Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 385 - 383

Chapter 385: 383

After the gold bricks were removed, a door appeared on each of two walls.

The golden python instantly slithered out through one of the doors and made its way up.

Seeing this, Feng Hen swiftly drew his sword, shielding himself from incoming arrows while he approached the door. He turned the switch on the wall and the door automatically opened to reveal a circular space overgrown with weeds. He quickly dashed out.

"My Lord, come out now. We should be at the bottom of the well, I can see the sky!" He called out after stepping out.

After speaking, Feng Hen struggled with a heavy bag of gold, leapt twice, and climbed out of the ancient well, freeing up space for the others to come out.

Shangguan Xuanyi picked up Xiao’er and they quickly ran out. He then held her and with a jump, they scaled the well.

Protecting the rear, Fengxing blocked the incoming swords for Shangguan Xuanyi and the others as they escaped.

After he stepped out, the door closed automatically, leaving no evidence of ever being opened.

Just as the door closed, a swarm of poisonous darts was shot from the wall in all directions. They were impossible to avoid even with the best defense!

When Fengxing leapt out of the ancient well, Feng Hen brought a large stone and threw it into the well.

Fengxing felt that wasn’t secure enough, so he picked up another stone and threw it in.

"Where are we?" Xiao’er looked around at the environment littered with fragments of ruined walls, manufactured landscapes, and overgrown weeds.

This seemed to be an abandoned backyard.

"We are in the backyard of a manor on the outskirts of the border town," Feng Hen began, "I didn’t expect that beneath this ancient well there was a hidden chamber."

"This manor is rumored to have once been the Medicine King’s mansion," Fengxing added.

The Medicine King had passed away centuries ago and was known to be extremely wealthy.

The mansion had been searched by many, but nothing was ever found. Yet, a century later, they unexpectedly found the treasures the Medicine King left behind in the world.

"Xiao Huang, what was behind the other door?" Xiao’er asked curiously, rather regretful she couldn’t go in and see for herself.

"A coffin made of solid gold."

Xiao’er: "..."

"Fill the well with soil and then let’s get going," commanded Shangguan Xuanyi indifferently.

The well was connected to the other end in Xiyue Country, so it was safest to fill it up.

After they left, Yang Yong and his soldiers arrived, only to be met with endless poisonous spiders, secret arrows, poisonous needles... and all sorts of contraptions.

In the end, he was the only one who barely escaped with his life.

While Xiao’er and her group were unscathed, the military camp was in turmoil.

Today was meant to be the day they were set to return to the Imperial Capital; unfortunately, Shangguan Xuanjun had been waiting half the day and Shangguan Xuanyi still hadn’t returned.

The scout they had sent out returned to report that the wizard and the saintess of Xiyue Country had been struck dead by lightning during their ritual, and even a princess consort of King Xiyue had suddenly died.

That was enough evidence that the ritual had been interrupted.

But up to now, they had still not returned; and there was no trace of the Sixth Prince and his group at the place of the event.

This caused everyone to be even more clueless about what happened and why they were delayed until now and had not yet returned.

"It’s winter now, but there was thunder and lightning last night with strange atmospheric conditions. The shifting sands of the desert must have become even more unpredictable. Due to the lack of stars to guide them, could they have gotten lost?" speculated Di Shaowei, who had experienced the hardships of the shifting sands.

"But they should still be able to identify their direction after sunrise!" Jingrui looked again toward the direction of the desert, growing increasingly anxious.

"I’ll take some soldiers and go find them!" Shangguan Xuanjun couldn’t wait any longer. He stood up and strode off.

"I’m going too!" Jingrui also stood up.

Concerned, Di Shaowei also stood, "I will lead a team of soldiers to search as well."

"You can’t even navigate the desert yourself, and you want to lead a team of soldiers? If the Sixth Prince and his group return, and we then have to send someone to look for you, wouldn’t that be redundant?" Li Mingfang couldn’t help but sneer.

"There’s no need for you to worry about me. It’s none of your business!" was the best response Di Shaowei could muster in his embarrassment.

The truth was he did lose his sense of direction while in the desert.

At that moment, a soldier came running in and shouted, "The Sixth Prince and his group are back."

Shangguan Xuanjun immediately ran out, grabbed Xiao’er’s hand, swung her around, and then waved his hand in front of her eyes, "Who am I?"

Xiao’er, both amused and confused by his question, wondered if he thought that her soul had been snatched away.

Thinking of this, she decided to play along, "If you don’t know who you are, how would I know?"

It’s over! It’s over! Her soul had indeed been taken away! She couldn’t even recognize herself!

"I am the second prince! Don’t worry; once we return to the Imperial Capital, I will ask a highly skilled person to retrieve your soul," he reassured.

Shangguan Xuanyi pulled Xiao’er to his side and glared disgustingly at Shangguan Xuanhao. Is it even possible for someone to be this stupid?

Jingrui gave Xiao’er a thorough once-over before he asked, concerned, "Are you alright, Riyao?"

Riyao was Xiao’er’s pseudonym when she was disguised as a boy.

"Don’t worry, I’m fine," Xiao’er reassured Jingrui with a smile.

She couldn’t trick her older brother.

"Well then, you just deceived me and made me worry about you to the point where I couldn’t even eat lunch!" said Shangguan Xuanjun, looking aggrieved.

"Since you can’t eat, remember not to eat anything later!" Shangguan Xuanjun could not stand it anymore. Lunch hadn’t even started yet and he already knew that he wouldn’t be able to eat?

Shangguan Xuanhao was furious, "Shangguan Xuanjun, come here, I promise I won’t beat you to death!"

"Can you even win against me?" Shangguan Xuanjun calmly asked.

Shangguan Xuanhao was floored, those without martial arts skills always get the short end of the stick! But:

"Come here, I promise I won’t poison you to death!"

Shangguan Xuanjun did not want to bother with him.

Seeing that they were alright and even in the mood to joke around, Di Shaowei also relaxed. Seeing their black faces, he asked, "Did you guys crawl through a stove or something?"

Mentioning this made Xiao’er mad!

"Don’t mention it. I was tricked by a damn swan! I’m going to clean myself up." She looked at her pitch-black hands, grief-stricken at just how horrible her face must look. To think that she had been wearing this dirty face for so long was unbearable! Upon saying this, she ran off.

Fengxing looked up at the sky, just what did lightning have to do with a swan?

"What does a swan have to do with anything?" Di Shaowei asked, confused.

"It must be a slip of the tongue. She probably wanted to say ’Oh God’ but mistakenly said ’swan’ instead. It was probably due to getting hit by lightning." Feng Hen thought for a moment before explaining.

Everyone: They got hit by lightning? What grievous deed did they do to irk the heavens?

Di Shaowei: "To make such a mistake...could it be a side effect of having her soul snatched?"

Shangguan Xuanhao: "It was probably due to being struck by lightning! You see, she’s so unconscionable normally, she doesn’t even know to treat me better. Even the heavens can’t stand it anymore and gave a warning!"

"You might as well not eat your lunch and keep worrying!" Shangguan Xuanyi replied before leaving to clean himself up.

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