The terrace of the Le Lou Pavilion was exceptionally spacious, capable of accommodating hundreds of people. From it, one could even glimpse the sea. Of course, in the darkness of night, the azure waters were invisible, replaced by scattered pinpricks of light and shimmering waves. A cool, slightly salty breeze swept in, refreshing the spirit; the scenery was pleasant. However, the scene within the terrace was a stark contrast.
At the center of the terrace stood a broad stone platform, raised three feet from the ground—a stage. On either side of the stage were stone steps, leading down to small doors. Above the steps, to the left and right, hung silk banners ten feet wide. The left banner bore ten large characters: "Hui Che Jia Yan Mai, You You She Chang Dao." The right banner read: "Si Gu He Mang Mang, Dong Feng Yao Bai Cao." Flanking the terrace were two-story pavilions, divided into dozens of rooms, seemingly reserved for distinguished guests.
Upon the stage, a woman in white was playing a zither, attended by a male and female attendant on either side.
The stage itself was elegantly decorated, but below it, hundreds of people were gathered in a chaotic throng, almost all of them with fierce visages and disheveled attire. The woman in white played on the stage, while the ruffians below laughed and shouted loudly. They tore at hunks of meat, drained wine jars, and, between bites and gulps, mocked the woman playing the zither. Some ruffians even embraced equally disheveled prostitutes, engaging in shameless acts in plain sight, a truly disgusting spectacle.
When Zhou Fugui, Huang Damei, Wu Xi, and Ke Ba entered, Zhou Fugui’s gaze fixed upon the woman in white playing the zither on the stage.
This was not due to lechery; even if Zhou Fugui were exceptionally lustful, he wouldn't be captivated by a woman whose face he couldn't see. Nor was it because of her music. Rather, Zhou Fugui had a vague sense of familiarity, a feeling of having encountered her before.
Though Zhou Fugui was some distance from the woman, his gaze, sharp as a hawk's, had already discerned her features.
For a divine archer, eyesight was paramount. Without a falcon's vision, one could never become a master archer capable of hitting a target a hundred paces away.
Based on her facial features, the woman playing the zither was a stranger; Zhou Fugui didn't recognize her. Yet, the feeling of déjà vu persisted. To confirm this, Zhou Fugui continued to stare, which elicited a look of extreme surprise and disdain from Huang Damei.
*Such a lecher,* Huang Damei thought contemptuously. *He falls for anyone he sees. Such a woman of ill repute actually catches his eye? Oh, right, didn't he have a concubine who used to be a courtesan?*
Zhou Fugui's intent gaze, meant to ascertain the identity of the woman playing the zither, appeared lecherous in Huang Damei's eyes.
"Little lady, where do you hail from?" a burly middle-aged ruffian shouted from below the stage after downing a mouthful of wine. "Stop playing that zither. It makes our hearts tremble. Why not sing a couple of songs? How about singing about the 'Eight Chambers'?"
*Zheng...* The woman in white placed her hand on the seven-stringed instrument, halting her playing. She seemed exceptionally angry, but her expression remained calm, unchanged.
The so-called "Eight Chambers" referred to an erotic song, detailing events within the bedchambers—extremely provocative, explicit, and indecent.
*Zheng...* The woman flicked her sleeve, her hand hidden within, and plucked a string on the seven-stringed instrument.
"The world is white, I alone am black; not attacking Mohism, but loving all equally." Suddenly, eight swordsmen appeared in the left pavilion, all clad in white robes, hands on their sword hilts, staring coldly at the ruffians.
*Zheng...* The woman flicked her sleeve again, plucking another string.
"The laws of heaven and earth are executed without delay; arts discern treachery, punishment deters crime." Eight swordsmen then appeared in the right pavilion, all dressed in black robes, hands on their sword hilts, also staring coldly at the ruffians.
The sudden appearance of sixteen swordsmen caused the ruffians below to sense trouble. They became restless, murmuring amongst themselves, unsure what was happening or why these individuals had appeared.
The middle-aged ruffian who had just taunted the woman in white, sensing the shift in atmosphere, shrunk back and slipped into the crowd, stealthily moving towards the exit, intending to escape.
These sixteen swordsmen were clearly allied with the woman in white, and their intentions were hostile.
*Chii...* A projectile flew from the left pavilion, its cold gleam flashing as it struck the middle-aged ruffian in the back, embedding deeply into his spine.
The ruffian collapsed to the ground, his body twitching for a few moments before he breathed his last. Blood seeped through his clothes from his back.
Zhou Fugui, standing near the entrance, narrowly avoided the projectile that killed the ruffian, startling him but further solidifying his suspicions.
The ruffians became even more panicked and agitated.
The woman in white then stood up, elegantly flicking imaginary dust from her robes. She slowly walked to the edge of the stage and raised a bronze plaque.
"The Edict for Redress and Prohibition of Violence!" the ruffians exclaimed loudly.
According to martial world legend, the Edict for Redress and Prohibition of Violence was a token belonging to King Deng Tianlong of the Eastern Sea. Holding this edict, one could seek justice for grievances or be pardoned if innocent. The holder of this edict was empowered to execute all notorious evildoers in the world. After Deng Tianlong's death, the Edict vanished for a time. Later, it reappeared in the martial world, held by a mysterious sect. Its resurgence would stir up bloody storms, striking fear into the hearts of martial artists. Any evildoer targeted by the Edict, no matter where they fled, would be put to death.
The Edict for Redress and Prohibition of Violence had not reappeared in the martial world for a very long time. Now, it had surfaced in Qu County, before the ruffians of the Le Lou Pavilion. Its purpose was clear.
These ruffians were notorious for murder and arson, with most having blood on their hands, many responsible for multiple lives.
"Xing Laosan, on the first day of the first month of the Bingxu year, intercepted and killed seven merchants; in April, broke into a civilian residence in Wuling Town, raped and murdered one woman, and killed eight others, including four women and children; in September..." the woman in white continued, holding the Edict and looking at the ruffians.
Xing Laosan was the middle-aged ruffian who had just died.
"Zhai Tuye, true name Zhai Yunzhang, in the fifth month of the Gengyin year, robbed and killed over twenty sea merchants, seizing one merchant ship and burning another; in August..." the woman in white stated coldly.
"Bitch!" A bald, hawk-nosed ruffian among the crowd, hand on his sword hilt, roared in anger, "Who are you, little bitch, to meddle in our affairs? We live by the blade, and if we don't rob, what do we eat? What do we drink? Are we supposed to starve to death..."
*Pfft... pfft...* Before the bald, hawk-nosed ruffian could finish speaking, two swordsmen from the left and right pavilions, like great birds, descended, thrusting their swords into the ruffian's body. Both long swords pierced him through.
After piercing the ruffian's body, the two swordsmen withdrew their blades and stood at attention.
*Thump!* Two bloody wounds appeared on the bald, hawk-nosed ruffian's body, from which blood spurted like fountains. The ruffian fell to the ground, his eyes wide in death, unable to rest in peace.
All the ruffians were terrified and uneasy.
In reality, the woman in white, the sixteen swordsmen, the attendants—a total of eighteen people—faced two to three hundred ruffians. If they attacked together, they might not be outmatched. However, the woman in white and her companions had struck first with overwhelming skill, killing like slaughtering chickens. Secondly, they were well-prepared, catching the ruffians off guard and causing them to panic. Finally, not all the ruffians were irredeemably wicked, so many harbored hopes of survival and were unwilling to fight to the death. Disunity made them a scattered force.
"Let's go!" Zhou Fugui tugged at Huang Damei's sleeve and whispered to her, Wu Xi, and Ke Ba.
Led by Zhou Fugui, the four moved towards a corner of the terrace, near its edge.
*It must be some sect, carrying out justice and punishing evil here,* Zhou Fugui surmised. *Trouble is bound to erupt, and the entrance will be extremely dangerous during the ensuing chaos. Moving to the edge of the terrace will be safer, and if necessary, escape will be much easier.*
Zhou Fugui could have slipped away through the entrance now. However, he wanted to see what happened. Besides, if he left now, he would trigger the signal for the Xue Pi Army to storm the city, and amidst the chaos of battle, anything could happen.
*What if she or her subordinates get hurt? Wouldn't that be my fault?* Zhou Fugui thought to himself.
"Who is she to you?" After the four had quietly moved to the corner, Huang Damei glanced at the woman in white and asked in a low voice.
"An old acquaintance!" Zhou Fugui replied softly, then continued to observe the woman in white from the side.
Standing in the corner, he was closer to the woman in white, but no matter how he looked, her face was still unfamiliar. However, a slight smile now appeared on Zhou Fugui's lips; he no longer cared if her face seemed strange.
*The past me, the present her. Didn't she always like wearing a mask?*
"Hmph, an old acquaintance? You have so many old acquaintances, and they're all women..." Seeing Zhou Fugui's expression, Huang Damei couldn't help but let out a cold snort.
Though nothing had happened yet, Huang Damei was already overflowing with jealousy.
"Zheng Yiqiang, true name..." the woman in white continued.
"You little bitch, I'll fight you to the death!" As soon as the woman in white spoke, a ruffian leaped from below, thrusting his spear. In an instant, the spear tip was at the woman's face.
*Pfft!*
Before anyone could see how the woman in white moved, or where her sword came from, the spear-wielding ruffian was struck down from the stage.
The woman in white's move further solidified Zhou Fugui's certainty.
*Bang!*
Just then, the main gate was kicked open. A burly man in leather armor with a beard roared, brandishing his saber, "Kill!"