“Appropriate.”
Ji Guang said only that one word.
The half-step Martial Saint hesitated, glanced around, and finally nodded. “Good.”
With that, the half-step Martial Saint stepped forward and opened the third entrance.
Lin Xiao and Ji Guang stepped inside.
After entering the third entrance, it was like a tunnel. Not far along, another ten entrances appeared.
This entrance was also guarded, this time by a seventh-level Martial Emperor.
The seventh-level Martial Emperor did not dare block Ji Guang. At a single word from him, the way was opened.
Further in, after another stretch, ten more doors appeared.
Outside them, another expert stood guard. This one also opened the fifth door for Ji Guang.
After all, Ji Guang was the elder who inspected the prison. It was entirely proper.
These three layers of doors were extremely difficult to navigate. Without prior knowledge, anyone attempting a prison break might not even find the right cell.
The only alternative was to smash everything with brute force, regardless of casualties.
Beyond this final door, an old man was actually stationed inside, squatting directly among the cells.
There were a dozen or so cells here, each separated by special iron bars that allowed a clear view inside.
In the two foremost cells, Lin Xiao saw two figures bound with chains. One was covered in blood, one arm severed, fresh blood still dripping from the stump.
The other’s upper clothing was dishevelled, one section torn open.
A fierce jolt struck Lin Xiao’s heart. Deep within, dense killing intent surged like a tidal wave.
“Hiss!”
Terrifying killing intent instantly flooded the entire prison.
“Who are you?”
The ninth-level Martial Emperor guarding the place started in alarm, turning sharply towards Lin Xiao and Ji Guang. But in the next instant, his body shuddered. He changed completely, falling abruptly silent.
“Tell me. What exactly did you do to them?”
Lin Xiao advanced step by step, his eyes ice-cold as he commanded the ninth-level Martial Emperor.
Ji Guang’s heart trembled. The elder had already been controlled by Lin Xiao’s divine sense.
“Ling Hu spoke insolently, so I struck him several times. Young Master Wei tried to molest Zi Ling, but the family head appeared and stopped him. He did not succeed. Ling Hu’s wounds came from struggling against the chains.”
The ninth-level Martial Emperor answered truthfully.
Crack! The moment he finished speaking, his head twisted violently. His neck snapped. The head fell to the floor, blood spraying out.
Ji Guang started in shock. Killing him now? That was far too impulsive.
“Lin Xiao?”
Zi Ling and Ling Hu stared in astonishment at the unfamiliar face stepping forward.
In this region, where spiritual energy was present, the only one who would come for them in this manner could be Lin Xiao.
Though Lin Xiao’s voice was colder and lower, they could still recognise it.
Lin Xiao nodded. “I am sorry you suffered.”
“Hahaha. I never imagined you would walk straight into the dungeon. This little hardship is nothing. Once we are out, we will make them pay a thousandfold.”
Ling Hu laughed excitedly, his spirits soaring.
Lin Xiao had come. And so openly. It showed just how formidable he was.
“We cannot linger here. We must leave quickly.”
Ji Guang hurried forward, taking the entire ring of keys from the ninth-level Martial Emperor’s body. He unlocked the doors to Zi Ling’s and Ling Hu’s cells in succession.
Then he looked back at Lin Xiao.
To prevent jailbreaks, the keys to the chains on their bodies were not held by this ninth-level Martial Emperor, but by the old man at the outermost layer.
However, chains of this material existed in Azure Dragon Gate too. Lin Xiao had tested them before.
At this moment, Lin Xiao strode into Zi Ling’s cell. He drew the Shakelight Broken Sword and brought it down heavily on the chains.
Clang!
With a single strike, the chains were severed.
Then Lin Xiao grasped the back of the helmet on Zi Ling’s head with one hand. With a flick of the broken sword, the tip sliced precisely through the small lock on the helmet. The lock split apart.
“Are you alright?”
As he removed the helmet restraining Zi Ling’s head, Lin Xiao asked with guilt.
“I am fine. Whatever they wanted to know, we told them. I threatened to die, so the Ji family dared not go too far with me.”
As Zi Ling spoke, before Lin Xiao could finish freeing the chains on her body, she circulated her spiritual energy. With a surge, she tore the chains apart herself.
Lin Xiao nodded, his heart filled with killing intent.
Though Zi Ling said this, their ordeal could not have been so simple. The pallor on her face alone told him that.
Zi Ling was his close friend. The Ji family had captured her entirely because of him. If anything had truly happened to her, he could never forgive himself.
And Ling Hu’s arm had been cruelly severed, all to send it to him.
That was a debt he could never repay.
Soon after, Lin Xiao and Zi Ling left her cell and entered Ling Hu’s. They freed the chains binding him.
“I am fine. I am perfectly alright. A wound like this is nothing.”
Ling Hu forced himself to stand straight, but he staggered. Lin Xiao caught and supported him.
“Take these pills first.”
Lin Xiao handed each of them a seventh-grade high-level healing pill. Without hesitation, they swallowed them at once.
“How do we get out?”
Zi Ling asked.
“By killing our way out.”
Lin Xiao’s gaze was frigid.
With that, he let Ling Hu rest one arm over his shoulder, supporting him as they walked out.
Zi Ling could still walk normally.
Ji Guang stored the ninth-level Martial Emperor’s corpse in his storage ring. He dispersed the blood on the floor with yuan energy, then went ahead to open the prison door. He himself hid behind it.
The guard outside caught sight of Lin Xiao and the other two. Seeing them, he cried in shock. “You…” Crack! Before he could finish, his head was twisted. Blood sprayed. He died on the spot.
“Were you not going to control him?”
Ji Guang frowned.
“What? Does Elder Ji Guang feel sorry for him?”
Lin Xiao looked at Ji Guang, his voice icy as he countered.
Ji Guang could not help shivering. “I have seen him a few times, but we were hardly close.”
“Lead the way.”
Lin Xiao said no more.
Ji Guang’s face twitched. This fellow still needed him to guide the way, yet acted so domineering. Had the shock been too great?
This did not seem like the Lin Xiao who had shaken the continent and Yang Province.
Ji Guang said nothing further. He dealt with the corpse and went ahead to lead.
At the second gate, he opened it again. This time, he made no attempt to hide.
The seventh-level Martial Emperor guarding outside saw the door open and looked over. “Elder Ji Guang, what is…” Crack! His head twisted. He died instantly.
Ji Guang cleaned up the body once more and continued leading.
This time, they reached the outermost gate of the underground prison. Ji Guang’s younger brother was not stationed there.
“No one else knows of our connection. Whenever I make routine inspections, he always steps away to avoid suspicion and implication.”
Ji Guang explained from the side.
Lin Xiao paid no attention. Supporting Ling Hu and with Zi Ling beside them, he continued up the sloping stone stairs.
This was the final door leading out of the dungeon. Ji Guang triggered the mechanism from one corner, then hid there himself.
The mechanism activated. Bright light flooded in from above. The ornate beams and painted pillars of the hall came into view.
Lin Xiao strode out of the dungeon entrance with the two of them.
Stepping fully out, the three appeared completely within the grand hall. Lin Xiao did not see the old man who should have been guarding the main hall.
Behind them, the entrance suddenly closed. Ji Guang had not emerged.
“Lin Xiao!”
Zi Ling exclaimed in alarm, her face filled with worry.
Ling Hu’s expression changed too.
“It is fine. Let us go.”
Lin Xiao continued supporting the two of them, walking unhurriedly towards the hall’s exit.
