The next moment, stone pillars suddenly burst from the ground, startling both of them. They instinctively retreated.
"What is this?" Zhang Changhe looked at the stone pillars erected before him, utterly bewildered as to how they were buried underground, how they appeared on the surface, and what their purpose was.
Just as he was about to step closer for a detailed look, Wu Caiwei grabbed him, her expression grave. "This is the Golden Pillar Formation. Anyone who approaches will have their senses clouded and will unconsciously engage in combat."
Seeing her solemnity, Zhang Changhe understood the gravity of the situation. He withdrew, leaving the primary engagement to Wu Caiwei. Knowing her well, he was certain this minor trick wouldn't fool her.
As expected, after a brief examination, Wu Caiwei pulled him along, skillfully navigating through and around the pillars. Zhang Changhe felt as if they were walking in circles, yet before long, they had left the pillars behind.
"I underestimated you. I didn't expect you to possess such skills." Madam Luo's face darkened. She felt deceived by the Taoist priest, who had claimed his formations were invincible and could not be broken. Who were these two people standing before her then?
The middle-aged man behind her was equally stunned. This was his most brilliant creation, one that had trapped countless individuals in trials. Every single one had been disoriented within it. Yet, this couple had emerged successfully and in such a short time. It was evident they were fellow practitioners, and their mastery far surpassed his.
His face felt a flush of heat. He had boasted to his wife not long ago, only to be so thoroughly humbled now. Seeing the mocking expression of those beside him, and knowing they had been displeased with him for a while, he felt a surge of resentment.
Realizing she was no match for them, Madam Luo retreated. The men standing behind her stepped forward, their expressions stern. "Our Madam always said you were formidable, and you even dealt with those useless fools. It seems you have some skill. Today, let us four brothers test you. Let's see if your blades are faster or our whips are more potent."
With that, they cracked their whips and charged forward. They became entangled with the whips, and Wu Caiwei finally understood their confidence. The whips, made of some unknown material, were impervious to her treasure sword, which could effortlessly slice through iron, leaving not even a scratch.
Madam Luo had found incredibly skilled martial artists. The four brothers moved with such perfect coordination that no flaws could be found. If not for Wu Caiwei's superior martial arts, escaping would have been impossible. Even as it was, she could only barely maintain a slight advantage while fending them off. The four brothers, however, were even more astonished. Their loyalty to Madam Luo stemmed from a great debt owed to her father. When they were young and foolish, they had fallen into a trap and were imprisoned. Madam Luo's father, who was in charge of their affairs at the time, had shown them exceptional kindness. Later, when they encountered Madam Luo at the border, her father had secretly provided them with money to return to the capital. Upon learning of his daughter's plight, Madam Luo's father had written to them, and they had come to repay his past kindness. They prided themselves on never having met a worthy opponent, yet this young woman before them possessed martial arts superior to all four of them combined. Beads of sweat began to appear on their foreheads.
"Four men bullying a woman. It would surely tarnish the reputation of the Four Whiplashes of Lingnan," Zhang Changhe commented sarcastically after watching for a while.
Being close enough, Wu Caiwei clearly saw a flicker of embarrassment cross their faces. The force of their whip strikes lessened. Knowing Zhang Changhe's words had affected them, Wu Caiwei seized the opportunity. She quickly found a minor opening and thrust her sword forward. With a muffled groan, the youngest of the four quickly fell, while the others rapidly closed the gap.
Despite their swift response, their concern for the fallen man showed a hint of panic. After suffering a few more blows at Wu Caiwei's hands, they gradually regained their composure. All four were no match for her, let alone three. Seeing the tide turning, Madam Luo's gaze shifted to Zhang Changhe, who was not far away.
Zhang Changhe seemed to sense her gaze and looked towards her. Seeing her confident demeanor, Madam Luo frowned. In her memory, Wu Caiwei always led the charge while Zhang Changhe watched from the sidelines. She had no idea if he possessed martial arts or medical skills. Deciding to test him, she whispered instructions to a guard behind her. The guard immediately rushed forward, intending to finish the fight quickly while Wu Caiwei was occupied.
Zhang Changhe quickly threw out a prepared pouch of powder. The guard's eyes immediately burned intensely. He tried to open them, but the powder clinging to his eyes penetrated deeper, causing him to cry out and fall to the ground, rubbing his eyes incessantly. Hearing the commotion, Wu Caiwei, enraged by their sneak attack, showed no further mercy in her strikes.
Soon, the remaining three were defeated. Wu Caiwei approached Zhang Changhe, and together they stood watching their fallen opponents with angry eyes. If they hadn't captured Sister Yu, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths to fight them and would have been enjoying their lives peacefully in the city.
"You have a lot of nerve, defeating the people I hired at great expense. You want to save your daughter, don't you? Then follow me," Madam Luo said, leading the way.
A bad premonition washed over Wu Caiwei. Such easy compliance made her uneasy. However, even if it were a dragon's den, they had to venture in.
"Your daughter is in the dungeon, a water dungeon. She hasn't slept well for several nights. In the dead of night, the water will slowly fill the cell. If she dozes off and lowers her head, she will slip in and drown. Her will to survive is strong, and she's still alive, but after days and nights without sleep, her mind is somewhat disoriented," Madam Luo explained helpfully.
The couple couldn't be sure if she was telling the truth, but looking around, there was no other place to imprison someone. Wu Caiwei knew there must be a mechanism below. It was possible that the moment they entered, Madam Luo would trap them inside, preventing their escape. So, she held her sword to the county magistrate's wife's neck and made her lead the way.
Madam Luo sneered and walked ahead. As expected, the moment they entered, the stone door behind them slammed shut.
The couple followed her, descending the stone steps into a brightly lit area.
"Auntie, why are you here? Did Mother send you to save us?" The eldest son of the Zhu family looked at the couple following Madam Luo with surprise. They knew well her deep animosity towards them, and couldn't fathom why they would be walking together.