The dark forest was eerily silent, with a faint wisp of moonlight casting a serene glow upon the ground.
The normally peaceful road was shattered by a gust of wind.
From the depths of the dark woods, a dazzling white flying knife emerged, whizzing past the elder's face and narrowly missing him.
The horse, sensing something amiss, whinnied and abruptly halted, refusing to move forward.
Lin'er scanned his surroundings with vigilance. In the pitch-black forest, only the faint rustling of wind could be heard.
For reasons unknown, a sense of unease washed over him. He turned back and said to his uncle,
"Uncle, there are people nearby."
The elder knew that the flying knife was aimed at him, yet it had spared him. It was clear the opponent merely wished to test them.
Moreover, it was evident that this was the work of a highly skilled martial artist.
He cupped his hands and called out loudly into the dark woods,
"May I inquire which esteemed hero rests here? We have been traveling through the night and apologize if we have caused any disturbance."
As soon as his words fell, another flying knife streaked towards them, grazing past him once more.
Hearing the whistling sound of the blade, Lin'er, disregarding his own safety, spurred his horse forward to shield his uncle.
A warmth spread through the elder's heart. This nephew had been raised well.
He then spoke to comfort him,
"Lin'er, do not worry. They do not intend to take my life."
Despite his words, Lin'er's anxious heart grew heavier.
The elder smiled faintly, unperturbed, and cupped his hands once more, saying,
"We apologize for any disturbance. We shall depart now."
With that, he prepared to urge his horse onward.
Suddenly, a long saber flew out, embedding itself in the middle of the road, blocking their path.
The saber was entirely white, radiating a chilling aura from its blade.
The elder recognized it instantly as the legendary Snow Saber.
At that moment, two figures emerged from the forest, the notorious Twin Blades of Snow.
They landed directly in front of them. Xue Gucheng drew the saber, his entire being clad in white, standing like a noble from a snowy realm.
Their white masks resembled those of mysterious celestial beings.
Xue Gucheng, always courteous, bowed first to everyone before speaking,
"I surmise you are from the Ghost Charm clan, aren't you?"
The elder was slightly taken aback but did not conceal the truth. He cupped his hands and replied,
"You two are indeed the Twin Blades of Snow, living up to your reputation.
You are correct; we are from the Ghost Charm clan."
However, what was peculiar was that
Xue Gucheng made no move. He simply returned a polite bow and prepared to depart with Yan Wushuang.
It was evident that they did not harbor absolute animosity towards the Ghost Charm clan.
"Esteemed heroes, please wait!"
The elder called out in a hurry. He dismounted his horse immediately, cupped his hands again, and addressed them,
"You two are among the most renowned figures in this world. I, this old man, have something to say.
The Ghost King is no longer the Ghost King of old, but merely an ordinary child named Liu Muye.
I have met that child; he is intelligent, astute, and possesses loyalty and righteousness.
She should not have to bear this sin, yet she was forced into this turmoil.
Now, she has been beaten half to death by the Four Cities and thrown into the Wuji Abyss.
I heard that most of those who attacked her were people she had helped in the Ten Thousand Ghost Forest.
Truly, the world is fickle, and human hearts have changed. It chills one to the bone."
"Her, we... we know."
Yan Wushuang replied haltingly.
It seemed they were still deeply troubled and unable to let go of what had happened that day.
The elder sighed and said,
"I see you two must be her friends.
In truth, she is also a pitiable soul, who should not have to bear such a sin.
If it is to save her, I am willing to lend my strength.
If we rely solely on our meager forces, we cannot rescue her from hell.
I am a man on the verge of death, and I have not done many good deeds in my life.
Now that she is possessed by the Ghost King and has suffered greatly, we are already indebted to her.
If no one saves her, at her young age, she will only slowly perish in that dark, bottomless abyss.
And she is merely a pitiable soul. I implore you, esteemed heroes, to save her."
Faced with the elder's plea, Yan Wushuang could only politely refuse.
"Brother Xue and I have already sworn an oath not to interfere in this matter. We are truly unable to help."
Upon hearing this, the elder shed tears of sadness and lamented,
"That day, she, a young woman, disregarded her own safety and ventured deep into the Ten Thousand Ghost Forest to rescue those trapped.
Yet, what was her eventual fate?
In the battle at Truman Mountain, people forgot past kindness and turned against her, all seeking to take her life.
Even I, this old man, cannot help but lament, do people have no hearts? They only know that when one leaves, their warmth fades, and when the rabbit dies, the cooking dogs are boiled. It is truly heartbreaking, alas!"
Saying this, he turned away and prepared to mount his horse to leave. Before departing, he said again,
"Everyone says that our Ghost Charm clan is heartless, murderous, and does all manner of evil.
In my view, their lack of compassion and righteousness surpasses ours.
They claim to be righteous, but they are merely a group of heartless lackeys."
With that, he mounted his horse.
The Twin Blades of Snow were rendered speechless by the elder's words.
They recalled their reputation as chivalrous heroes, their noble hearts dedicated to saving the world, all proving to be mere vanity.
Then they remembered Mu Ye's helpless gaze when she faced many experts alone on that day she was trapped.
They pretended not to see, leaving in haste. If it were about loyalty, how could they be worthy?
What was the difference between being heartless and being an evildoer?
Thinking of these things, Xue Gucheng's heart was gradually filled with compassion, and he deeply blamed himself.
Yan Wushuang turned her head and saw her Brother Xue standing in a daze.
Although he wore a white mask, she could sense his sorrowful heart and inexplicable emotions.
She sighed softly. Her heart felt no differently.
Seeing that they were wavering, the elder decided to employ a more forceful tactic.
He dismounted again and knelt before them. Xue Gucheng quickly pulled him up, but the elder insisted on remaining knelt.
Seeing this, Lin'er also quickly dismounted and rushed over, kneeling in haste.
No matter how Xue Gucheng tried to pull him up, he refused, instead earnestly pleading,
"I have heard that you two esteemed heroes are righteous and compassionate individuals.
I ask for nothing else, only that you save that poor girl's life.
I, this old man, will be eternally grateful, eternally grateful."
With that, he kowtowed heavily. Xue Gucheng pulled him up, and beneath the white mask, his eyes were already filled with tears.
"I have only heard people say that the Ghost Charm clan is heartless, ruthless, and kills like a butcher. Today, seeing you, I have a different perspective."
He turned to Yan Wushuang and said,
"Yan'er, to repay the kindness of the Ten Thousand Ghost Forest, and to atone for our past inaction,
We must save her life today, regardless of the cost."
"Alright, then we shall resolve to save her. After rescuing her, we shall depart."
The elder was overjoyed and finally stood up, saying quickly,
"Excellent, excellent. The Wuji Abyss is heavily guarded, and a plan cannot be devised easily.
Let me contact some capable individuals to join forces and discuss a rescue plan."
Xue Gucheng considered the idea feasible and nodded in agreement.
"Very well."
"Then how shall I contact you?"
The elder suddenly remembered this crucial detail.
Xue Gucheng tossed a green pellet from his sleeve.
The pellet flew into the air, transforming into a small green bird that landed on his hand. He looked at the small bird and said,
"This little green bird is named Xiao Wushuang. It is a small spirit.
It has been by our side for a long time, so it can find us wherever we are.
Elder, take it with you. When the time comes, simply speak your message to it, and it will find us."
"Good."
After the elder carefully received the little green bird, the Twin Blades of Snow cupped their hands and said,
"Elder, young sir, we shall take our leave."
"Good."
With that, they vanished into the forest, leaving no trace.
Lin'er, somewhat bewildered by his uncle's actions, leaned closer and asked,
"Uncle, why did you ask them for help?"
The elder smiled faintly and replied,
"These two are renowned chivalrous heroes. How rare and fortunate it is to befriend them."
"But will they betray us?"
Lin'er expressed his concern, still not trusting these so-called chivalrous figures.
The elder burst into laughter, explaining,
"True chivalrous heroes are those who value loyalty and righteousness and follow their true hearts.
And they would never do such a thing."
Lin'er seemed to understand something. Were not loyalty and righteousness precisely what he yearned for?
"Let's get on our horses."
"Oh."
"I believe we will reach Luoshui Village tomorrow."
"Yes."
"Let's hurry."
"Alright."
Saying this, the two quickly mounted their horses and rode towards Luoshui Village.
Meanwhile, Shisan Niang had also arrived at Beifeng Mountain, located at the eastern border between Beishendu and Dongyue Town.
On Beifeng Mountain, there was a village. These were the people of the Ghost Charm clan who had fled there and had been in hiding for a thousand years.
Shisan Niang had visited this village hundreds of years ago and was somewhat familiar with it.
Following the path from memory, she easily found the elder's residence.
However, there were guards outside, and a commotion could be heard from within, as if people were discussing something.
Shisan Niang approached and asked the brother guarding the entrance,
"Brother, what's going on inside? It's so noisy."
The man casually replied,
"Oh, they're discussing important matters inside."
He suddenly realized that he didn't recognize the person before him.
"Hey, you look unfamiliar. Are you not from our village?"
Shisan Niang replied,
"No, but please inform them that Shisan Niang has come to visit the elder."
"Shisan Niang?"
The guard looked puzzled; he didn't know who this person was.
"Hurry, I have something important to tell him."
"Oh."
At Shisan Niang's urging, the guard trotted into the house.
After a short while, he excitedly ran out and said to Shisan Niang,
"Our elder invites you. Please come in quickly."
Shisan Niang quickly followed the guard into the house. Upon entering, she saw many people gathered around.
Seated at the northernmost position, a kind and benevolent old man with a gentle demeanor was the elder of Beifeng Mountain, Elder Mo Xuefu.
Elder Mo Xuefu's face lit up with joy upon seeing her. He hurriedly stood up and exclaimed,
"Shisan Niang, it's been many years. How have you been?"
Shisan Niang smiled slightly and replied,
"Everything is well. What are all of you doing here?"
She looked at everyone in the room with curiosity.
Elder Mo Xuefu explained,
"A thousand years ago, when the Ghost King was defeated, we fled here to lie low and await our opportunity.
Now that the Ghost King has reappeared, it is time for our Ghost Charm clan to rise again.
Therefore, we have gathered everyone to devise a perfect plan for our revival."
Upon hearing this, Shisan Niang was filled with excitement. This was precisely what the elder had in mind.
Since everyone here was one of their own, she did not hold back and stated directly,
"To be honest, I have been sent by the elder."
"The elder?"
Mo Xuefu was shocked. He recalled meeting the elder once a thousand years ago.
However, they had parted ways in haste, without much time for conversation.
Now, hearing the elder's name, it was as if it were yesterday.
"What did the elder say?"
"The elder shares your thoughts. With the Ghost King's reappearance, it is time for our clan to revive.
Have you heard any news? The Ghost King has been captured by the Four Cities and imprisoned in Qianmen Cave."
"Our scouts have brought back such news, so we also plan to rescue the Ghost King."
"The elder also thinks this way. He asked me to deliver a letter to you, which you will understand upon reading."
Saying this, Shisan Niang took out the letter from her embrace and handed it to Mo Xuefu.
Mo Xuefu eagerly opened the letter and read it.
It stated:
A thousand years ago, the Ghost King fell, and the twelve elders and elders exhausted their lives to break the seal.
However, they could only wait in hiding, for the Ghost King to reshape his body and reappear.
Now, the Ghost King has reappeared, and it is time for our Ghost Charm clan to revive.
Alas, the Four Cities are unjust and have repeatedly pursued the Ghost King. The Ghost King, newly emerged, could not bear the burden and was captured by them.
I have learned that the Ghost King is imprisoned in Qianmen Cave, within the Wuji Abyss.
You all must come quickly and consult with me to jointly rescue the Ghost King.
On the fifth day of the fifth month, during the full moon, gather at Wanxue Mountain.
After reading the letter, Mo Xuefu's heart was filled with emotion.
For so many years, the scattered clan members had lost contact. Now, with the elder's call,
Clan members from various regions would gather once more to discuss important matters.
He carefully put away the letter, and tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. He wiped them away with his hand, filled with gratitude.
"Thank you, Shisan Niang. I will definitely attend as agreed."
"Good. Since the letter has been delivered, I shall take my leave."
"Shisan Niang, you have traveled far. Please stay for a meal before you go."
"No, I still need to deliver letters to other mountain peaks. I shall depart now."
"Alright, then travel safely."
"Mmm."
With that, Shisan Niang turned and left.
After Shisan Niang departed, a crowd of people swarmed around Mo Xuefu, asking him,
"Elder, is this a letter from the elder?"
"Is our Ghost Charm clan about to be revived?"
"We have waited for this day for too long."
The crowd, speaking one after another, could not hide their excitement.
Earlier, the elder had been troubled about how to proceed. Now, with the elder's instructions, their task was half done.
Now, all that remained was to wait and meet with the elder to discuss their grand plan.
Looking at the noisy crowd, he waved his hand and said,
"Alright, alright, everyone, please return. Do not be anxious about this matter for now. I will make arrangements."
Although everyone was eager, for the time being, they could only obey the elder and await his arrangements.