Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

Why?

The mountain guardian sighed. "Too many forces see him as a thorn in their side. His inner circle isn't necessarily clean either. If this jade pendant returns to him now, it won't help him, it will harm him!"

Lin Feng frowned deeply. This was indeed a dead end. He couldn't keep the jade pendant, making himself a target of public criticism; nor could he return it to Prince Jing, lest it bring him utter destruction.

"Then, in your opinion, senior, how should this be handled?"

"Two paths," the mountain guardian said slowly after a long silence.

"First, destroy it. That would end it all, letting all the secrets and troubles disappear with this jade. But... this is the only memento she left him." The old man's tone carried a hint of reluctance.

"What about the second option?"

"The second path..." The mountain guardian's gaze deepened.

"Find an absolutely safe place, hide it, and wait until the heat dies down and the right people are able to protect it before letting it see the light of day again."

"A completely safe place?" Lin Feng smiled wryly. "In this vast world, where is there still a completely safe place?"

The mountain guardian suddenly smiled, a mysterious smile on his face: "Young man, do you know what the biggest secret of this mountain I'm 'guarding' is?"

Before Lin Feng could answer, he stood up, leaning on his wooden cane, and walked to the innermost rock wall of the cave. He reached out and pressed or tapped on several inconspicuous protrusions in a specific rhythm and order.

A moment later, amidst a low rumbling sound that seemed to come from the ground, the seemingly solid rock wall slowly slid to one side, revealing a dark, downward-extending cave entrance behind it!

A cold wind, carrying the smell of musty dust yet unusually dry, blew out from the cave.

"This..." All four were shocked.

"This secret passage leads to a naturally formed grotto deep within the mountain, one of the last hideouts of the previous dynasty's guard force, and where they stored their most important items. The entrance mechanism is known only to the mountain guardians and leaders throughout the ages. For sixty years, no one but me has ever entered it."

The mountain guardian turned around and looked at Lin Feng. "Is that place safe enough?"

Lin Feng stared at the bottomless cave entrance, utterly shocked. Such a secret was hidden deep within these mountains!

"Why were you willing to tell me this secret, senior? And why were you willing to let me hide the jade pendant here?" Lin Feng asked the most crucial question.

Why would the guardian of such an important place open it to a complete stranger he had just met?

The mountain guardian looked at him, a complex and unfathomable light flickering in his cloudy eyes: "Because that foolish boy's bamboo token is in your hands. And also because..."

He paused, then slowly said, "My days are numbered. This secret, this responsibility, needs someone to take it on. I've been observing you all this way. You're ruthless, but you have principles, you value loyalty, and you keep your promises. More importantly, you have no ill intentions towards that fool, and you don't seem to have any greed for the so-called treasure. Perhaps... you are the right person."

He walked towards the cave entrance, stepping aside to let him pass: "Two paths: destroy it, or hide here. The choice is yours. If you choose the second, come in with me."

Lin Feng remained silent.

Destroying it might end everything, but it also means severing ties with the past and extinguishing deep affection.

Hiding it means taking on a heavy responsibility and a secret.

He raised his head and looked at Su Wanyue.

Su Wanyue met his gaze and nodded gently, her eyes filled with unconditional trust and support. Bai Xiaohe also looked at him, her expression complex, but ultimately she also nodded.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and made a decision.

He carefully placed the jade pendant and letter back into the wooden box, closed it, and then stepped towards the dark opening.

"I choose the second option. This item should not be destroyed. I accept this secret."

The mountain guardian showed a very faint, almost imperceptible smile, and then walked into the cave.

The rock wall closed silently behind them, completely blocking out the last sliver of light and the worried gazes of Su Wanyue and the others.

Only the tip of the wooden staff in the mountain guardian's hand, soaked in a special oil, emitted a tiny glimmer of light, barely enough to illuminate the ground a foot or so beneath his feet.

After climbing about a hundred steps, the slope gradually became gentler, and the faint sound of flowing water could be heard ahead.

"Is there an underground river?" Lin Feng asked in a low voice.

"Yes, it's a small tributary of an underground river in the mountain. The water is cool but clean and drinkable," the mountain keeper replied. After walking a while longer, the view suddenly opened up before them.

The light from the wooden staff illuminated a huge natural cave.

The ground was relatively flat, and in the center there was indeed an underground river about ten feet wide flowing quietly, its water deep and silent.

On the opposite bank of the river, near the stone wall, one can vaguely see some simple traces of human construction—the outlines of several low stone houses, a stone platform, and some scattered, long-rotten wooden frames and boxes.

The air was thicker with a musty smell, and there was also an indescribable, timeless silence.

The mountain guardian walked to a seemingly ordinary stone wall by the river, reached out again, and tapped and pressed on several specific spots.

"Click...click...boom..."

A dull hum of machinery came from inside the stone wall, and then a small, bottomless, hidden compartment, only about a foot square, was revealed.

The dark compartment was unusually dry, a stark contrast to the damp environment outside.

"This is where the Dragon Shadow Guard stored their most confidential documents. It has mechanisms inside to prevent moisture and corrosion. If you put the jade pendant inside, it will remain intact for a thousand years, as long as the mountain doesn't collapse," the mountain guardian gestured to Lin Feng.

Lin Feng stepped forward, opened the wooden box again, and took out the warm, lustrous dragon-patterned pendant and the letter carrying endless entrustment and sorrow. He took one last look at them, then gently placed them side by side into the hidden compartment.

Just as he finished putting it away and was about to withdraw his hand, his fingertips accidentally touched a very slight bump on the side of the bottom of the hidden compartment.

Using the dim light of the mountain guardian's walking stick, he stared intently and saw that there seemed to be several lines of writing smaller than grains of rice carved there. If he hadn't had amazing eyesight and happened to come across them, he would have never noticed them.

The handwriting was in ancient seal script, which he could barely make out: "...The shadows scatter in all directions, and the jade is the key. Even those not of the Xiao family bloodline, who hold the jade close to the key, can unlock the secret. However, they must be extremely sincere, and use a drop of blood as a catalyst, to see the true secret. Be careful, be careful."

Lin Feng was shocked! These few words contained an astonishing amount of information! It turned out that this jade pendant was not only a token, but also seemed to be the "key" to unlocking some "secret treasure"?

Moreover, the activation condition doesn't necessarily require being of the Xiao family bloodline; all that's needed is "utmost sincerity," with blood as the catalyst? What is this "secret treasure"? Is it a relic guarded by the Dragon Shadow Guard? Or something else entirely?

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, kept his expression unchanged, and slowly withdrew his hand.

The mountain guardian seemed unaware that he had discovered the inscription inside the hidden compartment. He was staring intently at the compartment, his eyes filled with deep reminiscence and sorrow.