Murong Wuhen remained expressionless and said, "The matter is quite complicated. That's why I invited you all here. Elder Zhai, please be patient and let me finish." He then clapped his hands lightly, and dozens of black-clad cult members silently poured into the hall, surrounding Elder Zhai and the two hall masters, Xueye and Cangye.
Elder Zhai glanced sideways and saw that the newcomers were all experts from the Azure, Ochre, Green, and Crimson Halls. It was clear that Murong Wuhen had made thorough preparations for today's events. His heart sank, and he sneered, "Very well, then let the Sect Leader explain in front of everyone why he suddenly attacked the Holy Maiden. The Holy Maiden has worked tirelessly for our sect over the years, and her achievements are countless. Unless she has committed a serious crime, even the Sect Leader cannot punish her without cause!"
Murong Wuhen's lips twitched slightly as he slowly said, "Indeed, Saintess Ruan has committed the grave crime of treason."
The people in the hall looked at each other in surprise. Even Elder Yun and Elder He, who had always been enemies of Ruan Ziya, knew that she always considered the Xuanyi Sect in everything she did and would never betray the sect. They all thought to themselves: If the sect leader wanted to deal with the Holy Maiden, he could have just given her any crime. Why did he choose this least convincing reason? Wasn't that unwise?
Elder Zhai sneered repeatedly, saying, "If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext."
Qu Yan had remained silent and coldly observed Ruan Ziya since she was brought into the hall. When she heard Murong Wuhen say the words "a serious crime of betraying the sect," she glanced at Ruan Ziya.
Seeing her vacant eyes, pale lips, and slight trembling, he smiled and asked Murong Wuhen, "Treason is a serious crime. Does the sect leader have any evidence?"
Murong Wuhen glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "Bring the person in."
As soon as the words were spoken, two black-clad cult members dragged a man into the hall. Everyone saw that the man was an unfamiliar old man with a simple and unassuming appearance, who did not seem to have any martial arts skills. They were all suspicious and guessed his identity.
When Ruan Ziya saw that person, she was shocked and bit her lip as she looked at Murong Wuhen.
Murong Wuhen lowered his gaze and said calmly, "This Uncle Fu was once the personal servant of Mu Feiyu, the former head of Yingshan Sect. He followed him for many years until Mu Feiyu died not long ago, when he returned to his hometown. A few days ago, I specially ordered someone to go and find him."
For a moment, no one knew why he had kidnapped the old servant. Then, Murong Wuhen stepped forward and walked to Ruan Ziya's side.
He saw Ruan Ziya biting her lip, blood seeping from it, her eyes filled with despair as she stared intently at him. Knowing the intense hatred in her heart, he closed his eyes briefly, slowly reached out, and peeled off the human skin mask from her face.
In a flash, everyone saw Ruan Ziya had completely transformed. Her face was pale, and her skin was almost translucent, a result of years of living in darkness. They knew that this stunningly beautiful appearance must be Ruan Ziya's true face, and they were all secretly amazed. Seeing how similar her appearance was to Ying Shan Li Feiqing, they felt something was amiss and vaguely sensed that the connection must be related to a huge conspiracy.
When the old servant, Uncle Fu, saw Ruan Ziya's true face, he was stunned on the spot. It took him a long time to come to his senses, and he said in a trembling voice, "Young Miss?"
He stumbled forward, grabbed Ruan Ziya's arm, and burst into tears, saying, "Young Miss, you're not dead? The sect leader was still thinking of you until his death. How could you have been captured by them too?"
Hearing his words, everyone realized that Ruan Ziya was actually Mu Feiyu's daughter, and they were all greatly shocked.
Elder Zhai stepped forward and pulled Uncle Fu away from Ruan Ziya, saying angrily, "How dare you! Who instructed you to slander the Holy Maiden!" He raised his hand to strike Uncle Fu on the head.
But then Ruan Ziya whispered, "Wait!"
Elder Zhai paused, looking at Ruan Ziya. He saw that she had a calm expression and a slight sneer on her lips as she said softly, "Uncle Fu is not lying. I am Mu Qingqing, a disciple of Yingshan."
These words caused a stir in the hall, and even Qu Yan, who was usually calm and composed, couldn't help but show a look of surprise.
Elder Yun exclaimed, "So she was a spy! Well, we've finally been fooled! We've been deceived by this vile woman for so many years, even Young Master Mozhu was misjudged!"
Elder He pondered and said, "Ruan Ziya is a spy of the Shadow Mountain Sect, so the death of Young Master Mozhu is most likely related to her."
Elder Yun slapped his thigh and said, "Exactly! It must have been her doing the dirty work. Otherwise, how could Young Master Mozhu, with his martial arts skills, have been defeated by Gu Qingyun?"
Elder Zhai stood there, stunned, listening to the people around him speculating and accusing Ruan Ziya. Behind him, the two hall masters, Xueye and Cangye, were also muttering softly, "Saintess Ruan is actually a spy for the Shadow Mountain Sect? This... what's the basis for this claim?"
Qu Yanqing coughed and stepped forward, saying, "Please calm down, everyone. The cause of death of Young Master Mozhu has not yet been determined, but Ruan Ziya's identity as a spy from Yingshan is now confirmed. May I ask you all, what should be done with her?"
Love and hate intertwined
Pei, the head of the Biye Hall, said, "Since he is a spy, he should be executed to prevent future troubles!"
Elder He nodded. Elder Yun, recalling the hatred of his severed finger, said bitterly, "This vile woman deceived us so cruelly. How could killing her with one blow quell our hatred!"
Liu, the head of the Brown Leaf Hall, was a lecherous man. Although he harbored lustful thoughts about Ruan Ziya, he was afraid of her martial arts skills and power and dared not show them in the slightest. But now, seeing her beautiful face under the mask, he could no longer restrain himself. He stepped forward, stared at her, and laughed, "Why don't we give her to our brothers to play with first, then strip her naked and take her to Shadow Mountain to be executed in front of those righteous sects, so that they will know the methods of my sect?"
Elder Yun laughed and said, "That's a good idea..." Elder He saw that Murong Wuhen's face was gloomy, so he quickly tugged at Elder Yun's sleeve and gave him a wink.
Elder Yun paused, speechless. Hall Master Liu, however, did not notice the expressions of the crowd. Hearing Elder Yun agree with his statement, he took down the nine-section soft whip from his waist and laughed, "Let's give her a taste of hardship first." With that, he rolled up the soft whip and swung it towards Ruan Ziya.
He was highly skilled with the nine-section whip and, wanting to show off, lashed it out. The long whip, like a nimble snake, silently grazed across Ruan Ziya's chest, without harming her flesh. It merely tore open a section of her clothing. With a tearing sound, Ruan Ziya's clothes came undone, revealing her undergarment and a large expanse of snow-white skin.
Elder He glanced at Ruan Ziya's exposed neck, which was covered in hickeys. He then stole a look and saw that Murong Wuhen's face was ashen and his fists were clenched tightly, clearly trying his best to restrain himself. He couldn't help but shake his head slightly, thinking to himself: "That scoundrel Liu, Ruan Ziya was once the sect leader's woman, how can he humiliate her like this in public?"
Just as he was about to speak to stop him, he saw Elder Zhai quickly take off his long robe and drape it over Ruan Ziya's shoulders. With a cold face, he leaped out and swung his palm towards Hall Master Liu's chest.
Liu, the hall master, dared not confront him directly and dodged to the side. Elder Zhai struck with lightning speed, turning midway and delivering a palm strike to Liu's face, knocking out several of his teeth, which fell to the ground along with blood.
Elder Zhai said coldly, "Even if she has committed a serious crime, she still holds the position of Holy Maiden of our sect. Anyone who dares to be disrespectful to her is disrespecting our sect."
Qu Yan coughed and said, "Elder Zhai is right, but Hall Master Liu's suggestion also makes some sense. With the Shadow Mountain Martial Arts Competition just around the corner, if we don't take this opportunity to give these prestigious sects a taste of their power, I'm afraid they will become bolder and continue to send spies to infiltrate our sect."
Elder He smiled and said, "Ruan Ziya's identity is special. As the elder in charge of law enforcement, Hall Master Qu must already have a decision on how to deal with her."
Qu Yan smiled slightly and said, "Ruan Ziya has committed the serious crime of betraying the sect. According to the sect rules, tomorrow we must convene the sect members for a public trial, cripple all her martial arts, and subject her to the torture of having ten thousand poisons devour her heart. On the day of the martial arts competition, we will bring her to Shadow Mountain and expose her identity as a spy in public. At that time, Ruan Ziya will already be a cripple infected with Gu poison. We might as well return her to the righteous sects and let them witness her miserable state of being unable to live or die, using it to deter others and set an example. Wouldn't that be better than killing her with a single blow?"
After he finished speaking, the members of the Xuan Yi Sect nodded in approval, praising the method as ingenious.
Qu Yan glanced at Ruan Ziya seemingly casually. Seeing her indifferent expression but slightly trembling lips, he knew that his guess was probably true. He couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth and asked Murong Wuhen with a smile, "What does the sect leader think of this treatment of Ruan Ziya?"
Murong Wuhen said calmly, "As expected of the sect's law enforcement elder, Hall Master Qu's methods of dealing with people are quite ingenious. Let's do it this way."
Qu Yan smiled upon hearing this and instructed a follower beside him, "Order all followers to gather here at noon tomorrow for a public trial of the traitor Ruan Ziya!"
Night quietly fell. Ruan Ziya sat alone in the dark underground cell, facing the wall. Her mind and heart were filled with darkness. Suddenly, she heard the cell door open softly. Then, a light flashed in front of her, and a figure was reflected diagonally on the wall.
Ruan Ziya did not turn around, but said softly, "Hall Master Qu, you've arrived."
Qu Yan gazed at her slender back and smiled, "Did the Holy Maiden know I would come to see you?"
Ruan Ziya turned her head, her eyes filled with sarcasm, and said indifferently, "I knew this from the time when Hall Master Qu suggested sending me back to Yingshan during the day."
Qu Yan smiled and said leisurely, "It seems that my prediction was correct. Although the Holy Maiden is a disciple of the Shadow Mountain Sect, she has truly submitted to our sect. Otherwise, with Young Master Mozhu's shrewdness, how could this matter have escaped his notice? Murong Wuhen must have known your identity long ago. Exposing you today is merely an excuse to eliminate the Holy Maiden."
Seeing Ruan Ziya tremble slightly, his smile deepened, and he slowly continued, "It's pitiful that the Holy Maiden has such deep feelings for him, yet she has entrusted herself to the wrong person. Today, seeing you suffer such humiliation in public, I, Qu, can't bear it. Just thinking about tomorrow, when the Holy Maiden will have to endure the torment of having her martial arts crippled and being devoured by countless poisons..."
Ruan Ziya gave a slight, cold laugh.
Qu Yan chuckled, "These holy maidens are naturally not afraid. What they fear most is being sent back to Shadow Mountain, so that the world will know that the demonic witch Ruan Ziya was originally from Shadow Mountain and is the beloved daughter of Elder Mu..."
Ruan Ziya suddenly looked up and called out in a low voice, "Master Qu."
Qu Yan looked down and saw that her face was pale, her delicate chin was slightly raised, and she was sitting on the ground looking up at him with a pitiful expression. He also noticed that she was wearing Elder Zhai's black robe, and the glimpse of her chest was visible. His heart stirred again, but he smiled and said, "Qu Yan has already overstepped his bounds by visiting you tonight out of consideration for our past friendship. If the Holy Maiden has nothing else to say, I must leave quickly to avoid being discovered and causing trouble."
After saying that, he was about to turn around when he felt his clothes being pulled back. Qu Yan couldn't help but smile. He heard Ruan Ziya say softly, "Hall Master Qu, I wonder if your suggestion on Wuyai Island that day is still valid?"
That night, Murong Wuhen lay in bed, smelling the lingering fragrance of Ruan Ziya in the bedding. He reached out to the side, only to find nothing there. He was startled to realize that there was no one beside him. He felt a surge of unease and sat up.
The events of the day flashed through my mind. I recalled Ruan Ziya's stubborn face, flushed red and then turning deathly pale when Liu Tangzhu tore her clothes. My heart ached. I thought to myself: She is usually so proud and arrogant. I wonder how angry and bitter she must be after being humiliated in public like this...
The more he thought about it, the more restless he became. He glanced at the sword that still lay beside his pillow, reached out and took it, gently stroking it in his palm. He thought to himself: I will take one last look at her, and from now on I will sever all ties with her and have no more connection with her!
Once he made up his mind, he immediately jumped out of bed and hurriedly left the room.
Qu Yan held Ruan Ziya in his arms, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy. He kicked open the door, walked to the bedside, and gently placed her on the ground. He smiled and said, "Holy Maiden, now that I have risked offending the sect leader for you, you should believe in my feelings, right?"
Ruan Ziya lowered her head and remained silent for a moment before slowly raising her head and saying, "I hope Hall Master Qu will keep his promise."
With that, he flicked his fingers, and the black robe he was wearing fell to the ground.
Qu Yan smiled as he watched her slowly remove her clothes, revealing her fair and naked body. He noticed the numerous kiss marks on her skin and narrowed his eyes slightly. He walked slowly to Ruan Ziya and gently traced the kiss marks down her neck and chest with his fingers. He said softly, "I fell in love with you the day you returned to the sect with Mo Zhu. I never imagined that nine years would pass before Qu Yan could finally have his wish fulfilled." With that, he lowered his head and kissed her lips.
Before Ruan Ziya could think it through, she turned her head slightly to the side, and the kiss landed on her ear.
Qu Yan's eyes turned cold, and he raised an eyebrow, saying, "Not used to it?" He paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled, his hand moving up to caress her chest. He lowered his head and kissed her gently, whispering, "You'll get used to it slowly."
Suddenly, with a loud "bang," the door was kicked open. Qu Yan felt a powerful force mixed with cold air rushing towards him. Without thinking, he raised his palm to block it. As soon as his palm made contact with the force, he felt the astonishing power. He hurriedly jumped back, but before he could stand firm, he felt that the force of the wind was not exhausted. He was shaken back several steps before he finally stood still.
Murong Wuhen had already pulled Ruan Ziya into his arms. He reached out and took off his long robe to cover her naked body. He looked at Qu Yan with a cold expression, his eyes seemingly spitting fire, and said in a low voice, "Qu Yan, how dare you!"
Qu Yan sneered and said, "A woman the sect leader doesn't want, can't I even touch?"
Murong Wuhen's face was ashen, and he did not answer. His right palm trembled slightly, emitting wisps of cold air. With a single strike, he seemed to be filled with boundless anger as he slapped towards him.
Qu Yan snorted, no longer dodging, and gathered his inner energy to take the blow head-on. As their palms collided, Qu Yan's expression changed, his body trembled violently, he had been severely injured by the Qian Han Gong, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Murong Wuhen looked at him coldly, and after a long while said, "I will spare your life today." After saying that, he turned around, picked up Ruan Ziya and strode away.
Murong Wuhen carried Ruan Ziya out of the room, then used his lightness skill to leap over the gate and head towards the outskirts.
He walked for a while, and seeing that the surroundings were gradually becoming desolate, and confirming that no one was following him, he stopped and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Ruan Ziya was surprised and thought to himself: He had already cultivated the Qianhan Skill to the ninth level and was confident of winning against Qu Yan, so how could he be injured and vomit blood?
Murong Wuhen looked down and saw that her lips moved slightly, but she held back from speaking. His heart was filled with bitterness. He snorted and put Ruan Ziya down on the ground. He said coldly, "Saintess Ruan is indeed skilled. Any man would be bewitched by you. I, Murong Wuhen, am convinced today. Even if I die in the Yellow Springs one day, it will be my own fault."
Ruan Ziya felt a pang of sorrow and said, "Did Sect Leader Murong bring me to this desolate place to kill me again?"
Murong Wuhen glared at her hatefully, then suddenly reached out and pulled her close, kissing her hard on the lips. Their lips met, but she felt a cold, stiff sensation. Ruan Ziya bit her lip tightly, offering no further response.
Murong Wuhen reached out and pushed her away, whispering, "I never want to see you again."
As he turned, he flicked his wrist back, throwing the Marked Sword at her feet, and then leaped away into the distance.
Ruan Ziya stared blankly as he walked away, then reached out and pulled the white robe wrapped around her body tighter. She bent down and picked up the Mark-Leaving Sword, only to find a small porcelain bottle rolling down beside it. She opened it and smelled it; it was the antidote for the Drunken Tendon Powder.
Dark Night Asura
The night wind was desolate. Ruan Ziya stood alone in the darkness, feeling that the vastness of the world made it impossible for her to find a place to stand. She lowered her eyes slightly and laughed self-deprecatingly.
Just then, a figure gradually appeared in the distance. Before the figure got close, it called out from afar, "Is that the master?"
Ruan Ziya's eyes flickered, and in a moment, Elder Zhai arrived as if flying. Upon seeing her, he showed a look of joy and murmured, "So Murong Wuhen didn't lie to me after all."
It turned out that Elder Zhai had already made up his mind when he saw Ruan Ziya imprisoned during the day. When night fell, he got ready and went straight to the dungeon to rescue her, but he was too late. He found the cell door wide open and Ruan Ziya had disappeared.
He emerged from the dungeon, unsure of what to do next, when Murong Wuhen suddenly appeared and directed him to this place to find Ruan Ziya.
Elder Zhai recounted what had happened, then whispered, "I noticed that Murong Wuhen was breathing heavily and had bloodstains around his mouth, suggesting he was seriously injured. Perhaps I should secretly contact his former subordinates and take advantage of the situation..."
Ruan Ziya waved her hand to stop him from speaking, and said dejectedly, "I don't want to argue with him anymore. You... just go back now, pretend that today's events never happened. Since Murong Wuhen was willing to guide you to come to me, he probably won't make things difficult for you anymore."
Elder Zhai was taken aback and asked, "Then what are your own plans, Master?"
Ruan Ziya gently shook her head. Elder Zhai saw that she looked haggard and forlorn, and felt a pang of sadness. He blurted out, "Wherever you wish to go or whatever you wish to do, I will accompany you."
Ruan Ziya paused, about to speak, when she suddenly looked behind him and her expression changed slightly.
Elder Zhai turned around and saw a figure in the night wind, his gray robes fluttering, his hair swaying, his hand on his sword hilt, slowly approaching.