Sword Control Manor.
At this moment, two figures stealthily snuck in, effortlessly avoiding the patrols within the manor.
"Big Brother, this way!"
"Second Brother, be careful, don't let Yin Zhong or Yin Tianxue discover us!"
"Got it!"
The two seemed very familiar with the layout of the Sword Control Manor.
Twisting and turning through the corridors, they didn't get lost at all, heading directly toward a specific location in the rear courtyard.
They soon entered a magnificent underground structure.
Intense sounds of combat echoed through the air.
"Yin Tianxue, I never expected you to hide your strength this deeply!"
A deep and domineering male voice rang out.
"Second Uncle, I also never expected you to be a God Demon Realm cultivator. You're definitely not my real Second Uncle! Who are you really?"
"Was it you who injured my father and brother?"
Yin Tianxue's furious shout echoed in the hall.
"Those two fools dared to break into my restricted area for healing. If not for the fact that they are my descendants, I would have killed them already. I merely spared their lives!"
Yin Zhong replied with clear irritation.
Hiding in the shadows, Tong Zhan's heart leaped with joy.
"Big Brother, did you hear that? Yin Tianxue isn't the kind of person you imagined!"
"All the evil deeds were committed by that so-called Second Uncle of hers!"
Relieved to find out that the woman he liked wasn't a wicked person, Tong Zhan finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Second Brother, keep your voice down. Let's keep watching."
"Big Brother, shouldn't we help her? That guy is at the God Demon Realm!"
They quickly turned their attention back to the underground hall.
There, a burly man with a fierce expression and white hair and beard was attacking a woman in white with crazed ferocity.
Each move he made caused space itself to tremble.
Yin Tianxue's situation was extremely dire.
Even though she was at the Land Immortal Realm, the gap between the Heavenly Human Realm and the God Demon Realm was immense.
Had Yin Zhong not been injured, she would have been defeated instantly.
"Hand over the Bloodline Returning Pill. Since you're one of my descendants, I will spare your life."
Yin Zhong's voice turned sharp as he pressed the attack.
"Dream on. I've already consumed the pill awarded by Heaven. You'll never get it."
Yin Tianxue's face was filled with defiance, hatred burning in her eyes toward the man who had harmed her father and brother.
She suspected that her real Second Uncle had been killed and replaced by the man before her.
"This bloodline aura... it's stronger than I imagined."
"Excellent! This is even better than the Bloodline Returning Pill!"
"If I devour the essence from your body, my injuries will completely heal!"
"Yin Tianxue, blame yourself. The Sword Control Manor got on the ranking because of me. The Heaven Dao Reward should have been mine!"
"You secretly took it for yourself, so now I'll make you pay with your life!"
"But don't worry. After you die, I'll personally send your father and brother to accompany you!"
Yin Zhong's aura flared as his strength surged.
Yin Tianxue couldn't resist.
With one palm strike, he sent her flying, blood spurting from her mouth midair.
"Manor Lord Yin!"
Seeing Yin Tianxue injured, Tong Zhan could no longer stay hidden.
He jumped out and caught her before she hit the ground.
Tong Bo didn't hesitate either, transforming into a golden dragon-like silhouette and charging at Yin Zhong.
Yin Zhong's face changed drastically when he recognized the Dragon God Exercise.
He faltered momentarily.
In the short clash, he was actually pushed back several steps.
Seizing the opportunity, Tong Bo grabbed Tong Zhan and Yin Tianxue and fled as fast as he could.
Yin Zhong was too powerful. Tong Bo knew he couldn't win.
If they kept fighting, all three would die.
In a blink, the three of them vanished without a trace.
"The Dragon God Exercise!"
"It's the Dragon God Exercise!"
"It finally appeared!"
"Hahaha! The Tong Clan... I've searched for you for years, and now you finally show yourselves!"
The sudden appearance of the Dragon God Exercise made Yin Zhong ecstatic.
He completely forgot about Yin Tianxue.
Compared to the Dragon God Exercise and the Tong Clan, she was meaningless.
==========
Outside of Sword Control Manor.
Three figures sped away.
Yin Zhong followed behind shortly after.
His murderous aura was palpable even from afar.
"Second Brother, take Manor Lord Yin and go. I'll hold him off!"
Tong Bo shouted his orders.
"Big Brother, we fight together!"
"I'm not leaving you behind!"
Tong Zhan stood his ground, determined to fight alongside him.
"Manor Lord Yin, you should go. We'll hold him off."
"No. You risked your lives to save me. I won't run."
Yin Tianxue had her own principles.
Tong Bo and Tong Zhan saved her.
She couldn't just abandon them.
By then, Yin Zhong had caught up.
"You're members of the Tong Clan?"
"Tell me where the Tong Clan is, and I may spare your lives."
Yin Zhong stared at Tong Bo and Tong Zhan, his gaze fixing on Tong Zhan.
Compared to the composed Tong Bo, Tong Zhan seemed easier to deceive.
"You know about the Tong Clan? How did the word get out?"
Sure enough, Tong Zhan was startled and asked instinctively.
Yin Zhong was thrilled.
His guess had been correct.
"Second Brother!" Tong Bo panicked.
The Tong Clan's location was a closely guarded secret.
It must not be revealed.
That Yin Zhong was clearly no good man and would definitely bring disaster to the Tong Clan.
Tong Zhan was too naive. Tong Bo had to stay alert.
"Enough. I'll capture you first, then slowly get the information!"
Yin Zhong attacked Tong Bo using the Dragon God Exercise.
Of the three, Tong Bo was the strongest.
If he was taken out, the other two would be easy to handle.
"You also know the Dragon God Exercise?"
"How do you know it?"
Tong Bo was stunned but got no answer.
He had no choice but to counter with his own dragon-form technique.
The battlefield exploded with violent blasts.
The surrounding landscape was laid to waste in moments.
Spitting blood, Tong Bo was thrown back.
He had lost.
"Run!"
Tong Bo shouted before falling unconscious.
"You get your brother out of here. I'll hold him off!"
"Manor Lord Yin, what about you?"
"Don't act like a child. Your brother is in danger. Take him and go now!"
"I'll get him to safety and come back to help you!"
After some hesitation, Tong Zhan gritted his teeth and fled with Tong Bo.
"Yin Tianxue, move aside. I don't have time for your nonsense."
"Once I finish off those two from the Tong Clan, I'll deal with you."
Yin Zhong was impatient.
He no longer cared about absorbing Yin Tianxue's essence. His priority was capturing the Tong brothers.
"Hmph. I won't let you succeed."
"You think this is all I've got?"
Yin Tianxue sneered and pulled out a stone mirror from her waist pouch.
Upon seeing the mirror, Yin Zhong's expression changed.
His aura turned ice cold.
"The Spirit Mirror? Why do you have it?"
"Where did you get it? Give it to me!"
Compared to the Tong brothers, the Spirit Mirror was even more important to him.
"If you want it, then come and take it."
Yin Tianxue channeled her energy into the mirror.
Suddenly, the Spirit Mirror radiated intense light.
An overwhelming pressure burst forth.
"How is this possible? How can you use the Spirit Mirror?"
Yin Zhong looked dumbfounded.
Even more than when he saw the Dragon God Exercise.
"Take this!"
Yin Tianxue swung the Spirit Mirror at him.
A terrifying beam of light struck Yin Zhong.
With a thunderous crash, he was sent flying.
He had no chance to resist.
Blood spewed from his mouth.
"Retreat!"
Yin Zhong gritted his teeth, unwillingly glanced at the Spirit Mirror one last time, and glared at Yin Tianxue.
"Yin Tianxue, I lost this time, but next time you won't be so lucky."
"You can hold onto the Spirit Mirror for now."
"But I'll be back to claim it soon!"
Leaving those words behind, he turned and fled.
The blast from the Spirit Mirror had aggravated his injuries.
He needed to return to the underground chamber to recover.
==========
Yin Tianxue watched him vanish before finally letting out a long breath.
Her body collapsed to the ground.
Staring at the Spirit Mirror in her hand, her expression was complicated.
It held traces of resentment, joy, and longing.
"Even when you're not by my side, you still manage to protect and save me."
"Are you planning to make me owe you for a lifetime?"
Thinking of the man she both loved and resented, Yin Tianxue's heart swelled with emotion.
"The Sword Control Manor isn't safe anymore."
"If I return, I'll definitely fall into Yin Zhong's hands."
"I need to rescue my father and brother first."
She made up her mind and disappeared again into the manor.
But half an hour later, Yin Tianxue returned with a gloomy face.
Her eyes were full of anxiety.
"Damn it, Yin Zhong, you actually hid my father and brother!"
"You despicable man!"
"No, I have to find a way. If not, with Yin Zhong's cruelty, they'll surely die!"
"It seems I have no choice but to ask him for help."
For the safety of her family, she decided to seek help from the only man capable of saving them.
==========
Dragon Lake Manor.
"Second Brother, how could you leave Manor Lord Yin behind?"
"Big Brother, I'm going back to rescue her!"
"I'll go with you. One more person is one more chance. I hope she's still alive!"
"No. You're seriously injured. I'll go alone. Don't underestimate me!"
As the brothers argued, Yin Tianxue suddenly appeared before them.
"No need. I'm safe now."
"Thank you for saving me earlier. If not for you, I might have died at Yin Zhong's hands."
Yin Tianxue expressed her gratitude sincerely.
She had initially been wary of the two oddly dressed men, but after what happened, she realized they were not bad people.
Her tone and attitude improved noticeably.
"We should be thanking you, Manor Lord Yin."
"If you hadn't held off Yin Zhong, we might not have made it."
Tong Bo responded politely.
"All this happened because of me. It's only right that I thank you. My name is Yin Tianxue. No need to call me Manor Lord Yin."
"I'm probably no longer the Manor Lord anyway."
"With Yin Zhong's strength, the Sword Control Manor will soon fall under his control."
"Be careful if you run into any of the manor's guards."
She warned them seriously.
"I'm Tong Bo, and this is my younger brother, Tong Zhan."
"By the way, Miss Yin, how did you escape Yin Zhong?"
"Given his condition, I doubt he would let you go so easily."
Tong Bo asked, puzzled.
"I became the Manor Lord of the Sword Control Manor for a reason. I do have some tricks up my sleeve."
"I may not be his match, but I'm still a Land Immortal Realm cultivator."
"He can't kill me that easily."
Even though she no longer distrusted the Tong brothers, Yin Tianxue didn't plan to mention the Spirit Mirror.
From Yin Zhong's reaction, it was clear how valuable it was.
She didn't want to test their character.
Human nature was fragile and not to be tested lightly.
That was something he always told her.
She had never forgotten it.
These two had a grudge against Yin Zhong. They could become allies.
She didn't want anything to ruin that potential.
Tong Bo still had questions but wisely chose not to press further.
"Why did you sneak into the Sword Control Manor?"
Yin Tianxue asked.
But seeing their awkward expressions, she quickly understood.
"Forget it. If there's something you can't say, I won't ask."
"I'm no longer the Manor Lord anyway. It's not my concern."
"Gentlemen, I still have important matters to attend to. I'm heading to the capital. This is farewell for now."
"If fate allows, we shall meet again."
After bowing to them, Yin Tianxue turned and left Dragon Lake Manor, heading toward the capital of the Ming Dynasty.