Xu Yuanhong’s target was not Lu Fenghuo.
After his single strike missed, Xu Yuanhong halted. His gaze was pitch-black and profound, dark enough to keep out even a shred of light, as he said with a chilling tone, “Little Brother Lu, this time I advise you not to meddle in other people’s business. Do you even know who the black-robed swordsman behind you is, or what he has done?”
Without waiting for Lu Fenghuo to reply, he answered his own question in a voice as booming as a bell. “The black-robed swordsman behind you goes by the name of Song Jiu. Three months ago, Song Jiu sneaked into the Profound Moon Sect without cause, not only severely injuring multiple disciples of our sect, but also executing my personal senior disciple.”
As soon as these words were uttered, everyone present turned to look.
The Profound Moon Sect disciples were filled with righteous indignation, each of them gnashing their teeth with reddened eye rims, looking as though they would charge forward at any second.
Hearing this, Xu Ziwei wore a dazed expression.
No wonder he had never once laid eyes on Senior Eldest Brother ever since returning to the sect.
Could it be that he was dead?
“Senior Eldest Brother’s remains are still resting at the Leaving Immortality Terrace!” cried an unknown disciple with bitter sorrow.
“Senior Eldest Brother was indeed killed by this person! Many disciples were present at the time! Although his appearance is unclear, his build matches perfectly. He is the murderer who killed Senior Eldest Brother!”
Xu Yuanhong said no more, instead gripping his sword and stepping forward once again in an attempt to kill Song Jiu. Seeing this, the Profound Moon Sect disciples swarmed forward, eager to bring the murderer before them to justice!
Lu Fenghuo hurriedly stepped forward to block them.
Fu Yunming and Shen Yuansi stepped up in response, taking their positions to guard Song Jiu’s flanks.
Chaos erupted across the scene.
Song Jiu stood tall and straight, gazing at the clamor and fighting before him with a hint of bewilderment in his light tea-colored eyes. He felt like a mere spectator, inexplicably finding everything happening before him rather ridiculous.
It was far too chaotic.
Someone shoved Song Jiu from behind, causing the back of his head to slam violently against the tall stone pillar of the arena, and he slowly closed his eyes. The moment right before his consciousness faded, Song Jiu saw Xu Yuanhong charging toward him with a sword drawn to kill him.
He seemed to recall something.
A sect master draped in somber blue robes, his expression vicious and ruthless, drove the sharp blade of a sword straight through his chest. The blue-robed sect master spoke in a hoarse voice, “Song Guyang, I told you long ago that you cannot escape! Hahahaha!”
He burst into wild, crazed laughter.
Yet Song Jiu found it strange.
Song Guyang.
Was that referring to him?
Amidst the crowd, a middle-aged man dressed in gray was hiding and watching the surrounding chaos with a slightly dumbfounded expression. This man was none other than Zhao Dequan, the proprietor of the Fulai Inn in Red Sand Town.
Everything just now had happened in the span of a lightning spark. By the time Zhao Dequan reacted, Song Jiu had already slammed against the stone pillar.
With eyes split and tearing in panic, Zhao Dequan yelled, “Honored Master!”
The Dark Hall operatives reacted swiftly, firmly forming a protective barrier around Song Jiu.
“This person killed disciples of our Profound Moon Sect, and his crimes are unforgivable! I have already issued a kill order. Whoever manages to kill Song Jiu shall be rewarded by this sect master with a thousand pieces of gold!” Xu Yuanhong declared.
The moment his voice fell, the surrounding martial artists swarmed toward them like madmen.
Lu Fenghuo: What the absolute hell!
Right at that moment, a bright burst of laughter rang out from the entrance.
The laughter was pleasing to the ear, carrying an indescribable heartiness.
Following that, the entire venue fell completely silent.
The newcomer wore a dark purple long robe embroidered with intricate, complex patterns of flowers, butterflies, waters, and moons. His long, cascading silver hair poured down his waist like a waterfall, and a silver-white mask covered his face.
The Mirror Moon Palace Master?!
That Demonic Cult Leader!
Gasping breaths echoed across the grounds.
Then, everyone watched as the Demonic Cult Leader lazily leaned against the main doors, his long silver hair resting against the vermilion door panels in a manner that drew every eye.
“Well now, why is it so lively here?” he asked.
Not a single person dared to answer.
Shen Yuansi abruptly turned his head to look toward his master.
He had long suspected that his master might be the Mirror Moon Palace Master.
Yet here his master stood safe and sound, while the Mirror Moon Palace Master had suddenly appeared. With both of them present at the same time, his previous guess must have been wrong?
Lu Fenghuo, however, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The situation was finally stabilized, at least for the moment.
This Mirror Moon Palace Master was, of course, a fake, played by one of Lu Fenghuo’s subordinates. Ever since the annihilation of the three major cults in Luoyang, Lu Fenghuo had noticed Shen Yuansi casting rather strange glances at him.
When Lu Fenghuo first ventured out into the martial world, he hadn’t bothered with heavy disguises. His martial prowess was simply too formidable, making it easy for people to associate him with the Demonic Cult Leader.
Therefore, he had guessed that his little apprentice was likely starting to suspect his identity.
Jokes aside, his little apprentice hadn’t even been properly won over yet! What if the boy figured out his identity and ran away?
Hence, having a subordinate disguise himself as the Mirror Moon Palace Master and show his face served two purposes: to interact with righteous martial artists using this persona, and to dispel his little apprentice’s suspicions.
He hadn’t expected it to hit the mark so perfectly now.
It had actually managed to control the chaotic situation.
“Why is he here?” someone whispered softly.
A member of the demonic faction, swaggering right into a righteous sect’s territory.
Truly audacious.
“Lu Jue” looked slightly puzzled, but he didn’t show anger, asking with a smiling expression, “Is this lord not allowed to come?”
The martial artist dared not speak further.
“Lu Jue” swept his gaze across the surroundings, finally settling onto a knocked-over vendor’s stall right beside Song Jiu and leaning against it. He held a long saber and drove it straight into the bluestone pavement. “Whoever dares to touch a single hair of Song Jiu today goes against the Mirror Moon Palace.”
As these words left his lips, you could hear a pin drop.
Xu Yuanhong’s expression turned unsightly.
A gentleman’s word is as good as a team of four horses.
Although Lu Jue could hardly be counted as an upright gentleman, he was still the foremost figure of the demonic path, and naturally, he couldn’t easily take back words spoken publicly.
Wary of the behemoth that was the Mirror Moon Palace…
Xu Yuanhong finally fixed a deep gaze on him. “Palace Master Lu, out of respect for the position you hold, I am willing to grant you some face. I will not touch him today, but tomorrow I shall ensure he dies without a burial site. I trust Palace Master Lu will not come to obstruct us then.”
“Lu Jue” chuckled softly. “Very well.”
Inside a quaint courtyard.
Zhao Dequan was busy boiling medicine.
Lu Fenghuo sat beside him and inquired, “Proprietor, you are clearly Song Jiu’s subordinate, so why didn’t you tell Song Jiu all of this back in Red Sand Town, or protect him properly? What on earth is going on here?”
Zhao Dequan offered a bitter smile.
Half a month ago, Song Jiu had collapsed covered in blood right at the doorstep of the Fulai Inn.
Zhao Dequan had nearly scared himself to death at the time, but fortunately, Song Jiu had not died.
Song Jiu was being hunted down.
It was also at that moment that Zhao Dequan discovered all the other Fulai Inns across the surrounding major towns had been completely shut down, as if uprooted by some unknown forces.
Red Sand Town was extremely remote, which was how it had managed to escape disaster.
Unable to seek help from the outside world while facing hunts from unknown forces, Zhao Dequan was filled with terror and dread, while simultaneously preparing himself for death.
Who would have thought that Song Jiu would wake up.
He wore simple white inner garments, coughing up blood from time to time.
Riddled with chronic illnesses and a skeletal, frail frame.
Even so, Song Jiu was still capable of clearly analyzing the situation, devising a plan to trap and annihilate all the assassins who had pursued him.
Zhao Dequan felt total submission in his heart.
Afterward, before losing his memory, Song Jiu had instructed Zhao Dequan that he was about to undertake a rather perilous task, and ordered everyone at the Fulai Inn to cooperate fully.
Because of this, Zhao Dequan had assumed that the memory loss was simply part of the plan.
Only today did he realize that his Honored Master had truly lost his memory.
Lu Fenghuo: You really are something else.
Zhao Dequan sighed.
Fortunately, Honored Master hadn’t suffered any major mishaps, or else his crime would have been unforgivable even if he died ten thousand times. Remembering this, Zhao Dequan couldn’t help expressing his gratitude. “Along this entire journey, thank you for your assistance, Young Master Lu!”
“Just a small effort,” Lu Fenghuo replied.
Lu Fenghuo went to check on Song Jiu.
Song Jiu was dressed in loose inner robes, sleeping soundly on the bed mattress.
Lu Fenghuo casually pulled back a sliver of the loose garment, revealing densely wrapped bandages underneath, some of which were still stained with blood.
Wounds truly covered his body, a shocking and heart-wrenching sight.
No wonder.
Lu Fenghuo had found it strange before. Characters like Song Jiu clearly favored pristine white and always wore white garments. Yet for some time now, why had Song Jiu constantly been wearing dark-colored clothing?
Now, he seemed to have found the answer.
Covered entirely in bloodstains, white garments would simply be soiled beyond recognition.
Lu Fenghuo sighed.
Such a pitiful little darling, glorious and universally revered in his own writings.
Yet now, he was misunderstood by the masses and hunted by scoundrels.
Truly worthy of pity.