Qu Yan smiled and said, "That's one way to put it, but we're all brothers in the sect, so we mustn't kill each other. I have an idea, but I wonder if you two would like to hear it."
To show his sincerity, Murong Wuhen only brought Elders Yun and He with him on his trip to Wuyai Island. Qu Yan suggested that they should not engage in a melee, which was exactly what Elder Yun wanted to hear. Upon hearing this, he quickly said, "Please speak, Hall Master Qu."
Qu Yan smiled and said, "We martial artists naturally speak with our skills. How about we make a martial arts contest, with each side sending three people, and the outcome determined in three matches, so that we can decide who will eventually succeed to the position of sect leader?"
Seeing the cunning glint in his eyes, Ruan Ziya knew that Murong Wuhen and Elders Yun and He were all top-notch experts, while the two hall masters Xue and Cang, apart from her and Elder Zhai, were still a step behind the three of them. Qu Yan's suggestion was obviously intended to favor Murong Wuhen in order to retaliate against her resentment for not obeying.
Elder Yun said with delight, "That's excellent. It will prevent internal strife within the sect, ensuring our foundation is not damaged, and it will also allow us to quickly establish our leader and reassure our followers. What do you think, Holy Maiden Ruan?"
Forced by circumstances, she had no choice but to agree. Ruan Ziya raised her eyebrows and smiled slightly, her tone decisive: "Alright, let's settle this with three matches!"
The Pact of Three Wars
After everyone finished their meal and rested for a while, Qu Yan waved his hand, and immediately someone came forward to clear away the banquet, move the long table, and clear a large area in the center of the hall.
Qu Yan said loudly, "Today, Young Master Murong and Saintess Ruan are competing here. I and all the brothers in the sect are witnesses. Regardless of which side wins, we must sincerely support them and regard them as our sect leader. We must not have any disloyal thoughts. If anyone violates this agreement, Qu Yan, as the law enforcement elder of this sect, will be the first to not let him off the hook!"
Elder Yun walked to the center of the hall and said, "I will be the one to fight in this first match. I wonder which expert from Saintess Ruan's side would like to step forward and offer their guidance?"
Elder Zhai had already secretly calculated in his heart that Elder He was usually taciturn and low-key, rarely fighting others, but his skill was unfathomable. Elder Yun, on the other hand, although renowned in the martial arts world for his external martial arts prowess, was impatient and easily angered. If he were to fight Elder Yun, he would have a 60% chance of winning. If he won this round, even if he lost the next, Ruan Ziya would still have a chance to fight Murong Wuhen one last time. So he stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, "Elder Yun, I, Zhai, will be the one to learn your skills."
Elder Yun nodded and smiled, "Very good, Elder Zhai. I have been looking forward to fighting with you for a long time. Now please make your move!" With that, he crossed his palms, exhaled with a "hey," and a purple aura instantly rose on his face. His bones crackled like popping beans.
Elder Zhai's expression hardened. He knew that once he activated the Xuanlong Divine Skill, he would be invulnerable to blades and spears, and his attacks would have the power to split mountains and shatter rocks. He couldn't help but concentrate and be extra vigilant.
As expected, Elder Yun unleashed a palm strike, and an extremely powerful gust of wind surged towards him like a raging tidal wave. Elder Zhai, unwilling to directly confront its edge, sidestepped and used his lightness skill to circle around Elder Yun, engaging in a playful fight.
In a short while, the two had exchanged dozens of blows. Elder Yun's momentum showed no signs of waning; on the contrary, his strength grew stronger with each strike. Elder Zhai had to constantly dodge and weave, struggling to defend himself and facing constant danger.
Elder Yun laughed and said, "Elder Zhai, your constant dodging is quite boring. Why don't you just stop fighting and admit defeat? I promise I will not hurt you."
The followers of Xue and Cang Halls, who were listening from the sidelines, all showed anger on their faces, but Ruan Ziya remained calm and composed, sitting aside and watching the battle with a smile.
Elder Zhai ignored his taunts and continued to defend without attacking. After the two fought for hundreds of moves, Elder Yun gradually became impatient and suddenly shouted, "Do you think that by simply defending, I can't do anything to you?" Suddenly, his face turned purple, and his palm strikes became faster. The originally fierce palm force was now mixed with a soft force, making it seem as if it was attacking from all directions at the same time, enveloping Elder Zhai.
But then Elder Zhai let out a long laugh, his body grew taller, and he stretched out his arms quickly, using speed to attack his opponent's vital joints with his tendon-splitting and bone-dislocating techniques. He also used his fingers to strike the opponent's eyes, throat, groin, and other vital areas with ruthless speed. In the blink of an eye, he turned defense into offense and gained the upper hand.
Qu Yan's expression changed slightly, and he whispered to Ruan Ziya with a smile, "It seems that Elder Zhai is destined to win this round." Ruan Ziya's beautiful eyes flickered, and she smiled slightly at Murong Wuhen.
Murong Wuhen remained calm and smiled leisurely, "We cannot speak of victory or defeat until the very last moment. Hall Master Qu, your judgment is a bit premature."
Just as the group was chatting and laughing, the situation in the hall suddenly reversed. Elder Zhai groaned and fell forward, kneeling on the ground. Elder Yun's eyes were cold as he struck down with his palm.
Ruan Ziya's expression changed, and in a flash, she was in front of the two. She reached out and grabbed Elder Zhai's shirt from behind, pulling it back, and said, "Wait! We concede this round."
Elder Yun laughed heartily, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "You flatter me!"
Ruan Ziya glanced over and saw a dark gold ring on his left index finger, gleaming with a faint green light. She knew that Elder Zhai intended to break his joints with the Tendon-Splitting Bone-Dislocating Technique, but unexpectedly, he was caught off guard and harmed by the Ghost Soul Bee Ring. Elder Yun had a fiery temper and was not good at using tricks. Wearing the Ghost Soul Bee Ring to fight was obviously at Murong Wuhen's behest.
Thinking of this, Ruan Ziya glanced coldly at Murong Wuhen, took out the antidote from her bosom and fed it to Elder Zhai, then waved for someone to help him down. She then smiled at Elder Yun and said, "Elder Yun, your methods of secretly using Ghost Bee Rings to injure people during the martial arts competition are rather low, aren't they?"
Elder Yun blushed slightly and chuckled dryly, "A martial arts competition naturally includes all kinds of skills, and there's no rule against using poisoned hidden weapons, is there?"
Ruan Ziya turned to Qu Yan and asked, "Is that what Hall Master Qu said too?"
Qu Yan laughed and said, "We don't need to follow those righteous people and insist on so many bad rules. No matter what means we use, as long as we can defeat the enemy, we have won."
Ruan Ziya lowered her eyes and chuckled softly, "Ah, I see."
Her smile remained unfurled as she suddenly lunged forward, her right hand's two fingers slightly bent, aiming for Elder Yun's eyes. Elder Yun was terrified and hurriedly leaned back to dodge, simultaneously raising his left hand to block in front of him. A flash of cold light appeared, and Elder Yun cried out in pain, clutching his trembling left hand. The index finger adorned with the Ghost Bee Ring had been severed by the sharp sword and fell to the ground.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. By the time everyone realized what was happening, Ruan Ziya had already sheathed her sword and was quietly watching Murong Wuhen.
Elder He leaped over to protect Elder Yun, and said coldly, "Saintess Ruan, we never said that Elder Yun would have to compete in two matches. What is the meaning of your sudden sneak attack?"
Ruan Ziya smiled and said, "I suppose Elder He will be fighting in the second match? Alright, let's begin."
Elder Yun, clutching his severed finger wound, his face pale, said in a deep voice, "Brother He, be careful. Her sword can cut through iron like mud."
Ruan Ziya smiled, sheathed her short sword, and said softly, "Elder Yun, there's no need to worry too much. I'll just have to experience Elder He's Cotton Stone Finger Technique empty-handed."
Elder He, knowing her cunning nature, said no more. He immediately lunged forward, channeling a gentle force into his fingertips, aiming to strike her vital acupoints. His Cotton Stone Finger Technique combined softness and strength, making a hissing sound with each strike. Being struck by his fingertips was akin to being wounded by a weapon. Moreover, his acupoints were precisely located, targeting vital points on her head, chest, abdomen, and back, making it truly difficult to deal with.
However, Ruan Ziya remained unfazed, her elegant demeanor and graceful figure moving with the lightness of a feather, rising and falling with Elder He's attacks without showing any sign of panic.
Qu Yan watched intently from the side, feeling a mixture of love and hate. Murong Wuhen also abandoned his previous dismissive attitude, resting his chin on one hand and becoming thoughtful as he gazed at her.
Ruan Ziya laughed and said, "Elder He, be careful, I'm about to make my move." She spread her five fingers, curled them into claws, and with lightning speed, grabbed at Elder He's face.
Elder He saw that Ruan Ziya's fingertips were all jet black, and the sound of them cutting through the air was sharp, indicating that she was wearing finger guards soaked in deadly poison. His heart tightened, and he quickly leaped back, grabbing the Judge's Pen in his hand. He thought to himself, "Since you've already put on poisoned finger guards, it's not unreasonable for me to fight you with a weapon." This Judge's Pen was forged from fine steel and had a built-in mechanism that allowed it to extend and retract freely. He used this pen in conjunction with his Cotton Stone Finger Technique to fight enemies, and he rarely encountered an opponent like it in his life.
Ruan Ziya laughed and said, "That's right, you can't beat me empty-handed." She then attacked again with her fingers.
Elder He carefully avoided contact with her claws, using only his judge's pen to parry. After a few more exchanges, he saw Ruan Ziya press her claws towards his chest. Seeing that the time was right, Elder He neither dodged nor avoided, but instead stepped forward, thrusting his judge's pen straight at her chest. At the same time, he activated a mechanism, causing the tip of the pen to suddenly grow several inches, striking directly at Ruan Ziya's chest.
He calculated the distance precisely, anticipating that before Ruan Ziya could strike his chest with her claw, the mechanism within the Judge's Pen would already have pierced her. Unexpectedly, Ruan Ziya suddenly let out a cold laugh. Elder He saw flashes of cold light before his eyes, and the Judge's Pen in his hand instantly broke into several pieces. Knowing something was wrong, he was too late to dodge. A numbness shot through his chest as Ruan Ziya's five fingers pierced his chest.
Ruan Ziya looked at him with a smile and shook her head, saying, "Elder He is really too arrogant. Elder Yun has already reminded you that I have a sword that can cut through iron like mud. How could you still be so careless?"
Murong Wuhen remained expressionless, rose from his seat, walked into the hall, and smiled at Ruan Ziya, saying, "Holy Maiden Ruan, we concede defeat in this round. Please grant us the antidote."
With a smile, Ruan Ziya took out a porcelain bottle and said, "Half for external application, half for internal use. You must abstain from meat and women for forty-nine days. Elder He, I apologize." With that, she tossed the antidote over, and Elder He could only awkwardly catch it and retreat.
Qu Yan smiled and said, "Both sides have won one match each, resulting in a draw. In this final match to determine the winner, I presume Young Master Murong will personally take action?"
Murong Wuhen cupped his hands and smiled, "Saintess Ruan's martial arts are superb and her wisdom is ingenious. I admire her greatly. I wonder if the Saintess would be willing to continue to give me some pointers?"
Ruan Ziya bit her lip and smiled, "Young Master Murong, there's no need for such modesty. I will naturally accompany you to the end in this third match, but..." She glanced at the crowd and continued, "The hall is too crowded and stuffy, making it difficult to move freely. We need to change the venue." With that, she lightly touched the ground with her toes and floated out of the hall. Her silvery laughter drifted back from outside, "Young Master Murong, how about we first compete in lightness skills?"
Murong Wuhen smiled upon hearing this and loudly replied, "How dare I disobey?" He then shot off like an arrow.
Upon exiting the hall, Murong Wuhen saw a purple shadow flicker as Ruan Ziya moved gracefully ahead, like a swallow skimming across the water. A slight smile appeared on his lips, and he used his superb lightness skill to follow closely. The black-robed cultists guarding outside the hall only saw a blur before the two disappeared from sight.
Murong Wuhen followed Ruan Ziya at full speed, and in the blink of an eye they arrived at a bamboo forest. Ruan Ziya turned around and smiled, then slipped into the forest.
Murong Wuhen seemed to understand something, smiled slightly, and chased straight into the depths of the bamboo forest. Suddenly, he felt a chill sweep across his face. Murong Wuhen laughed loudly, dodged to the side, and said, "Does Saintess Ruan want to test her swordsmanship with me again?"
Ruan Ziya had already drawn her short sword. There seemed to be a smile in her eyes. She casually twirled the sword, and Murong Wuhen felt a chill. Ruan Ziya lightly flicked the blade and said leisurely, "Murong Wuhen, this sword is named 'Lingering Trace,' which is very ominous for you."
Infighting on the island
A glint flashed in Murong Wuhen's eyes, and he laughed, "Oh? The name of Saintess Ruan's sword is quite interesting."
Ruan Ziya looked at him with a half-smile on her face and asked, "Do you know what kind of place this is?"
Murong Wuhen looked around and saw that the surrounding area was filled with tall, slender bamboos of a purplish-black color. He smiled and said, "I don't know. I would like to ask the Holy Maiden?"
Ruan Ziya's smile faded, and she slowly said, "This bamboo grove is where Young Master Mozhu is buried."
Murong Wuhen's expression shifted as he heard Ruan Ziya say coldly, "You have gone to great lengths to bribe Elders Yun and He, steal the Ink Bamboo Token, infiltrate our sect, and attempt to ascend to the position of sect leader. What are your true intentions?"
Murong Wuhen scoffed, "Does Saintess Ruan suspect me of being a spy?"
Ruan Ziya raised her eyebrows, her eyes icy cold, and said, "No matter what, now that you've entered this Purple Bamboo Forest, don't even think about leaving alive."
Murong Wuhen stared at the Mark-Leaving Sword in Ruan Ziya's hand, a cryptic smile playing on his lips, and asked, "Is Saintess Ruan confident that she can kill me?"
Ruan Ziya sneered without saying a word, and the sword in her hand, bearing the mark, shot forward like lightning.
Murong Wuhen chuckled softly, and seeing the approaching force, he suddenly made a move, flicking his finger across the sword.
Ruan Ziya felt an extremely cold internal force enter her body through the sword, and her heart trembled. Although she and Elders Shengyun and He appeared relaxed, they had actually expended a lot of internal energy. She had intended to take a short break to recuperate while leading Murong Wuhen into the Purple Bamboo Forest, but Murong Wuhen's lightness skill was superb, and he kept chasing her all the way, leaving her no time to adjust her internal energy. Now, Murong Wuhen's internal force through the sword seemed to have triggered a major hidden danger in her internal energy cultivation. She immediately felt her yin and yang energy in her body become chaotic, her chest felt suffocated, and the Liuhen sword in her hand was almost knocked to the ground.
Ruan Ziya's expression changed, and he leaped back several feet. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the chaotic true energy within his body, held the Liuhen Sword in front of his chest, and glanced sideways at Murong Wuhen's movements.
Murong Wuhen seemed to sense her unease, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he approached her step by step, saying, "Saintess Ruan wants to kill me. Is it because you suspect the origin of my Ink Bamboo Token, or is there another reason? I am quite interested in this, and I would appreciate it if Saintess Ruan could explain in detail."
Seeing that his right palm slightly twitched, Ruan Ziya knew that he would strike hard within seven steps. Suddenly, she raised her hand and shouted, "Watch out for the hidden weapon!" Several small pellets flew out from her long sleeves, drawing streaks of green light in the air, and shot towards Murong Wuhen.
Murong Wuhen flicked his sleeve, catching all the bullets inside. His expression suddenly changed; the bullets ignited upon contact with his sleeve. Murong Wuhen hurriedly tried to extinguish the flames, but in his frantic efforts, he heard Ruan Ziya's long laugh: "Young Master Murong, the paths in this bamboo forest are rather strange. You can find your way out here at your own pace. I won't keep you company any longer!"
As her laughter faded into the distance, and Murong Wuhen extinguished the flames, Ruan Ziya had already vanished without a trace. Murong Wuhen looked down at his disheveled, torn sleeve, and suddenly laughed out loud, muttering to himself, "Ruan Ziya, you really are something!"
Meanwhile, Ruan Ziya found a secluded spot in the forest and meditated for a long time, barely managing to suppress her internal energy. She secretly pondered: if she returned now, Qu Yan and the others would certainly not willingly support her as their leader. If she waited for Murong Wuhen to return for a duel to determine the victor, her current unstable internal energy meant she had no chance of winning. It would be better to wait until Murong Wuhen was dizzy, hungry, and exhausted from wandering through the bamboo forest, then devise a plan to ambush him and poison him. At that time, Qu Yan would have no choice but to keep his promise and serve her as his master.
Thinking of this, Ruan Ziya smiled, stood up, and quietly walked into the depths of the bamboo forest.
Four years had passed since she last returned, and just as Qu Yan had said, everything in the forest remained exactly as it had been. Ruan Ziya walked slowly along the path, feeling as if she were in a dream. She wandered through the forest for a while before arriving at a clearing. A huge black stone tablet stood silently in the center of the clearing, its surface blank.
Ruan Ziya stepped forward, gently touched the monument, and after a long while, whispered, "Four years have passed since we last met. How have you been?"
She stood there, lost in thought for a moment, then sighed softly before slowly turning around and saying with a smile, "Master Gu is indeed incredibly resourceful; even a secluded place like Wuya Island was found by you?"
Light footsteps were heard, and several people emerged from the woods. The leader, dressed in black with a handsome face, was none other than Gu Qingyun, the master of Feihua Manor.
Gu Qingyun smiled slightly, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I have come as promised. Miss Ruan, could you now tell me the whereabouts of the people from Zhan Family Fort?"
A man beside him said angrily, "Master Gu, stop wasting time with this vixen. Let's capture her and torture her severely. If she doesn't reveal Master Zhan's whereabouts, we'll make her wish she were dead!"
Ruan Ziya looked up and saw that the man had a refined appearance, but was staring at her with a fierce expression. She also noticed that the long sword hanging at his waist was slightly narrower than usual. So she smiled and said, "Could this be Mr. Fu, the head of the Kongtong Sect?"
Fu Chong glared at her fiercely and said sternly, "Witch, you have caused the deaths of many people in my Kongtong Sect. Today, I, Fu, have come to claim your life!"
Ruan Ziya turned her gaze and saw that among the newcomers, besides Gu Qingyun and Fu Chong, Li Feiqing, Lü Zhan, Bu Ming Yiwenjian, Zhou Yi and others were obviously first-class experts. She smiled at Gu Qingyun and said, "Master Gu, the paths in my Purple Bamboo Forest are intricate and complicated. I am truly impressed that you were able to find this place."
Gu Qingyun smiled and said, "I have studied this kind of esoteric art since I was a child, so it will not be too difficult for me to find Miss Ruan's whereabouts in this forest."
Ruan Ziya's heart sank, but she smiled and said, "You all arrived so suddenly, and my sect did not send anyone to greet you. This is truly impolite."
The Unnamed Swordsman laughed and said, "Miss Ruan, there's no need to try to get information out of us. To tell you the truth, your sect somehow learned of our arrival and has already hastily withdrawn from Wuyai Island. Why didn't anyone inform you, Miss Ruan?"
Fu Chong said in a deep voice, "Witch, the remaining remnants of the demonic sect on the island are being rounded up and killed by our righteous sects in batches. Don't even think about any reinforcements coming. Today, you can't escape even if you grow wings!"
Ruan Ziya looked at him with a smile and slowly said, "Oh? Is my situation really as bad as Mr. Fu said?" She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then chuckled softly, "I'm afraid not." As soon as she finished speaking, the poisoned golden needles hidden in her sleeve came out and rained down on everyone like flowers.
Everyone dodged aside, and Fu Chong shouted, "This demoness is trying to escape!" Ruan Ziya had already bypassed the stone tablet and disappeared into the bamboo forest.
Zhou Yi laughed and said, "She can't escape. The manor lord has already arranged for experts to guard all the exits. Just as Sect Leader Fu said, this time she has no way to escape."
Ruan Ziya sped southeast. She had made arrangements before even arriving at Wuyai Island; ships and men would meet her at the eastern end of the island the next day. Originally intended to prevent any trouble from Qu Yan, these arrangements proved useful this time. There was a cliff at the southeastern end of Wuyai Island, and Ruan Ziya planned to hide there for the night. She figured the major sects wouldn't be familiar with the terrain and wouldn't discover her immediately.
Just as she was about to leave the bamboo grove, she suddenly heard someone chanting Buddhist mantras: "Amitabha, the sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore."
Ruan Ziya stopped in surprise and saw Master Yichen of Beiyuan Temple standing with his palms together outside the bamboo forest, with several people standing beside him. They were obviously experts from various sects who had been waiting for him.
Ruan Ziya smiled coldly and said softly, "Master Yichen, as an enlightened monk, also intends to kill a weak woman?"