Pearl Order [Complete] - 22

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Fighting the Myriad Flowers Sword.

Ling Junyi asked doubtfully, "Then who killed my late father?"

Rong Jingzong sighed sadly and said, "The eighteen 'eagle claws' sent by the Qing court disappeared without a trace, so naturally they wouldn't give up. After their investigation, they finally learned that all eighteen imperial guards had been killed by the Black Dragon Society. The Tartar chieftain was furious upon hearing the report and secretly dispatched the Shandong governor to suppress them."

Ling Junyi asked in surprise, "They're going to use force against the Black Dragon Society?"

Rong Jingzong said, "Using force? The Black Dragon Society isn't afraid of that. Even if they send an army of 100,000, it won't help. What's hateful is that our Black Dragon Society has a heartless and treacherous traitor." Ling Junyi thought

... Startled, Ling Junyi opened his eyes and asked, "Who?"

Rong Jingzong replied, "It's Han Zhankui, the current leader of the Black Dragon Society."

Ling Junyi felt a surge of excitement and asked, "How did he betray the Black Dragon Society?"

Rong Jingzong said, "At that time, the Eastern Governor was Guotai, a lackey of Heshen. This man was originally a greedy and incompetent traitor. Upon receiving the secret, he was terrified and couldn't come up with a plan. It is said that he had a secretary in his office named Qian Junren, nicknamed 'Judge of the Underworld.' It is said that this man was originally a traveling medicine seller, but later somehow rose through the ranks and became Guotai's confidant, colluding with him. He gave Guotai a suggestion: using force is absolutely not advisable. At that time, he only wrote four characters on his left palm..." "Four characters." Ling Junyi said, "I wonder which four characters he wrote."

Rong Jingzong said, "Use bandits to control bandits."

Ling Junyi said, "Use bandits to control bandits?"

Rong Jingzong said, "That's right, his idea is extremely vicious. He uses the means of dividing and luring, but without a heartless and insane person, how can the Black Dragon Society be overthrown?" He sighed deeply and said, "Perhaps this is fate. It just so happens that this villain Han Zhankui, because of his grudge against your father Feng, after your father succeeded as the leader, he outwardly showed sincere support. But his hatred in his heart grew deeper and deeper. Because he is the son of the old leader's sworn brother, and his father died for the Black Dragon Society, the old leader always treated him as a nephew, and also shook hands with him." " If your father hadn't been alive, he would have been the undisputed successor to the Black Dragon Society's leader,"

Ling Junyi said. "Even if he had a grudge against my late father, that was a personal matter. He shouldn't have betrayed the Black Dragon Society."

Rong Jingzong said, "This is called being blinded by greed. He forgot that his father died at the hands of the Tartars. It was because the Qing court promised him that after the deed was done, not only would they not pursue the past, but they would also give him an official position and a reward that he betrayed his master for personal gain, shamelessly serving his enemy and offering up the complete map of the mountain's secret passage as a stepping stone for his advancement..."

Ling Junyi paled and said, "The Black Dragon Society was able to stand firm under the Qing court's strict search because of the secret passage in the mountain, which outsiders could not enter. He offered up the complete map of the secret passage..." "If they give up the map, it's tantamount to destroying the Black Dragon Society."

Rong Jingzong clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "That's right! The old leader's thirty years of painstaking efforts, and the diviner's painstaking design of the secret passages and mechanisms, have all fallen into the hands of the alien race."

Ling Junyi said, "What are the details? I hope you can tell me, sir."

Rong Jingzong's face turned extremely ugly, his eyes like knives, and he said through gritted teeth, "Besides the old leader, there were nine elders who founded the Black Dragon Society. They were all sworn brothers who shared life and death, and were loyal to each other. After the old leader passed away, only five remained, and by then they were all over sixty years old. This scoundrel surnamed Han not only offered up the master map of the secret passages, but he also actually had the heart to..." "Following the orders of Eagle Claw, he secretly poisoned the five elders first..."

Ling Junyi asked, "Didn't anyone discover his plot at the time?"

Rong Jingzong replied, "No, this villain was extremely cunning, and the poison was from the imperial palace. Many Manchu and Han officials, after being given food by the Tatar chieftain, often died suddenly at home using this same poison, showing no signs of poisoning after death. The Black Dragon Society's five elders died one after another within a month, naturally arousing much suspicion, but each of them died very peacefully, without any abnormalities. Although everyone had suspicions, there was nothing they could do..."

Ling Junyi's brows furrowed, and he angrily said, "This traitor truly deserves to be torn to pieces."

Rong... Jingzong continued, "That was twenty years ago, on the Dragon Boat Festival. Two months had passed since the passing of the five elders. No incidents occurred during the gathering, and everyone's vigilance had gradually relaxed. The Dragon Boat Festival is a major festival. Every year, the leader of the association, the three hall masters, and the thirty-six generals would gather in the main hall for a celebration, along with the patrol leaders from each hall..."

Ling Junyi couldn't help but ask, "Did he poison it again?"

Rong Jingzong didn't answer directly, but continued, "While everyone was in high spirits, drinking and eating heartily, a patrol leader surnamed Shen from the Azure Dragon Hall rushed in and whispered a few words in Han Zhankui's ear. Han Zhankui's face lit up with joy, and he stood up from his seat, loudly proclaiming, 'Gentlemen,'" Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, and everyone is here. I have a few words to say. Our association has been established for over thirty years, originally with the aim of restoring the Ming Dynasty. In these thirty years, the Qing Dynasty has consolidated its power and implemented benevolent policies. The Ming Dynasty's momentum has waned. With only a hundred or so of us, how can we possibly resist? It's like throwing eggs against rocks. We've been hiding in the mountains all day, achieving nothing in thirty years. In another thirty years, we'll still be unable to rise above our circumstances. The ancients said that those who follow Heaven prosper, and those who defy Heaven perish. We are acting against Heaven. Therefore, I believe it would be better for us to submit to the Qing Dynasty and accept their offer of amnesty. There, we might all have a chance to make a difference.” That's roughly what he said. Alas, these words are truly offensive.”

Ling Junyi asked, “What was my late father like back then?” Rong Jingzong said, "

At the time, everyone thought it was just drunken rambling, but this was blasphemous and violated the rules of the society. The leader naturally wouldn't allow him to spout such nonsense again, and immediately stood up and scolded, 'Hall Master Han, you're probably drunk. Do you know what you've said? Shut up!' Han Zhankui laughed loudly, 'Ling Changfeng, don't try to act like the leader in front of Master Han. Why don't you open your eyes and see? None of you traitors can escape!' The leader was furious." Enraged, he roared, "Han Zhankui, you're insane! You're spouting such treasonous words! According to the rules of this society, you should be torn apart by eight blades!" Han Zhankui remained unmoved and shouted back, "Ling Changfeng, according to the laws of the Qing Dynasty, all of you traitors should be executed by slow slicing, and your entire family should be exterminated!" As he spoke, he suddenly smashed the wine cup in his hand to the ground. This was a signal to throw the cup, and at that instant, more than a dozen hawks sent by the Qing government poured out from the eight hidden doors on all four sides of the Sun and Moon Hall.

Ling Junyi said, "The Black Dragon Society's elites are all in the hall. Unless they use powerful hidden weapons, how difficult would it be to annihilate these dozen or so hawks in one fell swoop?"

Rong Jingzong gritted his teeth and said painfully, "The hawks didn't use any hidden weapons. There was no fighting in the Sun and Moon Hall, not even a shred of resistance. They were just made to have their hands tied behind their backs and bound with ropes."

Ling Junyi said sternly, "Everyone has been poisoned." Rong Jingzong said hesitantly, "

Han Zhankui put a 'bone-softening pill' in the realgar wine, and everyone lost their ability to resist..."

Ling Junyi asked anxiously, "Where is my father?"

Rong Jingzong, with tears in his eyes, said, "I was serving as the chief steward of Black Dragon Pool at the time and was not present. I heard this from others afterward. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the leader bit his tongue and committed suicide, dying a heroic death."

Tears welled up in Ling Junyi's eyes, and he knelt down with a thud, shouting, "Father, I will definitely kill that villain surnamed Han and avenge you!"

Rong Jingzong wiped away his tears and said, "Young master, there's no need to be sad. When you return from Black Dragon Pool, you can personally kill your enemy. I'm sure that old villain surnamed Han won't be able to escape far."

Ling Junyi stood up and suddenly asked with concern, "Uncle, how did my mother escape?"

Rong Jingzong said, "It was also fate." Your mother was already pregnant at the time, vomiting constantly, and therefore unable to attend the meetings. Those accomplices were busy taking over the three halls of the society, and sporadic fighting was taking place everywhere. Your mother received news of the incident and escaped through a secret passage; by the time they discovered her, she had vanished.

Ling Junyi said, "That old thief surnamed Han, since he betrayed the Black Dragon Society, how come he's become its leader again?"

Rong Jingzong said, "His betrayal of the Black Dragon Society was a great service to the Qing court. Now he is a fourth-rank official and the head of the Imperial Guards, yet he is still appointed as the leader of the Black Dragon Society. This is a huge conspiracy."

Ling Junyi asked, "What kind of conspiracy is this?"

Rong Jingzong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "This is related to both me and you, young master." Ling Junyi found it strange and unconsciously exclaimed, "Ah!"

Rong Jingzong continued, "Twenty years ago, throughout the north and south of the Yangtze River, all organizations that accepted the control of the Princess and opposed the Qing to restore the Ming were either destroyed by the Qing court or disappeared without a trace. Only the Black Dragon Society, with its geographical advantage, still stood strong in the martial arts world. At that time, it could be said to be the last remaining organization. The Qing court wanted him to continue to lead the Black Dragon Society so that they could gradually discover who was still resisting. They wanted to find out the loyal ministers and traitors of the Ming Dynasty one by one, and not let a single seed of resistance be left in the soil..." He became more and more agitated as he spoke, clenching his fist and striking his left palm hard.

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "What does this have to do with him and me?"

Rong Jingzong continued, "There's another reason, which is related to Black Dragon Pool..." Hearing him repeatedly mention Black Dragon Pool, and just now saying that the Qing court had sent an old scoundrel surnamed Han to manage the Black Dragon Society, which was connected to him and himself, and now that it was related to Black Dragon Pool, Ling Junyi deduced that something might be happening at Black Dragon Pool that involved him.

Before he could ask further, Rong Jingzong continued, "When I was captured, because of my close personal relationship with your father, I was imprisoned for a year. Later, I learned that your mother had escaped with the 'Li Long Pearl,' and they had never found its whereabouts. Therefore, I felt I had to continue living, and I had to still obtain the Black Dragon Pool's manager to have any hope of waiting for your return. I had no choice but to surrender and reveal a very important secret to them as a stepping stone..."

Hearing this, Ling Junyi couldn't help but ask, "What secret did you reveal to them, sir?" Rong Jingzong smiled and said, "

Besides your mother, only I know this secret. It's about a cave that the old leader accidentally discovered when he was carving a path through the mountain. It contains murals depicting the martial arts of Master Chongyang. Later, when the Princess inspected our sect, she found the cave very secluded and moved the register of members from various sects who participated in the Sun Sect here. The old leader felt a great responsibility and consulted a diviner to design a deep pool above the cave, which is now the Black Dragon Pool, by diverting a poisonous spring."

Ling Junyi said with a Buddhist smile, "Old man, by revealing this secret to the Qing court, aren't you betraying all the members of the Sun Sect founded by the Princess?" Rong Jingzong

smiled slightly and said, "Young master's criticism is quite right. But if I hadn't revealed this secret, I wouldn't have gained their trust, nor would I have been able to obtain the position of Black Dragon Pool's manager. How could I have waited for you today, twenty years later?"

Ling Junyi remained indignant, saying, "Old man, you've sacrificed countless Sun Cult members. What use would it be if you waited for me?" Rong

Jingzong smiled and said, "I too am a cult member who swore a solemn oath before the Sun God. How could I betray all my fellow members? Moreover, this matter concerns the lives of tens of thousands of people. If they were to obtain it, I would become an unforgivable sinner of the Sun Cult."

Ling Junyi said, "Didn't you already tell them, old man?"

Rong Jingzong smiled and said, "As I just said, the old leader asked the fortune teller to devise a plan to introduce the poisonous spring, which has sunk this cave to the bottom of the pool. The pool is twenty zhang deep. A single drop of poison can kill a person. Even a celestial being couldn't descend into a pool twenty zhang deep."

Upon hearing this, Ling Junyi unconsciously uttered an "Oh," and said, "I understand." What did he understand? He understood why the Black Dragon Society and the Hundred Flowers Gang had been trying every means to find an antidote for the "poison." Needless to say, the Black Dragon Society's goal was to obtain the Sun Cult's membership list. As for the Hundred Flowers Gang's elder, she wasn't after the list, but rather the martial arts left behind by Master Chongyang. Therefore, it seems the Hundred Flowers Gang's elder was indeed the long-lost Ruhua—the old leader's biological daughter.

Rong Jingzong, holding his white beard, asked, "What do you understand, young master?"

Ling Junyi replied, "The Black Dragon Society kidnapped four people: the Tang Clan's Elder Tang from Sichuan, the Wen Family's Elder Wen from Lingnan, Master Leshan, the abbot of the Shaolin Medicine King Hall, and Master Zhu of Longmian Manor, forcing them to research the antidote for the 'poison,' all to infiltrate the pool and retrieve the membership list."

Rong Jingzong nodded, "That's right, but they overlooked one point: why did your mother take the 'Lilong Pearl'?"

Ling Junyi said, "The 'Lilong Pearl' can cure the pool's poison."

Rong Jingzong smiled, "Your mother didn't tell you the whole story, young master, no wonder you don't know either."

Ling Junyi glared and asked, "Is there some other secret?" Rong

Jingzong replied, "The 'Li Long Pearl' can indeed cure all poisons in the world, but its other function is that it doesn't get wet in water; it's commonly known as the Water-Separating Pearl." He then looked at Ling Junyi and added, "Young Master, you should now know why I've endured humiliation and waited for you here."

Ling Junyi said, "Does Elder want me to sneak into the Black Dragon Pool cave?"

Rong Jingzong's expression suddenly became very serious. He said, "That's right. On this trip, Young Master, you must destroy the 'Sun Cult Register' in the secret chamber."

Ling Junyi raised his eyes and asked, "Elder wants me to destroy the register?"

Rong Jingzong said, "That's right. This register is from decades ago. At that time, the Eldest Princess contacted various sects and factions to prepare for an uprising, but today, not only is the Tatar army at its peak, but most of the Sun Cult organizations in various places have also disintegrated. This register has already lost its value." However, if it falls into the clutches of the Qing court, many righteous people across the north and south will be implicated. Keeping it is a sure way to bring disaster. Only by destroying it can we avert a bloodbath.

Ling Junyi stood up and said, "I will follow your instructions, but I don't know how to get to Black Dragon Pool."

Rong Jingzong said, "Please sit down, young master. Black Dragon Pool was meticulously designed by divine calculation. Even with the 'Dragon Pearl,' we don't know how to open it. How can we enter? Once we leave this room, we can no longer speak. Therefore, I must explain the mechanism in detail." As he spoke, he reached into his sleeve and took out an old parchment, spread it on the low table, pointed to the map, and said, "This pool is twenty-four zhang in circumference. On the cliff at the north end, there is a dragon's head. The poisonous spring flows from the dragon's mouth, day and night. You must use the 'Gecko Skill' to go vertically down from under the dragon's head to the bottom of the pool." Fortunately, with the "Dragon Pearl" providing illumination, you can see a fine steel ring below. Grasp the ring with both hands and pull it up as high as you can using the Shaolin "Vajra Hand Technique." At this moment, the dragon head spring will stop flowing, and the water will flow from eight caves into another reservoir at the bottom of the pool. The water level will immediately drop from twenty zhang to about five zhang. In the center of the pool, a rocky reef will emerge from the water. You can then release the iron ring, leap onto the reef, and use the "Vajra Hand Technique" to lift a round boulder from the reef. Below is the secret path leading to the cave..."

Ling Junyi asked, "With the dragon head spring stopping and the water level dropping, won't the bandits notice?"

Rong Jingzong stroked his beard and smiled, "Good question. Deep within the Black Dragon Pool, in the broken gorge, every night after a certain time, a thick fog rises. From four to five in the morning, no one can be seen on the other side. It only gradually dissipates when it is fully light. Although there are people on duty, they are all outside the gorge and do not need to be discovered. That's why I wanted you to see this topographical map clearly. You must remember the location of the Black Dragon Pool."

Ling Junyi nodded, "I've got it." Rong

Jingzong said, "That's good." He took the parchment, rubbed it between his hands several times, and it immediately crumbled into powder, scattering on the ground.

Ling Junyi exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle, why did you destroy it?"

Rong Jingzong sighed and said, "Young Master has arrived. There's no need to keep this map; it's best to destroy it." He then took out a finely carved golden carp, about an inch long, from his robes and solemnly handed it to Ling Junyi, saying, "This is one of the Black Dragon Society's two most secret items. The 'Dragon Pearl' is controlled by the Society Leader, while this golden carp is kept by the Black Dragon Pool Steward. Hidden inside its belly is the key to opening the cave at the bottom of the pool. Fortunately, only the Society Leader and the Black Dragon Pool Steward know this. I've kept it for twenty years and never looked at it. As for how to open it, only the Society Leader knows. I have no idea. Young Master, you'll have to wait and see after entering the secret passage. I can't predict what will happen."

Ling Junyi took it and felt that the golden carp was extremely light. Its body and tail could move, and its golden scales shimmered, making it look very much like a live fish. The craftsmanship was exquisite. He immediately put it in his robes and hid it close to his body, saying, "I understand, nephew." Rong Jingzong stood up and said, "Alright, it's almost four in the morning, we can go now. "

Ling Junyi stood up as well. Rong Jingzong waved his hand, extinguishing several lamps, and walked to the right side of the stone bed. He leaned forward, placed his palms on the stone bed, and slowly pushed it to the left. Judging from his pushing posture, the stone bed must be quite heavy. At the same time, a slight creaking sound came from the ground.

Rong Jingzong turned around and said, "This is a hidden door that I made myself, imitating the mechanisms that the Divine Calculator installed in various places. Although it's a bit cumbersome, it won't be noticed by anyone..." As he spoke, the stone bed had already been pushed open four or five feet, but he continued to push. A stone slab on the ground slowly rose up with his continued pushing, revealing a square pit.

Ling Junyi asked, "Did you make this all by yourself, old man?"

Rong Jingzong stopped and smiled, "Of course. Although I have twelve swordsmen under my command, apart from that girl Xiao Tao, none of them are my trusted confidants." "This secret passage alone took me ten years of my sleep to complete." Ten years, working tirelessly every night to finish this secret passage—this old man's perseverance is truly moving.

Rong Jingzong took out a delicate fire tube from his side and stepped into the cave first, saying, "This old man will lead the way for you, young master." With a "snap," he lit the fire tube and descended the steps.

Ling Junyi followed him into the cave. After about ten steps, the ground widened slightly. Rong Jingzong handed the fire tube to Ling Junyi before turning around. There was an iron wheel attached to the stone wall. He gripped the wheel tightly with both hands and slowly turned it, still appearing to be struggling greatly. As the wheel turned, a heavy creaking sound echoed from the wall, and the stone slab above slowly slid down. Rong Jingzong didn't stop; he continued turning. Ling Junyi knew he was restoring the stone bed to its original state. Rong Jingzong turned the mechanism at least twenty or thirty times before stopping, laughing as he said, "This mechanism is quite cumbersome, a far cry from the work of the Divine Calculator, but I'm still quite satisfied. Someone like me, who knows nothing about mechanisms and ambushes, actually managed to create a hidden door with my own hands."

Ling Junyi nodded, saying, "Where there's a will, there's a way. It's truly no easy feat for you to complete this secret passage alone, sir."

Rong Jingzong's eyes welled with tears as he said, "This is the day I've been waiting for, the day I've been waiting for you. Twenty years ago, I firmly believed you would come, which is why I began to open this secret passage."

Ling Junyi said, moved, "Your painstaking efforts, sir, are truly invaluable. I will never forget your kindness."

Rong Jingzong said, "What I've been hoping for day and night is for you to enter the bottom of the pool, young master." "Destroying the Sun Cult's register will allow various sects and factions in the martial world to preserve their foundations, and the scattered officials and commoners scattered throughout the north and south of the Yangtze River to protect their lives and property. As long as the seeds of the Sun Cult are planted in their hearts, one day they will unleash an irresistible force, restoring our beautiful land. This is my greatest wish. Secondly, I wish to help you, young master, eliminate the villain surnamed Han, and avenge the sect leader. I have endured humiliation and lived in hiding for twenty years. Once these two wishes are fulfilled, even death will be peaceful." He then whispered, "Young master, be careful, there's a huge rock ahead, watch your head." This path, which he had carved out with his own hands, was naturally not as smooth as other paths. Not only was the ground uneven, but there were also frequent boulders protruding overhead, requiring one to bend over and stoop to pass. But even without Rong Jingzong's instructions, Ling Junyi could see this clearly. The two walked one after the other for the time it takes to drink a cup of hot tea, until they reached the end—a stone wall blocked their path.

Rong Jingzong stopped and handed the fire tube to Ling Junyi. In the firelight, another iron wheel, the size of a large bowl, appeared on the stone wall ahead. Rong Jingzong gripped the wheel tightly and slowly pushed it outwards, saying, "Go down from here, about four or five zhang high. Once you land on solid ground, that's the left side of Black Dragon Pool. Did you remember what I just said?"

Ling Junyi replied, "I remembered."

Rong Jingzong pushed hard, and a large, round stone was pushed outwards, instantly opening a circular hole in the stone wall, like a window! It turned out that an iron chain was attached to the wheel; the stone was held in place by the chain, preventing it from falling. Rong Jingzong said, "Alright, you can go down now, but you must come back up before dawn. That means you only have one night to stay in the cave at the bottom of the pool. I will be there to meet you at the edge of the pool."

Ling Junyi said, "I understand." After saying that, he shrank back and crawled out of the cave. Sure enough, he saw a thick, dark fog outside the cave, and couldn't see anything. He took a deep breath and then floated down.

He heard Rong Jingzong's very faint voice from above, saying, "Young master, be careful. I wish you success." Ling Junyi had already seen the map of the Black Dragon Pool in the stone chamber. Otherwise, if he had landed in such a pitch-black place, he would have been unable to move an inch. Because he had landed on the stone embankment at the edge of the pool, if he took one step forward, he would fall into the Black Dragon Pool. He was wearing the "Li Long Pearl" at his waist, which could illuminate about ten feet even in the darkest place. But the thick fog, like a dark cloud, could obscure the clear, heavy moonlight. Here, the "Dragon Pearl" was like a firefly, its light illuminating only a foot or two at most. Ling Junyi didn't need to look much; he already had a concept of the Black Dragon Pool's location. Therefore, after a moment's concentration, he moved along the stone wall to the right. Although the black fog was thick, it only obscured his vision. The poisonous spring flowing from the dragon's mouth on the stone wall made a gurgling sound, which the thick, dark fog couldn't completely block.

Ling Junyi listened carefully to the water's sound; he was only seven or eight zhang away. Naturally, he was extra cautious. As he moved, he suddenly felt his feet leave the ground, unable to touch the stone slab. He was prepared; he had pressed his back against the wall. When he lost his footing, he didn't fall. He immediately used his "Gecko Kung Fu" to continue swimming along the stone wall to the right. In a short time, he had reached the dragon's head. He naturally couldn't see the dragon's head, only the rushing water cascading down from above into the pool.

"This is it." With that thought, he began his rapid descent. In the blink of an eye, he had descended about seven or eight zhang (approximately 33-40 meters). He could hear the rushing water, realizing he was almost at the surface. Looking down, he was obscured by a thick, dark mist, unable to see anything clearly. Fortunately, he remained dry, so he used his "Thousand-Pound Drop" technique to sink even deeper. This time, he plummeted another ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) in depth. Strangely enough, he still didn't touch the water, but the sound of flowing water came from above, clearly indicating he was already submerged. He secretly praised, "The Li Long Pearl is indeed a rare treasure; it doesn't get wet in water."

Time was precious, and he couldn't afford to waste any more. He took a deep breath and continued his descent. His movements were incredibly fast; in the time it took to think, he felt his feet touch solid ground. Standing still, he looked around again. This time, there was no thick fog; all around was pitch black. Though his clothes weren't wet, the water's current made him sway slightly. The "Li Long Pearl," now in this inky black water, shone much brighter than in the fog, illuminating almost a meter deep. This was probably a case of natural law, the "Li Long Pearl" being the nemesis of the poisonous spring.

Ling Junyi had no time to think further. He quickly lowered his head to examine it closely and indeed saw a dark, round object about seven or eight feet away—undoubtedly the iron ring! Overjoyed, he hurried over. His gaze lingered, and he could vaguely see the water, even blacker than ink, parting slowly as he moved, his body swaying slightly. Upon closer inspection, the round object was indeed an iron ring the size of a large bowl. Without hesitation, he bent down, silently channeling the "Vajra Heart Method," and grasped the iron ring with both hands, slowly pulling it upwards. Don't underestimate this small iron ring; it actually weighs over a thousand pounds. If you haven't practiced the "Vajra Heart Method," you won't be able to move it.

Ling Junyi suddenly had a thought, secretly pondering, "When my master taught me the 'Diamond Heart Method,' he said, 'Don't think that these three years of sitting in meditation is a hardship; you'll need it in the future.' Could it be that my master already knew I would be going to the Black Dragon Pool? Indeed, my father was also from Shaolin Temple, recommended to my maternal grandfather by Abbot Kaibang. So, when he was sent to the Black Dragon Society, perhaps it was already predetermined that my father would succeed as the leader, because someone who isn't a Shaolin disciple and hasn't practiced the 'Diamond Heart Method' can't pull this iron ring..."

As he pondered this, he heard a series of "whoosh" sounds from the bottom of the pool, and the surrounding water began to swirl rapidly. Judging from the sound of the water, at least seven or eight places seemed to be gushing water, as if sluice gates had been opened. The external pressure was also gradually increasing, proving that the water level in the pool was dropping rapidly. Ling Junyi then used the "Diamond Heart Method." Gripping the iron rings tightly, he remained steadfast and unmoving, like a pillar in the middle of a stream, despite the huge whirlpools that had formed in the pool. A full meal's time passed in this manner. The splashing water gradually subsided, the whirlpools around him ceased, the pressure dissipated, and the pool returned to calm.

Knowing it was time, Ling Junyi slowly lowered the iron rings, straightened up, and walked straight towards them. He remembered that the rocky reef depicted in the diagram was in the very center of Black Dragon Pool. Black Dragon Pool was twenty-four zhang in circumference, meaning that in any direction, the distance to the reef was twelve zhang. He only needed to walk twelve zhang to reach the reef. Walking underwater was naturally slow, but he silently counted his steps. Before he had walked even ten zhang, he could see the jagged rocks at the bottom of the pool, and a small mountain standing in the center. Without hesitation, Ling Junyi lightly touched the rocks with his toes and, in the blink of an eye, had reached the reef. Once out of the water, a thick fog

enveloped him, obscuring everything. The reef narrowed as he climbed higher, the foothold barely a meter in diameter. Ling Junyi quickly found the large, round rock, like half a sphere, nestled in the center of the reef, about two feet square. Approaching the rock, Ling Junyi silently channeled his "Diamond Heart Sutra," cupping the sphere in his hands and slowly lifting it upwards. The semi-circular sphere was already difficult to grasp, and years of immersion in water had coated it with mud, making it even more slippery. Ling Junyi focused his energy on his ten fingers, gripping the sphere tightly, and finally managed to lift it. It turned out to be a perfectly round sphere, only half of which was embedded in the reef, as if rooted, with immense downward force holding it firmly. But when he lifted it about a foot off the ground, the pulling force suddenly disappeared, and the stone ball automatically rose upwards.

Ling Junyi stared intently and saw that beneath the stone ball was an iron rod as thick as a child's arm, which now automatically lifted the stone ball without his effort. Beneath the stone ball, a circular stone cave was revealed, dark and bottomless. Ling Junyi stepped into the cave and saw a narrow stone staircase leading down the wall. The cave was only wide enough for one person; one couldn't look down to see what was below, so he had to let his feet follow the stone staircase. After walking vertically up forty or fifty steps, it suddenly began to curve diagonally in a circle. Ling Junyi felt that the staircase had changed from a vertical descent to a spiral around the stone wall, and the circle seemed quite large. He secretly estimated that he was descending into a huge circular stone chamber, at least several dozen feet in diameter.

Before long, he reached the end of the stone steps and looked up to find himself standing in a spacious corridor. This corridor was indeed circular. His deduction was correct; the circular corridor indeed encircled a circular stone chamber. Within the circular chamber was a vermilion-painted stone door, tightly shut! He took a few steps and discovered that the circular chamber had more than one door, all also painted vermilion. Since the chamber was circular and only about three zhang apart, he found two vermilion doors. From this, he deduced that there must be more than two vermilion doors along this circular corridor. Which door should he enter through? He couldn't help but recall what Rong Jingzong had said: the Black Dragon Pool's chief steward possessed a goldfish, and the guild master kept the "Lilong Pearl." No one except the guild master knew how to open the cave. He had never been inside before, so he naturally didn't know there were many doors, let alone which one to enter through. Looking at another nearby vermilion door, it was tightly closed, without a keyhole. How could he open the goldfish that Old Man Rong had given him? With a thought in mind, he immediately reached into his robes, took out the goldfish, and examined it carefully for a while.

He felt that this golden carp was neither silver nor gold, neither copper nor iron; holding it in his hand, its head and tail moved as if it were alive, but apart from its exquisite craftsmanship, he couldn't see anything unusual about it. Rong Jingzong said that it contained the key to open the stone gate inside its belly, but he didn't know how to retrieve it. He examined it repeatedly, unable to figure out where to open the fish's belly. He grasped the moving head and tail with both hands, pondering which of the shimmering golden scales contained the opening mechanism. But just then, his right hand, which was holding the fish's head, accidentally touched the fish's eye, and he heard a soft "click"! The sound was naturally very faint, but Ling Junyi had already heard it—no, with a glance, he saw a small golden tube emerge from the golden carp's mouth. Overjoyed, he quickly extended two fingertips, carefully pinched the golden tube, and slowly pulled it out.

This thin golden tube, only half an inch long and very light, suddenly split open automatically before he could examine it closely, revealing an extremely fine scroll of paper inside. Ling Junyi slowly unrolled the scroll, which was also only half an inch square, thin as silk but not quite. On it was drawn a Bagua (Eight Trigrams). Below each trigram was a line of fine, hair-like annotations, written with meticulous care. Ling Junyi focused his eyes to see each trigram clearly; it was a gate, divided into eight gates: "Heaven," "Earth," "Wind," "Cloud," "Flying Dragon," "Martial Wings," "Bird Soaring," and "Graceful Plate."

These eight gates were further distinguished by the following: "Rest," "Life," "Injury," "Block," "Death," "View," "Coolness," and "Open." Only the "Rest," "Open," and "Life" gates were auspicious; the rest were inauspicious. There was a specific route for entering and exiting; one had to enter through the "Open" door and exit through the "Life" door. If one didn't exit, only someone familiar with the layout of the gates could lead them out.

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "Luckily, I didn't act rashly. If I had pushed open the door as soon as I saw it, I would have been trapped inside." Looking at the annotations on the map, the "Open" door was in the northwest, and the "Life" door was in the northeast. He memorized these two doors, rolled up the silk again, placed it in the golden tube, and then pinched the fish's eye with his fingers. The fish's mouth opened by itself, and he inserted the thin golden tube

. He released his fingers, and with a soft "click," the fish's mouth closed again. Ling Junyi secretly admired this golden carp; it was truly exquisite and ingenious, the work of a diviner. He put the goldfish away and, following the map's instructions, began walking up the corridor. The eight vermilion doors of this circular stone chamber were all identical, without any markings, making it impossible to distinguish between the "life" and "death" doors, especially in the underground grotto where the cardinal directions were also unclear. He followed the map, noting that the end of the stone steps led to the "scenery" door in the south. Following the sequence from south to east, then from east to north, he naturally arrived at the "open" door in the northwest. He silently counted to the sixth door (the five doors he passed corresponded to the five trigrams: Li, Ji, Zhen, Kun, and Kan, representing the southern scenery door, the southeast block door, the eastern injury door, the northeast life door, and the northern rest door). Now he had reached the northwest "open" door and, without hesitation, pushed it open. The two vermilion stone doors opened effortlessly.

Ling Junyi then stepped inside. He possessed night vision and could discern objects even in darkness. By the light of the pearl, he looked around and saw that inside the stone gate was just a narrow passage about ten feet wide, with plain brick walls on both sides and even the ground paved with polished square bricks. There was nothing else there. The passage was only about four or five feet long, ending at another plain brick wall, and on that wall was a blue door. Before he even approached, the blue door had already opened with a creak. Ling Junyi didn't stop; since the door had opened by itself, he went inside. After he stepped inside, the blue door closed again on its own. Ling Junyi didn't care about the door closing, because once he was inside, he wouldn't be leaving through this door again. But after entering, he couldn't help but be stunned.

He had assumed that this door led to the stone chamber containing the martial arts murals left by the old master, Chongyang Zhenren. However, what appeared before him was merely a circular stone chamber about two zhang in diameter, with eight doors around the perimeter. In the center stood an ancient bronze cauldron, about the height of a person, and nothing else. Ling Junyi muttered to himself, "This isn't the cave Rong Jingzong described. Could I have entered the wrong place?" His doubts arose, and he naturally stopped. Just then, he noticed that the bronze cauldron in the center was slowly rotating on its own.

Ling Junyi knew this place was built by the Divine Calculator, with eight doors containing different mechanisms. Otherwise, he would have triggered the mechanisms upon entering the "open" door, making the cauldron's natural rotation unsurprising. After calmly considering the situation, he decided to remain still and observe. The bronze cauldron spun for a while, then slowly sank into the ground, revealing a circular cave. Ling Junyi's heart skipped a beat, thinking, "Could the cave where the name register is hidden be located below this cave?"

Just as he was about to step forward, he suddenly realized, "No, if I go down and then come back up, this circular stone chamber has eight doors, and the walls and doors are painted with clouds. How can I tell which door is the 'Life' door? If I go through the wrong door, I'll never be able to get out."

Thinking this, he immediately calculated that the door behind him was the 'Open' door, and to get out, he should go through the 'Life' door, which was the second door on his left. He then felt for the three barbs he had taken from the iron mesh, placed one on the ground as a marker, and began walking towards the central cave. Approaching the cave, he peered down. The cave was hollow, without any stone steps, and as black as ink; no matter how hard he strained, he couldn't see anything inside.

Ling Junyi dared not act rashly. He first took off the "Lilong Pearl" hanging from his waist, reached inside, and saw that it was a small stone chamber, no more than two zhang square. The ancient bronze cauldron that had been above the hole was now placed neatly in the center of the chamber. The hole was only about two zhang high from the ground. He stepped through the hole first. To be cautious, he landed on the bronze cauldron and then floated away to the side. Holding the "Lilong Pearl," he stood still and looked around. The stone chamber was roughly rectangular, and there were indeed carved murals on the upper and left and right walls. At the foot of the upper wall, there was a blue stone cushion and a long blue stone table. On the table was a small sandalwood box, which was apparently the "Sun Cult Register." There was also a white bronze candlestick and a half-burned candle. Not far in front of the table was the ancient bronze cauldron. There was nothing else. On the opposite stone wall, what was once a doorway had now been sealed shut with bluestone.

Ling Junyi quickly considered his options. Given the limited time, his first priority should be to destroy the register. He could then use the remaining time to study the martial arts and sword techniques on the wall, learning as much as he could. Having made up his mind, he approached the stone table, took out some kindling, and lit a candle. Then he moved the sandalwood box, unscrewed the copper lock, and opened the lid. The box, about a foot tall, had two layers. The upper layer had only a shallow wooden compartment containing a handwritten scroll with the words "Sun Temple Heart Method" written in five regular script characters. Ling Junyi's heart stirred. He thought to himself, "This is probably a martial arts manual handwritten by the Princess." As this thought crossed his mind, he couldn't resist reaching out to flip through it. The first page contained "Sun Divine Skill," followed by "Sun Finger" and "Eight Forms of Sun Guardian," totaling only about ten thin pages. The handwriting was elegant, and there were many illustrations and annotations in red ink.

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "This is a martial art created by the Eldest Princess; naturally, it cannot be destroyed." He folded it neatly and put it in his pocket. He lifted the wooden frame, revealing three thick registers underneath, inscribed with the words "Register of Members of the Sun Church during the Restoration of the Ming Dynasty." Ling Junyi casually flipped through a few pages and found that it listed various sects such as Shaolin, Wudang, Huashan, Liuhe, and Bagua, as well as gangs like the Heavenly Principle Sect, the Great Sword Society, and the Dongting Gang, and renowned martial arts families such as the Wan Family of Huangshan and the Tang Clan of Sichuan.

Ling Junyi sighed inwardly. Judging from these registers, the Eldest Princess had traveled extensively throughout the martial arts world in her quest to restore the kingdom, almost gathering people from both the legitimate and illegitimate paths, yet she still failed. It could only be attributed to fate. Rong Jingzong was right. If these three registers fell into the hands of the Qing court, although many of the individuals listed had already passed away, their descendants would still be implicated. Once the matter came to light, the scope of the repercussions would be vast, and countless people would be executed on charges of treason. He stopped looking at them and placed the three large registers on the stone table. He continued to silently circulate his internal energy, slowly pressing his palms down on them. After a full cup of tea's time, he looked up, exhaled, withdrew his palms, and casually slapped the three registers down into a pile of shredded paper, scattering them on the ground. He

had completed one of his two tasks; now it was time to practice the martial arts left behind by the immortal Chongyang on the wall. Thinking this, he unconsciously stepped over the stone table and approached the upper stone wall, gazing intently. This stone wall, about ten feet wide, was carved with the posture of an old man in Taoist robes sitting in meditation with his eyes lowered. From his inner energy, three Taoist figures in different poses, each standing on clouds, materialized with lifelike expressions.

To the left of the old Taoist priest sitting cross-legged, there were four lines of praise: "The Great Dao is nameless, it gathers Qi to form shape, its power rivals creation, it is the Three Pure Ones." This inscription reads "Laozi's One Qi Transforms into the Three Pure Ones." Ling Junyi stood before the wall, gazing at it, a sense of enlightenment dawning on him. He felt that this "Laozi's One Qi Transforms into the Three Pure Ones" seemed to represent a superior Taoist Qi cultivation technique. He memorized the image and then moved to the left wall. This stone wall was roughly rectangular, with six images of swordsmen leaping and slashing from right to left, their expressions vivid. The first three images were the "Three Swords of the Flying Dragon," but there were no explanatory texts or names of the moves on the wall. It seemed that names like "Divine Dragon Emerging from the Clouds" and "Dragon Fighting in the Wilderness" were given by his maternal grandfather (the old master).

He looked from the first image to the sixth, concentrating intently on each one, carefully considering how the swordplay would develop, while slowly tracing the lines with his fingers as if they were swords. Ling Junyi was an exceptionally intelligent man, and after ten years of sword practice, he had achieved a profound level of skill in swordsmanship, especially mastering his family's "Three Flying Dragon Swords." The images on the wall continued the development of the previous three forms, and he could quickly grasp the sword path of the "Three Flying Dragon Swords." After viewing the six images on the left wall, he moved to the upper part of the right wall. The right wall also depicted six images of swordsmen, but there was a slight difference compared to the left wall. The seventh to ninth images were still depictions of slashing, thrusting, and leaping, while the tenth to twelfth images showed seated figures holding long swords, cross-legged, and leaping, with the postures consistent and seemingly without any unusual features. Ling Junyi glanced through them briefly, and then carefully studied each form from the seventh to the ninth. Because he already had a concept of the first six sword forms, he could quickly grasp the key points of these three forms.

However, from the tenth form onwards, he looked at the last three seated postures again and again, but still could not understand their mysteries. Ling Junyi observed for a while, but unable to fathom the mystery of the swordplay, he had no choice but to temporarily abandon it. He focused on connecting the first nine moves one by one, pondering them carefully for a while. Then, he took out his short sword and practiced the moves from the first one according to the diagram. Of course, he had practiced the first three moves thoroughly since childhood. From the fourth to the ninth move, each move was more complex than the last, but he already had considerable skill in swordsmanship. Except for the initial awkwardness during practice, after several repetitions, although he hadn't mastered them, he had roughly memorized them.

These six sword moves had taken at least half an hour, and with time running out, it was naturally impossible to master them all in one go. However, he felt that the last three sitting positions must have a deeper meaning. He wouldn't be able to come back after leaving, and it would be a pity to let them slip by. So he sheathed his sword, approached the stone wall again, concentrated, and carefully observed. But no matter how he connected the first nine moves, no matter how much he studied them, he couldn't connect them with these three moves. These three sitting postures seemed completely unrelated to the previous nine moves, offering no clue whatsoever. The more this was the case, the more Ling Junyi felt that this third posture must possess some extraordinary mystery, but unfortunately, his knowledge was too shallow to grasp its secrets for the time being. He thought to himself, "Even if I can't understand it myself, why not memorize these three postures one by one, and then ask my master for guidance when I meet him in the future?"

With this in mind, he stopped pondering the variations in the swordplay and forcibly trying to decipher them. Instead, he focused his gaze, scrutinizing the three identical sitting postures repeatedly and silently memorizing them. Only through careful comparison did he notice that in the first posture, the folds of the clothing were slightly shallower; in the second, the folds of the skirt were deeper; and in the third, the eyes were slightly open, seemingly focused on the tip of the upright sword. These were the only subtle differences between the three postures, easily overlooked without careful comparison. Now that he had memorized them all, there was no need to linger. He straightened his clothes and respectfully knelt before the stone table. After bowing several times, he silently offered a heartfelt prayer to Master Chongyang, thanking him for learning the swordplay left on the wall. Then he stood up, blew out the candle, and with a light step, leaped out of the cave. Returning to the circular stone chamber above, he bent down, picked up the barbed object from the ground, tucked it into his robes, and walked towards the second door on the left. Just three steps from the stone gate, it opened automatically, accompanied by a creaking sound from the ground.

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "I was wondering why the ancient bronze cauldron hadn't returned to its original state. It turns out it was waiting for me to use the 'Life' gate. Once this gate opened, it meant the person who entered the cave had left. The creaking sound was the bronze cauldron rising and returning to its original state. This diviner's design is truly ingenious, a masterpiece of nature." Thinking this, he didn't have time to look back and stepped out of the stone gate. After a few steps, with a "bang," the stone gate closed by itself.

Outside was a narrow passage made of polished blue bricks, exactly the same as the one he had entered through the 'Open' gate. He entered through the 'Open' gate and exited through the 'Life' gate—the safest route, unlikely to trigger any ambush or cause any danger. After navigating the alleyway and pushing open the door, he stepped onto the corridor. He retraced his steps, returning to the southern "Jing" gate, beyond which lay the stone steps. Having successfully completed both tasks, he felt a great sense of ease. He ascended the spiraling stone steps quickly, reaching their end in no time. There, at the exit, stood an iron rod, half a stone sphere attached to its upper part and connected to a large boulder at its lower part. It seemed to both support and hold the sphere in place, preventing anyone from opening it.

When Ling Junyi entered, he had forcefully lifted the stone sphere, using the iron rod to prop it upwards to open the entrance; now, to exit, he would naturally have to lift the stone sphere as well. With a thought, he immediately channeled his energy into his arms, palms supporting the stone ball as he lifted it upwards. However, despite his best efforts, half the stone ball remained embedded in the grotto at the exit, as if rooted to the spot, completely immobile. He couldn't help but wonder; since entering the Yellow Dragon Cave, he had encountered many portals, gaining considerable experience. He knew that portals with mechanisms couldn't be opened by human power. Since the stone ball couldn't be lifted, there must be a key to opening it. His mind raced, and his gaze swept across the left and right walls.

Sure enough, on the right wall, he saw an iron ring the size of a large bowl. Overjoyed, he thought, "This is probably it." He grasped the ring with both hands and pulled hard, and the sound of rushing water, "whoosh," faintly drifted in. Ling Junyi thought to himself, "That's it. When I came in, the pool was only about five zhang deep. After the stone ball returned to its original state, the water level should have returned to normal as well. Now, if I want to get out, I naturally need to lower the water level first, exposing the rocks, before I can open the stone ball. Otherwise, the water will flood the cave." Thinking this, he waited patiently. The sound of water splashing was incessant. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, the sound stopped. Sure enough, the iron rod supporting the stone ball automatically rose, and the stone ball slowly ascended, revealing a cave. Ling Junyi dared not delay any longer. With a light step, he swiftly passed through the cave. The

Black Dragon Pool was twenty-four zhang in circumference, a sheer ravine surrounded by cliffs on all sides. It was past four in the morning, not yet five, the darkest time before dawn. A hazy black mist shrouded the Black Dragon Pool, making it truly pitch black; one couldn't see their hand in front of their face, and no one could see anything on the other side. At the southwest end of the pool, a winding bird path snakes upwards, leading to a gap between two mountains—the only exit from Black Dragon Pool.

Just then, a figure appeared, leaping and bounding swiftly towards Black Dragon Pool. This person's speed was almost like an eagle soaring through the sky, a meteor piercing the clouds, especially in the darkest hour before dawn, making them virtually undetectable! But just as this person reached the mountain pass, they were spotted. A deep shout rang out: "Who goes there?"

Two figures simultaneously emerged from the valley entrance, one on the left and one on the right, blocking the person's path. The darkness made it impossible to distinguish faces on either side; all that could be seen were two dark figures. Needless to say, these two were dressed entirely in black, even their longswords were jet black. But the newcomer was also dressed in black, and even his face was veiled in black, appearing only as a dark, indistinct figure.

Two men in black shouted, and the veiled figure was already before them. Without a word, a longsword suddenly flew up, its cold light flashing, scattering a chilling sword light as it slashed towards the two men. This sword strike was not only fierce but also lightning fast, making it extremely difficult to parry. However, the two men in black were no pushovers either. They quickly dodged to the side, raising their swords and unleashing two dark sword shadows—one from the left and one from the right—simultaneously attacking the veiled figure. The veiled figure sneered, his longsword shifting, a beam of light shooting out horizontally, slashing at the two men.

This person was not only incredibly fast, but his swordsmanship was also unparalleled in its unpredictability. The man on the left barely managed to parry with his sword before the veiled figure's lightning-fast sword light swept over him. A scream rang out as he was cut in two at the waist, blood spurting out, his body rolling down into the valley. The man in black on the right, seeing his companion fall to the sword, was startled. He quickly retreated two steps, his longsword flashing as he drew a silver whistle from his waist, ready to blow it. The veiled man, his sword still drawn, raised his hand and struck out with a powerful palm strike. A tremendous force surged forth, crashing into the man in black on the right. This man possessed profound internal strength; the force of his palm strike was incredibly fierce. Before the man in black could even blow his silver whistle, the force of the palm strike had already reached him, forcing him back several steps with a muffled groan, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and falling backward. The veiled man, fearing he might not be dead, and that blowing the silver whistle would alert others, swiftly moved forward, his sword flashing, thrusting down towards the man's chest.

But at that moment, as if struck by a sudden realization, she abruptly turned around and coldly demanded, "Who?" The word "who," though extremely cold and brief, was still unmistakably a woman's voice. She wasn't mistaken; another figure was leaping across the precipitous cliffs, seemingly without touching the ground. The person with the black veil had a pair of cold, piercing eyes that peered through the veil at the newcomer.

Strangely, the newcomer was also dressed in black, also with a black veil, and a sword hilt protruding from their shoulder. It was the same veiled figure as before, but in the blink of an eye, this person was before her, exclaiming with delight, "You're a sister!" The voice was also female.

The first person to arrive, veiled in black, had a cold and stern gaze, then a look of surprise

crossed her face. She asked in

a cold voice, "Who are you?" The second person to arrive, also veiled in black, slowly said, "Aren't you Sister Ruhua?" The first person, after a moment of surprise, regained her icy gaze and said coldly, "I am not." The

second person to arrive suddenly sighed softly and said, "Alas, though we haven't seen each other for so many years, how could I not recognize your voice?"

The first person to arrive coldly said, "So what if I recognize it?"

The second person to arrive said sadly, "Sister, we grew up together, our bond is stronger than blood. After you left, for these twenty years, as your older sister, I have thought of you every moment...

" The veiled woman's gaze was sharp and cold as she stared intently at the new veiled woman. Before she could continue,

she coldly said, "Shut up! Who's your sister?" The new veiled woman seemed to have anticipated this response and still spoke softly, "It's alright if you don't acknowledge me as your older sister, but I was raised by our father, who treated me like his own daughter. His kindness is as heavy as a mountain. I can't help but consider you my sister."

The first veiled woman impatiently asked, "Have you finished?"

The new veiled woman said, "I heard that you founded the Hundred Flowers Gang and are now its Supreme Leader." It turned out that the first veiled woman was the Supreme Leader of the Hundred Flowers Gang. No wonder she possessed such high skill, effortlessly killing two Black Dragon Pool swordsmen.

The first person to arrive, veiled in black, coldly replied, "That's right."

The second person, also veiled in black, said, "Since you are the Supreme Leader of the Hundred Flowers Gang, you should have led your troops here to first eliminate the traitors who sold out the Black Dragon Society. Why did you send three groups to make a show of force? What are you doing here alone?"

The first person sneered, "Why should I eliminate those who sold out the Black Dragon Society? Han Zhankui didn't kill my husband, why should I avenge someone else?"

The second person trembled slightly, clearly experiencing intense emotion, and slowly said, "Aren't you a member of the Black Dragon Society?"

The first person coldly replied, "I haven't been for a long time."

The second person said, "Can you bear to let the foundation your father built be destroyed by someone else?" "Sold, fallen into the hands of foreign races, and you remain completely indifferent?"

The first person to arrive, veiled in black, sneered. "Father died long ago. Death ends everything. The Black Dragon Society was taken from the hands of that Ling fellow. This proves his incompetence. Father struggled to build this empire, working hard for thirty years, and once it fell into his hands, it fell into the hands of foreign races. He is the sinner of the Black Dragon Society, and it also proves that Father was blind and misjudged people. What does this have to do with me?"

The second person to arrive, veiled in black, trembled violently and said in a trembling voice, "You..."

The first person to arrive, veiled in black, did not allow her to speak, and continued, "Besides, I am not his wife. I don't need to avenge him. To be honest, I'm happy. If I can't have it, no one else can either. Isn't it fair that no one has it?" With that, without even turning her head, she walked towards the gap.

The later-arriving veiled woman trembled with rage, but she held back, sighing, "He's been dead for twenty years, and you still hate him?"

The first veiled woman suddenly turned around, her voice sharp, "I hate you!"

The later-arriving woman said, "Sister, you can't blame me; it was Father's decision."

The first-arriving woman said, "That's why I hate him too; he's nothing like my father." The later

-arriving woman slowly said, "Sister, there are no parents who are entirely without fault; you can't say that."

The first-arriving woman coldly said, "Why can't I say it? It's because he's old, senile, and has destroyed the Black Dragon Society so quickly..." The

later-arriving woman seemed to have reached her limit. Ren shouted, "I won't allow you to say that!"

The first woman in the black veil coldly replied, "Why can't I say it? I'll say it anyway. If I had married him back then, I would have helped him organize the Black Dragon Society perfectly. Perhaps the Black Dragon Society would still be the Black Dragon Society today, and wouldn't have fallen into the hands of foreign races. He would only be forty-five years old this year, and wouldn't have died at twenty-five." As if deliberately trying to hurt the later woman in the black veil, she continued before she could speak, "Look, didn't I establish the Hundred Flowers Gang with nothing but my bare hands? Its influence is no less than that of the Black Dragon Society. With a foundation like the Black Dragon Society, how could it not be preserved?" Every word she spoke was like a sharp knife, deeply piercing the heart of the later woman in the black veil.

The woman who arrived later, her face veiled in black, suddenly burst into tears, nodding and saying, "Sister is right, Father was wrong. I'm so incompetent. I only deserve to marry an ordinary man and be a virtuous wife and mother. I'm not worthy of him. I'm not worthy of marrying a heroic figure who shoulders heavy responsibilities. I've ruined him, I..." She sobbed uncontrollably, unable to continue. The woman

who arrived first, also veiled in black, gave a smug, cold laugh and said, "Too bad you know too late." She didn't look at her again, turning away and walking towards the gap in the ridge.

The veiled woman who arrived later was weeping bitterly. Hearing her walk towards the opening, she hurriedly wiped away her tears and called out, "Sister, stop!"

The veiled woman who arrived first impatiently replied, "I don't have time to waste with you."

The veiled woman who arrived later followed, saying, "What are you going to Black Dragon Pool for, sister?"

The veiled woman who arrived first coldly replied, "Why should I tell you?"

The veiled woman who arrived later said, "Are you here for the swordsmanship and martial arts of Master Chongyang in the cave at the bottom of the pool?" The veiled woman who arrived first said, "What, can't I come?"

The veiled woman who arrived later gently advised, "Sister, you know the pool water is extremely poisonous. Besides the 'Li Long Pearl,' there is no antidote."

The veiled woman who arrived first fixed her cold gaze on the veiled woman who arrived later and asked, "Did you bring the 'Li Long Pearl'?" The
veiled woman who arrived later shook her head slightly and said, "I don't have the 'Li Long Pearl'." The first veiled figure stared at her for a long time before coldly snorting, "Then what are you doing here?"

The second veiled figure replied, "I came to dissuade you; you shouldn't take such a risk."

The first veiled figure gave a cold sneer and said, "My affairs are none of your business." Suddenly, she quickened her pace, leaping over the mountain pass and swiftly heading down the path. The second veiled figure said nothing more, simply following behind.

The first veiled figure suddenly turned around, a gleaming longsword in her hand. Pointing the tip, her eyes flashed with a sharp light, she coldly shouted, "If you follow me again, don't blame my sword for being merciless."

The veiled woman who arrived later stopped and sighed softly, "Sister, perhaps you've mastered some antidote, but the pool is twenty feet deep, and the poison is deeply entrenched. Apart from the 'Dragon Pearl,' nothing else can be relied upon..."

The veiled woman who arrived first retorted angrily, "My affairs are none of your business! If you don't leave, don't blame me for being ruthless!" With that, she ignored the veiled woman and leaped up, rushing down the mountain path. The valley was shrouded in mist; she moved with lightning speed, disappearing in an instant. The veiled woman who arrived later sighed silently. She indeed didn't follow her down, but instead turned and walked towards a desolate stone path to the east. The

Black Dragon Pool remained shrouded in thick fog, so dense that one couldn't see their hand in front of their face. The veiled woman who arrived first was the Supreme Elder of the Hundred Flowers Gang. Having grown up in the Black Dragon Society, she was naturally very familiar with the mountain paths. Although the black fog obscured the view... The fog had little effect on her; her feet moved swiftly, her movements light and agile, heading straight for the pool. Upon reaching the pool, she dared not be careless, slowing her pace and circling the eastern stone wall before stepping onto the stone steps. Her goal was naturally to reach the dragon head at the northern end, but just as she stepped onto the eastern stone steps, a sudden alarm struck her! She had spotted someone in the fog, no more than ten feet in front of her. Of course, if the person's martial arts were not weak, they would immediately notice her presence! Sure enough, a deep shout came from the fog: "Who goes there?"

How could Tai Shang take the swordsman guarding the Black Dragon Pool seriously? She coldly replied, "It's me." As

soon as she uttered "I," she lunged forward, her long sword flashing like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, a cold glint in her eyes, thrusting swiftly towards her opponent. This strike was a preemptive strike, her aim being a swift and decisive victory, a kill in one fell swoop; her attack was naturally unparalleled in its ferocity. The opponent's martial arts were also extremely high. A flash of cold light appeared in the black mist, and a chilling sword blade thrust straight at them. Startled, she shouted, "You are not a member of this society!" She thrust out her chest-protecting longsword. The attack wasn't fast, but the sword was imbued with true energy, clearly demonstrating profound swordsmanship. A clang rang out, and Tai Shang's lightning-fast thrust was instantly neutralized.

Tai Shang's sword strike, built up from a concentrated burst of power, was actually neutralized, causing her to feel a chill as well. She coldly snorted, "Of course I am not a member of the Black Dragon Society." Without retracting her sword, she unleashed a palm strike with her left hand, directly attacking. Her skill was profound, and her movements incredibly fast; the moment the two swords clashed, the palm strike had already arrived.

The man in the mist laughed angrily, "Well done!" He also lashed out with his left wrist, striking out with a powerful palm strike in retaliation. This man's skill was almost on par with Tai Shang's; his palm strike, fueled by anger, was equally fierce. The clash of their powers produced a sudden, resounding tremor, and a whistling vortex of energy surged before them, causing their clothes to flutter and rustle. Tai Shang was secretly startled, thinking, "This man's skill is extremely high. I have limited time; I must finish him off immediately." His mind raced, and a surprise move was unleashed. He swung his longsword, and a streak of azure light shot out.

This azure light, like a flash of lightning, streaked across the sky, sweeping away the thick mist within a range of one or two zhang! A flash of sword light revealed a tall, slender man in a green robe standing a dozen feet away. His face showed surprise as he swung his black longsword, creating a flurry of sword shadows that swirled around him. He cried out urgently, "Stop!" The swordplay was incredibly fierce; before his shout had even finished, a series of clangs rang out.

The black sword shadows of the man in the green robe and the green light unleashed by the Supreme Being clashed at least ten times in that split second, yet it was merely a single exchange. The light faded, and the Supreme Being remained standing, while the man in the green robe retreated three steps. The Supreme Being's killing intent was already ignited. He snorted and said, "Very well, try taking another move from me." With that, he prepared to strike! The man in the green robe cried anxiously, "Wait, wait! Please stop! Let me have a word!"

Hearing this, Taishang had no choice but to halt her swordplay and coldly said, "Speak quickly."

The man in the green robe said, "I would like to ask, was the sword technique you just used, Madam, 'Divine Dragon Emerging from the Clouds'?" The "

Divine Dragon Emerging from the Clouds" move from the "Three Swords of Flying Dragon" originally required leaping into the air to unleash the sword. However, after twenty years of arduous practice, Taishang's swordsmanship had reached a state of perfection. Therefore, she could change it at will with a wave of her hand, the sword transforming into a streak of light that shot forth, no longer needing to leap into the air to unleash the sword as before. If the man in the green robe hadn't also possessed profound skill in swordsmanship, how could he have recognized such a transformed sword move? Tai Shang's eyes flashed with cold light as she sneered, "You can recognize my sword technique, which shows your skill..."

Before the man in the green robe could finish, his face lit up with surprise, and he hurriedly cupped his hands, saying, "So it's Madam Ling, this old man..."

Tai Shang interrupted him, coldly saying, "I am not Madam Ling."

The man in the green robe was stunned for a moment, saying, "Madam just used 'Divine Dragon Emerging from the Clouds,' if it wasn't Madam Ling, then who could it be?"

Tai Shang smiled slightly, saying, "Could it be that only Ru Yu can use 'Flying Dragon Three Swords'?"

The man in the green robe's expression changed, and he looked at Tai Shang, suddenly cupping his hands, saying, "You are... Second Miss, please forgive this old man for his rudeness." Second Miss was Tie Ruhua, the biological daughter of the old leader, Black Sea Dragon King Tie Zhongfeng.

Tai Shang's expression became slightly more respectful, and he said slowly, "I am now Tai Shang of the Hundred Flowers Gang."

The man in the green robe repeatedly replied, "Yes, yes, I have met Tai Shang."

Tai Shang asked, "How did you know it was me?"

The man in the green robe bowed and said, "I am Rong Jingzong. I have followed the old leader for many years, so naturally we know each other." Taishang

asked, "What position do you hold in the Black Dragon Society?"

Rong Jingzong replied, "To my shame, I have received great favors from the old leader, yet I have served the villains and served as the general manager of Black Dragon Pool. For the past twenty years, I have always felt guilty and have been unable to let go of this resentment. Now, it's all good that Second Miss and Young Master Ling have arrived. I have finally endured my suffering and waited for my turn to shine."

"Young Master Ling has also arrived." Upon hearing these words, Taishang was taken aback and asked, "What did you say? Who is Young Master Ling?"

Rong Jingzong smiled and replied, "Second Miss, you didn't know that Young Master Ling is the son of the late leader Ling. Heaven has mercy, Young Master Ling is a posthumous child."

Taishang's mind flashed, and he thought to himself, "No wonder Ruyu is here too. It turns out that she and her son came together." He then focused his gaze and asked, "You saw him? Ling Changfeng's son. What is his name?" "

Rong Jingzong said, "His name is Ling Junyi."

"Ling Junyi." The Supreme Elder seemed deeply surprised. Her cold, sharp eyes, hidden behind a black veil, grew even colder. She snorted, "It really is him. He's not dead." At this point, she suddenly looked at Rong Jingzong and hurriedly asked, "Where is he?"

Rong Jingzong, a seasoned veteran of the martial world, naturally sensed the unfriendly tone in her question. This second daughter of the current Supreme Elder of the Hundred Flowers Gang had been spoiled and arrogant since the old leader's time, and had a volatile temperament. He immediately regretted his slip of the tongue and could only smile and say, "Young Master Ling appeared here just now. I couldn't stop him, and he left a while ago."

The Supreme Elder coldly smiled and said, "Where did he go? You really don't know?"

Rong Jingzong said, "Young Master Ling is unwilling to say, so I cannot ask any further." "

By this time, dawn was breaking. Although the morning mist was thick, faces could be vaguely seen on the other side. The Supreme Elder's eyes were sharp as knives as she stared at Rong Jingzong and asked, 'So what does he want with you?'

Rong Jingzong felt that this second young lady was indeed worthy of being the Supreme Elder of the Hundred Flowers Gang. Her eyes were filled with a murderous aura, and she was intimidating. He smiled and said, 'Young Master Ling and I do not know each other. Why would he come to see me? The situation is the same as before. I discovered that he was using the 'Flying Dragon Three Swords,' so I asked his surname and learned that he was the son of Master Ling.' The Supreme Elder

sneered, 'He came to the Black Dragon Pool, naturally for the martial arts left behind by the Chongyang Immortal in the cave at the bottom of the pool. Hmph, I went to all this trouble, and he just wants to take advantage of the situation.' At this point, she suddenly said in a deep voice, 'Since Steward Rong keeps saying that my late father was very kind to you and that he remembers it deeply, I want you to do something for me. You probably won't refuse, will you?'"

Rong Jingzong thought to himself, "This woman is indeed formidable, but I've already been tricked into saying this. It seems I have no choice but to agree." He repeatedly cupped his hands and said, "Second Miss, if there's anything you need me to do, how could I dare refuse?" Taishang

said, "Very good. Since you are the general manager of Black Dragon Pool, immediately give the order for me to have your men guard the entrance to the valley. No one is allowed to enter without permission. Anyone who lets them in will be killed without exception." Rong Jingzong looked troubled and said, "To be honest, Second Miss, although I have twelve swordsmen under my command, the Black Dragon Society is now under the control of the government. Everyone who has joined the Black Dragon Society wants to advance their careers. Besides their current salary, they also have the hope of gaining fame and fortune. Therefore, they are all loyal lackeys of the Qing government. None of them will obey my orders and do anything that would hinder their future."

Taishang coldly snorted, "They won't agree. Fortunately, there is only one entrance and exit to this pool. Then you can guard the entrance for me."

Rong Jingzong hesitated, then asked, "Second Miss, what are you going to do?" The

Grand Elder coldly replied, "You don't need to ask."

Rong Jingzong continued, "What else do you need, Second Miss?"

The Grand Elder, wearing a large black cloak, loosened the tightly bound belt at his chest, revealing two leather bags inside. Pointing to the bags, he said, "Pour the medicine from these two bags into the pool, then go and guard the valley entrance. Don't let anyone in."

Rong Jingzong, suspicious, couldn't help but ask, "Second Miss, what kind of medicine is stored in these two bags?"

The Grand Elder replied, "It's the antidote for the poisonous spring."

Rong Jingzong hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Second Miss, are you going down to the bottom of the pool?" "Only the 'Dragon Pearl' can cure this poisonous spring..."

Tai Shang said coldly, "You don't need to say anything more, just pour it down." Rong Jingzong had no choice but to obey and open the two leather bags, pouring them into the pool at the same time. By this time, it was already broad daylight, and the thick fog over the Black Dragon Pool was gradually thinning! After he poured out the medicine from the two leather bags, Tai Shang hurriedly peered into the pool. The medicine stored in these two leather bags was the antidote for the "poison juice" that Ling Junyi had refined for the Hundred Flowers Gang. During the experiment, a single drop of the antidote, as light as a dewdrop, could dissolve a bowl of "poison juice" into clear water. These two bags of antidote were enough to dissolve the entire poisonous spring in the Black Dragon Pool.

Logically, after the antidote was poured in, the pool water should naturally change from dark to light, and then to completely still. The Supreme Being stared intently at the pool, but the water, blacker than ink, remained motionless, its depths unfathomable! It was darker than ink! The antidote had clearly lost its effect! Behind the black veil covering his face, the Supreme Being's gaze gradually turned cold and sharp, chillingly so. He let out a furious snort, gritting his teeth, "You little beast, you've ruined my plans!"

Rong Jingzong, seeing that dawn was breaking and the pool remained still, couldn't help but feel increasingly anxious. The cave at the bottom of the pool was meticulously built by the Divine Calculator, fraught with danger at every turn; a single misstep could have far-reaching consequences. He had never been inside and didn't know what it was like. Young Master Ling had been inside for over a night; could he be in any danger? Just as he was consumed by worry, Taishang, gazing at the pool with utter despair, snarled, "You little brat, I won't let you get away with this!" He suddenly turned and said coldly, "Steward Rong, do you know which direction Ling Junyi went?"

Rong Jingzong replied, "Black Dragon Pool only has one exit, Young Master Ling..." Before he could finish, a sudden "whoosh" of water erupted from the center of the pool, and eight whirlpools instantly rose from the calm water! The "poisonous spring" spewing from the dragon's mouth on the northern stone wall had also stopped, and the water level in the pool was rapidly dropping.

Taishang's cold gaze fixed on Rong Jingzong's face, and he said coldly, "Someone has already gone into the pool! Tell me, is it that little beast surnamed Ling?"

Rong Jingzong knew that Ling Junyi had succeeded, and although he was secretly pleased, he had just witnessed the second young lady's swordsmanship, which could be described as reaching a state of perfection. Judging from her tone, she seemed to harbor deep resentment towards Young Master Ling. He couldn't help but worry about Ling Junyi again. Although he was inwardly overjoyed, he showed no sign of it on his face, involuntarily taking a step back and saying, "I really didn't know."

The Supreme Elder sneered, "Still saying you didn't know? You've been guarding here all this time, weren't you just covering for that little beast surnamed Ling?" At

this point, Rong Jingzong had no choice but to solemnly say, "Second Miss, you are a wise woman. The old leader founded the Black Dragon Society in response to the Princess's call to restore the Ming Dynasty. At that time, many religious organizations across the country were successively destroyed by the Qing government. The Princess transferred the list of members who contacted heroes across the land to our society. This was the most confidential information, which is why the old leader built this Black Dragon Pool. Unexpectedly, the Black Dragon Society was betrayed by a group of treacherous villains seeking personal gain. The Qing government is determined to obtain this list. If this list falls into their hands, at least tens of thousands of people across the country will be implicated, and all martial arts sects will perish. I have endured humiliation and longed for this day..." "…"

Tai Shang said, "So it really was that little beast surnamed Ling who went down?"

Rong Jingzong said, "That's right, Young Master Ling went down to destroy this register. I'm here to provide backup in case anything happens. He should be coming out soon. Second Miss, you are Young Master Ling's elder, and you led the elite of the Hundred Flowers Gang here. You are family, you should put aside your personal feelings and do your best to help Young Master Ling destroy the Black Dragon Society controlled by Eagle Claw. Because this is the foundation created by the old leader, and it has fallen into the hands of foreign races. The old leader…"

Tai Shang snorted and said, "Shut up. You don't need to plead for that little beast surnamed Ling. The Black Dragon Society must be destroyed, but I want to kill that little beast surnamed Ling first." Although she was speaking, her eyes were fixed on the pool. At this time, the water level was dropping lower and lower, and a reef was gradually emerging in the center of the pool. Looking into the distance, a round boulder was slowly rising from the top of the reef. A young man in a blue robe peeked out from beneath the rising stone sphere.

The sky was already bright, the fog was thinning, becoming as thin as a transparent veil! The Supreme Elder's eyesight was sharp; she recognized him immediately as Ling Junyi. A surge of anger welled up within her. With a cold snort, she suddenly threw her longsword from her right hand, and with a light leap, she soared into the air, incredibly fast. Her toes landed on the lightning-fast blade, the sword flashing like a rainbow, her robes fluttering, as she traversed the twelve-zhang-wide pool, landing on the rocky reef in the center.

Rong Jingzong, seeing her throw the sword, initially thought it was a hidden weapon to attack Ling Junyi, and cried out urgently, "Second Miss, you mustn't..." But when he saw her leap onto the sword, he was both shocked and terrified! Even the most skilled martial artist couldn't cross the twelve-zhang-wide pool, yet her "crossing the river on a reed" technique was simply divine! Over the past twenty years, this Second Miss's personality seemed to have become increasingly extreme and ruthless.

As she landed on the reef, it was hard to guarantee that she wouldn't clash with Young Master Ling. Given her immeasurable height and martial arts prowess, it was likely that Young Master Ling would be no match for her… Just then, from the southwest corner of Black Dragon Pool, a streak of sword light shot up. Now, as the mist dissipated, it was clear that a figure in black, veiled in black, stood atop the sword light, his robes billowing in the wind, his movements sharp and swift, as he hurled the sword towards the reef in the center of the pool. Rong Jingzong's heart skipped a beat, thinking, "Who are these two?"

Both were using the "Crossing the River on a Reed" technique. "Crossing the River on a Reed" was a Shaolin secret technique; it seemed these two had a deep connection with Shaolin! Black Dragon Pool was twenty-four zhang in circumference, so from any angle, the distance from the center of the pool was twelve zhang. These two used the "Crossing the River on a Reed" technique, throwing their longswords and leaping across the river. Although there was a difference in the timing of their attacks, it was merely a matter of timing.

Ling Junyi barely emerged from under the opened stone sphere. Tai Shang had already landed on the reef, his gaze cold and ruthless. He roared, "Damn little beast!" He swung his sword, aiming for Ling Junyi's chest.

Ling Junyi hadn't even seen the figure clearly, but he recognized Tai Shang's voice and blurted out, "You're Tai Shang!" He swiftly dodged the sword.

It all happened in the blink of an eye! As Ling Junyi dodged the sword's attack, the masked woman in black veil descended from the sky, blocking Ling Junyi's path. She swung her long sword, and with a clang, blocked Tai Shang's attack, crying out, "Sister, you can't hurt him!" Hearing

her words, Ling Junyi was startled and cried out, "Mother!" This masked woman in black veil was none other than Ling Junyi's birth mother, Lady Tie.

Tai Shang's face was veiled in black, but her eyes were cold and sharp as knives, radiating murderous intent. She shouted, "Who's your sister? This little beast has ruined my plans! I'll take his life! Get out of my way!" With

a swift movement, she thrust her sword forward again. Madam Tie parried with her longsword, blocking Tai Shang's attack, saying, "Sister, how can you lay a hand on a child..."

Tai Shang retorted sharply, "No need for further words, you and your child will both die!" With that shout, she unleashed three swift thrusts.

Madam Tie parried all three, still managing to block her attacks, saying, "I cannot die! I must personally kill the traitor who betrayed the Black Dragon Society, restore my father's family, and avenge my husband!" Ling Junyi felt Tai Shang was too ruthless, but now he knew she was his aunt. He wondered what grudge she held against his mother that had turned them into enemies. Both attackers were his elders, and though anxious, he dared not speak out to dissuade her. After he emerged from the cave, the activated stone sphere automatically descended, blocking the cave. The mechanisms of Black Dragon Pool were interconnected. Once the stone sphere returned to its original state, the dragon head on the north wall began spewing poisonous water again. Water that originally flowed into another reservoir at the bottom of the pool now gushed out from eight points.

The water level was gradually rising! But Tai Shang, with his hair flying wildly and a ferocious expression, shouted repeatedly, his sword flashing like the wind, recklessly slashing and thrusting at Lady Tie. Lady Tie merely raised her sword to parry, not retaliating. A series of clanging sword sounds, as rapid as a sudden rain, completely blocked Tai Shang's rapid attack. Ling Junyi was extremely anxious and shouted, "Grandpa, please stop! If we don't leave in time, the water will rise!"

Suddenly, a strange laugh rang out from the opposite bank, followed by, "You audacious traitors, do you still think you can leave Black Dragon Pool alive?" Before the words were even finished, a clapper sounded, and a volley of poisoned arrows rained down on the center of the pool like locusts. The water quickly rose above the rocks.

Madam Tie cried out urgently, "Sister, run!"

Grandpa, naturally terrified of the poisonous Black Dragon Pool, snorted angrily, stomped his feet, and soared into the air. Simultaneously, he hurled his long sword, which transformed into a rainbow, propelling him like a dragon flying towards the opposite bank. While still in mid-air, he faced the barrage of powerful arrows with swift, fluid movements, like parting flowers and brushing willows, and in an instant, he reached the shore. As Grandpa took flight, Ling Junyi cried out urgently, "Mother, you must leave quickly!"

Knowing that Ling Junyi possessed the "Dragon Pearl" and that the pool water posed no harm to him, Lady Tie urged, "Come quickly too." As soon as she finished speaking, she too threw her longsword, leaped into the air, and transformed into a silver streak, shooting towards the shore.

The twenty-four archers on the bank had never seen anyone fly on a sword before! Moreover, their arrows, upon encountering the sword light, scattered to both sides like wheat fields in the wind, filling them with even greater panic! Tai Shang landed first, letting out a cold laugh, and with a flick of his wrist, a silver streak, swift as a divine dragon, swept out horizontally. The sword light flashed, followed by screams of agony! The first four or five archers to be struck were instantly cut in two by the sword light! Tai Shang, after his strike, turned and swept his sword to the left, the speed of his movement truly like a thunderbolt, flashing past in an instant! A bloodcurdling scream escaped its lips, followed by a series of "thuds" as at least four or five archers fell. Her two casual sweeping blows were swift and deadly; at least half of the twenty-four archers were down. The rest, their legs already weak, stumbled and fled in all directions, too afraid to fire.

Just then, a deep shout rang out: "Bold traitors, stop now!" The Supreme

One looked up and saw a dozen or so people standing in a row beneath a giant rock about three zhang away! In the middle stood a man of about forty-five or forty-six, with thick eyebrows, narrow eyes, and a face like a red date, dressed in a purple robe, looking very imposing. To his left was a red-robed foreign monk, followed by two disciples. To his right was a man in his sixties wearing a blue robe, followed by Rong Jingzong, the chief steward of Black Dragon Pool, and then four men in their forties wearing blue robes. On either side of these people stood eight men in black, wielding long, jet-black swords; they were clearly swordsmen from the Black Dragon Pool. The shout came from a man in a green robe, around sixty years old. The man in the middle, dressed in purple, stared at the Supreme Elder and said in a deep voice, "Are you Tie Ruyu? Or Tie Ruhua?" The Supreme Elder

coldly replied, "What do you care who I am?"

Madam Tie retorted sharply, "Who are you?"

Rong Jingzong sneered, "You dare to trespass into the Black Dragon Society's forbidden area? Now that you've seen the Society's leader, why don't you drop your swords and surrender? Do you really want to rebel?" These words implied that the man in purple was Han Zhankui, the leader of the Black Dragon Society.

Han Zhankui had been raised by the old leader, the Black Sea Dragon King Tie Zhongfeng, since childhood. In other words, he, Madam Tie, and the Supreme Elder had all grown up together; how could Madam Tie not recognize him? In her memory, Han Zhankui was a fair-skinned and extremely refined man. Apart from a hooked nose, there was nothing sinister about him. The man in front of her had a red and black face with thick eyebrows and narrow eyes. He was not Han Zhankui who betrayed the Black Dragon Society and killed her husband at all! She glanced at the man in purple robes and said coldly, "You are not Han Zhankui."

Ling Junyi followed behind Madam Tie and whispered, "Mother, he is wearing a mask."

The man in purple robes stared intently at the "Dragon Pearl" on Ling Junyi's body for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said, "Boy, you are Ling Junyi."

Madam Tie recognized the accent in those words and her body trembled. She pointed her long sword at him and said in a trembling voice, "You are Han Zhankui, you heartless and wicked villain, it really is you."

Han Zhankui laughed loudly, "That's right, brother is indeed me. We grew up together. If it weren't for that Ling guy who came here back then, you, Miss Ruyu, would have been my wife long ago, and you would be a lady today..." It turned out that back then, Han Zhankui not only claimed to be the successor of the old leader of the Tie Zhongfeng Society, but also had a secret crush on Tie Ruyu, while Ruyu was in love with Ling Changfeng. However, due to the introduction of his senior brother, Master Kaidi, the old leader decided to let Ling Changfeng succeed him as leader. Furthermore, because his daughter, Ruhua, had a volatile personality, while his adopted daughter, Ruyu, was gentle and sensible, capable of assisting Ling Changfeng, he betrothed Ruyu to Ling Changfeng. This decision, naturally, was made after careful consideration. However, it unexpectedly led to Ruhua leaving in anger, and Han Zhankui, driven by jealousy and hatred, defecting to the Qing court and betraying the Black Dragon Society. This turn of events was certainly not something the old leader had foreseen.

Hearing his foul language, Lady Tie was filled with grief and indignation. She gritted her teeth and said, "You wicked scoundrel surnamed Han! My father treated you well, yet you have forgotten your ancestors, recognized a traitor as your father, betrayed the Black Dragon Society, and willingly become a lackey of the Manchus, slaughtering loyal and righteous men. Twenty years ago, I swore to personally rip out your heart to offer as a sacrifice to the spirits of my father and husband, to avenge the many heroic and righteous men who died at your hands. You, get out here!"

Ling Junyi said, "Mother, please rest. The hatred for our father is irreconcilable. This wicked scoundrel surnamed Han..." "I'll deal with him, child."

Madam Tie said, tears streaming down her face, "No, the day I left the Black Dragon Society, I swore to your father that I would personally take his life."

The Supreme Elder said coldly, "Seeking revenge on Han Zhankui is your business. I'm leaving. Ling Junyi, I won't hold your infiltration of the Hundred Flowers Gang accountable. Return the Heaven-Slaying Sword to me." She didn't know that Ling Junyi had a giant smoke sword by his side. At this critical moment, demanding the return of the Heaven-Slaying Sword, which could cut through metal and iron, would weaken Ling Junyi's power in battle. Her intentions were extremely malicious.

Ling Junyi said, "The Supreme Elder is right. I am no longer a member of the Hundred Flowers Gang, so I should return this sword." As he spoke, he indeed took off the Heaven-Slaying Sword and handed it back with both hands.

Taishang received the Heaven-Slaying Sword, drawing it with a clang. A murderous aura emanated from her black veil as she coldly declared, "I have been enemies with your parents for twenty years; this sword will wipe the slate clean." With that, she unleashed a lightning-fast strike towards Ling Junyi's right shoulder.

The attack was incredibly fast; even if Madam Tie were standing right next to her, she wouldn't have had time to deflect it. Startled, she cried out, "Sister, you…!" A flash of light, followed by a clang, and Taishang's sword was deflected by a wisp of wind.

In the blink of an eye, Ling Junyi flicked his finger, using the Buddhist "One-Finger Zen" technique to deflect the sword tip, and smiled, "Thank you very much, Taishang." Taishang, enraged, let out a cold snort, stamping her feet as she prepared to leap into the air.

Han Zhankui suddenly laughed and said, "Tie Ruyu, you are also one of the main criminals wanted by the court. I can't make the decision for you to leave. Let me tell you, all the people from the Hundred Flowers Gang have already been lured into a deadly trap by my men. I advise you to lay down your sword and surrender."

Tai Shang stopped abruptly and said angrily, "Han Zhankui, do you think the Black Dragon Society's mere ambush can trap the Hundred Flowers Gang?"

Han Zhankui laughed loudly, "That's right. The Black Dragon Society is where you grew up, and you know all the mechanisms there. Therefore, you must have very detailed maps to give to your men. But who knows that in the past twenty years, many places have been rebuilt? If your men have maps you personally made, they've trapped themselves. Right now, you're probably the only one left."

Ling Junyi listened and thought to himself, "Oh, so the other two groups have maps personally made by Tai Shang, only my group doesn't have a map. She really did plan this all along. She wanted to put me in a difficult situation." "To the point of death."

Upon hearing this, Tai Shang was furious and said sharply, "Originally, I didn't want to interfere in Ru Yu's affairs, but since that's the case, I'll kill you first."

Han Zhan Kui laughed loudly, "Tie Ru Hua, you're no match for your brother." He turned to the man in the green robe on his right and said, "Protector Tang, go and capture her."

The man in the green robe bowed and said, "Your subordinate obeys." With a "clang," he withdrew his long sword from his shoulder, walked out slowly, and said, "This old man has long heard of the name of Tai Shang of the Hundred Flowers Gang, and today I'm just in time to learn from your superior skills."

Tai Shang sneered and said, "Han Zhan Kui, you dare not fight me, but send others to their deaths."

The man in the green robe's face darkened slightly, and he said unhappily, "Does Tai Shang not take this old man seriously? Whether this old man is going to his death or not, we'll only know after we fight."

Tai Shang said coldly, "Fine, Han Zhan Kui, you've provoked me." Saying this, he pointed his sword and said coldly, "Be careful, sir." He swung his sword and slashed at the man in the green robe.

Her first sword strike. With a soft whistle of the sword, a streak of bright silver light rose up, demonstrating the formidable strength of a master swordsman, truly extraordinary! Witnessing the overwhelming power of the Hundred Flowers Gang's Supreme Master's swordsmanship, the man in the green robe dared not underestimate him. He shouted, "Good!" His body moved like a wisp of green smoke, flashing away. With a flick of his longsword, several large sword flowers, each the size of a bowl, flew towards the Supreme Master.

The Supreme Master coldly chuckled, "I never imagined that the 'King of Swordsmen of the Five Northern Provinces,' the Ten Thousand Flowers Swordsman, would bow down and become a lackey of the Qing court."

The old man in the green robe blushed slightly and sneered, "I'm a public servant, what's wrong with arresting a traitor?" As they spoke, their swords moved with equal speed, each unleashing their exquisite swordsmanship, attacking each other relentlessly. In the short time it took to exchange those words, their swords clashed more and more fiercely, their figures blurred together in a whirlwind of sword light. Madam Tie,

burning with hatred for her husband's vengeance, felt a deep rage upon seeing Han Zhankui, the leader of the Black Dragon Society. Now, seeing her sister, Ruhua, already engaged in combat with the man in the green robe, she could no longer remain silent. Pointing his longsword, he gritted his teeth and said, "You villain surnamed Han, it's either you or me today! Draw your sword!"

Han Zhankui stood still and slowly said, "Tie Ruyu, do you really want to fight me?"

Madam Tie said, "I won't be satisfied until I tear you to pieces. Of course, I have to fight you to the death."

Han Zhankui said, "Tie Ruyu, we grew up together since childhood. No matter how much you hate me, I don't want to fight you with my own hands..." Suddenly, he turned around and said, "Chief Steward Rong, you should go and take her down."

Rong Jingzong slowly drew his sword and walked away from the crowd, but after walking about ten feet, he suddenly turned around, pointed his sword at Han Zhankui, his green robe fluttering, his eyes sharp and focused, and shouted loudly, "Han Zhankui, you scoundrel!" "You shameless traitor who betrayed your master and sold out the organization for personal gain! I have endured humiliation and forbearance for twenty years. Today, I should have killed you in public to avenge my fallen comrades in the Black Dragon Society. But Madam Ling and Young Master Ling have arrived. Especially since Madam Ling swore an oath twenty years ago when she left the organization to personally kill you, you traitor surnamed Han, I have no choice but to let Madam Ling do it." He raised his arm and shouted, "The Black Dragon Society has been controlled by the Qing government's lackeys for twenty years! All those with blood and loyalty, rise up and fight these lackeys to restore the Black Dragon Society's honor!" He shouted loudly and passionately, but not a single person stepped forward to respond to him. Even his eight black-clad swordsmen from Black Dragon Pool stood with their swords drawn, indifferent and unmoved.

Han Zhankui looked at him coldly and said, "Rong Jingzong, you're plotting a rebellion, but look, even your eight men don't listen to you. If you capture Tie Ruyu and her son now, you can atone for your sins; otherwise, you'll be sentenced to death by a thousand cuts, and then it will be too late to regret it."

Rong Jingzong's face turned ashen, his eyes flashing with cold light, and he shouted, "Han, today is your day to be beheaded. Madam Ling will handle it. Eight swordsmen from Black Dragon Pool, will you obey me, or will you willingly join the traitors and become henchmen of the Qing court?" The eight black-clad swordsmen looked at Rong Jingzong, but remained silent and unmoved.

Han Zhankui laughed loudly, "Rong Jingzong, you should realize it now, right? Rebellion means execution, and no one in the world is willing to go with you to your death." Suddenly, he waved his hand and said, "Four Protectors, quickly seize Rong Jingzong, who is colluding with the rebels. If he dares to resist, kill him on the spot without hesitation." The four men in blue tight-fitting clothes standing to his right quickly withdrew their weapons and slowly approached Rong Jingzong.

Rong Jingzong laughed loudly and said, "It's good that the four of you come at me together, so that I don't have to waste my time."

Just as the four men walked out, Madam Tie suddenly turned around and shouted, "Yi'er, cover for your mother." Before Ling Junyi could answer, she moved swiftly and approached Han Zhankui, shouting, "You villain, prepare to die!" When they were five feet apart, she flicked her right wrist, and the long sword in her hand suddenly flashed with a cold light and flew out.

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