Four months ago.
Southern Yin, Dark Hall.
Inside a quaint and pristine courtyard, a girl of fourteen or fifteen stood by the window. She wore a skirt resembling the color of fresh blood, her delicate features tinged with deep melancholy.
The Honored Master had been missing without a trace for half a month now.
Zhou Wanyang knitted her brows tightly, listening with patient and meticulous attention as her subordinate reported the situation.
Zhou Wanyang was someone Song Jiu had rescued.
Six years ago, during the famine.
A desolate, dilapidated little temple.
Five or six bandits walked about bare-chested and disheveled, crowding in close.
The men’s vulgar words were crude and base, their jeers and laughter endless.
Her clothes were torn apart.
The stench of sweat was nauseatingly vile, and the tears at the corners of her eyes could not be stopped no matter how she tried.
Her life had been ruined by them.
It was precisely at that moment that a sharp blade flashed, and the bandits’ heads rolled to the ground.
Bright red blood spilled across the earth.
She was saved by the Honored Master.
Zhou Wanyang still remembered how she had been supported by a pair of snow-white, beautiful hands back then, her body shielded by a pristine white robe.
That robe was soft, warm, and carried a faint, ethereal fragrance.
“Poor child.”
His voice was so gentle it made her heart tremble.
Honored Master…
No one knew just how important the Honored Master was to Zhou Wanyang.
He was a figure akin to a religious faith.
Honored Master. Honored Master.
May you be safe and sound in all things.
“The Honored Master left seclusion two months ago, and subsequently went to seek out the Profound Moon Sect Master. However, according to the Profound Moon Sect Master, the Honored Master has already left Southern Yin with his destination unknown,” the dark guard reported.
“Impossible,” Zhou Wanyang dismissed.
When the Honored Master traveled through the rivers and lakes, he always used aliases, and he would definitely bring her along!
She had originally accompanied him on this visit to the Profound Moon Sect Master as well. It was only because the Profound Moon Sect Master was a close friend of the Honored Master, and there were numerous affairs within the Dark Hall that required attention, that Zhou Wanyang had left for a few days.
Yet within those very few days, the Honored Master had vanished without a trace.
The problem undoubtedly lay within the Profound Moon Sect.
Zhou Wanyang sneaked into the Profound Moon Sect alone, and there, inside the sect’s dungeon, she beheld the figure she had been yearning for day and night.
That person lay slumped on the ground, his pristine white robe entirely stained crimson with blood.
Wounds covered his body, and his life or death remained uncertain.
With eyes brimming with tears, Zhou Wanyang rescued the Honored Master whom she revered like an elder brother and a father. Carrying her Honored Master on her back, she channeled her internal energy and fled wildly.
However, the Profound Moon Sect disciples were simply too numerous.
She could not hold out for long.
She could only hide the person behind her well and turn back to lure the Profound Moon Sect disciples away.
She left the hope of survival to the Honored Master.
Honored Master.
You must live on.
Live on, carrying the share belonging to this subordinate.
This subordinate was already someone destined to die long ago.
Having lived for so many extra years, it was more than enough.
Tears welled in Zhou Wanyang’s eyes, yet a resolute smile bloomed across her delicate face.
Thus, she died by the sword of the Profound Moon Sect’s senior eldest disciple.
Wanyang was dead.
A torrential downpour poured down, soaking the blood-stained robes. Forcing himself to stand upright with a chest full of overwhelming fury, Song Guyang snatched a sword from a Profound Moon Sect disciple and lunged fiercely toward the senior eldest disciple of the Profound Moon Sect.
Killing him with a single strike.
However, he was already poisoned and completely devoid of his martial arts.
Exerting his internal energy by force at such a moment caused blood to overflow from the corners of Song Guyang’s mouth.
Xu Yuanhong arrived just in time, driving a sharp sword straight through his chest as he burst into crazed laughter. “Song Guyang, I told you long ago that you cannot escape! Hahahaha!”
The sharp blade pierced dead-center through his chest.
Song Guyang plummeted from the precipice.
Song Guyang was the Sect Master of the Sun-Abundant Sect.
According to martial arts rumors, the Sun-Abundant Sect Master and the Profound Moon Sect Master were close personal friends, and indeed, that was the truth.
Song Guyang possessed a special identity. Ever since assuming the position of Sun-Abundant Sect Master, in order to conceal his true identity, he frequently wore a half-mask.
Throughout the martial world, probably no more than three people knew the actual appearance of the Sun-Abundant Sect Master.
The Profound Moon Sect Master was one of them.
Being a sect master carried numerous restrictions, so whenever Song Guyang traveled the rivers and lakes, he frequently used the alias Song Jiu and went by his true face.
Very few people recognized him.
On this trip to the Profound Moon Sect, Song Guyang had used the alias Song Jiu, removed his mask, brought along a few jars of fine wine, and come to catch up with Xu Yuanhong.
Xu Yuanhong possessed a benevolent and steady character. He was a smart man who understood how things ought to be done, and he knew when to stop.
Most importantly, Xu Yuanhong’s mastery of the sword was exceptionally high.
He was an opponent worthy of respect.
Song Guyang had always believed that Xu Yuanhong was his friend.
Yet this very friend had dealt him a devastating blow.
Xu Yuanhong had drugged the wine, stripping him of all his martial arts. His good friend had then locked him up and subjected him to severe torture, all for the sake of the mental cultivation method of the Sun-Abundant Sword Technique.
The Profound Moon Sword Technique had flaws, causing fits of bloodthirsty and indiscriminate slaughter every full moon. Because the Profound Moon Sword Technique shared the same origins as the Sun-Abundant Sword Technique, Xu Yuanhong had set his sights on the mental manual of the latter.
Song Guyang only learned of this afterward.
Song Guyang found it utterly ridiculous.
In the past, they had fought enemies side by side with seamless coordination. Amidst zither melodies and fine wine, what flowed between them was the harmony of high mountains and flowing streams.
Now, looking back, he realized his judgment had been wrong.
He had misread a person.
Song Jiu awoke.
He sat at the head of the bed, his light tea-colored pupils carrying profound meaning.
Lu Fenghuo always felt that something about him had changed.
Did his little bun of a character suddenly become exceptionally profound?
Song Jiu began to speak, his voice warm, gentle, and clear, seeming just as it had always been. “During this period, I thank Brother Lu and everyone else for your care, and Song expresses his gratitude here. Xu Yuanhong’s hunt started because of me, and naturally, I should be the one to bring it to a conclusion. Before that, Song must still trouble everyone to help me accomplish one task.”
Lu Fenghuo did not find it troublesome at all; he was even willing to let him take whatever he wanted. After all, this was a character from his own pen, upon whom he had poured immense effort.
Helping out a little more was nothing.
Fu Yunming naturally held his own scale of judgment, and at this moment, he still leaned rather favorably toward Song Jiu. Hearing these words, he spoke up, “Mention whatever needs to be done. If it is within our power, poor monk and everyone present here will lend a hand.”
Song Guyang chuckled softly. “Then I thank you in advance.”
“Have you heard? Song Jiu has issued a challenge to duel Xu Yuanhong! Tonight at the Hour of Xu, at the Old Street in the South City. Everyone can go watch!”
“Oh? Did Sect Master Xu accept?”
“Of course he accepted. Song Jiu killed the senior eldest disciple of the Profound Moon Sect, so how could Xu Yuanhong as the Profound Moon Sect Master refuse? This is a wonderful opportunity for revenge! Originally, with the person from the Mirror Moon Palace protecting him, Sect Master Xu couldn’t touch him. Who would have thought that Song Jiu would be so foolish as to seek his own death, ha!”
“This Song Jiu is truly arrogant beyond measure, actually taking the initiative to challenge Sect Master Xu? Where does he get the nerve? In my view, the outcome of this match is already sealed, and Song Jiu is dead for sure!”
“Good riddance! Having killed the senior eldest disciple of the Profound Moon Sect, this fellow is likely a vicious and ruthless scion! It is only right that he pays blood for blood!”
“Are you brother going to watch the battle tonight?”
“Naturally I am going. A good show is about to unfold, and everyone is guessing just how Song Jiu will end up dying, haha!”
“Didn’t Song Jiu invite the martial world to witness it together? If everyone doesn’t go, wouldn’t that be giving him zero face? Since he is a dying man anyway, indulging this little request of his does no harm.”
“Jiang Shiming was defeated by Xu Yuanhong within a hundred moves. For this battle, how many moves do you all guess Song Jiu can last?”
“Go on, Jiang Shiming only lost because he was protecting his wife and child! His own martial arts are formidable and unfathomable, so lasting a hundred moves would have been no problem at all! But speaking of Song Jiu, I observed him today, and he looked completely devoid of martial arts. Could it be that Song Jiu won’t even last a single move?”
“Who knows! For Song Jiu to dare challenge Sect Master Xu, he naturally has his own backing! How things actually turn out, why don’t you and I go see for ourselves!”
“That makes sense!”