At this moment, the sound of hammering and banging could be heard again. We followed the sound and saw Dao Lang and Fei Xiong busy at work.
Watching the two busy on the rooftop, I asked,
"Why are you up so early?"
Dao Lang wiped the sweat from his brow and replied,
"We have no choice. Soon, more people will join Black Mountain. If we don't fix this place now, there won't be enough room for everyone."
"It's great to have you both."
"It gets boring with nothing to do," Fei Xiong said with a smile.
"I'll help you too."
"I'll help as well."
Yue Yao also cautiously raised her hand, and Liu Shinian followed suit.
"I'll help out too."
So, several of us joined in the house building. I leaped onto the roof and helped with the repairs.
Before I could even settle down, an arrow suddenly flew towards us from a distance.
"Muye, be careful!" Yan Wushuang, who was not far away, shouted.
Xue Gucheng swiftly leaped from upstairs, intercepted the arrow, and landed behind me. Liu Shinian also flew up to stand beside Xue Gucheng.
"There's a letter on this arrow," Liu Shinian said.
Xue Gucheng carefully removed and unfolded it. It read:
Wan Gui Wang, if you have the guts, come to Heizi Forest at the foot of Black Mountain tonight for a battle.
Signed, Ye Changfeng.
Xue Gucheng handed the note to me with a sigh of helplessness.
"Ye Changfeng. It's that group of four villains from last time."
Dao Lang and Fei Xiong also gathered around, examining the note.
"The Four Villains? Could they be the Four Villains who wreaked havoc upon the world a thousand years ago?"
"Indeed."
"Rumor has it they particularly enjoy challenging strong fighters. It seems they've set their sights on Muye," Dao Lang remarked.
"What's on it?" Yan Wushuang asked from below, not having come up.
Xue Gucheng, not wanting to make a scene, replied,
"Shuang'er, come and see for yourself."
Yan Wushuang flew up, took the note from Dao Lang, and after reading it, exclaimed in surprise,
"Isn't this Ye Changfeng the one who challenged Muye last time?"
"That's right."
"But why did they arrange to meet at night?" Yue Jiu suddenly appeared from somewhere, sharing what he had heard.
"I heard that two of the Four Villains, Gui Ye and Fu Zimuo, their weapons can only exert their greatest power at night. It seems they plan to attack together."
Liu Shinian's gaze shifted, and he looked up at me, asking,
"Muye, are you going?"
At this moment, all eyes turned to me. With a major battle looming, the Four Villains would not give up until they achieved their goal.
To avoid further complications, I had no choice but to accept the challenge.
"Yes, we must go," I said.
Seeing my firm resolve, they all expressed their support.
"Since you're going, we'll go with you."
Just then, someone emerged from downstairs. It was Lin Er.
"Where are you all going? I'm going too."
I chuckled and said to him,
"It's nothing fun. Elder, you don't need to go."
"At least let me know what's happening."
Liu Shinian flew downstairs and whispered to Lin Er, explaining everything. Lin Er then nodded and said,
"Alright, I'll stay behind at Black Mountain."
At this moment, Shi Sanniang, who had been staying elsewhere, also walked over from the courtyard and offered,
"Let me go too."
I felt a bit hesitant and looked at Lin Er. Lin Er understood my meaning and spoke on my behalf,
"Shi Sanniang can go; she can help you. The Princess and Liu Mei cannot go; they will stay here with me at Black Mountain."
Normally, Yue Jiu Cong would always be wherever Liu Mei was. But this time, he spoke to Liu Mei, who was standing with Yue Yao, of his own accord.
"Liu Mei, this time I'll go with them to see. You wait for me to return."
Liu Mei understood.
"Alright, take care of yourself."
I looked back at the sun that had just risen, then at Dao Lang and Fei Xiong.
"You two can't go either."
Dao Lang looked puzzled and said confidently,
"We brothers are also skilled fighters and can definitely help."
"Yes, yes," Fei Xiong chimed in.
I shook my head.
"It's just me, Liu Shinian, Xue Gucheng, Yan Wushuang, Yue Jiu Cong, and Shi Sanniang. That's enough."
"You really don't need us?" Fei Xiong asked, looking eager.
"It's fine. Black Mountain needs you. We'll be alright there."
Lin Er waved his hand.
"Tonight, you'll keep me company, so I won't be lonely."
Dao Lang and Fei Xiong were helpless but agreed.
After nightfall, we descended the mountain and arrived at Heizi Forest.
Tonight was a full moon, and its radiant moonlight illuminated the entire forest.
A cold wind occasionally blew through the desolate woods, yet not a shadow of them could be seen. Just as we were wondering, a long laugh echoed.
"Hahahaha!"
Then, voices drifted down from the trees.
"You've indeed come."
We looked up and saw the Four Villains standing side by side on the tree trunks, like performing Yakshas, looking down at us from above.
Ye Changfeng, with his sword slung over his shoulder, looked excited.
"This time, it's not just a one-on-one duel between you and me, but us against you. My brothers are also eager to know your true strength, so bring as many people as you have."
I turned to Shi Sanniang and said,
"Shi Sanniang, wait here for us."
"Gui Wang, I can do it," Shi Sanniang also yearned to help.
"You are our backbone. As long as one of us is safe, we have the confidence to fight," I reassured her.
Hearing my words, Shi Sanniang said no more, only replying,
"Alright, Gui Wang, I'll wait for you."
With that, she retreated to the side, waiting silently.
After listening for a while from the trees, the third of the Four Villains, Gui Ye, impatiently spoke,
"Enough of this chatter. I'm getting impatient."
He shouted,
"Qian Luo Wan Hu Fu Xue Si!"
With that, he unleashed several strands of spider silk towards us. We all leaped up, and his spider web then wove across the entire clearing, forming a massive net. With nowhere to land, we were forced onto the net.
"Hehehe, it's my turn to perform!" Fu Zimuo, the fourth villain, said with a grin.
The white Higanbana in his hand instantly turned red, and blood-red petals drifted down onto the spider silk net. Instantly, the entire net seemed to be eroded by the Higanbana, and in a blink of an eye, a sea of crimson Higanbana grew wildly. The vibrant, blood-red flowers, imbued with a sorrowful and mournful aura, seemed like a terrifying summons from the Netherworld's messengers on the River Styx.
He smiled slightly, then exhaled a gust of demonic energy, causing a large number of Higanbana to surge towards us. With a triumphant smile, he leaped out, gathering the flowers into a flower pillar, which he wielded like a weapon and thrust towards me.
"Muye, be careful!" Liu Shinian drew his sword and flew forward, clashing with his flower-wielding attack. The flower fell, revealing a sharp sword hidden beneath it.
He laughed joyfully,
"Hahaha!"
Then he vanished into the sea of flowers. At this moment, the Higanbana that had filled the sky also fell, leaving only a few pairs of eyes staring at each other.
Suddenly, Gui Ye from a distance once again shot out silk, entangling Liu Shinian's sword and pulling it forward. Xue Gucheng drew his snow blade and leaped forward, slicing through the silk with a single strike.
"Interesting. Your opponent is me." Zhu Yan, the second villain, who had been watching with keen interest, drew his saber and unleashed a wave of saber energy. Xue Gucheng immediately retaliated with a wave of his snow blade. With a "boom!" the saber energy and blade wave collided.
Fu Zimuo, who had disappeared into the sea of flowers, reappeared between the two. He blew another gust of demonic wind, scattering the Higanbana all over the ground. Then, he lightly ascended, carried by the flowers, and appeared behind me. Yue Jiu Cong drew his saber and lunged towards my back.
Fu Zimuo waved his hand, disappearing into the flowers again, then reappeared behind him, raising his sword to stab.
"Careful!" Yan Wushuang's flying knife shot out, shattering his sword. The broken sword transformed into numerous crimson Higanbana. He casually grabbed one and retreated.
"Wan Gui Wang! What are you looking at!" Ye Changfeng, who had been watching for a long time, finally lost his patience. He drew his sword and slashed down from the air. I quickly dodged.
At this moment, Shi Sanniang below shouted,
"Use my sword!"
She then threw it up. I sidestepped and caught it. Ye Changfeng seized the opportunity and swung his sword at me. I met his attack with my own sword, and we began to fight.
"I'll join too!" Zhu Yan flew forward, unleashing a "Dominating Slash" towards Xue Gucheng. Xue Gucheng, not to be outdone, retaliated with a "Snow Dragon Break" and then leaped forward, engaging him with his saber.
Gui Ye on the side was also not idle. He raised his hand again and shot silk strands at Liu Shinian. Liu Shinian blocked them with his sword, then maneuvered beneath the silk and ascended diagonally, reaching Gui Ye's side. He placed his sword at Gui Ye's neck. Gui Ye, unperturbed, tilted his head and shot out a strand of silk that wrapped around Liu Shinian's arm, yanking him away.
In the chaos, Fu Zimuo threw his Higanbana, which transformed into a sharp sword. He grasped the sword and blew another gust of flowers, tightly surrounding Yue Jiu Cong. Then, he swung his sword, intending to pierce him. Yan Wushuang, seeing this, sent her flying knives to intercept him.
Fu Zimuo changed direction, throwing the sword in his hand towards Yan Wushuang. The sword moved forward, transforming into Higanbana. Fu Zimuo closed his eyes slightly and instantly vanished. When he opened them again, he had appeared in front of Yan Wushuang through the flowers. He casually caught a flower, which transformed into a sharp sword, and thrust it at her.
Xue Gucheng sidestepped and unleashed a wave of snow, interrupting Fu Zimuo, forcing him to dodge. Fu Zimuo retreated to the side, looking at his second brother with great dissatisfaction.
"Second Brother, keep an eye on your man and don't let him interfere." Zhu Yan nodded and replied,
"Alright. Your opponent is me. Don't get the wrong person."
Saying this, he unleashed a powerful saber strike. Xue Gucheng quickly turned and blocked it with his saber. Yan Wushuang seized the opportunity and sent several flying knives towards Fu Zimuo. Fu Zimuo's gaze sharpened, and he waved his hand, summoning a pile of Higanbana that surged forward, entangling the flying knives.
Yue Jiu Cong, within the circle of flowers, raised his sword above his head. Using the moonlight that filtered through the small gaps in the Higanbana, he illuminated his "Moon Shadow Sword." The sword then charged with energy. Seeing the opportune moment, he swung his sword and slashed outwards. With a "clang!" he burst forth from the Higanbana, sword in hand, and lunged at Fu Zimuo.
Fu Zimuo immediately raised his hand and swung the Higanbana towards him. The Higanbana fell to the ground, revealing a sharp sword that attacked him. Yue Jiu Cong met it with his sword, clashing at the tips. Yan Wushuang again sent several flying knives towards him from the side.
Fu Zimuo dodged sideways, then blew another gust of Higanbana, and vanished into the sea of flowers. Meanwhile, Ye Changfeng was slashing at me with his sword, each blow forceful, pushing me back. Remembering what Yan Wushuang had said earlier, I bent down and dodged sideways, returning with my sword.
However, this time he was more cautious. He immediately stopped his sword and directed my sword towards the spider silk. He looked up with an evil grin, then raised his sword and swung it at me. I couldn't dodge in time, and it looked like he was about to slit my throat and I would bleed to death.
Suddenly, a surge of black energy erupted from within me, repelling him. He flew back several meters before stopping, asking with astonishment,
"What was that just now?"
"That was my black energy," I replied coldly. With that, I immediately drew my sword and engaged him in a fierce battle.
At this moment, under the moonlight, above the forest, three figures were watching the entire scene.
"That mass of black energy is Wan Gui Wang!" Jin Yulan exclaimed in surprise.
Liu Xiang, however, seemed confident.
"Although their abilities are not equal to Wan Gui Wang's, right now, Wan Gui Wang is merely a mass of black energy and cannot help Liu Muye in any way."
"Wan Gui Wang's strength is equal to mine. If that young lady also possessed such an ability, then the Four Villains would be no match for her," said Li Xingye from the side. Beside him, Yu Jiao was conspicuously absent.
"The Four Villains are far more skilled than them. If they were to unleash their killing intent, they would surely die," Liu Xiang stated with full confidence.
Jin Yulan carefully observed their moves, noticing that none of them were fatal. She felt a sense of disappointment.
"They are not using their full strength. If they continue fighting like this, who knows how long it will take."
"It doesn't matter. Once they've had their fun, they'll kill them," Liu Xiang replied.
Beneath the forest, Yu Jiao was searching and found Shi Sanniang.
"Shi Sanniang, you are indeed here."
"Yu Jiao, why are you here too?" Shi Sanniang was overjoyed at Yu Jiao's arrival.
"I followed Xing Ye here. I don't know where he ran off to. Why are they fighting so fiercely?" Yu Jiao pointed at the people on the spider web.
"It's fine. We can just watch," Shi Sanniang said.
"Indeed."
The two then leaned against the trees, becoming spectators.