Dusk.
The sun had not yet set.
The ancient temple was desolate and cold.
A pair of old crows flew in from out of nowhere, landing on an ancient tree in front of the temple. Startled, they let out a sharp caw and suddenly took flight again.
Beneath the ancient tree, a flute melody softly rose. The tune was unrecognizable, lingering and desolate.
The ancient temple deep in the mountains had been abandoned for many years, its gates rotted, its walls crumbled, and weeds overgrown.
On the narrow path before the temple, the grass grew knee-high; there was no telling how long it had been since anyone had passed by.
Yet now, someone was playing the flute beneath the ancient tree in front of the temple.
And it was a woman.
She sat alone on a boulder near the base of the tree. If the sound of her flute was desolate, her figure was more desolate still.
She wore a purple robe, her hair bound up in a matching purple scarf.
The wind blew from the direction of the setting sun, fluttering her scarf and robes, making her look as though she might drift away on the breeze.
She was playing a white jade flute.
The flute gleamed a brilliant white, much like her skin.
She looked young—not beautiful, but pleasant to look at.
Anyone who looked closely at her would have to admit she was no ordinary woman.
She was just a woman—
if you saw her approaching from ahead on the road, you might not give her a second glance. But if you caught a glimpse of her as she passed, you would regret not kicking yourself.
It seemed that a woman like her, no matter where she went, would never know sorrow.
Of course, this place was the exception.
Why had she come here at this hour?
Who, in the end, was she?
Before the melody could end, a sudden fluttering of wings erupted as birds scattered from the brush beside the path.
The rapid thud of hooves echoed from along the trail.
In an instant, a horse trampled through the weeds on the path and burst forth, charging right up to the purple-clad woman.
The horse was black, and its rider wore a long black robe.
He was a middle-aged man, tall and thin, with sharp eyebrows slanting up into his hairline, a high-bridged nose, thin lips, and a long, three-pointed beard fluttering in the wind.
He reined his horse to a halt before her.
The purple-clad woman seemed completely oblivious, keeping her head lowered as she continued to play.
The middle-aged man in black did not disturb her. Dismounting, he stood silently to the side, uttering not a word.
The sound of hooves continued to echo, and in moments, eleven more horses galloped up in single file, trampling the weeds of the narrow path into a new trail.
The eleven riders were all dressed in black, looking identical to one another.
Seeing the middle-aged man in black standing there as if listening to the woman's flute, they all wore looks of surprise. Just as they were about to speak, the middle-aged man raised a finger to his lips.
It was a gesture commanding silence.
The questions rising in their throats were instantly swallowed back down.
The horses came to a complete halt, and silence returned to the mountain forest. Aside from the occasional soft whinny, only the drifting notes of the flute lingered in the air.
The melody grew more desolate still.
Hearing the melody, the eleven latecomers felt an indescribable sorrow well up in their hearts, and sadness crept onto their faces.
Yet four among them remained unaffected.
As for the middle-aged man in black who had arrived first, he was entirely unmoved.
At last, the melody came to an end.
The purple-clad woman calmly lowered her flute and raised her head to look at the middle-aged man in black.
Her eyes seemed shrouded in a faint mist, carrying a faint, enigmatic smile.
The middle-aged man in black immediately cupped his fists and asked,
"Might you be Lady Yun Piaopiao?"
The purple-clad lady gave a quiet laugh.
“Is your surname Xue?”
The middle-aged man in black nodded.
“Xue Wuji.”
The young woman in purple wrinkled her nose and said,
“That is not a very good name.”
Xue Wuji said,
“According to my mother, my father spent three days and three nights thinking before he came up with that name.”
“Your esteemed father is...”
“Xue Changsheng.”
“That name is not very good either.”
“My father probably knew it wasn't very good either, which is why he rarely used it.”
“Then what did others call him?”
“The Underworld Assassin!”
In that instant, the air seemed to suddenly darken; the title “Underworld Assassin” indeed carried an aura of evil and death.
Anyone who suddenly heard that name would likely shudder with fear.
Yun Piaopiao, however, remained calm as she said,
“That is not a bad moniker. Among the ranks of assassins, there probably aren't many who could surpass your father.”
Xue Wuji let out a sigh and said,
“Three months ago, that was indeed true.”
“I heard that three months ago, your father fell to the sword of Shen Shengyi!”
Xue Wuji said in a low voice,
“That is correct.”
“A father's death is a feud that cannot exist under the same sky.”
“Which is why I have come to find you, Miss Yun.”
“To ask me to kill Shen Shengyi?”
“Yes.”
“I am afraid I lack the ability.”
“If even Miss Yun lacks the ability to kill Shen Shengyi, then who does?”
“Do you know who I am?”
“A member of the Biluo Fu.”
Yun Piaopiao smiled faintly, then suddenly asked,
“Have you actually ever read the Biluo Fu?”
Xue Wuji suddenly began to recite,
“In motion, wind and rain obscure the sky, thunder roars and lightning flashes;
In stillness, the moon and stars shine bright, bringing warmth and auspicious air.
Following the flow of yin and yang, revolving in mystery, standing at the head of all creation, shining with brilliant essence...”
Yun Piaopiao suddenly interrupted him,
“In all of that, did you hear the word 'Cloud' even once?”
Xue Wuji continued to recite,
“The cloud ladder is not far, the path to heaven is not barred.
Feelings are still sent to the soaring heights, the mind still wishes to ride the swift stars.”
Yun Piaopiao laughed and said,
“The word 'Cloud' only appears at the very end of the ode, and that 'Cloud' has absolutely nothing to do with my surname, Yun. The number of people actually named in the Biluo Fu is only seven.”
“Which seven?”
“Sun, Moon, Star, Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning.”
Xue Wuji's eyes flared.
Yun Piaopiao continued,
“They are far superior to me. If you want to kill Shen Shengyi, you should look for them instead.”
Xue Wuji said,
“I did not expect you to be so humble, Miss.”
Yun Piaopiao said,
“It is simply the truth.”
Xue Wuji asked probingly,
“Where can they be found?”
Yun Piaopiao smiled, pointing her white jade flute toward the sky.
Xue Wuji looked up, sighed, and said,
“One can only gaze upon it, but never reach it. And even if I could find them, they likely wouldn't agree to help me kill Shen Shengyi.”
Yun Piaopiao remained noncommittal.
Xue Wuji continued,
“As far as I know, the seven of them washed their hands of the jianghu long ago. Of everyone associated with the Biluo Fu, you are the only one still willing to help others kill.”
“You certainly know a great deal.”
“But not everything.”
“Others only know of the Seven Kills Manor, yet you know that I am its master. That is no simple feat.”
“That is because I have two subordinates who are highly skilled at gathering intelligence.”
Xue Wuji turned slightly and gestured,
“Cao Jie, Xie Xun!”
The two men in black bowed respectfully in acknowledgment.
Yun Piaopiao glanced at them, then asked Xue Wuji,
“I wonder, where did these two subordinates of yours obtain such information?”
Xue Wuji replied,
“They have always specialized in helping my father gather intelligence on others. Over the past seven years, they have also made many connections among those in the jianghu who sell information for a living.”
Yun Piaopiao understood and asked,
“So they purchased this information?”
“Indeed.”
"How much did it cost?"
"One thousand taels of gold."
"That's not a bad price."
Yun Piaopiao smiled and nodded.
"Although one thousand taels of gold is no small sum, when you think about it, you got a very good deal."
Xue Wuji said, "Really?"
Yun Piaopiao replied, "This piece of information is worth at least ten thousand taels of gold!"
Xue Wuji let out a soft "Oh?"
Yun Piaopiao continued, "The person who uncovered this information probably didn't know its true value. Otherwise, they would have sold it to someone else."
Xue Wuji laughed quietly. "Could they not have sold it to me?"
Yun Piaopiao replied, "From your perspective, of course they could. But if they had asked for ten thousand taels of gold, you would have certainly thought it was outrageous."
Xue Wuji nodded involuntarily.
Yun Piaopiao spoke again, "The person who uncovered this information is certainly no ordinary character."
Xue Wuji nodded and replied, "Because you, Miss, are by no means an ordinary person, and Qisha Manor is no ordinary place."
Yun Piaopiao smiled and said, "Obtaining this information was no easy feat, which is proof enough of its value. Do you think the informant would have simply sold this information to your two subordinates for only one thousand taels of gold?"
Xue Wuji suddenly whipped around, glaring at Gao Jie and Xie Xun, and barked, "Speak!"
Gao Jie and Xie Xun both paled. With a hurried assent, they leapt down from their horses, bowed, and cupped their fists. "We indeed paid one thousand taels of gold for this."
Xue Wuji barked, "Even at this point, you still refuse to tell the truth?"
Gao Jie fell to his knees and said, "If we are lying, may Heaven strike us down and Earth destroy us!"
Xie Xun also knelt and said, "We are orphans. If the old master had not taken us in and raised us, we certainly would not have survived to this day. We have yet to repay the debt of our upbringing, so how could we ever deceive our master?"
Xue Wuji fell into deep thought.
Yun Piaopiao immediately chimed in, "Then who sold you this information?"
Gao Jie and Xie Xun looked up at Xue Wuji.
Xue Wuji barked softly, "Tell Miss Yun."
Only then did Gao Jie speak, "It was a friend of Kang Qing."
Yun Piaopiao asked, "Who is Kang Qing?"
"He is a broker of secret information."
"How is his martial arts?"
"Not very good, but his qinggong is exceptionally superb."
"How long have you known him?"
"Nearly five years."
"What does his friend look like?"
"He is a fat man, only about four feet two or three inches tall. His face is as round as the full moon, and his eyes, nose, mouth, and lips all seem squeezed together in one place."
Yun Piaopiao pressed, "Does he carry a large gourd on his back?"
Gao Jie nodded.
Xie Xun chimed in, "Do you know him, Miss?"
Yun Piaopiao did not answer, but asked instead, "Why do you want to investigate the secrets of Qisha Manor?"
Xue Wuji replied, "Because I want to kill Shen Shengyi."
Yun Piaopiao said, "As far as I know, there are quite a few people who can kill Shen Shengyi."
"Unfortunately, some of them are renowned heroes, some have retired and no longer concern themselves with the affairs of the jianghu, and others, though utterly wicked, have no conflict with Shen Shengyi."
Xue Wuji clicked his tongue. "At present, only the people of Qisha Manor can help me kill Shen Shengyi."
Yun Piaopiao said coldly, "Then you must know the rules of Qisha Manor."
Xue Wuji nodded and smiled.
In truth, Qisha Manor had no rules to speak of.
Every day from noon until dusk, the main gates of Qisha Manor would be wide open, and the Head Steward of Qisha Manor would sit in the main hall.
The Chief Steward was only ever called the "Chief Steward." No matter who asked for his name, they would only receive those two words in reply.
Visitors to Qi Sha Manor did not need to ask many questions. They only had to hand over the information regarding their target to the Chief Steward. Returning exactly three days later at the same hour, they would receive a sealed letter from him containing nothing but a price.
As long as you agreed, from the moment you handed the money to the Chief Steward, the person you wanted dead would begin their march toward the grave.
It was said that Qi Sha Manor had never once disappointed a client.
If you did not offer enough money, the Chief Steward of Qi Sha Manor would never haggle.
Qi Sha Manor simply did not allow its clients to bargain.
However, you must not lose your temper with the Chief Steward because of this. It was said that the Chuandong Three Tigers, upon finding the price too steep, had cursed at the Chief Steward and smashed the table in front of him. The very next morning, they were found dead in their inn, their heads severed from their bodies. The eldest brother's right wrist had even been chopped off.
His severed right hand was nowhere to be found.
Word had it that he was the one who had smashed the table, though he had only struck it twice.
That same day, the smashed table appeared outside the gates of Qi Sha Manor, covered with a square of white cloth.
In the middle of the cloth lay a hand.
A right hand.
It was proof of one thing...
That the people of Qi Sha Manor were absolutely not to be slighted or insulted. Otherwise, they would kill even without being paid.
When it came to the rules of Qi Sha Manor, Xue Wuji could not possibly be ignorant.
Seeing Xue Wuji nod, Yun Piaopiao continued:
– Since you already know, why go to all this trouble?
Xue Wuji said:
– Because I really want to know if you actually have the ability to kill Shen Shengyi.
Before Yun Piaopiao could speak through her cold smile, Xue Wuji continued:
– As far as I know, everyone in the underworld grinds their teeth in hatred of Shen Shengyi. Countless people want the head on his shoulders, and they have absolutely no reason not to seek the help of Qi Sha Manor. Yet, to this day, he is still alive and well.
– So you doubt my ability?
– Precisely.
Yun Piaopiao pondered for a moment, then said:
– There is no harm in telling you one thing.
Xue Wuji said:
– I am all ears.
– Over the past three days, four people have sent letters to Qi Sha Manor, wanting to kill Shen Shengyi.
– But you did not grant their requests.
– I was ready to kill Shen Shengyi for them immediately, provided they brought enough money to Qi Sha Manor.
Realization dawning on him, Xue Wuji said:
– So, they couldn't produce enough money?
– Exactly.
– How much did you ask of them?
– Twenty thousand taels of gold.
Xue Wuji's subordinates were all stunned. Twenty thousand taels of gold was indeed a terrifying sum.
Xue Wuji merely let out a quiet laugh:
– That price is entirely reasonable.
His voice dropped to a deep, serious tone:
– I will give it to you!
– How much?
– Didn't you just say twenty thousand taels of gold?
– It is no longer that price!
– Oh?
– Everyone knows of the existence of Qi Sha Manor, but Su Xian himself was a secret, and I was a secret among secrets. Yet now, it is no longer a secret.
– And now?
– I can only do this killing business one last time.
– We will certainly not reveal your secret.
– Unfortunately, you were not the ones who discovered this secret.
– Who is that short, fat man?
– You already know too much. If you were to know any more, it would not be a very good thing for us.
Xue Wuji asked no further.
Yun Piaopiao looked at him coldly and continued:
"Even though you found Su Xian, you might not have found me. The only reason I agreed to meet you this time is because I was curious about how you knew so much about my movements."
Xue Wuji replied immediately:
"I am sure you understand clearly now, Miss."
He then nodded and continued:
"The person who sold me the information wasn't actually entirely sure that you are the master of the Seven Kills Manor. They intended to use my search for you to confirm it."
"And on the other hand, also to find evidence of my hiring an assassin."
"In the end, they..."
Yun Piaopiao interrupted him:
"However, clever as they may be, I have already made arrangements. By the time they find this place, we will have already left."
Xue Wuji nodded instinctively:
"Your arrangements were indeed highly unexpected. Miss Su Xian told us to wait at the inn. At dusk, a woman disguised as an inn servant suddenly arrived. Everyone thought she was you, but it turned out she was only your messenger, delivering a letter telling us to meet you here."
Yun Piaopiao said:
"With your intelligence, you must have realized there was trouble brewing behind the scenes."
"Which is why, throughout the journey, I instructed my subordinates to be careful and watch for anyone tailing us."
"Was there anyone?"
"There were two, but we used a ruse to throw them off our trail."
"You should have captured them."
"Before meeting you, we had absolutely no desire to cause any extra trouble."
Yun Piaopiao let out a cold laugh and said:
"Very well."
Xue Wuji asked with a look of curiosity:
"Do you believe my words, Miss?"
Yun Piaopiao said slowly:
"Ever since you parted ways with Su Xian, every single one of your moves has been monitored by my people."
Xue Wuji did not doubt Yun Piaopiao's words in the slightest.
Yun Piaopiao continued:
"By the time you reached the inn, my people had already thoroughly investigated you."
Xue Wuji let out a soft sigh:
"You are indeed extremely cautious, Miss."
Yun Piaopiao said:
"Caution is the foremost prerequisite for people in our line of work."
Xue Wuji said:
"I originally trusted you sixty percent; now, I trust you eighty percent."
Yun Piaopiao smiled coldly.
Xue Wuji immediately changed the subject:
"May I ask what price you have set for the life of Shen Shengyi?"
Yun Piaopiao said:
"Double the previous price."
"Forty thousand taels of gold?"
"Exactly."
Xue Wuji fell into deep thought for a moment.
The eyes of all the black-clad men present converged on his face.
The sun had not yet fully set, but the mountain wind was already blowing harder.
Xue Wuji pondered for a moment, then took a deep breath and said, emphasizing each word:
"Since this is to be your final job, it is only right that the price is doubled."
He paused for a moment, then continued:
"I like people who are straightforward and generous."
Then he added slowly:
"I only hope you will not disappoint me."
Yun Piaopiao said:
"No client has ever been disappointed by the Seven Kills Manor."
Xue Wuji said:
"I hope I will not be the exception."
With that, he slowly drew a brocade-wrapped box from his robes and opened the lid.
Inside the box was a thick stack of banknotes.
Holding the box with both hands, Xue Wuji took three steps forward and said politely to Yun Piaopiao:
"In this box are twenty banknotes, totaling twenty-five thousand taels of gold."
Yun Piaopiao did not take it.
Xue Wuji continued:
"As for the remaining fifteen thousand taels, once Shen Shengyi is dead, I, Xue, will personally deliver it to the Seven Kills Manor."
Seeing that Yun Piaopiao still showed no reaction, he went on:
"Although you have your own rules, these twenty-five thousand taels of gold are currently only meant to secure your nod of agreement..."
Yun Piaopiao interrupted him:
“Very well. This is the last time; I will indulge you.”
In the end, she took the box.
Xue Wuji cupped his fists and bowed deeply:
“Thank you, young lady.”
Yun Piaopiao did not return the gesture:
“You should keep the remaining fifteen thousand taels of gold on your person. Once Shen Shengyi is dead, someone will naturally come to find you.”
Xue Wuji said:
“The Qisha Manor indeed can no longer be used.”
Yun Piaopiao merely gave a faint smile.
Xue Wuji did not press further, only saying:
“Then I will keep that amount on me.”
He immediately looked up at the sky and laughed heartily:
“I am certain that even in his dreams, Shen Shengyi would never have imagined his life would command such a high price.”
Yun Piaopiao immediately closed the lid of the box, not even counting the banknotes.
In truth, there was no need, for if Xue Wuji dared to deceive her, it would not end well for him.
Seeing this, Xue Wuji's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said:
“Now, please invite your four friends out so we may meet.”
Yun Piaopiao was slightly startled and asked:
“You’ve noticed them?”
Xue Wuji replied:
“I noticed them the moment I arrived.”
Yun Piaopiao said:
“A tiger father does not sire a dog son; that saying is indeed true.”
Xue Wuji leaned to the side, glanced over, and said:
“These eleven men were all trained as assassins by my father. Including myself, we are ready to lend you a hand at any time.”
Yun Piaopiao smiled indifferently and said:
“If I exert all my strength and still fail to kill Shen Shengyi, I will certainly let you know.”
Xue Wuji spoke slowly, emphasizing each word:
“As for the money, I will still pay in full.”
Yun Piaopiao asked:
“What do you mean by that?”
Xue Wuji replied:
“To kill Shen Shengyi, we are willing to pay any price.”
Yun Piaopiao gave a cold laugh and said:
“It is a pity that the people of Qisha Manor do not like unfair dealings. If I truly must turn to you, I will only accept twenty thousand taels of gold.”
She had never uttered such words before, yet now she did.
Previously, she had absolute confidence in her martial arts, and moreover, she had nine capable subordinates; she had never once thought of relying on outsiders.
But this time, she clearly harbored a different thought. In the end, was it because Xue Wuji's sharp words had shaken her self-confidence, or was it because this matter involved Shen Shengyi?
Xue Wuji did not press her, only saying:
“As you wish.”
Yun Piaopiao immediately waved the jade flute in her hand.
Four young women in green robes emerged one after another from the tall grass on both sides of the narrow path.
The wild grass was also lush and green, making them extremely difficult to detect.
Upon seeing them, the men in black all showed looks of surprise; clearly, only Xue Wuji had been aware of their presence.
These four young women carried long swords on their backs, wore leopard-skin pouches on both sides of their waists, and wore deerskin gloves on their hands.
Xue Wuji's eyes flickered as he said:
“From what I can see, they are all experts in hidden weapons.”
Yun Piaopiao gave a cold, faint smile.
Xue Wuji immediately asked:
“They all use poisoned hidden weapons, don't they?”
“Otherwise, why would they need to wear deerskin gloves?”
“You are far too cautious, young lady. Even though you have thoroughly investigated me, you still made such meticulous preparations.”
“One must always guard against the malice of others.”
“Fortunately, I am being entirely sincere this time and have no other intentions. With your cautious way of doing things, defeating Shen Shengyi should not be difficult.”
Xue Wuji threw his head back and laughed aloud.
He laughed with great joy, as if he could already see Shen Shengyi falling before Yun Piaopiao.
Although he had never seen Yun Piaopiao kill anyone before, having just heard her flute playing and observing her closely once more, he could clearly see that her martial arts were a level higher than his own.
His father, Xue Changsheng, was famous in the jianghu as "Hell's Assassin." A tiger father does not sire a dog; he had learned no small amount of killing skills, and when it came to judging an opponent's martial arts, he was not a whit inferior to his father.
This was, after all, an indispensable quality for an outstanding assassin.
Before the laughter could even fade, two more people appeared from the grass along the narrow path.
The one on the left was a plump man dressed in white. He was short and squat, with a face as round as a full moon, fair skin, and a highly comical appearance, his eyes, nose, mouth, and lips all bunched up together. In his hands, he held a massive gourd.
The mouth of the gourd was pressed tightly against his lips.
The person on the right was neither fat nor thin, dressed in a suit of fiery red clothes, with a perfectly square face that was also bright red.
They suddenly emerged from the grass like ghosts, less than two zhang behind the two young maidens, who were completely unaware of their presence.
However, the four maidens were walking toward each other from opposite sides, facing one another.
The two maidens on the left immediately saw the red-clothed man behind the two maidens on the right, while the two maidens on the right also immediately saw the short, plump, white-clothed man behind the two maidens on the left.
Startled, they cried out almost simultaneously in alarm, "Watch out!"
Each was warning the two companions in front of them to be careful, completely unaware that someone had also appeared behind their own backs.
And all of this happened in the blink of an eye.
In terms of martial arts, they were clearly far inferior to Yun Piaopiao, but their rich experience and sharp reflexes were not something ordinary people could match.
Seeing the expressions of their two companions in front of them, they knew instantly that someone was behind them as well. The moment they heard the cry of "Watch out!", they whipped their bodies around, instantly unleashing seventy-two hidden weapons of twelve different types toward their rear.
A spine-chilling whistle of hidden weapons tearing through the air rang out.
Yun Piaopiao and Xue Wuji, who was standing beside her, saw this clearly.
Xue Wuji was stunned, while Yun Piaopiao's face turned pale the moment she saw those two appear, and she also cried out in panic.
It was also the two words, "Watch out!"
In the instant she cried out, a withered tree behind her suddenly cracked and split in two; it had been hollowed out inside.
A grey-clothed man was standing inside it.
As the tree trunk split open, the grey-clothed man's figure was revealed.
This man was tall and thin, looking just like a bamboo pole, with a face as long as a horse's, a sharp nose, thin lips, high cheekbones, a protruding forehead, and dull, lifeless eyes like those of a dead man.
In his right hand was a narrow, long, and sharp sword.
The moment the tree split open, the sword lunged from the crack, aiming straight for the vital spot on the back of Yun Piaopiao's heart.
Just as the word "out" rang out, the sword had already thrust forward!
This strike should not have missed, yet it did!
Yun Piaopiao was truly formidable. As if she had eyes in the back of her head, her keen hearing and swift reflexes were unmatched by ordinary people. The moment the cracking sound rang out, her graceful figure darted forward, narrowly evading the sword strike.
Missing with his first thrust, the grey-clothed man lunged out of the tree trunk. Extending his arm, he unleashed seventeen consecutive sword strikes in rapid succession, *whoosh, whoosh, whoosh*.
At the same time, Yun Piaopiao's body moved like a drifting cloud, gliding away from the boulder beside the ancient tree.
Swift though the sword was, her movement was even swifter.
Seeing all seventeen of his strikes miss, the grey-clothed man kicked off the boulder, launching himself and his sword into the air with a powerful spring, and unleashed another seventeen strikes!
These seventeen sword strikes, propelled forward by momentum, were naturally even swifter. Although the tip of the blade remained only half an inch from Yun Piaopiao's back, it ultimately failed to strike her.
Clearly, Yun Piaopiao's martial arts were a level above those of the gray-clothed man.
Having evaded the seventeen strikes, her body began to descend, but she quickly spun and lunged forward before finally landing on the ground.
The gray-clothed man, however, possessed no such skill. After unleashing his seventeen strikes, his body hit the ground, landing seven feet away from Yun Piaopiao.
He took a deep breath, retracting the sword in his right hand, his wooden, expressionless face showing no emotion.
At the same time, Yun Piaopiao called out softly:
"Mu Langjun?"
"It is I!"
The gray-clothed man lunged forward as he answered, his sword thrusting out once more.
Yun Piaopiao simultaneously drew back. A flexible sword appeared in her right hand, her eyes turning cold and ruthless.
Her flexible sword immediately vibrated, buzzing as it shot forward to strike against Mu Langjun's longsword.
With a loud clang, the two swords clashed. Mu Langjun's longsword seemed to multiply into seventeen blades, while Yun Piaopiao's flexible sword blurred like a swirling cloud, gathering and dispersing in a hazy light.
Another flurry of clangs rang out. The seventeen swords in Mu Langjun's hand merged back into one, while Yun Piaopiao's flexible sword reared up, seizing the opportunity to thrust straight at Mu Langjun's throat.
Startled, Mu Langjun retreated hastily.
Mu Langjun retreated three steps in rapid succession, the sword in his hand completely unable to react in time.
On his first step back, his throat was still a foot and three or four inches away from Yun Piaopiao's sword tip; on his second step back, it was less than an inch away!
But what about the third strike?
Fear finally showed on Mu Langjun's face.
Yun Piaopiao had clearly unleashed her killing intent; if the third strike missed, a fourth strike immediately followed, still aimed at his throat.
This strike was bound to hit its mark.
Taking his third step back, Mu Langjun realized his perilous situation and, in his panic, involuntarily let out a cry of terror.
At that very moment, two mud-covered hands suddenly appeared beneath Yun Piaopiao's feet.
Yun Piaopiao had not yet stepped forward, and there was no one hiding in the grass; those two hands had reached out from beneath the earth, grabbing her ankles in a swift clutch.
Just as Yun Piaopiao thrust out her fourth strike, she suddenly realized her ankles were tightly gripped. Utterly shocked, her thrust instantly lost its precision, grazing past Mu Langjun's chin.
The sword qi from the sharp blade scorched his chin, making him involuntarily shudder twice.
At the same time, the ground beneath Yun Piaopiao's feet tore open, yellow earth and green grass flying in all directions as a yellow-clothed man surged up from below.
This man's build and appearance were completely different from the short, fat, white-clothed man who had appeared on the road; his head was extremely pointed and completely hairless, covered in mud with a few large earthworms still wriggling on it.
His body was also caked in mud, making him look exactly like a ghost that had just escaped from Hell.
With her legs tightly gripped by the hands that had suddenly emerged from the ground, she was caught completely off guard and could not take another step.
"Tu Langjun!"
Yun Piaopiao cried out in alarm, twisting her waist and swiftly thrusting her sword downward at the yellow-clothed man.
Before her sword was even halfway down, it was intercepted by another sword thrusting in.
The two swords clashed, ringing out seven consecutive times in a flurry of clangs.
Yun Piaopiao's sword strike contained seven variations, all of which were blocked by Mu Langjun's sword.
Her sword was by no means just fast.
Unfortunately, both of her legs were tightly gripped by Tu Langjun, leaving her body severely restricted and preventing her from executing her moves as she wished.
Watching from the side, Xue Wuji's brows furrowed deeply.
At this moment, his mind was in utter turmoil.
For he knew exactly what kind of people were ambushing Yun Piaopiao, and he knew just how formidable they were.
Should he step in to help her, or stand by and watch?
Xue Wuji had always been a decisive man, yet now he could not make up his mind.
Seeing that he showed no stance, the eleven black-clothed men naturally did not make a move either.
With seven metallic clangs, as Mu Langjun blocked Yun Piaopiao's seven strikes, Tu Langjun, who had surged up from the ground, stood firm. Channeling ten tenths of his inner power into his hands, he squeezed hard.
Yun Piaopiao immediately frowned, her ankles clearly in excruciating pain, yet her sword momentum did not falter as she unleashed fourteen consecutive strikes in the blink of an eye.
Mu Langjun parried them with ease, and even launched a counterattack.
Tu Langjun had completely immobilized Yun Piaopiao, preventing her from moving.
Amidst a flurry of sword shadows, Mu Langjun swung his blade in counterattack, unleashing seventeen strikes in a single breath.
It would not have been difficult for Yun Piaopiao to parry these seventeen strikes, and dodging them would have been even easier. However, Tu Langjun held her ankles in a vice grip, twisting her body toward Mu Langjun. Not only was she unable to dodge, but even parrying the incoming sword strikes became far more difficult.
Although she managed to parry them for now, she had fallen into a perilous, life-or-death situation.
Seeing her dire situation, Xue Wuji's expression flickered several times. Suddenly, he let out a long howl and charged forward.
He had finally decided to act.
Before his howl could fade, the sound of tearing wind rang out.
Five glints of cold light, seemingly incredibly sharp, whistled through the air, shooting straight toward the center of Xue Wuji's back from behind, both swift and powerful.
Five-colored cold light!
Startled by the sound, Xue Wuji abruptly halted his forward momentum. Without turning his head, he tilted his body slightly and swept his sleeve backward.
Three glints of cold light were knocked to the ground by his sleeve, while the other two grazed past his abdomen.
A figure immediately lunged toward him, who turned out to be one of the eleven black-clothed men.
Xue Wuji was taken aback.
As the black-clothed man glided forward, his left hand flipped, sending another five glints of cold light shooting toward Xue Wuji.
Upon seeing this, Xue Wuji barked, "Audacious!" With a swipe of his left hand and a grab of his right, he caught the five glints of cold light. Opening his palms, he saw five metal spheres of varying sizes, made of gold, silver, iron, copper, and lead!
—Jin Langjun!
Xue Wuji's face paled!
The moment his hidden weapons were caught, Jin Langjun's left hand swung out again, launching more metal spheres.
This time, it was not five, but twenty-five spheres. Simultaneously, his right hand gripped thirty more. As his body descended, he thrust both hands forward, sending all fifty-five metal spheres raining down toward Yun Piaopiao.
A howling wind whistled through the air.
Although these spheres lacked sharp edges, launched from Jin Langjun's hands, they were more than capable of killing.
The only reason Xue Wuji could catch them so easily was that he had mastered the Vajra Invincibility technique. Although he had not quite reached the level of having bronze skin and iron bones, his entire body was impervious to blades and swords, and his hands were as hard as iron, capable of shattering stone tablets.
In this battle at the ancient temple, the Hell Assassin, Xue Changsheng, who had been killed by Shen Shengyi, seemed to have suddenly returned to life.
Xue Wuji had trained bitterly since childhood. Although he had not yet achieved complete mastery, he had already attained eighty percent of his potential; even if those five pellets had hit him, he might not have suffered any harm.
Yun Piaopiao, however, did not possess such skill.
In the blink of an eye, she blocked seventeen strikes from Mu Langjun's sword, and Xue Wuji's shout of "Jin Langjun!" reached her ears.
The two words "Langjun" were drowned out by the howling wind.
Yun Piaopiao was both frightened and furious. Her body was held fast by Tu Langjun, and her sword was blocked by Mu Langjun. Although she knew Jin Langjun was launching a sneak attack with hidden weapons, she could neither dodge nor block them, and a tragic laugh escaped her lips involuntarily.
Her laughter was cut short by Jin Langjun's hidden weapons.
Out of fifty-five round pellets, only six missed, while forty-nine struck forty-nine acupoints on Yun Piaopiao's body.
Muffled thuds resounded. Where the pellets struck, her clothes tore open and her flesh was lacerated; several pellets also struck the back of Yun Piaopiao's head.
Her movements came to a complete halt. The flexible sword slipped from her hand and fell to the ground as her body swayed.
Tu Langjun immediately released his grip, and Yun Piaopiao's body collapsed to the ground, lying completely still!
Mu Langjun took a step forward, raising his sword to strike, as if still fearing Yun Piaopiao was not dead.
Jin Langjun waved his hand to stop him:
"Leave her body intact!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the wind whistled again as five round pellets shot straight toward his back.
He heard them clearly, but did not dodge.
In that instant, the five round pellets struck his back. Five consecutive clangs resounded, and the five pellets bounced off, falling to the ground.
Could he be cast from iron and steel?
He remained completely unperturbed, slowly turning around to stare at Xue Wuji, and said:
"How bold!"
Was that not the very phrase Xue Wuji had just uttered?
Xue Wuji's hands were now empty; those five pellets just now had been thrown by his hand.
He also stared back at Jin Langjun, replying immediately:
"I should have used my full ten tenths of power."
Jin Langjun said:
"Even if your inner strength were increased by half, I would still stand right here to see what you could do."
Xue Wuji looked Jin Langjun up and down, then suddenly said:
"Are you wearing iron armor?"
Jin Langjun sneered coldly:
"Golden Silk Armor!"
Xue Wuji said:
"Jin Langjun indeed does not shame the name of Jin Langjun."
Jin Langjun threw his head back and laughed. His laughter sounded like clashing steel, sharp and extremely grating.
An icy voice then rang out from behind Xue Wuji:
"Why did you only make your move now?"
Xue Wuji turned around and saw the short, stout man holding a large gourd, standing there with a cold smile.
The two green-clad maidens lay sprawled on the grass, their faces riddled with holes, their throats caved in.
Although their hidden weapons had flown out like rain, both numerous and swift, it was a pity that before they could utter the words "Watch out!", the short, stout man in white had already leaped into the air.
Though his body was short and stout, he was extraordinarily agile. Leaping nearly two zhang high, he pulled the wine gourd from his mouth, puffed out his cheeks, and with a sharp "pfft," sprayed a stream of wine!
The aroma of the wine was so pungent that anyone sprayed by it would feel drunk.
The gourd indeed contained fine wine.
The short, stout man did not have any hidden weapons in his mouth; he had merely taken a mouthful of wine and sprayed it out.
It was still just a mouthful of wine, but it was infused with true qi.
The mist of wine flew like rain, swiftly shooting toward the two maidens.
All the hidden weapons the two maidens had launched were knocked to the ground by the wine.
The hidden weapons zipped past the short, fat man's feet, while a spray of wine shot directly into the faces of the two young women.
This mist of wine proved even harder to deal with than the hidden weapons. Caught completely off guard, the two young women had no way to dodge. Amidst their panicked screams, their faces were riddled with bloody holes by the wine!
The short, fat man landed on the ground, his legs suddenly whipping out like lightning to kick the two young women in the throat.
The wine mist was not enough to kill them, but these two kicks were truly fatal.
The man in red also launched his attack just as the two young women on the other side blurted out, "Watch out!" Spreading both arms, he unleashed four gleaming black pellets.
Then, he slipped sideways, darting behind a large tree.
The four pellets collided in mid-air, exploding with a deafening roar as shrapnel flew in all directions. Thick smoke and fire filled the air.
These pellets were clearly packed with gunpowder and scrap iron! This explosive mixture was even harder to deal with than the short, fat man's wine spray. The two young women had barely released their hidden weapons before they were engulfed in the smoke and flames. Flesh and blood splattered as they shrieked in agony and collapsed side by side.
The nearby grass immediately caught fire, quickly burning to ash.
More than half of the young women's hidden weapons struck the tree trunk, while the rest fell harmlessly into the grass.
The man in red waited a moment before stepping out from behind the tree, a half-smile on his face, his hands still raised with his middle fingers plugging his ears.
He did not even bother to spare the two young women a single glance.
He had undoubtedly calculated the exact power of his four pellets against the young women's martial arts before making his move.
That was why he was so leisurely.
Such precise calculation was enough to make one shudder.
Xue Wuji shifted his gaze to the short, fat man. Only then did the man in red lower his hands, looking at him with a laugh:
"If you want to make a move, then make it!"
His voice was as loud as thunder, striking fear into the heart.
Xue Wuji nodded slowly and said:
"Indeed, I am about to make a move!"
The man in red smiled and asked:
"Then why did you wait until now to do so?"
Xue Wuji said:
"Because I suddenly realized who you are."
"Who are we?"
"Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—the Five Elements Life-Takers!"
The man in red laughed aloud.
"You must be Huo Langjun."
Xue Wuji shifted his gaze to the short, fat man:
"And this gentleman must be Shui Langjun."
The short, fat man said coldly:
"Correct!"
Huo Langjun immediately asked:
"Since you have figured it out, why are you still going to make a move? Do you actually believe you are strong enough to kill us?"
Xue Wuji said:
"If I believed I was strong enough to kill you, why would I have brought money to hire someone to kill Shen Shengyi?"
Huo Langjun said:
"Then your reason for making a move..."
Xue Wuji interrupted:
"Because I also suddenly remembered something."
"What is it?"
"The Five Elements Life-Takers never strike without cause, but once they do, they will kill everyone present on the scene, regardless of whether they are involved with their target or not. They absolutely never leave anyone alive."
Huo Langjun chuckled:
"Sometimes there are exceptions."
Jin Langjun, who was standing nearby, immediately spoke up:
"Since you know we are the Five Elements Life-Takers, you must also know about our history with Yun Piaopiao."
Xue Wuji's face darkened:
"Indeed."
Mu Langjun chimed in:
"But you might not fully understand the reason why we killed Yun Piaopiao."
Xue Wuji nodded:
"It is not hard to guess!"
Tu Langjun, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up:
"The reason we had to kill Yun Piaopiao was because she violated our precepts. If not for people like you, she would never have committed such a violation."
Jin Langjun raised his voice and continued:
– Therefore, Yun Piaopiao must die, and people like you must die as well.
Xue Wuji gave a quiet laugh:
– Even though Yun Piaopiao must die, you have never been able to find any evidence to kill her.
Jin Langjun said:
– That is why, as soon as we learned you intended to seek help from the Qisha Manor, before you could investigate its master, we sold the information we had to you.
Xue Wuji said:
– And then you used me to lure Yun Piaopiao out here.
Jin Langjun said:
– In truth, this is a trap.
– Before we entered the inn, you had already infiltrated it.
– Indeed.
– Where is Wan Fang?
– In hell!
– After killing him, you peeled off his face, didn't you?
– Otherwise, how could I have fooled you?
Jin Langjun reached up and clawed at his face, and a human skin mask flew off like a thin sheet of paper, falling onto the grass.
It was the face of Wan Fang, Xue Wuji's subordinate.
A high nose and blue eyes! Although Jin Langjun spoke Han Chinese, he was not Han.
Xue Wuji was startled, and asked again:
– But how did you deliver the message to the Wanlai Inn?
– The Wanlai Inn has not been a secret to us for a long time.
Tu Langjun added:
– Not long after you entered, I dug an underground tunnel.
Xue Wuji suddenly understood and let out a sigh:
– And then the message was sent out through the tunnel?
Tu Langjun said:
– The four of us set off immediately upon receiving the news, each bringing two horses, and arrived here half a day early.
Mu Langjun said:
– Inside the ruined, filthy ancient temple, cobwebs were everywhere. We figured Yun Piaopiao would surely sit on the large boulder in front of the temple to wait for you.
Xue Wuji could not help but sigh.
The Five Elements Life-Chasers were ruthless killers, but they also possessed rich experience and precise judgment.
Tu Langjun continued:
– So I immediately dug a tunnel nearby and hid inside, waiting for the opportunity to strike.
Before he could finish his sentence, the ground beneath his feet suddenly collapsed, and his body fell straight down, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Xue Wuji's expression instantly changed. He bellowed, "Kill!" and lunged forward.
He lunged straight at Jin Langjun.
At the sound of the word "Kill!", Xue Wuji's subordinates launched their attack in a frenzy.
Except for Gao Jie and Xie Xun, the other eight remained on horseback. With a clatter of unsheathed sabers, they spurred their mounts forward, brandishing their blades as they split up to charge Huo Langjun and Shui Langjun.
Fast as they were, Shui Langjun and Huo Langjun were even faster.
Huo Langjun waved his hand, sending ten explosive pellets flying toward the black-clothed men, before slipping behind a large tree.
The pellets collided in pairs mid-air, detonating one after another with earth-shattering roars.
Amidst the explosions, flesh and blood splattered from three of the black-clothed men, and two horses neighed in agony before collapsing.
A total of five men had charged at Huo Langjun. Only two managed to leap from their saddles in time to escape; another was thrown twenty feet away, where a pellet detonated with a loud boom right beneath his feet.
They were all assassins personally trained by the Hell Assassins, cunning and ruthless. Without sparing a single glance at their fallen comrades, a tall man and a short man swiftly pounced toward the tree.
Just as they lunged, Huo Langjun poked his head out from behind the tree.
One of the black-clothed men, soaring through the air, caught sight of Huo Langjun. With a flick of his left hand, a sleeve arrow shot out with a sharp *whoosh*, flying straight for the center of Huo Langjun's face.
Huo Langjun chuckled and flipped his hand, catching the arrow securely between his index and middle fingers.
In the blink of an eye, the man in black landed, the saber in his right hand slashing nine times in rapid succession.
Before the blade could reach him, Huo Langjun's body recoiled and bounded half a zhang away, leaving the nine slashes to strike empty air.
The man in black let out another shout and gave chase, but the moment he moved, a spark of fire shot straight into his face.
In that split second, Huo Langjun was already holding an iron tube in his right hand, from which the spark had erupted.
The man in black cried out in panic and tried to dodge, but it was too late. His entire body caught fire, and with a blood-curdling shriek, he collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.
The other man in black, who was rushing forward, froze in sudden terror at the sight. At that exact moment, an arrow pierced straight into his Meixin acupoint.
It was the very arrow that had been held between Huo Langjun's fingers.
Five other men in black rushed at Shui Langjun at the same time.
Among them were Xie Xun and Gao Jie. Although they had dismounted earlier, they were swift; before the three mounted men could even reach the scene, they had already closed in on Shui Langjun, their sabers slashing in from both sides.
Shui Langjun also moved. His short, stout body shifted, dodging the two blades. Puffing his cheeks, he spat a stream of wine at Xie Xun with a sharp *pfft*, then spun around, bobbing up and down in front of Gao Jie.
Quick of eye and hand, Xie Xun swung his saber to block. Knowing that the wine was difficult to parry, he merely used his blade to shield his eyes.
The spray of wine was as dense as rain and as sharp as arrows.
Shui Langjun's movements were indeed incredibly unpredictable.
Gao Jie had not expected Shui Langjun's movement technique to be so swift either. He clearly saw Shui Langjun charge right in front of him, but when his saber slashed down, his opponent had already vanished, and an agonizing pain instantly flared up in his groin.
With a miserable shriek, he was kicked high into the air.
Before his body could even fall back to the ground, his screams cut short; he had already drawn his last breath and died.
Shui Langjun immediately straightened up and lunged toward Xie Xun, swift as a flying arrow.
While Xie Xun was still wondering what state his face was in, he caught sight of a figure rushing toward him and hurriedly raised his saber to slash.
A single strike consisting of thirteen slashes.
With his incredible speed, Shui Langjun easily shifted his footwork, dodging the flurry of blades. Slipping inside Xie Xun's guard, he swung his wine gourd down toward the back of Xie Xun's neck.
Xie Xun's reactions were also swift; he spun away like a gust of wind to evade the blow.
Shui Langjun pulled back his gourd, halted his momentum, tilted his body, and delivered another kick.
Just as Xie Xun turned, Shui Langjun's kick had already landed.
With three consecutive thuds, Xie Xun was struck in the throat, chest, and abdomen. His tall, imposing frame was sent flying.
By then, the other three men had arrived. Though they saw everything clearly, none of them could react in time to save him. Seeing Xie Xun kicked to death as well, they were filled with both terror and rage. Whipping their horses and brandishing their sabers, they charged forward together.
Swift horses, fast blades! In that split second, Shui Langjun leaped into the air. He spat another stream of wine, unleashed his formidable kick techniques in all directions, and used his gourd to strike wildly at every opening.
By the time he landed back on the ground, the three men in black had already been knocked off their horses.
In terms of martial arts, these three were even inferior to Xie Xun and Gao Jie.
For Shui Langjun, killing them was naturally effortless.
Although Xie Xun and Gao Jie's martial arts were superior to those of Xue Wuji's black-clothed subordinates, they were naturally no match for Xue Wuji himself.
Xue Wuji was none other than the son of the Hell Assassin.
Unfortunately, he had to face Jin, Mu, and Tu Langjun all by himself!
The moment Xue Wuji leaped into the air, the ground where he had just been standing collapsed with a rumble, and two hands reached up from below.
Naturally, those were the hands of Tu Langjun.
Had Xue Wuji remained standing still, his ankles would have surely been gripped tight by Tu Langjun.
Swiping and missing his target, Tu Langjun slithered forward and burst upward through the earth.
He could have originally continued along the tunnel to seek an opportunity to ambush Xue Wuji, but by then, Xue Wuji's subordinates had already launched their offensive. The shouting of men and the thunderous gallop of horses reverberated, shaking the entire tunnel.
Even if his senses were far sharper than those of ordinary men, under such circumstances, attempting to use the tunnel to find...