The banks of the Min River were crowded with jagged rocks and gnarled pines. Aside from the waterbirds nesting in the cliffs, there was hardly a trace of any living creature.
The lights of Xingshou Town lay far below the precipice, flickering like dying embers in a gray pit when viewed across the expanse of the Min River.
"Master, why have you suddenly come out of seclusion to be here?"
Yuan Zhiyi moved with incredible speed. The hundred-fathom cliff was like level ground beneath his feet. He did not look back as he spoke, seemingly unconcerned with whether his disciple could keep up.
"I came to see if you were faring well."
"General Du treats me very well. He has no shortage of talented generals under his command, yet he still entrusts me with great responsibilities. This time, he even sent Zhou Yaxian south personally..."
"I have no interest in the convoluted schemes of the court."
Yuan Zhiyi paused. A pebble instantly tumbled down the cliffside. He stared in the direction where the stone vanished, then suddenly turned around.
"I heard that at the Sword Appreciation Assembly, you used me as a shield to deflect a blow, leaving that old fellow Di Mo in a most awkward position. You even claimed I have a violent temperament. Is this true?"
Who exactly had told him that his master had been in seclusion at Kunxu all this time? Rumors were truly unreliable—or perhaps his fellow disciples had conspired with the Chuanliu Academy just to make things difficult for him.
Qiu Ling’s expression stiffened, and he could only reply in a low voice.
"It was a matter of expediency. I ask Master not to take offense."
Unknowingly, the two had reached the absolute summit. Looking around, there was only the pre-dawn sky; not a soul was in sight, not even a bird. Despite this, Yuan Zhiyi made a show of looking around before leaning in and asking in a hushed tone.
"How did Di Mo react? And how did the others react?"
Qiu Ling was silent for a moment before speaking truthfully.
"Master’s reputation precedes him. All who heard it kept a respectful distance."
Yuan Zhiyi pulled back, satisfied. Though the lower half of his face remained stern, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out. A sense of profound gratification radiated from his heart, though he let out a long, theatrical sigh.
"I am getting on in years, and our sect has dwindled. My disciples are more disappointing than the last. How could I possibly be a match for that old fox Di Mo? Half the waters of the martial world are made of the spit of those people from the World’s Number One Villa—it’s truly nauseating. If I weren't worried about you, I wouldn't have bothered making this trip..."
Yuan Zhiyi’s voice droned on, possessing the resonance that only a grandmaster with decades of cultivation could produce, yet his tone was that of a nagging elder at a family gathering.
Given the pressing situation and the weight of unresolved matters in his heart, Qiu Ling pursed his lips and asked softly.
"May I ask what Master’s true purpose is for coming here? If it is because of the current state of the martial world..."
Before he could finish, a sudden gust of wind rose. The old man, who had been standing three paces away, was suddenly right in front of him. In the next heartbeat, the weight at Qiu Ling's waist vanished; the Jitian Sword had fallen into his master's hands.
"Who touched your sword?"
Qiu Ling’s body froze involuntarily. After a moment of adjustment, he replied cautiously.
"Since I became a Protector, I have often been accompanied by adjutants and soldiers. Sometimes, they help me maintain the blade."
Thinking of the bearded adjutant who followed his dear disciple everywhere, Yuan Zhiyi couldn't help but shudder, his voice trembling slightly.
"Could... could it be that man named Lu...?"
Qiu Ling remained silent. His master’s expression was somewhat terrifying at the moment; for a time, he didn't know whether to admit it or not.
"You needn't cover for him. I have my own ways of telling."
Yuan Zhiyi didn't bother with further questioning. With a wave of his wide sleeve, he prepared to leave. Cold sweat broke out on Qiu Ling’s brow. Before he could think clearly, his body moved on instinct to block the way.
Yuan Zhiyi looked down at him from his height. The cold wind on the cliff blew from behind, tossing his robes and hair, creating an indescribable sense of pressure.
Qiu Ling didn't dare look up. After a long silence, he spoke in a voice that was almost a plea.
"Disciple... Disciple truly does not know what Master intends to do..."
The man before him was old enough to be his great-grandfather, yet his actions were sometimes no different from those of a mischievous child, pushing Qiu Ling into a corner with just a few words.
His face was pale with anxiety and hesitation, his voice filled with the helplessness of one driven to his wits' end. Yuan Zhiyi, however, acted as if he heard nothing. With a flick of his wrist, the Jitian Sword instantly cleared its scabbard.
"Move aside. I shall storm those wretched ships of yours and ask every person there, one by one, to see who knows what is carved on your chape. The answer will reveal itself."
***
"A dragonfly."
In the dense mountain forest several miles away, Qin Jiuye spoke the answer with total confidence. The people on horseback ahead of her all fell into a collective silence.
After a long while, Jiang Xin’er was the first to voice her doubt.
"How is that possible? The Jitian Sword is the treasure of the Kunxu Sect. Its name was bestowed by the late Emperor. It wouldn't be too much to carve dragons or krakens upon it, but why a mere insect?"
As Jiang Xin’er spoke, Teng Hu followed suit.
"You didn't hear this from that storyteller friend of yours, did you? Long tongues and short sights—you truly are two of a kind."
Qin Jiuye yawned, too lazy to bicker.
"Believe it or not. Regardless, I saw it with my own eyes."
Not just seen with her eyes, but "felt with her own hand."
Qin Jiuye loosened her grip on the reins and instinctively looked at her palm.
There was nothing there now, but back when she had followed Qiu Ling onto Qionghu Island, he had handed her the end of his scabbard to hold while crossing a stone bridge. At the time, she had been nervous because of the Treasure Mirage Pavilion and the Chuanliu Academy; her palms had been sweaty, and she had gripped it tightly. When she let go, she realized a red mark had been left in her palm.
It was the shape of a dragonfly.
The Jitian Sword might indeed be extraordinary, but she felt that the dragonfly was by no means unworthy of it. On the contrary, it perfectly complemented the name "Lord of Broken Jade." Many years later, she would still remember the way he looked stepping onto Qionghu Island—dressed in green, upright as a pine, with a dragonfly resting on his pristine sword, its wings poised for flight.
"The Lord of Broken Jade is a man of lofty character. Forget his personal sword, he doesn't even let people get close to his person. How exactly did Sister see it with her own eyes?"
Li Qiao’s voice rang out beside her. Qin Jiuye felt a sudden, inexplicable pang of guilt. Before she could make up an excuse, Teng Hu spoke up with a sarcastic tone.
"A village doctor with crude knowledge—she only knows one or two stories about the martial world. If you keep pressing her, you'll only make her lose face."
Qin Jiuye took the opening to breathe and immediately said with a grin.
"Mister Teng Hu is exceptionally talkative today. If you can't answer, just admit defeat. Or perhaps you should pose a question and let's see whose knowledge is truly crude."
Teng Hu flared up in anger. His poison-tipped tongue moved as if he were about to dig up the criminal records of half the martial world.
The road into the mountains was long, and this was merely a game to pass the time. Qin Jiuye didn't take it to heart. As a new round of bickering began, everyone's attention shifted elsewhere.
***
The unsheathed Jitian Sword was lightly turned by that withered hand. As if it had a mind of its own, the snow-bright blade pierced the gloom before dawn and pointed straight ahead.
"You broke the precept."
Qiu Ling remained motionless, allowing the cold blade to rest against his chest.
"Disciple has held fast to his heart. I dare not forget it, day or night."
Yuan Zhiyi snorted coldly. He threw the sword back with a reverse grip, and his other hand, holding the scabbard, rose to meet the flying blade. The sword vanished into the scabbard in an instant, like a silver dragon entering the water. The resulting gust of wind tossed the young disciple’s hair, making his appearance seem even more disheveled.
"Then why has the Red Seal on the chape disappeared?"
Qiu Ling finally moved, but only to cast a fleeting glance at the pristine sword before quickly lowering his head again.
"Perhaps it is because I have been traveling with the sword for years. It must have worn away unintentionally..."
"Nonsense!" The white-bearded old man’s hair seemed to stand on end, as if they weren't discussing a sword fitting but a matter of national survival. "The Red Seal is made with a secret technique unique to Kunxu. How could it be easily erased? I haven't seen you for only a few years, and you've already learned to lie to your Master!"
As his roar faded, Qiu Ling’s expression changed. His jade-pale face instantly flushed red with shame. When he spoke, his voice was tight and strained.
"Disciple... Disciple has failed Master’s teachings. My sin is inexcusable. I am willing to accept any punishment!"
His voice echoed among the cliffs for a long time before Yuan Zhiyi’s sigh reached him, heavy with disappointment.
"When I placed the Jitian Sword in your hands, what did I tell you?"
The scenes from the day he received the sword flashed before his eyes. Qiu Ling bowed his head and repeated every word perfectly.
"Master cautioned me that the Jitian Sword bears the grace of the Emperor and carries the responsibility of judging the pure from the corrupt. Its majesty must not be violated, its integrity must not be moved. It must not touch the blood of the innocent, nor be stained by the filth of power. It must never be held by any hand other than the bearer's. The Red Seal is the precept, to guard the heart day and night."
The Red Seal was impervious to fire and water, truly difficult to erase. But this seemingly stubborn seal actually required only the warmth of a palm to fade away.
And this secret was one that the talkative Master of Kunxu had never shared with his disciple.
Yuan Zhiyi opened one eye to peek at his disciple’s expression, his voice still full of authority.
"Since you broke the precept, you must be punished. But before you receive your punishment, shouldn't you confess to your Master what exactly happened?"
The third son of Kunxu was the most respectful of his master and his teachings. Compared to the rebellious eldest disciple, the cold second disciple, and the slippery youngest disciple, the Lord of Broken Jade could be described as nothing less than honest and loyal. Yet now, he refused to say another word, his slightly bowed figure as stubborn as a rock.
*The jade I carved myself—even if it's dull, I have to keep grinding,* Yuan Zhiyi thought. He held his breath and decided on a gradual approach.
"Is it a man or a woman?"
The other was silent for a moment before finally answering.
"A woman."
The stagnant air in Yuan Zhiyi’s lungs was swept away. He felt as if he had come back to life.
"A woman! That’s good! Quick, tell me, what kind of woman is she? Where is she from? What does she do? Is she betrothed? Does she like sweet or salty food? How long have you known each other? How far have things progressed..."
Stunned for a moment, Qiu Ling finally looked up. Seeing the excitement on his master’s face, where was there any sign of wanting to punish him? Realizing he had been played again, he became somewhat helpless.
"Master, it’s not what you think..."
"If it’s not what I think, then what is it? Do you not like her?"
For the first time, the Lord of Broken Jade’s cold, jade-like face took on a different color. His voice was also strange.
"...I do."
Yuan Zhiyi looked at the expression on his disciple’s face. In an instant, he felt his heart bloom with joy, as if his cultivation had jumped ten years.
"What is the problem? Is there any problem your Master cannot solve? There is nothing in this world I cannot fix!"
"She does not like me."
The white-bearded old man’s finger, which had been pointing to the sky, curled back. His bristling hair and beard instantly smoothed down.
That was indeed... something he couldn't fix.
After a long while, he sat back down on the cold, hard rocks like a lump of over-proofed dough, collapsing back into his original shape. Only this time, his gaze was much more hollow, and his voice carried a hint of sorrow.
"My poor disciple, what a bitter life you lead. It is my fault. Had I known, I shouldn't have focused solely on teaching you swordsmanship. It would have been better to let your unreliable junior brother take you out to see the world..."
As he finished, there was a sob in his nose. A man in his eighties or nineties was about to cry like a child.
The stubborn rocks at the edge of the cliff became two. The morning light finally broke on the horizon, stretching the two shadows longer and longer, allowing the cold scent of loneliness to linger.
A hundred paces away, beneath a gnarled pine and jagged rocks, three people were squeezed onto a flat stone about a foot wide and ten feet long. They all looked toward the two figures on the cliff, each with their own thoughts.
"Hiding from me like that... he must be complaining to Master and speaking ill of me."
Cheng Yu narrowed her eyes, idly plucking at the bowstring peeking over her shoulder. Her tone didn't reveal whether she was actually complaining.
Beside her stood a handsome young man, standing in the wind with his hands behind his back and eyes closed. This was the eldest disciple of Kunxu, Weng Xiaohai.
"San-lang never slanders others behind their backs. If you don't believe it, go closer and listen."
The third person, sitting in a crouch, laughed immediately. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, dressed like a shepherd boy, with a deep dimple in his left cheek when he smiled.
"Senior Sister is just annoyed that Junior Brother isn't on her side. But I think this matter has nothing to do with her." Jiufang Qingqing shook his head and sighed meaningfully. "What use is being good at the sword? What use is being a high official? If you can't even stay with the person you love, as a member of Kunxu, he is a total failure."
As soon as he said this, the two beside him looked over simultaneously.
"Do tell."
"Come closer." Jiufang Qingqing beckoned with a finger, his voice dropping lower and lower. "Didn't we just pass by the Chuanliu Academy? I heard some interesting things..."
The wind was strong. The master and disciple on the cliff could not hear the whispers in the wind—or perhaps their minds were elsewhere, and they couldn't have listened even if they tried.
After an unknown amount of time, the sorrow eased slightly with the shedding of tears. Yuan Zhiyi pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose, finally speaking in a muffled voice.
"Do you know why a dragonfly is carved on your chape, and not something else?"
Qiu Ling’s expression remained quiet. He didn't understand why his master was weeping, but he felt the emotion behind it. He paused before speaking cautiously.
"Senior Sister once said that a dragonfly represents lightness. Master hoped I would carry forward the Kunxu sword style, which emphasizes 'the sword moving with lightness,' so you carved it on my chape to remind me at all times."
"Your Senior Sister has been spending too much time with those people from the academies lately. Her ability to talk nonsense has grown too fast; she’s led you right into a ditch." Yuan Zhiyi was clearly dissatisfied with this answer and turned to look at him again. "Your Senior Sister is your Senior Sister. What do you think yourself?"
Qiu Ling paused and said truthfully.
"Dragonflies are not rare; they are often seen by mountain streams. I thought Master wanted me to remain vigilant and keep improving, not to become arrogant or complacent..."
"In your eyes, am I such a rigid and boring person who only knows how to preach?"
Yuan Zhiyi spread his hands in indignation. The bewildered disciple could only lower his head again.
"Disciple is dull. I ask Master to enlighten me."
The horizon grew brighter. Yuan Zhiyi’s long breath released a wisp of fine mist into the wind.
"I carved the dragonfly for this sword and gave it to you because I hoped that one day you could truly take off your Moon Armor and live another kind of light and free life. Placing the Red Seal on that chape was not to set a precept for you, but a test—to see if you had the courage to break the rules and cut off the past. Unfortunately, over these past years, you have been bound by your old life for too long. You didn't even have the courage to wipe away that tiny red dot."
Another kind of life?
But Master... perhaps he was born unworthy of such a life.
"Everything I have done was of my own free will. No one forced me to choose this, and I do not regret it."
"Asceticism does not necessarily increase one's power. Suffering does not necessarily wash away one's sins. Walking alone does not necessarily mean living freely. When I was young, I also wanted to seek the ultimate realm, only to find in the end that whether one pursues the throne or lets go of everything, there is no difference in status or merit. It is not easy to live between heaven and earth; those who can live according to their hearts are the true masters. I hope that one day you can have a life that belongs to you, regardless of whether that life is what you expected."
The cold wind blew the fuzzy seeds of the withered grass on the cliff, flying like reed blossoms toward the brightening distance.
A dragonfly can rise with the wind and move with such agility because it is as light as a feather.
Small and fragile, yet able to dance upon the edge of a blade.
Just like her.
This was the true reason why, in countless inadvertent moments in the past, he had been involuntarily drawn to her.
It turned out that what she possessed was the very method of liberation he had been seeking all along. Even if she no longer felt romantic love for him, during the days she had burst into his world with her kindness, she had unknowingly erased the heavy fate that had suppressed him for over a decade.
The distant sky was now fully bright. Beneath the precipice, amidst a patch of wild grass, a figure was constantly stomping his feet and rubbing his hands. Hearing movement, he turned around; it was Lu Zican.
The cold wind made his nose run. He huddled his burly frame behind the grass and rocks. Seeing his Protector returning alone, he hurried forward to meet him.
"Is all well, Protector?"
Qiu Ling’s face seemed covered in a layer of frost. A conflict of difficult choices radiated from within, making him look heavier than ever before. But his mind remained clear. The moment he saw Lu Zican, he had already guessed part of the truth. He immediately asked instead of answering.
"Did something happen with Xu Qiuchi again?"
Though he knew this couldn't be hidden for long, Lu Zican clearly hadn't expected this moment to come so quickly. His face turned visibly red.
"The... the Second Young Master found a boat privately and left before dawn. Before he went, he asked me to give this to you." Lu Zican spoke with a slight stutter, then pulled something from his person and handed it over. "It is a map of the secret passage leading to the back mountain of the World’s Number One Villa. It was supposedly drawn by Gongzi Yan when he served as the Villa’s Shadow Envoy to capture escapees, and was later used by the Chuanliu Academy. The Second Young Master asked Miss Xin’er to obtain it. I don't know if it's real or fake, but I leave it to the Protector to decide."
He and Cheng Yu had just argued last night, and Yuan Zhiyi had just had a heart-to-heart with him at dawn, yet this item appeared before him neither too early nor too late. His dear brother’s mind was truly terrifyingly meticulous.
Qiu Ling took the map. He didn't check it immediately but looked up at Lu Zican.
"Why wait until now?"
"The Second Young Master repeatedly insisted that I must wait until the Protector was alone and away from the people of the Jinshi Bureau before handing it over. He also said..." His voice grew lower and lower, but he finally plucked up the courage to continue. "...He also said that the Protector has been hesitating for too long and has already missed too many opportunities."
Yuan Zhiyi knew the Lord of Broken Jade best, but only the Lord of Broken Jade himself knew that the Second Young Master of the Qiu family knew his elder brother best of all.
The two people who knew him best in this world had, on the same day and at the same hour, delivered the same message to him.
The surroundings fell silent for a moment. A moment later, Qiu Ling’s voice rang out again, with a touch of authority added to his fatigue.
"Whose adjutant are you exactly? To whom do you owe your loyalty? Since when do you take orders from him and act as his messenger?"
"Protector, please calm your anger! Zican is willing to accept any punishment, it’s just... it’s just..." Lu Zican immediately bowed to ask for forgiveness, his voice trembling with urgency. "Sigh, I haven't had much schooling and can't explain the grand principles, but I have seen what the Second Young Master spoke of with my own eyes. You always carry everything in your heart, feeling that no one else can share your burden. You always shoulder it alone—when will there ever be an end to it..."
"If I said that even I do not know where the road ahead leads, would you still be willing to follow?" Qiu Ling’s voice came through the wind, desolate yet resolute. "Even if I no longer wear this Moon Armor, no longer carry the water-blue jade of the General’s Mansion, and can no longer call myself a Protector—would you still be willing?"
The north wind passed between the two, blowing Lu Zican’s unkempt beard into even greater disarray.
But his eyes were so firm, showing not a hint of wavering or retreat.
"I began following the Protector at the age of twenty-three; it has been six years. The Sitie Camp looked down on my origins, mocking me as a boor who only knew how to raise horses. It was the Protector who personally brought me out, took me to investigate cases, gave me a saber forged from meteoric iron, and entrusted me with his confidence. Lu Zican has no way to repay this. In this life, no matter where the Protector goes, what his identity is, or whether he can still enter the palace or the battlefield, Lu Zican is willing to follow for a lifetime, through life or death!"
"Good." Qiu Ling reached up and unbuckled his fastenings. His armor instantly fell away. "Then come with me to a certain place first. I hope they haven't gone too far."
***
Qin Jiuye sneezed loudly and instinctively looked behind her.
The path they had traveled was instantly swallowed by wild grass and forest shadows; the road ahead was also a vast, endless stretch. Ancient trees that blotted out the sun completely occupied the entire mountain range. Unlike the deep mountains of Juchao, which looked dangerous at a glance, Yichun was a place of layered peaks and elegant valleys, a favorite spot for scholars to climb since ancient times.
However, this beautiful place had been taken over by the World’s Number One Villa. Forget ordinary travelers; even reclusive martial artists would never take this route. Over time, the trees here had grown wild, their tangled roots covering the entire valley. The deeper they went, the less footing there was. After some deliberation, the group decided to dismount and proceed on foot.
Tigers and wolves roamed the mountains at night, so the horses couldn't be tied too tightly; they could only leave some temporary markers. However, Qin Jiuye highly doubted if those markers would be of any use or if they could find their way back. Thinking of how the scarred Li Qiao and Li Qingdao had traveled through such forests for days to escape the Villa’s clutches, she felt a different sensation in her heart.
The sun had risen, but walking in the forest still felt dark. The mountainside was right before them. Qin Jiuye looked up and suddenly saw a light, like a pale moon that had fallen into the pitch-black forest.
But it was daytime; there was no moon in the sky.
The group walked dozens more paces toward the light before they finally saw the "moon" clearly.
It was a lantern hanging high on a towering tree. The style of the lantern was very peculiar—layered, complex, and exquisite, like a lotus flower emitting a ghostly glow, blooming quietly in the dark forest.
If one only caught a fleeting glimpse, an unknowing passerby might think this was a guiding light left by that righteous Villa Master for those who had lost their way. But if one drew closer and looked up, anyone who saw the lantern clearly would feel their hair stand on end and break into a cold sweat.
The forest was deathly silent. Everyone stopped involuntarily, their eyes fixed on the giant white lantern.
Years of wind and rain had stripped away its outer paper, revealing the frame beneath. Upon closer inspection, there wasn't a single bamboo slat; instead, it was made of human bones—long or short, thick or thin, yellowish-white or pale gray, all densely pieced and tied together. The body of the lantern was made only from human radii and ulnae, while the long tassels were strung from finger bones. When the wind blew, the bones clattered against each other, sounding like the whispers of resentful ghosts.
Since the day those two defectors left, this bone lantern had burned brightly in the back mountains. Every bone in the lantern came from the rebels who followed. They were either martial heroes who had dared to intrude or nameless nobodies who had tried to flee. Whether they carried hatred or sought hope, they had ultimately vanished in the depths of this silent, man-eating valley. Not even a whole corpse remained; they had merely become one of these countless pale bones, reduced to being the Villa Master’s minion ghosts to warn the world.
There were no bright lights in the mountains, only the final warning from Di Mo, Master of the World’s Number One Villa, to those who trespassed. It warned them that the master of the villa had already perceived everything; his eyes were always watching them from the darkness, and his shadow could descend at any moment.
It was one thing to be determined to storm the enemy’s nest, but at the moment of stepping before the gates of hell, any human would still tremble.
Especially those who had once been inside and nearly became one of the thousands of wronged souls.
The youth did not move. His expression was hidden in the shadows of the trees, with only the beads of cold sweat on his brow betraying his state of mind.
He desperately hoped someone would break the silence, even if it was just a sigh or a cough.
As if something had sensed his wish, a faint sound came from the air. From far to near, it was the sound of an insect flapping its wings.
It was a small insect that had already lost its green color. Its brownish-yellow body signaled that its death was imminent, yet it still flapped its wings unhurriedly, dragging its failing body past the bone lantern to rest on a small plant not far ahead.
Once it landed, it moved no more, crouching quietly on the tip of a leaf until the frost completely crawled over its body, merging it with the entire forest.
Footsteps finally rang out again. The petite woman walked step by step to the small insect, then looked up at the giant bone lantern above. After examining it carefully, she sighed from the bottom of her heart.
"Setting up a sign is one thing, but when I opened Guoran Ju, why didn't I think of doing something like this?"
She was clearly the only one among them who knew no martial arts and had no reputation in the martial world, yet her words carried the weight of a thousand catties. No one dared to respond; no one could.
Perhaps feeling it was boring that no one echoed her, she continued seriously.
"If I had put up a sign like this, not only would those violent martial artists have come for the fame, but everyone in the surrounding villages wouldn't have dared to buy on credit or owe me money anymore."
Teng Hu finally curled his lip and said coolly.
"It’s not too late now. Just consider it a learning experience."
"If you want to turn back, there’s still time." Jiang Xin’er’s voice came from behind. Her clothes were covered in grass from the journey, but she didn't care; her eyes were fixed on the bone lantern. "The Villa Master set this up seven years ago. Every year, the lantern grows a bit larger, but it has never gone out in these mountains."
In truth, even if Jiang Xin’er hadn't spoken, everyone understood the meaning of the bone lantern: once certain lines were crossed, there was no room for turning back. Whether it was intruding into the World’s Number One Villa or facing the past shared with its people.
"Your Villa Master’s craftsmanship is indeed not bad, but I have seen too many skeletons; these things mean nothing to me." Qin Jiuye lowered her head, no longer looking at the thing hanging high above. "Besides, we business people in Jiugao understand one principle: if you want to do business for a long time, these kinds of sensationalist tricks will be exposed sooner or later. Whether it is a beautiful skin covering rotten bones, one must visit in person to find out."
Everyone remained silent, yet everyone clearly said something in unison.
A thousand words transformed into a whistling sound that flew straight toward the high-hanging bone lantern.
If those who died wrongly truly lingered as ghosts, let these spirits follow their footsteps and embark on the final path of resistance.
Falling leaves drifted down, burying the scattered white bones. The "moon" that had shone for seven years was severed with a single strike, seemingly signaling that the eternal night shrouding the entire martial world was about to end.
***
### Glossary
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
渂江 | Min River | A river mentioned in the text.
兴寿镇 | Xingshou Town | A town near the cliffs.
昆墟 | Kunxu | The sect Qiu Ling belongs to.
稽天剑 | Jitian Sword | Qiu Ling's sword, a treasure of Kunxu.
剑珌 | Chape | The decorative fitting at the bottom of a sword scabbard.
红障 | Red Seal | A special seal/mark on the Jitian Sword.
蜻蛉 | Dragonfly | The design carved on the sword's chape.
翁小海 | Weng Xiaohai | The eldest disciple of Kunxu.
九方青青 | Jiufang Qingqing | A younger disciple of Kunxu, dressed as a shepherd boy.
夷春 | Yichun | The region where the World's Number One Villa is located.
果然居 | Guoran Ju | Qin Jiuye's business/inn.
骨灯 | Bone Lantern | A gruesome warning made of human remains.
