The Martial Saint of the Defiled World

Is this a tunnel?

Jiang Shaosheng looked around and found himself in a passageway that was about the height of a person.

The passageway wasn't very wide; it was just wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

The walls and floor were made of a bluish-gray stone that felt damp to the touch.

However, what's strange is that although there is no light source here, it's not completely dark.

Jiang Shaosheng could vaguely see the scenery around him.

He curiously moved closer to the wall to observe it carefully.

He noticed that the cracks in the stones of the wall seemed to be coated with something that was emitting a very faint fluorescent light.

It was this light that illuminated the entire tunnel.

Although the light was dim, almost like moonlight, it was enough for Jiang Shaosheng, who had just come from a completely dark environment, to see things clearly.

What place is this?

How come there's such a tunnel under the warehouse of Fuchang Warehouse?

Jiang Shaosheng was filled with questions.

He looked up at the spot where he had fallen, which was a hole about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) above the ground.

The area around the entrance to the cave is very smooth, making it almost impossible to climb up.

It seems there's no way out.

He checked his injuries.

My right arm is still numb and painful, and I have no feeling at all. It feels like it's useless.

The other abrasions and bruises on his body were not serious, just superficial injuries.

The most troublesome thing is physical strength.

After that series of chases and fights, he felt as if all his energy had been drained, and he was even a little unsteady on his feet when he stood up.

He leaned against the wall and calmly began to analyze the situation.

First of all, he is safe for the time being.

The man in black and the monster should still be fighting up there.

Secondly, he must find an exit as soon as possible.

Staying here is not a long-term solution.

Who knows what other dangers might lurk in this tunnel?

Moreover, Hong Pu and the Liu brothers were still lying in the courtyard, their fate unknown.

Thinking of this, Jiang Shaosheng felt another pang of pain in his heart.

He didn't know how the three of them were doing now.

Jiang Shaosheng slammed his fist on the ground.

He hated his own powerlessness.

If his kung fu were a little better, if he were a little stronger, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out this way.

But thinking about these things now is useless.

The most urgent task is to survive, and then find a way out.

After resting for a few breaths, he felt he had regained some strength and began to move while holding onto the wall.

The tunnel has two forks, one leading to the left and the other to the right.

No matter which path he chooses, he has no idea where it will ultimately lead.

Which way should we go?

Jiang Shaosheng hesitated for a moment.

He crouched down and carefully examined the ground.

The ground was spotless, very clean, and without any footprints.

He took a few more steps and found that there were almost no footprints on the ground.

Great, that way we don't have to worry about footprints anymore.

He thought for a moment, then took out the old dagger his aunt had given him from his pocket.

With the tip of his shovel, he lightly carved a small arrow on the wall beside the passage, pointing to the hole from which he had fallen.

This is a mark.

The tunnels were intricate and complex; he was afraid that if it were a maze, he would get lost as he walked.

Leaving a mark ensures that if he can't find the exit, he can return to this place by following the same path.

Of course, the markings shouldn't be too obvious. If they are too obvious, and the man in black notices them when he comes down, then he'll be asking for trouble.

After marking the path, he randomly chose the one on the left and began to cautiously explore forward.

The tunnel was quiet, with only the sound of his own footsteps and breathing.

Jiang Shaosheng leaned against the wall with one hand and held a dagger in the other, fully focused on his guard.

He had a vague feeling that something strange and inexplicable was hidden in this tunnel.

After walking about several dozen steps, another fork in the road appeared ahead.

There are three roads this time.

Jiang Shaosheng frowned; the tunnel was more complicated than he had imagined.

He marked the intersection again and then continued to take the leftmost road.

And so he walked, making marks along the way.

At each fork in the road, he carved an arrow in the ground.

Gradually, he discovered a pattern.

These tunnels all seem to have been built around a central point, like a giant spider web.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he had passed seven or eight intersections.

The tunnel remained deathly silent.

Jiang Shaosheng's heart was rising higher and higher.

It's too quiet.

It was unusually quiet.

Just as he reached the next fork in the road, preparing to make another mark.

A loud thud came from behind him, in the direction he had come from.

Jiang Shaosheng froze and turned around abruptly.

Someone's coming down!

It's that man in black!

The moment this thought crossed Jiang Shaosheng's mind, cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

That guy hates me to the core; if I get cornered here, I'm doomed.

Without a second thought, Jiang Shaosheng quickened his pace and ran deeper into the tunnel.

He now only hoped that the tunnel was complex enough to allow him to shake off that scoundrel.

As he ran, he kept his ears perked up, listening to the sounds behind him.

He could hear the footsteps of the man in black also starting to sound.

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The man in black stumbled when he landed, almost losing his balance.

The left shoulder blade was a bloody mess, torn apart by the monster's claws.

He gritted his teeth, tore off a piece of his sleeve, and haphazardly wrapped it around his forehead, cold sweat pouring down his face.

But he couldn't care less about any of that.

He looked up at the cave entrance and the two forks in the road ahead, his eyes flashing with an almost insane light.

"It was here after all..."

He muttered to himself, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.

Then he squatted down, but he wasn't marking anything; he was looking at the footprints.

"Where are the footprints?"

He frowned.

"Kid, you're in luck."

But he wasn't in a hurry.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the walls on both sides, and began searching one spot at a time.

Soon, he found a small arrow on the wall to the left of the fork in the road.

The carving was shallow and the location inconspicuous, but to a seasoned veteran like him, it was immediately noticeable.

The man in black walked over, touched the arrow, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

"Kid, trying to play these tricks on me?"

He muttered to himself, his tone full of contempt.

"Leave a mark? Good, saves me the trouble of finding you."

He stood up, his injuries causing him to gasp in pain, but the excitement in his eyes only intensified.

"Run, run as fast as you can, I want to see where you can run to."

He followed the road on the left and strode after them.

Every few steps he took, he could find that faint arrow on the wall.

"Quite cautious, carving it so shallowly."

The man in black walked along, sneering.

"What a pity, now that it's in my hands, no matter how shallowly you carve it, it's useless."

He could almost see Jiang Shaosheng cornered at the end of the road, kneeling and begging for mercy.

He became more and more excited as he walked, and his pace quickened.

"Kid, you just wait. When I catch you, I'll break both your legs first."

He stopped before he could finish speaking.

There is a three-way intersection in front of us.

He habitually looked at the wall on the left.

An arrow.

He then looked at the wall in the middle.

An arrow.

Look at the wall to the right.

It's still an arrow.

Three arrows, all the same size, all the same shade, all in the same position.

The man in black's smile froze on his face.

He quickly walked to the left and touched the arrow.

He walked to the middle again and touched it.

Then I walked to the right and touched it.

That's right, they're all new engravings, all made with the same dagger.

He slammed his fist against the wall and let out a mournful howl.

The sound echoed through the tunnel, lingering for a long time.