As he spoke, he looked up and suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Xiao Huo! What's wrong?"
Huo Zhanbai seemed possessed, his face turning deathly pale in an instant. He stared straight at him, his eyes shining like a demon: "You... what did you just say? What did you say?! Master Xue... what happened to Zi Ye?! What happened to her?!"
His last words were a scream as he rushed forward, his face pale, as if trying to grab the old man by the throat. The old master of the Nangong Pavilion was startled and swiftly stepped back, simultaneously throwing his teacup forward, tracing an arc that struck the old man squarely on the Quchi acupoint.
That stinging pain finally brought the man, who had been on the verge of madness, to a slight jolt of clarity.
“She…she…” Huo Zhanbai froze, muttering to himself, but he didn’t have the courage to ask the question.
"Yes, Valley Master Xue passed away a month ago." Seeing this situation, Elder Nangong understood a little and sighed, "I don't know why such a weak woman dared to assassinate the King of the Sect alone! Little Huo, don't you know? About a day or two before you arrived in Kunlun, she assassinated the King of the Sect."
"Incredible! This woman risked her life and actually succeeded."
"..." Huo Zhanbai staggered backward, slumped down, and felt cold all over.
I see... I see!
No wonder they didn't see the Pope when they stormed the Great Bright Palace—he had thought it was because Tong's rebellion had seriously injured the Pope and prevented him from fighting. It turned out that she had assassinated the Pope! She had struck first the day before he arrived in Kunlun!
Why didn't she wait for him? Why didn't she wait even one more day?
He had always known she was strong and decisive, but he never imagined that this frail woman, who was powerless to even kill a chicken, would go all out alone, risking her life to challenge the strongest demon in the world!
That's something that the entire martial arts world has failed to achieve even after years of exhausting its resources!
He lowered his head helplessly, supporting his burning forehead with his cold hands, feeling an almost suffocating pain in his chest.
So, where did she go after the assassination? They didn't find her in the Great Bright Palace the next day, so how did she leave?
Suddenly, Huo Zhanbai remembered that day when he had a chance encounter with Miaofeng on the snowy plains of Uliastai—the person in Miaofeng's arms, whose face he couldn't see, stretched out a pale hand from the fox fur coat, as if trying to grasp something in the air.
His face suddenly turned pale—
So... that was her? Was that really her?!
They were separated by only a thin line, yet they brushed past each other like two worlds apart, never to meet again!
Never to meet again!
In that instant, an overwhelming wave of pain and sorrow completely engulfed him. Huo Zhanbai buried his head in his hands, his shoulders trembling violently, trying his best to suppress his emotions, but finally he could not hide it and burst into a low, hoarse sob.
The old master of the Nangong Pavilion stood aside, watching in astonishment.
This was the first time in over a decade that he had seen this young man so out of control.
"Huh..." The patient behind the screen was startled awake and came out in a daze, looking at the man who was burying his head and crying bitterly, her eyes filled with surprise. She held her breath and looked at him for a moment, as if looking at a crying child, and suddenly smiled gently. Contrary to her usual irritability, she walked up to him, reached out her hand, and pulled the crying man into her arms.
She gently patted his back, murmuring, "Don't cry, Mo'er. Don't cry. Mommy's here, no one will dare to bully you... Don't cry..."
She took a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears that had slid down his cheeks, tenderly and considerately, like a mother doting on her child.
That grief erupted for only a moment before turning into a permanent silence. Huo Zhanbai raised his head in a daze, looking at the woman who was so close to him for the first time in many years with some surprise, a bitter smile appearing in his eyes.
"Autumn Water," he murmured with a sigh. She smiled gently at him.
It really was destiny—
Neither he nor she could let the other go.
And so they remained entangled for a lifetime.
Three months later, Dingjian Pavilion officially dispatched six swordsmen as envoys to welcome Huo Zhanbai to Dingjian Pavilion in Moling.
As the six swordsmen dismounted in unison at the entrance of the manor, the long-closed door suddenly opened, and all the servants were surprised to see Young Master Huo standing behind the door—he was dressed in a snow-white robe, tightly gripping the pure black Ink Soul Sword in his hand, his face still showing the fatigue of days of drinking, but his eyes had already regained their usual clear and sharp gaze.
"Let's go." Without a single polite word, he turned away calmly, as if he already knew this was a responsibility he could not escape.
"Mo'er! Mo'er!" Madam Qiu, who was in the front hall, heard the commotion and rushed over. "Where are you going?" Her eyes were filled with fear, like a fawn's, and she tightly gripped his hand. "Don't go out! Those people want to harm you. If you go out, you won't be able to come back!"
Wei Fengxing and Xia Qianyu exchanged a glance, slightly embarrassed.
Huo Zhanbai's eyes were filled with sorrowful tenderness as he lowered his head and gently patted her, saying, "Don't be afraid, nothing will happen." Then, he gently but firmly pulled her hand away, raised his eyes to signal her, and immediately two old nannies who had been taking care of Qiu Shuiyin came forward to help her away.
Surrounded by the six swordsmen, he strode out of the manor, mounted his horse, and headed straight for the Dingjian Pavilion in Moling.
"Zhan Bai!" As the group rode away, Qiu Shuiyin pushed aside the two old women and stumbled to the door, calling out his name clearly to his departing figure, "Zhan Bai, don't go!"
Huo Zhanbai's hand holding the reins trembled slightly, but he ultimately did not turn around.
"Qingran told me that her mania was just a temporary shock and she should have recovered by now." Wei Fengxing obviously understood everything. He rode alongside him and whispered, "She has been pretending to be senile, probably just to keep you here—don't blame her."
“I know.” He simply nodded. “I don’t blame her.”
After pondering for a long time, Wei Fengxing finally asked directly, "You will marry her, right?"
Huo Zhanbai remained silent for a long, long time before finally speaking: "I will take care of her for the rest of my life."
Wei Fengxing's eyes flickered, realizing that this firm promise also meant a firm refusal, and he couldn't help but sigh deeply.
The two rode side by side in silence for a long time. Wei Fengxing lowered his eyes and said, "Seventh brother, you must pull yourself together."
"Yes." Huo Zhanbai suddenly smiled and nodded. "You can go ahead and be your good guy!"
On the morning of the fourth month after returning from the expedition to Kunlun, Huo Zhanbai, accompanied by the Six Swords, arrived in Moling. Before the entire martial arts world, he received the Nine Golden Cauldrons from the old Pavilion Master, Nangong Yanqi, and, carrying the Ink Soul Sword, ascended the throne within the pavilion. As was customary, the imperial court also dispatched a special envoy to offer congratulations, bringing with him the Imperial Sword and a death-exemption token bestowed by the Emperor. Since its founding by Young Master Shu Ye, the Dingjian Pavilion had always balanced the interests of both the imperial court and the sword, maintaining a balance of power between the court and the people; even the reigning Emperor dared not underestimate it.
The entire hall erupted in cheers. The eldest disciple ascended the supreme throne, and the entire Tianshan Sect felt a great sense of pride. Former masters, mistresses, and fellow disciples came forward one by one to offer their congratulations. However, the newly appointed leader of the martial arts alliance merely smiled faintly, showing no joy whatsoever. He only nodded slightly when Wei Fengxing came up to offer a toast.
—Wei Wu, yes, I promised to be a good leader of this pavilion.