Although the two had temporarily reconciled, their daily interactions remained tense.
Mu Qingyan busied himself with planning the attack on the Xuanwu Altar, the largest and most populous of the Four Altars. Meanwhile, Cai Zhao, unwilling to delve too deeply into the inner workings of the demonic cult, leisurely wandered about. He noticed Song Yuzhi standing by the window, lost in thought, and asked what was troubling him.
Song Yuzhi countered with a question: “There’s something I don’t understand. With our skills, you and I could easily sneak into the Bai Tiger Altar through a side entrance with the villagers’ guidance and assassinate the altar master and other leaders. Young Lord Mu’s martial prowess and courage surpass even ours. So why does he insist on leading a frontal assault through the main gate? Take the Azure Dragon Altar, for instance. Even though the altar master and others were already dead from an ambush, Young Lord Mu still led an attack through the main gate yesterday. Why take such a roundabout approach that wastes time and effort?”
Cai Zhao found Song Yuzhi’s question reasonable and asked Mu Qingyan about it during lunch. This inquiry, however, only provoked Mu Qingyan’s derision. “Such a question wouldn’t come from someone like you who seeks an easy life. Song Yuzhi asked this, didn’t he? Hmph! Isn’t he supposedly the most promising rising star among the Six Sects? If he’s so wise, why does he need to ask me?”
Unable to relay this response directly, Cai Zhao tactfully replied, “This matter involves internal secrets of the demonic cult. Young Lord Mu can’t say much about it.”
Song Yuzhi, pondering this, concluded, “Young Lord Mu must be mocking me for being aloof, expecting me to figure it out myself.”
Cai Zhao was left speechless.
When the day to attack the Xuanwu Altar arrived, Mu Qingyan allowed Cai Zhao to accompany him but instructed Song Yuzhi to remain behind and keep a low profile.
This time, Song Yuzhi understood the reasoning: “Although Lady Cai’s reputation remains intact despite her ten-year retirement, few people have witnessed her skills firsthand. Therefore, it’s fine for Sister Zhao to take action. However, my techniques are distinctly from the Qingque Sect and the Guangtian Gate, which could easily reveal my identity. I should stay back.”
Excited, Cai Zhao relayed this interpretation to Mu Qingyan, hoping to improve their relationship.
Mu Qingyan retorted, “You’re overthinking it. I simply wanted to keep an engaged man away from you.”
Cai Zhao was once again left speechless.
Despite his mockery, Mu Qingyan wouldn’t let Cai Zhao face the Xuanwu Altar’s followers alone. He assigned You Guanyue to watch over her. If it had been someone straightforward like Lian Shisan, they might have complained about missing the chance for a good fight. However, You Guanyue accepted the task readily, chattering away during their journey and nearly causing Cai Zhao to slip up several times.
You Guanyue, eyeing the gleaming silver arm blade in Cai Zhao’s hand, asked curiously, “Didn’t I remember Miss Feng wielding a golden-red treasure blade at the Bai Tiger Altar?” On that day, after the group had stormed the Bai Tiger Palace, they had only glimpsed Cai Zhao briefly before Mu Qingyan threw a tantrum and left, with Cai Zhao in pursuit. No one had gotten a clear look.
Cai Zhao blinked innocently. “Altar Master You must be mistaken. This blade is silver, not golden-red.”
Mu Qingyan’s meticulous planning was evident. The Yanyang Blade was too famous, and known to many. He had prepared similar blades for Cai Zhao’s daily use to conceal her identity.
You Guanyue, ever shrewd, didn’t pursue the matter further. Instead, he began teasing Cai Zhao. He remarked on how Mu Qingyan inquired about her meals thrice daily and how his attitude towards her differed greatly from others, comparing it to spring breezes and smooth sailing. He went on to urge Miss Feng Xiaohan not to disappoint Young Lord Mu.
Smiling, Cai Zhao asked, “Does Altar Master You enjoy reading romantic novels?”
You Guanyue looked puzzled.
Cai Zhao explained, “In novels, certain types of men often play word games with the names of women they secretly admire but can’t confess to. For instance, if a man’s name relates to mountains or peaks, he might call the girl ‘water’ or ‘flower’. If his name involves rivers or seas, he might nickname her ‘little fish’ or ‘little shrimp’.”
“Haha, how interesting! But most things in novels aren’t reliable…” You Guanyue forced a laugh.
Cai Zhao smiled sweetly. “Is that so? I find them quite reliable.” She had to show her teeth a bit, since You Guanyue seemed to think her docile and easy to tease, given how often Mu Qingyan got the better of her.
You Guanyue, now fully aware, promptly fell silent. He didn’t mention anything about Cai Zhao and Mu Qingyan’s relationship again.
While Mu Qingyan led the main assault at the front gate, You Guanyue found a quiet side path to the rear of the Xuanwu Altar. He respectfully invited Miss Cai to take advantage of this opportunity, though their ideas of ‘taking advantage’ differed.
You Guanyue naturally thought it essential to first seize the treasury, armory, and valuable stores, perhaps pocketing some rare items along the way. Cai Zhao, however, was filled with a sense of chivalry and wanted to rescue innocent prisoners first. After a moment’s hesitation from You Guanyue, she added, “After spending these past few days together, I’ve come to see that Xingr is a sincere and kind-hearted girl…”
You Guanyue immediately straightened up and said, “Miss Feng is right. Gold and jewels won’t grow legs and run away, but the prisoners might be on their last breath. Let’s hurry and rescue them.”
After taking down a few scattered guards along the way, they reached the dungeon and were shocked by what they found.
Unlike the dungeons of the previous three main altars, which were filled with disobedient mountain folk and cult members subjected to cruel tortures and wailing in agony, the Xuanwu Altar’s dungeon held fierce-looking men with brutal faces. After a brief investigation, You Guanyue realized these were all cult members being punished for violating rules and acting recklessly.
Cai Zhao couldn’t help but remark, “This Xuanwu Altar Master seems like a decent person.”
You Guanyue sighed, “I’ve heard that Altar Master Shangguan of the Xuanwu Altar is valiant and strict with his subordinates, rarely troubling the common people.”
“That doesn’t sound like Nie Zhe’s style. We should investigate thoroughly to avoid harming good people,” Cai Zhao said.
“Well, um…” You Guanyue hesitated. “Altar Master Shangguan only came to the Xuanwu Altar in recent years. I’m not sure about his background before that. However, I’ve heard he’s one of Nie Zhe’s trusted confidants. Nie Zhe values him highly, often sending rare beasts and materials to the Xuanwu Altar, and frequently summoning him to the Palace of Extreme Pleasure to discuss important matters.”
Cai Zhao questioned skeptically, “They say one takes on the color of one’s company. If Altar Master Shangguan were truly a good person, he’d likely disagree with Nie Zhe on many things. You’re not jealous of his talents, are you? Worried that Young Lord Mu might favor Altar Master Shangguan in the future, so you’re trying to discredit him in advance?”
You Guanyue looked offended. “Miss Feng may doubt my character, but she shouldn’t doubt my judgment. Even if I could fool you, how could I possibly deceive Young Lord Mu?!”
Cai Zhao was left speechless once again. The insult stung more than any injury.
As they continued deeper into the prison, they discovered a secret passage. Following it, they came upon a group of richly dressed cult members carrying a large box. Cai Zhao and You Guanyue quickly subdued them and opened the box, revealing an unconscious young man inside. A familiar, strange fragrance wafted from the box.
You Guanyue recognized him and exclaimed, “Altar Master Shangguan?!”
Cai Zhao was equally surprised. “This is the Xuanwu Altar Master?!”
One of the defeated cult members struggled to his feet, shouting, “Who are you people?! The Cult Leader has summoned Shangguan Haonan. How dare you interfere?! Do you have a death wish?!”
Cai Zhao knocked him unconscious with a palm strike to the air, then turned back to You Guanyue. “I’ve never heard of a trusted subordinate being summoned by his lord using a soul-confusing needle and a large box for transport.”
You Guanyue was also bewildered.
After removing the soul-confusing needle, Shangguan Haonan regained consciousness. Cai Zhao observed him closely:
He appeared to be about 23 or 24 years old, with a handsome face, broad shoulders, and a sturdy build. His skin was light brown, with a hint of stubble on his chin. Though not strikingly beautiful, his entire being exuded a refreshing and spirited masculinity.
Recognizing You Guanyue, Shangguan Haonan learned that Mu Qingyan was leading an attack on the Xuanwu Altar. He promptly asked the two to take him there to persuade the followers to surrender. Despite his youth, Shangguan’s reputation for leading by example and treating his followers with kindness had earned him considerable respect within the Xuanwu Altar. After passionately denouncing Nie Zhe’s despicable actions, the cult members surrendered en masse, abandoning darkness for light.
Even You Guanyue began to doubt his earlier information. Shangguan Haonan didn’t seem like Nie Zhe’s confidant at all.
Among everyone present, only Mu Qingyan showed no surprise.
After instructing Lian Shisan and others to clean up the battlefield and sort through the cult members, he took Shangguan Haonan alone into the study. You Guanyue, eager to follow, were dragged away by Wang Tianfeng.
Inside the study, Shangguan Haonan briefly explained why he had been placed in the large box.
Apparently, upon hearing of Mu Qingyan’s advancing forces nearing the Xuanwu Altar, Nie Zhe had sent his confidants to summon Shangguan Haonan back to the Palace of Extreme Pleasure, to prevent him from falling into Mu Qingyan’s hands. When Shangguan refused, Nie Zhe’s men caught him off guard with the soul-confusing needle.
Mu Qingyan gazed at Shangguan Haonan silently for a long while before asking, “So… Nie Zhe never succeeded in having his way with you?”
Cai Zhao, resting on the inner couch, nearly stumbled at this question.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Shangguan Haonan burst into tears. He fell to his knees before Mu Qingyan’s desk. “Young Lord, where have you been this past year?! I… I could barely endure any more! If you hadn’t killed the previous Xuanwu Altar Master two years ago, allowing me to escape from the Palace of Extreme Pleasure, I would have fallen into evil hands long ago… wuwuwuwu… But this past year… that Nie fellow kept trying to get close to me. Life became unbearable… wuwuwuwu…”
Cai Zhao inside covered her mouth, desperately trying not to laugh.
Unlike the orphan You Guanyue, Shangguan Haonan came from a good family.
Years ago, when Elder Kaiyang and Elder Yaoguang had pledged to live and die together, they decided to take their relationship further by arranging a marriage between their nephew and niece. Although both elders perished before Shangguan Haonan was born, their factions’ influence didn’t immediately dissipate.
Thus, Shangguan Haonan grew up with loving parents and loyal subordinates, living a far more comfortable life than Mu Qingyan, the legitimate heir to the cult.
However, as he matured, Nie Zhe’s gaze upon him grew increasingly lascivious. Constrained by the remaining influence of the two elders, Nie Zhe couldn’t use force, but he constantly harassed Shangguan Haonan with various ploys, much to the young man’s distress.
Thankfully, four years ago, Mu Qingyan officially appeared in the cult and began openly and covertly opposing Nie Zhe, keeping the latter too busy to bother Shangguan Haonan.
But when Mu Qingyan fell from Sacrifice Immortal Cliff over a year ago and his fate became unknown, Shangguan Haonan’s days of torment resumed.
“I wondered why I didn’t see you when we attacked the Xuanwu Palace’s main gate. So Nie Zhe had you ‘invited’ halfway,” Mu Qingyan chuckled softly. ” Nie Zhe treated you quite well. He was concerned for your safety even as his forces were under siege. He doesn’t show this much care even to his son.”
“Nie Zhe is utterly revolting. I feel sick just thinking about him,” Shangguan Haonan said with disgust. “Since my parents passed away, only Yingying, Yanyan, and Honghong have been by my side. He knew the four of us relied on each other, yet he still tried to give away the three of them. If it weren’t for the Young Lord’s help back then, the four of us would have been separated by life and death long ago! Hmph, I swear I won’t rest until this grudge is avenged!”
“Nie Zhe must be consumed by jealousy,” Mu Qingyan struggled to contain his laughter.
He knew that Yingying, Yanyan, and Honghong were three maidservants personally chosen by Shangguan Haonan’s parents for their son. Not only were they beautiful, but they were also gentle and caring. The four had grown up together like childhood sweethearts, developing deep bonds.
“Nie Zhe is just a vicious and poisonous old hag!” Shangguan Haonan exclaimed in fury.
He clasped his fists and said, “Young Lord, ask me anything you want to know. Secret passages, hidden chambers, troop distributions… I’ll tell you everything without reservation. We must eliminate Nie Zhe this time — I can’t live my whole life in constant fear!”
“Very well, Altar Master Shangguan, please rise,” Mu Qingyan gestured with one hand. “The first thing I want to ask is…”
“Has Nie Zhe truly mastered the Five Poison Palm technique?”
…
In the inner hall of the Palace of Extreme Pleasure, a middle-aged woman with a scarred face strode in and bowed: “Greetings, Cult Leader.”
Nie Zhe hurriedly helped her up. “Fengge, you’ve finally arrived. What should we do? That little Mu brat has cleared out the entire area around the Palace of Extreme Pleasure. They’re about to attack!”
The scarred woman was quite beautiful, but her entire being exuded a menacing aura that instilled fear in others.
She smiled sinisterly. “Cult Leader, don’t worry. Over a year ago, you managed to force that little rabbit to flee for his life, which shows he’s not all that formidable. Now he’s leading a motley crew to besiege us, it’s merely a show of force. Don’t fret about those jars and bottles outside; we can rebuild the four main altars later. The crucial thing is to protect our core territory.”
“The Palace of Extreme Pleasure is easy to defend and hard to attack. Large armies can’t enter, and you’ve gathered all the elite forces of the Heavenly Palace and Earthly Fiend Camps within the palace. We’ll wait here at our leisure, set up secret traps, and we’ll surely catch all of Mu’s remaining minions in one fell swoop!”
“Excellent!” Nie Zhe clapped his hands in praise. “With Fengge by my side, I’m like a tiger with wings. Victory is certain! You must be tired from your long journey, Fengge. Go rest for now. We need to conserve our energy.”
Hu Fengge bowed and withdrew.
Nie Zhe dismissed his attendants and entered a secret chamber. Holding a dim lantern, he slowly descended layers of stone steps, winding through passages until he reached an iron door. He knocked gently a few times and asked, “… Are you feeling better today?”
A hoarse voice responded from inside, “Nothing’s changed. I’m just barely hanging on.”
“Mu Qingyan is coming on strong this time. He’ll probably attack in a few days,” Nie Zhe said respectfully.
The deep, hoarse voice replied, “You’re over twenty years older than him and have led the cult for over a decade. Yet now you’re being pushed back step by step. You’re truly useless!”
“Please, Third Brother, guide me. Otherwise, all of Elder Brother’s life’s work will be ruined!” Nie Zhe pleaded.
The person inside let out a harsh laugh, more unpleasant than crying. “Hahaha, ruined! It’s long been ruined! Is today’s cult anything like the cult of the past?! I’ve long lost the will to live. It might be better to return the cult to the Mu family. That Mu brat has managed to make several comebacks, so he must be quite capable, far surpassing a waste like you!”
Nie Zhe’s expression turned ugly. He gritted his teeth and said, “I don’t care whether I remain Cult Leader or not, but there’s one thing Third Brother must know.”
…
After Shangguan Haonan left, Cai Zhao emerged from the inner room, looking puzzled. “What did he mean? Nie Zhe never mastered the Five Poison Palm? Then where did the poison in your body come from?”
Mu Qingyan’s expression turned deep and mysterious. “Yes, where indeed did it come from?”
— “If not from Nie Zhe, then who, and why?”