As dawn finally broke after a night of chaos, the contents of the purple wooden box were spread out on the table.
“These bracelets are exquisite,” Ning Xiaofeng said, her eyes reddening as she examined the jade pair. “Sister Pingshu never cared for jingling accessories, yet she adored these. Even when not wearing them, she’d wrap them carefully in silk and keep them close.”
She set the bracelets down next to the pearl flower hairpin in the box, sighing, “I suppose, like the hairpin, these were gifts from that scoundrel.”
Meanwhile, Cai Pingchun finished examining the bloodstained handkerchief embroidered with the character ‘Yang’. He silently folded it back into the box—recalling how his sister once returned injured but smiling, saying she had “eliminated all the villains”. He remembered her arm had been bandaged with this very handkerchief.
Finally, only the bundle of hair and the red engagement contract remained on the table.
The contract contained their betrothal vows. Besides the usual expressions of mutual affection, it concluded with “We shall complete our marriage when the stars and moon are at peace and the world is tranquil.” The calligraphy matched the bold, slender style of the engraving on the hairpin, except for the signature “Cai Pingshu” in her familiar handwriting.
The tightly bound hair consisted of Cai Pingshu’s fine, slightly flaxen strands and another lock so intensely black it seemed to have a hint of blue—like Mu Qingyan’s raven-feather hair.
“‘Hair bound together, husband and wife, love and trust unquestioned.’ So that’s how it was…” Zhou Zhizhen sat dazed by the window, maintaining the same posture since Qi Yunke had helped him there.
Qi Yunke spoke softly beside him: “Brother Zhizhen, Pingshu didn’t mean to deceive us. That Mu scoundrel… he seemed so decent at first! Highly skilled, carefree, shrugging off even severe injuries. He’d follow Pingshu anywhere, through fire and water. Even I thought he was worth befriending. Ah who could have known…!”
“Let it go. We were all more naive ten years ago, seeing the best in everyone,” Ning Xiaofeng muttered. “A few words of encouragement from Yin Dai, and you’d worship the ground he walked on. A few glances from Yin Sulian, and you’d think she was a celestial being—how could we judge anyone’s true character?”
Qi Yunke’s face reddened: “Even so, I never breathed a word about Pingshu and that Mu scoundrel to my master or Sulian!”
Cai Pingchun sighed: “I almost wish you hadn’t been so tight-lipped back then.”
“Let the past be past,” Zhou Zhizhen suddenly spoke. “What do we do now?”
His words were met with silence from the other three.
Ning Xiaofeng exchanged a glance with her husband and tentatively suggested: “Mu Qingyan isn’t that scoundrel’s son…”
“Not his son, but his nephew,” Zhou Zhizhen said coldly. “And now the last remaining heir of the Mu clan. Though the Nie uncle and nephew have been in power these past decades, the Mu clan’s hands weren’t clean of Northern Chen disciples’ blood for over a hundred years before that!”
Qi Yunke slapped his thigh: “Right, we should eliminate this boy too, so he stops trying to seduce Zhaozao!”
Ning Xiaofeng couldn’t help but ask: “Do you think Zhaozao will settle down after Mu Qingyan is gone? That she’ll marry, have children, and live a peaceful life?”
Qi Yunke fell silent. “Then what should we do? Let him keep sneaking around to see Zhaozao. Xiaochun, say something.”
After a moment, Cai Pingchun spoke: “I recall my sister’s suffering years ago, bedridden and coughing blood. Now I realize it didn’t have to be that way.”
Ning Xiaofeng clutched her skirt, her eyes filled with resentment. Qi Yunke angrily clenched his fist.
Zhou Zhizhen closed his eyes in pain. “If Pingshu’s death led to the Demon Sect’s mass retaliation, I’ll accept that!”
In the quiet morning courtyard, two sect leaders strolled.
“We helped capture Mu Qingyan. Why aren’t we included in their discussion?” Yang Heying complained bitterly. “Even Brother Song left quietly without a word!”
Song Shijun replied calmly: “It’s better not to be involved. Smart people make smart choices… Ah I was foolish earlier. Now we’ve caught a hot potato and don’t know how to handle it.”
Yang Heying asked, confused: “What do you mean? What hot potato?”
Song Shijun explained: “Yang, we’ve had peace with the Demon Sect for over a decade. Do we want to reignite conflict?”
Yang Heying stroked his bare chin, falling silent.
“Honestly, we have no real grudge against this Mu boy. He’s only been in power for a short time,” Song Shijun sighed. “If we kill him, will the countless Demon Sect followers swallow this bitter pill? They’ll use any underhanded method for revenge. Are you willing to risk your beloved wife, children, and those two new concubines?”
Yang Heying retorted: “What two concubines? It’s only two!”
“Never mind that,” Song Shijun waved dismissively. “But if we release him, won’t it seem like we fear the Demon Sect? Where would we put our faces then? So you see, it’s a hot potato.”
“Are you saying we shouldn’t have captured Mu in the first place?” Yang Heying asked.
“Indeed. I was rash earlier,” Song Shijun admitted. “Qi Yunke, Zhou Zhizhen, and the Cai couple are fixated on avenging Cai Pingshu, but why should we get involved in that?”
He sighed and walked ahead, hands clasped behind his back.
Watching Song Shijun’s retreating figure, Yang Heying’s face twisted into a vicious expression. He muttered to himself: “Hmph, Qi Yunke is reckless, Zhou Zhizhen is too mild, Qiu Yuanfeng is too far away. The Song family benefited most after Nie Hengcheng. These past years, Guangtian Gate has devoured the surrounding Demon Sect forces, gorging themselves. No wonder they don’t want trouble now, but others are still hungry! We’ll see about that!”
In the innermost cell of Taichu Observatory’s dungeon:
Song Yuzi stood steadfast before the iron bars, refusing to move. Four Guangtian Gate disciples and Ding Zhuo with other Qingque Sect disciples stood behind him, facing the resentful Li Yuanmin and other Taichu Observatory disciples.
Both sides drew their swords.
“Stand aside!” Li Yuanmin shouted angrily. “I must avenge our Sect Leader!”
Song Yuzhi calmly replied, “Please calm down, Uncle Li. We all know what happened that day. Master Wang was stabbed through the wall from outside. At that time, Mu Qingyan was confronting him face-to-face. The culprit couldn’t have been him.”
Li Yuanmin roared, “That’s just a trick! The person who stabbed from outside must also be from the Demonic Cult!”
“Whether that’s true or not should be decided by our masters,” Song Yuzhi responded.
Gritting his teeth, Li Yuanmin conceded, “Fine, I won’t take his life. I’ll just cut off his limbs but leave him alive. How’s that?”
Song Yuzhi remained stern-faced and unyielding. “I’ve said it before: we must wait for our masters to finish their discussion.”
Li Yuanmin laughed bitterly, “So you refuse to move? You’re taking advantage of Taichu Observatory’s weakness. Well, let’s fight to the death today!”
Ding Zhuo, losing patience, burst out, “Li Yuanmin, enough! Everyone knows about Wang Yuanjing’s disgraceful acts! To protect Taichu Observatory’s reputation, our masters ordered us to keep quiet. But do you think no one else knows? If you keep pestering us, I’ll go out and shout the whole story in the streets!”
“How dare you?!” Li Yuanmin choked with grief and anger.
Even if everyone explained the cause and effect to him in detail, he still couldn’t believe that the senior who raised him could be such a despicable person. Unable to argue, he directed his anger elsewhere.
Song Yuzhi stepped forward. “Uncle Li, I know Master Wang was usually kind and gentle, treating you like a father or brother. Everyone praised him. But even good people make mistakes. Uncle Li, please go.”
Li Yuanmin wiped away his tears and left with his head bowed.
After the Taichu Observatory disciples had gone, Ding Zhuo sheathed his sword, bowed to Song Yuzhi, and led the remaining disciples away.
Song Yuzhi, however, dragged over a crooked stool and sat down, holding his sword.
From the depths of the dark iron prison came a low, cold voice, “Why don’t you leave?”
Song Yuzhi replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t let you be humiliated.”
After a pause, he added, “I’ll only guard you until our masters finish their discussion. After that, I can’t interfere with how they decide to deal with you.”
Silence pervaded the damp, cold dungeon.
After a long while, the cold voice spoke again, “Where is she?”
Song Yuzhi knew who he was asking about. After some consideration, he answered, “…She’s being held by Master Li. He said if she doesn’t behave, he’ll use the Soul-Disturbing Needles on her.”
A faint sound of clinking metal came from the darkness, then silence fell again.
In the Xuanpin Hall of the Blissful Palace, the third level of the Vast Sea Mountain Range, a disciple of the Righteous Sect rushed in, presenting a small scroll to Hu Fengge.
Hu Fengge unrolled it and frowned. “This is bad!”
Yu Huiyin, who had been reading nearby, looked up. “What’s wrong?”
Hu Fengge handed him the scroll. “Our disciples at the foot of Wuan Mountain sent a pigeon message. Our Master was captured by the Six Northern Sects last night! He’s trapped in Taichu Observatory’s dungeon. They’re urging us to rescue him quickly.”
“How did this happen?!” Yu Huiyin furrowed his brow. “This is unbelievable.”
Hu Fengge snorted, “It must be because of that Cai girl! I warned Yan Chang to tell our Master to be wary of the Six Northern Sects using beautiful women as bait. Look what’s happened now! I’ll lead a team down the mountain to rescue our Master personally. What terrible timing – You Guanyue hasn’t arrived yet. Quickly, summon Shang Guan Haonan!”
As she spoke, she locked some documents in an iron box on the table.
Yu Huiyin shook his head.
Hu Fengge, pressing on the iron box, asked irritably, “Why are you shaking your head? Do you disagree with me?”
Yu Huiyin smiled, “Everything you said is right, except for the words ‘beautiful women as bait’. You’ve seen far more beautiful women than Miss Cai when you were fifteen or sixteen.”
Hu Fengge blushed, “You were so naive back then, but now you’ve learned to be glib!” She touched her injured cheek and sighed softly, “Now I’ve become ugly again.”
Yu Huiyin took her hand, “In my heart, you’ll always look as you did before. If you don’t believe me, I’ll scar half my face to match yours.”
Hu Fengge was overjoyed. “When we return from this mission, let’s report to our Master and arrange our wedding.”
Yu Huiyin trembled slightly and whispered, “Alright.”
As they were lost in their tender moment, footsteps suddenly approached from outside.
“The Master is in trouble, and you didn’t inform me?” Lu Fengchun strode in, his crane-feather cloak billowing. “Little Feng, let me tell you, this is too big a matter for you to decide alone.”
Hu Fengge coldly replied, “The Master previously instructed that Elder Lu should only look after Li Ruxin and her son, and not concern himself with other matters.”
“That’s not how it works,” Lu Fengchun smiled. “Times have changed. To purge Nie Zhe’s followers, our Master has stripped the Vast Sea Mountain Range of its defenses. If you take more people away now, what if the Six Northern Sects attack? How will we deal with that?”
Hu Fengge snorted, “After I leave, Huiyin will guard the Blissful Palace. With Elder Yan’s help, you needn’t worry, Elder Lu.”
Lu Fengchun gave a sinister laugh, “Yan Xu is a drunkard. He’s been ill from excessive drinking for days. It seems I have no choice but to step in.”
“What exactly do you want?!” Hu Fengge’s hands dropped to her sides, subtly touching the pouches at her waist.
Lu Fengchun dropped his pretense and shouted, “Men! Seize Hu Fengge!”
Dozens of agile black-clad men flooded into the hall. Half of them nocked arrows, aiming at Hu Fengge, while the others unsheathed their swords, forming battle formations.
Hu Fengge laughed defiantly, “Lu Fengchun, do you think these men can trap me?”
“Little Feng, you’re too arrogant. Why don’t you test the skills of my followers?” Lu Fengchun sneered.
“Fine!” Hu Fengge swiftly drew her double-hooked, water-parting, steel Emei daggers.
She whispered to Yu Huiyin, “After we break out, let’s head southeast. My followers are there.”
Yu Huiyin’s face turned pale as he nodded.
Though a woman, Hu Fengge had always been tough and brave, growing more excited as her enemies grew stronger.
She let out a long laugh that seemed to shake the hall. “What are you turtles waiting for? Come on!”
As she was about to leap, she felt a chill in her back. A gleaming sword tip emerged from her chest, then slowly withdrew.
Amidst Lu Fengchun’s thunderous laughter, Hu Fengge turned in disbelief to see the man she had loved since childhood holding a blood-stained sword.
Who was he? Had she ever truly known this person?