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Before Qiu Yinyuan could answer, she clapped her hands lightly, and a girl in colorful clothes walked in and knelt down in front of the two of them with a thud.

Shuxue bowed slightly, lifted the girl's chin with her cool fingertips, and said slowly, "This child is a maid in the manor's quarters. I had people keep watch in the shadows every day, and it was not easy to catch her... Father, would you like to hear her opinion?"

Qiu Yinyuan stood calmly, his robes billowing in the wind, elegant as an orchid. Shu Xue glanced at him, then turned to touch the girl's cheek: "Sweetie, tell your sister, what did you see?"

The girl's face was blank, as if she were in a dream. She spoke slowly and deliberately, "The prince needs his dressings changed every day. I have to collect so many blood strips, so many strips, I can't even count them all. The corridors are full of soldiers, they don't rest even at night, they stand there like wooden stakes..."

Shuxue smiled brightly, her smile as radiant as spring blossoms. She called for someone to take the girl away and then said, "Father, did you understand?"

Qiu Yinyuan remained silent, his hands clasped behind his back, as if he had encountered something extremely difficult to understand. Huang Yushuxue glanced at his solemn face, then gently raised her hand to smooth his hair: "Young Master still needs to change his bandages, which shows that his chest injury has not yet healed; the guards in the camp are on high alert, which shows that they are protecting you. If you were to say that Young Master had feigned surrender, I simply cannot understand when you acquired this skill, the ability to foresee the future."

After hearing this, Qiu Yinyuan sighed softly, ultimately saying nothing, neither offering advice nor reminders. He stood there indifferently for a moment, then asked, "What is your opinion on Leng Shuangcheng's matter?"

"You mean she failed miserably in the first battle and drowned Bixie at the bottom of the sea?" Shuxue shook her head with disdain. "A person with only martial prowess but no brains can't accomplish great things. Even if she won the first battle with fewer troops and cut off my retreat, I still don't take her seriously."

"She spread the word and set off for Whitestone..."

“Father.” Shu Xue’s voice rose slightly, and she said decisively, “Currently, the Central Plains martial arts world is suffering from a severe shortage of talent. After our three attacks, there are less than a hundred people left who can form a cohesive force. First of all, we lack reserves, but I am not afraid. Secondly, Leng Shuangcheng deliberately endured torture after falling into my hands, and sent out news of his withdrawal after the battle. This was clearly to lure me to Baishi. I see this better than anyone else.”

She paused, then smiled gently: "So, with her limited abilities, she's still a long way from trying to outmaneuver me."

Qiu Yinyuan sighed, "If that's the case, why did you still order the Left Envoy to withdraw the troops and pursue them all the way to Baishi?"

The wind blew her fairy-like sleeves, and she combed her snowy hair, exuding charm: "The underground mine is indestructible, what can she do to me? She just saw that the vegetation on the white stone was lush and wanted to lure us to this mountain to set it on fire... There are only so many people left in the Central Plains, and she went to such lengths to lure me to the white stone. How can I ignore her provocation? As long as we fall behind by one step, we can secure the outer perimeter and set fire first. Then they will be the ones who die—this is a good opportunity to wipe them all out."

"Look, isn't it fun to play with her?" Huang Yushu smiled, her expression infinitely innocent.

8. Divine Retribution (Part 1)

On June 20th of the fourth year of the Jianlong era, two days after the great battle between Wufang, Qixing, and Dongying, news from all directions came together like boiling water, exploding the Song Dynasty's internal and external troubles:

—The Liao cavalry pressed forward from Dushi and Gubei, taking advantage of the border defenses being leaderless, killing the defending generals and capturing the three prefectures of Wu, Ru, and Shun, forming a barrier to continue encroaching on the northern frontier. The flames of war reached Qigou Pass, and the capital was in grave danger.

—Besides the northern frontier, the heartland of the Central Plains was also opened up as a second battlefield. The sinking of the Bixie Manor on Wufang Island claimed nearly ten thousand lives from the Japanese, greatly suppressing their offensive and relieving their immediate crisis. Subsequently, Lonely Triumph of Qinglong Town led his men through the Seven Stars Campaign, spending a whole night capturing the medicine man An Jie, annihilating the entire Shuiyin gang, and sacrificing two thousand youths to kill four thousand enemies. Rumors spread that the manor was littered with corpses and filled with a bloody atmosphere. Only Lonely Triumph, Qi Chenli, Yin Guang, Jian Wei, and Yuwen Xiaobai, who later came to deliver the message, and a hundred other experts, fled north towards Baishi.

—In this catastrophe that struck the Central Plains, all the mountain sects were wiped out in the war. Only two thousand of the Tantric sect's remaining soldiers survived. After capturing Seven Star Manor, they suddenly withdrew, meandering towards White Stone. The leader of the Tantric sect has always remained hidden behind the scenes. It is said that apart from the seriously injured and bedridden Young Master Qiuye, his martial arts have reached their peak, and no one can match him.

—The Song Dynasty was facing a severe shortage of talent. Due to the war in the northern frontier, the central plains were not alleviated by the court and were in a state of emergency. Some martial arts figures spread the word that whoever could quell this war would surely unify the central plains in the future. The Lonely Young Master of Qinglong Town protected the safety of Qinglong Town and broke the long-standing pattern of being dominated by the Bixie Manor, becoming the person everyone admired.

The weather in June was sweltering, with dust billowing and obscuring the sky. Leng Shuangcheng traveled day and night for two days straight, finally reaching the foot of Baishi Mountain. The village was overgrown with thorns and wild grasses, desolate and silent, a bleak green devoid of any human presence. The distant mountains, still shrouded in mist, presented an elegant and beautiful scene. She looked down at her dust-covered clothes and bent down to dust them off.

The burning, aching pain surged up her throat again, and Leng Shuangcheng quickly used her strength to suppress it. She took out a "Tranquilizing Pill" (made by Dongge in Chapter 3 of Volume 1, which was once given to Leng Qi) to relieve the onset of the cold poison. After everything was settled, she looked around with peace of mind, found a courtyard with three connected houses, and lightly leaped towards the center.

This was the place she and Nan Jingqi had agreed to meet. Just as the hem of her dress fell back, the door creaked open, revealing Nan Jingqi's handsome features: "Shuangcheng, is that you?"

Leng Shuangcheng understood and raised her hand to wipe the mask off again, then smiled and said, "It's me."

A towering paulownia tree stood beside the door, its dense branches swaying gracefully in the breeze. Nan Jingqi appeared beneath the tree, his single robe fluttering in the wind, his sideburns as black as raven's. Leng Shuangcheng smiled slightly at him: "Nan Jing is still as cheerful as ever..."

Nan Jingqi had already noticed Leng Shuangcheng's graying hair and withered face, and in shock, he reached out to grab her. Leng Shuangcheng hurriedly dodged, but even with a wisp of purple cloud floating by, he was still caught by a corner of her clothes: "Shuangcheng, what happened to you?"

Leng Shuangcheng subtly tugged at her shirt, but it wasn't pulled away. She replied nonchalantly, "It's nothing, just a relapse of my injury. I've been taking medication, and it will get better in a few days."

A shadow of gloom settled over Nan Jingqi's sparse features, his handsome face clouded with a hint of leaden mist, like the ever-changing weather of the sky. Leng Shuangcheng continued to smile, trying every trick in the book to coax Nan Jingqi, but finally, seeing him still clutching his sleeves and frowning, she hardened her heart and said seriously, "Nan Jing, what time is it now? You still have the mind to ask about irrelevant things? Or do you not believe me anymore, and think I'm lying to you?"

Leng Shuangcheng's smile vanished, his brows and eyes turned as cold as ice, his gaze sharp as a cold blade. Nan Jingqi had never seen Leng Shuangcheng so serious before. The usually cheerful Nan Jingqi was caught off guard and could only manage a bitter smile.

The clouds, like a rolling scroll, shifted and changed in large swaths, piling up far above their heads. The cicadas chirped sharply, their cries inexplicably irritating. Nan Jingqi faced Leng Shuangcheng for a moment, then, seeing her composed expression and resolute posture, he softened first, smiling as he said, "Don't look at me like that. I'm quite uneasy. I've done everything you asked me to do. What do you need me to do now?"

Leng Shuangcheng extended his right wrist, glanced at the direction the ribbon on his sleeve was fluttering, and said calmly, "It's 1:15 PM now, and there's a north wind. I'm deliberately walking slowly. If I'm not mistaken, the last pursuers from Japan will arrive here in an hour."

How can Shuangcheng be so sure?

Leng Shuangcheng smiled calmly, like a still lake with gentle ripples: "Huang Yushuxue is not stupid. She can predict my purpose, but she will still come after me because she is too proud. A proud person is like a peacock. If her beautiful feathers are stripped off, she will definitely jump up in heartache."

Her face turned to the White Stone Mountains, gazing at the misty greenery with a wistful look: "Most importantly—I specifically chose a place where she had scouted the terrain, so that she could follow without any mishaps. But all of this must be done at the exact time, without the slightest error."

Nan Jingqi's eyebrows twitched, a hint of understanding in his eyes, and he pressed, "You asked me to prepare gunpowder and medicinal oil, and brought the boy here, for this very reason, right?"

The summer wind remained dry, whipping up dust that swirled and formed a misty barrier. Leng Shuangcheng, dressed in elegant purple, stood beneath a tree like a fairy of purple clouds, her delicate strokes etching the final silhouette. Clutching her sleeve, she gazed at the distant mountain outline and said desolately, "I grew up here. If I had a second choice, I certainly wouldn't destroy it… Let's go, let's hurry and set things up."

The branches were dense and intertwined, forming a canopy. Two green figures darted across the thick trunk in the wind, their forms concealed.

Leng Shuangcheng and the other two had changed into green clothes. She carried the child on her back, while Nan Jingqi carried the medicinal oil, as they arrived at the towering cliff. While speeding along the way, she deliberately slowed down on the front slope, hoping that the hidden sentries pinned down by Shu Xue could see her face.

"This is it. Keep going forward and you'll reach Wolf Valley. But we can't go straight in because there are sentry wolves guarding the front. If they get startled and sound the alarm, thousands of wolves will rush out, and we won't be able to stop them." Leng Shuangcheng looked back, cut the vines that were wrapped around the child's waist, and said with a smile, "Hold on tight, I'll take you there."

Tong Tu's face turned pale with fright, and he kept shaking his head, "No...no...I'll be eaten by wolves..."

Leng Shuangcheng was too exhausted to continue fighting him. She tied Shi Yang tightly behind her back, grabbed one end of the vine, and using both hands and feet, she darted to the top like an agile monkey. She tugged on the rope, and Tong Tu understood, using her strength to climb up with considerable effort. Nan Jingqi followed suit, and finally stood on the cliff top.

Upon reaching the top, Nan Jingqi discovered a hidden paradise behind the cliff.

The gnarled branches intertwine and spread out, forming a green palace canopy like a reed curtain. The dense sunlight can only shine on them, unable to penetrate the ground beneath the canopy, leaving only thin rays of light to seep in and scatter like raindrops.

The entire Wolf Valley is low-lying like a plate, completely hidden by lush trees and branches.

Leng Shuangcheng pulled Tong Tu along and walked a few feet toward the cliff on the right. He stopped and said to them, "This is the shortcut to Wolf Valley. Once you're in, don't stay on the ground. Fly up to the trees quickly for safety. I will also land in the trees to test the wolf pack. You can only come down after I give my approval."

Leng Shuangcheng squatted on a lush green tree trunk, the crystal whistle between her teeth. A soft light fell on her face, illuminating the solemn look in her eyes.

Her expression revealed a sense of tension.

Nan Jingqi, perched on a nearby tree trunk, looked at her and said, "Are you summoning the Wolf King? Is there really a Wolf King?"

Leng Shuangcheng nodded, then suddenly asked, "Does Nan Jing still remember Mr. Tie Gan's wolf claws?" (See Chapter 13 for details)

"Mr. Tie is one of the four great bodyguards of Jingxiang. Legend has it that he once captured the thousand-year-old snow wolf king of White Stone Mountain and cut off its claws to make his paws..."

“It’s this wolf paw,” Leng Shuangcheng interrupted quickly, his voice low and menacing, like a cat being choked. “I don’t know how Mr. Tie managed to capture the Snow Wolf King, but the rumors are true. I was raised by this wolf king, and it’s over two hundred years old now…”

Nan Jingqi looked surprised, seemingly quite astonished, but Leng Shuangcheng didn't seem to care and continued, "I think if it smells my blood, it will recognize me. Only if it recognizes me will the rest of the wolf pack obey my commands."

A low, mournful sound flowed from the whistle, like a plaintive flute, its lingering melody gripping the hearts of the three.

The big tree faces a dark hole.

A sudden, foul wind swept through the thick, dark grass, and the blades of grass prostrated themselves forward, like pilgrims on a pilgrimage.

The pale blue light, like candles, appeared in irregular patterns in the dark shadows of the cave, one point, two points, and countless more.

They haven't shown themselves yet; they're still observing.

A bead of sweat trickled down his face. Leng Shuangcheng tightened his lips, focusing his strength as he played another tune. Nan Jingqi covered Tong Tu's mouth, hugged him tightly, and hid in the dense shade of the trees.

Before the music had stopped, the alpha wolf arched its body and growled softly, like an archer ready to pounce. The wolf howls were initially low and weak, like the cries of a child waiting to be fed, until the pack responded, and the sounds became one, echoing through the gloomy sky.

"Luckily, it's far from the front mountain, otherwise, if someone overheard us, wouldn't that have ruined everything?"

Leng Shuangcheng's heart leaped into his throat. He played a note with all his might, drowning out the howls of the wolves, hoping to end the commotion.

The sound of footsteps rustling spread out, and suddenly all the wolves in the cave rushed out, spreading out like a tide, filling the base of the trees in a dark mass.

A ray of light shone into the cave entrance. A blurry shadow slowly moved out, accompanied by a low howl.

The wolves outside the cave retreated from the middle of the road.

Its silvery-white fur was the first thing to appear in the light, enveloping its entire body in a powerful, ready-to-pounce force. Its pointed ears seemed to never yield, its head was sharp and its cheeks white, and white breath spewed from its inverted triangular nostrils, hissing as it clung to the blades of grass.

Its entire body is pure white without any other colors. It stands on three legs, and although it has lost its left forearm, its claws are firmly gripping the ground.

Leng Shuangcheng's eyes widened, and she slammed her palms into the broken branches, drawing large spurts of blood from both hands. She lightly leaped to the ground, her hem fluttering in the wind.

The wolf king stood still, howling, and two wolves charged at Leng Shuangcheng with lightning speed. Leng Shuangcheng turned and dodged the attack, then knelt down without hesitation.

With a thud, grass and leaves flew up, and the ground seemed to shake. She crawled towards the wolf king, her palms alternating, as he faced her gleaming green eyes.

The two wolves charged again, biting her left and right arms respectively. Their sharp teeth sank deep into her flesh, drawing out strings of blood that splattered haphazardly. She endured the pain, did not dodge, and moved forward with difficulty.

The sound of branches rustling came from behind Leng Shuangcheng, who heard it clearly. He growled, "Don't move! Nan Jingqi! Let them bite. The wolf king is hesitant. I need to make the smell of blood stronger!"

She trembled as she stretched out her palms in front of her, crawled close to the ground, stared directly at the wolf king, and let out a low growl.

The scene was utterly bloody.

The wolf king lowered his cool tongue and flicked it across the bloodstains on her palm, the silvery saliva dripping onto his hand.

Leng Shuangcheng remained motionless, his eyes as sinister as a leopard's, filled with a bloodthirsty aura and a faint, bloodthirsty red hue.

A man and a wolf faced off.

After what seemed like an eternity, the wolf king let out a low howl, and the wolf pack gradually retreated, a black wave receding to the cliff face at the cave entrance.

Leng Shuangcheng prostrated himself and kowtowed deeply: "You really remember me. Two hundred years have passed, and you are still here."

9. Divine Retribution (Part 2)

The whistle wailed incessantly as Leng Shuangcheng blew it and led the pack of wolves to a mud pit. The mud pit was made of rotting leaves, which had been discovered during the last patrol, and this time it was put to practical use.

The mud pit was filled with the medicinal oil that Nan Jingqi had brought. At the signal of the wolf king, the wolves rolled over one by one. Leng Shuangcheng watched these beasts silently, feeling sad and heartbroken.

"Leng Shuangcheng will surely be punished by heaven." She muttered to herself as she walked back to Nan Jingqi's side.

Nan Jingqi, with vines wrapped around his right wrist, knelt on the ground and turned his head to examine the pipes.

The two men had previously dug up the soft soil and used gunpowder to blast the ground, creating a circular crater. Naturally, this also resulted in the cut-off of the pipe.

"How is it?" Leng Shuangcheng squatted down and asked.

“Shuangcheng’s guess is absolutely right.” Nan Jingqi steadied the rope in his hand and answered carefully, “This underground passage is indeed narrow. Fortunately, the little boy has been familiar with contortion since childhood and has mastered the art of bone shrinking. Otherwise, no one would be able to squeeze in.”

“I gave him Shi Yang. This time, he went in to cut the connection between the pipe and Wolf Valley so that the wolves could enter.” Seeing that Leng Shuangcheng remained silent, he added.

The rope in his hands twitched, and Nan Jingqi used both hands to pull Tong Tu out together with Leng Shuangcheng.

Tong Tu was covered in black soot, with black marks on his fair face. Sweat washed over him, turning his face into a mess. He lifted his sleeve and found it was also black, so he reluctantly put it down and said, panting, "The cut is open. It's all iron filings underneath, and there's a blast of heat."

"How is the situation inside?" Leng Shuangcheng wiped his cheek with her clothes and smiled gently, "Thanks to the help of the little boy."

Tong Tu grinned with satisfaction: "There's an iron sand pool under the pipe. I didn't dare go down, but I stuck my head out to peek, and I got a general idea." He swallowed and continued: "It's like a tent inside, with a pine resin lamp with a shade hanging from the top, making it dimly lit. There are a lot of men down there, but they're so strange. They move around like wooden puppets. If they walk too slowly, the uncle in black will lash out with his whip, and they won't even flinch."

Tong Tu finished speaking in a flurry, took the bamboo tube Nan Jingqi handed him, and drank water, humming something under his breath. Leng Shuangcheng looked at him and asked again, "Did you see the lamp that looks like an orchid?"

"I see it!" Tong Tu exclaimed, his eyes shining. "Now that you mention it, I remember there are many boxes against the wall with something shimmering with blue light on them, which looks like orchid lamps."

Leng Shuangcheng faced Nan Jingqi with a worried expression: "It is the Sun and Moon Golden Wheel. I estimate that quite a few finished products have already been made. Those wooden figures are actually villagers who have been controlled by Shuxue with drugs and captured to be enslaved by her."