Under One Person, your rebellious life has reached the heavens?

Gazing at the strange change before him, Zhang Huaiyi was excited, his eyes, wide as copper bells, filled with astonishment and joy.

"Buzz!"

A golden light emanated, protecting his entire body. Once the mechanism stopped moving, Zhang Huaiyi walked straight into the passage, where the internal staircase spiraled downwards.

instantly.

At the end of the path, a cave inscribed with the words "Human life is precious" from right to left stands before you.

Zhang Huaiyi's heart pounded wildly. Unable to suppress his urge to explore, he quickened his pace and went inside.

The first thing you see is a raised rectangular stone, and apart from that, the entire circular stone house is empty.

Zhang Huaiyi looked around and soon discovered that the rock wall above him was carved with familiar characters. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was the "Nine-Bend Winding Cave".

With just five words, it's hard to determine what Wugensheng's intention was in leaving them behind.

Zhang Huaiyi looked around and found more polished rock walls, where the original inscriptions had been erased.

"This... the demon actually destroyed the cave owner's remains?"

His heart was bleeding. He suspected that those precious chapters might contain profound secrets and opportunities, so he quickened his pace to search for them.

In the end, only a fragmented corner was found, with incomplete stone carvings on it, which Zhang Huaiyi slowly deciphered and read aloud:

“This method is truly wonderful, all because I am different from others. I know that the reversal is due to the separation of fire and water, but who can know the difference between floating and sinking, and the distinction between host and guest?”

"The golden cauldron desires to retain the cinnabar mercury, the jade pool first releases the silver from the water, the divine skill of manipulating fire is not a matter of a single day, and the moon appears in the deep pool."

"A seven-character poem in four verses... The former owner of this place was none other than Zhang Borui, the founder of the Southern School of Quanzhen Taoism, also known as the Hermit of Ziyang Mountain?!"

Having glimpsed a corner of the truth, Zhang Huaiyi recalled the handwriting left by Wugensheng, understood its meaning, and, with annoyance on his face, said indignantly:

"This madman destroyed the legacy of our ancestors; he also tampered with the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley outside..."

"absurd."

"To commit such thieving acts and then carve the words onto the pages—is this an attempt to criticize our predecessors for arbitrarily becoming teachers?"

"Is he worthy?"

The chapters inside the cave were completely destroyed, and Zhang Huaiyi felt a sense of helplessness, as if he had painstakingly solved the riddle but had ended up with nothing.

He lingered there for a long time before finally leaving with regret.

Over the next few days, Zhang Huaiyi traveled to many places in Shaanxi Province. In the chaotic times, he encountered villages and towns plagued by evil spirits, and he would perform rituals to exorcise them.

With about a month to go before the second reunion of the thirty-six people, Zhang Huaiyi became increasingly anxious, hesitant to return to the sect, as he felt ashamed to face his master and senior brothers.

He hesitated when they were forming their sworn brotherhood, realizing the problem.

Even if you, Feng Yao, withdraw from Quanxing, so what? Can the mess you left behind be wiped clean? Not to mention what you did at the bottom of the cave, destroying relics and desecrating the ancestors.

Zhang Huaiyi suddenly felt a headache coming on. He still vividly remembered the atmosphere when they swore brotherhood. Many of his 'brothers and sisters' were like vengeful ghosts in human skin. Once they formed a community of shared interests, they would not tolerate any potential threats.

He had no doubt that if he and his young brother from the Tang Clan dared to refuse, even if Wu Gensheng didn't care, the others wouldn't let them leave alive.

"Ugh......"

Zhang Huaiyi looked worried and felt as if he had one foot on the edge of an abyss. He was helpless, and the nightmare in his heart had never been erased.

He had personally witnessed the scene of the Sanyi Sect leader torturing and killing Wugensheng. Although they were comrades and seniors, Zhang Huaiyi always harbored an inexplicable fear of him.

Given the other party's ruthless and decisive nature, once he learned that Wugensheng was still alive, Zhang Huaiyi did not think that his so-called sworn brothers could escape, and that they might even implicate their sect because of it.

Master's side, Jinzhong side...

Zhang Huaiyi had the best relationship with Tian Jinzhong within the Celestial Master's Mansion. He knew that Master Jiang had once saved his senior brother's life. Given this relationship alone, how could Jinzhong face that senior in the future? He would probably be so ashamed that he wouldn't even be able to lift his head.

"It's fatal."

These two words are filled with Zhang Huaiyi's helplessness and regret, but how can a "compatriot" who has only known him for a week and who has become sworn brothers under coercion and enticement compare to the family members of the Celestial Master's Mansion who have lived together since childhood?

Faced with the choice between the two, Zhang Huaiyi made his decision with ease. In order to prevent the disaster from spreading to Longhu Mountain, he didn't even flinch, even if it meant that all those bastards behind him would lose their lives.

What saddened him was nothing more than his unwillingness to die, his fear of death, and his uncertainty about his fate, which filled him with anxiety.

Furthermore, Zhang Huaiyi, being a paranoid person, had absolutely no trust in the other thirty-five people.

In particular, Zheng Zibu of the Shangqing Sect had spoken with him. Zhang Huaiyi learned that he was on good terms with Lu Jin of the Sanyi Sect. Although there had been conflicts before, his close friend was just acting out of righteous indignation. He had run into the trap and the meeting ended badly.

Over the past year, the two sides have met several times, and the situation has eased somewhat.

Knowing the face but not the heart.

Zhang Huaiyi was worried that if Zheng Zibu, after seizing the so-called 'opportunity,' revealed the matter of the sworn brotherhood, he would be completely put in a passive position.

The facts are the facts, and the evidence is irrefutable. Even if he had ten mouths to explain, he would not be able to gain the trust and understanding of the Celestial Master's Mansion and the Sanyi Sect.

The Flowing Cloud Sword, the Fire Virtue Sect, the Art Word Sect, the Vine Mountain... these forces have all assisted the Three Ones Sect in settling their grudges with the Dragon Tiger Mountain, and their private relationships may be quite good.

Liu Zifeng, Feng Ping, Fang Ying, and the shrewd Hu Haiwang—Zhang Huaiyi remained extremely wary of them. The current situation was uncertain: who would be the first to surrender in order to protect themselves?

"Fine... since it could happen at any time, I'll do it."

Zhang Huaiyi leaned against a tree in the desolate countryside.

As he muttered to himself, he looked up at the bright moon in the sky and missed his master and fellow disciples terribly. Their voices seemed to echo in his ears, sometimes scolding, sometimes caring, which made him feel lost and dejected.

"Huaiyi!"

"Huai Yi?"

"Huaiyi".

.........

Shanghai.

Inside a bustling inn, Xu Xin and Dong Chang sat at a brown wooden table in the corner, enjoying their meal.

With many diners coming and going, the shouts of the waiters rose and fell, and they took advantage of the noisy environment to talk in hushed tones.

"Old Dong... are you really going in a month?"

"Go, you've already gone halfway, how can you possibly turn back?"

"......"

Xu Xin frowned, holding a wine glass in his left hand, and changed the subject.

"The sect leader wants Wugensheng's head. You're asking if it'll work if you take back that Quanxing demon's head?"

"The employer wants to kill the leader of the Quanxing Sect."

Noticing his junior brother's hesitation, Dong Chang seized the opportunity to suggest:

"Most importantly, I heard that the new leader of Quanxing has a lot of dealings with the Japanese devils. Keeping such a traitor alive will always be a threat. We might as well kill him."

"...What you say makes sense. I just hope Master won't blame us. It's a real pity we didn't manage to cultivate the Pill Devouring Technique on this trip."

Xu Xin took a small sip of his wine, turned his head to look at the street, lost in thought. A gambling den not far away was their target for this trip.

The two had been waiting nearby for some time, but they had not seen the new leader of Quanxing make any move and could not find an opportunity to assassinate him.

"How about we sneak in?" Xu Xin suddenly suggested, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Do not."

Dong Chang shook his head and explained the reason:

“The place is a mixed bag, mostly ordinary gamblers. Our instincts, breathing, and movements, honed over the years, are out of place among this group, making us easy targets.”

"It's easy to get in, but once a conflict breaks out, the crowded space could kill countless people, and it will be difficult for us to leave."

Xu Xin put down his wine glass and sighed silently; he was getting impatient waiting.

"Moreover, that traitorous dog was able to become the leader of Quanxing, so his strength must be considerable."

Dong Chang glanced at the gambling den out of the corner of his eye, the worry lingering on his brow, and said in a deep voice:

"There should be other charlatans hiding inside the gambling den. Our best opportunity is to ambush them from outside."

"Even if we fail, it's okay, at least we can still get away."

Xu Xin remained silent, unsure how to respond. He had a vague feeling that this mission was far more difficult than assassinating Wu Gensheng.

Chapter 185 Blood pressure soars

The waiting time passed quickly. Xu Xin and Dong Chang, who were lying in wait at the inn on the street a hundred meters away from the gambling den, often saw black cars carrying batches of Japanese eccentrics to visit the new leader of the Quanxing Sect.

The hierarchy seems to have been reversed. Rather than seeing him as a traitorous dog who sold out his country for personal gain, it's more accurate to say that he was someone the Japanese devils were trying to win over and curry favor with, suggesting that there might be important deals going on behind the scenes.

For a full two weeks, Gu Qi'an remained secluded in the gambling den, like a turtle hiding its head in the sand. Xu Xin and Dong Chang tried several times to use the illusion barrier to sneak in, but all their attempts ended in failure.

Whenever they tried to get closer, they would inexplicably feel a pang of heart palpitation. That strong premonition easily disrupted their breathing and brought them to a sudden halt.

The reason lies with the elderly man on duty outside the gambling den.

He was dressed in rags, over seventy years old, and blind. He was not a Japanese devil, but an unknown remnant of the Quanxing sect.

His large ears were rough and covered in dirt, yet they could hear sounds from all directions, and even the faintest movement of Qi could not escape his special sensing range.

With such a formidable figure blocking their way, Xu Xin and Dong Chang had no choice but to wait. They secretly began purchasing gunpowder and grenades from the black market, preparing to ambush the Japanese soldiers who would occasionally drive up to the gambling den when they made their escape.

Until the end of May in the lunar calendar, at midnight, the two men, who had been staring at each other for more than twenty days with their days and nights reversed, finally had their chance, their eyes bloodshot with exhaustion.

Gu Qi'an, the leader of Quanxing Sect, appeared, his left hand hanging naturally at his sides, while his right hand habitually tossed black bone dice, chatting and laughing with several old Japanese men.

He had a handsome appearance and looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He was dressed in snow-white clothes, which were out of place with the kimono-clad figure beside him. A crimson wine gourd was hanging from his waist.

A moment later, the five cars slowly started up, ready to drive away. Xu Xin and Dong Chang leaped out of the window, carrying explosives with lit fuses, and frantically chased after them, scaling cliffs and walls.

"Go to hell, you little beast!"

"Still want to leave? Stay here for your grandfather!"

At a distance of ten zhang, Xu Xin's expression turned fierce. He suddenly exerted force with his right hand, like a fully drawn bowstring bursting open, and threw the explosive charge downwards at such a speed that it left only a blur.

"Whoosh—!" Dong Chang's explosive pack followed closely behind.

"run!"

Without a moment's hesitation, they slid swiftly down from the edge of the roof, and before they could even regain their footing, they heard a loud crash not far away.

"boom!!!"

"boom!!!"

Explosions continued unabated. Since the city beneath their feet was still under Japanese occupation, Xu Xin and Dong Chang knew the situation was dangerous. They had no time to be happy or to go and check. They fled directly into the vast night.

Flames soared into the sky, and all five cars were reduced to wreckage. The drivers and several weaker Japanese aliens lay dead on the spot.

However, Gu Qi'an walked out calmly, seemingly oblivious to the high temperature around him. With a casual wave of his hand, a cold wind suddenly swept in, devouring the astonishing heat and extinguishing the flames in an instant.

Beside him stood several elderly Japanese men, still shaken and covered in wounds from the explosion, their anger barely contained.

"Chase!"

"Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we must find the person who did this!!!"

.......

The fourth day of the sixth lunar month.

Before the news of the sworn brotherhood of the thirty-six had spread, a short man dressed entirely in black robes arrived in the city where the Lu family lived.

He wandered through the streets and alleys, following familiar routes, towards the Lu family's old residence.

"Ok?"

Seeing the man with his head down, acting suspiciously, the gatekeeper couldn't help but shout, "Stop! What are you doing here?"

"The messenger."

With just three words, the man gave his reply. He casually handed over the envelope he was carrying, and after the gatekeeper took it, he left without looking back.

"Da da da!!!"

After turning the corner, this feeling of being a thief made Zhang Huaiyi's heart rate soar.

A chill ran down his spine, and he quickened his pace toward the city's branch of the Jianghu Inn.

Even realizing that it might unleash a bloodbath, he dared not slow down and had to strike first before everyone else.

In this way, even if he is exposed in the future, his choice will at least reduce the impact on the Celestial Master's Mansion. In fact, if he is lucky, as long as he hides for a lifetime and is not found, does not return to Longhu Mountain, and does not appear in the martial arts world, he can probably save his life.