Secret Records of the Leader of the Beichen Sword Sect
Chapter 101 - 100 The Secret Passage

Chapter 101: Chapter 100 The Secret Passage

The Tongguan Palace is the palace where the Sovereign of Gen resides. It’s said that in the past, the Great General actually stationed his troops on the old site of the Tongguan Palace, training soldiers and guarding the Northern Fan. Later, as the military camp expanded, the Ye Capital City gradually took shape.

Later on, after the great victory in the Northern Expedition, the world was pacified, and the seas were cleared. Emperor Wu undertook massive construction projects, using the wealth heaped up like mountains in the arsenal and inner treasury to build the three platforms: Copper Stork, Golden Phoenix, and Jade Qilin.

Among them, Tongguan Palace, entirely cast in copper, occupies the largest area, standing ten zhang high with a hundred and one rooms. A copper stork on the rooftop spreads its wings as if flying, and on the platform, pavilions connect in series, with flying eaves and exquisite carvings, showcasing magnificent grandeur. Naturally, it became the palace for successive Sovereigns of Gen.

However, as Zhen Baiyu mentioned, by now the Tongguan Palace was deserted, as urgent reports had just arrived that morning, saying the Kan Army had massacred a hundred thousand people. The people of Ye Capital hadn’t even had time to don mourning clothes before they rushed to court and found out, well, the Sovereign had already fled across the Gen River! Isn’t this just ridiculous??

As a result, a large number of officials lost their lives following the Sovereign in the southward escape, leaving only those of lower status, who hadn’t the qualifications to enter the palace and missed the opportune moment due to lack of information. Of course, there was a very small number who, due to their longstanding residence in Genzhou and lack of considerable family property in the south, voluntarily stepped forward to host the defense.

By the time the majority reacted, the vanguard horse riding troops were rolling southward. Attempting to flee south with family in tow became impossible as the mountain passes were blocked, and no boats could be found at the ferries, so they simply chose not to flee. Giving in—they thought—better to surrender as one form of obeisance is always the same.

Therefore, outside the Tongguan Palace now, only a few soldiers were guarding the palace gates, preventing riotous people from entering to plunder. It seems a smart person had the foresight to prepare to present this platform intact to the new master, as an offering of loyalty.

Tie Dan, under Zhen Baiyu’s guidance, entered the city by scaling walls and crossing ponds through a side gate and found a side hall of the cold palace beneath the Copper Crane Platform.

"This well is where the Great General once diverted Zhang River water underneath this platform, leading through secret passages to the Xuanwu Pond, used for training the navy.

Following the secret passage down the well, you can stealthily sneak out along the Zhang River secret passage underneath the Imperial Music Bureau."

Tie Dan peeked downward and tossed Zhen Baiyu to the ground, preparing to descend into the well.

Zhen Baiyu was unprepared and let out a soft "yelp," her knees buckling as she knelt to the side, instinctively hugging Tie Dan’s leg,

"Brother, we agreed Baiyu would go with you. There might be hidden currents down there, and I can guide the way."

Tie Dan gave her a sideways glance,

"Do you even know how to swim?"

Zhen Baiyu hurriedly replied,

"I do, I do. When I was a child, I went on an outing by Zhang River and encountered a fu zhu that came to play with me. It gifted me an immortal herb, and after eating it, I could breathe and see underwater."

Tsk...

Tie Dan felt an urge to punch her in the face all of a sudden.

But since the other party could ’see underwater,’ while Tie Dan’s water manipulation technique was barely better than a dog paddle, he had no choice but to continue with this burden in tow.

So he scooped Zhen Baiyu up and leapt into the well, diving into the water to proceed through the secret river.

With Zhen Baiyu in his arms occasionally touching his face to guide the way, Tie Dan made no detours and successfully found the exit of the secret passage.

This Imperial Music Bureau was built by the waterside, likely converted from a dock on the Xuanwu Lake back then. With careful maintenance by the Zhen Family and Zhen Baiyu’s memories of her mother’s instructions, they found the entrance to the secret passage without much effort. They side-stepped through the narrow passageways built into the pavilion walls until they reached the end.

The endpoint was a hinge door. Tie Dan pressed his ear to the door and listened, faintly hearing muffled sounds from the other side, indicating the room was in use. They’d have to wait for the others to finish before going out.

Moreover, judging by the sounds, it seemed like two men together over there. These guys really knew how to seize the moment, lounging around the Imperial Music Bureau so leisurely on the brink of battle... But come to think of it, maybe they’d never have this chance again, better savor the last moments—perhaps those playboys thought the same and went to snatch people.

Also hearing the lustful panting and warrior cries from just a door away and seeing Tie Dan suddenly turn to glance at her, Zhen Baiyu abruptly realized she was standing too close.

The outer cloak and cape had been removed underwater for ease of movement, leaving her clothes tight and clinging to her body like a cicada’s wing, soaked by the river water. The cold wind made her shiver, and the narrow passage instinctively drove her to press close to Tie Dan, almost unwittingly leaning into his embrace for warmth, practically offering herself at him.

Zhen Baiyu reflexively tried to push Tie Dan away, but accidentally slipped, hitting the wall with a thud.

Tie Dan’s eyes turned sharp, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

Fortunately, the noises outside were a chorus of groaning and creaking, with the bed hitting the wall, unnoticed.

Tie Dan glared angrily at this liability.

It was you who insisted on coming! Now you can’t move and lean on me! Useless! More of a hindrance than a help! Worthless!

And being tightly held in the youth’s embrace, under his scorching gaze, Zhen Baiyu was so tense her whole body couldn’t help but tremble wildly. Flushed, she bit her lip, keeping her gaze on his collarbone, feeling unbearably hot, as if she might melt at any moment.

Since she realized her incompetence and was overwhelmed with shame, avoiding eye contact, Tie Dan temporarily put aside his anger and concentrated intently, using his divine sense to probe the situation outside the door... Hmm? The divine sense couldn’t penetrate?

Tie Dan frowned, touched the door panel, and discovered that this was some material he’d never seen before. Not quite jade, not exactly stone, and not even very thick. After all, he could clearly hear the battle on the other side. The bed was shaking so violently that dust was falling from the hidden passage.

But strangely, just being one door away, Tie Dan found his divine sense completely blocked, as if it was absorbed by the door.

He remembered when constructing the Golden Core Dao Body, Chen Xuantian discussed how a cultivator’s divine sense was like sonar, probably achieving a dolphin or bat-like biological radar through full brain development.

So if one wanted to avoid the divine sense locking of a Great Cultivator, they could mimic radar-absorbing materials, using special materials to absorb or attenuate incoming divine sense, convert it into heat to dissipate, or cause brainwave interference.

Although it was theoretical at the time, Tie Dan didn’t expect to encounter such a material today. No wonder those palace maids could build secret passages right under the Demon Palace’s nose and escape, unheard of for so many years.

This door...

Heavenly Materials Treasures!

Tie Dan’s eyes lit up with love at the sight of that door.

Such a good object, dismantle it to make a sword.

Waiting idly for the next move, Zhen Baiyu sneaked a peek, inadvertently witnessing such an obvious, intense, and burning emotion from Tie Dan, causing her heart to flutter wildly! She was entranced, inadvertently embracing the youth by the waist and resting her head on his chest...

What the hell now?

Tie Dan’s eyes turned sharp, nearly slicing her head off with his sword.

But then he realized that despite clinging onto him, this woman showed no hostile intentions. So, Tie Dan frowned, rationally analyzing.

Hmm, probably because she felt the water was cold and the space narrow, fearing another slippery fall, she chose to stabilize herself...

That works.

So, Tie Dan hoisted Zhen Baiyu up, wrapping her legs around his waist like a koala, securing her firmly as a chest piece. With both hands finally free, he could wield his sword.

Zhen Baiyu, "!? ?! ?!"

Before she could react...

"Oh—!"

"Ah—!"

"Bang!"

At the last moment, Tie Dan broke through the door! His palm struck out! Smashing the man’s head while he was at the peak of ecstasy! Hmm? Only one!?

Then he turned to the bed... Damn! Another dead eunuch!

Without a word! Knife hand chop! Split man and bed in two!

"Ah—!"

The eunuch let out a horrible scream and died instantly.

However, fortunately, despite the enormous commotion, the timing and tempo were impeccable, so the laughter and fervor from the outside did not decrease, with no one paying attention to the battle cries inside...

Tie Dan casually tossed Zhen Baiyu, who was still dazed, to the ground, picked up the eunuch’s clothes, and tossed them at her face.

"Change into this."

Zhen Baiyu barely had time to speak before Tie Dan, right in front of her, opened his robe, revealing a well-built body of bronze hue, perfect abs and waistline, muscular back and legs without any unnecessary fat, quickly donned the Imperial Guard robe, and turned his head.

"Were you hurt?"

Zhen Baiyu froze, quickly turning her head and covering her face, ears red like blood jade.

"No! Nothing! I’m fine! I’m okay!"

Tie Dan rolled his eyes and strapped on the waist sword slantwise.

What Candidacy Saintess, just a few steps and she’s spent, even has a nosebleed, truly useless.