Chapter 99 099 "Hold on, you filthy rogue Taoist priest!"...

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Outside Jinling City.

After a night of chaotic fighting, the gates of Nanjing were tightly shut.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, thick clouds covered the ground. Everything was calm, yet it was like the eerie stillness before a storm.

The heroes who had managed to escape the city to participate in the martial arts tournament now stood atop a high mountain, gazing blankly back at Jinling City.

From afar, the tightly closed city gates resembled a colossal black beast, swallowing their families, comrades, and homeland...

"Damn those Jurchen traitors, I'll fight them to the death!"

Master Ma's eyes were bloodshot, and he was about to rush back when Master Lu and Qin Xiangyu grabbed his arms on either side. Master Lu, who was usually gentle and humble, had a stern face:

"Calm down! There are thousands of Jin soldiers in the city, and tens of thousands of Jinling citizens are being held hostage. You reckless fool, the poison in your body hasn't dissipated yet. If I hadn't knocked you unconscious and taken you away, you would have already died in vain!"

"Am I supposed to just stand by and watch the Jurchens slaughter our Song people?" Master Ma gasped for breath, his bloodshot eyes practically bulging from their sockets. "I can't...I can't!!!"

Master Ma's hoarse roar echoed in the air, moving everyone who heard it. Some people from Jinling had tears in their eyes. The crowd was in an uproar. Even Master Lu was quite moved and slowly released his grip on Master Ma.

Not far away, Gan Zishi and Lian Sheng, along with their horse, were panting under a large tree. They had escaped the city at the last moment before the city gates closed, and had ridden for a mile before stopping. The two boys, whose life trajectories were very different, were experiencing something like this for the first time. Even though they had escaped danger, their faces were slightly pale, their hearts were pounding so hard they felt like they were going to jump out of their chests, and they were still shaken.

The young Taoist priest quickly realized what was happening. Gan Zishi, barely catching his breath, quickly searched through the crowd of those who had managed to escape. When he saw the other members of the Lingxiao Seven Masters who had also escaped, he breathed a sigh of relief, leaned against the tree trunk, and slumped to the ground, unaware that he was covered in sweat. His hand holding the reins was still trembling slightly.

Master Ma's roar echoed in the air, lingering for a long time. Each word struck the hearts of the survivors like a heavy blow. As the effects of the sleeping potion gradually wore off, their fighting spirit was ignited, and soon, one after another, they responded:

"Yes, are we cowards who fear death? We'd rather fight those Jurchens to the death!"

"Yes, let's give it our all! Let's give it our all!"

"Let's give it our all!!!"

Just as the crowd was getting excited and ready to charge back into Jinling City with their weapons, a familiar and gentle voice came from the crowd:

"Everyone, please calm down. It was my fault for allowing members of the Demonic Sect and even the Jurchens to infiltrate the martial arts tournament... but things haven't gotten to the worst yet."

Two people emerged from the crowd: a young girl in a pale yellow dress supporting a middle-aged man who appeared to be injured.

It was Yuan Wenkang, the head of the Xuanwu Hall, the number one镖师 (bodyguard/escort) in the world, and his only daughter, Yuan Zao.

Previously, I couldn't see her clearly from the high stands, but now the girl's eyes were lowered and she looked aloof. The dullness and naivety that had been in her eyes before were gone. Although she was in the prime of her life, there was always a faint sadness accompanying her.

Gan Zishi was stunned for a moment when he saw the girl. The boy, who had been sitting casually leaning against the tree trunk, suddenly stood up straight, his back ramrod straight, and stared at Yuan Zao. Then he felt that it was abrupt and his ears turned red. He lowered his head, but after a while he couldn't help but look up and look at her through the crowd.

“Master Lu is right. There are tens of thousands of people in Jinling. If we rush in, we will only increase the casualties. It would be better to... take it slowly.” Yuan Wenkang paused, shook his head very lightly at Yuan Zao, indicating that she did not need to be helped, and then cupped his hands behind his back. “I would like to trouble Brother Chunyu Hun to bring the people up.”

Then, dozens of burly Mongolian men emerged from behind Yuan Wenkang. It was this group of Mongols, who seemed to have descended from the heavens, who had relieved the Demonic Sect of their predicament and led them out of the city. The tall, strong man with curly long hair leading the group was Chunyu Hun, who had made a name for himself at the martial arts tournament by sparring with Master Ma.

He fought a fierce battle with the Qin Demon Kong Wu, sustaining injuries of varying degrees, but his thick skin and tough flesh allowed him to recover quickly. The person he had subdued was none other than the True Lord Wenshan, who had attempted to escape the previous night but was caught and brought back.

Chunyu Hun threw Wenshan Zhenjun in front of everyone: "Why did the Jurchens seal off the city? Tell us everything you know!"

Wenshan Zhenjun, beaten black and blue by the crowd, was now completely devoid of any arrogance, prostrating himself on the ground, weeping and begging for mercy.

"It's all...it's all that wicked woman, the Qin Demon, who forced me into this situation. It's all the Jurchens' fault. I...I had no choice!"

"Damn it, you Jurchen lackey, how dare you argue! What a fine 'forced' excuse! Forced to do this, you drugged us?! Forced to do this, you murdered your comrades?!"

Master Ma, with his fiery temper, couldn't tolerate it at all. He kicked out, but Master Lu blocked it with an iron fan!

"Hey, hey, hey, don't kick him to death!"

Although the iron fan blocked most of the attack, the remaining wind swept across the ground and instantly shattered a small part of the boulder!

If that kick landed squarely on his chest… Wenshan Zhenjun’s face turned deathly pale. He dared not linger any longer and immediately shouted:

"The actions of the Demonic Sect and the Jin people this time are all due to the White Snake Alliance... all for the sake of the 'Longevity Formula'!"

Few people knew about the "White Snake Alliance," but the mention of the "Longevity Secret" caused an uproar. However, Yuan Wenkang, Chunyu Hun, and the others showed little surprise, clearly expecting it.

In the crowd, Lian Sheng, hiding behind a large tree, clutched the "Longevity Manual" entrusted to him by Jiang Ling'er, concealing himself with his wide sleeves. At this moment, due to his disheveled state from his escape, few recognized him as the little monk who had just been the object of a struggle between Wenshan Zhenjun, Kong Wu, and the Jin people.

"What the hell is this 'White Snake Alliance'? Explain it clearly!"

Seeing that Master Ma's face darkened, True Lord Wenshan quickly told him everything. Yuan Zaoyuan was still worried, but fortunately True Lord Wenshan only knew that the White Snake Alliance recorded that Xu Fu went to Penglai to seek the elixir of immortality in order to gain the help of the four major sects. He used the "Longevity Manual" as bait, and one copy of the "Longevity Manual" was divided into four styles and tattooed on the backs of four attendant immortal boys. However, he did not know that Xu Fu's real purpose was to protect the Crown Prince, not to seek the elixir of immortality.

One of the children with tattoos on his back is not only the owner of one of the "Longevity Techniques," but also a little-known crown prince who has been missing for many years.

Of course, the mere mention of anything related to the "Longevity Manual" made these rough-around-the-edges martial arts fanatics' eyes light up. Few delved into the true secrets hidden behind the White Snake Alliance.

Yuan Zao breathed a sigh of relief, but quickly froze, her gaze fixed on one spot.

It turned out that the Seven Little Lingxiao were also searching for Gan Zishi. The Seven Little Lingxiao were a group of seven chattering teenagers gathered together, attracting the attention of not only Yuan Zao but also many others.

Gan Zishi was the most impatient and kind-hearted among the group of teenagers. The incident happened so suddenly that they didn't even have time to stop it before he followed the mysterious foreign youth to help Jiang Ling'er and disappeared. In the chaos of war, everyone was scrambling to escape the city, and they had no choice but to abandon their search for Gan Zishi… Now, seeing Gan Zishi standing before them unharmed, the Seven Masters of Lingxiao were finally reunited. Sixth Junior Sister Lin Mengwan immediately punched Gan Zishi on the shoulder:

"The seven of us came down the mountain in perfect formation, so naturally we should all return in perfect formation! Who would have thought that someone as reckless as you would appear! When I get back to the sect, I will definitely report you to the sect leader!"

Although he was saying fierce words, his eyes were red.

Even the eldest brother, Wen Cheng'an, rarely showed a cold face. Gan Zishi knew he was in the wrong and endured the punch with a pained expression. He was unusually meek and submissive as his fellow disciples scolded him. However, he soon couldn't withstand Lin Mengwan's punches, which were real!

"Good junior sister, I know I was wrong, please don't hit me anymore. I'll ask to be punished by the sect leader later, okay?"

Lin Mengwan glared at him: "I'll beat you until it hurts, until you learn your lesson!"

The other fellow disciples echoed, "Exactly! Fourth Senior Brother, you're so reckless!"

Even the usually composed senior brother, Wen Cheng'an, was angered:

"He's supposed to be a senior student, but he's not setting a good example. He deserves a beating!"

Gan Zishi was taken aback: "Senior Brother, how come you even..."

Having survived a life-or-death ordeal and miraculously escaped, the group of teenagers, with a hint of venting, laughed and cursed at each other. Gan Zishi finally couldn't take it anymore, covered his head and ran away, shouting, "I'll never dare to do it again, please forgive me, fellow disciples!" Suddenly, he bumped into a splash of pale yellow.

However, the expected chaos did not occur. Instead, the pale yellow satin, accompanied by a light fragrance, brushed past his eyes. His impulsive momentum was silently neutralized by a pair of soft hands supporting his elbows and a gentle push and pull.

Only a faint lingering fragrance remains in the air.

Gan Zishi subconsciously said, "I'm sorry..."

Before the word "stay" could be uttered, a thick, long, curly hairstyle, resembling seaweed and exuding a wild, untamed growth, caught his eye. Then, a vibrant pale yellow hue illuminated the girl's beautiful face, as radiant as the bright spring sunshine. The boy paused, then his eyes lit up, and he instinctively took a step forward.

"It's you!"

However, the girl hurriedly brushed past him without even glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

Only when the faint fragrance completely disappeared did Gan Zishi come to his senses. He turned around and saw Yuan Zao hurriedly walking past him toward...

A young monk under a big tree?!

They even started talking quite familiarly...

Gan Zishi was stunned. He hadn't recovered even after being hit several times by his fellow disciples. He heard his eldest brother, Wen Cheng'an, say:

"If I'm not mistaken... this is the Lotus Flower Divine Hand created by Yuan Wenkang, the head of the Xuanwu Hall. It emphasizes striking without a trace, speaking without making a sound. It truly lives up to its name. As expected of the successor of the Lotus Flower Divine Hand, this Miss Yuan's martial arts are quite remarkable."

Lin Mengwan stopped fighting, followed the gaze, and added:

"It's very pretty too."

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"Where's Sister Ling'er? I'm asking you, where's my senior sister?"

While the crowd, filled with righteous indignation, was judging the True Lord of Wenshan, Yuan Zao, behind a large tree, whispered to the young monk:

"Why isn't Sister Ling'er with you? Did you get separated? Did Sister Ling'er escape?"

After a barrage of questions, the young monk remained silent for a long time, finally shaking his head with difficulty under the girl's earnest gaze.

Yuan Zao's eyelashes suddenly trembled, and her voice rose involuntarily: "She's still in the city? Jinling has been completely surrounded by the Jin army, how can she stay there?! Doesn't she know..."

As Yuan Zao spoke, she suddenly shuddered, clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh, and pressed her lips together so tightly that they turned almost white. After a long while, she finally relaxed, and her tense shoulders slumped down.

He even chuckled softly.

Yes, she should have guessed it long ago.

This must be Sister Ling'er.

This is Jiang Ling'er.

With her homeland in peril, how could Sister Ling'er possibly choose to live a life of ignominy?

"I'm sorry, I should have thought of that sooner."

Yuan Zao ran her fingers through her long, glossy black hair, thinking to herself, "Just as I thought," while also feeling a sense of pride. However, she quickly realized that her earlier lapse in composure had drawn stares from several people, so she lowered her voice and said to the young monk:

"I can't say too much to you right now... Take care of yourself, don't go far, we'll meet here again at midnight tonight."

With that, Ben turned and left, but then suddenly turned back, took off his felt hat and put it on the little monk's head before leaving.

Lian Sheng straightened his felt hat, hugged the "Longevity Mantra" entrusted to him by Jiang Ling'er, and sat back down behind the tree trunk. He closed his eyes and began to mutter incantations, the meaning of which was unknown.

Suddenly a tall, thin shadow loomed over us.

"You two know each other?"

The young monk's long eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes, as if briefly pulling himself out of some thought. His gaze towards the newcomer held a moment of confusion before he steadied himself and said gently:

"Young Master Gan...?"

Standing in front of Lian Sheng was Gan Zishi.

Gan Zishi looked at the young monk's dirty face, a result of rolling around in the sand, yet his eyes still held a clear, bewildered, and even foolish quality. He glanced again at the conspicuous, clearly women's felt hat on the monk's head, looked him up and down suspiciously, and suddenly said:

"Are you a proper monk?"

The young monk was stunned for a moment, wondering if he had misheard, his eyes widening slightly:

"……ah?"

It makes him look even sillier.

"Enough, enough, it's nothing!" Gan Zishi suddenly got angry, irritably ran his fingers through his hair, paced back and forth a couple of times, but ultimately did not choose to go back to the Seven Little Lingxiaos. Instead, he chose to sit not far from the young monk, holding the long sword in his arms, and staring fiercely at the young monk.

He had promised them.

We must protect him.

Rather than saying they were watching Lian Sheng, it would be more accurate to say they were...

He stared intently at the glaringly bright felt hat worn by the young monk on his head.

Liansheng: "..."

Gan Zishi was tall and imposing, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding a heroic spirit. However, he was an anomaly among the ethereal and gentle disciples of Lingxiao.

Especially now, when he glares at people, he actually looks quite like Master Ma.

Under that gaze, Lian Sheng broke out in a cold sweat. Although he was puzzled, he was fortunate that he was very familiar with such a gaze from childhood to adulthood.

He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and turned away, letting the thorns on his back pierce him, forcing himself to forget. He curled himself into a ball, hugged the "Longevity Manual" tightly, closed his eyes again, and muttered something under his breath for a while.

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Inside Jinling City.

"Behave yourself if you don't want to die!"

"They can't have gone far. Search every house!"

As dawn broke, and in just one night, the city of Jinling was taken over by a continuous stream of Jin soldiers.

Jin soldiers were already carrying portraits of Jiang Ling'er, Pei Xuan, and Lian Sheng, offering rewards and searching for them door to door.

Having been repeatedly tricked, Kong Wu's alluring and passionate face twisted slightly, a bloodthirsty smile playing on her lips. Her fingertips, painted with scarlet cinnamon, plucked the strings of the ancient zither in her bosom. She watched the terrified faces of the people with amusement, and spoke each word with amusement:

"If you obediently hand over these people, I won't make things difficult for you. But if you dare to harbor them... I'll personally rip out your hearts and pull out your tendons, okay?"

After Kong Wu finished speaking, she suddenly paused, abruptly raised her eyebrows, and stared intently into the distant, dark alleyway with a gaze as sharp as a sword.

"Two people, go and search there."

Subordinate: "Yes!"

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Dark alley.

Jiang Ling'er jerked back, her back pressed tightly against the cold wall of the dark alley, her face slightly pale, panting heavily.

"……hateful."

She patted the horse's back and released it.

"Let's go, but remember, never go into the crowd."

Finally, she carried the unconscious Pei Xuan on her back. The moment the young Taoist's burning hot cheek touched her shoulder, it made her tremble all over.

Jiang Ling'er turned her head, pursed her lips, and looked at Pei Xuan's handsome face, which was burning red like a begonia, and was unconscious. Suddenly, she struck him hard with her forehead!

"Hold on, you filthy rogue Taoist priest!"

Although the young Taoist priest's eyes remained closed, his long eyelashes trembled slightly, and his brows furrowed very gently. Jiang Ling'er then breathed a sigh of relief.

She gripped his hands tighter, wrapping them around her neck. Though her face was slightly pale, her almond-shaped eyes shone even brighter as she stared at the cobblestone path gradually illuminated by the morning light. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she murmured:

"I won't let anything happen to you... I won't let anything happen to you..."

It seemed to be addressed to the unconscious Pei Xuan, yet it also seemed to be addressed to oneself:

"...We will survive, we will survive and find the Crown Prince!"

Suddenly, as if boundless power had been generated, Jiang Ling'er, still dressed as a foreign youth, carried the young Taoist priest step by step into the depths of the dark alley with her slender, youthful body.