Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 314 A flaw in the plan, which followed closely behind.

The name "Gupanshan" seems to have quite a story behind it.

In reality, the name is simply a local dialect term and doesn't have any profound meaning.

However, after the name was transliterated into written records, some people did create stories about the mountain based on this name.

But it is indeed a high and dangerous mountain, with dense forests where wild beasts often appear.

I gaze longingly from the mountaintop.

The moonlight shone down, and the night breeze blew.

Tong Zhan and Yin Tianxue stood side by side on the summit, looking at the torches that lit up in an open space below.

Tong Zhan asked worriedly, "Isn't giving us only two hours too short? Even we ourselves don't have enough time to prepare."

Yin Tianxue shook her head and said, "The more complex the plan, the more steps it has, and the longer the preparation time, the higher the possibility of errors. On the contrary, this kind of rough and simple plan sometimes has a higher success rate."

Furthermore, we cannot give the Imperial Sword Manor too much time to react; otherwise, you will soon realize just how terrifying the hidden power of a force that has existed for five hundred years truly is!

Five hundred years!
This has taken so long that it could subdue even the most unruly monkey, making it meek and submissive.

No one knows how many forces the Imperial Sword Manor, which has existed for five hundred years, has had business dealings with, or how many people owe the Imperial Sword Manor a debt of gratitude.

It can be said that if the Imperial Sword Manor were willing, it could make the entire ancient Shu Kingdom, and even some forces outside of it, work for it in a short period of time.

Therefore, we must not give Yujian Manor too much time to react.

Otherwise, they would be facing more than just the Imperial Sword Manor.

As they were talking, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar.

Two figures riding fast horses had already arrived at the foot of the mountain.

Down in the dense forest, there was a clearing that had been temporarily cleared.

A torch was stuck in the center of the open space, its flames leaping and its orange-red light illuminating the surroundings.

A figure dressed in black stood beneath the torches, waiting for a long time.

It was none other than Tong Bo, the hardworking and strongest among them.

After Yin Hao and Yin Zhong dismounted and came to the open space, they took out the Blood Ruyi and said, "The Blood Ruyi is right here. Where is my daughter?"

Tong Bo said in a low voice, "Don't worry, we only want the Blood Jade, we won't harm Miss Yin. She's at the top of that mountain right now."

The two looked up and saw that a fire had been lit on the summit of Lonely Peak at some point.

In the darkness, illuminated by the firelight, the figures of Yin Tianxue and a man in black behind him were clearly visible.

"it is good."

Yin Hao nodded: "Here's the Blood Ruyi. Release my daughter."

Tong Bo said, "We will release the person as soon as we get the Blood Ruyi."

Yin Hao then tossed the Blood Ruyi to Tong Bo.

Although Tong Bo didn't know any verification methods, nor could he open his third eye like Yin Zhong and Zhou Ming to examine the energy within the Blood Ruyi.

But firstly, he had seen another blood-red ruyi with his own eyes.

Secondly, he had been practicing the Dragon God Technique and had some faint perception of the strangeness of the Blood Jade.

Thus, he could fully sense that the Blood Ruyi in his hand was extremely similar to the one he had come into contact with before.

They are so similar that they are completely identical.

This allowed him to confirm that the blood-red ruyi in his hand was definitely genuine and not a fake.

In fact, giving only two hours was also to prevent the Imperial Sword Manor from forging documents.

Fortunately, this did not happen.

Tong Bo nodded: "It is indeed the Blood Ruyi. Master Yin is truly a trustworthy person."

"Then release my daughter immediately."

"Don't worry, Master. We will keep our word. As long as you and Master Yin cooperate well, we will release the people."

Yin Zhong frowned: "How can we cooperate?"

Tong Bo tossed two torches over and said, "Please light them, then take them up the mountain and you can bring the young lady back."

Yin Zhong snorted coldly, thinking to himself that there was indeed some ingenuity in it.

In the vast darkness, the firelight was extremely conspicuous. As long as the two people held torches, the person standing on the mountaintop could easily monitor their movements.

In this way, you can ensure your safety.

Yin Hao decisively lit a torch and said, "I've given you the item, but if you dare to go back on your word and harm my daughter, even if I have to turn the entire Ancient Shu Kingdom upside down, I will find you!"

"Don't dare."

Tong Bo took the Blood Ruyi and dashed into the dense forest, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.

Yin Hao and Yin Zhong carried torches and headed up the mountain, keeping their eyes on the summit the whole time.

Tong Zhan didn't leave immediately, and said, "Is this the end?"

Yin Tianxue said, "With your elder brother's strength, he can take Xue Ruyi and leave directly without anyone from Yujian Manor being able to follow him. The plan is now complete."

"I'm leaving."

"it is good."

Tong Zhan turned and left.

Yamashita Yoon-ho and Yoon-jung saw this scene clearly, but because of the distance between them, it was impossible for them to catch up with Tong Zhan.

Fortunately, they hadn't thought that way.

Seeing that the other party actually left and let Yin Tianxue go, Yin Hao actually breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon after, the two arrived at the mountaintop and helped untie Yin Tianxue.

Yin Tianxue instantly threw herself into Yin Hao's arms, her body trembling, and called out "Father" in a tearful voice before sobbing softly.

Yin Hao patted her shoulder and said, "It's okay, it's okay now..."

After a while, Yin Tianxue regained her composure, but said with a somber expression, "I'm sorry for making you worry..."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Yin Hao said, "I'm your father, and your second uncle is right next to you. You're my daughter and his niece. You're the one who should make us worry about you!"

"But... Blood Ruyi..."

Yin Hao laughed: "Don't worry, it won't be that easy for you to take away our Imperial Sword Manor's heirloom!"

A look of surprise appeared in Yin Tianxue's tearful eyes.

what happened?

Why would the father say that?
Is there a flaw in my plan?

That's impossible... Two hours is a journey of about an hour and a half, which means that Yujian Manor probably only had half an hour to prepare.

With such a short time, and the requirement to reach Lonely Mountain within the stipulated time, even the Imperial Sword Manor probably couldn't accomplish much.

The fact that only Yin Hao and Yin Zhong from the powerful Imperial Sword Manor came is proof of this.

Because only they can guarantee arrival within the stipulated time.

Others, even the well-trained Iron Guard, couldn't keep up.

The person who took away the Blood Jade was Tong Bo, whose strength was comparable to that of a grandmaster.

With both Yin Hao and Yin Zhong tied down, could there be anyone else who could follow behind him and take back... hmm?

Yin Tianxue's heart skipped a beat.

She suddenly thought of someone.

Zhou Ming, who came from the distant Ming Kingdom, has already become a grandmaster at a young age!
Tong Zhan was absolutely right; the time was too short.

The brief window of opportunity limited the Imperial Sword Manor's capabilities, preventing them from showcasing their powerful network and forcing them to obediently follow orders. However, this short period also caused Yin Tianxue to rush her own thinking, leading her to overlook that person.

Of course, this is also because Zhou Ming is a very low-key person.

During his visit to Yujian Manor, he did virtually nothing out of the ordinary.

He hadn't even actually met Yin Tianxue.

Even though Yin Tianxue was initially very wary of such a person, she gradually ignored him over time.

As a result, this person became an outsider to Yin Tianxue's plans.

But he was also a formidable grandmaster.

It seems Tong Bo is in for some trouble...

Fortunately, although Yin Tianxue's self-kidnapping plan was a temporary collaboration with Tong Bo, she had actually been planning it for a long time.

Therefore, there are still hidden cards up their sleeves.

Putting everything else aside, let me just mention one point.

How could someone like Yin Tianxue easily trust a stranger she'd only met less than a day ago?

Even if they reach a cooperation agreement with the other party, they will not easily entrust their lives to others.

She also has her own confidence.

One aspect is his own martial arts skills.

On the other hand, there was a highly skilled person with whom she was very familiar and had an extremely close relationship.

Her name is Longpo.

When Yin Tianxue was young, she secretly learned Yin Zhong's martial arts, which caused her to develop health problems. At first, she was in excruciating pain.

At this moment, Luang Phor mysteriously appeared, saved her, and taught her how to suppress this strange illness.

Yin Tianxue did not know the origin of the Dragon Granny, only that she had been secretly investigating Yin Zhong's affairs and had been staying in the underground city for a long time.

Not only did Luang Phor teach her to suppress her injuries and help her heal, but he would also teach her other things, such as life experience and worldly wisdom.

For Yin Tianxue, Long Po was half teacher and half mother, and also her savior.

On the surface, Yin Tianxue came to Gupan Mountain alone, having reached a cooperation agreement with Tong Bo and others.

But in reality, she had already asked the old man to come here secretly.

Protect her safety.

At this critical moment, Luang Phor has become her only hope for fixing the flaws in her plan.

Yin Hao and Yin Zhong then led Yin Tianxue down the mountain, and Yin Tianxue also picked up a torch to illuminate the complicated mountain path.

This seemingly ordinary action was actually a secret signal that she and the Dragon Master had agreed upon beforehand.

This code was originally intended to guard against Tong Bo.

After all, they had only known each other for a day and were not trustworthy at all.

To prevent Tong Bo from keeping the Blood Ruyi for himself, Yin Tianxue had already discussed with Granny Long that if he did so, she would secretly follow Tong Bo.

Although the current plan has gone wrong, causing the purpose of the operation to change, the operation itself remains unchanged.

Upon seeing this, the hidden Dragon Woman, who had been hiding in the dense forest, turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Of course, at this point, catching up with Tong Bo was practically impossible.

Although Luang Phor was powerful, he was only at the Grandmaster level.

With equal strength, and given that Tong Bo has been gone for so long, how could he possibly catch up?
The one that Luang Phor was chasing was Tong Zhan.

Although Tong Zhan has been gone for some time, compared to Tong Bo, Tong Zhan, who currently only possesses innate strength, is obviously easier to catch up with.

At this time, Tong Bo had already left Gupan Mountain and arrived at a place called Hunter's Cave.

This is a natural cave in the mountains. Hunters from the surrounding area would often rest here at night when they came to hunt, hence the name.

This place was the meeting point that the group had agreed upon earlier.

If the plan goes awry, the group must prioritize their own safety and escape quickly, gathering here afterwards.

If the plan goes smoothly, Tong Bo and Tong Zhan will have to stay here temporarily to avoid trouble until Yin Tianxue sends a message to confirm their safety before they can leave.

Hunter's Cave is located deep in the mountains and forests, with abundant hunting resources nearby, enough for them to hide for a period of time.

It can be said that Yin Tianxue's plan was actually quite comprehensive.

At least, that's the case within all the scope she could think of.

Tong Bo, who was the first to arrive at the Hunter's Cave, was carefully studying the Blood Ruyi.

He knew perfectly well that his purpose was never to use the Blood Ruyi to treat anyone, but to break the ice seal of the Water Moon Cave.

But after studying it for a long time, they still couldn't figure it out.

He really had no foundation in this area.

In the end, he could only give up helplessly, thinking to himself: I hope the hermit has done some research in this area.

Otherwise, if we go through all the trouble of obtaining the Blood Jade, but can't find a way to break the ice seal of the Water Moon Cave, wouldn't that seem ridiculous?

Under the moonlight, a figure moved about.

Tong Zhan arrived at the hunter's cave, removed the mask from his face, and called out with a smile, "Brother!"

Tong Bo looked up and smiled, but suddenly his expression changed, and he exclaimed in alarm, "Be careful!"

Tong Zhan was taken aback, and in the next instant, he felt a strong gust of wind coming from behind him.

An incredibly powerful and surging force slammed into his back.

A sharp pain arose.

Tong Zhan was sent flying by this tremendous force.

Tong Bo immediately dodged and caught Tong Zhan, then spun around twice and took several steps back before dissipating the immense force coming from his younger brother.

Seeing that Tong Zhan was only slightly injured, they breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked up at the figure who had arrived at the Hunter's Cave at almost the same time as Tong Zhan and said coldly, "Your sneak attack from behind is hardly the act of a gentleman."

"Oh?"

Zhou Ming held a longsword in one hand and had just slapped Tong Zhan away with the other. He then slightly withdrew his sword and said, "A sneak attack from behind is not gentlemanly, but kidnapping a weak woman and extorting the heirloom of the Imperial Sword Manor is gentlemanly behavior?"

Tong Bo stood up: "Are you from Imperial Sword Manor?"

"Yes."

Zhou Ming held out his hand: "Hand over the Blood Ruyi, and then come with me to the Imperial Sword Manor. The manor lord is magnanimous; if you two sincerely admit your mistakes, he might spare your lives."

Tong Bo got into position: "Sorry, I can't do that."

"Then there's no other way but to use force to make you obey!"

Before he finished speaking, sword energy had already been emitted from his fingertips, heading straight for Tong Bo.

Tong Bo had fought Yin Zhong before and was quite familiar with this move.

More importantly, when Yin Zhong used the same move, he was clearly more skilled and his technique was more powerful.

In contrast, Zhou Ming, due to a recent shortage of perfect energy, hadn't focused on sword qi finger techniques at all. Although his profound foundation had earned him some expertise in this area, he was still no match for the centuries-old monster, Yin Zhong.

Tong Bo easily dodged the sword energy, and then his figure flickered, creating many afterimages.

In this dark cave, moonlight and torches were the only two sources of light, but this dim light actually helped Tong Bo.

His numerous phantoms seemed to fill the entire cave, dazzling the eye and making it impossible to distinguish his true form.

(End of this chapter)