On another ship docked at the Yangtze River, Cao Wenyan stood, lost in thought, overlooking the water as his disciples loaded cargo. He gazed at the surrounding area, a shadow of uncertainty darkening his face. He wondered which village in Jiangnan Mu Dishi had lived in before his supposed death.
Cao Yanmei stood up from behind, approaching her brother. "Ge, are you thinking about Mu Dishi again?" she asked gently.
Cao Wenyan sighed, his gaze distant. "I just want to know which village in Jiangnan he lived in when he was still alive."
Cao Yanmei's voice was matter of fact, though tinged with impatience. "Mu Dishi was a mystery. When he was alive, he didn't have contact with anyone. I'm sure he has no friends or family who would even care if he's alive or dead." She paused, realizing her words might sting her brother. "However, he's lucky to have someone like you who still mourns him."
Cao Wenyan turned to her, his expression confused. "Yanmei, why do you dislike Mu gongzi so much?"
Cao Yanmei shrugged, her reasons firm. "There are many reasons, ge. I think my reasons are the same as Father's, and the reasons of others."
Cao Wenyan shook his head slowly, his voice soft with disappointment. "You don't like him because of what others said. You didn't try to get to know him. If you had, you'd know Mu gongzi is just an ordinary person who wanted to be left alone."
Cao Yanmei's face softened with sympathy. "Ge, it's not like you didn't try to save him. You spent twenty-five days digging for his corpse, but it's an impossible task." Her tone became pleading. "Without water, a person would be dead within seven to eight days. Please don't be so hard on yourself."
She stepped closer, concern filling her eyes. "Ge... If I say something that offends you, please forgive me. I know you love Mu Dishi, but the dead cannot be resurrected. I believe there will be someone for you, and you will like that person as much as you like Mu Dishi."
Cao Wenyan lightly patted his sister's head, a sad smile touching his lips. "Silly girl, Mu gongzi is a person, not an item. He is irreplaceable."
A disciple approached the siblings, interrupting the intimate moment. "Young Master, everything is loaded and ready."
Cao Wenyan and Cao Yanmei boarded the ship. The small vessel began sailing into the open water, heading toward the middle of the river. After two hours of peaceful sailing, the tranquility was shattered: five men, disguised as workers, suddenly drew their swords and began attacking the crew members and the Beixing Sect disciples.
One of Cao Wenyan's disciples was kicked violently, landing near the siblings.
Li Jian spoke loudly, asserting his authority. "We don't want to kill anyone; we just want the goodies in this ship." He pointed his sword directly at Cao Wenyan. "You!" He stared, convinced. "You must be the master of these goodies. I won't hurt you, but these goodies belong to me now."
Cao Yanmei giggled, a dangerous sound. "Ge, I think the fish will be very happy tonight because their bellies will be full of human flesh."
Li Jin bristled. "Xiao guniang, don't be too arrogant."
Cao Yanmei's smile widened, sharp and cold. "I think you are more arrogant than me, because you dare to snatch things from the Cao household."
Li Jin scoffed, confident in his own hidden backing. "The Cao household is nothing when compared to our boss."
Cao Wenyan smiled, an expression of genuine, sudden interest. "Who would that be?"
Li Jin announced the name with pride. "Mu Dishi."
Cao Yanmei's amusement faded, replaced by skepticism. "You do know that Mu Dishi died inside the Mu treasure cave close to a year ago, don't you?"
Li Jin looked genuinely bewildered. "How could he have died? We just met each other not long ago!"
Cao Wenyan's eyes, previously filled with cold disappointment, now flared with desperate hope. "Take me to see him. Everything in this ship is yours." He smiled at the five men, but the promise was a threat. "But if you lie to me, the fish in the Yangtze River tonight will be full of human flesh."
The small ship immediately changed course, docking at the same pier the pirates had just left. Cao Wenyan and Cao Yanmei followed the five bandits onto the pier. The seven of them looked around the crowded dock, but none of the people present resembled Mu Dishi.
Cao Wenyan's hopeful expression twisted into angry fury. "Where is Mu Dishi?"
Cao Yanmei stepped forward, her voice chillingly calm. "You have to choose your next word carefully, because it may be your last."
Li Jin began to panic. These two people were completely different from the merchants he usually robbed. "He's here! I swear!" he pleaded.
Cao Wenyan stared at Li Jin with bitter intensity. He rushed forward, grabbed Li Jin's neck with startling speed, and twisted it, snapping the bone. He demanded, his voice thick with raw rage, "How dare you lie to me?"
Li Jian, reacting to the murder of his brother, rushed towards Cao Wenyan with a sword. Li Jian swung twice, but in both instances, Cao Wenyan quickly and fluidly avoided the strikes. Li Jian's sword could not even graze him.
The ten disciples standing on the dock immediately shot a volley of arrows at the three men. Li Jian turned to see what was happening, and in that instant, all his remaining pirate brothers fell dead around him. When Li Jian spun back to pounce on Cao Wenyan again, Cao Wenyan shot two needles with deadly precision. The two needles flew directly into Li Jian's eyes, blinding him instantly.
Cao Wenyan walked over to Li Jian, who was kneeling on the ground, bleeding heavily from his eyes. Cao Wenyan's voice was a cold, satisfied murmur. "If the person you saw was truly Mu Dishi, you would have been blind already." He raised his hand, intending to kill the pirate, but was stopped by Cao Yanmei.
Cao Yanmei gently lowered her brother's arm. "Ge, let him live like this." She smirked, a cruel glint in her eyes. "I really want to see how he could rob others being a blind man."
A nearby vendor owner, who had witnessed the pirates' many robberies, was deeply satisfied with the sudden, brutal justice delivered by the two strangers. He stepped forward. "The one he was quarreling with just now went with Yongzheng," he offered, pointing out the direction.
Cao Wenyan quickly turned to the vendor, his interest piqued. "Does he have a person named Ma Jingguo with him?" he demanded.
The vendor shook his head. "No, just him and Yongzheng."
Cao Yanmei looked confused. "Who is Yongzheng?"
Cao Wenyan ignored her, instantly rushing in the direction the vendor had pointed.
As soon as Cao Wenyan rounded the corner and walked out of the street, he stopped, his breath catching. He saw a man sitting on the steps in front of an inn. The man had long black hair and was dressed in light green clothes, swaying gently in the air—an exact match for the one he sought.
Overcome with a rush of emotion, Cao Wenyan sprinted over and grabbed the man's left arm without hesitation.
The man's sudden, aggressive grab startled Xue Horan. He instinctively yanked his arm free, stepping back while gripping his left ankle. "What are you doing?" he demanded, putting distance between himself, the man, and the woman.
Seeing the handsome face clearly, Cao Wenyan slowly stood up, the light of desperate hope in his eyes dimming to disappointment. He stared at the young man. "You do look so much like him," he murmured sadly.
Cao Yanmei spoke up, a manipulative smirk playing on her lips. "Ge, let's take him back with us. If you miss Mu Dishi, you can look at him from behind."
Cao Wenyan shook his head sharply. "Nonsense. Mu gongzi is irreplaceable."
Cao Yanmei shrugged, her interest shifting. "Well, if you don't want him, I'll take him back to be my toy."
Cao Yanmei reached out. Xue Horan quickly got to his feet, ignoring the pain in his ankle, grabbed his sword, and swung it defensively at her.
Cao Yanmei's smirk widened with excitement. "I like this toy," she purred. She drew her own sword and lunged toward Xue Horan.
Xue Horan couldn't stand upright due to his sprained ankle and ended up hitting a pole with his back. He slowly backed away, but just as Cao Yanmei closed in, Yongzheng flew out of the inn.
Yongzheng's foot flashed out, kicking Cao Yanmei's sword away. His other leg whipped out and struck Cao Yanmei, sending her staggering backward.
Cao Yanmei hissed, completely enraged. "You stupid, stinky Taoist! This is the second time you tried to stop me!"
Cao Wenyan, having already lost interest, called out. "Yanmei, he is not Mu gongzi; don't waste any more time." He began to walk away.
Cao Yanmei glared murderously at Yongzheng, sheathing her sword. "Stinky Taoist, I won't let this go!" She hurriedly followed Cao Wenyan back toward the dock.
Xue Horan watched the two strange, powerful faces drift away. He turned to Yongzheng, his face pale with shock. "Who are they?"
Yongzheng's expression was grave. "The daughter and son of Chief Cao of the Cao Household."
Xue Horan's eyes widened in realization. "Chief Cao? Cao Fengge?"
Yongzheng looked surprised. "You know Chief Cao?"
Xue Horan shook his head, his face determined. "I don't know him, but my da-shixiong knows him."