"Death penalty!"

"Absolutely death penalty!"

"Death penalty +65535!"

"What the hell is Fourth Mistress?"

"Daring to spread rumors about Shang Shang being infatuated with you in the script world?"

"Burn this scum!"

"Feng Bujue must die!"

"Xuhuai Shang Official Fan Club declares that we've already contracted for Feng Bujue's head!"

"Shang's Royal Guard reporting! Immediate and unpardonable execution for Feng!"

Because the semi-finals were broadcast in segments, all viewers following the Peak Brawl S2 were watching the same match at this moment.

And their feelings when they saw this scene...were basically reflected in the above comments and bullet screens.

Of course, most people were just teasing. Everyone understood that Eunuch Cao's conclusion must have come from being fooled in some script.

No one would take a misunderstanding in a game world seriously.

But...even so, Feng Bujue's behavior was still unforgivable; Xu Nü Shen's fans unanimously agreed that it would be better for him to die.

...

Having finished with the off-field matters, let's return our attention to the script.

After a rather awkward silence, Cao Qin spoke again: "By the way, Head Protector Feng...there is indeed something I wanted to ask you..." He looked at Jue-ge and casually inquired in an ambiguous tone, "Back then, at the Purple Forbidden Peak, you and that Miss Xu both turned into white light and disappeared...what kind of technique was that?"

"Oh...that..." Feng Bujue was very experienced in answering such questions, "Eunuch Cao has already entered Dao through martial arts, can't you really see it?"

His words were ambiguous, seemingly saying something, but he simply threw the question back.

Cao Qin smiled upon hearing this, and replied: "Heh...Head Protector Feng is still the same as ever...Alright, if you don't want to say, then don't, I won't force you."

Compared to the last time he saw Jue-ge, Cao Qin's state of mind had obviously changed again.

More than a decade ago, he still had some hostility in him, as could be seen from his attitude towards those three martial arts heroes...Although he wasn't bloodthirsty, he wasn't averse to killing either. He could be merciful, but he couldn't be called compassionate. He had seen through fame and fortune, but he was still attached to respect.

However, after more than a decade...

Now, Cao Qin's appearance and figure had returned to that of someone under forty, and he even looked younger than he did in Cangling Town.

And in his words and actions...there was always a hint of indifference, a hint of unrestraint, and a hint of world-weariness that was inconsistent with his age.

Those Jianghu matters, martial arts matters, matters between people...he listened and asked, but he no longer cared or clung to them.

With Cao Qin's current realm, he was more focused on thinking about "how he should view the world"...As for how the world viewed him, he could simply dismiss it with a smile.

"So...very good." Feng Bujue replied, and took the opportunity to ask, "Speaking of which...there's also something I don't understand and would like to ask you, Eunuch... " He glanced at the stone pool, "As the saying goes...it's hard to drink alone. Why is Eunuch Cao standing by the stone pool, drinking and looking at the spring in the middle of the night?"

Jue-ge didn't ask why Cao Qin was in Burial Heart Valley, because he knew that through deduction—he must have entered the valley with the group of imperial soldiers from the opening scene. What Jue-ge couldn't deduce was the question before him...

"Oh...this..." Cao Qin chuckled, "An hour ago, I paused here and suddenly comprehended a new set of martial arts, and I am currently refining it."

"Huh?" Xiao Tan asked with a curious expression upon hearing this, "Standing around drinking and spacing out refines martial arts?"

"Hahaha..." Cao Qin laughed upon hearing this, "This little brother, then tell me...what should I do? Set up my stance by this stone pool and practice my fist and footwork?"

"Well..." Xiao Tan wanted to answer "yes," but he felt that the other party's tone didn't seem to be asking a question.

"Haha...Eunuch Cao, forgive my disciple's rudeness." Feng Bujue quickly interjected, "This disciple of mine has the worst aptitude of all my liaoke, I thought he was a clever child when I saw his pretty face, but I didn't expect him to be a fool after I took him in. Look...he's been with me for decades...and his martial arts are still so clumsy."

"Oh..." Cao Qin nodded, "Head Protector Feng, you've really had it tough."

Their back-and-forth tone was like two adults discussing a little kid, which was quite irritating. Fortunately, Xiao Tan had a very good temper, or rather, he had a naturally good temperament, and didn't take the words to heart.

"Speaking of..." After chatting for a few sentences, Feng Bujue felt that the time was right, so he guided the topic towards the plot, "If I'm not mistaken, this time Eunuch Cao has come to this Burial Heart Valley...is it to obtain the 'art of immortality' for the Emperor?"

"Hmph...Head Protector Feng's information is really well-informed." Cao Qin's response was equivalent to acknowledging Jue-ge's statement.

"Eunuch Cao, you flatter me..." Feng Bujue laughed, "...Isn't this already an open secret?"

This question was also a test.

"Heh...that's true." Cao Qin continued, "The rumor that the 'King of Hell' of Burial Heart Valley possesses the 'art of immortality' has been circulating in the Jianghu for decades. And the news of the Emperor's illness...can't be hidden either. In this kind of situation, the Jinyiwei commander, the vice-envoy of the Grand Military Commission, and myself all rushing here together, the purpose is self-evident."

"Hmm..." After two seconds, Jue-ge nodded and followed the other party's words, "Those people in Jianghu must have heard the news and moved accordingly..."

"Sigh...people are just like that." Cao Qin shook his head and sighed, "The legend of the King of Hell has been circulating in the Jianghu for decades, many people know about it, but very few believe it, and even fewer dare to come here to find out." He paused for a few seconds and took another sip of wine, "But now, as soon as the Emperor's secret decree is issued, and the imperial troops move, these people can't sit still...Suddenly, they all believe it, and they've all come." He smiled, "But in reality? Hmph...Regarding that 'art of immortality,' the Emperor himself only believes it three parts of the way. To put it bluntly, he also knows that he's nearing death and is thinking of treating a dead horse as if it were still alive, that's why he issued that secret decree."

"Eunuch Cao..." Feng Bujue said with a teasing smile upon hearing this, "These are treasonous words, punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family~"

"Ha!" Cao Qin waved his sleeve, "Do I still care about that?" He looked up at the sky, "If it weren't to repay the late Emperor's appreciation and kindness, I would have left the court long ago. Under the heavens...who can stop me?" He took another gulp of strong liquor, "As for the extermination of nine generations...I'm a eunuch, I was already alone when I entered the palace as a child, and it's even more impossible to have any descendants after entering the palace. If you want to exterminate, go exterminate those who recognize me as their godfather and grand-godfather, they're mostly treacherous sycophants, it's one less if you kill one."

"Then..." Feng Bujue understood Cao Qin's position upon hearing this, and then asked, "What are Eunuch Cao's views and plans for the current situation in the valley?"

"Plans? Heh...what plans do I have?" Cao Qin asked in return, "If I had any plans, would I be here drinking and enjoying the spring alone?"

"Alliance Master Yuan and that group of martial artists are here to kill and seize the technique..." Huajian opened her mouth to remind him, "Isn't Eunuch afraid that the imperial troops will be killed by them?"

Cao Qin looked at Huajian upon hearing this, and then revealed a meaningful smile: "Girl...you seem to have oversimplified someone."

"Oh?" Huajian asked doubtfully, "Who?"

Cao Qin's answer was very unexpected: "Yuan Qi."

"Alliance Master Yuan?" Huajian asked again, she had just learned the martial arts alliance master's full name.

"Exactly." Cao Qin replied.

"It sounds like...Eunuch Cao, you seem to know something?" Feng Bujue heard even more information from the other party's words.

"That's right...I know a lot." Cao Qin replied.

"Eunuch, then let us know too?" Feng Bujue said with a smile.

"Hmm..." Cao Qin pondered, "It would be too boring to just say it like that..." With that, he walked down from the stone pool, "Follow me...I'll take you to see a good show."

...

At the same moment, in another part of Burial Heart Valley.

At this time, Alliance Master Yuan had been leading the martial arts comrades along the main road for a long time.

Along the way, they had encountered ambushes by more than a dozen "little ghosts." Although there was a god-like figure like Yuan Qi sitting in command, personnel casualties were still unavoidable.

After all, they were moving together with hundreds of people, and the terrain of Burial Heart Valley was very complex, with mountains, rocks, forests, canyons, and water...lacking nothing, and there was also a light mist covering the area...It was simply easy for the "little ghosts" in the valley to set up an ambush.

Moreover, these residents of Burial Heart Valley were basically all "tough hands," many of whom were first-rate figures in the Jianghu before entering the valley, and their martial arts had only improved and not regressed after entering the valley; a guy like Song Wuqi was basically considered a miscellaneous soldier who couldn't even be ranked in the valley, and there were many people more powerful than him.

Being repeatedly ambushed by such a group of people...it was absolutely impossible not to die.

"Alliance Master...the number of deaths from all sects combined...has exceeded a hundred...If this continues, I'm afraid..." The person speaking at this moment was named Ji Neng, the descendant of Ji Tong, the former master of "Eight Directions Tower," and the current master of Eight Directions Tower. The power of his "Eight Directions Supreme Heart Technique" was several points weaker than that of his ancestors, but in terms of martial arts, he could still be considered a leader among the palm-level masters around him.

Here, it's a good opportunity to explain the world view, so I'll give a brief introduction...

After the "Cangling Sword Debate," the martial arts landscape of this world underwent considerable changes. The original ranking of "One Prefecture, Two Towers, Three Sects, Four Gates" was completely overturned.

Ye Prefecture was badly damaged after that incident and has since declined. At least in the last few decades, no expert who could be compared with the former head of the family, Ye Cheng, has appeared in Ye Prefecture, and even someone who could reach the level of "Six Flower Shadow Swords" couldn't be found.

Thus, Myriad Radiance Tower and Eight Directions Tower took the opportunity to rise and became the strongest two heroes in the martial arts world.

As for the "Three Sects and Four Gates," they can basically still be summed up as "declining in inheritance, and inheriting in decline." Just like the blind man who had instructed Yuan Qi said...many people can teach but can't learn, and some people can learn but can't teach. The mode of ranking generations according to characters is deeply rooted in the major sects, and there is no shortage of infighting among peers...This has resulted in the fact that the successive sect masters are usually not the most talented or skilled in martial arts in the sect. Of course, it's not that the most talented person is necessarily suitable to be the sect master...but the matter of inheriting martial arts does require this. Unless a peerless genius appears in a certain generation who can revive the sect...otherwise, passing it down like this will inevitably lead to each generation's martial arts being inferior to the previous one.

In short, this kind of pattern has been maintained for more than twenty years...

Until fifteen years ago, Yuan Qi, who had practiced the Fate Star Profound Art for five years, made a name for himself in the Jianghu, and since then, the martial arts situation began to change again...

Five years later, Yuan Qi had become an unparalleled hero above all sects. In terms of character, he could be considered impeccable; in the fight against the evil way, he could also single-handedly defeat thousands of troops; most importantly...his martial arts at that time were invincible in the world (here, "the world" naturally only refers to the Jianghu, excluding the imperial court).

As a result, Yuan Qi became the martial arts alliance master as a matter of course...

The above is the general change in this script world in the last few decades.

"Tower Master Ji..." Yuan Qi replied in a deep voice after hearing Ji Neng's words, "Could it be that you are afraid of battle?"

"No, no, no...what are you talking about..." Ji Neng denied verbally, but he was very anxious in his heart. Because their Eight Directions Tower was charging relatively forward, the number of disciples who had died was already quite high proportionally, "It's just...Ji believes that acting like this now seems a bit inappropriate..."

"Tower Master Ji is right, we also think so." In the next second, several sect masters immediately gathered around Ji Neng to echo.

It seems...that Ruo Yu's previous reasoning was indeed spot on, these guys will start to form factions and exclude dissidents for their own benefit when the situation changes...

"In my humble opinion, we should select several heroes with appropriate martial arts skills from all walks of life...to scatter on the road ahead as scouts to test the enemy's situation."

"That's right, in this way, our side won't be ambushed all the time."

"Yes, Alliance Master Yuan, the current situation is that the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light..."

"Alright, no need to say more." How could Yuan Qi not understand their meaning, he was no longer the third-rate figure he was twenty years ago, his scheming mind was much deeper than the people around him, "Since all the sect masters have this intention, then let's do it this way."

Yuan Qi said, thought for a moment, and prepared to turn around and relay the message.

Unexpectedly, at this moment...

"Hahahaha...a group of rats, driven away and not retreating, now you want to fight among yourselves, it's truly laughable!"

A high-pitched voice suddenly rang out, using the method of sound transmission with internal force to mock these hundreds of martial arts heroes.

His words, in addition to the literal meaning, also conveyed two pieces of information: first, I'm not here to ambush you, I'm here to take you on head-on; second, Yuan Qi, I can hear the conversations of you and those few people around you, measure my skill yourself...

As his voice fell, but see...

The light mist covering the top of the crowd surged rapidly towards the sky, as if it was being sucked up by an invisible force.

In an instant, the martial artists' vision expanded several times. They quickly realized...that where they were standing at this moment was a dangerous gorge surrounded by mountains on three sides.

"Hmph...you don't walk the road to heaven, but you throw yourselves into the gate to hell." After a few breaths, a second voice said with internal force, "Since you've walked into this 'Soul Severing Gorge,' then all of you stay!"

Accompanied by this declaration similar to a "death notice," a large number of figures emerged from the mountain roads and stone barriers on the three sides...a rough estimate would be more than a hundred people.

These people stood in the shadows on the high ground, watching the crowd in the canyon from afar, like a group of evil spirits staring at their prey, ready to move...

"There are a lot of them coming this time..." Yuan Qi wasn't fazed at all upon seeing this, "...Good, they've come."

At this point, his right hand...moved.

Then, a soft sword was drawn from his waistband and hung down from his hand.

"I'll see..." Yuan Qi shouted at the "ghosts" on the high ground with a cold gaze and murderous tone, "Tonight, in this 'Soul Severing Gorge,' what will be left behind is people...or ghosts..."