13. Kill Three Birds with One Stone
1087 Words
The corners of Qing Yuan’s lips curved into a grin. “Interesting.”
He leapt lightly onto the surrounding walls, moving swiftly to trace the sound. His sharp eyes scanned the distance, aided by the silvery glow of the half-moon, which painted the bloodstained night in eerie light.
From his vantage point, he spotted two shadowy figures clashing fiercely, their movements too fast for ordinary eyes to follow.
The whistling winds generated by their blows carried immense energy, strong enough to strip the skin from anyone caught in their path. Even Qing Yuan flinched, grimacing slightly as the violent aura brushed against him.
Approaching cautiously, he infused his body with the Shadow Demon Art, the secret technique taught to him by Yang Hua.
Only disciples of the Dark Valley Sect who had mastered this invisible art could employ such stealth, allowing them to converse or move unseen within the domain of shadow.
From within the concealing darkness, Qing Yuan watched closely. The two fighters exchanged powerful strikes, their techniques releasing blinding light and waves of searing heat.
Even from his concealed distance, Qing Yuan could feel the terrifying force in every blow. Their faces remained unclear, yet their strength was undeniable.
With every clash, the ground shook violently, as if quaking under an earthquake. The impact of their colliding profound energies nearly swept Qing Yuan off his feet. He was forced to shield himself with a protective formation, conjuring a barrier of demonic energy.
“Insane … what kind of technique are they using?!” he thought, his heart pounding. “Even standing here, I can barely withstand it!”
Then, a voice rang out amidst the thunderous battle.
“Yu Shan! Hand over the book willingly, and I shall grant you a clean death. I swear, I will leave your corpse unscarred! And Jia Mi, your beautiful wife, I will protect her for the rest of her life, even at the risk of mine!” The masked man’s words dripped with mockery, followed by a disdainful laugh.
“Then come and take it, if you have the ability to defeat me!” Yu Shan retorted, his voice calm yet resolute, standing firm atop the roof of one of the Guo Family’s buildings.
“You dare act so arrogantly, Yu Shan!” the masked enemy roared, his fury echoing into the night.
From the shadows, Qing Yuan’s eyes widened. “Yu Shan?” His heart skipped. “That man … could it really be Yu Shan himself?”
Before he could process the thought, another figure appeared. Floating down as lightly as a drifting leaf, he landed gracefully at Yu Shan’s side. His flowing hair and fluttering robes gave him an almost ethereal presence.
“Brother Ming, why are you here?” Yu Shan asked, not turning his head.
Shen Ming placed one hand behind his waist, his gaze steady. “I was worried about you, Brother Shan.”
“And what about our wives and children?” Yu Shan’s tone carried deep concern.
“Do not worry. Zhen’er and Tianzi are guarding them. Besides, Miss Xiao Si Tian and Miss Shi Qian also know martial arts. I trust they can handle those troublemakers.” Shen Ming’s calm eyes shifted toward the dark figure ahead.
Relief flickered in Yu Shan’s voice. “Good. Then I can face this man with a clear mind.” He turned back to his masked opponent, who stood tall atop another roof.
“Shen Ming? So you’ve come too,” the masked man sneered. “Fine then. You two plan to gang up on me? Perfect—I’ll just send you both to hell together!”
“Long time no see,” Shen Ming answered, his voice still calm, almost gentle. “How are you, Mo Jiao?”
The name struck like thunder.
Hidden in the darkness, Qing Yuan’s breath caught. “Shen Ming? That’s Shen Ming?!” His hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. “Good. Tonight, I can take both their heads!”
A sly grin spread across his face, his eyes glowing with the image of triumph. At last, the path to fulfilling his parents’ wishes was opening before him.
On the rooftop, the masked man laughed harshly. “Finally, someone recognizes me too!” Mo Jiao sneered, shaking his head and casually cleaning his ear with his little finger.
“Mo Jiao?” Qing Yuan muttered under his breath. “Who is this man? I’ve never heard of him. Yet he’s their enemy… doesn’t that mean he could be on my side?”
But as he watched Mo Jiao more closely, suspicion tightened his gut.
“Wait! Something’s wrong with that man!"
Even under the dim half-circle of moonlight, Qing Yuan felt indignant at the appearance of the person named Mo Jiao.
Looking closely, Mo Jiao’s behavior and clothing style were very similar to his own. Now he was certain that this person was impersonating him.
This, of course, left Qing Yuan confused, because until now, he was someone who rarely revealed himself in front of the public.
How could that person know his style of dress?
“Unlucky! So he’s the one pretending to be me?” Qing Yuan growled angrily within his shadow. “Mo Jiao, I will erase this name from the face of the earth!”
Qing Yuan almost punched the wall beneath his feet until it shattered, but the exchange of words there distracted his intention. He could hear clearly enough that this person kept talking about a book.
And that is … the Book of God’s Eyes?
Qing Yuan hoped what he heard was wrong. He released his grip from the hilt of his sword and continued watching everyone.
He did not want to involve himself in matters concerning the book, but now his enemy had gained another person who could be said to be quite strong. It was truly troublesome, yet at the same time, it was also beneficial for Qing Yuan.
Qing Yuan just needed to wait and see who defeated whom, and then finish off the last living person among the three.
It was like borrowing another person’s hand to swat a fly without having to waste his own strength.
Qing Yuan smiled slyly. “Those two over there are my victims, while the other one is the person disguised as me.”
Qing Yuan suddenly felt pleased. “Looks like tonight I can kill three birds with one stone. Isn’t this both interesting and fun?”
- Writer
