The male supporting character was actually myself.

Everyone was taken aback.

He vaguely heard the rumbling of carts carrying heavy goods. Luo Junfei touched it to check and his face turned slightly pale. "Young Master's guess was right. Those guards are carrying a large amount of black oil and splashing it around. It seems they intend to burn this place down completely!"

Without delay, the four of them took the seriously injured Zhang Qing away from Tianque Fortress, settled him in, and then rushed to Tianxiang Mountain.

The script crashed and I couldn't react in time;

The fluffy dumpling believed that the fact that the protagonist hadn't triggered any more unlucky events was thanks to her holding back her halo, so she worked even harder to try and completely turn the plot around in one go!

Tianxiang Mountain is quite far from Tianque Fortress, and the old man Tianque and the man in black may have set off last night. Fearing they would fall behind, they traveled day and night without rest, changing horses several times along the way, and finally arrived at Tianxiang Mountain on the evening of the third day.

At this moment, the entire mountain was heavily guarded and on high alert, and it seemed that the tragedy had not yet occurred.

“Miss Ling, that carriage looks like it belongs to Tianque Fortress.” Jiang Chen, with her sharp eyes, spotted a carriage carved with a domineering bird in the courtyard of a high-end inn at the foot of the mountain and whispered a reminder: “Tell that guard in private that Elder Tianque’s youngest son, Li Shuo, left two days in advance in a custom-made carriage. That should be it!”

Ling Xiao's eyes lit up immediately. "I'll go take a look. It would be even better if we could catch a hostage."

She glanced at Luo Junfei, who was riding a tall horse with an upright expression, then snuggled into Jiang Chen's arms, resting her face on his shoulder and whispering in his ear, "Your Central Plains rules are so annoying, especially Luo Junfei's prohibitions. If it were me, I would be simple, direct, and effective. There would be no need to bother trying to get up the mountain..."

Jiang Chen could only offer a few words of comfort before taking the "little demoness" into the inn to gather information.

A few minutes later, Ling Xiao threw a tightly bound, fair-skinned young man in front of him and said with a grin, "Ah Chen, you're awesome! This guy is Li Shuo. It's a pity he knows nothing. I don't think he's of any use except as a hostage. What a useless piece of trash!"

Li Shuo has indeed been spoiled and ruined.

Apart from a few very basic things, he knew nothing about his father's condition.

However, Jiang Chen still learned some information from him—the old man Tianque was indeed going to burn down Tianque Fortress to fake his death, and his family had already been settled in Ping'an Prefecture.

Originally, Li Shuo was supposed to be escorted by a large force, but when he heard that his father was going to massacre the Tianxiang Mountain, and that he was deeply in love with the junior sister of the Tianxiang Gang, he wanted to take this opportunity to be a hero and win her heart. Therefore, he drugged the guards on the way and only brought a few personal guards with him in a carriage, waiting to take advantage of the situation tonight.

"You spoiled idiot!" the little white cat mocked, hugging its short paws. "Sure enough, the usual setup is always the same: the father is full of bad ideas but has a sharp mind, so the son must be a moron. Look, we've run into one, so we can use him as a hostage."

“Take him to Tianxiang Mountain, and we’ll do it like this…” Jiang Chen thought for a moment and whispered a few words in Ling Xiao’s ear. A sly smile appeared on her pretty face. “As expected of the man I’ve chosen, he’s just right for my taste!”

As night fell, the Celestial Phenomenon Gang, who were on high alert, relaxed their guard on the outside but remained relaxed on the inside.

The Jade Star Sect members sat upright at the table, with the leader of the Celestial Elephant Gang in the main seat and the martial arts alliance leader Shen Aolong sitting next to him.

"I brought many experts with me this time, and I specifically came to oversee the Celestial Phenomenon Gang in order to personally capture the true culprit behind the sect-destroying demon."

Shen Aolong raised his glass and said loudly, "Whether this person is Huo Changyun or not is still unknown. However, based on common sense, no matter how high Huo Changyun's martial arts are, it is impossible for him to slaughter so many sects and clans on his own. It is very likely that someone is framing him."

As the leader of the martial arts alliance, I deeply regret that due to my previous illness, I was unable to apprehend the true culprit immediately and bring him to justice, thus giving closure to the souls of my many fallen brothers. Now that I am feeling much better, I am determined to personally take charge and deter the evil cults from daring to invade again!

The leader of the Celestial Elephant Gang was so moved that he didn't know what to say, so he simply raised his glass, stood up, and said a few polite words of thanks.

Everyone in the hall shared a drink and began discussing topics such as defense and pursuit.

Meanwhile, in a secluded courtyard of the Celestial Elephant Gang, a guard who was on a serious patrol had just passed by when a dark figure flashed past and rushed towards the well where water was drawn from the kitchen.

"Who goes there?" Captain Chen Likun shouted alertly, drawing his knife and stepping forward while issuing a warning.

The entire Celestial Phenomenon Gang tensed instantly, with many guards rushing towards the courtyard that had been alerted. However, within moments, the courtyard was eerily quiet, except for a few fresh knife marks on the pillars of the entrance hall, which reminded everyone that a fight had taken place; otherwise, there were no other traces.

Everyone tensed up, keeping their eyes and ears open and alert to any unusual movements.

A faint scent of jasmine drifted in from somewhere, gradually spreading and covering an increasingly wider area with the mountain breeze...

"Oh no, it's Rika's Muscle-Weakening Powder!" Jiang Chen, who was in the darkness, immediately noticed the abnormality and reminded the others to hold their breath. He then took out a small medicine bottle from his pocket, poured out a few small red pills, and distributed them to them. "This poison comes from the Western Regions and spreads very easily."

After being poisoned by the fragrance, one feels weak and limp all over, but it is not fatal and one will gradually recover after about two or three hours.

"Press the pill under your tongue; this will naturally help you resist the poison."

The small pills have a spicy taste and a strange flavor, but they are very effective at stimulating the body.

Luo Junfei, who has always been upright and honest, did not approve of Shangguan Jiangchen and others' kidnapping behavior, so he sighed and said, "You and Miss Ling go and make arrangements according to the original plan. Miss Huo and I will sneak in and see the specific situation."

Jiang Chen handed him a small medicine bottle. "Inside are antidote pills. People who are poisoned and paralyzed will regain their mobility after taking the pills and waiting a while. Just now, Miss Ling grabbed someone and asked them. The gang leader was hosting a grand banquet for guests in the hall, and they are probably all about to collapse from poisoning. You should go and save them first."

The four split up, and Ling Xiao chose the best "high and mighty" spot to tie Li Shuo up there;

Luo Junfei and Huo Changyun headed straight for the hall. Just as they jumped into the courtyard, someone suddenly grabbed Huo Changyun's foot, startling him so much that he almost screamed!

"Someone...poisoned the well!" Covered in blood, Chen Likun managed to deliver the message with all his might, his unfocused eyes widening involuntarily. "You...you..."

Seeing that the other party was beyond saving, Huo Changyun sighed, broke free from his hand, and comforted him, "Don't worry, I'm not a sect-destroying maniac. On the contrary, I'm here to save your Tianxiang Gang."

The guests, who had been enjoying a relaxed atmosphere in the hall, soon began to sway and stagger. Even the leader of the Celestial Elephant Gang, leaning back on his throne, stared wide-eyed at the still radiant Shen Aolong, mumbling, "You...it's you..."

Shen Aolong glanced at everyone with disdain and sighed, "It would have been better for the Jade Star Sect to keep to itself. Why did it have to get involved in these disputes and grudges? It's such a pity that the mighty Flying Palm Master, Feng Yunke, was killed by the sect-destroying madman Huo Changyun!"

Feng Yunke's lips twitched as he held his breath, trying to circulate his internal energy, but his whole body remained limp and powerless, unable even to stand up.

“I’m a kind-hearted person and I can’t stand killing.” Shen Aolong wiped his hands with a towel, stood up and said loudly, “It’s your turn to do it. Hurry up, we still have a lot of people to deal with.”

A black cloak draped over the gloomy-faced old man, Tianque, slowly appeared at the entrance of the hall. He said in a shrill voice, "Isn't this the only place left? The Alliance Leader showed weakness and asked me to stir up trouble in secret. Now the pursuit of Huo Changyun and others in the martial arts world is becoming more and more fierce. With him taking the blame, he can just die and be done with it. What's the rush?"

“The original plan was foolproof, but now there’s been a mishap.” Shen Aolong said irritably, “My daughter’s plan to take control of the Luo family has failed, and Luo Junfei has realized what’s going on. We need to find a way to eliminate them as well.”

"Provoking the number one family in the martial arts world? Do you know how many connections they have? They're a behemoth!"

"What's the rush? I'll soon master this divine skill. After tonight, no one will be able to withstand my blood-sucking technique. If the Luo family insists on fighting head-on, then they can expect to be slaughtered."

Shen Aolong gave the old man Tianque a meaningful look, a sly smile appearing on his face. He waved his hand and laughed, "You've followed me for many years, cultivating divine skills and achieving some success. Apart from Feng Yunke, whom I will enjoy, everyone else is yours. Hurry up and absorb some blood, and try to help you break through to the Great Ascension stage tonight!"

The other party trembled with excitement, grinning greedily at the helpless masters in the room, revealing his white teeth.

"Duang! Duang! Duang!"

The silent gang was suddenly filled with the piercing sound of a gong, startling both Shen Aolong and Elder Tianque.

"Father! Help me, Father! Help me..."

A familiar voice faintly came from not far away, and the old man Tianque's face turned pale. "My son!"

Shen Aolong quickly stopped him, saying, "Be careful, it might be a trap!"

"How could I not recognize my son's voice?" He rushed out of the hall and onto the roof without thinking. He immediately saw his only son hanging upside down on the highest stone tower, swaying and screaming in agony.

The old man Tianque was heartbroken. Just as he was about to fly over, he saw a petite girl coming around from behind the stone tower, holding a torch in her left hand and a giant sword in her right.

"Your screams aren't loud enough, give it your all." Ling Xiao chuckled as he placed the torch beneath Li Shuo. The blazing flames seared his face, and Li Shuo, writhing in pain and fear, cried out, "Dad, come save me!"

"You audacious witch!" The old man Tianque's face paled slightly, and he trembled with rage. "Release my son at once!"

"Let him go? Sure, but you'd better show some sincerity."

"What sincerity do you want? Who exactly are you? We are complete strangers, we have no grudge against each other, why are you arresting my son!"

"Old man, don't get so angry. How about we talk about a deal?"

Shen Aolong, who had other plans, was afraid that something might go wrong with Elder Tianque, so he hurriedly followed and his face fell when he saw the situation. "Who are you? State your name! Appearing in the Tianxiang Gang at night, are you an accomplice of the Sect-Destroying Madman?"

"Oh, even at this hour, Alliance Leader Shen is still trying to frame others?" Ling Xiao giggled, deliberately tormenting Li Shuo to attract his attention and buy time. "I just saw it all. The Li Xiang muscle-relaxing powder and the poison thrown into the well have knocked out the entire Tianxiang Gang."

I guess... it must have been the work of the old man without a sparrow?

"After all, your lightness skill is indeed quite good. You probably mastered some evil techniques by drinking too much human blood, right?"

The words "No Sparrow" clearly stung the other party's pride. The old man Tianque's eyes turned red, and he lunged forward with his hands in claw-like shape. Ling Xiao calmly placed the greatsword on Li Shuo's neck, and with a light touch, a line of blood appeared. Li Shuo struggled and screamed in pain, "Father! Don't waste your breath on her, save me quickly, Father! I'm bleeding so much, I'm dying, help me!"

With his only bloodline being held hostage, Elder Tianque was caught in a dilemma; seeing this, Shen Aolong could only ask coldly, "What exactly do you want to do?!"

"Me? Of course I want to hear your explanation of the truth about Blue Water Fortress. If you refuse to tell the truth, then this hostage will have to be sacrificed."

With Ling Xiao holding the two back, Luo Junfei and Huo Changyun finally found an opportunity to sneak into the hall, pick out a few people with high martial arts skills, feed them the antidote, and then carry them out through the back door.

"Don't waste your breath on her!" Shen Aolong quickly realized that the other party was stalling for time. He wanted to raise his sword to attack, but was grabbed by the old man Tianque. "That's my son! He's my only heir!"

Ling Xiao turned to look at her husband, who was sitting on the stone tower, leisurely fanning himself with a paper fan and looking handsome. She still smiled and said, "Yes, yes, have you thought it through? He's your only son."

Jiang Chen reached out from behind and brandished his longsword at Li Shuo's lower body, then slowly said, "How about we give you a little sparrow as a big gift?"

The old man Tianque's face turned ashen, and after a few moments of hesitation, he angrily retorted, "Isn't it just Blue Water Fortress? It's been destroyed for so many years, what's there to say!"

"You're afraid to say it, aren't you?" Suddenly, a slightly tired voice rang out from the other rooftop. The leader of the Celestial Elephant Gang, who had just regained his strength, said coldly with a pained expression, "I never expected that the sect-annihilating maniac was one of our own people!"

Leader Shen, it was you who persuaded us nine brothers to join forces and plot our great cause back then.

I admit I was indeed too greedy.

Bluewater Fortress is famous, rich, and powerful. Why is there such a big difference between us, who are the same age and also venturing into the world? I know that I have mediocre talent and will never get ahead in my life without a lucky encounter.

At that time, I was young and ambitious, eager to pursue fame and fortune, so after careful consideration, I agreed.

Shen Aolong's frame-up plan was a collaborative effort of our nine departments. Some were responsible for bribing servants to testify; some for finding corpses and dead bodies; and some for transporting the bodies in...

In short, a conspiracy against Bluewater Fortress was launched and quickly spread far and wide.

Blue Water Fortress was indeed destroyed. We found a lot of gold and silver treasures inside the fortress, as well as the martial arts manuals that the Three Heroes of Red Courage had comprehended. We divided the spoils equally and agreed to take this secret to our graves until our deaths.

I never expected this... All these years I've treated you all like brothers, I really thought you came here to help me..."

He turned to the petite girl holding the giant sword and said with a wry smile, "You must be that baby from back then, right? I remember you; I still dream about you often over the years."

When we were besieging Bluewater Fortress, I saw figures moving on that boat. I rowed over with the mindset of better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free, and just then I saw a large wooden basin floating away with the current.

I caught up and saw a three- or four-month-old baby with fair skin and tender flesh, wrapped in a small floral blanket, sucking on his hand and babbling.

I originally wanted to eliminate the problem completely, but then I thought of my child... so I kicked the wooden tub to make it float further away so that no one could see it.

Later, the people on the ship were captured and killed. It was said that the child was born to a concubine. Huo Xinde had someone tell the child's fortune and said that a calamity star had descended from heaven and would kill the parents. So, he arranged for the child to live on the ship in the hope that it would save him from disaster.

I never expected you to come looking for me. If you want revenge for your parents and family, then go ahead and do it. My conscience has been tormenting me for so many years; I'm truly exhausted. Since the siege of Blue Water Fortress, my children have died one after another. This is retribution!

Ling Xiao opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.

Shen Aolong's face was gloomy as he sneered, "What cause and effect, I don't believe in it. It's just those old grudges. Anyway, you're all going to die tonight, so there's no point in saying more."

Jiang Chen slowly pressed on, "Chief, have you ever thought about this—why was Shen Aolong, who orchestrated the frame-up, able to obtain the martial arts manuals of the demonic cult?"

"A frame-up secret manual? Isn't that fake?"

"No, those manuals may be basic, but they're all genuine," Ling Xiao quickly added.

"Alliance Leader Shen claims that he encountered a problem while practicing his skills." Jiang Chen walked out from behind the stone tower, fanning himself, and said with a light smile, "But I see that Alliance Leader Shen has no problems at all, and even seems to be showing signs of a major breakthrough."

Let me use my expertise as a divine physician to speculate: are both Alliance Leader Shen and Elder Tianque practicing evil arts? I once read about a blood-sucking martial art in an ancient book, where practitioners could enhance their strength by consuming the essence and blood of others.

The higher the martial arts skill of the person being consumed, the stronger the power one can gain. If one consumes the blood of someone who also cultivates this skill, one can obtain all of their cultivation!

This evil technique has a drawback: the higher one's martial arts skill, the more human blood one needs to absorb in order to improve.

I suppose the frequent disappearances of people in the martial arts world are related to you?

Besides harboring malicious intentions, another purpose of the Bluewater Fort incident was to frame someone, dispel suspicion, and divert attention.