Myths Begin From Boys' Gong

On the other side, Wang Song was indeed a powerful figure of the evil path, proficient in the demonic Daoist Yuan Dan technique, with unlimited potential. However, when faced with the combined attack of Duan Hong and Yan Congke, he was ultimately outnumbered and killed by Yan Congke's sword energy.

After killing two people in the courtyard, the four men, wielding Duan Hongwei's sharp knife, charged towards the casino not far from the courtyard. With their martial arts skills, they simply swept through the area without encountering any significant resistance.

In the end, Duan Hong and his three companions wreaked havoc inside the Red Skull in one night, much like Sun Wukong causing havoc in the Heavenly Palace, but ultimately retreated unscathed.

Duan Hong and Yan Congke had a great time killing each other, especially Duan Hong, who harbored deep resentment towards Red Skull. This venting was exactly what he expected.

Yan Congke was simply used to burning, killing, and looting. Now that he had returned to his old ways, he made a fortune.

Inside the casino, silver was piled up like a small mountain. He naturally couldn't get much, but he managed to slip a stack of silver notes into his pocket and take a few pieces of expensive jewelry. At least his trip wasn't in vain.

In contrast, Meng Zhao and Ning Baihe seemed much more serious, because even though Duan Hong might be covering for them, this commotion could still alert the enemy.

In a dimly lit room, Duan Hong and Yan Congke sat facing each other at a small round table, holding wine glasses and enjoying their drinks. They occasionally savored the snacks and cooked food on the table, appearing very comfortable and at ease.

Meng Zhao and Ning Baihe sat on the side.

Ning Baihe's eyes were filled with anxiety. His hands were clenched together, veins bulging, making him look somewhat frightening, as if he might suddenly attack someone at any moment.

Meng Zhao was also feeling bad, but her expression remained calm as she stroked a green ring in her hand, lost in thought.

"How are we going to explain this to Uncle An? We've messed things up. If Ren Tianxing were to harm Cao Baoyu, even the slightest damage would be something neither you nor I could bear."

This was the truth. Cao Quan'an had placed all his bets on the two of them, and they had lost. Cao Quan'an didn't kill them because he didn't know the situation here.

Ning Baihe, in particular, as the leader of the last loyal force trusted by Cao Quan'an, completely betrayed Cao Quan'an's trust.

Because the information he gathered about Cao Baoyu's whereabouts was false, highly misleading, and even a trap, which was the direct reason for their failed rescue attempt.

It was not that Meng Zhao lacked ability or did not try his best.

In other words, if Ning Baihe is fully responsible, he has to bear at least 80% or 90% of the blame.

However, given that things have already come to this point, there is really no need to look for these mistakes and shift responsibility to each other.

The best course of action is to find Cao Baoyu as soon as possible, rescue him, and make amends.

No, if we can save the person, that would be a great achievement, and it would have absolutely nothing to do with tonight's operation.

Tonight's events can be seen as a testament to their superior skills, their clever shrewdness in uncovering Ren Tianxing's trap, and their ability to turn the tables on him, significantly weakening Ren Tianxing's current strength.

Meng Zhao stroked the ring, his gaze deep, lost in thought for a long time.

"Don't be anxious, we still have time. Do you have any other clues besides this red skull?"

Meng Zhao wasn't without his own criticisms of Ning Baihe's methods, but the most urgent task was to solve the problem, not to blame the other party.

Ning Baihe thought for a moment, then shook his head dejectedly.

"No, I had already arranged for people to thoroughly investigate Ren Tianxing and his associates. Apart from finding something unusual inside the Red Skull, we found nothing else."

At least, I've checked all the places Ren Tianxing has been.

Meng Zhao nodded; on this point, he still trusted Ning Baihe.

"Let's put ourselves in his shoes and think about it from his perspective. If you were Ren Tianxing and you had a key figure like Cao Baoyu in your hands, where would you hide him?"
Is there any place that Ren Tianxing believes no one else can find or rescue?

As Ning Baihe listened to Meng Zhao's analysis, he also fell into his own thoughts.

In fact, Meng Zhao's words should be considered from two perspectives.

Ren Tianxing's choice to hide Cao Baoyu is either to ensure that others will definitely not be able to find him, and that there is no need to be too high-profile in his defenses.

Alternatively, others might be able to find some clues, but the defenses are extremely strong, making it difficult for Cao Quan'an's men to breach the defenses.

There is no third possibility: to be both well-hidden, without revealing any information, heavily guarded, and overseen by experts—this is inherently contradictory.

With more people, it will inevitably attract all kinds of attention. Daily needs and consumption will leave clues, and it is impossible to hide them perfectly.

At this moment, after listening to Meng Zhao's words, Ning Baihe calmed down, thought for a moment, and immediately ruled out the second possibility.

In other words, the hiding place was not foolproof, and some clues were left, but it was guarded by top experts, making it difficult to break through and rescue Cao Baoyu.

Because the Red Skull Land they went to tonight perfectly fits this description.

If Ruan Xiong hadn't been injured by Duan Hong earlier, he would most likely still be in that courtyard tonight.

Therefore, with these three top masters and the martial artists surrounding the courtyard, it should be considered an impregnable fortress.

However, this turned out to be a trap deliberately set by Ren Tianxing, which completely eliminated this possibility.

After all, even with Ren Tianxing's current status and influence, finding three more experts like Ruan Xiong, Wang Song, and Xie Feng to guard Cao Baoyu would be too extravagant and almost impossible.

Therefore, if we exclude this option, then the first possibility is more likely, unless Ren Tianxing has already killed Cao Baoyu.

So, what place is Ren Tianxing considered an absolutely hidden place, a place where no one can possibly discover it?

Putting himself in others' shoes, Ning Baihe thought about it for a long time and felt that, based on his understanding, there were many places where this was possible, but not so reliable.

He turned his gaze to Meng Zhao and said,

"Brother Li, stop keeping me in suspense. Have you thought of something?"

At the small round table, Duan Hong and Yan Congke also quietly pricked up their ears, wanting to know Meng Zhao's thoughts.

Meng Zhao nodded.
"I have some ideas, but I don't know if they are accurate."

You've probably heard the saying, "The most dangerous place is the safest place."

It's not about understanding the literal meaning; it actually utilizes a kind of habitual thinking.

In other words, what you perceive as a dangerous place may be a place that others would not instinctively hide in. Subconsciously eliminating such places naturally makes the area feel safer; it's a psychological game.

"Now, where do you think Cao Baoyu should least be hidden?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Baihe and the other two suddenly understood, especially Ning Baihe, whose eyes gleamed as he said...

"It's by Uncle An's side, it's Xiyu Manor, that's for sure. We never thought that Baoyu would be hidden in Xiyu Manor, because Uncle An was recuperating there. We also never thought that Ren Tianxing would have such courage and skill."

This is truly a case of being blinded by a leaf and unable to see Mount Tai. If Meng Zhao hadn't reminded him, Ning Baihe might never have thought of this possibility even until his death.

He would only keep thinking about where in Longxiang County the best places were particularly secluded and easy for people to hide, but he wouldn't actually try to find those places.

Yan Congke smacked his lips, his expression also showing a strange look, because he also felt that this possibility was very high.

Because they had never considered this possibility before, the likelihood of Ren Tianxing doing so is all the more prominent.

Ning Baihe grew increasingly excited as he thought about it, and, combining his past investigations, murmured to himself,

“That makes sense. Ren Tianxing almost only travels between the Hongmen headquarters and Xiyu Villa. In the past, I thought he was just visiting Uncle An to prevent him from making any big moves. Now it seems that he was probably just checking on Cao Baoyu’s safety.”

Ren Tianxing is an arrogant and conceited man who always looks down on others; it's quite possible that he's the one who did this.

"If I'm not mistaken, Cao Baoyu is most likely in this Xiyu Manor. Moreover, he should be being controlled and disguised, which is why he hasn't been discovered or shown any clues."

Brother Ning, I know very little about Cao Baoyu and the Fine Rain Manor, so I'll have to rely on you.

Ning Baihe felt all the pressure in his heart lifted, as if he had moved a towering mountain. He said confidently,
"Don't worry, there won't be any problem. I'll inform Uncle An about this first. Once Uncle An knows about this news and possibility, he will definitely make thorough arrangements. His influence is beyond our imagination."

The Drizzle Manor was a summer resort built by Cao Quan'an himself. No one knew the number of people, the layout, and the various hidden mechanisms inside better than him. If he knew that Cao Baoyu was hidden inside the manor, he would definitely rescue his son.

Ning Baihe was a straightforward person. Once he had a thought in his mind, he could no longer wait quietly. He decided to go to Xiyu Villa under the cover of night to inform Cao Quan'an about the matter.

Moreover, he also told Meng Zhao that there was no need for him to make the trip again.

At this moment, apart from Cao Quan'an, there were no other special experts in Xiyu Manor. Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?

Meng Zhao didn't necessarily have to go with him; it was enough that he could think of this possibility.

After Ning Baihe left, only Duan Hong and Yan Congke remained in the room; they were considered Meng Zhao's own people.

Needless to say, Yan Congke was also helped by Duan Hong because of Meng Zhao. He had no connection with Cao Quan'an or the Hongmen, so he was also considered to be on Meng Zhao's side.

We're all on the same side, so there's no need to be too reserved when we're talking.

Yan Congke asked curiously,

“Brother Zheng, although I also think your guess makes a lot of sense and is likely to be accurate, there is also a certain chance that you are wrong.”

If the guess is correct, then Cao Quan'an will rescue his son, which will naturally be a happy ending for everyone.

But what if I guess wrong, and Ren Tianxing reacts violently and kills someone? What then?

It should be noted that there is no reliable information or evidence to support Meng Zhao's speculation.

It simply depends on one's own quick wit and the speed at which one's thoughts turn.

In this respect, there are still risks involved.

Ren Tianxing's ideas may be similar to Meng Zhao's, or they may be even more advanced, with him thinking further ahead and hiding people in other places.

Meng Zhao smiled, not caring.
"If I guessed wrong, I guessed wrong. Anyway, I have done everything I could. If this still can't save Cao Baoyu, it means that his fate is over, and we don't need to worry about him anymore."

"What should we do about Cao Quan'an? He's turned against us, and we won't get what we want."

Meng Zhao shook his head.
"That's not necessarily true. To be honest, I want to achieve my goals in a more moderate way and reduce negative impacts, but that doesn't mean I have to be manipulated by others."

If I'm wrong, I can simply find an opportunity to kill Cao Quan'an and Ren Tianxing. What's meant to happen will happen; if not, there's no need to waste any more time.

Meng Zhao was indeed very interested in Kou Laoxi's treasure, but it was also possible that his timid nature was acting up.

But it's not absolutely necessary.

With his martial arts skills, if he achieves perfection in martial arts in the future, he can have all the wealth in the world at will. Why bother with a mere treasure of Kou Laoxi?

He wanted the diagram of the mechanism simply because it was a kind of heritage and wealth in itself, containing extraordinary wisdom.

Duan Hong did not criticize Meng Zhao's ideas in any way.

In the martial arts world, it has always been a world where the victor is king and the loser is villain. Meng Zhao's kind of thinking is actually the mainstream in the martial arts world.

A martial artist must always be grounded in the principles of martial arts.

He didn't know how skilled Cao Quan'an and Ren Tianxing were in martial arts.

However, the Jade-Severing Force he cultivated, and the epic battle between Meng Zhao and Xie Feng that he witnessed today, are all remarkable.

They were all clearly telling him that Meng Zhao's martial arts skills were very high, unfathomably high, and infinitely high.

Could someone with superior martial arts skills possibly fail to defeat Cao Quan'an and Ren Tianxing?
Yan Congke grinned, a sense of elation rising within him.

If such a thing were to happen, he would quite like to have a chance to fight Cao Quan'an.

Could my own sword cut through the blade of this old, fierce tiger?
The chances are slim, but if given another five years, it should be about right.

His swordsmanship had improved significantly, but his internal strength remained a weakness.

In this respect, both Meng Zhao and Duan Hong are far superior to him...

Inside the spacious room of Xiyu Villa, where Cao Quan'an was, Ning Baihe knelt on the ground, reporting to the old man in great detail all the details of the past few days and Meng Zhao, as well as everything that had happened tonight, and even Meng Zhao's speculations.

Cao Quan'an lay on the warm wooden couch with his eyes half-closed, draped in a tiger-striped quilt.

As Ning Baihe finished speaking, Cao Quan'an opened his eyes. His tiger-like eyes were like those of a fierce god, and his domineering aura filled the entire room.

It was as if a sleeping tiger had finally been awakened.

"Ren Tianxing is quite something, and Li Zheng is quite something too. They are indeed very thoughtful."

Your thinking is correct, Baoyu. He is most likely inside Xiyu Manor. I already know where he is.

Ren Tianxing, Ren Tianxing, you were clever all your life, but in the end you were foolish for a moment, saving me so much trouble!

As Cao Quan'an finished speaking, the Tiger Devouring Blade hanging in front of a wall hummed, suddenly moved, cut through the air, and landed in Cao Quan'an's palm with a whoosh.

With sword in hand, the fierce tiger of the Hongmen reappears! (End of Chapter)