“Who are you people?” one man quickly came to his senses. “Someone, come quickly, there are assassins!”

At his shout, more than a dozen brothers carrying broadswords immediately poured in, surrounding the three figures in black.

“It’s her, it’s them.” Captain Nanmen stepped forward, shielding the Fortress Master.

“Fortress Master, this is the woman I told you about, I recognize her eyes. But how did they get in? Could she have broken through our Stone Forest Formation?”

Feng Jiu’er withdrew her gaze from the Fortress Master and glanced at the man who had spoken.

She raised her hand and tore off the black cloth covering her face.

A cascade of jet-black hair fell naturally like a waterfall, and even those watching from behind couldn’t help a soft, admiring sigh.

Feng Jiu’er stood before the crowd, facing the Fortress Master and Captain Nanmen of the Southern Barbarian Fortress.

They had met under moonlight the night before; seeing her again today, Captain Nanmen found himself staring, utterly entranced.

Her small face was exquisite and flawless, without a single blemish to be found.

Perfect features, skin fair with a rosy glow beneath—beautiful enough to move the heart, beautiful enough to topple a city.

Dressed entirely in black night-travel attire, she could not hide her fine figure—petite and delicate, without an ounce of excess flesh.

Even Captain Nanmen was struck dumb a second time, let alone the Fortress Master, who had always had a weakness for beautiful women.

At this moment, the Fortress Master stared at Feng Jiu’er with wide eyes, nearly drooling.

Suddenly—two ringing clangs—the two men guarding Feng Jiu’er’s sides drew their long swords at the same time, pointing them at the Fortress Master.

“What are you doing? Put down your weapons!” Captain Nanmen snapped back to his senses and shouted.

In an instant, not only the brothers who had just rushed in, but even those who had already been in the hall reacted, hurrying to close in.

But even surrounded by more than twenty people, Feng Jiu’er’s lips curved up slightly.

Her unhurried demeanor once again succeeded in delighting the Fortress Master.

“Stand back!” The Fortress Master waved his hand, his voice low.

“Fortress Master.” Several captains looked at him anxiously.

“Have everyone fall back. I want to discuss our cooperation with Miss Feng. Fall back!”

As the Fortress Master waved them off, his gaze never once left Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er knew well enough that this face of hers was not bad—she simply hadn’t expected to run into such a lecherous Fortress Master.

There was no denying it: looking at this leering, fierce-faced Fortress Master, her stomach turned a little.

But she couldn’t very well vomit in front of everyone, could she? Since the matter at hand was urgent, she would simply have to endure it.

The people in the hall did not want to give way, but when the Fortress Master gave the order again, they had no choice but to comply.

Captain Nanmen stepped aside and gave a light wave of his hand.

The others understood and dispersed; the brothers who had just rushed in turned and left with their weapons.

The rest scattered, none daring to stand too close.

The Fortress Master fixed his eyes on Feng Jiu’er’s stunning, city-toppling face and waved his hand again. “Bring a seat.”

Everyone looked to Captain Nanmen, who gave a signal with his eyes. The man guarding the gate immediately nodded and ran out.

A moment later, Feng Jiu’er sat down in the seat closest to the Fortress Master, with Jian Yi and Zhao Yusheng still guarding her on either side.

Inside the fortress, the other important members took their seats on either side, except for Captain Nanmen, who remained standing not far from the Fortress Master.

Captain Nanmen still stood in place, in a posture of guard.

“Bring wine.” The Fortress Master laughed heartily and gave the order.

Since Feng Jiu’er had appeared, his soul seemed to have flown off somewhere—how could he remember anything else?

If Feng Jiu’er hadn’t held them back, Jian Yi and Zhao Yusheng, standing guard behind her, would likely have already struck.

“There’s no need.” Feng Jiu’er looked at the Fortress Master and gave him a faint smile.

Hearing Feng Jiu’er’s lovely voice for the second time, the Fortress Master grew even more dazed.

“Since Miss Feng says there’s no need, then there’s no need.” He looked at her, so pleased he could barely find his own eyes.

Feng Jiu’er was genuinely vexed—could this Fortress Master really not be worried at all that they had managed to break into the stone forest?

“Fortress Master.” She looked at him and gave a slight bow with clasped hands. “Since that brother just now has already explained to you why we’ve come—”

“I wonder if the Fortress Master would be willing to let us walk through every corner of your fortress?”

“Impossible!” Captain Nanmen shouted loudly. “Our Southern Barbarian Fortress is not some place you can simply waltz into!”

He shot Feng Jiu’er a glare, then immediately turned to the Fortress Master. “Fortress Master, all these years, our Southern Barbarian Fortress has existed as a secret.”

“No matter who it is, as long as they are outsiders, we cannot allow them in. For the safety of everyone, please remember this, Fortress Master!”

“Please remember this, Fortress Master!” Everyone else in the hall rose and bowed toward the Fortress Master in unison.

Only then did the Fortress Master pull his gaze away from Feng Jiu’er’s beauty. He glanced around at everyone, then looked back at her.

“Did you hear that, Miss Feng? Our Southern Barbarian Fortress does not allow outsiders in.”

“However—if you truly like it here, once you become my woman, why shouldn’t I personally take you on a tour?”

The moment he finished speaking, the Fortress Master burst into laughter again.

“Insolence!” Zhao Yusheng, finally unable to bear it any longer, tore off the black cloth wrapped around his head.

“Who are you?” The Fortress Master looked at Zhao Yusheng, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Captain Nanmen studied Zhao Yusheng for a moment, then turned back to the Fortress Master.

“Fortress Master, this is the man who subdued the broadsword wielder in three moves.”

As for these people who had dared to barge in—who had even hidden on the rafters to eavesdrop on them—everyone present, save perhaps the Fortress Master, felt at least some unease.

The stone forest they relied on to defend against outsiders had, for the first time, been successfully breached.

What’s more, the fact that these three had gone undetected on the rafters meant their internal cultivation was extraordinarily deep—at least superior to anyone present.

“I am that ‘green young fellow’ you just spoke of!” Zhao Yusheng stared at the Fortress Master, his voice cold.

Feng Jiu’er turned to glance at Zhao Yusheng, lightly furrowing her brow.

Zhao Yusheng lowered his eyes to meet hers and said softly, “It’s fine. We of the Zhao Family Stronghold have never been the type to cling to life out of fear of death.”

“Since we’ve already come, why shouldn’t we show our true faces?”

To keep the Zhao Family Stronghold from being dragged into this affair, Feng Jiu’er had once suggested that Zhao Yusheng conceal his identity.

She hadn’t expected that, at the very first place they’d come to, this fellow would already reveal who he was.

But since he had already made his decision—and had even laid out the truth—there was nothing she could say now to undo it.

“You’re from the Zhao Family Stronghold?” Captain Nanmen looked at Zhao Yusheng, brows knitting.

The Fortress Master, too, was now forced to take a proper look at the young man beside Feng Jiu’er.

“Could it be… you are the young master of the Zhao Family Stronghold?”

“Precisely!” Zhao Yusheng answered coldly. “However, at present I am merely Jiu’er’s personal guard, ever watching over her safety.”

“This time we have come in only to survey the terrain of the Southern Barbarian Fortress, with no intent to offend.”

“Of course, if the Fortress Master does not agree, then we won’t stand on courtesy either!”