King of Hundred Victories Saber-Chapter 561 - 189: Suspense Arc – Crisis in the Cellar Snake Cave after the Weaving Machine Killing Formation (Part 5)
The eyes of the three ladies were full of trust, and they nodded firmly in response.
The group dispersed, carefully searching every corner of the cold and eerie ice cellar.
Shi Feiyang kept the three ladies protected in the center, his gaze cautiously scanning around.
Suddenly, the "Flying Eagle Detective" Xie Wen, with keen eyes, noticed a faint glimmer of light emanating from a crevice in the ice wall.
The crowd quickly gathered around, and Shi Feiyang raised his hand to signal everyone to be careful, then cautiously approached the gap himself.
As the crevice widened, a hidden ice cave emerged.
Deep within the ice cave, a group of imprisoned Siamese artisans were huddled together.
They appeared haggard and worn, with sunken cheeks and rough, cracked skin, their eyes filled with exhaustion and despair.
Their clothes were tattered and patched, covered with a thin layer of frost.
When they saw Shi Feiyang and the others appear, hope flickered in their eyes, and their chapped lips trembled slightly, but they were too weak to make a sound. Seeing this, Shi Feiyang’s heart was burning with urgency, and he immediately commanded the group to start the rescue.
However, just then, a strange tremor suddenly emanated from the ice cellar.
The previously solid-looking ice walls began to crack, and large chunks of ice fell from the ceiling.
Shi Feiyang shouted, "Watch out!"
Quickly shielding Yili, Qi Meizhen, and Bai Zhi behind him, he drew the long blade from his waist, swinging it to fend off the falling ice.
Qi Meizhen, unwilling to be outdone, drew her Miao Saber and fought alongside Shi Feiyang, each slash precisely cutting the approaching ice chunks.
Yili used her "Mist Swordsmanship," the sword light flickering, sending smaller ice fragments flying, protecting the artisans nearby. Bai Zhi, meanwhile, kept an eye on the artisans’ condition while employing witchcraft, trying to stabilize the eerie atmosphere within the ice cellar and alleviate the collapse of the ice walls.
"Flying Eagle Detective" Xie Wen, "Centipede" Gongsun Ren, and "Cyan-faced Beast" Yang Feng, along with other heroes, also sprang into action, some using weapons to brace the collapsing ice walls, others swiftly relocating the artisans to safer areas.
But the speed of the falling ice was increasing, and the situation was becoming increasingly dire.
Shi Feiyang looked at the chaotic scene before him, his heart filled with anxiety.
He turned to look at Yili, his eyes full of concern and worry: "Yili, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Yili returned his gaze with determination: "I’m fine, husband, don’t worry about me, save the artisans first!"
Shi Feiyang then looked at Qi Meizhen, shouting loudly: "Meizhen, watch the top!"
Qi Meizhen, swinging the Miao Saber, responded: "Don’t worry, husband, I can handle it!"
Shi Feiyang glanced at Bai Zhi, noticing her somewhat pale face, and said with heartache: "Bai Zhi, if you can’t hold on, hide behind me."
Bai Zhi bit her lip and said, "Husband, I can still manage; we must save these artisans."
Just as everyone was about to reach their limits, Shi Feiyang suddenly spotted a large ice chunk heading towards one of the artisans.
Without hesitation, he leaped up and unleashed the "Tathagata Divine Palm," with fiery palm force, and with a loud "boom," shattered the massive ice chunk instantly. However, his arm was injured by the ice shards.
Yili cried out in shock upon seeing Shi Feiyang injured: "Husband!"
She wanted to rush over to check, but Shi Feiyang stopped her: "Don’t come, Yili, save the artisans first! It’s just a scratch."
Qi Meizhen and Bai Zhi were also worried, but at this moment, they could only hold back their emotions and continue with the rescue.
Finally, with everyone’s joint efforts, they successfully transferred all the Siamese artisans to a relatively safe place outside the ice cellar.
Only then did Shi Feiyang let out a sigh of relief, utterly exhausted by now.
Yili, Qi Meizhen, and Bai Zhi hurried to his side, their eyes full of heartache.
Yili gently held up Shi Feiyang’s injured arm, examining the wound, her eyes welling up with tears: "Husband, look at you, you’re hurt so badly."
In fact, Shi Feiyang wasn’t really hurt at all.
Because he had the "Bright Jade Technique" protecting his body, and his martial arts skill improved from the Four Sisters Mountain—he could merge with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi at any time.
Qi Meizhen was also complaining beside him: "Husband, why do you risk your life like this and not pay attention to your own safety."
Bai Zhi swiftly took out some herbs to treat Shi Feiyang’s wound, saying softly: "Husband, bear with it a bit, it’ll be fine soon."
Looking at the three ladies, Shi Feiyang showed a comforting smile: "As long as you’re all okay, what does this little injury matter."
Although uninjured, he allowed them to bandage him to put their minds at ease.
At this moment, Shi Feiyang noticed a Puppet Talisman with tooth marks sealed within an ice block.
Carefully taking it out and examining it closely, he frowned.
This discovery made everyone realize that the conspiracy behind this case was far more complex than they had imagined.
Shi Feiyang tightly gripped the Puppet Talisman, speaking resolutely: "It seems that the forces behind this not only involve Siam and Japan but are also related to Puppetry Technique. We must uncover the truth quickly and stop their conspiracy."
Everyone nodded, their eyes revealing determined resolve.
Despite the harrowing rescue, they were all exhausted, but in this chilly late autumn, they knew the road to uncovering the truth was still long, and a more thrilling confrontation with evil forces was about to unfold.
Late autumn in Suzhou Prefecture was like a watercolor painting washed in cold tones.
Above the sky, lead-gray clouds stacked like a heavy curtain, pressing down on the earth.
The chilly autumn wind, like a ruthless executioner, wielded its icy blades, sweeping through the streets and alleys indiscriminately.
The ginkgo trees by the roadside, once resplendent in golden yellow, were now swaying and tottering under the onslaught of the autumn wind.
The golden leaves, like butterflies adrift in the wind, reluctantly broke free from the branches, swirling in the air before slowly falling, covering the ground with a mottled layer of "fragmented gold," adding more desolation and loneliness.
Fine drizzle, like delicate silk threads or cowhair, gently fell, wetting the clothes of the passersby.
The chill seeped through the skin into the bones, making one involuntarily shiver.
After successfully rescuing the Siamese artisans from the ice cellar, Shi Feiyang and his companions faced the intricate case without any thought of retreat, determinedly following the faint traces to Guangyu Bookstore, intent on uncovering the chilling secret hidden behind the "Ballad of Souls."
Upon entering the bookstore, an ancient, musty scent greeted them, as if transporting them to a time-forgotten world.
The light inside was dim, with a few old lanterns casting a faint yellow glow, swaying slightly under the autumn breeze, the shadows flickering on the walls, adding to the mysterious atmosphere.
The scent of sandalwood lingered in the air, tendrils of smoke trying to mask the persistent chill.
There were only a few people in the audience, immersed in the melodious and haunting tune of the ballad singer, so entranced that they failed to sense the deadly crisis creeping in.
Shi Feiyang, the experienced Grand Squad Leader of the Heroic Sakura Association, used the acute intuition honed from years in Jianghu. As soon as he stepped into the bookstore, he sensed an unusual aura permeating the area.
His gaze was sharp, vigilantly scanning the surroundings, his steps unconsciously slow, each step steady and cautious.
Beside him, his wife Yili, in a light purple dress, graceful and elegant, noticed the anomaly in her husband’s demeanor.
She leaned slightly closer to Shi Feiyang, her eyes showing a hint of worry and concern.
Qi Meizhen gripped the hilt of her Miao Saber tightly at her waist, her gaze intense, ready to deal with any sudden situation.
Bai Zhi stood calmly, secretly clutching several silver needles, prepared for unforeseen needs.
At this moment, the previously melodious and pleasant sound of the three-stringed instrument suddenly turned eerie and sinister.
The rhythm was chaotic and disordered, the notes manipulated by an unseen dark hand, creating a sound similar to ghostly wails and wolf howls, echoing within the bookstore, sending chills down the spine.
