Chapter 3: Secluded Vale in Serene Solitude, Alone Sighing at the Wilted Yellow Flowers

Chapter 3: Secluded Vale in Serene Solitude, Alone Sighing at the Wilted Yellow Flowers

The woman in black seemed oblivious to what had just happened around her. She slowly rolled up the painting, placed it on the table, and then walked back to her seat without turning her head. Gu Fengchen retrieved the painting and cupped his fist toward her, saying, “My thanks.”

On the side of the gathered heroes, Quan Tianshou, having failed in his ambush, was thoroughly ashamed and remained silent. Only Duan Wenbo managed to preserve a shred of face. Had it not been for the assistance of the mysterious seven, his loss would have been absolute.

Duan Wenbo took several steps forward and cupped his fist. “We are profoundly grateful for your chivalrous rescue, coming to our aid like unsheathing a blade. Might we inquire of you distinguished heroes your esteemed names?” He repeated his question twice, but the seven remained as if deaf. Duan Wenbo had no choice but to bow once more. “Since you heroes wish to remain anonymous, we can only offer incense to you three times daily, morning and night, praying for your abundant blessings, prosperity, longevity, and a century of life. We bid you farewell here and now, hoping to meet again someday.”

Just as he turned to leave, the beautiful woman in green among the seven stood up and said, “Hold on a moment.”

Duan Wenbo cupped his fist. “What instructions do you have, Elder Sister?” The green-clad beauty asked, “Are you heading to offer birthday congratulations to Master Zhuge?” Duan Wenbo nodded yes. The green-clad beauty said, “When you reach Jianxian Manor (Hall of Meeting the Virtuous), please convey a message. Tell him that on that day, esteemed guests will arrive to offer congratulations and that he must receive them well.” Duan Wenbo replied, “We have suffered deep humiliation. Were it not for your words, Elder Sister, I would have no face to proceed to Jianxian Manor. However, now that you have given the command, this lowly one is willing to swallow my shame and deliver the message to Master Zhuge.”

The green-clad beauty nodded and waved her hand dismissively. “Go.”

The group rushed out of the inn. Both Quan Tianshou and Lu Qinhu entrusted their gifts to Duan Wenbo to deliver. Then, protecting the wounded, they despondently retraced their steps. Duan Wenbo approached the large tree. Only with his full strength did he manage to pull his Silver Spear free. Suddenly, he saw a spray of blood erupting from the tree. Only then did he realize why the Yang Guan Thief had written with his finger instead of speaking earlier—he must have been grievously injured and would have vomited blood fiercely the moment he opened his mouth, forcing him to hold his breath and suppress the surging blood and qi.

Given this, the Yang Guan Thief certainly wouldn’t return to stir trouble. Thus, Duan Wenbo dared to proceed with renewed boldness, hastening towards Jianxian Manor.

In the inn, only Gu Fengchen and his companion, plus the mysterious seven, remained. The green-clad beauty stared at Gu Fengchen and suddenly said, “Young man, your martial prowess is impressive, and cunning as well—it suits my taste perfectly. Your internal energy belongs to the Shaolin Sect. Who was your master?”

Gu Fengchen said, “This lowly one’s conduct was improper; I have been expelled from the sect. There is no master to speak of anymore.”

The green-clad beauty asked, “Why has your little brother here not said a word? Was he frightened?” Gu Fengchen replied, “Indeed. My brother is shy around strangers.”

While answering her verbally, his mind raced with calculations: This group are definitely up to no good; who knows what scheme they have. It’s best we leave immediately. He secured his bundle, cupped his fist towards the seven, and said, “Many thanks for your assistance. Farewell for now; we may meet again.” So saying, he took Ying Lian’s hand and walked out. The green-clad beauty made no move to stop them.

Outside the door, Gu Fengchen glanced back unintentionally. To his shock, he saw the woman in black among the seven turning her head slightly to look at them. His heart suddenly pounded violently several times, and an inexplicable sense of foreboding washed over him. Without lingering, he left quickly with Ying Lian, mounted their horse, and rode away.

After leaving the village inn, they galloped several dozen li. For some reason, Gu Fengchen’s heart remained uneasy, plagued by a feeling as if eyes were constantly watching him from behind. But no matter how many times he glanced around, he saw no trace of anyone.

It was now dusk. As the fiery sun plunged westward, twilight deepened. Gu Fengchen surveyed the road ahead and behind. The vast wilderness was utterly deserted; no villages or towns were in sight, not a single dwelling anywhere. He glanced at Ying Lian and saw her face was drawn with exhaustion; she was utterly spent. Yet, she clenched her teeth, refusing to utter a single word of complaint to him. Seeing this, he felt reluctant in his heart.

He held no affection for this Lian’er. On the contrary, he felt that had it not been for this girl, perhaps he wouldn’t have poked Fengjue’s pressure point, thereby causing his death. Gu Fengchen was unyielding by nature, and his words were far from gentle. Since Lian’er’s birth, her grandfather had spoiled her like treasure, and she had never been treated so harshly before. Secretly, she was at odds with Gu Fengchen. No matter how hungry or tired she was, she would not complain to him.

Thus, the two rode silently on their horses, one in front of the other. After traversing another few li, a roadside tavern appeared, a lantern swaying before its entrance.

Gu Fengchen leaped off his horse, pulled Ying Lian down unceremoniously, and strode into the tavern, demanding wine and food. The attendant answered to wait a moment, first bringing over a pot of tea. Gu Fengchen poured a bowl. Suddenly, in the lamplight, he saw the tea had a greenish tinge. He immediately seized the attendant and barked, “What kind of tea have you brewed?” The attendant chuckled and said, “Good tea…” Gu Fengchen instantly pinched his jaw, trying to force the tea down his throat.

The attendant abruptly drove an elbow strike at Gu Fengchen’s left ribs and slapped the tea bowl to the ground with his other hand, shouting, “The mark is here…!” With this cry, over a dozen burly men rushed out from inside the building, each wielding identical demon-head sabers. By their attire, they were clearly members of the Long River Gang.

Gu Fengchen grabbed Ying Lian and kicked the table away, swirling around and leaping back to the horses just outside. He was about to mount when his horse let out a sorrowful whinny and collapsed to the ground. A stream of blood gushed from its belly where a dagger had already found its mark.

The Long River Gang members swarmed out, trying to encircle them. Gu Fengchen had barely hoisted Ying Lian onto his back when two large sabers slashed towards him from the front. Gu Fengchen roared and, mustering his strength, seized both wrists of the attackers. He yanked them violently backward, causing both to lose their footing and stumble helplessly forward, scattering the gang members opposite in panic.

Amid the chaos, Gu Fengchen broke through the encirclement and sprinted westward with large strides.

The Long River Gang members would not let him escape, giving chase immediately. Some fired signals into the air with fireworks to summon their comrades.

Gu Fengchen ignored them all, charging ahead as if his feet had wings. Rounding a mountain bend, a secluded valley abruptly appeared before them. Thick trees filled the vale, and he inwardly rejoiced: Once I plunge into those woods, I can shake off the pursuers.

Holding this thought, he dashed into the valley with Ying Lian on his back. Now darkness had fallen completely. Gu Fengchen ran for a while longer when suddenly, he felt Ying Lian on his back let out a faint groan, and her head slumped limply onto his shoulder. He was just about to turn and look at her when a strange scent, somewhat like the fragrance of flowers, hit his nostrils. Before he could identify it, an emptiness overwhelmed his mind, his legs gave way, and he tumbled to the ground unconscious.

The pursuing shouting grew closer as they charged into the valley. Suddenly, they too began to fall to the ground one by one, as if struck by an evil miasma.

The long, long night finally drew to a close as the starlight gradually faded away.

When Gu Fengchen opened his eyes, sunlight was bathing the valley. The dawn mist, thick as floating clouds, had already dissipated, and the scene before him sharpened into focus. Gu Fengchen looked around and gasped in shock. The valley was densely covered with countless trees, thousands upon thousands of them, their shapes utterly alien. Twisted branches coiled like ailing dragons rearing upwards or strange serpents swirling around. Grotesque and bizarre forms strained the eyes. The treetops blazed with a riot of yellow flowers, breathtakingly beautiful, like thousands of layers of yellow clouds pressing down upon the view, giving the eyes an almost stuffed sensation.

Looking beside him, the grass beneath the trees was like a soft carpet. Wild insects chirped softly; occasionally one or two leapt onto his feet. A morning breeze swept through, dislodging countless flower petals that fell like a shower of golden rain. A few blossoms still clung to his face, wet with clear dewdrops, retaining the faint fragrance of their branches. The dew soaked into his clothes.

Gu Fengchen’s mind cleared abruptly, and he tried to rise. To his shock, he discovered his whole body devoid of strength; he couldn’t even move a finger. His eyes shifted sideways, and he saw Ying Lain lying prone beside him, still in a deep faint, not yet awake.

Gu Fengchen tried to circulate his Internal Energy secretly, but the moment he moved it, dizziness overwhelmed him, making him feel utterly wretched. He realized the knock-out drug he’d been dosed with was extremely potent, and its effects would fade only gradually—forceful resistance was futile. He calmed his mind to wait it out.

But just as a tree craves stillness, the wind refuses to cease. A rustling sound grew nearer in his ears. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a large, multi-colored spider crawling toward him. Its pair of venomous stingers drew closer until it was nearly upon his throat. Though Gu Fengchen was normally brave, this situation was unprecedented and sent a chill down his spine.

Suddenly, the spider froze in place. In the blink of an eye, it flipped over, legs skyward, dead.

Gu Fengchen had only just relaxed when a small, white snake slithered near, swaying as if drunk. It finally slumped to the ground, stiff and lifeless. Gu Fengchen thought in alarm: “This valley is so beautiful, yet why is it infested with poisonous creatures?”

He glanced toward the direction the creatures had come from and was immediately astonished.

Two people sat facing each other, about two zhang away. On the left was a withered, gaunt old man. Short and small in stature, his hair and beard were snow-white, but his face glowed with the vigor of youth. Opposite him sat an old woman, perhaps fifty or sixty, her hair smooth and black as flowing water, but her face so pale it lacked a trace of blood—a stark contrast to the white-haired, youthful-faced elder.

They sat a few feet apart, their gazes locked intently on the ground before them.

Gu Fengchen saw clearly: the old man had drawn several concentric circles—red, yellow, white, black—before him, neatly demarcated with unknown pigments. Before the old woman crawled several poisonous creatures: a centipede, a scorpion, and a toad.

The three toxic beings ventured forward cautiously yet halted at the pigments, their demeanor fear-filled.

Seeing this, the old man wore a look of satisfaction. The old woman, however, was stern-faced; a small blue needle in her hand prodded their tails constantly, urging them onward.

Finally, the poisonous creatures pressed forward, crossing the first red circle. The old woman allowed a smile, but as the centipede reached the yellow ring, it shuddered violently and died on the spot.

With a flick of her needle, she tossed the centipede out of the rings. She then goaded the snake. After much hesitation, the snake did breach the second circle, only to die before the white ring. Only the scorpion managed to cross all three circles. Yet at the final black ring, it crawled but refused to advance further, no matter how she urged it.

The old man suddenly jumped up, laughing heartily: “This is it… indeed a worthy match!” The old woman’s face also blossomed into joy; tears even welled in her eyes: “It’s done… over twenty years, it’s finally done…!” They embraced each other, weeping and laughing.

Distracted by their triumph, the scorpion crawled out of the rings, unnoticed, making its way toward Lian’er. Luckily, she slept soundly; seeing this would surely have made her shriek. Gu Fengchen watched the scorpion, unaware that after its fierce struggle against the black toxin, its inner venom had concentrated to excess and desperately needed release. Crawling to Lian’er’s hand, it raised its stinger tail for a strike.

Horrified, Gu Fengchen saw the scorpion was pure black, its hooked barb gleaming an icy blue—clearly deadly poisonous. One sting could kill the frail Lian’er. Though he held no fondness for her, she’d been entrusted to him by Feng Jue on his deathbed. If she died before his eyes, he’d never face Feng Jue in the afterlife. In desperation, he surged his energy and grabbed toward the scorpion’s tail.

His poisoned state still lingered; dizziness made his hand miss the tail and clutch the scorpion’s head instead. Surprised, the scorpion lashed back, sinking its stinger deep into Gu Fengchen’s palm.

Unbearable agony shot through him. He grunted once, his fingers reflexively clenching shut. A soft squelch sounded as he crushed the creature into pulp.

Though the scorpion was dead, Gu Fengchen felt a bone-chilling cold, almost solid, creep from his palm upwards, numbing all sensation in its path. Such a formidable, rare venom terrified him inside.

He dared not move recklessly, lest his Internal Energy rebel. He focused entirely on resisting the venom’s upward climb. Soon, he was drenched in sweat.

The old couple laughed and wept for a time before finally parting. The old man noticed the scorpion missing and looked around, spotting Gu Fengchen with a startled “Ah!” His small eyes roamed over him intensely.

The old woman spotted the crushed pulp of the scorpion in his hand. Her eyes bulged wide as she leapt over, seizing Gu Fengchen’s hand and staring, dumbfounded. The old man hopped over too, muttering in shock: “This… what is this…?” The old woman threw back her head and let out a piercing shriek packed with bitterness and despair. She raised her hand to slam it down on Gu Fengchen’s skull.

The old man grabbed her arm: “Hurry solves nothing…!”

The old woman wailed skyward. “Over twenty years of toil… wasted! My ill-fated daughter’s grievance… when will it ever be answered…?” The old man shouted, “Killing him changes nothing! That Blue-Tail Scorpion is gone! And after it stung him, even if you do nothing, his end is near…”

The old woman dried her tears, glaring venomously at Gu Fengchen. “Where did you come from? Destroying my life’s work!” Gu Fengchen was exerting his full strength against the venom; speech was impossible! Seeing this, the old man cried furiously, “Your fate is sealed, boy, but I demand answers first!” He ran back to his spot, grabbed a handful of black powder, and pried Gu Fengchen’s jaw open, pouring the powder in.

Gu Fengchen felt searing fire pour into his belly. In moments, it blocked the advancing chill. He shook his head; the dizziness was gone! His limbs could move again!

He sat up, clasping his fists toward the old man. “Esteemed Senior, my deepest thanks for the aid…”

The old man snorted coldly. “You mistake my intent? I wish you ten thousand cuts of slow death! But first, I must ask: who are you? Why come here?”

Gu Fengchen responded truthfully: “I am Gu Fengchen. I am escorting this young sister to her kin. Pursued last night by foes, I stumbled here unintentionally. May I ask what place is this?”

The old man replied, “This is the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers. We two are its masters. I am Red Yang Immortal. That old woman is White Yin Immortal.”

White Yin Immortal snapped, “Enough chatter! This man entered our valley and destroyed my hard-found Blue-Tail Scorpion! He must be their lackey…!” She raised her palm to strike again.

This time, Gu Fengchen could move, rolling aside to evade the blow. He sprung to his feet: “I never meant to kill your prized beast! You want my life? Fine! But let me deliver this young sister first…!”

White Yin Immortal laughed icily. “You think me a fool? The world beyond this valley is vast—how would we find you?”

She snatched up Lian’er. “Come here, or I kill this child!”

Gu Fengchen’s fury erupted: “A true man risks himself! Threatening a child, what skill is that!”

White Yin Immortal sneered darkly: “I am no ‘true man.’ Take my precious creature’s place now, and I spare her. Otherwise…” She drew a dagger from her bosom. With a sharp rip, she slashed the bundle wrapped across Lian’er’s chest, pressing the blade tip against the girl’s heart.

Gu Fengchen despised threats the most. Silently summoning palm energy to his arms, he prepared to snatch Lian’er back. But his effort unleashed chaos: his chest bubbled like a boiling pot, qi and blood churning wildly. He struggled to suppress it uselessly. His gathered Internal Energy vanished instantaneously. He crashed to the earth.

He didn’t know: Red Yang Immortal had administered a potent Solar toxin powder—rarest of toxic herbs gathered in the Arctic’s bitter cold. The scorpion that stung him, found by White Yin Immortal in the Southern Sea’s blazing heat, possessed extreme Yin toxicity. Both poisons, one Solar, one Yin, countered each other yet were locked in stalemate. Inside the body, they coexisted harmlessly… until forced Qi flow or new toxicity struck. Then true battle erupted. The toxins dueled—attacking, defending, advancing, retreating—truly matching skill for skill, opposing forces locked in eternal contest.

This turn of events tormented Gu Fengchen. He had originally trained in the Shaolin Sect’s internal energy cultivation, achieving notable success. He had been one of the top disciples among the Shaolin “Feng” generation. However, early in the year, he had most of his martial arts crippled by a single palm strike from Guang Xing. Now, clashing with this toxin, the internal energy he had cultivated was almost completely depleted.

Seeing him fall, White Yin Immortal tossed Lian’er aside and leaped over, raising her dagger high with both hands, ready to stab downwards. But just then, a loud shout from Red Yang Immortal reached her ears: “Hold!”… She turned her head and saw Red Yang Immortal standing off to the side, staring blankly. He held a scroll unfurled in his hands.

It was Lian’er’s painting. Earlier, when White Yin Immortal had slashed open the bundle, the scroll had rolled out, partially unfurled on the ground. White Yin Immortal hadn’t noticed, but Red Yang Immortal had fixed his gaze on it immediately. Now, as he looked at it fully unrolled, his whole body began to tremble, and his eyes seemed to blaze with fire.

Hearing his call, White Yin Immortal approached. After only one glance, her expression too changed drastically. Snatching the painting, she stared at it intently as if trying to see through it.

After studying it for a while, the two exchanged a look and walked together to Gu Fengchen’s side. They sealed his Qihai acupoint. Once this acupoint was sealed, preventing true energy from rising, Gu Fengchen slowly calmed internally and opened his eyes.

Red Yang Immortal asked impatiently, “Whose painting is this? Yours?” Gu Fengchen shook his head: “No, it belongs to that younger sister.” White Yin Immortal said, “You said you were taking her to stay with relatives. Were you taking her to see this person?” As she spoke, she unfurled the painting before Gu Fengchen’s eyes.

The painting depicted a man, his sleeves billowing gracefully, his bearing carefree and refined. It wasn’t just his handsome face; the very aura of martial heroism blended with scholarly refinement made one’s heart flutter. In the blank space at the upper-left corner, delicate cursive characters were inscribed:

Remembering when I met you, together we gathered fragrant herbs,

Fragrant herbs so lush and bright, your feelings so warm and fine.

But alas, you stepped away, not thinking of the hands we joined.

I pace alone in the empty room, heart wounded till old age comes.

The poem’s sentiment was sorrowful and sad, hinting at endless longing and bitter resentment. The characters were exquisitely delicate and elegantly formed, as smooth and pure as pearls or jade—clearly the hand of a woman at first glance.

Unaware of the background, Gu Fengchen answered vaguely, “I don’t know. Maybe.”

White Yin Immortal said, “Fine. Where is this person?” Gu Fengchen replied, “Gansu!” White Yin Immortal stated, “In that case, I no longer demand your life. But you must do one thing for me…” Gu Fengchen asked, “What thing?” White Yin Immortal demanded, “Go alone to Gansu. Tell this person in the painting that his relative is in our hands. If he wants her alive, he’s to come to the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers.”

Furious, Gu Fengchen retorted, “Won’t you even spare a child?”

White Yin Immortal countered, “As long as this person comes, we’ll release her. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being vicious. If you refuse to go, I will kill this girl right now…” Gu Fengchen glared at her, but his limbs were weak, powerless to fight further.

Red Yang Immortal added, “Get going. You have one month. If we haven’t seen the man in the painting by then… hmph… you know the consequences!” As he spoke, he brought forth a shabby horse from behind the house. He handed the painting scroll bundle and a piece of oilcloth to Gu Fengchen, adding, “Best not to delay. You bear two rare poisons within you. How long you’ll last, we cannot be sure. If you die along the way, you doom the little girl. Also, this painting is most important, so don’t let it get wet by rain.”

Gu Fengchen wrapped the painting in the oilcloth and secured it on his back along with the bundle. Mounting the horse, he let out a cold laugh: “Both of you, steeped your whole lives in poisons — no wonder your hearts are serpentine. If by chance I survive, I shall certainly return to seek another lesson.” Whip cracking down, he urged the horse out of the valley at a gallop.

The Yin-Yang Twin Immortals smiled silently, watching Gu Fengchen depart the valley until he vanished from sight. Slowly, they turned their gazes back, fixing them on Lian’er, who was still unconscious. A hideous, malicious expression crept onto their faces.

March Twenty-Fourth, Dusk.

Below Black Wind Mountain, the sun sank westward, leaving streaks of blood-red clouds in the sky. The distant, rolling mountain ranges appeared desolate and solemn under the dying rays of the setting sun. A fierce wind howled, like the sobs of soldiers off to war. The grass on the plain whipped low, like tears shed by parting wives. A narrow path wove through the mountain wilderness grass, visible at times, vanishing at others.

Suddenly, the sound of hoofbeats emerged—clip-clop, clip-clop—as a shabby horse trudged slowly forward, visibly devoid of any spirit.

Gu Fengchen sat astride the horse, utterly exhausted. Over the past few days, he had felt as though two dragons roiled uncontrollably within his body: one a fire dragon, the other an ice dragon. His body had become their battleground, a furious, unceasing conflict burning within him. His body would blaze with heat one moment, then freeze to icy numbness the next. Sometimes it was half cold, half hot; sweat would pour out on one side while the other side grew stiff and numb with cold. It was excruciatingly unbearable.

Looking around now, he saw the impassable barrier of mountain passes stretching endlessly, devoid of any trace of human habitation, no place to beg for alms or relief. He could only sigh heavily. Allowing the horse to slowly graze on grass within the woods, he staggered to a large tree near where the horse grazed, tethered it, lay down, and immediately fell asleep.

Sleeping until the middle of the night, Gu Fengchen was abruptly awakened by a strange noise. Concentrating, he discerned it as the sounds of human shouts and the impact of palm strikes, clear in the quiet night.

The noise drew closer. Using the light of the star-filled sky, Gu Fengchen peered ahead. Not far off, several figures darted and spiraled through the darkness, locked in furious combat. One was a tall, thin elderly man draped in a white robe. Embroidered on his back, vivid like flame, was a bright red lotus flower. The lotus rested atop a billowing design rendered in fiery cloud patterns, giving it an extremely unique appearance. With every palm strike and kick, he unleashed impressive power, churning the earth beneath, sending dust and fallen leaves swirling into the air all around him.

Opposing him were three assailants. One was dressed as a Taoist priest, wielding a long sword. Another had a leather strap tied around his head, his face a mass of scars, and held a leather whip in his hand. The third zigzagged back and forth with incredible lightness skills, wearing a bright red overcoat. On either side below his waist hung small belts holding throwing darts, clearly marking him as a Hidden Weapon expert.

The three trapped the white-robed elder in a desperate offensive, attacking with all their might, refusing to give him a moment’s respite. Clearly, all three understood that facing this white-robed elder was one of the most perilous encounters under heaven; the slightest slackening could mean death. Forming a triangular formation around him, they constantly shifted positions, preventing the white-robed elder from breaking out.

Strangely, the white-robed elder appeared to fight even faster, his moves growing increasingly fierce and intense, causing the fallen leaves and broken branches within the woods to soar skyward in chaotic swirls.

Suddenly, with a fierce shout, the white-robed elder pivoted in mid-air and launched a kick from an unexpected angle. Unprepared to dodge, the Taoist priest took the blow squarely on his wrist. A sharp crack sounded—the wrist bone shattered instantly. Before the cry of pain could escape his lips, the elder’s consecutive leg sweeps struck home. Kick after kick landed on his chest. The Taoist priest was flung several yards away, his chest bones shattered completely—dead before he hit the ground.

Seeing the elder’s overwhelming power, the two remaining attackers recoiled in shock and leaped back, breaking free from the encirclement. The white-robed elder seized the opportunity, laughing heartily, and called out, “If you’re not afraid to die… chase me!”… And with that, he sprang upwards, landing deftly on the highest branches of a nearby tree.

His foot touched lightly upon a branch; as he prepared to leap once more, a flash of blade-light suddenly erupted from the foliage right above his head! A dagger aimed straight at his left arm! An ambusher had lain hidden within the leaves the whole time.

The white-robed old man was in the half-risen posture when the blade came at him. Striking precisely as his new force was about to emerge but not yet gathered, it had calculated that he wouldn’t have time to shift his stance. It was as if he was rushing headlong onto the blade’s edge—the intention was truly vicious. A veteran of countless battles, the white-robed old man remained unflustered even in peril. He abruptly exerted strength in his feet; with a crack, the branch beneath him snapped. His body immediately plummeted downward.

Dozens of hairs were seen dancing in the air, scattered by the evening wind. The blade had missed by a hair’s breadth and failed to land its blow.

The white-robed old man landed, gracefully evading the hidden weapon thrown by the man in red. He snorted coldly, “Sneak attacks and ambushes! Shameless rat… get down here!” The sound of robes fluttering in the wind followed, and five figures leaped down from the surrounding trees. Five people. Six blades: a Gold-dipped Saber, a Ghost-head Blade, a Horse-Cutting Sword, a Burmese Iron Soft Sword, and a pair of sabers.

The five surrounded him, trapping the white-robed old man in their center. All fighting paused momentarily.

The white-robed old man stood with his hands clasped behind his back and said coldly, “The Luoyang Golden Saber Wei family dares to muddy these waters too.” Wei Renlong, the eldest holding the Gold-dipped Saber, boomed, “Leave the item and you may walk free.” The white-robed old man chuckled grimly, “You are not worthy to speak such words.”

The sixth, dual-wielding Wei Renjie, yelled, “You’re not even a—!” Before he could finish, the white-robed old man suddenly took a tremendous stride—no visible movement preceded it—and was instantly before Wei Renjie, reaching out to grasp his chest. Wei Renjie reacted with remarkable speed. His dual sabers twisted like scissors, aiming to sever the old man’s hand and elbow. But before his blades could connect, the white-robed old man had already seized his Qihai acupoint.

This change happened with dizzying suddenness. All eyes blurred for an instant, and Wei Renjie was firmly in the grasp of the white-robed old man. The four remaining Wei family members roared in unison, brandishing their blades and lunging forward. The white-robed old man shouted, “A nameless punk! Killing you would only soil my hands. Begone!” With a casual toss, he flung Wei Renjie a zhang away. Wei Renjie felt his head swim, his body utterly limp. Bang! His face slammed squarely into a tree trunk. Seven or eight teeth were knocked loose, his nose shattered and bleeding, a pitiful sight.

Before the other four Weis could react, the white-robed old man delivered four swift kicks, sending them all flying back.

Wei Renjie wiped the blood from his nose and charged forward with a furious roar. The other four closed in simultaneously. The eldest, Wei Renlong, bellowed, “Fortify the spirit, calm the mind! Retain the fractured, guard the deficient!” The Wei family’s Five Tigers moved with lightning agility. Their six blades became a flurry of snowflakes, enveloping the white-robed old man.

Gu Fengchen had heard of the Golden Saber Wei family. He knew this lineage possessed profound mastery in saber techniques. The white-robed old man’s earlier success was due to catching his opponent unprepared. Now, with each unleashing their unique skill, they displayed five distinct saber styles:

Eight Gates Golden Lock Saber

Sun-Moon Heaven-Earth Saber

Eight Trigrams Saber

Grand Ultimate Saber

Plum Blossom Saber

Moreover, each man’s saber forms constantly shifted. Dodging one strike yielded no insight into the next. This “Lawless Saber Formation” was truly formidable, trapping the white-robed old man firmly.

Seeing the white-robed old man endangered stirred Gu Fengchen’s chivalrous spirit. He thought inwardly: This man fights one against eight without fear, truly a hero. What a waste were he to die. I should try to save him. Even if I succumb to the poison and fail to save that girl, doing a good deed before death might count.

Decided, he abruptly stood up and yelled, “Beware my Five Poison Hidden Weapons…!” Whizzing sounds followed as he hurled several stones.

Hearing the shout “Five Poison Hidden Weapons!” at their backs, the Wei Family Five Tigers instinctively startled, their saber momentum faltering slightly. Seizing this chance, the white-robed old man charged fiercely towards Wei Renjie. Wei Renjie, scared stiff by the earlier beating, thought desperately, I only have about a dozen teeth left, I must protect them! He took a step back and brought both sabers down in a slash. But the white-robed old man was still a fraction faster; both hands shot out and seized Wei Renjie’s wrists.

Just then, Wei Renlong, beside Wei Renjie, swept his blade towards the white-robed old man’s waist.

Unable to retract his hands, the white-robed old man took a gamble. He leaped upwards with all his strength, using Wei Renjie as leverage. They vaulted several feet into the air, landing outside the encirclement. Wei Renjie aimed a vicious kick at the old man’s crotch. The old man released his wrists with a push, flinging Wei Renjie away. Wei Renjie, putting too much force into the kick, couldn’t stop his momentum. His own foot slammed into his head. He nearly knocked himself unconscious as he crashed down. Before he could recover, the white-robed old man was already running into the darkness, not looking back.

Gu Fengchen had already mounted a horse, waiting. Spotting the horse as he emerged, the white-robed old man vaulted onto its back behind Gu Fengchen and delivered a powerful slap to its rump. The horse let out a terrified neigh, reared up, and bolted away, hooves thundering.

Gu Fengchen looked back and managed to say, “Sit—”. But he only got one syllable out before his body suddenly stiffened. The white-robed old man behind him had sealed his acupoints, rendering him immobile. The old man said, “Lad, you’ve got a hidden weapon master on your tail now. Need me a shield—sadly, it seems it’s your unlucky night.” He looped his belt around Gu Fengchen’s torso, binding the youth tightly against him to prevent him from falling off.

A sharp, slicing whoosh reached their ears. Gu Fengchen felt a piercing pain in his back—he’d been struck by a steel pin.

“Hear that whistle? That’s ‘Thousand Hands Prodigy’ Xiao Dufeng’s Black Bee Pin,” the white-robed old man stated. “Tough luck. Stung by his hidden weapon. You’ll be dead, without remedy, within half an hour.” Gu Fengchen’s body was frozen, but he could still speak. “I was trying to—”

The white-robed old man casually sealed his mute acupoint. “Curse me all you want inside,” he chuckled, “I don’t argue with dead men walking.”

Two more pins struck Gu Fengchen then—one in the shoulder, one in the left ribcage. Knowing he wouldn’t survive the night, he simply closed his eyes.

Assuming he was dead, the white-robed old man spurred the horse westward at full gallop. The pursuers closed in doggedly. The horse, already weary and now carrying two riders, gradually slowed, showing signs of exhaustion. Muttering curses under his breath, the old man scanned his surroundings and steered the horse onto a mountain path.

The path soon grew steeper and narrower as it ascended. Riding a horse became impossible. The white-robed old man dismounted. With a single palm strike, he cleanly severed a tree as thick as a bowl near the path. He grabbed the horse’s tail, bound the tree trunk firmly to it, then drew his dagger and plunged it deep into the horse’s rump. The horse screamed in agony, spun around in terror, and charged back down the trail.

Hoisting Gu Fengchen onto his back, the old man continued his ascent up the mountain. Where he touched felt unexpectedly warm and soft. Glancing down, he was startled to see Gu Fengchen’s face looked perfectly normal, without a trace of poisoning.

This was bizarre. Reaching behind Gu Fengchen, he felt the three Black Bee Pins still protruding straight out. He plucked one out. The blood staining it was bright red—completely ordinary.

Has ‘Thousand Hands Prodigy’ reformed? Did he stop poisoning his projectiles?

The old man dismissed the question promptly, settling Gu Fengchen back onto his shoulders and channeling his Internal Energy to surge upwards. He knew the panicked horse might delay the pursuers somewhat, but the respite would be fleeting.

Jumbled awake by the movement, Gu Fengchen opened his eyes. His immunity to the deadly pins stemmed from having been poisoned earlier by two of the world’s most potent toxins. Like opposing armies confronting each other, they fought to mutual annihilation inside him. Yet when an external toxin (the Bee Pins) entered, they joined forces to repel the invader. It was a perfect example of poison attacking poison. As a result, no third toxin in the world could ever match these two. Thus, the three pins felt mere trifles to him.

Trees and rocks blurred past like a receding tide, yet the old man’s footing remained supremely steady. Within moments, they had rounded several mountain folds. Ahead loomed a cliff, sheer and precipitous. In the dark night, only the crashing sounds of water echoed upwards from its unseen, seemingly bottomless depths.

The white-robed old man approached the cliff edge and peered down intently for a few moments. He then dumped Gu Fengchen onto the ground, stripped off his own outer robe, and draped it over Gu Fengchen. Next, he knotted one end of his belt around Gu Fengchen’s waist, holding the other end firmly.

This way, when viewed from behind, Gu Fengchen’s silhouette vaguely resembled the white-robed old man.

In daylight, this disguise would never fool a seasoned Jianghu expert. But tonight, under sparse starlight? Veracity blurred.

The old man positioned Gu Fengchen sitting upright on the cliff’s very edge. Gripping the belt, he slowly lowered one leg over the precipice. Suddenly, he hesitated, turned back, and groped through Gu Fengchen’s robe. Finding a bundle, he pulled it free. Dangling it before Gu Fengchen’s eyes, he whispered with a dark chuckle, “Lad, you’ve no use for this stuff down below. I’ll take it.” Gu Fengchen could neither speak nor move. A faint, almost serene smile touched his lips. He found the statement oddly fitting. The agony of his warring poisons far exceeded death. Facing his likely imminent demise, a strange, detached sense of release washed over him. He simply watched as the white-robed figure descended over the cliff’s edge.

Though steep, the old man’s grip proved tougher than steel hooks. Where stone offered no natural hold, he employed his secret technique, clinging spider-like to the rock face. Slowly, he slid down several feet, then curled deep within a scooped-out depression beneath the cliff lip. Silently, he waited for their pursuers.

Soon, the rustling of robes cut through the wind. Roughly twenty shadowy figures leaped onto the mountaintop, their movements exceptionally agile. Several were clearly at the level of first-rate masters.

They converged on the cliff and spotted the seated white-robed silhouette. Unease tempered their approach; they halted about seven feet away.

The white-robed old man, hearing no action above, knew they were still weighing caution. He circulated a pulse of Internal Energy. It traveled along the belt and jolted Gu Fengchen’s waist. Gu Fengchen’s body involuntarily shuddered.

Someone spotted it. “Old man’s poisoned! He’s trying to force the toxin out! Strike now, don’t let him recover!” Instantly, over ten figures surged forward. Cold amusement filled the white-robed old man. He gave the belt a sharp, decisive yank!

Immobilized and utterly helpless to resist, Gu Fengchen was pulled straight over the cliff edge by the force. He vanished into the night sky.

A collective cry of alarm rose from the cliff top: “Damn! The old man’s killed himself—!” They rushed to the edge, peering frantically into the chasm below. Only impenetrable darkness stared back. The white-robed shadow was gone.

Clenching their fists in futile frustration, they had no recourse. After a tense pause, exchanging bewildered stares, they turned and left. Though their descent routes diverged, a shared unspoken intent spurred them: Circle around and find the old man’s corpse at the cliff base. Without a word exchanged, they quickened their pace, disappearing from the summit within moments.

The white-robed old man permitted a slow, disdainful smirk to spread across his face. Carefully, he climbed back onto the clifftop. Stretching towards the frigid expanse of stars, he loosed a long, exhausted breath. He cast one last cold glance towards the departing shadows, snorted softly, then settled comfortably onto the ground. He untied Gu Fengchen’s bundle.

Inside lay only a set of men’s clothing. Finding no silver, the old man tossed the garments aside. Clink! A golden hairpin tumbled onto the ground.

The white-robed man picked up the hairpin. His eyes scanned it—then widened abruptly to the size of saucers. He shot upright. Staring into the pitch-black abyss, he expelled a savage, thunderous roar. The sound, like a tiger’s bellow mingled with a thunderclap, shook the mountain wilderness. Its echoes rolled and lingered for a long, long time.