Chapter 59
When Man Jiangxue and Ji Wanshu followed them into the small building, the man in black who had led the way had already disappeared.
The building was located on the edge of the Ziwei Sect's headquarters, close to the mountain. The surrounding fire was quite intense. Although the building itself was spared and no sparks were seen, the situation in the courtyard outside was dire. However, there were not many sect members who went to fight the fire; most of them had gone elsewhere. Only a few henchmen were leading a group of maids, busily carrying water to extinguish the fire. No one noticed that there were two extra people in the building.
The main hall was dimly lit, without any lamps. As soon as the two entered, they saw a dark tunnel entrance wide open in the ground near the wall, which seemed to be the deliberate work of the man in black from before.
Although there was no time to guess who the man in black was, Man Jiangxue remained vigilant and said, "Be careful, it might be a trap."
Ji Wanshu searched the hall for a while, then frowned and said, "I clearly saw that person come in with my own eyes, how could they escape so quickly?"
Man Jiangxue looked at the entrance and said, "Never mind him for now. You stay outside and keep watch. I'll go in and take a look."
Ji Wanshu frowned and stopped her, saying, "Uncle-Master, wait a minute. We don't even know where we are down here. What if Yin Qiu isn't inside?" She turned her head and glanced outside the building. "It might be Nangong Min's trick to trap us like turtles in a jar."
Hearing her words, Man Jiangxue paused, turned around and looked at Ji Wanshu: "What do you mean by 'catching a turtle in a jar'? That's called 'inviting the enemy into the jar'."
Ji Wanshu was stunned for a moment, not understanding what she meant. After a while, she realized what she meant and said, half embarrassed and half speechless, "...What time is it? You still have the mood to nitpick with me at a time like this."
Man Jiangxue said, "You should never criticize yourself."
After she finished speaking, she bent down and squatted down, pressing her ear to the ground to listen for any sounds from underground. Seeing this, Ji Wanshu followed suit. The two listened intently for a while, but apart from the noise and wind outside, they heard nothing.
"Should I go down and take a look first?" Ji Wanshu straightened up. "Uncle-Master, please stay here."
After thinking for a moment, Man Jiangxue stood up and said, "No need, I'll go. You stay here and guard the place. If anyone comes, you can retreat first."
Ji Wanshu raised her eyes: "How can this be?"
Man Jiangxue said, "Since you're coming with me, you must follow my instructions. Do whatever I tell you to do."
Ji Wanshu rarely commanded respect in Yunhua Palace. She didn't even genuinely admire Xie Yijun. However, she dared not disobey Man Jiangxue's words and had no choice but to agree. She then turned around and tightly closed the palace door.
"Uncle-Master, please be careful in everything you do."
Man Jiangxue hummed in agreement, took the dagger from her hand, and slowly stepped down the stone steps at the entrance.
Ji Wanshu peeked outside through the crack in the door frame and saw that the maids and believers were still busy running around, so she walked to the entrance and stood guard quietly.
Not long after, the sound of Man Jiangxue's footsteps gradually faded away. Ji Wanshu bent down and peeked inside. Seeing that the passage was pitch black and she couldn't see anything, she straightened up and decided to find a secluded place to hide.
Unexpectedly, just as she took a step, a door suddenly opened behind her, softly and slowly, almost imperceptible unless one listened carefully.
Ji Wanshu's brows furrowed, and she immediately drew her longsword and thrust it backward. However, at the same moment she drew her sword, a crimson hem flashed before her eyes, instantly blocking her movement.
With a clang, the sword fell to the ground. Ji Wanshu felt a sharp pain in her wrist. Before she could even see who it was, she was struck in the chest, the impact making her chest go numb, and she staggered backward.
This palm strike was powerful and vicious; even Ji Wanshu couldn't escape unscathed. She quickly steadied herself, half-kneeling on the ground, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"This is the chief disciple of Yunhua Palace?" Nangong Min stood three steps away, smiling amiably. "Nothing special."
Ji Wanshu spat out a mouthful of blood, picked up her sword, and looked at her with icy eyes.
Neither of them made a move; they simply stared at each other silently. Yet, the surrounding air seemed to freeze instantly, chilling them to the bone.
·
Beneath the floor where they stood, Yin Qiu was huddled in a corner, rubbing her hands and shivering uncontrollably.
This dark room is so cold.
She stayed there for a while, but couldn't bear the cold any longer, so she got up and jumped around, trying to dispel the chill by moving her body.
The footsteps overhead gradually subsided, presumably because the fire outside the small building had been mostly extinguished. Yin Qiu paced back and forth anxiously, finally unable to contain her anticipation, and ran back to the iron gate to peer out again.
The dozen or so cult members remained in their original positions, and Wen Chaoyu was still sitting on the wooden chair, pretending to doze off. Yin Qiu listened intently for a while but couldn't hear anyone coming from the secret passage, so he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Could it really not be my martial uncle who has come?
Yin Qiu sighed, her face revealing an unconcealable sense of loss. She leaned against the iron gate as if all her strength had left her, staring blankly at the dark passage outside.
She thought it was better if Man Jiangxue didn't come. This secret passage was hard to find and there was no way out. Once Man Jiangxue came in, it would be difficult to escape. If someone outside blocked the entrance in time, a fierce battle would be inevitable. At that time, not only would Man Jiangxue be restricted in her actions, but what if Nangong Min took the opportunity to hurt Man Jiangxue?
Thinking this way, Yin Qiu felt much more at ease and accepted her fate. The window on the iron gate was just big enough for her head, so Yin Qiu rested her chin on the windowsill and said to Wen Chaoyu, "I'm so cold, can you give me some clothes to wear?"
Wen Chaoyu glanced at her, stood up, took off her outer robe and threw it at Yin Qiu's face, then instructed one of the followers, "Go out and see what's going on outside."
The cultist accepted the order and immediately headed out of the passage. Yin Qiu pulled his outer robe inside and wrapped it around himself. The robe still carried Wen Chaoyu's body heat and was thick, which immediately made Yin Qiu feel much better.
Suddenly, a faint groan echoed in the darkness.
Upon hearing the voice, Yin Qiu stopped dressing. The believers outside the door had obviously heard it as well, and they all turned to look in front of her.
Wen Chaoyu narrowed her eyes and waved her hand to signal the believers not to make any rash moves. She listened for a while but did not hear any more noise.
After a long time, there was still no sound from outside the secret passage, and the cultist from before did not return. The surroundings were quiet, and only the deliberately soft breathing of the people could be heard. The atmosphere became strange for no reason.
Seeing the wary expressions on Wen Chaoyu and the others' faces, Yin Qiu couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope again.
Her martial uncle came to save her?
With no one speaking or moving, the place seemed even more deathly silent. Everyone stared intently at the dark passage ahead, waiting for a long time without seeing anyone come, yet they inexplicably dared not relax, even feeling an indescribable tension.
After waiting patiently for a while, Wen Chaoyu finally spoke, "Let's go take a look ahead."
As she spoke, she carefully slipped the key to the iron gate into her hair as the worshippers moved. The key was very thin, only the length of a finger, and was hidden in her hair, inconspicuous and unnoticeable.
Yin Qiu leaned her head out to see what was going on, but Wen Chaoyu shoved her back.
The next moment, the believers walking in front suddenly stopped, as if someone had struck their acupoints from a distance, and they all stopped in place without warning.
Wen Chaoyu's eyes flickered slightly as she gripped the hilt of her knife. Just as she was about to ask a question, she saw the cultists suddenly let out a muffled whimper and fall face down to the ground at the same time.
At the same time, a gleaming silver dagger suddenly appeared from the secret passage. The thin blade was still stained with blood, and as it flew through the air, it flung out many drops of blood, which dripped onto the walls on both sides, leaving a few scattered marks.
The silver light was dazzling and eye-catching, like a silk thread wrapped around Wen Chaoyu's eyebrows. Wen Chaoyu's pupils shrank, and she wanted to raise her broadsword to block the dagger. However, her injuries had not healed and her true energy was insufficient. She could only dodge in a hurry and narrowly avoid the attack.
Before Wen Chaoyu could even regain her footing, the dagger came after her again. The passage was narrow, only wide enough for two people to stand side by side, making it a difficult place to defend. Wen Chaoyu was forced to flee in a sorry state by the dagger. In the midst of the struggle, she was hit several times without any way to avoid it. Her arms were slashed, and her sleeves were stained red.
Even though the person hadn't shown themselves, Wen Chaoyu knew who it was just by looking at the dagger. She gritted her teeth and raised her broadsword to block a few times, but the pain from her wounds made her have to say, "If you're here, don't hide! Come out!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the dagger suddenly stopped in mid-air, but only for a moment before flying rapidly backward.
Wen Chaoyu leaned against the wall, clutching her arm. Through her slightly blurred vision, she saw a slender, fair hand emerge from the darkness and grasp the hilt of the dagger with perfect accuracy.
The fingers had distinct knuckles and rounded nails. The gesture of raising the hand exuded an unconventional air of refined elegance, as if it were holding not a sword, but a flower.
In a moment, a pair of jet-black cloud boots lightly stepped in, followed by a skirt embroidered with silver thread patterns, and above that, a white silk belt, a cross-collared garment, and a bamboo hat draped with soft black gauze, which gently covered the smooth black hair that hung down to the waist.
A breeze, seemingly from nowhere, gently swept through the dark passage, lifting the person's black veil and hair, causing them to sway in a beautiful arc, and spreading a faint, lingering fragrance.
Wen Chaoyu had already assumed that it was Man Jiangxue who had come, but when she witnessed this scene, she couldn't help but show a surprised expression.
Who is this person?
Perhaps because the light was too dim, and because the person was dressed in all black and had her face covered by a bamboo hat, Wen Chaoyu was not sure if she was Man Jiangxue, so she could only ask, "Who are you?"
Upon seeing the dagger, Yin Qiu initially thought it was Man Jiangxue, but upon seeing the man's attire, she, like Wen Chaoyu, was surprised.
She looks like Man Jiangxue, yet she doesn't quite resemble Man Jiangxue.
Is it true or not?
·
After a brief silence, Yin Qiu called out in a high-pitched voice, "...Martial Uncle?"
Upon hearing Yin Qiu's voice, Man Jiangxue's heart skipped a beat, thinking that Yin Qiu was indeed imprisoned here. However, hearing the uncertainty in Yin Qiu's tone, she found it somewhat amusing for no reason. So, she took off her straw hat and looked at Yin Qiu, saying, "Don't you recognize me?"
Upon seeing that familiar face, Yin Qiu was overjoyed and excitedly shouted, "Uncle-Master! It really is you!"
She was right; it really was Man Jiangxue!
Man Jiangxue smiled at her, glanced at Wen Chaoyu, and said in a light tone, "The key."
Wen Chaoyu looked at her strangely for a long time before saying, "So it really is you."
Damn it! Why is this person dressed like that? Someone who always wears white clothes has suddenly changed into all black today, I almost didn't recognize him!
If she had known it was Man Jiangxue, she should have just begged for mercy. Why did she have to take a beating for nothing?!
"The key," Man Jiangxue repeated.
Wen Chaoyu sighed in frustration, straightened up by leaning on the hilt of the knife, and said, "Do you think I would give it to you?"
Man Jiangxue's gaze was calm: "Don't waste time, hand it over."
Wen Chaoyu glanced at her and sneered, "You don't have the key, but you do have a life. Let me tell you, even if you can save Yin Qiu, you won't escape so easily."
Man Jiangxue said, "Do you need to tell me? Just give me a word."
Wen Chaoyu said, "No," she paused, as if watching a good show, "Our leader is definitely waiting for you outside. Since you're so capable, smash that door in front of me."
After she finished speaking, she added, "Let me tell you again, this door is made of fine iron. Without the key, you will have absolutely no way to..."
Before she could finish saying "There is absolutely no way to open it," Man Jiangxue suddenly raised her hand and slammed it against the door.
With a loud "boom," the iron gate, forged from refined iron, suddenly shattered into pieces, instantly turning into a pile of broken scraps under Wen Chaoyu's astonished gaze.
Man Jiangxue not only smashed the door with her bare hands, but also controlled her strength perfectly, without even hurting Yin Qiu, who was standing by the door.
Wen Chaoyu's voice suddenly caught in her throat.
“Absolutely nothing?” Man Jiangxue turned to look at her.
Wen Chaoyu: "..."
Wen Chaoyu: "Are you even human?"
Not only her, but Yin Qiu was also stunned and didn't come back to her senses for a long time.
Man Jiangxue let out a cryptic laugh from her nose. Ignoring Wen Chaoyu, she reached out and picked up Yin Qiu, then walked silently out of the secret passage.
"You just left like that?" Wen Chaoyu was shocked like never before.
That's refined iron! Not some wood scraps. What other unknown abilities does this person possess?
Man Jiangxue turned and glanced at her: "Otherwise?" As she finished speaking, she patted the shocked Yin Qiu, "Are you dumbfounded?"
Seeing the iron gate burst open in front of her, Yin Qiu was terrified before she came to her senses.
She quickly hugged Man Jiangxue tightly.
My uncle is amazing!
Although she was being careful, Man Jiangxue still asked Yin Qiu, "Are you hurt?"
Yin Qiu shook her head, as if only now realizing that Man Jiangxue had really arrived, and cried tears of joy, "Uncle-Master... I missed you so much!"
Man Jiangxue patted her head and said in a very gentle tone, "Don't be afraid, your martial uncle will take you home."
Despite being overjoyed, Yin Qiu cried her eyes out. She hugged Man Jiangxue with all her might and choked out, "I knew my martial uncle would come to save me."
In the blink of an eye, Yin Qiu had been staying at the Ziwei Sect for almost half a month. When Man Jiangxue saw her, she was also moved. She reached out to wipe away Yin Qiu's tears and said, "No matter what happens later, you must not leave me, okay?"
Yin Qiu nodded emphatically: "No, Uncle-Master, please don't leave me either."
Man Jiangxue said, "Of course I won't leave you, don't worry."
After saying this, Man Jiangxue carried Yin Qiu outside. Wen Chaoyu watched their departing figures, hesitated for a moment, and then followed suit.
More than a dozen corpses lay upright on the ground. Wen Chaoyu looked at them one by one and found that they all only had a small cut on their necks and had bled a lot, but no other injuries.
With just a dagger, she could easily take these people's lives; Man Jiangxue's martial arts skills were far superior to what they were back in Yunhua Palace.
Wen Chaoyu had mixed feelings.
Speaking of which, she and Man Jiangxue were once fellow disciples, having studied martial arts under their master for several years. However, Wen Chaoyu has not made any significant progress to this day, while Man Jiangxue has made rapid progress over the years and has become increasingly formidable. She was once a favored daughter of heaven, and now she is even more unfathomable. If Shen Mandong were still alive, she would probably only be able to look up to Man Jiangxue.
Wen Chaoyu sighed, feeling ashamed for the first time because of someone. She tucked the broadsword into her waistband and, enduring the pain, quickly caught up with the person in front of her.
Seeing Wen Chaoyu hurrying up, Yin Qiu grinned at her in the darkness.
Just tell me you can't beat your martial uncle!
Seeing the expression on Yin Qiu's face, Wen Chaoyu glared at her, her face turning extremely pale.
However, the moment Yin Qiu left the passage and returned to the ground, she could no longer smile.
The previously dimly lit building was now illuminated by several candles, as bright as day. A large group of people stood in the hall. Nangong Min stood in the center of the crowd, watching Man Jiangxue and the other two walk out step by step with a calm expression. Beside her, Ji Wanshu, pale-faced and bound hand and foot, was kneeling.
Upon seeing Ji Wanshu's figure, Yin Qiu was taken aback, and Wen Chaoyu behind her also changed her expression drastically. Only Man Jiangxue remained calm and did not show any emotion.
Nangong Min stood with her hands behind her back, her eyes alluring. She looked at Man Jiangxue and said softly, "I've been waiting for you for a long time, Man Jiangxue."
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