The once-boisterous hall, filled with voices and a newfound sense of agreement, fell into a sudden, deafening silence. Every martial artist inside the Sword Village's main guest hall watched as the slightly burnt map was pulled to the entrance. Their gazes followed it, shifting to a figure in a deep red robe now standing motionless in the doorway.
Worried the map would fall into the wrong hands, Suo Dongmei moved swiftly. Her sword flashed, slicing the red thread. The sheepskin fell from the air, but before it could hit the ground, another needle shot out and grasped it, pulling it toward the entrance once more.
This time, the two pieces of the map flew directly into the hand of the figure in the red robe. With a single, deep sigh, the man slowly began to approach. As he came into full view, the entire hall gasped.
Standing at the entrance were none other than Cao Fengge, Cao Wenyan, Cao Yanmei, and the Five-colored Mice.
A ripple of hushed recognition swept through the conference hall, as every martial artist began to murmur, "Lord Cao."
Cao Yanmei giggled, tightening her grip on Cao Fengge's left arm. "Lord Cao," she whispered playfully, a wide smile on her face. "Does that mean I'm a princess?"
Cao Fengge smiled faintly and gently patted the top of Cao Yanmei's head.
Yong Gui stepped forward, his expression wary. "How can I help you, Chief Cao?"
Cao Fengge's cold, direct gaze settled on the map in his hand. "I just came for this," he said.
"Chief Cao," Fu Yuanjun responded, his voice steady. "Your sect is already wealthy. What need do you have for more gold? The treasure belongs to the Mu family."
Cao Fengge tucked the sheepskin deep inside his inner robe. "That treasure was originally mine," he said, his voice a low growl. "Mu Jiao Long stole it from me. I've only come to get back what's mine. On the day I open the cave, I will welcome anyone who wants to join me. You can find your gold and silver; I am just looking for a small wooden box."
His gaze swept over the silent crowd. "Leader Yong, my apologies for interrupting your meeting." He smirked. "Everyone calls us the demonic sects... but we only kill those who oppose us. We don't go around slaughtering innocent villagers." He let out a short, cold laugh. "I hope none of you will oppose us."
With that, Cao Fengge and his followers turned and left the conference hall.
As soon as Cao Fengge left, the heavy silence in the room shattered. A cacophony of voices erupted as the martial artists began arguing amongst themselves.
Many believed they should immediately gather their forces to confront Cao Fengge and retrieve the unburnt map. Others, however, argued there was no need to fight. Since Cao Fengge was welcoming everyone to the Mu Treasure cave and claimed he only sought a small wooden box, they saw no harm in simply waiting to see what would happen.
In stark contrast to the chaos erupting inside the main guest hall, a profound quietness settled over the front gates of Sword Village.
As Cao Fengge and his people walked through the gate, he smiled, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun. The day he had been waiting for had finally arrived. With all five pieces of the Mu Treasure map in his possession, his goal was within reach.
Once he and his followers had exited the territory of Sword Village, he led them along a small, muddy path, heading directly for the Mu's grave.
"Father, why did we choose to come this way?" Cao Wenyan asked. "The main road would have been much easier."
Cao Fengge smiled. "I purposely chose this path," he said. "With some luck, we might find Mu Dishi here."
At the mention of his name, Cao Wenyan's heart soared with sudden happiness. He still remembered their last encounter, which had been so long ago. He didn't know if Mu Dishi missed him, but he missed him dearly. With a renewed sense of hope, he kept his eyes on the side of the road, counting the distance to the Mu's grave.
"Father, what's inside the wooden box?" Cao Wenyan asked.
"I'll tell you when the time comes," Cao Fengge replied.
"But Father," Cao Yanmei interjected, "how do we find the cave with just one map?"
Cao Fengge chuckled. "I already had a map, and I know exactly where the cave is," he said. "I just revealed myself on purpose. The announcement was so the others could join the 'fun'."
Cao Wenyan stared at his father, confused. He hesitated a moment before asking, "Father, how do you know the location of the Mu Treasure Cave?"
"Someone gave me a map many years ago," Cao Fengge replied, "but I didn't have the key to open the cave. My grand entrance at Sword Village was to send a clear message to the person who holds that key. Sooner or later, that person will find us and offer to lead the way."
"Does Father know who holds the key?" Cao Wenyan asked.
Cao Fengge let out a heavy sigh. "Sadly, it was Mu Jiao Long."
"Then Mu Dishi must have it," Cao Wenyan deduced.
"No, he doesn't have it," Cao Fengge said, his voice flat. "If he did, he would be wearing it." He looked at both Cao Wenyan and Cao Yanmei. "Besides," he added, "I'll need many paws to open the way for us."
As soon as Cao Fengge finished his chilling sentence, three daggers streaked through the air, aimed directly at him. But before they could reach their target, the Five-colored Mice moved with impossible speed, intercepting and deflecting the blades. Standing ready in front of him were a young man and a woman, who had just launched the surprise attack.
"What do you want?" Cao Wenyan demanded furiously.
The young man's gaze was stern. "I want to end his life," he replied, his voice a low growl. He drew his sword and pointed the tip directly at Cao Fengge.
Cao Wenyan scoffed. "Your sword will be at your throat before it's even close to my father's," he sneered. "If you're so brave as to attempt an assassination, why hide behind that thick cloth mask? Show your face!"
The young man pulled the black cloth mask from his face, revealing a grim, determined expression. "Twenty years ago," he said, his voice hard, "in Rao Manor."
Cao Wenyan looked at his father, his eyes wide with realization. "Father," he murmured, "we don't have to go looking for them. They've found us."
Cao Fengge's gaze shifted to the young woman beside the man. His voice was as cold and sharp as a blade. "You are Dong Shun's daughter?"
"Yes," she replied, her own voice devoid of warmth.
Cao Fengge's lips curved into a cruel smile. He looked at the young man. "Rao Manor," he said. "Your real enemy is Dong Shun. It's his fault that every member of the Rao clan was killed. If he hadn't tried to steal from me, you wouldn't be an orphan today."
"Demon Cao," the young man roared, his voice laced with pure rage. "You killed my family! I'm here to kill you!"
Cao Fengge's smirk widened. "Since you're here, your shifu must be nearby," he taunted. "You two are lucky you were saved by your shifu and shimu so willing to take in strays."
Cao Wenyan and Cao Yanmei drew their swords and flew toward the young man and woman. The fight erupted in an instant.
As the Cao siblings engaged the woman in a flurry of sword strikes, the Five-color Mice rushed forward to attack the young man. The Five-color Mice moved with incredible speed, its body a blur of color. The Red Mice's body darted to attack his lower half, while the Green Mice and Yellow Mice struck at his upper body. He was overwhelmed, unable to defend himself. All the young man could do was slowly retreat.
The fight spilled from the side of the road and into the middle, the combatants so consumed by their battle that they were completely oblivious to their surroundings. Unnoticed, an old Taoist and a young Taoist approached from a distance. The young man held an umbrella over the old man's head, and together, they stood just twenty feet away, silently observing the chaos.
Fists flashing from Black Mice and Blue Mice slammed into the young man. The powerful attack sent the Rao clan member sliding backward, directly toward the two Taoists.
"Da shixiong!" the young woman cried out. She executed two quick backflips and landed beside him. As she bent down to help him, Black Mice sent three daggers streaking through the air toward them both.
The young Taoist stepped forward, a blur of motion. Without dropping the umbrella, he used his sleeve to effortlessly swat the three daggers from the air. The blades clattered harmlessly to the ground.
"What?..." Cao Yanmei murmured in disbelief. "It didn't go through."
Suddenly, the Black Mice shot forward, its fist a dark blur heading for the young Taoist's head. The young man simply turned his left shoulder, using it to push the blow aside. The sheer force of his movement sent Black Mice sliding backward until he came to a stop next to his four companions.
Cao Fengge's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
The young Taoist said nothing, but rose and walked to stand quietly at the side of his master. The old Taoist, dressed in a white robe that matched his long white hair, eyebrows, and beard, smiled at Cao Fengge.
"I'm so sorry, Lord Cao," the old Taoist said, his voice calm and steady. "This old Taoist was just passing by."