In the dim light, one could barely make out a hole in the center of the second floor. A cage hung from it, with four iron chains as thick as arms stretching from the surrounding walls, entwining the figure inside.
“Child, come here,” the person said again.
“Who are you?” An Jiu gripped her dagger tightly.
“This old man is Wei Yunshan,” the person moved slightly, causing the chains to rattle. He then let out a muffled groan.
Wei Yunshan?! How could the old master of Piaomiao Mountain Manor be imprisoned in a cage?
“There’s nothing here, but the surrounding walls are full of traps. If you trigger them, you’ll certainly be buried here,” Wei Yunshan, having calmed down from his earlier excitement, continued, “This old man has been confined here for years, never seeing daylight. That beast has drained my powers. I have no strength to harm you. Come up, and I’ll teach you how to escape.”
An Jiu hesitated, then asked, “How does one enter the cellar? Are there traps in the cellar?”
“You’re after those explosive crossbows, aren’t you?” Wei Yunshan pondered for a moment. “There are only about four or five left. They’re not in the cellar but inside these surrounding pillars. Light the oil lamp, and you’ll see.”
An Jiu was half-skeptical. She looked at the basin-thick pillars. Indeed, such a large space could accommodate crossbows, and this building didn’t require such thick load-bearing pillars. Squinting, she carefully searched and could see faint lamp shadows. She took out a flint, tore a piece of her clothing, soaked it in oil, wrapped it around an ordinary arrow, lit it, and shot it towards the lamp.
With a whoosh, the oil lamp was lit.
An Jiu looked up again, faintly making out the disheveled old man in the cage.
Wei Yunshan’s eyes flashed with surprise, then acceptance. Anyone who could enter this place must have some skill. “Wait a moment,” he said.
An Jiu moved a few steps, remaining on full alert.
After about half an hour, the pillar made a cracking sound. A crack appeared at its base, like a door. An Jiu shot a grappling crossbow to secure the door, then pulled hard. Inside were two explosive crossbows.
Surprisingly, there were no hidden weapons.
Wei Yunshan seemed to read her thoughts. “If you touch any of these surrounding walls, you’ll be instantly killed. Even with those, you can’t escape.”
“Why not use these explosive crossbows to break through the walls?” An Jiu questioned. She had seen the power of these crossbows. They could blast through a dozen layers of walls in the Pagoda, let alone just two layers. But Wei Yuzi, being so calculating, wouldn’t be so careless.
“If you want to die together, you can try,” Wei Yunshan sighed. “Death would be fine. This old man only seeks release.”
An Jiu took one crossbow and used the grappling crossbow to climb up to the rafters, finally getting a close look at this legendary master.
Wei Yunshan’s emaciated body was tightly wrapped in two iron chains, his face covered by a snow-white beard and hair. His features were indistinguishable, but what struck An Jiu as odd were the acupuncture silver needles inserted all over his head.
“If you can’t take this old man out, please grant me death with a single stroke,” Wei Yunshan said slowly. “It’s a small favor. If you oblige, I’ll tell you the way out.”
An Jiu remained silent for a moment, then asked, “You know the way?”
Wei Yunshan replied, “This old man often sees people coming and going, so naturally, I know.”
“Fine!” An Jiu looked at him and said coolly, “Tell me the exit. After I verify it, I’ll grant your wish.”
Wei Yunshan frowned slightly, “Child, you’re so distrustful! Very well, the exit is that pillar. The main door never opens, and I don’t know if there are traps. Go quickly and return, this old man doesn’t have much time conscious.”
An Jiu could see that Wei Yunshan was indeed eager for release. Knowing he wouldn’t harm her before his release, she hesitated no longer and entered the door where the explosive crossbows were stored.
Inside the pillar was a staircase leading upwards.
An Jiu climbed the narrow, steep stairs. The pillar looked thick from the outside, but inside, every movement was difficult. Even if one had lightness skills, they couldn’t be used here.
The stairs led to the roof. An Jiu gently pushed, finding the roof tiles loose. The sounds of intense fighting outside were close to her ears. She lifted a couple of tiles, when suddenly, the sound of a zither erupted, seeming to come from not far away!
This zither sound…
Mei Ruyan!
An Jiu had only heard one person play the zither-like this before. The sound, sorrowful and choked, seemed to pluck at one’s heartstrings, distinct from ordinary zither music. Once heard, it couldn’t be forgotten.
She quietly retreated, looking again at this building surrounded by iron walls and copper barriers. Suddenly, she found it laughable. After all this effort, nine deaths, and one life to break in, the crossbows were placed in the least dangerous spot!
But even without Sang Nu’s information, if she had chosen to enter by removing roof tiles, she might not have hit these two exact pillars. She would still have had to navigate the many traps on the second floor, which might not have been any easier than her current situation.
“Have you confirmed?” Wei Yunshan asked. “Did this old man deceive you?”
“State your true purpose,” An Jiu said. “I don’t want to waste time with you. You’ve shown me the clear path. If I can fulfill your request, I will help you.”
This Wei Yunshan had been consistently friendly, claiming he only sought release, even welcoming death. But in reality, this wasn’t the case. An Jiu, once a mental patient, had become adept at understanding people through her long illness. Although she couldn’t control her own emotions, she understood others better. A person so desperate for release, when presented with a rare opportunity, shouldn’t be so calm. At least when she was hesitating, he shouldn’t have remained so composed. But this was just one of the things that made An Jiu suspicious. Additionally, Wei Yunshan, as a master of the highest level, was like a gold mine of martial arts knowledge. Even if he had lost his inner power, he still possessed various supreme skills, mental techniques, and experience. Any martial artist would be moved by these, yet he remained so calm, not using this to his advantage.
Wei Yunshan was silent for a few breaths, then asked, “How did you see through it?”
“I guessed,” An Jiu replied. Despite her various suspicions, they were merely guesses, without clear evidence.
“It seems I’ve truly grown old, to be tricked by a young girl,” Wei Yunshan’s voice grew increasingly weary, his words becoming more urgent. “I have unfinished business. These silver needles in my head allow me to stay awake for at most one hour a day. I have something to say! I’m about to lose consciousness. Come up and remove one needle for me. I’ll tell you more. Whatever you want, I’ll give you. I’ll teach you my lifelong supreme skills.”
An Jiu ignored this, instead lighting all the lamps and taking out the remaining four explosive crossbows, placing them at the exit. Then she climbed up to the cage. “Which needle should I remove?”
“The one on top of my head,” Wei Yunshan hurriedly replied.
An Jiu smirked slightly and reached into the cage, removing the silver needle closest to her, which was in his temple.
The silver needle had been embedded in his skin for so long it had almost grown into it. When An Jiu yanked it out, a line of blood spurted out.
Outside, her companions were still fighting for their lives. An Jiu couldn’t delay here too long. She had no time to covet any supreme skills, but Wei Yunshan had saved her life in a way. Removing one silver needle would serve as repayment.
As An Jiu was about to leave, what happened next filled her with horror.