Little Pink Starfish

This place was a “playground” built to serve the mad — so naturally, there were no shortage of lunatics hiding among them.

Normally, they might remain secluded in the mountains, but tonight they had all come out — many likely “clients” of this twisted haven. They were vicious people to begin with, and now they emerged to enjoy the spectacle.

Even a cursory glance revealed several individuals with grotesquely unusual appearances.

Among them was one particularly intimidating figure — an older man, yet still exuding a terrifying aura. Typically, those who succumb to madness don’t live long. For this man to survive to such an age meant only one thing: his martial skills were extraordinary.

Of those present, Gu Xia was the most inwardly alert to this. As a highly skilled swordsman himself, he could immediately tell what level that man had reached. Even now, he couldn’t help but murmur in awe — truly a “madman”… such natural talent is incomparable.

And yet… the man simply stood there, not retreating, not flinching. Gu Xia found this boldness admirable, even if it was coming from someone impersonating Yi Linglong. A person facing death yet refusing to run — that took courage.

Definitely someone with a serious personality, Gu Xia sighed softly. His expression returned to calm indifference, but his hand had already grasped the hilt of his sword. No matter how awkward or immature the impersonation might be, just for this courage alone — Gu Xia decided that tonight, he would act.

Shen Qinglan also understood just how much courage it took for Hua Rongyue to stand there without fleeing. A flicker of admiration appeared in her gaze. But everyone knew that within such admiration lay an inevitable tragedy. Bravery was admirable — but reality was cruel.

The elderly madman also used a blade. His hands, though aged and wrinkled, were still clean and slender, with only a few callouses left from years of training — the hands of a seasoned knife-wielder.

The moment he laid eyes on Hua Rongyue, his expression turned eerily calm.

“Tch, this madman’s really going all in,” Shen Qinglan muttered.

Madmen were usually erratic and unrestrained. Only when truly serious would they show that kind of deadly tranquility.

By chance, the knife wielder’s gaze met someone else’s. That person immediately began to sweat coldly, overwhelmed by the sheer killing intent.

Sweat streamed down his face as he cautiously averted his eyes — even turning away too quickly might provoke the madman’s murderous wrath.

The blade was finally drawn.

It was a fine blade.

The moment he drew it, Gu Xia whispered, “Qinglan, watch closely.”

Shen Qinglan started, then immediately focused on the knife wielder’s hands.

Muscles rippled along his arms like serpents shifting under the skin — then suddenly stilled.

Even if she couldn’t fully understand the movement, Shen Qinglan could sense its difficulty. “Incredible,” she breathed.

Gu Xia knew it was more than just incredible. Though he and Shen Qinglan were sword users, the principles of sword and knife weren’t so different. Opportunities to witness a knife master in action were rare — each had unique insights hidden in their technique.

The man’s grip was casual, almost lazy, yet felt as if he held a thousand-pound blade.

“Watch his hands!” Gu Xia urged again as he caught a twitch in the man’s fingers.

Shen Qinglan couldn’t quite comprehend the detail, but Gu Xia and Jiang Lianhuan could — they had trained enough to see the subtlety.

Yet Jiang Lianhuan hadn’t taken his eyes off Hua Rongyue the entire time, wondering silently: What is she thinking?

This fine-tuned control over muscle movement — it was something only true experts could understand.

Just from a glance, Gu Xia realized one terrible truth:

Hua Rongyue was doomed.

At such a distance, against an opponent of this caliber — even he himself might not be able to save her in time.

Let alone against a madman.

“It’s too much…” Gu Xia muttered, watching Hua Rongyue’s expression and posture. Her ability was good for her age, yes — but just like Jiang Lianhuan had thought, she was being rushed. She hadn’t had time to grow.

Shen Qinglan noticed Gu Xia’s regretful expression and asked nervously, “Rongyue… isn’t in danger, is she?”

Gu Xia exhaled slowly. “It’s just… too soon to pit him against a knife master like that.”

“But Rongyue’s good with blades too!” Shen Qinglan insisted.

Gu Xia hesitated. “Even so, that man’s been a knife master for decades. Rongyue… has probably never even encountered a real knife expert before. And also… hm?”

He trailed off, eyes widening — mirroring Jiang Lianhuan’s stunned expression.

Shen Qinglan couldn’t tell what they were seeing, but she could tell something incredible was happening.

Because for the first time, the ever-composed Jiang Lianhuan had frozen in shock.

At that moment, Hua Rongyue slowly lifted her head.

Her blood-red eyes radiated overwhelming dominance and madness, silencing the crowd with nothing but a glance.

She didn’t need to speak — her expression alone told everyone:

She was the number one assassin in the world.

“Impossible…” Even Gu Xia, overwhelmed by shock, couldn’t stop himself from blurting it out. But no one paid him any attention — everyone had been silenced by Hua Rongyue.

Her aura… might even surpass that of the real Yi Linglong.

That wordless killing intent surged from her like a tidal wave, eclipsing even the old knife master’s presence.

And then — she moved.

The moment she drew her blade, the world around her changed.

Most knife techniques grew simpler with mastery — clean, stripped of flair.

But Yi Linglong’s blade was different.

Her style had always been unlike anyone else’s. She was a natural-born genius. Though she had started with Tianyi Tower’s formal techniques, over time her personal understanding and personality transformed her style — wild, complex, breathtaking.

And now — that blade, refined over ten years, was reborn in this moment.

Her technique was no longer of this era.

In a time when martial artists constantly evolved and challenged each other, this swordplay — sharpened and perfected in the crucible of countless deadly battles — stood above it all. It felt new, futuristic, transcendent.

Hua Rongyue herself could never have created this. She was merely borrowing Yi Linglong’s muscle memory — which only included the first twenty years of her life.

But the move she had just executed…

…was one she’d only seen in Yi Linglong’s memories.

And now, it flowed through her body, as if she’d trained it all her life.

Though it felt as if she were being “puppeted,” she still had awareness — and she could feel every moment, deeply.

Gu Xia had been shocked silent. Finally, after a long pause, he whispered:

“I never imagined…”

Every motion Hua Rongyue made was fluid, natural — her blade, elegant and devastating.

What shocked Gu Xia most was the sheer innovation in the technique.

New blade styles weren’t born of logic — they were born of instinct, of flashes of insight.

Like tales of Taoist priests who meditated for centuries, only to gain enlightenment in a single morning.

Yi Linglong’s blade, forged through thousands of trials, held that same transcendent quality. It had no trace of artificiality, only the raw beauty of mastery.

To Gu Xia, the blade seemed perfectly, naturally formed — even though Hua Rongyue had shown only a few moves, he assumed it was her own creation.

Such moments come once or twice in a lifetime, if ever.

His feelings were complicated.

Despite being hailed as a top swordsman, he knew such moments of insight couldn’t be forced. Years ago, he too had survived a life-or-death encounter and suddenly grasped a new sword technique — that moment had changed his entire path.

Now, unable to think about anything else, he turned to Shen Qinglan and said, “Watch carefully!” Then fell completely silent, immersing himself in the brilliance of Hua Rongyue’s blade.

Even just watching… would be enough to inspire future growth.

Shen Qinglan couldn’t understand the techniques — but what stunned her was Hua Rongyue’s presence.

It felt familiar — that quiet determination hidden deep in his eyes.

But it was also unfamiliar — that overpowering dominance, the madness.

When they first met, Hua Rongyue had felt like a younger brother.

Now… something about him was unrecognizable. Something terrifying.

A chill ran down her spine, unexplainable and inescapable.