Chapter 14

Yunlai Inn was the largest in Guyang City, with four courtyards and room for over a hundred guests. Normally it stayed half-empty these days, however, it was booked solid.

The Deathsong Palace had risen to prominence, nearly equal to an illegal cult leader. They reserved the entire inn, expelling both proprietors and guests. All staff were eunuchs or disciples no outsiders allowed.

“Finally, that coward Xie Wuyi has accepted the challenge,” a gentle hand pushed open a room door. The bright vermilion nail lacquer caught the light. A beautiful person entered, wearing red robes and fox-eyes, sharp and tempting but the voice was unmistakably male.

A young man, painting at the table, glanced and rebuked: “Bu Xueyao, if you can’t handle someone, best keep your mouth shut. Or if your tongue gets torn, you’ll lose the title of Zhuque Hall’s master.”

Bu Xueyao masked half his face and feigned contrition. “Li Lang, you’re right. I was wrong.”

Li Feng scowled in disgust his solemn features sharpening. “The Northern Barbarian campaign failed. You haven’t gone back to apologize to the Palace Master, yet here you are, making me nauseous for sport?”

“Your words are cold, Li Lang, my heart is shattered,” Bu Xueyao patted his chest with exaggerated grief. “Huthar himself underestimated it. With victory in sight, the Shadow Guards broke into the tent. Not only was his future destroyed, but I was soaked in blood. Don’t you feel sorry for me?”

Li Feng’s eyes brightened. “If your guard fell and killed Huthar under your watch, they must be rare talent.”

With deliberate slowness, Bu Xueyao revealed two clean cuts on his pale chest one slicing the left throat-shoulder, the other from sternum to belly, inches from death.

Quieter, he said: “That was a ruthless man—m four strikes. First I blocked. Second was nearly fatal. Third took Huthar’s head. Fourth hit me square on the shoulder the one that almost killed me.”

Li Feng smiled a rare, terrifying grin like a corpse showing teeth. Gently tracing the wounds, he praised, “Fast blade, ruthless hand.”

Bu Xueyao straightened his robe. “And compared to the Duanshui Manor master who’s coming?”

Li Feng replied, “Fame doesn’t equal skill. I need to fight him myself to answer that.”

“He’s already under my ‘Ghost Dream’ poison,” Bu Xueyao purred. “He’ll be drifting in oblivion, asleep wherever.”

“Not necessarily,” Li Feng said. “‘Ghost Dream’ is tough to cure but not incurable. Besides, a man capable of that blade style wouldn’t be satisfied staying lost in a dream.” He withdrew. Face cleared. “Again what do you want?”

Bu Xueyao smiled slyly. “Since the battle at Jinghan Pass failed, the Palace Master must answer to his superiors. I’d better justify myself too. So I came to you, Li Lang for a lifeline.”

Li Feng scoffed: “All I offer is the path of death.”

“Your death is my life,” Bu Xueyao whispered, fixing his red robe. He kissed a finger lacquer and flashed a seductive look. “The Palace called the Duel Gathering to humiliate Central Plains sects: hit their pride, break their strength. In that spirit why not turn their strength into our gain?”

“What do you mean?” Li Feng’s tone was wary.

“I’ve deployed my ‘Sky Spiders’ to weave a net. They spread word of Xie Wuyi’s refusal drawing righteous warriors from all across the land. If he refuses again, his “World’s Best Blade” title will be exposed as a sham his shame will be ours. No blade needed.”

Li Feng mused. “But he already accepted.”

“That’s better,” Bu Xueyao said. “With factions gathered, we can stage a trap capture them en masse. The Barbarian campaign failed but balanced out, we still win. Shape the battlefield to our favor.”

Li Feng sneered. “You have big ambitions. You think your hundred loyal troops can hold all of them? Daydream.”

“If you think otherwise my spiders are around every corner in Guyang. They watch guesthouses, food suppliers though they won’t poison openly, sending a lure is easy. All is set just need your windfall, Li Lang.”

Li Feng frowned: “What windfall?”

Bu Xueyao leaned forward. But before he could speak, Li Feng’s hand snapped to his throat, hoisting him up. His gaze was dark as night. Bu Xueyao whitened as if his eyes rolled back. Li Feng released him and said icily: “I don’t like schemes. This is your last time using me. Next time, I kill you.”

Bu Xueyao coughed on the floor. As Li Feng exited, he added: “I’ll tell the Sky Spiders to obey you for now. But if you interfere when I’m dueling, I’ll cut off your leg.”

The door shut. Bu Xueyao took time to stand, then shook his head mournfully: “He really doesn’t appreciate a beautiful conspirator.”

He walked to the table and studied the calligraphy: 谢无衣 (“Xie Wuyi”). Lingering red lips curled. “He’s good at keeping promises, is he, Li Lang?”

---

The Next Day

Guyang City buzzed. Deathsong Palace had changed the duel rules: instead of single elimination, it became best‑of‑three. They claimed it honored Duanshui’s reputation, hoping he’d show his skills repeatedly and urged Xie Wuyi to be generous.

Public opinion exploded: outraged, supportive, mocking all at once.

“Deathsong Palace is overreaching changing the rules to flaunt power.”

“Saying ‘please teach us’ but really trapping Xie Wuyi in public humiliation.”

“But I hear Duanshui Manor accepted on one condition: the battles must be on their grounds. What are they thinking?”

“Not sure he’s fully recovered if not, who’ll fight three matches? Or maybe he’s so arrogant he’ll take all three himself.”

“Who knows. In three days we’ll see.”

---

At Duanshui Manor

Inside, it was unnervingly quiet.

Xie Wuyi promised to deliver the Duanshui Blade to  Dǒngmíng Valley after the fight. Chu Xiwei took Sun Minfeng and others out. In the four days before the duel, Xie Wuyi efficiently discharged most servants and guards the mansion grew hushed.

Xue Chanyi noticed and asked repeatedly, but was brushed off. She worried but stayed silent. With nothing to do, she went through her daily drills.

Fewer people meant Ye Fusheng’s meals dropped in quality. Free‑spirited as ever, he helped himself thrice daily even if that meant being chased by Miss Xue with a whip, which he took in stride with a grin:

“A good face eats broad thick skin’s a virtue!” He offered her ginger slice.

“Eat this dampness in the air.”

Xue Chanyi glared, heart oddly conflicted.

---

Sudden Ambush

As dusk fell, Xue Chanyi carried food to Xie Zhongshan’s small courtyard no guards in sight. A deadly glint shot toward her neck.

Reacting swiftly, she kicked up her left leg, stopping the blade at her throat but her ankle was grabbed, twisted with a sickening “crack.”

“Who?” She spun, dropping the food, snatching up her whip. It whipped like a dragon, ensnaring the attacker’s arm. She flung him back but he used her whip’s force to invert, blade severed the whip, fist aimed for her head.

Calmly, she tilted, slipped the blow, darted behind. Her sleeve concealed a dagger just in time, she recognized the face.

“Chanyi,” he murmured, voice warm as spring. “Your skills have grown.”

He wore plain brocade, his hair loosely tied. Every gesture refined. Her heart jolted.

“Master… um!” she stammered.

His eyes turned cold hard ice.

Xie Wuyi’s voice: “Three years ago I was tending wounds and consolidating the Manor after Xie Zhongshan’s attack. I discovered the jade pendant missing searched for three years with no trace. Turns out… it was you.”

“I…” She didn’t finish.

Two brocade pouches slid from his sleeve one crudely embroidered with bamboo, the other her handmade safety pouch. Though styles differed, the needlework was unmistakably hers.

Her face emptied of color. Then she looked up, voice barely audible: “How did you… Where is Master?”

Xie Wuyi sneered, tossing the pouches. “You finally admitted it. You’ve known since three years ago I wasn’t him, yet you kept pretending, calling me ‘Master’ all this time.”

Xue Chanyi clutched the pouch, pale with sorrow.

Her past: sold as a child, abused until Xie Wuyi rescued, fed, sheltered and taught her. She swore to repay the debt with her life. She left at eleven to wander Jianghu, trained hard but when she returned after the Lingyun Peak duel, he was missing. His cold eyes haunted her.

Fearful, she stole the pendant and searched for him endlessly. Eventually she found Ye Fusheng in the borderlands and recognized him as “her master.” But he told her: “From now on, I am ‘Xie Wuyi.’ You must obey him.”

Tearful, she chose to stay as surrogate guardian for little Ali. But unable to accept his change, she stole the pendant again, lured Ye Fusheng here to get his attention hoping to regain some control.

Xie Wuyi said: “Clever but risky.”

She gripped her dagger.

“You move and I’ll cut off your arm.” His tone was flat.

She whispered: “Thank you, Master.”

“I see more people than you’ve met,” he said, tossing her a paper note. “That’s all. Do what it says.”

She read it and trembled. “Master-”

“What’s wrong?”

She hesitated, then added: “Want to see the old Manor master?”

“Just wanted closure,” she said.

Xie Wuyi glanced at the closed door, shook his head and stepped out.

As he entered the hallway, she called softly: “Is my master… alright?”

His foot caught. Then, quietly: “He’s dead. Not by my hand. Believe it or not.”