162: A web of traps is woven, and wicked schemers probe the truth.

Deep within the underground palace of Beyond Heaven, ghostly blue soul-fire flickered on the stone walls, reflecting Jun Xiaoyao's lazily reclining figure.

He twirled a bronze token between his fingertips. The three characters "Beyond Heaven" on the token shimmered with a cold light; it was the treasure he had just "borrowed" from the Great Qian Dynasty's national treasury—rumored to be able to suppress evil spirits and also serve as an amplification medium for the summoning array.

"Zhao Gao," Jun Xiaoyao said without looking up, the token stopping at his fingertips. "The 'Cleaner' mission The Net recently accepted, is the target the Black Wind Stockade in the Western Regions?"

Zhao Gao stepped out from the shadows and bowed in response: "Replying to Young Lord, it is the Black Wind Stockade. The Stockade Master, 'Devil King' Li Kui, is rumored to have broken through to the Late Stage Great Grandmaster. His three hundred underlings are all desperadoes above the Innate Realm. They constantly plunder merchant caravans, and this time, the Western Regions Merchant Association has jointly raised a bounty of fifty thousand taels of gold for his head."

Jun Xiaoyao chuckled and tossed the token toward the eye of the summoning array: "Fifty thousand taels? It's worth a move. Initiate the summoning, lock the range to 'fierce-type Martial Artist', and the Realm must be at least Peak Grandmaster."

[System Prompt: Consuming 2000 points, random summoning in progress... energy matching...]

The summoning array in the center of the underground palace suddenly erupted with crimson light, heat billowing, and runes flowing like lava. A deafening roar came from the array, as if a giant beast were breaking out—

"I am the Black Whirlwind Li Kui! Which one of you has no eyes and is calling me?!"

The red light faded, and a man as sturdy as an iron tower appeared in the array. He was bare-chested, his muscles knotted, holding two battle axes, his eyes wide open; it was indeed Li Kui from the "water margin".

[Character Panel Expanded: Name: Li Kui. From World: "water margin". Realm: Great Grandmaster Initial Stage. Martial Skill Cultivation Technique: 1. Wild Axe Dance: Breaking technique with brute force, the axe shadows are as dense as a gale; ordinary Grandmaster Realm practitioners die upon contact. 2. Savage Bull Charge: Gathering internal energy into the legs, transforming it into savage impact force, capable of shattering rocks within three zhang. 3. Boiling Angry Blood: Stimulating blood energy, increasing Realm by half a stage for a short time, followed by three hours of weakness. Additional Items: - Black Iron Battle Axes (The axe blades are quenched with potent poison, lethal upon drawing blood) - Coarse Linen Combat Attire (Impervious to blades and spears, defense comparable to a Grandmaster Realm Magical Artifact). Loyalty: 95% (Dead loyal after acknowledging a master, hates being deceived the most).]

Seeing Jun Xiaoyao, Li Kui first stared, then scratched his head, asking in a muffled voice: "Are you the Young Lord who called me? What do you want with me? Killing someone?"

"Killing someone." Jun Xiaoyao pointed to the map on the underground palace stone wall, where the location of the Black Wind Stockade was circled in cinnabar. "Western Regions Black Wind Stockade, Devil King Li Kui—oh, it's a coincidence that you share the same name. Take his head, the people from The Net will cooperate with you to infiltrate, and you will get one-tenth of the gold afterwards."

"One-tenth?" Li Kui grinned, revealing yellowed teeth, "Enough for me to buy two jars of good wine! When do we set off? I'm going to sharpen my axes now!"

"Three days later." Jun Xiaoyao signaled to Zhao Gao, "Zhao Gao, arrange accommodation for him, and prepare wine and meat." He looked at Li Kui again, "Remember, the people from The Net are only responsible for guiding the way. You are not allowed to harm the innocent when you take action, otherwise..." The bronze token at his fingertips flashed with a cold glint.

Li Kui shrank his neck and muttered, "I know, I only cut down those who should be cut!"

After Li Kui left with Zhao Gao, Jun Xiaoyao looked toward the shadows in another direction: "Marshal of the Unruly, how is the investigation?"

Marshal of the Unruly walked out of the shadows, wearing a black python robe, his expression as cold as ice; it was Yuan Tiangang from "The Unruly". He was playing with a tortoise shell in his hand, his voice hoarse: "Replying to Young Lord, the Black Wind Stockade is indeed suspicious. Under Li Kui's (Black Wind Stockade Master) command, there are not only Innate Martial Artists but also three Grandmaster Realm retainers. Moreover, they have close dealings with the 'Myriad Poison Grotto' of the Western Regions, and there are at least ten jars of 'Bone-Melting Water' hidden in the stockade, specifically designed to break internal energy defenses."

[Character Panel Supplement: Name: Yuan Tiangang. From World: "The Unruly". Realm: Earthly Immortal Early-Stage. Martial Skill Cultivation Technique: 1. Tiangang Art: Internal energy is endless, can disguise the aura of any Realm. 2. Divining Heavenly Secrets: Can deduce the target's weaknesses, success rate 70%. 3. Undying Body: Physical Body is strong, difficult to wound with ordinary blades, unless hit by a full-power strike from the Void Shattering Realm. Additional Items: - Dragon Spring Sword (Can sever internal energy below the Heavenly Human Realm when combined with Tiangang Art) - Tortoise Shell (Used for divination, accuracy increases with energy consumption). Loyalty: 99% (Views the Young Lord as the only recognized chess player).]

Jun Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow: "Myriad Poison Grotto? Is their Saintess Chi Meng recently at the Black Wind Stockade?"

"Yes." Yuan Tiangang nodded, "Chi Meng brought the Five Poison Boys, seemingly trading 'Mother-Child Gu' with the Black Wind Stockade Master, wanting to control various stockades in the Western Regions."

Jun Xiaoyao tapped the stone table with his fingertips: "Interesting. Let the people from The Net keep a close eye on the Myriad Poison Grotto, and besides..." He looked at the summoning array, "Summon one more person, one who is skilled in detoxification and tracking."

[System Prompt: Consuming 1800 points, random summoning in progress... energy fluctuations appear emerald green...]

Green light flashed in the array, and a young girl dressed in Miao border attire appeared, with several poison pouches hanging from her waist, holding a silver snake whip in her hand; it was Blue Phoenix from "the smiling, proud wanderer".

[Character Panel Expanded: Name: Blue Phoenix. From World: "the smiling, proud wanderer". Realm: Late Grandmaster Realm. Martial Skill Cultivation Technique: 1. Five Poison Whip Technique: Whip shadows like snakes, can be coated with potent poison, those struck die within seven days. 2. Gu Driving Technique: Can control hundreds of poisonous insects such as Golden Silkworm Gu and Mother-Child Gu, tracking range of a thousand miles. 3. Myriad Poison Antidote: Can resolve 70% of the world's poisons, carries hundreds of antidotes. Additional Items: - Silver Snake Whip (Hollow whip body, hides Gu insects) - poison scripture (Records the world's strange poisons and their antidotes). Loyalty: 90% (Awe of the strong, curious about the Young Lord's mysterious power).]

Blue Phoenix blinked her lively eyes and bowed: "Blue Phoenix, greets the Young Lord. Are we going to meet the people of the Myriad Poison Grotto?"

"Smart." Jun Xiaoyao pushed the map of the Black Wind Stockade to her, "Three days later, when Li Kui takes action, you are responsible for cracking the Bone-Melting Water and the Mother-Child Gu; don't let him ruin the big plan." He then said to Yuan Tiangang, "Marshal of the Unruly, you go to the vicinity of the Black Wind Stockade yourself, use the tortoise shell to divine the best time to act, and ensure that while Li Kui succeeds, we get the ledger of the Myriad Poison Grotto's transaction."

Yuan Tiangang bowed: "As you command."

Blue Phoenix played with the poison pouches and smiled: "Don't worry, Young Lord. As long as the Mother Gu of the Mother-Child Gu is three miles away, the Child Gu will fail. I have a way to make Chi Meng's Gu insects backfire on her~"

Jun Xiaoyao waved his hand, and the three retreated. The underground palace was left with only the sound of flickering soul-fire. He picked up the bronze token and examined it carefully under the firelight—the star map engraved on the back of the token faintly overlapped with the position of the Heaven-Reaching Pagoda. It seems that this mission to the Black Wind Stockade not only earns gold but also allows following the vine to the Myriad Poison Grotto's bottom line, and perhaps even finding clues to the Heaven-Reaching Pagoda in advance.

Three days passed in a flash.

Outside the Black Wind Stockade, Li Kui wore the night-travel clothing provided by The Net, carrying his double axes while squatting on a tree branch, chewing on beef jerky. Blue Phoenix turned into a green shadow and had already infiltrated the stockade; the Golden Silkworm Gu in her poison pouch was buzzing, guiding her to the storage location of the Bone-Melting Water.

On a mountain slope in the distance, Yuan Tiangang stood behind a giant rock, the tortoise shell spinning in his hand, a gleam in his eyes: "At the third quarter of the Hour of the Boar, the defense in the northeast is the weakest, and the Bone-Melting Water is underground in the granary." The voice was transmitted to Li Kui's ears through a special speaking tube made by The Net.

Li Kui grinned, rubbed his axes against the tree trunk, jumped down from the tree branch, and smashed the axes toward the stockade gate—

"Black Wind Stockade scum, your Black Whirlwind grandpa is here!"

The stockade gate shattered in response. Amidst the flying wood chips, Li Kui's figure had already rushed in like a savage bull. As the axe shadows flew, screams rose one after another. Blue Phoenix whistled in the dark, and several poisonous insects flew out of the poison pouch on her waist, landing on the underlings guarding the granary. Those people collapsed in convulsions instantly. She pried open the granary floor tiles and indeed found ten jars of Bone-Melting Water. She immediately sprinkled special medicinal powder, white smoke rose from the jar mouths, and the Bone-Melting Water lost its corrosiveness.

"There is a Grandmaster Realm in the east!" Yuan Tiangang's voice came again.

Li Kui roared, turned around to meet him, and his double axes collided with the opponent's broadsword, making a loud metallic clang. He deliberately revealed a flaw, letting the opponent's sword strike his shoulder, while simultaneously sweeping his left axe, directly splitting the Grandmaster's waist and abdomen.

"Refreshing!" Li Kui licked the blood on the axe blade and rushed toward the main building where the Stockade Master was.

Blue Phoenix sneaked into Chi Meng's room and saw her holding the porcelain bottle of the Mother-Child Gu muttering. She sneered and released the Golden Silkworm Gu. The Golden Silkworm Gu was more overbearing than the Mother-Child Gu, instantly biting through the porcelain bottle and devouring all the Child Gu. The Mother Gu in Chi Meng's hand vibrated violently, suddenly exploded, and Chi Meng screamed and clutched her heart, the toxin spreading along her blood.

"Who are you?!" Chi Meng looked at the suddenly appearing Blue Phoenix in horror.

"The one who takes your life." Blue Phoenix swung the silver snake whip, wrapping it around her neck, "The account of the Myriad Poison Grotto will be settled slowly."

At this time, Li Kui had already walked out of the main building with the head of the Black Wind Stockade Master, the blood on the double axes dripping on the ground, sizzling. Yuan Tiangang walked out from the shadows and handed Li Kui a ledger: "The thing the Young Lord wants." He then said to Blue Phoenix, "Clean up and retreat."

After the three met up, Blue Phoenix stuffed an antidote pill to Li Kui: "The Bone-Melting Water splashed on your arm, take this quickly." Li Kui grinned and threw her a jar of strong wine found in the stockade: "Thanks, little lady, this wine is mine!"

In the distant underground palace, Jun Xiaoyao watched the images returned by The Net, the bronze token at his fingertips slightly hot. He picked up the golden ledger handed over by Zhao Gao, and a curve appeared on the corner of his mouth—the gold of the Black Wind Stockade, the handle on the Myriad Poison Grotto, and Li Kui, this sharp knife, it seems this trip was not in vain.

"Young Lord," Zhao Gao reported from the side, "Marshal of the Unruly said that a piece of news was forced out of Chi Meng's mouth: the sacred object of the Myriad Poison Grotto, the 'poison scripture', seems to be related to the key of the Heaven-Reaching Pagoda."

A gleam flashed in Jun Xiaoyao's eyes, and he threw the token back into the summoning array: "Prepare the summoning array, next target—Myriad Poison Grotto."

[System Prompt: Sufficient energy detected, cross-world summoning permission can be enabled, unlock it?]

Jun Xiaoyao rubbed his chin and said lightly: "Unlock."

The summoning array in the underground palace suddenly erupted with unprecedented light, the runes interlacing into a huge vortex, as if connecting countless worlds. This time, perhaps more interesting "helpers" can be summoned.