Chapter 67

While exploring, they found that the underground had been constructed by Yan Shu into a real maze, dark and twisting, with no way to find a way out.

It took half a day of searching before they heard a response from one person - Qi Meng Sheng's voice which came through the wall, but after trying several paths, they were unable to see each other. According to Qi Meng Sheng, she was with Chen Xing Yong, while she could hear a voice coming from the other wall, which came from Li Bu Yu, and Xu Zhi Nan was nowhere to be found.

No one knew exactly how many people had fallen. No one knew how to meet up with each other around layers upon layers of heavy stone walls. If they forced themselves to break down the wall, they risked being buried alive.

The three of them leaned listlessly against the stone wall, in absolute darkness that could easily give rise to a sense of chaos.

"I wonder what method Father is thinking of saving us this time?" Zong Zi Xiao said sullenly, "I've thought it over, and we don't seem to have any magical weapons in Zong clan that can move the stones out of the way without causing a collapse. Brother, can you think of any?"

Zong Zi Heng shook his head, remembering again that they couldn't see, and spoke, "I can't think of any for now either, and I don't know how long it would take if we were to move it by hand." After a moment of silence, he sighed, "After thinking about it, I'm afraid that in this situation, only Brother Xu can break it by wearing the Golden Carved Jade Suit."

Zong Zi Xiao snorted lightly, "He's not even the Sect Leader, how could he have the Golden Carved Jade Suit?"

"... Right." Zong Zi Heng originally thought that Xu Zhi Nan had gotten the Seven Star Life-Sustaining Lamp despite not being a sect leader, but then he thought that the Golden Carved Jade Suit was the most precious treasure of the Chunyang Sect, so it was impossible to give it to Xu Zhi Nan now in any case.

"Is he planning to trap us or sneak up on us while it's dark?" Hua Yu Xin hugged her knees tightly and asked in a small voice.

"I can't guess, but he must be in the underground now just like us." Zong Zi Heng said softly, "Miss Hua, don't be afraid, not only are we trapped here, so is Yan Shu. If he wants to escape, he wouldn't dare to touch us easily."

"I'm not afraid of him." Hua Yu Xin pursed her lips, "I'm afraid of the dark."

Zong Zi Heng's heart softened, and he suddenly showed pity and tender love: "It's alright, I'll draw a fire talisman that will burn for a long time." He formed a seal with both hands and drew a talisman in the air, which instantly illuminated this side of the world.

"Don't you waste your spiritual energy on this." Zong Zi Xiao was furious. He didn't even need to look to smell the surge of affection between the two.

These two people, in terms of age, family and looks, were a perfect match, and they had an unfulfilled marriage contract ahead of them, so they were a match made in heaven no matter how one sees. Thinking about this, Zong Zi Xiao was so jealous until his teeth became sour*.

"It’s not wasteful."

Both of them were smiling lightly with their heads hanging down, as if no words are necessary because all was understood, making Zong Zi Xiao feel like he was an extra here, interrupting their lovey-doveyness.

Zong Zi Xiao clenched his fist and punched the stone wall, "Flying Plume Ambassador!"

Qi Meng Sheng gave a "hmm" through the wall.

"Do you still have Gong Shu Ju?"

"Yes."

"Do you think we can get out if we shrink the stone?"

"Maybe, but I don't know how big this underground palace is and how many people are down here. If I shrink this place, will other places lose their supports and collapse?"

They remained silent again.

Zong Zi Xiao moved towards his big brother, then moved again, and finally wrapped both arms around his waist and nestled into his arms.

Zong Zi Heng's tone was the usual doting one, "What's wrong again?"

"Tired, that brat from Chunyang Sect, he has two tricks up his sleeve."

"Ye Yun Chen is the junior that big brother Xu has focused on training, so naturally he is formidable." Zong Zi Heng stroked his head, "But it's still our Xiao Jiu who is the most powerful, astonishing at a young age."

Zong Zi Xiao said joyfully, "Of course. Everyone knows that I was brought up by my big brother, and if I win, it means you win, so you don't have to regret missing the Jiaolong assembly anymore."

Zong Zi Heng nodded and sighed softly, "Yeah." Having said that, how he wished he could also be proud of himself in that ring. He was happy that Xiao Jiu had won, but it did not make up for the fact that he would regret this for the rest of his life.

Hua Yu Xin also said, "In my mind, Your Highness is the winner of the Jiaolong assembly. I saw you compete eight years ago. At that time, all the adults said that the next session would be your moment."

Zong Zi Heng was a little surprised, "You were at the Jiaolong assembly eight years ago?"

"Well, I was still young then, Your Highness definitely doesn’t remember me." She glanced deeply at Zong Zi Heng and pursed her lips in a smile.

Zong Zi Xiao said coldly, "My big brother was originally determined to win, but it was because of ..."

Zong Zi Heng squeezed his arm, signaling him to stop talking.

Qi Meng Sheng knocked on the wall and said, "Did you hear the commotion?"

Very quickly, they too heard a rumbling sound and all instantly jumped up from the ground.

"The stones are moving!" Qi Meng Sheng shouted, followed by the sound of sprinting.

"Flying Plume Ambassador!" Zong Zi Heng patted the wall, "Are you alright?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the distant stone wall pushed towards them.

"Run!" Zong Zi Heng made an instant decision, carrying Hua Yu Xin on his back. The three of them turned and ran towards the unknown darkness.

The stone walls around them kept retracting and pushing away, and even more occasionally rocks rose from the ground, forming new obstacles. The whole underground became a moving maze, and they looked around for a way out like headless flies. Gradually, they realized that Yan Shu was driving everyone to different cages, while they could only meekly submit like lambs.

This is a top-level magical weapon in the human realm, second only to the ancient divine treasures. The power of the Chasing Mountain Whip was horrific!

Suddenly, several rocks were pulled up from the ground one after another, blocking the trio's way forward, and they had no choice but to retreat backwards, changing to Zong Zi Xiao clearing the way ahead.

"Xiao Jiu, don't run so fast."

"Big brother, there's a road here." Zong Zi Xiao shouted from a short distance ahead.

Zong Zi Heng was about to dash over when he felt a violent trembling under his feet. He was startled and jumped backwards keenly out of the way as a sharp flat stone broke through the earth, astonishingly blocking his way.

"Xiao Jiu!" Zong Zi Heng shouted sharply. This stone was between the brothers, it must have been premeditated by Yan Shu!

"Big brother." Zong Zi Xiao tried to run back, but the stone wall and terrain kept shifting and he was forced to step back, "Big brother----"

"Xiao Jiu, don't be afraid." Zong Zi Heng put down Hua Yu Xin and was in such a hurry that he drew his Jun Lan sword and broke through the stone wall with his sword energy.

As the stone wall collapsed, turmoil came from above their heads and pieces of rubble rained down. The two of them had to crouch down holding their heads and hold up a barrier.

It took a while before the shaking stopped, and Zong Zi Heng could no longer hear his brother's voice. Zong Zi Heng punched hard on the ground with his fist, so anxious that his eyes were red, he yelled, "Yan Shu, come out! You beast, shrinking turtle, come out!"

"Your Highness." Hua Yu Xin whispered comfortingly, "Ninth Highness is the winner of the Jiaolong assembly, he can surely protect himself."

"I'm afraid he ..." When the words reached his mouth, but Zong Zi Heng had no one to pour out his heart to. His heart was a mess. What exactly is the relationship between Zong Zi Xiao and Yan Shu? Could Xiao Jiu be his real target? What does he want?

"Besides, just like you said, if Yan Shu still wants to save his own life, he wouldn't dare to touch Ninth Highness."

Zong Zi Heng said in a deep voice: "I'm afraid he's afraid."

Hua Yu Xin was silent for a moment, "Your Highness is really a good brother."

Zong Zi Heng took out the sound transmission flower between him and Zong Zi Xiao. He did not dare to hold out much hope, but this little thing might be able to find its way out of the crevice in the stone and find Xiao Jiu. Then he planned to carry Hua Yu Xin again, "Let's go, we can't just sit around. Let’s look for other ways out and other people."

"There’s no need, Your Highness. I've been using my spiritual energy to heal my injuries. I'm already better." Hua Yu Xin stood up while holding onto the wall and limped two steps.

Zong Zi Heng hesitated for a moment and stepped forward to hold her.

Hua Yu Xin's cheeks were instantly tinged with red, but luckily the light was too dim to see, saving her from embarrassment.

They turned back and found a fork in the road, and could only go with their instincts. Along the way, they came to a dead-end several times and turned back, and didn't run into anyone else, except for the occasional rattle from deep within the underground palace, telling them that the terrain was still changing all the time. Perhaps Yan Shu had taken inspiration from Gong Shu Ju and intended to split them up and circle them, then break them down one by one.

The air was choked with a long silence as Zong Zi Heng worried about Zong Zi Xiao and the others.

After a long time, Hua Yu Xin broke the silence, "Your Highness, four years ago, why did you happen to appear in Gutuo Town?"

"At that time, Xiao Jiu had just formed his core. He had never left Daming before and begged me to take him out for fun. We planned to go all the way south to Mount Shu and passed by Gutuo Town."

Hua Yu Xin sighed softly, "It was all fate ah. After Little Marital Uncle disappeared, my father sent people to look for him for a year or two without success."

"Gutuo Town happens to be the border between Chunyang Sect and Wuyun Sect. Both sects were reluctant to take care of it for fear of conflict, but after the incident, Chunyang Sect was very cooperative with the investigation. On the contrary, Wuyun Sect only moved their lips. I should have noticed it at that time."

"Yeah, at that time, Yan Shu managed the external affairs of Wuyun Sect. He took advantage of this to move around all year round, thus not attracting any suspicions." Hua Yu Xin said gloomily, "Chen Xing Yong dug up the core and sold it to him, but there are so many cores, there is no way he could have eaten them alone, so after that, who did he sell them to?"

"We can only ask by capturing him alive." Zong Zi Heng said, "At least Chen Xing Yong has been punished, and your little martial uncle will be much comforted when his spirit is in heaven."

"Mm." Hua Yu Xin's voice had a slight choking sound, "Since we were young, my little martial uncle loved to play with us the most. He was an extremely good person. He couldn't bear to trample on a flower or a blade of grass. If he knew that he had turned into an evil spirit after his death and harmed so many innocent people, how sad he would be."

"That's not his fault, he was just as innocent."

"So we are very grateful that Your Highness has transformed him, so that he can be reincarnated." Hua Yu Xin wiped away her eyes, "But I sometimes can't figure out why God doesn't treat good people well?"

Zong Zi Heng's heart sank and he said, "In the cycle of life and death, each person and each life has a different lesson. Fate is something that is better not to delve into as no one can figure it out."

Hua Yu Xin froze and said with a light smile, "Your Highness is so young, but sometimes you are very experienced."

Zong Zi Heng also smiled, "I am the eldest son, so naturally I have to understand things earlier than my peers."

"I ... ah!" Hua Yu Xin tripped over a stone under her foot and her body lurched forward.

Zong Zi Heng grabbed her waist and she fell into his arms.

The surrounding was so quiet that even a dropping needle could be heard. The faint fragrance of the other party's body entered the nostrils unguardedly, and the two deliberately suppressed gasps seemed extraordinarily cautious.

The two of them snapped back to attention at the same time and separated in a flurry, flirtatious currents surging and burning a fire in their hearts.

"Miss, Miss Hua, I ..."

"Call me by my name." Hua Yu Xin blurted out.

"..."

"I, I mean ... Your Highness has an honorable status, so no need, no need to use honorifics for me."

"Alright." Zong Zi Heng blushed, lest the sound of his heartbeat be too loud to scare the beautiful woman. He called out slowly and solemnly, "Yu Xin."

Hua Yu Xin revealed a shy and delighted smile, a pure beauty that was a ray of light in the infinite darkness compared to the fire spell.

It was only at this moment that Zong Zi Heng truly wanted to marry Hua Yu Xin from the bottom of his heart. Not for the power of the Huaying Sect, not for his mother's ambition, but simply based on his interest.

----

PS: anyone shipping Miss Hua and big brother???

PS from Emzie: Meeee, I am!

 

Edited on 30 Mar. 21 (Emzie)

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