Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 1027 - 1025_1

Chapter 1027: 1025_1

Xiao’er and Shangguan Xuanyi stepped into this farmhouse that was as ordinary as it could be.

The three of them surveyed the room, and seeing nothing unusual, they each set off in different directions.

Xiao’er and Shangguan Xuanyi headed to the kitchen, while Zhao Yong went to inspect the backyard.

The small courtyard was full of evidence of everyday life. There were fresh cucumbers and other vegetables in the kitchen, a full water tank which looked like it has just been filled that morning, and notwithstanding the absence of people, these objects silently spoke to the fact that the homeowner had only left temporarily and would be back soon.

The stove housed some charred firewood, and when Xiao’er lifted the pot lid, she found some steamed buns that were still lukewarm. The heat had dissipated, leaving only droplets of water clinging to the pot edge and the lid.

"This family must’ve deliberately created this illusion of everyday life before sneaking out this morning," Xiao’er said, replacing the pot lid.

The courtyard door had been locked from the inside. This carefully set up scene was aimed at not alerting the hidden guards, allowing the occupants to leave silently. This could only mean that there was a secret passage in here.

"Hmm." Shangguan Xuanyi nodded his agreement after scanning the room for possible entrances to the secret passage. He had the same thought as Xiao’er.

"Master! There’s a secret passage here!" Zhao Yong’s voice floated in from the backyard.

Xiao’er and Shangguan Xuanyi quickly made their way over.

A cellar had been dug in the backyard, with Zhao Yong standing at its entrance.

"Master, there’s an entrance to the secret passage inside the cellar," said Zhao Yong, holding an oil lamp in each hand, apparently claiming them from the house.

"Let’s go!" Grabbing one of the oil lamps from Zhao Yong, Shangguan Xuanyi proceeded to descend into the cellar. Xiao’er was behind him, brandishing her sword. Zhao Yong followed suit, holding a lamp in one hand and a sword in the other, protecting Xiao’er’s rear.

Although the cellar was dark, it was dry and clean. It was filled with various items, mostly bamboo products. Presumably, the homeowner, a bamboo craftsman, concocted this to deceive others. However, there were no traces of food, which must have been taken away.

An area cluttered with junk items had been cleared to reveal a small door, painted black and adorned with ancient drawings.

The door was only wide and tall enough for one person to pass through. Xiao’er, the shortest of the three, had to stoop to enter, let alone those taller individuals.

"Master, let me go in first," Zhao Yong suggested, fearing that there might be danger within.

"No need! Your only duty is to protect the Princess," Shangguan Xuanyi stated as he unsheathed his sword, creating a gleam cold and deadly.

Hearing this, Xiao’er raised an eyebrow. Her martial arts skills were superior to Zhao Yong’s; did she really need his protection?

In the dark, Shangguan Xuanyi didn’t notice Xiao’er’s expression. Nevertheless, regardless of Xiao’er’s formidable martial arts abilities, even if she were invincible under the heavens, he still felt she needed protection. Using his sword, Shangguan Xuanyi pried open the small black door.

A whiff of cold wind blew in from the inner side of the door, followed by the voices of the hidden guards.

"It’s An Shier and the others in there!" Zhao Yong recognized the voices of his colleagues and announced.

Shangguan Xuanyi used the hilt of his sword to keep the door open, and Zhao Yong promptly used his sword edge to brace it, preventing it from shutting.

Considering the door’s unusual appearance, and the odd ancient drawings on it, they dared not to touch it directly for fear of possible toxins.

"Be careful, and stay close to me!" Shangguan Xuanyi warned Xiao’er. He now had a lamp in one hand and a sword in the other, leaving no hand to guide her.

Despite being dark, the secret passage was wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

"Mmm." With the light from the oil lamp, Xiao’er observed the carvings on the passage walls and responded nonchalantly.

Though she could not decipher the text on the walls, some of the images were quite gruesome and unsettling, especially in this pitch-dark environment.

From time to time, a gust of cold wind would sweep through the passage.

"The exit of this passage must be outdoors," Xiao’er surmised.

It was neither damp nor musty here due to the airflow, Shangguan Xuanyi nodded in agreement.

Soon, the three of them arrived at a fork in the passage.

"An Shier, you’ve marked everywhere, but what use is it? We’ve been in and out of these traps dozens of times, all the hidden weapons in the traps have been exhausted, and we’re still going in circles. We can’t get out!" The frustrated voice of An Shiba echoed through the passage.

"Well then, if you have a better idea to get us out, go ahead!" An Shier responded coolly.

Following the response, there was silence. An Shiba must have been rendered speechless.

Zhao Yong couldn’t help but laugh. Despite managing to trigger all the traps and exhaust all the hidden weapons within, they were still trapped in the same place, unable to find a way out. How unlucky was that!

A hint of laughter flickered in Xiao’er’s eyes. She and Shangguan Xuanyi exchanged glances before speaking in unison, "Left!"

Having chosen the left fork, they walked for a while before happening upon scattered arrows, darts, bloodstains.

Shangguan Xuanyi used his sword to clear away these covert weapons, making way for Xiao’er to pass through.

As she stepped around the debris, Xiao’er continued to inspect the wall paintings.

The more she looked at them, the more she felt as if she was one of the figures in the drawings, experiencing a growing urge for brutal defiance and slaughter.

These wall paintings could easily cause delusion and mental disorder if viewed for a prolonged period.

"There’s something off with the paintings on the wall. Zhao Yong, if you feel anything wrong with your thoughts, stop looking," Xiao’er said to Zhao Yong.

Having seen the paintings herself, Xiao’er was also experiencing negative emotions. She felt agitated, with a burning desire to rebel, betray, and kill, her bloodlust rising.

But ignoring the paintings wasn’t an option as they were key to breaking the formation set up in the passage. Unless Xiao’er had guessed wrong, the clue to breaking the formation was in the paintings on the walls.

She had to study all the wall paintings thoroughly.

Whoever convinced utilization of the winding secret passage and these bizarre paintings set in formation was incredibly clever! To break the formation, one must inspect the paintings. However, the more you observed the paintings, the more these images seemed to control your mind and cause you to lose yourself. Unable to control yourself, you might turn on your companions or even opt for suicide.

Ignoring the paintings would lead to dying from starvation trapped in the passage. Studying the paintings, one could end up killing themselves. Either way, death was inevitable. Isn’t the architect of this formation pretty smart?

After about 15 minutes, they caught up with An Shier and the others.

"Who goes there!" Upon their arrival, An Shi’s party quickly drew their swords, aiming at the incoming group.

Realizing that it was their master, An Shiba almost burst into tears of gratitude: Master, you’ve finally found us!

If they had to stay in this damned place any longer, they would have either died or suffered a mental breakdown.