In the guest room of Haoyun Mountain, Chi Yun was sitting quietly in meditation to regulate his breathing. His body had originally been sturdy, and though he had grown thin, it was a lean and agile thinness. But having suffered through the torment of these recent days, he now showed considerable signs of haggardness. After Tang Lici had spoken with Xifang Tao in the bamboo pavilion, he walked slowly to Chi Yun’s room. Although he had used serum on Chi Yun, once should not be enough. To ensure absolute safety, it would need to be used at least three times. Standing at the doorway, he quietly observed Chi Yun for a while. He saw him sitting with eyes closed, practicing his internal energy, but between his brows one could faintly see a mass of black qi. Under the bed, several spiders were spinning webs, two scorpions had torn the spider webs into tatters, and there were also several small centipedes dead on the ground.
It seemed the spider gu poison was indeed not yet completely eliminated. Tang Lici’s red lips moved slightly, revealing snow-white teeth that lightly bit his lower lip as he slowly exhaled.
Behind him, someone also approached, stepping to the doorway and seeing Tang Lici’s back. “Tang… Brother Tang, I heard Chi Yun has awakened?” The person who changed from calling him “Young Master Tang” to “Brother Tang” was naturally Yu Furen.
Tang Lici nodded. “But the spider gu poison has not been completely cleared.” Yu Furen stepped into the room. “Are you very worried?” Tang Lici smiled slightly. “This… Chi Yun being rescued and regaining consciousness should be beyond the calculations of those who planned this, but since Chi Yun has returned to Shanfeng Hall, then regarding this unexpected Chi Yun, clever people will naturally have clever contingencies.” Yu Furen’s brow furrowed slightly. “Contingencies? What kind of contingencies?” Tang Lici’s gaze moved, and deep in his pupils was an emotion difficult to discern. “It’s just…” Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly raised his head. In the distance, a flock of egrets could be seen taking flight. Yu Furen knew at a glance what this meant and changed color. “What forces are invading Haoyun Mountain?”
“If I’m not mistaken, those are the cavalry from Meihua Mountain.” Tang Lici’s casual remark stirred countless waves of shock in Yu Furen’s heart. “What? The cavalry from Meihua Mountain?”
Meihua Mountain was located in the northern frontier lands, named for the red spots scattered across its rocks that resembled plum blossom patterns. On Meihua Mountain was Huoyun Stronghold, with stronghold master “Sky Cloud” Chi Yun. Under him were “Lianxiao Hall” master “Three Blades Soul Snatcher” Yin Dongchuan, “Wangri Pavilion” master “Carefree Qilin” Xuanyuan Long, and “Yingfeng Hall” master “One Sword from the East” Jin Qiufu—all prominent figures. Before following Chi Yun, they had been renowned experts at highway robbery in the greenwood, and after joining Huoyun Stronghold they became even more formidable. Over the past three years they had conducted more than a dozen major operations, one of which involved the rare treasure “Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup” that even Tang Lici very much wanted to obtain. Under Huoyun Stronghold were nearly two hundred brothers, each brave and skilled in battle. This group had always kept to the northern lands and rarely came to the Central Plains. For them to suddenly appear below Haoyun Mountain—could it be because Chi Yun had left Meihua Mountain to investigate the Crimson Ghost Nine Hearts Pills matter and had been away from home too long, causing unrest in Huoyun Stronghold and prompting them to come searching? But even if Chi Yun had been away from Huoyun Stronghold too long, it shouldn’t warrant mobilizing so many men… Coming out in full force from the north—wouldn’t that be excessive?
“Master Shao has already departed for Shaolin Temple, and Hero Cheng just left. Now in the Sword Society there are only you and I, plus sixty-six disciples. If Huoyun Stronghold has come to attack, how can we possibly withstand the forces of Meihua Mountain’s Huoyun Stronghold?” Yu Furen’s expression changed as he pressed his ear to the ground to listen. He could feel the earth trembling faintly—the approaching people were riding horses along the mountain path. Judging by the tremor, there were countless numbers coming. “Are they here to find Chi Yun? With so many coming, I fear their intentions are not good.”
“News that Chi Yun was poisoned and locked in a room by Master Shao has probably been spread by interested parties long ago,” Tang Lici said, staring intently at Chi Yun. “Huoyun Stronghold is utterly loyal to Chi Yun. Hearing that their stronghold master was injured and trapped, it’s not surprising they would come in full force to attack.” Yu Furen slowly exhaled. “If it’s just a misunderstanding, then we can invite the three hall masters of Huoyun Stronghold inside to speak with Chi Yun, and the misunderstanding will naturally be resolved.” Tang Lici smiled slightly. “If it could be like that, it would naturally be best.” He spoke very casually, but his gaze remained fixed unwaveringly on Chi Yun. Yu Furen looked in the same direction and saw that the black qi between Chi Yun’s brows was growing thicker. The air in the room faintly carried a strange odor—impossible to tell whether it was sweet or foul. A thread of extremely black blood slowly dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his entire handsome face showed traces of something eerily mysterious.
“You stay here and watch him,” Tang Lici said. “He’s forcing out the poison. The smell in this room attracts the Five Poisons to fight each other—it’s somewhat dangerous. Don’t let him be affected by the poisonous insects and go astray with his qi.” Yu Furen nodded. Though he didn’t know what method Chi Yun was using to force out the poison himself, looking at this situation he knew it couldn’t be disturbed. If his qi went astray, the poisonous qi would definitely take the wrong path, with serious consequences. Tang Lici turned and left. A cold wind came, and his gray clothes pressed against his body and fluttered slightly, quite showing off his well-proportioned and attractive bone structure. Yu Furen glanced at him and recalled stabbing him with a sword, feeling momentarily dazed.
The trembling of the ground gradually lessened, and before long, it gradually disappeared completely. Tang Lici passed through the garden. In the bamboo pavilion, the woman in peach-colored clothing still stood there, holding that light purple padded jacket and smiling at him gracefully. He stopped and asked in a calm tone, “You sent a letter to Huoyun Stronghold?” Xifang Tao smiled charmingly. “That’s right.” Tang Lici suddenly raised his head to look at her, his gaze like one ready to kill, asking word by word, “What did you tell Huoyun Stronghold?”
“I didn’t say much…” Xifang Tao, suddenly seeing his ghost-like gaze, was also slightly startled. She patted her chest, the corners of her mouth turning up, smiling very happily. “I only said Chi Yun was about to die.” Tang Lici’s eyes were extremely deep and cold, yet within that deep coldness contained an extremely dazzling brilliant light. “Chi Yun is about to die, but it’s my fault?” Xifang Tao put her hands behind her back and raised her head, her manner coquettish, smiling sweetly. “Isn’t it? I didn’t lie to anyone. He’s about to die, and it is your fault.” She looked into Tang Lici’s eyes. “If you hadn’t let him go alone to pursue people, how would he have ended up in his current state? Isn’t it because you were inconsiderate, because you underestimated me, because you disregarded his life and death for your own selfish reasons, because you thought Liu Yan’s life was more important than his, because you actually only treated him like a dog—that this was caused?”
“What you’re saying really strips flesh… and peels bones…” Tang Lici turned with a “whoosh” of his sleeve, his back elegant. “Even if I really only treated him like a dog, so what?” he asked ominously. “Can’t I do that?”
Xifang Tao was slightly stunned, then giggled. “Can you? As the honored guest supreme of the righteous martial world, speaking such words—wouldn’t that make the heroes and gallant men who support you in pacifying the world and eliminating demons feel cold? Wouldn’t it make those throughout the world who respect Tang Lici feel disappointed and heartbroken?” Tang Lici turned his face toward her. Though the sinister evil qi had not yet faded, his lips already bore a gentle smile. “Even if I treat him like a dog, he hasn’t cared. Who are you representing in feeling cold and heartbroken? For whom are you seeking justice?” He turned around leisurely, facing Xifang Tao with a beautiful smile. “Miss Tao, forgive me for having matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave first. Excuse me.” With these words he departed unhurriedly, his steps measured, his manner gentle and peaceful, showing not the slightest trace of anger.
It seemed this young master, though valuing relationships and righteousness, was indeed quite vicious in his thinking. Xifang Tao smiled faintly, smiling very prettily. With just a bit of provocation, this natural sinister viciousness—no matter how well he hid it—would always be discovered by someone.
And as long as someone didn’t trust Tang Lici, as long as someone was unconvinced, she would have her opportunity.
Outside the gate.
Dust flew along the mountain path. Though Haoyun Mountain’s mist was heavy, it couldn’t block this sky full of yellow mud and sand and stone. Some trees crashed down with branches and leaves shaking—their crowns must have been too lush and blocked the path of the approaching party, so they were chopped down with blades. Tang Lici led dozens of Sword Society disciples to open the main gate. He saw a uniform group of red-clothed people with crown bands tied around their heads, all in tight-fitting garments, riding horses toward them. Those galloping horses were all black steeds with snow-white hooves, magnificent and imposing. The sound of over a hundred fine horses galloping together truly shook heaven and earth like collapsing clouds, with overwhelming momentum.
“Descending cloud spirits and rainbows, martial plum valiant souls, we alone are supreme!” Suddenly these several hundred people shouted in unison. Immediately water vapor rushed about, the earth shook, and the Sword Society disciples looked at each other in terror. They felt their chests constricted, the world spinning around them, their hearts so oppressed they couldn’t catch their breath at all, their fighting spirit completely extinguished. Among the black horses charging up the mountain, one person led in front. When the angry steed reached the main gate, he twisted his wrist and dismounted with a flip, his robes billowing, his expression composed. “So this is the mighty Central Plains Sword Society—it looks nothing special.”
“People who can’t show their faces love to hide in these sneaky, unclear places…” Someone in the horse group said ominously. “Second Brother, tell the boy at the gate to hand over our stronghold master. We’ll take him and leave immediately. Otherwise, over two hundred of us will charge in and sweep this Central Plains Sword Society clean, then set fire to burn it to bare ground.”