222: Fish and dragons appear in the border area

The morning mist in the Core Hall of Beyond Heaven had not yet dispersed, and Jun Xiaoyao was already seated behind the purple nanmu desk.

Spread on the desk were three dossiers; on the left was the latest assassin ranking list of The Net, on the right was the distribution map of the Northern Realm's Sect forces, and in the middle lay a bronze token, with the three characters 'Beyond Heaven' on it glowing with a dull light.

"Zhao Gao."

Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertips on 'Wild Wolf Valley' on the map of the Northern Realm, his voice calm and ripple-free, "The people from The Net's Ying Squad have been out of contact in Wild Wolf Valley for three days."

Zhao Gao stood bowed at the side of the desk, his whisk sweeping lightly as he precisely inserted a silver needle into a page of the dossier: "Young Lord, I have already found clues."

"Wild Wolf Valley was recently annexed by the 'Black Wind Stockade'. The Stockade Master, 'One-Eyed Wolf', is in the Late Grandmaster Realm. It is said he practices a type of evil skill that can absorb a person's Internal Energy. The three members of the Ying Squad have likely met with misfortune."

[Character Panel: Zhao Gao]

[Origin: History-based Derivative World]

[Realm: Grandmaster Initial Stage]

[Martial Skill: Needle Control Technique (Perfection), Stealth Step (Major Achievement)]

[Duty: Coordinating The Net assassin deployment, intelligence analysis]

[Status: Standby]

Jun Xiaoyao picked up the bronze token, his fingertips tracing the patterns on the edge: "Black Wind Stockade? Three months ago, it was just a small stockade. To dare to touch my people from The Net, they have quite some nerve."

"That's not all," Zhao Gao added, "The three Sects of the Northern Realm have been acting frequently of late. The Qingyun Sect, Blazing Fire Gate, and Cold Ice Pavilion have suddenly joined forces and set up a barrier on the outskirts of Wild Wolf Valley, seemingly competing for some treasure. The people from the Ying Squad might have stumbled upon their business."

Jun Xiaoyao raised his eyes, a cold light flashing in his pupils: "The three Sects joined forces? Interesting. Who is suitable to send?"

Zhao Gao was prepared and handed over a roster: "'Heaven' Group's Li Xunhuan happens to be executing a mission in the Northern Realm. His Little Lis Flying Dagger can break the barrier; furthermore, let the Marshal of the Unruly take the 'Xuan Group' to provide support, in case the three Sects decide to tear off the mask."

[Character Panel: Li Xunhuan]

[Origin: gu long wuxia world]

[Realm: Mid-stage Grandmaster]

[Martial Skill: Little Lis Flying Dagger (Perfection) — Never misses, once the Flying Dagger is out, blood must be seen; Lightness Skill · Shadowless Step (Major Achievement)]

[Duty: Leader of The Net Heaven Group, specifically responsible for clearing thorny targets]

[Status: Standby in Northern Realm]

[Character Panel: Marshal of the Unruly (Yuan Tiangang)]

[Origin: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Derivative World]

[Realm: Early Celestial Being Realm]

[Martial Skill: Tiangang Art (Perfection), Huayang Needle Technique (Perfection), Bone Shrinking Technique (Major Achievement)]

[Duty: Founder of The Net, General Leader of the Xuan Group, responsible for coordinating high-risk missions]

[Status: Standby at Beyond Heaven]

Jun Xiaoyao nodded: "Let Li Xunhuan go first to probe the situation. The Marshal of the Unruly will take ten experts from the Xuan Group and set out after half a day." He paused and threw the bronze token to Zhao Gao, "Hold this token; all The Net strongholds in the Northern Realm are to obey your command."

When Zhao Gao received the token, his fingertips touched it, causing a layer of pale golden spiritual power to ripple—this was the exclusive mark of a core member of Beyond Heaven.

He bowed and retreated, his boot soles stepping on the cloud-patterned floor tiles without making a sound.

I. Flying Dagger Breaks the Barrier

Northern Realm, a ruined temple thirty miles outside of Wild Wolf Valley.

Li Xunhuan leaned against the statue, his fingertips spinning the Flying Dagger, the blade reflecting his slightly weary eyes. Faint footsteps came from outside the temple, and with a flip of his wrist, the Flying Dagger instantly vanished into his sleeve.

"Team Leader Li." Three assassins of The Net knelt on one knee and presented a map, "The barrier of the Black Wind Stockade is the 'Three Talents Spirit Locking Array' set up by the three Sects together."

"We must break the Qingyun Sect's Wood Array, the Blazing Fire Gate's Fire Array, and the Cold Ice Pavilion's Ice Array simultaneously; otherwise, not one can be missing."

Li Xunhuan unfolded the map, his gaze sweeping over the positions of the three array eyes: "Where is One-Eyed Wolf?"

"In the Gathering Hall of the stockade, drinking with the envoys of the three Sects."

"Very good." When he stood up, the Flying Dagger was already held between his fingers, "You stay here and wait for orders. When you hear three eagle cries, go to the back of the stockade and set a fire."

As he infiltrated the barrier, the vines of the Wood Array coiled like living things.

Li Xunhuan tapped his toes on the ground, his Shadowless Step shattering the afterimages. The moment he dodged the vines, the Flying Dagger left his hand, precisely pinning onto the green bamboo at the array eye. The bamboo body burst, and the spiritual light of the Wood Array dimmed in response.

In the Fire Array, the heat waves were scorching, and the flames turned into fire dragons circling. He did not dodge or avoid, allowing the fire dragons to get close. The moment before the tongues of fire licked his robes, the second Flying Dagger tore through the air, piercing straight into the Flame Core Stone at the center of the Fire Array. The fire dragons dissipated with a wail, and the Fire Array was broken.

The Ice Array was the most troublesome; the cold air condensed into a rain of ice cones, airtight and impenetrable.

Li Xunhuan spun to avoid the fatal spots, his left arm slashed open by an ice cone, but he did not even frown. The third Flying Dagger flew out with blood droplets, and the ice crystal at the core of the Ice Array shattered in response.

When the three eagle cries pierced through the clouds, the Three Talents Spirit Locking Array collapsed completely.

Chaos erupted inside the Black Wind Stockade. The envoys of the three Sects and One-Eyed Wolf rushed out together, only to run into Li Xunhuan standing atop the stockade gate, a smile on his lips, his fingertips spinning the fourth Flying Dagger.

"Who are you?" One-Eyed Wolf pressed his hand on the ghost-head blade at his waist, greed flashing in his eyes—he had already smelled the dense aura of Internal Energy on Li Xunhuan.

"The person who will take your life."

The Flying Dagger was released, and no one saw its trajectory. One-Eyed Wolf only felt a chill between his brows, reached out to touch it, and touched the hilt of a Flying Dagger embedded half an inch deep.

Until he died, he never understood why his own Late Grandmaster Protective Aura was like paper against this small Flying Dagger.

Seeing this, the envoys of the three Sects exchanged glances and actually attacked Li Xunhuan simultaneously. They did not know that at this moment, the Marshal of the Unruly had already brought the Xuan Group to block all retreat routes of the stockade gate.

II. Tiangang Suppresses the Realm

When the figure of the Marshal of the Unruly appeared in the shadows of the stockade wall, the assassins of the Xuan Group had already laid out a net of heaven and earth.

He held three silver needles between his fingertips, his figure flickered, and he appeared behind the envoy of the Blazing Fire Gate: "Huayang Needle Technique, I will cripple your Dantian."

As the silver needles entered his body, the envoy let out a miserable scream, and his Internal Energy instantly dissipated.

The envoy of the Cold Ice Pavilion waved his palm to strike, the wind of the palm carrying a bone-chilling cold. The Marshal of the Unruly did not dodge or avoid; he activated the Tiangang Art, golden light rising around his body, and took the palm strike head-on. With a "crack," the opponent's arm bone shattered, and he looked at the Marshal of the Unruly in horror: "Heavenly Human Realm?!"

The envoy of the Qingyun Sect saw that the situation was bad and turned to flee, but was forced back by the crossbow arrows of the Xuan Group.

The Marshal of the Unruly walked slowly towards him, his voice like sandpaper grinding over bluestone: "The three Sects joined forces, you have quite some nerve. Who orchestrated this?"

The envoy gritted his teeth, actually wanting to sever his own Meridians.

The Marshal of the Unruly flicked his finger, and a silver needle precisely pinned into his Tanzhong acupoint, cutting off his thoughts: "The Net's torture chamber will make you talk."

At this moment, flames soared into the sky behind the stockade; it was the assassins of The Net setting the fire according to the plan.

The Marshal of the Unruly looked at the chaotic stockade and said to the leader of the Xuan Group beside him: "Inventory the supplies; bring all the Secret Manuals of evil skills that can absorb Internal Energy back to Beyond Heaven."

"Yes!"

III. Echoes in the Core Hall

When Jun Xiaoyao received the message, he was looking at a new summoning list. Zhao Gao presented a blood-stained wolf fang: "One-Eyed Wolf has been eliminated, the envoys of the three Sects have been captured, and the found evil Secret Manual 'Devouring Essence Sutra' is here."

The bloodstains on the wolf fang had not yet dried. Jun Xiaoyao picked it up and smelled it, his brows slightly furrowed: "In the smell of blood, there is Dragon Qi."

Zhao Gao was stunned: "Dragon Qi? How can there be Dragon Qi in the Northern Realm?"

"Go investigate," Jun Xiaoyao threw the wolf fang back onto the tray, "The three Sects joining forces is definitely not for the small territory of the Black Wind Stockade. What they are looking for is likely the 'Dragon Saliva Spring' hidden in Wild Wolf Valley."

He opened the summoning System, and his fingertips paused on a name—

[Character: Qiao Feng] [Origin: Jin Yong Wuxia World] [Realm: Early Celestial Being Realm] [Martial Skill: Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms (Perfection), Dog Beating Staff Technique (Major Achievement), Shaolin Internal Skill (Perfection)] [Compatibility: 98%] [Summoning Requirement: 10000 Energy Points]

"Summon." Jun Xiaoyao said indifferently.

The summoning array in the center of the hall suddenly lit up. In the golden light, a big man dressed in coarse cloth stepped out, cupped his hands and said: "Qiao Feng, greets the Young Lord."

[Character Panel activated, Qiao Feng joins Beyond Heaven]

Jun Xiaoyao pointed to the map of the Northern Realm: "Gang Leader Qiao, if the Dragon Saliva Spring appears in the world, the Northern Realm will surely be in chaos. You take a team of the Xuan Group to explore the depths of Wild Wolf Valley. If you encounter obstruction, there is no need to show mercy."

Qiao Feng said in a loud voice: "As you command!"

Zhao Gao looked at Qiao Feng's back and whispered: "Young Lord, the Dragon Saliva Spring is rumored to be able to wash the marrow and change the tendons; the three Sects are likely coming for this."

"Not only that," Jun Xiaoyao looked out the window; the morning mist had dispersed, and the morning sun was piercing through the clouds, "Where Dragon Qi gathers, there must be a supreme treasure. The water in the Northern Realm needs to be stirred up."

He picked up the evil Secret Manual 'Devouring Essence Sutra', and with a burst of spiritual power from his fingertips, the pages instantly turned into dust.

"Tell the Marshal of the Unruly to interrogate and find out the power behind the three Sects. If it involves the Imperial Dynasty, it is a perfect opportunity to clean it up."

"Yes."

Outside the Core Hall, a crane swept across the sky, leaving behind a clear cry.

Jun Xiaoyao sat back behind the desk and opened a new dossier—the next target had already been circled on the paper.

The shadow of The Net, along with the rise of Beyond Heaven, was quietly covering the entire continent.