69 - Little Peasant Wife

Shen Lu Man nodded and walked a few steps before saying, "Actually, there's another exit in this cave, but..." Jing Ao Xue widened her eyes in surprise and asked, "Another exit? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Shen Lu Man, still carrying her, continued towards the cave's entrance, "I just heard the faint sound of water. There's bound to be a stream flowing through a crack in the mountain. If we follow that stream, we might find a way out." "Then why are we hesitating? Hey, why are you still heading outside? Is there something wrong with that path?" Shen Lu Man chuckled, "If it were that easy to exit, would that man have been guarding here for so many years? And although there are many corpses here, upon closer inspection, there are only about a thousand." "If they truly had been hiding here anonymously for so long, how could there be so few bodies? I reckon those corpses must have fallen into the underground river through the crevice, vanishing without a trace. If one is lucky, one might see daylight again, but if unlucky..." "However, I think that even a single corpse in such a miserable state, falling outside, would cause quite a stir. It's impossible that I've been in the mortal realm for years and never heard of it. The path beneath that crevice is likely a dead end." Jing Ao Xue clicked her tongue in amazement, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she exclaimed, "My wife, you're truly amazing, just as brilliant as Detective Holmes!" Holmes? Who's that? Shen Lu Man did not understand and didn't ask further. Instead, she quietly left the cave with Jing Ao Xue on her back, planning to leave. But remembering she might have left traces, she decided to act. Activating her water spirit energy, she used a water technique to wash away all traces inside the cave, leaving nothing behind. Since no water flowed out of the cave entrance, it confirmed Shen Lu Man's earlier guess was correct. The two cautiously sought a path down the mountain but were interrupted by chaotic noises. A bandit shouted up the hill, "It's the government! Grab your weapons!" Both Jing Ao Xue and Shen Lu Man were stunned, with Shen Lu Man squinting towards the foot of the mountain. In the dark night, a fiery line was advancing uphill. "Oh no," Jing Ao Xue exclaimed. "How did the government troops get here so early?" From the looks of their formation and numbers, they intended to encircle the mountain thoroughly, leaving no survivors. Shen Lu Man felt restless, not expecting this journey to be so troublesome, facing different threats one after another. With the path down the mountain blocked and the people moving upwards, they could only retreat back to the bandits' camp for now and find a place to hide. She shared her plan with Jing Ao Xue. After considering, Jing Ao Xue, unable to think of a better idea, nodded, and they ran back uphill together. They encountered bandits along the way. Jing Ao Xue swiftly dealt with those charging at them, while they let the ones fleeing keep running so as not to waste time. Instead of returning to the cave, they hid in a mid-level room in the bandit fortress. The camp's numerous buildings would take the government soldiers a full day to search, giving them a good chance to evade detection until the search intensity subsided. They randomly picked a door, and to their surprise, it led to the bandits' treasury, with the room full of gold and silver. Jing Ao Xue: "..." She was nearly blinded by the glittering treasure. Ordinarily, a treasury commanding such wealth should be more conspicuous. Why was this one so hidden? Seeing the pile of jewels, Shen Lu Man wasted no time. Before Jing Ao Xue could speak, she grabbed handfuls and started filling her storage pouch. After storing a few handfuls, she noticed Jing Ao Xue staring in shock. Believing Jing Ao Xue might want a pouch, she handed her a new one, "I only brought basic items when leaving the cultivation world. I have two storage pouches; you can use this one." With complex emotions, Jing Ao Xue accepted it, reflecting on her past. Unlike Shen Lu Man, she had rebelled against her uncle and lost all her cultivation items to servants, left with only decorative trinkets that now could be exchanged for silver in the mortal world. She sighed and took a handful of gold to store, but found herself unable to open it, as her wood-based abilities differed from spiritual energy. Shen Lu Man noticed and asked, "I thought your use of that skill meant your wood spirit root was recovering. So what now...?" Blinking, Jing Ao Xue lied smoothly, "My recovery isn't complete. That green needle was something else; it's complicated. I can't use this pouch, so you handle it, and I'll keep watch at the door." Squinting at her back, Shen Lu Man's curiosity grew. Since learning Jing Ao Xue could lie, she could discern when Jing Ao Xue spoke truthfully or deceitfully. Like now, Jing Ao Xue was lying, but convincingly so. Though displeased, Shen Lu Man knew this was no time to debate. She quickly packed most of the gold and jade, then signaled Jing Ao Xue, "I'm done. Let's go." Jing Ao Xue noticed the remaining treasures and asked, "What about these? Why not take it all?" Shen Lu Man replied, "Firstly, the pouch is full; secondly, if a bandit camp lacks treasures, would you believe it? Would the officials just ignore it?" Jing Ao Xue conceded, "You’re right. You are thorough as ever. Let’s get moving before bandits return for their loot." Nodding, Shen Lu Man led them further afield to find a safer hiding spot. As they lay on a bed, fighting sounds and screams filled the air outside. Jing Ao Xue grasped Shen Lu Man's hand, teasing, "This is our first time lying together like this." Focused on listening for danger, Shen Lu Man warmed at the comment and retorted, "Now's not the time for this." Jing Ao Xue grinned, "Why not? It’s good to have hope in life. By the way, when will we share a bed? Liu Er’s grown up; isn’t it time she had her own space?" Blushing, Shen Lu Man responded, "We’ll discuss that at home." Eager, Jing Ao Xue pressed on, "So, we’ll settle this when we’re home, right? My bed’s big enough, or we could get a bigger one with a soft mattress like a feather." Though flustered, Shen Lu Man was about to nod. A gentle noise outside the door broke the moment. Faces turned serious, exchanging looks, they rolled off the bed, watching the door cautiously. Chapter 44: Escape The next moment, the door was gently pushed open. A male half-breed entered, supporting a man covered in blood. After helping him sit on the bed, he quietly shut the door, listening intently for any signs of danger before speaking, "Er Dang Jia, are you okay?" Er Dang Jia? Jing Ao Xue was instantly shocked, realizing this was the son of the man trapped in the cave. This meant he was the formidable eighth level Qi Refinement demon cultivator who had previously chased them into a corner. If it was him, the situation was indeed dire. Exchanging a quick look with Shen Lu Man, they both held their breath, striving to reduce their presence to the bare minimum. The familiar yet hoarse voice belonged to Er Dang Jia, "Don't worry about me, what's the situation with everyone else?" His broken speech hinted at severe injury and a lack of energy. The male half-breed paused, worry etched into his voice, "It's a disaster. The government has sent too many people to besiege the mountain, and we can't hold them off. If it were just the government troops, despite their numbers, our brothers—trained daily—could put up a fierce fight against those worthless sacks." "But there are also these black-clad figures, sinister and elusive. They've killed many of our comrades. If this continues, our stronghold will be completely destroyed." Er Dang Jia was silent for a moment before responding, "I'm gravely injured and can't hold on much longer. Lead the others and escape through the secret passage we've dug. The exit is by the river outside Ling Bian Village. Travel via waterways and hijack a boat, thus ensuring a safe escape." The male half-breed protested urgently, "No, we can't leave you behind. If we're escaping, you must come with us. With you, our stronghold can rise again. Without you, we are scattered like sand—just a bunch of nobodies. I don't care what anyone else says; you must survive, or my life has no meaning!" His heartfelt plea seemed touching, but Jing Ao Xue couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Why did it seem like there was a deeper connection between this male half-breed and Er Dang Jia? Unmoved by the emotional appeal, Er Dang Jia coldly commanded, "As Er Dang Jia, you must heed my orders and take those innocent children with you." He coughed a few times before continuing, "You're not like me. I've killed too many and prepared for this day. But you and the others—though kidnapped into this stronghold—only did menial tasks. Your hands remain clean; once you leave, you can live normal lives." "As for me," he sneered, "with Da Dang Jia gone, I'm the leader. If I escape, the government won't relent. They'd hunt me to the world's end. But you're just small fry. I'll hold things here, distract them, and give you a chance to survive."