Chapter 76: Not Like I Haven't Touched It (Chapter 5, Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)

"What are you saying!"

At the Burning Incense Tower, Sect Master Yiyang True Person stared in shock at the stumbling remnants of his defeated army, unable to believe the facts he had just heard.

Total annihilation?

How is this possible!

The Tianxing Sword Sect is merely a fallen small sect; calling it a third-grade sect is just a habit of the masses. In reality, not a single member of the entire sect has reached the upper three grades, and even the fourth grade is held only by Sect Master Shen Tang herself!

For the Burning Incense Tower, such an opponent was nothing but a pushover.

He had already exerted his full strength, as a lion grappling a rabbit, sending hundreds of elite soldiers and fierce generals, including three of the third grade, with alchemists, dao cultivators, and sword cultivators; five or six of the fourth grade; and thirty or forty of the fifth or sixth grade!

He had nearly drained the Burning Incense Tower of all its combat power; what difficulty could there be in crushing a mere Tianxing Sword Sect with such strength?

Even if they were a herd of pigs of this grade running wild, the Tianxing Sword Sect could not possibly capture them all in such a short amount of time, could they?

Moreover, this surprise attack was originally very secret; under normal circumstances, the enemy might not even have activated their Great Formation protecting the mountain. It should have been a complete slaughter...

Yet everyone from the middle three grades and above was annihilated; not a single one returned. Not even a third-grade powerhouse returned; only seventh or eighth-grade odd-jobbers ran back...

This blow nearly wiped out three-quarters of the Burning Incense Tower's combat strength!

"Sect Master, it is true," the returning disciple cried out: "Originally, Elder Chang ordered Elder Zhang and Elder Qin to lead the vanguard. They entered the Tianxing Sword Sect and never came out again. We were left outside, trapped in a strange formation... In the end, Elder Zhu was even killed by Elder Zhang's flying sword!"

Hired protectors had betrayed them!

Yiyang True Person understood everything instantly.

How could the mere Tianxing Sword Sect possibly win such a battle? It was because people like Zhang Shaoyou and Qin Buwang had defected at the critical moment. No wonder!

No wonder the enemy was so prepared, setting a wide net to wait... This was caused by traitors from start to finish!

Yiyang True Person felt dizzy and faint, so angry he nearly vomited blood. He collapsed into his seat, grinding his teeth in a low voice: "I knew these people were untrustworthy..."

Yang Dechang, the Huo Family's patron, stood beside him, his eyes also showing some astonishment.

Truly unexpected that Princess Zhao Huang could fight such a battle; no one would have believed such results if told beforehand. I wonder how much credit the suspected Seventh Young Master, Lu Xingzhou, holds in this... For the combination of Princess Zhao Huang and Seventh Young Master Huo, it seems we must re-evaluate.

"Mr. Yang!" Yiyang True Person said urgently: "Whether it was the disturbance at the grand ceremony or this surprise attack, we only acted because you said the Prince of Jin supported us from behind! Given the current situation, what does Mr. Yang have to say?"

A barely visible contempt flickered in Yang Dechang's eyes.

With such overwhelming strength, being beaten like this by the weak Tianxing Sword Sect, how can you have the face to ask me what I have to say? How would I know you fools had become this way?

Such matters could only be coordinated behind the scenes; how could he appear on the surface? Whether it was leaking the Huo Family or leaking the Prince of Jin, either would be a life-threatening matter.

Of course, he also feared that if Yiyang True Person could not hold out and started shouting everywhere that the Prince of Jin ordered this, it would also be a troublesome affair. Yang Dechang pondered for a moment, then put on a smiling face: "True Person, your sacrifice this time was great; the Prince of Jin knows. How about this? I will report to the Prince of Jin and have him secretly send True Person more powerful experts, along with various resources for support. The people sent by the Prince of Jin, True Person can rest assured; they are absolutely reliable."

Yiyang True Person stamped his foot: "If we wait for you to report to the Prince of Jin and then have him send experts, by then it will be too late! The crisis facing the Burning Incense Tower is imminent!"

"Even if Shen Tang incited Zhang Shaoyou and others to defect, she would not dare to absorb and employ them immediately; there is a lack of trust between the two sides, and the coordination will still take time," Yang Dechang comforted him. "Moreover, offense is not like defense. Your sect has its own Great Formation protecting the mountain, as well as reclusive elders. Even if Shen Tang has finished coordinating, your strengths would still be evenly matched. Shen Tang is not crazy; how would she dare to attack so rashly?"

Yiyang True Person knew this logic deep down, but the unprecedented crushing defeat made him extremely panicked: "Since Mr. Yang says so, then go quickly and return quickly... You others, transmit my order: from today, close the mountain, recall all members, and activate the Great Formation protecting the mountain!"

Yang Dechang smiled slightly and vanished gracefully.

At noon, a convoy bearing the city lord's flag departed from Xiazhou.

City Lord Sheng Yuanyao, dressed in the official uniform of the Demon Suppression Bureau, rode a fine horse at the front to clear the way. In the wind and snow, her crimson cape fluttered lightly. Her high ponytail looked capable and handsome, making many in the convoy glance with shining eyes.

The convoy consisted of fierce generals of the Demon Suppression Bureau. Actually, when Sheng Yuanyao first arrived, many thought what work such a young girl could possibly do in the Demon Suppression Bureau, let alone lead... They thought it best if she was just a spoiled rich girl causing chaos. But after these two months, everyone's impression had turned surprisingly good.

Although Commander Sheng still held the ideals and dreams of a young girl in many matters, sometimes so naive it made people want to laugh, her serious and responsible attitude was beyond reproach. Moreover, everyone could see that she truly loved this profession.

She left the city lord duties lying there, too lazy to manage them. She ate and slept at the Demon Suppression Bureau every day, her mind full of investigating demon cases. She never acted arrogantly or did any dirty deeds, and she didn't even take a single coin of greed.

She was beautiful and spirited, full of energy, and pleasant to the eye.

If only her curiosity wasn't so excessive, if only she didn't listen to her subordinates' gossip every day... Two days ago, Old Wang was caught having an affair at home; what business was it of your honorable Commander to personally go and watch?

The reason it was a convoy was because there was a carriage in the formation. The carriage was not for the honorable City Lord herself to sit in; instead, a pair of dog lovers sat inside.

The cripples had special privileges... Although the Demon Suppression Bureau colleagues didn't know what the Commander was doing with this pair of cripples.

Du Gu Qingli was not as shameless as this pair of cripples; she was too embarrassed to crawl into the carriage. Holding A'nuo, she rode another horse, unconsciously giving the dog lovers a private space alone.

"Very good-looking? Staring without blinking?"

Lu Xingzhou had been holding the curtain and smiling as he watched the heroic figure of Sheng Yuanyao riding ahead. He had been watching for nearly half an hour. Shen Tang, sitting in the same carriage, could finally bear it no longer and asked acidly:

Lu Xingzhou lowered the curtain and sighed: "If I say I was mainly looking at the snow scenery, would you believe me..."

Shen Tang scowled: "I don't believe it. You were just looking at Sheng Yuanyao."

"In the wind, snow, and ice, the female knight's heroic figure is like a painting," Lu Xingzhou smiled. "And look at Qingli; changing into a different outfit makes her quite lovely too."

Shen Tang turned to look. Because of pretending to be the "City Lord's Guard," Du Gu Qingli had also changed into a Demon Suppression Bureau uniform. Without warning, she transformed from an ice-cold little Bai Mao into someone with a serious and stern aura. Truly, a person relies on clothing; temperament can indeed be changed by attire.

"What about me?" Shen Tang lowered the carriage curtain, her eyes swirling: "I am wearing the same thing too."

The two were sitting face to face. Lu Xingzhou looked at Shen Tang in the Demon Suppression Bureau uniform before him, pressed his lips together, and instinctively slightly averted his gaze.

It was truly deadly. Normally, he didn't feel she was this big; why did changing into a relatively tighter uniform make her look so bulging? Paired with her current expression of slight anger and thin resentment... When others wore this, it felt serious or heroic; why did you wearing it make it inexplicably more seductive...

True uniform temptation.

Seeing his slightly retreating posture, Shen Tang bit her lower lip and deliberately spoke in a seductive voice: "What, am I not as good-looking as them?"

The embrace and mutual kisses in the early morning had brought a small change to their relationship. Words that usually stuck in the throat, feeling like they would break through some barrier if spoken, now came out so casually.

Anyway, Shen Tang had basically figured out Lu Xingzhou's thick skin. If the two were sitting side by side at this moment, perhaps he would have made a move, but sitting opposite each other like this, he wouldn't so obsessively move over, so teasing him a bit was fine.

As a result, Lu Xingzhou, expressionless, bent down and grabbed Shen Tang's ankle.

Shen Tang: "?"

Lu Xingzhou spoke seriously: "Sect Master, as the attending physician for your leg injury, I have the obligation to remind you that your leg injury needs regular check-ups to avoid recurrence. Especially after last night's fierce battle, you must be extra careful..."

Last night's fierce battle... Shen Tang had been sitting in a wheelchair pretending to be a cripple and hadn't stood up once; what did that have to do with her legs?

The battle with the corpse puppets in the Secret Realm was the fierce battle where she left the wheelchair; why didn't you say anything then?

Just as Shen Tang was about to pull her small foot back, her shoe was removed, revealing her beautiful little foot. Lu Xingzhou looked serious: "Don't move around; a recurrence of the leg injury is a very serious matter..."

Saying this, he really proceeded to knead up along her calf in a serious manner, as if he were truly examining her.

Shen Tang was both annoyed and amused, her eyes like autumn waves, her face flushed to her ears: "I should have known... you are no good thing..."

She had thought that since he had already touched her calves for ten days, she should feel nothing by now... but back then it was truly for healing, whereas now he was holding them to play with; the psychological experience was completely different. She was so ashamed she almost cried out, biting her lower lip raw to keep from giving herself away.

But this was what she had provoked herself; what should she do?

She should have known not to tease him...

But having touched them so many times, it seemed there was nothing to it...

Poor Princess had never even thought that she could simply pull them back; what was there to "do" about it...

Miss Qingli glanced from the window.

Practicing the Huangji Jing Shi Jing, no typo.

A breeze blew from afar; Miss Qingli's expression shifted slightly, her hand resting on her sword hilt.

Yang Dechang's voice came from somewhere unknown: "Miss, do not be anxious... I have matters to discuss with Princess Zhao Huang and the Seventh Young Master."

Miss Qingli said coolly: "You can transmit your voice to them directly; what do you want with me?"

Yang Dechang was extremely embarrassed: "But... Princess Zhao Huang and the Seventh Young Master are currently... they are... that..."

"Oh, they are observing the leg injury." Miss Qingli casually plucked a withered branch from the roadside and tossed it into the carriage with a "whoosh."

Lu Xingzhou's hand was just about to move upward past the knee when it was struck by the branch with a "crack"; he withdrew it as if electrocuted.

Miss Qingli's voice came through: "Stop treating it; someone is looking for you."

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PS: The fifth watch is finished; I beg for subscriptions and monthly tickets~ Today's voting can also participate in a lucky draw~

(End of this chapter)