The moment Ma Jingguo stepped across the crumbling threshold of the main gate, the air inside the old temple seemed to thicken, choked by immediate, deadly tension.
The temple was a desolate ruin. The central courtyard was paved with cracked, moss-covered stone, and the massive wooden pillars supporting the roof were bleached and deeply weathered. Dust motes danced in the few shafts of weak light penetrating the grime-coated windows, illuminating the decaying majesty of the hall. The scent of age and abandonment provided the perfect, grim backdrop for this execution.
In this claustrophobic arena, hundreds of figures—the combined, bristling might of the Six Sects and countless clans—had strategically gathered to surround him. They formed a tight, suffocating ring, a forest of drawn weapons: polished scimitars, glinting sword tips, and crossbows aimed directly at his chest.
Yet, despite their overwhelming numbers and their collective fury, a chilling stillness governed the scene. No one moved.
Ma Jingguo stood at the dead center of the hostile circle, completely alone. He adjusted the brim of his straw hat and let his gaze sweep slowly over the hundreds of anxious faces. He saw the rage of the young, the fear of the seasoned elders, and the sheer, desperate anticipation of his end. But their hands remained frozen at their sides.
His lips curled into a slow, profoundly melancholic smile—a devastating expression of resignation, not mockery. He had walked willingly into this hell, eager for the release of death, but the collective memory of his power, the terror rooted in his background as the ruthless, highly skilled leader of the Sunset Sect, held their combined forces immobile. They were ready to kill, but they were afraid of the price. The irony of their hesitation was the final, bitter joke.
Li Kong Bai finally broke the silence. "Chief Xin, please carefully reconsider before you act."
Ma Jingguo replied, his voice clear and detached. "I am no longer the leader of Sunset Sect. I have severed relations with them. Everything I do today has nothing to do with Sunset Sect."
Kuo Changchang stepped forward, appealing to their old bond. "Ah Chen, you can't defeat these martial artists by yourself. Sit down and chat; there is no need to fight."
Ma Jingguo met her gaze with respect but firm finality. "Shijie, this has nothing to do with you. I hope shijie stays away when we quarrel." He looked to the left and saw Yong Taihua walking toward him, followed by other martial artists. "Yong Taihua, where is my xiao shushu?"
Yong Taihua shouted, his voice thick with rage. "Demon Ma, shizun does not want to see you! If you don't want to die, leave here immediately!"
Ma Jingguo's smile widened slightly. "If I'm afraid of death, then I won't stand here." He glared straight at Yong Taihua, then his eyes quickly scanned the crowd. Ma Jingguo looked around but did not see Yan Zhanjin. "Yan Zhanjin, where is he?"
Yong Taihua replied with cold satisfaction. "He hates you and doesn't want to see you."
Ma Jingguo pressed, the question cutting deep. "Is he going to pull those nails from xiao shushu?"
Ma Jingguo's words enraged Yong Taihua further. He screamed, his voice strained. "Demon Ma, you are shameless! You dare to mention it!" He pointed a furious finger at Ma Jingguo. "Zhanjin is helping shizun to beat you!"
Ma Jingguo's eyes narrowed, a desperate hope clinging to his next question. "Yong Taihua, why are you so sure that Xiao Shushu will help you, and not me?"
Yong Taihua delivered the killing blow. "Shizun promised to destroy your last four acupoints and maim you!"
Ma Jingguo looked out at the silent, armed hundreds, his despair turning to a cruel cynicism. "Who is brave enough to sacrifice himself?"
Kuo Lok stated simply, "My shifu, Monk Ling."
Ma Jingguo laughed, a dry, bitter sound. "As expected."
Bazar Batu, his heart heavy with guilt, finally put the truth into words. "Ma ge, since you knew that Kuo shifu is injured and unable to help Mu ge, you deliberately let Mu ge go with us, because you knew that among all the martial artists standing here, there is only Monk Ling who can fight you. Is that true?"
Ma Jingguo smiled, not denying it. "Yes."
Bazar Batu's voice cracked. "Ma ge, how did you become like this? You make me..."
Ma Jingguo finished the thought with cold self-justification. "Disappointed? Batu, you are smarter than these people, you tell me. Others don't care about me, why should I care about their happiness? Why should I be generous to others, when they are not generous to me? Why should I tolerate their anger? I'm just an ordinary person who is fed up with everyone's betrayal. I will no longer tolerate anyone who wants to irritate me." He sneered, his eyes sweeping over the surrounding martial artists. "This is a matter between me and Yong Taihua. Any of you who wants to be an enemy of me should take a step forward. Otherwise, stay away."
The martial artists inside the old temple slowly retreated from Ma Jingguo, widening the circle of combat. He took out Mu Dishi's black metal gloves and slowly put them on.
Zhu Mingyang flew out and swung his sword at Ma Jingguo. Ma Jingguo raised his gloved hand to block the dao sword, and then countless needles flew straight towards him. Ma Jingguo quickly caught the needles with his right hand.
Ma Jingguo looked at Zhu Mingyang coldly. "Zhu Mingyang..."
Zhu Mingyang stood his ground. "Since you are here to fight, let's fight, say no more."
Ma Jingguo smiled, a flicker of dark amusement in his eyes. "Very well, you owe me a punch." He lunged toward Zhu Mingyang.
Behind the wall separating them from the main hall, Xue Horan's heart pounded. He looked back at Yan Zhanjin, who had just cut a hole in the front shoulder and scapula of Mu Dishi to prepare him for the complex treatment.
Cao Yanmei asked him, "Are you worried?"
Xue Horan nodded.
Cao Yanmei offered reassurance. "With their comprehensive strength, I don't think they will easily lose to Ma Jingguo." She looked at Xue Horan's injured hand. "I'm sorry."
Xue Horan was confused. "For what?"
Cao Yanmei confessed her earlier mistake. "I pushed you to the ground."
Xue Horan smiled kindly. "Don't take the misunderstanding to heart."
Cao Yanmei mused, "It's no wonder that Yongzheng..."
Xue Horan completed the thought warmly. "Yongzheng mentioned you from time to time."
Cao Yanmei's face softened. "Really?"
Xue Horan shared the compliment. "He talked about how you helped us when Cao gongzi took Da shixiong and I as prisoners. He said that having a sister like you is the only reason he wants to be a family member of the Rao family."
Cao Yanmei smiled, relieved. "So, we are good?"
Xue Horan nodded with a smile.
Yan Zhanjin walked out and put his arms around Xue Horan and Cao Yanmei's shoulders, a genuine smile on his face. "Fortunately, you two are finally reconciled."
Cao Yanmei asked, worried about her brother. "Where is my da ge?"
Yan Zhanjin sighed. "He's still wiping Mu gongzi's sweat inside. Cao gongzi is not afraid to show his affection to Mu gongzi."
Cao Yanmei couldn't resist needling him. "How about you? Have you forgiven my da ge?"
Yan Zhanjin teased back. "If I didn't forgive him, do you think I would let him get so close to me?"
Cao Yanmei turned to look inside the small room, seeing Cao Wenyan lovingly wiping Mu Dishi's brow. She frowned slightly. "Sometimes, I wish for Mu Dishi to pick da ge over Ma Jingguo…" As soon as she turned back, Zhu Mingyang flew over the wall, landing heavily in front of them.
Yan Zhanjin rushed to his partner; his face etched with worry. "Mingyang…" He knelt and helped Zhu Mingyang up.
Gu Yingjie quickly followed, flying over the wall and shooting a barrage of needles at Ma Jingguo, who was chasing him. Gu Yingjie landed next to Zhu Mingyang, and Ma Jingguo landed not too far from the wall.
Yongzheng and Rao Zhengsheng also flew over the wall and rushed to stand beside Zhu Mingyang and Yan Zhanjin.
Xue Horan asked, concerned, "Yongzheng, are you injured?"
Yongzheng shook his head.
Ma Jingguo looked into the opened room, his eyes fixed on Mu Dishi, Cao Wenyan, and Monk Ling. He strode purposefully toward the room.
Yan Zhanjin shouted, urgency overcoming worry. "We have to stop him until Monk Ling finishes pulling out the last nail!"
Zhu Mingyang pushed Yan Zhanjin toward the room, forcing him back. "Stay back!"
The Six Sects' chiefs rushed to the back to protect the procedure. Li Kong Bai commanded, "Guard Monk Ling!"
Ma Jingguo unleashed his attack, waving his guzheng string at Li Kong Bai, who quickly retreated toward the door, bumping into Kuo Lok and Bazar Batu. Other martial artists rushed in to engage. Ma Jingguo saw Mu Dishi in the room and ignored the other martial artists coming from behind him, rushing straight toward Zhu Mingyang.
Rao Zhengsheng swung his butterfly sword toward Ma Jingguo's throat. Ma Jingguo arched back, narrowly avoiding the blades. Yongzheng sprinted toward Ma Jingguo's left, aiming for his chest. Kuo Lok pushed Li Kong Bai toward Bazar Batu and struck at Ma Jingguo's back.
Ma Jingguo quickly executed a backflip over Kuo Lok and landed atop the wall. He stretched his hand behind his back and took out the jade flute. He smiled menacingly at the fighters below, put the flute to his lips, and blew.
Zhu Mingyang's hands began to tremble violently. Gu Yingjie gripped his right hand. "Mingyang, control your temper!"
Zhu Mingyang's lips trembled as he fought his own body. "Yingjie, he is controlling me! Yingjie... run!" Zhu Mingyang then betrayed his partner, seizing Gu Yingjie's throat and squeezing it hard.
Zhu Mingyang raised his fist, aiming a heavy blow at Gu Yingjie's face, but Xue Horan grabbed Zhu Mingyang's arm.
Cao Yanmei frantically tried to remove Zhu Mingyang's hands from Gu Yingjie's neck. Yan Zhanjin, acting instantly, took out two needles and inserted them into Zhu Mingyang's temples. Zhu Mingyang slowly collapsed to the ground.
Yan Zhanjin rushed to him. "Mingyang..." He held Zhu Mingyang in his arms and leaned him against a pillar by the door.
Ma Jingguo stuffed the jade flute back into his belt. He smiled, his power demonstrated. "Yan Zhanjin, you really are a highly skilled yisheng."
Yan Zhanjin spat on the floor. "Ma Jingguo, how dare you use such nasty methods on Mingyang!"
Ma Jingguo's smile held a measure of triumph and defiance. "Whatever it takes to take xiao shushu back. It was you who snatched my xiao shushu from me first, and you offended me."
Yong Taihua roared, furious. "You still have the face to say that kind of thing?"
Ma Jingguo glared at him. "Yong Taihua, I promised Dandan not to kill you, but I have no problem crippling you."
Slowly approaching from the door were Wang Biming and Gu Tingfang.
Wang Biming looked at Ma Jingguo with severe disapproval. "You did not wisely use your two years to prove your innocence but decided to run wild and find death. Since you are here today, we will be honored to kill you."
Ma Jingguo laughed, tossing aside all restraint. "Very well, I have nothing to lose. I don't care anymore." He released a multitude of guzheng strings toward the martial artists on the ground and began to fight against the assembled forces.
Yan Zhanjin shouted a final, desperate instruction. "Destroy Ma Jingguo's last four acupoints!"