Xu Changge

In Cangyuan, entering a hidden dwelling simply required jumping off Hanging Heaven Cliff; the screen would go black, then bright, and one would already be inside.

But as this transformed into a reality experienced firsthand, the plummet through the air felt truly endless.

Amidst the whistling wind rushing past his ears, an inexplicable drowsiness gradually crept into Xu Yuan's mind, rapidly intensifying into a heavy fatigue that spread to every limb and bone in his body.

Time seemed to lose all meaning during this descent, and Xu Yuan eventually closed his eyes, his consciousness slowly being drawn away from his body.

Between the endless, boundless clouds and mist, only the two figures locked in an embrace remained.

At the summit of Hanging Heaven Cliff, the cold wind blew with a desolate chill.

Barely a quarter of an hour after Xu Yuan had voluntarily jumped off the cliff, four or five figures had already arrived one after another upon this vast peak.

After a moment of silence, The sound of air being torn apart rang out again, and a man and a woman landed on the summit in quick succession.

The stubble-faced man carrying a sword scanned the surroundings, a smile immediately appearing on his face as he waved cheerfully at the others:

"You're all here quite early. Where is the Third Young Master?"

"."

The mountaintop remained silent; no one bothered to answer him.

The stubble-faced man did not feel awkward; having worked with this group for so long, he was already used to it.

These rotten people all loved to stay silent and pretend to be experts.

Just then, Beside the edge of Hanging Heaven Cliff, an effeminate man with his arms crossed, leaning against a tree trunk, suddenly glanced at him. There was a hint of a smile in his eyes, but his voice was neither cold nor warm:

"Zhou Chen, the Third Young Master was taken away by a woman. The mist below this Hanging Heaven Cliff can block the detection of spiritual souls."

The stubble-faced man looked toward the man upon hearing this, his brows arching.

The next moment, The stubble-faced man appeared instantly beside his old friend, saying with a grin:

"Whoa, Si Ziyu, your breath-concealment technique is getting more and more refined. If you hadn't spoken, I wouldn't have even noticed you."

As he spoke, the stubble-faced man reached out, wanting to affectionately drape an arm over his shoulder:

"Long time no see. Didn't you go to accompany the Crown Prince on his diplomatic mission to the Northern Barbarians? When did you get back? Once this business is finished and we return to Jingjiang City, brother will treat you to drinks at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion."

But before his words could finish, "Hum—"

A slight ripple of air spread out from around Si Ziyu, directly shaking off the hand Zhou Chen had extended, as a cold voice reminded him:

"The Eldest Young Master has already gone down into Hanging Heaven Cliff. Restrain yourself."

Zhou Chen felt his palm go numb and gave it a light shake, deciding not to continue trying to get close to the other man:

"Fine, we'll talk about the drinking later in private."

Having said that, Zhou Chen also shed his lazy demeanor and cast his gaze toward the massive python head located in the center of the summit.

The pair of snake eyes on this Seven-Life Python head remained wide open. After half a day of settling, the death energy permeating from it had almost shrouded the entire peak.

If a great demon is not dealt with after death, it will rot the land and breed sinister entities, though this bit of death energy clearly posed no threat to those present.

Staring at it for a long while, a hint of melancholy appeared in Zhou Chen's eyes.

Only two days ago, he had been tracking the whereabouts of this giant python through the traces of battle; now, seeing it again, only its head remained.

A great demon that had cultivated for hundreds of years, just like that, it died.

Amidst his reflections, Zhou Chen suddenly asked his companion, Si Ziyu, in a casual tone:

"Ziyu, who among you arrived first?"

Si Ziyu looked toward the distance without a word upon hearing this.

Zhou Chen followed his gaze.

Beside a large rock dozens of meters away, a kind-faced monk was sitting, eyes closed in meditation.

Seeming to sense their gazes, the monk opened his eyes and nodded to the two of them in acknowledgment.

Si Ziyu knew what Zhou Chen wanted to ask and said softly:

"Juexing and I arrived together. After he was locked onto by Ran Qingmo's spiritual soul, we took the initiative to send her a voice transmission."

Zhou Chen's pupils contracted as he swept his gaze toward the other side of the cliff wall:

"What? Even after that monk Juexing sent a transmission, Ran Qingmo still took the Third Young Master and escaped?"

Si Ziyu nodded slowly and said:

"That's right, you should know what this implies, shouldn't you? Zhou Chen, the State Preceptor, and the Prime Minister."

"Stop, Si Ziyu, shut your mouth."

Zhou Chen hurriedly waved his hand to interrupt Si Ziyu: "I have no idea what that means, I don't know anything at all. Let's have a drink another time, I'm leaving."

As he spoke, Zhou Chen reached out to pat Si Ziyu on the shoulder and turned to leave immediately, giving him no chance to respond.

"..."

Si Ziyu glanced at his peer with a touch of helplessness, but said nothing more, continuing to lean against the tree trunk to rest his mind.

Zhou Chen walked slowly back to the side of the woman in the fitted martial attire, his expression turning slightly grim.

He knew exactly what Si Ziyu wanted to say.

It would have been fine if Ran Qingmo did not know their identities, but now that she had fled despite knowing they were from the Prime Minister's Estate, it effectively confirmed her status as the culprit who abducted the Third Young Master.

If the culprit were anyone else, it would be of little consequence, but behind Ran Qingmo stood the Sword Sect and the current Imperial Preceptor!

Could such an incident imply that a rift had formed between the Prime Minister and the Imperial Preceptor that remained unknown to the public?

One had to remember the rumors circulating in the palace that the Emperor's health was failing; if these two titans were to clash...

Zhou Chen quickly cut off his train of thought. Such matters were not for a guest retainer waiting for his salary to ponder; he should just honestly wait for the Eldest Young Master's arrangements.

Zhou Chen, usually the most talkative of the group, fell silent, and for a moment, the entire mountaintop was plunged into dead silence.

The seven people present all waited quietly for the arrival of the Eldest Young Master.

Time ticked away.

Suddenly, a gale swept through, and a figure in green robes quietly leaped up from below the Hanging Heaven Cliff, landing on the edge of the ten-thousand-foot precipice.

The newcomer had sword-like brows and star-bright eyes, looking dashing and refined. He wore a black, narrow-sleeved python robe with auspicious clouds embroidered in gold thread at the cuffs, and a vermilion white-jade belt at his waist. His sleeves and ink-black hair drifted gently in the mountain wind.

Leaping up alongside him was a slender woman dressed as a Shadow Guard.

The woman's face was covered by a black veil, revealing only a pair of cold, icy eyes. She wore a thin, tight-fitting black outfit that accentuated her curves, leaving her fair arms exposed. The pair of sleeve-swords and arm guards on her bare forearms glinted with a sinister, cold light under the sun.

As the man arrived, the seven people on the mountaintop rose in succession.

Xu Changge, in his green robes, ignored the group behind him and stared quietly at the sea of mist below.

After a long while, Xu Changge seemed to shake his head helplessly and murmured softly:

"The Dianyuan Illusion Mist Array, huh? It was indeed premeditated. To think Ran Qingmo would know of such a maze here."

As he spoke, Xu Changge slowly turned to look at the people behind him and smiled slightly.

His gentle voice, bolstered by source qi, was transmitted precisely into the ears of everyone present:

"This array was built along with Heaven Gate Mountain and cannot be broken by force. However, once the source qi is exhausted in a month, the mist will dissipate on its own. For this period, I must trouble you gentlemen to keep watch here."

Having said this, Xu Changge bowed to the group.

Seeing this, Zhou Chen and the others did not speak, silently returning the gesture.

After doing this, Xu Changge glanced sideways at the woman behind him and said softly:

"By the way, Ying'er, you don't need to follow me for now; just wait here."

The slender woman dressed as a Shadow Guard paused slightly, her voice sounding somewhat hoarse:

"Eldest Young Master, where... are you going?"

Xu Changge glanced at the seven-lived python head that refused to close its eyes in death, but said nothing.

Ying'er seemed to realize something, but before she could speak, A gale of wind lifted Xu Changge's figure off the ground.

And rising into the air with him, Was that massive, ten-meter-long python head from the mountaintop!

Xu Changge stood suspended in the air, his long hair trailing behind him. His pitch-black eyes looked down at the scene below, his voice very light:

"Gentlemen, I need to leave for the Ancient Abyss for a while. The journey is long, and I may not be able to return within a month. I leave Ran Qingmo to you all. There is no need to hold back; find her and kill her immediately. As for Changtian."

At this point, Xu Changge's tone suddenly shifted. The soft look in his sword-like eyes turned bone-chillingly cold. He scanned each person present slowly, speaking word by word in a soft, gentle tone:

"Although Changtian is foolish, and although he is an absolute good-for-nothing, no matter how useless he is, it is not for outsiders to discipline him."

"I implore you gentlemen to ensure Changtian's safety at all costs."

"Three years ago, Chang'an left us. If anything happens to Changtian now, I, as a son, will not be able to stop what my father might do."

"..."

Silence.

The air on Hanging Heaven Cliff seemed to solidify due to the green-robed man's words.

Back when the Second Young Master died, a great many people had perished in the Imperial Capital.

After a long, heavy silence, Xu Changge's handsome face returned to its usual warm and gentle expression. He laughed and said aloud:

"I leave Changtian's affairs to you all. Your hard work will be reported to my father by Changge afterwards."

As his voice fell, Xu Changge bowed once more to the group below, then transformed into a streak of light along with the giant python head, breaking through the air toward the west.