Chapter Seventy-Three: Rumors Spread Like Wildfire

Inside the headquarters of the Thousand Venoms Sect, Mo Qing stood trembling with fear. Seated before him were a man and a woman; the man was in his twenties, strikingly handsome, and the woman, though in her thirties, retained an elegant allure. These two were none other than Yang Qi and Lady Liang, the Noble Consort. This time, Yang Qi wore no mask, and at last, Mo Qing could see clearly the true master who had controlled him for so long—the real leader of the Thousand Venoms Sect.

Yang Qi regarded the quivering Mo Qing with a fleeting look of disdain, which he quickly concealed. In a deep voice, he said, “Mo Qing, this is my mother. From now on, you will address her as Madam.”

“Yes, Sect Leader. Greetings, Madam,” Mo Qing replied respectfully, bowing to Lady Liang.

“Very well, you may go now,” Yang Qi waved his hand dismissively.

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

After Mo Qing left, Lady Liang glanced at her son, a trace of dissatisfaction in her eyes. “Qi’er, why do you employ such a person? He hardly seems capable of handling great matters.”

Yang Qi replied helplessly, “Mother, Mo Qing is easy to control and ruthless enough to be useful. Please don’t be too critical of him.”

“Enough, enough.” Lady Liang shook her head.

“Mother, what brings you here? And Father—was he not able to protect you?”

“Your father can barely protect himself these days. How could he look after me? Now, we can rely on no one but ourselves.”

“Mother, what should we do now? Yang Rui has become the Lord of Xiyuan; there is no way for us to return there.”

Lady Liang’s eyes narrowed with pride. “Is there anywhere in this realm that Liang Wei cannot reach? Qi’er, you underestimate your mother.” Lady Liang, whose given name was Wei, had held the title of Noble Consort for many years. So well known was her title that few remembered her real name.

“Mother, I know your abilities are unmatched. But we must find a way to destroy Yang Rui—how can I bear it, letting him occupy the throne?” Yang Qi said resentfully, the thought of Yang Rui ascending the throne making him itch to drag him down from it himself.

“What is Xiyuan to us? Our true ambition has always been the entire realm. You must not let this minor setback force you to compromise.” Lady Liang shot her son a stern look. With such little patience, how could he ever contend with Yang Rui? Over the years, had it not been for her constant protection, her son would have perished at Yang Rui’s hands countless times.

Yang Qi quickly composed himself. “Mother, do you have a plan?”

“Qi’er, I hear the Princess of Chun is a formidable martial artist. Tell me what happened then?” Lady Liang had learned that it was the Prince of Chun and his wife who had captured her son. She had also heard accounts of Zhan Yan’s appearance in Wangcheng, which had left a deep impression on her.

“Mother, that woman is indeed formidable. With just a single move, she felled countless opponents.” Yang Qi recounted in detail the events when Zhan Yan appeared in Wangcheng.

Lady Liang was stunned. Pear Blossom in the Sky—was that not the most powerful technique from the long-lost martial art, Falling Pear Blossoms? “Qi’er, this is serious. The Princess of Chun has mastered Falling Pear Blossoms.”

“Mother, what is Falling Pear Blossoms?”

“It is the greatest martial art in the world. Legend has it that anyone who masters its final form, Pear Blossom in the Sky, becomes invincible. Falling Pear Blossoms was created five hundred years ago by a reclusive genius named Gu Rufeng, who devoted his life to martial arts. He spent his entire existence perfecting this art, and once he did, none could stand against him. He later vanished from the world, and though countless people sought him out in hopes of learning his technique, none ever succeeded. In time, the art was believed lost—no one has seen it performed for generations. Yet the Princess of Chun wields it? Could she be Gu Rufeng’s descendant?”

“But, Mother, that man lived five hundred years ago. The Princess of Chun isn’t even twenty yet. How could she be his heir?”

“That means Gu Rufeng’s legacy has continued in secret, and the world simply never knew. The most remarkable thing about Falling Pear Blossoms is its final form, Pear Blossom in the Sky. Unless one sees that move, the underlying techniques are hard to recognize for what they are.”

“Mother, is Falling Pear Blossoms truly that powerful? Not even your Snow in June can compare?” Yang Qi asked in astonishment.

Lady Liang shook her head. Her own Snow in June was developed by her grandmaster after years of research, based on descriptions of Pear Blossom in the Sky. Though it was one of the finest martial arts in the world, it still fell short of the original Falling Pear Blossoms.

Yang Qi grew anxious. “Mother, what should we do? I’ve made an enemy of the Prince of Chun, and the Princess is bound to oppose us.”

Lady Liang patted his hand, her tone cold. “Do not panic, Qi’er. As long as I, Liang Wei, draw breath, even with Falling Pear Blossoms she will not have an easy time. I have yet to settle the score for your capture. Now is the time to make trouble for her. No one who offends me shall go unpunished.”

“What do we do now?”

“Leave it to me. Just wait and watch the show.” A cold smile played on Lady Liang’s lips as a scheme began to take shape.

Three days later, news spread across the land: the Princess of Chun possessed the peerless martial art, Falling Pear Blossoms. It was said that whoever mastered this art would rule the world, and so, the future belonged to the Prince of Chun, Zhongli Yu.

The realm was instantly abuzz. People fervently debated the credibility of the rumors. With much analysis and reflection on the Princess’s display in Wangcheng, and tracing back to the legends from five centuries ago, it became almost certain: the martial art the Princess wielded was indeed Falling Pear Blossoms.

From that day on, the martial world stirred restlessly. Supreme martial arts were the dream of every practitioner. Now that the secret was out, their desire was impossible to contain. Some were so desperate for invincibility that they would risk their lives for it. Within a single day, countless tried to break into the Prince of Chun’s residence to steal the manual, but the place was so heavily guarded that not one succeeded. This only deepened their conviction that the secret art was hidden within.

Meanwhile, at court, the mood was entirely different. The officials cared little for martial manuals, but the rumor that “he who holds Falling Pear Blossoms shall rule the world” alarmed them. Countless ministers urged the Eastern King to take action, warning that with Zhongli Yu commanding the imperial guard and his wife being the greatest martial artist alive, the future looked grim for Dongling. If Zhongli Yu ever sought the throne, it would be as easy as reaching into his own pocket. They advised the emperor to strip Zhongli Yu of his command without delay, to prevent any upheaval.

Zhong Aotian listened to their entreaties without a word. He did not believe Zhongli Yu capable of such treachery. If Zhongli Yu could prove himself a good emperor, Aotian would not hesitate to yield the throne to him, without the slightest frown. Thus, he dismissed the ministers’ advice and even lost his temper with them. Seeing the emperor unmoved, the ministers could only accept it, though in their hearts a seed of doubt was planted—a seed that would slowly grow, a constant reminder that this matter was far from trivial.

Liang Wei listened to her agent’s reports with a cold smile and nodded in satisfaction. All she wanted was for chaos to grip the land, so she could profit from the turmoil. Her plot had already begun to bear fruit.