The Truth

"Mother-Child Sword? A cheap trick!"

Facing Great Hero of Southern Mountain's second attack, Cao Dan was utterly disdainful. He pinched two fingers together and easily caught the little sword.

Great Hero of Southern Mountain didn't look disappointed. Instead, a smile of success finally achieved appeared on his face, because just as Cao Dan caught the little sword, Little Wu Zi, behind him, plunged a pitch-black dagger into his back!

Of course, Cao Dan had cultivated the Pure Yang Virgin Boy Skill. Even though Little Wu Zi's sharp dagger had been forged from Hundred Refinements Fine Iron, and even though he had put all his strength into the sneak attack, it only pierced a tiny bit before being blocked by pure yang energy.

But that tiny bit was enough. Great Hero of Southern Mountain and Little Wu Zi were both beaming with delight. After so long preparing, after so many sacrifices, they had finally succeeded!

Just as Great Hero of Southern Mountain was at his happiest and most relaxed, a sudden, agonizing pain struck his back. He looked down and saw a bloodstained sword tip protruding from his chest. He turned in disbelief, and the face that met his eyes was Longchuan's, filled with venom and triumph!

It sounded like a long story, but in truth, it all happened in just a second or two. The others hadn't even had time to react before the situation had changed several times in succession, leaving those who didn't know the truth gaping in astonishment.

"What the hell is going on?"

Zhang Yunhao was just as astonished. He had indeed guessed some of it, but he truly hadn't guessed anything about that eunuch and Longchuan!

Huang Lei and the others were clearly in on it. The moment Great Hero of Southern Mountain launched his attack, they had moved to intercept Cao Dan's adopted sons. But when they saw Longchuan suddenly ambush Great Hero of Southern Mountain, they were all stunned. None of them had imagined anything like this would happen.

"Husband!"

Huang Lei let out a grief-stricken roar and tried to rush to Great Hero of Southern Mountain's aid. But Zhang Yunhao suddenly moved to stop her. With his martial arts, even in her fury, Huang Lei couldn't possibly break past him.

Leaving Zhang Yunhao's side aside, the instant Cao Dan was stabbed, he sent a tremor of force through his whole body. Little Wu Zi grunted, let go of the dagger, and staggered backward. The dagger clattered to the ground.

Then Cao Dan turned around and said mockingly, "So the fox's tail has finally shown itself?"

"You knew our plan all along? Did Longchuan leak it?"

Little Wu Zi's expression was grim, but then he remembered something and burst into laughter. "Cao Dan, it's a pity you're too arrogant. Your Pure Yang Virgin Boy Skill is indeed formidable, but my dagger is coated with a deadly poison from the Western Regions. One drop of blood and you're dead. You're finished."

"Fool. Since I learned about your feigned-injury scheme from Longchuan, why would I leave myself unguarded?"

Cao Dan said disdainfully, "I'm the master of Great Jin State now. How hard do you think it was to find a bead in the imperial palace's hidden treasury that makes one Immune to All Poisons?"

"Immune to All Poisons?"

Little Wu Zi and Great Hero of Southern Mountain, who had been stabbed as well, both turned ashen. After paying such a great price, had they still failed?

"Immune to All Poisons? This is really..."

Zhang Yunhao's expression was no better. He also had a poisoned dagger, which he'd bought at great expense specifically to deal with Cao Dan. Now it was useless too. What a useless teammate.

Cao Dan clasped his hands behind his back and said coldly, "Little Wu Zi, tell me. Why did you betray me? I've never treated you badly. Of my thirteen adopted sons, you were the one I trusted most."

Little Wu Zi's face was full of resentment. "Cao Dan, you heartless, vicious scoundrel! Back then, my uncle treated you like his own son, yet you killed him for the position of Director-General!"

"Your uncle? So that old man was your uncle. You hid it well. The old man must have been afraid you'd be dragged down with him."

Cao Dan understood. He smiled and said, "He did treat me well, but he was too stupid. He actually let me find out where his vital point was, and he stood in my way. How could I not kill him?"

"Shameless! I'll kill you!"

Little Wu Zi was consumed by rage. Though he knew he was no match for Cao Dan, he still charged at him, ready to fight to the death!

On the other side, Great Hero of Southern Mountain let out a scream as Longchuan pulled the sword from his body. Blood poured from his wound, and he was gravely injured, but his skill was so profound that he managed to stay on his feet and fight Longchuan as he rushed at him.

Gravely wounded, Great Hero of Southern Mountain's strength had fallen sharply. Longchuan drove him into a desperate state. In disbelief and fury, he shouted, "Longchuan, do you know what you're doing? You've betrayed Roaring Dragon Villa and ruined everything we worked for!"

Longchuan replied with conviction, "Big Brother, I haven't betrayed Roaring Dragon Villa. You dared to oppose the Director-General—you brought this on yourself. Everything I'm doing now is to preserve Roaring Dragon Villa!"

Great Hero of Southern Mountain was furious. "Roaring Dragon Villa is the leader of the righteous path. Its purpose is to uphold justice and serve the nation and its people. You're helping a tyrant, and you still dare claim you're preserving Roaring Dragon Villa? How will you face the ancestors of the Long Family after you die?"

"Betraying the Imperial Court is what makes you disloyal and unfilial. Big Brother, I'll make Roaring Dragon Villa greater than ever. You can die in peace. I, Longchuan, will never be less than you, Great Hero of Southern Mountain!"

Longchuan sneered and pressed his attack even harder. At last, he could get rid of this mountain that had been crushing him all along!

"Brothers turning on each other. What a spectacle."

Zhang Yunhao sneered as he held Huang Lei at bay. He had always treated Great Hero of Southern Mountain as an enemy, but now it seemed he no longer needed to worry about him.

"Senior Brother, are you really going to be Eunuch Cao's lackey?"

Seeing Great Hero of Southern Mountain in danger, Huang Lei was frantic with worry. Everyone else was being held back by the twelve adopted sons and Zhang Yunhao's men. There was no way they could help.

"Isn't being a lackey better than being killed by your own people?"

Zhang Yunhao sneered. "Junior Sister, your feigned-injury scheme was quite something. You treated every one of us as a sacrifice, while Great Hero of Southern Mountain used it to earn their trust and get a chance to launch a sneak attack, didn't you?"

"So what if we did? If we hadn't, how could we have gotten close to Eunuch Cao? How could we have assassinated him?"

Huang Lei felt no guilt at all. She raised her voice. "We did it all for All Living Beings!"

Zhang Yunhao roared, "All for All Living Beings? Did you get our consent before sacrificing us? Does saying it's for All Living Beings mean you can do anything?"

"Why shouldn't we?"

Huang Lei answered self-righteously, "If the righteous experts knew what was happening, they'd be willing—glad, even—to sacrifice themselves, just like Fierce Arhat. He hated us before, but now he's fighting alongside us all the same! We only kept the details from you to prevent the news from leaking!"

That was right. The restraints on Fierce Arhat's pressure points had already been removed. After hesitating, he had joined the fight against the twelve adopted sons, despite his conflicted feelings. That was also why Great Hero of Southern Mountain and the others hadn't killed him earlier!

Huang Lei continued, "As for you heretics and evil-doers, I know you wouldn't be willing to sacrifice yourselves. But you were going to die anyway. Now you can sacrifice yourselves for All Living Beings—that's your glory. We're doing you a good deed!"