In an instant, Huo Xiao Di saw it—a tiny sliver of silver, as if it had suddenly emerged, embedded in the bloody flesh of the wound. Within moments, it clung to the Yin Yang An.
The black blade now appeared to have grown an eye—a silver eye! In his daze, it almost seemed as though the eye blinked at him.
The silver fragment was removed and placed on the ground, where it continued to emit a sinister glow.
Huo Xiao Di felt the Yin Yang An tremble again in his hand, as if drawn by the malevolent pull of the silver shard.
“What is this thing?” he asked, his voice laced with unease.
Zhan Ri Fei’s complexion had improved significantly, and his gaze was calm.
“What you’re looking at is a fragment of the greatest weapon Han Shui Palace has produced in a hundred years. It has a peculiar name—‘Chang Xiang Si’ [Eternal Longing].”
Huo Xiao Di examined it from every angle and scoffed. “I don’t see what’s so special about it.”
Zhan Ri Fei explained, “The uniqueness of ‘Chang Xiang Si’ lies in its construction. It is forged using celestial silkworm threads mixed with mysterious iron found beneath the cold springs of Han Shui Palace. When wielded, it moves invisibly, its presence felt only in its effects. Combined with Han Shui Palace’s ‘Coiling Finger Softness’ technique, it gains the upper hand in any battle, leaving opponents defenseless.”
Huo Xiao Di asked, “If it’s made with mysterious iron, why doesn’t it have even a hint of a dark hue?”
Zhan Ri Fei replied, “This mysterious iron is extraordinary. It is extracted from strange stones found beneath the cold springs of Han Shui Palace. While submerged, it appears black, but once removed from the springs, it immediately becomes colorless.”
He continued, “Its natural state is transparent. If not for your Yin Yang An, which is forged using Yin and Yang Fire, ‘Chang Xiang Si’ wouldn’t have reacted upon contact, and you wouldn’t have been able to see it.”
Huo Xiao Di slowly remarked, “So, ‘Chang Xiang Si’ is indeed a divine weapon, but it must require a skilled practitioner from Han Shui Palace to wield it effectively.”
Zhan Ri Fei nodded. “Exactly. It is the signature weapon of the Moon Emissary, one of the four emissaries under the Matriarch of Han Shui Palace.”
Huo Xiao Di rested his chin on his hand, staring at the moonlight flooding the ground, clearly lost in thought. Under the combined glow of the moonlight and the fire, something flickered in his eyes.
He remained silent for a long time before finally raising his head.
“There are many things I don’t fully understand, but don’t think I can’t guess the truth.”
—“I need to ask you: why did you shield me from the people of Han Shui Palace?”
—“Who exactly were the two you intercepted on my behalf?”
—“We agreed not to owe each other anything, yet you sent me to deal with the Hua brothers. Was it because you already knew I couldn’t handle those two from Han Shui Palace?”
—“Were you, yourself, fully capable of dealing with the Hua brothers?”
Zhan Ri Fei seemed unprepared for these questions. He didn’t answer directly but instead gave a faint smile. “Perhaps I anticipated that I would need your help often in the future.”
Huo Xiao Di said, “That reason doesn’t seem very convincing.”
Zhan Ri Fei admitted, “You’re right. It’s not very convincing.”
Huo Xiao Di then added, “Luckily, I just removed the fragment of ‘Chang Xiang Si’ from your back. Doesn’t that mean I no longer owe you anything?”
Zhan Ri Fei asked, “What do you mean, Brother Huo?”
Huo Xiao Di interrupted, “What I mean is, your wound is still bleeding.”
As he spoke, he extended his hand, seemingly to staunch the bleeding and cover the torn fabric of Zhan Ri Fei’s back.
But at some point, that outstretched hand turned into a pointed finger.
Suddenly, Zhan Ri Fei felt a sharp numbness run through his spine. A thread-thin, almost imperceptible force shot through his body like lightning. Overwhelmed, he collapsed to the ground, unable to hold himself up any longer.
—Who ambushed him?
—And why?
As Zhan Ri Fei fell to the ground, he already knew the answer. It was as obvious as a louse on a bald man’s head—even if he couldn’t see it, he could figure it out with minimal effort.
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