Chapter 68: Labyrinth Part 2

Old Tang understood that Wang Ya would only decide whether to lead them in after confirming the answers. He said, “Put it this way: I won’t get involved in your grudges with the Zhang Family, Ghost Family, or the Righteous and Evil Paths—there’s no benefit for me. I can tell you clearly: even if you want to kill Little Zhang, I’ll at most advise against it but won’t intervene. I’ll stay neutral. My main goal is to get the Ghost Pill; if there’s good stuff I can take along the way, I’ll grab some benefits.”

Wang Ya raised her brows, tacitly accepting Old Tang’s words. So Old Tang was just here for the Ghost Pill and cheap gains? If that was truly his only aim, Wang Ya was willing to bring him along—after all, his strength was considerable and would be a great help.

Wang Ya turned to Huang Qi and saw her sightless eyes gazing toward her. She sighed softly and said, “Huang Qi, I’ll help you find the Ghost Pill. I also hope you’ll stay neutral like Old Tang.” She knew Huang Qi was clever and knew to protect herself wisely; no need for more words.

Huang Qi said softly, “Thank you!”

Wang Ya shifted her gaze to Zhang Qingshui and stared at her.

Zhang Qingshui met Wang Ya’s eyes and asked, “What do you want to ask me?”

Wang Ya said, “Once, I thought the Feng Family massacre was over sixty years ago, and even if any perpetrators still lived, they were old with few years left. My surname is Wang, not Feng; the Feng Family massacre had nothing to do with me. Zhang Qingshui, you woke me from self-deception. The perpetrators may be old, but their descendants live on, still hunting the Feng Family’s remnants and inheritors, coveting the Feng Family’s possessions. That night after my soul left my body, I met my grandma. She told me, no matter how bitter, difficult, or wronged I felt, I had to live on—the ghosts of the Underworld couldn’t avenge grudges in the Yang Realm. If I am the Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower Demon, the Feng Family enshrined me for a millennium; I should avenge them. If I am Wang Ya, my grandma raised me for twenty years; I should avenge her. Even if not for the Feng Family’s millennial enshrinement or my grandma’s nurturing grace, for the sake of survival, I cannot let others bully me. Since you’ve come here, don’t go back. Follow me and see what you’re coveting.”

Zhang Qingshui asked in surprise, “You’re not going to kill me?”

Wang Ya chuckled softly. “What’s the use in killing just you?” She smiled breezily, her radiant smile making her glow like a brilliant pearl.

Zhang Qingshui asked blankly, “You don’t hate me?”

Wang Ya shook her head gently. “No.”

Zhang Qingshui, Huang Qi, and Old Tang were all genuinely surprised and found it hard to believe.

Zhang Qingshui asked, “Why?” A subtle disappointment stirred in her heart that she herself could scarcely detect; she would rather Wang Ya hated her.

Wang Ya said faintly, “Perhaps because I’ve died once.”

Zhang Qingshui said, “I don’t understand.”

Old Tang sighed deeply and shook his head inwardly. He could tell Wang Ya truly harbored no hatred toward Zhang Qingshui—not even a trace of emotion—but she had effectively sentenced Zhang Qingshui and all those coveting the Feng Family to death. His earlier humble clarification of his stance and purpose was to avoid being lumped in with the Feng Family seekers.

Wang Ya ignored Zhang Qingshui further. She called Wang Cheng’an back and led them toward the labyrinth ahead.

Old Tang pulled out his Luopan Compass to orient himself, but the labyrinth seemed to interfere with magnetic fields, rendering it useless. He took out his mobile phone sealed in a waterproof bag and saw no signal, as expected. To save battery, he turned it off and put it back.

After walking for over an hour, Old Tang suddenly noticed the three-way fork ahead looked extremely familiar, like one they’d passed before. He asked, “Wang Ya, we haven’t gone wrong, have we? This seems like we’ve been here.”

Wang Ya paused, looked at the path ahead, and asked Wang Cheng’an, “Dad, have we been here?”

Wang Cheng’an furrowed his brows, pouted speechlessly at Wang Ya, and said, “Yaya, don’t you know if we’ve been here?”

Huang Qi said, “Martial Uncle, we haven’t taken this path. It’s a misdirection. If I’m not mistaken, the correct path is still the left one. Those without the route would think they’ve looped back and try another path.” Along the way, she had paid close attention to the route. Wang Ya’s choices followed a precise pattern, avoiding traps and eerie, dangerous auras. The rule was: “At three forks, go left; at four, the second; at two, right; uphill hug left, downhill hug right, flat go center.” She did not understand why such a vast labyrinth used such a simple, regular method. Breaking it required no special means—just release some animals to probe, and the pattern would be mastered quickly. Huang Qi voiced her doubt: “Wang Ya, isn’t the route for such a huge labyrinth too simple?”

Wang Ya countered, “What do you think?”

Huang Qi said, “With the Feng Family’s capabilities, setting such a simple labyrinth… impossible, right?” They had left no marks, so the fork misled them; with marks, the trick would be useless.

Wang Ya asked, “Do you think our journey here has been safe and easy?”

Huang Qi murmured agreement. “It feels off. If so, anyone could figure out the safe route with basic methods.”

Wang Ya smiled lightly and strode straight onto the left path.

Wang Cheng’an blinked, turned to Huang Qi, and said, “Not at all!”

Zhang Qingshui asked, “Then what is it?”

Wang Cheng’an lifted his chin. “I’m not telling you!”

Zhang Qingshui pondered briefly and understood: their smooth journey through the Underground Palace was because they knew the correct route. Venturing blindly would trigger mechanisms. She did not know what, but the Feng Family’s methods would not be simple. She said, “Wang Ya, how much longer until we exit this labyrinth?”

Wang Ya ignored Zhang Qingshui.

Zhang Qingshui sighed softly. “There’s something I have to tell you: I have a tracker on me.”

Huang Qi furrowed her brows tightly and shouted, “Qing Jie, you—”

Old Tang said, “No signal here; the tracker can’t transmit.”

Wang Ya turned, her sharp gaze sweeping straight at Zhang Qingshui. Coldly, she said, “You’re not telling me they’re right behind us and almost at the labyrinth now, are you?”

Zhang Qingshui said, “I think it won’t be long before they catch up.”

Old Tang frowned deeply at Zhang Qingshui. “Little Zhang, you—” He pointed at her, unsure what to say.

Zhang Qingshui said, “I had no choice; those old folks won’t relax unless they control our movements.”

Wang Ya asked, “Who are the ones following? How capable are they?”

Zhang Qingshui replied, “I don’t arrange the follow-up team, but that giant snake in the Deep Pool definitely can’t stop them. There are grandmaster-level figures among them.”

Wang Ya swept a cold glance at Zhang Qingshui and called to Wang Cheng’an, “Dad, run!” With that, she broke into a sprint ahead.

Upon hearing Wang Ya say to run, Wang Cheng’an shot forward like an arrow, legs pumping furiously. He instantly left Wang Ya and the others seven or eight meters behind.