“You gentlemen are indeed the gallant heroes of Meihua Mountain—truly handsome and extraordinary, different from the rest.” Tang Lici smiled and raised his sleeve. “If you’ve only come for Chi Yun, Tang would never obstruct you in the slightest. It’s just that Chi Yun is still healing from his injuries and it’s inconvenient for him to receive guests…” Hearing this, the originally terrified Sword Society disciples all breathed a sigh of relief—the arrivals were not enemies. But then someone spoke in refined and elegant tones: “I heard that the Central Plains Sword Society forcibly detained our stronghold master for the Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup, and that this matter was masterminded by you, Tang Lici. I wonder if this is true or not?” This person’s tone was cultured, yet carried a blood-drinking kind of viciousness. Though phrased as a question, it clearly showed preconceived bias.
“This… Tang possesses countless gold, silver, and precious treasures superior to the Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup,” Tang Lici slowly moved his welcoming sleeve behind his back. “To torture Chi Yun and force him to surrender the Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup—if this cup could grant longevity and immortality, perhaps I might consider it.” The person speaking in elegant tones was precisely “Wangri Pavilion” master “Carefree Qilin” Xuanyuan Long. Hearing this, he was slightly stunned, his brows moving. “In fact, wasn’t our stronghold master locked in a room by Shao Yanping, losing his freedom? Didn’t he charge through fire and water to help you in battle, yet you let him face encirclement alone, after which he was severely injured? Our stronghold master cherished old feelings toward you—is this how you repay him? I don’t believe anyone could be so heartless. The Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup would be a very good reason.”
“If you have patience, when Chi Yun awakens, you can ask him yourself whether I deliberately sent him into encirclement, then took advantage of his crisis to lock him up and force him to surrender the Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup.” Tang Lici’s lip line curved up—not in a smile, but raising a trace of deep, cold ruddiness. “It’s just that he’s currently resting and shouldn’t be disturbed. If Master Xuanyuan doesn’t disdain it, would you be willing to enter my courtyard and let the Central Plains Sword Society offer you a cup of tea?” Facing the murderous aura of Meihua Mountain’s cavalry, he remained composed. The Sword Society disciples behind him inexplicably developed some admiration for him, secretly feeling that this Young Master Tang truly had extraordinary insight and remained calm in the face of danger.
Xuanyuan Long glanced back at Yin Dongchuan. Yin Dongchuan’s expression was cold as he slowly nodded. Thereupon Xuanyuan Long also said flatly, “Since our stronghold master is resting and recuperating inside, we shouldn’t disturb him. We’ll wait until he finishes his meditation and awakens.” The implication was naturally that if Chi Yun awoke with even half a complaint against Tang Lici, Huoyun Stronghold’s two hundred cavalry would immediately flatten the Central Plains Sword Society.
“Please, everyone, this way.” Tang Lici raised his sleeve in welcome, completely unguarded behind him, and led the way.
The mounted men all dismounted together. Their dismounting postures were graceful and efficient, all identical—clearly they had practiced this. Huoyun Stronghold could indeed be called well-trained. About two hundred men sat down on the spot. Xuanyuan Long, Yin Dongchuan, and Jin Qiufu followed behind Tang Lici, walking toward the guest hall of Shanfeng Hall.
Autumn was deepening. Haoyun Mountain was located in a damp and shady place, making people feel cold to the bone. Jin Qiufu was secretly surprised in his heart—this place was covered with moss everywhere and prone to miasma. How could it compare to Meihua Mountain’s clear waters, beautiful scenery, and abundant fruits? For the mighty Central Plains Sword Society to make their home here was truly peculiar taste and poor judgment. Xuanyuan Long and Yin Dongchuan, however, each kept alert, secretly watching corners and turns for possible ambushes. After walking no more than several dozen steps, they heard a loud “bang” from the west. All of them were slightly startled—it was the sound of palm winds clashing. Tang Lici’s brow furrowed slightly. A gray shadow flashed and disappeared, chasing directly westward. The three from Xuanyuan Long’s group all pursued together by unspoken agreement. Passing through several courtyards, they saw a black shadow sweep straight outside the wall. Someone followed like a shadow, chasing out from within a building, raising his hand to send forth a white light while shouting loudly, “Where are you running!” His bearing was truly imposing.
“Stronghold Master!” Jin Qiufu exclaimed involuntarily. Xuanyuan Long and Yin Dongchuan also showed excitement on their faces. The three of them knelt on one knee together and said in unison, “All the brothers of Huoyun Stronghold respectfully request our stronghold master to return to the stronghold!” The person who had just rushed out from the building was stunned and said in surprise, “You came so quickly? All of you get up immediately.” This tone and manner was naturally Chi Yun.
“Stronghold Master!” Jin Qiufu squeezed over immediately, his emotions intense. “Damn it, someone sent a letter to our stronghold saying our stronghold master was severely injured by Tang Lici and imprisoned by Shao Yanping. The three of us discussed it and immediately led our forces south to rescue you. Thank goodness you’re safe and sound!” He was straightforward by nature and spoke with tears nearly streaming down his face, extremely excited. Xuanyuan Long, however, had seven or eight more minds, full of suspicions. “Our stronghold master is well, so naturally everyone is relieved. But who exactly was that person just now? How could someone infiltrate the Central Plains Sword Society?”
Chi Yun looked at Tang Lici upon hearing this, pointed westward, his expression serious. “Just as you predicted, as soon as Huoyun Stronghold arrived at the gate, someone masked broke in to assassinate. Fortunately, you left that Yu fellow to guard in the room. I and that Yu fellow joined forces and took his strike. Now the person has fled.” Tang Lici smiled slightly. “He really couldn’t hold his composure. It’s just a pity that Hero Cheng was lured away, otherwise with three people ambushing, we might have been able to keep him.” Chi Yun grinned and licked his dry lips. “In just the blink of an eye like that, wanting to kill me isn’t so easy.” The more Xuanyuan Long heard, the stranger it seemed. Apparently Chi Yun clearly wasn’t harmed by Tang Lici, but by someone else. “That person just now…”
“That person just now was the bastard who schemed to frame me, found a group of masked people with extraordinary martial arts to surround and attack me, caused me severe injuries, and just now wanted to kill me to silence me and frame Tang Lici.” Chi Yun said coldly. “Taking advantage of my severe injuries, he sent you a letter saying I was imprisoned by Shao Yanping, luring you to come rescue me, then wanted to kill me before you and I met, framing the white-haired fox. Thus killing two birds with one stone—Huoyun Stronghold and the Central Plains Sword Society would fight each other, both sides would be injured, and he could reap the benefits. But he didn’t know that I and the white-haired fox had already guessed this move. I wasn’t meditating today, just pretending. The white-haired fox left Yu Furen to protect me. No matter how high a master in this world, it’s absolutely impossible to defeat Chi Yun and Yu Furen joining forces in the time it takes you to pass through several corridors. Naturally he couldn’t take my life. It’s just a pity that although we lured the person out and let you witness a good show with your own eyes, we couldn’t keep him and expose his true face.”
“As long as our stronghold master is safe and sound, it’s Huoyun Stronghold’s fortune.” Xuanyuan Long felt a chill in his heart. Hearing Chi Yun speak this way, it was clear they had faced a master of unfathomable cunning and deep scheming. He naturally knew Chi Yun’s martial arts abilities. With Chi Yun’s capabilities, he actually needed to join forces with someone else just to take one strike—this person’s martial arts were truly unimaginably high. “Who exactly is that person?”
“A…” Chi Yun spoke without thinking and almost blurted out the four words “One Peach Three Colors.” Suddenly remembering his sworn oath with Tang Lici that if he leaked even half a word, he would have to give Tang Lici all of Meihua Mountain’s entire fortune including the Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup—this absolutely could not be done—he immediately changed his words. “A sneaky demon who attacks people from behind.”
Yu Furen walked slowly out from the room. Just now someone had suddenly broken in and struck Chi Yun with a heavy blow. Chi Yun had actually leaped up and exchanged a palm strike with the intruder. Even he was greatly shocked and hurriedly drew his sword to assist. Now Qingluo was sheathed and his tiger’s mouth was bleeding—he had also used his full strength in that move.
The group gradually walked toward the guest hall. In the distant courtyard, a figure swayed slightly, someone standing and watching the backs of the crowd. On the pathway leading to the guest hall, ants gradually gathered, followed by two small centipedes slowly crawling along the direction the group had gone. After crawling for a short time, they slowly stiffened and died in the middle of the path.
A gentle breeze blew past. The stiffened centipede corpses were light and airy, blown to one side by the wind. The dead ants on the ground were even more like fine dust particles, attracting no one’s attention.
The Huoyun Stronghold men followed Chi Yun into the Central Plains Sword Society’s guest hall. The three each sat in a chair. Tang Lici ordered the Sword Society disciples to serve tea. Chi Yun stood in the center of the hall with his hands behind his back, but did not sit. Tang Lici’s gaze rested on Chi Yun, as if observing his actions very carefully, yet his cheeks still bore a gentle smile. “Several days ago, on the day of the great battle at Haoyun Mountain, everyone knows an accident occurred. Fengliu Store’s master Liu Yan was abducted by Shen Langhun, causing the battle results between the Central Plains Sword Society and Fengliu Store to come to nothing. That day in the chaos of war, Liu Yan was suddenly abducted. In my momentary anxiety, I called Chi Yun to pursue them, resulting in him falling into enemy hands alone. This was truly Tang’s great error. Fortunately, Chi Yun’s martial arts and intelligence are exceptional. Although he fell into enemy hands, he still broke through with injuries. These past few days he’s been healing at the Sword Society. I don’t know who spread false information that caused everyone to misunderstand.” He spoke incompletely and inaccurately, lightly glossing over all the crucial points, yet spoke with composure and sincerity, without the slightest forced manner.
Xuanyuan Long was full of suspicions and took out a letter from his bosom. “But someone wrote a letter to Huoyun Stronghold in the name of the Central Plains Sword Society, saying in the letter that our stronghold master was afflicted with a strange poison…” Before he finished speaking, Chi Yun angrily said, “Which bastard said I was poisoned? I’ve roamed the martial world and never lost a battle—how could I be poisoned?” Xuanyuan Long was stunned. He naturally knew Chi Yun’s hot temper, but being so agitated over a mention of poisoning was beyond his expectations. “This…” He couldn’t continue speaking. Holding the letter in his hand, he pondered for a moment and slowly handed it to Tang Lici. “If it’s not well-intentioned warning, then it’s deliberate provocation.” Tang Lici opened the letter and drew out the paper. The handwriting on the paper was free and natural, taking a beautiful and full form. One could tell the writer was full of literary talent, definitely not something an ordinary martial artist could write. Though there were only a few lines of text, he looked at it for a long time and smiled slightly. “About the poisoning matter…” Before he finished speaking, Chi Yun slammed the table with a “bang” and flew into a rage. “When the hell was I poisoned?” Tang Lici’s smile didn’t change in the slightest, like a smiling ceramic mask. Precisely because it didn’t move at all, it revealed an extraordinarily hidden demonic charm. “You were indeed afflicted with a small poison, but it will be eliminated soon. You just need to take two more doses of medicine, then—”
“Hmph!” Chi Yun’s angry expression hadn’t subsided. In front of Xuanyuan Long and the other two, he barely restrained himself, but clearly absolutely refused to admit it a thousand or ten thousand times over. Xuanyuan Long and Yin Dongchuan exchanged glances, both feeling something was wrong. Why was Chi Yun so irritable? Tang Lici said softly, “You just need to control yourself for two or three more days and finish taking the two doses of medicine…”
“How come I don’t remember being poisoned myself?” Hearing Tang Lici insist that he take two doses of medicine, Chi Yun felt irritated, his hot blood boiling and nearly rushing to his brain. “Are you lying to me about something?” He didn’t want to be so impulsive either, but somehow he just couldn’t control himself. His heart was beating wildly, his palms were hot and damp—it seemed if he couldn’t do something to vent, his entire body would feel uncomfortable. Tang Lici stared at him intently. “You were merely bitten by a poisonous insect while unconscious. You didn’t notice it yourself—do you need others to tell you?” Chi Yun was stunned and circulated his qi throughout his body. The feeling was ambiguous—he couldn’t say he was poisoned, yet it was different from usual. “What poisonous insect bit me?” Tang Lici pointed his finger outward. His fingers were snow-white and slender, extremely beautiful. “Centipede.” Without thinking, Chi Yun struck out with his palm. With a muffled sound, dirt flew outside the building. Several flower pots burst and flew a zhang away. A centipede crawling under the flower bed was killed by his palm strike. Tang Lici slowly withdrew his hand, his gaze flowing, seeming to contain a barely discernible smile in the depths of his pupils. Yin Dongchuan’s gaze flickered slightly, harboring suspicions. Chi Yun’s behavior was strange and Tang Lici’s attitude ambiguous. What exactly had happened several days ago? Between the contents of that letter and the truth Tang Lici spoke—which was real and which was false? Turning his head, Xuanyuan Long also frowned, clearly also harboring doubts.