The five great villains and Qingyao and her companions fought fiercely, blurring the line between day and night. Neither side could gain the upper hand, but exhaustion was setting in for everyone, yet no one dared to let their guard down.
In such a moment, anyone who faltered would be vulnerable to a swift attack. Clarity of mind was paramount.
As dawn broke, a thin mist swirled around. Aside from the ongoing battle between the protagonists and the five great villains, there was no one else in sight. The dozen servants on the island had already been killed by them, and the women who had been brought to the island had all gone into hiding. With the danger of stray blades, none of them dared to remain and await death.
The five great villains attempted to use their poisons, but their efforts were in vain. Qingyao and her group were highly skilled and had erected defenses, preventing the villains from getting close enough to employ their deadly arts. Thus, the poisons remained ineffective.
The more the fight continued, the more energetic Qingyao became. The thought of Wuqing's suffering fueled her desire to kill these villains instantly, yet she persisted in demanding the antidote from them.
"My lady, please, no more fighting. I swear, I never administered any poison to Wuqing. Just believe me this once!"
The villain known as "Evil Ghost," exhausted from the prolonged battle, pleaded repeatedly, no longer daring to utter any lewd remarks.
These individuals were not human. After fighting for half the night, they still possessed considerable strength. Qingyao wondered if their constant indulgence in sensual pleasures had depleted their stamina.
"No, you think carefully before you speak. Otherwise, I will break all your limbs and throw you into the lake to feed the fish. Wuqing is as beautiful as an immortal banished from heaven, seated in his wheelchair. Did you administer any poison to him?"
As Qingyao pressed further, the Evil Ghost, sweating profusely and panting heavily, replied:
"Such a heavenly beauty, how could I possibly forget? Besides, I, Evil Ghost, have never left this island. When have I ever seen this Wuqing you speak of? Who told you all this?"
Upon hearing the Evil Ghost's words, Qingyao paused, a flicker of pain piercing her heart.
Had Wuqing lied to her? If so, it would be difficult to deny her feelings of hurt. She had been willing to risk her life to obtain the antidote for him, only to be deceived. If the Five Great Villains were not responsible for the poison, then who was?
Qingyao's thoughts raced as she intensified her attacks, showing no signs of stopping.
Old Xuan, one of the Five Great Villains, cried out in pain as he was struck by a sword from Mo Chou.
Their martial arts skills were not top-tier. While they could use poisons in the past, they were unable to do so today. Moreover, the poisons they wielded were not the most potent, which explained their utter exhaustion.
"Brother, this is killing us."
The Fourth Villain also received a whip lash from Hong Wen's horsewhip, tearing a gash in his ornate clothing. He cried out in unbearable pain.
As the mist slowly dissipated, Qingyao's belief began to crumble with each word spoken by the Evil Ghost. She suddenly felt an overwhelming weariness, a profound fatigue that she could only bear by sheer willpower.
Just then, a brilliant light shone from the main entrance, followed by a cold, fierce voice: "Qingfeng, Mingyue, kill them."
"Yes, Young Master."
Qingfeng and Mingyue, who had followed their young master since childhood, possessed unparalleled martial arts skills. Upon receiving his command, they moved like two dragons emerging from water, soaring through the air and directly towards Qingyao.
The Evil Ghost, already exhausted from fighting Qingyao for half the night, could not withstand the assault from the highly skilled Qingfeng and Mingyue. Within three moves, one of them was pierced through the heart, blood splattering everywhere.
With a thud, he fell to the ground, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Leaderless, the remaining four villains panicked, scattering and attempting to flee.
Qingfeng and Mingyue offered them no chance. Together with Mo Chou, Mo You, and Lin Simiao, they surrounded and captured the remaining villains, dispatching them one by one.
Even their pleas for mercy were in vain; these men were a scourge that needed to be eliminated.
Bathed in sunlight, Qingyao stood still, her gaze fixed on Wuqing. She remained silent, her eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions: loneliness, heartache, and pain.
Wuqing called out softly, and Qingyao approached him, speaking in a gentle voice, "Wuqing, you lied to me. You know how much it hurt me. You should have at least told me the truth. We rushed here without rest to find the antidote for you. I was even willing to give my life to get it, but you deceived me."
After speaking, Qingyao turned to leave. Wuqing reached out and held the hem of her skirt, speaking slowly,
"I'm sorry, Qingyao. It's because that person is my father. I couldn't tell anyone that the person who administered the poison to me was my own father. It's humiliating, you know? I couldn't sleep for countless nights. They say a tiger doesn't eat its cubs, but he poisoned his own son for his ridiculous desires."
Wuqing's voice dropped to a low, mournful cry at the end, so heart-wrenching that it brought tears to Qingyao's eyes.
In the gentle breeze, his white hair fluttered as he buried his face in his hands.
If he could, he truly wished he could die. He could not accept having such a father. Ancient proverbs speak of tigers not devouring their young, yet he had a father more ruthless than a tiger or wolf. Not only had he abandoned him in his childhood, but he had also cursed him as he grew.
"Who is he?"
"Don't ask, Qingyao. I don't want to talk about it now. Let me take a moment, okay?"
Wuqing's voice was faint, filled with endless sorrow. He remained motionless, his face buried in his hands. Qingyao knew that he, who was usually so reserved, must be weeping now and feeling immense pain. She walked back to him, embraced him, and said no more.
At this moment, he needed comfort, not questions.
Although he had deceived her earlier, she forgave him. She also realized that he might have fabricated a location earlier, and who knew what existed in this vast world that he had stumbled upon.
"Let's go back."
Qingyao spoke softly. Wuqing composed himself, and after a long while, raised his head, his eyes glistening. He slowly said, "Okay, let's go."
The group walked towards the main entrance. The elaborately carved and painted houses were strewn with corpses. The women who had been forcibly brought to the island wept with joy as they watched Qingyao and her companions depart, kneeling in unison to bid them farewell.
Two boats were used, and the group divided into two parties, leaving the island.
The chieftain, leading the people of the Huajiang tribe, remained on the shore, gazing out. Seeing them appear, the villagers gathered on the shore erupted in cheers.
As soon as Qingyao and her companions landed, they were surrounded by many people.
A cacophony of voices arose: "Did you kill the Five Great Villains?"
"Are they really dead?"
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, the people of the Huajiang tribe let out cheers. Everyone gazed at the group with awe. Overjoyed, the chieftain insisted they stay for a meal before leaving, as they had rid the Huajiang tribe of a great menace.
During the feast, the chieftain looked at Wuqing, hesitant to speak, as if he had something to say. Qingyao asked curiously,
"What is it, Chieftain?"
"Has he been cursed?"
Indeed, as an elder of the Huajiang tribe, he had immediately recognized that Wuqing had been afflicted by a curse. Seeing his astuteness, a spark flashed in Qingyao's eyes. Since the chieftain was so perceptive, she wondered if he could save Wuqing's life.