Pearl Order [Complete] - 20

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Chapter Twenty-Five: Straight

to the Heart of the Enemy. Yu Meiren was startled and hurriedly reached out to support him, asking with concern, "Chief Envoy, what's wrong?" Seeing Ling Junyi's pale face and trembling body, she panicked even more and said urgently, "Come and see, Chief Envoy, have you fallen into their trap?" Boss Gou, Gongsun Xiang, Song Desheng, and Zhang Nanqiang immediately surrounded him.

Gongsun Xiang said, "Chief, quickly try circulating your qi. What's wrong?"

Ling Junyi's eyes were slightly closed, and he stood motionless. After a long while, his complexion gradually regained its rosy hue. He slowly exhaled, opened his eyes, and saw Yu Meiren supporting him, her face full of astonishment. He couldn't help but apologize, saying, "Thank you, Miss. I'm alright now."

Yu Meiren's pink face flushed slightly, and she blinked her eyes, asking, "What exactly happened just now, Chief Envoy? You really gave me a fright."

Ling Junyi said, "Dugu Sou's 'Mysterious Ice Palm' is truly powerful. I was careless for a moment, and a trace of his cold qi invaded my body, making my whole body unbearably cold..."

Yu Meiren asked with a focused gaze, "Are you alright now?"

Ling Junyi said, "Fortunately, I realized it early and have already expelled it from my body."

Gou Lao said, "Dugu Sou is known as the Ice God. Countless famous figures in the martial world have been ruined by his 'Mysterious Ice Palm.' Tonight, he met the Chief, and it will be the day his evil deeds are fully exposed."

Ling Junyi glanced outside and asked, "Have both groups of the enemy retreated?" Gongsun

Xiang replied, "The fairy Liu at the east retreated without a fight after hearing the silver whistle from afar. The nine 'Twelve Constellations' at the west were all burned to ashes by the flower maidens with 'Azure Flame Bullets.'"

Ling Junyi sighed slightly and said, "The Supreme One knows himself and his enemy, and his plans are flawless. He is fully aware of the enemy's every move. He is truly admirable!"

Old Gou said, "Hao Feipeng, the leader of the Yellow Dragon Hall, also hurriedly retreated into the Yellow Dragon Cave after hearing the silver whistle. We dare not go deeper without the Commander's orders. What should we do? Please decide, Commander." Ling

Junyi's gaze was fixed on the distant Yellow Dragon Cave. The cave was tall and imposing, its entrance wide open, seemingly undefended. However, it was pitch black, obscuring the view inside. A sense of unease crept in. He pondered, "Yellow Dragon Cave is the location of the Yellow Dragon Hall. The open entrance suggests an ambush. We should follow orders."

Yu Meiren responded with a "Yes," and with a flick of her wrist, four flower maids immediately carried a sedan chair forward. The instructions in the secret letter from the Supreme Lord were: "Charge into the Yellow Dragon Rock and throw this sedan chair into the Yellow Dragon Cave's lair."

Ling Junyi ordered everyone to disperse and surround the Yellow Dragon Cave, keeping a close watch. Then, four flower maids lifted the sedan chair and threw it forcefully into the cave. The black sedan chair, propelled by the four women, shot like an arrow into the tall cave. A flash of light appeared in the darkness, followed by a deafening roar. In an instant, the mountains shook, cliffs collapsed, and amidst the raging flames, a series of deafening tremors echoed, accompanied by screams and cries of terror! Within an area of several dozen feet, sand and stones flew, merging into a cloud so thick that one could not see their hand in front of their face, nor even a person in front of them! It turned out that this black sedan chair had secretly concealed dozens of kilograms of the most powerful explosives, leveling Huanglong Cave in one fell swoop! No, it blasted down Huanglong Rock itself; the sheer force of the explosion was utterly earth-shattering and terrifying.

Ling Junyi, having read the Supreme Emperor's secret letter, had already suspected that the sedan chair might contain extremely powerful firearms. The fact that the sedan chair had been thrown into the cave might have caused a massive fire, forcing the thieves to rush out into the flames. Therefore, he ordered eight bodyguards and twenty flower maidens to disperse, surround Huanglong Cave, and keep a close watch on them, preparing to capture the thieves. He had already warned everyone to stay away from the cave to prevent the explosives from causing injury, but he hadn't expected the explosives hidden in the sedan chair to be so terrifyingly powerful. With a deafening roar, they blasted down a section of the precarious cliff above Huanglong Cave! Hearing the explosion, Ling Junyi immediately noticed the earth shaking and the precarious cliff above Huanglong Cave teetering on the

verge of collapse—a situation of extreme danger! His heart tightened, and he quickly channeled his inner energy, shouting, "Everyone, retreat immediately!" Even using his inner energy, these words would normally carry at least a mile, but with the collapse of the mountain and the deafening roar, how could anyone hear them clearly? No, the collapsing rocks were like a mountain crashing down, moving with lightning speed. Seeing the situation was dire, Ling Junyi grabbed Gou Laoda, who was standing nearby, and with a stomp of his feet, retreated rapidly.

Gongsun Xiang stood to his left, shouting, "Brothers Song and Zhang, retreat quickly!" With a swift movement, he used his wolf-like agility, leaping and bounding several dozen feet away. Reaching his footing, he looked back and saw the massive boulders of Huanglong Rock churning, sand and dust flying everywhere—a chaotic scene! The Flower Maiden, standing further away, was spared, but the eight guardians, positioned in the inner circle, were likely in grave danger. Gongsun Xiang was both alarmed and anxious, hissing, "Chief, Chief Envoy..."

He then heard Ling Junyi's voice call out, "Brother Gongsun, are you alright?"

Gongsun Xiang exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Ling!" He had already leaped over at the sound of the call. On the dark platform, he saw Ling Junyi bent over, one hand pressed against the "Lingtai" acupoint on the back of Gou Laoda's chest, circulating his internal energy.

Gongsun Xiang approached and asked, "Commander, what happened to Boss Gou?"

Ling Junyi pressed his hand down, remaining still, and slowly said, "When I pulled him back, Boss Gou was hit in the chest and abdomen by a flying rock. I'm afraid..." Before he could finish speaking, Boss Gou slowly opened his eyes, his gaze unfocused, his lips moving slightly as he uttered a weak, broken voice, "Thank you...Commander...this old man...I...I can't...I can't go on...Huanglong...Cave...behind...there...is...a...secret...passage..." A mouthful of blood suddenly gushed from his mouth, and he could no longer speak.

Gongsun Xiang hurriedly said, "Boss Gou, calm down! You said there's a secret passage behind Huanglong Cave? Where does it lead?"

Ling Junyi released his hand from Boss Gou's back and said sadly, "He's gone." As he spoke, he slowly stood up, looking around. He saw that Yu Meiren and the twenty flower maids were all covered in dust and dirt, but at least they had survived. Ling Junyi said sadly, "Brother Gongsun, it seems that the envoys..."

Gongsun Xiang said, "Perhaps some of them escaped in time, but the dust is thick and we can't see clearly."

Ling Junyi shook his head slightly, sighed, and said, "This happened too suddenly. We were standing about five zhang away from Huanglong Cave. When I saw the situation was bad, I pulled Gou Laoda back and jumped. Even Gou Laoda was hit by a flying stone. The eight protectors were all scattered about three zhang away from Huanglong Cave. How could they have had a chance to escape? It's all my fault for being careless. Knowing that there must be powerful firearms hidden in the sedan chair, I should have told everyone to stand further away." "Otherwise, these envoys wouldn't have all lost their lives."

Gongsun Xiang said, "This cannot be blamed on the Grand Commander. Since the Supreme Emperor hid explosives in the sedan chair, he should have explained it in detail in the secret letter. According to my assessment, the explosives hidden in this sedan chair could have blasted down Huanglong Rock, weighing at least eighty or ninety catties, if not a hundred. Without knowing the extent of the damage beforehand, even if one stood five or six zhang away, no matter how high their martial arts skills, they would still be caught off guard. Moreover, we were ordered to rush into Huanglong Cave. The Grand Commander's instruction to keep them at a distance of about three zhang was already quite cautious." He was blaming the Supreme Emperor for not explaining things clearly in the secret letter, which led to the deaths of so many people.

Just then, Yu Meiren arrived with twenty flower maids. Yu Meiren said to Ling Junyi, "If the Grand Envoy hadn't ordered us to stand on the outer circle, I'm afraid none of us would have survived."

Ling Junyi remained silent, then raised his eyes and said, "Everyone, quickly split up and search to see if there are any wounded but not dead people who urgently need rescue?"

Gongsun Xiang nodded and said, "The Grand Envoy is absolutely right."

The group immediately split up and rushed towards the vicinity of Huanglong Cave. At this time, the dust that had been billowing had gradually settled! Within a ten-zhang radius in front of Huanglong Cave, there were countless large and small rocks that had collapsed from the cliff, making them almost unrecognizable. The first body Ling Junyi discovered was that of Song Desheng. He had been about six or seven zhang away from Huanglong Cave when he was struck in the back by a huge rock, collapsing to the ground, already dead. Ling Junyi felt a pang of unease and thought to himself, "Brother Song, rest in peace. I'll come back to bury you later." Just then, he suddenly heard a hoarse cry from his left: "Quick, save me..."

Ling Junyi recognized the voice as being about two zhang away and hurriedly asked, "Where are you?"

Upon hearing Ling Junyi's voice, the man's spirits lifted instantly, and he shouted, "Commander, it's me, your subordinate Ding Qiao! I'm trapped in a crevice between rocks!"

Before he finished speaking, Ling Junyi had already rushed over, his gaze falling on Ding Qiao, who was trapped under a massive boulder weighing over a thousand pounds. This boulder had rolled down the cliff and landed on a protruding rock, where Ding Qiao had been sheltered. The rock had held him back from the fall, saving his life, but he was trapped in the crevice, only able to stick half his head out to call for help; his body was unable to move. Ling Junyi asked, "Brother Ding, are you alright?" Ding Qiao,

crouching low, replied, "I'm fine. There's plenty of space in here; it's just the right amount of room for one person. Otherwise, I would have been crushed to a pulp."

Seeing that the boulder weighed at least a thousand pounds, Ling Junyi gathered his strength, used both hands to support it, and said, "Brother Ding, be careful." He then used his strength to slowly lift the boulder.

Ding Qiao didn't hesitate, leaping out with a whoosh and saying, "Commander, I'm out!"

Ling Junyi slowly put down the boulder, turned around, and said, "Brother Ding, quickly try to circulate your qi. Are you injured anywhere?"

Ding Qiao moved his limbs a few times and smiled, "I'm fine, not injured at all."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "Congratulations, Brother Ding, it's good that you're not injured anywhere. Come with me and continue searching. Is there anyone else injured and waiting to be rescued?" The two searched along the way, and everywhere they found severed limbs, mangled corpses, and bloodied bodies among the piles of boulders—a horrifying and unbearable sight. Of the eight protectors, only Ding Qiao remained; of the three guardians, only Gongsun Xiang was left. The explosives were originally intended to destroy the enemy's lair, but now all those killed were their own people. Wasn't this fate? Ling Junyi stood beneath the dark and desolate Yellow Dragon Rock, his heart heavy with indescribable sorrow.

Yu Meiren walked to his side and whispered, "Chief Envoy, what should we do?"

Ling Junyi said, "Our first priority is to find some bodies and bury them."

Ding Qiao said, "The Chief is absolutely right. If we can find some bodies, then we can ensure the safety of the people."

Immediately, Yu Meiren, Hua Nu, Ding Qiao, and Gongsun Xiang worked together to dig two large pits near Huanglong Cave. They placed the severed limbs and remains into the pits and covered them with soil. Then they placed the bodies of Song Desheng, Gou Laoda, and later, Wan Youwei, Zhai Youcheng, Xu Shoucheng, and others into another pit. The remaining bodies, some buried under boulders, others only severed limbs and remains unrecognizable, were also placed in the pit and covered with soil.

Gongsun Xiang stood before the pit, stunned, and said, "Brother Zhang was with me when the sedan chair was thrown into Huanglong Cave. Although we were standing directly in front of Huanglong Cave, we were already about five zhang apart. Brother Zhang's swordsmanship focuses on leaping, and his lightness skill far surpasses mine. I escaped danger, so Brother Zhang should have been fine too. How come we can't even find his body?" He and Zhang Nanqiang were close friends, and at this point, tears welled up in his eyes.

Ling Junyi comforted him, "Brother Gongsun, don't be sad. As the ancients said, life and death are predestined. This can only be described as a calamity."

Ding Qiao said, "Chief, didn't the Supreme One send another secret letter? I wonder what instructions it contains? Chief should open it and take a look now." Reminded by his words, Ling Junyi said "Oh," reached into his robes, took out the letter, tore off the seal, pulled out a blank sheet of paper, and casually opened it. Upon seeing this, Ling Junyi's face changed! The so-called second secret letter was actually just a blank sheet of paper, without a single word on it.

The blank sheet of paper—what does that mean? Was there explosives hidden in the sedan chair? Did it mean their mission was complete—that they no longer needed further instructions after blowing up Huanglong Cave? No. If everyone hadn't been killed, even if there was no longer a mission, they should at least be instructed where to regroup or return to the Stone God Temple to await further orders. No instructions meant their entire group was gone. Had the Supreme Being already foreseen that their fate was sealed here? Ling Junyi grew increasingly furious, letting out a deep snort: "What a vicious method!"

Ding Qiao asked, "Does the Commander need a tinderbox?"

Ling Junyi replied, "No need."

Gongsun Xiang said, "The Commander's internal energy is refined, allowing him to see in the dark. I wonder what instructions the Supreme Elder gave in the secret letter?"

Ling Junyi said, "There wasn't a single word on the secret letter."

Ding Qiao asked in surprise, "How could that be? If the Supreme Elder gave no instructions, where can we rejoin the others?"

Ling Junyi asked, "Are you two still going to look for the Supreme Elder?"

Gongsun Xiang said, "Our group has suffered heavy losses; we should contact the other two groups first." A thought struck Ling Junyi: "So they all took the 'Bewitching Pill.' Although their minds are clear, they remain loyal to the Supreme Elder to the death." Thinking this, another thought suddenly struck him: "Could it be that the Supreme Elder has discovered she wasn't under the influence of the 'Bewitching Pill,' and that she's hiding powerful explosives in the sedan chair just for herself?" Indeed, she realized that her skills were extremely difficult to control, so she planned to destroy Huanglong Cave while simultaneously blowing herself up to eliminate any future trouble. Alas, to get rid of one person, she was willing to sacrifice many others along with her; this old woman was truly terrifyingly insidious and vicious!

Yu Meiren and the Flower Maidens, having not taken the "Bewitching Pill," understood immediately, their faces filled with grief and indignation. Yu Meiren exclaimed, "Chief Envoy, could it be that the Supreme One…" She was, after all, personally trained by the Supreme One, and the rest of her words caught in her throat. The twenty Flower Maidens also paled.

Ling Junyi nodded and waved his hand, indicating that nothing more needed to be said. Seeing that Ling Junyi remained silent in thought, Ding Qiao said, "Commander, Huanglong Cave has been breached. Should we return to the Stone God Temple first?" Ling Junyi didn't reply. He reached into his robes and took out the colorful silk pouch given to him by Wen Wanjun. He untied the knot, took out a jade bottle, unscrewed the cap, poured out six "Clear Mind Pills" slightly larger than sesame seeds, and casually handed them over, saying, "Brother Gongsun, Brother Ding, each of you take three pills. Quickly swallow these pills."

Gongsun Xiang took the three pills, swallowed them, and asked with wide eyes, "Commander, have you noticed anything amiss?"

Ding Qiao took the pills, hesitated slightly, and also put them in his mouth, then asked, "Commander, what kind of pills are these?" The two asked almost simultaneously.

Ling Junyi smiled faintly and said, "Have you two heard of 'Rosemary'?" Gongsun Xiang was taken aback and said, "

I once heard my master say that rosemary is one of the most potent sleeping potions. It is said to have been transplanted from the Western Regions by Emperor Wen of Wei. Its fragrance is intoxicating and deadly."

Ding Qiao's eyes widened, revealing surprise and doubt. He hurriedly asked, "Was the rosemary that you gave me, Commander?"

Ling Junyi sneered, "What you just took was the antidote for rosemary."

Gongsun Xiang asked in surprise, "The antidote for rosemary... When did I get poisoned by rosemary?"

Ling Junyi said, "Rosemary is extremely poisonous and can kill. However, if it is combined with certain drugs, made into pills, and placed in food, you will ingest it without realizing it. It will make you feel nothing, and your mind will remain clear. It will only make you lose your will to resist and make you forever obedient and loyal." "

Gongsun Xiang said with a start, "Does the Commander mean the Hundred Flowers Gang gave us 'Rosemary'?" He then nodded, "That's right. Looking back, over the past two years, no matter what measures the Hundred Flowers Gang took, I believed they were right. I especially felt that the Supreme Elder was incredibly wise; even if she wanted me dead, I wouldn't hesitate."

Ling Junyi smiled, "And now? How does Brother Gongsun feel?"

Gongsun Xiang said, "I feel much more at ease, but at the same time, I suddenly have doubts about the Supreme Elder and the Hundred Flowers Gang. Their actions are mysterious, and they might have some kind of secret connection with the Black Dragon Society..."

Ding Qiao interjected, "That's right, I feel the same way. The Hundred Flowers Gang is just using us."

Ling Junyi said, "It's good that you understand." He waved the blank secret letter from the Supreme Elder and said, "This letter, without a single word written on it, is the best proof of 'the birds are gone, the bow is put away; the rabbit is

dead, the dog is cooked.'" Ding Qiao said, "Since the Supreme Elder wants to kill us, it's because we are all outsiders. But Boss Gou has been with her for many years, and Yu Meiren is a disciple she personally trained. What have the twenty flower girls done to deserve this? Why does she want to kill them all?"

Ling Junyi said, "Boss Gou was one of the thirty-six generals of the Black Dragon Society in the past. Naturally, he knows many of her secrets. By taking this opportunity to eliminate him, wouldn't no one ever know? As for Yu Meiren and the twenty flower girls, since they were with us, they naturally had no choice but to sacrifice themselves."

Ding Qiao said, "Why does the Supreme Elder..." "Are they determined to kill us?"

Ling Junyi said, "The Black Dragon Society only has three halls. She has already ordered the leader Zhuang Dan and the deputy leader Shao Yao to each lead a group to launch surprise attacks. She may have gone herself as well. Along the way, we've been creating a diversion for her, drawing the Black Dragon Society's attention. Moreover, our ability to break through the Yellow Dragon Cave entrance proves that we have successfully defeated the enemies blocking our way. The sedan chair contains a large amount of explosives. Once it's thrown into the Yellow Dragon Cave, the Yellow Dragon Hall will naturally fall. We are no longer of any use. This is her plan to kill two birds with one stone."

Gongsun Xiang said angrily, "After what you've said, Commander, I've truly woken up from a dream. The Supreme One's move is truly vicious." Yu Meiren and Hua Nu naturally had nothing to say; each of them was thinking their own thoughts.

Ding Qiao asked, "What are your plans now, Chief?"

Ling Junyi replied, "You two no longer need to call me Chief. My title as Chief Protector of the Flowers has been destroyed in the explosion at Huanglong Cave."

Ding Qiao asked, "Then what should we do?"

Ling Junyi said, "You two have been cured of the drug and will no longer be used by the Hundred Flowers Gang. You've escaped this conflict. I advise you to leave this place as soon as possible." He then looked at the twenty flower maidens and said, "Ladies, you must all understand. The Supreme Lord sacrificed you all to kill me. Although you escaped, several Protectors suffered misfortune. From now on, I am no longer the Chief Protector. You should all leave this place as soon as possible and start a new life."

Gongsun Xiang said, "Brother, I heard you mention that two of your friends were captured by the Black Dragon Society. You came here to rescue them. " "Brother, I am willing to follow you, Brother Ling, even through fire and water,"

Ding Qiao said. "My life was saved by you, Commander, and I am determined to follow you."

Ling Junyi said, "You two are so kind, I am very grateful..."

Before he could finish, Gongsun Xiang continued, "Brother, I am honored that you have not abandoned me and promised to be my brother. Now, Brother Ling is going deep into the Black Dragon Society alone. Although with your cultivation, there may not be anyone in the Black Dragon Society who can defeat you, you are both rescuing someone and fighting the enemy. You are alone and vulnerable. If I abandon you at this time, what kind of friend would I be? Therefore, no matter what you say, I must go with you."

Ding Qiao also chimed in, "What you said, Brother Gongsun, is exactly what I wanted to say. If you don't let me go, Commander, you are looking down on me."

Seeing their determination, Ling Junyi could not refuse them any longer. At the same time, he also thought that going deep into the Black Dragon Society would inevitably lead to a fierce battle. He nodded and said, "Since you two have said so, I won't say anything more. However, the Black Dragon Society has the geographical advantage. We are not only unfamiliar with the route, but we also know nothing about their situation. Originally, we could have carried out the rescue secretly and attacked them when they were unprepared. But now that the Yellow Dragon Cave has been breached, and the Hundred Flowers Gang has launched two separate attacks on Flying Dragon and Azure Dragon, the Black Dragon Society will surely be heavily guarded. It would be extremely dangerous for us to venture deep into their territory."

At the same time, Yu Meiren had reached an agreement with the twenty flower maids she had brought. The twenty flower maids said to Ling Junyi at the same time, "Although you are no longer the Chief Protector, we are willing to follow you and Sister Yu."

Ling Junyi was taken aback and said, "You..."

Yu Meiren smiled and said, "Young Master, they are all orphans who have lived in the Hundred Flowers Gang since they were young and have rarely been in contact with the outside world. Wherever you want them to go, I am willing to take them with me. Besides, you are going to rescue the two sisters, so one more person is better." "Just agree to their request, one helper will do."

Ling Junyi smiled wryly. At this moment, Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao had already noticed the unusual relationship between Ling Junyi and Yu Meiren from their conversation. Seeing Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao's astonished expressions, Ding Xiang, one of the twenty flower girls, said with a charming smile, "You two don't need to rack your brains. Sister Yu is already Young Master Ling's woman!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Meiren blushed, and Ling Junyi also looked embarrassed. Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao suddenly realized, "I see. Congratulations, Brother Ling and Miss Yu. Brother Ling, please grant the ladies' request."

Ling Junyi nodded and said to the flower girls, "Since the ladies are willing, I naturally have nothing to say. However, this journey is dangerous. If an accident occurs, I cannot guarantee the safety of all the ladies..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yu Meiren said, "Brother Jun, don't worry, we will take care of ourselves."

Ding Qiao then smiled and said, "My opinion is exactly the same as..." "The situation is reversed," said the leader. "The Yellow Dragon Hall has been destroyed. The two groups of men led by the gang leader and deputy gang leader attacked the Azure Dragon and Flying Dragon Halls respectively. They are probably in the middle of a fierce battle right now. If we sneak in, even if we encounter some guards, they won't be able to attend to both sides, which is a good opportunity to rescue people."

Gongsun Xiang nodded repeatedly and said, "Brother Ding is absolutely right. Brother Ling, we must seize this opportunity. Let's go quickly."

Ling Junyi frowned slightly and said, "What you two say makes sense, but we don't know the Black Dragon Society's lair. Where can we find it in such a short time?"

Gongsun Xiang smiled and said, "Brother Ling, how could you forget? Just now, when Boss Gou was dying, didn't he say that there was a secret passage behind the Yellow Dragon Cave? He only said 'through,' which may lead to the Black Dragon Society's headquarters. We don't know. Why don't we go in and look for it?"

Ling Junyi thought for a moment and nodded and said, "That's the only way for now."

Ding Qiao said happily, "Let's go in now."

Ling Junyi said, "Wait a minute. The Yellow Dragon Cave has been blown up. The secret passage..." "Perhaps it's blocked, we..."

Ding Qiao interrupted with a laugh, "But perhaps this explosion will actually open up the secret passage, who knows?"

Ling Junyi said, "That's true, but we must be careful when we go in. First, the three of us should walk in front, at least keeping a certain distance, just in case. Sister Yu, you lead the girls and keep a distance from us. Second, the brothers will lead, Brother Ding in the middle, Brother Gongsun at the rear, and the girls at the very back. If an accident occurs along the way, we must retreat. The girls and Brother Gongsun will lead, Brother Ding must not delay, leave as quickly as possible, and the brothers will then bring up the rear. Everyone must remember this."

Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao responded in unison, "Brother Ling, please rest assured, we

understand." Yu Meiren and the twenty flower girls also said in unison, "Young Master, rest assured, we understand."

Ling Junyi said, "Alright, let's go." As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped up and headed towards Huanglong Cave.

Huanglong Cave was located below Huanglong Rock, and was originally a tall cave dwelling. Now, the cave entrance had been destroyed by explosives, and the dozens of meters high cliff of Huanglong Rock had also collapsed. Before Huanglong Cave, boulders taller than a person were everywhere, almost completely blocking the cave. Ling Junyi rolled up his sleeves, used his strength to move several boulders, and could then slowly make his way through the cracks in the rocks. The interior of Huanglong Cave was naturally completely destroyed; a tall cavern was now blocked by boulders of all sizes. However, the stone of Huanglong Cave was relatively hard, and although many parts had collapsed, the outline of the cave remained. Inside the sedan chair, besides explosives, there was apparently also oil. After the explosion, it ignited, and the fire flowed towards the back of the cave.

Ling Junyi could see in the dark, but Ding Qiao and Gongsun Xiang behind him were now unable to move an inch. Ling Junyi took out the Lilong Pearl from his robes and held it in his palm. Instantly, a milky white pearl light shone in the darkness, illuminating a distance of one or two meters. Ling Junyi examined the scorched marks on the stone wall as he walked towards the back of the cave. Of course, there were many places where he still had to move stones to barely pass through. Ding Qiao followed closely behind Ling Junyi and whispered, "Sir, let me help you move the stones."

Gongsun Xiang said, "Brother, come too."

The three of them moved stones along the way, going deeper into the back cave. Yu Meiren led twenty flower girls at the back, keeping a distance from the three in front. Huanglong Cave was vast, and this place was deep inside the mountain. The front cave had been collapsed by explosives, but here, there were not many collapsed areas. Several stone chambers were still relatively intact, but they found a dozen or so corpses. These people had no wounds on their bodies; they had suffocated from the intense fire in the front cave! Ling Junyi stopped in his tracks and said, "It seems we've reached the end."

Gongsun Xiang said, "But Boss Gou clearly said there was a secret passage here."

Ling Junyi said, "If there were another secret passage, these people wouldn't have suffocated to death."

Ding Qiao said, "Let's look again." As he spoke, Ling Junyi had already started walking towards a stone chamber on the right.

Gongsun Xiang exclaimed, "Brother Ling, there are words on this stone wall!"

Ling Junyi held up the pearl in his palm and shone it on the wall. Sure enough, he saw a small square wooden board nailed to the stone wall by the entrance, which read: "Quiet Room, No Unauthorized Entry." Ding Qiao said, "This is probably where Hao Feipeng usually practices."

Ling Junyi's heart stirred, and he immediately stepped into the room. This stone room had a wooden door and was quite spacious inside. The walls were covered with golden curtains, and against the wall at the head of the room was a yellow lacquered wooden bed, complete with bedding. Apart from this wooden bed, there was nothing else in the entire room, which made the stone room seem even more spacious and empty. The ceiling had probably been affected by the shaking of the rocks. A large pile of sand and soil had fallen down.

As Gongsun Xiang's eyes darted around, his right hand used his long sword to lift up a yellow curtain. Ding Qiao did not hesitate. With a "whoosh," he swung his iron-boned fan and tore down a yellow curtain opposite the wooden bed. With this tear, he suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "It's here!"

Ling Junyi looked over and indeed saw what appeared to be the trace of a door in the middle of the stone wall! The so-called "trace" was that originally there was a whole piece of stone wall, but now a rectangular crack was exposed, very much like a hidden door. Ding Qiao had already reached out and pushed as soon as he spoke. Ling Junyi thought that since there was a hidden door here, there might be an ambush. By the time he tried to stop him, it was too late, but Ding Qiao pushed hard, and the stone door did not budge at all.

Gongsun Xiang followed, carefully examining the surrounding cracks. He then pushed and tapped at them for a while before saying, "This is a hidden door; it's probably true."

Ding Qiao said, "Judging from the situation, there must be another mechanism to open it. This mechanism is naturally in this stone chamber. Let's look for it; perhaps we can find it."

Gongsun Xiang said, "Brother Ding is right. This stone door was originally likely controlled by a mechanism, so no one would notice any trace of it, let alone have cracks. But after the explosion at the entrance of Huanglong Cave, the cliff collapsed, and this place was greatly shaken, causing cracks. I'm afraid even the mechanism controlling the stone door was damaged."

Ding Qiao said, "You mean this path is blocked?"

Gongsun Xiang said, "That's possible."

Ling Junyi said, "Since there's a door, let's try pushing it; perhaps... " "It can be pushed open."

Gongsun Xiang continued, "I'm afraid it won't be easy to push open."

Ling Junyi said, "Let me try." As he spoke, he handed the "Lilong Pearl" in his palm to Ding Qiao, saying, "Brother Ding, you take the pearl."

Ding Qiao took the pearl, and said in surprise, "Commander, this stone door weighs no less than several hundred thousand pounds. If it's connected to a mechanism, it's as if it's rooted to the ground. How can it be pushed open?"

Ling Junyi smiled slightly, "The stone door is controlled by a mechanism, so naturally it can't be pushed open. But Brother Gongsun is right. The mechanism that opens and closes this door has been damaged by the huge vibration of the mountain wall, which is why it has cracks. Since the mechanism has been damaged, perhaps it can be pushed open." As he spoke, he stepped forward with his left foot, rolled up his sleeve, and extended a pair of slender, white palms, placing them on the stone door. He silently channeled his internal energy and slowly pushed it forward.

Seeing that he was really going to push, Gongsun Xiang said from the side, "Brother Ling, be careful, don't hurt yourself."

Ling Junyi turned around and smiled, "It's alright, I'm just testing it out." Ding Qiao held the Lilong Pearl in his hand and looked to the side. He saw Ling Junyi standing still with his hands on the stone door, but his blue robe was gradually billowing up, as if it were filled with air. Ding Qiao was secretly amazed and thought, "The Chief is a few years younger than me, but his skills are truly beyond my reach." Just as his thoughts were turning, he heard Ling Junyi shout loudly, and push outward with all his might. Immediately afterwards, there was a series of soft cracking sounds from the stone wall, the sound of iron bars snapping, and the stone door slowly opened outward.

Gongsun Xiang's eyes lit up with excitement, and he exclaimed, "Brother Ling's strength is truly unparalleled!"

Ding Qiao's eyes widened in astonishment, "What kind of divine skill is this, Commander? Such power! You actually pushed the stone door open!"

As they spoke, Ling Junyi had already pushed the stone door open completely. He released his grip, and the energy that had swelled within him slowly subsided. His expression remained unchanged; he simply let out a slow breath and smiled, "Brother, pushing open a stone door is hardly a divine skill."

Ding Qiao returned the pearl to Ling Junyi, saying, "Commander, I've certainly seen something amazing tonight. But what kind of skill did you use? You must tell me, right?"

Ling Junyi replied, "If Brother Ding insists, I'll have to tell you. I used the 'Diamond Heart Method.'"

Ding Qiao said, "I've never even heard of the 'Diamond Heart Method' before." "

Gongsun Xiang said, 'Brother Ling's skills, acquired from a master, are naturally Shaolin's unique arts.'

While they were pausing, Yu Meiren had already led twenty flower maidens to catch up, and Ling Junyi gave them a few more instructions. Outside the stone gate was a dark passageway, not very wide, only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Ling Junyi stepped out first, feeling that the passageway was very winding, but there was no dampness or mustiness, and instead, a fresh, cold wind blew in his face. He carried the pearl in his hand and walked for about twenty or thirty feet. The cold wind became increasingly sharp, and the passageway came to an end, where a row of stone steps appeared in front of him. Ling Junyi quickened his pace and climbed the steps. After about a hundred steps, the stone steps ended, and a doorway appeared in front of him, with a faint light of daylight outside. Ling Junyi thought to himself, 'Could it be that we have arrived at our destination?'" "With a thought, he immediately put away the pearl and put it in his pocket.

Gongsun Xiang followed closely and asked in a low voice, "Brother Ling, have you discovered anything?"

Ling Junyi shook his head slightly and said, "No, there is a doorway here, and the light of day can be faintly seen. They may have reached their destination. We should be careful and not alert them."

Gongsun Xiang said, "Brother Ling is right." "As soon as Ling Junyi finished speaking, he stepped towards the door. Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao followed closely behind, one on each side. They stepped out of the stone gate together. Beyond the gate lay a well-shaped canyon, only a few dozen feet square,

surrounded by sheer cliffs hundreds of feet high. Looking up, it was like looking at the sky from the bottom of a well; the sky was only a tiny patch. It was a natural small well, the ground smooth and spotless. At the foot of the stone walls on either side were long stone benches. Opposite, beneath one of the stone walls, were two stone caves. The cave entrances were dark and unseen." Seeing the scenery, but hearing not a sound, only darkness and deathly silence, it seemed like an ancient, deserted cave, adding to the chilling and eerie atmosphere in the night. Coming from the Huanglong Cave tunnel, the cave split into two, undoubtedly leading to the secret passages of the Qinglong and Feilong Halls.

Ling Junyi stepped forward slightly. His main purpose was to rescue people, but he wondered where Fang Ruping and Tang Wenqing were being held captive. Gongsun Xiang stepped forward and whispered, "Brother Ling, these two caves might be the secret passages to the Qinglong and Feilong Halls." Ling Junyi nodded, pondering

, "Brother, I'm wondering, which of these two caves should we enter from?"

Ding Qiao said, "The commander's goal is to rescue them. Search this cave first, then look for the other one later. We must get them out." "As he spoke, he stepped towards a cave on the left and said, "Commander, it's time for me to go first. There might be traps and ambushes inside this cave, and I know a little about them."

Ling Junyi had no choice but to let him go first, handing him the Dragon Pearl as he said, "Brother Ding, please take this pearl with you and be careful."

Ding Qiao took the pearl and replied, "I understand, there will be no mistakes." With a swish, he opened his folding fan, covering his chest, and walked into the left-hand cave.

Fearing for his safety, Ling Junyi followed behind him, while Gongsun Xiang stayed behind to cover their retreat. The three walked forward, turning two corners. The cave was even darker, but the pearl in Ding Qiao's hand emitted a soft, crystalline light, making him easily visible from afar in the darkness. Ling Junyi secretly warned, "Brother Ding, be on guard and watch out for any sneak attacks."

Ding Qiao smiled and said, "Don't worry, Commander. If I spot anyone, I'll strike first." Although he spoke lightly, he knew in his heart that his group was now deep in enemy territory. Regardless of whether the enemy was prepared, they might be guarded or patrolled as they approached their headquarters. He was walking ahead, and with his glowing night-shining fan, he was in the dark while the enemy was in the light, meaning he could be attacked by a powerful foe at any moment. Therefore, he moved with extreme caution, holding a fan in one hand and using both his eyes and ears to search for his way forward. After walking for another dozen or so paces, they still hadn't encountered anyone to intercept them. Ding Qiao suddenly stopped and said in a low voice, "Commander, I feel something is amiss."

Ling Junyi said, "Brother Ding must have something on his mind."

Ding Qiao said, "This secret passage in the mountainside, no matter where it leads, is a crucial area within their mountain territory and should be heavily guarded. The defenses here are too lax, almost inhumanly negligent."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "Brother Ding is absolutely right, I felt the same way."

Gongsun Xiang chimed in, "Perhaps the gang leader or deputy gang leader's men are already engaged in direct combat with them and have no time to attend to the secret passage in the mountainside."

Ding Qiao said, "Perhaps Hao Feipeng has already escaped to this place, discovered that we are tracking him, and is trying to lure us deeper in."

Ling Junyi said, "Both are possible, but we've already come this far. Even if there's an ambush,

we have to go for it." Ding Qiao said, "Commander is right, even if it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, we're determined to go for it." He strode forward. The passageway rounded a bend, seemingly ending, when suddenly the terrain opened up ahead—no, suddenly light appeared.

Ding Qiao, ever alert, had been pressed against the stone wall, searching his way forward. Upon seeing the light ahead, he immediately stopped, grabbed the bead he was holding, and handed it back, whispering, "Chief, take the bead. There's light ahead." Ling Junyi took the bead and tucked it into his robes. In that instant, Ding Qiao had already slipped to the entrance of the passageway, his back pressed against the stone wall, his head tilted against it, looking out. Outside the passageway was a stone chamber about ten zhang square; it resembled a plaza. There were two iron doors at the front, each with a door knocker.

The iron doors were tightly closed. On either side, there were two glass lamps, beneath which stood four sword-wielding warriors dressed in tight-fitting blue robes. Although the lights weren't very bright, these two lamps were enough to illuminate the large stone chamber, which was about ten zhang square, clearly in the dark mountainside. Ding Qiao frowned slightly. He estimated that from his hiding place, the distance between him and his opponents was at least eleven or twelve zhang. To launch a surprise attack, apart from powerful bows and crossbows, no hidden weapon could reach them. At this moment, Ling Junyi also came over and asked in a low voice, "What's the situation outside?"

Ding Qiao said, "It seems we've reached our destination. There are four men guarding the iron gate ahead. Commander, please wait a moment, let me take care of them first." As soon as he finished speaking, he swayed his shoulders and darted out of the cave. As soon as he was out, the four men in

blue robes standing on both sides of the iron gate immediately became alert. One of them shouted, "Who goes there?" Another shouted, "Halt!"

Ding Qiao's movements were incredibly fast. In the midst of their shouts, he had already rushed past them and was about three zhang away from the iron gate. At that moment, two men in blue robes flashed to the left and right, blocking his path. The one on the left shouted, "Where did you come from?"

Ding Qiao stopped, deliberately panting, and cupped his hands, saying, "Gentlemen, I've come to deliver a message..."

The one on the right asked, "What is your identity?"

Ding Qiao held a folding fan in his hand. He cupped his hands towards the two men and said, "I am Ding Qiao, the patrol leader of the Yellow Dragon Hall..." Before he finished speaking, two points of cold light silently shot out from the iron-boned fan, aiming straight for the two men's throats. The two men in blue robes were caught off guard by Ding Qiao's trickery, and at the same time, they were too late to realize what was happening, and both fell backward.

The other two men, seeing their companion fall, were shocked and shouted angrily, "You little brat, how dare you cause trouble here!" At the same time, they drew their swords and pounced.

Ding Qiao laughed heartily, took a half-step back, and with a whoosh, opened his folding fan, saying, "You two have come at the perfect time."

His iron-bone fan was concealed within each bone, each bone concealing a fine, poisoned needle. With a flick of his wrist, a volley of needles shot out in a fan shape. The two men in blue robes, barely managing to land, were struck by the needles before they could even regain their footing, falling silently to the ground. This move was truly incredibly swift. Ding Qiao closed his fan and laughed heartily, "So these are just some weaklings." Ling Junyi and Gongsun Xiang followed.

Yu Meiren and the flower maids hadn't caught up yet; the three of them left marks along the way. Ling Junyi glanced at the two men and asked, "Are they both dead?"

Ding Qiao replied, "They were all poisoned in vital areas and died from the poison."

Ling Junyi said, "Brother, I forgot to tell you, Ding, that we should have left one alive."

Ding Qiao said, "I hadn't thought of that."

Gongsun Xiang looked up at the two iron gates and said, "This must be either the Azure Dragon Hall or the Flying Dragon Hall. Ding, you acted too quickly, preventing them from turning around to call the alarm. Now that the iron gates are closed, I'm afraid the people inside don't even know."

Ding Qiao laughed, "That's easy. They're on guard inside. If an emergency occurs, they'll have an alarm system. We'll just check carefully." He then stepped forward and carefully examined the stone walls on both sides and the two glass lamps, finding nothing suspicious. Gongsun Xiang took a step forward, grasped the iron ring on the left door, and gently rotated it left and right. He spun the iron ring and found it moved effortlessly. A surge of joy filled him, and he exclaimed, "It's here!" He tried turning it three times to the left, and as he did so, he faintly heard a soft metallic clang from within the iron gate.

Gongsun Xiang, ever alert, immediately released his grip and hissed, "Brother Ding, retreat quickly! There might be an ambush behind this iron gate!" He leaped back about ten feet.

Ding Qiao, equally alert, followed suit before he could finish speaking. Ling Junyi remained standing, a slight smile on his face, his gaze fixed on the iron gate. Sure enough, as Gongsun Xiang retreated, a soft creaking sound came from the stone wall, and the two iron gates slowly opened. The interior was pitch black, devoid of light, resembling a courtyard! No hidden weapons or anything of the sort were launched as the iron gates opened. Gongsun Xiang stood beside Ling Junyi. After waiting for a while, he unconsciously murmured, "Something's not right."

Ding Qiao asked, "Brother Gongsun, what do you think is wrong?"

Gongsun Xiang said, "These two iron gates have two iron rings. Both rings should be turned together for the gates to open. Brother, you only turned the ring on the left gate. That should have triggered a mechanism, causing an ambush to appear."

Ding Qiao laughed, "Perhaps we're just blind men riding blind horses, stumbling upon the right one. The left ring is the mechanism to open the gate. If you turned the right ring, it would..." "Triggering an ambush."

Gongsun Xiang looked around and, seeing no movement inside, nodded and said, "Brother Ding is right."

Ling Junyi laughed, "I only knew that Brother Ding's master was nicknamed 'Divine Fan,' a master craftsman, but I didn't expect Brother Gongsun to be an expert in traps and ambushes as well."

Gongsun Xiang said, "Brother Ling, you flatter me. My master has a friend who is skilled in intelligence gathering. He was quite famous in the martial arts world in the past. Later, to avoid an enemy, he went to the northern desert. He often met with my master, and I, who served my master, only heard some of the details."

Ding Qiao continued with a smile, "The Commander probably doesn't know this, but although my master was famous in the martial arts world for his iron-boned fan, he only relied on his techniques to win; there were no fancy tricks hidden in the fan itself. It is said that he once suffered a great loss under the influence of a pair of twin rings, and from then on, he devoted himself to studying mechanisms and mechanisms, especially hidden weapons. He had unique insights into them, and could hide thirty-six kinds of tiny hidden weapons in a single iron-boned fan, making them difficult to spot with the naked eye.

Thus, he earned the nickname 'Divine Fan.' I am a relatively inexperienced student of my master and haven't even learned the basics. This iron-boned fan was even made for me by my master. As for general mechanisms and ambushes, I have only heard my master talk about them from time to time." Ling Junyi smiled and said, "That's true. You two are much better than me. I know absolutely nothing about this." As he spoke, his eyes remained fixed on the movements inside the iron gate. He had night vision, and although it was pitch black inside, he could still make out some details! The entrance resembled a small courtyard, with three stone steps leading up to what appeared to be a spacious living room. However, due to the distance and the complete darkness inside, only some chairs and tables could be vaguely seen. For some time now, it remained eerily silent, without a sound.

Ding Qiao, growing impatient, said, "Chief, it seems there's really no one here. Shall we go in?"

Ling Junyi smiled slightly and said, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. We'll naturally go in, but everyone should proceed with caution." With that, he led the way through the iron gate. Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao followed closely behind, one on each side.

Because of the darkness inside, Ling Junyi still took out the "Li Long Pearl" to light his way. He slowly walked into the courtyard, his gaze sweeping around. Although this was a cave in the mountainside, its shape was no different from a courtyard. Just as they were about to step onto the steps, a sudden "bang" sounded behind them, and the two iron doors slammed shut automatically, plunging them into darkness.

Gongsun Xiang hurriedly turned around and snorted, "We've indeed fallen into an ambush." No sooner had he spoken than an iron net was cast down from above the courtyard, falling directly over them and trapping all three. Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao reacted swiftly, drawing their weapons and striking at the net as it descended. However, this iron net was made of refined steel, not only incredibly tough and impervious to swords, but also riddled with barbs between every mesh. If you don't struggle, it's fine, but the moment you try, the barbs snag your clothes and hair. The more you struggle, the more places you get hooked. Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao, who were holding weapons in their hands, found their arms, shoulders, backs, and hairs all caught by the barbs with the slightest movement, making it impossible to even pull their weapons away. If you struggled any further, the barbs would dig into your flesh. Only Ling Junyi stood still. Although he was completely covered by the iron net, he was less likely to be hooked by the barbs. Even if he was caught in a few places, it was because Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao's struggles caused the iron net to fluctuate, thus hooking onto Ling Junyi's shoulders and back.

Ding Qiao was both anxious and furious, but as a disciple of the Divine Fan, he sensed something was wrong and immediately stopped, saying, "Chief, what should we do?"

Gongsun Xiang had already shouted angrily, "Black Dragon Society scoundrels, if you have the guts, stand up and fight us to the death! What kind of people are you, resorting to such underhanded tricks and taking advantage of our unpreparedness?"

Ling Junyi stood firm, smiling faintly, "Brother Gongsun, Brother Ding, why are you so impatient? Although we are trapped, there is no one here. What's the use of shouting? At this time, we should remain calm. As the saying goes, 'Remain calm in the face of change, and respond to all changes with constancy'..." He was not flustered at all; he already had a solution, and besides, Yu Meiren and twenty flower maids were behind them and would arrive soon.

"Well said, 'respond to all changes with constancy'!" Laughter rose from the hall, and then suddenly, the candles in the hall lit up at the same time: three people appeared on the stone steps. Seated in the middle was Hao Feipeng, the leader of the Huanglong Hall, flanked by two men with dragons embroidered on their chests, both appearing to be over forty. On either side of Shi Jie stood eight burly men dressed in blue, close-fitting attire, wielding long, narrow, poisoned swords.

Hao Feipeng chuckled deeply, "Ling Junyi, you've found this place, indeed impressive, but you still can't escape my grasp." He then burst into laughter.

Ling Junyi's hair, shoulders, and other areas were naturally covered in barbs, but he remained unmoved, coldly saying, "Hao Feipeng, do you think I'm trapped?"

Hao Feipeng laughed loudly, "Do you think you can escape?" Ling

Junyi's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he laughed heartily, "A mere iron net, do you think it can harm me?" As he spoke, his blue robe seemed to be filled with wind, suddenly billowing. The billowing robe also supported the barbed iron net, and he swiftly drew a gleaming short sword from beside him. A sharp, dragon-like roar erupted, and a beam of light shot forth, effortlessly slicing through the iron net in front of him. The sword light circled his body, and the net snapped, crumbling to the ground.

Hao Feipeng, astonished, exclaimed, "He wields a sword that can cut through iron like mud!" The man in blue on the left sneered and waved his hand. Simultaneously, eight burly men in blue let out a long howl, charging towards Ling Junyi from eight directions.

Ling Junyi swung his giant sword outwards, blocking three directions. A blue-green light pulsed, and a chilling sword aura pressed against their skin. Each of the eight men felt as if Ling Junyi's sword was aimed directly at them, and before the sword could even reach them, they all leaped backward. Ling Junyi spun lightly, channeling his sword's power, and with a flick of his wrist, he severed the iron net binding Gongsun Xiang and Ding Jiao. Gongsun Xiang broke free of the iron net like a tiger unleashed, letting out a roar and lunging forward. His wolf-shaped sword, like a venomous snake striking, launched a fierce attack.

Ding Qiao, without a word, pushed off with both feet, his folding fan whistling, conjuring a fan-shaped flash of light as he counterattacked. These eight burly men in blue, though their swordsmanship was fierce, were no match for Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao, who, once unleashed their power, were no ordinary opponents. Within a few moves, they had gained the upper hand, forcing the eight to retreat. Ling Junyi sheathed his sword, his figure swaying as he retreated several steps, standing to the side with his hands behind his back, observing the battle without offering any assistance. Gongsun Xiang's "wolf-shaped sword," once unleashed, darted about, its blade flashing like the wind, each strike aimed at a vital acupoint, making it impossible to defend against. Ding Qiao wielded an iron-boned fan, its opening and closing unpredictable. When open, it was like a giant axe, cleaving and slashing; when closed, it was like a pressure point hoe or a judge's pen, striking and striking, specifically targeting vital points. These two were among the best of the younger generation, their sword and fan combined, filling the small, courtyard-like stone chamber with flashing sword light and

fan shadows, suppressing the attacks of the eight burly men in blue. The eight men, unable to gain the upper hand after a prolonged battle, were forced into a disadvantageous position. Naturally, their anger and frustration overwhelmed them, and they abandoned their initial coordinated attack, each unleashing their own unique techniques. In an instant, eight longswords drew dark streaks of light as they attacked the two men. This sudden, unrestrained attack was incredibly fierce, and Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao were immediately surrounded. Ding Qiao roared, flicking his iron-boned fan, shooting out two poisoned needles. The two men in front of him suddenly fell silently to the ground, dead. Seeing their unharmed companion suddenly and inexplicably collapse, the remaining six men were startled! Gongsun Xiang's longsword flashed, and a bloodcurdling gasp ripped through another burly man in blue robes, piercing his abdomen. Blood spurted out, and he died instantly. In an instant, three of the eight men in blue robes were dead. The remaining five, though still fiercely fighting, had lost their edge and their offensive was greatly weakened.

Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao, with their swords and fan, suddenly gained momentum, forcing the five men to retreat repeatedly. At this moment, Yu Meiren and Hua Nu, having heard the fighting, had caught up. Glancing at the scene, they withdrew their swords, ready to join the fray. Ling Junyi waved his hand, indicating that it was not necessary for the time being. The two men in blue robes standing on the steps exchanged a glance. The man on the left shouted in a deep voice, "Stop!" The five burly men, already in a precarious situation, dared not retreat without their leader's order. Hearing the shout from the man in blue on the left, they immediately leaped back.

Gongsun Xiang sheathed his longsword and sneered, "Does Your Excellency wish to personally test Master Gongsun's swordsmanship?"

Ding Qiao opened his fan and pointed at the man in blue on the right, laughing loudly, "You come down here too, and try Master Ding's fan techniques."

The man in blue on the left sneered, "With your 'Heavenly Wolf Sword' and 'Heavenly Cultivation Fan' skills, you think you can show off here?"

Gongsun Xiang laughed loudly, "If you don't believe me, you two can come down and try it."

The man in blue on the left turned to the man in blue on the right and said, "Second brother, go down and deal with these two arrogant brats."

The man in blue on the right agreed, drew a broadsword of jet black, and stepped down the stone steps, coldly saying, "Are the three of you coming at me together? Of course, I don't mind if these delicate young ladies come at me together too."

Gongsun Xiang stepped forward to meet him, laughing, "You're quite arrogant. Since you're alone, I, Gongsun Xiang, will naturally accompany you." The

man in blue on the right arrogantly said, "You alone are no match for me."

Gongsun Xiang angrily retorted, "Whether you're my match or not, we don't know yet." With a swift movement, he thrust his sword diagonally, a flash of cold light appearing as three sword flowers bloomed, each aimed at one of the opponent's three vital points. The "Heavenly Wolf Sword Technique" was incredibly fast and specialized in attacking from the side, making it extremely difficult to defend against.

The man in blue on the right indeed possessed astonishing martial arts skills. With a flick of his left hand, he unleashed an invisible force, forcing the sword's momentum, and coldly laughed, "You take my sword too." He swung his broadsword, slashing at the opponent's face. He made no move, but a sword shadow flashed out, immediately accompanied by a chilling sword wind! Gongsun Xiang abruptly withdrew his longsword and swiftly dodged to the side. His "Wolf Step" technique was agile, and in a flash, he had already dodged the opponent's incoming sword strike. But unexpectedly, the man in blue on the right slightly spun his broadsword, maintaining the same stance, and still slashed at Gongsun Xiang head-on. His attack wasn't particularly fast, and because the sword stance remained unchanged, the slashing sword was now less than two feet away from Gongsun Xiang. Gongsun Xiang was startled; this was no small matter. Without time to think, he raised his longsword to meet the attack, using the "Heavenly Wolf Fighting" move to parry the broadsword.

The two swords clashed with a loud "clang." The man in blue on the right stood motionless, while Gongsun Xiang's right arm went numb from the impact, and he staggered back three steps. This was the first time he had ever lost to a man since he debuted, except when he was defeated by Ling Junyi. This was the first time he had encountered a formidable opponent. Gongsun Xiang, a proud and arrogant man, was forced back three steps by the first move, his handsome face flushing red. He retreated, then advanced, his right wrist twitching as he unleashed three consecutive sword strikes. These three strikes were naturally the most ruthless and vicious moves of the "Heavenly Wolf Sword Technique," the swords moving like serpents, as fast as lightning, dazzling the eye! The man in blue on the right smiled coldly, his left hand wielding a broadsword, also unleashing three consecutive strikes to block Gongsun Xiang's swordplay. Meanwhile, his left hand used a technique to disarm Gongsun Xiang, grabbing his right wrist. This man's martial arts were strange; his swordplay appeared simple, yet contained profound depth! This sword-disarming technique, in particular, was extremely bizarre, incorporating grappling, meridian-severing, and bare-handed disarming techniques, leaving Gongsun Xiang no chance to change his move.

If Gongsun Xiang didn't retreat, his sword would inevitably be taken from him. He had thrust out three swords, all blocked by the opponent's broadsword. Now, seeing the opponent reach for his sword, his anger flared even more. Suddenly, he launched a kick at the opponent's left wrist. Just then, a soft voice entered his ears, saying, "Brother Gongsun, retreat quickly."

Gongsun Xiang recognized it as Ling Junyi secretly using "telepathic communication" to instruct him on what to do, but by then his left foot had already launched the kick. He saw the man in green on the right grab his left hand, the back of his hand lightly touching Gongsun Xiang's instep, his five fingers curled, still gripping the hilt of the sword on Gongsun Xiang's right wrist. Gongsun Xiang felt as if his instep had been struck by iron, an excruciating pain piercing his bones.

At that moment, the man in green on the right, his five fingers curled, was about to grasp the hilt when he instinctively grabbed something in his palm. He immediately clenched his five fingers and grabbed it. He clenched his fingers, but felt a sharp pain in his palm. He quickly looked down and realized he hadn't grabbed the sword hilt, but a barb on the iron net. The barb was incredibly sharp; with one grip, it had dug into his flesh, and blood dripped from his palm. In that instant, Gongsun Xiang had retreated.

The man in blue on the right pulled the barb from his palm, raised his eyes, and looked at Ling Junyi, saying, "You did this, didn't you?"

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "I saw my brother's sword about to be taken away, so I helped. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? Besides, I had no intention of harming anyone. As long as you don't grip too tightly, you won't cut your hand."

The man in blue on the right said angrily, "Very well, this isn't over yet. Now it's your turn." Hao Feipeng stood on the steps and whispered a few words to the man in blue on the left.

The man in blue on the left said, "Second brother, come back. Let me meet the Chief Protector of the Hundred Flowers Gang."

Ling Junyi laughed and said, "Your Excellency's guidance is certainly welcome, but I am no longer the Chief Protector of the Hundred Flowers Gang."

The man in blue on the left asked in surprise, "How could you not be the Chief Protector of the Hundred Flowers Gang?"

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "This seems unrelated to the fight, and I have nothing to say."

Hao Feipeng said, "Brother Tong, how can you believe his nonsense? If he's not the Chief Protector of the Hundred Flowers Gang, what is he doing here? And those twenty girls are the flower girls of the Hundred Flowers Gang, led by Yu Mei, the last of the twelve attendants." "People."

Ling Junyi said solemnly, "If I say it's not true, then it's not true. What's there to deny?"

Yu Meiren also said sweetly, "We are no longer members of the Hundred Flowers Gang."

Hao Feipeng was very surprised, his eyes flashing, and asked, "There must be a reason, right?"

Ling Junyi said, "There is no reason. I just don't want to do it anymore."

Hao Feipeng's eyes rolled, and he said again, "Since you have left the Hundred Flowers Gang, you have no grudge against our gang. As long as you are willing to lay down your weapons, our gang leader originally intended to give you an important position. I can introduce you to the gang." This man had a sinister look on his face, but he deliberately pretended to be happy.

Ling Junyi said, "I do wish to meet your leader, but I wonder how Hall Master Hao can introduce me."

Hao Feipeng's smile deepened, and he said, "Until you understand my purpose, I'll have to put down your weapons for now. I'll acupuncture a few pressure points on you, and then I can take you to see the leader."

Ding Qiao exclaimed, "Chief, we absolutely cannot fall for his trick! Wouldn't that make us their prisoners?"

Hao Feipeng said, "Brother Ling, please don't misunderstand. This is merely a procedure for outsiders to meet the leader. To be honest, normally, when people meet the leader, their hands are chained with gold chains..." "Just in case. Brother, because you, Brother Ling, are someone the sect leader is eager to see, I took the liberty of deciding to acupuncture a few of your pressure points instead. In front of the sect leader, I'd better show some restraint."

Ling Junyi smiled arrogantly and said, "I thank Hall Master Hao for his kindness. I am here to see your sect leader, but not in this way."

The man in blue on the left snorted coldly and said, "This man is extremely arrogant. Hall Master Hao, there's no need to waste words with him. Brother, capture him! Just take him to the sect leader for judgment." Hao Feipeng frowned slightly and whispered a few more words to the man in blue on the left.

The man in green on the left looked up and laughed, "Master Hao, please rest assured, once he enters the Flying Dragon Hall, can he still fly to the sky?" Ling Junyi thought to himself, "So this really is the Flying Dragon Hall."

The man in green on the left had already withdrawn his broadsword from his shoulder, staring at Ling Junyi with a cold expression, and said rudely, "I heard that your skills come from the 'Reversed Hand Tathagata' school. I, Tong, would like to learn a few of your advanced moves."

Ling Junyi saw that he was not very old, but his eyes shone with a sharp light, indicating that his internal strength cultivation had reached a high level. With a casual smile, Ling Junyi said, "I wouldn't presume to ask for your guidance. Since you've set the tone, I'll gladly oblige. But before we begin, I'd like to know your names."

Hao Feipeng replied, "Brother, I forgot to introduce you first. This is Tong Tianxi, the deputy head of our Flying Dragon Hall, and this is Tong Tianlai, the chief inspector of the Flying Dragon Hall."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. You two are probably disciples of the Tianshan School?" He noticed that both Tong Tianxi and Tong Tianlai were wielding broadswords, especially Tong Tianlai's swordsmanship, which resembled the Tianshan style. In the martial arts world, only the "Tianshan Swordsmanship" appears simple and unadorned, yet contains strange and unpredictable techniques, often making people believe it's clumsy, thus easily falling for a trap. Moreover, both of them shared the surname Tong, making them highly likely to be nephews or nieces of the great Tianshan hero, the Desert Condor Tong Guiyu.

Tong Tianxi's face darkened, and he said, "My background is irrelevant to the fight. Draw your sword." This was a rhetorical question to elicit an answer from Ling Junyi.

Ling Junyi laughed heartily, "My Heaven-Slaying Sword can cut through gold like dirt and slicing through iron like mud. You'd better be careful." As he spoke, he raised his right wrist and slowly drew out a long sword with a cold, water-like gleam. Yu Meiren and the other flower maids tensed up, watching the scene unfold.

Tong Tianxi glanced at the longsword in his hand and said coldly, "It is indeed a fine sword, but I wonder how skilled you are." Suddenly, he stepped forward, his broadsword slashing down. His broadsword had blades as wide as a hand. This upward-facing strike was simple and unadorned, not particularly fast, and lacked any unusual techniques, yet it created a powerful gust of wind.

Ling Junyi had encountered many skilled swordsmen, but he had never met a sword strike with such power. He was shocked and thought to himself, "It seems he has grasped the essence of the Tianshan Sword Technique." A thought flashed through his mind, and he clapped his hands and unleashed a "Dragon Claw Parting the Clouds" move, the tip of his sword slightly raised, deflecting forward. With a "clang," the two swords clashed, and Ling Junyi suddenly felt a tremendous shock emanating from the opponent's sword, his wrist tingling slightly! If it were anyone else, this single strike would have knocked their sword out of their hand, but Ling Junyi had deflected Tong Tianxi's attack with a single stroke.

Tong Tianxi's expression changed, and without uttering a word, he swept his sword horizontally again. It was just a horizontal sweep, devoid of any variation, but Ling Junyi had already discerned that this sweeping sword strike covered an area of almost ten feet in radius. No matter how one dodged, they would remain within the range of his sword's power. Without hesitation, he pushed off with both feet, his body rising into the air, leaping over two feet high.

Tong Tianxi's attack missed, his broadsword sweeping motion failing. With a turn, carrying the force of his strike, the broadsword tilted upwards, a dark streak of light extending four or five feet wide, the sword wind hissing as it all swirled upwards. Little did he know that Ling Junyi's leap was a move called "Divine Dragon Emerging from the Clouds," the first half of which involved the body rising with the sword, the second half a downward strike. Just as his broadsword flipped upwards, Ling Junyi, who had been advancing straight up, had already turned around, now headfirst. With a flick of his right wrist, a flurry of sword flowers erupted in mid-air, their flowing blue light resembling a shower of tassels, scattering downwards. The exchange was swift as lightning. A series of clashing sounds, rapid as a string of pearls, deafeningly loud.

Tong Tianxi retreated several steps, looking down to see that his broadsword, forged from Burmese iron and used to slash enemy weapons, fearless even against fine blades, was now riddled with nicks and chips from this single exchange! Suddenly, he uttered a low shout, "Retreat!" and turned to rush towards the hall.

Hao Feipeng and Tong Tianlai, hearing his shout, also retreated simultaneously. Five burly men in blue robes, well-trained and incredibly fast, followed closely behind the three, disappearing into the hall with a "whoosh." The eight glass lamps in the hall also abruptly went out. Ling Qunyi and the other two felt a sudden darkness before their eyes, and when they looked again, the men who had retreated into the hall had vanished in an instant. Ding Qiao wanted to give chase, but seeing Ling Junyi standing still, he didn't want to act rashly alone. Gongsun Xiang hurried forward and whispered, "The enemy retreated without being defeated; there must be a trick involved."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "Brother Gongsun is right. Let's go in and take a look." Holding the Lilong Shu, he stepped up the stairs. Yu Meiren and the other flower maids followed closely behind. Although this was a grotto, it was designed with a courtyard and hall layout. They had carried out their work in the "courtyard," and now they were heading towards the hall. After climbing three stone steps, there was a spacious corridor with six open stone doors in the front. Ling Junyi stepped into the hall first, paused, and, using the light of the pearl, looked around.

The stone chamber, or "hall," was about eight or nine zhang square. Apart from a long stone table in the center and two rows of white stone chairs on either side, it was completely empty, making it even more dark and secluded. Ling Junyi held the pearl in his palm; its light illuminated the surroundings, allowing him to clearly see everything even from a distance of only a few zhang. There were three smooth, intact stone walls, without a trace of a door. Hao Feipeng, the Tong brothers, and the five burly men in blue robes had clearly disappeared after retreating into the hall, yet apart from the stone chairs and tables, there wasn't a single person in sight. Ling Junyi immediately realized that there must be a hidden door above the "hall."

Gongsun Xiang followed closely behind Ling Junyi into the hall, clearing his throat and saying, "There are no doors in this hall, so there must be traps. Brother Ding, let's search it first, lest we fall into their trap."

Ding Qiao took out a tinderbox from his side, shone it, and said, "That's right, let's search quickly." Gongsun Xiang also took out a tinderbox and shone it.

Four of the flower maids also lit their tinderboxes, and the light made the hall much brighter. They saw that the stone walls and the ground were all polished to a very smooth finish, so shiny they could reflect a mirror. After the two of them split up and carefully examined the three stone walls and every corner and every inch of the bluestone on the ground, they still found nothing. This hall seemed to have been carved from a single piece of bluestone, without even a trace of a mechanism. Ding Qiao's tinderbox burned out. He tossed aside the burning paper and sighed softly, "You only realize how little you know when you need it. Today, I regret not learning the art of mechanisms from my master."

Gongsun Xiang's tinderbox also burned out, and he continued, "It seems the mechanisms here are the work of a master craftsman, something we mere amateurs couldn't possibly figure out."

Yu Meiren and the flower maids, naturally, also found nothing. Ling Junyi said, "Since you can't find the entrance, you don't need to look anymore." Their tinderboxes went out.

Ding Qiao said, "Our escape route is cut off; we can't just be trapped here like this."

Ling Junyi said, "If they retreat without being defeated, they must have another trick up their sleeve. Let's take this time to rest." Sure enough, he slowly walked to a stone chair and sat down.

Gongsun Xiang said, "Brother Ling's composure is truly beyond my reach."

Ling Junyi smiled slightly and said, "This is what my master taught me since childhood: the more difficulties we encounter, the calmer we must remain. It's about using stillness to control movement, and waiting for the opportune moment." He then suddenly used telepathy to say, "The enemy could attack at any time; we must be on guard. Brother Gongsun and Brother Ding, each of you should choose a suitable position and conceal yourselves. Do not make a move without my signal." Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao nodded in agreement.

Ling Junyi also used telepathy to instruct Yu Meiren and the flower maids, and everyone nodded in agreement. Ling Junyi took out the colorful silk pouch given to him by Wen Wanjun, untied the knot, took out a jade bottle, poured out "Spirit-Clearing Pills," and distributed them to everyone. He used half the bottle. Ling Junyi then continued using telepathy, saying, "This is the 'Spirit-Clearing Pill' from Lingnan, specifically effective against all kinds of sleeping potions and drugs. You can hold it in your mouth." Everyone took the pills and swallowed them.

Ling Junyi put away the Dragon Pearl and tucked it into his robes. Suddenly, the hall lost its light, becoming pitch black. Half an hour passed, and there was still no sign of the enemy. Ding Jiao couldn't help but say, "Chief, this is quite a clever move by the villains. If they just keep us trapped here and ignore us, we'll be exhausted after three days, even if we don't starve."

Ling Junyi said, "No, this is Flying Dragon Hall's territory. Perhaps they're too busy fighting to spare any manpower, so they've temporarily trapped us here. But regardless of their outcome, I don't think it will last long."

Gongsun Xiang said, "In my opinion, the reason they haven't made a move is related to you, Brother Ling." Ling

Junyi said, "What do you mean, Brother Gongsun?" Gongsun Xiang said, "

Brother Ling, you probably remember what Rao Sancun said in Niuluoji. He said that as long as you were willing to join the Black Dragon Society, the Hundred Flowers Gang would give you the position of Chief Protector, and their leader could also appoint you as Chief Protector."

Ling Junyi said, "Of course I remember that."

Gongsun Xiang said, "When we first arrived at Huanglongyan, we were surrounded on three sides, and the situation was very unfavorable. Hao Feipeng repeatedly urged Brother Ling to join the Black Dragon Society. Later, after a fierce battle, all twelve constellations of the Black Dragon Society were annihilated, and Lan Sha Shen Tian Youfu and Bing Shen Dugu Sou also lost their lives in this battle. Moreover, we destroyed Huanglong Cave, and Huanglong Hall, one of the three halls of the Black Dragon Society, was also completely destroyed. Hao Feipeng barely escaped with his life. For Hao Feipeng, he must hate Brother Ling to the bone, with a hatred as deep as the sea..."

Ling Junyi said, "That's right."

Gongsun Xiangxu said, "But just now, when Brother Ling broke through the iron net and Hao Feipeng appeared, he met with Brother Ling and there was no deep-seated hatred between them. Hao Feipeng even advised Brother Ling to go with him to see the leader of the Black Dragon Society. This shows that the leader of the Black Dragon Society values Brother Ling very much and must have given instructions. As long as Brother Ling is willing to be used by the Black Dragon Society, even if they destroy their Yellow Dragon Hall, it doesn't matter..." Ling

Junyi smiled and said, "Brother, do you have something that makes you so worthy of their attention?" Although he said this, he secretly thought to himself, "This must be because I can cure their 'poison'." Of course, he did not say this aloud.

Gongsun Xiang said, "Based on my deduction, perhaps the Black Dragon Society doesn't want to offend Brother Ling's master, or perhaps there are other reasons, but there's no doubt that the Black Dragon Society leader is eager to win over Brother Ling." He paused slightly, then continued, "After Brother Ling entered this place, the iron net proved ineffective, and Tong Tianxi, knowing he was no match, hastily retreated, leaving us trapped here..."

Ding Qiao said, "Brother Gongsun's analysis is excellent, but what is their purpose in trapping us here?"

Gongsun Xiang said, "There must be a very powerful ambush in this hall. Although they have Brother Ling trapped, Hao Feipeng and Tong Tianxi dare not act on their own and must consult the Black Dragon Society leader. Therefore, they dare not take any action until the Black Dragon Society leader's instructions arrive."

Ding Qiao slapped his thigh and laughed, "That's right. Once the Black Dragon Society gives its instructions, we'll know whether to fight or make peace." Just as they... As he spoke, Ling Junyi suddenly smelled a strange fragrance, and his head immediately felt dizzy. A thought flashed through his mind: "Just as I suspected, they're secretly using a sleeping potion to try and kill the three of us." Strangely enough, the moment he smelled the fragrance, the colorful silk pouch hanging on his chest also emitted a faint, pleasant scent, instantly clearing his mind. He couldn't help but admire them: "The Wen family of Lingnan truly deserves their reputation as the progenitors of sleeping potions. Take this jade bottle, for example. Normally, when I wear it on my chest, I can't smell any fragrance, but when it comes into contact with this sleeping potion, the antidote inside immediately releases a pleasant aroma."

He had already put the Dragon Pearl into his robes, so the hall was completely dark, and he couldn't see what was happening there. However, he believed that the sleeping potion had probably already filled the entire hall, because he could smell a delicate fragrance emanating from his collar, lingering and penetrating. At this moment, the others naturally smelled it as well. Yu Meiren whispered, "Brother, can you smell it?"

Ding Qiao let out an "Ah," and softly said, "Chief, can you smell it? This fragrance is probably wrong."

Ling Junyi quickly lowered his voice and said, "The other side is releasing a sleeping potion. Everyone, don't make a sound. If anyone comes in, pretend you've been drugged. Don't act rashly. Listen for my laughter as a signal."

Gongsun Xiang said, "Brother understands." After another quarter of an hour, the fragrance in the hall gradually faded. A series of soft creaking vibrations came from the east stone wall. Suddenly, a door appeared in the wall—no, it was just a crack. As soon as the creaking sound began, Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao alertly crouched down and hid behind the stone chairs. It all happened in an instant. After the crack appeared, no one entered. It seemed the other side was unaware of the situation in the hall and refused to come in immediately. After a while, a beam of light suddenly shone through the crack in the stone door into the hall, instantly illuminating the dimly lit space.

Ling Junyi leaned against the stone chair, motionless, while Yu Meiren and Hua Nu lay slumped on the floor. Then, Hao Feipeng's voice came from the wall, asking, "What's the situation?"

Another voice replied, "Reporting to the Hall Master, the women are all down. Ling is leaning against the chair; he looks like he's passed out."

Hao Feipeng asked, "What about the other two?"

The man replied, "I didn't see them. They're probably lying down, hidden by the stone chair."

Hao Feipeng said, "Alright, go in and take a look." The door opened slightly, and two figures emerged from the stone door, walking towards the hall.

Seeing the stone door open, Ling Junyi didn't hesitate. He laughed loudly, suddenly leaping up and lunging towards the stone door. The two burly men were extremely skilled in martial arts. Ling Junyi leaped up, immediately becoming alert, and both men took a half-step back. With two sharp swishes, two black longswords crossed and attacked, blocking his path. Ling Junyi swung his right hand, unleashing a lightning-fast palm strike, the powerful force of which forced back the sword strike of the man on the right. His left hand swiftly reached out, grabbing the left arm of the man on the left, pulling him inward, and he had already slipped between the two men, rushing straight towards the stone gate.

Gongsun Xiang, Ding Qiao, Yu Meiren, Hua Nu, and the others heard Ling Junyi's laughter and simultaneously leaped into the air. Gongsun Xiang took a quick step, appearing in front of the man on the left, his longsword thrusting out. Ding Qiao was not to be outdone; before he even arrived, a broken sword, carrying a gust of wind, had already slashed towards the man on the right. The two who entered were not weak. Although they were caught off guard and Ling Junyi dodged them, once Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao rushed over, Ling Junyi swung his longsword to block them, and the fight immediately began.

Ling Junyi's movements were incredibly fast. In a single move, he had already slipped between the two men, his speed as swift as lightning. But just as he reached the doorway, he saw a tall figure standing in front of him. Before the other man could make a move, Ling Junyi's left palm, like a knife, swiftly slashed towards his chest. There was a loud "bang." The other man did not dodge, and the palm struck him solidly in the chest. But Ling Junyi felt a jolt in his hand, and his palm burned with pain.

This palm strike felt as if it had struck a solid rock, and he was greatly shocked! He quickly looked closer and saw that what had emerged from the stone door was a tall stone figure, standing imposingly in front of him. In this brief delay, the doors on the wall quickly closed, the light shining from outside went out, and the hall was plunged into darkness once more. The two burly men in blue robes who had fought with Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao simultaneously feinted with their swords and retreated in a flash as the light went out. Now that the stone doors were closed, the two had nowhere to escape! Gongsun Xiang shouted, "Where do you think you're going?"

At the same time, two flower maids lit tinderboxes, and Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao hurriedly gave chase. They saw the two burly men in blue robes leap into the air and disappear into a cave in the curved ceiling of the hall. The cave slowly closed, leaving no trace. It turned out that the intoxicating incense had been released from this very cave.

Ding Qiao snorted angrily, "Those two brats escaped again."

Yu Meiren stamped her foot, "They really slipped away quickly."

Gongsun Xiang sighed softly, "It seems the traps hidden in this hall are not limited to this."

Ding Qiao said angrily, "Even if he has some powerful traps, what do we have to fear?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Hao Feipeng's voice came over: "Ling Junyi, I used the illusion for your own good, because only in this way could you submit to us without resistance. I didn't expect that I still underestimated you."

Ling Junyi laughed angrily, "Hao Feipeng, you are unworthy of being the Flying Dragon Hall Master of the Black Dragon Society. You only managed to trap me with a few traps, but what can you do to me?"

Hao Feipeng said in a low voice, "Ling Junyi, you should understand that you are already trapped like turtles in a jar. I am going to take your life." "It's as easy as turning your hand. But I hope you'll think it over carefully. If you submit to our organization, I guarantee you a bright future. But if you still don't know what's good for you,

don't blame me for being ruthless." Ling Junyi laughed loudly, "Whatever tricks Hall Master Hao has up his sleeve, just do as you please.

I won't even bat an eye." Hao Feipeng said coldly, "You, surnamed Ling, I'm trying to advise you with good intentions, but you really won't give up until you're at your wit's end. From now on, I'll give you the time it takes to drink a cup of hot tea. Think it over carefully. As long as you submit to our organization, I guarantee you'll enjoy a life of endless pleasures..."

Ding Qiao shouted, "Old thief, shut your bird mouth! If you have the guts, open the door and come out. Let's see who has the real skills." Hao Feipeng snorted coldly. Suddenly, a series of soft crackling sounds were heard, and a dense rain of arrows shot down from the dome, landing on the ground a few feet in front of Ding Qiao, instantly scattering countless sparks! Ding Qiao was greatly surprised and hurriedly jumped back. The long arrows stopped after only one volley, but there were still dozens of them. This was clearly a deliberate show of force, and Hao Feipeng remained silent.

Gongsun Xiang's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he approached Ling Junyi and whispered, "Brother Ling, judging from this volley of arrows, the arrow holes can be rotated at will by the operator. The entire hall is within range of their arrows. This is quite troublesome." Ling Junyi

smiled faintly and said, "Brother Gongsun is absolutely right, but this is easily resolved. First, you just need to extinguish the fire starters, and the hall will be pitch black, and the arrows will lose their target. Second, these stone chairs and tables are very sturdy and can be used as cover. The rest, I will handle."

Yu Meiren said worriedly, "But these arrows are dense like rain, not only are they powerful and rapid, but they are probably all coated with poison. Brother..." She now called Ling Junyi "brother."

Ling Junyi said, "It's alright, I have a plan. When the enemy makes their move, you must take cover and protect yourselves. Don't worry about me." Yu Meiren nodded in agreement, but her expression remained worried.

Just then, Hao Feipeng's voice came from behind: "Ling Junyi, have you made up your mind?"

Ling Junyi gestured to Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao, and the two immediately extinguished their tinderboxes and quickly hid behind the stone chairs. The courtesans had all hidden themselves away when Ling Junyi arrogantly said, "I don't need to consider it."

Hao Feipeng coldly replied, "You are trapped in a desperate situation. This is your last chance. If you remain obstinate, with just one order from me, you will all be riddled with arrows and die instantly."

Ling Junyi said, "A mere long arrow is probably no threat to me. If you don't believe me, order your men to shoot it and see."

Just then, a woman's delicate voice rose and said, "Hall Master Hao, the Master has given an order. "

Hao Feipeng immediately replied respectfully, "Your subordinate obeys."

The woman's voice said, "Since Ling Junyi is trapped in the Hall of Myriad Images, if he still intends to resist, Hall Master Hao Feipeng of the Flying Dragon Hall has full authority to handle the matter and kill him on sight."

Hao Feipeng said, "Your subordinate obeys." They seemed to be speaking from above the curved ceiling of the hall, and it was intentional for Ling Junyi and the other two to hear, so their voices came down from above.

As soon as the two men finished speaking, Hao Feipeng said menacingly, "Ling Junyi, you heard that, didn't you?" His words still carried a threat, aimed at forcing Ling Junyi to submit.

Ling Junyi replied, "So what if I heard?"

Hao Feipeng said, "Now is your only chance to save yourself. I'll count to three, and if you still don't agree, I'll order the arrows to be fired."

Ding Qiao laughed loudly, "Even if you count to three hundred or three thousand, don't think our leader will surrender."

Hao Feipeng ignored him and continued counting, "One...two...three..." As soon as he said "three," a bright beam of light suddenly shone down from the rooftop, illuminating Ling Junyi. A row of crossbows, with a crackling sound, shot out three feet in front of Ling Junyi. This was clearly a show of force; if they truly wanted to take his life, they would have shot directly at him.

Ling Junyi didn't even draw his sword, but laughed loudly, "Master Hao's crossbow bolts can only shoot mountain deer. If you think you can use them to threaten me, that's laughable." As soon as he spoke, he suddenly raised his hands, his wide sleeves sweeping forward. He was using the "Heaven and Earth Sleeve" technique, a reversed-hand Buddha-like move. As soon as his sleeves fluttered up, a volley of powerful crossbow bolts, before even hitting the ground, flew up like willow branches in the wind, shooting towards the "courtyard" outside the hall. This was naturally a deliberate display to show Hao Feipeng. Ling Junyi flicked his left middle finger, and a barbed wire from an iron net, carrying a sharp gust of wind, shot towards the Kongming lantern in the dome. With a "whoosh," the wick immediately went out, and the hall went dark.

Hao Feipeng, hidden atop the dome, could naturally see the situation in the hall. He sneered, "If this man isn't eliminated, he'll be a future threat. Kill him!" This time, he truly gave the order to kill.

Although one Kongming lantern on the dome was extinguished, three others emitted three powerful beams of light, crisscrossing and shining down into the hall. Simultaneously, a rapid hissing sound rang out as countless hidden weapons were launched from three different angles—crossbow bolts, date-pit nails, and needles as thin as embroidery needles, all coated with poison, instantly killing anyone struck. The hall was instantly filled with flashing cold light and howling winds, like a violent storm, its power astounding! Even with the stone chairs providing cover, Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao still held their weapons, deflecting the incoming hidden weapons. From the whistling sound of the projectiles cutting through the air, Ling Junyi discerned at least four or five different types of small hidden weapons. Because they were mixed in with the long arrows, they were impossible to deflect, and he was secretly shocked! This hall was indeed riddled with traps and ambushes; anyone else would surely die! Although he had cultivated protective inner energy, he dared not be too careless against these hidden weapons, especially since he had to protect more than twenty people. In the blink of an eye

, as soon as the hidden weapons and crossbow bolts were fired, he drew the Giant Sword from his side with his right hand, transferring it to his left. At the same time, with a slap of his right hand, he also drew the Heaven-Slaying Sword. These two famous swords, one long and one short, were drawn from their sheaths, their cold light illuminating the room, chilling it to the bone! Ling Junyi did not hesitate. His left hand unleashed a wave of azure sword light to protect his entire body, while his right hand, wielding the Heaven-Slaying Sword, drew streaks of silver light, deflecting some of the hidden weapons from Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao. A continuous, resounding clang echoed as Ling Junyi wielded his two swords, transforming them into a blue shadow and a silver ribbon, swirling and dancing beyond the shadow, sometimes extending, sometimes contracting! Although the hall was brightly lit, Ling Junyi's figure had long since vanished. Only the surging sword wind and pervasive sword energy remained; the crossbow bolts and hidden weapons raining down were instantly shredded upon contact with the sword light, falling to the ground.

Ling Junyi, caught up in the excitement of his dance, suddenly let out a clear dragon's roar, his body leaping into the air. His Heaven-Slaying Sword, swift as a startled swan, split into three points of cold light, striking directly at the three small holes in the dome from which the crossbow bolts and hidden weapons had been fired. The crossbow bolts and hidden weapons were all launched by springs; the Heaven-Slaying Sword, capable of cutting through iron, was incredibly sharp. It pierced the steel pipes, destroying not only the firing springs but also evoking cries of alarm, clearly indicating that even the person operating the hidden weapons had been injured. Ling Junyi landed on the ground, transferring the short sword from his left hand to his right. He bent down and lifted three broken arrows from the ground. With a flick of his left hand, three dark figures simultaneously extinguished the three Kongming lanterns mounted on the dome. This series of actions, though seemingly slow, was actually executed in one breath, faster than lightning. The firing mechanism springs were destroyed by the sword, and the crossbow bolts and hidden weapons immediately ceased firing. The lights went out abruptly, and the hall was instantly plunged back into darkness.

Ding Qiao was secretly astonished, both surprised and delighted, and laughed loudly, "Chief, your move is truly divine!"

Yu Meiren clutched her chest and said, "Brother, you scared me to death!"

Gongsun Xiang stood up and sighed softly, "Only tonight did I realize that my skills, compared to Brother Ling's, are like a firefly compared to the autumn moon, worlds apart."

Ling Junyi sheathed his twin swords and smiled calmly, "Brother Gongsun, you flatter me. I only dared to try it out because I thought the swords were sharp."

Ding Qiao shouted loudly, "You old bastard surnamed Hao, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve? Just use them

all at once!" The dome remained silent, and no one answered, as if Hao Feipeng was no longer there. The two attacks had failed, naturally making Hao Feipeng wary and he did not make any further moves for a moment. Although Ling Junyi and the other two were trapped in this stone chamber, they had formed a stalemate. The hall had fallen silent, so silent that not a sound could be heard. Ling Junyi, Gongsun Xiang, and Ding Qiao all knew perfectly well that this silence was a prelude to their opponents plotting their attack. Perhaps in a moment, they would launch an even more vicious and ruthless attack. After a moment of

silence, Gongsun Xiang suddenly whispered, "Being trapped here isn't a solution. We need to break out."

Ding Qiao replied, "Is that even a question? That stone door was already opened. Can you open it?"

Gongsun Xiang suddenly had an idea. He casually pulled out a tinderbox from his side and whispered, "Brother Ling, please lend me your Heaven-Slaying Sword."

Ling Junyi asked, "What's on your mind, Brother Gongsun?" With that, he drew the Heaven-Slaying Sword and handed it over.

Gongsun Xiang took the sword and said in a low voice, "Brother, since that stone door is opened by a mechanism, as long as we can find the traces of the stone door and cut off the mechanism, with Brother Ling's divine skills, we can push it open."

Ding Qiao asked, "Brother Gongsun, can you find the traces of the stone door?"

Gongsun Xiang said, "That stone figure is still standing in the same place and hasn't moved. How could the stone figure walk out? Naturally, it was pushed out by a mechanism. This pushing mechanism is naturally under the stone figure's feet. As long as we knock down the stone figure, we will find the key to the mechanism, right?"

Ding Qiao said happily, "Brother Gongsun, this is a good idea. Let's go, let's do it right away."

Gongsun Xiang lit a tinderbox, and the two walked to the stone figure. After examining it carefully for a while, Gongsun Xiang planted the Heaven-Slaying Sword in the ground and gestured to Ding Qiao. The two men channeled their inner energy, simultaneously grabbing the stone figure's fat head from both sides, exhaling and pulling forward. Yu Meiren and the other flower maids stood guard around them, now truly realizing the vast difference between their martial arts skills and experience and those of the three men.

Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao, having used all their strength, exerted a force far exceeding a thousand pounds. To topple a stone figure wouldn't normally require such great effort, as they had anticipated that there would be a mechanism connected to the base, at least an iron plate or bar, linked to the mechanism used to operate the stone gate. To topple it would not be an easy task. However, despite their exhalation and exertion, the stone figure remained completely unmoved—it was like a dragonfly trying to shake a stone pillar! Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao were not about to give up. They tried to pull harder. The stone figure remained unmoved, standing as before. Ling Junyi said, "You two stop, let me try." With that, he rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.

Ding Qiao took a breath, looked at the stone figure, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Sir, I just remembered something."

Ling Junyi asked, "What did you remember, Brother Ding?"

Ding Qiao said, "This stone figure only appeared inside the stone door when you approached it, and walked outwards, blocking your path. The stone door then closed, right?"

Ling Junyi said, "That's right."

Ding Qiao continued, "That means the mechanism pushes the stone figure out, and the stone door closes. Conversely, when the stone door reopens, the stone figure will inevitably go back inside. If we change the lever to a push, as long as we push the stone figure, the stone door will be forced open."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "Brother Ding is right. Since the stone door closes after the stone figure comes out, it's clear that the stone figure and the stone door mechanism are connected. Pushing the stone figure in will naturally open the stone door. Let's try it." As he spoke, he raised both palms and pressed them against the stone figure.

Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao also stretched out their hands, channeling their energy into their arms, and together with Ling Junyi, pushed hard against the stone figure. Ling Junyi unleashed the "Diamond Heart Technique," his palms possessing enough power to move mountains. Combined with the combined strength of Gongsun Xiang and Ding Qiao, the force of their push was immense. A series of creaking sounds emanated from beneath the stone figure's feet, and simultaneously, creaking sounds also came from the bottom of the stone wall! Although the stone figure was controlled by the mechanism, it couldn't withstand the force of the push and was slowly moved backward. As the stone figure moved, a crack indeed appeared in the stone wall. The three were overjoyed at this sight, their spirits lifted, and they pushed forward with even greater effort. The further the stone figure moved backward, the wider the crack widened. When they finally pushed the stone figure to the doorway, it didn't need their continued effort; with a hiss, it automatically retreated into the doorway and sidestepped.

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