As soon as Zhu Jing heard him speak, his neck prickled as if someone was huffing a light breath on it. His face warmed. “How could his voice sound so pleasing?” he thought.

The kid didn’t speak properly. He yeed and ahhed, only wanting to give him the hoop. The man was pestered to no end, took it over, and made a haphazard throw. It landed ten thousand li away from the zodiacs. “Ah, oh, missed!”

How could the kid let it go? He immediately went up to grab the hoop. But the apricot seller had already picked it up and refused to give it to him. The kid stood blankly on the bridge, apparently dumbfounded. Under the rising sun, Zhu Jing discovered that his mouth and nose slanted askew, his pupils dull without light, and his movements not as nimble as the other children. He stopped. “This child is dull-witted?” he thought.

Yet the man waved at the apricot seller, who instantly crunched his back and pointed at himself. “This humble one is called Old Song Si. What would the master like?”

“Hmm, Old Song Si, give me a couple of those hoops,” said the man.

Old Song Si responded straightaway, hoisted an arm full of hoops, and offered it up to him. As for the fee, he dared not to mention. The patron didn’t even dispute the matter of his garment. How could he snub his face and nose to ask for money?

The man didn’t make a step, only straightened his long legs in place, and flew a bamboo hoop to loop the horse on the upper left. However, the bubble pin was unexpectedly slippery, although the loop was spot on position, it bounced off.

He missed the shot, seemed somewhat surprised, and took a few glances. “I see,” he said. Leaning against the rail board, he threw out a hoop, hanging it right on the bubble pin. Two more hoops followed, and none missed.

The section of the bubble pin was no larger than a fingernail, and quite crowded with three hanging hoops. It seemed as if an updraft from anybody’s walk could lift it off. But this sort of chance was rare. Old Song Si could only simper and nod, took down the bamboo hoop, grabbed a handful of apricots, and begrudgingly dropped a couple for the dull-witted child.

The child bolted away as soon as he received the apricot and turned to peer in vigilance as he ate. Seeing that Old Song Si didn’t give chase, he finally started eating wholeheartedly. His hands glistened with grimy grease, impossible to discern their original color. As he ate the fruits, the juices streamed down along his wrist, also a splotch of filthy black. The child didn’t understand uncleanliness, saw the juices dripping and licked with great fervor.

Zhu Jing followed his Shixiong in travels through the rivers and lakes, was used to eating and sleeping with the winds and the dew, and wasn’t particular in certain standards. Yet he couldn’t help grimacing at the dull-witted child’s unkemptness. He saw the man’s trouser calves and sleeves spotted with greasy handprints, and didn’t mind at all. He silently commended, and a desire for acquaintance roused with it.

The child finished the apricots, scratched his bellybutton, and deliberated momentarily on whether he was full. Then he sneaked by Old Song Si and extended his dirty hands towards the peaches. So, he was fed up with apricots, and wanted to try a new flavor.

Old Song Si took to hitting him with a shoulder pole in a great hurry. “Horse don’t include peaches! Horse don’t include peaches!” he yelled.

Seeing what happened, the man chuckled. “Fine, get you a couple of peaches.”

Old Song Si cradled the shoulder pole and rolled his eyes to the sky. He made up his mind. No matter what he looped, no peaches would be given.

Yet before he completed his roll, the man raised both hands. In an instant, he threw out twelve hoops, as close as connected jewels, and hooking on every zodiac. A light breeze swept across the lake surface, and the twelve bamboo hoops swayed gently with the wind, clittering softly, like a set of delicate bracelets.

Zhu Jing watched gobsmacked, and ahhed out loud. Jiuhua Sect claimed their position on the rivers and lakes with their seventy-two paths of the Wandering Sword of Heavenly Rivers. Although they weren’t exactly the masters of concealed weapons, they have dabbled in this field. If he dealt the hand himself, he would probably manage to not fail the throw. But to send twelve connecting tosses in such accuracy and speed, it would be impossible.

Yet the strange thing was, though this person had been so amazing with this hand, no one stopped to applaud. People shuttled about the bridge, and didn’t spare a single glance in this direction. It would be understandable for those far away, but even the old woman buying handrolls ten steps away seemed not to have noticed. She was only mumbling about her rotten teeth and asking the vendor to smash the walnut flesh into finer meals.

Zhu Jing was perplexed. “Why is that?” he wondered.

Old Song Si conceded to the inevitable and picked a couple of green peaches to the little child. This time he wasn’t dull-witted anymore, didn’t take any of the green ones, and expressly took the ripened red ones. Old Song Si’s face contorted with bitter creases, looking like he was stuffed a mouthful of goldthread¹, especially distressed and pitiful. And Zhu Jing couldn’t help letting out a laugh.

The little child, stuffed full of a fat peach and smacking his lips, lifted his grimy face to him. Zhu Jing squat down with a smile. “You are very good at selecting,” he said.

The man heard and turned his face. “Yes. One cunning urchin this is!” he seconded.

These words came in a domestic tone. Zhu Jing was not accustomed to speaking with strangers, yet hearing his affable tone, he couldn’t help answering, “Brother’s accent seem to be from Minnan²?”

The man bowed slightly. “Yes. A humble man of Jianning, Fujian.” He mentioned he was traveling north with a young brother and his boat arrived a few days early, hence he was waiting here. At the time, academic pursuit was trending strongly in Minnan, where had produced many exceptional scholars. “To the capital for the imperial examination?” Zhu Jing inquired. The man waved a many and said, “My brother is hopelessly undisciplined. He knows nothing of the brush and the ink. We are going to Nanyang for stock.”

Nanyang was a large city in Henan, rich from textile production, and famous worldwide for its silk. Even though Zhu Jing knew little of the worldly things, he understood the man made his living from the silk trade. For the time being, Fujian profited from oceanic transport; it was a state of wealth to the south-east, and its prosperity was no less than the Jiangnan regions. Minion merchants traveling north for commerce was a common occurrence. “How should I address brother?” Zhu Jing inquired again. The man named himself Yu, and the first in order in the family. “So it’s Master Yu.” The man humbled. “Small business, just earning a bite to eat,” he said and inquired about Zhu Jing’s birthplace and name. Having learned that he was a disciple of Jiuhua Sect, he saluted, “So it’s a young hero of the path. Please excuse my manners.” Zhu Jing humbled as well. “I really dare not!” Pointing to the child, he said, “Master Yu’s kindness and equality are truly deserving of the ‘heroic’ title.”

This Master Yu was undoubtedly Yujien Tianhung. His company came sauntering south and stayed in the remote countryside of Fujian for a couple of months. There they ate countless lotus-leaf-wrapped rice and drank up all the locals’ curvy green wine. Qu Fongning put on a giant conical hat, and spent all day catching field mice, burning flame grease, and listening to all sorts of fables of the gods and ghosts by the fire pounds. He learned nothing of the southern elegance, and only further intensified the unruliness of an exotic barbarian. Yujien had spent half the time in meetings in Fuzhou and lingered by for a few days on occasions. Seeing that he had Cher Bien as an accomplice, was enjoying himself to his heart’s content, and thus he let him be. Before the end of spring, he left a step ahead towards Xuanzhou.

Along the way, he deliberately suppressed his presence and simulated himself with the foreign environs, as if falling flowers in gentle rain, soundless and breathless. And since mingling within the markets and hiding amidst the crowds, he had become unremarkable and unnoticeable. This morning on the market bridge, he tried it with the conspicuous child who initiated a great many ruckuses. He purposely showed off his skills, yet still there was no one that took notice. “What do I need his brother Cher’er for? The old boy can deal the hand himself and get it with one grab. God unknowing, and ghosts unsensing.” Just as he thought, he heard Zhu Jing say he had a great heroic air. He let it pass, answered with casual politeness, and stood up.

His stocky build was taller than the commons by two heads. Standing up like this, even if the others didn’t notice, Zhu Jing was stunned. A thud. The child stared dumbly at him. The peach from his hand dropped to the ground.

“I’ve heard the dull-witted children often have their own gifts, so it’s true,” he thought, and didn’t notice that he had categorized Zhu Jing therein as well. A sweeping glance around the surroundings found shadows looming behind the weeping willows of the two banks, armed guards of at least the sixth rank, their expressions anxious, and apparently in chase of someone. “It’s not peaceful here lately?” he said casually.

Zhu Jing followed his gaze and panicked. “Peace, very peaceful! A great pleasure to meet Master Yu today. High mountains and long waters, see you—” As the three black-grown guards came searching by the bridge, he leaped towards the bottom of the bridge in his plight, thinking to hide in the bridge hollow. However, as he dived into an upside-down hook, he saw a bedraggled and disheveled woman yawning and stir-frying scallions. Upon seeing Zhu Jing’s upside-down face, she shrieked and dropped her ladle. Zhu Jing scrambled an apology and flipped a pigeon lift back onto the bridge surface, while remembering to salute Yujien “—again!” This hubbub stirred up a greater commotion, and a couple more guards turned their heads towards the bridge.

Yujien understood with a single glance. “So, it’s Zhu Shaoxia³ who’s not quite peaceful himself.” His mind made a turn, and said, “Come here!” Extending his arm, he pulled him before himself. He was broad in back and shoulders. With this barricade, he blocked Zhu Jing full and tight.

Zhu Jing only saw a blur of swift movements. His body tightened and was fixedly held back. His height was considered tall, yet standing before Yujien, he appeared petite, not even reaching his shoulders. In his embrace, he only felt a fiery air enveloping deeply around himself, alarmed, and wanted to break away.

Yujien saw that the guards had come following the noise, and spoke in a low voice, “Don’t move.” He saw a velvet-trimmed plain hood on the back of his pale-yellow gown, and pulled it on for him.

These two words were almost spoken against the ear. Zhu Jing, unguarded, instantly blushed pink on his face.

Yujien peered a look and saw the guards on the west bank all searching their gaze towards the bridge. He offhandedly pulled out a red paper umbrella from the adjacent stand, shook the bamboo handle against the wind, and opened it between the two.

At this moment, dawn was first rising. The sunshine projected the paper canopy into a translucent red, the bones of the umbrella showed clear, and he could smell a faint scent of new paper oil. The umbrella was illustrated with a misty landscape, with two lines of verses scripted neatly on the side.

Zhu Jing had nowhere to place his eyes, and could only stare at the scarlet umbrella. “Should the friends of rivers and lakes ever inquire, I gladly spend my years in these misty mires,⁴” he read in his heart.

Steps echoed behind him, waist sabers clanging, the guards searching about the bridge. Yujien stood with ease, all without the guilty conscience of harboring a criminal. Once the men dispersed the scene, he turned the red umbrella to the pair’s shoulder. Jade feathers and golden ornaments spotted the bridge. Young men and women were strolling hand in hand and shoulder about shoulder, filling the air with smiles and light conversation. And this umbrella appeared undistinguished in the setting. His air was almost undiscernible, and with the aid of the paper surface, even being close in proximity, he was still hardly detectable. The guards searched in vain pursuit, not seeing their person, and gradually receded.

Zhu Jing heard the fade of the footsteps, struggled slightly in Yujien’s arms, and said meekly, “Thank…”

Yujien was holding on to the balustrade, eyes watching the lake surface, and his finger pointing towards the offing. He said, “Look! River blossom!”

Zhu Jing followed his finger and saw, on the vast and boundless Danyang Lake, a ring of splendid red sun slowly on the rise, illuminating infinite scarlet rays on the lake surface, like a sky burning beacon, or a flower blooming in rapture for a thousand li.

Zhu Jing grew up on Mount Jiuhua, and had been used to seeing the beautiful scene of sunrise over the rivers. He was puzzled. What is there to see about this? There is no sunrise to watch in Fujian?

He raised his head, and found Yujien’s bottomless gaze looking far towards the lake surface, the grassy verdant irises unfathomable in coolness or joy, but a sense of ineffable distance.

Seeing Zhu Jing staring at him blankly, he lowered his gaze and hummed in question.

This voice sounded like a pointy feather scratching the ends of his ear canals. Zhu Jing’s feet wobbled, and almost didn’t stand straight.

“Mister Zhu?” inquired Yujien.

Zhu Jing had heeded strict discipline since youth and never learned to lie, and could only speak with a pink face, “My apologies. Master Yu’s voice is truly…pleasing to hear.”

Yujien paused and returned to watch the lake surface with a smile spreading on his lips. “You are the second person to say this!” he said.

Zhu Jing was silently curious, yet he knew the inquiry would be impertinent, and dared not to ask.

Once the guards scattered far, he finally stood to form, and conducted his gratitude in threes. Yujien didn’t mind. “Being out of doors, everyone is a friend. A small effort. What is there to thank?” And he said, “It looks like young Mister Zhu has no small trouble with the officials.”

Zhu Jing flushed red and wanted to tell the truth, yet he felt a sudden abashment. Thus, he gritted his teeth, hardened his heart, and spoke the first lie of his life, “Yes…Yes!”

Yujien observed the strangeness of his tone and the unnaturalness of his expression, and knew he was lying. He chuckled in his heart. “This is an obviously honest child. Who is like that sly lickspittle, the little cunning liar of mine? Merely this blank expression has a tiny resemblance.” He nodded, and bid his farewell, “The rivers and lakes are dangerous; the world is a bewildering place. Take good care!” Zhu Jing hastened to inquire about his place of residence, and Yujien pointed towards a pink-plastered, tile-roofed building. “Right there,” he said, and descended the bridge.

Zhu Jing lifted his eyes and saw the building standing before a set of splendid, spectacular temples. It was the prime temple of the Wannan⁵ area, Chonghua Temple. Incense burned bright, and visitors clustered in clouds. He thus took it to heart. Before he descended the bridge, he didn’t know why, but he took out his purse and purchased the red paper umbrella from the stand.

He worried about his Shixiong, so he backtracked towards the tea house as soon as he got off the bridge. Yet Yang Yan’s figure was still nowhere to be seen, and instead he found a small lotus by the corner of the street. It was Jiuhua Sect’s hidden code. The strokes were scrawly and obviously drawn in a hurry. Upon close examination, his heart thumped. “This is Sixth Shixiong’s specialty weapon, the twin serpent hooks! Why did he light weapons? Did he encounter enemies?” At once, his heart burned with anxiety, and he sped his focus into a run, following the secret marks.

The code turned and curved, circling round and round in the city before gradually pointing towards the periphery. He went straight east, out of the public roads, past the fields, and went up a mountain trail. The sky fell dark, and the surrounding scenery turned bleak. Suddenly, he made an abrupt turn. Willow dark and flora bright, queer peaks raised before him, voices rushed in bustle, and the codes ended.

Zhu Jing, full of anxiety, raised his head to look. Before the forested foliage of eastern tall peaks, a set of stone stairs, for no less than a thousand steps, ascended in a serpentine climb towards some austere temples. The coming pilgrims moved in an unceasing upward flow, holding lighted candles in their hands, and connected the human stream into a long river. The western peak was short and bare, the trees were scant; the wind was silent, and even the birds did not fly. For some time, he couldn’t decide. He saw there was a pancake seller on the foot of the mountain, and went and bought a dozen. Ever since he drank the bowl of white porridge in the morning, he hadn’t taken a mouth of water or sustenance, and had become hungry to his chest sticking to his back. Yet Shixiong’s safety was uncertain, and he rather not eat alone. Remembering that Yang Yan preferred heavy grease, he asked the pancake seller to brush on a couple more layers of vegetable oil.

After purchasing the pancakes, he stood in watch, but still had no idea of direction. Without guidance, he could only try luck. Thus, he took a deep breath and dashed towards the western peak. The mountain trail was terribly narrow, almost pathless in some places. Then, at one point, a plunging rift halved the mountain, and a rope bridge connected the trail back together. He couldn’t help thinking, “This peak is truly sinister. No wonder it’s so stark.” After the rope bridge, a dilapidated old temple stood amidst the dreary winds and barren grass. The temple doors were shut tight, but there was faint light leaking from the shutters.

Just as he was going up to look, he heard a gruff voice speaking icily, “…such grand name of the Jiuhua Sect, yet the proteges are so disappointing! Mianli, wake this half dead brat.”

The dainty clear voice of a maiden answered, “Yes, Jingguang Shishu⁶!” And a round of dragging and tugging followed.

Suddenly, water splashed, someone coughed many a cough, and squawked in fury, “Pooh! Shi Jingguang, you claimed to be the head of a sect, yet the methods you use are beneath the lowest of the low of the rivers and lakes. If you really have some skills, give me an honorable battle. If this Yang man loses a single strike, you can take his head all you like!”

Zhu Jing trembled and almost cried out loud, Sixth Shixiong!

Yet that gruff-voiced Shi Jingguang scoffed. “Honorable? When your Jiuhua Sect besieged our third generation protégé Shi Tianqing, did you think about honor?”

Yang Yan spat out a mouth-full of spit. “Bullshit! This Shi-what-qing-name. This is the first I’ve heard of him. When have I ever touched him?”

A shrill voice interrupted from the side, “If it’s not you, then it would be those Shixiong and Shijie of yours. It doesn’t matter, your Jiuhua Sect is a nest of snakes and rats, a swampy mire of mud. What difference does it make who did it?”

Yang Yan shouted in anger at his insult of his sect family, “Clean your mouth, don’t smear your blood on others!”

“Chaoyin, don’t you speak,” Shi Jingguang hushed, and turned back to Yang Yan, “That day in Haozhou, all the proteges of ‘Falling Flowers Counting Green,’ Cui Yumei, a total of twelve Jiuhua Sect proteges surrounded Tianqing. From ‘Silver Steed’ Zhou Mo to ‘Spotted Eagle’ Luo An, no one was absent. The words were set in stone. Do you deny it?”

Yang Yan spatted a number more. “Bullocks, bullocks! Is one of your lower nine disciples worth our entire family to march out? What is he, the Tai peak or Beidou star of the martial realm?”

A clear clap. It sounded like a slap. The young maiden Shi Mianli stood up and spoke in wrath, “You are the lower nine!”

Hearing Shixiong being humiliated, the flames of fury burned high in his chest. His hand reached towards the Qilin twin swords by his waist, and he readied to leap in for rescue.

Suddenly, a proud female voice rose within the hall, “That’s right, we encircled your disciple.”

Zhu Jing’s body was half in leap, but he instantly ducked back behind the tall grass. The astonishment in his heart was impossible to describe.

Yang Yan also yelled out in surprise, “Second Shijie!” His gaze traveled past behind her, and his voice trembled, “Head Shixiong, Eighth Shidi! You…what happened?” His voice choked by the end.

The shrill-voiced Shi Chaoyin sniggered, “Don’t be hasty. They are just like you, who had some of our Southern Seas’ panacea, but they just inhaled a little longer, and their poison is a little deeper. This young lady is certainly troublesome. If she didn’t eat some of Lord Buddha’s incense, how could she sit obediently to my mercy?”

Second Shijie Yang Caihe was stone faced yet warmed hearted, and had long earned the deep respect of the entire sect family. Because of the propriety of genders, normally they didn’t even dare to speak an extra word with her. At once, Yang Yan and Zong Yan erupted into curses at Shi Chaoyin’s impudence.

Zhou Mo, always taciturn and cherished words like gold, by this point, raised his head as well. “What is your name?” he said slowly to Shi Chaoyin.

Shi Chaoyin backed a step from his gaze, but his face creased into a sneer. “Why? Silver Steed Shixiong, Great Hero Zhou. Are you going to settle accounts with me in the fall? You think our Southern Seas Sect is afraid of your high kungfu and grand name? I see you all are just good at crowding the field. If you take on one-to-ones, you are all just some mediocre stock! Only our Great Shixiong Shi Tianqing had fallen into your traps. This plot and entrapment is a specialty of your Jiuhua Sect. It’s not something we can learn.”

Zhu Jing crawled within the thicket and felt his heart frying in an oil wok. Thinking about Shixiongs and Shijie under poison, and unknown to have suffered what kinds of inhuman torture, his tears almost came bursting down. Tossing and turning in his head, he could only think, “We have no grudges or grievances with the Southern Seas Sect. How could they be so cruel?” His mind exploded into a buzz when he heard Shi Chaoyin insulting Shijie. Yang Caihe had always been as kind as a mother to him. How could he suffer this? He stood up at once. Shadows flickered within the dilapidated temple, yellow gowns and long swords; there stood full of Southern Seas disciples. To fight, he would have no chance whatsoever. Yet at this point, how could he consider? He unsheathed the twin swords and was ready to die with his sect siblings.

Suddenly, his waist tightened, and someone pressed him down to the ground. “Stay down,” whispered a voice.

This person had such strength, even with Zhu Jing’s practiced physiques, he was suppressed into an untenable immobility. He twisted to look, and his astonishment almost made him forget he was in a dire situation. “Yu…Master Yu?” he called out loud.

Yujien made a gesture, signing him not to speak. He surveyed the surroundings and pulled him behind a bush a few steps away. Countless questions emerged in Zhujing’s heart, but he suffered in keeping his silence.

By now, the decrepit temple had become silent. Yang Yan’s personality departed far from tranquil, and the eighth disciple, “Golden Hawk” Zong Yan, hated evil with a raging hatred; both had firecracker tempers. After hearing Shi Chaoyin’s speech, they brought out all manners of greetings towards his ancestors. Shi Jingguang grimaced and ordered their mute acupoints sealed. “You admitted without denial, it’s for the best. Ever since the battle at Haozhou, my Tianqing Shizhi⁷ had been horribly injured and missing. By the rules of path, arms or legs, pick one yourself to break,” he told Yang Caihe.

Zhu Jing, horrified, struggled for his limbs, yet Yujien’s voice resounded deeply by his ears, “If you act rashly, you would just be giving up your life for nothing.”

His heart gave a start. “It’s true. If I just act on blind loyalty, how could I save Shijie and Shixiongs? If everyone perishes here, there wouldn’t even be anyone left to send Shifu a message.” Imagining Shifu losing her beloved disciples but finding no enemies for retribution, he would not rest easy beneath the lower nine springs either. Thus, he gritted his teeth tight, and the hands holding on the sword handles already clutched out blood.

— Klang, it sounded like the unsheathe of a blade. The maiden, Shi Mianli, went forth a step. “Yang Caihe, you call yourself ‘Bronze Dragonfly’ on the rivers and lakes. Let’s see whether this arm of yours is really cast out of bronze!” Silver flashed, she slashed upon Yang Caihe’s right arm.

“Halt.” Zhou Mo suddenly called.

Shi Jingguang stopped Shi Mianli. “What does the great hero Zhou have to say?” he said.

Zhou Mo, momentarily silent, started slowly, “Our actions towards your honored sect’s disciple was not an arbitrary provocation, it was because…”

“Shixiong!” Yang Caihe interrupted, her voice full of anxiety and accusation.

Zhou Mo regarded her deeply. “Caihe, your life is worth a thousand times more than those two things,” he said.

“What things?”

“Those are…” Zhou Mo said.

“Let me say it,” Yang Caihe interjected again.

Before Zhou Mo could answer, she raised her head and articulated one word after another.

“Those are the pillaring treasures of Mount Jiuhua, one called Crane Cry under Autumn Moon, and the other named Phoenix dance on Vernal Mount. The fourth of the Second month, a disciple of your honored sect, Shi Tianqing, raided the Sky Terrace at night and stole them away.”

Listening outside the temple doors, Zhu Jing felt wholly bewildered. “The sect treasures were stolen? How come I didn’t know at all?”

The Southern Seas Sect’s disciples believed none of her words. “Bullshit! That’s impossible!” The maiden Shi Mianli was the most excited, and pointed to Yang Caihe’s nose, cursing, “You shameless liar. My First Shige⁸ comes from the richest family of Zhoushan, they have no less than ten thousand ships at home! He sees gold and treasure as the same as soil and mud. If he so wishes, he can buy the whole of Mount Jiuhua with a nod of his head. Why would he care about your ragged trash!”

“This is a great humiliation for Jiuhua Sect, why would I make it up?” Ever since she decided to speak, her voice sounded much more placid than before.

Shi Jingguang deliberated. The theft of sect treasures was undoubtedly an embarrassing matter; and it would be a vast overstep to use such an excuse for calculated provocation. At once, he shouted down the disciples. “Tianqing Shizhi is a generous and righteous character who would never be the shameless thief who covets your honored sect’s treasures. You must have mistaken the wrong person!” he said.

Yang Caihe slowly shook her head and said, “Ever since the day he robbed us. We gave chase all the way from Mount Jiuhua to Nanjing, during which time we met face-to-face on three occasions. For the first two, he turned to run as soon as he saw us. Your honored sect excelled with flight arts. We chased on and on, but could merely see his shadow. The third time was outside Haozhou proper, the three of us…”

“Three? Wasn’t there twelve?” queried Shi Jingguang.

“However skilled your honored disciple may be, he would not demand the labor of all thirteen of my sect family,” Yang Caihe said mildly, “the three of us intercepted him with no initial intention to use violence. Shixiong even conducted him a courteous salute and inquired him on the whereabouts of our things. He mumbled evasively, but then suddenly extended his staff towards my abdomen. And then he raised with a flying kick towards my Eighth Shidi’s… lower vitals.” Extending her hand, she drew the moves in the air.

Shi Jingguang regarded her gestures with attention. “Mn. this move is A Slip of Red Dust,” He watched briefly and exclaimed, “this is Thousand Steps of Golden Sand⁹!”

The Southern Seas disciples recognized their own moves and broke out a commotion. A younger disciple spoke with bemusement, “So, you can stir people’s lower parts with A Slip of Red Dust. It never occurred to me. As expected from the First Shige …” Someone glared at him, and he stopped.

Yang Caihe had been under soporific incense and these minute movements further paralyzed her limbs, and thus retracted her hand. “Shixiong had no choice and had to strike back. Me and Eighth Shidi stood on the side…”

“You didn’t all go in? No, no, you are lying! You just said so yourself that you guys encircled him!” screamed Shi Mianli.

“If it were an honorable battle, my Shixiong would not be afraid of anyone.” Her tone became proud of saying this, then it returned to coolness, “But after momentary entanglement, Shi Tianqing’s imminent defeat became clear…”

“Lies!” Shi Mianli shrilled. “Mianli, stop it!” Shi Jingguang hollered.

Yang Caihe gave her a look, and spoke, “…Who knows, it could’ve been a false sign of defeat. He faked a fall, backed several steps, reached into his bosom, and said, ‘Fine, I’ll return it!’”

When the Southern Seas disciples heard the word return, their faces burned as they had been slapped.

Yang Caihe appeared as if unseeing and continued calmly, “My Shixiong heard that he had the items on him, afraid of damage, and went forth a step to take them. Shi Tianqing withdrew his hand from the purse, but empty of promise. Just as my Shixiong was about to speak, a yellow haze exploded. This was your honored sect’s unbearably stupendous magical powder, which my Shixiong resisted not and instantly dropped. We covered our mouth and nose in a hurry, on one end trying to support Shixiong, while the other attempted to strike towards Shi Tianqing, wanting to catch him to dissolve Shixiong’s poison. In our circumstance, the weight of our attacks were not considered. Eighth Shidi’s Perch Bird Fright Frost stabbed his left shoulder, and my bronze dragonfly hit his chest. If you call it a siege, it’s true. But your honored sect’s soporific fragrance was too powerful, and within three or five strikes, all of us fainted. And he escaped.”

The Southern Seas disciples dropped into silence, their expressions exceedingly odd. None wanted to believe their usually righteous and magnanimous First Shige would be a caught right-handed thieving scum of the martial world.

“The person you’ve engaged. What was their dress? What weapon did they use?” Shi Mianli suddenly inquired.

“He was about twenty-one or -three, wearing the same clothes as you all, and with a purple bamboo stick on his gown. He used a gold dragonhead staff as his weapon, with nine jade rings on the crown,” Yang Caihe recalled.

Shi Mianli faltered at her last sentence. “It’s…it’s him,” she stuttered. The clothes and jewels could be faked, but this jade ring golden staff was undoubtable.

Shi Jingguang had a hard time believing. His lips parted and closed and again. “Tianqing… Tianqing had always labored on philanthropy, and knew the right and wrong…why?”

Yang Caihe dropped her head slightly, appearing in consideration. Zhou Mo released a lament, and bid her, “Tell them.”

The Southern Seas disciples heard this foretelling tone, that this was not the end of Shi Tianqing’s evil deeds, and there were more unspeakable things. Ashamed, they only hoped Yang Caihe could shut her mouth.

Yang Caihe ignored their expectations, paused briefly, and started again, “We spent many days in covert investigation, and found out that… the two items that Shi Tianqing had stolen were already offered as tribute to … the General Commissioner of Jiangsu, Wang Siyuan. This Wang official is an infamously crooked and corrupt magistrate. He has a dear old friend of long acquaintance from the same teacher. This man has an even worse reputation, who is the Supreme Commander of Troops and Horses, Huang Weisong.”

The group halted their breath at hearing the name Huang Weisong. Their expressions diverged from hatred and fear, and all invariable.

Zhu Jing heard the tension quelling in the temple, and gradually released his hanging heart. By now he heard Shi Tianqing offering stolen goods to ingratitude himself towards the partisans of Huang Weisong, and grimaced as well. Huang Weisong was the premier military official of the Southern Empire. He had a brutal and violent temperament, and an even crueler hand. For lazy and guilty soldiers, he begrudged no weight or savagery in punishment, and never any gentility or leniency; he was worse than a barbarian. The millions of Southern soldiers, not one did not hate him with gritting teeth, and called him “Tiger Huang” behind his back. The current Prime Minister Wen Xi, who had a perfectly virtuous reputation, entreated him to raise with virtue, but was returned with one of his teeth stricken off by an elephant scepter. Prime Minister Wen promoted the Garrison Act, which allowed soldiers to rotate on a three-year basis. The soldiers who spent years on the frontiers had longed to reunite their families. When they heard this law, none was not filled with tears, thanking the grace of the empire. But Huang Weisong all-out opposed, denounced, double dealt, and stirred up a murky smog across the court. The Privy Counselor of Military, Lv Shiyang, a kind and temperate old man. Yet it was whom he often jeered to be old and frail to the face and urged him to retire to the rice paddy fields, so he could lift his own partisans to position. How could you let this man succeed? With his arrogant air and virtueless autocracy, if he gets hold of the tiger tally, wouldn’t he for sure raise a mutiny? The entire court wrenched their hearts with anxiety, and had a hard time sleeping sound and downing meals. Even the common people made no less stories and songs with implicit sarcasm, brushing out the extraordinary wit and talents of the ordinary folks. For every house hung high the illustration of “Ghost and Tiger in discourse, calm seas and clear rivers.” The tiger being Huang Weisong, and the Ghost was, of course, the demon of the Northern Plains, Yujien Tianhung. And everyone just hoped that this enemy general and Huang Weisong could just have fast and furious go at it, if best, to their mutual destruction; then the world would be at peace. However, sweet dreams could never come to light, and they must carry on with their lives within these pressuring waters and smoldering flames.

The man next to him suddenly sneered. And Zhu Jing was baffled, unable to understand why he laughed.

Yang Caihe mentioned Huang Weisong’s name, paused, then said, “As soon as Wang got these two things, he galloped without delay to the south, and came into Xuanzhou City. It seemed that he didn’t care for the things himself, but it was for someone else. And the person who received the gift was the Chief Supervisor of the Textile Bureau of Jiangnan, Qian Yahe.”

“This isn’t right,” Shi Jingguang suddenly said, “there are countless treasures under the sky. With Tianqing’s financial backing, he could easily take any rare objects. If he just wanted to help another for gifts, why would he need to trouble for a specific item? Your honored sect’s pillaring treasure, I would assume, to be some sort of sword or blade. Why would the court people care about those?”

Yang Caihe slowly shook her head. “No, this Crane Cry under Autumn Moon and Phoenix Dance on Vernal Mount…” Her heart had a sudden throb, and her lips sealed.

“…are not swords and blades, but two instruments¹⁰,” Zhou Mo continued instead.

“Instruments?” Shi Jingguang said, confused.

Zhou Mo nodded, but said no more. Yang Caihe elaborated, “Qian Yahe liked music, everyone in Jiangnan knew. This gift from Wang targeted his delight. And Qian Yahe was overjoyed at the tribute. Even until last night you…after we left the lodging, he was still enjoying the elegant strings and songs in the Qian Estate.”

“Was Shi Tianqing amongst them?” Shi Jingguang chased.

Yang Caihe stumped, and said, “Ever since the battle of Haozhou, we never saw him again. He is not with you?”

“No,” Shi Jingguang mumbled. “Four days ago, we received his green bird message. The letter said that he was besieged by the amalgamated attacks of twelve Jiuhua Sect proteges, was defeated in combat and drifted to somewhere in Wannan, and his life was on the line. He asked us to send extra hands to prevent Jiuhua Sect proteges from approaching Xuanzhou. And said that your sect was unreasonable and distorted the truth, to not trouble with words upon engagement, and just put… down and send overseas. He was my Shixiong’s first protégé, and had always been mature and reputable, who my Shixiong had long assumed him to be the successor. We never suspected his message. And never thought the truth…would be like this!” As he said the last few words, his heart trembled with pain, and his voice quivered.

The Southern Seas disciples all held an awkward expression, thinking their First Shige willingly degraded himself, colluded with government officials, stole goods to seek favor, betrayed his elders and master, and brought shame to the entire sect. “Why does First Shige want to supplicate to the officials? His family is so…” One disciple mumbled, before he finished, finally understood something, and lowered his head. Shi Mianli covered her eyes, bit her lips, and sobbed, “Impossible, impossible!” But the hard evidence had piled into a mountain. How could one lie to themselves? And she dropped into a squat and sobbed out loud.

Yang Caihe had been under poison for long. After the long account, her weak body became exhausted. Seeing her pink bud face tearing like a pear blossom in the rain, she struggled to start again, “…that day in Haozhou, before Shi Tianqing ran away injured, he turned his head and said, ‘The poison is not deadly, broil deer musk and borneol, and soak for three quarter time.’ His message from the letter just now sounds more like a meaning for disruption. I am sure he doesn’t want to harm lives.”

Shi Mianli regarded her with abundant gratitude, and her heart became gripped with guilt. She pushed her blade handle into Yang Caihe’s hand, and sobbed, “Yang Shijie, I am wrong to have wanted to cut your arm! I am wrong! Here, cut off my arm to appease your wrath!”

“What would I do with your arm?” thought Yang Caihe. Having no strength in her body, she only patted the back of her hand.

Shi Jingguang was silently impressed, “Bronze Dragonfly is certainly broad-minded for a woman. Jiuhua Sect’s substance is true to its stature!” He forthwith went forth for apology and hurried for the antidote. His Southern Seas Sect’s Fragrant Sea Buddha had a special quality; the more times which it was ingested, the harder it was to extract. The trio of Zhou Mo had been poisoned twice, and they still remained immobile after taking the relief. Although Yang Yan had a lighter infection, he merely gained back one or two tenths of his strength. Shi Jingguang observed their swollen faces, felt bad, apologized repeatedly, and spoke with decision, “Since it is the wrong of our strayed protégé, our humbled sect must not run from the blame. After sunrise, I shall lead our proteges off this mount to kill this degenerate official and retrieve your honored sect’s treasure.”

Zhou Mo had been meditating on his recovery. He opened his eyes upon these words, and declined, “Though Wang and Qian are debauchedly corrupt, they are still government officials. If you act rashly, there might be unimaginable consequences. Moreover…the root of this matter is a business of our own. We should not trouble the friends of your honored sect.”

Shi Jingguang heard the severity of his tone, truly not wanting their interference, and acquiesced with tact. Then he claimed his regret in not judging the truth and misbelieving in calumny, and would personally climb Mount Jiuhua to atone for his misdeeds from Grandmaster Cui.

Zhu Jing stood behind the door, gleaned this blade flash and sword shadow fading into nothingness, and finally released a long breath. “If Master Yu didn’t stop me and I ran headlong into there, I might have really threatened Shixiong and Shijie’s lives.” As he thought, cold sweat drenched his back, and his gratitude towards Yujien furthered another level.

Yujien saw his gratuitous and sincere gaze and felt some surprise. “This Southern youth’s eyes look just like my Ningning.” As soon as he thought about Qu Fongning, he became familiar and patted his head.

Zhu Jing beheld the warmness of his countenance, but how would he know what went on in his mind? He only felt his silken sleeve sweeping across his cheeks, stirring an itch, and his face blushed red again.

By now, Golden Hawk Zong Yan’s silent acupoint had been released. His personality was the most volatile and forthright. As his lips parted, he spat out a dozen spit and a thick round of spittle, then started cursing the Southern Seas Sect’s blindness in judging character and facts. Shi Jingguang smiled apologetically. “Before the incident, he was the next successor of our humble sect. We really had no reason to suspect him.” Zong Yan swung his hand and barked, “What about the successor? Wasn’t that Necromancer, Shi Xin, a named successor of your last generation? They say mistakes are masters of the future. You old monks really have no memories of past ills.”

The Southern Seas disciples flushed to their ears at his mention of Shi Xin, and all wanted to cover their ears and make for the run. Shi Jingguang coughed and spoke with embarrassment, “Shin Xin ingested infants and carved hearts, and fell into the demonic path. It would forever be the shame of our sect. However, before he committed the evils, he had ousted himself from our doors. And on the day that his crimes came to full brim, it was also my Zhiqi Shishu who personally sent him off—”

“—Haa,” Zong Yan cut in, “so you are saying it was you guys who purged your house? How come I’ve heard that day they forced Shi Xin onto Chongming Island, the heroes were trapped within the quicksand of the western sandy banks, and could only watch him escape into the thickets? When all hope was lost, a young hero dropped from the sky and, before all the eyes, drifted onto the eastern sandy banks, airily took out a flagon of wine and filled a cup, and placed it evenly on the quicksand. Within a few leaps, the white figure flashed, the robes fluttered, and in the turn of an eye, he already tossed Shi Xin out of the thickets, sending him rolling before the crowd. Let me ask Grandmaster Shi, is this man under the Southern Seas Sect?”

“No…he’s not,” Shi Jingguang had to admit, “that was ‘Clear Moon Drift Cloud’ Dingruo Wang. He attained fame young. His drifting cloud flying sleeve is unparalleled across the rivers and lakes. No one can claim to be equal.”

Zong Yan humphed. “So it was. When the flying sleeves swept out the devil, Shi Xin, his skull smashed and his eyeballs popped out; he was more dead than alive. This young hero moved as quick as sparks and flames. As he somersaulted back, that full cup of wine still sat perfectly even on the quicksand, without any tilt. He downed the cup, swung his robes, and broke onto the clear sky. From the quicksand came four faint lines, ‘Cloud drift out the vale, clear moon across the sky. Ten directions and three ages, south, north, west, and east¹¹.’ The voice was bold and lingering, even the sands streamed with it. All those in presence were martial masters, and not one wasn’t impressed. Small wonder no one noticed Master Zhiqi slaying the devil at this time!”

“Eighth Shidi, watch your mouth,” Yang Caihe entreated. Zong Yan snorted and said no more.

Zhu Jing also heard of the account of this wine on quicksand and the young man who achieved wide renown from that battle. Ever since he slew Shi Xin with the flip of his hands, all the other sects, clans, and houses used him as the examples to encourage their disciples. Yet Cui Yumei saw differently. “This man’s character is too aloof. If he falls into the wrong path, he would sooner be a menace to the martial realm.” As she spoke, she looked towards the eastern mount, her gaze inscrutable. Zhu Jing couldn’t understand it at the time. “His kungfu is so good, and he’s so young. It can’t help that he will be prouder than others.” He thought if he had Dingruo Wang’s skills, he probably would also have a wild spree.

But someone sniggered, “True, true, true, Us Southern Seas Sect produced two scums, really unfortunate. Yet we can’t compare to your Jiuhua Sect’s internal conflict, the dead, the broken, the Eastern Branch exterminated, and the Western Branch’s blood extinct. But you are still afraid to let out one wisp of wind, to ruin your high, reputable name!”

This voice was shrill and queer; it came from the rude-mouthed Southern Seas disciple, Shi Chaoyin.

Iron hooks clanged, Yang Yan stood up. “What internal conflict?” he said sharply.

Shi Chaoyin seemed surprised. “You don’t know? Oh, naturally, Grandmaster Cui wouldn’t tell you. That is the greatest sorrow of her venerableness’ life. Speak not, you must speak not! The loss of a son is a heart wrenching pain, that’s not something taking in a couple of proteges can ease.”

The Jiuhua Sect disciples were stunned silent. Even Zhu Jing gaped dumbfounded outside the temple. “Shifu had a son? How come she never mentioned it?”

Shi Chaoyin gained his satisfaction from the quartet’s reaction, “It looks like Cui Yumei had put in her effort; she even kept these high proteges of hers in the dark. All clueless. Fine! Let me ask: Your Jiuhua Sect, east and west branches, which side has more proteges?”

“Obviously, our western branch,” Zong Yan answered without consideration.

Shi Chaoyin spat. “Your western branch? With Falling Flowers Counting Green, Cui Yumei’s pitiful ability, you think that allowed her to make her own house on the Rivers and Lakes? All wrong! Back in the days, the two masters of Jiuhua sect were ‘Ascended of Celestial Call’ Liu Yunge and his Shidi ‘Mad Qin Maniac’ Xie Konghui. The two of them, a flute and a qin, swept across the rivers and lakes. Ever since they achieved acclaim, they had not a single defeat. When they returned to the mount, Liu Yunge succeeded to position and became the Grandmaster, and opened their doors wide for apprentices. In the old days, the people of rivers and lakes who came for their tutelage lined all the way from Mount Lin to the Eastern Cliffs! Tsk, tsk, tsk. You’ll never see that again.”

“Like you’ve seen it? Why are you insulting my sect family?” Yang Yan said coldly.

Shi Chaoyin feigned a startle. “I am just speaking the truth. Where is the insult? Cui Yumei had a son, whom she didn’t teach herself, but sent before the doors of Liu Yunge. Why is that? That’s precisely because of these two Shige’s superior kungfu, and fearing that if she didn’t call the shot, others will. But she never would’ve thought. Within a year, Liu Yunge and Xie Konghui lost their harmony over disputes for a beautiful singer. In the end, Xie Konghui lost the battle of romance, turned loony, flicked the strings, tsk tsk, and the thirty-two proteges of Taihua and Shensu Estates of the Eastern Branch turned dud within a night.”

“Thirty-two lives, that would be a grievously serious matter. I’ve been in the rivers and lakes for years, and have never heard a mention,” Zhou Mo said coldly.

Shi Chaoyin sneered, “When did I say someone died? Yours Xie Shibo’s technique of renown is called ‘Six Finger Sky Mesh Hands,’ that is a kungfu that could strike without form or shadow, the most sinister type. When people hear this flick of his, their lives are unharmed, but their arteries will since be skewed, and can never practice kungfu again. Thirty-two prospective young people were hence good-for-nothing now! Cui Yumei’s son was young and green. How could he take in this sort of blow? Took things too hard and slit his own throat.”

“Bullshit! You fucking slit your throat!” Yang Yan and Zong Yan cursed in unison.

Shi Chaoyin jeered, “Don’t believe me? Go ask your shifu, where did her son go? Then ask Liu Yunge, why doesn’t the Eastern Branch take proteges anymore? Why did ‘Mad Qin Maniac’ Xie Konghui disappear from the rivers and lakes for the past twelve years? You can’t answer? Let me tell you, Liu Yunge killed him. He buried his bones right beneath the buddha terrace! All those ‘Rebirth Mantra¹²’ and ‘Great Compassion Mantras¹³’ he plays are atonements for this barbarous Shidi of his! But no matter how well he plays, Cui Yumei’s son will never live again!”

The dilapidated temple was silent. Even for Zhu Jing Standing outside, his heart started thumping. He told himself relentlessly, “False! It’s false!” But then other matters surfaced in his head. Liu Shibo and Shifu came from the same sect, but they’ve cut off contact, and they didn’t even invite Liu Shibo over for New Years. Shifu carried the title “Falling Flowers Counting Green¹⁴”; apparently she used to play a pair of jade-plated pipa, but she never mentioned them. Shifu hated string music with a passion; she not only forbade them to learn, she forbade them to listen. And his thoughtless words, now that he reflected, had been a revelation. Liu Yunge’s music really lacked its half. But it was not some tender nostalgia, or sweet remembrance; it was a bone carving hatred, an interminable regret.

And he heard Yang Yan mutter hoarsely, “Bullshit, non…sense. Just wait…wait until I report back to Shifu on the Mount, then I’ll come get…get your pitiful life.” He got one sentence disordered in three, four parts. His heart must also be in a great disorder.

Shi Chaoyin smiled unsmilingly. “Good, good! By then, Cui Yumei will gasp with horror and ask you in a hurry, ‘This is the greatest secret of our sect. Where did you hear it from?’ You’ll say it came from some insignificant Southern Seas proteges. Then Cui Yumei will be in a great fury, swing her female prowess, and demanding you to cut off our heads. However, there are no scant amount of people here today; between the lot of us, there are fourteen pairs of ears. It won’t be easy for your to kill and silence us all.”

“Chaoyin, shut up!” Shi Jingguang warned, and said, “We’ve offended the friends of Jiuhua Sect. It was a grievous mistake. The words of this rascal protégé of our humbled sect have no evidence whatsoever; it’s the same as nonsense. We’ll proceed as if we didn’t hear anything, and will never spread rumors. Please rest assured.” In truth, if what Shi Chaoyin said was unbelievable, what is the harm in listening? The Southern Sea disciples had been drooping listlessly. Yet ever since they heard this rumor, it seemed as though Shi Tianjing’s crimes of colluding with the officials isn’t so terrible, compared to this crazy Xie Shibo. Since everybody had some unglamorous past, who was to look down on who! At once, their heads were no longer lowered, and their backs straightened.

Yang Caihe silently shook her head. “Shixiong, Shidi, let’s go,” she said. She struggled, but still couldn’t stand up.

“Yang Shijie is in such a haste. You probably think we are one to one even. And not indebted anymore? Slow down, I’m not done talking! Apart from Xie Konghu, your honored sect has another curious creature, and one that is truly unbelievable. You would think a decent young hero, from a reputable sect of honor and with looks like pearl and jade, should pair with some reputable maiden of the path or a lady of a great house. That’s how you conform to the proper ying-yang harmony. Who would know that he…!” He shook his head, put on a pitying expression, yet his lips hung a lewd smile, “he had the wrong heart and coveted for wealth. The other sent him two white elephants, a couple of plum blossoms, and he was coerced senseless of principle. With the relieve of his belt, he crawled onto Prince Jin, Liang Xi’s bed, and became his favorite, his crotch bottom plaything…”

The more he listened, the fouler it sounded. “Who are you talking about?” Yang Yan intercepted.

Shi Chaoyin tsked twice. “Who else, that heartthrob little shidi of yours, who the path calls ‘Jade Qilin,’ Zhu Jing.”

Zhu Jing had already heard the odds of his words, yet he had a sliver of hope in his heart. When “Jade Qilin Zhu Jing” came to his ear, it sounded like a grand bell that smacked his face into abyssal darkness. Yang Yan distressed over his little shidi’s naivety, and had only skimmed over the facts whenever he mentioned the matter of cut sleeves. “Another man, touching your face and kissing your lips. How disgusting is that!” He found it odd. “I’m perfectly well. Why would he want to touch me or kiss me?” By now he heard Shi Chaoyin’s vile words. What favorite or crotch bottom? His fury made his body shiver with cold and his face blanched. And he just wanted to bust in and yell, “I didn’t!” Yet he was quickly reminded that Yujien was by his side and heard every sentence, and he didn’t know how he would perceive him. In his distress, his breath stopped dead by his chest, and he almost fainted. And suddenly, he felt a warmth on his back. Yujien had extended his hand and patted his spine.

He slowly recovered his breath and sneaked a look at Yujien. His expression appeared as usual, seeming he really didn’t think much of it, and didn’t fake it at all. His heart warmed, and tears almost burst out of his sockets.

But he was interrupted by the sound of silver hook cutting air and Shi Chaoyin’s shriek from the decrepit temple, followed by the unsheathing clings of Southern Seas’ blades.

Shi Chaoyin held tight to his left shoulder, his gown spattered with blood, apparently suffering a serious damage, yet he maintained his sneer. “What, Yang Shixiong? I merely said a few words of truth, and you want to take my life?”

Yang Yan raised the twin hooks, his face like steel, clenching his teeth. “If you besmear my little Shidi’s innocence again, don’t blame me for leaving no mercy!”

“I’ve only heard of maidens having innocence. I didn’t think your…your shidi had them as well. Perhaps Yang Shixiong you’ve also tasted…” Before the words came out, Zhou Mo’s White Steed Sword, Zong Yan’s Southern Ocean Sword, and Yang Caihe’s Bronze Dragonfly all came to greet him. However, the trio’s strength recovered not; though the techniques were refined, the powers were limited. Yang Yan only had half of his strength, and Shi Jingguang easily blocked the single hook swing.

“Yang Shaoxia, we already said we don’t believe it. Please understand our difficulties,” Shi Jingguang urged.

Yang Yan fixed on his eyes. “You say you don’t believe it, but your heart already accepted it. In your eyes, my Shidi Zhu Jing has since become a …shameless scum,” he said in an undertone.

Shi Jingguang made a laugh. “On this, shameless or not. The rivers and lakes will have their judgment. Yang Shaoxia need not be so dogmatic.”

“Sixth Shidi, let’s go. It’s their own iniquity for fostering the wicked.” She had always been cool and reticent, and fostering the wicked was the rudest words she could say.

Shi Chaoyin’s pain drenched him with sweat, but he kept up the appearance. “So you are saying your peach-ass bunny boy shidi isn’t wicked, and I’m wicked?”

Yang Yan’s veins popped from the fury. Yet he turned his head and saw the Southern Seas disciples handling their blades and swords with unfriendly faces, and had to swallow his rage. He pointed one hook towards Shi Chaoyin and proclaimed, “I vow upon this hook, for I shall mince you to ten thousand shreds.” He turned at help Zong Yan up. But his anger smothered his strength, and he couldn’t exert his limbs properly.

And he heard Shi Jingguang chide, “Chaoyin, control your mouth. Beware of troubles from the lips!”

“Shishu, I’ve always been the most obedient one. It’s a pity that you can control my lips, but you can’t control these heroes. Once they leave this door, we will be the vermin nest that fosters the wicked, and First Shige will forever be the scum that everyone can spit on,” said Shi Chaoyin.

“And you have any ideas?” Shi Jingguang humphed.

Shi Chaoyin busied in ripping dressing to wrap his injury, didn’t even lift his head upon the words, and merely said, “What great ideas would I have? Isn’t there just one way to prevent people from talking?”

In the decrepit temple, only the super-stretched tense breaths of the two parties could be heard. Everyone’s attention focused on Shi Jingguang.

Shi Jingguang’s fingertips shuddered and his gaze flickered; he was having a violent inner turmoil.

“No, you can’t!” Shi Mianli said suddenly, shaking her head, “you can’t kill Yang Shijie, Yang Shijie is a good person!”

“Mianli Shimei, if you kill them, First Shige will recover his reputation, and once again be the acclaimed hero of the rivers and lakes. Isn’t that good? Don’t you like it?” Shi Chao’yin said gently.

Shi Mianli stumped nonplussed, shook her head, and stilled her figure.

Zhu Jing’s heart was hanging by a thread, then he heard Yujien’s abrupt quiet inquiry, “What weapons have you brought?”

Zhu Jing didn’t understand the meaning, but looked towards the Qilin twin swords by his waist. Yujien motioned him to release them. Then he connected the two sheaths by the mouths and held it in his hand.

The mountain winds howled. And Shi Jingguang’s quivering voice rose, “How do you deal with Cui Yumei coming to our doors?”

The Zhou Mo quartet’s heart sank at the sentence. “Ultimately, a grandmaster cannot overcome the demon of the heart.”

Shi Chaoyin knew his artifice succeeded, and sneered, “Good Shishu, what’s the big deal about Cui Yumei? We’ll dump the corpses in front of Qian Yehe’s door, and Cui Yumei will only find Qian’s troubles. How will she take to our heads? Even if she comes with her blades and spears, what is there to be afraid of? We have the advantage of site and the dangers of the golden sands. Even if they find help. Can’t we invite the arms of friends of Daishan Sect, Dinghai Gang, and Mount Shen?”

Zhu Jing belatedly comprehended, and indignation filled his heart. “This person has such an evil soul!” And he was silently impressed with Yujien’s foresight.

“Zhu Shaoxia,” Yujien said slowly, regarding the dilapidated temple, “you might have to make new scabbards for your swords.”

Before Zhu Jing spoke, he suddenly stood up. The two iron-cast sheaths had been single-handedly welded into a singular body, and the connecting joint was maimed with several palm prints.

Amazed, he watched Yujien brandishing the sword sheaths for a few swings and apparently dissatisfied with the feel. Despite being in danger, a thought crossed his mind, “Master Yu can fight? He’s a polearm user?”

And Shi Jingguang finally revealed a sinister look. “Fine,” he commanded, “if we must, do a clean job, don’t leave any traces—”

Before the words finished, an earth-shattering quake rumbled from the temple roofs. “Who is it!?” he shouted, bewildered.

What answered him was a deafening boom. Between now and then, mud bricks and stones tiles fell like rain, and one could only see speckles of dust—the entire temple roof was swept off.

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