Chapter 13: Frost Rises with the Moon, Sleet Falls with Stars
Chapter 13: Frost Rises with the Moon, Sleet Falls with Stars
Hong Linger nearly jumped out of her skin, exclaiming, “Do you truly wish to do this?”
Gu Fengchen replied, “False. Just teasing you.” Hong Linger froze. “What do you mean?” Gu Fengchen explained, “Worldly fame and fortune are like dung to me. Consider devoting all one’s energy, fighting half a lifetime—even if achieving both fame and fortune, one’s days in the dirt aren’t far off. Once the soul departs, even if possessing an empire of a thousand autumns, can one take a single piece with them? Therefore, I seek only two meals and shelter, to live peacefully till old age and death—that itself is immense fortune. Isn’t that so?”
This speech sent Hong Linger into peals of laughter. She pointed at his nose, nearly doubled over. Gu Fengchen, bewildered, asked, “What? Did I speak wrongly?”
Only after she finished laughing did Hong Linger gasp out, “Truly a Shaolin disciple—every word out of your mouth is Zen philosophy! But speaking thus, it ultimately leans towards the teachings of Huang and Lao. Think about it—if every mortal thought like you, what would become of the world? Not only would emperors like Qin Shi Huang or Han Wu vanish, even maintaining a nation might become impossible. It would surely be conquered by outsiders long ago. Once the nation falls, all such Huang-Lao teachings would mostly perish too! Thus, living in this world, one ought to have some ambition!”
Gu Fengchen countered, “Each follows their own philosophy; no need to impose. However, since I promised you, I won’t go back on my word. Without honor, a person cannot stand; even Buddhists teach against uttering falsehoods.” Hong Linger nodded, “Fine then. I’ll prepare things for you. Just focus on recuperating.”
Gu Fengchen thought privately, If this girl truly goes to West Lake alone, and I’ve promised to help her with one task, I absolutely can’t let her meet misfortune along the way. This is proving difficult. Thankfully, Hong Linger’s martial skills were exceptionally high. Though young, she seemed to possess ample Jianghu experience; likely, she wouldn’t need his help in a fight.
The day ended uneventfully. Early the next morning, after Gu Fengchen finished breakfast, Ping’er led him to the front of the Brightness Hall, where Hong Linger was waiting. However, Xue Wuhen and the others were not there.
Seeing him arrive, Hong Linger inquired, “How’s your injury?”
Gu Fengchen replied, “Your sect’s injury salves are truly remarkable. Before three days have passed, I’m more than halfway healed.” In truth, Shende Taoist’s sword thrust hadn’t been deep — he had exacerbated it by forcing the blood out and lost too much. These last two days, the food had been excellent; Ping’er had procured plenty of pork and lamb liver for him, so his energy and blood recovered quickly.
Seeing him in high spirits, Hong Linger felt relieved. After giving Ping’er a few instructions, she brought two horses, and led Gu Fengchen down the peak.
Descending Mount Huang, the two were in no hurry, traveling slowly along the road. After some distance, Hong Linger suddenly had an idea. “The two of us, dressed like this, are far too conspicuous. I think we ought to disguise ourselves to save trouble.”
Gu Fengchen naturally agreed. “What shall we disguise ourselves as?” Hong Linger glanced at him. “I’d say… as two scholars seeking education.” Recalling her scholar disguise aboard the ship on Fen River, Gu Fengchen nodded approval. “That disguise suits you splendidly, but not me. Looking like this, how could I resemble a scholar?”
Hong Linger sized up Gu Fengchen, then closed her eyes and pictured him wearing a scholar’s gown. She couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “You’re right! Even dressed as a scholar, people would just think you’re a stupid pupil! Better pretend to be my groom.”
Gu Fengchen conceded she was right.
They walked on for a while, still no sign of a town. Hong Linger considered that the Four Great Clans had likely sent spies. If they were spotted by one, future matters would become difficult. They needed to change disguises immediately. Just as she was pondering this, the sound of hoofbeats and suona pipes approached from ahead—an entire bridal party was coming their way.
The two stared. It was indeed a wedding procession: several musicians in front playing suona horns; bearers behind carrying a small red-sedan chair with lowered curtains; a bridegroom followed beside the sedan on horseback, draped in red silks, looking exceptionally cheerful—presumably he had won an excellent match.
The pair stepped to the roadside watching the procession pass. Suddenly, Hong Linger’s eyes gleamed. She nudged her horse forward. “Wait here,” she said to Gu Fengchen. Before he could react, she had spurred her horse forward, charging towards the group. In one swift motion, she grabbed one of the musicians playing the suona, simultaneously sealing his acupoint with a casual tap.
The musician had been playing enthusiastically, shaking his head to the rhythm, cheeks bulging like a frog’s belly. Suddenly, the back of his neck tightened; he was lifted bodily, then stiffened, paralyzed, and dumped face-down across her saddle. Startled, his suona shrieked a harsh, discordant, high note. The other musicians stared, bewildered. Before they understood what was happening, a shout from the bridegroom rang out—he too was hauled onto another horse’s back!
Robbery of brides wasn’t unheard of, but robbery of a bridegroom? Never! The group stared at each other, rooted in place. The accompanying relatives yelled, and only then did they throw down the sedan chair and run after her on foot.
Amidst peals of laughter, Hong Linger spurred her mount into a furious gallop. Passing Gu Fengchen, she called out, “Quick! Ride! Quick!”
Seeing her cause such mischief, Gu Fengchen inwardly chuckled but shook his head lightly. He had no choice but to follow, urging his own horse into a gallop. This ride was misery for the two hostages. Held face down over the horses, jolted so their ribs ached, and eating clouds of dust the whole way—every last shred of joy evaporated.
After galloping several li, Hong Linger reined in, freed the acupoints on her hostages, and dumped them to the ground. She flourished the broken tip of her spear. “Take off your outer robes. Quick! Whoever’s slow, this girl will pierce him a transparent hole right here!”
The bridegroom and musician dared not disobey. Morosely, they began untying their clothes. The musician was no big deal—his was a coarse cotton garment. The bridegroom felt deeply aggrieved. It was his wedding day! A female demon fell from the sky demanding to strip him? What scandal! How would he even explain this to his bride later…
His mind spun with wild thoughts, but his hands worked speedily. In the blink of an eye, he shed his outer robe and held it out with both hands. Red Ling’er hooked it with her spear tip and tossed it to Gu Fengchen, who gave a slight shake of his head and accepted it.
Hong Linger took out a small ingot of gold and tossed it to the bridegroom, laughing. “The robe we borrow for now. Consider this gold our wedding gift. May you two live to a ripe old age together, united for eternity!”
The bridegroom had never encountered such a ‘reasonable’ female demon. Uncertain whether to panic or rejoice, he merely bowed repeatedly. “Dare not… dare not… Thank you… thank you…”
Hong Linger laughed aloud, then she and Gu Fengchen spurred their mounts away, leaving the two bewildered fellows standing where they were, exchanging wide-eyed, helpless glances. It was ludicrous!
After putting a few more li behind them, a grove appeared by the road. Hong Linger signaled Gu Fengchen to dismount. She selected the bridegroom’s robe and tossed the musician’s coarse garment to him. “Change clothes.”
After emerging from changing, the two looked at each other and grinned. Dressed as a man, Hong Linger looked genuinely handsome. With the oversized, celebratory silk flowers removed, it looked like any ordinary robe, albeit newly made and of decent craftsmanship, though slightly too big for her. The rough cotton garment fit Gu Fengchen perfectly—evidently, when grabbing hostages, Hong Linger had considered his build. Now, with a felt cap added atop, he blended in utterly, looking every inch the household servant.
Red Linger looked highly satisfied. She bounded onto her horse, flicking the whip. “Right! Forward! If we miss the exam dates, this top scholar will be a failure! Hee hee.”
During his time at Shaolin Temple, Gu Fengchen had been fond of stirring things up and regularly teased his brothers. After being cast out, however, he’d grown more withdrawn, losing his appetite for pranks. Now, encountering this strange, spirited girl causing constant mischief before his eyes, he felt his inner mischief beginning to stir again. But he was no longer a reckless youth and quickly checked the impulse. He merely smiled. “Very well, Master Hong, after you.”
Hong Linger frowned. “You think I’m surnamed Hong?”
Gu Fengchen replied, “You told me so yourself.”
Hong Linger said, “You mustn’t call me that name in front of others. It’s fine in private, though. I have a proper name.”
Gu Fengchen said, “May this untalented one dare ask…”
Hong Linger replied, “My surname is Ling. My name is Ling. Hong Linger is just a childhood name.”
Gu Fengchen laughed. “Ling Linger, Ling Ling… What a lovely name.”
Ling Ling retorted, “Obviously, it’s far better than names like ‘Lotus’ or ‘Flower’, wouldn’t you say?”
Gu Fengchen smiled. “A name is just a symbol. Whether it sounds lovely or not hardly matters. Names like Feng Xiaolian, Zhang Lihua were good too, yet those women were harbingers of their nations’ doom!”
Ling Ling found this distasteful. “Ha! This wine-and-meat-eating monk knows quite a bit! Planning to sit for the imperial exams?” After speaking, she spurred her horse forward abruptly.
Gu Fengchen had no choice but to follow. The two rode off, one after the other, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.
After riding a while, both felt their mouths parched and tongues dry. They stopped to rest at a roadside tea stall.
The tea server brought over two pots of fine tea and several plates of specialty snacks, filling half the table.
Gu Fengchen found it strange and asked Ling Ling, “We didn’t order anything. Why is this all served?”
Ling Ling chuckled, “Take a guess?”
Gu Fengchen studied the tea server. With his imposing internal energy, his eyesight was naturally exceptional. The more he looked, the more he sensed something unusual about the man. Though his movements seemed natural, the subtle signs of martial skill gradually surfaced. Gu Fengchen suddenly understood. “He’s an informant you planted.”
Ling Ling nodded. “Clever you. Right on the first guess.”
Gu Fengchen privately nodded. It seemed the Red Lotus Sect was indeed well-prepared. Their entry might seem sudden, but meticulous planning preceded it. Judging by the stall’s soot-blackened signboard, it had clearly been open for some time. He quietly asked, “Does this tea server recognize you?”
Ling Ling said, “He’s just a scout. He hasn’t even seen the Three Talents and Eight Steeds, so how would he recognize me? I merely signaled my identity when I arrived. He knows I’m from the Red Lotus Sect, that’s all.”
Gu Fengchen said, puzzled, “You signaled your identity? I didn’t notice?”
Ling Ling replied, “Do you think signaling identity means showing credentials or something?”
Gu Fengchen asked, “Isn’t that how it is?”
Ling Ling said, “Certainly not. Our Red Lotus Sect has its own codewords and hand signs. Outsiders wouldn’t recognize them.” She extended her left hand, spreading her five fingers like a lotus blossom. Then she folded her thumb, middle finger, and little finger, leaving only her index and ring fingers extended. “See? This is the mark of the Red Lotus Sect. Anyone using this gesture must be at a rank at least above the Eight Outer Sects.”
Gu Fengchen asked, “Eight Outer Sects? What’s that?”
Ling Ling explained, “Under the banner of our Red Lotus Sect, below the Cult Leader are the Three Talents and Eight Steeds. Below the Eight Steeds are the Eight Outer Sects, each with its own Gate Master.”
Gu Fengchen asked, “Which eight?”
Ling Ling sipped her tea. “To be honest, the Eight Outer Sects are often despised branches within the martial world. They comprise the Thief Sect, Gu Sect, Mechanism Gate, Qian Gate, Spirit Song Gate, Orchid Gate, Red Silker Gate, and Life-Reaping Gate.”
Gu Fengchen commented, “Just hearing the names tells you they’re illegitimate paths. None of them are respectable.”
Ling Ling wasn’t offended. “True. Yet they represent the oldest professions in the Jianghu. The Thief Sect is thievery, Qian Gate is deception, Gu Sect is poison, Mechanism Gate deals with traps and contraptions, Orchid Gate is prostitution, Spirit Song Gate is sorcery, Red Silker Gate is acrobatics and legerdemain, Life-Reaping Gate is assassination. The Eight Outer Sects encompass most shady trades in the martial world. Our Red Lotus Sect’s vast influence comes largely from commanding so many who are part of this underside.”
Gu Fengchen observed, “That’s likely why the Red Lotus Sect is also scorned by righteous factions in the martial world.”
Ling Ling nodded. “Exactly. Think about it. Which respectable sect would accept thieves and swindlers? Which righteous school likes poison and witchcraft? Without the Red Lotus Sect, these groups would have long since fallen apart.”
Gu Fengchen said, “With such people in the Red Lotus Sect, no wonder its reputation is poor. But its danger lies precisely here. Your sect teems with unscrupulous rogues, poisoners and assassins – it sounds terrifying just hearing about them.”
Ling Ling giggled. “If you joined the Red Lotus Sect, which sect would you want to be in?”
Gu Fengchen paused. “What do you think?”
Ling Ling thought for a moment. “As I see it, you’d be best suited for the Thief Sect.”
Gu Fengchen frowned. “Are you implying I like to steal? Sutras, for instance?”
Seeing his displeasure, Ling Ling knew she’d touched a nerve, but didn’t back down. “Stealing books is nothing, and besides, you didn’t steal them. I say you fit the Thief Sect because you don’t steal objects; you steal people’s hearts.”
Gu Fengchen, who had just taken a sip of tea, almost spat it out. “You think I steal hearts?”
Ling Ling asked, “Don’t you? Isn’t that little girl’s heart already stolen by you?”
Gu Fengchen shook his head with a bitter smile and didn’t reply. He was a bit perplexed. Why did Ling Ling repeatedly bring up Lian’er? And whenever she mentioned her, why did she always have that faint half-smile? Having grown up among monks, he lacked experience with women and had no understanding of a girl’s feelings. He simply found her rather nagging. But then he thought, well, women are naturally like that. If a girl had his own personality, she’d likely be considered strange, and probably hard to marry off.
Having reasoned this in his mind, he no longer blamed Ling Ling for being outspoken. Still, best to steer clear of this topic. So he asked, “What grudge do you bear against this Lady Xueyi?”
Ling Ling hadn’t expected this question. Her expression darkened, and she sighed. “If not for her, my father wouldn’t have died. The Red Lotus Sect wouldn’t have needed to flee afar to the Tian Shan Mountains for over a decade.”
Gu Fengchen asked, “Did she cause your father’s death?”
Ling Ling stated, “Effectively, yes. She was the woman my father cherished most. Yet she eloped with that Ying Tian’ao. My father pursued them to the Mount Tai Sect. After a fierce struggle with Ying Tian’ao, my father sustained internal injuries, while Ying Tian’ao was struck by his palm blow and plummeted off a cliff, dashed to pieces. Later, who knows what Lady Xueyi said to my father, but it left him utterly despondent and suicidal. Right at that moment, the Four Great Clans launched a joint attack. The Red Lotus Sect wasn’t truly powerful then. My father ordered the faithful to flee far away. He alone stayed behind to fight the formidable enemies, ultimately falling in battle. Tracing back the chain of events, wasn’t his death fundamentally caused by Lady Xueyi?”
Gu Fengchen reasoned, “Vengeance has a source, debts have a debtor. With Ying Tian’ao dead, Lady Xueyi’s heart must have been broken with grief. Didn’t you notice? Barely forty years old, yet her hair is entirely white.”
Ling Ling sneered, “Ying Tian’ao deserved death, meeting his end beneath my father’s palm – his just reward. As for Lady Xueyi, not only did she elope, she also absconded with my Red Lotus Sect’s most treasured artifact. Were I not apprehensive about recovering the treasure, I’d have slain her long ago.”
Gu Fengchen said, “This woman is deeply calculating, indeed a difficult figure to handle.” Having said this, he lowered his head to drink tea, asking no more.
Ling Ling stared at him intently, not blinking.
Gu Fengchen found this strange. “Something wrong?”
Ling Ling asked, “You accompanied me down the mountain all this way, why haven’t you asked what that treasure is?”
Gu Fengchen replied, “It concerns your sect. I have no wish to pry.”
Ling Ling announced, “You may not wish to ask, but I insist on telling you. However, this is a secret of the Red Lotus Sect. Once I tell you, you mustn’t reveal it to others.”
Gu Fengchen nodded. “Aren’t you afraid I’m a spy for the Four Great Clans?”
Ling Ling retorted, “Certainly not! Did you think the Red Lotus Sect spent our years exiled in Tian Shan just drinking wine and admiring the snow! I dispatched countless agents to thoroughly investigate the Four Great Clans. Detailed dossiers on every significant figure of the Four Great Clans lay upon my desk. Even their likenesses were exquisitely drawn. As for you… you weren’t in any of those files.”
Gu Fengchen was inwardly startled. He remarked, “The saying goes, an open spear is easy to dodge, a hidden arrow is hard to guard against. How apt. Red Lotus in the shadows, Four Great Clans in the light. Guarding against you is indeed far harder.”
Ling Ling waved a hand. “Don’t digress so broadly. Focus on the present. The treasure we seek to retrieve is a suit of divine armor called the Earth Evasion Armor.”
Gu Fengchen commented, “Earth Evasion Armor… an odd name.”
Ling Ling explained, “My Red Lotus Sect possesses Three Great Treasures: Heaven, Earth, and Man. The Heaven-Defying Formula, the Earth Evasion Armor, the Lover’s Spear. You’ve mastered the Heaven-Defying Formula. I possess the Lover’s Spear. Only the Earth Evasion Armor has been lost for over a decade.”
Gu Fengchen suddenly recalled something. “But the Heaven-Defying Formula was in Qin Tangguan’s hands. Why didn’t your father entrust it to you?”
Ling Ling nodded. “My father only gave me the Lover’s Spear. He entrusted the Heaven-Defying Formula to Qin Tangguan for safekeeping. Lady Xueyi was Qin Tangguan’s adopted daughter. After the incident, Qin Tangguan was terrified. He bound himself and begged for punishment. For reasons unknown, my father not only didn’t blame him but also entrusted him with the Heaven-Defying Formula. Qin Tangguan, grateful for my father’s profound favor and wisdom, vowed to protect this treasure with his life. Yet, in the end, it was stolen by you. Hehe! How many in the world could steal something from the hand of the Earthly King?! If you don’t belong in the Thief Sect, who does?”
Gu Fengchen listened with great interest up to the last sentence, which was rather unwelcome. He pursed his lips and retorted, “I didn’t intend to steal. The thing simply fell right before my eyes. I merely read it through once, and this ability stuck to me—I couldn’t shake it off. So ultimately, I’m a victim too!”
They chatted away until they realized their tea had gone cold. Ling Ling called the tea server for a fresh, hot pot.
Just as he poured two cups, the sudden sound of horse neighs erupted on the main road.
A fast horse arrived, lathered in sweat yet its rider still spurred it mercilessly. Gu Fengchen noticed the man on the horse was injured, his clothes torn, looking utterly bedraggled. He recalled the Mount Huang Sect members he’d encountered that day, worrying which other sect the Red Lotus Sect had ravaged now.
The man reached the tea stall, seemingly too parched to endure. He dismounted, sat at a table, and demanded tea.
Gu Fengchen observed that the moment this man appeared, Ling Ling frowned slightly, as if recognizing him. He asked in a low voice, “Who is this person?”
Ling Ling lowered her voice further. “Speak of the devil! We were just discussing the Eight Outer Sects, and here he appears. That man is Yuan Yin, head of the Life-Reaping Gate. How was he injured like this?”
Gu Fengchen said, “If that’s so, he must recognize you…”
Ling Ling said, “I don’t know them. When the Red Lotus Sect exited the pass, they didn’t bring the Eight Outer Sects with them. They stayed in the Central Plains, scattered in all directions. That’s why messages within our sect circulate so swiftly. Judging by his appearance, something must have happened to the Life-Reaping Gate. He was heading toward Mount Huang; likely to deliver a report.”
Gu Fengchen said, “How do you recognize him? For over a decade, haven’t you never returned to the Central Plains?” Ling Ling replied, “Our sect meticulously documents even the appearance and martial arts of our enemies, let alone our own people. While in the Tian Shan Mountains, I reviewed case reports almost daily, so whether friend or foe, I can recognize them at a glance.”
Gu Fengchen sighed, “The mighty reputation of the Red Lotus Sect indeed has its unique merits.”
He glanced at Yuan Yin, noting he was of short stature and thin build, his head wrapped in cloth with traces of blood seeping through. Gu Fengchen asked Ling Ling, “One of your subordinates has been injured. Why not go ask him?” Ling Ling said, “We have urgent business too. Besides, this place is crowded and every eye sees; who knows if spies from the Four Great Clans are here? If my identity is exposed, it invites countless troubles. So it’s inconvenient to acknowledge him openly. If we must question him, it’s best to lure him alone to a secluded spot.” She frowned, then an idea struck her. She lowered her voice: “Do like this…”
Having decided on a plan, Gu Fengchen stood up and walked over to a tea drinker, staring fixedly at the man. Irritated by the stare, the man shouted, “Grandpa is drinking tea! Looking for a beating? Wait your turn!” Gu Fengchen slammed his palm on the table; the tea bowls jumped, spilling hot water all over.
Gu Fengchen laughed heartily and immediately turned and ran. Furious, the tea drinker yelled, sprang up, and chased after him. Gu Fengchen didn’t run far; instead, he ran circles around the tea stall, quickly throwing the other tables into chaos like chickens and dogs running wildly, diverting everyone’s attention. People chased and tried to corner him, yet no one could lay a hand on him. Infuriated, they stomped and fumed, causing even more overturned tables and chairs.
Amidst the ruckus, Gu Fengchen glanced toward Ling Ling. Indeed, before he circled twice, she nodded subtly at him and went directly to untie their horses. Gu Fengchen laughed again, “Farewell!” His body suddenly accelerated, darting past several people like lightning before leaping onto his own horse. Ling Ling vaulted onto hers beside him, and they galloped away.
Yuan Yin, however, remained impassive and simply settled his bill before leaving.
After they left, two tea drinkers exchanged a secretive glance, both frowning but taking no further action. Just as Ling Ling had suspected, these two were spies, specifically planted on this road to glean information about the Red Lotus Sect. But the sudden chaos distracted them entirely; Gu Fengchen’s antics completely concealed what Ling Ling and Yuan Yin were doing.
Ling Ling and Gu Fengchen galloped several miles before stopping. Gu Fengchen asked, “Did you question him?” Ling Ling said, “Wait. He’ll arrive shortly.” The two waited under a tree with their horses. Sure enough, moments later, Yuan Yin arrived on horseback. Catching sight of Ling Ling, he dismounted immediately, clasped his fists and bowed respectfully, “Yuan Yin of the Life-Reaping Gate greets you, Senior. Dare I ask which of the Three Talents and Eight Steeds you are?”
Ling Ling glanced behind him to ensure no followers, then recited, “Nine petals of the Crimson Lotus unfold in sequence, / A heart of pure red descends from the heavens.”
Instantly, Yuan Yin’s eyes widened. He froze for a moment before wild joy lit up his face. He abruptly knelt: “I didn’t know the Leader approached, truly I deserve death! You… How could you travel so lightly, with so few companions? It’s perilously dangerous!” Ling Ling stated, “My affairs are not your concern. Speak quickly. What has happened to the Life-Reaping Gate?”
Hearing her question, anxiety washed over Yuan Yin’s face: “Reporting to the Leader…” Ling Ling interrupted, “Stand up to speak! Unless you want everyone to know I am the Leader?” Yuan Yin scrambled to his feet, self-recriminating: “Seeing you, Leader, brought such immense joy that this humble one foolishly forgot the need for secrecy. Deserving of death, truly!”
When Gu Fengchen saw him at the tea stall, the man seemed sinisterly calm and composed. Yet now, facing the Leader of the Red Lotus Sect, he stammered incoherently, clearly driven by inner panic. This caused Gu Fengchen doubt. Having met Ling Ling several times, he never found her particularly formidable, merely ruthless in action. But witnessing Yuan Yin’s reaction, he realized Ling Ling truly commanded authority – she just hadn’t shown it to him.
Yuan Yin stood and said, “It’s not just the Life-Reaping Gate. Something grave has happened to all Eight Outer Sects. If it weren’t so dire, I wouldn’t be galloping to deliver this urgent warning.”
Ling Ling commanded, “Out with it quickly! What happened?”
Yuan Yin then recounted the entire affair.
After the Red Lotus Sect exited the pass, the Eight Outer Sects had followed the late Leader Ling Yufeng’s order and scattered into the Jianghu (Martial World) to evade extermination by the Four Great Clans. The eight Gate Masters convened, established secret codes for future communication, and then each went into hiding with their followers. They stipulated meeting once every six months to compile major events of the Jianghu and report them to the Red Lotus Sect’s central base. Over the past decade or more, Gate Masters had changed hands within the Eight Sects, but the rule remained unchanged.
This year, learning the Red Lotus Sect was re-entering the pass, the Gate Masters prepared extensively. Three months prior, they had already held an emergency gathering. But ten days ago, Yuan Yin suddenly received a summons, stating an incident required them to convene again urgently to discuss countermeasures.
Yuan Yin examined the summons; it was sent by Wei Sanniang, Gate Master of the Red Handkerchief Gate. He didn’t hesitate and immediately headed for the meeting spot: a pavilion halfway up a mountain. Arriving, he found the other six Gate Masters already present – only Wei Sanniang was missing.
As the seven puzzled over her absence, a figure ascended the mountain path. But it wasn’t Wei Sanniang; it was a young woman they had never seen. Assuming she was Wei Sanniang’s messenger, they paid little attention, only asking why Wei Sanniang hadn’t come. The woman merely nodded, saying something grave had erupted within Wei Sanniang’s gate. Wei Sanniang had instructed her to deliver a box to them seven, containing a letter and her personal token. The contents, she said, would explain everything. She then produced a wooden box and placed it on the stone table.
Old Jianghu veterans, all seven were experienced and deeply cautious. They held her words tenuously balanced between partial belief and significant doubt. Shi Tiexin, Gate Master of the Mechanism Gate, took the box. He didn’t need to shake it; one grasp told him it held no mechanical traps or poisons. Reassured, he opened it. Inside lay a letter and a jade ring – unmistakably Wei Sanniang’s property.
Shi Tiexin, ever the seasoned hand, carefully felt the letter over, confirming no hidden needles nor powder before finally ripping off the sealing wax, opening the envelope, and extracting the letter.
Yet when he unfolded it, the paper was completely blank – not a single word!
As the seven men stared in stunned silence, the young woman suddenly struck. She spat out a dense smoke with narcotic effects. Five men, caught off guard and unable to hold their breath, instantly fell unconscious. Yuan Yin and Shi Tiexin, luckily unaffected, engaged her in combat. Shi Tiexin was one thing, but Yuan Yin was undeniably the paramount martial artist among the Eight Outer Sects. His Seven-Star Fish-intestine Sword moved after deadly move, each strike aimed at the heart. Combined, however, the two masters lasted only eighteen exchanges against the young woman before each was separately defeated. Though thin, Yuan Yin possessed incredible resilience. He rose, fought again, and was repeatedly knocked down five times by the young woman, vomiting blood from the last blow until he could fight no more.
Seeing all seven men fallen and incapacitated, the woman didn’t kill them. Instead, she retrieved seven pills, forced one into each man’s mouth. When she reached the seemingly unconscious Yuan Yin, he suddenly opened his eyes, lunging at her with his sword as she bent down. To his shock, the woman was extremely alert and dodged the thrust. Yuan Yin knew he was hopelessly outmatched. Escape to report was paramount. He twisted and threw himself off the cliff into the valley.
As the head of the Life-Reaping Gate, whose members were assassins, Yuan Yin was deeply versed in assassin’s skills. Whenever entering unfamiliar terrain, he meticulously surveyed the surroundings beforehand. Visiting the mountainside pavilion, he had scouted the base. He knew the valley floor was dense forest, thick with vines and creepers growing even halfway up. As he fell, these vines tangled and broke his fall. He survived, his scalp and body scored with countless scrapes and cuts. He owed his life to them.
He realized Wei Sanniang was surely dead, and likely the other six Gate Masters as well. He alone of the Eight Gate Masters had escaped the tiger’s maw. Evidently, their enemy had infiltrated the networks of the Eight Outer Sects and was launching its move. Seizing a horse, he raced day and night toward Mount Huang.
Ling Ling frowned upon hearing this. She knew full well Yuan Yin’s martial prowess, while perhaps not matching the Eight Steeds of the Crimson Lotus, was close, and his ruthlessness surpassed theirs. Even with Shi Tiexin aiding him, they couldn’t best a single woman? “Truly frightening,” she thought. Aloud, she asked, “What did that woman look like? What martial arts style did she use?”
Yuan Yin, a trained assassin, boasted encyclopedic knowledge of martial arts styles. Yet, Ling Ling’s question made him knit his brows tightly. “This humble one is inadequate. I utterly failed to discern that woman’s martial lineage.” Seeing Ling Ling’s expression turn icy, he hastened to add, “Leader, please calm your anger. That woman exchanged over a dozen moves with the two of us. Startlingly, she utilized martial arts from nine distinct sects! Among them were the Skyward Finger from the Southern Sea Sect, the Five Beasts Fist from the Qingcheng Sect, the Flying Immortal Legwork from the Penglai Sect, and the Great Stone Tablet Smashing Palm from the Changbai Mountains. More disturbingly, she executed each technique with its profound essence intact, as if she had trained solely in that style her entire life. Hence… I was unable to identify her background.”
Ling Ling pressed, “How old was she? What did she look like?”
Yuan Yin answered, “She was young, probably under twenty. As for her looks, you could say quite pretty. Ah, one thing was unusual though.” Ling Ling asked, “What thing?” Yuan Yin said, “She didn’t wear any shoes. She came barefoot.”
Ling Ling searched her memory momentarily and found no recollection of such a woman. Yet the words struck Gu Fengchen’s ears like five thunders striking, and he blurted out, “It’s her!”
Ling Ling asked, “You know this woman?”
Gu Fengchen recounted his encounter with the woman on Mount Jiuhua. Ling Ling gave a cold laugh, “As I suspected, that woman must be sent by the Four Great Clans.” Gu Fengchen was taken aback, “Why are you so certain?” Ling Ling replied, “My Red Lotus Sect has eyes and ears in the Jianghu; did you think the Four Great Clans are deaf and dumb? There must be their spies among the Eight Outer Sects. Otherwise, they absolutely could not know our secret signals. This time, as soon as my Red Lotus Sect entered the pass, we eradicated several sects and subdued numerous powerful factions. Those sects are all running dogs of the Four Great Clans, covertly supported by them. We struck them once, they retaliated by striking at the Eight Outer Sects with equal vigor.”
Yuan Yin asked, “What should we do now? Please instruct us, Cult Leader.”
Ling Ling said, “The urgent task is to rescue those seven Gate Masters first. These seven men command immense prestige within their respective sects. If used or intimidated by the villains, it would be extremely troublesome.” She questioned Yuan Yin, “Do you know what happened to them?” Yuan Yin responded, “As soon as this humble one escaped danger, I ordered my men to notify the other seven sects to investigate everywhere. Yesterday, a carrier pigeon brought word: those seven were imprisoned in an estate called Five Precepts Manor, about three hundred li from Mount Huang. This news came from brothers of the Thief Sect; it should be reliable.”
Ling Ling declared, “There’s no time to delay; we must hurry there.” She and Yuan Yin leaped onto their horses, but saw Gu Fengchen standing motionless on the spot. Ling Ling urged, “What are you standing there for? Hurry up!” Gu Fengchen said, “This is an internal matter of your sect; it wouldn’t be proper for me to interfere.” Ling Ling retorted, “You said you would protect me. How come you’re changing your mind even before we’ve left Mount Huang?”
Gu Fengchen replied, “I agreed to escort you to West Lake. I did not agree to help you with anything else.” Ling Ling sneered, “You’re afraid, aren’t you? Daren’t go?” Gu Fengchen returned the sneer, “I stand by what I promised. What I did not promise, I absolutely will not do.”
Ling Ling was greatly displeased, “Fine then. You go to West Lake and wait for me. Humph, without hounds and hawks, I can still hunt rabbits. Gate Master Yuan, let’s go.”
The two cracked their whips and spurred their horses, galloping away into the distance.
Gu Fengchen was not timid nor afraid of offending the Four Great Clans or the Five Great Sects; he was merely disinclined to immerse himself too deeply in Jianghu affairs. He just wanted to return to Gu Family Village sooner, spend his days forging a few pieces of iron, drinking a few catties of wine, and living a leisurely life.
Watching the two figures vanish into the distance, Gu Fengchen smiled faintly. He asked a passerby for directions to Hangzhou and set off slowly, the reins loose in his hands.
He traveled like this for over a day. On the evening of the second day, he arrived at a small town. The town was modest, comprising only about a hundred households. At its center stood an inn. Gu Fengchen led his horse inside, booked a room, and settled in to rest. Soon after, the innkeeper brought wash water for his face and a basin of heated water for his feet. Gu Fengchen also ordered a plate of beef, a large flatbread, and a big jar of wine. By the time he finished washing, the food was laid out on the table.
Gu Fengchen, weary and famished after a day’s journey, first downed half the jar of wine, then wrapped the beef in the flatbread and began eating heartily.
Just as he was enjoying his meal, he suddenly heard footsteps outside the door. The steps were extremely light; if not for the number of people walking, they would have been hard to detect. Since practicing the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, Gu Fengchen’s abilities and insight had heightened, and his perception of people with martial skills had become extraordinarily sharp. With one listen, he knew the arrivals were all experts.
So many skilled martial artists arriving suddenly hinted at imminent trouble. Gu Fengchen, already weary of Jianghu conflicts, pretended not to hear and continued eating.
The group entered the room opposite his and slammed the door firmly shut.
After eating and drinking his fill, Gu Fengchen lay down and fell asleep. Around midnight, a slight noise roused him. It was the sound of the opposite room’s door opening. Though very faint, it couldn’t evade Gu Fengchen’s ears. He thought to himself, A group of martial artists sneaking out this late likely isn’t up to any good. Thinking this, he quietly slipped out of bed and approached his door, peering out through the crack.
Lanterns hung in the corridor outside, providing clear illumination. He saw more than ten men, fully equipped, carrying cloth-wrapped bundles that most likely contained weapons like swords and knives. The leader spoke in a low voice, “No noise. That scoundrel isn’t just vicious, he’s cunning too. This inn might have eyes and ears.”
They treaded silently and vanished around the corridor’s corner. The leader paused at the corner, took a pouch of powder from his pocket, and poured it out in a straight line, seemingly blocking the corridor. He then pulled a fire starter from his pocket, touched it to the line of powder, and swiftly followed the others.
Gu Fengchen watched, perplexed, unsure of the man’s purpose. He only sensed something sinister and strange in their behavior. Their actions surely aimed at committing some heinous deed. Had I not encountered this, I might have let it pass. But since I have, I absolutely cannot turn a blind eye. So, he gently opened his door, intending to follow them unseen.
However, as soon as he reached the line of powder, a sudden wave of dizziness hit his head. Having been drugged twice before, he was highly alert. The moment he felt something was wrong, he propelled himself backward, flying back eight feet. Upon landing, he staggered, almost falling.
He silently cursed his carelessness. The powder was undoubtedly a potent narcotic; passing through it would cause immediate unconsciousness. Since the path ahead was impassable, he quietly opened the window at the corridor’s end and slipped out. He trailed the men out of the town and onward until they reached the entrance of a valley. At the valley mouth, the group stopped and scanned their surroundings vigilantly, undoubtedly checking for followers. After a moment of scrutiny, they nodded at each other, satisfied no one was trailing them. Even so, the leader remained extremely cautious, instructing a subordinate to light an incense stick before they stole into the valley.
The group seemed completely oblivious to being followed. Once inside the valley mouth, they relaxed their pace. Walking several li brought them to the edge of some woods where, unexpectedly, a thatched hut stood.
Its door was tightly shut, devoid of lights within. As the leader approached, a voice came from inside: “Who’s out there?” The leader replied, “It’s me. Keep your voice down…” The door opened, revealing the face of a young man who said with relief, “Deputy Sect Leader Ma, you’ve finally come!” Deputy Sect Leader Ma and his men slipped inside, leaving one lookout crouching in the grass outside.
Gu Fengchen circled around and approached the back of the hut. Directly behind it lay a steep cliff face; there was no rear window. He pressed close to the wooden back wall, focused his strength into his fingers, drilled a small hole in the wood, and peered inside.
He saw a fire had been built inside, its crackling flames casting flickering, eerie light on the faces of the gathered men, accentuating their strangeness. Standing in the middle of the room was a cross-shaped wooden frame, beneath which sat a large wooden basin about the width of a man’s waist. More horrifying was that a man was bound upside down to the frame, legs pointing skyward and head hanging down. Gu Fengchen, positioned at the back wall, couldn’t see the bound man’s face. He saw the man lay completely still, seemingly as if dead.
Deputy Sect Leader Ma squatted before the man, apparently having observed him for a while. Now standing up, he addressed the young man who had been in the hut: “How long since you dosed him?”
The young man answered, “It’s been fourteen hours. The drug’s effect seems to be weakening. If you hadn’t come, not even the Great Luo Golden Immortal could save him.”
Deputy Sect Leader Ma immediately commanded, “Begin.”
At his order, three men stepped forward from the group, each holding a dagger. The blades, reflecting the firelight, gleamed menacingly, exceptionally sharp. Gu Fengchen’s heart clenched. Are they going to dismember the bound man? He secretly palmed a pebble, ready to smash through the wall and fling the stone to save the man the moment their knives descended.
Deputy Sect Leader Ma flipped his hand, also revealing a dagger. Cold light flashed as he cut a gash across the sole of the man’s left foot. Immediately, the other three surged forward, each cutting a similar wound on the sole of the man’s right foot and the center of each palm.
Blood instantly began to flow. Gu Fengchen, leaning close and viewing through the hole, saw clearly by the firelight that the blood was an eerie bluish-green color.
This man has been poisoned; Deputy Sect Leader Ma and the others aren’t killing him but trying to save him.
Gu Fengchen secretly let out a long breath. Since they were saving a life, he thought, there was no need for him to interfere. Better to slip away quietly and head back to the inn for some sleep.
At the sight of the green blood flowing out, Deputy Sect Leader Ma and the others recoiled as if spotting a viper, retreating instantly for fear of getting even a trace on them. Then, each pulled out a bamboo tube about a foot long and the thickness of a calf from beneath their clothes. Deputy Sect Leader Ma tilted his tube, letting a tiny worm the length of a little finger slide out, and placed it gently onto the wound on the man’s left sole. Gu Fengchen had intended to leave, but the scene unfolding before him was too strange. Curiosity got the better of him—after all, it’s human nature to be intrigued—and watching a bit more to gain some knowledge couldn’t hurt.
As soon as the worm touched the blood, it instantly stretched its body, clamping tightly onto the wound. In the blink of an eye, the worm’s body swelled up like an inflated balloon, expanding to three or five times its original size.
By the time the worm’s body became almost transparent, it was as thick as a spear shaft and half the length of a chopstick, hanging there, looking utterly terrifying. Gu Fengchen watched, growing increasingly amazed, thinking this worm must be some kind of bloodsucker like the leeches found in southern paddy fields. Can it really keep sucking without bursting?
At that very moment, the worm suddenly twisted its entire body and fell to the ground. It flopped a few times and then lay still. Deputy Sect Leader Ma carefully used a dry twig to pick up the worm and threw it into the fire. A poof sound ensued as poisonous blood gushed from the worm’s body, splattering onto the burning branches. Instantly, the entire fire turned an eerie, ghostly green.
The other three men also tipped out worms, attaching them to the wounds of the injured man, following the same method. Before long, over a dozen worms had been used, and the bluish-green tint of the blood flowing from the injured man had noticeably faded.
Seeing this, Deputy Sect Leader Ma’s expression softened slightly. He turned to the young man and said, “It wasn’t too late after all. Before sunrise, the lethal poison should be fully drained. But after all this exertion, he’s lost too much blood. We’ll need potent restorative herbs. I’ve brought some with me, but it’s not much, given the suddenness. We can’t find more urgently. Whether he lives depends on his own fate now.”
Watching to this point, Gu Fengchen found it rather uninteresting—they were just sticking worm after worm to the wounds to suck blood. He began to entertain thoughts of leaving and slowly started backing away, intending to hurry back to the inn.
But just then, Gu Fengchen abruptly felt a ripple of strangeness. All around, the chirping insects seemed to fall silent simultaneously.
Not good. Someone’s here.
At the same instant, the man who had been crouched by the door observing let out half a shout and then fell silent. He had clearly met a sudden end.
The people inside the hut were no ordinary folk either. They had heard the commotion. Deputy Sect Leader Ma’s expression changed. With a casual swipe of his palm, he extinguished the burning fire, plunging the interior into complete darkness. His men, seasoned veterans, stayed calm despite the shock. They drew their weapons, ready for a fight.
Gu Fengchen circled around the side of the hut and looked over. He saw a man strolling towards them under the starlight, unhurried and leisurely fanning himself with a folding fan as he walked, seeming utterly at ease.
The man stopped at a distance of two zhang from the hut. He snapped his fan shut with a sharp crack!. Immediately, from behind him, whoosh—four Kongming lanterns rose into the air, instantly illuminating dozens of zhang around in bright light. In this glow, Gu Fengchen saw the man was burly and dignified in appearance. He wore rich brocade robes, cinched with a jade belt. Around thirty, he sported a pair of glossy mustaches above his lips, adding to his imposing presence. It was precisely the eldest son of Zhuge Xianyun, Zhuge Ren.
Although Gu Fengchen had been to Jianxian Manor (Hall of Meeting the Virtuous), he’d been inside a carriage. Later, when Guangdu shattered the carriage body, he had been able to emerge, but at that moment, Long Xielan’s needle poison was seizing his body, plunging him into agony. He had had no time to notice others and therefore hadn’t seen Zhuge Ren. However, judging by this man’s demeanor, Gu Fengchen knew he was no small character.
Zhuge Ren lightly waved his fan, smilingly calling towards the hut, “Friends arriving from afar need not retreat three steps. Deputy Sect Leader Ma, please come out and show yourself.” Deputy Sect Leader Ma stiffened upon realizing the other knew his identity. Shouting, he demanded, “Who are you? Why kill my brother?” Zhuge Ren replied, “You are mere vermin, relying entirely on venomous and freakish methods to harm others, long despised by the Jianghu (Martial World). If you abandon the dark path and come to the light, I could show leniency towards your sect. The condition is to hand over the man you possess.”
Deputy Sect Leader Ma said, “Gate Master Yuan’s injuries… they were your doing, weren’t they?”
Gu Fengchen’s heart stirred. He thought to himself: Another Gate Master surnained Yuan. Listening to Deputy Sect Leader Ma’s tone, he clearly cares deeply for this Gate Master Yuan. Could they also be part of the Eight Outer Sects? He also remembered what Ling Ling had said when they parted: the Four Great Clans had already started moving against the Red Lotus Sect. And the man before him—Gu Fengchen guessed this was likely a figure from the Four Great Clans.
Zhuge Ren stated, “The poison Gate Master Yuan suffered is ‘One Zhang Green’ from the Nangong Family of Dongting Lake. You can’t cure it. Hand him over to me, and I will send for the antidote.” Deputy Sect Leader Ma replied, “The Eight Outer Sects are brothers, sharing the same breath. Moreover, I deeply respect Gate Master Yuan’s character. Handing him over would be a betrayal. Please allow me a moment to think.”
As he spoke, his hands remained busy, continuing to direct his men to place worms on Gate Master Yuan’s wounds to draw off blood. Zhuge Ren, a rising leader in the martial world, was naturally extremely shrewd. Though he couldn’t hear the specific movements inside the hut, he could guess. He chuckled, “Deputy Sect Leader Ma, don’t resort to a delaying tactic. I told you, this poison is beyond you…”
At that very moment, a soft groan escaped the lips of the injured Gate Master Yuan inside the hut. Though faint, both Gu Fengchen and Zhuge Ren heard it clearly. Zhuge Ren was visibly taken aback. He had never expected Deputy Sect Leader Ma could actually rouse the injured man. But it was only a momentary pause. Zhuge Ren waved his hand, and the attack commenced immediately.
A sharp whoosh whoosh whoosh tore through the air as four crescent blades shot out from behind him, spinning fiercely as they hurtled towards the thatched hut. The hut, built of grass and wood, stood no chance against the powerful flight of the four blades! Instantly, thatch flew and wooden pillars splintered. The entire structure collapsed in moments.
Deputy Sect Leader Ma knew it was bad the moment he heard the sound cutting through the air. Urgently, he leaped towards the cross-shaped wooden rack, ripped it from the ground, and embraced it along with the man tied to it to his chest. As the roof crashed down, he burst out of the collapsing hut.
Two others were buried under the collapsing wooden walls but weren’t injured. The remaining two, including the young man who had opened the door, however, were slashed at the waist by two of the flying blades. They were severed into four pieces, a scene too grisly to behold.
Even before the hut had finished collapsing, the four crescent blades were already flying back. Two men stretched out their hands and caught them, standing side-by-side behind Zhuge Ren.
Deputy Sect Leader Ma felt waves of chills wash over his heart. He understood clearly—in terms of poison arts, he could likely face a hundred foes. But the enemy wasn’t closing in; they stood several zhang away. His myriad poisons were useless; he could only take the beating. Having cultivated poison arts for so long, his martial skills were far inferior to theirs. It seemed almost impossible to escape with his life today, especially while burdened with a half-dead Gate Master Yuan.
The sight of the four crescent blades told Deputy Sect Leader Ma instantly who the attackers were. Few in the martial world used such blades these days, and even fewer dared to hurl them thus. The most famous were two figures known as the Twin Eagles of Mianshan. Their real names were unknown; only their ferocious nicknames were famous: Piercing Sky Eagle and Sundering Sky Eagle. Each wielded two crescent blades, fighting with a strange, whirling dance. Both were former underworld masters, notoriously cruel, only later subdued by the Zhuge Family to join the righteous path. Their strike now revealed their unchanged, murderous nature honed like reaping grass.
With these two acting as vanguard, it went without saying that the man before them belonged to the second generation of the Zhuge Family. Deputy Sect Leader Ma had never seen Zhuge Ren before but had heard his name. Seeing his presence now, he guessed who it was with eighty or ninety percent certainty.
Now that the fight had begun, Zhuge Ren saw no need for further words. What astonished him was that Deputy Sect Leader Ma looked utterly unremarkable and his martial skills seemed equally ordinary, yet he had managed to revive the injured man. Thankfully, he had brought the Twin Eagles of Mianshan, avoiding a close-quarters clash. If they had traded blows directly, given this man’s ferocious poisons, even victory would likely have been costly.
These thoughts raced through his mind, yet his face remained affable and perfectly composed. Sensing his intention, the Twin Eagles behind him hurled their blades once more.
This time, however, was different. Instead of sending all four blades out together, only two flew forth. They skimmed just a foot above the ground, slicing through countless grass stalks. The sound of their flight was much louder than before, intensely sharp and soul-piercing.
The scimitars came whirling in. Deputy Sect Leader Ma’s subordinates quickly drew their weapons to block, but the two blades spun so rapidly they had no idea where they might fly after being deflected. They could only leap upward to avoid the strike.
Exactly as the Twin Eagles of Mianshan had intended.
Once the men jumped, the Twin Eagles sent two more blades shooting toward them like lightning. Several men, lacking high martial skill and too slow to dodge, could only risk their lives with desperate blocks. The scimitars’ path was bizarrely unpredictable; even when struck from the side, they merely spun faster. With two sharp whooshes, two men’s arms were severed at the shoulder, sending a shower of blood into the air.
Just then, the two blades that had skimmed the ground returned to their owners. The pair coordinated flawlessly, sending their scimitars flying forward once more—this time one ahead, one behind.
Gu Fengchen saw it clearly: the Twin Eagles’ four scimitars could attack in ceaseless, looping waves. The only way to break the assault was to catch the blades or knock them to the ground. But either approach was as dangerous as walking on a knife’s edge.
While he was thinking, the scimitars hacked and slashed at several more men. Agonized cries erupted. Though Deputy Sect Leader Ma remained unscathed, most of his men were down, leaving only three. Still, these were vicious men. Without their leader’s retreat order, they grimly held their ground, their faces twisted with hatred, as if they could swallow the Twin Eagles whole. Trapped against a cliff, no retreat possible, they charged ahead, bellowing—only to be cut down by the returning scimitars.
Gu Fengchen couldn’t bear to watch; the carnage was too much. Every flying blade meant severed limbs or bodies hacked in two. The Eight Outer Sects belonged to the Red Lotus Sect; they weren’t connected to him, owed him no favors. Life or death among them wasn’t his affair. It wasn’t fear of the Four Great Clans—just too many grudges and killings in this Jianghu. More than he could handle. Best to step aside.
With that thought, he began to quietly withdraw, preparing to leave.
But at that very moment, a scimitar shot toward Deputy Sect Leader Ma. Seeing the blade too swift to block, Ma grabbed a wounded man and rolled aside. When the second blade followed, Ma had no room to dodge. He could only thrust the wooden frame upward to meet it. Thwack! A section of the frame was sheared off, the rope snapped, and Gate Master Yuan Yin tumbled to the ground.
Gu Fengchen’s glance fell on Yuan Yin. Illuminated by the glow of Kongming lanterns, he could see the Gate Master clearly. One look was enough—a chill shot from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head; his scalp prickled as if his hairs were standing on end.
This Gate Master Yuan was none other than Yuan Yin, the Gate Master of the Life-Reaping Gate.
In that instant, countless questions flooded Gu Fengchen’s mind: Wasn’t this Yuan Yin supposed to be rescuing someone at the Five Precepts Manor with Ling Ling? Why was he here? Ambushed along the way? And where was Ling Ling? Captured? Or already…
He had no time to think further. By now, Deputy Sect Leader Ma’s remaining men had all fallen—dead or gravely wounded. The Twin Eagles launched all four scimitars, weaving a net that seemed to seal off every possible escape route Ma might take—left, right, leap up, or duck down—each path seemingly barred by a swirling blade.
Being struck would almost certainly be fatal.
And Ma was clutching Yuan Yin. Likely, both would be hit. Gu Fengchen’s heart raced. Instinct overruled thought—his body shot forward.
Two scimitars flew straight at Ma; the others curved in from the sides. The forward blades were less than five feet away, their shrieking sound terrifying. Powerless to block all four, Ma sighed and closed his eyes, awaiting death. Yet, just then, a figure suddenly appeared before him.
Gu Fengchen’s vision pierced the chaos perfectly. As the two head-on blades flew closer, he extended two fingers. Channeling his Heaven-Defying Divine Art, he flicked the flat sides of the scimitars. Ding! Ding! The blades altered course mid-flight, zipping skyward like arrows.
Simultaneously, the two flanking scimitars slashed in. Gu Fengchen used the same technique, flicking them aside. But this time, the force changed their trajectory—they veered sharply and plunged into the nearby treeline with two solid thunks, burying themselves completely to the hilt in the trunks.
Sudden as it was, neither the Twin Eagles nor Zhuge Ren had detected anyone nearby. They froze. Being seasoned fighters, they instantly recognized Gu Fengchen’s profound skill: flicking scimitars aside with a mere finger—a feat demanding impeccable vision, timing, and finger strength.
Gu Fengchen didn’t recognize Zhuge Ren, but Zhuge Ren recognized him. At Jianxian Manor (Hall of Meeting the Virtuous), all the righteous warriors present had seen Gu Fengchen’s face. Even half-dead at the time, his features were clear. Zhuge Ren, skilled at remembering faces, had burned Gu Fengchen’s visage into memory. Seeing him now, he blurted out: “It’s you…”
The Twin Eagles had lost their scimitars and, wary of Gu Fengchen’s high skill, dared not press the attack. Deputy Sect Leader Ma caught his breath. Suspecting they weren’t facing only three opponents—that more experts might be lying in ambush—he whispered to Gu Fengchen, “They outnumber us. Retreat is the best move.”
Gu Fengchen also had no wish to be entangled. He just wanted answers about Yuan Yin quickly. He nodded to Ma: “Stay with me. Charge forward.” Ma shoved Yuan Yin into Gu Fengchen’s arms and pressed a pill into Gu Fengchen’s hand, sneering coldly, “Swallow this. Stay behind me. I’ve taken enough hits. Let those bastards see the terror of my Gu Sect’s poison.”
With that, he surged forward. Gu Fengchen swallowed the pill, holding Yuan Yin, and followed close behind.
Ma dashed a dozen steps, then suddenly pulled both hands from his robes, revealing some unknown objects. Sparks immediately flared from his palms, blossoming like dazzling fireworks in each hand. Still charging, he flung his arms wide. Light and flame instantly sprayed outward—like two roaring dragons of fire—streaking toward Zhuge Ren and the Twin Eagles.
Unable to attack from range now, the three knew things had turned bad. They deeply feared the Gu Sect. Seeing Deputy Leader Ma unleash such a bizarre technique, unable to grasp its nature, they surmised: Don’t let those fiery sparks touch you. Poison fire, no doubt. They were forced to dodge sideways.
Ma used the poisonous flames to blast a path forward. Though carrying a man, Gu Fengchen’s footwork was far faster than Ma’s; he simply moderated his pace, staying directly behind. Occasionally, venomous sparks landed on him. Instead of burning his skin, they delivered a chilling sensation—like snowflakes falling. This experience cemented for Gu Fengchen how bizarre the Gu Sect truly was; feuding with them was a serious headache.
The three broke through the encirclement and kept running. Zhuge Ren naturally gave chase. Ma, having anticipated this, waited for Zhuge Ren to draw near. He then casually tossed several poison-fire pellets behind them. They exploded mid-air, instantly generating a thick smoke that obscured everything ahead. Zhuge Ren dared not proceed, forced to halt with a sigh, watching helplessly as the retreating figures vanished into the darkness.
The Twin Eagles had retrieved their scimitars and caught up. Flattening Sky Eagle exclaimed, “Young Master! We can’t let Yuan get away!” Zhuge Ren replied, “Scattering is scattering. Yuan Yin isn’t the crucial one. He is—that man named Fengchen. I saw his power—it surpasses mine. Even if we caught them, we’d be hard-pressed to gain any advantage.” Flattening Sky Eagle persisted, “So what can we do?” Zhuge Ren paused briefly: “We go back. We have greater matters to attend to. If the Eight Outer Gates are overthrown or defect, the Red Lotus Sect loses its eyes and hands. They’ll be captured in time.”
He whistled sharply. Dozens of men emerged from behind them, leading fine horses. Obeying Zhuge Ren’s command, they mounted and swiftly galloped away in a different direction.
Now, back to Gu Fengchen’s side. After running several miles, Gu slowed his pace. “No need for haste. They didn’t pursue.” Deputy Sect Leader Ma asked, “How can you know that?” Gu Fengchen replied, “These ears hear footsteps miles away. Doubt not.”
Ma stopped too, leaning against a large tree panting. Gu Fengchen gently placed Yuan Yin on the ground, his breathing steady, expression unflustered. He asked Ma, “Can Gate Master Yuan still be saved?” Ma frowned in displeasure: “Since when does my Gu Sect fail to revive someone? Most of the poison-blood is purged. His system absorbed deep poison for too long, keeping his mind clouded. Want him awake? Just transmit superior Internal Energy through his Hundred Meetings acupoint. That should suffice.”
Gu Fengchen placed his palm on Yuan Yin’s crown. Slowly, he fed internal energy into the point. He dared not push too hard—this was a vital bodily acupoint; excessive force could kill. He gradually intensified the energy flow, awaiting the effect.
In the blink of an eye, Yuan Yin violently coughed up a mouthful of blood. Stimulated by Gu Fengchen’s internal energy, it sprayed onto a tree, sizzling audibly.
The moment this blood was expelled, Yuan Yin finally opened his eyes. Though dull and lifeless, like those of a dying man, he had returned to life nonetheless.
Seeing him awaken, Gu Fengchen breathed a sigh of relief and softly called, “Gate Master Yuan…” Yuan Yin gave him a faint, indifferent glance, showing no sign of recognition. His lips trembled as he asked, “Who… are you?” Gu Fengchen was shocked: “What? You don’t recognize me already? We met just the day before yesterday.”
Yuan Yin said, “The day before yesterday… Was I awake…?”
Seeing Yuan Yin was still unclear in his mind, Gu Fengchen turned to Deputy Sect Leader Ma and asked, “When did you rescue him, and where?” Deputy Sect Leader Ma, highly vigilant, didn’t answer but countered, “Who are you? Why have you suddenly appeared? What are your intentions?” Understanding his suspicion about his identity, Gu Fengchen wasn’t angered: “I am Gu Fengchen. I met this Gate Master Yuan the day before yesterday. He was injured then, but showed no signs of poisoning.”
Deputy Sect Leader Ma frowned: “You mean, the day before yesterday?”
Gu Fengchen replied, “Exactly.” Deputy Sect Leader Ma asked, “Were you acquainted with Gate Master Yuan?” Gu Fengchen said, “No, but a companion traveling with me recognized Gate Master Yuan. Moreover, he went to a certain place together with Gate Master Yuan. Not long after, why do I only see Gate Master Yuan here, but not my friend?”
Hearing this, Deputy Sect Leader Ma knit his brow tightly: “Are you speaking the truth? Where exactly did you see Gate Master Yuan?” Gu Fengchen answered, “Not far from the foot of Mount Huang.”
Deputy Sect Leader Ma was startled: “The foot of Mount Huang? Absolutely impossible. My brother rescued Gate Master Yuan at the bottom of a cliff, five or six days ago. Gate Master Yuan was already poisoned and unconscious at that time. My brother cared for him daily, never leaving his side. There’s no way he could have traveled to Mount Huang.”
Gu Fengchen, hearing this, was more shocked than he was: “What did you say! Gate Master Yuan has been unconscious for days!” Deputy Sect Leader Ma nodded: “I swear it’s true.” A chill rose from the depths of Gu Fengchen’s heart, goosebumps covering his entire body: “How many Gate Masters Yuan does the Life-Reaping Gate have?”
Finding the question strange, Deputy Sect Leader Ma answered plainly: “There is naturally only one Gate Master Yuan, surnamed Yuan, named Yin – the man right here before us.”
Suddenly, Gu Fengchen remembered something and asked, “Do you know if there are people in this world who can change their appearance and disguise themselves as someone else?” Deputy Sect Leader Ma nodded: “The art of disguise has existed since ancient times. But such techniques often reveal flaws; anyone very close to the person would likely see through it.”
By now, everything had become crystal clear to Gu Fengchen. Unable to contain his alarm, cold sweat broke out all over him. Without another thought for Yuan Yin, he pushed him towards Deputy Sect Leader Ma: “You tend to him. I have urgent business and must go to Five Precepts Manor. Do you know where Five Precepts Manor is?”
Deputy Sect Leader Ma nodded: “Of course I know. That’s the manor of Yu Jiucheng, the leader of the Five Precepts Blade Sect, located three hundred li northwest of here. What? Is there trouble there?”
Gu Fengchen didn’t have time to answer. He sped back to the inn, kicked the main door open, made straight for the stables, and amid the bewildered stares of the innkeeper and the staff, vaulted onto his horse and galloped off fiercely towards the northwest.
As he rode, Gu Fengchen pieced everything together. He finally understood why the “Yuan Yin” he had seen that day had been so thrilled upon learning Ling Ling’s identity. Because that Yuan Yin was an impostor sent by the Four Great Clans, aiming to lure important figures of the Red Lotus Sect into a trap. The real Yuan Yin, after jumping off the cliff, had been rescued without the Four Great Clans’ knowledge. Believing him dead, they had someone impersonate Yuan Yin to deliver the message. Ling Ling, going there now, would undoubtedly walk straight into an ambush.
Calculating the days, Ling Ling might not have reached Five Precepts Manor yet, but he was even farther away. Only by pushing himself and his horse to the absolute limit might he arrive in time. A promise he made, he must keep. Moreover, Ling Ling had invited him to accompany her when they parted, an offer he had refused. If anything befell her now, he would bear the guilt of standing by and doing nothing. How could he live with that? Therefore, sparing no thought for his horse, he whipped it relentlessly, wishing he could sprout wings and fly straight to Five Precepts Manor.
Along this journey, Gu Fengchen neither slept nor rested. His eyes bloodshot, he focused solely on urging his horse forward. After traveling over a hundred li, the horse collapsed dead from exhaustion. Gu Fengchen abandoned it and continued on foot. Employing his qinggong, each stride covered over ten feet. He no longer cared about attracting attention during the day; his only thought was to get there one step sooner, to prevent Ling Ling from meeting disaster.
Thus, galloping day and night, he finally neared Five Precepts Manor. Asking someone on the way, he learned it was thirty li ahead.
He encountered no obstacles on the road, but he was utterly exhausted to the point of almost vomiting blood. No matter how formidable the Heaven-Defying Divine Art was, it couldn’t sustain him indefinitely. His physical strength was drained, stretched to its absolute limit.
It was approaching midnight. The fact that Gu Fengchen had managed to run over a hundred li nonstop was astonishing. If told, others wouldn’t believe it; even he himself found it incredible.
After resting briefly, Gu Fengchen drank his fill from a roadside stream and devoured a roast chicken he had snatched from a town market during the day. The chicken had been hanging for sale on an iron rack when Gu Fengchen, passing like the wind without time to pay, had simply grabbed it. The bewildered vendor only felt a gust of wind pass by before the chicken vanished, leaving him terrified. He assumed the Buddha had been displeased with the plain pastry he offered the night before during his prayers and dared not speak a word about it.
Having eaten and drunk, Gu Fengchen felt his strength slowly returning. He stood up and hastened towards Five Precepts Manor, thirty li away.
His anxiety still burning intensely, he gradually quickened his pace again. After covering ten-odd li, he came upon a valley path. Steep, forested slopes rose on either side. The only path was a straight, flat road about seven feet wide winding through the center. Gu Fengchen entered this path. Before he had taken ten steps, whooshing sounds came from the trees flanking him. Countless dark streaks shot towards him simultaneously.
Hidden weapons.
Gu Fengchen drew a sharp breath. His body surged forward explosively, moving more than twice as fast as before. The hidden weapons all missed their mark. Before he could even steady himself, two figures leaped out ahead. Two long cavalry sabers sliced through the air towards him with sharp whistling sounds. Without pausing, Gu Fengchen merely ducked low, slipping beneath the blades. He struck with both elbows, sending both assailants flying. Looking ahead again, he saw a dozen more individuals appearing, blocking the way. Simultaneously, torches blazed around them, illuminating the path dozens of steps ahead and behind.
He was enveloped. That much was clear.
Gu Fengchen stood firm, calm and collected, surveying the men before him. He saw they wore varied attire and were of different builds and heights. Their weapons were a motley assortment; there were even foreigners from the Western Regions among them. He asked aloud, “Which path do you tread? Why do you block my way?”
From the midst of the crowd, a scholar wielding an iron-ribbed folding fan opened it with a flick and asked, “And who might you be, sir? What urgent matter compels you to race wildly through the night?” Gu Fengchen gave a cold laugh: “That is my business. You need not inquire.” The scholar smiled: “In that case, our detaining you is our affair. You need not inquire either.” His tone was exceedingly arrogant.
Gu Fengchen understood perfectly – these were the lackeys of the Four Great Clans, positioned here to block the retreat path. Even if Ling Ling managed to fight her way out of the ambush, she would be intercepted here. The thought made his anxiety flare hotter. Not wasting words, he channeled his divine energy into his palms and charged forward to force a breakthrough.
The scholar was prepared. Seeing Gu Fengchen charge, he flicked his fan with a soft “Ding! sound. Three steel needles shot from its ribs. In the flickering torchlight, they gleamed with an azure light, clearly coated with deadly poison.
Gu Fengchen didn’t know it yet, but this scholar was named Article, known by the nickname Three-Handed Scholar. He was a renowned master from eastern Sichuan. His precious folding fan concealed nine Bone-Corroding Needles, truly a hard defense to predict. Sensing Gu Fengchen’s prowess, the scholar unleashed a killing move from the start.
The Skeleton-Needle arrived with extreme speed. As it was already night and the flames flickered erratically, spotting it was immensely difficult. Yet Gu Fengchen had long since discerned its trajectory. In that instant, he stripped off his outer garment. Channeling his Internal Energy into it, he ensnared the Skeleton-Needle within the fabric. Though the cloth was thin, Gu Fengchen’s profound Internal Energy imbued it with tangible substance. The three Skeleton-Needles, enveloped by the garment, felt as if they had plunged into thick sludge. The unassuming cloth, though feeble, proved impossible to pierce.
His attack unsuccessful, the scholar now saw Gu Fengchen close the distance with alarming speed. Not good! he thought grimly. This man moves far too swiftly, like lightning itself! There was no time for careful thought. He raised his fan and thrust it towards Gu Fengchen’s philtrum acupoint.
Gu Fengchen, desperate to pass through this area to rescue those at Five Precepts Manor, had no wish to be entangled by these men. Summoning his divine strength, he roared. His fists whistled through the air as he struck towards the fan. With a sharp clang, the entire steel-boned fan bent under his punch, twisting into the shape of a steel hook.
Three-Hands Scholar recoiled in utter horror, leaping aside. Gu Fengchen plunged into the crowd. Palms striking, fists flying, he moved among them like a dragon roiling the sea. None could withstand a single blow from him. Thankfully, Gu Fengchen had not yet mastered the use of the poison palm technique; he merely employed two streams of potent Yang Internal Energy. Those struck were left in immense suffering.
In the blink of an eye, Gu Fengchen had broken through the blockade of over a dozen men. These men, unwilling to let him pass, surged forward again to encircle and attack. Gu Fengchen yelled, “Hidden Weapons coming!” With a flick, he sent the three Skeleton-Needles hidden within his garment flying out, striking down the three men charging at the forefront.
The three men felt a sudden chill in their chests. Looking down, they were terrified out of their wits. Every one of them knew the lethal potency of the Skeleton-Needle. Chasing their quarry was the farthest thing from their minds now. Panicked, they clutched at Three-Hands Scholar, demanding the antidote.
Thrown into confusion by this commotion, they had no chance to pursue further. Gu Fengchen dashed forward, his feet hardly touching the ground.
By this point, Gu Fengchen’s thoughts became crystal clear: Ling Ling must have already passed through this spot and was heading towards Five Precepts Manor. Otherwise, these men, who were placed here to seal off the retreat, would not have attacked first and revealed their intentions. Besides blocking the escape route, they were also guarding against reinforcements from the Red Lotus Sect. Clearly, they had mistaken him for a member of the Red Lotus Sect.
Musing thus, Gu Fengchen never paused in his stride and was soon approaching Five Precepts Manor. As he ran, a single Signal Flare suddenly shot up roughly a li ahead, exploding mid-air into a dazzling display of colorful sparks, startlingly bright. By the light of this flare, Gu Fengchen lifted his gaze and a vast, shadow-dark manor complex materialized before him.
This sight sent a jolt of apprehension through Gu Fengchen. So fearsome a manor it was!
This Five Precepts Manor stood in stark contrast to the Zhuge Family’s Hall of Meeting the Virtuous. Built atop a stony precipice, with a bottomless chasm behind it, the complex sprawled over hundreds of paces: colossal in scale, its encircling walls rising several zhang high. Iron caltrops were embedded atop the walls, their jagged points like the fangs of monstrous beasts. Two storm-proof lanterns swung gently before the main gate, illuminating the plaque bearing the three characters: Five Precepts Manor.
The flare’s light faded, plunging the surroundings back into darkness. But being closer now, Gu Fengchen could see faint glimmers of firelight emanating from within the high walls. Likely, the manor’s elevated ground and towering walls were blocking the interior illumination. Scanning the perimeter and finding no ambushes, he crouched low and stealthily crept towards the wall.
The wall, over two zhang tall, posed no real obstacle; the problem lay in the caltrops preventing a footing. Gu Fengchen removed his outer garment, wrapping it around his hands. He propelled himself upwards, gripping the sharp points of the caltrops. Taking a deep breath, he vaulted over the wall head and landed lightly on the ground.
No sooner had he landed than he spotted several dead dogs lying on the ground. The throat of each dog bore a bloody hole, the blood already congealed. Judging by the wound, it seemed the work of a spear.
Ling Ling had been here. She must have already walked into a trap.
Gu Fengchen raised his eyes. Firelight shone from beyond an inner courtyard wall. He concealed his presence, treading silently as he approached.
Traversing the first courtyard, he reached a dividing gate. Voices emanated from within. Spotting a poplar tree beside the wall, its foliage thick and flourishing, Gu Fengchen lightly sprang up into its branches. Peering towards the source of light, he observed the scene inside.
He saw a large, open arena surrounded by weeping willows. Under the willows were stone tables and stools, alongside flower beds and saplings. A few weapon racks also stood nearby – clearly, this was a training ground. More than thirty or forty people encircled the area now, dressed in various colours, most holding weapons.
Two figures were currently weaving and circling within the space, locked in fierce combat. Gu Fengchen recognized immediately the young woman wielding a long spear: Ling Ling. Opposing her was a wiry, lean man brandishing a meteor hammer attached to a steel chain. Its swings carved the air with a fearsome whistle.
Nearby, on the ground, lay two bodies, throats bloodied, already dead. It appeared both had fallen to Ling Ling’s spear.
Gu Fengchen silently breathed a sigh of relief. Fortune allowed me to meet the real Yuan Yin, he thought, so I could come here in time. Judging by the situation, Ling Ling was heavily outnumbered. Although her opponents weren’t rushing her all at once, they were clearly employing a tactic of fighting her in turns. Over time, no matter how skilled Ling Ling was, she couldn’t kill all thirty or forty experts. Eventually, she would grow exhausted and be captured.
He studied Ling Ling’s spear technique. It was extremely solid, and the enemy facing her already seemed flagging. He decided there was no immediate need to descend from the tree to rescue her. Instead, he scanned the crowd for the fake Yuan Yin. But he searched once and found no trace of him.
Suddenly, Ling Ling let out a fierce cry. Her spear snapped down in a swift, precise motion, tangling the chain and one of her opponent’s hammer heads. Though lean, the man possessed surprising strength. He pulled back forcefully, actually dragging Ling Ling two steps forward. “Huh?” Ling Ling uttered in surprise. Instantly, she twisted the spear, plunging its tip into the earth, burying it half a foot deep.
With the spearhead anchored, the man couldn’t pull it free. Quick-minded, he leapt forward instead, driving a kick straight at Ling Ling’s chest. This move was rather shrewd: since her spear was stuck in the ground, pulling it out for defense would take too long; closing in for attack seemed the best tactic.
But the moment Gu Fengchen saw the man execute this move, he knew he was finished. The Lover’s Spear was unpredictable; sometimes, it deliberately lured opponents close precisely as a trap.
Sure enough, as the kick arrived, Ling Ling didn’t dodge. Suddenly, with a twist and snap of her hands, the spear transformed into three sections: just the spearhead remained embedded in the ground, while the shaft became two separate staffs.
She swung one staff piece, striking squarely against the man’s shinbone.
Crack! The man’s leg bone snapped. A scream erupted from him mid-air as he crashed to the ground. Collapsing onto the hard earth, clutching his leg, he barely managed another hoarse cry. Though he ceased to moan aloud, it was instantly clear his injury was severe.
Two men rushed from the crowd and dragged the fallen man away.
Ling Ling pulled the front spearhead section from the ground. With a clack, her hands brought the pieces together, reforming the long spear. She cried, “Who fights next?”
Here’s what happened earlier: After encountering the fake Yuan Yin on the road, Ling Ling hurried towards Five Precepts Manor. Though the imposter’s disguise was excellent, he feared exposure. He used his earlier “injury” as an excuse to request being sent to assemble manpower. Knowing he was “injured” and unable to be of much help – and potentially a liability – Ling Ling agreed, proceeding to the manor alone.
Upon reaching Five Precepts Manor, Ling Ling leapt over the wall, stabbed the dogs to silence them, and then advanced cautiously. When she reached this training ground, her unease grew. Logically, since the manor held the leaders of the Eight Outer Sects captive, security should be tight. Yet, throughout her approach, she hadn’t encountered a single soul. The entire manor was pitch black, concealing an unknown number of hidden enemies in its shadowed depths.
Ling Ling already knew she had fallen into a trap, yet she was in no rush to leave the manor. Aware that the surroundings were teeming with snares, she instead fired a signal flare into the sky. Then she sat down to regulate her breathing, preparing for the imminent clash. Sure enough, as soon as the flare shot up, ambushers appeared from all sides. Torches flared to life, encircling her in the very center.
Leading them was none other than Nangong Yue, the master of the Nangong Family. He had brought together numerous famed champions from various regions and lay in wait here, intending to capture a key figure of the Red Lotus Sect to seize the initiative. However, when he saw that the one trapped in their circle was merely a young girl, he was momentarily stunned. Just then, the forged letter from the imposter Yuan Yin arrived, clearly stating that the newcomer was the newly appointed Red Lotus Sect Cult Leader. Nangong Yue was overjoyed and commanded his forces: no matter what happened today, Ling Ling must not escape. She had fired the signal flare; it must surely be a call for reinforcements.
Despite being surrounded and critically outnumbered, Ling Ling remained perfectly calm and collected, a picture of confident composure that even Nangong Yue found rather admirable. Admiration aside, however, he could show no mercy. This time, he had gathered reputed figures from across the Martial World. If Ling Ling successfully escaped, the news spreading would shame these men to death. Besides, he knew the Five Precepts Manor was remote and secluded; even though Ling Ling had fired her flare, few would have seen it.
The situation was dire. Though Ling Ling was skilled and courageous, she knew she stood no chance against a simultaneous assault by the entire group. Therefore, she goaded Nangong Yue with words, preventing them from swarming her all at once. As long as they challenged her one by one, even if she couldn’t escape, she was determined to inflict severe damage on her enemies.
Thus steeled, she faced the gathered heroes alone, wielding her Lover’s Spear. In the first two duels, she had flung her challengers to the ground. With this victory now, she had won three bouts in a row.
She recalled how her father, Ling Yufeng, had once fought alone on Mount Huang, spear in hand, battling the Four Great Clans to forge his legendary reputation. Though she hadn’t witnessed it herself, she felt her father must have displayed the same unyielding resolve back then, his indomitable spirit surely piercing the heavens. Just like her father before her, this thought suddenly surged into her heart as she stood in a similar moment.
Seeing the man wielding the meteor hammer defeated and retreating, Nangong Yue nodded inwardly. This was Wu Tianxiong, a skilled warrior from Penglai Island in the East Sea, known for his sobriquet “Dual Meteors Amid Wind and Rain.” For Ling Ling to defeat him within twenty moves meant her spear techniques were truly extraordinary, elusive and unpredictable. Nonetheless, Nangong Yue remained unconcerned; after all, he still had dozens of experts on his side. He smiled faintly and addressed the crowd behind him: “She issues the challenge again! Which of our esteemed seniors is willing to step forth?”
Before his voice faded, a figure strode out from the throng. “Young Master Nangong need not worry. I shall take this match and subdue this little wench.”
The crowd looked towards him. He had a corpulent body and a head as large as a bucket, dressed in plain clothes made of kudzu vine. In his hand, he held a Nine-Section Centipede Whip. Nangong Yue naturally recognized him and smiled. “It is good that Elder Wu steps forth. Though, do be cautious.”
The man chuckled. “What’s there to fear from a mere slip of a girl?” With that, he took his position in the center, letting his Centipede Whip hang to the ground. “Girl!” he said scornfully. “If you know what’s good for you, drop that spear and surrender now, or else you’ll be throwing your life away!” Upon seeing his appearance and that whip, Ling Ling already recognized his identity. She sneered dismissively. “You there, Wu! Are your pitiful, amateur skills worth showing off here? If you’re not afraid to die, then come forward!”
This man was Wu Peigong, a renowned hero from Shandong who had earned some fame in the Martial World. Yet, he was generally known to be mean-spirited and greedy for gold and silver. Apart from that, however, his character wasn’t considered particularly deplorable.
From the crowd behind him, someone called out loudly, “Master Wu stepping in has one advantage.” Another person chimed in, “What advantage is that?” The first replied, “Even if he loses, at least he won’t be stripped of any valuables!” A wave of derisive laughter rippled through several people. The implication was clear: mocking Wu Peigong’s notorious stinginess. What the Martial World revered were acts of open-handed generosity, like scattering gold freely to aid others. A man as miserly as an “iron rooster,” no matter how high his martial prowess, was held in contempt.
Wu Peigong clearly understood the mockery. He had heard such taunts countless times before, so he didn’t take it to heart. However, a sideways glance caught Nangong Yue also wearing an amused smile. Instantly, resentment flared within him. You all look down on me, he thought darkly. Today, I’ll capture this girl and achieve a great feat for the Martial World. Let’s see what you have to say then!
Having decided this, he spoke no further. With a flick of his wrist, his Nine-Section Centipede Whip emitted a sharp rattle. The nine joints straightened into a rigid line, like an iron rod, and shot straight towards Ling Ling.
The crowd had been sneering at his stinginess, seeing him as nothing but a miserly man who bore little resemblance to a true martial artist. But the moment they saw him unleash his whip, every trace of mockery froze on their faces. Those who had never witnessed him fight now understood: Wu Peigong’s reputation was indeed not unearned. This single technique revealed incredibly profound Internal Energy, far beyond what most could achieve.
Ling Ling, however, had studied his likeness and researched his techniques; she knew him well. She was aware of his pure Internal Energy and unusual whip skills, yet she also knew he was far from being a top-tier master. As she saw the whip thrust towards her, she brought her spear upwards from below, sweeping towards the middle section of the nine-segmented whip.
Wu Peigong’s move was called the “Single Whip Technique.” It was indeed a high-level whip form, yet it possessed a weakness. Watching Ling Ling aim for the whip’s weak point, Wu secretly rejoiced. The attack appeared straightforward, and most opponents would think to block the solid steel center. Yet a Centipede Whip, unlike a solid rod, had its segments connected by rings. A strike there would cause the whip’s tip to droop, nullifying the attack’s force. But this “Single Whip Technique”—true to its name—treated the entire weapon as one. So when Wu Peigong saw her spear sweeping towards the connecting rings, he didn’t change his move. Instead, he merely flicked his wrist.
Instantly, the entire Centipede Whip transformed into a flexible, coiling serpent, wrapping around the shaft of Ling Ling’s spear. The whip’s centipede-like barbs locked tightly onto the spear’s metal. More startlingly, the whip’s tip reared up like the head of a living snake, its sharp point stabbing toward Ling Ling’s wrist.
This move represented the pinnacle skill of the Centipede Whip art. The entire length became a flexible extension of Wu Peigong’s own limb, moving as nimbly as a third arm. Over decades in the Martial World, Wu Peigong had disarmed countless renowned warriors with this very technique.
As this technique unfolded, even those martial heroes who despised his character couldn’t help but burst into thunderous applause.
Yet, this very transformation was exactly what Ling Ling had anticipated.
The Red Lotus Sect had secluded itself in the Tian Shan Mountains for over a decade. During that time, they had secretly dispatched agents to investigate seventy or eighty percent of the various martial arts schools and techniques across the land. She was thoroughly familiar with this particular whip style. Now, she deliberately let Wu Peigong catch her spear. On the surface, it seemed she was at a disadvantage. In reality, it was the opposite.
The roar of applause hadn’t even begun to fade when Ling Ling… let go of her spear.
Wu Peigong, seeing her abandon it, was delighted. He yanked his Centipede Whip towards his chest, intending to pull her spear away. But in that split second, Ling Ling suddenly leapt into the air. Using the very spear shaft wrapped by his whip as her platform, she sprang, landing lightly on the spear and whip itself, then bounded down towards Wu Peigong! Her right hand formed fingers like a spear point, thrusting straight towards his eyes. Her left hand swept like a blade, chopping diagonally at his temple.
Panic seized Wu Peigong. He had prepared a countermove for exactly this kind of close-quarters assault following a weapon disarm. If an opponent lunged in, his Centipede Whip, entangled with their own weapon, was supposed to sweep violently, knocking the attacker away before they could strike. But Ling Ling’s flanking attack was different. She had used her own trapped spear as a base, leaping over the obstruction. Stepping onto the whip itself and pushing off, coupled with the dense weight of the Lover’s Spear, rendered it slack and impossible to wield back fast enough. He could only watch helplessly as she flew towards him.
Wu Peigong had no idea that the seasoned masters of the Red Lotus Sect had passed down every detail of this move to Ling Ling, revealing its counter. Its apparent strength—the solid grip—had ironically become its fatal weakness.
Seeing Ling Ling’s attack bearing down, Wu Peigong scrambled in wild confusion. He had only one free hand and couldn’t possibly defend against her simultaneous dual strikes. In desperation, he tried to leap backwards to evade. But he lacked the lightness and speed of Xue Wuhen. Not only that, he was physically dragging the heavy weight of her spear entangled with his own whip. He managed only two stumbling steps back before Ling Ling was upon him.
Wu Peigong shrieked in terror. He had no choice but to abandon his own Centipede Whip. He executed a scrambling reverse dive—akin to a golden carp leaping backwards—flinging himself a whole rod’s length away.
Meanwhile, Ling Ling’s toes flicked upward, snagging the Lover’s Spear and flipping it back into her grasp. Then, her arms snapped out powerfully. The Nine-Section Centipede Whip shattered around her spear, each piece clattering noisily onto the ground.
In barely a heartbeat, Ling Ling had snatched victory from apparent defeat, seizing Wu Peigong’s weapon right out of his grip.
The sequence was swift as a diving hawk—startlingly fast. Blink, and the victor and the vanquished had switched places. The raucous applause meant for Wu Peigong’s technique hadn’t even fully died away when he was already left weaponless and utterly humiliated. Thus, the fading cheer seemed instead to become one for Ling Ling herself.
The heroes exchanged uneasy glances, a sense of collective shame washing over them. Wu Peigong stood where he was rooted, unable to advance or retreat. His entire martial prowess revolved around the Centipede Whip. Fighting empty-handed, he wouldn’t even measure against a third-rate Jianghu brawler. Yet, slinking ignominiously off the field would be an unbearable disgrace.
Fortunately, Nangong Yue came to his rescue. Nangong Yue understood Wu Peigong’s character and knew everyone wanted to see him embarrassed; no one would step forward at this critical moment. Although he was the leader, it was inappropriate for him to assign an opponent. So Nangong Yue stepped out himself: “I shall test the young lady’s skills.”
His stepping forward naturally prompted others to intervene. A man walked past him and said, “Young Master Nangong, you are the leader. How can you act so hastily? This bout, leave it to me.” Nangong Yue glanced at this man and nodded inwardly, thinking this person was surely capable of holding off this girl.
Unlike Wu Peigong’s smug arrogance, this man stood barehanded, his stance neither squared nor splayed, exuding an imposing air truly like a deep abyss and towering mountain. Although Gu Fengchen couldn’t see his face, the man’s demeanor alone told him he was certainly formidable. Moreover, someone daring to face a spear empty-handed would be extremely difficult to deal with.
Ling Ling observed the newcomer for a moment. He had average looks, wore ordinary robes, and possessed nothing remarkable—except that occasionally, a fleeting flash like lightning sparked in his eyes. A chill ran through her heart; she couldn’t recall who this person was. But clearly, his martial skill far surpassed the previous four.
She leveled her great spear, demanding, “State your name.”
The man smiled faintly, cupping his hands. “I am Lu Dun. My humble name brings shame to your noble ears.” Ling Ling strained her memory but couldn’t recall such a master. Likely a recluse of the Jianghu—and the more obscure they were, the less one could afford to underestimate them. She steeled herself with every ounce of focus, preparing to face him, and asked, “You wield no weapon?”
Lu Dun replied, “I train in palm techniques. Please, make your move.”
Ling Ling gauged he wouldn’t strike first. Lifting her spear, she shook out six spear blossoms—a move of utmost courtesy: “Salute the Buddha.” Lu Dun pressed his palms together, then slightly parted them outward in response: “Supreme Among Five Sacred Peaks.” Also a profoundly respectful gesture.
To an observer, both seemed polite, yet both Gu Fengchen and Nangong Yue knew that with abilities such as theirs, the coming clash would be a tempestuous storm, earth-shattering and lightning-fierce. Nangong Yue wasn’t overly concerned; he had many skilled fighters at his back, victory was assured. Gu Fengchen, however, felt sweat bead on his palm. Quietly, he severed a twig from a branch, pinched it between his fingers, ready to flick it out to deflect the enemy’s attack should Ling Ling face danger.
Sure enough, as Ling Ling withdrew her wrist, the spear shaft suddenly began to tremble. Strangely, while the shaft shook violently, the spear tip remained perfectly still, poised like before, aimed straight at Lu Dun’s heart.
At this move, Nangong Yue and everyone below him let out a collective gasp of surprise, as if disbelieving their eyes. Achieving such a tremor required profound Internal Energy. Throughout the history of martial studies, Internal Energy had always been the natural advantage of men. Women, no matter how intensely they trained, simply could not attain such profound levels—a limitation ordained by natural physiology, unchangeable. As the saying went, “While emperors may have consorts, no skirt-wearer excels at internal energy.” Thus, Ling Ling’s display caused everyone’s expression to shift dramatically. They all wondered: Did the Red Lotus Sect possess some secret method allowing women to cultivate profound Internal Energy after all?
In truth, they were all mistaken. While the Red Lotus Sect’s Heaven-Defying Divine Art was indeed one of the world’s foremost internal cultivation techniques, Ling Ling hadn’t reached the fifth stage. Her tremor wasn’t a genuine sign of deep internal power but mostly a trick to intimidate, relying entirely on the mechanics of her Lover’s Spear.
The spear was well-known to be three-sectioned, no secret there. What remained hidden, however, was that each section was hollow and filled with mercury. This made the spear heavier, but also imparted elasticity. By channeling a pulse of Internal Energy to agitate the mercury, causing it to surge back and forth, the shaft could tremble. All Ling Ling needed to do was keep the spear tip steady.
No outsider knew this secret, not even Gu Fengchen; Ling Ling hadn’t told him. Seeing Lu Dun’s profound internal power now, she pre-emptively used this feint to intimidate him—clearly signaling, “My Internal Energy isn’t weaker than yours. If you plan to prevail by raw internal force, abandon that idea now. Let us match techniques purely.” And in pure technique, Ling Ling feared no martial art in the world.
Lu Dun naturally took it all in. He took great pride in his Internal Energy cultivation, though his preference for a reclusive life kept his name inconspicuous in the Jianghu; his actual skill was exceptionally high. Unaware of the trickery hidden in the spear, however, his heart jolted inwardly: How could this young girl possess such deep Internal Energy?! The Red Lotus Sect truly is sinister. I must proceed with utmost caution.
With that thought, he amplified his vigilance, sidestepping a foot to evade the spear tip.
But Ling Ling’s spear arts were bizarrely unconventional, amplified by this unique Lover’s Spear, enabling maneuvers unimaginable to ordinary fighters. Seeing him dodge, Ling Ling intensified her grip. Guided by her Internal Energy, the spear tip unexpectedly bent with the momentum, the entire shaft arcing so that the bladed edges flanking the point slashed directly toward Lu Dun’s neck.
Blindingly fast—had it been anyone else, evasion alone would have left them utterly disheveled. Lu Dun, however, possessed extraordinary talent. Merely uttering a sound of surprise, he extended both palms flat and horizontally, clamping toward the spear tip! He intended to grasp her Iron Spear barehanded.
The head of the Lover’s Spear was flat. Though the side blades were sharp, the upper and lower faces held no offensive capability. Once trapped, Ling Ling, with her meager strength, stood no chance of retrieval. Seeing him dare to seize the spear with bare hands startled her heart, but her reaction was swift. She spun her body like a whirlwind, pivoting so the spear tip swept behind her, and thrust the butt-spike forward, aimed straight at Lu Dun’s left flank.
Lu Dun’s clamp met empty air. The incoming steel spike was already within half a foot of his ribs. He had no choice but to leap upward, vaulting backward to escape the thrust. Ling Ling, pressing her advantage relentlessly, reversed direction with the spear tip and followed his retreating arc, thrusting again. Six thrusts, like linked flashes, all aimed precisely at his flanks. Facing such dire peril, Lu Dun remained utterly impassive. Swinging his arms left and right in measured defense, he parried all six strikes. However, being airborne limited his Internal Energy application, and one thrust managed to pierce his garment, grazing a bloody line against his skin.
Ling Ling’s forward momentum surged relentlessly. It seemed she was determined to run her opponent through the heart. She spotted a stone table behind Lu Dun now. Two more steps backward, and he would stumble over it. A fierce cry escaped her lips as she drove her spear home.
Lu Dun, though he couldn’t see behind him, sensed his approach to the table. Simultaneously raising both legs, his body flattened out horizontally in mid-air like a javelin mid-flight. In that split second, he cleared the stone table, but now his trajectory was set, leaving him no flexibility to evade the pursuit of the Lover’s Spear.
But Lu Dun was truly exceptional. Even in this disadvantage, he had a contingency. As he sailed over the table, he let one leg drop—his foot stomped firmly onto the table’s edge. The entire stone tabletop, thick as two fingers, flipped vertically upward with his kick, precisely meeting the oncoming Lover’s Spear.
Dang—!
A resonant clash of metal on stone! Splinters of stone flew like shrapnel; a plume of dust erupted. The marble slab, two inches thick, was pierced clean through by Ling Ling’s spear! Lu Dun, despite flecks of powder marking his face and head, remained unscathed. The spear tip hovered a mere inch from his chest.
That exchange unfolded like lightning strikes and a collapsing sky river—the attacker fluid and unstoppable, the defender countering move by move, adapting brilliantly. It was a spectacle that quickened blood, making hearts thrum violently.
After a prolonged silence, a thunderous roar of approval finally erupted from the crowd.
Ling Ling ignored it, shaking her spear. The stone table fragmented into chunks. Lu Dun’s mind was also now crystal clear: this girl’s spear technique was too bizarre; once she seized the initiative, her follow-up blows flowed unceasingly, relentlessly pursuing his demise. He had to seize the offensive; lagging behind was untenable.
Clear on his intent, Lu Dun abruptly leaped forward, charging headlong into the spear tip as if seeking a deathmatch! Ling Ling acted without thought. Spear blossoms erupted, instantly targeting her opponent’s eyes and throat. Lu Dun felt the spear wind whistle past, practically brushing his eyelids. He snapped his torso backward in an “Iron Bridge,” his body bending like a branch broken at the waist by a gale, the back of his head nearly scraping the ground. The spear tip sailed over his face—and his body simultaneously plunged forward into close quarters.
This was the indisputable method for closing on a spear fighter empty-handed.
Ling Ling was long accustomed to such tactics. The instant he crashed inside her guard, she unleashed kicks and punches, instantly grappling with Lu Dun at close range. Thud-thump-thud! The blows came thick and fast. In that mere breath, they exchanged over twenty strikes. Lu Dun attempted multiple times within those flurries to wrest the spear from her hands. Once, he even managed a grip on the shaft, yet Ling Ling erupted in some bizarre counter-move each time, reclaiming the weapon.
After exchanging a dozen more moves, both grew impatient. Ling Ling was anxious she couldn’t subdue her opponent, wasting energy that would be crucial for the subsequent battle. Lu Dun, with his immense pride in his palm techniques, believed a close-quarters assault would surely prevail. Yet, despite unleashing his most potent techniques, Ling Ling had countered every one, and he could not wrest control of her spear from her. If she managed to put some distance between them, closing the gap again would become immensely difficult.
The thought flashed through both their minds, yet their hands never ceased moving, the fight locked in a fierce stalemate.
As the battle reached its crescendo, the onlookers could no longer discern their techniques, hearing only a constant barrage of “thuds” and “bangs.” Occasionally, a brutally vicious move aimed directly at a vital point became visible, causing each spectator to inwardly wonder how they themselves would parry such an attack.
Amid these thoughts, a thunderous shout erupted, deafening everyone and making their ears ring. Then, they saw the two figures abruptly disengage, leaping out of the combat circle.
Looking up, the crowd saw Ling Ling dragging her spear behind her, her face flushed, her breathing rapid and shallow—clearly she had exerted her true strength. Observant eyes already spotted a trickle of blood flowing from the tip of her spear. Turning to Lu Dun, his complexion remained unchanged as he stared fixedly at the ground without blinking.
They stood frozen for a moment; the outcome remained unclear to any observer.
After a few moments, Lu Dun slowly raised his head. He didn’t look at the crowd, nor at Ling Ling. Instead, he tilted his face towards the sky. It was then that Nangong Yue noticed a gash below the clavicle at the base of Lu Dun’s neck, blood slowly oozing out. Evidently, the blood on Ling Ling’s spear came from him.
It seemed Lu Dun had lost.
A deathly silence fell over the courtyard. Ling Ling seized this moment to slowly regulate her breathing.
Lu Dun stared heavenward for a long moment before finally turning to Ling Ling. He gave a slight nod. “Skillful spear-work.”
Ling Ling retorted coolly, “Your palm techniques are no less impressive.”
Lu Dun said, “Then this bout…”
Ling Ling cut in, “Call it a draw then.”
Lu Dun nodded. “You truly are the Leader of the Red Lotus Sect.” Without another word, he turned and strode out of the courtyard, leaving alone.
The onlookers exchanged bewildered glances, unable to understand his departure. Even Nangong Yue couldn’t fathom the reason.
Lu Dun possessed supreme martial prowess, yet his youth proved a limitation; he had utterly missed witnessing the strange phenomenon that had occurred during the climax of the duel. Only three people were privy to the truth.
At the fight’s most intense moment, Lu Dun had thrust a palm attack forward. Ling Ling, gripping her spear with one hand, raised the shaft to deflect it. Unexpectedly, Lu Dun’s palm strike was a feint. His left palm shot out from beneath his ribs, snaking forward like a viper to seize the iron shaft of Ling Ling’s spear once more. Simultaneously, his right palm transformed into a knife-hand chop, slashing viciously towards the wrist of her spear hand.
It seemed a desperate gamble, solely aimed at wresting Ling Ling’s Lover’s Spear from her grasp.
To not relinquish her weapon, Ling Ling needed to block this knife-hand strike. Yet, instead of raising her hand to parry, she propelled her entire body backwards, spinning through the air like a windmill. Upon landing, both hands clutched the spearhead; what Lu Dun now held was only the rear segment of the shaft.
In that instant, Ling Ling moved with the speed of a phantom cat. With a distinct snap, she detached the spearhead section from the shaft. In one fluid, reversed motion, she wielded the broken shaft like a sword, thrusting the jagged end directly at Lu Dun’s throat.
Caught off guard and instantly put on the defensive, Lu Dun—who never used weapons—found himself holding a useless spear segment. It was an encumbrance. There was no doubt Ling Ling had anticipated this maneuver while he was attempting to snatch the weapon.
One of Lu Dun’s hands was occupied with the discarded shaft, the other was wide open and seemingly too slow to counter-defend. In moments, his throat would be pierced.
The combatants’ movements had been blindingly fast; none of the spectators grasped how they had shifted position. Only Gu Fengchen perceived the truth. He knew Lu Dun to be solid and restrained, harboring a benevolent spirit. He hadn’t targeted Ling Ling’s vitals; seizing her spear had been his sole intent. Gu Fengchen couldn’t bear the thought of him being skewered to death instantly. With a flick of his finger, he sent a small twig shooting downwards.
His plan was simple: deflect the spear tip just enough to save Lu Dun. He assumed Nangong Yue and the others would attribute the intervention to one of themselves, unaware of his presence as an outsider, allowing him to remain hidden.
But reality diverged sharply from his expectation.
Even Ling Ling was taken aback. Lu Dun’s desperate move had itself been a feint.
Lu Dun’s true goal had been for Ling Ling to discard the spearhead and attack him at close range with the short pole. Close combat was precisely his domain of absolute mastery.
As the broken shaft-turned-dagger hurtled towards his throat, Lu Dun executed a sudden transformation.
His body remained utterly still. His counter was astonishingly simple: He opened his mouth and unleashed a tremendous roar.
The roar reverberated across the field. Sound itself couldn’t halt iron and steel. What stopped the spear was the unique supreme skill fused with his bellow: the “Dragon’s Roar Qi”!
Lu Dun rarely ventured into the Jianghu, and even in rare clashes, he never used this ultimate technique. Consequently, it remained unseen by almost all in the Martial World. His Dragon’s Roar Qi concentrated his internal energy into a tangible mass, erupting from his mouth like an invisible ram—similar to Shaolin’s Buddhist Lion’s Roar Divine Kung Fu. If unleashed against a target’s chest or face, it could immediately incapacitate them, a technique of formidable destructive power.
Struggling for an advantage and pushed to desperation, Lu Dun played his ultimate card: using Dragon’s Roar Qi to arrest the spear thrust and counter-attack immediately.
The effect was instantaneous. As Lu Dun roared, Ling Ling felt the spear shaft strike what felt like incredibly viscous, thick mud. Immense resistance made pushing it any further nearly impossible.
Simultaneously, Lu Dun discarded the useless spear segment still in his hand. His right palm whistled through the air like a striking hawk, heading straight for the vulnerable temple beside Ling Ling’s ear.
Against anyone else, that blow would have collapsed them instantly. But Lu Dun’s opponent was Ling Ling, the unparalleled Leader of the Red Lotus Sect.
Her title alone was imposing, but the true complication lay in her weapon—that absolutely unique Lover’s Spear.
Although the spear tip was blocked, unable to advance or withdraw, below that tip bloomed an iron lotus with nine petals. Seeing the opponent strike back with a palm strike, Ling Ling knew things had taken a bad turn. Trying to retract her spear was already impossible. Setting her heart, she channeled her internal energy, ready to launch the iron petals from the spear tip. Even if she took his palm strike, she swore he would die right there on the spot.
Just as both seemed destined to suffer heavy losses, precisely at that moment, the branch flicked by Gu Fengchen arrived.
Though described slowly, the actual event was terrifyingly fast, occurring in the blink of an eye. Just as the iron lotus petals were about to shoot forth, half a piece of branch silently struck the spearhead. Though the branch was light, the immense internal energy Gu Fengchen had infused within it was truly formidable; it struck the spear tip, knocking it askew, causing it to slash downward at an angle.
This sudden turn startled Lu Dun. He absolutely hadn’t anticipated that his opponent could move her spear so freely against the might of his Dragon’s Roar Energy. Dodging now was utterly impossible. In his extreme haste, he could only pull his neck back and retreat. Naturally, that palm strike of his also remained unlaunched.
Fortunately, he retreated quickly. The spear tip merely grazed past his collarbone without cutting his throat.
Ling Ling, equally mystified, felt a tremendous force strike her spear tip. It had truly saved her. She promptly withdrew her internal energy, preventing the iron lotus petals from flying out.
It must be understood that the Lover’s Spear was an exceptionally bizarre weapon within the Jianghu. Keeping its secrets concealed was still the best course.
Thus, the scene moments ago unfolded.
Lu Dun leaped out of the circle. His eyes instantly swept over the piece of branch on the ground. He knew the other side had received powerful reinforcements, yet this assistance wasn’t within the training ground itself. Yet, someone from dozens of feet away, capable of piercing through his Dragon’s Roar Energy and knocking the spear awry using a branch no longer than a little finger, was undoubtedly a peerless expert.
He just didn’t know that Gu Fengchen’s original intent in flicking the branch wasn’t to harm him; quite the opposite, it was to save him.
Ling Ling alone was already such a formidable challenge, and now with powerful reinforcements nearby, this “waiting for a hare at the root of a tree” gambit of Nangong Yue’s seemed likely to end in failure. Because what was approaching was far from a hare; it was clearly a tiger. And likely more than one. In the darkness, it was unknown how many masters lay in ambush outside. Exactly who was ambushing whom was also impossible to determine.
Thinking this, Lu Dun remained utterly silent and turned to leave.
Recluses like him mostly held self-preservation as the paramount principle; danger led only to escape. As for why he didn’t inform Nangong Yue, it was because he himself didn’t know for certain if numerous Red Lotus Sect experts had truly arrived. If by chance it was only one person, their side still had numerous skilled fighters to handle the situation. It wasn’t worth it, having suffered his own setback, to spread alarmist talk that might demoralize the others. Therefore, silent departure was the superior strategy.
Ling Ling’s thoughts, however, were quite different. Although the deflection of her spear had startled Lu Dun and freed her from peril, she believed that branch fragment must have been launched by Nangong Yue or someone behind him, with the aim of rescuing Lu Dun. Because her spear thrust had been exceedingly fast. If the person throwing the branch intended to save her, they should have waited after Lu Dun’s shout and the launch of his palm strike. By that time, however, it would have already been too late. Judging by the situation, surely the branch was thrown the very moment her spear lunged toward Lu Dun’s throat.
Leaving aside their differing interpretations, Nangong Yue, seeing Lu Dun depart, furrowed his brow tightly. He cast glances to both sides. Most of the assembled people avoided his gaze now. These masters possessed considerable self-awareness. Having witnessed Lu Dun’s skill just now, they privately compared themselves. Those who felt inferior to Lu Dun dared not step forward, lest they disgrace themselves. Those who reckoned themselves roughly equal to Lu Dun were also hesitant inside. Therefore, after Nangong Yue scanned the crowd a few times, not a single man volunteered.
Seizing this opportunity, Ling Ling reconnected her spear tip. She remained silent, standing there, casting a cold gaze around her.
Such a stalemate was naturally unbearable to some. One side had a single person; the other had thirty or forty. Surely they hadn’t all been scared witless! A prevalent saying in the Jianghu was: Better to be beaten to death than scared to death. Therefore, as soon as Nangong Yue’s face showed displeasure, someone stepped forward.
This man walked up to Nangong Yue and said with a slight smile, “Young Master, this woman is truly formidable. Might I volunteer?”
Seeing him, Nangong Yue was startled. “Sir? You…” The man smiled. “Have no fear.” Having said this, his figure flashed, and he appeared in the center of the courtyard.
Ling Ling saw a man of about forty, wearing slightly tattered blue robes, holding an abacus in his hand. While noisily sliding the beads and smiling, he walked towards her. She did not recognize him and asked, “Who are you?”
The man clasped his hands deferentially. “I am Liu Dongbai, under the command of Fort Master Du of the Twin Dragon Fort in Liaodong.” Ling Ling’s heart lurched. The Twin Dragon Fort is a major enemy of our Red Lotus Sect. We spent vast sums and immense effort investigating them. Why is this Liu Dongbai never mentioned in any of the intelligence provided? Nevertheless, aloud she remarked, “Judging by your appearance, are you the Twin Dragon Fort’s accountant?”
Liu Dongbai smiled and nodded. “Exactly so. You have good eyes, young lady.” Ling Ling retorted, “Then come. Let me test your metal abacus skills.” Liu Dongbai appeared puzzled. “Iron abacus?” He looked down at the abacus in his hand and chuckled. “You think this is my weapon? You mistake it. This is merely my tool of livelihood, not a weapon.” So saying, he placed the abacus gently on the ground, stating, “Your supreme skill is unparalleled, young lady. You’ve won five bouts in a row. Even though we righteous fellows wish to capture you, we cannot take advantage of your exhaustion. This sort of successive challenge has already been highly inappropriate. Truly, if the young lady would just set down her weapon, matters could be discussed amicably. There’s no need for this fight to the death.”
Ling Ling sneered. “Surrender?”
Liu Dongbai said, “No one can force the Cult Leader of the Red Lotus Sect to surrender. Moreover, every denizen of the Jianghu knows the Red Lotus Sect has never had a surrendering Cult Leader.” Ling Ling retorted, “So why all this wasted breath?” Liu Dongbai replied, “We merely request the lady set down her weapon and accompany Young Master Nangong to Jianxian Manor (Hall of Meeting the Virtuous). Master Zhuge is a benevolent elder and would hardly trouble you unduly. There, the Red Lotus Sect and the Central Plains martial world could sit down and talk things over properly. That wouldn’t seem such a bad thing.”
Ling Ling continued her cold sneers. “You think capturing me will force the Red Lotus Sect to admit defeat, to yield? Keep dreaming. Forget what’s far off; do you rabble, this useless bunch, truly believe you can capture me? I, this lady, came as I wished. If I wish to leave, naturally I shall leave.”
Liu Dongbai remained unruffled, still wearing a faint smile. “Since the young lady refuses my sincere advice, it cannot be helped. However, we righteous folks never act unreasonably. Surrounding you alone with so many of us is already beyond the pale, yet we cannot simply let you depart. You’ve already prevailed in five consecutive bouts without even panting heavily. Therefore, for this encounter, I propose the young lady conserve her energy; no need for blades or spears.”
Ling Ling said, “How kind. Go on. How do you propose we compete?”
Liu Dongbai slowly withdrew from his sleeve a Judges’ Pen easily a foot long, as thick as a drumstick. Though called a Judges’ Pen, it wasn’t entirely one. The shaft was forged of refined steel, but the tip was not an iron point; it held real, wiry wolf’s hair. Though meticulously cleaned, ink stains were visible amidst the bristles, proving it was indeed used for writing.
Liu Dongbai held this pen aloft and smiled. “My martial skills are scarcely worth a glance. I merely received some recent pointers from Fort Master Du and learned a set of techniques I’ve never yet practiced against anyone. Today, I recklessly venture to make my debut before the lady.”
Ling Ling snapped, “If you want to fight, then fight. Spare me the sweet talk.”
Liu Dongbai shook his head repeatedly. “This technique is truly too formidable. I must explain upfront. Otherwise, if you are injured, lady, you might protest its fairness.” Ling Ling retorted, “Use whatever techniques you have! Are all men from the Twin Dragon Fort as irritatingly fussy as you?”
Liu Dongbai removed his long gown, folding it slowly and deliberately before placing it upon the abacus. Throughout, this man spoke and acted with meticulous care and perfect order, truly reminiscent of an accountant.
Those behind him were growing impatient, muttering to themselves that this Liu Dongbai was too pedantic. Instead of seizing the moment to attack while Ling Ling was still catching her breath, he was dawdling and giving her time to rest.
Nangong Yue simply smiled in silence. He knew this Liu Dongbai well. Liu was an advisor of the Twin Dragon Fort and occasionally handled accounts, but he was no mere bookkeeper. Du Qianlong greatly valued this man for his Judges’ Pen technique, which ranked him among the top masters in the Jianghu. Yet his true strength lay not in martial skill, but in his cunning.
In terms of mastery of the Judges’ Pen, Liu Dongbai might barely make the top ten in the Jianghu, but when it came to scheming, the gap between him and Long Xielan—renowned as the Jianghu’s foremost tactician—was negligible. It was thanks to these two strategists that the Twin Dragon Fort dominated Liaodong. In terms of current influence, none of the other Three Great Families could match the Twin Dragon Fort’s wealth, power, and vast network of disciples and retainers—much thanks to Liu Dongbai’s brilliant schemes.
Nangong Yue had only heard of this before. Now, seeing Liu Dongbai’s confident demeanor put him at ease. He understood men like Liu: they never acted unless they had spotted their opponent’s weakness. Whether to press the attack or let the enemy rest? Mere trifles, not worth laughing at. Achieving the grand plan without fretting over minutiae—this was Liu Dongbai’s true strength.
Everyone held their breath, silently watching the imminent duel.
From the moment Liu Dongbai entered the arena, Ling Ling felt deeply uneasy. She feared no master of martial arts, but detested crossing weapons with cunning opponents. Such men might strike with hidden weapons, poison, or dirty tricks when least expected. Against them, one must exercise extreme caution.
Seeing Liu Dongbai’s slow yet methodical preparation, she recognized this would be a dual contest of wits and skill. She quietly drew a deep breath, focusing her mind for battle.
Ling Ling expected Liu Dongbai to charge. Yet upon reaching the center, he didn’t advance. Instead, he walked to the edge where a dilapidated carriage lay. Tearing off a three-foot-long, six-inch-wide plank, he carried it back to the arena and thrust it into the ground like an upright tombstone.
The crowd watched his antics in confusion, unsure of his intent.
After ensuring the plank was stable, Liu Dongbai spoke: “Lady Ling has fought many rounds. I’ll not exploit such an advantage. For this contest, shall we engage in a gentleman’s duel?”
Ling Ling asked, “What manner of duel?”
Liu Dongbai pointed at the plank. “I’ve devoted my life to calligraphy. In this match, I shall write a phrase—let us say, ‘Upright Spirit Endures’. As I write, you may attack me by any means. Should I fail to complete these four characters within thirty moves, you win. If I succeed, I ask only that you sheathe your weapon. Agree?”
Ling Ling sneered, “You will not strike back?”
“If I counterattack,” Liu Dongbai replied, “it counts as one move. Should I parry fifteen of your strikes, yet fail to complete the words, you win.”
“Any other terms?”
“Just one: attack me all you wish, but do not shatter this plank. If your spear splits it at the outset, not a hundred moves could yield a single character.”
“Fine. I accept,” Ling Ling agreed. “Begin when you say.”
Liu Dongbai raised his brush without dipping it in ink.
“How will we see your writing without ink?” Ling Ling questioned.
Liu Dongbai smiled mildly. “Wet ink would mar the display. Though my skill is humble, an empty brush will suffice for us to proceed.”
His fingers pivoted the brush, setting its tip upright. With a hissing sound, he wrote the character “请” (Invitation) on the hard-packed earth. His Internal Energy flowed through the brush, its wolf-hair bristles as rigid as a spear, carving the character an inch deep.
The training ground’s surface was beaten hard. Carving so deeply meant piercing the plank would be effortless. Spectators applauded the display.
Yet even as they cheered, doubts lingered. What manner of duel was this? Writing while letting oneself be attacked, unable to fully focus on counterstrikes—how passive! They recalled Ling Ling’s spearwork: still as mountains, swift as meteors. Once unleashed, each thrust proved quicker and fiercer than the last. Thirty moves? She would blaze through thrice that in under a teacup’s time. This challenge seemed absurdly tilted.
But Ling Ling saw differently. The terms appeared favorable, yet such a schemer would never yield advantage willingly. Some devastating stratagem hid beneath this surface—one she could only uncover through combat. She adopted her stance without a trace of carelessness. “Impressive Internal Energy,” she remarked.
Liu Dongbai returned her smile. “Enough talk. Let us begin.”
He surged forward, brush raised to paint the first stroke upon the plank. As he moved, Ling Ling cried, “First move!” Her spear trembled like a serpent—”Parting Grass to Seek the Snake”—its point flickering left and right toward Liu Dongbai’s thighs.
Though commonplace in the Jianghu, this attack held extraordinary power in her hands. The Lover’s Spear truly resembled a living snake: coiling, retreating, feinting sideways. Yet amid its illusions, the deadly intent remained fixed. Without evasion, Liu Dongbai’s legs would instantly bleed.
His brush neared the plank, but Ling Ling’s spear struck swifter. Twirling behind the plank, he swept his brush to write. Both plank sides might serve his purpose—if he moved swiftly.
Yet Ling Ling’s spear defied prediction. Missing its target, the shaft bent under her Internal Energy, coursing after the evading Liu Dongbai. She’d used this maneuver against Lu Dun earlier. Though seen before, the animated spear still startled several into gasps.
Hearing the spear’s wind-howl behind him, Liu Dongbai spun his Judges’ Pen to parry. Clang! He deflected the spearpoint, then swiftly painted the first stroke of “正” (Upright).
His Pen measured barely a foot. Against Ling Ling’s ten-foot spear, its swiftness proved invaluable. Without pause, he drew the second stroke.
Ling Ling permitted no respite. “Fourth move!” she called, swinging her spear horizontally at his legs. (Her two attacks and his earlier parry accounted for three moves prior.)
Liu Dongbai vaulted skyward, completing the third stroke midair. Ling Ling’s spear halted hairbreadths from the plank—perfect control preserving the wood. Even Gu Fengchen silently marveled; without practicing the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, such precision seemed unattainable.
In moments, Ling Ling completed seventeen moves. Liu Dongbai countered thrice, finishing “正气” (Upright Spirit). Half the character “长” (Endures) now graced the plank.
Ling Ling’s sneer cut through. “Enough games. Take this!” Her twenty-first attack flew.
This strike was vastly different; her spear technique suddenly changed, becoming unlike any she had used before. Where the Lover’s Spear passed, it seemed to carry a peculiar rhythm, raising a strange, light hum. It was as if the spear was no longer a cold, lifeless object forged of metal gold, but a living being, a soul, a creature full of vitality.
The Lover’s Spear actually seemed to have come alive.
Everyone present, including Gu Fengchen and Nangong Yue, couldn’t help but shudder with shock. Could this Lover’s Spear truly be alive?
At this moment, it seemed no longer a spear, but a soul struggling within the vast earth and worldly turmoil. It soared, reared high, twisted, and looped low; sometimes joyful, sometimes melancholic, but above all, permeated with a deep-seated sorrow.
That was the sorrow of lovers.
In this world, love is the most bitter, the most true, and the most wounding.
Hearing the mournful hum of the Lover’s Spear, you wouldn’t feel a spear thrusting towards you, but your lover singing a soft, poignant song, rushing into your embrace. All you wish is to open your arms, to embrace her, soothe her, kiss her.
The moment you are enchanted by her is the moment the spear tip pierces your flesh, the moment you depart this mortal world.
With the first strike of this spear, light hums filled the sky, and sorrow permeated the ground.
Liu Dongbai froze entirely in shock, standing dumbstruck. His eyes took on a dazed, distant look, and he actually stared blankly as the spear tip thrust towards him, unable to think of making any move.
What he recalled, what he saw in that split second was naturally impossible for others to know. Nangong Yue, however, though young, possessed extraordinary composure. Unfazed by the sound, he seized the moment to suddenly bellow a mighty shout.
The shout erupted like spring thunder, startling everyone present; their bodies jolted.
Invigorated by the shout, Liu Dongbai lost the sound of the enchanting hum. Cleared of mind instantly, he saw the spear tip almost upon him. With a cry, he leapt backwards as if he’d seen a ghost. Ling Ling’s spear thrust met only air, but her twenty-second move followed immediately.
Nangong Yue shouted, “Plug your ears! Don’t listen to the sound!”
Liu Dongbai’s mind worked like lightning. He tore off two strips of cloth from his robe and stuffed them into his ears. Instantly, the world became clear and silent, undisturbed.
He wiped off a sheen of cold sweat, but there was no time for relief. Another spear thrust came at him. Only eight moves remained; if the character remained unfinished after those, he would lose.
Liu Dongbai wheeled sharply. In the blink of an eye, he whipped off his long robe and flung it over the spear tip. Simultaneously, he did a sideways roll, tumbling towards the wooden plank.
Among masters dueling, Liu Dongbai’s move appeared very clumsy. If the crowd wasn’t already captivated by the Lover’s Spear’s hum, someone surely would have laughed aloud.
Though ugly, this move of “lazy rolling” was incredibly effective. Liu Dongbai freed himself, raised his large Judges’ Pen, and instantly completed two more strokes. Only the final stroke of the “cun” character’s last part – the radical “zi” – remained undone.
With the spear tip entangled in cloth, Ling Ling flicked her wrist sharply. Hiss! Hiss! The cloth shredded into scraps, flying in all directions. From the side, Nangong Yue called out, “Twenty-three moves!” He counted Ling Ling’s shredding action as one move. Though somewhat far-fetched, it could just barely pass.
Ling Ling paid no attention. Executing a “Horse Reversing Spear” move, the spear tip thrust backward under her ribs with uncanny accuracy, aiming straight for Liu Dongbai’s back where his heart would be.
This was a famed spear technique, an exceptional strike to snatch victory from defeat; anyone facing it must be wary. Liu Dongbai had no choice but to turn back to defend, using the shaft of his Judges’ Pen to deflect the blow.
Ling Ling’s thrust forced him to turn away. Seeing he no longer had time to write, she seized the opening. Her large spear moved in continuous attacks, faster than the eye could follow; in an instant, she thrust four times.
She launched four strikes in the time it took an ordinary person to deliver one.
Liu Dongbai scrambled frantically, barely parrying the onslaught. How could he possibly turn back to write? With the thirtieth move approaching, Ling Ling suddenly saw the danger: While Liu Dongbai used one hand to wield the pen and block her attacks, his other hand was tucked behind his back… moving as if drawing.
Bad. He was writing with his hand.
A chill settled in Ling Ling’s heart. The situation was perilous. The agreement specified writing on the plank, but never said it must be done with the pen. Using finger power to write was effortless for Liu Dongbai. His body shielded the plank, and as he scrawled away, the decisive last stroke could complete at any moment… she would lose.
Her guess was utterly correct. Liu Dongbai was indeed writing with his hand. The final horizontal stroke of the “cun” character was half completed.
Ling Ling suddenly gave a sharp, clear cry. Her spear no longer thrust at Liu Dongbai, but plunged into the ground. This was the twenty-ninth move.
Liu Dongbai was stunned, unsure of her intent, but instantly understood – because the wooden plank he was writing on suddenly flew up into the air from the ground.
He hadn’t even finished writing the crucial last stroke of the character “cun”.
Ling Ling had thrust her spear into the earth. Her Internal Energy travelled through the ground, jolting the plank and sending it flying upwards. Her ability to improvise and respond in the moment was utterly astonishing.
As the wooden plank flew into the air, she needed only to thrust her spear one more time to complete the thirtieth move, and her opponent would have to admit defeat. Though the rule before the duel forbade shattering the plank, since it remained intact and undamaged, this would not be considered a violation.
It seemed Ling Ling had certainly won this match.
Liu Dongbai also appeared frozen, watching helplessly as the plank soared. He had no means to counter. He possessed no skill for writing in mid-air or shattering planks with Internal Energy. Not only he lacked it, but no one in the world could achieve such a feat. At this moment, Ling Ling casually thrust her spear, calling out, “The thirtieth move!”
Seated in the tree, Gu Fengchen witnessed everything below. He inwardly admired this young Leader Cult. Had it been him, he definitely couldn’t have conceived such an unorthodox tactic to turn defeat into victory. This round, she was surely the victor. Even if Liu Dongbai possessed heaven-defying abilities, he couldn’t possibly finish that final stroke within half a move.
Not only Gu Fengchen thought this; nearly everyone shared the same view. Though the gathered heroes saw Ling Ling as an enemy, witnessing her unfazed fear despite being heavily surrounded, her Lover’s Spear appearing and vanishing mysteriously, triumphing repeatedly, earned their reluctant respect. Though Liu Dongbai’s side was about to lose, he had clearly exerted his utmost effort. The character was but half a stroke from completion; his defeat wouldn’t be unjust.
Indeed, Liu Dongbai couldn’t replicate Ling Ling’s reversal. The terms he himself had set had ensnared him. Truly, he had woven his own cocoon.
Ling Ling’s final spear thrust wasn’t meant to wound or kill him. She only needed him to retreat; once the thirtieth move was complete and she won, it would suffice. Hence, she didn’t put much effort or thought into this stab.
Knowing defeat was certain, Liu Dongbai appeared to raise his brush carelessly and casually to deflect the spear shaft. Once spear met brush, the final move would be concluded, and victory decided.
Yet, the unexpected occurred precisely at the moment of contact.
Clang! The two weapons met. Ling Ling already wore a cold sneer. But in that instant, a clear stream of liquid shot forth lightning-fast from the wolf-hair tip of Liu Dongbai’s Judges’ Pen. Taken completely by surprise, Ling Ling was struck squarely in the eye.
Liu Dongbai smiled, withdrew his brush, and cupped his fists. “Young lady has excellent skills. I admit defeat.” With that, he drifted back towards his group.
This move was profoundly treacherous. Yet, the rules beforehand hadn’t explicitly forbidden counterattacks. They had only stipulated that any counterattack constituted one move, without specifying what that move could entail. Since no rule prohibited it, it could include a Hidden Weapon or poison.
Though Liu Dongbai lost, he had successfully tricked Ling Ling. The liquid from his brush was the unique poison, Orchid Dew, concocted by Long Xielan, the Fort Lord of the Twin Dragon Fort in Liaodong. This poison carried the scent of orchids and was extremely pure, appearing like water. Yet upon contact with skin, it instantly dissolved like morning dew under the sun, seeping in and delivering its potent toxicity.
As soon as Ling Ling felt the liquid enter her eye, she knew it was dire. Mentally cursing her own carelessness, she realized her constant vigilance had slipped at the crucial moment. When Liu Dongbai first entered the field, she had been alert for his Hidden Weapons or poisons. But later, he proposed the literary duel, brought out the wooden plank, insisted on writing characters—he played the part so earnestly that her guard inevitably lessened. Combined with her imminent victory, she had fallen prey to his scheme. It seemed Liu Dongbai had planned this deception from the start; his strangely lenient conditions were because he never intended to win this round.
Liu Dongbai might have lost, but Ling Ling’s eyes were now poisoned. Though she could force them open, her vision was shrouded in a grey haze. Fighting an enemy like this, even a second-rate master could easily defeat and capture her.
The situation was now highly favorable for Nangong Yue’s side. Yet, the heroes exchanged hesitant glances, shuffling uneasily, expressions troubled.
Each knew that with Ling Ling’s impaired vision, stepping forward would surely allow them to capture her and win great merit. However, this would mean taking advantage of her predicament. Furthermore, she was a young woman. These reputed masters, conscious of their own standing, were reluctant to act. Easy advantages beckon, but the ensuing scorn is hard to bear. Even if they captured her, it would damage their reputations—too high a cost. It would be best if someone else acted.
Everyone harbored this thought, so no one stepped forward.
Nangong Yue, perceptive and meticulous, anticipated the crowd’s reluctance. With a faint smile, he strode forth. “As leader, I shall take the final bout. I apologize to my seniors and peers for seizing this opportunity for glory.”
Seeing him step forward, the crowd collectively sighed in relief, hastening to smooth things over. “This woman’s martial skills are exceptional, only Young Master is capable of subduing her…”
Nangong Yue, however, harbored different thoughts. He was young, part of the second generation among the Four Great Clans. The acknowledged leader of this generation was Zhuge Ren of the Zhuge Family, who directed all major affairs. Nangong Yue had never sought to surpass Zhuge Ren in reputation. Yet, since the battle at Mount Huang a dozen years ago, where his father returned only to die, the Nangong Family had declined steadily. Its prestige had long since paled compared to the other three clans. This battle presented a chance to revive some of the Nangong Family’s former glory.
Given the circumstances, his victory was virtually guaranteed. He would resolve the heroes’ dilemma—they knew this well and were happy to grant him the favor. Simultaneously, he could earn significant merit within the Jianghu. Why not do it? So he descended lightly to confront Ling Ling.
Despite stepping in, Nangong Yue still avoided striking first. Cupping his fists, he said, “Leader Ling, you have already triumphed in six bouts. Whether for your Cult or yourself, you have won sufficient honor. After this battle, I believe the Jianghu will rave of the Cult Leader’s mighty feats. If only we could prevent aggression, why resort to more killing? Severed heads and spilled blood are what righteous heroes most abhor. Therefore, Cult Leader Ling, I urge you to speak reasonably and not force further struggle. Continuing will likely cost you more than just your eyes.”
Ling Ling listened and laughed coldly. “I wondered what earth-shattering truths the Young Master of the Four Great Clans might utter. Turns out it is mere hypocrisy. Save your breath. My eyes may be clouded, but the spear remains in my hand.”
Nangong Yue sighed. “Since you persist in delusion, I must apologize for offending you.”
Ling Ling leveled her spear. “Make your move.” Nangong Yue crossed his palms, preparing to charge. At that exact moment, from the trees beyond the wall, loud, booming laughter erupted.