In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 183 A Second-Married, Widowed Woman with a Child

Youshi.

Inside the main hall of Hulong Mountain Villa.

At this moment, Shangguan Haitang's forehead was covered with a layer of fine, glistening sweat, and her breathing was more disordered and rapid.

Beside him, besides Duan Tianya, was another man.

The man had a resolute face and a tall, slender body. His frame stretched his robes, yet he did not appear burly at all.

The long sword he held in his left hand was wrapped in a dark-colored cloth that looked as if it had been soaked in countless layers of blood scabs.

As you get closer, you can even smell a faint scent of blood emanating from the cloth wrapped around the knife.

What is most striking is the man's eyes.

Like ice that never melts, cold and hollow, my eyelids occasionally lift up, revealing only a stillness like stagnant water.

It sends a chill down your spine for no reason.

It was within the Dragon Guard Manor, at the number one spot in the Earthly Division, that Guihai Yidao was.

At this moment, Shangguan Haitang, Duan Tianya, and Guihai Yidao all focused their attention on Zhu Wushi in front of them.

In Zhu Wushi's hand, between his index and middle fingers, was the note that Shangguan Haitang had just handed him.

Looking at the line of words on the note, Zhu Wushi's eyes were obscure, making it difficult to discern his thoughts.

However, if someone were standing behind Zhu Wushi, they would definitely notice that Zhu Wushi's left hand, which was behind his back, was clenched into a fist.

At this moment, Duan Tianya spoke up: "My godfather has been searching for Tianxiang Doukou for more than ten years. Even wealthy merchants like Wan Sanwan, who have friends all over the world, have not found a single clue over the years. Now, suddenly someone has come to our door wanting to trade Tianxiang Doukou with my godfather. I am afraid that this is a trap. Could it be a conspiracy by the Eastern Depot?"

Shangguan Haitang said in a deep voice, "That is true, but my godfather once said that Tianxiang Doukou is of utmost importance. Over the years, my godfather has tried every means to find it but to no avail. Now that someone has taken the initiative to mention Tianxiang Doukou, we can't just ignore it."

Just as Shangguan Haitang finished speaking, Zhu Wushi's voice rang out.

"What Haitang said is right. I have spent more than ten years sending people to search for the whereabouts of Tianxiang Doukou, but I have not made any progress. Now someone is willing to trade Tianxiang Doukou with me. Before the truth of the matter is confirmed, I can only treat it as true."

Seeing that Zhu ignored her words, Shangguan Haitang's expression relaxed slightly.

Gui Haiyi spoke up, his voice icy and devoid of any warmth. "But this note doesn't mention the location of the transaction. Is the person behind this trying to test our reaction?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Wushi shook his head and said, "No, the other party has already told us the location of the transaction, which is my Dragon Guard Manor."

Upon hearing Zhu Wushi's words, the group was taken aback.

Soon, Shangguan Haitang's expression changed slightly as if she had thought of something, and she said, "When I arrived at the Dragon Guard Manor from the capital, it was around 5 pm. If the other party's transaction location was in another part of the capital, we would not have been able to get there in such a short time."

"Unless the transaction takes place within our Dragon Guard Manor."

Almost as soon as Shangguan Haitang finished explaining the reason, a guard from the manor suddenly used his lightness skill to move to the outside of the main hall and bowed, saying, "Reporting to the Divine Lord, a person has come to the door, saying that he has reached an agreement with the Divine Lord to make a deal and asked us to announce it."

Listening to the guards at the gate, Duan Tianya said in a deep voice, "They actually dare to come to the Dragon Guard Manor. This person has a lot of nerve."

Shangguan Haitang said, "That person has Tianxiang cardamom, which my godfather happens to need. It's a normal transaction between two willing parties. My Hulong Manor is an upright and honorable place, not a place like the Eastern Depot. It's not surprising that they dare to come directly to Hulong Manor. However..."

After a pause, Shangguan Haitang frowned and said, "If it were truly a normal transaction, you could have simply sent word outside the Dragon Guard Manor. Why go through all this trouble and send the message to me first?"

A moment later, Zhu Wushi said to the guards at the door, "Bring the person in."

After the guards outside the door left, Duan Tianya looked at Zhu Wushi and asked, "Godfather, should we make some preparations?"

Zhu Wushi calmly said, "Even if Cao Zhengchun himself came to my Dragon Guard Manor, he wouldn't be able to cause any trouble, let alone a cowardly rat hiding his head and tail. Let's wait and see what happens before we speak."

After saying that, Zhu Wushi lowered his eyes again to look at the note on his fingertips, then slowly clenched his fist, put his hands behind his back, and his five fingers turned slightly white from the force.

Before long, led by guards, Gu Shaoan, disguised, slowly entered the main hall.

As Gu Shaoan approached, Zhu Wushi and the others also turned their gazes to him.

Looking at the ordinary-looking Gu Shaoan, neither Shangguan Haitang nor Zhu Wushi could find a martial arts master in their minds that matched Gu Shaoan's identity or appearance.

A few breaths later, when he was about two zhang away from Shangguan Haitang and Zhu Wushi, Gu Shaoan stopped, clasped his hands and said, "I greet the Divine Marquis."

Zhu Wushi's deep voice slowly rang out: "You have Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom in your possession?"

As he spoke, Zhu Wushi's gaze was deep, and his face revealed no emotion.

“Not bad!” Gu Shaoan replied with a smile.

When the corners of his mouth turn up, the muscles and expressions on his face are particularly natural, showing no signs of disguise whatsoever.

Zhu Wushi asked, "Why should I believe you?"

Without wasting words, Gu Shaoan circulated his true energy within his body, then reached into his robes with his right hand and took out a two-inch-sized wooden box.

When Zhu Wushi saw the wooden box that Gu Shaoan took out, his eyes flashed.

However, when Zhu Wushi sensed the true energy within Gu Shaoan's body, he immediately suppressed the urge to attack.

As the wooden box was opened, Gu Shaoan gathered his true essence at his fingertips, picked up the contents of the box, and then slightly raised his hand. The gazes of the others in the hall unconsciously fell between Gu Shaoan's index finger and thumb.

Upon seeing what Gu Shaoan was holding, Zhu Wushi trembled, and his eyes, which had been slightly narrowed, widened a little.

Zhu Wushi once obtained a perfectly preserved Tianxiang cardamom.

Over the past decade or so, the image of Tianxiang Doukou had been almost etched into his mind. How could he not recognize that the thing in Gu Shaoan's hand was the second Tianxiang Doukou he had been searching for for over a decade?

After his chest rose and fell slightly, Zhu Wushi's gaze deepened even further.

Just then, Gu Shaoan suddenly spoke up: "Since the Divine Marquis has been inquiring about the Heavenly Fragrance Bean all these years, he must know what the Heavenly Fragrance Bean looks like. Whether what I have is the Heavenly Fragrance Bean or not, the Divine Marquis should be able to tell at a glance."

However, before Zhu Wushi could respond, Gu Shaoan's voice rang out again.

"However, I value my life. Facing a powerful and influential figure like the Divine Marquis, whose strength is also considerable, I am inevitably filled with fear. Therefore, I applied some colorless and odorless special poison to this Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom before I came."

"In that case, even if I am not strong enough to destroy this Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom in case of trouble, I can still guarantee that without my unique antidote, this Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom, which is originally a holy medicine for healing, will become a deadly poison that will kill you as soon as you draw blood."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Wushi's thoughts suddenly froze.

Shangguan Haitang frowned and said, "My Dragon Guard Manor represents the royal family and has always been loyal and righteous. If you are sincere in your transaction, why do you need to do this?"

Gu Shaoan glanced at Shangguan Haitang and muttered "silly girl" to himself, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, "It's always good to be wary of others, but this is just buying insurance."

"Of course, if my information is incorrect, and this Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom is not what the Divine Marquis needs, then I may leave now."

Zhu Wushi asked bluntly, "What do you want?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Shaoan slowly said, "I wish to go to the nineteenth level of the Heavenly Prison."

One sentence made Shangguan Haitang, Duan Tianya, and Guihai Yidao pause in surprise.

Judging from the three people's reactions, they were clearly unaware that the Heavenly Prison of the Dragon Guard Manor had a nineteenth level.

Zhu Wushi's face darkened: "How did you learn that the Heavenly Prison of the Dragon Guard Manor has a nineteenth level?"

Gu Shaoan shook his head and said, "There is no need for you to ask about the specifics, Divine Marquis. Just know that my request is to go to the nineteenth level of the Heavenly Prison alone to see the person inside. Half an hour later, I will leave the nineteenth level safely and then present the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom and the antidote."

"Furthermore, I will also tell Miss Shangguan and the others a secret about Tianxiang Doukou."

"Of course, if the Divine Marquis feels that this Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom is not worth the price, this transaction can be cancelled, and I will leave now."

"Given the Marquis's reputation for loyalty and courage, he wouldn't act like a bandit, forcibly detaining someone if a deal can't be made!"

Looking at Gu Shaoan across from him, Zhu Wushi raised his chin slightly, his gaze becoming more condescending.

A few breaths later, Zhu Wushi said, "Fine! But if I find out that this Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom is fake, I can guarantee that you will wish you were dead."

"I naturally believe that the Divine Marquis has such ability."

Gu Shaoan smiled, not surprised that Zhu Wushi would agree to the deal.

Regardless of other aspects of Zhu's character, when it comes to relationships, no one could find fault with him.

Others rebelled either out of necessity or for the sake of supreme power.

But Zhu ignored it.

The reason why he went to great lengths to plot a rebellion for many years in order to sit on the dragon throne was largely to give a legitimate status and a home to a divorced, widowed woman with a child.

In terms of deep affection alone, Zhu Wushi would dare to claim second place, and no one else would dare to claim first; Gu Shaoan would not be convinced.

Shangguan Haitang, Duan Tianya, and Guihai Yidao were not people who didn't know their place. Seeing that Zhu Wushi had agreed to the deal, and with outsiders present, the three of them, even though they had many doubts about this "Nineteenth Level of Heavenly Prison," did not directly ask any questions.

Then, led by Zhu Wushi and the others, Gu Shaoan headed towards the back mountain of the Dragon Guard Manor.

At the gates of the prison, a dozen guards dressed in tight-fitting clothes and exuding a calm demeanor did not immediately let Zhu Wushi pass. The two guards who appeared to be the leaders stepped forward and placed their hands on the hilts of their swords, showing their vigilance.

Only after Zhu Wushi took out a golden token did the leader immediately bow in respect.

"I have met the Divine Marquis."

"Ok!"

Zhu ignored the slight response and continued forward.

As the heavy iron gate was pushed open, the moment one stepped into the prison, the chilling metallic aura penetrated to the bone.

Gu Shaoan looked up and realized that the walls on both sides were not ordinary bricks and stones, but were cast from whole pieces of polished, cold-shine iron, so heavy that even the echo seemed to be swallowed up.

The floor beneath my feet was made of the same material; stepping on it produced only a slight sound of the soles of my boots rubbing against the metal, cold and solid.

The air was instantly replaced by a chill, carrying a strange smell of rust and earth, as if even the air here had been imprisoned for a long time.

Inside the prison, every ten steps there were two guards standing silently like statues.

On the very first floor that comes into view, there are nearly twenty guards.

They all bowed respectfully when Zhu Wushi approached.

Gu Shaoan's gaze swept over the surrounding cells.

However, Gu Shaoan's gaze subtly swept over some of the cells.

During his observation, Gu Shaoan noticed that the prisoners in the cells appeared listless at first glance, and their hands and feet were also locked in shackles, but their breathing rhythm was deep, heavy, even, long, and steady.

He showed none of the helplessness and emptiness that others experienced after prolonged imprisonment.

Furthermore, although these prisoners were wearing handcuffs, there were no blood marks on their joints caused by long-term confinement by handcuffs.

They were clearly prison guards disguised as prisoners.

Gu Shaoan subtly withdrew his gaze and continued forward with Zhu Wushi and the others.

Second floor

the third floor.

Fourth floor.

……

The so-called "heavenly prison" is not vertically downward.

Rather, it is a downward-sweeping state.

As he went deeper, Gu Shaoan discovered that every level of the prison was laid out exactly like the first level.

However, the number of people imprisoned decreases as you go down the hierarchy.

However, they all had guards disguised as prisoners.

Moreover, judging from their breathing and heartbeat, the lower the level, the higher the internal martial arts skills of these guards disguised as prisoners.

By the time they reached the seventeenth floor, Gu Shaoan could no longer tell whether the prisoners were real or fake from their breathing and heartbeats.

This is enough to show that these hidden prisoners have at least reached the level of condensing qi into yuan in terms of internal strength.

Only by combining Gu Shaoan's medical skills with the dim light could one or two guards be identified.

This is why Gu Shaoan didn't think of sneaking into the prison while Zhu Wushi was away.

As a member of the royal family of the Great Wei Kingdom, Zhu Wushi had a court background and was secretly supported by Wan Sanqian, the richest merchant in the country. With all the resources he had, even if he couldn't compare to an ancient temple like Shaolin, he was more than capable of competing with a top-tier power like Wudang.

Over the course of more than a decade, Zhu Wushi had managed to train only thirty-six Heavenly Generals, all of whom had reached the level of internal energy cultivation at the level of returning to the innate state.

But given Zhu Wushi's abilities, things are far more complex than they appear.

As far as Gu Shaoan knew, in the past ten years or so, Zhu Wushi had not only trained thirty-six Heavenly Generals whose internal energy cultivation had all reached the level of returning to the innate realm, but also trained seventy-two Earthly Fiends.

He even had top-tier masters like Yagyu Tajima-no-kami who had condensed their inner energy into a powerful force under his command.

Given Zhu Wushi's cunning and treacherous nature, it's highly unlikely that the Heavenly Prison would be as laxly guarded as an ordinary state prison.

If Gu Shaoan were to sneak into the Heavenly Prison, even if he forcibly entered the nineteenth level, he would inevitably be discovered by Zhu Wushi or the hidden experts within the Dragon Guard Manor, and his fate would be predictable.

Even with prior preparation, he secretly sent a message to Wan Sanqian, instructing him to bring in the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi, all of whom had reached the Condensing Yuan Formation Realm.

Even if Gu Shaoan manages to leave the Dragon Guard Manor safely, his current strength would make it extremely difficult for him to escape from the clutches of the Four Devils of Xiangxi.

The only way is to act decisively and swiftly, just like we are now.

He appeared directly inside the Dragon Guard Manor before Zhu Wushi could even arrange any manpower or plans, allowing Zhu Wushi to personally lead him into the nineteenth level of the Heavenly Prison. In the shortest possible time, he obtained the "Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill" and then safely left the Heavenly Prison.

The situation inside the prison at this moment undoubtedly confirms that Gu Shaoan's caution was not wrong.

Upon seeing this, Gu Shaoan glanced at Zhu Wushi, who was leading the way, his apprehension only growing stronger.

He maintained a distance of nearly ten feet from Zhu Wushi. His true essence had been circulating within his body ever since he took out the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom, keeping him on guard at all times, as if he would crush the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom at the slightest sign of trouble.

As the group reached the end of the eighteenth-floor passage, Zhu Wushi stepped forward, then raised his hand and pressed it against a piece of iron wall, slicing it open to reveal a keyhole behind it.

After Zhu Wushi took out a specific key, inserted it into the keyhole, and turned it.

With a few soft "click" sounds, Zhu ignored the two smooth and flat iron floorboards two steps in front of him, which suddenly slid to the sides, revealing a step leading down.

The steps were no longer made of refined iron like the stairs in front, but were rough earthen steps dug directly from inside the mountain with chisels, and the smell of soil, along with the unique dampness of the mountain belly, wafted over.

It also carried a stench of filth and a deep, decaying smell.

This caused Shangguan Haitang and the others to unconsciously frown.

The rock walls on both sides and at the top of the steps have only been slightly repaired, and are uneven, exposing the original gray rock color, like a hastily constructed tomb robber's hole that was not completed in time.

Compared to the previous tightly sealed iron cage made of eighteen layers of fine iron, this place is primitive and even somewhat shabby.

This caused a look of astonishment on the faces of Shangguan Haitang and the others, who were also entering the nineteenth floor for the first time.

It seemed they hadn't expected the nineteenth floor to be so rudimentary.

After walking down the earthen steps, you will find yourself in a winding earthen tunnel.

Zhu Wushi stopped at the entrance of the passage and turned to look at Gu Shaoan.

"Remember, you only have half an hour."

When he spoke, his face was blank, his voice was low and had a metallic coldness.

"I understand."

Gu Shaoan smiled and nodded in response, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

As Gu Shaoan walked past Zhu Wushi, he unconsciously slowed down until the distance between them reached one zhang (approximately 3.3 meters).

Watching Gu Shaoan's retreating figure, Zhu Wushi's eyes were obscure and unfathomable, appearing somewhat sinister under the light reflected from the lamps on the earthen wall.

Soon, after walking several dozen steps through the passage, the end of the passage came into Gu Shaoan's view.

At the end of the passage, there was no gate to imprison them, only an iron monument about five feet high that seemed to be forcibly embedded in the ground.

After walking another three zhang, when he stood beside the iron monument, the entire nineteenth level was revealed before Gu Shaoan's eyes.

Unlike the cramped passageway, at the end of the passageway was a huge cave that had been dug out directly, and a smell of dampness and decay wafted out.

The cave was not completely dark; several oil lamps hung on the cave walls, providing a dim light inside.

After quickly scanning other parts of the cave, Gu Shaoan's gaze settled on an old man on a flat stone inside the cave.

　The protagonist won't take too many risks; if he dares to come directly, he must have a backup plan! The next chapter will still be around 10 PM!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)