Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Master Benxiang roared angrily, his voice hoarse with rage.

"Yu'er!"

Another exclamation rang out; it was Duan Zhengchun's voice.

He was always mindful of Duan Yu's safety, and when the sandstorm started, his first thought was to protect his son.

But the shadowy figure moved much faster than he expected. Before he could get close to the boulder, he felt a chill in his back as a soft, yin-like internal force attacked him.

He groaned, forced to retreat repeatedly by the blows, and felt a sweet taste in his throat before spitting out a mouthful of blood.

This sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.

After a short while, the gale gradually subsided, the flying sand and stones slowly settled, and the view in the valley became clear again.

Everyone looked closely and saw that Duan Yu, who had been hiding behind the rock, had disappeared without a trace, leaving only a series of messy footprints that stretched from behind the boulder all the way to the outside of the valley, indicating that he had been kidnapped.

"Yu'er!" Duan Zhengchun's eyes were bloodshot, his anxiety and anger intertwined, and he almost vomited blood again due to a stroke.

She had just found her son, who was still suffering from the cold poison, and now he had been kidnapped right under her nose.

Master Benguan supported the staggering Benxiang, his face extremely solemn: "This person's martial arts are extremely high, and his movements are unpredictable. He is definitely not an ordinary person."

"Thief! Chase him!"

With a roar, Duan Zhengchun disregarded everything else and dashed off towards the outside of the valley.

Upon seeing this, Fan Hua, Ba Tianshi, and the other three dukes and four guards quickly followed, shouting loudly as they chased after them.

The three masters of Tianlong Temple, Benguan, Benxiang, and Bencan, exchanged a glance and then followed with several other monks.

Duan Yu is the heir of the Prince of Zhennan in Dali. If anything were to happen to him, Dali would lose all face. As high-ranking monks of Tianlong Temple, they could not stand idly by.

Mu Wanqing was also shocked to see Duan Yu being kidnapped.

Although she had only known Duan Yu for a short time, she did not want to see him fall into danger, especially since Duan Yu's father, Duan Zhengchun, had saved her life.

She hesitated for a moment, then quietly followed the crowd and slipped out.

Upon reaching the valley entrance, she secretly took Qin Hongmian's ice sculpture with her.

They came and went in a hurry; the people of the Dali Duan family came quickly and left quickly, taking Gan Baobao and Zhong Ling with them.

Shuangjiang and Bailu stood still, never moving an inch, seemingly oblivious to the pursuit by Duan Zhengchun and his men, as if it were none of their business.

During that gust of wind, most people's vision was obscured by the sand and dust, and they were unable to see the appearance of the newcomers.

But with his keen senses, Shuangjiang vaguely saw some outlines.

The Dali troops chased them all out of the valley. Granny Yu and Fu Minyi saw their chance and were overjoyed. They dared not delay any longer and used their lightness skills to escape in another direction outside the valley.

But they had only run a few steps when they heard a whooshing sound behind them.

A sharp palm strike suddenly came, aiming straight for their backs.

Grandma Yu and Fu Minyi were startled and hurriedly turned around to block, but it was too late.

"Oh!"

Both were struck by the palm strike at the same time, their bodies flying backward like kites with broken strings, crashing heavily to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

They struggled to get up, but found that their internal energy was stagnant.

The one who ambushed them was a young man dressed in a Taoist robe.

The young man had a thin face and was one of the people who had mingled with the crowd from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands.

Before Granny Yu and Fu Minyi could even utter a curse, the disciples from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands who had been kneeling and begging for mercy swarmed forward, surrounding the two with weapons in hand.

These people had just sided with Shuangjiang and were worried about not having a chance to pledge their loyalty. Now that they saw Granny Yu and Fu Minyi trying to escape, they naturally wouldn't let this opportunity pass.

Although Granny Yu and Fu Minyi were skilled in martial arts, they were overwhelmed and captured alive by several people in just over ten moves when they were surrounded and attacked by dozens of people.

The young man in the Taoist robe bowed to Shuangjiang, his tone respectful but not obsequious: "I am Baisun Daoist, greetings to you, young lady. Please remove the life-and-death talisman from us."

He spoke with neither arrogance nor servility, showing no stage fright whatsoever.

When everyone was clamoring to attack Shuangjiang, he stood at the back of the crowd and never spoke up.

Now that the situation has been settled, he took the initiative to speak, and his timing was just right, which made him seem very composed.

Shuangjiang glanced at him, a slight thought stirring in her heart.

This Hundred-Loss Taoist is not old, but his internal strength is quite remarkable. Even if it was a sneak attack, he was able to injure two experts at the Innate Upper Realm, which is not bad.

She nodded slightly: "Okay."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present showed joy and kowtowed to express their gratitude.

Shuangjiang raised her hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and continued, "However, I can only remove the Life and Death Talisman for ten people each day. This Ice Nether True Qi consumes a great deal of energy, and if I force myself to save more, it will affect my power, and it will be a loss. You can arrange yourselves in order and come here to find me at Chenshi (7-9 AM) every day."

She paused, then added, "If someone's life-and-death talisman activates prematurely and becomes unbearable, I will make appropriate arrangements accordingly."

This proposal was reasonable and convincing to everyone.

"Thank you for your understanding, young lady!"

Everyone kowtowed again to express their gratitude, their faces beaming with emotion.

Those who were initially worried about not being able to get the antidote in time are now completely relieved.

Seeing this, the Taoist Master Bai Sun bowed again and said, "Young lady, you are very understanding and righteous. We are extremely grateful. I will help you maintain order and arrange for everyone to queue up. I will make sure no one disturbs your cultivation."

Shuangjiang nodded slightly, without saying a word.

The Taoist Master Bai Sun immediately turned around and said loudly to the crowd, "Everyone, the young lady is kind and willing to remove the Life and Death Talisman from us. From today onwards, everyone should line up in order, ten people per day, and no fighting is allowed."

"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, their tone respectful.

Subsequently, under the arrangement of Bai Sun Dao Ren, things became orderly.

The Valley of Ten Thousand Calamities gradually quieted down, with Granny Yu and Fu Minyi, who had been imprisoned by acupuncture points, huddled in a corner, barely breathing.

People from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands lined up in order, quietly waiting for the Frost's Descent to remove the Life and Death Talisman, without making a sound.

Two figures slowly appeared at the valley entrance; it was Chen Zhan and Gu Yu.

When the fighting broke out in the valley, Chen Zhan had already arrived nearby.

He had exceptional hearing and heard the commotion inside the valley, but he didn't rush to enter.

He had left behind a secret technique on Shuangjiang and Bailu to activate their potential in times of crisis. He knew that the two were safe even though the technique had not been activated.

He intended for his disciples to hone their character and martial arts skills, and to handle conflicts on their own.

With the situation settled, Chen Zhancai led Gu Yuxiantingxin into the valley.

His gaze swept over the fragments of weapons and solidified blood ice on the ground, the queuing crowd and the two prisoners, and he instantly guessed the situation that had just occurred.

At this moment, Shuangjiang was removing the life-and-death talisman from an island lord, her fingertips circulating icy blue true energy, guiding the yin and cold power within the other party's body.

Bai Lu, who was protecting him, was the first to spot Chen Zhan and Gu Yu. Her eyes lit up with surprise and joy, and she quickly went to greet them: "Master, Sister Gu Yu! What brings you here?"

Frostfall noticed the commotion, withdrew his true energy, and instructed the island lord: "Rest quietly for three days and do not recklessly use your true energy."

He then turned to Chen Zhan, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Master."

Chen Zhan looked Shuangjiang up and down, then nodded in praise: "You've mastered the Ice Nether True Qi? Not bad. Guyu mastered the Profound Water True Qi, and you mastered the Ice Nether True Qi. You two have made the fastest progress." Shuangjiang shook her head modestly: "This time, I only broke through by chance by finding the Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm. In terms of talent, I am still lacking."

As the group exchanged pleasantries, the people queuing in the valley all turned to look at them.

Everyone was astonished to hear that the two addressed Chen Zhan as "Master".

Chen Zhan looked to be only in his twenties or thirties, handsome and gentle, yet he was the master of a top expert like Shuangjiang.

"This man is so young, yet he's Miss Shuangjiang's master?"

"Indeed, one cannot judge a book by its cover. To possess such skill at such a young age is truly unfathomable."

The crowd whispered among themselves, their gazes towards Chen Zhan now filled with awe.

Zhuo Bufan stood at the front, staring intently at Chen Zhan, his heart filled with turmoil.

He considered himself to be quite talented, yet he couldn't even last a single move against Shuangjiang. The fact that Shuangjiang's master was so young made him realize that there were always people more powerful than him.

Bai Lu briefly recounted the events in the valley, from the siege of Lingjiu Palace and Shuangjiang's emergence from seclusion to the capture of Granny Yu by Bai Sun Daoren and the abduction of Fu Minyi and Duan Yu by a mysterious person, all in a clear and organized manner.

After listening quietly, Chen Zhan nodded and asked, "Among the thirty-six caves and seventy-two islands, are there any capable individuals?"

After a moment of contemplation, Shuangjiang said, "There are two people we can use. One is Baisun Daoren, and the other is 'Sword God' Zhuo Bufan. Zhuo Bufan is at the middle stage of the Innate Realm and his sword skills are exquisite; Baisun Daoren has stronger leadership abilities and is very good at arranging queues and guarding prisoners."

"Oh? The Hundred-Loss Taoist?"

A strange light flashed in Chen Zhan's eyes, and he instructed, "Let him go and subdue the martial artists in the Tianshan region. You teach him some superior martial arts to help him improve his strength."

"Yes, Master, I will handle this matter."

“The forces of the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands are scattered. Only a small portion have arrived today. We need to subdue and integrate them one by one in the future,” Shuangjiang agreed and added.

Chen Zhan grunted in agreement, then turned to the two imprisoned men in the corner. After examining their internal strength, he said, "Indeed, it is the martial arts of Lingjiu Palace, and they are under the command of Wu Xingyun, the Heavenly Mountain Child Granny."

Wu Xingyun, Wu Yazi, Li Qiushui

They were collectively known as the Three Elders of Leisure.

Among the three elders of Xiaoyao, only Wuyazi can be considered a normal person. If he made a mistake, it was at most that he misjudged people and taught Ding Chunqiu, but he himself did not do anything too heinous.

The actions of Wu Xingyun and Li Qiushui are comparable to those of the Four Evils.

Wu Xingyun's "Eight Desolations and Six Directions, I Alone Am Supreme" technique requires absorbing the essence and blood of living people to cultivate, resulting in the death of at least one person every day.

Over the decades, countless innocent people have died at his hands.

Li Qiushui is even more cruel. In her early years, she harbored resentment because she was dissatisfied with Wu Yazi's obsession with the jade statue modeled after his sister, which neglected her.

In retaliation, she abducted handsome young men and brought them back to Langhuan Paradise. She flirted with Wuyazi, and after the novelty wore off, she killed all the young men and dumped their bodies at the bottom of the lake.

Therefore, he had no intention of subduing the two of them.

Chen Zhan changed the subject and asked Shuangjiang, "Did you see clearly who kidnapped Duan Yu?"

He already had a guess in mind and needed to confirm it.

Shuangjiang recalled, "The wind and sand were strong at the time, so I couldn't see clearly. But judging from his figure and aura, he was probably a monk."

"Yes, I understand."

Gu Yu couldn't help but ask, "Master, shouldn't we help the Duan family of Dali rescue their people? You previously said that you wanted to win over Dali so that when the Song Dynasty sent troops to Western Xia, they could keep them occupied on the Tibetan border. Now that Duan Yu has been captured, it's the perfect opportunity to win them over."

Chen Zhan smiled faintly: "No rush. The matter in Dali needs to develop further. It's better to offer help in times of need than to add flowers to brocade. Going to rescue them now would have limited effect."

Everyone understood Chen Zhan's deeper meaning.

As the frost descends, the body's vital energy recedes, and the temperature within the valley gradually returns to normal, no longer bitterly cold.

Chen Zhan decided that everyone should stay in Wanjie Valley for the time being. He took Shuangjiang, Bailu, Guyu and others to live in the wooden house where Shuangjiang had meditated before.

The people from the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands settled in the valley, waiting for the removal of the talisman on time each day.

Bai Sun Dao Ren took the initiative to assume management responsibility, counting the number of people, arranging duty shifts, and managing everything in an orderly manner.

Zhuo Bufan often practiced swordsmanship in the valley and occasionally sought advice from Shuangjiang. Shuangjiang was generous and gave him a few pointers, which greatly benefited him.

Three days have passed in the blink of an eye. During the Frost's Descent, ten people were removed from their talismans each day, and more than thirty people have been freed from the torment of the Life and Death Talisman.

These people were grateful for the kindness shown to them, and their respect and loyalty to Chen Zhan and his disciples grew even stronger.

That morning, Chen Zhan was meditating in the wooden house when he suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint in them, and said to the people outside:

"coming."

Shuangjiang and Guyu were practicing their martial arts outside when they heard this, so they immediately stopped and went inside.

Bai Lu also came out from next door, her eyes full of vigilance.

Chen Zhan stood up and looked towards the valley entrance: "Frostfall and Grain Rain, you two go and meet the people coming. Remember to be careful. Wu Xingyun, the Heavenly Mountain Child Granny, is more powerful than Murong Bo in her prime. Don't underestimate her."

"Yes, Master!"

The two responded in unison, their eyes showing no fear, but rather a hint of excitement.

Having cultivated for many years, I am eager to seek out top masters to spar with and test my progress.

The two exchanged a glance, and their figures flashed simultaneously, like two streaks of light rushing out of the wooden house and heading straight for the valley entrance.

Two streaks of light swept across the valley path, rustling the remaining ice.

Frostfall and Grain Rain leaped to the valley entrance with a light touch of their toes, but as soon as they regained their footing, they both froze and slowed down.

There was no hunched old woman in the open space at the valley entrance; instead, a young girl was leading the group.

She wore a light yellow short shirt, with her hair in two buns hanging down her shoulders. Her skin was fair and her eyes were childlike. She looked to be no more than ten years old, even more charming than Gu Yu, who was sixteen at the time.

Behind the girl stood four maids in green robes, swords at their waists, their expressions solemn as if they were guards, their eyes fixed on the girl, their movements following her lead.

Frostfall's icy blue eyes narrowed slightly as she secretly circulated her Ice Nether True Qi.

Master said that Wu Xingyun was an old monster who was nearly a hundred years old. How could he look like this? Gu Yu frowned and pressed his sword, looking at him warily, without speaking first.

The girl in yellow moved first, raising her chin and glancing at the two men before asking, "Have you captured my people?"

When she opened her mouth, her voice was completely different from her appearance. It was old and hoarse, with the dignified and coldness of a superior. It was clearly the voice of an old woman.

The two exchanged a knowing glance. Gu Yu stepped forward and bowed, asking, "You are... Wu Xingyun, the Heavenly Child Granny?"

The girl in yellow arrogantly raised her chin: "That's right, it is I."

Only then did the two understand the origin of the name "Tianshan Child Granny," which was actually the appearance of an old woman with a youthful face.

Chen Zhan had previously mentioned the Three Elders of Xiaoyao, only saying that Wu Xingyun's martial arts were strange and domineering, without mentioning the strange phenomena that occurred after practicing the Eight Desolations and Six Directions Supreme Skill. Seeing it today, it is indeed peculiar.

Gu Yu thought to himself, "My master once said that the martial arts of the Free and Unfettered Sect are profound and mysterious."

The Eight Desolations and Six Directions Supreme Technique is the most mysterious. Even the master did not have a complete manual for it. He only knew that cultivating it was domineering and could reverse aging, but it was extremely dangerous.

The "Unrivaled Power of the Eight Desolations and Six Directions" is so powerful that its name alone suggests its extraordinary dominance.

The two women didn't respond, and Wu Xingyun took their silence as agreement. His eyes turned cold, and he shouted to those behind him, "Plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum!"

"Yes!"

Four voices responded in unison, and the four maids simultaneously drew their swords. The blades hummed, and four cold beams of light attacked from four directions. The four had long practiced a coordinated sword formation, their swordplay intricate and varied, blocking all escape routes, their sword winds fierce and deadly. (End of Chapter)