The two warrior monks outside the cell looked at each other in dismay. This was the first time they had encountered such a situation, and they had no idea what to do, so one of them went to find someone.
Soon, a kind-looking middle-aged monk came down. Holding a candle, he saw Ben Zhi in the cell and sighed repeatedly. "Blessed Buddha, blessed Buddha. Is this karma coming home to roost?"
"Young benefactors, despite your age, you possess both courage and resourcefulness. We were blind not to recognize your worth. Cheng Xin, Cheng Hui, open the door."
The warrior monk was shocked. "Uncle-Master, if we open the door, these two brats will definitely escape!"
"These two benefactors were born with linked hearts, able to communicate with each other. That is why they saw through Charity House's trap. Clearly, they are no ordinary people. Grudges should be dissolved, not deepened." The middle-aged monk said, "They have a hostage this time, so we'll admit defeat. Let them go."
"Two benefactors, once you regain your freedom, I hope you won't say anything. Let us all remain at peace and go our separate ways. If you insist on causing trouble for Anguo Temple, first, no one will believe you. Second, you can't possibly stay in Chang'an City forever. Open the door, open the door, and send our honored guests on their way!"
An Liu watched the middle-aged monk speak. Only after he stopped did he slowly say, "We're not leaving."
"Why won't you leave?" The middle-aged monk looked bewildered. "Didn't you come to rescue your twin brother?"
"Stop pretending, you bald ass. So what if we get out of this cell? Anguo Temple outside is one enormous prison. That bald monk over there already told us that the moment someone escapes, you'll seal off the entire Anguo Temple. We can't destroy the buildings, so being caught and dragged back is only a matter of time."
The warrior monk panicked. "I didn't say that... Uncle-Master, I really didn't!"
An Liu said, "You never intended to let us go. You only tricked us into moving aside so you could get Ben Zhi out."
The middle-aged monk's expression did not change. "You're too suspicious. But what can you do if you refuse to leave? Stay here forever?"
"Yes." An Wu and An Liu blocked the cell door together. "We'll block the door right here. Even if we can't deal with you bald asses, we'll still starve Ben Zhi, that accomplice, to death!"
The middle-aged monk looked astonished. After watching for a while and confirming that An Liu was serious, he could not help laughing aloud. "Starve him to death? Hahaha! In a few days, once hunger leaves you too weak to move, forget blocking the entrance—you won't even be able to stand!"
"Ah, I thought you were a rare pair of brothers who could communicate telepathically, but you're just two fools. Fine, fine. If they want to block the door, let them. A few days without food won't kill them. Besides, they'll have to sleep sooner or later. When the opportunity comes, find a way to let Ben Zhi out."
The warrior monk revealed a vicious expression. "Why not just—"
The middle-aged monk snorted and flung the candle in his hand. Drops of hot wax splashed onto the warrior monk, making the corner of his mouth twitch, but he did not dare dodge.
"Kill, kill, kill! We're monks, not madmen! There are so many goods inside. What if they die together with the others? The honored guests want goods, and if we have none, are you going to take their place? Besides, Ben Zhi is the best at deceiving people. The two of you together aren't as useful as Ben Zhi!"
"And another thing: I told you to watch a cell, yet you still dared to talk back. Do you not want your tongues anymore?"
The two warrior monks hurriedly knelt. "Uncle-Master, please calm down! Uncle-Master, we won't dare again!"
"Keep an eye on them. Find a chance to rescue Ben Zhi!"
The middle-aged monk glanced at An Wu and An Liu. "Two hard bones... But that's fine too. The more unyielding they are, the more the honored guests will like them..."
After the middle-aged monk left, the two warrior monks, having just been berated, glared at An Wu and An Liu together. Resentment filled their faces.
"You like causing trouble for me, do you?" They each lifted their candles and flung hot wax at An Wu and An Liu. "Take that for causing trouble!"
An Wu and An Liu were not foolish enough to simply take it. Whenever they saw the monks fling wax, they dodged, but this only made the warrior monks work harder.
"Dodging? Let's see how much strength you have left to dodge!"
"We'll drain all your stamina. Then I'll see how you're going to block the door!"
"Two prisoners want to block a cell? I've never seen fools this stupid!"
An Wu and An Liu did not respond. They simply kept dodging and blocking the door as before.
Suddenly, a faint voice came from behind them. "Stop."
"If you keep this up, you'll soon run out of strength. If you want to escape, save some energy and look for an opportunity once you're outside..."
An Liu turned his head and saw a young master with sharp brows and bright eyes speaking. His voice was very soft, as though he did not want the monks to hear. An Liu smiled at him and said, "Don't worry. We're fine."
"And we'll definitely escape."
The young master did not know why An Liu was so determined, nor whom exactly An Liu's "we" included...
But they would soon learn that An Wu and An Liu could indeed hold out. When the warrior monks changed shifts, An Wu and An Liu had not taken a sip of water or eaten a grain all night, yet they were still standing spiritedly at the entrance, blocking it. Even their footwork as they dodged the hot wax was growing more nimble!
"You comprehended Basic Footwork. Current level: 7!"
After Yan Qing got up, he glanced at the game console and discovered that An Wu and An Liu's Basic Footwork had both reached level 7. He had not expected having the warrior monks serve as their training partners to have this effect.
He checked the underground prison's surroundings again: candles, fire oil, warrior monks, hostages, Anguo Temple...
Dragging Ben Zhi into the cell with them had not been solely for revenge. It was also to prevent the monks from daring to set the place on fire. If only the victims who had been deceived into coming here were inside, the monks might steel their hearts and act. But Ben Zhi was one of their own, which would at least make them hesitate to risk harming him.
The reason he did not want them to start a fire was that Yan Qing needed An Wu and An Liu to hold the monks' attention—and keep it until three days later.
He had a plan, one that could make their theft flawless. In this plan, An Wu and An Liu were crucial pieces.
There was another reason as well. Yan Qing had not cared when he had not seen it, but now that he had seen the victims who had been kidnapped into the cell, he would not allow the warrior monks to take them away. That was why they had to keep blocking the door.
They might be saved because of Yan Qing's plan, or they might die even sooner.
But either way, Yan Qing would no longer feel unhappy with himself for standing by and doing nothing.
He switched to the "Night Four" account, which happened to be about to enter the "Zheng Sanshan Zheng Shan" secret realm. This trip through the secret realm went smoothly. Gai Louxian personally led the team and explained the precautions inside. Yan Qing picked up 1,800 spirit jades, a Basic Saber Technique mastery manual, a White Iron Straight Blade token, and several Blood Replenishment Pills. It seemed that the White Iron Straight Blade was a guaranteed drop from the boss, while the mastery manual that dropped could be one of several types.
In Yan Qing's plan, the gains from the Ping City Secret Realm were also an indispensable piece of the puzzle. Seeing that the harvest was even better than he had imagined, he finally relaxed the heart he had kept taut.
Around noon, Black Wolf, White Fox, and Red Snake arrived again. The moment they sat down, Yan Qing took the initiative.
"I've planted someone inside Anguo Temple. When the time comes, they'll help us close the hall doors."
"I have a complete plan for these three steps: closing the hall doors, opening the golden cabinet, and escaping pursuit."
"If you have a better plan, speak up."
"If not, follow my arrangements."
This was how the unclassed mortal spoke to the three messengers, all of whom possessed second-transition cultivation.
Thanks to the guild leader 'Floating to Lumbago'; there's another chapter coming.
Before you continue