In the rolling hills of Jiangnan, lush and verdant, beside the eastern sea shore and along the banks of Chongyue River, there stood a mountain named Haoyun. This mountain was not particularly high, merely several dozen zhang, yet among the surrounding peaks, this short summit was perpetually shrouded in mist and clouds, rarely revealing its true face. Moreover, due to excessive moisture, the rocks and soil were covered with moss, making them extremely slippery. Though the mountain was not tall, it was exceedingly difficult to climb. The air was so saturated with water vapor that ordinary people found it hard to breathe, making it a forbidden territory.
Sword-Questioning Pavilion.
At the peak of Haoyun Mountain, amidst the ethereal clouds and mist, there vaguely stood a simple wooden pavilion, constructed from trees felled and nailed together from the mountaintop, equally covered in moss. Inside the pavilion were several wooden benches and nothing else.
A black-clad figure stood with his back turned in the wooden pavilion, water vapor swirling around him, his full head of black hair slightly dampened with dew, as if frosted with age. Another person in white robes with loose hair held a sword in his hand—he was a monk, none other than Master Puzhu.
“According to what you say, Yu Qifeng’s residence secretly harbored medicinal substances, contained assassins within, and was indeed connected to the Scarlet Ghost Nine Hearts Pills affair.” The black-clad man said coldly, “But did you personally witness Tang Lici retrieving the medicine from the coffin? Even if he did retrieve medicine, how do you know it was definitely the Scarlet Ghost Nine Hearts Pills and not something else? Isn’t it possible that Tang Lici was framing Yu Qifeng? The possibilities are fifty-fifty either way. With Master’s cultivated composure, you should not have acted so hastily. Now that Yu Qifeng is dead and the Yu Family Sword Manor destroyed, there is no way to prove anything. How will Master explain this to Shaolin? How will you explain this to the Central Plains Sword Assembly?” Master Puzhu’s eyes were slightly closed. “The incident happened suddenly. I indeed did not see Tang Lici opening the grave to retrieve medicine, nor do I know if that medicine was truly the legendary poison. But when Xiao Qilan, Chi Yun, and Shen Langhun simultaneously attacked the Sword King, I could block one person but not the other two. Your junior brother also intervened to block me. In that chaotic situation, the Sword King had already been struck by Shen Langhun’s hidden weapon, his life hanging in the balance.” The black-clad man was precisely Gu Xitan’s senior brother, Cheng Yunpao. “My junior brother was rash and willful, trusting the wrong people. I have already confined him to the Azure Cloud Sword Prison for self-reflection. Junior brother is young and doesn’t understand matters clearly, but Master, as a senior, should not have been confused along with him.” He looked up at the clouds. “The Sword King has maintained an illustrious reputation for decades, standing as a pillar of the Central Plains martial world. How could he be toppled by a few people’s nonsense? Even if Master harbored suspicions about him, you should have proceeded steadily to gather evidence and requested the Central Plains Sword Assembly to handle the matter. Now that Yu Qifeng has died suddenly, he had numerous relatives, friends, and disciples. His death has created countless enemies. Yu Qifeng was once the Sword King of the Sword Assembly. If we cannot prove he was selling poison, the Central Plains Sword Assembly cannot let his death rest, or where would the face of such a great assembly be? Tang Lici is cunning and crafty, hiding far away at Cat Tooth Peak’s Biluo Palace. Due to Biluo Palace’s past kindness to the martial world, the Central Plains Sword Assembly cannot move to apprehend him. But you, Master, and my foolish junior brother will inevitably face trouble.” Master Puzhu said calmly, “You confined Gu Xitan to the Azure Cloud Mountain Sword Prison early on, having already foreseen this matter. Yunpao’s approach to people and affairs is sharp as a sword, and your insight and knowledge are equally sharp as a sword.” Cheng Yunpao gave a cold laugh. “Master had better stay in the Sword-Questioning Pavilion for now. At least those who come here are not worthless scum, and with some relationship, there’s still room for discussion.” Master Puzhu said calmly, “If I am guilty, I will naturally accept my guilt.” Cheng Yunpao said coldly, “If truly guilty, accepting it would be fine. I’m just afraid you’re not guilty, merely mistaken, and accepting guilt would mean dying unjustly.” Master Puzhu picked up a cup of clear tea from the bench and took a sip. “In Puzhu’s life, I do what should be done and kill those who should be killed. If guilty, I’ll redeem myself in hell.” Cheng Yunpao said coldly, “You’re quite suited to cooperate with Tang Lici. That man acts with complete arrogance. As long as you don’t care about the impact on the Central Plains righteous path, you too can kill those you deem deserving of death like him, without needing to explain anything to the world! It’s a pity you come from Shaolin, belong to the righteous path, and no matter how much you ignore the rules, you cannot disregard the influence on reputation—that is your source of resentment.” Master Puzhu said calmly, “Using oneself as an example to guide others toward goodness is also doing good, also cultivation.”
“What fine interests you two have, drinking tea in the Sword-Questioning Pavilion.” Suddenly came a long laugh, and a white-robed figure floated gracefully into the pavilion from outside. White robes and purple sword, around forty years old, though middle-aged, he retained an elegant bearing—he must have been a dashing youth in his day. This was precisely the Central Plains Sword Assembly’s fourth master, “Wind Duckweed Hand” Shao Yanping. “Being in the Sword-Questioning Pavilion, how can one not question swords? Having you two exercise a bit would be Shao Yanping’s good fortune, haha.”
The Central Plains Sword Assembly ranked by swordsmanship. Last year Shi Tinghe defeated Yu Qifeng to gain the title of Sword King, but ranking calculations were based on famous annual battles and evaluations by the assembly’s elders, so the assembly ranking still placed Yu Qifeng first, Cheng Yunpao second, Master Puzhu seventh, while Shao Yanping ranked nineteenth. After Shi Tinghe defeated Yu Qifeng, he was placed third, but his third position had always been difficult for people to accept, and after his death, no one mentioned it anymore. Each year the Central Plains Sword Assembly elders would agree in advance on a location to convene the sword assembly, which remained a grand event in the martial world, and achieving ranking in the sword assembly was a lifelong honor for sword practitioners. The Sword-Questioning Pavilion on Haoyun Mountain was the private meeting place of the sword assembly. Any swordsman who stepped into the Sword-Questioning Pavilion was ready to draw sword and receive guests—anyone could step forward to challenge.
Cheng Yunpao’s face darkened, and he said coldly, “No time to spare!” He flashed out of the pavilion, directly leaping into the grove of trees, not even glancing at Shao Yanping. Master Puzhu showed no expression. Shao Yanping wasn’t angry either, waving his sleeve and sighing, “This man is still so arrogant, I wonder how many people in the world could catch his eye? With such lofty standards, no wonder he’s past thirty and still can’t find a wife. In his eyes, any woman whose swordsmanship can’t rank in the assembly’s top ten is probably just a sow.” Master Puzhu ignored his nonsense and said calmly, “Excuse me.” He too was about to turn and leave.
“Wait! Master Puzhu,” Shao Yanping said with a smile, “Have you heard that the assembly elders have made a decision to capture Tang Lici and his group?” Master Puzhu paused. “Is that so?” Shao Yanping said, “The assembly has already dispatched people to go up Cat Tooth Peak and have a talk with Wanyu Yuedan, asking him to hand over the people. If all goes smoothly, the assembly will convene a grand martial gathering three months later for public judgment.” Master Puzhu said calmly, “I naturally respect the assembly’s decisions.” Shao Yanping said, “The acting head of Shaolin’s Grand Temple has written requesting you return to Shaolin to explain the details of the sword manor battle. The assembly will join hands with Shaolin to thoroughly investigate the Yu Family Sword Manor, and naturally also thoroughly investigate Tang Lici himself. In short, what happened at the sword manor must be made clear to the world.” Master Puzhu paused briefly, then walked forward, neither responding nor looking back. Shao Yanping sighed again, “Moody and gloomy monk, truly quite detestable indeed.” He took out a small golden abacus from his bosom and moved the beads a few times, his handsome face showing traces of calculation and contemplation, as well as helplessness. Though he was the assembly’s nineteenth sword, he was the assembly’s administrator, responsible for assigning personnel to gradually implement various matters decided by the elders. This was a thankless job, and Shao Yanping wasn’t particularly happy doing it, but aside from him, there was no second person who could take on this role, so he could only reluctantly bear the burden.
A carrier pigeon came fluttering, landing atop the Sword-Questioning Pavilion. Shao Yanping raised his hand, and the pigeon landed in his palm. Opening the paper scroll tied to the pigeon’s leg, he was suddenly startled, crying out “Ah!” and losing his voice: “Yanmen was wiped out in one night… could it be—”
On the fifth day of the fifth month, Yanmen was destroyed. Forty-eight dead, all corpses covered with purple spots, death by poisoning.
On the sixth day of the fifth month, the Xiao family of Qifeng was wiped out. Twenty-two dead, all hanged from crossbeams, their bodies also covered with purple spots.
On the seventh day of the fifth month, Azure Cloud Mountain was attacked. A white-robed woman broke in, poisoning three swordsmen of Azure Cloud Mountain, while two others were injured and remain mentally unclear to this day. Gu Xitan was fortunately safe in prison.
On the eighth day of the fifth month, Chi Yun’s Yuehu Mountain was assaulted. A white-robed woman invaded the mountain stronghold and injured people with poison. Fortunately, Xue Xianzi happened to be at Yuehu Mountain for unknown reasons and repelled the white-robed woman. No one was injured.
On the ninth day of the fifth month, an assassin appeared at the National Uncle’s mansion. A white-robed woman broke into the National Uncle’s residence at night, killing one servant but not harming Tang Weiqian.
This string of incidents occurred so densely, clearly premeditated, and the repeatedly appearing “white-robed woman” had already shaken the martial world, indicating that a new martial force had risen, and this force’s emergence was clearly targeting Tang Lici’s group.
Was this the legendary organization “Fengliu Shop” that concocted the “Scarlet Ghost Nine Hearts Pills”? Why were all those acting from Fengliu Shop white-robed women? Could the master of Fengliu Shop actually be a woman? For a time, people in the martial world were panic-stricken, many fearing for their safety. Various rumors arose. Some said Tang Lici’s killing of Yu Qifeng had implicated so many sects, truly a heinous crime. Others said that since Yu Qifeng’s death had triggered such retaliation from a mysterious organization, Yu Qifeng must certainly have been a member of Fengliu Shop, and Tang Lici’s killing of him was eliminating evil—truly heroic and righteous. Still others said that recent unrest in the martial world, with the Central Plains Sword Assembly and major sects taking no action, might lead to continuous disasters, and heroes from all walks should join hands to thoroughly investigate Yu Qifeng’s death and severely punish the murderous and poisoning Fengliu Shop, and so on and so forth.
Recently, fewer people traveled alone in the martial world, and seeing white-robed women made hearts race as if encountering ghosts. In just a few days, several more bloody incidents occurred, with martial artists blindly attacking white-robed young women, killing several innocent girls and adding several more grudges.
On Cat Tooth Peak, in the Orchid Pavilion.
Wanyu Yuedan and Tang Lici sat facing each other drinking wine.
Both these men were reputed to be able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. In reality, Wanyu Yuedan had truly never been drunk, while Tang Lici had been drunk twice, both times after drinking beyond a thousand cups. So these two drinking wine was like drinking tea, and they were drinking strong liquor.
They were drinking “Azure Blood,” worth the same as gold. Ordinary people would get drunk from one sip, and the wine’s taste could not be appreciated by non-drunkards. Yet these two treated it like tea, chatting a few sentences, drinking a cup in one gulp, chatting a few more sentences, then another cup. In this manner, they had already consumed one jar of “Azure Blood” this morning, worth five hundred taels of gold.
“Fengliu Shop’s move to establish authority has helped you greatly.” After drinking, Wanyu Yuedan’s complexion showed no change whatsoever, still appearing delicate and frail, his speech gentle, as if untouched by any alcohol. “With the changing situation, what are your plans?”
After drinking, Tang Lici’s complexion, originally quite good, became even more flushed with a rosy glow, like peaches and plums touched by wine, beautiful jade gaining luster—extremely attractive. “I’m drinking wine here, and originally Fengliu Shop’s best plan would be to wait for the Central Plains Sword Assembly and your Biluo Palace to mutually destroy each other so it could reap the benefits. But since it has acted so quickly, it shows it has reasons for not being able to wait.”
“That should be because the poison sold two years ago is about to take effect. If Fengliu Shop disappears without a trace and the medicine supply is cut off, those who took the medicine would die suddenly, spreading infection to others. The medicine-selling affair would immediately be proven, putting Fengliu Shop in a very disadvantageous position.” Wanyu Yuedan said with a smile, “Since it cannot disappear and must continue selling medicine, then rousing its prestige and striking first is not a bad strategy.”
Tang Lici took a comfortable sip of “Azure Blood.” “The prestige is quite good, worthy of praise.”
Wanyu Yuedan smiled slightly. “Your staying in Biluo Palace to drink wine creates a confrontation between the Central Plains Sword Assembly and myself, with signs of long-term stalemate. This is to force Fengliu Shop to show itself early, creating a three-way standoff.”
“It must have calculated that over these years, quite a few people have been controlled by the Scarlet Ghost Nine Hearts Pills, so its own strength is not weak. Since I’m forcing it like this, it cannot simply withdraw. Since it’s already being called a poison-selling sect, it might as well make a grand show and openly do business—this is also a key to doing good business.” Tang Lici smiled. “With its arrogance, it naturally doesn’t care whether this move benefits Tang Lici or not.”
Wanyu Yuedan raised his cup with a smile, his gaze flowing over the wine cup. “Not talking about martial affairs, the weather is truly fine today. It’s a pity there’s no pond on Cat Tooth Peak, or there would certainly be many dragonflies.”
“Dragonflies?” Tang Lici poured another cup for himself and Wanyu Yuedan. “At the top of such a high peak, there wouldn’t be any dragonflies.”
“Yes, I like dragonflies.” Wanyu Yuedan sighed softly. “Can you sing? In such fine weather, it’s a pity if no one sings.”
“Haha,” Tang Lici raised his eyebrows with a smile. “Sing?”
“Wine is most revered in heaven and on earth, neither sweet nor bitter, its taste touches the divine. One cup can change the color of sorrowful mountains, three drafts completely transform cold valley spring. Laugh after joy, glare when angry, upon waking remember not the cause. In ancient times there was Tao Yuanliang, who understood that one should forgive the drunk.” Wanyu Yuedan sang softly to his cup, beaming with smiles.
“Ah,” Tang Lici clapped three times. “You sing a drinking song but have no drunken feeling, your face full of smiles—truly sung without a bit of sincerity, completely saying one thing while meaning another.” He too wore a smile, his tone gentle, with no joking intention.
“In twenty-three years I’ve never been drunk. I don’t know what being drunk feels like,” Wanyu Yuedan sighed. “Have you been drunk?” His gentle eyes looked at Tang Lici. “Looking very drunk but actually unable to get drunk—is that very tiring?”
“Then looking not drunk and being fundamentally unable to get drunk—wouldn’t that be even more tiring?” Tang Lici’s lips curved slightly, the wine flush on his face making his lip color exceptionally vivid, like blood. “I have been drunk.”
“What does being drunk feel like?” Wanyu Yuedan asked. “Is it a good feeling?”
“What kind of feeling it is… if you’re willing to accompany me drinking like this, after three days you’ll know what being drunk means…” Tang Lici spoke these sentences with very light lip and tongue movements, his eyelids slightly closed, as if whispering gently in someone’s ear. Though this was not truly intimate whispering, if any woman saw him in such a state, her heart would surely race. However, Wanyu Yuedan could see nothing.
“It sounds very tempting, but unfortunately I don’t have the time…” Wanyu Yuedan said. “With Fengliu Shop rising in the martial world, since even Yanmen and the Xiao family have suffered annihilation, and they’ve even disturbed the National Uncle’s mansion, coming here is only a matter of time.” He picked up the wine pot, which contained only the last mouthful of wine. Opening the pot lid, Wanyu Yuedan drank it all in one gulp and smiled. “I just don’t know who will arrive first and who will arrive second?”
“You lend me your strength for ‘fame, profit, and righteousness’—I wonder if you’ll regret it when the time comes?” Tang Lici raised his cup to toast the air, leaning his body slightly forward. He whispered quietly in Wanyu Yuedan’s ear, “If someone’s blood splatters before the mountain, will your heart ache?”
Wanyu Yuedan’s expression didn’t change, and he said softly, “What do you think?”
“I think… your greatest strength is that you do things cleanly and decisively, never dragging things out; your greatest weakness is that deep in your bones you’re gentle and considerate. No matter how unmoved you appear on the surface, your heart will always feel pain and get hurt…” Tang Lici leaned back in his chair, comfortably gazing up at the sky. “Sometimes, you even hate yourself… isn’t that right?”
Wanyu Yuedan smiled. “Your greatest weakness is that you’re vicious and arrogant, not taking others seriously at all; your greatest strength… is that no matter how evil you are, what you do is never bad; what’s strangest is that clearly you could live more freely and happily than anyone, yet you insist on doing things that have nothing to do with you and only bring you harm without benefit.”
“Me? I work for martial justice and world peace. My doing things unrelated to myself is the fortune of all living beings.” Tang Lici laughed softly. “I’m different from you—I don’t feel sad or grieved for anyone.”
“Someday, someone will make you understand the taste of heartache…” Wanyu Yuedan said. “Just like someday I’ll understand the taste of being drunk… By the way, I heard that since you appeared in the martial world, you’ve always carried an infant. Where is that baby now? Why don’t I see you carrying him?”
“Fengfeng?” Tang Lici still laughed softly. “What do you mean by asking this? Want to know my weakness? Cat Tooth Peak is too cold, so I left him at someone else’s home.”
“You’re very attached to that child. Whose child is he?” Wanyu Yuedan asked. By now it was getting late, and though he couldn’t see the evening colors, he felt the mountain wind gradually growing cold.
“A woman’s child.” Tang Lici said. The wine flush on his cheeks like peaches and plums had faded somewhat, but his eyes still seemed quite dreamy.
“Oh?” Wanyu Yuedan smiled faintly and didn’t pursue the question further.
Just then, Tie Jing approached with measured steps. “Reporting to the Palace Master, someone is storming the mountain.”
Even as he spoke, both men could hear the distant sounds of combat from the main peak of Cat Tooth Peak across from them. Wanyu Yuedan’s brow furrowed slightly. “Who is in the Crystal Cave?” The Crystal Cave was the icy passage leading to Biluo Palace.
“Following the Palace Master’s orders, everyone in the palace has abandoned the defense of the Crystal Cave. Currently in the Crystal Cave are Chi Yun and Shen Langhun.” Tie Jing said calmly. “But the one storming the mountain is Cheng Yunpao.”
Tang Lici and Wanyu Yuedan exchanged glances, both feeling surprised. For the Central Plains Sword Assembly to actually send Cheng Yunpao to Biluo Palace to demand people was truly unexpected. This man’s martial arts were extremely high, and he looked down on everything—even Yu Qifeng might not have been in his eyes. How could he listen to the sword assembly’s commands? They heard Tie Jing continue, “Cheng Yunpao is severely injured. He broke into the Crystal Cave, where Chi Yun and Shen Langhun are guarding the passage, blocking his way. Cheng Yunpao wielded his sword to force through, and the three of them started fighting. The outcome should be decided shortly.”
He spoke with an unchanged expression, but both Wanyu Yuedan and Tang Lici were startled. Wanyu Yuedan stood up. “Cheng Yunpao is severely injured? He didn’t come for the sword assembly to demand people? Who injured him?” Tang Lici said, “His forcing into Biluo Palace while severely injured must be for some urgent matter.” As they spoke, the faint sounds of blades and swords from the opposite peak had stopped. Immediately, two figures flashed, and Chi Yun and Shen Langhun came carrying someone, swift as drifting wind, arriving directly before Tang Lici. The person in Shen Langhun’s hands was precisely Cheng Yunpao.
“What kind of injury does he have?” Wanyu Yuedan couldn’t see Cheng Yunpao’s wounds and asked aloud. “He has one external wound, just flesh damage, quite light. What’s terrible are his internal injuries.” Chi Yun said coldly. “This man fought his way through the Crystal Cave despite severe internal injuries. If he hadn’t exhausted his strength when reaching the cliff, Shen Langhun and I, without using lethal force, really couldn’t have stopped him. With such remarkable skills, that someone in the world could inflict such severe injuries on him is truly inconceivable.” Shen Langhun pressed one hand on Cheng Yunpao’s pulse point. Cheng Yunpao had already exhausted his strength and fallen unconscious, offering no resistance. He said calmly, “This injury is strange. It seems external force triggered his internal energy to injure himself—qi deviation, with true qi entering irregular meridians. The injury is very severe.”
“Is his life in danger?” Wanyu Yuedan asked. “Tie Jing, take him to the guest hall to rest and ask Uncle Wenren to treat his injuries.” Tie Jing acknowledged, but Shen Langhun said, “Wait, this kind of injury cannot be treated with ordinary medicine. Cheng Yunpao’s power is profound. To guide his qi back to its source and save his life, the healer’s internal power must exceed his. Are there masters in Biluo Palace with deeper power than Cheng Yunpao?” Tie Jing was startled, and Wanyu Yuedan pondered, “This…” Cheng Yunpao held the second position in the sword assembly. To have power deeper than his was extremely rare in the world. Even Yu Qifeng might not have had deeper power than Cheng Yunpao. Biluo Palace was small in number and aging. Most of the young and strong had died in several great battles during the Blood Sacrifice Society. To find someone with deeper power than Cheng Yunpao was truly impossible. “Even Bi Lianyi might not be able to fight Cheng Yunpao to a draw,” Shen Langhun looked calmly toward Tang Lici. “What do you think?”
Tang Lici sat in his chair smiling. “I can naturally save him.” Upon hearing this, the wrinkles at the corners of Wanyu Yuedan’s eyes smoothed, his eyebrows curved slightly, and he smiled very happily. “Then I’ll trouble you.” Chi Yun glanced sideways at Tang Lici. “You consider your power higher than his?” Tang Lici said elegantly, “Of course.” Chi Yun said coldly, “I really can’t see that you have this level of ability.” Tang Lici smiled slightly. “Keeping a low profile and maintaining inner restraint is the proper way to conduct oneself. Being ostentatious and domineering like you is why you’re disliked everywhere.” Chi Yun said coldly, “I happen to like being disliked.” The corners of Tie Jing’s mouth showed a slight smile, whether he found Tang Lici’s self-description as “keeping a low profile” and “maintaining inner restraint” amusing, or found their bickering boring. Shen Langhun’s expression was calm as he lifted Cheng Yunpao and turned to walk toward Tang Lici’s room.
Half a day later, at midnight.
Cheng Yunpao heavily exhaled a breath, his mind still dizzy, slowly opening his eyes. Over thirty years of experience flashed through his mind. In his memory, since entering the martial world, he had never suffered such severe injuries or taken such a great loss. According to his temperament, he should consider this a tremendous humiliation, but unexpectedly his mood was very calm, as if he had been waiting for the day of defeat for a long time.
The room had no lit candles and was completely dark. There was starlight outside the window, but it was blocked by curtains. The light was extremely dim, with only the vague outlines of tables and chairs visible. Where was this… He vaguely remembered only that after being severely injured, he was in an icy wilderness and had no choice but to force his way up the snowy peak with his sword. After breaking into an ice cave, someone blocked his path, but as for who it was, his mind was already confused at that time and he couldn’t distinguish at all. What happened afterward was completely beyond memory. After taking several deep breaths, the breathing in his chest became slightly smoother, and his internal injuries seemed much improved. Who could have such power to heal his injuries, and where exactly was this place… After regulating his breathing, his vision became slightly clearer. He saw no one in the room, but on the table sat a small purple-gold incense burner with intricate patterns. A few wisps of light smoke curled in the few rays of light seeping through the window curtain cracks—the smoke was pale blue. He didn’t know what kind of incense it was. Smelling it brought no particular fragrance, only a feeling of peace in his heart.
Slowly sitting up, knowing it was already midnight, Cheng Yunpao meditated for a while, then got out of bed and raised the curtains, opening the window. Outside he saw a sky full of stars and moon, with green trees forming forests, while mountain winds were fierce. Looking into the distance, he could still see seas of clouds, clearly indicating he was on a mountaintop. As the mountain wind blew, his dizzy mind cleared slightly, and he felt his spirits lift. As his mind cleared, he heard an extremely faint, delicate musical sound coming from not far away.
The music was neither flute nor pipe, seemed like wind but wasn’t wind—he didn’t know what instrument could produce such strange melodies. The tune was haunting, clearly not naturally formed wind sounds. Cheng Yunpao followed the sound. In the silent night, that music was filled with desolation, without a trace of joyful sound, yet it wasn’t sorrowful either. It was as if someone’s heart was completely empty, and the wind blowing through his heart’s apertures created this echo. For some unknown reason, Cheng Yunpao suddenly thought of over ten years of campaigning in the martial world—for fame and profit, for justice, for others and for himself. Behind all the blood-soaked wandering, he seemed to have achieved great accomplishments, but even more so, his hands were empty, having grasped nothing at all.
Following the sound to the edge of the woods was a cliff. The music came from below the cliff. Cheng Yunpao slowly walked to the cliff’s edge and looked down, seeing a protruding rocky platform on the cliff wall halfway down the mountain. No grass or trees grew on the platform, and a withered, decayed short pine lay sideways across it. Someone was using the short pine as a seat, sitting on the pine wood, holding half of a short flute in his left hand, his right index finger lightly pressing on the flute holes. The strong mountain wind rushed into the flute tube, producing sound, and as his index finger lightly pressed each hole in sequence, the broken short flute produced continuous musical sounds. The flute sound was empty and lonely, just like wind.
This person was Tang Lici.
How could it be him?
What was he doing sitting in this place where fierce winds raged and he could fall at any moment? Wasn’t this man someone who indiscriminately pursued the secrets of the Scarlet Ghost Nine Hearts Pills, styling himself as one who stops killing with killing, calling himself the world’s savior? What was he doing sitting under a cliff in the middle of the night? Contemplating world affairs? Cheng Yunpao’s face showed mockery. Could someone full of desires and ambition also learn from mountain sages, chanting to the wind and admiring the moon? His lips moved, about to speak, when suddenly someone not far behind him sighed softly, “Shh… don’t speak.” Hearing that voice, gentle and young, it was clearly a youth. It seemed he had been sitting on the cliff for a while. The mountain wind was strong, his breathing light, and in his injured state, he hadn’t noticed. Cheng Yunpao turned to look and saw a young man in light blue clothing standing with his back against a large tree about ten steps away, his face turned upward toward the sky, but his eyes were closed, as if listening.
“Who are you?” Cheng Yunpao looked up and down at this blue-clothed youth. With such age and appearance, located atop a snowy peak, could this person be— The light blue-shirted youth said, “My surname is Wanyu, called Yuedan.” Cheng Yunpao’s pupils underwent subtle changes. “This is Biluo Palace, and you saved me?” Wanyu Yuedan shook his head. “The one who saved you is down on the cliff.” Cheng Yunpao made a faint sound of understanding. “As expected…” Wanyu Yuedan raised his finger to his lips. “Shh… silence…” Cheng Yunpao frowned and listened intently.
In the howling mountain wind, the intermittent flute sounds from the rocky platform below the cliff had never stopped, entwined with the fierce, blade-like howling of the mountain wind, yet still clearly distinguishable. After listening for a while, Cheng Yunpao said coldly, “What are we listening for?” Wanyu Yuedan closed his eyes and listened quietly. “He is a very lonely person…” Cheng Yunpao said coldly, “Wandering the martial world, who isn’t lonely?” Wanyu Yuedan smiled slightly and shook his head. “He is a very lonely person, but if you listen to his flute music, he himself doesn’t understand… He doesn’t understand that he’s very lonely, which is why he has this kind of flute music.” Cheng Yunpao said, “Is that so?” Wanyu Yuedan said, “Master Cheng doesn’t think so?” Cheng Yunpao said calmly, “An arrogant, selfish person with vicious methods and full of ambition naturally wouldn’t understand what loneliness means.” Wanyu Yuedan opened his eyes. “Arrogant, selfish, vicious methods, full of ambition… Master Cheng believes that Tang Lici’s rise in the martial world and investigation of the Scarlet Ghost Nine Hearts Pills matter stems from ambition, wanting to achieve his own fame and status, to grasp the overall situation of the martial world in his hands and gain satisfaction in his heart, not truly for the sake of all living beings under heaven. For this, Tang Lici uses any means necessary, not caring at all whether he might wrongly kill innocents. Without giving any explanation to the martial world, he acts to kill people, stirring up the martial situation and causing people’s hearts to be filled with anxiety. Is this the meaning of those twelve words?” Cheng Yunpao said coldly, “More or less.”
“But in my view, his interference in martial affairs is not entirely for grasping martial world power and achieving fame and status.” Wanyu Yuedan said slowly. “Of course… he is a person full of desires—fame, profit, justice, power, status, money—he wants to firmly grasp every single thing, and with Tang Lici’s capabilities, he can indeed grasp them all. But… his strongest desire is not the craving for these things.” His eyes opened wide, sparkling brilliantly under the moonlight, extremely beautiful. “…It is the craving for affection.”