novelraw Chapter 141 Turmoil
Chapter 141 Turmoil
Just as we were speaking, a sudden disturbance rose from below.
I instinctively shrank back, flattening myself against the branch as the rustle of leaves whispered in my ears.
Across the swamp, Mu Cangli and Hua reacted almost at the same time—one blur of motion, and they vanished into the undergrowth of the dense forest. Lian grabbed me by the arm and hauled me deeper into the fork of the tree, his fingertip pressing lightly against my lips.
“Shh.”
I held my breath as the approaching footsteps drew closer.
Flickering torchlight illuminated the shadows beneath the trees. A group of gold-armored soldiers approached, their armor clinking sharply in the stillness of the mountain forest. My stomach turned cold—if we were discovered now, we’d probably end up roasted on the spot.
“How did they get here?” I whispered.
Lian shook his head, signaling me to stay silent.
They seemed to be on patrol nearby and had doubled back after hearing something. Dusk had already fallen; the forest was so dense that no sunlight remained. The leader struck a firestarter and swept the light around—just in time to illuminate the edge of the swamp.
But the swamp had changed.
The mist was gone. The muddy surface churned and twisted as if drained dry, collapsing inward. At its center yawned a pitch-black hole—so deep that not even a trace of light escaped.
“What… is that thing?” one soldier muttered, stepping back in alarm.
“A cave-in?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Since when does a cave-in swallow water? That’s something unnatural!”
They gathered around the black pit, muttering uneasily. One of them tossed a torch inside. It vanished with a soft poof, swallowed whole without leaving even a flicker behind.
The atmosphere froze.
“Report to the Eighth Prince!” the leader cursed.
They turned and ran.
Only after their footsteps had completely faded did Lian relax slightly.
“That was close,” I muttered, wiping sweat from my brow.
“Don’t relax yet,” he said, frowning. “Once they report back, more will come.”
“Then we—”
“Withdraw first.”
With a quiet command, he confirmed the surroundings were clear, then pulled me up in one swift motion. His qinggong carried us silently through the trees, toes barely touching the trunks. The wind rushed past my ears—I nearly cried out, only to be silenced by a sharp glare from him.
When we landed, I was still dizzy, gasping for air.
“What about Hua and Mu Cangli?”
Lian paused briefly, then took out a slender silver whistle from his sleeve and blew a faint note. The sound was almost inaudible—but moments later, an identical reply came from across the swamp.
“They heard,” he said calmly. “I told them to move ahead. We’ll withdraw along the side route.”
“Impressive,” I muttered. “You’re basically running a military unit at this point.”
【System Prompt: Host survival rate restored to 61%.】
“Can you stop reporting my survival rate every time?” I hissed.
【System Prompt: Host shows signs of irritability. Recommend deep breathing.】
“I’ll deep—”
Before I could finish, Lian pressed a hand to my shoulder and forced me to crouch.
Another set of footsteps approached—heavier this time, more disciplined.
This wasn’t a small patrol.
A full column of gold-armored soldiers advanced through the forest. The leader’s voice rang out, loud and furious, audible even through the trees.
“How did it turn into this?!”
My scalp tingled instantly. I knew that voice.
The Eighth Prince.
Sure enough, his familiar figure appeared—his expression cold, anger blazing.
“No witnesses? No guards?!” he barked. “What if someone got close? Investigate immediately! Post guards—no unauthorized access!”
I carefully parted the branches to peek outside, my heart sinking.
“Well,” I whispered, “guess that’s it. No way we’re crossing the swamp now. Maybe we should head down the mountain and wait things out? With security this tight, there’s no getting through. And if they trace back to Mu Cangli capturing that soldier—”
Lian shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the black pit.
“This is suspicious. If it’s tied to the Blood Seal Array, we need to investigate.”
“But the Eighth Prince is already sending people—”
“We go there too,” Lian said flatly. “They’ll have to find a way across the swamp.”
I nearly choked.
So diligent. So dedicated. So self-sacrificing.
—Truly worthy of being the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect. Tireless to the point of madness.
I grumbled internally, but followed anyway.
Lian led me as we tailed a unit of gold-armored soldiers from a distance, moving stealthily under cover of night.
I expected them to head elsewhere, but to my surprise, the group marched straight toward the zodiac stone statue complex halfway up the mountain.
My heart jolted. “Isn’t that where they’re holding the civilians?”
Lian nodded, his expression darkening.
“Something’s happened.”
Sure enough, before long, we heard shouting and the clash of weapons. Firelight flickered wildly in the night wind, and fragmented cries echoed through the forest.
Peering down, I saw chaos.
Around the stone statues, several strong-built men wielding shovels and wooden clubs were fighting back against the gold-armored soldiers.
“A rebellion?” I stared, stunned.
“Looks premeditated,” Lian said quietly.
Those men were the civilians previously confined in the “Tiger” statue sector. Taking advantage of the soldiers being dispatched to the swamp, they had launched a surprise attack, killed several guards, and seized control of the complex.
I watched, momentarily speechless.
The stone structures were tightly packed, their walls thick as rock—difficult to assault or escape. And these men were using that to their advantage perfectly.
“This is bad,” I muttered.
“Not necessarily,” Lian replied coolly.
Moments later, the Eighth Prince arrived with reinforcements. War drums thundered through the valley, firelight blazing red across the forest.
Heavy troops surrounded the complex completely. The rebels barricaded themselves inside, using oil and stones to fend off the assault—but they couldn’t hold forever.
“They won’t last long,” I said under my breath.
【System Prompt: Host emotional fluctuation detected. “Compassion” increased.】
“I don’t need your analysis!” I snapped.
Night deepened. Time dragged on.
By midnight, the standoff remained unresolved. Neither side could advance. Flames lit the sky red as both forces held their ground.
Lian suddenly spoke.
“We’ll add fuel to the fire.”
I blinked, thinking it was metaphorical.
It wasn’t.
He turned and headed toward the eastern ridge.
“Hey—wait, you’re not seriously going to start a fire, are you?!”
Without looking back, he said, “Fire will draw their attention.”
“And if it gets out of control?”
“All the better.”
I had no response.
Moments later, the wind shifted—and flames erupted on the ridge. Smoke curled skyward as the fire spread rapidly, crackling with intensity.
“Fire! Put it out!”
“That ridge—move, move!”
The gold-armored ranks fell into chaos. Half of them immediately rushed toward the eastern slope.
Lian stood beside me, expression unchanged.
“That’s enough. Move.”
I didn’t argue.
The night wind burned hot, flames flickering through the forest.
As the number of guards around the stone statues dropped sharply, I suddenly noticed something—
One of the doors, positioned on the far side and shielded from the main line of sight, shifted slightly.
“Someone’s coming out,” I whispered.
Lian saw it too.
From the narrow opening slipped several shadowy figures—four or five of them—moving silently toward the western side. Their movements were precise and practiced.
Not ordinary civilians.
“Who are they?” I asked quietly.
Lian narrowed his eyes. “No idea.”
We exchanged a glance, then nodded almost simultaneously, slipping into pursuit.
The night wind howled. Flames roared behind us, illuminating half the mountain.
Leaves crunched softly underfoot. Shadows flickered deep within the forest.
My heart pounded.
And then, in my ear, the system chimed again—
【System Prompt: New branch activated — “Night Pursuit.” Danger level increased.】
“Shut up,” I muttered. “Don’t jinx it.”
【System Prompt: Host has rejected notification function. Activating silent mode.】
Finally—some peace.
It didn’t last.
A dull thud sounded ahead.
The figures froze, turning sharply to scan their surroundings.
My breath stopped.
This might be it.
Lian’s gaze turned cold. With a subtle flick of his fingers, a concealed weapon slid into his hand.
The wind stilled.
The forest fell silent.