Only Gu Qianying, Nangong Mo, Meng Yi, and the flood dragon A Mu, along with Qiu Ling and her servant who were plotting their next move, had not drunk the wine.
Qiu Ling, having also accidentally avoided falling unconscious, exchanged a look with her servant as the atmosphere turned grim. Seizing the moment when no one was paying attention, they quietly slipped away.
None of the remaining people had fallen, clearly having taken an antidote beforehand.
Nangong Mo, his hand held tightly by Gu Qianying, looked at the others who seemed to have fallen asleep, unaware of what had happened. However, upon seeing the people who had stood up and the various long and short blades they held, he was so frightened that he burrowed into Gu Qianying's embrace, burying his face in her neck, clearly terrified.
At this moment, Meng Yi and the flood dragon A Mu, sensing the change in events and the unsettling atmosphere, reacted swiftly. Meng Yi drew his sabre. The flood dragon A Mu prepared to transform.
However, as Meng Yi raised his sabre, a five-pointed iron dart whizzed towards him.
"Ugh!"
The dart struck his shoulder. Meng Yi clutched his shoulder, his sabre falling to the ground, his lips quickly turning black. Clearly, the dart was poisoned. He knelt on one knee, supporting himself with one hand.
"Princess Consort… hurry… run!" His voice was weak, his forehead and the sides of his cheeks covered in sweat. Despite his strong will, he had not yet fallen.
Meanwhile, as the flood dragon A Mu was about to transform, a massive iron cage suddenly descended from above. Those people standing close to him quickly dodged. With a loud "Bang!", the flood dragon's enormous body appeared, only to be trapped within the colossal iron cage. The bars, soaked in green vitriol oil, emitted a pungent odor. His massive dragon body almost filled the entire cage. The flesh touching the bars was instantly corroded into rotting meat.
"Roar..." The flood dragon A Mu roared in pain.
Those who had initially feared being attacked by the colossal dragon now breathed a sigh of relief. The corroded flesh peeled off layer by layer, and the green blood flowing within the dragon's body dripped down, exposed to the world.
Gu Qianying glanced back at the flood dragon trapped in the iron cage. Turning, her gaze turned cold. She pressed her jade-like finger to Nangong Mo's neck and, looking past him towards the Tianji Wu Clan leader, spoke with mockery.
"Heh! Tianji Wu Clan leader, I never realized you had such capabilities!"
With their masks off, the Tianji Wu Clan leader no longer pretended. He raised his arm and clapped his hands. As his arms fell, two familiar figures walked in.
"Doctor Gu, we meet again."
"You wretched bitch, you've finally fallen into my hands, haha."
Wu Yangfeng and Wu Yanghao walked forward. The surrounding people automatically stepped aside. Today, Wu Yangfeng had deliberately worn a brightly colored skirt and a golden phoenix hairpin, dressed as a woman from the Central Plains. Wu Yanghao wore a tiger skin, his wounds bandaged. As they entered, they were followed by several of their own people, all armed with large sabres.
Seeing these two, Gu Qianying let out a cold laugh.
"So that's how it is." Her indifferent gaze shifted from the Wu Yang siblings to the Tianji Wu Clan leader.
"Tianji Wu Clan leader, you've hidden yourself deeply. I presume that from the moment we entered the Wu Clan territory, you had this entire game planned out. And..." Her cold gaze swept over the Wu Clan people led by the Tianji Wu Clan leader. She continued, "We were all your pawns. It seems you may have long since escaped the spirit control technique."
Gu Qianying patted Nangong Mo in her arms, her hand stroking his back. With the last stroke, she shifted her hand. Gently placing her palm on the back of his neck, the person in her arms went limp and fell into her embrace, temporarily unconscious. Then, she grabbed a corner of the table and chairs, flipping the table laden with delicacies onto the ground. The table was empty.
Carrying Nangong Mo horizontally, she carefully placed him on the tabletop, letting him lie flat. An hour before, Lu Zhu had draped the white cloak over her shoulders and covered Nangong Mo with it.
"Controlled by the former clan leader and your son, you then used us outsiders to deal with the clan leader, and even brought out the matter of the Saintess and your son Wu Cheng's affair, thus also dismantling Wu Cheng's influence in the Wu Clan territory."
"After everything settled down, according to your plan, you released all information about the Demon Token, including Lu Zhu proposing to you about our intention to seize the Demon Token. All of this was part of your plan. Your sole purpose in doing all this was to have us defeat the Yinshan Six, and the flood dragon, and finally obtain the Demon Token, while you simply reaped the benefits."
Gu Qianying laid out the Tianji Wu Clan leader's plan based on her deductions and guesses.
"Hahaha!"
"Doctor Gu, I must say, you are very intelligent. Everything you've said is entirely correct. From the moment the Saintess returned, I knew my plan could soon be set in motion again."
As he spoke, the Tianji Wu Clan leader gestured behind him to his followers. Two of them immediately respectfully brought him a grand tutor's chair. He flicked his sleeve and sat down, exuding an imposing aura. He idly stroked the small tuft of white beard under his chin.
"Over the years, many have worked for me, but alas, those good-for-nothings always boasted and ultimately died in Yinshan. Their bones lie beneath the cliffs."
"I cleaned up the scenes time and time again, luring people in, but no one succeeded. Good-for-nothings are still good-for-nothings!"
At this moment, a sycophantic follower beside him handed him a cup of tea. The Tianji Wu Clan leader took it and drank it leisurely. In his eyes, the Demon Token in Gu Qianying's hand was already his, and Gu Qianying and her group were already dead.
"However, fortunately, the Saintess brought people like you back. Old Qiu hid in the distance and clearly saw the scene of subduing the Yinshan Six and the flood dragon. This time, I knew the Demon Token would finally be mine."
Handing the empty teacup to a follower beside him, the Tianji Wu Clan leader turned to Gu Qianying. "Doctor Gu, your medical skills are indeed good, but unfortunately, you are not an ordinary person. Otherwise, I truly wish you could stay and be an ordinary physician here."
"Doctor Gu, seeing as you treated my deceased daughter well, as long as you obediently hand over the Demon Token, I will spare your life."
"Heh!" Gu Qianying laughed.
"Since the Tianji Wu Clan leader knows I am not an ordinary person, what makes you so confident that I will obediently hand over the Demon Token to you?"
Hearing this, the Tianji Wu Clan leader merely smiled, remaining silent. He glanced at the Wu Clan people behind him who were obeying his command. Three or four of them stepped forward, holding sabres, and approached Du Chun and the others, placing the blades at their throats.
"Doctor Gu, I believe you are a person who values relationships. I don't think you would want all your companions to perish, would you?"
Amidst the threats, Gu Qianying glanced at the three or four Wu Clan people standing behind Du Chun and the others. She remembered their appearances. The wind blew, and green leaves fell one by one. She casually removed a leaf that had landed on Nangong Mo's head, then turned to face the Tianji Wu Clan leader, continuing her unfinished words.
"It seems I must hand over the Demon Token in my hand. But to whom shall I give it?"
The Tianji Wu Clan leader frowned. After fully comprehending Gu Qianying's words, he hurriedly looked at the Wu Yang siblings. A sharp dagger was pressed against his neck. Wu Yanghao was the one holding the dagger. At this moment, the Wu Yang Shang Clan members who had entered with him and the Wu Yin Clan members who were obeying the Tianji Wu Clan leader faced each other, blades drawn. Two forces stood opposed.
The Tianji Wu Clan leader stared at Wu Yanghao in disbelief. "Wu Yanghao, what are you doing? Didn't we agree that the Demon Token would be mine, and these people, along with my power, and the entire Wu Yin Lower Clan would be yours? You could unify the Wu Clan."
As if hearing a huge joke, Wu Yanghao laughed heartily. "Old man Tianji, you're too naive. I'm confident I can snatch all your possessions, including this Demon Token, so why should I cooperate with you?"
As he spoke, an ominous wind arose. An old man leaning on a walking stick entered. The elder was clad in a black cloak and had a head full of white hair.
"Tianji, long time no see." The elder's voice was hoarse and deep.
Upon seeing this person, the Tianji Wu Clan leader's surprise intensified. "Wu Yang Shang Shi? You're still alive? Weren't you already...?" Three years ago, it was rumored that Wu Yang's father, Wu Yang Shang Shi, Wu Yang Lei, had been assassinated and died. For the past three years, the Wu Yang Shang Clan had been managed entirely by the Wu Yang siblings, with several elders assisting.
"Tianji, I knew from the beginning that your plan would be a complete success, and my plan comes after yours. We, the Wu Yang Shang Clan, are the most qualified to possess this Demon Token. As for you Wu Yin Lower Clan people, you are merely base commoners, wasting food by living. Come, attack!"
Instantly, dozens of Wu Yang Shang Clan members, organized into a trained small army, rushed in. They were called Wu Soldiers, all uniformly dressed and carrying a mace. These people subdued all those who were obeying the Tianji Wu Clan leader. The sabres at Du Chun and the others' throats were replaced by elite Wu Soldiers beside Wu Yang Shang Shi.
"You...!" The Tianji Wu Clan leader's face contorted with shock. At this moment, the Tianji Wu Clan leader was still seated in his chair. Wu Yangfeng walked over and kicked him off. As the Tianji Wu Clan leader got up, two Wu Soldiers placed the maces they held at his neck. Wu Yanghao retracted the dagger in his hand, turned, and stood behind Wu Yang Shang Shi.
"Father, don't waste words with these people. Kill everyone here except that beautiful lady." He pointed at Gu Qianying, grinning lecherously. "Father, this is Gu Qianying. The Demon Token is on her. I want her too."