Chapter Twelve: The Beginning of Change (Part Three)

“Shuang’er!”

No matter how dissatisfied or reluctant Xiong Ba felt deep inside, this was the best solution at the moment. What else could he do?

“Here!”

Qin Shuang still wore an honest and obedient expression, her eyes lowered and demeanor gentle. No matter how one looked at her, she appeared sincere and trustworthy.

Xiong Ba handed over a jade pendant of nine dragons, its pale green hue shimmering. The pendant was engraved with the characters “Tianhui.” Qin Shuang accepted it.

“The Nine-Dragon Jade Pendant represents the supreme authority of the Tianhui!”

Xiong Ba rose from his seat and approached Qin Shuang. Looking at her humble and obedient appearance, he patted her shoulder.

“To prepare for the Sword Saint, I will enter seclusion to cultivate the Three Portions of Origin Qi. The Tianhui shall be entrusted to you!”

“Master, rest assured. Since you entrust the Tianhui to me, I will manage it meticulously!”

Qin Shuang lifted her head and met Xiong Ba’s gaze directly, unflinching.

At this moment, seeing the aura she displayed, Xiong Ba’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

He stared intently at Qin Shuang, as if trying to peer into her thoughts.

In the original story, Qin Shuang pretended to be controlled, and Xiong Ba never noticed. Now, it was destined to be futile for him.

“Heh... With such a beloved disciple, what does Leader Xiong Ba still have to worry about?”

Wen Chouchou, sensing the stiff atmosphere, quickly stepped forward to ease the tension. As Xiong Ba’s chief steward, Wen Chouchou was accustomed to Xiong Ba’s capricious moods and was adept at calming him.

Xiong Ba glanced at Wen Chouchou, who immediately fell silent. Xiong Ba then released his hand from Qin Shuang’s shoulder and smiled.

“Chouchou speaks well!”

“Shuang’er, the Tianhui is now entrusted to you!”

Using Wen Chouchou’s words as a pretext, Xiong Ba turned and left the Three Absolute Hall.

As for the Tianhui, Xiong Ba believed that as long as his strength was sufficient, he could dominate everything.

“Farewell, Master!” “Farewell, Leader!”

Qin Shuang, Feng Yun, and Wen Chouchou spoke in unison.

After Xiong Ba’s departure:

“Congratulations, Hall Leader Shuang. From now on, the Tianhui will be…”

Qin Shuang’s gaze turned cold as she looked at Wen Chouchou. Suddenly, Wen Chouchou fell silent, awkwardly stopping mid-sentence and half-covering his face with a feather fan.

---

Qin Shuang’s icy demeanor softened into a smile.

“What nonsense is that, Steward Wen! The Tianhui still relies heavily on you. I hope you will continue to cooperate fully!”

“Not at all!”

Wen Chouchou observed Qin Shuang’s volatile expression and suddenly thought, “No wonder she is Xiong Ba’s disciple—she even resembles him in temperament.”

“Then the three brothers will take our leave!”

After speaking, Qin Shuang gestured to Feng Yun and the two left the Three Absolute Hall together, heading toward the Sky Frost Hall.

As for conversing in the Three Absolute Hall, Qin Shuang was not so carefree. Who knew if there were eavesdroppers?

Upon arriving at the Sky Frost Hall, Qin Shuang glanced at Bu Jingyun, silently asking whether they should inform Nie Feng of everything.

Bu Jingyun stood there with his usual cool, indifferent expression, pretending not to notice.

“What do you think, Junior Brother Feng?”

Qin Shuang glanced at the blind man, who had no choice but to speak up.

“You mean Senior Brother’s suggestion?”

Nie Feng was puzzled.

“Is the contest between Master and the Sword Saint about Senior Brother taking over the Tianhui?”

Kind-hearted Nie Feng was naturally oblivious to the undercurrents within the Tianhui, nor did he realize that the Sword Saint was actually arranged by Qin Shuang.

“All this started when Xiong Ba accepted you as a disciple. Perhaps there are things you don’t know. Why don’t Junior Brother Bu tell us about your origins?”

Qin Shuang shifted the topic to Bu Jingyun. Bu Jingyun wanted to conceal himself, but Qin Shuang naturally would not allow that.

“I entered the Tianhui as a child. Senior Brother already knows everything!”

Bu Jingyun remained calm and cold as always. Although Qin Shuang’s words stirred his emotions, he chose to hide them. His icy, expressionless exterior was merely a shield for the hatred he had harbored since childhood.

“Bu Jingyun, born in the Bu family village of Hangzhou, naturally taciturn. His father, Bu Yuanting, was a swordsmith who died away from home.”

“His mother, Yu Nong, remarried into the Huo family, changing his name to Huo Jingjue. Huo Butian treated him as his own and taught him the full Huo family sword techniques. But later, because they refused Xiong Ba’s recruitment, the Huo family was exterminated.”

“The ones who wiped out the Huo family were none other than Xue Antian and Ghost Bat, who brought you into the Tianhui. You killed Ghost Bat and spared Xue Antian!”

“A while ago, the assassin targeting Master—if I recall correctly—also bore the Huo surname! You pretended to be captured by them, intending to let them escape, but you were discovered by Xiong Ba!”

“And under Xiong Ba’s orders, you personally executed them!”

Qin Shuang’s words made Bu Jingyun tremble, ignoring his clenched fists.

Bu Jingyun stared at Qin Shuang, his teeth biting so hard they drew blood.

“What exactly are you trying to say? Xiong Ba probably doesn’t even know these things. How do you know?”

---

“I never imagined that my Senior Brother, with whom I’ve spent so much time, knows me, Bu Jingyun, so thoroughly!”

Bu Jingyun’s internal energy surged. Although he suspected Qin Shuang had designs against Xiong Ba and could guess that the Sword Saint was arranged by Senior Brother and wouldn’t harm him, being exposed like this still stirred an urge to act.

Nie Feng was shocked, and Lanlan whispered to herself:

“How could this be?”

“Junior Brother Yun always wears a cold face because he fears his hatred will be revealed and discovered by Xiong Ba.”

Qin Shuang smiled coldly, looking at the stunned Nie Feng.

“Junior Brother Feng, where do you think you’ll end up?”

Nie Feng turned to Qin Shuang, puzzled but his voice involuntarily grew hoarse.

“What else does Senior Brother know? I was rescued by Master as a child and brought into the Tianhui. My father was killed by the Fire Qilin. Are you implying Master killed my father?”

Obviously unsettled internally, Nie Feng found today’s revelations a heavy blow. His once gentle and caring Senior Brother now seemed so unfamiliar.

The Second Senior Brother had a deep blood feud with Master. Where should he turn?

Yet Nie Feng, still unaware of everything, hoped to remain uninvolved.

“Who took your mother, Yan Ying? Why did your father, Nie Renwang, go to the Leshan Giant Buddha for a duel? Why did Xiong Ba just happen to appear there and save you?”

Qin Shuang fired off three questions in succession, causing Nie Feng’s expression to change drastically.

“Could it be Master?”

Nie Feng said bitterly. The once carefree and graceful Nie Feng had lost his usual calm composure.

“In the past, your father, Nie Renwang, was defeated by Xiong Ba. Then Xiong Ba took your mother, Yan Ying, promising your father another duel at the Leshan Giant Buddha with the Snow-Drinking Mad Blade!”

“When they met, Xiong Ba used taking Yan Ying merely as a tool to vent his desires, to undermine your father’s morale and disturb his state of mind. Your mother, unwilling to endure the humiliation, jumped from the Leshan Giant Buddha!”

“Your father, unsettled, was ultimately defeated by Xiong Ba. At that moment, the Fire Qilin appeared and took him into a cave!”

Qin Shuang spoke calmly, revealing the known facts to Nie Feng.

Nie Feng shook his head.

“No, no, it can’t be like this!”

Qin Shuang and Bu Jingyun ceased speaking, silently waiting for Nie Feng to regain his composure.