398: Chapter 397 Bai Ruoxue hides in a cave, Si Hongxiao enters the deep pool alone.

At this moment, in a hidden rock cave behind the mountain of Zhuilong Valley.

Bai Ruoxue sat inside with a gloomy expression, meditating to regulate her breathing and slowly recover the True Qi in her body.

"Damn it!" Feeling her nearly depleted True Qi, Bai Ruoxue's face was dark—those seven from the Si Family had forced her to use a Forbidden Technique. Although she eventually killed those seven, the backlash from the Forbidden Technique was severe! It caused her Realm to drop directly from Peak Anjin to Late-stage Anjin. She had intended to kill Zhao Lintai and then flee this place, but who knew that the Black Python would be so persistent, disrupting her plan at the last moment.

However, fortunately, that boy Zhao Lintai was dragged into the swamp by the Black Python; he should be dead by now, which counts as completing the task assigned by her Godfather.

After shaking off the pursuit of the Armed Police Force, she had intended to recover some True Qi and then break out under the cover of night. Unexpectedly, the Dragon Country military acted extremely quickly; before she could escape Zhuilong Valley, the military had already arrived.

She looked down the mountain through a crevice in the rocks; the entire Zhuilong Valley was illuminated as bright as day by searchlights. Soldiers with live ammunition stood guard every three steps and sentry every five; in the sky, several armed helicopters circled back and forth; at the foot of the mountain, a long line of armed transport vehicles and armored cars stretched beyond the horizon.

Fortunately, this rock crevice on the back mountain was quite hidden. Unless those soldiers risked their lives to search inch by inch along the mountain cliffs, even if the Dragon Country military truly turned the mountain upside down, they wouldn't find her.

"Sigh, it's just that under the current circumstances, it's impossible to leave here." Bai Ruoxue sighed helplessly; this trip to the Southwest was truly a heavy loss!

"Yaoyao—! Mr. Qin—! Where are you?"

Just then, from the top of the mountain, shouts rang out like claps of thunder.

Bai Ruoxue's heart tightened, and she instinctively held her breath—someone from the Si Family had come looking! She didn't know if that Si Family girl was dead; if she was, she had truly caused a huge mess this time. If this provoked a confrontation between the Southwest Si Family and Hongmen, it wouldn't be easy for Hongmen to do anything to Dragon Country in the future.

However, things had come to this, and regret was useless. It was that girl's own fault for blocking the attack for Qin Yi; she deserved to die!

...

In the Si Family Old Residence, Si Hongjun and his son accompanied Si Zhengxiong. The three stood before an ancient tree, gazing at the distant Zhuilong Valley, which was as bright as day.

"Old Master, it's late, and the mountain wind is strong. Why don't you go back to the house and rest? Wenruo and I will stay here; if there's any news, we'll report to you immediately," Si Hongjun said with a look of concern, while giving Si Wenruo a meaningful look.

"Yes, Grandpa, let me help you back?" As Si Wenruo spoke, he reached out to support Si Zhengxiong's arm.

"If Yaoyao isn't found, how can I rest in peace! If you're tired, go back; don't worry about me!" Si Zhengxiong raised his hand in refusal, his eyes fixed on the direction of Zhuilong Valley.

"Old Master, set your mind at ease. With so many people searching in the mountains and Hongxiao having arrived at the summit, I believe there will be news soon," Si Hongjun advised.

As they were speaking, the phone in Si Zhengxiong's hand suddenly rang, and the three of them immediately became tense.

Si Zhengxiong hurriedly answered: "This is Si Zhengxiong. Is there news of Yaoyao?"

"Family Head, we haven't found the Young Miss yet. However, Brother Bin and the six people who entered the mountain with him have been found." At this point, the voice on the other end paused for a moment, and the tone became somewhat heavy, "Family Head, those six have been killed. Brother Bin is heavily injured and in shock; he has been taken away by a rescue helicopter from the Southwest Military Region. The situation may not be optimistic."

With a "boom," Si Zhengxiong felt the world spinning, and his body staggered backward.

Si Hongjun was quick and agile, catching the Old Master's back to prevent him from falling to the ground.

Si Zhengxiong's chest heaved violently, a breath of foul air stuck in his throat. It took a long while before he coughed it out, his voice full of suppressed grief: "I understand! Immediately bring back the remains of our slain clansmen!"

"Yes!"

Hanging up the phone, Si Zhengxiong suddenly grabbed Si Hongjun's wrist and sternly ordered: "Call the Southwest Military Region immediately! I want to know Hongbin's current condition!"

Si Hongjun quickly complied. Si Wenruo stepped forward, gently rubbing the Old Master's back, his eyes red: "Grandpa, please take care of your health. Yaoyao will surely be fine, and Brother Bin will definitely pull through."

Si Zhengxiong looked toward Zhuilong Valley, a fierce light bursting from his clouded eyes: "Zhao Lintai! Bai Ruoxue! You dare to murder my Si Family disciples; I will surely tear you into ten thousand pieces!"

...

In the mountain top cave, the rope made a "sizzling" sound as it rubbed against the rock wall. Si Hongxiao slid down the rope, his eyes scanning the marks on the wall—the grooves carved by a dagger were new, and the scattered rubble still had unmelted frost on it.

He reached out to touch these marks, and a flash of joy immediately appeared in his eyes, followed by deep concern—it seemed his direction was correct; the Young Miss and Mr. Qin must have been here!

"Yaoyao—! Mr. Qin—!"

Si Hongxiao shouted toward the depths of the cave; there was no response, only the echoes of his own voice drifting back and forth.

Si Hongxiao accelerated his descent. The further down he went, the more frequent the signs of fighting on the rock walls became, and he could even see splattered blood. His heart tightened more and more, and his movements became increasingly urgent.

Suddenly, the rope stopped with a "click"—it wasn't long enough.

The winding rock path was a hundred meters below, and further down was the bottomless pool of water.

Si Hongxiao gritted his teeth and circulated the Si Family's secret technique, the 'Swimming Dragon Movement Technique.' He tapped his feet against the rock wall and, using the elasticity of the rope, swung toward the rock path like a swallow.

Landing steadily on the rock path, he continued to explore downward along the cave's path; at the end was that deep pool.

Si Hongxiao looked around; no one was there, only the pool water gurgling with white mist.

Si Hongxiao became increasingly worried—could it be that Yaoyao and Mr. Qin were knocked into this pool by that woman?

Thinking of this, Si Hongxiao steeled his heart, took a deep breath, and dived into the pool.

Although the pool water emitted white mist, it was exceptionally bone-chillingly cold. Just after diving a few meters, a strange suction suddenly attacked. Si Hongxiao felt dizzy, his True Qi instantly became chaotic, and he lost consciousness as his vision went black.

...

At the same time, in the karst cave, the red vertical pupils of the Black Python, which was currently conserving its strength, suddenly contracted. As if sensing something, its massive body immediately dropped from the Dragon Head Stalactite and quickly moved toward the cave entrance.