No Retreat, No Surrender

By now, the commotion had drawn a significant crowd, with many Guozhao Hunter disciples stopping to gather at the base of the sector, then rushing up Peach Blossom Valley to assist their Shimu as the fight unfolded at their masters' home.

Ping'an, her face grim with resolve, sent her whip lashing towards Qingyu, a sharp crack in the air. In response, Qingyu, with a cruel laugh, flung a young disciple directly at Ping'an, using him as a human shield. Ping'an's eyes widened, and she quickly reeled her whip back, pulling the disciple out of harm's way just in time. The three Tam disciples, their faces set with fierce determination, then lunged at Qingyu, engaging her directly.

"Syaoran!" Qingyu shrieked, her voice filled with a desperate, frantic fury, pointing her finger accusingly at Ping'an. "You die!"

Qingyu, fueled by hatred, sent her vine directly at Ping'an, a swift, serpentine strike. Ping'an, moving with incredible agility, flipped backward, blocking the vine with her whip, the impact jarring her arm. The vine, however, abruptly changed direction in mid-air, displaying Qingyu's cunning, and directly struck Tam Qiu's right shoulder. The sharp, poisonous vine pierced clean through her shoulder, and Qingyu, with a vicious tug, abruptly pulled Tam Qiu towards her. Qingyu's vine then curved back, transforming into a sharp, hook-like shape, menacingly poised at Tam Qiu's neck.

The disciples, overwhelmed and terrified for Tam Qiu, retreated one after another, forming a desperate, defensive circle around Qingyu, their faces pale.

"Syaoran, why can't you let us go?!" Qingyu demanded, her voice laced with an ancient bitterness and resentment. "You killed my king and his subordinates! I will kill you!"

"This has nothing to do with her, let her go!" Ping'an pleaded, her voice sharp with urgency. She refused to be drawn into the long-lingering conflict that had lasted nearly more than five hundred years.

Qingyu smiled, a cruel, malicious twist of her lips. "Syaoran, when your beloved disciples die one by one, I want to see your face," she purred, savoring the thought of Ping'an's suffering. She then turned her head towards the two familiar stone statues of Guo Baiyu and Zhao Renshu in front of the door; her gaze filled with malevolence. "Destroy those two stones!" she commanded her disciples.

Shan, manifesting suddenly, cried out, his ghostly voice filled with frantic alarm, "You can't destroy it! If you do, it means she can go in!" 

Tam Qiu, despite the searing pain in her shoulder, her voice trembling but brave, said, "Shimu, don't do it. I am willing to die and will not be used as her bargaining chip!"

"Let her go!" Tam Liang demanded, his voice urgent, a fierce protectiveness in his eyes.

"Big brother, did you hear me?!" Tam Qiu cried out, struggling against the vine, tears streaming down her face, desperately trying to slit her own throat to deny Qingyu her leverage. "I will not be used as her bargaining chip!"

"Ah Qiu... don't move!" Ping'an shouted, her voice filled with alarm, realizing Tam Qiu's desperate intent.

Suddenly, Fang Weisheng and Fang Weimin, the young, inexperienced Fang twins, attacked Qingyu from behind in a desperate act of courage.

Fang Weisheng attacked Qingyu's left, while Fang Weimin attacked her right, a clumsy but determined pincer movement. Qingyu, surprised, quickly pulled her hand away from Tam Qiu to block Fang Weimin's attack.

Ping'an seized the opportune moment, sent out her whip, wrapped it swiftly around Tam Qiu's waist, and pulled her to safety, away from the deadly vine.

The inexperienced Fang twins, though brave, were no match for Qingyu's ancient power. She kicked Fang Weisheng hard, sending him sprawling, and swiftly blocked Fang Weimin's attack with practiced ease. She grabbed Fang Weimin's right hand, twisted it, executed a quick butterfly flip, and landed swiftly on Fang Weimin's left side. She stood behind Fang Weimin and, with a cruel efficiency, pulled Fang Weimin's own sword to his neck, using him as a new hostage.

"Syaoran, my patience is limited," Qingyu warned, her voice cold and threatening. "Now... destroy the rocks, otherwise he will die!"

Meanwhile, at the wooded area, Hu Qingge faced Zhao Renshu, a seductive, taunting smile playing on her lips. "Renshu, you haven't changed after so many years."

"Hu Qingge, get out of here, or you will regret it," Zhao Renshu retorted, his voice low and dangerous, his eyes burning with controlled fury. "I don't have time to play cat and mouse with you."

"Senior brother, who is she?" Yang Bao whispered to Guozhao Zhiqiang, his gaze fixed on the beautiful but ominous woman.

"I don't know," Guozhao Zhiqiang replied, his own eyes narrowed, assessing the threat.

Guo Baiyu, ever calm, stated to Hu Qingge, his voice firm, "Your actions will cause trouble for your people, for the Bee Clan."

Hu Qingge didn't look away from Zhao Renshu, her smile unwavering. "I defected; she wouldn't let me see Renshu," she purred, her voice filled with a twisted obsession. She smiled, staring intently into Zhao Renshu's eyes. "Do you remember what we talked about in Border Town?"

Zhao Renshu looked at her coldly, his expression unyielding, refusing to acknowledge the past she referenced.

Hu Qingge's smile broadened, a malicious glee in her eyes. "If Ping'an died, you would love me, so Ping'an has to die."

Zhao Renshu smirked, a chilling lack of emotion on his face. "Hu Qingge, you are willing to cooperate with Qingyu to harm others and yourself. Today, I swear, I will kill you."

Hu Qingge chuckled, a derisive sound. "If you can get through them, then my life will be yours, but I don't believe that your unskilled disciples can defeat them."

Suddenly, the peaceful trees around them transformed into grotesque scorpion spirits and spider spirits, shambling towards them, their forms twisting and reforming from the wood. Appearing next to Hu Qingge were Xie Shandian, Xie Fangsu, and Yan Yow, their familiar, menacing presences filling the clearing.

"Kill everyone except Renshu," Hu Qingge commanded, her voice sharp and merciless.

The Guozhao Hunters immediately surrounded Guo Baiyu and Fang Yaoting, forming a tight defensive perimeter, knowing they were the primary targets.

"Release the beast!" Zhao Renshu roared, his voice thundering, a command to unleash their hidden power.

Zhao Renshu and the six senior hunters each pulled out a talisman, its surface glowing with power, and threw it on the ground. They clasped their hands together, their voices chanting in unison, a powerful incantation, "Old spirits of the deceased, I command you to show yourself before me, lend me your strength, I will offer you the blood of the living fairies of our enemies!"

Seven massive black bears, their fur bristling with dark energy, emerged from the ground with a mighty roar, charging loudly at the enemy. The hunters nodded, a silent command to attack, and the seven black bears charged into the fray, tearing into the monsters.

Guo Baiyu conjured his bow and a single, glowing arrow, and his sword, sending the arrow directly at Hu Qingge and Xie Fangsu, a precise, aimed strike. Seeing the attack, Hu Qingge swiftly turned over, dodging the arrow, and Fang Yaoting, working in seamless tandem with Guo Baiyu, launched his own attack on Xie Fangsu, pressing the assault.

"Zhiqiang, Ah Bao, and Zhaohui, take down Xie Shandian!" Zhao Renshu ordered, his voice sharp and commanding. "Xiao Mei, Bolin, and Shanquan, take down Yan Yow!" He looked at the other five inexperienced disciples, his gaze firm. "We hold back the spirits as long as possible until they take out the leaders. Your First Master once said, 'take out the leader, and the army will crumble.' Do any of you know what that means?"

The five disciples responded in unison, their voices ringing with understanding, "Yes, we do! Teacher Lee has taught us well!"

Zhao Renshu smirked at the five young disciples, a dangerous glint in his eye. "Alright, kill them!"

The masters and the five disciples drew their swords from their sheaths and rushed fiercely towards the enemy, plunging into the thick of battle.

"Rope the legs!" Guozhao Zhiqiang commanded, his voice sharp.

Yang Bao and Guozhao Zhaohui conjured their rope talismans, their glowing forms shooting out and wrapping themselves directly around the eight legs of Xie Shandian, binding him tightly. Guozhao Zhiqiang attacked from above, a swift, decisive strike.

"Tighten!" Yang Bao and Guozhao Zhaohui shouted, pulling hard.

The rope tightened, cutting into Xie Shandian's eight legs, holding him fast. Yang Bao quickly jumped over Xie Shandian and stood with Guozhao Zhaohui on Xie Shandian's left side, and the two hunters extended their right hands, the end of the magic rope appearing magically on their wrists. They pulled hard, and with a grunt of effort, Xie Shandian fell heavily to the ground on his right side, his many legs flailing uselessly. Guozhao Zhiqiang flew out quickly, his sword a deadly blur, swiping it through the air, and with a single, precise cut, chopped off Xie Shandian's head, ending him. Guozhao Zhiqiang then grabbed a handful of floating stones in his left hand, and with a burst of spiritual energy, the rocks transformed instantly into sharp, rocky spikes, rushing straight at the incoming scorpion spirits, tearing through them.

Zhao Renshu viciously swung his sword at Xie Fangsu, a whirlwind of steel. Xie Fangsu finally managed to block Zhao Renshu's relentless sword, her own weapon ringing against his. Xie Fangsu flew back to avoid Zhao Renshu's powerful, unwavering attack, and Guo Baiyu seized the opportunity, his bow drawn, to shoot an arrow directly into Xie Fangsu's right thigh. Xie Fangsu cried out, stumbling, and fell heavily to the ground. Zhao Renshu, his eyes blazing, sent his sword hurtling at Xie Fangsu's abdomen, and the sword pierced right into Xie Fangsu's abdomen, a killing blow. Zhao Renshu, with a fierce surge of his spiritual energy, drew the sword back from her body. Xie Fangsu collapsed to the ground, her body still, and died.

Yan Yow, still in human form, shrieked, leaping high into the air, throwing down a large, sticky spider web net at the three disciples below. The three hunters flipped backward with practiced ease, narrowly avoiding the clinging trap.

"Net!" Xiao Mei called out, recognizing the trap and formulating a counter.

Xiao Mei, Guozhao Bolin, and Guozhao Shanquan threw their talismans onto the sticky spider web, imbuing it with their own magic. Yan Yow, realizing her mistake, flew up, trying desperately to escape the net trap she had created. But the magic net quickly rose, enchanted by the talismans, and two magic ropes shot out, entangling Yan Yow's ankles, pulling her down from the sky.

The three disciples conjured a talisman, which floated, pulsating with power, on top of their right palms, and with a unified command, sent the floating talisman directly at Yan Yow. Hundreds of sharp icicles erupted from it, piercing up and down Yan Yow's entire body, a painful, brutal death.

The remaining fairies of the Spider Clan and Scorpion Clan, witnessing the swift, brutal end of their leaders, retreated in a panicked rout to the hill, one after another, their morale shattered.

Zhao Renshu looked at the five disciples, a wide, triumphant grin on his face. "Kids, that is how you work as a team!" He then turned fiercely towards Hu Qingge, who stood frozen, witnessing the carnage. "She is mine!" he declared, his voice filled with a terrifying, vengeful possessiveness.

Zhao Renshu drew his sword, its blade glinting, and flew straight at Hu Qingge, a blur of righteous fury. He swung his sword at her with immense power. She raised two spearhead weapons to block his attack, but Zhao Renshu's attack was so powerful that Hu Qingge fell directly to her knees, her defense buckling. He then kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her twenty yards away, a broken doll.

Hu Qingge snorted painfully on the ground, blood bubbling from her lips, and Zhao Renshu flew over quickly, his sword a dark streak, stabbing her directly in the left chest, a precise, agonizing blow.

Hu Qingge raised her head, blood trickling from her mouth, her eyes wide with shock and pain. "You..." she choked out, disbelieving.

Zhao Renshu looked at her coldly, his expression unyielding, devoid of mercy. "I have already told you," he snarled, his voice thick with vengeful satisfaction, "if you hurt others, I will kill you." He aggressively used his spiritual energy to send his sword further into Hu Qingge's flesh, twisting it. He then flipped over Hu Qingge's prone body and grabbed his sword as it came out from Hu Qingge's back. With a final, decisive wave of his sword, he chopped off Hu Qingge's head, ending her life and her torment.