Of course someone as capricious and unbridled as Yan Wushi had countless enemies. But if you asked Shen Qiao who in this world was truly capable of killing him, he wouldn’t be able to think of one. There might be a flaw somewhere in Yan Wushi’s martial arts and his demonic core, but he’d already far surpassed the jianghu’s ordinary first-rate experts. It was clear from his duel with Ruyan Kehui. If not for the instability in Yan Wushi’s demonic core, Ruyan Kehui probably wouldn’t have walked away with only a few months’ worth of healing to do.
Qi Fengge was gone, and so was Cui Youwang. There was no one who could match Yan Wushi. As strong as he was, even a resurrected Qi Fengge and Cui Youwang might not be able to defeat him.
But it was clear Pu Anmi already knew of some well-crafted plot. Bai Rong, too, couldn’t have just been speaking nonsense…
Shen Qiao frowned and pushed these details to the back of his mind for the moment.
Now, whenever he recalled Yan Wushi’s name, he felt a strange sensation. It was as if he were back in the forest at the foot of Bailong Mountain. That intense state of mind where he’d blazed with the desire to destroy everything, to perish together with Sang Jingxing, seemed to haunt him, ever present.
To dismantle everything and rise anew—it sounded so simple, but it’d cost him almost half a lifetime of hardship, and he’d had to cross the chasm between life and death itself. He’d been more ghost than man, and from there he’d scaled that thousand-meter cliff face, crawling to the precipice little by little.
Now it was all clear blue skies, but back then, the anguish had practically ripped him apart. It’d been a fate worse than death.
“Shen-shi?” Shiwu’s worried voice floated to him.
Shen Qiao offered the boy a comforting smile, showing him that there was nothing wrong. Then he said to Zhao Chiying, “Shiwu is at Bixia Sect now, safe and sound. What plans does Sect Leader Zhao have for him? If this humble Daoist can be of any help, please don’t hold back—let me know.”
“I indeed have a favor to ask of you,” said Zhao Chiying. “It’s about Shiwu.”
She met Shen Qiao’s perplexed eyes and said, “Shiwu already has a shifu in Bixia Sect—his shifu is Zhu-shishu. This fact will never change. No one else, including me, has any right to be Shiwu’s shifu. But I know that Daoist Master Shen must have taught Shiwu much during your journey. If Shiwu still needs someone to guide him as he grows up, to teach him martial arts, then I want that person to be you.”
Shen Qiao was somewhat taken back. “I fear that would go against Zhu-xiong’s wishes…”
Zhao Chiying shook her head. “Zhu-shishu wanted Shiwu to return to his sect because he was afraid that Shiwu would have no one to rely on in the future. But with Daoist Master Shen here, Zhu-shishu has no need to worry. Zhu-shishu is gone from this world, but Bixia Sect’s gates will always be open to Shiwu, and we won’t stop him from taking another master. I can see that Shiwu is clever and talented. At the moment, Bixia Sect is very weak, and we must start over again from nothing. What’s more, I’m not very good at guiding disciples—I fear that I’ll only waste Shiwu’s excellent aptitude. Letting him follow Daoist Master Shen really is the best choice.”
Then she turned to Shiwu. “Shiwu, you haven’t officially acknowledged Daoist Master Shen as your shifu, have you? While we’re here as witnesses today, why not take the chance to offer your shifu a cup of tea?”
Joy bloomed on Shiwu’s face. He had to look at Shen Qiao. “Can I, Shen-shi?”
Shen Qiao couldn’t bear to disappoint the boy, so he smiled and nodded. “Of course.”
Shiwu inadvertently let out a low cheer and immediately fell to his knees before Shen Qiao. Earnestly, he kowtowed to Shen Qiao three times, then accepted the teacup Zhao Chiying passed him. He held it above his head in both hands and said brightly, “Praise be to Shizun! From this day forth, the disciple Shiwu promises to serve his master, study martial arts, and conduct himself with the utmost sincerity! If I ever violate this oath, may the Five Thunders fall upon my head and heaven and earth punish me!”
Shen Qiao watched him, his eyes curved into smiling crescent moons. When Shiwu finished, he took the teacup from him and drank its contents in one go. Then he pulled the boy up and patted the dust from his clothes.
A chuckle escaped Zhao Chiying. “Zhu-shishu found a truly wonderful shifu for Shiwu! Daoist Master Shen doesn’t treat Shiwu like a disciple but like his own beloved son!”
Shiwu’s small face flushed red with undisguised joy.
With Shen Qiao and Shiwu’s status as master and disciple officially confirmed, Yue Kunchi turned to more important matters. “Just now, Pu Anmi said that his shifu Kunye will soon arrive, probably to lend him support. When he gets here and discovers that Ruan Hailou is dead and Pu Anmi imprisoned, I fear he’ll use it as a justification to quarrel. I’ve heard that Daoist Master Shen has had dealings with Kunye before—what kind of person is he? Can we handle him?”
Shen Qiao took a moment to think before answering. “Martially, he’s not quite as strong as his shixiong Duan Wenyang, and he lacks his shixiong’s breadth and depth of mind. However, he’s still skilled enough to count as a first-rate martial expert. There might be quite the battle.”
Worry clouded Yue Kunchi’s face. “If he ascends the mountain by himself, that’s one thing. But if he brings the Göktürks’ martial experts with him… Bixia Sect only has a few people left. Even with her strength, Shimei won’t be able to hold off all the enemies alone!”
“It’ll be fine,” said Zhao Chiying. “At this point, Bixia Sect has nothing to lose. Though we’re cornered, we must fight. Otherwise, all that awaits us is for our names to be stricken from the jianghu. But Yuanbai and Yexue are still young—Yue-shixiong, please take them down the mountain for now, so they can hide and recuperate. Daoist Master Shen should take Shiwu away as well. I was in seclusion for too long, and all responsibilities fell to Shixiong. It was a lot of trouble for you. Now, I shall undertake everything myself.”
Yue Kunchi’s eyes were red. “What are you saying? I’m not leaving!”
A trace of impatience surfaced on Zhao Chiying’s face. “You have serious injuries, and even if you do stay, it won’t help the situation. You’ll only add to my burden and distract me. It’s better for you to leave the mountain with Daoist Master Shen and the rest instead of wandering around in front of me being a nagging eyesore!”
Yue Kunchi laughed. “I know you’re saying this to keep me out of danger. But Bixia Sect already has nothing else to lose, so whether we advance or retreat, we’ll do it as one. It was my fault the mountain gates were breached today. I absolutely won’t withdraw beforehand.”
Shen Qiao spoke up as well. “Sect Leader Zhao, Shiwu and I will remain here as well.”