295: Secret Vault Pearl Stealing

Behind the secret door in the northwest corner of the Imperial City's secret vault, an aroma mixed with dragon saliva incense and mold permeated the air.

Jun Xiaoyao's black cloak swept over the dusty stone steps, leaving a faint trail of footprints that were quickly covered by the cold wind blowing from behind.

His fingertips clutched three silver needles dipped in bone-corroding powder, his ears catching the dripping sound from deep within the vault—the sound of spiritual energy colliding with water vapor as the Suppressing Evil Formation (Suppressing Evil Formation) operated, three drops per group, precisely matching the breathing rhythm of the Formation's core.

"Yin Shi San Ke, half an incense stick left." Jun Xiaoyao whispered into the message talisman at his collar, his voice extremely low, "Li Xunhuan, prepare the Flying Dagger."

Li Xunhuan's slightly Alcoholic (wine-scented) reply came from the other end of the message talisman: "Don't worry, it never misses."

At this moment, a commotion suddenly arose from the direction of the secret vault's main entrance. Yuchi Gong (Yuchi Gong)'s furious roar pierced the night sky: "Who is calling this General? Has the favored concubine's luminous pearl been lost? Where was it lost?" Clearly, the nightingale's imitation had worked, and the one-eyed general was now rushing towards the imperial harem with half of the guards, their footsteps shaking the ground slightly.

"Now!" Jun Xiaoyao growled, his figure darting out of the shadows like a civet cat. The silver needles flew from his fingertips, accurately striking the three tripwire (tripwire) mechanisms inside the secret door. The bone-corroding powder on the silver needles instantly corroded the ropes, and the mechanisms emitted a muffled "clack," becoming completely ineffective.

At the same time, Li Xunhuan's figure floated down from the crown of the old locust tree, his Flying Dagger transforming into a silver line, heading straight for the dragon saliva incense wooden door in the Heaven-ranked area. The mugwort juice coating the blade isolated the metallic Qi, so the incense door showed no reaction, yet the Flying Dagger was already deeply embedded in the lock. With a "snap," the lock cylinder shattered.

"Marshal of the Unruly, it's your turn!" Li Xunhuan shouted.

Marshal of the Unruly's reply came from the shadows: "The flaw in the Nine Sons Interlocking Formation has been found. Watch my Armor-piercing cone (Armor-Piercing Cone)!" Before his voice faded, a cold-gleaming conical hidden weapon shot through the air, hitting the base of the flagstaff at the seventh flag position in the due west. The flagstaff snapped in response, and with the Formation's core broken, the surrounding patrolling soldiers immediately fell into chaos, and the Formation's operation experienced a momentary stagnation.

Jun Xiaoyao seized the opportunity to rush into the Heaven-ranked area. Under the light of the bronze lampstand, rows of jade shelves were filled with various treasures: luminous pearls, Crimson Gold Beast (vermilion gold beasts), Jade Screen (jade screens)... but his gaze swept past these, landing on the glazed cabinet in the deepest part—a pigeon-egg-sized pearl floated there, pure white, with a faint halo flowing on its surface. It was the soul settling pearl.

[Item: soul settling pearl]

[Rank: Heaven And Earth Treasure]

[Effect: Stabilizes Divine Soul, increases the loyalty cap of summoned characters, can be converted into 30% of summoning array spiritual energy]

"Take it!" As Jun Xiaoyao reached out, eight hidden arrows suddenly sprang from the glazed cabinet, their tips glowing with a faint blue light, obviously coated with potent poison. He dodged sideways, the arrows grazing his cloak and embedding themselves in the stone wall behind him, sending sparks flying.

"There's a trick!" Li Xunhuan's Flying Dagger struck again, knocking down two hidden arrows. "This cabinet is an 'Eight-Sided Exquisite Box'; touching the pearl will trigger twelve mechanisms!"

Qiao Feng's voice came from outside the secret door, carrying a powerful surge of Qi: "I'll break it!" He had arrived at some unknown time, and with both palms striking out, his Dragon Subduing Palm Force (Dragon Subduing Palm Force) crashed like surging waves, forcefully tilting the glazed cabinet. The cabinet door slammed to the ground with a "clang," revealing the soul settling pearl inside.

Jun Xiaoyao seized the chance to lean in. As his fingertips touched the pearl, the entire secret vault suddenly shook violently. Dust sifted down from overhead, and the runes on the walls glowed red—the Suppressing Evil Formation had been alarmed!

"Hurry!" Marshal of the Unruly's voice was urgent. "Xiao Xian's reinforcements are almost here. I blew up a secret passage in the southeast corner; it can only hold for one incense stick!"

The four no longer lingered in battle. Qiao Feng covered their retreat, continuously striking with his palms to repel the pursuing imperial guards; Li Xunhuan's Flying Daggers constantly shot out, clearing mechanisms along the way; Marshal of the Unruly led the way, brandishing his Armor-Piercing Cone to split open blocking stone doors; Jun Xiaoyao, meanwhile, clutched the soul settling pearl, feeling the warm spiritual energy within it. This power surged into his body through his fingertips, actually revitalizing his spirit, which had been somewhat fatigued from continuous commanding.

The secret passage was filled with the smell of gunpowder, clearly from the explosives Marshal of the Unruly had set up in advance. Running out of the secret passage, they found themselves in a desolate graveyard, where the pale moonlight shone on the gravestones, giving off an eerie feeling.

"Separate," Jun Xiaoyao decided immediately. "Qiao Feng will return to the underground palace with me. Li Xunhuan will transfer the soul settling pearl through the secret passage. Marshal of the Unruly will lead away the pursuers. Zhao Gao will meet you at the designated location."

"Young Lord, be careful!" The three responded in unison and quickly split up.

As Jun Xiaoyao and Qiao Feng entered the secret door of the underground palace, Zhao Gao came to meet them, holding an account book, his face pale: "Young Lord, The Net's people sent news that Wanfa Holy Land took advantage of the chaos to raid our cloth shop in Qingzhou, stealing three carts of silk and injuring five 'Shadow' group assassins!"

"Injured people?" Jun Xiaoyao's voice instantly turned cold, and the soul settling pearl at his fingertips glowed faintly with his anger. "Did you find out who led the team?"

"It was the Law Enforcement Elder of Wanfa Holy Land, named Xuan Zhen, Middle Celestial Realm. He is said to be skilled in 'myriad laws Returning to One Palm'." Zhao Gao handed over a portrait, which depicted an old man in a green robe with a sinister face and hawk-like eyes.

Jun Xiaoyao placed the soul settling pearl on the core of the summoning array. The pearl immediately transformed into a white light and merged into the array. The spiritual energy reading, originally at 70%, instantly surged to 100%! The summonable character list on the light screen refreshed violently, and a name popped up at the very top—

[Summonable Character: Zhang Sanfeng]

[From: the heaven sword and dragon saber World]

[Realm: Early Earthly Immortal Realm]

[Martial Skill: Tai Chi Fist (Perfection), Tai Chi Sword (Perfection), Pure Yang Limitless Art (Major Achievement)]

[Loyalty: 95%]

[Summoning Cost: 100% Spiritual Energy Reserve]

"Zhang Sanfeng?" A sharp glint flashed in Jun Xiaoyao's eyes. Land Immortal Realm, just right to deal with that Elder Xuan Zhen! "Summon immediately!"

The light of the summoning array erupted abruptly, runes swirling like a galaxy. A figure gradually emerged in the center—dressed in a Daoist robe, with a youthful face and white hair, holding a whisk, it was Zhang Sanfeng. As he stood firm, his gaze fell upon Jun Xiaoyao, and he bowed respectfully: "Old Daoist Zhang Sanfeng greets the Young Lord. I hear some petty villain has harmed the Young Lord's people?"

"Xuan Zhen of Wanfa Holy Land injured five of my The Net's people," Jun Xiaoyao's tone was icy. "Daoist Zhang, are you willing to seek justice for me?"

Zhang Sanfeng lightly waved his whisk, and a faint white light emanated from his body, a sign of the Pure Yang Limitless Art in operation: "Below the Land Immortal Realm, this old Daoist has never feared anyone. Young Lord, tell me a location, and this old Daoist will go meet him now."

"Ten Mile Slope outside Qingzhou City," Jun Xiaoyao pointed to the water mirror, which showed Xuan Zhen's route back to the Holy Land with his men. "He will take that road back to the main altar. Daoist Zhang, catch up to him and cripple his cultivation. There's no need to take his life—keep him alive, he still has a use."

"This old Daoist understands." Zhang Sanfeng smiled faintly, his figure flickered, and he vanished from the entrance of the underground palace, leaving only one sentence: "At this time tomorrow, this old Daoist will bring good news to the Young Lord."

Zhao Gao looked at the empty doorway, then at the light screen above the summoning array, and swallowed: "Young Lord... is this the Land Immortal Realm? The speed is too fast!"

Jun Xiaoyao said nothing, merely tossing Xuan Zhen's portrait into the lamplight. The flames licked at the paper's edge, quickly devouring that sinister face. He knew this was just the beginning—Wanfa Holy Land had injured The Net's people, and he would collect this debt with interest. And with Zhang Sanfeng's arrival, the power of Beyond Heaven would usher in a new leap forward.

The lamps in the underground palace flickered, reflecting Jun Xiaoyao's deep eyes. The spiritual energy from the soul settling pearl still flowed within the summoning array, and the countdown to the next summoning had already begun.

He looked at the scene in the water mirror where Li Xunhuan and Marshal of the Unruly successfully met, a cold arc forming at the corner of his mouth—

The Net had been cast; next, it was time to reel it in.