Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 258 - 222 Peach of the Three Springs_1

Chapter 258: Chapter 222 Peach of the Three Springs_1

"Is parchment also used inside this Zhenyao Tower?" Li Xuan asked Yue Qianqian directly, "I find the quality of this paper quite good."

The adage goes: When in doubt, consult Baidu—the Chinese search engine—, and you’ll usually get an answer.

A blush tinted Yue Qianqian’s beautiful face: "I-it’s used in many places, for record keeping, interrogation notes, and so on. However, it’s strictly managed, and almost every sheet is accounted for."

She had planned to keep her distance from Li Xuan starting today, and it was high time for her muddled mind to clear up. Thus, Yue Qianqian had been rather icy towards Li Xuan throughout the day, providing him with nothing but cold looks.

However, the talisman painting roll she had commissioned for memorabilia had, unfortunately, been spotted by Li Xuan when they entered the tower.

This left Yue Qianqian embarrassed and unsure about how to proceed. She wanted to continue being cold towards him but lacked the courage, feeling extremely guilty instead.

"Not only parchment."

Crouching on the ground, Luo Yan picked up some dust: "There’s also saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal—necessary ingredients in the making of gunpowder. However, consider this: the fact that they chose to use gunpowder doesn’t mean they are poor, but rather that these materials can’t be easily smuggled in. Now, if talismans can be made inside the tower, why not gunpowder?"

Luo Yan looked at Li Xuan: "The gunpowder didn’t combust completely, indicating its poor quality. Also, the illusion that concealed the gunpowder was executed through a talisman. This person knows how to adapt to his environment; his illusion technique is weak, but the dense earth energy at this Kun Character Position naturally helped in hiding it."

"Interesting."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly: "So where can I find the accounts for these items?"

Yue Qianqian answered: "The first floor of the tower houses a not-so-small archives room that stores files, account books, interrogation records, etc. Also, duplicates of these documents are kept in the book collection building."

Li Xuan was keen to go and take a look right away. But before that, he needed to inspect another explosion site and the underground waterway where Shenhui and Xue Wuya escaped.

Taking into account the distance, they decided to visit the Blackwater Prison in the Zhenyao Tower first.

The Blackwater Prison of the Zhenyao Tower is located between the first and second subterranean levels. It’s mainly a ring-structured building situated on the outer layer of the tower’s foundation, while a large underground water tank—like a defensive moat—surrounds it.

Not only does this water tank serve as a water source for the Blackwater Prison, but it also acts as a barrier against breakouts.

The purpose of the Liudao Division in constructing this underground water reservoir was to prevent escape through the Earth Escape technique or infiltration attacks from underground.

Therefore, it’s vast, covering the entire lower layer of the Zhenyao Tower’s base.

When the ’Zhenwu Fengmo Array’ is activated, this place becomes a death trap. Anyone attempting to swim across would be bombarded by the dense traps and the lethal water-based spells, leading to their instant demise.

The outer layer of the underground water tank is surrounded by various pipes. Some supply water to the tank and drain it, while others are sewage pipes, disposing of the water used daily within the tower, as well as unspeakable waste from humans and demons.

The former is separated from the water tank by a massive iron gate, thick as three yards, which remains closed unless needed; the latter, however, is not in direct contact with the water tank.

The problem arose from the sewage pipe; on the southern stone wall of the underground water tank, Xue Wuya and Shenhui forcibly blasted an opening, leading directly to the sewage pipe five yards away.

After maneuvering through two turns, they ruptured the stone wall again to enter another underground canal. One end of this canal connected to the water tank’s large gate, while the other end led to the Yangtze River, five miles away.

By the time Li Xuan and his companions arrived, the water had not fully drained.

And because of the waste from the sewage pipe that had backed up into the opening, the place not only emitted a nauseating, rotten smell but also a foul stench. Even worse, some indescribable objects floated on the water’s surface.

Thankfully, by this time, Li Xuan had reached the cultivation level of the Fourth-Floor Territory, allowing him to hold his breath for a long time. Otherwise, he would’ve been overwhelmed by the stench. Furthermore, the power of the talisman allowed him to hover half a foot above the surface without touching the water.

"Is this the place?" Li Xuan asked while holding his nose, looking at the hole in awe. He admired the fact that Xue Wuya and the others could squeeze through while also feeling a cold gleam in his eyes: "The positioning of the hole is very precise."

"Indeed, they hit the location accurately! And they did so in such a short time, penetrating two layers of the stone wall in succession. Had they delayed even slightly, they would’ve been captured by the Fumo Zongguan and Assistant Director Chou," Luo Yan said, and then turned to Yue Qianqian, "Is there anyone in the Liudao Division who is familiar with the structure of these underwater pipes?"

Yue Qianqian pondered a little before shaking her head slightly: "The Zhenyao Tower was built 1,100 years ago. As of now, I don’t believe anyone fully understands its structure. These pipes, however, often get blocked due to design flaws in the original blueprints and require cleaning and dredging every six months. However, those responsible for cleaning pipes simply follow them for dredging. It’s unlikely they’d know the closest point between the pipes and the water tank or how to enter an underground canal."

After a moment’s thought, she added, "But, if I recall correctly, there are complete blueprints of the Zhenyao Tower stored in Zhuque House’s seventh floor and the top floor of the book collection building. Two sets of each, stored separately."

At this moment, Peng Fulai noticed Li Xuan seemed to be engrossed in observing something above the hole leading to the sewage tunnel.

"What are you still looking at? Let’s get out of here. The smell is unbearable."

Despite his continual reliance on elixirs recently, Li Xuan was just short of progressing to the Fourth-Floor Territory. This made him the most unsettled among the group, unable to bear the predicament even for a moment.

"Let me borrow your identity token." Li Xuan took the black token that Peng Fulai handed over and scraped off a layer of white crystal powder on the wall of the tunnel.

After giving it a glance, Luo Yan realized and said, "This is saltpeter. If no one has touched this for a thousand years, the amount of saltpeter here might be significant."

Peng Fulai grimaced, looking at the identity token that Li Xuan handed back to him, "Why not use your own?"

"Yours isn’t valuable at all, so it’s convenient to swap." Li Xuan pointed to his own waist, where he had his identity token that denoted his rank as ’Fumo Duyu’. It was surrounded by a layer of gold and carved with intricate symbols, "Look at mine, wouldn’t it be a pity if it gets dirty?"

He then turned and started walking, "Let’s go, we’re going to the top floor."

However, the explosion scene at the top floor of the Zhenyao Tower was unremarkable.

The structure here was exactly the same as it was underground. In accordance with the Yin-Yang Fish Diagram, this area was also separated into two disconnected sections by a thick wall. The only difference was that the top of the tower had a smaller area, and the corresponding ’eight-diagram’ architecture here was relatively smaller.

This place was not only the relay of the ’Zhenhun Pillar’, but also the base of the ’Zhenwu Fengmo Array’. However, compared to the underground layer, the base here was not as important.

The explosion site was still inside the pit at the ’Kun Character Position’. There were also a lot of unburned gunpowder residues, but no fragments of talisman paper were found. It was unclear whether there were none, or they had been taken away by the Inner Hall members.

After coming down from the top floor, Li Xuan decided to split up. Luo Yan was dispatched to the book collection building and Zhuque Building to look up the compulsory record of the architecture design of the Zhenyao Tower. He and Yue Qianqian then went together to the first-floor document room.

As for Peng Fulai and Zhang Yue - in Li Xuan’s eyes, they were no more than a duo of sidekicks and mascots. They couldn’t be counted on at this point.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but when they were descending, they happened to cross paths with the ’Neijianchashi’ Shi Xin, who was ascending with a group of Inner Hall members under his leadership.

Upon seeing them, Shi Xin appeared caught off guard briefly before a look of interest flashed in his eyes, "You must be Li Xuan, the person in charge of investigating the Zhenyao Tower explosion? When I saw the order from Zongguan, I found it peculiar. How could he, of all people, entrust an insignificant Fumo Duyu like you to handle this case? Why does he trust you so much?

Later I remembered, aren’t you the famous hero of Beigu Mountain, and the late bloomer who’s been on the rise in Zhuque Hall recently, the ’Tiger of Mingyou’?"

"I am flattered by your high praise!" Li Xuan responded with a calm nod, maintaining an unaffected demeanor.

Unless you address him as ’Divine Blade, Li Xuan’ or ’Blade King, Li Xuan’, he wouldn’t accept those flatteries.

’Tiger of Mingyou’? What rubbish title was that? He ain’t no freeloader.

"Interesting, your poise exceeds your reputation." Shi Xin turned around and continued to ascend, "Do your job well! Although I don’t know what Dragon Mustache Tiger has instructed you, I can roughly guess his intentions. He must be playing the same old game of sheltering subordinates and nurturing hidden troubles. Zhuque Hall is becoming a den of inequity largely because of Dragon Mustache Tiger’s negligence. My visit from Beijing this time is precisely to clear the bad and dishonest practices here, and purify Zhuque Hall.

I have a word of advice for you - think thrice before you act! Whoever dares to obstruct my path and harm public affairs for personal gains, I, Shi Xin, shall show no mercy!"

Li Xuan couldn’t help but frown, Dragon Mustache Tiger - that was the name of their Fumo Zongguan.

When Shi Xin and the Inner Hall members he was leading had all ascended the stairs behind them, Zhang Yue scowled, "I’m feeling rather irritated. Does Zhuque Hall sound like a garbage pit to him?"

Li Xuan also felt a twinge of discomfort, "Let him be. Let’s focus on our work."

As Yue Qianqian predicted, the document room was indeed vast, spanning across an area equivalent to thirty feet in radius and was partitioned into seven rooms. It was designed in accordance with Jinkui Stone Room configuration to fireproof and burglary-proof the room.

There were seven document managers on duty, with the chief manager being a female Fumo Duyu who is a civilian official named Gongsun Xue. She was about thirty years old but looked youthful. She had a seductive figure and radiated an aura of mature intellectuality.

When Li Xuan saw her, his eyes inevitably lit up. He instinctively thought of a saying - as lovely as the peach of spring, as pure as the chrysanthemum of autumn!

Peng Fulai and Zhang Yue behind him were in even worse states, practically stunned.

As Li Xuan was appreciating her with his gaze, Yue Qianqian forcefully stepped on his foot. The young girl glared at him, "What are you looking at? She’s the wife of Fumo Zhonglangjiang, Lord Wang Shouyi!"

Li Xuan thought of the mustachioed burly man he had met not long ago. Immediately, he restrained himself, averting his eyes and focusing straight ahead.

Zhang Yue and Peng Fulai also sobered up and daren’t risk any more improper glances. They had heard of Wang Shouyi’s reputation and feared that Zhonglangjiang would beat them to death.