Nachtlied

Kapitel 17

Helpless, I reached out and took off a little more of my clothes.

The doctor took Yi Ge's pulse several times, and after finishing, his expression was very serious. He asked, "Did Madam just have a miscarriage?"

Everyone in the room was stunned. I found it somewhat amusing: "Impossible, I just had my period."

The doctor said, "No, madam, do you think the menstrual flow this time is good?"

I thought for a moment and said, "It is four or five days late, but I am quite tired from the journey, so will it be delayed?"

He shook his head again: "This young master just asked me to examine his sprains and bruises. I was a little reluctant at first, but our He family has a long tradition of gynecology, so I would never make a mistake in this diagnosis."

I was completely dumbfounded. I murmured, "I didn't expect this. I didn't feel anything..."

He continued, "Your pregnancy was only about thirty days along; most people wouldn't feel anything. The miscarriage might be related to the blow, or perhaps the pregnancy itself was unstable and of poor quality." He paused, then added, "The pregnancy was short-lived, so the miscarriage is understandable. It might not have caused serious damage to your health, as you seem to be in good health. However, the location of the injury is unfavorable, as it's right in the uterus. I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to conceive again in the future. I'll prescribe some medicine to regulate your body first. Once you're in better shape, then we can discuss the uterine problem."

My brain isn't working properly again; it took me ages to understand what it meant. I remembered a form of punishment inflicted on women called castration, which involved striking the uterus to render them infertile. Was I being castrated in a carriage?

The room was too quiet; no one had made a sound since Lang Zhong finished speaking.

Someone had to say something, so I cleared my throat and said, "Well, you can all go out first, the doctor is fine here."

Mu Ying covered her face and ran out crying. Qianqian and Chunman also turned and left.

I pulled the blanket over my head and face, not wanting to make a sound. But then I heard Yi Ge's voice: "Thank you, doctor. Eunuch Jing, please take the doctor to get the medicine according to the prescription."

I heard his footsteps move to the bedside, and his hands pushed the blanket off my face, revealing his calm and expressionless face. He leaned down and hugged me tightly, and only then did my tears begin to flow.

He lifted me up and sat me up, then lowered his head to kiss my eyes and lips, his passion gradually growing. I responded, wishing I could just suffocate and die. After a long, long time, he released me, looked into my eyes, and said, "Wu Bao, don't cry. We can consult the imperial physician after we return to the capital. Even if I really can't conceive, I don't care."

I couldn't hold back any longer and cried as I said, "But I mind."

He held me tighter and continued to kiss my face gently, saying, "I don't like children, and I didn't plan to have a child so soon. You don't know, I want you every night, but I'm afraid you'll get pregnant, so I've always held back."

I nestled in his arms, not knowing what to say.

My external injury wasn't that serious. Yi Ge rubbed medicine on my wounds every day. I remembered that he used to sell liniments for bruises when he was young, so he naturally knew how to make bruises fade quickly.

However, I really can't stand bitter medicine for internal treatment. When I was a child, my two biggest fears were pain and bitter medicine. Fortunately, I didn't get sick often as a child. When I did get sick and refused to take herbal medicine, my father would find a way to make pills for me.

So Chunman brewed the medicine, and I always watched with a worried expression, wishing I could take advantage of her distraction and drink it all. But she didn't give me that chance. After drinking it for two days, I declared that I was cured and refused to drink it anymore. Chunman, having received Qilong's orders, wouldn't believe me and brewed it again. This time, I stubbornly refused to open my mouth, and even if I tried to use force, she couldn't overpower me.

Frustrated, she put down the bowl and went to get help. I was staring at the steaming bowl of soup, wondering whether to secretly pour it into a flowerpot or a bucket to avoid being noticed, when the door opened and Yi Ge came in. He watched without batting an eye as I furtively glanced at the medicine bowl (his face was always expressionless, seemingly calm). Suddenly, he strode forward, picked up the bowl, and took a sip. I was dumbfounded, wondering why he wanted to taste my medicine. Suddenly, he reached out and held my chin, pressing his lips to mine. With a flick of his tongue, my lips were parted, and the medicine was poured into my mouth. Before I could protest, he repeated this several times until the bowl was empty. Turns out, there wasn't that much medicine. Why did I always feel like I couldn't finish it?

Later, Yi Ge instructed Chunman that she should just focus on decocting the medicine, and he would take care of taking it for me; she didn't need to come in.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Celebrating a Birthday

When our group arrived in Lingnan, it was already the fifteenth of March. Many inns in Mocheng, the capital of Lingnan, were full of martial arts practitioners. It seemed that not only the sects that had come for the martial arts tournament had arrived, but each sect had also sent only a few people as promised. Of course, some who were on good terms with Nanfeng Fort went straight to Nanfeng Fort to stay, while our group went to the largest inn.

There aren't many rooms left in the inn, so many of us can't have our own rooms like before. So, Qianqian and I share a room, Chunman and Muying share a room, Zibu and Ziqian share a room, Qilong and Uncle Xu share a room, and Yige and Grandpa Jing share a room.

Yi Ge has gone to investigate; the people from Baima Village and Qingyu Village have not yet arrived, and Nanfeng Fort has not released the exact address of the Ghost Palace. We still need to wait.

Nan Cong and Yi Mei did come to see us and strongly invited us to stay at Nanfeng Fort, but I really didn't like Nanfeng Fort, so I politely declined. Yi Mei said, "Nanfeng Fort is quite a distance from Mo City, so it's inconvenient for me to treat you to a meal."

I said, "If you're willing, it's the same if you invite someone from Mo City. After all, you're locals, so it would be good to introduce your specialties."

So he ripped her off.

Mu Ying's home is in Qushui, but she doesn't want to go back; she insists on coming with us to see the old Ghost Palace. Since there's no news from Nanfeng Fort, we wander around Mo City. Generally, it's just the four of us women traveling together. Sometimes Ziqian and Zibu will join us, but they have business there, so they can't accompany us every day.

I suddenly realized that I hadn't seen Yi Ge for several days. When I asked Eunuch Jing, he hesitated and said, "The Prince Consort often goes out at night and returns in the early morning. As for what he does, I don't know. I once followed him, but his lightness skill is too good, and I couldn't keep up."

Well, it really does come true what I said that day. He left at midnight and returned at dawn, still the work of an adulterer. But I don't believe he went to that brothel. In fact, I have a faint worry that maybe Master Gui has already arrived, or maybe, once he's in Lingnan, near the old site of the Ghost Palace, Yi Ge's thoughts have changed.

On the 20th, a letter arrived from Nanfeng Fort, inviting a group of martial arts practitioners to gather at Nanfeng Fort to discuss treasure hunting. I only took Uncle Xu, Yi Ge, and Eunuch Jing with me. Qi Long said, "Just tell me when you get back. I'm just here to watch the fun."

The site of the Ghost Palace was actually in Qushui, which is mountainous. The Ghost Palace, nestled among towering mountains, must have been very well hidden. In the end, it is unknown who betrayed it, but heroes flocked in and destroyed the palace.

Master Tao of Cheyu Manor said, "I haven't been here for twenty years, and I can't remember the path to the Ghost Palace anymore. We'll have to find it slowly once we get there. Why don't you heroes go to Qushui first and meet up in Qushui Town?"

After I returned to the inn, I said to Mu Ying, "The Ghost Palace is located in Qu Shui. Didn't you know that before?"

Mu Ying shook her head blankly: "My family does have a manor in the mountains, but we are not Jianghu people and do not know anything about the Ghost Palace. My uncle is a Jianghu person, and he is the one who helped me find my master."

Some martial artists came to Mo City in groups, while others set off alone. Since there were ten of us, we didn't want to travel with others. In addition, Mu Ying and Uncle Xu both knew the way to Qu Shui, so we went on our own.

The journey from Mocheng to Qushui wasn't too far, but it was extremely difficult; it took us four whole days.

All the inns along the winding stream were full, and Mu Ying invited us to stay at her family's estate. Yi Ge, however, suggested that we rent a house deep in the mountains instead. After discussing it with Qi Long and Uncle Xu, we agreed that it was quite feasible. Mainly, I believed that Yi Ge must now know the approximate location of the Ghost Palace. Later, we discovered that we didn't even need to ask him; just by observing the wealthy travelers passing by, we knew that some people did indeed know the location of the Ghost Palace.

Yi Ge and Eunuch Jing found a village in the Da Mang Mountain of Qushui. There were many abandoned houses there, supposedly abandoned twenty years ago. I had a feeling that the village's decline was probably related to the Ghost Palace. The large house we found stood alone by the stream, entirely made of wood, and wasn't too dilapidated. It had two floors, with four or five rooms on each floor. After deducting the kitchen and storage room, there should be enough rooms that could be tidied up.

There was plenty of timber in the mountains, and with ten people working together, the house was soon habitable. Zibu and Ziqian went to their own shop in Qushui to fetch some useful items, and Muying also went to her own estate to get some household items. Surprisingly, she didn't go home. I asked her why, and after a long silence, she said, "Sister Qi, why don't you take me in as your maid?" I knew she was still feeling guilty about that matter, so I just shook my head and smiled, "No matter what, you are a young lady from a noble family. How could I take you in as my maid? Besides, I'm not really used to having maids."

Our actions inspired many heroes to follow suit, and the entire village was soon filled with people. Those without vacancies asked villagers for lodging. When Baimazhuang, Nanfengbao, and Cheyuzhuang arrived, there were no rooms left in the village. They were clever enough to borrow rooms from neighboring villages, but those neighboring villages were separated by two hills and several miles away.

We didn't need to deliberately search, or even have Nanfeng Fort lead the way. By the time we arrived at Yitian Ridge, deep in the Da Mang Mountains, with the people from the three major sects, the former site of the Ghost Palace was already bustling with activity. Members of various sects were clearing away the ruins. Heavy beams, charred stone pillars, broken floor tiles, and walls weathered by twenty years of wind and rain still retained a faint smell of charcoal. The desolate courtyard was overgrown with weeds taller than a person; this place was truly unrecognizable. I glanced at Yi Ge, who was staring blankly at the scene before him. A sudden thought struck me; for him, this was also a journey to find his roots. This was where his parents had once lived, but they were gone, and his homeland was now distant and unknown. I wondered what he felt.

The martial arts heroes originally planned to excavate the site in late March or early April, hoping that the rainy season in Lingnan during that time would loosen the soil and rocks, potentially revealing clues and making the excavation easier. However, the rain had its pros and cons; the heavy rain slowed down the clearing process. The ghost palace was built against a mountain, and while the soil and rocks were indeed loosened by the rain, they were also prone to collapse. It had collapsed several times, with rocks rolling down and injuring several people. Fortunately, these were all skilled fighters, so no one died. Of course, this was also complicated by gang feuds, making the situation extremely chaotic.

The ten of us didn't participate much; they all felt I wasn't fully recovered and wanted me to stay in the house. Yi Ge and Zi Bu, on the other hand, followed the instructions of Cheyu Manor and chose a small section of the vast old site to excavate, but in reality, Uncle Xu secretly led a few soldiers to dig. Perhaps because I knew about Yi Ge's background, I gradually became less interested in the matter.

Some people did find gold and silver in the ruins, but only a few pieces, probably left behind by someone in the past.

However, this small amount of treasure only fueled everyone's passion for treasure hunting, and they dug even harder.

The eighth day of the fourth lunar month is Buddha's Birthday, which is also Qi Long's and my eighteenth birthday. Since we were just going through the motions in that ghost palace area anyway, we used Buddha's Birthday as an excuse to stay at the house on this day.

Chunman said that even if she wasn't in the mansion, the event should still be lively, but she didn't need to worry about anything. She discussed it with Qianqian and Muying and asked Eunuch Jing and Zibu Ziqian to help out.

In Lingnan in April, flowers bloom early. Even deep in the mountains, pomegranate blossoms are dazzling, hibiscus flowers are in full bloom, and roses and other flowering plants lean against fences, bright and beautiful. Chunman and Muying returned early with large bunches of flowers and bought some eggs and vegetables from the villagers. Jing Gonggong and Zibuzi moved to Qushui, while Qilong and Yige went to the mountains early in the morning. I believe they didn't go to the old ghost palace, but I don't know where they went. As for me, I was embroidering my first purse under the eaves. I drew the pattern myself, depicting the twin pomegranate blossoms. I learned to draw from my father, Meiren, and I was quite confident in my skills. As for the embroidery, I had been diligently learning from Chunman for the past two months. If I didn't embroider well, I would undo it and repeat it several times until I was satisfied with it before I started stitching again.

After noon, Qi Long and Yi Ge returned first, bringing back some rabbits and pheasants they had hunted; it turned out they had gone hunting. As soon as they brought the spoils back, Chunman, Muying, and Qianqian immediately took them to wash and clean them. I wanted to help, but they pushed me back into the room. After late afternoon, Zibu Ziqian and Eunuch Jing, who had left early in the morning, also returned, bringing with them a lot of flour, salt, sugar, and other things. Chunman smiled and said, "You're back so quickly; I still have time to make longevity noodles."

As dusk settled, the seating arrangements in the central hall were complete, and roasted rabbit and stewed pheasant were laid out on the table. Mu Ying and Qian Qian served longevity noodles and were about to close the door when Yi Ge suddenly said, "Wait, I have one more dish." He then hurried into the kitchen, and Mu Ying and Qian Qian, filled with curiosity, followed him. A moment later, Chun Man ran back, her face filled with astonishment: "The Prince Consort really knows how to cook!"

Yi Ge brought out a wild vegetable that he had made for me last year in Duwang Village. It was bright green, fragrant, and had a slightly bitter taste, but the aftertaste was very good. I liked it very much. Seeing the dish, Qi Long suddenly realized, "So that's what you were picking from the ground. I thought you were just picking some to feed the horses. Turns out you were feeding Wu Bao."

Zibu and Ziqian filled our glasses with the pear blossom wine they had just bought. Just as they were about to raise their glasses, they heard a knock at the door. We didn't seem to know any of the local tyrants well, so Chunman hesitated before opening the door. Standing outside were Shen Yimei and Nan Cong.

Yi Mei said, "We came to celebrate a birthday. Wow, you've prepared such a lavish feast! Even in such a remote and impoverished place, you're so extravagant. It's worth the effort of bringing Qianlixiang." Qianlixiang is a famous wine from Lingnan, much better than ordinary pear blossom wine. We quickly added two more seats for them to take their seats.

It's been a long time since we've had such a lively meal, drinks, and chat. The last time it was this lively seemed to be on the way to her wedding, only with a few different people.

Before I knew it, I had drunk a few more glasses than usual. My face was burning and my head was spinning. I don't know when the party ended or when Yi Mei left. I only remember that she was also drunk and was stuffing things into my arms haphazardly.

I was helped back to my room by Yi Ge. After helping me sit on the bed, he took something from his robes and carefully inserted it into my hair. He then gave me a mirror. In the mirror, I saw a face with rosy cheeks (so much like a ripe, almost rotten red peach), and a new, snow-white peach wood hairpin—a peach blossom hairpin—adorned my jet-black hair. I took it off and examined it closely. Even through my drunken eyes, I could see the exquisite craftsmanship. Several double-petaled peach blossoms were clustered together, with thin, upright leaves and clear veins. The gnarled branches formed the hairpin's handle. Some petals were curled, others extended, each one delicate and smooth to the touch. I wondered how much effort had been put into polishing it. I murmured, "So beautiful. Was only this one branch carved from such a long tree?"

He sat down beside me and gently put his arm around me: "No, there are two more branches, but I only like this one."

I buried my head in his chest and said, "I like everything you make. Give me those two too."

He gently kissed the back of my hair: "Okay."

In my drunken haze, I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered, "Today was so happy, so... blissful..."

I felt very safe and secure falling asleep in his arms.

It was the middle of the night, and in my drowsy state, I reached out to touch the person beside me, but found nothing. The blankets were getting cold, and I suddenly felt a chill on my body, so I sat up. He must have been gone not long ago, so I tiptoed out the window.

My intuition has always been sharp. Although I didn't see him, I stubbornly walked north for a while, and sure enough, I saw him in the pine forest by the stream. The crescent moon shone on him and another figure.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Underground Tunnel

Although I wasn't very close to them, my hearing has always been good, so even though I couldn't hear everything perfectly, I could still catch a few words.

Yi Ge asked, "How's their digging going?"

The other man said, "We cleared a small section of the hillside, but found nothing else—no traps, nothing... Young Master, shouldn't we make our move...?"

Yi Ge added, "There's no need to waste our energy. The cleaner they clean, the less trouble we'll have."

The man added, "I'm afraid that once those martial arts practitioners have cleared the area, they'll want to claim the land, and it will be difficult to intervene then."

Yi Ge replied, "It's alright, the martial arts alliance leader will make the arrangements when the time comes... Princess... should intervene..."

After a moment, the man asked again, "Master Gui, are you asking about the young master, the princess...?"

Yi Ge replied again, "Princess... I will handle this myself..."

Feeling a chill, I hugged my arms and silently retreated. I'd never heard this person's voice before; it turned out it wasn't just Master Gui. It seemed the things I'd tried to avoid were now unavoidable. Yi Ge's feelings for the Ghost Palace weren't as he claimed—that he only wanted to help me obtain the Rainbow Chaser. His secret remained a secret I didn't know.

Lying in bed, my head was still a little dizzy, but I couldn't fall asleep, so I just closed my eyes. I had never thought about what Yi Ge wanted before. If he really wanted to rebuild the Ghost Palace, what should I do? If he didn't have any other thoughts before I pointed it out to him, then after meeting Master Gui at the martial arts tournament, perhaps he had changed. That legendary fortune might be very important to him, but I had never investigated it. I also never considered that if he rebuilt the Ghost Palace, would he become the enemy of the martial arts world again? Then how would I, Qi Long, and my parents be positioned?

I was still a little groggy, but I could still sense his return. A gentle breeze stirred as I pulled back the covers. His hand touched my cheek; it was a little cool, but I didn't open my eyes. I simply let him pull me into his slightly cool, broad chest, though I didn't know if I could still trust these strong arms of mine without any reservations. But I still craved his scent.

In mid-April, the treasure hunt seemed to take a turn for the better.

The site of the Ghost Palace was indeed mostly cleared away; the charred remains and broken bricks had been moved to the edge of the hillside. Some sects had even started digging, but to me, it was just aimless digging. Without a map of the Ghost Palace's layout, they hadn't even figured out which area they were working on after leveling for so long. Perhaps they thought the same as me: even without a map, the Ghost Palace was only a small area, and with so many people, they could easily dig it all out. However, after seeing sects digging on the ridge that day, Qi Long remarked, "Next spring, the people in this village will have fertile land."

The six major sects selected from the martial arts tournament gathered again to discuss their plans. Master Tao, Master Bai, and Master Nan were racking their brains trying to recall the original layout of the Ghost Palace. They sketched out rough outlines of what they could remember, but twenty years had passed, and the details weren't entirely accurate. It was said that when the Ghost Palace was first destroyed, although it was bombed and burned, it wasn't completely unrecognizable. However, later, someone set it on fire, leaving only the stones and well ring intact. According to their recollections, the Ghost Palace's lord had immolated his own Asura Hall. Generally, if there were mechanisms, they were located in the lord's residence. The three carefully considered the location of the Asura Hall and concluded it should be somewhere on the central axis of that area. Therefore, they advised everyone not to dig randomly, but to carefully excavate the central area.

In the very center of the ghost palace's central axis, there were indeed the ruins of a building, still paved with large blue bricks. So, Master Tao suggested that the two hundred or so people present divide into several groups to take turns digging, and immediately report any discoveries to Qingyu Manor. Those enormous gold bricks were incredibly sturdy, extremely difficult to pry open. Once they were pried out, they didn't know where to pile them up properly. Master Tao then took Bai Yifei's advice and assigned another group specifically to transport the bricks and stones to the foot of the mountain to the north, because that area resembled a wasteland and shouldn't have any traps. Besides, the rotten wood and bricks that the various sects had cleared out earlier were also thrown there.

About three or four days after the cleanup, someone suddenly shouted, "There's something under the bricks!" It happened to be the duty of Nanfeng Fort and Liuhe Village, so they sent someone to invite the other four families, including Baima Village. I casually followed along, with Yi Ge by my side.

When the group dug to this spot, they found this brick wasn't as firmly stuck as the others; it was easy to pry off the edge. Upon lifting it, they discovered it wasn't mud underneath, but an iron plate. Seeing that the iron plate seemed tightly sealed, they hesitated to proceed. Two young masters from the Ouyang family, known for their cleverness, arrived. The elder master examined the iron plate and said, "Tap the nearby bricks again; the mechanism shouldn't be here." Immediately, a series of tapping sounds arose, like a Buddhist ritual. The elder Ouyang master listened intently for a while, then stood two bricks away from the iron plate, tapped the ground with his toe, and suddenly focused his energy, letting out a "Hey!" before stomping his foot. A creaking sound was heard, and the group involuntarily retreated, fearing some hidden weapon might be launched. The iron plate, along with a nearby blue brick, slowly descended and retracted beneath the next two blue bricks, revealing an opening.

A cold wind blew out of the cave entrance, carrying the damp, musty smell of earth. Someone lit a tinderbox, which Young Master Ouyang took and shone into the cave. Inside, there was a rope ladder. Nan Cong wanted to climb down the rope ladder, but Young Master Ouyang stopped him: "This rope ladder is at least twenty years old. It looks fine on the outside, but who knows how rotten it is inside? It's best not to use it." He then passed the tinderbox down a little further, sighed with relief, and said, "It's not deep, only about two zhang."

However, to jump down, one would naturally need better lightness skills. Master Tao then suggested that each of the previous six families send two people into the cave, and other sects could also choose those with good lightness skills to enter. He then glanced at me and Yi Ge and said, "Miss Qi and her husband can supervise from the back of the group."

There were about thirty or forty people who entered the cave. I had expected it to be incredibly crowded, but after jumping down, I discovered that below was a very neat passageway, seven or eight feet high, with stone paving on both sides and oil lamps spaced about ten feet apart on the walls. The passageway was about ten feet wide and very well-maintained. However, everyone still walked cautiously, fearing that a single misstep might result in a poisoned arrow being shot out. But there was nothing there. After walking for about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, a commotion suddenly arose ahead. Someone shouted, "We've reached the end! We've reached the end! There's a rope ladder too!" Another person said, "What's at the top? Let's find the mechanism to open the door first."

I looked around; the end of the passageway was different from the other end—it led to a spacious earthen chamber with smooth, polished stone walls. The group, holding tinderboxes, searched haphazardly along the walls. Someone found a sharp stone on the front wall, pressed it down hard, and heard a cracking sound overhead. Everyone hurriedly retreated to the side. A moment later, with a loud crash, a torrent of grass, charcoal, and rubble rained down from above. Those who couldn't dodge were covered in it, and even those who weren't hit were choked by the dust. The stone chamber was filled with coughing. The leader, Master Tao, looked somewhat embarrassed and was about to say something when another sound came from above, and a charred beam fell down. The group exchanged bewildered glances. Master Tao coughed and said, "I wonder what this place up there is."

I began to understand. The things that had fallen were all trash. After the Ghost Palace was cleaned up, there was only one place to pile up the trash: a wasteland near the back cliff. Although it covered a large area, the exit must be somewhere behind that cliff. It seemed that Bai Yifei thought the same thing as me. He said, "It should be the wasteland in front of the back cliff." However, this area was too messy to climb up. Someone suggested that we move the things a little and go up to take a look. I looked up at the place where the things had fallen. It was indeed a neat square exit. Unfortunately, there were some pillars and beams lying haphazardly there, so it might not be possible to get out even if we wanted to.

Master Tao also looked up and said, "Forget it, since we know it's the back cliff, we might as well go back the way we came and then go there to check."

Among the group, some were still persistent, and they felt around at two other stone walls. Suddenly, a member of the Fengming Sect exclaimed in surprise, "There's a mechanism here too!" Young Master Ouyang also found a mechanism on the opposite stone wall, and both of them activated it. The stone walls on both sides parted, revealing a door on each side. Seeing this, Master Tao said, "Let's split into two groups and go our separate ways." The six major sects split into two groups, while Yi Ge and I followed the Liuhe Manor, Baima Manor, and the Ouyang Family, heading towards the left entrance.

The passage on the left was pitch black, devoid of any lamps or torches. We relied solely on the faint light of a few tinderboxes to grope our way forward. The passage didn't seem man-made; the walls were rough, and the ground was uneven. We had no idea how long it was or if there were any traps inside. To conserve tinderboxes, Master Bai suggested lighting three tinderboxes at the front, middle, and back of the group. The light from the tinderboxes flickered, and the passage was damp, making us stumble a bit. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be any traps, but the path seemed to lead downwards. Perhaps this truly was the way to the underground palace. Perhaps everyone thought the same thing as me; in the dim light of the tinderboxes, I even saw a faint smile on Master Liuhe's face.

The tinderbox at the back of the procession suddenly went out, plunging me into darkness. I took a step forward, but the ground was slippery, and I nearly fell, bumping into someone in front of me to regain my balance. That person grabbed my hand and asked in a low voice, "Xiao Wu, are you alright?" It was Bai Yifei; I didn't know when he had moved from the front to the back of the procession. I replied, "I'm fine," but couldn't pull my hand away for a moment. I took a step back, and suddenly someone grabbed my waist and pulled me back, so I leaned against a firm chest. A faint scent of pine wafted over, and Yi Ge's deep voice sounded, "Princess, be careful, hold my hand." Bai Yifei released his hand, and someone in the back of the procession lit another tinderbox. In the dim light, Bai Yifei took a step forward, but Yi Ge's hand remained on my waist.

We walked for a long time, winding our way through the cave, which grew increasingly cold; it seemed we had entered the heart of the mountain. Finally, we heard Master Bai's voice: "There's no road ahead."

Sure enough, there was only a mountain wall ahead. No matter how we searched, we couldn't find any mechanisms or even a door. There were many protrusions and indentations, but none of them were movable. The walls weren't without holes, but they were all small caverns, some barely big enough for a thumb, others no bigger than a fist—just caverns. Perhaps we couldn't find the mechanisms, or perhaps this was an abandoned passage. If it truly led to the treasure, how could there be no lighting or traps? Perhaps the real passage was behind a door on the other side.

When we returned to the stone chamber, the twenty-odd people led by Master Tao had also returned to the stone chamber, but their experience was exactly the same as ours.

Author's Note: Jinjiang has been acting up these past few days. I can't see or reply to comments in the backend comment section. You can only see them on the reader page. Please forgive me if I haven't been able to reply to some comments in time. I will reply to all comments I see.

Chapter Thirty: Chaos Begins

Since the discovery of the tunnel, things have gradually become somewhat complicated.