The Unmasking and the Obsession

Mister Xiao’s eyes flickered, a hint of curiosity in their depths.

“Could it be that you are not the real Lin Qingyi?”

This time, it was Lin Ke’s turn to smile, offering no reply.

She simply continued to drink her wine, her cheeks soon flushing with an even more vibrant, captivating hue.

Mister Xiao spoke again.

“Are you steeling your courage before your demise, knowing what awaits you, young lady?”

Lin Ke cast a fleeting glance at his slender form.

Her drunken eyes, hazy and unfocused, narrowed as she mumbled softly, “Just someone like you…”

“Someone like me, what?”

Mister Xiao gazed at her with a beaming smile, but no answer followed.

Just then, a faint, ethereal sound of a pipa drifted into everyone’s ears.

“It’s ‘Ambush from Ten Sides’.”

Lin Ke listened, utterly entranced.

Her rosy lips parted slightly as she murmured, “A pipa melody propelled by such profound internal energy must be the work of a master at the Whispering Sound realm.”

In the path of martial arts, it was widely believed that upon reaching grand accomplishment, even a blade of grass or a twig could become a weapon, with no need for rigid forms.

Those with abundant internal energy could wield instruments like the guqin, xiao flute, or dizi.

Through rhythms imbued with deep internal power, they could disrupt an opponent’s mind and spirit, or even suppress their internal energy.

This allowed them to achieve victory.

Thus, to parallel the five great realms of blade and sword mastery, martial artists who used musical instruments as weapons were similarly categorized into five realms: Gongshang, Pictorial Form, Waxing and Waning, Whispering Sound, and Returning to Truth.

However, those with formidable internal energy rarely neglected their fist and foot techniques.

Often, a direct punch or kick proved more satisfying than suppressing an opponent through music.

Moreover, a critical drawback was the inherent inconvenience of playing an instrument in the midst of combat.

If two opponents were relatively evenly matched, completing an entire musical piece was an arduous, almost impossible task.

Masters of the Gongshang and Pictorial Form realms were still somewhat common in the martial world.

Yet, those who had cultivated to the Waxing and Waning realm, let alone beyond to Whispering Sound, were truly as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

Mister Xiao had evidently heard the pipa melody of ‘Ambush from Ten Sides’ as well.

His face immediately blossomed into a radiant smile, and his eyes, dark as ink, playfully darted to Lin Ke.

He spoke with a light, easy tone.

“Oh, it seems you truly aren’t Lin Yatou. This little imp, to think she dared to deceive me.”

The fake Lin Ke started, abruptly turning her head back.

“That piece, ‘Ambush from Ten Sides’—was it played by one of your subordinates?”

Mister Xiao nodded.

“Indeed.”

The female sword attendant, impersonating Lin Ke, finally showed signs of panic.

With a sharp ‘clang!’, she sprang to her feet.

She stared down intently at Mister Xiao before her.

A performance of ‘Ambush from Ten Sides’ with such profound internal energy could only be achieved by a handful of individuals in the vast martial world.

How could Zhaixing Pavilion possibly dispatch such a powerful expert to chase after mere bait?

Unless—

The most dreadful possibility flashed through the sword attendant’s mind.

“Precisely.”

As if reading her thoughts, Mister Xiao nodded with certainty.

“I knew all along that you weren’t Lin Yatou.”

The sword attendant bit her lower lip, a stark line of blood welling up.

Her expression was haggard, her gaze fixed on Mister Xiao, dull as dead ashes.

“When did you find out?”

The ‘Cicada Shedding Its Shell’ stratagem, devised by Lin Ke, had been meticulously prepared long before their departure.

Lin Ke herself had disguised herself as one of the silent sword attendants, while this insignificant sword attendant had assumed the role of Baili Hongyi.

By all accounts, the entire act had been flawlessly executed throughout their journey.

How, then, had a flaw been detected?

Mister Xiao offered a faint smile.

His crisp, tender voice chimed like a bubbling spring.

“Because Lin Yatou has a faint tear mole beneath her left eye.”

The sword attendant’s eyes widened instantly.

Miss Lin had not ventured into the martial world for several years, and tales and anecdotes about her had gradually become distorted through word-of-mouth.

How could this person before her possibly possess such a discreet piece of information?

The sword attendant had no time to ponder further.

The strains of ‘Ambush from Ten Sides’ softened in her ears, the melody turning gentle, as if a delicate hand plucked the strings, weeping and yearning, like a hidden orchid perfuming a dark chamber.

Noticing the sword attendant’s bewilderment at the melody, Mister Xiao softly explained.

“This is an original pipa piece composed by him, titled ‘Phoenix Perching on Wutong’.”

Without asking who ‘he’ was, the sword attendant remained silent, and the atmosphere in the inn plummeted to an icy chill.

The first piece of music had been intended to deplete Miss Lin’s internal energy.

This second piece was likely meant to confuse the mind.

Outside, heavy snow fell, blanketing everything in an impenetrable white, much like blinding someone.

With these two melodies played in succession, the ability to discern location by sound was also lost.

Zhaixing Pavilion’s encirclement this time was truly determined to succeed.

With this thought, the sword attendant reached behind her.

With a sharp ‘hiss,’ her longsword sprang from its sheath.

In an instant, the cold glint of the sword tip was aimed directly at Mister Xiao.

“How… how could this be?”

The sword attendant’s eyes were wide, but the hand gripping the hilt trembled slightly, unable to push the blade forward even an inch.

Mister Xiao shook his head helplessly.

“Didn’t I tell you earlier? Drinking too much is bad for your health.”

The sword attendant gritted her teeth.

“You… you poisoned the wine earlier…?”

Mister Xiao replied, “Zhaixing Pavilion’s ‘Human Face Spring Wind’ will only restrict your movements; it’s not a deeply toxic poison, so please rest assured.”

He smiled, then added, “Did you stay behind alone, playing Lin Qingyi, knowing that your end was inevitable?”

The sword attendant, her body completely limp and unable to move, slumped into her chair.

She could only fix her eyes, brimming with fury, on Mister Xiao, not daring to blink.

Mister Xiao inquired, “Why does Lin Qingyi love that sword so much? For its sake, she would even disregard human lives.”

As if she had heard the world’s greatest joke, the sword attendant managed a scornful ‘Hmph,’ then sneered, “Do you, the Zhaixing Demonic Sect, even have the right to speak of human lives?”

Mister Xiao said, “Ah, my sincerest apologies. I almost forgot we are a demonic sect. Indeed, we are not fit to discuss such matters.”

“Ah!”

The sword attendant cried out in pain, tears nearly welling in her eyes.

Mister Xiao had secretly, fiercely pinched her arm.

Then, feigning innocence, his watery eyes blinked, clear as a pool in autumn.

“Oh, young lady, what’s wrong?”

The sword attendant fell silent.

She dared not reply, fearing that this capricious demon might grow angry again and secretly retaliate.

Just then, the melody changed, instantly becoming fervent and stirring.

Mister Xiao explained with keen interest.

“This is ‘Turbulent Waves,’ composed by our sect’s Elder Zhai. It aims to depict the perilous path of the martial world, the heavy responsibility and long journey ahead for our generation, and the unwavering mission to face dangers head-on and create an era of peace for all ages.”

“Of course,” Mister Xiao continued, a slight smile playing on his lips as he shifted his tone, “as you said, for a demonic sect like ours that treats human lives as grass, playing killer tunes is more fitting. Therefore, this piece, ‘Turbulent Waves,’ if not handled with extreme care, could shatter the listener’s heart meridians, damage their Dantian, and completely cripple their martial arts.”

“You…”

Bitterness welled in the sword attendant’s heart, but the poison rendered her utterly immobile.

These three melodies, even heard from afar, were soul-stirring and chilling.

If Miss Lin’s whereabouts had truly been discovered, a full rendition would surely leave her dead or gravely wounded.

How could she possibly escape the clutches of the demonic sect?

Mister Xiao perceived her worry.

As if offering comfort, he said, “Ah, but you needn’t worry. I won’t kill her for now.”

The sword attendant paused, then managed to lift her head and ask, “Are you truly only here for Tangxi?”

Mister Xiao let out an “Ah?” and knitted his brows with a hint of annoyance.

“When did I ever tell you we wanted Tangxi?”

“Not Tangxi?”

The sword attendant was utterly bewildered.

“Then why are you pursuing us?”

Mister Xiao stated, “I want Lin Qingyi. An opportunity to kill her with my own hands.”

The sword attendant grew anxious.

“Miss Lin hasn’t entered the Central Plains for many years, and the Pavilion Master is so young… what kind of grudge could you have to fight to the death?”

Mister Xiao cast a glance at her.

“How do you know we have no grudge?”

The sword attendant argued, “Even if there’s a grudge, it must be one inherited from your ancestors. When will this cycle of vengeance ever end?”

Mister Xiao shook his head.

“No, it’s not an ancestral feud. She did once have some connection with Zhaixing Pavilion, but skirmishes are inevitable in the martial world. I wouldn’t be so petty as to hold onto something like that.”

The third piece, ‘Turbulent Waves,’ was nearing its end.

The sword attendant’s complexion grew increasingly pale.

Having listened to several melodies from afar, her vital energy was already surging erratically, and her internal breath was constricted.

She wondered if Miss Lin had managed to escape.

Mister Xiao continued, “In any case, since you all think I’m a capricious demon lord, then that’s what I am. I kill whoever I want; today, I’ve set my sights on Lin Qingyi, and so I’ve decided to kill her.”

A peculiar feeling had been lingering in the sword attendant’s heart since earlier.

Now, with Mister Xiao’s words, a sudden realization dawned upon her, and she couldn’t help but voice the question.

“The name Lin Qingyi was Miss Lin’s moniker a century ago, long forgotten by the world. You should be calling her Baili Hongyi. Furthermore, you just called her ‘Lin Yatou’—at her age, she’s more than old enough to be your great-grandmother. How can you consider yourself her senior?”

The question finally hit its mark, and Mister Xiao’s expression shifted.

At the same moment, the third piece, ‘Turbulent Waves,’ slowly ceased.

Its lingering notes wafted, echoing endlessly through the air.

Mister Xiao, who had answered every question until now, ignored the sword attendant’s inquiry this time.

His eyes simply darkened, and he murmured softly, “You were born before I was, and when I was born, you were already…”

His body began to tremble violently, as if in the throes of extreme agony.

Then, he abruptly turned and departed.

The three men and the old woman who had been with him quickly followed.

The slender figure vanished into the wind and snow without a backward glance.