Chapter Six: The Twelve Fiends of the Heavenly Pool

After Qin Shuang and Bu Jingyun had tended to the injuries, they found an ordinary household to leave the little girl with, offering some silver coins before returning to the Tianxia Society.

As for the opponent, Bu Jingyun, who understood the intricacies of the Frost Heaven Fist and Cloud-clearing Palm, had his own suspicions. Coupled with Qin Shuang’s behavior, even if he had thoughts, Bu Jingyun dared not easily trust her.

Qin Shuang, naturally, paid little mind to Bu Jingyun, despite him being one of the world’s main protagonists.

“Greetings, Master!”

Qin Shuang and Bu Jingyun clasped their fists in salute, lowering their heads respectfully. Though the mission had failed, the proper decorum remained necessary, even if they knew the adversary was Xiong Ba.

But could such matters be openly discussed?

Qin Shuang understood, and so did Bu Jingyun, that although Xiong Ba wished to probe the true extent of Qin Shuang’s martial arts, especially the Frost Heaven Fist and Cloud-clearing Palm, it was a question that could not be asked.

“Where is the Mud Bodhisattva?” Xiong Ba’s anger flared, clearly implying that if he didn’t receive a satisfactory answer, he might take it out on them.

Qin Shuang knew that Xiong Ba had received a grim prophecy about his latter years. Though he loudly proclaimed disbelief in fate, he was deeply pondering ways to eliminate the Wind and Cloud—his rivals.

Moreover, from Qin Shuang’s display of skill, Xiong Ba felt that none of his three disciples were easy to handle.

“Forgive your disciple’s incompetence. When I and Junior Brother Yun were about to retrieve the Mud Bodhisattva, we encountered a mysterious expert who snatched the Mud Bodhisattva from both of us!” Qin Shuang explained, eyes cast downward. Bu Jingyun continued,

“Moreover, that expert seemed to have discerned the secrets of the Frost Heaven Fist and Cloud-clearing Palm, yet held back in their strikes… Could it be one of Master’s old enemies?”

“Is that so? Is there such a thing?” Xiong Ba looked on with feigned surprise, as if he had nothing to do with it.

“Your disciple intends to issue a bounty notice, commanding all branches of the Tianxia Society to hunt this person throughout the martial world!”

With Bu Jingyun’s cooperation, Qin Shuang pressed Xiong Ba further.

Naturally, Xiong Ba did not want to issue a bounty notice. If they failed to find the culprit, the prestige of the Tianxia Society would suffer; if they succeeded and the culprit was linked to him, there would be no explanation.

“No need! Since the Mud Bodhisattva has fallen into the hands of an unknown expert who easily defeated you both, ordinary martial artists in the world would be no match. I must investigate personally!”

Xiong Ba took the matter into his own hands. Qin Shuang, who had only been feigning concern, now seized the opportunity.

“Yes, Master!”

They left promptly. Bu Jingyun watched Xiong Ba for a moment, and after exchanging a glance when Xiong Ba turned away, he departed as well.

After the two left, Xiong Ba’s face darkened as he recalled the Mud Bodhisattva’s prophecy: “The dragon and clouds of the ninth heaven bring earth-shattering change; a convergence of wind and clouds in shallow waters.”

---

Nie Feng had slain Dugu Yifang, whose power far surpassed his own. Along with Bu Jingyun’s inscrutable mind, the rapid suspicion falling upon him was truly dangerous.

Though the prophecy had nothing to do with Qin Shuang, her skill and techniques…

Xiong Ba recalled the moment he fought Qin Shuang; her control and variation in technique were so refined that if he had not already mastered the Frost Heaven Fist to perfection, he would have noticed her flaws.

Her moves rivaled his in subtlety, perhaps she had already begun to hold back in the techniques he taught.

This suggested Qin Shuang might also be unreliable. Xiong Ba’s expression stiffened. It was not always a blessing for disciples to outshine their master.

...

Xiong Ba had already begun plotting against several disciples within his inner circle. Qin Shuang deliberately slowed her pace, waiting for Bu Jingyun to catch up.

“Junior Brother Yun, why must you make your suspicions so obvious?”

Qin Shuang teased. Though nicknamed the “Crying Death God,” Bu Jingyun was cold-faced but warm-hearted.

Bu Jingyun looked puzzled. At his age, he was still too naive, thinking that by wearing a stern expression and remaining silent, others could not guess his thoughts.

“That last glance of yours gave you away. Even a blind man could see it!”

Qin Shuang smiled.

“True masters never show their hand. They remain calm, make no unnecessary moves, and feign ignorance rather than expose their doubts.”

“For example, Big Brother, you’ve been smiling all along! You must be well aware but have asked no questions?”

Bu Jingyun looked at the smiling Qin Shuang, inexplicably annoyed.

After more than ten years in the Tianxia Society, the master had grown strange, and so had Big Brother.

Fortunately, in this world, there was no such thing as soul possession, or Bu Jingyun might have suspected Qin Shuang had been taken over.

One does not lightly destroy a home after living there for over a decade; sentimentality is human nature.

“Are you resentful towards me, Junior Brother?”

Qin Shuang seemed to sense Bu Jingyun’s grievance.

“Seeing through it but not exposing it makes things easier for everyone. It’s all a matter of face; as long as we understand internally, there’s no need to make a scene and lose face while others call you immature.”

She waved her hand and left, returning to her Frost Heaven Hall.

Bu Jingyun’s movements were predictable: first to Kong Ci’s place, then to check on Brother Feng.

After seeing Nie Feng, Qin Shuang no longer appeared before Bu Jingyun or Nie Feng.

---

Not even Xiong Ba knew where Qin Shuang had gone.

Where had Qin Shuang gone?

...

That night, Qin Shuang was practicing the Nine Layers of Ice Jade when she suddenly sensed a faint killing intent.

Having anticipated this, she stood at attention, knowing it was a probe from Xiong Ba. Beyond the Twelve Fiends of the Heavenly Pool that had been revealed in the original drama, Xiong Ba surely had other formidable subordinates.

For instance, those who had followed Xiong Ba in his early days of conquest—had they all perished? She did not know who had come.

Qin Shuang leapt into the air, dashing out of the courtyard, her footsteps light yet she appeared on the rooftop.

“Who dares trespass upon the Tianxia Society?” she shouted, her voice echoing only within the courtyard. She could not tell what means the intruder used to muffle the sound.

Unfazed, Qin Shuang thought, if the usual cry for help failed, then she would meet force with force, even if it meant revealing her strength.

“We are members of the Twelve Fiends of the Heavenly Pool. I am Dance. Greetings, Frost Hall Master!”

Two black-clad figures landed before Qin Shuang.

“Oh? The Twelve Fiends of the Heavenly Pool? Then the one blocking the sound must be Dog King. How many have come? And why trespass on the Tianxia Society without cause?”

Qin Shuang spoke sternly. The Tianxia Society was at its zenith, and its only rival, the Peerless City of Dugu Yifang, was no more.

She knew full well that these might be sent by Xiong Ba to test her strength. As the senior disciple, issuing a bounty notice was no problem.

If she did, the Twelve Fiends of the Heavenly Pool would either be exposed by Xiong Ba as his own, or they would have to hide away, never showing their faces.

But how could his own men come to harm the Frost Heaven Hall’s master?

Hiding still required resources and provisions—every breeze leaves a trace.

“We are assassins, paid to do a job. We hope the Frost Heaven Hall Master will not take offense,” one of the black-clad figures replied.