[Wuxia] Embroidered Robes and Cloud-like Hair (Complete) - 23

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Chapter Twenty-Eight: Trapped in the Dry Well

Jiang Tiantao and Xiao Xiangzhen stopped simultaneously, exchanging a surprised glance. "We're here!"

they exclaimed. Looking closely, they saw stone walls extending to the left and right, each end connecting to the foot of a peak—clearly, this was the entrance to a valley. Jiang Tiantao, after observing, determined that the Four Evils' stronghold lay within the walls. He concentrated his energy in his arms, channeling power into his palms, and soared into the air, flying directly towards the tall stone wall. Rainbow Dragon Girl, fearing for Jiang Tiantao's safety, followed closely behind, also leaping onto the wall.

The two looked around and were both stunned. The wall was about eight feet wide, smooth and clean as a mirror, evidence of frequent footsteps. However, there wasn't a single person on the entire wall. Looking closer, through the thick fog, they could vaguely see the silhouettes of houses, undulating and of varying heights, seemingly chaotic but actually concealing a strategic formation.

As they looked around, they suddenly saw Rainbow Dragon Girl, who pointed to a watchtower to the north and said, "Brother Tao, let's go take a look over there!"

Jiang Tiantao smiled coldly and said, "No need to go, there's no one there."

Upon hearing this, Rainbow Dragon Girl stared blankly at Jiang Tiantao's handsome face, which was radiating a contemptuous smile. Jiang Tiantao pointed to the many courtyards within the stronghold and smiled coldly, "Sister Zhen, can you tell what's so special about the architecture of this stronghold?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl's eyesight was slightly inferior to Jiang Tiantao's; she could only see a few courtyards nearby and couldn't see the whole scene clearly. Therefore, she hesitated and said, "It seems to be the Eight Trigrams Formation created by Zhuge Liang. The courtyards closer to this side seem to be detached palaces..."

Jiang Tiantao knew that Rainbow Dragon Girl didn't recognize it, but he was afraid she would blush, so he smiled and said, "Sister Zhen is right. Actually, it's based on the numbers of the Hetu (River Diagram)." "And it was completed."

Upon hearing this, Rainbow Dragon Girl's phoenix eyes widened in surprise. "This is a formation that has been lost for a long time! How could the Four Evils build such a large stronghold using the River Chart?"

Jiang Tiantao smiled and said, "Although it uses the numbers of the River Chart, the construction is not particularly sophisticated."

Rainbow Dragon Girl asked in confusion, "How so?"

Jiang Tiantao smiled calmly and said, "Although the River Chart is mysterious, it has certain numbers. As long as you remember its Yin-Yang and odd-even numbers, this stronghold is nothing special." Rainbow Dragon Girl exclaimed in surprise and nodded.

Jiang Tiantao continued, "If we encounter an ambush when we enter the stronghold, we won't be able to keep up and will have to part ways. Zhenmei, just remember the numbers: two and seven at the top, one and six at the bottom, three and eight on the left, four and nine on the right, and five and ten in the center. The double yin lines are to the right, and the single yang line is to the left. We can still meet in the center..."

Rainbow Dragon Girl, incredibly intelligent, understood immediately. After reciting it once, she raised an eyebrow and said happily, "That's too simple!"

Jiang Tiantao laughed without any restraint, "Suppose the Four Evils are further transformed by the profound River Chart, combined with the Eight Trigrams, Five Elements, Three Powers, and Nine Palaces. Add to that the traps and mechanisms, and this stronghold becomes an impregnable fortress, a Black Fiend Palace. Unless one is proficient in the I Ching, they can forget about entering." He paused, deliberately showing disdain... With a snort, she laughed contemptuously, "Unfortunately, the Four Evils don't know, and even their master might not understand."

Rainbow Dragon Girl was incredibly clever. Hearing Jiang Tiantao's tone, she knew her lover was using a provocation tactic. Therefore, she feigned cheerfulness and said, "Brother Tao is absolutely right. How could those vulgar brutes like the Four Evils know what the Eight Trigrams or the Five Elements are? Even the Great Evil's master, the Beggar of Longxi, knows what the Three Powers and Nine Palaces are..."

Before she finished speaking, a deafening shout suddenly erupted from the shadows of the house ahead: "You lowly brat, you dare to despise your Beggar Master even when you're about to die? You're incredibly audacious!"

In the still of the night, deep in the mountains, this powerful shout was like a thunderclap on flat ground, echoing through the valleys and peaks, the sound lingering endlessly. Upon hearing this, Rainbow Dragon Girl whispered to Jiang Tiantao, "Brother Tao, this is the wicked beggar from Longxi."

Seeing that he had provoked the other party out with just a few words, saving him from the danger of storming the stronghold, Jiang Tiantao let out a loud, dragon-like laugh. Following the laughter was a deep shout: "What's so laughable about you juniors? I, the Buddha, have been waiting for you here for a long time!"

Jiang Tiantao continued laughing loudly, "I laugh at your foolishness and ignorance, your inability to calmly deal with things. Since you claim to be fearless, why do you insist on playing tricks? Since you wanted to lure me in, why couldn't you resist my provocation? Tell me, what use is your mysterious River Map Stronghold? Remove the sentry posts, close the traps—isn't that a waste of your efforts?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a sinister, chilling laugh immediately came from the shadows of the house. Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao laughed again, then asked with a contemptuous laugh, "You wicked beggar from Longxi, do you deeply regret losing your composure and falling for my provocation, thus ruining the whole plan?"

The wicked beggar from Longxi, seemingly enraged, roared again, "Bullshit! You think I'm afraid of a junior like you?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl blurted out, "If you're not afraid, why are you acting so sneakily and hiding?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the wicked beggar from Longxi, hidden in the shadows of a house twenty or thirty feet away, let out a burst of maniacal laughter like an owl's cry, saying, "I've been a powerful figure in Longxi all my life, and I love to tease ignorant youngsters like you. My main purpose in removing the sentry posts was to test your courage and boldness."

Jiang Tiantao laughed arrogantly... He laughed and said, "Don't think I care about the small Inner Fang Mountain. Even you, the beggar from Longxi and the filthy Blood-Kissing Monk, are beneath my notice."

Upon hearing this, the beggar and the Blood-Kissing Monk were enraged, yelling and shouting, "Quickly, light torches! Quickly, light torches!"

Jiang Tiantao, fearing the Blood-Kissing Monk might be bewitched by the stunning Rainbow Dragon Girl, laughed arrogantly again, saying contemptuously, "Masters with superb martial arts skills and sharp eyesight, seeing as if it were daytime in the dark, still need torches for illumination in battle. What kind of heroes are they..."

Before he finished speaking, a piercing howl suddenly erupted from the darkness: "I'm furious! Get down here, you brat!" From the howl

, a figure leaped out of the shadows. Jiang Tiantao laughed loudly, took the Rainbow Dragon Girl by his arm, and soared into the air, landing directly in the arena. Before the two could land, a deafening shout suddenly erupted into the night sky, followed by a burst of flames.

Jiang Tiantao landed gracefully and looked up to see two groups of burly men, each carrying a torch, surrounding the courtyard and rushing towards them. In an instant, the area was brightly lit, as if it were daytime. The figure who had leaped out of the house was a disheveled old beggar with a yellow beard, slanted eyebrows, and tattered clothes. Jiang Tiantao knew this was the notorious beggar from Longxi who roamed the Gansu and Shaanxi regions. Behind the beggar was a fierce-looking monk with a tiger-like head and a swallow-like forehead, wearing a black robe and carrying a convenient shovel, leading twenty or thirty burly men in tight-fitting clothes, rushing towards them. As

Jiang Tiantao surveyed the scene, the beggar from Longxi stopped five zhang away. The two groups of nearly a hundred men, each holding a torch, immediately surrounded both groups, leaving an open space of nearly ten zhang. The beggar from Longxi, his face contorted with rage and murderous intent, his slanted eyes flashing with cold light, glanced contemptuously at Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl, and immediately demanded angrily, "Are you Jiang Tiantao from Jiugongbao?"

Jiang Tiantao gave a disdainful, cold smile and said, "Why ask when you already know?"

The beggar glared angrily, then looked at Xiao Xiangzhen and demanded, "Are you the Jade Hairpin Xiao Xiangzhen of the Three Hairpins Gang, you lowly maid?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl raised an eyebrow, her phoenix eyes widening, pointed at the beggar, and said sternly, "If you scoundrel dare to speak so disrespectfully again, be careful, I'll cut off your dog tongue."

Upon hearing this, the beggar ... With a furious laugh, she roared, "You lowly servant, you're about to die! If you dare utter such arrogant words..."

Hearing the beggar repeatedly call her a lowly servant, Rainbow Dragon Girl was enraged and shouted again, "Shut up, you wicked beggar!" With a sharp cry, she drew her sword with her elbow, a flash of cold light, and the longsword was already out of its sheath. At the same time, she said fiercely, "Tonight, I will take your dog's life, to rid the millions of people of Longxi of this

scourge!" Jiang Tiantao, fearing for Xiao Xiangzhen's safety, raised his brows and said in a deep voice, "Sister Zhen, hold your hand. Let me test this beggar's palm strike." As he spoke, he flashed to stand in front of Xiao Xiangzhen.

Suddenly, upon seeing the Blood-Kissing Monk standing five zhang away, Jiang Tiantao's fierce eyes lit up, and he immediately sneered, "Such intimate address! Aren't you afraid the Buddha will laugh at your mushy manner? Let me ask you, you are the young master of Nine Palaces Fortress, and she is the Rainbow Dragon Girl of the Three Hairpins Gang. What is your relationship?"

Jiang Tiantao smiled coldly and said arrogantly in a deep voice, "Since you already know, why ask?"

The Blood-Kissing Monk suddenly shouted angrily, "The Buddha insists on asking."

Jiang Tiantao felt that the Blood-Kissing Monk was dangerous and was determined to eliminate him first to avoid distracting the Rainbow Dragon Girl. So he also shouted angrily, "I won't tell you!"

The Blood-Kissing Monk laughed loudly and said, "Whether she's a virgin or not can't be hidden from the Buddha's three incantations. Let the Buddha see what her looks are like first." As he spoke, he picked up his convenient shovel and strode forward. Upon seeing this, the Rainbow Dragon Girl was greatly alarmed and secretly anxious, but she still stood gracefully with her sword drawn, seemingly unconcerned.

Jiang Tiantao was instantly enraged, his sword-like eyebrows furrowing. Just as he was about to withdraw his sword, he saw the beggar from Longxi and said in a deep voice, "The turtle in the jar, the prize already in hand, why be in such a hurry? Let this old beggar deal with this brat first, then Master can recite the incantation to test his skills."

As soon as he finished speaking, a crowd several feet away suddenly erupted in a loud shout: "Master, hold on! Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Let Yun'er handle this brat!" Amidst the shout, a burly man in a blue outfit, with thick eyebrows, round eyes, a lion's nose, a large mouth, and a full beard, leaped into the arena.

Rainbow Dragon Girl, standing behind Jiang Tiantao, immediately whispered, "This is the Great Evil." In the blink of an eye, the Great Evil had already reached a short distance in front of the beggar from Longxi.

Knowing the meager power of the Blue Ink Palm, the wicked beggar cautioned, "Be careful."

The Great Evil, however, retorted angrily, "Master, why boost others' morale while diminishing your own? I only need three moves to finish this brat off!" The

Bloodthirsty Monk, already three zhang away, glared fiercely and shouted, "Good! Good! Quickly kill this Jiang brat! I can't wait any longer!"

The Great Evil glared back and also shouted, leaping forward and slashing his right palm, which instantly turned blue. He roared, "Brother, prepare to die!" With that shout, he was already in front of Jiang Tiantao, his right palm, imbued with ninety percent of its power, striking fiercely at Jiang Tiantao's crown.

Jiang Tiantao decided to strike first and deflate his opponent's arrogance. Seeing the opponent's palm glowing blue, he dared not meet the attack head-on. He swiftly dodged, slipping his robe aside and gracefully gliding past the villain. Nearly a hundred burly men, holding torches, seeing Jiang Tiantao's retreat and reluctance to meet the attack directly, roared with a thunderous sound that soared into the night sky

. Only the villain from Longxi, his face changing drastically, blurted out a fierce shout: "Boy, don't hurt people!" With that shout, he lunged forward, his azure right palm, carrying a cloud of blue mist, striking fiercely at Jiang Tiantao. Rainbow Dragon Girl, seeing this, was instantly enraged. With a sharp cry,

she drew her sword, ready to pounce on the villain. At the same time, Jiang Tiantao laughed loudly, "Go!" As soon as the word "go" left his lips, his right palm struck the villain's back with a powerful blow, a move called "Reverse Strike Golden Bell." With a howl, the evil beggar charged forward, nearly falling with a groan as he spat out a mouthful of blood. Several men leaped forward simultaneously, hastily rescuing him.

Jiang Tiantao struck the evil beggar with a palm strike, a bloody gust of wind already reaching the back of his head. Startled, he cried out in alarm, looking up to see a giant figure already striking from within a cloud of blue mist. In his haste, without time to think, he roared, lunged forward, and with all his might in his left arm, swung it out to parry.

Rainbow Dragon Girl's face paled upon seeing this, and she cried out, "Brother Tao, don't..." But it was too late. With a loud thud followed by a muffled groan, the Longxi beggar's face turned pale, his body swaying several times before he staggered back five steps.

The nearly one hundred burly men holding torches around him, the aftershocks of the sudden attack still lingering, were all stunned by the outcome of the battle. However, the Bloodthirsty Monk, wielding a convenient shovel, let out a loud, mocking laugh, saying, "Jiang Tiantao, although you repelled the Beggar Master, your left wrist will rot away in no time. Before dawn, you'll be poisoned and stinking to death. Haha, what a pity for a beautiful woman like you, destined to become a widow." He then let out another round of mocking laughter.

At this moment, the Rainbow Dragon Girl had already leaped forward, embracing Jiang Tiantao's left arm, tears streaming down her cheeks. Several times she raised her sword, intending to resolutely sever Jiang Tiantao's left arm, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had no heart to listen to the Bloodthirsty Monk's mocking words. Jiang Tiantao, thinking he still had a few hours to live, let out a fierce laugh, broke free from the Rainbow Dragon Girl, and slowly approached the evil beggar.

The evil beggar from Longxi, pale-faced and writhing in pain, stood stunned a few feet away. He hadn't expected Jiang Tiantao, barely twenty years old, to possess such formidable palm strength. Therefore, he became even more convinced that the rumors circulating in the martial arts world about him injuring Li Bashan with a single palm strike were true. Jiang Tiantao's eyes were bloodshot, his face filled with murderous intent. He slowly approached, his arms slightly clenched, knowing that this attack must have gathered all his strength.

So, he also secretly gathered his strength, deliberately speaking arrogantly in a deep voice: "Boy surnamed Jiang, what I wanted to say, I have already told you. If you want to live, cut off your left wrist as soon as possible..."

Jiang Tiantao laughed again fiercely: "Tonight, I will rid the people of Longxi of this scourge, and I will die with you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the evil beggar of Longxi had gathered his strength in his palms. Suddenly, he glared and shouted fiercely: "Fine, I will fight you to the death!" As soon as he finished speaking, he clenched his arms, squatted down, and pushed out with his azure palms. A rolling whirlwind, carrying swirling blue mist, struck straight at Jiang Tiantao.

Upon seeing this, the Rainbow Dragon Girl's heart shattered, and she cried out in anguish, "Brother Tao, get out of the way!"

But Jiang Tiantao let out a sharp laugh, and with both palms, imbued with his full power, he thrust them out with tremendous force. With a deafening boom, a long, piercing scream erupted, a gust of wind swirled, and sand and gravel whistled as the figure of the Longxi Beggar, accompanied by a mournful howl, flew seven or eight zhang away. Nearly a hundred strong men around, upon seeing this, exclaimed in shock! They were all stunned.

The Blood-Kissing Monk, knowing the potency of the beggar's palm strike, had already let out a strange howl and retreated three zhang. The experts from Inner Fang Mountain, standing several zhang away, shouted in unison and rushed towards the flying beggar. With two loud cries, before the beggar's body even hit the ground, he spat out two streams of blood, like a rain of blood, which splattered on the ground. With a muffled thud, the beggar's body fell to the ground, rolled twice, and died instantly. None of the experts who rushed after him managed to catch him.

Jiang Tiantao used his palm to send the beggar from Longxi flying. His anger had not subsided, and his killing intent was still burning. With a clang, a dragon's roar rang out, and a flash of colorful light appeared as the Lixing Sword was drawn from its sheath. Then, pointing his sword at the Blood-Kissing Monk, he shouted, "You scum of Buddhism, come and die!"

The Blood-Kissing Monk was startled, but a thought struck him, and he burst into laughter, then said loudly, "Ignorant brat, why don't you cut off your left hand? If you recklessly use your true energy and fight your Buddha, haha, your life will end even faster!"

Jiang Tiantao laughed again, saying, "I'll cut off your left arm after I've delivered you from the scum of Buddhism."

Knowing that Jiang Tiantao was determined to fight to the death, the Blood-Kissing Monk could only yell, "You're courting death, you think your Buddha is afraid of you?" With that yell, he suddenly swept his shovel, creating a flash of cold light, and swept it down at the waist.

Jiang Tiantao knew he couldn't escape death, so he dodged and spun around, the shovel grazing past him, then thrust his sword forward, stabbing the Blood-Kissing Monk in the abdomen. Upon seeing Jiang Tiantao's desperate fighting style, the Blood-Kissing Monk was greatly alarmed. He hadn't expected that Jiang Tiantao, after being struck by the Beggar's deadly Blue Ink Palm, would still possess such astonishing momentum. Startled, he roared, shovel-headedly striking the ground, and leaped into the air.

Jiang Tiantao's sword strike missed, fueling his rage. He wielded his Star-like Sword in a move called "Great Roc Spreads Its Wings," slashing fiercely at the shovel the monk had planted. A flash of light, a spark, and a soft clang—the monk's shovel snapped in two. The Blood-Kissing Monk let out a strange howl, his expression changing drastically. Losing his leverage, his massive body plummeted downwards. Jiang Tiantao sneered, advancing to close the distance and thrusting his sword forward with tremendous force.

Just then, the terrified Er'e shouted, "Stop, brat..." With that shout, he leaped forward, his thick-backed broadsword aimed fiercely at Jiang Tiantao.

A flash of green, a delicate cry, and the Rainbow Dragon Girl appeared, immediately intercepting Er'e. Seeing Jiang Tiantao like a tiger unleashed, unstoppable, the Blood-Kissing Monk was terrified, using a broken shovel as a weapon, fighting and fleeing. The nearly one hundred strong men surrounding them, already in a state of shock when the beggar died, now saw the Blood-Kissing Monk faltering, their faces paling, each filled with unease.

Jiang Tiantao, his mind preoccupied with the poison attacking his festering left hand, feared the poison would take effect and prevent him from killing the Blood-Kissing Monk. So, his sword tightened, and with a deafening shout, "You villain, prepare to die..." As he uttered the word, he leaped forward, sword in hand, a streak of colorful light flashing, chasing after the Blood-Kissing Monk.

Blood-Kissing Monk, panicked and desperate, wished he could sprout wings and fly away from Inner Fang Mountain. Suddenly, he saw a dazzling rainbow shooting towards him, and terrified, he let out a strange howl and turned to flee. Just as he turned, Jiang Tiantao's sword light arrived, followed by a powerful "Three-Gate Cleave." A flash of rainbow light, and a heart-wrenching scream erupted. Blood-Kissing Monk threw his arms to the sky, dropping his shovel, and was instantly cleaved in two from head to waist by Jiang Tiantao, blood splattering everywhere, his internal organs spilling out.

At the same moment the evil monk was dismembered, a sharp shout rang out, and a brilliant sword light flashed. The Second Evil Monk screamed, also cut in two by the Rainbow Dragon Girl. Nearly a hundred burly men, panting heavily, cried out in alarm and scattered, torches flying everywhere, figures rushing and leaping, chaos erupting instantly.

Rainbow Dragon Girl killed the two villains and flew to Jiang Tiantao, who stood frozen with his sword hanging down. Looking at his drooping left arm, she cried out, "Brother Tao, let me see!" As she spoke, she lifted Jiang Tiantao's left hand, looked down, and was immediately stunned. She exclaimed with delight, "Brother Tao, why isn't your left hand blackened and ulcerated?"

Jiang Tiantao looked up and saw that it was indeed still the same. The soreness and numbness he had felt earlier must have been caused by the backlash from his fight with the villain. Then, he suddenly realized that he had eaten the Vermilion Immortal Fruit, and the Poisonous Lady's Jade Dew Incense and the Barbarian Flower Fragrant Concubine's Five-Step Soul-Severing Scarf had lost their effects on him. Overjoyed, he shouted, "Zhenmei, hurry and chase after them! We can't give the villains a chance to breathe! We must capture the Poisonous Lady quickly, or things will get complicated!" Having said that, he quickly determined the direction and ran towards a double-doored courtyard.

Rainbow Dragon Girl was still puzzled as to why Jiang Tiantao was immune to poison, but she had no time to ask. Looking around, she saw that apart from the three bloodied corpses illuminated by blazing torches, everyone else had vanished without a trace. So, sword in hand, she followed Jiang Tiantao, rushing forward like the wind. Reaching the courtyard with its two gates, Jiang Tiantao didn't hesitate, leaping into the right gate and turning right.

Rainbow Dragon Girl, still remembering Jiang Tiantao's explanation of the River Chart's transformations, turned to her right and indeed saw a red gate passage. Reaching the end of the passage, they were met with three black gates forming a triangular shape. Without hesitation, Jiang Tiantao turned left and rushed in. Although Rainbow Dragon Girl was carefully observing, she dared not stray too far from Jiang Tiantao, following closely behind. Upon entering the triangular gatehouse, their view suddenly widened. Opposite a wide open space stood nine gigantic gates, each adorned with gaping, clawing azure dragons.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Tiantao immediately instructed, "Zhenmei, remember, if you encounter a dragon, soar into the sky; if you encounter a tiger, leap and crouch; the phoenix is an auspicious bird, proceed safely; the egret is a fierce bird, stay away..." Before he finished speaking, the two had already reached the high steps of the fourth Azure Dragon Gate.

Jiang Tiantao then made a flying gesture to the Rainbow Dragon Girl, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and soared into the air, performing a "Skillful Swallow Through the Curtain" maneuver, flying under the gate and landing inside. As soon as he regained his footing, the Rainbow Dragon Girl landed beside him. The two looked up and their eyes lit up simultaneously. They saw countless burly men, some still holding torches, rushing frantically into the second Crouching Tiger Gate. The last one urging them on was a fair-skinned young man in a white satin outfit with thick eyebrows and bright eyes.

Upon seeing the young man in white robes, Rainbow Dragon Girl immediately cried out in a sweet voice, "Brother Tao, that's the Three Evils Little Tyrant!" Startled by this shout, Little Tyrant realized Jiang Tiantao had caught up. He turned and his expression changed drastically; he turned and ran towards the central gate.

Hearing that it was Little Tyrant, Jiang Tiantao immediately thought of Poisonous Lady and shouted sharply, "Where is Poisonous Lady now? Hand her over!" With that, he leaped forward, chasing after the Three Evils who were rushing up the stone steps to the central gate.

Upon reaching the highest step, Little Tyrant saw Jiang Tiantao approaching and immediately let out a triumphant laugh. He slammed his right foot down on the stone steps, and with a whoosh, his tiger eyes snapped open, unleashing hundreds of silver bullets that shot out like arrows, raining down like a shower of silver. Jiang Tiantao, determined to capture Little Tyrant and force Poisonous Lady to reveal her location, continued his charge despite the falling silver bullets, sword in hand. Amidst the swirling silver light, clanging sounds rang out, sparks flew, and countless silver bullets were blasted away.

Upon seeing this, Little Tyrant's expression changed drastically, and he turned and rushed into the tiger's mouth. Jiang Tiantao knew he couldn't enter the tiger's mouth, but his eagerness to capture the Poisonous Lady drove him forward as soon as the silver bullets were used up, leaping up the high steps and chasing after her into the tiger's mouth with his sword. Rainbow Dragon Girl, based on Jiang Tiantao's description of the changes in the River Chart, also knew the middle gate was impassable, but fearing for Jiang Tiantao's safety, she called out " Be careful!" and followed closely behind.

Just as the two entered the gatehouse, which was about three zhang deep, dark shadows flashed before and behind the gatehouse, followed by a deafening roar. Stone fragments flew, sparks flew, and stone smoke filled the space between the gates. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl were startled and quickly stopped. Looking closely, they saw that two thick iron bars, as thick as an arm, had appeared above the front and back gates. Suddenly, a figure flashed, and a figure appeared outside the iron bars in front—it was none other than the Three Evils, Little Tyrant.

Upon seeing Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl locked inside the gatehouse, Little Tyrant immediately let out a triumphant laugh. Jiang Tiantao was instantly enraged and was about to pounce on Little Tyrant when he suddenly heard a sinister laugh behind him. Jiang Tiantao recognized the source of that laugh immediately. Turning around, he saw none other than the Poisonous Woman, dressed in black with a black headscarf.

The Poisonous Woman's face was ashen, her eyes flashing with malice as she glared venomously at Rainbow Dragon Girl and Jiang Tiantao, snarling through gritted teeth, "Jiang Tiantao, did you ever imagine that twenty years later, your life would still be in the palm of my hand, Poisonous Woman Zhang Lihua…"

Hearing this, Jiang Tiantao flew into a rage, roaring, "You lowly wench, prepare to die!" With that, he thrust out his left palm, channeling all his power.

A raging torrent, like a landslide or tsunami, carrying dust and debris from beneath the iron gate, rolled towards the Poisonous Woman. The Poisonous Woman let out a sinister laugh, swaying her shoulders as she dodged.

Just then, a burst of light shot in from behind, illuminating the area below the gatehouse. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl turned around and saw Little Tyrant leading dozens of burly men holding torches, throwing bundles of tung oil-soaked firewood outside the iron fence. Seeing this, Jiang Tiantao became even more enraged. He roared and unleashed a powerful palm strike with his left hand. With a loud boom, the firewood flew everywhere, accompanied by several piercing screams.

As Jiang Tiantao struck, he suddenly heard the sound of a hidden weapon cutting through the air behind him. Turning around, he saw a flash of sword light, and with a clang, Rainbow Dragon Girl had deflected the iron spear that Poisonous Lady had thrown. Jiang Tiantao hated Poisonous Lady intensely and was about to strike her back when a shout came from behind, and flames surged, with countless bundles of pre-lit firewood piling up outside the fence.

Just then, a battle cry suddenly erupted from Poisonous Lady's side. A handsome young man with a dark complexion, dressed in a bright red outfit, led a large group of archers, rushing towards them. Upon seeing the young man in bright red leading the archers, Rainbow Dragon Girl immediately cried out to Jiang Tiantao, "Brother Tao, this is the Four Evils in Red! Don't let his young age fool you, he's the worst!"

The gloomy Poisonous Woman, upon hearing this, immediately gave a cold laugh and said flippantly, "Of course, even a celestial beauty like you would be captivated by Liu Xiahui, let alone the Fourth Chieftain in Red..."

Rainbow Dragon Girl, upon hearing this, flew into a rage and blurted out, "Shut up, you filthy woman!" In her fury, she forgot about the iron fence in front of her, swung her sword, and fiercely slashed at the Poisonous Woman.

A flash of cold light, a sharp clang, and sparks flew as an iron rod snapped in two. Upon seeing this, Jiang Tiantao immediately recalled the Lixing Sword in his hand, capable of cutting through iron like mud. His eyes lit up, and he shouted loudly, "Zhenmei, get out of the way!" With that shout, he leaped forward, gathering his power in his right arm and channeling it into the sword. As the sword blazed with vibrant color, a series of clanging sounds rang out, and more than a dozen iron railings snapped in two. Then, with a swift movement of the sword, the broken railings fell to the ground with a series of clanging sounds, instantly forming a large hole.

Upon seeing this, the Poisonous Woman's face changed drastically. With a cry of alarm, she turned and fled towards the woman in red. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl leaped forward, shouting angrily, and chased after the Poisonous Woman with their swords drawn. Seeing this, the woman in red also panicked.

The Poisonous Woman, seeing this, immediately cried out in alarm, "Fourth Chieftain, Fourth Chieftain..."

The woman in red regained her composure and, turning to the stunned archers, shouted, "Release the arrows..." As soon as the shout subsided, she turned and ran towards Dragon Gate. The archers shouted in unison, nocking their arrows.

The Poisonous Woman's face turned ashen, cold sweat pouring down her face. She leaped into the ranks of archers, heading due north. Just as the Poisonous Woman entered the archers' ranks, bowstrings twanged in unison, and countless arrows flew from the strings. Just as the arrows left the bowstring, Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl caught up with lightning speed. With a loud shout, a volley of arrows was instantly deflected. A flash of cold light, followed by a deafening shriek and a burst of screams. Two more horrifying cries echoed as the colorful light passed, and the four archers in front immediately fell to the ground. The remaining archers, seeing this, panicked and scattered in all directions. The entire square was filled with cries of panic and frantic running figures.

Because burning oil and dry firewood had been lit inside the Crouching Tiger Gate, thick smoke drifted out with the night wind, making the square even more chaotic and alarming. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl glanced around and saw "Poisonous Lady" had already reached a large hall to the north. The two immediately gave chase! Poisonous Lady ran frantically, frequently looking back. Seeing Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl in pursuit, she raised her right arm and flicked out two blue stars. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl, too lazy to deflect the attack with their swords, merely flashed past each other, their figures barely visible.

Seeing this, Poisonous Lady leaped onto the hall steps and rushed into the hall. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl were both angry and anxious; if Poisonous Lady got into the hall, she would surely escape immediately. So, with a shout, they soared into the air, executing a move called "Seagull Playing in the Water," and lunged towards the hall door. Entering the hall, they found it pitch black. They landed gracefully, looking around, but Poisonous Lady was nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Tiantao's heart skipped a beat; he immediately realized the danger and cried out, "Zhenmei, retreat quickly!" The word "retreat" had barely left his lips when a deafening roar echoed behind them.

Turning around, they saw a massive gate, weighing over a thousand pounds, blocking the hall entrance. Jiang Tiantao knew he couldn't linger inside, so he gathered his strength and charged towards the gate, sword in hand. Just as he took a step, his foot suddenly slipped, startled. He quickly gathered his inner energy and leaped into the air, but the Rainbow Dragon Girl behind him let out a cry.

Jiang Tiantao turned around and his expression changed drastically. The floor of the entire hall suddenly split open from the center, and the Rainbow Dragon Girl's delicate body was falling. He shouted and used the Thousand-Pound Drop technique, his body plunging down like lightning, reaching out to grab the Rainbow Dragon Girl. By the time the Rainbow Dragon Girl straightened up and Jiang Tiantao reached out to grasp her jade wrist, the two had already fallen into a large rope net several feet below. Immediately afterward, a gust of wind and a loud crash followed, and the four corners of the hall floor that had fallen down suddenly rose again. At the same time, the net slowly contracted, and the alarm bells blared, piercing and terrifying.

Jiang Tiantao had no time to think. He swung his sword, severing the net, and shouted urgently, "Zhenmei, get out of the net quickly!"

The Rainbow Dragon Girl grabbed the net with her left hand, rolled over, and immediately slid out of the net. Jiang Tiantao gripped the net with his left hand, and with a flick of his sword, the ropes on the left side of the hall snapped instantly. The two figures plummeted a foot down the left side of the broken net. Just then, the net's opening stopped contracting, the alarm bells fell silent, and a whistling sound filled the air as countless short arrows rained down on the net above.

Rainbow Dragon Girl trembled, her beautiful face instantly changing. Thinking of her lover's extraordinary resourcefulness and swift response, her right arm, gripping her sword, instinctively pulled Jiang Tiantao's suspended body into her embrace, pressing her body against his chest. She truly hoped that a sudden hail of arrows would pierce them together.

Jiang Tiantao, preoccupied with devising a plan to escape, though his breath was sweet and his breasts pressed against hers, had no time to appreciate this fleeting moment of sweetness and intimacy. He looked down and saw only darkness beneath his feet. With all his might, he could only make out a faint grayish-white patch, estimating the depth to be at least five or six zhang (approximately 10-15 meters). He gently pulled the Rainbow Dragon Girl aside and whispered, "Sister Zhen, I'll go down and take a look first."

The Rainbow Dragon Girl immediately released Jiang Tiantao but insisted, "Let me go down first."

Jiang Tiantao resolutely replied, "No, I can use my inner energy to float and descend slowly. If I find danger below, I can stab my sword into the pit wall and still climb back up." As soon as he uttered the word "come," he released the rope net with his left hand, and his body immediately spiraled downwards. The Rainbow Dragon Girl, even in the face of extreme danger, was still astonished by Jiang Tiantao's lightness skill, which had reached the level of floating like willow catkins.

Jiang Tiantao strained his inner energy and descended slowly. He noticed a gradual flash of light beneath his feet. Looking closely, he saw two sharp, pointed knives at the bottom of the pit. Seeing this, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that if he had rashly descended in the previous peril, he would have been seriously injured, if not killed. In the blink of an eye, her toes touched the sharp blades, and with a swift swing of her Lixing Sword, a section of the blades was severed, instantly leveling the bottom of the trap. Then, looking up, she whispered, "Zhenmei, come down quickly." As soon as she finished speaking, the Rainbow Dragon Girl swooped down, landing gracefully before her with a flash of cold light.

Just as the Rainbow Dragon Girl landed, a faint commotion suddenly arose from the seven or eight zhang high opening of the trap. Immediately afterward, a forked crack appeared in the dark opening, letting in a sliver of red light. The crack gradually widened, the light grew brighter, and the opening transformed from a fork into a square. Sparks flickered around the opening, and faces shimmered; many people were looking down.

Jiang Tiantao, seeing this, knew that Poisonous Lady, Little Tyrant, and Red-Clothed Girl had arrived with a large group of torchbearers to investigate. So, he quickly pulled Rainbow Dragon Girl aside and whispered, "We'd better not let them find us."

No sooner had he spoken than a cry of alarm came from above: "Ah, they've torn the net!"

After the gasps, sparks flickered, as if someone was checking the damage to the net. A woman's frustrated voice rang out: "Jiang Tiantao used the Radiant Star Sword; it could cut through iron bars with a single stroke, let alone a cowhide rope!"

Jiang Tiantao recognized the woman as Poisonous Lady; because the trap opening was so high and the torches flickered, he couldn't see which side she was standing on. A man's voice consoled himself, "Although they cut through the rope net and escaped the arrows, they still couldn't escape being stabbed to death once they fell into the pit."

The cunning Poisonous Lady hesitated, saying, "Xiao Yatou of the Three Hairpins Gang may be dead, but Jiang Tiantao might not be."

A man with a shrill voice, seemingly understanding, said, "Third Brother, I'll take a few brothers down through the secret passage to check..."

Before he could finish, the Poisonous Lady said, "Fourth Chief, you mustn't open the secret passage! If Jiang Tiantao is still alive, not only will you be unable to come back up, but none of us will survive."

Little Tyrant asked urgently, "What does Lady Zhang suggest?"

The Poisonous Lady said venomously, "We can use the well rope to lower one brother down to check the bottom of the pit. If Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl are indeed dead, Fourth Chief can then go down to retrieve the Starry Sword." Upon hearing this, a restless commotion immediately arose among the torchbearers in the cloak.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao trembled with rage, gritting his teeth and saying, "This is truly an unparalleled and vicious woman..."

Rainbow Dragon Girl tightly held Jiang Tiantao's left hand, about to say something, when Little Tyrant's deep voice rang out from above: "Quickly, go get a well rope."

Then came Red-Clothed Girl's voice, hesitantly asking, "What if that brat Jiang Tiantao isn't dead and climbs up the well rope?"

Poisonous Lady smiled coldly, saying, "If Jiang Tiantao is truly not dead, the brothers who are lowered down will surely scream in alarm upon seeing him." Little Tyrant said worriedly

, "But the bottom of the pit is pitch black, so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face. How will the brothers who go down see him?"

Poisonous Lady sneered again, saying, "Third Chief Ping is such a clever man, why is he so foolish now? The brothers who are lowered down should naturally take torches with them."

Again, Red-Clothed Girl's voice, anxiously saying, "I'm still afraid that brat Jiang Tiantao will climb up the well rope."

Upon hearing this, the Poisonous Woman seemed somewhat angry, saying, "As soon as we heard the screams of our brothers being lowered down, we knew that Jiang Tiantao or Rainbow Dragon Girl were not dead. There were flickering lights below. We could have clearly seen Jiang Tiantao's rising figure from above. With a pit eight or nine zhang deep, he couldn't possibly leap out in one bound. As soon as we saw a glimpse of a rising shadow, we immediately threw the rope into the pit.

Wouldn't Jiang Tiantao, rising up, also fall half to his death?" Before she finished speaking, a rough voice suddenly roared, "Wouldn't our own brothers also fall half to their deaths?"

The Poisonous Woman smiled venomously, offering no reply. Suddenly, Little Tyrant shouted loudly, "You audacious dog, how dare you defy Lady Zhang! Push him out!"

Suddenly, the Poisonous Woman said venomously, "Why push him out? Wouldn't it be better to lower him down sooner?"

Jiang Tiantao's handsome face turned ashen, his eyes blazing with fury. He wished he could sprout wings and fly to the pit's edge to kill this vile woman immediately. Hearing the Poisonous Lady's words, Rainbow Dragon Girl gritted her teeth in anger, saying hatefully, "If this vile woman isn't eliminated soon, countless people will die at her hands."

Before she finished speaking, the girl in red on the trap entrance said, "What if that brat Jiang Tiantao isn't dead?"

The Poisonous Lady immediately smiled smugly and said, "Then throw all the torches down!"

Little Tyrant and the girl in red both agreed and laughed. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl panicked upon hearing this, unconsciously glancing at the trap walls, hoping to find a hidden door before lowering anyone down.

Suddenly, several angry shouts rang out from above: "Good, lower him down!"

Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl knew that the person being lowered was the one who had just contradicted the Poisonous Lady. Looking up, they saw a small black dot and a spark, slowly being lowered. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl, from beginning to end, never heard the man utter a single word of pleading or begging for mercy, and couldn't help but secretly admire his toughness. The small black dot gradually expanded, revealing that the man held a single-edged sword in his right hand and a torch in his left, with a rope tied around his armpits. The rope was lowered faster and faster, and in the blink of an eye, the man's face could be clearly seen. He had thick eyebrows, round eyes, and what appeared to be a full beard; he was a very burly and strong man.

In the blink of an eye, the man was less than three zhang above their heads. The man must have been afraid that Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl were still alive, so he kept waving the torch in his hand and staring intently down. The man's eyes lit up in surprise, and he suddenly opened his mouth and stared wide-eyed, probably because he had seen Jiang Tiantao. Jiang Tiantao's heart skipped a beat. He hoped that the man would not shout, and quietly approach him, saying that they were both dead, and that they would fight their way out from the secret passage once the girl in red came to pick up the sword.

With a firm resolve and a smile on his face, he waved to the man. The man, likely overly tense, let out a terrified howl upon seeing Jiang Tiantao's wave. The moment he cried out, Jiang Tiantao knew things were going to get bad. Just as he was about to risk ascending, a dark shadow flashed, followed by another piercing scream. With a thud and a muffled groan, the rope binding the burly man snapped. A series of swishing sounds followed, and all the ropes immediately piled onto the man's body.

Jiang Tiantao, possessing a chivalrous spirit, rushed forward and immediately pulled the man up. Looking closely, he saw that the man had been stabbed by a broken knife, his flesh mangled beyond recognition. Rainbow Dragon Girl gritted her teeth and said hatefully, "These people are worse than beasts..."

Before she could finish speaking, a crackling sound of burning torches suddenly rang out above her head. Jiang Tiantao was startled and quickly looked up, only to see sparks flying down from the pit's opening. Just then, the burly man, his flesh mangled, weakly stammered, "Escape... to... the... secret... passage..."

Upon hearing this, Rainbow Dragon Girl asked urgently, "Where is the secret passage...?"

The burly man mustered all his strength, raised his trembling hand, and pointed behind Jiang Tiantao. At that moment, countless torches, carrying raging flames and thick smoke, crashed down. Jiang Tiantao panicked, gathered all his strength, and slammed himself and his shoulder against the pit wall. With a whoosh, a stone door appeared on the pit wall, but due to the excessive force, the stone door shattered instantly upon impact with something outside.

Jiang Tiantao grabbed the burly man and said urgently, "Zhenmei, run!" "As they spoke, he leaped out first.

Rainbow Dragon Girl, seeing the secret passage, was overjoyed. She grabbed a torch and followed closely behind Jiang Tiantao. As soon as they stepped out of the trap, a strong gust of cold wind and a cold current rushed in, making the torch in Rainbow Dragon Girl's hand crackle. The torches in the trap inside the trap immediately blazed and thick smoke rose.

Jiang Tiantao had no time to examine the situation closely. He immediately raised his sword and cut the rope under the strong man's arm. Looking closely, he saw that the strong man was already dead. Just then, Poisonous Lady's scream suddenly came from above the trap opening: "Oh no! The smoke is rising so high. Jiang Tiantao must have broken through the secret passage and escaped..." Then came a chorus of shouts and cries, the situation seemed extremely chaotic.

Suddenly, Little Tyrant shouted sharply: "Quickly, move sand and stones to block the exit..."

Rainbow Dragon Girl was shocked to hear this and urged urgently: "Brother Tao, hurry up! They're going to block the exit. " Jiang

Tiantao put down the burly man's body and looked up. Both of them were stunned. In front of them were three parallel gaps, each about four feet wide, with no way to pass through. Jiang Tiantao pointed to the middle gap and said, "What's meant to be will be. Zhenmei, let's take the middle one." "

Rainbow Dragon Girl readily agreed, holding her torch, and following Jiang Tiantao, leaping and bounding along a crevice in the middle, heading straight into the depths. After advancing several dozen feet, they reached a center about two feet in diameter. Around this center, there were nine crevices extending in nine directions. Jiang Tiantao and Rainbow Dragon Girl continued towards the crevice directly opposite them. Reaching the end, they found another center about two feet in diameter, surrounded by the same nine crevices.

Jiang Tiantao knew that these centers and crevices were not secret passages built by the Four Evils of the Han River, but rather a formation built using natural geological features. So, the two continued forward, passing through three more centers, all with the same layout, while Rainbow Dragon Girl's torch was about to burn out. Jiang Tiantao stopped first, calmly saying, "Sister Zhen, we can't go any further." "

Rainbow Dragon Girl leaned against Jiang Tiantao, looking slightly anxious, and said, 'Brother Tao, we must get out of here, or we'll starve to death...' As she spoke, she couldn't help but hug Jiang Tiantao, looking pitiful and completely lacking the imposing and heroic air of the Three Beauties Gang's chief inspector.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao realized he was indeed a little hungry, so he affectionately patted Rainbow Dragon Girl's shoulder and comforted her, 'Don't worry, Sister Zhen, we'll definitely get out. Come, let's eat something and then find a way out.' Rainbow Dragon Girl nodded softly, stuck the few remaining torches into the cracks in the rocks, and immediately took off her food bag.

Jiang Tiantao smiled upon seeing the food bag, then said with emotion, 'Sister Zhen, we really have to thank Climbing Tiger You Yitao for this. If he hadn't reminded us, Liu Debiao wouldn't have prepared two large food bags for us.'

Rainbow Dragon Girl also smiled, and sincerely said, 'He's quite a talent.'"

Seeing Rainbow Dragon Girl's delight, Jiang Tiantao chuckled and said with a touch of humor, "Then why were you angry about him recounting Poisonous Lady's words in detail?" Upon

hearing this, Rainbow Dragon Girl's face flushed crimson. She knew Jiang Tiantao was referring to her current state, which she assumed was quite pregnant. She gazed at him affectionately, suppressing a laugh, and said reproachfully, "Don't even think about it."

Jiang Tiantao, overjoyed, forgot where he was and laughed heartily, "Who can guarantee that day won't come?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl blushed deeply, her voice trembling with shyness. She raised her fist, ready to strike, but then, thinking of the possibility of being trapped and dying in this maze-like mountain formation, she slowly lowered her fist, pointed to the food bag, and said softly, "Eat quickly!"

Seeing the Rainbow Dragon Girl's expression, Jiang Tiantao knew she was again wondering if they could get out. Therefore, he confidently said, "Don't worry, Zhenmei, as long as there's a cold wind, there's an exit to the outside." As he spoke, he glanced down and his eyes lit up. The food bag was piled high with smoked chicken, salted eggs, and flatbread. He couldn't help but smile and say, "That's quite a feast indeed. "

Rainbow Dragon Girl, ever observant, murmured, "It's better to eat sparingly. Each pack is a seven-day supply. If we only eat half a pack each day, two packs can last for half a month. By then, Sister Ying and Sister Xiang will surely find a way to rescue us after they break through Inner Fang Mountain."

Jiang Tiantao smiled faintly and readily agreed, saying nothing more. The two rode swiftly for a day, crossing rivers and climbing mountains in combat. Both were somewhat tired and ate a little something before closing their eyes to regulate their breathing.

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Tiantao opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by darkness; the torches had burned out sometime earlier. Due to the extreme silence, the faint sound of a gurgling spring came from the right. Jiang Tiantao was overjoyed and stood up, excitedly exclaiming, "Zhenmei, there's water!"

The two then focused their energy and their surroundings became faintly visible. Following the sound of the gurgling water, they walked towards a crevice in the ground on the right. At the end of the path, there was still a circular center, about two zhang in size, and the sound of rushing water still came from the crevice on the right side of the ground. This time, the sound of water sounded even more real.

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