Jianghu Demolition Squad

Moving Like the Stars (Part Fifteen)

Wu Yu clicked her tongue and said indifferently, “Speak of the fox, and the fox appears.”

As the harsh caw of crows filled the air and the biting wind toyed with Qing Jiu’s robes, she stared at the man before her for a long moment before gritting her teeth and uttering his name: “Qianqiu!”

Lingyun smiled warmly, looking at Qing Jiu and said, “How disrespectful. Even if you won’t call me brother-in-law, you should at least call me brother.”

Qing Jiu glanced at the people behind him, and her quick mind pieced it together in an instant: “Qianqiu, Lingyun… Qianqiu, Lingyun…”

“Eternal ambition to soar among the clouds… haha, so you are the master of Xuanji Tower.”

Bloodshot appeared in Qing Jiu’s eyes, and her expression turned gradually colder. She clutched her head, laughing, “Do you know how desperately I’ve been searching for you?!”

Seeing Qing Jiu’s emotional turmoil, Yan Li sheathed her sword and leapt to Qing Jiu’s side, calling out with concern, “Qing Jiu.”

Her worry and anxiety were evident in her voice.

Observing this, Wu Yu’s eyes darkened, and the coldness in her gaze deepened as she saw Yian Li supporting Qing Jiu. Her expression grew even darker.

Lingyun smiled slightly, turning to Wu Yu and remarked, “City Lord Wu Yu, are you also here to compete for the Fenghou Sword? I’m afraid the people you brought are not enough.”

Behind Lingyun, a substantial group loomed, a calm yet imposing force of more than thirty people. Along with the group of men in black, their numbers exceeded fifty, far outnumbering the people of Jile City.

Lingyun was clearly determined to win.

Wu Yu had originally come looking for Yan Li, and moving with a large group was inconvenient, so she had brought only a handful of her closest retainers. She hadn’t expected to encounter Lingyun.

This man was sinister, and when they last met, his hair was only streaked with gray. Now it was as white as snow, suggesting his dark arts had greatly advanced.

Wu Yu realized that confronting him would be disadvantageous. Although she was interested in the Fenghou Sword, her primary goal was not the sword but the person, so there was no need to confront him directly.

With a smile that was not quite a smile, Wu Yu said, “The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Using others as pawns is your specialty, but don’t try to use that trick on me.”

“Oh,” Lingyun’s gaze landed on Yan Li, his tone meaningful, “So the City Lord has traveled all this way just to watch the excitement? But swords and spears have no eyes. Although the City Lord has profound skills and doesn’t fear these things, it wouldn’t be good if your loved ones were injured.”

Wu Yu’s mouth twitched downward as she looked at Lingyun, “They say that Xuanji Tower knows the relationships among the Jianghu heroes better than Yanyu Pavilion and even the Beggars’ Sect. Now, I see it’s true.”

Lingyun offered a half bow, suggesting, “How about this? Today, as a courtesy to Xuanji Tower, the City Lord should return home. If you are interested in this excitement, Xuanji Tower will visit you tomorrow to explain everything in detail.”

Wu Yu snorted but did not rush to respond.

Lingyun’s mention of a ‘loved ones’ spoke volumes, clearly aware of Wu Yu’s reasons for coming. Since there was no conflict of interest, and he did not wish to gain another enemy, he was willing to facilitate Wu Yu taking Yan Li away.

The implication was clear to both Qing Jiu and Yan Li.

If Wu Yu agreed, she could safely take Yan Li away.

But Yan Li would not leave Qing Jiu behind, nor would she go with Wu Yu.

Facing such danger together, just the two of them against formidable foes, unless they possessed the power to pierce the heavens and split the earth, escape was unlikely.

The only viable strategy was for Wu Yu to intervene, potentially buying time for reinforcements from Yanyu Pavilion. Yet, why would Wu Yu undertake such a thankless task unrelated to her?

Yan Li’s gaze met Wu Yu’s, seeing the woman in white fur standing resolute in the snow, her intense eyes fixed on Qing Jiu, carrying an invisible weight.

Yan Li momentarily recalled years ago at Wuwei Palace. She was kneeling by her father’s body as the house burned around them. The fire crackled and turned the dark night a deep red. Wu Yu had watched her biological father, her master, with that same intense gaze.

Yan Li felt a chill in her heart, and just as she was about to ask Wu Yu for help, she swallowed her words.

She closed her eyes and sighed softly before drawing her sword once again, standing beside Qing Jiu and resigning herself, “Forget it. Life and death are fated.”

Qing Jiu looked at Yan Li. Yan Li managed a resigned smile and said, “If fate is not on our side and we die here today, at least on the road to the underworld, we won’t be lonely.”

Lingyun reassessed them both, his smile loaded with meaning as he remarked, “Si’er, your friend here is deeply loyal, to stand by you through life and death; your relationship is indeed profound.”

At his words, Wu Yu frowned, showing a trace of displeasure.

Qing Jiu’s expression turned cold upon hearing this. She suspected that Lingyun was considering capturing Yan Li to use as leverage against her.

This man was always secretive, showing hundreds of faces, and she didn’t fully understand his true nature. However, one thing she was certain of was his deceitful and venomous nature—it would never change!

Qing Jiu called out, “Yan Li.”

Yan Li glanced sideways at her and saw Qing Jiu’s face break into a clear, radiant smile. That smile, reflecting the pure beauty of a young woman untouched by the world, was extremely rare on Qing Jiu’s face.

“To have met you in this life is my fortune.”

The smile momentarily stunned Yan Li. Qing Jiu’s figure flickered, and in the blink of an eye, she was in front of Yan Li, her hand striking like a blade toward the back of her neck.

Yan Li’s pupils dilated, unable to dodge in time, she managed only to utter, “You…” before a pain in her neck sent her into darkness. Her body went limp and she fell to her knees, caught in Qing Jiu’s arms.

Qing Jiu offered an apologetic smile, “I had to do it this way, you would never have agreed otherwise. I’m sorry.”

Wu Yu watched as Qing Jiu embraced Yan Li, her grip tightening on the golden whip and her expression darkening. Despite her rising anger, she restrained herself from intervening.

Qing Jiu supported Yan Li, pressed her palm against Yan Li’s lower back, and gently pushed her toward Wu Yu. Instinctively, Wu Yu caught Yan Li, whose body was limp and powerless as she slumped forward.

Seeing this, one of Wu Yu’s generals moved to assist, but Si Yu raised an arm, signaling her not to interfere.

With one arm supporting Yan Li’s back and the other scooping under her legs, Wu Yu lifted her horizontally.

Qing Jiu, with a light flick of her foot, kicked Yan Li’s fallen sword and whisk toward Wu Yu. Wu Yu remained unflinching, her demeanor poised and composed. Si Yu stepped up, smoothly intercepting the flying weapons and catching them neatly in her hands.

Qing Jiu’s expression returned to its previous coldness. She said, “You owe her that.”

Wu Yu gave Qing Jiu a cold look. Mutual disdain was apparent.

Carrying Yan Li, Wu Yu then turned and led the Jile City group away without a backward glance, soon disappearing into the vast snowy landscape.

Lingyun stood still, showing no intention to stop them. Although he had his motives, weighing the pros and cons, pursuing Yan Li and antagonizing Wu Yu seemed less favorable.

He preferred to scheme carefully and cast his nets slowly. That was his cunning and his pleasure. Even if today he let her go, there would still be chances in the future. Right now, the most important thing was to capture the one who had been eluding him for fourteen years.

Qing Jiu declared, “With no one else to interfere, let’s settle our old scores today.”

Her face was calm like a still sea, but her heart was like stormy waves, filled with relentless hatred, unable to break the inner demons.

All the teachings and guidance of the two masters, about cultivating a pure heart, a joyful heart, a compassionate heart, about transcendence, detachment, and liberation, about forgiving oneself – all of it seemed utterly useless now.

Such was the way of the world. Perhaps she was destined to struggle in the sea of suffering, burdened by karma.

Lingyun said, “Si’er, I am your only remaining relative in this world. Why must we be at odds? Can’t we have a good talk, just the two of us? Do you know how many years I’ve been searching for you? When I saw you earlier this year, I actually couldn’t recognize you. If Zhi’er knew …”

“You are not worthy!” Qing Jiu’s eyes were bloodshot as she glared at him, “You are not worthy to call my name, you are not worthy to speak to me, and you are certainly not worthy to mention her name!”

Qing Jiu said fiercely, “I would rather have died that year, than to have saved you, a heartless beast with wicked ambitions, and brought you back to the Lin family, only to have you ruin my second sister’s life and destroy my entire family!”

Qing Jiu concluded, “Qianqiu, in this world of deceit and cruelty, no one surpasses you!”

Back then, she hadn’t recognized the true face of this wolf in sheep’s clothing. She saved him, brought him home, and cared for him diligently until he recovered. The man was a natural-born actor, flawlessly portraying a gentle, benevolent young master fallen from grace, earning the admiration of elders and capturing her elder sister’s heart. Now, looking back, she realized that from the very beginning, saving him was all part of his scheme.

Her kindness had been repaid with such cunning. Qing Jiu could only curse the heavens for their blindness.

She had been lucky to escape death. She learned martial arts, honed her skills to kill, and sought revenge through her sect, but all she found were insignificant figures. The true mastermind, the groom whose crimson wedding robes were stained with the blood of her family, had disappeared without a trace.

All she knew was his name: Qianqiu. A solitary, lonely soul she had saved, who became a retainer in the Lin family. Beyond that, she knew nothing.

Where could she find him? There wasn’t a single piece of useful information. Countless days and nights passed without a trace of him, and even the faces and voices of her parents and family gradually faded. Only Qianqiu’s face became increasingly clear.

So even after fourteen years, even though his black hair had turned white, she recognized him instantly upon meeting him again.

“A family feud spanning fourteen years must be avenged, or one does not deserve to be called human.” Qing Jiu thrust the Liangyi sword into the snowy ground, burying it a foot deep.

These people were unworthy of her Liangyi sword.

She moved like the wind. The men were on guard when she drew her sword, but once she discarded it and launched her attack, they were completely unable to block her initial strike.

Her palm strike was like a heavy mountain descending; the two who tried to block it didn’t realize its severity until one shouted, “It’s the Great Sorrow Palm, don’t block it directly!”

Having heard of the Great Sorrow Palm’s reputation, they dared not block it directly, but the palm wind hit them directly in the chest. To not defend was to die, to block might give them a chance, so both raised their hands in desperation against Qing Jiu.

The clash of their internal energies was brief and devastating. The two men were sent flying, blood spurting from their mouths, they fell dead in the snow instantly.

They had known Qing Jiu was a prodigy, her martial skills far surpassing her peers, yet they had thought her skills were still within the bounds of a grandmaster. They hadn’t anticipated that her first move would reveal the internal energy of a peerless master with over sixty years of cultivation.

One of them had his sword knocked into the air by the force of her palm; Qing Jiu gracefully raised her hand, catching the sword, its blade shimmering like the snow on the ground.

The wind whistled sharply around her as Qing Jiu looked at the group, saying “A blood debt is hard to settle; only life can compensate for life, whether mine or yours.”

The group of men figures tensed up, despite facing only one person, their hearts pounded with fear.

Qing Jiu swung the sword, sending white snow flying as she attacked them without hesitation.

This sword was not the Liangyi, for it had a sharp edge and a pointed tip. The swordsmanship she employed was not the gentle Taixu style; before each stroke, she asked herself whether these people deserved to die and whether her actions were just. She was using the Ghost Sect sword style—once she moved, considerations of right or wrong didn’t matter; it was a matter of life or death.”

In the midst of flying shadows and swirling snow, Lingyun watched the battle from the side, not yet intervening. He advised, “Everyone, be careful with your attacks. Damaging her limbs is acceptable, but avoid the head. Internal injuries are permissible, but protect her heart.”

Qing Jiu’s attacks were ruthless, her internal energy vast and inexhaustible.

During the time it takes to eat a meal, more than half of the men in black were dead or wounded, and their masks were all removed, revealing their faces to the blood-stained woman who only seemed to grow stronger in battle, like a vengeful ghost risen from hell to claim its due.

The man Qing Jiu called Uncle Feng glanced at her, experiencing a moment of disorientation as he thought he saw his sworn brother returned.

Terrified, he shook violently, cried out strangely, and turned to flee, stumbling and rolling as he screamed, “It was a moment of madness, sworn brother; have mercy! Elder brother, forgive me!”

As he fled, the remaining men in black, already stricken with fear, saw an opportunity to escape and quickly dispersed in different directions.

Qing Jiu couldn’t be everywhere at once. Though she fought fiercely, nine of them managed to get away.

After Qing Jiu had dealt with the last person in front of her and was about to chase after the others, a dagger flew towards her from the side. Qing Jiu leapt back, dodging it.

Turning to look, she saw the people of Xuanji Tower closing in, finally ready to intervene.

Qing Jiu was gasping for breath, forcibly suppressing the taste of blood that rose in her throat. She had cultivated about eighty percent of her internal energy, and now, forcefully exerting all of her power, she was inevitably facing backlash.

Behind Lingyun stood two men, one with a willow-leaf saber hanging at his waist, and the other dressed in dark clothes, his temples graced with touches of gray. They both stepped forward, ready to strike.

Lingyun raised a hand to stop them, saying, “Let me catch up with her and take the opportunity to test out this sword.”

A subordinate approached, bearing a sword in both hands. Ling Yun took the hilt, and with a clang, the blade was unsheathed. In the snowy light, it reflected a demonic, dark red gleam.

Qing Jiu frowned, “Aihong…”

This sword, which Yu’er had supposedly thrown into the abyss of the Tomb of King Cheng—how could it…

Lingyun looked at the sword in his hand and smiled, “This is a fine sword. It took considerable effort to retrieve it. Although it’s a good blade, it truly doesn’t compare to the Fenghou.”

Qing Jiu twirled her sword, not waiting for him to say more, and attacked his vital spots.

Lingyun didn’t dodge but counterattacked. Aihong carried a chilling aura that made one’s hair stand on end and instilled fear.

Qing Jiu’s sword was swift, while Lingyun’s moves were unpredictable. Yet, he had the upper hand with the sword, and Qing Jiu’s mind was always slightly affected by Aihong.

Lingyun’s power far surpassed Yu’er’s. He had a deep understanding of divine weapons, and these swords required specific techniques to be used properly. Yu’er had only scratched the surface of its potential. Now, in Lingyun’s hands, Aihong’s power was nearly fully unleashed, displaying its formidable divine might.

Within three moves, he broke the weapon in Qing Jiu’s hand.

Qing Jiu dodged backward, injuring two Xuanji Tower men in the process, and snatched a sword from one of them to engage Lingyun again.

As they fought, Qing Jiu’s hatred intensified. Her vision blurred, turning blood-red as if she were back at the West Lake all those years ago. Her attacks became more frantic, cold sweat beading on her forehead. She knew she had to end this quickly. If she dragged it out, Aihong’s influence would overwhelm her, and she would lose.

Suddenly, during a moment of distraction, the man with graying temples suddenly joined the battle, attacking Qing Jiu alongside Lingyun.

Lingyun hadn’t expected this. The man had intervened without his consent, and with lethal intent, as if he had a blood feud with Qing Jiu.

Annoyed, Ling Yun snapped, “Jun Zhen!”

At the sound of the familiar name, Qing Jiu’s mind reeled. In that moment of distraction, Jun Zhen struck her with a palm strike. She hastily defended but was knocked off balance.

Lingyun thrust his sword forward. The sharp blade sliced cleanly through Qing Jiu’s sword. Distracted by Jun Zhen’s attack, Lingyun’s aim was thrown off, and the tip of his blade plunged into Qing Jiu’s chest, piercing it right through the center.

Ling Yun’s face contorted as he realized his mistake. He rushed forward, intending to seal her acupoints to stop the bleeding and give her a moment’s respite.

As he approached her, the situation took a sudden turn. The figure that had slumped to the ground suddenly surged upward. Unbeknownst to him, she had discarded the broken sword and now gripped a short blade, its cold gleam directed straight at his heart.

The two were already close together, and Aihong’s sword seemed to have struck Qing Jiu’s vital artery. In his panic, Lingyun had not guarded himself adequately.

With Aihong still embedded in her body, in her gravely wounded state, Qing Jiu shockingly thrust herself onto the blade, letting it pierce through her just to get closer to Lingyun, then drove her dagger straight towards his heart.

In the blink of an eye, Lingyun raised his left hand to block, but the dagger pierced through, slicing through his right hand as well. The force was so great that Lingyun couldn’t resist, and the dagger moved half an inch further, piercing his heart.

As the blade entered slightly, Lingyun shivered inside, not expecting Qing Jiu to be so ruthless. The girl who used to act so spoiled and silly had now become a fierce wolf.

Blood continuously flowed from Qing Jiu’s chest, bright red drops falling onto the snow like candle flames, yet her eyes were exceptionally bright, and her face wore a profoundly satisfied smile.

Qing Jiu exerted more force, pushing the dagger deeper, making Lingyun grunt in pain.

The man with the willow-leaf saber hurried over, blade raised to decapitate Qing Jiu directly.

With a cold glare, Lingyun commanded, “Stop!”

He then asked Qing Jiu, “Where is Fenghou?”

Qing Jiu twisted the dagger again, severing Lingyun’s left hand: “Ask the King of Hell in the underworld!”

Lingyun cried out in pain. As Qing Jiu stabbed again towards Lingyun’s heart, he pulled Aihong from her and retreated.

Blood gushed from Qing Jiu’s chest as she collapsed to her knees. Her consciousness felt shackled, growing heavy.

Translation notes:
Qianqiu (千秋) – A thousand autumns

Lingyun (凌云) – Soaring above the clouds

Eternal ambition to soar among the clouds (千秋万世，凌云之志, Qianqiu wan shi, Lingyun zhi zhi)