One person: Senior brother Zhang Zhiwei, the Celestial Master begged me to descend the mountain.

The night in the Qinling Mountains is not as peaceful as it seems.

It was late at night, and the once silent depths of the dense forest were occasionally punctuated by the mournful cries of birds, mixed with faint screams from afar.

That was the last sound made by the unlucky ones who went into the mountains first, either triggering a mechanism or being double-crossed.

The dense canopy blocked out the moonlight, making this ancient primeval forest appear particularly eerie. Only a few rays of light occasionally pierced through, casting mottled and ghostly shadows on the ground.

rustling --

Four figures moved quickly through waist-high bushes.

Zhang Taichu walked at the front, his hands still in his pockets, and he hadn't even changed out of his eye-catching yellow T-shirt. In the dark forest, he looked like a moving target.

But he walked with a leisurely pace, and the thorny brambles and sprawling branches seemed to be automatically pushed aside by an invisible hand when they were still three inches away from his body.

Zhang Chulan followed closely behind, his whole body tense, the golden light in his palms concealed, his eyes scanning every dark corner around him like radar.

"I'm telling you, Lao Zhang..."

Wang Ye walked at the back, picking at the burrs hanging on his clothes while muttering under his breath:

"Are we really sure it's okay to just barge in like this?"

"Those groups of people who just passed by were all looking at us with lecherous eyes."

Zhuge Qing adjusted his glasses and pointed to Zhang Taichu's luminous back in front of him:

"With this guy acting as a third wheel, do you think we can still keep a low profile?"

"It's better to walk openly than to be discovered sneakily, anyway..."

call--!!!

Before Zhuge Qing could finish speaking, a very faint whooshing sound suddenly came from above.

The sound was very soft, almost imperceptible amidst the rustling of leaves in the wind.

But none of the people present were mediocre.

"Be careful!"

Zhang Chulan reacted the fastest, almost instinctively shouting as lightning crackled in his palm, raising his hand to blast the dark shadow above his head.

Crackling sounds!

The blinding flash of lightning instantly illuminated the surrounding trees, as well as the figure hanging upside down from the treetop like a bat.

The palm lightning was about to strike the man's face.

"Hey! Don't hit my face! Please don't hit my face!!"

The dark figure suddenly let out a pig-like scream, its hands flailing wildly in the air:

"I'm an ally! An ally!!"

"Besides, I make a living with my looks! You can't afford to pay for it if I'm disfigured!!"

Upon hearing that familiar, infuriating voice, Zhang Chulan's lightning bolt abruptly stopped, veering off course by three inches and striking a nearby tree trunk.

Click!

The old pine tree, as thick as a bowl, snapped in two and fell down, billowing black smoke.

"Holy crap..."

The upside-down figure was startled and frantically loosened its legs, falling from the tree.

pat.

An extremely unsightly buttocks landed backwards in a "wild goose landing on the sand" style.

Using the lingering lightning, everyone finally saw the assassin's true face.

Her long, golden hair was casually tied back, her face was painted with exaggerated face paint, and she was wearing a gaudy theatrical costume. Her peach blossom eyes were darting around.

Who else could it be but Wang Zhenqiu, the one you just want to kick?

"Hehehe..."

Wang Zhenqiu got up from the ground, patted the dirt off his butt, and was about to come over and put his arm around Zhang Chulan's shoulder.

Sudden.

His gaze swept over the man standing at the very front, who was turning around and looking at him coldly.

That instant.

Wang Zhenqiu was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; every hair on his body stood on end.

He abruptly pulled back the foot he was about to step out, and slid backward five meters in a manner that defied the laws of physics until he came to a stop with his back against a large tree.

"Yo...yo!"

Wang Zhenqiu's playful grin instantly transformed into an extremely obsequious one, as he repeatedly bowed to Zhang Taichu.

"Isn't this Master Taichu?"

"So you really did come! I knew it! Such a grand occasion wouldn't be complete without your presence, a true deity!"

As he spoke, he subconsciously rubbed his chest, as if it was still aching slightly.

The memory of being kicked away without mercy by this guy in Biyou Village last time still hasn't completely faded.

That kick almost sent him out of the final episode.

Zhang Taichu glanced at the rascal who was hiding far away, wearing an expression that said, "I'm very well-behaved and I will never cause trouble," and slightly raised his eyelids:

"What's wrong?"

"Is NaDuTong's business scope really that broad now?"

"You even offer ticket-hanging services in these remote mountains and forests?"

"Look at what you're saying!"

Seeing that Zhang Taichu had no intention of making a move, Wang Zhenqiu grew a little bolder and took half a step forward:

"I heard you were coming to the Qinling Mountains for an inspection, so I specially waited here early to welcome you!"

"fart!"

Zhang Chulan spat in annoyance and rolled his eyes dramatically.

"I bet you're here to snag a bargain, aren't you?"

"And what the hell is that outfit of yours? Are you in a theatrical performance?"

"Get lost! We have important business to attend to, we don't have time to drag you along!"

Zhang Chulan was about to step forward and chase the person away.

Wang Zhenqiu is a typical person who loves to watch the excitement and is also known as a gossipmonger.

If we let him infiltrate the group, who knows what kind of trouble he'll cause along the way.

"Don't do that!"

Seeing this, Wang Zhenqiu became anxious.

He had finally gotten this chance to curry favor with someone powerful, so how could he possibly give it up so easily?

"Zhang Chulan! That's where you're wrong!"

"We were once comrades-in-arms, how could you be so heartless and ungrateful!"

"and……"

Wang Zhenqiu's eyes darted around, his gaze returning to Zhang Taichu, and his smile became somewhat mysterious:

"Master Dao, I've brought a pledge of loyalty this time."

"I know there's a group of people up ahead, waiting to ambush me."

"If it weren't for the young master leading the way, even if you, Daoist Master, possess unparalleled divine skills, you would probably have been disgusted by it."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Taichu stopped, his hand, which was about to be taken out of his pocket.

He looked at Wang Zhenqiu, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"Oh?"

Tell me about it.

"If it's put bluntly..."

Zhang Taichu lifted his foot and gently stomped on the ground.

boom!

Without him exerting any force, a crack suddenly appeared in the ground beneath his feet, extending all the way to Wang Zhenqiu's feet.

Wang Zhenqiu swallowed, feeling a chill in his crotch.

He dared not keep them in suspense any longer and quickly blurted out:

"They're a group of foreigners!"

"The fully armed kind!"

"The leader is an old man with white hair named Baron, who is said to be an extraordinary master."

"Moreover, these people not only possess those strange and unusual abilities, but they also carry a bunch of heavy firearms!"

"Rocket launchers and heavy machine guns are standard equipment; I even saw them laying mines at the mouth of the valley!"

Wang Zhenqiu gestured the name while observing Zhang Taichu's expression:

"Taoist Master, think about it. Although those things can't hurt you, it would be so unlucky if they suddenly attacked you."

"Moreover, the terrain there is complicated, and that Baron... that guy's movements are simply unbelievably strange."

"I have special tracking skills. Just let me follow you, and I guarantee I'll lead you around the minefield and straight to the heart of the enemy!"

After saying that, he blinked his big, bright eyes and looked at Zhang Taichu expectantly.

Zhang Chulan frowned.

Foreigners?

And they were fully armed mercenaries?

This is a completely different matter.

If it's just a domestic conflict between extraordinary individuals, then it's just a matter of江湖恩怨 (jianghu grievances).

But these foreigners came in with heavy weapons, clearly intending to cause trouble.

"Grandmaster Uncle..."

Zhang Chulan looked at Zhang Taichu, somewhat hesitant:

"Although this kid doesn't always tell the truth, this intelligence doesn't sound fabricated."

"I think I've heard of Baron before. He's a tough guy on Nathan Island..."

Zhang Taichu ignored Zhang Chulan's analysis.

He merely glanced at Wang Zhenqiu indifferently.

His gaze was calm, yet it seemed to see right through Wang Zhenqiu's wicked schemes.

He knew what the kid was up to.

They simply feel that following them is entertaining, and they want to observe themselves up close as a sudden, unexpected variable.

The so-called intelligence is nothing but an excuse.

But so what?

Having another dog around can sometimes help relieve boredom.

"and."

Zhang Taichu uttered only one word, then turned around and continued walking deeper into the dense forest.

"Alright!"

When Wang Zhenqiu heard this word, it was as if he had heard heavenly music.

His smile instantly blossomed into a chrysanthemum, and he eagerly tried to get closer to Zhang Taichu, only to be glared at by Zhang Taichu and sent him packing.

"Five meters away from me."

"If you dare cross the line, I'll hang you back in the tree."

"Okay! Whatever you say!"

Wang Zhenqiu readily agreed and immediately moved to the back of the line, walking alongside Wang Ye and Zhuge Qing.

"Oh my, Master Wang, Zhuge the Fox, it's been a long time!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, look at Master Wang's dark circles under his eyes. Has he been indulging in too much sex lately?"

"And Lao Qing, why did you dye your hair back to blue? Blue really makes your skin look fairer!"

When Wang Zhenqiu joined the team, it was like pouring a bucket of water into a frying pan, instantly turning the already somewhat dull team into... complete chaos.

"roll."

Wang Ye pulled his hat brim down as low as he could, as if he wanted to plug his ears.

"This is something I cultivated to become an immortal; it's beyond the comprehension of a mortal like you."

"Stay away from me, your perfume is giving me a headache."

Zhuge Qing maintained a polite yet slightly awkward smile, subtly shifting to the side.

"Ball, I heard you're being chased in the southwest?"

"What's wrong? Did you get some girl pregnant and come here to take refuge?"

"Get out of here! Don't you dare slander my innocence!"

Wang Zhenqiu looked indignant:

"That's called artistic exchange! Don't you even know what art is?!"

"As for you two, following this man... must be under a lot of pressure, right?"

As he spoke, he glanced at Zhang Taichu in front of him, his voice extremely low:

"That look in his eyes just now... tsk tsk, I feel like if he's in a bad mood, he could bury all of us here."

"How have you all survived until now?"

Wang Ye and Zhuge Qing exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of sympathy and helplessness in each other's eyes.

How did you survive?

That's something I earned by being subservient!

"Stop talking nonsense."

Zhang Chulan, who was in front, suddenly stopped and turned around to glare at Wang Zhenqiu:

"arrive."

Upon hearing this, everyone stopped and looked up.

The woods ahead seemed to end.

A wide valley appeared before them.

At this moment, the valley entrance was not deserted; on the contrary, it was as bustling as a vegetable market.

Dozens of strangely shaped people were gathered in front of a huge stone tablet.

Some of those people were crying, some were laughing, some were gesturing wildly at the stone tablet, while others were sitting cross-legged on the ground, trembling all over, as if they were experiencing something extremely painful or extremely blissful.

The air was filled with a nauseating, chaotic atmosphere.

On that huge stone tablet, which was as tall as two people, were carved dense, tadpole-like, twisted patterns.

Under the moonlight, the patterns seemed to come alive, slowly wriggling and emitting an eerie purple light.

"That is..."

Wang Ye stared at the stone tablet, and after just one glance, he felt dizzy and his stomach churned.

He quickly looked away, his heart filled with horror:

"This thing...something's not right!"

"It interferes with a person's magnetic field!"