Misty Rain of the Old Times

Between the four pillars, Liu Yuyuan and his eight companions dared not move. Each of them was in an awkward posture, some in a half-squatting horse stance, some standing on one leg, some leaning forward, some leaning back slightly, and some even doing handstands with their hands on the ground... It was an uncomfortable sight to behold.

Maintaining such a posture for a long time is undoubtedly a form of torture. It is difficult to maintain balance in such a position, and even those with considerable cultivation levels would find it hard to sustain it for an extended period.

But they had to try their best to remain motionless in this position, no matter how agonizing it was, because even the slightest movement could lead to death, and even the slightest action could result in an extremely tragic end!

The reason for this is that they are bound by numerous and complex threads that intertwine with each other, threatening every vital part of their bodies.

Those fine threads are even finer than silkworm silk, almost invisible to the naked eye of ordinary people, giving people an extremely dangerous feeling. They look incredibly sharp, as if they can cut through anything.

Given their predicament, how could Liu Yuyuan and his companions dare to move an inch? It was as if moving one thread would affect the whole body. Even the slightest movement could cause the taut, sharp threads to cut them into pieces under the ingenious traction design.

Although they weren't acupunctured, their cultivation was sealed. However, their strong physiques remained, but maintaining their awkward postures looked like torture. They were sweating profusely but dared not move, fearing that even the slightest sound of sweat dripping would cause them to be cut by the fine threads.

When they came into Chen Xuan's sight in this situation, they also saw Chen Xuan. Apart from Liu Yuyuan, they did not recognize the others. However, what could they do even if they saw him? They dared not speak or greet him. They could only move their eyes slightly, not daring to blink, and they had to try to slow down and breathe lightly.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan didn't recognize the fine threads that threatened Liu Yuyuan and the others, but he could tell that those threads were even tougher and sharper than ice silkworm silk, the kind that could easily cut through even the finest iron.

Chen Xuan gave Liu Yuyuan a slight nod as a greeting, then looked at the two people beside him and asked calmly, "What is the meaning of this, gentlemen?"

Do you think you can control me just by asking Liu Yuyuan and the others?
The black-clad swordsman quickly smiled ingratiatingly, "Mr. Chen, please don't misunderstand. We absolutely had no intention of threatening you; we wouldn't dare even if we had ten times the courage."

“Yes, yes, we didn’t do it, and we don’t have such means. We were just following orders. Mr. Chen, you want to see Liu Yuyuan, so we brought him out as instructed beforehand,” the fat man next to him quickly explained, afraid that Chen Xuan might be displeased and slap them to death.

No one wants to die if they can live, and even if they are prepared to die, they will live as long as they can.

With a smile, Chen Xuan said with a playful tone, "Since that's the case, tell me, what did the people who gave you the orders say? There should be other instructions, right?"

Nodding, the black-clad swordsman stated bluntly, "As you can see, Mr. Chen, this is not something we can decide. Our men said they wanted to play a game with you. If you can untie this Ten Thousand Blade Strangling Knot, you can take Liu Yuyuan and the others as you please. Of course, if you don't care about their lives, then pretend we didn't say anything. Please don't be angry, Mr. Chen. These aren't our words, but the exact words of our orders."

Playing games? The Ten Thousand Blade Strangulation Knot? Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan felt only boredom. How confident were the people who came up with this that they would cooperate?

Of course, Liu Yuyuan was, after all, a descendant of an old friend. Even setting that aside, Chen Xuan couldn't remain indifferent to their chivalrous spirit. Saving them would be ideal, but he wouldn't hesitate to act against them for fear of harming them.

With a flicker of thought, he said unhurriedly, "The Ten Thousand Blade Strangling Knot? That's quite interesting. Could you elaborate?"

The fat man said without hesitation, "Mr. Chen, please listen to me. This Thousand-Layer Strangling Knot, if not properly untied, will cause even the slightest movement to taut and slice those incomparably sharp threads into pieces. We don't know the solution; we were just brought out as ordered. And I dare to remind you, Mr. Chen, that these threads originate from spider-like beasts with the combat power of Grandmasters. Their sharpness is so great that they can even strangle a Grandmaster. You should understand their toughness. So, if you're not confident, please don't act rashly, or you know what will happen to them. Of course, if you don't care about their lives, that's another story."

"I hope Mr. Chen understands that these were all instructions given by the person who gave the orders, and we were just following orders," the black-clad swordsman added as soon as the fat man finished speaking.

Chen Xuan smiled inwardly, thinking to himself that the person behind this had really gone to great lengths to keep him here and buy time, using all sorts of tricks, one after another.

Those fine threads actually came from a spider-like beast with the strength of a Grandmaster. Chen Xuan wasn't concerned about how sharp and tough those threads were, but rather whether the person behind them had collected these threads or had already mastered and controlled that spider-like beast. A beast with the combat power of a Grandmaster was a powerful existence that could not be ignored anywhere.

"So, this is all the order you people who wanted to play games with me have to give?" Chen Xuan asked Liu Yuyuan and the others with great interest.

I don't know what he was thinking, but the black-clad swordsman forced himself to say, "That's all, Mr. Chen."

Nodding, Chen Xuan chuckled, "That's it? Boring."

During the short time he spent talking to them, he had already carefully observed the so-called Ten Thousand Blade Strangulation Knot. In order to prevent making the slightest noise from causing Liu Yuyuan and the others to die on the spot, he did not use his true essence to examine it. Even just by looking at it with his naked eyes, he had to admit that this thing was indeed ingenious and complex, and not knowing the correct solution was really a problem.

However, he had no interest in playing any boring games. Although he didn't understand how this thing worked, after observing it for a while, he could see all the crisscrossing threads and quickly analyzed dozens of key nodes. As long as he cut those dozens of nodes at the same time, the so-called Ten Thousand Ren Strangulation Knot would be a joke.

To him, the fact that Liu Yuyuan and the others didn't instantly disintegrate and die before his eyes meant he could save them. Anyone who wanted to lead him by the nose was simply delusional.

Whether the other party was extremely confident in their arrangements or disdained to resort to underhanded tactics because of their status, Liu Yuyuan and the others were only trapped in the complex silk threads and their cultivation was sealed. They were not forced to take any poison or anything like that. There was no poison on the silk threads either. As for the poison gas and sleeping potion that were initially spread in the air, the black-clad swordsman had already quietly neutralized it when Chen Xuan revealed it earlier. He understood that it was meaningless and would only offend Chen Xuan without having any effect.

Perhaps even those masters of sharp and tough silk threads would find it extremely troublesome, but Chen Xuan is a grandmaster, how could he be stumped by something like this? In a short time, he came up with nine ways to deal with this trick, a full nine!

As soon as he finished speaking, while the two were stunned and confused, Chen Xuan simply raised his hand and gently pointed in the air. The dozens of key nodes of the intertwined fine threads that had threatened Liu Yuyuan and the others to the point of not daring to make any move broke silently. The so-called Ten Thousand Ren Strangulation Knot instantly became a decoration, failing to exert its due effect of strangling Liu Yuyuan and the others.

Those spider silk threads, finer than silkworm silk, were difficult for even the two innate masters beside him to see clearly. Yet Chen Xuan solved them with a flick of his finger, leaving them momentarily stunned and unable to comprehend how he did it.

It's actually very simple. He simply unleashed an invisible sword aura from his fingertips, splitting it into dozens of strands that severed key points. That's all.

Under Chen Xuan's extraordinary martial arts talent, which defied conventional understanding, this Invisible Sword Finger technique had long been cultivated to its pinnacle. It represented the limit achievable at his level. The sword energy was invisible and formless; even those at the same level, let alone those with innate cultivation, would find it difficult to detect. It was merely a thin thread produced by a spider, a mere Grandmaster-level beast. Even a direct confrontation with it would be enough to cut it down. Therefore, it was impossible for the two innate-level cultivators present to discern its power. Before they could even react, the Myriad Blade Strangling Knot had already been broken.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Playing games? What a load of crap! Do you really think you're a kid?

At the same time, Chen Xuan gestured with his hand, which he hadn't yet lowered, and Liu Yuyuan and the others who had escaped flew over. They were still in their previous positions and hadn't even had time to react.

Chen Xuan's gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Liu Yuyuan. He nodded and smiled, "Everyone is alright now. I felt uncomfortable watching you all in those positions. Please move around a bit. I see that your injuries aren't serious. If you feel unwell, you can circulate your internal energy to regulate your breathing. I've already resolved the issue of the true energy blocking your internal flow."

After saying that, he nodded kindly, and then teased the astonished Liu Yuyuan, saying, "Hero Liu, we meet again. You, who barely survived yesterday, are still not fully recovered from your injuries. Why did you have to come back to suffer again right after leaving me?"

Realizing they were out of danger, Liu Yuyuan and the others carefully moved around. Nothing unexpected happened, which is why the commotion became a bit louder. Some people even collapsed to the ground, looking terrified after surviving the ordeal.

Faced with Chen Xuan's teasing, Liu Yuyuan, who had been stretching his limbs, took a deep breath, showing no embarrassment or uttering any grand pronouncements. He simply cupped his hands in a deep bow and said, "Thank you for saving me, Mr. Chen. I owe you my life now. Even though I know my strength is insignificant, I will do my best to help you in the future..."

People in the martial arts world always act this way. Chen Xuan had seen it all before, so he smiled and shook his head, interrupting, "Hero Liu, there's no need for that. It was just a small favor. You should adjust yourself first, and we can talk about the rest later."

In fact, Chen Xuan understood his mentality. The reason why he rushed to invite people over despite his serious injuries was firstly because of his chivalrous heart, and he was worried that if the time was delayed, the clues would be lost. He knew that women were going missing every day, and if he delayed for a day, innocent people would suffer. Secondly, his fiancée had been missing for several years, and he had finally obtained a clue. He was in great pain and could not wait any longer.

For him, such actions were normal, but little did he know that he had already fallen into someone else's scheme and become bait to lure Chen Xuan here. There was no need to say it out loud, as it would only make him feel more guilty. Moreover, at this point, it was already a matter between Chen Xuan and the person behind him.

Liu Yuyuan opened his mouth, but there was a lot he wanted to say. However, it wasn't the right time, so he could only nod and hum in agreement, suppressing the gratitude in his eyes.

Chen Xuan wasn't even that familiar with Liu Yuyuan, let alone the others who came with him. Seeing that they were all unharmed, he didn't talk to them much. Instead, he looked at the two innate masters who were still in awe of how easily Chen Xuan had resolved the Ten Thousand Blade Strangulation Knot.

Stretching leisurely, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "I've seen Hero Liu and the others. They escaped safely and are all unharmed. One of my purposes for coming here has been achieved. We've had our meal and chatted for a while now. It's getting late, so it's time to head over here."

At this moment, the two felt a chill run down their spines and their hearts tightened. They no longer cared about rescuing Liu Yuyuan and the others. Hearing this, they knew that Chen Xuan was going to get serious. Even though they knew they were no match for him and were like ants in front of him, they did not intend to sit and wait for death. After all, they were both innate cultivators. If they fought, there might be a glimmer of hope for survival.

Before they could make any further moves, Chen Xuan stood up and said, "Don't worry, I won't kill you. You don't even deserve to die by my hand. That would be too easy for you. Perhaps there are some things you didn't do, but just aiding and abetting evil is unforgivable!"

Upon hearing this, their desperate attempt to fight back was temporarily halted.

But Chen Xuan's voice rang out again: "Just because I'm not killing you doesn't mean I'm letting you go. There's no such thing as a free lunch. You should be punished for the sins you've committed. At this time, there are probably countless chivalrous heroes and officials from the imperial court gathered at the entrance. For what you've done, they will make you wish you were dead and regret ever being born. It's true that the imperial court has laws and the martial arts world has its moral bottom line, but that applies to human beings. You beasts, worse than pigs and dogs, don't deserve to be human. If I don't make you suffer all kinds of pain, how can I comfort the bones lying in the flower field!"

With that, Chen Xuan stopped looking at them, turned and walked towards the door, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "Actually, you might as well hold onto a little bit of hope and see if the person behind you can save you. Most likely, they'll just abandon you without hesitation, even if you know nothing and have no connection to the person behind you. But what if they do? Only the dead can put people at ease, right?"

That's what they said, but Chen Xuan didn't kill them on the spot. He wouldn't give them any chance to survive. He had already silently sent a wisp of sword energy into their bodies and placed it in their heart meridians, including all the guards in this hidden space. A month later, that wisp of sword energy would erupt and extinguish their life force. Any external infection that wanted to be removed would only hasten their death unless their cultivation level exceeded Chen Xuan's!

Within this month, they will likely receive the appropriate punishment for their crimes. To put it another way, just like human traffickers, anyone would kick them if they encountered them. But their actions are a thousand times more vicious than human traffickers. So whether they are people from the martial arts world or people from the imperial court, as long as they have a bit of humanity, they will use the cruelest methods on them!

Chen Xuan was kind-hearted, so he didn't personally prepare them.

Having said that, he had reached the door and said to Liu Yuyuan and the others who had followed him instinctively, "Hero Liu, many people will be arriving here soon. There are about ten flowerbeds here, and buried remains are found beneath them. These must be the remains of the women who have disappeared in recent years. I'll leave this place to you now; I won't get involved."

"So, you're leaving this to us?" Liu Yuyuan, still somewhat shaken, almost pointed at himself. He knew his own limitations; how could they possibly deal with so many formidable figures here?
However, before he could finish speaking, he subconsciously asked, "Mr. Chen, where are you going?"

"Someone has ill intentions towards me, so of course I'll go and keep them company," Chen Xuan said with a smile. He then added, "Don't worry, the people here can't cause any trouble. You just need to wait for the others to arrive. But by then, you'll probably be the ones paying compensation. It's not a big deal. Leave the professional matters to the professionals. Acting rashly like you did before—and I'm sure you won't mind me saying this—was really inappropriate."

After listening, Liu Yuyuan and the others were still somewhat surprised. He hadn't done anything, so why was he so sure that the people here couldn't cause any trouble? Would they be foolish enough to wait for a large number of people to arrive later?
However, at that moment, a dark figure appeared in front of Chen Xuan. It was so fast that Liu Yuyuan and the others didn't even have time to react. It was the three Xiantian-level guards who were hiding in the shadows. Whether they were on orders or knew that Chen Xuan would not give them a chance to escape, they actually attacked without regard for anything else.

He was undeniably swift and decisive, but when he was three zhang away from Chen Xuan, his movements froze and he crashed to the ground, unable to move.

At the same time, Liu Yuyuan and his group saw that one by one, the guards who were ready to die, including the two innate masters behind them, collapsed to the ground.

With a slight smirk, Chen Xuan chuckled, "I thought you were all going to sit and wait to die, but you couldn't resist making a move. Useless, you don't even have the right to make a move in front of me."

He then looked at the astonished Liu Yuyuan and the others, saying, "Everyone here has been subdued by me. There are no survivors. Apart from speaking, they can't even commit suicide. Once the reinforcements arrive, the rest of the interrogation will be up to you. By the way, although it's somewhat cruel, I must say that I didn't see any young women alive here. They're all skeletons buried in the ground. Master Liu, you understand what I mean, right? They have no distinguishing features. I don't know if you can find the person you're looking for. Perhaps it's a good thing if you can't find them; at least you'll have something to look forward to."

Feeling a pang of sadness, Chen Xuan said no more, having said all he needed to say. He then looked up at the ceiling and murmured, "Those outside probably can't even get through the illusion array at the entrance. Who knows when they'll arrive? Let me guide them."

Then Liu Yuyuan and the others saw Chen Xuan raise his hand and strike upwards with a palm strike from a distance... (End of this chapter)