257: The "unexpected" event at the Xuan Tian Sacred Land

On the crystal panel of the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, the four characters "Xuantian Holy Land" were flashing with a glaring red light, and the word "Hostility" was marked next to Mysterious Dust Master's avatar.

Jun Xiaoyao sat on the cold jade couch, his fingertips lightly tapping the edge of the couch. His gaze fell on the "Marshal of the Unruly" avatar in the corner of the panel—a faint blue light was pulsing there, representing that the dark lines of The Net had already been quietly laid out.

I. The Secret Report of the Marshal of the Unruly

"Young Lord." The hoarse voice of the Marshal of the Unruly came from the shadows. He still wore a bamboo hat, his figure hidden behind a stone pillar, revealing only his hand gripping a scroll.

His knuckles were white from the effort. "Xuantian Holy Land tampered with things last night. Both Hundred Herbs Hall and Jishi Workshop caught fire. Fortunately, the medicinal materials were moved in advance, so only some empty shelves were burned."

Jun Xiaoyao did not look up. He tapped the panel with his fingertips, calling up the images of the two locations outside the world: On the charred door frame of Hundred Herbs Hall, someone had carved a crooked "Xuan" character; in the ruins of Jishi Workshop, several silver tokens unique to Xuantian Holy Land were scattered.

"Was it done cleanly?" he asked.

"My subordinate dispatched ten members of The Unruly disguised as a fire brigade. They 'happened' to find these tokens at the fire scene and have already delivered them to the desk of the Prefect of Qingzhou."

The voice of the Marshal of the Unruly carried a hint of coldness. "According to Young Lord's instructions, no traces were left behind."

Only then did Jun Xiaoyao raise his eyes. The crystal panel reflected his calm profile: "The Prefect of Qingzhou is one of our own; he should know what to do. If Mysterious Dust Master wants to play dirty, then let him taste the 'care' of the government first."

[Panel Update]

[Character: Prefect of Qingzhou (External)]

[Realm: Acquired Middle Stage]

[Loyalty: 70% (Supported by The Net's financial resources)]

[Task: Investigate Xuantian Holy Land's industries in Qingzhou under the name of 'Arson Case']

II. New Summoning: Twin Swords Combined

The crystal panel suddenly lit up with a soft white light, more restrained than the previous summoning light, yet exuding a warm and moist aura.

Jun Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. This was a System prompt for a new summoning opportunity—it seemed the actions of the Prefect of Qingzhou allowed the System to determine that new assistance could be introduced.

"Initiate summoning."

Two figures slowly walked out of the white light, both dressed in white as snow. One held a long sword, the blade glistening like autumn water; the other had a short sword hanging at their waist.

The scabbard was inlaid with fine pearls, making a tinkling sound as they walked. The two stood side by side, their temperament like pine and bamboo reflecting each other, possessing both sharpness and warmth.

[Summoning Successful]

[Characters: Shi Qing, Min Rou (from the world of "Ode to Gallantry")]

[Realm: Shi Qing (Grandmaster Initial Stage), Min Rou (Late Grandmaster Realm)]

[Martial Skill/Cultivation Technique: 1. Shi Qing: Shangqing Temple Sword Technique (Perfection) — Sword style is steady, balancing offense and defense, containing Daoist mysteries. 2. Min Rou: Soft Cloud Sword Technique (Major Achievement) — Sword moves are light and soft, skilled in unloading force, complementary to the Shangqing Temple Sword Technique. 3. Twin Swords Combined: Husband and Wife Sword Technique (Perfection) — The two cooperate seamlessly, their sword styles generating each other, doubling the power.]

[Loyalty: Shi Qing (80%), Min Rou (85%)]

"Subordinates Shi Qing/Min Rou, greet the Young Lord." The two bowed in unison, their voices one rigid and one soft, like the harmony of high and low notes on a string.

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the introduction on the panel, his fingertips sliding over the four characters "Husband and Wife Sword Technique": "I have heard that your Twin Swords Combined are famous throughout the world. Mysterious Dust Master's Xuanbing Guards are skilled at forming Formations; they need you two to break them."

Min Rou smiled gently, raising her hand to stroke the pearls on the scabbard: "Young Lord, do not worry. My husband and I have co-authored the 'Essentials of Combined Sword Technique'; we know a thing or two about breaking Formations." Shi Qing nodded from the side: "If the Xuanbing Guards' Formation follows common logic, the Husband and Wife Sword Technique can find its flaws."

[Panel Task Updated]

[Task: Shi Qing and Min Rou assist The Net in breaking the Xuanbing Guards' Formation]

[Reward: Loyalty increased by 5%, unlock fragments of "Shangqing Temple Mind-Cultivation Technique"]

III. The Counterattack of The Net

Zhao Gao hurried into the underground palace, holding an account book in his hand. The book was densely packed with the list of Xuantian Holy Land's industries in Qingzhou—pawnshops, pharmacies, silk shops, totaling seventeen locations, all marked with cinnabar for profit amounts.

"Young Lord, this is the Foundation of Xuantian Holy Land in Qingzhou, which can generate thirty thousand taels of silver in commissions every year."

Zhao Gao placed the account book next to the crystal panel. "According to your instructions, the 'Shadow' group of The Net has already infiltrated five locations, and we will take action tonight."

Jun Xiaoyao opened the account book and drew a circle on "Xuan's Pawnshop": "This is the armory of the Xuanbing Guards; let Shi Qing and Min Rou go. For the rest, leave it to the people of the Marshal of the Unruly, and follow the old rules—cut off water, cut off electricity, block the doors. No need to hurt anyone; cut off their cash flow first."

Zhao Gao was about to retreat when he was called back.

"Tell the Shi couple that the weapons of the Xuanbing Guards are quenched with Mysterious Ice Cold Poison. Let Min Rou prepare some Medicinal Pill for detoxification," Jun Xiaoyao added. "Don't let them suffer a loss."

Upon hearing this, Min Rou took a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve: "Young Lord is overthinking. The 'Warm Sun Pill' I carry can cure the cold poison; it will come in handy." Shi Qing gripped his long sword, his gaze firm: "We will definitely not let the Young Lord down."

IV. Night Visit to the Pawnshop

At the third watch, the backyard of Xuan's Pawnshop was eerily quiet.

The shopkeeper was a small commander of the Xuanbing Guards. He was currently sitting in the accounting room checking the weapon inventory when he suddenly heard a sound of a zither from outside the courtyard, the tone soft and gentle, like moonlight flowing over a stream.

"Who is playing the zither?" He frowned and stood up. Just as he reached the door, he saw Min Rou in white standing under the moonlight. She was not holding a zither; the zither sound was actually made by her tapping her knuckles against her sword scabbard.

"Are the sword techniques of the Xuanbing Guards all hidden in this pawnshop?" Min Rou asked with a smile. Her fingertips suddenly accelerated the rhythm, and the pearls on the scabbard tinkled rapidly, as if urging something.

The shopkeeper's heart tightened. Just as he was about to call for help, a white figure jumped down from the eaves, the sword light like a practice piercing straight at him—it was Shi Qing.

The shopkeeper hurriedly drew the curved sword from his waist. The blade glowed with cold air, clearly quenched with Mysterious Ice poison.

"Be careful!" Min Rou gave a light shout. Her short sword left its sheath, the sword moves like flowing clouds wrapping around the curved sword, skillfully guiding the blade's force to the side.

Shi Qing's long sword took the opportunity to thrust out, pointing directly at the shopkeeper's heart, but stopped an inch away.

"Speak, where is the key to the armory?" Shi Qing's voice was steady, the blade having already cut the opponent's lapel.

The shopkeeper gritted his teeth and did not answer. Suddenly, he whistled, and the ground in the backyard "cracked" open, and four Xuanbing Guards emerged, holding ice shards to form a Formation.

Min Rou pulled Shi Qing back half a step. The couple looked at each other and drew their swords at the same time—Shi Qing's long sword was like a green pine standing on a cliff, blocking the frontal attack; Min Rou's short sword was like a weak willow in the wind, circling to the side of the Formation to unload the force.

"Husband and Wife Sword Technique · Flowing Clouds Around the Pine!"

Two sword lights, one rigid and one soft, shuttled through the Formation. The Xuanbing Guards' Formation was originally indestructible, but it was thrown into chaos by this sword style that was sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes attacking, sometimes defending.

A moment later, the sound of ice shards shattering rang out one after another. The four Xuanbing Guards fell to the ground one after another with sword wounds, and the stone door of the armory was also split open by Shi Qing's sword.

"Young Lord said to leave them alive." Min Rou used her short sword to pick out the key and said to Shi Qing. Shi Qing nodded, sheathed his long sword, and tapped the shopkeeper's acupuncture points.

[Real-time Image]

[Xuan's Pawnshop armory destroyed, Xuanbing Guards equipment loss 30%]

[Shi Qing, Min Rou loyalty increased to 85%, 90%]

V. News After Dawn

The next morning, Qingzhou City exploded. Seventeen industries of Xuantian Holy Land collectively "had accidents": pawnshops were robbed, medicine in pharmacies became moldy.

Silk shops were splashed with ink... What made Mysterious Dust Master most angry was that the Prefect of Qingzhou led government officials to seal three strongholds suspected of "arson" on the grounds of "conclusive physical evidence."

On the crystal panel, the red light of "Xuantian Holy Land" dimmed a bit, and a new prompt popped up next to it: [Mysterious Dust Master Prestige -10, Qingzhou industry revenue -50%]. And next to the avatars of Shi Qing and Min Rou, there was an extra golden "Co-battle" icon.

Jun Xiaoyao looked at the panel, his fingertips pausing for a moment on the four characters "Shattering the Void"—Mysterious Dust Master's counterattack.

It was probably going to level up. But he was not worried. In the corner of the crystal panel, new summoning energy was accumulating. Who should be next?