Shen Qing turned around, searching for the source of the voice. She saw a young man tied up in the corner, his eyes fixed intently on her.
The young man's face was smeared with blood, half of it hidden in the shadow, making it hard to discern his features.
He was shackled with an extra pair of fetters compared to the others, and the chain through the shoulder yoke was thicker.
When Ling Xiuzhu heard his youngest son speak, his face darkened. He was about to scold the boy.
The Ling family already owed Shen Qing more than they could ever repay for her journey from the Nine Desolate Road to the mortal world. How could they truly count on her to save them?
"Yunchuan! Shut up! Don't involve innocent people!!" Ling Xiuzhu scolded his youngest son, then turned to Shen Qing with a hint of apology.
"Fairy Shen, my son is stubborn. You don't have to mind him. Leave here quickly."
But seeing the young man looking up stubbornly, Shen Qing still walked over.
When Ling Yunchuan saw Shen Qing approaching, his heart leaped with joy. He quickly said, "Fairy Shen! After you get out, there will be someone who will come to see you on their own initiative. This person will surely be able to help you and our Ling family!"
Noticing that Ling Yunchuan was about the same age as herself, Shen Qing couldn't help correcting him, "I'm only twenty - two years old in nominal age this year. I'm not much older than you. You don't have to call me Fairy Shen..."
"Senior Shen! Please, please, please trust the first person you see after you get out!"
Ling Yunchuan immediately changed his address. Shen Qing felt a bit helpless but didn't correct him further.
She wanted to ask more, but then she heard Li Tianyun urging, "Fairy Shen, it's getting late. If we delay any longer, there will be two more patrols of soldiers at night. The more people see you, the worse the situation will be. Let's go quickly."
"Okay," Shen Qing replied. She looked back at the Ling family members. Seeing the reluctance and hope in their eyes, she secretly made up her mind to clear the Ling family's name.
As they were leaving, Ling Yunchuan still shouted behind Shen Qing, "Senior Shen, remember, the first person you see must be someone you can trust!!"
Right after Ling Yunchuan said this, Ling Xiuzhu's angry scolding followed, "Ling Yunchuan, are you itching for a beating? You don't even listen to your father. If I get out alive, you..."
The voices behind them faded away.
After Li Tianyun led the five of them out, he said to the soldiers in his characteristic over - confident tone, "Don't tell your master that I've been here. I've cast a spell on you. If anyone disobeys, they will immediately bleed from all seven orifices and die."
The guarding soldiers looked at each other, a hint of fear in their eyes.
Shen Qing looked thoughtfully at Li Tianyun's back, her eyes full of speculation.
After coming out of the dungeon, it was completely dark.
Knowing that Shen Qing and her group had nowhere to stay, Li Tianyun offered, "Fairy Shen, I know you've just arrived in the capital and don't have any mortal currency. How about staying at my mansion for a while?"
Hearing this, Wang Wang's heart skipped a beat. Before Shen Qing could answer, he blurted out first, "Of course! If the immortals are going, I'm going too!!"
Li Tianyun frowned in dissatisfaction, "You're from the capital. Why do you need to stay at my mansion? Just go back to your own home."
Wang Wang retorted, "I'm your personal guard, Master. How can I leave you for a moment?"
"You!!"
Li Tianyun and Wang Wang glared at each other, neither willing to back down.
Seeing that Wang Wang seemed to have an ulterior motive and that she needed someone to test Li Tianyun, Shen Qing answered on Li Tianyun's behalf.
"Master Li's mansion is large. It's not a problem to accommodate one more person. Why be in such a hurry to refuse?"
Since Shen Qing had spoken, Li Tianyun couldn't refuse anymore. He gritted his teeth and agreed.
Shen Qing looked around, still thinking about what Ling Yunchuan had said.
He said that the first person she saw after getting out would surely be able to help them. This person must have been keeping an eye on the Ling family and had a deep connection with them.
But Ling Xiuzhu had said not to involve innocent people. This meant that this person's identity was a bit unclear.
"What are you looking for?" Hong Chaoyang nudged Shen Qing with his arm and asked curiously.
Xue Ling looked at Hong Chaoyang with an expression that said, 'How can you be so stupid?' "Need I ask? Shen Qing must be waiting for the person Ling Yunchuan mentioned."
Hong Chaoyang pouted and glared at Xue Ling, "I didn't ask you. Can't you keep your mouth shut?"
Xue Ling put on a wronged look, "I was just trying to explain it to you nicely, but you treat me like this. It's really heartbreaking."
Hong Chaoyang turned his head away in disgust. A monk acting like a young girl was really an awkward sight.
Li Xian lowered his head and whispered in Shen Qing's ear, "Are you going to Li Tianyun's mansion?"
Shen Qing nodded. Seeing that Li Xian had been silent all the way and only spoke now, she thought he had detected something wrong with Li Tianyun.
"What's wrong? Have you noticed something? Do you think it's inappropriate?"
Li Xian shook his head. He didn't think it was inappropriate. He just hadn't talked to Shen Qing for a long time, so he took this opportunity to talk to her.
Since seeing Han Ze on Kunlun Mountain a few days ago, Li Xian had had a knot in his heart.
Han Ze had only moved his finger slightly and easily frozen Li Xian. Li Xian could only watch helplessly as Han Ze took Shen Qing away, unable to stop him.
This feeling of helplessness filled him with fear.
In the face of absolute power, everything about him seemed so insignificant. They were now on the opposite side of the Main Shrine, and it seemed that any random person from the Main Shrine could easily overpower them.
He didn't really care about his own situation, but he didn't want to see Shen Qing get hurt in front of him. Nor did he want to watch his loved ones fall into danger again and again when his sect was in trouble.
Once he had this realization, he felt extremely afraid.
So he didn't know how to face his own incompetence, or how to face Shen Qing.
He wanted to grow stronger quickly, but he couldn't find the right way. His cultivation had even regressed because of this thought, even though he had been on the verge of advancing to the next major realm.
Seeing the look of disappointment in Li Xian's eyes and his low spirits all the way, Shen Qing knew that he had something on his mind.
So, having adjusted herself, Shen Qing showed a gentle smile. She reached out and stroked Li Xian's head.
Under Li Xian's surprised gaze, Shen Qing said in a soft voice, "Li Xian, be good. Don't think too much. If there's something, tell me. Don't keep it to yourself, okay?"
This tone of coaxing a child surprised Li Xian. When he met Shen Qing's eyes full of concern and sincerity, the haze in his heart seemed to disperse immediately.
After a moment of daze, Li Xian burst out laughing. The frost on his face that had lingered for days melted instantly.
Shen Qing pursed her lips unhappily and was about to say something when a chaotic sound of horse hooves approached from afar.
Everyone dodged, thinking they would be safe. But suddenly, a black - clothed man emerged from the approaching carriage. Taking advantage of everyone's inattention, he grabbed Shen Qing and carried her away.