Inserting three sticks of incense before us, Chen Jiansheng squatted down and gently stroked Red Sister's hair.

"Wait!" Red Sister clenched her teeth and said sharply, "I want to know something."

Chen Jiansheng smiled as he touched Red Sister's forehead, "Hasn't it been said, my dear, that you no longer need to know? Chen the Logistician, you and the boy should leave first. As for those Sun Family Brothers, they'll follow shortly."

"After all, we've met before, and to be honest, I've taken a bit of a liking to you. But there's no helping it; you're from the north, I'm from the south, and 'those who stand for different principles do not make plans together.'" As he spoke, Chen Jiansheng ripped open Red Sister's upper garment, revealing the black undergarment she wore inside.

Drawing a sharp small dagger, Chen Jiansheng lightly traced the blade over Red Sister's skin.

Blood flowed, and Red Sister let out a muffled grunt.

Dwarf Old Man and the two middle-aged men stood aside with indifferent expressions, silently watching the scene unfold.

"Don't kill Red Sister! Come at me instead!" I struggled fiercely to move forward.

"Heh," Chen Jiansheng retracted the dagger and glanced at me, "You're quite the loyal one, eh? What, have you been with this woman?"

"Go to hell!"

"Smack!"

"That's for your foul mouth!" He slapped me hard across the face.

"Ptui!" I spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, glaring fiercely at Chen Jiansheng.

At that moment, Red Sister sneered, "A descendant of the Eight Small Gates' Bai Chun Dian, resorting to such petty acts. And," Red Sister turned her head to look at the Dwarf Old Man, enunciating each word, "if I, Chen Hong, am not mistaken, you are the Su Qin Carrying Sword Little Tuft Head, right? A member of the Changchun Association, no less. What's this? Mixing with the Southern Faction's Tomb Robbers now? Aren't you afraid of tarnishing your reputation?"

The Dwarf Old Man narrowed his eyes as he looked at the bound Red Sister, shaking his head, "The girl has good insight, recognizing the Changchun Association and even knowing the nickname I had in my youth, Su Qin Carrying Sword Little Tuft Head... It's been thirty years, I've nearly forgotten that name myself," the old man muttered to himself, seemingly lost in reminiscence.

Red Sister continued, "In the third year of the Hongwu era, the Changchun Association was established. Within it were masters of geomancy, thievery, the myriad schools of trickery, medicine, and martial arts, numbering over a thousand. In the twenty-seventh year of the Republic, the elder Chang Baba took the helm as the head, commanding the Four Gates within the Eight Small Gates. At that time, the People of the Jianghu had infiltrated all walks of life, and the Association's power had surpassed both the White Lotus Cult and the Heaven and Earth Society. In the seventies, rumors spread that the Changchun Association had disbanded." Red Sister sneered, "I knew it. Such a behemoth could merely go into hiding; how could it possibly dissolve!"

Upon hearing Red Sister speak of the Changchun Association, Dwarf Old Man's expression was one of surprise. He exclaimed in astonishment, "I wouldn't have guessed that a young girl like you would know so much."

"Know? It's more than that!"

"My father's death is inextricably linked to the Changchun Association!"

"Even if I, Chen Hong, were to die here today, I swear to the heavens that as long as that person is still alive, I, Chen Hong, will avenge my father!" Red Sister's eyes blazed with fury as she roared, her expression fierce.

"Sir, there's no need to waste words on her. Let's take action quickly," urged Chen Jiansheng.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Dwarf Old Man waved his hand to silence Chen Jiansheng, and calmly looked at Red Sister before asking, "Girl, who is your father? From what you're implying, did the Changchun Association deliberately shield your father's murderer?"

Seeing the old man's nonchalant demeanor, Red Sister clenched her teeth in silent rage.

"Little Black Chen! My father is Little Black Chen!"

"Little Black Chen?" The old man furrowed his brow and pondered for a long while before saying, "The Eight Wonders of Tianqiao... Your father is Little Black Chen, is your grandfather by any chance Coal Horse Glasses Chen from the Beiping Pacific Bridge?"

Red Sister bowed her head, lapsing into a brief silence.

Dwarf Old Man paced back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back, as if contemplating something.

Three minutes later, he turned around and instructed, "Jiansheng, we can't kill this girl. Detain her for now, and once we've finished our business and left, let her go."

"Let her go!" Chen Jiansheng exclaimed in alarm. "Boss, what do you mean? This woman, known as 'One Mole Zhi', has quite a reputation on the Northern Faction Path. If we release her and she spreads the word, won't that bring trouble to our Southern Sect?"

The old man turned his gaze to Chen Jiansheng, his voice icy.

"That's your own concern, Jiansheng. Remember, our alliance this time is merely a matter of convenience, and it doesn't mean we're on the same side. If I say she can't be killed, then she can't be killed. Do I need to repeat myself?"

Despite being a Dwarf Old Man of less than one and a half meters tall, his words made Chen Jiansheng's face turn pale, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

With a thud, Chen Jiansheng knelt on both knees.

"I was rash, sir. Please don't be angry."

"Once our business is concluded, I will release this woman."

"Hmm..." The little old man nodded in satisfaction.

"Sir, what about this young man?" Chen Jiansheng pointed at me.

The old man said impatiently, "Didn't you say earlier that the Echoing Insect had a reaction to this youngster?"

Chen Jiansheng clasped his fist in response, "Indeed."

"Then dislocate his arms and toss him over there to check."

"Yes."

As the words fell, two middle-aged men who had been silent until now stepped forward and yanked me off the ground.

"What are you doing! What do you want to do!"

No matter how I struggled, it was in vain. The two middle-aged men held me up as easily as if I were a mere chick.

Red Sister urgently cried out, "No! You must release me! And him too!"

The elder shook his head, "Girl, I spared your life out of respect for the eyes of Coal Horse Chen. Back at the Changchun Association, Coal Horse Chen went alone and slaughtered the Commander of the Puppet Army Alliance. Your father, Little Black Chen, didn't inherit Glasses Chen's skills, and now in your generation," he said, looking at Red Sister and shaking his head, "you're even more fragile."

"Proceed," the elder said indifferently.

The two men gripped my arms, their hold growing tighter, and I cried out in pain.

There was a clear sound of dislocating bones.

Red Sister closed her eyes, her face ashen.

They released their grip, and I collapsed to the ground like a heap of mud, my arms no longer under my control.

My left arm was already injured, and now it was worse; both arms were dislocated.

Following instructions, the men propped me up and dragged me away, regardless of Red Sister's pleas from behind.

The journey was no more than five minutes, and the two men brought me to a large pit.

A stone sacrificial table lay horizontally in front of the pit, bare of anything on its surface.

They pulled out ropes and bound me to the stone table, left and right.

After ensuring I couldn't break free, one of them took out a small packet of something.

Opening the packet, he stood by the pit and poured a bit of the powdery substance into it. Then the two men quickly left the area.

Seeing them gone, I tried to muster the strength to free myself despite the pain, but to no avail. My arms were powerless and tied; I attempted several times without success.

The Sun Family Brothers were unconscious and nowhere to be found; I felt a cold despair, not knowing what to do. My body ached, my stomach was hungry, and I gradually sank into hopelessness.

About twenty minutes passed when I suddenly heard a rustling noise coming from the pit.

Since I was bound to the stone table facing upwards, I couldn't see what was in the pit; I could only see the sides of my body.

Then, I witnessed a horrifying scene.

Whether they had climbed out of the pit or not, many Stone Dragon Four-legged Snakes began to crawl over the ground on both sides of the stone table.

These Four-legged Snakes varied in size; the larger ones were over half a meter long, while the smaller ones were only about ten centimeters.

In just a few breaths, a chilling sensation crept up my legs, and I looked down in terror.

Two yellow-brown Four-legged Snakes had slithered up onto my legs from the stone platform.

These two Four-legged Snakes flicked their tongues and had eyes so small they were almost nonexistent. Their bodies were slick as if oiled,

And they were now crawling towards my upper body. (To be continued)

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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/7b136c