She clutched Lin Xuanfeng's clothes tightly, her voice trembling, "Father, Father, I can't take it anymore, let me go..."
Lin Xuanfeng patted her shoulder and asked the person, "Who are you?"
The man glanced at Lin Xuanfeng, said nothing, and rushed behind Xia Qingmei, drawing his long whip. Instantly, blood splattered everywhere. Blood blossoms, accompanied by Xia Qingmei's screams, spread throughout every corner of the hall. Xia Qingmei screamed hoarsely, gripping her sword with her left hand, attacking the man like a wild, drowning beast.
The man cracked his whip, trying to shake off the blood, while dodging left and right effortlessly.
It was at this moment that a woman in the crowd timidly called out, "The...leader?"
The man paused for a moment, then continued to dodge Xia Qingmei's attacks.
Lin Xuanfeng frowned slightly and turned to look at Feng Zi: "Xiao Zi, could she be...?"
Feng Zi shook her head vigorously, afraid that the person would discover her, but it was too late. The moment the person's gaze fell on Feng Zi, his whole demeanor changed drastically. He softened his voice, ran to Feng Zi, and grabbed her hand: "My Feng Zi, I'm so glad you're safe, I'm so glad you're safe."
Feng Zi immediately withdrew her hand and retreated in fear.
The man persisted, taking a few more steps forward: "Xiao Zi, it's me, it's Shuangshuang."
"I know! You...you don't come any closer."
Lin Xuanfeng was shocked: "You are... Yuan Shuangshuang?"
"Why?" Yuan Shuangshuang completely ignored Lin Xuanfeng, only smiling obsequiously and gently at Feng Zi. "Xiao Zi, I've been worried about you and thinking about you... Xiao Zi, why are you avoiding me? What did I do wrong?" As soon as she finished speaking, she swung her whip, and without even glancing at Xia Qingmei's sword, she swept it away with the whip and threw it to the ground.
Then she looked at Feng Zi again. Feng Zi simply avoided her, hiding behind Lin Xuanfeng. In Yuan Shuang's eyes, everyone else seemed to have become obstacles, including Lin Xuanfeng. She bypassed Lin Xuanfeng and continued to press Feng Zi for answers.
This time, someone spoke on Feng Zi's behalf:
"Of course it's because you practiced evil arts and became neither male nor female, and your speech has become incoherent—"
The speaker was a disciple of Mount Hua. Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, his throat was pierced by a long whip.
Even as everyone was filled with fear, Yuan Shuangshuang still didn't miss the chance to speak with Feng Zi.
"Why are you so afraid of me? Have I become ugly?" Yuan Shuangshuang nervously touched her face, then slowly turned her head, looking at Xia Qingmei with a sinister gaze. "Or is it because of... him?"
Before Feng Zi could reply, Yuan Shuangshuang lashed out with her whip, her face expressionless as she approached Xia Qingmei and began her attack. Xia Qingmei retaliated fiercely. Yuan Shuangshuang, despite being struck in the arm and thigh by the sword, seemed oblivious, letting the blood flow from her wounds. Yuan Shuangshuang gritted her teeth, her gaze icy, and unleashed a flurry of whipping blows, blood spurting like exploding fireworks once more. Xia Qingmei's face was riddled with lashes. Overwhelmed by the excruciating pain, he finally collapsed to the ground.
This fall pushed him further into an abyss. A look of excitement gradually appeared in Yuan Shuangshuang's eyes, as if whipping him a thousand or ten thousand times wouldn't be enough to please her. At first, Xia Qingmei howled and rolled around in pain. Gradually, her movements became smaller and her voice weaker.
Most of the people present watched with the mindset of letting them kill each other. No one stepped forward to stop it.
In the end, Xia Qingmei was completely still. Yuan Shuangshuang was still enjoying the pleasure of whipping a corpse, becoming more and more excited with each beating. Finally, ordinary whipping was no longer enough for her. She turned around and smiled at Feng Zi, "Little Zi, look, look! I'm beating him, I'm beating him with my most powerful martial arts."
Feng Zi had already covered her eyes, unable to bear looking at the bloody mess on the ground any longer.
Yuan Shuangshuang stepped on the ground, leaped into the air, spun around, stretched out her limbs, and brandished her whip—if she were wearing red clothes, this movement would resemble the blooming of lotus flowers in summer.
Most of the people present could guess what kind of martial arts she had practiced.
For Xuezhi, this series of moves was all too familiar.
However, Yuan Shuangshuang suddenly stopped what she was doing when she landed.
Petals fall, and all things stand still.
The next moment, a pool of black blood gushed from her mouth. She swayed a few times and knelt on the ground. She clutched her chest, looked out the door, and frowned deeply.
A large red candle, its flame flickering.
"The truth has come to light," Master Ciren said slowly. "The two who stole the 'Lotus Wings' and secretly practiced evil arts are the ones who did it."
Master Xingyi said, "However, if we can cultivate the 'Lotus Wings' once we obtain them, I'm afraid it will truly plunge the world into chaos."
“That’s right, I didn’t succeed.” Yuan Shuangshuang spat out another mouthful of black blood, but still smiled. “Besides, I’m about to die.”
The moment those words were uttered, everyone seemed to come alive. Some said her behavior was bizarre and disgusting, some said she was neither male nor female, some called her a vixen and immoral... The condemnations and curses came in an endless stream.
Master Ciren said, "I only ask you, how did your parents die?"
"Foolish old woman."
"Don't evade my questions!" Master Ciren's face showed anger. "You have the audacity to appear before the world with such despicable behavior and a filthy appearance, but you don't have the courage to admit what you've done?"
Yuan Shuangshuang sneered, "Of course I killed him."
Upon hearing this, the insults and curses became even more overwhelming. Even Abbot Shiyan, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but frown and close his eyes, saying, "Amitabha."
Xuezhi then noticed that Shiyan's beard had turned gray in just a few years.
In just a few years, during an era of widespread fear and unease, even the abbot, who had always been the most righteous and indignant in history, lost his edge.
147
“Former leader,” Xuezhi stepped forward, “your martial arts skills weren’t strong enough to allow you to freely enter and leave Chonghuo Palace back then. I just want to know, how did you get in, and how did you find the secret manual?”
"Finally, someone asked the right question." Yuan Shuangshuang looked up, her eyes suddenly softening. "No wonder she's Feng Zi's older sister."
Xuezhi remained silent.
"The person who let me pass through back then, allowing me to steal the secret manual, and who came out to hunt you down after you were expelled from Chonghuo Palace, is the same person."
Who is it?
“I can tell you, but you have to promise me one thing.” After saying this, Yuan Shuangshuang started coughing up blood again, much more violently than the previous two times. Eventually, she seemed to have no strength left to support her back while sitting, and slumped against the chair leg. “Take good care of Feng Zi. I’m sorry to her. I’ve made her ashamed since she was a child because of my despicable desires. I owe her something that I can never repay in my lifetime. You… have to repay it for me.”
Her voice was low, and her face belonged to a woman, making her look incredibly strange. However, her attitude was utterly sincere.
Feng Zi felt disgusted, but also a little reluctant to do so, so she turned her head away.
Xuezhi said, "She's my sister. I'll treat her well even without you telling me."
"That's good." Yuan Shuangshuang coughed a few times. "That person is Elder Yuchi."
"What?" Xuezhi asked in astonishment, "Why?"
"Only he himself knows what happened after that. Anyway, since I'm going to die, I can tell you everything I know." Yuan Shuangshuang suddenly looked at Feng Cheng, her eyes filled with hatred. "Xia Qingmei and I were just sacrifices. Actually, these two secret manuals—"
Before she could finish speaking, a long sword pierced through the back of her neck and emerged from her throat. She opened her mouth and babbled for a long time, her pupils contracted, her eyes widened, and she could no longer utter a word.
"This is to repay you!" A disciple of the Huashan Sect cried, tears streaming down his face, whether from grief or shock, it was hard to tell. "You killed my senior brother, this is to repay you!!"
An uproar ensued.
Master Xingyi said urgently, "She hadn't finished speaking, why did you—"
Feng Cheng immediately slapped the disciple across the face: "From today onwards, you are no longer a disciple of Mount Hua!"
The disciple covered his face and suddenly stopped crying: "Sect Leader, you, it's clearly you..."
"You should know better than anyone what the consequences will be if you do something wrong again."
The disciple dared not say anything more and retreated angrily.
Shangguan Tou said, "Wait, she's writing."
Feng Cheng's expression changed drastically.
Yuan Shuangshuang lay prostrate on the ground, blood gushing from her throat. She dipped her fingertip in the blood, looked up at Feng Zi with a fixed gaze, and wrote five words:
If I were born a man
But she died before she could finish writing.
Feng Cheng let out a soft breath and said, "Actually, this woman is quite pathetic."
Master Ciren said, "It's really strange. Yuan Shuangshuang doesn't feel any remorse for killing her parents, but instead harbors resentment towards Feng Zi. What exactly did she do?"
Xuezhi and Shangguan Tou exchanged a glance but neither spoke.
Feng Cheng said, "Since the people are already dead, there's no need to pursue the matter further. Let's take them away."
Several disciples from Mount Hua carried the bodies of Yuan Shuangshuang and Xia Qingmei out.
Many of the people present were still in a daze.
Lilac petals dance in the spring breeze, some pink, some white, a tapestry of pink and white. The flowing skirts of the women resemble emerald lotus leaves.
Shi Yan said, "Thanks to Benefactor Feng Zi, you have restored peace to the world."
Feng Zi shook her head, her expression gloomy.
"It's just that the wedding of Palace Master Xue and my younger brother was ruined," Feng Cheng said with a smile, raising his glass to everyone. "Come on, everyone, forget about the unpleasantness and keep drinking."
After everyone calmed down, Xuezhi whispered to Shangguan Tou, "Do you think Yuan Shuangshuang's words are credible?"
"You mean Elder Yuchi's matter?"
"Um."
"Be careful, but don't impulsively go back and ask directly."
By midnight, the feast had ended.
In the cherry blossom grove of Aotian Manor.
Feng Cheng bent slightly and stood in front of a person. The person was dressed in black, tall, and just like before, with not an inch of his skin exposed to the air.
"Please believe me, I only recently found out that I was framed. If it weren't for Man..." Feng Cheng wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Of course I know it’s not you,” the man in black said. “It’s Man Feiyue. The question is, why won’t you agree to her request?”
"She wants my son... Do you know what she did to my older brother's son?"
"You've already killed your elder brother, so why should you care about your son?"
"But……"
"Why are you talking so much?" the man in black said impatiently. "I told you to secretly modify the manual, not to expose my whereabouts."
"This... I know I was wrong."
"Fortunately, you killed Yuan Shuangshuang quickly, otherwise if she had revealed everything, neither of us would have survived."
"Yes, Yuan Shuangshuang and Xia Qingmei are dead. Apart from Man Feiyue, no one else knows this secret."
"Keep Man Feiyue for now. She's still useful." The man in black lowered his voice, making it sound more like a woman's. "You go first."
Seeing Feng Cheng leave, the man in black turned around and said to the woods, "Young master, everything has proceeded according to plan."