The summer air hung heavy and humid over the dirt road, but the heat was forgotten in the face of the growing tension. Xue Horan stood at a safe distance, his eyes darting between Yongzheng and the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands. He had listened closely to their exchange, his expression conflicted.
He had always chosen to ignore Yongzheng's mysterious past, adhering to his belief that everyone has a past, and he was taught to never reopen a person's old wounds, believing some secrets were meant to be buried deep within the skin. However, the moment the conversation turned to the rules of their respective organizations—a clear reference to Yongzheng's abandonment of the group he once led—Xue Horan's calmness shattered. He became acutely worried that Yongzheng would be in immediate danger for abandoning the organization and its rules, a threat that now overshadowed his philosophical acceptance of his partner's history.
The eyes of every martial artist present—be they from the Sunset Sect, the Seven-Two Islands, or simply wandering heroes caught in the skirmish—were fixed on the confrontation. In the harsh summer sun, their collective gazes were sharp, watchful, and silently judging the coming conflict.
Xue Horan quickly rushed forward, stood beside Yongzheng, and held Yongzheng's wrist tightly. Xue Horan looked at him, demanding an explanation. "What rules?"
Yongzheng glanced at Xue Horan's worried, gloomy face. "Do you remember Xie Diwei's story?" He smiled reassuringly at the fear he saw in Xue Horan's eyes. "Don't worry, I won't fall easily without a fight."
The two groups of martial artists stared intently at one another, the morning summer wind sweeping across their faces. Bazar Batu took a step forward, positioning himself in front of Yongzheng. He looked directly at the Chief Leader and the four leaders of the Seventy-Two Islands. He then turned slightly to Yongzheng and asked a critical question, his voice challenging the very existence of the hostile group. "Is the organization still exist?"
Yongzheng responded to Bazar Batu's question about the organization's existence with a simple, "No."
Bazar Batu turned to the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands and stated matter-of-factly, "Since the organization no longer exists, then he has not betrayed the organization." He crossed his arms and turned back to Yongzheng. "Huh, smelly Taoist, so have you seen this person's face?"
Yongzheng confirmed the organization's secrecy. "It was forbidden to let other people in the organization see your face."
Bazar Batu pressed. "In other words, you don't know what he looks like?"
"No," Yongzheng confirmed. He then turned the question on his unexpected ally. "Do you recognize me?"
Bazar Batu explained how he made the connection. "I didn't at first, but I remembered a Taoist helping us from a burning pagoda many years ago. At that time, you were still wearing a Taoist uniform and holding a badly tore money bag."
Yongzheng ignored the detail about the money bag and countered with an observation about Bazar Batu's skills. "Your martial arts were not so good back then, but now they are much better. Why hide it?"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands chuckled, scoffing at Yongzheng's abilities. "It's just that my skill has improved, and yours is still the same."
Rao Zhengsheng pointed his butterfly sword at the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands. "I don't care who he is." He lunged forward, the heat of the summer day forgotten in his rage. "He killed my shifu…"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands chuckled, unconcerned. "It was Cao Fengge, not me who killed your shifu. It was Cao Fengge who stabbed the poisonous needle into your shifu's chest."
Xue Horan, acting on impulse, drew Yong Taihua's sword from its scabbard and sprinted directly at the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands.
Yongzheng and Rao Zhengsheng both shouted in alarm, "Horan!"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands held the sword in his left hand and waved his right hand, which was tipped with a metal claw, at Xue Horan's throat. His attack was instantly blocked by Yongzheng. The metal claw pierced deeply into Yongzheng's flesh, and Yongzheng tightly hugged the Chief Leader's right arm, locking it down. Forced to release the sword, the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands attacked Yongzheng with his left hand.
Yongzheng quickly pushed Xue Horan away, and Rao Zhengsheng simultaneously swung his butterfly sword at the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands' left arm. The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands raised his left hand to block the butterfly sword, and at the same moment, a red needle shot directly at Rao Zhengsheng. Rao Zhengsheng quickly performed a backflip to avoid being hit. Yongzheng immediately let go of the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands' arm and punched his abdomen. However, the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands blocked Yongzheng's punch and backed away to join his four subordinate leaders.
Yongzheng felt a sharp pain in his left arm, and blood dripped onto the dry dirt. He looked first at the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands, then at Rao Zhengsheng. Xue Horan quickly rushed to Yongzheng's side.
Zhu Mingyang stepped forward, looking at the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands. "You know Red Thread Needle Manual? Not only that, but you also know the butterfly sword, so you could easily block that xiong-tai's every move."
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands responded with a smirk. "Not bad for an old guard."
Zhu Mingyang asked, "Where did you learn it from?"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands sneered, "Zhu Mingyang, I learned from the place that you once had been to. If you hadn't been too obsessed with protecting the person standing next to you, you would have learned it a long time ago."
Zhu Mingyang was indifferent. "My purpose as a guard is not for learning, nor for fame and fortune, so I don't care who learns what."
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands taunted him. "If you are smarter, you should have chosen Gu Xiaowen as your master."
Zhu Mingyang rolled his eyes and smirked. "The only person who deserves my protection and loyalty is Yingjie, and no one else deserves my loyalty, not even Gu Tingfang."
Bazar Batu commented to Gu Yingjie, "Hey da ge, you got yourself a very good man."
Gu Yingjie smiled. "He is indeed a very good man with a very stubborn personality."
Bazar Batu then turned to the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands, then back to Kuo Lok. "Lok gege, that chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands might know the four households fighting skills, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't know Dragon Palm Strike... or did your father teach it to someone else other than you and Heng da ge?"
Kuo Lok confirmed, "Other than us brothers, my father has not taught anyone else."
Bazar Batu nodded, satisfied. "That's good."
Zhu Mingyang asked the Chief Leader, "Where did you get it?"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands explained, "I was once a prisoner inside the Gu. We prisoners like to teach each other, so we can help each other escape."
Yongzheng looked at the Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands. "Did you deliberately lose to me when we competed for the leader's seat?"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands smirked. "Actually, I tried very hard to defeat you, but my skills were not as good as yours. At that time, you won because your skills are much better than mine, so there is no hard feeling." He smiled behind his mask. "Even if I lost that day, I did learn a very valuable lesson from our duel."
Rao Zhengsheng demanded, "What did you gain from that duel?"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands smiled coldly. "I learned that being second is not a bad idea, because no one really pays attention to my every move."
Rao Zhengsheng's anger flared again. "What beef do you have with my shifu? Why did you destroy my home?"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands said dismissively, "There is no beef between Xue Longwei and me. I don't even know him until that day."
Rao Zhengsheng shouted, enraged, "Since you don't know him, why take someone to destroy Butterfly Island?"
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands answered with a chilling calm. "I am a man of my word. Leader Cao once rescued me; I just repay his kindness. Moreover, the grievances between Xue Longwei and Cao Fengge have nothing to do with martial arts... They have their own grievances... between them." He sneered at Rao Zhengsheng. "I don't understand why you want me to be responsible for Cao Fengge's actions. Now that you have forgiven him, it's time to let go. If your resentment deepens... you will eventually die in the end... not me."
Bazar Batu laughed, "You kill others to repay another's kindness, you must have no shame."
The Chief Leader of the Seventy-Two Islands disagreed with Rao Zhengsheng's demand for revenge. "I don't see any problem with it. Repayment is repayment, it doesn't matter in what form."
Bazar Batu, thinking quickly, embraced the Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands' logic. "I changed my mind, and I totally agree with what you said. Repayment is repayment, no matter in what form, this phrase is perfect." He then looked at Kuo Lok and pointed a challenging finger at the Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands. "Lok gege, they had saved my life. Killed him to pay them back their kindness."
Rao Zhengsheng added his own declaration. "I will kill you to repay my shifu and shimu's kindness."
Zhu Mingyang silently pointed his dao sword at the Chief Leader. The Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands asked him, "Guard Zhu, what beef do you have towards me?"
Zhu Mingyang's loyalty to Gu Yingjie was clear. "Nothing, just don't like the way you talk to me."
Bazar Batu summarized their unified front. "With our combined strength, you will never defeat us."
The Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands laughed loudly, his voice echoing in the mountains. He looked at the martial artists arrayed against him. "I have defeated so many martial artists who are more skillful than your poor comprehensive strength. Your comprehensive strength has never shaken my heart." He smiled, issuing a stark reminder. "Have you forgotten where you are?"
Bazar Batu returned the challenge. "We have not forgotten where we are, but maybe you have forgotten where you are."
The Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands mocked him. "Tough talks from just a small little creature."
Bazar Batu confidently retorted, "This small creature will be the downfall of your great ambition."
The Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands smirked. "If you want to destroy my ambition, you have to work harder." He then addressed the assembled martial artists, his tone turning deadly serious. "I have always been the cause of many downfalls in people's lives. I can assure you that there is no pride, because every time there is a downfall, only human corpses pile up."
Bazar Batu swallowed heavily. "How many downfalls have you caused?"
The Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands smiled. "There are too many to count."
Bazar Batu tried to get under his skin. "Then you must be a lonely old man? Because only a lonely old man likes to turn other people's lives into a living hell."
The Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands coolly admitted, "Anyone who is ambitious is always lonely." He looked directly at Bazar Batu. "Just because you defeated Yueguang Sect when they tried to take over Sword Village… doesn't mean you can defeat Seventy-Two Islands… I'll give you a piece of advice."
Bazar Batu, intrigued, replied, "What? I'm engrossed."
The Chief leader of Seventy-Two Islands gave his cryptic advice. "When you are in danger, it's okay to pretend to be stupid. Pretending to be stupid may save your life." He smiled at Bazar Batu. "It's not always wise to be too smart."
Bazar Batu looked at Kuo Lok, murmuring, "Lok gege, why is this sentence sound so familiar? I seem to have heard it from somewhere..."