Chapter 53: Butterflies Through the Flowers

Chapter 53: Butterflies Through the Flowers

Outside Hu Tiehua’s tent, a Kucha palace guard on patrol suddenly halted. He’d heard Hu Tiehua’s call but couldn’t fathom how his disguise had been compromised. A routine patrol near their tent shouldn’t have raised suspicion. Yet now that his presence was known, Yao Long Li Chaofeng—alias “Poison Dragon”—had no intention of retreating. Scanning the area, he strode into the tent, finding the three men seated calmly on low cushions, awaiting him.

Hu Tiehua blinked at the guard’s Han Chinese features before smirking. “You’re Yao Long Li Chaofeng?”

The assassin nodded. Renowned as the world’s deadliest killer for hire, he prided himself on reliability—and as Chu Liuxiang’s friend, he never abandoned a mission.

“You three are the ‘Flower, Rooster, and Snake’?”

Hu Tiehua clicked his tongue, surprised Sun Kong had kept his word and withheld their identities. He’d spared Sun Kong not only out of mercy but to avoid drawing Yao Long’s attention. Now, with Stone Guanyin holding Chu Liuxiang captive, Hu Tiehua and Ji Bingyan had no interest in protecting the King of Kucha—or clashing with this assassin.

But if Sun Kong stayed silent, he’d speak plainly.

“Correct. I’m ‘Flower’—Hu Tiehua’s Flower.”

Ji Bingyan rolled his eyes. “Ji Bingyan.”

Yao Long’s gaze flickered. He’d come to Kucha at Chu Liuxiang’s request, yet the two before him were rumored to be Chu’s closest allies. His eyes shifted to the young man behind Hu Tiehua, who’d been studying him intently.

“‘Swallow and Butterfly Twin Wings, Fragrant Blossoms Fill the Mortal Realm.’ You wouldn’t happen to be Chu Liuxiang himself?”

Li Chaofeng scratched his neck, sighing inwardly. "Name’s Li—though I won’t share the rest. No ‘Snake’ about me, but Hu Tiehua calls me ‘Snake Xiaogui.’" He paused. "As for Chu Liuxiang… he’s probably dead by now."

Yao Long’s eyes widened.

Before he could react, Hu Tiehua’s palm lashed out, aiming for Li Chaofeng’s head. The younger man ducked, earning a spray of spittle as Hu Tiehua spat curses.

“Missed!” Hu Tiehua bellowed, clasping his hands in mock prayer. “Children’s innocent words! Children’s innocent words!”

Li Chaofeng’s jaw tightened. Being called a child irked him—he craved the carefree life of youth, not the condescension of being treated like one.

Hu Tiehua glared. “You’ve got guts badmouthing Old Stinkbug after he’s already captured!”

A fist the size of a sandbag slammed into Hu Tiehua’s left eye, leaving a blackened bruise.

Li Chaofeng flexed his fingers, ignoring Hu Tiehua’s yelps as he faced Yao Long. “If you’re here to kill the King of Kucha, we suggest changing plans. We’re not Kuchans—his survival means little to us.”

Yao Long remained silent, not at their antics, but at Hu Tiehua’s genuine distress over Chu Liuxiang’s fate.

“Why did the previous six assassins fail?”

“Chu’s capture forced our hand,” Li Chaofeng replied. “But if you’re the world’s number one assassin? Even we couldn’t stop you.”

Yao Long narrowed his eyes. “So the King dies, Chu lives?”

Hu Tiehua and Ji Bingyan exchanged glances. The assassin’s focus wasn’t on the King’s fate—but on Chu’s survival.

“Do you know Chu?” Hu Tiehua demanded.

Yao Long ignored the question, studying Li Chaofeng—the calmest of the three despite his youth. Hu Tiehua’s hand hovered near his sword, Ji Bingyan’s fingers twitched at his belt, but Li Chaofeng merely shrugged.

“No one told us what keeps Chu alive—or kills him,” he said. “Stone Guanyin ordered us to obey the King, not protect him.”

He gestured freely. “Do as you please.”

Yao Long’s lips quirked. “Why seek you three?”

Li Chaofeng blinked. Yao Long’s motives baffled him—until the assassin clarified.

“I need a Han identity to approach the King. You’re the only Han here who don’t speak Kuchean.”

Hu Tiehua and Ji Bingyan tensed. Li Chaofeng groaned—now he understood. Yao Long intended to impersonate them.

Though disguised in Kuchan garb, Yao Long’s Han features and lack of language skills made him conspicuous. With the King now alert to his presence, only the trio’s identities could grant him access.

But if Yao Long killed the King… Chu Liuxiang would die too.

Yet there was a caveat: Hu Tiehua had to be genuine.

Yao Long studied him. “Hu Tiehua’s famed Seventy-Two Butterfly Bloom Strokes require a Lightness Skill mimicking ‘Butterflies Through the Flowers.’ Yours lacks that grace.”

Hu Tiehua grinned at the unspoken challenge. “I’ve evolved. But if you crave a demonstration…”

He spread his arms.

“…it’d be my pleasure.”

Yao Long’s unsheathed sword hung at his side—no attack, only invitation.

“Please.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end