Night was as dark as ink, and a cold wind howled.
Golden City was brightly lit, still bustling with prosperity.
But in an inconspicuous corner of the city, two figures silently melted into the darkness like ghosts.
They were Xiao Yang and Xiao Wuji.
"Father, should we just fight our way in?"
Xiao Yang's voice was thick with barely contained fury.
Everything he had heard in the tavern had made it impossible for him to stay calm.
The thought of his own younger sister suffering such inhuman torment made him want to slaughter the entire Golden Family on the spot!
"No."
Xiao Wuji's voice was colder than the Northern Plains' biting wind. "We rescue her first."
Though he, too, was consumed with rage, he still had his wits about him.
Until they knew Xun'er's exact location and condition, any rash move could lead to irreversible consequences.
"I'll use my Double Pupils to investigate. They've probably locked her up in the most heavily guarded place."
Chaotic light swirled in Xiao Yang's eyes, and his pupils seemed to transform into two divine suns capable of piercing through all things.
In his vision, all of Golden Emperor Mountain became transparent.
Countless intricate, profound patterns of formations spread like a spiderweb, covering the entire mountain range.
Some were defensive formations, some offensive, and others illusions. Layer upon layer, they interlocked to form an impregnable defensive system.
These formations were the so-called "Emperor Pattern Seals."
They had been personally inscribed by Great Emperor-level experts, and their power was boundless.
An ordinary Holy Lord who trespassed would likely be annihilated in an instant without even making it past a single seal.
"Leave these Emperor Patterns to me," Xiao Wuji said calmly.
Though he didn't have Double Pupils, his mastery of the sword had already reached an