Beside them, Gu Rongxue in a gorgeous floor - length purple robe tightly pursed his thin lips. His stunning face looked somewhat unreal in the candlelight. He silently stared at the golden jade tree, saying nothing.
"An old man once predicted that this golden jade tree would bring about unexpected disasters, for it has once been burdened with countless blood debts..." In the medium - sized cave, Wang Chengyang's gloomy voice echoed.
Everyone fell silent. After the stillness, only the crackling sound of the burning candles could be heard in their ears.
Gu Rongxue's face turned rather grim. He stood quietly to one side. In the dim cave, his purple figure seemed like an autumn leaf that would fall at the slightest breeze.
Su Xiaoliu noticed him. She pursed her lips, not knowing what to say. She could only stand not far away, watching him as his somewhat helpless and empty eyes gradually dimmed in the darkness.
"If the leader doesn't believe me, I'll bring that old man out for you to see," Cang Nanyan suddenly said.
Everyone looked up. Two figures were approaching the light in the darkness.
They were the figure of a graceful young woman and an old man leaning on a long stick.
It was not until they walked up to everyone that their appearances could be clearly seen.
The moment she saw the old man, Su Xiaoliu stiffened, and Zhong Fengyue was also slightly stunned. The others' gazes all fell on the graceful young woman beside him.
"O - old man?" Su Xiaoliu murmured, looking utterly incredulous.
The old man had white hair and a white beard. He wore a dark green headband around his head and held a long spear. His once bright eyes were now as dull as ashes. He let the graceful young woman support him.
The moment the old man looked up and saw Su Xiaoliu, his eyes lit up for a moment, but that light was full of resentment and annoyance. Su Xiaoliu stood there, stunned.
The graceful young woman that everyone noticed was dressed in a light - pink silk dress. She wore a soft golden silk belt around her waist. With bright eyes, white teeth, delicately arched eyebrows, and a peach - blossom - like face, she was about seventeen or eighteen years old. Although in the prime of her youth, there was a faint numbness in her eyes, as if she had long been used to being a mere shell.
Su Xiaoliu recognized her at a glance. She was the young woman who threw the embroidered ball to find a husband on the flower boat last time. However, she hadn't shown her face last time. Now that her appearance could be clearly seen, she was truly a great beauty, peerless in charm.
After seeing the silent old man, Tang Yuyan behind the Island Master of Tang Island pursed her lips. She took two steps forward, looked at Cang Nanyan, and said, "Grandpa Cang, you've gone too far." Then she turned her gaze to the young woman beside her and said softly, "Luoyao, I'm Yuyan. Luoyao, do you remember me?"
Cang Luoyao glanced at Tang Yuyan. Her originally numb eyes suddenly trembled for a moment, but soon returned to their original state. Seeing this, the hope on Tang Yuyan's face dimmed again.
Wei Feng in a crane - feather cloak took two steps forward and walked beside Tang Yuyan. Looking at Cang Nanyan, he said, "Cang Nanyan, for the sake of fame and fortune, you won't even spare your own daughter. You're really heartless."
When Old Wei saw his son speaking so directly, he first frowned. Then, after thinking for a while, he decided to just let him be.
Cang Nanyan glanced at the two of them and ignored them. He pointed at the old man and said to him, "Old Gu, say that sentence out for everyone to hear."
Su Xiaoliu looked up at the old man. A faint sense of uneasiness welled up in her heart...
The old man looked up at everyone and suddenly burst into laughter. His hoarse but powerful laughter echoed in the cave. Everyone's face was filled with sorrow and resentment.
The old man suddenly stopped laughing. He looked at everyone and shouted loudly, "The Calamity of the Hundred Clans!"
Everyone's face changed, except for Su Xiaoliu, and they all looked nearly shocked. Su Xiaoliu just felt extremely puzzled. Why did everyone seem to be hit by a thunderbolt as soon as these three words were spoken?
Especially Gu Rongxue. His long eyelashes trembled, and his flesh - colored thin lips had been bitten until blood oozed out. The blood beads slid down his sharp chin onto his fair neck, presenting a kind of coquettish beauty.
The leader's starry eyes turned cold. He turned to look at Wang Chengyang, who was lowering his head and seemed to be thinking about something. He said coldly, "You also know about this?"
Wang Chengyang looked up. Seeing the leader's gloomy face, he quickly lowered his head and said, "Y - yes... I accidentally heard it from Guard Chang."
Su Xiaoliu gritted her teeth. For a moment, she didn't know whom to blame.
The old man looked up at Wang Chengyang and then at Su Xiaoliu. Suddenly, there was a hint of relief in his eyes.
Su Xiaoliu noticed the old man's gaze and suddenly realized. No wonder the old man's expression when looking at her before was so strange. He must have always thought that it was she who had leaked that sentence.
What was the Calamity of the Hundred Clans? She had always been puzzled.
She looked up at Zhong Fengyue, pursed her lips, and whispered, "What is the Calamity of the Hundred Clans?" This was the first sentence she had said to him since they parted ways in the capital after that night on the flower boat.
Zhong Fengyue was slightly stunned. He looked down at her. The rosy lips on his handsome chin moved gently. He curved his lips into a smile and said in a pleasant voice, "When the Hundred Clans mobilize, there will surely be a great calamity." Afraid that she wouldn't understand, after a moment, he added, "The Hundred Clans is a very secretive gang. There may be thousands or tens of thousands of people in it, or perhaps only a few. A few years ago, the Hundred Clans mobilized once. That time, there was an uproar in the city, and the Empty Valley was massacred..."
Su Xiaoliu felt goosebumps all over. This Hundred Clans was really powerful. An uproar in the city and the massacre of the Empty Valley. Just hearing about it was terrifying.
"The Hundred Clans is indeed very powerful. This time, I wonder what will happen..." Zhong Fengyue looked at her through his white - veiled hat, as if he could read her mind.
Su Xiaoliu quickly lowered her head. Her heart was pounding like a drum. For some reason, she felt that he was no longer as distant and strange as before. Instead, he gave her a feeling of extreme familiarity, a feeling that she was a little afraid to recall. Yes, she was just avoiding it.
"I want the Heavenly - bestowed Sword. Lord Nie wants that woman. The golden jade tree can be given to the leader. How about it?" Cang Nanyan said in an unhurried tone, as if he were making a deal.
The Head of Tong Sect looked at Cang Nanyan and angrily pointed at him, saying, "Grandpa Cang, you've really lost your mind. At this critical moment, we should join hands to deal with the Hundred Clans! The Heavenly - bestowed Sword cannot be given to you. It belongs to the Heavenly - bestowed Sect. That woman cannot be given to you either. She is the Fairy. And the golden jade tree cannot be given to the leader. The target of the Hundred Clans' mobilization this time is the golden jade tree!"
"She's not Yun Ruo," Lord Nie, who had been watching the show for a long time, glanced at Su Xiaoliu. Just one glance made Su Xiaoliu feel a chill down her back.
She was really afraid of him, not only because she had been captured by him twice, but also because... he wasn't just playing with her. He really wanted her life!
Zhong Fengyue gently pulled Su Xiaoliu behind him and let out a charming chuckle.
"Whether she's Yun Ruo or not, I don't care. But I won't hand her over to you," he said directly to Lord Nie through his veil. His dark eyes were filled with a pressing coldness.