Though Fang Shuwen's party of three had hurried all the way, they still failed to arrive before the hour of the dragon.
When they reached the gates of Pearl Pavilion on Nine-Congealing Mountain,
the Black Sha Cult's people were just then springing out from every corner and launching a full-scale attack.
These people had either mastered the [Black Sha Demonic Art] or cultivated the [Azure Corpse Record].
One wielded Black Sha True Qi that no one dared touch; the other could take a sword's edge against the body as though it were nothing.
On top of that, Pearl Pavilion's disciples had been caught off guard. Their supposedly meticulous defenses were Li Nanchen's deliberate doing, and the Black Sha Cult had thoroughly infiltrated them.
By the time Fang Shuwen and the others arrived, it was a one-sided massacre.
Fang Shuwen's arrival naturally drew the Black Sha Cult's attention.
Not every one of them knew who Zhou Qingmei was, but that did not stop them from killing.
Their plot against Pearl Pavilion was a major undertaking. How could they let anyone else learn of it?
So the moment they saw Fang Shuwen, some of them rushed forward, intent on killing this unlucky fellow who had blundered into their midst.
The outcome went without saying.
Fang Shuwen carried Lu Xiaoqing on his back, with Zhou Qingmei following behind him.
With the [Great Black Heaven Divine Palm] in both hands, Fang Shuwen treated every member of the Black Sha Cult alike, whether they cultivated the [Black Sha Demonic Art] or the [Azure Corpse Record]. He killed them all with a single palm strike apiece.
Wherever he went, not one enemy could withstand a single exchange.
He fought his way from the foot of Nine-Congealing Mountain all the way to the great hall on the mountain's front slope.
Along the way, he killed no one knew how many members of the Black Sha Cult.
The Green-Faced Ghost who had cultivated the [Azure Corpse Record] had just been kicked into the hall by him, while the one behind him had had his neck snapped with the [Plum Blossom Loose Hands].
Fang Shuwen had not even had time to throw the corpse away. He walked in carrying it in one hand, holding Zhou Qingmei's hand with the other, and bearing Lu Xiaoqing on his back.
Zuo Qingshuang recognized her beloved disciples at a glance, and her heart immediately tightened:
"Qing'er, Qingmei? What are you..."
"Master!"
When Lu Xiaoqing and Zhou Qingmei saw Zuo Qingshuang's blood-covered face, their hearts filled with anxiety.
Fang Shuwen came to Zuo Qingshuang's side and lowered Lu Xiaoqing from his back.
Lu Xiaoqing gently rubbed her chest... She had been carried on his back all the way, bouncing and jostling as he ran and leaped, and her chest ached faintly.
But she could not spare that any thought now. She hurriedly took Zuo Qingshuang's hand:
"Master, what happened to you?"
Zuo Qingshuang, meanwhile, looked at her leg:
"Qing'er, your leg?"
"Li Nanchen is the young cult master of the Black Sha Cult. He killed the people from the Cloudflight Escort Agency, then ambushed me... If Junior Sister Qingmei and Brother Fang here hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid I would never have seen you again, Master."
Lu Xiaoqing briefly explained what had happened.
At her words, complicated feelings welled up in Zuo Qingshuang's heart:
"You two, you knew perfectly well that Pearl Pavilion faced a great calamity this time. Why did you come back?
"As long as the green hills remain, there'll be no shortage of firewood. Why walk into danger yourselves?"
With that, she turned her gaze to Fang Shuwen:
"And who is this young brother?"
"He is Fang Shuwen,"
Zhou Qingmei said softly.
"If he hadn't protected me all the way here, the Black Sha Cult would have killed me long ago."
Zuo Qingshuang nodded at that and cupped her fists to Fang Shuwen:
"Thank you, Brother Fang, for your great kindness. Since you were able to protect Qingmei all the way here, you must have extraordinary skills.
"But Pearl Pavilion now faces a great calamity, and I can scarcely look after myself.
"Might I ask you to take these two disciples of mine away from here, Brother Fang?"
"Leave this place?"
Feng Mantian spoke slowly.
"Zuo Qingshuang, do you take me for a dead man?"
As he spoke, his gaze also fell on Fang Shuwen. His eyes narrowed slightly, and black light flickered within them.
"Zhou Qingmei should have died long ago, on the very night the Zhou Family was exterminated!
"Was it you who saved her life?
"And was it you who killed Black Granny and the others?"
Fang Shuwen nodded.
"This Black Granny you're talking about, was she the one who dug her own grave in the pouring rain?
"I did kill her... Seeing how impatient she was to dig her own grave, I took the opportunity to bury her.
"You bring it up now—could it be that you want to thank me?
"There's no need to be so polite. It was only a small favor."
The killing aura around Feng Mantian faltered. Was that what he meant?
Did this brat really not understand, or was he making sport of him!?
Then he heard Fang Shuwen ask:
"Which one of you is Li Nanchen?"
Li Nanchen frowned slightly and stepped forward.
"I am."
Fang Shuwen let out a soft breath.
"So it was you.
"Was it you who ordered Zhou Qingmei killed?
"And was it you... who wanted to abduct the Fang family's young girl?"
"So what if it was!?"
Li Nanchen gave a cold smile.
Feng Mantian immediately nodded inwardly... That was right. When faced with accusations, that was exactly the attitude one should take!
I did it all. What can you do about it!?
But on second thought, everything about it seemed wrong...
Li Nanchen was his son, the young cult master of the Black Sha Cult!
What right did some unknown brat have to question him like this in front of everyone?
Anger rose in his heart, and he was about to speak.
But then Fang Shuwen suddenly took a stride forward, charging straight at Li Nanchen!
He was as swift as a thunderbolt in a flash.
But the people present today were experts after all. Two figures suddenly leaped out and blocked Li Nanchen's path.
First to meet Fang Shuwen was a frail-looking scholar with a somewhat pale face. He did not think much of Fang Shuwen; he merely raised his palm and chopped, striking where his enemy was sure to defend.
The other was Qingyangzi, clad in a blood-colored Daoist robe.
He held a horsetail whisk. As he circulated his inner breath, the whisk spun, and every strand danced.
The sight looked strange, but what he was using was actually swordsmanship.
Every strand of the whisk concealed sword intent. With a casual flick, he unleashed boundless sword Qi!
Though he moved second, he arrived first, reaching Fang Shuwen ahead of Ghost Scholar.
But in the very next instant, Fang Shuwen turned his palm into a fist and chopped down!
The moment the sword Qi on the whisk met his True Qi, it crumbled.
Qingyangzi immediately realized something was wrong, but it was already too late.
Fang Shuwen's punch was [Stabilize Heaven and Earth], a move from the [Four Seas Dragon Fist]. It came down from above with tremendous force!
Combined with his [Muscle Tendon Change] at the great perfection realm and the distance between them, almost nothing could stop it.
The instant the sword Qi crumbled, the entire whisk shattered under the force.
With nothing to obstruct it, the fist smashed directly into Qingyangzi's head.
Splat!!
A strange sound rang through the hall.
Everyone saw it clearly... Fang Shuwen's punch had driven Qingyangzi's head straight into his torso!
After killing Qingyangzi with one punch, Fang Shuwen did not pause for an instant. He used the momentum to turn halfway around, spread his five fingers, and made a casual grab with the [Plum Blossom Loose Hands], catching the hand Ghost Scholar had chopped toward him in his palm.
A puzzled look appeared on Fang Shuwen's face.
"And who might you be?"
Looking at Qingyangzi, whose head was enclosed by his chest and who was now gushing blood,
Ghost Scholar said, "..."