The silence in the inn was so profound it sent a chill down every spine. The martial artists and travelers held their breath, their hearts pounding in their chests, unsure of who would throw the next punch and how this fight would end.
The man in the iron mask looked at the necklace, a cold smile touching his lips. He tossed the necklace back to Mu Dishi with a casual flick of his wrist. "You still remember his name after all these years, Mu Dishi," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "I'm so touched by your commitment."
Mu Dishi stared at the man. "Have we met before?" he asked.
The man in the iron mask laughed. "Why do you think we have?"
Ignoring the question, Mu Dishi asked, "Are you using Devil Fist?"
The masked man's smile widened. "You're very talented, Mu Dishi."
Mu Dishi knew the Devil Fist Manual well. It was a manual he dared not practice, and for good reason. He carefully tucked the necklace back into his robe, casting a cold glance at the man in the iron mask. "You might want to consider learning a different manual," he said.
The masked man simply smiled. "You completed the Killer String manual. I intend to complete the Devil Fist."
Mu Dishi didn't reply. As a man of few words, he had no interest in an argument. He turned and called to Ma Jingguo, "Let's go."
As Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo began to walk away, the man in the iron mask's voice echoed behind them. "Mu Dishi," he said, "I hope you can share with me the secret of completing the Killer String."
Mu Dishi did not reply. Ma Jingguo, however, gave the man in the iron mask a ferocious, ugly glare, his teeth gritted in silent rage. Without a word, Mu Dishi grabbed Ma Jingguo's right wrist, pulling him along as they walked out the front door and into the night.
Seeing Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo walk away, Bazar Batu grabbed Kuo Lok's hand, pulling him out of the inn. They quickly followed the two men into the night. With no other place to go, Yan Zhanjin and Chen Dandan were forced to follow their new friends.
"Batu, why are we following them?" Kuo Lok asked, confused.
"I'll tell you later," Bazar Batu said, turning to look at him. He noticed Yan Zhanjin and Chen Dandan trailing behind. "Why are you two following us?"
"We don't know where to go," Yan Zhanjin replied.
Chen Dandan smiled. "We're friends now."
Bazar Batu's gaze settled on the two men up ahead. He raised his voice and shouted, "Ma ge!"
Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo stopped and turned to look at the four young people, who quickly hurried to catch up with them.
Bazar Batu came to a stop in front of them and asked directly, "Are you the real Mu Dishi?"
"He is," Ma Jingguo confirmed simply.
"Mu ge," Bazar Batu said, his voice dropping slightly, "do you know that Monk Hao is dead? People in the inn are saying you killed him."
Ma Jingguo raised an eyebrow. "I heard a rumor that you killed him."
"It wasn't me," Bazar Batu said, his face a mask of bewilderment.
Ma Jingguo looked at the young man with a friendly smile. "If my xiao shushu wants to kill someone, he does it in public. Besides, he had countless opportunities to kill Monk Hao in the past, but he didn't. Since their long feud had already ended, there was no reason for my xiao shushu to kill him now."
"I know that," Bazar Batu said, nodding in agreement. "I believe with Mu ge's attitude, he would not have killed Monk Hao."
"Then why are you chasing after us?" Ma Jingguo asked.
"I'm chasing you because of that dagger," Bazar Batu said, pointing to the dagger on Ma Jingguo's waist. "The dagger that was used to kill Monk Hao looks exactly the same as yours."
Ma Jingguo was taken aback, a flicker of anger in his eyes. "Are you accusing me of killing Monk Hao?"
Bazar Batu put his hands up, shaking his head. "No, I'm just curious about that dagger," he said innocently.
Mu Dishi looked at Bazar Batu, a knot of tension forming in his chest. "Does that dagger have any markings?" he asked.
"Yes," Bazar Batu replied with a nod.
"What kind of marking?" Mu Dishi pressed.
"The letter 'Mu' is on the hilt of the dagger," Bazar Batu said, "which is why everyone believes you're the one who killed Monk Hao."
"Where is that dagger now?" Mu Dishi asked, his voice low and strained.
"Chief Yong has it," Bazar Batu answered.
Mu Dishi looked at Bazar Batu, his expression unchanging. "If the dagger has a 'Mu' mark on it, then the killer isn't me," he said, his voice flat. "It's someone who picked up one of the daggers during the Shooting Down the Dragon campaign. Therefore, you can't be Monk Hao's killer, either."
Bazar Batu's shoulders slumped in relief. "Mu ge," he asked, "do you have any idea who it could be?"
Mu Dishi gently shook his head. "I don't know," he said, the words filled with a quiet bitterness. "There were more than three hundred dogs that walked up Mu Village that night."
Yan Zhanjin stepped forward. "Since you know Batu isn't the killer, will you go to Sword Village and vouch for him?"
Mu Dishi's gaze was cold. "That's not my problem," he replied, and he walked forward, leaving behind Ma Jingguo and the four young people.
"But—" Yan Zhanjin began to argue.
"My xiao shushu said no," Ma Jingguo interrupted, his voice firm and final. "That means no." He then turned and quickly chased after Mu Dishi.
Without a word, the four young people followed suit, their footsteps quickening as they fell in line behind Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo.
As they walked, Chen Dandan held on to Bazar Batu's arm. "Batu," she asked, "why are we following them?"
"We're not following them," Bazar Batu said. "We're going to Sword Village."
"We are absolutely following them," Yan Zhanjin replied.
Bazar Batu shot him an indifferent look. "This road doesn't belong to them; therefore, we are not following them." He looked up just then and saw that Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo were gone. He broke free of Yan Zhanjin and Chen Dandan and rushed forward.
"He is following them," Yan Zhanjin sighed, a knowing look on his face. He quickly ran after Bazar Batu, with Kuo Lok and Chen Dandan close behind, chasing him around the curve.
The wind brushed softly against his cheek as Mu Dishi stopped on the road, his eyes fixed on the tombstones. He remembered how, every time he came to visit, the one-armed Yong Hao would be here, tending to the graves. Yong Hao would use his left arm to slowly, meticulously pull the weeds from the ground.
Mu Dishi stood in the exact same spot, but today, there was no familiar scent of burning incense. No one rose to wipe the sweat from his brow. No one greeted him with a warm smile or asked him how long he would stay. There was only the cold wind, the silent tombstones, and a profound, aching absence.
Even though they were once enemies, for many years, Mu Dishi watched Yong Hao's determination to atone for his mistakes. It was this quiet resolve that led Mu Dishi to forgive Yong Hao long ago.
Revenge for Yong Hao's death was not what Mu Dishi sought. His rage stemmed from something far more profound: the dagger used to kill Yong Hao was a weapon forged by his uncle, Mu Jiao Long. Its use was a deliberate attempt to slander his family's name and desecrate Mu Jiao Long's legacy. This betrayal of his family and their craft was something Mu Dishi could not forgive.
Ma Jingguo stared at Mu Dishi's handsome face, a flash of recognition in his heart. Although Mu Dishi had always claimed to hate Yong Hao, Ma Jingguo could see the profound sadness in his eyes. He knew that Yong Hao was likely the first person who didn't consider Mu Dishi an enemy after his exile from the Central Plains.
By the time Kuo Lok, Bazar Batu, Yan Zhanjin, and Chen Dandan caught up, they found Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo standing in the middle of the road, facing a grave site. The four friends stopped a respectful distance away, silently watching the two men stand vigil over the tombstones.
Ma Jingguo offered a gentle smile. "Xiao shushu," he said softly, "if we go to Sword Village now, we can still get home before sunset."
"Alright," Mu Dishi replied. He turned and, with Ma Jingguo, began walking toward Sword Village.
Chen Dandan scoffed, looking at Bazar Batu with a bitter expression. "You begged him, and he said it wasn't his problem," she said. "But when that guy tells him to go, he just follows."
Half an hour later, the group arrived at the gates of Sword Village. The entrance was filled with martial artists and guests, all there to pay their respects to the deceased. When they saw Mu Dishi and Ma Jingguo with Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu, the faces of the crowd turned dark.
After a tense, silent standoff, Yong Gui emerged from the gates, followed by the leaders of the six sects and four clans.
"Shizun..." Yong Taihua cried out, rushing toward Mu Dishi. "Why are you with him?" He pointed a trembling finger at Bazar Batu. "He killed Hao da ye!"
"No," Mu Dishi said, his voice cold and firm. "He didn't kill him."
A look of disbelief crossed Yong Taihua's face. "Shizun, you believe that?"
Mu Dishi looked directly at Yong Gui. "I heard you had the dagger that killed him," he said.
"I do," Yong Gui replied, reaching into his sleeve to pull out a dagger wrapped in a white cloth.
Mu Dishi took the dagger. As he unwrapped the cloth, his eyes fell upon two butterflies intricately carved into the blade. His heart dropped to his stomach. He held the dagger tightly; his gaze fixed on the familiar markings.
"This... it can't be," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes widened as he stared at the shiny blade, and the memories of a distant past slowly began to flood his mind.
The gentle sound of the bamboo forest filled Mu Dishi's ears. At fourteen, he watched seventeen-year-old Wang Biming practice swords, the swaying bamboo leaves creating a soft, calm melody with every gust of wind.
Wang Biming turned, hoping to see if Mu Dishi was impressed with his new moves. Instead, he found Mu Dishi completely distracted, his attention fixed on two butterflies chasing each other, flitting playfully from one bamboo leaf to the next. In that instant, Wang Biming flew over and, with an effortless grace, caught one of the butterflies in his hands.
"Let it go," Mu Dishi said, walking toward Wang Biming.
"If you like it, I'll catch it for you," Wang Biming replied, approaching him. "I'll even build a little bamboo cage so you can keep it and enjoy it whenever you want."
"Let go of the butterfly," Mu Dishi said gently. "Their lifespan is very short; they will die in a few months. We should let them enjoy their freedom. If you catch it, its partner will be very sad and die of a broken heart." He held Wang Biming's cupped hands. "If one day someone separates us, would you like it?"
Wang Biming slowly opened his hands, and the two young teenagers watched the butterfly fly toward its partner.
"If someone separates us," Wang Biming said, his voice quiet but firm. "I'll kill that person." He walked behind Mu Dishi and wrapped his arms around him in a hug. He then kissed the back of Mu Dishi's head. "Dishi," he murmured, "I know you don't like to talk about killing, but if someone separates us one day, I will kill that person."
"Why?" Mu Dishi asked.
Wang Biming smiled. "Because you are my special little butterfly," he said. He thought for a moment. "Next time I go to town, I'll take our daggers and have the blacksmith carve butterflies on them."
"No," Mu Dishi said. "That's not a good idea."
"Why?" Wang Biming asked.
"Because... if you do that," Mu Dishi stammered, "everyone will know that we... we."
Wang Biming chuckled, his voice full of playful teasing. "We've already exchanged blades as a token of our love. Why are you still so reluctant?"
"Because," Mu Dishi replied, "I don't want Long da ye to be mad that we ruined a perfect dagger he forged for us."
Wang Biming laughed softly, kissed the back of Mu Dishi's head, and said, "Alright. I'll only have the butterflies carved on mine, then."
As the memories slowly faded away, Mu Dishi carefully covered the dagger with the white cloth.
"Do you know the owner of this dagger?" Yong Gui asked, his voice full of curiosity.
"Yes," Mu Dishi replied, his voice firm. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
"This dagger belonged to Wang Biming," Mu Dishi announced, "who was killed by that dog, Zu Mingsheng."
Mo Ehuang's voice cut through the silence. "Everyone, may I remind you," she said angrily, "that the carving on the dagger has the letter 'Mu', not 'Wang'! What Mu Dishi just said is a lie!"
In that instant, Ma Jingguo's mind flashed back to his own dagger. The one he carried all these years had a 'Wang' carved on its hilt. It dawned on him that Mu Dishi and Wang Biming must have exchanged their daggers as a token of their love.
Mo Ehuang continued, her voice growing louder. "Only Mu Jiao Long's apprentices possess this type of dagger. Everyone else who had one is dead. Besides Mu Dishi, who else has a grudge against Monk Hao, the six sects, and the four clans?"
The voices in the crowd began to echo, rippling through the tense air as they listened to Mo Ehuang.
"What Mo guniang said is true," one person muttered.
"Yes," another agreed, "we all saw how he killed everyone who he claimed owed him a debt."
"We witnessed it ourselves at Shoalin," a third voice added.
A muttering storm of agreement and dissent swirled around them, as some voices affirmed Mo Ehuang's argument while others quietly pushed back.
Although Ma Jingguo was saddened by the depth of Mu Dishi and Wang Biming's love, he knew that their past was something that could not be undone. He could only accept that Mu Dishi was a man shaped by a history of both love and hatred.
He turned and glared at Mo Ehuang, his voice tight with anger. "Mo guniang," he snapped, "please pay attention to what you are talking about."
Mo Ehuang's gaze swept over the crowd, her voice laced with anger and calculation. "Am I wrong?" she challenged. "I believe Mu Dishi deliberately spared Monk Hao's life before, because he knew that killing him then would make him the number one enemy of Sword Village, the six sects, the four clans, and Jinfeng Sect."
She knew Mu Dishi was a man of few words and would not stoop to argue with her. This was her chance to add more fuel to the fire, to use these angry martial artists to avenge the deaths of her father and Jiujiu.
"I believe Mu Dishi was the one who snuck in and killed Monk Hao," she continued, her voice rising. "He was in a rush, which is why he left the dagger behind. The young Mongol simply had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Murmurs rose from the crowd as the martial artists began to nod in agreement. "She does have a point," they muttered amongst themselves.
Standing beside Bazar Batu, Yan Zhanjin felt a pang of sympathy for Mu Dishi, who was now cornered by the very crowd he had tried to avoid.
"No wonder he refused to come here to vouch for you," he muttered. "Hey, are you going to help him or not?"
"Let's listen and gather information first," Bazar Batu said calmly. "What's the rush?"
"Mo guniang," Fu Yuanjun said, his voice filled with cold authority. "Mu da ge is not a person to murder someone in secret. If he wanted to kill someone, he would walk to them and do it, no matter how many people stood in his way." He gave Mo Ehuang a chilling look. "Don't you remember how your father died?"
"I remember," she snapped back, her eyes burning with fury. "I will never forget." She stared at Fu Yuanjun. "And do you remember how you got your leader's seat, Chief Fu? Was it because Mu Dishi forfeited it for you?"
Ma Jingguo stepped forward, a murderous glint in his eye. "Mo Ehuang," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "I think forfeiting a leader's seat is far more honorable than hiring someone to secretly kill my xiao shushu."
Mo Ehuang turned her gaze from Chief Fu and fixed it on Bazar Batu. "Maybe Mu Dishi did this on purpose," she said, her voice a low, cunning whisper. "Young Mongol, what did Monk Hao say before he died?"
Bazar Batu knew Mo Ehuang was deliberately attacking Mu Dishi. He wanted to lie to protect him, but he also knew it was useless; Yong Gui and most of the crowd had heard him the first time. He sighed in defeat.
"Monk Hao said he came back for revenge," Bazar Batu confessed.
Mo Ehuang's lips curled into a smirk. "Monk Hao had no other enemies but Mu Dishi," she asserted, her voice carrying across the crowd. "So, who, then, is back to seek revenge?"
She listened to the murmurs around her, a satisfied nod on her face as the crowd's voices affirmed her assumption.
Then, with a firm hand, she pointed a finger directly at Mu Dishi. "Only Mu Dishi would come back for revenge," she declared, her voice ringing with absolute certainty.