The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

Sanhualou is located in the most prosperous area of ​​Chengdu's West Market. With its carved beams and painted rafters, and bright lights, even on a late autumn night, the sounds of string and wind instruments and the chirping of birds can be heard. It is a famous den of extravagance in the Sichuan and Chongqing region.

When Shan Meixian and Wanwan arrived, the entrance to the building was bustling with carriages and guests. The Dongming Sect's forces had already been quietly deployed, subtly surrounding the entire Sanhua Tower and blocking all possible escape routes.

Inside the building, the noise continued unabated, but outside, a deadly threat lurked.

With the help of a disciple from the Dongming Sect, Shan Meixian and Wanwan quietly sneaked in through a secluded side door.

The building was warm and cozy, filled with the rich scents of perfume and wine. Thick Western-style carpets covered the corridors, making no sound underfoot. Ornate palace lanterns cast a warm, ambiguous glow, illuminating the somewhat gaudy murals on the walls.

The disciple leading the way whispered, "Madam, Xi Ying is in the 'Listening to the Tide Pavilion' in the north wing. From what I've observed, he's alone, and he's had two young ladies with him."

Shan Meixian remained expressionless, merely nodding slightly. A matching cloak covered her pale purple palace dress, the hood pulled up to obscure most of her face, revealing only her beautifully shaped jawline and tightly pursed lips. Wanwan, barefoot, moved like a fiery sprite walking in the night, a hint of eager excitement on her face.

The two walked along the carpeted corridor, heading straight for the north wing. The deeper they went, the more tranquil the environment became, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle ahead. Upon arriving at the door of the "Listening to the Tide Pavilion," before Shan Meixian could even raise her hand to knock—

A soft, pleasant, yet slightly sinister and magnetic male voice, like a whisper, clearly pierced through the heavy door and entered the ears of the two:

"Who's here?"

The moment the sound rang out, the faint laughter and music that had been emanating from inside the room abruptly ceased, plunging into an eerie, pin-dropping silence. The boisterous laughter from the next room, in stark contrast, sounded particularly jarring.

Shan Meixian felt a chill run down her spine!
She and Wanwan traveled with concealed auras, their steps as light as cats, confident that they hadn't made a sound that could alert a master of inner energy. Yet, the person inside the room had sensed their presence so clearly even before they knocked or deliberately revealed any killing intent! This alone was enough to demonstrate Xi Ying's cultivation level, especially the extraordinary sensitivity of his "Purple Qi Heavenly Net" technique!

Now that things have come to this, there's no need to hide any longer. Just as Shan Meixian was about to push open the door, the two tightly closed carved wooden doors seemed to be controlled by an invisible hand, and with a "creak," they slowly opened inward on their own.

As soon as the door opened, they were greeted by a pair of eyes that flashed with evil light and were sharp as a real thing!
The room was luxuriously decorated, with thick Persian carpets and incense burners in the corner emitting wisps of smoke. On a soft couch by the window sat a man dressed in a blue scholar's robe.

The man appeared to be around forty years old, tall and slender, with fair skin, a thin face, and three long wisps of beard under his chin. He exuded an air of refined elegance and gentle manners. He even wore a gentle smile, seemingly neither surprised nor annoyed by the arrival of the two uninvited guests. Had one not seen him with their own eyes, anyone would have mistaken him for a weak and frail scholar, incapable of even killing a chicken.

However, the moment your gaze meets those eyes beneath his thick eyebrows, all illusions shatter instantly!

Those eyes, with a clear, eerie purple halo around the pupils, like the eyes of a venomous snake lurking in a deep pool, flashing with a chilling evil and sharpness! It was the mark of the "Purple Qi Heavenly Net" after its mastery—"Purple Pupil Fiery Eyes"!
At this moment, those purple eyes, filled with a mixture of amusement and scrutiny, fell upon Shan Meixian and Wanwan standing at the doorway. A courtesan, her clothes half-undone and her face alluring, was nestled in their arms; they had clearly been teasing and joking with her just moments before.

When the woman first saw the door open automatically, she thought it was Xi Ying's friend visiting. But when she saw Shan Meixian's icy gaze under her hood and felt the invisible, suffocating pressure, she was terrified, her face turned pale, her body stiffened, and she didn't dare to breathe.

At the same time, the noise from the next room suddenly stopped, clearly indicating that they had noticed the unusual commotion here.

Xi Ying seemed oblivious to the fear in the woman's arms, and unconcerned about the tense atmosphere outside the door. His gaze lingered with interest on Shan Meixian's hooded face and Wanwan's stunningly beautiful, otherworldly features, finally settling on Shan Meixian. His deep, melodious voice rang out again, tinged with a hint of flirtation and mockery:

"Who could it be with such grace and poise? It turns out to be Madam Shan from the Dongming Sect. Tsk tsk, it's been many years, and Madam's charm is even more remarkable than before. She truly makes my heart flutter."

His words were blatantly frivolous, and he even deliberately tightened his grip on the woman in his arms, making her tremble with fear.

Shan Meixian slowly raised her hand, pulling her hood back to reveal her refined and elegant face, now covered in frost. Standing with her hands behind her back, her gaze, like two icy spikes, pierced Xi Ying as she coldly sneered:
"Xi Ying, you really are not dead!"

These words, spoken with chilling intent, seemed to instantly lower the temperature in the room.

The woman in Xi Ying's arms could no longer bear the terrifying atmosphere. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted from fright, collapsing limply into his arms.

Xi Ying, however, paid no heed. He casually pushed the woman to the corner of the soft couch as if she were a toy, picked up a wine cup from the table beside him, took a leisurely sip, and then slowly said:

"Madam, what are you saying? I am perfectly fine, why would I want to die? It is you, Madam, who, instead of enjoying your life on the fairy island of Ryukyu, have traveled thousands of miles to this land of pleasure in Sichuan to find me. Could it be... that you couldn't bear the loneliness and have remembered how good I am?"

His words grew increasingly vulgar, and his gentle smile turned sinister: "Speaking of which, Brother Bian and I are close friends, sharing similar interests. He often mentioned you, Madam... Hehe, seeing you today, I realize that Brother Bian's words were true. You are indeed a peerless beauty, so lovely that I feel pity for you. If Madam does not mind, I would be willing to do it for you..." He was clearly unaware that Bian Bufeng had already been killed, and continued to try to provoke Shan Meixian with foul language.

Just then, the door to the next room opened, and two imposing middle-aged men strode out. They were none other than Fan Zhuo, the "Gun King," and Feng Zhen, the "Monkey King," from the Bashu Alliance. The two were clearly discussing matters in the west wing and had been alerted by the commotion.

The two men immediately spotted Wanwan, dressed in a scarlet dress, standing barefoot at the doorway, her beauty stunning. Their expressions changed instantly, and a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes.

Wanwan also saw the two of them, but simply waved her hand casually, signaling them to watch quietly from the side and not to cause any trouble.

Fan Zhuo and Feng Zhen exchanged a glance, then immediately bowed and clasped their hands in a silent salute before obediently retreating to a corner of the corridor and standing at their sides.

Xi Ying naturally noticed Fan Zhuo and Feng Zhen's almost humble attitude towards Wanwan, and a hint of surprise flashed in his purple eyes. Although he was arrogant, he was not brainless. Fan and Feng were local strongmen in Sichuan, yet they were so respectful to this girl in red? What was this girl's background?
His gaze fell on Wanwan again, and this time, upon closer inspection, he was even more horrified! This young girl, though so young, possessed an aura as deep and unfathomable as the ocean, giving him a faint sense of extreme danger! And Shan Meixian, whom he hadn't seen for many years, seemed to have also made incredible progress in her skills!
A sense of foreboding crept into Xi Ying's heart. However, confident in his mastery of the "Purple Qi Heavenly Net," he considered everyone under heaven, except for a handful of individuals, to be beneath his notice. Suppressing his suspicion, he reverted to his sinister smile and continued his provocation towards Shan Meixian:

"What? Madam Shan isn't speaking? Does she agree, or is she shy? If she is shy, I, Xi, am most considerate of women. Why don't we find a quiet place and... catch up?"

As Shan Meixian listened to Xi Ying's filthy words, especially his mention of Bian Bufu, it stirred up her hatred for all the unbearable memories of the past and the deep-seated hatred for the murder of her father. Her aura grew colder and colder, and her hands under her wide sleeves clenched into fists, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

But she didn't react immediately. Instead, she stared coldly at Xi Ying with a look as if he were already dead, and said, word by word:

"Xi Ying, have you finished saying your last words?"

"Since Madam wishes to test her skills against me, then I will grant your wish, hahaha!"

Xi Ying slowly stood up. He was already tall and thin, and now that he stood up, he was almost two heads taller than Shan Meixian. A heavy, mountain-like aura spread out and instantly filled the entire "Listening Tide Pavilion".

He stood with his feet slightly apart, firmly planted on the carpet. He seemed casual, but he gave people a majestic and unshakable air of strength and power. Where was there any trace of the appearance of a weak scholar?

What's even more unsettling is his posture, which is unusually peculiar. Even though he stands as steady as a mountain, motionless, he gives the impression that he might turn into a wisp of smoke at any moment and drift to any unpredictable direction, full of eerie and unpredictable dynamism.

This is the unique cultivation method of "Purple Qi Heavenly Net". The so-called purple qi does not refer to the color of true qi, but rather that when the cultivation method is performed, the true qi is full and surging, causing a faint, eerie purple glow to appear under the practitioner's skin, hence the name "purple qi".

The most powerful aspect of this skill is that when the skill is at its peak, the practitioner can weave layers of invisible yet tangible energy nets around the enemy, like weaving cloth. Once the opponent is caught in the net, they are like fish caught in a net. The more they struggle, the tighter the energy net becomes, until they are completely bound and cannot escape death.

If Xi Yingzhen can truly master the art to the point of being able to do whatever he wants and create a net with a single thought, then he will indeed be the first successor of the Dao of Extinction of Emotions to achieve this skill in the last three hundred years.

Shan Meixian's cold gaze was sharp as a sword as she carefully examined the subtle yet omnipresent changes in Xi Ying's aura. At the same time, Xi Ying's sinister eyes, flashing with purple light, were also carefully observing Shan Meixian, trying to see through her true nature.

Wanwan crossed her arms and leaned leisurely against the door frame, looking like she was watching a show. Shan Meixian was confident and unafraid of Xi Ying's possible surprise attack from behind or other angles.

At this moment, the doors and windows of the other rooms in the west wing facing this direction had been quietly opened a crack, and figures could be seen everywhere, but no one dared to make a loud noise. Whether it was Fan Zhuo and Feng Zhen from the Bashu Alliance, or other discerning martial artists, they all held their breath and were unwilling to miss this rare life-or-death duel between top masters.

A cold, disdainful sneer slowly crept onto Xi Ying's lips. His eyes blazed with a brilliant purple light, like two burning purple will-o'-the-wisps. Yet, his tone was surprisingly calm, even tinged with regret. He shook his head and sighed, "Since I mastered 'Purple Qi Heavenly Net,' those I consider my opponents are few and far between. Madam Shan, though you are a woman, to be regarded this way by me is something to be proud of..."

From the tangible purple light in his eyes, Shan Meixian was even more certain that this "Purple Qi Heavenly Net" and her mother Zhu Yuyan's "Heavenly Demon Skill" were of the same origin but different, both coming from the supreme secret manual of the Demonic Sect, "Heavenly Demon Strategy".

When the Heavenly Demon Art is activated, it generates a strange force field that causes spatial depressions and devours everything. However, Xi Ying's Purple Qi Heavenly Net is the opposite. Centered on himself, it generates a kind of energy that expands and fluctuates outwards, as if space itself is constantly expanding and spreading, trying to repel and push away everything within its range, or... incorporate it into its woven "net".

Under the expectant yet tense gazes of the crowd upstairs, Shan Meixian slowly raised her right hand. She didn't draw her sword swiftly; instead, her movements were slow and steady, as if performing some ancient ritual. A soft sword, about three feet two inches long, with a narrow blade and a faint, cold gleam, silently slid from its ornate scabbard at her waist, guided by her slender hand.

The sword is not straight, but rather has an elegant and natural curve. On the spine of the sword, one can faintly see fine, fish-gut-like patterns, which flow with waves of water-like luster under the indoor light. This sword is named "Liubo" and is one of the treasured swords passed down by the Dongming Sect. It complements the "Water Cloud Sleeve Technique" practiced by Shan Meixian.

The moment the "Flowing Wave Sword" was fully drawn, its tip pointing directly at Xi Ying, the disdainful smile on Xi Ying's face froze instantly, and for the first time, a solemn expression appeared on his face. He clearly felt that the seemingly calm and even aura of his opponent suddenly became incredibly sharp and concentrated the moment it merged with the sword, as if it could pierce a hole through the ever-expanding "Heavenly Net of Qi"!
The Purple Qi Heavenly Net can perhaps be likened to an invisible yet real spiderweb woven from true qi. Any prey that crashes into the web will cause it to ripple and deform; the more the prey struggles, the tighter the qi binds it, until it is completely bound—a bizarre and malevolent force. Xi Ying's usual tactic is to lure his opponent into launching the first attack. Once the opponent has unleashed a furious assault, exhausted their strength, and become agitated, he will silently unleash an even denser and more resilient "silk force," using softness to overcome hardness. Only when the opponent is bound hand and foot, unable to exert any force, will he strike and kill them in one fell swoop. (End of Chapter)