Chapter 33 The Calamity of Shangxu: The Stone Cave
Just like her, she's like a mystery.
Having escaped the cave, the two gradually moved from the surrounding barren mountains into a flatter forest. However, the trees grew increasingly dense, with branches and leaves spreading out, creating even greater obstacles than in the cave. Xie Xingzheng's vision also became increasingly blurry, and although he tried to quicken his pace, he couldn't pick up the speed.
After more than half an hour, the masked man who had been searching in the cave realized that the person had escaped far away. Following the remaining traces, he gradually chased them into the forest.
Even though Xie Xingzheng tried his best to erase the traces, he could not overcome their numerical advantage.
Suddenly, two figures abruptly entered his blurred vision. Xie Xingzheng sighed inwardly; now, afflicted by the poison, even his most prized senses had become dulled.
He focused his energy on his fingertips, and before the two men could react, he darted behind them, aimed at a spot, and the two masked men swayed, collapsing to the ground before they could even utter a cry of alarm.
Unexpectedly, this commotion still alerted people in the distance. Xie Xingzheng's ears twitched, and he heard footsteps approaching.
He quickly tore off the masked man's clothes, threw them to Tang Yu behind him to put on, and then leaped into the depths of the forest.
Even with someone on their backs, they were still incredibly agile. The two fled straight to another cliff, where moss and vines grew and the trees blocked out the sun. Although it was perfect for hiding, one could easily make a sound if one wasn't careful.
Tang Yu, who had been quietly leaning on his shoulder, suddenly whispered, "That way."
Xie Xingzheng did not stop walking and followed her direction. He saw that there was a cave entrance hidden among the weeds on the cliff. The cave was covered with cobwebs and it would be difficult to notice even if one walked past it without paying special attention.
He moved swiftly, carrying her into the darkness. A few breaths later, several groups of masked men swept through the forest, yet none of them noticed them.
Only after the footsteps faded into the distance and the lingering ripples of the vines swaying at the cave entrance subsided did Tang Yu come to her senses.
Thinking of the labyrinthine layout of the Blood Pool, she figured the entrance must be just as hidden as this place. Moreover, she vaguely remembered hearing the little girl say that Xie Xingzheng was about to fall off the cliff, and a surge of curiosity arose within her. She couldn't help but ask, "How did you find that cave?"
While keeping watch outside the cave, Xie Xingzheng briefly told her about how the red shadow had lured him and almost made him fall off the cliff.
He pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment before continuing, "At that time, I thought about it for a long time on the cliff, and even doubted whether it was an illusion. But when I came back, the white mist had dissipated, and I found that a small piece of red cloth had been hooked off a branch not far away. Only then did I realize that it was not my imagination."
"So I returned to that cliff, and using the longsword embedded in the cliff face as a fulcrum, I carefully explored the surroundings again, and surprisingly found a very inconspicuous cave entrance." He paused, his voice cold and stern, "I think this might be where the red shadow went after it disappeared. After entering this cave, I followed the sound and found you."
"I see..." Tang Yu also felt that this was extremely dangerous after hearing it.
Thinking of the labyrinthine cave and the eerie pool of blood, she became increasingly suspicious.
Could that be the so-called "Shangxu"?
But then I thought about it again and realized something was wrong.
If it were truly Shangxu, how could it be unguarded? Even the masked man had to be summoned after escaping. And those women from the southern border who should have been sent there wouldn't all have been thrown into the blood pool to be fed to the Gu poison, leaving not even a single skeleton behind.
The thought of that foul-smelling, disgusting pool water made Tang Yu's stomach churn. Suddenly remembering Xie Xingzheng who had jumped in, she hurriedly asked, "You jumped into that blood pool... are you alright?"
Xie Xingzheng paused for a moment, then said calmly, "It's alright for now."
Tang Yu clearly didn't believe him and was about to reach out to take his pulse when suddenly her body felt light and she was carried on his back.
"I'm rested enough, I can walk by myself!" Tang Yu said, feeling a little embarrassed. She struggled slightly, but couldn't break free at all.
Xie Xingzheng carried her on his back, his steps steady, and said in a deep voice, "We need to hurry down the mountain while they are still far away."
After hearing this, Tang Yu also gave up the idea of walking on her own. She understood that with Xie Xingzheng's agility and martial arts skills, even if he carried her, he would be much faster than she could barely keep up. Besides, she had lost too much blood and had been under immense mental strain for two days, leaving her completely exhausted.
Before long, as Xie Xingzheng silently moved through the mountains and forests, he drifted off to sleep.
Seeing that Tang Yu had been silent for a long time, Xie Xingzheng turned his head to look. He saw that Tang Yu was resting her head on his shoulder, her face pale and her brows furrowed. Although her breathing was light and long, she did not seem to be sleeping soundly.
His vision was now completely bloodshot, and even at such close range, he couldn't make out her features clearly.
Just like her, she's like a mystery.
For once, Xie Xingzheng's expression softened. Since sneaking into the Beauty Market the day before yesterday, and then being captured at Yaohua Pavilion after the banquet last night, she hadn't had a good night's sleep for two days and was also injured. It wasn't surprising that she was so tired that she fell asleep.
He adjusted his posture while carrying her to make her more comfortable, and deliberately walked very quietly, afraid of waking her.
Some people are strange, as if they are born with a kind of magic. Even if you know that she is full of doubts and you cannot let your guard down, she also has an attraction that makes people abandon all prejudices and can't help but get closer.
As Xie Xingzheng walked, the blurry blood red before his eyes gradually turned into a dark red where the road ahead was indistinguishable, and then into complete blackness.
What is destined to be unseen will ultimately remain unseen.
Yet it seemed to have no effect whatsoever; he still carried Tang Yu steadily on his back, hoping she would have a sweet dream.
*
Back in Zhongjing, at Yaohua Pavilion.
Xiao Fangliang stood in the open space in the backyard, looking at the several rooms with their doors and windows tightly closed, from which wisps of smoke slowly escaped.
Inside the house, the pungent smell of burning mugwort mixed with thick smoke permeated the entire room, leaving no hidden corner untouched.
Wang Shanyue and the hidden agents' eyes were red from the smoke, but they dared not relax for a moment, keeping a close eye on the movement of the smoke. Although Wang Shanyue did not know why A Liang was doing this, he watched more carefully than anyone else.
Suddenly, he noticed something unusual near the floor tiles in a corner. The smoke there seemed to be flowing faster than elsewhere, as if it were being blown by something.
He excitedly pushed open the door and shouted, "Ah Liang, I found her!"
Upon hearing the sound, Xiao Fangliang, disregarding the lingering acrid smoke in the room, immediately covered his mouth and nose and approached. Squinting to examine it closely, he indeed discovered that the smoke in the gap seemed to be being moved by a faint airflow.
His eyes turned cold, and he ordered in a deep voice, "It might be here. Pry it open."
The accompanying bodyguard immediately understood and drew his sword to tap along the brick seams for a long time, but the bricks were exceptionally sturdy and remained unmoved even after a long struggle.
Wang Shanyue tilted his head and looked at it for a while, then raised his hand to dismiss the crowd. He took two swords and embedded them into the brick seams on both sides. The veins on his arms bulged, and he concentrated his energy to exert force.
"Bang—!"
A muffled thud suddenly rang out, and the bluestone slab shattered, sending brick fragments and sand flying everywhere, raising dust in the air. Everyone was so startled that they quickly turned aside and covered their faces to avoid the commotion.
As the dust settled, what appeared before them was the entrance to a dark and secluded secret passage, with a chilling wind blowing in from below.
"There really is a secret passage!" Wang Shanyue exclaimed in a low voice, unable to hide his joy. He then turned to ask, "A Liang, how did you know?"
Xiao Fangliang explained in a deep voice: "The entrance to the secret passage would never be located in a busy place, so the secluded backyard is the most suspicious. And since it can connect to the outside, there must be air circulation. We can seal the doors and windows, and then use smoke to probe and find the abnormal airflow, and then we can find the secret passage."
He paused, glancing at the shattered stone slab. This place must have been opened by a mechanism, but there was no time to waste searching for it now; brute force would be faster.
"Ah Liang, let's hurry in and save Brother Yu!" Wang Shanyue rubbed his hands together, eager to jump down immediately.
Xiao Fangliang stopped him, then turned to Xu Lian and instructed, "Deputy General Xu, you stay here to keep watch. Firstly, to prevent any changes at the entrance, and secondly, to prevent anyone from tipping you off. A-Yue and I will take half the men down first."
Xu Lian gripped his weapon tightly and nodded emphatically: "Alright! Be careful."
Immediately, Xiao Fangliang and his companion, along with dozens of bodyguards and hidden agents, leaped into the dark, unknown passageway. The firelight flickered, and the sound of their footsteps echoed between the stone walls.
At first, it was a passageway paved with neat stone slabs, but as you went deeper, it gradually transformed into a winding, seemingly naturally formed cave. The firelight reflected on the uneven rock walls, yet it made you feel damp and cold to the bone.
Wang Shanyue, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped, stroked the cave wall, frowned and said in confusion, "A Liang... the stones here are like those at the Bottomless Cliff in the outskirts of the capital."
Upon his reminder, Xiao Fangliang's heart sank. Every year, people fall to the bottom of the Bottomless Cliff and are never found, giving rise to many eerie rumors, which ordinary people try to avoid. Unexpectedly, the secret passage of Yaohua Pavilion leads here.
As he was pondering, Wang Shanyue exclaimed in surprise, "Eh!" Xiao Fangliang's thoughts returned, and he looked up to see three forks in the road ahead, with dark cave entrances that seemed to be waiting to swallow him whole.
The group looked at each other, unsure which way to go.
Xiao Fangliang picked up the torch and shone it deeper into the area. Clearly, even if a path had been chosen, further exploration would reveal more forks in the road.
He immediately ordered in a deep voice to fetch ropes and candles. Soon after, the candles were lit at three forks in the path, their light flickering. After a moment, one of the candles trembled slightly, as if a breeze had brushed against the flame.
“The wind suggests there might be an exit over there.” Xiao Fangliang’s expression was cold and deep as he said in a low voice, “This method is not foolproof, so we must leave ourselves an escape route.”
He ordered his men to secure the ropes firmly to one spot on the stone wall, while the rest were left untied.
"If you go the wrong way, turn back with the rope and try another passage. If none of them are passable, tie a knot in the rope and turn back to the previous fork in the road. This way you won't get lost and you'll save time."
These words brought a sense of reassurance to everyone.
Wang Shanyue's eyes lit up with admiration, and he couldn't help but praise, "A Liang is so clever."
Guided by candles and ropes, the group walked for a long time through this maze-like passageway. As the air ahead grew increasingly damp and cold, water droplets seeped from the stone walls, their dripping sounds particularly jarring in the silent cave.
Wang Shanyue, who was walking at the front, suddenly pricked up his ears and caught the faintest sound ahead. He immediately raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop and be quiet, so that he could go ahead and scout the way.
With a few quick leaps, they arrived at the end of the passageway, where a massive stone gate stood. The gate was carved with eerie patterns of coiled snakes and insects, exuding an unsettling and sinister aura.
There was no one guarding the stone gate, but a faint light and a whiff of sweet, fishy smell could be seen through the cracks.
Wang Shanyue held his breath and stepped forward, bending down close to the crevice in the rock to peer inside.
Behind the door was an unusually large stone cave. The ground was flat and empty, with only a few masked men patrolling back and forth. There weren't many, but when he looked up, his heart suddenly tightened.
The cave was so deep that one could not see the top at a glance. It was filled with a dense network of crisscrossing iron chains, like a giant net suspended in the air. Several cages were hanging from the chains, and one could vaguely see figures huddled inside, motionless and silent, in a deathly stillness.
These iron chains are deeply embedded in the rock face. The process was intricate and complex, and it must have taken a lot of effort to complete them.
With limited visibility, he couldn't see the whole picture. Just as he was wondering, a very soft sob drifted in through the wind, accompanied by the barely audible metallic clanging of the swaying chains, echoing in the empty, cold cave like a death knell.
Looking at the mountains, I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine, a coldness creeping from my feet to my scalp. A thought popped into my head:
No way, this is Shangxu?
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