Part 1: The New Hostage
"Uncle! Uncle! Save me, save me!"
Li Junce walked silently forward, his blood-stained long sword in hand. Cheng Mubai was scared out of his wits, clinging even harder behind the old man, as if that were his only barrier.
"Li Junce! Wait! For my sake…" The blind old man opened his mouth quickly, pleading for his unworthy nephew.
However, before he could finish, a "CLANG!" was heard—Cheng Mubai had pulled a cold, glittering dagger from his pocket and pressed it lightning-fast against Cheng Dongqing's throat!
"How about that! How about that?" Cheng Mubai's face was twisted by a mixture of terror and malice."If you don't want this old fool to die instantly, then drop your sword!"
Li Junce could hardly believe his eyes. He had never seen anyone change their stance so shamelessly and swiftly. Did this Black Sheep Lord possess absolutely no integrity from birth?
But the reality was, the man with no integrity now clearly held the advantage. Li Junce was unable to act for fear of harming the innocent and was forced to freeze.
"Lord Cheng's baseness is truly a masterpiece," Li Junce said, his voice ice-cold. "I can only prostrate myself in admiration. You are an art master in this regard."
"Why don't you imagine how utterly ugly this scene looks in the eyes of others? What's left of the Black Sheep Duchy's face?"
"Bah! I'll worry about the Duchy's face later! But you! Right now! Drop that sword!" Cheng Mubai, while clutching the dagger in one hand to threaten the old man, arrogantly drew a coiled, iron-spined leather whip with the other, intent on confirming his victory.
"Otherwise, this old coot won't live to see the late-night moon!"
"Today is March 31st, it's a moonless night!"
"Besides, Lord Cheng is already blind, he wouldn't see the moon even if it was there. Your logic is flawed!" Li Junce, facing the crazed Cheng Mubai, had to try to provoke him with words first. If Cheng Mubai attacked, he might expose a weakness.
"Li Junce!" Although the blade was pressed against his throat, Cheng Dongqing's voice was exceptionally sorrowful and resolute. "If you still recall our past connection, use your sword and pierce both me and this unfilial wretch! I failed to nurture a worthy heir and brought shame to our house. I have long been unworthy of life, let alone a peaceful old age!"
"I absolutely cannot stand by and watch Lord Cheng perish!"
"You idiot! How can you mistake the trivial for the essential!"
"Even if I comply with his demands now, I cannot save anyone." Li Junce's voice was low but held an unwavering resolve. He fixed his gaze on Cheng Mubai, then loosened his wrist.
"CRASH!"
The blood-stained long sword clattered onto the floor.
Part 2: The Broken Whip and the Escape
The moment the sword hit the ground, the iron-spined leather whip in Cheng Mubai's hand lashed out like a venomous snake. It sliced through the air and viciously coiled around Li Junce's upper body! The whip's sharp barbs instantly tore through his clothing and embedded themselves in his flesh. A fiery, searing pain immediately spread.
Li Junce let out a muffled groan, his body convulsing violently, yet he stiffened and held his ground, refusing to fall or cry out. He took a deep breath, his veins bulging in his temples and neck. Cold sweat instantly drenched his back.
He lifted his head, his eyes like two searing hot awls, fixed on Cheng Mubai's face. He ground out a low growl from between his teeth.
"Release Lord Cheng!"
Cheng Mubai flinched at the sheer killing intent in that gaze, then forced himself to sound calm, trembling as he sneered back.
"And you still dare to order me, even in this state? Why don't you worry about how ridiculous you look now—completely at my mercy—in the eyes of others?!"
The Black Sheep Lord's laughter echoed in the hall, like a barbed wire saw pulling at the air.
While mocking him, he drew back the long whip again. The whip-shadow cut the air with a snapping roar, slashing directly toward Li Junce's face.
Li Junce slightly tilted his head, dodging. A fresh bloody wound was carved across his chest by the passing barbs. The pain instantly radiated to his shoulder blades. He staggered, dropping to one knee. As the whip-shadow danced, blood scattered across the stone floor like shattered rubies.
Cheng Mubai, seeing him kneel, immediately became drunk with glee and stepped out from behind the armchair.
"Mont Angelina's taste is clearly mediocre—she fancied a piece of trash."
The moment the words left his mouth, the chair suddenly tipped over.
The blind Cheng Dongqing pushed the entire armchair, himself included, to the ground with a heavy crash.
Li Junce and Cheng Mubai both froze. The old man's fall seemed to shatter the final barrier between himself and the Black Sheep Lord.
Li Junce smiled, the bloodstain at the corner of his mouth curving slightly.
"Well, the game is back to the starting line. Now we can all play on equal terms."
The smile hadn't faded when the third whip ripped through the air.
Li Junce rolled low, the whip-shadow tearing through the air where he had just stood. He reached up, snatching his sword, which flashed with a cold arc of light.
"CLANG!"
The sound of steel colliding was crisp as cracking ice. The whip was severed at the base, falling to the floor in two pieces like a dead snake.
Cheng Mubai froze for half a second, then lost all courage, letting out a panicked shriek as he crawled and stumbled toward the back door, fleeing the hall in disarray.
"Lord Cheng, are you alright?" Li Junce hurried forward to help the fallen Cheng Dongqing.
"Don't mind me!" The old man pushed him away, one hand clutching his ribs. "Go after him—if he escapes, your wife and son's lives will be forfeit!"
Li Junce was momentarily stunned. The situation now didn't allow him time to explain the complex, self-inflicted 'marriage' situation, so he could only silently accept the wife he had been given.
He quickly grabbed another sword from the ground and thrust it into the old man's hand.
"Then I ask you to hold this place for me for now."
With that, he turned and gave chase.
Cheng Mubai's footsteps, light and panicked, echoed in the doorway at the end of the corridor.
Around the corner, his silhouette suddenly flattened against the wall, almost shadowless.
Li Junce's caution spiked. He approached with his sword raised, the tip reflecting the pale blue lamplight.
"Don't move." He said coldly.
Cheng Mubai started to cackle, like a startled bird.
In the next second, his body vanished on the other side of the wall.
A subtle grinding sound of stone followed—the sound of an activating lock mechanism.
Li Junce paused, his eyes quickly scanning the wall. Seams, footplates, levers…
"An old-style sliding wall trap," he murmured to himself.
With a swift pry of his long sword, the stone block clanged softly, and he too slipped through.
The other side was a narrow secret chamber.
Pale blue light seeped from the wall cracks, reflecting off the stone walls and the ceiling. The air was thick with damp, mildewy smells.
Cheng Mubai stood in the light, his breathing ragged, covered in a sickly blue tint, like a corpse smeared with paint.
"Some people," he rasped, his voice barely holding together." They don't understand my art. Their stupidity only lets them see blood and pain, but not the creation!"
He raised his hand, his finger trembling as it pointed at Li Junce.
"Those who truly understand art, those who truly appreciate beauty, will marvel at my creation—they will kneel before my work! And praise the Goddess of Art for favoring me!"
Li Junce slowly approached, each step precise and silent.
"I know, I know. I understand you!" Li Junce's tone was calm, like he was coaxing Jade to sleep." It's everyone else's fault, and you did absolutely nothing wrong."
"Come on. Let's go back together, so Lord Cheng can also witness the 'art' you've created."
But the grotesque smile on Cheng Mubai's face froze for an instant.
He saw Li Junce's shadow suddenly disappear.
The next second, a flash of sword light emerged from his side, cold as a moon-blade.
The sound of the air tearing was instantaneous.
However, Li Junce's strike failed to land. Cheng Mubai, like a ghost, vanished into the labyrinth again.