"Death!"

"Absolutely death!"

"Death + 65535!"

"What the hell is Fourth Mistress?"

"You dare to spread rumors in the script world that Shang Shang is entangled with you?"

"Burn this scum!"

"Feng Bujue must die!"

"Xu Huai Shang's official fan club declares that we have contracted Feng Bujue's head!"

"Shang's Royal Guard is here! Grant Feng no pardon!"

Because the semi-finals were broadcast in segments, all the viewers who were paying attention to the Peak Brawl S2 were watching the same match at this moment.

And their feelings when they saw this scene... were basically reflected in the above comments and bullet screens.

Of course, most people were just complaining. Everyone understood that Eunuch Cao's conclusion must have been obtained after being tricked in a certain script.

No one would take a misunderstanding in the game world seriously.

But... even so, Feng Bujue's behavior was still unforgivable. The fans of Goddess Xu unanimously agreed that it would be better to let him die once.

...

Having said all that about the outside world, let's turn our attention back to the script.

After an awkward silence, Cao Qin spoke again: "By the way, Head Feng... I do have something I'd like to ask you..." He looked at Brother Jue and casually asked in an ambiguous tone, "Back then, at the Purple Forbidden Peak, you and that Miss Xu transformed into white light and dissipated... what kind of technique was that?"

"Oh... that..." Feng Bujue was very experienced in answering this kind of question. "Eunuch Cao has already entered the Dao through martial arts, can't you really see it?"

His words were ambiguous, seemingly saying something, but also throwing the question back.

Cao Qin smiled upon hearing this and replied, "Heh... Head Feng is still the same as ever... Alright, if you don't want to say it, then don't, I won't force you."

Compared to the last time he saw Brother Jue, Cao Qin's state of mind had obviously changed again.

More than ten years ago, he still had some hostility on him. This could be seen from his attitude towards the three martial arts heroes... Although he wasn't bloodthirsty, he didn't hate killing either. He could be compassionate, but he couldn't be called truly compassionate. He had a detached view of fame and wealth, but he was still obsessed with respect.

However, after more than ten years...

Now, Cao Qin's appearance and figure had returned to that of a man under forty years old, looking even younger than when he was in Cang Ling Town.

And in his every word and action... there was always a hint of indifference, a hint of unconstraint, and a hint of cynicism that didn't match his age.

Those things about the martial world, about martial arts, about the relationships between people... he listened and asked, but he no longer cared or obsessed over them.

With Cao Qin's current state, he was more focused on thinking about "how he should view the world"... as for how the world viewed him, he could just laugh it off.

"So... that's good." Feng Bujue replied and asked, "Speaking of which... Feng also has something I don't understand and would like to ask you... " He glanced at the stone pool, "As the saying goes... drinking alone is dull. Why is Eunuch Cao standing by the stone pool drinking and looking at the spring so late at night?"

Brother Jue didn't ask Cao Qin why he appeared in Burial Heart Valley, because he knew that through deduction – he must have entered the valley with that group of imperial soldiers from the beginning. What Brother Jue couldn't deduce was the question before him...

"Oh... this..." Cao Qin chuckled, "An hour ago, I stopped here and suddenly comprehended a new set of martial arts, and I'm currently perfecting it."

"Huh?" Xiao Tan asked with a curious look on his face, "Perfecting martial arts by standing and drinking in a daze?"

"Hahahaha..." Cao Qin laughed when he heard this, "This little brother, then tell me... what should I do? Set up my stance by the stone pool and practice my punches and kicks?"

"Um..." Xiao Tan wanted to answer "yes," but he felt that the other party's tone didn't seem to be asking a question.

"Hehe... please forgive Eunuch Cao's amusement." Feng Bujue quickly interjected, "This disciple of mine has the worst aptitude among all the lodge guests. Back then, I thought he was a smart child because of his delicate features, but I didn't expect to find out that he was a fool after taking him in. Look... he's been with me for decades... but his martial arts realm is still very shallow."

"Oh..." Cao Qin nodded, "Head Feng is indeed not easy."

Their exchange sounded like two adults discussing a child, which was quite annoying. Fortunately, Xiao Tan had a very good temper, or rather, he had a good disposition, and didn't take the words to heart.

"Speaking of..." After a few words of conversation, Feng Bujue felt that the time was right, so he turned the topic to the plot, "If I'm not mistaken, Eunuch Cao has come to Burial Heart Valley this time... to obtain the 'Longevity Technique' for the Emperor?"

"Hmph... Head Feng's information is really well-informed." Cao Qin's response was equivalent to acknowledging Brother Jue's statement.

"You flatter me, Eunuch Cao..." Feng Bujue laughed, "...Isn't this already a public secret?"

This question was also a test.

"Heh... that's true." Cao Qin continued, "The legend that the 'King of Hell' of Burial Heart Valley possesses the 'Longevity Technique' has been circulating in the martial world for decades. Many people know about it, but very few believe it, and even fewer dare to come here to explore it." He paused for a few seconds and took another sip of wine, "But now, with the Emperor's secret decree and the movement of the imperial troops, these people can't sit still... Suddenly, they all believe it and they all come." He smiled, "But in reality? Hmph... the Emperor himself only believes about thirty percent of that 'Longevity Technique'. To put it bluntly, he knows he's dying and is thinking of treating a dead horse as a living one, that's why he issued that secret decree."

"Eunuch Cao..." Feng Bujue said jokingly when he heard this, "Those are treasonous words, punishable by the nine familial exterminations, you know?"

"Ha!" Cao Qin waved his sleeve, "Do I care about that?" He looked up at the sky, "If it weren't to repay the late Emperor's appreciation and kindness, I would have left the court long ago. Who in the world... could stop me?" He took another gulp of strong liquor, "As for the nine familial exterminations... I'm a eunuch, I've been alone since I entered the palace as a child, and it's impossible for me to have any descendants after entering the palace. If you want to exterminate, go exterminate those who recognize me as their godfather or grandfather, most of them are sycophantic villains, one less is one less."

"Then..." Feng Bujue heard this and roughly understood Cao Qin's position, so he asked, "What are Eunuch Cao's views and plans for the current situation in the valley?"

"Plans? Heh... what plans do I have?" Cao Qin asked rhetorically, "If I had any plans, would I be here alone drinking and enjoying the spring?"

"Alliance Master Yuan and that group of martial artists are here to kill and seize the technique..." Hua Jian reminded him at this time, "Isn't Eunuch afraid that the imperial troops will be killed by them all?"

Cao Qin heard this, glanced at Hua Jian, and then showed a meaningful smile: "Girl... you seem to have oversimplified someone."

"Oh?" Hua Jian asked doubtfully, "Who?"

Cao Qin's answer was very unexpected: "Yuan Qi."

"Alliance Master Yuan?" Hua Jian asked again, she had just learned the full name of the martial arts alliance master.

"Exactly." Cao Qin replied.

"It sounds like... Eunuch Cao, you seem to know something?" Feng Bujue heard more information from the other party's words.

"Yes... I know a lot." Cao Qin replied.

"Eunuch, then let us know too?" Feng Bujue said with a smile.

"Um..." Cao Qin pondered, "It would be too boring to just say it like that..." With that, he walked down from the stone pool, "Come with me... I'll take you to see a good show."

...

At the same time, another part of Burial Heart Valley.

At this time, Alliance Master Yuan had led the martial arts comrades along the road for a long time.

Along the way, they had encountered more than a dozen "little devils" blocking their way. Although Yuan Qi and other gods were in charge, the casualties were still unavoidable.

After all, they were moving together with hundreds of people, and the terrain of Burial Heart Valley was very complex, with mountains, rocks, forests, canyons, and water... everything was available, and there was also a misty fog... it was very easy for the "little devils" in the valley to ambush them.

Moreover, the residents of Burial Heart Valley were basically all "tough hands". Many of them were top-notch figures in the martial world before entering the valley, and their martial arts had only improved after entering the valley; guys like Song Wuqi were basically considered miscellaneous soldiers who couldn't be ranked in the valley, and there were many people more powerful than him.

Being repeatedly ambushed by such a group of people... it was absolutely impossible not to have any deaths.

"Alliance Master... the number of deaths from all sects combined... has exceeded a hundred... If this continues, I'm afraid..." The person speaking at this moment was named Ji Neng, the descendant of Ji Tong, the former owner of "Eight Directions Tower", and the current owner of Eight Directions Tower. His "Eight Directions Supreme Heart Technique" was several levels weaker than the previous owners of his ancestors, but in terms of martial arts, he could still be considered one of the best among these sect leader-level masters around him.

Here is a good opportunity to explain the worldview, so I will briefly introduce it...

After the "Cang Ling Sword Debate," the martial arts landscape of this world has undergone considerable changes. The original ranking of "One Manor, Two Towers, Three Sects, Four Schools" was completely overturned.

Ye Manor was severely damaged in that incident and has been declining ever since. At least in the recent decades, Ye Manor has never had a master who could be compared with the head of the family, Ye Cheng, and even people who reached the level of "Six Swords of Flowing Shadow" couldn't be picked out.

As a result, Ten Thousand Glows Tower and Eight Directions Tower rose to the top and became the strongest duo in the martial world.

As for the "Three Sects and Four Schools", they can basically be summarized as "declining in inheritance, inheriting in decline". Just like the blind man who once guided Yuan Qi said... many people can teach but can't learn, and some people can learn but can't teach. The seniority-based system in the large sects is deeply rooted, and there is no shortage of petty infighting among peers... This has resulted in the fact that the successive sect leaders are usually not the most talented or skilled people in the sect. Of course, it's not that the most talented people are necessarily suitable to be sect leaders... but the matter of inheriting martial arts does pay attention to this. Unless a peerless genius appears in a certain generation to revive the sect... otherwise, passing it down like this will inevitably lead to the rhythm of martial arts becoming weaker and weaker.

In short, this pattern has been maintained for more than twenty years...

Until fifteen years ago, Yuan Qi, who had practiced the Life Star Profound Technique for five years, made a name for himself in the martial world. Since then, the situation in the martial world has begun to change again...

Five years later, Yuan Qi had become a peerless hero who was above all sects. In terms of character, he was impeccable; in the fight against evil, he could single-handedly be an enemy of thousands; most importantly... his martial arts at that time were invincible in the world (the "world" here is naturally limited to the martial world, excluding the imperial court).

As a result, Yuan Qi became the martial arts alliance master as a matter of course...

The above is the general change in this script world in recent decades.

"Tower Master Ji..." Yuan Qi heard Ji Neng's words and replied in a deep voice, "Are you afraid of battle?"

"No, no, no... what are you talking about..." Ji Neng denied it verbally, but he was very anxious in his heart. Because their Eight Directions Tower was rushing relatively ahead, the number of dead and injured disciples was already quite large in proportion, "It's just... Ji thinks that acting like this now seems a little inappropriate..."

"Tower Master Ji is right, we also think so." In the next second, several sect leaders immediately gathered around Ji Neng and echoed him.

It seems... Ruo Yu's previous reasoning was indeed spot on. These guys, when the situation changes... will start to form cliques for their own benefit.

"In my humble opinion, we should select a few heroes with appropriate martial arts skills from among the various heroes... and disperse them on the road ahead as scouts to probe the enemy's situation."

"That's right, in this way, our side won't be blindly ambushed."

"Yes, Alliance Master Yuan, the current situation where the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light..."

"Alright, no need to say more." How could Yuan Qi not understand what they meant? He wasn't that third-rate figure from twenty years ago, his schemes and city were much deeper than those around him, "Since all the sect leaders have this intention, then let's do it this way."

After Yuan Qi finished speaking, he thought for a moment and prepared to turn around and pass on the message.

Unexpectedly, at this moment...

"Hahahaha... a bunch of rats and snakes, drive them away and they won't retreat, now they're even fighting among themselves, it's really ridiculous!"

A high-pitched voice suddenly sounded, using the method of transmitting sound with internal force to mock these hundreds of martial arts heroes.

His words, in addition to the literal meaning, also conveyed two pieces of information: First, I'm not here to ambush you, I'm here to fight you head-on; Second, Yuan Qi, I can even hear the conversation between you and the people around you, weigh my skill... yourself.

As his voice fell, it could be seen...

The misty fog shrouded above everyone's heads was rapidly surging towards the sky, as if it was being sucked up by an invisible force.

In an instant, the martial artists' vision expanded several times. They quickly realized... that the place where they were standing at this moment was a dangerous canyon surrounded by mountains on three sides.

"Hmph... you don't take the road to heaven, but you come to hell of your own accord." After a few breaths, a second voice said with internal force, "Since you've come to this 'Soul Severing Gorge', then leave your lives here!"

Accompanied by this heroic declaration similar to a "death notice", a large number of figures emerged from the mountain roads and stone passes on three sides... a rough estimate of more than a hundred people.

These people stood in the shadows on the high ground, watching the crowd in the canyon from afar, like a group of evil spirits eyeing their prey, ready to move...

"There are a lot of people this time..." Yuan Qi saw this and didn't change his expression, "...That's good."

With that, his right hand... moved.

Then, a soft sword was drawn from the belt around his waist and hung down from his hand.

"I want to see..." Yuan Qi shouted at the "ghosts" on the high ground with a cold gaze and murderous tone, "Tonight, in this 'Soul Severing Gorge', will it be humans... or ghosts... who are left behind..."