Rushing down the treacherous mountain path, the air around them was thick and cool, scented with damp earth and pine. Yuan Chaomei had chosen a route deliberately hidden from the main thoroughfares of the compound. The trail itself was narrow, carved into the side of the steep mountain terrain, winding precariously between towering, dense evergreen trees whose roots snaked across the rocky ground. Despite the proximity to the notorious sect, the path felt eerily abandoned: not a single member of the Sunset Sect was in sight, making their frantic escape both desperate and unnervingly quiet.
Once the six men burst out from the trees and reached the bottom of the mountain, the narrow, twisting path abruptly opened onto a clearing defined by large, jagged rock elements. This small, rocky path, which they'd been following, soon merged with the familiar, wider main road. It was here, at the junction of escape and civilization, that Yuan Chaomei suddenly stopped advancing, her mission accomplished.
"I can only take you this far," Yuan Chaomei said, halting the group at the mountain's base. "Taking me with you will do you no good. I suggest that you also let Mu gongzi return with me."
Cao Wenyan glared angrily at the Deputy Chief, his voice ringing with defiance. "Not a chance!"
Once the six men and Yuan Chaomei had safely reached the foot of the mountain, Gu Yingjie stepped in front of Yongzheng. "Xiongtai, please take your sword away from her neck."
Yongzheng, still on high alert, challenged him. "Why?"
Gu Yingjie's expression was calm. "We are safe now, and there is no need to hold her hostage."
Yongzheng hesitated, keeping the blade poised. "If I refuse?"
Gu Yingjie's response was firm, backed by his loyalty. "Then Mingyang and I will have to fight you."
Yongzheng questioned the logic. "Why are you helping the enemy?"
Gu Yingjie offered a faint smile toward Yuan Chaomei, revealing the unexpected truth. "No matter which side she belongs to, to me, she will never be my enemy, and I will never be her enemy. Because she is my ex-wife."
Yongzheng's caution broke for a moment of genuine surprise. "She's your ex-wife?"
Gu Yingjie confirmed, simply, "Yes."
Yuan Chaomei looked at Yongzheng, her voice level and matter of fact. "If it weren't for Yingjie, I would never bring you down the mountain safely."
Yongzheng accepted the truth, sheathing his sword and moving to Yong Taihua's side.
Gu Yingjie smiled warmly at Yuan Chaomei. "Yuan jiejie, how have you been?"
Yuan Chaomei returned the genuine smile. "Yingjie, I'm fine. How about you?"
Gu Yingjie replied, his hand resting briefly on his companion's shoulder. "Me and Mingyang are living well. We are living in seclusion."
Yuan Chaomei pressed her request, her tone earnest. "Yingjie, let me take Mu gongzi back with me."
Cao Wenyan immediately blocked the exchange, his stance rigid with protection. "As long as I stand here, no one can take Mu gongzi anywhere."
Yuan Chaomei warned him, her expression serious. "Cao gongzi, if you take Mu gongzi back with you, you will gain more losses than gains."
Mu Dishi, weak but clear-minded, spoke up from Yong Taihua's back, making his own decision. "Taihua, listen to Yuan guniang. I will go back with her."
Yong Taihua was distraught, his voice thick with worry. "Shizun, he treated you badly and put you in a cell! How can you go back?"
A feeling of deep sadness washed over Mu Dishi. He knew the painful truth: Ma Jingguo hated him, and even if he returned, the trust between them would never be restored. His decision was final. "Yuan guniang," he said, his voice soft with genuine concern for his estranged lover, "tell Jingguo to take care of himself and stop practicing the Devil Fists manual." He squeezed Yong Taihua tightly. "Taihua, let's go."
Cao Wenyan looked at Yuan Chaomei coldly, his posture rigid. "No matter what happens next, Mu gongzi will leave with us." He glanced pointedly at Mu Dishi, then back at Yuan Chaomei, his voice carrying a political threat. "Yuan guniang, I also want to remind you that Sunset Sect is now part of the Central Plains Martial World. If Ma Jingguo dares to sever relations with us, then history will repeat itself." He turned sharply. "Let's go."
Gu Yingjie stepped forward, his eyes earnest as he spoke to his ex-wife. "Yuan jiejie, Cao gongzi is right. Please tell Ma Jingguo not to confuse personal grievances with the fate of Sunset Sect, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous." He took Yuan Chaomei's hand and held it tightly. "The vast land of martial arts is too dangerous for a pure person like you. If at any time, you feel that it is too much for you, then leave it behind, because sometimes, the greatest moment in life is listening to the sounds of birds and the rushing water downstream, while enjoying a simple meal."
Yuan Chaomei smiled, her gaze softening. "I will remember. Yingjie, you and Mingyang have been living a happy life. Please don't return to the martial arts world."
Zhu Mingyang spoke from beside Gu Yingjie. "We are here because a friend needed us. When everything is resolved, we will go back."
Yuan Chaomei bid them farewell with concern. "You two be safe."
Gu Yingjie nodded. "Same to you."
Yuan Chaomei watched Zhu Mingyang and Gu Yingjie walk side-by-side down the mountain road. She sighed, a wistful note in her voice. "Yingjie, if Yuanjun thought like you, how good it would be."
Waiting anxiously beside the open temple gate, Cao Yanmei frowned as she watched the road for Cao Wenyan and Yongzheng. Xue Horan walked up to her and offered a pear, his expression gentle.
Cao Yanmei stiffly refused. "I don't like fruit."
Xue Horan persisted, his concern genuine. "Yanmei, you didn't eat anything this morning, and now you won't eat this fruit. You have to eat something."
Cao Yanmei snapped, "I'm not hungry."
Yong Caixia came up from behind and offered a practical solution. "Even if you are not hungry, you still have to eat something." She handed Cao Yanmei a plain bun. "I got this from a junior who just returned from the market. Eat. To be honest, I don't want to see Cao gongzi hit da ge again."
Cao Yanmei took the bun, her eyes never leaving the road. Suddenly, she saw six figures in black rushing toward the old temple. Her face lit up with relief. "They are back!" She pointed to her right.
Yong Taihua led the group into the temple with Mu Dishi still on his back. As soon as he entered, he urged, "Zhanjin, go find Zhanjin right now!"
Yong Caixia immediately rushed into the second building to fetch Yan Zhanjin.
A moment later, Yan Zhanjin and Yong Caixia stormed into the first building. Yan Zhanjin quickly rushed to Mu Dishi, meticulously examining him. After a long moment, he slowly withdrew his hand from Mu Dishi's wrist. He looked directly at Mu Dishi and stated his terms, his voice intense. "Mu Dishi, I can help you regain strength, but you have to promise me to kill Ma Jingguo for me."
Mu Dishi refused instantly, his voice weak but firm. "No need."
Bazar Batu, tears already flowing, pleaded with the doctor. "Zhanjin, if you know how to help him, then help him! If Ma ge comes, we will all be done."
Yan Zhanjin challenged his fear. "Why do you believe that he will come?"
Bazar Batu burst into heartbroken sobs. "I don't know, but his eyes tell me that he has nothing to lose!" His tears flowed faster. "He is so pitiful now because there is no one around him. He has no friends. No family. No wife. He has only himself and his shadow."
Kuo Lok held Bazar Batu, trying to comfort him. "Batu, don't cry anymore."
Bazar Batu buried his face in Kuo Lok's chest, his voice muffled by tears. "I don't want to cry, but these tears won't stop! Lok gege, Ma ge... he cut ties with me. He said he will lose one friend after the sun goes down. I know he means me!" He wept, hugging Kuo Lok tightly.
Mu Dishi commanded, quietly but urgently, "Taihua, take them out. I want to rest."
As Mu Dishi was left alone, lying on his side facing the wall, a sentence Ma Jingguo spoke years ago flashed in his mind: 'Xiao shushu, I will not bother you anymore from now on. I want you to know even if everyone left you behind…I will never leave you as long as you still want me. When you need me, I will give up everything I am doing and come for you.' Mu Dishi murmured softly, "Jingguo… I'm sorry… I'm so useless. The more I tried to help, the more our misunderstanding is deepened."
In the empty yard outside the room, Bazar Batu and Yan Zhanjin were still quarreling. Bazar Batu pushed Yan Zhanjin angrily. "Zhanjin, you said so many hurtful things to Ma ge! If he didn't hurt Dandan or luijifu, can you take back all the bad words you said?"
Yan Zhanjin yelled back, his face flushed. "If it is as you said, I will let him do whatever he wants!"
Yong Taihua intervened, grabbing Yan Zhanjin's arm to stop the fight. "You two stop! Zhanjin, Dandan is my wife. I want to kill Ma Jingguo just like you, but I have to accept the fact that the leaders of the Six Sects agreed to give him two years. For two years, if he can't prove to us who the murderer is, I will personally go kill him myself!" He sighed heavily. "As of right now, without shizun's help, I don't think we can defeat Ma Jingguo."
Yan Zhanjin took several deep, heavy breaths to calm himself. He conceded, "It's not that there is no way to help Mu Dishi, but who is willing to help him."
Cao Wenyan immediately grabbed Yan Zhanjin's arm. "I am willing!"
Yan Zhanjin sneered, yanking his arm back. "I know you are willing, and you will be the first to volunteer. But you are not qualified to do this."
Gu Yingjie asked, seeking a true solution. "Zhanjin, who then?"
Yan Zhanjin explained the difficulty. "Someone with great internal energy, such as Kuo shifu, Chief Gu, Monk Ling, or Taoist Liang."
Gu Yingjie dismissed two names immediately. "Chief Gu will not agree, because Ma Jingguo was the one who killed Gouliang and Jingjing jiejie."
Kuo Lok added, "My father can't do it; he is resting in Jinfeng Sect."
Yongzheng started, "My shifu, he…"
Before Yongzheng could finish, Monk Ling walked in from the door, his demeanor serene. "Amitabha… this old monk volunteered."
Yan Zhanjin looked at him seriously. "Daoshi, do you fully understand the outcome?"
Monk Ling replied calmly. "The result, I fully understand."
Yongzheng, confused, asked, "What's the outcome?"
Yan Zhanjin explained the sacrifice. "Daoshi Ling will never be able to practice internal strength, nor can he recover the lost internal energy."
Monk Ling smiled gently. "If this monk can save sentient beings, then I am not afraid of trading."
Kuo Lok's voice was filled with deep concern for his master. "Shifu, are you sure that you are willing to do this? If you do that, you will not be much better than an ordinary person."
Monk Ling offered wisdom. "Lok'er, we were all the same when we were born, just an ordinary person with nothing. When we came into this world, we had nothing, and when we left this world, we would leave with nothing."
Kuo Lok, deeply moved, could only whisper, "Shifu…"
Monk Ling's expression was full of paternal pride. "Lok'er, remember, the greatest gift one person can give to another is forgiveness." He looked at his disciple. "You are my only disciple and have never let me down. Shifu wants you to know that I am proud of you."
Bazar Batu raised a practical concern. "What if Mu Dishi doesn't cooperate with us?"
Yan Zhanjin shrugged, still focused on his primary goal. "Then we will find another way to kill Ma Jingguo."
Mu Dishi suddenly stood at the door, his gaze resolute. "I agree, but you must agree to my term."
Yan Zhanjin challenged him. "What is your term?"
Mu Dishi's condition was clear. "His life is spared."
Monk Ling bowed his head, accepting the condition. "Benefactor Mu, we accept your terms."
Bazar Batu, weeping for his friend, agreed. "I agree too."
Mu Dishi nodded. "Begin the treatment."