Laughter rang out amidst the chaos of the martial arts gathering at the Virtue Association. Two prominent middle-aged men were conversing jovially, while most martial artists were panicking over Jin Tianwang subduing Han Zhaoming. When Heaven-Equaling Peak, Han Zhaoming had slumped unconscious on the ground, Jin Tianwang had already bid farewell and departed.

  A tall, large man with a beard reaching his chest spoke with a firm voice, “Tianwang executed it exactly as I desired. With just one penetrating fist, he triumphed over that useless mountain.”

  A middle-aged man with the appearance of a learned scholar replied, “Tianwang is sharp; he likely knew from the start that this was all our plan. He went through with it solely to repay our past kindness.”

  “Tianwang’s move was flawless. Look at that Han fellow; he is unconscious and oblivious to everything now.”

  “Ha ha ha, simply magnificent.”

  The martial artists began to sense the presence of the two men and turned to look with surprise. While The Sage of the Eight Corners, Han Xiaozhi was trying to revive Han Zhaoming, The Six Decrees, Pei Chengyue suddenly saw the two individuals. Shock washed over his face as he exclaimed, “It is you two, The Blood Hawk, Diao Zhufan and The Eight-Slayer Fist, Wang Yu.”

  The Blood Hawk Diao Zhufan and The Eight-Slayer Fist Wang Yu raised their hands to pay their respects to The Six Decrees Pei Chengyue in unison.

  “You are Di Yu, are you not?” Pei Chengyue saw the middle-aged scholar walking out with Diao Zhufan—whom he should have addressed as “Wang Yu,” but instead called “Di Yu”—which was extremely strange.

  Even so, The Eight-Slayer Fist Wang Yu did not deny it, but greeted back, “I have not met the Senior for a long time; your memory remains excellent.”

  Pei Chengyue felt that the appearance of these two boded ill, so he shouted, “All of this is your doing, using Jin Tianwang to throw everything into chaos.”

  “In the past, you did not know what plan was used to destroy Stone Fiend Shi Wusha, nor how we dominated the martial world for over twenty years. Now it is time for a change,” Diao Zhufan announced loudly.

  Many martial artists could naturally remember The Blood Hawk Diao Zhufan. Moreover, countless martial artists remembered The Eight-Slayer Fist Wang Yu as well. Though many years had passed and Wang Yu had not involved himself much with the martial world, his god-like medical skills had saved an immense number of martial artists. Once those people saw the person who used to save their lives, they all came to pay homage and show respect.

  Pei Chengyue suddenly realized Jin Tianwang’s martial arts skills must have been inherited from these two supreme experts. Thus, he shouted fiercely, “The brat surnamed Jin is your creation.”

  “Correct. The brat surnamed Jin whom you mentioned, in truth, should have been the conqueror of Stone Fiend Shi Wusha in the past. Because the Nine Heavens Penetrating Fist you saw a moment ago should, in reality, be used to shatter the Nine Heavens Armor of the Stone Fiend, not that useless mountain,” Wang Yu spoke with a smile.

  “Di Yu, even if you change your surname to Wang, it cannot change the truth that you are the son of The Demonic Doctor, Di Jiao, the founder of The Defying Heaven Sect.” Pei Chengyue tried to use this opportunity to mobilize the martial artists to act against Wang Yu and Diao Zhufan.

  “Whether I am surnamed Di or Wang holds no importance. Today, we are here to wipe this hypocritical Virtue Association (The Virtue Association) off the face of the martial world,” Wang Yu retorted.

  As Wang Yu’s voice faded, a storm of black blades spread out to attack those who seemed to stand with the Virtue Association. That black blade storm was born from a black saber. A black saber this fierce could belong to no one else but The Reckless Blade, Li Sibei, who now led a number of martial artists storming in. The gathering, already chaotic, now became extremely tumultuous. People fled for their lives; people fought each other until it became a great bloodshed.

  The Six Decrees Pei Chengyue had no confidence to fight two supreme experts like The Blood Hawk Diao Zhufan and The Eight-Slayer Fist Wang Yu. He could only choose to escape, relying on himself and The Absolute Jade, Di Yuning to break out. Meanwhile, the father and son of the Han family were still besieged by Li Sibei’s people.

  Heaven-Equaling Peak Han Zhaoming regained consciousness again. Everything had changed completely. His body was bound with ropes as thick as a child’s arm to a large wooden chair inside a dim, stuffy room. As he opened his eyes, he saw two familiar faces in front. From the dampness on his face, he knew he had been splashed with water to wake him up.

  Han Zhaoming, usually a calm and composed person, now found himself tied to a wooden chair and roared in fury, “What is the meaning of this? Why am I bound like this?”

  “Han Zhaoming, just answer us truthfully, and we are willing to let you leave,” Diao Zhufan said with a stern expression.

  “What is the meaning of this? Why must you treat me like this?” Han Zhaoming still maintained his air of superiority.

  “Han Zhaoming, do you still believe you are the Chief of the Virtue Association? The Virtue Association no longer exists in the martial world,” Diao Zhufan shouted in the face of Han Zhaoming, who remained tied to the large wooden chair.

  “The Virtue Association no longer exists—what does that mean? Have you destroyed it?” Han Zhaoming asked with a confused expression.

  “The Virtue Association is merely a facade that your Han family fabricated. Throughout the years, where was the virtue? There were only the desires of your Han family.” These sentences were not spoken by Diao Zhufan, but by the middle-aged man with the appearance of a scholar.

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  “Who are you?” Han Zhaoming looked at this scholar and found him familiar, but could not recall immediately.

  “Do you not remember the old friend who once saved your life and treated your injuries?” The middle-aged scholar walked closer for Han Zhaoming to see clearly.

  “You are the son of The Demonic Doctor Di Jiao.” Han Zhaoming did not know this person’s name, but remembered the past.

  “Correct. I am the son of The Demonic Doctor Di Jiao, the one who treated the poison for you, and released you to escape from The Defying Heaven Sect.” This middle-aged scholar was Di Yu, also known as Wang Yu.

  Wang Yu was the son of Di Jiao, the Demonic Doctor, founder of the Defying Heaven Sect. Later, a severe conflict occurred with his father because Di Jiao wanted to give the Defying Heaven Sect to Stone Fiend Shi Wusha instead of his own flesh and blood. Di Yu severed ties with his father and went back to use his mother’s surname, Wang, entering the martial world under the name Wang Yu. Later he received the title The Eight-Slayer Fist. In the past, because of his hatred for Stone Fiend Shi Wusha, he had saved Heaven-Equaling Peak Han Zhaoming, in return for one shameful exchange.

  Han Zhaoming, recalling who the middle-aged scholar standing before him was, felt shame regarding a certain woman. He did not dare meet Wang Yu's eyes anymore, merely lowering his head and saying nothing.

  “Han Zhaoming, tell us the truth about the events seventeen years ago. How did you manage to conquer and kill Stone Fiend Shi Wusha? We all know well that with your martial arts skills, you could never destroy the power of that invincible armor,” Wang Yu asked the question that had haunted him for nearly twenty years.

  Han Zhaoming suddenly raised his face to lock eyes with Wang Yu, wearing a contemptuous smile. He realized that these men were merely defeated dogs of Stone Fiend Shi Wusha, unable to accept that anyone could conquer an enemy they could not equal. Their old hatred for Shi Wusha had shifted to him—a man they believed absolutely unworthy of such power.

  “You heard us; speak now!” Diao Zhufan roared with anger.

  “Ha ha ha, only I conquered Stone Fiend Shi Wusha. How could you possess such ability?” Han Zhaoming laughed gratifyingly, like a madman.

  Diao Zhufan struck the back of his hand against Han Zhaoming’s face immediately. The force of the blow snapped Han Zhaoming’s head to the side, loosening his molars.

  Wang Yu suddenly spoke words beyond expectation, “Let him go.”

  Diao Zhufan cried out in surprise, “Why make it so easy?”

  “Let him live to witness our success for a while. Let him taste the same resentment we felt before.” Wang Yu explained with a serious voice, concealing his disdain for Han Zhaoming.

  Diao Zhufan listened and saw reason. Thus, he flicked the saber at his waist once, severing the ropes binding Han Zhaoming, and released him.

  Merry Meanderer Jin Tianwang, after conquering Heaven-Equaling Peak Han Zhaoming, came to a stop in front of a large lake. Scattered piles of snow lay all around the lakeshore. At this moment, the water surface had not yet frozen over, but in such coldness, this lake would soon become a large sheet of ice.

  The sound of footsteps rang out from behind Jin Tianwang.

  Jin Tianwang, though not turning back, recognized these footsteps very well. These footsteps appeared even in his dreams. Now, they had returned to find him again. Therefore, Jin Tianwang turned around to face a woman. A woman whom he, whether asleep or awake, always thought of.

  This woman had a slender face, big round eyes, crescent moon eyebrows, a prominent nose bridge, and thin, fresh red lips. Her face was flawless beauty. Moreover, she possessed a beautiful figure suitable for a young woman. She was the woman reputed to be the most beautiful in the martial world, The Frostflower Maiden, Han Yuexin.

  When the dream became reality, Jin Tianwang met Han Yuexin again. Both, who should have had many words to say to each other, instead only stared at each other in silence.

  After several moments, it was Han Yuexin who shouted with anger first, “You helped them invade and destroy my family's Virtue Association.”

  Jin Tianwang, how could he have any answer for Han Yuexin? For he was indeed the one who had truly destroyed her family.

  “By doing this, you show no regard for me, not even a little.” Han Yuexin blamed him with irascible emotion.

  Jin Tianwang could only lower his head, before saying, “I myself owe them greatly.”

  “You destroyed my family to repay their kindness like that?” Han Yuexin summarized what Jin Tianwang had said.

  Jin Tianwang remained silent.

  “Wonderful, wonderful. Now you have repaid them. Then go back and kill them all completely for me, can you?” Han Yuexin spoke sarcastically.

  Jin Tianwang clenched both hands tightly. He spoke no words, but the sound of his grinding teeth escaped his lips.

  “Didn't you once say you loved me, willing to do anything for me?” Han Yuexin retraced the past.

  Blood began seeping out from both of Jin Tianwang's fists. His fingernails likely pierced the flesh of his palms. But still, there were no words from him.

  “I once begged you to kill a courtesan; you did not keep your promise. You even deceived me that you had killed her. This time you brought enemies to sweep away and destroy my Han family. I do not know if this love of yours exists only to deceive and destroy me?” Han Yuexin explained scene by scene; all were her interpretations of Jin Tianwang’s actions toward her.

  “No, that is not true!” Jin Tianwang suddenly shouted at the top of his voice.

  “So now you find your voice.” Han Yuexin said with a gaze full of resentment.

  “Now I know the truth: that you liked Qi Yiling's lover, so you told me to kill her.” Jin Tianwang pieced everything together, realizing that she had grown estranged from him because her heart belonged to another man.

  “You say this... implying that I deceived you?”

  “You did not deceive me. I know well, I am not worthy of you.” Jin Tianwang voiced the thought that had always stuck in his heart.

  “Jin Tianwang... You are not worthy of me, so you brought people to destroy my family, is that it?”

  “No.” Jin Tianwang could only utter a denial.

  “No what? Tell me.” Han Yuexin pressed him further.

  “Because I love you. I always have.” Jin Tianwang shouted at the top of his voice, shedding all shame. His face resembled a person crying, but no tears fell.

  “You evil person, you still dare to say such words. From this moment on, remember this: I, Han Yuexin, hate you, resent you, and will kill you without fail.” Then, Han Yuexin suddenly smiled gratifyingly. This smile sliced and destroyed Jin Tianwang’s heart viciously. Then she continued, “Back then, you were the fool, thinking I was pleased with you. From now on, do not let me see your face again. Otherwise, I will kill you.”

  Jin Tianwang suddenly lost all strength, collapsing to his knees. The power in his body seemed to vanish completely.

  “Look at this.” Han Yuexin shouted at Jin Tianwang. In her hand appeared a hairpin carved from hardwood into the shape of a swan.

  Jin Tianwang saw it and knew well that it was the hairpin he had made for Han Yuexin.

  Han Yuexin used her right hand to snap the hairpin, confirming that the relationship of the past had ended right here.

  “I return this hairpin to you.” Han Yuexin said, but turned her back, throwing it into the large lake at the side. At that moment she recalled something, and added, “The head of that slut surnamed Qi was also thrown by me into this lake.”

  Hearing these words, Jin Tianwang seemed to go mad with grief. He suddenly leaped into that freezing lake, diving to the bottom immediately, unaware that Han Yuexin had already departed.

  Now the Han family was almost erased from the martial world. The greatness and grandeur of the Virtue Association declined rapidly.

  Such is power. Once revered, once feared—and when it fades, no one even remembers.