In this way, after waiting for a while, Man Jinggang was the first to break the silence.

"Isn't Xiang Chuan injured? How could he run so far and discover traces of the Ghost Mastiff?"

Zhao Hanyue shook his head, "I don't know either. I haven't visited him in a while."

"Last time we joined forces to ambush the Ghost Mastiff, intending to bring it to the Nangong family in exchange for an antidote, but it escaped due to our carelessness."

"Although it was severely injured, I'm not sure how well it has recovered over the years."

Mo Lanxin's slender fingers gently plucked the strings of the guqin, speaking coldly, "No matter, I've contacted the elders of the Nangong family for assistance this time."

"What?!" Zhao Hanyue and Man Jinggang's faces changed simultaneously, with the latter's scarred right eye twitching fiercely.

"You dared to alert them without confirmation? Will they believe you?"

An eerie smile appeared on Mo Lanxin's pale face, "Don't you know? A few days ago, someone publicly beheaded Nangong Ye above the Inner City."

"Nangong Ye... is dead?" The two were thunderstruck.

They had to understand that the Soul Fire of the five of them was extracted by this Nangong Ye.

"We've been wandering outside the city for a long time without entering the Inner City," Zhao Hanyue's voice trembled slightly.

Amidst the swaying shadows of the trees, Mo Lanxin's fingers gently brushed over the broken strings of the guqin and continued, "It's said that Nangong Ye's death is related to the Ghost Mastiff, it must have been an accomplice he invited."

"So this time, whether the news is true or false, the furious Nangong family is bound to go all out!"

"Moreover..." Her voice suddenly turned cold, "If we can't provide valuable information at this critical juncture, they will surely vent their anger on us."

The two changed their expressions drastically upon hearing this.

The person invited by the Ghost Mastiff, who could kill Nangong Ye in full view, must also be at Divinity Transformation Realm Perfection.

If they still can't kill this guy this time, it might be their turn next.

Thinking of this, the three's gazes met in the dim woods, reading the same fear and determination in each other's eyes.

"Better them than me!" A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Man Jinggang's single eye.

Mo Lanxin nodded and said quietly, "We must settle this matter fully this time. As for what happens afterward, it depends on our individual fates and value."

...

Thus, as time slowly passed, in the anxious wait of the three, Lan Caiwei and Xiang Chuan still did not appear.

Zhao Hanyue paced back and forth, crunching the dry branches underfoot, "What on earth are those two up to? Life is almost at an end, and they are still dragging their feet like this!"

Mo Lanxin said, "I've already sent a message to Caiwei, perhaps she is simply not in the Imperial City and hasn't received the news."

"What about Xiang Chuan? He is the one who invited us here!" Zhao Hanyue complained.

Man Jinggang stroked his wolf tooth club, "Let's wait a bit longer. This matter concerns each of us profoundly, they wouldn't treat it lightly..."

Before Man Jinggang finished his sentence, the whole Blood Maple Forest suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

Even the chirping of insects and birdsong disappeared instantly, leaving only the rustle of fallen leaves.

"They've arrived..." Mo Lanxin's fingertips trembled, the guqin emitted a faint hum.

In the next moment, the ground shook violently, with five terrifying auras descending from the sky.

The leading elder walked on air, and each step turned a hundred meters of maple leaves into dust.

Behind him, four black-robed elders fanned out, each sleeve embroidered with a fearsome dragon pattern.

The Nangong family had six Divinity Transformation Realm Perfection guardians in the entire Imperial City, and five of them came directly this time.

No, ever since Nangong Ye was beheaded openly, there were only five left, making it indeed a full-scale mobilization.

"Greetings, elders!" The three hurriedly knelt.

Whizz, whizz, whizz!

The sound of rushing wind surrounded them again, as a full twenty Divinity Transformation cultivators sealed the Maple Forest.

The Nangong family seemed to be truly angered this time!

"Where are the people?" The Grand Elder Nangong Xuan's voice seemed to come from the depths of the underworld, looking down coldly at the three.

Mo Lanxin suppressed her trembling, "Reporting to the elder, the address given by Xiang Chuan is near the core area..."

"Lead the way," the Second Elder Nangong Sha spoke.

Zhao Hanyue steeled himself, "But Xiang Chuan and Lan Caiwei haven't arrived yet..."

Bam!

Before he could finish his words, a blood-red hand seal came crashing down, driving Zhao Hanyue into the ground, his spine making a brittle sound under the strain.

Nangong Sha slowly withdrew his hand, the blood-red runes at his fingertips gradually dissipating, "Are those two really that important?"

His icy gaze swept over the trembling pair, "Besides, I am not negotiating with you!"

Mo Lanxin and Man Jinggang cautiously helped the barely conscious Zhao Hanyue up, the three stumbling as they led the way deeper into the Maple Forest.

The Grand Elder Nangong Xuan snorted coldly, the flick of his sleeves parting the maple leaves to open a blood-red path, followed closely by over twenty Divinity Transformation cultivators.

Shortly after everyone left, ripples appeared in the shadow of a rock wall, revealing the figures of Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling.

They had arrived a long time ago, lurking in the shadows, not expecting the Nangong family to truly appear.

"The leader probably didn't expect us to kill Nangong Ye, angering the Nangong family. The means he arranged might only be enough to deal with Zhao Hanyue and those few traitors!"

Luo Lingling said with a worried look.

Zhou Qing's gaze was deep.

Although the senior brother is strong, he is only at mid-stage Divinity Transformation Realm, facing the full force of the Nangong family...

He turned to look at Lan Caiwei, who was bound by spiritual power ropes.

By this time, she was already awake, her pale face full of despair.

"Do you have anything to say?" Zhou Qing unlocked the sealing on her mouth.

Lan Caiwei looked at Zhou Qing, shook her head slightly, and said, "I admit you're strong, but you can't possibly handle so many people. If you go, it would just be throwing yourself into the fire."