"Senior, I know the method to enter the second level! I wonder if this can prove my identity?" Zhang Yang said.
Upon hearing this, the prisoner was stunned.
No longer roaring angrily at Zhang Yang, he pulled aside the restraints covering his eyes and stared at Zhang Yang, his face filled with vigilance.
"You know the method to enter the second level? How is that possible?"
"Zhang Lihe doesn't know this method! You're trying to trick me."
Zhang Lihe?
The speaker was unintentional, but the listener took heed.
When the prisoner mentioned Zhang Lihe's name, Zhang Yang was also shocked.
It seemed Zhang Lihe had indeed betrayed them.
Perhaps Zhang Lihe also contributed to this Hua Xia Five Dragons expert being imprisoned here!
"You know Zhang Lihe betrayed us too?" Zhang Yang tested.
"Hmph, Zhang Lihe is a traitor himself, so what betrayal are you talking about? All the Zhang family members, except Zhang Yingxiong, are ungrateful wretches! Traitors!" the prisoner coldly snorted.
He became agitated as he spoke.
Seeing this, Zhang Yang quickly changed the subject.
"Senior, the method to enter the second level is on the bluestone tiles beneath your feet. First, haphazardly, then five in the middle, three to the right." Zhang Yang shouted.
Indeed.
Upon hearing Zhang Yang utter the mnemonic,
The prisoner temporarily regained his composure, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
However.
He still stared at Zhang Yang with cold eyes, as if waiting for something.
"After doing this, return to the stone gate where you entered the first level, and press the dragon eye carvings on the stone gate from left to right, in order."
As soon as he said this.
The prisoner became excited.
The person standing before him truly knew the way to the second level!
Could it be...
"Are you really Zhang Yingxiong's child?" the prisoner asked.
"Naturally, the genuine article," Zhang Yang replied.
Now.
Zhang Yang knew that after hearing his words, the prisoner had gained some trust in him.
So Zhang Yang boldly approached, stopping three feet in front of him.
"Senior, take a good look, do I resemble Zhang Yingxiong?" Zhang Yang said.
They had been far apart earlier, and since the location was underground, little light from above could penetrate.
They could only rely on some broken luminous devices emitting a faint glow, serving as the only source of illumination.
Fortunately, as Zhang Yang approached, he turned on his phone's flashlight, shining it on his face.
The prisoner stared intently at Zhang Yang for a while.
The chains binding him rattled again, and he became very emotional.
"You do, you really look alike!"
The prisoner muttered to himself, tears welling up in his cloudy old eyes.
"Ministers, are you all still alive? You even have children now."
"I've failed you, I couldn't protect the headquarters, and in the end, the three families from the capital succeeded."
"..."
After confirming Zhang Yang's identity, the prisoner suddenly fell into a state of overwhelming self-reproach.
He beat his chest and stomped his feet, muttering to himself.
Zhang Yang listened silently.
He began to understand the general situation!
It turned out.
This imprisoned expert had an extraordinary identity.
He was the Grand Elder of the Hua Xia Five Dragons, named Huo Zhu.
Back then.
The Hua Xia Five Dragons were attacked by a powerful enemy and, unable to resist, had to scatter and go into hiding.
Huo Zhu was the one left behind in the capital.
Everything was going well, and Huo Zhu and his companions were recuperating.
But one day five years ago, Huo Zhu was ambushed.
When he returned to the Hua Xia Five Dragons headquarters to retrieve something, he was ambushed by enemies.
The ambushers were precisely the Zhang, Zhou, and Wu families.
Initially, Huo Zhu didn't take them seriously, as he knew the strength of these three families.
However, just as he was about to annihilate them, he found that he couldn't mobilize his vital energy.
He later realized that he had been drugged unknowingly.
And the person who drugged him, Huo Zhu believed, could only be Zhang Lihe.
After all, Huo Zhu had also lived in the basement where Zhang Yang was currently residing.
Unable to use his vital energy, Huo Zhu was like a fish out of water.
The final outcome was being imprisoned in this dark, lightless underground world.
If not for the fact that these three families wanted to extract the method to enter the second level from Huo Zhu's mouth.
Huo Zhu would likely have turned into a pile of bones by now.
...
Knowing the whole story, Zhang Yang was furious!
"Grand Elder, for the past five years, have you survived on the old rats that the Zhang family discarded here?" Zhang Yang asked in a deep voice.
The Zhang family was truly too much!
Even when treating a prisoner, they shouldn't be so harsh!
"I'm used to it. Zhang Yang, you don't need to be angry," Huo Zhu forced a smile, even comforting Zhang Yang instead.
"At first, it was indeed difficult, as catching rats without bait was very challenging."
"But after catching the first one, I habitually left some rat meat as bait to gradually attract other rats."
"This way, I could sustain myself, though the taste of rat meat was rather difficult to swallow."
"Alas..."
Huo Zhu sighed after a pause.
"If my old bones weren't still somewhat useful, I wouldn't choose to live such a meager existence."
Although Huo Zhu spoke lightly of it.
Zhang Yang's anger remained unabated.
"The Zhang family deserves to die! I won't let them off once we get out!" Zhang Yang said in a deep voice.
"Get out? It's not that easy. The four chains binding me are forged from special meteorites from outer space."
"Even with my current strength, I can't break them. Do you think there's a chance of getting out?" Huo Zhu said powerlessly.
For so many years, he had never resigned himself to fate.
He had been trying to break free from the chains, but all his efforts were in vain.
Now, he could only hope that one day, the Hua Xia Five Dragons would return.
Then...
He would have a chance of rescue.
At that time, all accounts could be settled at once.
His vital energy couldn't break them?
Zhang Yang frowned slightly.
If vital energy couldn't do it, could true energy?
After thinking about it, Zhang Yang felt it was worth a try.
However, before that, he had to close the stone door on the first level.
The agreed time with the Zhao family had arrived.
He expected the Zhang family and others would soon learn from the Zhao family that he had entered the first underground level.
"Grand Elder, perhaps I have a way to try. But before that, please open the mechanism to enter the second level, and I'll go close the stone door."
"This way, no one from outside can get in, and we'll have more time," Zhang Yang said.
He had been told by He Ao that once the passage to the second underground level was opened, the stone door on the first level would be locked.
"Oh, you have a way?" Huo Zhu asked, surprised.
"It should work."
With that.
Zhang Yang's true energy appeared in his palm, and he swung a palm strike at the chains.
Sola la.
Immediately, the chains emitted a white mist and made a piercing sound.
Huo Zhu's gaze followed where Zhang Yang had struck the chains.
Looking at it, Huo Zhu was astonished.
"There's a mark. Although it's not deep, it seems to be feasible!"
"Zhang Yang, is there something different about your vital energy?" Huo Zhu asked curiously.
"I can't say for sure, but compared to others' vital energy, it does have some special aspects," Zhang Yang scratched his head, not mentioning true energy.
After the successful attempt, Zhang Yang turned directly towards the entrance stone door on the first level.
Huo Zhu also didn't delay and chose to open the entrance to the second underground level.
Now, Huo Zhu had complete trust in Zhang Yang.
Moreover, Zhang Yang himself knew the mnemonic and the sequence of methods.
Therefore, it didn't matter whether Huo Zhu opened it or Zhang Yang did.
Ten minutes later.
When Zhang Yang reached the stone door, sounds of commotion were indeed heard from outside.
"That Zhang Yang really ran in! Quickly, follow me and kill our way in!"
"Damn it, the Zhao family dared to play a trick on us! Leave a few people to guard here, the rest follow me to capture him!"
"..."
As expected.
Zhang Yang's guess was correct; there were indeed movements from above.
Fortunately.
Zhang Yang had anticipated this and quickly pressed the dragon eye positions on the stone door.
As the experts from the Zhang, Zhou, and Wu families entered, he closed the stone door first.
He returned.
Huo Zhu had already opened the entrance to the second level.
At the entrance.
Behind Huo Zhu, there was a staircase leading down.
"Zhang Yang, you came to the second level to retrieve the treasures there, didn't you? Why don't you go in and get them first?" Huo Zhu said.
He had been confined here for so many years and was accustomed to it.
Even if he was anxious, it wouldn't make a difference to wait a little longer.
However, Zhang Yang shook his head.
"Grand Elder, although the stone door won't open automatically, it's not impossible for the Zhang family to blast it open with modern weaponry. I'd better break your chains first."
"Alright," Huo Zhu thought about it and didn't refuse.
Immediately.
Zhang Yang's gaze sharpened.
True energy surged in his palms.
He continuously chopped at the same spot on the chains.
With each palm strike, a mark was left on the chain.
After about half an hour, Zhang Yang was sweating profusely.
With his efforts, three chains had been broken.
Only one more was left to free Huo Zhu.
"Why don't you rest for a bit?"
Huo Zhu was deeply moved by Zhang Yang's dedication.
While he trusted Zhang Yang, Zhang Yang also trusted him without reservation.
After all.
If Huo Zhu had harbored murderous intent towards Zhang Yang, Zhang Yang would have had no means of defense.
"It's fine, let's continue," Zhang Yang shook his head.
He took out a pill to restore true energy from his怀 and swallowed it.
Ten more minutes passed, and a cracking sound was heard.
The chains that had bound Huo Zhu for five years were finally all severed.
Zhang Yang was also exhausted and sat on the ground, panting heavily.
"Hahaha, my old bones are finally free! Zhang family, you wait for me. Your 'good days' are about to come," Huo Zhu laughed heartily.
However.
Perhaps due to excessive excitement.
Blood suddenly spurted from Huo Zhu's body.
Seeing this, Zhang Yang couldn't help but ask with concern.
"Grand Elder, what's wrong?"
Pfft~
Huo Zhu didn't answer Zhang Yang, as he coughed up another mouthful of blood.
This!
He was fine just now, wasn't he?
Why was Huo Zhu spitting blood continuously after all his chains were broken?
Could it be...
Zhang Yang glanced at the chains on the ground and had a bad premonition.
He stepped forward, grabbed Huo Zhu's wrist, and examined him.
Instantly.
Zhang Yang's brows furrowed.
Huo Zhu was poisoned!
And the poisoning was severe, his body was in disarray!
Zhang Yang attempted to transfer his true energy into the other person.
However, it was repelled by the powerful vital energy within Huo Zhu.
"This is bad, Grand Elder's strength is too great, my true energy is ineffective," Zhang Yang thought, finding it troublesome.
"Zhang Yang, what's happening to me?" Huo Zhu also felt something was wrong and asked.
"Your situation is not good. You seem to be poisoned," Zhang Yang said with a frown.
"Poisoned? But you were fine just now?" Huo Zhu was also confused.
However, at this moment, he also felt that his body's condition was very wrong.
Although he wasn't spitting blood anymore, two streams of heat suddenly flowed from his nose.
And that wasn't all.
Slowly, blood began to flow from Huo Zhu's ears and the corners of his eyes.
Bleeding from the seven orifices!
A sign of severe poisoning!
Bang.
Huo Zhu instantly sat down on the ground, his face pale!
Zhang Yang panicked for a moment.
He hadn't expected that breaking the chains would have such severe consequences!
He quickly picked up the chains from the ground and examined them carefully.
The chains themselves were not poisonous, but there was a special scent present.
This was the characteristic of the special material of the chains.
This scent could effectively suppress the outbreak of some toxins.
It seemed that for so many years, these chains had been suppressing the toxicity within Huo Zhu.
"Grand Elder, besides rat meat, have you eaten any other food in these years?" Zhang Yang asked.
"No... no," Huo Zhu said, his face pale.
None?
Zhang Yang frowned.
To find a cure, he had to locate the source of the poison.
If he hadn't consumed anything else, the problem must lie with the rats.
Suddenly.
Zhang Yang picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at a rat squatting in the corner of the wall.
He took out a silver needle and pricked the rat.
Silver needles for testing poison were usually the most effective and fastest.
As Zhang Yang watched the silver needle penetrate the rat's corpse, the entire needle turned black at a visible speed.
Indeed.
The problem lay with the rats!
"How is it?" Huo Zhu asked weakly.
He looked at Zhang Yang holding the black silver needle and sniffing it, feeling utterly despairing.
He had just regained his freedom, only to fall into even greater despair.
"This is a mixed poison. If we were outside, I could still treat it, but now..." Zhang Yang said, his brows tightly knit.
It seemed that the Zhang family had never underestimated Huo Zhu from beginning to end.
Even after imprisoning him here, they feared Huo Zhu might break free from the chains and escape.
Therefore, they had poisoned the rats long ago.
Then, they used chains made of special materials to suppress the outbreak of toxicity within Huo Zhu.
As long as Huo Zhu didn't break free from the chains, the poison wouldn't act up.
And once he broke free, the poison would act.
Then Huo Zhu wouldn't be able to seek revenge on them.
Huo Zhu grabbed the bluestone slabs on the ground with both hands, filled with rage.
If he survived this ordeal, he would make these families in the capital pay a bloody price!
"Grand Elder, don't worry, let me think of a way," Zhang Yang comforted him.
Huo Zhu was in despair, but Zhang Yang wouldn't give up.
Because he noticed that the rat he had just killed was very fat!
Logically.
These rats, carrying a mixed chronic poison, shouldn't have lived long.
Even with the rats' fast reproduction rate, they shouldn't have grown so fat.
Therefore, Zhang Yang concluded.
There might be an antidote, or a way to alleviate the poison, on this level.
Instantly.
Zhang Yang closed his eyes, sensing all movements on the first underground level.
Soon, he found the rats' gathering place.
There was a large rat nest here.
Zhang Yang stood before the rat nest and unleashed his true energy, killing all the rats within the nest.
"Building a nest here? Is there something different about this place?"
Zhang Yang muttered to himself.
Then he squatted down, grabbed the soil on the ground, and sniffed it carefully.
Immediately, his face lit up with joy!
The smell of the soil here was extremely different.
Perhaps this was the key that allowed the rats to suppress the outbreak of toxicity.
Zhang Yang remembered that there were many treasures collected by the Hua Xia Five Dragons on the second underground level, and he quickly turned to run towards Huo Zhu.
"Grand Elder, perhaps I have a way!"