Di Mo stood in silence amidst the scattered dry straw, holding a half-bound torch in his hands.
The young man in the green robe had long since departed the stone chamber, yet the image of his retreating figure seemed etched into the air.
Di Mo was accustomed to looking at people’s backs.
In the "walled city" he had built with his own hands, whenever he stepped out of Toad-Cassia Valley in the early morning, he could always see the hundreds and thousands of disciples from the ten camps of the East and West. The moment those thousands caught sight of him, they would bow their heads; even those traveling between camps or moving in and out of the villa would strain to bend their spines, none daring to let their gaze rise half an inch above his.
It had been a long time since he had seen a spine so upright—a man like a green pine or a verdant cypress thrusting through a stone wall, utterly incapable of assuming a servile posture.
When the other man had uttered that refusal, he was clearly thinking of a specific event or a specific person, which was why he had been so certain and fearless.
Di Mo was all too familiar with that expression. When he had willingly surrendered the method for smelting profound iron years ago, he too had offered the same loyalty and sincerity.
He had firmly believed that the person he followed would be indomitable, never imagining that even the sturdiest iron armor would eventually be rendered unrecognizable under the crushing weight of power, sinking into the mud along with that name, never to be mentioned again...
"I’ve plucked the flowers for you."
Zhu Fuxue’s voice rang out abruptly from not far behind him, but Di Mo did not bother to turn around.
"The time has not yet come. You should not have broken them."
The woman ignored him, casually tucking several stalks of red lotuses into a torch rack that had yet to be lit. She then paced in a circle around the stone chamber.
"I plucked them because I know you no longer have a use for them." There was a faint, barely perceptible trace of schadenfreude in Zhu Fuxue’s voice as her footsteps stopped before the scattered straw. "Duan Yu Jun rejected you, didn't he?"
Di Mo’s gaze fell upon the red lotuses, clearly indifferent to the question.
"Where a river flows depends on where it comes from and the lands it passes through. He is a descendant of the Qiu family; he can never escape that identity in this lifetime. Verdant pines and cypresses do not suit him; only this solitary moon, with its unpredictable phases, is his true destination."
Zhu Fuxue’s gaze swept over Di Mo’s face as she delivered a brief, biting conclusion.
"I’ve heard that when a person ages, it is not the body that withers first, but the spirit. If you find yourself constantly dwelling on the past, you ought to be careful."
He was not dwelling on the past; he had simply never left it.
His life was a martial composition without a finale, fated to repeat that intense, magnificent movement of battle cries and clashing steel over and over until the strings snapped and the music died.
Di Mo cast a sidelong glance at Zhu Fuxue, his eyes returning to their usual malevolence.
"Why have you come to see me?"
Zhu Fuxue’s red lips parted slightly.
"I want the secret formula."
Her voice echoed through the stone chamber, but she received no response for a long time.
Had it been any other time, she might have had the composure to maneuver for a while longer. But today, her patience had been exhausted by that wretched girl earlier; she did not wish to wait a moment more.
"Will you give it or not?"
The demand rose again. Di Mo remained silent for a moment before asking, "What do you want it for?"
The embroidered shoes on the Luosha Sect Leader’s feet were stained red by countless lives. How many of those lives had come from the First Villa Under Heaven? Others might not know, but how could the man before her be ignorant of it?
Zhu Fuxue huffed coldly, repeating her question word for word.
"Will you give it or not?"
This was not an inquiry, but blatant extortion. There had never been any affection between them, only naked interest.
Di Mo lowered his eyelids, seemingly adopting a humbler posture. However, anyone familiar with venomous snakes would know that this bowing of the neck was merely the precursor to a slaughter.
"The timing is not yet ripe. You will invite trouble."
Trouble? She was the person who feared trouble least in this world. There were few troubles she could not resolve. More often than not, she *was* the trouble others dared not touch.
The woman in white leaned close to that cold, ruthless face, unceremoniously breathing against him, her voice low and seductive.
"I must remind the Villa Master not to forget our friendship from years ago."
As Zhu Fuxue’s words landed, Di Mo remained motionless.
After an unknown amount of time, that slightly tense face slowly turned toward her.
"From the time we first met until now, this is the first time you have proactively mentioned the past in my presence. Perhaps..." His voice paused perfectly before resuming unhurriedly, "...the one who is constantly remembering the past and entering old age is actually you."
The corners of Zhu Fuxue’s lips, which were always slightly upturned, flattened instantly. Her eyes became hollow and terrifying, and various emotions drained from her face, making her look like a paper effigy that someone had forgotten to paint a face upon.
A paper effigy has no soul. But it is precisely because of this that evil spirits come to possess its body.
"What did you say? Say it again."
"You fear aging, which is why you are begging me for that formula. But it is destined to be a failed creation, just like this Fudi Lotus that can only bloom to eight layers. It cannot replace Qingfeng Powder, and you cannot replace me."
Having spoken, Di Mo bypassed Zhu Fuxue without mercy and walked toward the thermal pool.
He did not need to look back to know the expression on her face.
Birth, aging, sickness, and death were perhaps the only certain and unshakeable facts of human existence.
Yet those lords and emperors who were well-versed in the classics and had achieved great feats often became obsessed with cultivation, alchemy, and the art of immortality in their later years. The laws of nature are irreversible; it wasn't that they didn't understand this, but rather that aging was simply too terrifying a thing to comprehend without experiencing it firsthand. In the face of aging, death could sometimes be considered a release.
He was like this, the demented Qiu Yan was like this, and Zhu Fuxue was like this as well.
But he had long since seen through it, obtaining eternal life early on through the new "vessel" that was the First Villa Under Heaven. A body of flesh and blood will always decay, but as long as the villa built upon ten thousand secrets did not fall, he would exist forever.
Zhu Fuxue stared fixedly at Di Mo’s back, as if she wanted to carve him open from behind and tear out his heart with her bare hands.
She could not possibly age; those two words had never had anything to do with her.
She had looked like this twenty years ago, and she would look the same twenty years from now. She could snap a person’s neck with her bare hands now and trample on anyone’s spine, and she would do the same in the future. She would always be able to rely on this powerful body to do as she pleased and command the winds and clouds; she would never see the day when the grass withered and her strength faded.
She would not allow such a thing to happen.
Zhu Fuxue’s skirts stirred without a breeze, and the shadows lurking beneath her feet grew restless, nearly bursting through the darkness toward the figure in the stone chamber.
At almost the same moment, three more shadows suddenly appeared on the stone wall hidden within the mist.
These were the top-tier experts of the villa’s First Camp. They might not possess the profound internal power of first-rate martial arts masters, but they excelled in seamless coordination and a fearless will to die. They did not need the man in the stone chamber to issue a command; they would rely on instinct to choose the moment to strike, like a pack of relentless wolves rushing a lone tiger or leopard, never stopping until the final blow was struck.
Zhu Fuxue lowered her eyelids, and the restless shadows beneath her feet returned to stillness.
"I suddenly feel a bit of regret now. When I brushed past Duan Yu Jun earlier, I didn't stop to have a good chat with him. Tell me, if I go back to find him now, will it still be in time?"
The figure by the thermal pool finally moved.
Di Mo turned around in the mist to look at her. Since she had entered the stone chamber, this was the first time he had truly cast his gaze upon her.
"He comes from Kunxu and doesn't even hold me in his regard. He would have even less to say to you."
"That depends on what I tell him." Zhu Fuxue slowly raised her head, the contours of her beautiful eyes deepening, her pupils filled with the madness of provocation. "After all, the history books didn't record it, and General Qiu Yuebai of the Black Moon Command was generous by nature. Even when surrounded by enemies, used by others, and cast into the mud, he wouldn't reveal those filthy secrets to anyone. It’s just that he surely didn't know that the reason the Black Moon was besieged until their supplies and troops were exhausted was because his dear friend—the one who once swore to live and die with him—chose to deceive and betray him at the final moment. There aren't many people in this world who know this secret. I count as one, and perhaps the last one. Shouldn't the Villa Master treat me a bit better?"
These words had clearly been circling in Zhu Fuxue’s heart for a long time. Having finally found the opportunity to pour them out, she felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction after finishing her sentence.
A long time passed before Di Mo’s voice spoke again.
"The Black Moon’s fate was sealed. No matter what choice I made back then, the outcome would not have changed."
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed that Di Mo, the Master of the First Villa Under Heaven, was such a master of self-deception." Zhu Fuxue made no attempt to hide her mockery, her voice filled with a strange excitement. "Since you are so confident in your actions and feel no guilt whatsoever, why didn't you dare to tell the truth to the Qiu descendant’s face just now? You claim to be an old friend of his father, yet you were still rejected when you invited him as such. Tell me, if that Duan Yu Jun knew the truth of those years, forget about conspiring with you—I fear he would want nothing more than to draw his sword and hack you into a thousand pieces on the spot. Just thinking about it is interesting; just thinking about it is thrilling! I can hardly wait to see this play unfold..."
He had stung her with the matter of aging, so she threw the Black Moon incident back in his face.
They were two skeletal demons draped in human skin. Once the beautiful facade was peeled away, the grim white bones were revealed.
They knew each other too well. The moment the bond of interest connecting them snapped, they would immediately lung for each other’s vitals and tear one another apart.
Di Mo smiled silently, his entire being like a shadow growing out of the four stone walls—without warmth, and even more so, without emotion.
"There hasn't been much chaos in the martial world lately. I suppose you're bored and have no one to pass the time with, which is why you've turned your attention elsewhere. Pick another one from the villa another day; if there's business, I'll call for you."
Faced with this "truce," Zhu Fuxue also curled her lips in a mirthless smile. Her arrogant aura was instantly retracted into her beautiful skin, leaving no trace.
"You and I have walked together for so many years. You can consider it a moment of pity on my part; I don't want you to trip up at this most critical moment. I'll give you a kind warning: you'll have to release that secret formula sooner or later, because someone has already neutralized Qingfeng Powder."
Di Mo’s eyes shifted as he tried to discern the truth from the woman’s mask-like face.
"Who?"
A small, wretched figure flashed before her eyes, and Zhu Fuxue burst into laughter.
"Someone you would absolutely never expect." She laughed as she walked out of the stone chamber, her voice echoing between the walls like a ghost’s wail. "Who she is doesn't matter. What matters is that the waters of the martial world flow in all directions. Even if only a single drop falls into the lake, the ripples will soon spread to every corner. The matter of Qingfeng Powder will spread through the martial world sooner or later. If you choose not to act now, you won't have the chance later."
The woman’s manic laughter lingered in the narrow crevice of the sky for a long time before finally fading into silence.
The man in the stone chamber stood still for a moment, then crossed the thermal pool to stand before a stone wall. His shadow was cast upon the uneven rock, a hazy grey patch.
"Come out."
Something eerie happened. In the next moment, another shadow "crawled" out from the crevice where the shadow was cast, like a piece of darkness peeling off the stone wall. That darkness swelled and protruded under the light, gradually gaining outline and detail until it stepped into the light—a man wearing a mask.
From his clothing and hair to his build and stature, this "shadow" was identical to Di Mo. Even the nuances of his gait were extremely similar; even someone familiar with him would find it difficult to distinguish the truth at first glance. It was just as in the dark, where a person and their shadow often become ambiguous and indistinguishable.
Di Mo did not speak immediately but quietly observed the masked "shadow," as if admiring a perfect, flawless ornament.
After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice carrying a hint of a sigh.
"You heard everything? Everything is as you expected."
The "shadow" remained standing with his head bowed, and when he spoke, his voice was seventy to eighty percent similar.
"Duan Yu Jun is upright and loyal, just like his father. Isn't that precisely why the Villa Master was willing to leave the power of choice in his hands?"
Di Mo’s eyes narrowed, and the emotion in his voice vanished instantly.
"I was talking about the matter of Qingfeng Powder."
The "shadow" was silent for a moment, then responded calmly.
"Regarding Qingfeng Powder, your subordinate previously only had suspicions. However, clues have indeed surfaced recently. I wonder if the Villa Master still remembers the person who betrayed the villa seven years ago?"
His words came out naturally, but Di Mo was not one to be easily led. He immediately challenged him again.
"This is the third time recently you have mentioned this person."
Number Thirteen of the First Camp was certainly an old wound, but compared to what they were doing now, he was insignificant. For such a distant name to be mentioned repeatedly, it was hard not to suspect the motives and intentions of the one bringing it up.
The "shadow" paused, seemingly deliberating before explaining.
"Number Thirteen grew up in the villa and is a lone wolf; he ultimately won't amount to much. What I am referring to is another."
"Oh? Let's hear it."
Di Mo’s voice finally betrayed some interest, and the "shadow" continued his low-voiced report.
"I recently discovered signs of Chuanliu Academy secretly investigating the formula in Jiugao City. The movements of Chuanliu Academy in recent years have shown suspicious patterns. I suspect the disappearance of the villa’s runaway disciples is related to them. The matter of Qingfeng Powder might also come from the same hand; we must be on guard."
He was about to add something more when Di Mo interrupted with a question.
"Do you know why I leaked the news that the Qingwu Blade would appear at the Blade-Sharpening Ceremony?"
Such an unconventional line of questioning would be difficult for most to handle, yet the "shadow" pondered for a moment and arrived at the answer instantly.
"That blade is the only thing Li Qingdao left in this world. If Chuanliu Academy makes no move, then they likely know nothing of the events of those years and are not worth worrying about. Conversely, they will surely send people in secret to fight for the blade. The Villa Master can then follow the vine to the melon, seize them, and kill them all in one stroke."
Di Mo understood that when it came to schemes and trickery, the "shadow" before him was not inferior even to himself, the original.
And this deduction could also be applied to Duan Yu Jun.
From Qiu Ling’s reactions just now, it wasn't hard to see that this eldest son of the Qiu family was unaware of the secrets left by the Four Gentlemen of the Black Moon. Or rather, he wasn't fully aware. Given his experience of being away from home for many years, this wasn't surprising. However, even so, Di Mo could not be certain that the old general trapped in the isolated city had truly taken the secret to his grave without letting anyone around him know.
After all, the Qiu family had two children. But as for the other one...
Forget the other one.
His thoughts snapped back, and Di Mo spoke coldly.
"Perhaps this corresponds to the celestial phenomenon of the 'Seven Stars Alignment' you mentioned. Since they have all gathered together, we might as well find an opportunity to wipe them out all at once to avoid further complications."
"I understand. I will begin the operation after the ceremony." The "shadow" paused after saying this, then reminded him in a low voice, "In addition, everything the Villa Master previously ordered has been prepared. The hour for the Blade-Sharpening Ceremony is approaching. I..."
Before he could finish, Di Mo suddenly cut him off.
"What do you think of these flowers?"
The masked "shadow" followed Di Mo’s gaze to the freshly plucked red lotuses on the wooden rack. The hand hidden in his sleeve couldn't help but tighten.
"They appear to have eight layers of petals, the receptacles are as large as basins, and the color is pure and intense. Congratulations to the Villa Master for obtaining such a fine specimen."
Di Mo’s fingertip brushed against the delicate, full petals of the red lotus, yet there was no joy on his face.
"Multi-layered red lotuses are already rare. I spent years selecting and breeding them, obtaining these few plants from among tens of thousands. Unfortunately... it is still one layer short."
The people within the palace walls often said that eight was the largest number besides nine. But even if there was only a one-layer difference, it could never be crossed. No matter how vibrantly it bloomed now or how loudly it presented itself, the day of withering would eventually come.
Di Mo’s fingers tightened, and the red lotus instantly turned into a clump of red pulp in his palm. The mangled petals, carrying their lingering fragrance, drifted to the ground. A few landed on the "shadow’s" shoes, a striking crimson like blood, and the latter understood everything from this gesture.
"Zhu Fuxue shows signs of defiance and betrayal. Does the Villa Master want me to make arrangements in advance?"
"I have other plans for her."
As Di Mo’s words fell, he slowly reached out his hand. His fingers gripped the edge of the other man’s mask, rubbing it for a moment before suddenly exerting force. The mask was ripped away, revealing a young and gentle face.
"I’ve changed my mind. I will personally take the stage for today’s play." Di Mo paused here, his gaze sweeping over the other man’s face. "As for you... take a good rest tonight. When you have time, just go and supervise the procurement of food and wine."
Trivial matters like food and wine were always handled by the lowest-ranking servants of the villa. When did the grand Shadow Envoy ever need to handle such things personally? This move could not help but feel insulting.
But he was already used to it.
A long, long time ago, the things he did were far more lowly than procuring food and wine.
Ding Miao nodded slightly, his calm face showing no ripple of emotion.
"I shall follow the Villa Master’s command."
He stood there motionless with his head bowed until those slightly cool fingers pinched his jaw, forcing him to raise his head and meet those ruthless eyes.
Di Mo quietly studied Ding Miao.
They didn't actually look alike; upon close inspection, they were two completely different faces. But since he had chosen him, the thin man had trained his physique and posture to be identical to his own. Even the curve of his neck, the length of a single strand of hair, and even the leg ailment caused by damp and cold were replicated without the slightest error. Even without the mask, unless one specifically stared at that face, an ordinary person would find it hard to notice anything amiss at first.
The man before him seemed to have a natural talent for erasing his own presence. That was why Di Mo had chosen this face back then.
Di Mo finally withdrew his hand, leaving a red smudge from the crushed flower pulp on that face.
"The matters of the Lu Manor and the Su Manor—you did them?"
There was a moment of silence in the stone chamber, followed by the young man’s brief response.
"Yes."
Di Mo curled his lips, but there was no smile in his eyes.
"What? Do you think the Fangwai Temple is too small a shrine to hold the deity you wish to invite?"
Those habitually calm pupils trembled. Ding Miao took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "It is not just the Fangwai Temple; even the entire martial world is insufficient to carry what the Villa Master envisions. Looking toward the great mountains and rivers is the long-term plan. Qingfeng Powder has already become a shortcut for the dregs of the martial world; ordinary people wouldn't be willing to gamble their lives to test the poison, let alone those noble clans and powerful officials far away in the capital. However, the pursuit of immortality has never ceased since ancient times, and the legend of the elixir of life has never vanished from within the palace walls. For those who hold power, birth, aging, sickness, and death are their only unsolvable problems. They cannot refuse such a temptation; they will choose to swallow it all without needing guidance, becoming a well of coal that never runs dry for the villa to drive and burn, enough to sustain the First Villa Under Heaven for hundreds of years or even longer. The testing of the formula is half-complete; in time, it will surely become an existence far surpassing Qingfeng Powder, just as I promised you back then."
For a moment, his voice almost became his own. Whether walking through the villa as the Shadow Envoy or acting outside as the Azure Gate Order of the academy, he rarely spoke so much in such an urgent tone.
Not only that, but this was also the first time since entering the stone chamber that he had revealed a hint of true emotion before the other man. Although it was only a flash, it was instantly captured by the man holding the mask.
Di Mo’s expression changed, becoming faintly regretful and repulsed, as if he had discovered a hidden crack on a piece of fine white porcelain, and he had to choose between the effort of repairing it or destroying it to make something new.
This inevitably reminded him of some unpleasant experiences from the past. He had once carved a nearly perfect work of art, only for it to develop cracks and stains due to a moment of inattention, ultimately failing and becoming a piece of scrap.
He would not let such a thing happen again.
"What a fine 'the martial world is insufficient for grand plans, and one must look to where the mountains and rivers lie.'" Di Mo’s voice was weary, as if he were struggling with a lung ailment, or perhaps bored with disciplining the man before him. "I have used Qingfeng Powder for many years, not because it is perfect, but because it is absolutely controllable. Similarly, I chose you to inherit the position of Shadow Envoy because of the parts of you that are similar to me, not the parts where you act on your own initiative."
Di Mo’s volume was not high when he spoke, and there were never any sharp words in his speech.
But those who knew him understood that the more gentle the words, the more severe the warning behind them.
But Ding Miao was not reconciled.
How long had he planned for this day, how much had he sacrificed, and how long had he looked forward to it?
"Is the Villa Master feeling hesitant because Duan Yu Jun became aware of the secret formula?" Ding Miao looked up, his tone becoming increasingly urgent. "I implore the Villa Master to think thrice before deciding. The Black Moon already has countless ties to this matter. The Qiu family will settle the old scores sooner or later. If they cannot be used by us, we must eradicate them as early as possible before they touch upon more, lest we nourish a cancer..."
This time, he could not finish his sentence.
The hand with calluses on the thumb web choked his neck with terrifying force.
"Is your mouth even worthy of mentioning those two words?"
Unlike Zhu Fuxue, although Di Mo was unpredictable, he was not someone who wore his emotions on his sleeve. But precisely because of this, those occasionally revealed emotions became so terrifying.
The sense of impending death from suffocation made one want to struggle, but the discipline carved into his bones made him give up resistance. Ding Miao closed his eyes until he felt the hands slowly leave.
When Di Mo’s voice rang out again, it had returned to normal.
"The martial world has a shore, but the sea of suffering is boundless. This was my original intention when I bestowed this name upon you. After all these years, do you still remember?"
*Miao*—vast and boundless waters.
It symbolized a sense of ethereal vastness without visible boundaries, yet it also served as a constant reminder that even if a shadow is boundless and formless, it can never detach itself from its master’s feet for even a fraction of an inch or a single moment.
Ding Miao stared unblinkingly at his feet and lowered his head once more.
"What the Villa Master has said, I dare not forget day or night."
In the next moment, Di Mo pressed the mask back onto his face.
"Very well. After today, the matter of the secret formula can be declared over. Burn all the remaining stock, incinerate the documents and records together, and eliminate all those who know of it. Make sure to clean it up thoroughly; do not leave any evidence for the government. As for the matter of the Qingfeng Powder antidote... although it is a bit annoying, it isn't the first time it has happened. Since it has occurred, just handle it promptly. If the antidote is hard to deal with, then deal with the person who made it. As long as no one can neutralize Qingfeng Powder, the First Villa Under Heaven remains invincible."
The final attempt ended here. Ding Miao knew that Di Mo would not change that decision.
From the very beginning until now, Di Mo had certainly not just learned of his actions today. The fact that he hadn't raised objections or stepped in to stop them before was merely a form of tacit consent—he wanted to see how far Ding Miao could go.
Now, the sudden change in the other man’s attitude could only be because the eldest son of the Qiu family had shown disgust and rejection toward it all, even placing the entire First Villa Under Heaven in an adversarial position because of it.
And Di Mo was taking his anger out on him.
For such a consistently rational and cold-blooded person, this was an incredible thing, and also something that left Ding Miao quite disappointed.
Even if Duan Yu Jun was utterly disdainful of the things offered to him with both hands, Di Mo was still unable to extricate himself, let alone turn back from the plan he had been sketching for over a decade.
The other man had already staked everything and given his all, insisting on going his own way until there was no road left and the world was destroyed before he would stop.
Ding Miao understood that feeling, for was he not the same?
They were both stubborn, obsessed people with an inextinguishable fire called resentment in their hearts. Even if soaked in lake water or sunk to the bottom of a lake, they felt the burning at every moment.
But there was also a difference between them, a difference he had just confirmed once again.
Di Mo still had past memories he could not let go of. Even though the past was long gone and beyond pursuit, he still fantasized about sacrificing the villa he had built with his own hands to the name of the Black Moon.
But Ding Miao’s world was already a wasteland of scorched earth. What he wanted to do was never to build some pavilions and towers upon that wasteland, but to make that wasteland the final destination for everyone.
This was the greatest difference between them, and the reason they were destined to reach this point today.
Since that was the case, let them each turn into malevolent ghosts and fight it out, then meet in hell.
His throat was still throbbing with pain. Ding Miao bowed, hiding the last trace of emotion in his eyes.
He turned back into that flickering, ambiguous shadow from before, his voice once again aligning with the voice of the man in front of him.
"I shall follow the Villa Master’s command and will personally resolve this matter without leaving any future trouble."
"Good." Di Mo’s voice sounded flat, as if he had completely forgotten the conflict and unpleasantness in their conversation just now. "When was the last time you returned to Toad-Cassia Valley?"
Despite being prepared, Ding Miao’s spine still stiffened involuntarily. After a moment, he took a deep breath and replied.
"Reporting to the Villa Master, it was eleven months ago."
"Where is Ren Two?"
"He has other business to attend to in the city and did not board the island with me today."
"Then you shall take his share as well." Di Mo’s gaze wandered among the red lotuses on the wooden rack, and he quickly selected the most brilliantly blooming stalks. "The outside is no match for the valley, but I have brought these newly cultivated Fudi Lotuses. Since you still have things to do later, this will be a minor punishment. I hope you can remember this lesson and not make me distracted by this matter again. Eight-layered Fudi Lotuses are rare in this world; you should feel honored."
The lotus heads that had left the rack hung their heads heavily, revealing the thick, long, and flexible stems beneath. The dark green stems were covered in large and small thorns. Those thorns were not long, but they were curved, like the fine teeth of a bloodthirsty fish monster in a river. If a lotus picker accidentally touched them, their skin and flesh would be torn open instantly, and the toxin that immediately seeped from the thorns would penetrate into the bones and blood.
It was a toxin that caused a burning pain, feeling like a raging fire consuming the body once it touched blood—comparable to the most cruel punishments in Xiangliang today.
No one could have imagined turning such a beautiful flower into an instrument of punishment.
Except for Di Mo, the Master of the First Villa Under Heaven.
This was his talent—a chilling talent.
Three figures stepped out from the darkness, taking the Fudi Lotus stalks from Di Mo’s hand one by one. They neatly snapped off the flower heads, leaving only the thorny stems, and skillfully unwrapped cloth strips from their waists to pad their hands, gripping the stalks like whips.
The masked Villa Master had already departed silently, leaving only a room of shadows and blood-red fallen flowers.
The executioners’ hands slowly rose, their voices carrying a hint of the pleasure that comes from wielding the power of violence.
"Lord Shadow Envoy, let us begin."
The thorny stems fell like lightning, instantly piercing through layers of clothing to reach the flesh, yet unlike ordinary whips, they did not make a cracking sound.
But precisely because of this, every groan of pain from the victim could be heard clearly.
The barbs of the Fudi Lotus easily hooked into a person’s flesh; the more one struggled, the deeper they bit. Ding Miao, who had experienced this a thousand times, naturally understood this principle. But as the stinging pain boring into his flesh and the gaps between his bones grew more intense, no matter how he endured and restrained himself, his body would still tremble involuntarily from the spasms of pain. And as long as he moved even a fraction, those thorns would hook and pull within his flesh, sending the toxin at the tips deeper into his body, where it quickly took effect, nourished by his warm blood.
After ten strokes, the man who had been standing decently in the stone chamber half a quarter-hour ago was twitching on the ground, his consciousness drifting. He was completely lost in a hell of pain. While losing control over his body, he also instantly lost the dignity he had spent so much effort picking up and piecing together.
What Shadow Envoy of the villa? What Azure Gate Order of the academy? They were nothing but dog chains made of gold. As long as the master wished, that chain would tighten around his neck, making him writhe, struggle, and scream like a maggot under those contemptuous gazes, devoid of any dignity. The remaining light faded from the depths of his eyes, merging into the darkness along with the swaying shadows around him.
After an unknown amount of time, the rhythm of the falling lotus stems finally slowed.
No one supervised or counted the number of strokes; they simply grew tired and gradually stopped.
For them, opportunities to personally punish the villa’s Shadow Envoy were rare. The Shadow Envoy held the power over the life and death of the villa’s disciples, but for someone who knew their end would be burial in the silt at the bottom of the lotus pond, nothing was more satisfying than committing an act of violence while they could.
"Lord Shadow Envoy, it is over. Do you need us to call a physician for you?"
Ding Miao did not speak. He only used his arms to prop up his body, slowly sitting up and leaning against the nearby stone wall.
The single action of sitting up left him drenched in sweat, but there wasn't much expression of pain or struggle on his face. He had experienced this process too many times; no matter how painful an expression he made, it wouldn't change anything. He didn't want to waste a single bit of strength on a useless endeavor.
In the silence, the three shadows bowed in turn, then flipped upward and disappeared into the narrow holes in the stone wall.
The last torch in the stone chamber burned to its end, gradually dimming and extinguishing. Ding Miao took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes in the darkness. After an unknown amount of time, his right hand, which was somewhat spasming from exertion, finally trembled and loosened.
His pale palm was stained dark grey with sweat, holding only a small piece of charcoal.
He had been gripping it tightly just now, as if he were holding light in his palm.
Di Mo, the Master of the First Villa Under Heaven, was arrogant, cold-blooded, and thin-skinned, but he had the capital for his conceit and cruelty. For many years, no one had been able to neutralize Qingfeng Powder, and no one dared to try. He used the city built with Qingfeng Powder to dominate the martial world, and he stood at the highest point of that city, looking down at the backs and heads of those who submitted. He had stood there for seventeen years.
During those seventeen years, he had thrown all the timber plundered from clearing mountains and wilderness into his massive furnace. The inferior were burned to ash, and the capable were refined into charcoal. Then, these meticulously selected fine charcoals were sent into the gold-threaded charcoal basins beneath the vermillion walls and green tiles for people to consume, to relieve the bitterness of cold nights and the urgency of sudden snow.
Those who enjoyed the charcoal fires never spared a thought for where the charcoal came from. They only knew that as long as that massive furnace called the First Villa Under Heaven continued to burn day and night, they would have an inexhaustible supply of charcoal.
But what if one day, someone extinguished that hellfire called Qingfeng Powder? What if someone, without knowing it, had already stepped onto the stage and struck that drum of war that had not been beaten for a long time?
Burning and pain took turns torturing his scarred body, yet the corners of Ding Miao’s mouth beneath the mask curled slightly.
A thousand-mile levee collapses from an ant hole; a hundred-foot chamber burns from a wisp of smoke.
It was that tiny ant no one had ever regarded, that thin smoke from a humble village, that had already seeped into that city. It was about to wave its antennae, move its slender legs, and step by step, dismantle that indestructible high wall.
And what he had to do was to add fuel to the fire for the arrival of that day.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 福蒂莲 | Fudi Lotus | A rare, multi-layered lotus bred by Di Mo; its stems have poisonous thorns. |
| 影使 | Shadow Envoy | Ding Miao's rank/title within the First Villa Under Heaven. |
| 青门令 | Azure Gate Order | Ding Miao's title/identity within the academy (Chuanliu Academy). |
| 石涅 | Coal | Specifically mineral coal/stone coal. |
| 开锋大典 | Blade-Sharpening Ceremony | The major event at the villa where the Qingwu Blade is to appear. |
| 丁渺 | Ding Miao | The Shadow Envoy; Di Mo's double. |
| 壬二 | Ren Two | Another disciple/agent of the villa. |
| 襄梁 | Xiangliang | Likely the name of the current dynasty or region. |
| 影使大人 | Lord Shadow Envoy | Formal address for Ding Miao. |
