142: A web of secrets unfolds, and hidden currents converge.

Jun Xiaoyao's study was so quiet one could hear the sound of the hourglass flowing. His fingertip toyed with an entirely black chess piece, upon which the characters “The Net” were outlined in gold thread. This was the highest token of a Luowang Assassins—the holder of this piece could mobilize all of The Net's hidden agents.

“Zhao Gao.” He didn't lift his head, his gaze fixed on the Continental Power Distribution Map before him. His fingertip traced the three gilt characters “Kunlun Ruins,” which he had already marked with a vermillion cross. “How many recent missions accepted by The Net involve subsidiary forces of the Kunlun Ruins?”

Zhao Gao walked in, holding a thick Ledger covered in densely packed mission records arranged by date. He flipped to the latest page, bowed, and replied, “Reporting to Young Lord, The Net has accepted seven missions related to the Kunlun Ruins in the past three days. Three involve assassinating the managers of businesses supported by the Kunlun Ruins, two involve stealing the Mine Distribution Map of mines under the Kunlun Ruins, and the remaining two...” He paused, lowering his voice slightly, “were commissioned by internal members of the Kunlun Ruins, seeking to ascertain the exact casualties of the ‘Soul Severing Cliff Battle.’”

Jun Xiaoyao’s lips curved slightly. He placed the black chess piece on the “Black Market” location on the map: “Accept those two internal commissions.” His fingertip tapped lightly on the word “casualties.” “Tell the client to double the price, and guarantee the authenticity of the information—say that our people have infiltrated the Kunlun Ruins’ Wounded Soldier Camp.”

“Double the price?” Zhao Gao was slightly surprised. “Although the people of the Kunlun Ruins are wealthy, their internal relations are not harmonious. Doubling the price might lead to...”

“They will pay,” Jun Xiaoyao interrupted, his tone certain. “Anyone checking casualties at this time either wants to seize power or wants an excuse to retaliate against us. Whichever it is, they need exact information, and they are willing to spend the money.” He looked up at Zhao Gao. “Have The Net’s agents pay attention; when making contact, deliberately expose a flaw, letting them believe they can follow the vine to find The Net’s headquarters.”

Zhao Gao immediately understood: “Is Young Lord trying to lure them here?”

“Luring a few small fry is meaningless.” Jun Xiaoyao picked up another white chess piece inscribed with “The Unruly.” “Have the Marshal of the Unruly cooperate and release news that The Net’s core base is in the ‘Misty Forest.’” He placed the white piece on the area of the map shrouded in thick fog. “If the Kunlun Ruins sends people to investigate, have The Unruly ‘intercept’ them, keep them alive; I want to know the Kunlun Ruins’ trump cards.”

Zhao Gao bowed in assent, but just as he reached the door, Jun Xiaoyao called him back.

“Oh, right,” Jun Xiaoyao said, looking at “Medicine King Valley” on the map. “Have Elder Yao prepare some ‘Bone-Corroding Powder.’ It is colorless and odorless; a small amount will cause Spiritual Power Disorder in anyone below the Grandmaster Realm. It will be perfect for testing the mettle of those Disciples from the Kunlun Ruins.”

Two days later, on the outskirts of the Misty Forest.

Thirty elite Disciples of the Kunlun Ruins were cautiously traversing the woods. Leading them was Ling Changfeng, Ling Yunxiao’s cousin, who possessed Initial Heaven Human Realm cultivation, and had come with the order to “find The Net’s headquarters and capture the leader alive.”

“The Young Master of the Ruins said that if we can’t capture them alive, dead is acceptable too,” Ling Changfeng whispered to the Disciples behind him. “Stay alert. The Net’s people are said to be skilled at concealment. Report any anomaly immediately.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a chime of bells suddenly sounded ahead, clear and pleasant, yet eerily strange in the silent forest. A Disciple couldn't resist going forward to check, finding a small red bell hanging on a tree with a note tied beneath it: “Looking for The Net? Go deeper.”

“Is it a trap?” a Disciple hesitated.

Ling Changfeng snorted coldly: “What are you afraid of? Are thirty of us afraid of them? Move.”

The deeper they went into the forest, the thicker the fog became, reducing visibility to less than five feet. Suddenly, a Disciple screamed, clutching his leg and collapsing onto the ground. His spiritual power was running wild inside him, and his face instantly turned pale.

“It’s Bone-Corroding Powder!” Ling Changfeng’s expression changed drastically. “Be on guard!”

Just then, the voice of the Marshal of the Unruly came from the thick fog, cold and harsh behind the Bronze Mask: “Little brats from the Kunlun Ruins, you have some nerve to trespass on my territory.”

“The Unruly?!” Ling Changfeng was both shocked and enraged. “Are you working with The Net?”

“Working together?” Several dark figures flew out of the thick fog, and The Unruly’s Specialized Crossbow Bolts attacked with a tearing sound. “Do you even deserve to know?”

The two sides instantly clashed. The Unruly’s archery was tricky, specifically targeting joints; the Kunlun Disciples’ swordsmanship was fierce, but difficult to execute in the thick fog. Ling Changfeng roared, activating his spiritual power, bursting with dazzling white light around him, attempting to dispel the dense fog. Yet, a white shadow flashed out from the mist, and a whisk wrapped around his wrist like a Spiritual Snake—it was Little Dragon Girl.

“Trifling skill!” Ling Changfeng swung his sword toward the whisk, but Little Dragon Girl used the force to pull, making him lose balance, and he happened to collide with a Tranquilizer Arrow shot by The Unruly. The Anesthetic on the arrow was specially formulated by Elder Yao to counter spiritual power. He felt dizzy and collapsed heavily to the ground.

Inside The Net’s stronghold, Zhao Gao was reporting to Jun Xiaoyao with a list: “Ling Changfeng was captured alive, seventeen people were taken prisoner, and twelve were killed. We interrogated Ling Changfeng and learned that the Kunlun Ruins Master has allied with ‘Fentian Palace’ and the ‘Ten Thousand Poisons Cult,’ planning to besiege us on the third day of next month.”

Jun Xiaoyao tapped Fentian Palace and Ten Thousand Poisons Cult with his fingertip: “Two insignificant clowns, do they think they are worthy of joining the fun?” He looked at Guan Yu standing nearby. “Lord Yunchang, I trouble you to take a trip to Fentian Palace.”

Guan Yu stroked his beard and nodded: “Young Lord, rest assured, I will certainly let them know that Beyond Heaven is not to be trifled with.”

“No need to kill anyone,” Jun Xiaoyao said. “Just cripple their Cult Master’s cultivation. For the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult, send Little Dragon Girl. Her Jade Maiden Heart Sutra counters poison, which is perfect for letting the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult Master taste the flavor of ‘Using Poison Against Poison.’”

Zhao Gao added: “Young Lord, Fentian Palace has a Palace Guarding Treasure, called the ‘heaven burning furnace.’ It is said to be able to refine Medicinal Pills for the Heavenly Human Realm. Should we...”

“Yes,” Jun Xiaoyao interrupted, a cold light flashing in his eyes. “Since it’s being delivered to our doorstep, there’s no reason not to accept it. Have Lord Yunchang bring it back with him.”

Three days later, at Fentian Palace.

Guan Yu stood Before the Main Hall, the green dragon crescent blade plunged into the ground, its body reflecting the coldness in his Phoenix Eyes. The Fentian Palace Master was a burly man with a red face, possessing Middle Celestial Realm cultivation. Seeing Guan Yu alone, he scorned, “Just you?”

Guan Yu remained silent, drew his blade, and the sword light slashed out like a bolt of silk—it was precisely the “Sky-Splitting Slash” from the green dragon crescent blade Technique. The Fentian Palace Master raised his Hammer to block, but was shaken back repeatedly, the Area Between Thumb and Index Finger splitting. He roared, activating the heaven burning furnace, and fierce flames swept toward Guan Yu. However, Guan Yu advanced instead of retreating, circulating the Spring and Autumn Righteous Qi Art to the extreme. Golden Vast Righteous Qi emanated from his body, and the flames automatically parted upon encountering it.

“Impossible!” The Fentian Palace Master was dumbfounded.

Guan Yu flicked the heaven burning furnace away with his blade, then smashed the back of the blade onto the Fentian Palace Master’s Dantian. With a “crack,” the Fentian Palace Master screamed and fell, his cultivation completely crippled. Guan Yu hoisted the heaven burning furnace and told the terrified Disciples, “Go back and tell your people: if you dare to collude with the Kunlun Ruins again, next time I will sever your heads.”

At the same time, at the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult.

Little Dragon Girl’s whisk wrapped around the wrist of the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult Master. The extremely pure Internal Energy of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra surged in, instantly disrupting the Cult Master’s Poison Cultivation. The toxins backfired, causing his entire body to break out in red rashes, making him look utterly grotesque. Little Dragon Girl retrieved her whisk and said calmly, “If you dare to use poison again, next time I will let you die from the poison’s onset.”

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the heaven burning furnace placed before him, and listened to Zhao Gao report the miserable state of the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult Master, nodding in satisfaction. He picked up a chess piece, circled “Kunlun Ruins,” “Fentian Palace,” and “Ten Thousand Poisons Cult” on the map, and then slowly drew a large circle, encompassing all three.

“The third day of next month,” his voice was calm but carried undeniable authority. “Have The Net and The Unruly prepare. Since they want to play, I’ll play a bigger game with them.” He looked out the window; the setting sun was dyeing the sky blood-red, as if foreshadowing the coming storm.