“Mr. Jia, what a coincidence.”

As the leader of a sect, Li Lingyun remained calm and composed, cupping his hands in greeting.

Jia Yue glared fiercely at Mei’er with his small eyes before looking at Li Lingyun.

Mei’er panicked and instinctively took a step back, standing behind Qi Fei.

The humiliation Jia Yue had inflicted on her over the past month had instilled in her a deep-seated fear, as well as intense disgust and hatred towards him.

Jia Yue chuckled and said, “Sect Leader Li, where are you headed in the middle of the night? Oh, Miss Gu is here too. Why didn’t you say goodbye before leaving?”

Gu Yinzhang was shocked. This person was indeed cunning. He clearly knew they were leaving tonight and had laid an ambush here long ago.

Li Lingyun said, “Boss Jia, I’m sorry, but the Diancang Sect will not be doing this business. We plan to return to Diancang Mountain tonight. Excuse me.” With that, he turned to leave.

Jia Yue burst into laughter: “Sect Leader Li, what do you think the capital is? Do you think you can come and go as you please?”

Li Lingyun’s expression changed: “What do you want?”

Jia Yue said calmly, “Sect Leader Li, since you know everything, let’s be frank. The Ninth Prince has ordered you to join his ranks immediately, or else you will bear the consequences!”

Li Lingyun sneered: “You think my nickname ‘The Sword of Diancang’ is just for show? You think you can keep me here?”

Jia Yue chuckled: “Sect Leader Li, you’re incredibly naive. Do you think this is your Diancang Mountain? Do you think only the Jia family is here to stop you tonight? Everyone, come out—”

The sound of light footsteps continued, and figures emerged from the darkness. People even stood on the rooftops on both sides, completely blocking the street in front of the Jia Mansion!

As he looked at the people who appeared before him, Li Lingyun’s expression kept changing, his mood shifting between light and dark. Many of them were people he knew, and some were even his friends, such as Du Ao, the leader of the Danxia Sect!

Jia Yue said, “Let me introduce you. This is Du Ao, the leader of the Danxia Sect.”

“Brother Li.” Du Ao bowed to Li Lingyun.

“Brother Du, you…” Li Lingyun stared at him in disbelief. He really didn’t expect that Du Ao had actually colluded with Jia Yue to frame him!

Jia Yue then pointed to a middle-aged man dressed in hemp clothing, with a missing finger on his left hand, and holding a long sword. The long sword in the man’s hand was somewhat special, longer than an ordinary long sword, and the hilt was carved with dragon patterns.

Jia Yue then said, “This is Xue Jiuzhi, the notorious bandit.”

Li Lingyun looked at Xue Jiuzhi and was even more shocked. Jia Yue and Xue Jiuzhi were indeed in cahoots. His Panlong Sword was stolen by the two of them and was now in Xue Jiuzhi’s hands.

Xue Jiuzhi cupped his hands in greeting and said, “Greetings, Sect Leader Li.”

“Hmph!” Li Lingyun snorted coldly, not even bothering to look at him.

Xue Jiuzhi chuckled but didn’t get angry.

Jia Yue then pointed to a man in black beside him and continued, “This is Hei Tong, the number one assassin in the underworld.”

This man with black eyes was dressed in black, had a cold face, and his eyes were so black that the whites of his eyes were almost invisible. He glanced at Li Lingyun but did not say anything.

At this moment, Gu Yinzhang felt a surge of resentment. Jia Yue didn’t say a single word of truth. He said that Hei Tong was his mortal enemy, but in reality, he was just a crony!

Jia Yue then pointed to a veiled woman in a white gauze dress and said, “This is the cold-blooded killer Leng Ning.”

Upon hearing the name “Leng Ning,” Qi Fei’s expression changed. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the veiled woman in the white gauze dress was none other than Leng Shuxue, the cold beauty he had met once at the Wan Hua Lou, and Mei’er’s daughter!

Mei’er, standing behind him, trembled and looked over.

At this moment, a tall man stepped forward and said, “Zhao Bufan of the Great River Gang greets Sect Leader Li.”

“Wu Qingchuan of the Iron Finger Sect, greetings to Sect Leader Li.”

“Qiu Haixuan of Aojian Manor sends his greetings to Sect Leader Li on behalf of my master.” This was a member of Aojian Manor, the number one sect in the world.

“Imperial Palace Dragon Guard, Luo Weichen.”

“A needle hidden in cotton, Liao Fa.” This person was actually Doctor Liao.

One after another, masters emerged, totaling more than ten. Each of them was a renowned figure in the martial arts world, a top-tier master, or even a top master who had reached the Innate Realm!

A powerful pressure swept over them, casting a shadow over the hearts of everyone in the Diancang Sect.

Jia Yue chuckled and said, “Sect Leader Li, what do you think?”

Li Lingyun gritted his teeth and said, “What exactly do you want?”

Jia Yue said, “Didn’t I already tell you? Once you join the Nine Thousand Years’ command, we’ll be family, and no one will make things difficult for you.”

Li Lingyun said, “Our Diancang Sect’s founder established a rule more than three hundred years ago that disciples are not allowed to join the imperial court or participate in dynastic struggles. Your Excellency is doing this simply to use the martial arts forces under heaven to deal with the Kun Kingdom. Don’t you think you are being used as pawns?”

Du Ao laughed and said, “Brother Li, you are too old-fashioned. It is true that the court is using our strength to deal with Kun Kingdom, but we can also reap great benefits from it and enjoy endless wealth and honor. What’s wrong with that?”

Li Lingyun remained silent.

Jia Yue said impatiently, “Sect Leader Li, make a decision quickly. Are you going to join or not? If you don’t join, then we’ll have to disregard the rules of the martial world and attack together. I hope that you dozens of third-rate Diancang Sect members can withstand the siege of us super experts!”

“Brother Li!” Du Ao advised, “A wise man submits to circumstances!”

Li Lingyun closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “I can join, but I have one condition.”

Jia Yue said, “Go ahead.”

Li Lingyun said calmly, “I want to see the Ninth Prince with my own eyes, and you must return the Panlong Sword to me!”

“As long as you sincerely join our ranks, seeing us won’t be difficult at all,” a hoarse voice rang out.

Everyone looked over at the same time and saw four attendants carrying a wooden palanquin out of the darkness. On the palanquin lay an old man with white hair. The old man had deep eyes, wore brocade clothes, held a feather fan, and wore three-inch-long gold finger guards inlaid with gemstones on some of his fingers, making him look exceptionally noble.

“Greetings, Your Excellency!” Jia Yue and the others bowed in unison.

“Okay, okay,” the old man nodded.

This man is none other than the current head eunuch of the Gan Dynasty, the leader of the Imperial Palace Dragon Guard, and a favorite of Emperor Gan, known in the martial arts world as “Nine Thousand Years Old.” He is deeply trusted by Emperor Gan and holds a high position of power in the Gan Dynasty, second only to the emperor!

Rumor has it that Emperor Gan entrusted everything in the martial arts world to the Ninth Prince, making him responsible for managing and leading the martial arts community of the Great Gan Dynasty. Therefore, he was given the greatest authority, and when necessary, he could even mobilize troops from various regions.

Upon seeing the Ninth Prince, Li Lingyun finally lowered his head and said, “I hope the Ninth Prince will return the Panlong Sword to me.”

The Ninth Prince said, “Give him the sword.”

“yes!”

Although Xue Jiuzhi was somewhat reluctant, he still complied and threw his long sword at Li Lingyun.

Li Lingyun took it with one hand, and with a clang, he drew the long sword and saw that the blade was radiating a cold light and had complete dragon patterns carved on it. It was the Panlong Sword, one of the three great divine weapons in the world and a treasure passed down by the Diancang Sect for hundreds of years!

Li Lingyun sheathed his longsword, knelt before the Ninth Prince, and said, “The Diancang Sect is willing to pledge allegiance to the Ninth Prince!”

Gu Yinzhang, who was standing to the side, closed her beautiful eyes and sighed. Li Lingyun had finally submitted.

“Good, very good.” The Ninth Prince said, taking out a red pill from his bosom, flicking it with his finger, and sending it flying towards Li Lingyun.

Li Lingyun took it with one hand and asked, “What is this?”

The Ninth Prince said in his hoarse voice, “This is a good thing, very precious. It can enhance your power after consumption. I will reward anyone who joins my ranks and serves me with one. You should take it.”

Li Lingyun looked at the pill in his hand, hesitated for a moment, and seeing everyone staring at him with predatory eyes, although he had some doubts, he still slowly opened his mouth and swallowed the pill.

“very good.”

The Ninth Prince laughed, “After you take this ‘Seven Blood Pill,’ it will flare up once a month. I will assign you some tasks, and you must come to the palace once a month to report on your mission. If you do well, I will reward you with a pill to relieve the pain of the ‘Blood Qi Pill’. Otherwise, you will bleed from all seven orifices and die.”

It really is poison! It’s what the other side relies on to control people.

“We’ve already eaten, what else is there to say?” Li Lingyun clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, saying, “I understand!”

Just when everyone thought that was the end of it, the Ninth Prince said again, “Oh, right, there’s one more thing. Sect Leader Li, you’ve only just joined our ranks and haven’t yet made any significant contributions, so it’s hard for you to win people over. You need to present a pledge of allegiance first before you can truly integrate into our big family.”

“A pledge of allegiance?” Li Lingyun frowned. “What does Your Highness mean…”

The Ninth Prince said, “What, didn’t Du Ao tell you?”

Li Lingyun looked at Du Ao with a puzzled expression.

Du Ao hurriedly said, “Brother Li, it’s like this: everyone who joins the Nine Thousand Years’ command must send their wife and daughters to the palace, offering their bodies to the Emperor so that he can have his way with them once…”

“What did you say?!” Li Lingyun was shocked upon hearing this, almost unable to believe his ears.

Gu Yinzhang and Li Yuyao, who were standing to the side, changed their expressions drastically and turned pale.

Du Ao said nonchalantly, “This is the usual practice, it only needs to be done once, it’s not a big deal.”

Li Lingyun hurriedly said, “That’s absolutely unacceptable!”

He could accept anything else, but this was something he couldn’t accept: sending his wife and daughter into the palace to be humiliated and abused by the emperor. He simply couldn’t accept it, even if it was just once.

Gu Yinzhang suddenly thought of Li Huiyu. She finally understood why Li Huiyu was so determined to oppose Du Ao joining the Nine Thousand Years’ command. She must have been sent there by Du Ao and experienced such humiliation.

The Ninth Prince frowned, his expression showing some displeasure.

Du Ao quickly said, “Brother Du, it is a great honor for Lady Gu and Yu Yao to have received the Emperor’s favor. There is no need to care too much about it! Especially since Yu Yao is still a virgin, the Emperor might be so pleased that he might take her as his favorite concubine!”

“Du Ao, you are shameless!” Gu Yinzhang shouted in a delicate voice.

The Ninth Prince said in a strange voice, “Our Qian Dynasty has always been a place where men are superior to women. When did it become your place, a woman, to speak? Sect Leader Li, what do you have to say?”

Gu Yinzhang looked at Li Lingyun, staring at him intently.

At this moment, Li Lingyun was filled with regret, pain, and humiliation. He was struggling incessantly. Facing the menacing gazes of the crowd, the threats from the Ninth Prince and his henchmen, as well as the stares of Gu Yinzhang and Li Yuyao, he felt as if his mind was in turmoil, completely lost, and on the verge of collapse.

Jia Yue sneered, “Sect Leader Li, make a decision quickly. The Ninth Prince is very busy and doesn’t have much time to waste here with you. If you go back on your word, hehe… your Diancang Sect will disappear tonight.”

Li Lingyun’s face was contorted with pain as he took long breaths. He glanced at the Ninth Prince and the others, then at Gu Yinzhang and Li Yuyao, and said with trembling lips, “Yinzhang, Yuyao, I…”

Gu Yinzhang raised an eyebrow and shouted, “Senior brother! You…”

Li Lingyun said, “Yinzhang, the Diancang Sect cannot be destroyed, otherwise I will be ashamed before my ancestors. Please forgive me…”

“No–”

Upon hearing his words, Gu Yinzhang felt a sharp pain in her chest, and all her strength vanished, as if her soul had been ripped away. She cried out in pain, her delicate body went limp, and she was about to collapse to the ground.

“Master’s wife!” Qi Fei caught her.

At this moment, Gu Yinzhang’s eyes were filled with tears, and she closed them in anguish. She never expected that her husband would make such a decision, that he would sell her to someone else. Not only her, but even her daughter was willing to be sold. She was on the verge of collapse. This was her husband, the person she had shared a bed with for many years, the person who had made vows of eternal love to her!

Now, all of that has vanished like smoke, all of it has collapsed.

If Li Lingyun refused, Gu Yinzhang would stand with him and die with him, even if it meant dying in battle. But Li Lingyun’s persistence pushed her into the abyss!

“Father, how could you do this, how could you do this…” Li Yuyao burst into tears. Her spiritual pillar and her faith since childhood had completely collapsed tonight.

Li Lingyun couldn’t bear to look at them. He could only painfully raise his head, his whole body trembling. He had no choice!

He would not have agreed to any other way if there were any other option; he would not have sent his wife and daughters into a pit of fire to be played with by others!

“That’s right…” The Ninth Prince chuckled strangely. “Li Lingyun, you’re quite a sensible hero. Don’t worry, we won’t mistreat you. Men, take Master Li’s wife and daughter to the palace.”

“yes!”

Several people immediately walked towards Gu Yinzhang and Li Yuyao.

“Who dares to come any closer!”

At this moment, Qi Fei suddenly shouted, stood in front of everyone, shielded Gu Yinzhang and Li Yuyao behind him, drew his long sword from his waist, and pointed the tip of the sword directly at the Ninth Prince.

In that instant, everyone’s eyes fell on Qi Fei.

A hint of surprise flashed in Leng Ning’s beautiful eyes as she looked Qi Fei up and down.

The others were astonished. Even Li Lingyun had submitted, yet this kid dared to stand up without fear of death. Wasn’t he courting death?

They naturally didn’t understand why Qi Fei would stand up. For Qi Fei, nothing else mattered, not even his own life. Only his women mattered the most. In his eyes, Gu Yinzhang and Li Yuyao were his women, sacred and inviolable!

The Ninth Prince said calmly, “Kill him.”

“yes!”

One of the skilled martial artists immediately drew his long sword from his waist and slashed at Qi Fei.

This man was extremely agile and possessed excellent knife skills. He was a first-rate master in the martial arts world. Although he was far inferior to the innate masters like Li Lingyun and Du Ao, few could rival him in the acquired realm. His martial arts were no less than Zhang Jingzhu’s. Even against top-tier masters like Gu Yinzhang and Li Huiyu, he could fight for a long time.

Faced with this person’s attack, Qi Fei flicked his longsword, and a sword aura emerged from the blade, transforming into the shape of a dragon’s head, radiating cold light, and pounced towards the opponent!

The man raised his sword to parry, but the sword energy struck the blade with a clang. He felt a numbness in his arm, and the long sword slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

The man was terrified. He saw a flash of cold light before his eyes, then felt a sharp pain in his throat, blood splattered, and he collapsed.

He killed the man with a single move!

Everyone’s expression changed drastically!

Everyone was moved by the sight of Qi Fei’s blood-dripping sword. They never expected that such an insignificant disciple of the Diancang Sect would possess such internal strength and swordsmanship. It was truly astonishing!

Even Li Lingyun was stunned. It was as if he was seeing this disciple, who was the most useless person in his eyes, for the first time.

In order to quickly eliminate this person, Qi Fei used all his strength, and the effect was indeed very good, killing him with one blow and shocking everyone.

At this moment, the martial arts skills he displayed had firmly placed him among the top-tier masters. Moreover, his moves were decisive, ruthless, and experienced, and his grasp of timing was in no way inferior to that of seasoned veterans.

The Ninth Prince said in surprise, “Truly, heroes emerge from among the young, but it’s a pity he’s destined to perish here tonight.”

Qi Fei gave him a cold glance, a sharp glint in his eyes. He picked up his longsword and strode towards the main street, saying, “Master’s wife, Yu Yao, Mei’er, let’s go. Fellow disciples of the Diancang Sect, those who wish to come with me, let’s fight our way out—”

Looking at this slender figure, Gu Yinzhang felt that he had suddenly become taller and more imposing, like a mountain, incredibly majestic and reliable!

Gu Yinzhang, Li Yuyao, and Mei’er resolutely lifted their feet and followed behind Qi Fei.

The dozens of disciples of the Diancang Sect looked at each other, some hesitating in place, some lowering their heads, and some looking at Li Lingyun. No one followed Qi Fei, including Zhang Jian, who simply stood beside Li Lingyun.

“You think you can leave? What a joke! Where do you think you can go?”

Zhao Bufan, the leader of the Dajiang Gang, and Wu Qingchuan, the head of the Tiezhi Sect, two top-tier masters, blocked Qi Fei’s path at the same time.

“Who dares to block my way—”

Qi Fei let out a long roar, his long sword flashing with cold light. He used all his strength to unleash the “Eighteen Panlong Swords” of the Diancang School, enveloping Zhao Bufan and Wu Qingchuan at the same time!