Section 4

However, he was unable to articulate what it was at that moment

Hong Gu's expression was serene yet solemn, as she spoke word by word: "I am the daughter-in-law of the Feng family, but today I come solely for the Zhu family. Please—"

Yunmeng was astonished by Chief Steward Hou's extensive knowledge. It is said that the Xuan Wang Mansion houses a vast archive, where records of various events and figures in the martial world over the past century can be found, provided they hold any value. Chief Steward Hou's mind, however, is capable of containing the information from the entire treasure trove, which he can utilize at any moment. Many times, he has achieved victory through this knowledge, rarely needing to take action himself. Now, the people in the plum garden have finally witnessed the terrifying aspects of Chief Steward Hou and have begun to understand why he is able to manage the Xuan Wang Mansion.

Through the promotion of Zhao Peng, the martial arts community of Jiangdong has long been aware of Yunmeng's identity and the news of her imminent arrival in Jiangdong

Xiao Qing shot him a glance and said, "What business is it of yours?" Immediately, she hurried to kneel in front of the small boat and replied, "Miss, Xiao Qing is fortunate not to have failed in my duty." Yun Meng softly uttered a sound of acknowledgment.

Chief Steward Hou gazed at Yunmeng. During the battle of the East Sea years ago, it coincided with the fiftieth birthday of the East Sea King, where numerous evil figures gathered to celebrate. Upon hearing that the Zhao family's fleet was passing by, they, confident in their numbers and skills, emerged in full force, intending to present a grand birthday gift to the East Sea King. However, they met their demise instead, and it is likely that the apothecary from Snake Island was among them. Following this battle, the maritime borders remained peaceful for over a decade, yet deeper enmities were forged. Yunmeng now resembled another East Sea King, leading the remnants of the past in pursuit of vengeance. He stated: "You demand fairness, yet you previously took Fang Xinyu hostage, imposing immense psychological pressure on Elder Tiangji; you also pointed out that Hong Gu is the sole descendant of the Zhu family, exploiting Elder Tiangji's compassion, which delayed his willingness to strike, ultimately leading to harm. Ask yourself, is this fair?" He reiterated: "You demand fairness, yet you previously took Fang Xinyu hostage, imposing immense psychological pressure on Elder Tiangji; you also pointed out that Hong Gu is the sole descendant of the Zhu family, exploiting Elder Tiangji's compassion, which delayed his willingness to strike, ultimately leading to harm. Ask yourself, is this fair?"

Xiao Qing stepped back to stand beside the woman in the red dress

They all placed their hopes on the intervention of Chief Steward Hou

Shi Qing recognized the young attendant in the yellow shirt and suddenly recalled the large flag of the rising sun over the vast sea that he had previously overlooked. He exclaimed, "You are here under the banner of the King of the East Sea; what is your relationship with the King of the East Sea?"

The spring sunlight is bright and picturesque, as the wind passes, white plum blossoms and remnants of snow fall like rain. A light boat drifts gently from the plum grove along the waterway, anchoring at the edge of the stone platform. A veiled figure, Yunmeng, stands in the boat, her eyes shining like bright stars, making it difficult to gaze directly at her. At the stern of the boat are two maidservants, identical in appearance, standing gracefully like two tender green saplings in the morning sunlight. The rower is a stout, dark-skinned Kunlun slave, barefoot, with a rust-stained iron box about three feet long placed before him. Behind Yunmeng follows a cold-faced attendant in a yellow robe, holding a jade flute of emerald green, with long sleeves hanging low, partially concealing the pearl and green tassels at the end of the flute. In front of her stands a woman in a red dress, as beautiful as a flower.

Shi Qing could not help but exclaim: "Old Master Fang lived his life with integrity and dignity, what right do you have to speak of 'seeking justice'!"

With a sudden vertical rise of her brow, Hong Gu let out a loud shout, causing the plum blossoms atop the trees to tremble and the remaining snow to fall in flurries. Her left palm shot forward like an arrow, striking directly at the old man. The old man felt his feet move sluggishly, unable to evade in time, and could only raise his hand to throw a flying axe. Yet, Hong Gu did not dodge or retreat; the axe embedded itself directly into her chest, but it could not halt her momentum. Her left palm struck the old man's right chest with a resounding impact, sending him flying backward into the plum pond. Hong Gu stood frozen for a moment before collapsing to the ground, her once rosy cheeks rapidly turning pale and ashen, while a smile lingered at the corners of her mouth.

The young servant removed the outer robe of the old man of heavenly secrets and handed him a similarly dark and unremarkable small iron axe

Yunmeng no longer paid him any attention and quietly said: "I was never a hero who could be understood through reason. Old Master Fang, do you still remember the Zhu family who originally lived here?"

Yunmeng's gaze inadvertently turned towards Zhao Peng, who smiled and slightly bowed, displaying complete courtesy. Asu gently remarked, "Young master, I fear she is once again coming for us today"

Yunmeng coldly stated: "The Zhu family was not exterminated. At that time, a concubine of the Chang family was pregnant. When the flames erupted, she happened to be at her maternal home in Dongshan mourning. Upon seeing the sky ablaze, she fled by boat into Taihu Lake. Later, you discovered that there was such a woman and sent someone to assassinate her, mistakenly killing her sister instead. She later gave birth to a son. For forty years, the mother and son passed away one after the other, leaving only their granddaughter, Hong Gu, who came to me, asking for my help to fight fairly against Old Master Fang, in order to fulfill the wishes of her grandmother and father."

Yunmeng softly remarked: "Buddha said, if I do not enter hell, who will enter hell"

The young servant tidied up the red carpet and several tables, while the guests stepped aside. The woman in red took a short stick about three feet long from the iron box in the hands of the Japanese servant. Just as she was about to disembark, she knelt before Yunmeng and softly said: "Miss, thank you for fulfilling Hong Gu's lifelong wish"

The Old Man of Heavenly Secrets also closed his eyes. The young servant who had just entered the pool to rescue the master was not seriously harmed, and the water in the Mei Pool showed no signs of abnormality

Yunmeng: "Among those who practice martial arts, who has not once wielded a slaughtering knife?"

The Old Man of Secrets leaned to one side, wielding an axe to block, as small blue sparks splattered onto the faces and hands of both individuals. The Wind and Thunder Staff pressed down on the axe, using the force to leap up and pounce down from the air, aiming directly for the old man's crown. The old man turned his head, drawing his bow to shoot at the Celestial Wolf, deflecting the iron staff, while his left hand reached from the blue flames towards the pipa bone of the Red Maiden.

Shi Qing was almost about to jump up, but the Old Man of Heavenly Secrets stopped him and said, "Alright, I promise you."

The old man fell silent, and after a while, he said: "At that time, I was young and impetuous, driven by righteous indignation, and devised this ruthless plan. Upon reflection, it indeed goes against the will of heaven, and not all members of the Zhu family are irredeemably wicked. Therefore, since then, I have never used fire."

Yunmeng: "Yes, I certainly know."

Yunmeng: "It is not possible. We have no other choice; you must take a leap of faith."

Zhao Peng let out a silent sigh. Now he understood why Hong Gu had knelt before Yun Meng and uttered those words before going into battle; it was because Hong Gu already knew that her fate was to die.

Yunmeng: "Today, I am here solely to seek justice for one of my servants. If all present can serve as fair witnesses, I assure you that I will not use Young Master Fang as leverage."

Chief Steward Hou's eyes, which were always smiling, suddenly opened wide, causing a chill to run through Xiao Qing and the others. He then squinted his eyes again and said: "Although it was Xiao Qing and Hong Gu who acted, it was you who directed them. Since I am present, there is no reason for me to stand by and watch"

"Wind and Thunder Staff? Who are you from the Donghai Feng family?" The Old Man of Heavenly Secrets asked, somewhat surprised

Yunmeng: "Years ago, Old Master Fang summoned the heroes and set up a fiery formation, burying over seventy members of the Zhu family in flames overnight. The thousands of plum trees on Dengwei Mountain were reduced to charcoal, and the flames could still be seen soaring into the sky from a hundred miles away. This must be the most remarkable achievement of Old Master Fang in his lifetime, right?"

Yunmeng Youran said: "I understand the meaning of Chief Steward Hou. However, I believe that, given your position, it is not necessary to challenge my servant, is it? Hong Gu is already dead, and I still have five people under my command. However, Lan'er and Hui'er have always fought together since childhood; whether against one person or a hundred, they advance and retreat together. Therefore, I can only allow them to compete in four rounds, making a total of five rounds including the previous one. If there is still no clear winner after the five rounds, I will seek your guidance, Chief Steward Hou."

Hong Gu stood still in the stone flatland. The rod was dark, yet the rust shimmered with a faint blue light in the spring sun

Yunmeng merely smiled faintly, without saying a word

The Donghai Feng family has been engaged in thievery for generations, but was later subdued by the rising Donghai King, becoming one of his most capable aides. However, following the Donghai King's downfall, they vanished without a trace.

Shi Qing: "Kill those who should be killed, and have no regrets in your heart"

The Old Man of Heavenly Secrets sighed and said: "It seems I have no other choice. However, I still hope that, regardless of victory or defeat, you will spare the foolish heart, for he is not involved in this matter"

The Elder of Heavenly Secrets was visibly moved: "I remember."

A faint smile appeared in Yunmeng's eyes: "I know you will agree. In the eyes of the world, Young Master Fang is an unworthy dandy, but I understand his true value. If Hong Gu wins, the precious land of Tianji Manor will return to its rightful owner, and the Fang family shall not take away even a scrap of paper; if Hong Gu loses, I will immediately detoxify Young Master Fang, and the grievances from the battle in the East China Sea will be erased in one stroke, never to be mentioned again. Does Old Master Fang consider this fair?"

The young servant hurriedly entered the pool to rescue the Elder Tianji, allowing Chief Steward Hou to provide treatment. The attendant in the yellow robe carried Hong Gu into the small boat, while Yunmeng placed her left hand on Hong Gu's wrist. After a while, she gently withdrew it. At that moment, Hong Gu was already beyond salvation.

Seeing that Yunmeng did not respond, Chief Steward Hou continued, "You should know that with the skills of Elder Tianji, very few can withstand his counterattack before death. Even if Hong Gu has miraculous medicines to rely on, it would be difficult for her to escape unscathed. In this game, regardless of winning or losing, Hong Gu is surely doomed to die."

Even the wisest of individuals may ultimately make a mistake after much deliberation

Zhao Peng could not help but shake his head in silence; given the meticulousness of Chief Steward Hou, he should have anticipated that since the Snake Island in the Bohai Sea was involved in assisting Flying Fish Island, one should always remain vigilant regarding this point when dealing with visitors from the East China Sea

The Old Man of Heavenly Secrets gazed at Yunmeng and said, "You must be the daughter of the East Sea King, right? Have you come today on behalf of the East Sea King?"

Chief Steward Hou shook his head secretly and said, "After Hong Gu struck down the axe, she was still able to hit Elder Tianji. Could it be that she had previously taken some kind of medicine that allows one to unleash their inner potential to the limit, and that the medicinal effect had not yet worn off when the flying axe struck her chest? As far as I know, the detoxification pill made from snake scale powder is such a medicine. If another type of pill is not taken in time afterward to provide relief, the user will die from exhaustion of their true essence and loss of strength."

Moreover, Fang Xinyu's father died in the Eastern Sea Campaign while rescuing the Elder of Heavenly Mechanism

In their expressions, there was something that made Zhao Peng uneasy

Yunmeng: "All warfare is based on deception. Everything is governed by cause and effect. When Fang Tianji was devising that lethal strategy, the outcome of today was already predetermined"

Then, regarding the picture book, did she deliberately arrange such an ending? Shi Qing could not help but angrily say: "You know very well that Hong Gu is the only descendant of the Zhu family!"

Old Man of Heavenly Secrets: "So, what brings you here today?"

Chief Steward Hou remarked, "The Elder of Heavenly Mechanisms has been struck by the Zhu family's Opening Mountain Palm, hasn't he? The Six Ding Opening Mountain technique gathers strength into one point, making it indestructible. However, at this moment, all his true energy is concentrated at one point, leaving his defenses wide open. After a single strike, he will have no remaining strength. Therefore, in actual combat, if the opponent is not just one person, or if there is no companion to provide support, or if the opponent's skill far exceeds one's own, one must not use this technique lightly. If the Elder of Heavenly Mechanisms had not been poisoned beforehand and was unable to move, he would not have been struck. If he had not been hit by this Opening Mountain Palm, even though the Snake Scale Powder is indeed a potent poison, with me here, it would be difficult to be fatal."

Zhao Peng felt quite differently. Today's Yunmeng was calm and composed, in stark contrast to her spirited demeanor above the East Sea, which was evidently much more challenging to handle

Generally, poisons of this nature must be ingested or come into contact with blood to be effective. However, snake scale powder is quite different; it only becomes toxic when it adheres to the rapidly flowing blood of the skin or seeps into the body through the pores. Otherwise, it poses no harm even if ingested. It is said that once poisoned, there is no antidote available except for the detoxification pills from Snake Island. In the past, the Eastern Tiger, Li Chibao, was incredibly brave and invincible, yet he met his demise during a fight when his blood vessels burst and the toxic powder came into contact with his skin. Fortunately, this type of poison is extremely difficult to concoct, and its quantity has always been limited.

Yunmeng: "It is precisely because of this that she should sacrifice her life for righteousness. Moreover, the only person on Snake Island capable of concocting the kind of pill mentioned by Chief Steward Hou has already died in the battle of the East Sea that year. Hong Gu, fully aware that there is no remedy, still insists on doing this, seeking only to fight Fang Tianji. This is her own choice"

Chief Steward Hou washed his hands thoroughly and carefully dried them with a silk handkerchief, while instructing the two young attendants to go down and cleanse themselves with cool water and change their clothes, strictly forbidding the use of hot water. Only after that did he turn to Yunmeng and say: "It seems I have underestimated you; I did not expect that the powder on the Wind and Thunder Rod was not rusted iron powder, but rather snake scale powder."

Shi Qing could no longer contain himself and jumped out with a knife, saying: "Alright, I will be the first. Xiao Qing, come out!"

The members of the Fang family looked gratefully at Chief Steward Hou. They were well aware that relying solely on the Fang family to deal with Yunmeng did not guarantee victory. Although there were mechanisms to rely on within the Tianji Manor, they were at a disadvantage since Fang Xinyu was in the hands of their opponent. With the death of the Elder of Tianji, Fang Xinyu naturally became the heir of Tianji Manor; his uncles and cousins dared not take the risk of confronting the daughter of the King of the East Sea, lest they be accused of harboring malicious intent against Fang Xinyu and coveting the position of the master of Tianji Manor. In such aristocratic families, the lineage is extremely strict, akin to the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children in royal households

Chief Steward Hou: "Then have you considered the repercussions of your malicious actions in the future?"

Yunmeng: "Poison is also a form of martial arts"

Hong Gu gritted her teeth, gathered herself, and charged forward like a thunderstorm splitting the sky. The old man executed several iron bridge flips in succession, allowing the whistling wind and thunderous strikes to pass over his chest and abdomen, yet his clothing was still torn by the fierce wind. After being injured, Hong Gu displayed the ferocity of a wounded tiger; upon landing, she turned and struck back, her weapon colliding with the horizontally slashing iron axe, the blue flames from the impact nearly splashing into the old man's eyes. The old man launched a left-handed attack, performing the move "Two Dragons Playing with Pearls"; Hong Gu raised her weapon to shield her eyes and delivered a flying kick to the old man's lower body. The old man leaped aside, swinging the axe handle horizontally, striking Hong Gu's right forearm with a sound that clearly indicated a fracture. The wind and thunder staff slipped from her grasp, and after being struck by the iron axe, she was sent flying towards Mei Pond.

Yunmeng has already turned her gaze and said, "Not today"

Yunmeng did not speak, but simply reached out to help her up

Shi Qing immediately interjected, saying: "Old Master, do not listen to her! Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trivial matters; those who save the world do not hesitate to sacrifice their own lives. Moreover, the Zhu family is known for their extermination of enemies; anyone who offends them faces the annihilation of their entire family or even their entire clan. The extermination of the Zhu family is a matter of heavenly justice!"

Fang Xinyu's poisoning, along with the current situation, points to Xiao Qing as the main culprit; he must teach Xiao Qing a good lesson on behalf of Fang Xinyu

Hong Gu twisted her shoulder to evade, the Wind and Thunder Staff striking with force. She turned back with a smile, almost touching the old man's brow with her finger. The old man leaned back to avoid it, raised his axe to block, and with a clash of axe and staff, sparks flew in all directions. The iron staff was swiftly retracted, and Hong Gu leaped to the old man's side, bending down as the Wind and Thunder Staff thrust towards the old man's right armpit. The iron axe retaliated fiercely, but Hong Gu lost her grip, the staff slipped from her hands, and her tiger's mouth split, bleeding. She too was propelled into the air, grasping the Wind and Thunder Staff, wrapping it around the iron axe, and kicked with her dual legs. The iron axe struck back violently, and once again, Hong Gu lost her grip, the staff flew out, and her tiger's mouth bled anew. She soared again, seizing the Wind and Thunder Staff, entangling it with the iron axe, and kicked with her dual legs. The old man raised his palm like a knife to block the flying legs. Hong Gu crouched low to the ground, then shot up like a crane, the Wind and Thunder Staff piercing the old man's left armpit. The old man winced in pain, instinctively striking out with his fiery palm. Hong Gu blocked with her staff, yet was still pushed back over a foot, the iron axe grazing her left shoulder, blood staining her clothes, and a crimson palm print was left on the iron staff.

They confronted each other in Shipingdi. Hong Gu circled slowly around the Elder Tianji. The sunlight slanted slightly, and the dazzling red attire reflected the sunlight, causing the old man to squint his eyes slightly. Hong Gu immediately leaped up with a shout, merging her body with the staff, and with a single strike, she aimed directly at his throat, incorporating the sword technique of the Liao Dong Motian Ridge into her staff move.