On the other side of the secret door, Qin Jiuye pressed herself tightly against the stone, her limbs splayed as if trying to merge with the wall. She listened intently for a long time, but not a single sound reached her ears.
The mechanism for opening and closing this hidden door was clearly complex. She spent a good while searching for a trigger, but to no avail.
*Croak.*
The culprit behind her predicament let out a loud cry from behind her. She turned to look at the frog; its throat sac pulsed, and its dull, bulging eyes seemed to be either glaring at her or simply staring into space.
"What are you looking at?"
A sudden, inexplicable surge of irritation rose within Qin Jiuye. She stepped forward and snatched up the tiny frog.
It was a common forest frog, non-venomous and barely larger than a thumbnail.
As the forest frog kicked its legs in struggle, Qin Jiuye loosened her grip. The creature fell from her hand and hopped away, disappearing into the shadows.
Staring at the residual slime on her fingers, Qin Jiuye finally realized what that strange scent she had smelled among the rows of lamp-bearing statues before entering the Dongzhu Pavilion was. It was the scent of toad venom. Though it had been diluted by the smell of lamp oil, it was still distinguishable.
And toad venom was an ingredient in Qingfeng Powder.
According to Jiang Xin’er, the Dongzhu Pavilion clearly did not welcome uninvited disciples. Recalling Di Mo’s endless array of schemes, Qin Jiuye could almost guess the intent behind this setup.
Toad venom was toxic, and its effects varied; some types caused paralysis, while others induced hallucinations. Di Mo had mixed the venom into the oil of those lamp-bearers, allowing it to vaporize as the lamps burned, invisibly poisoning anyone who passed through. This method of poisoning was subtle and might not significantly affect an ordinary person, but for a villa disciple who had consumed Qingfeng Powder, the toxin would likely trigger deep-seated hallucinations.
A sense of foreboding welled up in Qin Jiuye’s heart. Perhaps in the eyes of someone poisoned, this tiny forest frog would appear as a terrifying monster. That would explain why the youth following her had suddenly frozen in his tracks. Though she was consumed by worry and anxiety, the path back would not open anytime soon. Rather than waiting in place, it was better to find another way out. She had likely entered the core area of the Dongzhu Pavilion; perhaps she could even find Zuo Ci’s belongings along the way.
With this thought, Qin Jiuye mimicked the movements of seasoned martial artists, lowering her body and treading lightly on the balls of her feet as she began to cautiously scout her surroundings.
She was inside an octagonal pavilion. Calling it a pavilion felt somewhat inaccurate, as there were no windows on any side, only a single square skylight directly overhead.
Light fell from above, illuminating an endless vista of partition doors and corridors. Towering, pillar-like cabinets and shelves reached toward the ceiling, with intricate wooden staircases spiraling between them. Every available space was crammed with ancient texts. Many of those piled at the bottom had already begun to rot and decay. Qin Jiuye picked up a book at random and flipped through it, finding it to be an internal cultivation manual she couldn't quite understand. Although she wasn't a member of the martial world, she could infer from the sheer scale of the collection that this place was indeed a microcosm of centuries of martial history. However...
She sniffed the air. There was a foul, damp smell of rot, meaning this was a poor environment for preserving books. Even Lady Feng’s tiny bookstore was better kept than this.
Or perhaps the master of this pavilion had gathered the world’s martial arts here not out of a desire to preserve them, but to let them rot away in obscurity. The martial sects named in those ancient texts had long since vanished; their names would be buried in this massive cage along with their lost techniques.
*Tap, tap, tap.*
A faint sound of footsteps flickered past not far behind her.
Startled, Qin Jiuye immediately dropped the book and ducked behind the nearest cabinet. She peered through the gaps in the shelves, trying to identify the source of the sound.
*Tap, tap, tap.*
The sound rang out again, closer this time.
Qin Jiuye carefully removed a needle-tipped hairpin from her hair and gripped it tightly, holding her breath.
Finally, she saw the figure. It was a man with disheveled hair and a scruffy beard, dragging his feet in loose shoes. The sword hanging at his waist was unremarkable, but his filthy clothes looked somewhat familiar, as if she had seen them somewhere before. Yet, logically, there shouldn't be anyone she knew in the Number One Villa under Heaven.
A moment later, the man seemed to sense her gaze and suddenly turned his head.
Qin Jiuye stared blankly at his face, only managing to recognize a shadow of his former self after a long moment.
"Xie Xiu?"
Xie Xiu froze as well, seemingly having not heard his own name for a very long time. After a pause, he shuffled toward her.
A stench of decay and sour sweat wafted over her, far worse than even Old Dog Du’s scent. Qin Jiuye furrowed her brows, but before she could speak, he closed the distance.
"Who are you? Why haven't I seen you before?" He spoke with a vacant expression that flickered with madness. "Is it time for the Sword Appreciation Assembly again? Are you the new Gong Striker? What did the Villa Master reward you with..."
He rambled incoherently before lunging forward to grab her shoulder.
A martial artist’s grip was terrifyingly strong. Startled, Qin Jiuye instantly swung her needle. Xie Xiu felt half his arm go numb and let go with a cry of pain. As he stumbled back, something tucked in his robes fell to the floor.
Xie Xiu shrieked, no longer caring about Qin Jiuye. He lunged to the side, frantically picking up the object and desperately wiping away a speck of dust. He then clutched it tightly in his palm, muttering incessantly.
"Mine, it's mine... everything here is mine..."
Though it was only for a fleeting moment, Qin Jiuye had seen clearly what he was clutching so tightly.
It was the Lotus Token Di Mo had bestowed upon him.
According to the rumors of the outside world, the Number One Villa under Heaven was a place where Di Mo rewarded rising stars of the martial world. Young warriors who received the Lotus Token could freely enter and exit the Dongzhu Pavilion to study the manuals within and refine their cultivation, hoping to one day become the next generation of grandmasters.
However, the reality before her eyes was the exact opposite of those external fantasies. In just a few short months, the brilliant young talent who had taken the top prize at the Sword Appreciation Assembly had become a madman within the Dongzhu Pavilion. With matted hair and filthy clothes, he looked as if he hadn't touched water in a month. His eyes were clouded, devoid of the passion and aspiration he had shown when he first held the Lotus Token. His senses and spirit had succumbed to obsession; he could no longer perceive the beauty of the world, seeing only the token in his hand. His life was utterly lost within this valley, and he was destined to rot into the fertile mud of the lotus ponds.
There was never a "Number One" in the Number One Villa under Heaven—only madmen who deluded themselves into thinking they could become it.
"Are you the only one here? Have you seen the Villa Master..."
She tried to question him, thinking she might gather information without moving around, but he suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Shh." Xie Xiu lowered his voice, his tone filled with an irrepressible tension. "I just found my way to this seventeenth floor. If the others hear..."
Others? Who else was here?
Before Qin Jiuye could ask, a shadow suddenly appeared in the square patch of light at the top of the pavilion. A strange, raspy voice rang out.
"Are you the person the Villa Master told me to wait for?"
It was a youth of about fifteen or sixteen, standing high above with the light at his back. Though his face was unfamiliar, the moment he looked at her, she felt as if she were seeing that youth named Yuxiao again.
"What is so special about you that you can command both Jia Thirteen and the Lord of Broken Jade?"
Qin Jiuye couldn't see his expression, but she could feel the coldness in his gaze as he sized her up.
"Who sent you to stand guard here? Di Mo or Ding Miao?"
"The Shadow Envoy?" The youth laughed contemptuously. Instead of showing restraint, his expression became even more crazed. "Lord Shadow Envoy fell from favor long ago. I’m the one in charge of this villa now!"
Even if Ding Miao and Di Mo had a falling out, the latter wouldn't employ such a green and manic person. Since they had entered the villa, this was the first disciple they had encountered. Where had everyone else gone? Something was definitely wrong.
Qin Jiuye swallowed hard, her eyes discreetly searching for an escape route while she feigned confusion.
"Where are the others? You're not just a general without an army, are you?"
"I am enough. Those old fogies were sent out of the villa; it's finally my turn to be useful. If I do well this time, the Villa Master will surely appreciate me. When he does, I will be the next Shadow Envoy. Thousands of disciples will be at my command, and those old bastards in the martial world will have to bow and scrape before me."
He was immersed in the pleasure of his sudden rise to power. His perception and experience were insufficient to allow him to step back and consider his true situation. Qin Jiuye knew that no matter what she said, it wouldn't change anything. She knew a fierce battle was inevitable.
"But keeping you alive is useless now. Killing you, however, will make for a good show." Having said that, he seemed to lose interest entirely. He spoke into the damp, foul-smelling void, "Whoever kills her, I shall grant them the Fushi Heart Technique."
The youth's voice echoed through the pavilion, the lingering sound gradually becoming distorted.
A chill ran down Qin Jiuye’s spine. As if to confirm her ominous premonition, countless shadows poked their heads out from the corridors and among the scrolls. Their faces were blurred, but their greedy, manic gazes were sharp and relentless. Whispers echoed throughout the pavilion, mingled with the faint sound of weapons scraping against wood.
She finally understood what "the others" Xie Xiu had mentioned referred to.
As expected, Xie Xiu wasn't the only madman in the Dongzhu Pavilion.
Qin Jiuye cursed under her breath. Without a second thought, she turned and bolted.
The speed of martial artists was terrifying. She was no match for those shadows, so she could only constantly adjust her direction and change her route. In her haste, she slammed into a pile of books taller than a person. With a loud crash, ancient texts scattered, accompanied by a cloud of moldy dust. Qin Jiuye glanced sideways and was horrified to see a set of bleached white bones revealed beneath the collapsed pile.
The skeletal hand, still clinging to bits of rotting flesh, also gripped a Lotus Token. Until the very last moment of death, he had never let go of his obsession with becoming the greatest in the world. For every Lotus Token Di Mo had given out, a vibrant soul had been buried here.
In her momentary distraction, a burly man wielding twin hammers leaped in front of her with a grotesque cry. Startled, Qin Jiuye tripped and fell. Just as she was about to meet her end, a blur appeared before her eyes, and the man, along with his hammers, was sent flying.
It was the swordplay of the Qiushan Sect. Though somewhat distorted, it still retained a hint of its former glory.
Qin Jiuye turned to look; Xie Xiu had actually been following her.
She looked surprised, and he stared back at her blankly. Then, he looked down at the sword in his hand and murmured as if in a dream.
"To slaughter a defenseless person... how is that the act of a hero? But... but it wasn't easy for me to get to where I am today..."
Xie Xiu hadn't been in the pavilion for long; a lingering trace of pride as a former head disciple remained in his mind. However, this pride was locked in a struggle with his burgeoning desires, making him appear even more pitiful than the total madmen.
"Come with me."
Qin Jiuye gritted her teeth and reached out to pull him up.
However, Xie Xiu shook off her hand like a demon, holding up his Lotus Token and screaming as he ran in the opposite direction.
Whether it was because he had neglected his swordsmanship or because he had suffered a cultivation deviation, Xie Xiu's strike just now had been weak. The burly man he had knocked aside quickly scrambled back up. Qin Jiuye couldn't afford to delay. Drawing inspiration from her earlier flight, she pushed over another towering pile of ancient books and shouted as she ran.
"The Andao Military Manual! He found the Andao Military Manual!"
The Fushi Heart Technique was already a legend; she simply plucked a name from the stories she had heard from Old Tang. It was a desperate move made in the heat of the moment, but those madmen had completely lost their ability to discern truth from lies. Immediately, a dozen people dove into the pile of books like a pack of wolves onto a bone, fighting with bloodshot eyes. The scent of blood instantly filled the air. Qin Jiuye was too terrified to look back, using the opportunity to run for her life.
However, no matter how she changed direction or hid her figure, the arrogant enemy remained high above, looking down on her every move. No sooner had she broken through one encirclement than she was caught again. The youth didn't seem in a hurry to kill her; he simply enjoyed the feeling of commanding others and toying with his prey. In this pavilion, he had been granted infinite power over life and death. This was the most enjoyable moment of his life, and he didn't want it to end so quickly.
Sensing his malice, Qin Jiuye did the opposite of what was expected and began to climb toward the upper floors of the pavilion. When she first entered, she had noticed that the spiraling wooden stairs offered brief blind spots at every corner. Timing it perfectly, she shook off the last shadow behind her and dove into a gap between cabinets she had scouted earlier. Being small and thin, she squeezed into the crawlspace and instantly "vanished" from the pavilion.
The footsteps of the "madmen" paced outside. The one giving orders leaped down, intentionally dragging the tip of his whip on the floor to create a piercing sound, like a demon's claws scratching at the depths of one's heart.
"I’ve already seen you. If you don't come out now, you'll suffer for it later."
*Coming out now is what would lead to suffering. I'm not stupid,* she thought. She wasn't about to run out on her own.
Qin Jiuye held her breath and curled herself further into the corner, practicing the "art of the hiding turtle."
Though the enemy was fierce, he lacked experience. He hadn't expected a weak woman with no martial arts knowledge to be so good at hiding or so adept at using underhanded tricks. He overturned several areas and used verbal threats, but failed to scare her out.
However, he had come prepared. He pulled something out and waved it in the air.
"Don't you want Zuo Ci’s things? If you don't come out, I'll burn this to ashes."
Qin Jiuye froze, peering through the gap.
The light in the pavilion was dim, and she was quite far away. She could only see what looked like half a roll of a manuscript; she couldn't make out anything else.
Reason told her that even as bait, Di Mo likely wouldn't entrust such an item to a mere child. But after witnessing the chaos in this villa, she wasn't so sure.
One thing was certain: since Di Mo had mentioned Zuo Ci to the youth, he clearly expected them to come for it. No matter what "grand gift" he had prepared, she could only deal with it as it came. After all, they had gone through so much to get here for that very item. Since she was alone, she didn't dare bet everyone's hopes on another possibility.
Quickly weighing her options, Qin Jiuye spoke in a low voice.
"You should know I didn't come alone. If you take that out now, aren't you afraid I'll call for reinforcements?"
"Your friends are quite busy. I doubt they'll have time for you for the rest of their lives."
As the youth spoke, he was already at her hiding spot. He sneered at the hem of her robe visible through the gap and struck. The long whip lashed down, splitting the cabinet in two, but instead of the expected scream, a thick cloud of smoke erupted. The dust was extremely fine; although he quickly covered his face and held his breath, he was a step too late. His throat, nasal passages, and even his eyes began to burn with stinging pain.
A scream rang out as expected, but it came from his own throat.
Only when the movement within the smoke had completely ceased did Qin Jiuye dare to cautiously poke her head out.
During her stay in Xingshou Town, she hadn't been idle. Not only had she made many potent medicines, but she had also taken the time to improve the smoke pellets she had acquired at Qingyang Market. She had added stinging chili powder and medicinal dust. One of these pellets could not only obscure vision over a wide area but also cause significant suffering to anyone caught in the smoke.
Now, all she had to do was wait in a safe place. Wait for the enemy to be thrown into chaos and rendered immobile, then seize the opportunity to move...
*Snap.*
A crimson whip darted out of the smoke like a venomous snake, accurately coiling around her neck.
The owner of the whip emerged, his eyes and nose a bright, irritated red. His veins bulged and pulsed beneath his skin due to the Qingfeng Powder he had just consumed, turning his young, handsome face into a hideous mask of rage.
"Insignificant tricks, yet you dare flaunt them before me."
He approached step by step, forcing her to the edge of the suspended wooden staircase until she had nowhere left to retreat.
The madmen clutching their Lotus Tokens cheered and shrieked below, celebrating the impending execution. The youth with the whip gave her a wicked smile and shoved her. Her body lost its balance, hanging in mid-air three stories up, supported only by her toes and the whip around her neck.
The crimson whip tightened around her throat. A searing pain and the sensation of suffocation washed over her. She clawed futilely at the whip with both hands, but her gaze suddenly froze.
She recognized this whip. It was almost identical to the weapon Yuxiao wore at his waist.
In this villa, no blade or sword belonged to a master forever. Like the martial arts manuals in this massive pavilion, they were merely props used to decorate cold-blooded killers.
"Why have you stopped talking? Weren't you quite eloquent just now?"
The youth's cackling laughter rang in her ear.
He was younger than Yuxiao, but even more vicious. He was like a rabid dog that had never been released from its cage, now preparing to torture and tear apart his first prey.
Suffocation blurred her vision. In a daze, she seemed to see familiar moonlight streaming down from the skylight above.
Pure and cold, yet capable of dispelling all dark and evil auras.
She closed her eyes and spoke with difficulty.
"You aren't as handsome as Yuxiao, and your skills are far clumsier."
The moment the venomous words left her mouth, the pressure on her neck faltered. Qin Jiuye didn't need to open her eyes to guess his expression, but she was in no mood to appreciate it. Seizing the moment he was distracted by rage, she lashed out with a kick.
The kick wasn't much of a threat, but it landed squarely on his chest. Malice flared in the youth's eyes; with a flick of his wrist, he loosened the whip, and the woman fell from the heights like a tattered sack.
The wind whistled in her ears, tugging at her robes in the void. Beyond that, she felt no support.
In the next instant, a firm arm caught her sinking body and pulled her into a tight embrace. The two of them merged as one, using the momentum to swing onto the wooden stairs. She didn't understand high-level swordsmanship, but she recognized the light of the Jitian Sword as it left its scabbard, just as she knew its master. After their shared experiences on Qionghu Island, she and Qiu Ling had developed an extraordinary tacit understanding. Without a single word of communication, they had firmly seized control of the situation.
Seeing that single sword strike, the youth knew he was no match for this intruder. But he would not surrender easily. With a flick of his wrist, the tip of his whip bloomed like a lotus, revealing a poisoned needle hidden within the core.
The needle flew silently, but Qin Jiuye sensed the hidden glint. Memories of being hunted by the Ciyi Needles flooded her mind. Her body wasn't agile enough to dodge, but she instinctively cried out a warning.
"Watch out!"
This strike concentrated all of the attacker's obsession. Even though the whip was severed and the poisoned needle snapped in two, the sharp tip still flew forward. With a soft *ting*, something shattered.
Qin Jiuye hurriedly looked down but found no wound on Qiu Ling. However...
"Your jade..."
"Are you hurt?"
They spoke simultaneously, then paused in unison, giving each other a reassuring look.
Even without their deeper connection, they would have prioritized each other's safety in an instant, for that was simply who they were.
As the tremors of their narrow escape subsided, Qin Jiuye suddenly remembered something and pointed toward the outer secret door of the pavilion.
"Li Qiao... Li Qiao and Miss Jiang are still outside..."
Qiu Ling clearly understood her concern and replied briefly.
"I sent Zican to meet them. Don't worry."
Qin Jiuye nodded, finally feeling a sense of relief. She wanted to ask why he was here, but the movement behind them reminded her that now was not the time for talk.
The youth, his weapon destroyed, tried to push himself up, only to have his hand pinned down by a boot. A cold blade pressed against the back of his neck, forcing him to remain still.
"Where is Di Mo?"
Qiu Ling’s cold interrogation rang out. In this moment, his identities as the Lord of Broken Jade and the cold-faced supervisor merged, exerting a mountain-like pressure on the defeated youth.
The youth trembled, but chose to remain silent.
Qin Jiuye took the opportunity to snatch the manuscript pages the youth had been holding. She flipped through them quickly, then grabbed the youth's ear in a fit of rage.
"So young and already so crooked, using a few scraps of paper to swindle people! Di Mo is truly at his wit's end, sending a useless coward like you to take the fall."
The youth, who had seemed brave and unyielding moments ago, was provoked by her insults. He hissed through gritted teeth.
"The Villa Master trusts me most! That's why he promoted me from the B-rank camp in just one month! Those fools in the A-rank camp are nothing compared to me. The Villa Master even punished them for their failed mission..."
The previous mission... if she wasn't mistaken, the villa's recent missions were either related to Dingweng Village or Ding Miao.
Qin Jiuye’s heart stirred. She feigned contempt.
"You say Di Mo trusts you, yet you know nothing of the events at Dingweng Village. That's hardly convincing."
"The Villa Master’s grand plan isn't concerned with a tiny village! Let alone a village, when has the Number One Villa under Heaven ever cared about an entire sect? You care so much... could it be you've come for revenge?" The youth wasn't stupid; he realized something as he spoke. "So, are you going to kill me? If you want to do it, I suggest you hurry. If you don't have the guts, then get lost."
The youth laughed like a madman again, baring his teeth at her.
"You have the courage to come this far, but you don't even dare to kill. You deserve this! You deserve to never have your revenge, you deserve to be bullied, you deserve to drag down everyone around you..."
*Shing.*
The Jitian Sword flashed again, sinking into the youth's shoulder in an instant, cutting off his venomous curse.
"Your hands are for saving people. This is not what you are meant for."
Qin Jiuye looked deeply into Qiu Ling’s eyes and understood his concern. He feared she would lose herself to hatred and fall into an irredeemable abyss.
Back on Tan Duce’s ship, he had asked her about revenge, and at that time, she hadn't yet heard Ding Miao’s story from Prince Yan.
But even before entering the Chuanliu Academy, she hadn't believed she could find the true culprit in the Number One Villa under Heaven. Even if she did, killing a puppet like the person before her would bring no satisfaction. These people killed without reason; if she killed them, they wouldn't even know why they were dying.
They had killed too many people and made too many enemies; most of it meant nothing to them. It was like eating or sleeping—simply a part of life. Even if Qin Sanyou had truly died at the hands of the villa's assassins, the ones who carried out the order might not even remember killing such a man, let alone connect it to her revenge.
Killing wasn't her forte, which was why those people had bullied her. But she would settle this blood debt in her own way.
"I am indeed not skilled in this. I'll have to trouble the Supervisor to act on my behalf. Just don't take his life; after all, we aren't villains. We only want to ask him a question."
The woman's tone was annoyingly nonchalant. She stepped back as she spoke, as if afraid of being splashed with blood. For some reason, that look instantly reminded Qiu Ling of the time she had slapped Su Lin in the dungeon.
Fortunately, after everything she had been through, she hadn't changed. Fortunately, after hesitating for so long, he had made his choice and arrived here at the final moment.
Qiu Ling lowered his gaze, the last trace of warmth fading from his eyes. With a twist of his wrist, the Jitian Sword turned within the youth's body. The agonizing pain of flesh being carved from bone made the youth's eyes bulge, and his scream echoed throughout the Dongzhu Pavilion.
This was the first time he had shown his cruel side in front of her, but Qin Jiuye did not tremble.
In the face of madness and evil, no amount of harshness seemed enough.
"Where is Di Mo?"
The same question was asked again, but this time, the interrogator had little patience left.
The youth in the pool of blood clearly had a premonition. His dilating pupils stared at the sword embedded in his body. As he spoke, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"The Jitian Sword... you are the Lord of Broken Jade? If you had identified yourself earlier, you wouldn't have had to work so hard.
The Villa Master told me to tell you that he is waiting for you in the forbidden area of the West Sacrificial Tower. He wants you to go alone, or you can forget about getting what you want."
Di Mo had used this youth to deliver a message, meaning he had been certain Qiu Ling would appear. The sense of foreboding grew stronger. Qiu Ling understood that there must be a final reckoning between himself and this master of the Number One Villa under Heaven, who hailed from the Black Moon.
The Jitian Sword was withdrawn, letting out a clear ring as the blood was flicked away. It was then swiftly sheathed, appearing so clean that not a trace of blood remained.
"The moonlight is fine tonight. I'll let you live until dawn."
The Lord of Broken Jade didn't say what would happen here before dawn. But the things left unsaid were even more unsettling.
The youth hadn't expected this. In just a few moments, he had fallen from the "Master of the Pavilion" back to an insignificant villa disciple. No one cared about his fate, and they didn't even deign to explain the coming judgment. The mere thought that the place he relied on for his existence would be overturned or even destroyed filled him with a fear of the unknown that surpassed the pressure of death. He screamed hysterically, his voice full of resentment and madness.
"Kill me! Otherwise, I will definitely kill you! One day, I will definitely kill you all..."
Qin Jiuye had already decided to follow Qiu Ling, but she suddenly caught a faint, pungent scent. She was instantly alerted.
"Thunderfire!"
The two of them barely had time to throw themselves to the floor before a massive explosion erupted behind them. The blood-soaked youth and his unquenchable hatred vanished in a great ball of fire. Sparks flew in all directions, instantly igniting the piles of ancient manuals and secret texts. Everything that had cost untold time and labor, everything stained with the blood of the innocent and carrying the lifelong achievements of countless departed warriors, was swallowed by the flames.
"It seems my Senior Sister anticipated the Thunderfire. That's why she mobilized half the archers from the Bureau of Gold and Stone."
Qiu Ling’s voice was heavy as he pulled Qin Jiuye toward the outer layers of the pavilion. She couldn't hide her worry.
"If Di Mo is determined to fight to the death, even if they can be shot from a distance, the Thunderfire on these people won't be neutralized. Once a spark hits them, they'll explode instantly. When that happens..."
When that happens, she feared that both Zuo Ci’s notes and the Wild Fuzi would be reduced to ashes.
Qin Jiuye didn't voice the rest of her thoughts. She didn't know why Qiu Ling had suddenly appeared here, but she could see he was likely acting alone or had another mission. Her arrival with Teng Hu and the others had already interfered with the official plans; how could she trouble him with Zuo Ci’s affairs now?
"When that happens, this place will become a sea of fire." To her surprise, Qiu Ling already knew her concerns and finished her sentence. "So, we must retrieve Zuo Ci’s final letter before the Bureau of Gold and Stone arrives."
Qin Jiuye looked up sharply, her eyes filled with a mix of surprise and urgency.
"Did the Supervisor come early for this? It's not even certain if Zuo Ci mentioned the Wild Fuzi in his letter. Di Mo is cunning and deceitful; this might be a trap set specifically for you. Supervisor, please don't risk your future for this..."
"I am also doing this for myself." He gently pressed her shoulder, his grip light but firm. "This is the fate the Qiu family has always refused to face, and the shackles I have desperately tried to break. Di Mo is a remnant of the Black Moon. Before he is brought to justice, there must be a reckoning between us."
Qin Jiuye looked at his expression and saw an unshakeable resolve. She stopped wasting time trying to persuade him and simply nodded.
"The Supervisor will go to the West Sacrificial Tower for Di Mo, and I will go find Li Qiao and the others. No matter who succeeds first, we must meet up and leave this place together. It's a promise. If you don't come, San-lang, I will come looking for you."
He looked into her eyes and gave his first smile in a long time.
"Yes. It's a promise."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 林蛙 | Forest Frog | A common, non-venomous frog mentioned in the text. |
| 蟾酥 | Toad Venom / Bufotoxin | A toxic substance used in the villa's lamps to cause hallucinations. |
| 鸣金者 | Gong Striker | The title given to the winner of the Sword Appreciation Assembly. |
| 莲符 | Lotus Token | A token given by Di Mo to favored disciples, granting access to the pavilion. |
| 影使 | Shadow Envoy | A high-ranking position within the villa, currently in flux. |
| 西祭塔 | West Sacrificial Tower | The location where Di Mo is waiting for Qiu Ling. |
| 金石司 | Bureau of Gold and Stone | The government agency Qiu Ling serves. |
| 雷火 | Thunderfire | A type of explosive used by the villa's disciples. |
| 野馥子 | Wild Fuzi | A rare herb or substance the protagonists are searching for. |
| 拂石心法 | Fushi Heart Technique | A martial arts manual mentioned as a reward. |
| 安道兵谱 | Andao Military Manual | A legendary manual Qin Jiuye uses as a distraction. |
| 乙字营 | B-rank Camp | A division of disciples within the villa. |
| 甲字营 | A-rank Camp | A higher division of disciples within the villa. |
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