The moon hangs in the corridor, a crescent moon

Chapter 16

"Even the dance troupe is nothing more than a tool for your facade." No wonder he abandoned his disciples and the entire troupe so easily. Who could have imagined that someone would go to such lengths to disguise themselves? No wonder even she hadn't noticed anything amiss. Yi Moran certainly wouldn't overestimate herself to believe that Master Rong had been pretending for so long for only one or two purposes, but... perhaps she herself was one of those purposes.

"But I wonder what I, a mere courtesan, could possibly have that would catch the eye of Master Rong?"

"A man of the night?" Master Rong laughed again, not at all worried about being overheard outside—meaning he was certain no one would interfere. "Brother Yi, since you already know I've been watching you for a long time, why pretend? You've certainly done a good job all these years; I've been careful in every way but haven't been able to find a flaw in you. But regardless of whether there's evidence or not, what I want today is the true identity behind the Qin Lou brothel owner!"

A fleeting glint of cold light flashed in Yi Moran's eyes—his identity? This was something he himself seemed to have almost forgotten. Who was he? He was Yi Moran, the owner of Qin Lou, and for all these years he had simply been Yi Moran… Who could say he was someone else?

The cold glint in his eyes vanished in an instant, and he resumed his calm and nonchalant demeanor, saying, "I don't quite understand what Master Rong means."

Queyue was protected by him from the side and behind, and from behind she saw the coldness in his eyes for a moment - could it be as Master Rong said, that this person has another identity?

The Qin Lou (a type of brothel) has been passed down through generations. Yi Moran took over the Qin Lou at the age of seventeen, possessing exceptional talent and ability. Especially in the last ten years, he has managed the Qin Lou to flourish, a fact well-known throughout the martial arts world. For many years, he has rarely left the Qin Lou, and due to a chronic illness, he rarely makes public appearances.

However, Queyue did not forget that Yi Moran did not have any "chronic illness" at all; he only had old injuries from years ago that had damaged his internal organs and left behind lingering symptoms.

From the moment she began treating him, she should have known that Yi Moran was not merely the owner of the Qinlou Pavilion.

In that instant, Yi Moran glanced at her sideways. She tried to decipher that subtle hint, but Master Rong was one step ahead of her.

"Don't make any moves, Brother Yi. You should know that you can't beat me right now. Yao Lianzi's poison hasn't been completely cleared from your body yet, has it?"

“Master Rong, since your target is me, and has nothing to do with Miss Zhijin, could you please let her leave?”

"Unrelated? How could it be unrelated? I'm quite surprised. There aren't many people in this world who know about Yao Lianzi, and even fewer who can cure her poison. It's amazing that you, brother, have encountered one. However... since this person is from Cangming, it's not surprising that she can cure the poison. Although I am familiar with Yao Lianzi's defenses, I know very little about antidotes. I would like to ask you for some advice, young lady. What do you say, Queyue of Cangming?"

Queyue slowly raised her head, her eyes flickering for a moment, but she didn't react. Yi Moran, however, paused slightly and glanced at her sideways with some surprise.

—The crescent moon of Cangming in April? The crescent moon of the number one sword of the demonic path?

A complex look flashed in his eyes, which Queyue couldn't decipher. Was it pity? Sympathy? Or... a sense of shared suffering?

His gaze, now fixed on her, seemed even gentler and more tender, rippling softly like shallow waves on water. Queyue instinctively avoided his gaze, unaccustomed to such stares.

It's not surprising that Queyue was recognized. Although few people in the martial arts world have seen her, she's not unheard of. It was only a matter of time before she was exposed.

Master Rong smiled with a hint of sarcasm, looking at the two people in front of him. These two—no, to be precise, three people: Yi Moran, Adi, and Zhijin—seemingly unrelated individuals, put together, their true identities were truly amusing.

Master Rong casually tossed out his hook, "Now that everything's been exposed, I don't have time to play games with you anymore—whether you're the person I'm looking for or not, killing you will settle everything—" Master Rong struck again, showing no mercy whatsoever—

.

After dinner, Adi knocked on Longyan's door. He wanted to know the details of what had happened at the Dance and Music Hall, why Master Rong had suddenly come here, and what had happened after they left.

However, he had only been in Long Yan's room for a short while when he sensed that Master Rong had left the room next door. Just as the two were about to chase after him, a dark figure suddenly blocked their way. It was a young man with slender eyebrows and icy eyes, holding a short sword in his hand, its cold light gleaming like water.

That sword reeked of blood.

Long Yan shouted, "Who goes there?! Get out of the way!"

Just as he was about to make a move, Adi suddenly reached out and blocked his path. Long Yan looked at Adi anxiously and confusedly, but Adi shook his head, signaling him to calm down; there was no use in being hasty at this point. Because—Long Yan was no match for this person at all.

He stared intently at the man in black with a short sword opposite him, and slowly said, "—Blood Asura? I had no idea what important figure here could warrant Blood Asura's personal visit?"

"Blood Asura!?" Long Yan was shocked, staring at the legendary assassin before him—no one in the martial world had ever seen him, and those who had met him had only one word: death. But today he had met this Blood Asura; was he also going to die here? Even stranger—why did Adi recognize the Blood Asura?

The young man standing before them was not the three-headed, six-armed, ferocious demon of legend; he only had a cold face and an aura that seemed to freeze them. He stood in their way but did not attack—a thought flashed through Long Yan's mind, and he knew something was wrong! The Blood Asura hadn't come to kill, but merely to stop them! —Yi Moran and Zhi Jin were in danger!!

He looked at Adi, who had obviously already thought of it, but facing the Blood Asura, he could only suppress his emotions and not show any weakness—even he, facing the "Blood Asura," was not entirely confident and dared not be careless.

Chapters 33-34

"Captain Long, I'll hold him off. You hurry to the brocade weaving area—" Adi whispered. Captain Long hesitated only slightly before rushing off to the side—the moment Blood Asura moved, Adi immediately blocked his path. He had no weapon in his hand, only a flute he carried with him. Yet, that seemingly ordinary flute blocked Blood Asura's short sword without causing him any harm.

After finishing his move, Adi didn't seem to intend to continue, and Blood Asura just stared intently at him.

"I'm not confident I can defeat you, but you're not guaranteed to gain the upper hand either, are you, Blood Asura?" Adi said directly to him, "You know what you'll face if you return wounded from my hands. The Dark Pavilion doesn't need weaklings. Even for someone like you, Blood Asura, returning wounded during a mission would be no worse than failing the mission." If you're wounded and fail the mission, you'll be half-dead—Adi added inwardly. "Why do something that pleases neither side?"

Adi smiled like a good-natured peace advocate. Even Blood Asura's cold face couldn't help but furrow slightly—was this seemingly gentle, kind, and sincere person really the one he was looking for?

"My mission has not failed yet; my target is only you."

"I?"

"Yes, please come back to the Dark Pavilion with me, senior."

Adi concealed her worry for Zhijin and smiled leisurely, "So you've come to persuade me to go back?"

"Yes, please follow me, senior."

"Don't call me 'senior,' it makes me sound old."

"Please follow me, senior," Blood Asura repeated coldly and stubbornly.

"Now that the Dark Pavilion has you, why do you still bother me?"

Blood Asura remained unmoved and said, "Senior should know that once you enter the Dark Pavilion, it's a fight to the death. No one is allowed to leave—besides, your term is not yet over, please come back with me." He raised the short sword in his hand, ready to take action if Adi did not leave.

Adi looked at him as if she were looking at her past self, and didn't want to be too harsh on him. She smiled faintly and said, "Since I've already left, I have no intention of going back."

As soon as he finished speaking, Blood Asura attacked like an arrow. Adi did not dodge at all, but met the attack head-on.

He wasn't confident he could defeat the person before him, but he wasn't someone to be easily bullied either. After hundreds of moves, Blood Asura hadn't gained the upper hand either—Adi calmly and seriously responded, neither believing he would lose. Because he had learned the same martial arts and techniques that this person had. In any case, he was his "predecessor."

—Former Blood Asura.

Adi soon noticed that although Blood Asura pressed his attacks relentlessly, he never truly laid a fatal hand on him—he was being cautious. He dared not harm him in the slightest.

The people of the Dark Pavilion wouldn't kill him, so he became the first Blood Asura to leave alive since the Dark Pavilion's founding.

Ah Di kindly advised, "With you being so hesitant in your actions, do you really think you can bring me back?"

Blood Asura paused, then withdrew his attack.

Adi's prediction was correct, because he had also been a Blood Asura. He understood that once a Blood Asura realized there was no chance, he would never waste his efforts.

"You came here for more than just to take me back, didn't you? What is it for? To stall me? Could it be that Master Rong is also a member of the Dark Pavilion?"

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Everyone in the Dark Pavilion had their own duties; aside from essential personnel and the Pavilion Master, they rarely met each other. Even as a rather special individual, he had never seen everyone in the Dark Pavilion. It wasn't impossible that the Pavilion Master might be a member of the Dark Pavilion.

On the other side, Master Rong has already made his move.

Although Yi Moran was afflicted with the Demonic Purple Ink, the woman beside him was Que Yue—known as the number one swordsman of the Demonic Path, and highly regarded by Young Master Cangming. Even though he didn't understand why he couldn't sense Que Yue's power during this time, and knew that she was injured, he still dared not be careless. He used all his strength in his attack, placing seven-tenths of his defense on Que Yue.

Thus, for Yi Moran, aside from attacking, all that's left is a fraction of defense.

He didn't understand the true nature of the waning moon, so he made a wrong judgment.

A fatal mistake.

In that instant, Yi Moran suddenly attacked, striking at Old Man Rong—

Even Queyue, who was right beside him, didn't have time to see how he dodged Rong Lao'er's hook claw and struck his ribs. He was attacking with his bare hands; if he hadn't been unarmed, Rong Lao'er would have been dead. But since he was unarmed, his accumulated inner strength could only erupt in that instant. Rong Lao'er was instantly thrown back, clutching his ribs as he crashed against the wall. Yi Moran stepped forward and grabbed his throat, his eyes instantly turning icy cold, cruel and ruthless.

"Since you already suspect my identity, you probably know who I am, yet you are still so careless—do you think I would just surrender? You underestimate me too much, Master Rong—" The gentle and indifferent man was completely gone. Queyue looked at the cold and cruel Yi Moran in front of him with some surprise. His hands tightened, and the sound of bones colliding could almost be heard. A cold and ferocious smile was still on his lips.

"Whose side are you on?"

Even at this moment, Old Man Rong could still laugh, his throat choked as he forced out, "It really is you... Heh... Cough, ten years, and you haven't given yourself away a single time... And today you still are..."

“Master Rong, we’ve known each other for so many years, and I never wanted to kill you. But you insisted on ruining my life—why is it so hard to just have a few days of peace?”

Queyue felt a slight tremor in her heart. This sentence... how similar it was to her and to Adi.

"Master Yi! Brocade!" Long Yan's voice suddenly rang out, and Yi Moran subconsciously loosened his grip, still not wanting anyone to see him kill. He was Yi Moran, ordinary and unremarkable, just an average owner of a music hall, and he only wanted to continue living like this.

In that brief moment of relaxation, Old Man Rong suddenly sprang up, seizing the opportunity to rush towards the door, bumping into Long Yan in a hasty retreat. Long Yan wanted to give chase, but ultimately couldn't bear to leave the two people inside, so he rushed into the room. The instant Long Yan burst through the door, Yi Moran only had time to glance at Que Yue—she was the only one who had witnessed everything, but in that single glance, he understood that his worries were unnecessary. Que Yue wouldn't speak; whatever she had seen, she wouldn't say. His gaze softened again, and he gave Que Yue a faint smile.

Crescent Moon sighed softly, a hint of sadness in her voice—So, you're like this too…

She and Adi were the same kind of people. How poignant and coincidental it was that these three met.

Chapter Thirty-Four

"Master Yi! Miss Zhijin! Are you two alright?" Long Yan rushed into the room, his gaze sweeping over the two of them—instinctively sensing that the atmosphere in the room was somewhat strange, but neither of them said anything or showed anything. Yi Moran smiled and said, "Fortunately, Constable Long arrived in time, and we are both fine."

……us?

Were the owner of the clothing shop and the brocade weaver so close that they used the term "we"? Only Long Yan would notice such a subtle detail. Yi Moran would never use "we," especially not with a woman; it was neither proper nor polite. Long Yan murmured "Hmm, ah..." twice, realizing he had been lost in thought. Now was not the time to dwell on such irrelevant matters.

"What did Master Rong do here?"

"I don't know either. He just arrived, and then Constable Long came. I must thank Constable Long." Yi Moran had a smile on his face, as if he were wearing a mask that was impervious to water, fire, swords, and spears, not allowing anyone to get a glimpse of him.

Long Yan frowned slightly—judging from the time it took for Master Rong to leave and the time Xue Xiuluo wasted, it couldn't be that simple. He looked at Que Yue, whose face remained calm, showing no intention of saying anything.

Yi Moran knew perfectly well that such a hasty and dismissive response, and the overly forceful refusal to allow further probing, were truly inappropriate. However, her emotions were still running high, and even her own mind was slightly agitated, leaving her with no inclination to deal with Long Yan. In any case, Long Yan wasn't targeting her, and even if he were to suspect her, he wouldn't find any grounds for doubt.

Long Yan stared intently at Yi Moran—Master Rong, Blood Asura, and Yi Moran. He had initially thought the key to everything was Master Rong, the mastermind behind the murder, but now, the situation seemed to be subtly converging on Yi Moran due to Master Rong's actions and the appearance of Blood Asura. They were all connected, albeit subtly, around him.

Why exactly is Rong Lao'er clinging to Yi Moran?

Why did Blood Asura appear to delay Rong Lao'er and Adi?

If Rong Lao'er is related to Xue Shura, what connection does Yi Mo Ran have with them?

He tentatively said, "Since you're all alright, I must go check on Adi—it was he who held off Blood Asura so I could come over."

For a fleeting moment, Yi Moran's expression softened. Was it surprise? Or perhaps understanding? This was exactly the moment Long Yan wanted. Yi Moran was indeed intricately connected to these matters—compared to him, Zhi Jin's reaction completely absolved him of any involvement. She was simply worried, anxious and concerned about A Di's situation, without a single other thought.

The moment Queyue heard Longyan's words, she almost couldn't resist rushing out. However, she stopped herself after just one movement. What would she do? What could she do? A person without martial arts skills, weaker than an ordinary person, completely incapable of protecting herself, what could she do besides cause trouble?

She had witnessed Adi's martial arts skills; though she couldn't gauge their depth, she could tell they were extraordinary. She should trust him… Adi wouldn't be a problem. However, the fact that the opponent was Blood Asura almost made her lose her composure for a moment.

Long Yan suppressed the urge to get to the bottom of things, because the most important thing right now was not Yi Moran's relationship with this matter, but Adi's safety.

Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he nearly collided with Adi, who had slid across the rooftops and landed in front of the door.

"Adi!"

"Young Master Di".

Overjoyed and surprised, Queyue was naturally astonished to see Adi standing there safely, while Longyan was even more surprised. Looking at Yi Moran, his expression was slightly different, carrying a hint of disbelief and a deeper sense of inquiry.

Adi held off Blood Asura, allowing Long Yan to escape right under Blood Asura's nose? And he even managed to escape unscathed? For two people who had witnessed Blood Asura's power, this was utterly unbelievable. Blood Asura, no matter how strong, might have his limits, but what was truly terrifying was the Dark Pavilion behind him. Unless… the Dark Pavilion didn't want to kill Adi.

Adi, on the other side, was unharmed and unharmed, but seemed to have used all his strength to rush over at top speed, almost pushing himself to his limits, and appeared somewhat out of breath. Only when he saw that Zhijin was safe and sound did he relax and show a smile.

Long Yan looked surprised, completely disregarding the fact that he was standing between Adi and Queyue, and asked immediately, "Are you alright? Where's Xue Xiuluo? Did you drive him away?"

Adi smiled helplessly, and could only look at Queyue behind Longyan through his eyes to confirm that she was indeed unharmed. She replied casually, "Um, ah...yes, he left on his own..."

He spoke vaguely, brushing it off with a few words, as if he weren't talking about Blood Asura, but just an unwelcome guest.