“Jiu’er, the treasure must be in here — without a doubt, it must be.” Qiao Mu, also holding a fire starter, pushed Jian Yi aside and came to Feng Jiu’er’s side.

“Otherwise, why would there be so many layers of protection?”

Feng Jiu’er paid no attention to Qiao Mu’s words. She was excited too — even thrilled — but everything had to wait until she actually saw the treasure before anything could be certain.

She reached out and swept away the cobwebs in front of the door, her gaze fixed unblinking on this door that was clearly no ordinary thing.

It appeared to be a door forged from metal. What kind of metal it was, Feng Jiu’er could not determine at a glance.

She knocked on the door a few times, a faint furrow forming between her brows.

“Jiu’er, let me try.” Jian Yi stepped forward and said.

“Wait.” Feng Jiu’er’s gaze came to rest on a particular spot on the door.

She drew out a handkerchief and began wiping clean the one place that looked like a keyhole.

“This door is no simple thing. If we force it open with inner energy, we might trigger some mechanism — there’s no need to rush for this moment.”

A door with such an unusual structure, Feng Jiu’er was seeing for the first time, and because of this, her thoughts were drawing closer and closer to Qiao Mu’s.

After a short while, Feng Jiu’er had wiped the center portion of the door clean.

Qiao Mu, fire starter in hand, had been standing beside Feng Jiu’er the whole time, looking at the same spot.

“Jiu’er, this spot — it looks like something is missing. A key, perhaps?” She furrowed her brows and asked softly.

Receiving no response from Feng Jiu’er, Qiao Mu turned to look at her.

“If what’s truly inside is a treasure, could it possibly have something to do with the Dragon Maiden matter?”

The moment Qiao Mu’s words fell, Feng Jiu’er’s elegant crescent brows gave a slight knit, and she reached to her waist and drew out a jade pendant.

Feng Jiu’er could never have imagined that the key to this door would turn out to be the jade pendant.

When she inserted the jade pendant upright into the hollow, even her hands trembled slightly.

No wonder she had felt just moments ago that the shape of this hollow seemed so familiar — as it turned out, it was the exact same shape as the jade pendant.

Several pairs of eyes were all fixed on the jade pendant being placed into the door’s hollow, and the entire cave fell silent.

Suddenly — boom — a thunderous sound rang out, and the heavy iron door swung open on its own.

Even with the light of only two fire starters, everyone could see the situation inside.

“Gold — it’s gold. Jiu’er, so much gold.” Before Qiao Mu even finished speaking, she had already stepped inside.

Fearing something might go wrong, Feng Jiu’er immediately lunged forward and grabbed her.

Fortunately, there were none of the mechanisms or hidden projectiles one saw in stage plays — inside appeared to be simply a cave, and what remained was gold that dazzled the eyes.

Both women had gone in, so the men certainly would not hesitate either.

After several of them entered, Feng Yan Nan and Feng Yan Xi used their fire starters to ignite the candle stands inside that had long been gathering dust.

In an instant, the entire cave was flooded with light.

Feng Jiu’er and Jian Yi made a full circuit around the perimeter of the cave, then returned to Qiao Mu and Zhao Yusheng’s side.

“Jiu’er, it really is gold — we’ve struck it rich this time.” Qiao Mu picked up a gold bar, her eyes glittering with a golden sheen.

Feng Jiu’er took the gold bar from her hand, and the corners of her lips curved faintly.

“Zhao Yusheng, have the brothers come down and carry everything away — leave nothing behind.”

Zhao Yusheng heard this, turned his head, looked at Feng Jiu’er, and gave a nod. “Alright, I’ll go at once.”

Many of the brothers had only learned today that a treasure was hidden beneath the mountain range they had been searching.

The matter was of great importance, and no one harbored any displeasure toward Feng Jiu’er for keeping it secret.

Today, Miss Jiu’er had given everyone a definitive answer, and no one had expected that within just a few hours, the treasure would truly be found.

Zhao Yusheng suggested leading everyone back to Zhao Family Stronghold first, and Feng Jiu’er agreed.

The quantity of gold was far too vast. Zhao Yusheng felt that only by returning to the Zhao Family Stronghold would they be truly safe.

Fortunately, Zhao Yusheng had long asked his father to clear out a place for him to work in the future, and bringing the gold there now was the most fitting arrangement possible.

What he had not expected was that they had barely descended and rejoined the brothers waiting at the foot of the mountain, and had not traveled far, before their path forward was blocked.

The group carrying torches, making their way through the mountain ravine, came to a halt at the sight of the road ahead blocked by large boulders.

Zhao Yusheng, riding at the head of the group, furrowed his brows and turned back to look at Feng Jiu’er.

“When we came through, this road was clearly still open. It seems someone has done this deliberately.”

The moment Zhao Yusheng’s words fell, from the mountains on both sides, a number of heads suddenly appeared.

“If you wish to pass through here, leave behind your road toll.” One man lit a torch and shouted in a loud voice.

Zhao Yusheng turned around, raised his eyes to look at the people on the mountain, and his thick brows immediately drew together.

“Black Steel — how is it you?”

“Why can’t it be me?” Black Steel raised an eyebrow and said.

“Your Clan Leader also agreed to let us come in — by what right do you block us?” Zhao Yusheng’s low, deep voice rang out.

“That’s right — our Clan Leader agreed to let you come in and have a look around, but he never said anything about letting you take what’s inside away with you.” Black Steel furrowed his brows.

Feng Jiu’er had brought so many people inside — the Black Pond Clan Leader could not possibly have been unsuspicious.

When their group had gathered at one spot at the mountain foot, the Black Pond Clan people had already begun making their move.

What they had not anticipated was that sure enough, they saw them carrying down large chest after large chest from the mountain, so they blocked the only route of escape.

“Is it you who is confused, or your Clan Leader?” Zhao Yusheng stared unblinking at the people above.

“This area is not Black Pond Clan territory — open your eyes wide and look clearly!”

“I say it is mine, so it is mine.” Black Steel parted his lips and laughed. “This whole area has long been Black Pond Clan territory — you really didn’t know?”

“If you didn’t know, why not go back and ask your father, hmm?”

Black Steel raised his brows and continued: “Or — whatever you’ve found, split it with me half and half, and that works too.”

“Keep dreaming!” Qiao Mu swept her gaze across Black Steel, leaned forward, and in one leap, silver dragon-tongue spear in hand, she planted herself atop one of the boulders blocking the ravine.

In the light of the moon and the torches, she stood with imposing power between heaven and earth — anyone who looked could not help but avert their gaze.

Black Steel stared at Qiao Mu, very nearly drooling.

“Zhao Yusheng, are all your subordinates this beautiful? If you leave this beauty behind for me, I might consider asking for one fewer chest.”

Qiao Mu had already found this dark lump of coal an eyesore, and had not expected him to actually start making jests at her own expense.

Before Qiao Mu could make her move, a faint sound of a sharp weapon slicing through the night sky suddenly reached them — clang — something embedded itself into the large boulder behind Black Steel.

The people above turned to look, and could not help but break into a cold sweat all over.

Qiao Mu glanced at Xiao Yingtao, the corners of her lips curving faintly.

In the moonlight, her beauty — both fierce and gentle — was like a snow lotus blooming in proud solitude on a heavenly mountain.

Standing hidden in the shadows, a tall man of striking appearance was staring at Qiao Mu, utterly entranced.

Black Steel gave a startled jolt, and only after a moment did he come back to himself: “Striking from the shadows — what kind of hero does that make you?”

“You’re wrong!” Xiao Yingtao rode her horse forward at an unhurried pace. “Completely wrong!”