The light was extremely dim, barely revealing a hollowed-out section in the center of the second floor where a cage hung suspended. Four chains as thick as arms pierced through the cage from the surrounding walls, tightly binding the figure within.
"Child, come here," the person spoke again.
"Who are you?" An Jiu tightened her grip on the dagger.
"This old man is Wei Yunshan." The figure shifted slightly, causing the chains to clatter loudly, followed by a muffled groan.
Wei Yunshan?! The former master of Misty Villa—how could he be locked in a cage?
"There's nothing here, but the surrounding walls are filled with traps. If you trigger them, you'll be buried alive." Wei Yunshan, having calmed somewhat after his earlier agitation, spoke more steadily. "This old man has been imprisoned here for years, deprived of sunlight, my Internal Energy drained by that beast. I have no strength left to harm you. Come up, and I'll teach you how to escape."
An Jiu hesitated before asking, "How do I enter the cellar? Are there traps inside?"
"You're after the Raging Crossbow, aren't you?" Wei Yunshan pondered briefly. "There are likely only four or five Explosive Crossbows left. They're not in the cellar—they're hidden in the pillars around here. Light the oil lamps, and you'll see."
An Jiu was skeptical. She examined the thick, pillar-like structures—each wide enough to conceal a crossbow. The building didn’t even need such massive support columns. Squinting, she spotted faint lamp outlines. She pulled out a fire starter from her pocket, tore a piece of her sleeve, soaked it in oil, wrapped it around an ordinary arrow, and lit it before shooting it toward the lamp.
With a whoosh, the oil lamp ignited.
An Jiu looked up again, barely making out the disheveled old man in the cage.
Wei Yunshan's eyes flickered with surprise before settling into resignation. Anyone who could enter this place must have some skill. "Wait a moment," he said.
An Jiu took a few steps back, remaining vigilant.
After roughly half an hour, one of the pillars emitted a crack—its base splitting open like a door. An Jiu fired a Rope Crossbow to anchor it, then yanked hard. Inside were two Explosive Crossbows.
Surprisingly, there were no Hidden Weapons.
Wei Yunshan seemed to read her thoughts. "The walls around you are rigged with traps. A single touch could kill you instantly. Even with those, you won’t escape."
"Why not use the Explosive Crossbow to blast through the walls?" An Jiu questioned. She had seen their destructive power—they could pierce over a dozen layers of walls in Stupa Tower. Two layers here should be nothing. But Wei Yuzhi was too meticulous to overlook such a flaw.
"If you wish to die together, go ahead and try," Wei Yunshan sighed. "Death would be a release for this old man."
An Jiu took one of the crossbows and used the Rope Crossbow to swing up to the rafters, finally getting a close look at the legendary Transformation Realm Master.
Wei Yunshan’s emaciated body was tightly bound by two chains, his face obscured by a thick white beard and hair. Most unsettling were the countless Silver Needles—like those used in acupuncture—embedded all over his scalp.
"If you cannot take me with you, then I beg you to end my life with one strike," Wei Yunshan said slowly. "A small mercy. In return, I’ll show you the way out."
An Jiu remained silent for a moment before asking, "You know the way?"
Wei Yunshan replied, "I’ve seen people come and go often enough to know."
"Fine." An Jiu met his gaze coolly. "Tell me the exit. Once I verify it, I’ll grant your request."Wei Yunshan slightly furrowed his brows. "Child, you are so suspicious! Fine, the exit is that pillar. The main gate has never been opened, and this old man doesn’t know if there are any mechanisms. Go quickly and return swiftly—my waking hours are limited."
An Jiu could see that Wei Yunshan was indeed eager for release and knew he wouldn’t harm her before achieving it. Without further hesitation, she entered the door where the explosive crossbows were stored.
Inside the pillar was a staircase leading upward.
An Jiu climbed the narrow, steep steps. The pillar appeared thick from the outside, but maneuvering inside was difficult—even light-footed techniques would be hard to employ here.
The stairs led all the way to the roof. An Jiu pushed lightly and found the tiles loose, the sounds of fierce combat outside ringing in her ears. She lifted one or two tiles when suddenly, the sound of a zither erupted, seemingly very close to her!
That music...
Mei Ru Yan!
An Jiu had only ever heard her play the zither. The mournful, choking notes plucked at one’s heartstrings, distinct from ordinary music—once heard, never forgotten.
She quietly retreated and looked again at the fortress-like building surrounded by iron walls. Suddenly, she found it amusing. After all the effort and near-death struggles to break in, the crossbows were placed in the least dangerous spot!
But even without Sang Nu’s information, had she chosen to descend from the roof by removing tiles, she wouldn’t have coincidentally landed near these two pillars. She would still have had to navigate the traps on the second floor, which might not have been any easier.
"Confirmed?" Wei Yunshan said. "Did this old man deceive you?"
"State your true purpose," An Jiu replied. "I don’t want to waste time with you. If your request is something I can fulfill, I’ll help you in exchange for your guidance."
Wei Yunshan had been ingratiating himself, claiming he only sought release—even death would suffice—but his behavior suggested otherwise. An Jiu had once been a psychiatric patient; prolonged illness had made her a doctor of sorts. Though she couldn’t control her emotions, she understood people better. Someone so desperate for release shouldn’t remain so calm when presented with a rare opportunity—at least not when she was evasive. And this was just one of the things that made An Jiu suspicious. Moreover, Wei Yunshan, as a Transformation Realm Master, was akin to a treasure trove of martial knowledge. Even without Inner Force, he still possessed secret techniques, mental cultivation methods, and experience. Any martial artist would be tempted, yet he remained so composed—why wasn’t he leveraging this?
Wei Yunshan fell silent for a few breaths before asking, "How did you see through me?"
"I guessed." Though An Jiu had her suspicions, they were just that—no concrete evidence.
"It seems I’ve truly grown old, to be fooled by a little girl like you." Wei Yunshan’s voice grew increasingly weary, his words urgent. "There’s something I haven’t finished. These silver needles in my head limit me to waking only an hour each day. I have things to say! I’m on the verge of collapse—come up and pull one out. I’ll speak a few more words. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. I’ll teach you all my life’s secrets."
An Jiu ignored him. Instead, she lit all the lamps, took the remaining four explosive crossbows, and placed them by the exit. Then she climbed onto the cage. "Which one should I pull out?"
"The one on my head," Wei Yunshan said hastily.
An Jiu curled her lips slightly, reached into the cage, and yanked out the silver needle embedded in his temple.The silver needle had been embedded in the skin for too long, almost fusing into it. With a sudden yank from An Jiu, a thin line of blood sprayed out.
Comrades were still locked in a life-and-death struggle outside, and An Jiu couldn’t afford to linger here. There was no time to covet any secret techniques, but since Wei Yunshan had saved her life, pulling out this one needle would serve as repayment.
An Jiu turned to leave, but what happened next before her eyes sent a chill of horror through her heart. (To be continued...)
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