Chapter 123

  Flickering flames, all sounds hushed!

  Everyone's gaze suddenly converged on Qing Xia, Chu Li's eyebrows raised slightly in the crowd, slowly moving towards Mr. Mu's direction, wanting to find an opportunity to take down the enemy leader, but was stopped by Qing Xia's cold and stern glare, her eyes scanning the surroundings with a chilly gaze.

  Qing Xia stood in front of Lin Mu Bai, who was half-naked, but his mind was racing at high speed. Tonight's events were too strange, and it was impossible for Lin Mu Bai to do such a thing. The people of Penglai wouldn't stoop so low as to harm their own spiritual leader either. With both sides ruled out, only two suspects remained: the mysterious and ambiguous Bao Lou City Lord Lie Yun Ji and Chu Zheng, who was locked in prison and half-dead.

  At this moment, a thunderous shout suddenly erupted outside. Mr. Mu's eyes turned red with rage, his spirit and reason overwhelmed by the pain of losing his son. He bellowed at Qing Xia: "If they are not of my kind, their hearts must be different! Come, people, tear these two treacherous scoundrels into a million pieces for me!"

  Mù Shí Yān had a deified status in Penglai, far surpassing the holy girl Ousi from the other six departments who came to supervise the new Valley Master's inauguration. At this moment, this extraordinary and refined woman was actually killed in such a cruel and humiliating way, the people of Penglai were already burning with anger, and upon hearing Mr. Mu's summons, they swarmed up immediately, surrounding Qing Xia and Lin Mubai!

  "Mr. Mu! There's been a misunderstanding here, please give me the chance to clear it up! Don't fall into someone else's trap and cause those close to us to suffer while our enemies rejoice!"

  Mr. Mu's eyes were bloodshot, his gaze filled with immense sorrow and hatred, as he said coldly: "The greatest mistake I've made in my life is that I actually believed you!"

  "Kill them!" A loud shout suddenly rose from the crowd, and immediately, many people from Penglai shouted in unison, with a shocking momentum, their voices shaking like thunder. The snow-bright long knife was instantly unsheathed, flashing with light, and chopped towards Qing Xia's head!

  Her eyebrows rose, and her eyes glanced at the magnificent bedpost where a precious sword was hanging. The woman in green clothes had long hair scattered, her brows and eyes were sharp, her body suddenly rose into the air, bent her knees to exert force, jumped up with a sudden movement, and drew out the sword to meet the incoming blade. Her moves were fierce, her hands moved like lightning, instantly flashing to the side, half-bending her waist, blocking in front of Lin Mubai, saying in a low voice: "Don't force me to make a move!"

  Mr. Mu snorted coldly and said in a low voice: "Use firearms!"

  The sound of gunfire suddenly erupted, and dozens of long guns pointed their muzzles at the heads of Qing Xia and Lin Mu Bai. Qing Xia's eyebrows furrowed in shock, and she quickly grabbed Lin Mu Bai's hand, pulling him down to roll under the big bed. At the same time, the sound of gunfire continued, and a cloud of choking wood shavings and dust flew towards them. Qing Xia kicked Lin Mu Bai to the corner of the wall with one foot, her body as agile as a cat. Taking advantage of the brief moment after the first round of gunfire, she suddenly sprang out, grabbed the nearest Penglai disciple, and snatched his gun in an instant. Almost in the blink of an eye, the woman's body was as flexible as a leopard, her feet kicking fiercely at the chest of the approaching Penglai disciples. Her movements were swift and effortless, like a ghostly figure flashing past everyone's faces, leaving behind a trail of gasps and cries of surprise that seemed to erupt all at once.

  Only Qing Xia was seen with one hand holding a sword and the other grasping a gunstock resembling a hunting rifle, its dark muzzle pressed tightly against Mr. Mu's lower jaw, his eyes cold and piercing like an eagle, saying in a low voice to the surrounding crowd: "If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have to use such despicable methods, the people outside are not from Nan Chou, if you don't calm down, today will be the day of Ponlai's extinction!"

  As soon as she finished speaking, with a "clang", she threw the gun stock to the ground. The other Penglai people saw that she had put down Mr. Mu so easily, and they were all greatly encouraged, picking up their long guns and immediately pulling the trigger.

  A loud crackling sound suddenly erupted, and the firearms in everyone's hands were like a pile of broken toys, with parts scattered all over the ground.

  Qing Xia's mouth curled up in a cold smile, close combat and disarming firearms were her specialties. For such crudely made guns, she could crush them in less than a second.

  A terrified gasp suddenly rose, and everyone was shocked by Qing Xia's magical technique.

  "The people of Southern Chu have broken into the Great Prison!"

  Qing Xia's eyebrows slightly raised, an idea suddenly flashed into her mind, and she couldn't care about the distinction between friend and foe anymore. She said to Mr. Mu in a low voice: "Quickly dispatch someone to defend the great prison. If Chu Zheng is rescued, the hundred-year foundation of Penglai will be destroyed in an instant!"

  Laughter shook the sky, wails continued, and Qing Xia and Lin Mu Bai rushed out of Tianji Pavilion when the entire Penglai was already engulfed in a sea of flames. The chaotic crowd panicked, fleeing in all directions, while various ferocious beasts that were usually locked outside the valley roared and howled, wreaking havoc. These people from Penglai, who possessed the most advanced craftsmanship in the world, were still just skilled carpenters, unaware of the great power they held. Years of comfortable living had worn away the pioneering spirit left by their ancestors, making them timid and shortsighted. When danger arrived, they only knew to cower and flee, not to take up arms to defend their homes. Even without Qing Xia, this group of people would not have achieved anything in a chaotic world. Even if given an atomic bomb, Qing Xia doubted whether they had the courage to launch it!

  One sword sliced through a man in armor, Qing Xia picked up a child who was no more than five or six years old and was crying loudly, and said to the crowd behind him: "Take up your weapons, follow me!"

  Before Hong Tianci's prison, Zhu Yuanqing was leading a group of Penglai disciples in a desperate fight to the death. They were surrounded by a large number of black-armored soldiers, who were tall and robust, clearly not from the southern army. Qing Xia frowned slightly, gave two orders to the Penglai disciples behind him, and then charged forward on his horse.

  A loud noise suddenly came from behind, Zhu Yuanqing's heart shook, knowing that the reinforcements had arrived. He let out a loud shout, his silver sword dancing in the sky, fighting valiantly and invincibly.

  A deafening explosion suddenly erupted, and the black-armored soldiers were thrown into chaos, their bodies mangled and bloody. Qing Xia led the young warriors of Penglai, charging into battle with long spears and short swords, bows and crossbows, like a pack of ferocious tigers!

  Under the internal and external attacks, the Black Armor soldiers were defeated like a mighty tide, and they were killed in an instant, fleeing towards the outside of the valley. Zhu Yuanqing arranged for people to pursue them, following Qing Xia and others all the way down to the most dangerous place in Penglai Valley, Hong Tian's prison.

  However, just as everyone had just stepped into the Hongtian Water Prison, a huge impact suddenly struck, the earth roared, everything shook, Qing Xia's face turned pale, and in an instant, she exchanged a glance with Zhuo Yuanqing, both seeing in each other's eyes an uncontrollable fear.

  A loud rumbling sound, the sky and earth turned upside down, rocks flew everywhere, and in an instant the entire world plunged into darkness. Qing Xia thought with relief: Fortunately, Chu Li hadn't come in yet. All around was pitch black, Qing Xia tightly wrapped her arm around the wound that had just scabbed over but was now bleeding again due to her jump, biting down on a piece of cloth covering the wound with her teeth, temporarily stopping the bleeding. She spat out a mouthful of mud and sand, only to feel an unbearable bloody smell suddenly rising up from her stomach. Qing Xia knew this was because she hadn't eaten or drunk water for three days.

  She lifted her head, only to see that the distance was still pitch black, without a single ray of light. Fortunately, Qing Xia had super strong endurance and had undergone special training, so she was already used to seeing things at night, otherwise, just this complex terrain would be enough to make her fall to pieces.

  Today is already her third day of fleeing in this boundless underground cave.

  On that day, when the entire Hongtian Water Prison collapsed in a massive explosion, the Jiuze Floodgate burst open, and the sturdy Qingbi instantly collapsed. The vast expanse of emerald water poured in instantly. Under such terrifying natural forces, everything - strength, skill, and intellect - would be rendered useless. At the critical moment, Qing Xia kicked Lin Mubai out with one foot, and finally lost the ability to escape due to complete exhaustion of his strength. He let the torrential emerald waters, carrying the momentum of a thousand pounds, pour down on him, flooding the entire Hongtian Water Prison into a vast expanse of water.

  Perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was divine protection, in short, when Qing Xia woke up again, she surprisingly hadn't been drowned to death by the surging floodwaters of Hong Tian's cave, but instead lay alone in a relatively darker cavern.

  Feeling the ground beneath her feet was a bit damp, Qing Xia lowered her head to look and saw that in front of her, a cave entrance was slowly dripping water towards where she was standing. She carefully poked her head out, but was suddenly stunned by what she saw before her eyes.

  At the moment when the huge waves were rolling in, Qing Xia was hit by a huge stone and her body finally couldn't hold on any longer. In the last moment before she lost consciousness, she could only find a nearby prisoner's cave to hide in, which was the last effort she could make for her own survival. After that, she fell into complete unconsciousness.

  Now, she was not in the cave, but rather in a more secluded tunnel inside the cave. The tunnel was flat and smooth, and it felt warm to the touch, as if it had been polished by human hands. It was over 20 meters long. Qing Xia was shocked and searched around the tunnel, only to find a large pile of stone tools, mostly small knives and shovels. Upon seeing this, Qing Xia suddenly realized that these must have been made by the prisoners who used to live here, and their purpose was to dig out an escape route on the rocky wall of the cave. The over 20-meter-long tunnel was the result of their hard work.

  Thinking of this, Qing Xia couldn't help but be shocked and pale. To know that those people in such a cold and bleak environment, just surviving was a problem, their bodies weak, yet they still wanted to escape using such methods. It's clear that this person's desire to survive was extremely strong.

  But now, all of this has become cheap for Qing Xia. Hong Tian Shui Prison proudly claims to be the strongest and most resilient prison under heaven, where those who have unintentionally broken into Penglai's secrets but do not want to stay here forever are imprisoned. Penglai is located in a deep valley, and only those who can descend from above and survive great difficulties are extraordinary people. Therefore, Penglai naturally does everything possible to prevent escapes, and the prisoners' cells are frequently inspected. As a result, this prisoner set up his escape route extremely secretly, with several large stones twisting and turning in front of it, allowing only one person to enter, but from the outside, it looked like normal rocks without any flaws. The terrain also prevented much of the turbulent seawater from rushing in, and Qing Xia escaped her fate of death.

  She carefully poked her head out, only to see a vast expanse outside, the entire sky was like a wine jug, filled to the brim with liquor. Qing Xia was inside the jug, but because she was in the curved part of the spout, she escaped being soaked. However, wanting to escape from the jug was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

  After probing and searching for a while, Qing Xia finally understood that the prisoner was not trying to move the mountain like Yu Gong or shake the tree like an ant. Because behind this thick stone wall, it was actually hollow!

  This discovery excited Qing Xia, it turned out that the prisoner had discovered this secret long ago. This cave was different from others, and when lightly tapped, there would be a hollow echo, which meant that this place was absolutely not a solid wall, but what was behind it was unknown. However, rather than being trapped here, it's better to go out and take a look, after all, the other side still has hope.

  The prisoner, who had been trying to open the stone pendant with crude stone tools for decades without success, even while being careful not to make any noise, was finally able to open it completely in less than an hour under Qing Xia's hands. When Qing Xia excitedly leaned out to take a look, he suddenly became dumbfounded.

  But since there's a way out, it's better than staying here waiting like this, so Qing Xia bid farewell to the Hong Tian Shui prison that brought her continuous bad luck and set foot on the path of escaping in search of freedom and light.

  More than once, Qing Xia was desperately suspicious that this exit was not a hole dug by the big rat under Hong Tian Shui's prison. Because the terrain in this passageway has always been downward, on many sections of the road, Qing Xia almost crawled down with her head facing downwards, if she wasn't also an avid rock climber in her previous life, she might have become the first super agent to die head-first in Military Intelligence Department 9.

  The feeling of crawling forward in such a narrow, humid and dark corner for a long time made Qing Xia want to turn around and swim up from the hundred-meter-high Hongtian Water Prison. Many times, Qing Xia had to press his entire body down like a noodle and crawl forward on the ground, shrinking his body as much as possible in the narrow space.

  For the first time, Qing Xia felt that being able to run freely in a vast space was also a kind of happiness.

  At this moment, she no longer thinks about what caused the sudden collapse of Hong Tian Shui's prison. After the prison collapsed, what kind of changes will happen next. Because if she dies here, everything she wants to do will lose all its meaning. The harsh environment has ignited her fighting spirit, and the legendary 003 super agent from Military Intelligence Department 9 is reborn in this dark and hopeless crevice!

  So after three days, Qing Xia finally crawled out of that dark and narrow tunnel, which seemed to have no end, with a weak and sore body. Even she, who was as tough as nails, couldn't help but burst into loud laughter. Now, she had more confidence than ever before that she could escape this place alive, having conquered such an environment, there was no reason for her to fall here.

  A crisp laughter echoed in the underground cave, which was even deeper than Bihong Tian's prison, just as Qing Xia laughed to the point of almost losing her breath. A voice that was several times more magnetic than hers also thundered out: "Where did this stinky girl come from, making a big fuss here and disturbing my sleep!"

  Qing Xia's ears suddenly rang loudly, and countless clods of earth fell down under the shock of this shout, covering Qing Xia's head and face in a mess. A massive airflow rampaged through the air, stirring up dust and sending huge rocks tumbling.

  Qing Xia's mouth was wide open, and she couldn't close it no matter how hard she tried. She thought to herself, "How could I have imagined that a hole like a rat's nest would actually be inhabited by humans?" Summoning up her courage, she shouted in a cold and stern voice: "Who is there? Come out immediately! If the young lady is in a good mood, I might spare your life!"

  "Haha!" That magnetic voice laughed loudly: "You big-mouthed, stinky brat, you dare to be so arrogant on someone else's turf!"

  There are strange things in the world, and Qing Xia would never have thought that hundreds of meters below Hong Tian's prison, there would still be human existence. For a moment, he hastily mobilized his entire body to be on high alert, cautiously looking around with both eyes, slowly pulling out a dagger from his boots, fully vigilant like a leopard in battle.

  "Haha! I've been stuck in this damp prison for decades, and unexpectedly, heaven has sent me such a silly little girl to amuse me today. Haha, wonderful! Wonderful!"

  The sound of a bronze bell, loud and clear, once again echoed in the air, Qing Xia was shocked by his roar and stumbled backwards, raising her head to shout angrily: "If you're a man, stand up! What kind of good man is always hiding?"

  That voice paused for a moment, then laughed and said: "I'm just not coming out, what can you do about it?"

  Qing Xia's eyebrows furrowed, and the tone of this person's speech was like that of a child. Her mind racing, she tried her best to think about the identity of this mysterious person, but there wasn't even half a clue. She concentrated her spirit, held her breath, and used all her might to investigate, but it seemed as though in this vast underground cave, every place had the aura of that person, yet at the same time, no place was real. For a moment, she couldn't help but feel a little strange and unusual.

  She had many strange encounters in her life, and when she was on a mission with the Abnormals of Military Intelligence 11, she saw even more extraordinary things. However, she had never been in a situation where she was so passive, only hearing that person's crazy laughter, as if he had never encountered something so entertaining in his life. Qing Xia lowered her head and thought deeply, but couldn't think of any way to escape, nor did she know whether the newcomer was good or evil, enemy or friend, so she didn't dare react.

  For a moment, all that could be heard was the man's mad laughter echoing through the cave, his voice shaking like thunder on a summer day, stirring up great clouds of dust.

  "Stinky little girl! Who are you? Don't you know this is a forbidden area of Penglai Valley? The Hongtian Water Prison is right above, pressing down on us. You dare to barge in here, do you want to die?" The man's voice was full of magnetism, although it had already shown signs of aging, but still exuded an air of royalty.

  Qing Xia listened to his words, seemingly maintaining the Penglai Valley, as if asking himself for punishment, but the tone was quite sarcastic, with a hint of schadenfreude. Thinking that he had been locked underground for decades, he suddenly became calculating and said coldly: "What's so special about Penglai Valley? It's just a group of deceivers who steal fame, I killed Hong Tian's guardian, released the prisoners in jail, all to find the unhappiness of Penglai. If you have the ability, come out and fight me!"

  That voice paused for a moment after hearing Qing Xia's words, and there was no sound for a long time. After a while, he finally said in a low voice: "Girl, Penglai Valley is not as simple as you think. The seven departments of Qingpeng are all over the world, calling the wind and rain, and the two departments of Qianliu have been living in the city for a long time, saving countless people, and are considered to be Bodhisattvas in the eyes of the world. Are you not afraid of retaliation by speaking like this?"

  Qing Xia nodded to himself, no longer having any doubts. He thought that in order to escape this underground cave, he still had to rely on this old horse who knew the way. With a cold hum, his tone was light and carried a hint of mockery as he said: "What is right or wrong, good or evil, I have my own scale in my heart, no need for others to intervene. The Penglai Valley has been passed down for over a thousand years, with hidden dark mysteries that those poor commoners crawling in the streets cannot see clearly. So-called 'clear and just' seven departments are nothing but hypocritical faces, deceiving the people."

  A voice in the darkness was slightly startled and said doubtfully: "Girl, you dare to say such rebellious words on the border of Penglai, you really have a big nerve!"

  Qing Xia's mouth slightly curved into a smile, and all the matters instantly connected in his mind like a thread. He understood seven or eight parts of the old man's temperament. With a cold hum, he said in a low voice: "There are indeed not a few people in this world who want to deal with me. You Penglai are not the first, nor will you be the last. It depends on whether you have the ability."

  A loud, coarse laughter suddenly erupted, and the man said in a loud voice: "What a arrogant little girl! I've been hiding in this place where birds don't lay eggs for thirty years, and I didn't expect someone as domineering as you to appear. However, strength isn't just about talking big, you need to show your true skills to make people believe."

  "Very well, then I invite you, senior, to reveal yourself and test the true extent of my abilities!"

  "Good!" A thunderous voice suddenly rang out, and for a moment it was as if a sudden clap of thunder had exploded in Qing Xia's ears. Qing Xia hadn't eaten or drunk anything for three days, and his physical strength was severely depleted. At this moment, he was startled by the old man's sudden shout, and his legs almost gave way beneath him. His face turned pale in an instant. He quickly regained his composure, gripped his knife tightly, and stood guard. Suddenly, a loud explosion rang out, and Qing Xia's body suddenly shot up into the air like a large bird taking flight, barely avoiding the old man's powerful attack.

  The dark grey boulders suddenly scattered like the sea in the cave, filling the air with dust and water-like mist. The originally empty vast cave was instantly filled with surging waves, turbulent and overwhelming. Fierce winds howled everywhere, filling the air with nitrous fumes, strong gusts of wind like sharp knives rushed towards Qing Xia's hiding place. A black tornado swirled in mid-air, suddenly forming a massive dragon-shaped whirlwind that struck down on Qing Xia's head!

  Qing Xia never expected that this person would attack without warning, and the method was so shocking that it was hard to imagine with common sense.

  In the blink of an eye, Qing Xia's thoughts had turned a hundred times, but she hadn't expected a possible identity. All she saw was the strong wind stirring up and the aura of death spreading everywhere. She only felt the endless icy cold evil power constantly attacking her from all sides, with each force evenly matched, making it impossible to tell where the opponent came from. At this time, even if that person appeared in front of Qing Xia, she didn't have the strength to fight back. The opponent's power was far beyond her imagination for a moment. With a swift movement, she stepped into the void, and with a ghostly figure, she brushed past the true energy whirlwind, narrowly escaping danger. Even someone as bold as Qing Xia couldn't help but break out in cold sweat.

  A ball of crimson air suddenly coiled like an ancient python, spitting out its core as it danced up and down in front of Qing Xia, taunting her. The voice laughed loudly: "Little girl, want to play cat and mouse with Grandpa? You're running so fast!"

  As soon as the words were spoken, a blast of air suddenly rose to the sky, and in the corner, a huge stone weighing over 1,000 catties was like a feather in an instant, rising against the wind, following Qing Xia's body and rushing over.

  Qing Xia was shocked and lost color, this was the first time she had encountered such a ghostly axe technique in many years, completely disregarding any physical science, breaking through the limits that the human body could reach, just like the old man who was immune to swords and guns that she had met at 11th place, having a huge and unpredictable explosive power.

  Qing Xia saw that the boulder's weight was immeasurable, and under the impetus of the fierce wind, its momentum was even more terrifying. If he were to be hit by it, he would not die but would lose eight-tenths of his life. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, leaping and bounding, his figure fluttering, his green shirt fluttering, a head of black hair dancing in the wind, looking handsome and elegant, swift and unparalleled. If not for the boulder behind him that was about to take his life, he would have had some ethereal bearing.

  "Boom!" The huge stone pillar slammed into the stone wall of the cave, sending sparks flying everywhere. The old man laughed loudly and said: "The green mountains and steep peaks can't block it, the great river still flows east! Girl, you can actually withstand over a dozen moves with your ordinary martial arts skills, indeed a talented person in this way. What a pity, what a pity, unfortunately, you are a woman, otherwise I would have passed on my legacy to you!"

  As soon as the words were spoken, a violent gust of wind suddenly came like a huge flood, covering the sky and sweeping everything away. Qing Xia felt that her whole body was wrapped in the torrent, her limbs and bones were bound by the air waves, like a person who couldn't swim drowning in the ocean, her chest was stuffy, her blood was surging all over her body, and her throat was sweet and bitter. When she turned her head to look back, the huge stone pillar was as agile as a swallow, and it was about to hit her back.

  Qing Xia was shocked, his body suddenly dropped down, barely avoiding it by a hair's breadth. The boulder crashed towards the wall, Qing Xia hastily retreated, fearing to suffer the same fate as the fish in the pond. But unexpectedly, just when the boulder was about to crash into the stone wall, it suddenly stopped its momentum with an impossible attitude and came to a halt. It then turned around and charged at Qing Xia once again!

  Qing Xia's eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and all he saw was the stone pedestal moving back and forth, left and right, with an incredible speed, like a large bird in flight. Although it was difficult to discern whether this person was friend or foe, Qing Xia still felt a thread of admiration rising from the bottom of his heart, thinking that this person's mastery of martial arts was simply unbelievable. His own little tricks seemed like child's play in comparison.

  Qing Xia had always been an atheist, but at this moment, he couldn't help but wonder if this old man was human or a ghost.

  The old man burst out laughing and said: "This young one can be taught!"

  Qing Xia saw that the stone block did not pursue him, but only fell far behind. He couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude and said loudly: "Thank you, senior! However, I still have something to attend to. May I ask if it's possible for you to tell me the path out of this cave? After I've taken care of my business, I'll definitely come back to rescue you from this prison!"

  The old man burst out laughing and said in a loud voice, "If you can get out, the big one doesn't have to stay in this dark cave like a mouse that never sees the sun. Since you've come here, just obediently accompany the old man! We spend our days exchanging blows, isn't it interesting?" After speaking, he let out another hearty laugh.

  Qing Xia's heart was feeling stifled, but actually just now seeing the old man's methods, being trapped here, he knew that things were absolutely not as simple as he had imagined. However, he didn't lose heart, thinking that if there really was no way out, he could always crawl back from the original path and try to swim up from Hong Tian Shui's prison. Thinking of this, he involuntarily looked around, wanting to find the old man's hiding place. As long as he caught him, he would naturally be able to leave here. Only, looking at the old man with a look like he had found a new toy, it seemed that escaping wouldn't be so simple after all.

  "Girl, don't think about it, Hong Tian Shui's prison is 370 feet deep, with a hundred mechanisms inside. You walked in normally at first and didn't feel anything. In the past, Liang Si set up the Jade Stone Furnace's Shanhe Yongji Lock to prevent accidents in the prison. When the stone lock opens, even gods and ghosts will be destroyed, and no one can escape from the ruins. Three days ago, I felt the vibration of that voice and knew someone was coming down to accompany me." The old man burst into a loud, mocking laughter, but his voice couldn't hide the sadness and desolation.

  Qing Xia had never heard of the name Liang Si before, but when he heard the name Shan He Yong Jing Suo, he immediately knew what had happened in Hong Tian Shui's prison that day. Thinking that this old man had been trapped here for a lifetime, his heart suddenly felt a sharp pain. Just then, he suddenly heard a faint rustling sound coming from the stone cave tunnel in the distance. Although the sound was light, Qing Xia and the old man were both people who could sense even the slightest movement, so at this moment, the sound was like thunder that shook the earth.

  It's unlikely that Lin Mubai, Chu Li and others would come looking for her. Just as she was thinking about this, the old man's voice suddenly sounded in her ear: "I didn't expect this quiet cave to be so lively today, girl, don't make a sound, let's take a good look at the commotion."

  Qing Xia's figure suddenly rose and hid in a gap between some mountain rocks.

  Suddenly, a faint, pale light flashed to the ground, and in an instant, the traces of the previous fight disappeared. The countless spider webs in the corner of the wall were thick with dust, and the thick gray dust covered the ground, making it seem as if no one had set foot there for tens of thousands of years.

  Qing Xia's admiration grew more intense, his eyes wide with wonder, and just then he heard the old man's voice whispering in his ear: "It's just some fancy footwork, but when it comes to actual combat, your skills are still more practical."

  "It's here!" A faint sound of footsteps came from the corridor, and a low male voice responded. Qing Xia was startled and concentrated her mind, looking intently in that direction, only to see a slender white foot suddenly extending out of the stone cave, lightly stepping on the dusty ground, like a white lotus falling into blood, full of eerie beauty and temptation.

  A low, muffled laugh suddenly came from beside Qing Xia. Although he couldn't see the other person's figure or face, Qing Xia still knew it was that mysterious old man. He quickly composed himself and looked towards the owner of those delicate feet.

  She gazed at the woman, only to see a curvaceous and seductive woman slowly emerging from the corridor. Her snow-white, slender legs were full of astonishing temptation in the misty air, her delicate and pale skin was elastic, most of her exposed skin emitted a charming fragrance, her waist was like water, her chest was high, her neck was white and tender, all showing off her enchanting beauty.

  Qing Xia herself was considered a beauty, captivating the hearts of two princes from different countries. However, she couldn't compare to the woman in front of her, who exuded a lazy and charming aura from deep within her bones. This woman seemed to be enchanting everywhere, with a goose-egg-shaped face that was slightly long but complemented by her slender neck, making her radiate strong confidence. Her peach-blossom eyes had a subtle upward tilt at the corners, lined with golden powder, forming a auspicious cloud pattern. Her gaze was like water and mist, hazy and unclear, as if it were an oasis in the desert that one couldn't see through. Her high nose bridge paired with her slightly thick yet sensual lips, every gesture she made was full of charm.

  The woman in purple gauze shirt, with a lazy posture, raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly as she turned her head back to say softly to the person behind her: "Does Master Chu remember clearly? Is it really here?"

  "I will never forget even if I die!" A man in a green robe slowly walked up from behind, with handsome looks and elegant eyebrows, but his face was deathly pale, with a pair of narrow eyes shining brightly, revealing endless resentment and hatred. His curved hawk-like nose made him look even more sinister and evil, and the whole person exuded an aura of deep malevolence. It turned out to be none other than Chu Zheng, the King of Yunan, who was imprisoned in the Hongtian Water Prison!

  "Chu Zheng?" Qing Xia's heart was greatly shocked, she never thought that she would meet this person here. At the same time, a questioning voice came from beside her, Qing Xia knew that the old man must be standing right next to her, but even in such close proximity, she couldn't see him, only hearing his voice, as if he also knew Chu Zheng.

  "Misty dawn, fleeting beauty, red lips and white hair, a thousand layers of snow swirling in the mountains. Time flies by so quickly, it's heartbreaking, Chu Gongzi was framed and suffered unjustly, time is like a sharp blade, years slipping away. Fortunately, good and evil will ultimately be rewarded, today Ouyang Ruoyan comes to congratulate you in advance on your narrow escape, wishing you a great revenge and washing away past shame!"

  The woman in purple clothes smiled with a curved mouth, and lightly bowed down. Qing Xia looked at her peach-blossom-like eyes, and suddenly remembered that this woman was the Red-robed Holy Girl from the Ministry of Works' grand assembly back then, but she never thought that the appearance back then was fake.

  Chu Zhen's mouth corners rose slightly, and he let out a cold laugh. In a deep voice, he said: "Chu Mou speaks his mind, as long as revenge is reported, becoming the master of the seven departments, in the future, I will definitely use all my strength to assist Your Highness in becoming the first of the four countries, and I will not eat my words."

  Ou Si Lan Ya lightly laughed and said in a gentle voice: "What is Young Master Chu saying? Since we have already drunk the blood oath wine, we are naturally people on the same boat. What's the difference between us? Young Master has spoken, and I, Ou Si Lan Ya, have never doubted it."

  Chu Zheng coldly smiled and glanced at her with a slanted gaze, saying in a deep voice: "This is for the best. Please remember what was said today, Saintess. Three years ago, I suffered greatly due to being too trusting. As the saying goes, 'once bitten by a snake, one fears the rope for ten years.' A careful person can avoid calamity for a lifetime. Does the Saintess agree?"

  Ou Si Lan Ya smiled like a flower, her eyes slightly narrowed, and said in a low voice: "What Master Chu said is extremely right, please ask the master to set off immediately, Lan Ya will wait for your arrival here."

  "Success or failure hangs in the balance of this one move. Now that the seven departments are allied, if there is even a slight mistake, everything will be lost. Everything still relies on your support, Your Highness."

  Ou Si Lan Ya lightly smiled and said: "Young Master can rest assured, our message has already been sent out. Qin Xuan Wang is now leading a large army on the road, and it's only a matter of time before he arrives to avenge Zhuang Qing Xia. Within two days, Peng Lai Valley will be bustling with activity. The people of Peng Lai are busy digging up the Hong Tian Water Prison, they're too busy to care about us anymore. Your Highness has already arranged everything outside, just waiting for news of your great victory. When the seven departments gather, you'll suddenly appear and take control of them. Who in the world will be able to withstand our country's might? At that time, if you want to return to Nan Chu, it will be a trivial matter. In the future, when you've avenged your great hatred, ascended to the throne, and rule over the world, don't forget about Lan Ya!"

  It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded above Qing Xia's head, and the news that Qin Zhiyan was about to arrive kept echoing in her ears.

  How did he end up in this Penglai abyss, is there another exit? Who is the lord they mentioned, and what kind of conspiracy are they plotting, do they just want to make Chu Zhuan the master of the seven departments?

  And they spread the news of their own death just to lure Qin's flames to stir up trouble, or is there some other sinister plot?

  At this moment, Chu Zheng suddenly burst out laughing and stepped forward, walking to a strange stone wall inside, stretching out her hand to press against a giant stone that looked ordinary.