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I almost forgot about Baili Liushang while we were chatting, but Pei Jin reminded me and his figure came back to me clearly. Tan Huan couldn't help but look at Baili Liushang and said with a smile, "Then let's forget about it. Let's not even be friends anymore. Let's just treat the past as a beautiful memory. Maybe one day when we're both old, we'll have a chance to meet up for a cup of tea."

Pei Jin seemed to understand something and said calmly, "Are you trying to distance yourself from me indirectly? Or are you implying that Baili Liushang is much more important than me?"

Tan Huan sighed. Her little bit of cleverness was of no use at all. "Pei Jin, you have a happy and fulfilling family, loving parents, a respectable family background, superb martial arts skills, handsome appearance... You have everything, but Master has always been alone." Her gaze was fixed on Baili Liushang, but she was still talking to Pei Jin, "He also gets lonely."

Tan Huan knelt until evening, and Pei Jin sat with her until evening as well. Baili Liushang tried to control himself from listening to their conversation, but he couldn't help but see them chatting with smiles on their faces; the sight was truly jarring.

When it was completely dark, Baili Liushang finally let Tan Huan get up. Tan Huan's feet were so numb that he couldn't feel them, so he had to sit in meditation and circulate his internal energy to clear his meridians. They were now very close to the Tang Clan, and Baili Liushang said to Tang Weiyu, "Once Tan Huan can move again, you can lead us into the Tang Clan." It would be easier to move around in the dark, and the probability of being recognized would be higher if they entered at dawn.

The Tang Clan headquarters was built on a mountaintop, with the only entrance requiring a suspension bridge, making the terrain steep and treacherous. This meant that once Tan Huan and his group entered, they would have a very difficult time getting out, facing a life-or-death situation.

Ever since Tan Huan was forced to kneel, Baili Liushang hadn't spoken to her. They silently followed Tang Weiyu into the Tang Clan, and the guards at each gate didn't stop them when they saw it was Tang Weiyu. Tang Weiyu didn't dare to call for help; he knew that with the skills of these people in front of him, he would definitely have his head chopped off by Wu Tan Huan before he could be rescued.

Tang Weiyu needed enough patience to wait quietly. Originally, he intended to lead Tan Huan and the others to his room to hide, but he subconsciously felt that if he led them to his room, he would only face certain death. So, relying on his familiarity with the Tang Clan's terrain, he subtly led them through winding paths, trying to bring them to a place where Tang Clan masters gathered.

After walking for a long time without reaching Tang Weiyu's residence, Tan Huan initially asked casually, "Why haven't we arrived yet?" It was a thoughtless question, but upon seeing Tang Weiyu's momentary pause, her vigilance suddenly rose. She pressed down on Tang Weiyu's shoulder, "Tang Weiyu, don't try anything funny. Perhaps you want me to hold the Lonely Dust Sword to your neck and force you to walk?"

The situation suddenly became tense. Tang Weiyu dared not move, and Tan Huan and the others dared not make any rash moves on Tang Clan's territory. Suddenly, Tan Huan heard footsteps not far away. She immediately sheathed her Lone Dust Sword and secretly transmitted her voice to Tang Weiyu, "Behave yourself." To make matters worse, Tan Huan noticed that her master's condition was not good, and she had to get to Tang Weiyu's room as soon as possible so that her master could use his internal energy to heal his injuries.

When luck is bad, even drinking water can be choking. Approaching was a familiar face, Tang Ling, whom Tang Weiyu had met before in the Netherworld Valley along with Tan Huan, Baili Liushang, and Pei Jin. The three of them immediately lowered their heads even further, forcing Tang Weiyu to move forward.

Unfortunately, Tang Ling took the initiative to greet Tang Weiyu, "Second Young Master, you're back?"

Tang Weiyu smiled, "Yes, nothing has happened recently, has it?"

Tang Ling seemed unaware of Tan Huan and the others, treating them merely as ordinary servants behind Tang Weiyu. "The Netherworld Valley has caused trouble several times again. I heard they plan to gather their forces to surround the Tang Clan and slowly break through."

Tang Weiyu nodded. "The elders should have a plan by now, right?"

A glint flashed in Tang Ling's lowered eyes. The Tang Clan had already decided on their countermeasures, so this question was rather strange. Since he sensed something was amiss, he began to observe his surroundings. Then, with a slight smile, he continued with casual conversation, "There are some countermeasures. When you have some free time, Second Young Master, you can discuss them with the elders."

Tang Weiyu took in Tang Ling's changing expression and smiled knowingly, "I'll go back to my room first, and then I'll go see the elders later."

Tang Ling cupped his hands and said, "I'll take my leave first."

The attack happened in the blink of an eye. As Tang Ling passed by them, Tang Weiyu slightly stepped forward with her left foot, using her body to block Tan Huan's view. Tan Huan sensed something was wrong. Her right hand was already on the hilt of the Lonely Dust Sword. The sound in the air behind her made her realize the attack was coming. So, the Lonely Dust Sword was immediately drawn, drawing a dazzling arc of light.

In fact, Tan Huan's attack didn't require any fancy moves; speed and power were the two most important factors. She thrust out her sword only once, the blade first passing through Tang Weiyu's body, leaving a wound that almost cost him his life. Before Tan Huan's body had fully turned around, she immediately exerted force on the sword again, completing the second half of the sword's arc attack, aiming straight for Tang Ling's vitals.

Tan Huan had anticipated that her master's condition was poor and that he wouldn't force himself to help, but she hadn't expected Pei Jin to intervene. When Tan Huan realized what was happening, she saw Pei Jin standing between herself and Tang Ling, attacking Tang Ling. Therefore, the sword Tan Huan thrust out struck Pei Jin instead. Although Tan Huan had temporarily restrained herself, Pei Jin's injuries were still severe, with blood and tears streaming down his face.

Seeing this, Tang Ling tried to escape, but the momentary daze of pleasure only lasted a moment, making it impossible for Tang Ling to escape. She flipped over and decapitated Tang Ling. After dealing with Tang Ling, she immediately pressed Tang Weiyu's pressure points, then supported Pei Jin's swaying body, biting her lip and saying guiltily, "I'm sorry..."

Pei Jin pressed several acupoints on his body to stop the bleeding, then leaned against Tan Huan's soft body, still having the leisure to joke, "Tan Huan, your body is trembling."

"I..." Tan Huan hurriedly explained, "I didn't expect..."

"Help me to rest first," Pei Jin said calmly. "Also, immediately throw Tang Ling's body off the cliff, otherwise it will be terrible if someone finds out."

Tan Huan nodded, quickly finished dealing with everything, then woke up the unconscious Tang Weiyu, threatening with an unfriendly expression that this time she would finally take them to a safe place to rest.

Tang Weiyu is the second young master of the Tang Clan, so naturally no one dares to come to his residence casually. Therefore, the house is safe for the time being. Pei Jin's condition is similarly bad to Tang Weiyu's; he has lost too much blood and is mentally exhausted. However, Pei Jin has a good foundation in martial arts, so his healing is much smoother than Tang Weiyu's.

Baili Liushang was also busy suppressing the demonic energy that had gone awry, leaving him no time to spare. Of the three, only Tan Huan still possessed sufficient fighting strength. She stood trembling beside Pei Jin, recalling the accidental injury and the way her Lonely Dust Sword had pierced Pei Jin's body. Her body still trembled uncontrollably, "Pei Jin..."

Pei Jin sat on the ground, closed his eyes, and circulated his internal energy. "It's not your fault." He knew she was upset, but this was the only way he could comfort her.

Tan Huan took a deep breath, then another. "I'm sorry." She didn't dare look at him. "I can't help you circulate your internal energy. I can't use up my own internal strength, otherwise if the Tang Clan finds out, we'll really be doomed." Without her assistance, Pei Jin would have to expend much more energy to recover from his injuries.

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. She feels like she owes him so much. The words "I'm sorry" are too weak; they can't erase anything.

Pei Jin remained silent, then opened her eyes to look at her. "It's alright."

Tan Huan approached the weakened Tang Weiyu, grabbed him by the collar, and said with murderous intent, "Hand over the Tang Clan's holy healing medicine. Tang Weiyu, if you're willing to hand it over, I might let you take some too; otherwise, I'll make sure you die a horrible death!"

Tang Weiyu smiled sarcastically, "Should I thank you for your kindness?" His will to survive was strong; as long as there was a chance to live, he would seize it. Tang Weiyu pointed to a painting in the room, "There's a hidden compartment behind that painting. Inside are two kinds of pills, red and blue. Red treats internal injuries, and blue treats external injuries."

Following his instructions, Tan Huan took out the two bottles of medicine. He first put two pills into Tang Weiyu's mouth to make sure they were not poisoned before daring to use them on Pei Jin. Tan Huan did not want to disturb Pei Jin and Baili Liushang's healing, but he had no scruples when it came to Tang Weiyu. "Take me to the place where Luo Yi is being held."

Tang Weiyu was panting heavily, unable to move at all. "Now?"

Two people were already seriously injured, and Luo Yi's condition was probably not good either. Tan Huan dared not stay in the Tang Clan for long, only wanting to finish the battle quickly and rescue Luo Yi as soon as possible. As for the plan to attack the Tang Clan, it would be postponed for now. At least everyone else needed to be sent out. She could handle the inside-outside coordination by herself.

Baili Liushang chimed in, "Huan'er, have this guy surnamed Tang draw you a map, but don't let him lead the way."

Baili Liushang's illness was particularly severe this time, his face flushed in waves, and his speech was somewhat incoherent. "His injuries are very serious. It would be easier for you to escape or leave on your own. Taking him along would only be a burden."

Tang Weiyu smiled bitterly, and before Tan Huan could take any action, he pointed to a drawer. “The map of the Tang Clan is there. Go get it yourself. I know Luo Yi is being held in the Tang Clan, but I wasn’t home at the time, so I don’t know exactly where he’s being held.” He coughed twice, coughing up a lot of blood. “The Tang Clan has three prisons. You can go and see them all. There’s bound to be a place where Luo Yi is being held.”

Originally, it wouldn't have been a problem to wait until Pei Jin and his master's injuries had healed a bit before looking for Luo Yi, but Tan Huan thought that Luo Yi's blood could quickly heal wounds, so she was eager to find him first.

The Tang Clan has three prisons. One is located deep within the Tang Clan compound, relatively easy to enter. With sufficient lightness skill and stealth, it shouldn't be too difficult for Tan Huan. Another is in the Tang Clan's courtyard filled with poisonous flowers. Compared to the first one, this is much more troublesome. Although Tan Huan's martial arts are excellent, he doesn't possess an immune system to all poisons. To enter this prison, he would have to set fire to the poisonous flowers, which would inevitably alert others. The last prison is located in a secret passage within the Tang Clan, said to be riddled with traps and mechanisms, requiring a guide from someone familiar with the Tang Clan.

Tan Huan immediately went to investigate the deepest prison within the Tang Clan. The Tang Clan didn't have many martial arts masters, but they were easily susceptible to rare poisons, so although Tan Huan had successfully infiltrated, he dared not let his guard down. Tan Huan kept his footsteps as quiet as possible. The prison here wasn't like the iron cages in government prisons, but rather individual rooms with roofs and walls.

This is hell, where horrific sins are buried.

Looking at the scenes in the prison cell, Tan Huan felt so disgusted he almost vomited. So this was how the Tang Clan concocted poisons. People in the martial arts world always said that the Zhengyang Palace was a heretical sect, but compared to the Tang Clan, they were nothing. The Zhengyang Palace did indeed treat human life as worthless and never hesitated to kill, but unlike the Tang Clan, they wouldn't use human bodies as tools for concocting poisons.

Tan Huan suppressed his nausea and searched the entire prison cell. Confirming he couldn't find Luo Yi, he immediately returned the way he came. The search took an hour. Worried about Baili Liushang and Pei Jin, Tan Huan returned to Tang Weiyu's residence as soon as he came out.

Pei Jin and Tang Weiyu could see clearly that Baili Liushang appeared uninjured, yet his condition was far from serious. Pei Jin was focused on recovering quickly, while Tang Weiyu wore a malicious smile. "So that's it," she thought. "I wondered why someone like Baili Liushang would cooperate with the Pei family. If used properly, perhaps we can wipe out the Zhengyang Palace in one fell swoop."

When Tan Huan returned, they were all practicing their internal energy. She kicked Tang Weiyu and said, "I'll rest for a bit and then go check the other cell. If I still can't find my senior brother, then tonight, no matter how badly you're injured, I'll make you lead me into that secret passage." She squatted down, her eyes cold and vicious, "If you cheat, I'll make sure you pay with your life!"

Upon learning that Baili Liushang was injured, Tang Weiyu was so happy he almost wagged his tail. He thought about how to make good use of this information after he escaped, and suddenly valued his life even more. "Instead of worrying about the cell in the secret passage, you should think more about how to safely pass through the poisonous flower bushes. I think it's more likely that Luo Yi is imprisoned there."

Tan Huan raised an eyebrow, "How did you Tang Clan members get through?"

“That cell isn’t accessible to everyone in the Tang Clan. Only those who have been raised on poisonous flowers since childhood and are unafraid of their toxicity can enter.” Tang Weiyu pointed to her nose. “I, for example, couldn’t get in.”

Tan Huan pondered for a moment and said, "Explain in more detail."

“There are bees and butterflies in the poisonous flower bushes. You must not only avoid touching the poisonous flowers and smelling their scent, but you must also avoid touching the bees and butterflies,” Tang Weiyu said. “They are highly toxic and can kill you on the spot.”

With a stern face, Tan Huan began to seriously consider whether or not to set fire to all those things.

"Huan'er, don't risk your life to save Luo Yi." Baili Liushang's complexion improved slightly. "Don't worry about alerting others. Setting it on fire is the safest option." A murderous glint appeared in his narrow eyes. "At worst, we still have the Second Young Master of the Tang Clan as a hostage. I'm sure this Second Young Master will find a way to get us out."

Tang Weiyu had been excitedly imagining what it would be like to escape, but just one look from Baili Liushang extinguished all his hopes. Baili Liushang had left no survivors; he suddenly remembered this, and it had nothing to do with Baili Liushang's martial arts skills, but rather his character.

Setting it on fire... She really is Baili Liushang's disciple; even her methods are almost identical. Tan Huan nodded, decisively picked up the tinder, and used her lightness skill to run outside.

"Baili Liushang, are you suffering from internal injuries?" Pei Jin asked, opening his eyes after Tan Huan had walked away.

Baili Liushang snorted in response, showing no interest in speaking to him.

"This matter should be a secret. Are you going to kill me and Tang Weiyu to silence us?"

Baili Liushang sneered, "Pei Jin, Huan'er can be foolish sometimes, but I won't. Don't tell me that the sword Huan'er stabbed you with was an accident. My eyes aren't blind; I saw it clearly. Kill you to silence you? Would Huan'er still let me kill you now? She feels guilty towards you so much that she'd give her life for you. Pei Jin, I really underestimated you. You're cunning and have guts."

Pei Jin smiled, neither admitting nor denying, "You can make your move when Tan Huan isn't around."

Baili Liushang said, "Your injuries aren't as serious as they look. Why would I waste my energy killing you? I want to save my strength to deal with the Tang Clan."

Pei Jin laughed and said, "What you say is different from what you show. The way you look at me is full of murderous intent."

Baili Liushang said arrogantly, "Pei Jin, you must be thinking that you're finally free from the threat of Zhengyang Palace. Well, let me tell you something: even without me, Zhengyang Palace still has Tan Huan. You should know how amazing Tan Huan's martial arts and talent are."

“If you die, Tanhuan may not follow the path you have planned.”

"Heh, so you really have this kind of wishful thinking in mind." Baili Liushang's lips curled up, and the confidence in his eyes revealed an arrogant disregard for others. "I bet Huan'er will definitely do as I say. You can wait and see."

A strong sense of unease suddenly rose in Pei Jin's heart.

Meanwhile, Tan Huan had already arrived not far from the poisonous flower patch. This was a forbidden area of the Tang Clan, and to avoid the deadly stench, Tan Huan dared not approach, standing on the rooftop gazing at the colorful flower patch from afar. The more beautiful something is, the more poisonous it is. She sneered and forcefully threw the tinderbox in her hand, instantly igniting a patch of yellow flames in the flower patch.

I hope my senior brother is imprisoned in this place.

Flames, spitting terrifying tongues, wantonly destroyed the flowerbed. Although this was forbidden territory, the fire would still alert others. Fortunately, it was secluded, and each time only a dozen or so people would arrive, and none of them were highly skilled in martial arts. To prevent the news from leaking out, Tan Huan killed them one by one, or groups of them, leaving no survivors to inform others.

The flowerbed burned for a full half hour before Tanhuan was finally able to safely enter the prison cell.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Danger Lurks Everywhere

This cell was exactly the same as the previous one. The Tang Clan's cells had left a deep scar on Tan Huan; she had expected to see something utterly disgusting again, but to her surprise, each cell was empty. Just as she began to suspect a trap, she finally spotted Luo Yi in one of the rooms.

Luo Yi was suspended in mid-air, his limbs all secured by iron rings. He had no wounds on his body, but Tan Huan wasn't naive enough to think he hadn't been tortured. That was the advantage of Luo Yi's blood; it had an extremely strong self-healing ability, so even if he was injured, it wouldn't show any signs of injury.

Tan Huan walked in silently. Luo Yi, who was in a light sleep, opened her eyes when she heard the noise. Seeing that it was Tan Huan, she stared at her blankly for a while before blurting out, "Why are you here?"

Enraged by greed, he fiercely drew his sword and slashed through the iron rings. "How could you be so stupid as to let the Tang Clan capture you? It wasn't just me who came here; even Master was alerted!"

With a clang, the iron ring broke easily under the Gu Chen Sword, proving utterly insignificant. After gaining her freedom, Luo Yi stretched and said, "I underestimated the Tang Clan."

Tan Huan was taken aback and reached out to touch his forehead. "Senior brother, are you alright? Are you implying that you came to challenge the Tang Clan by yourself? Are you out of your mind?"

“I already owe my master enough, and I don’t want him to solve this for me anymore. I want to resolve it with my own strength and don’t want to implicate you and my master.”

Tan Huan was truly enraged this time, and kicked him hard. "You're incredibly stupid! You think you can avoid being implicated just because you want to? Do you know how much trouble your reckless actions have caused us? Even I don't dare to challenge the Tang Clan one-on-one. Your martial arts aren't as good as mine, but you're much bolder! It's infuriating! Do you know you're the Tang Clan's nemesis? If you're caught by the Tang Clan, they'll only grow stronger, and our chances of winning will decrease!"

Luo Yi was thoroughly humiliated by her scolding and remained silent, head bowed. It was the first time he'd seen Tan Huan so agitated. But a moment later, he realized something was amiss; Tan Huan couldn't possibly be so agitated because of her own safety. "Tan Huan, is something wrong with Master?"

Tan Huan snorted, too lazy to waste words with him. "Go ask Master yourself. I just set a fire, which will soon alert others. Hurry up and come with me, Master and the others are waiting."

Luo Yi followed Tan Huan all the way to Tang Weiyu's room. Seeing Tang Weiyu in her room wasn't strange, and seeing his master was normal too, but seeing Pei Jin there was rather odd. He glanced at Pei Jin, then walked to Baili Liushang's side, his first words being, "Master, I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Baili Liushang said calmly, "It's alright."

Luo Yi's second question was, "Master, should we kill Pei Jin?"

Tan Huan was startled and instinctively stepped in front of Pei Jin to protect her. Baili Liushang sneered, "Ask your junior sister if the Lonely Dust Sword in her hand agrees."

Tan Huan replied directly, "I disagree."

Baili Liushang glanced at Luo Yi with a half-smile, "Did you hear that?" Luo Yi nodded and then said nothing more.

Tan Huan tried to change the subject, "Shouldn't we get out of here as soon as possible?"

"The word 'escape' wasn't in our original plan, was it?" Baili Liushang felt as if his entire skeleton was about to fall apart, his true energy was impacting his internal organs, and his power was being depleted earlier than he had imagined. However, his expression and behavior remained unchanged, showing no signs of abnormality. "Luo Yi has been rescued. Shouldn't we be thinking about how to destroy the Tang Clan next?"

Tan Huan was stunned. "But, Pei Jin..."

"What does it matter to me whether Pei Jin lives or dies?"

Tan Huan, still dazed, said, "But, Master..."

"Didn't I say long ago that I would personally destroy the Tang Clan while I'm still alive?"

Tan Huan lowered her eyes, remained silent for a moment, and still insisted, "I will take action against the Tang Clan, but first I must send Master and Pei Jin out." Although Tan Huan said this, she had no confidence at all. Once her master made a decision, he never considered other people's opinions. If he wanted to kill Pei Jin, he would just do it directly. If it really came to that, should she draw her sword to stop her master? Cold sweat beaded on Tan Huan's forehead, her eyes fixed on Baili Liushang.

Baili Liushang looked at her with a half-smile, then his gaze shifted to Pei Jin, his face revealing a mocking expression. Provocation? Trying to use a self-inflicted injury to sway Tan Huan? Hmph, the people of Zhengyang Palace will die in Zhengyang Palace, and you think you can just abduct them alive? Dream on!

Seeing that Baili Liushang remained silent for a long time, Tan Huan could no longer contain herself. The situation was tense, and they couldn't waste time here. "Master." Her master was seriously injured, and she was unwilling and dared not fight him. She could only bow her head respectfully, her face full of pleading, "Whatever you plan to do, let's discuss it after we go out, okay?"