Mu Dishi, the last person to descend the hidden stairwell, was also the first to leave once he knew Ma Jingguo was in the safe hands of the Tianshan Sect. He departed to avoid conflict, realizing many in the crowd were his old enemies. He decided to explore the Yueguang Sect instead. As he entered a courtyard built into the mountainside, he found that the setting of this section of the sect was similar to the Mu treasure cave that Mu Jian Long had taken him to visit years ago.
Staring at its familiar details, a memory from the past slowly surfaced in Mu Dishi's mind.
He and Mu Jiao Long stood before a small grassy hill, looking up at a tall mountain range to the north. The morning sunlight sent warm rays that touched their faces. The morning was particularly welcoming, as both the northern wind and the sun came to greet them. The soft wind blew past, making the hems of their robes flutter.
Mu Jiao Long took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh morning air. He turned his head to the left and said with a smile, "Dishi, you must pay close attention when walking on this hill."
"Why?" Mu Dishi asked.
Mu Jiao Long patted his head gently. "Because there are many hidden traps along the way. One wrong move or a single misplaced step could wound or kill you."
Mu Jiao Long then pulled an old sheepskin map from his inner robe and handed it to Mu Dishi. The two began walking toward the mountain.
"Long da ye, what is this?" Mu Dishi asked.
"This is the map to enter the Mu treasure cave," Mu Jiao Long said with a warm smile.
Mu Dishi looked at him, confused. "Long da ye," he asked, "is this the main reason you moved us here and established Mu Village?"
Mu Jiao Long shook his head. "I was the only one who moved to Mu Village originally, because I wanted to be closer to the treasure inside the Mu treasure cave."
"So, the others came later?" Mu Dishi asked.
"Yes, the others came later, due to a family dispute over inheritances, land, and..." he chuckled, "old grudges..."
"I've heard from others that the uncle cousins claimed all of the treasure was taken away and hidden," Mu Dishi said. "So, this is the map to that treasure? Also, is the accession true?"
Mu Jiao Long laughed. "I did take all the money away. After all, I was the leader of the household, so why should I leave anything behind?" he said proudly. "But Dishi, don't believe everything you hear. The treasure map in your hand doesn't have what people want. I only brought you here because I want to be buried here after I die."
"Why here?" Mu Dishi asked.
"Once we get inside, you'll understand."
Mu Jiao Long and Mu Dishi stopped in front of the Mu Treasure Cave. A massive dragon statue with a wide-open mouth stood at the entrance. Mu Jiao Long pulled the jade hairpin from his hair, inserted it into the dragon's mouth, and pushed it in. The cave door slowly opened.
"Dishi, watch where my feet land," Mu Jiao Long said.
Using his lightness and agility skills, he glided over the path, his feet only touching the white marble pavement. Mu Dishi quickly followed, realizing there were many hidden traps in the cave. He was curious about the pavement but didn't ask.
Mu Jiao Long then lit a candle on the wall and pulled one of the candlesticks, causing the wall to slide down. He and Mu Dishi stepped into a small room with a dark corridor stretching out before them. Mu Jiao Long picked up a torch from a basket. Mu Dishi glanced at the basket and saw only one torch remaining.
"Long da ye, should we bring more torches next time we come back?" Mu Dishi asked.
"No, that last torch is for you to use when you're transporting my dead body here," Mu Jiao Long said.
He lit the torch and walked down the dark corridor, Mu Dishi following close behind. The two walked down a set of underground stairs. When they reached the bottom step, a door stood before them.
Mu Jiao Long knocked three times on the right door knocker, then once on the left, and once more on the right. He then pushed open the left door panel, and he and Mu Dishi stepped inside.
A man lay on an ice bed in the room. He appeared to be very young, in his early twenties, and had features similar to Wang Biming.
"Long da ye, who is this man?" Mu Dishi asked.
"He is Biming's brother, Wang Changming," Mu Jiao Long replied, his voice soft with emotion. He moved to the side of the ice bed, sitting down and gently taking Wang Changming's cold hand in his own. "He is the real treasure in this cave." He then used his other hand to tenderly trace the contours of Wang Changming's face, his fingertips lingering over his features, as if memorizing every detail. A profound sense of longing and sorrow filled his eyes as he gazed at the man on the bed.
"Long da ye, is he still alive?" Mu Dishi asked.
"No, he died a long time ago," Mu Jiao Long replied, his voice a somber whisper. "I wanted to preserve his body. The cold of this mountain is the perfect temperature. He didn't decay because I applied the special corpse preservation powder that Chen Fa made all over his body. This is the reason why I moved myself from the capital to here—so I could be closer to him." He smiled and sighed. "But your father insisted on coming with me, which prompted our close family members to follow."
"So, there's no treasure here?" Mu Dishi asked.
"There is only death here," Mu Jiao Long said.
"Long da ye," Mu Dishi began, "you must have liked him very much. How did he die?"
Mu Jiao Long took Wang Changming's hand and placed it on his cheek. The coldness of the hand was a stark reminder that the person before him had left many years ago. Tears welled in his eyes as he said sadly, "He died because of me. I forced him to his death."
"Changming and I were always good friends. He came to the capital to study medicine and stayed at our home. As the years passed, we grew closer, and our relationship became intimate." He looked at Mu Dishi. "From the beginning, it was a forbidden love, but neither of us could stop our feelings. He was forced to get married, and I was forced as well."
"My martial arts skills were low, and to save him from imprisonment, I left him. I wandered the land alone and practiced martial arts. But when I came back for him, I was too late. He died of a broken heart in my arms. His last wish was for me to take care of Biming."
Mu Dishi looked at the young man on the bed, who seemed to be sleeping rather than dead.
Mu Jiao Long stood and walked back to him, patting his left shoulder. "Dishi," he said, "if one day you find someone you truly love, you'll understand why Changming chose to die rather than betray me."
"I will never die for love," Mu Dishi replied coldly.
Mu Jiao Long laughed. "It's because you haven't found that someone yet. I'll ask you again in ten years. Your answer might be different." He sighed, his gaze on Mu Dishi. "Dishi, if you know you can't love someone back, it's better to make it clear from the very beginning. The longer you let the situation linger, the more difficult it will be to end the relationship when the time comes."
"Because of a promise, is this the reason why Biming is the only person with the surname Wang in all of Mu Village?" Mu Dishi asked.
"I couldn't refuse Changming's last request," Mu Jiao Long replied.
They walked out of the room and started up the stairs.
"Dishi, you and I are going to visit Tong Village in the south next month," Mu Jiao Long said.
"Do we have family down there?" Mu Dishi asked.
"No," Mu Jiao Long replied.
"If we have no family there, why are we going?" Mu Dishi asked.
"You'll know when we get there."
When they reached the top of the stairs, Mu Jiao Long grabbed Mu Dishi's hand. "This way," he said, walking along a different corridor.
"Aren't we going back the same way we came in?" Mu Dishi asked.
Mu Jiao Long shook his head. "No. If we go back the way we came, it will lead us to another path. I was curious once," he scoffed. "I was lost in here for four days."
"Long da ye, back there in that ice room, why did you only open one door panel?" Mu Dishi asked.
Mu Jiao Long laughed. "Let that be a surprise for those who want to enter the room."
As the memory faded, the present came into sharp focus. Mu Dishi sighed, raising Ma Jingguo's dagger—the very one with the character 'Wang' on its hilt—and tracing the inscription with his finger.
A male voice broke the silence. "Do you see anything you like in here?"
Mu Dishi turned around to face a middle-aged and a young man. He rolled his eyes and remaining silent.
"You must be Mu Dishi?" the man asked.
Mu Dishi didn't answer.
The man continued, "I heard your fighting skills are beyond Mu Jiao Long. Many martial artists are afraid of you. Mu Dishi, what are your plans for the martial arts world?"
Mu Dishi turned and began to walk away from the two men.
"Mu Dishi, if you leave the Beijxing Sect alone, we will leave you alone too," the man said.
Mu Dishi continued to walk away, heading toward the entrance.
"Mu gongzi," the young man called out, quickly catching up to Mu Dishi. He smiled warmly at Mu Dishi. "I'd heard about your beauty but didn't believe it. Seeing you face to face today... you truly are a rare beauty."
Mu Dishi gave the man a cold glance before walking out of the cave and into the open courtyard, leaving the two men behind at the entrance inside the mountainside.
"Father, what should we do if Mu Dishi stands in our way?" the younger man asked.
"I hope he won't hinder us," the man replied. He looked at his son. "Wenyan, I forbid you to chase Mu Dishi. You can have any man or woman you want, but not him."