Chaoyang Hall was in chaos for a while. In the end, it was Qi Yunke who unleashed a Lion's Roar to quiet everyone.

The crowd gradually fell silent, a deathly silence.

A silence that radiated a bone-chilling cold.

Cai Zhao's hands and feet were ice-cold. She had been wondering how a person could be hidden inside such a small bamboo basket.

It turned out to be 'half a person'.

Chang Ning held her tightly, looking toward the main hall with a grave expression.

The monks and nuns began to silently chant scriptures.

Wang Yuanjing finally pushed through the chaotic, crowded layers of people and threw himself onto Wu Yuanying, weeping bitterly.

Wu Yuanying, with his hollow, rotting eyes, slowly turned his head. He seemed to have recognized his junior martial brother by the sound of his voice and tried to lean toward him with all his might. However, with his limbs severed, he could only topple to the ground.

Wang Yuanjing hugged him tightly, tears streaming down his face. Wu Yuanying bit down on his tear-soaked sleeve, his whole body trembling.

Witnessing this scene, everyone was filled with sorrow.

Qiu Yuanfeng stared at Wu Yuanying, his body trembling violently. "No, impossible. He was clearly dead. I saw it with my own eyes, I saw it with my own eyes, I really saw it with my own eyes..." He repeated these few defenses over and over, as if that could convince everyone.

Cangqiong Zi's face was ashen. He berated sharply, "Enough, what's there to panic about! You were mistaken back then. Who knew the Luo Family's heart-protecting mirror was actually useful, and who knew Yuanying would actually survive."

He turned his head, his murky eyes staring fixedly at Luo Yuanrong. "Yuanrong, let me ask you. Where did you find Yuanying, and where did you get the 'Thunderous Tempest'? Though you saved your senior martial brother out of good intentions, if you colluded with the Demonic Cult to do so, the Grand Beginning Abbey will not tolerate you either, and we will have to cleanse the sect!"

These words were spoken with righteous indignation, but the devastating impact of Wu Yuanying's tragic state was too strong. Everyone knew Cangqiong Zi was just trying to save face, and they all showed looks of disdain.

"I feigned joining the Demonic Cult," Luo Yuanrong said calmly. "Three years ago, I got into another heated argument with Third Senior Brother. He gravely injured me, and thankfully, Great Hero Chang Haosheng saved me. After recovering, I knew I couldn't find justice in the Grand Beginning Abbey. Even my own sect wouldn't believe my words, let alone other sects. So I changed my name and infiltrated the Demonic Cult."

Although Luo Yuanrong was famous as the Ice Fairy, she had a quiet disposition and her heart was set on Wu Yuanying. Unlike Cai Pingshu, who roamed the world and would occasionally right injustices, not many people had seen her true face.

To gain the Demonic Cult's trust, she didn't even dare to use disguises.

When she was young, she had heard a young girl skilled in the art of disguise by Cai Pingshu's side say that the most foolproof disguise in the world was to change one's appearance and disposition by completely altering one's lifestyle.

So she spent a full year toiling in the bitter cold of a barren land, eating the coarsest food, wearing the most ragged clothes, stooping her back, drinking and gambling, and even pulled out a few of her own teeth—finally, she became a wretched, aged middle-aged woman.

Luo Yuanrong's voice was indifferent, as if she were recounting someone else's story. "The Demonic Cult was also in chaos in those years. I played deaf and mute, disguised as an ugly hag. From the Nether Brilliant Path to the Immortal-Worshipping Platform, through dungeons big and small, I spent a full two years asking around before I finally learned of Eldest Martial Brother's whereabouts."

"It turned out that Elder Yaoguang's strike that year had not killed Eldest Martial Brother. So he had the idea of a swap and hastily left with the heavily injured Eldest Martial Brother. Later, when Elder Yaoguang was killed by Master and Old Sect Master Yin, Eldest Martial Brother was left in the dungeons of the Nether Brilliant Path, ignored by everyone."

"Later on, Cai Pingshu killed Nie Hengcheng, and the Demonic Cult descended into chaos, with years of infighting and backstabbing. Even fewer people remembered who was still in the dungeons. Those guarding the underground prisons were all despicable vermin. With no one to supervise them, and too afraid to open the cell doors, they would take out their frustrations on the prisoners for amusement, torturing them wantonly. For over a decade, Eldest Martial Brother lived a life worse than death, being tortured inch by inch into his current state..."

The heroes in the hall found it difficult to control themselves upon hearing this; they either wept silently or gnashed their teeth in anger.

Even Song Shijun's eyes reddened, and he clenched his fists in indignation.

Luo Yuanrong stood ramrod straight in the hall, her face covered in tears, yet she didn't dare to turn her head, afraid that the sight of Wu Yuanying would make her break down into incoherent sobs.

"Those two 'Pear Blossom Downpours' were ones I seized from a disciple of Elder Tianxuan. I never intended to seriously injure anyone, which is why I removed half of the explosives from them beforehand."

Abbess Jingyuan opened her mouth to speak several times, but in the end, said nothing.

Venerable Fakong sighed, "Benefactress Luo, your dedication shows you have not strayed from the righteous path of compassion. This matter is truly a pity. After Nie Hengcheng died, the Demonic Cult was without a leader. If we had known then that Great Hero Wu was still alive, even if we had to use some less-than-honorable means, we might not have failed to rescue him."

Although the old monk was a man of the cloth, his words were full of humanity. The others had secretly harbored similar thoughts, and thinking of it now, their regret for Wu Yuanying was boundless. This regret for Wu Yuanying doubled into contempt and loathing for Cangqiong Zi and Qiu Yuanfeng.

If those two had been willing to believe Luo Yuanrong and seek help from their orthodox peers, the outcome might have been different.

Cangqiong Zi gritted his teeth. "Yuanying's fate is indeed regrettable, but what could Yuanfeng have done on Cauldron Mountain back then? It took the combined strength of Old Sect Master Yin and my senior martial brother to kill that old villain Yaoguang. If Yuanfeng had gone back, it would have been a dead end for him too!"

Saying this, everyone could actually hear that he was secretly showing weakness to Luo Yuanrong.

Luo Yuanrong gave a cold, tearful smile. "Don't be anxious, Martial Uncle. What I've found out these past years is more than just a thing or two. Do you still remember the Twin Heroes of Lingnan? In the great battle that day, not everyone managed to escape. Many were injured and left behind, but not all of them died. A few fainted in the piles of corpses and survived. I found them, one by one, and questioned them in great detail."

Cangqiong Zi was stunned. Qiu Yuanfeng's face instantly turned deathly pale.

Luo Yuanrong said, "That day, to save Third Senior Brother, Eldest Martial Brother turned back to fight with that old villain Yaoguang. At that time, the Twin Heroes of Lingnan were not yet dead. Though they were heavily injured, when they saw Eldest Martial Brother fighting for his life against the villain, they still struggled to pounce on him."

Hearing this, the heroes of the Lingnan Sect couldn't help but well up with tears. The Twin Heroes of Lingnan had been the most outstanding pair of brothers of their generation, and they had met their end on Cauldron Mountain.

Luo Yuanrong: "Third Senior Brother, that last glance you gave when you looked back—I'm afraid it wasn't just old villain Yaoguang grabbing for Eldest Martial Brother's heart, was it? There were also the Twin Heroes of Lingnan. They knew their organs were ruptured and they wouldn't survive, so they cast aside all thoughts of life and death. While Eldest Martial Brother was fighting desperately against the villain, one of them clung tightly to the villain's legs, and the other wrapped himself around the villain's upper body from behind..."

Everyone held their breath. A suffocating silence fell over the hall, as if the extremely perilous scene from that day was unfolding right before their eyes.

Luo Yuanrong took a step forward, staring venomously. "Qiu Yuanfeng, let me ask you, given the situation at that time, if you had been willing to turn back and help, could you have brought Eldest Martial Brother out!"

Qiu Yuanfeng stumbled back repeatedly, sweat dripping down.

"That's right, old villain Yaoguang's Poisonous Python Heart-Drilling Claw is indeed incredibly vicious. But he had already used it twice that day. Would he have dared to immediately use it a third time? The Poisonous Python Heart-Drilling Claw consumes a huge amount of internal energy. The old villain had already been wounded by your sword, Third Senior Brother. If he used his ultimate technique three times in a row, he would either die or be gravely injured! At that moment, if just one more expert had joined the fierce battle, old villain Yaoguang would surely have hesitated!"

"If that had happened, you could have rescued Eldest Martial Brother, Third Senior Brother! But you ran away, vanished without a trace, and let Eldest Martial Brother fall into the demon's clutches!" Luo Yuanrong choked back a sob. "You despicable coward who clings to life! To think Eldest Martial Brother was ruined by someone like you. All his years of care for his junior martial brothers were wasted!"

Qiu Yuanfeng was distraught. "No, it's not like that, it's not! I didn't mean to harm Eldest Martial Brother. I truly believed there was no way he could survive, that's why, that's why I fled..."

In his panic, he saw the disdainful looks from the surrounding crowd. Even Cangqiong Zi lowered his head, refusing to look at him.

Luo Yuanrong advanced on him step by step. "For years, you've selfishly acted self-righteous and unruly. Even when you did something wrong, people would just say you were straightforward and true to your nature. Only I know that you are actually a shrewd schemer who cherishes his own life above all else!"

"As soon as Master died, you incited your followers to stir up trouble everywhere, saying Second Senior Brother didn't contribute in the battle of Cauldron Mountain, that he reaped the rewards without any merit. After Martial Uncle lost both his feet, you deliberately fawned over him, repeatedly vowing to become his disciple and avenge his beloved disciples. Only then did Martial Uncle transfer most of his internal energy to you!"

Song Shijun came to a sudden realization. "So that's why he managed to defeat Brother Yuanjing in a single move during the Grand Beginning Abbey's tournament that year. It turns out he inherited Daoist Master Cangqiong Zi's power." He had been watching from the guest seats at the time, completely baffled by the result, which prevented him from delivering the sarcastic remarks he had prepared.

Luo Yuanrong pressed forward until she was right in front of Qiu Yuanfeng, her smile both cruel and triumphant. "That's right. How does everyone think our Great Hero Qiu's power suddenly surged in just a few short months? On his own, this waste of space couldn't have caught up to Eldest and Second Senior Brother in a hundred years. Wasn't it by groveling and bootlicking, fawning over Martial Uncle like a slave!"

Qiu Yuanfeng, drenched in a cold sweat, retreated to the sacrificial altar. The gazes of the crowd—mocking, accusatory, or contemptuous—were like sharp blades peeling away his skin, revealing his bloody, ugly shell. Even the disciples of the Grand Beginning Abbey avoided him as if he were the plague.

Cangqiong Zi lamented with a sigh, "Enough, Yuanrong, enough! No matter how at fault Yuanfeng is, no matter how cowardly, when we return to the Grand Beginning Abbey, you can beat, scold, and punish him as you please, even strip him of his sect leader position. But you are ultimately a disciple of the Grand Beginning Abbey. Leave some face for our sect!"

Venerable Fakong also said, "Benefactress Luo, what's done is done. No amount of regret from those who come after can change it. Benefactress Luo should look to the future. If Benefactress Luo does not object, you could entrust Great Hero Wu to our temple. This old monk will presume to say that we will certainly treat Great Hero Wu well, and make his, make his future days a little easier..."

The compassionate old monk couldn't continue. Looking at Wu Yuanying's miserable state, everyone wondered what good any treatment could possibly do.

Abbess Jingyuan also spoke up, "If Benefactress Luo and Great Hero Wu find Evergreen Monastery inconvenient, Xuankong Nunnery, though small, can offer shelter." She guessed that Luo Yuanrong would be unwilling to leave Wu Yuanying, yet it was inappropriate for a woman to live in a temple. It would be better for both of them to go to Xuankong Nunnery; after all, in his current state, Wu Yuanying wouldn't tarnish the nuns' reputation.

Still, for the stern and impassive Abbess Jingyuan to say such words was no small thing.

Hearing these words of pity, Luo Yuanrong could bear it no longer and fell to the ground, sobbing her heart out.

Through her shimmering tears, she once again recalled Wu Yuanying's handsome and heroic smile on that morning. He had laughed heartily and told his little junior sister not to worry, that he would be right back. But he left, and never returned.

To the heroes of the orthodox path, Wu Yuanying might have been just a young hero, a pleasant friend to talk with, a gallant youth who helped the weak, a sigh in idle conversation, a fleeting memory occasionally recalled, a regretful reminiscence blurred by time.

But to Luo Yuanrong, Wu Yuanying was the most ardent, unforgettable love of her life, the heart's blood she would never give up even if she died a thousand times, the beloved person who haunted her dreams and whom she would never forget for all eternity.

For over a decade, she had watched as all traces of Wu Yuanying were erased one by one, as if he had never existed.

She alone was left to cry out to the heavens, insisting 'he's not dead', yet no one paid her any heed.

Luo Yuanrong slowly rose and bowed to everyone. "Today, the injustice done to Eldest Martial Brother and me has been redressed. It is all thanks to your help. Yuanrong offers her thanks."

Hearing this, everyone in the hall felt a pang of guilt, as they hadn't really helped Luo Yuanrong at all.

Luo Yuanrong walked to Cangqiong Zi's side and curtsied low. "Martial Uncle, Yuanrong has been stubborn and obstinate all these years. Please don't blame me."

Cangqiong Zi sighed. "It's good that you know. We must always prioritize our sect's reputation... Ah...!" His eyes flew wide open. He clutched his throat, blood gushing between his fingers as a gurgling sound escaped his lips.

Luo Yuanrong held a short dagger and said coldly, "I am just this stubborn and obstinate. I'm sure Martial Uncle won't blame me."

Before the crowd could recover from their shock, they saw Luo Yuanrong once again pull a dark 'Pear Blossom Downpour' from her robes. She leaped toward Qiu Yuanfeng and threw it with incredible speed.

A deafening roar resounded. The force of the explosion was several times greater than before, making it seem as if the entire Chaoyang Hall was on the verge of collapse.

When the smoke cleared, the crowd peered through the settling dust and debris to see that Qiu Yuanfeng's abdomen had been blown open. Half of his body was charred black, and blood was pouring from his mouth, ears, eyes, and nose.

Luo Yuanrong's legs had also been blasted, the flesh torn open to reveal bone. But she still resolutely threw herself toward Wu Yuanying, cradling her maimed beloved in her arms. Before Qi Yunke and the others could step forward to ask, there were two muffled grunts, and both Luo Yuanrong and Wu Yuanying went still.

Qi Yunke and the others were shocked. Pushing Luo Yuanrong aside, they saw that identical daggers were deeply embedded in both her and Wu Yuanying's hearts. Though they were not born on the same day, they sought to die on the same day. All who saw this sighed.

Cangqiong Zi had already stopped breathing. Qiu Yuanfeng was still rolling and wailing amidst the rubble.

Qi Yunke, Song Shijun, and Zhou Zhizhen exchanged a look, all sharing the same thought.

Song Shijun even said, "A quick end is better. It's just a bit of a disservice to Sister Yuanrong. From what I could tell, she wanted that man surnamed Qiu to suffer a bit more."

Zhou Zhizhen shook his head. "We can't delay any longer. It's not just the Grand Beginning Abbey that's losing face now. Brother Yunke, if it's inconvenient for you, I can do it."

Qi Yunke paused, then gave a bitter smile. "I am truly an incompetent Sect Master." He then walked to Qiu Yuanfeng's side and placed his right palm on the Baihui acupoint on top of his head. Qiu Yuanfeng's mouth and nose bled continuously, his pupils were dilated, and he muttered, "A single wrong thought, a single wrong thought, how could I have been so possessed..."

Qi Yunke looked up at Song Shijun and Zhou Zhizhen. They too had heard his words and both slowly shook their heads. Qi Yunke sent a surge of energy from his palm, and Qiu Yuanfeng died instantly.

He stood up and announced, "Qiu Yuanfeng of the Grand Beginning Abbey betrayed trust and harmed a fellow sect member. Today, I have taken his life to uphold the laws and integrity of the Six Sects. Does anyone have any objections?"

This was a decision made jointly by the three great sect masters of Beichen—to take Qiu Yuanfeng's life first and then ask for opinions. The implied meaning was 'it's better for members of other sects to keep their mouths shut'. Naturally, the heroes had no objections. Even the sardonic Daoist Yunzhuan didn't open his mouth.

Watching Wang Yuanjing lead the disciples to silently collect the four bodies, Cai Zhao felt extremely sad.

She whispered, "Just a moment ago, the Grand Beginning Abbey was so arrogant and overbearing. In just a short while, four people are dead, their reputation is ruined. Truly, extreme joy begets sorrow."

Chang Ning gently brushed the dust and debris off Cai Zhao's clothes. "You think only the Grand Beginning Abbey lost face? All Six Sects of Beichen have been thoroughly disgraced."

"Don't take pleasure in their misfortune, okay? Sigh, your esteemed father is such a good person. He clearly has no ties with the Grand Beginning Abbey, yet he was willing to treat Heroine Luo. Why don't good people live long?"

Chang Ning did not speak.

Cai Zhao looked up and saw Song Yuzhi leading his disciples in examining the remains of the 'Pear Blossom Downpour'. Puzzled, she asked, "Why is there such a big difference when they're both 'Pear Blossom Downpours'?"

Chang Ning's eyelids twitched. "It seems Luo Yuanrong stole a total of three 'Pear Blossom Downpours'. For the first two, she took out half the explosives and poured them into the third one; and from the third, she took out the poison needles and put them into the first two."

Cai Zhao was worried. "The Demonic Cult is truly full of masters. Even the hidden weapons left behind by a dead person are so formidable."

Chang Ning's expression was indifferent. "That was back then. The current Demonic Cult is too busy with internal strife. Back then, Nie Hengcheng wasn't picky. As long as someone was capable, he would recruit any kind of monster or fiend into the cult. Besides, he could keep them in line."

"So the current Demonic Cult master doesn't recruit powerful fiends because he can't keep them in line?"

"He's the acting cult master."

"Alright, acting cult master."

"Of course he can't. That's why my father said it's actually a good thing that this Nie fellow is occupying the cult master's seat—he's incompetent himself, so he doesn't dare to find capable subordinates."

Just then, Wu Yuanying's body was carried past them. Cai Zhao suddenly felt agitated. "It's too stuffy in here. I want to go out for some fresh air."

Chang Ning naturally accompanied her.

Just as the two were about to step over the high threshold of Chaoyang Hall, they suddenly heard the resonant sound of a bell from outside.

The people inside the hall naturally heard it too.

Zeng Dalou reported to Qi Yunke with great embarrassment, "Master, the time for the sacrificial ceremony has passed."

Cai Zhao felt that this ceremony couldn't be more unlucky. Not wanting to stay a moment longer, she turned and strode out of Chaoyang Hall.

The sun was high in the sky, the weather clear for ten thousand miles. The bright sunlight shone down crisply on the facades of the halls of Twilight Palace, illuminating the gloom hidden in the corners of the eaves and leaving nothing concealed.

[End of Volume One]