"The Golden Thread Melody" sword struck down, and Chun Hui collapsed once more. Young Master Tang supported Fu Zhumei as he stood up. "Wang Lingze is definitely not here now—this is an opportunity we can't miss. Three of the Gui Mudan are dead, but ten remain." He gave a faint smile and looked at Fu Zhumei. "Can the Plum Blossom Control blade still fight?"
Fu Zhumei was covered in blood, his body riddled with wounds. The injury from the venomous spider on his back was inducing a hazy, hallucinatory state. But he took a deep breath, and his gaze suddenly sharpened with clarity. "Give me a blade."
Young Master Tang smiled slightly. "Let’s go seize one then."
He placed a scent-tracking talisman on Chun Hui’s body. Once this battle was over, Jiang Youyu would lead others to follow the scent and capture their targets.
Wang Lingze wasn’t here, so no one was controlling the venomous spider on Fu Zhumei’s back. This was a rare opportunity.
If they didn’t strike now, when would they?
At Soul Prayer Mountain.
The Iron Tranquility team from Bihua Palace, led by Tie Jing, had already charged from Toad Moon Terrace into the Drifting Brow Garden. He advanced cautiously, and though there were many hidden weapons and traps along the way, not a single person from Fengliudian came to stop them. Meng Qinglei, Zhang Hemo, Cheng Wenpao, Gu Xitan, Qi Xing, and dozens of others crowded in the passageway, exchanging bewildered glances, silently speculating about Fengliudian’s scheme.
The Drifting Brow Garden was a labyrinthine structure with multiple layers. Deep within, they could faintly hear the clashing of metal.
Someone was fighting inside Fengliudian.
Meng Qinglei and Cheng Wenpao exchanged a glance, both deeply surprised.
Nearly all the righteous factions of the martial world had gathered here. Even breaking in from the outside had been extremely difficult—who could have silently infiltrated the heart of Fengliudian and was now battling in its darkest depths?
Was this a trap?
After a brief discussion, Cheng Wenpao took a few agile fighters and rushed toward the source of the noise. The rest followed the original plan, advancing slowly along the deep corridors of the Drifting Brow Garden.
Outside the Drifting Brow Garden.
At the Central Plains Sword Association’s camp.
Team B, led by He Yan’er of Bihua Palace, had yet to depart when they encountered an unimaginable predicament.
Scouts from the Central Plains Sword Association reported that imperial troops were moving up the foot of Soul Prayer Mountain, their behavior bizarre. The scouts attempted to investigate, but these men seemed incoherent, answering irrelevantly. Some even chased and bit people on sight, their appearance terrifying, as if possessed.
Wan Yu Yuedan raised an eyebrow. "Who did they bite?"
"One of Eastern Sword’s disciples and a junior sister of Abbess Wenxiu."
"Nine Hearts Pill," Wan Yu Yuedan said. "Both of them had taken the Nine Hearts Pill. The visitors below are chasing those with residual toxins from the pill—most likely, they are afflicted by another poison."
"Frozen Dew of the Bee Mother," said Lady Hong gravely.
Those poisoned by Frozen Dew of the Bee Mother would lose their minds upon the toxin’s activation, craving poison until they died in madness. Ordinary people afflicted would be even harder to control. Many in the Central Plains Sword Association had taken the Nine Hearts Pill—they would undoubtedly become targets for these frenzied attackers. And these were imperial troops; the martial world could not raise a hand against them.
What could they do?
The mountain was surrounded by thousands—far beyond what the martial world could handle.
Lady Hong stood up. She closed her eyes and asked Wan Yu Yuedan, "What do you think Young Master Tang would do in this situation?"
Wan Yu Yuedan smiled. "But Young Master Tang isn’t here." He stood as well. "Only you and me."
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