An Ziyang carefully descended the secret passage, pressing against the wall and moving slowly.
There was no light in the secret passage, making it impossible to see a hand in front of one's face. He didn't dare to light a torch, so he could only grope his way forward.
His feet never left the ground, sliding along the floor to guard against traps.
Suddenly, he felt his toes touch something.
An Ziyang squatted down and swept his sword scabbard across the ground.
Clink, clink, clink.
The faint sound of metal objects.
An Ziyang swept those objects to the wall, holding his sword in his left hand and feeling the wall with his right, sandwiching the metal objects between them. He felt their size and shape, and cursed inwardly.
“Damn it, caltrops! If I had stepped on them, I’d be finished.”
“I don’t know if they’re poisoned… Can’t touch them.”
An Ziyang carefully squatted down, sweeping the ground with his sword scabbard as he moved forward.
After walking a dozen zhang, the sword scabbard no longer felt anything, but An Ziyang was still uneasy. He pulled off his belt, tied it to the sword scabbard, and continued to sweep the ground horizontally as he walked.
After another dozen zhang, An Ziyang felt the door at the end of the secret passage.
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Through the crack in the door, a faint light flickered.
He didn't open the door, but instead pulled out a hairpin from his Pregnant.
Speaking of which, this was a gift he had bought for the top courtesan disguised as a Ming Cult member. He hadn't given it to her, so it had remained in his Pregnant.
An Ziyang inserted the hairpin into the door crack and slowly slid it down.
Sure enough, he touched a silk thread.
“There’s a mechanism behind the door.”
An Ziyang sighed softly.
Since going underground fifteen years ago, the Ming Cult had grown accustomed to operating in the shadows. They would indeed have prepared defenses in advance.
If he tried to disable the mechanism, he would surely alert the Ming Cult members inside. But if he didn't disable it, he couldn't get in.
His mind raced, and An Ziyang clenched his fist.
“No time to delay, I have to take a risk.”
He stood up straight, adjusted his clothes, messed up his hair, and then drew his sword to cut a gash on his arm. He smeared some blood on his face, pulled a small packet from his Pregnant, clenched it in his hand, and then took out a pill and swallowed it.
After making these preparations, An Ziyang cleared his throat, his face suddenly turning panicked, his voice trembling, and he abruptly pounded on the door.
“Is anyone there! Is anyone there!”
“Something bad has happened! That person has killed his way here!”
A flurry of voices suddenly erupted from inside the door, but they were too muffled for An Ziyang to hear clearly.
Then, he heard footsteps approaching the door.
“Who is it?”
“What time is it for a test! Our banner disciples don’t know each other’s identities, so even if I told you, would you recognize me!?”
An Ziyang’s voice trembled, but his hand gripped the sword hilt steadily.
He knew a few things about the Ming Cult. In the past, when Jianghu people or Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) captured Thick Earth Banner disciples, they never knew the identities of other disciples. Although he couldn't be sure if this situation applied to the people inside the door, he could only take a gamble now.
Fortunately, the person inside the door did not refute him. After a moment of silence, he asked.
“What is it?”
“What is it!?”
An Ziyang said urgently.
“Didn’t you hear the commotion upstairs?”
“That fierce person has broken through! I’ve been ordered to come and retreat with you all!”
“Disable the mechanism and let me in to talk!”
He didn't know who Li Miao was, but judging by the reaction of the person disguised as his father and Li Miao's words, the Ming Cult members should all know who Li Miao was. So he directly used “that fierce person” as a substitute.
The person was silent for a while, then actually disabled the mechanism and pulled open the door.
An Ziyang quickly stepped inside, his peripheral vision scanning his surroundings, and he secretly rejoiced.
“Only four people. There’s a chance.”
The Ming Cult member who opened the door glanced at him, but then frowned and stared intently at An Ziyang.
“You are An Ziyang.”
“Bullshit!”
An Ziyang cursed angrily.
“How we occupied the An Family, you all aren’t unaware. If it weren’t for people like us acting above, would you all be able to loaf around here!?”
“An Ziyang is dead. I slept with him for half a month and have thoroughly understood his habits. He’s useless now!”
Without waiting for the person to reply, An Ziyang continued to speak urgently.
“There’s no time to argue with you now. Pack your things, kill everyone, and leave quickly!”
“Can’t you hear the commotion upstairs!? An Wenjie’s face didn’t fool that person, and they’ve already started fighting! Ninety percent of the people upstairs are dead, and they can’t hold them off any longer!”
“Go, leave now. The An Family members have seen our faces, they can’t be left alive! Kill them and go!”
His words grew more and more urgent, and the few people looked at each other, a hint of panic appearing on their faces.
An Ziyang didn't know who Li Miao was or what he had done, but they knew very well.
The Cult Master had already left, and no one here could survive Li Miao.
Although they were all loyal to the Ming Cult, if they could avoid death, who would want to die?
However, just as they were in a panic, they didn't notice that An Ziyang was quietly shifting his feet, positioning himself among them.
Suddenly, one of them was startled and was about to look up at An Ziyang.
“No! You—”
Swish! —
Before he could finish his sentence, An Ziyang raised his hand and flung it, and a sky full of white powder shot out, reaching the faces of the few people in an instant.
“!!!”
“Poison!”
The few immediately raised their hands to cover their mouths and noses, but they didn't expect that when the powder reached their eyes, their eyes suddenly stung with a burning pain.
“Lime powder!”
One person exclaimed in surprise.
They hadn't expected that An Ziyang, the dignified “Lingxu Gongzi,” would use such a low-class trick of street thugs!
And they actually fell for it!
The few people drew their weapons and swung them around their bodies, trying to block An Ziyang’s attack. At the same time, they listened to the sounds around them, and if someone screamed, they would all attack the source of the sound.
Even if An Ziyang killed one of them, the three remaining people, working together, could still seal off An Ziyang’s movement space, even without sight.
The four people swung their weapons in the dust for a moment, but they didn't wait for An Ziyang’s attack at all.
A moment later, the lime powder gradually dissipated, and the few people spat and rubbed their eyes, barely scanning their surroundings with blurred vision.
“Where is he?”
“Oh no! He went to rescue the An Family members!”
“Chase him!”
The few people reacted quickly and all ran towards a secret passage.
“Cough.”
Just as they opened the door and were about to enter the secret passage, a cough came from behind them.
“Thank you, gentlemen. I know where my father is imprisoned now.”
The four people suddenly turned their heads, only to see An Ziyang flash out from a corner of the wall, looking at them leisurely with a faint smile.
“You! You tricked us!”
One person shouted angrily.
“So what if I tricked you?”
One person sneered.
“You’re just a second-rate fighter. Do you really think you can kill all four of us and then rescue your father?”
One person slowly walked to An Ziyang’s side, surrounding him.
“Ah, yes, that’s exactly what I thought.”
“And, haven’t you felt anything wrong with your bodies?”
An Ziyang was not flustered in the slightest, and smiled gently.
The few people were startled and immediately checked their internal circulation.
The series of sudden changes just now had happened too quickly, and their minds were led astray by An Ziyang, so they hadn't noticed.
Now, upon checking, their expressions immediately changed.
“How is it? Do you feel a burning pain in your anus?”
An Ziyang laughed heartily.
“Are your heartbeats slowing, your hands and feet turning cold, a metallic taste in your mouth, and your internal circulation starting to stagnate?”
“You, you!”
One person pointed at An Ziyang, and before he could finish speaking, blood overflowed from his mouth.
“Half lime powder, half Tang Sect’s secret refined poison. This small packet costs three hundred taels of silver, and I, your young master, never leave it out of my reach. Without an antidote, death comes in a few breaths.”
“When I sprinkle something, your first reaction will definitely be poison, so you’ll cover your mouths and noses, and your eyes will get lime powder.”
“After you realize it’s lime powder, you’ll lower your sleeves, and then you’ll ingest the Tang Sect’s refined poison.”
“I, your young master, have been roaming the Jianghu since I was twelve. Now that I have money and leisure, how could I not have ways to deal with you few poor ghosts?”
Before An Ziyang finished speaking, the few people collapsed to the ground, convulsed a few times, and then lost their breath.
An Ziyang breathed a sigh of relief, went forward and gave each person another sword strike, and then quickly walked towards the secret passage the few people had rushed towards.
“Father, I’m coming!”