Outside the guest hall were two winding corridors. Crossing them led to a medium-sized banquet hall.
When Cai Zhao and the others arrived, they saw Mu Qingyan had somehow gotten ahead of Nie Zhe’s group, blocking the exit of the banquet hall. At his feet lay several dead or injured guards, their blood staining the gold-threaded pine and evergreen carpet, extending to where Nie Zhe and his group stood.
In the empty banquet hall, two sides faced off. On one side were twenty to thirty of Nie’s followers, poised for battle. On the other stood just one man.
The young man was tall and fair, dressed in an intricately embroidered black robe. His eyes were cold and clear. He stood like a majestic, handsome mountain before the crowd, and none dared approach.
“Uncle Nie, why the rush to leave? Where’s that spirit you had a year ago?” the young man’s voice was gentle. “Didn’t you say, ‘You don’t crave power, but the Divine Sect should be led by the most capable’? If so, why don’t we have another duel?”
Nie Zhe’s face alternated between red and green before he finally replied, “…I’ve been unwell these past few days. Let’s discuss a duel another time.”
Mu Qingyan chuckled softly, “You chose the date for our battle seventeen months ago. Today, it’s my turn to choose. Why not seize the day? Today seems perfect.”
Nie Zhe gritted his teeth, “For years, while you and your father lived in seclusion on Huanglao Peak, I never troubled you. Even our duel a year ago was agreed to be decided by fate. Today, you rely on outsiders to bully me. What justice is this?”
As the ‘outsider,’ Song Yuzhi quietly stepped back, but Cai Zhao didn’t move.
Upper Official Hao Nan put his hands on his hips and shouted, “Nie, stop your nonsense! You have no right to be the Sect Leader. In cultivation, reputation, or virtue, what do you possess? Over the years, how many sect members have died at the hands of your lackeys for opposing your leadership? Do you dare open the gates of Jile Palace and gather all sect members to discuss this?”
Nie Zhe was stung by his former subordinate’s words, but his sycophants weren’t silent. They began hurling insults:
“How dare a mere boy disrespect the Sect Leader? We’ll drag you to the God-Devouring Platform and let you die in agony!”
“The Yaoguang and Kaiyang Elders were the old Sect Leader’s confidants. As their descendant, you betray your master for glory. You deserve death a thousand times over!”
“Hehe, if it weren’t for his pretty face, this trash wouldn’t be fit to shine my shoes!”
“What pretty face? He’s just average-looking.”
“Hehehe, you don’t understand. His beauty lies elsewhere…”
If Yu Guanyue were here today, he’d have a hundred ways to curse back. But Upper Official Hao Nan lacked such skill. His face reddened as he was about to throw a punch, but before he could move, a slender figure flitted past him, cutting into Nie Zhe’s ranks.
Silver arm blades flashed, and crimson splattered. The four who had just been spouting nonsense instantly fell, blood gushing from identical deep gashes across their throats.
The girl was as pure and beautiful as early spring peach blossoms, yet her actions were ruthless and decisive. Everyone was shocked.
Even though these four weren’t highly skilled, to slit four throats in an instant was no easy feat.
Cai Zhao turned her head, “Upper Official Hao, these four were bad people, right?”
Hao Nan snapped back to reality, “Of course! These four relied on flattery, had no real skills, and only bullied sect members and harmed the weak. They deserved to die!”
“That’s good,” Cai Zhao sighed lightly, her bright eyes tinged with sadness. “If I had harmed good people by mistake, I’d feel guilty.”
Everyone thought: You ask if they were bad after killing them? That’s some guilt indeed!
The ‘easily guilt-ridden’ girl shook her arm blade, blood droplets rolling off the sharp silver edge, splattering on the ground in the shape of a vicious sickle.
She spoke calmly, “Times are tough, prices are soaring, and everyone’s busy. Let’s not waste time. Nie’s nephew, either follows Young Lord Mu’s suggestion, or we can have a chaotic battle. Whoever dies, dies. Let fate decide.”
She turned to Mu Qingyan, “Did I say that right?”
Mu Qingyan smiled, “Perfectly correct.”
At these words, Nie Zhe’s heart skipped a beat, surrounded by his strong and loyal guards. Li Ruxin’s face, however, paled dramatically as she tightly shielded her frail son behind her maids.
Mu Qingyan strode forward, swiftly knocking aside two guards, and approached Nie Zhe: “Nie Zhe, don’t dream. If chaos breaks out, even if others are spared, how could I possibly miss you?”
Nie Zhe took a deep breath, “Fine, but only you can come!”
“Agreed,” Mu Qingyan’s expression remained unchanged.
Song Yuzhi frowned and whispered, “What if Nie Zhe uses rotating opponents?”
“Then we’ll just cheat,” Cai Zhao replied without blinking. “We’ll grab Nie Zhe in the chaos and use him as a human shield. Why honor promises made to a coward who sprays poison?”
Upper Official Hao Nan rejoiced, “Miss Feng is so straightforward! We can capture not just Nie Zhe, but his wife and child as hostages too!”
Cai Zhao deadpanned, “I’d rather capture you as a hostage, Upper Official Hao. Nie Zhe doesn’t care about his wife and child, but you’re his heart and flesh!”
Hao Nan was speechless, while Song Yuzhi shook his head and smiled.
Near Mu Qingyan, three fur-clad men stepped forward. One spoke loudly, “We brothers have always stuck together…”
“I know,” Mu Qingyan said calmly. “Whether facing one opponent or a hundred, you three always fight together, right? Fine, come all at once.”
The three men were delighted and advanced bravely with their weapons.
Cai Zhao asked softly, “Who are these three?”
Hao Nan, being straightforward and not one to hold grudges, immediately replied, “They’re the remaining three of the ‘Six Leopards.’ The other three are dead. The one with the ghost-head knife is called… Huh?”
Before he could even finish introducing the first man’s weapon, the scene had already changed with repeated screams of agony.
Mu Qingyan pinched the back of the ghost-head knife with two fingers, channeling his energy to guide it straight into another man’s chest. Then, turning sideways, he struck out with both palms, hitting the chest of the ghost-head knife wielder and the third man, instantly rupturing their heart meridians.
The man with the pierced chest was still writhing and wailing. Mu Qingyan went over and skillfully stepped on his neck, breaking it.
He took out a handkerchief to wipe his fingers, his movements gentle and refined. “I hate it when people lie to me. You said you were three brothers who stick together, but weren’t there originally six of you? Now all six are in the underworld – that’s what I call sticking together.”
Mu Qingyan then looked up and said, “Next.”
Nie Zhe’s expression darkened as he nodded towards someone beside him.
A scarred man wielding a pair of lotus-headed iron hooks leaped in front of Mu Qingyan and declared loudly, “I am Sun-Devouring Hound Li Amou. I’ll test Young Lord Mu’s diving skills. Please, Young Lord, choose a weapon.”
Cai Zhao admired his spirit and couldn’t help but look at him with respect.
Mu Qingyan silently stepped forward. From seven or eight paces away, he channeled his energy and pushed his palms out. A powerful force like turbulent waves surged forth, making it hard for Li Amou to breathe, let alone counterattack. After just five or six moves, Mu Qingyan broke the iron lotus heads off Li Amou’s hooks and drove the sharp ends into Li Amou’s neck.
Blood gushed out, and Li Amou perished.
With a crisp clang, Mu Qingyan tossed aside the hook tips and said wearily, “I hate it when people pretend to be heroic in front of me. These days, true heroes died out long ago — Next.”
Nie Zhe’s face turned ashen as he looked towards a pair of brothers.
The brothers gritted their teeth and finally stepped forward, suppressing their fear. One of them said, “Young Lord Mu, please understand, we are indeed blood brothers, sharing life and death…”
“I know,” Mu Qingyan replied. “Wind-Summoning Hound Wang Jian, Sky-Howling Hound Wang Jian, born of the same mother. Come at me together.”
The Wang brothers each wielded a seven-foot snake-patterned spear. They coordinated their movements, their footwork aligning with the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, their spear techniques exquisite. This time, Mu Qingyan didn’t attack from afar with palm force. Instead, after a few evasive moves, he suddenly struck with lightning speed, gripping the tips of both spears and shattering them with a burst of energy.
The Wang brothers’ hands were badly injured, bleeding profusely. They exchanged a glance, their thoughts in sync, then bolted towards the main door, abandoning Nie Zhe to save themselves.
Mu Qingyan stomped his left foot hard, sending spear fragments flying up from the ground. He caught the pieces in his palm and shot them towards the brothers’ backs. Wang Jian turned to block but caught a fragment in his throat. Wang Jian managed to deflect a few before being pierced in the temple by the relentless barrage.
Playing with the remaining spear fragments, Mu Qingyan said tiredly, “I hate it when people act all brotherly in front of me. Back then, Nie Hengcheng told my grandfather they were ‘not blood brothers, but closer than blood brothers’ — Next.”
Everyone thought: What exactly do you hate the most?!
Song Yuzhi shook his head slightly: “Strange, truly strange.”
“What’s strange?” Cai Zhao asked.
Song Yuzhi replied, “In these three duels, Young Lord Mu didn’t use his full strength. Instead, he used three different methods to kill his enemies. The first fight used close-quarter grappling techniques, the second used palm strikes, and the third purely internal energy.”
“What’s strange about that?” Upper Official Hao Nan asked, confused.
Cai Zhao explained, “Not using full strength suggests Young Lord Mu doesn’t want to reveal his true cultivation level. In that case, he should have used the same technique throughout. If he’s willing to display various techniques, he should kill the enemies quickly to conserve energy.”
Song Yuzhi asked, “Zhao Zhao, don’t you find it strange?”
Cai Zhao pursed her lips, looking towards the arena: “What I find stranger is his mood. The Young Lord… seems very angry.”
“Angry?” Hao Nan was even more confused. “We’re on the verge of a great victory. What’s there to be angry about?”
Cai Zhao gazed intently at the scene, sensing a deep-seated suppression and indignation beneath Mu Qingyan’s mocking smiles.
However, she didn’t know why.
Nie Zhe trembled all over, looking to Yu Huiyin for help.
Yu Huiyin had no choice but to step forward with cupped hands: “Let me test the Young Lord’s divine skills.”
“Please,” Mu Qingyan finally showed some respect.
Their duel was far beyond the previous fights. Energy burst forth in the hall, scattering weapon fragments and debris on the ground. Li Ruxin and her son, with weaker cultivation, had to take shelter behind a large pillar.
“Wait!” Mu Qingyan suddenly stopped.
Yu Huiyin’s internal energy surged, and he bit his tongue to maintain control. He bowed, “Young Lord, please instruct me.”
Mu Qingyan said, “You’re no match for me, but defeating you would still require some effort. Since that’s the case, why not let me face Nie Zhe directly? I give my word that I won’t harm Nie Zhe at all in our upcoming duel. Nie Zhe is the current Sect Leader, and if I want to reclaim that position, we must go through this formality.”
Yu Huiyin hesitated but found Mu Qingyan’s words reasonable. Over a year ago, the prodigious Mu heir had mysteriously lost to Nie Zhe. It was only natural for him to seek a rematch.
So he stepped back and said, “I beg the Young Lord to show mercy.”
Seeing this, Nie Zhe burst into a tirade: “Yu, you bastard! You’re just a servant’s son. My uncle took you in because your long-dead father was loyal and hardworking. People outside call you ‘Young Master,’ and you’ve let it go to your head. Know your place! How dare you make decisions for me!”
Back then, Nie Hengcheng had seven children under him. The first four were his carefully chosen disciples, the fifth was his incompetent nephew Nie Zhe, the sixth was Li Ruxin, the orphan of his close friend, and the seventh and last was Yu Huiyin, the son of a loyal servant.
Yu Huiyin silently walked away. The other guards, having witnessed Mu Qingyan’s prowess, hastily dispersed, leaving only Nie Zhe in the center.
Nie Zhe stood trembling, at a loss. Mu Qingyan mocked lightly, “Stop pretending. Make your move.”
Nie Zhe’s eyes darkened. His fingers spread like claws, emanating a fierce aura. Gone was his previous weak demeanor, replaced by vicious and domineering moves – the infamous Five Poison Palm technique.
This time, Mu Qingyan was exceptionally cautious, allowing Nie Zhe to attack continuously while he only defended.
Song Yuzhi exclaimed in surprise, “I didn’t expect Nie Zhe’s kung fu to be so good.” It was almost on par with Yu Huiyin’s, yet he had pretended to be so panicked. No wonder Mu Qingyan had lost to him before.
Upper Official Hao Nan mumbled, “…I didn’t expect that either.”
Song Yuzhi and Cai Zhao both looked at him.
Hao Nan could only defend himself again, filled with grief and indignation: “He didn’t succeed!”
With a muffled thud, Nie Zhe was knocked to the ground.
“So you never actually mastered the Five Poison Palm. You were just pretending,” Mu Qingyan stood still, his eyes red, veins bulging on his forehead like cracks on a beautiful porcelain face.
This time, even Song Yuzhi noticed something was off about his mood.
“But that’s not right! Nie Zhe did master the Five Poison Palm. I saw him kill two expert fighters with it. The palm prints on their chests were dark green,” Hao Nan cried out.
Cai Zhao asked, “Are you sure they were martial arts experts and not stage performers?”
Hao Nan suddenly realized, “You mean Nie Zhe hired actors!” Enraged by this thought, he roared, “Nie Zhe, you fraud! You’ve been deceiving everyone!”
Song Yuzhi turned to see Cai Zhao deep in thought, her expression grave. He asked her why.
Cai Zhao replied, “If Nie Zhe never truly mastered the Five Poison Palm, then how was Young Lord Mu poisoned over a year ago?”
Song Yuzhi was speechless.
Meanwhile, contemptuous glares were directed at Nie Zhe.
Though the guards were loyal to him, their loyalty was based on generous pay and a mistaken belief that Nie Zhe was capable, if unscrupulous.
Moreover, accepting Nie Zhe’s benefits didn’t conflict with secretly despising him.
Some quick-thinking guards, recalling Mu Qingyan’s promise not to harm Nie Zhe, volunteered to relieve Mu Qingyan of his worry. One said, “Nie Zhe, you not only deceived the sect members but also lacked virtue and talent. You’ve made a mess of the Divine Sect. Young Lord Mu may spare you, but I won’t!” He moved to stab Nie Zhe.
Ding!
A loud clang rang out as an iron-tipped arrow appeared from nowhere.
The arrow pierced the guard’s throat and, with undiminished force, embedded itself in a stone pillar, pinning the guard to it.
Everyone turned to see the main door had opened. A middle-aged woman in tight-fitting clothes and long boots stood there, her left hand holding a tall bow, its string still vibrating. Behind her was a small squad of archers.
“Who dares harm my Sect Leader!” the woman shouted.
Nie Zhe, like a child seeing his parents, crawled towards her crying, “Feng Ge, Feng Ge, you’ve finally come! Save me!”
The newcomer was none other than the newly appointed Tianji Elder, Hu Feng Ge!
Seeing the chaos in the hall and several corpses on the ground, Hu Feng Ge frowned, “What’s going on here? How did they enter Jile Palace? Our brothers are fighting at the front, unaware that Mu Qingyan isn’t even with the army. I’ll send word immediately…”
Nie Zhe trembled, “Never mind that quickly took me away. They want to kill me!”
Yu Huiyin smiled upon seeing her, “Feng Ge, why are you here?”
Hu Feng Ge frowned, “I should be asking you that. The Sect Leader and I had an agreement. He was to send word every hour that all was well. When two hours passed without news, I knew something was wrong. Yu Huiyin, didn’t you say you’d never return? You gave your word, so why are you here?”
Yu Huiyin smiled awkwardly, “The Divine Sect is in crisis, so of course I had to return.”
Hu Feng Ge coldly replied, “Your return is useless!” She then pulled Nie Zhe up, “Sect Leader, let’s go.”
Nie Zhe was so moved he nearly cried, quickly getting to his feet.
“Leaving won’t be so easy!” Mu Qingyan struck out with his palm, which Hu Feng Ge blocked with her own.
As another fierce battle erupted, Cai Zhao suddenly heard a strange scraping sound, like metal against metal. Before she could react, a loud bang echoed as the hall’s main doors slammed shut, pulled by some mechanism.
Nie Zhe’s eyes gleamed with eerie joy: “Third Brother, Third Brother, you’ve finally decided to act! Hahahahaha, Mu Qingyan, you little brat, it doesn’t matter if you deal with me. Our Nie family still has someone who can handle you…”
Before he could finish, an earth-shattering boom resounded. Rumble!
The entire floor of the banquet hall suddenly collapsed!
From the moment Nie Zhe called out “Third Brother,” Mu Qingyan, Cai Zhao, and the others had been on guard, expecting hidden weapons or poison from all directions. But the danger came not from above or around them, but from below!
Amid cries of varying intensity, everyone, without exception, fell into what seemed like an endless black abyss.