Chapter Four: "The Young Lady"

Subsequently, the snake charmer's flute suddenly rose to a piercing pitch, almost breaking the sound barrier. The snake ball rolled into the midst of the Northern army, and with a loud "bang," countless venomous snakes flew in all directions, landing on the faces and bodies of the surrounding soldiers, resulting in a cacophony of screams.

Yang Jin was baffled: "Huh?"

"Just bragged, and now it's backfiring so quickly..." Zhou Fei thought drowsily. In that fleeting moment, she seemed to have briefly fainted, her spirit escaping the hellish scene before her. In the narrow passage of time, she inserted a segment of a dream out of thin air. In a daze, she saw Xie Yun standing in front of her, holding a slender knife in his hand

Yang Jin shouted in exasperation: "Are you out of your mind raising snakes?"

However, numerous Northern troops are blocking the entrance of the cave, making it impossible to rush through in a short period of time

The temporary commander of this northern army was sweating profusely and dared not approach Zhou Fei, only shouting: "If you can't stop her, disperse and do not hesitate to use your crossbow bolts, shoot her dead!"

Gu Tianxuan stood upright in the sea of fire, arrows from her own people embedded in her chest, abdomen, and limbs, her deformed shadow cast against the rocky wall by the flames

Zhou Fei was truly feeling very distressed, as the excessive use of withering vitality showed faint signs of backlash. Yet, she could not display this in front of Gu Tianxuan, so she had to try to divert her attention. At that moment, she caught sight of the oddly dressed Ying Hecong and was taken aback: "Why are you a woman?"

At that moment, a group of Northern soldiers rushed in from all directions to besiege her. Zhou Fei grasped a small tree trunk with one hand, using it as an axis, and swiftly drew a large circle on the ground, cutting through the attacks of seven people with a single stroke. The tree trunk was forcibly spun around in place by her, and with a soft "crack," it seemed as if some mechanism had been triggered. Zhou Fei nearly lost her balance, staring blankly at the tree trunk that she had uprooted from the ground. Confused, she thought to herself: How could I pull up a small tree with one hand without using internal energy? When did I acquire such divine strength?

Tens of thousands of elite troops from the Northern Army gathered in the valley, yet one of the commanders was unexpectedly captured in front of the central command tent. If this were to be known, the soldiers here would practically commit collective suicide

In the next moment, the large tree crashed to the ground from a great height

Li Shengqi said: "What did you say?"

Zhou Fei advanced and retreated repeatedly, several blocking soldiers from the Northern Army hanging on the tip of her blade, and she coldly replied: "I won't die."

Zhou Fei instinctively said: "Ah? Isn't it the southwest?"

Those venomous snakes seem to have developed their own intelligence, showing no fear of crowds or fire. On the contrary, they exhibit a high level of aggression; whenever someone approaches, they raise their triangular heads and open their large mouths as if to bite. In addition to the women, there are also numerous venomous snakes of various sizes slithering across the ground, infiltrating every nook and cranny, seemingly providing protection for those women.

Chen Junfu's expression remained unchanged as he inquired, "What does it mean to be born at the wrong time?"

At that moment, she felt a sharp pain in her back, and her whole body suddenly lunged forward. It turned out that she had not been able to dodge in time and was struck by a saber wielded by a soldier of the Northern Army, leaving a large gash on her back. Ignoring the wound, Zhou Fei rolled away on the spot, simultaneously using her sword to slash at several legs of those daring enough to block her path. She used the Northern soldiers nearby, who had no time to retreat, as human shields, rolling and crawling to evade the second wave of arrows.

At that moment, Li Sheng finally saw the source of the commotion; it turned out to be a group of raggedly dressed women running over!

Yang Jin saw a large number of Northern troops encircling the two individuals on the hillside, and immediately rushed forward to intervene. He threw aside the blunted broken goose knife, picked up two large cleavers, and charged into the fray, forcefully creating a gap in the late-arriving Northern army, directly reaching Zhou Fei's side: "I am here to help you, what are you doing?"

Zhou Fei had an arrowhead embedded in her shoulder, fused with flesh and blood, her entire body marred with injuries, yet her eyes and the tip of her blade remained untainted, still shining with a blinding brightness, as if within her mortal body burned an unquenchable fire, capable of burning endlessly without rest

Li Sheng: "Alright, A Fei, don't bully ... ... "

"Beidou?" Zhou Fei said softly, "What a coincidence."

Li Sheng took off running: "Quick, follow me!"

If it weren't for the three words "walk faster" being mispronounced, he would appear quite imposing

Chen Junfu asked: "What is it called?"

Shoot! Shoot! Don't let her escape!

Yang Jinshou stood at the entrance, holding a large machete in one hand and a shield of unknown origin in the other, blocking the entrance to the secret passage with an unyielding stance. He shouted to Li Cheng, "Brother Li! Hurry up!"

The archers responded in unison, swiftly retreating a circle, willing to risk injuring their own. At the command of their superior, all the arrowheads pointed in the same direction. Zhou Fei spun into the air, like a withered leaf spinning rapidly in a hurricane. The densely packed arrowheads formed a massive net in the air, varying in length by an inch, capturing everything in sight. The backs of the blades and the arrowheads gradually collided, producing a sound akin to pearls falling onto a jade plate.

Zhou Fei and Lu Yaoguang were not deceived; they observed Lu Yaoguang making a diagonal slash that appeared to target Zhou Fei, yet the tangible blade wind subtly pointed towards Gu Tianxuan. Zhou Fei did not engage at all, instead, she initiated the Mayfly Formation, wielding a long knife infused with the essence of breaking snow, which also carried a hint of the perilous and bizarre "Cutting Water and Entwining Threads" technique. It made one feel as if the blade light was both near and far, omnipresent, and that a single misstep could lead to the danger of having one's throat cut.

A portion of the Northern Army in the valley fell into chaos, with the remaining forces split in two; one half went to block the sudden appearance of the secret passage, while the other half surged up the sides of the valley

It seems to be that poison doctor I met in Yongzhou back in the day

A muffled sound of "puff" echoed in her ears, and Zhou Fei's eyes widened in an instant as Gu Tianxuan was unexpectedly pierced in the lower abdomen by an iron arrow

Three individuals harbor ulterior motives, and none can extricate themselves from one another

A rocket suddenly streaked past him, illuminating the surroundings as bright as day. Li Sheng's pupils constricted violently, and the Taiji diagram on the paper was instantly pierced through his line of sight. The arrow, accompanied by flames, "thudded" as it pinned the Taiji diagram to the ground, and a large area of rice paper ignited in an instant. Yang Jin yanked him by the nape of his neck, pulling him back: "What are you dazed about?"

Near the central military tent, the two obstructive "commanders" refused to move, causing the personal guard and a group of generals to circle around them. The archers dared not shoot arrows into the valley.

It is perplexing how one could be completely unaware of having offended this person in any way

Zhou Fei instinctively stood firm with her crutch, while the knife trembled as if it were a leaf falling in the wind, cracking inch by inch from the gap. She raised her hand, groping to pull out the arrow from her leg, but could see nothing clearly in front of her. After several attempts, she was unable to touch the iron arrow's tail.

The Northern Army's infantry, however, did not allow her to feel pity for her precious sword, swiftly filling the gap. With blades and guns at the ready, Zhou Fei's grip on the sword suddenly tightened. Aware that she was on the verge of exhaustion, she dared not take any more direct hits and instead employed the Mayfly Formation, struggling to slip through the gaps in the Northern Army's ranks.

The suddenly appearing secret passage and stone cave slowly sank into the ground, causing even the entrance to disappear

Zhou Fei seemed to have forgotten that she had already given "Cai Xia" to Wu Chuchu. Even when struck from behind by Beidou Pojun, she remained composed. At the critical moment when the tip of the knife barely grazed the layer of oil skin on her shoulder blade, she deftly shifted her foot on the swarm of mayflies, advancing like a shadow, not looking back, as her long knife swept upward toward Gu Tianxuan's chin.

Those who live and work peacefully between villages and cities are called "Qianshou," referring to people. Once a person becomes displaced, they are treated like wild dogs or weeds, and their deaths, even in the thousands, are of no significance. It is no wonder that when they descended the mountain with the old lady Wang and reached the vicinity of Yueyang, those villagers preferred to cling to their impoverished mountains and harsh waters rather than relocate

Do the vagrants who have taken over the nests of the magpies and the northern army know the secret behind it

Li Sheng pushed him back and said: "The enemy forces are too numerous, and the refugees have already fallen into their ranks. Whether we can retreat is still uncertain. You arrived just in time; hurry and lend a hand."

The soil above fell down in a flurry, and Yang Jin did not dare to hesitate. She leaped up, using both hands and feet to cling to the inner side of the stone door. She stepped on the inverted Big Dipper diagram and pressed it randomly, only to hear a soft sound as a small secret chamber opened above, revealing the mechanism inside. Yang Jin quickly closed the mechanism, and everyone felt the ground beneath their feet shift, slowly sinking down.

The refugees were momentarily left unattended, standing in place alongside the snake, both bewildered and at a loss.

Zhou Fei was taken aback, and at that moment, another wave of northern troops surged forward. Zhou Fei instinctively activated the mechanism hidden beneath the stone cover.

As long as Yang Jin is not confronted with the terrifying poisonous snake, he can go alone to assassinate the Northern Emperor. Without a word, Master Yang turned and charged towards Li Sheng, brazenly breaking through the densely packed Northern army from the flank. The Broken Goose Blade danced up and down, cutting through the enemy with ease. The desperate refugees trapped in the enemy formation saw him as their savior and quickly gathered around him.

The two groups of fleeing individuals quickly converged. Li Sheng heard the young boy beside him suddenly shout "Sister" and immediately ran in that direction. In his panic, he nearly stepped on a snake, which raised its upper body menacingly and lunged to bite. Li Sheng, with quick reflexes, grabbed the back of its neck and pulled him back.

At this moment, Gu Tianxuan was already unarmed and severely injured with one hand, so he could only grit his teeth and let out a loud shout, using his uninjured palm to strike against the back of the shattered blade. Zhou Fei took advantage of his palm's wind to sweep aside, just narrowly avoiding a strike from Lu Yaoguang that had pursued from behind. She actually used Gu Tianxuan as a cover, circling around him half a turn.

This time, a massive earthquake struck the hillside on their side, causing both of them to nearly lose their balance. One end of the mountain rock sank while the other rose, creating a large fault in the middle. The northern army that was pursuing them fell down in droves. Zhou Fei barely managed to steady herself by holding onto an ancient tree and said to Yang Jin: "Go ask Li Sheng!"

Li Sheng took a deep breath and pointed to a spot in the dense forest, saying: "If you go up from here, you will surely see a tree that is different from the others, either too thick or too thin. After you find it, find a way to pull it out!"

Ying He was momentarily taken aback, just as he was about to ask for clarification, he heard Li Sheng channeling his energy into his dantian, shouting: "Zhou—Fei!"

Zhou Fei did not possess the kind of profound internal strength that could topple mountains with a single strike, let alone in her current state of exhaustion. The thought of sending a single palm strike to send a pile of iron arrows flying was beyond her; she could only desperately use whatever she could find to shield herself, doing her utmost to cover the retreat of the surrounding refugees. Unintentionally, she glanced back at the place where she had just landed and saw that the sky was filled with burning oil, igniting the grass on the ground. The flames rampaged and spread in all directions, voraciously consuming the people standing in the middle.

At that moment, he suddenly felt that the cleared area perfectly aligned with one corner of the Taiji diagram on the signpost

Zhou Fei had only a superficial understanding of the mayfly formation during her early years of study, having merely memorized it without true comprehension. When she heard him mention terms like "innate" and "acquired," her head felt as if it were spinning, and her temples throbbed with pain. She immediately interrupted Li Sheng, saying, "Just tell me what you want me to do."

Chen Junfu pondered for a moment and asked, "Are you referring to A Fei?"

Li Sheng gritted his teeth, his lightness skill reaching its peak, as he closed his eyes and navigated through the swirling mass of snakes. He felt the cold scales brush against his face and neck several times. Fortunately, they had all been dusted with the medicinal powder from Ying He Cong, preventing the venomous snakes from striking.

The dignified poison doctor inexplicably mingled with a group of refugees, and that would have been one thing, but he was actually associating with a bunch of women. Moreover, fearing the exposure of his identity, he pretended to be mute and did not dare to speak a word to anyone!

People are not afraid, yet they are afraid of snakes; Yang Dadao is indeed a remarkable person

The person picked her up, and a voice that seemed to come from a great distance shouted: "Ah Fei!"

Zhou Fei's earlobes moved slightly; although she did not turn around, she could roughly discern the positions of Li Sheng and others through sound. Suddenly, she sank her wrist, and the withered and flourishing true energy synchronized perfectly with the fragmented cover. The long knife emitted a light sound as if it were quite pleased, and the Breaking Snow Knife suddenly became sharp and fierce.

"Shut up!" veins bulged on his forehead, "Hurry up!"

Xie Yun smiled and said, "No, I am talking about myself"

Li Sheng felt an inexplicable warmth in his eyes as he saw Zhou Fei flick the bloodstains off her hand and say, "Why are you so weak, brother? Have you only been able to act tough at home since childhood?"

"Although my snakes can temporarily clear the way, they only need the cavalry on both sides to make way, and with archers attacking from above, I will be helpless. I still need to think of a countermeasure quickly... However, it is quite strange that they are not shooting arrows now. Could it be that they have run out of fire oil?"

However, regardless of what image she presents, it cannot change the fact that the shattered collar is resting on Gu Tianxuan's neck

hollow

Yang Jin initially did not realize what had brushed past him; it was only after a moment that he came to his senses, breaking out in a cold sweat in hindsight, nearly causing him to kneel in fear. The Northern Army had also never encountered such a "monster," and a path was cleared by the collision with the snake ball, just in time for Li Cheng to make his way through.

Having spoken, he adjusted his posture and leaped down from the rocky cliff like a large monkey. With a few bounds, he jumped beyond the snake swarm and shouted to He Cong: "Those who raise snakes, I will hold them off; you all hurry on!"

With a loud bang, the Northern Army began to batter the gate.

Xie Yun sat cross-legged on a massive reef, a long knife resting horizontally on his knee, and slowly opened his eyes

Suddenly, a small, bright red snake emerged from his collar, fiercely baring its teeth at Zhou Fei.

At that moment, a pair of hands lifted her off the ground. Zhou Fei instinctively struggled, but despite feeling that she was exerting all her strength, she merely twitched slightly.

Zhou Fei initially thought it was an illusion, but she was suddenly struck hard by something, causing her disembodied soul to be forcefully returned to her physical body. Zhou Fei's vision instantly cleared, and she realized that she, along with the large tree behind her, was sinking downwards while facing upwards

Li Sheng was taken aback: "Wait, you want to ... ..."

Having spoken, she leaped through the crowd, unexpectedly running in the direction opposite to "southeast".

Yang Jin said in a commanding manner: "What do you want to do? Force your way out? Step aside, I will take care of it!"

Zhou Fei crouched down to evade a hidden arrow, leaping to the side of the "sapling." She reached out to grasp the trunk, intending to cut it down first, but to her surprise, as soon as she applied a bit of force, the trunk rotated half a turn in her hand.

He was merely muttering to himself, but unexpectedly, someone beside him replied with a sobbing tone: "It is my sister; they are locked up over there"

Li Shengdao: "The Big Dipper is indeed inverted, it is the Qi Gate..."

Lu Yaoguang waved his hand, and a large number of northern troops quickly sealed off the entrances and exits of the valley. The archers stationed at a higher vantage point once again set up large barrels of oil, and with a "hiss," the first arrow dipped in oil ignited in mid-air, setting ablaze the dawn sky. It is needless to say that even if Ying Hefeng had a pile of small snakes in his hands, even if he possessed a Dragon King, he would hardly be able to struggle in the sea of fire.

Li Sheng, not knowing where he found the strength, held up the numerous blades above his head with one hand, biting down so hard that blood oozed from his gums. He desperately reached into his bosom with his injured arm, retrieved a signal flare from the Forty-Eight Villages, trembling as he brought it to his mouth, bit down on the fuse, and then threw it out close to the ground.

"I was scared to death, it turns out that Granny Li..." Zhou Fei thought, and then she loosened her grip, causing the shattered cover to slip from her hand. The moment it hit the ground, the blade split apart, and the *illustration* and text disintegrated.

Zhou Fei felt a darkness before her eyes, a wave of sickly sweetness surged uncontrollably up her throat, followed by a sharp pain in her leg as an iron arrow pierced through her thigh, pinning her entire body to the tree.

However, the soldiers surrounding Zhou Fei seemed like a pile of decayed wood and rotten paper. At first glance, they appeared tough and solid, but under the assault of divine weapons, they were pierced layer by layer in no time, revealing the tips of the blades. She fixed her gaze on a certain target not far away, not even blinking, truly embodying the spirit of slaying gods and buddhas alike.

Gu Tianxuan did not expect that after so many years of calling each other brothers with Lu Yaoguang, he would turn against him at a critical moment, wanting to put him to death as well. At that moment, he was stunned, filled with rage to the point of wanting to grind his teeth to dust. Unfortunately, his acupoints were sealed, and he could not make a sound, only suffocating in silence, his face turning blue and purple.

Upon hearing the voice of Ying Hecong, Yang Jin froze in place, as if he had seen a ghost. He stealthily glanced at the snake keeper and quietly moved over two feet to the side, then turned and ran, shouting as he fled: "Zhou Fei, Zhou Fei! Hurry up, you lead the way, let me cover the rear!"

Ying He frowned and said ominously, "Are you looking for death?"

It was fortunate that he remained silent; however, once he spoke, beads of sweat began to form on Gu Tianxuan's forehead. Although these generals practiced martial arts regularly, they were not comparable to true masters of the martial world. They could not perceive the perilous dynamics between the three as they advanced and retreated, and instead assumed that Gu Tianxuan and his companion were merely intent on showing off their strength and courage, engaging in an endless fight. They might even be puzzled, wondering why the Break Army was acting this way. As for Lord Giant Gate, who usually maintained a level of composure, what was he performing today?

Li Sheng exclaimed: "Ah Fei!"

The scattered arrows fell to the ground alongside Zhou Fei, her chest heaving violently, the cold sweat at her temples obstructed by her youthful, thick eyelashes. Her eyelids seemed to blink under the weight of it all, and she saw that the previously pristine blade of the knife now bore two shallow scratches, with a small chip missing from the tip.

Zhou Fei had been completely focused during the fight, unaware of her surroundings. It was only when she suddenly stopped that she realized she had truly reached her limit. Her senses and limbs felt as if they had been overexerted, and beads of sweat instantly broke out all over her body, causing her to become dehydrated in an instant, with her lips even cracking open in several small places.

Iron arrows whistled down in succession, causing the refugees to flee in panic.

Blood dripped down her wrist and pant legs in a steady trickle

Li Sheng risked his life, letting out a loud roar as he raised a long spear, which he had picked up from somewhere, high above his head. He managed to block the descending "mountain of knives". In this close combat, he distinctly heard a "crack" sound, followed by a sharp pain in his arm, unsure whether it was fractured or broken

Li Sheng : `` ... ... ''

Suddenly, Zhou Fei felt herself falling downwards, as if everything in front of her had turned upside down. The arrows from the Northern army that were逼至眼前 had all changed direction, narrowly missing her as they passed by.

He and Zhou Fei had long been swept apart by the tide of soldiers from the Northern Army, and for a moment, he could not see her there. In that instant, dozens of long spears and broadswords came crashing down upon him, intending to crush him into a pile of minced meat once and for all

In the dim and narrow passage, the view suddenly opened up. The boy named "Xiao Hu" raised the torch high and saw that beneath their feet was a series of stone steps leaning against the mountain rock, numbering in the hundreds, leading straight down underground. To their astonishment, there was a giant Bagua diagram underground, comparable in size to the valley above.

She knew that if the person she had taken hostage was Lu Yaoguang, she would not be able to take three steps before Gu Tianxuan, who was accustomed to being cunning and shrewd, would decisively act, causing both of them to meet a bloody end on the spot... Who would have thought that although Lu Yaoguang was foolish and indeed a bit slow to react, the inherent ruthlessness within her was by no means lacking, foolishly ruthless.

Li Sheng stared intently at the pile of ashes that had once been paper, and suddenly, memories from many years ago in a small village near Yueyang came flooding back. The formations that Chong Yunzi had recounted to him as if they were a game seemed to resonate with the Tai Chi diagram of the entire valley in an indescribable way... along with the maze-like entrance and the traces revealed on the scorched ground...

"It is a long story," said He Feng expressionlessly, "I originally came for something else, but by a twist of fate, I ended up trapped here. If it weren't for your commotion today, even if I had brought more snakes, I still wouldn't have been able to take them out."

Those born before dawn are undoubtedly the luckiest. Xie Yun's eyes curved slightly, with a layer of fine ice shards at the corners that, at first glance, shimmered brilliantly. "A lifetime spent watching the sky gradually brighten."

In the next moment, she discovered that the roots beneath the tree were extremely deformed, wrapping around a strangely shaped "stone" buried underground. The edges of the "stone" were lined with a circle of small blades, glinting coldly, which severed all the small tree roots that were entangled with it. The cut sections were still fresh, and the soil surrounding the "stone" was turned over... Zhou Fei recalled the faint sound of a spring mechanism she had just heard, as if she had triggered some device that caused the small blades to spring out around the "stone", instantly cutting through the tree roots and then pushing the entire tree upward from the ground.

Even the unparalleled divine weapons will eventually gather dust

Zhou Fei felt alarmed but not delighted, for if she fell down with the tree, she would turn into a meat pie. She hurriedly reached out to grasp the arrow that pinned her to the tree. Her speed of descent increased rapidly, and Zhou Fei, not knowing where the strength came from, felt the veins on her wrist nearly bursting through her pale skin. In agony, she curled up, pulling the iron arrow out inch by inch.

Li Sheng immediately reached into his bosom to feel the embossed drawings

Li Sheng was taken aback, as he saw the Northern Army in the valley had actually regrouped and formed ranks in just a few breaths. The archers stood in two neat rows, regardless of Gu Tianxuan's fate, and directly loosed their arrows

"Common folk, toiling in the fields, during peaceful times enjoy the company of plum blossoms and cranes, and gather chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, finding their own rustic pleasures. However, in chaotic times, people are displaced, selling their children and daughters, living each day in uncertainty. It is not only the common people; wandering heroes face the same fate, and even high officials and nobles cannot escape. Would you not agree that being born in troubled times inherently makes one more lowly than those born in times of peace and prosperity?"

I have been pondering what it means to be "born at the wrong time." Suddenly, Xie Yun spoke up, seemingly at a loss for where to begin or end.

East Sea Penglai, the dazzling sunlight sweeps across the surface of the sea, passing by a warm jade that is entirely rosy, and it becomes gentle again, lingering within that jade.

What on earth has come to join the battle

He pushed open the door and shouted: "Be careful!"

Li Sheng initially thought he was mistaken due to his tinnitus. While he was still in shock, he saw that Master Yang, who had just moments ago been so imposing with his sword, was now retreating in a panic, his face ashen and his shoulders bleeding from an arrow wound that he no longer paid attention to. He exclaimed in fear, "Why are there so many snakes over there!"

The reason why Zhou Fei deliberately chose to target the relatively uncontrollable Gu Tianxuan at that time was to guard against this move

It is rare to hear so many instances of "brother" from Zhou Fei's mouth. Li Sheng suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding. Whenever he heard the word "brother," he couldn't help but get goosebumps all over, for it inevitably signaled that something unpleasant was about to follow

At that moment, a scream exploded in his ear, and Li Sheng suddenly came to his senses. Before he could react, he was heavily pushed on the shoulder by someone, and an iron arrow shot through the air, striking precisely where he had just been standing

This moment of hesitation and secret delight caused him to involuntarily freeze for an instant when he was about to strike. In that fleeting moment, before he could even blink, Gu Tianxuan unexpectedly took on Zhou Fei's fourteen strikes head-on.

This should also be a generation of outstanding talents

His voice suddenly halted, his gaze skipping over Zhou Fei and landing in the vast valley behind her, where the area scorched by the Northern Army lay in ashes, the flames gradually spreading to other places, revealing the bare rocks and ground, which from a distance appeared to form some kind of pattern

How should one proceed

If he is destined to stop here, then that is enough

Indeed, she thought to herself, that brat still owes me a knife

"If you can't die, then lend me a hand," Li Sheng instructed without hesitation, "Listen to me, 'On the winter solstice, the first yang is born, arising from the left of Kun, starting in the north'..."

At the moment just before landing, Zhou Fei detached from the tree trunk, using her uninjured leg to push off the trunk with a single foot, leveraging the force to sweep diagonally upward, and then she landed precariously several zhang away. Her legs weakened, and she knelt down on the ground

Zhou Fei glanced at the women draped in poisonous snakes beside her, then looked at Ying Hecong, as if she began to understand, and said: "So you have been with them all along? How did you end up here?"

Li Sheng shielded him from several cold arrows amidst the chaos of the army, leaving him momentarily speechless

Xie Yun thought of this and couldn't help but chuckle to himself, deciding to include this passage in the letter to Zhou Fei

This statement sounds like a reflection on one's own origins, and Chen Junfu smiled and said: "The sun has its day and night, the moon has its new and full phases, people experience the sorrow of separation and reunion, and the affairs of the world naturally undergo changes between order and chaos. Where one is born is beyond our control."

Li Sheng: "... ... Snake Girl?"

The young vagrant, with a sallow complexion and emaciated frame, has long arms and legs, yet his body remains slender, as if he has grown tall only halfway and lacks the strength to continue, resting there in a state of abandonment, still resembling a child.

A sound of "tang"...

Zhou Fei automatically broke away, and just as a sharp arrow was approaching, she intended to pull Gu Tianxuan to dodge. However, she suddenly felt a pain in her chest and choked on a mouthful of smoke, causing her strength to give way and slip from Gu Tianxuan's side. She staggered back a step and was unable to hold onto him.

Fortunately, their oil barrels exploded. As long as there are no smoke-spewing rockets, the serpentine formations can still serve some purpose. Under the flute music of the snake handler, they scattered around the periphery of the many refugees, arranged in a fan-shaped formation, effectively blocking the advance of the northern army. Yang Jin glanced down and said to Li Cheng, "Release your grip"

Yang Jin was unceremoniously driven away by her, and he stumbled around searching for Li Sheng. Before he could find anyone amidst the chaos of flying stones, the fifth spring mechanism was unexpectedly triggered by someone. Yang Jin felt his footing give way, and he shouted in alarm as his machete struck the nearby tree trunk with a thud, narrowly allowing him to hang on. Upon closer inspection, he realized that beneath his feet, a massive cave entrance had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

This is truly a case of a real person not revealing their true identity! Li Sheng felt that he had never seen a young lady dressed as a man so convincingly!

Zhou Fei heard his voice, her gaze sharp as lightning, and suddenly turned around. The Northern Army general was startled by her gaze filled with killing intent, involuntarily taking a step back, nearly tripping over a tree root. Regaining his composure, he was instantly filled with uncontrollable rage and shouted: "A cornered beast still fights, unaware of its own demise, release—arrows!"

Zhou Fei tentatively tapped the "stone" with a fragment covering it

Two groups of refugees looked at Zhou Fei with reverence, following her in a single file as they streamed out through the passage opened by the Northern Army.

Gu Tianxuan feigned a move, intending to draw the Broken Snow Blade towards Lu Yaoguang.

Upon being asked by Li Sheng, he immediately broke down in tears: "My sister... and others have all been captured by them, locked up in a large tent in the northwest. I wanted to fight back against them, but they held me down and told me not to seek trouble for no reason. They said that a few buns on the road could buy a living person, that it wasn't worth much. The women going with them is a good thing; at least they can have something to eat to survive. They told me not to drag her down, saying that I would be harming her..." The women going with them is a good thing; at least they can have something to eat to survive. They told me not to drag her down, saying that I would be harming her..."

In the next moment, the steel knife that was stuck at the entrance mechanism "buzzed" and suddenly broke free, causing the precariously hanging stone door to crash down, creating a heavy barrier between the inside and the outside

The numerous venomous snakes on the ground were truly terrifying. Two groups of refugees gathered together, yet they did not dare to come too close to each other. Suddenly, Ying Hecong reached into his bosom and pulled out something unknown, which he flicked onto Li Sheng a few times. The wandering venomous snakes then automatically avoided him, quickly bringing Li Sheng into their fold

At this moment, Li Sheng had not yet caught his breath, and together with the unconscious Zhou Fei, he knelt on the ground, unable to articulate his words clearly, only able to point towards the center of the stone door: "The, the last one ... ... "

At their level, which expert would expose their back to the enemy? Therefore, Lu Yaoguang's first reaction was that it was a trick. Moreover, Gu Tianxuan had repeatedly attempted to divert the disaster elsewhere, and Lu Yaoguang's anger had accumulated to a certain extent. At this moment, seeing him in misfortune, a trace of glee passed through Lu Yaoguang's heart

Li Shengdao: "They are wary of the consequences of their actions."

Zhou Fei's chest was still heaving violently, and it felt as if her energy center was splitting apart with pain. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to hold on, managing to squeeze out a cold smile, and said: "Since Lord Gu insists on seeing us off, we shall not be rude in accepting it"

The Jiangling area is humid and sultry during the summer, and there are indeed quite a few cold-blooded reptiles such as snakes and scorpions in the wild. However, most animals are afraid of humans and rarely approach places where large groups of people gather. Moreover, there are tens of thousands of soldiers here, exuding a fierce aura, and just recently a rocket was launched, which nearly burned half of the valley. At this moment, thick smoke is spreading all around, and the fire is still raging. How could there still be snakes venturing in?

If the valley is a small world, then it must possess a key; the one who holds this key can manipulate the elements at will in this place

With a "click," the bow was drawn again, and Zhou Fei's back stiffened as the second wave of arrows approached

Following Li Sheng's guidance, she quickly found the third tree and imitated the previous actions. In the center of the valley, the ground unexpectedly rose, and Lu Yaoguang's central tent was instantly lifted into the sky. The flagpole hanging the Big Dipper flag crashed down from above, and a group of personal guards, unable to evade in time, were struck one after another

I understand!" Li Sheng suddenly broke free from Yang Jin's hand, "I understand!"

The scripture recited by the master states, "All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, and a shadow; they are like a dream and also like an illusion, like dew and like lightning." Therefore, if his essence and spirit could attach themselves to the blade like those bizarre and fantastical folk tales, would he not resemble a "morning dew" that is forever attached to the "faint light of dawn"?

At that moment, a bright light flashed by, and Li Sheng's vision blurred. He suddenly looked up and saw the fragmented light of the blade falling like ink splashes. That legendary knife, after a night, remained untouched by blood. On the blade, the faint glimmer of dawn, just emerging from the ground, flowed through the blood groove, converging at the tip of the blade, then dispersing in all directions.

Zhou Fei uttered a single sentence, disregarding how absurd Li Sheng's request to uproot a tree was at this critical moment, nor did she inquire about his intentions, and complied without question. She took a deep breath again, feeling as if her limits were like a highly elastic string, each time she thought she had stretched it to the utmost, yet she could still pull a little more. She soared into the air, draped in a cloak of frost and dried blood, soaring over the heads of the countless Northern Army soldiers rushing towards her.

Before the words had left his mouth, Zhou Fei had already struck like lightning, sealing several major acupoints on Gu Tianxuan's body from a distance. The blade was firmly pressed against the side of his neck. She glanced at Li Cheng from afar and shouted: "Leave."

The women all had a sallow complexion and disheveled hair, dressed in the typical attire of vagrants. However, between their necks and wrists was a riot of colors. Upon closer inspection, it became evident that what adorned them were not necklaces or bracelets, but rather a multitude of snakes, both large and small, coiled around them.

At that moment, a hand pulled him up. Yang Jin looked up and saw Li Sheng, whose head was covered in mud and sand. Li Sheng pulled him up and wiped his face vigorously, saying, "Take them and get out of here, quickly!"

Upon hearing these words, the Northern Army was instantly driven mad, fully aware that they could not allow her to cause another earth-shattering upheaval. They immediately surged forward in pursuit.

Chen Junfu was momentarily taken aback, then curiously asked: "How so? Did not the ancients say 'to resent the faint light of dawn'?"

Zhou Fei could no longer pay attention to him; in a fluster, she rolled on the ground twice and grabbed a stunned middle-aged woman, pushing her back, saying: "Don't just stand there, run quickly!"

Zhou Fei gently traced the tip of the knife around the stone, and indeed found a small seam. With a flick of her wrist, the strange "stone" lid was lifted, revealing an object that resembled the mechanism used to control the pulling device in the small pavilion at the heart of the river where Old Master Yu once resided.

Zhou Fei and Yang Jinfeng quickly exchanged positions, she was like a sharp knife, directly piercing into the enemy ranks. At this moment, the sky had already begun to brighten, and her light-colored clothing was stained a dark red with blood, though it was unclear whether it was her own blood or that of others

Yang Jin looked up and, illuminated by the torch held by the person next to him, saw an inverted Big Dipper constellation depicted at the center of the top of the stone door

However... since the only ones at the northwestern border are a group of pitiful women, what are the northern troops so flustered about? Surely, it cannot be that the women have suddenly transformed into snakes?

At this moment, in the valley, Zhou Fei single-handedly drew away the majority of the pressure from Li Cheng. As soon as she shouted that phrase, she was already several zhang away. A large number of Northern troops then reacted, surrounding her from all sides in an attempt to block her path with a sea of people, quickly causing her to become trapped and unable to move an inch.

Xie Yundao: "It is called 'Xiwei'."

As dawn approaches, even if the sky is dim, what is there to resent?" Xie Yunchong waved his hand at him and left without looking back, "Don't be ungrateful."

Li Sheng: "Yang Shun is at the Gen position... If my inference is correct, there should be seven 'Ding Shan Zhun Xing' in this place, corresponding to the Qi Men 'Bei Dou Dao Gua' formation"

"Ying ... ... " Li Sheng was almost caught by the long spears of several Northern soldiers in a daze, stumbling awkwardly to evade them. The words "Brother Ying" were stuck in his throat, and in shock, he exclaimed, "Ying ... ... that thing, you, you are a woman?"

Even the most exceptional master, when besieged by waves of attackers throughout the night, cannot escape feeling weak and unsteady. Li Sheng experienced a sensation as if his limbs no longer belonged to him, his mind felt muddled. In a moment of distraction, he stumbled over a rock and found himself unable to rise for a time.

No one knew what he intended to do, yet this place was fraught with peril, and no one had any ideas. Rarely was he so resolute, so they had no choice but to follow him blindly and start running.

Zhou Fei did not wait for him to finish speaking, but suddenly interjected: "Brother, do you think this could be the forbidden ground of the Qi Gate?"

The old fisherman, who was weaving a fishing net by the seaside, set up a shade to shield himself from the glaring morning light and looked up at him

Li Sheng activated the sixth mechanism

Then Zhou Fei seemed to go mad, unexpectedly abandoning Lu Yaoguang, braving a blow from the Broken Army with her back, and directly targeting Gu Tianxuan

Li Sheng suddenly looked around. If we infer based on this size, the entire valley seems to resemble a complete Tai Chi diagram. If that is the case, who constructed this valley? What purpose does it serve?

Li Sheng was muttering something under his breath while counting, when he caught sight of Zhou Fei's appearance and was startled: "Are you alright?"

A sharp sound of a flute echoed from not far away, and more snakes seemed to emerge from the ground, forming a chilling "snake stream" that rushed in with a howling sound, bringing fortune to some and doom to others. Li Sheng focused his gaze and saw... a tall figure playing the flute, with an oddly styled hair bun on their head, unclear whether they were dressed as a woman or a girl, revealing a pale and delicate profile...! No matter how he looked, it felt strangely familiar! He saw that the flute player was tall, with an oddly styled hair bun on their head, unclear whether they were dressed as a woman or a girl, revealing a pale and delicate profile...! No matter how he looked, it felt strangely familiar!

At this critical moment, Li Sheng had no time to spare. He shouted, "Be careful of the archers and cavalry, charge their main camp!"

The lingering presence of a ghost can also be considered enduring

Li Sheng shouted: "Zhou Fei! Destroy that mechanism, do not dawdle!"

"That's good," Zhou Fei suddenly smiled, "Since we have arrived at the entrance of the Qi Gate, if we do not go in to take a clear look, I will die with my eyes wide open. Therefore, I definitely will not die. Do you believe it?"

The chaos began in the northwestern corner of the valley, where tens of thousands of troops, leaderless, suddenly heard this commotion and could not help but feel a sense of panic

This matter is truly something that cannot be thought about in detail

Li Sheng felt a wave of darkness before his eyes, gasping for breath a few times. He grasped the hand that Zhou Fei extended to him and stood up, whispering to her: "If I am not mistaken, the next focal point should be in the southeast..."

At this moment, she could neither see nor hear anything around her; a chill swept over her body, and her hands and feet were completely unresponsive. Yet, she dared not faint, feeling that it would be easier to simply breathe her last right there.

Zhou Fei retracted the fragmentary cover she had extended, turned to the fourth tree, and swiftly closed the mechanism

With the Northern Army surrounded by layers upon layers, they had no choice but to concede a path. Zhou Fei, pushing the stiff Gu Tianxuan, took a step forward and felt as if she were stepping on a mountain of knives, a sharp pain shooting from her feet all the way to her waist. She took a deep breath without revealing her emotions, even finding the leisure to sneer coldly at Lu Yaoguang, striding out boldly under the watchful eyes of the unpredictable Broken Army.

The speed of the two individuals was beyond the capability of the human eye to perceive, relying entirely on instinct. The iron fan in Gu Tianxuan's hand could not bear the burden and shattered on the spot, the splintered ribs of the fan cutting his hand until it bled profusely. He let out a loud cry—only at that moment did Lu Yaoguang's late-arriving long knife barely reach Zhou Fei's shoulder

A hole inexplicably opened up on the mountain rock, creating such a large opening that the Northern Army, not blind, naturally saw it. Ying Hefeng led the refugees into the opened secret passage, and the nearby Northern Army quickly followed in pursuit

A young girl draped in a floral python saw the boy and quickly shouted: "Little Tiger, do not come closer, and do not step on the snake! Keep your distance and follow the snake girl and us!"

One should murmur: "This is the true forbidden ground of the Qi Gate"

Gu Tianxuan was frozen in place, and Lu Yaoguang was also stunned. Even Li Sheng, who had finally managed to sneak near the central military tent and was still pondering how to extricate himself next, was taken aback

Zhou Fei was taken aback

Li Sheng found it strange, grabbing a Northern Army soldier pierced by his sword as a shield, dodging left and right while exclaiming in surprise: "What exactly is in the Northwest?"

Zhou Fei followed his finger but did not see any unusual trees; instead, she first noticed the increasingly dense and gathering Northern Army.

She gently shrugged her shoulders, took a deep breath, and then exhaled heavily, sounding almost like a long sigh. She then said to Li Sheng: "Brother, it's really over now; from now on, you will have to kneel every year to burn paper for me."

As soon as he spoke, Li Sheng felt relieved; although his voice was not particularly deep, it was certainly low enough to indicate that he was not a woman. However, Xiao Hu's sister seemed taken aback: "Ah! Snake Girl, so you can talk?"

The dignified poison doctor inexplicably mingled with a group of refugees, and that would have been one thing, but he was actually associating with a bunch of women. Moreover, fearing the exposure of his identity, he pretended to be mute and did not dare to speak a word to anyone.

Gu Tianxuan, in a moment of desperation, struck out with a palm, using all his strength, leaving him no time to withdraw. At this moment, the palm wind had not yet dissipated, and his vital throat was already ensnared beneath the Broken Snow Blade

As he spoke, he leaped down from the large reef, gathering his unbound long hair behind him with one hand, brushing away the fine frost formed by the moisture on his body: "Master Uncle, I have thought of what the inscription on that knife should be like."

But how could a group of refugees with cramping calves escape from well-trained elite soldiers? In the blink of an eye, the northern army encircled them from the outskirts of the valley, lying in wait like a hunter for their prey to fall into the trap. Li Cheng felt a surge of panic in his heart; he swung his arm too forcefully to deflect the iron arrow, causing the heavy sword he had picked up to break. He stumbled back two steps, and just then, a half-drawn map he had pulled out suddenly fell from his bosom, fluttering like a paper butterfly in the fierce night wind.

At that moment, a sharp whistle pierced the air, sending chills down one's spine. Countless venomous snakes suddenly poured out of the cave, entangling with one another like a rolling snowball, growing larger and larger. In less than three to five zhang, they formed a "snake ball" over one and a half human heights, charging towards the northern army.

At this moment, as the sixth mechanism descended, a stone door unexpectedly fell at the entrance not far away, and it appeared to be slowly closing.

They charged towards the front of the Northern Army at the edge of the valley like a daring death squad

At this moment, the valley was changing rapidly. Li Sheng and the two of them, along with about one hundred refugees, were almost aligned with the chaotic northwestern direction. It was evident that the situation in the valley was about to spiral out of control. The low sound of the northern army's horn echoed all around, and seven or eight armored northern generals rushed over, pushing through the crowd. One of them, whose rank was indiscernible, spoke boldly, shouting at the two, Tian Xuan and Lu Yaoguang: "Gentlemen, at this moment, we must prioritize the greater situation; why entangle ourselves endlessly with these ruffians from the rivers and lakes!"

When the women saw this, they all began to imitate, applying the snake-repellent powder on those they were familiar with. As a result, apart from Yang Jin, the pressure of being surrounded and pursued by the crowd significantly lessened for everyone else.

Zhou Fei's breath was too faint for Li Sheng to discern the truth, yet he had no other choice but to hold her and flee.

In the heart of the valley, there was nowhere to hide, and everyone instinctively ran towards the woods on either side.

"Hmm," Zhou Fei replied without reservation, "I know your skills are lacking. But speaking of which, are you... a young master or a young lady? Ah, whatever, how come you always manage to find such good opportunities?"

Zhou Fei enunciated each word clearly: "Make way"

The formation of "Beidou Inversion" has seven focal points, and now five have been established. After overcoming countless difficulties to reach this point, how can we allow our efforts to end in failure? Moreover, the entrance to the secret passage has not yet been sealed. If he dies here, what difference does it make for those refugees to enter the secret passage? It would merely be a change of location before being pursued by the Northern Army.

He stretched out his arms with a look of utter despair, pulling in several snakes that were draped over Li Sheng's shoulders into a cave that was barely half a person's height. During this process, he seemed to touch a slippery snake's tail, causing Yang Jin's remaining strands of hair to stand upright in fear, resembling a rather aggrieved porcupine.

The signal flare emitted a sharp "zi" sound, as if it had ignited among the numerous Northern troops, scattering sparks as it flew low to the ground.

The illustrious Giant Gate Star, having traversed the rivers and lakes for so many years, unexpectedly experienced the sensation of a blade being held to its neck one day

Li Sheng said: "No, that is the direction of 'the Eight Trigrams of the Later Heaven'. I fear that this place is based on 'the Earlier Heaven'..."

Li Sheng pushed aside the body of a Northern soldier, smashing into several who had ambushed him from behind. Turning his head, he saw the young boy who had been the first to pick up a Northern helmet and weapon and charge out after him. The boy was quite fortunate and rather clever, closely following Li Sheng all the way. At this moment, apart from having a fair amount of dirt on his face, he was almost completely unscathed

Li Sheng's heart sank, nearly scared to death by her, as he trembled and reached out to check her breath.

This matter is truly something that cannot be contemplated in detail

Zhou Fei struck down at the connection point of the mechanism with a single blow, and then, disregarding her injuries, she leaped up and swept past the bewildered Northern Army, still caught in chaos

Ying Hecong approached at an unknown time, frowning and saying: "There are too many of them, surrounding us layer by layer. Even if we can watch over each other, it is likely to be unfeasible"

The crossbow in the forest was already loaded, and she was surrounded by layers of open and hidden arrows. Zhou Fei let out a sharp shout, and the fragmented cover almost wove a silver fence. The sound of the crossbow bolts and blades clashing against the back of her knife was deafening, causing her ears to ache. Ignoring the numbness in her wrist, which was nearly devoid of sensation, she had already plunged deep into the dense forest in just a few breaths. Her vision began to blur, so she forced herself to blink. An arrow struck her shoulder, and unable to pull it out directly, she swung her knife to temporarily sever the arrow's tail. At the same time, she scanned her surroundings and was surprised to see a peculiar tree. This valley was evidently ancient, with many trees as thick as a person's embrace, yet there stood a small tree, remarkably tall and standing alongside the ancient trees without appearing out of place. Its trunk was no thicker than a child's wrist, nestled among a lush thicket, resembling a branch coexisting with a nearby large tree, making it inconspicuous. If Li Cheng had not pointed it out, she might have overlooked it entirely.

Lu Yaoguang clumsily jumped onto the horse's back, shouting loudly as he fiercely grabbed the reins: "Stop those two, regardless of life or death!"

The Northern troops were caught off guard; many did not even see what had flown past before they were struck by the sparks. The pressure on Li Sheng's head suddenly eased, and he took the opportunity to roll out, using the technique of "four ounces deflecting a thousand pounds" to divert the pile of weapons pressing down on him to his side, which then crashed to the ground.

Yang Jin earnestly suggested, "I think for the sake of safety, we should take a different route to retreat"

Zhou Fei rolled to the edge of a thicket, her shoulder crashing heavily against a tree root, bringing her momentum to a halt. Using the force, she leaped up, but the third wave of arrows did not allow her a moment to catch her breath, pressing right before her. With no other options, Zhou Fei had to muster her strength once more, using her lightness skill to barely evade. However, this time, when she truly reached the point of exhaustion, before she could gather her breath, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and abdomen, as if her internal organs were being torn apart.

He stood rigidly, the veins in his neck bulging as if they were about to burst through his skin in a roar. A sound like a "gurgle" escaped from his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of dark purple blood...! ... It was unclear whether it was from injury or rage; he seemed to be possessed by madness!

Li Sheng was unsure if he was too fatigued, to the point of experiencing hallucinations, and could not help but rub his eyes vigorously. Along the way, at every corner, there was a simple signpost on the guiding stones, and one only needed to recognize the two characters "Entry and Exit" to understand it. However, in addition to this, there was a complex Bagua diagram beside it. At that time, Li Sheng only gave it a cursory glance and did not think much of it. Having studied the Qimen formation with Chong Yunzi, he had a keen interest in the principles of the Five Elements, Bagua, and Qimen Dunjia, and had even made a special copy to carry with him, intending to study it in detail later.

She and that kid from earlier must be biological siblings

Zhou Fei suddenly shook off his hand and said loudly, "The sixth mechanism is over there, right? Got it!"

In fact, there is no need for him to give orders; upon seeing the appearance of the cave entrance, the various snakes around him inexplicably began to burrow inside. He has always trusted animals more than humans, and without hesitation, he decisively urged the refugees to run inside.

He suddenly felt a shiver run through his entire body

Before the crowd had a chance to catch their breath, a rumbling sound was heard from outside the stone gate— the Northern Army was about to ram the door

In an instant, the entire valley began to tremble, and a rumbling sound akin to an earthquake emanated from beneath the ground, interspersed with a roar reminiscent of a dragon's cry. Zhou Fei suddenly looked up and saw that one side of the valley was sinking downwards, causing the unsuspecting Northern army to be thrown into disarray. At that moment, not far away, Li Cheng activated another mechanism, and the ground shook violently once more. The opposite side of the valley rose high and crashed against the mountain rocks, catching the archers who had been lying in ambush completely off guard, causing them to tumble down. Amidst the crushing rocks, oil barrels exploded on the spot, igniting an entire face of the mountain.