Huanzhu Time Travel: Yan Luo's Unbreakable Love in the Yong Dynasty

Chapter 507: Fierce Battle in the Dilapidated Temple, Peril Lurks Everywhere

Outside the dilapidated temple, the sound of horses' hooves thundered. A group of men in black, riding tall horses, surrounded Xiao Yanzi, Yongqi, Erkang, and Lin Yuxuan. They were dressed in black, their faces covered, revealing only pairs of cold eyes. The long swords in their hands gleamed with a chilling light in the sunlight, and a murderous aura permeated the air.

"Hmph, none of you will leave here alive today!" The leader of the men in black spoke coldly, his voice low and hoarse, casually flicking his riding whip, his eyes full of disdain.

Little Swallow gripped her long whip tightly, the tip trembling slightly. Her eyes were firm and fearless as she glared at the men in black: "If you want our lives, then let's see if you have the ability!" With that, she flung her cloak around, which billowed up like black wings before quickly falling back down. The long whip twirled beautifully in her hand.

Yongqi drew his long sword from his waist, the blade gleaming coldly. He stepped aside to block Xiaoyanzi, his expression stern: "If you want to hurt Xiaoyanzi, you'll have to step over me first!" His hand gripped the hilt firmly, the muscles in his arm taut, showing his vigilance and determination.

Erkang gripped his short knife tightly, its sharp blade reflecting the sunlight. He crouched slightly, assuming a fighting stance, his eyes blazing as he scanned the crowd of men in black, searching for any openings: "However many come, we'll kill them all!"

Lin Yuxuan stood on the other side of Xiao Yanzi, holding a wooden stick. His hands were slightly white from anger and tension, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but his eyes revealed a fierce determination: "For my sister, I will make you pay the price today!"

The man in black said no more, and with a wave of his hand, the crowd surged forward like a tide. Little Swallow was the first to strike, her long whip whistling through the air like a nimble venomous snake, the tip sweeping towards the man in black. One of the men in black couldn't dodge in time and was struck on the wrist by the whip tip, his long sword clattering to the ground.

Yongqi brandished his longsword, the blade flashing, each strike carrying a sharp, aggressive aura. He moved nimbly and nimbly through the crowd of men in black, who retreated wherever he went. In a single leap, he thrust his sword straight at a man in black's chest. The man hastily parried with his knife, and with a clang, sparks flew.

Erkang and Yongqi worked together seamlessly, focusing their attacks on the lower body with their short swords. In an instant, the men in black were thrown into disarray. He seized an opportunity, ducked to avoid an attack from one of the men in black, and thrust his short sword fiercely into the man's thigh. The man in black screamed and fell to the ground.

Although Lin Yuxuan was using a wooden stick, he was fearless. Fueled by rage, he wielded the stick with ferocious power. His eyes were filled with hatred, and he used all his strength in every strike. The stick slammed heavily onto the shoulder of a man in black, making a dull thud.

However, there were simply too many men in black, and they surged forward relentlessly. Little Swallow and the others gradually became overwhelmed, and they all sustained minor injuries. Little Swallow had a cut on her arm, and blood stained her sleeve, but she simply bandaged it with a cloth and returned to the fight.

"This can't go on, we need to come up with a plan!" Yongqi shouted as he fended off the attacks from the men in black.

"Let's break through first!" Er Kang replied, desperately using his short sword to fend off the enemy's attacks.

Little Swallow looked around and noticed that the defenses of the men in black to the west were relatively weak. Her eyes lit up and she shouted, "Charge to the west! The defenses there are weak!"

Upon hearing this, the group immediately launched a fierce attack to the west. Xiao Yanzi led the way with her whip, Yongqi and Erkang protected the flanks, and Lin Yuxuan brought up the rear. Working together, they finally tore a gap in the encirclement of the men in black and broke through.

Seeing this, the man in black immediately mounted his horse and gave chase. Little Swallow and the others dared not linger and galloped on. Suddenly, a river appeared ahead, its waters swift and rapid.

"What should we do?" Lin Yuxuan asked anxiously, his face covered in sweat and dust, and his hair was somewhat disheveled.

“Swim across!” Little Swallow said without hesitation, and then she jumped into the river first. Yongqi and the others followed closely behind.

The river water was icy cold, and the group swam with all their might to the other side. The men in black caught up with them to the riverbank, but seeing the swift current, they hesitated to enter the water. They paced back and forth along the riverbank, cursing loudly.

Little Swallow and the others finally swam to the other side. They were soaking wet and in a sorry state, but they didn't have time to rest and immediately got up to continue their escape. They didn't stop to catch their breath until they reached a small village.

This small village is nestled at the foot of green mountains, with houses scattered in a pleasing, staggered pattern. At the entrance of the village stands an ancient tree with lush foliage. The village roads are paved with stone slabs, lined with low houses on both sides, chimneys emitting wisps of smoke, and the occasional bark of a dog.

They entered a small inn, the air filled with the aroma of food. The owner, a middle-aged man, saw their disheveled appearance and quickly came to greet them: "Gentlemen, what happened?"

"Boss, give us a few rooms and some food," Yongqi said, taking out a silver ingot from his pocket and placing it on the table.

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded, "Alright, please wait a moment, sir!"

Xiao Yanzi and the others went upstairs and changed into clean clothes in their rooms. A short while later, the waiter brought in the food. Everyone was already starving and immediately began to wolf it down.

"What should we do next?" Lin Yuxuan put down his chopsticks and asked. His face was still tired, but his eyes revealed determination.

Xiao Yanzi pondered for a moment and said, "Let's go back to the capital first and discuss this further. This incident has made me even more certain that the Shadow Pavilion is definitely related to the conspiracy behind this. We must find out the truth as soon as possible."

Yongqi nodded in agreement: "I also think that we know too little about the secrets of the Shadow Pavilion, and we need to find a way to collect more clues."

Er Kang frowned and pondered, then said, "Perhaps we can start with that hired江湖人 (jianghu person) and see if we can find more clues about the person who hired him."

"Yes, that's a good idea." Xiao Yanzi said, a determined look flashing in her eyes. "No matter what the cost, I will uncover the conspiracy behind this, avenge Xiao Yan, and protect the people we love."

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose outside the inn. Xiao Yanzi and the others immediately became alert. They stood up and went to the window to look outside. They saw a group of soldiers walking towards the inn, led by a young general who rode a tall horse and had a stern expression.

"Oh no, the soldiers are here! Let's hide!" Yongqi said.

Everyone quickly hid in a corner of the room, not daring to breathe. The soldiers entered the inn, and the innkeeper hurriedly greeted them: "Sir, what are your orders?"

"Have you seen any suspicious people?" the general asked, his sharp eyes scanning every corner of the inn.

"No, sir. Our shop is full of honest customers," the shopkeeper said with a forced smile.

The general sneered, "It'd better not be. If I find out you're harboring criminals, you won't have an easy time either!" With that, he waved his hand and led his soldiers away from the inn.

Xiao Yanzi and the others breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out from the corner. "It seems our whereabouts have been exposed. We need to leave here as soon as possible," Xiao Yanzi said.

So, the group quickly packed their things and, taking advantage of the soldiers' departure, quietly left the inn and headed towards the capital. They proceeded cautiously, not daring to slacken their efforts in the slightest.

Inside the Forbidden City, the Empress (the reborn Consort Na) sat on her phoenix throne, a strange smile on her face. Rong Momo stood to the side, head bowed, not daring to utter a sound.

"Granny Rong, go and summon Consort Ling. I have something to discuss with her," the Empress said coldly, a hint of ruthlessness in her eyes.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Rong Mama replied hastily and hurriedly withdrew.

Before long, Consort Ling arrived at Kunning Palace. She was dressed in a magnificent palace gown and looked respectful: "Your Majesty, this concubine greets Your Majesty the Empress."

The Empress looked at Consort Ling and said with a forced smile, "Consort Ling, how have you been doing in the palace lately?"

Consort Ling was startled, but she maintained her smile: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am perfectly fine."

"Hmph, that's good then." The Empress said, standing up and slowly walking to Consort Ling. "However, there are some things you mustn't hide from me, sister, or else..."

Consort Ling's heart tightened. She didn't know what the Empress was up to, but she still tried to remain calm: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I would not dare to hide anything."

The Empress nodded in satisfaction: "That's good, you may leave now."

Consort Ling breathed a sigh of relief, bowed, and hurriedly left Kunning Palace. Back in her own chambers, she felt a vague unease, sensing that the Empress's summons must have been for some ulterior motive.

What dangers will Xiao Yanzi and her companions encounter on their journey back to the capital? What kind of storm will the Empress (the reborn Consort Na) stir up in the palace? And how will the secrets of the Shadow Pavilion be gradually revealed? Everything is shrouded in mystery…