Chapter 27: I found the amulet I got for you has been lost.

Pei Ji's gaze shifted to Old Master Chen's deathly pale face, the coldness in his eyes almost tangible.

The instant he saw the umbrella, he understood the key point. Without asking another question, he took a step and hurried towards the dungeon with heavy, rapid strides. His back was taut like a fully drawn bowstring.

Seeing his state, Old Master Chen knew something was terribly wrong. His panic intensified, and he almost instinctively knelt down, crawling two steps forward. His voice was filled with unprecedented fear: "My lord! My lord, there's no need to go! I...I've already sent men to the dungeon; presumably, Yu..."

Before he could finish speaking, Pei Ji swept past him like a cold wind, bringing only a chilling sensation.

"Gu Qiu." Pei Ji's voice was not loud, but it carried clearly.

Several gray figures appeared as if by ghosts. Two of them landed silently on either side of Mr. Chen, seemingly supporting him but actually lifting him up, and said respectfully, "Mr. Chen, please."

The young man named Gu Qiu strode towards the novice monk, his gaze falling on the black umbrella. His tone was calm yet carried an undeniable force: "Young monk, this umbrella belongs to my master. Please return it."

The young novice monk gripped the umbrella handle. He had been on the mountain the whole time and hadn't seen anything new or interesting. Somewhat reluctant, he muttered, "You say it is? What proof do you have?"

The monk standing nearby could see clearly that although Gu Qiu and his companions were unarmed, their eyes and demeanor suggested they were not benevolent, and they carried a faint, yet palpable, bloodthirsty aura. He clasped his hands together and said, "Returning the item to its rightful owner is only right and proper. If you are so kind, why don't you quickly return it to the benefactor?"

The young novice seemed to obey the monk's words very well, reluctantly letting go of his hand. The monk took the umbrella, handed it back to Gu Qiu, and watched their departing figures, unable to help but murmur a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha." Then he took the young novice's hand and returned to the temple. The heavy gate creaked shut, as if to completely shut out the wind and rain from outside the mountain.

Pei Ji practically burst into the dungeon. The dark, damp passageway was filled with the pungent smell of blood, and the first thing he saw was the dark red blood that had not yet fully congealed, flowing in a winding stream.

Several corpses lay scattered in pools of blood, their clothing suggesting they were dungeon guards, all bearing fatal wounds. Not far away, another man in gray leaned against the stone wall, a gruesome wound on his chest still gushing blood. This was the trusted confidant sent by Old Master Chen to kill Yu Man. His face was deathly pale, his breath faint. Seeing Pei Ji enter, a final glimmer of light appeared in his eyes as he struggled to speak:

"My lord... there... someone has come to ambush us..."

Pei Ji strode up to him, half-squatting down, ignoring the near-fatal wound and the dripping blood, and coldly interrupted him: "Where is she?"

The subordinate seemed not to have reacted yet, his eyes somewhat unfocused.

Pei Ji suddenly grabbed his collar and said, word by word, "Where is the woman you captured?!"

“She…” The subordinate’s pupils dilated, as if he wanted to say something, but his injuries were too severe, and he couldn’t catch his breath. His head lolled to the side, and he fell silent.

Pei Ji released his grip, letting the corpse slump to the ground. He stood up, completely ignoring the sticky blood on his hands and the large stains on his sleeves.

Gu Qiu, carrying the ink umbrella, followed closely behind, quickly checked the man's pulse, and confirmed, "My lord, he's dead."

Pei Ji didn't even glance at the two corpses, and began searching each cell in the dungeon. He scanned the terrified or numb faces again and again, searching for the figure that should never be there.

One room, two rooms, three rooms...

No! Not anywhere!

The dungeon wasn't large, and the search was quickly completed. Apart from the two corpses and a few terrified prisoners, there was no one else.

Pei Ji stood in the middle of the empty passage, his back looking exceptionally lonely in the flickering firelight. He slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the air thick with the smell of blood, and when he opened them again, all the anxiety and anger inside seemed to have been forcibly suppressed, leaving only a bottomless, chilling calm.

"Find her." He spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying an unwavering authority that echoed clearly in the dungeon. "Even if it means digging three feet into the ground."

Gu Qiu immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Yes!" But after a slight hesitation, he still whispered a reminder, "My lord, this is, after all, the territory of the prefecture, and there are officials from the prefecture and county..."

"Find it." Pei Ji interrupted him, his words concise and to the point, containing only one word. He didn't care whether it alarmed the prefecture or county, nor did he care whether it would upheaval this place.

Gu Qiu's heart skipped a beat, and without any further doubt, he replied in a deep voice, "Yes! I will do it immediately!"

With a flash, the gray figures inside and outside the dungeon sprang into action once more, spreading outwards from this villa and Cloud Hidden Mountain towards the entire prefecture. Pei Ji, however, remained standing in place, his gaze fixed on the ink umbrella in Gu Qiu's arms. His fingers unconsciously clenched and tightened, the blood dripping from his fingertips and spreading in the dust.

...

Half an hour ago.

Yu Man was dozing on a cold, damp haystack in the dungeon, the exhaustion from days of running and being frightened making it unusual for her to fall asleep so quickly. However, the system's electronic voice suddenly jolted her awake: [Host! Wake up! Something's wrong! There seems to be a strange noise!]

She jolted awake, her drowsiness vanishing instantly. She immediately held her breath, focused her attention, and listened intently.

It was the sound of footsteps, chaotic and hurried, indicating that more than one person was heading towards the depths of the dungeon.

[Could it be that the male lead has had a change of heart?] The system speculated with a hint of wishful thinking.

Yu Man slowly shook her head, replying with her thoughts: 【It wasn't him.】 If Pei Ji were here, there wouldn't be this much noise. Moreover, she keenly sensed that the dungeon was unusually quiet today—right, that fellow sufferer in the next cell hadn't made a sound for a long time.

Could he... be dead?

A chill ran down his spine. Just then, the system reminded him again: [Host, watch the door!]

Using the dim light at the end of the corridor, Yu Man looked out and saw dark red liquid, not yet dried, flowing down the stone steps—it was blood! A lot of blood!

Her heart pounded, and almost instinctively she moved toward the innermost corner of the cell. There, some scattered, relatively dry hay was piled up, and there was a barely noticeable indentation that could just cover most of her body. She curled up tightly, even her breathing became extremely shallow and slow, wishing she could blend into the dark stone wall.

The footsteps grew clearer as the men barged in, their target clear, not even glancing at the other cells. They quickly opened the door to the next cell. Yu Man heard a heavy dragging sound and a slightly weak voice: "Did the master send you to rescue me?"

That voice… it sounds familiar. Yu Man quickly searched her memory—it was the guy who kidnapped her! He wasn't dead? And his accomplices found him?

But even the greatest curiosity couldn't compare to her own life, so she remained motionless, and there was no more sound outside.

Yu Man moved very slowly to the right, peering out through the gaps in the hay.

Upon closer inspection, he was met with a pair of bloodshot pupils.

The system shared her senses and instantly screamed: 【Aaaaaaaahh ...

It was that "brother"! He seemed to have been waiting for Yu Man's reaction for a long time. Seeing that she was still alive, a strange light flashed in his eyes, and he quickly whispered to the person supporting him, "This woman... she was shouting that she had something this master wanted... take her away!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached Yu Man's ears clearly in the deathly silence of the dungeon. Her survival instinct kicked in: "No! Really no! I made it all up! I'm just an ordinary citizen passing by to offer incense, and I only made things up to save my life! I don't know any so-called master! Please, have mercy!"

The "brother" glanced at her coldly, as if looking at an insignificant ant, and uttered five words without any emotion: "Kill that useless person."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man in black who was supporting him did not hesitate. He drew his sword from his waist without looking, but instead of looking forward, he swung it directly backward, accurately blocking the sword that was silently thrusting from the shadows of the passage!

"Clang!" Sparks flew everywhere.

Only then did Yu Man notice that there was another person in the passage. He had obviously discovered that all the dungeon guards had been killed and guessed that someone was trying to break into the prison. He had been following them here and had finally made his move.

The two men in black instantly clashed, their swords flashing, each strike deadly. The "brother" was clearly badly injured and unable to move easily, but he mustered his strength, raised a short knife he seemed to have produced from nowhere, and fiercely slashed at the iron lock on Yu Man's prison door! He actually cleaved the lock open with a few blows!

He yanked open the cell door, grabbed Yu Man's arm without a word, roughly dragged her out, and hissed, "Go!"

Yu Man was dragged along by him and stumbled, involuntarily rushing outwards. The old man Chen's subordinate who was being held back panicked when he saw this and tried to break free to stop them, but he was held tightly by his opponent and could only watch helplessly as they escaped.

Yu Man was half-dragged, half-carried by that "brother," fleeing for her life through the dark and winding dungeon passages. Behind her, the sounds of clashing weapons and roars were incessant, and more chaotic footsteps seemed to be gathering and chasing after her. Her heart was pounding like a drum, her lungs were burning with pain, and she could barely breathe.

She couldn't help but lament inwardly: Is this the retribution for not having time to get a peace charm for her family, but instead attracting bad luck to herself first? What an unlucky year!

After running for an unknown amount of time, feeling as if she had left the dungeon area and entered some secret passage leading out of the mountains, Yu Man's legs went weak, her vision blurred, and she could no longer run. Her legs buckled, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

Seeing this, the "brother" flashed a hint of impatience and ruthlessness in his eyes. Showing no mercy, he raised his hand and delivered a precise chop to the back of Yu Man's neck. Before she could even cry out, everything went black, and she lost consciousness.

Just then, the man in black, having dealt with his opponent and bearing several wounds, quickly caught up. Seeing the unconscious Yu Man, he frowned slightly and coldly said to his "brother," "The master's order is to save you." The implication was that he wouldn't bother with Yu Man, this burden. He paused, his tone threatening, "If we find out you haven't kept your secret, you won't be alive either."

Even knowing this was the unwritten rule, the "brother" still felt a chill. He glanced at the unconscious Yu Man, his heart filled with doubt. If this woman was truly useless, bringing her along would only add to his burden, and she would also be living evidence. But what if she really was connected to that "master"? Perhaps she could be used as a hostage or bargaining chip in a crucial moment…

The man in black ignored his thoughts, quickly surveyed the area ahead, and returned with a furrowed brow: "The exit here is blocked, let's change routes!"

They tried several possible escape routes, only to find that they were all blocked or ambushed. The man in black's face grew increasingly grim. Finally, he pressed his blood-dripping sword against his "brother's" neck: "Speak! What did you discover? Who are those people?"

"Brother," he thought with a cold laugh. He knew that if he revealed everything and lost his usefulness, the man in black would kill him immediately, or even use him as bait to lure away the pursuers. He gritted his teeth: "I promise, as long as I can get out of here safely, I will tell you everything!"

The man in black knew he was determined not to speak, so he swept his eyes over him with a sinister look, then glanced at Yu Man on the ground, and suddenly said, "There is another way."

They arrived at the left rear of the mountain, where there was an extremely hidden and dangerous path, seemingly an abandoned path left by early stone carvers. It was narrow, steep, and covered with gravel and moss.

This is their only way to survive.

The group struggled to move down the treacherous path. Finally, they reached a relatively flat hillside that connected several forks in the road. The man in black stopped, glanced back at the possible direction of the pursuers, and then looked at Yu Man, who was still unconscious and being half-supported and half-dragged by "Brother".

“If we take her, we’ll all die.” The man in black’s voice was cold and devoid of any emotion. He wasn’t asking for opinions; he was stating a fact.

"Brother," Yu Man looked at him with a complicated expression. But... he gritted his teeth, and in the end, his will to survive prevailed, and he let go.

Without further hesitation, the man in black took Yu Man from his "brother" and tossed her aside like a bundle at the entrance of what appeared to be the most desolate and overgrown path. He even deliberately nudged the surrounding bushes with his foot to create the illusion that someone had hurriedly broken in.

"Split up!" the man in black shouted, choosing another path first, and disappearing into the dense forest in a few leaps.

"Brother" glanced at the unconscious Yu Man on the ground, then hardened his heart and chose the third path, quickly escaping as well. They deliberately left Yu Man and the tampered path behind to mislead their pursuers and buy time for their escape.

...

On the official road at the foot of the mountain, a rather ordinary-looking mule cart was moving at a leisurely pace. The cart was covered with a thick layer of freshly cut hay. Two young men sat on either side of the cart's shaft.

The man on the left had a smile on his face and couldn't stop talking: "Hey, Chuan, what's the matter that the old man wrote so urgently to call us back? There's just been some fun at the border..."

Jin Chuchuan said coldly, sparing his words, "Pei Ji has left the academy."

"What?!" Chunyu Zhi was so shocked he almost jumped up. "How come I didn't know?! When did this happen?"

Jin Chuchuan said expressionlessly, "It's written in the letter. I put it on the table at the inn."

Chunyu Zhi scratched his head, looking completely bewildered: "Really? I didn't see it..."

Jin Chuchuan added casually, "You thought the table was uneven, so you used it as a footrest."

Chunyu Zhi: "..." A hint of guilt flashed across his face for a moment. Just as he was about to explain, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure lying in the grass on the hillside beside the official road. The blue clothes of the figure stood out against the green grass.

"Hey?! Achuan, look over there!" He immediately forgot about the previous topic and pointed in that direction, "It looks like someone's passed out there!"

Jin Chuchuan looked in the direction he was pointing, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

Chunyu Zhi had already answered his own question: "In the middle of nowhere, she looks like a woman, quite pitiful... Should we save her?" Before Jin Chu Chuan could answer, he slapped his thigh, "Save her! We must save her! My father always said that saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda!"

At the same time, Jin Chuchuan coldly spoke, uttering two words: "I won't save you."

Chunyu Zhi seemed to have anticipated his words, and waved his hand dismissively, "I know, I know, you'll probably say 'unknown origins, likely troublesome' again." As he nimbly jumped off the carriage shaft, he muttered, "But what if she's a fairy-like woman? If we just stand by and watch her die, wouldn't we be struck by lightning?"

He always acts on a whim, and today happens to be a rare moment of kindness from him.

When Yu Man woke up, she subconsciously touched the back of her neck, where it hurt the most. She frowned, and before she was fully conscious, she felt two pairs of eyes staring straight at her face.

She struggled to open her eyes, her vision blurry, but gradually focusing—a handsome face grinning broadly, and another expressionless face with a cold, scrutinizing gaze.

"Young lady, you're awake?" The naturally smiling man spoke lightly as he saw her open her eyes. "We rescued you! How are you feeling? What's your name, and where do you live?"

Yu Man's throat was dry. After a long while, she realized that she must have been abandoned by those people and then picked up by these two by chance.

She opened her mouth, about to make up an excuse, when a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps approached from afar, carrying an intuition that left no room for doubt.

The sound of footsteps…

That's right this time.

She turned her head sharply and looked in the direction of the sound.

At the end of the official road, a group of people were walking briskly. The leader was dressed in a blue robe and had a tall and straight figure like a pine tree.

His usual gentle smile vanished, replaced by an almost panicked anxiety and aggression. His gaze swept across the scene, finally settling firmly on her.

Their eyes met.

It's Pei Ji!

As Yu Man watched him rush towards her, seeing the undisguised panic and relief at regaining what she had lost in his eyes, the resentment, anger, and grievances that had been building up in her heart for days suddenly released, like air being punctured by a needle. But that feeling remained stuck, neither rising nor falling.

She wanted to say, "Do you know what kind of life I've been living these past few days?"

The dungeon was cold and damp.

And the food wasn't good either...

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, all the questions she wanted to ask stuck in her throat. She watched him rush forward, but hesitated to reach out.

Yu Man didn't move, nor did she look into his burning eyes. She simply lowered her head slowly, extending her slender fingers to carefully touch her slightly disheveled sleeve pocket. It was empty.

It must have been lost along the way.

She raised her eyes and looked at Pei Ji, who had finally stood before her, his breathing still a little unsteady. Her lips curled slightly downwards, and her voice was soft and a little hoarse:

“Pei Ji…” she called his name as usual, but only those two words.

Then, as if she had lost something extremely important, she muttered softly:

"The amulet I got for you... I lost it."

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Author's Note: Little sister (looking pitiful on the surface), but you just wait and see!