From cute to empress

Chapter 227 The Iron-Blooded Escort's New Move

The flare's light gradually dimmed, and the night sky returned to its former tranquility. Only the whistling cold wind reminded me that a greater storm was brewing. Although Young Master Xiaoyao and the Lord of the Vulture Palace were puzzled, they didn't ask any questions. They simply stood silently beside me. They understood that I had my own sense of propriety.

Thousands of miles away, the cold wind at the border was even more biting. Inside a simple tent, Zhen Youcai, clad in armor, stared at a map with a frown. Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the tent. A soldier opened the curtain, knelt on one knee, and presented a letter with both hands: "General, urgent military information!"

Zhen Youcai's heart tightened as he took the envelope. There was no signature on it, only a familiar red plum blossom imprint – my personal seal. He took a deep breath and opened the envelope. The letter contained only a few lines of words, but they resonated like a thunderbolt in his mind, and his face instantly turned ashen.

"Someone come here!" Zhen Youcai stood up suddenly and crumpled the letter into a ball.

"General!" The soldiers immediately stepped forward to obey the order.

"Pass the order down, all troops on alert, no one is allowed to act without my order!"

"Yes!" The soldier took the order and left.

Zhen Youcai paced back and forth in the tent, his eyes filled with anxiety and worry. He knew I would never ask him for help without a reason. Although the letter contained only a few words, it revealed a message: I was in great danger.

He must come back to me immediately!

Late at night, a swift horseman quietly left the military camp and galloped south. The figure on horseback, hidden in the darkness, was none other than Zhen Youcai. He had brought no soldiers with him on this trip, knowing that doing so would only reveal his whereabouts and give the enemy an opportunity to exploit.

However, he underestimated the enemy's strength, or rather, he underestimated how much Heisha valued me.

Shortly after he left the military camp, several dark shadows followed him quietly. They were agile and moved quickly, moving through the night like ghosts.

"General, it seems like someone is following us." A personal soldier whispered.

Zhen Youcai's face was solemn, and he snorted coldly: "It seems that our every move is under their surveillance."

"Then what do we do now?"

"Get rid of them!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhen Youcai suddenly turned his horse and galloped towards another path, with the shadowy figures in hot pursuit. A thrilling chase unfolded under the cover of night, and Zhen Youcai, relying on his familiarity with the terrain and superb riding skills, escaped the pursuit time and time again.

However, those dark shadows seemed to be everywhere, and no matter where he fled, they always followed him.

"Damn it!" Zhen Youcai cursed in a low voice. He knew that this was not a solution. He had to get rid of these tails as soon as possible, otherwise once he was entangled, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He came up with a plan, deliberately slowing down his pace, leading the shadows into a valley, and then...

"No, there's an ambush!"

My heart seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand. If Zhen Youcai came back to me but failed to arrive safely, it would mean that I would fall into an even deeper crisis.

I looked up at the night sky. The stars twinkled, seeming to foreshadow a dire future. Young Master Xiaoyao and the Lord of the Vulture Palace still stood silently behind me. Their presence brought me a sense of comfort.

"What should we do?" Young Master Xiaoyao asked in a low voice, his voice full of concern.

"Continue investigating," I said firmly. "The Iron-Blooded Escort's influence is widespread throughout the martial arts world. We must find their roots so we can destroy them in one fell swoop."

The Lord of the Vulture Palace nodded in agreement. "We've uncovered part of the Iron Blood Escort's conspiracy, but they have deeper secrets hidden in the shadows. We can't give up easily."

That night, I barely slept, my mind churning over every possible strategy. At daybreak, I asked Master Xiaoyao to continue the investigation while I prepared to meet with Sect Leader Jianxin. Zhen Youcai had mentioned that Sect Leader Jianxin was one of his most trusted men, and I was confident he would fully support us.

As soon as they arrived at the foot of the mountain where Jianxin Sect was located, Sect Master Jianxin came out to greet them. He was dressed in a white robe and looked as graceful as an immortal, but his eyes were filled with infinite wisdom and majesty.

"Niu Mengmeng, we have learned the news about General Zhen Youcai. He was attacked on the way, but he has sent a message. Please rest assured." Sect Leader Jianxin smiled slightly, extinguishing the anxiety in my heart.

"Master, why doesn't Zhen Youcai come directly?" I asked, with confusion in my eyes.

"In order to prevent our actions from being exposed, he has chosen another route. Right now, we are doing everything we can to ensure his safety." Master Jianxin paused, then said seriously, "We need to formulate a comprehensive plan immediately."

Sect Leader Jianxin personally led me into the main hall, where dozens of martial arts masters with unique skills had already gathered. Each face was filled with determination and loyalty, a fearless force.

"Everyone," Sect Leader Jianxin looked around, "The Iron-Blooded Escort's conspiracy has surfaced, but we still lack the final crucial evidence. Miss Niu Mengmeng's wisdom and courage are worthy of our trust. General Zhen is busy outside, and we must coordinate from within."

I took a deep breath, straightened my back, and my eyes were filled with determination. "We've discovered that the Iron-Blooded Escorts' influence is pervasive throughout the martial arts world. But their most secretive stronghold remains undiscovered. And this final clue lies at the upcoming martial arts conference."

"The martial arts conference is our best chance to reveal the truth." Sect Leader Jianxin nodded and said, "Miss Niu, tell everyone what you know. We will fully cooperate."

I excitedly shared the intelligence we had gathered, and we worked out a detailed action plan. Every detail was carefully considered, and when the battle plan was finalized, the hall fell silent, everyone ready to give their all for this decisive battle.

At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door, and a disciple hurried in and handed a letter to Master Jianxin. Master Jianxin opened the envelope, frowned, and looked at me with complicated eyes.

"General Zhen has sent news, but the situation is complicated and his specific whereabouts are not known for the time being." Sect Leader Jianxin said slowly.

My heart tightened, but there was no turning back. Everyone's eyes were on me, and I nodded slowly. "We need to keep moving forward. Wherever Zhen Youcai is, he'll join us."

Master Jianxin was silent for a moment, then turned to everyone and spoke with a resolute and powerful voice, "Everyone, prepare! Our actions will determine the future of the entire Jianghu." Master Jianxin's words were like a lit torch, instantly illuminating hope in everyone's hearts. We were no longer confused, no longer afraid, because we knew that for justice, to protect the peace of the Jianghu, we must fight with all our might.

Over the next few days, a tense yet orderly atmosphere permeated the Jianxin Sect. Disciples intensified their drills, mastering their coordination; martial arts masters immersed themselves in cultivation, sharpening their own strength. I, along with Young Master Xiaoyao, the Lord of the Lingjiu Palace, and others, repeatedly rehearsed every step of our plan, striving for absolute certainty.

The martial arts conference will be held in three days. At that time, all sects will gather in Shaoshi Mountain to discuss the major issues of the martial arts world. This is both the perfect opportunity for us to expose the Iron Blood Escort's conspiracy, but also a challenge full of unknowns.

I know full well that the Iron Blood Escorts will not sit idly by. Now that they have mastered some of the secrets of the ancient tome, their strength will undoubtedly increase greatly. We must be fully prepared.

"Master Xiaoyao, Master Lingjiu, this operation is of great importance. We must proceed with caution." I summoned the two of them to the secret room and whispered, "I have a feeling that Master Tiexue will take action at the martial arts conference."

"That's right. We must not let our guard down." Young Master Xiaoyao nodded. "I've already arranged for someone to secretly monitor the movements of the Iron Blood Escort Master. If they find anything unusual, report it to us immediately."

The Lord of the Lingjiu Palace also added: "I have already notified the masters in the palace, and they are ready to support us at any time."

I felt a little relieved, but the nagging feeling of unease lingered. I had a feeling that things wouldn't go so smoothly.

At this moment, a carrier pigeon flew into the secret room and landed in front of me. I untied the letter box, took out the note inside, opened it, and my face turned pale.

"What's wrong?" Young Master Xiaoyao noticed that something was wrong with me and asked hurriedly.

I took a deep breath, handed him the note, and said in a trembling voice, "Iron Blood Escort... they've found it..."

Young Master Xiaoyao took the note, quickly scanned the contents on it, and his expression became extremely solemn.

"How could this happen..." He muttered in a low voice, his eyes full of disbelief.

I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging deep into my flesh, yet I felt no pain. I had only one thought in my mind: I must not let them succeed!

"We must rush there immediately..." I stood up suddenly, but suddenly felt dizzy, my eyes went black, and my body fell backwards weakly.

"Miss Cow!"

"Mengmeng!"

...I awoke from my stupor and found myself lying in the guest room of Jianxin Sect. Young Master Xiaoyao and the Lord of Lingjiu Palace stood by my bed, their expressions filled with worry.

"Miss Niu, you're finally awake!" Young Master Xiaoyao heaved a sigh of relief when he saw me open my eyes. "You were unconscious for a whole day and night, and we were terribly worried."

"I'm fine..." I struggled to get up, but felt dizzy. "How could I..."

"You were overworked and upset, which is why you fainted suddenly." The Lord of the Vulture Palace said softly, "Luckily, we found you in time, so you're not seriously injured."

I tried hard to recall what happened before I fainted. The contents of the letter were like a sharp knife, deeply hurting my heart.

"Iron-Blooded Escort… they found it… found it…" I spoke incoherently, my mind in a mess.

"Ms. Niu, don't be anxious, just speak slowly." Young Master Xiaoyao held my hand and tried to calm me down.

I took a deep breath, forced myself to calm down, and told them the contents of the letter in a halting manner: "Iron Blood Escort... they found... the last key... that controls the magic circle..."

After listening to my story, Young Master Xiaoyao and Palace Master Lingjiu both looked extremely solemn.

"It seems that we must advance our plans." Young Master Xiaoyao said in a deep voice, "We can no longer sit and wait for death, we must take the initiative to attack!"

I suppressed my physical weakness and nodded, "Yes, we must stop them!"

"But, Miss Niu, your current physical condition..." The Lord of Lingjiu Palace looked at me worriedly.

"I'm fine. This minor illness is nothing." I interrupted her. "There's no time to lose. We must rush to Shaoshi Mountain as soon as possible!"

"Okay!" Young Master Xiaoyao and the Lord of Lingjiu Palace looked at each other and nodded in agreement to my proposal.

The three of us packed up quickly and hurriedly left Jianxin Gate, heading straight for Shaoshi Mountain. Along the way, I was extremely anxious, and I couldn't wait to fly to Shaoshi Mountain to prevent the impending disaster.

Three days later, we finally arrived at the foot of Mount Shaoshi. The martial arts conference was about to begin, and representatives from various sects had already arrived. Looking out, the foot of Mount Shaoshi was bustling with activity, a sea of ​​people.

I suppressed my inner uneasiness and, along with Young Master Xiaoyao and the Lord of the Vulture Palace, blended into the crowd. I knew a storm was about to come...

"Master Xiaoyao, look, that is..." The Lord of Lingjiu Palace suddenly pulled Master Xiaoyao's sleeve and pointed at a group of people not far away.

I followed her gaze and saw the Iron-Blooded Escorts standing among the crowd. Their eyes were cold, and there was a subtle sneer on their lips, as if everything was under their control. My heart sank, and a sense of foreboding washed over me.