It was the middle of summer, yet the night air outside the main conference hall of the Mangsha Sect was still bitterly cold. Built high on the mountain peaks, the temperature dropped drastically after sunset, and a persistent, sharp wind whipped across the faces of the caged martial artists. They were lightly guarded, shivering inside the multiple wooden cages, their true confinement being the poison in their blood—the Seven Colors Pill—which made escape impossible without an antidote.
The strained silence of the desolate compound was abruptly broken by a soft, almost imperceptible sound as Mu Dishi flew over the main entrance wall. He landed silently, his eyes quickly scanning the rows of cages crammed with shivering figures. Unable to immediately locate his targets, he began to walk slowly and deliberately from one cage to the next.
The martial artists inside heard it first: a faint rustling of clothing carried on the wind—the subtle sound of silk moving over leather—far too soft for a guard's heavy footfalls. They peered out and saw a solitary figure in black walking slowly outside the cages, his silhouette a stark shadow against the gloom. The sound of his footsteps was so quiet that only the howling wind allowed them to register the subtle rhythm. Suddenly, an electric tension gripped the prisoners; the slender man in black was clearly not one of the Sunset Sect guards. Everyone fell silent, watching the mysterious figure who stared back at them.
Mu Dishi stopped. His eyes, peering through the black cloth mask covering his face, identified Yong Taihua and Elder Tong in one of the cages. He held a sharp sword in his right hand. With a quick, powerful movement, he swiped the blade across the heavy iron chain securing the door. The chain on the lock snapped with a slight, crisp clink, and the lock dropped to the dirt. The other martial artists imprisoned with Yong Taihua and Elder Tong quickly scrambled out.
"Thank you, xiongtai, for saving us," Yong Taihua said, bowing slightly despite his weakened state.
One of the other escapees urgently added, "Xiongtai, please help the others as well!"
Mu Dishi ignored the plea. He pressed the sword into the hands of the begging martial artist, grabbed Yong Taihua's left sleeve in an iron grip, and then seized Elder Tong's right sleeve. He began to drag the two men toward the front door without a word.
Yong Taihua, shivering from the night air and confused, noted the man's swift movements. He failed to recognize that the person saving him was Mu Dishi, whom he missed dearly. "Wait... wait a minute," Yong Taihua asked, his voice low and confused. "Who are you?"
As the martial artist who had received the sword swung it to free the next cage, the action triggered a hidden alarm. With a loud bang, a group of night patrols rushed in from the main entrance.
"Send out the signal!" one of the guards screamed. "The six sects are attempting another rescue!"
Another guard shouted from the top of his lungs, "Light the fire!"
A sudden, piercing whistle blew loudly into the night, signaling danger across the entire Mangsha Sect compound. The martial artists, weakened by the poison, instinctively covered their ears.
Ten men from the Sunset Sect charged in through the main entrance, swords drawn, pointing their blades at Mu Dishi, Yong Taihua, and Elder Tong. Mu Dishi rolled his eyes behind his mask at the incoming threat.
The ten sect members charged. Mu Dishi grabbed the thin, coiled whip from the side of his belt and lashed it forward, the tip striking the first member in the throat and knocking him instantly to the ground. He then wrapped the whip around the second man's neck, and with a burst of movement, he flew back over the man's head, simultaneously kicking the next four guards to the dirt. He landed light as a feather, delivered a swift kick to the man whose neck was still tightly wrapped, sending him colliding into another rushing guard. He waved the whip again, striking another opponent's leg and causing him to tumble.
Finally, the whip sliced through the air, hitting the last man directly in the chest; with a burst of internal force, the rotating whip pierced the man's right side, and Mu Dishi yanked him sharply to the left, crashing the injured guard into a final opponent.
Before the dust could settle, a loud, chilling voice cut through the chaos.
"I believe I have made it very clear," Ma Jingguo announced, his voice carrying easily over the wind. "If any sect's member breaks in and rescues any of these prisoners, I will turn your entire sector into ashes."
Mu Dishi turned and looked toward the large stone stairs leading to the entrance of the main conference hall. He saw two men quickly set down elaborately carved wooden chairs. Ma Jingguo sat cross-legged upon one, perfectly composed amidst the battlefield. Standing directly behind Ma Jingguo was the very same man Ma Jingguo had so publicly kissed in the inn. Moreover, his entourage was fully present: two women stood on his left, and three men stood on his right, watching the confrontation below like an audience at a private show.
Ma Jingguo settled back onto his chair, a bored curiosity playing on his face. "Who was the one being rescued tonight?" he asked, his voice deceptively casual.
Yong Taihua roared, straining against the ropes that bound him. "Demon Ma, you devil!"
Ma Jingguo smirked, unaffected. "Yong Taihua, I told you to be obedient, yet you always cause one problem after another." He sighed, feigning exasperation. "Tell me, who is your friend? What is your friend's name?"
Yong Taihua continued his furious rant. "You are a piece of trash! No wonder shizun chose Wang Biming over you! You are a demon!"
Ma Jingguo's composure finally broke. His teeth ground together with cold fury. "I promised Dandan I would not kill you, but I never promised her I would not disable you." He flashed a venomous grin. "Cut off his tongue."
Si Meifeng instantly moved, a cruel smile on her face. "I will gladly cut off his tongue for you," she chirped, flying forward, heading straight for Yong Taihua.
Mu Dishi reacted instantly, yanking Yong Taihua's sleeve and Elder Tong's sleeve. "Let us go," he commanded.
Yong Taihua, recognizing the swift, protective grip, suddenly gasped in shock. "You are…"
Mu Dishi did not let him finish. He spun, waving his whip toward the charging Si Meifeng. She darted quickly to her left, releasing a flurry of silver throwing leaves toward Mu Dishi. He effortlessly batted them down to the ground with his whip, and she sprinted forward, attacking with her palm. Mu Dishi met her attack, and the shockwave of his internal force immediately dragged the straggling Si Meifeng violently backward toward the stairs.
Mu Dishi had used only one hand to subdue her, a humiliation that drove Si Meifeng mad with fury and embarrassment. She glared at him, grinding her teeth. "You—"
Si Meifeng was about to make another move, but Ma Jingguo raised a hand to stop her. "You are not his opponent." Ma Jingguo's eyes were now fixed on the masked man, finding him intensely intriguing. Could this person be Wen Huifang's killer? Ma Jingguo slowly walked down the short stairs, positioning himself directly in front of the masked man and Yong Taihua. "If you defeat my five leaders," Ma Jingguo challenged, "you can take away anyone you wish. If you want to take all of these useless dogs, you can do that too."
Mu Dishi completely disregarded the offer. He turned, seized both Yong Taihua and Elder Tong with his right hand, and began dragging them forcefully toward the entrance.
The many martial artists, both free and imprisoned, watched in astonishment. Here was a person who completely ignored Ma Jingguo, showing no fear of the fearsome leader of the Sunset Sect. Moreover, he was only saving Yong Taihua and Elder Tong.
"Help us too!"
"Please help us!"
The martial artists in the cages began pleading desperately with Mu Dishi, but their cries fell upon deaf ears.
Ma Jingguo smirked, genuine fascination in his voice. "Interesting..." He raised his voice, loud enough to stop Mu Dishi. "Yong Taihua, I will kill Zhanjin if you leave right now."
Yong Taihua froze instantly and turned to face Ma Jingguo. Ma Jingguo waited. "One step further, and I will execute Zhanjin. Unless your good friend here agrees to my terms."
Yong Taihua looked at Mu Dishi, regret heavy in his eyes. "Sorry, xiongtai, I cannot leave Zhanjin behind."
Mu Dishi sighed—a soft, weary sound—and reluctantly walked back toward Ma Jingguo's five guards.
Yong Taihua quickly tried to negotiate. "If this xiongtai wins, you will let everyone here go."
"You are in no position to bargain with me," Ma Jingguo corrected coolly. "If he wins, he will take you and Elder Tong. If he loses, he will unmask himself, I will cut out your tongue, I will kill Elder Tong in front of him, and then I will kill him."
Mu Dishi knew he could not afford to waste any more time. In two hours, the debilitating poison on his left arm would take effect, bring severe pain and ensuring his mission would fail. Without another word, Mu Dishi furiously swung his whip and rushed directly toward Ma Jingguo himself, ignoring the guards.
Ma Jingguo flew forward swiftly, meeting the masked man with a series of sharp kicks. Only then did Ma Jingguo notice that his opponent refused to use his left arm. Ma Jingguo quickly aimed for the black cloth mask. As their eyes locked for a fleeting second, Ma Jingguo looked into a pair of incredibly familiar eyes. His heart began beating wildly with a confusing mixture of pain and excitement. If the person before him was not Mu Dishi, his eyes were an exact replica.
Mu Dishi seized the opportunity presented by Ma Jingguo's lapse in concentration. He flew up and dropped his knee, aiming at Ma Jingguo's chest. Ma Jingguo was able to block the strike, but the sheer force of Mu Dishi's knee made him stagger backward toward the stairs.
The imprisoned martial artists were stunned into silence. This unidentified person had actually forced the formidable Ma Jingguo to recoil.
Ma Jingguo chuckled, rubbing his chest. He looked at Mu Dishi, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "Do you happen to be my xiao shushu?"
Mu Dishi merely rolled his eyes at the Chief Demon. "You pay far too much attention to your opponent's appearance," he said coldly.
Ma Jingguo smiled happily, the earlier malice replaced by pure adoration. "I told xiao shushu, when it comes to fighting xiao shushu… I surrender."