"What’s a pity?" Gu Qingheng frowned.

"It’s a pity your madam is not here. Actually, I was more looking forward to a duel with her," Flame sighed, seeming a bit regretful, "That girl seems to be stronger than you, right?"

"Indeed, my wife is formidable," Gu Qingheng nodded, "However, there’s no need for my wife to deal with you. Having me, the General, is quite enough."

"Haha... Gu Qingheng, I didn’t expect you to have such a sense of humor. What do you think, if I were to capture you, would it draw your wife over here?"

Gu Qingheng smiled slightly, "That would probably disappoint you." He didn’t elaborate on why.

"Shall we give it a try?" Flame said and suddenly struck toward Gu Qingheng.

But before Gu Qingheng could make a move, Ming Guang, standing beside him, reached out to meet the attack. The two palms collided with a thud. Flame staggered back half a step, but Ming Guang only swayed slightly, clearly showing who was stronger.

Moxie and Chi She prepared to leap forward but were stopped by Flame raising his hand, "You won’t last more than two moves against this elder. Don’t disgrace yourselves."

Seeing no further fight, Ming Guang obediently returned to Gu Qingheng’s side, keeping silent. In his haste, a small cloth bundle fell from his sleeve.

"Master, your chicken leg fell," Gu Qingheng bent down to pick up the cloth bundle and casually grabbed the stone as well.

Ming Guang quickly checked his sleeve, found it empty, and hurriedly grabbed the cloth bundle, opening it to start eating.

Noticing the stone missing from the ground, the person nailed to the wall suddenly moved, slightly raising their drooping head.

Gu Qingheng glanced over, meeting the other’s suddenly lifted face, and couldn’t help his heart clenching for a moment. Despite the brief encounter, he could confirm that it was Chengzi. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Let’s go," Gu Qingheng quickly regained his composure, clenching the stone in his lowered hand, "Where does the Master intend to take this General for a tour next?" He had to find a way to rescue Chengzi and also look for Weng Xin’s whereabouts.

"What else does the General wish to know? I will not withhold anything," Flame said as he led Gu Qingheng out of the training ground and the herbalist workshop, then ascended a pathway on the other side, stopping at a platform, "From here, you can see almost everything below."

"Who are those people?" Gu Qingheng pointed at another group carrying burdens.

"Those are mostly disobedient Miao people, but there are also others from different places," Flame glanced over, "Here, they all become laborers. They’re currently transporting medicinal stones."

"Medicinal stones?"

"This Miaojiang is a great treasure," Flame said, spreading his arms toward the sky, "It has everything."

Gu Qingheng’s eyes narrowed slightly, wondering if Ran Lei’s family was suffering here.

"For instance, gold and silver mines," Flame’s tone was filled with excitement, "iron and copper mines, rare herbs and poisons... And to mine and transport these treasures, the laborers are needed."

"The General wants to know, after all these years of exploitation and committing heinous acts, what do you really want?" Gu Qingheng suddenly asked seriously, looking intently at Flame.