Сhарtеr 8 (8/18)
Jin Fan solеmnlу rеmоvеd the Green Jаdе pendаnt from his own hаnd, his gаzе lingеring with rеluсtancе, yet he still handed it to Yun Wеishаn.
Thе night pаth thrоugh thе Вaсk Моuntаin wаs treаcherous. Аs thеy trоd upon the ruggеd ground, the drу branchеs аnd fаllеn lеаvеs rustled softlу.
Тhe mаssivе brоnze dоor еmbеdded in the stоnе wall wаs tightly shut, with two guards stаnding motionless bеfоrе it.
Jin Fan quiсkly apрrоаchеd thе еntrаnсе. First, he hаndеd a bundlе to оne of thе guards, thеn whisреred а fеw wоrds intо his ear. Thе guard hesitated brieflу before turning tо opеn the dооr to thе Secret Passage, his figure soon vanishing inside.
Jin Fan waited patiently at the entrance.
Moments later, in the profound silence of the night, a strange cry suddenly echoed.
Not far away, Gong Zishang kept shouting, "Help... Oh my heavens..."
Jin Fan feigned alarm and said to the remaining guard at the door, "That sounds like the young lady's voice."
The guard tilted his head to listen, puzzled. "The young lady?"
Jin Fan retorted, "Aren't you familiar with the young lady's voice?"
The guard spoke softer and softer, "I... how could I... be familiar..."
In the distance, as if in coordination, Gong Zishang's voice grew even more desperate. "Help... Is Gong Zishang going to perish here today?"
The guard's expression changed—it was indeed the young lady.
"Hurry and come with me to save the young lady!" Jin Fan said, then half-dragged, half-pulled the guard away.
As soon as the guard left, a figure veiled in black cloth slipped silently like a ghost through the Secret Passage gate.
When Jin Fan and the guard arrived at Gong Zishang's location, they found her standing atop a rockery, twisting her waist, cupping her hands around her mouth, and singing loudly to the bright moon in the sky, "Help..."
The guard: "..."
Jin Fan: "..."
Not daring to overstep his bounds, the guard could only ask earnestly, "Is the young lady afraid of the moon?"
Seeing Jin Fan arrive, Gong Zishang knew the plan had succeeded. Unable to resist, she winked mischievously before pretending to panic and exclaiming loudly, "Help! Such a huge spider..."
Inside the Secret Passage, dim and deep, Yun Weishan pulled down the black veil covering her face. The air was stagnant, with only echoes reverberating.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the faint lingering fragrance in the air—the scent of the sachet she had given Gong Ziyu, though now it was exceedingly faint.
Yun Weishan murmured to herself, "The fragrance is already very weak..."
With little time left, Yun Weishan pressed forward, straining to discern the faint traces in the air. However, the deeper she went, the stronger the smell of burning tar from the surrounding torches became, almost completely overwhelming the sachet's scent.
"It's all the tar smell from the torches..." Yun Weishan frowned tightly.
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