Walking side by side down the path toward the guest house, Gu Yingjie noticed that Beixing Sect was nothing like he had envisioned. Cao Fengge truly lived up to his name, as everywhere Gu Yingjie looked was filled with expensive luxuries.
Gu Yingjie also recognized that someone like Cao Fengge was not a person you wanted as either a friend or an enemy.
"What are you thinking, Gu Gongzi?" Cao Wenyan asked.
Gu Yingjie scoffed, feeling foolish. "I was just thinking that Beixing Sect is nothing like I envisioned."
"Oh," Cao Wenyan let out, feigning surprise. "How was your vision of our sect?"
Gu Yingjie replied honestly, "Something that was filled with dungeons."
Cao Wenyan let out a short laugh. "The Gu family has more dungeons than all six sects combined."
Gu Yingjie burst into laughter. "That's why I said Beixing Sect is not what I had envisioned."
Cao Wenyan looked at Gu Yingjie and said, "Your guard is so brave, I really envy you."
Gu Yingjie returned the formality. "Cao Gongzi, many people envy you."
Cao Wenyan changed the subject to a more personal one. "How long have you two been in love?"
Gu Yingjie looked at him without answering, choosing silence over public confession.
Cao Wenyan, however, pressed on, showing his keen observation. "You concealed it well, but Zhu Mingyang didn't. Zhu Mingyang, just like Ma Jingguo, couldn't hide his feelings. It was because of his indiscretion that the whole martial arts world knew about them."
Gu Yingjie quickly changed the subject. "I heard that you also like Mu Dishi."
Cao Wenyan seemed grateful. "Thank you for not exposing me in front of my father."
Gu Yingjie looked surprised. "Why are you hiding from your father? Everyone knows that Cao Gongzi likes both women and men."
Cao Wenyan explained, "My father won't let me chase Mu Gongzi."
Gu Yingjie and Cao Wenyan were deep in conversation when a person came running frantically toward them. The person, dressed in black clothes, stopped abruptly in the middle of the walk path. Behind him, Beixing Sector disciples were in hot pursuit, signaling that the truce and calm were about to be shattered.
Cao Wenyan asked, "Who are you?" He looked at the assassin. He rushed to the assassin.
Cao Wenyan and the assassin immediately started fighting. The assassin flew over the wall, with Cao Wenyan in close pursuit. The four guards quickly followed, chasing after Cao Wenyan and the intruder.
Gu Yingjie hurried back to the room where Zhu Mingyang and Yan Zhanjin were still talking. He spoke quickly. "Mingyang, let's go now."
"What's the matter?" Yan Zhanjin asked, confused.
Gu Yingjie explained the sudden opportunity. "There's an assassin here; everyone is chasing after him. We're injured, and right now, nobody is paying attention to us. This is our chance to leave here."
Since everyone was chasing the assassin in the backyard, no one paid any attention to the three injured people. Zhu Mingyang, Gu Yingjie, and Yan Zhanjin rushed out from the front door.
When they reached the main entrance, ten guards were still standing watch. Gu Yingjie picked up ten stones and sent them flying, hitting all ten guards and knocking them down. The trio continued to move down the main steps. As they descended further, they saw more guards rushing toward the stairwell, alerted to their escape.
Gu Yingjie abruptly pushed Zhu Mingyang and Yan Zhanjin forward, urging them. "Mingyang, you two leave now!"
Zhu Mingyang grabbed Yan Zhanjin's waist and flew them down the first stairwell to a platform. Almost immediately, three guards began to attack Zhu Mingyang, as more rushed to the stairwell, cutting off their path.
Yan Zhanjin shouted, "Mingyang, be careful, another guard is coming."
Gu Yingjie acted instantly, grabbing ten yellow dandelions. He spun down through the air, landing on the second-floor platform where Zhu Mingyang was fighting the three guards. In the same motion, he hurled the ten dandelions at the four guards charging after him. Gu Yingjie's ten dandelions knocked the four guards down onto the stairwell. Gu Yingjie landed, kicked one of the guards, and sent the guard tumbling down the stairs. The fallen guard crashed directly into the first two guards who were charging up the steps toward the trio.
Yan Zhanjin quickly reached into his sleeve, took out an acupuncture needle, and threw it to Gu Yingjie. He called out, "Yingjie, just treat this as your silver leaf."
Gu Yingjie quickly unfolded the sleeves of the acupuncture needles and began sending them out one by one, striking the remaining guards scrambling on the stairwell. After using the last needle, he took center stage, held both Zhu Mingyang and Yan Zhanjin by the waist, and flew the two of them away from the injured guards and toward the exit.
Just as they reached the door, he felt a thin thread wrapped around his waist. He was violently dragged back to the second platform. In that split second, he shoved Zhu Mingyang and then Yan Zhanjin with all his strength, pushing them out toward the door.
Zhu Mingyang quickly turned around and grabbed Yan Zhanjin, seeing the disaster unfold. He realized who held the thread: Cao Fengge had recaptured Gu Yingjie. He yelled, "Yingjie!"
Gu Yingjie shouted his final, desperate command. "Mingyang, take Zhanjin away. This is an order."
Zhu Mingyang, forced to choose between love and his lover's explicit order, grabbed Yan Zhanjin and escaped from the main entrance, leaving Gu Yingjie behind.
"Chase after them and bring them back," Cao Fengge commanded. He then turned to look at Gu Yingjie. "Gu Gongzi, if you don't behave yourself, don't say that I'm unfair." He addressed his guards. "Bring him back and chase the two who just escaped." With that, he flew towards the backyard.
In the backyard, Cao Wenyan struck the assassin's chest, but the assassin managed to block the blow. The force of Cao Wenyan's punch sent the assassin flying back, and the assassin immediately released three needles at Cao Wenyan. Cao Wenyan quickly dodged the needles and flew toward the assassin's neck. He grabbed the assassin by the neck with his right hand, but just as he tried to pull off the cloth mask with his left, Cao Fengge stopped his hand.
"Let go of your hand," Cao Fengge ordered.
Cao Wenyan reluctantly released the assassin's neck. The assassin quickly stepped three paces backward, positioning himself directly behind Cao Fengge.
Cao Fengge turned to the assassin. He smiled and stroked the assassin's face lightly. He then smiled and said, "You can go now. Be careful when you go out."
The assassin nodded and flew over the wall.
Cao Wenyan turned to his father. "Father, why did you release that person?"
Cao Fengge replied cryptically, "If you see that person again, don't fight. You can't hurt that person under any circumstances."
"Why?" Cao Wenyan insisted.
Cao Fengge chuckled, finally explaining his calculation. "That person is a very important piece of chess on the board game we play with the six Sects, Gu Tingfang, and Wang Zedong."
Cao Wenyan processed the admission. "Does this mean this person is a secret spy?"
Cao Fengge smiled. "And this spy is on our side."
Zhu Mingyang and Yan Zhanjin rushed down the wooded path along the main road, with many guards chasing them. Zhu Mingyang looked back at the pursuing group; Gu Yingjie was not among them.
Zhu Mingyang commanded, "Zhanjin, you run ahead."
Yan Zhanjin refused, gripping his hand tightly. "I won't leave you behind. I know what you're thinking." He tried to reason with him. "You want to go back for Yingjie? You have to remember Yingjie is still Gu Tingfang's son, that demon Cao won't do anything to harm the Gu and the Cao's relationships."
Zhu Mingyang stopped and forcefully pushed Yan Zhanjin away. He shouted, "Get the hell out of here now!" He then sprinted straight toward the guards.
Yan Zhanjin shouted, anguished, "Mingyang, don't!"
Zhu Mingyang's fist landed heavily on one of the guards, causing the man to fly backward and crash into several other guards. Zhu Mingyang immediately began to fight the remaining pursuers.
Then suddenly, a red ribbon flashed out, wrapped around a guard's neck, and the guard was yanked violently forward. The guard's throat was instantly cut open by Miao Mingzhu.
Yan Zhanjin whirled around in shock just as Wang Biming's flute was pointed directly at his throat. Wang Biming smiled faintly and said, "If you don't mind, please stay a little longer."
The guard immediately took a step back from Zhu Mingyang and Miao Mingzhu. Miao Mingzhu addressed the guard. "Go and tell your cheif that these two are our guests. If your chief wants these two guests," she smiled coldly at the guard, "then your leader must take us with him to the Mu Treasure Cave." She turned her focus to Zhu Mingyang. "I don't think you can stand anymore. Don't force yourself, unless you won't have your last strength to say goodbye to your beloved master."
Suddenly, a sword flew towards Miao Mingzhu. She quickly flew backward, retreating toward Wang Biming and Yan Zhanjin.
Miao Mingzhu frowned, recognizing the newcomer. "Fu Yuanjun."
Fu Yuanjun smiled casually. "Miss Miao, if you don't mind, I will take Guard Zhu with me."