Chapter 06 | Trapped in the Stone Chamber

Later, Li Jing learned that an earthquake, referred to as "earth movement" at the time, had struck Mount Wu that night.

The stone chamber at the peak of the back mountain collapsed due to the earthquake. Yueyue, one of the mountain-guarding maids stationed at the chamber's entrance, was crushed to death by a massive boulder.

It turned out that, aside from Gu Musheng and Yuexiu, the Fisherwoman of Mount Wu had eight mountain-guarding maids, all orphaned girls she had picked up during her travels in the martial world. They were named Jing, Ya, Yun, Ping, Shui, Qing, Yue, and Hua. As members of the Yue Maiden Sword Sect, they took "Yue" as their surname. These eight girls had joined the sect later and lacked a solid foundation in martial arts, so the Fisherwoman no longer personally taught them. Instead, Gu Musheng and Yuexiu acted as their instructors. Though Gu Musheng and Yuexiu were referred to as senior brother and sister, they essentially served as substitute teachers. After Yuexiu left with Xie Kangtu to the north, Gu Musheng effectively became the master. The woman who had come to deliver the news was Yueqing, the maid who had guided Li Jing up the mountain earlier.

Previously, due to the negligence of Jing, Ya, Yun, Ping, and Shui in guarding Xiao Qiong, the Fisherwoman had been furious and executed all five of them. Yueqing, Yueyue, and Yuehua had been off duty at the time and thus escaped punishment. After Hua Qingfeng was imprisoned in the stone chamber, the three maids took great care in guarding him, fearing a repeat of the earlier incident. Fortunately, before leaving the mountain, the Fisherwoman had broken Hua Qingfeng's legs, so aside from delivering food to him, the maids had little to worry about. However, the mountain's collapse had killed Yueyue on the spot, and Hua Qingfeng's fate was unknown.

Gu Musheng didn't dare delay. He immediately fetched a torch and followed Yueqing up the mountain. Just as they were about to leave, Yueqing said, "Senior Brother, the back mountain is dangerous, and we're short on hands. Why not ask Young Master Li to come along? An extra pair of hands would be helpful."

Gu Musheng hesitated for a moment, then knocked on Li Jing's door and said in a raised voice, "Given the urgency, I must ask Brother Li to accompany us." Without time to think, Li Jing dressed, grabbed the Lone Star Sword, and followed Gu Musheng up the snow-covered mountain.

The back mountain was only about two li away. Along the way, Gu Musheng said to Yueqing, "When the master returns and asks, tell her that the situation was urgent, and Young Master Li was clever, so I invited him to help in the forbidden area." Yueqing nodded repeatedly.

Yueqing moved swiftly. Her rosy cheeks, illuminated by the snow, looked quite charming.

The stone chamber on the back mountain was located beneath a dark, towering peak. In the darkness, the cliff face appeared as if it had been cleaved by a giant axe. Yueqing stopped in front of an uprooted tree. Li Jing looked closely and saw a stone cave behind the tree, but its entrance was blocked by collapsed rocks. A woman in black crouched there, cradling a corpse. In the snowlight, bloodstains were visible.

Gu Musheng hurried forward and carefully examined the body. Seeing that she was indeed dead, he sighed. "Yueqing, Yuehua, take Yueyue back and clean her up. We'll bury her after I return." The two women silently lifted the body and left.

Gu Musheng took out a flint, struck it to ignite some tinder, and lit a pine-oil torch. In the light, Li Jing saw that the entrance to the stone chamber had been destroyed, but he could still make out that the original entrance had been constructed from large stones arranged in a specific pattern. Now, it was a pile of rubble blocking the entrance. Gu Musheng handed the torch to Li Jing, borrowed the Lone Star Sword, and with a burst of energy, thrust the sword into a crevice in the rocks. With a loud shout, sparks flew as the sword split a large boulder in two, creating a gap in the rubble. Gu Musheng continued to hack away until he had carved out a hole large enough for a person to enter.

Gu Musheng said to Li Jing, "If there's another earthquake, it will be very dangerous. Brother Li, it would be better for you to stay outside."

Li Jing said resolutely, "If you're not afraid, neither am I! Hua Qingfeng may be disabled, but his skills are still intact, and he's in the dark. We must be careful of his traps. I'll light the way for you." Without waiting for a response, he extended the torch into the hole and then crawled inside.

Once inside the stone chamber, the space opened up. Li Jing had assumed that the stone chamber on the back mountain was just a stone house built by the Yue Maiden Sword Sect. However, upon entering, he realized it was a natural cave that had been modified. The ceiling was dozens of zhang high in some places, while in others, one had to stoop to pass through. The terrain was complex, with numerous holes and winding paths. Though it appeared natural, there was clearly something mysterious about it.

Seeing that the cave's interior was not severely damaged, Gu Musheng called out, "Master Hua, there was just an earthquake. Are you unharmed?" His voice echoed through the cave, making Li Jing's eardrums vibrate.

After a long pause, a weak voice came from deep within the cave. "...Is that Master Gu? I... I'm injured."

Gu Musheng followed the voice toward a jagged hole. Li Jing followed closely. They passed through a winding passage and a stone door, entering a square chamber about two zhang wide. A man leaned against the stone wall, disheveled, with a tattered robe and a scraggly beard. It was Hua Qingfeng.

After a year, Hua Qingfeng's eyes were dull, his cheekbones prominent, and his beard unkempt. With his legs broken and a foul stench emanating from him, he looked like a dying old ape. Gu Musheng breathed a sigh of relief. As long as this man was alive, he could report to the master upon her return. He said politely, "Master Hua, as soon as the earthquake struck, I came to check on you. I'm relieved to see you're unharmed."

Hua Qingfeng looked at Gu Musheng with dull eyes and gasped, "Thank you, Master Gu... Is your master... is she unharmed?"

Gu Musheng said, "My master is not afraid of earthquakes. She is meditating in her room and sent me to check on you."

Hua Qingfeng asked, "Does... does she have any questions for me?"

Gu Musheng replied, "The master has no questions, but I am curious: knowing that Mount Wu is not a place to trespass lightly, why did you come alone to challenge us? Did you think you could defeat my master?"

Hua Qingfeng said, "My meager skills... are no match even for you, Master Gu, let alone the invincible Fisherwoman of Mount Wu. It's just... I have a lifelong habit—whenever I hear of a place with secret mechanisms or hidden chambers, I can't resist investigating... There are rumors in the martial world that an ancient secret manual is hidden in the stone cave at the peak of Mount Wu. I had no choice but to risk my life to come and see for myself..."

Gu Musheng said, "It wasn't just rumors, was it? It was Xiao Qiong, the traitor of our sect, who told you, right?"

Hua Qingfeng shook his head. "Technically, Princess Xiao is your elder. It's disrespectful for you to call her by name... But since you're not officially a member of the Yue Maiden Sword Sect and are merely a servant, I'll forgive your rudeness."

Gu Musheng didn't want to argue and continued, "You've been here for half a year. Have you found the secret manual?"

Hua Qingfeng sighed. "Seeing is not as good as hearing. This shabby cave on Mount Wu isn't even as good as the outhouse on Mount Kongtong. There's no secret manual here. I was careless and not only lost my legs but have also been imprisoned in this cold, damp place for half a year. It's been utterly boring."

Li Jing noticed that Hua Qingfeng's speech was becoming clearer, and a glint had returned to his eyes. He couldn't help but feel suspicious. However, Gu Musheng held the Lone Star Sword and was confident that even if Hua Qingfeng were in perfect health, he could still defeat him in a fight. Thus, he paid no heed to Hua Qingfeng's condition.

Li Jing spoke up. "This humble one, Muli, pays his respects to Master Hua."

Hua Qingfeng glanced at him and sneered. "You're not dead yet, kid? That's quite something. But your name isn't Muli—it's Li Jing. Your skills haven't improved, but you've grown taller. Have you come to see me about the 'Secret Manual of Tunnel Warfare'?"

Li Jing was shocked. He hadn't expected Hua Qingfeng to cut straight to the point and reveal his purpose.

Hua Qingfeng laughed. "It must be that scoundrel Changsun Sheng who sent you to find me. You're young and naive, actually believing the lies of such a villain. If I had the 'Secret Manual of Tunnel Warfare,' I would have already presented it to General Xiao of Chen to help him destroy Sui. Why would I wait for a kid like you to come and take it? Isn't that a huge joke?"

Li Jing thought about it and realized it was true. Even if Hua Qingfeng possessed the ancient secret manual, if he refused to hand it over, who could force him?

But Li Jing couldn't help asking, "How did you know it was General Changsun who sent me to find this manual?"

Hua Qingfeng said, "There's little that happens in the Sui court or the martial world that I don't know about. Gao Shengdao thinks he's clever, but I played him like a fiddle. As for Changsun Sheng, he's more sinister, with spies everywhere. And that brat Yang Guang sent Lai Hu'er to chase me across a thousand li, convinced that I, as a disciple of the Purple Heaven Sect, must have this damned manual, as if Mount Kongtong is a repository for such lowly, evil books. Young man, you seem like a decent fellow. How could you be as foolish as these people?"

Li Jing was both annoyed and angry. He shouted, "Master Hua, you aided tyrants, killed my brothers at the shipyard, and have blood on your hands. And now you have the audacity to spout such nonsense! If not for the Fisherwoman's mercy, you would have died long ago!"

Hua Qingfeng sneered. "Is that witch's hands any cleaner? Her maids committed no major offenses and served her day and night, yet she killed five of them without a second thought! She crushed my kneecaps but didn't give me a single pill to ease the pain, leaving me to faint from agony multiple times a day, wishing for death! Such a venomous heart—I can't even compare!"

Gu Musheng wouldn't tolerate him insulting the master. He shouted, "Hua Qingfeng, even if you weren't disabled, I wouldn't fear you! If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll cut out your tongue!"

Hua Qingfeng laughed heartily. "Good, good, good! I, Hua Qingfeng, have been treated as an honored guest here on Mount Wu, enjoying heavenly blessings. Not only do I live in a palace, wear fine clothes, and eat delicacies, but I also have beautiful women guarding me day and night. My life here is like that of an immortal!"

Ignoring his sarcasm, Gu Musheng said, "If you tell me the real reason you came to Mount Wu, I will beg my master to let you leave the mountain."

Hua Qingfeng chuckled. "You blockhead, you can't even lie properly! That witch has already gone to Chang'an to find her lover. Did you think that just because my legs are broken, my ears and eyes are too? I've already said it—I came here to see what's so special about this cave. Now that I've seen enough, I'll leave whenever I want. No mechanism in the world can stop me. Farewell!"

As soon as the word "farewell" left his mouth, Li Jing felt a blur before his eyes. Hua Qingfeng, using his long arms to support himself, suddenly shrank into the stone wall, and a large boulder quickly fell into place, sealing the gap. Gu Musheng took two steps forward and thrust his sword, but with a "clang," the tip of the sword struck the stone wall, sending sparks flying.

Li Jing was shocked and quickly turned to look at the entrance. With a loud crash, a stone door fell, trapping the two of them in the chamber. The change had happened so quickly that Gu and Li had no time to react before falling into Hua Qingfeng's trap. It turned out that the spot where Hua Qingfeng had been leaning against the wall was his escape route.

Gu Musheng stood there in a daze. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that the disabled Hua Qingfeng had escaped right under his nose.

Li Jing comforted him, "Senior Brother, don't worry. Master Hua won't get far."

Gu Musheng seemed to be in a trance, standing motionless. Li Jing raised the torch and saw that the walls were made of solid stone, tightly fitted, with no trace of the entrance they had come through or the spot where Hua Qingfeng had escaped. The floor was also made of hard stone. The entire chamber was like a fortress.

After a long while, Gu Musheng sat down dejectedly. "Brother Li, it's all my fault..."

Li Jing was puzzled. "Even if this chamber has mechanisms, they were set up by your sect... Can't you disable them?"

Gu Musheng said, "Exactly. My master is skilled in martial arts but has little knowledge of mechanisms. She can only activate them. Hua Qingfeng is an expert in all kinds of esoteric arts. After staying here for months, he must have mastered all the mechanisms, perhaps even modified them. He lured us into this chamber and had already planned his escape. How can we get out?"

Li Jing suddenly realized something and whispered, "How did he know the Fisherwoman went to Chang'an? Could it be... could it be that the three sisters told him?"

A faint voice drifted in. "Young man, you're indeed smarter than this blockhead... When Princess Xiao was trapped in this chamber, those five girls guarded her day and night. Even if they didn't do much, they still contributed. Yet that witch killed them all. Don't you think the three girls who lived with them day and night would feel heartbroken?" It was Hua Qingfeng's voice, but it had changed in tone, and it was unclear how it was transmitted into the chamber.

Li Jing shouted, "Master Hua, was Yueyue, who died at the entrance, not killed by the earthquake?"

Hua Qingfeng's voice replied, "That girl was too stubborn and wouldn't listen to me. Luckily, heaven showed mercy, and the earthquake struck. I killed her first, then smashed her with some rocks. How could fools like you tell the difference?"

Gu Musheng, mustering his energy, said, "Master Hua, what do you intend to do by trapping us here?"

Hua Qingfeng said, "You blockhead, this is your own secret chamber. How can you say I trapped you? This chamber is quite comfortable. After staying here for months, I've grown quite attached to it. You two can enjoy it. I heard from Yueqing and Yuehua that it's snowing heavily outside, and the New Year is approaching. I'll go to your place to warm some wine and kill a chicken to celebrate. The chamber is cramped, and the air is limited. You'd better put out that torch, or you'll suffocate yourselves..." His voice grew fainter, clearly moving away.

Li Jing was furious. Even the usually calm Gu Musheng looked as if he had turned to stone. He took the pine-oil torch from Li Jing, blew it out, and the chamber was plunged into darkness.

Hua Qingfeng's voice did not return. The chamber was filled with the pungent smell of burnt pine oil. Hua Qingfeng's warning was correct—if the torch continued to burn, the two of them would be in danger of suffocation.

Though Li Jing tried to remain calm, within half an hour, he grew restless and said, "Brother Gu, are we really going to sit here and wait for death?"

Gu Musheng said, "In the chaos earlier, I didn't think clearly. But now that I've calmed down, I realize that Hua Qingfeng lured us here for a reason. This man is extraordinary and never acts without purpose. Be patient, brother."

Li Jing said, "This man is so despicable. He must have some ulterior motive."

Gu Musheng said, "From his perspective, trapping him here was also despicable. There are no absolutes in the world. Earlier, he was at our mercy. Now, we're at his. It's just a reversal of positions."

Li Jing's face flushed, though it was hidden in the darkness. Gu Musheng's words left a deep impression on him.

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Li Jing and Gu Musheng were trapped in the chamber for what felt like hours. Time seemed to stand still, and the only sound was their breathing. Gu Musheng, who was usually quiet, was deep in thought, trying to find a way out. Li Jing didn't ask many questions and instead sat in meditation. After months of quiet cultivation on Mount Sikong, his meditation skills had improved significantly. Even in the poorly ventilated chamber, he gradually entered a state of emptiness, and his worries began to fade.

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Musheng used the flint to relight the torch and examined the stone walls closely. Li Jing opened his eyes and saw strange patterns carved into the walls—neither drawings nor words, but something in between, like a child's scribbles. However, the carvings were skillfully done, with consistent depth in the hard stone. Over time, the marks had been covered in dust.

Li Jing searched his memory but couldn't identify the patterns. He reached out to touch them, feeling the grooves under his fingertips, as if the strange lines had come to life. Gu Musheng raised the torch and carefully inspected the walls. Finally, the smoke from the torch made his eyes water, and he extinguished it again.

Li Jing asked, "Brother, do you recognize these strange patterns?"

Gu Musheng said, "I'm not looking at the patterns. I'm searching for the mechanism to open the chamber. These writings have been unreadable for ten generations of our master's lineage."

"Writings?" Li Jing was astonished. "What kind of writings are carved on the stone walls?"

"They are likely ancient, lost scripts," Gu Musheng replied.