Valle del Hombre Salvaje de Qingshan

Capítulo 101

"Traitor, don't you want your wife and children anymore?" The middle-aged man suddenly exerted force with his sword again, and a trickle of blood gushed from the red and green neck.

"don't want!"

"casual!"

The two voices shouted out almost simultaneously.

"Tian Xin, you're worse than an animal!" After shouting "No!", Mo Xibei also heard Tian Xin's casual reply. He was both anxious and angry and glared at her fiercely.

"I'll have plenty of wives and children in the future, why bother with one or two?" Tian Xin sneered, ordering the Imperial Guards and Embroidered Uniform Guards around him, "What are you all standing there for? Quickly take these people down!"

The Imperial Guards and the Imperial Bodyguards maintained their formation, but for a moment, no one made any move, as if they had all become wooden or clay sculptures. "I told you to arrest people, didn't you hear me?" Tian Xin was stunned, looking around at the people with some confusion, and raised her voice a little, as if she couldn't believe it.

"Traitor! I never thought you would dare to force the emperor to abdicate and plot a rebellion!" Someone spoke outside the back warm pavilion. The voice was not loud, but it sounded like thunder to everyone.

Mo Xibei stared intently and saw a person stride into the back warm pavilion. The emperor's bedroom looked straight as flat ground to him. The person who came in was a middle-aged man. Although his face was covered by a veil, his figure looked familiar. Mo Xibei recognized him at a glance. It was the person who had come to Plum Blossom Manor to kill him at night.

After it's finished, I'll revise any illogical plot points and content. Hehe, although I've been so busy at work these past few days that I've developed frozen shoulder and can't even lift my shoulder, I'm still very excited to see this story, which I've been writing for so long, finally coming to an end!

Haha, thank you Qidian for your support, thank you to my editor Peanut, and thank you to all my friends who have been with me.

Volume 3, Chapter 37: Dawn

"You've finally arrived." Tian Xin's expression had been tense because the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Bodyguards present were not following orders, but she relaxed again when she saw the person who came. "I haven't seen you all night, and I was really worried."

"Slap!" The masked man didn't say a word, but took a few steps forward and slapped Tian Xin across the face. The slap didn't seem very forceful, but it made a loud noise when it hit Tian Xin's face. Tian Xin lost her balance and staggered forward. Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events. Before they could figure out what the two people in front of them were up to, Mo Xibei suddenly shouted, "Little..."

However, Tian Xin was knocked away by a palm strike, falling very close to where the emperor was standing. In that instant, with just a flick of her toes, her body twisted back in an incredible arc, and with a flick of her wrist, a gleaming dagger shot straight at the emperor's chest. The change was extremely fast, a single move containing three consecutive strikes. The emperor, who was not skilled in martial arts and had a table blocking his path behind him, was so shocked that he simply forgot to dodge.

Mo Xibei instinctively stepped forward to stop Tian Xin, but even faster, Hong Lü, who had been held hostage and standing next to the emperor, was suddenly pushed out and fell directly onto the emperor.

"Red and Green!" The sound of tearing fabric was incredibly crisp in his ears. Looking at the half of the long sleeve he had just torn from Red and Green's body, and then at Red and Green slowly sliding to the ground, Mo Xibei felt a chill emanating from his body. The cold was beyond description, like falling into an ice cave.

Tian Xin's three-part combo was not executed. Just as the dagger was about to touch Honglu, he suddenly withdrew his force, causing his true energy to backfire. Almost simultaneously with Honglu falling to the ground, he also spat out a mouthful of blood.

Mo Xibei rushed forward to help Honglu, but almost bumped into the person who suddenly attacked him—it was Empress Dowager Jiang's confidant. After pushing Honglu aside to save the Emperor, he took advantage of Tianxin's weakness and inability to resist while vomiting blood, and suddenly struck.

Mo Xibei didn't care whether the blow succeeded or failed. Instead, she hoped that Tian Xin or the newly arrived masked man would retaliate with a powerful blow. A person who could even manipulate a pregnant woman didn't deserve to live in this world.

With a dull thud, Mo Xibei didn't turn around, but he could read a moment of despair in the eyes of Honglu, who had just managed to sit up.

Tian Xin was unable to dodge the palm strike, even though Mo Xibei's master and the newly arrived masked man were very close to him.

More blood gushed from his mouth without restraint, staining the gold-embroidered dragon on his bright yellow robe a dark patch. "Why?" Tian Xin slowly turned his head to look at the masked man with an indifferent expression. "Father, why didn't you save me?" "You child, you've been a spirit since you were little," the masked man said coldly. "Do you think I'm really your father? Or do you think I would let my son do something so dangerous, something destined to bring me infamy?"

"What did you say?" Tian Xin staggered in disbelief, his legs finally giving way and he collapsed to the ground. He seemed not to have understood the simple answer, and suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with astonishment and confusion. "You're just an orphan I adopted. If you said you were of royal blood, it was all a lie. Otherwise, how could you willingly serve me?" The masked man sneered. "You didn't have to die, but you were too clever for your own good. You disobeyed my orders, and even took advantage of my absence today to do something as foolish as forcing the emperor to abdicate, disrupting my plans. You should know that the only end for a disobedient dog is death."

"What did you say? You're all lying to me... You disobedient dog... Hahaha!" Tian Xin muttered these two sentences repeatedly. After a long while, she finally couldn't help but laugh wildly, and with the laughter, more blood kept gushing out.

"Tianxin, stop laughing, stop laughing." Honglu suddenly broke free from Mo Xibei's hand and crawled toward Tianxin. Her hands trembled violently, almost unable to support her body. The distance of three or four steps seemed like an eternity, each step so difficult. She left a wet trail on the gold brick ground as she crawled.

"I understand." Tian Xin finally stopped laughing, but without even glancing at Hong Lü struggling to climb towards him, he stood up shakily. "From childhood, I was inferior to Chu Junfeng in everything. Back then, I often wondered, my father is so smart, why am I not like him? It turns out, for twenty years, you've been lying to me. It turns out, in your eyes, I'm nothing more than a dog. You used me, making me kill for you endlessly, for one secret you dared not reveal. Unfortunately, you defied fate, destined to gain nothing." Tian Xin couldn't help but laugh again, but he spoke even faster, "You used me, first deliberately creating a bloodbath to lure the Eastern Depot to Henan Prefecture, then forcing Murong Songtao to seek refuge with you. How laughable! Did you think that by forcing him to desperation, he would obediently hand over the treasure? In the end, man proposes, God disposes, and the key to the treasure fell into Mo Xibei's hands instead." So you used Chu Junfeng again, and what was the result this time? Heh, the treasure was indeed found, but Murong Songtao couldn't take a single tael of silver. He was forced to ignite gunpowder, blowing everything to the bottom of the river. Then you used me again, guiding the emperor to practice alchemy and seek immortality, hoping to incur divine and popular wrath. Then you would raise your voice and promote the bloodline of Emperor Jianwen to replace him. But you miscalculated again. You didn't consider that even if I didn't know the truth, I didn't like having someone constantly telling me what to do behind my back. I love power and being in a high position; how could I possibly spend my whole life doing what you say? What's the point of becoming emperor then? So, before your plan was fully developed, I prepared to strike first, poisoning the dog emperor and letting my son take his place. You were too arrogant, always thinking you could manipulate others. In the end, you were destined to gain nothing.”

"Is that so?" The masked man sneered, his cold, long sword instantly plunging into Tian Xin's abdomen. "I could have spared your life and shown you how I gained this empire, but your words were too unpleasant to hear." The sword was withdrawn, blood dripping onto the ground. The masked man no longer looked at Tian Xin's slowly collapsing body, but instead turned to the emperor, saying after a long pause, "We are all related by blood, and I didn't want to fight you. However, my unworthy disciple has ruined things, and now the situation has forced me to this. But rest assured, I will definitely give you a proper burial according to imperial rites."

As if to confirm the masked man's words, the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Bodyguards, who had been standing still, simultaneously drew their swords and pointed them directly at the people in the circle.

The air was thick with tension. Empress Dowager Jiang had risen to her feet, shielding the Emperor on the other side, her eyes fixed on the masked man, ready to fight to the death at any moment. The Emperor remained silent, merely surveying his surroundings with a cold gaze, whether from fear or bewilderment, it was unclear. The masked man's eyes, too, were fixed on the Emperor before him, patiently awaiting the opportune moment to strike. In the vast inner chamber, only the soft sobs of Honglu reached everyone's ears, sorrowful and hopeless.

Tian Xin fell to the ground and did not move. The blood had gone from gushing out in large quantities to drying up in just a quarter of an hour. He remained in the position he was in when he fell, with his head slightly turned to the side, looking in the direction of red and green. His eyes were wide open, but his gaze had long since lost focus.

"I will take care of Honglu." Mo Xibei was silent for a moment, ignoring the tense atmosphere around him. He stood up and walked to Tian Xin's side. After saying this softly, he watched Tian Xin's eyes slowly close, and then stepped forward to help Honglu up.

"Fire!" Almost simultaneously, a chorus of exclamations suddenly rang out from outside the Qianqing Palace. Soon, the flames soaring into the sky from the direction of the Eastern Six Palaces illuminated the eyes of everyone inside the Qianqing Palace.

"That's the end of it." The masked man waved his hand and ordered, "Kill everyone from Qianqing Palace without exception."

Volume 3, Chapter 38: Origins

Amidst the flashing of swords and the masked man's words, a dazzling display of power erupted within the Qianqing Palace.

"It's not over yet, it's time for you to stop." A voice rang out amidst the chaos, clear and melodious, instantly suppressing the countless swords already raised overhead.

"Young Master Mu!" A glint flashed in Honglu's dull, lifeless eyes. She leaned weakly against Mo Xibei's chest, her slender fingers resting on her already rounded belly. Just now, Mo Xibei had said he would take her back to Jiangnan. Jiangnan, at this time of year, should be a place where autumn was ending but the grass was still green, where the warm sunlight shone into her room every day, and the lily-scented cakes in the oven emitted a faint fragrance. She could eat candied fruit while flipping through thick ledgers, then follow behind Mo Xibei, reminding her that as the boss, she needed to be more diligent and not always run around for delicious food. How wonderful those days would be! But could she ever go back? Could she really?

"I'm late." Mu Feinan's gaze didn't sweep over the others in the back pavilion. No matter how many obstacles stood between them, he could always spot Mo Xibei, his beloved, at first glance. At this moment, she was crouching on the ground, holding Honglu, a few bloodstains on her body. Her eyes held pain, but no fear. Many Imperial Guards and Imperial Bodyguards surrounded her, swords drawn, yet to her, this scene was no different from a leisurely stroll in Jiangnan. He stared intently at Mo Xibei, afraid of missing even the slightest detail, until she looked at him, then gently asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Mo Xibei looked at him, across the swords and blades of countless people, and saw his smile. "You did arrive a little late, later than I expected."

“Things can always change suddenly.” Mu Feinan sighed and frowned. “I’ve been thinking about this on the way here. What if Mo Xibei doesn’t wait for me and runs back to Jiangnan on her own? Which road should I take to catch up with her in the shortest amount of time?”

"Have you thought of anything?" Mo Xibei asked.

“No, because I thought if I walked a little faster, you would at least wait for me a while,” Mu Feinan smiled. He gracefully entered the hall, where swords stood in a forest, but despite his rapid movements, the sharp blades couldn't even scratch a corner of his clothes. “Are you going to abandon your own father for this woman?” The masked man seemed both surprised and furious at Mu Feinan's arrival. “If I had known it would be like this, I should have killed her no matter what.”

“Of course I wouldn’t betray my father, but the problem is, you’re not my father.” Mu Feinan walked up to Mo Xibei before turning to face the masked man. “I’m not Tian Xin. Although you have a token related to my origins, and although for a while I did believe your story, thinking that she and I might really be related by blood. I even restrained myself from seeing her and wanted her to give up on me, but I had no interest in the power and wealth you promised. I wasn’t blinded by illusions, and that’s when I saw your true colors.”

"My true face?" The masked man suddenly ripped off his veil, revealing a face that bore a striking resemblance to Mu Feinan, though lacking Mu Feinan's captivating beauty and instead possessing more sharp features and resentment. Considering his age, this face was clearly favored by heaven, with only a few traces of time left on it. He was clearly pleased with the reactions of the crowd after removing the veil, and after a moment, he said, "What is my true face? Do you really think you know? Look at me. Do you dare say you have absolutely no relation to me?"

Mu Feinan's expression darkened, and he fell silent, just like everyone else present.

"He is indeed not unrelated to you. Perhaps he himself doesn't know it, but I do," Mo Xibei's master suddenly stepped forward in the silence and said in a deep voice, "Decades ago, there was a famous swordsman in the martial arts world. Many people liked to call him the Thousand-Faced Gentleman. Gentleman refers to his unparalleled handsome appearance, and Thousand-Faced refers to his skill in disguise, in addition to his unparalleled skills. The masks he made were the best in the world. About twenty years ago, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman suddenly disappeared from the martial arts world. Many people thought that he had grown tired of the life of licking blood in the martial arts world and had retired with his family, not wanting to disturb this senior of the martial arts world anymore. However, I know that he did not retire. In fact, he and his family died in the middle of the night."

"How did they die?" Mu Feinan suddenly asked. "Didn't you say that this Thousand-Faced Gentleman was unparalleled in martial arts? How could he and his family have died in the dead of night?" "That's because someone coveted his martial arts and unparalleled disguise skills, hoping to monopolize these skills. So, taking advantage of his lack of vigilance, they first poisoned him and then hired accomplices to commit this bloody crime." The master seemed to be lost in a memory. "The person who poisoned him was a young man at the time. He had a mysterious background and a deep-seated hatred. When he was a teenager, he became a disciple of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman. After he had mastered his skills, he harbored a heart of betrayal and treason. On a dark and windy night, he killed his master's entire family of over a hundred people."

"Who is the person who poisoned you? Why did you bring up this past event, senior?" Mu Feinan swayed slightly, and his voice trembled a little.

"The person who poisoned us is standing right in front of us." The master stared intently at him. "Zhu Houren, you're covered in blood, it's time you woke up."