Yan Shouyi and others hid in the shadows, observing the corpses strewn outside the dungeon and the four powerful enemies, their hearts heavy with mixed emotions.
“Brother Yan, you mentioned it would be more dangerous here than below the mountain, but I didn’t expect it to be this perilous!” Long Feicheng stammered, a hint of fear in his voice. “If so many from Dragon Tiger Mountain couldn’t stop them, won’t we be walking into a death trap if we reveal ourselves now?”
Luo Ning also felt it was not the right time to show themselves. “Since the Old Heavenly Master was prepared, why didn’t he bring everyone who was sent down the mountain into the dungeon?”
Yan Shouyi stroked his chin, his voice deep. “It’s not that simple. Although the Actor’s target is the dungeon, only these four dare to come to it. The demons below the mountain, while not strong, are numerous, and cannot be ignored. The main battlefield remains below. And while the Old Heavenly Master is the head of the Taoist lineage, he cannot compel experts from other sects to guard the dungeon. Furthermore, the people sent by the Actor are indeed formidable, which is why the dungeon so easily fell…”
“If we weren’t from folk sects, we could stand by and do nothing. But as inheritors of folk sects, we should understand the principle of lips and teeth. If they kill the person in the dungeon today, they will come after us tomorrow. If we don’t help others today, no one will help us tomorrow!”
“Everyone, think carefully. If you want to back out now, there’s still time. We’ll still be good brothers afterward. But if you want to stay, there’s no turning back.”
While others might still have a retreat, Yan Shouyi did not. The New Xuan Mountain Sect was so arrogant; they would eventually come for Yan Shouyi and Yan Chou.
The others exchanged glances, falling silent for a few seconds. Ah Gong took the lead. “We’ve said the same thing once already. I won’t repeat it. We advance together, we die together.”
Yan Shouyi looked around at everyone, their eyes resolute, showing no intention of retreating.
Liu Yiren was also pleased that Yan Shouyi could forge such friendships.
Just then, another group of people appeared outside the dungeon.
These individuals were all clad in black robes and wore masks, their faces indistinguishable.
Upon seeing this group, Lu Kui and the others immediately knelt in salutation.
“The Seven Mansions of Xuanwu, Dou Mu Xie, Niu Jin Niu, Nu Tu Fu, Xu Ri Shu, greetings to the Seven Mansions of Baihu!”
The Seven Mansions of Xuanwu?
Yan Shouyi frowned, his mind beginning to ponder the meaning of the Seven Mansions of Xuanwu.
This seemed to be terminology from the Twenty-Eight Mansions.
The Twenty-Eight Mansions were divided into four constellations: Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and Xuanwu. Each constellation was further divided into seven mansions, totaling twenty-eight.
Among them,
The Seven Mansions of Azure Dragon were: Jiao Mu Jiao, Kang Jin Long, Di Tu He, Fang Ri Tu, Xin Yue Hu, Wei Huo Hu, Ji Shui Bao.
The Seven Mansions of Vermillion Bird were: Jing Mu An, Gui Jin Yang, Liu Tu Zhang, Xing Ri Ma, Zhang Yue Lu, Yi Huo She, Zhen Shui Yin.
The Seven Mansions of White Tiger were: Kui Mu Lang, Lou Jin Gou, Wei Tu Zhi, Mao Ri Ji, Bi Yue Wu, Zi Huo Hou, Can Shui Yuan.
The Seven Mansions of Xuanwu were: Dou Mu Xie, Niu Jin Niu, Nu Tu Fu, Xu Ri Shu, Wei Yue Yan, Shi Huo Zhu, Bi Shui Yu.
The Lu Kui from before had referred to himself as one of the Seven Mansions of Xuanwu and announced four mansion names, likely corresponding to their identities.
The newcomers, however, were from the Seven Mansions of Baihu, and based on their manner of salutation, it could be inferred that the Seven Mansions of Baihu were more powerful than the Seven Mansions of Xuanwu.
“The Twenty-Eight Mansions…” Yan Shouyi said in a low voice. “It seems the New Xuan Mountain Sect has developed on a considerable scale. Even figures like Lu Kui rank at the bottom of these Twenty-Eight Mansions. The newcomers are likely even stronger!”
“So, those below the mountain were just misled pawns, and these Twenty-Eight Mansions are the core members of the New Xuan Mountain Sect,” Luo Ning summarized.
Long Feicheng lamented, “We were already outmatched, and now even more powerful individuals have arrived. What’s the point of fighting?”
“Let’s not rush. Let’s wait and see,” Yan Shouyi consoled.
Then, one person from the newly arrived group stepped forward and produced a token.
Lu Kui and the others were greatly alarmed and knelt again. “So it’s Lord Kang Jin Long. Forgive our rudeness!”
Kang Jin Long, belonging to the Seven Mansions of Azure Dragon, ranked second!
This clearly indicated his importance!
Kang Jin Long took back the token and said in a hoarse voice, “He Zhijing, Chen Tang, you two guard outside the dungeon. Jiang Chengan, Lu Kui, you two will enter the dungeon with us to kill.”
No one could object to Kang Jin Long’s arrangements. The four accepted their orders on the spot and split into two groups.
Jiang Chengan and Lu Kui joined Kang Jin Long’s group and entered the dungeon, while He Zhijing and Chen Tang directly used the corpses outside the dungeon to form two chairs and sat among the piles of bodies, guarding the dungeon.
“These guys are truly something…”
Wang Ji Wangdao remarked, “How do you think they prove their identities? Is it just with a token?”
“If only it were that simple,” He Xiping shook his head. “They must have other verification methods.”
Yan Shouyi said, “Kang Jin Long took Jiang Chengan and Lu Kui inside, likely because he felt He Zhijing and Chen Tang’s abilities weren’t suited for the cramped dungeon. But this also gives us an opportunity.”
“What opportunity?” Zhao Yaoyao asked.
“He Zhijing and Chen Tang have unique abilities. If we act quickly enough, we might be able to resolve them before they can act!”
The experienced Luo Ning agreed with Yan Shouyi’s idea.
“To deal with He Zhijing, we just need to snatch his poison sac. And Chen Tang is even simpler; once his human skin drum is destroyed, he’s just an ordinary person!”
He Xiping reminded them, “While that’s true, everyone must not underestimate them. If they have any backup plans, we’ll be doomed.”
Yan Shouyi’s eyes sharpened. “So, either we don’t act, or when we act, we take their lives!”
After a round of planning, Yan Shouyi divided everyone into two small teams.
Liu Yiren, Luo Ning, Zhao Yaoyao, and He Xiping were responsible for killing Chen Tang and destroying his human skin drum.
Yan Shouyi, Ah Gong, Wang Ji Wangdao, and Long Feicheng were responsible for killing He Zhijing and preventing him from using his poison.
After agreeing on their plan, the group temporarily separated and quietly circled around from both sides.
At this moment, He Zhijing and Chen Tang had not yet sensed the impending danger.
The two were sitting on their “thrones,” admiring the “artwork” before them.
“After Chu Liang died, there was an opening in the Seven Mansions of Baihu. If that Guan Lao San dies too, we might have a chance to move up,” He Zhijing said casually.
Chen Tang sneered, “Current achievements are not enough. We probably need to kill a few more people!”
“Is killing a few people enough?” He Zhijing pondered. “If we kill the owner of the Dragon Tiger Secret Script, that might be enough.”
“How about we kill that Zhang Wu Ma, hahahaha!”
The two were filled with arrogance, completely unaware of the danger lurking nearby.
Suddenly, Chen Tang felt the surface of his human skin drum tremble slightly.
He immediately stopped smiling. “Someone is nearby!”
His human skin drum was extremely sensitive. Any slight disturbance in the surroundings would cause the drum surface to tremble and vibrate.
However, by the time Chen Tang noticed, it was already too late!
A divine rope suddenly flew out from a corner, directly coiling around Chen Tang’s arm and forcibly pulling his hand away from the human skin drum!
He Zhijing’s face changed drastically, and he hurriedly reached for his poison sac, but a figure had already appeared before him!
“You are…!”
He Zhijing recognized the approaching individual, but before he could even utter their name, the opponent’s blade descended, drawing a bloody arc!
[Author’s Note]
The second update will be before midnight.