I walk sideways in the game world

Ouyang Zhen took the token, which felt icy cold to the touch. The word "御" was engraved on the front, while a vivid five-clawed golden dragon was carved on the back. It was clear at first glance that it was something extraordinary. "Master, rest assured. I will fulfill my mission!" Ouyang Zhen accepted the order and took the token into his arms.

Meanwhile, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin were no longer seriously injured, being cared for by Ouyang sect disciples. In the quiet room, Ren Xiaoyao sat cross-legged, practicing Qigong and regulating his breathing, while Xia Lin stood by to protect him.

"Brother Xiaoyao, how do you feel?" Xia Lin asked with concern as she looked at Ren Xiaoyao's face which was gradually regaining its color.

Ren Xiaoyao slowly opened his eyes, a gleam of light flashing in them, "I'm fine now, thanks to Sect Leader Ouyang's timely rescue, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous."

"Yeah, I don't know who leaked the news that we were trapped to the Demon Cult." Xia Lin frowned slightly, quite puzzled by this matter.

"This matter is strange, I'm afraid there is something else going on." Ren Xiaoyao pondered for a moment, recalling all the details of his previous fight with the Blood Demon, and he always felt that something was wrong.

Just then, there was a slight knock on the door. "Who's there?" Charlene asked alertly.

"Miss Charlene, it's me." A shrill voice sounded outside the door.

"Eunuch Zhao?" Xia Lin recognized that it was the eunuch she met in the teahouse that day, so she stood up and opened the door.

Eunuch Zhao, dressed in blue, wore a warm smile. When he saw Xia Lin open the door, he bowed and said, "Miss Xia Lin, I have come here on the emperor's orders to invite Young Master Ren and Miss Ren into the palace for a conversation."

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin exchanged a glance, both sensing the gravity of this matter. The Imperial Palace, for those in the martial arts world, had always been a place filled with mystery and the unknown.

"Why did the emperor summon us?" Ren Xiaoyao asked.

Eunuch Zhao looked troubled and lowered his voice, saying, "This is a long story. Young Master Ren will know it when he enters the palace. The Emperor has specifically instructed us today to ensure that you two are safely escorted to the palace. Please do not refuse."

Ren Xiaoyao pondered for a moment. Now that they were in the middle of something, there were some things they couldn't stay out of. He turned to look at Xia Lin, and when she nodded slightly, he agreed, "In that case, I'll trouble you to lead the way."

Under the cover of night, the towering walls of the imperial palace looked particularly eerie in the moonlight. Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin followed Eunuch Zhao through the numerous palace gates, each in silence, their minds racing with thoughts.

"We're here. Please follow us." Eunuch Zhao stopped in front of a remote palace and motioned them to go in.

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin entered the palace, only to find it deserted. A single lamp cast a dim glow, illuminating a large map on the wall. Mountains, rivers, cities, and passes were all marked in exquisite detail. And in the center, a small black flag stood proudly...

"This is..." Ren Xiaoyao pointed at the black flag on the map, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.

Eunuch Zhao nodded solemnly and said in a low voice, "This is..."

Eunuch Zhao nodded solemnly and said in a low voice, "This is the map of the Demon Cult's recent movements. Wherever the black flag is, that's the city they're about to attack—Yunzhou City!"

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin were both shocked when they heard this. Yunzhou City is located on the border and its strategic position is extremely important. If it is lost, the consequences will be unimaginable.

"Why doesn't the emperor send reinforcements?" Xia Lin asked anxiously.

"Alas, this is a long story." Eunuch Zhao sighed and lowered his voice, "The Emperor's health has been declining in recent years, and most of the government affairs are controlled by the Empress and the Prime Minister. The Empress is obsessed with her son inheriting the throne and is indifferent to the border wars, and the Prime Minister..."

At this point, Eunuch Zhao suddenly paused, looked around warily, and continued, "The Prime Minister is cunning and treacherous. He is secretly colluding with the Demon Cult, attempting to use the Demon Cult to weaken the imperial power so that he can profit from it!"

Only then did Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin realize that there was such a sinister conspiracy hidden in the palace.

"The Emperor knows of this, but lacks evidence and has too few available personnel. That's why he secretly sent our family to seek the assistance of chivalrous warriors," Eunuch Zhao said, pulling out a secret letter from his bosom. "This is a secret letter from the Emperor to you. Please be sure to personally deliver it to Sect Leader Ouyang."

Ren Xiaoyao took the secret letter and nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, eunuch, I will live up to the emperor's trust!"

Eunuch Zhao nodded with satisfaction, gave them some careful instructions, and then led them out of the palace through the secret passage.

In the dead of night, the palace was heavily guarded. Under the guidance of Eunuch Zhao, Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin avoided the patrolling guards and quietly sneaked into a remote courtyard.

"This is the Cold Palace. It's where Concubine Shu was imprisoned." Eunuch Zhao pointed at the dilapidated palace before him and whispered, "According to the Emperor, Concubine Shu was arbitrarily involved in a palace struggle. The Empress falsely accused her of having an affair, and she was banished to the Cold Palace. She has since disappeared. However, the Emperor has always believed that Concubine Shu was wrongly accused, and he suspects that her disappearance is related to the Prime Minister. So, I would like you to secretly investigate this matter."

Ren Xiaoyao nodded, signaled Xia Lin to wait outside, and he sneaked into the cold palace alone.

The cold palace was eerie, dusty, and filled with the smell of decay and decline. Ren Xiaoyao carefully examined every corner, hoping to find some clues.

Suddenly, he found a loose brick in the corner of the wall. He gently moved the brick away, revealing a dark hole.

Ren Xiaoyao's heart moved, and he took out a tinder from his pocket, lit it, and slowly put it into the cave...

"What is this?" In the dim light of the fire, Ren Xiaoyao saw that there seemed to be an iron box hidden in the cave. He reached in and took out the iron box with great effort.

Just as he opened the iron box, he heard footsteps outside the door. Then, a cold voice echoed through the silent night sky: "I found you..." "Who is it?!" Ren Xiaoyao slammed the iron box shut, turned alertly, and a long sword with a cold glow appeared in his hand. Xia Lin also noticed something unusual and flashed to Ren Xiaoyao's side, the short dagger in her hand flashing with a cold light.

"Hmph, you know too much!" A man in black, wearing night clothes and with a stern face, slowly walked out of the shadows. Behind him were several other men in black who were also dressed in black, all holding sharp blades and full of murderous intent.

"Who are you? Why did you trespass into the palace?" Ren Xiaoyao asked sternly, but he already had a guess in his mind that these people might be the "devil cult" that Eunuch Zhao mentioned.

"Kill your people!" The leader of the men in black didn't waste any words. With a command, the men in black behind him pounced on Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin like wolves and tigers.

In the narrow courtyard, the air was filled with the shimmering clashing of swords and sabers, a chilling atmosphere. Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin stood back to back, tacitly fending off the attacks of the men in black. Ren Xiaoyao's swordsmanship was sharp, each strike deadly, leaving a trail of blood with every swing. Xia Lin's movements were nimble, the short dagger in her hands like a serpent, always striking the enemy's vital points with unexpected force.

However, the enemy was outnumbered, and Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin gradually felt overwhelmed. Just then, the leader of the men in black found an opening and aimed his long knife at Ren Xiaoyao's chest. In the nick of time, Xia Lin struggled to push Ren Xiaoyao away, but the long knife cut her arm instead.

"Xia Lin!" Ren Xiaoyao's eyes were bloodshot. He swung his sword to force back the leader of the men in black and protected Xia Lin behind him.

"I'm fine..." Xia Lin said with a pale face and gritted teeth.

"Neither of you will leave here alive today!" The leader of the men in black grinned and raised the long sword in his hand again.

At this critical moment, a burst of orderly footsteps suddenly came from the distance, accompanied by a loud and angry shout: "You bold lunatic, how dare you trespass into the palace? Why don't you surrender!"

Eunuch Zhao, accompanied by a team of imperial guards armed with halberds, surrounded the black-clad men from all sides. The guards, each well-trained and fiercely armed, instantly turned the tide of the battle. The leader of the black-clad men, realizing their situation was dire and their victory was impossible, cried out, "Retreat!" and fled with his remaining men.

Eunuch Zhao did not order a pursuit, but instead quickly walked up to Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin and asked with concern, "Are you all right?"

"We are fine. Thank you, father-in-law, for arriving in time." Ren Xiaoyao said gratefully.

"That's good, that's good." Eunuch Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the corpses of the men in black scattered all over the ground, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "These demonic cult monsters are so audacious! Xiaoyao, you guys should leave the palace quickly. It's not safe here."

Ren Xiaoyao nodded. He knew this was not the place to stay for long, so he and Xia Lin left the palace under the protection of Eunuch Zhao. Before leaving, Ren Xiaoyao handed the iron box to Eunuch Zhao and said, "Eunuch, this may contain clues to the disappearance of Concubine Shu. Please pass it on to the emperor."

"Okay, I got it. You guys be careful." Eunuch Zhao took the iron box and watched Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin disappear into the night.

Under a dark, windy night, two figures sped through the night, unaware that even greater danger awaited them ahead... Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin, taking advantage of the cover of darkness, sped away, leaving the heavily guarded palace. Outside the palace walls, the cold moonlight cast a shadow over them. Xia Lin clutched her injured arm, her face pale.

"Xia Lin, how are you? Let me see your injury." Ren Xiaoyao's eyes were full of worry. He stopped and gently held Xia Lin's arm.

Xia Lin shook her head, indicating that she was fine. "I'm fine. It's just a minor injury, nothing serious. We have to get out of here quickly. If those men in black dared to attack in the palace, they must have a backup plan. We can't let our guard down."

Ren Xiaoyao nodded, knowing that what Xia Lin said made sense. He supported Xia Lin, and the two of them hid their bodies again and ran out of the city.

The night was deep, and the city gates had long been closed, but this was no problem for Ren Xiaoyao. With a few taps of his toes, he carried Xia Lin over the towering city wall and disappeared into the night.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the imperial city, the two found a secluded forest to rest temporarily. Ren Xiaoyao took out the wound medicine he had brought with him and carefully bandaged Xia Lin's wound.

"Xiaoyao, who do you think those men in black are from? Why did they capture Concubine Shu, and why did they want to kill us?" Xia Lin asked softly as she watched Ren Xiaoyao bandaging her wound.

Ren Xiaoyao pondered for a moment and said, "I suspect that those men in black are probably connected to some powerful officials in the court. They abducted Concubine Shu perhaps to threaten the emperor, or perhaps for some unspeakable secret."

"So what should we do now? Should we go directly to the emperor and expose them?" Xia Lin asked.

"No, it's not the right time yet." Ren Xiaoyao shook his head. "We only have this iron box in our hands. Without solid evidence, the Emperor might not believe us, and it would only alert the enemy. We must first find out the identities of those men in black and find the mastermind behind them before we can catch them all in one fell swoop!"

Charlene nodded in agreement: "You're right. We can't act rashly."

After some discussion, the two decided to go to a secret villa outside the city first. That was where Xia Lin's master, the famous "miracle doctor" in the world, lived. Perhaps they could get some help from him.

After making the decision, the two of them set off again, heading towards their destination under the dim starlight. However, they were unaware that danger was quietly approaching.

"Swoosh! Whoosh!" Two sounds of breaking through the air were heard, and two sharp arrows, accompanied by strong winds, shot towards Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin respectively.

"Be careful!" Ren Xiaoyao reacted very quickly, pulling Xia Lin over and swinging his sword to block, knocking the sharp arrow to the ground.

"Who is it?!" Ren Xiaoyao looked around with a sharp gaze, but saw no trace of anyone.

"Hahaha, Young Master Ren is really good at fighting!" Accompanied by a burst of hearty laughter, two figures slowly walked out of the woods.

"It's you?!" Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin's faces changed when they saw who was coming.

"What's wrong? It seems like you don't welcome us very much?" One of them said with a smile, a hint of teasing in his tone.

"Ms. Lin, Master Ouyang, why are you here?" Ren Xiaoyao asked in a deep voice, feeling a faint sense of unease rising in his heart.