At this moment, a swarm of people emerged from all sides, brandishing swords and spears, their fists and clubs aimed to end their lives instantly.
"Lin Chaoying stands here; approach if you dare!" A swirl of black mist enveloped them, and several individuals quickly suffered injured hands. Wang Chongyang seized the opportunity to unleash his "Golden Child Swordplay," their combined might greatly amplified, forcing the crowd to retreat. Jiang Chudao remarked, "Ying, you actually invited wolves into the house, bringing disaster to the Luan Alliance?" He scoffed inwardly, thinking this Song pig was even more foolish than the plump one from before. Lin Chaoying ignored him, and Wang Chongyang felt that at this moment, "a hundred mouths could not explain, and a grievance could not be redressed." The two, united in purpose, wished only to escape this trap.
After exchanging over ten moves, they managed to break free and depart. They walked southwest for some time, finding a stone cave to rest. Even though the night was deep and the surroundings dim, Lin Chaoying could still perceive his dejection and suppressed anger, exactly like that night in Chuzhou, a trace of fear creeping into her heart.
Wang Chongyang was deeply remorseful. She had warned him long ago; why was he still so muddled? He resented that every time he made a fool of himself or suffered a setback, it happened in front of her! It was like this eight years ago, and it was like this eight years later…
"They merely want to tarnish my reputation, making it difficult for me to interfere with their power grab. Hmph, who craves to fight with starving eagles and wild wolves over stinking bones? Let us join hands and swords, rescue Grandma, and leave immediately!" Hearing her speak the last two sentences, Wang Chongyang saw a hidden worry and apprehension in her eyes. He had never seen her like this before! Understanding why she was so, he poured out his true feelings, saying, "I will never let you down again." She lowered her head, clasped her hands, and remained silent. Wang Chongyang withdrew his hand, took out the shell hairpin from his怀裡, and placed it in her left hair bun.
Lin Chaoying touched the hairpin and said, "So stingy." Wang Chongyang replied, "I am merely a fake Taoist who prays for blessings and wards off disaster." Lin Chaoying glared at him, but her heart felt steadier: at least she had obtained what was rightfully hers. Seeing her staring blankly as if her soul had departed, Wang Chongyang asked, "Have you thought of how to rescue her?"
Lin Chaoying quickly regained her composure and said, "Interception midway. Jiang Chudao is right; if we openly take Grandma away at the assembly, she might refuse due to face, and it could even be disadvantageous to Uncle Zhan and the others. Also, he mentioned Li Yunxian just now; rumors say this person is very formidable. He was the top confidant of Grand Ancestor Grandma back then. After Grandma took power, she kept him under house arrest for fifteen years. Thinking of this, how can I not worry and guard against it? We must rescue her before the rebellion."
Wang Chongyang had intended to use Lu Enshu's words to persuade her to wait until after the assembly to rescue the person, but now, hearing her thoughts and reflecting on his own recent mistake, he swallowed his words in shame.
Tongxin Cave was located beneath the main mountain range, partly natural and partly excavated, forming a nexus connecting the main range to the surrounding peaks. Lin Chaoying surmised that Li Yunxian and his group would escort Grandma back to Kaibao Shrine from the east, so she went to Tianji Peak, situated in the southwest corner of the main mountain range, and lay in wait at one of the entrances to Tongxin Cave.
Upon arrival, they indeed saw a troop of people passing through the winding mountain path into the cave. Three carriages were covered with gauze curtains. The gauze curtain of the third carriage was half-open, and in the morning light, the appearance of the scholar-dressed man inside was clearly visible. Wang Chongyang asked, "Do you recognize him?" Lin Chaoying replied, "Dong Jingshan of the Four Phases family." As she spoke, she quickly changed her position to spy on the interior of the first carriage. Wang Chongyang stepped forward, while Lin Chaoying rushed back and swiftly circled behind to pursue the procession. My grandmother, who had been majestic her entire life, was now suffering the humiliation of being caged like a tiger; how could this not enrage me? Wang Chongyang immediately turned to follow, and despite knowing she wouldn't listen, he couldn't help but remind her, "Be wary of a trap."
As they approached the cave entrance, a dense cluster of stone pillars stood scattered, and layers of mist refracted the sunlight, blurring their vision. Wang Chongyang heard the sound of metal cutting through the air; a rope with an iron-inlaid leather handle flew towards him. It was the "Twenty-Eight Chenhe Formation" of Changxian Cave. This time it was greatly improved, with more compact and aggressive attacks. The shaking rope formed a wall, and combined with the terrain of the pillar cluster, it successfully separated the two. However, the surging force of a hundred rivers converging could not be blocked by stone barriers, and the momentum of flowers drifting with the moon could not be contained by the vast sky. The two swords complemented each other, their brilliance merging, shattering the formation of the thirty-two Changxian Cave members and taking the dominant position, drawing them into a new direction. A roar echoed from the formation, and the personnel split into three groups to retreat. Lin Chaoying paid them no mind, rushing towards the passage leading to the main mountain range.
After half an hour of rapid running without further obstruction, Wang Chongyang felt inwardly perplexed, his caution growing. As they turned into a rocky cavern densely packed with strange, jagged rocks, they proceeded even more cautiously. From the crevices, the sharp sound of metal clashing reverberated, causing annoyance. Lin Chaoying said, "The 'Tianhu Diying Formation' of Wulun Cave."
The people of Wulun Cave, like flying immortals and divine generals, struck each other's silver teeth rods and bronze section maces, pressing down from above, creating a situation where the enemy had no escape. Wang Chongyang noticed the stones rolling beneath his feet; it turned out another group was hidden beneath round shields embedded in the rock surface. They quickly emerged to chop at their legs. If Wang Chongyang had not been alerted earlier, he would have been caught off guard and struck down.
The overwhelming pressure ignited the fierce and stubborn essence of their paired swords. Lin Chaoying spun and rose gracefully, her sword like banners commanding, wielding a halberd to command the sun; Wang Chongyang dove downward with a rumbling sound, his blade like war chariots attacking fortifications, scattering sand and shaking the earth.
The formation of Wulun Cave was disrupted by the airflow pulled by their movements from above and below. Their techniques, combining ferocity and cunning, were shattered. They hastily shifted from surprise attacks to encirclement. Stone shields were stacked three layers high on each side, forming colossal walls to block their advance, then pushing inward. Those wielding rods and maces moved like elusive cloud dragons and mountain serpents, snatching lives. However, under the cover of "Golden Child Swordplay" that destroyed mountains and shattered rocks, Lin Chaoying subdued the hidden monsters; with "Youxu Swordplay" that cleared the air and purified energy, Wang Chongyang eliminated the obstacles that revealed their true forms. The people of Wulun Cave had no choice but to fight and flee, disappearing without a trace at a steep fork in the path.
Lin Chaoying was full of disdain: dispatching such trash to delay them, attempting to hinder them! She understood her grandmother's temperament perfectly; how could she allow her to be scorned at this "conspiracy assembly"? Not even a bit! However, she hesitated for a moment, falling into the enemy's calculations and surveillance. Li Yunxian was indeed not to be underestimated. At the exit of the岔道, a tall figure stood with his back to the sun, holding a long staff. Lin Chaoying looked closely and recognized Cao Kaixiu, thinking to herself: It's bad, it's really Li Yunxian presiding over the assembly.
Cao Kaixiu spoke not a word, and the "Purple Gold Xuanji Staff" in his hand thrust directly towards Lin Chaoying's face. Lin Chaoying used "Floating Petals Adhering to the Pole," her sword's edge coiling and sticking to the staff's momentum. Wang Chongyang's "Golden Child Swordplay," like a sudden gust of wind in a forest, accelerated the "Youxu Swordplay" to tighten its grip on the long staff, and he also swept across Cao Kaixiu's chest. Cao Kaixiu was greatly startled, pressed a hidden button, and divided the long staff into three sections. With a pull and a connection, the first section broke free from Lin Chaoying's sword technique, then he threw the third section to strike Wang Chongyang's sword body, and then grabbed the second section to retreat from the fray. Cao Kaixiu retreated and immediately advanced, his staff twirling like rising waves. However, Wang Chongyang leaped and his sword danced like a raised bridge or a winding embankment, his attacks being skillfully guided into a pond, supplemented by Lin Chaoying's swordplay, which was like willow branches swaying in the wind, and they remained on guard against the two's potential counterattacks. Cao Kaixiu swung his staff around himself, like a mosquito dragon emerging from water to break through the encirclement. Wang Chongyang danced his sword again, turning into a fierce wind that swept up objects, and Lin Chaoying's "Drifting Without a Trace," though appearing vulnerable to the wind, was filled with deadly intent. Cao Kaixiu connected the first and second sections into short and long poles, rotating the short sections to block the directionless sword stabs, while the longer section used staff techniques to repel several intrusions. Lin Chaoying sensed that Cao Kaixiu had guessed her intention to take him hostage, and her attacking intent gradually diminished, she dodged and retreated frequently, unconsciously advancing in pursuit. In this way, the situation changed as if a wheel had suddenly lost its axle, and their paired swords lost their effectiveness.
Cao Kaixiu took the opportunity to advance by retreating, getting close to her side. A hidden sharp blade at the tip of the staff sprang out, stabbing towards her from behind. Wang Chongyang, in a moment of desperation, used another move he had comprehended in the tomb. This move could instantly switch between offense and defense, its changes unpredictable. His long sword grazed Cao Kaixiu's shoulder.
Cao Kaixiu tumbled and rolled as he fled, injured. How could Lin Chaoying let him go? As soon as she exited the cave, she saw five dark figures pounce towards them. She recognized the leader as He Shuiqing, the head of Qingji Academy. Lin Chaoying used "Same West Wind," a move that appeared simple but contained countless subtle forces, yet it was purely defensive, usually used as an opening move in sparring with elders. However, combined with Wang Chongyang's subsequent "Golden Child Swordplay," their sword edges scattered like the setting sun, casting a brilliant, pouring light. He Shuiqing's hands bled, and the other four academy members suffered numerous hand and foot injuries.
At this moment, a sudden reprimand rang out: "Lin Chaoying, how dare you disregard elders and actually try to exterminate them!" Immediately, voices shouted in unison: "Colluding with the Song pig, harming fellow Luan Alliance members, shameless!" "Traitor! Don't think of destroying the Luan Alliance; we are united and will fight you!" "Working with the twenty thousand invading Song troops, colluding to overthrow the Luan Alliance!" Wang Chongyang was shocked. Where were the twenty thousand Song troops? The deception and framing were too absurd! "Li Wanxue, you have failed the arduous foundation laid by martyrs like Li Jincuo. You indulge your spawn, slaughtering fellow disciples, harming allies, and plotting rebellion! Have you repaid the members of the Luan Alliance?" Lin Chaoying finally realized that the real place of action was not outside Kaibao Shrine, but at the reception platform before her. The "humiliation" her grandmother was enduring was actually being caused by her own actions. I… Lin Chaoying gradually felt dizzy and her ears ringing, a chill from her abdomen rushing to her brain.