337: Secret Letter from the Water Prison

The water mirror in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace was divided into four quadrants, each reflecting different storms.

Jun Xiaoyao sat upright on the black iron chair, his fingertips lightly twisting a piece of cold iron that had just been tempered; the fragment glinted with a cold luster under the candlelight, its edge sharp enough to slice through the air.

In the first water mirror on the left, the misty rain of Jiangnan shrouded a painted pleasure boat.

The master of the Misty Rain Tower, Liu Suifeng, stood at the bow, his white robes whiter than snow, his long sword moving casually as if it were weightless, the water droplets dripping from the sword tip pulverized by his Sword Qi before they could even hit the air.

Behind him stood a hundred swordsmen, all with the cultivation of the Grandmaster Realm; their Auras were restrained but ready, clearly elites who had trained together for years.

"West Gate Blows Snow?" Liu Suifeng looked at the small boat approaching on the river, a playful smile curling on his lips. "The Net is certainly willing to pay a high price; to think they actually moved the Sword God."

On the small boat, West Gate Blows Snow's white robes and Liu Suifeng's white robes stood opposite each other in the misty rain, yet they exuded completely different Auras—one like a frozen snow mountain, the other like flowing clouds and mist.

He said nothing more, merely raising his long sword slightly, and a streak of Sword Intent broke through the rain curtain, aiming straight for Liu Suifeng's face.

"Well come!" Liu Suifeng laughed aloud, his Wind Following Sword tracing an arc, the Sword Qi and raindrops intertwining into a net, actually dissolving West Gate Blows Snow's Sword Intent layer by layer.

The hundred swordsmen drew their swords simultaneously, their Sword Qi converging into a torrent that surged along the river, kicking up waves several zhang high.

Before the water mirror, the cold iron fragment at Jun Xiaoyao's fingertips trembled slightly.

He could feel that Liu Suifeng's Wind Following Sword had reached the Transcendent state.

The sword momentum flowed with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi; it appeared scattered, but actually concealed infinite variations, which was no wonder he could block West Gate Blows Snow's sword with the cultivation of the Peak Grandmaster Realm.

"Zhao Gao, have you found out about the transaction between the Misty Rain Tower and the Southern Chu Imperial Family?"

Zhao Gao bowed and handed over a bamboo scroll: "Replying to the Young Lord, Liu Suifeng's younger sister, Liu Qingyan, has been titled a Noble Consort by the Southern Chu Emperor, and the Misty Rain Tower is assisting the Imperial Family in training the Blood Shadow Army in exchange for ten years of protection."

"The secret letter mentions that they are also searching for the 'soul devouring pearl', which is said to be able to enhance the toxicity of the Blood Shadow Needle."

Jun Xiaoyao's gaze turned cold.

The soul devouring pearl was an ancient evil object that could devour living souls to strengthen itself; if the Blood Shadow Tower truly obtained it, the strength of the Blood Shadow Army would skyrocket several times over.

He looked at the second water mirror—that was the dark river of Yunmengze, where Huang Rong was directing the Luowang Assassins to set explosives.

On the rock walls on both sides of the dark river, the "water mines" specially made by the "Weapon" group had been embedded into the stone crevices, the fuses wrapped in special waterproof oilcloth and extending to the fire-starter in Huang Rong's hand.

Beside her, the Marshal of the Unruly was using a compass to pinpoint the location, his deep voice echoing in the dark river: "Three hundred zhang ahead is the underwater entrance to the granary, guarded by the Blood Shadow Tower's 'Water Ghost Camp', totaling fifty experts at the Initial Heaven Human Realm."

Huang Rong's Dog-Beating Staff turned lightly in her hand, tracing a complex mark: "The Water Ghost Camp is skilled in holding their breath underwater, and ordinary poisons are ineffective."

"But their heart-protecting mirrors are made of black iron, which will malfunction upon encountering magnets; is the 'magnet' from the 'Weapon' group ready?"

"It has been distributed to the 'Kill' group as you ordered, Miss." The Marshal of the Unruly nodded, a flash of approval crossing his eyes beneath his bamboo hat.

In the third water mirror, Guo Jing was standing on the watchtower of the Northern Border iron mine, the energy of his Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms acting like an invisible barrier, shrouding the iron mine within.

Around the mine, five hundred men from The Net's "Military" group formed a square formation, the defensive formation composed of shields and spears airtight; this was exactly the "Big Dipper Formation" improved by Guo Jing.

"General, there is unusual movement on the Southern Chu border." A scout rushed to report, holding a token of the Blood Shadow Tower in his hand, "The vanguard of the Blood Shadow Army has passed Black Wind Ridge, numbering about five hundred, and their speed is extremely fast."

Guo Jing's eyes were like torches as he looked toward the southern horizon: "Pass the order down: the Big Dipper Formation is to change from defense to offense; the first team will follow me to meet the enemy head-on, the second team will flank the rear, and the third team will guard the mine entrance!"

He circulated the Nine Yin Manual within his body, a faint golden light radiating around him, actually causing the black iron in the iron mine to hum, resonating with the soldiers' armor, and his Aura instantly surged.

The fourth water mirror was the quietest—the water prison of Hanyue Valley.

Zhan Zhao was holding a bucket of ice water, splashing it on the face of the Blood Shadow Tower messenger.

The messenger was locked up by iron chains, his shoulder blades pierced, yet he still glared defiantly at Zhan Zhao: "The Net will be trampled by the Blood Shadow Tower sooner or later; you running dogs will all die!"

Zhan Zhao was expressionless as he took out a secret letter from his bosom, which was the very one seized from the messenger: "What did the Xuan Character Camp tell you to do? Speak, and I can give you a quick death."

A flash of panic crossed the messenger's eyes, then he gritted his teeth: "I don't know what you are talking about!"

Zhan Zhao sneered, his long sword unsheathed, the tip lightly grazing the messenger's arm, and a bloodstain appeared, yet no blood flowed out—his Sword Qi had already sealed his Meridians.

"This is the 'Bone-Eroding Sword Qi'; in half an hour, it will travel along your Meridians, and wherever it passes, your bones will feel as if they are being gnawed by ants; you will only die after three months."

Cold sweat beaded on the messenger's forehead, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Before the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao watched this scene and said to Zhao Gao: "The Xuan Character Camp belongs to the Crown Prince, and the Blood Shadow Tower belongs to the Southern Chu Imperial Family; their collusion is definitely not a small matter."

"Have Zhan Zhao use the 'Soul Searching Technique'; no matter what method is used, we must find out their purpose."

"Yes, this subordinate will pass the order immediately."

At this moment, the battle in the first water mirror had reached a fever pitch.

West Gate Blows Snow's sword grew faster and faster, the sword light sweeping across the river like a blizzard, and Liu Suifeng's Wind Following Sword gradually faltered, several sword marks added to his white robes.

The sword formation composed of a hundred swordsmen was broken by more than half, their bodies drifting away with the river water, staining the misty rain red.

"You won." Liu Suifeng leaned on his sword, panting heavily, the sword wound on his chest continuously oozing blood, "But you cannot kill me; the Misty Rain Tower has far more contingency plans than you imagine."

West Gate Blows Snow did not pursue, merely pointing his sword tip at Liu Suifeng's throat: "Speak, where is the soul devouring pearl?"

A flash of hesitation crossed Liu Suifeng's eyes, finally saying dejectedly: "It is in the secret treasury of the Southern Chu Imperial Family, personally guarded by the Blood Shadow Tower Master, Shadowless."

In the second water mirror, Huang Rong had already lit the fuse.

The water mines on both sides of the dark river exploded simultaneously, the huge impact kicking up monstrous waves, and a large hole was blown open at the underwater entrance of the granary.

The Marshal of the Unruly led the "Kill" group and charged in; the Water Ghost Camp's heart-protecting mirrors were indeed interfered with by the magnets, their defense greatly reduced, and they were soon cleared out.

Firelight shone through the cracks of the granary, reddening half of Yunmengze.

In the third water mirror, Guo Jing's Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms were like a Dragon soaring into the Nine Heavens, the vanguard of the Blood Shadow Army beaten into disarray, the leading general's heart pulse shattered by a single palm, his body flying backward and collapsing a mountain wall of Black Wind Ridge.

The "Military" group's Big Dipper Formation operated like clockwork, surrounding the remaining Blood Shadow Army in the center, leaving them with no escape.

In the fourth water mirror, the messenger finally could not bear the pain of the Bone-Eroding Sword Qi, crying and confessing: "It was the commander of the Xuan Character Camp who told us to find the soul devouring pearl! He said that after the Crown Prince ascends to the throne, he will use the soul devouring pearl to control the Martial Forest of the world! The Blood Shadow Tower is just their pawn!"

Before the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao crushed the cold iron fragment, the powder spilling from his fingertips.

The Crown Prince, the Southern Chu Imperial Family, the Blood Shadow Tower, the Misty Rain Tower... the threads of various forces were finally clear, and they all pointed to the soul devouring pearl.

"Zhao Gao, pass my order." Jun Xiaoyao's voice echoed in the silent underground palace, carrying undeniable majesty, "West Gate Blows Snow is to go to the Southern Chu secret treasury and seize the soul devouring pearl; Huang Rong and the Marshal of the Unruly are to immediately reinforce them after burning the granary; Guo Jing is to guard the iron mine and prevent a counterattack from the Blood Shadow Army; Zhan Zhao is to organize the messenger's confession and deliver it to my desk."

"Yes!" Zhao Gao took the order and left.

The water mirror in the underground palace gradually dimmed, leaving only the last scene—West Gate Blows Snow's white-robed figure breaking through the city wall of the Southern Chu Imperial City, his sword light falling like a meteor into the depths of the Imperial Palace, where the secret treasury storing the soul devouring pearl was located.

Jun Xiaoyao leaned back on the black iron chair, watching the Spiritual Qi of the summoning array slowly rising—after these battles, the Spiritual Qi in the array eye had recovered to 60%, and as the runes flowed, it seemed as if a new powerhouse was about to descend.

He knew that seizing the soul devouring pearl was only the first step; next, it would be the turn of Beyond Heaven to collect interest from these clowns.

The rain outside Hanyue Valley was still falling, yet it seemed unable to wash away the bloodshed about to come to this continent.

And deep in the underground palace, the chess game belonging to Jun Xiaoyao was stepping step by step toward the moment of closing The Net.