Liu Yan’s entire body was trembling slightly. “You—you’ve always been good to her. Don’t say such things. I won’t believe you.”

Tang Lici suddenly laughed. That smile was like a demonic flower blooming—eerie and magnificent, vanishing in an instant. “Saying such things only shows that A’Yan, you don’t know how to hurt people.”

Liu Yan’s fingertips trembled as he gripped the wheelchair’s armrests tightly. “Why must you treat her this way? She trusts you and cares about you. She’s concerned about you… considers you a friend. How can you treat her like this? Ali, she’s not your toy. You can’t break her just because you like her… She’s a person! A living person! She’s already suffering enough. How can you treat her this way?”

Tang Lici smiled slightly without answering, saying gently, “Time to eat. Aren’t you hungry?”

Liu Yan’s entire body stiffened. He forcibly broke off a piece of the wheelchair’s armrest. “Eat!”

Upon hearing the words “eat,” two more people suddenly appeared in the room. Shui Duopo and Mo Ziru had somehow slipped through the door and were already sitting boldly at the table, raising their chopsticks to chew heartily. Tang Lici had another portion of unsalted dishes in front of him, which he ate slowly. Liu Yan ate his own meal with his head down. The four ate their respective portions without any conversation.

“Hey,” Shui Duopo said halfway through eating, suddenly glancing at Tang Lici. “You’re leaving tomorrow?”

Tang Lici nodded, chewing slowly with elegant posture.

Shui Duopo tapped his chopsticks on the dish. “No salt, no sugar, nothing fried, deep-fried, or roasted. Best to eat plain congee and vegetables every day.”

Tang Lici stopped his chopsticks. “Why…”

Shui Duopo made an “uh” sound. “This… I can’t tell you.”

Tang Lici didn’t ask further, picking up his chopsticks to continue eating. Mo Ziru’s eyelids closed as he asked quietly, “Aren’t you curious?”

Tang Lici looked at the dishes on the table with a thoughtful expression but said nothing. Mo Ziru opened his eyes, quietly eating vegetables without continuing the topic.

Liu Yan gripped his chopsticks forcefully, almost breaking them. He didn’t want to look at Tang Lici yet couldn’t help but notice his breathing. After a long while, he suddenly said, “You… after you return to Haoyun Mountain, avoid fighting with people.”

Tang Lici continued looking at the dishes on the table. After a long time, he said gently, “I’m the world’s number one, so it’s impossible not to fight with people.”

Liu Yan said angrily, “You—your injuries haven’t healed yet. The Central Plains Sword Association has countless experts. Is it your turn to take action?”

Tang Lici smiled. Mo Ziru and Shui Duopo each ate their meals as if they hadn’t heard anything. Liu Yan threw down his bowl and chopsticks with a “pa” sound, pushing his wheelchair to leave the room. He wouldn’t eat anymore.

Shui Duopo and Mo Ziru’s peripheral vision swept over Liu Yan’s retreating figure. Only after Liu Yan had completely disappeared did Shui Duopo sigh and mutter, “No one to wash dishes now…”

Mo Ziru remained unmoved with his usual expression—after all, this wasn’t his Dark Fragrance Residence.

Shui Duopo glanced sideways at Tang Lici. “He means well for you.”

Tang Lici picked up a piece of vegetable. “He’s just being naive, plus wishful thinking.”

Mo Ziru closed his eyes and nodded—he shared Tang Lici’s sentiment.

Shui Duopo opened his sleeve fan with a “pa” and closed it again. “Haha! I was wrong. Let’s eat, let’s eat.”

Liu Yan pushed his wheelchair back to the guest room in Bright Moon Tower. Shui Duopo never entertained guests, so this “guest room” didn’t even have a bed. The floor was piled with gold, silver, and precious jewels. He slept every day lying on those heaps of gold and silver, using Shui Duopo’s piles of brand-new white robes as bedding. Returning to his room now, everything he saw glittered with jewels and treasures, making his mood even more irritated. He turned his wheelchair toward the window. Outside was the shimmering water and layered mountain colors, making him exhale deeply.

Ali… still didn’t know his true condition. He never thought he would die. He would still rely on his immunity to all poisons to single-handedly turn the tide and hold the pass alone. He liked doing such things—not out of vanity or desire for control, but because he refused to let others take risks. His external injuries had already healed. No one could stop him from doing anything, including things that would harm himself and others.

Liu Yan gazed at the distant mountains, deep sorrow in his eyes. He couldn’t save Tang Lici, couldn’t protect A’Shui, didn’t know how to find Fang Pingzhai and Yu Tuan’er. Yet everyone in the world believed the most important thing he should do and think about was the antidote for the Crimson Ghost Nine Hearts Pills.

He raised his right hand and gripped the windowsill tightly, his fingers exerting so much force that blood seeped through the gaps. His heart couldn’t calm down, he couldn’t think of anything, only feeling that he was about to be crushed by the pressure surging from heaven and earth.

December brought gradually colder weather. Yesterday saw a light snowfall, making He County appear especially pure and ethereal. Several figures walked arduously through the snow. Though the snow wasn’t deep, the roads were muddy and difficult. There was only one path from East City to He County, leaving everyone helpless. These travelers heading to He County included one in purple dress, one in yellow robes with a red fan, and one in black dress with a sword—they were Fang Pingzhai’s group.

After Fang Pingzhai rescued A’Shui and Yu Tuan’er from the heavenly prison and broke into Yang Guihua’s room to find Fengfeng, the three plus one child left Luoyang. Unable to find any news of Liu Yan despite searching everywhere, they had no choice but to pin their hopes on Beautiful Lady Residence in Jiaoyu Town. Yu Tuan’er only hoped Gui Mudan’s words weren’t false—that Liu Yan would indeed appear at Beautiful Lady Residence in Jiaoyu Town in two days. However, everyone knew the hope was slim. Liu Yan had been captured by assassins of unknown origin. With his body half-disabled and martial arts completely lost, how could he escape and come to Beautiful Lady Residence? Unless he had been captured by Gui Mudan herself. But if Gui Mudan wanted to capture him, why didn’t she act in the deserted area outside Shaolin Temple instead of snatching him from among the seventeen monks of Shaolin who had surrounded him? This made no sense at all.

A’Shui held Fengfeng in her arms. She worried about Liu Yan’s safety and Tang Lici’s whereabouts, but all along the way, what she heard was news of both Tang Lici and Liu Yan disappearing while Xifang Tao led the Central Plains Sword Association in sweeping away the Romantic Shop’s remnants. The higher Xifang Tao’s reputation rose, the more uneasy she became. If Young Master Tang were safe and sound, how could such things happen? She followed Fang Pingzhai and Yu Tuan’er in searching for Liu Yan while worrying considerably about Tang Lici.

Jiaoyu Town was north of He County, and Beautiful Lady Residence was a quite famous restaurant in Jiaoyu Town. Ten years ago, Fang Pingzhai had hosted a great banquet for the Seven Flowers Cloud Wanderers here. The “Wenchun Wine” of Beautiful Lady Residence was what had poisoned Meihua Yishu. Now that Gui Mudan had proclaimed they would meet at Beautiful Lady Residence, her intentions were clear as day. However, Fang Pingzhai had no choice but to come.

He truly couldn’t bring himself to disown this master. Though his master always gave him cold looks and never showed him a good face, his young disciple’s heart was still set on learning the incomplete Sound Killing technique. He couldn’t betray his master and destroy his ancestors first. Yu Tuan’er was deeply devoted to Liu Yan. Even if Fang Pingzhai didn’t come, no matter how far Beautiful Lady Residence was—thousands or tens of thousands of miles—she would definitely come, let alone with Fang Pingzhai accompanying her. After several days of rough travel, they had reached He County today. With just half a day’s more travel, they could reach Jiaoyu Town.

With the month’s deadline approaching, many martial artists were heading to Jiaoyu Town. The path Fang Pingzhai took from He County to Jiaoyu Town was relatively secluded. At this time, only the three of them were walking on it. The light snow had just melted, making the soil wet and cold. Walking on the muddy ground was as uncomfortable as it could be.

“Hey, do you think he’ll really be there?” Yu Tuan’er asked while walking unsteadily. “If he’s not there, where should we look for him?”

Fang Pingzhai had his red fan tucked behind his neck. In the harsh winter cold, if he continued waving that red fan around, even he would think himself crazy. So he tucked the red feather fan behind his neck, where it could also block the cold wind. He smiled bitterly. “This… I think since Big Brother made that declaration, he definitely has ways to make Master walk into the trap himself.”

Yu Tuan’er breathed deeply of the crisp, cold air. “What methods?”

Fang Pingzhai continued smiling bitterly. “For example—he hangs you from the roof of Beautiful Lady Residence. Do you think Master would come or not?”

Yu Tuan’er snorted. “How would I know? If it were me, I’d definitely come, but I’m not him.”

Fang Pingzhai shook his head—he and Yu Tuan’er really had difficulty communicating. He turned to look at A’Shui. “What does Miss A’Shui think?”

“I think the lord… I think he will come,” A’Shui said, stroking Fengfeng’s neck. Fengfeng grasped her collar, his pair of bright black eyes looking at the desolate mountains and waters with focused attention.

Yu Tuan’er’s eyes brightened as she grasped A’Shui’s hand. “Why?” She only hoped A’Shui would give solid evidence proving Liu Yan would be at Beautiful Lady Residence.

A’Shui was slightly taller than her. She gently patted her head just as she tenderly caressed Fengfeng. “Because he has nowhere else to go.”

Yu Tuan’er was stunned—she didn’t understand. “He has nowhere else to go? But this is the most dangerous place where the most people want to kill him!”

A’Shui sighed. “Silly girl, if he hid and disappeared completely, wouldn’t you be very disappointed?”

Yu Tuan’er nodded. “He wouldn’t do that.”

A’Shui smiled slightly. “So… he won’t hide. He has nowhere else to go. If he can come, he’ll come here.”

Yu Tuan’er stomped heavily on the ground. “Sister A’Shui, you’re so clever. I know why he always remembers you.”

A’Shui bit her lower lip slightly. “He said he remembers me?”

Yu Tuan’er looked at Fengfeng in A’Shui’s arms, reached over to hold him, touching the baby’s soft hair and skin. She kissed the top of his head before returning him to A’Shui, then sighed. “Mm, even if he doesn’t say it, I know he remembers you and thinks of you every day.”

A’Shui shook her head. “Are you jealous?”

Yu Tuan’er stared blankly at Fengfeng. “I don’t know. Sometimes I feel he’s very good to me, but… but when I see the way he looks at you, I feel… I feel he’d rather be with you, and I get very disappointed.” She patted her forehead. “But I understand that’s because I can’t make him want to be with me—it’s not your fault.”

A’Shui grasped her hand and sighed quietly. “Girl, he’ll understand someday that you’re a thousand times better than me. He wants to be with me now only because…” She paused slightly. “Only because he’s mistaken.”

Yu Tuan’er squeezed her hand. “Sister, do you miss him?”

A’Shui’s heart trembled slightly. For an instant, she felt her heart jump heavily, not knowing where it had gone. Scenes of being with Liu Yan flashed before her eyes—that bewitching, melancholy, absolutely beautiful face, the cruel and willful abuse, the lost and frenzied heart… the child lost after soaking in the water dungeon for a day and night, and his extremely sorrowful eyes that day… To say she didn’t miss him, to say she could completely forget—that would be false. She did miss him… day and night she thought of Liu Yan’s pitifulness, Tang Lici’s cruelty, Fu Zhumei’s kindness, even Hao Wenhou… thinking of his bone-deep devotion, the corpses everywhere, Liu Yan’s pipa, those piercingly mournful melodies… “I don’t miss him,” she said gently.