Starting from Tianlong, Wudu Tianxia

The next day, Sikong Xuan returned with his men on time.

When he went out yesterday, he brought two incense masters with him. When he returned, the number of people had doubled. They were friends invited by the old gang leader from Dali, the capital of the kingdom, to help him fight.

At 9:00 AM, just as Gao Yuan stepped into the main hall, he looked up and glanced around.

Several people were seated on either side of the main hall. On the left was the Shennong Gang, led by Sikong Xuan, while on the right were only three people.

The leader was a black-bearded Taoist priest, about forty years old, with his hair tied up in a bun, a thin face, a long sword on his back, and a whisk in his hand, exuding an elegant air.

He had the air of a sage.

Upon seeing Gao Yuan arrive, Sikong Xuan smiled and pulled him to sit down.

After some conversation, the black-bearded Taoist introduced Sun Ke, Shi Fa, and others who were with him.

Sikong Xuan also introduced the deputy gang leader and the two incense masters, Wu Mufu and Miao Qingyuan, according to etiquette.

Of course, when introducing Gao Yuan, Sikong Xuan omitted his "glorious deeds" and only referred to him as the deputy leader of our gang.

The black-bearded Taoist first exchanged a glance with Sikong Xuan, and when he turned his gaze to Gao Yuan, he smiled slightly, bowed politely, and behaved very courteously.

He then added in praise: "Heroes emerge from among the young!"

Upon learning that the Black-Bearded Taoist's Taoist name was "Buping," Gao Yuan smiled at him.

So it turns out you were the one who got instantly killed by Xu Zhu's Qi-based Pine Nut attack, you sworn brother of Zhuo Bufan, the Flood Dragon King, the Unjust Taoist.

After everyone exchanged greetings, Sikong Xuan looked solemn:

"To be honest, we are truly ashamed to say that we must rely on the Daoist Master and all the brothers to help the Shennong Clan overcome this crisis. If you can repel the enemy and ensure our safety, the Shennong Clan will repay you handsomely!"

Sikong Xuan had become acquainted with Bu Ping Dao Ren on the road, and was now fully aware of the situation.

He flicked his whisk and said, "Brother Sikong, you are too kind. I have always hated those who use their martial arts skills to do evil and bully others. How can I remain indifferent to this matter?"

Finally, he added, "As for the Lingjiu Palace, I have traveled all over the world and have never heard of its name. I must see for myself."

"The Taoist priest is benevolent and righteous; the Shennong Clan will surely remember this great kindness."

Sikong Xuan laughed heartily.

Hearing the two chatting, Gao Yuan realized that the Wuliang Sword Sect's martial arts competition was more exciting than usual, attracting the old Daoist Buping to come and watch the excitement.

He glanced at the righteous-looking Taoist priest and felt a surge of joy.

Zhuo Bufan and Cui Lühua are probably going to go solo!

After exchanging pleasantries, Sikong Xuan led the group to the East Courtyard to rest. With Gao Yuan and Bu Ping Dao Ren overseeing Shennong's fist techniques, he felt much more at ease.

The Shennong Gang's headquarters in the East Courtyard.

Sun Ke noticed the strange behavior of the Taoist priest: "Sikong Xuan seems to be treating that young deputy leader with unusual favoritism."

"good."

The Unjust Taoist's eyes darted around, and he made a hand gesture, looking every bit the charlatan.

"Of the rumors circulating in the martial arts world, eight or nine out of ten are untrue. I heard some news on Yongxing Army Road, but I didn't take it seriously at first."

"I never expected that!"

"Sikong Xuan actually dared to take in a boy who was being hunted down."

Shi Fa, standing to the side, reacted and couldn't help but show a surprised expression: "Big brother means..."

"He's the young man who committed the heinous murders and gang wipeouts in Penglai and Jingzhao Prefecture!"

Sun Ke and Shi Fa recalled the boy's face in the lobby just now, and both of them showed surprise.

Last year, the three of them traveled to the south of the Yangtze River and encountered Xi Shanhe and his group from the Beggars' Sect on their way back.

At that time, the Beggars' Gang was besieging bandits in Zhoushan. They witnessed a young man surnamed Qiao enter the bandit group as if he were nothing, and kill the bandits as if he were a bird.

Its strength and ferocity are exceptional.

The Unjust Taoist once said, "This young man, at the tender age of twenty, has already mastered martial arts to a high level; he is truly remarkable."

Sun Ke and Shi Fa both remarked, "If even a young man from the Beggars' Sect possesses such skill, the power of the number one sect in the Central Plains is truly evident!"

Ten days ago, they went to Rongzhou and heard rumors about Yongxing Army Road along the way.

At first, the three were skeptical about the "theft of Penglai's unique skills".

As time went on, the news became increasingly outrageous, with rumors even circulating that he "wielded power to slay the Nine Wings and destroy Heaven's Righteousness," which they treated as nothing more than a joke.

Who would have thought that they would actually run into the person in question?

"Brother, are you sure it's him? Is the news from Yongxing Military Road true or false?"

Shi Fa smiled again:

"How old is he? He's about five or six years younger than that young man surnamed Qiao."

The Unjust Taoist looked up at the sky and said, "It's almost certainly him. His face and age match. Even if it isn't him, he's still no ordinary person."

"Although the Shennong Gang is not a large gang, it has some reputation in the Dali Jianghu. It is quite intriguing that Sikong Xuan appointed him as the deputy gang leader and treated him as an equal."

"Furthermore, Sikong Xuan's introduction of him was vague. If there's nothing fishy going on, why would he be so secretive?"

"That makes sense." Sun Ke and Shi Fa seemed convinced.

"Since we're getting involved in the Shennong Gang's mess, we naturally want to do them a favor."

The Unfair Taoist smiled warmly: "Whether he is the rumored youth or not, we don't need to pursue it, lest we embarrass Sikong Xuan."

"and......"

His expression was meaningful: "If it is this person, let alone whether we can capture him, even if we do, what can Penglai give us? The Heavenly King's Heart-Nourishing Needle is not necessarily that profound."

"If I were to promise you a place in the sect, you're all in your thirties or forties, would you really be willing to lower yourself? As for a little money..."

"Hmph! With our martial arts skills, why would we lack a few taels of silver?"

The Unjust Taoist glanced at the courtyard gate again: "These self-proclaimed righteous people have never even given us a second glance."

......

After parting ways with Bu Ping Dao Ren and the other two, Gao Yuan stayed with the Shennong Gang. During this time, he remembered the Shennong Gang's special products and asked Mu Wu Fu to get him a few packets of Duan Chang San (a type of herbal medicine) to carry with him.

The dosage of the Heartbreak Powder can be adjusted to control the number of days it takes for the poison to take effect. It's a valuable medicine and an essential remedy in the martial arts world.

As the group talked about Lingjiu Palace, Wu Mufu then reported on what had happened at Heshan Restaurant the previous day.

Sikong Xuan was very pleased to see that Gao Yuan was sharing his worries and had come to see him early that morning. He felt that if Gao Yuan could get through this difficult time safely, it wouldn't be impossible for him to fully accept him.

Speaking of Lingjiu Palace, with the help of the Unfair Taoist, Miao Qingyuan said that it was not worth fearing and that if they dared to come again, he would definitely capture them.

Gao Yuan chuckled after hearing this.

Leave them behind?

When we get the antidote to the Life-and-Death Talisman, we'll know who will live and who will die!

As night fell and dinner was finished, Sikong Xuan summoned everyone to the main hall, saying he had important matters to discuss.

However, a disciple reported that a suspicious person dressed in the same clothes as the girl who attacked the gang last time was found at He Yang Restaurant.

"Master Zhong has contacted Heyang Restaurant. According to the manager, the person who came last time is indeed the same one."

Sikong Xuan frowned slightly: "They arrived yesterday, why are they so late in coming?"

After a moment's thought, the Unfair Taoist Priest spoke:

"Brother Sikong, don't worry. Since you've come, you'll come back eventually. Let's just set up our preparations and welcome you with open arms."

"Boss, how about we strike first and surround He Yang Restaurant?"

"never mind."

Gao Yuan thought Sikong Xuan had some explanation, but who knew his idea was even more outrageous.

He stroked his beard and nodded: "Our gang is famous for its poisons. If they want to cause trouble for us, poison is the safest option."

"Indeed, in the world of martial arts, what's the point of rules?"

"Damn it! Why not attack with both poison and fire? We can poison them internally, then pile up firewood at He Yang Restaurant and burn it all down while they're asleep."

Goodness, if it weren't for our differing stances, Gao Yuan would have been tempted to give it a thumbs up.

"..."

The crowd chattered amongst themselves as dusk deepened.

Before long, a number of Shennong Gang disciples had gathered in the courtyard outside the main hall. Fifty or sixty torches were strung together, illuminating the Shennong Gang's front courtyard as if it were daytime.

"Have the disciples sent to administer the poison been arranged?"

"Chief, everything's arranged!"

Upon hearing this, Sikong Xuan nodded in satisfaction. He was standing in front of the hall, about to give the order.

suddenly.

The sound of clothes rustling in the wind came from above.

When Gao Yuan looked up, he saw more than ten green figures standing on the eaves and tiles under the jade-like light.

They all wore emerald green cloaks, their waists cinched to accentuate their slender figures, and embroidered on their chests a black eagle, crouching with its head held high, exuding a fierce and imposing air.

Several more screams rang out in front of the courtyard gate of the garrison.

"Bang!~"

A burst of energy erupted outside the door, and with a loud bang, the heavy, ring-locked door was pushed open with a single palm strike.

"The Holy Envoy of Lingjiu Palace has arrived at Shennong Sect; Elder Sikong, pay your respects immediately!"

A clear voice mixed with remarkable internal strength caused a slight tingling sensation in the eardrums.

Two young girls in green stood on either side of the door, while an old woman slowly stepped across the threshold.

She was around fifty years old, with a very arrogant demeanor, and wore only a silver eagle-head hairpin in her hair.

The most striking thing was the iron staff she was holding, with an eagle's head at the top. When it landed, it made a "thud" sound, which seemed to make the bluestone slabs tremble.

At that moment, Gao Yuan's eyes lit up.

Lingjiu Palace, Haotian Department.

finally come!