“Third Master, Miss Yan, that person’s martial skills are unfathomable—a true expert.”

Zhu Qing’s single statement made discussion superfluous.

To leave this place with all their limbs intact, there was only one path to take—get lost!

But to slink back so ignominiously—not a single person would be willing.

“I spoke too soon.” Yan Sanhe lowered her eyes.

A party of six—three martial arts experts, two clever people, and one who, though not particularly clever, could always be useful at critical moments.

She’d originally thought in her heart that with the six of them having already broken into Zhou Ye’s residence, how could they fear a reclusive Tang Jianxi?

Who could have known that Tang Jianxi would be an even more difficult adversary than Zhou Ye or Wu Shunian?

To hide from the world in seclusion, he’d gone to every extreme. Why go to such lengths? Was it because he’d once been Tang Qiling’s student?

“Zhu Qing.”

Xie Zhifei smiled faintly. “Against that person, how long could you hold out?”

Zhu Qing replied, “I don’t know—we’ve never crossed hands. But for the time of one pot of tea, I should be able to hold on.”

Xie Zhifei asked, “What about Hero Li?”

Li Buyan answered, “If Zhu Qing can hold for one pot of tea, so can this hero.”

Without waiting for Third Master to ask, Huangqi volunteered, “I can too!”

“I, Third Master, can take on a dozen moves.”

Xie Zhifei extended his foot, lightly touching Yan Sanhe’s shoe tip. “We’ll use a relay battle on our end. What method will you use on yours?”

Yan Sanhe’s head shot up to look at him.

“We’ll use a relay battle on our end”—this is the strategy we plan to use.

“What method will you use on yours”—this is the problem you should consider.

Once you’ve thought it through, let’s do it. Don’t be timid and hesitant, thinking about this and that.

His hand came up to rest on Yan Sanhe’s head, patting it several times as if in dissatisfaction. “We’re not afraid. What are you afraid of?”

Afraid you’ll be injured, bleed, lose your lives.

Afraid my own resolve is insufficient.

Afraid that after all this effort, it will end in failure.

When a person had attachments, they had weaknesses. A weakness was like one’s vital point—when someone’s vital point was firmly grasped…

Yan Sanhe frowned, saying nothing.

Third Master wore a faint smile at his lips. “Spirit Medium, can you still do this or not?”

“Tsk, it’s not that I look down on men.”

Li Buyan extended her hand to pat Yan Sanhe’s shoulder several times, humming and hawing in coordination with Third Master. “Only you men would say ‘can’t,’ right Zhu Qing?”

The veins on Zhu Qing’s forehead jumped twice. He said slowly, “You women say you can—then show me you can!”

Huangqi rolled his eyes. “Miss Yan, show that Zhu fellow how you can. Look at him being so smug.”

“I haven’t even feared the dead or ghosts—why would I fear that bastard?”

Young Master Pei, as long as he didn’t encounter ghosts, had more swagger than anyone. He snorted through his nose. “He’s got two eyes, two nostrils, breathes through his mouth—I don’t see three heads and six arms!”

Right—no three heads and six arms, only one head on top, just an ordinary person.

Don’t all people have weaknesses?

My weakness is these few people. What about yours, Gray-Robed Man? What about Old Master Tang behind you?

Yan Sanhe looked at each face one by one, slowly calming down.

Once a person calmed, clarity came. She carefully deliberated in her mind.

“I have three ideas. You fighters, listen and see.”

“Shh!”

Xie Zhifei extended a finger to his lips, his face full of tension. “This is equivalent to our battle plan. Speak more quietly.”

This demeanor, this tone—not the slightest trace of Third Master’s usual manner. Rather, he resembled Young Master Pei, somewhat deserving of a beating yet impossible to actually beat.

Yan Sanhe looked at him deeply. “Shortly, you three will use the relay battle. When you’re tired from fighting, run. If you can’t win, also run. One after another, slowly wear him down.”

“Three?”

Xie Zhifei raised an eyebrow. “What about me?”

Huangqi was listening with great interest. “Third Master, don’t make trouble. Listen to Miss Yan.”

Xie Zhifei thought, “…” He was making trouble?

“Li Buyan takes the first position.”

Yan Sanhe explained, “All experts in the world have one common failing—they look down on others, especially looking down on women.”

Li Buyan smiled with somewhat ill intent. “Then Auntie here will give him a taste of being put in his place.”

Yan Sanhe nodded. “Not just putting him in his place—you also need to probe the depth of his skills and find a way to signal Zhu Qing.”

Hearing these words, Zhu Qing knew he’d be the second to fight.

“Zhu Qing, you must use your greatest abilities to thoroughly shock that person with your skills, and try to drag out the time as long as possible.”

Yan Sanhe drew in a breath. “Li Buyan’s surprise attack, plus your shocking display—I think his heart will have some fluctuation.”

Though Zhu Qing didn’t fully understand, he still nodded earnestly. “Yes!”

“Huangqi, you don’t need to worry about anything. Just fight well. No need to be too concerned with martial ethics—be as tricky as possible!”

Huangqi patted his chest immodestly. “Miss Yan, rest assured. Playing dirty? I know how.”

“What about me?” Xie Zhifei, neglected on the side, spoke up again.

“As for Third Master…”

Yan Sanhe’s eyes were cold and stern. “Just be a good Third Master.”

“What kind of talk is that? Don’t tell me I…”

Xie Zhifei’s words reached halfway when he suddenly comprehended Yan Sanhe’s intention.

Four people knew martial arts. Three took turns going up, while another lazily watched from the side without lifting a hand. What would the Gray-Robed Man think?

He would certainly wonder: Does this young master truly only know a few moves, or is he a deeply hidden expert?

Wondering would disturb his mind, forcing him to divert some attention to remain secretly vigilant.

What was this move called?

It was called bluffing, also called using someone’s own methods against them.

The Gray-Robed Man used psychological warfare against us, so we return the favor with psychological warfare, disturbing his mind.

Brilliant!

Xie Zhifei’s dark eyes curved. He took the fan from Young Master Pei’s hand and opened it with a “snap.” “Third Master can not only be a good Third Master, but also do something else.”

Yan Sanhe saw a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Feel free to act boldly as you see fit.”

They all had tasks to do. What about me?

Young Master Pei grew anxious. “Is there nothing for me?”

Yan Sanhe asked, “Pei Mingting, how well can you recite the Diamond Sutra?”

The pride on Young Master Pei’s face practically shot to the sky. “Nothing to say about it—I can recite it backward and forward.”

That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.

“Shortly, you’ll sit beside me. Lower your voice slightly and slowly recite it in my ear.”

Though it was within expectations, Young Master Pei still asked, “You plan to write Buddhist scripture?”

“Correct!”

Buddhist scriptures were most calming to the mind.

The Buddhist scripture Jingchen had left in her hands was the Diamond Sutra. During her foot injury recovery, she’d copied it many times. Every character, every stroke was intimately familiar.

Young Master Pei’s lowered voice had a bewitching quality. If she could completely immerse her thoughts in it, she wouldn’t hear any other sounds.

Yan Sanhe looked up at the mountaintop.

Courtesy demands reciprocity.

Old Master Tang, consider these one thousand characters as my meeting gift to you. I hope that after receiving it, your heart won’t have any fluctuations.

Hearing that he could lean close to Yan Sanhe’s ear to speak, Young Master Pei’s blood rushed straight to his head.

“To hell with it all—let’s go break through!”