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Глава 68

The old man in gray looked up, closed his eyes, and pondered for a while. "What do you all think?" He opened his eyes, looked around at his fellow dungeon inmates, and said in a deep voice, "I would rather die in this dark river than return to my life in the iron prison!"

Upon hearing this, everyone imprisoned in the dungeon showed excitement and nodded repeatedly. Shengxiang curiously tugged at Xue Weiming, only to learn that the gray-robed old man was quite famous—he was none other than Zhuge Zhi, the strategist of the Shiqi Pavilion from twenty-three years ago. Hearing this name, Shengxiang almost choked. She bet herself that the old man had changed his name after becoming a "strategist," and looking at the old man's serious demeanor, she couldn't believe he possessed the "wisdom" of Zhuge. However, the Shiqi Pavilion was a powerful force in Sichuan twenty-three years ago, and although it had declined, its influence remained. This Zhuge Zhi was no ordinary person. After a period of commotion, the group of elderly people, who had been isolated for many years, finally decided to escape through the underground river with Shengxiang's group.

Yu Cuiwei, with his elegant and dashing appearance, played for a while before walking over to Shengxiang and laughing, "So this is what it's like to be a chivalrous hero in the martial arts world."

Shengxiang looked at him with a smile, "If you changed back into your pajamas, these old men might all commit suicide."

With his back to the crowd that had been praising him, Yu Cuiwei looked at Shengxiang with seductive eyes and said in a soft, flirtatious tone, "Why did Old Lady Su leave?"

Shengxiang watched as Shangxuan stood in the crowd, ignoring everyone else, and shook his head repeatedly. Hearing this, he chuckled, "With Pu Shidong dead, if we continue fighting like we were just now, what good will it do but result in mutual destruction and everyone dying?"

Yu Cuiwei smiled and said, "But she left this huge hole and then suddenly withdrew, clearly forcing people to jump into the river."

Shengxiang made a face at him, "This underground river is very difficult to jump across. Since it's an entrance and exit passage, the troubles along the way will definitely be about the same as those with Da Yu's lover."

Yu Cuiwei was not offended at all, and even seemed to be smiling and quite happy. "I'm not afraid of trouble."

“I’m scared,” Shengxiang said, raising her hand and looking at him defiantly with her raised eyebrows.

Yu Cuiwei glanced at him, then suddenly smiled slightly, "What are you afraid of?"

Shengxiang said with a grin, "I'm afraid you'll get impatient and kill all the old ladies and gentlemen behind you to pave the way, and then slowly walk out." Although he was laughing, he wasn't joking.

Yu Cuiwei's eyes were smiling, his eyebrows were smiling, the corners of his mouth were smiling, and finally he burst into laughter, "Is that so?"

Shengxiang glanced at him, then suddenly smiled faintly, "If only one person leaves in the end, that person may not be you."

Yu Cuiwei's eyes flickered as he looked at Shang Xuan's back in the distance, and he actually sneered, "It might not be you, is it?"

Shengxiang patted his shoulder hard, then patted it again, and laughed, "Anyway, we must escape unscathed. That little girl surnamed Liu can no longer rely on the remaining power of these old folks to intimidate people; she's no match for them." He answered irrelevantly, his bright, clear eyes smiling broadly.

Then, about twenty people descended one by one into the underground river. The riverbed here had clearly been modified; the protruding sections of the walls had been removed, making it quite wide. The group carried water, climbing up and down as they went. After a while, a clearing appeared on the riverbank with many new caves. Further on, the underground river became deep and swift, making it impassable. The group looked at each other, unsure what to do, and finally crawled into one of the caves on the bank. Upon exiting the cave, they were confronted with three skeletons, their deaths unknown. They quickly circled around to another cave.

After struggling for a while, Shengxiang and her group finally passed through a narrow earthen cave and left the underground river channel. It was a small cave that no one had walked through for many years. Everyone was covered in mud when they went through, and no one had any hope when they crawled through, but what appeared before them was a meadow.

Grassland! That means they've left the underground river. Where are we? Have we wandered into another part of Moqu Manor, or have we truly left the valley? The twenty-odd people simultaneously took a deep breath, collapsing onto the tender, verdant grass, speechless for a long time. Looking up at the stars gradually emerging in the sky, only two hours had passed since they left the iron prison, yet it felt like a lifetime.

“Everyone is exhausted and needs to rest…” Master Jindan said to Yu Cuiwei as he stood up.

Yu Cuiwei nodded and kindly called out for everyone to sit down and rest.

Shengxiang sat on the ground and looked at him with a smile: After the incident in the dungeon, these old men and women really regarded him as a great hero who saved the world, and they followed his lead in everything.

Shang Xuan ignored Yu Cuiwei, treating him as a handsome and dashing swordsman. He sat down next to Sheng Xiang and suddenly asked, "How are you feeling?"

Saint Fragrance sat lazily against the rock, "My head hurts, my feet hurt, my hands hurt, my stomach hurts, my eyes hurt, my nose hurts, my eyebrows hurt..."

Looking at his pale face, Shang Xuan gave a slight, cold smile. "They don't see you as their savior, so why are you worrying so much? Is it worth it?" Sheng Xiang's body was still relatively healthy. Half a day of hard fighting couldn't have made him like this. He must have been exhausted from the mental and physical exertion.

Shengxiang cried out, "I wasn't the hero to begin with! If Dayu hadn't inexplicably jumped into that ancient well, how could things have turned out like this?" He counted on his fingers, "Dayu released the people, he killed the insects, and he killed Pu Shidong. He's so handsome, dashing, and skilled in martial arts; of course he's a hero. Do you think people like you and me, hiding on the sidelines watching the show, rushing out to fight without knowing whether we're saving others or ourselves, are heroes?" He glared at Shangxuan seventeen or eighteen times, as if he were trying to usurp Yu Cuiwei's title of "hero," while his righteous Shengxiang...

Xiang Da Shao absolutely cannot allow the same thing.

"He's saving people? Hasn't he been saving himself all along?" Shang Xuan chuckled coldly twice. "He's not even remotely concerned for these old men."

"How do you know he doesn't?" Shengxiang rolled his eyes at Shangxuan. "Maybe Da Yu is actually a great hero deep down, but he just hasn't had the chance or thought about it. Maybe this time he'll become a legendary hero. And me—the sickly young master Shengxiang—as long as I follow such a hero, I'll definitely be saved, I definitely won't die, and I can sleep and rest whenever I want." He looked at Shangxuan very seriously, becoming more and more certain that Yu Cuiwei would be a great hero who would save the world from suffering, showing a look of full confidence, admiration, and worship for Yu Cuiwei.

Shang Xuan snorted. "Is that so?"

Shengxiang made a face. "You dare say it's definitely not true?"

Shang Xuan replied decisively, "Of course!"

The two were arguing earnestly to the side, while the Golden Elixir Daoist, having consulted with the "Hero" Yu, slowly walked over, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "This humble Daoist is Golden Elixir. Thank you both for your righteous assistance. And this is..."

He first bowed to Shangxuan, who appeared to be older than Shengxiang.

Shang Xuan chuckled, "Zhao Shang Xuan."

The Golden Elixir Daoist thought to himself that this young man was arrogant and overbearing, while the other young man looked immature and childish. Although he was indeed highly skilled in martial arts, he did not seem mature and composed. "Who is this...?"

Shengxiang raised her hand to sign in: "Shengxiang."

Xue Weiming strode over and said, “You two are good friends. I am deeply indebted to you for saving my life. I have no way to repay you. If you three ever need anything in the future, I will do my utmost to help you!” He snapped his snake whip in half with a “crack” and said, “I swear this! If I refuse, I will be whipped like this.”

Shang Xuan frowned, but Sheng Xiang nodded repeatedly and said in a serious tone, "From now on, I will ask you to wash dishes, sweep the floor, raise cats and dogs, sing and dance."

Xue Weiming was stunned. Sheng Xiang looked serious, as if she wasn't joking at all.

At this moment, Yu Cuiwei's "refined" voice came over: "Young Master Shengxiang likes to joke, Brother Xue, you don't need to mind."

As Master Jindan and Xue Weiming introduced themselves, many people came forward to exchange names. Besides Shi Qige Zhuge Zhi, there was also the Emei Sect's chief disciple, Abbess Da Ku, the Shaolin Temple's Sutra Repository's Zen Master Yi Chong and his two disciples, as well as the seven disciples of "Shadowless Ghost Granny" Han Ruse, and some other strange figures who still held great renown. Among them were seven people who had survived half a day of fierce fighting despite their martial arts being crippled. These seven people were now meditating silently, not expressing gratitude, but exuding an air of gloom.

But regardless, if these people could return to the martial arts world, it would be an absolutely earth-shattering event! As dusk settled, the grassland grew damp. Yu Cuiwei went for a walk; the surrounding area was deep forest, rarely visited by humans. This place seemed to be a clearing left after a lake dried up, situated at the lowest point of the forest. Some who could still walk went out to hunt for game. Sheng Xiang, leaning against a rock, remained seated, watching the campfire Yu Cuiwei had lit. Shang Xuan suspected he was having a heart attack, but he stubbornly kept quiet. Sheng Xiang, however, was laughing and talking, full of energy; apart from a slightly pale complexion, he showed no other abnormalities.

Soon someone brought back some game, which everyone barbecued and ate. Exhausted from their near-death experience, they devoured the cooked food. After a long, heavy silence, it was already late, and those who could sleep went to bed. Shang Xuan sat cross-legged, gazing at Sheng Xiang's sleeping face for a while. This man, grinning and talking nonsense, what was he thinking that made him so exhausted?

Yu Cuiwei didn't sleep either. He sat on a rock that was half a person's height higher than himself, his gaze fixed on Zhuge Zhi. After a long while, Yu Cuiwei slowly raised his palm towards Zhuge Zhi, who was in a state of deep meditation and complete absorption. His white jade-like palm tilted slightly forward as he made a chopping motion, but the hand fell very slowly.

One inch, two inches, three inches... His palm slowly sank down, getting closer and closer to the top of Zhuge Zhi's head... His palm sank down very quietly, without the slightest sound of wind, and without the slightest killing intent.

Shang Xuan was suddenly startled: What is Yu Cuiwei planning to do?

Suddenly, Yu Cuiwei stood up and slashed down with his palm. Everything was as fast as lightning, clearly intended to kill Zhuge Zhili with his palm!

A hand silently blocked Yu Cuiwei's palm strike. Shang Xuan dodged to save him, whispering, "What are you doing?"

Shang Xuan's "Rolling Snow" internal force was truly astonishing. Yu Cuiwei was caught off guard and was struck back by his block. He smiled and asked, "Did Shengxiang ask you to guard against me killing people?"