The beautiful young woman turned her head to look inside the tent, then turned back to her and said softly, "Seventh Brother said you've all worked very hard, so please get up."
"Thank you, Brother Seven and Miss Hong." Black Tiger and the others stood up, still keeping their faces down.
The young woman in red turned her beautiful eyes slightly, then suddenly smiled and said, "Why are you all keeping your heads down? Do you think I'm so ugly that you're afraid of me?"
Black Tiger, being the leader of this group, immediately said with a fawning smile, "Miss Red is incomparably beautiful. Anyone who dares to say you're ugly, I, Black Tiger, will be the first to not let them off the hook!"
"Really?" the girl in red giggled. "Then why are none of you daring to look up at me?"
"This..." Black Tiger was speechless for a moment.
Hong Guniang thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Oh, I understand. It's because Seventh Brother is right beside me right now, isn't it?" After a pause, her voice suddenly became sharp and shrill, and she shouted, "And what about when Feng Chenxi was here? Why did you lackeys dare to look at me so lecherously, letting her see through your act, huh?"
Black Tiger and the others then realized that something terrible had happened, and they knelt down again with a thud. Even Black Tiger, a notorious bully, was so frightened that cold sweat poured down his forehead, which he couldn't wipe away. Seeing that no one else dared to speak, he could only say in a trembling voice, "Your subordinate deserves to die! Please forgive us, Seventh Brother!"
Hong Guniang remained silent, only turning her head to look into the tent again. After a moment, an unusually calm and authoritative voice drifted out from inside the tent, saying indifferently, "Ten thousand deaths are unnecessary. If you are truly useless, I will only ask you to die once, and that will be enough."
After she finished speaking, the tent fell silent again, and there was no sound for a long while. The girl in red snorted coldly and also retreated into the tent.
After a while, he suddenly poked his head out again, only to see that Black Tiger and the others were still kneeling on the ground, not moving at all.
"What are you all standing here for? Are you waiting for Seventh Brother to treat you to a late-night snack?" Her face was ashen as she stared at them and sneered, "As long as you find Feng Chenxi's whereabouts, Seventh Brother will reward you without you even having to say anything... But if you return empty-handed, I'm afraid you'll never get to eat again."
—Dead people don't need to eat, of course.
Black Tiger and the others exchanged glances, their eyes filled with despair. They had truly tried their best, searching every possible place, practically digging three feet into the ground, but they still hadn't found any trace of Feng Chenxi.
—It was as if she had truly burrowed into the ground, disappearing without a trace.
So, it seems that all they can do now is wait to die.
In this moment of impending doom and life hanging in the balance, Black Tiger couldn't help but regret his past actions. He had originally been just a fairly honest wanderer, who by chance met Seventh Brother and was taken under his wing to do the harmful business of selling cold-weather powder. All he coveted was wealth and glory, but unexpectedly, Feng Chenxi appeared out of nowhere, threatening to cost him his life and fortune... The group slunk out of the room, discussing for a long time, but they couldn't come up with an effective way to find Feng Chenxi.
Just then, a voice interrupted, saying, "It is often said that the difference between achieving twice the result with half the effort and achieving half the result with twice the effort is nothing more than the method, and it is indeed true."
Turning her head, she saw the man in black who always followed the girl in red.
Black Tiger only knew this man was a highly skilled swordsman and served as Seventh Brother's bodyguard. He would sometimes protect Red Girl when Seventh Brother didn't need to appear. As for his name, background, and origins, he knew nothing. However, this man clearly held more influence with Seventh Brother than they did. Moreover, judging from his words, which seemed to offer guidance, Black Tiger, having spent most of his life navigating the martial world, couldn't possibly fail to understand. He immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said, "Please enlighten us, sir. If you can truly help us overcome this calamity, we will be willing to give our lives for you in the future."
The man in black seemed to smile, but because he was wearing a human skin mask, the smile only appeared in his eyes, making him look somewhat mysterious and unpredictable. He said leisurely, "I have no need of you before, and I will not in the future. However, since you serve the same master as me, you can be considered fellow disciples. Seeing you in trouble, I felt sorry for you. I can't say I can give you guidance, but I can offer some advice."
Black Tiger was overjoyed and said, "I am all ears."
The man in black pondered for a moment and said, "This matter is neither particularly difficult nor easy. It's not difficult because a living person can never truly vanish without a trace; there must be a way to find them..."
Black Tiger smiled bitterly, "I understand that principle, but Feng Chenxi has truly vanished into thin air. We have tried everything, searching high and low, but to no avail."
The man in black shook his head and said, "The reason you can't find her is simply because your methods are wrong. Think about it, Feng Chenxi is deliberately avoiding you, yet you insist on searching for her whereabouts through her. Isn't that a waste of effort? You're supposed to be an old hand, how come you don't even understand this principle?"
"What you mean, sir..."
Seeing that he still didn't understand, the man in black revealed a hint of impatience and mischief in his eyes and said, "Have you forgotten that although Feng Chenxi escaped, her accomplices have fallen into our hands?"
Black Tiger's eyes lit up: "Sir, do you want us to find Feng Chenxi's whereabouts on Zhang Xianfang?"
"You finally understand." The man in black nodded. "Zhang Xianfang's identity is now confirmed. How could a wealthy young master from Jiangnan be hanging out with Feng Chenxi? It must be that Feng Chenxi seduced him with her affections and lured him into cooperating. Otherwise, why would he risk his life to save him at such a critical moment?"
Black Tiger raised his eyebrows and said, "Not bad, not bad! If that's the case, they must have discussed beforehand where to hide should they fail! How could I be so stupid as to go to such lengths instead of staying close by! Now look what's happened..."
"Don't be so happy yet," the man in black interrupted him in a deep voice. "This is the difficult part. Zhang Xianfang risked his life to save Feng Chenxi, so he is clearly deeply in love with her and has long since disregarded his own life. What makes you so confident that you can get him to talk?"
Black Tiger paused for a moment, then said, "In your opinion, sir..."
The man in black seemed to smile again and said, "This matter cannot be handled without Seventh Brother's personal intervention."
Why is that?
"The reason is simple. Although Feng Chenxi used her affections to persuade Zhang Xianfang to cooperate, affection alone is not enough; there must also be substantial profits involved. But now, not only has the scheme been exposed, but Feng Chenxi's whereabouts are also unknown. Zhang Xianfang has lost both his money and his lover. If, at this moment, his long-desired Seventh Brother appeared, offering him substantial profits just like Feng Chenxi, along with countless beauties in Hong Guniang's Spring Night Pavilion for him to enjoy, what would you do if you were him?"
Without a second thought, Black Tiger replied, "Of course I'll accept without hesitation!"
“This is it.” The man in black clapped his hands. “Even a fool wouldn’t miss out on such a deal. But the condition is: Seventh Brother must negotiate in person; no one else can achieve the same effect.”
He paused, then continued, "Now, as long as you go in and tell Seventh Brother what we just said, Feng Chenxi's whereabouts will soon be revealed."
When Black Tiger heard that he was only invited in, it was clear that all the credit had been given to him. Overjoyed, he bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for your guidance, sir. I will never forget it."
Having said that, he turned around and went into the room to claim his credit.
The man in black stared at his retreating figure, a slow smile appearing in his eyes. This time, it was a genuine smile…
The old, dilapidated wooden door creaked open under the weight of a person, the tooth-grinding sound echoing in the pitch-black underground passage, lingering for a long time and conveying an indescribable eeriness to everyone present.
"Light the lamps." The command was given in a calm tone, gentle yet authoritative, it was Seventh Brother.
The torches were lit, and the blazing firelight illuminated the walls of the passageway and also reflected on the man's profile, revealing him to be handsome and refined, with the air of a scholar.
"Where is he being held now?" he asked.
The girl in red beside him replied, "The position he was sitting in at that time was directly opposite the innermost cell of the prison."
"Well, let's go take a look." Seventh Brother took the lead, followed closely by two disciples holding torches.
A gust of wind blew, causing the torches to flicker, and the surrounding scenery alternated between light and darkness, making the group feel as if they were walking through hell. Black Tiger followed behind Seventh Brother with his neck hunched, thinking to himself that this place was truly no place for humans to stay. If it was this eerie and terrifying even with torches lit, he wondered how horrifying it would be without any light. Zhang Xianfang had been here for six or seven hours; could he have been scared to death?
Just then, from a place where the torchlight couldn't reach, a soft murmur drifted from—"The setting sun rolls up the embroidered curtains, the water beneath the pavilion stretches to the sky. I know you wrote this new piece for me, the windows are wet with green and red hues. I still remember leaning on my pillow in the Ping Shan Hall, amidst the misty rain of Jiangnan, a lone wild goose disappearing into the distance..."
His recitation was melodious and pleasant to listen to, and most importantly, it was full of artistic conception. In just a few words, he managed to evoke a sense of pavilions connecting to water, water connecting to the sky, and the sky and water merging into one color in this cold and secluded underground passage.
Seventh Brother paused, frowning, and said, "This person's will hasn't broken yet; we've arrived too early."
“I’m afraid not,” the man in black who had been silently following behind him suddenly said. “He’s homesick.”
He uttered those four words and then fell silent, knowing that his seventh brother would understand.
Sure enough, a smile flickered across Seventh Brother's lips as he murmured, "I still remember the Ping Shan Hall, leaning on my pillow amidst the misty rain of Jiangnan... Not bad, not bad."
He quickened his pace, continuing on without stopping. Reaching the cell door, he peered through the iron bars, as thick as an infant's arm. Inside, the walls were only inches thick, and even the floor was cast in iron. There wasn't a bed, not even a chair. A large, fat man lay sprawled on the floor, not getting up when he heard someone arrive. He simply laughed, "Which good friend has come to see me? Black Tiger or Seventh Sister-in-law? I thought you were going to let me rot in this godforsaken place!"
Seventh Brother remained silent, and the others did not speak either.
The entire underground was deathly silent. Xiao Nuo seemed to realize something and shut his mouth, but he lay on the ground for a long time before getting up. Slowly, little by little, he raised his head. The moment his eyes met Seventh Brother's face, a complex expression seemed to appear in his eyes, a mixture of disappointment and relief. After a long time, he managed a weak smile and said, "So it turns out there's not only Seventh Sister-in-law, but also Seventh Brother."
Seventh Brother said, "Do you know who I am?"
Xiao Nuo shook his head, then nodded, and said, "I don't know, but they do." He pointed to Seventh Brother's men, "The way they look at you tells me you are the real Seventh Brother."
Seventh Brother did not deny it, and said calmly, "You have a keen eye for observation. You are a smart person. I like to cooperate with smart people."
"Cooperate?" Xiao Nuo stared at him for a long time, then smiled wryly. "That's right. Now that you have the upper hand, you naturally want to cooperate with me."
Seventh Brother smiled and said, "If you are unwilling, I will not force you. You are not without the right to choose."
Xiao Nuo gave another bitter smile: "Choose what? Choose to rot here and die, or to see the light of day again?"
“Yes, that’s right,” Seventh Brother said politely. “I’m a scholar, and I like to reason.”
Xiao Nuo agreed, "Reasoning is good, and I also like reasoning."
"You see, we can still reach a consensus," Seventh Brother said, shrugging. "So, what is your choice?"
"Is that even a question?" Xiao Nuo said sternly. "I'm not a rat, do you really want to rot and die here?"
Seventh Brother said, "Since you..."
Xiao Nuo quickly said, "Since I have chosen to see the light of day again, it is equivalent to choosing to cooperate with you."
"That's great! We can discuss the details of the collaboration right away," Seventh Brother said with a smile. "But before that, don't you have anything to tell me?"
“Yes, of course!” Xiao Nuo was also laughing, seemingly even happier than him. “Now that we’re partners, it’s my obligation to help you get rid of your thorn in the side, namely Feng Chenxi, isn’t it? I’ve said before, I’m also very reasonable. However…”
Seventh Brother asked, "But what?"
“But you don’t seem to really like reasoning,” Xiao Nuo said, glancing at him. “Otherwise, we’re already business partners, so why are you still standing outside talking to me?”
Seventh Brother suddenly realized: "So you wanted me to go in."
Xiao Nuo sighed and said, "It's cold and smelly in here, how can I let you in?"
Seventh Brother said, "Then come out and talk to me, okay?"
Xiao Nuo said, "It seems that's the only way."
Seventh Brother said without hesitation, "Someone, open the door."
The man in black stepped forward and easily pulled down the gate, and the cell door opened with a creaking sound.
Seventh Brother granted Xiao Nuo his freedom so easily, but Xiao Nuo was not surprised at all. He walked to the man in black, stared at him for a long time, and then sighed deeply, saying, "Your martial arts are profound, and your pretentious skills are beyond our reach. I truly admire you."
His words were laced with sarcasm, but the man in black remained unmoved and coldly replied, "Easy."
Seventh Brother laughed, and said as he laughed, "How did Young Master Zhang see that his martial arts were so profound?"
“It’s very simple.” Xiao Nuo pointed to the gate and said, “That gate itself weighs a thousand pounds and has been rusted for many years, yet this old man in black pulled it down effortlessly. His martial arts skills are beyond my reach. And when he saw his beloved sword destroyed by Feng Chenxi, he pretended to be resentful but powerless to resist. His scheming and cunning are beyond the reach of ordinary people. Seventh Brother, with such a powerful general by your side, it’s no wonder you felt at ease letting me out.”
Seventh Brother said leisurely, "He is indeed a rare talent."
"I wonder how rare it is?" Xiao Nuo turned to look at the man in black and said slowly, "Why don't you show me what you've got?"
"The space here is cramped, let's do it another day," Seventh Brother said with a smile.
Before he could finish speaking, a loud "clang" resounded, and the sword energy surged. A scream followed, and everyone around Seventh Brother, including Black Tiger and Red Girl, collapsed to the ground, bleeding from their shoulders, elbows, and knees, groaning incessantly.
Xiao Nuo laughed loudly, "Excellent! You are indeed a rare talent! In such a confined space, you didn't hurt a single person!"
"No one was wrongly injured?" Seventh Brother's eye muscles twitched as he stared intently at Xiao Nuo and the man in black, saying each word clearly, "You..."
Suddenly, with a flick of his long sleeves, an explosion rang out, followed by thick smoke. The man in black shouted, "Third...Young Master Zhang, don't let him get away!"
"No," Xiao Nuo said lazily, grabbing his arm. "He can't escape."
"They've already escaped!" The man in black kept stomping his feet.
"I didn't run away," Xiao Nuo insisted, tugging at the black-clad man's sleeve and shaking it. "Isn't he right here?"
The man in black then realized that the man had been holding him the whole time, and exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you holding me? I'm a good person!"
"A good person?" Xiao Nuo chuckled at him, making the man in black feel uneasy. He stammered, "What are you laughing at? What are you laughing at?"
Xiao Nuo gripped his wrist tightly, her face suddenly darkening. She said, "You disguised yourself and joined Seventh Brother's faction, secretly followed me, and even brought a fake Madam Zhang to acknowledge me... Just tell me honestly, what exactly are you planning, Noodle Zhang?"
The man in black stared wide-eyed, almost unable to believe his ears, and exclaimed, "How did you know I was Noodle Zhang?"
Xiao Nuo said with a straight face, "That's none of your business!"
The words were still ringing in his ears when suddenly, with lightning speed, he reached out his left hand, reached into the black-clad man's face, and snatched off a human skin mask: "Haha! I can smell the beef odor on you from eight blocks away. You thought you could hide it..."
The laughter abruptly stopped, and staring intently at the familiar face before him, which was completely unmasked, he screamed as if he'd seen a ghost: "How could it be you!"