An unexpected encounter with the sleeping Little Dragon Girl leads to the annihilation of the Quanzh

The morning court session has ended.

Meng Gong did not go home, but went directly to the Privy Council.

He knew that time was of the essence, and every minute and every second could determine the fate of Diaoyu City.

He had to set off immediately.

Inside the Privy Council, several of his trusted deputies were already waiting.

They also heard about everything that happened in the imperial court.

At this moment, everyone was filled with worry.

"General, are you... really going?" a bearded lieutenant couldn't help but ask.

"I cannot disobey the imperial decree." Meng Gong said as he quickly changed into a set of casual clothes that were easy to move in.

"But Lin Ye is a ruthless killer! If you go there, what if..." The lieutenant didn't finish his sentence, but the worry in his eyes was obvious.

"Yes, Commander! This matter is too risky! Why don't you let me go in your place?" Another young general stepped forward.

Meng Gong stopped what he was doing, looked at them, and shook his head.

"You guys go, there's not enough food."

His voice was very calm.

"Your Majesty has given us a blank imperial edict, promising us half the empire. Under heaven, besides me, who else would dare to negotiate such terms? And who else could convince him?"

"This trip is indispensable to me."

The lieutenants all fell silent.

They knew that what the commander-in-chief said was true.

This matter is no longer a simple relaying of messages; it is a negotiation concerning the fate of the nation.

On the other side of the negotiating table was an unknown entity possessing divine and demonic power.

Sending an unknown nobody would only make him feel that the Song Dynasty court has no sincerity whatsoever.

Only the personal presence of Meng Gong, the top military official of the Song Dynasty, could demonstrate the importance the court placed on the matter.

"But, Commander, your safety...!"

"It's alright." Meng Gong waved his hand. "Although Lin Ye is bloodthirsty, he's not unreasonable. He only kills those who want to kill him. We're going to beg him, not to be his enemy. As long as we lower our stance and show enough sincerity, I think he won't make things difficult for us."

Despite this, Meng Gong actually had no confidence at all.

He's gambling.

I gamble that Lin Ye still harbors a trace of pity for this land and its people.

"Alright, no need for further words." Meng Gong, fully dressed, took his sword from the wall.

"After I leave, the defense of the capital will be in your hands. Remember, keep the morale of the troops high and prevent any trouble from arising."

"Yes, Commander!" the lieutenants replied in unison.

Meng Gong nodded, then looked at the young general: "Zhang Jue."

"Your subordinate is here!"

"You, immediately, select one hundred of your most elite scouts, take their best horses, and come with me."

"One hundred?" Zhang Jue was taken aback. "General, isn't that too few? Zhongnan Mountain is located in Guanzhong. Nowadays, it's a place where all sorts of people mingle. It would be safer to bring more men."

"No." Meng Gong shook his head. "We're going to ask for a favor, not to show off. Bringing too many people will only arouse their suspicion and resentment."

"Furthermore, if the other side truly intends to harm us, what use would a hundred men, or even ten thousand or a hundred thousand, be?"

Zhang Jue fell silent again.

He recalled the legend of Lin Ye slaying hundreds of martial arts masters with a single sword strike.

Indeed, in the face of such power, numbers have lost their meaning.

"Yes, Your subordinate understands!" Zhang Jue didn't ask any more questions. He immediately bowed, accepted the order, turned around, and went out to select manpower.

Soon, a hundred elite scouts dressed in black, carrying powerful bows and scimitars at their waists, assembled on the Privy Council's training ground.

Each and every one of them was selected from among thousands of soldiers; they are the elite of the elite.

Not only was he highly skilled in martial arts, but he was also an excellent horseman and adept at wilderness survival.

Looking at the formidable team before him, Meng Gong nodded in satisfaction.

He mounted his horse without uttering another word.

"Set off!"

At a command.

One hundred and one riders, like a black arrow, rushed out of Lin'an City and galloped northward towards Zhongnan Mountain, traveling day and night.

The horses' hooves clattered rapidly on the official road.

Meng Gong took the lead.

The cold night wind blew against his face, cutting like a knife.

But he felt no cold at all.

His heart was burning with passion.

His mind was racing, trying to figure out what to say and do after meeting Lin Ye.

Be direct, get straight to the point, and use the greater good of the nation and its people to persuade him.

No.

Meng Gong immediately rejected the idea.

Guo Jing serves as a cautionary tale.

What Lin Ye probably hates most is being lectured on principles.

Try to seduce him with money, beautiful women, high-ranking positions, and generous salaries.

I'm afraid that won't work either.

How could someone who can regard all the heroes of the world as nothing care about such worldly things?

So what should we do?

Meng Gong thought for a long time, but could not come up with a perfect solution.

He discovered that he knew absolutely nothing about his negotiating opponent.

All I know is that he is very strong, ridiculously strong.

All I know is that he cares a lot about a girl named Xiaolongnu.

Apart from that, it was completely blank.

This was a negotiation where information was completely unequal.

Meng Gong's heart sank.

For the first time, he began to doubt himself.

Can I really accomplish this impossible task?

He turned around and glanced at the brightly lit city of Lin'an behind him.

I'm reminded again of the Song Dynasty, tossed about in the wind and rain.

I remembered the emperor, his eyes filled with expectation and entrustment.

He gripped the reins tightly.

Do not!

No doubt!

Even if there is only a sliver of hope, we must never give up!

He, Meng Gong, was the Privy Councilor of the Song Dynasty!

He was the last line of defense for the Song Dynasty!

If he falls, the Song Dynasty will truly be finished!

"drive!"

Meng Gong roared and spurred the horse's belly with his legs!

The warhorse beneath him, in pain, let out a long neigh and increased its speed once again!

The hundred scouts behind them immediately spurred their warhorses to follow closely.

One hundred and one riders, in the pitch-black night, transformed into a black torrent, resolutely rushing towards the unknown, dangerous, and misty north.

They carried the last hope of a dynasty.

Traveling day and night, rain or shine.

Meng Gong and his group barely stopped for a moment.

When they got hungry, they would eat a few bites of dry rations on horseback.

When thirsty, take a sip of the cold water from the water bag.

When the riders and horses were exhausted, they took turns leaning against the horse's back and taking a nap.

They traveled frantically, almost to the point of self-torture.

Because they knew that in the distant land of Sichuan, the soldiers of Diaoyu City were using their blood and flesh to buy them precious time.

The later they arrived at Diaoyu City, the greater the danger of the city falling and people dying.

Along the way, they saw far too many displaced people.

Those people, with their families in tow, were emaciated and had numb eyes; they had fled from the north.

They were among the first victims of the war.

Whenever Meng Gong saw this scene, his heart felt as if it were being cut by a knife.

He urged his warhorse to go even faster.

Finally, at dusk on the seventh day.

A majestic mountain range appeared at the edge of the horizon.

The mountain range, stretching endlessly and shrouded in mist, seemed to be draped in a golden coat in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Zhongnan Mountain.

Arrived.

However, when they actually got close to Zhongnan Mountain...

Everyone's hearts sank.

They smelled something.

A strong, pungent, and unyielding smell of blood filled the air.

Mixed with the stench of rotting corpses.

The smell wafted on the wind, seeping into everyone's noses, making them almost want to vomit.

On the training ground, even the most seasoned scouts, seasoned by countless battles and accustomed to life and death, couldn't help but change their expressions.

They have been to the most brutal battlefields.

I have seen the horrific sight of mountains of corpses.

But they had never smelled such a pure, despairing scent of death.

"General..." Zhang Jue urged his horse forward, arriving beside Meng Gong, his face pale. "How many... how many people have died here?"

Meng Gong did not answer.

His gaze was fixed intently on what lay ahead.

All that could be seen was the bluestone path leading up the mountain.

The place was littered with corpses, lying haphazardly.

Most of the corpses were already rotten, swollen and blackened, and crawling with maggots.

Yes, some were decapitated.

Yes, there are severed limbs.

Some were even cut into several pieces.

That scene was more terrifying than the worst nightmare.

"Dismount." Meng Gong's voice was somewhat hoarse.

He dismounted and handed the reins to the soldiers behind him.

"You all stay here and wait," he ordered. "No one is allowed to go up the mountain without my permission."

"General! No!" Zhang Jue cried out anxiously, "The situation on the mountain is unknown, it's too dangerous! Let me accompany you!"

"Yes, Commander! We'll go with you!"

One hundred scouts volunteered in unison.

"This is an order." Meng Gong's tone left no room for argument.

He looked at the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood before him, his eyes becoming extremely solemn.

"I'll say it again, we're here to ask for help, not to fight."

"If I don't return, Zhang Jue, you must immediately lead your men back to Lin'an and report everything that has happened here to His Majesty."

After saying that, Meng Gong ignored everyone else.

He straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and set off alone onto the mountain path, which was covered with blood and corpses.

Step by step, he walked slowly and steadily.

He wanted to express his sincerity in this way.

Or perhaps, it is reverence.

Beneath my feet lay sticky, dried, dark red bloodstains.

When you step on it, it makes a "plop plop" sound.

The suffocating stench in the air grew stronger and stronger.

Meng Gong felt a churning in his stomach.

But he held back.

His gaze swept over the gruesome corpses lying on the roadside.

He recognized from the tattered clothes that many of the people in them were well-known figures in the martial arts world.

He even saw several Beggar Clan elders whom he had met once before.

Meng Gong's heart was bleeding.

Although these people were outlaws of the martial world, most of them had contributed to the city of Xiangyang.

They were all meritorious officials who fought against the Mongols.

Now, however, they have all died tragically here.

That Lin Ye, his actions were far too ruthless.

For the first time, Meng Gong felt a surge of anger towards this person he had never met.

However, he quickly suppressed this anger.

He reminded himself of what he was there to do.

I'm not here to investigate right or wrong.

They didn't come to uphold justice.

He came to ask that person to save more people who were still alive.

He continued, climbing upwards.

The higher you go, the more numerous and densely packed the corpses become.

The more gruesome their deaths, the more horrific they became.

When he arrived at the huge square in front of Chongyang Palace.

Even he, who was used to seeing mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and whose will was as firm as steel, couldn't help but gasp in shock.

The entire square was completely covered by corpses.

No, that can no longer be called a corpse.

They were heaps of blurry, fleshy flesh.

Limbs, severed arms, internal organs, bone fragments...

They were mixed together, forming a thick layer.

Countless crows and vultures circled above the square, occasionally swooping down to snatch a piece of meat and fly back into the sky.

This is the legendary hell on earth.

Meng Gong even spotted several familiar-looking Taoist robes from the Quanzhen School among the body parts.

The Seven Masters of Quanzhen...

This name, once renowned throughout the world, has now become part of this pile of rotten flesh.

Meng Gong remained silent.

He stood at the edge of the square for a long time without moving.

He was deeply shocked by the scene before him.

He finally, directly felt, just how terrifying and destructive the power that person named Lin Ye possessed was.

This is no longer the power of mortals.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.

Then, he went around the square and continued walking towards the back of the mountain.

He knew that the person he was looking for was right there.

In that place, called the "Tomb of the Living Dead".

The road behind the mountain is very quiet.

There was no body, and no blood.

It was as if it were two completely different worlds from the front mountain.

Meng Gong's heart gradually calmed down.

He knew that the real test was about to begin.

Finally, he reached the end of the road.

An ancient, unmarked stone tomb appeared before him.

The tomb door was tightly shut.

The area in front of the tomb was cleaned very well.

This formed a stark contrast to the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood on the front mountain.

Meng Gong knew that he had arrived.

He stood in front of the tomb entrance, straightening his somewhat disheveled robes.

Then, he bowed deeply to the cold stone door.

"Meng Gong, the Privy Councilor of the Great Song Dynasty, has come to pay his respects to Mr. Lin Ye on His Majesty's orders!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was strong and full of respect.

He did not refer to himself as "this official" or "this commander".

Instead, he called himself "Meng Gong".

He lowered his stance to the lowest possible level.

The sound echoed through the empty valley.

However, there was no response from inside the stone gate.

It was as if there was no one inside at all.

Meng Gong was not discouraged.

He straightened up and said again in a loud voice:

"Meng Gong came for the sake of all people, for the millions of commoners of the Song Dynasty!"

"I earnestly request that you, sir, come out of seclusion for an audience!"

Still, there was no response.

Meng Gong stood there quietly.

It looks like a stone statue.

He didn't shout again.

He knew that if the other party wanted to see him, all he had to do was call out to them.

If the other party doesn't want to see him, even if he shouts until his throat is hoarse, it won't make a difference.

All he can do now is wait.

The wind blew through the valley, making a "whooshing" sound.

It's as if it's weeping for those wronged souls who died.

Time passed, second by second.

The sun gradually set.

Night falls.

Meng Gong remained standing there, motionless.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

It wasn't heat, it was tension.

He had no idea what the mysterious man behind the stone gate was thinking.

Could he, in a fit of rage, rush out and turn himself into a corpse on the mountain path?

Meng Gong's heart was in his throat.

Just when he was about to give up.

"Rumble..."

The stone door, which had been tightly closed for a long time, finally emitted a heavy, scraping sound.

Slowly, it opened.

The stone gate opened.

What was revealed was a deep, dark passageway.

It's like the entrance to the deepest hell.

A cold, damp smell wafted out from inside.

Meng Gong's heart leaped into his throat.

He gripped the gold medal, hidden in his sleeve.

The cold touch of the gold medal calmed him down slightly.

He knew that he was about to face life or death in the very next instant.

However, the passageway was completely empty.

No, the demonic figure in his imagination rushed out.

Only one voice, cold and devoid of any emotion, drifted out from within.

"Come in."

Sound, it's very simple.

But to Meng Gong, it was like a pardon.

If they're willing to let him in, it means there's still room for discussion.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately stepped into that unknown darkness.

The moment he stepped through the stone gate.

"Rumble..."

The stone door behind them slowly closed once again.

This completely isolated him from the outside world.

The passageway was pitch black; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

However, Meng Gong could clearly feel a road extending beneath his feet.

He followed that path, step by step, carefully, and cautiously walked in.

They walked, about a hundred paces later.

Finally, a glimmer of light appeared ahead.

It was a spacious stone chamber.

Several unidentified, luminous beads were embedded in the walls of the stone chamber, illuminating the entire chamber as bright as day.

The layout of the stone chamber was very simple.

A stone bed, a stone table, and several stone stools.

There was nothing else besides that.

A young man dressed in black stood with his back to him in the center of the stone chamber.

He was tall and slender.

Her black hair was casually draped over her shoulders.

He did not hold the legendary, demonic black sword, the Great Sword, in his hand.

He just stood there, quietly.

It was as if it had become one with this stone chamber.

Although he did not exude any killing intent or oppressive aura.

But, Meng Gong, the moment he saw his back.

I felt as if my breathing had stopped.

He felt that he was not facing a single person.

Instead, it was a deep, vast starry sky.

Unpredictable, irresistible.

Is this Lin Ye?

That one, who single-handedly slaughtered all the peerless gods and demons of Zhongnan Mountain?

A storm raged in Meng Gong's heart.

He forced himself to calm down.

He bowed deeply once again to that retreating figure.

"Meng Gong of the Great Song Dynasty greets Mr. Lin."

Lin Ye slowly turned around.

Meng Gong finally saw his face clearly.

It was a face so handsome it seemed otherworldly.

Sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a high and straight nose.

Her skin was so fair it was almost translucent.

But those eyes were so cold.

It was a coldness devoid of any emotion.

It was as if, in his eyes, everything in the world was no different from an ant.

Meng Gong met his gaze.

I felt as if my soul was about to be frozen by those eyes.

He quickly lowered his head, not daring to look any further.

"You are Meng Gong?" Lin Ye spoke, his voice as calm and even as water.

"Yes."

"Did the Emperor send you?"

"Yes."

"What does he want me to do?"

Lin Ye asked very directly.

Not a single unnecessary word.

Meng Gong composed himself and realized that in front of this kind of person, any attempt to beat around the bush would be foolish.

He took out the blank imperial edict from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

"Your Majesty, we implore you, sir, to come out of seclusion, repel the Mongol army, and save the people of the world."

"This is a blank imperial edict. Sir, you may write down any conditions. As long as the Great Song Dynasty can afford it, His Majesty will not hesitate."

Lin Ye did not go to receive the imperial edict.

His gaze merely swept over it indifferently.

"I don't want to go."

Lin Ye's voice remained calm.

"I..." Meng Gong was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.

Because he realized that what Lin Ye said seemed to make sense.

They were indeed using "righteousness" to demand things of Lin Ye.

"I just want to stay here quietly with my dragon."

"The outside world is too noisy."

"Human hearts are too dirty."

Lin Ye's words plunged Meng Gong into utter despair.

No oil and salt.

This person is impervious to both soft and hard approaches, and completely stubborn!

He had no concept of family, country, or the world.

He only cared about himself and that girl named Long'er.

What should I do?

What should we do?

Meng Gong's mind went blank.

Just then.

From inside the stone chamber came the sound of light footsteps.

A stunningly beautiful girl dressed in white, like a fairy, walked out from inside.

She saw a stranger in the stone chamber, and a hint of curiosity flashed in her clear eyes.

She walked to Lin Ye's side and naturally took his arm.

"Brother Lin, who is he?"

Her voice was clear and melodious, like a mountain spring, instantly dispelling the heavy atmosphere in the stone chamber.

"One who came to die." Lin Ye looked at her, and the ice in his eyes, which had never melted for thousands of years, miraculously melted and became incredibly gentle.

Little Dragon Girl nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

She didn't ask any more questions.

She simply leaned quietly against Lin Ye's side.

As Meng Gong looked at the scene before him, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him!

It seems he has found a breakthrough!