Chapter 1658: Dark Lands

The entire room looked ordinary, no different from a typical study. However, Zu An could distinctly feel several deadly traps within it, as if the slightest misstep would lead to instant death.

He recalled Zhang Zicong mentioning the mechanisms here. While ordinary traps wouldn't harm him or Yan Xuehen given their cultivation levels, triggering them and drawing other forces from the manor would be problematic.

So he said to Zhang Zicong, "It's your turn!"

Zhang Zicong's spirits immediately lifted. Having just witnessed the various displays of skill from the other two people brought by Lord Eleven, her eyes had almost been dazzled.

As a direct descendant of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, how could she allow herself to be outshone by other women?

Finally, it was her moment to shine.

She stepped to the front and meticulously observed the room's layout.

After a moment, she spoke, "Stay where you are and don't move."

The moment she finished speaking, she lightly pushed off with her toes, leaping several meters across the room to a different position.

Zu An stared at the spot she had just crossed. A faint killing intent emanated from it, clearly indicating a trap ready to be sprung.

Zhang Zicong then moved through the room, stopping and starting. Sometimes she would take a few steps forward, then retreat over three meters back. Other times, she would leap through the air or bend and twist her body sideways, as if unseen mechanisms existed in the very air.

She had been progressing steadily, when suddenly her expression changed. She bent backward sharply, her waist appearing to break as her upper body arched to the ground, allowing her to flip backward several times. Throughout the entire process, her long legs were prominently displayed.

Yan Xuehen thought to herself, *This woman's flexibility is truly remarkable.* Had she not just detected a transparent thread cutting across in front of Zhang Zicong, she might have thought the woman was deliberately seducing Zu An. Her movements throughout the process resembled a dance, showcasing her long legs in various ways.

After narrowly avoiding that danger, Zhang Zicong breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and continued forward. It was clear she was even more cautious now.

Finally, she reached a wall behind the study desk, where an eagle sculpture was embedded.

She took a deep breath, and then, as if her bones had vanished, she contorted her body into a pose impossible for a normal person. One hand braced against the nearby desk, while her legs splayed into a perfect split. One foot touched the ground, and the other extended straight up, hooking towards the wall.

Yan Xuehen gasped. She could faintly perceive a dense network of transparent threads near the sculpture, which explained Zhang Zicong's incredibly twisted and strange posture.

However... she glanced at Zu An next to her; his eyes were practically bugging out.

Finally, Zhang Zicong's legs were fully extended, but her toe was still nearly an inch away from the sculpture. She tried to reach it several times, but couldn't quite make it.

Gritting her teeth, she strained to push her body lower, letting out a pained groan. Her toe finally reached the eagle sculpture.

Then, trembling, she used her toe to press the eagle's wing and rotate it sideways.

A rumbling sound echoed, and a crack appeared in the seemingly seamless floor nearby, revealing a secret door.

Zhang Zicong let out a breath of relief. She then struggled to retract her legs, her entire body trembling, clearly exhausted by the extreme movements.

She waved to Zu An and the others, saying, "Come on over, the mechanisms have been disarmed."

Zu An and the others walked over, and indeed encountered no danger.

Seeing her drenched in sweat, Zu An exclaimed, "Luckily we have you today, otherwise it would have been truly difficult to open this mechanism."

Zhang Zicong's legs were exceptionally long, and her flexibility was outstanding. Probably no one else could have performed that move.

Hearing his praise, a strange brilliance lit up Zhang Zicong's eyes. She had finally proven her worth; no woman by Lord Eleven's side was useless.

Zu An couldn't help but glance at Yan Xuehen beside him. *Her body is also quite flexible; I've experienced her pliability before. Perhaps she could have done it too...*

Sensing his gaze, Yan Xuehen clearly understood his thought and shot him an annoyed glare.

The group slowly descended the steps into the opening. Along the way, Zu An asked Zhang Zicong, "Why are you so knowledgeable about the mechanisms here?"

Zhang Zicong replied, "Lord Seven taught me previously. All mechanisms in the world essentially belong to a few schools. As long as you understand their fundamental principles, the others are merely slight variations."

Zu An nodded, thinking of the geomancy secrets from his previous life. Although they sounded profound and mysterious, the people who built imperial tombs back then followed those very rules for site selection. Thus, later generations, by adhering to the inherited geomancy schools, were often able to locate ancient tombs.

As they descended further, the surrounding light grew dimmer and dimmer. Zhang Zicong became noticeably nervous. "Lord Eleven," she said, "we'll soon reach the dark zone ahead. There will be no light at all, and cultivators' elemental energy perception will be greatly weakened. I've heard even grandmasters get trapped in there. Have you thought of a solution?"

Having come this far, she certainly didn't want their efforts to be in vain.

"No worries," Zu An replied calmly, continuing to walk forward methodically.

Sensing his confidence, Zhang Zicong recalled their previous experiences, and her heart settled.

The group walked inward for a short while before everything plunged into complete darkness.

Although Zhang Zicong knew it would be futile, she instinctively pulled out her tinder to start a fire.

The tinder clearly ignited, but its light seemed to be half-absorbed by some unknown force. Only a red dot at the tip of the tinder was visible; the surroundings remained completely dark.

"Put out the tinder, or you'll become a living target," Zu An advised.

Zhang Zicong's face flushed. She wouldn't normally make such a basic mistake, but humans have an inexplicable fear of darkness.

Just then, a low voice echoed from ahead: "I don't know how you got here, but now that you have, it all ends."

Immediately afterward, a harsh scraping sound followed—the sound of swords being drawn. They deliberately drew them slowly, seemingly using the sound to first erode their enemies' morale.

Zhang Zicong gripped her weapon nervously. Unfortunately, the vital energy she released was like a stone sinking into the sea, completely unable to pinpoint the enemies. She could only estimate from the sword-drawing sounds that there were likely eight to ten warriors.

These warriors had been specially chosen; they were blind from birth and had spent long periods in this dark chamber, becoming intimately familiar with everything within it.

Thus, while their enemies would be effectively blind upon entering, they themselves would be no different from sighted individuals.

If a fight broke out, it would be a one-sided slaughter.

"Lord, what should we do?" Zhang Zicong had just spoken when she suddenly felt an bone-chilling coldness rise around them, as if they weren't in an underground dark chamber but rather amidst a howling blizzard on a snowy mountain.

Even with her cultivation, she couldn't help but shiver, feeling as though her blood had frozen.

At that very moment, she was astonished to find that the sounds of swords being drawn had ceased. Cold sweat trickled down her temples. Had their opponents already concealed themselves in the darkness, ready to launch an attack?

Just then, Zu An's voice came: "Let's go."

Zhang Zicong paused. "Those people..."

"They've been dealt with," Zu An replied. This dark place caused even grandmasters to frown, but what about a Great Grandmaster?

Although Yan Xuehen's divine soul was restricted by the surrounding materials, she didn't need to worry about that. This secret chamber, while not tiny, wasn't huge either. She simply cast a blizzard, freezing the entire area, excluding the three of them.

No matter how skilled those dark warriors were at concealing themselves, or how well they could see in this place, they couldn't withstand such a full-screen Area of Effect attack. It was a completely overwhelming assault.

In the darkness, Yan Xuehen was walking forward when she suddenly felt her hand being grasped. Who else could it be but Zu An, with that familiar touch?

As she tried to pull away, she transmitted a message with her vital energy: "What are you doing? Let go!"

Zu An replied, "It's pitch black here, I can't see, and I'm scared."

Yan Xuehen: "..."

This man had fought countless terrifying beings, even daring to kill the Demon Emperor and bed the Little Demon Empress. And he claimed to be scared?

With a sullen expression, she quickly tried to shake his hand off, but he clung to her like sticky candy, refusing to let go.

She dared not make too much noise, fearing Zhang Zicong nearby would hear.

Just then, Zu An's voice came: "Don't worry, no one can see."

For some reason, those words held an inexplicable magic, and she gradually stopped struggling.

Outside, she was the temple mistress of White Jade City and Chu Yan's master, with far too many reservations. A relationship between them would be impossible.

But in this sunless place, no one knew who she was, nor could anyone see what she was doing. It was as if many of the worries that had long troubled her had suddenly vanished.

For a moment, she even found this dark place somewhat comforting, almost not wanting to leave.

Just then, Zhang Zicong's voice broke through: "Lord Eleven, I can't seem to find an exit here."

She had fumbled around nearby but found nothing. In truth, with their intelligence, finding an exit wouldn't be difficult if they could see.

But now, in absolute darkness where they couldn't see their own hands, they had to rely on touch. This area wasn't small, making it hard to find an exit.

The crucial point was that if they spent too much time here, it would be troublesome if Prince Yan returned.