Winter had begun quite early. The cold winds, the tranquil atmosphere, and the unsettling days were everywhere it was as if time itself had paused.

  In places, there was peace, in others, a sense of fear; laughter echoed somewhere, while elsewhere, there was silence. The mornings were like glistening jewels, and the nights a bounty of pearls. At night, even the winds seemed to converse, yet in a quiet silence. And in this very silence, Han Lao Fang sat in his desolate chamber. He was contemplating everything that had transpired over the past two days. For the first time today, a storm of questions raged within him questions for which he had no answers. For the first time, there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

  He pondered internally. He knew well that Xian Yong Ming's sword was so merciless that it would strike the opponent many times before cutting the throat. Every corpse he had seen so far, killed by the Su Hu Hun sword, bore multiple strikes on the body.

  Considering all this, the clean, unblemished image of Xiao Tang flashed before his eyes... when he had gone to meet him, when he had claimed to be intoxicated. Thinking of Xiao Tang, he muttered, "How did he survive after all?" His brows furrowed even deeper, and his thoughts grew more profound. "Despite being intoxicated, there wasn't a single injury on his body. Why!?"

  Once again, he clearly recalled Xiao Tang his arms, his neck, his hands, his feet everything. But each time, a new question arose. However, what puzzled him the most was why his officials had insisted that they should not focus on this matter. After all, whenever Xian Yong Ming's sword took a life, it was these very disciples and officials who were the first to raise their voices. So why did they object yesterday?

  "Something is not right!! There is something that we don't understand. How did this ordinary boy, that too in a state of intoxication, escape the Su Hu Hun sword and Xian Yong Ming!?"

  He kept thinking about this, asking himself countless questions, and in response, he received nothing but silence.

  Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

  Yet, this silence and restlessness were not ubiquitous.

  At the Hegong Clan, Chief Hun Zang had returned with the Yingtian Clan Chief, Ruie Gaojun. But as soon as they approached Hun Zang's chamber, the sound of a Guqin resonated cold and melodious, like someone stirring poison into a sweet tune. Without any other evidence, both of them immediately understood whose Guqin this was.

  Hun Zang and Ruie Gaojun entered the room. The sight that greeted them sent shivers down their spines. The room was plunged into total darkness no sound, no light. Only the moonlight from outside faintly filtered in through the window, and near the table, a shadowy figure sat with its back turned.

  Hun Zang and Ruie Gaojun's breathing became heavy. The atmosphere of the room indicated that it was none other than Lao Xuan himself, for his black Guqin was kept beside him, which he had likely just been playing.

  Without looking back, he spoke in a voice like cold fire. Only his voice permeated the entire environment; everything else was quiet.

  "So, how far has our plan progressed?" He said this while twirling a sharp, small iron rod between his fingers, and he kept twirling it until an answer came.

  But hearing his voice, both were stunned. They knew that if he disliked the answer, the rod spinning in his fingers could pierce their chests. Both became afraid to speak; no one dared to reply. But when Lao Xuan slightly turned his head, their fear intensified.

  Then Hun Zang stammered, the fear clearly audible in his voice.

  "Master, everything has happened as you instructed. But the whereabouts of the Jiuhuang Yin Guqin are still unknown. And that old man, Suo Jing, has also disappeared somewhere."

  Hearing this, the rod spinning in Lao Xuan's fingers suddenly stopped, and a faint smile appeared on that hidden face. He understood that his ploy had succeeded. He stood up, made a hand seal with his hand, and the Guqin placed on the ground vanished.

  Without looking back, he spoke in a thundering voice before leaving, which caused the blood of the two men to run cold, their faces turning pale.

  "Find that book from the old man Suo Jing, but remember, he should not know about it."

  Saying this, he exited through the window and left, but he left behind an unsaid reluctance. Both stood like soulless corpses. For the real game was about to begin now. Lao Xuan’s scheme was about to unfold. Suddenly, Hun Zang let out a long breath, and Ruie Gaojun was also stunned by this unwelcome encounter.