No Battle at Jialing Pass

The Stone Platform beneath Shen Ming's feet was connected to more than a dozen thin chains. If Bibi Dong pressed him from the front, he only had to kick loose a clasp, and the captives on the chains would fall into the deep well. Yuan Yu saw how it worked and raised a hand, signaling everyone to spread out.

The well still held half a vat of foul blood that had not burned away earlier. Among the captives was a very young Spirit Hall soldier. An iron chain had cut so deeply into his leg that he could not walk, yet he kept urging the others to run. Tang San tried to reach him with the Blue Silver Emperor, but Shen Ming immediately worked the Wheel Axis, drawing the chain back toward the well. Yuan Yu told Tang San to wait a moment. He slowly moved his Rock Seal beneath the well wall, steadying the Stone Platform so it no longer swayed with the Wheel Axis.

"Tang San, the three on the left. Hu Liena, watch his eyes."

"You're planning to charge in alone again?" Qian Renxue gripped her sword hilt.

"There's stone under his feet. I'll hold it in place first." Yuan Yu set the Earth Origin Boundary-Sealing Seal against the rim of the well. "The rest is yours to handle however you like."

Nine rings lit up around Shen Ming. He was a rank ninety-four Titled Douluo. Dressed in an old elder's robe, he had three Blood Nails hidden in his sleeve. When he saw Yuan Yu's seal descend, he drove the nails into the walls on either side. The brickwork cracked, and red vapor from the nails split into several streams, rushing toward the two routes out of the well used by Heaven Dou and Spirit Hall.