Lu Jiaojiao panicked, but suddenly seemed to sense something.

She screamed and pointed in the direction where Shen Qingtang was hiding: "They're there! Behind those bushes!"

The power within her is currently unable to harm anyone.

Yet it could vaguely sense the presence of living people, which conveniently helped the people of the Northern Desert.

Upon seeing this, Old Madam Pei and Lu Jin immediately followed suit, betraying them: "That's right! Shen Qingtang is right there! And Qin Xian and Pei Nian'an too! Arrest them quickly!" They were filled with resentment and only wanted to use the Northern Desert people to take revenge on Shen Qingtang and the others.

"You beasts! Are you even human?!"

Qin Xian was trembling with rage and was about to stand up, but Qin Wanqing held him back tightly: "Father! Don't be impulsive! Going out now would be suicide!"

Shen Qingtang calmly observed everything and shouted to the crowd, "Throw stones! Don't let them get any closer!"

The officials hiding in the tree immediately picked up the stones they had prepared beforehand and hurled them at the Northern Desert people below. The stones were large and heavy.

It hit someone.

Immediately, a cracking sound of bones breaking and a painful scream rang out.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shen Minglan and Shen Mingzhao pulled the vines again, and another round of arrows was fired. The Northern Desert people were forced to retreat in defeat and dared not take another step forward for a moment.

The leader was so angry that his eyes turned red.

Unable to find their target, they could only yell at Lu Jiaojiao, "Didn't you say you could find them? Where are they?!"

Lu Jiaojiao turned pale with fright, but could only grit her teeth and shout, "I really sensed it! It's nearby! Search quickly! We'll definitely find it!"

Looking at the chaotic scene below, Shen Qingtang curled her lips into a cold smile. Lu Jiaojiao's senses had just helped her buy her some time.

Once the Northern Desert people are nearly exhausted, it will be the best time for them to counterattack. She turned to Pei Nian'an and whispered, "Can you aim at that leader later?"

Pei Nian'an gripped the wooden arrow tightly and nodded emphatically: "I can!" His eyes were firm, and he had only one thought in his mind: he must protect his father.

We must help Auntie defeat these bad guys.

Lu Jiaojiao seemed to have gone all out, closing her eyes and sensing for a moment.

Suddenly pointing to the bushes where Shen Qingtang was hiding, her voice sharp and certain: "They're there! Behind the densest patch of willow branches! Shen Qingtang is definitely in the middle!"

The leader of the Northern Desert immediately brandished his sword and ordered, "Two men! Cut down that patch of bushes!"

"Lu Jiaojiao, you ungrateful wretch! We shouldn't have saved you in the first place!" The officers were both angry and afraid, and couldn't help but curse under their breath.

"Every man for himself, or he'll be damned!" Lu Jiaojiao retorted stubbornly.

His eyes were filled with madness. "Shen Qingtang forced me into this first! You all deserve to be arrested!"

Just as the two northern desert soldiers charged toward the bushes with their swords drawn, Pei Nian'an suddenly grabbed all the vines.

The wooden arrow shot out with a "whoosh" and pierced the leader's arm accurately!

The leader winced in pain, gripping his curved blade tightly with a clang, blood trickling down between his fingers.

"You're courting death!" The leader was both shocked and furious. He turned and locked his gaze on Pei Nian'an's direction; the angle at which the arrow had come from was too obvious.

Then Lu Jiaojiao immediately screamed and added, "It's that little bastard! In the tree on the left!"

The leader immediately channeled his inner strength, and a sharp wave of energy condensed in his palm.

He slammed his palm down on the tree where Pei Nian'an was hiding! With a loud "bang," the tree trunk shook violently, and the sound of branches snapping was deafening.

Pei Nian'an had no time to dodge and was hit hard by the shockwave.

The small body fell from the tree, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and its face turned deathly pale instantly.