Amnesia Again

Zhang Qiling now remembered how, as the Zhang Family patriarch, to enter the ancient tower without using the ring, which was the key. This was the final stronghold known as the Zhang Family's secret. It was also an immense and extraordinarily intricate bronze mechanism that moved as a whole, changing the paths inside and burying intruders within. It would not be an exaggeration to call it a living palace.

Zhang Qiling used the siphon effect at the bottom of the lake to reach the first door inside the ancient tower's top floor. He took the dagger he carried and cut the back of his hand, letting blood run over it before quickly smearing it across the qilin-shaped grooves in the door. On closer inspection, the carving of a qilin treading through flames was identical to the Zhang Family's qilin tattoo. The enormous bronze door slowly opened a gap wide enough for only one person, and Zhang Qiling slipped through. It slowly closed behind him.

Once inside, Zhang Qiling held his breath. Behind the door stretched a long passage between stone walls. Breathing too much would raise the temperature and awaken the Miluotuo in the walls. Zhang Qiling advanced with ease, moving not in a straight line but with an intricate sequence of steps to avoid triggering the traps. Only the Qilings of successive generations knew it.

He had come not only to retrieve the Black Gold Ancient Saber, but also to confirm certain things: that the truth about the Ultimate and immortality was safe. He could sense that "it" was making more and more moves, on an ever greater scale. Last time, at Mount Siguniang, he had failed to trap and kill its people, and had instead been imprisoned because of an unexpected Heavenly Bestowal. He needed to check. Moreover, the man who had appeared had displayed extraordinary abilities Zhang Qiling had never seen or heard of before. He would not doubt the man; he trusted his own instincts. But could this also mean that something new had changed?

Without pausing, Zhang Qiling darted up and down, quickly reaching the bottom floor of the ancient tower. This was the most dangerous area, where the Zhang Family's ancestral graves lay.

The coffins of the patriarchs of successive generations were all placed here, surrounded by dangers on every side. The Black Gold Ancient Saber, the patriarch's token, was in the previous Qiling's coffin. Zhang Qiling retrieved it without trouble, then headed down to an even lower level. This was where the real secrets lay.

The truly deadly traps were all here. To outsiders, this level also lay beneath the first floor. Everyone would expect the important things to be at the top, so the Zhang Family had done the opposite. At the very bottom lay a thousand years of Zhang Family secrets, historical records, maps of tombs from every dynasty, research on immortality, and secrets concerning the Ultimate. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong here.

He checked the mechanisms, then adjusted and reinforced some of them. After that, Zhang Qiling prepared to return. He had promised the man he would be back within a day, and he did not want to keep him waiting.

Getting out would be simple. He planned to emerge through the mountainside on the other side. He had not told Yu Zhi; some things were safer left unknown. Otherwise, once "it" found out, Yu Zhi would face a sky-darkening onslaught of attempts to capture him and schemes against him.

As Zhang Qiling was about to leave, he unexpectedly sensed the mechanisms on the bottom floor activate. Someone had broken in. He was not worried that the newcomer would defeat the traps. Anyone entering here would find the Zhang Family's ancestral graves immediately; coming through the main entrance, this was the first floor.

Holding his breath and focusing, he watched the newcomer. When Zhang Qiling saw who it was, his eyes darkened. How had Hei Xiazi come to be here? Many thoughts ran through Zhang Qiling's mind at that moment. Then, relying on their decades of friendship and the many times Hei Xiazi had picked him up after he lost his memory, he trusted that Hei Xiazi was not one of "its" people.

He darted out, startling Hei Xiazi, who swiftly attacked him. Hei Xiazi had not expected anyone else to be in this godforsaken place. If he had not needed to save Mute, he would never have come here for the Black Gold Ancient Saber. He had seen the saber before; it belonged to Mute. But the Wu Family wanted it and had promised to rescue Mute once he obtained it. He had no choice but to come.

After exchanging several blows, Blind Man recognized his opponent, though he did not dare be certain. Could Mute have been rescued as soon as he agreed to the Wu Family's demand? "Mute, is that you, Mute?"

"Yes. Why are you here?" Zhang Qiling asked, releasing Hei Xiazi.

"To save you! I took on a big job. The Wu Family said they wanted that saber of yours and promised to get you out," Hei Xiazi explained.

"Thank you." Zhang Qiling knew Hei Xiazi had done a great deal for him, but he too was being watched by "it," and he was all alone.

"Ah, don't mention it. We're brothers; there's no need for that. Why are you here? I didn't hear you'd been let out." Blind Man resumed his carefree manner.

"Someone rescued me. I came for the saber," Zhang Qiling answered as he led Hei Xiazi out. With Hei Xiazi along, he could not take the shortcut and could only return the way he had come.

Only then did Hei Xiazi notice the Black Gold Ancient Saber strapped to Zhang Qiling's back. "Well, this trip was for nothing. At least you're out too, so it wasn't a complete waste."

Zhang Qiling led Hei Xiazi upward. They needed to pass through the rock wall they had entered by, leave from the top, and dive into the lake.

The two were nearly through the rock wall containing the Miluotuo when, whether because their combined body heat was too high or Hei Xiazi was breathing too loudly, the Miluotuo came alive. They had no choice but to fight their way through the densely packed creatures. Zhang Qiling saw that Hei Xiazi could not use his gun effectively and had been clawed on his right leg and shoulder. He quickly cut the back of his hand and bled onto the door to open it, then rushed forward, grabbed Hei Xiazi and flung him behind himself, roaring, "Go! Get out through the lake!"

Hei Xiazi did not dare delay and hurried out. He could see that his gun was no use against these things, and that he could only hold Zhang Qiling back here. Holding his breath, he fled with all his might.

Zhang Qiling wielded the Black Gold Ancient Saber with spiritual power, its fierce sweep filling the air, and was on the verge of finishing off the monsters.

Unexpectedly, disaster struck. His head began to ache uncontrollably, and his vision blurred, turning kaleidoscopic. The monsters soon clawed him. Had he not dodged quickly, one of his arms would have been torn off, but his chest still took a heavy blow.

At that moment, he thought, Damn Heavenly Bestowal. I'm finished now. Then he remembered that Yu Zhi would live or die with him. Throwing caution aside, he summoned his remaining spiritual power and rushed toward the door with all his might, squeezing through just before it closed. Then the lake water engulfed him.

Yu Zhi sat in a nearby tree, devoting half his attention to cultivation and the other half to watching his surroundings.

As he waited, his heart suddenly pounded terribly, and he grew so anxious he could neither sit nor stand still. He knew something must have happened to Zhang Qiling. Such was the power of the One Heart Contract. His fingers flew through hand seals, quickly taking on a share of the damage. The Zhang Family Ancient Tower was too dangerous; as a complete novice with mechanisms, he could not go down and make trouble. All he could do was transfer the damage and keep Zhang Qiling alive.

A sharp pain struck his right shoulder and chest, and Yu Zhi involuntarily spat out a mouthful of blood. It seemed Zhang Qiling was badly injured. He could wait no longer; he had to enter the water and find him.

Just as he was about to jump in, he saw a figure swimming up from below. Delighted, Yu Zhi hurried to pull him out, only to discover that it was not Zhang Qiling, but a man wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses. With no time to worry about anything else, he flung the man onto the shore and jumped into the lake.

Diving rapidly, Yu Zhi saw the magnificent Zhang Family Ancient Tower at the bottom of the lake. Its craftsmanship rivaled the heavens, as though carved by gods and spirits!

Then he saw a person bleeding all over thrown out like a rag doll.

Yu Zhi's eyes nearly split with fury. He hurried over, gathered Zhang Qiling's body into his arms, and swam upward with all his might. Buoyed by spiritual power, the two shot out of the lake like a rocket.

Hei Xiazi lay on the ground and had not seen clearly who had pulled him out. Then he saw someone fly out carrying Mute, and his mouth fell open. "Holy shit, that's fucking breathtaking."