It was just past midnight.
The sudden arrival of the army's offensive had turned the originally peaceful Baisu Town into a mess. In the streets and alleys, there were only large contingents of patrolling officers and soldiers. The people from the martial arts world who hadn't had time to escape were tied up with ropes and squatting on the ground, waiting to be interrogated.
There was a big fire burning in Xianyue Alley. The mansions of the original three great families had already been controlled, and the remaining disciples of Xianyue Tower had all been gathered in a large courtyard and kept under guard.
The common people of Baisu Town had voluntarily entered a state of martial law under the pressure of the army. Their doors and windows were tightly closed, and they stayed at home. Except for a few barks of dogs, there was no other sound to be heard.
In the inn at the corner of the town, Yejingtang showed the waist token of the Black Yamen and sent away the officers and soldiers who had come to search. After closing the inn door, he went up to the second floor.
Due to the sudden military disaster, even the innkeeper had run away. The small inn was empty with no one left.
Yejingtang came to the room on the second floor, revealed his figure from the window, looked out at the distant mountains, and listened to the movement in the next room.
In the next room, it was much busier. Several candlesticks were placed on the table, illuminating every corner of the room.
The True Person Xuanji, dressed in a snow-white long dress, was lying face down on the bed. Her cheek was against the pillow, facing outward. Her eyes were closed, looking peaceful and gentle. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she didn't make any movement.
Luo Ning, wearing an arrestor's robe and covering her face tightly, sat in front of the bed and carefully checked the pulse condition. There was obvious distress and concern in her eyes.
Pei Xiangjun didn't cover her face. She carried a basin of hot water in, placed it beside the bed, and asked softly:
"How is she?"
Afraid that the True Person Xuanji would suddenly wake up and find out, Luo Ning still spoke in a lowered voice:
"After taking the Baihuang Pill, her internal condition has improved a bit... This little rascal used the Soul-Severing Needle, which will obstruct the circulation of qi and blood. The needle must be taken out first."
The Soul-Severing Needle was very thin. After it was inserted into the flesh, not even a wound could be seen. Moreover, the toxin stimulated the muscles to tighten. Pulling it out forcefully would damage the meridians and leave hidden injuries. Once a martial artist was stabbed with it in an important acupoint, no matter how powerful they were, they would have to submit obediently.
Yejingtang didn't strike hard and stabbed it on the buttocks. It could only play a restrictive role, but it was still a troublesome matter to pull it out.
Luo Ning first gave the True Person Xuanji the matching antidote to relieve the toxin of the Soul-Severing Needle. Then she turned the True Person Xuanji onto her side and untied the belt.
The True Person Xuanji was wearing a snow-white long dress. Only the hem of the dress and the embroidered shoes were decorated with a few plum blossom petals. The originally spotless white dress had a few small tears on the hem and some stains on it because she had fallen from the treetop. However, it was still in relatively good condition overall.
It was hot in June, and the True Person Xuanji wasn't wearing many clothes. Under the white dress were her underwear and white thin trousers. When the lapel was lifted, her fair shoulders and collarbone were revealed. Her shoulders were like a perfectly shaped inverted jade bowl, wrapped in a triangular white undershirt. The smooth silk fabric showed a hazy feeling under the dim yellow light. It seemed that one could see something, but a few red plum blossoms decorated on the fabric covered the key parts, so nothing could be seen clearly.
Pei Xiangjun saw the white undershirt and a look of surprise flashed in her eyes:
"The True Person Xuanji is an otherworldly expert. I didn't expect her to wear such small clothes..."
Luo Ning wasn't surprised by this. After all, she had long known the True Person Xuanji's character. She seemed more ethereal than herself when she was outside, but in private, she was a heavy drinker who could do anything.
"She is an accomplished and virtuous person from the mountain. How could she be bound by worldly rules?"
After explaining for her old friend, Luo Ning raised her hand and pulled down the thin trousers. The smooth silk fabric passed over the curve of the buttocks, and the fair buttocks, as white as a peeled egg, were presented in the candlelight.
The True Person Xuanji's skin was extremely white. Her whole body was like a flawless piece of mutton-fat jade, undulating gracefully under the light, looking very beautiful.
Pei Xiangjun originally wasn't staring at the woman's private parts, but since she was sitting right in front, when the white thin trousers slid down, she noticed something was wrong from the corner of her eye. She tilted her head slightly and looked at it:
"Eh~... Did she shave it herself or..."
Luo Ning had lived with the True Person Xuanji for a while before and knew some little secrets that the common people couldn't possibly know. She tilted her head and glanced at the smooth place and explained:
"According to the Sect Leader, girls start taking medicinal baths and practicing internal martial arts as a foundation when they are three years old. When they grow up, most of them are tall, have a well-proportioned figure, and fair skin. But some girls have such great talent and are too diligent. Before they reach the age of eleven or twelve when they start to develop, they have already opened up all the meridians in their bodies, and there is a possibility of becoming a natural 'white tiger'..."
Pei Xiangjun was half-believing and half-doubting. She subconsciously looked down:
"Is there such a strange theory? I'm a genuine candidate for the Eight Champions..."
"It's just possible. It varies from person to person. It's not that all girls with great talent will be like that... And it's not a good thing either. It makes one look like a little girl. It would be embarrassing to be seen like that..."
Pei Xiangjun blinked her almond-shaped eyes. Maybe it was the first time she had seen it, and she was curious. She wanted to touch it with her finger. But just as her hand reached halfway, Luo Ning slapped her hand:
"If you can't help, just go out. Don't make trouble here!"
Pei Xiangjun withdrew her hand and helped turn the True Person Xuanji over and lie face down on the bed:
"I'm just curious. I'm a woman, and I didn't touch randomly..."
Luo Ning pressed her hand on the buttocks and gently massaged it. After the muscles stimulated by the toxin were completely relaxed under the effect of the antidote, she pulled out the golden needle. She carefully checked the pulse and secretly heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that the True Person Xuanji's body began to recover rapidly:
"Still curious... Do you want to be like this too?"
"Eh~ What are you talking nonsense about..."
...
At the same time, at the window next door.
Yejingtang stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the chaotic town. He had a solemn expression, looking worried about the country and the people, and frowned in thought.
But the two rooms were separated by only a wooden wall, and the two women didn't treat him as an outsider at all when they were talking. It was really difficult not to hear what they were saying.
Forced to gain some new knowledge, Yejingtang didn't know what to say in his heart. He could only suppress the distracting thoughts in his mind and try his best to pretend that he hadn't heard anything.
After waiting at the window for a long time, the "rustling" sound in the next room finally quieted down. Then the sound of footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Dong dong dong...
Creak~
The door opened, and Pei Xiangjun walked into the room from the outside.
From morning until now, she had been constantly on the move, keeping her spirits up to the fullest. Her energy and physical strength had been consumed a lot. There was obviously a bit more tiredness on Pei Xiangjun's face. After closing the door, she yawned and raised her hand to stretch.
"Um~... Eh?"
Before she could finish stretching, Pei Xiangjun felt that someone tickled her waist with both hands.
The sudden touch made her body shrink. She quickly turned around and looked at Yejingtang, who had quietly come up behind her. Her almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, and she was a bit annoyed:
"What are you doing? You have no respect..."
Yejingtang looked at Sanniang, who had a very imposing manner like an elder. He raised his hand to help tidy up her somewhat unruly hair:
"How is the situation over there?"
Pei Xiangjun was blocked by Yejingtang with her back to the door and had to look up at him. She felt a bit strange in her heart and avoided Yejingtang's gaze. She said softly:
"It's not a big deal anymore. The True Person Xuanji has a very good physical foundation. She will probably recover completely by tomorrow morning. Has the bird come back?"
"Not yet. Bai Siming was probably frightened by the fight and didn't run to the old lair of the Prince of Wu..."
Yejingtang helped tidy up her hair a couple of times. Seeing that Sanniang's face was red and she seemed a bit flustered, he put his hand down:
"It's getting late. Sanniang, you can take a rest first. I'll keep watch for the night."
Pei Xiangjun really smoothed her hair and sighed:
"I do want to rest. Ning'er is afraid of being discovered by the True Person Xuanji and wants to go outside to hide. You have to stay here to prevent anything from happening to the True Person Xuanji. I can't just follow you and leave her alone outside. Her mediocre martial arts skills..."
"Who are you calling someone with mediocre martial arts skills?"
Creak——
Just as they were talking, the door was pushed open, and Luo Ning, who was covered tightly, walked in. She raised her hand and was about to give Sanniang a pat on the buttocks.
Yejingtang held Ning'er's hand and tried to smooth things over:
"The town is in chaos now. How can I rest assured if you wait outside alone? It's safer to let Sanniang go with you. You just stay at the inn at the end of the street and don't run around."
Luo Ning knew that there were a lot of powerful masters in Wuzhou recently. She was really a bit nervous about staying alone in the distance. However, she was also a bit worried in her heart and glanced at Yejingtang:
"The True Person Xuanji is unconscious. You..."
?
Yejingtang spread his hands slightly, feeling a bit speechless.
Luo Ning thought for a while and felt that the little rascal had always been blatant about flirting with women when they were awake and wasn't really interested in taking advantage of someone when they were unconscious. After thinking about it, she didn't say much and instead said:
"Do you... do you need to recuperate?"
Yejingtang really wanted to recuperate, but the True Person Xuanji was right there. In case she woke up halfway through his recuperation, it would be a big problem. He shook his head and smiled:
"Let's talk about it tomorrow."
Seeing this, Luo Ning and Pei Xiangjun didn't say much. They took their personal belongings and left together.
Yejingtang watched from the window as the two of them entered an inn at the end of the street. After Pei Xiangjun waved from the window, he raised his hand and waved, indicating that the two of them should rest early.
Then he sat cross-legged on the bed, placed the long saber across his knees, listened to the movement next door, and waited for the True Person Xuanji to wake up...
——
On the other side.
In the early morning, in the southwest of Wuzhou, Heyuan County.
"Giddyap——"
Clip-clop clip-clop...
The rapid hooves of the horse galloped past on the official road outside the county town and gradually reached the outskirts of the city.
Bai Siming was riding on the horseback. After more than two hours of continuous travel, he had stolen three horses on the way and ran at full speed in relays. He had already run from Jianyang to Heyuan County. He still wasn't at ease and would look back to check the situation after running for a while to prevent anyone from following him.
He was so cautious because just now in the mountains, he had been extremely cautious and paid attention to the slightest movement behind him. He had clearly confirmed that there was no anomaly at all, but the sound of a fierce battle suddenly came from more than thirty zhang behind him.
More than thirty zhang was quite a distance for an ordinary person, but for someone close to the level of the Eight Champions, it was almost a distance that one could reach by just turning their head. It was completely within his detection range. The fact that he didn't notice it meant that the other party's lightness skills and movement techniques were better than his.
Being tracked by such an unfathomable master, Bai Siming didn't dare to be careless anymore. He didn't dare to go back to the Fulong Cave at all. The only way to get rid of the pursuit was to run for his life at full speed.
A peak martial artist might have an astonishing sprinting speed over a short distance, but in Bai Siming's view, someone who could chase a galloping horse continuously for two hours across mountains and forests, remain silent all the time, and not leave any trace that could be detected by a top-notch master wasn't a human being.
Bai Siming ran to the vicinity of the county town of Heyuan County. Still, he didn't find any signs of anyone following him. The heart that had been hanging in his throat gradually settled down. Then he turned the horse's head and ran towards the Qifeng Villa on the outskirts of the city.
Qifeng Villa was a second-tier martial arts force among the Twelve Gates of Wuzhou. Its strength was average, only a bit stronger than sects like the Xuantang Hall that relied on the accumulated prestige of their ancestors to make up the numbers.
Although its strength was weak, Qifeng Villa had a wide network of contacts and had a deep relationship with the adjacent Zezhou. The young lady of the family had even married into Junshan Terrace, which dominated Zezhou.
Bai Siming's long-distance rush here was obviously not just because it was the closest to Xianyue Tower.
Bai Siming was the chief retainer of the Prince of Wu's Mansion. In recent years, he had also assisted the Prince of Wu in rebelling. He knew the situation in the officialdom of the capital very well and knew that a special agent organization like the Black Yamen couldn't be ignored.
Just now, when he came out of Xianyue Tower and was blocked by the Hell's Judge of the Black Yamen, Bai Siming saw the person's appearance and confirmed that he wasn't any of the "Six Fiends".
However, that young chief arrestor had, with just a glance, stealthily made a slash like a dragonfly skimming the water's surface and directly killed Xiao Shichen instantly. His martial arts skills were obviously at the same level as those of "Divine Listener and Ksitigarbha".
Moreover, the saber technique of drawing the saber with the left hand and making a surprise attack with the principle of "only speed can't be broken" was too obvious. Bai Siming was a martial artist from the same era as Qiu Tianhe and often traveled in Wuzhou next to Zezhou. It was really difficult for him not to recognize it.
A member of the Black Yamen, around twenty years old, extremely handsome in appearance, and proficient in the Eight Steps Crazy Saber...
Who else could it be but "Yejingtang"?
The Prince of Wu's Mansion had received a pigeon message from the capital a few days ago, asking the Prince of Wu to secretly send someone to deliver a message to Junshan Terrace. The description on it was exactly the same as the Hell's Judge of the Black Yamen he had met today.
Bai Siming had arranged for someone to send the message to Junshan Terrace. At that time, he had still been puzzled why the capital was in such a hurry. Today, he finally completely understood what kind of monster Cao Anning and the others had encountered in the capital.
Not to mention the completely incomprehensible detection ability, being able to practice martial arts to this level at around twenty years old was simply a replica of Feng Guancheng. It was needless to say that he had extraordinary luck. Whoever stood in his way would die.
Now that he had been unexpectedly attacked by such a living Hell's Judge with countless powerful masters, Bai Siming knew that something big was going to happen.
But the Prince of Wu was trapped in the mountains and couldn't leave at all. The strongest master under his command was himself, and he didn't dare to deal with such a person at all. The only current choice was to continue to "use someone else's hand to kill someone" and urge Junshan Terrace to send someone over quickly to send this Hell's Judge away.
As for whether Junshan Terrace would come or not, Bai Siming wasn't worried.
Someone whose martial arts skills were high enough to deal with the leader and the second-in-command of Xianyue Tower with ease in a one-on-two situation could already be regarded as a top-notch grandmaster. Being able to lead the team as a vanguard to encircle and suppress the Prince of Wu showed that he was highly trusted and high utilization by the Empress. He would definitely hold great power in the court in the future.
For such a person like a "Nine-Thousand-Year-Old" (a powerful figure similar to a high-ranking official with great influence), if Junshan Terrace still dared to continue to let him grow and pose a threat, then they deserved to be exterminated by him in return.
Bai Siming galloped to the outside of Qifeng Villa on the outskirts of the city, then dismounted and leaped into the huge villa.
Almost at the moment when Bai Siming's figure disappeared, a big bird silently landed on the nearby mountain. It plopped down on