If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The campsite at the foot of the desolate mountain was unlit. The campfire was smoldering, leaving only a few clumps of burnt soot. The night wind blew intermittently, like a knife slicing down the mountain ridge. The elder's breath rose and fell, growing increasingly faint. The days of pursuit had left him exhausted; he wanted to leave a clue but couldn't bring himself to speak.

Qin Shuang sat by the mound of earth, her cold hands holding a wooden box. Inside the box were several broken bamboo slips and a black stone shard. She listened to the elder's breathing and gave Zhou Yang a meaningful look. Even through the firelight, Zhou Yang could see the patterns on the stone shard, like carved symbols, faintly reflecting a cold light.

"Elder," Qin Shuang said in a low voice, her tone tinged with suppressed urgency, "Could you repeat the Sect Leader's arrangements?"

The elder's eyes were closed, a slight smile flickering at the corner of his lips. His voice was like dry grass blown by the wind, "The higher-ups...there are more than three. They are checking and balancing each other, with the old temple in the capital as the hub. The sect leader plans to set up layers of traps beneath the old temple, waiting for chaos in the outside world before making his move."

"The Old Temple?" Zhou Yang frowned. "Which one?"

Black Steel lowered his voice, "That's the old site of the sacrificial ceremony, which has long been sealed off."

The elder slightly raised his hand and took out a tattered sheepskin from his robes. The sheepskin depicted mountains and rivers, with a temple carved in the very center. He handed his hand to Qin Shuang, "The map is broken; the rest… you'll have to find someone to piece it together. There are secret passages in that area, which the old sect leader never told outsiders. The sect split because someone wanted to seize power prematurely."

He coughed, his voice even lower, "Within the Heavenly Principle Sect... some are unwilling to relinquish the shared will of the sect leader. They want to break the sect leader's scepter... several groups are probing near the old temple. The sect leader's token is over there."

Qin Shuang took the sheepskin, her fingers tracing the dark red thread. The ink on the fine lines spread slightly in the warmth of her palm, flowing like blood. She didn't say much, simply pressing the image in her hand, then softly asked, "Where are the remaining fragments?"

The elder then turned his gaze to Black Steel. He handed the man to Qin Shuang and said, "An old friend of the elder has hidden two... devices that can spread information. One is outside the pass, and the other is in the city. There's another set in the valley you went to last time. Remember to piece them together, and the map will be complete."

Zhou Yang stepped forward, more concerned with the sincerity of the elder's words. He saw a slight movement in Qin Shuang's eyes, like an undercurrent surging beneath a calm surface. "The sect leader is splitting..." he repeated, "...because someone within wants to take the position for themselves."

The elder smiled. "The sound of division lurks in the shadows of the old temple... Whoever runs fastest will seize that stone fragment. What you owe is both a debt and an opportunity."

He finished speaking, his strength failing him. He rolled over in the firelight, as if completing an important ritual. Qin Shuang touched the fragment with one hand, and gently cradled the elder's head with the other. He closed his eyes, a trace of gray at the corner of his mouth.

Black Steel was tidying up the talismans, his eyes still gleaming. He straightened the bamboo slips, looked up at Zhou Yang, and said, "Three clues, all interconnected. There are still two places we haven't touched."

Zhou Yang gestured for Qin Shuang to tuck the stone fragments inside her clothing. They took the bamboo slips and sheepskin fragments, spreading them out by the fire as they began to assemble them. Qin Shuang pulled a small piece of wood from her sleeve, engraved with similar patterns. Within minutes, the lines gradually aligned, attracting each other like magnets, eventually converging to form a route leading to the city gate.

"The old temple is in the northern suburbs of the capital." Qin Shuang raised an eyebrow. "That dilapidated temple used to be a place for divine soldiers to perform sacrifices. The sect leader once used it to suppress a rebellious spark. Now that spark has begun to burn on its own."

"Someone dropped out midway, which means the plan isn't finalized yet," Zhou Yang said. "First, we need to find the remaining fragments, then we need to sound them out in the old hall. If someone wants to seize the position of sect leader first, they'll definitely be guarding the exit of that passage."

Qin Shuang nodded. "The other messenger's ruins... are the remnants of the ancient ferry beyond the pass. There are old-fashioned talisman stones there that can record the sect leader's orders. We need to split into two teams to go."

"I'm going to the tower," Blacksteel said. "I know there are still some old members of the Heavenly Principle Cult there. They might have left some information."

"Before we leave, let's go down the stone steps." Zhou Yang looked at Hei Gang. "That's a cult outpost. The elder said someone left a signal there before retreating."

Stone steps led down from the camp to a stream. Black Steel carried a long sword on his back and a small bundle of talismans in his hand. They descended the ridge, their footsteps barely making a sound. In the night, the moss on the stone steps was damp, and occasionally a trickle of water flowed over them.

Black Steel stopped on the third step. "Here," he said, pointing to the bushes on either side, where a camouflage tent had been knocked over. Beside the tent, a corpse lay on its side, the talisman paper on its body torn off, the ashes scattering like a clump of burnt dust.

"He's still alive?" Qin Shuang crouched down, examining the corpse's features. Hei Gang shook his head. "He's been dead for a while; the blood hasn't dried yet. He was stabbed in the back. The sect leader's men retreated quickly."

The corpse was still clutching a small bronze plaque bearing the emblem of the Heavenly Principle Sect. There were no other markings on the plaque. Qin Shuang gently lifted the palm and carefully examined it. Hidden inside the plaque was a piece of wire, engraved with the word "Warning," seemingly a pre-set signal. That signal indicated that the infiltrators had left their tracks before the designated time, suggesting someone had evacuated ahead of schedule.

Looking at the kill marks on the ground, Zhou Yang said in a low voice, "This means the information has spread. Someone deliberately scattered the clues to let the sect leader's plan be leaked."

"The sound of internal cracks is getting louder," Qin Shuang said. "Once we collect all the fragments, the line will become clear."

She tucked the bronze medal into her bosom, then looked at the corpse. "What he left behind wasn't a signal, it was a warning. Someone from the sect leader's side has begun to adjust the ranks."

Black Steel looked up from the stone steps. "Those people also know that the Old Temple is important. They might want to use that location to steal the sect leader's token."

"Let's go." Zhou Yang stood up. "Let's go back to camp first. The elder's influence is still there; we can't let him sacrifice himself in vain."

They didn't say much. The three walked back side by side, their footsteps like scattered shadows in the night. Qin Shuang put away the bamboo slips. She felt that this fragment was more than just a piece of paper; it was like an unfinished story that needed someone to unravel its threads.

That night, the mountain wind blew again, carrying a faint sound of gongs from the distant city tower. The wind carried the echoes of an ancient temple, as if reminding them to be careful in their next move.

Embers from Another World

Zhou Yang stood beside the altar fragments, the flames still flickering faintly. Pale blue embers seeped from the ruins, winding like thin threads in the air.

He reached out, his fingertips touching a charred stone slab. The slab had shallow grooves on its surface, and a faint light lingered within them.

"This is where it all begins," he murmured to himself.

I walked lightly on the gravel, following the path of the embers. Each step left a faint trace of warmth.

The fire line etched several fine lines into the mountainside. Where the lines intersected, dark patterns appeared on the stone surface, as if gently caressed by some force.

Zhou Yang placed his hand on the dark pattern and felt a slight tremor. The tremor was small, but enough for him to determine the direction of the crack.

He mentally marked three points:

The light is dimmest in a crevice in the rock on the north side of the altar;

At the base of an ancient tree in the middle of the valley, the roots are tightly bound;

The last point is behind the stone gate at the mountain pass, where the door frame seems to be gently pressed down by an invisible force.

These three points form an arc. At the end of the arc, there seems to be a deeper passage.

The system screen lit up on his wrist, its cold light like water.

>\\\*\\*The residual energy from the upper boundary has not been completely disconnected\\\*\\\*

Warning Level: High

>\\\*\\*Hidden entrance coordinates: 23°14′N, 112°31′E\\\*\\\*

>\\\*\\\*Entrance Appearance: Rock wall fissure, requires 'Soulfire' to ignite and become visible\\\*\\\*

Zhou Yang glanced at the message, his brows furrowing slightly. The aftershocks of the upper realm still lingered here; a slight misstep could sweep them back into the valley, bringing even greater disaster.

He marked the coordinates on the bamboo slips he carried with him, then turned and walked away.

Qin Shuang stood beside the ruins of the array's core, holding a black metal block in her hand. Hei Gang stood beside her, several thick ropes slinging from his arms.

The two didn't say much. Qin Shuang placed the metal block into the groove in the center of the wreckage, and the metal block immediately emitted a low hum.

"Anchor point in place," Qin Shuang said softly.

Black Steel secured a thin silver rod to the other side of the wreckage with a rope. The tip of the rod was embedded in a crack in the stone, and the rod itself was engraved with ancient runes.

"This line can guide the remaining energy to the seal we've set up," Blacksteel explained.

Qin Shuang nodded, her eyes peering through the gaps in the wreckage, as if calculating the flow of every bit of energy.

She flicked her wrist slightly, and a small dagger in her hand traced an arc. A drop of blood stained the tip of the dagger, and the blood congealed in the air, forming tiny red lines.

The red pattern applied to the surface of the anchor point metal block instantly emitted a dark red light.

"The blood seal can be activated when energy passes through it," Qin Shuang said in a low voice.

Black Steel tightened the rope in his hand, the rope carving a tiny groove beside the metal block. The groove, like a fine line, perfectly accommodated the light of the bloodstain.

The three stood around the wreckage, observing silently.

A mountain breeze swept by, carrying away the remaining embers, but also sending a few wisps of cold air into the nostrils.

Zhou Yang felt the seal on his chest vibrate slightly, as if something was trying to break through.

He turned to look at Qin Shuang and Hei Gang, his eyes gleaming with calculation.

"Next month on the fifteenth," he said softly, "on the night of the full moon, after the seal is completed, I will give you the coordinates so you can sneak directly into the upper realm through the entrance."

Qin Shuang nodded slightly, her fingers lightly tapping the back of the bamboo slip, leaving a small mark.

Black Steel pulled the rope back into his backpack, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"If there are still remnants in the upper realm, will our prepared anchor points be washed away?"

Zhou Yang looked up at the mountain wall, where the fire line trembled slightly in the darkness.

"As long as the anchor point is secure, the residual energy will be guided into the seal, and the rest will be reduced to nothingness at the entrance."

After he finished speaking, he turned and walked away.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the valley, like the tolling of an alarm bell.

The embers in the valley still flickered slightly, like an unfinished declaration.

As night fell, starlight spilled across the wreckage, casting three faint points of light—an anchor point, a bloodstain, and a thin stick.

They silently guarded this ruin, and also protected it from the impending storm from the upper realm.

Zhou Yang's figure receded into the distance, leaving only the lingering warmth of embers behind him.

Mitsuno's comeback

The camp lights were still off, and Zhou Yang spread out the layers of paper he had collected from the altar on the wooden table by the hearth.

Black Steel placed the jade stone, which was beginning to show cracks, nearby and slowly adjusted its angle.

Qin Shuang stood on the threshold, holding a stack of papers in her hand.

Zhou Yang continued, "This battle needs to be written into the system; it can't be discarded casually."

He ran his fingertips across the drawings in the light of the oil lamp.

The first batch of marks indicates a success: the seal on the north mound was successfully pressed down for the first time.

Before the second wave of fire collapsed the side wall, the half-floating crystal was lured into the field of light ahead of time.

He broke these details down into short sentences.

"Success: Anchor point stabilized, fire contained, remaining energy introduced into seal."

"Flaw: When the northerly wind first picks up, the soil resonates; the crystal vein fragments inside the altar wall are not yet completely sealed off."

He added labels to the system so that they directly corresponded to the coordinates of the cells.

The system displays a 3D image: successful points are circled in light green, and vulnerabilities are marked with red lines.

Zhou Yang looked up and calmly said, "The red line part needs to be covered with another rune array."

"Until then, the surrounding water supply will be temporarily shut off."

"Water carries sound out and prolongs negative energy."

Black Steel nodded beside him, occasionally tapping the edge of the jade stone.

"I have an idea," he whispered, "to stick copper foil around the jade and then cover it with clay."

"Copper foil can disperse shock waves, reducing the aftershocks experienced by the jade by half."

Zhou Yang picked up a life particle and looked at the faint light it emitted through his fingers.

He handed it to the system: "Mark the dead zone: trigger particles when the aftershocks are not fully absorbed."

A new set of instructions popped up in the system.

"Trigger condition 1: Northerly wind speed is above level 23."

"Condition Two: Dark purple flames appear on the side wall of the altar for more than three seconds."

"The system will first pop up an alarm, telling us to add another talisman."

"That's like getting a glimpse of the enemy's presence beforehand."

Hei Gang gently pressed the jade onto the table, then lifted a corner of the seal.

"At this stage, Mitsuno is still recovering," he continued, "and the next stage is to reverse the energy."

"I can embed a few fragments of spark jade at the bottom of the jade plate."

"The fragments will light up first when the energy is high, like a buffer zone."

Zhou Yang added a note to the system: "Seal Unveiled - Review".

He would record his voice after each data input.

"The pillar of light, the purification water, and the misty atmosphere of Beiling are the three sections that must be linked together next."

He wrote the sentence on a new page.

"I need to clearly write down my goals for the next stage."

"Objective 1: Connect the stone pillars and irrigation canals in Beiling to form the Guangye New Road."

"Objective Two: Place a buffer symbol at the entrance to the North Ridge to guide energy along with the sound of the water."

"Objective 3: Based on this, take the black steel jade plate and copper foil to Beiling."

Qin Shuang took the paper and looked up at him.

"This information needs to be known in the capital."

"I will have secret agents from the Embroidered Uniform Guard take the briefing out of the city at the same time."

She placed the paper into the iron box and gently touched the seal with her fingertips.

She stood up again and walked out of the camp.

"I need three agents to set off separately," she instructed her adjutant.

"The old forests on the eastern route and the rocky cliffs of the southern ridge both need to be watched over."

She marked three places on the map where the remainder remained after division, and also outlined the coordinates of the capital city with red silk lines.

"I also asked them to collect some towels and talismans along the way to make kites."

"The kite contains a talisman, which will automatically drift towards the direction of the remaining party's activities when it encounters the wind."

The adjutant immediately accepted the order and turned to give it.

Qin Shuang turned to Zhou Yang and said, "The people in the capital need to see that we have the rhythm under control."

"Write down the changes in the seal itself, the frequency of the aftershocks, and the time we need to go to the North Ridge."

She said, "At least three points, there can be no ambiguity."

Zhou Yang nodded slightly as he looked at the paper and began to write: "I. The seal on the north side of the altar is stable, and the temperature curve is decreasing."

"Second, the sidewall crystal veins need to be sealed with talisman mud again to prevent the residual effects from spreading."

"Third, next steps: The Beiling Canal and Shizhu need to coordinate their efforts within seven days."

He added another line: "Reserve lifetime particles for the breakout at North Ridge."

Qin Shuang flipped through a few pages of the letters she had brought back, preparing to affix the Embroidered Uniform Guard's seal to the end of the paper.

"The letter must be delivered to the capital by horseback," she told her adjutant. "And have the messenger circle around to the imperial prison area and reiterate our current situation."

She added, "We need to let the capital know that Mitsuno is still trembling within that line."

"Try to get them to make more arrangements."

"I'm going to the front lines, and while I'm at it, I'll review the sealed state one more time." She immediately turned around and left with her adjutant.

Black Steel lifted the jade stone again, staring at the crack.

"There's still energy left in the crack," he said softly.

"I plan to add a layer of copper veins to this jade and then set it into a bracelet."

"The bracelet contains fragments of Starfire Jade, which can suppress the impact before it strikes."

"Even the Imperial Guards' attention will be guided by that circle."

"I will first take the bracelet to the furnace and let it drink some heat in the firelight."

"Heating will seal the original cracks."

Zhou Yang nodded and silently put the description into the system.

He then took out three life-life particles from the cloth bag.

"One was used in the North Ridge, one in the bracelet, and the last one was reserved for sealing the main body."

He placed the particles in a small dish and numbered them sequentially.

"The system records: the first particle marker is for light field guidance, the second for array foot distribution, and the third for protective seal."

"That way, when we go back to check the data, everyone will know what each one is used for."

Black Steel noted down: "Particle number, trigger point, purpose."

"With these numbers," he continued, "it's as clear as if we were writing instructions on paper."

"We can add it to our practice records before the equipment is made."

"Defects and vulnerabilities must be written out."

Zhou Yang looked back towards the valley.

He recalled the last embers of the altar, those flickering flames dancing in the wind.

The sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the distance.

He stood up, his cloak falling over his shoulders.

"I'll go take another look at the altar," he said to himself softly.

He stepped out of the tent, and starlight spread out beneath his feet.

Qin Shuang's figure had already disappeared around the bend in the mountain road.

When the wind blows, the leaves rustle as they rub against each other.

In the camp, the sound of the blacksmith's hammer gradually faded away.

Zhou Yang placed his hand on the sword sheath and gazed at the old road leading to the valley.

"The next breakthrough will begin with the sound of the water in Beiling," he murmured to himself.

He looked back at the camp; the lights were still flickering.

Then, head down that road.

Beiling Water Sound

Starlight filled the valley.

Zhou Yang walked along the ruins of the altar, his steps light. The sound of horses' hooves from before was already far away, but he dared not be careless. The people of the Heavenly Principle Sect always had a keen sense of smell; even the slightest scent could give them away.

He crouched beside the ruins of the altar, his fingers tracing the scorch marks. Ashes swirled in the wind, settling around his shoes.

"Someone has been here."

This is not a question. There are fresh footprints on the ground, three shoe prints of different sizes. One of them has a pattern typical of leather shoes from beyond the Great Wall—the kind favored by the Heavenly Principle Cult.

Zhou Yang narrowed his eyes. Instead of getting up immediately, he lowered his body and moved along the shadow of the stone wall. There should have been a corpse in the pile of rocks behind the altar, one of the guards left behind by Fang Tian.

The body has disappeared.

"Just as I expected." He sneered inwardly. The Heavenly Principle Sect acted faster than he anticipated. Their information channels were more efficient than he had estimated.

He took out a fragment of the map and examined it by the moonlight. The winding lines on the fragment pointed to a place name: Beiling.

Beiling is a desolate mountain range, 300 li outside the pass. The map shows a ruined tower there, which the Heavenly Principle Sect calls "Broken Anchor".

"Broken anchor..." He rolled the two words on his tongue. According to intelligence, the North Ridge was the location of the second map fragment. The Heavenly Principle Sect sent people here not to kill, but to seize the fragment.

Black Steel's voice came from behind, very low: "Brother Zhou, we've found out."

"explain."

"There are four people three miles away, with two camels and horses. The leader is a high-ranking member of the Heavenly Principle Sect, and the other three are on the periphery." Hei Gang handed over a piece of paper with simple shapes and markings. "They seem to be looking for something. Someone dug in the soil on the west side of the valley during the day."

"Did you find it?"

"Probably not. Otherwise, they would have left long ago."

Zhou Yang nodded. He folded the paper and tucked it into his sleeve. The fact that the other side hadn't discovered the altar's location yet was a good thing for him. But the Heavenly Principle Cult wouldn't leave empty-handed—since they were here, they would definitely search every possible place.

"Get ready," he said. "We'll leave tomorrow morning for Northridge."

Black Steel hesitated: "They'll follow."

"I know." Zhou Yang stood up, dusting off his hands. "We need to make sure they keep up."

---

Before dawn, Zhou Yang called Hei Gang to his side and set up a simple trap.

He left a few horses at the camp to create the illusion that they had already left. In reality, he and Blacksteel circled around, bypassing the camp from the north hillside, and ambushed behind a mound that offered a view of the camp.

The members of the Heavenly Principle Sect fell for the trap.

As dawn broke, four men rode camels into the valley and headed for the camp. Zhou Yang could see clearly from the mound that the leader was in his thirties, carrying a curved knife on his back and with bulging waistbands, presumably concealing hidden weapons.

"A leader-level figure," Black Steel said in a low voice. "Be careful, his aura is stronger than that of ordinary followers."

Zhou Yang didn't speak. His attention was entirely on the leather pouch at the man's waist—the bulge was just the right size to hold a fragment of a map.

The members of the Heavenly Principle Sect searched the camp for a while but found nothing useful. The sect leader muttered something under his breath and then led his men northward in pursuit.

"They thought we went to North Ridge," Black Steel said.

"We were originally going to Beiling anyway," Zhou Yang stood up, "but not now."

He led the black steel car westward, across a stretch of Gobi Desert, and onto another mountain path. This was the route he had discovered the previous night; it was longer than the main road, but safer.

---

Around noon, they arrived at the foot of Beiling Mountain.

The mountain range was more desolate than I had imagined. It was covered with bare rocks, with only a few clumps of withered grass swaying in the wind. In the distance, a dilapidated stone tower could be seen, standing alone on the ridge, like a finger struck by lightning.

"That's a broken anchor," Zhou Yang said.

Black Steel looked up for a moment, then frowned: "There are probably quite a few guards."

"There are quite a few, but we still have to try." Zhou Yang took out the map fragment and examined it. The patterns on the fragment matched the mountain's contours. "There's a secret passage inside the tower; the map shows the third level."

He carefully collected the fragments and took the lead in walking up the mountain.

The mountain path was narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. Steep rock walls lined both sides, and occasionally the sound of wind would drift out from the cracks in the rocks, carrying the dry, earthy smell.

When Zhou Yang reached the halfway point of the mountain, he stopped.

"There's a whistle," he said in a whisper.

Black Steel understood. The two moved close to the stone wall, rounding a corner. Sure enough, there was a sentry on the mountain path ahead, a young cultist, dozing against the stone wall, a short knife in his hand.

Zhou Yang did not hesitate.

He stepped forward and covered the man's mouth, the knife slicing across his neck. The man struggled a couple of times and then went still. He dragged the man behind a rock, took the rope Black Steel handed him, quickly tied him up, and gagged him.

"Leave one alive," he said. "He'll be useful later."

Black Steel nodded and hoisted the person onto his shoulder.

The two continued upwards. Along the way, they took out three more sentries, killing them all with a single blow without alerting those inside the tower. As they neared the tower entrance, Zhou Yang signaled Black Steel to stop.

"arrive."

The stone pagoda in front of us is larger than it appears from below the mountain. The pagoda door is closed, but light shines through the cracks, indicating that someone is inside.

Zhou Yang pressed his ear against the door and listened. There were footsteps and voices inside, and it sounded like there was more than one person.

"At least five," he said. "Let's get started."

---

The key to breaking down the door was skill.

Zhou Yang kicked the door hinge, and the door slammed open. The four people inside turned their heads simultaneously, but before they could react, Hei Gang had already rushed in, killing them one by one with a single slash.

The screams lasted for less than three seconds.

Four corpses lay on the ground, and another person knelt by the wall with a knife in his chest; it was the leader of the incense troupe.

"You..." The sect leader raised his head, his face covered in blood, "Impossible..."

"Nothing is impossible." Zhou Yang walked over and stepped on his wrist. "Hand over the stuff."

The incense master gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Zhou Yang increased the pressure on his foot. A slight cracking sound came from the bones, and the incense master's face instantly turned pale.

"In...in the secret chamber at the top of the tower..." he said with difficulty, "...the map...and..."

"What else?"

The sect leader paused, then hesitated for a moment: "There's also... one more token. The Heavenly Principle Sect's... Vice Sect Leader's Token..."

Zhou Yang raised an eyebrow. A deputy sect leader's order? This was an unexpected bonus.

How do you open the locked room?

The incense master recited a series of numbers. Zhou Yang memorized them and then killed him with a single blow.

"Go to the top of the tower."

---

The secret chamber is on the third floor of the tower, and it's very well hidden. The entrance is behind a stone statue. After entering the number given by the incense master, the statue moves aside, revealing a downward stone staircase.

Zhou Yang walked in, holding a torch.

The secret room wasn't large; in the center was a stone platform with a map fragment and a black iron plaque on it. He picked up the fragment and compared it to the one he carried—the patterns matched; it was genuine.

Keep the token safe.

"It was worth it," Black Steel said.

Zhou Yang didn't speak. He pieced the two fragments together and found that they fit perfectly, but one piece was still missing.

"One piece is still missing," he said. "In the capital."

Kurogane asked, "When are we going?"

"The sooner the better." Zhou Yang tucked the fragments into his pocket. "But before that..."

He glanced back at the door to the secret chamber. There, the symbol of the Heavenly Principle Sect still hung on the wall, menacing and glaring.

"Leave them some gifts first."

---

On his way down the mountain, Zhou Yang set a fire at the entrance of the tower.

The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the entire tower in no time. Thick smoke billowed up, forming a black column of smoke in the sky above Beiling.

"Let them look," Zhou Yang said. "Let's go back to Beijing."

Hei Gang nodded. The two mounted the horses that had been prepared beforehand and rode off towards the official road to the south.

The wind whistled in his ears. Zhou Yang glanced back; the firelight had become a small red dot and disappeared among the mountains.

The sound of water from the North Ridge... It'll be soon.

He silently recited it in his heart.

Cruel officials of the Zhenfu Division

Anyang Prefecture, Zhenfu Division Secret Prison.

A chilling aura seeped from the cracks in the wall, mingled with the stench of blood. Chen Fugui was chained to a wooden frame, his hair disheveled, and dried bloodstains still clung to the corners of his mouth.

Old Zhang stood in front of him, holding a bowl of pitch-black medicine in his hands.

"Commander Chen, I've named this 'Bone-Penetrating Soup'," Old Zhang said, his tone as if introducing a dish. "After drinking it, you'll be able to recount all the things you did when you wet the bed as a child."

Chen Fugui looked up and stared at the bowl of medicine.

"You think that's all?" he sneered. "Liu Zhenhua's methods are a hundred times more ruthless than yours."

Old Zhang didn't answer, but simply brought the medicine bowl close to Chen Fugui's mouth.

Qin Shuang stood outside the cell door, arms crossed. Zhou Yang leaned against the wall, his gaze shifting between the two.

"Get him to talk," Qin Shuang ordered calmly. "I need to know all of Liu Zhenhua's arrangements in Beijing."

Old Zhang responded, pinched Chen Fugui's chin, and poured the medicine down his throat.

The moment the medicine entered his mouth, Chen Fugui's body convulsed violently. His eyes widened instantly, and his pupils turned an unnatural grayish-white.

"I want to...say..." His voice became indistinct, "I want to say..."

Old Zhang stepped back, took out a notebook from his sleeve, and picked up a pen to take notes.

"Liu Zhenhua has a base in Beijing called Pigeon Pavilion," Chen Fugui said haltingly. "On the surface, it's a silk shop, but in reality... it's his intelligence network in Beijing."

Qin Shuang narrowed her eyes.

"Who is his people looking for?"

"The one destined for disaster." White foam dripped from Chen Fugui's mouth. "He said... as long as we find this person, we can overturn the Zhenfu Division's plan... and turn the tables..."

Zhou Yang immediately activated the system.

"Consuming three years of lifespan to analyze this person's memories."

A glint of light flashed in his eyes.

A flood of images rushed in—the location of the Pigeon Pavilion, the coded communication codes in the capital, and the times of each rendezvous. The system completely extracted these memories from Chen Fugui's mind.

"The Pigeon Pavilion is in the East City, the third shop on Furong Street," Zhou Yang said in a low voice. "The contact code is 'Spring Breeze Crossing,' and we meet on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of each month."

Qin Shuang nodded.

"Mr. Zhang, is there anything else you want to ask?"

Old Zhang was given another bowl of medicine.

Chen Fugui's consciousness was beginning to fade, but Old Zhang's methods were extremely skillful, always managing to squeeze out the last bit of information from the brink of collapse.

"That's all." Old Zhang closed the booklet. "Everything this person knew is here."

Qin Shuang turned around and faced Zhou Yang.

"We split our forces into two groups."

"Black Steel will lead the team to the ruined tower outside the pass, and we must arrive before those remaining rebels." She paused, then continued, "You and I will set off for the capital before dawn."

Zhou Yang nodded and took out a small cloth bag from his pocket.

He opened the cloth bag, inside which lay several sealed test tubes, the solution displaying an eerie green hue.

"This is a sample of the corpse poison brought from the altar." Zhou Yang handed the bag to Hei Gang. "If you encounter a situation you can't handle, smash this. The rate at which the corpse poison spreads is enough for you to evacuate."

Black Steel took the cloth bag very gently.

"And this too." Zhou Yang pulled out a stack of yellow paper talismans. "Crisis warning talismans. As long as you tear one up, I'll sense it. No matter how far away you are, I'll know something's happened."

Black Steel carefully put away the talisman.

"Over in Beijing..." He hesitated for a moment, "...be careful of Liu Zhenhua. That man has no bottom line."

Qin Shuang had already started walking outside.

"Don't worry," her voice came from the corridor, "I've had more of a lack of boundaries than he has."

Zhou Yang followed and patted Hei Gang on the shoulder as he passed by.

"If anything changes at the ruined tower, use the warning talisman immediately," he said. "Don't try to tough it out."

Kurogane nodded and watched the two leave.

Outside the prison gate, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

Qin Shuang led the horse over and mounted. Zhou Yang was a little slower, but he also mounted.

"Regarding the Pigeon Pavilion," Qin Shuang turned her head on horseback, "how confident are you?"

"Ten out of ten," Zhou Yang answered crisply. "Memory doesn't lie."

"But memories can be wrong."

"The system won't."

Qin Shuang glanced at him, said nothing more, pulled on the reins, and the sound of hooves headed towards the city gate.

Zhou Yang followed closely behind.

The morning light spread across the rooftops of Anyang County, faint and chilly. The guards at the city gate had not yet changed shifts, and the two successfully exited the city.

On the official road, Qin Shuang slowed down her horse.

"Old Zhang will handle Chen Fugui's situation perfectly."

"I know," Zhou Yang replied.

"Since Liu Zhenhua is looking for the person to face the calamity, it means he already has a next step in his plan for the capital," Qin Shuang said calmly. "We can't let him get there first."

"Once we arrive in the capital, we must first find out the details of the Pigeon Pavilion."

Qin Shuang nodded.

The two remained silent the entire way, with only the sound of horses' hooves echoing in the stillness of the early morning.

The distant mountains were still shrouded in morning mist and could not be seen clearly.

Divide troops and head north

The city gates were still closed in the cold wind, the iron locks echoing softly. Black Steel, standing by the city wall, glanced at the sky; twilight hadn't yet dissipated. His brow was calm, as if he were observing a sheet of iron still churning in the heat. A list recently delivered from the Garrison Command lay beside him, two names in the middle circled with thin red lines. Touching them with his fingertips felt like stroking a gleaming blade.

"Bring Cheng Zipeng and Duan Tiezhuo along." He didn't hesitate.

The subordinate adjusted his notes and replied, "They are all in the southern camp, and their horses are in good order."

Black Steel nodded and tore off a scroll: "We must leave the city tonight. If we delay any longer at the ruined tower, someone will make the first move."

He rolled up the oiled paper and handed it to one of the accompanying captains. This man was named Cheng Zipeng, with a short, fine stubble on his face. He had a habit of taking three seconds to select a response, as if he regarded himself as an old sword that needed to be polished.

"The equipment needs to be doubled in reinforcement; the cold rain will crack the wooden handles. Replace the fast horses with swallowtail reins to prevent them from slipping off," Black Steel added. He knew that the cold winds beyond the Great Wall could even loosen the iron plates on the horses' hooves.

Duan Tiezhu stood in the shadows, hands tucked into his belt. He glanced at Hei Gang, "Young Master Hei, is the Soul-Severing Arrowhead the same old formula this time?"

Hei Gang didn't say much, but reached out and pressed down on the reel, saying, "Bring that glowing white stone back first." His tone was light, but every word was delivered with a heavy weight, like an iron block sinking into water. Duan Tiezhuo nodded, his smile as bright as sparks from a sharpening knife.

As dusk settled, the captains changed into dark gray robes, the signal arm guards on their backs making a slight clinking sound. After giving his instructions, Black Steel stepped over the shadow beside the city gate. The shadows of the two rows of soldiers in front of the gate stretched out, and as Black Steel walked past, only a few whispers, the whirring of horses' bridles, and the sound of mud under his feet could be heard.

"Stand by." That was all he said.

As he left, he had an investigator stand close to him, then turned back to look north, as if gazing at the ruined tower. He left no trace of emotion, only the sequence of events.

---

Qin Shuang sat by the window in front of the carriage, the morning light slanting across the clean wooden railing outside. She had changed into a merchant's attire, the blue cloth textured with cuffs clinging to her skin. Her hair was loosely braided with a black silk ribbon, a few strands falling over her shoulders. Zhou Yang beside her had taken off his Imperial Guard robe and put on a dark round-necked mandarin jacket, a simply decorated silver-buckled box hanging from his waist, giving him the air of a business tycoon.

The carriage moved slowly along the official road. The driver kept a steady pace, and the horses' hooves kicked up a light dust. Qin Shuang rolled up several sheets of paper in a copper tube and handed them directly to Zhou Yang. The copper tube had been polished to a shine and contained a list of contacts for the Imperial Guards in the capital at several key intersections and restaurants, as well as some samples of exchanged silver notes.

"These are the frontline clues I've compiled, the main areas where the Pigeon Pavilion operates, to help you quickly infiltrate." She spoke with a slight smirk, as if measuring a temperature. There was no extra emotion in her voice; her tone was like giving an instruction.

Zhou Yang took the copper tube and flicked it lightly with his fingertips. He didn't open the papers, but instead leaned against the carriage wall, scanning the most prominent names on the paper with his eyes. He snorted, then took the scroll as if analyzing it. "You've got control of Warehouse No. 7 in the suburbs and several merchants in Eagle Dart Lane. That's accurate."

"Unless a bad guy takes over, I'll hand it over to you first," Qin Shuang replied, turning his gaze to the South Mountain outside the window. His gaze didn't linger, as if he were confirming some kind of experience value.

Zhou Yang said in a low voice, "The messenger team behind the Pigeon Pavilion dispatches pigeons along the river near the North Gate every month. The two guesses you submitted are superficial. The real key is the information provided by the pigeons."

Qin Shuang stroked the bronze cylinder with his right hand, waiting slightly. He withdrew his gaze and sat up straight. "I've made a list of a few people. Silver notes, medicine powder, and food are circulating in their hands; all the outlets are built on money. We can simply pull out a sum and use it to pave the way. As long as they believe that their lives are more worthwhile, a merchant named Li the Cripple will act on the spot."

Zhou Yang opened the copper tube, revealing neatly folded pieces of paper. Each piece had a picture frame with clean lines. He flipped to the first one, his brow slightly raised. "That group from Beishan Village recently got a new manager. They want to make a quick buck by relying on the spending of the nobility. We'll put in some money, and while we're at it, we'll book the entire restaurant and treat the carrier pigeons as our guests. I can set up several accounts with that email account you gave me."

"And then there's Guo Guangren," Qin Shuang interjected, her voice steady. "He's a veteran of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and he likes to send intelligence and gifts over. He has a safe haven there, a 'pigeon coop.' We can get him to receive the gifts and personally guide him."

Zhou Yang turned the paper over again, revealing even finer lines. "This leaves us with the true hiding place of the Pigeon Pavilion. You said there were three possibilities; I've looked at it one more time."

He exhaled, tilting his head slightly. This time, he no longer relied on visual judgment, but let the system deduce it. The lifespan system whispered in his mind:

Half a day of lifespan has been consumed. The system lists three hidden locations:

First, there's an abandoned garden on the west side of the old imperial city. Inside is a dilapidated pavilion, its surface covered in moss. Every two days, someone sneaks in to count the carrier pigeons. Next to it is an old wooden bridge with anti-sinking stakes underneath. If money could be borrowed to repair it, people would be more confident that the garden wouldn't collapse.

Second, the warehouse under the Annam Bridge. The warehouse had no doorplates, and at night, most of the packages were nominally silk. They managed it under the guise of "Silk Road delivery," but in reality, pigeons entered according to the established channels. Only by recognizing the knife marks on the pigeons could one identify the true messenger. By exchanging silver notes for the trust of an old manager, one could insert information before each shipment.

Third, the pharmacy outside the stable. The shop owner used to be a member of the former pigeon lodging company, but was suppressed and dared not show his face. The shop survives by selling personal ointments, and there's a private well behind it with ventilation holes for the pigeon coop at the bottom. If he lowers his guard, he can deliver pigeons. This requires money to open a shop for him, turning him from a pharmacy owner into a partner, and allowing him to regain his status.

The system also indicates that there is a small path connecting the first and third locations, in case of an emergency, allowing for alternative routes. The second location is near a river, making it convenient to travel by water.

Zhou Yang quietly announced the system results. "We'll send out the first signal in Beishan Village, with cover at An'nan Bridge. Your men will be responsible for advancing into the pharmacy. Give the shop the appearance of a 'regular customer' so the owner can bring out the pigeons at night."

Qin Shuang nodded in the carriage, her cloak fluttering in the wind. "The gold notes are yours. Go and exchange them for two batches of silver ingots, and prepare the crops in Beishan Village to create a seemingly reliable delivery. As soon as Li the Cripple sees the account book in your hand, he will give you the carrier pigeon."

"Don't come empty-handed either." Zhou Yang handed back half of the copper tube. "Tell me about your connections in the capital and who can help you ignite intelligence from the shadows."

Qin Shuang received the half-sheet of paper, her expression tightening. "There's a coppersmith on the first floor who specializes in repairing pigeon coops. The second floor is occupied by a young girl from a brothel; her brother works for the Huizhou gang and occasionally delivers messages. But I don't plan to rely on these people to deliver messages directly. I only need them to provide information once when you need it."

The carriage wheels rolled monotonously over the grassy roadbed. Qin Shuang remained silent. She took a misty blue ribbon from a cloth bag, examining it as if checking the seams of clothing, her fingers moving with precision and practiced ease. Her thoughts, like the ribbon at that moment, were tightly entangled yet slowly untangled. She was using money to gain trust, and using people to make the money seem worthwhile.

Zhou Yang put away the copper tube, tapping his fingers lightly on the edge of the paper. The lights inside the car were taut, and no one was visible. He said, "Once we get to the capital, we'll split up. Let's bring these people in first."

Qin Shuang reached out and gently touched the crossbeam of the carriage, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Remember, the carrier pigeon won't leave until the first shot is fired."

Zhou Yang leaned close to the morning light outside the window and exhaled. The carriage continued northward, and Qin Shuang's voice trailed off behind him. There were no more words exchanged between them, only the sound of horses' hooves and the occasional villagers working by the roadside.

The northern sky appeared high and distant. Ahead of the carriage stretched a long official road, the pine forest beside it swaying in the wind like a percussive knocking. Qin Shuang gazed at the distant mountain silhouettes, her eyes not filled with anticipation, but with a pre-arranged next step.

As the carriage disappeared from view of the distant city, a bluish light suddenly appeared in the woods, as if someone was lighting a fire in the distance. Zhou Yang chuckled, his voice low and deep: "When we get to the capital, I'll grab some barbecue skewers at Huangshi and see who's been watching me in the shadows."

Qin Shuang turned around and nodded slightly. She tugged at the cloth covering the carriage, as if signaling to continue. The street, softened by the rising sunlight, was no longer cold.

The group continued north, the dry yellow grass rustling on either side of the official road. The next step for the Pigeon Pavilion lay ahead.

Red-Clad Yaksha

The ruined tower stood on the mountain ridge, its side cracked with a long, sharp edge. The Black Steel Squad approached silently, the loose stones beneath their feet rustling like an old tent being turned over by the wind. Zhou Yang stood at the rear of the squad, his eyes pressed against the tower, saying nothing. Black Steel was ahead, his cloak billowing in the wind, its greyish-black color appearing as heavy as iron in the azure morning mist.

The tower door was ajar, a faint bluish light emanating from within, giving the illusion of a fire burning. Black steel fingers lightly tapped the jade talisman at his waist, the runes on it slowly lighting up, cooling the sweat on his arms. Those around him held their breath, even their footsteps becoming softer.

"The aura is inside the tower," he whispered.

A few days ago, intelligence reported that a sound like a bronze bell was being struck from the ruined tower outside the pass, and the news that the Red-Clad Yaksha had reappeared sent shivers down the spines of everyone outside the pass. Black Steel wasn't worried about her claws, but rather the strange toxins she brought. If the members of the Heavenly Principle Sect hadn't left themselves a way out, they wouldn't be so difficult to deal with.

Light danced within the tower, and dark purple runes covered the pillars. As Zhou Yang stepped inside, dust kicked up by his feet flew like short arrows, striking his arms. At the heart of the tower, a dilapidated wooden wall blocked the view, and rapid breathing could be heard from behind it.

A red shadow leaped out from the side, like a cat, or perhaps a snake. Her figure was all supple curves, the cuffs adorned with crimson patterns. Her cloak hung down, like washed cotton, stained dark red with mud. She didn't call out a name, her gaze fixed directly on Black Steel.

"I'm late." Her voice had a sweet, cholera-like tinge.

Black Steel walked towards her, his posture steady. He waved as he approached. The remaining team members split up, providing cover on both sides. Zhou Yang raised his hand, took out the talisman he had retrieved from prison last time, and gently touched it to Black Steel's shoulder. The talisman's energy permeated through his cold clothes, as steady as a pulse.

"Her poison cannot be directly touched," Zhou Yang whispered.

The red-clad demon took a few steps closer, then stopped moving, a faint scent of bitter fruit lingering in the air. It wasn't the scent of ordinary poisonous herbs; it was more like the aroma of ripe persimmons baked in the sun, sweet with a hint of something else. She drew a slender silver needle from her sleeve, its tip dripping a purple liquid like dewdrops in the night.

"I'm waiting for you," she said.

Black Steel threw a punch, her fist like a mountain-splitting hammer. She sidestepped, gracefully grazing a nearby brown pillar. Her movements were swift; with a flick of her finger, silver needles flew out. Zhou Yang reacted instantly, blocking two of them with a talisman. The remaining needles struck the ground, emitting a wisp of smoke.

The red-clad demon laughed, a laugh that didn't vibrate her vocal cords, but only stirred a ripple in the air. She continued to parry, her figure turning and drawing circles in the air, a string of red agate beads hanging around her neck like a blood-red fruit about to fall.

Black Steel knew she was adept at using poison and repeatedly tested her. Zhou Yang sat beside her, his eyes fixed on her breathing. He saw her chest tighten and loosen with each soft breath, like fingers turning the pages of a scroll. Her body temperature wasn't as high as rumored; instead, it had a deep, chilling quality, as if she had been wrapped in snow for a long time.

After a brief exchange, Black Steel kicked out. The Red-Clad Demon slid against a pillar, turned, and shoved Black Steel back. The two were instantly locked in combat, poison gas seeping through their breaths. Black Steel felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, his arms feeling as heavy as lead. He gritted his teeth and delivered another chop to her shoulder. She didn't fall; instead, she hooked her slender wrist around Black Steel's neck, the poisoned needle aimed at his vitals.

Zhou Yang finally made his move. He flicked a talisman with his finger, flames erupting from it, striking the poisoned needle directly. The red-clad yaksha took a step back, her figure suddenly becoming taller and thinner. She bent down to dodge, letting out a low shout, the wind whistling like blades.

The poison permeated the tower, like ink spreading in water. Black Steel unfurled a shield, blocking a patch of purple mist. He struggled to breathe, feeling as if his chest was being squeezed tightly. Zhou Yang then placed the talisman on his shoulder; the talisman's light burned away the poison, carrying a chill.

"How many people are still supporting her?" Kurogane asked in a deep voice.

"No," the red-clad demon replied, stopping before the pillar, her shoulders trembling slightly. Her gaze wasn't directed at anyone, but fixed on a dark figure atop the tower.

The red-clad demon released her grip, and a long sword slid into her sleeve. The blade was narrow and long, its edges patterned like a cracked riverbed. Her movements became steady, emanating an unnatural stillness. Poison condensed into lines in the air, glowing with a grayish-green light.

Black Steel stepped back several paces, simultaneously stopping her movements. She suddenly withdrew the poison gas into her body, like absorbing water into the roots of a blade of grass. Her expression softened abruptly, and tears welled in the corners of her eyes.

"I do not belong to the Heavenly Principle Sect." She laughed, a laugh that concealed a blade. "They destroyed my people, destroyed my tower, and even that guardian died in the morning light."

Black Steel's heart skipped a beat, and her fist struck out with force. She wasn't a black-clad sorcerer from the Heavenly Principle Sect. Zhou Yang watched from the side; there was an old scar at the corner of her eye, running across her brow and straight to her eye socket. The scar resembled a broken arc, making her face appear even thinner.

"We are not enemies," Zhou Yang said. He walked forward slowly, holding an amber-colored chess piece with the symbol of the Broken Tower engraved on its surface. Black Steel and his squad members provided cover from behind, ready to ambush her when she let her guard down.

"It's rare to have something to say." The red-clad demon sat down against a pillar, her long sword pointing to the ground. She looked at Zhou Yang, her eyelids slightly lowered, as if she had suddenly remembered some old path.

"My name is Bai Ying." Her voice was no longer sharp. "The last member of the Bai family, the guardian of the ruined tower. A hundred years ago, the Heavenly Principle Sect attacked overnight, taking away my father and brothers, as well as the secret scrolls for guarding the tower. Those scrolls were torn into pieces along with the tower and scattered in the mountains and forests beyond the pass. My mission is only one: to guard the tower."

"You've followed the Heavenly Principles Sect for so long, why don't you just kill them?" Zhou Yang asked.

She raised her hand and patted the tower wall, leaving a ring of blood on her knuckles. "Blood is not a passive object. Remember what my father once said: a murderous dagger can also be used as a pole to hold up a lamp for those traveling at night." Her tone grew calmer, as if she were telling an old story.

"I didn't use poison to kill anyone." She turned to look at Blacksteel. "I just wanted to tell them that the ruined tower is still there."

Hei Gang breathed a sigh of relief, the tension on his hands easing slightly. He stepped forward, twisted his wrist, and the silver chain fell, binding Bai Ying's wrists. She didn't resist, her hands trembling slightly.

"Do you have companions?" Kurogane asked.

She shook her head. "Only the ruined tower and I remain."

"The Heavenly Principle Sect won't let you get away with this," Zhou Yang said. "We don't plan to demolish the tower."

"Then why did you break down the door?" Bai Ying looked at Hei Gang. Her eyes held a mixture of resentment and curiosity.

"I want to get back that fragment of the scroll," Zhou Yang said. "It's related to me."

Bai Ying lowered her head in thought. She had never asked for help, but had maintained her agreement with the tower guardian from beginning to end. Now that she was captured, her expression did not show fear, but rather seemed to be fulfilling a pre-arranged procedure.

"Just lock me out," she said. "Leave the ruined tower, and I won't get hurt."

Hei Gang glanced at Zhou Yang and nodded.

"Help me sew a talisman," Bai Ying said. She stretched out her hand, her fingertips, intertwined with her sleeves, stained with tiny drops of blood. "The talisman is made from poisonous herb sap and soil from inside the tower. If the Heavenly Principle Sect notices the disappearance this time, they will use it to burn a signal."

Zhou Yang took the talisman, and a bluish light appeared between his fingers. He saw a mist rise in the corner of her eyes, as if washed by old rain. He thought of Fang Tian, ​​and also of the Heavenly Principle Sect's influence in the city. Bai Ying didn't belong to any faction; in a sense, she even wanted to get rid of the Heavenly Principle Sect.

"I won't kill you," Blacksteel said.

Bai Ying chuckled softly. She only replied with one sentence: "If you leave this tower, I can still stand on that shattered bell." There was a hint of helplessness in her voice, as well as the obsession with death written in "The Family Precepts of the Broken Tower Guardians".

Zhou Yang threw out the last talisman, pinning her to the pillar. The talisman flashed, transforming into thin threads that seemed to wrap around her entire body. At this moment, the light and shadow within the tower softened, and the poisonous gas gradually dissipated. The five people exchanged glances, understanding that this battle was merely a step towards greater teamwork.

Outside the tower gate, dawn was breaking. The mountain wind carried the dry, cold scent of the northern frontier, like freshly cut pine. Black Steel touched the hilt of his sword, then glanced at Zhou Yang. They both understood that the story of the Red-Clad Demon was not yet finished, and that behind Bai Ying lay an even longer path to death.

But at least for now, she is not an enemy.

"Clean up those signals in the tower," Zhou Yang said, his voice tinged with weariness. He glanced at Bai Ying, "If the Heavenly Principle Cult really comes, don't wait for them to light the fire; let the tower light up on its own first."

Bai Ying nodded. A broken copper lamp hung beside Hei Gang, its light swaying like the clanging of metal in an empty tower. Zhou Yang and she didn't meet again, remaining silent for a moment.

They each prepared for their next step.

Secrets of the Broken Tower

Bai Ying lit the third lamp.

The flickering flames cast intermittent light on half of her face. She was the last descendant of the Bai family. This ruined tower was built under the supervision of her ancestor to suppress a rift in the upper realm.

"The map fragment is the key," Bai Ying said, her voice dry, as if she hadn't spoken in a long time. "Without it, the rift can't be contained."

Black Steel remained silent. He was waiting for what was to come.

"A month ago, Liu Zhenhua's men came to our door." Bai Ying's tone was calm, but her eyes held a hint of hatred. "They slaughtered the entire Bai family clan. Before my father died, he pushed me into a secret passage."

She fumbled in her bosom for a moment and pulled out a piece of black iron. The piece was only the size of a palm, with severely worn edges and twisted patterns engraved on it.

"Of the more than three hundred members of the tribe, none survived." Bai Ying placed the iron sheet beside the lamp. "They launched three fierce attacks, losing more than a dozen men. Later, they changed their minds and surrounded the tower."

Hei Gang then spoke up: "How long should we keep the perimeter closed?"

"Twenty-three days," Bai Ying said. "Every day, someone would shout outside, demanding that I hand over the fragments. If I didn't respond, they wouldn't dare come in."

Black Steel understood. There was something strange about this tower; what were Liu Zhenhua's men wary of?

"I'll take the fragment." He took the metal piece. "I'll take your revenge."

Bai Ying shook her head: "It's not a free gift. I have conditions."

"explain."

"Leave no one from the Heavenly Principle Sect stationed outside the tower alive." Bai Ying stared at Hei Gang. "If you can do it, this fragment is yours. If you can't, take the fragment and get out of here now."

Black Steel paused for a moment, then nodded: "Deal."

---

After the discussion, Bai Ying got up and led the way. The interior of the ruined tower was complex; she had played in the mud here since she was a child and could walk around with her eyes closed.

"This way." She pushed open a hidden door. "The Heavenly Principle Sect only controls the front hall and the tower gate. They can't get into the core area."

Black Steel caught up and asked, "Why can't we get in?"

Bai Ying just walked ahead without answering.

Behind the hidden door was a narrow passage, with runes carved on the walls, now faded and white. Bai Ying explained as they walked, "Our ancestors set up a restriction; anyone not of the Bai family bloodline who steps into the core will be strangled by the formation."

"So they only dare to surround the outer perimeter."

Kurogane noted down this information.

The two emerged from the secret passage, facing the side of the tower. Bai Ying pointed and said, "There are three tents on the west side, housing twelve people. Five people are on duty at the north gate. The leader's surname is Zhao, and his name is Zhao Quan. He changes shifts every day at Chenshi (7-9 AM)."

After observing for a moment, Black Steel asked, "What about their weapons?"

"Three powerful crossbows and five powerful bows," Bai Ying said. "They use knives for close combat; I haven't seen any spears or lances."

"What about night shifts?"

"The shift will change at 5 PM, and after nightfall, the number will be reduced to four." Bai Ying's calculations were clear. "The situation is most relaxed before dawn, with only one person patrolling for two hours."

Black Steel nodded. He was sketching out a surprise attack plan in his mind.

"I need someone to lead the way," he said. "You follow behind me."

Bai Ying replied, "I don't need your protection. I'll only give directions; you can kill the person yourself."

"OK."

---

Meanwhile, the official road to Beiling.

Zhou Yang reined in his horse. He held a piece of yellow paper in his hand, on which the talisman drawn with cinnabar was already charred and curled.

This is a warning talisman. Qin Shuang gave it to him to monitor the situation on Hei Gang's side. The talisman is charred black, indicating that Hei Gang has already made his move.

He closed his eyes for a moment, sensing the information fed back by the talisman. The image was blurry, showing only a general location: near the ruins of the Tianyuan Tower, the battle was escalating.

"Liu Zhenhua's men have been surrounding the area for twenty-three days. The fact that they're making their move now means that Black Steel has obtained the fragments," Zhou Yang muttered to himself.

Qin Shuang asked from the side, "Are you going over there?"

"It's too late," Zhou Yang shook his head, "but I can help him."

He bit his fingertip, and a drop of blood dripped onto another talisman. This talisman was newly drawn and used for divination.

Sacrificing one's lifespan in exchange for temporary precognitive abilities. Zhou Yang currently has ample lifespan and is willing to sacrifice it.

He smeared the blood droplet in the center of the talisman and closed his eyes.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, and his expression changed.

"The tents on the west side of the Tianyuan Pagoda ruins are a weak point," he said. "When Zhao Quan changes shifts, there's a 15-minute gap, with only one person on duty. If the west side is breached, the people in the tents won't have time to react."

Qin Shuang wrote down this information.

"What else do you know?" she asked.

"The Heavenly Principle Cult split into three groups," Zhou Yang said. "Two groups were open, and one was covert. The covert group was hiding behind the tower gate, ready to launch a surprise attack at any time. But they didn't know that Bai Ying was familiar with every secret passage."

Qin Shuang understood. Those who set up ambushes in secret routes would only be used for their own benefit.

"It takes time for the information to get there," she said.

"It's alright." Zhou Yang folded the talisman. "Black Steel isn't that easy to defeat. He crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood."

---

The plan has been finalized for the ruins of the tower.

Bai Ying and Hei Gang emerged from the secret passage and lay in ambush in the shadows on the west side of the tower. The tent was just thirty feet away, flickering with firelight and casting indistinct shadows.

"The opportune time to act is Chen Shi (7-9 AM)," Bai Ying said in a low voice. "Zhao Quan coughs every time he changes shifts; that's the signal."

Black Steel will remember this.

"Remember my instructions," Bai Ying added, "Leave no one alive."

"rest assured."

The sky is turning blue, and it's almost time for Chen Shi (7-9 AM).

A cough came from a tent in the distance.

Night raid on the ferry

Night fell, and a thin mist rose over the river. Hei Gang stood on the reef at the ferry crossing, blood dripping from the tip of his cold iron blade. Behind him, Liu Yan gently raised her hand, and a blue lantern floated in the night breeze, reflecting the cold light in her eyes.

"The changing of the guard time tonight," Liu Yan whispered, "is 6:30."

Black Steel nodded, his footsteps crunching softly in the damp mud. He didn't turn back, focusing only on moving closer to the center of the river. Several rafts drifted silently on the surface, their oars creating delicate ripples.

A gust of wind blew by, and Liu Yan scattered the poison powder in her hand onto the water's surface. The powder shimmered pale purple in the lantern light and quickly dispersed. A thin mist rose from the water's surface, and the poisonous gas spread with it.

The sentry near the ferry smelled something strange, frowned, but didn't have time to raise his hand. A black steel knife had already plunged into the water, its tip slicing through the thin mist, aiming straight for the deck of the raft. A gash was cut in the deck, the water swirling up sawdust and splashing everywhere.

"Charge!" Liu Mei snorted softly, her long whip lashing out like a snake. The tip of the whip struck the sentry's chest with a "whoosh," and blood spurted out immediately. The sentry collapsed on the deck, spitting out a mist of blood.

The lanterns at the ferry crossing flickered. Black Steel charged into the raft, his blade slicing a bloody gash along the gunwale. Inside the cabin, two low-ranking members of the Heavenly Principle Sect, dressed in grey robes, were conversing in hushed tones. They looked up, surprise in their eyes, but were already engulfed by Liu Yan's poisonous gas. Greenish-blue spots appeared on their chests, their breathing became rapid, and then they collapsed to the ground.

Black Steel didn't stop; his blade was already stained with blood. On the other side of the cabin, there was a wooden box, its exterior engraved with ancient runes. Black Steel kicked it hard, and the box cracked open, revealing a smooth jade pendant inside, its surface etched with star trails. Black Steel tucked the pendant into his robes, a slight brow furrowing.

At this moment, the commander of the ferry crossing—a Heavenly Principle Sect infantry elder at the peak of the Hundred Battles Realm—slowly stepped out of the lantern's halo. He was tall and imposing, with the air of a mountain between his brows, and held a black obsidian iron staff in his hand, the tip of which was burning with a ghostly blue flame.

"Dare to trespass on my ferry? Don't even think about leaving alive!" The elder's voice boomed like thunder, shaking the water's surface.

Black Steel did not back down, unleashing a whirlwind blade at the elder. The blade whistled, tearing through the air. The elder raised his staff to block, blue flames clashing with cold iron, sparks flying. The sparks ignited in the light mist, illuminating the silhouettes of the two.

Liu Yan stood at the stern, shaking a small purple bottle in her hand. She gently turned the bottle's mouth, and purple liquid dripped down, landing on the elder's shoulder armor. The liquid reacted instantly with the blue flames, turning into black smoke that enveloped the elder's entire body.

The elder's breathing quickened, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes. Black Steel seized the opportunity to step onto the ship's railing, his blade aimed straight for the elder's chest. The tip of the blade pierced flesh, blood gushing forth like a fountain. The elder's staff shattered into several pieces, and the blue flames instantly extinguished.

Blood dripped from the boat, landing on the water and creating a white ripple. Black Steel sheathed his sword, stood on the raft, and looked at the elder who lay fallen. Liu Yan put away the bottle in her hand; the lantern swayed slightly, reflecting her faint smile.

"Give me the jade slip with control," Black Steel said in a low voice.

Liu Yan nodded and handed a roll of thin paper to Hei Gang. The paper was covered with intricate array symbols, and its pale yellow surface trembled slightly in the lantern light. She said, "This jade slip can restart the defenses of the ruined tower. I'll stay and rebuild order here."

Hei Gang took the jade slip, folded it gently, and put it into his backpack. A river breeze blew, and the tattered lantern lights floated on the water like scattered stars.

The two stood at the bow of the boat, gazing towards the other side of the river. In the shadows of the distant mountains, a few faint lights could be seen, indicating that reinforcements from the Heavenly Principle Sect were gathering.

"We'll have to leave soon," Blacksteel said, his voice low and firm.

Liu Yan didn't answer, her eyes scanning the river as if searching for another escape route. She said softly, "Clean up the rest of this place first."

Black Steel drew his sword, tracing an arc across the raft, the blade flashing like snow. Willow Smoke raised her whip, its tip slicing through the night sky with a crisp "whoosh." Their movements, like synchronized drumbeats, swiftly suppressed the remaining guards.

The last member of the Heavenly Principle Cult collapsed on the deck, spitting blood. Liu Yan walked up to him and whispered a sealing incantation. As the incantation ended, the lantern light on the raft stabilized, and the atmosphere at the ferry crossing instantly quieted down.

Hei Gang hung the jade pendant around his neck, feeling the cold light of the star trails. He looked at Liu Yan, his eyes filled with calculation.

"How should we proceed tomorrow?" he asked.

Liu Yan looked up at the starlight floating on the river. Her voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable determination: "First, secure control of the ruined tower, then we'll search for the next fragment."

Black Steel nodded and sheathed his knife. The oars gently propelled the raft away from the ferry, the river carrying away the bloodstains and smoke.

In the distance, amidst the shadows of the mountains, the horns of the Heavenly Principle Sect sounded faintly and mournfully. Black Steel glanced back at the ferry crossing where lanterns swayed, silently memorizing every detail of this night raid.

Liu Yan stood at the stern, holding the rolled-up jade slip in her hand, and murmured to herself, "This is a new beginning."

The raft drifted away with the river, starlight scattering tiny spots of light across the water. The night remained, the river breeze lingered, and the two figures receded into the distance, only the sound of the water echoing in the silence.