The frail counselor you said, you fight against three heroes alone?

The sunlight poured down generously, casting long shadows in front of the city gate, distorting and exaggerating the figures of the group of people.

After going through the dangers of the maze, they finally stood at the foot of this majestic city. The city walls were so high that they seemed to pierce the sky, exuding an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.

A feeling of joy at having survived a catastrophe permeated among them, and even the air seemed to be filled with the scent of freedom.

Master Xing was so excited that he was like a bird, chirping non-stop, completely forgetting the aching wound on his arm.

However, this joy was short-lived.

The moment they stepped into the city gate, the originally lazy guards suddenly became alert as if they were facing a formidable enemy, and all the shining swords were pointed at their throats.

The cold smell of steel instantly dispelled the previous relaxed atmosphere, and an inexplicable chill ran straight from the soles of the feet to the top of the head.

"Stop! Where is the maze secret book?!" A rough voice sounded in everyone's ears like thunder, making their eardrums buzz.

The guard leader had a face full of flesh and glared at them ferociously, as if they were unforgivable criminals.

The man in white was quick-witted and quick-handed. He protected Xiaohong behind him and scanned the guards around him with eyes like an eagle.

He thought to himself that this was not good, it seemed that their whereabouts had been exposed.

"We are from the Leiyun Gang!" Leader Lei stepped forward and shouted in a voice as loud as a bell, trying to intimidate the guards with the name of the gang.

"I am the leader of the Thunder Cloud Gang. How dare you block my way?"

The guard leader was not moved at all. Instead, he sneered and said, "The city lord has ordered that all people entering and leaving the city gate be searched. No one should be exempted!"

Search? The white-clothed man felt his heart sink. This was clearly aimed at them!

The guards searched their belongings roughly and the atmosphere was suffocatingly tense.

Ms. Mo deliberately groaned and lifted her sleeves, revealing the wounds she had been scratched by a poison arrow in the maze.

The guards' attention was indeed attracted. In the blink of an eye, Master Xing secretly hid the "Tai Xuan Shengong" in his arms. His movements were so fast that it was breathtaking.

Suddenly, a black shadow flew down from the city wall and landed lightly in front of everyone.

The man was dressed in a green shirt and had a handsome face. He was the mysterious green-shirted man that I met at the entrance of the maze before.

He flicked his wrist, and several hidden arrows shot out from the air, accurately knocking down the torches in the guards' hands.

With a loud bang, the torch fell to the ground, splashing sparks, and the city gate suddenly fell into chaos.

Taking advantage of this chaos, the secret book in Master Xing's arms accidentally slipped to the ground.

In the light of the fire, everyone was shocked to find that ancient runes appeared on the city wall, echoing the light emitted from the cover of the secret book.

Lei Duzhu's pupils suddenly contracted, and he cried out in surprise: "This is... the mark of Tianji Pavilion!"

Tianji Pavilion, an organization that mysteriously disappeared twenty years ago, now their mark appears here!
Everyone's heart trembled, and an ominous premonition arose.

They then realized that they seemed to be involved in a bigger conspiracy...

"This...what on earth is going on?" Young Master Xing asked in a trembling voice.

Leader Lei looked solemn. He shook his head slowly, but his eyes were fixed on the flashing runes on the city wall. He spoke word by word, "We... I'm afraid we have stepped into a... a..."

The clang of the city gates closing heavily echoed like a death knell.

Dust was flying and the air was filled with a suffocating smell of fear.

Hundreds of assassins in black emerged from the dense dust and fog, silent and deadly like ghosts.

Their swords were sharpened to an edge and gleamed dangerously in the flickering torchlight.

A chill colder than steel itself ran down Bai Yiren's spine.

This was no random search, but a carefully planned ambush.

Bai Yiren broke off a nearby flagpole, the splintered wood creaking in his hands.

The familiar weight, roughly caressing his calloused hands, was inexplicably reassuring.

He and Qingshanke looked at each other, and they understood each other tacitly.

They stood back to back, forming an indestructible wall of resistance, like a small island of resistance among the surging crowd of black-clad people.

The air was filled with the snap of steel, the grunt of effort, and the sickening thud of bodies hitting cobblestones.

Bai Yiren moved as nimbly and gracefully as a dancer, the broken flagpole turning into a ball of flying wood splinters and powerful force in his hands.

Each swing was precise and deadly, born out of his desperate need to protect the small circle of friends trapped in this deadly crisis.

He could smell the pungent smell of blood and feel the warm blood splattering on his face.

At the same time, Xiaohong, with a pale face but a resolute expression, was not idle.

She remembered the small bag of gunpowder they had found in the maze, and she moved with amazing agility.

Her slender fingers moved swiftly, striking the flint and lighting the fuse.

With a series of deafening explosions, the side door bent and cracked, revealing a narrow escape passage leading to a maze of alleys in the city.

"Go!" she screamed, her voice barely audible over the noise of the battle.

Master Xing clutched the precious book tightly to his chest and stumbled toward the opening.

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through his side.

He looked down and saw a deep red bloodstain on his tunic, spreading to the worn leather cover of the ancient book.

As his blood mingled with the ancient ink, the cover glowed faintly.

Strange characters shimmer with an ethereal light, emerge and hover over the cover like ghostly whispers.

The sudden appearance of the glowing text startled the attackers for a moment, creating a valuable gap in their ranks.

Bai Yiren seized the opportunity and struck out fiercely, repelling the attacker closest to him.

"Get out of the door! Quick!" he roared, his voice hoarse with anxiety.

One by one they squeezed through the shattered remains of the door, the pungent smell of burnt wood filling their nostrils.

Behind them, the heavy bronze sound of the city lord's palace bell resounded through the air, grimly reminding them of the power and influence of their pursuers.

They rushed into the narrow, winding alleys, and the darkness swallowed them completely.

The sounds of pursuit echoed behind them, growing fainter with every turn.

Master Xing was panting, his body leaning heavily against the damp wall, his face pale.

He looked down at the book, the strange glowing characters flickering slightly in the darkness.

His shaking fingers traced the outline of the symbol.

Suddenly, he stopped and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"This...the words on it..." he stammered, pointing with a bloody finger to a dimly lit sign hanging above a nearby door.

"This... this is the same..."

He was speechless, his eyes fixed on the two words carved on the wooden plaque: Xuanhu.

They rushed in through the half-open door, splashing water on the wet flagstones.

Inside the door, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted into the air, mixed with the fresh scent of grass and trees, as if instantly pulling them back from their tense escape to a peaceful paradise.

Master Xing's trembling hands gently touched the plaque hanging on the door lintel, and his fingertips felt the deep indentations on the wood.

"Xuanhu," he murmured to himself, his eyes full of disbelief.

Su Heng, the owner of the clinic, was dressed in plain white clothes and standing behind the counter with calm and deep eyes.

She smiled and motioned them to come in. Her tone was calm but contained a firmness that could not be ignored: "Everyone, please come in." Her eyes inadvertently swept across the secret book.
People filed in. The clinic was spacious and bright, with various herbs and bottles and jars piled in the corners. The air was filled with the mixed scent of various herbs, which made people feel refreshed.

Su Heng walked gently to the medicine cabinet and pressed lightly on a seemingly ordinary wooden board. The board slid open silently, revealing a hidden compartment.

There was a yellowed scroll in the secret compartment, and the handwriting on it was surprisingly similar to the words in the secret book.

"This is..." Master Xing opened his mouth in surprise and pointed at the remaining scroll with trembling fingers.

Su Heng nodded slowly, his voice low and solemn: "This is what I left when I treated the master of Tianji Pavilion twenty years ago."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, and an indescribable tense atmosphere filled the air.

Su Heng continued, "The Tianji Pavilion's family-massacre case is inextricably linked to this secret book. You are caught up in it, and it may be difficult for you to escape unscathed." The secret book in Master Xing's hand suddenly emitted a faint light, and he felt a warm and mysterious power coming from the pages.

It suddenly occurred to him that perhaps this secret book itself could reveal more secrets.

He gently touched the secret book with his blood-stained fingers. In an instant, golden blood patterns appeared on the secret book, like winding rivers, reflecting their shocked faces.

At this moment, the door of the clinic was suddenly pushed open, and an old beggar in a gray robe walked in quietly.

There was a cunning gleam in his eyes and a barely perceptible smile on the corner of his mouth.

He looked around and his eyes finally fell on the secret book in Master Xing's hand.

The old beggar's voice was hoarse and low: "Is this secret book a token of inheritance from the Tianji Pavilion?"

Mr. Xing was startled, but he did not let go. The old beggar seemed to move closer, his "

Just as he was about to move closer, a cold voice suddenly came from behind him: "Get out of the way." Everyone turned around and saw that Guanglingzi had been standing at the door at some point. His eyes were gloomy and his whole body exuded a chilling aura.

Old beggar's
Guanglingzi's eyes were fixed on the secret book in Master Xing's hand, his tone was firm and unquestionable: "I must take this secret book away." He stretched out his hand and tried to snatch the secret book from Master Xing.

At this moment, a strong light emanated from the secret book, and golden blood patterns swirled in the air, as if forming an invisible barrier that tightly wrapped around Guanglingzi's arms.

Guanglingzi's face turned pale in an instant, and black spots quickly appeared on his arms and spread rapidly.

"What kind of power is this!" Guanglingzi roared, his voice full of pain and helplessness.

Master Xing held the secret book tightly, feeling the power from it, and an inexplicable determination surged in his heart.

Seeing this, the old beggar hurriedly said, "This is the inheritance token of Tianji Pavilion. Only the Lord can control it. Anyone else who touches it will only suffer backlash."

During this tense confrontation, Captain Lei suddenly remembered his father's last words. He trembled and took out half a jade bead from his waist. The shape of the jade bead perfectly matched a symbol on the secret book.

He placed the jade beads on the secret book, and the golden blood patterns on the secret book suddenly became brighter, as if they had received some kind of response.

"This...what is this!" Guanglingzi's voice was filled with a hint of unwillingness. He stared at the jade pendant in Lei Duzhu's hand, with complex light flashing in his eyes.

At this moment, the old beggar whispered, "The city lord Sima Zhao colluded with foreign enemies and wiped out the entire Tianji Pavilion with his own hands."

Su Heng's

Guanglingzi's face became increasingly gloomy. He suddenly turned around and glanced at everyone.

In this tense atmosphere, Su Heng suddenly stood up, her voice calm and firm: "No matter what, we must solve this mystery today, otherwise, the wronged souls of Tianji Pavilion will never rest in peace."

Guanglingzi smiled coldly and swept his eyes across every corner of the clinic, as if he was looking for something.

At this moment, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps outside the door, as if countless dark shadows were approaching rapidly.

Su Heng's eyes were firm. She turned around and said to everyone, "Let's go to the backyard dungeon first. There is a secret passage leading to the outside of the city."

The old beggar added in a low voice: "Only by finding the other half of the jade pendant can we truly unlock the secrets of the Tianji Pavilion."

Captain Lei's expression was solemn. He tightly grasped the jade pendant in his hand and looked at Master Xing with a firm gaze: "We can't hesitate any longer. We must act immediately."

Master Xing nodded, his heart full of determination. He held the secret book tightly and said firmly: "Let's go. We can't just sit here and wait for death."

Everyone acted quickly to prepare for the upcoming challenge.

The heavy oak door of the clinic was smashed to pieces, and a group of black-clad killers swarmed in like a flock of crows on a fresh corpse.

Their swords were sharpened to a pinpoint edge, gleaming dangerously in the flickering candlelight, reflecting a cold, ravenous hunger.

There was a palpable tension in the air, the smell of stale sweat and cheap iron mingling with the sweet aroma of herbs.

A fierce battle broke out.

A man in a flowing green shirt moved at an inhuman speed, his figure becoming a blur of light as he intercepted the first wave of attackers.

He is no ordinary doctor or scholar, his movements are precise and deadly, and each blow contains years of honed martial arts skills.

He was like a dam, blocking the surging tide and buying precious time for others.

"Go!" he roared, his voice hoarse from the exertion. "Get back there, to the cellar! Quick!"

Others didn't hesitate.

Master Xing tightly grasped the book that was emitting a pulsating light, and the warmth of the book penetrated into his trembling fingers like a life-saving straw.

He could feel the weight of responsibility pressing upon him, the weight of secrets and ancient knowledge.

They followed Su Heng and hurried through the back room, the pungent smell of dried herbs and roots filling their nostrils.

A trapdoor hidden beneath a heavy carpet swung open, revealing a dark, dank passage leading downwards.

They went underground one by one, and the sounds of fighting above gradually faded.

The air in the cellar was heavy and smelled of mold and something else... a metallic, almost bloody smell.

The flickering lantern in Su Heng's hand cast long, dancing shadows that seemed to twist like living things.

When they reached the bottom, the Green Shirted Man slammed the trapdoor shut, the sound echoing ominously in the small space.

He turned around, revealing a face full of determination.

He pointed to a heavy iron door in the far wall.

"There," he said hoarsely, "is the secret passage." But there was a strange look in his eyes... Was he recognizing something?
Still in doubt?
They rushed towards the door, but suddenly stopped.

Before them stood a man bound in chains and gagged, his eyes burning with a mixture of rage and despair.

He is one of the Prime Minister's secret guards - the very man they have been avoiding!

The situation took another bizarre and disturbing turn.

The cellar walls, which had passed unnoticed in the panic, now attracted their attention.

The rough stone was engraved with intricate designs and celestial diagrams that echoed the blood patterns in the book.

The stars and constellations are connected by mysterious symbolic lines.

This cellar is more than just a hiding place; it's a map and a key to something greater.

The implications are shocking.

Suddenly, a creepy laugh echoed in the cellar.

Guanglingzi, his eyes flashing an unnatural light, stood at the top of the stairs, his whisk gleaming with energy.

He waved the whisk, and an almost invisible line shot out towards the book.

The string wrapped around the book and pulled it from Master Xing's hands.

As the book flew through the air, the bloodstains seemed to be pulled out of the book and sucked into the whisk.

The book, now without those markings, lay lifeless on the floor.

Su Heng reacted immediately, her hand quickly reaching for the sword at her waist.

"No!" she screamed and rushed towards Guanglingzi.

But it's too late.

A deafening roar, like the roar of a celestial dragon, came from above.

The entire clinic shook violently.

From somewhere above, there came the unmistakable metallic clang of gears rubbing against each other.

The ground beneath their feet began to shift and tilt.

"Heavenly Secret Lock!" Su Heng said in a low voice, her face full of fear.

"Heaven's Secret... He activated it."

The cellar walls began to crumble, raining dust and debris down on them.

The man in green looked at the locked secret guards from the collapsing cellar, a strange, almost sad understanding emerging in his eyes.

He walked towards the secret guard, his hands hanging above the chain...

"It seems," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the rubbing of stones and the roar of the earth, "that we are all trapped now." (End of this chapter)