Main Text: Volume Three, Chapter 136: A Mutual Defeat

The pair arrived at the well, only to find the cover cast aside. The interior had long since been choked with sand and gravel; there was no water left to be found.

Seeing this sight, the two were overcome with fury. Although this water source had always been dominated by sand bandits, passing travelers were historically permitted to draw from it. In the desert, water meant life. To destroy a source of water was an act of madness that even the ruthless bandits would rarely commit. As they looked at the dry well, they could not help but wonder: would the next group of travelers to pass this way perish here simply because they could find no water? Who could be so utterly devoid of conscience?

Filled with anger yet helpless, they spent the entire morning clearing the silt from the well and replacing the cover, hoping that water from the mountain would eventually seep back in to provide a lifeline for those who would follow.

Exhausted from their morning labor, the two returned to where they had hidden their sand camels. Fortunately, the beasts were safe, resting behind a rock and chewing their cud. They mounted the animals and continued their journey.

Before long, however, Little Strawberry suddenly poked its head out, pointing forward and chirping incessantly. Crossing a sand dune, they discovered a figure lying face down, half-buried in the shifting sands, appearing neither dead nor alive.

"Could it be Shi Dali? Did he really die here from his wounds?" Both were struck by the same thought.

An Shu moved to check on him first, but Yu Mu pulled her back, saying, "Let me."

Yu Mu approached and leaned down to turn the man over. Behind him, Little Strawberry’s chirps grew more frequent, filled with intense agitation. Yu Mu’s guard went up instantly, but at that very moment, the figure in the sand suddenly rolled over and slashed out with a blade.

The strike was like a rainbow, swift as lightning. Yu Mu lunged backward, the blade grazing his head. Had he not been on his guard, the blow would surely have claimed his life. Even so, the edge still caught his shoulder, slicing through his hempen tunic, though it failed to break his skin.

"It’s you!" they exclaimed in unison.

The man was no Shi Dali; it was the persistent specter, Ye Yun. They could hardly believe he had chased them this far. Whether driven by deep hatred for Yu Mu or an obsessive fixation on An Shu, he had ventured into this perilous wasteland in relentless pursuit.

Ye Yun no longer resembled his former self. He was a tattered, beggar-like figure; his clothes were riddled with holes and stained with dried blood, forming dark, foul-smelling crusts. His once-handsome face now looked like that of a living corpse. Long exposure to the scorching sun had left his skin gaunt and dark, peeling away to reveal raw, pink flesh beneath. Patches of dead skin hung loosely from his face, a truly chilling sight.

His eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, flickering with a touch of irrational madness. His nose and mouth were clogged with sand, and his chapped lips were torn and bleeding; every time he moved, the scabs cracked open anew. He would occasionally flick his tongue out to lick the wounds, adding to his savage, demonic appearance. Under his rags, his abdomen was strangely distended, sloshing with the sound of liquid—he had clearly filled himself with water. Given the distribution of water sources along their path and his character, it was almost certainly he who had destroyed the well at Black Wind Ridge.

"Where is Senior Sister Xiaomei?" Seeing Ye Yun’s wretched state, a sense of unease crept into An Shu’s heart.

Ye Yun remained unresponsive to her inquiry, whether out of refusal or an inability to speak through his cracked lips. When his initial sneak attack failed, the madness in his eyes intensified. With a flash of murderous intent, he lunged with his blade once more.

Yu Mu raised his staff to meet him. *Clang!* Metal struck metal; Yu Mu retreated three steps, while Ye Yun merely swayed. Yu Mu smiled bitterly to himself. Although he had been improving, his adversary had not stopped either, and had always remained far ahead. Personal enmity aside, Yu Mu had to admire the man’s talent for cultivation and his indomitable, persistent nature. As the heir of a Saint and a sect leader’s son, he was no mere spoiled brat; the vast majority of his power came from his own hard work. It was a pity, then, that he was an irreconcilable enemy with whom Yu Mu shared a blood feud.

After their probing exchange, Ye Yun felt even more bitter than Yu Mu. The person he had once viewed as an ant continued to bring him "surprises" every time they met. Not only did Yu Mu grow stronger with every encounter, but the treasures he possessed seemed to evolve as well. Ye Yun had not dared to slacken his efforts for a moment, yet he could no longer trample his rival with the ease he once had. Even more intolerable was that the gap in their strength was not widening; it was closing. Yu Mu had become a thorn in his side—a man he could not sleep or eat comfortably until he was removed. That was why he had pursued them at all costs, even risking his life in this dangerous land. He would never allow his rival to continue growing stronger. With this thought, his murderous intent surged, and he lunged forward again.

Yu Mu moved as well, throwing himself into a roll toward Ye Yun.

Recognizing the maneuver, Ye Yun instinctively leaped into the air. Having been caught by this "leg-tackling" move before, he had developed a psychological shadow. Yu Mu, however, was secretly pleased; this was exactly what he needed to utilize the advantages of his "Mysterious Dragon Three Strikes." As he rolled, he unleashed a flurry of strikes, and Ye Yun parried with his blade in mid-air.

For a time, the two were locked in a stalemate. This was a cause for great anxiety for Ye Yun. Having been dehydrated for so long, his body was severely weakened; a drawn-out struggle would inevitably be to his disadvantage. Furthermore, An Shu stood by like a tiger watching its prey. Although she had not declared her stance, her concerned gaze toward Yu Mu made it clear she would not side with him.

In desperation, Ye Yun abandoned the intricacies of his techniques and poured his full cultivation into every strike, attempting to crush his opponent with raw power, just as he had done when he first bullied Yu Mu. Ye Yun was indeed experienced in combat, and this tactic proved effective. After a few exchanges, Yu Mu’s seemingly flawless defense was shattered.

Yu Mu was shocked; he had not expected his enemy to find a way to break his rhythm so quickly. In truth, he relied on the same move repeatedly; no matter how refined the technique, a weakness would eventually be found. As the opening appeared, Ye Yun slashed down with lethal speed. Unexpectedly, Yu Mu did not dodge; instead, he threw himself into the path of the blade, his staff glowing like a dragon as he thrust it forward.

Ye Yun turned pale with terror. He never dreamed his enemy would choose mutual destruction. It was too late to change his move.

An Shu let out a cry of alarm. Yu Mu’s irrational action was beyond her expectations, and she could only watch helplessly as they clashed. As the blade descended, Yu Mu tilted his head back. The edge slid past his face and struck his chest with a dull *thud*.

Yu Mu’s dodge had given Ye Yun a fraction of a second. He managed to shift his body to protect his dantian, but the staff’s energy pierced his groin. Yu Mu let out a muffled groan, but Ye Yun let out a shrill, inhuman scream. The groin was a man’s most vulnerable point; he could not withstand such a heavy blow.

Ye Yun collapsed, his face deathly pale, beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down his brow. His cracked lips burst open, staining his mouth with blood. He dropped his blade, clutching his crotch, and writhed in agony on the ground.

Yu Mu fared no better. A terrifying, half-foot-long gash had been carved into his chest, exposing his internal organs. Despite this, he used his remaining strength to unleash one final flurry of strikes. *Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!* Four consecutive blows broke Ye Yun’s limbs to prevent him from suddenly rising to strike again.

His strength spent, Yu Mu slumped backward, only to be caught in the arms of the rushing An Shu. She gently laid him down, immediately using a stream of water to cover his wounds and stem the flow of blood. Ye Yun, his limbs shattered, wailed in unbearable pain, unable even to cover his injuries. An Shu, having stabilized Yu Mu, waved her hand and knocked Ye Yun unconscious, whether out of pity for his suffering or to ensure he would not disturb her efforts to heal Yu Mu.