Qigelu Peak lay in the heart of the Tianshan Mountain Range, its summit blanketed in snow that never melted year-round. In the local indigenous tongue, "Qigelu" meant sacred, and Qigelu Peak was the Mountain of the Gods.
Halfway up Qigelu Peak was a protruding platform shaped like an eagle's beak, hence its name, Eagle Beak Platform. On the slope below stood a cluster of buildings, pavilions and towers half-hidden amid towering pines and emerald cypresses, with winding roads appearing and vanishing from view. This was the headquarters of the Tianshan Sect.
At this moment, an old man stood on Eagle Beak Platform with his hands behind his back, leaning against the railing as he gazed at the distant snowy peaks, his brows tightly furrowed. Dressed as a Taoist, he had white hair and a youthful face, his long beard drifting in the wind, carrying more than a hint of immortal bearing. Two pretty girls of sixteen stood quietly behind him. One held a thick book, while the other cradled a long scroll painting. Both kept their eyelids lowered and their lips tightly pressed together. Apart from the howling wind, not another sound could be heard on the platform. The old man was Wu Lianshan, one of the Tianshan Sect's Five Venerables, known by the nickname Fake Taoist.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps rang out from the stairs at one side of the platform. The two girls turned to look and saw a man ascending the steps. He wore a white warrior's outfit and a fur-lined cap. His features were rugged, and a scar on his left cheek nearly ran to the bridge of his nose, making him look exceptionally ferocious. At the sight of him, the two girls hurriedly turned away, not daring to look again.
The man walked straight to Wu Lianshan's back and bowed to him. "Master, the matter you instructed me to handle has been settled. Only..." He glanced at the two women beside them, hesitation flashing across his face.
Wu Lianshan turned and looked at the man, then waved at the two girls. They immediately turned and descended from the platform.
"Master, if this matter is exposed and enrages the First Venerable, what should we do then?" With no outsiders remaining, the man lowered his head and spoke cautiously.
"My request has already won the Sect Leader's approval. Next year, there will be one more quota for a personal disciple." Wu Lianshan spoke leisurely. He glanced at the man and smiled. "Hehe, Bage, you have been under my tutelage for seven or eight years now, haven't you? Work hard."
Joy appeared on Bage's face. Looking up at Wu Lianshan, he said gratefully, "Thank you for your cultivation, Master. Bage will spill his brains and smear his blood upon the ground, and die only after doing all he can."
"Hehe, good. Good." Wu Lianshan laughed.
In a valley basin not far from Qigelu Peak, it was already early winter, and the grasslands had withered yellow. Mountains encircled the basin on all sides. At the foot of the northern mountains lay a lake with crystal-clear waters. On clear days, the snowy mountains could be seen reflected in its surface, a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
A man and a woman rode slowly across the grasslands and soon reached the lakeshore. They dismounted, released the reins, and let their horses wander off to graze freely.
Hand in hand, the two walked to the edge of the lake and stopped. Pointing at the water, the man smiled. "This lake resembles a crescent moon, so it is called Crescent Lake. But I think that name is unsuitable. It should be called Fairy Lake instead. Tongtong, come closer and see what is in the water." The man was around twenty, broad-shouldered and sturdy, with firm features. A three-foot golden saber was strapped to his back. His name was Ma Renyi, and he was a disciple of Golden Saber Ancestor Tanggula, one of the Tianshan Sect's Five Venerables.
"There's nothing there." The girl called Tongtong looked up in confusion, her voice soft and alluring. She was around fifteen or sixteen, only reaching the man's shoulder in height. Her features were lovely, and when she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth. Her name was Li Tongtong, a disciple of Mingzhu, the Right Elder of the Nether Shade Sect in Lingnan.
"I can clearly see a fairy in the lake." Ma Renyi smiled.
Li Tongtong looked again and immediately understood. Ma Renyi had been referring to her reflection in the water. She pouted coyly. "How could I possibly deserve to be called a fairy?" Though she said so, her heart was sweet as honey.
Ma Renyi reached out and wrapped an arm around Li Tongtong's waist. She rested her head against his shoulder, and the two embraced as they watched the boundless lake scenery in silence.
Suddenly, Ma Renyi said, "Tongtong, have you mentioned our matter to your master?"
"I brought it up a little. Master did not say anything, and it's so frustrating." Li Tongtong's face fell. She turned to stare at Ma Renyi. "What if she does not agree?"
"Hehe, saying nothing means she does not object," Ma Renyi said with a smile. "In a few days, I will ask my master to speak with Elder Ming. That will make it more certain."
"I hope so." Li Tongtong sighed.
"When will your senior sister arrive?" Ma Renyi changed the subject.
"There's still plenty of time. Hmph, Senior Brother, you have asked several times today already. Do you have some other idea?" There was a trace of jealousy in Li Tongtong's voice.
"Silly girl, isn't it all for our sake? If we make her happy, she can put in more good words for you before your master." As Ma Renyi spoke, he vigorously ruffled Li Tongtong's hair.
"Ah! Brother Ma, you've messed up my hair." Li Tongtong quickly dodged away.
Ma Renyi immediately burst into loud laughter.
The two played by the lake for a while longer. Seeing that the sun was about to set, they returned to a temporary tent erected near the lakeshore. Ma Renyi began preparing dinner while Li Tongtong watched with great interest, asking a question now and then. Ma Renyi always answered patiently.
The sun had long since disappeared behind the distant mountains, and the sky gradually darkened. Once Ma Renyi had prepared the food, he and Li Tongtong left the tent and waited at its entrance.
Just as Li Tongtong was growing impatient from waiting, the person they awaited finally arrived.
"Ah, Senior Sister, why are you only coming now? My stomach is practically flattened from hunger." Li Tongtong went forward, hooked her arm through the newcomer's, and spoke coquettishly.
"Welcome, Junior Sister Zitong." Ma Renyi's face was piled high with smiles as he lifted the tent flap. "Come into the tent quickly. It's cold outside."
Li Tongtong's senior sister was named Qin Zitong. She was tall and slender, with cold, stern features, a pair of sword-like brows, and large eyes. She ignored her junior sister, merely nodding at Ma Renyi as the corners of her lips lifted in a faint smile.
The three entered the tent and sat around the brazier. Ma Renyi personally served them hot tea.
Dinner was roasted rock sheep. Ma Renyi set up a grill outside the tent and lit a bonfire. He invited the two women out to sit around the fire while he became the chef and began roasting the meat. He turned the ingredients while brushing on seasonings from time to time, his movements practiced and skillful. Before long, the meat sizzled with oil, and a mouthwatering fragrance rushed toward them. Li Tongtong and Qin Zitong could not help swallowing.
When the meat's surface had roasted to a golden brown, it was done. Ma Renyi took out knives and forks and divided the roasted meat between the two women, giving each a large plate before serving himself one as well. His skill at roasting meat was exceptional. Before they knew it, both women had finished their large plates. Qin Zitong praised him profusely, while Li Tongtong admired him even more.
Having his skill recognized by beautiful women, Ma Renyi was naturally delighted. He said proudly, "In Tianshan, I may not be outstanding when it comes to martial arts, but when it comes to grilling, if I, Ma Renyi, say I'm second, no one would dare claim first." His words made Li Tongtong burst into laughter, and even Qin Zitong revealed a faint smile.
After the roasted meat, Ma Renyi brought out fresh fruit—tomatoes, apples, pears, and more.
The three sat around the bonfire tasting fruit and casually chatting about curiosities from the Western Regions. Ma Renyi did most of the talking, while Li Tongtong chimed in agreement. Whenever she heard something amusing, she laughed loudly.
Qin Zitong rarely joined the conversation. Watching the two exchange flirtatious glances, she truly disliked it. Master clearly knows about Junior Sister and this Ma Renyi, yet instead of saying anything herself, she told me to keep an eye on Junior Sister. Qin Zitong thought her master's behavior rather strange.
Suddenly, Qin Zitong felt her mind grow dazed. Under the hazy firelight, all sounds seemed to drift farther and farther away, and she unconsciously closed her eyes. At that moment, the pendant around her neck suddenly gave off a burst of chill that shot into her body and raced up from her Dazhui acupoint toward the Heavenly Gate. Qin Zitong heard a thunderous buzz in her mind, and her vision instantly cleared.
Qin Zitong was greatly alarmed. What happened just now? When she looked across from her, she saw Li Tongtong lying in Ma Renyi's arms with her eyes closed. Fury and shock surged through her. How could she not understand that she and her junior sister had been poisoned? Other than Ma Renyi, who else could have done it?
There is something strange about this necklace pendant. Could Master have foreseen this? There is no need to investigate that now. The urgent matter is saving Junior Sister. As thoughts flashed through Qin Zitong's mind like lightning, she did not hesitate further. Power surged into both her arms, and she sprang up, using Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl to strike straight at Ma Renyi's face. She did not seek to wound him; she only meant to force him back so she could seize the chance to retrieve her junior sister.
The instant she rose, Qin Zitong inwardly cried that things were bad. Her legs went limp, then all strength drained from her body, and she collapsed limply onto the ground.
Seeing Qin Zitong, who had already fallen unconscious, suddenly rise and attack him, Ma Renyi was startled and instinctively prepared to retreat. Yet Qin Zitong collapsed again on her own. Ma Renyi froze for a moment. What is going on? Has the medicine failed to work?
Ma Renyi laid Li Tongtong on the ground and retreated several steps. He called loudly, "Junior Sister Zitong, what is wrong with you? I saw that you had fainted. Shall I help you up?"
Qin Zitong lay motionless on the ground.
Ma Renyi wanted to go over and investigate, but he feared that Qin Zitong was feigning it. Caught between advancing and retreating, he grew anxious. Why hasn't Senior Brother Tang come yet?
After about the time it took to burn an incense stick, Senior Brother Tang still had not appeared. Ma Renyi became like an ant on a hot pan, constantly looking around in all directions.
"Haha, Junior Brother Ma, you have rendered great merit this time. Master will have another personal disciple." A voice came from behind him. Ma Renyi turned and saw the Senior Brother Tang he had been awaiting, and his heart immediately settled.
Golden Saber Ancestor Tanggula had many disciples, but currently only two were inner-chamber personal disciples, and Senior Brother Tang was one of them. The status and treatment of ordinary Tianshan Sect disciples and personal disciples were as far apart as heaven and earth. Ma Renyi had coveted this for a long time.
"Then I must thank Senior Brother Tang for giving me this chance to render merit. I will certainly repay Senior Brother Tang's kindness properly." Ma Renyi hurriedly spoke, then gave Senior Brother Tang a detailed account of what had just happened.
Senior Brother Tang smiled. "Rest easy, Junior Brother. This poison is called Thousand Love Threads. No matter how loyal and chaste a woman may be, once poisoned by it, she will... hehe, Junior Brother, you understand." As he spoke, he walked to Qin Zitong, crouched down, and reached out a hand.
At that moment, a sudden change erupted. Qin Zitong, who had been lying prone and motionless only a moment ago, rolled away from Senior Brother Tang. While he was stunned, she pulled a bamboo tube from her robes. With a Sizzle—bang!, a firework exploded high in the sky. Taking advantage of that moment, Qin Zitong sprang up and leaped more than a zhang away, then ran several steps before plunging headfirst into the pitch-black lake.
By the time Senior Brother Tang and Ma Renyi reacted and chased after her, all they could see was a dim expanse of lake water. There was no sign of any person.
The two stared at each other, both utterly dejected, before fear began to rise within them.
"Senior Brother, what do we do? Should we go into the water and pursue her? Will Elder Mingzhu come here right away?" Ma Renyi asked in a trembling voice.
Senior Brother Tang frowned. He had more to consider, and he became even more certain that the thing Bage had mentioned was on Qin Zitong's person. Otherwise, there was no way to explain why the poison had failed.
Seeing that Senior Brother Tang did not speak, Ma Renyi became even more terrified. He glanced at Li Tongtong on the ground, and an idea formed in his mind. Picking her up, he said to Senior Brother Tang, "Senior Brother, let's hurry back. If Elder Mingzhu comes looking for us, the two of us are as good as dead."
Though Senior Brother Tang was also afraid, he was still unwilling to give up. "You go first. I'll search a little longer." After speaking, he walked to the lakeshore, intending to search once more.
Ma Renyi wasted no words. Carrying Li Tongtong, he turned and ran away at full speed.