Unsheathing the Blade to Break Shackles, Rescuing an Old Friend

Beneath the Blood Ape Gang Headquarters.

Inside several cells enclosed by thick iron bars, a crowd of haggard, wounded prisoners were packed together.

Among them were veteran porters from the East Third Street Porter Guild, distant relatives with tenuous ties to the Yang Family, and even Wu Xian, the proprietor of Wu's Grocery Store, along with his elderly father, Uncle Wu.

They were dressed in rags, their bodies marked with whip welts or bruises, their eyes dull and listless as they huddled in the corners.

Only two people possessed an expression that stood in stark contrast to the surrounding atmosphere of despair.

One was Wu Xian.

Although his face bore a few scrapes and his clothes were torn, his back remained straight.

He was carefully supporting his father, Uncle Wu, whose old ailments had flared up due to the shock and the damp, gloomy environment, whispering words of comfort to him.

The other was a man locked alone in a smaller, inner iron cage.

His limbs and neck were shackled with chains engraved with runes designed to suppress blood energy, specifically used to restrain martial artists.

This man was none other than Zhao Tie, the head instructor of the Porter Guild.

Zhao Tie was the foster son of the previous guild master, and with his Tendon Changing cultivation, he was considered a person of some standing on East Street.

He was a man of fierce temperament who valued loyalty above all else.

When the Blood Ape Gang had stormed the guild to demand people, the guild master had turned pale with fright and acted with utter subservience.

Only Zhao Tie had slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

In the ensuing conflict, although he had injured several gang members, he was ultimately overwhelmed by numbers; exhausted, he was captured and thrown into this sunless dungeon along with Wu Xian and the others.

Zhao Tie's gaze swept over the faces of those sighing in the cells, finally landing on Wu Xian, and he could not help but speak:

"Lad of the Wu family, you are quite the anomaly.

Everyone else is terrified, yet you remain calm. Are you not afraid?"

Hearing this, Wu Xian looked up at Zhao Tie:

"Instructor Zhao is joking.

Afraid? Naturally, I am afraid.

But what good does this fear do?"

He paused, his voice clear and steady as he continued:

"Everyone here knows the truth; the Blood Ape Gang did not capture us for any other reason.

They are targeting only one person: Yang Ning.

As these words were spoken, the eyes of many in the cell flickered; some lowered their heads, while others wore complex expressions.

Wu Xian continued:

"But think about it, everyone. Given the usual arrogance and tyranny of the Blood Ape Gang, if they could have taken him down directly, would they need to use us as leverage or to vent their anger?

They captured us, yet they have delayed killing us. What does that mean?"

His gaze swept over the crowd:

"It means they cannot deal with Yang Ning for the time being!

At the very least, the cost of taking him down is something even the Blood Ape Gang finds too high!"

A flash of light appeared in Zhao Tie's eyes, and he nodded slightly.

"Behind Yang Ning, there must be something that makes the Blood Ape Gang wary."

Wu Xian's tone grew more certain:

"We will not come to harm. As long as we are still alive, the Blood Ape Gang has a potential bargaining chip to restrain Yang Ning.

Conversely, if they were to truly kill us..."

Wu Xian's voice deepened:

"That would mean tearing off the mask completely, leaving no room for negotiation.

Based on my understanding of Yang Ning, he is by no means the type to swallow his pride and let others manipulate him."

He looked at Zhao Tie, as if speaking to everyone present:

"So, fear and mutual resentment—besides making ourselves more miserable and giving the guards a show, what use are they?

Yang Ning has managed to reach a point where the Blood Ape Gang fears him in such a short time; I believe in him!

He is not a man devoid of loyalty, and at this very moment, he must be thinking of ways to rescue us."

After listening, Zhao Tie was silent for a moment before suddenly laughing aloud, causing his chains to rattle:

"Good! A fine fellow, Wu Xian!

I always saw you as a man who valued peace and profit, but I never expected you to have such a backbone!"

Wu Xian waved his hand, unwilling to discuss his own affairs further.

But just a moment after the group finished their conversation, the deathly silence of the dungeon was suddenly shattered by a clamor from above!

The sound was initially muffled, like the shouting of many people, interspersed with the clashing of weapons and screams.

Soon, the noise became clear and intense, as if it were rapidly approaching the dungeon entrance!

The prisoners in the cells jumped up one after another, crowding against the iron bars and looking in terror toward the only stone staircase entrance.

Even Wu Xian stood up, shielding his father behind him, his eyes fixed intently on that spot.

"What's going on?"

"Are they fighting up there?"

"Is someone here to rescue us?"

Some ignited a faint glimmer of hope.

"Rescue us? Who would dare come to the Blood Ape Gang Headquarters to save people?"

Most others were filled with suspicion and fear.

The gang members guarding the dungeon initially shouted and cursed, telling the prisoners to be quiet, but as they listened to the increasingly chaotic sounds outside, their expressions changed as well.

One person ran to the entrance of the stairs to look, then ran back with a deathly pale face, shouting incoherently:

"No, this is bad! They... they've broken in upstairs! It's the Patrol Bureau!"

"What?"

The other guards were struck with terror, instantly losing their composure.

"Quick! Guard the entrance!"

A burly man who appeared to be a leader roared, though he subconsciously took a few steps backward himself.

However, it was already too late.

Heavy, rhythmic footsteps sounded like drumbeats, rapidly descending the stone stairs!

The flickering torchlight illuminated the entrance, making it bright as day.

"Drop your weapons! Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"

A majestic command rang out.

Soon, several Patrol Bureau Patrolmen with blood-stained black uniforms charged down first, instantly subduing the few guards.

As the torchlight moved, a tall, upright figure, surrounded by a crowd of Patrolmen, stepped into the gloomy dungeon.

The newcomer wore a black-scaled soft armor covered by a Patrol Bureau surcoat, and his face was covered by a lustrous White Jade Mask, revealing only a pair of calm eyes.

In his hand, he carried a grey-blue long blade, the edge still stained with uncleaned blood, casting a cold, chilling gleam under the torchlight.

"That blade, it's that blade."

Wu Xian felt a sense of relief wash over him.

It was indeed Yang Ning.

In the dungeon, all the prisoners, whether they were hopeful or despairing and numb, stared blankly at the young martial artist who had suddenly appeared.

Yang Ning said nothing, walking straight to the cell where Wu Xian and the others were held.

He raised the blade in his hand, and the long blade transformed into a cold light, slashing down from above!

"Clang—snap!"

The iron lock of the cell snapped in response, and the residual force of the blade even left a deep gash on the iron bars.

Yang Ning lifted his foot and kicked the cell door open.

He stepped inside, carefully looking at him and Uncle Wu behind him, and after confirming that although they looked haggard, they had no fatal injuries, he seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

"Brother Wu, Yang Ning is late.

I have let you and everyone else suffer."

As he spoke, he turned slightly, displaying the grey-blue long blade in his hand, and said clearly, word for word:

"Today, Yang Ning has come wielding the blade gifted by my brother.

Once this matter is settled, the Blood Ape Gang will no longer exist."

The voice was not loud, but it sounded like a thunderclap!

"The Blood Ape Gang... will no longer exist?"

Someone repeated the words in a murmur, as if they could not grasp the meaning of the sentence.

Wu Xian looked at the young man before him who still addressed him as "brother."

He looked at the familiar long blade in his hand:

It was the weapon he had spent all his savings to find for him, full of expectations, and his eyes could not help but grow hot.

He suppressed his surging emotions, a genuine smile appearing on his face, and he nodded firmly:

"Good! It is good that you came!"

The prisoners in the other cells finally snapped out of their daze, erupting into the wild joy, weeping, and shouting of those who had survived a disaster.

As Wu Xian helped his father up and walked past Yang Ning, he whispered: "I knew you would come."