Chapter 12: Sacrificing Ones Life to Feed the Tiger

  "When...", the Persian water clock sounded a long hum, and it was already late. Liang Xiao heard the bell and suddenly became clear-headed, took a deep breath, and struggled to get up with a sway. Ming Sanqiu saw this and also wanted to get up, but as soon as he moved slightly, his whole body felt like burning, and he stared at Liang Xiao who stood up inch by inch.

  Liang Xiaodan suddenly sprang up, overjoyed in his heart. Who would have thought that before he could even stand straight, he felt a surge of pain in his legs and feet, and stumbled forward. At this moment, every move they made was stirring the hearts of the onlookers. Liang Xiaodans stumble shocked Hua Mulan into a silent scream, but when she saw him steady himself, she let out a long sigh of relief, her heart racing wildly: "You little scamp, you scared me to death!"

  Congratulations to you, from now on, you are the master of Tianji Palace!

  Everyone in the palace was shocked, thinking that from now on, they would have to listen to this rascals orders. In their hearts, they were all bewildered. Qin Boshi thought: "I used to want him as my apprentice, but now he has become my superior!" Then he thought again, "In the past, I beat him so hard, I dont know if this kid will take revenge on me." Thinking about it, his eyebrows furrowed, and he secretly worried. Hua Mucun also had a nervous heart: "I used to often oppose this kid, now that he has become the palace master, I dont know if he will find fault with me."

  Only Huā Qīngyuǎns eyebrows revealed a joyful expression, and she stepped forward with a smile: "Liáng Xiāo, ah, no, Liáng Gōngzhǔ, congratulations, congratulations." Upon hearing this, Huā Xiǎolíng finally confirmed that Liáng Xiāo had indeed become the Palace Master of Tiān Jī Palace. Her mind was in disarray as she stared at him with her mouth agape.

  Liang Xiaos breathing had just stabilized, and a hint of color appeared on her cheeks. Upon hearing the words, she smiled slightly and said: "Uncle Hua, youre really foolish." Hua Qingyuan was taken aback. Liang Xiao raised her head and declared loudly: "I wont be this palaces master!" As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was shocked.

  Ming Gui angrily said, "Is this reasonable? You dont do the palace master, why do you want to take over?" He had painstakingly managed for many years and given it to someone else as a dowry. The bitter resentment in his heart was something he couldnt swallow no matter what.

  Liang Xiao smiled and said lightly, "Nothing else. I just want to let everyone see that the winner is not necessarily the king." The crowd was stunned, and Liang Xiao continued, "If its really the winner is the king, shouldnt the master of Tianji Palace be Xiao Qianxue?"

  In Liang Xiaos heart, Xiao Qian was invincible in the world, so there is this saying. However, the people of Tianji Palace had a past with Xiao Qian and upon hearing these words, their faces changed. Tong Zhu couldnt help but shout: "Xiao Qian is a great villain, how can he be compared to us? You stinky brat, youd better not become the palace master, dont humiliate the 300-year reputation of Tianji Palace!" Liang Xiao said: "Well said, Xiao Qian is indeed a great villain. This surname Ming uncle and nephew are full of sinister plots, how can they be good people? If it were me, I would rather have Hua Qingyuans Uncle Hua as the palace master, with everyone in harmony, than let this surname Ming ride on our heads and defecate!"

  Apart from a few masterminds, most people agreed with Liang Xiaos evaluation by about 70-80%; and they felt that it would be better to let Hua Qingyuan take over as the palace master rather than letting an outsider like Liang Xiao do so. Ye Zhong and Yang Lu exchanged a glance, stood up together, walked to Hua Qingyuans side and bowed down, saying in unison: "The Ye and Yang families are willing to be at Brother Qingyuans command." Qin Bosi also bowed and said: "The 300 strong men of the Tianji Biefu will all listen to Palace Master Huas orders."

  Hua Qingyuan hastily helped the three up, awkwardly saying: "Wheres the... this...". In his anxiety, he couldnt speak coherently. The young generation of Tianji Palace were mostly friendly with Hua Qingyuan, and at first, they only followed their fathers orders reluctantly. But now that the situation had changed, Tong Zhus son Tong Fang stepped forward, saying in a deep voice: "Father, nowadays the foreign barbarians are strong, while the Han dynasty is weak. Our Tianji Palace has the duty of protecting the classics, and its right for us to hide from the world. If we can get Brother Hua, who is so calm and composed, to lead us, that would be our good fortune."

  Xiu Gu Zhangzi Xiu Tianci said, "Indeed, if we consider the character of a person, then Hua brother should be the first!" Zuo Yuans son died young, and his grandson Zuo Hen Ruo took a step forward, bowed to Hua Qingyuan, and remained silent. The others in their hearts secretly agreed, and for a moment, without distinguishing between surnames, they all fell to the ground in worship.

  Zuo, Tong and Xiu were caught off guard by the sudden display of force. They stood frozen in place, unsure how to react. Ming San, who had returned home, took advantage of the situation to speak ill of his fathers sworn brother behind his back, saying: "Father, the situation is already beyond salvation. Qing Yuan is as vast as the ocean, and now that things have come to this pass, there is still room for maneuver."

  Hua Qingyuan was unexpectedly pushed to the position of power, and seeing that everyone came to support him, he felt both surprised and anxious. He wanted to explain himself hastily, but suddenly saw a sharp glint in Hua Wuyans eyes, so he could only stammer out two words and swallowed back his refusal.

  Hua Wuyin smiled faintly and said, "Liang Xiao, thank you for your kindness." She was about to bow in gratitude when Liang Xiao dodged her gesture and coldly replied, "Dont mention it, Im helping Xiaoshuang, not you!" Hua Wuyin guessed that he had seen through the "Tianji Shisuan" scheme and from now on there would be no room for maneuvering. However, she was extremely cunning and smiled, saying, "Thats right, my grandson and I are of one mind, so thanks are still in order." Liang Xiao looked up at the sky with a cold smile.

  Huas expression softened, and she turned to look at Minggui, smiling: "Ill take charge. As long as Brother Ming stops, the past will be written off." Minggui was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh and said with a bitter smile: "Ive exhausted all my tricks, but in the end, I couldnt defeat fate. Alright, San Die, come here."

  Ming San Die stepped forward with a nervous expression, and Ming Gui grasped his hand, handing over the yellow crane jade pendant that symbolized his identity. "From now on, I will pass on the position of Huang He to you," he said. "In the future, everyone in the Ming family will listen to your commands." The crowd was shocked to see Ming Gui relinquish the position of Huang He, and Ming San Die was initially stunned before bursting into joy. Just as he was about to express his gratitude, he suddenly felt a tight grip on his wrist, and found himself firmly grasped by Ming Gui.

  "Go!" Ming Gui shouted, swinging his arm and sending Ming Sanzhen flying towards Hua Wuying. Hua Wuying was on high alert, but she didnt expect Ming Gui to use his son as a weapon. If she tried to block it, Ming Sanzhen would be seriously injured or killed, so she had no choice but to retreat. Ming Gui swung his son in a half-circle in mid-air, and everyone retreated in fear. Just as Hua Wuying was about to charge forward again, she heard Ming Gui shout "Catch!" and suddenly threw Ming Sanzhen at her. Hua Wuying had no choice but to use her palm to deflect the attack with soft force, but she couldnt dissipate all of the force, and Ming Sanzhen crashed to the ground with a broken head and bleeding profusely, passing out cold.

  Hua Wuyan turned his head to take a look, and Minggui had already rushed to the front of Lingfengjun. Hua Wuyan suddenly realized that he was using his own son as a pawn, originally aiming at Lingfengjuns mother and son. These two sudden changes were truly rare and strange moves.

  Ling Shuangjun swiftly swung her palm and made a slanting cut, Ming Guis hand flipped over, reaching for her pulse point. Suddenly, she felt a faint rustling sound behind her back, turned her sleeve and swept away several golden needles that Wu Changqing had hastily shot out. Ling Shuangjun took advantage of Ming Guis momentary distraction to grab Flower Xiaoshengs right arm and make a slanting leap outward. Ming Gui swiftly flew over and grabbed Flower Xiaoshengs left arm. The two of them each held one arm, using equal force, causing Flower Xiaoshengs face to reveal pain, so Ling Shuangjun could only let go.

  Ming Gui grabbed the young girl and blocked her in front of him. Hua Wu Xian happened to arrive just in time, angrily shouting: "Ming Gui! Are you crazy?!" Ming Guis eyes gleamed with a fierce light, coldly laughing as he said: "Whos crazy?! Humph, you think that if I return from my mistaken path, this matter will be dropped?! Bah, do you take me for an idiot?! Hua Wu Xian, even when you were still in swaddling clothes, I already knew you. Your temper I wouldnt know about?! You speak nicely with your mouth, but in your heart youre thinking of the most vicious methods to torture people. Cutting off the snakes head, perhaps youll let off Lao Er and Tong San, but you definitely wont let me, Ming Gui, go! Youve long since thought out a plan, sooner or later youll deal with old man!"

  Hua Wuyan said, "Nonsense! Before the ceremony of abdication, I am still the master of this palace, and what I say must be taken seriously!" Ming Gui sneered, "You are still the master now, but after the grand ceremony, you will no longer be the master. At that time, you can use this as an excuse to deal with me, Ming Mou, without any scruples." Hua Wuyans thoughts were exposed by him, her face flushed with anger, thinking: "This old man is so cunning, he is indeed my arch-nemesis."

  Ming returned with a fierce expression, his eyes glaring at the crowd: "Everyone get out of the way!" Hua Xiao Xues arm was in severe pain, but she didnt want her parents to worry, so she endured it, but beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. Zuo Yuan and others also felt that Ming had gone too far, Tong Zhu said: "Ming Lao Da, even a tiger doesnt eat its own son, youre using your own son as a weapon! This girls life is already fragile, she shouldnt be subjected to such torture." Xiu Gu also said: "Ming Lao Da, lets discuss this calmly, release the girl and well talk things over!" Zuo Yuan, however, was pale-faced and silent. Todays defeat had left him completely dispirited.

  Ming Gui swept his gaze over the three of them and sneered, "You three have never been impressive. Including Qiu Laosi, Ye Laqi, and Yang Laba, those three dead souls, back then we seven people, who didnt want to be Huayuan Maos son-in-law? Who knew that an outsider would steal the show." Hua Wuyings expression sank, and he angrily said, "Ming, dont bring up past matters!" Ming Gui sneered, "Are you afraid? Humph, Ill say it anyway. That night, these six idiots got drunk and cried like a bunch of women by the lake!" Zuo Yusan saw him mention their secret past and their faces burned with anger, wishing they could burrow into the ground.

  Ming Gui Hen said, "I wont cry or be sad, Ill just keep it in my heart. At that time, I thought to myself, I may not be able to defeat the old man, but my son will definitely be able to defeat his son!". He looked at Ming San Die with a sigh and said, "Unfortunately, this son of mine is a useless piece of wood that cant be carved. I can only put all my hopes on San Qiu! Although hes not my biological son, hes someone Ive poured my heart and soul into raising."

  He burst out laughing and stared at Hua Wuyin, saying: "You said, without this unexpected branch of a child, can you defeat me?" Hua Wuyin only then understood the reason for todays changes, remained silent for a while, and said: "It has been thirty years since the incident, I didnt expect you to still hold a grudge. Alright, Ill agree with you, as long as you let Frost go, whether or not I become the palace master, I wont make things difficult for you." Ming Sanqiu also sat up and said in a hoarse voice: "Uncle, the little girl is innocent, Hua Wuyin has already said so, please let her go!"

  Ming Gui sneered and said, "I dont believe in this woman. When she was young, in order to seize the power of Tianji Palace, she seduced me and the other seven people in every way possible, making it seem like anyone could marry her. As soon as she saw that person, she would throw us aside. San Qiu, ah San Qiu, your intelligence is not weak, but your heart is not ruthless enough. Ha! This doesnt matter, you are just a pawn of mine. You didnt become the Palace Master, but defeating Hua Qingyuan fulfilled my wish. Now that things are done, youre no longer useful!"

  Ming Sanqiu heard this, and suddenly felt dizzy: "He painstakingly taught me for thirty years, but treated me as a disposable chess piece." A sharp pain struck his chest, and a mouthful of blood spurted out, splashing the ground.

  Ming Guis eyebrows twitched, his worries flashing and disappearing in an instant, almost no one noticed. Hua Wu saw him so ruthless, suddenly a spark flashed in her mind, and she cried out: "I know, Autumn Mountain didnt kill himself, he...he died at your hands!" Ming Gui was taken aback, blinked, and suddenly burst into laughter: "Good job, Hua Wu, how did you guess?" As soon as these words came out, the crowd erupted in shock, Tong Zhu and others were terrified.

  Hua Wuyans face remained calm, but her voice was cold as she said, "Over the years, Qiushan has confessed to me multiple times. Humph, he is the most infatuated person under the sky, and also the biggest coward. I have rejected him many times, yet he never attempted to take his own life. That day when he came to see me, although his behavior was rude and I scolded him away, given his weak temperament, its unlikely that he would have had the guts to end his own life..." As she spoke, Hua Wuyans voice slightly choked. Qiushans deep affection for her did move her, but her strong personality never allowed her to reveal her emotions in public.

  Ming returned with a nod and a smile: "Well said. Qiushan is weak and incompetent, but when it comes to stirring up trouble, hes a perfect pawn. That day I told him that I heard you mention having intentions towards him, the fool was overjoyed, and immediately went to find you. Ha! The result was a disappointment, I knew he would drown his sorrows in wine after being rejected, so I took a step ahead and added some rhodamine B to his drink. And then... haha, you know what happened!" He laughed loudly, very pleased with himself. Before he finished speaking, the atmosphere on Lingtai had already become turbulent, Tong Zhuang was filled with shame and anger, his chest in severe pain, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

  Ming Gui ignored the jeers and laughter of the crowd, his hands holding Xiao Feng as he walked forward. The crowd was afraid to stop him, fearing his revenge. Ling Feng Juns heart was like a knife, and she burst into loud sobs. Wu Chang Qing angrily shouted: "Ming Gui, if anything happens to Feng Er, Ill chop you into ten thousand pieces!" Ming Gui remained silent, walking forward with an air of pride.

  Liang Xiao suddenly picked up the treasure sword and stepped forward, standing across the road. Ming Guis face sank, coldly saying: "What do you want to do?" Liang Xiao put the sword aside his waist, taking big strides forward, he had just defeated Ming Sanqiu, and the remaining prestige was still there. Ming Gui couldnt help but take a step back, grasping Huaxiao Xues neck, laughing: "You take another step, everyone will perish together." Hua Qingyuan hastily said: "Liang Xiao, dont be rash!"

  Liang Xiao stopped in his tracks, his eyes fixed on Hua Xiaoshuangs face. Hua Xiaoshuang was also looking at him, her eyes shining with tears. The two of them locked gazes for a moment, then Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Ming Lao, Ill make a deal with you!" Ming Gui replied coldly: "What kind of deal?" Liang Xiao said: "You let Xiaoshuang go! Ill be your hostage instead!" As soon as he spoke, everyone was shocked.

  Ming Gui didnt believe that such a good thing could happen in the world, thinking that Liang Xiao was just being deceitful. He shook his head and said, "You little brat, youre trying to trick me? Hmph, its still ten years too early!" Liang Xiao burst out laughing, clapped his palm on his chest, and fresh blood spurted out of his mouth.

  A few cries of surprise rose from the crowd, and Hua Xiao Shuang called out: "Xiao Gege, you... what are you doing?" Liang Xiao endured the pain and smiled wryly, saying in a hoarse voice: "Ming Lao Er, if Xiao Shuang were to suddenly fall ill, even holding onto a dead person would be useless. Now that Im severely injured, I wont be able to use any of my cunning or martial arts skills. You can catch me without taking any risk." The crowd was stunned into silence. Hua Xiao Shuangs tears rolled around in her eyes and slid down her snowy white cheeks.

  Hua Qingyuans heart was anxious, and he loudly shouted: "Liang Xiao, dont be stubborn, come back quickly!" He took two steps forward, stretched out his hand to grab him, but Liang Xiao dodged, Hua Qingyuan grasped at thin air, and seeing him approach Minggui, his anxiety grew.

  Ming Gui looked clearly, Liang Xiaos palm was indeed heavily injured, and for a moment he turned several ideas, sneered and said: "Good!" He reached out to take his pulse. Liang Xiao withdrew his hand and took a step back, saying loudly: "If you catch me, how can you let Xiaoxuan go?"

  Ming Guis eyes rolled, and he smiled: "Alright, I swear to heaven, one for one, absolutely no cheating. If anyone goes back on their word, they will be punished by heaven and earth, and die under the chaotic arrows and guns!" Liang Xiao nodded and said: "Alright!" As he spoke, he took a step forward. The three of them were extremely close, and the crowd couldnt intervene. Hua Xiaoxues face was streaming with tears, repeatedly saying: "Dont come... dont..." Before she could finish speaking, Ming Gui stretched out his hand, grabbed Liang Xiao, and laughed loudly: "Ive sworn an oath, do you believe me?"

  Everyone was shocked. Qin Bo Fu sternly said: "Ming Gui, even if you are no better than a pig or dog, you wouldnt deceive a young man of over ten years, would you?" He spoke without intention, but the listener had a motive. Ming Guis face remained calm, while Hua Wu Hens old face turned hot, and she glanced at him. The others felt indignant, shouting and scolding, while Ming Gui grasped the facts, his heart certain, laughing loudly: "Youngster, youre helping this sickly girl so much, could it be that you like her? Ha! I didnt expect that despite your young age, youre a lovesick fool, just like a crane in autumn mountains!"

  Liang Xiao shook his head and said, "I only know that Xiaoxue treated me with a true heart, and I also treated her with a true heart." His words were sincere and heartfelt. Hua Xiaoxue stared at him blankly, as if she had lost her senses. Hua Qingyuan, despite his calm temperament, was furious and shouted, "Minggui, do you not fear heavenly punishment or destruction?" Minggui sneered, "Heaven and earth are nothing but a fart! You can scold all you want, little beast. Two people are more stable than one. Killing one still leaves the other!" With that, he grabbed Erxiao and strode down from the spiritual platform.

  Hua Qingyuans eyes widened as he entered the "Two Instruments Phantom Dust Array", helpless and flailing about, exclaiming: "What to do, what to do?!" He spun around in circles, like an ant on a hot skillet. Hua Wuyue furrowed her brow and said: "Stop panicking, youre the master of this palace, how can you fall into chaos at a critical moment?" She turned around and ordered the crowd, "Activate the palaces central axis, reverse the Two Instruments Phantom Dust Array."

  Hua Qingyuan was taken aback and exclaimed, "If thats the case, wont Xiaoer and Xiaoxue be in danger?" Hua Wuyan shook her head and sighed softly, "Theres only one chance left. Since Minggui cant escape from Tianji Palace for now, he wont harm the two children for the time being. Letting him escape is whats truly dangerous. If the three of them get trapped in the formation for a long time, with Liang Xiaos cleverness, there might be a glimmer of hope." Hua Qingyuan felt it made sense and hurriedly went to activate the mechanism.

  Ming Gui had been walking in the stone array for many years and was very familiar with it. At this time, he urgently wanted to escape and walked as fast as the wind. After walking for about two miles, he suddenly felt that something was wrong. He looked around and found that the stone array had been reversed. He couldnt help but curse loudly: "Flowerless this stinky old woman!" He knew very well that only Huā Wú Jiàn in Tiān Jī Gōng could come up with such a treacherous move. For a moment, he lost his composure and scolded her loudly. Huā Xiǎo Shuāng felt uncomfortable listening to him and covered her ears with her hands.

  Ming Gui scolded for a while, then suddenly fell silent, glanced at Liang Xiao and coldly said: "Little kid, dont think about taking advantage of the situation to play tricks?" He turned his hand and pressed Xiaofengs acupuncture point, put it aside, grabbed Liang Xiaos back with his left hand, broke off a branch with his right hand, and drew an array on the ground.

  The stone array suddenly changed, sometimes forward and sometimes backward, the changes were endless. The stone statues in the array had never changed, so a clever mathematician could still deduce the entire arrays changes through one statue. Ming returned to his body trapped in "Assassins Domain", his heart was burning with anxiety, he stared at a statue of "Yu Rang hiding in the cold" and calculated with all his might.

  Yuan Yang was a person from the Jin state during the Spring and Autumn period. He hid in a toilet to assassinate Zhao Xiangzi in revenge for his master Zhi Bo, but failed and was captured. However, Zhao Xiangzi was also a magnanimous person who believed that Yuan Yang was loyal to his former master, so he released him. Later, Yuan Yang attempted to assassinate Zhao Xiangzi twice more, but both times he failed. The last time, surrounded by soldiers and horses, he refused to yield and killed himself with his sword. In this "Assassins Mound", all the statues of righteous assassins are like this, each one full of energy waiting to be unleashed, their momentum extremely fierce.

  For a moment, there was silence. Liang Xiao looked at Hua Xiao Xue and saw that her eyes were brimming with tears as she stared at him steadily. He gave her a faint smile. Seeing his smiling face, Hua Xiao Xues heart warmed up and she felt relieved.

  Ming Gui raised his eyes and saw, coldly smiling: "You two are exchanging flirtatious glances, but this is not the time." The two of them felt their faces burning with shame, each lowering their heads. Ming Gui coldly smiled again, lowered his head to recalculate, when suddenly he heard Liang Xiao say: "The calculation is wrong." Ming Gui cursed out loud: "Nonsense!" But then thought: "This kids math skills are impressive, maybe it really is wrong." He thought and turned back to re-calculate, indeed finding the mistake, two steps off. For a moment, he was suspicious and uncertain, darkly smiling: "Little brat, you dare to point out my mistakes, arent you afraid that once I get out of this stone array, Ill be the first to take revenge on you?" Liang Xiao smiled: "Either way were dead, but before dying, teasing you a bit is also a pleasant thing."

  Ming Guis heart was filled with doubts, and he stared at him for a long time, but couldnt see anything out of the ordinary. However, he calculated his position and finally felt relieved, letting out a long laugh. Just as he was about to get up, he suddenly felt Liang Xiaos arm rise, and his elbow struck his own waist. Ming Gui thought he must have been seriously injured, but unexpectedly, he could still struggle, and his heart was filled with shock and anger. He quickly pressed the vital point on Liang Xiaos back. At that moment, a chill ran down his spine, and a fierce killing intent surged forth. Ming Guis heart skipped a beat: "Trouble, theres an ambush!" He urgently wanted to turn around, but Liang Xiao took advantage of the opportunity to exert force, letting out a loud shout as he broke free from Ming Guis palm.

  He returned to a divided god, lost the hostage, and was greatly anxious in his heart. However, the killing intent behind him was strong, and he had no choice but to turn back to resist. Who would have thought that when he turned around, there wasnt even a ghost shadow behind him? There was only a stone statue slowly moving forward, kneeling and holding a fish. It was a statue of Zhuan Zhu. Zhuan Zhu was a great assassin of the Wu state during the Spring and Autumn period. He had once hidden a short sword in a crucian carp and assassinated King Liao of Wu. This statue held a tray and crouched down, with its short sword about to emerge, its aura fierce and strange.

  Ming Guis eyes widened in surprise: "Could it be that Im too tense and having hallucinations?" He quickly turned around, only to see Liang Xiao holding Xiao Feng and jumping towards the stone statue of Yan Guo assassin Gao Jianli. Ming Guis anger rose from his heart, and he shouted loudly: "You little scoundrel, where are you escaping to?" He chased after them hastily, but Liang Xiao was injured and carrying someone, so his footsteps were slow. Just as Ming Gui was about to catch up, Liang Xiao turned around and made a move with his spear, "Dance of the Suns Fury".

  Ming Gui caught up and saw Liang Xiaos back, immediately stretching out his hand to grab him. This "Flying Swan Claw" had not been used enough, when a strong killing intent came rushing over, causing Ming Guis hair to stand on end. He hastily stopped his momentum, using all his strength to jump backwards. As a result, the power of the "Flying Swan Claw" was greatly reduced, and his middle finger only grazed Xiao Fengs right leg, bringing up a streak of blood.

  Ming Gui took two steps back, his heart racing wildly as he shouted: "What kind of ghostly trickery is this?" But no one answered. He turned around the stone statue, but didnt see anyone, only a stone statue with its left hand holding a map and its right hand holding a dagger, looking sideways with an intense gaze, just like Jing Kes assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang. The carving of Jing Ke was so lifelike, his eyes piercing and sharp as a hawk swooping down on a rabbit. Ming Gui locked eyes with the statue, knowing it was just an inanimate object, yet he didnt feel any chill in his heart. Having encountered strange events one after another, he was already extremely puzzled, when suddenly he saw Liang Xiao and Hua Xiao Shuang appear from behind another stone statue. Ming Gui quickly rushed over, but found no one behind the statue, only empty space.

  Liang Xiao carried Hua Xiao Feng and ran out for over 300 steps, suddenly he couldnt hold on anymore, fell to the ground, and spat out two mouthfuls of blood. Hua Xiao Feng supported herself as she rolled down from his back, anxiously saying: "Xiao Gege, are you seriously injured?" Before she finished speaking, tears had already rolled out. Liang Xiao gasped for breath and laughed, saying: "Its nothing." He stretched out his hand into his bosom, pulled out a seal, "Look, my palm strike all landed on this seal." Hua Xiao Feng was both shocked and delighted, only to see the red seal cracked, being grasped by Liang Xiao, instantly shattering into four or five pieces.

  Liang Xiao secretly sighed, "What a pity, I had to make it look more severe in order to deceive Old Man Ming." It turned out that he took advantage of the distraction when everyone was talking and poured away the ink from his inkstone, hiding it in his clothes. He pretended to slap himself, intentionally injuring his own palm, in order to lure Minggui into capturing him, so they could travel together and wait for an opportunity to rescue Xiaoxing.

  Fortunately, Minggui caught two people and did not seal their acupoints in order to walk quickly. Along the way, Liang Xiao remained calm and continued to plan in his heart. When they entered the assassins territory, he pretended to correct Mingguis wrong step count, letting the old fox relax his mind. As soon as he saw the stone statue approaching Mingguis back, he made a move with "Zhu Hais Mallet Swing". According to the stone array position, after this move "Zhu Hais Mallet Swing", it was exactly the next move "Zhuan Zhus Fish Offering".

  Liang Xiao was caught off guard by Ming Gui, but he managed to execute "Zhu Hais Mallet Swing". Originally, it would have been difficult to change moves again. However, Liang Xiao grasped the timing perfectly and only then did he make his move. The stone statue had already moved in response, echoing the previous move, and took its place, executing the move "Zhuan Zhus Fish Offering" on behalf of Liang Xiao. As the statue made its move, a killing aura was born, and Ming Guis attention was diverted for a moment, allowing Liang Xiao to slip out from under his control.

  Later, Ming Gui caught up, and Liang Xiao used his old trick again, making a move called "Wu Yang Feng Ji". "Wu Yang Feng Ji", "Jian Li Ji Zhu", and "Tu Qiong Bi Xian" were originally three linked moves, completed in one breath. After using "Wu Yang Feng Ji", Liang Xiao retreated to the back of Gao Jianlis stone statue, and the stone array rotated tirelessly. The two stone statues of Gao Jianli and Jing Ke moved forward, perfectly substituting for him to create the next two moves. Although they were just stone statues, relying on the extraordinary aura and heroic spirit of these two great heroes who had been renowned for thousands of years, they still managed to intimidate Ming Gui. Who would have thought that back then, Hua Liu Shui set up eight hundred stone statues with the intention of passing down martial arts, but hundreds of years later, his successor from a different generation would cleverly use these stone statues to shock and awe a powerful enemy.

  Liang Xiaos breathing had stabilized, and he lowered his head to see that Hua Xiao Xues pant leg was stained with deep red blood. He took a closer look and saw that her calf had a long and deep gash. Hua Xiao Xue had been too frightened earlier to feel the pain, but now she couldnt help but let out a **. Liang Xiao sealed off her bleeding, tore off his shirt to bandage it, when suddenly he felt a jolt, turned around, and stared with wide eyes.

  Hua Xiao Shuang saw his strange expression, followed his gaze, and found that the road was dotted with bloodstains. Her face lost its color, and as they stared at each other, they could both hear each others heartbeat.

  The bloodstain was like a signpost, and Ming Guis thoughts were cunning, not missing this clue. As time passed by the minute, the crisis drew near, and Hua Xiao Shuang hesitated for a moment before speaking up: "Xiao Gege, you go first, Ming Gui will use me to coerce Dad, he definitely wont harm me." On the surface she was calm, but in her heart she was bitter and hard to speak, and before she finished speaking, tears welled up in her eyes.

  Liang Xiao nodded and said, "Alright!" Hua Xiao Shuang had thought of sacrificing herself, but deep down she still hoped Liang Xiao would come up with a clever plan to save her. She didnt expect Liang Xiaos response to be so crisp. Before she could react, Liang Xiao pointed at her and she felt a numbness in her chest, unable to move. Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked and tried to ask what was happening, but her breath was stuck in her throat and she couldnt speak.

  Liang Xiao took off Hua Xiao Fengs outer garment, picked up a withered branch, and covered the garment over it. Hua Xiao Feng suddenly realized what was happening, wanting to shout but unable to make a sound, wanting to stop him but unable to lift even one finger. Liang Xiao looked at her deeply, squatted down, and smiled: "Stay here quietly." Suddenly seeing tears streaming down Hua Xiao Fengs face, he also felt his eyes burning, and forced a smile as he said: "Xiao Feng, will you promise me something?"

  Hua Xiao Shuangs tears had blurred her vision, and she could hardly see Liang Xiaos figure. She only understood in her heart that this farewell might be their last goodbye. For a moment, she wished she were dead. Just then, Liang Xiao whispered in her ear, "No matter what, you must live well!" Every word Hua Xiao Shuang heard tore her heart apart, and the pain was unprecedented. Her chest churned with emotions as tears gushed out.

  Distant footsteps echoed, Liang Xiao knew a strong enemy was approaching. He looked up and saw the western sunset had fallen, the eastern sky was bright with a crescent moon, time passed quickly, it was already dusk.

  Ming Gui rushed along the trail of blood, suddenly hearing footsteps, his heart leapt with joy, and he quickly pounced forward. However, he saw a stone statue with a fluttering white robe, which was indeed Hua Xiao Shuangs attire. He was well-versed in calculations, and Hua Wu Hens Inverse Turning Array could only catch him off guard. Since he had already grasped the layout, it couldnt trap him either. At this moment, he sneered coldly in his heart and pursued closely.

  Liang Xiao walked around the formation for hundreds of steps, only to feel dizzy and weak, with his energy dwindling. After the battle at Lingtai, he was severely injured, and then he had cut off his own palm, adding insult to injury, dragging on until now, relying solely on a fierce and ruthless bloodlust. He ran a few more steps, tripped, and fell to the ground. Hearing Mingguis loud laughter, he knew he couldnt escape his fate, and laughed too: "Fine, take it!" Summoning his last bit of strength, he threw a withered branch at Minggui.

  Ming Gui saw the withered branch coming, and knew he was in trouble. With a loud shout, he shattered it with one palm. "You little brat, youre courting death!" He pounced forward, his right hand forming a claw aimed at his opponents face. "Where is Little Xiao?" he growled menacingly. Liang Xiaos mouth was bleeding profusely, but his heart was filled with joy. Ming Gui saw the mocking smile on his face and grew even angrier. Just as he was about to grab him, he heard a series of footsteps approaching, sounding like multiple people were rushing over.

  Ming returned with a changed expression, slightly hesitating, retracting his claws and dragging Liang Xiao towards the outside of the formation.

  After walking for half a time, they finally got out of the array. Minggui ate a lesson and gained wisdom, sealed several acupoints on Liang Xiaos body, and followed him to walk near the cliff. After opening the grass, it was a stone cave. Liang Xiao saw him pulling out a thousand-mile boat from the stone cave and couldnt help but praise: "Ming Lao, you have foreknowledge, and you have planned to escape!" His tone was sarcastic, but Minggui didnt get angry, and said lightly: "Little boy, Ill teach you a trick. A cunning rabbit has three burrows, and it must have a winning strategy, but also leave a way out." Liang Xiao laughed and said: "Ive learned from you!" Minggui gave him a cold glance, thinking to himself: "You can laugh for now, but later Ill teach you how to cry!" He pulled the boat into the water, threw Liang Xiao into the cabin, manipulated the dragons horn, and slowly sailed downstream.

  Suddenly, Liang Xiao turned his head to look back and saw that there were several black shadows behind the boat. He knew that the crowd had discovered Mingguis whereabouts and was chasing after them by boat. He couldnt help but think: "I dont know if Xiaoxues hole has been solved or not? She is weak and doesnt understand the stone array method, what if she gets trapped in the array and falls ill?" Just as he was thinking this, everything went black before his eyes. The Thousand Mile Boat sailed past a small lake and entered the Cai Bei Gorge. Liang Xiao saw that the waterway was nearly half blocked and couldnt help but feel annoyed, bursting into loud curses.

  Just scolded a few words, Minggui threw the dragon horn and turned around. Liang Xiao thought he was going to take action against himself, and his heart sank involuntarily. Unexpectedly, Minggui took out a fishing rod from under the deck, grabbed Liang Xiao, tore off his sleeve to stuff his mouth, and then swung his hand, casting the hook upwards.

  Liang Xiao only heard the wind whistling in his ears, and his body suddenly rose into the air. The Caibei Gorge was narrow and steep, with no moonlight shining through. Ming Gui probed with his foot to the left of the gorge, pushed off, and rose more than ten feet high, swaying gently before falling onto the right wall. He then pushed off again from the right wall, rising another twenty feet high, before falling towards the left wall of the gorge.

  He used the same method as Tong Zhulis climbing companion, Feng. After swaying left and right seven times, he had already ascended to the top of the gorge. The gorge was pitch black, without a glimpse of daylight, and it was unknown whether the four thousand-mile ships behind had returned with the golden cicada shedding its shell or were drifting with the current, chasing after the empty ship. As they passed below the two men, Liang Xiao intermittently heard Hua Xiaoshengs crying voice, and he couldnt help but let out a breath of air, feeling as if a huge stone had fallen from his heart.

  Ming Gui reeled in the fishing rod, gazing at the distant boats shadow with a cold smile. Liang Xiao knew that all hope was lost and couldnt help but feel disheartened. Ming Gui dragged him along for a while before suddenly stopping and throwing him to the ground with a fierce laugh: "You stinky little brat, do you have anything else to say?" Liang Xiao resigned himself to death, closing his eyes and remaining silent. But then he heard Ming Guis laughter: "However, its easy for you to live too. Ill ask you, what exactly happened in the stone array when you escaped? Where did that killing intent come from? If you tell me, Ill spare your life."

  Liang Xiao snorted, turning his head away without answering. Ming Guis face flashed with a hint of anger, and he laughed loudly: "Ill ask you again, where did you learn this martial art from? And who taught you the Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm?"

  Liang Xiao remained silent, while Ming Gui was furious. He lifted his foot and kicked Liang Xiaos temple, but as soon as he did, he hesitated. He thought to himself: "No matter what, I must get this kid to reveal the secrets of the Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm. In the future, when I encounter that person again, Ill be able to find a way to defeat him!" He had suffered greatly at the hands of the Three Talents Returning to the Origin Palm in the past and had been brooding about it for years, eager to learn the secrets of the palm technique. After hesitating for a moment, he thought again: "This kid is hot-headed and strong-willed; forcing him wont work. I need to use gentle persuasion and deception to slowly get him to reveal his thoughts." He turned his ideas over in his mind several times, then let out a soft sigh and sat down under a large fallen tree, smiling as he said: "Little devil, do you really like the sickly daughter of the Hua family?" Liang Xiao grunted and coldly replied: "None of your business!"

  Ming Gui smiled and said, "Youre considered to have transcended the ordinary and entered the realm of the saints, your martial arts future is boundless, and youre still quite handsome. As long as youre willing, the worlds famous flowers are yours for the picking; the worlds beauties are yours to get close to. Once you understand the joys of women, what does that sickly little girl amount to?"

  Liang Xiao said calmly, "Your attempts to stir up trouble are useless. Xiaoshuang is my best friend, and I would die for her without regret." Ming Gui stared at him for a moment, then sighed and said, "Young man, you dont know this, but women with the surname Hua are all spider spirits. Have you seen a spider?" Liang Xiao replied, "I have."

  Ming returned with a sigh: "After the male and female spiders mate, the female spider eats the male spider, the female spider gives birth to young spiders, and the young spiders eat their mother. In the year that Yuanmao passed away, Hua Wuyans sister and brother were left alone and helpless, relying on me to support Hua Wuyan in taking the position of palace master. Who knew that after she was firmly seated in her position, she would use every means to squeeze me out? I have spent most of my life guarding a single spirit platform. Tell me! Is she not a spider?"

  Liang Xiao shook his head and said, "Xiao Feng is different." Ming Gui sneered, "In the past, Hua Wuying was not pretending to be pitiful, deceiving peoples tears, this skill is ten times better than Bing Niang. Look at her now, what kind of person has she become?" Liang Xiao remained silent, thinking: "This is true. Hua Wuying used Tianji Shisan to calculate me, it was really sinister."

  Ming Gui was lost in thought, gazing in the direction of Tianji Palace with an uncertain expression. After a while, he turned his head and said solemnly: "Young man, you are a genius, if you join hands with me, with our combined talents, what is Tianji Palace? Even the throne of the Song Dynasty may not be impossible to take. I am over 60 years old, my time is limited, in the future, who will dominate the world but you?" Liang Xiao was surprised by his words, but he was young and arrogant, and Ming Guis flattery made him feel a little proud.

  Ming Gui saw him moved, and said: "Young man, a real man must not be humble under others. He must do something earth-shaking!" As he spoke, he opened up Liang Xiaos acupoints. "Now that you are out of danger, if you want to follow me, I will naturally be delighted; if you want to leave, I wont stop you." This was beyond Liang Xiaos expectation. He looked at Ming Gui for a long time, frowned and said: "No, you must have some trick!"

  Ming Gui smiled and said, "I can kill you as easily as turning my hand over. What need is there for clever tricks? To be honest, I think youre a talented person. San Qiu is far inferior to you. I just love talent!" Liang Xiao said, "Arent you saying that San Qiu is just a pawn? Hmph, am I also your pawn?"

  Ming Gui smiled coldly and said, "Can ordinary people understand the mind of an old man like me?" Liang Xiao was taken aback, but then suddenly realized and said, "I see, the more you say this, the more Ming Sanqiu will hate you. The more he hates you, the less likely Hua Wuyan will make things difficult for him, and maybe shell even reuse him to deal with you!" Ming Sanqiu smiled slightly, but didnt respond.

  Liang Xiao thought to himself, "Old Ming is cunning, but compared to my own abilities, Im not afraid of him!" For a moment, he was full of confidence and said, "Fine, I dont want to stay here either. Lets travel together, itll be nice to have some company!" Ming Guis eyes sparkled with amusement as he smiled and said, "Good kid, youre indeed not a pushover..." He suddenly stopped talking and perked up his ears, listening intently, as if he had heard something. With a raised eyebrow, he grabbed Liang Xiao and took off in a sprint through the mountains of Baozhang. They didnt stop until dawn broke. Along the way, Ming Gui slipped away for a moment, claiming to catch some wild game, but in reality, he was secretly observing Liang Xiao, making sure he hadnt escaped. With his mind at ease, he still didnt dare stray far and used rocks to hunt two wild chickens, which they roasted and shared. Fearing exposure, Ming Gui deliberately took a circuitous route through the rugged terrain, but fortunately, his skills were deep, and with Liang Xiao in tow, they traversed mountains and valleys with incredible agility.