The Saintess of the Nine Yin Sect rose slowly to her feet, her bare soles balancing with chilling poise upon the smooth, naked back of the woman beneath her.
She sighed, a haunting sound, and cast a glance of bitter grievance at Young Master Qin. Her voice was soft, wounded."Why must you be so cruel, Young Master? I've finally opened my heart to you, and yet all you offer are words that ruin the mood..."
Tie Xuanxuan scoffed. "You shameless witch! You think our Ah-Ren would fall for your lies? Get lost already! Keep trying to seduce men in front of me and I'll skewer you with one finger!"
The Saintess chuckled, her eyes dancing. "My dear sister, how unreasonable you are. I flirt with my man—what business is that of yours? Or... could it be that you, too, have feelings for the young master?"
Tie Xuanxuan flushed crimson and barked, "He's my cousin! It's my duty to protect him! If I let some demonic temptress like you sink your claws into him, how could I ever face my uncle again?"
The Saintess clapped lightly and laughed. "Ah, the daughter of Iron-Hand Tie Kongshan! Then I must say—my luck tonight is truly exceptional. Originally, I only came to assist Lord Du in killing Jo Qitian and Li Guding, those traitors to the cult. But now that you're here, Sister Xuanxuan, I'd love nothing more than to take you back with me for a little... bonding time."
Li Guding snorted. "Such arrogance. You think a handful of masked clowns is enough to kill me and Old Jo? If the Unrivaled Westblade himself wants our lives, he should come take them!"
The Saintess's expression turned colder. "Li Guding, are your years catching up with you? You dare speak the Supreme One's name so carelessly? You're right—we can't defeat you two alone, nor even with the Four Pleasure Slaves and the Twelve Serpent Maidens. But if the Four Guardians—Wind, Fire, Thunder, and Lightning—step in… what chance do you have?"
"The Four Guardians?" Li Guding's voice cracked slightly. He looked at the four black-clad figures who had stood silently behind the Saintess.
One by one, the masked figures spoke, voices deep and solemn:
"Windblade Frostfang, Gu Changkong.""Inferno Unleashed, Zhao Liyuan.""Thunderclap of Heaven, Wu Zhenhai.""Lightning Severing Sky, Lu Dingyuan."
They said nothing more, statues of menace.
"Indeed," Jo Qitian muttered. "The Four Guardians of the Cult."
Qin Ren—"Third Young Master"—tilted his head. "They're supposed to be impressive?"
Jo Qitian answered grimly, "As the highest-ranked guardians beneath the cult leader himself, they are formidable. One-on-one, I could defeat each of them. Even two at a time, I might manage. But all four together… unless Li and I were at full strength, we'd stand no chance. If you were uninjured, we might just hold our ground. And if your cousin and the others were still fighting-fit, we could win. But now…"
"But now," Qin Ren cut in with a sardonic smile, "we're screwed, aren't we? Du Xiaoyan's hurt, Cousin's drained, you're both running on fumes, and I'm down to eighty percent. Hell, we can't even run."
Li Guding said, "Why fret, Third Young Master? The Saintess isn't here to kill you. You can still escape. Your lightness skill is unmatched—even at eighty percent, you could flee if you wanted. Are you… choosing to stay?"
He and Jo Qitian stared at the youth with a gleam of awe in their eyes.
Qin Ren raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What makes you think I give a damn whether you two live or die? I stayed because that harlot said she's taking my cousin. You think I'm gonna let that happen? If I did, how could I hold my head up again?"
Li Guding: "Damn…"
Jo Qitian: "Utterly shameless."
The Saintess stepped forward, her voice icy-sweet. "Jo Qitian, Li Guding, I give you one final kindness. You were once elders of our sect. Die by your own hands, and you'll spare our Guardians the bloodshed."
Jo Qitian laughed. "Bullshit! I've faced death before, and never once gone down without a fight. Want me to off myself? Dance for me first—striptease style!"
Li Guding roared with laughter, his voice shaking the heavens. "You want me to kill myself? Fine! But only if you kiss our Third Young Master in public first!"
Qin Ren: "Hey, hey, what the hell? Why am I always dragged into your twisted little games?"
The Saintess burst into laughter, her body swaying like a willow in the wind. "Such spirited old fools. Of course I'll get close with the young master—but not for your entertainment. That's between me and him."
Li Guding: "Shameless!"
Jo Qitian: "Depraved!"
Qin Ren: "Mmm… can't argue with that."
A low growl from the masked Gu Changkong interrupted the banter. "Saintess, shall we finish this? Kill the old men, capture the Iron Girl, and go home. I'm missing my hot bath."
The Saintess nodded. "Very well. Guardians, Jo and Li are yours. I'll handle the Third Young Master. The rest—leave to the Slaves and Serpent Maidens."
Each Guardian stepped off the scantily clad women beneath them and descended onto the blood-red carpet, advancing like death given form.
The Saintess joined them, gliding toward Qin Ren with a sultry smile. The Four Slaves, still naked, followed without shame. Behind them, the Twelve Serpent Maidens marched, each wielding twin curved daggers like silver snakes in the moonlight.
The Saintess addressed Qin Ren directly. "Don't be afraid, dear Young Master. I'm not here to hurt you—just to play. Last time, I had to flee because you had those two old monsters at your side and broke my Dream of a Thousand Beauties. But now? I've recovered fully, while you're injured. It's my turn to test your strength."
Qin Ren smiled. "Good. I've been meaning to teach you a lesson."
He turned to the others. "Cousin, Xiaoyan, Xiaoye—fall back. Brother Tu, guard them."
Tu Hong nodded. "Understood. I'll protect them with my life."
As the battle lines formed, Du Gongfu—long forgotten—saw his chance and bolted.
Tu Hong saw him flee, said nothing. So did Du Xiaoyan. Oddly, she felt relieved.
For all his crimes, Du Gongfu had raised her for over a decade. Blood ties meant little compared to years of kindness. She had no hatred for her unknown parents—but she could not bear to seek revenge against her adoptive father.
None of the main group moved to stop him. Their enemies demanded full attention.
Du Gongfu should have escaped.
But he didn't.
A bolt of light split the night.
A sword—five feet long, glowing with arcs of blue and violet lightning—pierced through Du Gongfu's chest like a spear of heaven's wrath.
It flung him backward ten yards, pinning his body high against the stone wall at the street's end. His eyes widened in disbelief.
He'd seen the sword coming.
Everyone did.
Its whistle through the air had been sharp and shrill. The light it shed was blinding.
This was no sneak attack.
It was a declaration of judgment.
And still, Du Gongfu had not even raised his axe.
He reached for the sword's hilt, as if to pull it out—but his hand went limp midway.
His ghost axe fell with a dull clang.
Du Gongfu was dead.
Everyone froze.
Even the enemies paused, stunned by the brutality of that divine strike.
All eyes turned toward the wall... and the lone sword that silenced a traitor.
Tears streamed down Du Xiaoyan's face, but she did not cry out.She knew—this was justice. The only justice he would ever receive.
Qin Ren was no less stunned. But slowly, a grin began to form on his lips...