Chapter 41

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As they walked leisurely, Tielan and Xiaoyu led the group with the treasure map in their hearts, heading towards the cave marked on the map!

Nangong Liu and Qin Jian were both seasoned veterans. The more they walked, the more they felt something was amiss!

Suddenly, the two stopped. Nangong Liu said to Xiaoran, "Xiao... Xiaoran, something seems off. Although I've never been here before, if we keep going, we might end up in the forbidden area of the Emei Sect!"

These young masters were well-versed in the history and secrets of various sects. Nangong Liu, who was born with a weak constitution, read more books to pass the time, and he quickly guessed where they were!

Xiaoyu chuckled, "That's right. The person who drew the fake treasure map must have intended this. They lured all these self-proclaimed heroes to fight the Emei Sect. What a deep grudge they must have!"

His words immediately drew a furious glare from Tielan.

At that moment, the sound of swords clashing faintly carried through the wind. Everyone looked at Xiaoran, who said, "Since that's the case, let's go and see. I also want to see who the mastermind behind this deception is."

The group used their lightness skills to enter the cave. Nangong Liu, who was born with a weak constitution, had practiced the Yi Jin Duan Gu technique and was given a Pei Yuan Pill by Xiaoran every day. His body had improved, and he could now keep up with the others!

After passing through the cave, they climbed up a stone staircase. The sounds of swords clashing and shouts grew louder, indicating a fierce battle inside!

When they reached the top of the stairs, they found the area filled with coffins. What was once a sealed place now had eight doors open, and many Taoists were rushing out. The doors were brightly lit, as if countless torches had been lit!

Xiaoran recognized one of the people there—it was Wang Yizhua, who had once listened to his storytelling!

Wang Yizhua was fighting a Taoist, but upon seeing Xiaoran, he was overjoyed and attacked with two powerful moves, forcing the Taoist back.

The Taoist had already figured out Wang Yizhua's claw technique, but these new moves were completely different, fierce and overwhelming, leaving the Taoist unable to respond!

Wang Yizhua, wanting to kneel and pay respects, remembered that Xiaoran disliked kneeling, so he bowed instead, "Disciple Wang Yizhua, greeting Master Xiao!"

The Taoist, who had been forced back, wanted to counterattack but saw Wang Yizhua's back turned to him. Proud as he was, he couldn't attack from behind!

He coldly snorted and sheathed his sword.

Xiaoran, who had a good impression of Wang Yizhua but didn't know his name, smiled and returned the bow, "What are you doing here?"

Wang Yizhua smiled bitterly, "Master Xiao must have also been deceived by the treasure map, right?"

Xiaoyu shook his head and laughed, "Do you think we're as stupid as you? We came here to find out who the mastermind is!"

Xiaoyu's talent for provoking others was at full strength, and his words offended half the experts present!

The Taoist who had been fighting Wang Yizhua was the Emei Sect's leader, Daozhang Shenxi. He usually had a no-tolerance policy for intruders in the Emei forbidden area, but he recognized a few in Xiaoran's group, including the eldest son of the Nangong family and the Jade Swordsmen.

If he were to keep them here, the Emei Sect would have to mobilize all its forces, resulting in many casualties. Afterward, they would face the backlash from the Nangong and Murong families. Even without considering the Murong family's strength, just their eight sons-in-law would be a formidable challenge!

No rational sect leader would do such a thing!

Just as Daozhang Shenxi was about to order his disciples to stop, several whistling sounds were heard. The targets were the burning candles!

Xiaoran's strongest martial art was the Nine Swords of Dugu, which relied on keen eyesight. Even with the Phoenix Eye, his skills would be greatly diminished if he couldn't see.

So Xiaoran, who had used fireballs in the Valley of Evil, naturally didn't want the lights to be extinguished!

Clang...

A long sword was drawn, transforming into a flash of light. Everyone felt as if a bolt of lightning had suddenly burst in the stone room!

Too... too fast!

Even the famous hero Yan Nantian's sword light might be more powerful, but it would never be as fast as this lightning!

All the swordsmen broke out in cold sweat, amazed that such a fast sword could exist!

Among the martial artists, many were known for their speed, but under this sword light, they felt ashamed and vowed to kill anyone who dared call them fast swordsmen after this!

Wang Yizhua, who had only heard Xiaoran's storytelling but never seen him in action, was both excited and admiring, momentarily stunned!

The shock of the fast sword made them overlook the sword light that disappeared mid-air and the subtlety of Xiaoran's sword technique!

Two light gasps were heard, "There are actually experts here?"

Daozhang Shenxi was furious, "Is there no end to this? One group after another, treating the Emei forbidden area like what?"

A public restroom?

He roared, "Who dares to intrude on our forbidden area?"

Two women in white walked out of the darkness. One said, "Helu, did you hear that? It seems we can't come to the back of Emei Mountain!"

Helu coldly replied, "In this world, we can go wherever we want, come and go as we please! Who can stop us? Who dares to stop us?"

Daozhang Shenxi was enraged, "How dare you speak so arrogantly!"

Two disciples immediately moved to attack the women, but their swords stopped mid-air!

A hand suddenly appeared in the air, grabbing their swords. The swords trembled like fish struggling to escape, but they couldn't break free!

It was Xiaoran who had acted. He said to Daozhang Shenxi, "There are no other women in this world as arrogant and disrespectful as these two!"

Xiaoran released the swords and said, "I stopped you from attacking for your own good, to prevent you from regretting it later!"

The anger in Daozhang Shenxi's eyes diminished, and he looked thoughtful. Suddenly, his face changed, "Could it be the Xiuyu Valley, the Yihua Palace?"

He then said with a bitter expression, "The Emei Sect has no grudges with the Yihua Palace. What brings you here, ladies?"

Helu replied, "We have no specific reason for coming. Just give us Yan Nantian's treasure. We don't want it; we just want to see it!"

Daozhang Shenxi's face looked like it was about to drip with bitterness. At that moment, a laugh suddenly echoed.

Everyone turned to see Xiaoran holding his stomach, laughing. He said, "While it's good to raise girls in luxury, spoiling them to this extent is courting disaster. Even the Yihua Palace's leader is only a fifty-fifty match against Yan Nantian. Now that Yan Nantian has reached the fourth level of Qi cultivation, even if you two break through to the ninth level of the Mingyu Skill, you would still lose!"

"So your boasting is making me laugh so hard... You're like the people of Nanyang or the frogs at the bottom of the well!"

Helu's face turned pale, unable to imagine anyone daring to ignore the Yihua Palace's existence!

Her eyes flashed with a murderous intent, "You dared to stop me from attacking, and now you dare to laugh at me, mock the Yihua Palace, and insult the Palace Leader... You're asking for death!"

Xiaoran rubbed his stomach, stopping his laughter, "Girls should be gentle. You young ladies should stop imitating Yaoyue and Lianxing; they haven't married in decades! Men want women with flesh and blood, not ice or iron! Oh... Only a pervert like Wei Wuya would dare to think about them!"

Everyone was shocked, even Nangong Liu and Qin Jian instinctively moved away from Xiaoran!

The Yihua Palace's leader was a goddess and a death god in the eyes of the martial world, her reputation built on mountains of corpses and rivers of blood!

The Twelve Constellations' reputation was upheld by Wei Wuya, a notorious figure in the martial world.

Xiaoran dared to mock these three people and mention the Yihua Palace's leader, his audacity was beyond measure!

The other girl was about to scold him, but Xiaoran waved his hand, "I know what you're going to say! I was just joking, don't be nervous. Come, let me tell you a joke..."

"Find death!"

The two girls didn't bother to argue, attacking Xiaoran with fierce and ruthless moves, making Daozhang Shenxi's face change!

"Dealing with people who don't listen is the hardest..."

Xiaoran rolled his eyes and casually pointed.

Wang Yizhua's eyes lit up, "One Finger Zen, truly wondrous and unpredictable!"

One Finger Zen struck Helu's palm, and Xiaoran felt a strange force pushing back, trying to deflect his finger. The girl's true qi also tried to counter his true qi through his finger!

But Xiaoran's true qi was so pure and his control so precise that the counter force was negligible, easily neutralized!

If he hadn't wanted to see the subtlety of the Yihua technique, the two girls wouldn't have even touched his finger!

The two girls were shocked, never expecting their Yihua technique to fail, and even more surprised by the wondrous and powerful finger technique. Their palms went numb, and they lost feeling in half their bodies, falling to the ground in an instant!

"Even though my One Finger Zen isn't perfect, daring to use your palms against it, I wonder if you're overconfident, foolish, or just plain foolish?"

At that moment, a male voice sighed, "Even if they were wrong, using your skills against two girls is a bit excessive, sir."

"Ah, the women's friend has arrived. Prince Wuxie, I really want to see what kind of person would dare to take such a name, comparable to Long Aotian!"

Under the Phoenix Eye, Xiaoran could barely discern the subtlety of the Yihua technique, but the two girls' skills were too weak and not genuine, so he only saw the surface!

He wanted to see what the Yihua technique looked like in the hands of Hua Wuxie!