"Uncle Iron Mask." Mo Lin'er emerged with a beaming smile, bowing deeply toward Iron Mask. "Junior Rong Lin'er, under the command of my master, Ghost King Tu, I have come to assist Uncle Iron Mask in opening the manor. I request your kind guidance."

"Hmph!" The iron-masked man grunted softly and nodded, a form of acknowledgment, yet his finger remained obstinately pointed in Feng Zikang’s direction.

"This young fellow is from the Military School of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, here to complete a merit task: obtaining the Fusang Wood. He merely happened upon this meeting."

"The Military School of Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"

The iron-masked man, who had been stepping forward, halted, pausing thoughtfully.

The Three Teachings and Nine Streams—their reputation was too formidable to trifle with. Even Iron Mask was reluctant to invite such trouble.

"Why not let him depart quickly?"

"Depart quickly?" The one-eyed scholar scoffed. "Why don't you go persuade him? Bullying the weak and fearing the strong."

No one wished to offend the Military School of Dragon and Tiger Mountain; no one wished to offend the Three Teachings and Nine Streams. Among the six present, not a single person wanted to be the first to stick their neck out. In the end, no one addressed Feng Zikang at all, as if they had completely forgotten him.

He was, after all, merely a disciple at the Qi Induction stage; he couldn't stir up any major waves.

"Old Iron Mask, why are you so late this time? Tomorrow is the full moon. You’ve arrived in such haste; we haven’t even managed to prepare..."

Hu Sha’s expression soured as he asked directly.

The iron-masked man sighed. "It shames me to say, the twelve-year covenant almost failed this time. I have a wayward disciple who stole the secret key to the manor opening. I chased him for seven or eight days before I finally tracked him down and killed him, but the secret key was lost..."

"What?" Except for Lin'er, the other four gasped in shock. Feng Zikang, hiding in the room, felt his heart pound.

This Iron Mask... was actually him!

By a stroke of sheer chance, Feng Zikang had become the only person on the island to deduce the Iron Mask’s true identity.

The Lord of the Mount Tai Sword Sect, Liu Yuansu!

Iron Mask could never have anticipated that a single, unintentional remark would expose the identity he had concealed for sixty years.

Only those from the Mount Tai Sword Sect and Feng Zikang knew about the theft of the Dragon’s Tooth Ancient Mirror; and the only people in the world who knew that the Dragon’s Tooth Mirror was the key to opening the Secret Mansion of the Eastern Sea were these six people and Feng Zikang. This made the identity of the iron-masked man self-evident.

Although he had painstakingly altered his appearance, changed his voice and demeanor, and even deliberately used only the Starlight Great Annihilation Sword Style instead of the Mount Tai Fengshan Sword Style, that careless slip had finally given him away.

Feng Zikang had already suspected that someone from the Mount Tai Sword Sect, who possessed the Dragon’s Tooth Ancient Mirror and frequently patrolled Dragon’s Tooth Island, must be involved in this manor opening. Since Iron Mask and Liu Yuansu were in fact the same person, all the lingering doubts naturally dissolved!

"Then what do we do? Without the secret key, how do we open the manor?"

The one-eyed scholar anxiously pressed repeatedly.

The iron-masked man gave a dry chuckle. "Esteemed sirs, please do not fret. Although I lost the secret key, my late master’s notes do mention that this year is a Jiazi year, so there is still a way to enter the secret manor, only... it will be much harder."

"Much harder?"

The smiling face of the Two-Faced Madam couldn't help but show a trace of worry. The face on her back grew so dark it looked ready to drip, her eyes filled with rage and disappointment.

They had held the secret key for sixty years and still couldn't succeed in opening the manor. Now, having lost it, the difficulty was even greater—how could they possibly hope for success?

"Let's just forget it. If it’s like this, why bother opening the manor? Let's all just scatter!" The face on her back spoke, its voice sharp and venomous, grating on the ears.

The iron-masked man sneered, a sharp gleam flickering in his eyes. He shook his head dismissively. "In any case, the success or failure of tomorrow's opening hinges on this one moment. After tomorrow, there will be no other chance. If you wish to leave, please do so at your leisure. After all, you all came uninvited sixty years ago. Whether you want to try this time is up to you."

As soon as he said this, everyone present fell silent. Even the Two-Faced Madam, who had spoken so harshly earlier, kept both faces taut, as if deep in thought. Only Rong Lin'er giggled, acting as if nothing untoward had occurred.

No matter how slim the chance, these people had delayed themselves for sixty years for this matter. To leave now, none of them could accept it. The iron-masked man stood firmly, hands behind his back, gazing at the sky, one couldn't guess the expression beneath his mask.

"Men die for wealth, birds die for food," Feng Zikang sighed softly. He could see clearly that not a single one of those old demons would flinch from danger at the last moment, but Rong Lin'er remained somewhat opaque to him.

What Lin'er said—that she was the disciple of Ghost King Tu—Feng Zikang had never heard that name before.

The cultivation world was vast. Even cultivators with prodigious memories would be doing well to memorize the names of the Seventy-Two Branches of the Three Teachings and Nine Streams in the Central Plains, along with other famous figures. Even the great overseas demons might not have their names widely circulated. Moreover, judging by their tone, Ghost King Tu was at best only at the late Foundation Establishment stage, far from a level that would earn fame in the Central Plains.

However, for this person to withdraw decisively and to have taught such an extraordinary disciple as Rong Lin'er, he could not be an ordinary figure. Merely observing Zhu Lin'er's inscrutable attitude made it impossible for Feng Zikang to grasp her true objective.

"Heh heh, Brother Iron Mask, why be angry? Since you say there is still a way to enter the manor, naturally I will follow. After all, I’ve waited sixty years; how could I be willing to give up without a try?"

The Two-Faced Madam, having two faces, naturally changed expressions much faster than others. The face on her back was still grinding its teeth, but the one in front was wreathed in a warm, affectionate smile.

Since someone had taken the lead, the others also let go of their reservations and expressed their willingness to follow for one last gamble.

Rong Lin'er also followed the group with a cheerful smile. Seeing that the other five were of the same mind, Iron Mask chuckled lightly. "Since everyone is willing to try, then it's settled. We'll follow the old rules: work together to enter the secret manor. Whatever you obtain will be by your own skill. You all have gained considerable benefits over the years to achieve your current cultivation. This final time, we absolutely cannot return empty-handed from a mountain of treasure."

It seemed that for this final opening in the Jiazi cycle, the iron-masked man was determined to succeed. His tone carried considerable confidence.

The cave dwelling had not opened, and the secret key was lost; the group was inevitably disheartened. The one-eyed scholar then pressed about the method other than the secret key. The iron-masked man waved his hand, refusing to answer, stating that the answer would be clear tomorrow night.

"Did you enjoy listening this afternoon?" As night fell, Zhu Lin'er, now wearing a pale green padded jacket, came seeking Feng Zikang again. She looked as if she had just taken a hot bath; her damp hair hung down her back, and her face was rosy and even more alluring.

Feng Zikang offered a wry smile. "When you esteemed people discuss matters, you don't deliberately avoid me. Even if I wanted not to listen, it would be impossible. I'm not a scholar, so I don't possess the divine ability of 'hear no evil.' It was unavoidable that it reached my ears."

"Listen if you want. It only proves that little sister didn't lie to you."

Indeed, the conversation that day confirmed what Zhu Lin'er had said—the history of the five of them arranging to open the manor with Iron Mask.

"Of course, I believe in sister Lin'er."

Believe, but not entirely. This woman was inexplicably showing him favor. Several times when the group tried to provoke him, it was she who clarified his identity and reduced his troubles. There was no such thing as unsolicited kindness in the world. Feng Zikang had been waiting to see what her true objective was.

Rong Lin'er smiled enchantingly, leaning casually against a nearby object, and asked with a smile, "Little brother, you've been on Dragon’s Tooth Island for several days now. I see you go to Fusang Peak every day attempting to harvest the Fusang Wood. But it seems you only ever reach the sixth or seventh layer, which is about right for your cultivation level."

She glanced at Feng Zikang with feigned concern. "With your current ability, you simply cannot defeat the two Six-Winged Pythons guarding the summit. Completing this task won't be easy!"

This task was inherently one that required at least the Great Perfection of the Qi Condensation stage, or even cultivation beyond the Foundation Establishment stage. If ranked among ordinary merit tasks, it would be at least a Grade A task for the late Qi Condensation stage.

With Feng Zikang currently at the seventh layer of Qi Induction, even with superior mental techniques and divine abilities, it would be extremely difficult to combat those two Six-Winged Pythons. To pass them and ascend the Ninth Layer of the Dragon’s Tooth Heavenly Stairway they guarded was exceedingly difficult.

Feng Zikang recalled the pathetic state of those two Pythons and couldn't help but smile inwardly, though on the surface, he adopted a worried expression and sighed softly.

"Sister Rong Lin'er speaks the truth! However, we disciples of the Military School vow never to retreat. Although the Six-Winged Pythons are formidable, I will certainly find a way to deal with them."

Rong Lin'er chuckled playfully. "That’s true, but those of the Military School are not simpletons who only rely on brute force. Being able to advance and retreat freely, bending when necessary—that is the essence of the Military School." Having said this, she continued, "Tomorrow, we will break in from the periphery into the pure fire essence released by the Fusang Wood. We will be just a few steps from the summit. You should come with us?"

"When we open the cave dwelling, you just need to endure and rush through the canopy of the Fusang Wood to reach the top. Cut the Fusang Wood and then escape down the mountain. That will be much easier than forcing your way through."

Zhu Lin'er proposed this invitation with a subtle smile and a flirtatious gaze darting from her eyes, intensely alluring.

"You plan to charge directly into the pure fire essence?" Feng Zikang was greatly shocked!

Zhu Lin'er clapped her hands and laughed heartily. "Little brother, you really couldn't have guessed it! This Secret Mansion of the Eastern Sea is actually hidden within that boundless pure fire essence! That's why they showed no concern for you whatsoever. You, a mere Qi Induction cultivator, couldn't even stand steady in that pure fire. If you don't flee quickly, I fear you’ll turn into ashes in moments!"

Although Feng Zikang was surprised, after a moment's thought, he understood.

The demonic manor could manifest in the self-contained space carved out, or it could manifest within the pure fire essence. It was only a matter of different resonance points between the two realms.

Simply put, it was like two doors. Opening the door in the pure fire essence, or opening it within the space inside the mountain, led to the same destination. However, the space within the mountain was protected by the Five-Colored Bo Xun Flower Illusion Array, which might be difficult to locate. This group of people had higher cultivation than Feng Zikang, so they likely found an entrance within the pure fire essence instead.

"Well? Are you going, or not?"

Rong Lin'er's alluring body pressed close, a scent of virgin fragrance flooding Feng Zikang’s nostrils. He felt a stir in his heart, thinking that this little girl’s skill at seduction was indeed formidable.

Rong Lin'er acted coy and shy, slightly loosening the sash of her garment, and laughed, "Little brother..."