My initial teleportation point was around here, and I soon met Chu Haoman and learned the truth.
However, as the center of the anomaly, once in Qi Shui Hollow, one cannot get out, not even with True Soul Fragrance.
The only way out is to trigger the anomaly.
That is, to actively provoke the grievances contained within the Bronze Steamer, which would shatter the illusion of Qi Shui Hollow.
Wang Linian said, "There’s not only Zhuo Lu’s resentment in the Bronze Steamer but also the grievances of countless deceased from the Shang Dynasty over hundreds of years.
"The accumulation of these grievances has reached a tipping point; otherwise, they wouldn’t have recently intruded into the present world to drag Chu Haoman in.
"If people like Liao Kaifeng come to understand that they are trapped here forever, it’s highly likely that they will voluntarily destroy the bronze artifact to release the myriad grievances and escape as the illusion fades."
His tone remained calm, unrippled by any emotion. "The safety of Taiyuan County prevails over any individual or issue.
"Considering the profiles of Liao Kaifeng and Yan Yan, there’s a significant chance they’d make choices benefiting themselves.
"If these people were to unite, even I might not be able to suppress them.
"To prevent the worst-case scenario, I concealed my identity and struck secretly, aiming to divide and conquer them before they could all gather." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel·fire.net
"A significant chance?" Yu Yong’s expression turned grim. "Just based on a ’significant chance,’ you disregarded the ethics of the Jianghu and personally killed the very people your Taiyuan Wang Family hired?
"You didn’t even give them a chance to choose.
"If I hadn’t been luckier, you probably would have killed me too."
Wang Linian glanced at him indifferently and said calmly, "Chu Haoman convinced me to trust Ji Xingwang and Guan Anyan from Lu Li Academy, but he couldn’t guarantee the character of the others.
"You are not from Taiyuan County. Even if the entire region were destroyed, you wouldn’t be overly grieved. I will not stake the safety of my family, my clan, and the common people on the supposed righteousness and patriotism of wandering cultivators."
"Even if it means you’ll be trapped here forever?" Yu Yong shook his head, his expression bleak. "You people from the Five Families and Seven Hopes are truly mad."
"If we weren’t mad, how could we have survived through the turbulent eras of the Jin Dynasties and the end of the Sui Dynasty?"
Wang Linian spoke flatly, "Since we cannot get out and cannot relay any information to the outside, the Taiyuan Wang Family follows certain protocols in such situations. They would maintain their position, set up defenses around the perimeter, and dispatch multiple squads to scout.
"If there’s still no change and all communication with the teams is lost, they would then inform the garrison. The garrison’s usual solution is to evacuate the local populace, designate this area as a forbidden zone, and effectively treat it as if it does not exist."
Wang Linian was not lying. Even the garrison was incapable of handling all the anomalies within Yu Country. One of their key principles was that if a situation was stable, neither worsening nor improving, they would not intervene to change it.
Only when things transpired or the situation drastically deteriorated would they begin to consider solutions.
"Life, I desire. Righteousness, I also desire. If I cannot possess both, I shall forsake life to choose righteousness."
Chu Haoman gave a bitter smile. "I can’t, for personal gain, allow the anomaly to manifest and jeopardize the safety of the people of Taiyuan County.
"Nor can I stand idly by and watch the situation worsen.
"So, my solution is sacrifice."
Guan Anyan’s face quivered. "Sacrifice?"
"Yes. I will enter that Bronze Steamer myself."
Chu Haoman inhaled deeply. "That Yan, a Mutated Object cast by Shang merchants, is essentially designed to torture and oppress people to the brink of death. In that near-death state, it allows divination masters to glimpse the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, aiding their prophecies.
"Its fuel is suffering, resentment, and hatred.
"But if the person inside the Yan harbors a noble purpose and holds no hatred, it will, conversely, weaken the Yan, delay the anomaly’s outbreak, and perhaps even purify this Yan completely."
"...Have you tried it?" Ji Xingwang, who hadn’t spoken until now, suddenly asked.
Chu Haoman fell silent for a moment, a forced, bitter smile appearing on his pale face. "Yes. Before you all arrived, I had already tried twice.
"Once inside the pitch-black, sealed Yan, the torment suffered by thousands of previous sacrifices descends upon you. To say it’s like ten thousand ants devouring your heart, or your body being crushed to pieces, is no exaggeration.
"Every single part of your body endures excruciating pain.
"Eventually, I couldn’t even feel the pain anymore—only a pervasive numbness, like the world turned white after a heavy snowfall."
Guan Anyan remained silent. Even though Chu Haoman had deceived her and her teacher, in this situation, she found herself completely unable to muster any anger towards him. She could only manage to say with difficulty, "What about Miss Wang? She is still waiting for you to return."
"She..." Chu Haoman lowered his head, pursed his lips, and sighed. "I have wronged her, but this is the only way.
"Unless those outside can foresee events and invite several Zen masters from the Candle Cloud Realm—such as the Jianquan Monk from Tiantai Mountain—to continuously perform rites day and night to deliver the resentful souls of the departed, there is only a slight possibility of resolving the anomaly without self-harm.
"Otherwise, my only option is to sacrifice myself."
The tunnel once again fell into silence. Everyone’s eyes flickered in the firelight, their thoughts unreadable.
Yu Yong narrowed his eyes. He didn’t trust Wang Linian, who had killed Liao Kaifeng and Yan Yan, and had almost killed him too. As for Chu Haoman, his vigilance outweighed his respect; he had encountered far too many so-called ’gentlemen’ who spouted morality and righteousness but were, in reality, utterly selfish.