"You and Miss Lin seem to be on very good terms."
On the way to the dungeon with Zhang Wuma, Zhang Wuma couldn't help but tease Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi chuckled, "What? Brother Wuma, do you also want to taste the bitterness of love?"
"Ahem, cultivators should not concern themselves with such worldly matters," Zhang Wuma said, suddenly sounding a bit embarrassed.
Yan Shouyi comforted him, "When fate arrives, it cannot be stopped. Besides, if you have a Dao companion to cultivate with, and you can fly together in the future, what's so bad about that?"
"Let's not talk about this, let's not talk about this."
Zhang Wuma regretted bringing up the topic, which had now unsettled his Dao heart.
To change the subject, he brought up the match between Yu Lumin and Liu Yiren, "Who do you think will win between them?"
"It's hard to say," Yan Shouyi shook his head, unable to provide an answer.
Zhang Wuma asked, "The winner between them will be your opponent tomorrow. In other words, who would you prefer to face?"
"I definitely don't want to face Liu Yiren," Yan Shouyi gave a rare clear answer.
Zhang Wuma observed Yan Shouyi's expression and suddenly regretted his previous actions even more.
He hadn't paid much attention before, but now, looking at Yan Shouyi's expression, Zhang Wuma could roughly guess that Yan Shouyi's relationship with Liu Yiren was extraordinary.
It was truly a case of some starving while others drowned in plenty!
He might as well have continued the previous conversation!
Seeing that Zhang Wuma was about to ask another question, Yan Shouyi quickly interjected to avoid embarrassment,
"Did you tell your granduncle about the mole within Longhu Mountain?"
"Oh, right, right, right, this is important!" Zhang Wuma lowered his voice and said, "After I told Hall Master Shan Li about this, he told me not to make a fuss, saying the Celestial Master had his own arrangements."
"Ah?" Yan Shouyi was taken aback.
"Perhaps, as I said before, the Celestial Master already knew someone had infiltrated Longhu Mountain, and the silence was just to catch them all in one go?"
Yan Shouyi stroked his chin, "That makes sense."
...
Led by Zhang Wuma, Yan Shouyi arrived at the Longhu Mountain dungeon.
The Longhu Mountain dungeon was hidden and protected by layers of restrictions. It was also guarded day and night by disciples on rotation and permanent elders. Even Zhang Wuma needed to present a token to enter, and Yan Shouyi was searched multiple times before being allowed entry after his identity was confirmed.
"Are there many people imprisoned in this dungeon? Why is the security so strict?" Yan Shouyi asked Zhang Wuma.
Zhang Wuma replied mysteriously, "It's not just people who are locked up here."
Indeed, Longhu Mountain was a sacred ground of Taoism, and it would be strange if there weren't a few demons and monsters imprisoned in the dungeon.
However, the strict security measures only reinforced Yan Shouyi's belief that there were some formidable beings within the dungeon, and their release would surely unleash chaos.
Soon, the two arrived at the cell where the coffin bearers were held.
The cell was surrounded by people, with most of the elders of Longhu Mountain present. Many of them were faces Yan Shouyi was completely unfamiliar with.
Fortunately, Zhang Shanli was there.
"Shouyi, come here," Zhang Shanli beckoned Yan Shouyi, and no one stopped him as he walked unobstructed to the innermost part.
He stood beside Zhang Shanli and saw the coffin bearers, their limbs chained with iron locks and their bodies plastered with restraining talismans.
The coffin bearers did not appear to be injured, indicating that Zhang Shanli and the others had not used any harsh methods during their interrogation.
The Longhu Mountain elders outside the cell showed signs of disdain when they saw Yan Shouyi.
Although they didn't say it directly, they all believed that this was an internal matter of Longhu Mountain and did not require the help of an outsider, let alone a young lad.
If we couldn't do anything to him, what could this Yan Shouyi do?
"Did you find anything out?" Yan Shouyi asked Zhang Shanli.
Zhang Shanli replied, "We only got a name. He said he's called Guan Lao San."
Yan Shouyi nodded, "The coffin bearer lineage is passed down through generations, and the most common surnames are Guan, Chen, and Lei. He's likely from the Guan family lineage."
Zhang Shanli chuckled, "It still has to be you, kid. It was indeed the right decision to find an expert to help."
As he spoke, Zhang Shanli glanced at the other elders outside the cell, as if to say: If we had brought this kid in earlier, we could have saved a lot of effort.
Yan Shouyi said humbly, "Uncle-grandfather, I only have knowledge of folk sects. I may not be able to truly help you."
"Don't worry about that. You caught the person, which has already proven your abilities. Since you've been brought here, just do your best. You can scold or hit him as you please, and I'll bear any consequences!"
Being a relative, his words carried weight.
Zhang Shanli was the Hall Master of the Discipline Hall, and matters of punishment and interrogation also fell under his purview. With him acting as Yan Shouyi's backer, it was indeed difficult for the other elders to say anything.
"We'll go outside, and you can have a private chat with this Guan Lao San!"
With that, Zhang Shanli ushered everyone else out.
In a short while, the cell was cleared, leaving only Yan Shouyi and Guan Lao San.
Yan Shouyi brought over a chair and sat directly in front of Guan Lao San, unafraid that Guan Lao San might suddenly attack.
"How many breaths do you have left?" Yan Shouyi asked with a smile.
Guan Lao San weakly raised his head, intending to spit at Yan Shouyi's face. However, he lacked the strength even to spit, and a bit of saliva dripped onto the tip of his own shoe.
Yan Shouyi said helplessly, "You broke into Longhu Mountain and killed people. You were captured because you were outmatched. Why do you still hate me?"
Guan Lao San replied, "You, as a member of a folk sect, are colluding with these sanctimonious hypocrites. Of course, you are detestable."
"Hmph, don't start with moral blackmail. Traditional sects do have many hypocrites, but they don't kill people easily."
Yan Shouyi was not swayed by Guan Lao San's words and casually crossed his legs, "Since you've been caught, you should truthfully confess what you know. You'll suffer less. Don't think that just because my uncle-grandfather invited me, they have no other way to deal with you. He has plenty of methods; he just hasn't reached that point yet. By the time he acts, it will be too late for you to regret it."
Guan Lao San lowered his head and remained silent.
Yan Shouyi raised an eyebrow, "Not talking? Then let's talk about something else. Your surname is Guan, you're from the Guan family lineage, and you're called Guan Lao San. This implies you have two older brothers or sisters. Where are they?"
Guan Lao San finally spoke, "They're all dead."
"How did they die?"
"They died from practicing their skills poorly, crushed by coffins."
Yan Shouyi understood.
The lives of coffin bearers had to be sufficiently tough, as they carried not ordinary coffins. With the slightest carelessness, they could be harmed by what was inside the coffin.
In essence, it was a high-risk profession.
"They are dead, yet you are still alive. I believe it must have been difficult," Yan Shouyi sighed. "Then why did you join the Xin Xuan Mountain Sect and do evil with that actor?"