Chapter 251:
After handling the cave entrance leading to the Treasure Vault, Lu Yun gathered his energy and advanced nearly two li along another passage excavated by Kou Xianzhi, finally reaching the last place Kou Xianzhi had dug. Lu Yun originally wanted to try digging a few times himself, but helplessly, half the time he could hold his breath had already passed. Moreover, on the return trip, since it was against the rushing current, the consumption of his aura would double.
For the sake of caution, he only struck one palm toward the rock battered by the rushing current, then borrowed the rebound force to turn around and swim back against the current.
The return journey was indeed twice as arduous. In this narrow long passage, the water flow was several times more turbulent, every moment like countless steeds charging at full speed smashing toward him head-on. Lu Yun had to consume a large amount of true qi to offset the impact of the water flow, while also maintaining speed; otherwise, the air in his body wouldn’t suffice. By the time he saw the exit, he was nearly suffocating, struggling to surface almost purely on instinct.
Su Yingxiu, who had been anxiously waiting by the underground river, hurriedly pulled him ashore. Looking at Lu Yun with his chest heaving violently, panting like a bellows, the Saintess couldn’t help but click her tongue: “Such a hard trip down there.”
After a good while, Lu Yun’s aura gradually steadied, and he then gave a bitter smile: “The passage itself is fine; it’s just really too long. A round trip has already reached the limit, let alone continuing to open the way.”
“Looks like with just the two of us, we’re really out of options.” Su Yingxiu sighed lightly.
“Yeah.” Lu Yun forced himself to sit up, adjusting his aura while frowning: “Only a Grandmaster who has opened all meridians throughout the body, with endless aura, could possibly continue excavating.” At this point, feeling slightly better in his body, he gave a bitter smile: “The only good news is that those rocks have been repeatedly scoured by the rapids, so they’re not too hard to shatter.”
“Useless if you can’t breathe.” Su Yingxiu shook her head vexedly: “We can only seek aid from my Master and the others.”
Lu Yun could vaguely sense that Su Yingxiu seemed very unwilling to face Sun Yuanlang again; this was a huge change from her previous attitude of regarding her Master as sacred before seeing Kou Xianzhi’s letter.
“Get ready; we’ll head back for aid as soon as possible.” Lu Yun didn’t provoke her, speaking softly.
“Alright.” Su Yingxiu nodded, then as if thinking of something, said: “How should we explain this passage to those people?”
“Isn’t this exactly what you’re best at?” Lu Yun, however, drooped his eyelids without a care, focusing on recovering his condition.
“Then I’ll say it’s the work of nature’s wondrous craftsmanship.” Su Yingxiu said with a playful smile.
“Whatever.” Lu Yun rolled his eyes and ignored the Saintess no longer.
.
Moments later, the two returned along the way they came. Though the journey was also arduous, it was much better than Lu Yun’s previous trip. Lu Yun ascended against the current unhurriedly, even giving Su Yingxiu a pull along the way, without needing to resort to artificial respiration; thus, they safely reached the shore.
“Husband, are you feeling a bit regretful?” Su Yingxiu circulated qi to dry her body, found her dress that she had removed earlier, and while putting it on, smiled at Lu Yun: “I’ve prepared myself to be taken advantage of by Husband this time.”
“I’m not going to kill you, so why bother with this routine with me?” Lu Yun was somewhat helpless.
“I’m clearly sincere, yet you’re the one always playing dumb.” Su Yingxiu sighed faintly, seemingly quite dejected, and no longer teased him with words.
Lu Yun only saw Su Yingxiu take out a scarf from the sleeve of her dress and slowly cover her world-toppling beauty, also concealing the vivid expressions on her face.
Once the veil was on, the cold, composed, and aloof Taiping Dao Saintess reappeared before Lu Yun.
“Young Master Lu, after we go up, we still won’t be able to leave that Control Room.”
Hearing Su Yingxiu call him ‘Young Master Lu’, Lu Yun inexplicably felt a sense of loss, and couldn’t help secretly cursing himself for being truly cheap.
“Let’s go up first,” Lu Yun composed himself and said softly: “So much time has passed; the situation should have changed.”
“Mm.” Su Yingxiu nodded, glanced at the hole Lu Yun had chiseled in the top of the head, then performed Pulling Onions from Dry Land, leaping over a zhang into the air. But there were still several feet to the cave entrance. Unhurried, Su Yingxiu sent a White Silk Ribbon flying from her sleeve. The White Silk Ribbon shot out like a spiritual snake, firmly wrapping around a mechanism in the Control Room, and Su Yingxiu gracefully leaped up into the Control Room using its power.
“Impressive movement technique.” While praising, Lu Yun also leaped over a zhang high, surprisingly on par with Su Yingxiu… Though Lu Yun’s martial arts far surpassed Su Yingxiu’s, in terms of movement technique, they were evenly matched, and Su Yingxiu, with her lighter body, seemed even slightly superior.
However, Lu Yun easily leaped into the control room. After jumping up, his body descended slightly. His toes lightly touched a waterwheel, and his figure soared again, appearing in the Control Room in an instant.
After steadying himself, Lu Yun was about to speak when he saw Su Yingxiu make a silencing gesture. Lu Yun quickly shut his mouth and heard someone pounding and shouting outside the stone door in the distance.
Lu Yun listened intently. After discerning the shout, he couldn’t help but cry out in wild joy: “It’s my Master!” But his smile suddenly froze, because he also heard several other voices speaking. Clearly, Sun Yuanlang was no longer outside the door… Now, who would protect Su Yingxiu?
“Is Young Master Lu worried about Yingxiu?” Su Yingxiu’s beautiful eyes flashed, and she smiled with a complex expression: “Rest assured; my Master will absolutely be fine. With him safe, Yingxiu will naturally be safe too.”
“I hope so.” Lu Yun softly acknowledged, then walked to the stone door and shouted loudly outside: “Master, your disciple is in here!”
“Great! I said you wouldn’t be in trouble!” Lu Xian’s throat was already hoarse from shouting, but hearing Lu Yun, his excited voice changed pitch as he loudly said to the several people beside him: “Everyone, my disciple is indeed still alive! Please lend me a hand to open this stone door, and I, Lu Xian, will owe each of you a favor!”
“Looks like Brother Lu really values this disciple. Alright, I’ll help with this!” Cui Dingzhi’s voice rang out.
“Count me in too; an opportunity to have Vice Sect Master Lu owe a favor is too rare.” Pei Yuqiu’s voice also came from outside the stone door.
Immediately after, several other voices chimed in, all expressing willingness to help. Clearly, the owners of these voices were the other Grandmasters.
Just as these big shots were about to attempt breaking the stone door, Lu Yun deeply glanced at Su Yingxiu, then suddenly shouted loudly: “Master, is Sun Yuanlang out there?!”
“That kid…” Lu Xian outside couldn’t help frowning at the words, but still answered: “That demonic Daoist, seeing so many helpers for me, naturally won’t show himself; he’s probably hiding nearby somewhere.” Pausing, he counter-questioned: “By the way, how’s that demoness?”
“…” Lu Yun glanced at Su Yingxiu, about to reply, when she preemptively laughed toward the stone door: “Thank you for your concern, Vice Sect Master Lu; this little woman is doing very well.”
“Gah!” Lu Xian was startled cold by her sudden interjection and didn’t know what to say.
“Hah! We’re about to blast this stone door open; you two stand back, watch out for getting caught in it!” At this moment, Pei Yuqiu’s voice erupted suddenly.
Lu Yun and Su Yingxiu had no time to think, quickly retreating several zhang. Just as they pulled back, a earth-shattering loud noise exploded outside!
Amid the loud noise, the incredibly sturdy, over one chi thick stone door shattered with a boom. The violent airflow, carrying gravel, surged madly toward Lu Yun and Su Yingxiu, dizzying and blinding them. Su Yingxiu even directly fell to the ground, but luckily Lu Yun caught her and shielded her behind him, so the Saintess wasn’t injured…
Lu Yun himself was battered by the airflow, face bruised and swollen, staggering about. The combined strike of the Grandmasters truly had the might of heaven and earth!
