Fairy, please don't do this!

Mo Zangfeng nodded: "We'll go rescue them now."

Ji Shan looked around, slightly puzzled: "Where's Chen Qing?"

Gu Jinzhao pointed to the disturbing pile of scarlet flesh beside him: "Look, isn't that it?"

Lin Qingci blinked her beautiful eyes: "Did Senior Brother kill him?"

"After the interrogation, Chen Qing saw that I had let my guard down and suddenly launched a sneak attack."

"So I took action and killed him."

Gu Jinzhao spread his hands and recited the speech he had prepared beforehand.

If Chen Qing were still alive, he would probably be so angry upon hearing these words that he would jump up in anger.

It was clearly Gu Jinzhao who killed him, yet he accused him of "suddenly launching a sneak attack," which is utterly shameless.

Mo Zangfeng didn't care at all: "Such a depraved and evil cultivator is no big deal if he dies."

Ji Shan hurriedly asked, "What should we do with the hundreds of people in the Green Gang?"

They had only bound and imprisoned the person; they had not yet dealt with him.

“Leave one person here to keep watch, and the other person to go to the county government to report to the authorities.”

"My senior brother Mo and I are of higher cultivation levels. We should hurry to the cave a hundred miles away to rescue the children."

After giving his instructions, Gu Jinzhao took the calico cat and fled out of the valley with Mo Zangfeng.

He had not forgotten the purpose of his trip.

Wang Teng, the true disciple of the Xuan Shu Sect, was in the cave.

In the game, Yu Fengzhi, the martial uncle, incurred the resentment of Wang Xuan, the father of Wang Teng, because of this matter.

Later, when her true identity was revealed, Wang Xuan used the excuse that she was the daughter of an elder of the Blood River Sect to force the Qingyun Sect to expel her from the sect.

……

A hundred miles away in the valley, deep inside the cave!

The underground river murmured, and three blood-red crystals were embedded in the damp, cold stone walls. Blood-like vines spread out, gleaming with a fishy light under the eerie blue phosphorescent fire.

A figure dressed in a brocade robe and wearing a bronze mask stood on the rock platform.

As fingertips glide through the void, spiritual energy, like viscous spider silk, carves intricate array patterns on the rock surface!

As the last stroke was made, a dark red liquid seeped from the ground, vaguely forming a distorted and hideous human face.

"The Life-Devouring and Spirit-Restoring Array... is finally complete!"

Wang Teng let out a long breath.

He spent a great deal of time and energy to create this formation, but as long as he could repair his spiritual abode, it was all worth it.

Thinking of this, Wang Teng looked at the forty-nine boys and girls huddled in the corner, his eyes seeming to struggle.

He was a prodigy of the Xuan Shu Sect, having killed many evil cultivators and saved countless people.

Those who were saved were deeply grateful to him, and some even erected monuments and temples in his honor, offering sacrifices day and night.

But now, in order to repair his spiritual palace, he is doing things that are as immoral and unethical as those of a heretic cultivator.

But Wang Teng did not believe that he had fallen into the evil path.

He only wanted to restore his former cultivation and talent so that he could kill more evil cultivators and save more people.

Therefore, sacrificing these people is worthwhile.

Wang Teng took a deep breath, his reluctance and hesitation gradually replaced by coldness. He raised his hand and began to form a magic seal, intending to activate the [Life-Devouring and Spirit-Restoring Array] to sacrifice the forty-nine boys and girls.

"It really is here!"

Just then, a cold, stern voice rang out.

Wang Teng paused, looking at the figure that had appeared before him without him noticing: "Who are you?"

The other person had his back to him, his figure as solitary and aloof as a pine tree on a precipice. He uttered only two sentences, each word like the sound of a sword: "The sword points to the nine heavens, illuminating the sun and moon; the eyes hold eternity, illuminating the netherworld."

Wang Teng: "..."

He's got that "pretentious king" vibe now... Gu Jinchao dealt with Chen Qing's two henchmen and came to his side: "Senior Brother Mo, there's no time to lose, let's capture this man first!"

Mo Zangfeng turned his head: "Why not just kill them directly?"

"Capture him, and we'll explain later!"

Before he finished speaking, Gu Jinzhao drew his Crimson Sky Sword with a clang. A crimson sword light swept across like a crescent moon.

At the same moment, the calico cat's figure transformed into a blurry afterimage, its sharp claws aimed straight for Wang Teng's throat.

Although Mo Zangfeng had doubts, his sword moved faster than his thoughts.

His figure moved like a lone goose skimming the shadows, his sword light splitting like flowers emerging from the mist, blocking Wang Teng's retreat from three tricky angles.

"People from the Qingyun Sect?"

Wang Teng's pupils contracted slightly, but he showed no sign of panic.

With a swift change of hand gestures, the crimson vines on the rock wall burst forth, and hundreds of blood shadows, like venomous snakes emerging from their holes, tore through the air with shrill screams, heading towards the two people and the cat to kill them!

Although he only has the cultivation level of the eighth rank at its peak, with the support of the [Life Devouring and Spirit Restoration Array], the power he is unleashing at this moment is already approaching the peak of the seventh rank, and even faintly touching the threshold of the sixth rank Yin God Realm!

However, the blood-red vines formed by the great formation suddenly froze, then crumbled inch by inch, turning into a foul-smelling blood mist.

Only then did Wang Teng notice that the three blood-red crystals embedded in the rock surface were broken, and a sword mark, as if scorched by the blazing sun, remained on them.

That's the core of the [Life-Devouring and Spirit-Restoring Array]!

With the key point of the formation broken, the great formation becomes useless.

Gu Jinzhao's sword strike just now wasn't aimed at Wang Teng at all, but rather at breaking the formation.

Wang Teng's expression changed. He brushed his fingertips across his storage ring, and a warm jade talisman shot out, instantly unfolding into a pale blue water curtain.

The [Water Moon Amulet] is a protective magic artifact given to him by Wang Xuan, capable of blocking attacks from those below the sixth rank.

Buzz—Buzz—

The calico cat's claws and Mo Zangfeng's sword struck the water curtain almost simultaneously, creating ripples, but neither could advance an inch.

"A high-grade protective magic artifact?"

"Looks like you have some connections!"

Mo Zangfeng snorted coldly, his figure suddenly retreating three zhang, and then abruptly turned back.

The sword moved with him, transforming into nine illusory sword shadows, like a lone wild goose falling from the sky, enveloping Wang Teng from all directions.

Gu Jinzhao's eyes were cold, and the true yang fire on the sword's edge suddenly erupted. The blazing sword intent condensed into a lifelike red dragon, carrying an incomparably domineering and terrifying power, and rushed straight towards Wang Teng's face!

The calico cat's figure flashed, sometimes darting left, sometimes right, its claws sharp as knives, targeting the weakest points in the water curtain.

The three attacked together, as fast as a storm.

The Water Moon Shield trembled violently, with ripples as dense as boiling water.

Wang Teng broke out in a cold sweat, and his face gradually turned pale.

His spiritual palace collapsed, and his spiritual energy reserves were already limited. With such consumption, the protective barrier could not last long.

"Evacuation is the best course of action!"

Wang Teng gritted his teeth, made a hand seal, and threw out another talisman, which transformed into a ring of fire that swept outwards from him in all directions.

The blazing fire surged and roared, turning the entire cave into a furnace.

The calico cat retreated to hide behind a rock, while Gu Jinzhao and Mo Zangfeng erected a spiritual energy barrier to protect themselves and the forty-nine boys and girls.

"You think you can capture me alive?"

Seeing this, Wang Teng sneered and prepared to take out the [Mist Transformation Talisman] from his pocket.

As its name suggests, this talisman can transform into a thin mist and instantly travel hundreds of miles away.

The Qingyun Sect cultivates the way of the sword, while the Xuanshu Sect cultivates the way of talismans and arrays. This mist-transformation talisman originated from the Xuanshu Sect.

Of course, this alone is not enough to determine his background.

These talismans are also sold, but at an extremely high price.

However, when her fingers touched her bosom, she found it empty!

Wang Teng suddenly turned his head and saw that the calico cat had somehow slipped into the shadows of the rock wall, with a talisman in its mouth, which it had already chewed up more than half of.

She chewed while complaining, "This talisman tastes awful!"

"You beast..."

Wang Teng's eyes were bloodshot with rage; he was so angry he almost vomited blood, wishing he could tear the dead cat apart.

Just as his mind was shaken, a crimson sword light pierced through the swaying water curtain.

puff!

The rusty sword blade pierced his right shoulder precisely, pinning him firmly to the rock face!

Gu Jinzhao stepped out from the still-burning flames, his right sword finger flashing like lightning, striking seven major acupoints on Wang Teng's chest in succession.

Under the sealing of spiritual power, Wang Teng's aura instantly weakened.

"Still trying to run?"

Since he knew that Wang Teng came from the Xuan Shu Sect, he had already prepared a countermeasure.

Wang Teng usually keeps all the talismans he uses in his storage ring, but he keeps this [Mist Transformation Talisman] in his bosom!

The purpose, of course, is to be able to evacuate more quickly in case of danger.

But he didn't expect that Gu Jinzhao knew this, which is why he had the calico cat pretend to attack while actually stealing the [Mist Transformation Talisman].

In terms of speed, even Gu Jinchao can't compare to the calico cat, let alone Wang Teng!

"I'd like to see who you really are!"

Seeing that Wang Teng had been captured, Mo Zangfeng swung his long sword.

click-

As a sword beam flashed, the bronze mask split in two, revealing a pale and gloomy face.

"Wang Teng?"

Mo Zangfeng frowned.

He had met Wang Teng before, at the gathering of six outstanding individuals the previous year.

At that time, Wang Teng was full of vigor and had defeated many of his peers with his amazing talisman skills.

But who would have thought that he would now willingly degenerate and become a heretical cultivator?

"Junior Brother Gu already knew his identity?"

"That's why you told me not to kill him?"

Mo Zangfeng seemed to have thought of something, and looked at Gu Jinzhao with surprise and suspicion, then secretly transmitted his voice.

Wang Teng is the only son of Wang Xuan, the second elder of the Xuan Shu Sect.

If he had killed him with that sword, Elder Wang, who doted on his son and was known for protecting his own, would probably have sought revenge at all costs.

Chapter 62, The Approaching Battleground (3K)

With Wang Teng captured alive and the forty-nine boys and girls safely rescued, the trial mission in Yunhe Town came to an end.

The county government officials rushed over and arrested all the remaining hundred or so members of the Green Gang, throwing them into jail. They were so busy that they barely had time to breathe.

Because the yamen runners were short-handed, Gu Jinzhao and his two companions did not leave immediately. Instead, they helped take the frightened children back to the town and sent people to notify the villagers who had lost their children to come and claim them.

Several children live in more remote villages, making travel difficult.

The group then split up, each escorting a few children from distant homes back home.

As the sun sets, it paints the sky a warm orange-red.

Gu Jinzhao led a few younger children across the winding field ridges to a small village with only a dozen or so households.