“Young Master, these people have already settled down all over Guang Ming City as you instructed.”

The backyard of the Gu family envoy's residence.

Zhong Fan asked, puzzled, “I have one thing I don’t quite understand. Since we’ve chosen to summon the Night Watchers, is it really necessary to arrange them so dispersedly?”

“Yes.”

Without Gu Nanfeng answering, Luo Yu said, “Regarding the prison break, it’s already been determined… only the Young Master can possibly accomplish it. No matter how many Night Watchers the Gu family brings, it’ll all be in vain.”

“Indeed.” Zhong Fan nodded.

He agreed with this point as well.

Young Master Nanfeng’s speed is among the best in the Five Continents.

If one wants to break into the secret prison, the more people there are, the more burdens there will be.

Luo Yu slowly said, “The reason for having these Night Watchers travel from all over the Western Continent to Guang Ming City… is because they actually don’t need to do anything. Simply coming here has already served its purpose.”

Zhong Fan reacted, “So this arrangement is to make the Temple allocate manpower?”

“It’s the Guang Ming Sheng Dian, a large number of Sanctioners need to maintain order, and countless eyes from all over the Five Continents are focused here.”

Luo Yu said, “If the Sanctioners want to forcibly control and take them in, our Gu family can even step forward and admit that these transcendents are loyal to the Gu family. At worst, we’ll take them back to the Eastern Continent this time. As long as these people quietly stay in the city and don’t violate the law, Guang Ming City has no reason to deal with them… suspense before action is the sharpest arrow.”

Zhong Fan thought for a moment and asked, “What if Yao Jin doesn’t agree?”

Yao Jin had just personally visited the residence and delivered this map.

He should also be clear.

The real prison break can only be accomplished by the Young Master alone.

“Yao Jin’s agreement isn’t important.”

Gu Nanfeng, who hadn’t spoken until now, spoke, “This is for Su Ye to see.”

Zhong Fan was stunned for a second.

“After the Gu family envoy arrived in Guang Ming City, I sent someone to the Temple with gifts, and will visit them individually in a few days.”

Gu Nanfeng said gently, “Su Ye, like Yao Jin, is a shadow secretly cultivated by the Temple. People like them may be submerged in darkness for their entire lives… they’ll desperately try to climb up if they find an opportunity. Now that Yao Jin has gained the Temple’s favor, Su Ye certainly won’t just watch him gain power.”

He looked at Zhong Fan and asked, “If you were Yao Jin, after making a series of mistakes… would you tell Su Ye about sending out the ‘secret prison map’?”

“No.”

Zhong Fan shook his head and murmured, “So Su Ye doesn’t know about Yao Jin’s plan for the ‘secret prison’ at all.”

“Actually, it doesn’t matter even if he did.”

Gu Nanfeng said softly, “Since the Gu family has decided to summon the Night Watchers who have been dormant for many years, the Sanctioners must keep a close eye on them, even if these people do nothing… Just like Luo Yu said, only a suspended arrow will make people feel vigilant.”

Yao Jin sending the secret prison map is a calculated scheme (yang mou).

His letting the Night Watchers enter Guang Ming City is also a calculated scheme.

“Moreover, there’s another matter.”

Gu Nanfeng asked, “Aren’t you curious about the whereabouts of the Temple’s Second Elder?”

“Regarding Yuan Yang, there have been various rumors these past two days.”

Luo Yu stroked his chin, “Some say Yuan Yang went out to perform a mission, and others say he’s sick and recovering.”

“They’re all false.”

Gu Nanfeng said, “Although this Temple Second Elder’s cultivation talent is average, he’s followed the Guang Ming Shenzuo for many years. How could he happen to fall ill at this time? As for going out to perform a mission, that’s even more absurd… Yuan Yang is in charge of reception within the Temple. He’s the only one absent from the Guang Ming Sheng Dian. What mission is more important than his main duty?”

“So?”

“The secret prison, still the secret prison.”

Gu Nanfeng said, “This kind of thing can only be speculation, there’s no evidence. But I guess Yuan Yang is also in the secret prison right now. This is why Yao Jin is being valued.”

Luo Yu frowned and asked, “What heinous crime did Yuan Yang commit to be thrown into the secret prison?”

“The Dong Se Zheng Zang case file points to the Temple.”

Gu Nanfeng said, “If the hidden line that Chen Li pulled out was exposed by Yuan Yang… then he did touch the Temple’s laws.”

Luo Yu suddenly understood, “In that case, it makes sense!”

He looked at the Young Master, his eyes full of respect.

“No, that’s not the whole truth…” Gu Nanfeng murmured, “I remember she once told me that there were very few people in the Guang Ming Temple who were truly good to her, and Second Elder Yuan Yang was one of them.”

The courtyard fell into a brief silence.

Luo Yu and Zhong Fan both knew that the "she" the Young Master was referring to was that Miss Meng.

In this brief silence, Luo Yu thought of the meaning Gu Nanfeng was implying.

His pupils constricted slightly, and he said in disbelief, “You mean, Yuan Yang entered the secret prison to gain Miss Meng’s trust?”

“I don’t know why the Temple wants to imprison the Divine Maiden in the secret prison.”

“Is it just because of the broken engagement?”

“I’m afraid… things aren’t that simple.”

Gu Nanfeng gritted his teeth and said, “In the past twenty years, Meng Xizhou has received a ‘divine scroll’ unique to her. She’s naturally close to Guang Ming, and the Shenzuo has bestowed countless honors and glory upon the Meng family. If it’s just because of the broken engagement, why send her directly to the secret prison? Taking a step back, if they really wanted to punish her, why not strip her of her title of ‘Divine Maiden’?”

Not stripping her name meant there was still room for negotiation.

Now there are countless people outside guessing the whereabouts of the Guang Ming Divine Maiden.

The Temple even cooperatively released the news that the "Divine Maiden is serving the Shenzuo's sickbed."

“This… is indeed incomprehensible.”

Luo Yu rubbed his eyebrows and murmured, “I’m afraid only when you see that Miss Meng and ask her in person will you know the answer.”

Gu Nanfeng sighed softly.

“If Yuan Yang entered the secret prison just to act, then Yao Jin’s rise can be explained.”

“But, how will Su Ye see it?”

He looked up at Luo Yu and then at Zhong Fan.

“As the Holy Son, Su Ye has to guard against Yao Jin replacing his position… He can’t let Yao Jin stand in the light forever.” Luo Yu said sternly, “Jia Wei is stationed at Red Lake, and Yao Jin alone controls the power of the secret prison. The progress of Yuan Yang’s mission is only up to him. Su Ye can’t allow this to happen.”

“That’s right.”

Zhong Fan also agreed, “So Su Ye… might enter the secret prison?”

“Not might, but definitely—”

Gu Nanfeng said word by word, “Su Ye will definitely first remove Yao Jin’s power to control the Sanctioners, and then personally explore the secret prison!”

The power of the secret prison was bestowed by the Temple, so Su Ye couldn’t take it away.

“Su Ye will go to visit Yuan Yang in person, and also find an opportunity to release Yuan Yang…”

Luo Yu suddenly understood something, and he murmured in shock, “Young Master, you’re not planning to break into the prison at this time, are you?”

……

……

“Western Continent…”

“Western Continent…”

In the deepest part of the dark and lightless secret prison, black-silver smeared iron cages separated the two people.

Clearly only separated by a wall, yet it felt like an impassable chasm.

Meng Xizhou sat withered against the stone wall. She had maintained this posture for a long, long time.

As the Guang Ming Divine Maiden, being locked in a place where she couldn’t see the slightest light… This was truly a ridiculous and ironic thing.

At this moment.

From the black-silver secret prison next door, came Yuan Yang’s hoarse call.

Yao Jin deliberately didn’t seal off the sound transmission between the two cages… Just as he had said to Meng Xizhou, Yuan Yang’s mission was to extract the unfinished information from the Divine Maiden’s mouth.

Yao Jin, the secret prison warden, although young, was very good at manipulating people’s hearts.

He tore apart the last layer of “window paper” between the two disciples in front of Meng Xizhou and Yuan Yang.

How could the darkness of this secret prison compare to the darkness of people’s hearts?

After several calls, Meng Xizhou opened her eyes.

She looked at the dark black-silver secret wall beside her with great disappointment, and said self-deprecatingly, “Master, I never thought I would meet you in such a setting.”

“……”

Yuan Yang was silent for several seconds.

He leaned against the black-silver secret wall, his expression very颓丧, his voice full of hoarseness: "Master is sorry for you."

Over the years, it wasn't that he hadn't thought about pleading.

It's just...

Anything was possible.

But the matter of the Divine Maiden was non-negotiable.

The Grand Elder told him that if Meng Xizhou didn't fully reveal the whereabouts of the [Holy Book], then it would be a betrayal of Guang Ming, and Guang Ming City would never allow such a traitor to become the Divine Maiden and inherit the fire.

“If it weren’t for the words Yao Jin said, I might have really believed you.”

Meng Xizhou said softly, “After all, you are my master, you saved me, and you also saved the Meng family… And over the years, I have had fantasies, perhaps you would be willing to come to the secret prison to see me, even if it’s not to save me, just a simple meeting, would satisfy Xizhou’s heart.”

"The Meng family... has been well these past few years."

Yuan Yang's voice was a little weak, and he said with a smile: "How can I have the face to see you? Yao Jin is right, originally this time entering the secret prison was just my mission, if I tricked out the whereabouts of the 'Holy Book', then it would be considered a successful mission."

"I have begged the Grand Elder many times these past few years, countless times. Knowing that there is absolutely no room for maneuver in this matter..."

"I struggled for a long time."

"In the end, I made a decision."

"I thought, even if I lose this old face, I would use 'deception' to solve your matter... so I came."

Yuan Yang leaned against the wall and said softly: "Do you know, they have already begun to re-select the 'fire inheritor'."

After breaking through that layer of window paper.

Yuan Yang had nothing to hide.

He frankly admitted his intention: "Little Meng, you are the true inheritor of the fire, you should go to the outside world, you should go and see the light."

This voice echoed in the black-silver secret prison, lingering for a long time.

It's just a pity.

Meng Xizhou just shook her head.

“If I have to say the whereabouts of the ‘Holy Book’ to get out of this secret prison, then I would rather not go out.”

She lowered her eyes and smiled, and asked: “The outside world… where is there still light?”