“Broth—er!” Yi Xiaoru pouted, gazing anxiously at the fireworks erupting in the sky, stamping her foot in hurried encouragement, “If we delay any longer, it’ll be too late!”
Li Muzhan said, “Xiaoru, once the signal flares, won’t all the top masters from the sect rush to the rescue?”
“Naturally!” Yi Xiaoru confirmed. “No matter how fiercely they fight amongst themselves usually, the moment they see that signal, they’ll provide aid without hesitation, no one will falter!”
Li Muzhan replied, “Then that’s settled. If others go to rescue, we don't need to. The experts you brought were already poised to destroy the Shenjian Sect, they are formidable enough; we two are hardly necessary!”
Yi Xiaoru quickly countered, “It will take them a while to reach the scene!”
Li Muzhan smiled faintly. “I imagine the people on the boat are peak experts; they can certainly hold out for a short while, can’t they?”
“But…” Yi Xiaoru frowned.
Li Muzhan stated, “This is a golden opportunity. We should raid the Shenjian Sect's lair!”
“Brother, saving people is the priority!” Yi Xiaoru urged hastily.
Li Muzhan looked at her, nodding with a hint of resignation.
This girl’s heart was not yet hardened enough. Going to save those people would not only fail to earn her praise but would also bring torrents of trouble. She must have considered this, yet she still rushed to help without a second thought—such kindness was rare.
They were on the same vessel, presumably in secret. How could they have been discovered by the Yin Sect members? If they didn't suspect Yi Xiaoru of deliberately leaking information, the best approach would be to directly strike the Shenjian Sect’s base. If they succeeded in that raid, even if suspicion lingered on Yi Xiaoru, it would be irrelevant; success justifies the means—the victor takes all.
“Then let’s hurry!” Yi Xiaoru insisted.
Li Muzhan sighed with mild resignation. “Alright, let’s observe for now. If they truly don’t need our intervention, we head straight for the Shenjian Sect’s nest!”
“Good!” Yi Xiaoru nodded quickly and revealed the location.
Li Muzhan wrapped an arm around her waist, and in a flash, they were gone. Li Muzhan knew the area around Jingzhou City well enough to know where Yi Xiaoru indicated. After only a few blinks of movement, they arrived at the riverbank.
They stood beneath the willow trees, gazing out as the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving only a faint smear of afterglow in the western sky.
A magnificent, large ship floated at the river’s heart. Beside it, a medium-sized boat drifted, rocking gently with the current, positioned about two zhang away from the larger vessel.
The great ship swayed, sending ripples across the water. Figures darted across its deck, flashes of sword light shimmering—it looked quite lively.
From nearly a hundred meters away, the two could clearly make out the scene: skirmishes breaking out in small clusters, fights locked in indecisive combat.
“How many people are on that boat?” Li Muzhan asked.
“Seven,” Yi Xiaoru replied.
Li Muzhan nodded. “Hmm, no casualties yet. They’re all elites, then.”
“This time the sect is dead set on annihilating the Shenjian Sect,” Yi Xiaoru said. “They aren’t injured, are they?”
Li Muzhan nodded. “No one injured. The Shenjian Sect has about twenty-odd people. Three or four against one… that’s not ideal.”
“Then let’s make our move!” Yi Xiaoru urged.
Li Muzhan chuckled. “Let’s wait a bit longer.”
“If anyone dies, I will be immensely guilty!” Yi Xiaoru complained lightly.
Li Muzhan interjected, “Someone’s coming!”
Yi Xiaoru’s spirits lifted. A small boat shot across the water like an arrow released from a bowstring, reaching the larger vessel in moments. Four middle-aged men in grey robes leaped onto the deck and immediately lunged with their swords.
“Clang, clang, clang, clang…” Amidst the rapid, crisp sounds of clashing steel, the tension on the large ship instantly eased.
Li Muzhan breathed a sigh of relief, smiling. “Good, they’ve arrived. If they are safe now, we can get to our real business!”
“Are they truly safe?” Yi Xiaoru could only vaguely perceive the people on the opposing ship locked in intricate back-and-forth combat, but their movements were too fast, weaving in and out; she couldn't grasp the full situation.
They fought fiercely, the sword light flashing, dazzling the eyes.
Li Muzhan noted, “Look, more people are arriving!”
Another small boat, like a missile, streaked over and soon reached the side of the larger vessel. From about ten zhang away, four grey-robed men leaped from the small boat, landing gracefully on the deck and drawing their swords to join the fray.
“Excellent, let’s go then,” Yi Xiaoru said, finally relieved. “They should be fine now—let’s leave!”
The two drifted away from the riverbank. Li Muzhan encircled her slender waist, and they floated back towards Jingzhou City. They strolled casually as they walked into the city, where the festive lanterns were already lit.
Once inside the city, they reached the Yi Ran Tower, which was blazing with light.
Yi Xiaoru stopped some distance from the tower, still illuminated by the lanterns. She closed her bright eyes, stood still for a moment, then slowly shook her head and frowned. “Brother, he’s not here!”
“Where is he?” Li Muzhan asked.
Yi Xiaoru pointed east. “That direction.”
Li Muzhan placed his arm around her waist. Yi Xiaoru quickly said, “Brother, I need to concentrate on sensing!”
Li Muzhan smiled and released her. Yi Xiaoru shot him a look. Bathed in the lantern light, her luminous eyes shimmered, her cheeks flushed with captivating allure.
Although she had been married to Li Muzhan for some time, her desire remained potent. The moment Li Muzhan’s hand touched her waist, she felt her entire body soften as if intoxicated, losing the strength to exert herself or focus her inner energy.
Her steps became light, like floating willow catkins, as she drifted eastward down the main street, quickly passing into a narrow alleyway.
Night had fallen, and the small alley was already swallowed by darkness.
She had only been in the alley a short while when Li Muzhan suddenly shimmered ahead of her. His right palm extended, and a figure silently and slowly collapsed.
Li Muzhan reached out, steadying the person against the wall, then flashed forward again. Moments later, he reappeared and whispered, “Let’s go.”
Yi Xiaoru let out a breath of relief. She knew that was a hidden sentry—she had almost walked into a trap. The Shenjian Sect was truly meticulous; her own experience was clearly insufficient!
She rallied her spirits and followed her sensing further east. Li Muzhan’s figure flickered and vanished intermittently, only to reappear, having preemptively dealt with the scouts.
From the moment they entered the alley until they had walked about a hundred meters, Li Muzhan had neutralized ten sentries. The two grew increasingly certain that they had found the Shenjian Sect’s stronghold.
Li Muzhan felt this acutely; the sentries along the way were growing stronger, their martial arts progressing from shallow to profound, making silent infiltration extremely difficult.
Passing through the alley, they faced a grand mansion, opulent and magnificent, though its grandeur was unremarkable as it was surrounded by similar mansions.
Yi Xiaoru pointed to the residence directly across the way and made a gesture, indicating: “It’s here.”
Li Muzhan nodded, waved his hand, and pointed inward. Yi Xiaoru quickly shook her head; she understood Li Muzhan’s intent—to force entry.
Before leaving, her Master had stressed repeatedly that they must not use brute force, relying instead on the sect’s collective masters to avoid inviting unnecessary trouble.
Li Muzhan raised an eyebrow, tapped his finger on Yi Xiaoru’s chest. She startled, then her bright eyes flickered as she retrieved a bamboo tube from her bosom—a signal flare.
Li Muzhan broke into a smile and nodded in approval.
Yi Xiaoru paused for a moment, then pulled the tube. Instantly, a brilliant firework erupted in the night sky, dazzlingly bright, visible across all of Jingzhou City.
“Who goes there!” an enraged middle-aged man roared as he vaulted over the courtyard wall. Clad in a sapphire-blue long gown, he moved like a phantom, lunging toward Li Muzhan and Yi Xiaoru.
Li Muzhan had already palmed a small pebble. With a gentle flick, a sharp hiss sounded, and the man in the sapphire robe was sent flying backward.
“Charge in!” Li Muzhan commanded gravely.
“Right,” Yi Xiaoru knew she couldn't hesitate now, or everyone would escape. Besides, buying time was better than nothing.
Li Muzhan flicked his fingers repeatedly—hiss, hiss, hiss—the sharp sounds echoing ceaselessly. Men emerging from the courtyard were struck and sent flying one after another.
Yi Xiaoru seized the opportunity, darting inside. She landed lightly within the mansion grounds and was immediately surrounded.
Feng Zui appeared, glaring coldly at Yi Xiaoru. “Senior Sister Yi, I didn't expect it to be you!”
Yi Xiaoru retorted, “Feng Zui, surrender now! Struggling is futile.”
“Senior Sister Yi, you came alone, didn’t you?” Feng Zui, surrounded by his followers, stood with a composed and elegant bearing, speaking sternly. “Impressive, truly impressive!”
Yi Xiaoru said coldly, “Your Shenjian Sect has committed too many evils; your day of reckoning has come!”
“Senior Sister Yi, are you still concerned about those fellows?” Feng Zui shook his head. “We’ve already dispatched people to deal with them. I truly hadn't expected Senior Sister Yi to possess such audacity. I admire you!”
Yi Xiaoru watched him coldly, a faint sneer touching her lips, saying nothing.
Feng Zui sighed. “Since you’ve delivered yourselves to our doorstep, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
“Little Feng, they are stalling for time!” a middle-aged man nearby grumbled darkly.
Feng Zui nodded and smiled. “It doesn’t matter. Their reinforcements are likely struggling to save themselves right now; how could they spare time to come here? Senior Sister Yi, there’s no need for effort—why not surrender? We certainly won’t treat you poorly!”
Yi Xiaoru let out a cold laugh and turned away from him.
Feng Zui looked towards Li Muzhan and smiled. “Brother He, I truly admire your martial arts. Why not join our sect? I guarantee you won't regret it!”
Li Muzhan laughed. “Are you referring to the Sword Forging Divine Art? I wouldn't stoop to using such things! In my view, you all best start fleeing now, lest you find yourselves unable to escape later!”
“Heh heh heh…” Feng Zui chuckled, shaking his head. “Brother He jokes well! Fleeing? Very well, very well. I admit I cannot defeat you alone, Brother He, so we’ll have to take you on together!” “Men, ten of you attack at once! Life and death are irrelevant!”
Ten middle-aged men charged towards Li Muzhan.
Li Muzhan drifted backward, and while suspended in mid-air, a series of sharp hissing sounds rang out as small stones shot toward the charging men.
Two of them were instantly sent flying, while the remaining eight, having learned their lesson, desperately swung their long swords. Amidst the ringing clang, clang, clang, their swords flew first, followed by the men themselves.
Li Muzhan landed atop a wall. None of the attackers could catch up; they all collapsed on the ground, unable to rise. The strange power within Li Muzhan’s stones had entered their bodies, disrupting the circulation of their internal energy.
Feng Zui’s expression shifted subtly. He said gravely, “Everyone, charge with me! All of you!”
He refused to believe Li Muzhan could continuously launch stones. He waved his hand, and the entire group rushed toward him in a sudden surge, surrounding him in an instant. Some hurled hidden weapons, others charged with drawn swords—a chaotic mix of attacks.
Li Muzhan drew his own sword, a beam of lightning-fast sword light enveloping his body, unstoppable. He pressed toward Feng Zui, reaching him in a blink, and struck out with an open palm.
“Bang!” Feng Zui was sent flying out without any resistance.
Before he could vomit blood in mid-air, his body went limp, as if all his bones had been removed.
Yi Xiaoru leaped up, soaring gracefully like a white crane. Mid-air, she reached out and caught Feng Zui. Upon landing, she pointed her sword at his throat and shouted, “Stop everything, or I will kill him!”
The movements of the crowd instantly froze. They stepped back two paces, then turned their heads to look. Seeing the situation, they all sighed in resignation.
Feng Zui’s face was ashen, his expression filled with a sudden clarity. Then, a mouthful of blood surged up. He forcibly swallowed it down, slowly raised his head, looked at Yi Xiaoru, and suddenly smiled at her, then stiffened his body, lunging directly onto the tip of the sword.
Yi Xiaoru reacted too slowly, her bright eyes wide, watching helplessly as Feng Zui’s throat met the blade’s point. (To be continued)