178: The net closes in, the Bad Guys scout ahead.

On the black iron long table in the Heavenly Outer Palace, seven sheepskin scrolls were spread out, each marked with cinnabar to show the distribution of powers across the seven domains of the continent.

Jun Xiaoyao's fingertip landed on the location of Ten Thousand Snake Cave in the Southern Domain, which had already been circled in solid red cinnabar—representing complete submission.

Is there news from the Marshal of the Unruly?

He did not raise his head, and his voice came through the hollowed-out black iron screen, carrying a hint of metallic coldness.

Zhao Gao approached with light steps, placed a scroll of secret reports on the edge of the table, and bowed, saying: The Marshal of the Unruly has led The Unruly to the Black Wind Stockade in the Western Domain.

The Stockade Master, One-Eyed Wolf, refused to hand over the mineral vein blueprints, so the Marshal of the Unruly severed his left hand; now he is crying and shouting that he wants to surrender.

The secret report was still stained with wet blood and bore a crooked fingerprint, presumably the surrender note pressed by One-Eyed Wolf.

Jun Xiaoyao picked up the secret report, his fingertips sweeping over the words Black Wind Stockade harbors a black iron vein, and the corners of his mouth curled slightly.

Black iron is a key material for forging weapons for The Net assassins, so this trip was not a waste for The Unruly.

Have the Marshal of the Unruly leave three hundred of The Unruly to garrison the Black Wind Stockade, and have the rest go to the Icebound Valley in the Northern Domain.

The ice crystal ore there can be used to refine cold-type hidden weapons, which are extremely restraining to Cultivators below the Grandmaster Realm.

He paused and added, Tell the Marshal of the Unruly that the guarding general of Icebound Valley is Ice-Faced Fox, who is skilled in illusions, so have him bring enough Illusion-Breaking Powder.

Zhao Gao replied Yes and was about to withdraw, but was stopped by Jun Xiaoyao.

As for The Net, how is the training of the newly recruited assassins going?

Replying to the Young Lord, Zhao Gao opened another roster, Among the eighty new recruits, twelve are at the Innate Realm Peak with good Comprehension Ability, especially the one named Shadow.

He can determine the position of falling leaves from thirty paces away while blindfolded; he is good material for assassination training.

Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertips on the roster: Send Shadow to the Ten Thousand Snake Cave in the Southern Domain to learn the Fragrant Blood Sea movement technique from Fragrant Bat.

Divide the others into teams A, B, and C, and have them trained by the team A captain, Ghost Hand.

Assess them in three months; those who do not qualify...

Understood, a cold light flashed in Zhao Gao's eyes, Those who do not qualify will be fed to the remnant snakes in the Ten Thousand Snake Cave.

A crisp sound of metal colliding suddenly came from outside the screen, followed by the unique horn sound of The Unruly—three short and one long, representing the arrival of an important person.

Jun Xiaoyao raised his eyes, and the hidden compartment under the black iron long table popped open automatically, revealing a water mirror.

The mirror reflected the scene at the entrance of the underground palace: The Marshal of the Unruly was escorting a disheveled man, who had a jade pendant hanging from his waist carved with the character Luo.

Is it someone from the Luo Family? Jun Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow.

The Luo Family is one of the three great Families of the Eastern Domain, in charge of Daoist Magic and Talismans, and it is said that they hide half of the Heavenly Derivation Technique, which can deduce Heavenly secrets.

The figure of the Marshal of the Unruly appeared outside the screen, the ice shards on his iron armor not yet melted, clearly having just rushed back from the Icebound Valley.

Young Lord, the eldest Young Master of the Luo Family, Luo Qianji, has come to seek an audience with half of the Heavenly Derivation Technique, saying he is willing to submit to Beyond Heaven, only asking to trade for his sister Luo Qingxue's life.

The escorted man suddenly looked up, the blood on his face unwiped, but it could not hide the nobility between his brows: Young Master Jun! As long as you save my sister, all the Luo Family's industries and book collections will belong to Beyond Heaven!

I will write out the Heavenly Derivation Technique right now!

Jun Xiaoyao looked at him through the water mirror and suddenly said to Zhao Gao: Invite Calculate over.

Before long, an old man dressed in a Bagua Daoist robe walked in slowly, holding a tortoise shell in his hand; it was the Divine Calculator who had just been summoned not long ago.

He threw three copper coins into the tortoise shell, pinched the incantation with his fingertips, and the copper coins spun endlessly in the shell, finally stopping at the Qian, Kun, Li hexagram positions.

Young Lord, the Divine Calculator stroked his beard, This hexagram shows Trapped Dragon Gets Water. A woman of the Luo Family has been captured by the Blood Shadow Cult in the Northern Domain, and the other party wants to exchange her for the Heavenly Derivation Technique.

The leader of the Blood Shadow Cult is at the Late Stage Great Grandmaster, skilled in Blood Escape, and is not easy to deal with.

Luo Qianji's face turned pale: The Divine Calculator is truly worthy of his reputation! I beg the Young Lord to save my sister; I am willing to take a blood oath to serve Beyond Heaven forever!

Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertips on the long table, and the map of the Northern Domain appeared on the black iron surface, with the location of the Blood Shadow Cult marked in red ink.

The Blood Pool of the Blood Shadow Cult requires living sacrifices, opening the altar on the 15th of every month. Today is the 13th, so there are two days left.

He looked at the Marshal of the Unruly: Take the elites of The Unruly, disguise yourselves as a merchant caravan delivering sacrifices, and infiltrate the main altar of the Blood Shadow Cult.

He said to Zhao Gao: The Net will send twenty assassins to cooperate. Let Shadow lead the team and use Bone-Piercing Nails to block the Blood Escape route.

The Marshal of the Unruly cupped his fists: This subordinate accepts the order. The Blood Escape of the Blood Shadow Cult requires essence blood as a guide. I will bring Blood-Dissolving Powder to ensure they have nowhere to escape.

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the Divine Calculator again: Calculate, when is the most suitable time to act?

The Divine Calculator threw the copper coins again, and the tortoise shell made a soft sound: At the third quarter of the Hai hour, during the gap when the Blood Shadow Cult changes shifts, the guard at the southeast corner is an Innate Realm Cultivator and a traitor to the cult; he can be turned.

Luo Qianji hurriedly said: I know that traitor! He owes the Luo Family three lives; I will go and persuade him!

Jun Xiaoyao nodded: Granted. You go with the Marshal of the Unruly. If you can save your sister, the Luo Family will enter Beyond Heaven, and you will be the Steward of the Eastern Domain.

He paused, his tone turning cold: If you dare to play any tricks, the entire Luo Family will be buried with your sister.

Luo Qianji trembled all over and kowtowed hurriedly: I dare not! This subordinate will do anything!

The Marshal of the Unruly escorted Luo Qianji away, and the sound of iron armor faded away.

The Divine Calculator put away the tortoise shell and suddenly said: Young Lord, when I was divining just now, the tortoise shell was unusual, as if a stronger force was watching the Blood Shadow Cult, like... the Heavenly Secret Pavilion of the Central Domain.

A sharp glint flashed in Jun Xiaoyao's eyes: Heavenly Secret Pavilion? Aren't they known for being neutral?

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion controls the intelligence of the world, and the Pavilion Master is at the Land Immortal Realm, never intervening in the struggles of various parties, only selling intelligence.

Perhaps the Heavenly Derivation Technique has moved their hearts, said the Divine Calculator, The Heaven-Peering Mirror of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion can see across the continent, and our actions are likely not hidden from them.

Jun Xiaoyao was silent for a moment and said to Zhao Gao: Have The Net investigate the recent movements of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, especially the whereabouts of the Pavilion Master Mirror Elder.

Also, start the summoning array; I want to summon one more person.

Zhao Gao responded and started the Formation, the runes in the center of the underground palace lit up, golden light flowed across the ground like water, and condensed into a vortex at the eye of the Formation.

Jun Xiaoyao's fingertips traced across the Void Realm, leaving three conditions: Skilled in concealment, proficient in Disguise Technique, and able to take items from under the noses of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion.

The sound of fluttering clothes rang out in the vortex, and a green figure landed immediately, with a wine gourd hanging from his waist and half a silver mask on his face.

Character Panel Expanded: Name: Star Plucker, From World: legend of lu xiaofeng, Realm: Grandmaster Initial Stage, Martial Skill Cultivation Technique: 1. Lingxi Finger: Can clamp any hidden weapon or weapon, works every time. 2. Treading Snow Without a Trace: Lightness skill is the best in the world, leaving no footprints when stepping on snow. 3. Master Thief of a Hundred Changes: Disguise Technique is superb, can imitate anyone's speech and behavior. Special Abilities: - Empty-Handed Sleight of Hand: Never makes a mistake when stealing things, even close-fitting bracelets can be taken silently. - Photographic Memory: Can remember any Formation or mechanism at a glance. Additional Items: - Thousand-Face Spectrum: Can automatically shape-shift according to the target's appearance, even the eyes can be imitated. - Bone-Piercing Needle: As thin as cow hair, can paralyze the opponent's Meridians, unable to use Qi within a quarter of an hour.

Star Plucker took off his mask, revealing a smiling face with a ruffian air: I heard someone needs a good hand for borrowing things?

He shook the wine gourd: The Heaven-Peering Mirror of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion? A small matter, as long as you give me three jugs of good wine, I guarantee I will borrow it for you to use as a mirror.

Jun Xiaoyao looked at him and said lightly: No need to borrow the Heaven-Peering Mirror. You go to the Blood Shadow Cult and secretly follow the Marshal of the Unruly. If the people from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion intervene, steal their Intelligence Jade Slip.

Star Plucker's eyes lit up: Steal things from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion? This is much more fun than stealing from the imperial palace! Deal!

His figure flickered and he had turned into a green smoke, disappearing behind the screen, leaving only the sentence Remember to prepare good wine.

The Divine Calculator looked at the empty doorway, stroked his beard and laughed: With Star Plucker making a move, the Young Lord can rest assured.

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the water mirror; in the mirror, the Marshal of the Unruly had led Luo Qianji out of the underground palace, and the assassins of The Net were moving sacrifices—which were actually pottery jars containing Blood-Dissolving Powder—onto the carriage.

In the distance, Star Plucker's green figure was sweeping across the palace wall, drifting toward the horizon like a willow leaf.

Zhao Gao said in a low voice: Young Lord, news has come from the Western Domain that the black iron vein of the Black Wind Stockade has started mining, and the first batch of black iron can be transported in three days.

Let Gongshu Ban prepare the furnace, Jun Xiaoyao drew an arc on the black iron long table with his fingertips, After rescuing Luo Qingxue and getting the Heavenly Derivation Technique, it will be the turn of the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower in the Central Domain.

In the water mirror, the team of The Unruly had disappeared into the twilight, and the sound of wheels crushing the stone road faded away.

Deep in the underground palace, the light of the summoning array slowly faded, leaving only the residual warmth of the runes, reflecting the cold light in Jun Xiaoyao's eyes.

The Net of Beyond Heaven was tightening bit by bit, and those powers that had not yet noticed would eventually taste despair when The Net fell.