With fear still lingering in their hearts, Kuo Wenqian and Yong Caixia were suddenly flooded with relief after hearing the familiar voice call the familiar name. The two women quickly turned around. Standing behind them were none other than Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu.
Yong Caixia's face lit up. "Lok Ge..."
"Ah Lok," Kuo Wenqian echoed, forcing a relieved smile as she helped the injured Yong Caixia toward Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu.
"Jiejie, are you alright?" Kuo Lok asked, rushing forward.
"We are fine," Kuo Wenqian said, turning back to Yong Caixia. "Can you hold on?"
Yong Caixia nodded, gritting her teeth.
Wu Jinghua and Yen Tung stared at Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu, clearly not recognizing the two young martial artists.
Wu Jinghua narrowed her eyes at Kuo Lok. "Which sect or clan do these two young martial artists belong to?" She then assessed his strength. "You are so young, but your internal strength is very strong."
Bazar Batu puffed out his chest and spoke loudly. "You haven't experienced all the internal strength of Lok gege! If you do, you may not be able to walk for a few days!"
Kuo Lok blushed fiercely and glared at Bazar Batu. "Batu…"
Bazar Batu feigned innocence. "Did I say something wrong? I didn't say anything wrong. Don't you remember that time...?"
Kuo Lok quickly covered Bazar Batu's mouth with his hand. "Stop talking!"
Bazar Batu pulled Kuo Lok's hand away, a playful glint in his eyes. He jokingly whispered, "Lok Gege, that time you kicked my horse, I want to tell them..." He paused dramatically, then gasped. "You weren't thinking about that, were you?" He burst into loud, knowing laughter. "Lok Gege, I didn't know your mind would be full of dirt!" He continued to laugh uproariously.
Yen Tung, seething with anger at the blatant lack of attention, shouted, "Hey, are you two going to fight or are you going to stand there and flirt with each other?"
Bazar Batu met the shout with arrogant nonchalance. "Our mouth belongs to us. We can flirt as we wish. That is our right, not yours." He looked contemptuously at Yen Tung. "It's a waste of time to talk to such a loser." He pulled at a section of the three-section staff, intending to break it, but his strength was insufficient.
Kuo Lok smoothly took the staff, pulled the bars apart with an easy show of power, and returned the broken staff back to Bazar Batu.
Yen Tung roared, furious. "How dare you break my weapon!" He gritted his teeth. "You will pay a full price for your action!"
Bazar Batu pointed a broken section of the bar at Yen Tung. "How dare you use this to hit Wenqian jiejie?" He handed the section to Kuo Lok. "Lok Gege, stab this in his chest."
Wu Jinghua, utterly annoyed by Bazar Batu's words, frowned angrily. "You should never be allowed to speak. I will cut off your tongue and feed it to the dog!"
Bazar Batu turned to Kuo Lok, his eyes wide with mock alarm. "Lok gege, she said she wanted to cut off my tongue, what do you think?"
Kuo Lok hesitated momentarily, a faint blush still on his cheeks. "I… I like Batu's tongue, so that is never going to happen."
Bazar Batu smiled, seizing the opportunity to tease. "I like your tongue too. I like it when it's in my mouth." He hugged Kuo Lok around the waist, mocking Wu Jinghua. "You don't have a handsome man like my Lok Gege who will kiss you with his warm, soft tongue anytime you wish to be kissed, so you don't know the importance of a tongue!" He looked at Wu Jinghua with false pity. "Ayi, don't be sad. I am sure you can find an older man your age. Just tell me what type of older man you like... my parents have a wide connection of matchmakers."
Wu Jinghua sputtered, "You—"
Bazar Batu interrupted, leaning in dramatically. "Lok Gege, I want a kiss now."
Kuo Lok glanced at the combatants. "Right now?"
Bazar Batu raised his head and closed his eyes, inviting the kiss.
Kuo Wenqian shook her head, a strained smile on her lips, but understood the delaying tactic.
Suddenly, Wu Jinghua threw a dagger at Bazar Batu's exposed face, but Kuo Lok instantly blocked the dagger with the section of the bar. He flew forward, striking Wu Jinghua with his powerful Dragon Palm strikes. Wu Jinghua blocked the blow with both hands, but the force sent her sliding violently past Kuo Wenqian and Yong Caixia. Yen Tung immediately struck forward behind Kuo Lok. Kuo Lok quickly spun around, grabbed Yen Tung by the wrist, and threw him forward, slamming him into Wu Jinghua. Kuo Lok then simply dropped the section bar to the ground, his move complete.
Bazar Batu rushed to Kuo Lok, pouting. "Lok Gege, did I tell you to stab him with his own staff?"
Kuo Lok gave him a stern look. "Drop it."
Bazar Batu mumbled his compliance, then slammed the remaining section bars onto the ground. "Fine…"
Wu Jinghua wiped blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes fixed coldly on Kuo Lok. "Who the hell are you?"
Kuo Lok replied plainly, "Kuo Lok, Jinfeng Sect."
Yen Tung, recognizing the technique, demanded, "Did you just use Dragon Palm strikes?"
Kuo Lok confirmed, "Yes."
Yen Tung's face tightened. "What is the relationship between you and Kuo Jinsong?"
Kuo Lok stated, "He is my father."
Wu Jinghua and Yen Tung exchanged worried glances. They realized that even their combined strength couldn't prevail against the Dragon Palm strikes. Without warning, Wu Jinghua took out a small pink ball and threw it, exploding into powder that enveloped Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu. The two leaders of Seventy-Two Islands used the confusion to flee.
Bazar Batu coughed through the dust. "Let's catch them!" He ran forward.
Kuo Wenqian stopped him. "No need. Look at Caixia first."
Just then, they saw a red flare symbol shoot into the sky.
Yong Caixia, still injured, slowly moved herself towards Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu with Kuo Wenqian's help. "It must be Dandan's. Hurry up, they are in danger!"
Bazar Batu immediately pushed Kuo Lok toward the rescue. "Lok Gege, Wenqian jiejie, you two, don't worry about us. We will follow you two slowly. Go…"
Kuo Lok and Kuo Wenqian instantly abandoned the chase and rushed toward Mu Village.
Just when they were about to reach the Mu border stone on the road, Chen Dandan and Liu Hung, running hand-in-hand, were overtaken by the Chief Leader of Seventy-two Islands.
The Chief Leader flew forward, curling his right palm into a devastating fist, and slammed it onto Liu Hung's back, sending him sliding violently across the ground past the border stone. Liu Hung slowly struggled to his feet, immediately vomiting a mouthful of blood.
Chen Dandan screamed, "Liu jiefu!" She frantically reached inside her robe and pulled the red flare. Before she could launch it, the Chief Leader struck her chest with a powerful blow, sending her sliding forty yards short of where Liu Hung had fallen. Chen Dandan spat out blood and collapsed to the ground.
The Chief Leader walked to Chen Dandan's side, picked her up effortlessly, and with his prisoner secured, flew swiftly up toward Mu Village.
Shortly after the abduction, a solitary figure and his attendant came into view. From a distance, Ma Jingguo and Yuan Chaomei walked toward Mu Village, prepared to rest for the night and then storm and crash the wedding the following day. As they approached the seventy-one graves, sitting beside the Mu border stone was a bloodied, staggering Liu Hung.
Liu Hung saw Ma Jingguo and quickly rushed toward him. He knew that during Ma Jingguo's time at Jinfeng Sect, he had regarded Chen Dandan as his own younger sister. Liu Hung shouted, consumed by panic, "Ah Chen... Ah Chen..."
Ma Jingguo rushed forward. "Jiefu... what are you doing here?"
"No time for that," Liu Hung gasped. "A man in black took Dandan up Mu Village!"
"Dandan!" Ma Jingguo cried out, his worry absolute. He instantly sprinted up the path toward Mu Village.
Yuan Chaomei rushed to Liu Hung's side, quickly assessing his injury. "Gongzi, you've broken your clavicle bone. There is not much I can do here. Please don't move your arm."
"Thank you, Guniang," Liu Hung managed to say.
Yuan Chaomei quickly followed Ma Jingguo up the hill.
Liu Hung watched Yuan Chaomei disappear, then felt a hand clap him on the shoulder. He turned sharply, and a shiny, sharp blade instantly ran across his throat. Blood gushed from Liu Hung's neck. He choked up, murmuring the name of his killer, "Wang... Gongzi..." Liu Hung fell to the ground, drowning in his own blood.
Wang Biming looked at his attendant, Zhang Wei. "Cut off his head."
Zhang Wei raised his large, heavy blade and swung it down, severing Liu Hung's head from his body.
Wang Biming grabbed Liu Hung's severed head, turned it to face him, and said coldly, "Sorry, Liu Gongzi." He gently placed the head back down and walked away with Zhang Wei, leaving the grotesque scene behind.
Wang Biming looked at Zhang Wei and said, "Cut off his head."
Zhang Wei raised his large blade and swung the heavy blade down cutting off Liu Hung's head from his body.
Wang Biming grabbed Lui Hung's head and turned it to face him. He said coldly, "Sorry, Liu gongzi." He put Lui Hung head down to the ground and walked away with Zhang Wei.
In Mu Village, the moment Ma Jingguo saw the Chief Leader of Seventy-two Islands fly over one of the old houses, he urgently gave chase. He immediately began to attack, throwing a torrent of Devil Fist strikes at the Chief Leader, forcing the older man to back away defensively. Ma Jingguo quickly grabbed the Chief Leader by the collar, his eyes widening as he recognized the familiar robe. The Chief Leader swiftly waved his right hand across Ma Jingguo's face, forcing Ma Jingguo to arch his body and momentarily loosen his grip. The Chief Leader took the opportunity to fly quickly over another old house, disappearing from sight. Ma Jingguo was about to renew the pursuit, but Yuan Chaomei's scream stopped him dead. He rushed back instantly.
When Ma Jingguo reached the door, he saw Yuan Chaomei standing frozen. He looked into the abandoned old house and saw Chen Dandan lying still on the ground. He rushed into the room and gently helped her into a sitting position.
Ma Jingguo's breath hitched. "Dandan!" He pulled her into his arms. "Dandan…"
Chen Dandan's eyes fluttered open, and she coughed up blood. She spoke weakly, "Ma ge…" As blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, Ma Jingguo quickly wiped it off with his hand. "Ma ge…" She slowly began to close her eyes.
"Dandan!" Ma Jingguo cried, immediately sitting behind her and pouring his internal energy into her body. "I'm here, I won't let you die! Tomorrow is your wedding."
Chen Dandan vomited a final mouthful of blood. She whispered, "Ma Ge… it's useless." She slumped back into his embrace. "You forgot... my father is a Yisheng... I know I'm dying..." Tears welled in her eyes. "Ma Ge, I have something to ask you."
Ma Jingguo's eyes were wet with unshed tears. "Go ahead."
Chen Dandan insisted, "But I want Ma ge to promise me."
"I promise you whatever you want," Ma Jingguo vowed, his voice thick with emotion.
Chen Dandan struggled to speak. "Ma ge, I know you are the Chief of Sunset Sector, and your enemies are the Six Sectors…" She coughed. "I want to ask Ma ge to spare Taihua and Da Shixiong."
Ma Jingguo immediately agreed. "I promise you. I won't hurt Yong Taihua or Yan Zhanjin."
"Really?" she asked, clinging to the hope of his word.
Ma Jingguo reached inside his robe and took out two identical jade pendants. "Look, I also brought a wedding gift for both of you."
Chen Dandan stretched out her trembling hand and took the two jades from him. Blood still dripped from her lips, yet she smiled beautifully. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Ma ge." She chuckled lightly, a fragile, fading sound. "Ma ge, wipe the blood off my face. I want to be beautiful…" She coughed up more blood. "I... I don't want people to gossip of me. I refused to be an ugly bride."
Ma Jingguo was about to transfer more internal energy when Yuan Chaomei stopped his hand, shaking her head. "Chief, Chen Guniang's meridians are all broken, and no amount of internal energy will help. She has reached the last moment of her life."
Ma Jingguo quickly wiped the bloodstains from Chen Dandan's lips, seeing that they had already turned a ghastly pale. He stroked her face and managed a pained smile. "My Xiao Meimei , did you know, you are the prettiest bride of the year?" He kissed her forehead.
Chen Dandan knew her time had run out. She clutched Ma Jingguo's hand tightly, breathing heavily, the voice trembling around a final, broken word. "Fu… Fu…" Her grip loosened, and her hand slowly fell to the ground, the jade pendants slipping from her lifeless fingers.
Ma Jingguo's lips trembled with a mixture of sadness and furious denial. He whispered, brokenly, "Dandan… Dandan…" He raised his palm, gathering all his internal energy into it, and violently pressed it onto Chen Dandan's abdomen. He shouted, "Wake up!"
Yuan Chaomei rushed forward, pleading, "Chief… restrain yourself. She is gone!"
Ma Jingguo roared back, tears streaming down his face. "I don't believe it! I just talked to her! How could she be gone?!"
He raised his palm again and was about to strike Chen Dandan's abdomen with a desperate force when the door was suddenly kicked open with a violent crash. Ma Jingguo looked up, his tear-streaked face meeting the horrified, angry gazes of Yong Taihua, Yan Zhanjin, and many martial artist guests of Sword Village who were now standing in the doorway.
Yong Taihua's jaw was clenched, his lips trembling with uncontainable anger and sadness, his eyes blazing red with pure hatred. He let out a primal roar that shook the room, "Ma Jingguo!"