Chapter Forty: The Bounty Hunter, Gu Qingcheng

The flames persisted for more than half an hour before finally dying out, leaving scattered ashes and a scene of utter devastation. Simple fragments couldn’t have supported such a prolonged burn; the only plausible explanation was that, upon his enlightenment, Master Sky Eagle generated some immense energy, fueling this final blaze of life.

Such a pity—given Master Sky Eagle’s wisdom, he could have accomplished so much. Basang appeared utterly helpless, unable to stop the master’s self-immolation and, from beginning to end, failed to glean any useful clues from him.

Now, the body of Master Sky Eagle, reduced to ashes, had not dispersed but remained in a half-reclining posture, lying on the scorched ground.

The man was dead; what use was there in saying anything more? Tang Guang strode into the ashes, kicking them about carelessly and with irreverence.

"Don’t go near," Guan Wen cautioned, kindly. "It’s disrespectful to the dead—you’ll bring retribution upon yourself."

"Retribution? Ha! Retribution?" Tang Guang sneered, spinning and delivering a high kick that sent a small mound of ashes flying. "I never believe in retribution. I believe only in—"

Suddenly, the human-shaped charcoal that was Master Sky Eagle exploded apart, and a dazzling rainbow shot up, streaking toward the roof before veering right, undulating as it wrapped around Tang Guang’s body. In an instant, Tang Guang’s form became eerily transparent, as if seen through a strange lens: the bones of his head, chest, abdomen, and limbs were plainly visible, the beating of his heart and the expansion and contraction of his lungs vividly exposed to the three onlookers.

"Rainbow transformation... but I’ve never seen a rainbow transformation like this..." Basang murmured, frozen in place.

"Get away, get away!" Tang Guang’s ferocity was extreme; regaining his senses, he drew a short blade from his sleeve and slashed at the rainbow.

The rainbow spiraled around him three times, then entered his chest, exited from his back, and shot straight for the door, trailing a brilliant multicolored tail as it vanished into the dim corridor.

The acrid scent in the air dissipated, replaced by a heady fragrance of wild lotus blossoms.

"What happened? What’s going on?" Tang Guang turned, furious and confused.

"It’s the rainbow transformation. Master Sky Eagle has fulfilled his deeds and departed in rainbow form," Basang said softly.

"Rainbow transformation, rainbow transformation—what nonsense! You’re no help at all, just sit there and laugh!" Tang Guang’s face twisted with rage.

From that rainbow, Guan Wen saw the shadow of Master Sky Eagle. The rainbow’s seven colors represented his shifting thoughts over a lifetime: from a passionate, dream-chasing young cultivator to Nepal’s foremost sage, he had always fought for the dream of banishing evil.

Before the rainbow flew out through the iron gate, Guan Wen heard the master’s voice in his ear once more: "That burden—I leave it to you."

"What did you learn from that shadow?" Guan Wen’s sharp gaze caught Basang’s subtle change. In his eyes, Basang was no villain—merely blinded by desire. If he could break free, Basang would still be the outstanding young sage of Tashilhunpo Monastery.

"Nothing," Basang denied flatly.

"You cried," Guan Wen sighed. "Don’t forget, I’m an artist who can capture others’ thoughts. Without keen insight, how could I paint?"

Basang turned away, raising his sleeve to wipe his eyes.

Guan Wen sighed quietly: "True sorrow lies in the heart. Even if there are no tears, others can sense it. If you know you’ve erred, the sea of suffering has no bounds—turn back, and you’ll find the shore."

Basang bowed his head, pondering for a moment before asking softly, "Do you think... I can still turn back?"

Guan Wen nodded. "Of course you can. No matter how far you stray, that shore stands unmoved, always waiting for you."

Basang gave a bitter smile. "You’re not me, so you speak so lightly. Never mind—let me take you to Niseri Mountain. This matter needs an ending, good or bad, we must move forward."

"No, no, you can’t go," Tang Guang’s ears were keen; he heard Basang’s decision from afar. "The old man’s dead, the thangka fragments burned. If anything else happens here, Golden Cicada’s plan will be ruined. Basang, these two must stay. Wait for Golden Cicada, then decide."

Basang did not reply. He opened the iron gate and gestured for Guan Wen to proceed.

Guan Wen immediately took Baoling’s hand and walked out through the door.

Tang Guang roared, charging like a mad tiger. At the iron gate, Basang blocked his rush, and the two exchanged blades at close quarters, clashing a dozen times in rapid succession, their snowy blades ringing with crisp, metallic sounds.

Guan Wen looked back, shocked to see Basang fallen, wounded, clutching his right neck with his left hand and his left side with his right, blood gushing between his fingers.

"I make the rules here. Now you should believe it," Tang Guang said arrogantly, flicking his blade and glancing disdainfully at Basang.

With Master Sky Eagle dead and Basang severely injured, Guan Wen and Baoling were powerless. This was a situation Tang Guang could easily control, which explained his arrogance and contempt.

"Let them go... they are demon-banishing warriors, shouldering the duty of... preserving peace in Tibet. Don’t harm them..." Basang spoke through blood-soaked lips, looking pitiful.

"I know what I’m doing, I know what I’m doing..." Tang Guang walked to the doorway, staring at the two in the corridor with scorn. "So, will you come back of your own accord, or shall I drag you inside?"

The dim light overhead illuminated only the first five steps; beyond that, darkness reigned.

"Don’t be afraid," Guan Wen said, gripping Baoling’s hand.

"I’m not afraid. Those nightmares are gone. Nothing can frighten me anymore," Baoling smiled.

Her smile was like a breathtaking rose blooming in the night, enchanting Guan Wen’s heart, as if bathed in spring breeze.

"Get in here, enough with your chatter. I’ve got real business to attend to—no time for your romantic nonsense!" Tang Guang reached out to grab their collars.

With his martial prowess, dealing with Guan Wen and Baoling was child’s play. He had even decided to torment these two until they begged for mercy.

Suddenly, the sound of steel slicing through the air echoed.

Whoosh—

Tang Guang’s hands were severed at the wrists, his palms dropping to the floor as blood sprayed violently.

"What? Who...? Who did this?" Tang Guang raised his arms, unable to believe his eyes, his pupils bulging in terror as blood gushed from his wounds.

"It was me." A figure floated in from the shadows, holding a slender silver chain with a crescent-shaped silver blade at its end. Her smile, unlike Baoling’s, brimmed with vitality and heroic spirit—radiant as spring sunlight. Severing Tang Guang’s wrists seemed effortless, as casual as flicking dust away.

It was the Ice Goddess, one of the sages from the Twelve Temples of the Five Nations. Guan Wen had seen her several times before, but this time she had removed her hood, revealing her true face. Standing under the light, her thick, dark brows and luminous eyes made her a strikingly beautiful young woman.

"Tang Guang, you still remember me, don’t you?" She smiled, shaking her wrist so the blood on the crescent blade flicked off.

"You’re... you’re... Gu Qingcheng!" Tang Guang exclaimed.

"Yes, that’s me." She smiled, placing her left hand on her waist and, with a flick and twist of her right arm, struck again—the crescent blade plunged into Tang Guang’s right shoulder. "Don’t force me to kill right away. I think we can have an honest conversation about a few things—like the killing methods of each of the Eight Tiger Generals and their hiding places. And, of course, the bounty list from the Heaven Organization. There are plenty of Qinglong Society experts I’m not familiar with—I’ll need your guidance to find their lairs and take their heads..."

She pulled the crescent blade from Tang Guang’s shoulder, creating a flat, bloody hole, then smiled again: "After examining all the bodies of experts slain by the Eight Tiger Generals, I’ve learned one crucial lesson: never let your guard down before your last breath. As a bounty hunter, I have strict rules: whoever the enemy is, I must do my utmost to find their weakness and, when most confident, strike with a fatal blow."

Tang Guang leaned against the iron gate, blood from his three wounds pooling into a terrifying puddle at his feet.

He forced a grim smile. "World’s greatest female bounty hunter... Gu Qingcheng... you’re challenging the Tang Clan of Sichuan. You’ll soon meet your end. You may get the money, but you won’t live to spend it, right? The Eight Tiger Generals share a psychic bond—once I die, the other seven will sense it. They’ll avenge me, I’m sure. They won’t kill you quickly, but will torment you second by second, making you wish you were dead... regret everything you’ve done today..."

Gu Qingcheng pulled out her phone, adjusting the angle as she took a dozen photos of Tang Guang, sighing with slight regret. "The lighting in this cellar is too poor—the pictures are a bit blurry. Not sure if these will affect my bounty when sent to the Heaven Organization... Tang Guang, what did you just say? The other seven Tiger Generals will get the message and all rush to Tibet? That’s wonderful, truly wonderful. Saves me the trouble of hunting them down worldwide. The bounty on the Eight Tiger Generals totals forty million dollars—eight people together are still less than Golden Cicada alone. His bounty is fifty million—though not the highest. As far as I know, the heads of the Qinglong Society each command a bounty of over a hundred million, stirring the top hundred bounty hunters worldwide. This time, the martial world will be lively again. The Heaven Organization is overwhelmingly powerful, and now, with money, they’re mobilizing bounty hunters to attack the Qinglong Society. The outcome will be an unprecedented dragon-slaying contest..."

Tang Guang’s body slumped, sliding down the iron gate, sitting askew on the floor, managing to prop himself up with his bare wrists.

"No tricks," Gu Qingcheng said. "As a bounty hunter, I want to maximize my gains. If you can pay more than five million for your life, I’ll consider letting you go. Tang Guang, think about it. It doesn’t have to be money—if you’re willing to trade another big secret, everything’s negotiable..." Her voice was varied and complex, like a skilled psychologist, observing and shifting topics to launch a powerful psychological assault.

"I’m not a child, you think... I’ll believe your words?" Tang Guang cackled.

"Of course you don’t, but to survive, you’ll try anything, won’t you?" Gu Qingcheng gestured to Guan Wen and Baoling. "There are witnesses here—what are you afraid of?"

To Guan Wen, she was like a peerless sword steeped in icy water—sharp, cold, and deadly. Such a woman, once seen, could never be forgotten.