"Ha, what's a game to you might still be a deadly trap for others," Shen Langhun remarked. "This place is deserted now, but since we could find it, others certainly can too. With Dissolute Shop's forces all gone, do you think they wouldn’t leave behind some 'gifts'? Poison, illusions, traps—all their specialties." Tang Lici smiled faintly. "Aren’t those also the specialties of the Seven Cloud Traveling Guests? Don’t you think it might not be a coincidence?" Shen Langhun replied indifferently, "Such things are for you to ponder. I only think about how to kill."
"What now? Leave or go deeper?" Chi Yun asked impatiently. With a flick of his hand, Tang Lici sent Chi Yun’s Moon Crossing Ring flying with a thud, embedding it into the eastern gate. "Do you think I’d leave?" he said with a faint smile, then strode toward the eastern door.
The four stepped into the corridor together. Unlike the one Tang Lici and Shen Langhun had traversed earlier, this passage was pitch-dark, filled with the damp stench of mildew. Zhong Chunji whispered, "It seems no one has walked here for a long time." Tang Lici used a golden thread to lift the "Bi Xiao," igniting a flame. "Chi Yun."
Chi Yun snorted and hung the golden thread on the tip of his Moon Crossing Ring, leading the way. The flickering light revealed moss-covered walls on either side, dripping with moisture, clearly untouched for ages. Before long, Chi Yun let out a grunt. Shen Langhun narrowed his eyes—a dark mass lay ahead on the ground. Chi Yun raised his silver blade, and Zhong Chunji gasped softly. Illuminated by the firelight was a skeletal corpse, its clothing not entirely decayed, revealing a man in purple robes with black embroidered edges. Beside the body lay a strangely shaped knife—fish-like, its blade carved with scale patterns.
"Eh? 'Fish Leaping Over the Dragon Gate'?" Chi Yun stared at the knife in surprise. "Could this be one of the Seven Cloud Traveling Guests—Long Qian Yu Fei?" Shen Langhun picked up the fish-shaped blade and gave it a slight shake. "Long Qian Yu Fei vanished from the martial world years ago. To think he died here... Strange. With his skills, how could he have fallen in a place like this?" Tang Lici tugged at the purple robe with two fingers, and the fabric tore apart effortlessly. "This corpse has been here for a long time—likely not just the past two years. Though Dissolute Shop only became active in the martial world recently with the Ape-Demon Nine Heart Pill, Piaoling Mei Yuan must have been built before that. Long Qian Yu Fei’s death is probably tied to the original owner of Piaoling Mei Yuan."
"So this wasn’t built by that lunatic from Dissolute Shop?" Chi Yun sounded surprised. "You’re saying this eerie maze has been here all along?" Tang Lici stood up with a faint smile. "A house that rotates based on underground water currents and differing weights, with eight corridors leading to different destinations—do you think something like this could be built in just a few years? This place has existed for at least a decade. Only the furnishings were replaced in recent years." He continued down the corridor. "Besides... I have a guess about something... Let’s go. This path is so damp, we must already be underground. If we keep going, we should reach the back mountains of Piaoling Mei Yuan.""So this is the place you're looking for?" Shen Langhun said. "If this path leads to the back mountain as an exit, then all the ambushes and traps must be along this route. You've truly chosen a fine path." The flickering firelight danced before Tang Lici. "I merely chose the most direct path..."
Under the glow of the flames, they reached the end of the corridor, where two doors stood. The Dissolute Shop seemed particularly fond of doors—they were everywhere, and nearly identical, creating an illusion of disorientation. Shen Langhun examined the two doors closely. "Left or right?" Tang Lici stared intently at the doors and slowly replied, "I'm going to tear down the wall between them."
Chi Yun and Shen Langhun were both taken aback. Never had they heard of someone facing two doors and choosing to demolish the wall in between—did he intend to take both paths at once? "Tear down the wall?" Chi Yun's face was full of disbelief. Tang Lici's eyelids lowered briefly before reopening. "Step aside." He took a step forward, extending his right palm to press against the brick wall between the doors, channeling his inner strength.
"Are you insane? This brick wall is nothing like the fake ones in the previous rooms. Do you think you're some iron-bodied guardian deity who can collapse it with a single strike?" Chi Yun exclaimed. "It's impossible for a human to tear down a dividing wall like this!" Shen Langhun frowned deeply—destroying the wall was indeed a mad idea. With a sudden tremor from Tang Lici's palm, the three heard a crisp crack as a deep fissure split the brick wall between the doors. Chi Yun abruptly fell silent, stepping forward to yank out a large chunk of bricks with both hands.
This was the technique of "Mountain-Parting Force." Without Fang Zhou's Skill Exchange Great Art , no ordinary person could wield such palm strength to this extent. Shen Langhun joined in, pulling another large section of bricks from the crack. Tang Lici pressed his hand again. "Once we open a gap in this wall, I'll know whether his body lies in the opposite passage." Zhong Chunji couldn't help but tremble. "But... you'll exhaust yourself to death. Why... why torment yourself like this for someone already gone?" "He isn't dead," Tang Lici said gently. "Everyone has their own obsessions. I want my friend's life. Miss Zhong, if you repeat those words, I'll throw you out of here. Do you believe me or not?"
His tone was calm, his voice soft. Chi Yun and Shen Langhun remained silent, while Zhong Chunji shivered. Of course she believed him—how could she dare not? Who in this world would dare to disbelieve Tang Lici's words? As she trembled, another crisp crack sounded from the wall, revealing another fissure. This time, Chi Yun and Shen Langhun worked together to pull out the shattered bricks. Now, beyond the doors, there was nothing but another empty, damp corridor. The group turned into the right passage, following Tang Lici as they slowly carved out a gap in the brick wall between the two corridors—just wide enough to peer into the adjacent passage.In truth, observing the two corridors could have been done by splitting the four into two groups. However, doing so would mean the groups would move further apart, making mutual rescue impossible in case of danger. Tang Lici chose to break through the bricks with his palm strikes, unwilling to split the group yet reluctant to abandon the hope of the adjacent corridor's existence—a sentiment everyone naturally understood.
After walking about ten zhang down the corridor behind the double doors, Tang Lici had already struck eight times. With the eighth strike, a crack split open between the two passages. Shen Langhun let out a surprised sound, "Hidden crossbows?" Between the walls, clusters of Black Short Arrows pointed toward both corridors from the gaps in the bricks. Chi Yun lightly flicked one with his dagger, and with a sharp whoosh , a Black Short Arrow shot out and embedded itself three fen deep into the opposite brick wall!
"Oh, if this wall is lined with these Black Short Arrows from here onward, then both paths are complete dead ends," Chi Yun frowned. He flicked his wrist, sending the Moon Crossing Ring flying into the dark corridor ahead. Only a faint, distant thud echoed back, with no movement from either side. Zhong Chunji stared into the endless darkness and the unknowable horrors lurking within, an involuntary urge to retreat rising in her heart. Though she had faced many battles in the martial world, this was undoubtedly the most terrifying scenario she had encountered. Shen Langhun crouched low and darted into the darkness like a ghost. Suddenly, a series of explosive cracks erupted as both corridors unleashed a storm of arrows. Shen Langhun arched backward in a swift retreat, while Chi Yun's Moon Crossing Ring shot out just in time. A series of metallic clangs rang out as the ring was struck repeatedly by the Black Short Arrows, ultimately embedding itself into the opposite wall!
Had it not been Shen Langhun who ventured into the corridor, they would surely have been pinned to the wall like the ring. Emerging unscathed, Shen Langhun picked up one of the Black Short Arrows from the ground, his expression unchanged. "This is 'Million Ironclad Soldiers,' Po Cheng Guaike's signature move. Could it be that the long-vanished Po Cheng Guaike is also one of the Seven Cloud Traveling Guests?" Chi Yun glared at his Moon Crossing Ring nailed to the wall. With only two flying daggers left at his waist, it was rare for him to face an unseen enemy with so few weapons remaining. "I've heard that Million Ironclad Soldiers can pierce anything, seal throats upon contact with blood, and are unleashed in volleys of hundreds. Those killed by it end up like porcupines. These are two dead ends."
With a soft click , Tang Lici rolled something from his sleeve onto the ground. A luminous glow spread—a thumb-sized, evenly colored night pearl. As it rolled forward, its light revealed another door deep in the corridor. A white door adorned with gold, identical to all the others in Piaoling Mei Yuan, freshly refurbished. Chi Yun's Moon Crossing Ring was embedded in it, and the weight of the silver blade had slightly pried open a crack. Peering through, they could faintly discern flickering flames beyond the door.
How could there be fire in the abandoned depths of the Dissolute Shop?"The Million Ironclad Soldiers is a heavy hidden weapon. Look at the mechanism embedded in this wall—its framework is made of refined steel, extending deep underground. Neither pearls nor hidden weapons passing through will trigger it. The activation point must be underground and... requires considerable weight." Tang Lici examined the mechanism within the wall closely. "This is the same as that room, likely crafted by the same person—either Po Cheng Guaike himself or someone who mastered his techniques and replicated his methods. To dismantle the Million Ironclad Soldiers, a divine weapon is needed."
"A divine weapon?" Shen Langhun didn't use weapons, and while Chi Yun's silver blade was formidable, it wasn't renowned for its sharpness. Zhong Chunji flicked her wrist, revealing a dagger with a pink blade. "How about Little Peach Red?" Tang Lici smiled faintly. "It'll do..." He took Little Peach Red and lightly tapped the mechanism of the first black short arrow embedded in the wall. The steel mechanism inside held countless layers of black short arrows, stacked endlessly. "This mechanism maintains a balance between the wall and the underground. If either side loses equilibrium, the short arrows will fire, which is why they shoot when someone walks down the corridor. If we sever the mechanism like this—" He used Little Peach Red to cut a thin iron wire beneath the first black short arrow. With a sharp clang , the arrow still shot out, but the second one didn't follow. "This still doesn't solve the problem, so..." He crouched down gently. "We must cut here..." The blade of Little Peach Red traced downward along the arrow's position until it reached the corner of the wall. Tang Lici inserted the dagger into the corner seam and exerted force. A faint click sounded—the second and third arrows remained in place, unshot.
"I see. The force holding the arrows is calibrated so that any imbalance, whether too light or too heavy, will trigger them. Cutting at the corner leaves just enough of the mechanism's weight to keep the arrows restrained." Shen Langhun suddenly spoke. "To sever all the mechanisms along this path, one would need footwork light enough to tread on snow without leaving a trace and a steady hand." Tang Lici smiled, twirling the dagger. "Are you implying... that person is you?" Shen Langhun didn't answer. After a pause, he said coolly, "You once said—we each have only one life, but you have two."
With a soft pat , Tang Lici placed a hand on Shen Langhun's shoulder. "You've already tried once and proved you can't tread snow without leaving traces, haven't you?" Shen Langhun replied indifferently, "If I go, at worst I'll be severely injured, but I won't die." Coming from anyone else, such words would carry no weight, but from him, they were different. Chi Yun opened his mouth to speak—he wasn't known for his lightness skills, but before he could utter a word, Tang Lici chuckled lightly. "Then we'll trouble Brother Shen for the effort." Before Shen Langhun could respond, a gray shadow flashed like lightning, darting into the passage in an instant. Zhong Chunji gasped in shock, while Shen Langhun and Chi Yun's expressions darkened. Tang Lici's words and actions were at odds—no sooner had he spoken of entrusting Shen Langhun than he himself had dashed out, catching everyone off guard! In the blink of an eye, under the glow of the night pearls, Tang Lici's figure glided like a gray goose skimming water without a ripple, accompanied by the clashing of metal. In a flash, he reached the large door at the end."Young Master Tang!" Zhong Chunji rushed anxiously to his side, her concern evident. The brick walls on either side remained still—indeed, the Million Ironclad Soldiers had already been defeated. Shen Langhun and Chi Yun followed closely behind. Unable to hold back, Chi Yun cursed, "Damn it all! Treading snow without a trace, crossing water on floating reeds—if we ever face rivers or lakes in the future, we won’t even need boats." Shen Langhun remarked coolly, "Impressive skill!"
Tang Lici gazed at the grand door ahead. "I told you I possess peerless martial arts, unmatched under heaven." Chi Yun pulled the Moon Crossing Ring from the door. "Were you serious when you said that?" Shen Langhun suddenly interjected, "Because you had Fang Zhou transfer his power to you, and now that he’s dead—you must be the strongest?" Tang Lici smiled faintly but did not answer, reaching out to push the door open.
Dust covered the pristine white door. As the gilded white door swung open, a cascade of dust drifted down from above. Though the door had been refurbished, it must have been at least three or four years ago. The four of them peered inside together. Beyond the door lay a massive pit, its depths flickering with flames. A single misstep would mean a gruesome death by fire. Spanning the pit was a bridge of chains, glowing red-hot from the blaze, leading straight to the opposite side.
On the far side of the pit stood another gilded white door.
OpenNovel