A shocking incident occurred in the fortress.
A few days later, a group of servants from Feihua Manor arrived to meet them. After Gu Qingyun met the people, she ordered the carriage to change direction and head west.
Since Gu Qingyun agreed to dissolve the engagement, Li Feiqing has become less reserved when she is with him. However, he is a man of few words, and he spends his days in the carriage either reading or resting with his eyes closed. When he does speak, it is only to ask Li Feiqing about her needs for food and clothing. Li Feiqing wanted to ask him to tell her some strange and wonderful stories about the martial arts world, but she did not know where to start.
Seeing the carriage suddenly change course and head west, he couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going? Aren't we going back to Feihua Manor?"
Gu Qingyun nodded slightly: "We received a message from Master Yichen that Elders Yun and He of the Demonic Sect have gathered the four halls to make full preparations for attacking Zhan Family Fortress. Let's head straight for Zhan Family Fortress and lend a hand to Fortress Master Zhan."
Zhan Hengye's sword strike nearly killed Shen Luo, and Li Feiqing couldn't help but feel resentful about it. Gu Qingyun said, "I know you don't want to see Lord Zhan, but... the Demonic Sect also considers me a great enemy. If I let you return to Feihua Manor alone first, I'm afraid you'll be in danger."
Li Feiqing recalled the day they first met, when he was ambushed by the Demonic Sect and nearly lost his life. He nodded and said, "That's right. Lou Yan made meticulous arrangements that day, placing many people outside Wuzhou City just to deal with you. She must have known beforehand that you were the God of War."
Gu Qingyun seemed quite interested: "That woman from the Demonic Sect is called Lou Yan?"
Li Feiqing shook her head and said, "I don't know her name either." She then recounted her first encounter with Lou Yan, her subsequent pursuit with Murong Wuhen, and the events that led to her rescuing Gu Qingyun in the dense forest.
Gu Qingyun pondered and said, "So this is where all the misunderstandings between you and Zhan Family Fort originated. I just don't know what the Demonic Sect Leader's intention is in stirring things up."
Li Feiqing muttered, "They obviously want to see our two factions at odds so they can profit from it." She felt a surge of resentment at having become a pawn used by Murong Wuhen.
Gu Qingyun gave a soft "hmm," still looking thoughtful, and slowly said, "I only hope that by helping Zhanjiabao overcome this calamity, we can resolve the grudges between you."
Li Feiqing was touched and said, "You...you are still injured, there's really no need...no need..."
Gu Qingyun interrupted her with a smile, saying, "Even if I don't go to Zhan Family Fort, the Demonic Sect will still come looking for trouble. Besides, Master Yichen has issued a wide invitation to heroes, and all the major sects will send people to help me."
Li Feiqing responded softly, her thoughts involuntarily turning to his last sentence: "All the major sects will send people to help. So, Senior Brother will go too, won't he..."
After several days, under Hua Liran's careful care, Gu Qingyun's injuries gradually healed, and Shen Luo was also able to walk. Several days later, the group arrived at Zhan Family Fort, and Gu Qingyun ordered someone to present a visiting card.
Not long after, the servant who had come to announce the arrival of the fortress led out a young maid. The maid looked alarmed and curtsied, saying, "May I ask which one of you is Young Master Hua Liran? My young master seems to be unwell. My master would like to invite Young Master Hua to go and see him first. Please have some tea served in the front hall. He will be there shortly."
The people of Feihua Manor started chattering again: "That old man Zhan Hengye is so ill-mannered! The Manor Lord is of such high status, yet he didn't even come out to greet him when he came to help..." "It's understandable, didn't you hear that little girl say her son is dying..." "So what if his son dies? If we don't help him, the Demonic Sect will slaughter him without leaving a trace, and we won't even be able to save our own lives..." "Hey, Brother Big Head, why boost the Demonic Sect's morale and diminish the prestige of our righteous sects..." "Is this old man really righteous? I don't think so..."
Gu Qingyun and Hua Liran exchanged a glance, knowing that if Zhan Ziyang succumbed to his injuries, Zhan Hengye would surely take his anger out on Li Feiqing. Hua Liran said to the little maid, "Lead the way," and hurriedly followed her. The rest of the people were then ushered into the front hall by the servant.
After everyone had been drinking tea for a while, they suddenly heard faint crying sounds coming from afar. Not long after, the girl from before hurriedly came in again, her eyes red, and bowed to Gu Qingyun, saying, "Young Master Hua invites Master Gu to have a talk in the inner room."
Gu Qingyun frowned slightly, instructed the people of Feihua Manor not to make a loud noise, and then left the front hall with the maid.
Li Feiqing and Shen Luo exchanged a glance, secretly alarmed: Could it be that Zhan Ziyang has passed away? Li Feiqing was afraid that Gu Qingyun would quarrel with Zhan Family Fort again because of her. She already owed him a lot and really did not want to cause him any more trouble. She was anxious and kept looking towards the entrance of the hall, hoping that Gu Qingyun would appear soon, but she could not see a single person.
After a while, a maid came in carrying a tea tray to change the tea for everyone. Li Feiqing didn't like tea, and her bowl of tea had gone cold but she hadn't touched it. The maid bowed her head and stepped forward to change the tea for her. As Li Feiqing watched her busy herself, a sense of unease suddenly flashed through her heart. It seemed that she had overlooked something extremely important, but she couldn't remember what it was.
Among the people of Feihua Manor, Zhang Datou was the most talkative. He had patiently sat for a long time following the manor lord's orders, but now he finally couldn't hold back and muttered under his breath, "Even if his son is dead, he should have sent that little girl over to let us know, so we don't all have to wait here until we need to pee..."
He was about to launch into a long tirade about the Zhan family fortress when he suddenly saw Li Feiqing stand up, remain silent, and swiftly move behind the maid, pointing her finger at the Yuzhen acupoint on the back of her head.
Zhang Datou opened his mouth wide and said in surprise, "As expected of the mistress of the manor, she stood up for me after I only said one sentence. How can I possibly repay her?"
But the maidservant, without turning her head, elbowed Li Feiqing in the chest's Tanzhong acupoint. Her attack was swift and ruthless, a stark contrast to her previous timid and hesitant demeanor. Everyone was startled, then heard Li Feiqing shout, "Quickly, seize her! This person is a member of the Demonic Sect in disguise!"
The maid gave a sinister laugh, her voice sounding like a man's. She said, "It's too late now that you've discovered it!" Her hands continued to fight with Li Feiqing, but her steps gradually moved towards the entrance of the hall.
Zhang Datou was the first to draw his broadsword, shouting, "Madam, I'm here to help you!" He gripped the sword with both hands and was about to rush to the entrance of the hall to block the man's retreat. But after taking a deep breath, he suddenly saw stars and stumbled forward. He quickly slammed the tip of his sword into the ground to steady himself, crying out, "Ouch, I'm dizzy!"
Among the heroes of Feihua Manor, someone shouted again, "I'm dizzy too!" "Oh no, could the tea be poisoned?"
The man disguised as a maid laughed and said, "Everyone, just wait for our reinforcements to come and collect the bodies." Taking advantage of Li Feiqing's slightly confused state, he flashed out of the hall and fled. Li Feiqing wanted to chase after him, but Shen Luo called out, "Junior sister, don't chase after him, beware of a trap."
Li Feiqing stopped and turned back. Seeing that most of the people in the hall felt dizzy and weak, she realized their tea had been poisoned by the demonic cult members. She stamped her foot in self-reproach, exclaiming, "Why didn't I think of that sooner!" It wasn't until Zhang Datou mentioned the little girl that Li Feiqing suddenly realized the reason for her unease: although she had never seen the girl's face before, the way she looked at people seemed strangely familiar. Especially in front of the Zhan Family Fortress, when the little girl answered the crowd, her gaze seemed to have inadvertently glanced at Li Feiqing's face. Now, recalling it, it resembled that demonic cult enchantress—Lou Yan!
Thinking that Lou Yan might have set up another trap to lure Gu Qingyun into, Li Feiqing said urgently, "Master Gu is in a dangerous situation, I must go find him quickly." Shen Luo, who was not allowed to drink tea due to her injuries, was not poisoned and chimed in, "And Dead Fish Face, Junior Sister, I'll go with you."
Seeing that most of the heroes of Feihua Manor were showing signs of poisoning, Li Feiqing hesitated. The nameless swordsman, who hadn't even drunk his tea, said to Li Feiqing, "It seems this poison won't kill us for a while. Our only hope now is to find the Manor Lord and Young Master Hua as soon as possible. Go ahead, young lady; leave this to me."
Li Feiqing nodded, and together with Shen Luo, they left the hall and leaped onto the roof. Looking around, they saw that there were many houses in the Zhan Family Fortress, densely packed together, and they couldn't guess which direction Gu Qingyun had gone.
Just as they hesitated, a gray shadow flashed in the southeast corner. The two of them, without prior arrangement, chased after it. The Shadow Mountain Sect's lightness skill was unique, and the two had both received Mu Feiyu's true teachings. Sure enough, before long, they had gradually closed the distance with the gray-clad man. The man ahead seemed to sense something was wrong and suddenly leaped down, disappearing into a house. Li Feiqing, eager to grab him and interrogate him about Gu Qingyun's whereabouts, followed suit, leaping down from the roof. She saw that the house's door was open, revealing several rooms inside. In the center of one room, a man in black lay face down on the ground, motionless. Judging from his figure, he was a young man.
Li Feiqing's heart tightened, and she called out, "Master Gu, is that you?" She rushed forward, and Shen Luo followed behind her.
Before the two could even get close to the man, they suddenly felt their feet sink into the ground, and their bodies plummeted downwards. As they tried to catch their breath and leap back up, they heard a loud laugh from above, and two gusts of wind pressed down on them from above. Unable to resist while in mid-air, they had no choice but to fall. Immediately afterward, a rumbling sound filled the air, and the light went out, leaving them trapped in a stone chamber underground. A voice above them laughed, "The mechanisms and secret chambers of Zhan Family Fortress are quite useful. We captured two without breaking a sweat." The voice belonged to the man disguised as the maid. Another unfamiliar voice laughed, "That Gu Qingyun made us hide for four years. Now that we've captured his fiancée, we can finally vent our anger!"
Hearing the conversation between the two, Li Feiqing breathed a sigh of relief: it seemed that Gu Qingyun was temporarily unharmed. If she had been killed, these two members of the Demonic Sect would not be so overjoyed just because they had trapped her and her senior brother.
The fake maid suddenly laughed, "Don't worry, the master has already lured that brat surnamed Gu into the Jihuang Pavilion. Even if he has three heads and six arms, he will definitely be unable to defend himself." Li Feiqing's heart sank, and then she heard another person laugh slyly, "This brat is so hateful, I really can't rest easy if I don't make him wear a green hat." The fake maid laughed, "Could it be that you have taken a fancy to this girl from the Yingshan Sect?" The other person spat, "Do you think I have the same low standards as that brat surnamed Gu? I just want to..." His voice gradually weakened and became barely audible.
Li Feiqing was unconvinced and tugged at Shen Luo's sleeve, asking in a low voice, "Senior brother, what's wrong with me? Why did that person say that liking me means having poor taste?"
Shen Luo gave a bitter laugh and murmured, "Silly child..."
He suddenly stopped talking, and at the same time, they smelled a strange fragrance. They heard two people above them sneer, "Two lonely men and women sharing a private room, don't delay your wonderful spring night."
Fragrance in a Dark Room
Li Feiqing exclaimed in surprise, "Senior brother, they've released sleeping potion!"
Shen Luo reached out and pressed his hand against her nose, whispering, "Hold your breath."
Li Feiqing did as she was told, holding her breath, but in a moment the fragrance filled the room. No matter how long they held their breath, it couldn't last. Li Feiqing finally couldn't help but exhale, inhaling the exotic aroma.
Shen Luo suddenly glided to a corner of the stone chamber, keeping a safe distance from Li Feiqing.
Li Feiqing whispered, "Senior brother, I feel a little dizzy and my heart is racing."
Shen Luo muttered from the shadows, "Bear with it. And no matter how sad you are later, you absolutely must not come near me, understand?"
Li Feiqing replied, "Oh."
After a moment, Li Feiqing said again, "Senior brother, I feel like I'm sweating profusely. Could it be that the poison has taken effect?"
Shen Luo gritted his teeth and said, "Shut up!"
After breaking out in a cold sweat, Li Feiqing felt hot all over and her head was getting increasingly dizzy. She couldn't help but ask, "Senior brother, what do they mean by 'spring night'?"
Shen Luo was also feeling unbearably hot and was secretly alarmed when he heard Li Feiqing moving her feet and walking towards him. He hurriedly said, "Why didn't you listen to me? I told you not to come any closer!"
Li Feiqing said blankly, "Senior brother, your voice sounds a little strange. I...I want to die with you." Without stopping, she followed the sound in the darkness towards Shen Luo...
※ ※ ※ ※
Now, Gu Qingyun followed the young maid through the garden, turning several corners, until they arrived at a three-story building. The young maid turned around and said, "This is it, Master Gu, please come in."
Gu Qingyun smiled slightly, but did not move.
The young maid seemed a little anxious, and said in a choked voice, "If Master Gu doesn't go in soon, I'm afraid my master will start arguing with Young Master Hua."
Gu Qingyun said calmly, "Is that so? I'm afraid they might not have that kind of strength right now."
The young maid lowered her head and whispered, "What is Master Gu saying? I don't understand."
Gu Qingyun glanced down at her: "Miss Lou Yan is full of tricks and is exceptionally intelligent, how could she not understand?"
A cold glint flashed in the little girl's eyes, then she chuckled and said, "The God of War has such keen insight, I admire you."
Gu Qingyun said, "The young lady walked quickly all the way, and her breathing was not disordered at all. Even if the maids in the fortress had practiced martial arts, they would definitely be flustered and breathless after such a huge change. They would never be like the young lady, whose face was panicked but whose breathing was unusually stable."
Lou Yan tilted her head and chuckled softly, "How do you know I am Lou Yan, young master?"
Gu Qingyun smiled and said, "Since you can act so freely in Zhan Family Fortress, I suppose the Lord of Zhan Family Fortress has already fallen into the hands of the Demonic Sect. You hate me to the bone, so you must want to deal with me personally."
Lou Yan bit her lip and smiled, "That's right, Young Master Gu. You killed my sect leader, Young Master Mozhu. How can such a deep hatred go unpunished?"
Seeing Lou Yan's delightful expression with a slight frown and smile, Gu Qingyun became even more wary.
Not long ago, this woman appeared at the Qifeng Inn in Wuzhou, smiling and chatting in the same manner. She claimed to have killed many righteous masters just to lure the God of War into appearing before disappearing. When he chased after her and engaged her in combat, he discovered that this woman possessed superb lightness skills and unpredictable moves, yet she was extremely protective of her reputation and would never confront him directly, leading him all the way to a dense forest outside the city. Once the ambush of the demonic cult members appeared, Lou Yan suddenly changed her expression, each move seemingly aimed at mutual destruction. She risked taking a palm strike from him, sustaining serious injuries, and finally closed in, plunging her poisoned finger into his chest. Although Gu Qingyun managed to fight off the attackers one by one, Lou Yan escaped, and he himself fell unconscious from the poison. If Li Feiqing hadn't happened to pass by, he would likely have died an unexplained death outside Wuzhou.
The battle of Wuzhou was an unprecedented humiliation for Gu Qingyun, so he couldn't help but look at Lou Yan differently. He secretly gathered his strength in his palm, waiting for the right moment to kill this vixen in front of him.
Lou Yan's beautiful eyes darted around, and she smiled, "Young Master Gu, I can't beat you in a fight, but killing me won't be so easy either. Besides, don't you want to know Young Master Hua's whereabouts?"
Gu Qingyun asked, "What does the young lady want?"
Lou Yan pointed to the building in front of her and said with a smile, "To be honest, Young Master Hua is inside. However, this house was built rather strangely by Lord Zhan. No one in our sect dares to go in and invite Young Master Hua out. We can only trouble Young Master Gu to help."
After a moment's thought, Gu Qingyun asked, "Is this the Jihuang Pavilion?"
Lou Yan clapped her hands and laughed, "Young Master Gu is indeed very knowledgeable. The Zhan Family Fortress's Jihuang Pavilion is famous throughout the martial arts world. I have long admired the legendary Five Elements Poison Manual, but my skills are too shallow to dare to go in and explore it. Young Master Gu is such a hero, he must not be afraid."
Legend has it that Zhan Family Fortress has always held a prominent position in the martial arts world for its mastery of three unique skills: hidden weapons, mechanisms, and poison-making. The Mechanism Pavilion, in particular, is said to be a repository of these three skills, riddled with traps and secret passages, serving as a treasure trove for the fortress's successive lords. Some fearless individuals have attempted to sneak in, but none have returned alive. Zhan Family Fortress has issued a threatening statement: anyone who can leave the Mechanism Pavilion alive through sheer skill can choose any treasure within and take it with them.
Gu Qingyun said, "If I am fortunate enough to retrieve the Five Elements Poison Manual for you, would you be willing to release the Zhan Family Fort and the others?"
Lou Yan rolled her eyes and smiled, "Well... let's wait until Young Master Gu is alive and retrieves the poison manual before we discuss this further."
Gu Qingyun nodded slightly and stepped through the gate.
Lou Yan stared intently as his figure disappeared into the Jihuang Pavilion, her eyes filled with mockery. She smiled slightly and said, "Gu Qingyun, although I want the Five Elements Poison Manual, what I want even more is your life." She turned her head and said, "Someone come here."
The men in black, who had been hiding in the shadows, appeared and bowed, saying, "My lord."
Lou Yan coldly said, "Set this machine shop on fire and burn it down. Also, send more people to guard this place and do not allow anyone to enter or leave."
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard someone clapping a few times behind her, and a leisurely voice with a smile said, "As expected, you are ruthless in your actions. You are worthy of being the Purple-Clad Saintess of our sect."
Lou Yan slowly turned around and saw a handsome man dressed in white standing before her. His face seemed familiar. She also saw Elders Yun and He standing on either side of her, with the four hall masters of Bi, Zhe, Qing, and Chi, as well as two followers from the Nine Venerable Hall, following behind. She understood immediately and said, "I heard that our sect's Ink Bamboo Token recently reappeared on Shadow Mountain. Could this be Young Master Murong?"
Elder Yun shouted, "Ruan Ziya, now that you know about the reappearance of the Ink Bamboo Token, why don't you step forward and pay your respects to the Sect Leader!"
Ruan Ziya smiled slightly but did not respond. Elder Zhai behind her said, "When the sect leader passed away, I and the four hall masters of Zihe Xuecang were all present. The sect leader personally took over the position of acting sect leader on behalf of Miss Ruan and did not reveal any intention to choose a new sect leader. May I ask where Young Master Murong's Ink Bamboo Token came from?"
Elder He said coldly from the side, "I personally handed the Ink Bamboo Token to Young Master Murong on the secret orders of the sect leader. I wonder if Elder Zhai has any further questions."
Elder Zhai's expression changed, and Ruan Ziya chuckled, "Young Master Murong is not a member of our sect, yet the sect leader values you so highly. Isn't that a bit strange?"
Murong Wuhen smiled and said, "It seems rather strange to me that Saintess Ruan is willing to go to any lengths to take Gu Qingyun's life."
Ruan Ziya raised her eyebrows and said, "Gu Qingyun killed the sect leader, so I want to kill him to avenge the sect leader. What's wrong with that?"
Murong Wuhen smiled faintly, "Young Master Mozhu possessed unparalleled martial arts skills. He was severely injured and died by Gu Qingyun in the battle of Kunlun Peak. This matter was extremely suspicious. The Holy Maiden was in a hurry to hunt down Gu Qingyun, and she went to Zhan Family Fortress to hide Zhan Hengye before I did. It makes one suspicious..." He paused, his gaze burning as he stared at Ruan Ziya and said word by word, "Young Master Mozhu's death is related to you, Holy Maiden."
※ ※ ※ ※
Shen Luo's body grew hotter and hotter, feeling the heat intensify with each step Li Feiqing took closer. Their breaths were almost touching, and finally, unable to restrain himself any longer, he reached out his hand...
Suddenly, a rumbling sound was heard, and a bright light appeared before his eyes. The stone slab above his head had been opened. Shen Luo looked up and shouted, "Who is it?"
Gu Qingyun's voice came from above: "Brother Shen, is that you?"
To Shen Luo, the voice was like heavenly music. He quickly replied, "Yes, yes." Using his gecko-like wall-climbing skills, he darted up to the exit. Looking around, he couldn't see the two members of the Demonic Sect. He hurriedly grabbed Gu Qingyun and asked, "Where's the antidote? Where are those two people?"