As Shen Wang climbed onto the ten-meter-high boulder, the Innate Grandmaster guarding the checkpoint suddenly shouted.
Shen Wang hurriedly stopped.
He frowned, had he been discovered already? This person’s strength wasn’t too formidable.
Just as Shen Wang was gearing up to counter, the Grandmaster leapt up, a fierce expression sweeping around the area threateningly, yet he didn’t directly face Shen Wang.
In Shen Wang’s astonishment, after making a circle, this person retreated back.
Goodness, it was all just to scare people on purpose.
This move left Shen Wang at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Luckily, he remained composed, or he might have been bluffed into revealing himself.
He waited on the side with interest, and after the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the person jumped out again, shouting, "Come out." If it wasn’t someone familiar, they’d definitely be fooled by this act.
After confirming no deception, Shen Wang advanced cautiously, sidestepping the guards by scaling a nearby boulder and heading to the Black Stone Platform.
There was a secluded mountain valley here, higher up, with over ten wooden structures nestled within. The patrols were more skilled, genuinely capable members.
A clear array fluctuation was right in front of Shen Wang, and if he pressed forward recklessly, he’d likely trigger the array.
He paused to study the array, eventually spotting a flaw and driving a piece of wood into a specific spot.
After inserting it, the air around the wood distorted, opening a narrow path from nowhere.
"Ha, wood overcomes earth. No matter how complex, every array relies on these basic principles."
Shen Wang chuckled secretly, using his thoughts to probe for danger and, finding none, stepped onto the path, smoothly entering the valley.
He was unfamiliar with the interior, so he could only explore gradually.
When patrolling bandits passed by, Shen Wang remained still. As he ventured deeper, the cultivation of people nearby increased further.
He deliberately avoided the central area’s finest building since it was obviously the Village Chief’s quarters. Forget the danger; Paper Kite wouldn’t be held in the central area even if captured.
After an hour of probing along the perimeter, he unexpectedly discovered a shabby hut in a remote area, with a foul stench wafting out.
This hut was reminiscent of the one by the waterfall, only much larger. The roof was made of black mud mixed with straw; the walls were wooden and clay, indicating old age.
Snoring came from within the hut, with guards at the entrance, also dozing off.
Shen Wang’s eyes lit up; this seemed to be a place for holding people, indicated by the faint stench of someone unwashed for a long time.
These bandits, no matter how disheveled, could still bathe; only those imprisoned lacked such treatment.
Unsure if Paper Kite was inside, Shen Wang quietly approached, stopping two zhang from the window, peeking through the cracks to confirm that cages were indeed inside.
He circled around, finding guards at two other sides, with only the side against the mountain unguarded.
Approaching from behind, where the eaves hugged the rocky slope covered in yellow mud, Shen Wang used a small knife to cut a slit.
Whispering voices and mumbling reached his ears as Shen Wang peered through the crack, seeing several cages inside, one containing a familiar figure.
Paper Kite lay on a foot-wide wooden bed, staring blankly at the ceiling with a worried expression, her hand resting on her abdomen.
She sighed softly, "Being caught here, I’m afraid my husband won’t find me."
Closing her eyes bitterly, she forced herself to rest early. After all, a new life was growing inside her.
At this moment, the part of the ceiling she was gazing at cracked open, expanding into a circle.
A portion of the ceiling vanished as a talisman floated down, sticking beside the bed and lighting up, forming a circle of distinct power.
This power rippled outward for a zhang, creating a bubble that temporarily isolated sound from inside and outside.
Paper Kite, struggling with sleep, noticed the snoring and teeth grinding noises suddenly vanish. Opening her eyes in surprise, she saw Shen Wang standing before her.
She instinctively exclaimed with joy, then, recalling the bandits outside, swiftly covered her mouth with her hand.
"It’s okay, I’ve isolated the sound with a Sound Insulation Talisman."
Shen Wang shook his head.
Paper Kite rose to hug Shen Wang, tears flowing relentlessly: "I thought I would never see you again."
"It’s fine now, just follow me later."
Shen Wang glanced around, noting that no enemies had discovered this place for now. Using the same old trick should allow him to safely escort Paper Kite out.
He grasped Paper Kite’s wrist, which bore chains and shackles. Fortunately, upon checking her pulse, her body was unharmed.
"Husband, there are runes on these. If they’re broken, they’ll alert their Village Chief."
Paper Kite hastily warned about the shackles.
"They think highly of you to use a Magical Artifact to bind you,"
Shen Wang remarked with a cold laugh. Paper Kite’s shackles had the effect of sealing True Qi Spiritual Power, specifically targeting Cultivators.
Ordinarily, this treatment was meant for Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation Cultivators or Innate Grandmasters, meant to seal True Qi Spiritual Power. Using it on Paper Kite likely considered her special status.
Upon inspecting the chains, breaking them wasn’t difficult, but it would trigger the runes and alert the enemy.
His gaze followed the chain to the ground. Taking out a blade thin as a cicada’s wing, he cut the stone connected to it, ensuring the integrity of the shackles and chains.
Though this would prevent Paper Kite from using her internal True Qi, there was no alternative. They could break them after escaping the village.
The priority now was safely escorting Paper Kite past multiple patrols. With one more person, the risk of being discovered increased significantly.
A moment later, having cut the chain along with the stone, Shen Wang tied the chain around Paper Kite, sticking two talismans onto her.
If it weren’t for exposing the Golden Light Talisman, he would surely use another.
"Don’t speak later. I’ll take you out,"
Shen Wang held Paper Kite, tapping the ground to leap into the tunnel he’d opened.