The heavy rain had stopped, replaced by an eerie silence that filled the inn. The only sounds were the creak of the innkeeper and his workers shuffling through the main hall and the low groans of the defeated men scattered across the floor. Overturned tables, shattered teacups, and a trail of blood stained the floorboards. The chaos of the fight was now a grim tableau.
The innkeeper knelt, his head bowed, before Bazar Batu and Kuo Lok. "Thank you very much for saving us, da xia," he said, his voice thick with gratitude. "If there's any way we can help you, please let us know."
Bazar Batu's eyes were fixed on the mess. "This is quite a scene you have here," he muttered, gesturing to the overturned tables and shattered chairs.
Kuo Lok knelt and helped the innkeeper stand. The innkeeper gave the two men a warm smile, then turned to his workers. "Everyone helps each other clean up this mess," he commanded, his voice full of energy. "And tell the cook to make our very best dishes for these da xia!"
Bazar Batu stood glaring at the inn's entrance, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, a deep scowl fixed on his face. He was still furious that the impostors had no idea who Kuo Lok was.
Kuo Lok gently patted his friend's arm. "Let it go, Batu. No matter how long you stay mad at them, they still won't know." He walked back to their table and sat down.
Bazar Batu sighed, turned around, and grabbed a teapot from a nearby table. He returned to his stool and poured himself a cup of tea.
"Why are you drinking from someone else's teapot?" Kuo Lok asked.
Bazar Batu raised the cup to his mouth. "Lok ge ge, don't tell me you don't know of such a small matter?" he said. As the warm tea soothed his nerves, he added, "It means the tea those impostors were drinking was not poisoned."
"Makes sense," Kuo Lok said, pouring himself a cup of tea.
"Oh, by the way, who were those people anyway?" Bazar Batu asked. "They said something about the Gu family, and those men just… knelt down. Is the Gu family really that strong?"
Kuo Lok thought for a moment, setting his teacup down on the table. "I don't know who they are," he replied. "But they were certainly a lot stronger than the men who were trying to kill them."
Bazar Batu leaned in closer to Kuo Lok. "They were terrified by that man we met at the tavern on the outskirts of Sword Village," he said, his voice full of curiosity. "The man they called Zhu Mingyang—I can't believe how fast he was. Is everyone in the martial world so strong?" He looked at Kuo Lok. "Lok ge ge, will this help or hinder our journey?"
"If we don't go looking for trouble, we won't be bothered by others," Kuo Lok said simply.
The inn had slowly returned to a state of normalcy. The mess had been cleared away, and the smell of cooking food filled the air.
With a voice filled with deep gratitude, the innkeeper approached the group. "Thank you again for saving us, da xia," he said. "If there is any way we can help, please let us know."
"If we could get some rooms to rest in, that would be a great help," Bazar Bataar said.
"After the other guests were taken away, we have plenty of empty rooms," the innkeeper replied, his face beaming. "I will tell the staff to prepare them for you immediately."
Bazar Batu pointed to the table where the two Taoists were sitting. "Oh, please bring the same vegetable dishes to that table as well," he added.
"Yes," the innkeeper replied, then quickly turned and headed toward the kitchen.
Bazar Bataar looked at his brother, immediately seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes. He sighed. "What did I tell you about knowing how to pick your fights?" he said. "This is not the time to play tricks on others."
Bazar Batu brushed off his brother's warning with a smile. "Ge, I know. You don't have to remind me every time. This isn't a trick; I'm trying to get us some allies." He nodded toward the table where the two Taoists were sitting. "Have you noticed how calm those two have been through everything that's happened? If we want to save Lok ge's sisters, juniors, and seniors, we're going to need more than the five of us."
He stood up and started to walk away, but Bazar Bataar caught his hand. "Da ge, it'll be fine," Bazar Batu said, his voice confident.
Bazar Bataar slowly let go of his brother's arm. He then gave his wives a silent signal with his eyes, telling them to be ready to rush to Bazar Batu's aid if the conversation went south.
Bazar Batu walked over to the two Taoists. "This humble senior," he began, bowing slightly. "May I know your name?"
"This old Taoist is just a wandering mountain Taoist with no name," the old man replied calmly.
"You may have heard that our friends have been captured," Bazar Batu said, getting straight to the point. "Would you be kind enough to help us rescue them?"
The old Taoist gently shook his head. "I am old," he said, "I may bring you only burdens. But he can go with you." He looked at the young Taoist. "Yongzheng, you can go with them. I will wait here for two days. If you return and don't see me, it means I am heading home."
"I understand," Yongzheng replied simply.
"My name is Bazar Batu," Bazar Batu said, turning to him. "What is your name?"
Yongzheng looked at him, his expression placid. "Yongzheng," he said.
"Just Yongzheng?" Bazar Batu asked, a note of confusion in his voice. "No surname or nickname?"
Yongzheng simply said, "No, just Yongzheng."
Bazar Batu smiled at him, but an uninvited chill crept down his spine. The young Taoist's voice was low and calm, his phrases simple, yet the way he stared made Bazar Batu feel weak in his knees. This young Taoist is even scarier than the old man beside him, he thought to himself.
Bazar Batu let out a nervous chuckle. "Yongzheng-xiong," he said, "thank you for your help."
After finishing their meal, the four men and two women left the old Taoist under the care of the innkeeper and his workers. They then set out for the pagoda. When the group arrived at the river cliff, they found a tall, three-story pagoda built at the edge of the rushing water. No one seemed to be guarding the tower.
Bazar Batu scoffed. "Hmph... that liar, the fake innkeeper, said it was a seven-story pagoda," he muttered. "It's only three."
Kuo Lok shook his head. "The danger is the same whether it's a seven or a three-story pagoda."
Bazar Bataar looked at Kuo Lok, a note of resignation in his voice. "Knowing his hot-headed attitude, are you sure you still want to marry him?"
Kuo Lok simply shrugged. "I don't mind his attitude."
"Let's go and see that pagoda," Bazar Batu announced, taking the lead.
The four men and two women walked to the pagoda door. Kuo Lok pushed one side open and saw a disheartening scene: young disciples from different sects and clans were sitting helplessly on the floor. His eyes immediately found Nun Chingmei among the group. He scanned the room, his heart sinking when he couldn't find Kuo Changchang. Then, he spotted Kuo Wenqian, held tightly in Liu Hung's arms.
Kuo Lok quickly walked over to his sister. "Jiejie," he said, his voice laced with urgency.
Kuo Wenqian looked at him, her eyes wide. "Lok'er. We can't move."
Bazar Batu's eyes darted between the captives. "Must be that lighter-than-a-feather poison," he muttered. He then looked to the other corner of the room, his eyes widening at the sight of a familiar white-haired man. He rushed over and turned the man around. It was Ma Jingguo.
Bazar Batu's voice dropped to a soft whisper. "Ma ge... why are you here?"
Zhu Suyin, who was sitting beside Ma Jingguo, spoke with a cold, detached voice. "He's willing to come here because he wants to die."
Bazar Batu stared at the woman with a confused frown. "Who are you?" he asked.
Zhu Suyin looked up at him, her gaze as cold as her voice. "Zhu Suyin," she replied.
"Why are you with him?" Bazar Batu pressed.
"I followed him so I could kill Mu Dishi," she said.
Bazar Batu was filled with a deep, burning anger as he looked at Ma Jingguo's defeated state. He remembered the first time he had seen him, in a street stall in Tianshan. Back then, Ma Jingguo had been in despair after a fierce argument with Mu Dishi. Bazar Batu had spent an entire night talking to him and had finally convinced Ma Jingguo to stand up again.
Now, however, Ma Jingguo was in an even worse condition. He was a complete void, with no will to live.
In a fit of rage, Bazar Batu grabbed Ma Jingguo by the front of his robe. "Ma ge," he said, his voice raw. "You told me you loved your wife very much!"
Ma Jingguo kept his gaze fixed on the floor, and with a weary gesture, he removed Bazar Batu's hand from his collar. "He left," he said, his voice flat. "This time it's for good."
A deep sadness settled in his eyes as he continued. "How can I fight against Wang Biming? I don't have his skills. The most important thing is... no matter what, Wang Biming will always come first."
Bazar Batu once again grabbed Ma Jingguo's collar. "It doesn't matter if he puts him first!" he snarled, his voice thick with frustration. "If you don't have the skills to defeat him, then you work harder and take back what belongs to you!"
He took a sharp breath; his eyes fixed on Ma Jingguo's. "If you give up so easily, are you really worthy of standing next to him? You know Mu Dishi better than anyone! If it turns out he was deceived by Wang Biming, how could you live with yourself for giving up? Or worse, if he has truly forgotten Wang Biming and you are the only one in his heart now, do you know how disappointed he would be to see you like this?"
Ma Jingguo listened to Bazar Batu's words, and the truth of them finally struck him. He realized how pathetic he looked—a worthless scoundrel with nothing to his name. How bad would he look in front of Mu Dishi, a man of such high standards?
He lifted his gaze to meet Bazar Batu's eyes, a sigh escaping his lips. "You're always the smarter one," he said with a wry smile.
Bazar Batu loosened his grip on Ma Jingguo's collar and his voice softened. "I believe your wife only loves you."
"How are you so sure?" Ma Jingguo asked.
"Because he keeps his promises, and I'm good at judging people," Bazar Batu replied, letting go completely. "You are still a disciple of the Jinfeng sect. So, act like one, because there are many juniors here who need your help."
Ma Jingguo finally looked around, and the reality of his situation sank in. The room was full of his juniors, all helpless and looking to him for guidance.
He sighed, his shoulders straightening. "You're correct," he said. "I am their senior; I should act like one." He then patted Bazar Batu on the shoulder. "Thank you. If my little sister is still alive, she would be about the same age as you."
"I thought of you as a brother," Bazar Batu said, his voice soft.
Ma Jingguo smiled. "Then this brother of yours promises that from now on, he will work harder and take back what belongs to him."
With a smile, Bazar Batu said, "Ma ge, let's get out of here. We'll fight the Yueguang Sect together and bring your wife back."
Ma Jingguo smiled back. "Alright."
Just as they were about to move, a sudden flurry of arrows flew through the open windows, striking large leather bags hanging from the ceiling. The bags shattered, and a deluge of oil rained down on the people below. The helpless, poisoned victims were instantly saturated.
The crowd rushed toward the front door, but a series of iron lock rods slammed down from the ceiling, trapping them inside. Standing on the other side of the rods were Miao Mingzhu and her twenty subordinates. Their arrows, now lit with fire, were aimed directly at the people drenched in oil.
A malicious smile spread across Miao Mingzhu's face. "Kuo Lok of the Jinfeng Sect, we meet again," she said, her voice like silk. "It seems our fates are always intertwined. We are truly made for each other."
Her eyes then shifted to Ma Jingguo. "Did you say you were just going to lie there and wait for death?" she mocked softly. "I didn't expect to see you on your feet." She then turned back to her subordinates, her smile turning into a cold, hard line. "Kill them."
The twenty subordinates of Miao Mingzhu fired their flaming arrows, and the pagoda immediately caught on fire. Yongzheng reacted instantly, pulling off his robe and whipping it into a blur. He batted aside some of the incoming arrows and, with a flick of his wrist, sent them flying back at Miao Mingzhu and her subordinates.
He then slammed one of the heavy door panels shut. With a graceful leap, he soared over the second door panel, deflected another volley of arrows, and sealed that one as well.
Inside, panic erupted. The people, saturated in oil from the bags above, found the fire spreading with terrifying speed. Some were instantly engulfed in flames, while others scrambled up the stairs to the second floor, frantically trying to rip off their oil-soaked clothes.
"Open that door now!" Miao Mingzhu bellowed from outside.
Horrified, Kuo Lok saw the flesh of some victims melting from their faces and heard their screams of agony. He knew with absolute certainty that they had to leave this place immediately.
Kuo Lok's face was grim as he stood by a side window. He focused all of his inner energy and channeled it into his palm, then unleashed a powerful wave of force at the bottom of the iron bars. The metal shattered, exploding into multiple pieces.
Ma Jingguo was the first to leap through the new opening, followed by Bazar Bataar and his two wives. The four of them charged out, heading straight for Miao Mingzhu and her subordinates.
Kuo Lok and Yongzheng worked together, frantically helping the injured out of the blazing pagoda one by one. Bazar Batu and Kuo Lok were the last two to leave. Just as Kuo Lok was about to push Bazar Batu out the window, a burning beam broke loose from the ceiling and streaked down directly toward Bazar Batu.
Kuo Lok reacted instantly, striking the falling beam with a Heavenly Dragon Palm strike. The wood exploded, and the burning fragments were sent flying away from his friend.
Just then, the burned pagoda began to groan and tremble. The entire structure started to collapse, slowly lurching to the side where the people were standing.
Trapped on the second and third floors, the people began to jump into the river. It was their only way to escape the relentless flames that now engulfed the pagoda. Some plunged directly into the river and were swept away by the currents. For others, however, the fall was too short. They landed on the jagged rocks below the cliff, where they were killed instantly.
"Run away!" Ma Jingguo screamed.
The people panicked, with no place to run but off the cliff and into the rushing waves below. As they hesitated on the brink, a volley of arrows rained down, shattering their indecision. With no other choice, the victims leapt into the churning water.
On the ground, Ma Jingguo, Bazar Bataar, and his two wives broke free from the fight with Miao Mingzhu's subordinates.
Seeing them escape, Miao Mingzhu's face twisted in anger. "Fire every single arrow at them!" she screamed.
The twenty subordinates of Miao Mingzhu began to unleash a barrage of arrows into the river. Carried helplessly by the swift current, the people were pushed along, with no escape from the merciless fire. Some were instantly killed by the arrows, while others died after being slammed against the rocks below.
Seeing the arrows flying past his face, Kuo Lok pulled a deceased person toward him, using the body as a shield to block the incoming volley from hitting Bazar Batu. As he was about to drag Bazar Batu away, he spotted Yong Caixia pinned to a pile of rocks by a single arrow. He immediately changed his course, pulling Bazar Batu toward her so they could help.
Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu made their way through the churning water to Yong Caixia. They found that she had passed out after being underwater for too long. Kuo Lok quickly blew air into her mouth and gently jostled her until she slowly began to stir, her eyes fluttering open.
Just then, Kuo Lok saw a new wave of arrows streaking directly toward Bazar Batu. Without a moment's hesitation, he gave his friend a sharp, gentle shove. The river currents immediately dragged Bazar Batu away from the path of the deadly volley.
Kuo Lok then swam back to Yong Caixia, who was pinned by the leg against the rocks. He grabbed her by the collar and frantically began to swim to the surface.