Dali Temple.
Yang Guihua locked Yu Tuan’er and A’Shui in one cell, while placing Fang Pingzhai in another. In his view, Yu Tuan’er and A’Shui had no ability to harm others, but he was quite wary of Fang Pingzhai. Before his acupoints were unsealed, Yang Guihua bound Fang Pingzhai tightly with refined steel chains and additionally sealed twelve major acupoints on his body.
He questioned Yu Tuan’er and A’Shui through the night, and early the next morning, Jiao Shiqiao came to Dali Temple. After examining Yu Tuan’er and A’Shui, he went to interrogate Fang Pingzhai.
Fang Pingzhai had awakened long ago. Although he was hung with heavy iron shackles and still unable to move due to the sealed acupoints, Yang Guihua’s acupoint sealing skills naturally couldn’t compare to those old monks of Shaolin Temple. He still appeared elegant and composed, only lacking his red-feathered fan.
“What was found on him?” Jiao Shiqiao, dressed in official robes, arrived at the prison. Guards immediately brought him a chair and cushion, while another person said with a fawning smile, “He had nothing much on him – several dozen taels of silver, one strange-looking fan, and some small blade pieces. Nothing else.”
Jiao Shiqiao frowned. “Blade pieces? What kind of blade pieces?”
A guard brought over a red cloth tray containing dozens of curved throwing knives about an inch long, snow-white in color and curved like flowers in an extremely beautiful shape. Jiao Shiqiao picked one up. This weapon was sharpened on both edges and extremely sharp – only a master could possibly use this type of hidden weapon. He stared intently for a long time, then suddenly said, “You are Layered Petal Chong Hua…”
Fang Pingzhai sighed. “Who are you?”
Jiao Shiqiao said slowly, “I am not a person of the martial world, but I am well-versed in martial world stories. In the past hundred years, only Layered Petal Chong Hua of the Seven Flowers Cloud Wanderers could use these curved throwing knives to perform ‘Wind and Snow Blow the Peony.’ The Seven Flowers Cloud Wanderers have always been mysterious, their real names never known by anyone. This must be why no one knew that Fang Pingzhai is Layered Petal Chong Hua.” His gaze was sharp as a blade as he spoke word by word: “The Seven Flowers Cloud Wanderers are closely related to the recent martial world situation. After the battle between Romantic Inn and the Central Plains Sword Society, though defeated, they still dared to distribute Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills in the palace. Since Meihua Yishu, Kuanglan Wuxing, and One Peach Three Colors were all ministers under Romantic Inn, I wonder how much you know about Romantic Inn’s inner workings?”
“Me?” Fang Pingzhai said, “I’m just a wandering martial artist, leisurely observing and strolling through life, occasionally liking to cause trouble, occasionally wanting fame and glory, but I don’t seem to have done anything worthy of entering Dali Temple’s heavenly prison.”
Jiao Shiqiao said flatly, “Since you are Layered Petal Chong Hua, famous throughout the world, why would you still pursue fame and glory?”
Fang Pingzhai laughed heartily. “Always borrowing others’ glory becomes very tiresome. I want to rely on myself to defeat everyone under heaven, but unfortunately my luck is poor – I’ve never encountered an opportunity to become famous throughout the world.”
Jiao Shiqiao asked coolly, “How much do you know about Romantic Inn? Why were you traveling with Liu Yan? What designs does he have on palace affairs?”
“I know nothing about Romantic Inn.” Fang Pingzhai’s eyes deepened slightly. “I also don’t know why those three became ministers under Romantic Inn, because ten years ago, I already parted ways with my brothers from the Seven Flowers Cloud Wanderers.”
Jiao Shiqiao was startled. “Why?”
Fang Pingzhai laughed heartily. “Because they have deep brotherly bonds, while I am heartless and indifferent.”
Jiao Shiqiao frowned. “Why were you traveling with Liu Yan? Where is he now?”
“I travel with my master because he is my master. Since I was captured by those bald Shaolin monks and you’ve arrested me, how would I know where my master is? I should be asking you where he is!” Fang Pingzhai’s expression remained calm. “Though you and I have different intentions toward him, I have no intention of harming him.”
Jiao Shiqiao closed his eyes to think for a moment, then stood up. “I’ll come again tomorrow. If you still maintain this attitude, speaking nothing but glib nonsense, don’t blame me for being disrespectful to you.”
Fang Pingzhai smiled. “I am truly instructed.”
Since this person was Layered Petal Chong Hua, he absolutely could not be kept alive. From today’s conversation, Jiao Shiqiao knew that Fang Pingzhai was tight-lipped – things he didn’t want to say absolutely could not be extracted even through torture. Rather than listen to his nonsense and keep such a dangerous person in prison, it would be better to kill the chicken to warn the monkey, letting Romantic Inn know that the imperial palace was absolutely not an easy place to provoke. As killing intent stirred in his heart, he didn’t want to keep him until tomorrow and immediately ordered Yang Guihua: at the third watch tonight, kill Fang Pingzhai!
Yang Guihua hadn’t expected Jiao Shiqiao to issue a death order after just one meeting with Fang Pingzhai, which showed how dangerous this person was. Though he felt some regret about killing Fang Pingzhai at the third watch, he had no choice but to act. Fang Pingzhai was a tiger – if you can’t kill a tiger fatally, there’s danger of retaliation. He understood this principle well.
Yu Tuan’er and A’Shui were locked in the same cell, surrounded by other female prisoners. Yu Tuan’er was unconscious from severe injuries, but Yang Guihua kindly sent medicine and clean water, which A’Shui was feeding her spoonful by spoonful. Fengfeng had been taken away by Yang Guihua, who said she was entrusted to a wet nurse in the mansion. A’Shui believed him on this point – though Yang Guihua was a government soldier, he was also a gentleman.
Time passed quickly. Autumn wind blew some fallen leaves, the weather became colder, and night soon arrived.
Fang Pingzhai was still locked to the stone wall of the prison, his acupoints still sealed. In these twelve hours he had eaten nothing and drunk not even a mouthful of water. Yang Guihua’s kindness toward Yu Tuan’er and A’Shui didn’t mean he would be equally careless with Fang Pingzhai.
Just past the second watch, before the third watch arrived, Fang Pingzhai was locked to the wall. Though his situation was unfavorable, he was sleeping peacefully when he suddenly heard the cell door creak and opened his eyes. Visitors in the deep of night usually had ill intentions, so he smiled at the newcomer. “In the middle of the night, rather than sleeping you come visiting, making me suspect your intention is – murder to silence witnesses?”
Yang Guihua flipped his wrist, azure steel sword in hand. He surprisingly carried no scabbard, continuously gripping the unsheathed sword. “Actually I don’t want to kill you. Young Master Fang has exceptional martial arts and is loyal and righteous. Though your character is unique, you’re still a true man. Unfortunately – you are Layered Petal Chong Hua, and since you’re Layered Petal Chong Hua, you must be killed.”
“Ha! I once thought this reputation of mine was quite impressive, but it turns out to be a death warrant.” Fang Pingzhai showed no fear, his face bearing a smile. “Are you afraid Romantic Inn will storm the heavenly prison to save me? Don’t worry, they’re not that foolish—” Before he could finish speaking, he heard two soft “whoosh” sounds, and the two guards behind Yang Guihua fell to the ground with thuds, their life or death unknown.
Fang Pingzhai was stunned. Yang Guihua spun around abruptly to see someone walking step by step into the prison entrance, wearing government soldier attire but no hat.
“Who is it?” Yang Guihua steadied himself and shouted in a low voice.
That person slowly walked before Yang Guihua, revealing a comical mask on his face – the face of Zhong Kui. Yang Guihua was startled, circulated his energy and called out, “Someone come! Someone is storming the heavenly prison!” Then he thrust his sword toward the newcomer. The person flicked his sleeve, and Yang Guihua’s sword, thrust with full power, bent and bounced back upon hitting the sleeve, flying from his hand with a clang.
Yang Guihua’s mind raced. Seeing he was no match for the newcomer, he spun around and pointed his fingers toward Fang Pingzhai’s fatal acupoint. Fang Pingzhai couldn’t move and widened his eyes waiting for death, but heard a muffled “pop” sound. The newcomer’s palm was faster than Yang Guihua’s movement, gently patting his back before his fingers could touch the fatal acupoint.
Yang Guihua froze and softly collapsed. Fang Pingzhai chuckled. “Seventh Brother, I truly didn’t expect you would save me today.”
The person wearing the Zhong Kui face stepped forward, placing Yang Guihua’s hand under his foot, and slowly removed the mask from his face. Beneath the mask was a face beautiful as a flower – it was Xifang Tao. She smiled charmingly. “When Sixth Brother is in trouble, how could little brother not save him? Moreover, Sixth Brother has always been loyal and righteous, preferring death to revealing Romantic Inn’s secrets. How could such a Sixth Brother be killed by a petty character like Yang Guihua with one sword? He’s not even worthy of carrying Sixth Brother’s shoes.”
While speaking, Xifang Tao had already unlocked the iron shackles on Fang Pingzhai and unsealed his acupoints. “Let’s go quickly. Though Dali Temple has no real masters, being trapped in a sea of people would still be troublesome.”
Fang Pingzhai flexed his wrists, which had been uncomfortable from the iron shackles. “When Jiao Shiqiao came to see me during the day, you couldn’t have been eavesdropping nearby, learning that I said nothing before deciding to save me, could you?”
Xifang Tao smiled sweetly. “How could that be? Even if you had told Jiao Shiqiao everything, since we once swore brotherhood with blood, I wouldn’t treat you as an outsider.”
Fang Pingzhai snorted and looked up at the sky. “If you truly cared about brotherhood, how could you have turned Third Brother and Fourth Brother into that half-dead state? Forget it, you need not explain to me. I made my choice very clear ten years ago. If I weren’t clear about it, I’d probably be just like Third Brother and Fourth Brother now – nothing more than your puppet.”
“Hehe… How can Sixth Brother wash his hands so clean? Don’t forget who offered those two cups of poisoned wine that Third Brother and Fourth Brother drank? Who invited and hosted that banquet?” Xifang Tao said leisurely. “You were involved from the very beginning. Don’t think you’re truly pure and innocent. Tang Lici obtained the Green Charm Pearl, and once he cures Huang Mingzhu’s poison and Third Brother and Fourth Brother wake up and remember past events, do you think they’ll hate you – or hate me?”
“You—” Fang Pingzhai smiled bitterly. “Having disguised yourself as a woman, can you be even more vicious than actual women?”
Xifang Tao pressed her finger to her lips and shushed. “Sixth Brother, come back. Haven’t ten years of wandering been enough? What have you gained from ten years of drifting? Who in this martial world recognizes you? Who respects you? Without money, power, or resources, even if you’re the greatest talent under heaven, you’ll still be submerged in the martial world’s torrent, unable to display your ambitions no matter how great they are.”
Fang Pingzhai waved his hand. “Eh – I don’t have any great ambitions, just a small wish to prove I can become famous without you all, but unfortunately—”
Xifang Tao smiled. “Unfortunately, you still cannot. Sixth Brother, the martial world looks down on you, but I value you.” She said gently, “Moreover, you owe me two lives – from back then, and from today.”
“This—” Fang Pingzhai patted his head. “This really is difficult to handle. Let’s talk about it later.” He walked out. “Perhaps there’ll be another chance to gather in the future, perhaps there’ll never be another opportunity. For now, I don’t want to change.”
Xifang Tao said leisurely, “For now I also don’t want to change anything. Before you learn Liu Yan’s Sound Kill technique, you can do whatever you want – I absolutely won’t interfere.”
Fang Pingzhai laughed. “You really are far-sighted, wanting everything…” Before finishing his words, his figure flashed as he darted into the women’s prison, instantly disappearing from sight.
Xifang Tao giggled. She also had intentions of taking the two young ladies from the women’s prison, but now was not the time to fall out with Fang Pingzhai.