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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 78: The Maze
Ji Zichen said firmly, "Don't block my way!"
Shen Bifan, who had been silent, suddenly lunged forward. With a flick of his fingers, Yuxuan's body froze in place. Although Yuxuan was immobilized, her eyes could still move. The fiery gaze she directed at Shen Bifan was intimidating, but she chose not to speak; what good would it do anyway?
Shen Bifan simply told Yuxuan, "In half an hour, your acupoints will be released."
Ji Zichen looked at Shen Bifan in surprise. "I didn't expect you knew how to apply pressure points."
A hint of melancholy flashed across Shen Bifan's face as he forced a smile. " Madam Jiang taught me this."
Ji Zichen nodded. " Madam Jiang has indeed treated you well."
Despite all her faults, Madam Jiang had been good to him. Shen Bifan lowered his head and bit his lip, but upon hearing Kiko's words, he lifted his head again, a bright light flashing across his face. "No more about her; let's go inside."
Ji Zichen looked at Yuxuan with a complex expression. Yuxuan had saved him but had also caused him trouble. Kiko truly didn't know how to deal with her. He said, "Considering you helped us leave Holy City, I won't make things difficult for you this time."
He gestured to Shen Bifan. "Bifan, let's go in."
---
"Wake up! Zhao Zhangshi, wake up!" the Captain gently called to the unconscious Zhao Zhangshi on the ground.
With a groan, Zhao Zhangshi began to respond. The Captain saw Zhao Zhangshi open his eyes and asked, "Zhao Zhangshi, are you alright?"
Zhao Zhangshi slowly got up and noticed that Yuxuan was no longer present. He did not answer but instead asked in return, "How did you end up in the dungeon?"
"About half a stick of incense ago, a soldier saw the princess running towards Fierce Death Valley despite warnings. You know we can't enter without the Arbitrator's orders. I've been looking for you for quite a while. If someone comes to the dungeon, I'll take a look," the Captain replied.
Zhao Zhangshi nodded, thinking to himself, "Yuxuan really surprised me. I can't believe she knocked me out so easily."
Zhao Zhangshi said to the Captain, "Let's go outside first. Don't worry; I'll check Mountain Valley."
---
Ji Zichen and Shen Bifan were already in the dark tunnel. The tunnel was unusually long and narrow, and they were moving slowly, supporting themselves against the walls. The further they walked, the more uncertain Shen Bifan felt. "This tunnel is so long. Why haven't we seen the end yet?"
The tunnel was pitch black, with Ji Zichen's Firestarter being their only source of light. "Don't be afraid; it's just psychological. Some ruins have tunnels like this. You might feel like you've been walking for a long time, but it hasn't even been a tea break," Ji Zichen reassured him.
They walked in silence until Ji Zichen spotted a stone door. "We've reached the end," she announced.
Ji Zichen pushed open the stone door and saw many Columns at the entrance. These Columns were arranged haphazardly, with one every three zhang, and Wall Lanterns hung from each Column. Visibility was fine here, but each Column had passages on its sides.
Ji Zichen's expression changed. "It looks like a maze!"
"A maze?!" Shen Bifan exclaimed. "Then how are we supposed to get through?"
Ji Zichen cleared her throat and said, "There's no choice but to proceed cautiously. But why would they set up a maze here?"
---
Yuxuan stood outside like a wooden statue, thinking to herself, "Actually, I don't need to rush. They might not even make it through that maze. Even if they do find their way out, they won't be able to open that big door."
Yuxuan tried to move her fingers but felt no response. She wondered, "How long has it been? Almost half an hour?"
Someone was walking towards him from the forest, and Yuxuan had already spotted the figure. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his fear. The person approaching was Zhao Zhangshi, who smiled slightly upon seeing Yuxuan. "I knew you would be here. I guessed correctly; if you want to enter the valley, you would choose to come in this way."
Yuxuan's tone turned cold. "You really are persistent!"
Zhao Zhangshi laughed heartily. "I was too careless before, but this time it won't be so easy."
Yuxuan felt a surge of panic but tried to move his fingers. To his delight, they responded slightly. "I can move!" he thought.
With his body regaining strength, Yuxuan's confidence soared. "You keep pursuing me because you want to silence me, but you won't get that chance!"
Zhao Zhangshi chuckled and took two steps closer to Yuxuan, his eyes flashing with menace as he said in a low voice, "Then I'll give it a try and see if I have the opportunity!"
Zhao Zhangshi's left hand moved slightly, revealing a hidden dagger from his sleeve. Yuxuan lifted his foot as if to step forward; there were only seven or eight feet between them. With Zhao Zhangshi's long strides, one more step would bring him right up against Yuxuan.
Calculating his next move, Zhao Zhangshi prepared to strike with the dagger.
Yuxuan acted first, stepping down with his front foot. Zhao Zhangshi's gaze was fixed on Yuxuan's shoulders because no matter how agile or varied a person's movements were, their shoulders would always reveal their intentions clearly.
Yuxuan slightly shrank his left shoulder and shifted a bit to the right.
Zhao Zhangshi smirked inwardly, thinking that Yuxuan intended to pass by him on the right side, which he could not let happen. He immediately shifted to the right in response.
Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, Yuxuan had closed the distance to about five feet on his left side.
Zhao Zhangshi was taken aback and moved left to meet him, ready to stab with the dagger.
Suddenly, Yuxuan charged straight at him. If Zhao Zhangshi did not retreat, they would collide head-on.
Zhao Zhangshi was furious, the dagger poised to strike.
Yuxuan's body moved subtly a few times; to an outsider, it would have been imperceptible, but to Zhao Zhangshi, each movement felt like a direct assault on his weaknesses, as if he could foresee every intention and motion of his opponent.
These movements had nothing to do with hands or feet; merely the slight shifting of her shoulders sent clear signals that were almost unbelievable.
Instead of attacking, Zhao Zhangshi found himself involuntarily retreating three steps.
It was as if Yuxuan had rehearsed this countless times; each time he stepped back, she advanced, always just a fraction quicker, leaving him no time to think.
Yuxuan's presence was solid and imposing, her movements perfectly coordinated with an unmatched grace that left no room for error.
Zhao Zhangshi was taken aback, stepping aside in shock. "When did she become so...?"
Before he could finish his thought, Yuxuan struck again, landing a punch squarely in Zhao Zhangshi's abdomen. His stomach twisted painfully. "Ugh!"
Yuxuan's eyes widened as she declared, "How does it feel? You won't have a chance against me!"
The punch was heavy and forceful, as if it had sent him plummeting into the depths of hell.
Zhao Zhangshi glared at her with fierce eyes and coldly remarked, "I didn't expect your skills to improve so much..."
Gathering his focus, he smiled sinisterly. "It seems this body is hindering me. There's no choice but to let Zhao Zhangshi go."
A wave of fear washed over Yuxuan. "What do you intend to do?"
Zhao Zhangshi's face suddenly contorted, and with a sharp sound, his right arm burst forth with a claw-like appendage glinting menacingly.
Yuxuan looked at Zhao Zhangshi's tattered shoes, the four toes of his feet visible. Zhao Zhangshi's skin stretched, his face pulling upward like malt sugar. A wave of nausea washed over Yuxuan as a monster burst forth from Zhao Zhangshi's body. The creature's eyes were a deep red, as if they were bleeding from the pupils, and its yellow fangs resembled those of a tiger, fierce and menacing.
A strange roar erupted from the monster's mouth. "Roar..." it screamed, sending chills down Yuxuan's spine.
Yuxuan's face turned pale, her blood surging within her. She gasped in shock, "A... a monster!"
The creature grinned wickedly. "Wrong. Get up! Humans are the more terrifying monsters!"
Yuxuan's teeth chattered, her chest tightening as if she were convulsing. "Ah! What is this thing? It can actually talk to me!"
The monster licked its grotesque face and taunted, "So, can you still boast now?"
A cold wind swept through the passage behind Yuxuan, causing her to shiver. Suddenly, she remembered something! "I was tricked! You and I resurrected the Evil God just to lure me here to open the portal for you!"
The monster sneered. "You're only half right; I've been here many times before."
Yuxuan couldn't believe it. "How is that possible?"
The monster replied, "I'll explain later, but to open that door, I still need your help!"
With a loud roar, the monster lunged at Yuxuan.
Its claw came crashing down towards her head. Yuxuan braced herself with both hands against the monstrous wrist. "Even if you know about that door, I won't open it in front of you!"
Suddenly, Yuxuan threw the monster back, slamming it into a stone statue behind her. One of the statues crumbled under the impact. Yuxuan declared, "You miscalculated by killing Zhao Zhangshi. We may not have been close, but he watched me grow up. I do have some feelings for him. Now that he's dead, I have no reason to let you live!"
The monster cackled as it climbed back up. It noticed Yuxuan pointing with her right index finger, revealing a ring she wore. The creature suddenly realized, "So you're wearing the Monster Strength Ring! No wonder you could throw me! But when did you enter the Artifact Room? The Artifact Room is under my control; how did you get in without my key?"
"Yuxuan declared proudly, 'I am a princess, and there is no place in the Holy City that I cannot enter!'"
The monster laughed, "You can't say that's wrong."
Yuxuan clenched her fist, noticing her ring glimmering. "Monster Strength Ring, capable of shattering boulders, die!"
With a surge of energy, Yuxuan charged forward and delivered a powerful punch to the monster's abdomen. However, the creature's expression remained calm; there was no sign of broken bones or shattered flesh. The monster slowly chuckled, "Hehehe, that won't work on me."
Yuxuan's heart trembled. "How is that possible!"
---
"Brother Zichen, we're back in the same place," Shen Bifan said, his face showing signs of irritation.
Ji Zichen felt similarly but forced himself to remain calm. "Let's try another passage; this time we'll go this way."
They entered the left passage of the Column. The walls of the Column passage were constructed of stone bricks, and every corridor looked identical, making it easy to get lost. Shen Bifan remarked, "Building this maze must have taken a lot of effort."
Ji Zichen had to agree. "Yes, such a meticulous project would indeed require considerable work. We need to find a way out quickly; otherwise, we might starve to death here."
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