Zhu Yuyan coldly said, “Jin Huanzhen, husband and wife ought to sense the Sheli’s location as well, because the timing matches, Da Ming Zun Jiao people will mistakenly think that I am sensing the Sheli and pursue it outside the city, hence the reason they disregard everything in sending their martial art masters to pursue at full speed to get the fisherman’s benefit. We will let Da Ming Zun Jiao’s idiots to take the lead. Lady and gentlemen, what do you think?”

Kou Zhong said, “We will obey your, the Senior’s instructions in everything.”

Zhu Yuyan sighed and said, “Ay! Nature [as the mother of all things] is toying with people; who would have guessed that Zhu Yuyan unexpectedly might cooperate with Fan Qinghui’s disciple to deal with Shi Zhixuan?”

Finished speaking, she flew out of the forest, leading the way at the front. The three followed closely behind.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling ran side by side, Shi Feixuan fell slightly at the rear. Kou Zhong lightly nudged Xu Ziling, signaling him with his eyes. Xu Ziling slightly tightened his jaw, indicating that he sensed the Relics’ presence.

The mountain and fields flew backward rapidly under the four people’s feet. A short moment later they already passed through the forest and reached the Jingpo Lake’s northeast shore. The lights from Ma Ji’s camp were on their right. The lake water, like an irregular big mirror stretched out into the distance under them.

Other than Ma Ji’s two ships, there were no other vessels in sight. However, Jingpo Lake had many tributary rivers, the banks were full of trees on all four sides, so it was quite easy and convenient to hide a boat in the dark.

Zhu Yuyan stood like an apparition in the dark of the forest, the three did not dare to disturb; they waited quietly behind her.

Zhu Yuyan softly said, “Shi Zhixuan is waiting for me.”

And then she sighed faintly and said, “In all my life, only two men were able to move my true feeling, but in the end I have to think of a way to destroy them. Does fate always love to play tricks on people?”

This was the first time that Kou Zhong felt that she was just like an ordinary person, who also had seven emotional states [seven affects of traditional Chinese medical theory and therapy, namely: joy, anger, anxiety, thought, grief, fear, fright] and six desires, human sentiments; his pity grew greatly. He said, “Zhu Zongzhu’s status is special, in everything, you have no choice but to attach most importance to your Sect, hence you can’t enjoy the ordinary love between a man and a woman like ordinary women.”

It was as if Zhu Yuyan had turned into a melancholy and moody little girl; she spoke softly, “The love between a man and a woman can really be some kind of enjoyment?”

Xu Ziling said, “May I venture to ask about the men who were able to move Zongzhu’s true feeling? Apart from Shi Zhixuan, who is the other one?”

Zhu Yuyan looked up into the night sky. Smiling ruefully, she said, “I don’t know whether it is because I know that I am going to die that I cannot help revealing my true feeling.”

Hearing the four-character true statement ‘revealing my true feeling’ [zhen qing liu lu], Xu Ziling could not help casting a glance toward Shi Feixuan, who was standing by his side. This fairy’s jade countenance was tranquil, the beautiful pupil of her eyes was flickering with pure and holy and intelligent bright light, but she was unwilling to meet his gaze.

Xu Ziling immediately felt at a loss! But he quickly discharged this kind of disturbing state of mind outside his brain. The big battle is at hand; he must be in his peak state to deal with Shi Zhixuan.

Zhu Yuyan’s voice turned gentle, she said, “The other is Lu Miaozi. Ay! He was too haughty!”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling cried, ‘What a pity!’ inwardly. If they could inform Lu Miaozi before his death, Lu Miaozi would certainly have a strange feeling.

Zhu Yuyan was back to being tranquil, as if what they were talking about had nothing to do with her, she said, “The most formidable aspect of Shi Zhixuan’s Bu Si Yin Fa is any true qi entering his meridians will be converted for his own use. Feixuan has read the Image Scroll, I wonder if you have any thought on how to deal with it?”

Shi Feixuan said, “The nature of our humble Zhai’s xinfa and Shi Zhixuan’z demonic power are restraining each other. Although Shi Zhixuan also mastered Buddhist school’s wonder power, but as long as Feixuan focus my true qi and limit it on the sword blade, doing everything I can to injure his muscle and bones and vital acupoints, it will definitely pose a threat to him.”

“That could still be considered a way,” Zhu Yuyan said, “Feixuan must be careful of his counterstrike relying on his Huan Mo Shenfa, which will make it difficult for you to adhere to the fixed tactics. How about you two?”

Kou Zhong replied, “We have fought with him twice, we know how formidable he is. When the time comes, we will change according to the situation. Does Zongzhu still have other instructions?”

Facing a powerful enemy, they simply had to put aside all former gratitude and grudges, to work together in sincerity from their inner feelings in order to eliminate Shi Zhixuan.

Zhu Yuyan slowly said, “I will exploit Shi Zhixuan’s keenness in trying to kill me; I will fight him alone first, and then when my Tianmo Dafa is completely unleashed, it will generate a qi field that will entangle him rigidly. If I gradually narrow the field of qi to a certain extent, then I can die in such a way that he also perishes, to break his Bu Si Yin Fa.”

Shi Feixuan asked, “Does Shi Zhixuan know Yin Hou’s secret art of perishing together with the enemy?”

Fixing her gaze on the flickering light on Jingpo Lake from the reflection of the moon, Zhu Yuyan spoke heavily, “Were it not for him having misgivings on this burning-both-jade-and-common-stone [idiom: to destroy indiscriminately] move, Yin Gui Pai would have acknowledged allegiance to him under his tyrannical abuse.”

Shaken, Kou Zhong said, “In that case, Shi Zhixuan will certainly not allow Zongzhu’s Tianmo Dafa to be unleashed to the stage of burning both jade and common stone.”

His shock was not without any reason. Listening to the tone of her voice, he knew that deep in her heart, this Empress Yin, who has always been acknowledged as the number one figure of the demonic school, admitted that she was inferior to Shi Zhixuan, and was relying entirely on the move ‘burning both jade and common stone’, to make Shi Zhixuan not daring to rush indiscriminately into action, to do everything he could to maintain his throne as the head of the ‘Eight Major Martial Art Masters of the Demonic Way’.

Zhu Yuyan said, “Hence the reason I need your help from the side. When he strives to break and destroy my field of qi, you must make your move with all your strength, so that it will be more than he can attend to. This is the crucial point. Because if he knew that I joined hands with you, he might flee far away. Only when he masters the holy qi from the Sheli will he dare to come out to the world. At that time, even if the three grandmasters of the world joined hands, I am afraid they would not be able to put him to death.”

“When Zongzhu unleashed your Tianmo Dafa, will it affect us?” Xu Ziling asked.

Shaking her head, Zhu Yuyan said, “Tianmo Dafa will only target Shi Zhixuan, one person. But when your true qi makes contact with his, he might exploit the field of qi to deal with you. This is precisely the most terrifying aspect of the Bu Si Yin Fa; practically he is unafraid of being under siege.”

Suddenly she cast her gaze toward the hilltop outside the forest to the left and said, “Da Ming Zun Jiao people already fell into the trap and started to move!”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance; they were well aware that they were still a notch inferior to Zhu Yuyan, because it was only after they heard Zhu Yuyan’s remark that they came to their senses and promptly applied their power to listen, and only then were they barely able to hear the sound of rustling clothes in the distance.

Shi Feixuan was still carrying her peaceful, without-any-ripple moving demeanor; no worry no joy, which made them guessing that this might be the Sword’s Heart Brightly Lit realm.

Shi Zhixuan, dignified, with a ruler-overlooking-the-world might – was standing with his hands behind his back on the vast plain between two mountaintops. The strange thing was that his clothes did not appear to be wet the least bit, although a drenched small leather bag was hanging on his back. His expression was cold, without any emotion, as if he was completely unconcerned about the enemy coming from all directions to surround him, the corner of his mouth even revealed a hint of disdainful and cruel smile.”

Zhu Yuyan and the three hid inside the thick forest on the hillside to Shi Zhixuan’s left side, watching the battle from afar.

Da Ming Zun Jiao had thirty-two people coming. Under the leadership of the ‘Thick Fog’ Jiu Lingzhi, the ‘Extinguished Fire’ Kuo Jie, and the ‘Vicious Wind’ Yang Mo of the Five Kinds of Demons, they heavily besieged the ‘Demonic King’ Shi Zhixuan, but did not immediately make their move.

The subordinates of the three demons were entirely first-class martial art masters. With such strength, they could indeed retain Shi Zhixuan. Too bad that with Bu Si Yin Fa plus Huan Mo Shenfa, Shi Zhixuan practically was not afraid of group warfare at all.

The ‘Thick Fog’ Jiu Lingzhi was thin, tall, and had long face; his appearance was a bit reminiscent of a Diaosigui [ghost of a person who died by hanging]. From time to time he rolled his two eyes, exposing the white of his eyeballs. His weapon was a heavy steel staff, which looked to weigh at least a hundred jin [1 jin ~ 1lb/0.5 kg].

The ‘Extinguished Fire’ Kuo Jie was of medium-build; his shoulders were broad and rough, his appearance fiendish and ugly, his lion nose was full of red freckles. He was using a pair of sabers. His footsteps heavy and solid; it looked like he was a valiant general expert in assaulting a fortified position.

Among the three demons, the ‘Vicious Wind’ Yang Mo’s appearance could be considered the most pleasing to the eye, the skin on his face was fair and clear, his eyes looked awake, but not actually awake. There was also a bit of scholarly, refined air around him. The long sword behind his back had not come out of its sheath yet.

Just by looking at their outward appearance, the three demons appeared to be between thirty, forty years old. But all qi practitioners can conceal their real age, just like Shi Zhixuan and Zhu Yuyan, that kind of masters; looking at them horizontally, looking at them vertically, they should not be more than thirty years old, while actually they were martial art masters of older generation who have made their names for nearly sixty years.

Shi Zhixuan’s gaze swept across the three demons; frowning, he said, “Why haven’t you made your move?”

A peal of tender laughter came from the opposite hilltop of where Kou Zhong and the others were hiding. Under escort of seven, eight people, a middle-aged but still attractive woman, whose seductive appearance grew without restraint, slowly appeared from the hillside. With a slight labored breathing, she spoke in Han language, “Shi LaoGe, didn’t you just meet your close friend? How come only one person’s shadow remains?”

Shi Zhixuan spoke with a cold laugh, “Turns out it’s Shan Mu, Sha Fang’s holy-self coming in person, how come Da Zun did not wait upon you left and right?”

The ‘Benevolent Mother’ Sha Fang’s face was like a full moon, her figure was well-rounded and alluring, her manners grandeur; she wore brocade boots and sable scarf, her upper garment was purple gold and white phoenix, her skirt was apricot yellow gold coin, her hair was tied in a bun with a hundred treasured flowers. The front of her long skirt was brushing the ground, the rear part of the skirt was dragging about a chi behind her, she wore double-hanging red and yellow belt, yet strangely the impression she left on other people was that she was graceful and nimble.

In her hands she was holding a short silver stick that looked like a highly decorated weapon, about two chi long, flickering with silvery light. A charming smile was hanging on her face, as she leisurely looked at Shi Zhixuan with seemingly deep emotion.

Zhu Yuyan, who was watching quietly, said, “The silver stick in Sha Fang’s hands is called ‘Yu Xiaoyao’ [free and unfettered jade]. Her Xiaoyao Chai [free and unfettered demolition] has a total of twenty-eight styles, but the changes are inexhaustible, even Shi Zhixuan does not dare to underestimate it. I never thought that unexpectedly she would undertake the task herself. From this, you can tell how much she values the Sheli.”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling mused inwardly that the more formidable Sha Fang was, the better it would be; it would be best if she and Shi Zhixuan fought until both sides suffer, so that they could reap the benefit later.

However, if Zhu Yuyan and Shi Zhixuan did not fight until they both perished, to whom the Relics would fall into would be another problem that would give them headache.

The ‘Benevolent Mother’ Sha Fang’s attendants consisted of five men and two women, who dressed in Huihe warrior outfit, all were equipped with crossbow and powerful arrows; their murderous aura was very thick.

With myriad bearings Sha Fang approached the perimeter of the siege. The warriors surrounding Shi Zhixuan parted to both sides, so that Sha Fang could look directly at Shi Zhixuan as they conversed.

Restraining her smile, Sha Fang spoke seriously, “On behalf of Da Zun, Sha Fang sincerely pays her respect to Xie Wang. If Xie Wang is willing to part with your cherished Sheng Sheli [holy relics], Xie Wang may read through our Da Ming Zun Jiao’s canonical text ‘Po Bu Luo Gan’ [it does not mean anything in Chinese, I think it’s a transliteration of some foreign language; po – grandma/matron, bu – cloth or to spread, luo – gauze or to collect, gan – dry/clean or to do something].”

Shi Zhixuan was still maintaining his calm and collected Mount-Tai-collapsing-in-front-of-him-his-countenance-won’t-change demeanor. “Rubbish!” he spoke coldly, “The Bu Si Yin Fa that I, Shi Zhixuan created absolutely transcends the ancient and modern times; if you don’t believe me, just use the Xiaoyao Chai that you, Shan Mu developed from the ‘Po Bu Luo Gan’ to give it a try.”

The numerous Da Ming Zun Jiao martial art masters surrounding Shi Zhixuan, no one snorted even half a humph; apparently they were intimidated by Shi Zhixuan’s imposing manner.

The ‘Benevolent Mother’ Sha Fang suddenly let out a peal of tender laughter and said, “Xie Wang’s heroic spirit is still like before. Ay! We all are of the same principle, massacring each other is too senseless! Sha Fang has a proposal: I want to experience several moves; may I venture to ask Xie Wang to allow it?”

Inwardly Kou Zhong and the others praised Sha Fang’s brilliance; realizing the change of situation, plus Zhu Yuyan [sic, I checked various sources; I think it should be Sha Fang, but perhaps my understanding is incorrect] was not Shi Zhixuan’s match, immediately she changed strategy, from group warfare to attack from all sides to one-on-one duel. On the surface she appeared to be pompous, but actually she was giving thought to both herself and her subordinates, to avoid Shi Zhixuan borrowing her subordinates’ true qi and reversing it to deal with her, but also so that Shi Zhixuan could not break the siege and escape.

However, she dared to fight one-on-one against Shi Zhixuan, she was an extremely daring person.

Throwing his head back in a long laughter, Shi Zhixuan said, “Shan Mu is willing to fight with me one-on-one, this is something that Shi Zhixuan seeks, but fails to get; how could I refuse?”

With an enchanting smile, Sha Fang said, “Xie Wang is fast, both the person and the tongue. Let’s have the twenty-eight Chai [lit. tearing open/dismantling/demolition, I am starting to think that this is a martial art term, but I don’t know what it is] as the limit. If Sha Fang is still unable to defeat Xie Wang’s Bu Si Yin Fa, henceforth I will never show any interest in the Sheng Sheli.”

Shi Zhixuan responded indifferently, “It’s a deal. However, if before your twenty-eight Chai is over, you, Shan Mu, must not retreat.”

The murderous intent in Sha Fang’s eyes flaring greatly, she said with a cold snort, “If you have the skill, then take my, Sha Fang’s life within these twenty-eight Chai! Everybody, retreat to my side!”

The last sentence was addressed to her subordinates. Without letting half a snort, the three demons and the other obediently retreated about two zhang behind Sha Fang. The five men and two women on Sha Fang’s left and right also withdrew.

The atmosphere immediately became tense.

Two top martial art masters of major demonic ways stood opposite each other across a distance.

Even without any wind, the gorgeous clothes and the ribbons on Sha Fang’s body suddenly fluttered. Laughing tenderly, she said, “I wonder if that thing behind Xie Wang’s back is the Sheng Sheli?”

Shi Zhixuan reached back to pat the bag on his back, he smiled and said, “Precisely! Kill me, Shi Zhixuan, and it’s yours.”

Over yonder, Zhu Yuyan spoke heavily, “This is the Shi Zhixuan without any flaw, just like the Shi Zhixuan before meeting Bi Xiuxin.”

Xu Ziling mused that the Shi Zhixuan he met in Chang’an ought to be considered as the Shi Zhixuan with the flaw, because the mention of Shi Qingxuan’s name was enough to affect him adversely, ultimately it could even split out another kind of completely different personality. But perhaps using this kind of trick right now would not be effective at all.

Kou Zhong said, “I should have hoped that Shi Zhixuan would succeed in killing Sha Fang, yet the fact is that I am quite worried about her. I wonder if this is the sympathizing-with-the-weak mentality?”

Zhu Yuyan said, “Sha Fang is not the weak at all. Shi Zhixuan is using attacking-the-heart technique, so that Sha Fang will not dare to release her power to the greatest extent. From this, it could be seen that Shi Zhixuan is not without restraining fear toward Sha Fang.”

Hearing that, everybody’s heart, Shi Feixuan included, was full of admiration, musing inwardly that Zhu Yuyan was worthy to be a figure of grandmaster level, certainly she had brilliant knowledge and experience.

Sha Fang suddenly moved forward. Because the long skirt dragging on the ground was concealing the movement of her feet, she looked a bit like a ghost whose feet did not touch the ground, as she was floating toward Shi Zhixuan.

A shadow flashed, Shi Zhixuan was suddenly on Sha Fang’s left side, his palm slashed down toward the side of her neck.

His movements were like moving clouds and flowing water; confident and at ease, pleasant to the eye.

Sha Fang let out a cold snort, she spun backward to evade, silvery lights exploded from her hands to meet Shi Zhixuan’s slicing palm head-on.

Two giants of the martial art study were finally in face-to-face confrontation.

‘Bang!’

The palm and the stick clashed. With the two combatants as the center, mud was exploding outward, scraping the grass. The momentum was astonishing to the extreme. Both sides retreated.

Among the spectators, Xu Ziling was the one with the deepest impression, because he had fought many times against Shi Zhixuan, and was deeply aware of how formidable this gentleman was. Sha Fang was able to block this move without the slightest difficulty, he knew that she was, at least, better than Xu Ziling in Chang’an.

Shi Feixuan sighed lightly and said, “Our operation tonight fails!”

Zhu Yuyan revealed a thoughtful expression. Stunned, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked at each other. They had not yet fought, how could Shi Feixuan foresee the outcome?

Sha Fang’s tender laughter was heard as she said, “Ever since Sha Fang created the Twenty-Eight Chai, there has never been any opponent who could see it from head to tail; could Xie Wang be the only exception?”

Unleashing an amazing footwork, the Yu Xiaoyao in her hands deftly, in a hard-to-believe way, drew fantastic, dazzling-the-eyes light and shadow silvery discs. In Kou Zhong and the others’ eyes, they were able to see that she was using some rapid-beyond-human-comprehension strange technique, from different angles, taking advantage before Shi Zhixuan launched his attack, to create fifteen points, releasing fifteen streams of fierce and severe qi power, some directly attacking Shi Zhixuan’s vital points, some seemed to be striking empty space, but actually she was sealing any changes in Shi Zhixuan’s evasive movements.

Fifteen streams of qi power, like fifteen arrows of qi, completely enveloped the Demonic King Shi Zhixuan in the middle.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had never imagined that Sha Fang’s Yu Xiaoyao would be this brilliant; they mused inwardly that if they were in Shi Zhixuan’s position, they would surely be in a very difficult situation.

If Sha Fang had an unlimited supply of true qi, she could maintain her present power, and then no one in the world would be able to withstand her Xiao Yao Chai. This was certainly not possible, but to be able to hold out until the moment her true qi exhausted was surely very difficult.

Shi Zhixuan let out a long laugh, his body flashed around like a ghost in a very narrow space! His two hands turned into palm shadows filling the sky; unexpectedly he fought speed with speed and met Sha Fang’s Chai qi head-on.

Momentarily the sound of qi power explosion filled the air, one after another, in rapid succession, just like the firecrackers on the pagoda of Taiji Palace in Chang’an.

‘Bang!’

The two combatants’ palms collided and separated, twice.

Nodding her head, Zhu Yuyan said, “Feixuan is right. Shi Zhixuan is attempting to steal a little bit of true qi from Sha Fang’s body, so even if he wins, the wear and tear to his true energy would be considerable. Under this kind of circumstances, he will certainly not take the risk for a life-and-death battle with me tonight.”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling suddenly saw the light; secretly they praised Shi Feixuan for her orchid kindly feelings and character, her eyesight was even more brilliant. As soon as the two combatants exchanged the first move, she already saw that even if Shi Zhixuan was able to strike and kill Sha Fang, the victory would be very difficult and exhausting, so he would not have any strength left to deal with Zhu Yuyan. In this kind of situation, the only way out was to run far away.

With his Huan Mo Shenfa, practically no one would be able to catch up with him, hence Shi Feixuan came to the conclusion that tonight’s operation failed.

The retreating Sha Fang made a spin of her body, it was as if she was turning into a thousand-hand Guanyin, the Yu Xiaoyao turned into hundreds or thousands Chai shadows, which was hard to tell which one was real, which one was false, putting her body tightly inside the light and shadow, going all-out to take the initiative to attack.

Shi Zhixuan let out a cold snort. His movements seemed to slow down. He sent out a punch, which clearly was far inferior to Sha Fang’s astonishing high speed. When Sha Fang’s Yu Xiaoyao stabbed eight streams of qi arrow, his punch just hit the real target within the true and false mirage.

‘Bang!’

The fist and the Chai clashed.

Sha Fang’s tender body shook severely, she floated backward. Obviously she suffered hidden loss. Watching this, the group of her subordinates under the three demons’ leadership was stunned. Clearly there were at least three streams of Sha Fang’s qi arrow that hit Shi Zhixuan’s vital acupoint, yet he appeared to be unaffected at all, even sending the most fierce and severe counterattack.

Naturally Zhu Yuyan and the others could see through clearly that although Shi Zhixuan was unable to steal Sha Fang’s highly concentrated demolition [Chai] qi for his own use, but to neutralize it using the Bu Si Yin Fa, it was still like handling a butcher’s cleaver with ease.

Shi Zhixuan let out a long laugh, from defense he turned into offense; suddenly he darted in front to Sha Fang and attack with all his strength. Whether it was a punch, a finger poke, a palm chop, or an elbow strike, each movement was very clear, appearing to be clumsy but was actually ingenious. Sha Fang was no longer able to shoot demolition qi, and could only counter every move. Although she did not appear to be defeated, but she was coping extremely strenuously.

However, for Shi Zhixuan, it was also a move that required extraordinary amount of effort.

‘Dang!’

Shi Zhixuan’s fingertip stabbed the tip of the Yu Xiaoyao, Sha Fang evidently could not match Shi Zhixuan’s finger power, she was severely shaken and was forced to retreat.

Surprisingly, Shi Zhixuan did not follow up the victory and press home the attack. Standing with his hands behind his back, he loftily said, “Shan Mu still wants to continue fighting?”

Sha Fang steadied her footing, the murderous intent in her pair of eyes flared greatly, she stared fiercely at Shi Zhixuan and spoke slowly, word-by-word, “Bu Si Yin Fa’s name is definitely not in vain. From this moment on, our Da Ming Zun Jiao will never again show any interest in Sheng Sheli. Let’s go!”

Shi Zhixuan let out a long whistle, suddenly he flew sideways, like a ghost he floated more than ten zhang away, before soaring into the air and flew toward the dense forest area nearby. In the twinkling of an eye he disappeared without any trace.