The night before his wedding day, Ma Jingguo stood before the mirror, his reflection a stranger. This should have been a very happy occasion, brimming with joyous anticipation, but his heart felt hollow, utterly devoid of happiness. He had agreed to marry Kuo Changchang, a decision born not of love, but of a bitter acceptance, largely because Mu Dishi had told him that he and Kuo Changchang were a perfect match. In his opinion, a truth etched into his very soul, he still believed wholeheartedly that only Mu Dishi and he were perfect for each other. Mu Dishi's personality was cold, a shield against the world, and he rarely spoke. Ma Jingguo, with his own lively spirit, knew he could always alleviate Mu Dishi's murderous aura, calming him with just a genuine smile. But tonight, no smile could calm his own restless spirit. Sleep was impossible, so he decided to walk around the Jinfeng Sect, seeking any distraction from the churning turmoil within him.
As Ma Jingguo approached the quiet solitude of the small pond pavilion, hushed voices carried on the night air, drawing his attention. He overheard two disciples' hushed conversations.
"Your leader is not here today?" the Mo Clan disciple whispered, a hint of disdain in his tone.
"My leader is not here. I am representing her," the Leung Clan disciple replied, his voice equally hushed.
"Me too. I hope our leaders kill that Mu Dishi and bring honor back to our clans," the Mo Clan disciple hissed, venom dripping from his words.
"The three Sects and four Clans are heading to Mu Village now. Mu Dishi has been hidden there for several months. It was not discovered until four days ago. So, the three Sects and four Clans decided to go kill Mu Dishi," the Leung Clan disciple revealed, a grim satisfaction in his voice.
"That evil Mu Dishi stabbed my master seventy-one times," the Mo Clan disciple spat, his voice filled with burning hatred. "I hope that they will stab him until no one recognizes him."
"Let's drink," the Leung Clan disciple chuckled darkly.
The words struck Ma Jingguo like a physical blow, each one a shard of ice splintering his fragile peace. He returned to his room, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs, and frantically grabbed some small, essential belongings. When he approached the door, his hand on the latch, he stopped, a wave of hesitation washing over him. Tomorrow, he was to marry Kuo Changchang. If he left without a word, she would be heartbroken, likely furious. But the thought of Mu Dishi facing hundreds of vengeful martial artists, alone, extinguished all other considerations. He returned to the table, scribbled a short, hurried note for Kuo Changchang, a silent apology, and then, without another glance back, he left Jinfeng Sect, a desperate urgency driving him towards Mu Village. He rode his horse relentlessly the entire night, the wind tearing past him, his destination fixed.
Meanwhile, at Mu Village, the disciples of the three Sects and four Clans, numbering three hundred, stood poised before the Mu Border Stone. The air crackled with anticipation and vengeful intent.
"Mu Dishi has been in Mu Village for a few months," Mo Ehuang stated, her voice low and sharp. "We will go up quietly and carry out a sneak attack."
"Everyone will hide along the way," Suo Dongmei added, her eyes glinting.
Shui Cong surveyed the assembled forces, his gaze grim. "Everyone knows their positions?" Everyone nodded, a wave of grim determination passing through them. "Even if Mu Dishi has wings, he will not escape."
"Everyone must be careful," Shui Jinhai cautioned, his voice strained. "Do not let your own weapon pierce you." The disciples of the three Sects and four Clans nodded; a silent acknowledgment of the formidable opponent they faced.
Just then, as Mu Dishi walked towards Mu Village from the other end of the road, a chilling stillness fell over the gathering. He saw the group of people, hundreds strong, massing around the Mu Border Stone. He walked slowly towards them, his senses already picking up fragmented whispers of their conversation – enough to confirm their deadly purpose. They were there to kill him.
Mu Dishi stopped a dozen paces from the crowd, his voice cutting through the tension, impossibly cold. "How long is everyone going to stand there?"
At his voice, the disciples of the three Sects and four Clans whirled around, facing Mu Dishi. With a synchronized hiss of steel, they unsheathed their swords, pointing hundreds of gleaming blades directly at him.
Mu Dishi's lips curled into a disdainful sneer. "I've made myself very clear with you dogs. If you show up, I will have no problem ending your doggies' lives."
"Today, we will end your life!" Leung Xiaolin roared, his face contorted in anger.
"Mu Dishi," Wen Zen declared, his voice trembling with fury, "either you die, or we die!"
Mu Dishi threw back his head and laughed, a chilling, mirthless sound that echoed across the quiet landscape. "Very good, then everyone can join the four dog leaders down in hell."
"Do not let him take out his two bells!" Shui Cong shouted, his voice ringing with urgency, recognizing the true threat.
"Everyone attacks!" Wen Zen commanded, and the hundreds of disciples surged forward, a wave of steel and fury.
Mu Dishi, a whirlwind of motion, took out Honglei and began cutting down the less experienced disciples, his movements brutally efficient. The disciples of the three Sects and four Clans quickly surrounded him, a tightening circle of death.
With a powerful leap, Mu Dishi jumped high into the air, sheathed Honglei, and pulled out his two golden bells. He radiated a powerful ray downwards, a blinding golden light that struck the massed disciples, causing immediate disarray. Men cried out, clutching their chests, vomiting blood as their internal energies reeled.
Mu Dishi landed unharmed amidst the chaos, his presence a deadly calm in the storm. The injured disciples slowly retreated, gathering in a small, trembling group, their eyes fixed on Mu Dishi.
Mu Dishi looked at them coldly, his eyes devoid of mercy. He sent out another powerful ray at the injured group. Those whose internal energy was weak or who had just started practicing martial arts died instantly, their bodies collapsing lifelessly to the ground. Out of the three hundred that had come to kill Mu Dishi, only fifty-two remained.
Mu Dishi, his expression unchanged, put away his two golden bells and picked up two swords from the ground. He began to walk slowly, deliberately, towards the injured, terror-stricken group of people.
"Mu Dishi..." Leung Xiaolin gasped, fear and defiance warring in his eyes. He flew towards Mu Dishi, his sword a desperate blur.
Mu Dishi easily blocked Leung Xiaolin's attack. With the fluid grace of Wuming moves, he engaged Leung Xiaolin. After ten moves or so, Leung Xiaolin, already badly injured, was kicked hard, landing on the ground in front of the remaining group, vomiting more blood.
Mu Dishi, with a chilling precision, kicked a sword lying on the ground towards Leung Xiaolin. The sword sliced into Leung Xiaolin's left upper arm and continued, piercing straight into Shui Jinhai's left calf, who was standing behind Leung Xiaolin.
"Ehuang, give me the antidote!" Shui Jinhai cried out, his face contorted in pain.
Mo Ehuang's voice was cold, merciless. "If you want the antidote, kill Mu Dishi."
The Shui brothers stared at Mo Ehuang, their supposed comrade, in stunned disbelief.
"Mo Ehuang, how dare you?" Shui Cong snarled, his voice thick with betrayal.
"You guys are running out of time by standing here and arguing with me," Mo Ehuang stated, her eyes fixed on Mu Dishi, ignoring their pleas. "You have less than an hour to kill Mu Dishi or the poison will kill you."
"Mo Ehuang," Suo Dongmei interjected, her voice laced with desperate reason, "they are our comrades! We agreed to kill Mu Dishi together, seeking revenge for our fathers. Why are you treating them as your enemies?"
"I don't care who they are," Mo Ehuang spat, her focus unwavering. "I want Mu Dishi dead."
Driven by desperation and the agony of the spreading poison, Shui Cong, Shui Jinhai, and Leung Xiaolin charged at Mu Dishi, a suicidal fury in their eyes.
Mu Dishi, still utilizing the effortless power of Wuming moves, fought the three. He charged with full strength at Leung Xiaolin, knowing he was already gravely injured. When Shui Cong and Shui Jinhai attacked him simultaneously, he kicked them both away, then plunged his sword directly into Leung Xiaolin's lower left shoulder, killing him instantly. Without a pause, he turned, a fleeting blur as he flew past the two stunned Shui brothers, slitting their throats with cold precision. He then pointed his sword at Suo Dongmei, Mo Ehuang, Wen Zen, and the rest of the injured clan and sect members.
Mu Dishi scoffed, his voice dripping with chilling disdain. "Who wants to die next?"
Wen Zen, his face pale with terror, dropped to his knees and pleaded, "Mu Dishi, if you let me go, I will stop seeking revenge."
The two remaining Sects' representatives also sank to their knees, begging, "Da xia, if you let us live, we two Sects promise not to seek further revenge!"
Mu Dishi's voice rose to a terrifying scream, raw with contempt. "You dogs get out of my sight!"
Wen Zen and the two Sects' representatives scrambled away from the scene, fleeing in a panicked retreat, dragging their remaining disciples with them.
Suo Dongmei and Mo Ehuang, fueled by a mixture of ingrained hatred and desperate fury, launched themselves at Mu Dishi. The two women, formidable in their own right, were no match for the impossibly skilled Mu Dishi. In less than ten moves, Mu Dishi had them disarmed, his swords cold against their necks.
"Xiao shushu, don't kill them!"
The voice, familiar yet unexpected, cut through the tension. Mu Dishi froze, surprised to hear Ma Jingguo. The last time they had parted, Ma Jingguo had promised he would never see Mu Dishi again.
Ma Jingguo walked slowly towards Mu Dishi, his heart pounding. "Miss Mo and Miss Suo, your fathers did kill a village of seventy-one people because they wanted the Mu treasure map. If you don't believe me, look to your left. Those seventy-one graves belong to the innocent Mu Villagers." The two women, their faces a mask of disbelief, turned to their left, their eyes falling upon the seventy-one silent tombstones. "Your fathers killed Mu Dishi's father, mother, his uncle, his four-year-old sister, his Wang Biming, and the entire Mu Clan just because they want what is not theirs. He seeks revenge for his family members." Every time Wang Biming's name was mentioned, a fresh, painful wound opened in Ma Jingguo's heart, a bitter twist to his own sacrifice.
Mu Dishi slowly turned to face Ma Jingguo. He saw that Ma Jingguo had blindfolded his eyes with a dark cloth and was holding a walking stick, a profound shock rippling through him.
Just then, twenty Sword Village disciples, along with Yong Caixia and Yong Hao, ran to the group, their arrival adding to the sudden surreal calm.
"Amitabha..." Yong Hao murmured, his voice filled with sorrow.
"If you don't believe me, ask Senior Yong," Ma Jingguo urged, his voice steady despite his hidden pain.
Suo Dongmei turned to Yong Hao, her voice raw with a desperate plea. "Senior Hao, is he telling the truth?"
Yong Hao sighed, his gaze heavy with regret. "Yes. Back then, I led the three Sects and four Clans up Mu Village. My only mistake was to believe that when we went up to Mu Village, we were only going to kill Mu Jiao Long." He looked at Suo Dongmei, his expression filled with a terrible sadness. "The truth is, everyone who came to Mu Village that night wanted to enter the Mu treasure cave. They killed everyone, including defenseless elders, women, and children."
Suo Dongmei stumbled back, utterly disbelieving. She murmured, her voice barely a whisper, "My father never mentioned any of this to us..."
"It is a very shameful topic to talk about," Yong Hao continued, "knowing that we killed seventy-one innocent lives that night."
"Miss Suo and Miss Mo," Yong Caixia added softly, "my Da Ye became a monk and destroyed his internal energy for that very reason."
"Childe Mu, please let the two ladies go," Yong Hao pleaded with Mu Dishi, his voice desperate. "If you want to trade..." He looked at Mu Dishi, offering a selfless sacrifice. "Take this old monk's life instead."
Suo Dongmei, her face pale with horror and shame, looked at Mu Dishi. "Mu Dishi, I didn't know that my father had done you wrong. My father killed your entire family, and you already killed him, so from now on, I will not seek revenge anymore."
Mu Dishi slowly withdrew his swords from Suo Dongmei and Mo Ehuang's necks. He said coldly to the two women, his voice utterly devoid of emotion, "I don't want to see any of you again." Mu Dishi dropped the two swords onto the ground and turned, walking purposefully up towards Mu Village, leaving the scene of carnage behind.
As he walked away, Mo Ehuang, still consumed by blind hatred, took out a hidden dagger and threw it, a desperate flash of steel aimed at Mu Dishi's back. Yong Hao, reacting instantly, rushed forward and blocked the dagger. It struck Yong Hao's right shoulder with a sickening thud.
"Hao da ye!" Yong Caixia cried out, rushing forward.
Ma Jingguo, tearing the blindfold from his eyes, rushed to Yong Hao's side, his heart pounding.
"Miss Mo, please give him the antidote now!" Ma Jingguo demanded, his voice sharp with urgency.
"Mo Ehuang," Yong Caixia asked angrily, her voice shaking, "does the Mo clan want to be an enemy with Sword Village?"
Mo Ehuang, recognizing her clan's vulnerable position and Sword Village's overwhelming power, knew she had no choice. She reached inside her inner robe and threw a small ceramic bottle at Yong Caixia.
Yong Caixia quickly removed the cover and gave Yong Hao the liquid antidote. Sword Village disciples carefully took Yong Hao away. Mo Ehuang and Suo Dongmei, their faces grim and defeated, followed them back to Sword Village.
Ma Jingguo stood there, watching Mu Dishi disappear up the hill, his figure diminishing into the distance, a wave of profound despair washing over him.