Eine eisige Aura

Kapitel 117

"The oriole is unaware of the bird behind."

The martial arts world has been in turmoil these past few days. Rumors have it that Gu Xiju, the leader of the martial arts alliance, was murdered by villains and is now unconscious from a deadly poison. The new vice leader and the former military strategist Bai Xiaosheng have seized the opportunity to form their own factions and fight for power, a clear sign that a storm is brewing.

Inside the forbidden Wuya Cave of Kunlun Mountain, an old man and a young man were playing chess. "When do you plan to go out and expose all this?" asked the white-bearded elder, Ye Guinong, the former leader of the alliance who had appeared at the sacrificial ceremony. "No rush. Let that Bai Xiaosheng jump around for a few days first. I'll see who he's recruited over the past ten years and what skills he's used," replied the purple-clad youth, holding a black chess piece, his face as gentle as a spring breeze. "These people think they're so shrewd, but they're not even half as good as you," Ye Guinong sighed. "Actually, you knew all along that Zuo Huai'an had planted spies among you, didn't you?"

The purple-clad youth laughed: "Since I can plant spies within the Moon Worship Cult, others will naturally think of planting their own spies beside me. It's the simplest logic. I've just been waiting, waiting for that person to expose themselves." He hadn't expected it to be Bai Xiaosheng. He sighed softly, "Though not unexpected, it's still quite a pity." Ye Guinong asked in surprise: "Didn't you ever believe he was truly sincere towards you? For ten years, he's advised you, risked his life for you; I thought you had absolute trust in him." The purple-clad youth scoffed: "Senior really likes to joke. Who in this world can be absolutely trusted?" He slowly shook his head, his expression one of pity, "Trust is a child's toy." Ye Guinong didn't speak, placing a white piece on the chessboard.

Fortunately, I had long since seen through all this and retired to the mountains, he thought to himself. In the martial world, one is often powerless, entangled in endless schemes and suspicions. Only the most ruthless can carve a bloody path through it all, and clearly, the young man before him was one of the most skilled among them. "Once the Alliance Leader releases my wife and daughters, the Ye family will immediately go into seclusion. I will no longer concern myself with the affairs of the martial world, and no one will be able to find us," Ye Guinong said calmly, gazing at the stalemate before him.

The young man in purple raised his head and glanced at him with a smile: "Old Man Ye is a dragon among men." A ray of golden sunlight shone down from the top of his head and gently fell on the chessboard.

With a soft thud, the purple-clad figure placed a black piece over the patch of light. "Elder Ye, you're too kind," he said, a carefree smile spreading across his face. "It seems this is Heaven's deliberate guidance." Ye Guinong glanced at the chessboard again and couldn't help but laugh. "Alliance Leader, you've been a bit too hasty. This is clearly an 'Eternal Calamity,' a draw." Once it begins, the moves repeat endlessly, black and white consuming each other without end—a vicious cycle.

Five days later, new news spread throughout the martial arts world.

Gu Xiju miraculously recovered and presented a large amount of evidence of Bai Xiaosheng's collusion with the Demonic Sect. He personally sent Bai Xiaosheng and his cronies to their deaths. Vice Alliance Leader He Shannai, on the other hand, was severely weakened and his reputation was ruined because he was eager to seize power from Bai Xiaosheng. He had no choice but to completely submit to Gu Xiju.

His greatest enemy, Zuo Huai'an, the leader of the Moon Worship Cult, suffered a qi deviation during his practice, losing most of his power and becoming unable to retaliate. As a result, the cult's forces collapsed.

At this point, Gu Xiju had firmly secured his position as the leader of the alliance.

In the bright sunshine of March, everyone in Yanbo Manor was in high spirits, their gait and complexion much more energetic. Even Wu Peng, who was prostrating himself before the hall to report, was beaming with joy. "So the Moon Worshiping Sect has truly fallen silent and made no further moves?" Gu Xiju looked at the letter in his hand, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Indeed. After confirmation, Zuo Huai'an suffered a qi deviation during his early training. In recent years, he has relied on the 'Marrow Cleansing Classic' to reverse the meridian suppression. However, since his last seclusion to treat the Southern Barbarians, most of his power has been lost, and there is no possibility of recovery." Wu Peng bowed respectfully.

Gu Xiju hummed in agreement, then asked, "What about the young master and the Holy Maiden who worship the moon?"

Wu Peng shook his head: "They've all been crippled. Zuo Huai'an announced he's taken on a new disciple, whom he will train to become the next leader of the Moon Worship Sect." "Oh?" Gu Xiju couldn't help but laugh. "This is unexpected. Could they be plotting something again?" This answer reassured him; a demonic sect that wouldn't retaliate wouldn't be a demonic sect. He waved to Wu Peng: "Go down. Let me know any news about the Moon Worship Sect." Wu Peng came to report again at the end of April. "Alliance Leader, something terrible has happened! Zuo Huai'an's new disciple is actually Fairy Sang Chan!" He was clearly shocked and anxious.

However, Gu Xiju burst into laughter after hearing this: "I thought this junior sister could have some skills!" His expression was initially extremely disdainful, then turned cold and indifferent. "So she went through all the righteous sects and found that there was nowhere else to turn, so she completely abandoned the light and turned to darkness? We don't need to touch her for now. With her stirring up this mess, things will be much more interesting." He gave a word to Wu Peng, his expression extremely indifferent.

Upeng was surprised by his composure, but still agreed as instructed.

"By the way, is there any news about the Holy Maiden of the Moon Worship Cult?" Gu Xiju asked casually.

“Since being deposed, there has been no news of her. The Moon Worship Cult knows nothing about her existence, and they have all fallen silent overnight.” Wu Peng was not surprised by this matter.

"Perhaps she's hiding somewhere plotting revenge." Gu Xiju shook his head and laughed. "I'm quite looking forward to her scheme."

He knows her, he knows her very well. She will definitely seek revenge; she will never swallow this insult.

He and she were like that famous game of eternal ko, once it began, it would continue endlessly, a never-ending battle. She was his best opponent, and someone he had personally nurtured; it was a game that would never stop.

Spring passed and summer came, and it was already May. On this day, after finishing his business, Gu Xiju specially ordered someone to chill some plum wine and send it to a small boat on the lake, where he leisurely drank it alone.

"Mr. Wu requests an audience." The maid brought Wu Peng in.

"Do you have any interesting news to tell me?" Gu Xiju took a leisurely sip of wine.

Wu Peng bowed respectfully before saying, "Reporting to the Alliance Leader, it turns out that the Holy Maiden of the Moon Worship Sect passed away two months ago. No wonder I haven't been able to find out anything about her."

Gu Xiju was taken aback, but did not turn to look at him.

"What did you say?" he asked softly.

Wu Peng thought the leader was criticizing him for using too elegant language, so he repeated: "The Holy Maiden of the Moon Worship Cult has been dead for more than two months, so Zuo Huai'an hurriedly recruited Sang Chan as his last disciple. If nothing unexpected happens, Miss Sang Chan will officially become the Holy Maiden of the Moon Worship Cult next month."

"Dead?" However, Gu Xiju's attention was not on what he said afterward. His fingers began to tremble slightly. "She's dead?" he murmured, repeating. "It's true. The former Holy Maiden of the Moon Worship is really dead. It's said that during the Laba Festival battle last year, she forcibly poured thirty years of internal energy into her body in order to show off. However, she had already destroyed all her internal energy because of the arrow in her chest. This was simply courting death." Wu Peng shook his head. "I heard that the Holy Maiden later caught a cold, and with her heart full of worries, she fell asleep and died in the Kunlun Foot Inn. She never opened her eyes again."

The only answer he received was the sound of a wine glass shattering. Shards of celadon pierced Gu Xiju's fingertips, drawing blood, yet he seemed oblivious.

He turned and scrutinized Wu Peng's face intently, as if trying to discern a glimmer of hope in his expression: "Have you investigated thoroughly? Is there any possibility of her faking her death? Wasn't the young master beside her accompanied by the divine physician's closed-door disciple?" His voice remained gentle.

"There's absolutely no possibility of faking death." Wu Peng assumed the Alliance Leader's outburst was due to elation and became even more resolute. "Many people at the inn saw a mute girl running around crying in the corridor that day. Then, the Holy Maiden's body was carried out of the room by that young master. According to those who witnessed it, the young master surnamed He's eyes were red, clearly indicating that he had been crying! Now the Holy Maiden's body has been buried on Chuyun Mountain. I have personally seen the grave, and that young master He has already left with the mute girl." Wu Peng narrowed his eyes as he said this. "Congratulations, Alliance Leader! Congratulations, Alliance Leader! One less enemy! From now on, the Alliance Leader is invincible!" he shouted loudly.

However, Gu Xiju did not show the ecstatic expression he had imagined.

He simply stared at the lake water at his feet, lost in thought.

A round, smiling face appeared in the pool of blue water.

"I will definitely get my revenge on you." The face smiled and said to him, "I'll make sure you suffer a good, painful heartbreak!" Her tone was light.

“Poor thing, you’ve all been fooled.” He turned and smiled at the pale-faced man in the awning. “It was a scheme, it was her loneliness. The tomb is empty; she must have gone to some unknown place to practice evil arts. She will come back to take revenge on me.” He murmured.

Wu Peng smiled smugly to himself; he had been waiting for the alliance leader to say those words.

"The Alliance Leader is overthinking it." He lowered his head and continued to report, "I also considered that this was a clever escape plan, so I deliberately dug up the Holy Maiden's tomb in the middle of the night. Not only were her everyday clothes found inside, but her skeleton was also intact. I examined it carefully, and the bones looked exactly like her body shape. Even the sword wound on her chest was in the same place. The dead person was indeed the Holy Maiden with the bent legs. There is no mistake whatsoever. I can guarantee it with my life."

Gu Xiju remained silent, gazing at the illusory reflection in the water, his eyes filled with an intense, unyielding darkness.

"You opened her coffin?" After a long silence, he asked slowly, "Who gave you permission?" His tone was gentle and casual, yet it was enough to plunge His Highness into an abyss of no return in an instant.

"Alliance Leader! I know my crime! Please be lenient!" Wu Peng was terrified and prostrated himself on the ground, his back drenched in sweat, his entire body so oppressed by the powerful aura that he couldn't lift his head. He never expected that his attempt to cleverly guess his master's thoughts would backfire so badly.

Gu Xiju didn't say anything, but patted Wu Peng's shoulder, and with a snap, his arm was taken off his shoulder.

With tears streaming down his face, Wu Peng knelt on the ground, thanking the Alliance Leader for sparing his life. Then, he scrambled out, dragging his hands along the ground.

Gu Xiju glanced at the wine glass beside him, picked it up, and with a flick of his long sleeves, poured it into the lake.

The sweet smiling face in the water shattered and disappeared.

"Is this your revenge? Death?" He looked up at the sky, a smirk playing on his lips. "You want to get rid of me forever?"

In the dark blue sky, the same delicate face appeared in the full moon, smiling sweetly as she looked back at him.

Why don't you continue to hate me?

Why don't you seek revenge on me?