Chapter 26 Beauty Market: The Blind Old Man
Finally, I experienced the terror of being utterly helpless and unable to call for help.
When the black cloth covering Xie Xingzheng and Shi Wuduo was lifted, they found themselves in another room with similar furnishings to the one they had just seen, but the furnishings were much more luxurious and exquisite. The sandalwood railings exuded a subtle fragrance, and it was clear at a glance that the owner of this room was a woman.
The window frames were not covered with paper, allowing a direct view of the outside through the wooden frame. Xie Xingzheng's gaze, however, was drawn to a pair of small bells hanging in front of the window.
He stepped forward, about to reach out and touch it, when he suddenly heard the sound of a door being pushed open behind him, and an old but cold voice rang out: "Young master, that bell is a beloved possession of my master, please do not touch it."
Xie Xingzheng paused, withdrew his hand, and turned around to look.
It was an old man with a hunched back, holding an oil lamp to his side, which clearly illuminated the wrinkles on his face. In the dim light, his slightly protruding eyes were covered with a layer of bluish-gray, cloudy and lifeless.
Despite having blind eyes, he knew exactly where the two were. He walked over shakily and stopped just an arm's length away from him, staring intently at him with his lifeless eyes.
Facing the somewhat slow-moving old man, Xie Xingzheng felt a chill for no reason, as if the person in front of him was extremely dangerous.
"The stands below are reserved for distinguished guests," the old man said hoarsely, leading them to the window.
Xie Xingzheng followed the gaze and saw that the place resembled a deep cave. The lowest level was an open space paved with bluestone slabs, surrounded by high walls, upon which stood dozens of ornate pavilions decorated with gold lacquer and red silk. This contrasted sharply with the cold and empty space.
Their room, perched higher up in the cave, offered a panoramic view of the entire area, including the masked guests who considered themselves superior.
"This is where the Lord of the Ruins usually rests and enjoys the view." The old man's voice trembled, yet it revealed a strange reverence: "Listen... the Lord has arrived."
Tears welled up in those dull, lifeless gray eyes. It was as if the person who heard her voice was a goddess from the heavens, or perhaps she was her faithful follower.
The sweet, cloying voice that drifted through the room, though soft and delicate in tone, sent a chill down Xie Xingzheng's spine for no apparent reason, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.
"...Have fun." A soft laugh followed the last sentence.
Almost at the same moment, he saw three beautifully dressed girls being led into the arena below. Xie Xingzheng's gaze sharpened instantly as he recognized Tang Yu among them.
All three women had their wrists bound by silver chains, the ends of which were embedded in the wall, preventing them from getting close despite being several steps apart.
Suddenly, a low, animalistic roar came from the shadows of the wall, followed by a woman's piercing scream. Xie Xingzheng quickly focused his gaze and saw that it was a gray wolf!
His expression changed drastically, his pupils contracted sharply, and a surge of energy rose from his feet. Almost instinctively, he was about to push open the window and jump down to save the person.
But a strong gust of wind came from behind!
Sensing the murderous aura, Xie Xingzheng suddenly retaliated with his palm. As their palms clashed, their internal forces clashed, and both of them were forced back half a step, causing even the surrounding air to tremble.
He looked up and saw that the person who had made the move was none other than the blind old man from before.
At this moment, his previously hunched back straightened a bit, his movements became less sluggish, and his entire demeanor suddenly became stern. His gray, lifeless eyes were hollow and terrifying, staring directly at Xie Xingzheng, as if he could see through every inch of his movements.
Xie Xingzheng's heart sank: he hadn't realized at all how skilled this person was!
"What...what is this all about?" Shi Wuduo was startled by the scene before him, and quickly put on a smile, awkwardly trying to explain.
The old man gave a ferocious sneer, his hoarse voice carrying an eerie chill: "General Xie San, I have long admired your name."
Xie Xingzheng felt a chill run down his spine. He didn't know whether he had been recognized before entering the Beauty Ruins or after, but now he had already stepped into their carefully laid trap.
He had no time to think deeply, nor did he wish to prolong the fight. In a fleeting glance, the situation outside the window changed drastically; Su Yutang's arm was ripped open by wolf claws, blood flowing freely.
Startled, his breathing became heavy, and he slightly slumped his feet, preparing to look for an opportunity to save the person.
The old man saw through his intention and sneered, "Wouldn't it be better to stay here and watch obediently?"
Having said that, he lightly stepped down.
In an instant, more than a dozen masked men in black emerged from the shadows outside and inside the house, surrounding Xie Xingzheng with swords and separating him from the doors and windows, but without any warning.
Shi Wuduo shrank back behind him in fright, and whispered in protest, "It wasn't me who betrayed you..."
He slowly moved to the side, his eyes darting around, ready to find a way to escape at any moment.
Another uproar erupted in the arena below, and the stench of blood intensified. Another blood lizard had appeared in the stands, its fangs menacing.
Xie Xingzheng's eyes suddenly turned cold, his fists clenched tightly, and a murderous aura swept over his entire body like frost.
He took a step forward, his fist whistling through the air, and his killing intent suddenly reached the old man!
But the old man was no ordinary person. His gray-white pupils suddenly narrowed, and his figure flashed unpredictably, as fast as a ghost. Although he was invisible, it was as if the old man could predict the old man's trajectory, blocking the rain of attacks.
The two clashed, their palm strikes creating a deafening roar as they smashed the tables and chairs inside the room, leaving a scene of utter chaos.
The masked men also moved, drawing their swords and lunging at Xie Xingzheng.
Although Xie Xingzheng had no weapon, he was in no way at a disadvantage. Even when surrounded by many people, they could hardly be harmed by his deadly palm and elbow strikes.
With a flick of his wrist, he snatched the longsword from the man in black. In an instant, he was like a god of death, his sword light flashing and turning, and bloodstains appeared on the necks of several men, instantly staining the room with crimson.
Facing a dozen or so men alone, he exuded a murderous aura and carved a bloody gash in the air. Just as he was about to retreat...
The old man appeared behind him like a ghost, his laughter sinister and ruthless, a forced smile that didn't reach his eyes. In his hand, he produced a Miao knife of unknown origin, its blade pitch black, and he leaped towards Xie Xingzheng.
His swordsmanship was unpredictable and ruthless, giving Xie Xingzheng almost no chance to breathe. It grazed Xie Xingzheng's arm bone, instantly tearing a gash in his sleeve.
Xie Xingzheng didn't have time to look, and forced his way back with a backhand sword strike, his brows furrowed.
This was definitely not the Great Xia sword technique; its moves were so eerie that he couldn't find any openings for a while, and he was starting to feel like he was falling behind.
"Drink!" The old man raised his Miao sword and thrust it fiercely.
As the blade approached his chest, Xie Xingzheng gathered his inner strength and raised his sword to block. The sound of metal clashing rang out, and both men were thrown back by the force of the impact.
Xie Xingzheng used the momentum to smash open the window frame and escape through the window!
"jingle……"
The bell by the window rang sharply from the gust of wind, its clear and ethereal sound echoing in his ears.
Xie Xingzheng's pupils suddenly contracted.
The sound of this bell is exactly the same as the one in the "human-faced dog" cave!
He lightly touched the cave wall with his toes several times, using the momentum to leap down and land steadily on the stands.
The commotion startled the surrounding guests, who turned to look. Those who had been clamoring for more bets suddenly looked on with fear, momentarily forgetting the two beauties below the stage.
Unbeknownst to anyone, hundreds of venomous snakes were released from the shadows of the Beauty Ruins, hissing and slithering menacingly toward Tang Yu and his companion.
On the other side of the stands, Xie Xingzheng was also in grave danger. A large group of masked men emerged from the shadows, swords drawn, and charged forward in unison, their murderous aura almost tangible.
Below the stage, Tang Yu's expression hardened when he saw the dense swarm of snakes. He immediately shielded the girl from the southern border behind him and quickly thought of a countermeasure.
But soon she noticed something was wrong—the venomous snakes, though approaching, all stopped a foot away from them, flicking their tongues, but never taking another step forward.
High up, the old man leaned against the window, his gray, lifeless eyes coldly looking down. But when he noticed the snakes had stopped, his brow furrowed slightly, a rare occurrence for him.
Tang Yu was also puzzled. But at that moment, she heard the clanging of swords clashing. Looking up, she saw Xie Xingzheng!
That unreliable guy! He finally showed up!
Although she was cursing inwardly, Tang Yu was genuinely relieved and immediately shouted, "Xie Xingzheng! Red Silk!"
Xie Xingzheng immediately understood what he meant, and in the midst of the fight, he reached out and yanked down the red silk hanging on the stands.
Seeing this, Tang Yu immediately pulled the girl to the end of the red silk ribbon, wrapped it tightly around her waist without hesitation, and then shouted upwards, "Pull!"
Xie Xingzheng's sword flashed, knocking away the person who was trying to block him. He turned around and pulled sharply. The red silk suddenly straightened, and a red figure flew into the air. He spun around to use the momentum and used his strength to catch the person steadily.
The woman was almost scared to death, but he had no time to comfort her. He pushed her to a safe corner, then flipped his sword and slashed out with a cold light, blocking the approaching blade.
More and more masked men arrived, surging forward like a tide. He glanced quickly at Tang Yu, who was still below the platform, a hint of worry in his eyes.
Even if he was highly skilled in martial arts, he didn't know how he would escape from this man-eating beauty market.
Taking a moment to spare, Xie Xingzheng tore off another strip of red silk. "Su Yutang! Quickly!"
Tang Yu leaped towards the end of the red ribbon, gripping it tightly with both hands. But at that moment, she suddenly caught a whiff of a strange fragrance.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a slender figure behind a hidden door, emitting a soft, low laugh amidst the chaos.
Xie Xingzheng was completely oblivious, focusing only on pulling her up.
Tang Yu's hand tightened, her thoughts abruptly pulled back. She immediately used her free hand to tear off the pearl from her earring, tossed it with a flick of her wrist, and the pearl shot through the air like an arrow, heading straight for the shadow!
The person in the shadows shifted their body, but a shallow cut was still made on their arm, and the smell of blood instantly spread.
Unfortunately, it was just a pearl, not a real hidden weapon.
Having missed her chance, Tang Yu dared not be distracted any longer. Using the red silk as leverage, she suddenly rose up, lightly touched the ground with her toes, and with a somersault, landed steadily on the stands.
With Tang Yu's help, Xie Xingzheng found it significantly easier to deal with the masked man.
But at that very moment, the old man on the windowsill rang his bell.
"jingle……"
Amidst the crisp ringing of bells, the masked men surged forth once more like a tidal wave, while a swarm of bats pounced from the darkness, shrieking and thrashing about.
These bats attacked indiscriminately, and in addition to the masked man, the distinguished guests were also attacked, resulting in screams of agony. Those who had been sitting high and enjoying the spectacle were now completely panicked and scattered in disarray, scrambling to escape for their lives.
In an instant, the situation on the field completely spiraled out of control.
Tang Yu watched this scene with a cold eye, and sneered.
This group of powerful and wealthy people who didn't care about human life finally experienced the fear of being left helpless and desperate.
This seemingly karmic retribution fell upon them, yet it still failed to bring Tang Yu any satisfaction.
If they hadn't infiltrated the Beauty Market today, the women from the Southern Frontier who were originally chosen would have been torn apart and devoured by wild beasts in a state of agonizing fear and despair; or their slender necks would have been bitten off, and they would have bled to death, only to be left in some forgotten corner of the lower market, becoming the laughingstock of this bloody feast.
Amidst the chaos of bats swarming, distinguished guests fleeing, and ghostly figures closing in.
"Bang—!"
With a loud bang, the cave wall suddenly cracked open, dust and stones flew everywhere, and a group of soldiers in black armor surged in like a tide.
The blade flashed like snow, and the shouts of battle were deafening, catching the masked man off guard.
In the blink of an eye, the masked men's corpses and blood littered the ground. The Black Armor Army's ferocious killing intent not only quickly stabilized the situation but also wiped out all the bats and even protected the group of "distinguished guests."
Tang Yu and Xie Xingzheng felt a sudden relief from the pressure. They looked at each other, a hint of confusion flashing in their eyes, wondering where these elite troops came from.
But in any case, it's always a good thing to have someone help you.
In just a few breaths, the Beauty Ruins had returned to calm, with only the sound of black armor clashing echoing in the air.
Xie Xingzheng looked up and saw that the window was empty, and the old man and the bell were nowhere to be found.
Before long, a tall figure slowly emerged from behind the black-armored soldier.
The newcomer had a pair of peach blossom eyes that were even more beautiful than a woman's. His gaze casually swept over the corpses in the scene, with a hint of contempt and mockery in his eyes.
He smiled slightly and said in a lazy tone, "General Xie, what a coincidence."
Xie Xingzheng's eyes darkened, and his grip on the sword tightened suddenly.
"...Lu Ya".
Unexpectedly, he also found this place.
[Author's Note]
Lu Ya: Guess who I am
Xie Xingzheng, Tang Yu: Bad guys!
Lu Ya (smiling): It's truly chilling.
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