[Wuxia] Embroidered Robes and Cloud-like Hair (Complete) - 21

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Jade Lion Mother and Child.

Zhang Shitou, swaying his head with great pride, walked towards the grand hall amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd. Jiang Tiantao and Zhu Caidie, like the other heroes on the platform, simultaneously rose from their chairs and applauded to welcome Zhang Shitou.

Zhang Shitou ascended the stone steps with an air of superiority, politely clasping his hands in greeting. He then turned and bowed to the thousands of cheering heroes from all directions, thanking them for their encouragement. Golden-Faced Nezha, pale and sweating profusely, forced a smile and slowly raised his hands towards the heroes. Upon seeing this, the crowd immediately fell silent, all eager to hear Shen Qifeng's announcement.

As soon as the crowd quieted down, Golden-Faced Nezha smiled and announced loudly, "Before I announce the gift of the horse to Hero Zhang, I must first congratulate Thunder Leopard. It has finally met its wise master. This steed, capable of traveling a thousand miles a day and traversing mountains and streams, is now Hero Zhang's mount. Now we should cheer for Hero Zhang's taming of this magnificent horse!" As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

Zhang Shitou, as usual, stood up and clasped his hands in thanks. As soon as the cheers subsided, the Golden-Faced Nezha continued loudly, "Now that the horses have been given away, let's move on to the second event..."

Before he finished speaking, someone from the eastern group of heroes suddenly shouted, "Shen Qifeng, you are no longer qualified to preside over the next event..."

Upon hearing this, the Golden-Faced Nezha's face immediately turned ashen, and he angrily asked, "Why?"

The person from the eastern group of heroes continued loudly, "You have already lost to the Lord of Dahong Mountain, now you should invite the new Lord Zhang Shitou to preside..."

Before the person could finish speaking, the Golden-Faced Nezha let out a fierce laugh, then said with extreme hatred, "I bet on the Mighty Arhat Chi Xinnan, not the great hero Zhang Shitou..." As soon as he

finished speaking, a powerful shout suddenly rang out from the southern group of heroes: "Wait, this old man has something to say." Upon hearing this, all the heroes' eyes turned to the southern group of heroes.

The golden-faced Nezha, his face ashen, glared angrily at the source of the voice and asked in a deep voice, "Who spoke?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion arose among the heroes to the south, and an old man named Zhai Shuo, dressed in coarse cloth and with a full head of white hair, stepped forward. The old man, his face contorted with rage and his eyes gleaming, strode into the center of the arena. Upon seeing him, the heroes immediately erupted in murmurs of discussion. The old man in the cloth robe walked to the center of the field, stopped, pointed at the golden-faced Nezha, and said in a deep voice, "Shen Qifeng, what is your next project?"

The golden-faced Nezha coldly smiled and said, "I have already issued a notice to all heroes, why does the old man need to ask when he already knows?"

The old man in the cloth robe immediately shook his head and said in a deep voice, "I have just arrived from Hunan, traveling day and night..."

Upon hearing "Hunan," the golden-faced Nezha seemed to have a premonition, so his expression changed, and he hurriedly clasped his hands and asked, "I am dull and forgetful, and I can no longer remember the old hero's name."

The old man in the cloth robe immediately said impatiently, "You don't need to ask anymore. After I have asked you, you will naturally know who I am."

The golden-faced Nezha nodded angrily. Nodding, he said angrily, "Fine, speak."

The old man in plain clothes raised his eyebrows and asked, "Who was the first person to discover this jade lion on the cliff of this mountain?"

The golden-faced Nezha's expression changed upon hearing this, and he hesitated slightly before replying, "It was a steward from the main stronghold."

The old man immediately asked in a deep voice, "Who?"

The golden-faced Nezha glared venomously at the old man in plain clothes and answered in a deep voice, "Wang Zhongquan."

A cold glint flashed in the old man's tiger-like eyes, and he suddenly asked sharply, "Where did that person go?"

The golden-faced Nezha's eyes flashed coldly, and he answered in a deep voice, "He went back to his hometown to visit relatives."

The old man in plain clothes asked sharply again, "How long has he been gone?"

Upon being asked, the golden-faced Nezha's face suddenly turned ashen, and a murderous aura appeared between his brows. He remained silent for a long time. Jiang Tiantao, who was sitting quietly listening, observed the expressions and secretly speculated, concluding that this jade lion might be connected to a bloody conspiracy, and this conspiracy might fall on the golden-faced Nezha.

Before he could finish his thought, he suddenly saw the Golden-Faced Nezha glaring venomously at the old man in plain clothes in the arena, and said sternly, "This is a matter of this mountain, why should you ask?"

Upon hearing this, the old man in plain clothes threw his head back and let out a sorrowful and shrill laugh, then said painfully, "Wang Zhongquan is my child, I am his biological father, Wang Youyuan. Tell me, if I don't ask, who will?"

Upon hearing this, the Golden-Faced Nezha's expression changed drastically, and cold sweat immediately rolled down his forehead. He was at a loss for words for a long time. The more intelligent people among the heroes all guessed that Wang Zhongquan must have been assassinated by the Golden-Faced Nezha, Shen Qifeng, to prevent the secret from being leaked.

The old man in plain clothes laughed again, his voice filled with a chilling glint. "My child went home to visit his family, and three years

have passed since then. He hasn't returned to Dahong Mountain yet. As the mountain lord, why have you remained silent and allowed him to take leave without returning?" The golden-faced Nezha, feeling guilty, could only angrily retort, "When Wang Zhongquan took leave, he specified two to five years. If he didn't return home three years ago, then he must have encountered enemies..."

The old man in plain clothes suddenly asked sharply, "How do you know he encountered enemies?"

The golden-faced Nezha was momentarily speechless, and after a long pause, he angrily said, "He neither returned to the mountain nor went home; couldn't he have been killed along the way?"

The old man in plain clothes again ... With a chilling laugh, he said, "Indeed, my child was assassinated midway, but the one who committed the murder overlooked the most important point."

The golden-faced Nezha trembled, and blurted out, "Overlooked what?"

The old man in plain clothes laughed heartily, and slowly said with heartache, "He overlooked the fact that my child had already foreseen his inevitable death, and therefore had already written his will in his bosom."

The golden-faced Nezha, overwhelmed with tension, forgot that thousands of heroes still stood in the square, and his brows furrowed as he demanded sharply, "What did he write?"

The old man in plain clothes still laughed heartily, and said with grief and indignation, "..." All of this concerns the Jade Lion Mother and Child.

Upon hearing the words "Jade Lion Mother and Child," the Golden-Faced Nezha's eyes suddenly flashed with ferocity, his expression turning fierce and piercing. He roared, "Shut up! I, the Mountain Master, am currently presiding over the lion-giving project. Get out of here now..."

The old man in plain clothes continued to laugh mournfully, his mind seemingly having suffered a severe shock. Before the Golden-Faced Nezha could finish speaking, he interrupted with a laugh, "Shen Qifeng, my purpose in coming here is to reveal the secret of the Jade Lion Mother and Child in front of all the heroes of the world. After I finish speaking, I will naturally leave."

Upon hearing this, the Golden-Faced Nezha revealed his true colors. His expression was frenzied, and he involuntarily clenched his fists, gritting his teeth and shouting, "Wang Youyuan, if you dare to believe your son Wang Zhongquan's fabricated words and spout nonsense here, be careful, I will surely take your old life!"

The old man in plain clothes laughed bitterly and said, "Shen Qifeng, don't think you're so great just because you've learned the secret martial arts on the Jade Lion. You should know that although I am no match for you, the heroes of the world will punish you!" The crowd of heroes, who had been silent for a long time, were all secretly shocked when they heard that the Golden-Faced Nezha had indeed learned the lost martial arts. At the same time, a discussion and commotion immediately broke out.

The Golden-Faced Nezha was once again filled with a chilling rage and panic. His eyes flashed coldly, and his expression was extremely anxious. He glanced at the assembled heroes, then glared fiercely at the old man in plain clothes, gritting his teeth and saying hatefully, "Wang Youyuan, I solemnly warn you..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Jiang Tiantao's sword-like eyebrows furrow, and he immediately said calmly, "Mountain Lord Shen..."

The Golden-Faced Nezha stopped abruptly upon hearing this, turned his head and saw that it was Jiang Tiantao. His murderous expression softened slightly, and he forcibly suppressed his rage, asking in a deep voice, "What are your orders, Young Master Jiang?"

Jiang Tiantao cupped his hands slightly and smiled faintly, saying, "Lord Shen, please forgive my abruptness. The old hero Wang Youyuan is heartbroken over the loss of his son and is deeply affected. Perhaps he has many misunderstandings about you. Since you have a clear conscience, you can let him speak his mind. If there are truly no secrets, what is there to fear from fabricated stories? Now, you are repeatedly trying to intimidate me, which only makes the heroes of the world suspicious. Isn't that unwise? I urge you to reconsider my words." Upon hearing this, Zhao Peifeng, Wei Changshun, and dozens of others all nodded and agreed in unison.

Seeing this, the Golden-Faced Nezha had no choice but to steel himself. He nodded resolutely to the old man in plain clothes, gritting his teeth and saying, "Fine, speak!"

The old man glanced gratefully at Jiang Tiantao and Zhao Peifeng, then clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowing in a circular motion to the assembled heroes. At the same time, he said in a sorrowful voice, "Brothers and friends, I will now reveal a secret. Based on this secret, please judge who murdered my eldest son, Wang Zhongquan, and whether the Lord of Dahong Mountain is suspected of silencing him." Upon hearing this, the assembled heroes fell silent, listening intently in complete stillness.

The Golden-Faced Nezha trembled slightly, his face ashen, but having heard Jiang Tiantao and the others' suggestion, he dared not refute them further, only letting out a cold snort. The old man in plain clothes pointed to the jade lion in the arena and asked in a questioning tone, "Have you all heard the rumors in the martial arts world that the Lord of Dahong Mountain obtained a jade lion carrying a lost martial arts technique? That's right, I'm telling you all, this news was spread by me alone..." As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd of heroes stirred up another commotion and discussion.

Upon hearing this, the Golden-Faced Nezha's eyes lit up, and he immediately raised his arms and shouted, "Gentlemen, the rumor that I obtained the Jade Lion of Martial Arts has finally been spoken of by the very person who spread the rumor. You may continue to listen and see what other sensational stories he can fabricate."

The old man in plain clothes ignored Shen Qifeng and continued loudly, "Gentlemen, this is an absolute secret, known only to my son and the Lord of Dahong Mountain. I saw it in my son's will."

Upon hearing this, the Golden-Faced Nezha's expression became even more unstable. He immediately grunted and muttered resentfully to himself, "Very well, speak!"

The old man in plain clothes suddenly pointed to the tall jade lion in the arena and continued, "Gentlemen, please listen carefully. This jade lion is a female lion, and inside her belly is a cub that is only one foot and three inches tall..." Upon hearing this, all the heroes held their breath, and the entire arena was so quiet that you could hear a leaf fall.

The golden-faced Nezha's ashen face turned deathly pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. The old man in plain clothes deliberately raised his voice, raising his arm and shouting, "Gentlemen, many lost martial arts techniques are recorded on the cubs inside the mother lion's belly!" This statement caused a stir among the crowd, immediately sparking a commotion and clamor, presumably about the jade lion carrying the martial arts techniques and the old man's son, Wang Zhongquan, being murdered on his way home.

At this point, the old man trembled, tears streaming down his face, and turned to the golden-faced Nezha, demanding sharply, "Shen Qifeng, are these words I've spoken fabricated?"

The golden-faced Nezha was pale, sweat pouring down his face, but he still glared angrily and shouted, "Utter nonsense! The jade lion is perfectly intact, with no sign of being cut open or ripped open. How could the cubs inside have been born?" Upon hearing this, the old man in plain clothes immediately leaped towards the tall jade lion before the hall steps.

The clamor of heroes immediately fell silent, all eyes fixed on the old man in plain clothes and the jade lion. The old man in plain clothes flew to the jade lion, strode onto the giant wooden platform, pointed angrily at the huge tail of the jade lion, glared at the golden-faced Nezha, and said sternly, "The little lion was taken out from the slipknot under the tail, do you think I didn't know that?"

Upon hearing this, the golden-faced Nezha suddenly became calm, then smiled contemptuously and said, "Since you know, then lift the jade lion up and let all the heroes present today see it." Upon hearing this

, the old man in plain clothes couldn't help but let out a shrill laugh, saying, "I am not as strong as the hook and crutch, capable of lifting mountains and lifting a thousand pounds without changing my expression, you, Lord Shen, think too highly of me, Wang Youyuan."

Jiang Tiantao, who was sitting quietly in his chair, his anger rising, immediately thought of the gaunt old man he had injured with a single palm strike outside Jiugongbao when he heard about the hook and crutch being able to lift mountains. Before he could finish his thought, a loud shout suddenly came from the crowd of heroes in the southwest corner: "Old hero, why bother with your strength to lift mountains? Let me, the Mighty Arhat, lift the lion!" With that shout, a figure leaped forward, rushing towards the jade lion before the hall steps. Upon

seeing this, the crowd immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers. Jiang Tiantao looked in the direction of the voice and saw it was the same burly man who had been pinned down by the wild horse. He thought to himself: "His nickname is Mighty Arhat; lifting this jade lion shouldn't be difficult for him. Besides, if he didn't have the confidence, he wouldn't dare to come out in public." But the golden-faced Nezha, his face covered in sweat and his expression ashen, glanced at the Mighty Arhat with disdain.

The Mighty Arhat arrived before the jade lion and first humbly bowed to the old man in plain clothes, saying, "Old hero, let me, Chi Xinnan, lift it." The old man

in plain clothes returned the bow repeatedly, smiling and saying, "Great Hero Chi, please display your divine strength." As he spoke, he immediately stepped down from the massive platform.

The mighty Arhat returned the greeting with clasped hands, then strode onto the giant wooden platform. Looking down, his expression changed drastically. He saw that the tail of the towering jade lion was three feet across, with only six inches protruding from the platform, and the portion embedded within it was unknown. Although Chi Xinnan was a powerful figure, he was also observant. He quickly walked to the edge of the platform and looked down; it was at least three feet across. He then returned to the jade lion, placed his hands on its chest, and began to shake and push it.

Seeing this, the old man in plain clothes sensed something was amiss. He leaped onto the giant wooden platform and urgently asked, "Hero Chi, is something wrong?"

The mighty Arhat angrily pointed at the jade lion seat and said in a deep voice, "Old hero, please look."

The old man in plain clothes looked down and suddenly realized what was going on. He raised his hand and pointed at the golden-faced Nezha, asking sharply, "Shen Qifeng, you embedded the jade lion's tail into the giant wood. Your treacherous intentions are obvious."

The golden-faced Nezha glared fiercely and also retorted sharply, "I was afraid that the jade lion would tip over on the speeding four-wheeled cart, so I embedded the tail into the wood..."

Upon hearing this, the old man in plain clothes couldn't help but laugh loudly. He then laughed and said, "The jade lion weighs over a thousand catties, and the tail is even heavier than the lion's body. How could it easily tip over? You clearly had ulterior motives, making it impossible for others to push the jade lion over. They would have to lift the jade lion to see the piston under the seat. Do you think I don't know your conspiracy?" Upon hearing this, the heroes were all shocked and immediately erupted in a burst of excited roars.

Seeing this, Golden-Faced Nezha was secretly alarmed and remained silent. Suddenly, the Mighty Arhat on the giant wooden platform shouted, "Old hero, step aside! Let me try..." As he spoke, he stepped closer to the jade lion, crouched down, and secretly gathered his strength. The veins in his arms bulged out of his flesh, his whole body creaking, and many of his chestnut muscles twitched.

Jiang Tiantao frowned slightly, knowing that the Mighty Arhat practiced brute force rather than genuine superior internal energy, and was therefore worried that he wouldn't be able to lift the lion. Although Golden-Faced Nezha was also aware of the situation, seeing the Mighty Arhat's posture of taming a lion and fighting a tiger, he couldn't help but feel anxious. The surrounding heroes all stood still, hoping that the Mighty Arhat could lift the lion and let everyone see the secret beneath the throne.

The dozens of heroes on the platform, except for those sitting still in the three rows of large chairs, all stood up, their eyes fixed on the jade lion. Although there were thousands of people in the crowd, it was so quiet that the cracking sound of the Mighty Arhat's bones could be heard. Suddenly, the Mighty Arhat squatted down and shouted, "Rise!" With that shout, he straightened his back, puffed out his chest, tilted his head back, stretched his neck, and forcefully raised his arms. His teeth bared, his face red, and after struggling for a long time, the jade lion barely moved.

Upon seeing this, the crowd shook their heads and sighed. The Mighty Arhat released the jade lion and immediately shouted angrily, "This jade lion weighs far more than a thousand pounds; otherwise, something must have been done by someone behind the tail." Upon hearing this, some of the crowd laughed, but most took it seriously. Taking advantage of the situation

, Golden-Faced Nezha coldly sneered, "If you don't have the skill, why bother making up excuses..."

The Mighty Arhat, who hated Golden-Faced Nezha intensely, interrupted before he could finish speaking, shouting angrily, "Shen Qifeng, you're about to die and you don't even know it! If there's a secret hidden beneath the tail, I, Chi Xinnan, will be the first to not let you go!"

Seeing that the Mighty Arhat, such a powerful figure, had only managed to move the jade lion slightly, Golden-Faced Nezha's courage grew. He laughed loudly, "As long as you defeat me, you, Chi Xinnan, can do whatever you want with me." The

Mighty Arhat snorted, resentfully saying, "My purpose in coming to Dahong Mountain is to test your Jade Lion Technique. I don't believe in such evil spirits."

Golden-Faced Nezha nodded hatefully and said in a deep voice, "Very well."

As soon as the word "good" was uttered, a loud shout suddenly erupted from the large chair on the platform: "Let me

, Zhang Shitou, give it a try!" Jiang Tiantao turned his head at the sound, and Zhang Shitou had already stood up from the chair and was walking down the steps. Upon seeing this, the crowd of heroes immediately burst into a deafening cheer. The face of the Golden-Faced Nezha immediately darkened, because Zhang Shitou had personally witnessed the Mighty Arhat fail to lift it, yet he still wanted to try, demonstrating his astonishing arm strength. At this moment, the old man in plain clothes and the Mighty Arhat, upon seeing Zhang Shitou walk down the steps, immediately retreated to the bottom of the platform. At the same time, watching Zhang Shitou sway as he walked to the front of the platform, they clasped their hands in front of their chests and humbly said, "We wish you success, Great Hero Zhang."

Zhang Shitou's face was expressionless, but he spoke in a stern, didactic tone, saying in a deep voice, "Don't be too competitive. It doesn't matter if you can't lift it, you can at least knock it down." Upon hearing this, the crowd of heroes immediately burst into joyful laughter, their laughter reaching the heavens.

The old man in plain clothes gave a thumbs-up and loudly praised, "Great Hero Zhang is truly a clever man! By overturning the Jade Lion, the secret beneath it is naturally revealed." The surrounding heroes erupted in praise, all saying that although Zhang Shitou was simple-minded, he had his own clever ideas.

At this moment, Zhang Shitou had already stepped onto the giant wooden platform. He first pushed the Jade Lion with both hands, and it shook violently. A cheer immediately broke out from the crowd. Confident that he could lift the Jade Lion, Zhang Shitou smiled smugly, turned around, clasped his hands in thanks, and waved them repeatedly to express his gratitude for the heroes' hospitality. Knowing that Zhang Shitou was confident, the cheers grew even more enthusiastic.

Seeing this, Golden-Faced Nezha felt a sudden surge of murderous intent and unconsciously reached for his hidden weapon. However, when he saw Zhang Shitou's impressive martial arts skills, his anxiety grew even stronger. Zhang Shitou was short and stocky, with a belly like a drum. He crouched down in front of the lion, his outstretched arms embracing its body, his protruding belly pressing against the Jade Lion's legs. Upon seeing this, the cheers of the assembled heroes ceased instantly, all holding their breath to watch how Zhang Shitou would lift the lion.

Jiang Tiantao and Zhu Caidie, both extremely concerned about whether Zhang Shitou could lift the jade lion, unconsciously stood up from their chairs. Those who had been sitting in the last few rows had quietly moved to the front of the hall.

At this moment, Zhang Shitou assumed a posture, embracing the lion's body tightly, secretly gathering his inner strength, gathering all his power, raising his eyebrows, glaring, and opening his mouth wide, letting out a fierce roar: "Rise!" With the word "rise," he straightened his back, bent his body, and thrust out his belly. With a whoosh, the jade lion rose two feet. Upon seeing this, the assembled heroes erupted in thunderous cheers, shaking the entire mountainside. Golden-Faced Nezha's heart jolted, his face changed drastically, and the cold sweat that had just dried on his forehead rolled back down. Although Zhang Shitou had straightened his body, the tailstock still remained in the wooden trough by at least half a foot.

The old man in plain clothes and the mighty Arhat standing below the platform excitedly shouted, "Hero Zhang, lift it a few more inches!"

Zhang Shitou pulled hard on the jade lion and immediately believed the mighty Arhat's words. The jade lion was not only unusually heavy but also slumped down, leading him to conclude that something must have been tampered with. Hearing the old man in plain clothes and the mighty Arhat say "lift it a few more inches," he had no choice but to muster his remaining strength, straightening his rear end, and sure enough, it rose another two inches. Upon seeing this, the crowd of heroes shouted loudly and swung their fists wildly, their emotions running high like a madman.

The mighty Arhat and the old man in plain clothes, seeing that part of the tailstock was still stuck in the groove, were extremely anxious and shouted again, "Hero Zhang, try again!"

Zhang Shitou, though simple-minded, was truly unwilling to admit defeat. He snorted, exerted all his strength, and straightened his belly, raising the jade lion another inch. At this moment, the crowd erupted in excitement, cheers deafening, and they broke through the red ropes, rushing towards the jade lion in the center of the arena, causing chaos. The Golden-Faced Nezha, his face ashen, sweat pouring down his face, clenched his fists tightly, his cold, gleaming eyes fixed on the jade lion, oblivious to the surging tide of heroes.

The heroes reached the jade lion, shouting and cheering, all trying to rouse Zhang Shitou. But Zhang Shitou, already exhausted, could no longer hold onto the jade lion; his hands loosened, and with a thud, the jade lion fell back into the wooden trough. Upon seeing this, the heroes stamped their feet, letting out a collective sigh of regret and disappointment. Only the Golden-Faced Nezha, Shen Qifeng, whose heart had been in his throat, quietly let out a long breath.

Zhu Caidie, always competitive, blushed with shame when she saw Zhang Shitou fail to lift the jade lion. Forgetting Jiang Tiantao's status, she grabbed his hand and urged, "Brother Tao, go!" Her words caused a stir among the crowd, who cheered and raised their arms, their shouts shaking the hall and the earth for a long time.

Seeing this, Jiang Tiantao knew he couldn't refuse, so he cupped his hands and said loudly, "Please be quiet, everyone, let me try." As soon as he uttered the word "try," he leaped into the air, soaring several meters towards the jade lion, which was seven or eight meters away.

Reaching the jade lion, Jiang Tiantao performed a somersault in the clouds, gracefully descending. The crowd cheered even louder at Jiang Tiantao's astonishing lightness skill. Golden-Faced Nezha, seeing this, knew something was wrong; his eyes flashed, and killing intent resurfaced.

Amidst the thunderous cheers, Jiang Tiantao landed gracefully on the giant wooden platform. He calmly walked to the jade lion, bowed to the golden-faced Nezha, and said with a humble smile, "Lord Shen, I have made a fool of myself."

The golden-faced Nezha's face was ashen, his brows radiating a murderous aura, and he forced a fist salute and said, "Please come." Jiang Tiantao glanced briefly at the jade lion's crouching posture, bowed slightly, gripped the jade lion's two front paws tightly, and shouted, "Rise!" With a whoosh, the giant shadow rose into the air, and the jade lion rose in response. Upon seeing this, the thousands of heroes immediately erupted into a frenzied cheer like spring thunder. At the same time, many people stood there, completely stunned. In this moment of frenzied excitement, no one thought to look at what secrets lay beneath the jade lion's tail.

Just then, a blue light, accompanied by a terrifying howl, flashed like lightning and was already in front of Jiang Tiantao's chest. Upon seeing this, the heroes were all stunned. There was a deafening roar, and the jade lion crashed onto the giant wooden platform. It was truly an earth-shattering event, followed by chaos among the heroes. Upon seeing the jade lion suddenly fall onto the platform, Zhu Caidie and Zhang Shitou mistakenly assumed Jiang Tiantao had been hit by a hidden weapon. They

both cried out in alarm and leaped towards the platform. But just as they lunged, a blue shadow flashed, and Jiang Tiantao had already soared into the air, over the heads of the assembled heroes, and flew straight towards the ridge of the magnificent hall. The chaotic crowd, following Jiang Tiantao's movements, looked up at the eaves and roared,

"Shen Qifeng has escaped!"

"Everyone, chase after him!"

"Don't let this shameless bastard get away!"

Zhu Caidie was the first to stop, turning back and instantly enraged. She saw the Golden-Faced Nezha, his face ashen and filled with panic, leaping onto the eaves. She immediately drew her sword, a flash of cold light, and shouted, "You villain, prepare to die!" With that shout, she soared into the air, chasing after him towards the eaves.

Shen Qifeng, the Golden-Faced Nezha, secretly launched a willow-leaf dart laced with deadly poison, certain that Jiang Tiantao was doomed. He was also already prepared to pursue Zhu Caidie and Zhao Peifeng. At this moment, he stepped onto the eaves of the hall, instantly grasping a handful of seven-holed poisoned willow-leaf darts. Seeing Zhu Caidie flying through the air, he raised his right hand, sending several beams of blue light shooting towards her.

Zhu Caidie, rising rapidly, couldn't dodge left or right, and could only parry with her sword. A series of clanging sounds and sparks flew as the willow-leaf darts scattered, and Zhu Caidie simultaneously fell to the ground. The heroes on the platform, seeing the falling darts, leaped and dodged, shouting in alarm and anger.

Zhao Peifeng, the Divine Whip, Wei Changshun, the Double-Pen Judge, and Wang Youyuan, the Old Man in Plain Clothes, though burning with rage and eager to pounce, knew they couldn't reach the hall from the Golden-Faced Nezha's elevated position. Seeing Zhu Caidie defeated and the enraged heroes helpless against him, Golden-Faced Nezha Shen Qifeng let out a triumphant laugh. He then loudly proclaimed, "Gentlemen, please forgive me for not keeping you company any longer." As soon as he finished speaking, he stomped his right foot on the roof tile, and a small door, about two feet square, suddenly appeared on the towering ridge of the hall.

The heroes, though startled, remained silent, all staring at him with angry eyes. Sensing something amiss, Golden-Faced Nezha Shen Qifeng turned to look at the ridge, his body trembling, his expression changing drastically. Beside the newly opened door on the ridge stood Jiang Tiantao, his sword-like eyebrows sharply defined, a smirking smile on his lips.

Jiang Tiantao coldly smiled and said, "Mountain Master Shen, you didn't expect I had already raised my guard against you, did you?"

Golden-Faced Nezha Shen Qifeng was indeed panicked. His eyes darted around in alarm, then, steeling his resolve, he roared and leaped towards Jiang Tiantao. Simultaneously, his right hand pressed against his waist, and a flash of cold light appeared as a sharp, supple Burmese knife, as smooth as a ribbon, was drawn from his waist. Just as he lunged forward, Zhu Caidie, Zhao Peifeng, the old man in plain clothes, and Wei Changshun, among others, shouted angrily and flew onto the roof of the hall.

Golden-Faced Nezha Shen Qifeng, only wanting to escape through the door, had no time to look back. He swung his Burmese knife through the air, aiming directly at Jiang Tiantao. Jiang Tiantao abruptly withdrew his sword, immediately performing "A Single Point of Cold Star," a flash of color, swift as lightning, aimed straight at Golden-Faced Nezha Shen Qifeng's chest. Golden-Faced Nezha Shen Qifeng was greatly startled. He lightly touched the ground with his toes, retreating five feet, nearly colliding with the old man in plain clothes who had just climbed onto the roof.

Wang Youyuan's brows furrowed, and he roared angrily, "Shen Qifeng, return my son's life!" With that shout, he swung his whip, aiming a fierce blow at the Golden-Faced Nezha's shoulder and back.

The Golden-Faced Nezha, who loathed the old man in plain clothes, Wang Youyuan, let out a venomous snort and swiftly performed a "relinquishing his robe and yielding his position," his Burmese knife slashing back at the old man's whip. Seeing that the old man was already fighting Shen Qifeng, Jiang Tiantao knew it was inappropriate to pursue. To prevent the Golden-Faced Nezha from escaping, he leaped back, preparing to guard his heart gate. But just as he retreated, a soft cracking sound rang out, sparks flying. Wang Youyuan's whip had been severed by the Golden-Faced Nezha's sharp Burmese knife. Jiang Tiantao knew he was in trouble, but he continued his retreat.

The Golden-Faced Nezha revealed his true form, his murderous intent already lurking. His fierce eyes glared, and he roared, "Go, you old dog!" With that shout, he brandished his blade, lunging towards Wang Youyuan's chest. The assembled heroes erupted in a frenzied roar.

Just then, a sharp cry rang out, and a red shadow flashed, a cold light already at the Golden-Faced Nezha's ribs. The Golden-Faced Nezha was startled. He knew it was Zhu Caidie attacking. If he didn't dodge, although he could kill Wang Youyuan, he would also inevitably suffer a blow from Zhu Caidie's sword. His mind raced. He could only step aside, his right hand wielding his Burmese sword, swiftly slashing at Zhu Caidie's wrist, while his left leg flew up, kicking the old man in plain clothes, Wang Youyuan.

With a thud, Wang Youyuan, unable to dodge, was struck by the Golden-Faced Nezha's kick. With a muffled groan, his body flew through the air, plummeting towards the floor below. The assembled heroes below panicked, rushing to catch Wang Youyuan. At this moment, the Golden-Faced Nezha and Zhu Caidie on the roof tiles were fiercely fighting. Zhu Caidie, eager to win, relentlessly attacked the vital points of the Golden-Faced Nezha.

The Golden-Faced Nezha, relying on his Jade Lion Technique, seemed to disregard Zhu Caidie, but the anger of the assembled heroes caused him some panic; he wished he could sprout wings and fly away from Dahong Mountain. Jiang Tiantao, watching with furrowed brows, knew that it would be difficult for Zhu Caidie to defeat the Golden-Faced Nezha, and resolved to replace her.

But just then, Zhao Peifeng, the Divine Whip, faced down in the hall and shouted in a deep voice, "De'er, bring the golden whip!" As soon as the shout fell, Zhao Huaide on the platform flicked his wrist, and a golden steel whip with a roof tile surface flashed with golden light, heading straight for Zhao Peifeng.

Jiang Tiantao recognized the Golden-Faced Nezha's skill as indeed possessing a unique and unpredictable quality. How could he allow Zhao Peifeng to intervene? Therefore, he urgently called out, "Uncle Zhao, please wait a moment. Let me first meet Master Shen." With that, he drew his sword and stepped forward. At the same time, he loudly proclaimed to Zhu Caidie, "Sister Die, please rest a moment. Let me experience Master Shen's Jade Lion Technique."

The headstrong Zhu Caidie, unwilling to listen, was about to speak when the alert Golden-Faced Nezha, noticing Jiang Tiantao had left the small door, suddenly shouted and swung his Burmese sword, forcing Zhu Caidie back five steps. Immediately afterward, he leaped towards the roof ridge, simultaneously unleashing a Burmese sword strike, "Sweeping the Five Mountains," aimed at Jiang Tiantao's waist.

Jiang Tiantao laughed loudly, "Master Shen, if you don't come down to the hall and explain things clearly, don't even think about escaping." As he spoke, he flashed forward, his Lixing Sword flashing out.

The golden-faced Nezha's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he roared, "You brat surnamed Jiang, shut up! Winning by relying on your precious blade makes you no hero. You should know that I, Shen, have never taken the Nine Palaces Fortress's Lixing Sword Technique seriously."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao was immediately enraged and retorted sharply, "I thought you were forced into this situation and might have some unspeakable difficulties, so I gave you a chance to explain to the heroes. I didn't expect you to be so stubborn..."

The golden-faced Nezha, confident in his Jade Lion Technique, seemed to genuinely disregard Jiang Tiantao. Before Jiang Tiantao could finish speaking, he continued sharply, "Enough nonsense, take this!" As soon as the word "take this" left his mouth, his swordsmanship suddenly changed, quite different from the swordsmanship he had used when fighting Zhu Caidie earlier. A flash of cold light rolled in.

Jiang Tiantao laughed heartily, saying, "Arrogant and conceited, you frog in a well! I'll show you the vastness of the world!" As he spoke, he spun around like lightning, unleashing the move "Starry Sky," a dazzling display of light accompanied by countless wisps of cold stars that rained down.

Shen Qifeng, the Golden-Faced Nezha, was startled, his expression changing drastically. Suddenly, he couldn't distinguish the Starry Sky Sword from the others, and in a panic, he hastily executed "Heavens Beyond Heaven." But no matter how he wielded it, creating a mountain of light and blades, the Starry Sky Sword continued to swirl and scatter around him. The Golden-Faced Nezha was horrified, realizing that the Jade Lion Saber Technique was far inferior to the Starry Sky Sword Technique.

Just then, Jiang Tiantao let out a deafening shout, followed by a dazzling burst of light that pierced through the forest of blades and struck his chest. Golden-Faced Nezha was startled, letting out a sharp howl. He spun to his right with a soft thud, and Jiang Tiantao's sword tip ripped a long seam in his left shoulder's velvet robe. The crowd of heroes thronging the hall erupted in thunderous cheers.

Golden-Faced Nezha, terrified, spun to the side, letting out a scream, and swung his Burmese knife down at Jiang Tiantao's face. Jiang Tiantao had no intention of harming him; his aim was to force Golden-Faced Nezha to submit. Seeing Nezha's blade fall, he flashed forward, executing the "Nebula Lightning Flash," his Lixing Sword slicing straight at Nezha's shoulders. A flash of color followed, and another soft tearing sound rang out; a seam about eight inches long appeared on Nezha's chest.

The crowd erupted in another round of gleeful cheers. Golden-Faced Nezha let out a strange howl and flew backward, landing not far from Zhu Caidie. But at this moment, the Golden-Faced Nezha was pale, sweating profusely, his pale, bloodless lips trembling slightly, and his fierce eyes staring at Jiang Tiantao with terror and resentment. He was completely stunned and had long forgotten whether there was anyone behind him. Of course, Zhu Caidie came from a prestigious family and was a chivalrous woman of integrity. Even if the Golden-Faced Nezha Shen Qifeng was extremely ruthless, she would never resort to underhanded tactics.

Seeing that the Golden-Faced Nezha did not retaliate with his sword, Jiang Tiantao immediately said earnestly and solemnly, "Lord Shen, I have no ill intentions towards you. I only hope you will come down to the hall and explain the matter clearly..."

Zhu Caidie, standing behind the Golden-Faced Nezha, immediately said contemptuously, "If he has nothing to hide, why would he be afraid of being judged?" Before she finished speaking, the Golden-Faced Nezha trembled, suddenly let out a loud shout, and swung his Burmese sword behind him with a backhand motion. A flash of cold light, as fast as lightning.

Jiang Tiantao was furious upon seeing this and was about to rush to his aid when he suddenly heard Zhu Caidie's cold laugh and she raised her sword to block the attack. A sharp clang rang out, scattering countless sparks. Immediately after, a sharp cry rang out, and a sword flashed, aimed straight for the Golden-Faced Nezha's chest. Jiang Tiantao's expression changed drastically, and he cried out, "Sister Die, no!"

But it was too late. Where the sword passed, blood splattered, and the Golden-Faced Nezha, Shen Qifeng, let out a shrill scream, dropped his sword, and collapsed, instantly dead. Upon seeing this, the assembled heroes erupted in another thunderous roar of venting anger, lasting for a long time. Jiang Tiantao rushed over, looking down to see that the Golden-Faced Nezha, Shen Qifeng's chest, from his ribs to his right shoulder, had been cleaved open by the sword.

"Double-Pen Judge," seeing Jiang Tiantao's expression, seemed to resent Zhu Caidie's ruthless attack, and thus said in a deep voice, "Young Master Jiang, what is the loss of someone like 'Golden-Faced Nezha' Shen Qifeng?" " Suppose that when the lion was being raised, the young master of the fortress was caught off guard and struck by his poisoned dart, or that Miss Zhu was suddenly struck by his blade, what would the situation be like then?"

Before he finished speaking, Zhao Peifeng added, "Nephew Jiang, one shouldn't judge Shen Qifeng's character by his appearance or speech. The fact that none of the three altar masters and dozens of incense masters of Dahong Mountain offered any assistance shows how domineering he is towards his subordinates!"

Jiang Tiantao nodded in agreement, and at the same time, taking advantage of the moment he sheathed his sword, he glanced at Zhu Caidie, whose fierce aura had not yet faded from her fair face. Suddenly, Zhang Shitou, still standing beside the jade lion, shouted loudly, "Hey, come down quickly! There really is a secret beneath this jade lion!"

Jiang Tiantao and the others looked down and saw the bustling crowd of heroes pushing and shoving towards the jade lion. Zhao Peifeng immediately urged, "Nephew Jiang, let's go down too!"

So, everyone descended to the ground below the hall. Except for Zhao Huaide, the three altar masters of Dahong Mountain, and dozens of incense masters, all the heroes on the platform went to see the jade lion. Jiang Tiantao saw the purple-robed elder Meng Lechang, the middle-aged scholar Fu Yuqing, the thin elder Sun Yuanhu, and the dozens of incense masters of Dahong Mountain sitting solemnly in their chairs. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "Today's events were unexpected. Please, the three of you, go and see the jade lion!"

The three altar masters stood up at the same time and respectfully agreed. Meng Lechang replied, "Young Master, please. Hero Zhao, please."

Then, everyone descended the stone steps of the platform and went directly to the center of the arena. Amidst the clamor of the crowd, some praised, some cursed, and one shouted, "Heavens! With lead secretly poured into it, who can lift this jade lion?"

"Even the strongest of the two, with their hook and crutch, couldn't lift it."

"No wonder even the mighty Arhat couldn't move it."

Suddenly, Zhang Shitou proudly declared, "I'm not bragging, but if this jade lion hadn't been filled with lead, lifting it would have been no problem for me."

Jiang Tiantao, upon hearing this, already understood the gist of the situation. Suddenly, the crowd shouted, "Young Master Jiang is here!"

Amidst the shouts, they parted to make way for Jiang Tiantao, who advanced, smiling and nodding frequently. Upon reaching the giant wooden platform, he saw that the jade lion's head had fallen to the ground, its tail base facing upwards.

Jiang Tiantao first invited Zhao Peifeng and Wei Changshun onto the platform, then followed closely behind, only then discovering that the jade lion's tail base was filled with lead. Wang Youyuan, an old man in plain clothes, though forced off the eaves by Shen Qifeng (the Golden-Faced Nezha), was caught by the crowd of heroes on the platform, thus sustaining only minor injuries. Seeing Jiang Tiantao and the others ascend the platform, he immediately pointed to the jade lion's tail and humbly said, "Young Master, please look, this lead-filled part is where the cub is nestled."

Jiang Tiantao immediately nodded in understanding. Since the entire tail was filled with lead, he deduced that the jade lion's abdomen was hollow, with a square jade inlay at the bottom. Just then, he heard Wei Changshun exclaim, "Judging from this, this jade lion must weigh at least 1,500 jin."

Zhao Peifeng stroked his hair and nodded, sincerely praising, "If it weren't for my nephew Jiang being here today, all the thousands of heroes present would have been deceived by Shen Qifeng." Upon hearing this, Wei Changshun, Wang Youyuan, and the crowd of heroes surrounding the platform simultaneously erupted in praise.

Zhao Peifeng sighed and said, "Judging from the grooves carved into this platform and the lead filling the jade lion, Shen Qifeng has indeed put in a lot of effort."

Just then, the purple-robed elder Meng Lechang said, "Apart from the mountain lord's few trusted stewards, no one in the three altars knows about these matters."

Jiang Tiantao asked in confusion, "After Mountain Lord Shen found the jade lion, didn't the three altar masters know about it at the time?"

The thin elder Sun Yuanhu answered first, "We only heard that the mountain lord found a jade lion from many years ago in the back, and that there was a small lion inside its belly carrying a lost martial arts technique. It was only after Steward Wang Zhongquan left the mountain several months later that we heard such rumors circulating in the martial arts world."

The double-pen judge Wei Changshun chimed in, "Did Shen Qifeng behave strangely at the time?"

The middle-aged scholar Fu Yuqing replied, "The mountain lord was furious after hearing the rumors, but he didn't send anyone to refute them. The only difference from his usual behavior was that he rarely inquired about the affairs of the stronghold, spending his days practicing martial arts in the back mountain." He would occasionally spar with the masters of the three altars.

Zhao Peifeng interjected, "Has Shen Qifeng's skill improved significantly?"

The purple-robed elder, Meng Lechang, replied, "He has improved, but not remarkably. Therefore, all the altar masters, incense masters, and leaders, big and small, believe the legends of the martial arts world are true."

Jiang Tiantao's heart stirred, and he immediately affirmed, "If the martial arts recorded on the Jade Lion are indeed long-lost secret techniques, and Shen Qifeng's martial arts today are still so mediocre, there must be another reason."

Zhao Peifeng, Wei Changshun, the three altar masters of Dahong Mountain, and the heroes who stood listening all nodded in agreement. Many people asked, "Could you please ask the young master to explain?"

Jiang Tiantao continued, "Firstly, the martial arts recorded on the Jade Lion are extremely profound. Shen Qifeng, studying them secretly, could not fully comprehend their essence. He could only have a superficial understanding, hence his martial arts have not made any remarkable progress." Zhao Peifeng and the others nodded in agreement, saying it made sense.

Jiang Tiantao continued, "Secondly, the martial arts recorded on the jade lion are not as profound and mysterious as the outside world says. Perhaps they are just martial arts lost by a certain sect in the past."

The old man in plain clothes, Wang Youyuan, was the first to praise, "Young Master's insight is extraordinary, and his judgment is extremely correct. As long as we find out where the jade lion containing the martial arts is, this mystery can be solved immediately." Upon hearing this, the heroes stirred and immediately began to discuss.

Zhao Peifeng, seeing this, knew something was amiss and feared that some unscrupulous individuals among the heroes might seize the opportunity to cause trouble. He immediately smiled faintly and said, "Finding this jade lion is easier said than done. Even the three altar masters don't know, let alone others." He paused, looked at the three altar masters, and continued, "The most urgent issue right now is not finding the jade lion, but immediately electing a new mountain master to continue leading the brothers of the three altars."

The purple-robed elder, Meng Lechang, stroked his hair and glanced at Fu Wangqing and Sun Yuanhu. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly heard the nearby heroes shouting loudly, "The new mountain master should be Zhang Daxia, who subdued the wild horse Thunder Leopard! How can anyone else be elected?"

Upon hearing this, the three altar masters' hearts stirred, and they simultaneously praised, "That's right, Zhang Daxia should now take over as the mountain master. We will absolutely obey your orders." After saying this, the three of them looked at Zhang Shitou with all six eyes.

In a panic, Zhang Shitou immediately shouted, "I, Zhang Shitou, do not wish to be the mountain lord! I want to return to Wuyou Cave to serve my master!" Upon hearing this, the assembled heroes all laughed heartily.

Zhao Peifeng knew that among the heroes, there were certainly many who coveted the Jade Lion, so he laughed loudly and immediately announced, "Gentlemen, the new mountain lord of Dahong Mountain has been succeeded by Zhang Shitou, the great hero and disciple of the Blind Nun Jin Fu of Wuyou Cave on Fanjing Mountain. I hope all heroes will give him their support." As soon as he finished speaking, the entire crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

Zhang Shitou, frowning and grinning, was still about to refuse when Zhu Caidie secretly gave him a look and deliberately smiled, saying, "Brother Shitou, don't worry, Little Sister and Brother Tao will talk to Master, and you won't be scolded."

Zhang Shitou snorted unhappily and whispered, "You're just worried that I'll be caught in the middle between you and Brother Tao."

Zhu Caidie, upon hearing this, felt her sore spot hit, her face flushed red with embarrassment, and her almond-shaped eyes widened in anger. She immediately whispered angrily, "Brother Shitou, you're talking nonsense." In the midst of her whisper, she glanced over and saw Zhao Peifeng, Wei Changshun, and the three altar masters of Dahong Mountain discussing urgent matters, seemingly unaware of her conversation with Zhang Shitou. However, Jiang Tiantao, who was talking with the three altar masters, had a slightly flushed face, clearly having heard Brother Shitou's complaint clearly.

Suddenly, Wei Changshun said, "Dahong Mountain cannot be without a leader for even a day. Jade Lion can only be planned for the future. Without someone with outstanding martial arts skills to guard the main stronghold, Dahong Mountain will never have a peaceful day." The three altar masters were convinced and agreed.

Zhao Peifeng said in a worried voice, "Before all the heroes have left the mountain, Nephew Jiang and Miss Zhu must not leave. Now, Altar Master Meng can announce the end of the conference."

Meng Rongchang respectfully accepted the order and immediately faced the heroes, announcing loudly, "Seniors, friends, and heroes from all walks of life, the former leader of this mountain deceived the heroes of the world by holding a martial arts gathering to cover up his crimes and spread rumors. It had no meaning to discuss martial arts. Now, Shen Qifeng has been executed for his crimes, which is obvious to all. I will not repeat myself." At this point, the heroes stirred, and the discussion continued for a long time.

Jia Rongchang specially raised his voice and said, "The new leader of this mountain has been chosen by heroes from all walks of life, Zhang Daxia who subdued the Thunder Leopard. The inauguration ceremony will be held on an auspicious day. At that time, I would like to invite you all to attend the ceremony and give me your guidance."

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in cheers, and those on the outermost edge began to disperse towards the gate. However, many others, their eyes darting about, hesitated and whispered amongst themselves, unwilling to leave. Red Flag Altar Leader Meng Rongchang and Divine Whip Zhao Peifeng, among others, watched this with growing anxiety, knowing that those who hesitated must have ulterior motives.

Just then, the crowd heading towards the edge of the grove suddenly cheered. Jiang Tiantao and the others looked in the direction of the sound and saw a burly man in sleek attire riding a dappled horse struggling to squeeze through the bamboo grove. At the same time, the crowd, unaware of the reason for their cheers, surged towards the mounted man.

Upon seeing this, Red Flag Altar Leader Meng Rongchang immediately exclaimed, "Ah, this man is a spy sent by the main stronghold to Yunmeng City! I wonder what astonishing event has occurred outside!" As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted in cheers again, rushing towards the gate.

Jiang Tiantao and the others were utterly bewildered, their eyes fixed on the approaching mounted man. Sun Yuanhu, the leader of the Blue Flag Altar, immediately raised his hand on the platform and shouted urgently, "Hey, all three altar leaders, you're all here!"

Upon seeing this, the burly man on horseback immediately spurred his horse over. Fu Yuqing, the leader of the White Flag Altar, asked in a deep voice, "What happened down the mountain?"

Upon seeing the three altar leaders, the burly man dismounted, clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "Jiang Wuxing, the third sentry of Yunmeng City, reports to the three altar leaders that the Dragon Head Assembly, held once every five years, has been moved up to the 25th of next month." Zhao Peifeng and the others exclaimed in surprise at the same time!

Sun Yuanhu asked urgently, "Has something major happened in the martial arts world?"

The burly Jiang Wuxing replied respectfully, "Because the old master of Jiugongbao has retired, the position of master has been taken over by the young master, Jiang Tiantao. The leader of Diancang Sect, who was ill, has been replaced by Wei Jigao, one of the Three Heroes of Diancang. The leader of Lingxia Sect was injured in a duel, and his chief disciple, the Fallen Flower Swordsman Shan Yutian, has been promoted to leader..."

Before he could finish, Wei Changshun interjected solemnly, "This news is undoubtedly true, because according to the rules of the Dragon Head Assembly, within the five-year recess of the martial arts world, three leaders of one faction..." "If the sect leader changes, a temporary assembly should be convened."

Zhu Caidie, being naturally restless, turned to the burly man and asked, "Where did you get this news?"

The burly man respectfully replied, "It's already widely known in Yunmeng and Ying'an counties."

Zhu Caidie continued with concern, "Where is the venue for this year's Dragon Head Assembly?"

The burly man respectfully replied, "I heard that the chosen venue is Xingzi Mountain on the border of Shaanxi and Sichuan."

Jiang Tiantao's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and he immediately asked in confusion, "What are the dates of the assembly?"

The burly man bowed and said, "From the 25th to the 28th of next month, for three days."

Zhao Peifeng, upon hearing this... He then said to Jiang Tiantao, "Nephew Jiang, this Dragon Head Assembly is of great importance to your reputation in the underworld and the prestige of Jiugongbao in the martial arts world. You must do your utmost in this assembly. You will need not only wisdom but also courage, and you must send all the top masters of Jiugongbao to the assembly. Perhaps only through several rounds of open and covert struggles can you maintain the position and reputation that your father has obtained."

Seeing the seriousness of Zhao Peifeng's words, Jiang Tiantao immediately nodded respectfully and agreed. Zhao Peifeng continued, "Although there's still over a month until the meeting, you must make thorough preparations beforehand. My brother Jiang will explain the details to you. As for the matters here, this old man and the old hero Wei will stay and take care of things..."

Before he finished speaking, he used his two pens to judge Wei Changshun and immediately said humbly, "Young Master, please go with peace of mind."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shitou immediately shouted, "I don't want to be the mountain lord! I want to go with my brother Tao to the Dragon Head Assembly!"

Zhao Peifeng immediately explained, "Right now, your brother Tao must rush back to Jiugong Fortress overnight to receive instructions from Old Master Jiang and select outstanding experts before he can attend the assembly. If you take over as the master of Dahong Mountain, you will not only be qualified to participate in the Dragon Head Assembly, but you can also lead the experts from the three altars to bolster your brother Tao's reputation and provide support. Wouldn't that be even better?" Upon hearing this, Zhang Shitou grinned and remained silent.

Jiang Tiantao turned apologetically to Zhao Peifeng and said, "My intention is to wait until after Brother Shitou's inauguration ceremony before setting off back to the fortress."

Zhao Peifeng immediately said seriously, "No, Brother Wei and I are in charge of the planning here, and the three altar masters are in charge of the arrangements. You can go with peace of mind."

Zhu Caidie had originally held onto high hopes, preparing to ride back to Fanjing Mountain with Jiang Tiantao. Unexpectedly, Jiang Tiantao encountered the Dragon Head Assembly again and had to return to Jiugong Fortress first. Although she was extremely annoyed, the matter was of great importance, and she could only sigh at her bad luck. Now, hearing that she could go to Xingzi Mountain with Brother Shitou, and thinking of another opportunity to show off her skills in front of the heroes of the world, all her annoyance vanished. At this moment, she also urged him seriously, "Time is of the essence. Brother Tao, if you want to have enough time to prepare, you should return to Mufu Mountain as soon as possible. Little Sister and Brother Shitou will definitely arrive at Xingzi Mountain before the meeting."

Seeing that Zhu Caidie did not show any displeasure, Jiang Tiantao was relieved and immediately cupped his hands and said, "In that case, we will rely on Uncle Zhao and Hero Wei."

Zhao Peifeng and the others laughed and said, "Don't be modest. We'll meet again at Xingzi Mountain a few days before the meeting."

So, Jiang Tiantao rode the flowery horse that the scouting man had brought, shouted "See you later!" and spurred his horse out of the village gate.

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Night Meeting with the Dragon Girl

The mountain road was wide and flat. The departing heroes were still coming down the mountain in a steady stream. The topic of conversation among them was how to get to Xingzi Mountain. Jiang Tiantao had no interest in listening to what the heroes were saying. He rode back to the inn along the path he had come from, prepared Xiaoqing, gave instructions to the flowery horse, and rode straight out of the town.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, noon. Jiang Tiantao hurried on his way, his mind focused on how to get back to Jiugongbao as quickly as possible. Upon arriving in Yunmeng City, he found the news circulating in the taverns and teahouses that the Dragon Head Assembly was being held at Xingzi Mountain. Jiang Tiantao left the South Gate and headed towards Xiaogan. Not long after leaving the city, a whistling arrow suddenly shot through the air behind him. Turning around, he saw three fast horses galloping like the wind, with an old man and two burly men constantly whipping their horses, rushing towards him.

As soon as the old man saw Jiang Tiantao turn around, he immediately waved his arm and shouted, "Young Master Jiang, please stop your horse!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao had no choice but to rein in his horse and stop it by the roadside. The old man on horseback had frosty eyebrows, tiger-like eyes, a square mouth, and a silver beard. He wore a gray robe, carried no weapon, had a ruddy complexion, and piercing eyes; it was clear at a glance that he was an old man with considerable martial arts skills. The other two burly men were dressed in the same gray outfit and each carried a weapon; one held a longbow in his hand, and the other carried a pigeon coop on his back.

As they looked around, three fast horses galloped up to them. The gray-robed elder on horseback immediately

clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, saying humbly, "Tian Liyu, the Yunmeng branch leader of the Three Hairpins Gang, greets the young master." Upon hearing "Three Hairpins Gang," Jiang Tiantao's brow furrowed slightly, but seeing the elder's polite demeanor, he quickly returned the gesture with a smile, asking, "So it's Branch Leader Tian. May I ask what brings you three here on horseback?"

The gray-robed elder, Tian Liyu, bowed slightly on horseback, saying, "Last night, I received a personal order from the President to investigate the Poisonous Woman who has fled your fortress in fear of punishment..."

Upon hearing "Poisonous Woman," Jiang Tiantao's spirits lifted, and he blurted out, "Is there any news?"

The gray-robed elder, Tian Liyu, bowed again, replying, "At noon, we received a carrier pigeon report from the Jingshan branch, saying that the Poisonous Woman from your fortress shopped in Jingshan City between 9 and 11 AM, and afterwards, she left through the South Gate, seemingly heading to Tianmen County..."

Jiang Tiantao ... Jiang Tiantao asked anxiously, "Has your Tianmen branch sent any notification?"

The gray-robed elder, Tian Liyu, shook his head slightly and said, "Notifications from Tianmen are relayed by carrier pigeons from Jingshan, so it won't be quick. If Poisonous Lady has fled to Yingcheng or Neifang Mountain, the notification won't arrive until after midnight."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao became even more anxious and asked in frustration, "May I ask, Chief Tian, should I head to Tianmen immediately?"

The gray-robed elder, Tian Liyu, replied without hesitation, "Young Master, you can head directly to Tianmen. However, please keep in touch with our spies along the way, as the Commander-in-Chief has already rushed to Jingshan upon hearing the news."

Jiang Tiantao hurriedly cupped his hands and said gratefully, "Thank you for your advice, Chief Tian. I will go to Tianmen immediately." With that, he turned his horse, released the reins, and galloped forward, hearing the gray-robed elder's blessing behind him.

Jiang Tiantao waved goodbye and said goodbye, and Xiaoqing had already galloped off like the wind. Originally heading to Xiaogan, they were now heading towards Yingcheng instead, first heading due east, and now southwest. Sitting on his speeding steed, Jiang Tiantao thought that he had to get to Tianmen immediately. This time, having encountered the Poisonous Lady, he would never let that vile woman go again. Thinking of the message relayed by the gray-robed old man, Tian Liyu, he felt secretly grateful to Huangfu Xiang, and his anger towards her for letting the Poisonous Lady go vanished instantly.

He remembered that Huangfu Xiang had shed tears in her room last night, presumably feeling ashamed of the seriousness of letting the Poisonous Lady go, which was why she had rushed down the mountain that night to order all the detachments to urgently pursue the Poisonous Lady. He thought that she had rushed to Jingshan upon hearing the news, and might continue on to Tianshan. Because he was focused on capturing the Poisonous Lady, and because the Dragon Head Assembly was still far away, he temporarily put the matter of attending the assembly aside.

He arrived outside the East Gate of Yingcheng after midnight. The streets were dark, with only one or two night food stalls still lit. To get more accurate information, he needed to find the Three Hairpins Gang's branch in Yingcheng and ask. So, he stopped his horse in front of a nightclub with hanging gauze lanterns. The waiter, who had been dozing under the door, immediately jumped up from his bench upon hearing the sound of hooves and took the horse with a beaming smile.

Jiang Tiantao handed Xiaoqing to the waiter and immediately ordered, "Feed the horse first, then prepare a meal and some wine for me. I have some errands to run in the city and will be right back."

The waiter was taken aback and immediately explained, "Sir, it's past midnight now, the city gates are already closed, why would you..." As he spoke, his gaze suddenly fell on the Lixing Sword hanging at Jiang Tiantao's waist, and he knew that this was no ordinary young master, so he stopped talking.

But Jiang Tiantao lowered his voice and asked, "Excuse me, waiter, do you know where the Yingcheng branch of the Three Hairpins Gang is located?"

The waiter's expression changed upon hearing this, and he shook his head repeatedly, saying, "I don't know, I don't know where it is."

Jiang Tiantao knew that the waiter had mistaken him for a martial arts figure who had come to provoke him and seek revenge, so he couldn't help but smile. Just as he was about to ask again, a loud voice suddenly rang out from inside the accounting room: "If you are looking for the Yingcheng branch of the Three Hairpins Gang, you don't need to enter the city. Just cross the street from here, and you will see a fine courtyard about a hundred feet away. That's it."

Jiang Tiantao looked in the direction of the voice and saw an oil lamp lit inside the accounting room. The light was very dim, and a tall and strong man dressed in a blue cloth outfit was drinking alone from a pot. Therefore, he concluded that the man was someone who had come for a late-night snack. So, he hurriedly cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "Thank you for showing me the way."

The burly man put down his wine cup and also clasped his hands, saying, "No problem, no need to be so polite."

Jiang Tiantao walked out of the shop. The street was deserted and empty. To save time, he leaped onto the rooftop and looked around. Sure enough, a hundred feet away, there was a refined courtyard. In the courtyard, shadowy figures could be seen, and several lights were still on. So, he moved swiftly and rushed towards the refined courtyard.

As he went, he looked closely. The refined courtyard was surrounded by a cluster of bamboo, with a black lacquered gatehouse, five stone steps, and a stone lion on each side. Four windproof lanterns hung under the eaves. Three burly men in blue were sitting under the gatehouse talking. The atmosphere was serious, and their expressions were cautious, as if something big had happened. After looking around, he was not far from the gatehouse. He immediately stopped and strode towards the gate. As he approached within seven or eight zhang, he was immediately spotted by three burly men in blue, who rose to greet him as he descended the steps.

Jiang Tiantao first bowed and said humbly, "Please inform your esteemed leader that Jiang Tiantao, the young master of Jiugong Fortress

on Mufu Mountain, requests an audience." Upon hearing this, the three men in blue bowed and responded in unison. One of them quickly turned and rushed into the gatehouse, while the other two stood respectfully beside him. While the men were communicating, Jiang Tiantao glanced around and noticed that the courtyard was not large, with no more than thirty rooms, but the architecture was exquisite. After he finished looking around, the men who had gone inside to report still hadn't come out.

Jiang Tiantao sensed something was amiss and humbly asked the two burly men, "Who is your branch leader?"

One of them respectfully replied, "It is Cai Xiuqin, an excellent female incense master recently sent by the main altar..."

Jiang Tiantao had previously visited the mountain as Wei Ming, and therefore was most reluctant to meet with people from the Dongliang Mountain main altar, especially a female incense master. A thought struck him, and he immediately changed his question, "May I ask if there are any message carriers from Tianmen on board today?"

The other burly man respectfully replied, "There are message carriers, but whether they are from Tianmen, I do not know."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao felt both anxious and disappointed. A thought struck him again, and he suddenly changed the subject, asking, "Is your gang's leader, Miss Huangfu, here on board today?" Upon hearing "leader,"

both burly men simultaneously stood at attention and respectfully replied, "The leader is not here today, but the Chief Inspector is on board."

Jiang Tiantao's heart skipped a beat; he immediately sensed something was wrong. No wonder the man who went inside to report hadn't come out yet; it turned out Rainbow Dragon Girl was inside. Thinking of his nighttime visit to Qifeng Palace with Deng Lizhu, and the Rainbow Dragon Girl's pursuit with her fleet on Dragon Palace Lake, he felt it best not to see her now. With this thought in mind, he immediately cupped his hands and said, "So the Three Beauties Gang's Chief Inspector is at the helm. He must be discussing important matters. I'll come back later." He turned and, without waiting for the two burly men to speak, used his lightness skill to dash straight to East Street, crossing a row of houses, and heading back to the inn.

The innkeeper, seeing Jiang Tiantao, immediately greeted him with a smile. Jiang Tiantao was certain the Rainbow Dragon Girl would follow, so upon entering the inn, he urged the waiter, "Go prepare the horse."

The waiter was taken aback, then pointed to the left wing and said, "Sir, your food and wine."

Jiang Tiantao was indeed a little hungry, so he nodded and hurried into the left wing. Inside, an oil lamp burned, and a meal of food and wine was already laid out on the table. He ate hastily while hoping the waiter would bring Xiaoqing over as soon as possible. Just as he was finishing his meal, he suddenly heard a woman's voice outside the shop asking,

"Whose horse is this?"

The waiter replied respectfully, "It belongs to a young master."

Jiang Tiantao knew he was in trouble. Although the woman's voice didn't sound like Rainbow Dragon Girl's, he was certain she was from the Yingcheng branch of the Three Hairpins Gang. Suddenly, he heard the woman command in a deep voice, "Give me the horse."

Jiang Tiantao was startled and jumped up from his chair, thinking: I absolutely cannot let them take the horse. In that instant, he had already rushed outside. At the same time, he heard the waiter muttering. Suddenly, he heard a burly man's voice angrily say, "Give it to me if you want it, stop yelling!"

Jiang Tiantao recognized the voice. So, he hurried to the courtyard and saw a young woman in green, about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, leading two girls in tight-fitting clothes carrying swords, entering the shop. Xiao Qing, with her full figure, was being held by a burly man in blue, the same strong and imposing man who had given directions while drinking in the tent earlier.

Jiang Tiantao immediately realized that the burly man in blue was a spy for the Yingcheng branch of the Three Beauties Gang. Looking at the young woman in green, with her willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, rosy cheeks, straight nose, and thin cherry lips, she was clearly a clever and eloquent woman. As he observed her, the young woman in green entered the courtyard.

Jiang Tiantao was angry that they had detained the horses. His handsome face showed a slight displeasure

. His left hand rested on the Lixing Sword at his waist, and his bright eyes coldly stared at the young woman in green. He said indifferently, "Are you perhaps Cai Xiuqin, the leader of the Cai Clan?" The young woman in green didn't stop, but nodded slightly and said indifferently, "Indeed, I am this humble woman. Are you perhaps Young Master Jiang?"

Jiang Tiantao deliberately smiled coldly and said, "I find you very familiar, young lady. Why ask when you already know?"

Upon hearing this, the young woman in green, Cai Xiuqin, immediately giggled brightly, then asked in confusion, "Young Master..." " The fortress lord, using a false identity, went to pay his respects. As a distinguished guest, seated in the highest position, how could he possibly notice my appearance?"

Jiang Tiantao's handsome face flushed slightly. He thought Cai Xiuqin's question was too flippant, but not wanting to embarrass her, he could only smile faintly and say, "When I entered the mountain, I naturally paid extra attention to leaders of your sect above the rank of incense master, so as to facilitate my future actions. That's why I found your face somewhat familiar."

Cai Xiuqin walked up to Jiang Tiantao, her eyebrows furrowing slightly, and asked with suppressed laughter and confusion, "But how does the young fortress lord know my name is Cai Xiuqin?"

Jiang Tiantao wanted to speak the truth, but fearing she would become angry and he would lose the opportunity to inquire whether Tianmen had sent any message carriers, he laughed loudly and said, "As the leader of a detachment, commanding a county's gang, who doesn't know you?" He paused, then suddenly stopped laughing and asked, "You led your men here, and I detained your horse. What lessons have you learned?"

Cai Xiuqin giggled and said, "Young Master, you really have a bad memory. You forgot in the blink of an eye. Weren't you just looking for me?"

Jiang Tiantao's handsome face flushed, and he immediately bowed respectfully, saying, "In that case, please come inside, Miss."

Cai Xiuqin immediately shook her head and said, "There are still important matters to attend to at the detachment. I cannot stay here any longer. If you have something to say... " "Please speak quickly, Young Master."

Jiang Tiantao felt that Cai Xiuqin's words were flippant and that she treated matters lightly, and he couldn't help but feel secretly angry. However, in order to find out the news from Tianmen, he had no choice but to patiently ask, "Excuse me, young lady, is there a message pigeon from Tianmen?"

Cai Xiuqin immediately nodded and said, "Yes, this is the third one already. Just now, when the Young Master went there, there was a message pigeon flying from Tianmen. He looked at the message on it, so he didn't come out to greet it in time..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao was both happy and regretful, and couldn't help but excitedly ask, "What did the message pigeon say?"

Cai Xiuqin frowned slightly, With a deliberately difficult tone, she asked, "What information are you asking about, Young Master?"

Jiang Tiantao was taken aback, then replied seriously, "Naturally, it's about the Poisonous Woman who fled from our fortress to escape punishment..."

Before Jiang Tiantao could finish, Cai Xiuqin gave a soft "Oh," and said indifferently, "I'm very sorry, this is a top secret of our gang. I'm afraid I don't have the authority to disclose it."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao was immediately furious, but he still managed to suppress his anger and said in a deep voice, "Who has the right to disclose this?"

Cai Xiuqin smiled mysteriously, mimicking Jiang Tiantao's words, and said with a smile, "Young Master is a smart man, why do you need to explain?" " You know the answer, yet you ask?"

Jiang Tiantao suddenly realized that Cai Xiuqin had been sent by the Rainbow Dragon Girl. To avoid further misunderstanding and to get accurate information about the Poisonous Lady so as not to have to make another trip to Tianmen tomorrow, he resolutely said in a deep voice, "Alright, I'll go with you to see Miss Xiao."

Upon hearing this, Cai Xiuqin immediately smiled brightly and praised, "That's a wise move." After saying that, she turned to the two sword-bearing girls and instructed, "Quickly go and report to the Chief Inspector that Young Master Jiang will be arriving soon."

The two maids respectfully agreed and turned to leave as quickly as they could. Jiang Tiantao followed Cai Xiuqin and headed straight for the shop entrance. As he took a step, he saw that Xiao Qing had already been dragged away by the burly man. At the same time, he noticed that the other customers in the other rooms were peeking at them. Stepping out of the shop, the street seemed even more deserted. The exceptionally bright full moon hung high in the sky, casting a clear and beautiful light on their figures walking side by side. However, in the shadows of the houses across the street, a pair of gleaming eyes seemed to be watching their movements.

Cai Xiuqin seemed unwilling to take a shortcut by bypassing the houses, so she walked straight along the street towards the street corner. Although Jiang Tiantao was eager to see the Rainbow Dragon Girl as soon as possible, he had no choice but to patiently follow Cai Xiuqin as she walked along the street. Suddenly, Cai Xiuqin, as if understanding something, said, "Young Master, I heard you once went to explore Zhang Lehua's Qifeng Palace with a stunningly beautiful girl in red?"

Jiang Tiantao already understood that Cai Xiuqin's every word and action was under the instruction of Rainbow Dragon Girl Xiao Xiangzhen, so he said indifferently, "That's right."

Cai Xiuqin deliberately hesitated slightly, then asked, "Who was that beautiful girl?"

Jiang Tiantao coldly replied, "Deng Lizhu, the only beloved daughter of Senior Flying Dragon Deng Zhengtong."

Cai Xiuqin immediately asked in confusion, "And that girl?"

Jiang Tiantao already knew Cai Xiuqin's intentions, so he could only avoid the main point and said, "They went to Dongting Lake on business, and we parted ways halfway." Cai Xiuqin nodded knowingly.

At this moment, they had reached the crossroads, and the two turned and headed towards South Street. Cai Xiuqin deliberately gasped, feigning surprise, and said, "Young Master, the brothers of our gang are talking about what happened between you and our Commander-in-Chief."

Jiang Tiantao was taken aback and asked, puzzled, "What is it?"

Cai Xiuqin smiled mysteriously and asked, "Young Master, you really don't know?"

Jiang Tiantao immediately replied seriously, "Of course not."

Cai Xiuqin continued smiling, "It's just that the Commander-in-Chief has ordered all branches in Jiangnan to keep a close watch on your Poisonous Lady."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao couldn't help but laugh coldly. Cai Xiuqin was startled and looked at Jiang Tiantao in astonishment. Jiang Tiantao deliberately said angrily, "If it weren't for your Commander-in-Chief interfering, that lowly Poisonous Lady would have already been taken back to Jiugong Fort."

Cai Xiuqin was indeed surprised and asked, puzzled, "Why?"

Jiang Tiantao snorted and immediately recounted how Huangfu Xiang, the Silver Hairpin, had released the Poisonous Lady at the back of Dahong Mountain. As they spoke, they were not far from the courtyard of the Yingcheng branch of the Three Hairpins Gang. Upon hearing this, Cai Xiuqin immediately exclaimed in a tone of sudden realization, "So that's how it is! Those who don't know the details might think you..."

Before she could finish, Jiang Tiantao's eyes suddenly lit up, and he blurted out, "Who goes there?" With that shout, he leaped into the air, executing a "Golden Roc Spreading Wings" move, his speed as fast as lightning, lunging diagonally towards a clump of small trees seven or eight zhang behind him.

Cai Xiuqin was startled, suddenly remembering something, and blurted out urgently, "Young Master, it's one of us!" With that urgent cry, Jiang Tiantao had already reached the top of the clump of trees, but the person who had followed him from the rooftops across the street showed no sign of panic or attempt to flee.

Hearing Cai Xiuqin's urgent cry, Jiang Tiantao swooped down, and upon closer inspection, he was slightly taken aback. The person hidden behind the small tree turned out to be a pretty maidservant, about sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed in green, and she looked somewhat familiar. The pretty maidservant stood silently with her head slightly lowered, without greeting or saying hello to Jiang Tiantao.

A figure flashed by, a gust of wind swept across their faces, and Cai Xiuqin, looking flustered, rushed forward. She quickly pointed to the pretty maid and hurriedly explained, "She is Xiao Wan, the Chief Inspector's personal maid."

Jiang Tiantao immediately recognized her, thinking, "That's right, the beautiful maid who stood next to Luo Wei when I was examining patients in the high building at the back of Dongliang Mountain."

Before he could finish his thought, he heard Cai Xiuqin urge, "Xiao Wan, hurry up and greet Young Master Jiang."

The pretty maid Xiao Wan bowed deeply and said shyly, "This humble servant Xiao Wan greets Young Master Jiang."

Jiang Tiantao knew she was acting under orders, so he could only clasp his hands and say, "No need for formalities."

Cai Xiuqin deliberately instructed, "Xiao Wan, quickly go and inform the Chief Inspector that Young Master Jiang has arrived."

Xiao Wan responded with a "Yes," and used her lightness skill to fly towards the courtyard of the mansion. Jiang Tiantao and Cai Xiuqin continued on their way, but neither of them said anything more. Upon reaching the gatehouse, the same three burly men descended the steps to greet them. Entering the gatehouse, they headed straight for the left side gate instead of the main hall. Jiang Tiantao knew the Rainbow Dragon Girl must reside in the left courtyard.

Neatly arranged small flowerbeds lined the left courtyard's passageway, and outside the courtyard gate stood four wiry girls with long swords strapped to their backs. Entering the courtyard, they found themselves in a dimly lit hall, everything quiet; everyone in the courtyard seemed to be asleep.

Jiang Tiantao looked up at the night sky; it was past midnight. As they ascended the hall steps, Cai Xiuqin didn't stop, heading straight behind a screen. Seeing this, Jiang Tiantao had no choice but to follow her. Exiting the back door of the hall, they saw Xiao Wan, who had been hiding behind the tree, already standing quietly before the stone steps of the upper room, seemingly waiting for them. Upon seeing Cai Xiuqin and Jiang Tiantao, Xiao Wan immediately came to greet them.

Taking the opportunity, Jiang Tiantao glanced around. Except for the light still shining from the window of the right room in the main house, the other outer rooms and side rooms were completely dark. Rainbow Dragon Girl Xiao Xiangzhen lived in the lit right room of the main house. In the shadows of the two side rooms, two sword-wielding girls stood similarly. While he was looking around, Xiao Wan had already reached Cai Xiuqin and immediately lowered her voice, saying, "The Chief Inspector is already fast asleep."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao knew that the Rainbow Dragon Girl was still angry about his sudden departure. Just then, he heard Cai Xiuqin say to Xiao Wan, "I'll go see!" Without a word to Jiang Tiantao, she and Xiao Wan headed towards the upper room.

Jiang Tiantao's heart skipped a beat. Wanting to hear the Rainbow Dragon Girl's tone, he feigned ignorance and followed. But Cai Xiuqin didn't stop him, which emboldened Jiang Tiantao. As soon as Cai Xiuqin and Xiao Wan lifted the curtain and entered the inner room, Jiang Tiantao immediately ascended the steps to the upper room. Although there were no lights in the outer room, the light shining through the inner room's curtain revealed the opulent furnishings and luxurious furniture.

Suddenly, Cai Xiuqin said in a cheerful tone, her voice low, "Chief Inspector, Young Master Jiang has arrived."

A plaintive sigh followed by a clear and familiar voice said sadly, "Alas, I truly do not wish to see him again."

Jiang Tiantao recognized the voice as that of Rainbow Dragon Girl Xiao Xiangzhen. Cai Xiuqin then comforted him, "Chief Inspector, I have already inquired. Young Master Jiang asked that girl in red to be his guide, and they parted ways after leaving Dragon Palace Lake."

Rainbow Dragon Girl asked softly, "Is that girl Senior Deng's daughter?"

Cai Xiuqin replied, "Yes, they have already sought refuge at Dongting Lake."

Rainbow Dragon Girl sighed again, saying, "How could you know? They have already sought refuge at Nine Palaces Fortress."

Jiang Tiantao's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but secretly marvel at the spies of the Three Hairpins Gang. In his mind's eye, he already heard Cai Xiuqin's shocked voice say, "Really?"

Then he heard Rainbow Dragon Girl say sadly, "Miss Deng saved my life. If she hadn't shot the archer lurking behind the Qifeng Hall plaque, I might have died on Qifeng Island. Considering her kindness to me, how could I possibly compete with her..." She suddenly stopped speaking.

But Jiang Tiantao could tell that Rainbow Dragon Girl was about to say something about jealousy. Then he heard Cai Xiuqin say comfortingly, "Young Master Jiang was also present at that time. Even if Miss Deng hadn't shot that archer, Young Master Jiang would have found a way to expose that conspiracy."

Jiang Tiantao was very grateful to Cai Xiuqin for defending him at every turn. Then Rainbow Dragon Girl sighed sadly, saying plaintively, "Someone told me that he falls in love with every woman he sees. If he's with his cousin Wang Yanling, he forgets his senior sister Xue Danfeng. If Xue Danfeng is with him, he forgets his junior sister Zhu Caidie. Think about it, that night he was with Miss Deng, where was I, Xiao Xiangzhen, in his heart?"

Jiang Tiantao trembled, breaking out in a cold sweat. Rainbow Dragon Girl knew his private affairs so well, which truly shocked him. But her words were her own imagination, an incorrect judgment from an outsider, and to Jiang Tiantao, it was an injustice. He didn't deny liking Rainbow Dragon Girl; he admired her amazing martial arts and outstanding wisdom, and was also moved by her devoted love. Suppose someone were to lose their precious life for you, ending their bright future, how could he stand by and watch them die, within the limits of possibility?

As for Zhu Caidie, her stubborn, willful, and competitive nature was not what he liked. He had consumed three doses of the Crimson Immortal Fruit from the blind nun, which greatly enhanced his martial arts skills. One of these fruits belonged to Zhu Caidie. Furthermore, his promise to the blind nun Jin Fu to treat his junior sister Zhu Caidie well was considered a betrothal gift by the blind nun, Zhu Caidie, and Zhang Shitou. He had

already consummated his marriage with both Xue Danfeng and Wang Yanling, making them, in effect, his wives. As for Deng Lizhu, he felt no love for her, let alone considered marrying her. Leng Ping was a pitiful young woman, alone and burdened with an unresolved blood feud for her father's murder. He felt both sympathy and admiration for her decision to work in a brothel to seek revenge; she was truly a remarkable woman of the martial world.

As for Huangfu Xiang, he was still angry that she constantly made things difficult for him and opposed him, especially for letting the Poisonous Lady escape, which filled him with remorse. Now, she had voluntarily ordered all branches to thoroughly investigate the Poisonous Lady's whereabouts, which slightly eased his hatred for her.

Jiang Tiantao pondered silently to himself, but the room remained quiet. Driven by curiosity, he unconsciously walked towards the curtain. Upon approaching, he peeked inside and his heart skipped a beat. There stood the Rainbow Dragon Maiden, dressed in a pink and green gown. Her delicate features were lightly painted, her eyebrows unadorned, her phoenix eyes red and swollen from crying, her jade-like cheeks pale and haggard. She sat at a jade table, her chin resting on her hand, her brows furrowed, weeping.

Jiang Tiantao was stunned by this sight. He thought, "It's only been a few days since I last saw her, and she's already so haggard. Wasn't she so spirited and beautiful back at the Dragon Palace and Phoenix Palace?" The graceful maid, Xiao Wan, also stood beside Xiao Xiangzhen, her face filled with sorrow, seemingly deeply concerned for her mistress. Cai Xiuqin remained seated, her expression deeply saddened as she gazed at Xiao Xiangzhen's tearful face.

Jiang Tiantao, seeing this, unconsciously shook his head, thinking: The Rainbow Dragon Girl, renowned throughout the land, elusive in her whereabouts, feared by nearly ten thousand heroes of the entire sect, is now tormented by love, her beauty faded and her heroic spirit utterly gone. It's truly pitiful and lamentable. As the saying goes, "All women are the same." No matter how powerful or famous a woman is, once entangled in the entanglements of love, everything becomes worthless.

In a moment of thought, he suddenly saw Cai Xiuqin sigh sadly, shaking her head with emotion, "I never imagined that Young Master Jiang would be such a womanizer, leaving his mark everywhere."

Jiang Tiantao secretly shook his head, then saw Rainbow Dragon Girl, tears streaming down her face, saying, "Uncle Huangfu praises him to everyone as a rare young hero of our time, not only handsome and refined, but also the young master of the renowned Jiugong Fortress, a martial arts family. The implication is that Sister Xiang could find no better son-in-law than Jiang Tiantao..."

Before she could finish, Cai Xiuqin interrupted seriously, "But Young Master Jiang doesn't like the President..."

Rainbow Dragon Girl Looking up at Cai Xiuqin, he asked with some disbelief, "How do you know?"

Xiao Wan interjected, "I heard from Young Master Jiang that the Commander-in-Chief deliberately obstructed and disrupted the capture of the Poisonous Lady at Dahong Mountain, causing her to escape."

Cai Xiuqin added, "In my judgment, the Commander-in-Chief's order to all ships to closely investigate the Poisonous Lady's whereabouts must have been because he realized the seriousness of the situation afterward, and he did this to make amends for her mistake."

Rainbow Dragon Girl shook her head and sighed sadly, "None of you understand Sister Xiang's personality. She loves Jiang Tiantao to the bone and hates him to death."

Jiang Tiantao was shocked to hear this; it was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.

Cai Xiuqin suddenly changed the subject, saying, "Young Master Jiang has arrived! Chief Inspector, please go out and see him!"

Rainbow Dragon Girl shook her head, saying resentfully, "He fears me like a venomous snake right now; it's better not to see him!"

Cai Xiuling immediately interjected, "How could Young Master Jiang possibly see me?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl immediately said seriously, "Didn't you hear the report from the Simen brothers? As soon as he heard I was here, he ran away without looking back."

Cai Xiuqin deliberately smiled cheerfully, saying, "They always love to exaggerate. When I went there, Young Master Jiang was just about to arrive." She paused, exchanged a glance with Xiao Wan, and urged, "Quickly, invite Young Master Jiang in."

Rainbow Dragon Girl panicked and hurriedly stopped her, saying, "Xiao Wan, don't go."

Jiang Tiantao, seeing that the opportunity was not to be missed, immediately laughed loudly and said, "I have been waiting here for a long time." As he spoke, he lifted the curtain and slipped inside.

Xiao Wan's expression changed upon seeing this, while Cai Xiuqin remained silent with a smile. Rainbow Dragon Girl looked up and saw none other than her beloved, the man who had haunted her heart day and night. He wore a scholar's cap and blue robe, a sword at his waist, his temples slightly raised, his bright eyes sparkling, and his lips painted a deep red. A smile played on his lips, a joyful expression that betrayed no trace of her sorrow. Though her heart ached upon seeing her lover, how could she, in front of her maids and subordinates, allow herself to be rude and embarrass her beloved? Therefore, she quickly rose, gave a slight bow, and forced a smile, saying, "I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting. Please sit down."

Jiang Tiantao had feared Rainbow Dragon Girl would ignore him, but seeing her poised and confident, he was overjoyed. He immediately fixed his grateful gaze on Xiao Xiangzhen and said with deep meaning, "Thank you."

Upon seeing this, Cai Xiuqin immediately giggled, then cheerfully said, "We're like siblings, why be so formal? To others, it looks like you're meeting for the first time."

Jiang Tiantao and Xiao Xiangzhen blushed upon hearing this. Although they had known each other for several months and met several times, this was indeed their first private meeting like tonight, hence their laughter.

Just then, a young girl's voice suddenly rang out in the courtyard: "Reporting to the captain, there's a message pigeon on the Tianmen ship."

Jiang Tiantao's eyes lit up, and his spirits lifted. Looking again, he saw Cai Xiuqin and Xiao Wan had already hurried out.

Seeing that the opportunity was not to be missed, Jiang Tiantao immediately cupped his hands and lowered his voice affectionately, saying, "A series of coincidences, forced by circumstances, have led to this misunderstanding. Please forgive me, Sister Zhen, for my faults." When Rainbow Dragon Girl heard Jiang Tiantao address her as Sister Zhen, her heart sweetened, her phoenix eyes instantly moistened, and she gazed at Jiang Tiantao affectionately, shyly lowering her head and smiling.

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Rainbow Dragon Girl Xiao Xiangzhen quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve. The curtain was lifted, and Cai Xiuqin and Xiao Wan walked in excitedly. Jiang Tiantao stared intently at Cai Xiuqin, but he couldn't very well ask about the news from Tianmen, as he wasn't a member of the Three Beauties Gang. He

was surprised to see Cai Xiuqin wave the small note in her hand and excitedly say, "Good news!" She then handed the note to Rainbow Dragon Girl.

Jiang Tiantao didn't know which side the good news belonged to, so he anxiously looked at Rainbow Dragon Girl, hoping she would announce it quickly. Suddenly, he saw Rainbow Dragon Girl's delicate eyebrows furrow, followed by a soft hum, then a gentle smile. Jiang Tiantao saw this and was very disappointed, knowing it was news from their Three Beauties Gang.

Before he could finish thinking this, Rainbow Dragon Girl suddenly looked up, smiling happily, and said, "We have confirmed the whereabouts of the Poisonous Lady." She then handed him the small note.

Jiang Tiantao's eyes lit up, and he reached out to take the note, asking with delight, "Where are we now?"

Seeing Jiang Tiantao's joy, Rainbow Dragon Girl was also delighted, and smiled, saying, "See for yourself!"

Jiang Tiantao readily agreed, his gaze already fixed on the small note. The note was made of cotton paper, with only two lines of tiny writing on it. Upon closer reading, it read: "1. Poisonous Lady left Tianmen and headed towards Huaiyang, where she encountered Little Tyrant, the third leader of Inner Fang Mountain. They rode west together. 2. In Qing'an, they changed course to water, but their direction remained unchanged. They are most likely heading to Inner Fang Mountain. Our headquarters is still closely monitoring them."

After reading it, Jiang Tiantao immediately looked up and asked, "Where is Inner Fang Mountain?"

Xiao Xiangzhen replied, "Inner Fang Mountain is located on the west bank of the Han River, north of Shayang. It is surrounded by water on three sides, making its terrain even more treacherous than Dongliang Mountain. Especially the four leaders, each ruthless and vicious. They call themselves the Four Heroes of the Han River, but outsiders call them..." "The Four Evils."

Jiang Tiantao frowned, utterly puzzled, and asked, "The seventy-two lakes north and south of the Yangtze River are all within your gang's sphere of influence, so why are there still other gangs?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl Xiao Xiangzhen sighed with emotion and said, "According to my sister Xiang and me, we had long ago eliminated the Four Evils of Neifang Mountain and reorganized them, but Sister Ying wouldn't allow it. She has been trying to persuade and urge the Four Evils of Hanshui to repent and return on their own."

As soon as she finished speaking, Cai Xiuqin interjected in a deep voice, "This time, it's their own fault for being unlucky. The gang leader has already ordered them to hand over the Neifang Mountain stronghold within a month."

Jiang Tiantao couldn't help but be surprised. "Why?" asked

Rainbow Dragon Girl. "Because the people on both sides of the Han River are full of complaints and living in misery, sometimes even committing acts of bullying women and stealing property at night. The people can't tell whether it's the henchmen of the Inner Mountain Force or our brothers. That's why Sister Xiang demanded that the Four Evils hand over the Inner Fang Mountain stronghold."

Jiang Tiantao asked in confusion, "Will the Four Evils agree?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl raised her eyebrows, revealing her heroic spirit, and coldly smiled, "This is just an excuse; in reality, it's to rid the people of a scourge."

Cai Xiuqin said with some worry, "Our only concern is the Inner Fang Mountain stronghold, which is full of hidden formations and opportunities." "Close."

Jiang Tiantao's heart skipped a beat, and he asked with concern, "How many days are left before the deadline?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl pondered for a moment and said, "There's still half a month left."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Tiantao immediately became serious and said, "The purpose of Little Tyrant inviting Poisonous Lady to the mountain is to use her vicious hidden weapons. You must go to Inner Fang Mountain immediately to arrest Poisonous Lady. Otherwise, the Four Evils of Han River will be like a tiger with wings, which will be extremely detrimental to your gang's campaign."

Rainbow Dragon Girl immediately agreed, "Brother Tao is absolutely right..."

When Jiang Tiantao saw Xiao Xiangzhen call him Brother Tao, his handsome face immediately turned red, and two blushes suddenly appeared on Xiao Xiangzhen's cheeks as well.

Cai Xiuqin saw this and deliberately said seriously, "Isn't the Chief Inspector going to Inner Fang Mountain to investigate the situation these past two days?"

Rainbow Dragon Girl was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood, and her beautiful face turned even redder. Fearing that Xiao Xiangzhen might not understand her meaning, Cai Xiuqin suggested, "Since you're going, why not go with Young Master Jiang? Not only will you have company on the journey, but you can also look after each other while exploring the mountains."

Rainbow Dragon Girl hesitated, then shyly looked at her beloved, wondering if he was willing. Jiang Tiantao felt that going with Rainbow Dragon Girl was perfectly acceptable, but thinking of the Poisonous Lady's cunning, he felt it would be best to have a capable assistant. His mind raced, and he quickly smiled and said, "If I could go with Sister Zhen, we could achieve twice the result with half the effort, perhaps even eliminating the Four Evils and capturing the Poisonous Lady alive."

Upon hearing this, Cai Xiuqin excitedly said to Xiao Wan, "Xiao Wan, let's quickly prepare the food and wine; Young Master and the Chief Inspector should be setting off after dinner."

Xiao Wan, being a clever girl, understood immediately and followed Cai Xiuqin out of the room. Xiao Xiangzhen felt that Cai Xiuqin's actions were too obvious; why should the leader personally prepare the food and wine? Therefore, her beautiful face flushed even more.

Jiang Tiantao had many questions for Rainbow Dragon Girl to ask her alone when he saw Xiao Wan and Cai Xiuqin walk out, which suited him perfectly. He lowered his voice and asked, "Did you go to Jiugong Fort last month?"

Xiao Xiangzhen immediately shook her head and said, "I went to Mufu Mountain, but not to Jiugong Fort."

Jiang Tiantao asked, puzzled, "If you went to Mufu Mountain, why didn't you go to Jiugong Fort?"

Xiao Xiangzhen smiled charmingly and said, "Because I met the Qi-Lu Twin Heroes and your fort's maids, Qinglian and Fenhe."

Jiang Tiantao was startled, immediately recalling the handkerchief forged by the Poisonous Lady and Min's lingering, passionate words. He asked urgently, "What did the Qi-Lu Twin Heroes say?"

Seeing Jiang Tiantao's tense expression, Xiao Xiangzhen was puzzled but still calmly replied, "The Qi-Lu Twin Heroes..." The hero first recounted how the Poisonous Lady had fled to escape punishment and how she had plotted to harm Brother Tao. He also mentioned that Sister Xiang had already been to Jiugongbao.

Seeing that the Rainbow Dragon Goddess remained calm, Jiang Tiantao knew that the Qilu Twin Heroes hadn't told her about the Poisonous Lady's forged handkerchief, and thus felt much relieved. He then changed the subject, asking, "How did you know that the Poisonous Lady went to Dragon Phoenix Island, Sister Zhen?"

Xiao Xiangzhen smiled and said, "That was a clue provided to me by the Qilu Twin Heroes."

Jiang Tiantao asked, puzzled, "That night at Qifeng Palace, didn't you say it was based on reports from our spies?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiangzhen smiled happily, "If you hadn't said that, how could Zhang Lehua have truthfully revealed that the Poisonous Lady had gone to Golden-Faced Nezha's place at Dahong Mountain?" Jiang Tiantao's handsome face immediately turned red.

Xiao Xiangzhen deliberately changed the subject, saying, "Did you go to Dahong Mountain just in time for Golden-Faced Nezha's martial arts gathering?"

Jiang Tiantao nodded in agreement and then briefly recounted his journey to Dahong Mountain. Finally, she took out the peony flower with coral as its blossom and jade as its leaves from her bosom and continued, "This is the precious, top-grade VIP ornament." As she spoke, she handed the peony over.

The Rainbow Dragon Girl took it and her phoenix eyes lit up. She exclaimed, "This peony is so exquisitely and noblely crafted!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the curtain fluttered open, and Cai Xiuqin entered with a beaming smile. Upon seeing the peony in Xiao Xiangzhen's hand, she exclaimed excitedly, "Oh my, this flower is so beautiful! Did the young master give it to our Chief Inspector?" Her bright almond-shaped eyes gazed at Jiang Tiantao with delight.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xiangzhen, the Rainbow Dragon Girl, blushed and smiled tenderly. Jiang Tiantao knew that Xiao Xiangzhen truly loved the peony, so he nodded happily and said humorously, "Indeed, this peony is a gift from me to your Chief Inspector. Please, Chief Cai, wear it on your sister's collar for me!"

Cai Xiuqin readily agreed and, without waiting for Xiao Xiangzhen's reply, immediately pinned the peony to her collar. Then, she clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Ah, it's absolutely gorgeous!"

Jiang Tiantao stared intently, his expression momentarily stunned. Rainbow Dragon Maiden Xiao Xiangzhen was already beautiful, but now, with a bright red and green peony adorning her pinkish-green collar, she appeared even more ethereal and elegant, resembling a goddess from the Luo River, emerging from her bath.

Just then, Xiao Wan, accompanied by several maids, brought in a sumptuous feast. It was nearly four in the morning, and dawn was breaking. After finishing their meal, the sky was already bright.

Jiang Tiantao was eager to capture the Poisonous Lady as soon as possible and return to Jiugong Fortress to discuss the Dragon Head Assembly with his father. Therefore, as soon as he put down his chopsticks, he immediately urged Rainbow Dragon Maiden to get up. Xiao Xiangzhen always preferred to act under the cover of night, so very few people in the martial world had seen her true face. Hearing Jiang Tiantao's explanation, she immediately ordered the horses to be prepared.

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