Chapter 30: Terror in the Forbidden Grounds (1)

Shu Wan had not expected that she would still arrive too late. Yi Chenlan lay on the ground, covered in blood, his body lashed so severely that not a patch of skin remained unscathed. Her heart twisted painfully at the sight, and she rushed forward, grabbing the long whip that Shu Qi had swung down.

Shu Qi, in the heat of his fury, was interrupted. His expression darkened. When he saw that it was his daughter who had intervened, his rage only intensified. “Let go! Are you pleading for this traitor again?! Have all my words gone in one ear and out the other?! Have I spoiled you too much all these years?!”

Shu Wan had never been shouted at like this before. She flinched, suppressing her instinctive fear, and gritted her teeth as she said: “I’m not pleading. I came to clarify things. Senior Brother Ah Lan did not take me by force—it was I who suggested letting him go!”

Shu Qi’s face grew even gloomier. He yanked the whip from Shu Wan’s hand and pointed at the bloodied Yi Chenlan on the ground. “What kind of charm has he cast on you that makes you protect him like this?! This is not your place to speak. I will deal with you after this matter is settled! Get out of the way!”

Shu Wan’s body trembled, but she did not move aside. Instead, she knelt beside Yi Chenlan, carefully lifting him and letting him lean against her. His blood immediately soaked her clothes. In all her life, she had never seen a person bleed so much.

Yet Yi Chenlan, for some reason, seemed deeply uneasy and attempted to draw away, but he was too weak to even move his hands freely.

The sight made Shu Wan’s heart ache terribly. She held his hand tightly to comfort him and looked at Shu Qi, pleading: “Father, I’m telling the truth. This was my own decision. Senior Brother Ah Lan only said what he did because of me. It was my fault—please, don’t hit him…”

Yi Chenlan froze for a moment. Just moments ago, he had been trying to pull away from Shu Wan’s warm grip, but now he was suddenly still, as if someone had sealed his acupoints.

Shu Qi cast a cold glance at the two and said sternly: “Shu Wan, move aside at once. Don’t make me disappointed in you.”

Shu Wan clutched Yi Chenlan’s hand tighter and refused: “I can’t… This really is my fault…”

She was utterly terrified inside. According to the book, on Shu Qi’s birthday, Yi Chenlan was supposed to be locked up in the water prison, forgotten by everyone. She had specifically chosen this day, never expecting that in the end, she would be the one to cause him such harm.

Shu Wan’s arms tightened around him once more. Such a good Senior Brother Ah Lan—he had taken the blame for everything on her behalf, and now he was so badly wounded. She had to protect him, and would not let him suffer such unjust pain ever again.

The girl’s arm carefully avoided his wounds. Yi Chenlan’s body began to tremble slightly. At last, he silently closed his eyes, ceasing to resist Shu Wan’s embrace. His brows furrowed faintly, and his head, resting weakly on Shu Wan’s shoulder, seemed to nuzzle gently against her.

Shu Wan felt Yi Chenlan’s silent vulnerability, and her heart filled with guilt and remorse. With reddened eyes, she pleaded to Shu Qi: “Father, please stop hitting him. Senior Brother Ah Lan is already gravely injured… If this goes on, you’ll beat him to death…”

Shu Qi stared coldly at Yi Chenlan, gnashing his teeth. “I didn’t expect you to be so cunning. Where was this frail act just moments ago? So this is how you deceived my daughter!”

He pointed at Shu Wan, furious and disappointed. “To think I have such a foolish and shameless daughter, bewitched by the son of the Demon Lord to the point of disgrace! You’ve utterly humiliated me!”

Shu Qi’s chest rose and fell with rage. At the side, Song Anzhi quickly stepped forward to intercede. “Second Senior Brother, don’t be angry with Wan Wan. She’s still young—how can you blame her for being misled? The real shame is this bastard who knows how to put on a performance. As soon as Wan Wan arrived, he started acting like this!”

He turned to Shu Wan and scolded sternly: “Wan Wan! Let go of him now! Don’t be so immature! In front of everyone, embracing the son of the Demon Lord—what sort of propriety is that?! Are you not ashamed before Ah Yang? Before your departed Grand Senior Martial Uncle?!”

Had Song Anzhi not brought it up, Shu Wan might not have remembered. But as soon as he did, something in her mind suddenly snapped. She held Yi Chenlan even tighter, and without a care for consequences, shouted loudly: “I have not wronged Grand Senior Martial Uncle! The ones who wronged him are you all! Senior Brother Ah Lan is the one who—”

Before she could finish, something struck her throat. A sweet taste rose in her mouth, and she immediately lost her voice.

On the ground lay a jade thumb ring that Shu Qi often wore. The hand that had thrown it now trembled violently as it pointed at Shu Wan. “You—You rebellious girl…” Shu Qi’s expression was dark and conflicted, his gaze icy. For a fleeting moment, a trace of indistinct murderous intent seemed to flicker within his eyes.

For a brief three breaths, the grand hall fell into a heavy silence. Everyone was stunned by Shu Qi’s sudden action—striking his own daughter. Seeing Shu Wan cough uncontrollably, unable to speak, it seemed clear her vocal cords had already been damaged.

Song Anzhi frowned and began to speak: “Second Senior Brother, you—”

Shu Qi suddenly raised a hand to silence him. After a moment to compose himself, he finally spoke in a cold voice: “Take the Eldest Miss down. Have Zhou Yuan examine her thoroughly. The drug Yi Chenlan gave her has already impaired her mind, causing this disgraceful behavior. I ask all the Great Heroes present not to take offense.” His face was dark, and with visible weariness, he cupped his hands in a salute to the crowd.

“How could we? Miss Shu is also a victim, truly innocent.”

“Great Hero Shu, be at ease. None of us will hold this against Miss Shu. She was clearly ensnared by the villain’s scheme…”

…

Shu Wan’s heart grew colder by the second. Knowing Shu Qi as she did, he might not kill her—but he certainly had the means to silence her forever. Perhaps he would ensure she could never speak again, or worse, make her forget what she was never meant to know.

And even if Shu Qi could spare her life… what about Yi Chenlan? Would he ever allow him to live?

Shu Wan lowered her head slightly. At some point, Yi Chenlan had already lost consciousness. Her heart was filled with dread—if they were both captured, what fate would await them?

But before she could find an answer to that question, her body moved on instinct. Supporting Yi Chenlan with one arm, she rose to her feet. With her other hand, she struck out like lightning, swiftly knocking down the four people who had stepped forward to seize her.

Without hesitation, Shu Wan slung Yi Chenlan over her back and used her Qinggong to dash toward the entrance. Her movements were agile and graceful, gliding through the crowd like a fish swimming through water. Because no one had expected such a bold escape, she actually managed to break through the encirclement.

Shu Wan dared not stop for even a moment. She had originally intended to flee toward the mountaintop, but fearing the abundance of experts within the Zhongshan Sect and the exhaustion that would inevitably follow, she worried she would be caught before reaching the peak. The autumn evening wind swept past, chilling the cold sweat that drenched her body.

What should she do? They were almost upon her—what should she do?

Shu Wan ran blindly forward. In the distance ahead, a dense forest came into view. As she dashed into it, a sudden flash of inspiration struck her—she remembered this place.

This was the forbidden ground of the Zhongshan Sect.

In the book, after Yi Chenlan mastered the unrivaled Snow Mountain Technique, one of the first places he descended to from Snowy Night Mountain was the Zhongshan Sect. There, he had gone on a killing spree, turning the area into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

Among those who survived were Zhou Yuan, Song Anzhi, and a few others whom he had no intention of killing. Their survival was due only to Jiang Yang, who led them into this very forbidden ground.

This place could only be opened once. After being triggered, all the mechanisms inside would automatically destroy themselves. And now, purely by chance, she had stumbled upon it!

Shu Wan quickened her pace. She had already seen the gate to the forbidden ground, but behind her, the chaos of footsteps drew ever nearer.

“Stop her! Don’t let her enter the forbidden ground!”

Shu Wan’s heart sank heavily. Shu Qi, the proud Sect Master, with so many subordinates at his command and his identity so lofty—he was actually taking action himself to capture her? Could it be that, apart from that “thing” inside, there were other secrets within the forbidden ground that even she didn’t know?

In the dark night, the gate to the forbidden ground loomed large and black, like a silent beast resting deep in the forest, shrouded in mystery and menace.

Shu Wan sprinted all the way to the gate. Just as she reached for the metal ring to open it, a figure suddenly dropped from above and grabbed her wrist, flinging her aside.

Song Anzhi said nothing, his hands forming claws as he swiftly reached for Shu Wan again. Shu Wan, still shielding Yi Chenlan, immediately twisted her body to evade the attack.

“Cough, cough, cough…” She was desperate to speak, but her injured vocal cords rendered her mute. In frustration, she could only wave her hands wildly, pointing at Yi Chenlan, then shaking her head and gesturing at Song Anzhi.

He’s Jiang Xuanfeng’s son! Don’t hurt him—or you’ll regret it!

But in Song Anzhi’s eyes, her gestures were nothing more than another plea for Yi Chenlan. His expression darkened, and he struck once more to capture her. Shu Wan, drawing upon all her internal energy, curved her arm around one of his and threw him off, forcing him back three steps.

“Wan Wan! Are you truly going to fight me for his sake?!” Song Anzhi staggered, his face filled with disbelief.

Shu Wan’s eyes reddened at his reproach. She hadn’t wanted to treat Third Uncle with such disrespect. But if she didn’t resist with all her strength now, how could she possibly escape? If only she could get Yi Chenlan to safety, she would return and apologize to Song Anzhi—she promised herself she would.

Shu Wan suffered from being unable to speak; she was overwhelmed with anxiety and fear, and tears flowed uncontrollably from her eyes. The injustice she felt was so evident that anyone who saw her would have softened.

Song Anzhi’s movement halted. He withdrew his attack and rebuked her in a low voice: “You child! Why are you crying!”

She had no intention of hurting Brother Song Anzhi, nor did she have time to entangle with him. Shu Wan grew even more frantic inside, her tears streaming more fiercely. The feeling of opening her mouth and not being able to speak filled her with despair. All she could do was clasp her hands together in a panicked gesture, shaking them repeatedly in a silent plea for Song Anzhi to let her pass.

Song Anzhi furrowed his brows, his expression showing hesitation. His hand twitched slightly. “You… what are you doing…”

“Anzhi! Stop her! Don’t let her through that door!”

Song Anzhi suddenly snapped out of it and no longer hesitated. His move was swift as lightning as he reached to grab Shu Wan’s shoulder, seemingly trying to shake Yi Chenlan off her back. Shu Wan kept retreating. Just as she was about to move a hand to protect Yi Chenlan, she suddenly felt him stir.

Yi Chenlan’s arm, which had been hanging down in front of her, gave a slight flick, as if he had thrown something. Instantly, Song Anzhi’s movements became disordered, his steps faltered, and he staggered while holding his forehead, reeling in place from dizziness.

“Anzhi!”

“You unfilial girl! You let that Demon Lord poison your Third Uncle! Stop right there!”

Shu Qi was already several yards away. Shu Wan gritted her teeth, and silently vowed: “Third Uncle, I promise I’ll come back to apologize.” before turning and running toward the entrance of the forbidden grounds. She grabbed the door ring, twisted it one and a half turns to the left, then forcefully pushed inward, and immediately slipped through the door.

Once inside, all sounds vanished in an instant.

Outside the door, the night was still lit by moonlight and torches, making it easy to see; but inside, there was no light at all—only a pitch blackness that stirred unease in the heart.

As soon as she entered, Shu Wan carefully laid Yi Chenlan down and collapsed to the side herself, her strength depleted. Countless emotions surged at once: guilt toward Yi Chenlan, anger and hatred toward Shu Qi, disappointment in those so-called Great Heroes of the Jianghu, remorse toward Brother Song Anzhi…

“Wan Wan.”

Yi Chenlan suddenly spoke softly. In this boundless darkness, his voice sounded even clearer and more magnetic. Yet his tone seemed cautious, as though he feared disturbing someone.

Shu Wan instinctively opened her mouth to say: “I’m here.” but forgot that her vocal cords were damaged and she couldn’t make a sound. The effort caused searing pain in her throat. She clutched her neck, and tears streamed down her face from the agony.

“We’ll explain everything clearly when we get out. It was I who held you hostage. I did use a sedative on you… As long as you admit it, your Father will forgive you. Everything will go back to how it was before.”

As Shu Wan wiped away the tears brought on by the pain, she couldn’t help but feel a bit puzzled. Why was Senior Brother Ah Lan still saying this? What did he mean by “everything going back to how it was before”? Besides, they wouldn’t be able to get out anyway—the mechanism had already been destroyed.

“Third Uncle will be fine.” Yi Chenlan spoke again after a long silence, his voice even softer: “The powder is non-toxic. It only temporarily disrupts one’s internal energy, weakens the body. He’ll recover in a few days.”

I know that.

Shu Wan “looked” in the direction the voice came from, not understanding why Yi Chenlan was explaining these things to her. She had never thought he would actually harm Brother Song Anzhi. It was only that she couldn’t speak, so she wanted to pat his hand to comfort him. Yet after groping around for a while, she couldn’t feel anyone nearby.

Yi Chenlan also fell silent again.

Shu Wan waited for a moment, but he didn’t speak anymore. Just as she began to worry that he might have passed out again, her hand was gently held.

Yi Chenlan’s hand moved with great caution, trembling ever so slightly, as if afraid Shu Wan would fling him away at any moment. “Wan Wan, don’t cry…”

His voice was hoarse, as though strained, and he spoke with difficulty: “Please… don’t hate me…”

What was he thinking?! How could she possibly hate him? It didn’t make any sense at all! Shu Wan scrambled upright and gripped Yi Chenlan’s hand in return. She held it tightly, even rubbed his fingertips, as if to prove she didn’t hate him in the slightest, hoping he wouldn’t overthink.

Her hands were small—both together barely covered Yi Chenlan’s palm. Shu Wan rubbed his cold fingertips, then flattened out his hand and carefully traced words on his palm with her slender index finger:

“Senior Brother Ah Lan, I don’t hate you. Don’t overthink.”

Yi Chenlan felt each stroke traced in his palm. At last, he held Shu Wan’s hand tightly in his own and hesitantly asked: “Wan Wan, why can’t you speak? Where are you hurt?”

Shu Wan was taken aback. It seemed Yi Chenlan had fainted before her vocal cords were injured and was completely unaware she had lost her voice. She thought for a moment, then slowly wrote: “It’s nothing…”

“Wan Wan, let’s go out now. We’ll explain everything clearly. Let Uncle-Master Zhou treat your injuries.” Yi Chenlan gently wiped the tears from the corners of Shu Wan’s eyes and cheeks. His voice was as soft as a sigh. “You don’t have to… don’t have to protect me anymore…”

There was a deep pain in his tone. Shu Wan’s heart tightened—Senior Brother Ah Lan was already this badly injured; it must hurt terribly. Yet he was still doing his utmost to care for her, worrying about having Uncle-Master Zhou treat her wounds. Why did he never show any concern for himself?

Shu Wan drew Yi Chenlan’s hand over and gently wrote: “Senior Brother Ah Lan, does it hurt a lot? Don’t move around. Let me help you regulate your breath.”

Yi Chenlan was silent for a long time before finally replying in a hoarse voice: “I’m fine.”

He added: “Let’s go out.”

“We can’t.” Shu Wan wrote carefully. “The mechanism breaks after one use. The people outside can’t get in, and the people inside can’t get out.”

Yi Chenlan’s fingers twitched slightly. Shu Wan’s fingertip had merely brushed across his palm, very lightly, and yet it felt as if the words had been etched straight through bone and blood into his heart.

“Who hurt you?” He no longer mentioned going outside but asked this instead.

Shu Wan’s fingers hesitated, moved slightly in Yi Chenlan’s palm, but wrote nothing.

“It was Shu Qi, wasn’t it.” Yi Chenlan’s voice was low and heavy. In the darkness, no one could see the surge of menace in his eyes.

A sudden chill crept over Shu Wan without reason. She shrank back slightly and slowly nodded—only to remember that Yi Chenlan couldn’t see her nodding. Just as she was about to move again, she felt Yi Chenlan’s hand shift.

He carefully, tentatively curled his fingers inward, enclosing her hand gently within his own.

“Blame me.” Yi Chenlan whispered.

There he went again, taking everything onto himself. Shu Wan pursed her lips, then stubbornly wrote her rebuttal: “I don’t blame you.”

In the darkness, Yi Chenlan’s lips curved faintly into a small smile, and he slowly shook his head. “Wan Wan, you don’t know…”

You don’t know what kind of situation this is now.

You foolishly ran off with me—do you realize what you’ll lose because of it?

Yi Chenlan stopped himself before finishing his thought. He merely reached out and gently patted Shu Wan’s small head.

Shu Wan paid no mind to Yi Chenlan’s cryptic words and was focused on tending to his injuries. She first guided a stream of internal energy into his pulse gate, intending to protect his heart meridian. But after that energy circulated through his body, Shu Wan froze in astonishment. Her expression turned deeply troubled as she trembled and pulled his hand toward her, writing:

“Why is your internal energy gone? Your dantian…”