The fabric mill became a deadly labyrinth of cloth and shadow.
Rao Zhengsheng positioned himself resolutely in front of the severely injured Dong Lanying. The assassins immediately split: Red Mice and Green Mice guarded the furious Cao Yanmei, while Yellow Mice, Blue Mice, and Black Mice launched a coordinated assault on Rao Zhengsheng.
Yuan Xiurong used the chaos to her advantage, helping Dong Lanying to her feet, and the two women retreated towards a safe position near a large pile of bamboo. However, the Green Mice immediately rushed towards the two retreating women.
From his hiding spot near the hearth, Xue Horan, despite his sprained ankle, acted on instinct. He sent his scabbard flying directly at the Green Mice. The assassin quickly arched his back to avoid the missile, and the scabbard slammed into a wooden pole that propped up the loft. Xue Horan then sprinted forward, limping, directly towards the Green Mice.
Rao Zhengsheng fought with ingenious fury. He grabbed a piece of colored cloth hanging on a bamboo pole and swiftly wrapped the cloth around the Black Mice. He gripped the end of the cloth firmly, swayed his body behind the Black Mice using the taut cloth as leverage, and then delivered a fierce kick to the Yellow Mice. The Yellow Mice retracted, retreating closer to the front door. Rao Zhengsheng then used his momentum to throw the wrapped Black Mice violently at the lines of wet fabrics.
Black Mice collided into the wet fabric lines, his body instantly stained with different colors. He quickly stood up, shredding the cloth that bound him using his powerful internal energy. He then sprinted back toward Rao Zhengsheng.
Meanwhile, Xue Horan engaged the Green Mice. Xue Horan flew over and slashed at the assassin with his sword. The Green Mice retaliated by kicking Xue Horan's right hand with his right foot, forcing Xue Horan to temporarily lose his grip. Xue Horan jumped up high and, landing on the Green Mice's head, pressed his right foot heavily onto the assassin's skull. The Green Mice grabbed Xue Horan's ankle—the injured one—and violently threw him towards the front door.
Xue Horan whirled uncontrollably in the air, flying toward the doorway.
At that moment, Yongzheng rejoined the fight, his movements precise despite the tight space inside the mill. He struck the Blue Mice hard in the back. The Blue Mice leaped forward to attack Yongzheng, but the Taoist was faster, flying over the assassin. He then delivered a sharp kick to Cao Yanmei's right shoulder, smashing her into the Red Mice, who hit the left door frame.
Yongzheng didn't stop. He flew forward and enveloped the spinning Xue Horan, hugging him tightly in his arms. The two flew out from the front door toward the open space of the kitchen outside. After landing, Yongzheng gently placed Xue Horan on the wooden bench.
Yongzheng turned to Xue Horan, his face a grim mask. "Be careful." Knowing that Xue Horan's ankle had not yet healed, he made a calculated decision: he sprinted back toward Cao Yanmei, the Red Mice, and the Blue Mice, prioritizing driving the assassins away from the injured Xue Horan.
"You stinky Taoist!" Cao Yanmei shrieked, fueled by fury and pain from the previous kick. She drew her own sword—a gleaming, straight blade—and rushed toward Yongzheng. Following her were Red Mice and Blue Mice.
At that moment, the Yellow Mice flew out of the front door and landed in the open area. Following him were Rao Zhengsheng, Dong Lanying, and Yuan Xiurong, all seeking better ground for the fight.
Rao Zhengsheng hugged Yuan Xiurong and flew quickly to where Xue Horan was sitting on the wooden bench. He let go of Yuan Xiurong.
Rao Zhengsheng looked at Yuan Xiurong, his voice sharp with command. "Xiurong, stay here with Horan." He grabbed Dong Lanying's left hand, checking her pulse with a quick press. "Shimei, you stay here to protect them."
Yongzheng met Cao Yanmei's attack head-on. He struck her on the left shoulder with a powerful, focused punch, and she flew back toward the mill door. The Yellow Mice rushed forward to catch Cao Yanmei before she hit the ground. Seeing their mistress in danger, the other four Mice hurried back to check on her.
Cao Yanmei, supported by her men, shouted angrily, her voice laced with venom, "You five go kill Rao Zhengsheng and the dirty Taoist!"
The Five Color Mice immediately lunged at Yongzheng and Rao Zhengsheng, turning the open area into a complex battlefield. While the assassins were engaged, Cao Yanmei, ignoring her injured shoulder, lunged directly at Xue Horan with her sword.
Xue Horan reacted instinctively. Despite his sprained ankle, he used his right foot to swiftly kick out, repelling the sword from stabbing him. The force of the kick surprised Cao Yanmei, who had to take a step back.
Xue Horan, pale but clear-eyed, spoke directly to his assailant. "Cao guniang, I have nothing to do with you, why are you targeting me?"
Cao Yanmei's face twisted with spite. "That stinky Taoist kicked me because of you. He slammed me into the door, and I hit my right shoulder. You let me stab your left shoulder, and I will let go!"
Dong Lanying, though weak, stood her ground next to Xue Horan and countered with a sharp warning. "Honestly, if you stab his left shoulder, my da shixiong might just chop off your hand."
Cao Yanmei smiled cruelly at Xue Horan. "Are you so special to Rao Zhengsheng?" Her eyes glinted with malicious intent. "If I take you, Rao Zhengsheng will grovel at my feet." She lunged, stabbing her sword directly at the helpless Xue Horan.
Xue Horan instinctively arched backward to avoid the blade, but his sprained ankle made defense impossible, and he tumbled backward onto the muddy ground.
Before Cao Yanmei could press her advantage, Dong Lanying, despite her weakness, intercepted Cao Yanmei's sword with her own, diverting the attack. She immediately engaged Cao Yanmei in a desperate fight.
Across the yard, Rao Zhengsheng roared, "Horan!"
The Yellow Mice, seizing the chance, pounced with a powerful fist aimed straight at Rao Zhengsheng.
Rao Zhengsheng, driven by panic and fury, reached to his back and quickly drew his butterfly sword. He grasped the right hilt tightly and swung it up, blocking the Yellow Mice's fist. The impact of the collision was devastating; it shattered the Yellow Mice's right knuckles. The assassin swung his left hand at Zhengsheng, but Rao Zhengsheng was faster, swinging his butterfly sword to slit the Yellow Mice's left wrist.
Rao Zhengsheng didn't stop. He slammed a heavy punch directly on the Yellow Mice's upper chest. The violent blow sent the assassin dropping to the ground and sliding backward, all the way to the bottom of the three steps leading to the fabric mill's front door. The Yellow Mice's head struck the steps with a sickening finality. He died on the spot.
Driven by the need to neutralize the threat quickly, Rao Zhengsheng immediately shifted his deadly focus to the Black Mice. Rao Zhengsheng lunged forward, his knee driving towards the assassin's chest. The Black Mice, startled by the sheer ferocity, managed to block the attack with his forearms but was forced back two staggering steps.
Rao Zhengsheng didn't relent. He swayed swiftly to the right side of the Black Mice, spinning around in a fluid motion to gain the assassin's blind spot. His left butterfly sword—which he had drawn after killing the Yellow Mice—slashed out, the blade piercing directly into the Black Mice's upper left arm. As the Black Mice cried out, Zhengsheng delivered a sharp kick to the back of the Black Mice's left knee, dropping the assassin instantly to the ground.
The moment Zhengsheng raised his head, he saw the legs of the Red Mice and Blue Mice swinging towards him in a dangerous pincer attack. He ruthlessly drew the sword from the upper left arm of the crippled Black Mice and turned the butterfly sword over, using the thick brass hilt to block the simultaneous, powerful kicks from the Red Mice and Blue Mice.
The Green Mice, seeing his opportunity, flew over to attack, aiming a direct kick at Rao Zhengsheng. But Rao Zhengsheng was already moving, rushing forward and delivering his own sharp, retaliatory kick to the Green Mice before the Mice could connect. Just as the Green Mice staggered backward toward the fabric mill door, Rao Zhengsheng took advantage of the momentum, flying straight toward him, seeking to press his latest advantage.
The fight raged on, a blur of steel and motion, leaving the ground littered with torn fabric and the blood of the Five Color Mice.
The chaos of the fight was temporarily interrupted by the drama unfolding near the entrance. Cao Yanmei, having found the upper hand against the weakened Dong Lanying, delivered a forceful kick that sent Lanying sprawling to the muddy ground. Cao Yanmei raised her sword for the killing blow.
But before the steel could connect, a figure streaked across the ground. Yongzheng, having dispatched his last immediate threat, rushed forward and kicked Cao Yanmei's sword arm away. In the same motion, he sprinted in close and drove a controlled but powerful strike directly into Cao Yanmei's already injured left shoulder. Cao Yanmei cried out, falling hard to the ground for the second time.
She scrambled back up; her face twisted with pain and absolute fury. She screamed at Yongzheng, her voice hoarse, "You stinky Taoist, this is the third time you hit me!"
Yongzheng stood his ground, his expression detached and calm despite the chaos. "If you don't hit others, you won't get hit," he stated simply.
Cao Yanmei glared at Yongzheng with murderous madness. She raised her sword and yelled, "I am going to kill you!"
The intense personal confrontation between Yongzheng and Cao Yanmei was suddenly interrupted by a new, external danger. An arrow flew directly at Cao Yanmei.
Yongzheng, acting purely on protective instinct, stepped forward quickly, positioning himself in front of her, and knocked the arrow to the side.
Cao Yanmei, her mind still clouded by rage, reacted instinctively by cutting his left arm with her sword, but Yongzheng ignored the new wound. He grabbed her by the waist and swung her away just as a second arrow flew toward them. Then, several more arrows whistled in their direction.
Rao Zhengsheng shouted from inside the mill, "Go back inside!"
Yongzheng released his grip on Cao Yanmei, his voice firm. "Go back inside now!"
Cao Yanmei, stunned by the Taoist's sacrifice and the immediate danger, finally responded. "You..." She quickly turned and ran into the fabric mill for cover.
Yuan Xiurong helped the staggering Dong Lanying, while Yongzheng scooped up the immobile Xue Horan, and the four people ran back inside the fabric mill, retreating from the arrow barrage.
A loud, authoritative voice boomed from outside: "Everyone inside listens well! I need the handsome young man in light green clothes and the arrogant man from Beixing Sect who killed my younger brother!"
Cao Yanmei shouted out the window in defiance, "Who the hell are you?"
A second voice, filled with spite, replied: "Da ge, it's her brother who blinded me and killed Ah Jin!"
The first voice boomed again, identifying himself, "Li Fu!"
Rao Zhengsheng's face hardened. "Li Fu? What is he doing here?" He turned to Xue Horan, concern overriding the danger. "Li Fu's men are the ones who hurt you?"
Xue Horan, confused by the shift in enemies, replied, "They didn't hurt me. I sprained my ankle myself."
Cao Yanmei turned to her men, bewildered. "Who the hell is Li Fu anyway?"
Dong Lanying, leaning heavily on Yuan Xiurong, scoffed. "You call yourself a martial artist, but you don't know who Li Fu is?"
Cao Yanmei bristled. "I don't!"
The Red Mice quickly supplied the information. "Lady Cao, Li Fu is one of the chiefs of the Seventy-two Islands. They have the most disciples in the martial arts world."
Dong Lanying warned, "If you are smart enough, you won't be an enemy of them."
Cao Yanmei instantly sought self-preservation. "Well, I am not the one they want. I should be fine, but it looks like they want him." She pointed directly at the terrified Xue Horan. "So, we are safe."
Li Fu's voice cut through her momentary relief. "If you don't come out by yourself, I will force you out!" He looked at his ten-armed men. "Light them up!"
Li Fu's ten men aimed their arrows at the fabric mill and shot at the building, launching fire arrow after fire arrow. The dry fabric and wooden structure immediately began to catch light.
Cao Yanmei frowned, horrified. "Those bastards are going to burn us alive! What shall we do?"
Just as Li Fu's men released another wave of fire arrows toward the burning mill, a figure suddenly flew out from behind Li Fu and began to attack him. It was Cao Wenyan. Li Fu's men instantly dropped their bows and arrows and rushed to help Li Fu fight Cao Wenyan.
Cao Yanmei exclaimed happily, "Ge!" She kicked one of the door panels open and rushed out with the four remaining Mice.
Cao Wenyan disengaged from the fight and walked quickly toward Cao Yanmei, his face etched with concern. "Are you hurt?"
Cao Yanmei beamed. "No, I am not injured."
Li Jiang cried out, pointing at Cao Wenyan, "Da ge, that man killed Li Jin!"
Li Fu, enraged by the attack and the death of his brother, roared, "Kill them!"
Just then, Rao Zhengsheng, Yongzheng, Xue Horan, Yuan Xiurong, and the injured Dong Lanying came scrambling out of the burning fabric mill, driven out by the smoke and flames.
When Cao Wenyan saw Rao Zhengsheng, his eyes narrowed. He drew a dagger from his sleeve and instantly pointed it at Rao Zhengsheng.
Xue Horan shouted a warning, "Watch out!" He instinctively stepped in front of Rao Zhengsheng and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the impact of the dagger.
But the pain never came. Instead, he heard a sharp grunting sound. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Yongzheng's back standing directly in front of him.
Cao Yanmei frowned angrily at the selfless action. "Stinky Taoist! It's you again!"
Xue Horan murmured, his voice thick with fear and concern, "Yongzheng…" He limped quickly to the left side of the Taoist. "Yongzheng, are you all, right?"
Yongzheng looked at Xue Horan, his face impassive despite the dagger wound. "I'm fine."
Just as Li's subordinates surged forward to renew the attack, another figure suddenly flew over their heads and crashed violently into the nearby dining table, shattering the wood.
Zhou Guotin slowly got up from the broken table, immediately vomiting a mouthful of blood.
Rao Zhengsheng recognized him instantly. "Zhou Guotin! One of the Five Gentlemen of Huangshan. What is he doing here?"
Then they heard the distinct sound of something heavy being dragged, drawing closer. They all turned to the sound that was approaching them from the darkness. Slowly, a new group emerged, led by a menacing man in black who was dragging two unconscious bodies: Su Lie Jie and Yen Shoi Ming.
Zhou Guotin looked at the newcomers, gurgling blood in his mouth as he struggled to speak. "Da... shixiong ..."
Li Fu demanded, completely confused by the sudden addition of new, powerful factions. "Who the hell are you?"
The man in black tossed the bodies of Su Lie Jie and Yen Shoi Ming onto the ground. He replied, his voice chillingly neutral, "Tonight, I'm Heibai Wuchang. "