Hearing this, the doubt that had been hanging over Xue Muqing's heart for more than a dozen years finally formed a clear picture for the first time. She had wanted to step forward immediately to acknowledge her father, but having suffered tremendous upheavals since childhood, both her body and mind were deeply scarred, leaving her habitually distrustful of the world. Thus, she suppressed the words that had reached her lips.
Then, reflecting on her own misfortunes and only learning her father's name from someone else's mouth today, she could not help but feel a deep welling of sorrow and turned away to secretly wipe away her tears. Yue Dingguo steadied his emotions and continued:
"By the time I received the news and rushed to the Old Demon Forest to provide aid, I found that the forest was already completely deserted. I unexpectedly saw a Mountain Ghost that had escaped the Forbidden Zone, killed on the border between the Moon-Viewing Forest and the Old Demon Forest. Now, more than a dozen years later, the occurrence of another Mountain Ghost incident has inevitably made me recall those past events..."
"Alas, I, Yue Dingguo, am a founding general, yet I could not even protect the only bloodline of my closest friend. What face do I have to stand in this world!!"
Having said this, he let out a long sigh, the weariness and loneliness of the world evident in his eyes. Yue Shiyin, sharp and clever, saw the heavy atmosphere and sought to change the subject. She filled her father's glass and smiled, saying:
"Father, you are tired today. Drink a little more and then get some rest. By the way, you haven't finished telling me what happened to that Mountain Ghost later?"
"I was just about to get to that. After my scouts reported back, I personally led troops to investigate. When we reached the wilderness, I saw from afar that the Mountain Ghost was roaring and swaying as it walked. I was just preparing to go up and capture it."
"However, I saw a black figure dart out from nowhere. His speed was incredible; I couldn't even see how he drew his blade before the Mountain Ghost was sliced into three pieces and crashed to the ground."
Yue Dingguo still wore an expression of disbelief as he spoke, but he soon straightened his face and said:
"If a Mountain Ghost leaves the forest, there must be unusual activity. Mo Songtao, you must increase the number of soldiers patrolling the city in the coming days. If you find anything suspicious, report it to me immediately!"
Mo Songtao rose to accept the order, at which point Yue Dingguo smiled and said:
"Songtao, you are practically family now; what is with all this rigid protocol?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Mo Songtao looked deeply embarrassed, and Yue Shiyin blushed to the roots of her ears. Pouting, she chided:
"Father, why are you saying things like that?"
The two then exchanged a laugh and bowed their heads to continue eating. Learning about her own background, Xue Muqing had been quietly mourning, but hearing Yue Dingguo speak of that black figure stirred her heart. She remembered the person she had seen at Lishan that day and was just about to ask, but seeing the two become so flustered, she found it quite amusing and felt her mood lighten slightly.
Yue Dingguo was not in high spirits, and after a few cups of wine, he felt somewhat intoxicated. After eating a little, he rose and returned to his room to rest. The other three, seeing this, had no mood to continue their meal and could only chat about trivial matters.
During the conversation, Mo Songtao noticed Xue Muqing's vacant gaze and dull expression. Just as he was about to speak, Yue Shiyin, sharing the same mind, gently pulled his sleeve and whispered in his ear:
"I will ask later."
Mo Songtao nodded. Seeing that the sky outside had darkened, he said to Yue Shiyin:
"It is getting late. You two have a close bond as sisters and surely have much to talk about. Why don't you take Miss Xue to your quarters first? I will go and patrol the city once more."
After seeing Mo Songtao off, Yue Shiyin turned back and took Xue Muqing's hand, saying:
"Elder Sister Xue, you have had a tiring day. Come, let's return to my room early to rest. I have so much more I want to tell you."
Xue Muqing originally wanted to decline out of courtesy, but firstly, she was distracted by other thoughts, and secondly, seeing Yue Shiyin's sincere invitation, she stopped refusing. Just as they were about to walk out, they heard a loud shout from Mo Songtao:
" Audacious thief! How dare you trespass into the General's Mansion at night! Surrender and be bound at once!"
The two women looked at each other and dashed outside to see what was happening. By now, the sky was pitch black; black clouds obscured the moon, a cold wind moaned, and many lanterns and torches were lit throughout the mansion. Standing on the roof opposite was a man in his forties, dressed in white, holding a broadsword in one hand and a scroll in the other. He was tall, upright, and handsome, though his face was filled with contempt. He let out a cold snort:
"What General's Mansion? In my eyes, there is no difference between this and my own backyard. I come and go as I please, and what can a bunch of good-for-nothing idiots like you do to stop me?"
Mo Songtao was incensed:
"Do not think that just because you are from the Blood Hand Alliance you are something special. If you want to leave, you will have to ask the sword in this general's hand!"
He exhaled, leaped onto the roof, and deployed his sword. With three strikes—one real and two false—he lunged at the vital points on the man in white's chest. The man in white, who had been full of disdain, saw the method of Mo Songtao's attack and his expression changed slightly. He whispered:
"So, you are an expert from the Diancang Sect. The General's Mansion is truly filled with hidden talents; I apologize for my lack of respect!"
While speaking, he brandished his broadsword to neutralize Mo Songtao's offense. Seeing the man's posture and bearing, Xue Muqing knew he was no ordinary master. Fearing Mo Songtao might be at a disadvantage, she moved to intervene. Just as she was about to help, Yue Shiyin grabbed her and smiled:
"Brother Mo does not like others helping him. Let us just watch the excitement from below."
Having grown up on Qilin Island, Xue Muqing did not understand the situation in the central plains. Having just heard Mo Songtao mention the Blood Hand Alliance, she asked Yue Shiyin about the man's identity. Yue Shiyin held Xue Muqing's hand and thought for a moment:
"I actually do not know much about the Blood Hand Alliance. I only learned a little when I was idle and listening to Brother Mo talk about affairs of the martial arts world."
"It is said to be an evil organization that only emerged in the last few years. No one knows who their leader is, but ever since they appeared, the world of martial arts has known no peace."
"They specialize in recruiting the most notorious villains and treacherous traitors expelled from reputable sects. Among them, the five most famous, known as the Five Yin Fiends of the Blood Hand, are the Blood Wolf, the Bamboo Snake, the White Fox, the Flower Spider, and the Nightingale."
Yue Shiyin paused, seeing the two locked in a fierce duel on the roof. Unable to determine the winner, she took a breath and continued:
"Elder Sister Xue, did you see the pattern embroidered on the man's chest?"
Xue Muqing followed Yue Shiyin's direction and, after looking closely, replied:
"Yes, it is a red hand embroidered on his chest, with three fingers spread and two closed. I wonder what that signifies?"
"His martial arts are this formidable, he wears white, and combined with that symbol, if I am not mistaken, he must be the third of the five fiends—Du Ang, the 'White Fox'!"