Safety

Chapter 29

"He did this only to lower Mo Li's guard so he could launch a sneak attack with the Rain of Pear Blossoms. But he couldn't fool Mo Li and was killed. That's all I saw. Believe it or not, you can leave now." I finished speaking and shut up.

The voice of the person in front came from outside the door, still sounding like it was coming from a small hole, muffled and unclear, "Chief Chang, are you done?"

I heard Chang Ling take a deep breath, as if he wanted to say something to me, but he didn't. He just said a simple "Yes" to the outside, and after a pause, he added, "You go up first, I'll handle it."

The man responded and left, as if he was extremely unwilling to stay in this place for even a second longer. After Chang Ling left, the heavy iron door moved with a sound, opened, and then closed. The dungeon fell silent, as if dead. I sat on the cold ground, my body huddled up, my bones stiff, and for a moment I didn't know what else I could do.

But I don't want to die.

Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, I want to live. Only by living can I see the person I want to see, and only by living can I be with him.

This thought gradually restored my strength. I mustered my courage again to remove the black cloth, knowing that I should not look at the pictures on the wall. I simply closed my eyes, leaned against the wall, and began to feel around with my hands.

The dungeon was cold and damp, with rough stone walls. The thought of those blood-red demonic flowers right under my palm made me feel nauseous, but in this critical moment, I could only grit my teeth and endure it.

I groped along the wall. The dungeon was narrow, and soon I passed a corner. As I peered forward, the rough wall suddenly changed, becoming hard and smooth under my fingertips. It turned out that I had touched the iron door.

I carefully explored, trying to find a way to open the iron door, but the iron door was tightly sealed, and I couldn't move it even an inch. Actually, it makes sense. Since it was a place for important people, why would they make the door open from the inside?

I was discouraged and lowered my head, my hand still pressed against the door, when I suddenly felt a cool breeze brush past my sweaty palm, as if a crack had opened somewhere.

I looked up abruptly, then moved my fingers and suddenly touched a small, raised square with grooves on the top and bottom. With a bit of effort, I managed to slide it open, and a rush of cool air invigorated me.

I probed the vent, but it was just a small hole, barely big enough for one hand to stick out. It must have been used to pass items or communicate with people in the cell. No wonder the voice of the guard in the cell always sounded like it was coming from the hole.

I reached out and the first thing I touched was an iron lock, hanging on the edge of the iron plate. Although the lock was closed, it was not jammed, allowing the iron plate to slide freely.

Was this a glimmer of hope that Chang Ling had left me? I didn't have time to speculate. I reached out and continued to feel my way toward the door. After several attempts, I finally found another keyhole, which should be used to open this iron door.

The tiny hole filled me with elation. I immediately pulled my hand back and plucked the sharp gold hairpin from my temple, intending to use it to help me escape.

I spent three years in Qingcheng. Occasionally, my master would send me down the mountain to meet with my fellow disciples. Although I didn't speak, I was known as the junior sister and didn't appear often, so my fellow disciples really liked me. Especially my eldest brother, who would get nervous whenever he saw me. He was even more anxious than my master because I didn't practice martial arts diligently. He was always thinking about teaching me more skills, and it would be best if I could learn all the miscellaneous skills he had acquired in his past life in the martial arts world.

The master took in a diverse group of disciples, from all walks of life. The eldest disciple was quite old, looking at least ten years older than Wende. He originally ran a security escort agency, but later, for some reason, he stopped doing business, packed up his belongings, and followed the master up the mountain. He had a complicated past before joining the sect, and he really knew a little bit of everything, including lock picking with gold thread.

I am of royal lineage, how could I want to learn such petty tricks? I refused on the spot, but he clutched his heart and said, "Junior Sister, the world is dangerous. When you go down the mountain in the future, relying solely on Master's name and the Cloud-Soaring Technique will be far from enough. If that day ever comes, your senior brother will worry day and night, worry day and night..."

I found it funny at the time. My master was the famous leader of the Three Villages and Nine Schools Alliance, and his Cloud Soaring Technique was unparalleled. With these two things combined, how could he not be enough to travel the world?

That's why they say you can't be too stubborn, or you'll bite into a brick wall. Who would have thought that as soon as I came down the mountain, I would encounter such a series of unbelievable things, constantly wandering and on the verge of death. The wonderful things my senior brothers and sisters talked about, like wandering the world, upholding justice, enjoying a gentle breeze and a little wine, never happened to me.

I was forced into a corner by my senior brother and only learned lock picking twice, which was of little use. I never really put in the effort and could only pick the simplest locks. Complex locks like the gold thread on my foot were beyond my ability to even attempt. But the keyhole in front of me was as thick as my little finger. Maybe I'll be lucky and succeed this time.

I prayed silently, my hands groping to insert the sharp end of the hairpin into the keyhole, listening intently to the sound while sighing inwardly.

It's true what they say, you can't buy hindsight. If I had known beforehand that I would be living like this after I went down the mountain, I should have studied harder. Of course, I should have learned my master's unparalleled martial arts, and I should have also learned my senior brother's petty thievery.

The gold hairpin spun in the keyhole, making a soft, tinkling sound. I was completely absorbed when suddenly a voice came from somewhere.

"My lord? Is it the high priest?"

...

Hai: Ping An, I have so much to say about you, so many secrets to reveal, so many characters to entangle with, what am I supposed to do?! I'm so struggling! I've never written a book with more than 200,000 words before, but your story isn't even finished and it's already over 200,000! (Screaming/Burning)

Ping An: ...Actually, it's very simple. I'll just cut you in two. Mo Li, don't you think so...?

Chapter 73

The dungeon was cold and deathly quiet. The sound was low and eerie, as if it came from hell. I was filled with fear and trepidation, afraid that people would find out that I was escaping from prison. I quickly withdrew my hand and hurriedly closed the iron plate. When I pushed the iron plate, the gold hairpin collided with it and fell to the ground in the dungeon with a "clink". I don't know where it went.

The voice continued, calling, "My lord, my lord?"

Chang Ling said that this cell had once imprisoned their former priest, who had painted a wall full of soul-capturing demon flowers with his blood. But the cell guard also said that this Earth-character Nine cell had been empty for more than ten years. As far as I can tell, the so-called priest must have rotted to ashes by now.

I just opened my eyes in a hurry. This dungeon is extremely small, barely big enough for two people. Chang Ling has already left, but now another man's voice is coming out. He not only calls himself Dan Gui, but he is also calling out the name of someone who was imprisoned here more than ten years ago...

Where did this third person come from? Could it be a ghost?

I was horrified and squeezed my eyes shut even tighter, afraid of seeing something even more terrifying than the wall of bloodstains. I was already on the ground, groping around for the gold hairpin, wanting to find it quickly, unlock it, and escape this hellish place.

The ground was paved with bluestone slabs. Because it was underground, it was extremely damp and bone-chillingly cold. I have always been afraid of the cold, and normally I would not even put a finger on it. But the situation was terrifying and critical at this time, so I didn't care about these things. I just frantically groped around. Just as I was getting anxious, I felt a chill on my wrist and was suddenly grabbed tightly by a cold and slippery hand.

A chill ran down my spine and my eyes snapped open. The dungeon was dimly lit, and before me stood a pale, human hand that seemed to spring from the ground and was gripping me tightly.

I screamed. The narrow dungeon echoed, making my screams deafening. There was immediate commotion outside. Someone was banging on the iron door and shouting something, but the iron door was too heavy, and I kept screaming, so I couldn't hear anything clearly.

All the bloodstains on the wall materialized as I screamed, and countless blood-red skulls lunged at me again. I was terrified, my vision blurred, the ground cracked, and the hand that was gripping my wrist tightened its grip, pulling me towards the ground.

Is this going to drag me to the underworld?

No! Fear froze my blood. I stopped screaming and struggled with all my might, gripping the ground tightly with my other hand. But the damp flagstones were incredibly slippery. I could hear my fingernails scraping against the ground and my own weak pleas.

"No, don't pull me, I don't want to die, I don't want to die..."

The sound of the metal plate moving rang out, and someone shouted through the small hole, "What happened? Why is the lock broken? Hey! Hey!"

The sound continued, but I could no longer hear it. Everything was pitch black, and the stench of earth filled the air. My body was too weak from the sheer terror, and I could no longer struggle. In an instant, I was dragged into the ground by that ghostly hand.

"My lord, my lord?"

Someone patted my cheek with two fingers, the gesture was gentle. I thought I had entered the underworld, but I dared not open my eyes. But gradually I felt that the fingers were warm, and the voice in my ear was not scary. In short, it was far from the legendary Ox-Head and Horse-Face.

The sound continued, and I finally opened my eyes a crack and cautiously looked up. I was stunned at that moment.

A man holding a tinderbox looked down at me. It was dark and cramped all around, and I smelled the earthy stench of dirt, as if I were in a damp cave. The firelight illuminated his long, snow-white hair, which looked incredibly eerie. But the face beneath the white hair was handsome and refined. His eyes were fixed on my face, and when he saw me open my eyes, his face lit up with joy.

"My lord, Dan Gui will take you away now." He spoke, reaching out his hand to me again. I saw that his fingers were pale and covered in dirt, clearly the ghostly hand that had dragged me into the ground. I was horrified and jerked my body back, screaming, "Don't touch me, you ghost!"

He shuddered, his face showing a blank and pained expression. He looked at me in disbelief, his voice trembling.

"My lord, you...you don't remember me?"

I……

I was stunned for a moment. Although the light from the tinderbox was not strong, it was still enough to clearly illuminate our faces. I could see clearly that although the person had a beautiful face, his white hair was hanging down and there were fine lines at the corners of his eyes. He was at least ten years older than me. And if I had seen such a face, I would never forget it.

I blinked, unsure how to respond. I wondered if this person was mentally challenged, but his articulate manner of speaking suggested otherwise.

Could it be... that he mistook me for his family's priest?

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, my fear lessened, and I asked him in return, "Are you really going to take me out?"

When I asked him, he immediately nodded. “Of course. Dan Gui has been here for sixteen years, waiting for this day. Rest assured, sir, everything is ready. I will take you out now.”

I was shocked. "Sixteen years?"

He answered "Yes," and added, "Sixteen years ago, you were ambushed and imprisoned here. I, Dan Gui, was powerless and could not rescue you immediately, even though we were separated by only a wall. But for the past sixteen years, I have thought of bringing you back to the light of day every single day. Fortunately, I have finally succeeded today." After he finished speaking, he squatted down and carried me on his back. I knew in my heart that the person he was talking about was definitely not me, but this place was like hell, and this was the only chance of survival. How could I miss it? I did not refuse and let him carry me. When he saw that I no longer refused, he immediately showed a satisfied expression, his eyebrows relaxed, and the scenery was picturesque.

I couldn't help but sigh. To think that such a person was actually crazy and mentally unstable was pitiful.

He said no more, and with a wave of his hand extinguished the tinder. I was startled and was about to speak when he carried me forward at breakneck speed.

The cave was narrow, barely enough for one person to crouch and walk. He extinguished the tinderbox, and it was pitch black all around. He was carrying me on his back, so he should have been moving around awkwardly and inconveniently. But he moved incredibly fast without touching the ground, as if he were floating away. His martial arts skills were no less than those of Wen Demoli.

I lay on his back, curious about what the priest he spoke of looked like. But when I thought about how he had waited for sixteen years, only to find that the person he truly wanted to see was not the one he had waited for, I felt a pang of sadness and no longer found him frightening. The cave was narrow, and he was carrying me at high speed. I was afraid that if I looked up, my face would be buried in the earth. So I could only press as closely as possible against his back. Gradually, I felt warmth, and my fear subsided. I couldn't help but ask another question.

How have you spent these past sixteen years?

He answered me matter-of-factly, "Of course I wouldn't dare leave your side even for a moment."

I was shocked. "That's a prison cell."

"Just a wall away."

"But how did this hole come about?"

He smiled and said, "With these two hands of mine."

I gasped as I recalled his long, pale fingers. "Didn't anyone notice?"

"There is no light in the cell, and food is brought in and out through iron holes. No one would think that I, who once lost all my martial arts skills, could reopen those destroyed meridians. As for the soil that was dug out, I will just spread it under the stone slabs."

"Your martial arts have been crippled?" His every move was that of a master, not someone whose martial arts had been crippled. I wondered if I had misheard.

He answered me with a hint of arrogance, "If I hadn't been ambushed by the elder that year and lost all my skills, I would have left here with you sixteen years ago. Why would I have to wait until today?" As he said this, he suddenly lowered his voice, his tone becoming slightly gentle, "Fortunately, you've returned."

I felt a pang of pity. Though this man was strange, he was utterly loyal to that high priest. The prison was dark and gloomy, and he had his martial arts crippled. How did he survive sixteen years underground, even having to secretly dig out such a passage?

The tunnel was deep and long. Dan Gui carried me for a long time before we finally stopped. I was bewildered and frightened, and asked in a trembling voice, "What's wrong? Is there no way out?"

Dan Gui didn't answer, but then my eyes suddenly lit up. It turned out that he had lit the tinderbox again.

The tunnel had come to an end, and before them stood a stone wall, made of solid blue bricks, so thick that it could be described as an impregnable fortress.

I was dumbfounded, pointing at the wall, "How do we get out of here?"

He put me down, gestured for me to take the tinder, and said with a smile, "Please wait a moment, sir."

I was taken aback by the address, and knowing I shouldn't upset him, I could only swallow the strange feeling along with my saliva.

Dan Gui had his back to me, his hands pressed against the wall, and with a soft hum, he actually lifted an entire section of the wall off. A cold wind rushed in, blowing his long hair. I cheered and, without waiting for him to turn around, threw away the tinderbox and scrambled out on all fours. I looked up and saw a sky full of stars and a bright moon; it was already late at night.

Dan Gui also came out, first restoring the stone wall to its original position, then standing beside me. The cool night breeze blew his white hair onto me, each strand as soft as silk. When I looked up again, I saw that he had elegant features, his eyes were lowered and facing me, his eyebrows and eyes were gentle as water, and he looked even more ethereal in the moonlight.

I looked around and saw that it was a small valley with a babbling stream in front and lush greenery on both sides. Compared with the hell on earth I had just experienced, it felt like a completely different world.

I looked back at the place where we escaped. The blue stone wall was built in a hidden place among the tree roots and was covered with moss. You couldn't find it unless you looked carefully.

Knowing that no one was chasing me, I finally calmed down and looked back at him. Suddenly, I felt that something was wrong. Looking at him more closely, I realized that although he was facing my direction, his eyes were empty and unfocused, unlike the bright and spirited eyes he had when we were underground.

Confused, I cautiously raised my hand, intending to wave it in front of him, but to my surprise, he grabbed it as soon as I raised it.

He said, "There's no need for you to try, sir. My eyes are useless here."

...

Hai: Dan Gui, actually I really like men who are devoted to love...

Narrator: Don't swoon over every single one you see, okay?

Chapter 74

I stammered in surprise, "But you were underground just now..."

He explained that he did not feel any pain, but was simply stating the facts: "I have not seen the light for more than ten years. My eyes are used to seeing in the dark, and I cannot see with any light."

"But that tinder..." I was still puzzled. Looking at his clothes, although they weren't exactly neat and tidy, they didn't look like they hadn't been cleaned up in over ten years underground.

He smiled upon hearing this, his lifeless eyes seeming to pierce through my body and see directly into my thoughts. "Three years ago, the underground cave was completed. I went to the ninth level of the Earth and saw light in the underground chamber, with soul-capturing flowers painted on the wall. But you were not there, so I returned, waiting for your return."