Dusk.
The crowd still gathered outside Beautiful Lady Residence. Liu Yan had not come all along. The people assigned to groups for vigilance and investigation began to slacken. Even respected elders like Master Wenxiu and Great Master Dacheng were becoming restless. No one knew whether Liu Yan would truly appear. And even if he appeared, whether he carried the antidote. Whether Liu Yan was still alive. If he died, if there was an antidote, whether the antidote had been seized by others. If there was no antidote, with Romantic Shop using the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills as threat, would the sect leaders flatly refuse for their disciples’ sake, or reluctantly comply? Some began calculating retreat, but just withdrawing several hundred feet, they saw dark shadows moving in the forest – quite a few Romantic Shop forces lurking, and while they themselves had not eaten or rested for a day, the other side had rested long and was energetic. Though they had not yet attacked, it was already chilling.
The sky darkened bit by bit, everyone’s energy drained bit by bit, the surrounding forces grew more and more numerous, yet Liu Yan remained nowhere to be found. By now, even the leisurely Tian Xunzi, Hongmen Sword and others became slightly agitated. Deceived into coming, fallen into heavy encirclement – what should they do?
The gloomy sky suddenly brightened, followed by a thunderous roar. Everyone looked up. Heavy rain poured down from the sky, actually painful to the touch and obscuring vision.
Cheng Yunpao called for everyone to draw their circle inward, but with scattered hearts, though people’s steps retreated, they were uneven. There was the sound of arrows being drawn in the forest – countless dark arrowheads pointed at the gathered crowd in the rain. Though the forces led by Master Wenxiu, Dong Hubi and others were numerous, they had no shelter, exposed to heavy rain and arrows. Once the bowstrings sounded, casualties would surely be heavy. In an instant, those with higher martial arts like Cheng Yunpao, Tian Xunzi, Hongmen Sword, Master Wenxiu, Great Master Dacheng all rushed to the perimeter, preparing to intercept arrows.
But the forest did not release arrows. The encirclement was very tight. The heavy rain blurred everyone’s vision, unable to see clearly how many people there were. The lights on Beautiful Lady Residence’s second floor appeared dim and hazy in the wind and rain, swaying constantly. Everyone was soaked through, all feeling extremely cold. In the southern winter, though the rainwater did not freeze, it chilled to the bone. Dong Hubi was first to lose patience, crying out strangely, “Everyone charge out together, damn this freezing cold, if we don’t freeze to death we’ll—” Before he finished speaking, Beautiful Lady Residence suddenly emanated the extremely tempting, indescribably wonderful fragrance of spicy tripe. “Wow” came low exclamations. Many younger disciples drooled with desire, restless and ready to move. Hearing Dong Hubi shout “charge out,” several people drew swords and rushed outward.
“Wait!” Cheng Yunpao shouted coldly, joining Master Wenxiu to pull those people back. “Calm down! Stay steady! Acting now is too disadvantageous. Everyone dig earth in the middle of the circle, dig a big pit. Everyone hide inside, push the dirt outside to pile high and block arrows!” His commanding shout took effect. The few who had stepped out shrank back. Those with higher martial arts blocked arrows on the perimeter while those with weaker martial arts worked hard digging earth. Soon the ground was excavated into a large hole by everyone. If arrows shot from outside, hiding in the hole could greatly reduce casualties. Master Wenxiu, Tian Xunzi, Hongmen Sword and others all felt Cheng Yunpao responded nimbly, praising him inwardly. The panicked martial world heroes were also somewhat comforted and more composed. But Cheng Yunpao’s heart was extremely worried. This place had no shelter and no food or water. The completely surrounded situation was very disadvantageous. If they waited for the rain to stop before fighting their way out, casualties would surely be numerous. And who knew what plots the Romantic Shop people harbored from their high position. If anyone was captured, the implications would be considerable.
“Susu, the people below are digging a pit.” Fu Cui on the second floor laughed happily while eating tripe. “Such a big pit – perhaps it could bury several hundred corpses.” Bai Suche stood there watching indifferently. “As long as Eastern Princess strikes a few palms, like wind sweeping fallen leaves, most of those ants will die.” Fu Cui shook her head repeatedly. “The Ghost Master hasn’t come yet. Having those death warriors surround them with arrows, I don’t know what for. If we’re going to kill, kill early. Making me wait and wait, I’ve lost the mood to kill.”
“He probably encountered something important.” Bai Suche stared unblinkingly at the dark sky and heavy rain outside. “Don’t you think in this weather, though the people in the circle can’t charge out, if someone approaches from outside, we also can’t tell?” Fu Cui laughed heartily. “You mean there might be changes?” Bai Suche said indifferently, “I just think… for such a major event today, could Tang Lici really not come?”
Hearing the three words “Tang Lici,” Fu Cui’s expression changed. The black-clothed person who had been silent suddenly said coldly, “The Ghost Master has come.” In the wind and rain, a black shadow rose ghost-like from the mountain valley behind Beautiful Lady Residence, instantly floating into the second floor’s elegant seats without making the slightest sound. Bai Suche, Fu Cui, the black-clothed person and all their subordinates together saluted the newcomer. This person wore black clothes embroidered with flowers – it was Gui Mudan.
“Why is the Ghost Master so late?” Fu Cui smiled. “Who was making trouble below just now, burning so many tents?” Gui Mudan said grimly, “Fang Pingzhai.” Fu Cui was quite surprised. “How strange – why would he oppose you?” Gui Mudan raised his hand. “Sixth Brother is a person who values loyalty. His coming to find someone was expected. Don’t worry, I have other plans for him.” He glanced briefly at the crowd below. “Who’s in charge down there?”
“It looks like Cheng Yunpao and the old nun Wenxiu are holding the scene together. Dong Hubi and his ilk can no longer contain themselves.” Fu Cui said with a grin. “If the Ghost Master wants us to kill, I’ll jump down and kill that old nun.” Gui Mudan shook something from his bosom. “Of these several hundred people who came, I only want the leading figures of each sect. I want them captured alive, not killed.” What he shook out was a piece of human skin. Bai Suche saw it and was slightly shocked. “This is—”
“This is Liu Yan’s human skin.” Gui Mudan looked up to the sky and laughed loudly. “Hahahaha, listen you people below! Liu Yan is already in my hands, the antidote to the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills is also in my hands. His human skin is in my hands – who doesn’t believe?” The martial world heroes looked at each other, all showing expressions of inexplicable shock. The antidote had been obtained by Romantic Shop – what should everyone do? They heard Gui Mudan say grimly, “I know each of your sects has people who need the antidote to save their lives. How about this – let each sect leader abolish their own martial arts and come with me. After one year when the poison takes effect, I will deliver the antidote to each sect as promised, absolutely no false words. How about it?”
“Nonsense!” Master Wenxiu said angrily. “Even if my Emei disciples die from poison, we absolutely will not be threatened by you demon!” Gui Mudan laughed shrilly and strangely. “Hahaha, Master Wenxiu, you fear death yet can sacrifice your disciples’ lives? I invite you to be my honored guest, treating you with the courtesy of an honored guest. If you come with me you absolutely won’t die and will have no suffering. But because you won’t accept threats, your disciples must suffer the pain of growing spots all over their bodies, itching all over, then festering all over until only bones remain? If you have the guts, take the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills yourself and suffer and die together with your disciples. Otherwise don’t put on that sanctimonious appearance here talking about Emei’s integrity.”
Master Wenxiu was furious, drawing her sword. But with many experts upstairs, what Gui Mudan said was not entirely unreasonable and hard to refute at once. She was not eloquent either and was momentarily speechless. Having her take the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills and lead her disciples in retreat seemed unworthy, while having her abolish her martial arts and go with Gui Mudan for the vague promise of an antidote was even more absurd. But with words reaching this point, if she turned and left, she could hardly escape suspicion of not caring about her disciples’ lives and deaths. Everyone looked at each other. Those poisoned showed faces full of hope, sect leaders frowned deeply, all knowing they had fallen into a dilemma.
“How about it? You martial heroes who are deeply revered by disciples, famous throughout the world, humble as valleys, and righteously spirited – what is your decision? What are your true faces like? Today let everyone look together, see whether my Romantic Shop is vicious or whether your righteous martial world’s faces are ugly!” Gui Mudan’s extremely arrogant wild laughter came through the heavy rain, the more muffled it was the more fierce and grating it seemed. In the night with no stars or moon, winds and clouds rapidly changing, between heaven and earth it was as if only a huge ghost net remained, a ghost king so powerful it was hard to defeat laughing wildly. Each time it laughed, the rain seemed to fall harder, the night seemed darker, as if it would never dawn.
“With just one human skin mask of unknown authenticity, can you prove you’ve captured Liu Yan?” Through the torrential rain, someone’s voice came remotely across the water and dense forest, yet the voice remained elegant and gentle, as if speaking face to face, even the final lingering notes of each word could be distinguished clearly. Master Wenxiu was startled and suddenly blurted out, “Tang Lici…”
The crowd forming a circle and digging the pit all stood up together. Actually Master Wenxiu had never met Tang Lici, but in the current situation, with someone saying such words, she instinctively concluded it was Tang Lici.
Besides Tang Lici, no one could say such words, in such a tone, on such a rainy night.
Cheng Yunpao was both shocked and delighted, straining to look into the dense forest, but could see nothing in the dark night, only the dazzling heavy rain reflecting Beautiful Lady Residence’s lights. Tang Lici’s location was unknown. But how could he suddenly appear? Wasn’t he staying at Haoyun Mountain discussing important matters with Miss Tao? Where was Miss Tao? Why didn’t she come?
Hearing the voice, Gui Mudan had already begun laughing loudly. “Your excellency could actually arrive in time – I truly admire you! Only – judging from your tone just now, are you saying I didn’t capture Liu Yan? Could it be that you captured Liu Yan? Hahahaha…” Through the wind and rain, someone answered with a smile, “Neither you nor I have captured Liu Yan.”
Gui Mudan was startled. Everyone looked toward where the voice came from, their hearts racing, only hoping every word Tang Lici said was true. Under everyone’s gaze, a figure floated out from somewhere in the dense forest, his white clothes like immortal-dyed clouds crossing the void, gliding through the air like stepping on nothing, lightly landing before Cheng Yunpao. The pouring rain seemed to have no effect on him at all. His silver-gray long hair shimmered brilliantly in the rain – it was Tang Lici.
Someone let out a low cry. Everyone unconsciously let out long sighs of relief. Tang Lici held a closed white oil-paper umbrella in his right hand and a piece of white cloth in his left, his expression very peaceful. “Gui Mudan of the Yin-Yang song, neither you nor I have captured Liu Yan. Why use the antidote matter to deceive people? You know very clearly – you have no antidote, I have no antidote. Only Liu Yan has the antidote, and he left behind human skin and a letter before departing. You merely obtained a piece of human skin, I merely obtained a letter, nothing more.”
At these words, the expressions of several Romantic Shop people in Beautiful Lady Residence changed. The martial world heroes discussed among themselves, but Master Wenxiu and other martial arts masters breathed sighs of relief, gathering around Tang Lici to ask in low voices what was going on.
Tang Lici raised the white cloth in his hand. On the cloth were written those few sentences by Liu Yan. Everyone passed it around to read. Though they were quite puzzled by Liu Yan’s sudden desire to “exchange summons for medicine,” they were even more relieved.
Liu Yan had no intention of using the antidote to control any sect. He only wanted supreme martial arts.