First on the Rouge Rankings

Under the moonlight, the last man in the group of black-clad people, a scar-faced fellow, asked his companion, "Li Xingyun, what are you carrying in your arms? It's bulging. Don't tell me you found something good."

The man named Li Xingyun happily replied, "A piece of jade I picked up in the inner courtyard of Cang Lang Peak just now." He showed it to Scarface Liu, then asked in return, "Scarface Liu, what treasure did you get?"

Scarface Liu sighed. "Damn it, everything good was taken by the Divine Dragon Snow Mountain Sect. When we reach the next peak, we'll charge ahead."

Li Xingyun pouted. "You go ahead if you want. I'll stay in the back and pick up whatever's left. Staying alive is what matters!"

Hearing this, Scarface Liu laughed. "Coward. The Dian Cang Sect is full of useless trash. Look at the disciples from Lotus Peak, Wutai Peak, and Cang Lang Peak. They're like rabbits, all locked up in cages."

Li Xingyun retorted, "But the masters of those peaks killed quite a few disciples of the Divine Dragon Snow Mountain Sect."

Scarface Liu snorted. "They were just chasing fame and fishing for praise. Liu Tianlin fell victim to knockout drugs, and even though Liu Tianwu wasn't heavily poisoned, the Six Sons of Ling Kong captured him with chains. Liu Tianwei had some ability, but he still couldn't withstand the sect master's Nine Yin Ice and Snow Palm. They were all frozen into ice sculptures. Hahaha."

Li Xingyun replied in a low voice, "We'd better be careful. The Dian Cang Sect has several centuries of accumulated strength. We should follow behind them and stop once we've gotten enough."

Scarface Liu scoffed. "What's there to fear? The bold get everything, while the timid starve. Once we pass this village, there won't be another shop. When we reach Ma Long Peak, if we don't charge ahead, we won't even get a sip of soup."

Li Xingyun ignored him and asked innocently, "I heard the sect master is a great beauty, and the Six Sons of Ling Kong are also young beauties. Have you seen them?"

Scarface Liu gave a sinister laugh. "The sect master is in the sedan at the front, and the Six Sons of Ling Kong are beside her. Come on, let's go take a look."

These two desperadoes had been brought by Gao Wuchen. They squeezed their way forward and secretly observed from a distance of thirty feet.

Under the moonlight, four disciples carried a white sedan, while six young women dressed in colorful clothes surrounded it.

Li Xingyun secretly asked Scarface Liu, "Do you know what the Six Sons of Ling Kong are called?"

Scarface Liu chuckled. "Let me ask you first. Do you know the sect master's name?"

Li Xingyun replied, "Of course I do. She's the beauty ranked first on the Rouge Rankings, Feng Xuyang."

Scarface Liu laughed. "That's right. The Six Sons of Ling Kong are Feng Jinying, Feng Shayuan, Feng Bailian, Feng Tusizi, Feng Nvzhen, and Feng Wuwei."

Why are they all named after medicinal herbs?

At that moment, Feng Xuyang lifted the sedan curtain and looked forward and back. She asked, "Jinying, why is the procession moving so slowly? Why are everyone's clothes bulging? What's going on?"

Feng Jinying replied, "Master, the Dian Cang Sect has a rich hoard, so the disciples took some gold and silver vessels along the way."

Feng Xuyang was displeased. She snorted, "Hmph. Petty thieves will never accomplish anything great. Tell them to put down all the gold and silver vessels they're carrying. We'll discuss rewards after we've flattened the Nine Peaks of Dian Cang."

Seeing her master grow angry, Feng Jinying immediately replied, "This disciple obeys!"

Feng Jinying arranged for ten female disciples to set up a checkpoint ahead, with the second sister, Feng Shayuan, personally supervising. Her pretty face was covered in frost, and her cold gaze intimidated the greedy disciples.

The fifth sister, Feng Nvzhen, led ten disciples to make ten chests from the trees in the forest and place them beside the road.

The third sister, Feng Bailian, led people in searching everyone. The disciples of the Divine Dragon Snow Mountain Sect lined up and passed through, while all the valuable treasures on them were confiscated and thrown into the wooden chests. Although they grumbled, they didn't dare to protest.

The more than thirty guards from the Gao Residence who had been brought by Gao Wuchen were also stopped and searched. When one of their leaders directly started making trouble, Feng Shayuan sliced off half his ear. Afraid the matter would escalate, Gao Wuchen hurried out to smooth things over and told everyone to cooperate.

Feng Xuyang snorted coldly from inside the sedan. Everyone in the procession shuddered when they heard it. She warned them, "Don't ruin yourselves. Ma Long Peak is where the Dian Cang Sect's master resides. All their centuries of accumulated wealth is stored there."

"You're all martial artists. How can these gold and silver objects compare to rare treasures, divine pills, and the Dian Cang Sect's unparalleled martial arts manuals waiting for you to claim?"

"Master Feng! I'm going to Ma Long Peak to snatch a Dian Cang Three Yang Pill. It can increase one's cultivation by ten years. What do I need this golden pot for?" After saying this, a man threw his golden wine pot into the wooden chest, and the people behind him followed suit, tossing away the treasures in their arms.

After all the disciples handed over their treasures, the ten wooden chests were stuffed full. Feng Shayuan carried a bundle over to the sedan and said, "Master, there are ten chests of valuables. I estimate they could be exchanged for ten thousand taels of gold."

"Mm, well done. Arrange for several disciples to hide them first. We'll decide what to do after we capture Ma Long Peak." Feng Xuyang replied with satisfaction.

"Yes, Master. There's also this golden Buddha head. Please take a look." Feng Shayuan took it out of the bundle and held it up with both hands.

The white sedan's curtain was lifted, and Feng Xuyang leaned halfway out. She wore a scarlet dress with a dark purple gauze jacket over it and a golden crown on her head. In the moonlight, her oval face seemed carved from ice and snow. She had a delicate, water-drop-shaped nose, and beneath a pair of elegant brows lay sharp phoenix eyes.

What a beauty, ranked first on the Rouge Rankings. The moment her fragrant face appeared, the procession that had just passed ahead stopped, and everyone turned around to look.

Feng Xuyang glanced at the golden Buddha head. Her expression froze. After taking another look, she cried out, "Shayuan, where did you get this Buddha?"

Feng Shayuan replied, "Master, we confiscated it from one of the guards just now. According to him, it was found in the room of Liu Changhe, the chief disciple of Cang Lang Peak."

Feng Xuyang said, "Bring Liu Changhe here for questioning."

Feng Jinying hurriedly replied, "Master, Liu Changhe escaped."

Feng Xuyang knitted her brows and said angrily, "Escaped? We laid a tight net. How did a fish slip through?"

Feng Jinying dropped to one knee and cupped her fist in her palm. "Master, forgive me. This disciple failed in her duty. Please punish me."

Feng Xuyang slowly stepped down from the sedan and said softly, "Enough. Get up and speak. Shayuan, put the Buddha head away for now. I have a life-saving benefactor who looked very much like this Buddha."

After Feng Jinying rose, she glanced around and said, "Master, Liu Changhe pretended to be unconscious from the poison. When our people carried him toward the dungeon, he killed two disciples halfway there. After I led people in pursuit, he jumped down from the mountainside behind Cang Lang Peak."

Feng Xuyang stood with her head bowed and said slowly, "The secret knockout drug passed down by our sect for a century is made by mixing more than a dozen strange medicinal ingredients. The reason it's called 'Like a Dream of a Century' is that when someone with shallow martial arts cultivation is poisoned, they become a living corpse within a few breaths. While unconscious, their vitality continuously drains away."

Feng Jinying explained, "Master, Liu Changhe was exceptionally alert. He must have noticed something and held his breath, pretending to be poisoned before waiting for a chance to escape."

Feng Xuyang waved her hand. "Enough! There's no use dwelling on it. Each of you will take charge of your assignments from here on!"

Feng Xuyang continued, "Jinying, lead the disciples straight to Ma Long Peak. You must reach the foot of the mountain before the double hour of Chou.

Shayuan, clear the way ahead. If you encounter scouts from the other peaks, capture them immediately and don't let word get out.

Bailian, Tusizi, and Nvzhen, go to the inner courtyards of White Cloud Peak, Crane Cloud Peak, and San Yang Peak and plant 'Like a Dream of a Century.' Don't alert the enemy. Reach Ma Long Peak and join Jinying before the double hour of Chou.

Wuwei, escort the inner disciples of the three sects from Lotus Peak, Wutai Peak, and Cang Lang Peak behind Jinying. Don't let a single person escape."

All six answered in unison, "This disciple accepts the command."