Seeing Qu Feiyan’s appearance, coupled with the presence of Song Qingshu in the room, the dozen or so black-clad intruders exchanged uneasy glances.
“Retreat!”
No one knew who shouted the command, but the group retreated with even greater speed than when they had entered, fleeing in a chaotic rush.
Song Qingshu’s face darkened. Now that these people had seen his appearance, he couldn’t allow them to leave so easily. A wooden sword appeared in his hand, and with a distant swing, an invisible wave of sword Qi shot out. The air rippled as though disturbed by the strike.
The sword Qi overtook them, striking the group from behind. A series of muffled groans followed as the intruders fell from midair. One of them, likely their leader, managed to suppress his injuries through some secret technique and continued his escape.
As Song Qingshu moved to pursue him, a shadow suddenly crossed paths with the fleeing leader. When the assassin landed again, a red dot appeared between his brows, and he collapsed lifelessly to the ground. It was clear he had been struck by a concealed weapon like an embroidered needle.
“Master!” Qu Feiyan cried out in delight upon recognizing the figure.
Dongfang Muxue emerged from the shadows. The beautiful woman’s refined features carried a trace of solemn authority beneath her charm. When her phoenix-like eyes met Song Qingshu’s, she greeted him with a calm, “You’ve arrived.”
“I have.” Song Qingshu felt uneasy. The atmosphere seemed strained, as if a distance had grown between them in his absence.
Dongfang Muxue’s face flushed red, and she glared at Qu Feiyan. “Silence!”
Song Qingshu’s eyes lit up, and he was about to respond when the palace guards arrived.
“Your Majesty, we are late to the rescue. Please forgive us!” The guards seemed well-trained, likely thanks to Dongfang Muxue’s guidance. They remained stationed outside the hall, not daring to enter without permission.
“The assassins have all been dealt with. Dispose of their bodies, then leave,” Dongfang Muxue said indifferently, her back to the guards.
“Yes, ma’am!”
After the guards retreated, Song Qingshu stepped out from behind a pillar, watching their departing figures. He couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you going to investigate the assassins’ bodies for clues?”
“No need,” Dongfang Muxue replied, walking leisurely toward the inner chamber. “From their martial arts techniques, it’s clear they’re experts from the Golden Summit Sect in Jinzhou. Wu Sangui is undoubtedly behind this.”
Although Song Qingshu’s martial arts skills were exceptional, his knowledge of the various martial arts sects paled in comparison to Dongfang Muxue, who had once been the leader of a great sect.
“Wu Sangui?” Song Qingshu asked, puzzled. “Why would he send assassins?”
Dongfang Muxue didn’t answer. Instead, she reclined on the dragon bed with a relaxed demeanor, while Qu Feiyan sensibly knelt at the foot of the bed to massage her legs.
Seeing this, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but feel envious. Dongfang Muxue truly knew how to enjoy life; even he hadn’t been able to command Qu Feiyan like this.
Noticing his discontent, Dongfang Muxue chuckled softly. “What’s the matter? Are you upset that I’m ignoring you? You’ve been having such a grand time gallivanting outside, completely ignoring the chaos here for months. Who am I supposed to complain to?”
“Thank you for holding the fort in the Forbidden City during this time. I’m truly grateful,” Song Qingshu said earnestly. “As for me, I’ve been busy with urgent matters, which delayed my return.”
“Urgent matters?” Dongfang Muxue sneered. “Including getting married to other women? It’s one thing to marry Miss Zeng from the Wangwu Sect, but you also allied yourself with Ren Yingying through marriage. Truly impressive!”
Dongfang Muxue’s tone grew sharper with each “truly,” leaving Song Qingshu uneasy. He hastily explained, “I only agreed to marry Ren Yingying out of necessity. It’s not what it seems.”
“Necessity? Ren Yingying is one of the most renowned beauties in the martial world. If marrying her is considered a sacrifice, I’m sure countless young heroes would gladly make such a sacrifice,” Dongfang Muxue said sarcastically. “But I’m curious—what was so necessary about it?”
“Do you remember who forced us to jump off that cliff back then?” Song Qingshu asked.
“Zhang Wuji!” Dongfang Muxue’s expression sharpened instantly. Back then, with Song Qingshu’s help, her chances of regaining control of the Sun Moon Holy Cult were slim to none, but Zhang Wuji’s sudden interference had nearly cost her her life.
During her recovery, Dongfang Muxue had relied on rare resources from the palace. Yet even now, her strength was only a fraction of its peak. She hadn’t forgotten the man responsible.
Song Qingshu’s expression turned serious as he half-truthfully explained, “Exactly. Zhang Wuji helped Ren Woxing regain control of the Sun Moon Holy Cult, not out of goodwill, but to infiltrate the sect. Today, he controls nearly half of its forces. Ren Woxing had no choice but to seek my help. I realized that if Zhang Wuji were to fully control the sect and combine its power with his Ming Cult, avenging ourselves would be almost impossible. That’s why I agreed to the alliance through marriage—to help Ren Woxing eradicate Zhang Wuji’s influence and exact our revenge.”
“Hmph, why go through so much trouble? Once my strength recovers, I’ll storm Bright Peak and k!ll Zhang Wuji myself. No matter how powerful his forces are, they’ll be useless against me,” Dongfang Muxue scoffed, unimpressed by Song Qingshu’s careful planning. Still, her expression softened slightly after hearing his explanation.
Song Qingshu sighed. “You were once the number one expert in the dark world, so naturally, you didn’t fear Zhang Wuji. But now, you’re still recovering from your injuries, and Zhang Wuji is no longer the same as before. He’s the reincarnation of the Bright Lord, Ming Zun…” He then explained how Zhang Wuji had mastered the seventh level of the Heaven and Earth Great Shift and been possessed by the Ming Zun’s spirit.
“Such miraculous occurrences exist in this world?” Dongfang Muxue exclaimed, visibly shocked by the revelation.
“Yes,” Song Qingshu replied. “The original Zhang Wuji, despite mastering multiple top-tier techniques, often fell short in actual combat due to his personality and lack of experience. But now, with the Ming Zun possessing him, his martial prowess has increased exponentially. Combined with his millennia of cultivation, he’s become nearly invincible. If we rely solely on direct confrontation, revenge will be almost impossible.”
Dongfang Muxue’s lips curled into a sly smile, clearly unconvinced. “The new Golden Serpent King who defeated countless experts is famous throughout the land. If my guess is correct, your current martial skills may not be beneath this so-called Ming Zun. Once I’ve recovered, the two of us together could easily kill him, no matter how ancient or powerful he may be.”
Song Qingshu’s face lit up with joy. “Does this mean you’ve made up your mind and are willing to dual cultivate with me to heal your injuries?”
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