao Yanping suddenly understood. “Because there was a fourth party force stirring things up, originally I was to join hands with Senior Shangguan to deal with Fu Cui. Once Senior Shangguan died, Fu Cui escaped freely and came to attack Young Master Tang, forcing Young Master Tang and Cheng Yunpao to divide their attention to deal with Fu Cui, reducing the number of people besieging Liu Yan by one and a half, resulting in a drawn battle.”

Tang Lici smiled slightly. “Perhaps someone had calculated this way, but when actually fighting, situations change in thousands of ways. He couldn’t predict all changes. Even if he killed Senior Shangguan, we could still capture Liu Yan alive rather than fight to a draw. It’s just that Shen Langhun suddenly abducted Liu Yan, making our victory meaningless. Such changes are unpredictable.”

Shao Yanping nodded repeatedly. “But Young Master Tang was truly a move ahead, pretending to be still severely injured before anything changed, laying down a powerful force for the Sword Society.” Chi Yun’s lips moved. He wanted to say that Tang the white-haired fox was really severely injured, just that he didn’t know when he had recovered. He swallowed his saliva and ultimately said nothing.

Tang Lici smiled. “Master Shao flatters me.” His gaze glanced at Xifang Tao. This sideways glance carried a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, full of meaning. Xifang Tao looked down at the ground as if she hadn’t seen it. Though she hadn’t seen it, Puzhu had, his expression still cold and serious, also acting as if he hadn’t seen anything.

With Shangguan Fei killed and Yu Furen unconscious from poison, Shao Yanping suddenly had much more pressure. He sighed and told everyone to disperse and rest. He would carefully arrange post-battle matters. Everyone withdrew, all saying he needn’t worry too much. Shao Yanping could only smile bitterly.

Tang Lici returned to his room. Chi Yun poured a cup of tea, but before it reached his lips, Tang Lici had already picked it up and taken a sip. Chi Yun stared at him. After drinking tea, Tang Lici breathed out lightly and sat down in a chair.

“When did you recover?” Chi Yun asked coldly. “How come I didn’t know?” Tang Lici said, “During those days lying in the inn.” Chi Yun was greatly shocked. “Your injury had already healed at West Rose Inn?” Tang Lici closed his eyes and nodded slightly. “When Little Miss Zhong struck, her emotions were agitated and the needle position was slightly off. Her internal power was insufficient to scatter my qi sea, so…”

Chi Yun was furious. “So your power loss was only temporary, yet you lay in bed deceiving me and that surname Shen for so long! What do you take me for?” With a bang, he slammed his palm on the table. The teapot on the table shattered and tea water flowed across the table, yet the teacup Tang Lici held remained perfectly intact.

Seeing Chi Yun’s rage, he civilly took a second sip of tea, slowly placed the half-finished teacup on the table, then suddenly changed the subject. “You knew ‘One Peach Three Colors’ before, didn’t you?” Chi Yun was startled. His anger not yet subsided, he snorted but didn’t speak.

“Is he actually a man or a woman?” Tang Lici asked slowly. Chi Yun was startled again. “The one who fought with me back then was a man. I don’t know why he’s suddenly become a woman now.” Tang Lici nodded and smiled lightly. Chi Yun’s gaze flickered. “Is she actually male or female?”

Tang Lici’s gaze circled his face several times, smiling. “Make a poisonous oath, and I’ll tell you.” Chi Yun spat. “What poisonous oath? I’ll stake my Plum Blossom Mountain on it—I absolutely won’t tell anyone. If anyone can get even a hint from me, I’ll give you my entire Plum Blossom Mountain business.”

Tang Lici’s eyelashes lifted slightly. “Including your ‘Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup’?” Chi Yun glanced at him sideways. “You’re still after the ‘Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup’ after all.” Tang Lici smiled gently, warming like spring breeze. “If you leak even half a word, give me the ‘Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup’ as compensation—how about it?” Chi Yun said coldly, “Fine!”

“That devastatingly beautiful Miss Tao outside is a man.” Tang Lici smiled, his hands gently crossed over his abdomen, sitting upright. “His eyes weren’t originally so large—those almond eyes were created by cutting open both sides of the eye corners with a knife. His eyebrows were trimmed. His lip shape was originally incorrect, so tendons were sewn on both left and right sides with one stitch each. The skin on his lips and chin was replaced with skin from other parts of his body, so no beard grows. Do you understand?”

Chi Yun was shocked and horrified. “His… his entire face is fake?” Tang Lici nodded. “Most of it is, though he originally looked like a woman. After facial modifications, only a master in this field could tell.” Chi Yun was full of doubts. “He was originally a man—why insist on making his face look like a woman?”

Tang Lici said, “This… everyone has their preferences. If he wants a woman’s face, originally no one could control that, but—” he said slowly, “but if he relies on that beautiful face to pretend to be a woman and seduce Master Puzhu, that’s very improper—extremely improper, isn’t it?”

Chi Yun was startled. “Seduce Master Puzhu? That can’t be. Even if he pretends to be a beauty to seduce Puzhu, Puzhu wouldn’t be seduced by her.” Tang Lici smiled slightly. “Monks are also men. Puzhu is not only a man, but also a very young, handsome man who has never had women try to seduce him, isn’t he?”

Chi Yun’s mouth dropped open. “What are you trying to say? Are you saying the monk Puzhu doesn’t follow the precepts and has an affair with that fake woman One Peach Three Colors?”

“Not so.” Tang Lici’s snow-white fingers moved slightly. “Puzhu probably doesn’t know yet… One Peach Three Colors deliberately schemes to seduce Master Puzhu—what he’s plotting is naturally extraordinary. Fengliu Shop’s Floating Sorrow Eyebrow Garden’s construction originated from Broken City Strange Guest’s design, extensively using the Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers’ expertise in poisons, illusions, mechanisms, and formations. Fish Leaping Dragon Flying died in Floating Sorrow Eyebrow Garden’s secret passages. Plum Blossom Easy Numbers and Wild Orchid Unbound became puppets. So why could One Peach Three Colors, as a woman, be ranked as Fengliu Shop’s West Princess? Really because Fengliu Shop’s leader loves feminine beauty?”

He slightly adjusted his sitting posture, sitting more upright. “Fengliu Shop’s behind-the-scenes leader loves feminine beauty—this was said by One Peach Three Colors himself. Remove this reason… this entire affair gives one a feeling—” Chi Yun’s gaze was cold as he interjected, “Fengliu Shop absolutely has connections with the Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers.”

Tang Lici smiled. “This entire affair is more like the Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers having internal strife. Someone killed Fish Leaping Dragon Flying and conspired with Broken City Strange Guest, or killed Broken City Strange Guest, seizing his mechanical arts to build Floating Sorrow Eyebrow Garden, while simultaneously destroying Plum Blossom Easy Numbers and Wild Orchid Unbound’s will, driving them as servants, then creating a sect called ‘Fengliu Shop.'”

“This person who created ‘Fengliu Shop’ is one of the Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers,” Chi Yun heard Tang Lici’s implication. “You’re saying this behind-the-scenes mastermind is One Peach Three Colors? But the Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers have seven people total. Plum Blossom Easy Numbers, Wild Orchid Unbound, One Peach Three Colors, Fish Leaping Dragon Flying, Broken City Strange Guest—five people have appeared. Two more are unknown.”

Tang Lici said softly, “What I’m saying is—One Peach Three Colors is ‘one of’ the masterminds.” Chi Yun nodded. “He pretends to be a woman to approach Master Puzhu for Shaolin Temple.” Tang Lici nodded. “Master Puzhu is Shaolin’s pride in recent years. Controlling Puzhu would be a great weapon against Shaolin. But his deepest intention definitely isn’t just dealing with Shaolin. There are too many ways to deal with Shaolin—he doesn’t necessarily need to turn himself into a woman.”

Chi Yun spat. “Maybe that guy is psychologically perverted and just likes pretending to be a woman.” Tang Lici laughed lightly. “If that’s really his hobby, he’s just given me a weakness.”

“If he’s really one of Fengliu Shop’s behind-the-scenes masters, then Shangguan Fei—” Chi Yun gritted his teeth angrily. “was murdered by this transvestite and died wrongfully!” Tang Lici said softly, “Correct… but he and Master Puzhu captured those red and white servants, achieving great merit.”

Chi Yun suddenly understood. “I get it! Those people received orders not to resist, so they were so easily captured—basically surrendering without a fight!” Tang Lici slowly raised his finger to his temple, sitting more slanted, leaning on the chair’s armrest with a slight smile. “Liu Yan is Fengliu Shop’s discarded piece. Last night’s battle’s real purpose depends on what that devastatingly beautiful Miss Tao actually wants to do within the Central Plains Sword Society…”

“So that’s it…” Chi Yun murmured. “That’s why you paid special attention to Puzhu’s movements.” Tang Lici closed his eyes and nodded. “Now that you understand, talk less and work more.” Chi Yun’s eyes widened. “What work?”

Tang Lici pointed outside the window. “Go chase back Shen Langhun and Liu Yan for me.” Chi Yun said angrily, “What if I can’t chase them back?” Tang Lici said softly, “You are the great ‘Sky Cloud,’ the bandit chief who rules Plum Blossom Mountain. You have a hundred or at least one hundred seventy to eighty brothers under you. Such a forest hero—how could there be anything you can’t accomplish?”

Chi Yun said coldly, “Don’t connect Plum Blossom Mountain’s people with you. It’s already unlucky enough that I’m mixing with you in the righteous path. If others get even slightly involved with you, ten lives wouldn’t be enough for you to torment.” He glared fiercely at Tang Lici, flicked his sleeve, and leaped out the window.

Tang Lici leaned in his chair, picked up the teacup from the table and took a light sip, watching Chi Yun’s white clothes flutter farther and farther away. After a while, he stood up, pushed open the door, and headed east.