Crisis

Silver Moon Bay's eastern side, Withered Wood Forest.

Ironwood trees as thick as barrels had been snapped in half and lay scattered across the ground. Fist marks and sword scars pitted the earth, leaving the whole place in disarray.

At the center of the clearing stood a white-clad youth: Ning Wuque of the Ning Family. His expression was indifferent, his gaze fixed on a muddy mire ahead that glimmered faintly.

To him, only the rare treasure hidden in the depths of the mire was worth his attention. Everything else was beneath his notice.

"Senior Brother Ning, it's all cleared out!" Liu Yun came hurrying over with a fawning smile. "Not a single one of those pests in Withered Wood Forest got away! Of course, all the good stuff here belongs to the Ning Family!"

Ning Wuque gave a faint "Mm," his gaze never leaving the mire.

Behind him, Liu Yun was about to say more when his ears twitched. He whipped around toward the edge of the forest and barked, "Who's there?!" Before the words had left his mouth, a group had already parted the branches and stepped out.

At their head was a youth in fine clothes. The moment he saw Ning Wuque's back, he hurried forward, adopting an exceedingly deferential posture. "Brother Ning! I've long admired your name! I'm Shen Yutang of the Shen Family. I heard you were here, Young Master Ning, and came especially to pay my respects!"

Ning Wuque didn't turn around, as though there were no one behind him.

Shen Yutang remained bent at the waist, and the scene grew awkward.

But he had clearly come prepared. His smile didn't waver as he straightened and continued, "Young Master Ning, you have grand ambitions. I'm sure you have no patience for trivial matters. If you ever need dirty work done, just give the order. My Shen Family is at your service!"

At last, Ning Wuque showed the slightest reaction. He slowly turned his head and glanced at Shen Yutang from the corner of his eye.

"Someone from the Shen Family?" Ning Wuque's voice was ice-cold, devoid of feeling.

"That's right!" Shen Yutang's heart leaped with joy. He quickly drew an exquisite rosewood box from his sleeve and offered it with both hands. "Though my Shen Family is a merchant clan, we have some connections in the medicinal-herb trade. This is a Cold Blood Grass our family's caravan just brought back from the northern border. It may not be a priceless treasure, but it works wonders for martial artists who cultivate cold-attribute techniques. I hope you'll accept it, Young Master Ning!"

Ning Wuque merely glanced at it, his expression unchanged. He didn't refuse.

Liu Yun, ever quick to read the room, immediately stepped forward and took the box.

Seeing this, Shen Yutang was secretly delighted. He knew he'd made the right first move.

His eyes shifted as he recalled the message his younger sister, Shen Zhiqiu, had sent some days ago, and his confidence grew. The Ning Family had recently lost face in the Outer Prefecture. If he seized this chance, wouldn't it be the perfect way to hitch himself to the Ning Family's mighty ship?

A merchant's instincts told him this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

With that in mind, Shen Yutang dropped the pretense and sighed in feigned outrage. "Young Master Ning, I've been seething all the way here! That Qin Jue has no idea how high the sky is. A few days ago, he threw his weight around in the Outer Prefecture and bullied people. He injured Young Master Zhiyuan, and even insulted my younger sister with his words... Whenever I think of it, I want to tear him limb from limb—to avenge the Ning Family and my sister!"

At this, Ning Wuque had yet to react, but Liu Yun's eyes lit up, and he let out a strange chuckle.

"Heh, Young Master Shen, luck's on your side."

Shen Yutang froze. "What do you mean, Brother Liu?"

Liu Yun toyed with the riding crop in his hand and said darkly, "That brat came to Silver Moon Bay too. We ran into him on the road two days ago. He was riding a beat-up Black Scale Horse and heading this way."

"What? He's here too?!"

Shen Yutang was startled, then overjoyed.

He had only meant to show his allegiance, but it seemed even heaven was helping him! His chance to earn merit had been delivered right to his doorstep!

Hearing this, Ning Wuque's expression took on a hint of amusement.

"In that case..."

He tossed out a single line, then turned away, no longer bothering with Shen Yutang.

"Go crush that grasshopper wallowing in the mud."

His tone was imperious, treating Shen Yutang as though he weren't even a young master of a prominent clan. It was arrogance in its purest form. Anyone else would have been seething with humiliation.

But Shen Yutang didn't get angry. He was overjoyed instead, a gleam of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

He secretly congratulated himself. As long as he could cling to the Ning Family's coattails, what did a little lost face matter? Qin Jue might be from the Qin Family, but he was only a cast-off from a collateral branch, someone no one cared about. Even his own father didn't care whether he lived or died. If Qin Jue were killed here, those old foxes in the Qin Family would never turn against the Ning Family over a good-for-nothing.

Trading an insignificant collateral-branch castoff for the protection of the Ning Family's mighty ship—what a windfall!

With that thought, Shen Yutang bowed again and said loudly, "Rest assured, Young Master Ning! I'll make sure that brat learns there are some people he can't afford to offend!"

Boulder Beach, at the northwest corner of Silver Moon Bay.

Jagged rocks covered this remote, rarely visited place. Towering boulders chopped the sunlight into ragged pieces, casting patches of cold shadow. Silence reigned all around. Aside from the howling mountain wind, the only sound was the Black Scale Horse's heavy breathing.

Leading the horse, Qin Jue picked his way between the jagged rocks. The farther in he went, the stronger the feeling of being watched became.

"Snort—"

The Black Scale Horse abruptly stopped. Its forehooves pawed anxiously at the ground, hot breath blasting from its nostrils as its wary eyes fixed on a pile of rocks ahead.

The pile was made up of gray stones of all sizes and looked completely unremarkable.

But through Qin Jue's Void Clarity Sword Heart, he sensed an exceedingly faint fluctuation of vitality there.

The fluctuation was subtle, like breathing: rising and falling, barely distinct from its surroundings.

"Hmph. Trying to play tricks."

Qin Jue's gaze sharpened. He wanted to see what was hiding beneath those rocks.

His expression calm, he walked step by step toward the pile.

When he was less than three zhang away—

"Crack!"

The largest "rock" suddenly split open!

"Whoosh—"

A thick tail covered in gray-brown scales swept out like an iron whip, lashing straight for Qin Jue's waist and belly!

The strike was fast, accurate, and vicious!

An ordinary martial artist ambushed at such close range wouldn't have time to react. They would likely be swept in half and killed on the spot.

Yet Qin Jue showed no fear. The instant that gray blur tore through the air, he moved!

"Clang!"

A clear sword ring resounded across Boulder Beach as the Cold Iron Sword left its sheath!

With that armored tail about to smash into his waist and belly, Qin Jue's wrist snapped!

"Vmm—!"

A piercing hum suddenly filled the air. A terrifying force of vibration burst from the sword, moving at blinding speed and leaving only a blurred afterimage!

"Cicada Wing: Thousand Layers—Flap Wings!"

The Cold Iron Sword in Qin Jue's hand surged forward, its edge carrying an aura sharp enough to cut through anything!

"Clang!"

A shrill clash of metal rang out as the sword edge struck the mighty tail, strong enough to smash stone tablets and split boulders. The hard, iron-like scales shattered inch by inch beneath the terrifying force!

The sword's strange vibrating force erupted. In a single breath, hundreds upon hundreds of cuts were complete!

"Squish!"

A rain of blood and chunks of flesh burst through the air!

"Raaagh—!!"

A scream of utmost agony rang out from the pile of rocks, shaking the wilderness!

The thick lizard tail was now a mangled mess. Great swaths of flesh had been ground into pulp, and stark-white bone jutted out, a gruesome sight!

At last, the disguised "rock" revealed its true form: a Stone-skinned Lizard nearly a zhang long!

This Fierce Beast, usually a scourge that roamed unchecked, now writhed frantically on the ground in agony. The terrifying vibrating force packed into that sword strike had already surged through the wound and into its body, wreaking havoc on its muscles, bones, and organs. Half its body convulsed violently.