Outside Fachang Temple, Wugu stood before the gates, watching Leng Feiyan’s figure vanish into the distance.
The cold moon hung high in the sky. Master Xue Zhan asked, "Who is it that insists on hounding her to death?"
Wugu turned back and said, "Master Xue Zhan, I fear the Tower Master’s entry into the palace tonight will be fraught with peril." He pulled out a golden Swallow Buckle and said, "Please take this token and use it to ask for help from the Swallow’s Nest."
Master Xue Zhan looked down at the hidden weapon for a long while before saying, "She has already fled far away. How can she possibly quench this fire at the gates?"
Wugu replied, "She may not be able to resolve this immediate crisis, but at the very least, she can save Fachang Temple."
Xue Zhan was stunned.
Wugu said no more. He headed straight down the mountain, pursuing Leng Feiyan toward the royal palace. Xue Zhan intended to call out to him, but realized he did not even know the man's name. He looked at the Swallow Buckle in his hand; this hidden weapon, which struck fear into the hearts of the martial world, gave off a faint, gentle glow under the hazy moonlight. He called for a young novice and ordered him to go down the mountain to contact the people of the Swallow’s Nest.
Finding the Swallow’s Nest was not difficult; their contact stations could be found wherever thugs and vagabonds gathered. The little novice departed immediately.
Inside the Yan Palace, lanterns hung high in the dark night. Leng Feiyan leaped onto the palace walls. By now, Feng Ping would have surely made his preparations, waiting for her to walk into the trap. An item like the Blood-Fat Flower would undoubtedly be kept in the National Treasury. She did not linger, heading directly for the treasury.
Feng Ping knew the Imperial Guards could not stop her, but no matter how she entered the palace, her destination was fixed. The night was deep, and he had brought nearly all the Imperial Guards to surround the treasury.
Leng Feiyan watched from the roof ridges for a time. She was currently injured; if she tried to force her way in, not only would she fail to retrieve the flower, but she would likely perish there herself. But there was no time left.
As she frowned in thought, a figure suddenly appeared—dressed in night-traveler's garb and masked in black—and charged toward the treasury.
Leng Feiyan was startled, and Feng Ping was equally surprised. Then, overjoyed, Feng Ping immediately ordered his men to fire! The figure was struck by three arrows and slowly collapsed. Leng Feiyan froze as Feng Ping walked over triumphantly. "Leng Feiyan, so you have such a day as well?"
He bent down and tore away the black mask, only for his expression to change instantly. "Wugu?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Leng Feiyan’s sword was already at his ear. The hair on his neck stood on end, and the wound Wugu had previously inflicted on him began to bleed again. Leng Feiyan pressed hard against his wound; Feng Ping shuddered, his face turning pale.
"Leng Feiyan, how bold of you! To dare break into the palace at night and take the Commander of the Imperial Guards hostage?!" When he spoke again, his voice was laced with a hollow bravado. Leng Feiyan let out a cold laugh, her left hand exerting pressure. The blood from Feng Ping’s wound instantly soaked his clothes. She said, "Take me inside and hand over the Blood-Fat Flower."
Feng Ping gritted his teeth. "The keys are not with me."
Leng Feiyan thrust her sword into his abdomen. "Then what use do I have for you!"
Feng Ping’s intestines began to spill out. He hurriedly covered them with his hands as pain and terror suddenly enveloped him. He gritted his teeth, trying his best not to show fear before her. "I will take you in!"
Leng Feiyan raised her knee, slamming it into his stomach. "Stop your fucking nonsense!"
Feng Ping had intended to stall for time, but now he could no longer care for that. He led her to the great gates of the treasury. Usually, the keys were held by four Grand Attendants, and all four were required to open the gates together. But Leng Feiyan had her own way—the sword in her hand could truly cut through iron as if it were clay.
Carving a hole in the door large enough for one person to pass through was not too difficult. With a series of slashes and hacks, she soon hollowed out a passage. However, if she went in now, the archers outside only needed to guard this small hole; even if she had three heads and six arms, she might not be able to get out.
If she let Feng Ping go inside, he only had to hide, and she would be left to face thousands of Imperial Guards outside.
As she hesitated, Wugu, who was on the ground, forced himself to crawl up. Leng Feiyan was slightly stunned. He snapped off the arrow shafts in his body and, without looking at her, gritted his teeth and silently crawled through the hole. Feng Ping’s face paled; he wanted to speak, but looking at the blood-red blade before him, he didn't dare open his mouth.
Leng Feiyan glanced at the wounds on Wugu's body and said, "Open the door first once you're inside."
Wugu gave a muffled grunt, leaving a trail of blood with every step.
By the time the treasury gates finally swung open, the Imperial Guards outside had already formed a complete encirclement. Thousands of arrows were aimed at the spot, but because Feng Ping was in her hands, no one dared to fire lightly. Leng Feiyan dragged Feng Ping into the treasury. The Blood-Fat Flower was placed among various jewels; just as Xue Zhan had described, it was entirely blood-red, kept in a crystal bottle filled with clear wine, making it very easy to identify.
Wugu moved to approach it, but Leng Feiyan warned, "Watch out for traps!"
Before her voice could fade, the walls on both sides vibrated, and a hail of arrows flew forth. Leng Feiyan could no longer worry about Feng Ping; she lunged directly toward the Blood-Fat Flower amidst the rain of arrows. However, just as she touched the crystal bottle, the golden beads on either side of it suddenly exploded. Leng Feiyan dodged quickly, and the poisonous sand did not hit her, but the crystal bottle containing the flower fell to the floor.
As Leng Feiyan evaded the poisonous sand, Feng Ping gritted his teeth and stood up despite the pain, quickly retreating out of the treasury. Behind him, Wugu grabbed his foot, but Wugu had no strength left and was instantly slammed to the ground. The two struggled and rolled on the floor. Leng Feiyan intended to try for the flower again, but at that moment, a violent tremor shook the surroundings. The walls swayed, and bricks and stones began to plummet.
Seeing things were going south, Feng Ping used all his strength to break free from Wugu and flew out of the treasury. With a thunderous crash, the entire storehouse collapsed. Beams snapped, and dust and stone flew everywhere.
Leng Feiyan reached out, wanting to pull Wugu, but in that lightning-fast moment, how could she reach him? She exited the gates almost on Feng Ping’s heels. Behind her was a pile of ruins; where was she to find the Blood-Fat Flower?
Feng Ping took advantage of the moment she turned back to save Wugu to escape, then ordered the Imperial Guards to fire again!
Leng Feiyan dove into the ruins to evade the stray arrows, heading toward the spot where the flower had fallen based on her memory. But with archers surrounding her, could she really dig it out?
She gritted her teeth. Suddenly, from within the ruins behind her, Wugu’s head slowly emerged. Leng Feiyan was overjoyed. "You’re still alive? You really have a tough life!" She reached out, wanting to wipe the dust from his face, but her hand froze mid-air—his entire body was pinned beneath a massive pillar; only his head and shoulders were exposed.
Leng Feiyan tried to push the pillar, but found it weighed thousands of pounds; she couldn't budge it at all. She called out softly, "Wugu."
Wugu opened his eyes and slowly extended a hand covered in blood and dust toward her. "Go... save him." His words finished, his head slumped slightly, and he breathed no more.
In that mangled palm, he held firmly to a single Blood-Fat Flower. Leng Feiyan took the flower and fled through the ruins to evade the pursuers. As she was about to leave the palace, she suddenly looked back one last time to see the ruins and the grand halls, with dust obscuring the moon.
She leaped over the palace wall, a heart-wrenching sensation blooming within her.
Back at Fachang Temple, Master Xue Zhan hurriedly prepared the Blood-Fat Flower into medicine and fed it to Cang Ge. Murong Ruo had also come to help by then; seeing Leng Feiyan, his expression was complex. Leng Feiyan ignored him, untying her sash to re-apply medicine to her own wounds.
Master Xue Zhan and Murong Ruo used their internal energy to help stabilize Cang Ge’s injuries. When dawn broke, the two stepped out of the meditation room to find Leng Feiyan leaning against a pillar outside. Her medicine was not yet fully applied, and she had fallen asleep.
Master Xue Zhan sighed. Murong Ruo prepared to go and wake her, but Xue Zhan said, "Let her sleep."
In the palace, Murong Yan was resting in the Phoenix-Resting Palace. Before dawn, an Imperial Guard came to report: "Your Majesty! A villain broke into the forbidden palace last night and stole the Blood-Fat Flower!"
Murong Yan was somewhat surprised. "Who was it? Where is your Commander?"
The guard knelt and said, "Commander Feng is heavily injured, but during the confrontation, he recognized the person as a member of the martial world—the Master of the Swallow Tower, Leng Feiyan."
Murong Yan sat up. Beside him, Jiang Bilan said, "Your Majesty, though these martial artists are usually lawless, they generally know not to interfere in court affairs. Who is this Swallow Tower Master to dare act so insolently in the palace?"
Murong Yan put on his robes and rose without answering, only saying, "It is still early. The Queen should continue her sleep."
With that, he pushed the door and left. The casualties among the Imperial Guards were heavy this time, mostly from the ambush at the Sutra Chanting Pavilion where Leng Feiyan had killed many. But Feng Ping, of course, would not proactively mention that. Murong Yan arrived at his side; Feng Ping’s wounds had not yet been bandaged, and the imperial physicians were currently cleaning his protruding intestines.
Murong Yan said in a deep voice, "What exactly happened?"
Feng Ping struggled to kneel. "Reporting to Your Majesty, last night I received news that the rebels Murong Ruo and Cang Ge appeared at the Sutra Chanting Pavilion. I led the Imperial Guards to surround and capture them, but unexpectedly, Leng Feiyan interfered and injured over a hundred of our brothers! However, during the battle, Cang Ge was also struck by Duanmu Shang’s poisoned sword. I thought the matter would end there and was about to report to Your Majesty, but I never imagined Leng Feiyan would be so bold as to raid the palace at night to steal the treasure just to save a rebel!"
Murong Yan glanced at the wounds on his body and said, "Issue a wanted poster for Leng Feiyan immediately."
Behind him, Wang Yunzhao said, "Your Majesty..."
Murong Yan asked coldly, "What is it?"
Wang Yunzhao didn't dare speak further. It wasn't until everyone had withdrawn that Wang Yunzhao whispered, "Your Majesty, Young Master Leng would certainly not do such a thing without reason. This old servant thinks..."
Murong Yan ignored him. After walking a dozen paces, he said indifferently, "A useless sword serves no purpose; it is better to snap it."
Wang Yunzhao froze. It wasn't that Murong Yan didn't know Feng Ping’s words might be untruthful. He simply didn't care to investigate because he no longer wished to keep this "sword."
Meanwhile, at Yuhou Pass.
It happened to be the third day of the third lunar month, which the village celebrated as the Girls' Festival. The unwed girls of the village would embroider waistbands, set them with fine jade, and secretly give them to the young men they admired. If a lad accepted, it meant they were betrothed. At night, Zuo Canglang was also kept by the villagers to drink wine by the bonfire and watch the girls sing and dance.
Zuo Canglang was talking to a village hunter about bear hunting when a stranger suddenly approached. The village was close to tribes like the Tuhe and Shanrong, so everyone was very wary of strangers. Fortunately, this person had the face of a Yan person; though the villagers were on high alert, they did not attack.
The person came directly to Zuo Canglang and, without a word, handed her a letter. Zuo Canglang opened it to find a Swallow Buckle inside. She was stunned.
She was currently hiding deep in the mountains; the only ones who could track her down were likely the Swallow’s Nest. If nothing was wrong, Leng Feiyan would never try to contact her. She quickly went down the mountain, ignoring the dark and slippery path, and arrived at the Swallow’s Nest contact point near the border town market.
However, the news she received was shocking—Leng Feiyan had become a wanted criminal of the court, was currently heavily injured, and her whereabouts were unknown!
She moved from place to place, trying to find out what had happened, but the Swallow’s Nest was currently in total chaos. With Leng Feiyan missing, the antidotes could not be distributed on time. This massive organization, like a vine buried underground, was being slowly ripped out. The breadth of its roots and the depth of its connections were staggering.
It was rumored that the Emperor was furious and had ordered Yang Lianting, the Sect Leader of the Jade-Worshipping Cult, to personally develop an antidote to dismantle the Swallow’s Nest once and for all! At the same time, the government offered a bounty of fifty thousand taels of gold for Leng Feiyan’s head.
In the martial world, the Duanmu family also began to list the various crimes of the Swallow’s Nest, while exposing the connection between the Swallow Tower and the Swallow’s Nest to the public. The court and the commoners were in an uproar.
Zuo Canglang felt cold all over. It had really come to this. She could no longer gather any more information; without the antidotes, the entire Swallow’s Nest had fallen into a state of paralysis.
She could no longer remain indifferent; she had to return to Jinyang as soon as possible! She went back to Mount Yilu to pack her things, but as she passed through that small village, she suddenly froze—the village was silent, with no sound of human life. Zuo Canglang walked in, only to see the villagers who had been singing and dancing the night before lying scattered everywhere, their blood still warm!
Further ahead, there were the screams of the elderly and the young. Through the cracks of a stone house, Zuo Canglang saw Duanmu Shang’s face! Behind Duanmu Shang followed a dozen men in black, blood dripping from their gleaming blades. They were going house to house, asking for Zuo Canglang’s whereabouts.
Of course, no one knew where she had gone, so the blades fell and heads rolled onto the ground. Zuo Canglang clenched her fists. She should go out, but she couldn't. In her current state, she was no match for Duanmu Shang. Furthermore, the men he brought with him would not be mediocre!
She could only watch them as they slaughtered every person in the village, house by house. Even when fighting in the midst of ten thousand soldiers, she had never felt such despair. These people didn't even know who she was; simply because she had stayed here, they had met with a fatal disaster! She should stand out, but she couldn't. If Duanmu Shang didn't find her, he would kill everyone here.
And if Duanmu Shang *did* find her, he would be even more certain to kill everyone. Because the famous General of Yan, Zuo Canglang, could not die at the hands of the Duanmu family. He would not allow anyone to live who had witnessed this.
Duanmu Shang wouldn't want to kill her on his own; who else could be behind the order besides Jiang Sanyi?
In that moment, a surge of resentment suddenly welled up in her heart—why must you employ such people? Did you not want to establish a peaceful and prosperous era? Why, in the end, are the ones holding the highest offices these cold-blooded creatures who treat human life like grass?!
Look at your court!
Is it peace for the world you want, or just your own security?
Murong Yan! Thinking of that name again was like tearing open a scar. The sound of footsteps reached her ears; Duanmu Shang and his men were starting to head back. she could only lie in an inconspicuous corner, playing the part of a corpse, watching the murderers depart calmly.
Feiyan... with the Swallow’s Nest in such chaos, how was she doing? Would Yang Lianting really hand over the antidote for the Swallow’s Nest? If he refused, what would Murong Yan do to him?
Suddenly, she could no longer understand, no longer guess.
Only after Duanmu Shang and the others had left did she finally stand up. Not a single soul, man, woman, old or young, was left alive in the small village. And she had watched it all with her own eyes, unable to do anything! She had watched as the children who had hugged her legs asking for candy, the girls who had polished beast-tooth necklaces for her, and the men who had taught her to train hawks and hunt fell one by one under the butcher’s knife.
Peace under heaven... but for them, when had this world ever been peaceful?
She packed her things and, without further hesitation, rushed back toward Jinyang through the night!
But she was completely ignorant of what was currently happening in Jinyang. Even if she returned, what could she do? Feiyan, where are you now, and what exactly has happened?
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 飞燕扣 | Swallow Buckle | A golden hidden weapon/token of the Swallow's Nest. |
| 血脂花 | Blood-Fat Flower | A rare medicinal flower used as an antidote for specific poisons. |
| 国库 | National Treasury | The royal storehouse for wealth and treasures. |
| 中常侍 | Grand Attendant | A high-ranking palace official/eunuch. |
| 削铁如泥 | Cut through iron like clay | An idiom describing an extremely sharp blade. |
| 栖凤宫 | Phoenix-Resting Palace | The residence of the Queen. |
| 姜碧兰 | Jiang Bilan | The Queen of Yan. |
| 王允昭 | Wang Yunzhao | A close attendant/eunuch to Murong Yan. |
| 玉喉关 | Yuhou Pass | A strategic pass/location where Zuo Canglang was hiding. |
| 女儿节 | Girls' Festival | A local traditional festival. |
| 伊庐山 | Mount Yilu | The mountain where Zuo Canglang was staying. |
| 姜散宜 | Jiang Sanyi | A powerful and corrupt official, likely the Queen's relative. |
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