El cielo sobre los ríos y lagos está despejado

Capítulo 20

After the oil lamps on the walls were removed, the terrain seemed to rise slightly higher, and the cave gradually became drier. Later, we all felt our torches flickering slightly. Qi Long said, "There's wind!" Wind meant there was a cave entrance. We walked another ten or twenty feet, and gradually felt the cave become much brighter, as if we were nearing the end. Sure enough, after another ten or twenty feet, a bright light suddenly appeared before us—a cave entrance draped in swaying vines. The entrance was quite spacious, with many stalactites hanging from it, and large rocks and stalagmites on the ground.

When we emerged from the cave, we found ourselves in a valley that looked very familiar. The village we could see was the one where we had stayed. From the Ghost Palace to here, we had crossed two ridges. This path on the right was undoubtedly a secret escape route; who knows how many people had found their way to survival through it.

After coming out, Sun Jing said, "This path can only be used to exit, not enter. I saw that there were no mechanisms on the back of that stone wall."

Author's Note: There's no ranking for Jiangnan this week, so you might not see my story on the page. If you're reading but haven't added it to your favorites yet, please do so!

Although I know Jinjiang is unpredictable and leaving comments is difficult, my comments are just too terrible. So, I'm begging for comments! They look a bit ugly, please don't mind.

Also, I updated today, and will be resting for the next two days. There's no ranking next week, so I'll take a break and update every other day. But I might get itchy and update a few more times; consider it a stroke of good luck.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Tracking

Therefore, only the middle path has the best chance of leading to the treasure hidden in the underground palace.

The next day, the number of heroes gathered in the stone chamber seemed to have increased significantly compared to the day before, making the once spacious chamber somewhat crowded. Master Tao and Master Bai both had furrowed brows, and so did I. Because of the weather and the large number of people, although the underground was much cooler than the upper levels, it was still quite hot and crowded, and I was starting to regret coming today. Actually, the time I tested Yi Ge by saying he didn't want the knife and wanted to leave had actually taken root in my heart, and this thought resurfaced as I felt a little annoyed.

I was inching forward, until I found myself squeezed against the stone wall, almost leaning against it. In the chaos, someone tugged at me, and I stumbled backward, stepping on something that made me wince in pain. Just as I was about to lean against the wall to catch my breath, my back suddenly felt empty, and I fell backward. Before I could even cry out, I heard someone shout with a mixture of surprise and joy, "The mechanism is open!"

I finally managed to steady myself and looked back. Sure enough, the stone wall behind me had shrunk back, and I was standing on the broken half of the mechanism.

Young Master Ouyang exclaimed in delight, "So this mechanism is pressed down, not pulled up! Miss Qi stepped on it perfectly!"

Behind that door was a neatly constructed passageway. I stood silently to one side, watching Yi Ge struggle through the crowd towards me, while around me were the assembled heroes eager to enter the passageway. It was only after Master Tao said something like, "We don't know if there are any traps inside, so don't make a fuss," that the crowd gradually quieted down.

The passageway wasn't very long and ended quickly, without any hidden mechanisms. We were in what appeared to be a large hall, capable of holding a hundred people. I say "appears" because it was actually divided into several sections. To the left was a set of stairs, behind which was a room with iron railings. To the right were tables, chairs, and bookshelves; the bookshelves almost filled the entire right wall, the books neatly arranged, though covered with a thick layer of white ash. Next to the desk was a wooden couch, fully equipped with bedding.

Although the hall was spacious and crowded, the smell was unpleasant, with a slight stench of sweat. However, I could also detect a faint odor of blood. Nan Ya peeked through the iron bars on the left and suddenly screamed. Nan Cong and Bai Yifei glanced over and gasped. Curious, I went closer to look. Inside, there was a skeleton locked up. The skeleton sat against the wall, with a bamboo tube to its left and a stone bed to its right. Four long iron chains extended from the stone wall, tightly binding its wrists and ankles. They seemed just long enough for it to move around in the cramped room. The floor of the small room was reddish-brown, resembling bloodstains, which was where the bloody smell was coming from. Its flesh and internal organs were completely rotten, but below the sternum was a shriveled, thumb-sized black mass.

Judging from the way they were restrained, this person must be extremely skilled in martial arts. Everyone looked at each other, wondering who it was. Some people began to recall if any extraordinary figure had disappeared twenty years ago, but everyone shook their heads. I suddenly remembered someone, the Cold Jade Prince Leng Yiwei that my father had mentioned. I also thought of the Chasing Light Sword Manual that had fallen into the hands of the Ghost Palace, and the more I thought about it, the more certain it seemed, and a deep sense of desolation welled up in my heart.

The crowd then looked at the bookshelf on the right and discovered many martial arts manuals from various sects, causing a stir among them. Master Tao took a deep breath and said, "Why don't we find the main entrance first and then look at these things?" The crowd then calmed down.

There was a spherical button on the wall beside the steps. When pressed, the top of the steps suddenly opened up, and sand and stones collapsed down. Master Tao asked each of the six major sects to send one person up to take a look. The people quickly came down and said, "The back hall of the Crimson Demon Palace is up there, almost touching the back cliff."

Everyone looked down at the blueprints in their hands (almost everyone had one). It clearly marked two black lines beyond the rear hall. There should be another passage after that, but then we'd have to find the mechanism again.

The group searched frantically along the three walls again, even moving the bookshelf out, but still found nothing. Suddenly, Bai Yifei said, "Perhaps the entrance isn't underground, but above ground? For example, is there no door on the back cliff?"

Some people nodded in agreement, and then Master Tao said, "Let's go outside and talk about it."

I'm becoming more and more convinced that there are underground treasures.

My heart was itching, like an itch that was about to be scratched but just couldn't quite reach the spot. The mystery was right in front of me, but my eyes were covered. This scratching feeling made me eat dinner rather absentmindedly.

Sitting alone under the lamp at night, I suddenly had a strange thought: if there's a map of underground passages, could there also be a topographical map of the underground palace? The last map was discovered in "Tongda Gong" (a book on Taoist practices); could there be any unseen pages in that book?

Thinking this, I went to the table and took out the "Tongda Gong" book, carefully turning each page. When I reached the last page, I couldn't see anything wrong. The bottom page was just a thin piece of wood, and I assumed the cover was also made of thin wood, but it had fallen apart due to age. Somewhat disappointed, I put the book down. My fingers inadvertently ran over the thin wooden board, and I felt it was uneven. Looking closer, I saw many small dents on the top side, mixed with years of dirt; you wouldn't have noticed them if you hadn't touched them.

When Yi Ge returned, I was using an embroidery needle to trace patterns on a thin piece of wood, connecting the small round pits little by little. All I had was a needle, and I just wanted to figure out what exactly was on it.

He walked over quietly and sat down next to me. I was busy, so I only glanced at him before turning my head away, but I asked, "You're back?" Actually, I didn't know when he had left.

The embroidery needle traced shallow, fine white lines on the thin wooden board. They were just some winding, intermittent lines, occasionally intersecting with circles and crosses. To me, it looked more like a flower or some other shape than a topographical map, though it wasn't quite a complete picture. If I had to compare it to a map, it would be more like a route map.

Looking at the picture in my hand, I sighed: "What is this?"

A large hand reached out from the side and grasped the thin wooden board: "Misty Baby, how did you find this?"

I turned my head and said, "If there's a map of the tunnel, there must be a map of the underground palace. I've looked through them and this is the only one I've found. It's very suspicious. I've made a copy, but I don't know what it is."

He took the wooden board, examined it for a while, then suddenly went to fetch a basin of water and a cloth from the room. He vigorously wiped the board, removing most of the years' worth of dirt, and the small pits became much clearer. Then he ground ink, took a brush, carefully dotted the pits with ink, and then took a piece of paper and placed it on top. I understood; he was making a rubbing.

He made four or five rubbings, handed me two, and said, "Let's connect them and see. Maybe the two of us connected them differently."

When I took the rubbing, I noticed that the small pits weren't all the same size. I had initially guessed that they were made by a cone or similar tool, but now I see that there are larger ones mixed in, and I don't know what made them.

Following the direction of the larger pit, the two of us drew up similar maps. This time it was clearly a route map, but we didn't know where it was from because the shape didn't resemble a neat building at all; it looked more like a winding path in the countryside.

Yi Ge said, "Perhaps I can let Master Gui take a look."

I have no reason to object.

After working through the night, it seems I've accomplished something small.

He stood behind me for a long time without moving when I got into bed. Only after I was on the bed did he turn his back, take off his outer robe, and blow out the candle. In the instant the candle went out, I noticed his left arm seemed thicker, but he still used his right arm to hold me as he lay down. I had my doubts and teased him slightly. His breathing became heavier, but he only lightly kissed my forehead and didn't do anything further. I simply rolled over, leaned over him, and gently kissed his face. As I half-wrapped my arms around his shoulders, my hands gently slid down, and through his clothes, I could feel the bandages binding his arms. Before I could do anything further, he suddenly rolled over and pressed me down, covering my lips with his own in a rough, forceful kiss. He used to like to support himself on one side of me, using the other to gently and tenderly kiss me while cradling my chin; now…

I pushed him down: "What happened to your left arm? Where did you go tonight?"

He said, "I went to the Crimson Demon Palace. My hand is fine, just a minor injury."

"Injured? How did you get injured? Did you encounter that guardian of the palace?" We all know who I mean by the guardian of the palace—the one who's been killing people in the shadows. That person is strange; anyone who gets close to the Crimson Demon Palace or the back cliff will be attacked, but those who go down into the underground of the Crimson Demon Palace through the secret passage of the Asura Palace are unharmed.

He remained silent, his silence tacitly agreeing. Recalling the man's bizarre, fatal blow to the throat, I gasped. He was lucky; he only injured his left arm. Or perhaps his martial arts were far superior to my expectations.

*******

As the weather gets warmer, it gets dark later. We still have plenty of time to kill after dinner. However, Qi Long and Qian Qian often find places to go out together, Chun Manjing has chores to do, and Mu Ying, since the day she met her sect, often goes to the sect's camp and sometimes doesn't come back for dinner. Yi Ge also frequently disappears. When I ask him questions, he's evasive and vague. Although I'm a little anxious, I'm gradually getting used to his sudden departures and returns. If I keep pressing him, he might tell me, but I'm not sure if that's the right approach; he's not some petty thief I caught.

Only Ziqian, Zibu, and Uncle Xu would sometimes accompany me for walks in the woods and along the stream after dinner. But after overhearing Chunman and Muying's conversation that day, I didn't dare go out alone with Ziqian or Zibu. I would only go out for a walk when everyone was around. But recently, Ziqian seems to have some things to do, and I suddenly feel much more lonely.

The day after I made that rubbing, after dinner, when it was still bright, I went out by myself.

As I strolled along the stream, idly watching the sunset reflected in the water, I suddenly heard the sound of clothes rustling in the wind through the woods. Bored out of my mind, I couldn't resist a sudden urge to gossip, so I turned back into the woods. Sure enough, about ten paces ahead, I saw a white figure dart into the depths of the forest. Judging from the way he moved, sometimes stopping and sometimes moving, it seemed he was following someone. I didn't dare get too close, only following him from a distance. After a while, the person turned behind a cliff. I hurriedly followed, but behind the cliff was still a forest. I didn't know if he had gone left or right. After thinking for a moment, I turned back and climbed the cliff to get a better look. The forest was made of tall fir trees; I only saw a small white dot turn to the right. The forest wasn't very large. From my vantage point, I surveyed the path, found a direction, and decided to follow the person. I descended the cliff and entered the forest from the other side.

There were many shrubs in the cedar forest, so I walked a little slower, and I wasn't sure if I was going in the right direction.

After finally emerging from a thicket of bushes, the cedar trees before them were exceptionally tall and thick, so thick that it would probably take three people to encircle them. Just as they were about to turn around the giant, rock-like tree in front of them, they suddenly heard voices ahead.

A clear voice said, "It really is you! Last night, I thought I was mistaken based on your appearance, but today, I can't be wrong. Why did you sneak into the underground hall of the Crimson Demon Palace? Was it for her?"

That voice actually belonged to Bai Yifei.

Author's Note: Updated! Hope it goes up this weekend. Thanks for adding it to your favorites. Please continue reading, haha.

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Gap

Another familiar voice rang out: "What do you mean by private spies? You're the private spies. Our young master is just going home." It was Master Gui's voice. And the young master he was talking about, wasn't that Yi Ge? I found myself unable to move.

Bai Yifei's voice was clearly shocked: "You, you're that Ghost Palace disciple who caused trouble in Hengshan? Who did you say he is? Young Master?"

Master Gui said, "That's right, he is our young master, the young master of the Ghost Palace. The Ghost Palace is not without a master. We've let you in and caused enough trouble for so long. And you call him a spy? You're the ones who should get lost, aren't you?"

That cool, clear voice finally rang out: "Young Master Bai, I didn't join the Crimson Demon Palace for her sake. What do you want to say?"

Bai Yifei's voice calmed down slightly as he asked, "Since the discovery of the Crimson Demon Palace's underground passage, so many people have died. Did you kill them?"

Yi Ge's words were always so brief: "No."

Bai Yifei snorted: "Even if it's not you, does it have nothing to do with you?"

Uh, I asked Yi Ge that same question. I turned around, leaned against the giant tree, and quietly eavesdropped.

Yi Ge's voice remained cold: "So what if we're involved? So what if we're not?"

Bai Yifei said, "If there's a connection, then naturally debts must be repaid, and lives must be repaid. If there's no connection... Hmph!"

Yi Ge's voice was flat: "If I say I didn't, you won't believe me. Then produce evidence that's relevant. Otherwise, it's not certain who owes whom."

Bai Yifei said, "Since the Crimson Demon Palace discovered that hall, Master Tao made an agreement with everyone not to explore it privately, firstly to prevent disputes, and secondly to investigate the killer in secret. We patrolled for two days and stopped those who tried to explore outside. No one was killed in these two days. Your appearance in that underground hall without a sound is rather suspicious."

Master Gui sneered, "Your failure to discover the young master outside is due to your incompetence, and it doesn't prove anything. This is Ghost Palace territory; the young master can come and go as he pleases. Why should you interfere?"

Bai Yifei sneered again and said, "However, after you fled, we found the body of a disciple of the Youlong Gang in the back hall of the Crimson Charm Palace. The timing is too coincidental."

Another voice said, "Catch the thief with the stolen goods, catch the adulterer in the act. Which eye of yours saw our young master kill someone, and how did that person die?"

I've heard that voice before; it's the one Yi Ge met in the forest on my birthday.

Bai Yifei said, "A sharp weapon pierces the throat."

The man continued, "Since you fought with the young master yesterday, do you know what weapons he can use? He only uses his palms."

Bai Yifei seemed to be considering the veracity of his words, and thus remained silent. But I knew that Yi Ge knew a sword, and even if he didn't carry one, the Youlong Gang used swords; it wasn't impossible that he might seize it and use it against them.

Bai Yifei said, "I didn't witness you kill anyone, but if you are truly the young master of the Ghost Palace, you cannot escape responsibility. I suppose you weren't alone yesterday." His voice suddenly softened: "Does she know your identity, your actions?"

She, of course, was referring to me. My heart skipped a beat as I sat behind the tree.

Master Gui laughed heartily: "The princess is the young master's wife, she..."

His words were interrupted by Yi Ge, who said decisively, "She doesn't know. Nor does she need to know."

I sat behind the tree and closed my eyes.

Bai Yifei's voice turned angry: "Your Ghost Palace has a terrible reputation. You hid your identity and stayed by her side. What did you want to achieve? If you had stayed hidden, that would have been fine, but you called yourself the young master of the Ghost Palace. You can be an enemy of the martial arts world, but what kind of situation do you want to put Xiaowu in? Do you want her to be hunted down by others because of you? Not to mention the future, even if we search for treasure in the underground palace today, if everyone knows you exist, I wonder if you will be left with nothing? It's fine if you die, but what about Xiaowu? Is she going to take the blame for you?"

Yi Ge's voice was like ice crystals: "This is a matter between my husband and me, no need for Young Master Bai to worry about it."

Bai Yifei's voice, however, seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth: "How selfish you are! No, you've been using her all along, haven't you? Using her position to cover for you and do despicable things."

Yi Ge didn't utter a word in response, only letting out a soft hum. My heart, however, felt as if it had been struck by a cold current; I couldn't quite describe the pain, but it just huddled up in a ball.

Gui Ye chimed in, "The princess and the young master are husband and wife, so what's this talk of hiding or concealing anything? Besides, as long as the young master gets back what's ours, what's so despicable about it? It's probably you so-called righteous martial arts practitioners who are despicable."

Another person suddenly said, "The young master's identity was originally unknown to the martial arts world. Your words remind us that now that you know his identity, you can no longer leave."

With a crisp "clang," the sound of a sword being drawn was particularly clear in the quiet twilight. Bai Yifei's voice, however, calmed down: "Want to keep me here? Why not give it a try?"

I turned around behind the tree, revealing half my face to observe the movements in the forest. They weren't too far away, and I quickly assessed the situation. Yi Ge's side actually had four people. Although Bai Yifei was alone, he remained fearless, drawing his sword and standing tall, coldly staring at his opponents.

It was Yi Ge who struck first. He truly didn't use any weapon; his own lightness skill was exceptional, and although he was still some distance from Bai Yifei when he raised his palm, it arrived swiftly. Bai Yifei's reactions were always quick; he took a step, and the sword's edge was now facing Yi Ge. Both moved quickly, and gradually only light and shadow remained.

My heart sank the moment Yi Ge made his move. Was he trying to silence me? Although I hadn't witnessed him kill anyone, he was undeniably implicated. But I still didn't want to leave. Firstly, I suddenly felt a numbness in my legs; secondly, since Bai Yifei was looking out for me, and I was watching him fight four opponents alone, even though I didn't know their martial arts skills, I still wanted to observe for a while.

Bai Yifei's Hundred Mile Stream Sword technique had improved considerably; he had apparently mastered several new moves, making it somewhat different from when I'd seen him use it before. When defending, it was skillful and agile; when attacking, it was like a dragon, coiling and howling, exceptionally fierce. Yi Ge, on the other hand, was probably using the Tongda Palm. His internal energy was surprisingly good, quite profound, and the wind from his palms carried a whistling sound. Although he was more defensive than offensive, he wasn't at a disadvantage against Bai Yifei's sword. Gradually, his palms began to glow faintly. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a glow, but rather his palms seemed to become translucent and crystalline, which truly surprised me. Then I thought, could that be the essence of the Tongda Palm?

The two were locked in combat when Bai Yifei said, "I stabbed your left arm yesterday; it must be a bit inconvenient, right?"

He sounded concerned, but his tone was somewhat dismissive, as if he wanted to provoke Yi Ge.

Yi Ge remained silent, only intensifying his palm strikes. Both men's sleeves billowed from the force of the palm strikes and sword energy, their figures shifting and gradually becoming indistinct. Suddenly, I heard Bai Yifei grunt, take two steps back, and then lunge forward again, his sword flashing like shattered jade, enveloping Yi Ge. A flash of white light, and suddenly a flower of blood flew out; Yi Ge, dressed in blue, had the blood bloom on his left forearm.

With Yi Ge injured, Gui Ye and the other two took a step forward. Bai Yifei coldly said, "What, do you want to come at me all at once?"

I couldn't stand it any longer, so I stood up, stepped out from behind that giant tree, and shouted, "Stop!"

The two men, who were about to make another move, were startled when they heard my voice.

I felt my steps were a little unsteady, and after steadying myself, I slowly stepped out. None of them spoke. I glanced at them, and saw a hint of fear in Yi Ge and Bai Yifei's eyes. If I hadn't been eavesdropping, at first glance I would have definitely thought there was something going on between them that I had caught them in the act, making them look at me as if they'd seen a ghost. Or perhaps my expression really did resemble a ghost, because when Gui Ye and the others saw me, their faces showed more surprise than joy or curiosity.

Bai Yifei said urgently, "Xiaowu, Yi Ge yesterday..."

I walked over to Yi Ge and took his right arm: "I know, I know who he is. He went to the Crimson Demon Palace because I wanted him to go."

Yi Ge and Bai Yifei showed no other expression besides shock. Bai Yifei suddenly gave a bitter smile and said, "Xiao Wu, you're making excuses for him. You've always done what you wanted yourself, without relying on others. If you wanted to investigate the Crimson Demon Palace, you only needed to speak to Master Tao, and it would be done anytime. Why did you have to send someone to investigate at night?"

He then slowly said, "Xiaowu, he might cause you trouble."