Wang Chongyang, ever since the Northern Martial Group set out, had been filled with anxiety that he might encounter Mao Ya. If they were to fight, it would surely put Lin Chaoying in a difficult position, or even cause her sorrow. Yet, without eliminating this demon, he could not appease the souls of the departed in Chuzhou, nor honor the resolution he had made when creating the "Golden Boy Swordplay" in his tomb. Sighing at the small moon in the clear midnight sky, he suddenly heard Xiao Ziru’s voice from afar, calling out loudly: "What wind has blown Chief Steward Sun of 'Jian Jin She Wang Shan' this way?"
Sun Bole mimicked his amplified voice, asking, "Chief Steward Xiao doesn't seem to be here to greet me. What business were you just finishing outside?"
Xiao Ziru chuckled to mask his embarrassment. "Steward Sun jokes. I was merely taking the opportunity to survey the surroundings while I was contemplating, and you happened to encounter me. Who is this young lady?" he inquired, referring to Yue Fu, who stood beside Sun Bole.
She had been searching for the missing Fang Di and, en route, had met Sun Bole, who was traveling separately from Gou’er. Yue Fu replied, "I am Yue Fu of the Yangwu Gang."
Xiao Ziru was momentarily taken aback by her direct response. "Young lady, you are most forthright. I was just wondering why the forces of your esteemed gang have been so slow to arrive."
Yue Fu stated, "I have come alone to find Wei Geng."
Turning to Wang Chongyang, who was approaching, Xiao Ziru suggested, "Brother Shixiong, why don't you and Steward Sun wait here for Secretary Shi and the Yangwu Gang forces, while I, Sect Leader Wan, and the others scout the northwest front?"
Delighted at the opportunity to have Wang Chongyang moved aside, Sun Bole nodded in agreement.
Wang Chongyang felt it was appropriate to stand aside and observe for the moment, so he also concurred.
As soon as Xiao Ziru departed, Yue Fu quietly said to Wang Chongyang, "The one who took your head has arrived." She felt displeased by his beaming expression.
Sun Bole, however, noticed a hint of worry in his eyes.
Following Wu Nanying’s instructions, Lin Chaoying and her subordinates, clad in Mao Ya's outer garments, separated and retreated eastward, allowing her and Mao Ya to flee westward. Entering the towering trees on either side, along a mountain path where the murmuring of water could be heard outside the forest, she faced the deep twilight before dawn. Lin Chaoying prayed, "Grandmother, bless Ge and Nan to begin a happy new life in the Western Regions, and may I also return to the tomb with him soon." Suddenly, a curved blade, thin and sharp, brushed against her left temple. Lin Chaoying's Qinggong allowed her to retreat with divine speed, and with a slight twist, she evaded it, drawing her sword to parry the curved blade and prepare to sever its connecting chain. At that moment, another smaller, thicker curved blade flew in, forcing her to retreat rapidly.
Wan Xilan leaped from the forest, a charming smile on her face. She alternately used the inner circular blade to guide and her feet to kick the curved blades or toss the chains, making the defending curved blades attack like a swarm of snakes. Lin Chaoying employed the "Drifting Without Anchor" technique from the Youxu Swordplay, using chaos to counter the unpredictable attacks, aiming to gain the upper hand. Wan Xilan shifted her focus to the inner circular blade as her pivot, narrowing her attack range and primarily blocking Lin Chaoying's path. Lin Chaoying's sword danced around her, a single move, "Brushing Flower Fragrance Scattered," sweeping and piercing Wan Xilan's defense.
At that moment, the disciples of the Jing Tian Men and the Xiao Qing Sect were surrounding the eight subordinates. Gou’er leaped from the right side of the forest, wielding his "Shrimp Whisker Hook" staff to cover the disguised Mao Ya and the others as they escaped.
Wan Xilan combined her inner circular and middle ring blades into a shield to block the sword's momentum, leaving only the outer ring blade to seize the opportunity for a surprise counterattack. Lin Chaoying let out a cold laugh, which sounded particularly grating to Wan Xilan, igniting a nameless anger within her: "How could Wang Chongyang be infatuated with such an arrogant and annoying demonic woman?" She hurled the middle ring blade again, intending to punish her. Lin Chaoying immediately switched to "Color Penetrating the Screen," her sword movements like moonlight refracted through a curtain, making her attacks and defenses unpredictable. Wan Xilan rushed forward but fell into the illusory trap, her face narrowly avoiding six or seven consecutive sword thrusts, forcing her to raise her combined inner, middle, and outer blades to block. Lin Chaoying’s thrusts were all feints. Having succeeded, she quickly withdrew, intending to rendezvous with Gou’er.
A force pressed down from above. Lin Chaoying retreated to her original position, seeing Xiao Ziru’s palms strike the ground before shifting to sweeping punches. She spun her sword, employing "Smoke Enshrouding Peonies," a shield of smoke-like gauze covering her body. "Ling Ping Divine Skill" was created by a formidable general of the Later Tang dynasty, said to quell the world with a single punch, its offense like a surging flood, hence its moniker "Ping Ling One Punch." Xiao Ziru, in exchange for ensuring the Peng family's influence within the Jing Tian Men remained unchanged, had coaxed the widow of An Rongxun, Madam Peng, into entrusting him with important duties and the secret manual. Unfortunately, like An Rongxun, he was cautious and self-preserving, unable to fully unleash the essence of the martial art's "Sacrifice Righteousness" principle. Moreover, having recently practiced the divine skill, Xiao Ziru only achieved fifty percent of its effectiveness, unable to display its full potential for annihilation. Nevertheless, he was still able to stall Lin Chaoying with Wan Xilan.
Catching a glimpse of Gou’er leading the subordinates away, Xiao Ziru and Wan Xilan showed no concern. Even if they saw through the disguise, their indifference was striking. It seemed their sole aim was to keep her here. Lin Chaoying suddenly understood and unleashed her new move, "Sand Belt Cold Cage," splitting her sword to thrust towards Xiao Ziru's forehead, throat, shoulders, and heart. According to the "Ling Ping Divine Skill" path, the offense was meant to break through offense, but Xiao Ziru, fearful, forcibly changed his offensive stance to defensive, appearing out of sorts. Wan Xilan, seizing the opportunity, aimed for Lin Chaoying while attacking Xiao Ziru with full force, exposing a major vulnerability in her back. Lin Chaoying, knowing her deep hatred for her, would not miss this chance to strike, and immediately counterattacked with her sword towards her upper abdomen. Wan Xilan, regretting her actions again, urgently retreated. Lin Chaoying, seizing the moment, threw her fine steel rope, coiling it around a high tree trunk, and pulled herself up into the air, darting into the branches and disappearing without a trace. Xiao Ziru exchanged a worried glance with Wan Xilan, both sensing that she had grasped the crux of the matter, and then they returned along their original path.
"No need to wait, let's go!" Sun Bole said. Although he hadn't witnessed what Xiao Ziru had been doing before encountering him, based on his demeanor, Sun Bole was certain that his request for Wang Chongyang to stay behind was a trap.
Yue Fu did not want Sun Bole to lead her to meet that demonic woman, but she also did not want to encounter Wei Geng, fearing memories of his fickle nature. Thus, she remained silent.
Wang Chongyang pondered for a moment. "I don't know why Wei Geng is so late, which only makes me more worried about Sect Leader Wan and the others ahead, who might be in danger. Let's go quickly and check!" With that, he headed northwest.
Sun Bole glanced sideways, noticing Yue Fu’s somewhat malicious expression. He suspected she would try to disrupt their journey to prevent brother Shixiong from meeting Chaoying. Ha, little lady, do you not know that Chaoying and I have agreed to each escape with the demonic figures and head west and south? Your interference will only save me effort.
Lin Chaoying remained hidden within the branches, watching silently as Xiao Ziru and his companions headed west. Confirming her suspicions about their intentions, she accelerated her Qinggong, overtaking them to go ahead and rescue them.
Yue Fu created disturbances along the way, while Sun Bole feigned ignorance, secretly cooperating to gradually lead Wang Chongyang towards a southern fork. The three of them wandered for nearly an hour, nearing the Chen hour. Yue Fu insisted on resting by the stream. As she scooped water and tidied her appearance, she heard Sun Bole shout and ran up the southern mountain path. Wang Chongyang, his mind in a turmoil, did not observe or think carefully, and stepped to follow closely. Could that demonic woman be waiting in the south? Yue Fu, both angry at being used by Sun Bole and having done his work for him, pursued them.
Fearing further delays would lead to complications, Sun Bole, no longer patient with Yue Fu's dawdling, decided to employ this tactic and quickly lead Wang Chongyang southward.
Sun Bole ran desperately. Wang Chongyang could not catch up for a moment. About two quarters of an hour later, he inadvertently glimpsed a figure on the mountain slope to his right. He recognized it as the plump young man from Jing Tian Men. Why was he hurrying alone? Could Xiao Wan and the others have really been attacked? Without thinking, he turned to intercept him and inquire. Sun Bole turned back and saw Wang Chongyang suddenly change direction and run west. Angrily, he punched the air, his plan of "deliberately creating a mystique" wasted. Gritting his teeth, he turned and followed.