Two fine steeds and a carriage were rapidly approaching. "The lake's water has ceased its flow!" a loud shout echoed from the distance.

Fan Wu Tong and the old man immediately responded in high voices: "The green mountains have changed their hue!" "Lü lü~~~" The approaching party immediately halted. The leader was a tall figure, bearing a battle saber on his back, his most distinctive feature being a pair of prominent, fan-like ears.

This man's eyes shone like lightning, clearly indicating astonishing power. He swept his gaze over Fan An Ran, Fan Wu Tong, and Hong Lin, who lay on the ground too weak to rise, then smiled faintly.

"Gentlemen, congratulations, you have achieved a great service." Fan An Ran and Fan Wu Tong offered slight smiles in return. "Men," came the command, and instantly two maidens rushed out of the carriage, each holding iron chains and shackles.

They approached Hong Lin and swiftly fastened the shackles onto her wrists behind her back, securing her ankles with iron chains as well. In Hong Lin's eyes flickered both resentment and pain.

"If you have the guts, kill me! Kill me now," Hong Lin roared at Fan An Ran.

"No rush, it is not yet time," Fan An Ran replied indifferently, paying no heed to Hong Lin's glare. Soon, the two maidens escorted Hong Lin into the carriage compartment.

Fan Wu Tong, Fan An Ran, and the others also escorted the carriage, swiftly departing into the hazy night. ...

Thousands of feet high in the sky, The Undying Phoenix, 'Xiao Qing,' enveloped in cloud masses, stared intently at the scene below. Xiao Qing's intellect was in no way inferior to a human's; she clearly understood everything transpiring.

Following Teng Qingshan's instructions, she was not to act rashly unless his daughter's life or well-being—such as being permanently disabled—was in peril. She was only to make her move after the shadowy forces behind this were revealed.

Below, the carriage and horses advanced, with the Undying Phoenix following closely from above. ...

Not long after, the carriage left the main official road and turned onto an ordinary small path. Bouncing along the uneven track, they finally arrived at a mysterious manor built deep within the mountain forest just as the sky became completely shrouded in darkness.

Inside the manor. "Who have they captured?

Why the secrecy?" Some of the men within the manor were clearly unaware of the identity of the person captured that day. "Don't worry about it; just do your job." The leader sharply reprimanded them.

The carriage stopped in the front courtyard of the manor. In the center of the courtyard stood a massive iron cage.

A bald, burly man, bare-chested, strode over and opened the cage door with a resounding 'Clang.' Then, the two maidens from the carriage escorted the listless Hong Lin, who could barely walk, to the door of the iron cage. With a sudden shove!

Hong Lin collapsed entirely, falling into the cage. "Light the torches!" the leader with the prominent ears commanded loudly.

"Chi chi~~" The entire front courtyard was instantly illuminated by no fewer than eight torches, bathing the area in bright light. The leader glanced around at the surrounding men and barked orders: "From now on, six men per shift.

You will all stay around this iron cage and guard this young lady fiercely. No mistakes are allowed!

Every three hours, the shift changes. Take turns!" "Remember this: if this girl slips away, every single one of us, including myself, will certainly die." The leader's voice was chillingly cold.

Most of these low-ranking men were unaware of the young lady's true identity. Hearing their leader’s words, they were all inwardly shocked.

"Relax, Big Brother. She's locked in the cage, and we can all see her.

Nothing will happen," the bare-chested, bald strongman declared, thumping his chest. "Good.

If anyone gets drowsy, if you’re overcome with sleepiness, just say so, and I'll have someone take over. Absolutely, positively, do not fall asleep while on guard duty for this young lady.

The moment anyone is caught sleeping, if I find out even once, I will personally take his life. At a time like this, no slip-ups can be afforded." These words from the leader made all their hearts tremble.

Dozing off means death? "Haha, are you just afraid of my father?" From inside the iron cage, Hong Lin, her hair disheveled and her face pale, let out a cold laugh.

"Silence," the leader ordered. "You tell me to shut up, and I shut up?

If you have the guts, kill me directly! My father will make sure every single one of you suffers a terrible end." Hong Lin was like a crazed she-wolf, then fixed her gaze on the silently watching 'Fan An Ran' beside her.

At this moment, a small white bird flew through the bars of the iron cage and landed gently on Hong Lin's shoulder. "Xiao Bai," Hong Lin murmured, looking at the little bird on her shoulder, her expression laced with bitterness.

"What is that little bird?" the prominent-eared leader outside frowned and demanded. Fan An Ran beside him spoke casually: "That little bird is just a pet she keeps.

It’s nothing." "Hmph, keeping a bird. As expected of a young lady from a wealthy family; how utterly boring." The leader sneered dismissively before walking to a spot on the ground and sitting down cross-legged.

Fan An Ran and Fan Wu Tong also sat down cross-legged on the ground. ...

On the third floor of a pavilion somewhere in the manor, a figure clad in black observed the scene in the front courtyard through a window, revealing a slight smile. "Teng Qingshan's daughter has finally been captured." He then took a carrier pigeon from a nearby birdcage.

A tightly folded secret letter was already tied to the pigeon's leg. The pigeon flew out of the window swiftly toward Yangzhou, disappearing into the night.

* In Xin'an City, within the jurisdiction of Nanxing Prefecture in Yangzhou. The same ordinary residence stood.

Late at night. "You may go down." The mysterious man in the golden mask looked at the secret letter in his hand and waved his hand.

The silver-haired elder respectfully retreated, leaving the golden-masked man alone in the courtyard. "It has finally begun." "Teng Qingshan, oh Teng Qingshan, I have absolutely no interest in your daughter.

Killing your daughter would be letting you off too easily," the mysterious golden-masked man murmured softly, then let out two strange, manic laughs before walking into his room. Inside the room, the faint light of a single candle barely provided illumination.

The mysterious golden-masked man held a brush and rapidly inscribed some content onto a piece of paper. Afterward, he carefully placed the secret letter into an envelope.

Holding the sealed letter, the golden-masked man walked out of the room, moving with the ease of a gust of wind, instantly arriving in the manor's back courtyard. In the darkness of the back courtyard, a massive, monstrous flying beast lay prone—completely black, and easily over thirty feet long.

This monstrous bird predator abruptly opened its eyes. Its blood-red pupils seemed to carry a bloody stench.

This gigantic flying beast familiarly rubbed its head gently against the golden-masked man's arm. "Yoo~~ Yooo yooo~~~" A series of bird calls issued from the golden-masked man's throat.

The huge flying beast gave a powerful whoosh and immediately took to the air. "Swoosh!" The golden-masked man leaped dozens of feet high, landing squarely on the back of the black beast.

"Teng Qingshan..." "This time, I will make you suffer for a lifetime, regret for a lifetime." Clutching the secret letter, the golden-masked man sat atop the black flying beast and swiftly flew toward the direction of Mount Yan. The enormous monster soon vanished into the dark curtain of the night.

... The first day of the fourth lunar month.

The sun had already risen. In that mysterious manor, the old man Fan Wu Tong held a tray laden with food, which he carried directly to the front of the iron cage and set on the ground.

"Hey. Wake up, don't sleep." Clang!

Clang! Clang!

Fan Wu Tong kicked the iron cage twice. The harsh sound instantly startled Hong Lin awake.

"Hm?" Hong Lin blinked groggily, pausing in confusion, "Where... where am I?" She had waited up almost until dawn the previous night before finally falling asleep.

Being abruptly woken up, Hong Lin failed to process her surroundings immediately. When she saw the gloomy manor and the numerous guards staring at her, she instantly sobered up: "So, this wasn't a dream." All Hong Lin now felt was profound grief and bitterness.

"How could it have come to this?" "Fan An Ran!" Hong Lin glared intensely at Fan An Ran in the distance, but Fan An Ran was chatting casually with the others nearby, not sparing her a single glance. "Father, Father!" Tears welled up in Hong Lin's eyes.

"It was my fault, I misjudged Father. I just don't know if I'll ever see you again in this lifetime." Only now, at this moment, did Hong Lin fully awaken from her beautiful dream and see everything clearly, realizing that her father, Teng Qingshan, had done all this for her own good.

... Teng Qingshan was unaware of his daughter's plight.

However, on the morning of the second day of the fourth month, he received an important letter. "Master, Master!" Yang Dong ran in quickly.

"Master, something terrible has happened, something terrible!" Yang Dong appeared quite flustered. Teng Qingshan was practicing his forms, while Li Jun sat nearby.

"What is it?" Teng Qingshan remained very calm, but Li Jun immediately asked, "What terrible thing?" "Sister Lin Lin, Sister Lin Lin has been captured." Yang Dong said urgently. The expressions of Teng Qingshan and Li Jun both grew solemn, and they exchanged a glance.

In fact, ever since his daughter Hong Lin had left Yong'an County with that Fan An Ran, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun had already anticipated that such an event might occur. Therefore, though a surge of anxiety and anger immediately followed, neither of them was truly surprised.

"Give it to me." Teng Qingshan took the secret letter. "Master, this secret letter came from the Qingshan Guild Hall in Jiangning Prefecture.

They said a formidable master left it behind. Upon reading the contents, they sent it here overnight," Yang Dong explained.

Teng Qingshan nodded slightly. The letter was opened, containing only a few lines— "Teng Qingshan, your daughter is in my hands!

If you wish to save your daughter, there is only one way! Bring the Five Elements Fist manual of your Xing Yi Sect and arrive at the summit of Mount Tian Lan in Yan Zhou by noon on the second day of the fourth month.

If you are late... you can start preparing a funeral for your daughter!" Teng Qingshan was not surprised by the content of the letter.

Yet, a raging fire burned within his heart. "The second day of the fourth month?

Isn't that today?" Li Jun could not help but remark, "Qingshan, Lin Lin is indeed out with that Fan An Ran right now. Could she truly have fallen into his hands?" "If he dares to say it, it is unlikely to be false," Teng Qingshan stated with great composure.

"Master, Master, Sister Hong Lin's life is paramount!" Yang Dong insisted anxiously, unaware that Teng Qingshan had arranged for the Undying Phoenix, 'Xiao Qing,' to secretly follow Lin Lin. "Rest assured." Teng Qingshan revealed a cold smile.

"Today, I shall see exactly who is stirring up trouble behind the scenes!" Teng Qingshan felt that the truth of everything was about to be laid bare.