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Chapter80
"They..." Ning Xufeng began, but Ye Lipei quickly hushed him, gesturing outside and leading the way out of the courtyard.
Once outside, Ye Lipei whispered reproachfully, "Do you have a death wish? Our master detests disturbances. Did he agree to take you as his disciple?"
"No, he asked me to start as a probationary disciple."
Anticipating this, Ye Lipei comforted, "Many start as outer disciples. You're already ahead of them. Prove yourself, and our esteemed master will surely accept you as a full disciple."
"Understood. Where should I deliver... these?"
Raising an eyebrow, Ye Lipei directed, "There's an incinerator in the back. Take them for cremation. Return quickly, or your prolonged absence may raise suspicions."
Ning Xufeng had no desire to be involved with body disposal, still shaken. He stumbled out of the sinister estate.
Zhou You had already surveyed the estate's surroundings. Other than courtyard surveillance, there were patrolling guards. But within the estate was only Hu Shi'en, who appeared quite confident and seemed to have illicit activities in mind.
Zhou You put on a mask, hooded himself, zipped his jacket to the top, and jumped through a window.
Inside, Hu Shi'en dragged a sack into an inner chamber. Flipping a switch, he threw a person into a secret room. Once the door was securely shut, he leisurely went to bathe, scenting himself with perfume and grooming his long beard before donning a bathrobe and entering the secret room.
Zhou You had slipped into the secret room before Hu's bath. Li Yunxi lay near the entrance, which led to a staircase down to a well-lit basement, where several cages stood. Most were empty, except for one containing a figure.
Zhou You awakened Li Yunxi, placing a finger on her lips, whispering, "Stay quiet. We aren't safe yet."
Groggily, Li Yunxi recognized Zhou You, recalling their previous meeting at a military base after receiving a note from him. She had let her guard down then and was taken unawares.
Initially, she thought Zhou You had kidnapped her, but realizing her current predicament, she deduced he couldn't possibly know of such a place.
The basement air was thick with the nauseating stench of blood. Zhou You carried Li Yunxi downstairs, placing her in a corner, before drawing his dagger to unlock the cage.
The caged person's face was obscured by long hair. Chained and without a stitch on, their body bore numerous festering wounds. Other cages were stained with blood, indicating recent removal of their occupants.
Gently rattling the chains, Zhou You softly inquired, "Are you conscious?"
The individual stirred, the clinking chains echoing eerily in the basement. Slowly lifting their head, half-covered in dried blood, they spoke in a dazed tone, "I'll never speak, even in death..."
Regaining her composure, Li Yunxi approached and inquired, "Where are we?"
"The Heavy Sword Sect."
"Who brought me here? Why?"
As Zhou You severed the chains binding the captive, he responded, "It was Ning Xufeng. He took you in exchange for an entry opportunity."
"Damn that bastard! I always knew he was up to no good. What do we do now?" Li Yunxi wasn't sure how Zhou You got in, but she felt reassured in his presence. Despite his unassuming appearance, he exuded a sense of security.
Zhou You, without answering, assisted the man out of the cage. The man's body was covered in wounds, with every slight movement causing him intense pain.
Li Yunxi patted her pockets, finding her usual medicines intact. Among them was a hemostatic spray. Regrettably, there was only enough to treat the most severe injuries.
"Are we going to help him escape?" Li Yunxi felt the task was daunting. It was enemy territory, and escaping with a severely injured person seemed impossible.
Hearing a noise outside, Zhou You motioned for Li Yunxi to stay with the man as he stealthily positioned himself by the chamber door.
The door opened, and Li Yunxi's heart raced. Her spot faced directly towards the entrance, but she knew she couldn't hide. Staying visible was the only way to create an opportunity for Zhou You.
Hu Shi'en looked surprised. Not spotting Zhou You, he only saw Li Yunxi aiding his captive outside the cage. He sneered, "Quite the brave girl. Not only awake but also trying to rescue. Too bad. In my lair, escape is impossible."
As he stepped in, the chamber door closed behind him. An overwhelming aura enveloped him, and he realized there was another person in the chamber.
In a quick move, he struck the control panel. The chamber was isolated, ensuring no sounds from within could be heard outside.
Zhou You's dagger, originally aimed at his head, swiftly changed direction and, in a split second, severed the power cable. The panel flickered and went dead.
Seeing the panel destroyed, Hu Shi'en hastily retreated, leaping towards the staircase targeting Li Yunxi. He deduced that if this man could infiltrate his chamber, he was here to rescue.
Zhou You, lagging slightly behind, yelled, "Move!"
Li Yunxi quickly rolled away. Missing his target, Hu Shi'en impulsively grabbed another hostage.
Zhou You landed and shielded Li Yunxi, challenging the adversary with a grin, "Master Hu, using a dying man as a bargaining chip? I'm well aware of his identity."
With a swift move, Hu Shi'en dislocated the hostage's arm, coldly remarking, "Useless beings deserve death. You sound young, and your skills interest me. Why not stay?"