[Fantasy] The Treasure Cauldron (Complete) - 4

Chapter Seven:

The journey from western Hunan to Jiuhua Mountain in southern Anhui required crossing the border between Jiangxi and Hubei provinces—a long and arduous one.

Bao Hong traveled for seven or eight days before finally arriving at the foot of Jiuhua Mountain.

By then, dusk was falling, and the sun was setting.

Ahead, patches of withered grass were tinged with a dark red by the fading sunlight.

The undulating mountain ranges were no longer clearly visible.

Bao Hong, mounted on his horse, scanned the sky and spotted a dark grove of trees not far to his left, within which he could vaguely make out the shape of a temple.

Bao Hong thought, "It's getting late. There seems to be a village in that grove. Why don't I hurry there to spend the night and then search for Rouge Valley tomorrow?"

With a decisive thought, he lightly flicked the reins and galloped quickly into the grove.

A moment later—Bao Hong reached the grove. Looking inside, he saw dozens of tall, ancient pine trees forming a wall deep within the dense forest, resembling a temple.

Overjoyed, he spurred his horse and rode towards the temple gate.

Using the dim light of dusk, Bao Hong looked up.

He saw the four large characters "Maple Forest Ancient Temple" on the horizontal plaque above the temple gate.

"Wow! This ancient temple looks at least two or three hundred years old. Although it's desolate and gloomy, it should provide shelter from the night wind and dew."

Just as he was about to dismount and enter the temple, suddenly—an old man with white hair and beard ran out of the woods, first scrutinizing Bao Hong for a moment, then his expression became extremely tense as he said, "There are monsters in this temple, sir, you must not stay here tonight."

"Oh!—"

Bao Hong, relying on his skill and courage, deliberately feigned a surprised "oh," then smiled and said to the old man, "Short fellow, don't worry! We Jianghu people aren't afraid of ghosts and monsters. If there really is a monster, let me get rid of it tonight and rid the area of a scourge!" With that, he jumped off his horse and walked towards the temple gate.

One of the two temple gates was closed, the other half-open.

Bao Hong gently pushed open the two large, faded temple doors, sending a cloud of dust swirling down and covering him.

The old man, seeing him brazenly open the doors despite the danger, cried out in fright! The old man turned and ran in a panic—Bao Hong didn't chase after him, but simply turned back to watch his terrified, decrepit figure, smiled slightly, and shook his head.

Then, he brushed the dust off himself, led his mount, and headed into the temple. Before he had taken ten steps inside, suddenly—he felt dizzy and nauseous.

Bao Hong was startled!

But he didn't think of anything else, only that it was probably from the long journey of the past few days, and the exhaustion. "Damn! I hope I don't get sick." With this thought, he quickly pulled a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, opened the cap, poured out a single emerald green pill, and swallowed it.

This was Jiang Ziya's "Nine-Turn Elixir," which not only refreshed the mind and enlightened the spirit, cured all diseases, but also expelled rare poisons. After taking it, all ailments naturally disappeared.

He placed the horse in the courtyard in front of the palace to graze, and then stepped into the main hall.

The elixir was indeed incredibly effective.

A moment later—he felt completely refreshed, his dizziness and nausea had subsided, and he felt a pang of hunger.

So he sat cross-legged on the floor of the main hall, took out the dry rations he carried with him, and was eating.

Suddenly—a flash of light, followed by—a deafening roar.

Bao Hong looked up and saw that the stars had disappeared and dark clouds had gathered.

"Huh! The sky has suddenly changed."

Several more flashes of lightning!

Several more claps of thunder!

At the same time, the wind picked up suddenly, and dark clouds engulfed the night sky. The earth was plunged into darkness.

Dozens of ancient pines outside the temple rustled in the fierce wind, while the dilapidated temple buildings were splintered, tiles flying and pillars breaking...

This already somewhat eerie ancient temple now resembled a living hell.

Bao Hong sighed inwardly, "Damn! Judging by the weather, a heavy rain is about to fall." No sooner had

he finished sighing than a torrential downpour began outside.

Howling wind—rushing rain—flashing lightning—deep thunder—the world seemed to be on the verge of collapse! The

dilapidated temple, neglected for years, was battered by the wind and rain, its tiles cracking and eaves breaking, making a clattering sound, like being in a demon's lair.

A timid person would probably be terrified.

Bao Hong, however, was very brave and possessed extraordinary skills, so he was fearless.

This torrential rain lasted for a full watch.

After the second watch—the wind stopped, the rain ceased, the clouds dispersed, and the sky cleared.

A bright moon hung high in the center, its light like quicksilver, illuminating the boundless earth.

The moonlight after the rain was exceptionally bright and clear, its beauty beyond compare.

Bao Hong, exhausted from days of long journeys, needed rest and had no interest in appreciating the moonlight.

He lay down fully clothed on the floor of the main hall.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, suddenly—a piercing shriek echoed from the rear hall!

The shriek was like the mournful cry of a night owl, utterly desolate, sending chills down one's spine.

After the shriek, a series of sharp, cracking sounds followed, as if someone were striking a coffin.

This instantly dispelled Bao Hong's drowsiness. He leaped to his feet, circulating his internal energy to prepare for any unforeseen events, while secretly thinking, "Holy crap! Is there really some monster lurking in this desolate temple?"

After the strange sounds, silence returned.

Aside from the moon being brighter than before, nothing seemed amiss in the ancient temple.

After a short while, just as Bao Hong's guard had begun to relax slightly, suddenly—a mournful shriek drifted from the distance of the rear hall.

Bao Hong was startled. His mount, which had been in the courtyard before the palace, was nowhere to be seen.

That mount was the one his adoptive father had painstakingly acquired at a high price when he left home; he hoped nothing had happened to it!

His mind raced, and with a swift movement, he flew out of the palace, then leaped down the ridge, following the sound behind him.

He moved with lightning speed across the ridges of several palaces, arriving at a Zen temple.

Behind the temple was an open space about an acre in size, piled high with fallen leaves and overgrown with weeds. Bathed in the clear autumn moonlight, the ancient temple appeared even more desolate and eerie!

Suddenly—Bao Hong's expression changed drastically. He abruptly crouched down, pressing himself against the roof tiles, and stared intently downwards.

Below, on the open space covered with fallen leaves and overgrown grass, stood a monster that was neither human nor ghost. His long, disheveled red hair reached his waist, and he wore a long black robe that covered his ankles. His arms were long and thin, and his hands were like eagle claws.

Because the distance between the rooftop and the open space was too great, and the monster was standing with its back turned, its face could not be seen. However, judging from its eerie shape, it wasn't hard to imagine how monstrous its appearance must be.

Bao Hong's mount lay sprawled on the grass, a foot-long piece of flesh torn from its right abdomen by the monster, which was chewing on its back, seemingly enjoying the taste.

The old man's words were not alarmist; this ancient temple indeed harbored a monster, and a very rare humanoid one at that!

"Wow! What a terrifying monster!"

Just as he was about to muster his courage, leap down from the rooftop, and fight the monster to save his mount.

Suddenly—the monster turned around, and two beams of emerald light shot from its face, as black as the bottom of a pot, staring at Bao Hong on the roof.

These were strange eyes, as large as bells, gleaming with a terrifying green light! It seemed to have noticed someone watching it from the roof, so after its sudden turn, its emerald eyes immediately focused on the roof.

Bao Hong, startled by its lightning-like green light, thought to himself, "Damn, I'm lucky! You think you can scare me? Not a chance!"

Just then—the monster let out a fierce roar!

The roar was like a deep thunderclap, shaking the roof tiles. Under the moonlight and starlight, it leaped and bounded towards Bao Hong's hiding place.

It moved incredibly fast, covering several meters in the blink of an eye, already under the eaves.

The situation had reached a critical juncture; whether it was human or monster, if Bao Hong didn't act soon, he would be subjected to a fierce attack.

So—he suddenly straightened up, stood up from the roof, and reached out to grab three tiles.

"Whoosh!"

Three cold, sharp lights, in a straight line, attacked the monster's right eye.

"Damn!" The three tiles flew at once, aiming straight for its vitals; even with superhuman abilities, it would be hard to dodge them! However,

the monster's movements were incredibly fast.

It swayed slightly, and all three tiles missed, landing on the grass.

Bao Hong was startled!

At this moment—the monster roared repeatedly, its legs flailing wildly, its long arms flailing, as if trying to leap onto the roof and escape.

Bao Hong was about to throw another hidden weapon when suddenly—a silvery voice rang in his ears, saying, "Looking at its wild movements, although they're chaotic, you can tell it's not a monster, but a person."

Bao Hong was shocked!

He turned around and saw Yun Niang standing gracefully behind him, her beautiful face showing utter horror.

Bao Hong, seeing that the newcomer was Yun Niang, smiled slightly and said, "Wow! What are you doing here?" Without waiting for Yun Niang's reply, he flicked his wrists and shot towards the roof like a swallow darting into the forest.

Yun Niang was startled and cried out, "Young brother, don't take the risk!" She reached out to grab him, but missed.

Bao Hong, palm and all, flew towards the monster like lightning.

Seeing this, Yun Niang panicked. She pushed off with both feet and unleashed a powerful strike with her right palm, quickly giving chase.

Bao Hong's movements were faster than lightning; he arrived in a flash and unleashed a powerful "Thunder Strike" palm strike at the monster.

Unexpectedly, Bao Hong's palm strike was unusually fierce, so the monster dared not take it head-on. With a roar, it dodged back several feet, avoiding the unexpectedly powerful punch. Having missed its

first strike, Bao Hong's feet had already touched the ground. Seeing that the monster seemed hesitant to take his palm strike directly, his courage suddenly surged, and he was about to strike again.

But then—the strange man opened his enormous mouth and spewed out a wisp of white vapor.

Even before the vapor reached him, Bao Hong felt a pungent, nauseating stench, and a wave of dizziness

washed over him, almost causing him to collapse! A sudden jolt went through him, and he quickly dodged to the right. In that instant, the strange man was already upon him, pouncing again.

Just then, Yun Niang arrived.

Her right palm, like a needle threading a needle, slashed diagonally.

However, the incredibly sharp palm wind struck as if hitting a diamond, the force of her palm being deflected back. Startled, she hastily retreated and leaped to the left, using her agility to dodge several feet.

But the strange man ignored Yun Niang, taking the blow head-on. His strange eyes glowed with an emerald light, still fixed on Bao Hong. The

strange man aimed at him and spewed out another wisp of white mist.

This wisp of mist, like smoke and fog, flew rapidly towards Bao Hong.

Then—the red-haired, black-clad monster suddenly stretched out his arms and leaped forward, his entire body hurtling towards him with the wisp of white mist he exhaled.

As the white mist approached, Bao Hong suddenly felt a strange chill and a putrid stench assault his senses.

By the time he tried to dodge in fright, it was too late. He felt a chill penetrate his body, and smelled a foul stench that seemed to be spreading throughout his body and reaching his limbs.

Fortunately, thanks to the elixir he had just received, he hadn't collapsed yet, but he already knew that he had been poisoned by some unknown substance conjured by the demon, and he knew he couldn't escape death. Therefore, he quickly closed his vital acupoints to temporarily prevent the poison traveling through his body from reaching his heart.

Before the poison could take hold, he would use all his strength, employing the secret martial arts of Taigong Wang, to fight the sorcerer. He was prepared to perish with his enemy, disregarding his own safety. He thrust his palms sideways, his body lunging towards the center, unleashing a move called "Horizontal Lock on Wushan," advancing both body and palm simultaneously to meet the attack.

The two were close, one advancing and the other retreating. Suddenly, the sorcerer swayed, his red hair flying, dodging the palm

strike. Then, with a swift movement, he lunged at Bao Hong again, embracing him. The sorcerer's movements were incredibly fast. Bao Hong, already weakened by the poison, could no longer dodge, nor could he muster the strength to strike again or resist the oncoming enemy.

At the same time, a violent dizziness struck him, his vision blurred, and with two stumbles, he collapsed to the ground with a creak.

This sight terrified Yunniang, who screamed, "Bao Xianggong!—"

She disregarded her own life.

Bao Hong collapsed to the ground, poisoned. The strange man's attempt to embrace him failed. Enraged, he was about to strike Bao Hong down when

Yun Niang pounced.

In his haste, the strange man abandoned Bao Hong and instead struck Yun Niang with his right palm.

Because of the fierce and powerful palm strike, Yun Niang was certain he wasn't a demon, but a human being—a strange man with profound internal energy and a body rife with strange poisons.

She swiftly dodged the attack.

She shouted angrily, "Who are you? Why are you acting like a monster in this ancient temple? What poison has Bao Hong been poisoned by? Tell me quickly, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The strange man seemed not to hear her at all. With two leaps, his palm struck again.

"Whoosh!—"

The palm sent fallen leaves flying everywhere, swirling towards Yun Niang.

By this time, Yunniang could no longer bear it. Taking advantage of the momentum from dodging the palm strike, she glanced sadly at Bao Hong, who lay stiffly on the ground.

In the moonlight—his eyes were tightly closed, a layer of black mist floated on his face, and white foam gushed from the corners of his mouth. He was on the verge of death, barely clinging to life.

A pang of sorrow gripped her heart!

Suddenly—she tilted her beautiful face back and let out a series of strange, long laughs—the laughter was like a sharp blade, slicing deeply into the heart of the red-haired monster.

Startled, he finally spoke, demanding, "Are you Poison Rose?"

Yunniang nodded, angrily saying, "That's right. Since you know how powerful I am, you should tell me who you are? What poison has Young Master Bao been poisoned by? Is there any way to cure him?"

Because, in the martial arts world, people who could spew poisonous gas were rare. Although Poison Rose possessed superior antidotes, she dared not rashly feed them to Bao Hong.

The reason was that she didn't know what kind of poison this strange, venomous man was spewing.

The red-haired, black-clad strange man gave a sinister sneer and said, "You haven't been in the martial arts world for long, and you may not have heard of the name Miao Yifei, but you should have heard of the Living Dead of Hell Valley. This kid surnamed Bao has been poisoned by my Yin Corpse Poison. Without my unique antidote, I'm afraid no one can save him."

The words "Living Dead of Hell Valley" truly shocked Poison Rose.

Rumors in the martial world said he was a mysterious figure with extraordinary martial arts skills, his body riddled with deadly poison. Anyone who clashed with him either died at his hands or succumbed to his incredibly potent Yin Corpse Poison.

Although a chill ran down her spine, she maintained a calm facade, letting out a cold snort, and said, "So you are Miao Yifei, the Living Dead of Hell Valley in Zhongnan. I've long heard of your name, but I've never seen your face. It's a pleasure to meet you tonight."

She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping over the unconscious Bao Hong on the ground, and continued, "Since your unique antidote can cure the Yin Corpse Poison, then please give it to him!"

The Living Dead laughed heartily, saying, "Things aren't as easy or simple as you make them out to be. Hmph! Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

Poison Rose's face darkened, her killing intent rising.

But then she coldly said, "Not afraid? Then try it!" A series of eerie laughs followed.

This burst of laughter lasted for the time it takes to brew a cup of hot tea.

The laughter contained immense power, making those who heard it feel as if a massive boulder weighed on their hearts, causing unbearable discomfort.

The Living Dead, relying on his profound internal energy, withstood the attack for a while, but soon felt that even his decades of refined internal strength were becoming insufficient.

He felt the pressure on his heart growing heavier and heavier, and beads of sweat on his forehead dripped like raindrops onto the ground.

At that moment—on the roof of the ancient temple, a purple figure suddenly flickered—Poison Rose was unleashing her strange laughter to fight her enemy. The

Living Dead, Miao Yifei, was channeling his internal energy to defend himself, and showed signs of being overwhelmed, his life hanging by a thread.

Bao Hong, poisoned, lay unconscious on the ground, devoid of consciousness.

Therefore—no one noticed the purple figure flickering on the roof; no one saw it.

To temporarily save the life of the living dead and rescue Bao Hong, Poison Rose Yunniang abruptly stopped laughing, slowly stepped forward, and coldly snorted at the living dead, saying, "Well? Will you agree to rescue Young Master Bao?"

The moment her laughter ceased, the living dead immediately felt much lighter, especially the immense pressure on his heart, which seemed to have vanished instantly.

He flicked his long sleeves, wiping the large beads of sweat from his forehead, his emerald eyes shooting out two strange beams of light as he stared intently at Poison Rose's face.

He coldly snorted, saying, "I've heard your laughter can steal souls and kill, but tonight, I see it's nothing more than that."

Indeed—Poison Rose's laughter had two forms: a soul-stealing laugh and a soul-capturing laugh.

The soul-capturing laugh was a thousand times more powerful than the soul-stealing laugh; whenever she took a life, she used the most potent soul-capturing laugh.

Now, to get the living dead to use her unique antidote to save Bao Hong, she not only refrained from using the soul-capturing laugh, but even the soul-stealing laugh only used forty or fifty percent of her true power. If she had used her full power to unleash this soul-stirring laughter, how could Miao Yifei have escaped unscathed?

Hearing that his words held no intention of rescuing Bao Hong, she was filled with rage and shouted, "Living Dead! Do you really want to die?"

The Living Dead sneered, saying, "I don't necessarily want to die from your laughter..."

Poison Rose said hatefully, "Fine—"

The word "fine" escaped her lips, and the laughter began...

This time, she used seventy or eighty percent of her true power in this soul-stirring laughter.

In the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, beads of sweat streamed down the Living Dead's forehead like rain...

The last laugh had only made him feel as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing on his heart, causing him immense suffering!

This time, however, his internal organs felt like they were burning, his intestines as if they were about to burst—unable to endure any longer, he let out a sharp cry, leaped over the temple wall, and fled wildly.

Despite his decades of cultivation, the living dead Miao Yifei, relying solely on his willpower, withstood the Poison Rose's soul-stirring laughter twice, suffering significant damage to his true energy and inflicting considerable internal injuries. However, being a cunning individual, he knew he was no match for her; she could injure him with her corpse-poisonous mist, yet he couldn't withstand her soul-stirring laughter. Thus, the thought of escape suddenly arose in him. Taking advantage of the moment before his mind was completely corrupted and controlled by the incredibly powerful soul-stirring laughter, he leaped over the temple wall and fled.

Yun Niang, of course, wouldn't let him go so easily. With a sharp cry, a blue shadow flashed, and she too flew over the ancient temple wall, giving chase.

Her reason for pursuing the living dead Miao Yifei was, of course, to save the poisoned and unconscious Bao Hong.

But—the sister-in-law hadn't expected that with her departure, only the long-unconscious Bao Hong, poisoned and unconscious, would remain quietly lying among the fallen leaves and overgrown grass in this desolate and gloomy ancient temple.

Miao Yifei, a powerful and ruthless figure, and the Poisonous Rose, a remarkable woman of the present day, both possessed unparalleled lightness skills that made them the envy of the martial world. Their pursuit and escape were like two swift arrows, incredibly fast.

In a short while—the two had covered a distance of twenty or thirty miles.

However, Yunniang always lagged behind Miao Yifei by six or seven zhang, unable to catch up.

This showed that Miao Yifei's lightness skill was slightly superior to Yunniang's.

Yunniang was furiously chasing after him—suddenly—a soft force sliced across her path from about ten zhang behind her right, blocking her way.

She assumed it was a member of the Living Dead's gang, who had ambushed her from the shadows. Her anger flared, and she swung her palm towards the source of the force.

Under the moonlight—she saw an old monk with long, downcast eyebrows, dressed in a moon-white robe, standing solemnly beneath an ancient pine tree, his hands clasped in prayer, his expression dignified. He seemed completely unaware of the force of the palm strike.

The palm wind was almost upon the old monk's chest, yet he did not dodge to block it!

Yunniang was startled!

An unknown force caused her right palm to slightly deflect, and she took a large step back.

She hurriedly asked, "Why didn't you dodge my palm strike? If I hadn't deflected it in time, even with your extraordinary skills, you wouldn't have been able to withstand the force of my palm."

The old monk smiled slightly and chanted a Buddhist prayer, "Amitabha!"

Yunniang, seeing the bright moonlight, carefully observed the old monk. He appeared to be in his seventies, with two long, snow-white eyebrows that drooped straight down to his eyes. A smile played on his lips, and his robes fluttered in the breeze. Yunniang

couldn't help but feel a surge of respect.

She smiled and said, "I'm so angry that I'm blind and don't recognize my master! Why did you block my path with your supremely soft palm technique? If you want me to let the living dead go, then I'm afraid I can't obey!"

The old monk chuckled and said, "I must first ask you, benefactor, is your relentless pursuit of the living dead for that dragon-patterned cauldron?"

Yunniang pondered for a moment and said, "I can obtain the dragon-patterned cauldron at any time. Is it worth the trouble of chasing it for such a long distance?"

The old monk's expression changed drastically, but in an instant, he swallowed his anger and smiled calmly, "Do you know the origin of that dragon-patterned cauldron?"

"According to rumors in the martial arts world, it's said to be a relic of a martial arts prodigy from three hundred years ago. A hundred years ago, Master Huici, the fifth abbot

of Shaolin Temple, disappeared from the martial arts world again..." Yunniang paused here, her beautiful eyes darting around, scrutinizing the old monk again, and then said, "If I'm not mistaken, Master, you are a high-ranking monk from Shaolin Temple?"

The old monk's white eyebrows twitched slightly, and he said, "Your guess is correct, I am Mingjue, one of the Five Elders of the Shaolin Temple. I stopped you because the Youwen Treasure Cauldron was retrieved from the living dead by our temple two days ago, so forcing him is useless."

Yunniang was slightly taken aback!

After a moment, she said with a sigh, "As I just said, if I wanted that Dragon Pattern Cauldron, I could obtain it at any time. Even if the cauldron were in your Shaolin Temple, renowned throughout the land and feared by all in the martial world, obtaining it wouldn't be difficult. However, my pursuit of the Living Dead isn't for the Dragon Pattern Cauldron. I appreciate your kindness, Master, but I have urgent matters to attend to. Please excuse me for taking my leave." With that, her lithe body swayed, and she was already three zhang away, about to leap up and continue chasing the Living Dead from Hell Valley.

Suddenly—a thunderous shout rang out behind her: "Poison Rose, stop!"

Yunniang was startled and indeed stopped.

Turning around, she saw Monk Mingjue already standing behind her, his face solemn, but his eyelids still lowered.

Blocked by Mingjue, the Living Dead Miao Yifei had already vanished without a trace, making it impossible to catch him. She had long wanted to vent her anger on Mingjue.

Hearing him call her Poison Rose so directly, she was not only shocked but also filled with hatred for the old monk! Even so, she refused to admit she was Poison Rose!

So—she slowly turned around, gave a cold laugh, and said, “Master, what other teachings do you have? Please speak quickly! But I am not the infamous Poison Rose, feared throughout the martial world. My name is Yun Niang.”

Mingjue chuckled and said, “People say Poison Rose’s lightness skill is unparalleled, able to leap three zhang in a single bound. I just witnessed your swift and astonishing movements, so who else could you be but Poison Rose?”

Yun Niang giggled and said, “In the martial world, those who can leap three zhang in a single bound are as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges. Master, can you really determine that I am Poison Rose based on this alone?”

Indeed, leaping three zhang in a single bound in the martial world is not uncommon; how could one determine she was Poison Rose based solely on this?

Legend has it that the Poison Rose, having entered the martial world in just three years, has already killed countless people, shocking the martial arts world and unsettling the people. This proves that her martial arts skills are already incredibly high and unfathomable. Judging from her age, the girl before him cannot be the Poison Rose, but since she has spoken so arrogantly, he will test her abilities.

Mingjue's thoughts shifted, his white eyebrows twitched slightly, and he lowered his eyes, saying, "What you say, female benefactor, is not without reason. Even if you are not the Poison Rose, your words are too exaggerated. I want to see if you can enter Shaolin Temple and steal the Dragon Pattern Cauldron."

Yunniang smiled slightly and said, "So, Master wants to test my martial arts skills?"

Mingjue nodded and said, "That's right!"

Yunniang said, "This junior is unlearned and unskilled, but I do not wish to damage the reputation of my sect. Since Master is pressing me so hard, I have no choice but to humbly ask for your guidance. If Master can defeat me within ten moves, this junior will give up the chance to break into your temple and steal the Dragon Pattern Cauldron." "The heart of the Dragon Patterned Cauldron."

Mingjue suddenly raised his white eyebrows that obscured his eyes and laughed, "Ten moves seem too many. Even if I win, I will be branded as an old man bullying a young one. Female benefactor, why don't you use your sect's signature move against me? If you can force me to take three steps back, not only will you win, but I will also risk the abbot's severe punishment to take you into the temple to the location of the Dragon Patterned Cauldron, where you can steal that rare treasure."

Since parting from her master, Poison Rose had never heard anyone utter such arrogant words, and countless renowned martial arts masters had lost their lives at her hands.

Of course, she was not convinced by Mingjue's words.

A cold laugh rang out, "Master is a highly respected monk of Shaolin Temple, a man of great virtue and prestige. Know that a word spoken is a word kept!"

Mingjue smiled slightly and said, "Buddhist disciples never lie. Female benefactor, please don't hesitate, make your move!" With that, he slowly closed his eyes.

Yunniang snorted coldly, "Since that's the case, this junior will be presumptuous!" Before she finished speaking, she flipped her right palm, aiming a blow at Mingjue's chest.

But—Mingjue uttered a low Buddhist chant, "Amitabha!" Suddenly, his upper body swayed slightly, his feet remaining still, and Yunniang's palm strike swept past his monk's robe.

Yunniang, horrified, withdrew her right palm, frozen in place!

Suddenly, Mingjue said softly, "Although your palm strikes are powerful, they are still far from perfect. Your strikes were completely undetectable to this old monk."

These words enraged Yunniang, turning her beautiful face ashen. With a sharp cry, she lunged forward, her palms meeting in

a series of powerful strikes at her chest. The old monk lay prone, a flurry of palm strikes sweeping past his abdomen…

Yunniang had used all her strength in these two strikes, but they missed their mark. She involuntarily leaned forward, feeling a gentle breeze on her face, followed by a slight numbness at her right shoulder's "Jugu" acupoint—the old monk had lightly touched it.

In that instant, Mingjue had already dodged the palm strikes and stood up.

This dodging, the acupoint strike, and the standing up—though three actions—were almost performed in one fluid motion, incredibly swift and precise.

Chapter Eight:

Yunniang's three consecutive palm strikes missed, and she was instead struck on acupoints. Fortunately, the opponent's attack was light, and since the Giant Bone Acupoint is not a vital point, the old monk's strike seemed to have been casual, causing no real harm.

Enraged, she let out a sharp cry and unleashed a fierce attack with both palms, suddenly unleashing five or six consecutive palm strikes.

These five or six palm strikes were not only swift and powerful, like moving mountains and overturning seas, but also varied in force, making it impossible to dodge them all simultaneously without moving one's feet.

However, the monk Mingjue was one of the five elders of Shaolin Temple, and his kung fu had reached a state of perfection.

He moved like a willow catkin dancing in the wind, swaying left and right, sometimes leaning back and sometimes lying down, his feet never leaving the ground, simultaneously dodging all five or six incredibly powerful palm strikes.

Yunniang had intended to unleash her soul-stirring laughter, but that laughter would only solidify his belief that she had no grudge against him, and besides, he was already in his seventies; why should she force herself to fight him? She

immediately withdrew her hands, took two steps back, and said, "Master, your martial arts are indeed rare and unparalleled. I will abandon my plan to steal the temple's treasure from now on."

Mingjue did not immediately answer Yunniang's words, but slowly opened his drooping eyelids, gazing intently at her face with his deep eyes.

After a long while, he sighed softly and said, "I already know who you are, but since you are unwilling to admit it, I cannot force you to answer. However, the distinction between good and evil in life lies entirely in a single thought. You are a wise woman, and I do not need to spell it out for you..." He

paused and added, "However, your relentless pursuit of the living dead Miao Yifei, if not for the Dragon Pattern Cauldron, must have other reasons. Could you please tell me the truth?"

These last two sentences reminded Yunniang, and she was startled!

He immediately cursed himself, damn it! In order to chase after the living dead, and in order to fight Mingjue Master for a moment, he had forgotten that Bao Hong, who was unconscious from being poisoned by the Yin Corpse Poison, was still lying quietly on the grass in the courtyard of the Maple Forest Ancient Temple.

Her expression suddenly changed, revealing boundless sorrow. She said, "How dare I deceive you with lies? I pursued the Living Dead Miao Yifei to save someone."

"Oh!"

Monk Mingjue exclaimed, his white eyebrows furrowing slightly. "Whom did you save?"

"A young man surnamed Bao."

"What's his name? What injuries did he suffer?"

"His name is Bao Hong. He's the adopted son of Li Hou, the youngest member of the Southern Sichuan Hongmen. He was poisoned by the Yin Corpse Poison spewed from Miao Yifei's mouth at the Maple Forest Ancient Temple. His life hangs in the balance. According to Miao Yifei, only his unique antidote can cure this poison. That's why I chased him here. I didn't expect my master to intervene. So much time has passed. It seems that Young Master Bao is likely in grave danger..." As she finished speaking, her beautiful eyes filled with tears.

She noticed that Monk Mingjue's face had become extremely pale, alternating between blue and white, his snow-white eyebrows twitching incessantly, and his eyes shooting out two strange lights.

He lowered his head and pondered for a long time before asking, "Miss Yun, are you sure you're not mistaken? Is that young man surnamed Bao really the adopted son of Li Hou, the young master of the Hongmen in southern Sichuan?"

Yunniang replied, "He told Ziyi Zhongyu himself at the Poetry Recitation Manor in western Hunan. How could I be wrong!"

Mingjue trembled all over, his monk's robes fluttering even without wind. He asked, "He went to the Poetry Recitation Manor? He looked for the purple-robed scholar Zhongyu, didn't he?"

Yunniang nodded, offering no reply.

The monk Mingjue urged, "Miss Yun must have been at the Poetry Recitation Manor at the time. Did you hear what they said?"

Yunniang was an exceptionally clever and quick-witted girl. Seeing the sudden change in Mingjue's expression, she knew something was amiss. Before understanding the truth, she naturally wouldn't tell him frankly.

She simply pondered for a moment and didn't answer.

Mingjue's expression grew even more somber.

Suddenly, he said somewhat inexplicably, "This old monk has put aside temple affairs and rushed to southern Anhui. It wasn't a wasted trip. Young lady, please hurry back to Fenglin Ancient Temple and give this pill to Young Master Bao. This old monk is returning to the temple. If you ever need my help, or if you wish to steal the Dragon Pattern Cauldron, please come to Shaolin Temple."

As he spoke, he took out a pair of exquisitely crafted white porcelain bottles from the pocket of his moon-white monk's robe, opened the caps, poured out a small black pill, and handed it to Yunniang.

After speaking, he swayed, floating about three zhang away, and with another leap, his monk's robes fluttered, and he vanished instantly.

Poison Rose, holding the black pill in her right hand, stared blankly in the direction where Monk Mingjue had disappeared for a long time, then sighed softly.

After a while, she turned and used her superb lightness skill to rush towards Fenglin Ancient Temple at the foot of Jiuhua Mountain.

Even with her unparalleled lightness skill, it was already well past dawn when she returned to the ancient temple in one breath.

She then realized that chasing the living dead and entangled with the monk Mingjue had taken up the entire night.

She returned to the Maple Forest Ancient Temple and went straight to the meditation courtyard behind the main hall. Looking around, she saw that Bao Hong and his mount had vanished without a trace.

She was shocked!

Remembering Bao Hong, unconscious and barely alive, poisoned by the Yin Corpse Poison, a sudden pang of sorrow gripped her heart, and two streams of tears flowed down her cheeks.

Where had he gone?

Had he been rescued?

Where was he taken?

Was he dead?

Where was his body?

And what about his mount?

The situation was strangely mysterious!

Yunniang, tears streaming down her face, gazed up at the blue sky and white clouds, lost in thought, unable to decide whether Bao Hong was alive or dead.

Finally, she thought of Rouge Valley.

Because he had come to Mount Hua specifically to find Rouge Valley!

Could it be that the poison he was afflicted with wasn't severe, and that after regaining consciousness, he used his internal energy to expel the poison, recovering his health and riding his injured mount to search for Rouge Valley?

With this thought in mind, she immediately made a decision: regardless of whether it was as she expected, she would go to Rouge Valley and inquire with the Rouge Goddess.

So she took out a silk handkerchief to wipe away her tears, then put the pills given to her by Monk Mingjue into her pouch, and left Maple Forest Ancient Temple, climbing Mount Jiuhua to search for Rouge Valley.

※※※※

Since Yunniang and the Living Dead had fled and chased each other away, he was left alone in Maple Forest Ancient Temple, lying quietly among the fallen leaves and tall grass. He

lay there for an unknown amount of time, when suddenly he slowly awoke from his unconsciousness.

Looking around, he found himself in an extremely magnificent study.

Bao Hong touched the decorations: a magnificent brocade couch, wine cabinet, wardrobe, leather chair, bookcase…

He opened a cabinet and exclaimed, “Wow! So many books! This family must be good people, wealthy.”

He then pushed open the bathroom door. Besides a large bathtub, there were two tall tubs. He looked closer and saw that the uncovered tub was filled with clean water, while the covered one was filled with hot water.

The wardrobe contained brand-new underwear, coins, and bathing utensils. There was also a full-length mirror on the wall.

He opened another room, and it was breathtaking.

Wow! Who sleeps in this room?

Feeling sticky and uncomfortable, Bao Hong immediately went into the bathroom for a refreshing hot bath.

He figured he might as well make the best of it and at least greet the owners and thank them for their kindness.

He soaked in the tub for half an hour, calming his excited heart. He remembered being poisoned and lost in an ancient temple, thinking he was surely going to die, yet suddenly he found himself in this place?

Wow! Where is this place? Who saved him?

He got up, dried himself, put on a new set of underwear, and walked out of the bathroom.

Suddenly, he heard a sweet, delicate voice say, "This maid, Xia He, greets Master Bao!"

Bao Hong was startled. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed, grabbed his outer robe, and immediately went back into the bathroom.

After putting on his outer robe, he came out of the bathroom and saw the maid who called herself Xia He, who quickly bowed.

Seeing this, Bao Hong hurriedly said, "Wow! Get up quickly, your name is... Xia He, right?"

"Yes, please have your meal, Master Bao."

After Bao Hong put on his boots and sat down at the table, Xia He immediately stood to his left and said in a crisp voice, "Master Bao, your aunt will serve you your meal."

"Wow! Thank you, young lady, I can do it myself."

"Master Bao! This servant is ordered to serve you, so please don't be shy!" After saying that, she put a chicken wing in his bowl. Bao Hong smiled bitterly and said, "Wow! Young lady, I'm really not used to this."

"Master Bao, please don't be so formal, otherwise, this servant will be severely punished."

"Hmm, alright, then I'll just become a vegetable."

This meal took a full half hour.

Under the pleading of this delicate young lady, Xia He, Bao Hong ate more than half of each of the six dishes, as well as two bowls of rice and a bowl of soup.

"Master Bao, would you like some wine?" Xia He asked him sweetly.

Bao Hong shook his head vigorously, laughing, "Miss! Please forgive me, look, I can barely stand up." He stroked his slightly protruding belly.

A soft "pfft!" followed.

Bao Hong asked, "Miss, I'd like to ask you something, but is it convenient?"

"Please speak, sir, I will answer truthfully to the best of my ability."

"Where is this place?"

"In southern Anhui."

"Holy crap! I mean, who is your master?"

"Please forgive me, sir, how can a servant be so talkative!"

"Then who rescued me? Surely you can tell me?"

"My mistress."

After wiping the table clean, she swayed her hips, and Bao Hong, unable to get the point, considered leaving. But then he thought that leaving without saying goodbye, without even a thank you, was incredibly shameful.

So, he took a book from the bookshelf. Looking at the cover, he saw the words "Secret Essence Technique" written in clerical script.

Holy crap! What kind of book is this?

Out of curiosity, I casually flipped through it:

All the sorrows and anguish of mortals are caused by harm to the balance of Yin and Yang…
Their Qi is sorrowful and disharmonious, their hearts are unhappy, and their bodies are constantly filled with fear…
Viewing enemies as mere pebbles, and oneself as precious as gold and jade…
using spirit to command energy, shaking the pillars of heaven…the fiery navel chakra, legs stretched out…the nine turns of the river chariot…creating heaven and earth…

This is a bedroom art similar to the *Su Nu Jing* (Classic of the Plain Girl). It's short, but the language is exquisite. Fortunately, Bao Hong had studied the *Taigong Wang* (

Grand Duke of Zhou) manual, so it wasn't difficult for him to understand. He had just finished reading it when he suddenly heard a voice: “Master Bao, my young master invites you!”

Bao Hong looked up and saw Xia He. He said, “Thank you!” and quickly followed Xia He out.

He had just reached the door of another room when a beautiful young woman with bright eyes and white teeth stood quietly at the door. She gave a slight bow and said in a clear voice, “This humble servant, Qiu Ju, greets Master Bao!”

Bao Hong was startled for a moment, then quickly said, “Greetings, Miss! Please rise!”

Unexpectedly, another fragrant breeze wafted by, and a beautiful young woman stepped forward and bowed, saying, “This humble servant, Dong Mei, greets Master Bao!”

“Greetings, Miss! Please rise quickly!”

At this moment, Bao Hong looked up and saw a young man walking out of the room.

Bao Hong hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "I am deeply grateful for your help, brother!"

"Haha! Don't rush, I dare not claim credit. I didn't save you, but I did detoxify you. I didn't save your life for nothing; you must do me a favor."

Bao Hong thought to himself, "This man is truly straightforward, without a single polite word, and he even sets conditions. I must be careful."

Suddenly, he saw the young man's smile fade, and he said in a low voice, "My surname is Bai, and my name is Yilong. My sister, Yifeng, is the one who brought you here. You will see her soon." He paused, then added, "My conditions are very simple and will not cause you any trouble. I lost to Mudan last night, and tonight it's all up to you to get justice for me."

Wow! Is there really such an absurd thing in the world?

Although Bao Hong thought this in his heart, he said aloud, "Wow! Young Master Bai, why would you ask me for something like this?"

"Do you think I'm capable?"

"Yes! Definitely! When I detoxified you, I saw your assets. As long as you stand in for me, that'll be repaying my debt."

Bao Hong's scalp tingled, and he almost fainted on the spot.

※※※※

Return the years to the earth, leave the weariness to yourself. The past, I didn't not cherish; the memories are still clear, infinite expectations remain, and this moment is still so familiar…

Bao Hong heard this song when he arrived at the Red Plum Pavilion with Bai Yilong.

He was stunned when he heard Bai Yilong actually want him to stand in for him and help him save face in front of Cha!

Bai Yilong chuckled softly, "Brother Bao, Honghong is a famous courtesan in southern Anhui. People flock to her like a river crossing a ferry. She's not only proficient in poetry, calligraphy, music, and chess, but her skills in bed are also top-notch."

He paused, then added, "Last night, after I took the plunge, I finished in less than half an hour. Although Honghong didn't seem displeased, I sensed she wasn't quite satisfied, so I'm asking you to step in."

Bao Hong, unsure of his competitive nature, didn't want to dampen his spirits, especially since they couldn't be too intimate, and considering the debt of gratitude Bai Yilong had given him, he didn't want to discourage him.

"Haha! You don't know such things?"

Bao Hong smiled and shook his head.

Bai Yilong said with great interest, "Based on my usual combat experience, when a woman is in high spirits, she will at least moan, tremble, be dripping with fragrant juices, and overflow with sweet saliva, eventually reaching a state of blissful ecstasy and fainting."

Upon hearing this, Bao Hong immediately thought of Ah Ying, who had indeed been made to moan, tremble, and sweat profusely by Lao Diao. As for "overflowing with sweet saliva," it probably refers to the slippery substance left on her lower body.

In his mind, the scene of himself and the Fairy Hibiscus flashed before his eyes, vivid and clear: the chrysanthemum slightly closed, the peach about to bloom, the flowing nectar…

“Damn! If that ‘flowing nectar’ is ‘fragrant saliva,’ then it’s truly black and white, utterly disgusting. And to call it ‘fragrant saliva’ is quite a compliment!”

He frowned and said, “Damn! I won’t accept any of those new terms you’ve mentioned!”

“Eh! Are you still a ‘Boy Scout,’ lacking ‘combat experience’?”

“No, I have one combat record.”

“That’s good. How did it go?”

“Damn! She just groaned, panted, and then sweated.”

“Haha! That’s about it! Brother Bao, I’ve already registered you. It’s your turn tonight.”

“Eh! Didn’t you say that people who admire her are as numerous as carp crossing a river? How come you can ‘cut in line’ as soon as you register!”

"Haha! To save face, I bribed the madam to move your name forward, to tonight, you know? The bribe alone cost a thousand taels of silver."

"Wow! You're quite the spendthrift."

At this moment—night had fallen.

The two had just stepped through the gate.

There—two beautiful young women greeted them.

Bai Yilong winked at him and said, "Brother Bao, have a happy night." Then he left.

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