Bi Lianyi looked up, seeming momentarily confused about what he was saying. After a pause, he said “Ah” with understanding. “This was unexpected. I’ll send people to investigate Kuanglan Wuxing’s background as quickly as possible. The Palace Master will return tonight, so Young Master Fu shouldn’t blame himself.”

When Fu Zhumei heard that Wanyu Yuedan would return tonight, he let out a long breath of relief. “Little Bi, I think Miss Hong… she’s waiting for you.”

Bi Lianyi remained silent. Fu Zhumei rubbed his hair. “I think… I think she cares about you very much.”

Bi Lianyi looked at him and smiled faintly. “Her thoughts are complicated. I hope she can be happy, but I don’t want her to go astray again.”

Fu Zhumei carefully looked into his eyes. Bi Lianyi asked, “What is it?”

Fu Zhumei shook his head, showing a sincere smile. “I never knew before that Little Bi was such a thoughtful person. You’re very good.”

Bi Lianyi smiled. For a moment, neither knew what else to say, as if they suddenly understood each other completely. Fu Zhumei scratched his hair, turned around, and left, letting Bi Lianyi continue standing there.

He understood that Little Bi didn’t want to upset Miss Hong. If he appeared before her, she might do something even more extreme to resist Biluo Palace’s kindness.

She had to maintain her rationality and bottom line. She couldn’t betray Liu Yan for Biluo Palace’s kindness and gentleness.

He understood Miss Hong’s suffering, and Little Bi understood it as well, so he stood there waiting silently.

He hoped to wait for a decision.

Half a month later.

Haoyun Mountain.

The mist-shrouded mountain peak remained verdant despite the piercing winter cold.

In the Sword-Questioning Pavilion, a man in purple robes held a war halberd, one foot planted on the pavilion’s railing. The mountain wind made his purple cloak flutter dramatically, and the mist swirled rapidly around him, defying the natural wind patterns like whirlpools beneath a waterfall.

“He… who is he?” Disciples of the Central Plains Sword Association whispered among themselves as they gazed from afar at that imposing figure in the Sword-Questioning Pavilion from Shanfeng Hall.

“Shh—don’t you really recognize him? That’s Kuanglan Wuxing. I heard he was previously controlled by the Romantic Shop’s poisons, but now he’s awakened.” Someone whispered quietly, “As soon as he awakened, he immediately came to Haoyun Mountain, reformed from his evil ways, and is following the Central Plains Sword Association’s arrangements and commands.”

“I heard that ten years ago he was already an elder judge of the Central Plains Sword Association. Now that he’s regained his senses, naturally he wants to assist the association. I just never expected that the mentally confused Kuanglan Wuxing would look like this once he awakened.” Another person whispered quietly, “Miss Tao is beautiful as a flower, but Kuanglan Wuxing has a demonic and evil aura.”

“Shh—didn’t you hear when I told you to keep your voice down? Look at him—he’s definitely not someone to mess with. I bet when those thieves from the Romantic Shop encounter him, they’re bound to have terrible luck.”

“Hehe… It would be good if the Romantic Shop had terrible luck. Otherwise, their poison spreads endlessly and everyone lives in fear—no one can have peaceful days. I heard Miss Tao calling his name very intimately. The two seem to have a deep relationship.”

“Eh? His name? What’s Kuanglan Wuxing’s real name?”

“Zhu Yan. I heard Miss Tao call him Zhu Yan.”

“Zhu Yan… Looking at him like this, he should change his name to ‘Mad Face,’ ‘Demon Face,’ or ‘Ghost Face’…”

Kuanglan Wuxing stood holding his halberd with one foot on the railing, overlooking the mountain scenery, motionless. Even from a distance, one could see his elongated face with sharp, defined features. His cheeks were exceptionally pale, even somewhat bluish-white, but above his cheekbones and below his eye corners was a patch of color that was neither quite purple nor quite red—a blood-like flush. Combined with his long, dark eyeliner and cold, hollow gaze, he appeared handsome, aloof, and profound, yet also seemed filled with evil passion and murderous aura, making observers shudder with cold.

A blue-robed youth walked up behind the two chatting people and smiled slightly. “What are you two discussing?”

The two chatting people jumped in fright. Turning around, they both cupped their fists and bowed. “Young Hero Gu.”

This slowly approaching blue-robed youth wore a sword at his side—he was Cheng Yunpao’s junior brother, “Qingxi Gentleman” Gu Xitan. He had been confined by Cheng Yunpao to practice swordsmanship on Qingyun Mountain. Now, having achieved success in his sword techniques, he had emerged from the mountain to assist his senior brother and had just arrived at Haoyun Mountain. The two from the Central Plains Sword Association felt somewhat ashamed, claiming they hadn’t said anything, and took their leave. Gu Xitan stood where the two had been standing, gazing intently into the distance. He also saw Kuanglan Wuxing standing alone in the pavilion, holding his halberd while observing the mountain, as if quietly awaiting a powerful enemy, without a trace of relaxation anywhere on his body.

Just as Gu Xitan was staring, a woman in peach-colored robes entered the Sword-Questioning Pavilion with a charming smile and began conversing with Kuanglan Wuxing. Gu Xitan vaguely recognized her as Xifang Tao, an indispensable important figure in the Central Plains Sword Association at this time. She was a benefactor to the association—though a woman, her knowledge and martial arts were not inferior to anyone’s. She was truly a heroine among women.

The two spoke for a few sentences. Strangely, Kuanglan Wuxing never turned around, speaking to Xifang Tao with his back to her. Gu Xitan watched for a while, didn’t think much of it, and turned to go to Cheng Yunpao’s room.

The Sword-Questioning Pavilion was too far from this location. If Gu Xitan’s eyesight had been even better, he would have seen that when speaking with Xifang Tao, Kuanglan Wuxing not only didn’t turn around but didn’t even open his eyes.

“Third Brother.” When Xifang Tao entered the Sword-Questioning Pavilion, her laughter was bright and charming. Her beautiful face made the mist-filled pavilion brighten, as if a flower had bloomed.

Kuanglan Wuxing didn’t turn around. He still faced down the mountain, but he closed his eyes. “I hate hypocrisy.”

“Zhu Yan, since you hate hypocrisy, I’ll speak frankly.” Xifang Tao’s charming smile disappeared without a trace in an instant. “I understand that you standing here now wasn’t easy. You overcame needle wounds, poison afflictions, a long blank period, and bone-deep hatred—in just half a month—you completely recovered yourself. Honestly, it was completely beyond my expectations.”

Kuanglan Wuxing said nothing. Xifang Tao raised her hand to gently touch her own face. “I also understand very well why you can let go of your hatred toward me, why you could recover so quickly, why you’re now standing here being obedient to me… You want to see her, and she’s in my hands.”

“I hate that face of yours,” Kuanglan Wuxing said coldly. “It’s painful to look at.”

Xifang Tao smiled gracefully. “If you hate this face of mine, how will you see Xue Tao… My current face is exactly the same as hers. Though you can’t see her now, seeing my face should provide some comfort. What’s wrong with that? She’s in my hands and is currently living well and peacefully…”

“What have you done to her?” Kuanglan Wuxing asked in a low voice.

Xifang Tao leaned against the railing and smiled. “Her… if you’re willing, I can let you see her once. The price is killing someone for me. Are you willing?”

Kuanglan Wuxing’s voice was ice-cold and hoarse. “Kill whom?”

Xifang Tao said softly, “Wanyu Yuedan.”

Kuanglan Wuxing’s eyelashes didn’t even tremble. “Fine.”

Xifang Tao continued softly, “He’s your benefactor. Can you bring yourself to kill him?”

Kuanglan Wuxing said coldly, “In my entire life, I exist only for Xue Tao. Everything else is meaningless.”

Xifang Tao smiled charmingly. “Sometimes I think that if I could be as devoted as you, perhaps my cousin would have married me long ago.” She turned around, sleeves behind her back, and walked out. “After you kill Wanyu Yuedan, I’ll tell you where she is.”

“After I see Xue Tao, I’ll take her away,” Kuanglan Wuxing said in a low voice. “And then the next thing I’ll do is kill you—”

Xifang Tao walked calmly. “As you should.” Her figure gradually disappeared into the mist.

Kuanglan Wuxing lifted his war halberd and thrust it heavily into the ground. Only the sound of cracking rocks could be heard as the ten-foot halberd penetrated more than a foot into the stone, standing upright without falling. He wasn’t foolish. Xifang Tao wanted him to kill Wanyu Yuedan because he had the least reason to kill Wanyu Yuedan, making him most likely to succeed. After the killing, she would inevitably claim that his poison had just been cured and his mind was still disturbed, putting him in a situation where he would be surrounded by enemies on all sides—killing two birds with one stone. This couldn’t be called much of a strategy; she had simply dug a trap and was waiting for him to willingly jump into it.

She had calculated his personality correctly. He was profound, but more importantly, he was arrogant.

He never sought benefit while avoiding harm. He only did what he wanted to do and only walked the path he wanted to walk. Whether what lay ahead was a trap or smooth road, mountains of knives and seas of fire or a paradise, to Zhu Yan, it was all the same.

He wanted to see Xue Tao—no matter how many people he had to kill, no matter what methods he had to use. It was just that simple.