Chapter 14

As the cries of Jiang Zhiwei and Qi Xia still echoed, a figure suddenly darted in from above the stone wall, dressed in black, with white hair scattered, resembling a fierce ghost. He clung to the stone crevices with his hands and feet, agile like a monkey, and in a few swift movements, he reached above Qi Xia, diving down in the posture of a "falcon catching a rabbit."

The direction from which this figure entered was exactly opposite to the direction from which the head had flown in!

Qi Xia had undergone many "practical training" sessions involving ambushes and assassinations in the Da Jiang Gang, and she was alert to such situations. She knew that if an unknown object was thrown in, one should hold one's breath to prevent poisoning, and observe all directions to prevent a feint.

Therefore, even though she was momentarily stunned by the death of Qingjing and screamed, losing the best opportunity for defense, she quickly regained her composure, exerted force with her feet, and dodged the vital spot on her head.

Swoosh, a hand wearing an iron glove pierced deeply into her left shoulder. Then, before the green-glowing water-dividing spear could reach, the "white-haired ghost" flipped like a sparrow, causing a shower of blood, and landed on the other side.

While Qi Xia was engaged with the "white-haired ghost," Jiang Zhiwei also reacted and whispered, "Left two."

Meng Qi immediately took two steps to the left, and then the sword light, like water, splashed toward the "white-haired ghost."

Just as the head had flown in, a gray shadow pounced from the same direction, the long sword in its hand reflecting the torchlight on the wall, emitting a dim yellowish glow, aiming directly at the immobilized Jiang Zhiwei.

It was a double feint!

The long sword fell, slashing toward Jiang Zhiwei's left shoulder and also toward Meng Qi's head.

The sword light that had "splashed" toward the "white-haired ghost" suddenly disappeared. Jiang Zhiwei's long sword had somehow reversed, and without looking back, she thrust it diagonally upward behind her, as if the gray shadow was actively throwing itself onto the sword tip.

She was actually luring the enemy!

The gray shadow forcibly turned halfway, extending its left palm to block the sword tip.

Puff, the long sword pierced through his palm, but he used the momentum to pounce to the left, avoiding the sword.

"Jump back two," Jiang Zhiwei said in Meng Qi's ear, her voice quick but clear like pearls falling on a jade plate.

Faced with this level of combat, Meng Qi's meager combat experience was of no use. He could only keep telling himself to trust the "expert," to trust Jiang Zhiwei.

Jumping back two steps, Meng Qi managed to maintain his balance thanks to his practice of the Luohan Fist. After the gray-clothed man landed, he swung his long sword, which Jiang Zhiwei, now at a distance, blocked. The clash of the sword and the knife produced a crisp "ding."

At this moment, Ge Chongshan and others, who had been exploring and searching nearby, heard the commotion and rushed back.

Seeing this, the "white-haired ghost" and the "gray-clothed man" intensified their attacks. Although Jiang Zhiwei had Meng Qi to assist her, Meng Qi's strength was only at the "hundred-day foundation" stage, and he had never learned the art of leaping and bounding, making his movements relatively slow. Additionally, his verbal instructions were limited, making it difficult to execute complex maneuvers. Therefore, Jiang Zhiwei could only focus on defense, reducing her movements to a minimum. For a while, she and Qi Xia, who had been severely injured in the left shoulder, were both pressed to defend themselves.

Meng Qi moved according to Jiang Zhiwei's instructions, feeling the fierce momentum of the sword, his heart turning cold and slightly afraid. Subconsciously, he thought that compared to the gray-clothed man's sword technique, his battle with Cheng Yong was like a child's fight!

After a fierce attack, the "white-haired ghost" and the "gray-clothed man" suddenly leaped back, breaking away from the fight, and sprinted toward a temporarily unoccupied corridor while Ge Chongshan and others were still some distance away.

They were using the attack to create an opportunity to escape!

Qi Xia and Jiang Zhiwei, under pressure, were fully focused on defense and could not immediately pursue. They could only watch as the two figures reached the door.

Suddenly, a long sword stabbed out from outside the corridor, snake-like and agile, forcing the "white-haired ghost" and the "gray-clothed man" to retreat to avoid the sharp tip.

"Brother Zhang!" Qi Xia recognized the person wielding the sword as Zhang Yuanshan, who looked sorrowful.

Without hesitation, Jiang Zhiwei said, "Advance five."

Meng Qi took large steps forward, blocking the retreat of the "white-haired ghost" and the "gray-clothed man." Jiang Zhiwei extended her long sword, encircling the "gray-clothed man" within her sword light.

Zhang Yuanshan did not lose his composure due to grief. His long sword drew one circle after another, firmly entangling the "white-haired ghost." Occasionally, his sword moved like a snake, forcing the "white-haired ghost" into a panic, making it difficult for him to escape.

The green-glowing water-dividing spear appeared, and Qi Xia also rushed over to assist Jiang Zhiwei, preventing the "gray-clothed man" from finding an opportunity to escape.

"Brother Ma! Brother Tan!" Ge Chongshan entered the stone room and immediately recognized the "white-haired ghost" and the "gray-clothed man" as Ma Lianghan and Tan Wenbo, the two heroes who had been trapped earlier.

Their faces were green, and their eyes glowed with a greenish light. They did not speak, but instead, they searched for weaknesses in Jiang Zhiwei, Zhang Yuanshan, and others, trying to escape.

"Ah," Ge Chongshan sighed, and with other experts, joined the battle.

Thus, the battle gradually turned one-sided. Within ten breaths, Tan Wenbo, who resembled the "white-haired ghost," was pierced by several long swords and died on the spot. Ma Lianghan, after being injured by the sword and knife, was struck by Ge Chongshan's iron fan, temporarily losing his fighting ability. Ge Chongshan then sealed several of his major acupoints, subduing him.

"These two are?" Ge Chongshan asked, looking at Zhang Yuanshan and the others who had joined the battle.

Jiang Zhiwei sighed, "They are both junior disciples of my sect, as is the one on the ground."

Since she had already mentioned Su Wuming, there was no need to involve other masters, to avoid making Ge Chongshan suspicious. It was normal for others not to have heard of a reclusive expert, but if several had not been heard of, it would be strange.

"Brother Zhang, you?" Qi Xia's previous and current titles dispelled Ge Chongshan's suspicion about the different sword techniques, perhaps the "senior" Su Wuming was a supreme sword god who knew many sword techniques and taught his disciples according to their aptitudes.

Zhang Yuanshan, with a sorrowful expression, said, "My junior brothers Qingjing and Zhengyan and I first rescued Hero Tan Wenbo. Everything was normal, and we immediately rushed to rescue Hero Ma Lianghan. However, just as we opened the final stone door, Hero Tan Wenbo suddenly attacked from behind, killing my junior brother Qingjing. I was held back by Hero Ma Lianghan, unable to turn around to help."

"Junior brother Qingjing, in his dying moments, also injured Hero Tan Wenbo. With the help of junior brother Zhengyan, we managed to repel them and pursue them. But we never expected, never expected, that they would lead us in circles and return to the original stone room, cutting off junior brother Qingjing's head!"

Although he still called them heroes, his tone was filled with grief and anger.

Meng Qi did not feel elated at Qingjing's death, who had tripped him to test Jiang Zhiwei's sword technique and targeted him multiple times. Instead, he felt a sense of sorrow, thinking, "Qingjing is dead, who will be next? Me?"

This feeling intensified when he saw the usually composed and calm Zhang Yuanshan showing signs of unease, irritability, and sorrow. Two companions had already died before they even met the lord of the Hidden Emperor Fortress. What would the final battle be like?

Ge Chongshan and others listened quietly to Zhang Yuanshan's story, thinking of their friends who had died at the hands of Ding Changsheng, their faces showing the same grief.

"Little friend Zhang, do not grieve too much. Junior friend Qingjing died for the righteous cause of the martial world. We will remember him, and justice will prevail! Please, little friends, gather your spirits and join us in heading to the central hall to meet your masters," Ge Chongshan said with a sympathetic tone.

"Yes, we should not delay. Seniors, let's set out now," Zhang Yuanshan collected his grief, becoming calm and resolute, as if he had matured significantly in a short time.

Ge Chongshan nodded, "Good, brothers Zhang and Zhao, please stay here and watch over Brother Ma until we return with the antidote."

At this moment, it was not wise to bring Ma Lianghan with them, as if his acupoints were released, he would become a powerful enemy.

"Brother Ge, the great demon is plotting in the central hall. We can be of use. We cannot be careless now!" the expert surnamed Zhao said urgently.

Ge Chongshan sighed, "I know, I know. The more help, the better, but we cannot just leave Brother Ma here, can we? Perhaps black-clothed men will come to rescue him."

After being injured, the greenish hue on Ma Lianghan's face had faded somewhat, and the effects of the drug seemed to have eased a bit. He shouted in pain, "Chongshan, kill me! Kill me!"

Ge Chongshan had only sealed his acupoints to control his internal energy, not to prevent him from moving or speaking.

"He seems even less in control than Hero Cheng Yong..." Jiang Zhiwei whispered to Meng Qi, who was carrying her on his back.

"Perhaps the longer the time, the harder it is to resist the drug," Meng Qi speculated.

Ge Chongshan's right hand, holding the iron fan, trembled slightly, "How can I do this! How can I do this!"

Killing him during the fight would only make him feel guilty, but to personally kill a close friend after subduing him would be a torment of the soul.

Ma Lianghan took a breath and struggled to say, "I, I can't go on! After taking that cursed thing, I, I am better off dead! Chongshan, kill me! This is saving me!"

Suddenly, he seemed to have gathered a bit of strength and jumped up, using his throat to collide with the long sword of a nearby expert.

The expert, caught off guard, thought he was being attacked and extended his sword instead of retracting it, piercing through Ma Lianghan's throat.

Ma Lianghan slowly fell, a smile appearing on his face.

"Brother Ma!" Ge Chongshan shouted in shock and grief.

At this moment, Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei saw the firelight shadows on the opposite stone wall move like ghosts, forming three lines of text.

"Jiang Zhiwei, Zhang Yuanshan, Qi Xia, Qi Zhengyan, and Meng Qi rescued Tan Wenbo from the suffering of the mind-control pill, completing a side quest, each rewarded with ten good deeds."

"Jiang Zhiwei, Zhang Yuanshan, Qi Xia, Qi Zhengyan, and Meng Qi rescued Ma Lianghan from the suffering of the mind-control pill, completing a side quest, each rewarded with ten good deeds."

"All side quests completed."

Meng Qi and the others were silent, their moods not improving, even though Ma Lianghan was counted among their achievements.

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