er palm against the top of Duan Yu’s head. She called out, “Do you want to preserve son’s life or not?” Shocked, Duan Zhengchun stayed his hand. He knew that she had always had a terrible temper. She hated his wife, Dao Baifeng, to the core. He feared that in her anger, she might exert her strength and take Duan Yu’s life.

He hurriedly replied, “Hongmian, my son was struck by your daughter’s poison arrows. His wounds are not light.” Qin Hongmian replied, “He’s already taken the antidote. He won’t die. I’m going to take him away from here for now. I want to see if you want to be the prince more, or if you want your son more.” The Divine Crocodile laughed uproariously. “In the end, this kid will still have to take me as his master.” Duan Zhengchun replied, “Hongmian, I’ll agree to anything. Just let go of my son.”

The love which Qin Hongmian felt for Duan Zhengchun hadn’t waned even a little in the eighteen years which had passed. Hearing him speak so anxiously, her heart softened. “You really…really will agree to anything?” Duan Zhengchun replied, “Yes, yes!” Madame Zhong interjected, “Martial sister, are you going to believe the words of this heartless man again? Mr. Yue Number Two, let’s go.”

The Divine Crocodile straightened his body. While carrying Duan Yu, he suddenly rose in the air. In the blink of an eye, he landed on the roof of the adjoining room. Immediately afterwards, Ye Erniang and Yun Zhonghe followed him, then each struck a palace guardsmen and threw them to the ground.

Madame Zhong called out, “Duan Zhengchun! Are we going to have a fight today?”

If Duan Zhengchun summoned all the forces in his palace, he wouldn’t necessarily be unable to defeat these people. But his son had fallen into their hands. It would be difficult to obtain victory via force of arms. Not to mention, the relationship between him and the two sisters standing before him was anything but ordinary. In a soft voice, he said, “Baobao, you…you’ve also come to make things difficult for me?”

Madame Zhong replied, “I am the wife of Zhong Wanchou. What type of nonsense are you speaking? You have no right to address me in such a way.”

Duan Zhengchun said, “Baobao, all these years, I’ve often been thinking of you.” Madame Zhong’s eyes suddenly reddened. “That day I found out that Duan Yu was your son, my heart…my heart was filled with such agony.” Her voice had softened as well. Qin Hongmian called out, “Martial sister! Are you also going to fall for his lies?” Madame Zhong pulled at Qin Hongmian’s hand and yelled, “Alright. Let’s go!”

Turning her head, she said, “If you come pay your respects at the Ten-Thousand Calamities Gorge holding Dao Baifeng’s head in your hand, maybe we’ll return your son to you.”

Duan Zhengchun said, “The Ten-Thousand Calamities Gorge?!” He saw that the Divine Crocodile was getting farther and farther away, and that Gao Shengtai and Chu Wanli were leading men to intercept him from all sides. With a sigh, Duan Zhengchun called out, “Worthy brother Gao, let them go.” Gao Shengtai called back, “But the young prince…” Duan Zhengchun replied, “We’ll slowly think of a way to get him back.”

As he was speaking, he flew to Gao Shengtai’s side. He called out, “The assassins have retreated. Everyone, return to your original position.” With a sway of his body, he then arrived next to Madame Zhong. In a soft voice, he said, “Baobao, have you been well, these past years?” Madame Zhong replied, “Why wouldn’t I be well?” Noiselessly, Duan Zhengchun sent out a silent finger and struck her on her ‘Zhangmen’ acupoint at her waist. Madame Zhong didn’t manage to react in time, and her body immediately turned soft. Duan Zhengchun stretched out his left hand and caught her. Pretending to be alarmed, he called out, “Oh no! Baobao, what happened?”

Qin Hongmian was unaware of the trickery which had just occurred. She rushed over to their side and asked, “Martial sister, are you alright?” Duan Zhengchun then struck out with his “Solitary Solar Finger” and sealed off the ‘Zhangmen’ acupoint on her waist as well. Their vital acupoints struck, Qin Hongmian and Madame Zhong were now trapped in Duan Zhengchun’s embrace, and he hugged one of them with each arm. [Translator’s note: ROFL!!! What a player…]

The two simultaneously cast him hateful glares, thinking to themselves, “Tricked by him again. Am I really as silly as this? All my life, I’ve been deceived by him. At a critical point such as this, I still wasn’t vigilant against him.” Duan Zhengchun called out, “Worthy brother Gao, your internal injuries haven’t fully healed yet. Hurry back to your room and rest. Wanli, you take command of the guards and have them remain vigilant.” Gao Shengtai and Chu Wanli bowed and obeyed.

Clasping one woman under each arm, Duan Zhengchun returned with them to the insides of the warm pavilion. He ordered the cooks and maids to restart the banquet, once more preparing cups and plates.

After everyone else retired, Duan Zhengchun struck the ‘Huantiao’ and ‘Ququan’ acupoints on the two women’s legs, preventing them from walking. Then, with a smile, he released the ‘Zhangmen’ acupoint on their waist. Qin Hongmian shouted loudly, “Duan Zhengchun! You still are trying to bully people…” Duan Zhengchun turned around and clasped his hands to greet them. “I am sorry for my offense. I’ll offer you my apologies right here and now.” Qin Hongmian angrily responded, “Who wants your apologies?! Release us immediately!”

Duan Zhengchun replied, “The three of us haven’t met for over ten years. It’s rare that we can meet like this. We have countless things to say to each other. Hongmian, you’re always so impetuous. Baobao, you’re even more beautiful than before. You look as though you are even younger than when we were together in the past.” Madame Zhong did not reply. Qin Hongmian angrily said, “Let me go now! So my martial sister is even more beautiful than before. I guess that means I’m even uglier and more freakish than before! Why would you want to stare at an ugly old hag like me?”

Duan Zhengchun quickly replied, “Hongmian, take a look in a mirror and see for yourself. If you are an ugly old hag, then when those literary men write essays describing ‘peerless beauties’, they would have to include the line, “A face which can mesmerize fish and geese, bearing the appearance of an ugly old hag.”

Qin Hongmian couldn’t help but let out a laugh. She was about to stamp her foot coquettishly, but her legs were paralyzed. Her anger renewed, she replied, “Nobody came here to exchange jokes with you! Grinning and smiling like an idiotic monkey. What type of prince are you?”

Under the candlelight, Duan Zhengchun saw the angry expression on her face and suddenly recalled one evening long ago. His heart was suddenly moved, and he walked forwards and kissed her on the cheek. Qin Hongmian’s upper body was not paralyzed, and with a clear, cracking sound, she slapped him on the face. If Duan Zhengchun had wanted to dodge, it wouldn’t be difficult at all. But he purposefully let her hit him. In a low voice, he whispered by her ear, “To die beneath the asura sabres, even as a ghost I would roam carefree.”

Qin Hongmian’s entire body trembled. Tears began to flow down her face, and she began to cry loudly. “You…you are saying these lascivious words again…” In the past, Qin Hongmian wielded a pair of asura sabres as she roamed the jianghu, which is why her nickname became the “Asura Sabre”. The day she gave herself to Duan Zhengchun, he had kissed her on the cheek, and she had slapped him on the face. His response was precisely the same two lines which he just uttered. “To die beneath the asura sabres, even as a ghost I would roam carefree.” These words had been replayed in her heart thousands of times. At this moment, hearing him once more say these words, she felt both happy and angry, sweet and bitter, as a hundred emotions flooded her.

Madame Zhong said in a low voice, “Martial sister, this fellow excels in using sweet and honeyed words to please others. Are you really going to fall for it again?” Qin Hongmian said, “Right. Right! I’ll never believe your lies again!”

These words were directed towards Duan Zhengchun. Duan Zhengchun walked to Madame Zhong’s side. Laughing, he said, “Baobao, let me kiss your face as well. Will you allow me to?” Madame Zhong replied in a stately voice, “I am a married woman. I will not allow anyone to ruin the good name of my husband. If you so much as touch me, I will immediately bite my tongue off and swallow it, suffocating myself and dying in front of you.”

Seeing the cold expression on her face, and hearing how resolute and unhesitating her words were, Duan Zhengchun didn’t dare to behave with impropriety. He asked, “Baobao, what type of husband did you marry yourself to?” Madame Zhong said, “My husband is ugly in appearance, has a strange temperament, inferior martial arts compared to you, inferior talent compared to you, and certainly does not have your riches and glorious life. But he loves me whole-heartedly, and I treat him the same way. If I, Gan Baobao, do anything to betray him, let heaven punish me and the earth extinguish me, and let ten thousand calamities prevent me from being reincarnated. I’ll tell you something right now. The place where I live with him is called the ‘Ten Thousand Calamities Gorge’. The name comes from this deadly oath I have sworn.”

Duan Zhengchun couldn’t help but feel respect in his heart, and no longer dared to bring up their old love from bygone days. But even though he no longer spoke of it, he saw that Gan Baobao’s white, tender face was as beautiful as it was in the past, as was her slightly lifted, cherry-red lips. How could he forget about their former passion? Hearing how devoted she was to her husband from her speech, he couldn’t help but feel sourness in his heart. He let out a long sigh. “Baobao, I am an unlucky man. I don’t have the fortune to be treated so well by you. Initially…initially, I knew you before he did. Alas! It is my own fault.”

Madame Zhong heard the desolate sound of his voice and the profound, sincere emotions in it. These words were not said to deceive her. Once again, her eyes reddened.

The three people silently faced each other, all of their thoughts wandering to the past. In all three of their hearts was a mixture of joy and sorrow.

After a long while, Duan Zhengchun gently asked, “You’ve kidnapped my son. Why? Baobao, where is your Ten Thousand Calamities Gorge?”

From outside the window, a grating voice said, “Do not tell him.” Duan Zhengchun was startled, and thought to himself, “Chu Wanli and the others are standing guard outside. How did this person manage to sneak his way in?” Madame Zhong’s face dropped. “Your injuries aren’t healed yet. What are you doing here?”

Following her words, a female voice rang out. “Mr. Zhong, please enter.” Upon hearing this voice, Duan Zhengchun was even more surprised. He couldn’t help but blush fiercely, his face turning red all the way to his ears.

The curtained door to the warm pavilion was parted, and Dao Baifeng walked in. A furious expression was on her face, and behind her followed an exceptionally ugly man with a long, horse-like face.

As it turned out, Qin Hongmian’s mission of assassination in Gusu was a failure, and she was parted from her beloved daughter. Consequently, as had been agreed upon, she came south to Dali to visit with her martial sister. The Wang family of Gusu sent Granny Rui and Granny Ping to pursue and attack Mu Wanqing. But because Qin Hongmian fell behind by a bit, her journey was peaceful and undisturbed. After arriving at the Ten Thousand Calamities Gorge, in order to ascertain the situation, she came out with Madame Zhong.

On the road, she came upon the ‘Three Evils’, Ye Erniang, the Divine Crocodile of the Southern Seas, and Yun Zhonghe. These ‘Three Evils’ had been invited by Zhong Wanchou to help assist him in his efforts against Duan Zhengchun, and immediately began discussing the situation with Madame Zhong. Naturally, the matter of the Divine Crocodile having accepted Duan Yu as his master was glossed over. Upon hearing that Mu Wanqing was currently residing within Dali’s South-Subduing Palace, Qin Hongmian immediately accompanied them to the palace.

Zhong Wanchou loved his wife even more than his own life, and was an extremely jealous person to begin with. Ever since she had left, he had been very restless and could not find any peace of mind. He no longer cared that his injury was as-yet not fully healed, and secret left at midnight to follow her. Outside the South-Subduing Palace, he ran into Dao Baifeng, who was about to leave. Both were filled with a belly full of anger. Each began to insult the other, and soon, the two came to blows. After fighting for some time, Dao Baifeng was slowly finding it hard to sustain herself. Then suddenly a person dressed in black flitted past, her face covered with sobs. It was Mu Wanqing. Both of them called out to her, but she ignored them both and fled.

Zhong Wanchou shouted, “I’m going to go find my wife. I don’t have the time to spare, fighting you!” Dao Baifeng asked, “Where are you going to find your wife?” Zhong Wanchou replied, “The home of Duan Zhengchun, that thieving dog. If my wife meets up with him, everything will become disastrous!”

Dao Baifeng asked him, “Why will everything become disastrous?” Zhong Wanchou replied, “Duan Zhengchun is full of sweet and honeyed words. He’s a pretty boy who knows how to deceive women. I definitely must kill him!”

Dao Baifeng thought to herself, “Zhengchun is in his forties now, and has a large beard. How can he be considered a ‘pretty boy’? But he really does have a playboy’s heart. This horse-faced man’s words can’t be ignored.” Inquiring as to who his wife was, she realized that the person was Gan Baobao. She knew long ago that the ‘Lovely Yaksha’ Gan Baobao was one of her husband’s former flames. Her jealousy became all the greater, and she immediately accompanied Zhong Wanchou and returned to the palace.

Even though the palace was tightly guarded, upon seeing the princess, the guardsmen would naturally give way. And so the two easily made their way to the warm pavilion without a single person issuing a warning call. The words which Duan Zhengchun had said to Gan Baobao and Qin Hongmian, his teasing and his flirting, had been heard by both of them from outside the window. Listening, Dao Baifeng was so infuriated that her chest felt as though it would explode. Zhong Wanchou, on the other hand, listening to how properly his wife behaved, was filled with ecstatic joy.

Zhong Wanchou rushed to his wife’s side, filled with affection and happiness. He winded around her multiple times, then said, “Baobao, thank you…thank you for being so good to me. If he dares to bully you, I’ll fight to the death with him.” A long time passed before he realized that his wife’s acupoints had been sealed. Turning his head, he barked towards Duan Zhengchun, “Hurry up and unseal my wife’s acupoints!”

Duan Zhengchun replied, “My son has been abducted by you. Once you release my son, I naturally will release your lady wife.”

Zhong Wanchou stretched out his hands and struck the acupoints on his wife’s waist. But no matter how he pinched or struck, he was unable to unseal them. Although his internal energy was very strong, the technique behind the Duan family’s “Solitary Solar Finger” was unparalleled under heaven, and outsiders could not hope to counter it. He exerted so much effort that all his muscles bulged.

Madame Zhong was pinched and struck by him repeatedly, causing her to feel both ticklish and pained, but the sealed acupoint on her leg wasn’t even slightly opened. Madame Zhong furiously said, “You idiot, stop making a fool out of yourself.” Zhong Wanchou angrily stopped his efforts. His fury bottled up with nowhere to go, he exploded, “Duan Zhengchun, come and f.ucking fight with me for three hundred stances!” Grinding his fists and stretching out his palms, he was about to go forward and start fighting.

Madame Zhong said coldly, “Prince Duan, your son has been kidnapped by the Divine Crocodile and the others. Even if my husband wanted them to release him, these evil people might not necessarily do so. Let me and my martial sister go back, and wait for a chance to rescue him. This could conceivably work. At the very least, I can keep them from mistreating your son.”

Duan Zhengchun shook his head. “I can’t trust in that. Mr. Zhong, go back home. Come back to me with my son, and I will release your wife to you.”

Zhong Wanchou was infuriated, and loudly roared, “Your South-Subduing Palace is a shameless place! If my wife is left here, she will be subject to ten thousand dangers.” Duan Zhengchun’s face reddened. He shouted out, “If such rude words continue to spew forth from your mouth, do not blame me from being discourteous as well!”

After entering the room, Dao Baifeng didn’t say a single word. Now, she suddenly spoke. “What is the purpose behind you keeping these two women here? Is it really for Yu’er? Or is it for your own sake.”

Duan Zhengchun let out a sigh. “Even you do not trust me.” He pointed backwards and struck Qin Hongmian’s waist, unsealing her acupoint. Taking another step, he struck towards Madame Zhong’s waist as well.

But Zhong Wanchou stepped between his wife and Duan Zhengchun. Shaking his two hands hurriedly, he yelled loudly, “You are a sly and sneaky chap. You are an expert at taking advantage of women! You aren’t allowed to touch my wife’s body at all.” Duan Zhengchun laughed bitterly, “Although my acupoint-sealing skill is shallow and superficial, outsiders cannot break it easily. If too much time passes, I’m afraid that Madame Zhong’s legs will become permanently crippled.” Zhong Wanchou angrily retorted, “My beautiful, flower-like wife, as precious as a piece of jade, is currently in perfectly good health. If she becomes a cripple, I’ll tear your bastard dog’s son into a thousand pieces!” Duan Zhengchun laughed. “You want me to unseal her acupoint, but you won’t let me touch her body. What exactly do you want me to do?”

Zhong Wanchou was speechless for a moment. Suddenly, he let out an indignant shout. “Who told you to seal my wife’s acupoints? Wait. Crap! When you sealed her acupoints, you already touched her body! I’m going to go poke your wife’s body as well!”

Madame Zhang glared at him. She angrily said, “You’re talking rubbish again. Aren’t you afraid of others laughing at you?” Zhong Wanchou said, “What’s there to laugh at? I refuse to let others take such a big advantage over me!”

Just as the dispute was at its noisiest, the curtained door was parted, and a man wearing a yellow satin gown entered. Three long strands of a beard was on his face, which was fine and attractive. It was the Emperor of Dali, Duan Zhengming.

Duan Zhengchun cried, “Imperial brother!” Emperor Baoding nodded. Stretching out with a finger, he pointed towards Madame Zhong. Madame Zhong only felt a warm sensation in the top her dantian [the place where internal energy accumulates] as two warm currents of energy streamed towards her leg. Immediately, her acupoints were unsealed and her blood began to flow unimpeded, and she rose to her feet.

Zhong Wanchou seeing that Emperor Baoding possessed the godlike ability to “Seal Acupoints Through Air”, was shocked. Utter amazement filled his face, and his jaw hung open slackly. He couldn’t say a single word. He never would have imagined that someone possessed such an unfathomable ability.

Duan Zhengchun said, “Imperial brother, Yu’er was kidnapped by them.” Emperor Baoding nodded. “The Marquis of Virtuous Enlightenment has already informed me. Younger brother Chun, if an offspring of the Duan dynasty has been kidnapped by others, then his parents and his uncles will naturally go and rescue him. It is not acceptable for us to hold others hostage.”

Duan Zhengchun’s face reddened. “Understood!” Emperor Baoding’s speech was straightforward and upright, keeping in with his dignity and status. The hidden meaning of his words was thus; “You wanted to keep them hostage, so as to exchange them for your son. Isn’t this an act which would tarnish the honorable name of Dali’s Duan dynasty? How can we, the majestic, royal scions of Dali’s Duan dynasty, use this sort of method against a few female commoners?”

The Emperor was silent for a few moments, then spoke to Zhong Wanchou. “The three of you may leave at your leisure. Within three days, the Duan family will send delegates to your Ten Thousand Calamities Gorge to retrieve our people.

Zhong Wanchou replied, “My Ten Thousand Calamities Gorge is truly a hidden, secretive place. You might not be able to even find it. Would you like for me to give you directions?” He wanted for Emperor Baoding to ask for his assistance, so he could refuse and make things hard for him.

Who would have thought that Emperor Baoding would pay him no mind. With a sweep of his sleeves, Emperor Baoding said, “Escort our guests out.”

Zhong Wanchou had an explosive temper, but in front of this majestically composed Emperor Baoding, he found himself utterly bewildered. Upon hearing him say, “Escort our guests out,” Zhong Wanchou said, “Fine, we’ll leave! All my life, your old man hates those surnamed Duan the most! There isn’t a single good person in the world, who has the surname Duan!”

Grabbing his wife by the hand, he turned to leave the room in a towering rage. Madame Zhong grabbed Qin Hongmian by her sleeve. “Sister, let’s go.” Qin Hongmian cast a glance at Duan Zhengchun, but saw that he was silent. She couldn’t prevent her heart from being filled with a sour pain. She glared fiercely at Dao Baifeng, then lowered her head and left. After the three of them left the room, they leapt up to the rooftops.

Standing at the corner of the eaves, Gao Shengtai bowed slightly, and said, “Escorting our guests out!” From the rooftops, Zhong Wanchou spat, then vehemently replied, “You guys are all false hypocrites. Not a single one of you is a good person!” Exerting his internal energy, he flew from one rooftop to another. Very shortly, he arrived at the palace walls. Once more exerting his energy, he jumped up, extending his left foot to step on the top of the wall.

But suddenly, another person appeared, standing right at the place where he was about to alight. Wearing a broad gown and a loose girdle, it was Gao Shengtai, who had come to escort the guests out as he said he would. Gao Shengtai was initially behind him, but somehow he arrived at the wall before Zhong Wanchou did. He then saw where Zhong Wanchou was about to step, and took the position before Zhong Wanchou had a chance to.

Zhong Wanchou’s body was in mid-air. There was no way for him to retreat, nor was there a way for him to change directions. He shouted, “Scram!” He shot out twin palms to attack Gao Shengtai. He thought to himself, “The power of my twin palms is enough to shatter tablets and crack open boulders. If the opponent wants to take it head on, I’ll definitely be able to knock him off the wall. Even if his internal strength is on par with mine, I’ll be able to borrow his energy and change direction to stand next to him on top of the wall.” But just moments before his twin palms would have struck the other on his stomach, Gao Shengtai’s body suddenly leaned backwards, as though he were an iron bridge. Both of his feet remained firmly planted on the top of the wall, but he had gotten out of the way of Zhong Wanchou’s twin palms.

Zhong Wanchou, having missed his attack, secretly cried out to himself, “Oh no!” His body had already passed by Gao Shengtai’s reclined form. With his attack having missed, his chest, abdomen, and lower body were totally open to a counter-attack. At this point, the enemy could arbitrarily strike him as he pleased. Fortunately, Gao Shengtai did not strike him at all. As Zhong Wanchou’s feet landed on the ground, he said to himself, “Thank goodness!” Immediately afterwards, Madame Zhong and Qin Hongmian also passed the wall.

Gao Shengtai straightened his body and turned around to face them. “Forgive me for not escorting you any further!” Zhong Wanchou let out a ‘hngh’ sound. Suddenly, his trousers began to fall down. He hastily extended his hand and caught them just in the nick of time, else he would have been utterly humiliated. Only then did he realize that his belt had been broken by Gao Shengtai with a flick of the finger when he flew over Gao Shengtai’s reclining form. If it weren’t for the fact that Gao Shengtai was showing mercy, he would have been struck by this finger on his dantian and turned into a corpse on the spot. He was half alarmed, half angered. With a cough, he turned to once more face the wall and spat out a dense mouthful of phlegm. ‘Pah!’ The phlegm was shot out with great accuracy and great power.

Mu Wanqing left the South-Subduing Palace in a daze. She had heard but ignored the hails of Dao Baifeng and Zhong Wanchou. Covering up her face, she sprinted away. She only felt that in all the vastness of the earth, there wasn’t a single place for her to take shelter. In the middle of a wild, mountainous terrain, she blindly ran and leapt about in a state of confusion until the coming of dawn. She was now so exhausted that both of her legs were limp and painful. Only now did she come to a halt. Leaning against a large tree, she stamped her feet and shouted, “I’d rather die! I don’t want to live anymore!”

Even though she was filled with resentment and anger, she had no idea who it was her hatred should be directed towards. “My darling Duan wasn’t fickle or unfaithful to me. It was just that the stars were misaligned, and he turned out to be my brother by the same father. My master turned out to be my mother. These past years, she toiled and labored so hard to bring me up and raise me. Her benevolence towards me is as weighty as a mountain, how can I possibly blame her? The South-Subduing Prince is my father. But although he was not faithful to my mother, perhaps he had many hidden difficulties which prevented him from being with her. He showed me a pleasant demeanor and showered me with love. He even said that if there was anything I desired, that I needed to only let him know, and he would strive with all his ability to make it happen. Alas, this desire of mine he was simply unable to fulfill. Mother wasn’t able to marry father, this was no doubt due to Dao Baifeng’s interference. That must be why she wanted me to kill her. But if I were in her shoes, I definitely wouldn’t let my darling Duan have a second woman either. And she even entered a convent and became a nun. No doubt, father was faithless towards her as well, causing her to be so broken-hearted. I shot two quarrels towards her outside the Temple of Hollow Jade, but she wasn’t angry with me at all. At the palace, I shot two more quarrels towards her and even harmed her beloved only child, but she still didn’t make trouble for me. It seems…it seems she isn’t a cruel, vicious woman either.”

No matter what she thought, she was filled with sorrow. “I need to forget about darling Duan, and never think about him again.” This was something that was easily said. But to forget about him just like that was something she simply could not do. Every time Duan Yu’s attractive features and slender figure sprang to the fore of her mind, her chest felt as though someone had struck her with a fist. After awhile, she tried to console herself. “In the future, I’ll just view him as my elder brother. I used to be a fatherless, motherless orphan. Now all of a sudden, I not only have a father and a mother, but also such a wonderful elder brother. I should be ecstatic. Stupid girl, what are you so sad about?”

But she had already been fallen into love’s trap. The more deeply she become entangled, the more deeply it bound her. When she miserably waited for Duan Yu at the peak of Mt. Wuliang for seven days and seven nights, she had become immersed in the webs of love, and would never be able to extricate herself again.

She heard the roaring sound of water unceasing galloping and surging forth. Suddenly, Mu Wanqing’s heart became severed from all earthly desires and dreams. She sought only death. She headed towards the sound of running water. After crossing a mountain, she saw the grandiose, majestic sight of the Lancang river falling down from the mountain peak. She took a deep breath. She thought to herself, “All I need to do is steel myself and jump, and I will never have any cares or worries again.” Following the mountain slope, she arrived by the side of the river. The morning sun was just rising. Casting its gentle glow upon the jade-like river, it appeared as though a layer of gold had been sheathed on the water. If she really jumped down, then she would never be able to see this beautiful and wondrous sight again, nor any of the other wonderful things in the world.

Standing quietly by the river, her thoughts swirled about like the waves. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that several hundred feet away, someone was sitting on top of a large rock. This person was completely still, and was wearing a green gown that was the same color as that of the green cliffs. This was why, even though she had been at the riverside for a long time, she hadn’t noticed him. Mu Wanqing cast him a few glances, then thought to himself, “Probably just a corpse.”

She could kill with but a lift of her hand, and so naturally wasn’t afraid of a corpse. Feeling curious, she quickly walked towards the body to investigate. The man in a green gown was old, with a long beard that stretched down to his chest. He had a pitch-black face, and both of his eyes were wide open and fixed on the center of the river.

Mu Wanqing said, “So it isn’t a corpse after all!” After she took a closer look, she noticed that