It was already ten o'clock in the morning.
At a cliff in the valley, the second brother Ma Sai and the third brother Liu Hongwei had spent over an hour, but only managed to descend about thirty meters down the cliff. They were already panting from exhaustion.
The steeper the climb downwards, the more perilous the rock face became, with fewer handholds. Consequently, the two men, whose focus was intensely sharp, climbed very slowly, daring not to slacken for even a moment. A fall would leave them crippled, if not dead.
"Second Brother, let's rest for a bit."
The third brother, Zhen, standing on a protruding rock, nodded to Ma Sai, who was similarly positioned on another rock. The two drank some water and took a short break.
However, on the other side of the valley, the scene was quite different.
*Swish...*
Two figures entangled and danced, their Junzi Sword and Shunu Sword emitting clear metallic rings in the air. Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi's eyes met, filled with affection, and they both smiled in unison. Proficient in the Peerless Swordplay, they flew like a pair of soaring birds, their swords combining to unleash an ultimate, formidable power.
The Peerless Swordplay and the Peerless Yin-Yang Cultivation Method were a complementary set of skills. Through their joint cultivation of the Peerless Yin-Yang Cultivation Method, Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi's power had increased severalfold. Thus, the might of their Peerless Swordplay was now even more potent. Their combined sword strikes unleashed sword energy that directly shattered a large boulder in front of them, startling numerous birds in the trees and rabbits in the surrounding grass.
"Such powerful might."
Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi were astonished, having not expected their combined sword energy to be so terrifying. They couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
"Are you hungry? I'll catch a rabbit."
Zhou Ruoxi, after practicing and sheathing her sword, smiled tenderly.
"Not hungry."
Wan Yunting also sheathed his Junzi Sword and stepped forward, embracing Zhou Ruoxi's slender waist, which was barely a handful. Looking at the beads of sweat on her fair, jade-like forehead from her practice, he pointed at the hot spring pool and chuckled mischievously, "We've been so focused on practicing these past two days that we're all sweaty. Why don't we go in together and wash up?"
Zhou Ruoxi rolled her bright autumn eyes at him and pushed away his intrusive hand, giggling sweetly, "No, even if we wash, I'll go alone. You're not allowed to watch."
"Hehe, Senior Sister, are you shy now..."
"Ah, no, it tickles, hehe..."
The scene in the hot spring pool that followed will not be described in further detail.
At this time, Ma Sai and Liu Hongwei had spent another hour, carefully descending to over sixty meters into the valley. They could now vaguely see the trees and scenery at the bottom.
"Third Brother, I can see the bottom. We're only a few dozen meters away!" Ma Sai exclaimed excitedly.
"Alright..."
Hearing that they were close, Liu Hongwei also became happy. The two continued to climb with great caution.
But above them, Lu Feiyue and Tan Tiancheng stood at the spot where they had descended. They saw the traces of broken grass on the cliff face, which allowed them to deduce that someone had climbed down into the valley from here.
"It seems our guess was correct. Those two ruthless criminals likely descended here. Judging by these broken stems, they must have gone down not long ago!" Lu Feiyue squatted down, pointing at the snapped blades of grass.
Tan Tiancheng nodded and asked, "Captain Lu, what do we do now?"
Lu Feiyue stood up and said, "Those two temple disciples should still be alive, which is why the two criminals took the risk to go down. Quickly, call everyone over, connect the ropes, and we'll go down too."
"Yes."
Tan Tiancheng nodded, took out his walkie-talkie, and called back the other five police officers who were searching in the woods.
Meanwhile, at another location, Director Qu Guangrong had met up with Wuweizi and Li Zihang's group.
"Uncle-Master Wuwei, is that small valley truly there?"
Qu Guangrong, along with the police officers and two police dogs, followed Wuweizi and Li Zihang. Xu Lingwei and Duan Yingying, Jiang Tingxia, Chen Bin and Lin Jie, and Peng Lei were all searching the woods for traces of the phoenix tail grass.
Simultaneously, Lu Bao was escorted by two police officers, his hands cuffed.
"Alas, after searching this far, I can no longer be sure where that small valley is."
Wuweizi's face was filled with anxiety and helplessness. Today was the last day they were out searching for the medicine. If they couldn't find it today, they would have to return.
Even if they found the phoenix tail grass in the following days and brought it back, it might not be enough to save the Abbot Duan Wuyu, as the optimal treatment window would have been missed.
Upon hearing this, Qu Guangrong also sighed, saying, "Uncle-Master Wuwei, please don't blame yourself. If we truly cannot find the phoenix tail grass today, I will ask Madam to take Master to the best hospital in the city and hire the best doctors to treat him. I believe there will be other ways to save Abbot Master."
"Alas, that's all we can do."
Wuweizi sighed helplessly, but he did not give up. He instructed Li Zihang, Xu Lingwei, and the other disciples to search carefully and be sure to find the phoenix tail grass today.
"Director, it's Captain Lu's call."
A young police officer next to him produced a satellite phone. Qu Guangrong took it and put it to his ear, asking, "Feiyue, how is it on your end? Have you found anyone?"
"Director, I have found a valley here, and also discovered the traces of those two criminals..."
Lu Feiyue, standing at the edge of the valley cliff, recounted everything he had discovered that day, including his speculation that Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi might be at the bottom of the valley and that the two criminals had also descended. This made Qu Guangrong raise an eyebrow. "So, you plan to descend into the valley to investigate, correct?"
"Yes."
Lu Feiyue nodded, watching Tan Tiancheng and the others connect the ropes. "The reason those two criminals descended into the valley must be because Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi are down there, so we plan to go down and search."
"Good, send me the location."
Qu Guangrong agreed to Lu Feiyue's decision to descend into the valley and asked him to send him the valley's location.
"A valley? How can there be a valley to the west?"
Upon hearing that Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi might be at the bottom of the valley, Wuweizi, Jiang Tingxia, and Duan Yingying looked surprised. Li Zihang's eyes widened and he said, "Uncle-Master Wuwei, the valley that Junior Brother Wan and Senior Sister Zhou found, could it be the small valley you mentioned?"
"Impossible."
Wuweizi's old eyes were firm as he shook his head. "The valley Uncle-Master Ren and I searched for was in the north, definitely not to the west. Therefore, the valley that Yunting and the others encountered must be another valley."
"Alright." Li Zihang could only nod helplessly.
"What about my Senior Sister and the others?"
However, Jiang Tingxia asked Qu Guangrong with great anxiety.
"Currently unclear."
Qu Guangrong shook his head and said, "Feiyue found that Tao Zifu, who said Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi were being pursued by three people. One of the criminals was killed by Wan Yunting's sword, but they couldn't defeat the other two criminals, so they had to flee. The two criminals pursued them relentlessly."
"Now, according to Feiyue's judgment, Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi have likely fallen into that valley below!"
"What, fallen into the valley below..."
Hearing this, Jiang Tingxia's eyes widened, and her heart clenched tightly. She anxiously asked, "Then what about my Senior Sister and Junior Brother Wan..."
Qu Guangrong waved his hand and said, "Those two criminals have also descended into the valley, which means Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi might not be dead yet. They are probably trapped at the bottom of the valley!"
"Hoo, it's good they're not dead..."
Hearing this, the hearts of Li Zihang and Wuweizi, which had been hanging by a thread, finally relaxed. They quickly comforted Jiang Tingxia, "Senior Sister Jiang, don't worry. Junior Brother Wan and Senior Sister Zhou will definitely be fine..."
Qu Guangrong didn't say anything further, as all this was speculation from Lu Feiyue. As for whether Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi were truly at the bottom of the valley and whether they were dead or not, it was still uncertain. They would only know once they descended into the valley.
However, Qu Guangrong and Wuweizi's group were unaware that, a few hundred meters behind them, Lei Laohu, along with Wu Lao Si, Lao Qi, and Lao Ba, were tailing them, looking for an opportunity to strike!
At the bottom of the valley, in the stone chamber of the cave where Kang Guangling and Li Qingshui resided, Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi sat cross-legged facing each other. Their hands were clasped together, their eyes closed. A powerful internal energy emanated from their bodies, and in conjunction with the ice bed, they were practicing the Minor Formless Art together.
The qi of their internal energy circulated, transmitted through their hands, and passed through all the meridians in their bodies, achieving a state of perfect harmony.
"Open!"
Suddenly, Wan Yunting let out a fierce cry. Immediately, he and Zhou Ruoxi released their hands and quickly suppressed the qi within their bodies, returning all the internal energy to their dantian. They then closed their hands, finishing their practice, and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air before opening their eyes. They exchanged a smiling glance and said, "How is it, Senior Sister? Have you grasped the mysteries of the Minor Formless Art?"
"Mm."
Zhou Ruoxi nodded, her autumn eyes filled with affection as she looked at the man and smiled, "The Minor Formless Art is truly miraculous. We've only practiced for a short while, and our powers have already increased significantly."
"Yes."
Wan Yunting lowered his legs and stepped off the ice bed. He then picked up a funnel made of leaves from the stone table, filled with water, and brought it to Zhou Ruoxi. She took a sip and then handed it back to him. Wan Yunting finished drinking the water and put down the leaf funnel, laughing, "Our injuries have mostly healed. It's time for us to go out."
Upon hearing that they were going out, Zhou Ruoxi's pretty face fell slightly, and she nodded with a soft "Mm."
Seeing her like this, Wan Yunting also felt reluctant. He couldn't help but sit closer and embrace her, smiling gently, "Senior Sister, I don't want to leave either, but my Abbot Uncle's illness still requires me to go out and treat him. We've already delayed too much time, and now it's time to leave."
"Mm, I know..."
Zhou Ruoxi leaned on his shoulder, her jade hand encircling the man's sturdy waist. Just thinking about leaving made Zhou Ruoxi's heart fill with reluctance.
Wan Yunting then gently released her and said with a smile, "Senior Sister, let's set a date. Every year from now on, we'll come here to live for a period of time, okay?"
Zhou Ruoxi's autumn eyes sparkled with emotion, and she nodded with a gentle smile, "Okay."
Wan Yunting hugged her again, his heart filled with joy. "Then it's settled. From now on, every winter, we'll come here to live for a period of time and live a carefree life..."
"Mm..."
Zhou Ruoxi replied softly. However, thinking of her future, her heart became melancholic. Her jade hand instinctively held Wan Yunting tighter, and she softly said, "Yunting, I want to..."
Sensing the woman in his arms' need, Wan Yunting naturally laid her down on the ice bed. Their affectionate gazes met, and they naturally kissed...