Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 118 Five Poisons Sect, Ren Yingying? Dongfang Bubai's Confidence!
Rumble~
Even before the person arrived, a terrifying sense of oppression swept over them.

The Five Poison Boy felt a chill run down his spine and trembled violently.

In his perception, Jiang Xuan's true energy was surging, but it was clearly lacking in stamina, and he definitely hadn't even opened up his lower dantian.

In other words, at most he is at the level of a second-grade grandmaster.

But how could this aura be so terrifying?
He is probably no less than many fifth or sixth-rank grandmasters!
Because he is a sixth-grade grandmaster, at the pinnacle of the middle third grade!
"If this continues, he'll catch up with us sooner or later..."

With a determined look, the Five Poison Child reached into the cloth bag at his waist with his right hand, took out several black poison beads, and threw them out without even looking at them.

Bang, bang, bang——

The poisonous bead exploded in the void, and the poisonous mist rose and fell. The surrounding flowers, plants and trees withered in a short moment, and even the land turned black.

"Sizzle~" The poisonous mist evaporated in the void, even corroding the air, causing the void to distort and transform.

Although both are poisons, the poison concocted by the Five Poison Children is several times more potent than that of the White Lotus Sect!
sigh~
A sense of crisis rose in Jiang Xuan's heart. He suddenly stopped and stared at the void shrouded in black mist in front of him, his brows furrowed.

This poisonous fog is so strong that even his protective inner energy might not be able to withstand it!

This delay caused the distance between the two to widen rapidly.

Just as the Five Poison Child was about to disappear from his sensing range.

Jiang Xuan's gaze turned slightly cold. He casually picked up a pebble, and based on the lingering aura, threw it out with a backhand.

huh~
The pebble, carried by a sharp aura, pierced through the poisonous fog with a hissing sound, but eventually disappeared into the darkness.

"what!"

A scream came.

The Five Poison Child's body trembled, and a bloody hole appeared in his chest, almost piercing his heart.

Nevertheless, a sharp energy lingered within him, constantly damaging his body tissues.

"artistic conception?!"

The Five Poison Child looked terrified. He immediately mobilized his true energy to suppress the pain and protect his heart. At the same time, he endured the excruciating pain and plunged into the forest, disappearing from sight.

Bloodstains were left along the way, corroding the soil; even the blood was highly poisonous!

sigh~
As the poisonous fog gradually dissipated, Jiang Xuan also broke through the fog's blockade and appeared in the mountains and forests.

Just as they were about to continue their pursuit along the trail of toxic gas, a rustling sound suddenly came from the side.

Jiang Xuan's heart skipped a beat. Without thinking twice, he immediately stepped back.

Hiss, hiss~

Several tiny, multicolored shadows shot out from the surrounding vegetation with lightning speed, their sharp fangs faintly visible, exuding malice.

Having missed their first attack, the venomous creatures immediately turned their attention to Jiang Xuan, gathering their strength to pounce.

boom!
Jiang Xuan struck out with a backhand palm, the golden light dazzling, and several poisonous creatures were instantly blown apart in mid-air, their blood and flesh splattering everywhere, and the surrounding vegetation quickly withered away.

Seeing this scene, even Jiang Xuan, with his strong character, couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

What kind of poison could make even flesh and blood highly toxic?!
"This guy really has a lot of tricks up his sleeve!"

Each of these poisonous substances is capable of threatening a Grandmaster-level martial artist.

Even a grandmaster would be in danger if he were to be injured by this poisonous creature.

After all, it's impossible for everyone to be on guard at all times; everyone has moments of complacency.

This is the time for the Five Poison Child to make his move.

Despite being a grandmaster, he never engages in direct combat, always ambushing from the shadows. This sixth brother is truly something else!

No wonder even Li Xunhuan was defeated by the Five Poison Child three times, and it wasn't until the fourth time that he seized an opening and killed him with a flying knife.

Such an opponent is indeed extremely difficult to deal with.

"But next time, you won't be so lucky... I want to see how many poisons you still have that can threaten a Grandmaster!"

Jiang Xuan took a deep look at the dark jungle, then turned and left.

After all, he was a mid-level third-grade master. Although the pebble hit him, it did not injure any vital organs. Moreover, the opponent was focused on escaping, and after being delayed by the poison twice in a row, even if he wanted to chase, he would not be able to catch up.

Moreover, once inside the jungle, Jiang Xuan was worried that he would be tricked by this guy again.

So there's no need to waste time.

Next time we meet, I'll be more decisive and take this guy's life immediately.

"call……"

Deep in the jungle, realizing that Jiang Xuan was not pursuing them, the Five Poison Child breathed a sigh of relief.

The remaining spiritual energy within him had dissipated, but the bones and muscles in his chest were severely injured.

Even if he is cured, it will likely have an impact on his progress in martial arts.

The stored Five Poison Pearls and Bliss Insects were all used up, resulting in a devastating loss!

He hadn't expected that the other side was prepared; his boys were ambushed as soon as they made their move.

In his attempt to save the children, he nearly lost his own life, and failed to save them.

Surrounded by the Imperial Guards, those boys are most likely doomed!

The Five Poison Child turned around and looked back, his expression icy cold, his eyes filled with intense hatred and resentment.

"Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? I'll remember you!"

"If you dare to come to Yongzhou, I will make sure you die a horrible death, to pay for my child and my precious 'Paradise Bug'!"

Gritting his teeth, the Five Poison Child immediately turned around and continued to flee into the deep forest.

Their whereabouts have been discovered.

In a one-on-one fight, he was no match for Jiang Xuan.

The Five Poison Pearls and the Bliss Insect that saved my life are gone.

Most common poisons wouldn't be able to harm Jiang Xuan.

The only chance for revenge is to return to Yongzhou and join forces with the White Lotus Sect and the Sun Moon Sect!
……

in the military camp.

The swarms of poisonous insects, out of control, were quickly driven away by soldiers using weapons and torches.

Beside the well, several boys from the Paradise Cave who had infiltrated the military camp in an attempt to poison the food and water well also perished one after another under the siege of the Imperial Guards.

The situation has temporarily stabilized.

Jiang Xuan returned to the military camp, where everyone was already cleaning up the battlefield.

"Captain!"

Lin Pingzhi and the others gathered, their expressions grave.

"How's it going?"

Jiang Xuan inquired.

Lin Pingzhi said with a stern face, "There were a total of fourteen people from Bliss Cave. We've dealt with them all, but we also lost a few brothers."

Despite prior precautions, several of our brothers still died.

In his view, this was a disgrace to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Jiang Xuan sighed inwardly. He looked into the distance and saw that many people in the military camp had also been bitten by poisonous insects. Some died immediately, while others lay on the ground groaning in pain.

The entire camp was in chaos.

These poisonous creatures, it is unknown where the Five Poison Boys summoned them from, perhaps from the forest behind the military camp.

This method of controlling poisons is truly horrifying.

Jiang Xuan arrived at the middle of the camp, found Lu Xiang Sheng, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Lu Xiang Sheng was safe and sound under the protection of a group of Imperial Guards.

As long as the head coach is alright.

"Master Jiang!"

Lu Xiang-sheng stepped forward with a grim face and asked, "How is the situation?"

"Everything's alright for now."

Jiang Xuan shook his head: "However, quite a few soldiers have been poisoned."

"what?"

Lu Xiang-sheng rushed out of the tent and saw the chaotic scene outside, his face turning extremely ugly.

"Quickly summon the medics and gather all the poisoned brothers together!"

"The rest of you clean up the poison, be careful not to get poisoned!"

Orders were issued one after another.

Everyone sprang into action.

The poisoned soldiers were gathered and carried to the open space in the center to await treatment from military doctors.

In less than half an hour, over a hundred soldiers were bitten by the poisonous creature. Their faces turned blue, they foamed at the mouth, and some even began to convulse, their condition extremely critical.

Soon, a group of military doctors arrived carrying medicine kits and checked on the wounded one by one.

"How is the situation?" Lu Xiang-sheng asked in a deep voice.

The military doctors looked at each other, their expressions grave.

Immediately, a military doctor bowed and said, "Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, these soldiers are all poisoned. First, we need to administer acupuncture to seal their acupoints to prevent the toxins from spreading. Then we will try to detoxify them. However, we cannot guarantee how many people can be saved. We can only try our best."

"quick!"

Lu Xiang-sheng didn't say much and immediately gave the order.

Several military doctors quickly found silver needles and began to take pulses and administer acupuncture.

However, the number of people is limited. If we take their pulses and administer acupuncture one by one, we might not be able to save even a few before the other soldiers are poisoned to death.

Moreover, the number of silver needles was clearly insufficient.

Seeing this, Jiang Xuan summoned Lin Pingzhi and ordered, "Go to the city and find all the physicians!"

Lin Pingzhi hurriedly went down to give orders and led his men to Hengzhou Prefecture.

After watching a doctor perform acupuncture, Jiang Xuan roughly understood their method of sealing acupoints and immediately stepped forward to help.

He first used his internal energy to examine the spread of the poison in the soldier, and then directly used acupressure to seal the soldier's acupoints and stop the spread of the poison.

This method is several times faster than using silver needles.

Upon seeing this, several doctors' eyes lit up, and they praised, "Sir, this method of controlling the toxins is much more effective than our individual acupuncture treatments. In this way, we don't have to worry about running out of acupuncture needles."

"How could I not have thought of this method!"

Lu Xiang-sheng was somewhat annoyed, but he immediately stepped forward to help.

He himself practiced martial arts, so he naturally knew the art of sealing acupoints.

With the joint efforts of everyone.

The spread of the toxin among most soldiers was quickly brought under control, but there were a few who were more severely poisoned and could not be saved in time.

Under these circumstances, all we can do is try our best to treat them, saving as many as we can.

Without a second thought, everyone immediately began to bleed to detoxify.

Two hours later, the Imperial Guards arrived with physicians from Hengzhou City and joined the rescue efforts.

They worked until dawn before gradually bringing the situation under control.

However, some soldiers still had toxins spread into their bodies, and it was unclear what to do about it.

After all, the toxins had already invaded their internal organs. They were only temporarily spared because the acupoints around their hearts were sealed, preventing the toxins from spreading to their hearts.

However, bloodletting is not the only way to remove toxins.

Jiang Xuan was also in a dilemma, unsure of what to do.

If he were poisoned himself, he could expel the poison with his true energy, but with the poison in the soldier's body, he couldn't control his true energy so precisely.

Moreover, the toxins are located inside the internal organs.

If they were not careful and damaged the blood vessels of their internal organs, these soldiers would certainly die.

"Commander, someone outside the military camp requests an audience!"

Just as he was in a dilemma, a member of the Imperial Guard rushed in to report.

Jiang Xuan frowned: "Can't you see he's busy? Whoever it is, make him wait!"

The imperial guard hesitated for a moment: "But she said she has a way to detoxify the soldiers..."

Ok?
Jiang Xuan's eyes flickered, and he asked, "Do you know who they are?"

"The woman in the lead said her name was Ren Yingying."

Ren Yingying?
Jiang Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and then ordered, "Bring them in."

"Yes!"

The Imperial Guards departed.

"Ren Yingying? What's she doing here? Could it be..."

Considering the current situation of the Sun Moon Cult, Jiang Xuan had a vague guess in his mind.

After a while.

Two Imperial Guards led in about ten women, all of whom were quite beautiful.

The leader was dressed in a light green robe, but wore a bamboo hat and a light veil over her face, making it impossible to see her features. However, she had an extremely beautiful figure.

"This humble woman, Ren Yingying, greets Lord Jiang!"

The woman led the group forward, bowed gracefully to Jiang Xuan, and spoke in a clear and delicate voice, like the chirping of a yellow caterpillar.

Jiang Xuan's eyes flickered slightly as he looked her up and down: "Ren Yingying, daughter of Ren Woxing, the former leader of the Sun Moon Divine Sect?"

"That is indeed me!"

Ren Yingying nodded, not surprised that Jiang Xuan could recognize her.

"Do you know that my trip south from the capital is to deal with the Sun Moon Cult?" Jiang Xuan asked.

"I understand," Ren Yingying nodded.

Jiang Xuan gave her a deep look, then said, "I don't care what your purpose is, are you sure you can cure these soldiers' poison?"

Ren Yingying stepped forward, glanced at the soldiers' condition, and nodded, saying, "These are just the most common snake venoms. As long as they weren't bitten by the Five Poison Child's 'Paradise Insect,' I can cure them!"

"Go."

Jiang Xuan waved his hand: "If you can't save them, you will all die."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the group of women behind Ren Yingying changed slightly.

Ren Yingying remained calm, turned her head to look at a woman wearing a brightly colored apron beside her, and said, "Sect Leader Lan."

"Yes, Holy Maiden!"

The woman nodded and immediately led a group of women behind her forward to check on the soldiers.

Immediately, the woman stretched out her right hand, and a brightly colored snake slithered out from her sleeve, then bit the hand of an unconscious soldier.

"Stop, what are you doing!"

The surrounding soldiers were shocked to see this and rushed forward to stop them.

"Get out!"

Jiang Xuan waved his hand to stop her, quietly watching the woman's movements.

He didn't understand what kind of detoxification method this was.

But Ren Yingying couldn't have come with just a few soldiers.

really.

As the venomous snake sucked, the toxins in the soldier's body slowly traveled along his blood vessels to his arm, where they were clearly visibly sucked into the snake's mouth.

In a short while, only a few specks of black blood remained on his fingertips.

The soldier's complexion gradually improved.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers looked at each other in surprise.

"Your Miao people's methods of detoxification are truly unique!"

Jiang Xuan also glanced at Ren Yingying beside him with some surprise.

Ren Yingying remained calm: "You flatter me, sir. This is a method of the Five Poisons Sect, and not every Miao person knows it."

Five Poisons Sect, Blue Phoenix?
Jiang Xuan glanced at the group of brightly dressed women and guessed their identities.

Soon, a group of women from the Five Poisons Sect used the same trick again, using small snakes to absorb the toxins from the soldiers' bodies, and some of the unconscious soldiers gradually woke up.

The crowd no longer dared to underestimate this group of women, and even felt somewhat wary of them.

What normal woman would carry a venomous snake with her?

"My lord, the poison in these soldiers has been neutralized. They only need a few days of rest to recover."

Lan Fenghuang stepped forward and cupped her hands in greeting, speaking with a slight accent from southern Xinjiang.

Jiang Xuan nodded, waved his hand, signaling the others to take the poisoned soldiers back to their tents to recuperate. He then dismissed the nearby Imperial Guards before looking at Ren Yingying, Lan Fenghuang, and the others.

"Speak, what is your purpose?" Jiang Xuan said calmly.

Ren Yingying said, "With your intelligence, sir, you should be able to guess my purpose."

"It is I, the Governor, who is asking you this!" Jiang Xuan said, his words domineering and brooking no refusal.

Ren Yingying remained silent for a moment before revealing the scandal of the Sun Moon Sect: "Twelve years ago, our Sun Moon Sect was embroiled in internal strife. Dongfang Bubai took advantage of my father, Ren Woxing, practicing his martial arts to ambush him, imprison him, and seize the position of sect leader."

"This rebellion of the Sun Moon Sect and its assistance to the White Lotus Sect is by no means the will of the Miao people, but rather the result of Dongfang Bubai's own actions."

"Their purpose is mostly to find the complete version of the Sunflower Manual, which is said to have originated from the Imperial Palace."

That's it!

Jiang Xuan suddenly realized why Dongfang Bubai would help the White Lotus Sect; it was all for the complete 'Sunflower Manual'. That made sense.

Otherwise, given Dongfang Bubai's ambition, even if he were to rebel, he would never have made the White Lotus Sect his leader.

"What does this have to do with you coming to see me?" Jiang Xuan said indifferently.

Ren Yingying said, "I've come to plead for mercy."

"For Dongfang Bubai?"

"No, it's the Sun Moon Cult."

Ren Yingying said, "Dongfang Bubai is ambitious and ruthless. In the more than ten years since he took power, the Sun Moon Sect has been thrown into chaos, but this is not the intention of the members of the Sun Moon Sect."

"The followers of the Sun Moon Cult, as well as us Miao people, are all innocent."

"This humble woman hopes that Your Excellency can show leniency and spare the Miao people. This humble woman is willing to help Your Excellency eliminate Dongfang Bubai and the White Lotus Sect and quell the rebellion."

"Are you helping me, or am I helping you?"

Jiang Xuan sneered: "I don't even consider Dongfang Bubai a threat. You want to use me to get rid of Dongfang Bubai so that Ren Woxing can regain control of the Sun Moon Sect, right?"

"Moreover, I believe that the Miao people are innocent."

"But to say the Sun Moon Cult is innocent? Don't you find that laughable?"

"When Ren Woxing was in power, did the Sun Moon Cult never oppose the imperial court?"

"My purpose in heading south is to destroy the White Lotus Sect and the Sun Moon Sect."

"As for whether or not to exterminate the Miao people, that depends on how many Miao people participated in the rebellion this time."

"If too many people are involved, I wouldn't mind making a trip to Miao territory!"

Upon hearing this, Lan Fenghuang and the others' expressions changed drastically.

Ren Yingying was also shocked, and a hint of panic finally appeared in her eyes. She said, "Please judge for yourself, sir. We Miao people really have no intention of rebelling."

“When my father was in power, he did kill some officials in the Miao region, but only because they oppressed the Miao people. He never thought of rebelling.”

"Dongfang Bubai's collusion with the White Lotus Sect was entirely their own doing and has absolutely nothing to do with the Miao people!"

Lan Fenghuang and the others also bowed and said, "Please, Your Excellency, make the right judgment!"

"What about the Five Poison Boys?"

Jiang Xuan remained unmoved and coldly said, "Since you've come to our door, you must know what happened last night. So many people died last night, and it was all the work of you Miao people!"

"grown ups!"

Lan Fenghuang hurriedly said, "My lord, you are unaware of this. Although the Five Poisons Child is also a Miao person, he is cruel and practices the Five Poisons Divine Skill. In order to practice his skills, he even uses us Miao people to raise poisonous creatures, which has long been intolerable to us Miao people."

"Moreover, he is ambitious and determined to destroy our Five Poisons Sect and unify all Miao forces. We will never let him go!"

"You guys are good at shirking responsibility!"

Jiang Xuan scoffed, then said, "Even if what you say is true, why should I help you and let the Miao people and the Sun Moon Cult go?"

"Our Five Poisons Sect can help you deal with the Bliss Cave!"

Lan Fenghuang quickly replied, "With the help of our 'Five Poisons Sect,' you no longer need to worry about the people of Bliss Cave poisoning you. We are very familiar with their poisons!"

“That reason isn’t enough!” Jiang Xuan said coldly.

"Then what does Your Excellency wish to do?" Ren Yingying asked softly.

Jiang Xuan looked at her, his eyes narrowed slightly, and said, "Unveil your face!"

"Holy Maiden!" The women of the Five Poisons Sect's expressions changed slightly.

Ren Yingying remained silent for a moment, then removed the bamboo hat and veil from her head. Beneath the hat, her face was adorned with gold hairpins and pearls, and she was exquisitely beautiful. She appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, with skin so white it was almost translucent, with a subtle blush.

"She's definitely a beauty!" A look of amazement flashed in Jiang Xuan's eyes.

Ren Yingying remained silent for a long time before saying, "If you are willing to spare the Sun Moon Sect and the Miao people, I will... do as you please."

"Holy Maiden!"

Lan Fenghuang and the others' expressions changed, and they became extremely anxious.

Several of them immediately glared at Jiang Xuan, their eyes filled with hostility.

"You think too much!"

Jiang Xuan withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "My purpose is to quell the Miao rebellion. Such a big matter is not something you, Ren Yingying, are qualified to exchange."

"Let Ren Woxing come and talk to me!"

Ren Yingying felt a slight sense of relief and nodded, saying, "My father was imprisoned at the bottom of West Lake by Dongfang Bubai and guarded by the 'Four Friends of Jiangnan'."

"But rest assured, my lord. Dongfang Bubai has led the sect's experts to Yongzhou to assist the White Lotus Sect, leaving all sect affairs to me. Three days ago, I ordered Xiang Wentian, the Left Envoy of my Sun Moon Divine Sect, to take the 'Black Wood Token' and his men to rescue my father. Once Xiang Wentian and his men have rescued my father, I will immediately bring him to see you, my lord."

Jiang Xuan remained silent.

"If he hasn't arrived by the time I reach Yongzhou, then don't blame me!"

After saying that, Jiang Xuan waved his hand: "Go!"

"Yes!"

Ren Yingying felt a sense of urgency. She put her bamboo hat and veil back on, gave a slight bow, and left with Lan Fenghuang and the others.

Jiang Xuan watched them leave quietly, his eyes flickering as he pondered to himself.

He understood Ren Yingying's purpose in coming to his door.

It was definitely Ren Woxing who wanted to take this opportunity to eliminate Dongfang Bubai and regain control of the Sun Moon Cult.

His goal was to destroy the Sun Moon Cult, which is why Ren Yingying came to plead for him.

As for the extermination of the Miao people, it was just a casual remark to scare them.

There are millions of Miao people across the country, some of whom have spent their entire lives hiding in the deep mountains. How could they possibly be completely wiped out?

Moreover, although the White Lotus Sect, the Sun Moon Sect, and the Blissful Cave, which are the main forces involved in this rebellion, are all composed of Miao people, it is impossible for them to implicate the entire Miao ethnic group as a result.

However, the conflict between the Miao people and the people of the Central Plains has a long history.

Because the people of the Central Plains have always been in control of the world, the Miao people have a low status and have always been oppressed by the people of the Central Plains. Most of them hide in the deep mountains, and only a very small number of them come out of the mountains to survive.

When this contradiction reaches an extreme, it will naturally erupt.

The White Lotus Rebellion is a prime example.

Jiang Xuan had never imagined that the core members of the White Lotus Sect in this generation would all be Miao people.

Now that we know about this matter, it would be good if we could take this opportunity to resolve the conflict between the people of the Central Plains and the Miao people.

As for the Sun Moon Cult...

If Ren Woxing were sensible enough to be a lackey, Jiang Xuan wouldn't mind keeping the Sun Moon Cult and supporting Ren Woxing to become the leader of the Miao people, thus resolving this conflict.

If they don't know what's good for them, then we'll have to support someone else.

"Master Jiang!"

At this moment, Lu Xiang-sheng walked over from a distance, glanced at Ren Yingying and the others who were leaving, and asked in confusion, "What is the background of these women? How can they have such powerful detoxification methods?"

"It's nothing, just a few江湖人 (jianghu people, people from the martial arts world)."

Jiang Xuan replied casually without saying anything more, and then asked, "When does the Commander-in-Chief plan to continue the journey?"

"Let's go today!"

Lu Xiang-sheng said in a deep voice, "There is no time to lose. These poisoned soldiers should stay in the camp to recuperate. Let's head to Yongzhou first to check the situation."

"However, the journey ahead will require some effort from Lord Jiang's men. The spies in the army are still no match for the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Jiang Xuan understood what he was worried about and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, Lord Lu, with my men here, last night's situation will never happen again."

Lu Xiang-sheng breathed a sigh of relief: "Then I'm relieved."

……

"Holy Maiden!"

After leaving the military camp, Lan Fenghuang looked at Ren Yingying with a solemn expression and said, "This Jiang Xuan is also very ambitious. Do we really want to cooperate with him?"

Ren Yingying shook her head and said, "We have no other choice now."

"If Dongfang Bubai hadn't intervened in the White Lotus Rebellion, we might have had a chance to gradually eliminate him and rebuild the Holy Cult on our own."

"But now that Dongfang Bubai and the people of Jile Dong have intervened in this matter, they have already angered the Ming army. If it gets involved with us Miao people, not to mention the Sun Moon Sect, our entire Miao ethnic group will be in danger of extinction."

"Although the imperial court is not as powerful as before, it is still far beyond what we Miao people can resist."

"We absolutely cannot stand by and watch them lead our Miao people to a dead end!"

Blue Phoenix sighed softly, "Alas!"

"I never expected that the current leader of the White Lotus Sect would be from the Miao ethnic group in western Hunan. If I had known this earlier, I would have killed him first, so that we Miao people wouldn't have been implicated."

Ren Yingying shook her head and said, "It's too late to say anything now."

"The most urgent task is to get my father out."

"In addition, send a message to the elders of the Five Poisons Sect and ask them to come out of seclusion and help us."

"Also, keep a close eye on the movements of Bliss Cave, and make sure they don't poison us again and disrupt our plans."

Lan Fenghuang nodded: "Okay, I will send a message to Elder Dugu and Protector He right away."

……

the other side.

After several days, the Five Poison Child finally escaped back to Bitter Sea Town.

Inside Xiaoyue Tower, the leader of the White Lotus Cult was discussing tactics with several altar masters when the Five Poison Child suddenly burst in, causing them all to pause in surprise.

"who are you?!"

The two altar masters immediately stood up to try to stop them.

But the Five Poison Child tossed him aside with a flick of his wrist: "Get out of the way!"

"stop!"

Upon hearing the voice, the White Lotus Sect Leader immediately recognized the Five Poisons Child and was somewhat taken aback, saying, "Five Poisons... Brother, what is this...?"

The Five Poison Child, pale-faced, stepped forward and said, "I made a mistake!"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guards were prepared, and Jiang Xuan is far superior to ordinary grandmasters; he has already grasped the essence of the art!"

"Bai Lian, how dare you lie to me?!"

The Five Poisons Child glared venomously at the White Lotus Cult Leader.

"Uh... what do you mean by that?"

The White Lotus Sect Leader was somewhat stunned, and said, "Brother Five Poisons, Jiang Xuan was already quite powerful. It is said that even the leader of the Green Robe Pavilion was defeated by him. My White Lotus Sect's Second Elder and Left Protector were also killed by him."

"That's why I asked Brother Wudu to come and help me. How could there be any talk of deception?"

"This……"

The Five Poison Child was also taken aback upon hearing this.

Upon careful recollection, it seems that when the White Lotus Sect Leader sent him the message, she did indeed mention Jiang Xuan's past.

Upon arriving at Kuhai Town, he did not inquire about the Ming army's situation and excitedly led his men to ambush them.

Now that they've suffered a crushing defeat, it's no wonder the White Lotus Cult Leader is no longer to blame...

The White Lotus Sect leader politely pulled out a chair, poured him a cup of tea, and said, "Brother Wudu, why don't you sit down and tell me the details?"

The Five Poisons Child took a deep breath, sat down in a chair, and said with a gloomy face, "I ambushed the Ming army outside Hengzhou City. I originally intended to poison their food and water, but I didn't expect the Ming army to be prepared..."

"After that, seeing that things were not going to work out, I decided to leave early."

"Unexpectedly, Jiang Xuan pursued me relentlessly. In the end, I fought him for hundreds of moves. In order to save my servant, I took one of his attacks and managed to retreat."

As everyone listened to the Five Poison Child's account, their expressions became somewhat solemn.

The fact that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had sent people to take precautions in advance clearly indicates that they already knew the Five Poison Boys would target their food and water.

The intelligence reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard are indeed as good as their reputation suggests!
And then there's Commander Jiang Xuan.

With the blessing of the realm of a mere second-grade Grandmaster, even the Five Poison Child, a sixth-grade Grandmaster, was no match for him.

Is the power of artistic conception really that terrifying?

The White Lotus Sect Leader frowned, somewhat doubting the veracity of what the Five Poison Child had said.

Since even the Five Poison Child could exchange hundreds of blows with Jiang Xuan, Zhao Wuji shouldn't have died.

Zhao Wuji is also at the mid-stage of the Grandmaster realm.

Seeing the Five Poisons Child's pale face, the White Lotus Sect Leader didn't think much of it and nodded, saying, "Brother Five Poisons, you've worked hard."

"Since they are prepared, there is no need to ambush them on the way. We can just confront them head-on once they arrive in Yongzhou."

"As for Jiang Xuan."

"My White Lotus Sect has tens of thousands of followers, and we also have experts from the Sun Moon Divine Sect to help us. Individual bravery is nothing to worry about."

"When he arrives, I will personally take action to avenge Brother Wudu."

The Five Poison Child's eyes were sinister as he gritted his teeth and said, "I will summon all the experts from Bliss Cave. When he arrives, I will make sure he dies without a burial place!"

“Brother Five Poisons is right.”

The White Lotus Sect Leader spoke gently, saying, "Brother Wudu is seriously injured. If you don't mind, why don't you rest here for a while? Our sect has several holy medicines for healing, and they are quite effective."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Master!"

The Five Poison Child stood up with a sullen face.

After he left, the White Lotus Sect Leader's face darkened again.

One of the altar masters snorted coldly and said in a low voice, "Master, this so-called 'Master of Blissful Cave' is so incompetent, why do you value him so much?"

The White Lotus Sect Leader shook his head: "His poison skills are quite good, which is beneficial to the Grand Elder's refining of poison corpses. Moreover, there are many experts in 'Paradise Cave,' especially the godmother of the Five Poison Child, who is a rare expert whose martial arts are probably no weaker than mine."

"With his help, our chances of winning will be much greater."

"Instruct your subordinates to be polite to the people of Bliss Cave. Before the great cause is accomplished, do not easily offend any allies."

"Yes, Sect Master!"

The crowd bowed and accepted.

……

In another inn in Kuhai Town.

Dongfang Bubai reclined in a chair, a charming woman in his arms, listening to a report from a secret agent of the Sun Moon Cult.

"laugh……"

After listening to the spy's report, Dongfang Bubai sneered and said, "This Five Poison Child is really a piece of trash. A dignified sixth-grade Grandmaster can't even handle a kid who has just entered the Grandmaster realm. He has really disgraced the Miao people!"

“The leader is right.”

Xue Qianxun, the beloved concubine in Dongfang Bubai's arms, said softly, "The sect leader's divine skills are unparalleled. How can a mere Five Poison Child compare to the sect leader?"

Dongfang Bubai grunted and said, "I originally wanted to take the Paradise Cave under my command as well, but since this guy is so incompetent, I'll pass."

Xue Qianxun chuckled and said, "In terms of poison skills, the Five Poisons Sect is quite good. Now the Five Poisons Sect has submitted to the sect leader. The Miao people of the Southern Frontier all respect the sect leader. Why should the sect leader go to great lengths to recruit the Miao people in Hunan?"

"Makes sense."

Dongfang Bubai nodded in satisfaction and said, "When Jiang Xuan arrives, I will personally meet him and see if this guy has three heads and six arms, which is why the White Lotus is so wary of him."

With that, he waved his hand and said, "Go down and continue to gather intelligence on the Ming army's movements."

"Yes, Master!" The scout left respectfully.

Just then, another member dressed in the robes of the Sun Moon Cult rushed in, knelt down, and reported: "Reporting to the Cult Leader, Chief Steward Yang from within the Cult has sent word that the Holy Maiden has left the Cult with a group of people, and we do not know where she has gone!"

"Yingying?"

Dongfang Bubai frowned and asked, "Didn't the scouts discover her whereabouts?"

“No, they came out through the secret passage!” the cult member replied.

"them?"

Dongfang Bubai frowned and asked, "Who left with her?"

The followers replied, "To the Left Envoy, there's Ding Jian with the 'One-Word Lightning Sword,' and Lan Fenghuang from the Five Poisons Sect, among others!"

Dongfang Bubai narrowed his eyes slightly.

Xue Qianxun said softly, "Master, should I take some people to investigate?"

Dongfang Bubai waved his hand and sneered, "No need!"

"After all these years, Xiang Wentian still hasn't given up!"

"Since he wants to die, then let him have his way!"

Xue Qianxun's expression changed slightly, and she said, "Does the sect leader mean that they went to West Lake in Hangzhou?"

Dongfang Bubai sneered: "Where else would we go?"

"Before I left, I specifically gave her the Blackwood Token to manage the affairs of the sect. She did not disappoint me and took the opportunity to go to West Lake to rescue Ren Woxing!"

Xue Qianxun's eyes flashed, and she said, "Master, did you do this on purpose?"

Dongfang Bubai nodded and said, "Over the years, she has been secretly gathering information about Ren Woxing without my knowledge, and she has been trying to win over martial arts practitioners who have joined my Holy Sect. She thought she was being very discreet, but all her actions have been under my control!"

"I have tolerated her all along, firstly to keep the others in the sect in check, and secondly because I watched her grow up, and I really couldn't bear to kill her."

"But she repeatedly challenged my bottom line."

“I gave her the blackwood token before I went down the mountain this time, as a last chance for her.”

"Since she doesn't know how to cherish opportunities, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"

After saying this, Dongfang Bubai looked at the disciple who had delivered the message and instructed, "Notify Tong Baixiong, Shangguan Yun, and the other hall masters to lead the experts of their sects to Kuhai Town to help me resist the Ming army."

"This……"

The disciple was about to agree, but upon hearing this, he paused, thinking he had misheard.

Shouldn't we go to West Lake to capture the traitor?

Xue Qianxun was also slightly taken aback, then frowned and said, "Master, Xiang Wentian's martial arts are extremely high, and with the experts Ren Yingying has gathered over the years, plus the 'Four Friends of Jiangnan' who are responsible for guarding Ren Woxing, I'm afraid they are no match for them. What if..."

Dongfang Bubai waved his hand: "Do you know why I only brought a few ordinary disciples with me this time when I went down the mountain?"

Xue Qianxun was taken aback for a moment, then her eyes flashed, and she said, "Does the leader want to see who is loyal to the leader and who is still loyal to Ren Woxing?"

"Not bad!"

Dongfang Bubai coldly said, "I deliberately gave her a chance to see who else is still so foolish as to be waiting for Ren Woxing to return. I'll take this opportunity to wipe them all out!"

Xue Qianxun nodded slightly and said, "Now it seems that, apart from Xiang Wentian, most of the elders and hall masters in the sect are loyal to you, Sect Leader."

Dongfang Bubai nodded and said, "Ren Woxing is nothing. Even if his martial arts have been abolished by me, I would not take him seriously now, let alone if he were to recover to his peak condition."

"I originally intended to let him enjoy his old age in peace by West Lake, but since he's so reckless, then I'll wait for him to come out and kill him with my own hands in front of all the disciples of the sect!"

"Let everyone see who truly deserves the position of leader!"

Dongfang Bubai's face was cold, but his words revealed boundless confidence and domineering aura.

"Our leader is wise and virtuous, possessing both literary and martial prowess, and will unify the martial world!"

The disciple who delivered the message immediately knelt down and respectfully recited the inscription.

Xue Qianxun looked up at Dongfang Bubai's profile, her eyes filled with deep admiration.

Only someone like him is worthy to be Xue Qianxun's man!
Unfortunately, for some reason, the cult leader has never shared a bed with her over the years, but has instead maintained a close relationship with Yang Lianting.

Sometimes, she even wondered if the cult leader had some unspeakable secret...

"Ugh……"

Thinking of this, Xue Qianxun sighed softly.

……

More than half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

The situation in Hubei and Hunan is becoming increasingly tense.

The eyes of countless forces have been focused on Chenzhou and Yongzhou, paying close attention to the impending great battle.

The 50,000-strong army led by Zhu Xieyuan has now arrived in Chenzhou and begun to clear out the White Lotus Sect's troops stationed in Chenzhou.

However, the White Lotus Sect held firm in Chenzhou City and never confronted Zhu Xieyuan directly.

The battle between the two sides was fierce.

Upon receiving the message, Lu Xiang-sheng adopted Jiang Xuan's suggestion and ordered him to hold the position and not attack, while waiting for news from Yongzhou.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiang-sheng's troops had already entered Yongzhou territory.

As they continued south, the situation became increasingly dire.

Almost every inhabited place bears traces of the White Lotus Sect's rampage and looting, with corpses strewn everywhere and devastation in sight.

Everything of value was looted, countless rebels were killed, and some were bewitched by the White Lotus Sect and became its followers.

The only survivors were the elderly, women, and children who managed to hide in time and escape the disaster.

But in this situation, living is almost more painful than dying.

All his relatives died, and his house was burned down.

The entire Yongzhou area has almost completely turned into a living hell!

These survivors had no choice but to numbly migrate north in search of refuge.

Having witnessed countless similar scenes, the army gradually fell silent.

Everyone was seething with anger.

Even Jiang Xuan felt a surge of intense killing intent.

He was not initially opposed to peasant uprisings.

He knew the situation of the imperial court better than anyone else in the past two years.

Internally, the court was corrupt and decadent, with eunuchs in power; externally, local aristocratic families seized the people's land and exploited them endlessly.

If the people can't survive, uprisings and rebellions are only a matter of time.

His trip south to assist Lu Xiang-sheng in suppressing the rebellion was merely out of necessity, a mission he was forced to undertake.

But he never intended to kill all the rebels.

But what I see now.

These hellish places on earth were all created by these so-called 'righteous armies'.

Originally a righteous army resisting the oppression of the imperial court, they transformed into a group of devils, even more ruthless and terrifying than those who oppressed them, after gaining power, and personally created such human tragedies.

Does such an army deserve to be called a righteous army?
"Report~!"

A vanguard scout galloped up on horseback.

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, the White Lotus Army in Qiyang County has retreated. Qiyang County has been destroyed, and there are no survivors!"

Everyone's expression changed.

Lu Xiang-sheng gritted his teeth and said, "Speed ​​up and go check it out!"

The army immediately sped up and headed towards Qiyang County.

Soon, the outline of Qiyang County came into view.

Even from more than ten miles away, thick smoke could be seen billowing and flames raging throughout the county.

"Damn it!"

Lu Xiang-sheng's face was extremely ugly.

According to previous intelligence, Qiyang County was also occupied by the White Lotus Army.

But now it has become like this.

Clearly, the White Lotus Sect had received news of their arrival and, knowing they could not hold out, retreated directly to Yongzhou City.

Before leaving, he also destroyed the entire Qiyang County!
Lu Xiang-sheng's heart was trembling.

Qiyang County has a population of tens of thousands.

He could hardly imagine what a hell it had become inside!
Gritting their teeth, the group quickly approached Qiyang County.

The law——

Just then, a group of several hundred people came galloping along a side road.

They were all armed with swords and dressed as江湖人士 (jianghu figures, people of the martial arts world).

Everyone immediately became alert.

But Jiang Xuan turned his head and glanced at him before waving his hand: "Don't worry, he's here to see me."

Among that group of people, he saw several familiar figures, including Ren Yingying and Lan Fenghuang.

It's obviously Ren Woxing who's here!

(End of this chapter)