Chapter 21: Old Black Has Been Captured

As twilight deepened, a thick mist descended, accompanied by the terrifying roars of wild beasts echoing from the ancient pine and cypress forests in the distance. Pairs of dark green eyes emerged like ghostly shadows, and gusts of foul, putrid breath sounded like thunder.

"Brother Li Xuan, we must return to camp!" Kong Sheng halted, his sharp gaze fixed straight ahead.

Li Xuan understood perfectly. He knew Kong Sheng was issuing a dismissal. Having finally managed to infiltrate the Kong family’s ranks to seek protection, he could not give up so easily. With a quick wit and a practiced manner, Li Xuan cupped his hands and said, "Thank you to the Kong family for such generous hospitality. If I do not make it out of here, I pray you, Brother Kong Sheng, to inform my second sister."

Unexpectedly, instead of clinging desperately or playing the emotional card, Li Xuan chose to retreat in order to advance. He turned as if to leave, striding away without showing the slightest reluctance, while counting to himself, "One, two, three, four..."

His heart sank, but just as he reached "ten," Kong Sheng’s rich, resonant voice sounded: "Brother Li Xuan, please stay your step. Since we have crossed paths, it is surely fate. If you have nowhere better to go, you may stay the night at the Kong family camp!"

Li Xuan seized the opportunity, turning around with a face full of gratitude. "Brother Kong Sheng, how could I possibly..." He had intended to be modest, but as the other Kong disciples voiced their agreement, Li Xuan stopped holding back. He offered his sincere thanks and walked back to the camp with them with an air of composure.

Inside the Kong family camp, Elder Kong Linghui, the family’s patron, felt uneasy. Among the younger generation he favored, Kong Sheng was always steady and sincere, never impulsive. Why had he suddenly brought an outsider into the camp? If the man were a spy sent by another family, it could bring a fatal blow to the Kongs.

Although the major families appeared harmonious on the surface, beneath the currents were treacherous and calculated. They were like fortresses, impenetrable to outside influence. While they nominally paid homage to the Sacred Moon Imperial Court, it was, in reality, the Court that compromised with these families. The annual tributes were not a small expense. These families were older and more deeply rooted than the Imperial Court itself. Take the Jiang family, for example; they were ostensibly royal relatives, but that was merely a thin veil that could be torn away at any time.

Li Xuan claimed to be a descendant of the Li family. Everyone knew the Li family had fallen, and rising again was no simple task. Perhaps only by collaborating with a major power could they find a turning point.

"Elder, Sheng is not acting recklessly. I merely pity the last remnants of the Li bloodline. Do you remember the merits of the Li ancestors from thousands of years ago?" Kong Sheng had always been humble, and he felt a duty to repay the grace bestowed by their ancestors.

"Sigh, very well! The ancestors of the Li family did indeed assist our Kong family. Now that their descendants have withered so miserably, we shall help where we can! But be wary of those old foxes, Tang Mingchen and Wang Youming. Their methods..." Kong Linghui was aged and felt a lingering sense of powerlessness, sensing that something was about to happen. "Sheng, the future of the Kong family will rest on your shoulders. You must grow quickly and possess the strength to contend with the other families. Your marriage to the Jiang girl is imperative. I can indulge you in other matters, but you must bring that girl back for me!"

Kong Linghui was uncharacteristically firm, allowing for no dissent. Kong Sheng dared not show any dissatisfaction and bowed out. "Elder, please rest early. I shall take my leave."

"Sigh, go then! And remember, one must always be on guard against others. Just have someone treat him well; I will not see him." Kong Linghui focused entirely on the rise and fall of the family, wanting no complications.

That night, the camps of the Kong, Wang, and Tang families were brightly lit, each watching the other with suspicion.

***

Li Xuan, however, did not sleep. He pondered his next move and wondered where Old Hei might be. He worried that Old Hei’s reckless nature might have led him into grave danger. Li Xuan gripped the Qiankun bag in his robes once more—a task Old Hei had entrusted to him with his very life. His heart felt heavy; if Old Hei were to perish, how could he face his clansmen, and how could he provide them with a peaceful world?

When the sun finally rose, dispersing the mountain mist, Li Xuan set off with the Kong family. During the search, they soon discovered signs of a struggle. Following the tracks, they heard wailing coming from the dense forest ahead. Kong Sheng grew alert and ordered the party to rest while he went to investigate.

"Brother Kong Sheng, I will go with you. Two sets of eyes are better than one!" Li Xuan insisted.

Kong Sheng’s pupils narrowed slightly; he wanted to test the strength of this descendant of a fallen house. "Very well!"

The two moved swiftly through the ancient forest, covering hundreds of meters in a few leaps. Although Li Xuan’s cultivation was lacking, his footwork was ghost-like; he managed to keep pace with Kong Sheng, remaining just tens of meters behind.

*Hush!* Kong Sheng signaled for silence to avoid alerting the enemy. Peering through the trees, Li Xuan saw a circle of men in black, standing tens of meters apart. They were highly vigilant, with sentries posted up to a hundred meters away.

"Ah! Killing is one thing, but why torture me like this?" A rough roar echoed through the woods.

Li Xuan channeled the *Sacred Emperor Green Lotus Canon* and clearly sensed the situation inside. The captive was indeed Old Hei.

"Listen here, you brat! Tell us where the person with you is hiding!" A man in black waved a jagged rock in front of Old Hei’s face. "If you don't talk, do you believe I'll shove this into your gut? You like that Xuan-iron battle-axe, right? Come, hang it on him!"

"Ah!" A scream followed, then Old Hei’s furious roar: "Shameless beasts, you will all die a horrible death!"

Nearby, Xiao Ning frowned, turning her head away. Though she disliked such methods, she knew them to be the most effective when dealing with prisoners.

"Hehe, if you don't talk, you won't be able to keep that part of you. Big and burly as you are, no one would want you in the palace! Come, let me carve your bones!" The man in black plunged his steel knife into Old Hei’s chest, skillfully peeling back flesh to reveal white bone, then tapped the blade against the exposed rib.

The crisp sound, accompanied by Old Hei’s screams, was like a living hell. "Speak! You just met by chance, why suffer for another? If you don't talk, I’ll break your ribs and pull them out alive!"

Old Hei blacked out and was revived with cold water, his eyes bulging, his breath faint. "I don't know! Kill me or carve me, do as you please!"

*Crack!* A blood-soaked rib was ripped straight from Old Hei’s chest.

"Beasts! You were not raised by humans, you will die in agony!" Old Hei gasped for air, his dark face turning pale. The weight of the Xuan-iron axe hanging below pulled at his body, causing excruciating pain.

Suddenly, a shadow flickered. A fair, jade-like hand slapped Old Hei across the face. "Blackie," Xiao Ning said coldly, "dare to spout filth again, and I’ll have your tongue pulled out!"

Old Hei, determined to die, roared, "You vile woman, come and try! If I..."

Xiao Ning twisted her hand, dislocating Old Hei’s jaw, and shot a fierce glare at the men in black. One of them smirked, waving his knife before Old Hei’s eyes, causing a bone-chilling cold to wash over him. However, the man didn't cut the tongue yet, instead fawning over Xiao Ning: "Boss, if we cut his tongue, how will he relay the message?"

Xiao Ning’s hawk-like eyes scanned the area a hundred meters away. "Since you’ve arrived, why lurk in the shadows? Show yourself!"

Kong Sheng prepared to step out, but Li Xuan grabbed him. After a brief gesture, they proceeded according to plan. Kong Sheng took the lead, erupting with a surge of elemental energy, and descended from the air. Li Xuan used the distraction to slip toward the bottom of the forest, waiting for a chance to rescue Old Hei.

Xiao Ning’s eyes narrowed. "So, it’s the Kong family. Why stick your nose into this? Tell the brat with you, if he doesn't come out, that piece of charcoal will be sent to hell!"

Seeing the scene, Kong Sheng felt a chill. The members of the Black Night Imperial Rank were all bloodthirsty, and such vile behavior was intolerable. "Young lady, what a poisonous heart. Since you know I am of the Kong family, you must know our elder is nearby. Let us be reasonable and release that man!"

Xiao Ning drew her sword, pointing it at Kong Sheng. "I never say the same thing twice." Her aura surged like silver water, a cold pressure that made even Kong Sheng feel the danger.

"Peak of the Xuan Realm... you are Xiao Ning. The fiftieth-ranked assassin on the Black Night Imperial Rank?" Kong Sheng was terrified as he confirmed her identity.

"If you're smart, get lost!" Xiao Ning was ruthless and had never failed an assignment. Though ranked fiftieth, her true cultivation was likely even higher.

Kong Sheng felt wary. To buy Li Xuan more time, he said, "Fine, I will remember you. I hope the next time we meet, it is not under these circumstances."

"Why haven't you left yet? Others may fear your Kong family, but I fear nothing!"

Kong Sheng hesitated for a moment, then, following his plan with Li Xuan, turned to leave without further entanglement. Suddenly, a high-pitched voice rang out: "Wait! Boss, you’ve forgotten our rules. Anyone who has seen us in action must die!"

Xiao Ning’s killing intent flared; she backhanded her sword, killing the man in black, then looked at Kong Sheng, cold as frost. Kong Sheng raised the corner of his mouth and departed calmly.

At that moment, Li Xuan had finished his preparations. *The one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it,* he thought. *I shall be the one to bring this to an end.*