In the southern region of Wanbeiwu, at the Moquan Sect.
Inside the lowest level of the dungeon, it was pitch black. Not a single ray of light could penetrate the darkness; the only air came through small vents in the ground.
The faint sound of water droplets hitting the floor echoed, making the atmosphere even more terrifying.
Having been knocked unconscious and forced to drink a large vat of decoction brewed from countless Spirit-Dispersing Pills, several people whose stomachs were now bloated gradually began to wake.
Their hands and feet were bound by magical artifacts, and their eyes were covered with black cloth, preventing them from seeing one another.
“Fifth Uncle, are you there?”
“Third Junior Sister, what about you?”
“I’m here.”
“I’m here too.”
Several voices rang out simultaneously in the darkness. It was impossible to tell who was who or who else was present.
Their spiritual power was sealed, and since their divine sense was currently useless and their limbs were bound, they were essentially no different from mortals.
Shao Jing, the Eldest Disciple of Luo Yuntian, came up with a suggestion. “Everyone, stay calm. Let’s count off to see how many of us are here.”
“Alright.”
The female cultivator, Shao Jing, spoke first. “One.”
The male cultivator, Ji Qiu, followed. “Two.”
The female cultivator, Dai Shen’er. “Three.”
Two male cultivators, Zhou Zhenqi and Gong Xu, spoke one after the other.
“Four.”
“Five.”
Silence fell afterward. Shao Jing, her eyes still covered, couldn’t help but ask, “Master, are you here?”
Luo Yuntian, who had been lying on the ground, regained a bit of consciousness and opened his mouth.
Hiccup!
A bubble of blood popped from his lips.
“Six...” The group was accounted for.
Shao Jing and the others didn't realize he was vomiting blood. Hearing the sound, the taut nerves in their hearts relaxed slightly. Thankfully, their Master could still speak, which meant he wasn't dead.
In the next second.
“...S-Seven.”
A calm, yet incredibly exasperated, unfamiliar boy’s voice rang out. His habit of stuttering caused the sound to linger for a moment, creating an ethereal echo in the quiet dungeon.
“...”
The air suddenly turned silent for three seconds.
The five Danfeng Valley disciples, who were already heavily injured and half-dead, screamed instantly.
“AAAAAAAH!!!”
The sound pierced their eardrums and struck their very souls.
There was an extra person! No, only six people were captured. So that extra seventh person was...
“Ah! It’s a ghost!”
“Ahhh! I didn't want to be a Ghost Cultivator! Don't come for me!”
“Ahhh! Big brother! Ghost brother! The ones who killed you were from the Moquan Sect! It has nothing to do with us in Danfeng Valley! Go find them!”
“Ghost brother, I was wrong! I promise I’ll never dance on anyone’s grave again! I was really drunk that time! Spare me! I’m still young and haven’t even married yet! I’m still a v-v-virgin! Waaaaaah!”
The five disciples wailed and howled like banshees. Terrified, they couldn't stop themselves from reaching out and flailing their bound hands in the darkness, trying to hug a familiar person for a sense of security. Fortunately, the dungeon wasn't very large.
They couldn't move their bound legs, but by rubbing their buttocks against the floor and twisting like maggots, they managed to bump into one another quickly.
However, the second they huddled together, thinking they might be safer...
“I-I’m sorry, but w-whose b-b-butt is s-s-sitting on my hand?”
The polite yet helpless voice of the boy rang out again.
It was exactly the same as before.
“...” The group’s terrified pleas for mercy stopped instantly.
“AAAAAH!!!”
In the next second, they were desperate to roll away from whoever they were leaning against, frantically worming their way across the floor.
“Ghost brother, mercy! I’m a guy, and you’re a guy! It’s impossible between us!” This voice belonged to the young Gong Xu.
Clearly, he was the one who had just sat on the “ghost’s” hand.
“Waaaah, don't pick me!”
Another wave of ghostly wailing and howling pleas for mercy filled the dungeon.
Hiccup!
Unable to endure these moronic disciples any longer, the old man lying on the ground, Luo Yuntian, took a sharp breath, nearly dying from anger rather than his injuries. Another blood bubble popped at his throat.
“...Sh-Shut up.”
He finally spat out all the clotted blood and was able to speak normally.
The five disciples, who were crying their eyes out and repenting for their entire lives, immediately fell silent.
“Master! You’re alright!”
Shao Jing’s ears twitched under the black cloth, determining Luo Yuntian's position. However, she didn't dare to approach rashly, fearing she might accidentally bump into him since she couldn't see.
The horizontal Luo Yuntian adjusted his breathing, soothing the frustration in his chest.
“From this moment on, every disciple of Danfeng Valley is to shut their mouth!”
The five of them honestly and instantly shut their mouths, but they desperately wanted to speak.
Master, there’s a ghost here!
Although Luo Yuntian was also blindfolded, he turned his head to the left and accurately pinpointed the “ghost’s” location. His voice was hoarse and aged, yet it held a spark of resilience.
“...Young friend, my apologies. I only wanted to warn you to leave, fearing you might fall into their clutches. I never expected to drag you into this. The Moquan Sect mistook you for a disciple of Danfeng Valley and captured you to suffer alongside us. Do not worry; the people of Danfeng Valley will surely come to save us. When that happens, we will bring you out safely as well.”
“After we leave, I will provide you with some compensation. Please forgive my negligence. Even if I have to risk this old life of mine today, I will not let your life be in danger.”
The five disciples who had been muted were stunned. Having understood the context, it turned out this “ghost”—no, this person—had been captured because of a misunderstanding by the Moquan Sect.
Put that way, he had been dragged down by them.
Gu Linshu, his eyes covered by the black cloth, also looked accurately in his direction. He didn't bother with polite refusals and directly agreed with the old man's words.
“...Alright. You must g-g-guarantee my safety.” If he didn't return soon, his Master should have a way to find him.
Having just arrived in Wanbeiwu, he would let others take action whenever possible to avoid exposing himself.
“...Yes. Rest assured, young friend. This old man never breaks his word.”
Luo Yuntian opened his mouth. It was the first time he had encountered a junior so blunt and lacking in social graces. Even if he were to agree, shouldn't he have offered a few polite refusals first? When he had first seen the boy in Wanbeiwu, he looked like a frail scholar; he shouldn't be this ill-mannered.
To be in the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment at only fourteen years of age... such talent could be called astonishing.
It seemed he truly was a junior from a clan in the capital of Beiqiong Kingdom out for experience.
...
Rate on N.U.
