Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 719 The Turtle Catcher

The biting Gobi wind, like countless icy boning knives, howled across the sand dunes and pebbles, stirring up clouds of yellow sand and turning this land into a chaotic and hazy mess.

Several men were warming themselves by the campfire.

"Whoosh—Bang!"

A figure suddenly fell from the night sky, a heavy fire burning beside the campfire.

The sudden intruder shattered the apparent tranquility of the camp.

"Clang!"

A sudden burst of dense and ear-piercing metallic scraping sounds rang out!
Beside the campfire, the seven or eight figures who had been sitting or lying down, seemingly relaxed, suddenly displayed astonishing reaction speed and tacit understanding.

Like a startled pack of wolves, they sprang to their feet almost simultaneously, their movements swift and synchronized, their weapons already drawn.

However, the tense atmosphere eased when their gaze pierced through the flying sparks and swirling dust to see the face of the man who had fallen to the ground, wearing a distinctive conical hat.

A hint of surprise flashed across everyone's faces, which quickly turned into respect. They all sheathed their weapons and bowed to the man in the straw hat who was struggling to stand up, their movements displaying a well-trained discipline.

"leader!"

"you are back!"

"What happened?"

The man in the straw hat, who was also their leader, slowly raised his head. Although his face was mostly obscured by shadows, the undisguised fear and panic in his eyes were clearly seen by every one of his subordinates.

His voice was hoarse, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, as he spoke hurriedly:
"Something's happened! The plan has changed! Marquis Zhenxi... he's seen through the identity of that official from the capital!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into still water; the relaxed expressions on everyone's faces instantly tightened again, becoming even more solemn than before.

Marquis Meng Xinghun of Zhenxi!

In the Western Desert, this name signifies divine authority and the power of life and death!

Being targeted by him is almost equivalent to being branded by death!
"This place is no place to stay any longer! We must evacuate immediately!"

The leader in the straw hat spoke with unwavering conviction, leaving no room for argument:
"The Marquis of Zhenxi is powerful, with informants all over the Western Desert. We can no longer stay here!"

"Pack your things, we'll set off tonight, detour to the border, and seek refuge in the Black Dragon Empire!"

Once the order was given, no one questioned it.

This group of people were clearly experienced outlaws, and their actions were extremely swift and efficient.

No one asked a single unnecessary question. They immediately dispersed and began packing their bags and securing their supplies with swift, efficient movements. The entire process was quiet and rapid, with only the faint sounds of leather straps rubbing together, objects colliding, and the crackling of the campfire.

However, when the two men began to remove the largest and sturdiest tent in the center of the camp, an unexpected scene unfolded before everyone's eyes.

Beneath the tent, there were no precious supplies or comfortable bedding, but rather... an iron cage!
A cage made of dark, cold, refined iron, as thick as a child's arm!
The cage bars are so dense that only an arm can pass through the gaps.

In the center of that small, dirty cage, which smelled musty and faintly of blood, sat a person sitting cross-legged!

It was an old woman.

She was so thin she was unrecognizable, truly skin and bones, as if a gust of wind could blow her apart.

The deep wrinkles on her face, layer upon layer, looked as if they had been carved into her face by the cruelest winds and hardships, strikingly similar to the desolate desert behind her.

Her lips, having lost all support due to the complete loss of her teeth, were deeply sunken and pressed against her gums, giving the lower half of her face a strange and pitiful appearance.

Her gray hair, as withered as the branches of a poplar tree that had died many years ago in the desert, was braided into two thin, rough braids that hung limply on her thin, bony shoulders.

She was only wearing a tattered, coarse linen garment that barely covered her body. In the freezing winter night of the Gobi Desert, an ordinary person wearing such clothes would probably freeze into an icicle in less than fifteen minutes.

However, the old woman seemed completely unaware, as if she were asleep or in a meditative state, sitting cross-legged on the cold iron cage floor, motionless, with even the rise and fall of her breath barely perceptible.

When the flickering firelight occasionally swept across her, it was clear that her body reflected a cold, metallic sheen!

Upon closer inspection, it was chilling—a pair of heavy, black iron hooks cruelly pierced through her collarbones!

The iron hook had barbs at the end, deeply embedded in the flesh and bone, and the wound was surrounded by dark purple scabs, indicating that it had been there for a long time.

Not only that, but several thin, black iron nails were driven into several major acupoints on her body, deeply embedded in her body, with only a little bit of the nail tail exposed, like a vicious curse seal, sealing her power.

When the men finished packing up their other belongings, they stopped what they were doing and hesitated as their eyes fell on the iron cage.

One of them turned to the leader in the straw hat and asked in a low voice:
"Chief, should we take this old woman with us?"

Upon hearing this, the man in the straw hat glanced menacingly at the lifeless, withered figure in the iron cage, a complex hesitation flashing across his face.

The weighing of the options lasted only a few seconds.

Soon, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes was replaced by a chilling killing intent:

"Although she is important, taking her along would make us too conspicuous and too slow, and would only increase the risk of us being discovered by the Marquis of Zhenxi's henchmen."

He paused, his tone growing increasingly chilling:
"Kill him! He's nothing but a stubborn traitor."

"Her absence won't affect the overall situation. As long as we still have the core secrets, we can still complete the mission once she returns to the council."

Upon receiving clear instructions, the slight hesitation on the faces of the men around him was immediately replaced by ferocity.

Two of them grinned maliciously, gripped their gleaming knives tightly, and strode towards the iron cage.

The blade gleamed with a deathly cold light in the firelight.

However, just before the cold blade tip pierced through the gap in the iron bars and plunged into the seemingly defenseless, aged body—

A sudden change occurred!

Inside the iron cage, the old woman, who seemed to have long since turned to stone and lost consciousness, suddenly opened her eyes!
She didn't look at the approaching blade, nor at the leader in the straw hat who was giving the order. Instead, she suddenly raised her head and stared straight at the dark, inky night sky above her, where the stars were hidden!

Then, her mouth, which was deeply sunken due to the absence of teeth, suddenly opened wide, revealing bare, dark red gums, forming an extremely eerie and chilling smile.

A hoarse, dry voice struggled to escape from deep within her throat:

"Heh heh... They're here... The ones who will kill you are here... You... are all going to die... You're all going to die!!!"

After saying that, she suddenly let out a sharp, manic, yet strangely pleasurable laugh:
"Gaga gaga... Hahahaha!"

The laughter echoed under the silent night sky of the Gobi Desert, sounding particularly jarring and terrifying, like the cry of a night owl, full of ominous omens.

The two men who were about to carry out the execution were taken aback by this sudden turn of events. They looked at each other, and saw a hint of surprise and uncertainty in each other's eyes.

But then, a surge of anger at being mocked by the dying surged within them, and their faces were instantly covered by a deeper ferocity.

"Even when death is imminent, you still dare to play tricks!"

"You old bastard, I'll send you on your way now!"

The two men cursed angrily and, without further hesitation, gathered their strength in their sharp knives, ready to stab the laughing old woman in the iron cage!
At this critical moment!
"and many more!"

The leader in the straw hat suddenly roared, his voice filled with unprecedented horror and vigilance!

He was, after all, a third-rank martial artist, whose spiritual senses far surpassed those of ordinary people.

Just as the old woman issued her warning and burst into maniacal laughter, an extremely faint yet destructive sense of oppression, like an invisible spider web, descended from the sky and enveloped the entire camp!

He didn't even have time to look up to confirm; his instincts, honed over years of risking his life, allowed him to react with lightning speed.

Without hesitation, he gathered all his strength and slammed his palm down hard on the seemingly empty, dense night sky above him!
"boom--!!!"

The full power of a third-rank martial artist's palm strike is astonishing!

A surge of immense internal energy erupted, transforming into a gigantic, visible phantom hand formed from raging energy, which rose from the ground!

The palm strike whistled, instantly whipping up the sand and gravel on the ground, forming a small sandstorm that swept wildly into the night sky!

The force was terrifying, as if even the sky would be pierced by this palm strike!
Almost at the same moment he unleashed his palm strike, a soft laugh, laced with undisguised mockery and contempt, echoed from the thick darkness of the night:
"I deliberately set you on a long trail just now so that I could find this rat's nest."

"Do you really think you're so capable that you can escape from my grasp?"

Before the words were finished, an even more vast and powerful force, seemingly from the heavens above, suddenly descended from the sky!

Faintly, one could see the outline of a massive, solid fist formed from pure internal energy.

The giant fist tore through the night, like the dawn breaking, and crashed down with an unstoppable and irresistible force!
"boom!!!!!!!"

The deafening roar was like the gods beating war drums!
That invisible giant fist, with an overwhelming force, easily and effortlessly shattered the enormous palm print that the man in the straw hat had desperately struck out with all his might!
The burst of airflow spread wildly in all directions like a tsunami!
The momentum of the giant fist was almost unaffected!

Carrying the residual power of destruction, it slammed into the camp area where everyone was located!
"Bang——!!!"

The earth trembled violently, as if it could not withstand this terrifying blow!
Centered on the point where the giant fist landed, a shockwave mixed with sand and gravel spread out in a ring!
The pebbles, propelled by the force of a powerful bow and arrow, shot out in all directions with a piercing whistling sound, striking tents, camel saddles, and people who couldn't dodge in time, making muffled "thuds" as they hit them!

Smoke and dust billowed into the sky, instantly engulfing the entire camp and obscuring visibility.

When the smoke and dust had dissipated slightly.

In the night sky, a tall and imposing figure, as straight as a pine tree and as majestic as a mountain, slowly descended from the heavens, his robes fluttering gently in the night breeze, like a deity descending to earth.

The ground was already a mess, as if it had been hit by a meteorite.

All the tents were torn to shreds or blown away by the terrifying blast wave. The campfire had long since died out, leaving not a single ember.

Startled, several camels let out mournful cries, broke free of their reins, and fled madly into the boundless darkness.

The ground was littered with people lying haphazardly; they were the same men who had moved swiftly and menacingly just moments before.

Blood was constantly gushing from their seven orifices, their bodies were twisted irregularly, and they lay on the ground groaning in pain, too weak to even get up.

It had clearly been severely damaged in that devastating impact, with broken bones and tendons.

The man in the straw hat knelt on one knee not far from the iron cage, his body trembling violently.

He suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with pieces of internal organs.

With difficulty, and with an expression of endless fear and disbelief, he slowly raised his right arm—below his wrist, there was nothing!

His entire right palm, along with part of his forearm, had been completely blasted into dust by that irresistible force during that terrifying clash, leaving not even a trace behind!

He's a third-rank martial artist!

In this western desert region, he can be considered a master!
However, when faced with this sudden attack, he was completely caught off guard...

No, it can't even get the other party to take it seriously. It's like an ant trying to shake a mountain; the only result is that it will be crushed to pieces!

He struggled to lift his head, his straw hat long since flown away, revealing a middle-aged face contorted with pain and fear.

He stared intently at the young figure who was slowly drifting to the ground, standing with his hands behind his back, and forced out a desperate roar, laced with blood and foam, from deep within his throat:

"The... Marquis of Zhenxi!! Meng Xinghun!!!"

The person who was slowly drifting down was Liang Jin.

He looked calmly down at the man in the straw hat who was kneeling on one knee with blood spurting from his severed limbs, as if he were looking at an insignificant insect.

"Go ahead."

Liang Jin spoke calmly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority:

“Tell us everything you know about your purposes, backgrounds, allies, and so on.”

Upon hearing this, the man in the straw hat showed a look of sudden realization mixed with extreme resentment, and he hissed:

"So...so you've been following me all along!"

"You deliberately let me go so you could find this place! Find all of us!!"

Liang Jin curled his lips into a disdainful smile, too lazy to waste words with him, and simply slowly raised his right hand.

A more concentrated and awe-inspiring surge of internal energy began to rapidly gather and swirl in his palm, emitting a deep hum.

The sheer pressure emanating from this internal force made the man in the straw hat feel as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on his back, making it incredibly difficult to breathe, and causing his entire body to groan under the unbearable weight.

"Did you bring it up on your own initiative?"

Liang Jin's tone remained calm, yet carried the chilling edge of an ultimatum:
"Or shall I personally pry your mouth open?"

Feeling the palpable threat of death and the absolute coldness in Liang Jin's eyes, a desperate madness and resolve flashed in the man in the straw hat's eyes!
He stared intently at Liang Jin, and with his last ounce of strength, let out a shrill and unwilling roar:

"Meng Xinghun! We are no match for you!"

"But you'll never get anything out of us! Never—!!!"

Before the roar subsided, the last glimmer of light in his eyes vanished, replaced by a deathly gray.

The next moment, the remaining internal energy in his body suddenly surged back in an extremely violent and completely out-of-control manner, causing a violent shock!
"puff--!"

A muffled, cracking sound came from inside the body.

The man in the straw hat convulsed violently, then the light in his eyes dimmed completely, and he collapsed limply to the ground as if all his bones had been removed, lifeless.

In an instant, he severed all the meridians in his body, and his heart meridian shattered, causing his death!

Liang Jin frowned slightly and immediately turned his gaze to the men on the ground who were still groaning in pain.

Upon hearing their leader's desperate roar, those people all revealed the same resolute expression on their faces!
Without the slightest hesitation, they almost simultaneously bit down hard on a certain part of their mouths!
"Crack...knock..."

A series of subtle yet distinct cracking sounds rang out.

Immediately afterwards, their bodies convulsed violently, and purplish-black blood quickly gushed from their mouths, noses, eyes, and ears, carrying a pungent almond smell.

Within just two or three breaths, these men, who had been groaning, became stiff and motionless, completely losing their life force.

In the blink of an eye, the camp that was just a moment ago bustling with people was now deserted except for Liang Jin and the old woman in the iron cage who had stopped laughing at some point and was now coldly watching everything with her cloudy eyes.
All prisoners of war committed suicide!

Even with Liang Jin's composure, this scene couldn't help but reveal a hint of genuine surprise and solemnity in his eyes.

"They're all... assassins?!"

He muttered to himself, his voice carrying a barely perceptible solemnity.

Training assassins is not unusual.

In this era of turmoil and widespread suffering, in some extremely impoverished prefectures, perhaps all that is needed is a full meal to make people willingly risk their lives.

But the people lying on the ground were not ordinary vagrants or beggars, but martial artists with considerable skills!
Training martial arts warriors requires more than just enough food; it also requires a significant investment of time, systematic training, precious medicinal herbs, and weapons, making it extremely costly.

What shocked Liang Jin the most was that among them was actually a third-rank martial arts assassin!
What does it mean to be a third-rank martial artist?
In any major sect, he would be an elder; in the military, he would at least be a general commanding a region; in the martial arts world, he would be a powerful figure capable of founding a sect and becoming famous throughout the land!

Martial artists who have reached this level are themselves extremely valuable strategic resources, proud and arrogant, and possess great autonomy and influence.

In this world, there are very few forces that can afford to support third-rank martial artists as assassins!
In other words, it is almost impossible for a third-rank martial artist to willingly and without hesitation give up his cultivation and life, which he has painstakingly acquired over decades, for a certain goal or a certain person!
At the third rank level, even if family members are held hostage or someone else has leverage over them, it is enough to attract other powerful forces to lend a helping hand and resolve the crisis.

It would be almost impossible for a third-rank martial artist to be so resolute, relying solely on material benefits or threats.

The only explanation is absolute control at the mental level.

It is the kind of "gratitude" and "loyalty" that transcends life and death and is rooted deep in the soul, or a kind of extremely fanatical "faith," that, through long-term, systematic, and rigorous brainwashing, can make a third-rank martial artist regard the organization's will as the highest principle and value the organization's goals more than his own life.

Those who can do this must be top-tier forces with a long history, profound cultural heritage, and strong ideological cohesion!
For example... the imperial court that controls the world, or those religious sects with strict doctrines and fanatical followers!

"I just overheard them saying before they died that they wanted to escape to the Black Dragon Dynasty..."

Liang Jin's gaze swept over the corpse on the ground, his mind racing:

"Could they be spies sent from over there, who have been lurking in the Western Desert for a long time?"

He carefully observed the physical characteristics of these people, but found no obvious features of the Black Dragon race. Instead, they seemed to be native to the Western Desert.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that they are spies carefully cultivated by the Black Dragon Empire and have been integrated into the Western Desert for many years.

The trail seemed to have gone cold with the suicides of these assassins.

Since the dead cannot speak, then...

Liang Jin's gaze slowly shifted to the only survivor in the arena, the old woman in the iron cage.

He stepped forward, his footsteps making a soft "rustling" sound as they landed on the gravel.

In the deathly silent camp, the sound was exceptionally clear.

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Liang Jin stood before the iron cage, his gaze calmly fixed on the withered but sharp-eyed old woman inside, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger:
Is it possible for us to become friends?

As soon as he finished speaking, without waiting for the old woman's reply, he casually raised his hand and waved it lightly towards the iron cage from a distance.

A vast and condensed internal force, as solid as a physical substance, surged forth like an invisible blade!

"Qiang! Qiang! Qiang!"

The ear-piercing sound of metal breaking rang out one after another!
The iron fence, strong enough to trap wild beasts, was like a fragile straw in the face of this force, easily torn and twisted, revealing a huge gap.

Immediately afterwards, the pair of heavy iron hooks that pierced through the old woman's collarbone seemed to be grasped by an invisible hand, and with a sudden jolt, they snapped off with two "crack" sounds!

The hook was forcibly pulled from her emaciated body, leaving two streaks of dark blood.

At the same time, the black iron nails that were driven into the major acupoints all over her body also popped out one after another as if attracted by a magnet, falling to the ground with a "clinking" sound.

All restraints are gone!

The old woman let out a long-suppressed groan, a mixture of pain and relief.

Her withered body trembled violently, and then a long-dormant inner force began to slowly revive and flow in her parched meridians.

Her originally faint breath, like a candle flickering in the wind, began to rise and grow stronger at a visible speed!
In just a dozen breaths, her aura had returned to its peak. Although it still carried a sense of weariness and weakness from past hardships, her solid and robust foundation clearly revealed her formidable strength. She was actually a third-rank martial artist!
No wonder!
No wonder those men treated her so cruelly, not only piercing her collarbone but also sealing her major acupoints with iron nails.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to subdue a third-rank master who harbored rebellious intentions!

At this moment, the old woman slowly and somewhat laboriously used her hands to support her body as she moved out of the opening in the iron cage and stood up shakily.

She moved her stiff, rusty joints, making a series of crisp "crack" sounds.

Then, she raised her cloudy yet sharp old eyes and carefully examined Liang Jin from head to toe. Her toothless mouth grinned again, revealing a strange smile, and she said in a hoarse voice:
"So you're Meng Xinghun...tsk tsk, you're so young!"

Her tone carried the scrutiny of a senior looking at a junior, and even a hint of...criticism?
"Well, his looks... hey, he's not handsome at all."

She commented without any reservations:
"Just looking at your dark, unremarkable face, I really wouldn't guess that you are the powerful and decisive Marquis of Zhenxi who holds sway over the Western Desert."

"If you put it in a crowd, you'd probably lose it in the blink of an eye; it's really impossible to remember it at all."

Upon hearing this, Liang Jin's expression remained unchanged.

He was long past the age of caring about physical appearance, and besides, other people's opinions, especially such insignificant comments about his appearance, could not stir up the slightest ripple in his heart.

If he really wanted to present himself as handsome, he had plenty of ways to do so.

"who are you?"

Liang Jin cut straight to the point, his tone leaving no room for argument:
"And who are they?"

The old woman chuckled, a sly glint in her cloudy eyes, and retorted:
"You came to rescue me, and even killed those who imprisoned and tortured me, yet you don't even know who we are?"

"Tsk tsk, the dignified Marquis of Zhenxi, with countless eyes and ears at his disposal, your words are rather clumsy. Are you trying to trick me into revealing anything?"

Liang Jin shook his head slightly, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes.

He glanced at the [Thousand Mile Tracking] panel, which only he could see. The two points of light representing Hua Nongying and Leng You had converged and were moving steadily toward Duange Town.

It seems that Leng You has succeeded in capturing Hua Nongying.

Since that's the case, there's no need to waste any more time here.

"Since you insist on disobeying my orders..."

Liang Jin's voice suddenly turned cold, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze:

"Then there's no need to keep you here."

After saying that, he casually waved his hand!
"call--!!!"

A force far more powerful and terrifying than before arose out of thin air, instantly transforming into a raging hurricane that was visible to the naked eye and as solid as a tangible substance.

The hurricane, with its destructive force, swept headlong towards the old woman who had just gained her freedom!

The old woman was taken aback; the cunning and composure on her face vanished instantly, replaced by utter horror!

She never expected that the Marquis of Zhenxi would turn his back on her faster than flipping through a book, and that his methods would be so ruthless and direct!

She dared not be negligent in the slightest, and hurriedly circulated all the internal energy she had just recovered, condensing a thick layer of internal energy protective shield around her body, which shimmered with a hazy gray light, in an attempt to resist this sudden attack.

However, Liang Jin is now a genuine second-grade cultivator!
Its internal strength is so powerful and of such high quality that it is far beyond what a third-rank martial artist can match!
The violent hurricane-like internal force, like the overwhelming power of heaven and earth, instantly distorted and flickered the old woman's seemingly solid protective shield!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The old woman felt as if she were a small boat in a raging storm, helplessly lifted off the ground by the terrifying gale, and mercilessly tossed and spun in mid-air!
She could only do her best to barely keep the protective shield from breaking immediately, but she couldn't even steady herself, let alone fight back.

She was both shocked and furious, and couldn't help but scream:
"Marquis of Zhenxi! You...you've gone mad?!"

"I am very important to you! I know many secrets! What are you trying to do?! Stop it!"

Liang Jin coldly looked at the old woman struggling in mid-air, his tone completely calm, as if stating a simple fact:

"You are not important to me."

"Especially those who are self-righteous and try to play tricks or deceive me are even less important."

He has his own principles for doing things, and he has little patience for people who can't see the situation clearly, rely on their seniority, and try to control him, whether they are old or young, male or female.

In his eyes, there is only value and obedience.

After saying that, he suddenly clenched his fist in mid-air!
"Om-!"

In an instant, the nature of the violent hurricane-like internal force that enveloped the old woman changed abruptly!

What started as a shock and tearing motion has transformed into an incredibly terrifying squeezing force coming from all directions simultaneously!

It was as if an invisible giant hand had grabbed her and her protective shield together in its palm, and then... squeezed hard!
"Snap! Snap-snap-snap—!!"

The sickening sound of bones cracking rang out like popping beans!

The old woman's protective aura was instantly crushed and annihilated, like fragile glass!
That terrifying power acted directly on her withered and fragile body without any hindrance!
"what--!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream, so shrill it was inhuman, suddenly burst from the old woman's mouth!
She could clearly feel her ribs, arm bones, leg bones... countless bones, breaking and twisting under this terrifying squeezing force!
Her limbs were positioned at an eerie angle, making her look like a broken rag doll.

Her toothless mouth opened wide uncontrollably, spitting out a mouthful of bright red blood, which seemed to contain fragments of internal organs!
Especially when she saw Liang Jin's still cold eyes below, devoid of any emotional fluctuation and filled only with pure killing intent, through her pain-blurred vision, an unprecedented, bone-deep fear finally seized her completely!
She is not afraid of death!

Those villains used every kind of torture and threat of death, but she never frowned or revealed a single core secret they wanted to know.

But... but I absolutely cannot die like this!
He died at the hands of this brute who knew nothing and only knew how to kill indiscriminately!

To die so meaninglessly, so inexplicably!

That would be a tremendous injustice!

"no no!!!"

With her last breath, she let out a hoarse, blood-frothed scream, her voice filled with desperate resignation:

"I'm willing to talk! I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you everything!! Spare me... spare me!!!"

When Liang Jin heard that she had finally given in, his clenched hand loosened slightly.

The terrifying squeezing force around the old woman vanished instantly.

She fell heavily to the cold ground from mid-air like a tattered sack, making a dull thud.

"puff--!"

Another mouthful of blood spurted out.

At this moment, she was in a terrible state, lying on the ground, unable to move even a finger, only able to groan in pain and cough intermittently.

Liang Jin slowly walked over, looking down at the old woman lying on the ground like a lump of mud, his tone still calm:

"If you had been so pragmatic earlier, why would you have had to suffer this physical pain?"

As he spoke, he casually took out an ordinary small porcelain bottle from his pocket, poured out a common healing pill, flicked it with his finger, and accurately shot it into the old woman's mouth, which was open in pain.

The pill melted instantly upon entering her mouth, and a gentle medicinal power began to slowly spread, stabilizing her dwindling life force.

Afterwards, Liang Jin ignored her and turned to the corpses of the group of assassins, where he began to examine and search them carefully.

He searched the ordinary martial artists and found nothing of value or identity other than some loose gold and silver, personal rations, and ordinary weapons.

These people were clearly highly trained; they were exceptionally clean.

Finally, he arrived at the corpse of the leader in the straw hat, who was also a third-rank martial artist.

After searching carefully for a while, they finally found a hard object in a hidden pocket of his inner shirt.

Liang Jin took it out and examined it carefully in his palm.

It was a waist tag about the size of a palm.

The material is neither gold nor iron, it feels cold and heavy to the touch, and has a deep, matte black color that seems to absorb light.

On the front of the waist plaque are carved many strange and bizarre monster reliefs of various shapes, which surround and protect the three ancient and powerful characters in the center.

Liang Jin's gaze fell on those three words, and his brows furrowed slightly.

The strokes of these three characters are extremely ancient and complex, completely different from any existing script he knows, yet they give him a vague sense of familiarity.

"The Dragon Armor Divine Book..."

He whispered to himself.

These three characters were written in the legendary Dragon Armor Divine Script!
Liang Jin had little knowledge of this mysterious script that contained ancient secrets.

In the world today, perhaps only Master Lian and Liu Yuan have the deepest understanding of this path.

"It seems we should take it back and let Grandpa Lian take a look."

Liang Jin thought to himself, and then carefully put away the peculiar black waist tag.

After doing all this, he returned to the dying old woman.

After taking the medicine and briefly practicing her internal energy, the old woman's injuries seemed to have stabilized somewhat; at least she was no longer coughing up large amounts of blood, but she was still extremely weak.

Liang Jin looked at her and asked:
"They say you're a traitor?"

Upon hearing this, the old woman's sunken lips curled into a cold, mocking laugh filled with hatred. Her voice, still hoarse, now carried a hint of gritted teeth.
"Traitor? Heh... Hahaha..."

She seemed to want to laugh out loud, but the movement aggravated her injury, triggering a violent cough. After a while, she gasped and said:

"My ancestors were all noble 'turtle catchers' for generations! They served the Ulan royal family and held a prestigious position!"

"If it weren't for the Yinxi Society, those damned bandits, who forcibly annexed my family more than fifty years ago, killing so many of my relatives and clansmen and forcing us to work for them, how could I have ended up in this state, and how could I have been slandered as a so-called 'traitor'?!"

Her voice was filled with the grief and indignation of a tearful accusation.

Liang Jin's eyes flickered slightly as he noticed a new term, and he pressed for an answer:
"Turtle catchers? What do they do?"

A turtle catcher, literally, is someone who catches turtles.

But Liang Jin believed that the old woman's actions were probably not as simple as just catching turtles.

The Western Desert is not a water town, and turtles are already rare. Most of them are drought-resistant desert tortoises that feed on cacti, flowers, and grasses. Although some locals catch them, it is not worth such a big fuss.

Upon hearing Liang Jin's question, the old woman's lips curled into a mocking smile again, tinged with an indescribable contempt, as she retorted:

“My ancestors served the royal family of Ulan. What I captured were not those stupid creatures that slowly crawl in the sand as you imagine.”

"What we captured... was a 'divine turtle'!"

She deliberately emphasized the words "divine turtle," then stared intently into Liang Jin's eyes, as if trying to see a look of doubt, mockery, or disbelief on his face.

Finally, she asked in a defiant tone:
"My lord, do you believe such a thing?"

Upon hearing this, Liang Jin simply shrugged indifferently.

Believe? Why not?
He had heard a lot about the tortoise tonight.

"Why don't you believe me?"

He said calmly.

The old woman was slightly surprised to see Liang Jin accept this statement so calmly and even as if it were a matter of course, and a hint of disbelief flashed in her cloudy eyes.

Although the legend of the divine tortoise is widely circulated in the Western Desert, most people, especially young people like Liang Jin who are young, hold great power, and should believe more in their own strength and practical interests, often regard it as nonsense and superstition.

But the reaction of the Marquis of Zhenxi was completely unexpected.

She gave Liang Jin a deep look, as if for the first time she was truly examining this young overlord.

After a moment of silence, she continued, her voice much lower, as if lost in a distant memory:
"Nearly a thousand years ago... the powerful Ulan Kingdom, in order to pray for the prosperity of its nation, attempted to rely on the divine tortoise's all-powerful spiritual power to maintain its royal rule for thousands of generations."

"Through three generations of monarchs and countless resources, they prepared to capture that divine tortoise that roams deep in the desert."

"And my ancestor was the leader of the 'turtle catchers' who was entrusted with the important task by the King of Ulan and had full authority to preside over and command this unprecedented operation."

Her tone carried a hint of the glory belonging to her ancestors, long since lost in the dust of history.

"Unfortunately... human strength has its limits, and divine power is immeasurable."

Her voice then turned low and hoarse, filled with endless regret and sorrow:
"The final battle... The Kingdom of Ulan was defeated, and it was a crushing defeat. The kingdom was severely weakened and soon disintegrated amidst internal and external troubles, and was destroyed under the yellow sand."

"After the destruction of Ulan, my ancestors, along with the remaining family members and the secret techniques and knowledge of turtle catching accumulated over generations, wandered from place to place. Later, they served the ancient elephant kingdom that rose in the western desert. Then, the ancient elephant kingdom also fell, and we served the subsequent kingdom. In this way, generation after generation, the family has struggled to survive amidst the changes of dynasties and the world, always upholding the duty and secret of the 'turtle catcher'."

"In the end... no one in the world believed in the legend of the divine tortoise anymore, thinking it was just a myth made up by the ancients. My family also gradually disappeared from the eyes of the world and disappeared into the depths of the desert."

"However, our ancestors firmly believed that the valuable experience and knowledge they had accumulated over generations on how to find and deal with the divine tortoise would one day be able to be lent to the imperial family, becoming the supreme skill that would allow our family to prosper and rise again!"

At this point, her voice was filled with bitterness and sarcasm:
"However... instead of receiving the favor of a new royal family, we were met with the demons of the Yinxi Society more than fifty years ago! They forcibly annexed our family with absolute force and forced us to search for the whereabouts of the divine tortoise for them!"

"For decades... I could only watch helplessly as my family members, my relatives, nephews, disciples... one after another, were cruelly driven by the Yinxi Society to venture into all sorts of perilous and dangerous places in the desert in search of the elusive traces of the divine tortoise... and then, one by one, they died, leaving no trace of their bodies!"

Her voice trembled, filled with deep-seated hatred and grief:

"Now... the turtle-catching family, which has been passed down for nearly a thousand years, is reduced to just me, locked in an iron cage like a dog, barely surviving in this world!!"

She abruptly raised her head, her cloudy old eyes fixed on Liang Jin, burning with fury:

"Speak! Speak!! How can my act of resisting them and seeking a chance to escape be considered 'traitor'?!"

Liang Jin listened quietly, feeling a slight sense of surprise.

He never imagined that behind this old woman was an ancient family with a history of nearly a thousand years, and such a tragic and bloody history.

It seems that, in this world, besides the mysterious spirit mountain shamans of Nanzhou, there are still inheritors who seek the traces of ancient divine beasts.

"So……"

After processing this information, Liang Jin continued to press for the core question:

"What is the origin of the 'Yinxi Society'? What is their purpose?"

The old woman looked at Liang Jin, and that eerie smile, tinged with pity and a hint of schadenfreude, reappeared on her face:

"My lord, you've been targeted by the Yinxi Society, and even killed so many of them, yet you don't even know what they do?"

"Hehe... It seems that your background is not very deep, my lord. You rose to power too quickly and know too little about these ancient secrets that have been passed down for a long time."

She shook her head, her tone conveying a sense of skepticism:

"In that case, Lord Marquis, I'm afraid... you'll have a hard time dealing with the Yinxi Society. Why bother knowing so much? The more you know, the faster you might die."

Upon hearing this, Liang Jin's eyes suddenly turned cold, and his patience seemed to have run out once again.

He didn't need anyone's pity, and he hated this kind of pretentious threat even more.

"It seems you want to taste that flavor again?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling edge.

The old woman felt that chilling killing intent descend upon her again. A shiver ran through her, and the "inscrutable" expression on her face instantly vanished. She hurriedly said:

"No! Don't do it! I'm telling you! What an impatient brute!"

She took a breath and said quickly:
“My family has focused on one thing for generations—searching for the divine tortoise and honing all related skills, including identification, tracking, and even… how to deal with certain characteristics of the divine tortoise.”

"And the Yinxi Society... their ambitions and goals are far greater than ours! They are not only pursuing the Divine Turtle, but also all ancient divine beasts similar to the Divine Turtle and possessing incredible power! Their tentacles may be spread all over the world!"

"The people you killed were just a few pawns they planted in the Western Desert."

"As for how long they have been passed down, how deep their foundation is, and what their true purpose is... these core secrets are beyond the knowledge of someone like me, who is regarded as a 'tool' and 'servant' by them. They have never truly trusted me, and have never considered me one of their own."

She paused and added:

"By the way, the black token you just found on that leader is one of the identification marks of their core members."

Liang Jin listened quietly, his gaze deep.

He naturally wouldn't completely believe the old woman's words; she must be hiding something, especially crucial information about herself and the true purpose of the Yinxi Society.

But her words at least provided a direction, a framework.

Yinxi Meeting...

A secret organization that seeks ancient mythical beasts.

If what she said is true, then Hua Nongying is most likely also a member of this organization.

If they need help, they can simply bring a large sum of money to our door for assistance.

What exactly is their purpose in going to such lengths to get close to me?

I don’t think I’ve ever intentionally offended this organization.

However, Yinxi kept throwing bait at Liang Jin, seemingly trying to lure him into their trap.

What exactly are they up to?

Liang Jin didn't completely believe the old woman's words; many things still needed to be verified by others, such as Hua Nongying.

With that thought in mind, Liang Jin no longer hesitated.

He glanced at the old woman lying on the ground, barely breathing:
"Come back with me first, then we'll talk."

After saying that, without waiting for the old woman's consent, he stepped forward and, as if picking up a chick, grabbed her tattered hemp clothing from the back and lifted her up.

Then, with a swift movement, he picked up the withered old woman, transformed into a streak of light, and soared into the air, flying rapidly towards the direction of Duange Town.

(End of this chapter)