The wind carried brown dust into the sky. Herds of horses grazed on the lush green plains. A small stream trickled down from the hills. The villagers tilled their fields and avoided the affairs of the martial world. In this small village, everyone knew each other intimately; they visited and greeted each other from house to house. However, over the past few months, this small village, which was once part of the Ke family's estate, had been transformed into the headquarters of the Virtue Association.

  Ever since the Virtue Association was established in this village, the locals had opened their arms to martial artists and the ways of the martial world. A village that once lived simply turned into a battleground for martial artists. Sometimes, it was merely over trivial matters to declare one's dominance; other times, it was a power struggle between sects. The once kind-hearted villagers had now absorbed the ways of the martial world. They learned to form factions and seek power, no longer caring for a peaceful life. The more reckless a man was, the more tales he had to tell. The more impulsive, the more grand exploits he created. The young men of this village all sought the path of the martial world, and these young men perished just as quickly. The path of the martial world was by no means an easy one.

  To this day, the Virtue Association was still sustained by leaders bearing the surname Han, despite being situated on the lands of the Young Master of the North Ke Daobing.

  Ke Daobing had poured immense effort and vast wealth into founding this association. Even though the other siblings of the Ke family strongly disagreed, and it had turned into a massive feud within the family.

  Yet, Ke Daobing was willing to do all of this for the sake of lofty virtue.

  Yet, Ke Daobing was willing to do all of this for the sake of righteousness in the martial world.

  Or perhaps, in truth, Ke Daobing was willing to do all of this for the sake of a single woman.

  All of these were things the relatives of the Ke family would never be able to understand.

  The sky turned orange. Night crept in; day was departing. The Young Master of the North, Ke Daobing, sat sipping tea, his gaze cast toward the distant horizon. In his heart, he seemed to be pondering over countless matters. Beside him sat another man whose posture was rather unrefined. In this man's hand was a wine jar, his eyes fixed on the liquid inside that smoothly slid down his throat.

  The Drunken Scholar Ou Xiatian was always like this. Whenever others had matters to ponder, he would only drink. Once this night passed, the appointed day for the Defying Heaven Sect to march their forces and decimate this Virtue Association would arrive.

  "In less than two hours, the night will fall," Ke Daobing said calmly, his eyes gazing at the horizon slowly dimming into darkness.

  Ou Xiatian set the wine jar down on the wooden table. The soft clink resonated far into the cool breeze.

  "You seem to have quite a lot on your mind," the Drunken Scholar spoke.

  Ke Daobing did not turn around. He simply said flatly,

  "How many more days and nights like this... are left?"

  Ou Xiatian lifted the wine jar and took a gulp before saying nonchalantly, "No matter what, tomorrow will come."

  Ke Daobing gave a faint smile. "What if I told you that I have never once considered tomorrow?"

  The wind fluttered the hems of their garments. Ou Xiatian turned to look at Ke Daobing's face with scrutiny.

  "In that case, what exactly are you pondering?"

  Ke Daobing chuckled softly, though the sound held no joy. "I am thinking, why am I this foolish... and why are you this foolish as well?"

  Ou Xiatian paused slightly. He stared at the other man for a long time, then raised his wine and drank again without uttering a word in response.

  Ke Daobing continued, "I was foolish to sever ties with my relatives, and you were foolish to abandon your friends. The two of us have done so much, yet she hasn't spared us even a single glance."

  Ou Xiatian slowly put down the wine jar. "You are blaming yourself."

  "Do I not even have the right to blame myself?"

  "You may blame yourself if you wish, but you shouldn't drag me into it. We are not friends; we are rivals in love." Ou Xiatian clarified the relationship between the two of them.

  Ke Daobing shook his head. "If it were anyone else, I might see them as a rival in love. But with you... I have never thought that way."

  Ou Xiatian chuckled lightly. "Whatever you think doesn't change the truth. You are still you, and I am still me."

  Silence claimed the atmosphere once again.

  Ke Daobing spoke with a lowered voice, "Before, I suffered because I couldn't be near her. Now, she is resting in my home, and I finally realize... what true torment is."

  Ou Xiatian stood up. "Tonight, you can still go find her."

  Ke Daobing stared into the creeping darkness. "What if I find her? What if I don't? Nothing has made a difference for a long time."

  Ou Xiatian grabbed his wine jar and held it against his chest. "It's fine if you don't go. Tonight, I will go see her myself." Finishing his words, he made his way toward the rear pavilion, leaving Ke Daobing standing there, drowning in the darkness.

  Ou Xiatian walked past the grand three-story building, heading straight for the smaller building at the back. This small building was a beautifully decorated two-story pavilion. He did not presume to enter the pavilion; instead, he shouted from the outside, "Lady Han, I, Ou Xiatian, have a few words to speak with you. I apologize for taking up the Young Miss's time."

  A long while passed, accompanied only by the howling wind. Finally, a small window slowly pushed open, revealing a beautiful maiden in a yellow dress beneath the moonlight.

  "Brother Ou, what words do you have for Yuexin?"

  Ou Xiatian cupped his hands in greeting. The moonlight cast his long shadow across the courtyard. "Eldest Young Miss surely knows what will happen tomorrow. I merely wish to know your thoughts on the matter."

  He was a scholar and a thinker, often evaluating situations without letting emotions take the lead. Right now, the Virtue Association was at a clear disadvantage. The enemy was advancing; the people's morale was shaken. Yet, the only solution was not necessarily to clash head-on. Sometimes, taking one step back could be the move that paves the way to victory in the future.

  The woman's voice drifted down from the window above, as gentle as the night breeze.

  "As for the past conflict between the Virtue Association and the Defying Heaven Sect, I do not fully know the entire story. My only concern is that more of our family members will suffer injuries and death. We traveled all the way here solely in the hope of living a peaceful life."

  The words of Han Yuexin were soft, yet they concealed a profound exhaustion.

  Ou Xiatian pondered in silence for a moment before speaking carefully, "If the Eldest Young Miss is worried about your people, we could still lead everyone away tonight."

  The woman at the window fell silent for a brief moment before asking back, "Brother Ou, do you want us to flee?"

  "Not just flee, but we should all bid farewell to the martial world together. We have already traveled this far to the northern lands. If we enter the Great Desert, I refuse to believe anyone could ever find us again."

  The night wind suddenly stilled. The woman at the window seemed to grow displeased. Her family desired peace, but they could not forsake their reputation and honor in the martial world. Even so, her voice replied, "Brother Ou, you should take these words to my father and my grandfather. I am merely a woman; I have no say in this."

  Once Han Yuexin finished speaking, the window simply closed.

  Suddenly, a familiar man's voice rang out from the darkness behind the Drunken Scholar.

  "Why didn't you just ask her to run away with you alone? Wouldn't bringing so many people along be more of a burden?" Ke Daobing, who had secretly followed and watched the whole exchange, spoke up as he stepped out of the shadows.

  "Since she has no intention of fleeing, then when the Defying Heaven Sect arrives tomorrow, all of them will simply have to end their lives right here," Ou Xiatian said with a stern expression.

  "That ridiculous Defying Heaven Sect. Let them bring their entire nest. We will use this opportunity to wipe this demonic sect off the face of the martial world once and for all." Ke Daobing spoke with an equally resolute tone, but what truly lay in the depths of his heart, no one could possibly know.

  Sunlight pierced through the white clouds, casting a soft, gentle brightness that was not overly intense. The chirping of birds, big and small, sounded exceptionally melodious. Today at the Virtue Association, everything had been fully prepared to face the assault from the Defying Heaven Sect, a sect that was once renowned as the most ruthless and brutal in the martial world.

  Over three hundred people all wore white headbands as a symbol. After forming their ranks and thoroughly inspecting their readiness, they dispersed to their assigned positions. They took turns standing guard and rotating to eat breakfast.

  However, as noon approached, there was still no sign of the Defying Heaven Sect attacking.

  The Young Master of the North, Ke Daobing, dressed in emerald green and also wearing a white headband, ordered another assembly. But this time, the number of people who gathered had dwindled until barely more than one hundred and forty remained.

  No one had attacked them. They had simply fled. Seeing a deadly storm about to crash upon them, it was only natural to seek an escape. Those who chose to leave were the ones who would keep their lives. As for those who chose to stay, it might signify bravery, or perhaps they simply had nowhere else to go.

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  Ke Daobing silently gazed at this sight, yet he spoke no words of condemnation. At this point, he no longer cared about the number of his allies. Whoever wanted to stay, could stay; whoever wanted to flee, could flee. He walked straight toward the Drunken Scholar Ou Xiatian, who was lying down to escape the sun beneath a large umbrella, as if the impending matter of life and death had nothing to do with him.

  Nearly two hours after noon, the Defying Heaven Sect's cavalry finally arrived. The entire procession consisted of only eight people on eight horses. Moreover, all eight were women. Leading the group were three middle-aged women, who could be guessed as The Blood Spider Tian Yihui, Azure Squirrel Yang Qianlian, and Verdant Dragonfly Zhou Xingxuan. The remaining five were young women in green dresses, likely just a group of nameless attendants.

  "We demand to see Han Zhaoming. Call him out right now." It was The Blood Spider, Tian Yihui, whose voice rang out loud and clear.

  The moment Ke Daobing laid eyes on Tian Yihui, a feeling of disgust welled up in him. He immediately barked back, "I demand to see Shi Moyong as well. Call him out immediately."

  "Insolent brat, what are you? What gives you the right to call out the name of the Defying Heaven Sect's Patriarch directly? Bring the head of that Han fraud to me right now. We will drop the matter here and spare the lives of all you lowly servants." Today, Tian Yihui seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood, hence her willingness to speak so many words.

  "You brought only this much manpower. What kind of place do you think the Virtue Association is?" Ke Daobing said as he waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to reveal themselves and encircle the group.

  Suddenly, around thirty men rushed out from their hiding spots, completely surrounding the Defying Heaven Sect's procession.

  Thirty men facing a mere eight enemies. It was a massive advantage. Yet, Ke Daobing's face was filled with resentment. Just moments ago, he had counted a force of over a hundred men. How was it that only this many remained?

  Even though Ke Daobing had dispatched some of his trusted aides to inform Han Zhaoming of the Defying Heaven Sect's arrival, the remaining forces should have been no less than a hundred lives. It shouldn't have been a mere thirty men like this.

  He then roared with fury, "Do not let a single one of them escape!"

  Right then, a barrage of glittering, dazzling light filled the sky, rocketing toward the men of the Virtue Association. Ke Daobing instantly recognized them as a flurry of flying daggers and decided to step in to intercept them.

  Ke Daobing flicked his sleeves, unleashing his six signature hidden weapons from his hands in the blink of an eye. Cold light flashed brilliantly, spreading mid-air to clash instantly against the enemy's swarm of flying daggers. Six types of hidden weapons, six of each type were thrown. He calculated that this would easily be enough to obliterate those flying daggers.

  However, more than half of the flying daggers pierced right through Ke Daobing's hidden weapon defense. They stabbed into the Virtue Association's men, killing over twenty of them. Some short daggers were even capable of taking the lives of more than one man in a single strike.

  Short wails of agony rang out continuously before several bodies collapsed to the ground, becoming mere corpses.

  Ke Daobing could hardly believe his own eyes. Ever since he had made a name for himself in the martial world, he had never met anyone whose skill with hidden weapons was equal or superior to his own. Yet today, witnessing flying daggers that could curve and change directions multiple times in a single throw—today, he had finally met someone whose mastery far surpassed his own.

  The Blood Spider, Tian Yihui, saw Ke Daobing's stubborn resistance. She threw a mocking smile before gripping the whip in her hand tightly, preparing to lash out.

  "Heaven-Equaling Peak Han Zhaoming is no longer here." The clear, sharp voice of a woman rang out from behind, accompanied by the appearance of the number one beauty in the martial world, Han Yuexin.

  The young woman's shout abruptly halted the impending battle. Ke Daobing was so stunned by the news of Han Zhaoming's departure that his body froze. Meanwhile, the Drunken Scholar Ou Xiatian also stood up and walked out from beneath the large umbrella.

  "Did Han Zhaoming truly run away?" Azure Squirrel Yang Qianlian said with an expression of deep sorrow. She felt disappointed in this man time and time again.

  "Ha ha ha! So this is the nature of the famous Heaven-Equaling Peak." Tian Yihui said, her laughter laced with mocking sarcasm.

  "I, Han Yuexin, have come as my father's representative to inform you. I ask to postpone our scheduled meeting just this once, changing it from today to the fourteenth day of the sixth lunar month. I am willing to accompany you as a hostage to guarantee this." Finishing her words, Han Yuexin stepped forward, offering herself to the Defying Heaven Sect's procession.

  Hearing Han Yuexin's words loud and clear, the Drunken Scholar Ou Xiatian leaped gracefully into the air, landing to block the path of The Frostflower Maiden.

  "A naive little girl like you, what right do you have to speak as a representative?" Tian Yihui roared in fury before instantly lashing out with the whip in her hand.

  The crimson whip was aimed squarely at Han Yuexin. But with Ou Xiatian standing there, he would never allow anyone to harm his beloved woman.

  Ou Xiatian snapped open his folding fan to intercept the incoming whip. He then snapped the fan shut and spiraled it forward like a thrusting weapon. The red whip lashed back again, its red tip clashing with the thrusting fan. Despite its fierce and rapid strike, the whip was deflected once more.

  Tian Yihui's whip was repelled. The rebounding force left her wrist aching and numb. She glared at Ou Xiatian with intense resentment, preparing to lash out again.

  Suddenly, a volley of flying daggers shot toward Ou Xiatian from another direction. Yet, the Drunken Scholar simply twirled his body once, sweeping his open fan in a circle to catch all the daggers. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled them straight back at the enemy.

  Most of those rebounding daggers were aimed at Tian Yihui, who was mounted on her horse. The warhorse panicked and reared up on its hind legs. The woman in red nearly tumbled to the ground, but thanks to her superb horsemanship, she managed to steady herself and survive the crisis once again.

  Verdant Dragonfly Zhou Xingxuan, who was in charge of leading the assault on the Virtue Association this time, never expected the Drunken Scholar Ou Xiatian to possess such supreme martial skills. She secretly re-evaluated the drunken man before preparing to throw another wave of flying daggers.

  Just then, three dark shadows darted into the battlefield. An overwhelming aura of pressure radiated from the trio, spreading clearly across the area, indicating that these arrivals were no ordinary figures. These three shadows consisted of the Descendant of the Stone Fiend Shi Moyong, the supreme Patriarch and supreme leader of the Defying Heaven Sect, flanked by Tiger Frog Huang Sakong and Sword Slave on his left and right.

  Upon seeing the Sword Slave, Ke Daobing's face immediately showed significant shock. A conflicting emotion churned within him—a clash between dread and the burning desire to win. He let out a roar before stepping forward to confront them. But before he could even move, Han Yuexin grabbed his wrist. Were it anyone else, Ke Daobing would have mercilessly shaken their hand off. But this was her hand. Ke Daobing's entire body felt instantly powerless to resist.

  Han Yuexin stepped toward Shi Moyong and greeted him, "Kang Kang, it really is you." Her words contradicted the feelings in her heart. She had known all along that this Descendant of the Stone Fiend, Shi Moyong, was the Destitute Wanderer Kang Kang. Nevertheless, she intentionally greeted him this way to evoke his memories of their past bond.

  Shi Moyong looked surprised and asked, "Yuexin, did your father and grandfather really run away?"

  To Shi Moyong, even though he knew well that Han Zhaoming was a fake master—a useless individual—he never expected him to be this useless.

  "They did not flee. They simply had an important appointment with my maternal grandfather, so they had to depart in a hurry," Han Yuexin explained the situation within her family.

  Shi Moyong pondered for a moment and easily deduced that Han Yuexin's maternal grandfather must be Gao Qingxin. He then said, "Yuexin, we now stand on opposite sides and have become enemies. Regarding your offer to accompany us as a hostage, I advise you to think it through carefully."

  "Becoming enemies is for the best!" A voice roared. Alongside a fan's sweeping shadow, the Drunken Scholar Ou Xiatian shifted his stance, spun, and launched himself directly at Shi Moyong.

  Seeing Ou Xiatian initiate the attack, Ke Daobing swept his gaze and spotted a large umbrella with a sharp tip resembling a spear. He dashed over, grabbed it to use as a weapon, and coordinated his assault with Ou Xiatian.

  The fan's shadow shattered and swayed, its movements shifting with profound unpredictability. It became an overlapping curtain of shadows, dazzling like a wall, expanding its reach far and wide. Some swept upward, others slashed sideways, instantly enveloping Shi Moyong in the center.

  Though there was no shortage of martial experts on this battlefield, the sheer power of the sweeping fan's shadow forced everyone around them to retreat another pace.

  Ke Daobing's large umbrella thrust forward, synchronizing with the rhythm of Ou Xiatian's fan dance. The sharp tip of the umbrella was as fierce and aggressive as a roaring dragon's head, while the wall of fan shadows morphed into a coiling dragon's body. The combined might was terrifyingly formidable.

  Yet, a pair of palm shadows suddenly swept in two swift circles before shooting straight in to firmly grasp the umbrella's tip. With a single, forceful twist upward, Ke Daobing's body, which was hidden within the fan's shadow, was forcefully yanked into the open. He tried to muster all his strength to break free from the grip, but his combined might still could not match Shi Moyong's single left hand.

  Ke Daobing was hurled flying away to the left. Even so, the Young Master of the North had managed to stall Shi Moyong for a brief moment.

  Ou Xiatian continued his bizarre footwork. Despite being threatened and pushed back by the enemy's sweeping palms, the clash of strength between Shi Moyong and Ke Daobing had created an opening. Relying on his fan's shadow for camouflage, he hid behind Ke Daobing's body before dropping his fan. Using a finger technique in place of a weapon, he darted forward, aiming a thrusting strike straight at both of Shi Moyong's eyes.

  Shi Moyong swung his right palm up to block and intercept.

  But this played right into Ou Xiatian's hands—the finger strike that was thrust with full force abruptly changed direction. His splayed fingers dipped downward, gathering his qi into a piercing strike aimed directly at the opponent's throat.

  Every move ignited and concluded in the mere blink of an eye.

  His fingers struck the fatal acupoint—victory should have been well within his grasp.

  However, Ou Xiatian felt the finger strike he poured his energy into sinking away, vanishing into a vast, boundless ocean. Everything around him ground to a halt in a bizarre, astonishing stillness.

  At that exact same moment, Ke Daobing abandoned his large umbrella. He gathered his internal qi throughout his entire body, smashing his right fist into Shi Moyong's chest and thrusting his left fist into his abdomen simultaneously.

  Shi Moyong's body trembled violently. His left hand finally released its grip on the umbrella's tip. He twisted his body to withstand the attacks coming from both sides.

  Refusing to let this golden opportunity slip, Ou Xiatian caught the falling umbrella with the tip of his foot. Twisting his ankle, he hooked the umbrella's tip against the ground to act as a pivot. He then sprang back, spinning his body to launch a sweeping strike. The shaft of the umbrella slammed into Shi Moyong with a deafening thud. The sharp tip slashed past with a fierce, aggressive gust of wind.

  Shi Moyong's clothes were ripped to shreds, yet his body bore no wounds. It only revealed his chest and abdomen, marked by a single long, red line. Then, rolling his wrist, he brought his palm up to chest level, ready to unleash a counterattack.

  Ou Xiatian quickly lunged to suppress and pin down that palm, creating an opening for Ke Daobing to attack from behind once again.

  This time, Ke Daobing's emerald green robes billowed. Internal qi swelled and packed densely throughout his entire body. For a master who threw multiple hidden weapons at once, his foundation of qi was bound to be profound and lethal. The twin fists he unleashed were meant to pulverize Shi Moyong's skull into dust.

  Yet, that head remained standing tall and unmoving.

  Shi Moyong stomped his left foot down, pinning Ou Xiatian's foot to the ground. He twisted his wrist, breaking free from the grip, before slamming a palm strike squarely into the Drunken Scholar's chest.

  Ou Xiatian's body was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string.

  Though Ke Daobing had exhausted much of his strength, he forcefully pressed on, relentlessly battering vital acupoints across his opponent's body. Yet, the other's body was as tough as steel, completely unharmed and unfazed.

  In a flash, Shi Moyong whirled around. One palm rocketed directly into Ke Daobing's face with pinpoint accuracy.

  A sickening crack of shattering bone echoed loudly.

  Ke Daobing dropped to his knees. Crimson blood poured from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He collapsed face-first onto the ground but did not perish instantly. His eyes strained to look toward Ou Xiatian, who lay crumpled in the distance—now entirely devoid of breath.

  Stubbornness and a burning desire to win flared in Ke Daobing's eyes once more. But as he tried to lift his head, he saw Han Yuexin mount a horse and ride away with Shi Moyong. The last drop of strength he had fought so hard to gather instantly crumbled into nothingness.

  The last thing he saw was the two of them riding away together before his soul slipped away from his body.

  The slaughter continued. The chaotic sound of galloping hooves and agonizing wails gradually faded and disappeared.

  In the end, only mounds of motionless corpses remained amidst the eerie, desolate silence.

  The Virtue Association in the northern lands had finally met its ultimate end.