The moonlight was like ink.

The two people, one tall and one short, walked along the mountain path for several miles, then turned onto a small trail. They twisted and turned, making loops and detours, using the trees and vegetation in the forest to obscure and hide their figures.

Extremely troublesome.

Lin Aoshan was extremely anxious, no longer able to see the pair. Li Xian, relying on his eyesight, remained calm and composed, still in control.

The Flower Cage Sect is an evil sect in the Jianghu, acting mysteriously. They have their way of surviving, and this mountain-running technique is called "Pan Chang Step." In places with dense vegetation and complex terrain, it's highly effective.

It can cause a person to lose all senses and pass out. Li Xian, keeping a distance, maintained a wide view. When the two circled and turned, he stopped to observe, not following blindly.

This allowed him to avoid the effects of "Pan Chang Step," keeping his mind clear. The two gradually advanced through their circling, reaching an open area.

There was an abandoned mansion. The door plaques were all decayed, and the ground was overgrown with weeds, taller than a person. The two entered the abandoned house, and faint firelight flickered from deep within.

Having tracked them here, Lin Aoshan dared not follow rashly and looked at Li Xian. Li Xian said, "You go back and inform Luo Xia. Have her lead the constables and approach the outside of the mountain stealthily."

Lin Aoshan had long thought Li Xian to be smart and decisive and was willing to listen. Now, with the situation urgent, she nodded slightly without saying much and left using her lightweight skill.

The abandoned house was surrounded by wild grass, like a natural barrier. Thirty paces outside the house stood a towering old tree.

Over ten zhang high, the tree trunk needed seven or eight people to embrace, with dense branches and leaves. It could easily hide a person.

Li Xian mused, "Waiting here is futile. It's better to hide in this tree and use the power of heavy pupils to spy on the situation inside." Using the "Light Technique," he climbed up the trunk agilely and hid himself in the thick tree crown.

A venomous snake slithered on the tree, and when disturbed, it raised its mouth to bite. Li Xian struck like lightning, using the Vertical Cloud Hand to catch the snake three inches behind its head, squeezing it tightly until dead.

Once settled, he used his heavy pupils to observe the scenes inside through the roof tiles.

Inside the abandoned hall, about seven or eight people sat around. They had lit a fire, seemingly chatting leisurely.

Suddenly, a person holding a torch and carrying dry cakes and a water bag exited the abandoned hall, passed through a densely weeded corridor, and entered a side chamber in the backyard.

This mansion was already abandoned. Except for this side chamber, which was the most intact, with intact tiles and still red paint. The person opened the door, and some cries were heard.

Li Xian Ning focused his gaze, thinking, "The abducted women are indeed hidden here. This group is undoubtedly the Flower Cage Sect. The next step is to gather the constables and wipe them out together."

Inside the room, there were five women, all with good looks, heavily bound and unable to move. The beautiful third wife of the Wang family was the first to be abducted and had been here for several days, the most adapted. She had a delicate appearance, her clothes tidy, maintaining an elegant image despite the circumstances, truly a distinguished lady, impeccably composed.

There was a wooden chair in the room to which she was tied hand and foot. Her expression was melancholy yet adapted. Seeing a disciple of the Flower Cage Sect approaching, she merely sighed softly.

Li Xian muttered, "Although the Flower Cage Sect commits many evils, their taste isn't bad."

He then looked elsewhere. The beauties from the Zhao and Luo families didn't receive such treatment. Each sat in a corner, their hands tied behind their backs, their wrists tightly bound. Their ankles free, but knowing escape was futile, they didn't struggle.

The Lin family's daughter, Lin Qingwan, was captured last night. The Flower Cage Sect, experienced in capturing women, knew the younger they were, the more they resisted, especially in the initial days. Therefore, they focused on subduing them, binding her even tighter.

She was tied to a pillar with seven or eight ropes around her body, like she was glued to the post. Now drowsy, her long hair was loose, quite pitiful.

In the corner of the room, there was another woman in colorful clothes. Recently captured, also tightly bound. However, the room had only one wooden pillar, making her the most miserable. The others could sit or stand, but she lay face down, her hands and feet bent backward, tied together.

Li Xian suddenly found her familiar, looking twice, but with her face down and her limbs bent, he couldn't see her features or body shape, leaving him without clues to guess.

The Flower Cage Sect member said, "Come, have some water and dry food, Brother Gu ordered. Tomorrow we set off, and you... will go with us."

"Behave yourselves, you know. Though you are daughters of noble families. But they've all given you up for dead, not intending to look for you."

Upon hearing this, the sobbing grew heavier.

"Cry, cry, cry, what are you crying for."

"Pull yourselves together, fill your bellies."

That person glanced around, seeing the women's beautiful but pale faces, cursing, "Damn it, a bunch of brazen hussies. If it weren't for Brother Gu's orders to conserve energy for unforeseen events, I'd show you if my skills are hard or not!"

...

...

A big fight would happen soon; Li Xian averted his gaze, observing the Flower Cage Sect members.

Among them, about three were formidable.

It's difficult to discern cultivation levels with the naked eye, but martial arts skills and mastery levels can be seen from walking, movements, voices, and status.

One of them had an unusual presence, with chi in his chest and breathing like a serpent... surely practiced profound martial arts with a cultivation likely at Food Essence level.

"This person seems formidable, probably that 'Brother Gu,' hmm... I'll leave him for Lin Aoshan to handle."

"I'll choose someone not too strong, not too weak, for some practice."

Li Xian contemplated. Lin Aoshan's martial arts mastery and cultivation were both immense, her cultivation higher than his. As for martial arts mastery... She had been exposed to numerous techniques since childhood. While her expertise in each might not be as deep as Li Xian's, she was broader than him.

The quality was also high.

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