Chapter Sixty-Three: Raven Feather Plundered

The opera singer Li Yaorao turned her head and said to Wu Zhuyu, "In that case, starting today, you will follow my orders. My name is Li Yaorao, and you may address me as Commander Li." Wu Zhuyu hurriedly responded, "You are the renowned opera singer Li Yaorao of Jiangnan? I have long admired your great reputation. Everyone calls you Beauty Li, and you truly look like an immortal maiden." Having said this, she chuckled foolishly to herself.

Li Yaorao could not be bothered with her antics and merely instructed, "You will patrol the inn with the others. Do not let any outsiders approach." Wu Zhuyu quickly consented. Unsure of where she should go or what she should do, she simply followed Li Yaorao downstairs. When Li Yaorao turned around and saw Wu Zhuyu still trailing her, she commanded, "Stop following me. Go to the entrance and find the person who spoke with you earlier. Listen to her instructions."

Wu Zhuyu could only emit an "Oh," then trotted over to the entrance. She looked around, but failed to recognize which person she had just been talking to. Left with no better option, she stood blankly on the outer perimeter of the group of Crimson Robe Sect disciples. Seeing this, several of the disciples chuckled and stepped aside, gathering in a small cluster to whisper about Wu Zhuyu while occasionally bursting into suppressed laughter.

A woman in red stepped out and, upon seeing Wu Zhuyu, issued a direct command: "You, go with them to patrol the back courtyard." With that, she turned and walked away.

Wu Zhuyu looked around in utter confusion and thought to herself, "What am I supposed to do? Follow whom? Where am I going? Won't someone please save little Zhuyu?" After spinning around in circles a few times and losing all sense of direction, she stood rooted to the spot in a daze, causing the surrounding Crimson Robe disciples to instinctively distance themselves from her.

A moment later, the woman in red walked out again. Seeing that Wu Zhuyu was still standing right where she had been, the woman said irritably, "I told you to go to the back courtyard. Why are you still standing here?" Wu Zhuyu hastily explained, "There are so many senior sisters gathered here, and I don't know who to follow or where to go." The woman in red sighed helplessly and said, "They have all left already. Why didn't you follow them?" Completely disoriented, Wu Zhuyu stammered, "Was it the group that just left? I don't know where they went, and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to follow them." The woman in red wore an expression of sheer helplessness and finally sighed, "Fine, just stand right here then."

Wu Zhuyu scurried back over and pleaded, "Senior sister, I was just injured earlier, and I need to go to the apothecary to buy some medicine for my wounds. May I leave for a moment?" The woman in red hardened her face and, maintaining a shred of patience, replied, "You may go. Treating your injuries is important, of course. But if you do, it will be considered desertion of duty. Do as you please." Having said this, the woman in red turned and left with a cold expression.

Wu Zhuyu scratched her head, pouted, and muttered in a dilemma, "What does she mean by that? 'Do as my please'? Does that mean I am allowed to go or not?" After hesitating for a short while, she thought to herself, "What could possibly be more important than little Zhuyu's health?" Deciding to think no further on the matter, she set off for the apothecary to purchase her medicine.

When Wu Zhuyu returned to the inn after buying her medicine, several Crimson Robe disciples called out to her, "You're back? Commander Li is looking for you. Hurry inside the inn and report to her." With that, the female disciples giggled mischievously.

Thinking they were merely teasing her on purpose, Wu Zhuyu simply stood her ground outside and refused to pay them any mind. Another female disciple laughed and said, "Hey, I'm talking to you! Commander Li is calling for you, why aren't you going in?" Fearing that what they said might actually be the truth, Wu Zhuyu turned back and asked politely, "Where is she?" The group of Crimson Robe disciples then chuckled, "In the main hall of the inn! Didn't we just tell you a moment ago? Were you deaf?" Wu Zhuyu hurriedly trotted into the inn, while a female disciple sneered behind her back, "Is there something wrong with her brain?" At those words, a group of women behind her burst into unbridled mockery.

By the time Wu Zhuyu entered the inn, the sky had already grown dark. The main hall was brightly lit with candles. Li Yaorao stood inside with her arms crossed and a furious expression on her face, discussing something with several of her subordinates. Catching sight of Wu Zhuyu, she beckoned to her and called out, "Hey you, come here. You've returned just in time."

Clutching a bottle of healing pills, Wu Zhuyu felt a guilty sense of panic and could only shuffle in small steps right up to Li Yaorao. Li Yaorao demanded in a deep, stern voice, "Who gave you permission to leave without authorization?" Scratching her ears and rubbing her cheeks, Wu Zhuyu whispered in response, "Ah? Me? I suppose... it was that senior sister in charge. She said injuries were important and told me to go." Unbeknownst to Wu Zhuyu, the senior sister in charge happened to be standing right there in the hall. Hearing this, the woman stepped forward and chided, "How old are you, and you've already learned to lie?" Assuming the question was genuinely about her age, Wu Zhuyu answered earnestly, "Ah? I am sixteen years old."

Even the angry Li Yaorao could not help but burst into a chuckle at those words. She shook her head and said to Wu Zhuyu, "You truly are utterly foolish." With a wave of her hand, she added, "Oh well, never mind. Since you are wounded, go tend to your injuries yourself. We will let it pass this time, but there will be no mercy if there is a next time." Once Li Yaorao finished speaking, Wu Zhuyu neither apologized nor expressed gratitude; she simply stood blankly in her spot, her mind replaying the question of why Commander Li had called her utterly foolish.

Seeing Wu Zhuyu standing there in a daze, Li Yaorao added another sentence, "What are you still standing there for? Go get to work!" Only then did Wu Zhuyu realize that Commander Li was no longer holding her accountable. She hurriedly cupped her hands in a bow and said, "Thank you, Commander Li." Without even offering a bow of courtesy to the senior sister in charge, she turned and trotted out of the inn. Shunned by the other disciples, she was left standing alone by the entrance. The following day, Wu Zhuyu accompanied the Crimson Robe Sect's forces as they set off for Isolated Island.

The resolution of the martial arts competition on the arena stage had left the unsuppressed mountain bandits in a state of constant panic and anxiety. Given the formidable strength of the Ghost King Demoness, the bandits lived in perpetual fear that the Crimson Robe Sect's next target would be them. Consequently, for the sake of survival, several bandit strongholds began actively offering tribute to the Crimson Robe Sect to ensure their safety. Meng Xiaoli accepted everything that came her way, filling the coffers of the Crimson Robe Sect to the brim. Legend had it that Isolated Island originally possessed five mountains, one of which had been completely hollowed out and filled to the brim with gold, silver, and jewels.

Yet, every time Meng Xiaoli made a move, the monk Long Ye would invariably appear at the right moment. He would either block incoming attacks for Meng Xiaoli or intercept her own strikes, unwilling to let anyone harm her, yet equally unwilling to let her inflict injury upon others. Their relationship fractured as a result. Because Meng Xiaoli's missions were continually thwarted, her resentment and hatred toward Long Ye steadily deepened.

One day, Wu Yu led a troop to suppress and plunder the surrounding mountain bandits. Unexpectedly, as soon as the bandits received word, they hoisted a white flag and proactively offered tribute in exchange for safety. Escorting several large chests of treasure, Wu Yu began her return journey to Isolated Island.

As they wound their way through a mountain path, a band of men suddenly leaped out from ambush. Each of them carried double axes and immediately plunged into the ranks, slaughtering indiscriminately. At a single glance, Wu Yu recognized them as disciples of the Bristle-Maned Gang. Seeing that the gang vastly outnumbered them and that the disparity in strength between the two sides was glaringly wide—compounded by the element of surprise—Wu Yu's forces suffered heavy casualties and losses.

Leading the Bristle-Maned Gang's forces was a young man. Though dressed in opulent brocades and silks, he gave off a distinctly rat-like and shifty impression. Strapped to his back were a pair of golden axes. He was Yuan Buxing, the eldest son of gang leader Yuan Bao.

He was indolently sprawled far away on a reclining chair that rested horizontally atop a golden-roofed, jade-carved carriage. This carriage was as large as a room and equipped with wheels; it was pulled by horses at the front and featured doors, windows, tables, and a bed inside, complete with all modern amenities.

A maid emerged from the doorway, bearing a tray of fresh fruit and tea, which she gently placed on the tea table before Yuan Buxing.

While a desperate life-and-death struggle raged in the front, Yuan Buxing crossed his legs at the back and watched the spectacle with a relaxed posture and a serene expression.

Amidst the encirclement of Bristle-Maned Gang disciples, Wu Yu swung her dark golden claw-gauntlets, fighting fiercely for her life. The techniques in her sweeping and casting motions bore a distinct resemblance to the style of Meng Xiaoli. Alas, the Bristle-Maned Gang disciples swarmed them in overwhelming numbers, clinging tenaciously like clinging vines. After Wu Yu wounded several of them, the gang members closed ranks to form a tight, heavily guarded defense. Following a series of nimble evasions and acrobatics, the dark, menacing claw-gauntlets across Wu Yu's ten fingers were stained with fresh blood. Whenever she found a brief respite, Wu Yu would stop to lick the blood off her clawed armor. Anyone witnessing this sight could not help but feel that Wu Yu looked precisely like a reincarnated ghost, her appearance terrifyingly gruesome.

From afar, Yuan Buxing half-raised his eyelids as he chewed on a piece of fruit. When he saw a particularly engrossing moment, he clapped his hands vigorously and cheered loudly. However, noticing Wu Yu's unsettling habit of licking fresh blood after every kill, Yuan Buxing felt a wave of nausea rise within him. He glanced down at the bright red fruit in his hand, frowned deeply, and immediately tossed it aside.

Bristle-Maned Gang disciples wielded their axes in a three-pronged flanking attack. With agile footwork and fluid, twisting leaps, Wu Yu swung her large claws forward to rake across one man's neck, flipped downward to pierce another's abdomen, and swept her claws upward in a reverse motion to puncture a third man's chest.

Spinning gracefully in mid-air, her black claws slashed down several more opponents. The moment her feet touched the ground, a Bristle-Maned Gang disciple behind her seized the opportunity to launch a stealthy, unannounced axe strike. With a shrill cry of agony, Wu Yu suffered a deep, gaping wound across her spine that sprayed a fine mist of blood. Seeing this, Yuan Buxing cheered, "Splendid!" and began to clap wildly. Having no time to react, Wu Yu spun around to sweep at her attackers, but the gang members had already retreated, and fresh assailants lunged at her flanks.

As Wu Yu lunged forward with her claws, an axe came cleaving down from the side. Wu Yu jerked her hand back and hooked sideways, dodging the blade edge to claw at her attacker's chest. No sooner had she gutted one enemy than several axe blades descended upon her. Wu Yu flipped and tumbled away, but a peripheral Bristle-Maned Gang member managed to slice open her arm. Clutching her bleeding arm with one hand and enduring the agonizing pain, Wu Yu exchanged a few blows before several flying axes were hurled through the air. Wu Yu dodged to the side, but failing to clear the path entirely, her left shoulder was grazed by a flying axe, shattering her collarbone. The axe spun through the air and embedded itself deeply into a tree behind her. With a cry of pain, Wu Yu tumbled backward and crashed to the ground. Seeing this, Yuan Buxing leaped excitedly to his feet and clapped, shouting, "That axe throw was magnificent! There will be rewards for everyone when we return."

Inspired, several Bristle-Maned Gang disciples roared with fighting spirit, brandishing their axes as they rushed to cut down the fallen Wu Yu. Incapable of fighting back, Wu Yu stared with terrified eyes at the descending axe blades, believing her final moments had arrived.

Suddenly, a woman's piercing shriek rang out. A flash of crimson tore through the air, and Wu Yu felt the weight of a body shielding her. A spurt of fresh blood splashed across her entire face. Snapping her eyes wide open, Wu Yu saw that a Crimson Robe Sect disciple had thrown herself recklessly over Wu Yu's body, taking the brunt of the axes and perishing on the spot.

Pulled back to her feet by other female disciples, Wu Yu watched as her comrades fought back desperately against the Bristle-Maned Gang. Panicked and screaming at the top of her lungs, Wu Yu shrieked, "Fall back! Fall back quickly! We must return to report this to the Sect Leader, and you must find a way to escape as well!" Having barely cheated death, cowardice gripped Wu Yu's heart. Realizing the grimness of the situation and unwilling to sacrifice herself alongside her sworn sisters, she sounded the retreat. After shouting her orders, she joined a handful of Crimson Robe disciples, fighting off the pursuing gang members while rapidly falling back, ultimately fleeing the battlefield without daring to look back, all while sustaining heavy injuries.

In the distance, Yuan Buxing instructed his subordinates, "Do not pursue fleeing bandits. Let them return to report to the Ghost King Demoness so she knows that destroying the Crimson Robe Sect will be as easy as turning over our hands for the Bristle-Maned Gang."

Wounded and bleeding, Wu Yu and her surviving companions whipped their horses into a frenzy and raced back to Isolated Island. The remaining female disciples knelt in a single file line inside the Hall of Carefree Pleasure, biting back their pain and agony without daring to seek medical treatment first.

Meanwhile, Wu Yu staggered blindly toward Meng Xiaoli's Hall of Illusory Dreams. Catching sight of Meng Xiaoli outdoors playing pitch-pot with several male servants, Wu Yu immediately threw herself flat onto the ground and wailed tearfully, "Sect Leader! The troop led by this disciple was waylaid and plundered. I am also grievously wounded and fear I have not long to live." Curled up into a tight ball, she wept incessantly.

Noticing Wu Yu covered in blood with pale, bloodless lips, Meng Xiaoli sensed that something was gravely amiss. Anxious and alarmed, she hurried over, crouched down, and placed both hands upon Wu Yu's shoulders to inspect her condition. At that touch, Wu Yu let out a cry of sheer agony, her face twisting in torment as she clutched her wounded shoulder while sweat poured down her in streams.